Thursday 26 December 2013

Author Neil Gaiman Defends Children’s Literature From Adult ‘Snobbery’

52-year-old British author Neil Gaiman has spoken out against ‘snobbish’ adult judgements being placed upon children’s literature.

The author, who delivered the second annual Reading Agency lecture in central London this week, chose to use this time, at least in part, to speak out against what he feels is a damaging trend in modern literary criticism.

“I don’t think there is such a thing as a bad book for children,” began the author, addressing a crowd that included many leading figures from the arts and entertainment world, as well as several representatives from educational institutions.

“Every now and again it becomes fashionable among some adults to point at a subset of children’s books, a genre, perhaps, or an author, and to declare them bad books, books that children should be stopped from reading,”

“I’ve seen it happen over and over; Enid Blyton was declared a bad author, so was (‘Goosebumps’ author) RL Stine, so were dozens of others. Comics have been decried as fostering illiteracy”.

“It’s tosh, it’s snobbery and it’s foolishness”, he continued.

Mr Gaiman, who’s works include children’s books (Odd & The Frost Giants), comic books (Sandman, 1602) and prize winning novels (The Graveyard Book, Coraline, American Gods), has seen his works adapted into popular films (Stardust, Coraline), and has written for several TV shows (Babylon 5, Dr. Who, Neverwhere). He is generally considered to be one of the most prolific and celebrated authors of his generation, so it is likely that his criticisms will carry some weight.

Gaiman continued, saying that, “There are no bad authors for children, that children like and want to read and seek out, because every child is different. They can find the stories they need to, and they bring themselves to stories”.

“A hackneyed, worn-out idea isn’t hackneyed and worn out to them. This is the first time the child has encountered it. Do not discourage children from reading because you feel they are reading the wrong thing. Fiction you do not like is the gateway drug to other books you may prefer. And not everyone has the same taste as you.

He continued with a warning to parents, teachers and even older siblings, when he said that,

“Well-meaning adults can easily destroy a child’s love of reading: stop them reading what they enjoy, or give them worthy-but-dull books that you like, the 21st Century equivalents of Victorian ‘improving’ literature. You’ll wind up with a generation convinced that reading is uncool and worse, unpleasant.”

Gaiman’s own book, ‘Neverwhere’ was recently removed from a High School reading list in New Mexico after a parent complained that it was inappropriate.

Gaiman’s response to this was wry and well-considered, as he told a BBC reporter, “I tend to take books of mine being challenged and occasionally being banned – and very occasionally being burned – as a kind of badge of honour. You know you are doing something right.”

Mr. Gaiman’s concerns were echoed by a number of the lecture’s attendees.



SOURCES:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24521225



Wednesday 25 December 2013

Thursday 19 December 2013

Iceman’s Living Relatives Discovered

A team of Austrian scientists has identified living relatives of Oetzi the Iceman, the 5,300-year-old body discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991.

The research highlights 19 Tyrolean men, all of whom bear distinct genetic similarities to samples taken from the body of Oetzi (so named because he was discovered in the valley of Oetz).

It is thought that the same genetic mutation that was found in Oetzi’s ancient DNA will also be discovered in the nearby Swiss region of Engadine.

The men have not been informed about their famous heritage and their connection to the Iceman is known only from analysis of their blood after donation. Women were not included in this particular study, as a different procedure would be required to match their samples to Oetzi’s.

The Austrian team has announced that it will be working with Swiss and Italian partners in order to further their research.

Since hikers discovered the body in 1991, Oetzi has been a source of constant fascination to historians, geneticists, archaeologists and interested media outlets. A high level of research has uncovered how Oetzi died, what his last meal consisted of and even what his face might very well have looked like (he had brown eyes). In addition, the Iceman’s entire genome was mapped and published last February.

In life, Oetzi stood at about 5ft 2in, lived to be approximately 46 years old and suffered from (amongst other things) arthritis and a whipworm infestation.

However, the discovery of living relatives to the 5,300-year-old corpse definitely represents a milestone in a case that has been called ‘the world’s oldest murder mystery’ by some.

Since Oetzi’s discovery in 1991, debates have raged about the Iceman’s final moments, there has even been some speculation that he was buried, but why and by whom remains a mystery.

In addition, a court case raged for years between the body’s discoverers and the local authorities, regarding a 25% finders fee that the authorities declined to pay in full. The court case was eventually settled in 2008.

The Iceman has made news in other areas as well; seven people involved in the discovery of Oetzi have died under allegedly ‘mysterious’ circumstances, leading some to speculate as to the existence of a curse.

Last year, Oetzi made the news yet again, as Italian scientists determined that there were red blood cells around Oetzi’s wounds. This was remarkable news as previously no blood was found within the body. These findings made Oetzi’s blood the oldest in the world, but, amazingly, his bloodline continues to this day.

SOURCES:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17909396

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17909396

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7643286.stm



Tuesday 17 December 2013

Pioneering Rock Musician Lou Reed Dies at 71

Rock n Roll poet Lou Reed, a founding member and principal songwriter of the massively influential band ‘The Velvet Underground’ – as well as a globally recognized recording artist in his own right, has died of liver failure, he was 71 years old.

Reed’s songs were groundbreaking in that they openly discussed issues like outsider sexuality and hard drug use and then married these lyrics to alternative, sometimes avant-garde music.

Reed was a recording artist in every sense of the word. Throughout his life and career, his work was challenging, powerful and often divisive. However, he was also no stranger to a catchy, crowd-pleasing pop chorus, as famous hits like ‘Perfect Day’, Satellite of Love’ and ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ will attest. Lou Reed’s work was the ultimate meeting point between the urban culture of the New York City streets and the highbrow insouciance of the uptown art galleries.

Supremely influential to the development of Pop, Glam, Indie, Punk and lots more besides, Reed was considered to be a godfather of alternative sounds.

Lou Reed was born in Brooklyn in 1942, when World War 2 was still raging around the world. He studied at Syracuse University and, around this time, became a disciple of the poet Delmore Schwartz. Upon graduation, he worked for Pickwick records as a songwriter, generating at least one minor hit. Eventually, he met Welsh violinist John Cale and, together with drummer Maureen Tucker and guitarist Sterling Morrison, formed The Velvet Underground.

The Velvet Underground were an instant hit on the New York music scene, so much so that pop artist Andy Warhol became a fan and incorporated them into his various projects. Warhol would eventually be credited as the producer of the band’s 1967 debut album, for which he also provided the artwork. The band were white hot creatively for three years, until their last album ‘Loaded’ was released in 1970.

Commercially, however, the Velvet Underground were completely ignored at the time. It was only later that they would be considered by a new generation of musicians as a seminal, trailblazing band.

Reed’s first solo album (where he was backed by the progressive rock band ‘Yes’) wasn’t a hit, but his glam-inflexed, David Bowie produced follow up, ‘Transformer’ became a worldwide smash and yielded several enduring pop classics.

For the rest of the decade, Reed refused to be pigeon holed as simply a ‘Rock’ or ‘Pop’ performer, instead producing albums like the tragic, story-based ‘Berlin’ or the savagely experimental ‘Metal Machine Music’. ‘Coney Island Baby’ was perhaps his most accessible record after ‘Transformer’, it was a hard-edged song-set that featured a collection of radio friendly alternative rock tunes and it was well received by the majority of fans.

Over the decades, Reed’s rebellious music continued to divide and delight in equal measure. Albums that had some fans and critics cheering had others scratching their heads. He was wholly capable of being supremely heartfelt and candid one minute and yet totally aloof and incomprehensible the next. He was, however, never less than 100% true to his incomparable artistic spirit.

In the 2000’s, Reed became a devoted practitioner of Tai Chi; he based an album on the works of Edgar Allen Poe and he worked as a photographer (which had been a side passion of his for many years). He also became even more heavily involved in social and environmental activism. His most recent record was released in 2011; it was produced in collaboration with Thrash Metal giants ‘Metallica’.

To say that Lou Reed made a huge impact on popular music would be an absolute understatement; to say that Lou Reed is one of the founding fathers of alternative music/culture would be doing the man something of a disservice. In truth, Lou Reed wrote the book on Rock n Roll, before summarily burning it and doing whatever he felt like doing, whenever he felt like doing it. He will be missed.

Saturday 14 December 2013

The PD782, PD785 & PD702 Hytera Radios are starting to take some of the digital market from Motorola, what makes them so good?

The PD782, PD785 and PD702 Hytera radios are affordable, as well as being easy to use and providing high quality audio. This is a good combination when it comes to two-way radios, a technology that, by definition, needs to be durable, easily replaceable and effortlessly useable in case of emergency.

The parent company, Hytera, have been operating since 1993 and in that time they have developed a strong reputation as an industry leader. In short, they are in the process of cultivating a trusted international brand. Hytera are an emerging brand with a considerable track record for producing quality technology at premium prices.

Another likely source of Hytera’s recent success is the effectiveness of the Hytera earpiece. The Hytera multi-pin earpiece is designed for use with the PD702 and PD782 radio models. It features excellent playback, as well as being solid and durable. This Hytera earpiece is available for around £40.00 and is a professional level model, proving highly effective for many modern surveillance exercises.

