The most awesome Mario versions in Flash

Sharenator.org >

I'm not the biggest fan of flash games, but I do love everything about Mario. When a friend sent me a link to Super Mario + Tetris flash game, I was hooked and wanted more. These are the best versions of Mario in Flash I could find. Enjoy! :)

Tuper Tario Tros (Super Mario + Tetris)

Author: Swingswing Submarine

This is what happens when you combine two of the most successful classical games ever. Very original and really difficult game.

PLAY TUPER TARIO TROS - NewGrounds

Bullet Bill

Author: Ian Kelly

Play Super Mario Bros as Bullet Bill. You control a Bullet Bill with the arrow keys through each of the 8 levels, hitting either Mario, Luigi or the flag at the end. If you like this game, check out Bullet Bill 2.

PLAY BULLET BILL
(also available on Sharenator)

The People's Mario (Animation)

Author: Celarent from terminal71.com

Based on rumor saying Mario had subliminal communist propaganda.

VIEW PEOPLE's MARIO - Terminal71.com
(also available on Sharenator)

Super Mario 63

Author: Runouw

Probably the most awesome Flash Super Mario ever created.
"Super Mario 63 is a fan-game inspired by Nintendo's Super Mario 64. Many levels and features are based upon it and other of Nintendo's games, but a variety of them are completely original."
Warning: This game may take some time to load (it's a 14 MB file)

PLAY SUPER MARIO 63


If you rather play something more like original version of Super Mario, check out Super Mario Flash.

Hotels With the Most Beautiful Views

Travel experts say these breathtaking spots offer unique, inspiring beauty.

By Jacqueline Detwiler
From: http://www.forbes.com/

Going on the recommendations of several frequent travelers and travel experts, we found different hotels around the world, each providing jaw-dropping views. Among them are jungle scenes, ocean vistas, and massive displays of ice, rocks and valleys--all in some of the most unique locations in the world.

Lapa Rios, Costa Rica

Courtesy of Lapa Rios

Lapa Rios
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Set in one of the last remaining lowland tropical rain forests in Central America, this Costa Rica eco-resort has something for everyone, from beach bunnies to anyone who ever wore a "Save the Rainforest" button. Stay in bungalows three through eight for the best views; they all sit on a high hill, giving them the best angle over the rain forest and ocean. In 2003 Lapa Rios received the top level Certification for Sustainable Tourism, so guests can rest easy that they're not intruding on the pristine natural surroundings.

Wolwedans, Namibia

Courtesy of Wolwedans - NamibRand Nature Reserve

Wolwedans

NamibRand Nature Reserve, Namibia

This resort leaves 1,000 hectares of untouched land for every bed at the resort, so each separate camp provides sweeping views of virgin dunes, plains and the Nubib Mountains. Guests staying here can indulge in a private scenic drive or a hot air balloon ride over the reserve, then return to watch the sunset from the comfort of the Mountain View Suite, a cozy private lodge that is almost entirely open to the outdoors.

Jackson Lake Lodge, Jackson, Wyo.

Courtesy of Grand Teton Lodge Co.

Jackson Lake Lodge

Jackson, Wyo.

After a long day exploring the park, enjoy panoramic vistas of the Grand Tetons and big Wyoming sky from private terraces in each of 46 cottages, or stop in the lodge's upper lobby to check out Native American artifacts next to 100-foot picture windows. Just bear in mind, the lodge is only open from May through October.

Enchantment Resort and Mii amo Spa, Sedona, Ariz.

Courtesy of Enchantment Resort

Enchantment Resort and Mii amo Spa

Sedona, Ariz.

Surrounded by massive rocks decorated with swirls of gold and red, guests get the feeling they're wrapped in the sands of a giant hourglass. Stay in Casita No. 31 for the most unobstructed view of Boynton Canyon and the pristine Coconino National Forest.

Dreams Luxury Suites, Santorini, Greece

Christos Drazos

Dreams Luxury Suites

Santorini, Greece

Dangling 300 meters over the Aegean, the Dreams Luxury Suites resort is so small it only offers four accommodations, all with panoramic vistas over the Santorini caldera from Imerovigli, a quiet cliff-side town on the west face of the island. Featuring whitewashed walkways, private pools and colorful doors that open onto an endless expanse of bright blue ocean, the Foivos and Armonia Suites are the most lush.

