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abs jn city

2009-11-01T22:23:00.000-08:00

Orionid Meteor Shower October 2009 Full Bloom Tonight

2009-10-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

Meteor shower tonight Orionid meteor shower October 2009. We are in for another great treat from Orionid meteor shower. After Perseids showers that we experienced in mid August, it will be another visual treat for millions of stargazers.

The Orionids generally begin on October 15 and end on October 29, with maximum generally occurring during the morning hours of October 20-22. The Orionids are barely detectable on the beginning and ending dates, but observers in the Northern Hemisphere will see around 20 meteors per hour at maximum, while observers in the Southern Hemisphere will see around 40 meteors per hour. The maximum can last two or three nights, although there is evidence of some fluctuation from year to year.

There are other, weaker meteor showers going on around the same time as the Orionids. The Orionids generally appear to move fast. When you see a meteor, mentally trace it backwards. If you end up at Orion then you have probably seen an Orionid meteor! If you are not sure where Orion is in the sky, the following charts will help you find it from both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere:

This represents the view from mid-northern latitudes at about 1:00 a.m. local time around October 21. The graphic does not represent the view at the time of maximum, but is simply meant to help prospective observers to find the radiant location. The red line across the bottom of the image represents the horizon.

Location of the Orionids:

For Southern Hemisphere Observers

This represents the view from mid-southern latitudes at about 2:00 a.m. local time around October 21. The graphic does not represent the view at the time of maximum, but is simply meant to help prospective observers to find the radiant location. The red line across the bottom of the image represents the horizon.

HISTORY :

The Orionids Meteor Shower is caused by the dust particles of Halley’s Comet (IP/Halley). Halley’s Comet last visited us in 1986 and has a 75-76 year orbit. The trail of debris that follows this comet consistently produces the Orionids Meteor Shower each October. Halley’s Comet is also accountable for an additional meteor shower in May called the Eta Aquarids. The Orionids Meteor Shower started October 2 and will be active until November 7. Viewers can expect the strongest activity to take place in the morning of October 21. An interesting fact about the Orionids is that they have been known to exhibit what is called “submaxima” activity which means that strong outbursts may occur anytime between October 18-24. Meteors are the occurrence of light created from meteoroids entering the Earth’s atmosphere at 90,000+ mph. Orionids seem to originate from the constellation Orion near the red/orange star named Betelgeuse. Light pollution from the moon and man-made sources of light are always a factor for meteor shower viewing, however this year the Moon will be a waxing crescent with only 13% of the Moon’s visible disk illuminated which means good news for meteor enthusiasts.

WHERE TO WATCH ?

To view this shower one must go to a safe dark place in the morning and look toward the constellation Orion. Orionids get their name from the meteor shower’s radiant which is located near Orion, the Hunter.

WHEN TO WATCH ?

For each shower, I list the shower's name and a "Predicted Maximum". This is when THE SHOWER should be at its maximum activity, whether or not you are in a position to view it. If this maximum time happens to coincide with a time when it's clear and dark and the radiant is high in your sky, you'll probably be a happy camper.

These times are generally valid for all of North America and are given as local time (i.e., you don't have to worry about converting for your time zone). It may be worth looking up the beginning of astronomical twilight for your location on a given date; this will give you an idea of how late you may observe into the prime morning hours.

I’m looking forward to this event because it marks the start of more major meteor activity in the last part of the year. The Orionids is considered a major meteor shower and could produce 25 to 35 visible meteors per hour. Please note that meteor showers are best seen in the morning before dawn so one should be observing Wednesday morning October 21 to have the best chance to see the most meteors not Wednesday Night.

"Need Help" Threats On Popular Social Networking Sites !!

2009-10-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

If you're on Facebook, Twitter, myspace or any other social networking site, you could be the next victim. It will come to you as a friendly package..it starts with a friend updating his or her status and slowly raveled his/her cruel intentions. FBI alerts..!!
That's because more cyberthieves are targeting increasingly popular social networking sites that provide a gold mine of personal information, according to the FBI. Since 2006, nearly 3,200 account hijacking cases have been reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance.

It starts with a friend updating his or her status or sending you a message with an innocent link or video. Maybe your friend is in distress abroad and needs some help.All you have to do is click.

When the message or link is opened, social network users are lured to fake Web sites that trick them into divulging personal details and passwords. The process, known as a phishing attack or malware, can infiltrate users' accounts without their consent.
Once the account is compromised, the thieves can infiltrate the list of friends or contacts and repeat the attack on subsequent victims. Social networking sites show there is ample opportunity to find more victims; the average Facebook user has 120 friends on the site.

"Security is a constant arms race," said Simon Axten, an associate for privacy and public policy at Facebook. "Malicious actors are constantly attacking the site, and what you see is actually a very small percentage of what's attempted."
As some social networking sites experience monstrous growth, they are becoming a new -- and extremely lucrative -- frontier for cybercrime. Facebook says it has 300 million users, nearly the size of the U.S. population, and it continues to attract users outside the college student niche. From February 2008 to February 2009, Twitter, a micro-blogging site where users post 140-character messages known as tweets, grew 1,382 percent to more than 7 million users.

"They [cybercriminals] are very adept to using social engineering," said Donald DeBold, director of threat research for CA, an Internet security company. "Your friend is in trouble traveling in another country, 'I lost my wallet. I need help.' They exploit the curiosity aspect out of human nature."

A few decades ago, malicious software and viruses were usually the result of a prank, but Internet security experts say today's attacks are profit-driven. A study from the Indiana University in 2005 discovered that phishing attacks on social networks operated with a 70 percent success rate. These users had fallen for the scam, opened the foreign link and released personal information.

Cybercriminals are employing phishing and malware attacks for a number of reasons, including trying to redirect users to sites where profit is fueled by the number of visitors. They also try to elicit private information like passwords and bank account numbers to perform scams.

Early this year, Twitter experienced several phishing attacks in which a Web page that looked identical to the widely recognized light blue Twitter page was a hoax. The company warned users to double-check the URL to ensure they were visiting the correct site.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 72,000 complaints about Internet fraud in 2008 that were referred to law enforcement agencies for further investigation. These cases involved financial losses amounting to $264.6 million, an increase from 2007. Each person lost an average of $931.

"Most of us would want to help a friend in need, but if it's an online friend, and they want you to wire money, you should double-check," FBI spokesman Jason Pack said.

Security experts said it makes sense that cybercriminals are turning to social networking sites. Personal information is abundant on sites like Facebook and MySpace. Each time users give out valuable information like birth dates or addresses, they could be providing hints about their password, security experts say.

The American Civil Liberties Union has expressed concern about the information visible through Facebook quizzes and applications.

"They'll have access to all that information, so they can sell it, they can share it, they can do an awful lot with it," Chris Calabrese, legislative counsel for privacy-related issues with the ACLU, told CNN.com in September.

Many Internet security experts consider the first virus attack on the PC to have occurred in 1986. By the early 1990s, viruses transmitted on floppy disks became ubiquitous. When the World Wide Web became widely available that same decade, viruses, worms and malware became problems in e-mail accounts, frustrating users who clicked on messages thought to be legitimate.

In the new millennium, the most common form of malware attack has become known as drive-by downloads. While surfing on Google or Yahoo, spyware or a computer virus is automatically and invisibly downloaded on a computer, requiring no user interaction for the computer to be infected.

"We are on the verge from shifting from the Web being the No. 1 victim of infecting to social network," said Mikko H. Hypponen, chief of research technology at F-Secure Corp. His company sells anti-virus software and malware protection programs. "It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

Social networks are fighting the aggressive attacks from cybercriminals. Most sites have information pages dedicated to educating users about the risks of Internet scams. Users can become a fan of "Facebook Security" and receive updates on how to protect their accounts. One of the most common pieces of advice given by security experts is to change passwords frequently.

Facebook has also developed complex automated systems that detect compromised accounts. They spot and freeze accounts that are sending an unusually high number of messages to their friends. Company security officials said Facebook is a closed system, which can be helpful in erasing phony messages from all accounts.

At News Corporation's MySpace.com, the company creates blacklists of phony accounts to prevent people from clicking on a faulty link. Hemanshu Nigam, first chief security officer for MySpace, said the firm warns about suspicious links and educates users about the harm phishing and malware attacks can bring.

"We are prepared for them," he said.

Here are few easy steps How to protect yourself against scams:
(Information provided by FBI and Internet security experts)

1. Change your passwords frequently

2. Adjust Web site privacy settings

3. Be selective when adding friends

4. Limit access to your profile to contacts you trust

5. Disable options such as photo sharing

6. Be careful what you click on

7. Familiarize yourself with the security and privacy settings

8. Learn how to report a compromised account

9. Use security software that updates automatically

Source: cnn.com

Fulfill Your Every Needs In Mall Of America

2009-10-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

We all love to shopping but...if shopping is not your main intention at Mall of America, visit the many attractions inside the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the United States. The newly opened Nickelodeon Universe theme park brings Nick characters to life with 24 rides geared for the young and young at heart.

