AMAZING PICTURES

8200CC Bike

2009-11-23T04:18:00.000-08:00

8200cc

…………. & they call it a bike!!!!!!!!!!

MORE LIKE A TRAIN ENGINE ON TWO WHEELS

ENGINE
bhp (372 kW) @ 5600 rpm (60.4 bhp/liter); 525 lb.-ft. (712 Nm) @ 4200 rpm
10-cylinder 90-degree V-type, liquid-cooled, 505 cubic inches (8277 cc)
356-T6 aluminum alloy block with cast-iron liners, aluminum alloy cylinder heads
Bore x Stroke: 4.03 inches x 3.96 inches (102.4 x 100.6)
Two pushrod-actuated overhead valves per cylinder with roller-type hydraulic lifters
Sequential, multi-port electronic fuel injection with individual runners
Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
Max Engine Speed: 6000 rpm
Fuel Requirement: Unleaded premium, 93 octane (R+M/2)
Oil System: Dry Sump; takes 8 quarts Mobil1 10W30 Synthetic
Cooling System: Twin aluminum radiators mounted atop engine intake manifolds, force-fed from front-mounted, belt-driven turbine fan.
Takes 11 quarts of antifreeze.
Exhaust System: Equal-length tubular stainless steel headers with dual collectors and central rear outlets

SUSPENSION:
Front:
Outboard, single-sided parallel upper and lower control arms made from polished billet aluminum. Mounted via ball joint to aluminum steering uprights and hubs. Five degrees caster. Single, fully adjustable centrally located coil-over damper ( 2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pullrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs.
Rear:
Hand-fabricated box-section steel inboard swing arms, incorporating "hydral-link" lockable recirculating hydraulic circuit parking stand. Single fully adjustable centrally located Koni coil-over damper ( 2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pushrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs

BRAKES:
Front:
20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled machined stainless steel rotors, one per wheel. Two four-piston fixed aluminum calipers per wheel (16 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Hand-activated.
Rear:
20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled cast-iron rotors, one per wheel. One four-piston fixed aluminum caliper per wheel (8 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Foot-activated.
The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it.
Chrysler will be selling the original Tomahawk concept and nine replicas through Neiman Marcus, for up to $555,000 each. The motorcycles cannot be licensed, so they cannot be legally driven on public roads. A Chrysler spokesman told Reuters they were meant as rolling sculptures.
Rumors had the Tomahawk selling for under $200,000, most likely at a loss or breakeven price, for publicity purposes - but still fully drivable. Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler's not particularly respected first mate, was said to be enthusiastic about that project, so much so that hundreds were projected to be built at under $200,000 each. They reportedly cost Chrysler over $100,000 to build (admittedly the work is outsourced).
The Dodge Tomahawk can reach 60 miles an hour in about 2.5 seconds, and has a theoretical top speed of nearly 400 mph. Each pair of wheels is separated by a few inches and each wheel has an independent suspension. Bernhard said four wheels were necessary to handle the power from the engine.
The Tomahawk remains on display at auto shows - though well out of reach of the general public, elevated on a special display.

PERFORMANCE:
0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds (est.)
Top Speed: 300+ mph (est.)

DIMENSIONS:
Length: 102 inches
Width: 27.7 inches
Height: 36.9 inches
Wheelbase: 76 inches
Seat Height: 29 inches
Weight: 1,500 lbs.
Track, Front: 8.75 in
Track, Rear: 10 in
Weight Dist: 49F/51R
Ground Clearance: 3 in
Fuel: 3.25 gallons

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:
Alternator: 136-amp high-speed
Battery : Leak-resistant, maintenance-free 600 CCA
Lighting: Headlights consist of 12 five-watt LEDs, front, with beam-modifying optics and masked lenses. Eight LEDs, rear. Headlamps articulate with wheels.

TRANSMISSION: Manual, foot-shifted two-speed
Aluminum-cased two-speed, sequential racing-style with dog ring, straight-cut gears
Gear Ratios: 1st 18:38; 2nd 23:25
Clutch: Double-disc, dry-plate with organic friction materials, hand lever actuated with assist
Final drive: Dual 110-link motorcycle-style chains
Front Sprockets: 14 teeth
Rear Sprockets: 35 teeth
Longitudinal, centrally mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout; monocoque construction, engine is central, stressed member. Body of billet aluminum.

2009-11-17T04:44:00.000-08:00

Fly a distance of 725 kilometers at speeds of 115 km/hour; requires a special license to drive and fly.

The time required for the transition from plane to car takes less than 30 seconds.

Vehicle speed 185 km/hour, range is 724 km on highways Vehicle is fueled with gasoline, and the price of the car is expected to be around $200,000.

The first shipment will be in 2011

Woburn, MA – June 3, 2009: Terrafugia, Inc. has successfully completed the flight testing program designed for its Transition® Roadable Aircraft Proof of Concept. Having been dubbed “The Flying Car”, the Transition® completed its historic first flight on March 5, 2009 with 27 additional flights completed over the next several weeks.

The successful completion of flight-testing with the Proof of Concept concludes the first stage of a four stage process to bring the Transition® into production. Work is underway on Stage 2, the Beta Prototype. First delivery is expected in 2011.

The Proof of Concept vehicle is the first and only Transition® to be built thus far. It has now achieved its goals by demonstrating driving, flying, and automated transformation between the two in one integrated aircraft. The flights conducted a plan set specifically for the Transition®: characteristics such as handling, performance, and take-off and landing, stability and stall were evaluated. B-Roll footage is available of representative flights. The flight-testing program demonstrated the safety of the vehicle in the air while identifying modifications that will be incorporated into the next Transition® model to be built, the Beta Prototype.

Test Pilot Colonel (Retired) Phil Meteer had a positive review of flying the POC: “I would like to keep flying this Proof of Concept vehicle, but it makes sense to move on to the Beta Prototype.”

