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Self-luminous material glows for 12 years

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:59:45 GMT

clipped by: deusdiabolus

Litroenergy is a new type of material that emits light for 12 years without needing electricity or sun exposure. The self-luminous micro-particles are called Litrospheres and are said to be non-toxic and inexpensive. The light is said to be equivalent to a 20 watt incandescent bulb (lumens please?).

The litrospheres give off a continuous illumination, and can be designed to glow in any color. They can be injection molded or added to paint. The company that invented the material, MPK Co., predicts that first applications of Litroenergy will be in safety equipment such as safety tape and life rafts. Currently, the cost to light up a 8 ½ x 11 piece of plastic 1/8” thick is about .35 cents. Note: The press release says .35 cents but I think the figure is actually 35 cents.

More information can be found on this site.

Tags: light, luminesence, energy, conservation, technology

It's Electrifying!

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:41:27 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: fascinating

Clip Source: www.dailygalaxy.com

It's Electrifying! Scientists Discover Human Cells have Internal Electric Fields as Strong as Lighting Bolts

Using newly developed voltage-sensitive nanoparticles, researchers have found that the previously unknown electric fields inside of cells are as strong, or stronger, as those produced in lightning bolts. Previously, it has only been possible to measure electric fields across cell membranes, not within the main bulk of cells, so scientists didn't even know cells had an internal electric field.

This discovery is a surprising twist for cell researchers. Scientists don't know what causes these incredibly strong fields or why they' are there. But now using new nanotools, such as voltage-sensitive dyes, they can start to measure them at least. Researchers believe they may be able to learn more about disease states, such as cancer, by studying these minute, but powerful electric fields.

Tags: science, human cells, electric fields

Astronomy Photo of the Day --The Universe Nearby

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 17:04:04 GMT

clipped by: dorine
clipper's remarks: Credit & Copyright: 2MASS, T. H. Jarrett, J. Carpenter, & R. Hurt

Clip Source: antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov

Explanation: What does the universe nearby look like? This plot shows over one and a half million of the brightest stars and galaxies in the nearby universe detected by the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) in infrared light. The resulting image is an incredible tapestry of stars and galaxies that provides limits on how the universe formed and evolved. Across the center are stars that lie in the plane of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Away from the Galactic plane, vast majority of the dots are galaxies, color coded to indicate distance, with blue dots representing the nearest galaxies in the 2Mass survey, and red dots indicating the most distant survey galaxies that lie at a redshift near 0.1. Named structures are annotated. Many galaxies are gravitationally bound together to form clusters, which themselves are loosely bound into superclusters, which in turn are sometimes seen to align over even larger scale structures.

Tags: astronomy, space, photo

Hope Can Be Worse Than Hopelessness

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:20:17 GMT

clipped by: wildcat

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

People often display a remarkable ability to adapt to adversity, bouncing back to their usual levels of happiness despite extreme hardships. But people don’t always rebound, and scientists have long wondered what factors might account for the difference. In a talk at Harvard in September, a team of researchers suggested that one obstacle to emotional recovery, oddly enough, is hope — the belief that your current hardship is temporary.

From the beginning, the investigators suspected that hope might sometimes be counterproductive: prisoners with life sentences but with the possibility of parole adapt less well to prison life, for example, than prisoners with life sentences without the possibility of parole

It might seem strange that patients who are better off objectively were less satisfied with their lives, yet the finding makes sense

“If your condition is temporary,” Ubel explains, “you’re thinking, I can’t wait until I get rid of this.”

Tags: hope, hopelessness, adaptation, productivity

Alcohol and the Hole in the Soul

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:17:15 GMT

clipped by: abailart

Clip Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

It is at the point of seeking help that the real struggle can begin, as Martin, an alcoholic who no longer drinks, writes. "Conquering the battle against alcohol is entirely different to winning it. Conquering is stopping drinking permanently. This leaves you in a void, a vacuum and most of the few who conquer stay there and do not move on. They remain sombre and serious and reclusive to a large extent. Winning is when they replace this void with something else."

We exclaim in horror about what we all call "drugs" of whatever class. But alcohol - which does untold damage to personal health, relationships and economic effectiveness as well as increasing accident rates, unwanted pregnancies and violent behaviour - is the root of an enormous amount of double-think and hypocrisy.

Tags: alcoholism, addiction

Intellect, talent and character? Young women these days just aspire to be 'sexy'

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 08:48:57 GMT

clipped by: michellezm
clipper's remarks: The entire article is worth reading

Clip Source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Being "sexy" has become the most important accolade a teenager can aspire to, outdoing intelligence, success at school and character.