Admission to the park is free. Rides and attractions require varying numbers of points. Points are available for purchase individually or in multi-point packages. Pay-one-price unlimited ride wristbands are also available.

Because it's indoors, the park is open year-round whenever the mall is open, which is pretty much all the time.

Mall of America(Mall of America,60 East Broadway,Bloomington, MN 55425 ) is a super-regional shopping mall located in the Twin Cities suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. The mall is located southeast of the junction of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River and is across the interstate from the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. In the United States, it is the second largest enclosed mall in terms of retail space but is largest in terms of total enclosed floor area.

Design :

Mall of America has a gross area of 4.2 million sq ft. (390,000 m²), with 2.5 million sq ft. (230,000 m²) available as retail space.The mall is a nearly symmetrical building, with a roughly rectangular floor plan. Over 520 stores are arranged along three levels of pedestrian walkways on the sides of the rectangle, with a fourth level on one side. An addition planned north of the mall will allow for up to 900 stores. Four "anchor" department stores are located at the corners. The Mall is organized into four different zones, each with its own decorative style.

Notable attractions:

Nickelodeon Universe
Underwater Adventures Aquarium
Bodies... The Exhibition

Nickelodeon Universe :

Nickelodeon Universe is an indoor theme park in the center of the mall, formerly known as Knotts Camp Snoopy, Camp Snoopy, and The Park at MOA. The park features roller coasters, among numerous other rides and attractions, and is the largest indoor theme park in the United States. Unlike many indoor amusement parks, Nickelodeon Universe has a great deal of natural foliage in and about the park, and its floor has a wide variance in height - the highest ground level in the park is 15 feet above the lowest. This allows for a far more naturalistic experience than would normally occur in an indoor amusement park.

The park features two new roller coasters; SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge and Avatar AirbenderIt also has a golfing section called Moose Mountain. With 18 holes, designed to create a challenge for players hoping to seek a hole in one.

Underwater Adventures Aquarium :

Guests travel through a 300 foot long curved tunnel through 14 feet of water to view over 4,500 sea creatures including sharks, turtles, stingrays, and many more. Underwater Adventures offers special events such as sleepovers, scuba diving, snorkeling, and birthday parties.Children ages 2 and younger receive free admission, while admission for ages 3-12 are $11.95, and Adult admission for ages 13 & older are $18.95.

FUN FACTS :

Minnesota's Mall of America is the largest, fully enclosed retail and family entertainment complex in the U.S.
Seven Yankee Stadiums would fit inside Mall of America.
Mall of America’s 13,300 short tons of steel is nearly twice the amount in the Eiffel Tower.
Walking distance around one level of Mall of America is .57 of a mile.
Spending 10 minutes in every store would take a shopper more than 86 hours to complete there visit to Mall of America.
More than 5,000 couples have been married at Mall of America since opening in August of 1992.
The Mall of America is located on the former Metropolitan Sports Stadium which was home to the Minnesota Vikings and Twins. Home plate can be found in Nickelodeon Universe®.
There are 30,000 live plants and 400 live trees planted in Nickelodeon Universe.

Phase II Expansion :

Phase II is the planned expansion for MOA, developing a large, empty parcel of land north of the mall which was the former home of the Met Center indoor arena and integrating an IKEA store built on a portion of the property in 2004. Phase II, in current form, includes a dinner theatre, ice rink, three hotels, and a waterpark; similar in design to the West Edmonton Mall. The expansion will not make MOA exceed the size of the WEM (itself going under expansion). The plan has been impeded by a lack of public financing.

MOA currently estimates costs of $1.9 billion for the expansion, doubling the mall's size with a 5.2 million-square-feet extension. The mall's developers have asked for $234 million in state and local subsidies, but the request was vetoed as part of a larger bill by Gov. Tim Pawlenty on its first appearance in the 2006-07 session. Questions have arisen among Bloomington city officials as to the fiscal ability of the Ghermezians to finish Phase II.

So decorates your holidays in Mall Of America and have a great experience of unlimited joy and happiness..

Obama Diwali Celebrated In White House

2009-10-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

This is the first time in the history of the United States that a sitting President not only hosted a Diwali ceremony but was also present at the function.Indian government and Indian people are very happy on this Diwali as the American president Barack Obama himself celebrated the Indian lights festival.

"This coming Saturday, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists, here in America and around the world, will celebrate this holiday by lighting diyas, or lamps, which symbolise the victory of light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance," said Obama at a ceremony in the East Room.

Obama said at his ceremonial speech in white house. It was previous president George .W Bush who actually started that tradition but he never took part himself but now Obama has taken a step ahead of litting the lamp and of taking part in ceremony by himself. Obama went to Indian treaty room and lit lamp with a candle then he listen the speech of “pandit” who was reciting from the sacred book Upanishads. Obama also had a “tilak” on his head.

Obama then lit the traditional lamp with a candle as a Hindu priest with a three-forked tilak on his forehead chanted "Asatoma Sadgamaya" (Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to liberation) from the Upanishads.

Obama listened intently as the priest ended his invocation with "Om Shanti Shanti", returned the priest's namaste with folded hands and then shook his hands before leaving with greetings of "Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak" to everyone.

"Thank you Mr President for being the first president to come to the Diwali ceremony," a journalist called out to Obama. "Yeah, isn't that something?" the president shot back.

Obama's White House also did not forget to leave the traditional box of Indian sweets on some 150 chairs for the guests.

The half-hour East Room celebration was attended by a crowd of Indians and other Asians. India's Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and Ambassador Meera Shankar dropped by, and several Indian-Americans in administrative positions in Washington attended.

The brief ceremony began with a performance by the well-regarded Hindi a-capella group Penn Masala.

The White House kept it light and simple. A box of Indian mithai (sweets) was placed on some 150 chairs that filled the East Room but there was no food fest or song and dance.

After his remarks, much of which was devoted to the Asian-American initiative, there was a single lamp that Obama lit from a candle. The Siva-Vishnu temple priest, dressed in ceremonial togs with an enormous three-forked tilak on his forehead, kept his invocation short -- chanting ''Asatoma Sadgamaya'' (Lead us from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to liberation) from the Upanishads.

Obama, having lit the White House diya (a word he handled with aplomb) and wished everyone a ''Happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak,'' listened intently as the priest ended with ''Om Shanti Shanti.'' He returned the priest’s Namaste and then shook his hands before striding out to attend to the business of war.

''Thank you Mr President for being the first president to come to the Diwali ceremony,'' a gadabout journalist called out to Obama. ''Yes, how about that,’’ the President shot back.

Also, the event was always held in the Indian Treaty Room at the Old Executive Office Building, which is adjacent to the White House, and serves as an administrative office of the White House.

Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar and visiting Commerce Minister Anand Sharma were special guests of the White House at the event.

Captain Lou Albano Passed Away At 76

2009-10-15T01:26:00.000-07:00

Before Charles Martinet made Mario sound like an eccentric Italian ESL student from the land stereotypical accents, our 8-bit hero had another voice: Captain Lou Albano.

Captain Lou Albano, a former professional wrestler and actor (though never a sea captain), recently passed away at the age of 76 of natural causes. In the wake of his death, searches surged on the man and his unique body of work.

Lou Albano was a professional wrestling, a manager, an actor and more, but in 1989 most young gamers knew him only for his role as Mario on the Super Mario Bros Super Show. In contrast with Martinet's performance, Albano's Mario was a little more.. "Brooklyn" in accent. The show only lasted in syndication for one season, and although it was followed by a "Super Mario Bros. 3" show and a "New Super Mario World" cartoon, neither of these shows featured Mr. Albano.

Those of us who grew up with the show know it was cheesy and full of bad puns - but many still stick by Captain Lou Albano as the first, best, and true voice of Mario.

Wrestling fans know him as the WWE Hall of Famer who managed more than 50 wrestlers in his day, with more than two dozen championships won by athletes taken under his wing. 80's music fans might remember him from his appearances in many Cyndi Lauper music videos, including "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", "She Bop", "Time After Time" and "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough." As gamers, we of course remember him as the best live-action Mario of all time. That's not saying much when your chief competition is Bob Hoskins, but at least he was Italian. The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! might have only run a grand total of 52 episodes, but that was more than enough to cement Captain Lou's place in gaming history.

