how do i check level controller and level probe ?
Wild Rocket: Newsletter Challenge (01/05/10)
This month's Challenge Question:
You fire a 1.0 kg model rocket vertically from the ground. It ascends subjected to a force of 2.5 Newtons acting vertically. It travels for eight seconds before running out of fuel. After this, it continues upward until its velocity is zero and then it falls
The Sun Eats a Comet [Space]
Maybe the little guy is safe. Maybe he went...around back? In any event, this senseless celestial murder was captured by SOHO today. The dirty deed gets done toward the end, coming from left to right. [Tom's Astronomy Blog]
the scientific abstract
How is the ideal abstract written? In my view, a well-written abstract contains the purpose, methods, and primary conclusions of the research. But there's a lot of variation in what is included in an abstract of a publication.
I have seen abstracts where there are errors in the method evident
doin more with air
please i would like to know how to construct a collapsible hamper without the aid of rod or springlike material. instead it is replace with air....
ZOMM Keeps Careless Owners In Touch with Their Phones [Dongles]
Even if you drop your phone down a hole, or trap it in a locked briefcase, ZOMM promises to be there to connect incoming calls. It's kind of like a leash for those of us prone to abusing our phones.
Powered by Bluetooth, this hockey puck works as both a wireless speakerphone for inaccessible phones, and as an alarm should you leave your phone somewhere, forget it's there and start to walk out of range.
Slated for an official CES release, the device has a rumored $80 price point. Kind of expensive and niche, but could be useful in a pinch. [technabob]
Atom-Based Toshiba, Gateway Netbooks Join Growing Pile of Leaked CES Gear [NetBooks]
With the Lenovo laptop/netbook CES leak still fresh in our minds, let us consider Toshiba and Gateway this afternoon, and the netbooks we now know they'll be bringing to the show as well:
The netbooks in question here are all based on Intel's N450 "Pine Trail" chip, reports CNET, and were first spotted at Canadian retailer Future Shop. Both are similar in configuration, but not price, with Gateway weighing in at about $285, and the Toshiba at $438. Both models will come standard with 1.66GHz Atom processors, 160GB or 250GB hard disk drives (Gateway and Toshiba, respectively), 10.1-inch screens, 1GB of memory, and Intel's GMA 3150 Express graphics chip. [CNET]
AT&T Moves Goal Post In Latest Luke Wilson 3G Commercial [Commercials]
With the new year you might have expected an end to the retaliatory Luke Wilson AT&T versus Verizon coverage map ads. You expect wrong. Here's a new one, now with revised numbers and a new blazer!
You see, while it is indeed a completely new commercial, the data advertised within experiences a subtle change. One that centers on 3G. Now the AT&T commercial showcases that the 3G network covers 230 million Americans, keyword 3G.
For the before we must go to the video tape:
Just a subtle change, and I only point it out today with the hope that it will inspire someone, somewhere, to parody these commercials, post haste. If they don't, I fear we may have experience Luke Wilson and his never-ending collection of tweed blazers for all of 2010 as well. Editor's Note: Clarified the subtle numbers change above. Thanks for the comment. [CNET]
3 or 5 phase?
I'm building my first air gap wind turbine generator and have seen two coil winding/ wiring diagrams for the same type of machine.
The first is a nine coil three phase system, the other is a ten coil five phase system.
Both sources claim their system is more efficient and practical.
Does an
Multitouch Browser Comes to Droid By Way of Software Hack [Droid]
We know the Europeans have been tooling around with Droid and mutlitouch since December, but today, courtesy a hack of sorts, we Yanks can have it too, albeit for a browser only in this particular case.
All you have to do is follow about five steps over at AllDroid and it's yours. You'll need to root your phone first, of course, so this isn't really a mom and pops operation just yet. There are also a few downloads and deletions to be aware of as well.
Voila. Users report that it works just fine on version 2.1, even as a beta. [AllDroid via Redmond Pie - Thanks, Taimur]
Is Apple’s Magic Mouse an Energy Vampire? [Magic Mouse]
Apple's sexy, touchy feely Magic Mouse could be an energy-sucking vampire, according to a number of reports on the Apple Discussion Boards.