Returning to the two-way radio discussion, Hytera radios include a number of advanced features, including a robust design, as well as a full colour LCD display, something that is a rarity in today’s market. There are also a high number of messaging options.

The PD785 is IP57 rated. This means that it can even be completely submerged for up to 30 minutes without obtaining any significant damage. It can also switch between analogue and digital mode and features full digital encryption.

Hytera have received a boost in sales because they have created a series of products that are up-to-date, hardwearing and professional. Two-way radios need to be reliable as a matter of fact, which is why these products are selling so well. 


Friday 13 December 2013

Fun, Games And The Letter ‘X’

The aim of this site is to keep you updated on the latest releases, innovations and general news from the black-and-green neon world of the Xbox.

Here at best xbox game, we love the damn things. Can’t get enough of them, in fact. But the console itself is nothing without the rocket fuel that takes your imagination into the stratosphere with each new adventure. By which, of course, we mean the games.

Without great games, a console is nothing at all. Less than nothing. At best xbox game, we really feel that the Xbox has the best game library ever assembled, a roster of undeniably brilliant stories, characters and experiences. best xbox game aims to grow up to be the definitive Xbox site. With your support, we just might.

We like Playstation, we like Wii but that’s as far as it goes here at best xbox game. If you want the advice of our ‘X-perts’ regarding the best and brightest this console has to offer, all you have to do is stay on best xbox game and have a look around. We just might have what you’re looking for, the missing piece of the existential puzzle on your life. Then again, we may have overshot ourselves on that last part. Whatever.

best xbox game is committed to providing the ultimate guide to the ultimate games for the ultimate console. So there.



Tuesday 10 December 2013

Buy Kinect: The Next Movement

Wondering where to Buy kinect? Look no further, squire. Our site gives you what you need.

January, the month that begins with scraping vomit off the walls and ends with broken resolutions. Reading the classics and working out tends to flow inexorably back to re-reading old comics and putting on weight. The other thing January is good for is getting out and spending someone else’s money.

Of course, I mean Christmas money, money set aside by friends and relatives that you can spend selfishly. Auntie Gladys sent you £20, great! But who the hell is Auntie Gladys?. Uncle Joseph and Auntie Beryl have given you 50 quid. You promise to say ‘thank you’ but you never get round to it, its not like Auntie Gladys has Facebook.

So its time to plunder the wintry wonderland of the January sales. You scrape the puke from the walls, grab your coat from Uncle Bertram and hit the electronics stores.  Upon arrival, you can’t help but feel vaguely cheated. Its really not all that cheap. You usually end up staring is dismay at copy after copy of the tenth game on your list, the one you only kind of want.

So you come home, muttering under your breath and wondering where the best place is to Buy kinect, you put those exact terms into Google and now here we are having a nice chat, like old friends. Let me reiterate that this is the best site for you. Now you can order your Kinect and sit back with a warm cup of tea, or better yet start spring cleaning early.

Well, you did a crap job of cleaning up that sick, check the wall behind you. It’s right there on the Paisley pattern, also, Paisley? What were you thinking? You’re lucky I wasn’t sick too!


Saturday 7 December 2013

When NASCAR needed a faster, more efficient communications system, they turned to Motorola.

The Talladega Superspeedway covers 3,000 acres, and is a Super Bowl®-sized NASCAR event that attracts 150,000 on-site spectators and millions more watching at home.

NASCAR manages over 1,200 races every year on 200 race tracks in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, and each location poses its own challenges in terms of radio traffic and interference. These challenges are magnified when systems must be deployed quickly, every week, over a wide geographic area. Pit crews, drivers, officials, and all other members of the internal and external organization must have a communications system that supports flawless connections, every time. When seconds count, there is no room for missed or delayed communications; speed and voice clarity are everything. NASCAR recently realized that their older system was just not keeping up, and there’s no doubt that providing secure and reliable communications for an event like this can seem overwhelming. Each NASCAR event involves up to 40,000 people, with approximately 80 officials presiding over two races, each with 43 cars, and each with teams of up to 30 people. In addition to NASCAR drivers, maintenance personnel, and pit crews, each race requires spotters, timing and scoring groups, as well as fire and rescue units. Also working on-site are emergency personnel, food vendors, ticketing and parking attendants, television and radio crews, and public relations representatives. Because NASCAR stages many regional events, several outside organizations need to be integrated into the communications loop. The sheer number of radios and talk groups that have to be moved and set up very quickly is enough to tax any radio system, and NASCAR’s old system was clearly over-taxed. NASCAR examined all options during a six-month intensive study. Digital radio seemed to be the best route to achieving the key requirements surfaced in this study, which included NASCAR’s need to:

• Coordinate large numbers of radios

• Ensure absolute audio clarity

• Maintain consistent, reliable communications

• Have a radio that was durable enough to withstand a rough environment

After assessing all the options, NASCAR determined that Motorola’s MOTOTRBO professional digital two-way radio was the right system for their needs.MOTOTRBO digital radio precisely met each of

NASCAR’s four requirements.

To coordinate large numbers of radios, the MOTOTRBO system is engineered to maximize use of the radio spectrum. The power of MOTOTRBO is leveraged by NASCAR to bring together multiple talk groups who work all over the property and need to be in full communication at all times. MOTOTRBO is also used to connect spotters, emergency medical technicians, crews in the garage and pit areas, as well as security and all other service and support personnel required to help each race run smoothly.

MOTOTRBO’s ability to work in either digital or analog mode makes it possible to seamlessly integrate older radio systems that may not yet have migrated to digital. To ensure absolute audio clarity, MOTOTRBO’s noise-canceling technology enables headsets for racing officials to perform at higher levels. Added to inherently clearer digital communications, the noise-canceling capabilities of MOTOTRBO technology supports sharp and clean communications in even the harshest environments. If MOTOTRBO users can communicate clearly at a noisy racetrack, it’s easy to see how well these digital two-way radios would perform in most workplace environments. “ We have to make sure we’re communicating quickly and concisely. Through MOTOTRBO, we’re able to do our jobs a whole lot better

than we have in the past.”

To maintain consistent, reliable communications, MOTOTRBO’s digital technology makes possible  extended battery life so that all users can easily connect throughout an 8-to-12-hour workday and then keep communicating, even when races run longer than scheduled. The MOTOTRBO system is

also less susceptible to static and interference, and when second-by-second communication is demanded, digital provides the proven reliability NASCAR needs. Durability is ensured with MOTOTRBO radios that deliver the highest quality of communications, even in harsh environments where they’re frequently dropped and exposed to dust, rain, grease, oil, and solvents. MOTOTRBO is designed to meet U.S. Military Standards C, D, E, and F, as well as IP57 for submersibility in water. When properly equipped with a Motorola FM-approved battery, MOTOTRBO radios have been certified by FM Approvals in accordance with Canada and U.S. codes to be intrinsically safe.

Source – http://www.motorolasolutions.com/web/Business/Product%20Lines/MOTOTrbo/_Documents/Case_Studies/Static_Files/Events_Nascar_car_racing.pdf


Are Playstation 4 games getting better or is it just me?

Lets find out what the latest ps4 games are like.

College mate Bob.

“Well, with a little trepidation I’ve finally done it” the update read “I’ve bought my own detached house. It has all appliances I could need and a beautiful thatched roof”

I was surprised and impressed by this news, Bob is only a little older than me. I didn’t know he’d had that much success, however. It was nice to see him doing well. Which allowed him to chat to people allday. We had fun.  After a while, he moved on and we parted ways, eventually randomly meeting a few years later on a train. Working as writers. I was about to post a long message congratulating Bob on his newfound success when I noticed the final two words to his status. Yes, Bob has the perfect place and yes, it has appliances and a thatched roof…On Skyrim. I groaned and joined the legion of talking heads telling him what a nerd.

The point is that its not just Bob who had a good time with his PS4 games last year. Skyrim launched into stores at the tail end of 2011 and, like a blazing comet burning brilliantly in the winter sky, signalled the sudden death of any/all social life for about half of my friends. Awesome graphics, Skyrim was quite rightly lauded as one of the best games of 2012. Each. Saw him.

Fell victim to this little number, is FIFA12. Even though you don’t see the word ‘football’ anywhere in the title, meaning that it’s no longer FIFA INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 2012, or whatever, the punters. Might annoy F1 fans who get confused and buy it by mistake. The game itself does exactly what it (almost doesn’t) say on the tin, and is a basic upgrade of the previous release. Its not a massive improvement.

Another big seller of 2011. Maybe the game is dangerous. I find Dragonball Z really irritating. Sit through There’s like, three frames of animation per episode, most of which is either recapping the last. More pissed off and angrier. Finally, once all the major characters have died AGAIN. The end. hours of my life I’m not getting back any time soon to get there. What’s that? Oh, the game? {I have no idea, I got sidetracked|Distracted|Taken off on a tangent…Madder.




Sunday 1 December 2013

(Probable) Explanation Offered for ‘After Death’ Experiences

The latest scientific research has recommended that dying rats experience an odd rush of extreme brain activity throughout their last moments of life. This increased brain function might be in line with (and thusly describe) Human accounts of near or after death experiences, as reported by some people around the world.