Louis Vincent Albano was an American professional wrestler, manager and actor. With an over-the-top personality and a penchant for boisterous declarations, "Captain" Lou Albano was the epitome of the antagonistic manager that raised the ire of wrestlers and incited the anger of spectators. Throughout his 42-year career, Albano guided 15 different tag teams and four singles competitors to championship gold.A unique showman, with an elongated beard, rubber band facial piercings, and loud outfits, he was the forefather of the 1980s Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection. Collaborating with Cyndi Lauper, Albano helped usher in wrestling's crossover success with a mainstream audience. Capitalizing on his success, he later ventured into Hollywood with various television, film, and music projects.

Albano's personal life :

During the 1990s, Albano shed 150 pounds (70 kg) following a health scare. In May 2005,Albano suffered a heart attack, but later recovered.

In 2008 he released his autobiography, "Often Imitated, Never Duplicated"with the foreword written by Cyndi Lauper.

Albano was one of five children born to Dr. Carmen Louis and Eleanor Albano, both deceased. The other Albano siblings are Vincent, George, Eleanor, and Carl.

Albano's brother, Carl, taught health for 32 years at Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, NJ, and was head of the Ridgewood High health department from 1974 until 2001.Carl Albano's students have noted that he used his brother Lou as an example of the difference between crazy and unique.

Albano began his wrestling career in 1953 and rose to international fame, mostly as a manager, with the then-World Wrestling Federation, now called World Wrestling Entertainment.

He appeared in the first Wrestlemania at Madison Square Garden in 1985 and was inducted into the WWF Hall of Fame in 1996.

"World Wrestling Entertainment was saddened to learn of the passing of one of the company's most popular and charismatic legends," a statement on the WWE Web site read.

Some nostalgic Fact:

There's a scene in the film "The Wrestler" where Mickey Rourke's character, Randy "The Ram" Robinson, cuts his forehead during a wrestling match to ramp up the gory effects.

George Albano drew parallels to the film Wednesday, recalling how his iconic older brother, Louis Albano, cut his head with a razor hundreds of times to earn a "few extra bucks" as a professional wrestler.

In memories :

"He loved wrestling, but it was the most abusive profession you could imagine," said George Albano, principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Mount Vernon. "It's a hard way to make a living."

"I remember the kinder and gentler side of him," he said. "My dad died when I was 13, so Lou became my second father. He was someone who would never, never not help someone."

Albano died at 3:30 a.m on Wednesday of "natural causes" under hospice care in his Carmel home surrounded by his wife of 56 years, Geraldine, and his family. He was 76.

He suffered a series of health ailments over the years, including heart valve replacement and more recently a stroke following hip replacement surgery, his son, Louis Albano said."A lot of his complications were from wrestling," his son said.

He is survived by his wife Geri, 4 children, and 14 grandchildren.

The team of 13above.com would like to send our condolences to the family, friends and fans of Captain Lou.

Marge Simpson Bares All For Playboy

2009-10-13T22:30:00.000-07:00

The Simpson’s has chosen a new way to celebrate their 20th anniversary they are going to pose their dear Marge Simpson undressed for playboy.She is appeared on first page is not totally bare as the Bunny Chair saved her modesty with ears somehow...!

She is the first ever cartoon character to appear on the cover of Playboy magazine. The pictures featured the famous animated character bare sitting on a bunny chair. In these pictures that were released yesterday, she is only wearing her signature blue barnet.

The cover of the November 2009 issue of Playboy featuring Marge Simpson is shown.

Marge Simpson has done something that Homer might not like but will make Bart the proudest kid in his school: She's posed for Playboy magazine.

After more than a half century featuring women like Marilyn Monroe, Cindy Crawford and the Girls of Hooters on its cover, Playboy has for the first time given the spot to a cartoon character.

And the magazine is giving the star of "The Simpsons" the star treatment, complete with a data sheet, an interview and a 2-page centerfold.

The magazine's editorial director, James Jellinek, won't say exactly how much of Marge will show in the November edition that hits newsstands on Oct. 16 — or whether she lets that big pile of blue hair down. But, he said, "It's very, very racy."

But he stressed that the mother of three — the youngest a baby, by the way — has a lot to be proud of.

Simpson’s is the hit tv cartoon show and they are going to celebrate their 20th anniversary in December next. Marge Simpson is the mother of three children and wife of Homer. She is the first animated character who is going to appear on playboy which has seen its circulation slip from 3.15 million to 2.6 million since 2006, putting Marge on the cover was designed to attract younger readers to a magazine where the median age of readers is 35, while not alienating older readers.
"We knew that this would really appeal to the 20-something crowd," said Playboy spokeswoman Theresa Hennessey.
Marge joins a list of stars who have posed for the magazine since its first edition in 1953, who include supermodel Cindy Crawford, Baywatch actress Pamela Anderson and screen siren Marilyn Monroe.

Origin Of Simpson:

Marjorie "Marge" Simpson is a fictional main character in the animated television series The Simpsons and part of the eponymous family. She is voiced by actress Julie Kavner and first appeared on television in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987. Marge was created and designed by cartoonist Matt Groening while he was waiting in the lobby of James L. Brooks' office. Groening had been called to pitch a series of shorts based on Life in Hell but instead decided to create a new set of characters. He named the character after his mother Margaret Groening.

Short Biography :

Marge is the well-meaning and extremely patient mother of the Simpson family. With her husband Homer, she has three children: Bart, Lisa and Maggie. Marge is the moralistic force in her family and often provides a grounding voice in the midst of her family's antics by trying to maintain order in the Simpson household. She is often portrayed as a stereotypical television mother and is often included on lists of top "TV moms". She has appeared in other media relating to The Simpsons—including video games, The Simpsons Movie, The Simpsons Ride, commercials, and comic books—and inspired an entire line of merchandise.

Simpson's Voice :

Marge's distinctive blue beehive hairstyle was inspired by a combination of The Bride of Frankenstein and the style that Margaret Groening wore in the 1960s. Julie Kavner, who was a member of the original cast of The Tracey Ullman Show, was asked to voice Marge so that more voice actors would not be needed. Kavner has won several awards for voicing Marge, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance in 1992. She was also nominated for an Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Feature for her performance in The Simpsons Movie. In 2000, Marge, along with the rest of her family, was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The magazine's editor James Jellinek has refused to confirm if the mum-of-three from Springfield will retain her modesty, but said: "It's very, very racy."

Degos Disease...Extremely Rare Vasculopathy !!

2009-10-12T22:55:00.000-07:00

Degos disease (also called malignant atrophic papulosis) is an extremely rare vasculopathy that affects the lining of the medium and small veins and arteries, resulting in occlusion (blockage of the vessel) and tissue infarction.

The disease is named for Robert Degos who recognized it as a clinical entity in 1942, after it was first described by Kohlmeier in 1941.

What is Degos ?

Degos Disease seems to be a disease of the blood vessels - a thrombotic vasculopathy.

Cells in the linings of the walls of the medium and small veins and arteries under the skin swell when they become inflamed.

This causes the blood flow to be restricted.

Scars left after healing. Lesions on foot had coalesced, broken down and ulcerated. Cellulitis developed with MRSA, and treated with Vancomycin. Ulcers eventually healed after 5 months with daily applications of Manuka honey and then neat Vitamin E (D-Alpha-tocopherol). Scars are sensitive and severe neurological pain has occurred at intervals, treated with Ketamine.

Smaller groups of lesions, now about 8 years old - all scars and no sensitivity at all.

Lesions about 8 years old. Many have coalesced. Some still become inflamed but most are now scars. The white atrophic centres are flaky.

Where this happens ?

spots (lesions) appear on the skin. They are small and red, slightly raised.

As they develop, the centre becomes dry and white (atrophic). Sometimes the spots itch.

The blood vessels affected include those supplying the skin, gastrointestinal tract, and central nervous system. This can result in bowel ischemia (mesenteric ischemia or ischemic colitis), chronic skin lesions, ocular lesions, strokes, spinal lesions, mononeuritis multiplex, epilepsy, headaches or cognitive disorders. Pleural or pericardial effusions are also reported.

The outcome of this disease can be fatal with a median survival of 2 to 3 years, although some appear to have a benign form (Degos acanthoma) which affects only the skin. There are fewer than fifty living patients at present known worldwide, and less than 200 reported in the medical literature. Treatment options are limited, consist mainly of Antiplatelet drugs or anticoagulants or immunosuppressants, and effect of treatment is limited to case reports.

Sometimes the disease affects blood vessels in other parts of the body. Most commonly, the gut, the central nervous system or the eyes are involved.

Most case histories in the medical literature are of ‘worst case’ scenarios.

Don't get panic?

You will read statistics and numbers which might scare you - but they are often based on projections and on published case reports. There are lots of Degos patients whose cases haven’t been written up and who are alive and well.

There are also lots of confident assertions which just aren’t true! For example: “This disease affects mainly young men” - not in our experience! Or “The lesions don’t appear on the soles of the feet” - wrong again! Percentages and actual numbers can’t be right, as no-one has compared living patients until now. Take it all with a pinch of salt and add your experience to our site and to the data being collected in Dessau,Germany.