Categorized as a Light Sport Aircraft, the Transition® requires a Sport Pilot certificate to fly. It is a two-seat aircraft designed to take off and land at local airports and drive on any road. Transforming from plane to car takes the pilot less than 30 seconds. The Transition® will cruise up to 450 miles at over 115 mph, will drive at highway speeds on the road, and fits in a standard household garage. The vehicle has front wheel drive on the road and a propeller for flight. Both modes are powered by unleaded automotive gasoline. By giving pilots a convenient ground transportation option, the Transition® reduces the cost, inconvenience, and weather sensitivity of personal aviation. It also increases safety by incorporating automotive crash structures and allowing pilots to drive under bad weather. Refundable airframe reservations are currently being accepted.

Terrafugia (ter-ra-FOO-gee-ah), based in Woburn, MA, is comprised of a team of award-winning engineers who have been advancing the state of personal aircraft since 2006. Founded by five pilots who are graduates of MIT and supported by a world-class network of advisors and private investors, Terrafugia’s mission is the innovative expansion of personal mobility. "Terrafugia" is Latin for "escape from land."

World's most complicated Railway Line

2009-11-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

This is the world's most complicated line which is located in Frankfurt,Germany.Inspite of such a complicated line ,we could never hear about any accidents.This is one of the world's busiest railway line.The signals in this lines are fully automated.There is no need for the high speed bullet trains to wait for the level crossings.Hence the mode of transport that is prefered by people in and around Frankfurt is Train.The officials are planning this to extend this kind of system to entire European countries.

Washed-out Wilson's Warbler

2009-11-11T01:15:00.000-08:00

It was a busy day at the nets, with nearly 100 birds banded. Wilson's Warblers led the tall, and among them was a very unusual one that was mostly lacking melanin pigmentation. In birding circles, individuals like this are usually known as leucistic, although the condition may also be called dilute plumage. On a normal Wilson's Warbler melanin pigments darken the cap, wingtips, tail, bill, and legs. Yellow coloration is from caroteniod pigmentation, derived from plants instead of synthesized by the bird. The olive-greenish back of a normal Wilson's Warbler is from a mix of melanin and caroteniod pigments.

So when most of the melanin isn't present, you get a bright yellow bird like this one, with very pale wingtips and tail, a yellow back and cap, a pink bill, and pink legs. When compared to normal Wilson's Warblers (hatch-year female, left, & male, right), you can see the effects of having normal melanin vs. greatly reduced melanin. Below are a few more comparisons vs. a normal hatch-year female.

Summer flowers

2009-11-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

Well we are into summer and that means many beautiful flowers. Marilyn works hard and deadheading and cutting some flowers to bring into the house. We even provided several bouquets for a 50th wedding anniversary party at the tennis club last Sunday. Of course in the front yard the deer have taken care of all our pansies and marigolds. I have even sprayed the flowers so the deer are not supposed to eat them but they don’t read the labels very well.

I have been spending time taking many pictures of all the flowers. It gives me a chance to learn how to better use my camera. I have even started using the manual setting more to help with the settings and try to get the focus better. Close-up photography is a very interesting process and it seems the camera keeps getting into the light to cause even more problems. Anyway it has been fun and I am sure I will have a very large collection of flower pictures by the end of the summer. I even got a wall in the dinning room for my collection of framed enlargements.

Of course I have a large collection of the pictures on my flickr account in addition to the ones displayed here. I am now trying to get more birds and bees to pose for pictures. The bees seem to like the sunflowers but both the birds and the bees seem to fly away just as I am going to take the picture.

Gold plated Buddhist cell phone

2009-11-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

Since Buddhism is the most followed religion in China, this Chinese cell phone maker has cashed on to people’s beliefs and launched a Buddhist Mobile plated with 24 karat gold. I wonder what the connection is between the Enlightened One and a cell phone and Gold. The highlight of the cell phone is the distinguished incarnation of Lord Buddha design. Sporting a stainless steel body that is gold-plated, the top of the screen is also in gold. The button pattern designs are also inspired from Buddhism. A carved jade button called the "Buddha video button” is no ordinary one as it allows you to watch the Buddha on the video all the time. It features classic Buddhist music and you can opt from 12 sutras. It is truly a exceptional cell phone designed from top to bottom and inside out presenting Buddhism. For more techie specs roll over...

The 2.4 inch LCD screen supports a 3GP, MP4, video. You can look for other features like, 1.3 mega-pixel camera, MP3, MP4, Hands free, SMS group sending, Voice recorder, WAP, Handwritten input, Handwritten + keyboard input, Bluetooth, GPRS download, MMS, Memory extended, E-book, personalized fashion, sound record, self-designed ring, calculator, memos, calendar, IP Dial, stopwatch, rates exchange. Did I tell you that even the battery is embossed with a "Buddha" logo?

Cute Dance

2009-11-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Review

2009-11-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

With the X10 Sony Ericsson have gone from zero to hundred in a split second. While they may know their way around high-end devices, pulling off an undertaking such as the XPERIA X10 must have been a special challenge. And they have yet to get to the finish.

Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 at a glance:

General: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, UMTS 900/1900/2100 MHz, HSDPA, HSUPA

Form factor: Touchscreen bar phone

Dimensions: 119 x 63 x 13 mm, 135 g

Display: 4" 262K-color TFT capacitive touchscreen, 854 x 480 pixels

Platform: Qualcomm QSD8250 Snapdragon 1 GHz processor

OS: Android 1.6 (Donut)

Memory: 1GB storage, 256MB RAM, microSD card slot, 8GB card included in the retail box

Camera: 8 megapixel auto-focus camera with LED flash and face detection

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP, standard microUSB port, GPS receiver with A-GPS, 3.5mm audio jack

Misc: Sony Ericsson custom social networking and media UI, built-in accelerometer

Wildlife photography

2009-11-10T06:31:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if my day at the Salton Sea was bird watching or camera testing. Of course I also stopped at Salvation Mountain but the trip was planned to visit the State Recreation Area and the Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge.

I hadn’t had an opportunity to use my long lens very much so the 75-300 lens was on the camera most of the time as I took pictures of the wildlife. I also wanted to get pictures of birds in flight. Of course there were many pictures that will not see the light of day but for the most part I was happy with the work.

