tagged w/ Cool
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old New York in colour
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neham
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1 year ago
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The Samsung YP-Q3 was a 2.2-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels (QVGA), voice recorder, FM radio with RDS applications reading text file, and a battery provides up to 45 hours of music playback, up to 6 hours of video playback. It is supplied microUSB port and come in two color schemes ? black and white silver pink.The Samsung YP-Q3 was a 2.2-inch TFT screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels... more
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Music video for "Weapons For War" by A Lull. Directed by Anthony Ciannamea. From the album Confetti on Mush Records. www.mushrecords.com. Additional Credits: Producer/DP/Editor - Anthony Ciannamea; Camera Operators - Anthony Ciannamea, Lane Fujita and Mark Wisniowski; Assistants - Mike Brown, Todd Miller and Lenny Ciannamea; Wardrobe and Effects - A Lull and Anthony Ciannamea; Creatures - Nigel Evan Dennis and Ashwin DeepankarMusic video for "Weapons For War" by A Lull. Directed by Anthony Ciannamea.... more
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A centuries-old religious ceremony of an indigenous people in southern Mexico has led to small evolutionary changes in a local species of fish, according to researchers from Texas A&M University.
Since before the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World, the Zoque people of southern Mexico would venture each year during the Easter season deep into the sulfuric cave Cueva del Azufre to implore their deities for a bountiful rain season. As part of the annual ritual, they release into the cave's waters a distinctive, leaf-bound paste made of lime and the ground-up root of the barbasco plant, a natural fish toxin. Believing the cave's fish to be gifts from their gods, they scoop up their poisoned prey to feed upon until their crops are ready to harvest.
However, a team of researchers led by Dr. Michael Tobler, an evolutionary ecologist at Oklahoma State University, and Dr. Gil Rosenthal, a biology professor at Texas A&M, has discovered that some of these fish have managed not only to develop a resistance to the plant's powerful toxin, but also to pass on their tolerant genes to their offspring, enabling them to survive in the face of otherwise certain death for their non-evolved brethren.
Their findings recently were published in the online journal Biology Letters.
Tobler has been studying the small, cave-dwelling fish species known as the Atlantic molly or Poecilia mexicana and its uncanny ability to survive in the toxic sulfur environment of Cueva del Azufre since 2004. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Zurich in 2008 and spent the next two years as a postdoctoral research associate at Texas A&M, studying under Rosenthal and Dr. Kirk Winemiller, a professor in wildlife and fisheries science, as part of a two-year, $79,000 Swiss National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship.
After learning about the Zoque people's sacred ritual and witnessing the event firsthand in 2007, Tobler and Rosenthal decided to investigate the effects of this peculiar ceremony on the mollies and their habitat. Ironically, it was the last ceremony ever held, as the Zoques ended the practice that year due to political pressure from the government, which sought to preserve the cave as a hotbed for tourism and potential revenue.
"We wanted to do a lab experiment where we exposed fish from different parts of the creek to barbasco," Tobler says. "Some of these fish had been more exposed than others."
In March 2010, the team collected molly specimens from two different areas of the cave annually exposed to the barbasco toxin as well as from two different areas upstream, further away from the Zoque's ritual. With both groups of fish in a single tank, they then introduced the barbasco root to determine how both groups would react.
They found that the mollies annually exposed to the barbasco indeed were more resistant than the fish further upstream -- to the extent that they were able to swim in the noxious water nearly 50 percent longer. Tobler and Rosenthal's group concluded that human beings had, over time, not only affected molly population dynamics, but also inadvertently kick-started the evolutionary process of natural selection as well. Mollies able to tolerate the poisonous conditions survived and passed those traits to their offspring, resigning those that perished to their fate of serving as a ceremonial feast for the Zoque.
"The cool thing is that this ceremony has gone on a long time and that the fish responded to it evolutionarily," Tobler says. "Lots of species couldn't live with these changes. It highlights how nature is affected by human activity."
Rosenthal contends that the idea of imposing evolutionary divergence on a species at an extremely localized spatial scale is not a new concept. In fact, he says, it's been happening since the beginning of humankind and that the idea of the "noble savage" is passé.
"We tend to have this wonderful Pocahontas idea that before Europeans came in, everything was pristine and in harmony with nature and that all of the changes in our environment have been post-industrialization," he explains. "No. People have been changing the environment forever."
Moreover, Rosenthal says, once a species has become genetically adapted to human presence, it is not very easy to suddenly reverse.