Approximately a 5th of all folks who have survived a cardiac arrest have reported having an ‘After Death Experience’ or ADE.  This is sort of an alarming stat, principally as the ADE tends to have a very profound effect within the life of that survivor. Having an ADE is seen by many as irrefutable proof of an spirit world or a continuance of the person’s soul after death.

Likewise, a ‘Near Death Experience’ (or NDE) is thought to be parallel to an ADE, but clearly occurs while the patient continues to be technically living. Most people who experience NDE’s report a floating sensation or ‘Out of Body Experience’ (OBE), as well as encounters with angels, deceased members of the family and loved ones. Both NDE and ADE survivors frequently explain traversing a long tunnel in direction of an intense light.

Deliberations of life after death appear in early scriptures, archaeological sites and many following works of philosophy and possess fascinated (and frightened) Persons, regardless of creed, ethnic group or culture, since time immemorial.

After recuperating from surgery in 1979, Jazmyne Cidavia-DeRepentigny of Hull, Georgia, USA, reported a stereotypical NDE tale which was ultimately published in the book ‘Beyond The Light’ by P.M.H Atwater in 1994. Like many, Jazmyne recounts particulars of her surgery that would be very hard to obtain were she lying.

Jazmyne says that “I was perched over my body.  I could see and hear everything which was being said and done.  I left the room for a short while and came back to where my corpse lay.  I knew why I died.  It was because I could not breathe.  I had a tube along my throat and the medical staff didn’t have an oxygen mask on my nostril.  I’d also been provided excessive sedative”.

She went to illustrate her attempts to remove the tube from her throat from a rather harrowing account.

Prior to the aforementioned study, it is established proven fact that neural activity ceases once the heart stops. This has now been demonstrated as being untrue, at the least so far as rats are concerned. It’s also the strongest premise thus far regarding the reasons of ADEs, OBEs and NDEs.

One of those scientists responsible for these results, Dr. George Mashour of the University of Ann Arbour, Michigan, USA said the team was “surprised by the high levels of motion” in the rodents. “In fact, at near-death lots of known electrical signatures of consciousness exceeded levels found in the waking condition, signifying the brain is able of well-organized electric activity throughout the early phase of clinical death.” He said.

The team’s lead scientist, Dr. Jimo Borjigin added that “This report tells us that drop of oxygen or equally oxygen and glucose during cardiac arrest can stimulate neural activity which is characteristic of conscious processing,”

However, Dr. Martin Coath from the University of Plymouth, United kingdom was a little critical of the team’s findings.

Dr. Coath said that, as the rats were anaesthetized, the findings better demonstrated the unconscious brain’s reaction to the critical lack of blood flow and oxygen. He also said the study had not essentially showed that any ‘sensitive conscious processing’ had actually taken place, suggesting that the wording of that conclusion was “a bit of a stretch”. He commented that, while the consequences were “genuinely interesting” they were also “hardly surprising”.

The results of this report will little doubt be of great curiosity to numerous within the scientific kinship, also as religious groups, those engrossed in the mystic and people who have experienced an ADE or NDE.

SOURCES:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/paranormal-death-experiences-explained-204403437.html#7mbMENa

http://www.iands.org/nde-stories/17-nde-accounts-from-beyond-the-light.html


Thursday 28 November 2013

Rock Band on the Playstation 3, what you might not find out about it

My friend ‘Little’ Chris, then aged about 9 , once stated that he wished there could be a ‘Bass Hero’, ‘Drum Hero’ and ‘Singing Hero’ to go along with the ‘Guitar Hero’ games he cherished. Someone must have been taking note that time, because a year roughly later the 1st rockband game appeared on shelves.

Now on its 3rd instalment, the hugely accepted rockband series seems to have eclipsed these guitar games for better, forcing a spot between more triumphant music simulators of all time in the process. Yes, rockband is here to remain even if you prefer it or not and yes, that’s my friend Kieran playing bass on the cover of rockband 3 (OK, maybe it isn’t, but it really looks like him).

Ethical debates on the company invasion of rock n roll aside; folks are buying and enjoying the modern rockband game in record figures. Let’s learn why.

Using the new rockband title, up to 7 people can jam on well-over 2,000 songs, allowing for unprecedented longevity and repeat value. rockband 3 even includes a Pro mode, which has been praised by musicians because of its closeness to learning your instrument for real.

Certain tricks (like drum rolls) have been made simpler to carry out this time around, and the game itself does show a little more forgiving, this can only be an excellent thing, because who joins a rock band to be uptight?


Wednesday 20 November 2013

Life isn’t about Xbox one, it is about Kinnection!

The Xbox One Kinect is an incredible thing. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to take matters into my own hands when playing a video game.

“If I didn’t have to rely on these buttons so damn much” I frequently grumble, “I’d grab that monster and kick it in myself!”

For example: the fat bloke from Pokemon. In every single version of that game, there’s some fat chug blocking your way until you’ve done something he wants you to do. If a fat bloke did that in real life, I know that I for one would be first in line to smack him in the gob. We’re not that violent as a society, but we’re busy, y’know?

Maybe that’s what Team Rocket are so pissed off about? Maybe we’ve misjudged them all these years…Maybe they just got sick of fat blokes, people with spurious stomach-aches and Snorlax after bleedin’ Snorlax blocking their progress. Team Rocket are cat lovers, no harm ever came from cat lovers, did it?

Well, with the Kinect, your body is the controller. When you’re boxing or fighting, its your own fist you’re swinging, when you’re running, its your own legs you’re pumping. Now, the Xbox one with kinect bundle is putting all of these great things in one place, making it easier than ever to get playing the greatest gaming innovation since Sonic 2 allowed you to push down and ‘B’ in order to get up hills without running all the way back where you came from.

That’s right, the Xbox one with kinect bundle is the future of gaming technology. You can, at last, take matters into your own hands. You can at last use your reflexes and natural instincts rather than relying on controllers and other peripherals. Yep, the future is here and its Kinect-shaped…I know what you geeks are thinking, because I’m thinking it too, we’re one step closer to the invention of the Holodeck…Yay! 


Sunday 17 November 2013

Earpiece information about the Motorola GP340 Radio


If you are looking to guard President Obama this summer, then you’re getting closer to the right idea with this earpiece.

This is an understated earpiece that you use instead of making your presence felt, when subtlety and understatement are the aims of the game. If you’re concerned with security or protection, then the GP340 could well be the earpiece for you.

The GP340 covert earpiece is a serious piece of equipment. This earpiece comes attached to one of those curly receivers, the kind you’ve seen Agent Smith wearing in The Matrix movies. The GP340 earpiece is a device designed for use with the Motorola GP340 range of two-way radio devices.

We ended the last piece by saying that you shouldn’t use the featured product to guard the life of America’s president. However, we’ll begin this piece by saying that,
Amazon lists this bad boy for £15.98, so it’s only a couple of quid more than the GP300, but it’s a couple of quid worth paying, especially if you value discretion.

There’s also no need for any kind of adaptor when you buy the GP340 earpiece, this model has a multipin plug that can connect directly to any Motorola two-way radio. In addition, there’s a built-in ‘push to talk’ button and microphone, but it is considerably smaller than the one found on most other models.

The GP340 earpiece features the same sprung clothing clip as our last model, a surgical grade acoustic eartube (as well as a spare tip) and a Kevlar-reinforced cable. It also comes with a snazzy drawstring pouch as well. Add to that a 12-month warranty (included in the price) and you’re definitely onto a winner.

Sound-wise, the GP340 earpiece provides clear, reliable sound and performs well in trying weather conditions.

However, the GP340 earpiece is not quite a top-range product, it represents fantastic value, for sure, and it works fine for most purposes, but if you have specialist requirements, then you should probably stick with this series and see what else is out there.

Overall, the GP340 earpiece is an excellent product that offers fantastic value for money. It would do a good job in most situations and comes pretty highly recommended all round.


Next episode, we take a look at the CP040 earpiece, a device specifically designed for use with the GP300 and, um, CP040 radio series. If you’re still looking to guard The President, you might want to skip that one and go straight to part four. 

Monday 11 November 2013

Could we now have discovered possibilities of life from another world?

A team of Uk scientists believe that they have revealed organisms in earth’s environment that originate from space.

As demanding as that could be to judge, Professor Milton Wainwright, the team’s chief, insists that this is definitely the instance.

The team, from the University of Sheffield, found the little organisms (misleadingly known as ‘bugs’ by quite a lot of persistent journalists) living on a probe balloon that had been sent 16.7 miles into our environment during last month’s Perseids meteor shower.

In response to Professor Wainwright, the minuscule creatures couldn’t have been passed into the stratosphere by the balloon. He said, “Many people will imagine that those biological particles must have just drifted up into the stratosphere from Earth, but it is normally accepted a particle of the size found cannot be lifted from Earth to heights of, for example, 27km. Really the only well-known exception is by a violent volcanic eruption, none of these occurred within 3 years of the sampling trip.”

Wainwright maintains that only salient end is that organisms originated from space. He went on to mention that “life is not restricted to the planet and it almost certainly didn’t originally come here”

However, not everyone is so persuaded. Dr. Seth Shostak, senior astronomer with the SETI (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence) project remarked, “I’m very skeptical. This claim has been made before, and dismissed as terrestrial contamination.” The team responds to this by saying they were thorough as they prepared the hot-air balloon before the experiments started.