First I use the Sport setting on the camera which gave fast shutter speed and continuous shooting. I worried about the focusing but it was good in most shots. As is always the case the animals always just seemed to be further away that you wanted so cropping was necessary to get the close-up I wanted. There were large flocks of Black-necked stilts that were fun to watch and attempt to photograph. You could never get very close before they would fly away and they flew as a flock almost in formation. They never seemed to fly to a spot but would circle around as one large group.
It was late in the season so many of the snow geese were gone but some of the ducks were preparing to nest. At the Wildlife Refuge I did see the burrowing owl. Again at great distance but did get a reasonable shot of two sitting by their burrow.

Travel Egypt

2009-11-10T06:22:00.000-08:00

Back recovering from three weeks of travel in Egypt, Sinai, Saudia Arabia, Jordan, and Israel and trying to process the 4,000 pictures from the trip. I guess you have to start with the pyramids. What can you say? Yes, they are big and right at the edge of the city. But then like all cities I guess they have changed in the past 50 years since I studied about them in grade school. All of my pictures I saw them are going to be different.

The biggest thing that prevents your enjoyment of the pyramids is the people. Many of them are tourists both local and foreign like ourselves. Some of the children are school groups on a field trip but it seemed that half of the people most of them children wanted to sell you something or help you so you would give them a tip.

The Sphinx was very impressive and the face was even more damaged than I had thought. It made you wonder just how long will some of these treasures last with number of people touching, taking home pieces, and breathing on them, This is even more true as we visited the Valley of the Kings and Queens. Many of the carvings and painting on the walls of the tombs were outstanding. Many of the tombs were closed for restoration and some of the walls were protected by glass but in places I saw people touching the walls and I know the fact we are in such a closed area will speedup the destruction of these artifacts that lasted so long while they were covered with sand and protected from human contact.

Rinspeed sQuba Concept Car

2009-11-10T06:18:00.000-08:00

Rinspeed sQuba Concept Car features dive and drive

Mover Q your amphibious car designs are redundant, maybe they were good enough for the previous spies but the next-gen demands a more synced-up version. In case you need to take pointers, make sure you are there at the Geneva Motor Show (March 6th thru 16th, 2008), where Swiss design company Rinspeed will showcase their sQuba Concept Car. The makers claim that it is the world's first real diving car. And if its aquatic feats were not enough, the car can (at the push of a button) drive autonomously. It can dive to the depth of up to 10 meters (33 feet). The "sQuba" fulfills Rinspeed's boss Frank M. Rinderknecht long cherished dream of creating something that marries fictitious movie concepts to reality. Thus taking inspiration from "The spy who loved me", sQuba features an electric motor with powerful torque that drives the rear wheels. The thrust on the water is ensured by two propellers in the stern and two powerful jet drives in the bow propel the vehicle under water while diving. The car promises zero emissions thus zero pollution to the water. The light weight body with components made of futuristic Carbon Nano Tubes encloses in a streamlined manner the driver and passenger who are supplied with fresh breathing air by the self-contained on-board system.

Rinspeed sQuba Concept Car is a one-off car. No commercial production is planned.

Luxury floating hotel in the sky

2009-11-10T05:41:00.000-08:00

Fancying the idea of a flying hotel, the designer Jean Marie Massaud conjured up the future options for travel, the Manned Cloud! Bagging the award by the Design Observer 2008, the Manned Cloud is actually a flying hotel that will enable its commuters to indulge and experience spectacular and exotic places without being intrusive or exploitative. The whale-shaped airship, developed by Massaud Studio in affiliation with French national aerospace research body ONERA, will be able to accommodate 40 guests and have a range of 5,000 km. Two two-deck cabin will contain amenities including a restaurant, a library, a fitness suite and a spa. Travelers can also take a sun bath on a sun deck on top of the double helium-filled envelopes. It will be a dream come true for many to live in the sky and watch the Earth from above. Hit the jump for more pics of this whale in the sky………….

It is estimated that the travelers can enjoy a non-stop round the world in 3 days, while staying in any of its 60 rooms as the Manned Cloud will have a cruising speed of 130 km/h and a top speed of 170 km/h. Since this behemoth gets its lift from helium, there's not much danger of a fiery hydrogen explosion.

Turning Tower, Malmö, Sweden

2009-11-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

The 190 meter tall concrete and steel tower turns 90 degrees from bottom to top.
Designed for a prominent urban site on the occasion of the European Housing Expo 2001, Calatrava’s residential tower for Malmö, at the city’s West Harbor, is based in form on his sculpture Turning Torso.
Conceived to enhance and enlarge a public area, defined by the intersection of two main roads, the “Turning Torso” building is meant to be seen as a free-standing sculptural element posed within the cityscape.

Pet and Wild Animals

2009-11-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals, and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative.

Pet Animals

It's true, pets really are part of the family. Show your dog, cat, ferret or goldfish just how much you love them by making sure they are healthy and happy.

A pet is an animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a house held animal, as opposed to livestock, laboratory animals, working animals or sport animals, which are kept for economic reasons. The most popular pets are noted for their loyal or playful characteristics, for their attractive appearance, or for their song. Pets also generally seem to provide their owners with non-trivial health benefits; keeping pets has been shown to help relieve stress to those who like having animals around.

Mini Boombox GSM Cell Phone

2009-11-10T05:23:00.000-08:00

This mini slider cell phone features a built in MP3 playing boombox that gets surprisingly loud. The best part, you don't have to forsake your existing cell phone (unless you want to). Simply pop the SIM card out of your current cell phone from AT&T/Cingular or T-Mobile and insert it into the back of the Mini Boombox Cell Phone and power it up. Call your existing cell phone number and your Mini Boombox phone starts ringing. Of course you get all the standard cell phone features you would expect including a 1.3 megapixel camera, voice dialing, SMS/MMS messaging and WAP Browser. One nice trick we like is the ability for the phone to read aloud the numbers of incoming calls using voice synthesis. The Mini Boombox GSM Cell Phone comes with 256 MB of built in memory to store your MP3 music files or videos, and the storage is expandable up to 4GB via a Micro SD card slot. Now you can share your musical tastes with everyone around you without making your old phone mad.

IMPORTANT

The Mini Boombox GSM Cell Phone is an unlocked quad-band GSM cell phone with no included SIM card. You will need existing service with either T-Mobile or AT&T/Cingular to use this phone in the USA. It will NOT work with Verizon or Sprint. You can use your existing SIM card from your current cell phone (in which case the Boombox phone will just become your cell phone with the same number and same voicemail while the SIM card is inserted), or buy a pre-paid SIM card from T-Mobile or AT&T/Cingular.