Click here for more info and pics: In Pictures: Hotels With the Most Beautiful Views

Solar Impulse Flying on Sunshine

By Jason Paur

From: http://www.wired.com/autopia/

We here at Autopia were excited looking at the incredible pictures of the Solar Impulse prototype during its maiden flight yesterday. But it was still hard to imagine an airplane with such a massive wingspan and four small electric motors powered by sunlight actually being piloted through the air.

Thankfully the Solar Impulse team has provided us with some video of the flight that shows the gracefully slow aircraft flying gently over the Swiss countryside. The video is a quick edit, nothing too fancy, but it includes all phases of the flight, including some air-to-air shots.

The first video includes footage from the ground during the takeoff and landing. The second video (after the jump) gives a comprehensive look at the preparation, takeoff, air-to-air views as well as the landing and celebration. There’s some bonus information for those of you with French skills.

We’ll be following this project closely and will be sure to keep the updates coming. More test flights are planned throughout the summer, and the team hopes to complete a 36-hour, day-night-day flight using the technique planned for the around-the-world flight later in the year.

Video: Solar Impulse

Beautiful Time-Lapse Music Video

Posted by tobypast

From http://www.motherboard.tv/

• 
  

If you haven’t yet seen the lovely music video for Stomacher – Untitled/Dark Divider by Sean Stiegemeier, take the 4 minutes from your day to do so. Over a year’s worth of gorgeous time-lapse video taken on his travels to Prague, Japan, Banff, Utah, Oregon, California, and more, the video and the music blend seamlessly together for a soothing, visually stunning experience that will blow your mind.

I look forward to more from this director/DP, and if you like the track, the album is available for free download here as well: http://stomachermusic.com/

Skin Cell Spraying Bio Printer Can Heal Burn Victims in Three Weeks

by Brit Liggett
from http://inhabitat.com/

Recently we showcased a 3D printer that creates human body parts ready for transplant, and now our frankenstinean fascination with making body parts has unearthed another amazing device. This new bio-printer sprays skin cells on burn victim’s wounds, promoting healthy recovery. The printer is mounted onto a frame that is wheeled over a patient’s hospital bed. A laser reads the depth and shape of the wound, and with the help of a computer the device sprays a precise layer of skin cells that can heal infection-prone wounds in just three weeks.

The skin-spraying project is being developed by scientists and students at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. They are planning to team up with U.S. Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine to use the device to help wounded soldiers returning from overseas. The process starts as skin cells are separated and purified. They are then placed in a nutritious solution that helps the cells multiply. They are then loaded into the device, sprayed on the skin in layers and voila! Burns are healed. So far they’ve only tested the process on mice, and they were able to successfully heal burns after just three weeks.

Traditionally the only way to fix severe burn wounds is a skin graft. Skin grafts are highly painful and generally leave huge scars. With this new process scientists include some stem cells in the mix which allows hair follicles and sebaceous glands develop in the new layers of skin. It seems that when the cells are sprayed on the wound they know exactly what they are supposed to do, and they develop as naturally as a your own skin would. Eliminating the mass amount of medical rehabilitation involved in getting burn victims back on their feet by spraying on skin cells will eliminate much of the painful process and cut down on the chemical-based medicines used to help them heal.

Via Reuters

Meinhardt Raabe, the Wizard of Oz's Munchkin coroner, dies aged 94

By Daily Mail Reporter

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Original: Munchkin Meinhardt Raabe, pictured here last year, has died aged 94

Meinhardt Raabe, who played the Munchkin coroner in "The Wizard of Oz" and proclaimed in the movie that the Wicked Witch of the East was "really most sincerely dead," has died aged 94.

His carer, Cindy Bosnyak, said Raabe died on Friday morning at a hospital in Orange Park, Florida. He was one of the few surviving Munchkins from the 1939 film.

Bosnyak said Raabe complained of a sore throat at his retirement community before collapsing and going into cardiac arrest. He was taken to Orange Park Medical Center, where he later died, she said.

'He had a headful of hair at 94 and he ... remembered everything everyday,' she said. 'To me he was a walking history book, very alert.'