Their ritual since banned, the Zoques still perform a mock ceremony each Easter season. Tobler, however, would like to see the Zoque's original ceremony resume, but in a way that is sustainable to nature as well as other cave inhabitants. The key, he and Rosenthal believe, is to find a balance between human activity and their environment. In the case of the Zoques, it may mean a few limitations on barbasco usage for their ritual, such as releasing the toxin only 50-to-60 meters into the cave rather than 100 meters.
Pending further resolution, Tobler will continue his research with the mollies at Oklahoma State, where they are housed in a special tank built to safely imitate their sulfuric living conditions in Cueva del Azufre.
"We need to understand what the impact really is on these fish rather than eliminate the ceremony completely," Tobler says. "We want to hopefully find a balance between the cultural practices of these people and the ecosystem."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/11/101105091811.htmA centuries-old religious ceremony of an indigenous people in southern Mexico has led... more
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Meet Jordan, a college student giving up XBOX for http://www.ForgottenVoices.org. Jordan is part of a super rad event called Nervosity, which raises money for orphans every summer. What would you do to help the orphans we love to serve?Meet Jordan, a college student giving up XBOX for http://www.ForgottenVoices.org.... more
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Meet Chris, a high school student who gave up money he saved for a car to support a farm project at The Rock, a church partner of http://www.ForgottenVoices.org. Chris is part of a super rad event called Nervosity, which raises money for us every summer. What would you do to help the kids we love to serve?Meet Chris, a high school student who gave up money he saved for a car to support a... more
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A new X-ray emitting object in the Milky Way has been recently announced by the Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) team and the Swift satellite astronomers. MAXI, a JapanAerospace Exploration Agency supported instrument, monitors the entire sky in the X-ray portion of the spectrum from its perch on the International Space Station module “Kibo”. On October 12th, MAXI noticed nothing out of the ordinary in a portion of the sky in the constellation Centaurus.
On October 17th, however, things started to brighten up in the region but were still dark enough that the team wanted to analyze their observations before announcing it to the world. By the 20th, they were able to confirm the X-ray source as something more unusual, and sent out an Astronomer‘s Telegram (ATel No.2959) at 2:00 a.m. EDT alerting other astronomers to the object.
The Swift satellite – in keeping with its name – began taking observations a mere nine hours later. Swift is equipped with an X-ray telescope, as well as an optical/ultraviolet telescope, and is designed to maneuver quickly to home in on gamma-ray bursts (GRBs)
David Burrows, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State and the lead scientist for Swift’s X-ray Telescope said in a press release, “The Swift observation suggests that this source is probably a neutron star or a black hole with a massive companion star located at a distance of a few tens of thousands of light years from Earth in the Milky Way…The contribution of Swift’s X-ray Telescope to this discovery is that it can swing into position rapidly to focus on a particular point in the sky and it can image the sky with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution.”
The object has been named MAXI J1409-619. The area of the sky that it was discovered in is not a known source of bright X-rays, though there were two dimmer objects located in the same area detected by the BeppoSAX X-ray survey on January 29th, 2000. One of the objects is consistent with the Swift observation, though this most recent flare-up made it almost 52 times brighter in the X-ray than previously observed.
X-ray novae are short-lived events, with an initial bright burst that falls off over a period of weeks or months. Their source is generally understood to be material falling into a black hole or accreting onto a neutron star.
This is not the first discovery made by the MAXI instrument. It detected another X-ray source on the 25th of September in the constellation Ophiuchus – named MAXI J1659-152.
http://www.universetoday.com/76559/another-x-ray-nova-detected-by-iss-swift/A new X-ray emitting object in the Milky Way has been recently announced by the... more
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Freestyle BMX at its best as Tim Knoll shows why he's one of the finest two wheel riders around.
http://vimeo.com/15842862Freestyle BMX at its best as Tim Knoll shows why he's one of the finest two wheel... more
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richjm
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added this
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1 year ago
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The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots (196 mph, 315 km/h) was faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s.The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top... more
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Meet Jordan, a college student giving up XBOX for http://www.ForgottenVoices.org. Jordan is part of a super rad event called NervosityMeet Jordan, a college student giving up XBOX for http://www.ForgottenVoices.org.... more
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Scientists at Kew's Jodrell Laboratory have discovered that Paris japonica, a striking rare native of Japan(1), has the largest genome(2) of them all -- bigger than the human genome and even larger than the previous record holder -- the marbled lungfish.
The results are published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. The diversity of genome sizes (the amount of DNA) in plants and animals has fascinated but at the same time puzzled scientists since this variation was first detected in the early 20th century. How and why such diversity evolved are important unanswered questions because we know that it has biological and ecological consequences that affect the distribution and persistence of biodiversity.
There is a staggering diversity of genome sizes. The smallest genome (3) so far reported (0.0023 pg of DNA) is found in a parasite (Encephalitozoon intestinalis) of humans and other mammals. The human genome, at 3.0 pg, is 1300 times larger than this, but this pales into insignificance compared to those found in some animals and plants.
