Clipmarks | bookchick49's clips

ToTaLLy StELLaR dude

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:18:13 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Furthermore...
"Combining the NACO images with data obtained with several other telescopes [5] the astronomers could determine the distance of the system - about 25,000 light-years from the Sun - and its intrinsic brightness - over 10,000 times brighter than the Sun. This implies that the vampire white dwarf in this system has a high mass that is near its fatal limit and is still simultaneously being fed by its companion at a high rate."

A GOOD READ

Clip Source: www.jb.man.ac.uk

Ticking Stellar Time Bomb Identified

17 November 2009

One defining characteristic of Type Ia supernovae is the lack of evidence for hydrogen in the light they produce. Yet hydrogen is the most common chemical element in the Universe. Such supernovae most likely arise in systems composed of two stars, one of them being a white dwarf. When such white dwarfs, acting as stellar vampires that suck matter from their companion, become heavier than a given limit, they become unstable and explode [4].

"As the white dwarf feeds on its companion, the captured gas accumulates on its surface until thermonuclear reactions begin, causing a massive explosion which ejects matter out into space at phenomenal speeds."

"If the white dwarf is increasing in mass then it will eventually reach a point where it will be ripped apart in a titanic supernova explosion and its cycle of outbursts will come to an end."

From the findings, in the 20 November edition of the Astrophysical Journal

Tags: astrophysical, novas, science, space, stars

No Such Thing as Free

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:38:54 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Excellent excellent read / article. Especially that last couple of paragraphs regarding suggestions of hidden cost from cell phone companies legislation. Sounds good to me.

Just ask yourself when you're shopping for a new cell phone:
"Do you want an iPhone, or an HTC Hero and a 50-inch plasma TV?" LOL I LOVE IT!

Clip Source: www.pcmag.com

Your Free Phone Cost $240

11.19.09

Think you're getting a cell phone for free? No way.

Your free phone cost you at least $240. T-Mobile wants you to know that. But is anybody listening?

The toys aren't free. Their prices are invisibly baked into your phone contract and then squeezed out of you if you try to get out of the contract early.

T-Mobile, My Heroes

introduced the first plans that let you strip out the phone subsidy.

If anybody cared about long-term prices, Sprint and T-Mobile would both be doing much better than they are right now. The iPhone 3GS and the HTC Hero on Sprint both look like they cost around $200. But over two years, with an unlimited talk plan, the iPhone costs $1,200 more. Yeah, sure, the iPhone is great, but is it $1,200 better than a Sprint phone? Really? Do you want an iPhone, or an HTC Hero and a 50-inch plasma TV?

Americans will ignore useful information and take the "free phone," which costs them more in the end.

Tags: cell phones, economy, technology

FB Your Friends in XBox

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:41:32 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49

Clip Source: www.appscout.com

Facebook Goes Live on Xbox 360

"The Xbox Facebook integration allows you to take part in some of the most popular activities on Facebook directly from your living room on your television," Facebook said in a blog post. "With Facebook for Xbox, you can update your status, browse updates from your friends and view photos on the big screen. You also can link your Facebook profile to your Xbox Gamertag to find your Facebook friends and connect with them on Xbox Live."

The Facebook app is available for the Xbox 360 now via a system update. Users can control who sees their activity on the console, Facebook said.

Tags: facebook, gaming, microsoft, social networking, technology

The Next Jenny Craig contestant?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:29:49 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Kirsty Ally, Valerie Bertinelli and Geena Davis?
I'm not one to talk.... could use a few less pounds myself. It's not an easy task. But is always shocking I think when our Hollywood idols decide to let their hair down and take sabbatical.

Clip Source: abcnews.go.com

Geena Davis Adds Pounds and Other Dramatic Weight Changes

"Commander in Chief" star seems to have loosened her grip.

Tags: health, hollywood, weight loss

Government Reporting Inconsistencies

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:35:22 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Too many consistent inconsistencies to say it's 'just human error.' Watch the video on the blog site then check the numbers yourself.

Clip Source: blogs.abcnews.com

Stimulus Glitch? Government Website Lists Inconsistencies

November 17, 2009 8:52 AM

One of the great curiousities in Washington�involves the economic stimulus program.� How many jobs does it save?� How many jobs has it created?� There's a government website that is supposed to track those questions -- region by region across the country.� Our chief Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl has been checking it -- and has found it puzzling.

Tags: economy, government, jobs, recovery, stimulus

Touch Screen

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:50:46 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Back in 1998/99, myself and a co-worker were brainstorming on computing ideas. We came up with an idea for a computer screen that would act like a kiosk of sorts, for the elderly. Realizing that there was a need to keep in touch and up to date with technology, it 'felt right' to bring something like touch screen for the elderly or those that could not type, into age (pun intended). Our idea was to set up these kiosk style monitors in senior assisted/non-assisted homes; on campus clubhouses, etc so anyone could send email and play a few games. Easy stuff that would not be intimidating or difficult to learn.

Idea blown away when presented to our employer as not 'marketable enough.'