Yet, they’d acknowledge that there might be an unidentified method for these organisms to reach such altitudes. It should also be noted that microbal organisms discovered in the 1980’s and 1990’s and called ‘extremophiles’ surprised the scientific community by living in environments that would immediately kill the bulk of life on earth.

These creatures have been observed living deep under Glacial ice or even 1900 feet below the sea floor. In March of this year, Ronnie Glud, a biogeochemist at the Southern Danish Uni in Odense, Denmark was quoted as saying “In the most remote, hostile places, you can actually have higher activity than their surroundings,” and that “You’ll find microbes in all places – they’re very compliant to conditions, and survive where they are,” so this indicates more plausible that either the team is in error, or that this is simply another case of microscopic life showing up in an strange place.

In addition, it isn’t the 1st time this unique team has come under fire for making such statements, either. Back in January of this year, astrobiologist Dr. Chandra Wickramasinghe reported that ‘fossils’ found in a Sri Lankan meteorite were testimony of extraterrestrial life, an assertion that’s extensively criticized by the scientific community.

Other scientists have complained that there simply isn’t enough proof to make such a claim, as a theory this notable would need a huge body of proof to prove its validity.

What that says to this reporter is that microbes can survive pretty much anywhere and that it simply is not good science to leap to wild conclusions like aliens when a more plausible solution is most certainly present. Science shouldn’t be subject to such wild leaps of elaborate. Imagination is a superb aid to science, but it isn’t a science in and of by itself. Unfortunately, Dr. Wainwright and his group look to be seeing what they want to observe.

SOURCES:

http://www.livescience.com/27954-microbes-mariana-trench.html

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/09/22/news/entertainment/have-we-found-alien-life/

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/alien-bugs-discovered-earths-atmosphere-152253962.html#13B0NDB


Friday 8 November 2013

Book about Jewel Encrusted Skeleton ‘Saints’ released to great enjoyment

Paul Koudounaris, who is also known by his nickname ‘Indiana Bones’ is an novelist, photographer and principal professional on bone-decorated sites and ossuarys. Earlier in 2013, Koudounaris published a book featuring high definition images of that 400-year-old ‘catacomb saints’ of Rome, a group of corpses that were painstakingly ornamented with gems and finery prior to being offered as remnants of saints to congregations across Europe.

Through the Protestant Overhaul of that 16th Century, Catholic church buildings were routinely stripped of these relics, symbols and finery. So as to counter this, The Vatican had ancient skeletons removed out of the Catacombs of Rome and copiously adorned as a remnants of recognized saints.

Even though typically forgotten until Koudounaris released his book, the catacomb saints still fascinate interested parties; they may still inspire religious zeal. In 1977, the town of Ruttenbach in Bavaria labored hard to gain enough funds to purchase back two of the original saints from confidential collectors, the decorative skeletons had originally been auctioned off in 1803.

The book, which Koudounaris has cautiously titled ‘Heavenly Bodies’ sees its writer attempt to locate and photograph each of these present tomb saints.

In their prime (a period that lasted over 200 years before finally coming to a close in the 19th century), the saints travelled all over the place, being transported at enormous expense by the Church. They were recognized as objects of affection, or conduits for prayer.

However the saints could appear strange to contemporary eyes (one Telegraph reporter described them as ‘ghastly’), it’s important to keep in mind that those who prayed at the feet of those gilded cadavers were considerably closer to death than their contemporary counterparts. In the wake of The Black Death (which recurred repeatedly all through Europe from the 14th to the 17th Centuries), art, literature and also worship had come to accept such ghoulish, macabre metaphors.

The remnants were regularly decked out by nuns and often located in a choice of realistic poses, before being protected in glass cabinets. Some of our scrupulous decoration took as long as five years to complete, with jewellery and costumes being acutely impressive.

Koudounaris’ book, ‘Heavenly Bodies’ is available now.



Monday 4 November 2013

Icom Earpieces – Show Them Some I.D or You’ll Have to Leave

Flash back with me to a time in my time when I still had not gotten my act together…

At age twenty, I used to be unkempt haired, absent minded and keen on rock n roll in a huge way (waitaminute – I’m still shaggy haired, absent minded and into rock n roll in a big way…). I used to be courting a pole dancer, singing within a grotty band and telling anybody who’d pay attention that I required to get out of the crappy little city and really make something of my life. I assume, in some respects I used to be a bit like George Bailey of Bedford Falls, (if George Bailey was kind of a dick and made a point of saying the ‘F’ word in every 2nd sentence…)

In making ends meet, while I waited in frustration for George Carlin to turn up in his time travelling phone box and help me usher in a period of world concord, I worked at several careers. Specifically, one evening a week, I used to be employed as the Youth Worker.

To my shock, I found the duty to be really fun, also as very rewarding. Since I was an authority in all things media (and a Uni Certificate to show it), I began a project that may teach the kids all about film creation, music and also the media in general.

One of my best students was a rather difficult boy and a hard stare and a ‘brick sh!thouse’ build. When I wasn’t pulling him off a variety of youths who may or may not have mouthed off his sister, we got along quite well. After I left the job a couple of years later, we in fact became firm friends. He has as well become mainly close to my cousin (who was also a Youth Worker for a while) and my mom and dad.

Without a trace of sarcasm, viewing this tough, conflicted boy grow old to be a honest, hard working man has been both an honour and also a privilege. On the other hand, he floundered for a long time as he hunted for work. It just appeared that there wasn’t anything he was able to use themself to.

Then, all of a sudden, he discovered his vocation. My friend is a fully certified doorman, working the door in a variety of pubs, clubs, venues and bars.

So as to communicate easily without causing too much of a fuss, bouncers like my companion regularly use Icom Earpieces. These earphones are available in several forms, with 2-pin, multi pin, straight pin and high angled forms all catered for. You can even find an Icom earpiece for almost any type of Icom 2 way radio possible.

There is no fuss, since the earpieces can be operated simply and prudently and, being armored with Kevlar, they are every bit as hard wearing as the two-way radios they work with.

Icom has been building in quality radio equipment since 1954, so that they know what they’re doing and the way to make customers happy while doing it. Icom Earpieces are solid, reliable and high spec, so it is no wonder that so many in the security industry decide to wear them.

 As for my friend, it appears like he has got himself on track; he’s found employment that he’s good for also as one which is nice for him. I might have made my share of errors in the past, but I was definitely right about 1 or 2 things.

Sunday 3 November 2013

Sena SR10: Wirelessly Add 2-way Radio to Your Motorcycle Ride

Editorial – We now have said for a while, Bluetooth will be the future for two-way radios and headphones. With so many different incarnations of this tech to try and adapt it for the walkie talkie market, no one has yet got it sufficiently little to use stealthily enough. This review from a motorbike site may give us an indication of how the tech is progressing.


Sena SR10 Two-Way Radio Adapter Review with Midland Radio BT Next and Midland Two-Way Radio

I’m an admitted tech addict and enjoy looking for and finding new gadgets that enhance life’s experiences. This is especially the case for moto-related kit and, lately, Bluetooth (BT) gizmos. While writing our recent BT headset reviews, I became interested in pairing a two-way radio to my helmet’s headset.

Some riders to whom I’ve spoken eschew the use of any newfangled item that could distract them or in some way diminish the riding experience and I respect that.

Personally, I find only enjoyment and an extra margin of safety in being able to communicate with other riders, listen to music or FM radio, GPS instructions and make or take the occasional phone call.

Until now, to communicate with my buddies I’ve used the intercom function built into virtually all BT headsets on the market today. Most offer full duplex operation (like a telephone, all parties can talk at once without having to press a push-to-talk (PTT) button) and a line-of-sight range up to a mile but, often, much less.

I read that some headsets allow pairing to a two-way radio which offers not only greater range but the ability to have an unlimited number of participants on the conversation, unlike headset intercoms that have a limitation on the number of pairings.

Also eliminated would be the need to stop and pair the headsets to one another in advance. Wouldn’t it be great if our group did this and agreed upon a certain radio channel? We could shout out to one another when heading to a meeting and converse during the ride. Changes in plans could be made on the fly without waving hands in some, often misunderstood, hand signals. Then there’s “that guy” who always takes the lead on a ride just when there is a critical turn to make and he doesn’t know the way.

The solution is easier than you might think. All you need is a two-way radio and a BT adapter since no consumer priced radios to date have BT built in (that’s on the way but not yet). For this review I used Sena’s SR10 BT adapter along with Midland Radio’s BT Next headset and GXT1000 FRS/GMRS radio.

The SR10 adapter connects to most popular radios via a short cable unique to each brand, so check Sena’s list to make sure they offer one for the radio you want to use. As an added bonus, the SR10 has two AUX ports that enable you to connect non-Bluetooth devices such as radar detector, GPS navigation and non-BT MP3 player but I didn’t try that for this review.

Once all your devices are charged up the SR10 (which utilizes a micro-USB cable – my favorite for simplicity’s sake) pairs easily with the headset with just a few key presses. One important caveat to note here is that the SR10 must pair with a BT channel that supports Hand-Free Profile (HFP) on the your headset. All headsets have at least on HFP channel but that is usually paired to the phone. Some headsets, like the BT Next, have more than one channel supporting HFP and that is a key feature, allowing the two-way radio to coexist with the phone and music player. If your headset only has one HFP channel you may pair it with the SR10 then pair your phone to the SR10 as well. I tried this and it worked but I could not use the music player built into my phone. There are often trade-offs to be made in the world of BT.