Raabe was one of the 124 Munchkins in the film classic and one of only nine who had speaking parts. He was 22 years old and a show business veteran, earning money for college as a "midget" performer, as they were called then, when the movie was shot in 1938.

Raabe portrayed the diminutive Munchkin official who solemnly pronounces the witch dead after Dorothy's farmhouse lands on her: 'As coroner I must aver, I thoroughly examined her, And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead.'

His costume included a huge hat with a rolled brim, and dyed yak hair was used for his handlebar mustache and long beard.

In a 1988 interview, he said he had no idea the movie would become a classic, because at the time of its release, it was overshadowed by "Gone With the Wind."

'It was only after CBS got the film in 1956 and used it for their promotions that it became as well known,' he said.

'There is nothing in the picture that dates it,' he said. 'There are no old vintage cars or old vintage streetcars. ... It's a fantasy picture that will be fantasy for generations to come.'

'And she's not only merely dead, she's really most sincerely dead': Meinhardt Raabe, Munchkin coroner, in the film The Wizard of Oz

'Raabe was about 3½ feet (1.07 meters) tall when the movie was made. He eventually grew to about 4½ feet (1.37 meters). He toured the country for 30 years in the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, promoting hot dogs as "Little Oscar, the World's Smallest Chef."

He also enjoyed going to Oz nostalgia events and getting fan mail.

'It's an ego trip,' he said. 'This is our reward, the nostalgia.'

In 2005, his book "Memories of a Munchkin: An Illustrated Walk Down the Yellow Brick Road," co-written by Daniel Kinske, was published. In later years, he lived in a retirement community in Penney Farms, Florida.

In 2007, Raabe was one of seven surviving Munchkins on hand when the Munchkins were honored in Los Angeles with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Raabe said he couldn't remember what he was paid for his role in the movie, but that it was very low.

'By today's standards, people would say you were crazy to work for that,' he said.

Raabe, born in Watertown, Wisconsin, in 1915, was a member of the Midget City cast at the Chicago World's Fair in 1934. He also performed at other fairs, including the San Diego Exposition in 1935.

'By working at these world's fairs as a midget, I was able to work my way through the university,' Raabe said. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin and, years later, a master's degree in business administration from Drexel University.

Meinhardt Raabe, far right, joins other Munchkins from 'The Wizard of Oz' pose as they receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. Munchkins, from left: Clarence Swensen, a Munchkin soldier, Jerry Maren, part of the Lollipop Guild; Mickey Carroll, the Town Crier; Karl Slover, the Main Trumpeter; Ruth Duccini, a Munchkin villager; Margaret Pelligrini, the "sleepyhead" Munchkin and Meinhardt Raabe, the coroner.

Raabe married Marie Hartline, who worked for a vaudeville show called Rose's Royal Midget Troupe, in 1946. She died in a car crash in 1997.

Raabe said some little people resented the word "midget," but that was the description widely used when he was in show business.

'My wife and I were both in show business, were both midgets. My wife worked from 1929 to 1932 as a member of Rose's Royal Midgets, the largest midget troupe in vaudeville,' he said.

Raabe became a regular visitor to the annual OzFest in Chittenango, New York, the birthplace of "Oz" author L. Frank Baum, after reading about it in a magazine in the late 1980s.

'Meinhardt wrote us a letter and said, 'You know I'm a Munchkin. I was in this movie. Would you ever be interested in having me come.' Of course, after we stopped screaming ...,' organiser Barbara Evans said in 1998.

'Things didn't start to get really big until Meinhardt first came and we started getting the Munchkins to come,' said Evans.

US Trade Bans Across the Globe

From: http://www.visualeconomics.com/


Click To Enlarge

The Ten Creepiest Paintings by Serial Killer John Wayne Gacy

By Gus Garcia-Roberts

From http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/

This week, Riptide told you about Stephen Koschal, the Brickell memorabilia detail who's been the world's leader in selling art by executed serial killer John Wayne Gacy (we have no idea what's going on in the comments section of that story, by the way).

Today we bring you the ten creepiest prison-made Gacys we could find photos of. Not all of them were brokered by Koschal, but all are certifiable nightmare fuel.

10. "Hi Ho With Clown"

Museumsyndicate.com

​Well, there goes our fond childhood memories of a Disney classic. Even the dwarfs look like they're thinking: "Uh... isn't this a copyright violation or something?"