Product Features

Mini cell phone features a sliding keypad and built in boombox for playing MP3 music files
Quad-band unlocked GSM Phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), GPRS Speed for Data
Powerful Amplified Speakers
Sends SMS and MMS messages. Supports SMS group sending
Can play back MP3 music files and display Movie Files
Supports MP3 or MIDI based ringtones
WAP Browser
Built-In Speakerphone
Optionally reads the numbers of incoming calls with voice synthesis
Built in 256MB Memory expandable up to 4GB
Transfer files via USB

In the Box

Mini Boombox GSM Cell Phone
Two Lithium Ion Batteries
Travel AC Charger
Wired Stereo Headset
USB Cable
User Manual

Hardware Specifications

Phone Dimensions (Closed) 3.5" x 1.3" x .8"
Quad-band unlocked GSM Phone (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
GPRS Data
Powerful Amplified Dual Stereo Speakers
1.3 Mega Pixel CMOS Camera/Camcorder Function
1.5" 65K Color TFT LCD Screen
Built-in MP3/MPEG4 Player Functions
SMS, MMS, WAP Support
64 Polyphonic Sound
Expandable Micro SD card slot
Video Recording up to allowable memory space

The Pen Phone Concept

2009-11-10T05:10:00.000-08:00

There have been pen phone concepts before, even a few working products, but none as slim and small as this one. However, this "design A" is not a finished product yet, and added that the undisclosed company. While most users will connect the phone to Bluetooth earpieces, those two target-shaped areas on the top and bottom are earpiece and receiver. So far, so good. What do you think.

Mercedes SLS AMG

2009-11-10T05:05:00.000-08:00

Most Mercedes cars are luxurious, prestigious and bloody speed. I must agree the upcoming Mercedes-Benz 2010 SLS AMG is something to die for. The car comes with an unsurpassed driving opportunities, unexpected design and … the open gullwing doors. Yeah! Love them!

Together with the doors, this car has fantastic daytime running lights and produces and impressive roaring sound while driving.

The SLS AMG is a new variant of the original 300 SL “Gullwing” that was produced between 1952 and 1963. The car comes with a 6.3-litre (6208cc). According to the manufacturer, it will run from 0 - 100km/h in 3.8 seconds and top speed of the car is 315km/h.

Super-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard

2009-10-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

Looking for a small wireless keyboard to bring along when you’re out on the roads? This palm-sized 83 key Bluetooth model might be just what you’ve been waiting for.

It can replace the normal big wire keyboard and users can control and typing away from the PC freely. It is great for lecturers, teachers and businessmen for presentation and for
traveling.

Product Specifications:

Bluetooth V2.0
83 keys
Connect button to connect Bluetooth in your PC
On / Off button at the back
Max. distance: 15m
Powered by 2pcs AAA batteries (Not included)
Size: 140*70*13mm
Weight: 65g

Touchscreen MP4 Player with 8GB Video Camera

2009-10-30T06:27:00.000-07:00

Touchscreen MP4 Player + Video Camera 8GB. MP4/MP3 digital music and video player with all the same excellent features you have come to expect from our digital media players, but now with touchscreen and a built in camera + video recorder.

This baby is like your very own personal entertainment center packed into one slick PMP. Touch screen control with the large TFT LCD makes navigation a breeze, while the big display renders movies into a sharp 320x240 resolution. The high capacity earphone output (with bonus HD earphones) as well as a built in speaker make listening while out on the go a real pleasure. This little PMP is full of the latest features in modern MP4 players while coming to you at a factory direct.

Features

Main Function: MP4/MP3 Digital Media Player

Memory: 8GB

External Memory: Mini SD Card (up to 2GB)

Display: 2.7 Inch TFT LCD - Full Touch Screen

Video Resolution: 320x240

Video Format: AVI

Conversion Formats: avi, mpg, rm, rmvb, wmv, dat (with supplied software)

Music Formats: MP3, WMA, WAV

Picture Display Format: JPEG

FM Radio: 87.0~108.0MHz (worldwide)

Built in MIC Recording Format: WAV

Built In Camera

- Photo Resolution: 320x240, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024

- Format: JPEG

- Zoom: x4

- Snapshot Options: Timer mode, Multi-shot mode, Color effects

- Adjustable Brightness/Color/Contrast

Built In Video Recorder

- Video Resolution: 320x240

- Format: AVI

- Zoom: x4

Earphone Jack: 3.5mm

Output of Earphones: 2x20mW(8 Ohm)

Earphones: Upgraded earphones included FREE (model CVHU-G37)

Output of Built In Speaker: 10mW (16 Ohm)

SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio): 85dB

Languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Czech, French, German,
Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic

USB: 2.0

Compatible Systems: Windows 98/ME/SE/2000/XP/Vista

Power Source: Built in Rechargeable Li-ion Battery

Watch with Hidden 4GB USB Flash Drive

2009-10-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

This black watch features a removable USB flash drive with a 4GB capacity, allowing you to always have easy access to your most important files.

This watch has a plastic case covered by stainless steel mask with brushed silver finish and convex mineral glass with shiny raised index. The USB flash drive fits inside the watch case flush with the contours of the watch case – ready to hold your data safe and secure.

Features:

Japanese quartz movement
Black polyurethane strap
Luminescent hands
4GB capacity
Watch dial size: 1.1 x 1 inches (29 x 25mm)
Flash drive size: 1.5″ x .5″ x .25″ (38 x 13 x 6mm)

The Watch with Hidden 4GB USB Flash Drive is available for $59.99

Digital Pocket Video Recorder (8GB Spy Edition)

2009-10-30T06:04:00.000-07:00

Digital Video Recorders (8GB Spy Edition). This is a beautifully presented spy camera pen framed with a classy, gloss black exterior. Designed to look and work as a fully-functioning business pen, it is actually a DV camera for recording motion video or to still photographs of unsuspecting people. With its deceptively normal exterior, this is the perfect blend of modern technology and conventional stationery for all aspiring secret agents!

Place it on your desk, on a shelf, or in your shirt pocket - it is the perfect covert device!