For this review my buddy Rick and I each placed a radio and adapter in our tank bag. The SR10 offers VOX (voice-actuated talk) but also has a wired PTT switch included. During our initial testing we found that the VOX worked well but usually required several loud spoken words to switch over so we opted to use the PTT buttons. We zipped our tank bags to allow the antenna to peek out and the PTT cable was routed to the left handgrip and attached with the included rubber strap.

We liked the ease of use with the PTT button which allows quick back-and-forth conversations. The GXT1000 produces a soft beep upon releasing g the PTT button and advises others that you have closed the connection. Better than having to say “over” each time you end a sentence.

Priorities are important in BT as they instruct the headset as to what devices override others. In this case, when receiving from the other rider, the headset quieted the FM radio or music player to allow us to hear the other rider.

As with all BT and other moto devices, my advice is to set them up, test and get acclimated to them before going near your bike. Once we were done with that we rode the freeways for 10 miles to some hilly back roads. Operation was easy and I let Rick head out while I waited near the on-ramp. At a range of about a mile or more I started to lose him even though the radios were set in high-power mode. This is still a far greater range than the intercom but illustrates the limitations of UHF radios. In our canyon segment of the test, range was reduced further but was always better than the intercoms.

The GXT1000 is rated to 36 miles range but Midland advises that this is greatly affected by the surroundings and we proved that. I chose this FRS/GMRS static-free UHF radio because of the relative quiet as compared to CB radios.

Range can be improved by mounting the radios higher up on the bike or by buying a radio with a connector to a better, permanently mounted antenna. CB, on the other hand, while producing more audible noise, is affected less by terrain due to the characteristics of the frequencies in which it operates.

When asked about range limitations, Midland’s Emily Frame replied, “While they (FRS/GMRS radios) do have the capability to be used with the BTs, we find this is not our customer’s first choice. Our CBs are made more for use in vehicles, such as trucks, and are great for communication on the road.” Live and learn.

Our BT to two-way test was, everything considered, a success. We proved that one does not need a degree in electrical engineering to make this technology work for you. I am going to try to get my hands on a pair of CB radios and, when I do, I will do another review, hopefully, extolling their virtue.

Look for more reviews on BT headsets and gadgets in the coming weeks with Uclear’s HBC200 Force headset with boom-less microphone technology scheduled for my next review.

http://ultimatemotorcycling.com/sena-sr10-wirelessly-add-2-way-radio-to-your-motorcycle-ride/


Tuesday 29 October 2013

Xbox One unboxing – headset included with all versions

Editors Note – this year will become a colossal year for the console industry. The new generations of Xbox and Playstation, are scheduled for being released inside weeks of each other. Both are vying for our attention and hard earned cash, unlike the last generation, Sony with the Playstation 4 have put a cheaper price together compared to that xbox one, which amazed everybody at E3 in june. But recent news announced by Microsoft proves that the xbox one features kinect plus a headset, proving that xbox ones additional price is actually for additional extras.

The standard and Day One editions of the Xbox One console will both include a headset, despite Microsoft suggesting that Kinect would be used instead.

As U-turns go it’s one of Microsoft’s more minor in recent months, but Xbox Live director of programming Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hryb has confirmed that all Xbox One consoles will be sold with a headset.

The unboxing video below is for the limited edition ‘Day One’ boxed set, although the only difference is an exclusive Achievement and a specially embossed controller.

That means the other contents of the box will also be included in the ordinary edition, namely a 4K compatible HDMI cable and the controversial Kinect sensor.

Initially Microsoft said that the Xbox One wouldn’t come with a headset, despite the console using a new audio connector port that means existing headsets need an adaptor to work.

The idea was that you were going to have to pay for that separately or just use Kinect’s microphone to speak to people. Microsoft then reversed its decision, then pretended it hadn’t reversed its decision, and has now admitted that actually, yes: it does come with a headset.

http://metro.co.uk/2013/08/08/xbox-one-unboxing-headset-included-with-all-versions-3917117/


’Earth-Like’ Asteroid Devoured by Dead Star

The Hubble Space Telescope has recorded an intriguing event some 150 light-years from Earth.

A large asteroid was pulled into the White Dwarf star (named ‘GD 61’ by astronomers) and utterly destroyed. This is not an unusual event, as even dead stars still exhibit a very high level of gravity. However, scientists are interested because the chemical signatures left in the star’s atmosphere indicate the presence of water and a rocky surface, both considered to be key building blocks for the creation of life on our planet.

Until this event was observed, water and a rocky surface had never been found together on an object outside our solar system.

The asteroid consisted of the elements magnesium, silicon, iron and oxygen, all of which are usually found in rock minerals, but scientists believe that the abundance of oxygen indicated the heavy presence of H20.

The object was at least 90KM across and as much as 26% of that is thought to have been water. Earth is considered to be just 0.02% water.

This discovery is important because it gives scientists a vindicating glimpse of how inhabitable environments may have been formed, receiving key components (such as water) from outside sources such as meteorites.

It is thought that water first arrived on our planet by similar means and that other planets in the GD 61 system would once have received water this way as well. According to BBC News, scientists consider the presence of rocky planets in the GD system to have been “very likely”.

Scientists have observed over 1,000 planets outside our solar system, but none is thought to contain water.

Closer to home, some planets and heavenly bodies are thought to contain water. Mars is considered by many to once have had liquid water, but if this is still the case, it is a greatly reduced amount.

Elsewhere, Jupiter’s moon Europa raises a tantalizing prospect that there are oceans under its icy surface. This has led to some convincing research into the possible presence of ocean currents there. However, Europa is not alone, its fellow moons Callisto and Ganymede have also been suggested as candidates for liquid water.

In addition, Rhea (moon of Saturn), Titania (moon or Uranus), Oberon (also orbiting Uranus), Triton (moon of Neptune), Pluto (dwarf planet), Eris (dwarf planet), Sedna (possible dwarf planet) and Orcus (another possible dwarf planet) are all speculated to have oceans, some of which may be in contact with the rocky core of the respective body, which would hypothetically result in a steady stream of minerals and salts into the water – an important factor in creating life.

Saturn’s moon Enceladus has geysers, which is seen as proof of the presence of water or at least water vapours. It has even been theorized by some that Neptune contains oceans of liquid diamond.

The heavy presence of water on this asteroid is a vital clue for scientists and their understanding, not only of the cosmos, but also of how our home planet came into being.

SOURCES

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24491845

Saturday 26 October 2013

Sony 42-Inches of pure perfection

Like a lot of people reading this, I enjoy the festival of Christmas a great deal.

Although I’m not religious (actually, I have frequently described myself as a ‘spiritually inclined’ atheist – despite the fact that I’ve taken to observing all 8 Pagan Sabbats over the course of this year), I still view Christmas time as the joyous time being spent with family, friends and those you consider as belonging to the adjoining ring of the ‘inner circle’.

My family is one with many continuing Christmas traditions, lots of that will no doubt be passed on to my kids (should my girlfriend and I ever decide to have any). We bring out similarly decorations year after year (a number of which have been in the household for over a century).

On Christmas Eve, my Mum will very much read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’ by Clement C. Moore to my brother and myself (and lately my girlfriend too), albeit we are now in our twenties. Until recently, we’d move out into the road and ring the ‘sleigh bells’ for our neighbours’ kids to hear from their window (as their mother and father did for my brother and I when we were children).

Perhaps our greatest family custom, however, often is the ritual viewing of the Frank Capra Christmas classic ‘It is a Wonderful Life’. The movie stars Jimmy Stewart as the perennial ‘nice guy fallen on hardship’ George Bailey, Donna Reed as his wife Mary, Henry Travers as Clarence, George’s guardian angel and of course, Lionel Barrymore as the truly shameful ‘Old Man Potter’.

It doesn’t matter what else goes on (or how frantic Christmas Eve can be, especially now that travel is a consideration our coming together), we ALWAYS find time to stream that specific film on that individual evening.

By the time George runs happily through the streets of Bedford Falls shouting “Merry Christmas you superb old building and loan!” My Father is welling up, by the point George’s brother Harry declares him to be “the richest man in town”, I am right there with him. There is just a certain, sparkling, honest-to-goodness magic to it, the writing is glorious, the direction is miles ahead of its time and the performances, well, (to quote Bernard Black of ‘Black Books’ fame) “Ah, they’d melt your face”.

Why am I revealing you this?

Well, considering as there is no way to boost upon the movie itself, the event would perhaps only be bettered if we had a Sony 42 inch TV. With the jaw dropping ‘X-Reality’ display, a wireless smartphone link-up feature and much more besides, this innovative 2013 smart tv is really a doozy. It might lack some of the more compulsive features of Sony’s other smart Televisions, but, after viewing the display and lustrous, ultramodern design of this Smart tv, it hardly seems to matter.

With the brand new Bluray edition of ‘It is a Wonderful Life’, a shiny Sony 42-Inch Television and a good surround sound, you’ll never be happier to view an angel getting his wings. 


