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2010-06-11T06:43:00.000+04:00

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2010-04-22T21:59:00.000+04:00

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[Uae Web Of Life] USE - UAE Useful Stuff Exchange

2007-03-25T14:12:00.001+04:00

The USE blog features:

1) Scans of important info from any UAE printed public literature

2) Business Card scans of UAE residents offering USEful services.

Any scan / business card that you feel would be USEful for our UAE readers are welcome. Just email it to useuae@gmail.com.

UAE UAE
http://useuae.blogspot.com

Interesting web stuff

2007-03-12T08:16:00.001+04:00

Freeload Press Makes Textbooks Free

Mar 05, 2007 19:10:03 GMT

Freeload Press is a US company with a very noble mission: "liberating the textbooks so students from all financial backgrounds can use these important learning tools." They try to convince authors make their books available for free in exchange of a sum of money. Then Freeload Press takes the books and inserts ads at the end of the chapters. The online version of the book will be available for free as a PDF, while the print version will be much cheaper than the original.

Tom Doran, cofounder of Freeload, explains why he built the company: "Textbooks cost too much, and students increasingly are showing up to class without probably the most important tool they need to succeed in the course, outside of the lecture."

Many teachers will probably say it's unacceptable to promote commercial products in an educational book, but Freeload's limited success should be a signal that this model might work at a larger scale, if implemented in a clever way. Freeload's tagline ("Imagine a world where textbooks are free") could be replaced with: "Imagine a world where books are free".

URBANFONTS - Free Fonts

See our amazing collection of free fonts and free dingbats. With over 8,000 freeware fonts, you've come to the best place to download fonts. Please review our FAQs section for font installation instructions.

http://www.urbanfonts.com/

FULLBOOKS.COM

Thousands of free full text books

http://www.fullbooks.com/

Edison the Inventor, Edison the Showman

This article was adapted from "The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World," by Randall Stross, a contributor to The New York Times. The book, to be published on Tuesday by Crown Publishers, examines the reality and the myths surrounding the Edison legacy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/business/yourmoney/11edison.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

Some interesting tidbits of news

2007-03-06T10:05:00.001+04:00

MIT puts entire curriculum at disposal of e-learners

E-learning for free from famed US institute

By Kim Thomas 23 Feb 2007

The entire catalogue of information from 1,800 courses at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will be available free online by
the end of the year. Once uploaded, it will represent one of the internet's most important resources.

By providing free access to course material such as lecture notes, assignment details, podcasts and videocasts, MIT's Open CourseWare programme will transform the e-learning landscape.

Complete Article: http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/news/2184062/mit-puts-entire-curriculum

12 Quick Tips To Search Google Like An Expert

I f you're like me, you probably use Google many times a day. But, chances are, unless you are a technology geek, you probably still use Google in its simplest form. If your current use of Google is limited to typing a few words in, and changing your query until you find what you're looking for, then I'm here to tell you that there's a better way – and it's not hard to learn. On the other hand, if you are a technology geek, and can use Google like the best of them already, then I suggest you bookmark this article. You'll then have it on hand when you are ready to pull your hair out in frustration when watching a neophyte repeatedly type in basic queries in a desperate attempt to find something.

http://www.smallbusinesshub.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/1264/12-Quick-Tips-To-Search-Google-Like-An-Expert.aspx

How to be famous in this century: Be an "Ideapreneur".

The opportunity to re invent and integrate in the coming years is huge and it's up to each individual to make use of it. In this century, everyone will and can be an innovator, people are the users and they will have the final word on the product at the end of the day. As it is, there is an obvious shift of power from the corporations to the end users. People now search for the reviews from other people online on the product before buying. This shift of power has been possible by the greatest invention of this century and yes you guessed it, the internet. It is the people's economy and somewhere in the present and the future, this shift of power will reflect a thinning line between the marketer and the consumer.
Read More

Indian State orders 40,000 desktops with Linux installed

The Indian State of Tamil Nadu has finalized an order with lenovo to pre-install Novell's Suse Linux on 40,000 machines. Adoption of this scale will have a very positive impact on linux and its advances in the Indian Market.

India: How to feed free food to 10,000 people a day

Mar 06, 2007 01:50:14 GMT

Xeni Jardin:

Sarah Rich of Worldchanging is in Delhi at the Doors of Perception conference, checking out local food systems. She's posted a write-up of a Sikh institution, the Langar, which feeds 10,000 people a day on donated food and volunteer labor. She writes:

As Debra Solomon told us when introducing the excursion the previous evening: "They do the most exquisite dishwashing ritual you'll ever see." But actually, the Sikh guide who escorted us through the temple grounds told us in no uncertain terms that the kitchen activities are absolutely without ritual. "Cooking food is cooking food," he said, "No ritual. Just cooking." But if it can't be called a ritual, it can surely be called a dance -- a rhythmic, continuous choreography with mounds of dough, cauldrons of lentils, dozens of hands, and an endless stream of hungry visitors.
Every Sikh temple throughout the world has a Langar (Punjabi for "free kitchen"). This is not a soup kitchen. It's not exclusively for the poor, nor exclusively for the Sikh community. Volunteering in the cooking, serving and cleaning process is a form of active spiritual practice for devotees, but the service they provide asks no religious affiliation of its recipients. Our guide's chorus was, "Man, woman, color, caste, community," meaning you will be fed here regardless of how you fit into any of those classifications.
This spirit of inclusion and equality is reinforced by the kitchen's adherence to vegetarianism, not because Sikhs are vegetarian, but because others who visit may be, and by serving no meat, they exclude nobody.

Link (thanks, Alex Steffen!)

BREAKTHROUGH: Transistor Built Only One Atom Thick

New transistors are only one atom thick and less than 50 atoms wide. The development opens the gate to superfast computer chips at sizes not possible before with standard Silicon transistors.

Invention: Electronic treats

Mar 05, 2007 13:58:00 GMT

This week's patent applications include digital exercise incentives, a cellphone public-address system and a clever advert killer

PICTURES: Great Photos of New York's Bridges (1900-1930)

IvanB submitted, made popular 16 hours 17 min ago ( www.newyorker.com )

Sideshow of NY's bridges circa 1900-1930. More…

What were you doing at age 21? Probably not changing the Web...

This is the story of Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Wordpress. He is only 23 now but has changed the way many of us share ideas and use our blogs to connect with people all over the world.

The 50 Most Important People on the Web

Despite what Time magazine would have you believe, you are not the most powerful or influential person on the Web. At PC World we love online personals, social networks, and videos of people falling on their keisters as much as the next person, but without the folks who create the Craigslists, MySpaces, and YouTubes of the world, much of the Web's

5 Common English Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb

http://www.copyblogger.com/5-common-mistakes-that-make-you-look-dumb/

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[The Web Informant] Cartoon based on Spam, Swedish cottages on the Moon and more....

2006-10-12T08:54:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

This post may not appear correctly in the Daily Digest option. If so, please read it directly at the group webpage or on my blog.

Cartoon based on spam

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:18:11 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder:The marvelous Brothers McLeod are creating a series of cartoons calledSpamland. The dialogue for the cartoons comes from the semi-sensicaltext found in the filter-busting portion of spam messages.

The first one is online and is nightmarishly excellent. Link (Via Drawn!)

Swedish cottages on the moon

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:28:54 -0500

Cory Doctorow:Christopher sez, "A Swedish artist is collaborating with the Swedishgovernment to try and put a toy-sized replica of Sweden's iconic redcottages on the moon."

"If we manage to do this Sweden will be the third country to occupy the moon", said SSC's Fredrik von Schéele.
A competition has been arranged for students to construct a littlered house that is suitably sized for placement by a moon landingdevice. The construction may not exceed eight square metres and canweigh a maximum of four kilos.

Link(Thanks, Christopher! )

Tape-measure brooch

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:57:47 -0500

Cory Doctorow: This brooch florette made from a folded and refolded tape measure really tickles me.Link(via Craft)

Pinball photos from the ball's PoV

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 12:00:08 -0500

Cory Doctorow: Kevin Tiell's photos of pinball games shot from the level of the ball as it zings across the table are stupendous.Link(Thanks, Edmond! )

Page from McCloud's "Making Comics"

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:03:50 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: Cory recently reviewed Scott McCloud's amazing new book, Making Comics.Kevin Kelly also reviewed it on Cool Tools and included this marvelouspage from the book about combining two primary facial expressions tocreate a complex facial expression. Link

RSS and Atom in Action

2006-10-11T19:35:00+00:00

SimonP. Chappell writes "We've all seen them, those icons that decorateblogs and websites; sometimes they're just little orange squares withwhite stripes, while others say RSS or Atom. Many of us have heard offeeds and podcasts and aggregators. What are these things and where didthey come from? Well, Dave Johnson, the author of the open sourceRoller blogging software, is glad you asked and by way of an answer,he's written RSS and Atom in Action." Read the rest of Simon's review.

Honey Remedy Could Save Limbs

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 01:00:00 EDT

Modern, drug-resistant bacteria are meeting their match in an ancient medicine: honey. Sweeeeeet. By Brandon Keim.

Teenager plays Space Invaders with only his brain

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:26:00 EST

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Gaming

While having a robotic assistantplay video games for you might sound novel, it's certainly not asthrilling as interacting with the 1s and 0s yourself. A team ofresearchers, engineers, and students at Washington University in St.Louis have crafted a brain-computer interface systemthat allowed a 14-year old gamer suffering from epilepsy to cruisethrough the first two levels of Space Invaders using only hisimagination. Rather than picking up an Xbox 360 and perusing through the Xbox Live Arcade, the crew went back to their roots and programmed an Atari2600 to interface with the brain-sensing apparatus. The headgearboasted a grid of sensors that monitored "electrocorticographicactivity" from the brain's surface to detect signals based on thoughtprocesses that were going on. By calibrating his thoughts with videogame triggers, the teenager was able to learn the ropes "almostinstantaneously," and had no qualms demolishing the competition whiletwiddling his thumbs. The group plans to use this successful experimentto further understand the mysterious signals of the mind and givephysically disabled individuals a chance to show of their mentalsharpness, but we're hoping to see this thing bundled in with the sure-to-be-delayed PlayStation 8 that should hit shelves sometime before ~~2040~~ 2050.

[Via MedGadget]

Oh no, Japan's Robot Museum opens tomorrow!

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Robots

Sure to be ground-zero of the eventual uprising, Nagoya's Robot Museumis set to swing their doors wide during tomorrow's grand opening event.For just a ¥1,300 (about $11) entry fee, you can walk the entire 2,600meters of floor space spanning two levels. Armed only with an iPodaudio guide, you can go face-to-face with heavy-duty industrial robots,old school icons like Robby the Robot, an army of modern Robosapiens and Mindstorms, some "future eve" creepiness we'd rather not get into, and of course ASIMO, AIBO, and even little Miuro.Oh, gasp... there's even a couple uh, hundred we've never seen before.If you go be sure to check the robot mirai department where you cantake home nuvo -- the world's first commercial bipedal home robot and even a Segway "vehicle of the future." Hey, no one said that human transporters were their specialty. Now excuse us, we're off to collect our rations of canned meat and welders goggles.

[Via Impress]

99% of your Blog's Readers are Lurkers - How to Get them to Comment

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 03:10:07 GMT

10 techniques for getting the silent majority of your blog's readers to leave a comment

What is Work 2.0?

Thu, 12 Oct 2006 02:30:07 GMT

"It'sless about spreadsheets and word possessing," and definitely not justabout sticking it to Microsoft by using online productivityapplications, Esther says. "And anyway," she adds, "the biggestanti-Microsoft force is inside Microsoft: Ray Ozzie."

10 reasons you shouldn't go to film school

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:50:10 GMT

Just in case you were thinking about it.

5 Biggest Dot-Bombs of All Time

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:00:11 GMT

CNET TV reports on the 5 biggest dot com failures from the internet boom of the late 90's-2000. eToys anyone?...