About 3 weeks ago, I walked into Sam's Club; the computer section. A round table was set up with HP Touchscreen monitors. Curios, I walked over to inspect and could not get close enough except to watch. Persons much older than myself standing around the table, playing games by touching the scre

Clip Source: www.pcmag.com

Windows 7: Inside Multitouch

what makes Windows 7 so exciting is that no computer operating system ever incorporated native support for multitouch before. The new breed of multitouch laptops and desktops with touch screens don't need extra downloads or plugins-- multitouch just works

Vista offered single-touch capabilities in tablet mode, and pen input is quite common as well. But as much as Microsoft would love to paint multitouch as a natural progression in its operating systems, its Apple that was the real democratizer of multiple-input touch screens.

Optical sensors are set up around the screen creating a grid. The screen reacts when your finger, pen, stylus, or any other implement break one of the beams

pen, stylus, or any other implement break one of the beams; you don't actually have to physically touch the surface to get a response.

there's no question that this interface can change the way we look at computing.

Tags: technology

Holy Lumix!

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:56:34 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Pocket cameras not always easy on the pocket book. Been following Panasonic Lumix cameras for awhile. Don't own one but maybe some day.....

I still wouldn't trade it in for a DSLR.... yet.

Clip Source: www.pcmag.com

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1

CHECK PRICES

$900 - $1500

Amazon	$899.95
Amazon Marketplace	$1499.99

EditorVery Good

By�PJ Jacobowitz

With image quality that rivals capable D-SLRs and a body not much larger than a super-zoom camera, the 12.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 ($899.95 direct, with lens) is the most compact model in Panasonic's line-up of Micro Four Thirds cameras. Panasonic's first two entries into the space, the $799 Lumix DMC-G1 and the $1,499 GH1, weren't much smaller than traditional D-SLRs. The GF1 is more comparable in size to the $800 Olympus E-P1, which features great image quality but a painfully slow autofocus. The GF1 doesn't perform as well as the E-P1 or D-SLR competitors in low-light conditions (ISO 1600 and higher), but in brighter shooting situations, image quality is top-notch.

Tags: cameras, lumix, panasonic, photography, point and shoot cameras, reviews, technology

Is Google a "Big Brother Watching Over You?"

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:23:56 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: I think we're often drawn into neat web tools because new stuff is usually fun, trendy and usually offers some level of nifty use-ability and forward change. It's not until we're knee deep in it that we realize just how much of ourselves we've released into the wild yonder. Here's one example....

Clip Source: www.pcmag.com

Google Dashboard Knows Too Much

11.05.09

Thanks to Google's new Dashboard feature, anyone with a Google account (essentially a Gmail address) can see everything the company is tracking about them.

Every query is features a date- and time-stamp.

what a remarkable forensic device it could be

Google's vast store of people knowledge goes way beyond search. It has so many services and such a huge user base that it's safe to say that Google may know more about you than virtually any other online

service provider (to be fair, if Microsoft or Yahoo had a similar service, we might see some of the same detail).

What will Google do with my years of search data,

when I'm dead?

would Google preserve it and offer it to my family? The data is my private information, but who owns it? Google? Me? My loved ones?

Tags: forensics, gadgets, google, internet, technology, web

Banks out for themselves

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:11:25 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49

Clip Source: www.mcclatchydc.com

Banks fight to kill proposed consumer protection agency

WASHINGTON — If you doubt that U.S. banks long to return to the days of impotent regulation, you need only look at one of the financial sector's top legislative priorities: killing a proposed new agency that would be dedicated solely to protecting consumers' financial interests.

he U.S. Chamber of Commerce is leading the fight against the proposed agency on grounds that it would make credit less available and more costly.

the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is leading the fight against the proposed agency on grounds that it would make credit less available and more costly.

banks began padding their balance sheets by socking surprised consumers with new credit card fees that were hidden in contractual fine print.

"If you assume, as I do, that they fear anything that threatens the way they do their business, their ability to profit through the abuse of their customers, then this (legislation) should be taken seriously."

Tags: banks, economy, lending, predatory

Death of a DSLR? Phooey!

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 13:56:28 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Author predicts the death of the DSLR based on historical events with cameras. In my opinion, many SLR users did not give up the SLR for a pocket 110. I hardly see a DSLR user giving in totally to a rangefinder or (point and shoot) camera regardless of its upgraded features.

I will say however, that the article sheds a new light for me on a question that I've had. As a SLR and DSLR user, I've been wondering why Nikon (specifically) has chosen to upgrade their 10 and 12 mp cameras (and with video) rather than come out with a new camera with say... 15mp. There are point and shoots out now that are capable of 12mp at a price in the same neighborhood as a DSLR with 10mp. It's an uneasy feeling waiting for that 15mp DSLR and watching everything around it 'upgraded' for image quality. Is Nikon trying to appease the masses and draw in crowds of people to DSLR by offering their old flagships as new flagships with video capabilities? Thereby keeping the DSLR alive?

If so, than w

Clip Source: www.gearlog.com

Here's a news flash: Cell-phone cameras be damned, because a significant segment of the population is actually prioritizing sharp, well-exposed images over ultimate convenience. Since the introduction of the first Canon Digital Rebel in 2003, this quality-conscious segment has been turning to interchangeable-lens digital SLRs (DSLRs) to take the best possible photos.