Tuesday 22 October 2013

Using Urine to recharge your devices, can it be possible

Scientists functioning at the University West of England (UWE) in Bristol, UK, have discovered one way to recharge a mobile phone with Human urine.

The team have been capable of recharge a Samsung mobile by putting the liquid through a surge of microbial energy cells. With this method, enough energy has been produced to send text messages, browse the Web and also make a brief phone call.

Based on the scientists in charge, the next phase is to fully charge the device with pee…Seemingly cleaning their hands immediately afterwards.

Dr. Ioannis Ieropoulos has labored for a long time with microbial fuel cells; he’s considered a guru in harnessing energy from abnormal options. The possibe applications of his work are very attractive from an environmental viewpoint.

Dr. Ieropoulos said, “We are very excited as this is the world’s first, no-one has harnessed energy from pee to do this so it truly is an interesting discovery. Using the final waste product as the supply of power to produce electrical power is almost as eco as it gets.” Eco-friendly tech is, seemingly, the great doctor’s main area of appeal.

The microbial cells work as the energy converter, they take the organic matter straight into electrical energy, via the metabolism of live microbes. The electrical power is the by-product of the microorganism’s natural life cycle, meaning that as they ‘eat’ the pee, they produce power the energy that powers the mobile. Now that is what we call ‘pee as you go’.

Bathroom humour aside, the team have engineered a world first, as nothing as large as the phone battery has ever been charged using this process before.

There are, at present, no plans to market this technology on a large scale, but maybe someday we can be signing a ‘P’ mobile agreement, the trick, as they say, will be pissistance.

PS – I’m sorry about this one. The task and its implications are astounding. All credit to the UWE team. On the other hand, I continuously needed to do one to those ‘And Finally’ type stories and now I conclusively get to. Please forgive me, one and all.

SOURCES:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/urine-could-charge-mobile-phones-152225132.html


Does amazon promote a keyboard that works with the kindle fire

You would imagine that outer keyboards for tablet pc’s are ‘almost of a muchness’ by now, wouldn’t you? If only it was as simple as ensuring the keyboard in question is similar with your Operating system and then, oh, I don’t know, buying the damn thing…But it doesn’t seem to be that way, unfortunately.

Now, Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD is well-matched with external keyboards, but not with all of them. So you’ll probably be stuck rooting through an intensive list of keyboards (many of which do not seem to bother letting us know whether they are ‘Kindle friendly’ or not).

The ‘Amazon Basics keyboard’ doesn’t appear to work for every reviewer, either. Some like it, some don’t.

Frustratingly, opinions are often inconsistent when it relates to Kindle Fire compatibility, with a few claiming that individual products work and others angrily reporting sentiments similar to “do they b******s”.

However, all isn’t lost, gentle reader. Users on Amazon.co.uk have claimed that the following models are compatible (to varying levels) about the Kindle Fire HD:

The Advent Bluetooth Keyboard

The Perixx Keyboard

The Microsoft Bluetooth Keyboard 6000

The Belkin Android Mobile Bluetooth Keyboard

Obviously, I cannot personally confirm these user experiences, but online boards are commonly a great way to see what’s around and what tablets other people have used without spending any of your own money.

As I’ve said in another place about the internet, it really does pay to shop about. I strongly recommend reading the reviews for every of those keyboards before you commit your heard-earned cash to one of them.

On another interesting forum, I discovered that there’s even a little debate as to if Amazon have locked out third party keyboards deliberately. Amazon are renowned for their (occasionally) restrictive hardware, so it is not really an enormous leap of the imagination to consider the company blocking out external keyboards. However, I can find no official statement from Amazon with reference to this one way or another, so your guess is as good as mine.

When you do decide to perform an internet search so as to discover more, please keep in mind that the Kindle Keyboard is really a type of eReader that is essentially unrelated to the Kindle Fire or Fire HD. Articles, reviews and forums regarding this product will obstruct any search containing the terms ‘Amazon+Kindle+Keyboard’. ‘Annoying’ scarcely does it justice.

Update: As it seems, there is an official Amazon keyboard that works with Kindle fire, however it doesn’t appear within the UK Amazon site. In my opinion, I’d suggest getting this if you’re a US-based customer. If Amazon guarantees that it will work, then it’ll probably work.

Within the UK, well, its in fact frustratingly vague as to what keyboards will work and what will not. Another suggestion is to go down to the local computer store and ask them if you are able to try one out. That typically works.


Monday 21 October 2013

The new apple iphone 5s is released, what do we think?

Given the reliability, capacity to entertain and user-friendliness of the iPhone, its a small wonder more people don’t fall in madly love with them. You love your iPhone, it’s only natural to want to protect her. You can start by buying some iphone covers from this very site!

Your iPhone is beautiful, gets on with your friends and is always there when you need her. She’s smart, funny and the envy of everybody you know. So who wouldn’t hire a bodyguard for their iPhone? She’s in constant danger!

iPhones need iphone covers to keep them safe. In the course of a day iphone covers protect her from being dropped, waterlogged, smashed, cracked, burned and otherwise mistreated. In fact, sometimes the only thing standing between iPhones and their total annihilation are iphone covers.

iphone covers come in a variety of colours, designs and prices, so why not look around and see our selection of iphone covers? Ultimately, you may end up cradling your iPhone whilst leaving a busy London nightclub crooning “And iiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeiiiiiiiieeeeeeiiiiiiii wiiiiiiiil alwaaays loooove youuuuuuuu!!!!” at the top of your lungs, but this only happens in very rare cases.

The rest of us, after nestling our little beauties safely in their iphone covers, go on to lead mostly normal lives and in no way ever end up sitting behind a dumpster in Soho, holding our iPhones ever-so-tenderly. “Hey, why are you singing to that iPhone?” “Uh…No reason, officer…”


Thursday 10 October 2013

Communications in Airports:Safety and Security is Paramount

Latest news – The security in airports have in the last ten years improved exponentially, and with this the two way radio structure has also got better and developed. Interactions and departments that were formally segmented, were pooled for a more versatile and cheaper infrastructure along with a more secure system, that could not be evesdropped in was created, discover further in this interesting article

Efficiency, business continuity, service recovery, utilisation, safety and security on a massive scale.

Airports have become remarkable places, entire communities, employing tens of thousands of people within their perimeters, and covering areas measured in square miles, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Running an airport can be likened to running a large town, for instance the three hundred companies operating within London Heathrow Airport employ 80,000 people, which is roughly equivalent to the population of Warrington, a large conurbation in the UK. This is hardly surprising when they serve over 65 million passengers arriving at, departing from, or transferring through the airport.

Clear, reliable and effective two-way radio communications of both voice and data between diverse teams in an airport is not just important, it’s mission critical to operational efficiency, business continuity, safety and security.

In the past, different companies within airports operated as separate entities and developed their own two-way radio systems to allow them to communicate with their clients, typically airlines; while in turn, airlines needed to communicate with both their suppliers and their own teams.

This led to a proliferation of isolated communications systems and resulted in huge inefficiencies and the risk to the resident airport community and passengers in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Thankfully, in recent years this situation has changed across the world’s airports with investment in integrated solutions that allow cross communication between individuals and user groups operating at desks, on foot or from vehicles, including:


Airport management

Airlines

Airline agents

Ground services

Flight and cabin crew

Engineering

Construction

Maintenance

In-flight catering


Retail and catering

Hotels and Car Parks

Transfer services

Baggage handling

Cleaning services

Freight handling

Border control

Security teams

Safety teams





Kenwood’s NEXEDGE® digital two-way radio systems including walkie-talkies, in-vehicle units and repeaters, integrated in cost effective and scalable digital trunked systems, have proven themselves in delivering outstanding coverage and reliability in voice and data transmission across a wide range of airport operations, from small airfields to, most recently, one of Europe’s busiest international airports, serving 32 million passengers from its 3.6 square mile site.

Case Study – Turkish Ground Services (TGS): Switch to Digital & Kenwood NEXEDGE

Orgen, the official distributor of Kenwood radio communications systems in Turkey, has recently completed the first phase of building the biggest digital radio communication system in the country, utilising Kenwood Nexedge digital products. Their client, Turkish Ground Services (TGS), was formed on 1st January 2010 in partnership with Turkish Airlines and HAVAS and has already grown to become a major player in the global aviation industry.

For more information on Kenwood NEXEDGE® digital two-way radios, walkie talkies, trunked systems and networks for airport and airline operations,

Source - http://www.nexedgebusiness.co.uk/market_sectors/airports_and_airline


Saturday 5 October 2013

Sylvester Stallone to reprise rocky film once more

Rumours thrive that Sylvester Stallone will probably be playing the character of ‘Rocky Balboa’ again, in a new movie set in the ‘Rocky’ universe.

The incredibly popular character Rocky Balboa formerly appeared in the Oscar-winning 1976 movie ‘Rocky’ and has been the central character in no less than six films to date.

MGM films have officially offered the brand new project, at present recognized only as ‘Creed’ to director Ryan Coogler.

The proposed film is really a spin-off as opposed to a straight sequel.