9. "Pogo in the Making"

Museumsyndicate.com

​Gacy used to dress up like a clown named "Pogo" and show up at kid's birthday parties. Fun fact: While most clowns customarily round the tips of their painted smile to look less maniacal, Gacy kept his nice and pointy.

8. "Dwarf's Baseball"

Lannis Waters/The Palm Beach Post

​Nothing creepy about this little portrait of a Chicago Cubs batter playing baseball against the seven dwarfs, right? WRONG. Those signatures one the bottom include such Hall of Famers as Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Joe Dimaggio -- the work of dealer Stephen Koschal, who showed up at autograph conventions and of course never told the baseball greats what they were signing. Perverting our all-American heroes is, indeed, creepy.

7. "Handprint and Clowns"

museumsyndicate.com

Just try to look at that handprint without shuddering a little bit.​

6. "Lou Jacobs"

museumsyndicate.com

We needed a break from the overt creepiness. Look--if you didn't know this one was a Gacy, you'd think it was just a nice painting of a nice clown named Lou Jacobs.

5. "Sex Skull"

museumsyndicate.com

Okay, back to the overt creepiness.

4. "Self-Portrait"

museumsyndicate.com

​The creep himself. By the way, why did the guards give this guy paints? ​Why not JUST GIVE HIM FREAKIN' LAMBS BLOOD TO CREEP US OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE?

3. "Pogo the Clown"

museumsyndicate.com

​Ah... so creepy classic.

2. "Patches"

museumsyndicate.com

​Barf pallete remix!

1. "Pogo and Clown Skull"

museumsyndicate.com

​Okay, time for a long, cold shower. Goodbye.

Cell Phone Security

Posted by: admin
From: http://cellphones.org/

With the increased capabilities and conveniences of today’s cell phones comes the increased risk of viruses, malware and identity theft. While some mobile operating systems are more secure than others, the level of security can be easily increased when users take precautions such as downloading security software, being aware of cellphone scams and password protecting their cell phones.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Tall women's salaries leave short girls in the shade

By Daily Mail Reporter

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

Height advantage: Taller women get paid higher salaries (FILE PHOTO)

It may be a tall order for some women to accept.

But shorter females earn less than their loftier colleagues, a study claims

Those who stand at 5ft8in and above are twice as likely to earn more than £30,000 a year - or up to £5,000 more than their vertically challenged friends.

The researchers asked 1,461 women over the age of 16 to give details about their salary and measurements.

A fifth of those questioned who fell into the 'tall' category said they earned £30,000 and above compared with 10 per cent of women under 5ft8in.

At the same time, 20 per cent of the tall women said they saw their height as a source of 'empowerment and authority' compared with just 5 per cent of shorter females.

And the study revealed that the taller you are, the more comfortable you are likely to be with your body.

A quarter of women over 5ft8in said they would not change anything about themselves.

In contrast, 90 per cent of females in the 'short' category said they were unhappy with their looks, the study for clothing chain Long Tall Sally found.

Arianne Cohen, author of The Tall Book: A Celebration Of Life From On High, said: 'Research shows that tall people are consistently more successful in the workplace.

'Not only do they earn more but they're more likely to be in leadership positions.

'As taller people have a downward eyecast when speaking to shorter colleagues, they are instinctively perceived to have authority and confidence.

'It means that those who are taller are respected by their colleagues and bosses, giving them a thriving atmosphere that leads them to more success.'

No lines at Walt Disney World? Theme park tests new 'queue-less' wait system

By: Leigh Caldwell

From: http://www.gadling.com/

Walt Disney World is testing a system that would ask guests to ditch the lines and wait in a holding area at some of its most popular attractions.

655diggsdigg

Tests inside Disney's Hollywood Studios on Tuesday and Wednesday assigned group numbers to those wanting to ride the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster.

These tests appear similar to a concept for a revamped Dumbo ride in Walt Disney World's upcoming Fantasyland expansion project. Disney has said that rather than waiting in line, guests will be invited to play carnival games and enjoy entertainment in the air-conditioned circus tent in the renderings below, while awaiting their turn to ride the flying elephants.