The present hypothesis is that the Magic Mouse is preventing the Bluetooth keyboard from entering sleep mode, resulting in weekly battery changes. One user purportedly contacted Apple Tech Support and was told the problem is a known Bluetooth driver issue and a fix is in the works.
Who here has one of these little energy vampires and what's your story? Anything? [TUAW]
plz help
I am doing in gsm jamming,so any body interestfull in that project plz help me on the ideas and other comments.thanku.
Reporting standards in radiology
I'm hoping this will catch the eye of someone who can comment on the norms of reporting in a radiology examination, and scientific reporting standards in general.
I'm especially interested in the norms of reporting with respect to "artifacts" of various sources. An "artifact", for those not conv
Microsoft EMG Research Would Let Users Strong-Arm Gadgets Into Submission [Science]
Mind control is one way to control tomorrow's gadgets. Here's another equally cool, equally complex way: Controllers that involve nothing but the electrical impulses taking place everyday in our muscle tissue.
The system, developed as part of a patent filed by Microsoft, uses a series of connectors attached to an armband. The armband leverages Electromyography (EMG). As you can see in the video, this creates a system that translates the electrical activity found in our muscles into instructions for a computer. Or a Guitar Hero air guitar.
The system in the video is shown as a forearm version, but further patent reading reveals a completely wearable network of sensors that would adorn a user's head, arms and legs.
So air guitar and auto-trunks are only the beginning, although we'd need to be extraordinarily aware of our gestures and arm movements should a system become more mainstream, don't you think? I'd hate to flip a guy off on the highway and have my driver's side door pop open. [Muscle Computer Interfaces via Engadget]
Time-Traveling Windows Mobile Year 2016 Texts Are a Bug, Not a Feature [Bugs]
Sorry to burst your warp bubble, bucko, but that text message you received the other day from a cellphone user in the year 2016 was just some stupid bug.
According to non-official sources (MS has yet to comment), some mobile users are receiving text messages sent after 1/1/2010 dated as though they were sent from the future, specifically 1/1/2016.
The latest reports state the most widely-affected user group are those using Windows Mobile 6.1 and 6.5. The folks at WMExperts have posted a homemade .cab file that purportedly fixes the bug, but again, nothing official from MS or handset manufacturers just yet. [WMExperts via Pocket Now via BGR]
Libertarian Party of Florida County Chair says Republican Party way to go for 2010
Vows to switch registration to vote for Marco Rubio
Thomas Rhodes of the Citrus County Libertarian Party recently wrote a column on the official County LP website which he hosts, that for 2010, he's going Republican. His comments came in reaction to an editorial written by a fellow third-party advocate Henry Lamb, writing in World Net Daily, titled "Remove the Marxist Majority." From WND:
An objective analysis of the situation leads to only one conclusion: Republicans must regain the majority in the 2010 election.
The quickest way to political power is to take control of the Republican Party, in every precinct, in every county, in every state and, finally, across the nation.
There are many great candidates working hard to gain recognition, funds and ballot access in several conservative political parties. Most are working in vain. These candidates should run as Republicans in Republican primaries, and then all join in support of the winning candidate. Any conservative candidate who has any chance to be elected would have an even better chance of getting elected as a Republican than as a third-party candidate.
All conservative third parties should put their party-building on hold for a year and descend upon the Republican Party en masse, demanding that their county and every state adopt a strong, Constitution-based platform and offer only candidates whose life demonstrates respect for the Constitution. Send the mealy-mouthed RINOs packing, and present a slate of candidates who honor the Constitution and the American values that are being trashed by the Marxist majority.
Rhodes reacts with this posting at the official Libertarian Party of Citrus County website:
As much as I love the Libertarian Party, and am a libertarian at heart, and as much as I despise the big business Republican Party, ending the evil and socialist destruction of the country caused by the Democrats is more important than promoting a truly constitutionally minded libertarian that cannot win. Because Florida is a closed primary state, and because the Libertarian Party candidate cannot win, as distasteful as it is, I'm going to swallow my pride and until after the primaries next year I'm temporarily registering as a republican, to support Rubio in the primary, although not a Libertarian, his views are closest to libertarian views, and he is the most libertarian candidate running who has any reasonable chance of winning. The socialist in republcian clothing Christ must not be sent to Washington. There are enough wishy washy republicans with no principle except the dollar there already.