Other names for Degos disease are:

Malignant atrophic papulosis
Köhlmeier - Degos disease
Köhlmeier disease
Degos - Köhlmeier disease
Degos disease
Degos syndrome
Erythrokeratoderma en cocardes
Thromboangiitis obliterans

Mysterious Death Of Mike Zimmer's Wife Vikki..!!

2009-10-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

Sad news from the sports World : NFL Cincinnati Bengals coach Mike Zimmer’s Wife Vikki Zimmer was found dead on Thursday at the age of 50 at her home. Any foul play in her death is not suspected however officials have not ruled out the possibility until the autopsy is completed. Vicki survived by her two sons and a daughter.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer arrived home on Thursday night and discovered the lifeless body of his wife Vikki Zimmer, 50.

The cause of death has not been determined but foul play is not suspected.

Zimmer's wife, Vikki, died late Thursday, leaving Zimmer questionable to coach in this weekend's battle for first place of the AFC North.

Zimmer, keeping his family close during the trip, traveled with his father, Bill, son Adam and daughter Corri. His mother and another son remained in Cincinnati.

Bengals President Mike Brown Released a Statement:-

“We are stunned and saddened to learn of Vikki’s passing. She was a warm and popular person in the Bengals family, and our immense respect and affection for Mike makes this especially hard. Our hearts go out to Mike and his family.”

Mike Zimmer’s first coaching job was as a part-time defensive assistant at the University of Missouri. He then went to Weber State College, where he was the inside linebackers coach, defensive backs coach, and defensive coordinator from 1983 to 1988.

He then went to Washington State University as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach. In 1993, the Cougars finished eighth in the nation in total defense and second in rushing defense.

He joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1994 as an assistant coach of the nickel defense under Barry Switzer.

He was promoted to defensive backs coach (1995-99) before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2000.

The 2004 Dallas Cowboys gave up the fewest yards in the NFL while running an aggressive speedy 4-3 defense. Despite the Cowboys' problems over the years, Zimmer has survived coaching changes (Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells) and rumored to have been a candidate for the head coaching job at the University of Nebraska.

For the 2005 season, he implemented the 3-4 defense favored by head coach Parcells, although Zimmer had no prior experience with it.

Cowboys coach Dave Campo summed it all up in a statement he released:

“This is a sad day because I feel the worst for the kids. They have three beautiful kids and in the coaching business, in many times, the kids are closer to their mother than they are their father because of the work schedule.”

It was impressive enough that Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was on the sideline Sunday, three days after the unexpected death of his wife, Vikki. But then Zimmer's unit held the AFC's best offense to just 14 points and led the Bengals to the franchise's biggest win in years. Before the game, Zimmer's defense dedicated their effort to the memory of Vikki. After their performance, in which they shut down the rushing attack of the Baltimore Ravens and picked off two Joe Flacco throws, the team awarded Zimmer the game ball. With his voice cracking and his head coach, Marvin Lewis, tearing up in the background, Zimmer told the team: "My wife loves all of you. Win or lose, she's proud of you. And I just appreciate all of your effort." The Bengals then surrounded their coach in a group hug. Watching the moment on television, even a Ravens fan would have had tears in their eyes.

“Mike is part of our Bengals family, and we’ll support him in every way we can,” said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis. “We will dearly miss Vikki. She was a friend to all of us, and a big supporter of Mike’s players. Her thoughtfulness to them in so many ways will also be greatly missed.”

When Even Politicians Bag A Nobel !!

2009-10-09T22:09:00.001-07:00

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 89 times to 119 Nobel Laureates between 1901 and 2008 – 96 times to individuals and 23 times to organizations. Since International Committee of the Red Cross was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917, 1944 and 1963, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1981, that means 96 individuals and 20 organizations have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Here is a short list of those politicians who are globally successful for advocation and establishment of peace..

Theodore Roosevelt, known as Teddy Roosevelt (Roosevelt, Theodore known as Teddy Roosevelt, born October 27, 1858. In New York City, USA - died on January 6, 1919. Öyster in Bay, New York), the twenty-sixth president of the United States (1901. - 1909.) .Roosevelt amendment Monroovoj doctrine, which confirmed the position of the United States as a protector of the Western Hemisphere. Za posredovanje u rusko - japanskom ratu dobio je Nobelovu nagradu za mir ( 1906 ). For mediation in the Russo - Japanese War received the Nobel Peace Prize (1906).

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856–February 3, 1924)was the 28th President of the United States. A leading intellectual of the Progressive Era, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913. With Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft dividing the Republican Party vote, Wilson was elected President as a Democrat in 1912. To date he is the only President to hold a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree and the only President to serve in a political office in New Jersey before election to the Presidency..He went to Paris in 1919 to create the League of Nations and shape the Treaty of Versailles, with special attention on creating new nations out of defunct empires. Largely for his efforts to form the League, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm (18 December 1913 - 8 October 1992), was a German politician, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987.His most important legacy is the Ostpolitik, a policy aimed at improving relations with East Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union. This policy caused considerable controversy in West Germany, but won Brandt the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971.

Eisaku Satō (March 27, 1901 – June 3, 1975) was a Japanese politician and the 61st, 62nd and 63rd Prime Minister of Japan, elected on November 9, 1964, and re-elected on February 17, 1967, and January 14, 1970, serving until July 7, 1972. He was the longest serving prime minister in the history of Japan.Satō shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Seán MacBride in 1974. He died in Tokyo the following year.

Muhammad Anwar Al Sadat, or Anwar El Sadat 25 December 1918 - 6 October 1981), was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination on 6 October 1981. He was a senior member of the Free Officers group that overthrew the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, and a close confidant of Gamal Abdel Nasser, whom he succeeded as President in 1970.The Egyptian–Israeli Peace Treaty was signed by Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in Washington, DC, United States, on 26 March 1979, following the Camp David Accords (1978), a series of meetings between Egypt and Israel facilitated by U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Both Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for creating the treaty. In his acceptance speech, Sadat referred to the long awaited peace desired by both Arabs and Israelis.

Óscar Rafael de Jesús Arias Sánchez (born 13 September 1940) is a Costa Rican politician who has been President of Costa Rica since 2006. He previously served as President from 1986 to 1990 and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1987 for his efforts to end civil wars then raging in several other Central American countries.Arias received the 1987 Nobel Peace Prize with the help of John Biehl, his peer in England, and Rodrigo Madrigal Nieto for his work towards the signing of the Esquipulas II Accords. This was a plan intended to promote democracy and peace on the Central American isthmus during a time of great turmoil: leftist guerrillas were fighting against the governments in El Salvador and Guatemala, which were backed by the United States under the auspices of the Cold War; the Contras, supported by the United States.

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev (Speaker Icon.svg listen); born 2 March 1931) was the second-to-last General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, serving from 1985 until 1991, and the last head of state of the USSR, serving from 1988 until its collapse in 1991. He was the only Soviet leader to have been born after the October Revolution of 1917.Gorbachev's attempts at reform as well as summit conferences with United States President Ronald Reagan and his reorientation of Soviet strategic aims contributed to the end of the Cold War, ended the political supremacy of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) and led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990.

Yasser Arafat (Born-August 24 1929 in Cairo as Muhammad Abd al-Rauf Arafat al-Kudwa al Hussajni, also known as Abu Ammar, died. November 11 2004 in a military hospital Percy in Clamart) most known politician and leader of the Palestinian, Nobel Peace Prize in 1994 r, Man of the Year 1993 by the magazine Time, together with Nelson Mandela, Frédéric de Klerkiem and Yitzhak Rabin.

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (born October 1, 1924) served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office. Prior to becoming president, Carter served two terms in the Georgia Senate followed by the governorship of the state of Georgia, from 1971 to 1975, and was a peanut farmer and naval officer.

AND IT IS TURN FOR OUR LOVING PRESIDENT MR.BARACK OBAMA...

Barack Hussein Obama II (Speaker Icon.svg listen); born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first born in Hawaii. Obama previously served as the junior United States Senator from Illinois from January 2005 until he resigned after his election to the presidency in November 2008.He began his run for the presidency in February 2007. After a close campaign in the 2008 Democratic Party presidential primaries against Hillary Clinton, he won his party's nomination. In the 2008 general election, he defeated Republican nominee John McCain and was inaugurated as president on January 20, 2009. On October 9, 2009 Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Please share with us some more information if I missed something...

Coolest DTA Clothing

2009-10-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

DTA Clothing is hot and so fashionable. They have some new t-shirts that are rocking and have been shown on Runway Models from U.S.A to Brazil. Trendy is the word. You gotta check it out.