Studios Central says that the test at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster worked like this: Guests were assigned the group number, then led to a tented standby area where there was a DJ and video games (such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero.) There was also merchandise on sale in the standby area, which is not surprising. This is Disney, after all.The waiting system that was tested this week isn't a scheduled appointment to ride where you could leave the ride and come back later. You are expected to stay in the designated waiting area. Signs warned that if you weren't there within 5 minutes of your group being called, you would lose your place in the queue.

The test also did not replace Disney's "Fastpass" system, where you do obtain a ticket with a certain time assigned that allows you to come back and ride popular rides with less wait. Fastpass was still running at the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster. But there is no Fastpass for the Dumbo ride's current incarnation.

Keep in mind, this was a test. The 'queue-less' waiting system that is installed when the Fantasyland expansion is completed in 2012 or 2013 could be totally different.

I guess the advantage is the entertainment and freedom to sit down or move around a bit when you would otherwise be standing in a line. But I don't think this system actually reduces wait times. I do think it will be a boon to parents. It's hard to corral kids in a hour-long line. What do you think?

10 Classic NES Themes Played on the Guitar

By Madison
From http://unrealitymag.com/

Despite being simply the background music to video games, the themes to Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda are about as recognizable as any song to appear on the Billboard Top 100. Anyone born in the 1980s or later will instantly recognize those themes, along with countless others from the days of 8-bit gaming. I still can’t decide whether it’s because the themes are really catchy or because of the endless repetition, but Nintendo themes seem to have an uncanny ability to lodge themselves into your head for days. I still find myself humming the music from the one-on-one “versus” part of Trojan.

Anyway, some people have actually taken the time to learn and play Nintendo themes on the guitar,and some of them are pretty damn good. I put 10 of my favorites below.

Contra

Double Dragon

Super Mario Bros. (underwater)

Metroid (Kraid’s Lair)

Castlevania

TMNT

Final Fantasy (battle theme)

Gauntlet

Pro Wrestling

River City Ransom

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpJY4ggM–A

Man appears free of HIV after stem cell transplant

By Jacquelyne Froeber
From: http://www.cnn.com/

A 42-year-old HIV patient with leukemia appears to have no detectable HIV in his blood and no symptoms after a stem cell transplant from a donor carrying a gene mutation that confers natural resistance to the virus that causes AIDS, according to a report published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The patient underwent a stem cell transplant and since, has not tested positive for HIV in his blood.

"The patient is fine," said Dr. Gero Hutter of Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin in Germany. "Today, two years after his transplantation, he is still without any signs of HIV disease and without antiretroviral medication."

The case was first reported in November, and the new report is the first official publication of the case in a medical journal. Hutter and a team of medical professionals performed the stem cell transplant on the patient, an American living in Germany, to treat the man's leukemia, not the HIV itself.

However, the team deliberately chose a compatible donor who has a naturally occurring gene mutation that confers resistance to HIV. The mutation cripples a receptor known as CCR5, which is normally found on the surface of T cells, the type of immune system cells attacked by HIV.

The mutation is known as CCR5 delta32 and is found in 1 percent to 3 percent of white populations of European descent.

HIV uses the CCR5 as a co-receptor (in addition to CD4 receptors) to latch on to and ultimately destroy immune system cells. Since the virus can't gain a foothold on cells that lack CCR5, people who have the mutation have natural protection. (There are other, less common HIV strains that use different co-receptors.)

People who inherit one copy of CCR5 delta32 take longer to get sick or develop AIDS if infected with HIV. People with two copies (one from each parent) may not become infected at all. The stem cell donor had two copies.

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While promising, the treatment is unlikely to help the vast majority of people infected with HIV, said Dr. Jay Levy, a professor at the University of California San Francisco, who wrote an editorial accompanying the study. A stem cell transplant is too extreme and too dangerous to be used as a routine treatment, he said.

"About a third of the people die [during such transplants], so it's just too much of a risk," Levy said. To perform a stem cell transplant, doctors intentionally destroy a patient's immune system, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection, and then reintroduce a donor's stem cells (which are from either bone marrow or blood) in an effort to establish a new, healthy immune system.

Levy also said it's unlikely that the transplant truly cured the patient in this study. HIV can infect many other types of cells and may be hiding out in the patient's body to resurface at a later time, he said.

