ESA has released an astonishingly beautiful image of a canyon on Mars. The resolution is fantastic (15 meters/pixel), showing this 8000 meter-deep canyon in full glory. This is a must see.
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At a Glance: Acer Aspire AST180-UA380B AMD Desktop PC - AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4GHz, 1GB DDR2, 160GB, DVDRW, Vista, Factory Refurbished, 90 Day Warranty -$249.99 MONITOR NOT INCLUDED
The Aspire T180 brings traditionally higher technology levels into aggressive value pricepoints. The T180 marks the entry of premium graphic capability and expansion where previously not expected.
Introduction to the Top 10 Most Expensive Houses in the World
The vermillion sunset brilliantly illuminates the path home as you ride horseback along the beach. The gleaming glass and steel of your 50,000-square-foot mansion cut through the baby blues and bubblegum pinks of the twilit sky. Handing over the horse to the stableboy, you pass through the lush gardens and stroll past the swimming pools into the vast expanse of your back foyer. Inside, the sauna awaits.
You can open your eyes now. Don't feel embarrassed; we all daydream. It's an exceedingly select few who may live this kind of life that the rest of us fantasize about. While even homes on the market for a few million dollars are out of grasp for most of us -- especially after the sub-prime mortgage fallout of 2007 -- there are some people for whom a home of a few million dollars simply wouldn't do. The very wealthy have spent what amounts to the gross domestic product of some countries on their homes. And their elaborate nests have inspired a competition of sorts: What are the most expensive homes in the world? We settle the issue here, taking a glimpse at the top 10.
On the next page, read about Donald's Trump's posh beachfront pad.
Alain Bernard of France is seen from underwater as he enters the water to set a new world record of 47.60 seconds during the 100m freestyle in the men’s semi-finals at the European Swimming Championships in Eindhoven March 21, 2008 (Photograph by: Wolfgang Rattay).
It is of course not possible for a photographer to be in the pool during a swimming competition, but that doesn’t stop a determined photographer getting the picture!
I have worked on this problem over a number of years, and got it down to a fine art. It is necessary to pre-position an underwater housing containing a regular Canon EOS 1D Mark 2N with (usually) a 15mm fish-eye lens. When the swimmers hit the water or swim over my camera, I release the shutter via a waterproof cable. The data is transferred from the camera to another housing containing a Canon transmitter that transfers the images from the camera to my laptop.
Above: Setting up my equipment at Eindhoven
Within seconds of the end of the race I am in a position to transmit the photographs to our desk operation in Singapore. The desk then immediately moves them globally.
Above: Setting up my equipment at Eindhoven
The underwater pictures of Alain Bernard were out on the wire four minutes after the Frenchman set a new world record over the 100m freestyle. In my mind this is a world record too, because I appear to be the only photographer - using a remote controlled underwater camera like this - who has worked out how to achieve consistent results with this notoriously unreliable set-up. Therefore I don’t need to wait for a couple of hours for the competition to end before jumping into the pool to retrieve my CF card, as do the other photographers
In the competitive world of sport photography, just like the swimming competition, seconds count. An hour is a life-time.
Above: At the end of the day, washing off the chlorine in my bathtub.
Growing up gracefully: By 2010, BMW’s Z4 will have made it through its awkward stage.
Although revolutionary at the time—even scoring a job as a James Bond car in four-cylinder form—the BMW Z3 aged quickly, looking almost as retro as the ’50s-vintage roadsters that inspired it.
Then came the controversial Z4, which took the classic (and sensible) roadster lines and redrew them in all sorts of unsettling ways, making it rather hard to look at in spite of how wonderful it was to drive. The hard-cap coupe model made more sense, especially for the sports-car purist. Still, something has been missing, an ingredient essential to any lust-worthy sports car: beauty.
Well, from what we can glean from the spy shots we have gathered for you here, it appears that the Z4’s lanky, awkward days are numbered. For 2010, the Z4 is poised to grow significantly into a far more elegant dancer, with a longer nose, a longer decklid with space for a retractable hardtop, à la Mercedes-Benz SLK, and sheetmetal sculpting along the lines of the 3-series and 1-series on which it’s based.