If you’re one of those people who think that nothing good can come out of a gang, then this clothing label might change your mind. DTA, short for Don’t Trust Anyone, is a California-based streetwear clothing brand which didn’t actually start out as a t-shirt manufacturer, but gained its roots from an elementary school gang back in 1991. The ringleader of the group was Johan ‘Yo’ Esbensen, with Rex Holloway as one of the crew’s members. The gang initially got together because they weren’t so fond of skaters, but a few more years into the brotherhood, DTA matured with regard to its purpose and started to welcome a more diverse mix of individuals into the group – skaters included. Little did Johan and Rex know that the childhood crew they were in would eventually evolve into one of the hottest street labels around, and that they would end up being the President and the Art Director of the label.

Don’t Trust Anyone Posse’s roots date back to 1991 as a visionary grade school crew of organized thinkers and doers. Matured thru the streets, high schools, colleges and universities, the DTA Posse has grown to be an organically organized international group of like minded, life living member’s of an aware society.

You can’t really talk about DTA without mentioning Rogue Status, the other clothing brand that was conceptualized by Johan and his DTA posse. After DTA took off as a brand of its own, many people started mixing up the two labels. Basically, the same people who are behind Rogue Status are also those who work on DTA: Johan, Rex and Jasper Watts as the main business owners, and Rob Dyrdek and Travis Barker (of Blink 182 fame). Johan explains it as Rogue Status being the main lifestyle and culture label, and DTA being the sort of little brother wanting to step out from the shadows and make a name for himself. And making a name for itself is indeed what DTA is doing, what with its edgy t-shirt designs and bold statements, some of which give alternate definitions for DTA: Don’t Trust Adults, Down To Attack, and Destroy Torment Annihilate, just to name a few. Of course, this doesn’t mean that DTA can’t bask in the success that its “older brother”, Rogue Status, is getting. DTA products can also be found in the Rogue Status store in Venice, California.

Here are some exciting DTA outfits (T-Shirt) and their reasonable price for you guys..!!

Price: $37.00 / Quantity-1

Price: $60.00 / Quantity-1

Price: $37.00 / Quantity-1

Price: $29.00 / Quantity-1

Price: $90.00 / Quantity-1

Apart from t-shirts, DTA’s merchandise line also includes caps, necklaces and pins, and other knick knacks such as stickers featuring the DTA logo. DTA also recently collaborated with another clothing line, Black Scale, in coming up with a t-shirt collection called HelLA, or Hella LA. The collection was spawned out of an idea, wherein they wanted to showcase important and historical events that happened in Los Angeles. The t-shirt collection presents a sampling of these events, and is meant to educate the public about their city’s history, while still keeping within the urban street vibe.

So what are you waiting for guys..just go and get your DTA accessories and be fashionable with the new trends.

Source: connect.in.com

Proteins That Control Life Brings Nobel For India

2009-10-07T22:36:00.000-07:00

It's a proud moment for India. UK-based Indian origin scientist Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan has won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for work on proteins that control life .

Short Biography Of Dr.Venkatraman Ramakrishnan :

Dr. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, known to most as "Venki," started out as a theoretical physicist. After graduate school, he designed his own 2-year transition from physics to biology. Then, as a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr Peter Moore at Yale University, he worked on a neutron-scattering map of the small ribosomal subunit of E. coli. He has been studying ribosome structure ever since.

In the August 26, 2000 issue of Nature, Dr Ramakrishnan and his coworkers published the structure of the small ribosomal subunit of Thermus thermophilus, a heat-stable bacterium related to one found in the Yellowstone hot springs. With this 5.5 Angstrom-resolution structure, Dr. Ramakrishnan's group identified key portions of the RNA and, using previously determined structures, positioned seven of the subunit's proteins.

Dr.Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, 58, had his early education in the town of Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, and Baroda, Gujarat, before went to the US. He later moved to US. The Swedish Nobel Committee awarded the prize to Dr Ramakrishnan, who is currently affiliated with the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, for his work on protein-producing ribosomes and its translation of DNA information into life. He shared the prize with Dr Thomas Steitz of Yale University, Connecticut, and Dr Ada Yonath of Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
He credited the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the University of Utah for supporting his work and the collegiate atmosphere there that made it all possible.Surly he made a great contribution.

THE RESEARCH:

The practical importance of Dr Ramakrishnan's work arises from ribosomes being present in allliving cells, including those of bacteria. Human and bacterial ribosomes are slightly different,making the ribosome a good target for antibiotic therapy that works by blocking the bacteriums ability to make the proteins it needs to function.Ramakrishnan, Steitz and Yonath demonstrated what the ribosome looks like and how it functions at an atomic level using a visualization method called X-ray crystallography to map the position of each of the hundreds of thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome, according to the MRC.

Dr. Ramakrishnan said:

‘‘I have to say that I am deeply indebted to all of the brilliant associates, students and post docs who worked in my lab as science is a highly collaborative enterprise. The MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and the University of Utah supported this work and the collegiate atmosphere there made it all possible. The idea of supporting long term basic research like that at LMB does lead to breakthroughs, the ribosome is already starting to show its medical importance.’’

"There are lots of good scientists in India but I notice the press is hung up about these Western prizes like the Nobel Prize instead of appreciating the excellent work they (scientists) are doing within the context of India. There are lots of good labs in India where they can do excellent work. Well, in 1971 there were only a few places in India - there was not much research and money for research in India at that time."

"I have been to India several times since and these days there are some really fantastic places in India like the Indian Institute of Science and several others...those are very good places and very good scientists," Ramakrishnan, added.

"This year's three Laureates have all generated 3D models that show how different antibiotics bind to the ribosome. These models are now used by scientists in order to develop new antibiotics, directly assisting the saving of lives and decreasing humanity's suffering," the Nobel citation explained.

Scientists say growing knowledge of the ribosome has created targets for a new generation of antibiotics. The instruction manual for the creation of proteins is DNA, but the ribosome is the machine which takes information transcribed onto messenger RNA and turns it into proteins.

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Medical Research Council Chief Executive, said:

‘‘We are absolutely delighted that Dr Ramakrishnan’s work has been recognized with the 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry. Venki’s award is the Medical Research Council’s 29th Nobel Prize and is a reflection of the excellent work that our scientists do. The MRC is committed to long-term support of the difficult areas of basic science as exemplified by Venki’s success. It is only on the back of such discoveries that we can continue to drive translation into benefits for human health.’’

Elaborating, the MRC said Dr Ramakrishnan's basic research on the arrangement of atoms in the ribosome has allowed his team not only to gain detailed knowledge of how it contributes to protein production but also to see directly how antibiotics bind to specific pockets in the ribosome structure. Dr Ramakrishnan will share the 10 million Swedish kronor ($1.4 million) Nobel Prize money (1/3rd each), in a ceremony in Stockholm on December 10.

This must be the greatest moment for all the Indians who are proud to having such a biggest Personality who discovered a new theory of life origin... This is a small step for science but a giant for Indian glory.

learn more about the secret behind Nobel Prize At HERE

Myspace for Music Promotion

2009-10-07T01:50:00.001-07:00

MySpace.com, a rising star in the Internet world, is a valuable marketing tool for musicians. The networking site has more than 65 million users and receives more daily hits than Google. MySpace allows you to post a free Web page called a “Profile,” which can include photos, music files, and videos. After you set it up, you can invite anyone who has access to the Web to visit your page.

With so many potential pairs of eyes and ears at your fingertips, it is becoming a necessity for any musical artist — whether signed and selling or unsigned and hopeful — to have a profile on MySpace. The site can help you gain a following, promote your recordings and gigs, and expose hungry Web surfers to your music. It can also serve as a functional, albeit limited, music Web site if you don't already have your own.

Set Yourself Up :

1. Have a cool layout. No babyish things, or glittery posters. Keep it clean, and choose a layout that looks good. Or just use the built in profile edit that MySpace provides you; that's your best bet.

2. Although it may look cool to have a lot of friends, it could just make you look desperate if you add tons of people you don't know.

3. Join vanity groups, especially VIP.

4. Have an original display name and URL. Make a simple and classy name.

5. Have a good about me. Talk about yourself, and what kinds of things you like to do. eg: Hi. I'm ____ and I'm in the ninth grade. Being Vegan. Keep it simple. And be confident.

6. Try having a mix of obscure bands and popular bands on your list, so people can relate. Have a song you like, and make sure you put of things that show your personality!

7. Ask people to support you.

Promoting Yourself :

Now that you have your profile up and running, it's time to maximize your presence. Well, now this time most of the Musician believe of outside advertising and commenting to others profile and leave them a links may give them greater visibility.. Yes !! it's true but according to the survey this is the worst idea to get popular in this biggest platform Like Myspace..

1. It is time consuming,

2. The time that you take commenting to others profile the less amount of time is needed to make yourself popular... Yes it's true

To make yourself greater visibility in Myspace and that's too in a very least time, a software company came up with a friendly software named as Hellofriendz that works like a Myspace Plays Increaser and provides you UNLIMITED hits to the profile, Musics, videos and more.