Michael B. Jordan, star of this year’s ‘Fruitville Station’ along with HBO television drama ‘The Wire’, would play the grandson of returning series character Apollo Creed. The proposed story would call for young Creed to enter the world of boxing, with Stallone’s Balboa playing the job of his tutor.

Director Ryan Coogler, who worked with Jordan in the aforementioned ‘Fruitville Station’ movie, is said to be enthusiastic about the idea and is eager to co-write the script.

Apollo Creed, as portrayed by Carl Weathers, was originally presented as Rocky’s antagonist. In his original role, Creed (who was supposedly similar to a mixture of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Joe Louis) was the World Heavyweight Boxing Champ also as a confidence businessman. When faced with a lack of appropriate opponents, Creed decided to put his championship on the line against a local, unknown fighter.

The initial film mainly centred around the chosen fighter Rocky Balboa as he trained for the largest fight of his life. In the later films, Apollo Creed became a tutor and a close friend to Rocky.

Weathers played Creed in each ‘Rocky’ film until ‘Rocky IV’, where the character was killed in a match with Russian boxer Ivan Drago (portrayed by Dolph Lundgren).

Despite the character’s death, he is prominently mentioned in both follow-up films and remains extremely popular with fans of this series.

The ultimate movie within the original Rocky series, ‘Rocky Balboa’ was released in 2006 to a strong critical and profitable reception. In 2010, Sylvester Stallone was inducted into the Worldwide Boxing Hall of Fame and Museum for his formation and depiction of Rocky, as well like the many tributes he has paid to boxers and the sport of boxing in his career.

SOURCES:

http://www.sylvesterstallone.com/stallone-inducted-into-boxing-hall-of-fame/

http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/stallone-to-play-rocky-again-in-spin-off-creed-053257511.html


Tuesday 1 October 2013

Mark Henry and Mark Callaway showcase wellbeing and exercise through a world"s strongest man event

Sometime the other week, numerous schoolchildren from Round Rock, Texas came head to head with the World’s Strongest Guy.

Texas native Mark Henry, a previous Olympic weightlifter, record-breaking powerlifter and Professional Wrestling World Champion, was joined by a group of ex-NFL stars as well as his WWE best friend, Mark Callaway, AKA The Undertaker.

The occasion was invented to promote the importance of education, health and fitness in time for that new school term. Henry flew in from New York so as to visit the children and inspire them to better things for the coming school months. As part of the day’s celebrations, Henry pulled a Semi Truck for a considerable distance in front of a bunch of amazed children, event organizers and parents.

Mark Henry’s inventory of athletic activities is extraordinary. He competed in both the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games as a weightlifter; Henry was also a Gold Medal winner in the 1995 Pan American Games and was named Drug-Free World Champion Powerlifter in 1995. He was named U.S powerlifting champion two times. He is a reigning world record holder in a number of areas is credited with the largest raw squat and raw powerlifting total ever performed by a drug-tested athlete.

Henry is also a 3-time U.S National Weightlifting Champion, an American Open winner, Two-Time U.S Olympic Festival Champion and NACAC Champion. In 2002, he won the very first annual Arnold Strongman Classic Competition and has openly performed many feats of power, including pushing a tank.

Mark Henry’s claim to being the ‘World’s Strongest Man’ is fairly dubious and never considered official by most organizations, but having set lifting records all through his life and winning no less than one strongman contest, his claim is respected by most (and also the visual evidence is tough to deny).

Henry has too had a 17-year career in Professional Wrestling, competing within the WWE (formerly WWF) ever since corporation owner Vince McMahon learned that Henry was a wrestling aficionado. His subsequent profession has seen him win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship two times, as well as a ECW Championship and the WWE European Championship.

Regardless of his no-nonsense on-screen personality (a character who frequently welcomes his enemies to the ‘Hall of Pain’) Henry is very active with the ‘Make a Wish’ Foundation, (a charity group that grants wishes to children with life-threatening or fatal ailments) also as many anti-drug and anti-bullying campaigns.

When interviewed on the day, Henry said: “I would like the children to see what I did not have. I didn’t have a great deal growing up. I wish more people did it for me, so I try and do it in kind.”





SOURCES: http://www.keyetv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/wwe-star-mark-henry-meets-round-rock-kids-11058.shtml



http://pop-break.com/2013/05/08/rant-a-mania-wwe-the-make-a-wish-foundation/



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_henry



http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Wrestling/Bios/henry_mark.html

Sunday 22 September 2013

Was leedsichthys problematicus the largest sea animal ever found?

A joint Scottish-Canadian team has verified the prehistoric sea animal leedsichthys problematicus is the largest boned fish ever to roam the seas of our world.

Growing to lengths of 16.5 metres over a projected development phase of 40 years, the Jurassic-era fish would have outgrown even today’s immense whale sharks. Despite its magnificent dimension, yet, leedsichthys is thought to have been a filter feeder, exactly like baleen whales, basking sharks and whale sharks are today.

Discovered from the late 19th century and formally named (after English farmer and fossil collector Alfred Leeds) in 1889, relics of leedsichthys have been unearthed all through Europe, and also in South America.

The ‘problematicus’ portion of its technical brand stems from the fact that leedsichthys fossils are notoriously hard to identify. This is due to a incontrovertible fact that leedsichthys’ skeleton #was not# made entirely of bone. Large portions #of the# animal’s internal structure were actually #made from# cartilage, just #as a# shark’s bone structure is. Cartilage #does not# mineralize as eagerly as bone and, as the result, fossil cartilage is a little bit rare.

Out of perspective, the fossilized bones can characterize a challenge to palaeontologists. Through the years, remains of leedsichthys have even been posited as belonging to bone-plated fossil stegosaurus!

Because leedsichthys vertebrae was cartilaginous, it may be very hard to see how long the fish may have been, with some unproven estimates suggesting that it’s as long as 30 metres.

Still, whenever a new, more absolute, fossil was found near Peterborough, UK, scientists were at last in a position to take an accurate measurement. Professor Jeff Liston, of the National Museum of Scotland, said, “We sat down and looked at a wide series of specimens, not just at the bones, but their inner development structures also – just like the growth rings in plants – to get some ideas with the ages of these animals, as well as their estimated dimensions,”

The team eventually determined that a little adult leedsichthys would grow to 8 or 9 metres after some 20 years and, in an additional twenty years; it could reach roughly 16.5 m in length. This is larger than the whale shark, the largest bony fish active now, despite persistent and credible reports of whale sharks developing as long as 14 m in length.

This information is exciting to scientists and natural history fanatics because it delivers a helpful insight into the adjustments in ocean life that occurred up to and through the Jurassic era.

Scientists now think that filter-feeding sea animals began as quite little animals, before increasing to the huge sizes we all know nowadays. The unbelievable size of leedishthys problematicus thus implies that there was a huge surge in the plankton populace of the Mesozoic oceans.

The invention also demands a major change to the records.



SOURCES:


Friday 20 September 2013

Connect on Skype with other members of the family using your Smart TV

Once the exclusive domain of Star Trek, video calls are now a very genuine part of modern life. Rewind back to that ‘Friends’ episode when Monica was courting guest star Jon Favreau’s character ‘Pete the millionaire’ and also you’ll remember the one where Monica and co had sneaked into Pete’s house, only to get interrupted by a surprise video call. So unprepared for the millionaire’s-only technology were the friends, that Pete needed to point out they all “sucked at hiding” as he discovered them one by one. Nowadays, if you have a computer, or a portable device, you can make a video phone call. It’s that easy.

In reality, Skype (the program most often used to make such phone calls) is free, remarkably easy to install and saves you a large amount of money on the phone bill. It will even make International calls, just like that! (I just clicked my fingers, but you can’t see it).

Whilst at Uni, I recall being woken up early almost each morning by the Taiwanese girl in the living room next to me as she received phone calls from her Mum and proceeded to have her sound system on full blast at the same time as they conversed in Mandarin (once my knowledge of fundamental Mandarin improved, though, they kept it down for concern that I’d snoop). I in fact spoke to a different friend of mine who was staying in America and was in a position to ‘meet’ her boyfriend’s family (oddly, where my use of Mandarin Chinese language would once again come in useful) without having to get dressed and go to the airport.

I even once had employment interview over Skype. That is the amount everyone is using video calls as of late.

Well, as you can no doubt surmise, Skype (and other video call apps) are now downloadable via your Smart TV. This means you and your friends or family can meet round and converse with other family and friends who could be as far as half a world away. It is the perfect strategy to keep in touch, conduct business and engage in long conversations without continuously fretting about your telephone bill.

Skype is a type of Innovation, much like the cell phone (and shortly maybe the Smart TV) that it’s hard to recollect a period without — and I am only 26. I do not think I even got Skype until approximately 2008 or so.

Downloading Skype to your big screen Television will allow you to talk to the friends whilst sat about the couch, it will be just like they are visiting you apart from you don’t have to make then tea and so they will not scoff all of the Hob Nobs.

Of all of the obtainable apps available on Smart TV, this is probably probably the most universal in its charm and, I think, one of the most welcome. Over the course of this succession, we have seen the Smart TV be a device where what you want to watch is always on, a gaming system so that you’re by no means bored, a computer, a network that connects you to your friends and family and now it could even take place of a home telephone.