This, at least, is the view of American author Carol Liebau, whose new book Prude: How The Sex-Obsessed Culture Damages Girls is shortly due to be published in Britain.

Liebau brings heavyweight credentials to her mission.

She's the first female editor of the Harvard Law Review,

She also happens to be incredibly attractive into the bargain: this is no old-fashioned blue stocking attacking a generation out of envy for a life which had passed her by.

Her book, I believe, is a timely wakeup call to us all. "Girls are being led to believe that they're in control when it comes to sexual relationships," Liebau says.

Dr Michele Elliott, director of the children's charity Kidscape, told me that what is going on is rushing the sexual development of children to the point where it is dangerous.

Tags: psychology, sexuality, children, sociology, culture

A poem.

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:25:42 GMT

clipped by: syncopath
clipper's remarks: the poem is here thanx to Jorge Luis Borges.
the anticipation of Love is here because of human's desire.
the Gangas river delta is here 10x to Aribeth clip..-)
Our Earth as Art is a site with views on earth through the eyes of the Landsat-7 satellite.

Both-to my eyes- Lansat-7 and Borges are working from space ...... ))

Clip Source: nonbeing.blogspot.com

anticipation of love

Neither the intimacy of your look, your brow fair as a feast day,
nor the favor of your body, still mysterious, reserved, and childlike,
nor what comes to me of your life, settling in words or silence,
will be so mysterious a gift
as the sight of your sleep, enfolded
in the vigil of my arms.
Virgin again, miraculously, by the absolving power of sleep,
quiet and luminous like some happy thing recovered by memory,
you will give me that shore of your life that you yourself do not own.
Cast up into silence
I shall discern that ultimate beach of your being
and see you for the first time, perhaps,
as God must see you --
the fiction of Time destroyed,

free from love, from me.

Jorge Luis Borges
(translated by Alastair Read)

Clip Source: earthasart.gsfc.nasa.gov

The Ganges River forms an extensive delta where it empties into the Bay of Bengal. The delta is largely covered with a swamp forest known as the Sunderbans, which is home to the Royal Bengal Tiger.

Tags: a poem, jorge luis borges, gangas delta, from space

Foul Air Freshners: Live with, live without.

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:40:05 GMT

clipped by: righthand
clipper's remarks: Thanks to Roseybarb 11-9-2007

Clip Source: www.care2.com

Air Fresheners: Easy Greening

The study didn’t analyze the ingredients in air fresheners, just the effects:

32 percent more babies suffered diarrhea in homes where air fresheners were used every day, compared with homes where they were used once a week or less, and they had significantly more earaches in these homes as well

Air fresheners also affected mothers—those who used them daily suffered nearly 10 percent more headaches

Perhaps most surprising is the finding that women who lived in homes with daily air freshener use had a 26 percent increased risk of depression

could the ingredients in them really be all that bad?

California Air Resources Board entitled “Indoor Air Chemistry: Cleaning Agents, Ozone and Toxic Air Contaminants.”

the use of some air fresheners can produce toxic pollutants when used in the presence of ozone (a form of oxygen)

Even minimal ozone concentrations were enough to drive significant indoor chemistry.

chemicals emitted

pollutants of serious health concern are produced

Tags: health

Offended Muslim Syndrome

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:15:45 GMT

clipped by: ColoradoRight
clipper's remarks: In order to guard against OMS, health officials warn individuals who are at risk to make sure that the objective reality they are exposed to does not:

* Make them aware of the outside world
* Trigger curiosity about the Western notions of "logic" or "rationality"
* Make life more enjoyable
* Cause them to question the need for martyrdom
* Have side effects such as independent thinking and longing to live as a productive individual
* Create an illusion that communication with infidels is possible without hostage-taking

Clip Source: www.thepeoplescube.com

Following the misery inflicted on Islam by a toy bear that ended up with calls for the execution of an English woman, more Muslims are stepping forward with stories of long-suppressed emotional trauma imposed on them by so-called reality.

Studies conducted by mental health professionals have shown that Muslim men and women are often offended by the most unexpected items, including baby rattles, hummingbirds, home appliances, or geographical maps with polar ice caps.

Symptoms of Offended Muslim Syndrome (OMS)

Irritability, agitation, anxiety at the sight of women who are not fully covered
Prolonged rage or unexplained killing sprees
Significant changes in immigration patterns
Brooding about the past glory of the Caliphate
Decreased effectiveness and minimal work productivity
Difficulty in understanding new information without a trial lawyer
Feelings of despair or hopelessness about the existence of Israel
Recurring thoughts of death to the infidels

Tags: parody, sarcasm, humor, muslim, self-help, 12 step groups

Incredible India (take a quick tour)

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:49:33 GMT

clipped by: vickybaranwal

Clip Source: www.skyscrapercity.com

Incredible India!

Beas River, Manali

Kedarnath Temple

Chamser Kangri Peak

Paragliding at Solang valley

Barak Express to Haflong, Assam

Gulmarg Valley

Andaman Islands

Dal Lake, Srinagar

Sajnekhali, Sunderaban, W Bengal

Ethipothala Waterfalls, Andhra Pradesh

Pride of the country, the bengal tiger. India has the largest tiger population in the world and the battle is still on to save this magnificent beast.

The one-horned Indian Rhino -

The Langoor -

The rare fish-eating Garial crocodiles -

The Chital game -

Victoria Memorial, Calcutta

Tirupati

Sahsradhara Gangotri

Rishikesh

nanda devi (north)

lakshadeep (south)

Tags: incredible, india

Computer Gender

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:15:16 GMT

clipped by: vickybaranwal
clipper's remarks: Here are some reason to believe computer a male or a female......
heyyy.... take it easy

Clip Source: wilk4.com

Reasons to believe computers are female:

No one but the Creator understands their internal logic.

The message "Bad command or file name" is about as informative as, "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you".

Even your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval.

They hear what you say, but not what you mean.

When you ask what's wrong, they say "nothing"

Can produce incorrect results with alarming speed.

You do the same thing for years, and suddenly it's wrong.

Reasons to believe computers are male:

They have a lot of data, but are still clueless.

They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they are the problem.

A better model is always just around the corner.

They look nice and shiny until you bring them home.

It is always necessary to have a backup.

As soon as you commit to one you realize that, if you had waited a little longer, you could have obtained a better model.

Big power surges knock them out

Tags: computer, gender, humor

In Search For Water On Mars, Clues From Antarctica

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:52:05 GMT

clipped by: invictus

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

ScienceDaily (Dec. 11, 2007) — Scientists have gathered more evidence that suggests flowing water on Mars -- by comparing images of the red planet to an otherworldly landscape on Earth.

In recent years, scientists have examined images of several sites on Mars where water appears to have flowed to the surface and left behind a trail of sediment. Those sites closely resemble places where water flows today in the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica, the new study has found.

The new study bolsters the notion that liquid water could be flowing beneath the surface of Mars. And since bacteria thrive in the liquid water flowing in the Dry Valleys, the find suggests that bacterial life could possibly exist on Mars as well.

Researchers have used the Dry Valleys as an analogy for Mars for 30 years, explained Berry Lyons, professor of earth sciences and director of the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University.

Tags: mars, planets, life, antarctica, water, science

We'll Have Nun of Those Words

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:00:33 GMT

clipped by: ljsdesign
clipper's remarks: She definitely makes herself clear.

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

Sister Kathy Avery won't put up with swearing on the playground at her school, and she's not above repeating the offending language to make sure everyone understands which words she won't tolerate

The principal of St. Clare of Montefalco Catholic School had students stay after a Mass last month and informed the fifth- through eighth-graders that she has a zero-tolerance policy for cursing

Just in case anyone wasn't sure what she was talking about, Avery read off a list of the very words and phrases that she was banning

"It got a little quiet in church" during her talk, she told the Detroit Free Press

Some parents were shocked, but others applauded, the newspaper said.

"In a way you would think a nun would shy away from something like that, but she's very open with the children, very clear in her messages

A representative of the Archdiocese of Detroit declined to comment Sunday.

She's also banned the words "stupid" and "boring."

Tags: i, dont, remember, mass, being, that, exciting

Love with a drop-down menu, Facebook

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:06:41 GMT

clipped by: wildcat
clipper's remarks: fascinating: being "Facebook-worthy" confers a status on a relationship.

Clip Source: www.pcworld.com

On Facebook, Relationships Are Real if They're Virtual

For college students who post their lives on their pages, dates and breakups naturally follow.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For the Facebook generation, love now comes with a drop-down menu.

With profiles on the Facebook social networking site almost de rigueur on college campuses, students can define their relationship status with menu choices ranging from "married" to that perennial favorite, "It's complicated."

"It's complicated" could also describe the emotional calculations people in their late teens and early 20s make as they decide whether their relationships are what they call "Facebook-worthy."

Easier Announcements

For Stephanie Endicott and Marcus Smallegan, first year students at George Washington University, announcing to the world that they had found love in a college dorm was a no-brainer.

Not all students post their relationship status. For some, it's a matter of privacy. For others, it's all about marketability.

Tags: facebook, social networking, virtual relationship