The publicity of this s/w is increasing day by day due to the certain reason ad follows :

1. It is the fastest Myspace Plays Increaser

2. It provides you 10,000 hits in Just 5 minutes and that too Unlimited.

3. It works in Proxies and also in New Myspace player

4. Any amount of plays/views you specified will be delivered (80K to 100,000 Hits Per Day)

5. Within a week you will start climbing the charts in your genre.

6. Hellofriendz, outfits today's artist with the marketing tools to establish real fans, revenue and most importantly, a name.

7. Using Hellofriendz you can easily touch your dreams, Eventually you can promote musics, bands, websites, booking for shows, drive maximum traffics, revenues and more just by setting your profile perfectly and without commenting or outside advertising...

In one word " Achieving Your Goals In A Perfect Way Giving A Minimum Effort "

So, the wait is over, please do not waste your money on something else. Think about your career, your futures and your dreams .. Set your Target Now by Hellofriendz.Com

God Bless You

12 Most Weird Cakes You Can't Bear To Eat !!

2009-10-06T22:25:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to say whether these cakes taste good, but I wouldn’t be eager to try one of them. Maybe that love cake and cake with kettle are delicious but still they look more disgusting then delicious. However, the imagination of their cooks is slightly twisted...!

So enjoy this delicious cakes as a showpiece, it's better not to eat ... I suggest !

Top 6 Rules For Social Networks

2009-10-05T00:14:00.000-07:00

In recent days, we've spent time with a number of veterans of the social networking business. One of the surprising things we have learned is how much experience these people now have, and how much they agree with each other about some of the basics of the business.

Just a few years ago, when companies like Friendster were emerging and outfits like Twitter still did not exist, social networking was a little-understood phenomenon. Experience has taught us a lot, however, and practices are starting to standardize. That is not to say that something new will not pop up, or that no new business will be created; this is still capitalism, with plenty of room to surprise. Whatever does happen next, however, the emerging rules will likely play a role, either in system construction or creative destruction.

Here are six points everyone seems to agree on...

1. When you have scale, it's good to fail.

When you have millions of users, you can, and should, experiment with some small percentage of them all the time. The field is so new that there are no set rules, and failure is tolerable for the sake of a decent feedback loop. "Things change so fast, you are best off just doing things by trial and error," says Gina Bianchini, founder and chief executive of Ning, a service that provides a template of design tools for people to build their own social networks. About 5,000 networks are created every day on Ning, and 80% of them are short-lived or fail. That still gives Ning 250,000 networks on which it can place ads, watch behavior or charge for premium services.

2. Seek the unique.

There are too many social networks, too many styles of discovery, commenting, sharing and all the other aspects of participation. People are fatigued by choice. All is made worthwhile by finding a group that is as passionate about some specific area of your life as you are. That may be work, a la LinkedIn, but don't expect most people to socialize there. That may be family, like with Facebook, but you tend not to see such a broad range of behaviors. The third aspect of most lives--hobbies and interests--is where you encounter the greatest variety. If there is room to grow a new social network, it will have to center on a passion, something people feel is particularly true of their own personalities.

3. The default position is rampant suspicion.

Trust is possibly the most valuable currency on a social network. At its best, people are giving up important parts of their identity. Doing so successfully, so that fans, friends, and like-minded strangers respect them, binds users closely to the network. That loyalty is perpetually at risk, however, and network designers say users' worries are manifest when they don't understand something about the social network.

"In the absence of information, there is an assumption of conspiracy," says Jay Adelson, one of the founders of Digg, a social news site. That may be simply because social networks are so new, or that the medium of computer networks lends itself to fears of anonymous control. The solution, from a provider's viewpoint, is to be as clear as possible about why you are doing something, even when it seems obvious to you.

4. Trust is at stake, so make things opaque.

Paradoxically, being open also involves refusing to disclose certain things, particularly things about how ranking and filtering systems work. "All algorithms get hacked by somebody," says Kevin Laws, a former executive with Epinions, a social rating site that was purchased by Shopping.com. "You have to remove the transparency around how your algorithms actually work." The audience can only trust the system if they know that the system cannot be gamed, and that means they can't know everything.

5. Esteem is how you gather value.

French playwright Moliere compared writing to prostitution: You start off doing it for love, then for a few friends and finally for money. The history of the social Web is basically the opposite. Sites like Epinions and Digg began by paying people money to comment on things, and found nothing but problems--some people gamed the system, while others did not trust the results. As in open source software, a lot of the positive motivation to participate comes from the recognition you receive from other participants for doing a good job. Money just confuses things.

6. Secret names were made for flames. To raise the bar, say who you are.

When Digg started, Adelson recalls, "anonymity was key; there was a sense people needed privacy. Now people are used to living in public." Part of that may be an effect of Facebook, a wildly successful site with very little anonymity. One-third of Digg's new users come from the Facebook Connect service, and these folks are used to being seen by others. They tend to behave more responsibly as a result, and may get better value in terms of how much others trust them. Down the road, they are also likely to be targeted with more personal ads--whether that is an intrusion or a value-add is a rule that has yet to be worked out.

Visit 13above For More Fun

Mass Celebrations Kicked Off At Tienanmen Square

2009-09-30T23:14:00.000-07:00

China formally kicked off mass celebrations of 60 years of communist rule on Thursday with a 60-gun salute that rung out across Beijing's historic Tienanmen Square.

The National Day marks the start of one of the two Golden Weeks in the PRC. However, there have been some recent controversies over whether Golden Weeks should be kept.

China will glorify the nation's six-decade revival as a global power with a tightly choreographed display of mass patriotism including a military parade and spectacular pageant depicting the Communist Party-led rebirth.

The National Day is celebrated throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of government-organized festivities, including fireworks and concerts. Public places, such as Tienanmen Square in Beijing, are decorated in a festive theme. Portraits of revered leaders, such as Sun Yat-sen, are publicly displayed.

President Hu Jintao, who reviewed troops from an open limousine, was to deliver a speech at the historic square to an invitation-only audience of spectators and foreign dignitaries, with security air-tight across the city.

China typically holds grand celebrations every 10 years to commemorate revolutionary leader Mao Zedong's proclamation of the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949.

But this year's festivities promise to top those staged in the past, with estimates of 200,000 people taking part in an extravaganza that officials say will outdo even last year's lavish opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympics.

The authorities want to send a clear message: that China has re-emerged as an undeniable force in the world.

Underlining this confidence, Premier Wen Jiabao predicted further Chinese greatness in a speech to a 60th anniversary reception on the eve of the gala.

"In another 40 years, the 100th anniversary of our nation's founding will come. At that time, a prosperous, powerful, democratic, civilized, harmonious and advanced socialist nation will tower over the East," he said Wednesday.

China will add teeth to those projections with a parade expected to feature nuclear missiles and other high-tech, Chinese-developed weaponry meant to convey the message that a nation once bullied by foreign powers is a pushover no more.

But the apparent insecurity of the ruling Communists has been just as clearly on display -- authorities have imposed draconian security in a seeming bid to prevent an array of perceived threats from spoiling the party.

These include seething tensions in ethnic minority regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet, and widespread social discontent over a widening wealth gap, official corruption and horrific environmental degradation.

As a result, Beijing's 17 million citizens will be relegated to watching the festivities in their
hometown on television like the rest of the nation.

Lu Haishi, 23, traveled all the way from Shanghai to watch the festivities with friends -- on TV.

"I came to Beijing for the National Day from Shanghai for the atmosphere. We've rented a room to see the parade on television in a hotel near the route, to get the atmosphere," he said.

Police have for weeks been checking traffic entering the capital, residents along the parade route were ordered not to open their windows during the event, and even the city's airport will shut for the parade's three-hour duration.

Beggars and the homeless have been cleared out and knife sales temporarily banned in some stores after two recent stabbings near Tiananmen Square, while even the flying of pigeons and kites has been ruled out.

The Mao-led 1949 communist takeover ended years of foreign domination and war, while three decades of economic reforms initiated by late leader Deng Xiaoping enriched China and propelled it back into the ranks of world powers.

China's state-controlled media has for months unleashed a continuous barrage of content extolling the nation's Communist Party-led re-emergence that culminates with Thursday's patriotic gala.

History of China's National Day

On October 1st in 1949 the Chinese people, under the leadership of Communist Party of China, declared victory in War of Liberation against the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai Shek. The grand ceremony for the founding of People's Republic of China was held on this day in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central People's Government, solemnly declared the founding of P.R.C. at the ceremony and raised the first national flag of China himself. 300,000 soldiers and people gathered on the square for the grand parade and procession.