Manufacturer Specifications

Primary Function: Video recording "Spy Pen" and USB drive with 8 GB's of
memory

Camera Specifications:
- Color CMOS sensor
- Auto White Balance Adjustment
- Focus Range: 150mm ~ Infinity
- Internal Flash Memory: 8GB

Capture Specifications:
- Format: AVI
- Frame Rate: 10 FPS
- Capture Resolution: 640x480

Power Source: Internal Battery

Battery Life: Approx 100 minutes

Dimension: 150mm (L) x 16mm (Diameter)

(Not So) Great Kiskadee

2009-10-20T06:31:00.000-07:00

This series of images of a great kiskadee (coughing up a ball of what I assume are insect exoskeleton bits), was taken from the verandah of Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad. In the last image, the bird looks almost relieved, and perhaps a bit embarrassed that the whole episode was captured on camera.

There are days (like today) when I'd like to be able to cough up a huge ball of stuff, if it would make everything better. On second thought, maybe there are better ways to make oneself feel better. Like playing a softball double-header. Think I'll try that instead...

Art on Stone

2009-10-13T04:05:00.000-07:00

Creative Art on Stone - Ultimate Creativity

Cake babies

2009-10-13T03:02:00.001-07:00

These babies are made of cake frosting, but who could take a bite? This woman is definitely talented ...

Marzipan Babies Thought you'd be as fascinated with these as I. These are made with marzipan.... really unbelievable! Every detail is amazing, and they look VERY real. Marzipan is Almond paste: a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.

Amazing Holes

2009-10-13T02:59:00.000-07:00

Apparently the largest ever hand-dug excavation in the world, this 1097 metre deep mine yielded over 3 tonnes of diamonds before being closed in 1914. The amount of earth removed by workers is estimated to total 22.5 million tonnes.

Kimberley big hole - South Africa

This is the glory hole belonging to Monticello dam in California and it is the largest in the world, its size enabling it to consume 14 400 cubic feet of water every second.

Bingham canyon mine, Utah

This is supposedly the largest man-made excavation on earth. extraction began in 1863 and still continues today, the pit increasing in size constantly. in its current state the hole is 3/4 mile deep and 2.5 miles wide.

At surface level the near perfectly circular hole is 1/4 mile wide, the depth in the middle reaching 145 metres. obviously the hole is a huge hit with divers.

Great blue hole, belize

Situated 60 miles off the mainland of belize is this incredible geographical phenomenon known as a blue hole. there are numerous blue holes around the world but none as stunning as this one.

The hole can be seen at the top left of the photo above. if you were to jump in for some reason your slightly damp body would shoot out near the bottom of the dam .

Glory hole - Monticello dam

A glory hole is used when a dam is at full capacity and water needs to be drained from the resevoir.

Amaz Animals

2009-10-12T06:31:00.000-07:00

Mountain Gorilla

Africa’s mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is the largest and most powerful primate, but is very peaceful and sociable,
despite their portrayal in movies such as King Kong and Tarzan.

Gorillas are our closest relative after chimpanzees with an almost 98 percent DNA match. The remaining 600 individuals face habitat loss through deforestation, poaching, circus use, effects of political unrest, and human diseases such as measles.

Florida Panther

Once prevalent throughout the southeastern U.S., the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) is now restricted to south Florida. Cities and farms dump pollutants into waterways that feed the Everglades, an ecosystem that occurs nowhere else on earth. To boost numbers and prevent inbreeding among the remaining 50 individuals, humans bred the Florida panther with the Texas panther resulting in a genetically different hybrid.

Giant Panda

China’s giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) habitat is situated at the top of the Yangtze Basin, one of the world’s most critical regions for biodiversity conservation. Because of their notoriously low sex drives, captive pandas are shown pornographic videos to encourage mating. After more than a century of debate, recent DNA analysis concludes that the giant panda is more closely related to bears than to raccoons.

Beluga Sturgeon

The ancient beluga sturgeon (Huso huso), while persisting for over 200 million years, may not outlast current threats. Its caviar is one of the world’s three most expensive foods, selling for over $100 dollars per ounce and encouraging illegal trade and poaching.

Dams along the Volga River block migration from their breeding ground to the Caspian Sea. Historically, Belugas lived for 75 years, weighed more than 2 tons and grew to 28 feet in length. Now, the typical adult is younger than 18 years old and weighs only 77 pounds.

Blue Whale

Antarctica’s blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest creature on earth. The largest terrestrial animal, the African elephant, could stand on the whale’s tongue. UV radiation through a hole in the ozone layer depletes its food source, zooplankton. The blue whale is the loudest animal on earth, using low-frequency rumbles to communicate across hundreds of miles of ocean. Click here to listen to its call.

Blue Poison Dart Frog

The blue poison dart frog (Dendrobates azureus) is one of the most brilliantly colored animals on the planet. Humans harness the poison as a potential ingredient in painkillers and the indigenous Chocó peoples of Columbia dab it on blowgun darts for hunting. The tiny frogs inhabit South American rainforest, which is disappearing at a rate of four football fields per minute.

Southern Cassowary

The ancient southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a helmeted flightless bird in Australia’s Wet Tropics. As voracious fruit-eaters, they spread seeds, regenerating the rainforest in the face of deforestation. Even though the large birds weigh 130 pounds, they fall prey to non-native feral pigs, which were also responsible for the extinction of the dodo.

Loggerhead Turtle

The loggerhead turtle’s (Caretta caretta) habitat extends through many countries, requiring international cooperation and treaties. Despite requirements to install turtle excluder devices on fishing gear in some countries, turtles continue to die as bycatch in countries without such measures. Pacific loggerheads migrate over 7,500 miles from their nesting habitat in Japan to their foraging habitat off the coast of Mexico.

Polar Bear

Soap Design

2009-10-10T09:11:00.001-07:00

Water Drop

2009-10-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

God and His Creations

2009-10-10T08:47:00.000-07:00

His Hands

His Teddy Bear

His Cat

His Crocodile

3-D Paintings

2009-10-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

All are 3D paintings its very amazing to view.....