What we haven’t seen in spy shots to date is a coupe version, signaling that BMW might be content—as is Mercedes-Benz—with a single body style for its smallest sports car in lieu of engineering both convertible and fixed-roof variants.
Under the hood, we expect U.S.-bound Z4s to feature the same naturally aspirated and turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinders as those in the current 1- and 3-series—in roughly the same respective 225- and 300-hp potencies—with a choice of six-speed automatic and manual transmissions.
Other markets will certainly get different choices, including at least one four-cylinder and possibly a diesel to compete with Audi’s new TT diesel. Whether or not those engines make it here depends on a number of factors, including the price of gas and Americans’ willingness to embrace diesel-powered sports and luxury cars.
The next-gen Z4 will not continue to be built in the U.S. at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, but will be consolidated with 3-series production in Regensburg, Germany. The U.S. plant will be devoted to SUV production, with the X3 moving from contract assembler Magna Steyr in Austria in the 2010–11 timeframe to join the X5 and the all-new X6.
An M version of the Z4 will be part of the story eventually, likely bringing with it BMW’s new seven-speed M DCT Drivelogic double-clutch manual transmission that is slated to replace the unloved seven-speed SMG automated manual in today’s M5 and M6.
But most important, the new car should be beautiful, with the best proportions of any BMW sports car since the Z8. And if anything can guarantee success in this country, it has to be good looks.
This guy made a music tracking using only Windows 98 and XP sounds effects. The result is awesome :) The MP3 file can be found here.
Godzilla is coming!
The hysteria surrounding the impending launch of Nissan's GT-R has prompted a mad rush to judge its performance. Various media outlets have attempted to test well-worn engineering mule cars and Japanese-spec vehicles with 112-mph speed limiters. Some have run acceleration tests on sloped track surfaces. Many an unsuspecting GT-R has powered the tire rollers and hub mounts of various dynamometers, registering widely varying power ratings. Most of the numbers generated and quoted have been heroic, which has served to heighten Godzilla's reputation as a mythological beast possessing supernatural powers. But some of these early tests have raised as many questions as they've answered. Over the next few days, we intend to answer them with rigorous testing of a fresh, production-ready U.S.-spec GT-R on flat, level ground.
Supercar Cred
The GT-R's official output ratings of 480 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque give it a weight-to-power ratio of about 8.1 pounds per horsepower -- that's 25 percent more weight per pony than its King Kong nemesis, the benchmark Porsche 911 Turbo and the Corvette Z06, its closest price competitor carry. Yet somehow early pairings of this anime animal consistently show it running neck and neck with those superstars through the quarter mile. Even if we credit its roughly 10-percent gearing advantage relative to the 911 Turbo for some of that disparity, that still suggests -- on paper at least -- that the car should need about 550-570 horses to keep up. Might Nissan be underreporting horsepower by 15 percent? Let's find out.
Which Dynamometer to Choose?
There are two basic types of dynos: load type and inertia type. The former generates electric or hydraulic resistance calculated to match a vehicle's on-road aerodynamics and friction. This type (Mustang and Dynapack are name brands) is best for simulating quarter-mile runs but suffers garbage-in-garbage-out inaccuracy if the aero and road-load assumptions are inaccurate (and such nitty-gritty engineering details are not yet widely available for the GT-R). Dynapack dynos bolt right to the wheel hubs, which can flummox high-tech cars like the GT-R, which expect to see four tire-pressure monitors whizzing by when the car is in motion. Inertia type dynos like the Dynojet use large, heavy rollers that employ a 4800-pound roller capable of measuring 1200 horsepower at each axle and measure the rate at which the drivetrain can accelerate them. This type is better for determining horsepower of high-output vehicles, as the power is measured directly (torque is mathematically calculated using engine rpm data recorded from a spark signal wire). For these reasons we chose a Dynojet, borrowing some time from the kind research and development team at filter experts K&N Engineering in Riverside, California.
Not sure if any of you have seen the movie, Be Kind Rewind It is great!! These did nto make it into the movie, but everyone loves a Sweded Movie!!!