Interesting Feature:

When the anniversary is a multiple of five (e.g. the 50th, 55th, or 60th), large-scale official celebrations may be held, including an inspection of troops on Tiananmen Square. More notable of these events included Deng Xiaoping's inspection in 1984 and Jiang Zemin's inspection in 1999 and Hu Jintao's inspection in 2009.

In past times, the day was marked by large political gatherings and speeches, military parades, state banquets and the like. Since 2000, as China's economy developed, the national holiday lasts seven days and most workers are given time off to visit relatives and take time for traveling.

National Day Decorations:

The Flower Bed in Tiananmen Square:

The National Day Flower Bed festival is found in the main squares of many cities during National Day. The Flower Bed in Tiananmen Square is of course the grandest and most beautiful. The highlight of the Tiananmen Square Flower Bed this National Day is a 9.9meter-high palace lantern. It is the highest palace Lantern in Beijing. It is made of delicately carved high quality wood. It is decorated with Chinese paintings of peony as well as the Great Wall and topped with life-like dragons' heads. 200,000 potted flowers are used to form the flower bed and sure to fill Beijing with festive ambiance.

Hanging Red Chinese Lanterns:

During China's National Day, red lanterns are seen everywhere, especially hanging at the gates of government office buildings as well as all kinds of stores and shops. The red lantern is a symbol of festivity, luck and happiness.

Fireworks Show:

Fireworks displays are usually held nationwide in all cities during China's National Day, one of the grandest and most famous being The Hong Kong National Day Fireworks Display held since 1997 in Victoria Harbor.

The 2008 Hong Kong National Day Fireworks Display is to kick off at nine o'clock October 1st in Victorian Harbor. There will be 23,000 fireworks exploding above the sky of Victorian Harbor and over 100,000 people getting together to celebrate the 59th birthday of the People's Republic of China.

Top 10 Hottest Waxy Personalities..!!

2009-09-29T22:49:00.001-07:00

Angelina Jolie

Cameron Diaz

Britney Spears

Drew Barrymore

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Lopez

Kate Moss

Lyndsay Lohan

Rachel Ray

Well, it looks like they are original but truth is all of them are made by wax...It is a great example of amazing wax art, now you can easily touch your dream women uninterruptedly.

Please share your views about these almost real personalities and rich us with your more kind contribution on this issue.

A Gadget That Reads Your Motion ..Better !!

2009-09-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

Sony Ericsson has introduced the new MH907 Motion Activated Headphones. While these earbuds aren't quite as cool as the Kokoro device that tailors play lists to your activities, motion activated ear buds provide a new level of ease-of-use.
It is a headset that starts and stops music tracks, as well as answers and ends phone calls with its motion controls. Sony Ericsson recently unveiled MH907 which is said to be the world's first motion sensing headphones.

Powered with technology called SensMe, the MH907, starts the music automatically when one plugs in the pair.

While it may be only a slight technological advance, motion activated headphones should provide an excellent advantage to a variety of users.

Athletes like runners and cyclists could certainly benefit from being able to quickly pop out an
earbud and tune in to their surroundings. The average user at work or on the street could similarly benefit from the quick, pain-free pause function.
On the other hand, as described, these ear buds would be impossible to listen to with just one in.

When performing sports such as snowboarding or biking, it can pay to keep one headphone out to have an ear out for other people and hazards of the environment. It seems these would eliminate that possibility. And is hitting the pause button or missing part of your song really that big of a deal?

The headsets will work in a similar manner for answering and ending calls as well, said the company.

Since, the headphones are powered with a capacitive sensing technology, the headphones sense it when in the ear, and hence it won't accidentally answer calls or play music in a pocket or purse.

Other features include a built-in microphone, FM antenna, sound-blocking (the MH907'''''s are not noise-canceling headphones) and stereo sound.

"At Sony Ericsson we think it is very important to listen to what our customer needs and introducing the world's first ever motion complete communications entertainment experience," said Jacob Sten, senior VP at Sony Ericsson.

The MH907 will be compatible with Sony Ericsson phones that have the Fast Port connector and will be available in Yellow/White and Titan Chrome shades.

What do you think--cool new problem-solving technology or unnecessary, intrusive advance that we didn't really need?

Source:siol.com, inventorspot.com

World Most Outrageous Art That You Can Eat..!!

2009-09-23T01:15:00.001-07:00

well I have always wanted to swim in a bowl of chocolate pudding, but I don’t know how safe that would be. Two artists, Akiko Ida and Pierre Javelle come together to realize my childhood dreams to dive into a pool of pudding...

Paris-based artists, Pierre Javelle and Akiko Ida, a husband and wife team, present a manufactured micro universe, part Toy Story, part Candy Land, populated with diminutive humanoid characters engaged in a range of ordinary and extraordinary activities. Since the project inception in 2002, the series has grown to over 60 images.

Pierre Javelle and Akiko Ida have morphed multiple genres of photography, including micro-photography, culinary art, portraiture and landscape. The theme involves action, ranging from sporting scenes to warfare, taking place in carefully staged, fantastic, food settings. In each diptych, the first image introduces the subjects in an uncertain setting. The second panel reveals the scene in totality, to an unexpected, often amusing end.

Through light-hearted and playful arrangement, the artists’ work intelligently probes fundamental questions of human perception, and how meaning is constructed and manipulated through images.

And now see some bizzare creations with food which you can eat..!!

Tell us which art do you enjoy the most...to eat ! :)

Is Facebook A Matrimonial Site..?

2009-09-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

Kelly Katrina HIldebrandt and Kelly Carl Hildebrandt are now tying the knot, after she found him on Facebook...!!

Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt and Kelly Carl Hildebrandt

Facebook is a social network designed to connect people and link them together whether they be friends, business associates, family or potential couples. It’s an unusual way how this couple met, but we are happy for the newly weds and hopes their Facebook found love lasts a lifetime.

According to the Associated Press, it all started when the 20-year-old Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt was up one night, curious to see if anyone shared her name.

When she found only one match, 24-year-old Kelly Carl Hildebrandt from Lubbock, Texas, she had no idea he would turn out to be her soul mate.

Kelly Carl Hildebrandt found Kelly Katrina to be “pretty cute” after reading the first message she sent him that reportedly read, “Hi. We had the same name. Thought it was cool.”

Although the Kellys were hesitant to date at first concerned they might be related some how, the two kept in touch exchanging emails. Pretty soon they were calling each other daily on the phone talking for hours.

Three months went by, and Kelly Carl went to visit her in Florida. It was around then that Kelly
Carl says he “fell head over heels” for Kelly Katrina, according to the AP.

Neither Kelly ever dreamed their fun online friendship would lead to a wedding, but Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt found her engagement ring buried under the beach in a treasure chest last December! Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt calls it “God’s timing” saying that “He planned it out just perfect.”

Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt told the Associated Press that the other Kelly had all of the “certain qualities that a guy has to have,” including all the ones she was looking for, naturally.

The couple has scheduled an October wedding, where they are expecting around 100 guests to come celebrate their newfound love at South Florida’s Lighthouse Point Yacht & Racquet Club.

Following the wedding, Kelly Katrina plans to continue working toward a degree at a local community college, while he works in financial services. Their home will be in South Florida.

Confusion tends to dog this same-named couple, who had a little bit of trouble already when their travel agent disregarded one of the Kellys ticket, thinking it was a duplicate. The cruise vacation was nearly canceled from the misunderstanding.

Wedding invitations were a bit of a problem as well, as the couple tried to determine how they would establish which Kelly was which. In the end, they decided to include their middle names.

The Hildebrandt couple has ensured everyone that the name Kelly will not be carried down to their future children. Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt rules out the idea saying to the AP that they are
“definitely not going to name [their] kids Kelly.”

Congratulations Kelly Hildebrandt. Both of you!

Source: collegenews

'Tough Choices' Going to Deter Many Students !!

2009-09-21T00:27:00.001-07:00

Students could face a triple blow of higher fees, bigger loan repayments and fewer grants in new plans to be outlined by business leaders.

Cuts to "generous" levels of student support are needed to preserve the quality of teaching and research at the country's Universities, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) claims.

Following a year-long study into the relation between business and university in the face of a global recession, the CBI says it has concluded that "tough choices" must be made.

The report notes that 25% of public funding going to higher education is spent on student support, and the UK has one of the most generous levels of support in the world.

The Government has asked English Universities to make £180m in savings between 2009 and 2011 - and the CBI suggests undergraduates should foot the bill.

It recommends that students pay higher interest rates on their loans rather than the 0% they
currently enjoy.

Maintenance grants should be reviewed - a tougher system would see only those who really need them to get them, it says.And it claims a rise in tuition fees is "inevitable": the fee cap of around £3,000 could rise to £5,000 or more.

The report has prompted outrage from the National Union of Students (NUS), which said the
suggestions would come as a bitter blow.