Wolfgang Sievers 1913-2007

2009-10-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

Construction Site, 1955

Wolfgang was born into a very clever and creative family in Berlin. His father was an academic art historian and his mother was involved in the film industry. By the time he was old enough to work, The Bauhaus had long closed so he could not have been a student there. But in 1938, he stayed on as a teacher at a School for Modern Applied Arts, an educational organisation sympathetic to Bauhaus philosophy. Since his mother was Jewish, Wolfgang left Germany for ever in 1938 - luckily for photography and for Australia.

Safely in Melbourne, Sievers spent his long life recording industrial and architectural scenes. They covered the gamut from mining, office building, scientific processes, light and heavy industries, Olympic stadia to schools. This prolific photographer seemed to find black and white a more fitting medium for his subjects than colour.

Olympic Swimming Pool, Melbourne, 1956

Let me insert a personal note here. My father was the filtration engineer for the swimming and diving pools in the 1956 Olympics, and might well have been aware of Sievers as he moved around the pools.

cedvernay.com blog showed that the ex-pat German citizens who lived in Melbourne tried to help each other out in their new country. In 1946, Helmut Newton set up a Melbourne studio and worked primarily on fashion photography. The exhibition of New Visions in Photography, which was held at the Federal Hotel in Collins St in May 1953, was shared with Newton, Sievers and Henry Talbot, another German ex-pat artist who had also been interned. Three creative, supportive men.

Cyberslacker wrote that in the 1950s, Wolfgang Sievers was hired by the Australian Government to help change the image of Australia from rural and agricultural, to industrial and manufacturing. And he was clearly hired by private companies as well. What was he doing? Seeking out gritty photos to show progress, modernity and industrialisation on behalf of his patrons? Examine Mrs. Deane who has a wonderful wolfgang sievers’ archive

Pulp Mills, Burnie 1956

Apparently not. Alert and Alarmed (24/4/2005) wrote: The photography of Wolfgang Sievers allows us to become aware of ‘the dignity of man as a worker’. The dirt, noise and danger of the machinery may not always be visible but the worker is aware of his personal vulnerability. The nation might need to show physical exertion, skills and initiative; the nation might need the collective effort of the working population. But the worker himself is entitled to respect and industrial support.

Paint testing, 1961

Of course Sievers chose subjects that lent themselves to impressive and monumental photographs. He specialised in mining, geological exploration and the oil industry precisely because the tasks were bigger, more dangerous, more mechanised and more cutting edge. He could have photographed people gardening or waltzing, but neither of those occupations was gritty or cutting edge. Even his passive, sedate images had fascinating patterns within.

In Siever’s view, the Australian workplace was far more egalitarian and open than in other countries, allowing more scope for his determination to portray the dignity of labour. But how do we know about Sievers sympathy for the working people of this nation, other than by “reading” his images? Because he went outside his briefs, even at his own expense. “Often controversial, his strong beliefs, intolerance of racism and increasing concern at the destructive practices of capitalism also led him to question the morality behind many corporate entities, in many cases his clients.” And because Sievers donated $1 million worth of photographs to raise money for social justice.

Gears for Mining Industry, 1967

The 150 Best Hubble Space Images

2009-10-10T07:21:00.000-07:00

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery in April 1990. It is named after the American astronomer Edwin Hubble. Although not the first space telescope, the Hubble is one of the largest and most versatile, and is well-known as both a vital research tool and a public relations boon for astronomy. The HST is a collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency, and is one of NASA's Great Observatories, along with the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope.

Space telescopes were proposed as early as 1923. The Hubble was funded in the 1970s, with a proposed launch in 1983, but the project was beset by technical delays, budget problems, and the Challenger disaster. When finally launched in 1990, scientists found that the main mirror had been ground incorrectly, severely compromising the telescope's capabilities. However, after a servicing mission in 1993, the telescope was restored to its intended quality. Hubble's position outside the Earth's atmosphere allows it to take extremely sharp images with almost no background light. Hubble's Ultra Deep Field image, for instance, is the most detailed visible-light image ever made of the universe's most distant objects. Many Hubble observations have led to breakthroughs in astrophysics, such as accurately determining the rate of expansion of the universe.

The Hubble is the only telescope ever designed to be serviced in space by astronauts. To date, there have been four servicing missions. Servicing Mission 1 took place in December 1993 when Hubble's imaging flaw was corrected. Servicing missions 2, 3A, and 3B repaired various sub-systems and replaced many of the observing instruments with more modern and capable versions. However, following the 2003 Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, the fifth servicing mission was canceled on safety grounds. After spirited public discussion, NASA reconsidered this decision, and administrator Mike Griffin gave the green light for one final Hubble servicing mission. This was planned for October 2008, but in September 2008, another key component failed. The servicing mission has been postponed until May 2009 to allow this unit to be replaced as well.

The planned repairs to the Hubble should allow the telescope to function until at least 2013, when its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), is due to be launched. The JWST will be far superior to Hubble for many astronomical research programs, but will only observe in infrared, so it would complement (not replace) Hubble's ability to observe in the visible and ultraviolet parts of the spectrum.

Quadruple Saturn Moon Transit Snapped By Hubble

Hubble Captures Full View of Uranus's Rings on Edge: Unannotated

Clear and Hazy Gas Layers in Uranus' Atmosphere

An Earth-Sized Storm on Saturn

Hubble Captures Full View of Uranus's Rings on Edge: Unannotated

Clear and Hazy Gas Layers in Uranus' Atmosphere

An Earth-Sized Storm on Saturn

Uranus 2003

An Arrowhead-Shaped Saturn Storm

Saturn 's Rings in Visible Light

Pluto and Its Moons: Charon, Nix, and Hydra- Unlabeled

A Dust Storm on Mars

Hubble Confirms New Moons of Pluto

Bright Clouds on Uranus

Jupiter

Saturn's Ultraviolet Aurora

Jupiter's Northern Aurora

Mars Dust Storm Brews in Hellas Basin and Northern Polar Cap

Saturn Aurora — January 28, 2004

Discovery of a Dark Auroral Oval on Saturn

Mars at 43 Million Miles From Earth

A Global Mars Map

Saturn Prior to Cassini Probe's Arrival

Uranus: 2005 (Unannotated)