Sidenote: Popular Libertarian syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz recently moved to Florida. On his website Neals Nuze, he announced that upon becomming a Florida resident he switched his registration from Libertarian Party to Republican Party, so that he could vote for Rubio.
Editor's Note - I believe Mr. Rhodes meant to say "Charlie Crist," not Jesus "Christ," must not be sent to Washington... Quite a difference there.
Icarus
Click here to view the embedded video.
Today, a comet, called a sun grazer, looks to have flown too close to the sun and apparently like the son of Daedalus, did not survive.
In the video, the comet appears towards the end of the video from the lower left..well you’ll see. Also it happens pretty quick almost too quick really.
I say “apparently” because I suppose it could still be behind the sun, but boy it appears like it vaporized. I will update in a couple more hours; in the mean time watch the video and see what you think.
Icarus who?
Ayn Rand, an activist libertarian campaigning for Republican candidates
Rand was libertarian Republican, before libertarian Republican was cool
Carlos Lazada of the Washington Post recently reviewed two new biographies of Ayn Rand's life. In the review he brings attention to Rand's brief stint as a libertarian Republican activist. She was even a volunteer campaign worker on the streets of New York for GOP candidates.
From the Austin American-Statesman, "Two new biographies of Ayn Rand shine light on libertarian lioness" Jan. 2:
[Jennifer] Burns, a historian at the University of Virginia, emphasizes Rand's impact on American conservatism. Though her Russian roots forever informed her politics, Rand's U.S. political awakening flowed from her revulsion against President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. She became a volunteer for Republican presidential candidate Wendell Wilkie in 1940, even conducting opposition research on FDR and blasting the president on New York City streets. "What she wanted, more than anything else," writes Burns, "was someone who would stand up and argue for the traditional American way of life as she understood it: individualism."
Rand was also supportive of Goldwater and Reagan. However, as Lazada points out, she didn't believe either one of them were as purely capitalist as she would have liked.
Jaybird’s SB1 Sportsband Bluetooth Headphones Should Be Taken Literally [Headphones]
Nothing remarkable to see here (for audiophiles anyway), but the design is undeniably sleek, sexy and slick. Called the SB1 Sportsband, these Bluetooth headphones are literally a simple band that wraps your head with about eight hours of wireless audio.
And a bonus, for those of you who get a bit, well, heated while listening to your favorite tunes: The controls are moisture-protected. For you perceptive no-nonsense folks, that also means they're handy in a rainstorm.
Available now for $89, which includes call and Skype support. [Jaybird via Engadget]
New NASA Online Calendar Is Totally Confusing
Reader note: Click on this NASA web site and download the 2010 ISS Calendar. Notice something odd about the dates? Did January 1, 2010 start on a Wednesday? Does February have 30 days? Does March have 31 days? Does April have 31 days? And December 1, 2010 is New Years Day. That's as far as I went. Doesn't anyone check these things before putting them on their web site? WOW! Must be the same group that mixed up miles and kilometers.
Keith's note: I looked a bit further. This calendar shows 24 January as the date that Apollo 8 circled the Moon (it was launched on 21 January - the date that this calendar claims that the Winter Solstice begins), that Challenger was lost on 28 December, that Columbia was lost on 1 November, that Sputnik 1 was launched on 4 March, that Yuri Gagarin's flight was on 12 September, and that Spring begins on 20 October 2010...
In fairness, the website does say "(Note: In order to print the document correctly, please select the two-sided print option in your printer dialog box)" - but there is nothing on the calendar file itself that says that. Indeed, the reader who alerted me to this said "I discovered the error when I went to put the dates of my vacation on it and they didn't match up with my airline reservation dates. I got nervous and checked another calendar and discovered the mistake. That's when I discovered some of the more obvious errors.". Anyone going directly to this link (that happens a lot, you know) will not know this. Moreover, not everyone has a printer that (easily) prints in two sided mode. Indeed when I went to print it, my computer automatically scaled it to fit on an 8.5 by 11 sheet of paper - with the pages paired incorrectly - that is because of the way it was formatted (by NASA) as a PDF file.