NUS president Wes Streeting said: "At a time of economic crisis, when many hard-working families are struggling to support their offspring through university, I am astonished that the CBI should be making such offensive recommendations.

"Students are already leaving university with record levels of debt, while graduate job prospects
are at an all time low.Instead of recommending that students are fleeced even more than they already are, the CBI should start looking at how they might put something back into the system themselves."

The CBI says the focus on university education must be on quality rather than quantity, and suggests that the Government's target for 50% of 18-30-year-olds to go on to higher education
should be dropped.

For law student Tom Collins, a move to bump up the tuition fees would certainly block any chance of reaching the university education target.

"There are a huge number of people now who are taking wafer thin decisions given the graduate job market on whether it is financially viable for them to go to university," he told Sky News.

"I think stepping up the fees to £5,000 a year is going to deter many people."

Source: sky news

Wonderful Digital Geometry Of Plant Growth !!

2009-09-19T01:16:00.000-07:00

It's not too often that you find a good mashup of plants and computers, but artist Macoto Murayama manages the trick.He leverages the wonderful geometry of plant growth patterns to make stunning images. Some of them are even anatomically correct — but don't worry. They're definitely safe for work.

A Japanese digital artist has shown the beauty and complexity of flowers - by recreating them with a computer.Macoto Murayama carefully dissects real plants before rendering them using powerful technology.The resulting work shows the beauty of their structures in amazing detail.Macoto says he was inspired by botanical artists of the 15-17th century who would create detailed plant sketches for reference books,The 25-year-old from Odawara, Japan, explains: "I use plants from a flower shop or even one I may have picked up in the road then I dissect it with a scalpel, taking every part such as the petals or ovary and observing them with a magnifying glass,I then either take a photograph or make a sketch of the pieces before rendering them using specialist 3D computer software"

Each work can take between three days to a month depending on its complexity.

Now let me allowe to show you some amazing and stunning images of this great artist...

Artist Himself in Digital Mode

I'm sure that these will make you wonder ! It's true. Now these days digital images are not a matter of facts. But we can't ignore that this artist have the power of imagination which reflects in his amazing art of work...!

Sultan Kosen Officially Crowned The World's Tallest

2009-09-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

Guinness' newly crowned 'tallest man' wants simple things in life — but standing over 8 feet tall makes even normal routines a bit more complicated.

Sultan Kosen from Turkey stands in front of Tower Bridge in London. He was officially crowned the world's tallest man Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009 after his Ukrainian rival dropped out of the running by refusing to be measured. Guinness World Records said Kosen stands at 8 feet, 1 inch tall.

Standing at 8 feet, 1 inch tall, however, popping out to the shops is a little harder.

“I can’t fit in a normal car,” Kosen said. “I can’t go shopping like normal people. I have to get clothes made specially, and I don’t always get what’s fashionable. And going through doors I always have to bend down.”

But, newly crowned by Guinness World Records as the tallest man in the world, Kosen, from Mardin in southeast Turkey, is hoping that life will become a little easier.

In his own words, “The first thing I want is a car I can fit into,” he said. “More than that, I want to get married. It’s really difficult to find a girlfriend. They are usually scared of me.”. He smiles.

"He’s like a tower on legs,” said Marley Bradbury, 9. “He probably needs lampposts as walking sticks.”

Job Henderson, 11, was “shocked” at Kosen’s feet which, at 14.3 inches long, are also officially the world’s largest — as are his hands, at 10.8 inches long.

Neither child wanted to grow up to be so big. “You couldn’t really run or jump or anything,” Marley said.

But as a child, Kosen was no taller than his peers. “At 10 years old they noticed I was getting really tall. I went to the doctor and discovered I had a tumor and it was causing me to grow.”

His pituitary gland, damaged by the tumor, was producing too much growth hormone and Kosen became taller and taller. When other children were little more than 4 feet, he was already well over 6 feet tall.

Meet some other tall people who can face up Sultan Kosen:-

Gabriel Estêvão Monjane 8-1" (246 cm):

Gabriel Estêvão Monjane (1944 – 1990) is one of only a dozen individuals in medical history to have reached 8 feet or more in height. He remains perhaps the tallest African yet known.

Born in Manjacaze, Mozambique, Monjane’s abnormal growth started soon after birth. By the time he was 17, Mojane stood 7 feet 10 inches. He joined a Portuguese circus around this age, and was billed as 8 feet 8.3 inches. When measured officially in 1987, Mojane was attributed with the height of 8 feet and three quarters of an inch. He also weighed 29 stone 12lbs.

Väinö Myllyrinne 8-1" (247 cm):

Väinö Myllyrinne, (1909 - 1963) was an acromegalic giant who was at one time (1961-3) the world’s tallest person. He stood 222 cm (7 feet 3.5 inches) and weighed 197 kg (31 stone) at the age of 21, but experienced a second phase of growth in his late thirties, attaining a height of 247 cm (8 feet 1¼ inches).

Leonid Ivanovych Stadnyk 8-5"(257 cm):

Leonid Ivanovych Stadnyk (born 1971 in Ukrainian) is a man who is formerly listed as the world’s tallest living man according to Guinness World Records 2008. He is 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in) tall.

On August 20, 2008, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, Craig Glenday, announced that the title of world’s tallest man returned to China’s Bao Xishun after Ukrainian Leonid Stadnyk refused to be measured under new guidelines, which required him to be independently measured by Guinness World Records adjudicators.

Robert Pershing Wadlow 8-11.1" (272 cm):

Robert Pershing Wadlow (1918 – 1940) was a man who, to this day, is the tallest person in medical history for whom there is irrefutable evidence. He is often known as the “Alton Giant” because of his Alton, Illinois hometown. Wadlow was noted for having the largest and broadest hands ever in recorded history being capable to hide a 2-litre bottle of soda in them easily.

Facebook Hit 300 Million !!

2009-09-15T23:11:00.000-07:00

It took Facebook five years to get to 150 million active users, a lightning-fast growth rate by any measure. But like track phenom Usain Bolt, the world's No. 1 social networking website atomized its own speed record this year by going from 150 million users to 300 million users in a little over nine months.

Facebook today announced cracking 300 million users worldwide and becoming "cash-flow positive." The world's largest social network had set a goal of being cash-flow positive sometime in 2010. "I'm pleased to share that we achieved this milestone last quarter. This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term," wrote Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a blog post.

Facebook hit 250 million users precisely two months ago, and 200 million users just three months before that.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg also said today that the company had become cash-flow positive ahead of
schedule (he had originally guessed "sometime in 2010") and called the milestone important "because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term."

We're also succeeding at building Facebook in a sustainable way. Earlier this year, we said we expected to be cash flow positive sometime in 2010, and I'm pleased to share that we achieved this milestone last quarter. This is important to us because it sets Facebook up to be a strong independent service for the long term.-Said Zuckerberg

He also said Facebook is in the black as of the last fiscal quarter:Good for them. Too bad for
anyone who was hoping for an IPO.

Earlier this year, Zuckerberg also said the company expects to see 70% year-over-year revenue
growth in 2009. Facebook board member Mark Andreessen recently estimated the company would hit $500 million in revenue this year.

The site continues to expand its audience at a torrid pace, adding 50 million users just since July
and doubling in size since the start of 2009. About 70% of its users are outside the U.S.

CEO Mr.Zuckerberg said in an interview with Bloomberg last month that Facebook hoped to increase its work force by 50 percent by the end of the year, but stressed that "the thing I want to remind people of is we're way closer to the beginning than the end."

Men Are Bigger Liars..!!

2009-09-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

Believe it when women say their partners are bigger liars than them, for a new survey has revealed that males tell twice as many lies as females...

The survey by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment to mark the launch of ‘Lie to Me’ Season 1 on DVD, revealed that men tell six fibs a day on average to their partner, boss and work colleagues. This makes it to 42 lies a week, 2,184 a year, or a staggering 126,672 in an average lifetime.

However, women come out with just three porkies a day - or 68,796 in a lifetime. The poll showed "Nothing’s wrong, I'm fine" is the top lie told by men and women. "Body language is a great way of telling someone is lying," The Daily Express quoted body language expert Richard Newman as saying.

"Yet most people can’t read the signals. They assume someone hiding the truth avoids eye contact. The opposite is true. Liars usually do everything they can to convince you - sitting still and looking at you to watch your reaction. "Touching your face and rapid blinking are massive
giveaways. But even the world’s top expert can only read up to 85 per cent of lies from body
language," he added.

Top lies at work included: Nice to see you again, I missed your call, The traffic was bad,I’ll give
you a ring, My alarm didn’t go off and The train was delayed.Still, more than four out of five people said that they could easily tell if their partner was lying, and more than half had been caught out trying to lie to their partner. Almost a quarter of couples have rowed about lies, with seven per cent splitting up because of it.

Nine per cent of people had got into trouble at work by lying.

Source:Timesofindia