Wednesday�October 28, 2009

Death of the DSLR Camera

In the past few months, digital camera manufacturers have finally begun to ship non-DSLR cameras that can meet the needs of the quality-minded photographer. This has been largely driven by Olympus and Panasonic and their Micro Four Thirds system, which obviates the need for the mirrors in SLRs that are used for the optical viewfinder.

Most digital camera sales still tend towards compact units; as nice as the Micro Four Thirds cameras are, they don't slip into your pocket.

they'll become marginalized as more and more people turn toward more convenient alternatives

Tags: cameras, nikon, photography, technology

Taking a Stand

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:20:27 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Article was interesting. However, it switched gears a bit in the last half where the author hits on the other issues like UN Protocol and complaints from leader(s) about the UN Charter vs what is really taking place within.

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

US President Barack Obama used his first UN address to urge world unity

In his first speech to the UN General Assembly, he said global problems included nuclear proliferation, war, climate change and economic crisis.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi berated the UN Security Council, while French President Nicolas Sarkozy issued a stern warning to Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has previously said he does not believe the Holocaust happened, was due to speak later on Wednesday.

Israel has called for a boycott of his appearance and the Germans have said they will walk out if he repeats the claim.

"Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone," he said.

MARDELL'S AMERICA

Obama's speech to the United Nations was a reminder of the scale of his ambition and the intractability of the problems before him

Mark Mardell
BBC North America editor

Read Mark's thoughts in full

Wrong Way Jose`

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:18:07 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Interesting article. Wonder what effect the exoplanet has on its host. hmmm... could this be a part of the multi-verse theory? food for thought.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Huge New Planet Orbits 'Wrong' Way Around Star

ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2009)

A team of scientists has found a new planet which orbits the wrong way around its host star. The planet, named WASP-17, and orbiting a star 1000 light years away, was found by the UK's WASP project in collaboration with Geneva Observatory

WASP-17 is orbiting the wrong way, making it the first planet known to have a ``retrograde'' orbit. The likely explanation is that WASP-17 was involved in a near collision with another planet early in its history.

The WASP team detected the planet using an array of cameras that monitor hundreds of thousands of stars, searching for small dips in their light when a planet transits in front of them.

Not only are they locating these far flung and mysterious planets but revealing more about how planetary systems, such as our own Solar System, formed and evolved.

Tags: exoplanet, planetary, planets, science, universe

The Encyclopedia Movement

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:06:32 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Unbelievable stats. Had no idea this was in the works. Article worth checking out. Maybe you have something to contribute?

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Tools Let Public Contribute To Massive Interactive Online Biodiversity Encyclopedia

ScienceDaily (Aug. 26, 2009)

Over 30,000 still images and video, as well as local information about changing biodiversity, have been uploaded to the Encyclopedia of Life via new tools that let the public contribute as never before to a global online science collaboration of unprecedented scale.

Almost 40% of the 31,000 images so far have come from five photographers - from Portugal, Australia (2), Spain and Austria. The best of the lot, including winners of regular EOL photo contests, are showcased at http://www.flickr.com/groups/1056008@N20.

we intend to harness the eyes and collective brainpower of hundreds of thousands of users to spot intriguing new information, share observations, and enhance EOL's role as a leading provider of accurate and relevant biodiversity information,"

Since its unveiling in early 2008, the site has attracted 1.8 million unique visitors from more than 200 countries.

Tags: aging, biodiversity, contributions, encyclopedia, life, technology, world

New Microchip Technology in Health

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:46:00 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Awesome discovery.

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

New Microchip Technology Performs 1,000 Chemical Reactions At Once

Instead of handling a few experiments on a bench top, scientists may simply pop a microchip into a computer and instantly run thousands of chemical reactions, with results — literally shrinking the lab down to the size of a thumbnail.

UCLA researchers have developed technology to perform more than a thousand chemical reactions at once on a stamp-size, PC-controlled microchip, which could accelerate the identification of potential drug candidates for treating diseases like cancer.

the research team pioneered a way to instigate multiple reactions, thus offering a new method to quickly screen which drug molecules may work most effectively with a targeted protein enzyme.

The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health.

Tags: cancer, health, microchips, science, technology

Detecting Colon Cancer with DNA

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:41:22 GMT

clipped by: bookchick49
clipper's remarks: Great new!

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Fecal DNA Methylation Detects Gastric And Colorectal Cancers

ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2009) — A preliminary evaluation of methylation of two gene promoters in fecal DNA showed promise as a noninvasive method to detect colorectal and gastric cancers, according to a new study published online August 21 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

"By identifying disease-specific methylation patterns for human fecal DNA from advanced gastric and colorectal tumors, we could more accurately identify subjects at high risk for developing, or having developed, advanced tumors."

these findings contribute to the field of noninvasive detection of gastrointestinal neoplasia and confirm that even one or two markers may be useful for fecal DNA testing.

Adapted from materials provided by Journal of the National Cancer Institute, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS