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    Jakarta,PP88-- UU Pemilu mengatur larangan bagi orang dengan jabatan tertentu dilibatkan dalam Pemilu 2024 mendatang. siapa saja yang dilarang ??

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Friday, February 27, 2009

Company Mascoma makes ethanol from wood--at small scale

Mascoma said on Wednesday that a demonstration facility is making ethanol from wood chips and other non-food sources, bringing cellulosic ethanol a step closer to commercialization.

The test facility in Rome, N.Y., uses different feedstocks, including wood and grasses. Production is at a rate of 200,000 gallons per year. Mascoma didn't disclose the yield, or how much biomass is converted into fuel.

The company is testing two methods for making ethanol: a traditional enzyme-based process and one using a genetically modified microbe designed to make the conversion cheaper.

Mascoma is one of a handful of upstart companies developing different technologies to convert wood chips and other non-food biomass into ethanol, which is an additive to gasoline.

Because of the economy and disrupted financial markets, non-government funding for cellulosic ethanol pilot facilities has become harder.

At the upstate New York facility, Mascoma said that it is benefiting from state grants aimed at promoting renewable energy businesses.

Software Anti-Maling who can 'yell'

In San Francisco - Laptops are often incaran into the hands of the cruel thief who want to 'memetiknya' from the hands of the owner. Some laptop manufacturers have been working to develop a system security anti-thief, but not rare that many users still lose laptopnya.


Company software developers Front Door Software exclude the application of anti-thief who is able to 'shout' if the owner of stolen laptop thief.

As dilansir Chosun.com, Friday (27/2/2009), the software is capable Retriever named yelling please ask if the thief enter the wrong password the laptop dicurinya. 'Help, this laptop is reported lost or stolen,' if that's the sound of laptop thieves failed to enter a keyword.

Not only that, the laptop monitor will display the original owner of the information every 30 seconds while you continue to give a warning cry. In addition, if the laptop has been 'shouting' and turn on, laptop will automatically search for Wi-Fi network to provide information about the existence of the laptop to the Front Door site. Laptop owner can then check the location of a stolen laptop on the site.

Laptop theft is a problem for the United States. Dell estimated that 12,000 laptops lost as much in the airport each year.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Five outdoor toy ideas just in time for spring.

Is in the house hold that the boried. Unpack the toys outside, out of camping gear, interact with the bird feeders, it will not make you boring.because spring in the air and now it's time to get outside! After a long time cooped up in the cold winter, we can all do with a little vitamin D and a good long stretch and there's no better way to do this than have some fun in the sun.

Do you see a collection of toys outside a little lackluster? You're in luck, because we have compiled a list of ten fun outdoor toys for the imagination going. These include:

1. Trampolines. Trampoline ever since the first time introduced to a global audience by the creator, George Nissen and Larry Griswold back in 1934, children and adults alike have fun, enjoy the day off. Originally designed as a tool for training gymnasts and tumblers, the pair soon realized the trampoline outside the commercial value as a toy and begin marketing as such. And best of all - no need to dig a huge hole in the back. Toy store is now the most dependable carry trampolines that can be folded for easy storage when not in use.

2. Skates, skateboards and rollerblades. Skating is a way to stimulate hand-eye coordination and children to enjoy the boot. This fun outdoor toys that come in a variety of colors and styles, so that around until you find a pair your child will enjoy.


3. Play center. Adored by preschool crowd, the center also plays a lot of ways to keep the back neat. Having a large number of separate toys lying around can quickly get messy, that is why the central wonderful toys like the idea - it combines a variety of toys without taking up too much space. A useful tip: Little Tikes outdoor toys have a great variety of play centers, including the Up 'n Slide Castle, and the Turtle Sandbox cute. The latter even comes with a cover that can be closed so that the sand does not get wet in the event of April showers.


4. Balls, bats and Frisbees. Head down to the beach? Do not forget the beach bats! And what about the Frisbee to keep young children busy while you catch up on the tan? Frisbee is no longer a predictable, repetitive game either. Add a little excitement to your game with the Nite Ize FlashFlight Blue LED Frisbee. This toy offers a fun outdoor LED lighting and it is waterproof, so it is suitable for a pool game.


5. Fort building materials. There is nothing like a big, big DIY project interesting with the family, so why not build a tree house this summer? Pick out a nice sturdy tree, get the plan off the internet and the famous uncle Bob. Fortunate enough not have a lot of big trees in your yard? Then just build a fortress. The material will be useful, including rope, glue the cold, hard board / chip board, plastic sheeting, water soluble paint and PVA staple gun. (Please note that the use of weapons that must be subject always supervised by adults who are responsible.)

And there you have it - some ideas that need to spice up your collection of outdoor toys in time at all. What are you waiting for? Make a list and go to buy toys that are now outside fun!

How to Get a Good Deal for the Used Car

If you are in the market to buy a used car, it is important to try to get the best price possible. Many people do not realize that they can negotiate with the former car salesman, so they only pay the price requested. But you can really save you hundreds of dollars just by using these simple tactics.

First, realize that the price you see on the sticker is rarely set in stone. Most of the time you will be able to negotiate for better prices. Used car business is very competitive, and they will often negotiate with you to ensure they get your business.
How to Get a Good Deal on Used Car
Never act like you like the car as much as you really do. You should not act nonchalant, like you're not completely sure the car is right for you. Once they know you really like a car, they will not be willing to negotiate as.

Be sure to point out any flaws you see in the vehicle. As in the cat scratches, cigarette burns in the upholstery, stains on the carpet, and rust should be mentioned. Things you can do so that they know the car is not as good as they say, he will show them you know what you do.

Preparing yourself before you enter negotiations. If you need to, tell them your sales people will come back another time. You can go home and find out the Kelley Blue Book value of the car you want to buy, and then you will be more ready to negotiate for the price accordingly.


If you can not find much information about the car you are interested to buy, you can visit the forum and ask about the car. People are the most car forum is very knowledgeable, and usually will be able to give advice. They are experienced enough with the car theme, and helpful people.

The more information you, it will be easy for you to negotiate the best price for your car. Being prepared you can save several hundred dollars off the price, and it only takes a minimum amount of time to research the model.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do when negotiating the price of new cars will be ready to walk. Not so much fall in love with a car that can not run if the sales person refuses to negotiate on price.

Most of the time, just threatening to leave will cause sales people to rethink the situation. Sometimes you can really should start running if they will not work with you. And remember, if you can not talk to them in your work at all, there are more used car dealerships in your area who will be thrilled to your business.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

U.S. Help Prepare for Rp1 Trillion Over Gaza


Jerusalem - United States will provide funds of USD900 million ataus as much Rp1 trillion more for reconstruction in the Gaza Strip due to the attack destroyed three more weekends of Israel.

According to the plan the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hillary Clinton will deliver the plan of assistance for the international conference in Gaza in Cairo Egypt, March 2.

Israel and Palestinian officials on Monday said yesterday, Hillary will be the edges of the West and Israel after attending the conference.

A U.S. government official who refused his name mentioned as quoted Associated Press, Tuesday (24/2/2009) states, Barack Obama set up the government funds up to USD900 million for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. Funds will be channeled melalaui Palestinian Authority government led by Mahmoud Abbas.

Officials said that, the number still has not been ascertained, but in the range of USD900 million.

Microsoft backtracks on severance issue

Microsoft in the middle of lye waves criticism, Microsoft backtracking on the decision to ask the laid off workers to pay back the money that the software maker said the plan was less than the cutting.

View results

Over the weekend, Microsoft confirmed it is cutting to some underpaid workers and others. At that time, the company did not say how much money is involved, but that the workers sent a letter of claim they will be required to pay back the excess money from them because of the cutting.

On Monday, Microsoft HR chief Lisa Brummel said the company is reversing course.

"I thought it was not reasonable for us to continue on the road at us," he told CNET News. Twenty-five workers and about 20 more underpaid, Microsoft said.

Brummel said that he had spoken or left a message to those who are most affected.

Brummel said the more received, on average, about $ 4000 or $ 5000 in extra pay.

"I have now called 22 of 25 employees affected, not only because I have time for three but I will hang up after us," said Brummel.

In general, said Brummel reasonable for companies to get money back if you make an accounting mistake, but he recognizes the extraordinary situation that is one. Brummel said the company was more at one point during her long tenure.

"This really happened to me and I write a company check," he said. "It may happen to other people."

Later on Monday Microsoft issued the following statement about this:

Last week, 25 former employees of Microsoft has been informed that they are as part of their cutting payments from the company. This is a mistake to us. We must handle this situation in a more tactful way. We will reach those who are affected to relay that we will not ask for payment from the individual.

Microsoft also said that the company is immediately reimbursing employees underpaid.

Java Jazz 2009

the open-open the site www.javajazzfestival.com that there are some artists who already menkonfirmasi to play in the 2009 Java Jazz artist-arstisnya is as follows:
Eliane Elias, Howard Hewitt, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Tom Scott & Paulette Mc Williams, Wynton Marsalis & Lincoln Jazz Orchestra.
Wow .. kurt rosenwinkel .. hmmmm rosenwinkel Kurt is a young talented guitarist who again talked-about of late, of course, attendance at the 2009 Java Jazz is an excitement for lovers of Jazz India, besides gold also appear wynton .. :) Wynton Marsalis is a jazz legend, trumpeter and composer of the era's leading modern jazz kehdairannya certainly hope we are ..


addition, they also show the names of the artists who have not provided confirmation on the attendance at the 2009 Java Jazz. Artisnya name is:

B B King
Brad Mehldau Trio
Brandford Marsalis
Chick Corea
Diana Krall
Ed Motta
George Michael
Harry Connick
Ivan lins
John Mc Laughlin
John Meyer
Larry Clothier
Lonnie Smith
Michael Bolton
Michael Buble
Michael Camilo
Michael Franks
Pat Metheny
Peabo Bryson
Pharaoh Sanders
Randy Brecker
Regina Carter
Roberta Gambarini
Roy Ayers
Roy Hargrove
Sade
Swing Out Sister
Toots Thielemans

Nah lo .. Pingin anyone watching you ..
let us all hope that they can appear, hehe:)

Election President and Vice President of Indonesia 2009

On 9 April 2009, Election of Vice President and President of Indonesia will be held, in this election to choose the pair hold the President and Vice President of Indonesia 2009-2014 period. Election is the second time held in Indonesia.

The candidates the President and Vice President proposed by political parties or a combination of the political party General Elections Member of the Board of Representatives in 2009. The candidates the President and Vice President who have a voice of more than 50% of the vote in the general election with at least 20% vote in each province in which more than half the number of provinces in Indonesia, to be appointed President and Vice President. If the candidates do not have the President and the Vice President is selected, two of the candidates get most votes in the first and second general election are chosen by the people directly and get the sound that most people appointed as President and Vice President.

Candidates for President will

Some figures have been announced will be put up or receive the nomination in 2009, including:

* Former President Abdurrahman Wahid [2]
* Former Chairman of the House of Representatives Akbar Tandjung [3]
* Former President Megawati Soekarnoputri [4]
* Executive Director of Freedom Institute Rizal Mallarangeng [5] [6]
* President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. [7]
* Former Governor of DKI Jakarta Sutiyoso. [8]
* Former Minister of State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra [9]

Figures which had put up the possibility, among others,

* Governor of Yogyakarta Hamengkubuwono X. [10]
* Vice President Jusuf Kalla. [11]
* The former Kostrad Prabowo Subianto, [12]

Other figures who have seen opportunities in the presidential election, among others,

* The former Army National Indonesia / Panglima ABRI Wiranto. [13]

Survey

* Health announced that a national study by Center for Democracy and Human Rights (Pusdeham) in November 2007 (the number of respondents = 3527) shows 17.1% of respondents support Hamengkubuwono X; Chairman of the MPR Hidayat Nur Wahid 11.7%; Chairman of the Public PAN Sutrisno Bachir 8.7%; Yusril Ihza Mahendra 8.6% and 3.9% Anas Urbaningrum. [14]
* Surveys the national barometer announced by Indo in December 2007 (n = 1200) shows 49.5% of respondents would support Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the 2009 election, Joseph Kalla supported 21.7%, and Hamengkubuwono X get 14.7%. [15 ]
* Surveys conducted by national institutions Surveys Indonesia in January 2008 (n = 1200) shows the name of 20 candidates, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono supported by 34%, Megawati's 24.2%, Sri Sultan 6.6%, Gus Dur 4.4%, 4.1% Wiranto Amien Rais 3 %, and Jusuf Kalla 1.9%. [16] [17]

Footer

1. ^ Numbers Susilo Keeps stable in Indonesia. Angus Reid Global Monitor. Accessed on 2008-02-10
2. ^ "Gus Dur Bersedia nominated in the 2009 Election", KOMPAS, 2007-12-30. Accessed on 2008-01-16.
3. ^ "Akbar Tanjung ready to join next year` s presidential election, "ANTARA, 2008-05-25. Accessed on 2008-05-27.
4. ^ "Former president Megawati announces re-election bid", ABC, 2007-09-13. Accessed on 2008-01-16.
5. ^ Rizal Mallarangeng. Facebook. Accessed on July 18
6. ^ "Rizal Mallarangeng for President", Sumbawanews.com, 2008-07-12. Accessed on 2008-07-18.
7. ^ "President SBY More Ready to fight in 2009", Kompas, 2008-09-28. Accessed on 2008-10-02.
8. ^ "If Sutiyoso potential for Cawapres Choose carefully," Suara Merdeka, 2007-10-02. Accessed on 2008-01-16.
9. ^ Asrul, "Yusril Mantap Be President Candidate 2009", Kompas TV, 2008-03-02. Accessed on 2008-05-27.
10. ^ "Indonesian sultan to run for president," the Sydney Morning Herald, 2008-01-16. Accessed on 2008-01-16.
11. ^ "SBY JK undisturbed so desire Capres", Suara Merdeka, 2007-10-03. Accessed on 2008-01-16.
12. ^ Http://www.detiknews.com/read/2008/07/14/122946/971553/10/prabowo-ngaku-nggak-akan-ngoyo-soal-capres
13. ^ 5 Capres 2009 Main Division. LSI / Detik.com. Accessed on 2008-01-14
14. ^ Bahri, Nina; Noviar Jamal, "Indonesia's 2009 election candidates," SCTV / MediaScrape, 2007-11-06. Accessed on 2007-12-13.
15. ^ "JK and Sri Sultan Favorites Cawapres 2009", KOMPAS, 2007-10-03. Accessed on 2007-12-13.
16. ^ Mujani, saiful (February 2008). "Economic Trends sentiment-Politics 2008" (pdf). Institute Surveys Indonesia. Retrieved on 2008-02-10.
17. ^ "Indonesia president still No.1 election choice - poll", Reuters, 2008-02-06. Accessed on 2008-02-10.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Hamas Send Letter To Obama By John Kerry


Washington, Groups Hamas send a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama. Submitted a letter that UN officials in Gaza to Democratic Senator John Kerry during a visit to Gaza.

Kerry then submit a letter to the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, Israel. "Mail is in a closed envelope, addressed to the President of the U.S.," said Kerry spokesman, Frederick Jones to the AFP news agency on Saturday (21/2/2009).

It is said Jones, Kerry received a letter from the head of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, at the end of the meeting in Gaza. However, when the UN officials did not notify anyone of that letter. Senator Kerry knows new media coverage of Hamas if that letter is.

According to UNRWA spokesman, Christopher Gunness, a letter has been "left on the gate, our offices in Gaza" and believed to come from Hamas.

Unknown what the content of the letter.

But Hamas has disputed the letter to give to Kerry. "But we are prepared for a relationship with anyone who supports the rights of Palestinian people," said Hamas spokesman, Fawzi Barhum.

During his visit in Gaza, Kerry does not meet Hamas representatives. Be the Senator had put up a U.S. President, the existence in Gaza is not the change in U.S. policy towards Hamas group.

U.S. Government, European Union and Israel consider Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Most iPhone applications gathering dust

iPhone users have very short attention spans.

Just 30 percent of people who buy an iPhone application actually use it the day after it was purchased, according to Pinch Media, which analyzed over 30 million downloads from Apple's App Store. And the numbers plunge from there: after 20 days, less than 5 percent of those who downloaded an application are actively using it. The drop-off is worse for free applications.

Those are amazing numbers. It's not a new pattern--GigaOm and TechCrunch noticed this last August--but back then, with the App Store just a month old, it was hard to know whether that usage model would last.

Now it's clear that seven months, 15,000 applications, and 500 million downloads later, things haven't changed. App Store activity continues to be huge; Apple has made the App Store the centerpiece of its iPhone marketing over the last few months, highlighting the breadth and depth of applications that are available on the App Store for business and entertainment.

But if most people don't find iPhone applications very compelling, does it matter how many exist? It's enough to wonder if the App Store is starting to get a bit saturated.

Pinch Media CEO Greg Yardley looks at it a little differently. In his view, Apple has built such an easy-to-use distribution (as well as payment processing) platform for iPhone applications that people find it very easy to move onto the next thing that catches their fancy. The lack of a "try-before-you-buy" feature means iPhone users have no choice but to take the plunge, and given that most iPhone applications are free and the ones that do cost money are very inexpensive, there's little incentive to carefully shop around for the one application that best meets your needs.

Only about 10 percent of iPhone applications appear to retain an audience over time, and most of those are games, entertainment applications such as movie listings, and things like Facebook ("their user sessions must be off the charts," Yardley said).

But developers are still making plenty of money from the other 90 percent, he said. As noted, people are very willing to try new iPhone applications, meaning that building a better mousetrap is still a very viable business model for the world of mobile computing. His advice for developers is to get your money up front, and charge something for your application rather than trying to depend on a free/ad-subsidized model, because the number of people viewing those ads will plummet the day after the application lands on their iPhones.

At some point, however, Apple will need to find a better way to help developers promote their applications within an ocean. "The App Store fails as a promotional mechanism. There's only so much screen real estate" that Apple can use within the App Store window to promote applications, Yardley said, and if you don't get on those Top 100 or Staff Favorites lists, your application languishes.

Yardley thinks there is still a great deal of opportunity for developers on the App Store, which isn't that surprising given he makes his living by advising iPhone developers. And it's true that if the installed base of iPhones continues to grow, there will be more and more niche opportunities to cater to the needs of high-school students and seniors, and everyone in between.

Still, how many more currency conversion (37), recipe (67), and fart-joke (30) applications do iPhone users really need, especially if they aren't using the ones they've already got?

How Better Place plans to revive the electric car

Better Place-compatible Nissan Rogue



This interview was originally posted at CNET Australia. We have reposted it because the U.S. faces similar challenges to Australia in adopting electric-vehicle technology.

q&a We sat down with the CEO of Better Place Australia, Evan Thornley, to discuss how his company plans to make the electric car a reality in Australia.

Last year we reported on Better Place's deals with various national and state governments, such as Israel, Denmark, Hawaii, and California, to roll out infrastructure to assist in the adoption of electric vehicles (EV) from about 2011 onwards. This infrastructure will primarily consist of battery exchange stations, where drivers of Better Place compatible EVs can have their nearly depleted battery pack swapped out for a fully charged set, and EV charging points, located in homes as well as public places.

At the end of January, Evan Thornley was appointed as CEO of Better Place's Australian operations. Thornley was a founder of LookSmart and recently quit his seat in the Victorian State Parliament on the eve of his elevation to the ministry, raising the ire of the state's Liberal opposition. He and Guy Pross, the company's director of government affairs, sat down for a chat with CNET Australia about how Better Place plans to convert Australia's car fleet to electric vehicles.

CNET Australia: So why was Australia chosen?

Evan Thornley: Well, we think that this system works best for high-kilometer drivers. So the best way to prove that was to target a country which has plenty of those.

Could you please elaborate on how your system "works best for high-kilometer drivers?"

ET: Once the recharging infrastructure exists and the battery's sitting in the car, then, if you pay full commercial price for renewable energy, the energy costs of driving one kilometer down the road in an EV is about 1/7th the cost of driving that same kilometer using petrol.

Australia spends AU$20 billion to AU$30 billion a year on petrol, depending on the oil price and the currency. If we're able to convert the whole fleet over, then the renewable energy costs to power that fleet would be around AU$5 billion a year.

Who do we create the most value for the quickest then? The people who drive the most number of kilometers, because that's when we're displacing the largest amount of petrol. These drivers are the most attractive for us because, when you look at the lifetime cost of a car, much of it goes into the petrol tank not the vehicle itself.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Sony springs a couple new Cyber-shot W models for Spring

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290

The W290 comes in a rather subdued palette of colors

(Credit: Sony Electronics)

Joining the lower-middle middle-class W220 that Sony announced at CES are the $199 middle middle-class W230 and $249 upper-middle middle-class W290. (Sorry folks, but I'm running out of ways to describe mid-priced cameras.) While the W230 only differs from the W220 by $10 and LCD size--it's 3 inches vs. 2.7--the W290 has the same resolution and LCD as the W230 but with a significantly more flexible lens and better movie capture capabilities.

In fact, based on the specifications the W290 sounds like a better deal than the W300. It's about $80 less (including Sony recent price drop on the W300 by $20). And though it's only 12 megapixels compared to the W300's 13.6, that's a pretty trivial difference compared to the nontrivial advantage the W290's 3-inch LCD, wide-angle 5X 28-140mm-equivalent lens and 30fps 720p MPEG-4 movie capture offer over the W300's 2.7-incher, narrow angle 3X zoom lens and VGA video. The W290 also includes Sony's latest automatic scene and face detection technologies, and doesn't include the hideously annoying and confusing Home menu anymore. If it's not abysmally slow and doesn't produce terrible photos, I think the W290 might be a mainstream contender for 2009. We'll get one, get going and get back to you when it's available later this Spring.

Microsoft hopes 'Windows phone' has a ring to it

Prithvi Raj, a product manager for Microsoft, demonstrates the new Windows Mobile 6.5 running in an HTC touch-screen handset at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona.

(Credit: Marguerite Reardon/CNET Networks)

Microsoft is trying to sell the world on the notion of a "Windows phone."

The first part of that effort is simple. It's a rebranding exercise. Although Microsoft will continue to sell its Windows Mobile operating system, it is going to put its marketing muscle behind the term "Windows phone" to describe the devices that run its software.

The second part is trickier: convincing consumers that they want a Windows phone as opposed to all of the other smartphones on the market, such as the iPhone, BlackBerry, or Palm's Pre, to name just a few.

On Monday at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona, Spain, the company is showing off Windows Mobile 6.5, an update to its operating system aimed at making the software more "finger friendly" and just more appealing to consumers in general. The update, which won't show up on phones until the fourth quarter of this year, also features an update to the mobile Internet Explorer browser and a new "marketplace" for buying software that can run on the phone.

Microsoft will also formally announce its My Phone backup and restore service, some details of which leaked out earlier this month. The service is designed to not only make sure things like calendar and contact data are synced to the Web, but also other phone data such as photos and text messages.

These are the kinds of improvements that Windows Mobile boss Andy Lees said he was alluding to in an interview with CNET last month, where he laid out Microsoft's vision for the phone.

"We talked about importance of the device being easier to use and being a window in on your life," Lees said in an interview on Friday, shortly before he headed to Barcelona.

In the earlier interview, Lees acknowledged that Microsoft had fallen somewhat behind by trying to offer software that could run on "the least common denominator" of hardware, but said that the next 12 to 18 months would bring a series of announcements that would help Microsoft thrive in a world in which phones will soon have dual-core processors and graphics abilities to rival the original Xbox.

With the new software update, Microsoft is adding a rival to the iPhone's App Store as well as making its software easier to use without having to reach for a stylus or flip down a keyboard.

But it remains a question whether Microsoft's changes will be enough, particularly as rivals improve their products over the coming year.

On the browsing front, for example, Microsoft is focusing on the fact that, while other browsers may look nice, Mobile IE can do more than the others because it is compatible with the desktop Internet Explorer 6 and with Adobe's Flash. Microsoft commissioned a study that found its browser can execute "up to 48 percent more assigned tasks than the other browsers and phones studied."

However, it is unclear that such metrics--as opposed to just plain ease of use--are what consumers use to select a phone.

Lees notes that supporting multitouch, a la the iPhone, has its downsides as well. Such phones require capacitive screens which are less precise, making things like handwriting recognition less feasible. Microsoft sells many Windows phones, for example, in Asian countries where handwriting recognition can prove far quicker than a keyboard for entering text.

Vodafone snags Android-powered HTC Magic

HTC Magic

HTC Magic

(Credit: HTC)

To our disappointment, there hasn't been a ton of Google Android news to come out of GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 so far. Huawei announced on Monday that it plans to start selling Android devices later this year, but other than that, we didn't see a T-Mobile G2, and Samsung already said it would not show its Android phone at the show and that it has been delayed till the second half of 2009.

However, we did get one device announcement. The bad news is that it's not for the U.S. market. On Tuesday, Vodafone said it will bring the HTC Magic to market this spring, the first Google Android device for the carrier. The Magic will be a Vodafone exclusive in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, and France and will be available on a non-exclusive basis in Italy.

The HTC Magic features a 3.2-inch QVGA touch screen and trackball navigator but doesn't have a slide-out QWERTY keyboard like the T-Mobile G1. The quad-band smartphone will offer various e-mail options, including Gmail (of course) and POP3 and IMAP accounts, and support Google applications like Google Maps and Google Search. Vodafone customers will also have access to Android Market where they can download more applications and games for their smartphone. Other goodies include a Webkit browser, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, HSDPA/WCDMA (900/2100MHz), and a 3.2-megapixel camera.

The HTC Magic will come in multiple colors: white for United Kingdom, Spain, and France; black for Germany; and both colors for Italy. Exact release dates and pricing schemes were not released at this time, though there was mention that the Magic would be "available from free on various price plans." Vodafone also plans to release the HTC Magic in other markets over the next few months.

Nvidia Tegra: Not just Windows, Android too

Nvidia is working with Google on Android phones as it veers off from its Windows-Mobile-only strategy.

On Monday, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Nvidia announced that it is working with Google and the Open Handset Alliance to get its Tegra processor into Android phones. Tegra is a system-on-a-chip that integrates an ARM applications processor and Nvidia's GeForce graphics silicon, among other functions. The goal is to bring robust PC-like graphics to small devices.

Tegra aims at Android phones

Tegra aims at Android phones

(Credit: Nvidia)

"We welcome Nvidia's support of Android on Tegra," Andy Rubin, Google's senior director of mobile platforms, said in a statement.

Since spring of last year, Nvidia has been talking up Tegra as a chip aimed exclusively at Windows Mobile smartphones. Not anymore. "By supporting Android, manufacturers and operators can now easily use a Tegra processor to build mobile phones," Nvidia said in a statement.

Nvidia also said Monday that its Tegra chip will enable a $99, always-on, always-connected mobile internet device (MID) capable of playing back high-definition video and going for "days between battery charges." This would be based on Windows Mobile, according to Nvidia.

The Santa Clara, Calif., company said it has partnered with ST-Ericsson to add 3G communication capability to the Windows platform.

Sirius XM agrees to $530 million Liberty Media stake

Troubled satellite radio company Sirius XM announced Tuesday, following reports, that it will accept an investment from cable giant Liberty Media.

The investment, which will save Sirius XM from bankruptcy, will take the form of $530 million in loans in exchange for an equity stake on Liberty's behalf.

The first phase of the investment will consist of a $280 million loan, $250 million of which will be funded immediately on Tuesday, a release from Sirius XM explained. The second phase, a $150 million loan, will be aimed specifically at the company's XM Satellite Radio subsidiary. Liberty will also offer to purchase up to $100 million worth of XM's outstanding loans.

"We are pleased to have come to this agreement with Liberty Media, particularly in light of today's challenging credit markets," Sirius XM CEO Mel Karmazin, whom a group of creditors had been threatening to oust if the company chose bankruptcy over an investment deal, said in a statement. "Liberty's investment is an important validation of what Sirius XM has already achieved and a vote of confidence in what we will achieve. This agreement enables Sirius XM to continue to develop the opportunities first outlined in the merger of Sirius and XM."

Sirius XM was formed in July when longstanding merger agreements between two rival satellite radio companies, Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, closed following FCC approval.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Has the ‘Obama Effect’ Come to Runway Castings?


“Some casting sheets actually said ‘No Blacks,”’ the 19-year-old model Shawn Sutton was saying on Friday, backstage at the Duckie Brown show in the Bryant Park tent. He was referring to the model castings at the recent men’s wear shows in Milan.
Related
Times Topics: Professional Models

“It was pretty brutal and, yeah, it was racist,” he added. “But things opened up a lot by Paris, so I paid it no mind.”

Mr. Sutton was one of 24 models in a show whose casting, for once, reflected some ethnic diversity. It is early days in New York’s Fashion Week, but already there are signs that the recent industry habits of exclusion may be undergoing a shift. Call it the Obama effect, if you will.

“Oh, it’s totally about Obama,” said Marcus Lloyd, a 22-year-old African American model from Dallas. “I remember my agent was like, ‘If Obama does become president, there’s going to be a lot more work for you guys.”’

Duckie Brown may not be the most representative of the 200 shows scheduled for the next week, since the label’s designers, Steven Cox and Daniel Silver, have always taken pleasure in showcasing what the writer Grace Paley once termed New York’s “gorgeous chromatic dispersion.” But why not take this as a signal of change?

One welcome effect — should that change occur and should fashion magazines and advertising agencies and designers suddenly decide to remove the Whites Only sign — would be a boost in employment for all sorts of homegrown talent.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg likes to point out that the fashion business supports more than 175,000 jobs in the city and generates some $10 billion in wages. Presumably some of those jobs go to people from the Mysterious Outer Boroughs, although you’d never guess it based on the stuff that sometimes emerges from the mouths of fashion folk.

Was the designer who recently told me she could never quite figure out where Queens is kidding? She was not. “I know it’s out there somewhere,” she said. It must be, she added. It says Queens right there on the taxi map.

Mr. Sutton grew up in a neighborhood on the border of Brooklyn and Queens, a place where the prospect of finding work in the modeling business — where a successful 19-year-old can pull down more in a good year than most mid-career doctors do— never even came up. And it never would have if an agent hadn’t spotted the handsome young man, who is half African American and half Portuguese, hauling bags of ice on his catering job.

The same is true of Courtney Taylor, 20, who recently starred in a Dior Homme campaign, and of Dominique Hollington, a 19-year-old from the Grant Houses housing projects in Harlem, who was scouted while buying a pair of Nike Sharks at a store on 125th Street.

“I never ever thought I’d be in Milan and Paris,” remarked Mr. Taylor, who had previously had in mind a basketball career that “didn’t work out.”

Growing up in the Grant Houses, Mr. Hollington said, “I didn’t think much about modeling.” He had never heard of Versace or Jean Paul Gaultier or Giuliano Fujiwara, to name three runway shows for which he was recently in Europe. For that matter, it had not seemed to him very likely that his work life would include regular trips to Italy and France.

“Fashion shows have basically been Caucasian for a while,” Mr. Sutton said. “I feel like that’s going to change now.” He added: “I’m not really a black model, I’m a model. I just love putting on the clothes and jumping into the character.”

As Mr. Sutton spoke, a producer called, “First looks” and then herded all the models toward the backstage catwalk entrance. Setting down his plastic glass of Prosecco — Shhhh! Under-age drinking backstage at a fashion show? Shock-horror!— Mr. Sutton looked around at a lineup that was black and Asian and white and Latino and Native American in something like the proportions one sees every day on the subway, yet almost never at fashion shows.

“Maybe having a black president will make the fashion industry be a little bit more about reality” he said.

Buenos Aires Book Fair, Buenos Aires, Argentina

01 Apr 2009 - 31 May 2009 Date to be confirmed


This is one of the most important cultural and publishing events in Latin America, bringing together publishers, writers, authors, booksellers, distributors, scientists, and teachers from around the world. Indeed, it is the largest fair of its type in the Spanish-speaking world, attracting well over a million readers to its pavilions. Of these, more than 8,000 are book professionals, here to participate in the excellent business opportunity offered by a vast number of national and international titles at the most competitive prices in the market. International meetings, seminars, debates and discussions form an important part of the fair. Subjects from poetry to cooking come within the overall scope, which follows a different theme each year. Activities for children and young adults ensure that the appeal is widened as far as possible. The first four days of the fair are normally reserved for professionals

Buenos Aires Tango Festival, Buenos Aires, Argentina

28 Feb 2009 - 08 Mar 2009


Intense, moody and undeniably sexy, tango is the emblematic dance of Buenos Aires and the annual Buenos Aires Tango Festival is a great place to see it at its best. The finest practitioners in the world join the peerless local artistes in a programme of tango concerts, dancing displays, exhibitions, classes and a one-minute film festival. Together they fill the city with endless possibilities to watch, listen, learn and to take part in a range of events all dedicated to this passionate dance form. This officially-organised tango-fest recognises the cultural importance of this home grown dance form, and aims to both celebrate and promote this rich component of the city's social scene.

Court sides with science, says no vaccine-autism link


Yesterday, the United State's Vaccine Court Omnibus Autism Proceeding delivered its ruling to three families who claimed that vaccines were the cause of their children's autism. The courts ruled that "the evidence does not support the general proposition that thimerosal-containing vaccines can damage infants' immune systems," thereby ending the case the parents brought before the special court.

The ruling came down not from a single jurist on the bench, but a panel of three "special masters" who were appointed to determine if Michelle Cedillo, Colten Snyder, and William Yates Hazlehurst's autism was caused by either the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or the vaccine preservative, thiomersal. These three families were test cases who represented more than 5,000 families that have brought cases before the special court. Each is seeking compensation under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, a no-fault program funded by a $0.75 per dose tax that is used to pay for injuries resulting from vaccinations.

The concept that the MMR vaccine can cause autism was first proposed by Andrew Wakefield, a British surgeon, and his theory was subsequently picked up by the British media and hyped across the world, causing parents to question whether or not it is in their children's best interest to get vaccinated. Even though numerous subsequent scientific studies were unable to replicate the original results, the hysteria surrounding autism and vaccines remains—to the extent that herd immunity is dropping to dangerously low levels in some areas. Today's ruling put the largest US vaccine court squarely on the side of good science.
Start of a scare

The entire MMR-autism scare started in 1998 when Wakefield and eleven coauthors published a paper in the medical journal The Lancet claiming that they found measles virus RNA in the bowel tissue of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

While this was a shocking result, further scientific studies could not find any evidence that linked MMR to either gastrointestinal disturbances or ASD. In the intervening years, as the scientific evidence against this concept mounted, it was discovered that Wakefield was taking money from lawyers seeking to sue vaccine manufacturers on behalf of autistic children years before he began his research. The Lancet retracted the paper and 10 of 11 of the co-authors petitioned to have their names taken off the study. And it was revealed earlier this week that Wakefield fudged the data. Even in the face of this, people still clung to the fact that MMR vaccine had the potential to cause ASD, along with a host of other possibilities.
One reason that people latch onto this idea is because of the temporal proximity of children getting vaccinated and being diagnosed with ASD; both occur around the age of 18 months. In the UK, immunization rates fell by over 10 percent after the scare, and in 2007 the country saw its first measles death in over 14 years. With pundits and celebrities pushing their cause of attempting to link autism and MMR, there is still a great deal of uncertainty in the public's mind.

Hopefully the nail in the MMR-ASD coffin has been hammered home in the past six months. Last September, a group of researchers tried a new tactic; they sought to reproduce Wakefield's exact study using much newer and more sensitive techniques. They found absolutely no data to support the idea that measles viruses from the vaccine could be found in bowel tissue or potentially lead to an ASD diagnosis.

Then, just last week, the results of an investigation were published in the Sunday Times and showed that not only was Wakefield's study flawed, but he faked and fudged data that went into the final report.
Maybe preservatives?

With the MMR-ASD link thoroughly debunked, at least from a journalistic and scientific point of view, one other bogeyman remained a possibility: the presence of mercury in vaccines. In order to keep vaccine doses sterile and free of harmful invaders—bacteria and fungi—thiomersal (also known as "thimerosal in the US") was added as a vaccine preservative in the late 1920s.

While thiomersal is a compound that contains mercury, and it is known that certain forms of mercury are harmful, there has been no scientific study to date to show that thiomersal in vaccines is harmful or leads to autism.

While thiomersal contains mercury, it is not (apparently) harmful as a chemical compound. Thiomersal is known to degrade into ethyl mercury, which is not known to be toxic to humans as it is not readily adsorbed and is efficiently excreted.

Much of the worry surrounding this topic comes from people trying to link ethyl mercury to methyl mercury, a similar compound, but one with a vastly different pharmacokinetic pathway. Methyl mercury is known to be acutely toxic due to its ability to bind to proteins and traverse the blood brain barrier leading to poisoning.

In order to alleviate fears over mercury in vaccines, the US government and many EU governments removed thiomersal from most vaccine supplies by the late 1990s and early 2000s (2001 in the US). Despite this, autism rates have continued to rise across the US. The cause for this is still under dispute; whether there is some other trigger or simply a broadened diagnostic criteria for what qualifies as ASD is hotly debated. A recent study, however, found that broadened criteria alone could not explain the ever-increasing number of diagnoses.

While the court's ruling today should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed the science behind this entire ordeal, it will hopefully reassure parents who may have been worried about vaccinating their children. Writing in the opinion for the court, Special Master George Hastings roundly criticizes the doctors who are pushing the vaccine-autism link. "Unfortunately, the Cedillos have been misled by physicians who are guilty, in my view, of gross medical misjudgment," he wrote. "I further conclude that while Michelle Cedillo has tragically suffered from autism and other severe conditions, the petitioners have also failed to demonstrate that her vaccinations played any role at all in causing those problems."

The American Medical Association released the following statement in response to today's ruling: "We need ongoing research into the causes of autism, but cannot let unfounded myths keep us from giving our children the proven protection they need against infectious diseases."

Various autism awareness groups, while not in complete agreement with the ruling, do agree that further research is needed into the underlying causes of autism and ways to help individuals and families live with it

Google grinds closer to Chrome release for Mac


Google is coming a bit closer to releasing a working version of its Chrome browser for Mac.

Programmers for the company had been building an engine that could render Web pages, but it only ran within a simple framework called the test shell. Now they've begun hooking up the renderer to a full-fledged browser, which among other things can handle multiple tasks at the same time. That's key for a real application, especially one such as Chrome that isolates each browser tab into its own computing process.

The result of the work: a screenshot of Chrome running on Mac OS X posted to the Chromium developer mailing list. "Now we can call it Chrome!" crowed programmer Avi Drissman wrote.

Granted, it's a view of Chrome failing to properly show a Web page, but it's a step in the functional direction. Google has set a deadline of shipping Chrome for the Mac and Linux by end of June.

It may not look good, but this screenshot actually marks progress in getting Chrome to run on the Mac.Moving Chrome from its initial incarnation as a Windows application to Mac OS X and Linux hasn't been easy. Ben Goodger, a Firefox programmer who now leads Chrome's interface work, griped about the difficult balance between preserving Chrome software across multiple operating systems while coping with the different abilities of each.Google chose to split some of the Chrome interface into a Mac OS X-specific incarnation, despite the maintenance difficulties that imposes, but the choice isn't as easy when wrestling with Linux's interface, he said in a January message.
Goodger said that after some teeth-gnashing, Google eventually decided to create the Linux version of Chrome using the GTK package of graphical interface components used with the GNOME user interface.

"My initial thought was that a Windows-clone would be acceptable on Linux provided the performance of the app itself was outstanding, given the general reluctance of some of the team working on Linux towards UI (user interface). But they stood up and made their case for a GTK UI," Goodger said in a February 4 message, "and...that's what we've decided to do."

Week in review: Valentines for green tech


Cupid was sweet this week on the environment, with Congress earmarking billions for energy in the economic stimulus plan, a contract awarded for a big solar power plant in Southern California, and even Google crashing the smart-grid party.


The $789 billion economic stimulus package, which the House approved Friday afternoon, includes tens of billions of dollars for energy through direct government investments and tax incentives. A vote in the Senate is expected Friday evening.

Overall, there is $50 billion for energy programs, much of it focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and $20 billion in tax incentives for renewable energy and efficiency, according to a fact sheet released by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office (click for PDF) and an Associated Press analysis.

Among the provisions are $5 billion to weatherize homes of up to 1 million low-income people; $11 billion toward smart-grid technologies to run the power grid more efficiently; $13.9 billion in loans to subsidize renewable-energy projects and transmission; $6.3 billion in state energy-efficient and clean-energy grants; and $4.5 billion to make federal buildings more energy efficient.

That's good news for the green-tech industry, which as of this week also includes--to some extent anyway--search giant Google. The company on Tuesday muscled into the burgeoning smart-grid software business, showing off a prototype Web application that displays home energy consumption broken down by appliance. The software uses so-called smart meters, which can communicate home energy consumption back to utilities every few minutes.

The driving idea behind the Google PowerMeter iGoogle gadget--and nearly all smart-grid companies--is that giving consumers access to more detailed home energy data will lead to lower usage. There are dozens of smart-grid trial programs now going on, offered through utilities.

With its smart-grid push, Google is seeking to appeal directly to consumers, rather than working through utility-sponsored programs. Typically, smart-grid companies sell to utilities, giving them smart meters and software to help them operate the power grid more efficiently. As part of those programs, consumers can often get real-time information on energy use.

Speaking of utilities, Southern California Edison on Wednesday announced a giant solar energy contract with BrightSource Energy, which could eventually result in powering 845,000 homes with the sun's energy.


A new study sees cellulosic ethanol as a viable alternative for reducing oil dependence while protecting food crops.
(Credit: Sandia / Randy Wong)

Through a series of seven projects, SCE intends to purchase up to 1,300 megawatts of electricity from Oakland, Calif.-based BrightSource Energy's solar towers that use heat to produce electricity.

Although the companies didn't provide a price tag for the deal, it's one of the biggest solar energy contracts to date in the U.S. and a validation of solar tower technology. The project still needs to be approved by regulators and financed.

Also in green tech news this week, cellulosic ethanol got a boost from a study released by Sandia National Laboratories and General Motors. The U.S. can replace one third of its annual gasoline use with ethanol by 2030, the study found. And of the 90 billion gallons of ethanol that need to be produced in 2030 to meet that goal, 75 billion gallons could come from cellulosic ethanol, according to the study.

Using cellulosic ethanol--or ethanol produced from forestry or agricultural waste--is considered a way to prevent the displacement of crops that feed humans.

Another study released this week blows away the claims of a different green-energy source. A multi-site study in the U.K. found that a marginal wind resource, particularly in cities, means that rooftop small wind turbines are unlikely to meet manufacturers' claims.

Tech economy gets some love
In addition to the earmarks for energy, other tech sectors stand to benefit from the economic stimulus package (the approval of which, as an aside, was being urged by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer). Most notably, the bill includes $7 billion in grants for extending broadband services to underserved communities, according to the fact sheet from Pelosi's office.

While the broadband grants remain in the bill, however, the tax credits for broadband deployment proposed in the Senate version of the bill were removed Wednesday. Critics of the tax credits have said they would disproportionately benefit large companies like Verizon that are taxed heavily and ready to deploy faster broadband networks.

The bill, at least in its latest iteration, also provides $19 billion to promote the use of health information technology systems and includes more than $15 billion for basic scientific research, including $3 billion for the National Science Foundation and $1.6 billion for the Energy Department's Office of Science.

Intel is doing its own part for the economy, announcing this week a $7 billion investment in U.S.-based manufacturing facilities, the company's largest investment ever in a single process technology. CEO Paul Otellini told a crowd of Washington elites that the current economic recession gives the nation an opportunity to make once-in-a-lifetime changes and investments for the future.

"For nations like the United States, absolutely nothing about the future is inevitable or guaranteed--not jobs, not leadership, not our standard of living," he said. "How we deal with these changes can lead us to new heights--or they will define the beginning of a downward spiral."

It will take both public and private investments, Otellini said, for the United States to remain the world's leading innovator as well as retain its manufacturing economy.

Despite the tough times and what, as a result, has been a mostly disappearing IPO market, a trickle of public offerings were expected to make their way to Wall Street this week. The high-tech industry, however, appears largely on the sidelines, with the closest tie being online dining reservations company OpenTable, which recently filed paperwork to go public.

In another reflection on the market, companies are relying on contractors in increasing numbers, according to recent listings from technology jobs site Dice.com. But optimists point out that could be a harbinger of an improving tech employment picture.
Microsoft courting customers
After years of brushing off the notion, Microsoft surprised many on Thursday by announcing it will follow Apple by opening up its own line of retail stores.
Without detailing the plans, the company said it has hired David Porter, a 25-year Wal-Mart veteran, to lead the effort. Sources say that Porter's mission will be to develop the company's retail plans and that the effort is likely to start small with just a few locations.

Can Microsoft retail succeed where others have failed? On the surface, the decision to open a Microsoft chain of retail outlets sounds like a reasonable idea, says CNET News' Charles Cooper. With consumer spending plummeting, the competition for shoppers' attention is keener than ever. Why not hang out a shingle and give your wares top billing?

But this route has been fraught for technology companies who lost fortunes paying for under-used real estate compounded by bloated employee payrolls, Cooper contends.

Meanwhile, Microsoft, which has just received its 10,000th patent, has been making headlines this week with Windows 7 news. First, about timing: the company is moving forward with plans to launch the new operating system this year, although it still refuses to publicly commit to that goal.

PC industry sources in Asia and the U.S. tell CNET News that they have heard things are on track to launch by this year's holiday shopping season, which has been Microsoft's internal target for some time.

Microsoft is also putting the finishing touches on a program to offer Vista buyers a free or low-cost update to Windows 7. That program could kick off as early as July, sources said.

All the positive buzz for Windows 7, it turns out, is creating an interesting challenge for Microsoft: it appears to be making it tougher to get businesses to move to Windows Vista. And it's not like there has been a mad rush on that front to begin with.

Gartner did a survey in October that found about 30 percent of large businesses were likely to skip Vista and a significant number of other companies still hadn't decided what to do. Plaudits for Windows 7, combined with a weakening economy, could mean that as many as half of businesses decide to skip Vista entirely, according to Gartner analyst Michael Silver.

Meanwhile, the deadline has passed for enthusiasts to download the Windows7 beta, although you might be able to get in on a torrent site.

Also, Microsoft quietly reorganized its Zune team, splitting up the hardware and software teams, CNET News has learned.

The software and services portion of the Zune team--the bulk of its staff--will be added to the portfolio of Enrique Rodriguez, the vice president who currently runs Microsoft's Mediaroom and Media Center TV businesses. The hardware team, meanwhile, will now report to Tom Gibbons, who also leads the hardware design efforts within Microsoft's Windows Mobile unit.

And in honor of Valentine's Day, we can't help but highlight the software giant's touting this week of its romantic side. In a posting on the Channel 10 developer site, Laura Foy put together a list of Redmond products that show that "Microsoft is a super romantic love machine of a company."

Also of note
Amazon unveiled its long-awaited, second-generation e-book reader, the thinner $359 Kindle 2...A commercial U.S. communications satellite collided with a defunct Russian satellite above Siberia Tuesday creating a cloud of wreckage...Apple has started rolling out a major redesign of its retail stores to focus on software and switchers...To stand out from the compact-camera crowd, manufacturers are trying bolder ideas like GPS, high-speed video, and high-end sensors...Facebook's '25 Things' meme may have actually pulled in extra traffic to the site...Put down that Hallmark card and see which gadgets have broken Crave contributors' hearts

Samsung's Blue Earth solar phone is ultra-green


I have a few friends (who shall remain nameless) who are often unreachable because they don't charge their phones when they should. These same friends should look into the new Samsung Blue Earth, which is to be unveiled in a couple days at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. 

The phone is green, despite its blue color, and it's not just the integrated solar panels that make it so. The Blue Earth is made of recycled plastic, features a pedometer, and even software that reaffirms just how much you're helping the planet by using it. If Al Gore had one of these mobile devices in hand, it would likely explode. 

Besides being handy and eco-friendly, the phone appears to be gorgeous. The solar panels reside on the back, and the front is a full touch screen. Despite the new technologies, it should fit nicely in your pocket. We should know more about pricing and availability next week. 

Another group that might find this phone attractive would be those crazy outdoorsy types: campers, hunters, fish enthusiasts, and other sportsmen could extend their trips into the wilderness while remaining in contact with the outside world in case of emergencies. We'd like to see other phones with practical solar panels just for this.

Cisco unveils global blueprint for cities

INDIA--Technology has made possible better management of cities and their amenities so that citizens can enjoy better quality of life. To this end, Cisco Systems unveiled in Bengaluru city on Thursday, its "Intelligent Urbanization" blueprint.

Through this global framework, Cisco plans to help cities around the world use the network as the next utility for integrated city management, better quality of life for citizens, and economic development.


Intelligent Urbanization brings together Cisco's products and services, partners, and other technologies, with an initial focus on public safety and security, transportation, buildings, energy, health care, and education.

Cisco Chief Executive John Chambers said during a press briefing here: "Each of these market segments has the potential to generate over $1 billion in revenue opportunities for Cisco." During the media event at its Globalization Centre East in Bengaluru, which was Webcasted worldwide, the networking equipment vendor also announced a pilot program with the State of Karnataka to develop the plan for an intelligent, smart, and sustainable Bengaluru city.

This collaboration builds on Cisco's technology expertise with Connected Urban Development (CUD), a public-private partnership in cities such as San Francisco, Amsterdam, Seoul, and Singapore, which aims to develop replicable ICT offerings to help promote sustainable, intelligent urban development practices.

In Seoul, Korea, for example, the company is working on a pilot project for intelligent transportation using PDAs for route planning.

Cisco's chief globalization officer, Wim Elfrink, who is also executive vice president of services, said at the event: "Technology and expertise from these various initiatives will be brought together for a program that covers all aspects of Bengaluru."

Chambers added: "Bengaluru will be a reference site for other cities worldwide that may be interested in similar projects."

The Indian city has a large number of technology workers at its numerous technology centers, and has been demanding high-quality infrastructure, including connectivity. And in the past, the local government had neglected Bengaluru's infrastructure.

The arrangement with the city does not specify a financial model or the amount of investment in the project. However, Chambers said the project could have a term of 10 years or more.

"We have started with a pilot project that will continue for the next three to six months. Later, we will extend it to education and health care sectors," he said. Cisco also plans to extend this initiative to other Indian states over the next nine to 12 months.

Toward intelligent cities
"With the number of people living in urban areas projected to grow from 3 billion today to 5 billion by 2030, urbanization is a global trend impacting citizens, governments, and industries," Chambers said. This trend will also significantly impact the environment, he said. For instance, the world's 20 most populous cities alone are responsible for 75 percent of the planet's energy consumption, he noted.

Building on CUD, the Intelligent Urbanization initiative will bring together a broad portfolio of Cisco's products, services and partners. The initial focus will be on global sustainable offerings. The vendor has several such offerings for public safety and security, transportation, buildings, energy, health care and education. Its Intelligent Security technologies, for example, enable automated detection, immediate assessment, and a coordinated response to a security incident.

Elfrink said: "The Internet is quickly expanding from mobile devices and computers to become the 'Internet of things,' as it begins to encompass not only the consumer and business Internet but now the industrialization of the Internet." He said cities that run on information will transform the quality of life for citizens, drive economic growth, and improve city services and management.

The Intelligent Urbanization initiative may prove to be more effective during a recession. "In these tough economic times, cities that use the network to accelerate and multiply their infrastructure investments will be those that not only survive challenges but thrive and lead into the future," Elfrink added.

Within the past month, Cisco announced several acquisitions and offerings that are key to Intelligent Urbanization. On February 10, it made a strategic announcement in Majitek, a provider of software platforms that enable an environment where everything is connected and available as a service in the network. On the same day, it also announced a strategic alliance with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to jointly develop and deliver IT services to address customers' needs in mature and emerging markets globally.

Similarly, on January 29, Cisco launched EnergyWise Technology for Cisco Catalyst switches--an integral part of the company's technology plan to provide organizations an intelligent IP network as a key enabler for energy efficiency. That day, it also completed the acquisition of Richards-Zeta Building Intelligence, a provider of intelligent middleware technology for building systems that enables the convergence of building systems onto an IP network.

On Thursday, Cisco unveiled the Incheon Metropolitan City in South Korea and it will collaborate to transform the Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ) into a center of globalization expertise in the Asia-Pacific region. As part of this collaboration, Cisco will provide its experience and technologies around creating "intelligent urbanization" for the Korean city.

Friday, February 13, 2009

US and Russian satellites collide in 'unprecedented' accident


A US Iridium satellite has hit a defunct Russian satellite in an unprecedented space collision. The crash occurred some 790km (491 miles) over Siberia on Tuesday, according to NASA, and produced a "massive" cloud of debris. About 600 pieces are being tracked from the debris field in hopes of understanding the risk they present to other satellites and the international space station. The Russian craft was identified as the 950kg (2,094 pound) Cosmos 2251, a communications relay station launched in 1993 and believed to have been non-operational for the last 10 years or so. The Iridium telecommunications satellite was estimated to weigh about 560kg (1,234 pounds). Unsurprisingly, its loss is expected to have "minimal impact on Iridium's service," according to a statement made by the company. When asked who was at fault, NASA responded dryly:
"They ran into each other. Nothing has the right of way up there. We don't have an air traffic controller in space. There is no universal way of knowing what's coming in your direction."

U.S. and Russian satellites collide

In an unprecedented space collision, a commercial Iridium communications satellite and a defunct Russian satellite ran into each other Tuesday above northern Siberia, creating a cloud of wreckage, officials said today. The international space station does not appear to be threatened by the debris, they said, but it's not yet clear whether it poses a risk to any other military or civilian satellites.

"They collided at an altitude of 790 kilometers (491 miles) over northern Siberia Tuesday about noon Washington time," said Nicholas Johnson, NASA's chief scientist for orbital debris at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. "The U.S. space surveillance network detected a large number of debris from both objects."

g of an Iridium satellite near earth.

A rendering of an Iridium satellite near earth.

(Credit: Iridium Satellite)

Air Force Brig. Gen. Michael Carey, deputy director of global operations with U.S. Strategic Command, the agency responsible for space surveillance, said initial radar tracking detected some 600 pieces of debris. He identified the Russian spacecraft as Cosmos 2251, a communications relay station launched in June 1993, and said the satellite is believed to have been non-operational for the past 10 years or so.

"As of about 12 hours ago, I think the head count was up (to around) 600 pieces," Carey told CBS News late today. "It's going to take about two days before we get a solid picture of what the debris fields look like. But you, I think, can imply that the majority of that should be probably along the same line as the original orbits."

He said U.S. STRATCOM routinely tracks about 18,000 objects in space, including satellites and debris, that are 3.9 inches across or larger. Tracking priority and "conjunction analysis"--identifying which objects may pose a threat to manned spacecraft--is the first priority.

"It's going to take a while" to get an accurate count of the debris fragments, Johnson said. "It's very, very difficult to discriminate all those objects when they're really close together. And so, over the next couple of days, we'll have a much better understanding."

Asked which satellite was at fault, Johnson said "they ran into each other. Nothing has the right of way up there. We don't have an air traffic controller in space. There is no universal way of knowing what's coming in your direction."

Iridium Satellite operates a constellation of some 66 satellites, along with orbital spares, to support satellite telephone operations around the world. The spacecrafts, which weigh about 1,485 pounds when fully fueled, are in orbits tilted 86.4 degrees to the equator at an altitude of about 485 miles. Ninety-five Iridium satellites were launched between 1997 and 2002 and several have failed over the years.

"Yesterday, Iridium Satellite LLC lost an operational satellite," the company said in a statement. "According to information shared with the company by various U.S. government organizations that monitor satellites and other space objects (such as debris), it appears that the satellite loss is the result of a collision with a non-operational Russian satellite.

"Although this event has minimal impact on Iridium's service, the company is taking immediate action to address the loss. The Iridium constellation is healthy, and this event is not the result of a failure on the part of Iridium or its technology. While this is an extremely unusual, very low-probability event, the Iridium constellation is uniquely designed to withstand such an event, and the company is taking the necessary steps to replace the lost satellite with one of its in-orbit spare satellites."

Johnson said the collision was unprecedented.

"Nothing to this extent (has happened before)," he said. "We've had three other accidental collisions between what we call catalog objects, but they were all much smaller than this and always a moderate sized objects and a very small object. And these are two relatively big objects. So this is a first, unfortunately."

As for the threat posed by the debris, Johnson said NASA carried out an immediate analysis to determine whether the space station faced any increased risk. The station, carrying three crew members, circles the globe at an altitude of about 220 miles in an orbit tilted 51.6 degrees to the equator.

"There are two issues: the immediate threat and a longer-term threat," he said. "It turns out, when you have a collision like this the debris is thrown very energetically both to higher orbits and to lower orbits. So there are actually debris from this event which we believe are going through the space station's altitude already. Most of it is not, most of it is still clustered up where the event took place. But a small number are going through station's altitude.

"Yesterday, we did an assessment of what the risk might be to station and we found it's going to be very, very small. As time goes on, (that) debris will (come down) some over months, most over years and decades and as the big ones come down they'll be tracked, we'll see them and the worst-case scenario, we'll just dodge them if we have to. It's the small things you can't see are the ones that can do you harm."

Asked if other satellites might be at risk, Johnson said, "Technically, yes. What we're doing now is trying to quantify that risk. That's a work in progress. It's only been 24 hours. We put first things first, which is station and preparing for the next shuttle mission."

Most, if not all, of the debris is expected to eventually burn up in Earth's atmosphere.

The FDA has approved a new drug in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Viread (tenofovir) is the first drug in the class of HIV drugs known as nucleotide

Two new weapons in the war against HIV

The FDA has recently approved two new drugs that will be used to treat HIV and AIDS. Reyataz (atazanavir) and Emtriva (emtricitabine) will be in pharmacies later this month, giving two new options to patients living with HIV and AIDS. Let's take a look at these two new weapons in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

Reyataz (atazanavir)
Once called BMS-232632, this is Bristol Meyer Squibb's entry into the Protease Inhibitor class. The exciting thing about this new PI is that it is the first once a day PI. Supplied in 200mg capsules, Atazanavir will be taken as two capsules once per day. While the drug is not any more potent than other PI's it does seem that the triglyceride and cholesterol problems associated with other PI's such as Kaletra are not a concern in Atazanavir. The new PI is not without it's side effects however. Most notably is the fact that it seems to block the elimination of bilirubin from the blood. Bilirubin is a waste product that is usually removed from the blood by the liver. As the amount of bilirubin rises in the blood, the skin and other mucous membranes will take on a yellow appearance known as jaundice. The jaundice seemed to go away when the drug was stopped and only 1% of trial cases had to stop therapy because of the increase in bilirubin. For more information on Reyataz, take a look at this comprehensive fact sheet.

Emtriva (emtricitabine)
Gilead has received approval for its new nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) Emtriva. FTC as it is also referred to is going to be dosed as a 200mg capsule once per day. The chemical structure of Emtriva is similar to that of the existing HIV drug, Epivir and because of this probably won't be effective in people already showing resistance to Epivir. In studies conducted prior to its approval, the most common side effects seems to be rash, headache and nausea. Keep in mind that this drug is only approved for those patients over the age of 18. One possible result of the introduction of this drug is plans to combine it into one pill with Gilead's other drug Viread. The result would be a once a day 1 pill per day alternative to Combivir. In fact, plans are to conduct studies that would compare the regimens of Viread, Emtriva, and Sustiva vs. a Combivir, Sustiva regimen. For more information on Emtriva, take a look at this comprehensive fact sheet.

FDA Approves New AIDS Drug

The FDA has approved a new drug in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Viread (tenofovir) is the first drug in the class of HIV drugs known as nucleotide analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The drug acts by blocking reverse transcriptase, an enzyme involved in HIV replication. But Viread differs from other reverse transcriptase inhibitors in that the drug is a nucleotide as opposed to a nucleoside. Being a nucleotide, tenofovir remains in the cell longer, allowing for once a day dosing.

Excitement surrounds the approval of Viread because of its predicted benefit for even the most difficult-to-treat patients. Viread offers patients

  • Once a day dosing with one tablet of tenofovir will improve medication adherence and therefore therapy effectiveness.
  • Proven effectiveness when used in combination with other HIV drugs even in patients with resistant virus. This provides another chance for those patients who have exhausted all other therapy combinations.
  • Resistance that develops slowly which prolongs Viread's effectiveness.
  • Well tolerated in studies of almost 1000 patients who have taken Viread in clinical trials.