Jupiter's New Red Spot - HST ACS/WFC: April 16, 2006

Saturn from 1996 to 2000

Hubble Image of M101

Galaxy NGC 3079

Spiral Galaxy NGC 4622 Spins "Backwards"

Star Cluster R136 in Nebula 30 Doradus

Warped Edge-On Galaxy ESO 510-G13

Hubble Photographs Grand Design Spiral Galaxy M81

Turbulent Cauldron of Starbirth in Galaxy Centaurus A, With Ground View (inset)

ACS Image of NGC 5866

The Heart of the Whirlpool Galaxy

Spiral Gas Disk in Active Galaxy M87

Feasting Black Hole Blows Bubbles from Galaxy NGC 4438

Gravitational Lens Captures Image of Primeval Galaxy

Galaxy Centaurus A

Trio of Galaxies Mix It Up

Star Cluster R136 in Nebula 30 Doradus

Hubble Interacting Galaxy Arp 148

Hubble/GALEX/Spitzer Composite Image of M81

Interacting Galaxy Pair Arp 87

Close Up of Ancient, White Dwarf Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy

Hubble Deep Field Image at Quarter Resolution

Spiral, Elliptical and Colliding Galaxies in the Hubble Deep Field South Image

Normal Spiral Galaxies 5 to 7 Billion Light-Years From Earth

A Gallery of 'Tadpole Galaxies'

A Distant Cluster of Galaxies

Remote Galaxy Clusters: Lost Ancestors to Our Milky Way Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy NGC 4603 With Location of Cepheids Marked

A Survey of Quasar Host Galaxies

Close Up of Ancient, White Dwarf Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy

Looking 'Underneath' Quasar HE0450-2958

Black Hole's Disk is Flooded With Ultraviolet Light

Searching for Dark Matter in a Galaxy Cluster

New Class of Cross-Shaped Gravitational Lenses for Probing Structure of the Cosmos

Gravity of Galaxy Cluster Abell 2218 Creates Giant "Lens"

Split, Distorted Light from Quasar PG1115+080 in Infrared

Dust Disk Fuels Black Hole in Giant Elliptical Galaxy NGC 4261

Spiral Gas Disk in Active Galaxy M87

The Core of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

Galaxy Cluster Abell 2218's "Gravitational Lens"

A Stretched Ring of Galactic Light from Quasar PG1115+080 in Infrared

Galaxy Cluster MS1054-0321

Globular Cluster M15

Black Hole in Galaxy M87 Emits Jet of High-Speed Electrons

Cosmic Evolution Survey - Dark Matter

Hubble's Top Ten Gravitational Lenses

Black Holes Unexpectedly Discovered in Globular Clusters M15 and G1

Globular Cluster M22 (inset shows entire cluster)

Nearby Galaxy Centaurus A

Interacting Spiral Galaxies NGC 2207 and IC 2163

Cosmic Evolution Survey - Visible (Baryonic) Matter

Dust Disk Around a Black Hole in Galaxy NGC 4261

Distant Galaxies of Abell 2218 Viewed Through a Cosmic Lens

Dust Disk Around a Black Hole in Galaxy NGC 7052

STIS Records a Black Hole's Signature

Ring Around a Suspected Black Hole in Galaxy NGC 4261

Nucleus of Galaxy Centaurus A

Giant Disk of Cold Gas and Dust Fuels Possible Black Hole at the Core of NGC 4261

Hubble and Chandra Composite of the Galaxy Cluster MACS J0025.4-1222

Hubble Captures a "Five-Star" Rated Gravitational Lens

Hubble Witnesses Flare-Up in Extragalactic Jet

Reddish Arcs Mark Trail of Small Asteroid

Giant Disk of Cold Gas and Dust Fuels Possible Black Hole at the Core of NGC 4261

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1300

Hubble-Spitzer Color Mosaic of the Galactic Center

The Sombrero Galaxy in Infrared Light

Galaxy NGC 1512 in Visible Light

Supernova 1987A: Halo for a Vanished Star

Interacting Galaxies Group Arp 194

The Majestic Sombrero Galaxy (M104)

Dust Band Around the Nucleus of "Black Eye Galaxy" M64

Spiral Galaxy M100

Eighth Anniversary Image of Hubble's Smash Hits

Hubble Spies a Frenzy of Star Birth in Dwarf Galaxies

The Expanding Light Echo of Red Supergiant Star V838 Monocerotis

Close-Up of the Helix Nebula

Vast Star-Forming Region 30 Doradus

The Ring Nebula (M57)

V838 Monocerotis - November 2005

Cassiopeia A: Colorful, Shredded Remains of Old Supernova

Eye-Shaped Planetary Nebula NGC 6826

Iridescent Glory of Nearby Helix Nebula

The Cat's Eye Nebula's Intricate Layers

Star Cluster R136 - Wide Field/Planetary Camera

Reflection Nebula NGC 1999

Details of Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A

The Spirograph Nebula (IC 418)

Hubble Observes Infant Stars in Nearby Galaxy

Dying Star HD 44179, the "Red Rectangle," Sculpts Rungs of Gas and Dust

SN 1006 Supernova Remnant (Hubble)

N 180B in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Cone Nebula (NGC 2264): Star-Forming Pillar of Gas and Dust

The Pistol Star: A Brilliant Star in Milky Way's Core

Infant Stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Hubble Snaps a Splendid Planetary Nebula

Mars -- March 10, 1997

Plume of Gas and Dust Spouts From Volcanic Eruption on Io

The Pluto System on Feb. 15, 2006 (Annotated)

Springtime on Neptune: Increased Brightness Shows Seasonal Change

Detail of Saturn's Rings, Disk and Shadow

Saturn's Rings in Ultraviolet Light

Saturn Aurora — January 24, 2004

Hubble View of Comet Tempel 1 - Before Outburst

Mars: Closest Approach 2007

Hubble/IRTF Composite Image of Jupiter Storms

An Infrared View of Saturn

Saturn's Dynamic Auroras

HST/WFPC2 Image of Jupiter and Ganymede Taken April 9, 2007

Three Moons Cast Shadows on Jupiter

Three Rings of Gas Surround Supernova 1987A

Ancient, White Dwarf Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy

Black Holes Unexpectedly Discovered in Globular Clusters M15 and G1

Globular Cluster M22 (inset shows entire cluster)