Coghead Goes Live: Build Applications Visually (Nik Cubrilovic/TechCrunch)

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:05:02 -0400

Coghead Goes Live: Build Applications Visually — The online application building space is one that is getting more interesting by the week. We have previously reviewed a number of apps in this space (sometimes referred to as the 'online access' space, a reference to Microsoft Access) including Dabble DB, Zoho Creator and WyaWorks.

Source: TechCrunch
Author: Nik Cubrilovic
Link: http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/10/11/coghead-goes…

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[The Web Informant] - Green Lantern ring, Useful Book of Ideas and more...

2006-10-11T08:37:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

HOWTO make a Green Lantern ring

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:10:27 -0500

Cory Doctorow: It's a little tricky and requires specialized equipment, but if you're planning on going as the Green Lantern on Hallowe'en, you could do worse than to invest in the production of one of these fantastic Green Lantern rings. Link (via Make Blog)

Severed hand pincushions

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:06:10 -0500

Cory Doctorow:
Flickr user AK_IceCube makes handsome, ooky severed hand pincushions out of fabric. Link (via Craft Blog)

Roll-up fry-pan

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:17:33 -0500

Cory Doctorow: The Scroll Pan is a roll-up nonstick frying surface -- unroll it over the burner and use it to cook your omelets and suchlike. Link (via OhGizmo)

Handheld printer made from a toner cartridge

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:33:55 -0500

Cory Doctorow: This "handheld printer" was made from a repurposed HJ inkject cartridge -- because it's handheld, it can print on odd surfaces like balloons:

The fact that it was built from parts readily lying around makes, for example, that MOSFET T1 is a rather strange type. In principle any P-channel MOSFET can be used for this, as long as it can cope with the peak current of about half an amp. The coil L1 does not have a critical value either. The author's coil comes from a backlight-inverter, but any slightly hefty coil will do. If the 20-V power supply is actually in the vicinity of 20 V, then all is well.

Link (via Gizmodo)

1945 Pop Mechanics book of "Useful Ideas"

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:56:30 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: JavaMoose writes:

When my wife and I got married I found out that her late grandfather had said to the family that, when married, I was to get my choice of all his old tools. That alone was amazing, given the excellent collection of vintage woodworking tools and special-built power tools. But, it got better.
I found Pop's collection of vintage Handyman Magazines and oh how glorious they are. So, I decided to share! Every Monday I will post a "new" magazine, in its entirety, here for all to enjoy!

Link (Via Make Blog)

Generating Power From Kites

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:20:04 GMT

Researchers in Italy have high hopes for a new wind-power generator that resembles a backyard drying rack on steroids. Despite its appearance, the Kite Wind Generator, or KiteGen for short, could produce as much energy as a nuclear power plant.

Amazing Photoshop Brush Resource Site!

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:10:03 GMT

Hey guys, PS Brushes has finally launched, so if your ever looking for a certain photoshop brush be sure to check us out, we have over 170 brushes indexed and growing daily.

EXCLUSIVE: Helium Web 2.0 'knowledge rules' targets $16 billion Internet ad

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:50:08 GMT

What is Helium, exactly? Helium aims to be the next generation Wikipedia/About.com/Yahoo Answers/eHow…all rolled up into a clean, interactive package.

Format wars: Blu-ray to come out on top?

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:40:03 GMT

The next-generation optical format wars have begun, and so far the most common response from consumers is a collective yawn. Market research firm Forrester believes that those yawns will ultimately translate into a victory for Blu-ray down the road, but with adoption of either next-gen format moving at a glacial pace in the near term

Sony to Ship First 50GB Blu-ray Movies This Week

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:10:03 GMT

Sony has announced that Click, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and Black Hawk Down will be the first Sony films released on 50GB dual-layer Blu-ray disc. Although Blu-ray discs have been available on the market for several months now, these are 50GB dual-layer discs as opposed to the current discs being only 25GB.

Motorcycle GPS

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:30:09 GMT

Instructions on putting a GPS navigation system on a motorcycle. You know, cause geeks like to ride Harleys.

Private Moments Being Caught on Google Earth. For Example: Funerals.

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:30:09 GMT

With the continually increasing quality of images on Google Maps/Earth, it's hardly surprising that the cameras are capturing ever more private moments of people's lives. Perhaps then it was only a matter of time before the very end of someone's life was published on the Internet for the whole world to see.

Developers are from Mars, Programmers are from Venus

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 00:20:05 GMT

Many of us use the terms "programmer" and "developer" interchangeably. A very good article describing the actual difference between the two.

Watch more than 200 channels on your PC - Nothing to install.

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 02:00:04 GMT

ChooseAndWatch is a free TV portal where you can watch only the best online TV channels. Now with bigger screen and more channels than ever.

GooTube and what it means for content producers

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 03:00:04 GMT

The impending sale doesn't affect independent content creators as much as it does big media, but there are defininite advantages for the independent content producer.

Firms to boost Internet speeds without fiber-optics

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:00:04 GMT

"A group of technology and telecoms companies, including Spanish giant Telefonica, joined forces on Tuesday to boost the Internet speeds of copper telephone wires to almost equal that of fiber-optic cable."

USB, FireWire, and eSATA--All in One External Drive

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:30:03 GMT

Review: OWC ships an external hard drive that supports four direct-connect interfaces. Whether you need USB, FireWire or eSATA, OWC has you covered.

Batch of interesting Security Articles

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 20:20:04 GMT

A nice selection of recent academic papers on security research topics. Titles include:"Robust Reactions to Potential Day-Zero Worms through Cooperation and Validation""Network-Level Polymorphic Shellcode Detection Using Emulation""An Active Splitter Architecture for Intrusion Detection and Prevention"

Smile helmet forces a grin

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:08:58 -0500

David Pescovitz: Designer/artist Tim Simpson's Smile Helmet mechanically draws the corners of your mouth back into a grin. He created it for "people in jobs which demand an unusual amount of smiling, such as air-stewards, receptionists and politicians." A video of the device in action is available on Simpson's Web site. From the project page:

A sensor in the front of the helmet detects anybody within a 2 metre range, at which point the mouth is pulled into a broad grimace by a small servo motor and some concealed fishing wire. The helmet addresses the facades of social interaction and explores our responses to affected expressions.

Link (via MAKE: Blog )

Batman creator Bob Kane swipe panel

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:33:18 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: "Swipes" are comic book panels that were obviously copied from another source, but not credited. They are pretty common. It's a fun pastime for comic book fans to identify swipes. Unlike plagiarism, people don't really think the "swiper" is much of a cheat. I'm not sure why, but I sort of agree with that sentiment. I don't think badly about a comic book artist who swipes occasionally but I do think badly of a writer who copies someone else's writing.

Here's an interesting swipe discovery: Bob Kane, the creator of Batman, swiped an illo from a 1938 issue of a pulp magazine called Gang Busters In Action for the Batman story in Detective Comics #33 (November 1939.) Check out the fingers of Bruce Wayne's right hand. They are green in the panel, but should have been skin colored. Link (Thanks, Eric!)

World's smallest horse is a dwarf miniature

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 22:29:20 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: Thumbelina is the world's smallest horse. She weighs 60lb and is five years old. She was born on a ranch that specializes in breeding miniature horses. She is thought to have dwarfism, which makes her even tinier. Link

The Curio to End All Curios

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:40:00 EDT

What includes Jesus, the space shuttle and two American flags, and is payable in six easy installments? Why, the ultimate collectible, of course. In Table of Malcontents.

Self-assembling gel stops bleeding in seconds -"If this works as well on humans as it does on rats, it's phenomenal"

2006-10-10T08:58:34.004359-05:00

[link][more]

What does a candle flame look like in zero gravity? [pic]

2006-10-10T17:57:41.798787-05:00

[link][more]

A radical idea is sweeping the world of American bicycle manufacturing: building bikes that people will use for actual transportation.

2006-10-10T14:59:21.747248-05:00

[link][more]

'Dilbert's' 9-point financial plan worthy of economics Nobel - MarketWatch

2006-10-10T13:16:50.910820-05:00

[link] [more]

Glassy metals: Harder, stronger, and better — the material of the future

2006-10-10T14:26:15.949959-05:00

[link][more]

Stone Circle (image)

2006-10-10T19:52:59.689499-05:00

[link][more]

A picture is worth a million polygons -- 2D images converted into a 3D environment

2006-10-10T17:24:19.168582-05:00

[link][more]

Outrageously outrageous airport security ad

2006-10-10T16:26:26.420771-05:00

[link][more]

Great French Commercial that will blow your mind

2006-10-10T03:55:33.166598-05:00

[link][more]

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-------------------------------
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Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

[The Web Informant] Search Engine that finds friends in photos, Information Factories - the Petabyte Age & more

2006-10-10T08:48:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

Web Site Allows Searching for Friends in Photos

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 20:50:06 GMT

Polar Rose is a new search engine now being tested that will allow you to find anyone in any photo on any site.

Three new "Get A Mac Ads"

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 21:10:05 GMT

Apple continues their 'get a mac' ad campaign with three new ads today. Self Pity, Counselor, and Better Results...check 'em out!

The Virtually Free Office - 10 Pros and Cons

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 21:10:06 GMT

"In setting up our business we pushed our office online by using a couple of the free tools and services to get started. During our initial months we have used Writely, Google's hosted mail solution, Google Spreadsheet, Google Calendar and Thumbstack presentations in running our company. Here are the experiences we have had"

The Doom of Operating Systems without Internet

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 21:40:02 GMT

Opinion: The set of software that I use on my computer has changed quite a bit over the years. When I first started computing, I remember loading up on any and every application that I could find. Download sites were my obsession, and I could spend hours scouring these file repositories with the ultimate goal of finding great new software.

The Information Factories

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 21:50:02 GMT

The desktop is dead. Welcome to the Internet cloud, where massive facilities across the globe will store all the data you'll ever use. Wired Magazines George Gilder on the dawning of the petabyte age.

13 Must Have Firefox Extensions for Web Professionals

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 21:50:02 GMT

The title says it all. If you are a web professional then these plugins are for you..

Google Quiet: New Google Tool Also Handy for Mischief

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 22:30:07 GMT

Developers' tool can identify vulnerable source code.

Digital Sun

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 23:00:03 GMT

Olle Essvik's Sunclock is a lamp that tracks the sun's movement in the sky and follows it. When the sun rises in the morning the light bulb starts to omit light, intensifying every second, shining brightest in middle of the day.

Cigarette based display system

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 23:30:03 GMT

Artist David Moises created a display made from 35 cigarettes that "burns" simple letters and symbols - Be sure to check more of his work, including the "healed home exercise bike", house on a swing and a hovercraft powered by a leaf blower!

Condoms get high-tech: make love to the sound of cellphone music

Mon, 9 Oct 2006 23:40:02 GMT

A Ukrainian scientist has invented a condom that plays music during sex. A miniature loudspeaker and motion sensor implanted in the condom's upper cuff provides a range of musical tones during sex. Music volume depends on intensity of love-making and tone varies based on the sexual position.

A masked Apple employee begins to blog

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:40:08 GMT

The Masked Blogger is an Apple employee who has decided to "join the conversation," while trying not to have the conversation turn to the inevitable topic of his employment being terminated by Apple.

The Future of Social Networks - Communication

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 01:10:02 GMT

"There is another critical aspect of social networking, however, that I have not yet addressed… and it's one that will serve as the anchor component for social networks as they begin to enter their next stage of evolutionary development. The component I'm referring to is the communications layer embedded within social networks."

Turning Portrait Into Stone Statue with Photoshop

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 01:30:03 GMT

This is a simple tutorial on how you can make a statue from a portrait with Photoshop. It is highly recommended if you're using a close up portrait of a woman/man.

Applications of Recursively Defined Data Structures

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 02:40:02 GMT

"A circular program contains a data structure whose definition is self-referential or recursive. The use of such a definition allows efficient functional programs to be written and can avoid repeated evaluations and the creation of intermediate data structures that would have to be garbage collected."

Free Music Videos in Google Video

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 09:08:00 -0500

Google signed agreements with Sony BMG and Warner Music Group and will include a large collection of music videos in Google Video.

Incredible Mouth Band

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:03:50 -0500

David Pescovitz: Animator David Firth's Incredible Mouth Band video depicts a group of musicians who instead of playing their instruments create a song by saying the names of the instruments.
Link

Switching on selfishness

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 12:42:37 -0500

David Pescovitz: A new study suggests that a small part of the brain called the dorsolateral prefontal cortex (DLPFC) is key to suppressing selfishness. Neuroscientists from the University of Zurich and Harvard Medical School used electricity to temporarily disable that portion in volunteers. Those subjects were happy to screw other people out of money in a behavioral science game called the Ultimatum Game. The researchers published their results in the current issue of the journal Science. From HealthDay:

Link

Art and video from upcoming game, Limbo

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 13:57:55 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: The video trailer and concept art for this upcoming game called Limbo looks cool. Link

Handcarved pop culture totems

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 14:01:39 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: The artist Ojimbo carved and painted these incredible pop culture totems for the "Monster Mayhem and Day of the Dead Delights" show at Roq la Rue this Friday the 13th. Note the cute cyclops kitty angel in the center totem pole. Link

Residents enjoy living a circle-shaped community

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 15:44:42 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: The Stu says: "I found this community over in the middle east which appears to be based on a large circle. The entire town has taken the shape of a circle, and even the farmland extends like spokes out to each side!" Link

John K's cel-painting kits from the mid-90s

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 16:49:36 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: I had all of John K's wonderful cel-painting and paint-by-number kits. One of them came with a box of cereal that had a prize inside. Here's a "salute to Spumco" with lots of scans and photos of the great merchandise John created. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Boody Rogers' weird and wonderful Babe comic book

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:19:53 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: Boody Rogers was a golden age comic book artist whose work was as bizarre as any underground comic that followed decades later. I'm reading his out-of-print autobiography now, Homeless Bound, which is mainly a series of anecdotes about growing up in West Texas. In one chapter, he describes a number of the interesting characters he got to know. Excerpt:

"Short Arm" Baxter was yet another strange case. The poor guy was born with short arms, and they didn't grow with his body. You've all heard of the guy who never reached for the check. They say he had short arms and deep pockets -- could never get his money out. Well, "Short Arm" Baxter couldn't reach his pants pockets. He always wore a shirt with a pocket to keep his folding money in. He wore his house key around his neck on a long chain. When he changed a dollar, he'd put the change in his mouth so it wouldn't spill out of his shirt pocket.
One day he was window shopping and a friend walked up behind him and greeted him with a slap on the back. "Short Arm" almost went into convulsions. His friend thought he was choking to death. At last, "Short Arm" got his breath -- and just in time. He was turning purple. "Goddamn it, Burt -- you just made me swallow 98c!"

The kind folks at the Hollywood Animation Archive have scanned a complete Boody Rogers comic for you to enjoy. It's from Vol. 7 of Babe, a L'il Abner Parody / knockoff. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | More Boing Boing coverage of Boody Rogers

Top 10 Web 2.0 Attack Vectors

2006-10-09T19:45:00+00:00

Fred writes, "HNS is running a story about Web 2.0 and the new attack vectors it opens up. Worms of the Yamanner, Samy, and Spaceflash types are exploiting client-side AJAX frameworks, providing new avenues of attack and compromising confidential information. On the server side, XML-based Web services are providing distributed application access through Web services interfaces and opening up new vulnerabilities in the process." The article is spread over 6 short pages and there is no printer-friendly URL.

An engineer, an economist and a marketer...

Mon, 09 Oct 2006 17:35:21 -0400

Eirik has a neat riff: When will a new technology break through?.

Really awesome and amazing staircase (might even be the best ever/evar)

2006-10-09T15:39:31.646878-05:00

[link][more]

(video) The Meissner Effect: A Superconducting Magnet Produces Internal Currents to Cancel an Externally Imposed Magnetic Field. Watch the awesome result...

2006-10-09T21:35:21.589926-05:00

[link][more]

Largest Underground Nuclear Blast Ever (video)

2006-10-09T14:29:26.357395-05:00

[link][more]

Britain becomes 'never, never land' as personal debt runs out of control

2006-10-09T13:07:31.935395-05:00

[link][more]

Mars Rover and tracks (!) seen from orbit

2006-10-09T10:26:35.385977-05:00

[link][more]

-------------------------------
The Web Informant
-------------------------------
The information is harvested from my RSS feeds from:

1)Digg.com 2) TechMeme.com 3) EnGadget.com 4) BoingBoing.net5)SlashDot.org 6) Wired.com 7) Kuro5hin.org 8)GoogleSystem.blogspot.com9) TechCrunch.com 10)NonGeekSight.blogspot.com 11) Reddit.com 12)SethGodin.typepad.com 13)Chris.Pirillo.com 14) InstaPundit.com 15)Scobleizer.wordpress.com 16)PhyOrg.com

Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

[The Web Informant] Origami Rubik's Cube, Busting the Megapixe myth and more....

2006-10-09T08:30:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

How to design an Origami Rubik's cube

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 23:50:04 GMT

Step by step on how to design an Origami Rubik's cube.

13 Photo Sizes Compared - Megapixel Chart explains the Megapixel Myth

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 23:40:03 GMT

Eachcolored box represents a certain number of megapixels. The numbersalong the top and left side are print dimensions in inches at 300ppi.The visual version of The Megapixel Myth athttp://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm -- "A 3 MP camera prettymuch looks the same as a 6 MP camera, even when blown up to 12 x 18!"

HOW TO - Make a LED Dot-Matrix display

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 22:40:07 GMT

"Thisis a simple HOW-TO make your own personalised LED Dot-Matrix display. Iwill be adding the complete program with an explaination to light theLEDs with. It's also rather hackable, you can change it to suityourself."

George Lucas discusses online content distribution with Steve Jobs

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 21:10:02 GMT

Lucasmentions he has met with both Steve Jobs and John Lasseter anddiscussed the future of visual media. Lucas' Star Wars: The Clone Wars,Vol.1 and 2 are already available on the iTunes store. Perhaps this isa sign of things to come?

Funky JavaScript - works on all websites (even digg)

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 19:40:03 GMT

Justpaste the JavaScript given in you address bar after visiting anywebsite. Try it now on digg. :) The code is given in the comments aswell.

CheatSheet: Regular Expressions

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 18:40:03 GMT

Great one for quick reference. Take a printout or save this jpg in your desktop.

How To Look Like A UNIX Guru

Sun, 8 Oct 2006 04:30:01 GMT

Thislecture takes you through the basic commands and then shows you how tocombine them in simple patterns or idioms to provide sophisticatedfunctionality like histogramming. This lecture assumes you know what ashell is and that you have some basic familiarity with UNIX.

Make your own Office 2007 style buttons!

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 17:00:03 GMT

As many people may have noticed, Office 2007 Beta has the new, refined, and shiny look to it. I decided to make a button design inspired by it, and I liked it so much that I decided to share how. check it out..

Compilation of Web 2.0 Office Applications for School

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 16:00:03 GMT

Compilation of Web 2.0 Office Applications for students and teachers. The article also compares four popular web-based word processors and asks if Web 2.0 applications are ready for education.

Inside of a Hard Drive

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 16:00:02 GMT

A video of what a Hard Drive looks like inside while doing various tasks.

Finding fresh inspiration

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 14:30:03 GMT

Look at web design these days: Gradients, bursts, big type, rounded corners, pastel colors, and reflections rule the roost. This slavish adherence to Web 2.0 design trends by the "chorus" is resulting in a big snoozefest. ...

Free computer science and engineering books

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 13:50:02 GMT

This site lists free online computer science and engineering books and lecture notes, all of which are freely and legally available over the Internet.

How to install Songbird on your Ubuntu box and then enjoy the music

Sat, 7 Oct 2006 13:00:02 GMT

Songbird is shaping up to be an amazing media player. It's not only got audio and video capability (with a HUGE range of media types) but it's built on the Mozilla engine, meaning it's also a web browser. Not only that, but for a preview release (0.2 people!) it's looking slicker than a puddle of oil with George W. Bush floating in it.

Origami mashup movie on YouTube

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:38:15 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: The folks at CartoonBrew describe an amazing mashup of classic films that was a true labor of love:

The visuals were achieved by printing out thousands of film frames (over 65,000 to be exact) and folding them into three-dimensional shapes. The paper-objects were then photographed and composited in After Effects.... The film is unlikely to ever find release in the US due to the fact that it uses unlicensed imagery from over 300 live-action features. But don't let that stop you from enjoying it online.

Documentary about videogames and Art: 8 BIT

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 14:47:07 -0500

Xeni Jardin: "8 BIT: A Documentary about Art and Videogames" premieres tomorrow night, Saturday October 7, at the The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. There will be another screening at MoMA on October 11.

Producer/Co-Director Justin Strawhand tells BoingBoing, "The film includes interviews with an expansive list of video-game based artists and theorists, tied together into a historical overview of the movement, from the demo scene to chiptunes to machinima to artists who hand-code their own video games."

It sounds great. Link to website, screening details, poster art, pix, here's a trailer.

Mosquito trap made from fan and mesh bag

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:42:43 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: The $10 Skeeter Bag attaches to an electric fan and sucks mosquitoes into it all day and night.

Testing for Skeeter Bag began in the summer of 2004 at a puppy breeding facility in Central Florida. The facility cares for over 100 adult dogs and as many as 30 puppies at a given moment. Their mosquito problem was out of control. On June 12, 2004 the first trap was set six feet above several dogs on the sleeping porch and by morning it had over 3,500 mosquitoes inside. As the mosquito season picked up as many as 38,000 mosquitoes were caught in a night (estimated by weight 1 gram � 1,000 dried mosquitoes).

Link

Lightning launches photographer into the air

Fri, 06 Oct 2006 11:19:59 -0500

David Pescovitz: The lightning bolt seen in this photo lifted the photograher six feet into the air after he hit the camera's shutter releae button. The image was taken by amateur storm photographer Kane Quinnell of New South Wales, Australia. Lacking a tripod, he had set his camera on the hood of his car and set it for a four-second exposure. The fourth time he hit the button, this bolt struck twenty yards away. From the Daily Mail:

Mr Quinnell, an IT technician, said that as a small boy he was frightened by thunderstorms.

"I grew up and got over the fear factor and started to really enjoy the light shows," he said.

Now armed with a tripod, he hopes to continue with his new hobby.

"I am just waiting for some rain. There haven't been may storms lately."

Link (via Fortean Times )

Mapping Interior Spaces With Robots And GIS

2006-10-07T18:28:00+00:00

Roland Piquepaille writes "In an article about GIS and Robotics, Directions Magazine reports that architects and other professionals can now use spatially intelligent robots to collect interior space data. With such mapping robots, it's possible to capture accurate data for over 10,000 square meters per day and to easily integrate it with existing software. The article doesn't mention the sources for its illustrations about these robotic systems, so I thought I'd point them out: a company in Maine called Penobscot Bay Media. You'll find more details and pictures about these mapping robots at ZDNet."

Survey of Super Massive Black Holes Completed

2006-10-08T06:44:00+00:00

eldavojohn writes "NASA has announced the completion of a survey of nearby supermassive black holes. Every galaxy that revolves around a supermassive black hole within 400 light-years of our own galaxy has been cataloged. From the article: 'Called active galactic nuclei, or AGN, these black holes have masses of up to billions of Suns compressed into a region about the size of our solar system. The all-sky census, performed using NASA's Swift satellite over a nine-month period, detected more than 200 nearby AGN.' I'm starting to feel very lucky to have grown up in the Milky Way Galaxy."

Making Water From Thin Air

Fri, 6 Oct 2006 02:00:00 EDT

Supplying troops with potable water is a logistical nightmare in the parched Iraqi desert. But a new technology that creates water literally from air might solve the problem, and save billions of dollars in the process. By Audrey Hudson.

The Sweet Sound of Lapsed Time

Wed, 4 Oct 2006 02:00:00 EDT

Ever wish you could traverse 42 years of pop music history in 37 minutes? R. Luke DuBois' new CD employs "time lapse phonography" to reduce hit songs to a string of tiny, amorphous sound clips that highlight big shifts in musical taste. By Alexander Gelfand.