Like all other HIV drugs, Viread has its share of side effects. They include:

  • Mild to moderate nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and flatulence.
  • Lactic acidosis and hepatomegaly (enlarged liver) have been seen in other nucleoside drugs alone or in combination with other HIV drugs.
  • Bone toxicity has been seen in very high doses in animal studies however this has not been seen in human trials and doses.
Gilead, the makers of Viread will begin shipping their new drug next week. While the new drug will cost about $350 per month ($4135 per year), Gilead is confident that most of that cost will be picked up by the patient's medical insurance.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Indonesian suspected of having avian flu

Authorities in Indonesia awaited the results of blood tests to determine if a resident of a village known for cockfighting has contracted avian flu.
The illness of Putu Pranayoga, 20, may signal the first human case of avian flu, commonly called bird flu, in Bali since a 29-year-old woman died of the disease in August of 2007, The Jakarta Post reported Wednesday.The virus was first detected a week ago when a villager reported the nearly simultaneous death of 15 fowls that all ended up testing positive for avian flu.
We have culled 133 fowls so far, including the 40 we aim to finish off today, said I Made Badra, head of the Badung Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Agency in Jagapati.
The Indonesian government has banned unlicensed live-animal transportation into Bali as well as cockfighting, but the sport remains a staple on the island.

Bush, Obama Meet on Issues

U.S. President George Bush and President-elect Barack Obama took a historic walk along the White House colonnade Monday before ducking into the Oval Office.
Under sunny skies, Bush and first lady Laura Bush greeted Obama and Michelle Obama to the White House, where the president and his successor met privately to discuss policy issues as part of the formal transfer of powerLaura Bush and Michelle Obama toured of the first family's living quarters, including the bedrooms used by children of previous presidents, said White House press secretary Dana Perino.
"President Bush is very much looking forward to this meeting," Perino said during the daily news briefing.
The meeting, usually scheduled for later in the year, was pushed up because "we are so committed to making sure that the transition is as smooth as possible," Perino said.
"This is going to be a private meeting," she said. "I don't think any of us can understand what it's like between -- for two people who are now going to be in a very small club, who understand what it's like to be the commander in chief, to be the leader of our great country."

7 Ways To Avoid The Winter Funk

The coming of winter is a celebration of color -- first the leaves cycle through brilliant shades of orange and red, and soon the skies change and suddenly every square inch is coated with shimmering snowy white. For many, however, there is one more color synonymous with winter: blue. There isn't a soul out there unfamiliar with the winter funk (unless you live in the tropics). When the mercury falls and sunlight becomes scarce, it's not uncommon to become tired, lethargic, irritable, and depressed. Don’t worry -- this year will be different. With our help, you'll be prepared to fight the funk. Here are 7 ways to avoid the winter funk.
7- Stay hydrated Why? Believe it or not, people are more susceptible to dehydration in cold weather, and even mild dehydration over prolonged periods of time can affect our health. Studies have shown that the human body reacts differently when exposed to cold, decreasing levels of certain fluid-regulating hormones. The result: We simply do not feel as thirsty. How? If you want a way to avoid the winter funk, drink more water! An excellent way to gauge proper water intake is to check the color of your urine. Your urine should be the color of a manila folder or clearer. Drink early. Drink often. And get creative. Adding some lemon to water will improve its flavor and add important vitamins. Lastly, try warming it up in some hot apple cider or decaffeinated tea.
6- Start readingWhy? Because reading is a great way to avoid the winter funk! Reading offers a great escape from reality, letting you take your mind off the cold.How? It's time to read that old classic that has been on your to-do list for decades. Go to your local library or your bookstore, talk to a friend for suggestions or get online and do a little research. Don't just go out and pick any old book blindly. Doing a little background work will keep you reading longer.
5- Find a winter sportWhy? Exercise burns calories and can be a great way to avoid the winter funk. Burning calories will release heat as a by-product, raising your body temperature. Finding a winter sport or group exercise is also a great way to socialize, which should help you conquer the mental pangs of winter-driven depression.How? Most people hunker down over the winter haul, eating more and exercising less, making it all the more important to get up and get active. Get outside. Go for a walk or take up cross country skiing. Get to the gym or take in a group exercise such as spinning or kickboxing. If all else fails, avoid the winter funk by going for a swim followed by a nice hot shower.
4. Change your dietWhy? To boost your metabolism so that you can burn extra calories while avoiding gaining those few extra pounds of winter insulation.How? Let's face it, the majority of people become less active in the winter. When coupled with an intake of fatty foods, the winter recipe is one of weight gain. So, what's a guy to do? The key is in meal moderation -- eat smaller portions more often and always start your day off right with a light breakfast. Use lean meats in your dinner dishes. To regain protein, increase your intake of legumes and nuts. To stay warm, try low sodium broth- or tomato-based soups with lots of vegetables. And for the most part, avoid fatty foods like cream-based soups, creamy pot pies and chili or stews loaded with non-lean ground beef.
3. Get a cool new winter coatWhy? Because your old winter coat is tattered and worn and smells like week-old socks.How? While it's great to keep warm, there's no need to sacrifice style. However, don't think that you need to sacrifice warmth to stay in style. Be sure to check out AM for some great suggestions on fashionable fall and winter coats, or you can always consult our handy Style Bible.
2. Take public transportation or car pool.Why? To protect the environment, to avoid the frustration of winter car care and driving, and to get warm and socializing.How? This one's pretty self-explanatory -- the next time you're scraping the frost from your windshield, just imagine stepping onto a nice warm bus where the driver isn't you. Public transportation can definitely be one of the way to avoid the winter funk.
1. Wake up earlyWhy? Because sunlight is scarce in winter. A lack of sunlight is the primary cause of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which can greatly reduce mood and lower your vitamin D to dangerous levels. Lack of vitamin D is a risk factor for osteoporosis and various cancers. Waking up and going to bed early during those gloomy winter months will ensure that you remain in synch with your biological clock, leaving your spirits high and your energy stocks full. Simply put: It's the number one way to avoid the winter funk.

Obama and Hannity may share a brew

President Barack Obama's top spokesman said the commander in chief is willing to share a beer with Sean Hannity -- provided the Fox News host is buying.
Get him (Obama) a six-pack of Budweiser and we'll meet Hannity anywhere he wants to go, laughing Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.
Gibbs said the meeting between Obama and the conservative commentator should take place in a public setting, otherwise nobody would believe it actually happened, CNN reported Tuesday.
The press secretary spoke one day after Obama was asked at an Indiana town hall meeting if he would accept Hannity's invitation to meet over a brew.
I didn't know he had invited me for a beer, but I will take that under advisement. ... I'm always good for a beer, the president said.
Hannity said during his radio program later in the day that he was happy with the president's response to his offer.
It seems like he's opened the door that he wants to meet with me, Hannity said. Now if he does, I would go on your behalf.

All About JAva Jazz Festival 2009

Did You Hear? Swing Out Sister...
No need to sweat if you have not secured your Swing Out Sister!
We are moving them to a spacier room so that more of you can enjoy their upcoming intimate performance (Swing Out Sister is, after all, planning to present a different experience through their music).
For ticket information, direct your attention to www.javajazzfestival.com/2009/ticketonlineorder.php
See you at Axis Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2009!
Matt Bianco, is Now Free Show(s)
Dear JJF Loyalists,
After it was decided that Jason Mraz will be performing in a second special show on Saturday, 7 March 2009, Java Festival Production thought to give another special �package� for its loyal audience. The special present is Matt Bianco's Special Show status is changed to an open Free Show for the visitors of Axis Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2009. For those who have purchased Matt Bianco special show tickets may refund their money. However, they are not exchangeable with the Special Show tickets for Jason Mraz.
Please adhere to these refund qualifications:
1. To those who purchased the Matt Bianco Special Show tickets online through www.javajazzfestival.com, please send the following details to ticketing@javajazzfestival.com:* Name of Purchaser & Order Reference Number* Copy of the E-voucher (It has to be attached)* Bank's details:- Name of Bank (including name of Branch)- Account Number- Name of BeneficiaryPayment will be refunded maximum two weeks after we receive your email.
2. To those who purchase the Matt Bianco Special Show ticket at ticket boxes, please contact the location of the ticket box.BIG NEWS !!! JASON MRAZ's Second Show
Jason Mraz has confirmed that he will be performing at a Second Show at Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2009.
Due to high demands, Jason Mraz's Second Show will take place on Saturday, March 7 2009.
First Come First Serve.Ticket Price Rp. 350,000 Until Feb 15 2009.Click Here, Buy Tickets Now!
Wait no more, here's your chance to catch the fantastic Mr. AZ in action!
Dianne Reeves, due to perform at a SPECIAL SHOW on 6 March 2009
Dianne Reeves, due to perform in a special show, on 6 March 2009.
Ticket prices:
Online at www.javajazzfestival.com - Rp 200,000 (valid until 15 Feb. 2009)
At ticket boxes:
- Early Bird : Rp200,000 (3 Feb � 15 Feb 2009)
- Normal Price : Rp300,000 (16 Feb � 5 Mar 2009)