"This type of virus can infect macrophages (another type of white blood cell that expresses CCR5) and other cells, like the brain cells, and it could live a lifetime. But if it can't spread, you never see it-- but it's there and it could do some damage," he said. "It's not the kind of approach that you could say, 'I've cured you.' I've eliminated the virus from your body." Health.com: 10 questions to ask a new partner before having sex

Before undergoing the transplant, the patient was also found to be infected with low levels of a type of HIV known as X4, which does not use the CCR5 receptor to infect cells. So it would seem that this virus would still be able to grow and damage immune cells in his body. However, following the transplant, signs of leukemia and HIV were absent.

"There is no really conclusive explanation why we didn't observe any rebound of HIV," Hutter said. "This finding is very surprising."

Hutter noted that one year ago, the patient had a relapse of leukemia and a second transplant from the same donor. The patient experienced complications from the procedure, including temporary liver problems and kidney failure, but they were not unusual and may occur in HIV-negative patients, he said.

Health Library

• MayoClinic.com: HIV testing-- what tests and when to get tested

Researchers including Hutter agree that the technique should not be used to treat HIV alone. "Some people may say, 'I want to do it,'" said Levy. A more logical -- and potentially safer -- approach would be to develop some type of CCR5-disabling gene therapy or treatment that could be directly injected into the body, said Levy.

Less invasive options to alter CCR5 could be on the horizon within the next five years, said Levy. "It's definitely the wave of the future," he said. "As we continue to follow this one patient, we will learn a lot."

One drug that's currently on the market that blocks CCR5 is called maraviroc (Selzentry). It was first approved in 2007 and is used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs. Health.com: Who's most at risk for STDs?

In 2007, an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS, and 2.7 million people contracted HIV. More than 15 million women are infected worldwide. HIV/AIDS can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, sharing needles, pregnancy, breast-feeding, and/or blood transfusions with an infected person. Health.com:What should I do if the condom breaks?

"For HIV patients, this report is an important flicker of hope that antiretroviral therapy like HAART [highly active antiretroviral therapy] is not the endpoint of medical research," Hutter said.

Copyright Health Magazine 2009

'Beer mat house' sets new Guinness World Record

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8614779.stm

The creator of the world's largest house made entirely out of beer mats has sealed his Guinness World Record, by pulling it down.

Sven Goebel used over 300,000 coasters to create walls and furniture for the house.

But to claim the record title, he had to prove no adhesives had been used to hold his structure together.

Wendy Urquhart reports.

WePad comes out of tablet hiding, reveals its €450 price and August availability

By Joanna Stern
From http://www.engadget.com/

There's no I in pad. Only we, of course. Yeah, we've been wanting to make that joke for awhile -- but in all seriousness, Neofonie, makers of the 11.6-inch WePad, held a press conference in Berlin today to reveal a bit more about its Linux-based slate. According to our German counterparts there will be two versions of the Intel Atom N450-powered tablet, which has two USB ports and an onboard webcam -- the 16GB / WiFi version will go for €450 and the 64GB / HD capable model for €569. We're a bit intrigued by the promised "full HD" support of the larger version, but Neofonie was quick to say that there is no NVIDIA inside. Hmm... Broadcom's Crystal HD, perhaps? The company wasn't willing to let reporters play with the early build of the multitouch device, but they did show off some videos of the Linux interface. You can watch a few after the break, but the live widget-based GUI looks extremely attractive and amongst other things, the browser supports Flash. It sort of hurts that we won't be able to get our hands on one until August, but we're happy to hear that the company, unlike some others, is taking the time to get things right.

Updated: We can't help but laugh at the fact that many sites are reporting that the WePad on display at yesterday's press conference was actually running Windows 7 underneath the Linux-looking UI. Apparently the company has more work to do than we originally thought.

WePad, Engadget German

Work Smart: 3 Useful Things You Didn't Know Your Cameraphone Could Do

By: Gina Trapani

From: http://www.fastcompany.com/

365diggsdigg Having a camera built into your phone isn't a big deal anymore. But when you combine that camera with the rich software applications that run on devices like the iPhone and Android, you get lots of cool new ways to put your cameraphone to good use.

Cameraphones are becoming a form of digital photographic memory, helping you remember what level you parked on or the label on that fantastic bottle of wine. Now, with the right apps, you can also use your phone to scan barcodes and store them, and even translate and recognize text.