How did we live without it

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:35:16 -0400

Alin points us to the DVD Rewinder.

Think of the time you'll save. I bet the guys at YouTube need a bunch of these, so they can rewind all those clips people watch o

Search By Salary

Sat, 07 Oct 2006 10:23:19 -0500

Our portfolio company Indeed has done something pretty neat. They've culled salary data from millions of current job listings and made it searchable. Of course, the obvious thing to do with this is look for jobs that pay what you want to make.

1980's Solid State Hard Drive - Biological Storage Device!

Sun, 8 Oct 2006 18:10:02 GMT

A 100 Gigabyte Solid state storage device from the 1980's, it works using green and red lasers to store and read the data. As explained in the video, the problem they had is that in the process of reading the information it also destroys the information.

9 JavaScript Tips You May Not Know

2006-10-08T14:43:22.384704-05:00

[link] [more]

amazing magic trick: cups & balls... with... transparent cups, by Penn & Teller

2006-10-08T20:05:39.635374-05:00

[link] [more]

Installing and Testing WordPress Locally Under Windows

2006-10-08T22:24:25.603410-05:00

[link] [more]

History of Submarine Design

2006-10-08T18:55:23.193739-05:00

[link] [more]

Indie booksellers in the age of the Internet

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 22:58:12 -0500

Cory Doctorow: Interesting AP story about how indie bookstores are faring in the age of the Internet; I worked for indie bookstores in the late 80s and early 90s and love to patronize them, love the knowledgeable clerks, quirky shelf-reviews, lovingly curated recommendation sections. The business model is plainly, books for people who love books -- not "sell the end-caps for this week's extruded blockbuster product."

http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/1,71924-0.html

Homebrew mechanical steampunk lion from Brussels

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 22:40:46 -0500

Cory Doctorow: This mechanical, rideable steampunk lion was a hobby project for a metalworker in Belgium:

http://bbs.dragonslanding.com/viewtopic.php?t=1539

Hallowe'en papercraft projects

Sun, 08 Oct 2006 09:36:00 -0500

Cory Doctorow: Paper Forest, the excellent papercraft blog, has done a roundup post of foldable art for Hallowe'en, everything from a witch pop-up to a Tower of Terror model to a bunch of Hallowe'en origami. Link

-------------------------------
The Web Informant
-------------------------------
The information is harvested from my RSS feeds from:

1)Digg.com 2) TechMeme.com 3) EnGadget.com 4) BoingBoing.net 5)SlashDot.org 6) Wired.com 7) Kuro5hin.org 8) GoogleSystem.blogspot.com9) TechCrunch.com 10) NonGeekSight.blogspot.com 11) Reddit.com 12)SethGodin.typepad.com 13) Chris.Pirillo.com 14) InstaPundit.com 15)Scobleizer.wordpress.com 16) PhyOrg.com

Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

[The Web Informant] Build a Home Robot, Jet Engine & Teleportation is Here

2006-10-07T13:28:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
-----------------------------
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

5th OCtober 2006

The Finkbuilt drawbot

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 18:57:22 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder: Theovertalented Steve Lodefink made a drawing robot for his kids out of apaper cup, a toy motor, a battery, felt pens, and duct tape. The videoof the drawbot in action is a joy to behold. Link

http://www.finkbuilt.com/blog/kids-art-bot/

How to recognize a stroke quickly

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 17:26:07 -0500

Mark Frauenfelder:Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools has been publishing short "Tips" newslettersand they're wonderful. Tips 18 has a simple camera steadier, a way tohide computer cables, how to repair clothes with clear silicone rubbercaulk, and this method for diagnosing a stroke:

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victimquickly he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke. He said thetrick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and getting to thepatient within 3 hours, which is tough. Sometimes symptoms of a strokeare difficult to identify. But doctors say a bystander can recognize astroke by asking three simple questions:
Ask the individual to SMILE.
Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently, ie: It is sunny out today)
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
-- Passed along by Michael Hawley

Church where you can walk on water

Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:27:11 -0500

David Pescovitz:Artist Michael Grossflooded a London church-turned-gallery with water. The "lake" hides asystem of mechanically-moving steps that enable visitors to walk onwater. The installation, titled Bridge, is up until October 29 atDilston Grove. From the gallery's description:

Eachstep emerges one step in front of you and disappears back underneathbehind you as you go. This 'bridge' is purely mechanical, the weight ofthe person on it depresses each step a little, this force activates asubmerged mechanism which raises the next step.

The public are invited to walk out on it as if walking onwater, eventually reaching the middle of the lake, thirty steps andtwelve meters from the shore. There they will stand alone and detached,stranded in the middle of a plane of water until they choose to returnthe way they came. For some people this experience of being cut off andsurrounded by water will be peaceful, for others terrifying. For somewalking across the water will be pure childish joy, whilst others willbe too scared to try.

Link (Thanks, Mike Love!)

Google Code Search

(For Techies :-)

Google Code Searchis a new search engine created by Google that "helps you find functiondefinitions and sample code by giving you one place to search publiclyaccessible source code hosted on the Internet". You can restrict yoursearch to a certain language, license, file or package. You can alsouse regular expressions, so don't forget to escape characters likespace (for example, for\ $;;$ ).

Google does a good job at finding duplicates, and locating a file in a package.

Related:
Krugle, search open source code

How to Make Your Own Jet Engine

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 12:50:05 GMT

A step by step guide to making your own jet-engine from a car turbo-charger. Please be careful...

http://www.instructables.com/id/EEA99AAUR3EP28744T/

Quotes for Techs and Programmers

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 04:30:03 GMT

Allparts should go together without forcing. You must remember that theparts you are reassembling were disassembled by you. Therefore, if youcan't get them together again, there must be a reason. By all means, donot use a hammer. (1925 IBM Maintenence Manual)

http://www.sysprog.net/quotes.html

Coolest way to light your house.

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 00:30:04 GMT

HybridSolar Lighting is a technology that can light houses with natural solarlight. It captures solar light and channels it directly into the roomsusing optical fibers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ5MiLqb5VE&eurl=

Google launches literacy project to link resources

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 07:30:03 GMT

GoogleInc. unveiled on Wednesday a Web site dedicated to literacy, pullingtogether its books, video, mapping and blogging services to helpteachers and educational organizations share reading resources.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061004/wr_nm/media_google_literacy_dc

Will Powerset Pull a Google?

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 07:48:59 +0000

I haven't seen a demo of upcoming search engine Powerset yet, but reportedly many people who have are impressed, saying they'd never use Google again

http://www.powerset.com/

Awesomest sketching program EVER

2006-10-04T19:28:17.066223-05:00

[link] [more]

Scientists teleport two different objects

2006-10-04T20:20:52.493981-05:00

[link] [more]

Monopoly Cards We'd Like to See

2006-10-04T16:51: 42.774924-05:00

[link] [more]

10 seeeeeriously cool workplaces

2006-10-05T08:25:03.958169-05:00

[link][more]

The Top 15 Movie Mistakes (with photo evidence)

2006-10-05T05:19:45.181994-05:00

[link] [more]

To Infinity and beyond! Super cool picture.

submitted by ariesk18 hours 20 minutes ago( via www.media.ebaumsworld.com)

Nice pic.

http://zoomquilt.tobina.de/zoom.htm

Dirty Dozen IT Embarrassments

submitted by aaaz21 hours 6 minutes ago(via www.eweek.com )

They're not all "bugs," because some of them were intentional actsand others were the results of short-sighted design, but each of theseincidents has a lesson to teach.

http://www.eweek.com/slideshow_viewer/0,1205,l=&s=700&a=190182&po=1,00.asp

20 FireFox Extensions For Web Designer

Thu, 5 Oct 2006 15:50:03 GMT

Here's a list of 20 useful FireFox extensions that all web designers should know about.

http://cyber-knowledge.net/blog/2006/10/05/20-firefox-extensions-that-every-web-designer-should-know-about/

FOSSILS OF GIANT SEA REPTILES FOUND IN ARCTIC, October 05
Norwegian researchers have found a wealth of fossils in the Arctic from giant reptiles that swam the seas at the same time as dinosaurs, including a rare predator described as the "Tyrannosaurus Rex of the oceans", a member of the research team said Thursday.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79269368.html

EMOTIONALLY AMBIVALENT WORKERS ARE MORE CREATIVE, INNOVATIVE, October 05
People who experience emotional ambivalence -- simultaneously feeling positive and negative emotions -- are more creative than those who feel just happy or sad, or lack emotion at all, according to a new study.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79282288.html

SERVICE TAPS COMMUNITY TO ID MAIL SCAMS, October 05
(AP) -- A new service for fighting e-mail fraud seeks to tap the wisdom of the Internet community: Anyone will be able to submit suspected scams for others to vote up or down.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79292065.html

REVIEW: WRITELY MOSTLY HITS THE MARK, October 05
As a reporter, I'm never sure when the muse will strike or an editor will call. That's why I send copious notes and drafts of stories to myself by e-mail. As long as I'm within range of a computer with an Internet connection, I know I'll be able to tweak the latest version or do a quick fact check.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79291952.html

PROBING QUESTION: IS CAFFEINE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH?, October 05
A steaming cup of black coffee in the morning is to many people what gasoline is to their cars: essential fuel. The active ingredient in that fuel? Caffeine, a central-nervous-system stimulant found in the leaves and beans of many plants, especially those of coffee and tea.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79288297.html

PART OF HUMAN BRAIN FUNCTIONS LIKE A DIGITAL COMPUTER, PROFESSOR SAYS, October 05
A region of the human brain that scientists believe is critical to human intellectual abilities surprisingly functions much like a digital computer, according to psychology Professor Randall O'Reilly of the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79289076.html

-------------------------------
The Web Informant
-------------------------------
The information is harvested from my RSS feeds from:

1)Digg.com 2) TechMeme.com 3) EnGadget.com 4) BoingBoing.net 5)SlashDot.org 6) Wired.com 7) Kuro5hin.org 8) GoogleSystem.blogspot.com9) TechCrunch.com 10) NonGeekSight.blogspot.com 11) Reddit.com 12)SethGodin.typepad.com 13) Chris.Pirillo.com 14) InstaPundit.com 15)Scobleizer.wordpress.com 16) PhyOrg.com

Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

--
Umesh Ponnusamy
Channel Editor-Development
eCompany-Etisalat
Extn: 5554
Mob: 8818 234

[UAE WEB OF LIFE-Issue 7] Interviews - EmiratesMac & Writers Block

2006-10-06T16:41:00.000+04:00

UAE WEB OF LIFE
-------------------------------
The Internet Magazine on what's happening in the local UAE Web community.
http://UaeWebOfLife.wordpress.com

ISSUE 7

CONTENTS

I. NEWS

2. CUB (Cool UAE Blog) Awards

3. BUG (Best UAe-Group) Awards

3. INTERVIEW - a) Emirates Mac b) Writers Block

Previous Interviews

Past Issues

Free UAE Web Guide - Download

I. NEWS

1) Mum's web site goes global

"....The new Jumeirah is Mirdif. Now, from the aviation fuel-scented exurb comes DuFam (www.dufam.com) – the expansion of the Mirdif Mums to all Dubai..."

Full story

2) UAE's junior expats get new web site

"...But the squad behind www.expatbrats.com includes Nikki's two brothers and her mother, Audrey. As the site progresses, they are also aiming to build a network of young writers across the UAE.

Full Story

3) Excellent response to online services of Dubai Police

"....The number of visitors to Dubai Police website (www.dubaipolice.gov.ae) stood at 2475, 187 over the last three years, he said and attributed the remarkable response to the easy access to the site to get the services and information that concern large segments of the society....."

Read full article.

4) Apply online for jobs at Abu Dhabi Police

ABU DHABI — Job-seekers at
the Abu Dhabi Police can now log onto the Internet or call a tollfree
number to get first hand information about the administrative
procedures without the need to go personally to the Directorate General
of Human Resources. (www.adpolice-hr.com) tollfree phone number (8008999) during work hours.

Read full article.

5) Cost effective and eco-friendly fuel will be available from next month

ABU DHABI — From October 8, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for Distribution (Adnoc Distribution)
will introduce another cost-effective and environment-friendly fuel, which will save Dh1 and 50 fils per gallon on super and special brands. A special website has been launched containing relevant information about the new product explaining its features and functions www.adnoc-dist.ae. In coordination with car dealers in the country, a
list of vehicles which can use E-plus is available on the website.

Read full article.

6) Suggestions to improve local transport will fetch rewards

"RTA will welcome suggestions through the website (www.rta.ae) by email and through a prescribed template which can be filled and handed over personally at the RTA office. Other alternatives to register suggestions include calling the authority or its call centre on 8009090."

Read full article.

7) Want to use Skype in Dubai? Just say HeyU

Customers can go to a UK-based website, Mathaba.net, and get an email address for HeyU, which
bills itself as an "Asian group." HeyU appears to have no website of its own.

Read full article.

8) Weyak brings web portal to mobiles

http://www.weyak.ae

Read full article.

9) UAE Video Site

A commercial Internet site in Dubai with video stories as part of a video class bridging the gap between classroom theories and actual experience with the local media. The video stories, which the students produce for the Eye of Dubai website, are about one minute in length and focus on life and lifestyles in and around Dubai.

http://www.eyeofdubai.com/en/news/videonews/

(Source: DubaiForums.com)

II. CUB (COOL UAE BLOG) AWARDS

Winners this issue:

Recognition of their Constant Creative Cyber Communion

1) Dani - a filipino teenager in Dubai whose expression and blogging is the envy of many a senior
2) Designer Woke - Advertising professional in Dubai - well written blog entries on Dubai etc.
3) Dot1ne - Web Technophile and Podcaster Saleh
4) Farrukh - Advertising Copywriter, Journalist
4) Prometheus - spontaneous and witty...has won him many fans.

IV. BUG - BEST UAEe-Group Awards

Recognition of useful online community service

1) Emirates Mac - http://www.EmiratesMac.com

2) Writer's Block - http://WritersBlockUae.blogspot.com

V. INTERVIEW - EmiratesMac & Writers Block

a) Writers Block

b) Emirates Mac

Previous Interviews

Past Issues

Free UAE Web Guide - Download

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2006 UAE WEB OF LIFE - http://uaeweboflife.wordpress.com

[The Web Informant 4] Galaxy Images, Free Software mag & more

2006-10-05T20:14:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

LARGEST 3D MAP OF GALAXIES
A team of American, Australian and British astronomers has released maps
from the largest full-sky, three-dimensional survey of galaxies ever
conducted.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79094343.html

FORGET THE BIG BANG -- IT'S MORE A DEEP HUM (Link to sound file in article)
The Big Bang that gave birth to the Universe sounded less like the mother
of all explosions than a jumbo jet flying over your house, a US
physicist believes.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79099808.html

3) CALIF. REDWOOD CONFIRMED AS TALLEST TREE
(AP)
-- Researchers have confirmed that a redwood named Hyperion in a remote
Northern California forest is the world's tallest tree.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79027916.html

4) WEB JOURNALS THREATEN PEER-REVIEW SYSTEM
(AP)
-- Scientists frustrated by the iron grip that academic journals hold
over their research can now pursue another path to fame by taking their
research straight to the public online.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79029092.html

ROBOTS QUICK-STEP HUMANS INTO THE FUTURE AT US EXHIBITION,
Robots are ready to take over from the army of workers who do not have time to
prepare their daily meals. They could also teach you ballroom dancing.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news78825281.html

RICE'S SINGLE-PIXEL CAMERA TAKES HIGH-RES IMAGES
For all their ease and convenience, there are few things more wasteful than
digital cameras. They're loaded with pricy microprocessors that chew
through batteries at a breakneck pace, crunching millions of numbers
per second in order to throw out up to 99 percent of the information
flowing through the lens.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79019816.html

GOOGLE BUYS GARAGE WHERE COMPANY WAS LAUNCHED
Â Google said on Monday that it bought the Silicon Valley garage where the Internet search colossus was born.
Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news79028306.html

Make a WordPress Theme In Minutes

Wed, 4 Oct 2006 03:50:03 GMT

A good friend of mine Joe Kaplan just launched ThemesPress.com which is a
site to turn any standard HTML template or design into a fully
functional WordPress Theme in minutes.
The best part, it's all automatic, so people with little to no PHP or
HTML skills can make a WordPress theme from any design they have or
purchased from a design site.

Top Ten Geek Wallets

Tue, 3 Oct 2006 23:50:02 GMT

Get rid of that George Costanza wallet, check out this list of the Top Ten Geek Wallets

http://www.productdose.com/article.php?article_id=4534

Now chat with Digg users!

Wed, 4 Oct 2006 00:10:02 GMT

Chat with anyone on Digg.com now, from Digg's site.
Woohoo. Better yet, do it with anysite.

Issue 14 of Free Software Magazine released

Tue, 3 Oct 2006 21:00:02 GMT

Another
bunch of free articles about free software are available to read on
line or download in PDF for free from the Free Software Magazine crew.
That's a lot of "free"s...
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/issues/issue_014

Now You Can Have Google Gadgets on Your Webpage

Google Gadgets for your webpage can help make a site dynamic andrich with content. Google Gadgets, which have long been available forusers to add to the Google homepage and Google Desktop, are nowavailable for webpage owners to add to their own webpages.

Source: Google
Link: http://www.google.com/press/annc/synd_gadgets.html

Calculating the ROI of blogging

One issue that keeps coming up over and over again is how to measurethe ROI of blogs.Â I've written about this in the past and have beenstewing over how to go beyond the intangible "blogging is good for yourbusiness" exhortations to quantify blogging's benefit to organizations.

Source: Charlene Li's Blog
Author: Charlene Li
Link: http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2006/10â€¦

GM developing home-based hydrogen filling station

If you're tired of waiting for your neighborhood gas station to bust out a hydrogen pump for filling up your fuel cell vehicle that you bought on the black market, have no fear. GM is prepping a hydrogen refueling station that can be set up in your home, and is powered off of electricity or sunlight.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2006/10/03/gm-developing-home-based-hydrogen-refueling-station/

Sterile face-masks with printed animal faces

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 09:58:31 -0500

Cory Doctorow: These "Get Well Soon Masks" are sterile masks intended to evince asmile from sick people -- less creepy and mouthless than thetraditional mime-white version.Link(Thanks, Spluch!)

-------------------------------
The Web Informant
-------------------------------

The information is harvested from my RSS feeds from:

1) Digg.com2) TechMeme.com 3) EnGadget.com 4) BoingBoing.net 5) SlashDot.org 6)Wired.com 7) Kuro5hin.org 8) GoogleSystem.blogspot.com 9)TechCrunch.com 10) NonGeekSight.blogspot.com 11) Reddit.com 12)SethGodin.typepad.com 13) Chris.Pirillo.com 14) InstaPundit.com 15)Scobleizer.wordpress.com 16) PhyOrg.com

Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

The Web Informant - Interesting Information for my Friends and Family - 1st October 2006

2006-10-02T14:06:00.000+04:00

The Web Informant
-----------------------------
Web Tech & Interesting Information, distilled and filtered for quick consumption for my friends and family

1st OCtober 2006

1) Free Computer Science Video Lecture Courses
Here is a list of video lectures in computer science I had collected over the years.
This list is only two-thirds of all links I have in my bookmarks, I will go through the rest of links later. Check back.
http://freescienceonline.blogspot.com/2006/06/free-computer-science-video-lecture_24.html

2) Qlock is a free World Clock for both your browser and your desktop
Designed for both business or home use, Qlock takes the world clock to a new level with more features, more settings and more
control.
http://www.qlock.com/

3) Kill Unwanted Processes Using This Useful App!
Kill processes that take up memory so that you can play or work faster, without using the Task Manager! It will kill all
processes except those listed on the configuration file! Perfect for when you just want to play and free up memory!
http://www.anappaday.com/downloads/2006/09/day-16-quickkill.html

4) Teach Yourself Programming in Ten Years

"Researchers...have shown it takes about ten years to develop expertise in any of a wide variety of areas, including chess
playing, music composition...and research in neuropsychology and topology. There appear to be no real shortcuts: even Mozart,
who was a musical prodigy at age 4, took 13 more years before he began to produce world-class music."
http://www.norvig.com/21-days.html

5) How to Draw Female Comic Characters

From Wizard - How To Draw female superheroes/male superhero
http://ratcreature.livejournal.com/175099.html

6) LinuxChix.org - A linux community of WOMEN??

LinuxChix is a community for women who like Linux, and for women and men who want to support women in computing. The
membership ranges from novices to experienced users, and includes professional and amateur programmers, system administrators
and technical writers.
http://www.LinuxChix.org

7) Take your very own pictures from outside Earth's atmosphere

Here is a pretty cool gallery which shows how these guys 'launched' a device to take pictures from outside Earth's
atmosphere.
http://www.srcf.ucam.org/~cuspaceflight/nova1selected/

8) Want To Be A Video Star? - MTV has issued a casting call ... (Andy Abramson/VoIP Watch)

Want To Be A Video Star? â€" MTV has issued a casting call on line for their hit show "Total Request Live" that now features
SightSpeed. â€" At VON in Boston Jeff Pulver talked a lot about disrupting the process of content distribution and how new
uses of video will emerge.
Source: VoIP Watch
Author: Andy Abramson
Link: http://andyabramson.blogs.com/voipwatch/2006/09/want_to_be_a_vi.html

http://www.techmeme.com/060930/p37#a060930p37

9) Most reliable search tool could be your librarian (Elinor Mills/CNET News.com)

Most reliable search tool could be your librarian â€" Your child wants to learn more about Martin Luther King Jr. You might
consider consulting a librarian instead of Google, AOL or Microsoft search engines. â€" Using the keywords "Martin Luther
King," the first result on Google and AOL â€¦

Source: CNET News.com
Author: Elinor Mills
Link: http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-6120778.html

10) Nissan's Carwings system to read RSS feeds aloud

Wouldn't it be great if your car could actually read information to you? We're not just talking about reciting driving
directions (that's so 2001), but rather an audio version of RSS feeds,

http://www.techmeme.com/061001/p6#a061001p6

11) HOWTO make retractable metal Wolverine claws

Cory Doctorow: This is a hell of a costume -- a set of retractable galvanized metal Wolverine claws. Lethally cool.
http://www.muc.muohio.edu/~natedogg/main.htm

12) Every Move You Make - If you think you're being watched, you probably are.

"...one might wonder: Is someone, right this very minute, watching my keystrokes? Or reading my e-mail? Doing background
checks on me even after I'm hired? Noticing when I come and go based on my key card? How about all of the above -- and more."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093000147.html?nav=rss_technology

13) Beautiful Wooden PC Cases

mrbill submitted linkage to a site offering to sell what appear to be very beautiful wood PC cases combining wood, glass and
silicon into something a hell of a lot prettier than that beige box. Something tells me these wouldn't win the recent Intel
sexy case contest, but they sure are sharp.

http://suissacomputers.com/

14) Peek at NSA's Secret Reading List

What's the typical U.S. spook reading up on? From encryption to extraterrestrials, recently divulged documents offer a
glimpse between the covers of the National Security Agency's classified internal magazines. By Ryan Singel.
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/security/0,71849-0.html?tw=rss.technology

15) The Physics of a Good Store Location

Roland Piquepaille writes, "In 'Atomic Physics Predicts Successful Store Location,' LiveScience reports that a French
physicist has applied methods used to study atomic interactions for another task: to 'help business owners find the best
places to locate their stores.' Pablo Jensen has used his method for the city of Lyon and is now developing software with the
local Chamber of Commerce to help future business owners. Read more for additional references and maps of the city of Lyon
showing for example the best locations to open a bakery, according to atomic physics." Jensen says that more research is
needed to know if this method would work in other cities.
http://www.livescience.com/othernews/060927_business_physics.html

16) HOWTO: Make a bat-person costume out of an old umbrella

Cory Doctorow: This bat costume is a dead clever way of recycling a broken black umbrella.

17) Kid Sphere Hotel in Belgium

The Atomium is a giant model of an iron molecule built for the 1958 World's Fair in Belgium. It re-opened this year as the
Kid Sphere Hotel and it looks amazing.
http://www.thecoolhunter.net/travel/KID-SPHERE-HOTEL---BELGIUM/

18) Handmade wooden "cellphones" from Mozambique

Cory Doctorow: Peter sez, "I saw these beautiful wooden handmade Nokia, 'Philips', and best of all, 'Scony' cellphones in
Pemba, Mozambique. I feel like a total jerk because I was so intent on getting a picture for Boing Boing that I forgot to buy
one."

19) Sunrise Over Saturn in Six Incredible Images

http://www.saturntoday.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=22164

20) 'interesting' coca-cola add from the mid 80's
http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/poster.asp

21) The only place where blacks earn more than whites
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/nyregion/01census.html?
ex=1317355200&en=2ef39d445a4d36da&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

22) High resolution image of the center of the galaxy

http://ipac.jpl.nasa.gov/media_images/ssc2006-02a.jpg

-------------------------------
The Web Informant
-------------------------------
The Web Informant is a series of blog posts that aims to bring you the most interesting news from the frontiers of web
technology collected, distilled and filtered, so that you get only the best!

Read the older posts here: http://blogs.weyak.ae/writer

Lage Raho Munnabhai (Carry On Munnabhai) Jokes & Bollywood reincarnates Gandhian values in style

2006-09-27T09:05:00.000+04:00

Dear Orbits,

Benedict Paramanand, a columnist for the free UAE daily 7 Days, has
written this very nice piece on the film

"..Gandhi movie should go global

Benedict Paramanand finds a film that has taken India by storm and shows
that big business can be a force for good..."

(http://www.7days.ae/2006/09/27/gandhi-movie-should-go-global.html)

Also, a friend had forwarded me amusing Munnabhai jokes, it's all in
typical Munnabhai-Circuit Mumbaiya hindi but:

PROFESSOR
Gandhi Jayanti ke baray mein kya jantey ho?

MUNNA BHAI
Gandhi bahut jabardast aadmi tha, Baap. Maa Kasam,
par apun ko yeh nehin malum ke yeh Jayanti kaun hai.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CIRCUIT
Bhai, Bapu ne bola tha ke kabhi jhoot nehin bolna mangta hai.
Apun aaj se kabhi jhoot nehin bolega Bhai.

MUNNA BHAI
Aye Circuit, woh Sunita ka baap aya hai terayko dund rehla hai.

CIRCUIT
Bhai usko bolo apun gaon gaya hai, kheti karneko.

MUNNA BHAI
Par Circuit, abhi to tu bola kabhi jhoot nehin bolega.

CIRCUIT
Bhai, apun jhoot nehin bolega, par tum to bol sakta hai na.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~
MAMU
Chand toh raat ko nikalta hai,
aaj din mein kaise nikal aya?

GIRL
Ullu to raat ko bolta hai,
aaj din mein kaise bol pada?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CIRCUIT
Bhai, woh apnay bachpan ka dost aarehla aaj raat ko dinner pe.
Mera sara chain collection apnay kamray mein chupa do na please.

MUNNABHAI
Kyun tera dost chor hai kya?

CIRCUIT
Nehin Bhai, woh apnay chain pechan lega.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAMU
Bhai, apnay ko char mahinay mein Tamil sikhna padega. Kuch upay batao.

MUNNA BHAI
Tamil kyun, aur char mahinay ka kya chakkar hai?

MAMU
Meinay ek Tamil baccha adopt kiya hai, aur woh char mahinay mein bolne
lagay ga.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROFESSOR
Akal badi ki bhais?

MUNNA BHAI
Bole toh pehlay date of birth bata mamu.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUNNA BHAI
Circuit, bole toh yeh Ford kya hai?

CIRCUIT
Bhai, gaadi hai.

MUNNA BHAI
Toh phir, yeh Oxford kya hai?

CIRCUIT
Bole toh, simple hai bhai, Ox mane Bael, Ford mane gaadi. Oxford bole
toh Baelgaadi.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CIRCUIT
Aye Mamu, tereko papad aur jhapad mein pharak pata hai kya?

MAMU
Nehin.

CIRCUIT
To kha ke dekh le, pata chal jayega.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUNNA BHAI
Mamu, apun bachpan mein dus maley ke building se gir gaya tha.

MAMU
Aarey, phir kya hua. Bach gaya ki tapak gaya?

MUNNA BHAI
Yaad nehin hai yaar. Bahut purane baat hai.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MUNNA BHAI
Mamu, tu kitna pada hai?

MAMU
B.A .

MUNNA BHAI
Sala, two akshar pada aur woh bhi ulta?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MAMU
Oye, maar gayay yaar. Meri biwi aur premika saath saath aa rehla hai.

MAMU KA DOST
Arrey, mein bhi yehi bolnewala tha.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CIRCUIT
Oye Short Circuit yeh light bulb pe baap ka naam kya likh raha hai?

SHORT CIRCUIT
Apun baap ka naam roshan kar rehle hai.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PRINCIPAL
Agar koi ladka girls hostel mein gaya toh first time 100 Rs fine, 2nd
time 200 Rs. Fine and 3rd time 500.

MUNNA BHAI
Monthly paas ka kya lega Mamu

Summer Rendezvous - Orb Art Exhibition - Photos

2006-09-06T08:54:00.000+04:00

Yatch by Rasool

Tulips I by Rasool

Tulips II by Rasool

Horses by Rasool

Violin and Guitars by Rasool

Katrina Kaif by Rasool

Audrey Hepburn by Rasool

Rasool with Mercedes Benz

Rasool with his paintings

Work on Vase by Muniba

Glass Shield by Muniba

Houses by Muniba

Abstract by Muniba

Muniba with her painting

Ceramic Fowers in Pot by Arsha

Pencil sketch by Arsha

Knife Painting by Arsha

Dancing Ganesha (Tanjavur) by Arsha

Arsha with her work

Crochet by Tasneem

Tasneem with her embroidery and crochet work

Ramesh with his portrait

The artists with the Moderator!

The official Photographer :-)

The Dixit's!

Ranjit, Jatinder & Shahbaaz

Muffaddal

Nuzhat

Tas & Nuzi

Table Friends!

I shall bring a masterpiece next time!

Uh! Is any art better than us?!

September Rendezvous - Art Exhibition

2006-08-28T09:17:00.000+04:00

Guys and gals! We are having the Sept Rendezvous with a difference! We are coupling this one with an art exhibition (private) so go ahead and give your ayes on the link below:

http://www.ryze.com/ed.a?eid=30269

If anyone wants to add their creative work in this exhibition get in touch with me prior to the 28th of August (last date) regarding collection of items!

We are rushing behind the scenes to get this event organized! We have the following people giving their work of labour to exhibit!

1. Rasul - An artist with such wide range in his work! You got to see his work to believe...
2. Muniba - She is working on her stain glass paintings and we can be sure they will be good!
3. Arsha - She is a student who takes up project artwork for people!

Venue Location Map:

12 Very Interesting and Useful Links from Digg

2006-08-20T08:50:00.000+04:00

From http://www.digg.com

1) List of nifty tools for drawing diagrams, charts and chart-flows

"Developing web-sites over the last few years, I ’ve been stumbling over
the same problem over and over again: how can I visualize my ideas
easily and quickly? I’ve spent hours googling for useful tools and
tutorials which would help me to create
diagrams, charts, flow-charts to visualize my personal ideas to my
clients. Here are the results."

http://www.alvit.de/blog/article/nifty-tools-and-tutorials-for-creating-diagrams-charts-and-chart-flows

2) In Pictures: Seven Amazing Robots That Will Change Lives

We present the masters of robotic innovation who are fusing advances in
biomechanics, software, sensor technology, materials science and
computing to create new generations of robotic assistants. Learning has
been key, both for robots and for their designers. Robots are about to
be unshackled from forced labor. Expect them everywhere.

http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/17/cz_tc_0817egangbots.html?thisSpeed=35000

3) Beautiful subways from around the world (cool pics)

Many operators of metros, subways or underground railways want to
attract more passengers with good station design. This often means extra
effort and higher costs for the metro operators but it seems to pay when
a metro is more than just a means of transport but something the
residents can be proud of.

http://www.mic-ro.com/metro/metroart.html

4) Worst cars ever made

Have you ever heard of Peel Trident, Ford Pinto, Fiat Multipla,
Chevrolet Vega or Yugo? These cars we picked as the worst cars ever
made. Check out why.

5) DIY: Make an alarm system in 3 minutes!

Nice and easy to make project with lots of potential.

http://zedomax.com/diy/100/diy100.htm

6) Awesome Site: Create Your Own Font!

This website allows you to create your own font. Once you finish it you
can upload it to the gallery so you can download it, as well as hundreds
of others that other people have made

http://www.pentacom.jp/soft/ex/font/edit.html

7) The top 10 most beautiful cellphones

A set of beautiful phones - if someone knows where to get hold of that
'KDDI Penck' please let me know, that one was absolutely stunning.

http://gadgets.fosfor.se/the-top-10-most-beautiful-cellphones

8) 50 Common Interview Questions

Collections of Questions.

http://bhuvans.wordpress.com/2006/08/19/50-common-interview-qa/

9) Sony Transparent TV

No kidding! This “transparent” TV really exists, and it’s from Sony.
Look at the screen, it’s like floating…and the speakers, freaking awesome!

http://www.blogiseverything.com/gadgets-gizmos/sony-transparent-tv/

10) Online Font Tester

Online font comparison tool.

http://www.fonttester.com/

11) Comparison of 3 File Recovery Programs

You may say: "If the disk has failed, there's no way outside of
super-expensive recovery services to get back the lost files." Not so
fast. In actuality, it turns out that a large percentage of hard drive
failures are recoverable via software.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,2005149,00.asp?kc=ETRSS02129TX1K0000532

12) Commanding The Command Line

"This guide will show you lots of features of the terminal, and
different ways to use it. Coming from Windows, I thought that the
terminal was useless. Little did I know that it was one of the most
useful things on my entire computer."

http://www.noenemies.com/2006/08/commanding-the-command-line/

[URGENT CREATIVE REQUIREMENTS-17Aug06] 1) Photographers 2) Faces for Ad Campaign

2006-08-15T12:26:00.000+04:00

1) Wanted: Photographers

Situation:
Gulf Photo Plus is often approached to recommend photographers for
various assignments around the region.
Problem:
GPP Professional doesn't have enough photographers registered to meet
the demand.
Solution:
If you are serious about doing photography work part-time or full-time
register with Gulf Photo Plus Professional and you will be recommended
to potential clients and have your portfolio professionally displayed.
Action:
GPP needs 30 people to register and pay for Gulf Photo Plus Professional
by 17th of August to be able to advertise in "The Wedding Magazine" and
be distributed with Ahlan, Masala, Viva, Emirates Home, Grazia &L'Officiel.

In September GPP Pro will be listed in Aquarius magazine and have a
banner advert on Gulf Marketing Review website plus many more.....
CLICK HERE TO JOIN NOW
http://www.gulfphotoplus.com/Professional/Join.php

Visit www.gulfphotoplus.com

2) Wanna be famous? Just say cheese!

We are looking for unusual & interesting faces between the age group of
15-30 years for a reputed telecom company ad campaign, launching a new
web & mobile portal in the UAE. This service enables people to have
access to varied rich content such as sports, news, music, movies,
blogs, ring tones and much more.

If you have friends, colleagues, brothers, sisters, children, spouses
(for all we care) who you think have the face to do the talking, then go
ahead and send us their pictures before 17 Aug 06 along with their names
& contact details.

Those short-listed would be called in for a photo shoot (as early as
next week) and be given the chance to be famous. What’s more, there are
attractive rewards up for grabs!

Hurry! Send out this mail to everybody or send pictures of people you
know to ubweyak@gmail.com, today!

Note:
– The photo/picture can be of any quality & resolution.

[Positronics] The Parable of the Pencil

2006-08-10T14:54:00.000+04:00

The Parable of the Pencil

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone's hand.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you will make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.