Among animals, some amphibians have enormous genomes, but the largest recorded so far is that of the marbled lung fish (Protopterus aethiopicus) with 132.83 pg(3) . Among plants, the record holder for 34 years was a species of fritillary(4) (Fritillaria assyriaca) until earlier this year when a Dutch group knocked the fritillary off the top spot when they found that a natural hybrid of trillium (Trillium × hagae), related to herb paris had a genome just 4% larger than the fritillary (132.50 pg).
This was widely thought to be approaching the maximum size that a genome could reach, until this summer when a team of Kew scientists discovered that the genome of another close relative of herb paris, Paris japonica from Japan, is a staggering 15% bigger than the genome of either the trillium or the fish at a whopping 152.23 pg
Ilia Leitch, Research Scientist in the Jodrell Laboratory, says "We were astounded when we discovered that this small stunning plant had such a large genome -- it's so large that when stretched out it would be taller than Big Ben.
"Some people may wonder what the consequences are of such a large genome and whether it really matters if one organism has more DNA than another. The answer to this is a resounding "yes, it does," and the consequences operate at all levels from the cell up to the whole organism and beyond. In plants, research has demonstrated that those with large genomes are at greater risk of extinction, are less adapted to living in polluted soils and are less able to tolerate extreme environmental conditions -- all highly relevant in today's changing world."
Another example of the significance and importance of genome size in both animals and plants, is the fact that the more DNA there is in a genome, the longer it takes for a cell to copy all its DNA and divide. The knock-on effect of this is that it can take longer for an organism with a larger genome to complete its life cycle than one with a small genome. It is no coincidence that many plants living in deserts which must grow quickly after rains have small genomes enabling them to grow rapidly. In contrast, species with large genomes grow much more slowly and are excluded from such habitats.
Genome size is also positively correlated with nuclear size (the more DNA you have the more space you need for it), and, in many cases, also with cell size which can have knock-on consequences at the whole organism level.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101007120641.htmScientists at Kew's Jodrell Laboratory have discovered that Paris japonica, a... more
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PHILIPPINES: Crimes and Crucifixions
In this episode: the Madventures guys are looking for faith, hope and charity where none is usually found – prisons and cemeteries. Riku becomes a practicing catholic in the most painful sense of the word as the boys take part in the Easter ceremonies like you rarely get to see.PHILIPPINES: Crimes and Crucifixions
In this episode: the Madventures guys are... more
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YouTube user Joe Penna, otherwise known as MysteryGuitarMan, has released what is quite possibly his best video yet, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” performed with slide whistles. This video showcases why he is so popular on YouTube: I mean, there’s a kazoo.YouTube user Joe Penna, otherwise known as MysteryGuitarMan, has released what is... more
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I just came across this video and I think it is pretty cool. I don't know how the guy is doing it but it looks awesome. Have a look!I just came across this video and I think it is pretty cool. I don't know how the... more
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erinna
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added this
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1 year ago
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However the animal died after been captured by villagers in a remote region of Laos.
The critically endangered mammal, which is found in the mountains of Vietnam and Laos, was first discovered in 1992.
The saola, which looks similar to the antelopes of North Africa, but is more closely related to wild cattle, is so elusive it has been likened to the unicorn, despite having two horns, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said.
It has never been seen by conservation experts in the wild and the last confirmed sighting was from camera traps in 1999.
The animal is listed as critically endangered, with just a few hundred thought to exist in the wild.
Conservationists said that with none in zoos and almost nothing known about how to keep them in captivity, if the species vanish in the wild they will be extinct.
The Laos government said villagers in the country's central province of Bolikhamxay captured the saola in late August and brought it back to their village.
When news of the capture reached the authorities a team was sent, advised by the IUCN and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), to examine and release the animal.
Unfortunately the adult male saola was weakened by several days in captivity and died shortly after the team reached the remote village. It was photographed while still alive.
IUCN saola working group coordinator William Robichaud said: ''The government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic and WCS are to be commended for their rapid response and efforts to save this animal.
''We hope the information gained from the incident can be used to ensure that this is not the last Saola anyone has a chance to see.''
The provincial conservation unit of Bolikhamxay province said the animal's death was ''unfortunate'' but the incident confirmed an area where it was still found and the government would immediately strengthen conservation efforts there.
And Dr Pierre Comizzoli, a member of the IUCN saola working group, said study of the animal's carcass could yield some good from the incident.
''Our lack of knowledge of saola biology is a major constraint to efforts to conserve it.
''This can be a major step forward in understanding this remarkable and mysterious species.