Google Goggles is a brand new application for Android phones that lets you search the web with an image. You just point your phone at an artwork, a book, DVD, or CD cover, a landmark, or a logo, and Goggles will return search results for that item. You can even point your phone at someone's business card, and Goggles can automatically add that person's name, address, phone number, email address and web site to your address book. Eventually, Goggles will be able to translate written text as well. So you could point your phone at a sign or menu in another language and get back Google Translate's translation.

Newer smartphones have such good cameras they can double as barcode scanners. ShopSavvy is an app available for both the iPhone and Android that can scan a barcode on any product and give you prices from all over the web as well as retail outlets near you. Google Shopper is a similar application on Android: point your cameraphone at either a barcode or a book, CD, or DVD cover, and Shopper will show you prices and review of that product from around the web instantly.

A special kind of square bar code called QR Codes, are becoming a popular way to transmit information like web links and phone numbers directly to a phone without any typing. If your local coffee shop has a barcode in the window, for example, you could scan it on your phone and can instantly find reviews and more information without tapping a key.

Speaking of barcodes, one of the most clever uses of a camerphone I've ever seen is to take and store images of membership cards or big box store club cards that you use over and over again. Instead of crowding your keyring with your grocery, pharmacy, and movie rental place club card, take pictures of each one and store them in an image file on your phone. Then when you're checking into the gym or checking out at the cashier, you can simply scan your screen. There are also dedicated apps for organizing your cards into different categories, and even setting alerts to remind you if, say, there is a special sale on a certain day every month.

Gina Trapani is the author of Upgrade Your Life and founding editor of Lifehacker.com. Work Smart appears every week on FastCompany.com.

Coca-Cola Making Chairs Out of 3 Million Recycled Coke Bottles

By: by jerryjamesstone
From: http://greenopolis.com/

Coca-Cola is creating a new chair line from 3 million recycled Coke bottles.

The chair is a joint effort between Coke and leading furniture manufacturer Emeco (Electric Machine and Equipment Company). Emeco chairs have become a bit iconic after being featured on the hit TV show Sex and the City.

The company got an early start creating chairs for the U.S. Navy during World War II. In fact, the contract specified that the chair be able to withstand a torpedo blast to the side of a destroyer. That chair was made from 80-percent recycled aluminum with a painstaking 77-step process.

“The 111 Navy Chair is a reflection of our commitment to sustainability, constant innovation and originality in design,” said Kate Dwyer, Group Director, Worldwide Licensing, The Coca-Cola Company.

Each new chair uses at least 111 20-ounce recycled PET soda bottles diverted from Coke's recycling plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The plant happens to be the world's largest bottle-to-bottle recycling facility.

It's called the 111 Navy Chair which is a play on the chair's original name--106 Navy Chair--and the quantity of Coke bottles used. The chair will cost $230 and is available in six colors: Coca-Cola Red, Snow, Flint, Persimmon, Grass, and Charcoal. That price is about half of the original Navy Chair.

“When Coca-Cola approached me with this project I jumped on it,” said Gregg Buchbinder, Chairman of Emeco. “I was excited about the impact of reusing the PET from about three million plastic bottles a year. That’s a lot of bottles and a lot of chairs.”

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Source: MNN

15 Clever McDonald’s Advertisements

Published by Nattyb
From http://unrealitymag.com/

My McDonald’s experiences are so few and far between these days that I tend to cherish each one. It’s like I mentally prepare for the food hangover I know I’m about to incur. Man it tastes so good going down and literally 30 minutes later you want to crawl up in a ball and kill yourself.

Still though, people are “lovin it” day in and day out as Mickey D’s continues to churn out burgers and fries. And not only do they still whip out the dollar menu and food at a fast rate, they’ve kept up with their ad campaigns.

In fact here are 15 creative McDonald’s ads you might enjoy

Newspaper Sandwich

McDonald’s Napkins

The Bus Stop

Free Coffee Hourglass

Sundial Billboard

Puzzles

The Real Milkshake

Pie Billboard

Free Wi-Fi

Freshness Box Salad

Nice Try Mom

Bus Shelter

McDonald’s Reopening

Coffee

McDonald’s Carrots