And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you; always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God's hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems, but you'll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct mistakes you might make or grow through them.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what's on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to serve God in everything.

By understanding and remembering, let us proceed with our life on this earth having a meaningful purpose in our heart and a relationship with God daily.

http://www.inspireeveryone.com

[Tickle Pickle] A Good Gift

2006-08-08T12:35:00.000+04:00

A wife was very unhappy  with her car and complained a lot to her husband:

"Buy me a surprise for my birthday" she said. " Something that  accelerates from 0 to 80 in 4 seconds"......"   And I  would prefer a blue one please. "

Happy and excited  she was  counting down the days for her birthday.

And finally she got the  beautiful present her husband  thoughtfully
bought............

<img src=" http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m153/orbuae/Tickle%20Pickle/pic03902.jpg" align="left">

Dubai Indie Film Group Meetup on 16th August

2006-08-08T12:12:00.000+04:00

Announcing a new event for Dubai Indie Film Group!
To visit Dubai Indie Film Group, go here:
http://indiefilm.meetup.com/119/

What: DIFG August Meet: Mini Film Festival / Nancy Loves Mr.
Brown

When: Wednesday, August 16, 8:30 PM

Where: Click the link below to find out!
http://indiefilm.meetup.com/119/events/5063754/

Event Description: Agenda:

+ Mini Film Festival
Representatives from 9714 and Mini (The Car) will give us a
presentation on their first short film festival in Dubai. They
will follow it with a small Q&A.

+ Nancy loves Mr. Brown
We'll be showcasing a 13min 16mm short film by DIFG member,
Jane Meikle. Her film is based on a TV character she worked on
back in Canada.

+ Network
And of course, last but not the least, get a chance to mingle
with fellow film enthusiasts and filmmakers.

Contact Information:
Organizer
Adnan Arif
(050)6268528 azzi2k1@yahoo.com

Ponder this!

2006-08-07T08:40:00.000+04:00

1. When dog food is new and improved tasting, who tests it? (to be given
a thought)?

2. If the "black box" flight recorder is never damaged during a plane
crash, why isn't the whole airplane made out of that stuff? (very good
thinking)

3. Who copyrighted the copyright symbol? (who knows)

4. Can you cry under water? (let me try)

5. Why do people say, "you've been working like a dog" when dogs just
sitaround all day? (I think they meant something else)

6. Why are the numbers on a calculator and a phone reversed? (God knows)

7. Do fish ever get thirsty? (let me ask and tell)

8. Can you get cornered in a round room? (by oneseyes)

9. Why do birds not fall out of trees when they sleep? (tonight I will
stay and watch)

10. If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oils made from
vegetables,then what is baby oil made from?? (No comments)

11. What should one call a male ladybird? (No comments)

12. If a person suffered from amnesia and then was cured would they
remember that they forgot? (can somebody help )

13. Can you blow a balloon up under water? (yes u can)

14. Why is it called a "building" when it is already built? (strange
isn't it)

15. If you were travelling at the speed of sound and you turned on your
radio would you be ! Able to hear it? (got to think scientifically)

16. If you're travelling at the speed of light and you turn your
headlights on, what happens?

17. Why is it called a TV set when theres only one? (very nice)

18. Why do most cars have speedometers that go up to at least 130 when
you legally can't go that fast on any road?

19. If drink & drive is not allowed why the hell they have parking in Bars?

[Positronics] The Basis of Humanity

2006-08-06T09:01:00.000+04:00

CONFIDENCE :Once all village people decided to pray for rain.On the day
of prayer all people gathered and only one boy came with an umbrella :
that's confidence

TRUST Trust should be like the feeling of a one year old baby when you
throw him in the air he laughs --- because he knows u will catch him ------

HOPE : A human being can live for 40 days without water,8 minutes
without air but not even i second without hope.

Dilbert's One Liners

2006-08-02T09:19:00.000+04:00

1. I say no to alcohol, it just doesn't listen.

2. A friend in need is a pest indeed.

3. Marriage is one of the chief causes of divorce.

4. Work is fine if it doesn't take too much of your time.

5. When everything comes in your way you're in the wrong lane.

6. The light at the end of the tunnel may be an incoming train.

7. Born free, taxed to death.

8. Everyone has a photographic memory, some just don't have film.

9. Life is unsure; always eat your dessert first.

10. Smile, it makes people wonder what you are thinking.

11. If you keep your feet firmly on the ground, you'll have
trouble putting on your pants.

12. It's not hard to meet expenses, they are everywhere.

13. I love being a writer... what I can't stand is the paperwork.

14. A printer consists of 3 main parts: the case, the jammed
paper tray and the blinking red light.

15. The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot. The guy
who invented the other three, he was the genius.

16. The trouble with being punctual is that no one is there to
appreciate it.

17. In a country of free speech, why are there phone bills?

18. If you cannot change your mind, are you sure you have one?

19. Beat the 5 O'clock rush, leave work at noon!

20. If you can't convince them, confuse them.

21. It's not the fall that kills you. It's the sudden stop at the
end.

22. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

23. Hot glass looks same as cold glass. - Cunino's Law of Burnt
Fingers

24. The cigarette does the smoking you are just the sucker.

25. Someday is not a day of the week

HOAX : UAE Weather Warning

2006-07-25T12:07:00.000+04:00

Had posted this earlier...but this was later confirmed to be a hoax:
I had received this in an email forward...seemed genuine then.

This is an urgent warning on extreme weather conditions expected to on
Friday and it will last for at least 24 hours!!!

Due to the current weather development very strong winds is expected of
Friday, according to the forecast that we have received wind speeds of
60mph and more is expected. This is because of a weather system that is
moving down the gulf and it is expected to reach Dubai on Friday!!!

An office I know in Qatar has closed all operations and they are now
trying to secure everything as far as possible to prevent fly debris.
Waves in excess of 5m are also forecasted.

Please inform everybody about this expected adverse weather condition.
According to the forecast the wind speeds are likely to increase as the
system moves down the gulf and it is expected wind speeds will be the
highest recorded it the region.

The message for the people is to stay in doors on Friday and avoid the
beaches

Donate Clothes Campaign - Creative Majlis in 7 Days

2006-07-24T11:07:00.000+04:00

Biro-Art: Fantastic Ballpoint Drawings

2006-07-16T07:54:00.000+04:00

A gallery of some extraordinary sketches made with a simple (Bic)
ballpoint pen on A4 laser printer paper. Biro is the British name for
the ballpoint pen.

http://www.biro-art.com/gallery.html

Can you help us? Donated clothes required urgently for labourers.

2006-07-14T17:51:00.000+04:00

Hi,

We are in urgent need of clean clothes in good condition for labourers who have lost everything except the workclothes they were wearing in a recent fire at their camp in Dubai.

Creative Majlis is collecting clothes which we shall distribute to this camp this week.

We'd like to complete the collection of the first lot of donated clothes by 7.00 pm tomorrow evening that is 15 July, Saturday. If there is a need, we might extend the campaign further to meet as many needs of these workers as we possibly can.

If you'd like to donate clean and ironed clothes for these adult males, or help us with the logistics and transportation, or in any other way, please get in touch with:

Farrukh Naeem in Abu Dhabi: 050-7151722
Sandeep Ramanujam in Dubai: 050-2570433
Kapil Verma in Sharjah: 050-8457606

Looking forward to your support,

Farrukh Naeem
Co-founder & co-moderator
Creative Majlis
http://creativemajlis-network.ryze.com

Download PDF - How Profits and Social Development can go Hand in Hand

2006-07-12T12:37:00.000+04:00

If in the previous post, if the scanned article isn't readable (blogger seems to limit the size of the image upload), you can download the PDF file of the scanned article here:

http://www.4shared.com/file/2475912/5adc2bd8/commerce_socdev.html

THis is more readable.

Creative Thinking in Business - How Profits and Social Development can go Hand in Hand

2006-07-12T12:15:00.000+04:00

A nice article passed onto me by my friend, Virtual Reality Professor - Bernard.
Coming from a business community, I was always told that Business means only money and profits. I used to think otherwise. I still do :-). At least this article vindicates a part of my thinking. Should pass this onto my money-hardened business relatives.

Tribute Concert to RD Burman

2006-07-11T14:16:00.000+04:00

Found this post on the Dubai Classical Music Yahoogroup:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dubaiclassicalmusic

PanchamUAE Presents "YAADON KI BAARAAT"
a musical tribute to R D Burman

R D Burman, fondly called as Panchamda, is one of the best
combination of Indian and Western music fusion that Indian Cinema
has ever seen. Classical music was also one of his "weapon" to win
millions of hearts all over the world.

Main artists: Amit Kumar, Sushma Shreshtha (Poornima), Anil Bajpayee

Main Musicians : Manohari Singh, Nitin Shankar, Anup Shankar, Suresh
Iyer ( all of them worked with Panchamda ) and a few other leading
musicians in the industry.

DATE: 19th July

VENUE: Dubai's Crowne Plaza Auditorium

TIME: 21:00 hrs

Tickets Dhs 35, 60, 125 & 225
Tickets available at Crowne Plaza (3311111), Spinneys Audio Video
(3510929), Sind Punjab (3525058), Punjab Video (3532050) -
Free Home Delivery : 050-4503869 / 04-3373724 / 050-2800870 /
050-6549100

Volunteers required ( taking responsibility for selling tickets - 10
tickets minimum :-) ) !!!!

Its a "Signature" event

More details - jpg picture - at :
http://www.savefile.com/files/1984664

KCP ( 050 4503869 )

bLaugh.com - (un)Official comic of the blogosphere

2006-07-09T10:47:00.000+04:00

Started by Chris Pirillo of Lockergnome.com fame:

http://blaugh.com/

I love to laugh - so now I’m preparing the world to bLaugh! Today, we’re
launching the (un)Official comic of the blogosphere - colorful,
satirical, and comical. Expect parodies of “A-List” bloggers all the way
down to the meme of the day - no holds barred. Brad Fitzpatrick is
bLaugh’s artist, and I’m the writer. The strip is exclusively sponsored
by a single company, GoDaddy. We have a bLaugh feed for you to suck down
- and we’ll rotate the daily comic image in a static URL to encourage
deep-linking from anywhere (widgets, anyone?). Of course, all you
ego-whores should be watching closely - because you’re likely the ones
to be parodied on a regular basis. If you blog, or your name (brand) is
getting tossed around in the blogosphere, you’re on our radar. That
includes you, Hugh and Jacek (because we love everybody equally).
http://chris.pirillo.com/2006/06/30/blaugh-the-unofficial-comic-of-the-blogosphere/

[BEDOWIN] Red Bull Creativity Contest

2006-07-05T14:55:00.000+04:00

[Think Outside the Box] Vending Machine Ads

2006-07-05T08:31:00.000+04:00

Found this link originally posted on digg.com

Unlimited Ideas Bank

2006-06-27T07:56:00.000+04:00

[Posted by: "Arun Verma" arun@creativegarh.com arun_creativegarh
Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:28 am (PST)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creativegarh]

What is the Ideas Bank?

UnLtd's ideas bank allows you to post, share and discuss UK- related
social ideas. Submit your idea today or browse through the innovations
already online, and join the idea revolution!

http://www.unltdideasbank.org.uk/site/home/

Thought Card - Sacrifice

2006-06-19T11:11:00.000+04:00

[Positronics] The Wonderful Cake

2006-06-19T11:10:00.000+04:00

Sometimes we wonder, "What did I do to deserve this?" or

"Why did God have to do this to me?" Here is a wonderful explanation!

A daughter is telling her Mother how everything is going wrong, she's
failing Algebra, her boyfriend broke up with her and her best friend is
moving away.

Meanwhile, her Mother is baking a cake and asks her daughter if she
would like a snack, and the daughter says, "Absolutely Mom, I love your
cake"

"Here, have some cooking oil," her Mother offers. "Yuck" says her daughter.

"How about a couple of raw eggs?" "Gross, Mom!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?" "Mom, those are
all yucky!"

To which the mother replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a
wonderfully delicious
cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why He would let us go
through such bad and difficult times.