Be Kind Rewind - IMDB
While it's not the entire movie, this sweded lightcycle scene from Tron, every computer geek's favorite movie this side of War Games, has to be the best sweded version of a film in the entire history of sweded films. It may not be as funny as the hilarious sweded BigDog quadruped robot or the sweded Star Wars after the jump, but the execution of its cardboardish cheesiness is absolutely perfect.
And yes, I like to say "swede." I like swedes, some of my best friends are swedes, and I want to move to Sweden. I can't have enough of the TIE Fighters here either.
ARTICLE DATE: 03.07.08
We're going back to the basics: Our 2008 collection of utility software is all about tweaking, manipulating, and totally dominating the looks and functionality of Windows XP and Vista. These 91 tools provide all the help you need to control Windows. All the products work with XP and Vista unless indicated.
Some programs make it into our utility extravaganza year after year. These are the top five. IrfanView Norton PartitionMagic 8.0 RoboForm Pro SnagIt Tweak UI
www.irfanview.com | Free This graphics viewer (pronounced ear-fan-view) lets you see any image file and most digital videos with just one right click. It's that simple. You can also use this power viewer to convert files to other formats and do some quick editing and annotation.
www.symantec.com | $69.95The gold standard in disk partitioning does it all in XP: moves partitions, combines them, creates them, converts their file systems, and deletes existing partitions. The BootMagic utility is there to help if you use multiple OSs on the partitions.
www.roboform.com | $29.95 Perhaps nothing has filled out as many forms on the Web as RoboForm. Enter your information once and RoboForm fills in all the forms you encounter. It also generates and enters strong passwords on secure sites, so you don't even have to remember them.
www.techsmith.com | $39.95 We hope the average person doesn't take as many screen grabs as a computer magazine editor, but for those who do, there's really only one perfect tool. SnagIt can capture any item on screen, from icons on up, and then allows last-minute edits before saving.
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx | Free Microsoft never officially supported its ultimate UI tweaker for XP, but the utility quickly became indispensable and created the trend of other tools offering multiple UI tweaks under a single interface.
Flawless may be the better movie, but Stop Loss is the better subject and probably something that needs to have a light shined on it a bit. This film will really show the impact this war has had on families and individuals.
Stop Loss
– The retention of soldiers in the service beyond their expected term. Using a loophole in soldiers’ military contracts to prohibit servicemen and women from retiring once their required term of service is complete. Also widely known as a “Back Door Draft.” “Stop-Loss,” director Kimberly Peirce’s first film since the Academy Award®-winning “Boys Don’t Cry,” is a topical and emotionally penetrating drama examining a government policy that has affected the lives of more than 80,000 of America’s brave men and women in uniform. The enforcement of the Stop-Loss policy makes each of them walk the fine line between doing their duty and doing what’s right. Sgt. Brandon King (Ryan Phillippe) fought for America. He fought for freedom. He fought for his family. He gave everything and then he came home to begin his life anew. But now they want more. They want him back
Flawless
Style and substance get equal billing in this beautifully shot heist film starring Demi Moore and Michael Caine. In 1960s London, a business woman (Moore) and a janitor (Caine) are eager to exact revenge on their mutual employer by stealing a cache of diamonds. Michael Radford (1984, IL POSTINO) directs this talented cast. [Less]
21
Columbia Pictures' action/adventure 21 is inspired by the true story of the very brightest young minds in the country – and how they took Vegas for millions. Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) is a shy, brilliant M.I.T. student who – needing to pay school tuition – finds the answers in the cards. He is recruited to join a group of the school’s most gifted students that heads to Vegas every weekend armed with fake identities and the know-how to turn the odds at blackjack in their favor. With unorthodox math professor and stats genius Micky Rosa (Kevin Spacey) leading the way, they’ve cracked the code. By counting cards and employing an intricate system of signals, the team can beat the casinos big time. Seduced by the money, the Vegas lifestyle, and by his smart and sexy teammate, Jill Taylor (Kate Bosworth), Ben begins to push the limits. Though counting cards isn’t illegal, the stakes are high, and the challenge becomes not only keeping the numbers straight, but staying one step ahead of the casinos’ menacing enforcer: Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne). --© Sony Pictures [Less]
Lindsay Lohan has signed on to play Manson Family member Nancy Pittman in Manson Girls. This is hot. The Charlie Manson case is chilling, yet fascinating. And I can totally see Lohan following a psychotic guru and trying to massacre Los Angeles. Just give her some 'shrooms and a steady supply of penis and she's a go. Seriously, she was built for the 60s! Nancy Pittman aka Brenda McCann was one of Manson's most hardcore followers. She wasn't actually in on the Sharon Tate murders, but she was with Manson on the night that he ordered them. She later left the Manson Family and joined the Aryan Brotherhood. Nice lady. "Yes, I am doing it with Lindsay," producer Brad Wyman says. Seriously, this is the role Lohan was born to play. This means she's going to shave her head! Like Britney did, except substitute the umbrella with a big knife! And where's that guy's hand going? Papsmears for everyone!
