Muhammad

by Melissa on August 26, 2008 · Filed Under history · Comment 

Muhammad

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

“Muhammad” in a new genre of Islamic calligraphy started in the 17th century by Hafiz Osman.[1]

 

A 16th-century Ottoman illustration depicting Muhammad at the Kaaba. Muhammad's face is veiled, a practice followed in Islamic art since the 16th century. Read more

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Amazon Kindle

by Sandy on August 17, 2008 · Filed Under Amazon Kindle, Business, Entertainment, Gadgets · 2 Comments 

Amazon Kindle is an ebook reader which uses an electronic paper display, reading Amazon’s proprietary Kindle format (AZW format), and connects by downloading content over Amazon Whispernet, which uses the Sprint EVDO network. The Kindle does not need access to a computer. Whispernet is accessible through Kindle free of charge. The day that the Kindle was released, the Kindle Store had over 88,000 digital titles available for download. The initial sale of the Kindle sold out in 5.5 hours.

Technical specifications

The Kindle features a 6″ diagonal, 4-level grayscale electrophoretic display (E Ink material) with a resolution of 600×800 pixels (167 ppi), although the largest graphic image that can be displayed without being resized is 450×550 pixels. It measures 5.3 inches × 7.5 inches × 0.7 inches (134.5 mm × 190 mm × 19 mm) and weighs 10.3 oz (295 g). The Kindle’s internal storage capacity is 256 MB, shipping with 180 MB free. A SD memory card expansion slot is present, officially supporting up to 4GB which implies support for SDHC. It has 64 MB of RAM. The battery lasts roughly two days with wireless on, and one week with wireless off. The battery charges in about two hours. A USB 2.0 port (mini-B connector) is available for connecting to a computer (where it acts as a USB flash drive). The Kindle features a headphone jack and one-year warranty. The device runs on a modified version of Linux based on the 2.6.10 kernel.

Content

The internal memory of the Amazon Kindle can hold approximately 200 non-illustrated titles. Users can download content from Amazon in the proprietary Kindle format (AZW), or load unprotected Mobipocket (PRC, MOBI) or plain text content. Amazon offers an email-based service that will convert HTML, DOC (Microsoft Word), JPEG, GIF, PNG, and BMP documents to AZW. It also supports audio in the form of MP3s and Audible 2, 3, and 4 audiobooks, which must be transferred to the Kindle over USB or on an SD card.

Users can download content through the Kindle Store. The Kindle Store is accessed through Whispernet, over Sprint’s EVDO network, which Amazon provides free of charge. New releases and New York Times bestsellers are offered for approximately $10. Classics like Bleak House sell for around $1.99, with free samples available of the first chapter of each book. Subscriptions to newspapers cost between $5.99 and $14.99 per month, magazines between $1.25 and $3.49 per month, and blogs for $0.99-$1.99 per month. Users can send documents to a conversion service which will send a Kindle-formatted file to the device directly for $0.10 or to a personal e-mail account for free. Users can transfer converted documents from a computer to the Kindle via a USB cable or an SD card for free. Access to Wikipedia is offered at no additional charge.

Digital Text Platform

Concurrently with the Kindle device, Amazon launched the Digital Text Platform, a system for authors to self-publish directly to the Kindle. Currently in open beta, the platform was promoted to established authors by e-mail. Authors can upload documents in several formats for delivery via Whispernet and charge between US$0.99 and $200 per download. The authors receive 35% of revenues based on their list price, regardless of discounts by Amazon.

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Immigration

by Seth on August 12, 2008 · Filed Under Current Events, Politics · 1 Comment 

Immigration

Although human migration has existed throughout human history, immigration in the modern sense refers to movement of people from one nation-state to another. Immigration implies long-term permanent residence (and often eventual citizenship) by the immigrants: tourists and short-term visitors are not considered immigrants (see expatriates). However, seasonal labour migration (typically for periods of less than a year) is often treated as a form of immigration. The global volume of immigration is high in absolute terms, but low in relative terms. The UN estimated 190 million international migrants in 2005, about 3% of global population. The other 97% still live in the state in which they were born, or its successor state.

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Northern Illinois Shooting

by Sandy on August 11, 2008 · Filed Under Current Events, northern illinois shooting · Comment 

Five dead in Illinois university mass shooting

By Tom Leonard in New York

Last Updated: 2:38am GMT 15/02/2008

A gunman has opened fire in a packed university lecture hall in Illinois, shooting 18 people and killing four before turning his gun on himself.

Northern Illinois University campus - where a gunman opened fire shooting 18 people.
Rescue workers carry a victim out of the university lecture hall where the gunman opened fire

The attacker, described as a tall skinny white young man dressed entirely in black, walked out from behind a screen in a geology class around 3pm, said officials at Northern Illinois University.

The gunman, armed with a shotgun and two handguns, then opened fire before shooting himself on the stage.

Police officials said five people had died, including the gunman. Many victims were shot in the head at the university in DeKalb, 65 miles west of Chicago.

Witnesses said the gunman- said to be aged between 18 and 20 - kicked open a door near the stage in Cole Hall just 10 minutes before the end of the lecture and started shooting with the shotgun without saying a word.

Dispensing with the shotgun, the gunman - who was wearing a black ski cap and black trenchcoat - pulled out a pistol and walked down the aisles firing it into the crowd of terrified students.

Police Chief Donald Grady said the gunman was a student but not at the DeKalb campus.

Kevin McEnery, who was sitting in the fourth row of the lecture, estimated that he let off around 30 shots. He said: “He just kicked the door open and started shooting. I didn’t hear him say anything, just people shouting and screaming to get out.”

Some students dived for cover under their desks while others ran for the exits.

The campus was plunged into panic, as students poured out of the building, many trying to use their mobile phones and others simply praying.

All the injured were taken to the local Kishwaukee Community Hospital which said it had received 17 victims, of whom three or four had head wounds.

The university issued a statement on its website about an hour after the shooting saying that “the immediate danger has passed. The gunman is no longer a threat.”

George Gaynor, a fourth year geography student, who was in Cole Hall when the shooting happened, described the gunman as “a skinny white guy with a stocking cap on”.

He described the scene immediately following the incident as terrifying and chaotic. “Some girl got hit in the eye, a guy got hit in the leg,” he said.

Some witnesses said the gunman shot at random but Edward Robinson, another student, claimed he appeared to target students in one part of the lecture hall. “It was almost like he knew who he wanted to shoot. He knew who and where he wanted to be firing at,” he said.

All classes were cancelled on Thursday night and the 25,000-student campus was closed on Friday.

In April last year, 32 died after a mentally-disturbed and heavily armed student ran amok in the Virginia Tech campus. The incident prompted immediate changes in Virginia law that had allowed the gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, to buy handguns.

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Ron Paul

by Alex on August 8, 2008 · Filed Under Politics · Comment 

Ronald Ernest “Ron” Paul (born 20 August 1935) is a 10th-term Congressman, medical doctor (M.D.), and a 2008 presidential candidate from the U.S. state of Texas. As a Republican, he has represented Texas’s 14th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1997, and had previously served as the representative from Texas’s 22nd district in 1976 and from 1979 to 1985.
Ron Paul
Paul advocates the limited role of government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He has earned the nickname “Dr. No” for voting against any bill he believes violates the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Paul is the “one exception to the Gang of 535″ on Capitol Hill. He has never voted to raise taxes or congressional pay. He has always voted against the USA PATRIOT Act, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, and the Iraq War.
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Paris Hilton not expected to serve full 45-day sentence

by Bethany on August 8, 2008 · Filed Under Current Events · Comment 

Despite being sentenced for 45 days in county jail for violating her probation, socialite Paris Hilton is expected to spend three weeks — and perhaps less — behind bars, L.A. County sheriff’s officials told The Times today.

Until now, officials have said they believed Hilton would serve the entire jail term ordered last week by Superior Court Michael T. Sauer after Hilton repeatedly drove her car while her license was suspended because of a DUI plea.Paris Hilton Goes To Jail

Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Hilton’s sentence could be cut nearly in half by state law allowing for credit for time served for good behavior. In addition, he said, overcrowding in the jail system could further reduce the time she spends in custody.
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Acer AL2216WBD 22″ Widescreen LCD Monitor - Ultra-fast 5ms, WSXGA+ 1680×1050, DVI, VGA, Black, VESA 100mm

by Margaret on August 1, 2008 · Filed Under Gadgets, Gaming, Technology · Comment 

Acer AL2216WBD 22-inch DVI Widescreen LCD Monitor
Enhance your vision with the Acer AL2216WBD. Incorporating the latest LCD technology, the Acer AL2216WBD offers the best visibility, performance and unprecedented value. The high level of brightness 300cd/m2 together with 700:1 contrast ratio creates crisp images and enhances legibility. With its fast response time of 5ms, the Acer AL2216WBD brings remarkable display quality to your desktop.

Widescreen Format
Widescreen monitors deliver a cinematic experience by allowing you to see more images than you would on a standard screen of the same display size. Widescreen monitors are ideal for watching DVDs and playing games. You’ll see images that are similar in proportion to what you’d see in the movie theater.
5ms Response Time
Fast 5ms video response enables digital, HD broadcast-quality video.
DVI/VGA Input
Enjoy the versatility of the sharper, colorful digital graphics from DVI, along with standard VGA graphics. DVI/VGA doubles your connection possibilities.
User Friendly Controls
No guessing or stressing. User friendly controls allow you to operate your monitor easily so you can devote your full attention to the fabulous images onscreen.