R136: A Cluster of Massive Stars in Nebula 30 Doradus

A String of 'Cosmic Pearls' Surrounds an Exploding Star

Spiral Galaxy NGC 3370, Home to Supernova Seen in 1994

Light Echo From Star V838 Monocerotis - April 30, 2002

Stellar Interlopers Caught Speeding Through Space

Hubble ACS/WFPC2 Image of Globular Cluster M13

Star Cluster NGC 290

Papillon Nebula N159-5

Supernova 1994D in Galaxy NGC 4526

Star Cluster R136 in Nebula 30 Doradus

Light Echoes From Red Supergiant Star V838 Monocerotis - December 2002

Supernova 1994D in Galaxy NGC 4526

Hubble Snaps a Splendid Planetary Nebula

Young Stars Sculpt Gas with Powerful Outflows in the Small Magellanic Cloud

Star Cluster NGC 265

British Pavilion (Shanghai Expo)

2009-10-10T05:01:00.000-07:00

Thomas Heatherwick has recently released images for the British pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai Exposition. The six-storey pavilion under the theme "Better City, Better Life" is pierced by 60,000 transparent rods that will illuminate the interior of the pavilion with natural light during the day, whilst at night, transporting artificial light from the inside to the exterior, allowing the structure to glow.

Brosmith House

2009-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

The 4,500 sq ft Brosmith residence located in Beverly Hills, California was designed bySPF:a [Studio Pali Fekete: architects] as separate living pods along a central spine to capture uninterrupted views of the San Fernando Valley below.

on the boards: the Interlace

2009-10-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

The Interlace designed by architects OMA is an apartment complex in Singapore comprised of stacked building units. The modern design capitalizes on the generous roof area by converting them into roof gardens for the over 1000 living units.

on the boards: Teton Valley Community School

on the boards: Atlantic Yards Arena

Extra-Muros ::: Architectures of Delight

The French Embassy in Jamaica and the Caribbean School of Architecture, University of Technology are hosting an exhibition titled Extra-Muros - Architectures of Delight. The exhibition was originally produced and designed from a catalogue of photographs and critics of contemporary architecture, coordinated by the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine / Institut français d’architecture.

The late Simon Ungers(with Tom Kinslow) designed this retreat on a 40-acre wooded site for for an aspiring writer and his 10,000-book collection. The library peeks over the treetops symbolizing the clients lofty aspirations whilst the living spaces contained in the base of the house is grounded into the hillside.

Lenticular Cloud

2009-10-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

Flying Birds

2009-09-30T07:56:00.000-07:00

I love Gods' sense of humor, too.....

Spring is springing

2009-09-30T01:24:00.000-07:00

Everything starts to sprout again. The greenery shoots up and the colours are vibrant. The one below was taken mid April and it is my willow tree, coming to life again. These primroses have been going for a long time. They come back year after year. A splash of welcome colour early in spring. The photos below were taken in late March!

Moon Shine

2009-09-29T22:39:00.001-07:00

Earth shine with moon light.... Very cool to see that moon light.....

Sun Set

2009-09-29T22:03:00.000-07:00

Sun going to see the another place . . . . .

Snail cross the bridge!

2009-09-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Snail was cross the bridge and continue its duty

Funny Animal friendship pictures

2009-09-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

Have you see how some animals can get along together in the animal kingdom? If you don't, have a look at these great pictures. If only animals and humans were the same with each other always. instead of torture and killing. it would be such a beautiful place.

Funny and amazing accidents

2009-09-29T07:39:00.001-07:00

Funny and Amazing Accidents in variuos places which i have colllected.

Lion on horse back in China zoo

2009-09-29T07:31:00.000-07:00

The country which gave you bears riding bikes now proudly presents ... lion on horseback
In an attempt to garner more viewers, an animal park in China treated viewers a bizarre display of a lion riding a horse. The horse sure doesn’t look very comfortable with such a big cat on its back.

Airbus A340 meet wall, and the accident happen

2009-09-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

While running an engine test at the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France, the A340 jumped the chocks and headed for the blast wall. The good news is the blast wall held up remarkably well. The bad news is the Airbus did not.

Funny Sports Views

2009-09-29T04:16:00.000-07:00

NASA Goddard Shoots The Moon To Track Lunar Spacecraft

2009-09-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

On certain nights, an arresting green line pierces the sky above NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. It's a laser directed at the moon, visible when the air is humid. No, NASA is not repelling an invasion. Instead, it's tracking its own spacecraft.

28 times per second, engineers at NASA Goddard fire a laser that travels about 250,000 miles to hit the minivan-sized Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft moving at nearly 3,600 miles per hour as it orbits the moon. The first laser ranging effort to track a spacecraft beyond low-Earth orbit on a daily basis produces distance measurements accurate to about four inches (10 centimeters). For comparison, the microwave stations tracking LRO measure its range to a precision of about 65 feet (20 meters)."Current lunar maps are not as accurate as we’ll need to return people safely to the moon," said Ronald Zellar of NASA Goddard, team lead for the LRO laser ranging system. "In order to make an accurate map, first you need to know where you are. Knowing the precise range to LRO is necessary for its instruments to produce much more accurate maps, with errors reduced to the size of humans or rovers."

New View Of Lagoon Nebula: GigaGalaxy Zoom Phase 3

2009-09-29T03:31:00.000-07:00

The third image of ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project has just been released online, completing this eye-opening dive into our galactic home in outstanding fashion. The latest image follows on from views, released over the last two weeks, of the sky as seen with the unaided eye and through an amateur telescope. This third instalment provides another breathtaking vista of an astronomical object, this time a 370-million-pixel view of the Lagoon Nebula of the quality and depth needed by professional astronomers in their quest to understand our Universe.

Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

2009-09-28T01:07:00.000-07:00

With Jackson's face (or several faces) all over the news, one would expect that we'd be hearing a little more of the music and (especially) seeing a little more of the dancing. Sadly, this is not really the case. We get clips but rarely get to enjoy a whole piece - I understand MTV suspended regular programming for several hours after his death in order to play his old videos, but now they're back to reality shows. So I have embedded a You Tube clip, probably his most famous moment, below (it follows the rest of my thoughts).