''It's clear that further awareness-raising efforts about the special status of saola are needed but the saola doesn't have much time left.
''At best a few hundred survive, but it may be only a few dozen. The situation is critical.''
It is not clear why the villagers, who reportedly found the animal in the village's sacred forest, took the saola into captivity, but the authorities are urging villages in the area not to capture them and to release any they might encounter.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8006076/Asian-unicorn-spotted-for-first-time-in-a-decade.htmlHowever the animal died after been captured by villagers in a remote region of Laos.... more
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Some people might think dubstep is a new phenomenon, but it actually grew out of garage and grime about a decade ago. In Croydon, south London, there was a shop called Big Apple Records that acted as a hub for people into all sorts of bass-led music (sadly, it closed five years ago). I had a recording studio above the shop and started the Big Apple record label with John Kennedy and DJ Hatcha. We were the first label to sign Skream and Benga when they were just 15 years old alongside Digital Mystikz (DMZ), Mala, Coki and Loefah. These artists made some of the first dubstep records.
Around this time Hatcha, who also worked at Big Apple, was championing this sound at a London club night called FWD. We were all making records for Hatcha to spin and meeting in the record shop to discuss the sound we were making. It was a bit like a bass university. And through Benga, Skream, Oris Jay, Plastician, Chef, LB, Kode 9, N Type and Benny Ill, the dubstep sound was brought to life.
We have just finished the festival season with Reading and Leeds. This is unbelievable for us, considering a few years ago you wouldn't get to play those festivals unless you had a guitar in your hand or a set of drums in front of you. It shows how much this music has grown in the past few years that a non "rock'n'roll" band can be accepted at a major rock festival (although it should be pointed out that we continue some of the old rock'n'roll traditions after the shows).
I was speaking to Skream this weekend about how dubstep has gone so far in the past three years – we were wondering if a new style of music has ever spread around the world so rapidly. If you think about drum'n'bass taking off in the 90s, a scene would blow up in one country in one year, then another a year or so later. The internet has changed all that and helped spread dubstep across the world almost instantly. At the same time, dubstep is constantly changing, incorporating different sounds and styles all the time.
The Outlook festival was held in Coatia last weekend, a dubstep event hosting some of the biggest names in the genre from around the world. If you thought you would hear only straight-up dubstep you were in for a surprise. Loefah played Detroit techno, Skream played metal, and Joker mixed it up with some UK funky and house.
I think the fact dubstep artists embrace other genres is a big part of why it's so difficult to define the music. The borders are becoming increasingly blurred between dubstep, grime, drum'n'bass, techno, house, funky ... everything. However, there is one element that links all of these genres together and that is ... BASS.
The music industry has been in the doldrums for a long time with few A&R people willing to take a risk. You get the feeling they are all being told by bosses to "sign us a hit or you're out". This is very short-sighted, and has done a lot of damage to the music on the majors. Luckily, we found a label (Columbia) that didn't ask us to water down our sound. Hopefully, other majors will follow suit and let their A&R teams make choices based on the music they believe in.
There are so many great acts out there, with fresh music deserving the same exposure we are getting at the moment (see below). With the support of more labels like ours, and Radio 1 willing to take risks as they have in supporting us, the remainder of 2010 and 2011 will hopefully be the start of another revolutionary and exciting time in UK music.Some people might think dubstep is a new phenomenon, but it actually grew out of... more
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Challenging the World Record of Slamball Dunks_Basketball Accident
Do you like Slamball?
My Friend WB wants to be a slamball player.
We are Challenging the world record slamball.
Slamball is a popular new extreme sports in the USA
Trampoline Basketball & Basketball shooting from long distance.
It world record!!! world best !!! I Think so.
WB dribble skills so fantastic.
It's more than any Basketball moves , Jump, tricks.
Basketball is too simple.
Basketball Jump... hot hot hot!!!Challenging the World Record of Slamball Dunks_Basketball Accident
Do you like... more
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A podcast on Real Life Super Heroes (RLSH) based in the San Francisco Bay Area. This was Super Group's first podcast, enjoy.
Like the ending credit song? Check out Grass Valley's band The Shreds. http://www.myspace.com/theshreds1A podcast on Real Life Super Heroes (RLSH) based in the San Francisco Bay Area. This... more
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Music video for "Lead The Floor" by K-The-I???. Directed by Speed Dial 7 for Marathon Of Dope. From the album Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow on Mush Records. The album features production by Thavius Beck and has guest appearances by Nocando, Vyle, Subtitle, High Priest, Busdriver and Mestizo. www.mushrecords.comMusic video for "Lead The Floor" by K-The-I???. Directed by Speed Dial 7 for... more
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