Skype is a quick, fun and interactive way to keep in touch with people and, when connected with your Smart TV, does not even involve getting up to visit the next room. We can’t say fairer than that. Additionally, you are able to always telephone your mates and tell them that they’re in the telly. You’ll receive kick from it, even if they do not quite get what you’re on about and why you laugh when they ask ‘what channel?’



Friday 13 September 2013

The Winning Formula: Two way radios in Motorsports

Once we speak about motorsports, we are in fact pertaining to multiple varieties of event. We might be referring to Rallying, F1, Kart Racing, Boat Racing, and even Hovercraft Racing. Fundamentally, if it includes a motor vehicle in some way, it is a motorsport. Yes, that includes snowmobiles.

These races, wherever they might be held and anything they may involve, tend to be huge-scale events. Events like these need a major amount of planning and method to pull off. There is smaller races, obviously, but even these rely on the devotion and a focus to detail of a fully commited few.

Issues for example health and safety (featuring that of the drivers, technical staff and spectators) or comms between drivers and pit crew (where applicable) are all of vital importance. Moreover, other concerns such as the invention of a safe watching area for spectators or a gradual stream of information finding its way into the announcer’s box, are all extremely important to general presentation of the event alone.

When televised, things turn out to be more challenging. Broadcasters need access to relevant information, often updated on a second-by-second basis. Cameramen need to be directed to anything of interest to that home viewer and the production must be a part of that race without getting in the way.

A racetrack is often a sizable portion of road, water or terrain. Saving this area clear and secure for racing presents many challenges, in order to meet these challenges, communication needs to be instant, trustworthy and clear. 2 way radios, although being around in some type or another since late 1930’s, continue to be the best method to complete this.

Durable and solidly built, these 2 way radios are just right for the assorted mixture of environments that motorsports might be held in (remember the snowmobile). These gadgets aren’t delicate like mobile phones or tablet PCs, they’re sturdy, durable and tough.

When it relates to motorsports, 2 way radios are an important tool. The fact is that it might be very tricky for anybody to hold any sort of race without them. From the Forumla 1 drivers contacting the pit crews, to the on-hand paramedics ready to rush into action at any second, to those race organizers keeping things protected and secure, 2 way radios are a significant part of modern motorsports.

It’s impractical to misjudge the need for instant communications when you’re dealing with the degree of speed that these showcases can reach. Clear indicators, easily transmitted over lengthy distances, are the livelihood of any racing event.


Tuesday 10 September 2013

Find out why you ought to be purchasing Grand theft auto V on release day

That is right folks, folkettes and folking mother folkers, ‘Grand Theft Auto V’ is arriving soon!

Developed to become Rockstar’s largest ‘open world’ title up to now, we could expect this roguish misadventure to become HUGE. Even if you got the expansive simulated worlds of Grand theft auto 4, Grand theft auto: San Andreas and Red Dead Redemption and slapped them all as one, end to end, you could fit them all inside the boundaries of Grand theft auto 5’s painstakingly built virtual stage and also you’d very much have space to spare. That is not only us talking either, that’s an official announcement. Get this, even the sea floor can be fully mapped and explored.

There are 3 protagonists and you’ll be able to swap between them freely in order to discover different aspects in the story from changeable angles. When you decide which player to ‘be’ next, the camera zooms out, (Google Earth style) and deposits you in the current location of the chosen avatar. Amazing.

Do not worry however, there is much more than pretty, destroyable surroundings and numerous narratives to maintain the more murderous characters at bay. The world of Grand theft auto V is chock filled with autos, weapons and options to inflict misery upon unsuspecting civilians, if that occurs as your bag, anyhow. If you are not #in the# mood for chainsawing blameless citizens to death (and if not, why not?) it is possible to basically ‘flip them off’ and check out a number of different pre-programmed responses which are player (and district) dependent.

Apart from that, the gameplay system has had an entire refit and Grand theft auto V “evolves virtually every mechanic” according to ‘Game Informer’s Matt Bertz. The combat system has been re-jigged and the aiming and shooting controls are entirely re-made.

Generally though, the overall feel and the tone of the game won’t be experiencing any important changes. You will not be driving around delivering flowers or going to church on Sunday. You will be stealing automobiles and killing citizens.

Lots of people. Probably in a very number of vicious ways.

If you followed the series so far, then believe us, you will choose to be here for the next episode.

On this respect, GTA 5 is about what Grand theft auto has continuously been about, absolute and utter carnage. It is a gangster film that stars you; addictive, stunning plus much more advanced than ever before…

Get Grand theft auto V on the 19th of september now

Thursday 29 August 2013

The best place to get a DP3400 earpiece

Last time we talked about that James Bond may use the earpiece we’re just about to describe if he were helping a mate to protect a nightspot. We understand that it is a strange state of affairs to find yourself in, but it’s probably happened a couple of times in some early Ian Fleming drafts…(Editor’s Note: Wow. That’s quite a tangent. Well done).

The Dp 3400 earpiece looks excellent, works well and does not cost a lot of money. You really cannot criticize it on its merits.

The Motorola dp3400 earpiece features an HQ PTT that has incredible clarity and depth of sound. Any instruction, even if a laryngitis-stricken Muttley offers it to you from the library somewhere, might be clear, clean and crisp to the ear.

But that is not all, not by a long shot. The clear tube is almost concealed, made specifically for concealment and discretion; it even is included with an extra earbud.

It even has (and we swear we’re not making this up) a hidden micro-speaker located at the bottom of the centre of that PTT switch.

Earpieceonline lists this earpiece at £27.50, but that strikes us a veritable bargain. This earpiece is covert, brilliantly designed and very high quality. It is also robust and hard wearing. Of all the devices we have looked at so far, the Dp 3400 earpiece is certainly the coolest looking. When it comes to performance, it is also the best one we’ve considered so far.

The Dp 3400 earpiece is compatible with LOADS of Motorola (and Motorola TRBO radios) including (but not at all limited to): DP, DGP, XPR and XiR Series. XiR-P8200, XiR-P8208, XiR-P8260, XiR-P8268, XPR6300, XPR6350, XPR6500, XPR6550, DGP-4150, DGPTM 4150+, DGPTM 6150, DGPTM 6150+, DP-3400, DP-3401, DP-3600 and DP-3601 and the MTP850s.

Overall, this is really a fine device. The Dp 3400 is a wonderful earpiece, available at a fairly competitive value, with that cool, functional design and a great deal going for it. No, this is not a similar model the CIA use when guarding Mr. Obama, but it is not a hundred million miles removed, either. This earpiece will do a great job, whilst simultaneously not breaking the bank.

Sunday 11 August 2013

Can a Smart TV browse the net?

Right now, as in the very moment you read this, I am sure that someone, somewhere out there across the greater landscapes that structure planet Earth, has a debate about what they like better: Television on the web.

It’s a noteworthy query, actually. The main disparity between the 2 (as both are largely sedentary, involving staring at a screen for an extended period of time) is that internet browsing is an energetic (or rather, interactive) activity, whereas TV is mostly a passive one.

Within the 1990’s, a bunch of self-appointed cultural watchdogs took it upon itself to fabricate many pseudoscientific reasons that TV, a passive, mostly entertaining activity loved by billions around the globe, was a wholly bad and damaging thing. The only ‘evidence’ even slightly believable they may provide you with was that repetitive exposure to open sex and violence at the young age can warp a child’s perception of the world (like we couldn’t have figured that out for ourselves) and that sitting too close to a display knackers your eyes.

Naturally, if a close relative lets TV bring up their child, the child will develop becoming a moron, but if ever the parent has made this choice of their own volition; it stands to reason that the kid was genetically inclined to moronism in the first place.

Within the mid 2000s, the very same band of watchdogs took it upon themselves to reveal just the level of harmful stuff there’s on the World wide web. Like we did not already know. Even going as much as to say that children’s active contribution in online gaming could warp a kid’s (already fragile from excessive Television, you understand) perception of our world. Now, while some of us set free an maddened cry of ‘What precisely can people do that’s both healthy and not boring enough to kill you right away!’ whilst wondering at what point parental accountability would turn out to be an element on this oh-so tedious ‘debate’, the Television and PC manufacturers did something extraordinary: they developed a Television that allow you to browse the Net.

Someplace in the last decade roughly, the straightforward family telly became re-fashioned as the ‘entertainment centre’ that is a section of your front room devoted to leisure, where really the only chance of tension is inadvertently channel surfing over to the News bulletin during the adverts of Star Trek or finally getting the bill on the blasted thing.

The Smart Television actually permits you to surf the net, in real time, like you’d do on your computer. It is possible to get applications, social network (that is a fancy way of saying ‘check your Facebook’), watch movies your friends have uploaded and catch the exclusive web-only shows which are putting Television writing, acting and directing in the reach of the common chap. Yes, your Television is now both active and passive. The choice is yours. That’s the thing about TV, and maybe the thing that our ethical guardians find so despicable, TV always gives you a choice, even if that choice to switch it off and go for a walk every once in a while.

So, to return to our original scene, our one who can’t decide between the two, now does not need to, as he or she can do both, in the same place. Smart TV has developed the television into a powerful, all encompassing multimedia tool and, for the next 5 items in this series; I’ll be providing you with information about the practical applications and far-reaching usefulness of this latest home entertainment innovation. Stay tuned.