A clip from A&E's Biography series focusing on Sesame Street. It's an hour and a half long documentary available for purchase only through their website.
http://store.aetv.com/html/product/in...
Jim Henson was a Genius!!
Some things jsut look better as twins/triplets, quadruplets, Quintuplets, Sextuplet, Septuplets, ..... you get the point
click here for many more great pics!!
By: Kate Thorp
I’ve been making Jell-O shots for years. They are easy to make, deliver the right buzz, and don’t give you that bloated feeling. So after years of dixie cups and seeing all the new innovative “delivery systems”—heck one is even called suck and blow—I thought I’d look for a more adult solution and integrate them back into my party life. Granted this means I’m now old enough to entertain versus bang a few back and run for the club … although that’s fun too.
So the next time you want the fun of a Jell-O shot and want to serve them (instead of pop ’em), give this recipe a shot. Please add your variations. I first saw this done with an orange and branched out to melons and pineapples. A word to the wise—pineapples do not work. Apparently, pineapples contain a protein that breaks down the gelatin. I ended up with a nice infusion but no Jell-O.
Jell-O Preparation
One large packet (6 ounces) of Jell-O (pick flavor for color)
16 ounces boiling water
6 ounces cold water
10 ounces vodka
Simply pour Jell-O packet into large bowl and add boiling water. Once the mixture is completely dissolved, proceed with cold water and then vodka. Then I usually set it aside while I prep the fruit.
Fruit Preparation
Pick a fruit with a decent skin or rind. An orange has a supportive skin—an apple does not. Also think about the size of the fruit. A small melon is pushing it. So once you’ve chosen a suitable fruit, you will need to remove the meat or contents of the fruit. Be careful not to cut a hole straight through or you may have a leaky vessel. A little scotch tape will do if you are short on a replacement. Just make sure to remove before serving your final product.
Now that you have Jell-O mix and a gutted fruit, just fill them up. I highly recommend having them already placed in a walled dish so you don’t slosh them around. Once filled, place in the fridge for four hours. Alcohol can make the firming process of gelatin take longer. Keep this in mind if you start to up the proof of the alcohol. Here’s a table to help out if you’d like to go beyond basic vodka.
Caution—remember Jell-O hides the flavor of the alcohol. Do not assume they are light on alcohol. In fact, because the gelatin holds the alcohol versus just drinking liquid, the effect will be delayed. Even the most experienced drinkers have been caught off guard. So have fun and share your innovations.
Here are some more websites, some great recipe ideas here:
Drink Recipe: Jello Shotshttp://www.wikihow.com/Make-Jello-Shots
http://www.marios-bar.com/jello.html
and best a vid:
If you fancy an iPod dock that is a little bit different than the standard ones about, then check out the Transformers iPod Dock.
Honk your horns and blast your music! This new Convoy is rolling into town with a licensed Apple Computer Inc. iPod speaker system that docks with your iPod. Sorry, the iPod Shuffle is not compatible with this system.
The convoy is the same size as the G1 Convoy but features a new stylish head mold unique to the Music Label series.
The transformers iPod dock is available to buy online for $149.95 from Amazon.
This Hummer H3 is built from $35,000 in losing lottery tickets. No sheet metal here, folks. The piece is by Brooklyn-based artists Adam Eckstrom and Lauren Was and it's entitled Ghost of a Dream. The tickets came from local bodegas, where they were discarded by unlucky patrons.
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