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USB 2.0 to IDE / SATA Converter Cable

by Melissa on July 30, 2008 · Filed Under Gadgets, Technology · Comment 

USB 2.0 to IDE / SATA Converter Cable

B0010LU6ZW

Technical Details

  • Use your 2.5″ / 3.5″ IDE hard drive or SATA hard disk as an additional external hard drive
  • Connect your SATA / IDE device to your computer through a USB port
  • Compliant with USB 1.1 and 2.0 standards
  • USB 2.0 interface for 480 Mbps high speed data transfer
  • Compatible with: 2.5″ IDE Hard Disk / 3.5″ IDE Hard Disk / SATA Hard Disk / CD/CD-RW ROM / DVD/DVD-RW ROM, etc

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Cloverfield Explanation

by Margaret on July 29, 2008 · Filed Under Entertainment · 1 Comment 

Cloverfield, the latest movie to steal the interest of moviegoers everywhere, is comprised video segment, which are shown as events taped on a hand-held video camera by characters in the film. Any scene taken before the main sequence are shown as though they were pieces held over from a previous use of the tape. The preface shown at the start of Cloverfield displayed at the beginning of the feature proclaims it to be classified material having been recovered from a site which was once Central Park (now referred to as “Incident Site U.S. 447″), designated “Cloverfield“. Also, a DHARMA Initiative logo is displayed in the corner of the screen for a moment.

cloverfield posterIn the opening scene, Rob (played by Michael Stahl-David) playfully records Beth (played by Odette Yustman), presumably after a happy night spent together. The video then switches to 30 days later; Rob’s younger brother Jason (played by Mike Vogel) and his girlfriend Lily (played by Jessica Lucas), are planning a surprise going-away party for Rob, who’s taken a job in Japan. Jason hands the camera to Rob’s best friend Hudson “Hud” (played by T. J. Miller), to record Rob’s last night in America. Beth comes to the party also, but brings a date with her, which surprises Rob. Post-party, Hud spends most of the time documenting messages from party guests to Rob wishing him well with his new position in Japan, while spending the rest of the time attempting to grab the attention of a new acquaintance Marlena (played by Lizzy Caplan). One of the Cloverfield secrets that is revealed is that Rob recently slept with Beth, despite being only friends, which complicates their relationship just before he leaves the country. After a confrontation between the two, she leaves the party with her date.

Rob is talking with Jason and Hud out on the balcony about how much he loves Beth when suddenly, the building shakes, a loud noise is heard, and the power temporarily fails. From the roof, the party-goers see a huge explosion in the distance, with debris striking the building and a Cloverfield splash. The primary characters run outside, where the head of the Statue of Liberty falls, as additional explosions and a huge monster are seen far off. Rob, Jason, Lily, Hud, and Marlena try to exit Manhattan by using the Brooklyn Bridge, however don’t when Rob receives a phonecall from Beth, who is hurt and trapped in her Midtown dwelling. Jason is killed when the creature topples the bridge.

US Military ground forces arrive on the scene, battling the huge menace and the dog-sized spider-like creatures it is dropping. Rob resolves to rescue Beth, and the three others reluctantly join him as the situation becomes chaotic. They are attacked by the smaller creatures in a subway tunnel and Marlena is badly bitten. They stumble upon a military field hospital, where Marlena’s body rapidly bleeds and causes her to explode. With information about how they can evacuate by helicopter in advance of the planned bombing of Manhattan, the surviving friends continue their effort to reach Beth.

They climb to Beth’s apartment in her nearly-toppled high-rise, where they find her badly injured but still alive. Together they make their way to the evacuation site, where Lily is placed in the last seat of a departing helicopter. Rob, Beth, and Hud board another helicopter, where they witness an air-to-ground assault on the monster, which lashes out and strikes their craft, causing it to crash in Central Park. The three survive the crash, but Hud is soon chewed up and killed by the monster. Rob and Beth quickly grab the camera and take shelter under a bridge, where they each briefly address anyone who might find the camera. Civil defense sirens begin to sound and an explosion collapses the bridge, partially covering the camera in rubble. Rob and Beth can be heard expressing their feelings for each other before a second explosion occurs that covers the camera completely in rubble. It is left unclear whether either the monster or the two remaining protagonists survive the final attack depicted. At the movie’s end, however, it is made clear that a Cloverfield sequel will be made, perhaps called Cloverfield 2?

The Cloverfield last scene returns to footage from the month before, in which Rob and Beth enjoy a date at Cloverfield Coney Island, happy and carefree, while in the distance something falls out of the sky and splashes into the water, unnoticed. The film ends with Beth stating with a smile, “I had a great day.”

During the Cloverfield ending credits, a brief radio transmission is heard. The exact words spoken are a topic of debate as the dialog is unclear and contains static.

As of yet, we are unable to watch Cloverfield online, but rest assured that will be coming soon.

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Vick ‘em t-shirts… too soon?

by Alex on July 24, 2008 · Filed Under Michael Vick, Sports · Comment 

In a valient effort to poke a little fun at the Michael Vick scandal and irk rival Texas A&M, students at Texas Tech created a t-shirt displaying a football player hanging a dog with the slogan “Vick ‘Em” across the front.
Michael Vick shirts
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