But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they
always work for good! We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they
will all make something wonderful!

God is crazy about you. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise
every morning.

Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the
universe, and He chose your heart.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might
as well dance.

12 Famous Dreams of Creativity and Inventions

2006-06-14T12:32:00.000+04:00

Throughout history, artists, inventors, writers and scientists have
solved problems in their dreams. Brilliant Dreams has compiled a list of
twelve famous discoveries and creativity in literature, science, music
and even sports attributed to dreams.

- Paul McCartney Finds "Yesterday" In a Dream
- Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Inspired By a Dream
- Dream Leads to Nobel Prize
- Abraham Lincoln Dreamt of His Assassination
- Kekulé - Dreams of Molecules & Benzene Structure
- Madame C.J. Walker - From Dream to Millionaire
- The Sewing Machine
- The Strange Dream of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Jack Nicklaus Finds a New Golf Swing in a Dream
- Mathematical Genius & Dreamer- Srinivasa Ramanujan
- Dreams and The King of Horror
- Subliminal Clues From Fossil Perceived In Dream

Read full article at http://www.mindpowernews.com/BrilliantDreams.htm

Dubai Satellite Images

2006-06-13T07:52:00.000+04:00

Hope this is not old news! This was posted on the Dubai Expats Yahoogroup:

Satellite pictures of Dubai & UAE now in Google Earth!

Download free Google Earth software from:

http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html

Arts and Crafts for the Digital Age

2006-06-11T07:55:00.000+04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/08/technology/08cricket.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=all

At first blush, the PicoCricket Kit resembles a plastic box of arts and crafts supplies, crammed with colored felt, pipe cleaners, cotton and Styrofoam balls.

Skip to next paragraph

Robert Spencer for The New York Times

Singing to her Pico-Cricket Kit creation allows Hana Machover,12, to influence its behavior.

Enlarge this Image

Robert Spencer for The New York Times

Mitchel Resnick sought to encourage artistic uses for the robotics kit.

The drop-and-drag programming commands of the robotics kit can be assembled like blocks.

But this is a craft kit for the digital age. It includes electronic sensors, motors, sound boxes, connecting cables and a palm-size, battery-powered, programmable computer.

By combining the traditional materials with high-tech ones, children as young as 9 can invent interactive jewelry, fanciful creatures that dance, musical sculptures and more, said Mitchel Resnick, a professor of learning research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.

Mr. Resnick, whose work with children and learning at the Media Lab helped the Lego Group create its highly successful Mindstorms robotic construction kits in 1998, said he wanted to produce something in which the emphasis was not on the building of mechanical objects.

Instead, he said he was more interested in encouraging the creation of something artistic, and delivering a technology and programming language that would let young people take more control of how their creations would behave.

"The hope is to get people started with simple projects and let their imaginations run wild," Mr. Resnick said. "I do think young people are very quick to dive in and experiment." The PicoCricket Kits, he said, "are designed to encourage that sort of experimentation."

One of the PicoCricket guides, for instance, instructs users on how to turn a birthday cake made mostly of felt, cardboard and drinking straws into an ingeniously interactive one, a cake that can be programmed to shut off the lights in its electrical candles when someone blows on them.

With a few adjustments in the cake's programming, its artificial candles will even flicker before they go out. With more programming tweaks, the cake can play birthday tunes or be joined with another homemade contraption that will toss confetti into the air.

The $250 kit is the first effort of the Playful Invention Company, or PICO, a Montreal-based company of which Mr. Resnick is a co-founder; Lego is a financial backer. (The kit will be available next month from www.picocricket.com, where orders are now being accepted.)

Besides all the parts, the kit includes building guides printed on double-sided placemats, but little more in terms of instructions.

Its central tool is PicoBlocks software, a point-and-click, drop-and-drag programming language. It appears like colored puzzle pieces that can be arranged and combined on a computer screen (PC and Mac) with a mouse. Stringing the labeled pieces together into interlocking sequences can create simple or complex commands.

A U.S.B. "beamer," which is plugged into the computer, transmits the commands to the PicoCricket computer through a series of flashing lights. Motors and sensors are plugged into the PicoCricket, which then performs according to the programming stored in its solid-state memory.

The PicoCricket's core technology, Mr. Resnick said, dates from the 1980's, when M.I.T. and Lego were developing the programmable Lego brick, which led to Mindstorms.

"Putting kids in control is what's so important to us," Mr. Resnick said, noting that girls as well as boys are drawn to the kit's creative engineering, according to M.I.T.'s research and workshops globally.

Other developers, too, are producing more open-ended building kits aimed at letting young people create and program their own computerized designs.

The Vex Robotics Design System, developed last year by Innovation First and RadioShack, was created to spur young people to have fun while being inventive. Along the way, many are given hands-on lessons in how mathematics, physics and computer programming can be useful and practical, said Joel Carter, vice president for marketing at Innovation First, a robotics company in Greenville, Tex.

Vex robot kits include instructions, but they encourage young people — generally high school age and older — to tackle problems. "Talk to the average high school students, they are a lot smarter," Mr. Carter said. "They like open-ended problems, and a lot like to take the tools that are available to solve open-ended problems."

The Vex starter kit, which costs $300, includes more than 500 parts, enough to build remote-controlled robots as well as programmable ones, Mr. Carter noted. Programming, he said, is written in easyC, a graphical variant on the C language used by professional programmers.

"It is a cool tool that works with Vex," he said of easyC, which works on Windows-based personal computers. "It makes Vex accessible and demystifies programming. Relatively young kids can program robots to get them to do what they want them to."

The programming is transferred to the robot's microprocessor by way of a serial cable plugged into the computer.

Vex systems, which include more than 20 accessories (including the easyC programming kit, sold separately for $99), have recently been acquired by Innovation First (www.vexlabs.com). This means, Mr. Carter said, that the robotics kits will not be sold exclusively in RadioShack stores, but also through other channels.

He also noted that Carnegie Mellon University had developed a curriculum that uses Vex robotics to teach math and sciences.

David Greenbaum, owner of Robot Village, a robotics store and workshop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, said the attraction of young people to robotics was only natural.

"These are such exciting times for kids when they can see robots all around them doing things like exploring the oceans and outer space, and helping the sick and elderly in hospitals," he said. "They want to be a part of that. Learning robotics technology skills gives them a big advantage in unlocking their future possibilities."

Homemade robots have become such a hot topic lately that Mark Frauenfelder, editor in chief of Make magazine, said much of the magazine's latest issue was devoted to guiding readers in building their own.

"One thing that really made a big difference is the kits," Mr. Frauenfelder said about the rising popularity in designing, building and programming personal creations. "They have whetted people's appetites. They see them online, other people home-brewing these really cool robots."

Caleb Chung and Bob Christopher, the co-founders of Ugobe, a robotic technology company in Emeryville, Calif., said they were developing an infant robotic dinosaur, Pleo, that they say will behave so believably that it will invite a relationship as much as play. (Mr. Chung was co-inventor of the Furby, the interactive plush toy.)

The Pleo (www.ugobe.com/pleo) is to be ready by the holiday season; its price has not been disclosed. Mr. Christopher said the robotic pet's technology, running on the company's Life Form operating system, would be "all about enabling the creative gene in everybody."

In the meantime, the diversity of robotic kits and the creative possibilities continue to grow, encompassing everything from mechanical insects and beasts to high-tech toy houses and spinning sculpture.

Robotics does not have to be limited anymore, said Mr. Resnick of M.I.T., "to what comes in the box."

Thought Card - Friends

2006-06-10T08:14:00.000+04:00

SHARE A THOUGHT CARD with family and friends.
Click image to enlarge and right click on image and save it to your PC.
Forward it in your email to your friends.

Thought Card - Disney's "Dream"

2006-06-03T12:01:00.000+04:00

SHARE A THOUGHT CARD with family and friends.
Click image to enlarge and right click on image and save it to your PC.
Forward it in your email to your friends.

UAE Writer's Block Promotes Reading

2006-05-31T21:13:00.000+04:00

Writer's Block Promotes Reading

Writer's Block is giving away books for free. You don’t have to register
or fill out forms. Simply pick your book and we will have it delivered
to your doorstep. You don't have to do a thing.

Basically there is no catch. It is our humble contribution to revitalize
the attitude towards book reading. If you have books to donate or sell,
contact us; we’d be glad to take them off your hands and give them away
to other appreciating bookworms. Therefore the list of give-away books
will be frequently updated throughout the summer. Keep checking
regularly; a lot of people are donating books and our list is growing.

Spread the word and let people know!

Steps are easy:

* Choose a book from the list in the box on the left column
* Email (writersblockuae@gmail.com) us and tell us where to deliver
the book(s)
* We send it out to you

And if you have any books you are willing to donate or sell, let us know.

Driving and Music

2006-05-30T11:22:00.000+04:00

An interesting discussion on at the Dubai Classical Music Yahoogroup:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dubaiclassicalmusic

There is no doubt about this Peter.

I am presently doing Master’s study on the effects of background music
in various settings. Music’s capacity to calm and relax in stressful
situations is well documented.

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: dubaiclassicalmusic@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:dubaiclassicalmusic@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of P. Bekaert
Sent: Tuesday, 30 May 2006 8:53 AM
To: dubaiclassicalmusic@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [dubaiclassicalmusic] The effect of music on driving...

Dear all,

For those interested, I have attached a few interesting articles on how
(some, not all)classical music could help beating the stress of the
Dubai aggressive driving, road rage and traffic jams!

This is just one more reason why Dubai should have an FM classical music
radio station asap ;-)

Aggressive music makes people aggressive, whereas slow music relaxes
them. However, driving in silence might encourage people to space out
and also crash more!

Piet

1. By Ray Massey, The London Daily Mail
June 1, 1998

The music you play in your car can drive you to distraction or help you
avoid disaster. Whatever your taste - light pop, heavy rock or classical
- the beat can affect your mood and your tolerance at the wheel,
according to the RAC. The motoring organization believes some songs can
leave drivers revving for a fight while others immediately take the
stress out of being behind the wheel.

Astonishingly, the classical strains of Wagner are just as likely to get
you in a lather as the latest head-pounding rhythm from The Prodigy. The
RAC's psychologist, Conrad King, said stirring classics from Wagner and
Verdi ranked alongside head-banging material from Motorhead in their
ability to get blood boiling on the road. And former Take That singer
Robbie Williams and all-girl band All Saints, along with Bach and the
Beatles, shared an ability to soothe by stereo.

The secret, according to Mr. King, is in the number of beats per minute
in the music.

The RAC has even drawn up a recommended listening list of 'hits' and
'misses' to keep drivers calm and off the road rage. "The music you
listen to while driving can affect your performance behind the wheel,"
Mr. King said. "Whether listening to classical or pop music, there is no
doubt that your mood can be altered by the beat of the music flowing
from your car stereo. In general, if the music is above 60 beats per
minute, listeners experience a faster heart rate and increased blood
pressure. With dance music that is fairly common.

Classical music is not as fast. But the number of notes, combined with
repetitive crescendo and diminuendo can have the same effect."

Mr. King said road rage incidents were often linked to young drivers
blaring aggressive dance music from souped-up stereos. But classical
music fans could be equally hyped up by the music in their cars.

"There is no fundamental difference between the boy racer listening to
rave music and the businessman in his V12 Jaguar pumping out opera," he
said. "When he has Ride Of The Valkyries coming out of the speakers,
heaven help anyone who gets in his way. Some people like to listen to
certain music to stimulate a particular mood and the listener becomes
absorbed. It all depends on the speed of the beat."

But just as certain pieces of music can make drivers more prone to
blowing their cool, others act like a calming balm. Mr. King explained:
"Some music can have the effect of soothing and pleasing the
stressed-out, uptight motorist and deterring any possible incidents of
road rage."

The Hits

These are the pieces that the RAC says have the sort of soothing
qualities that most drivers need.

· Bach - Cello Suite No. 1

· Allegri - Miserere

· Robbie Williams - Angels

· Robert Plant - Big Log

· Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 Pastoral (Finale)

· Enya - Orinoco Flow

· Strauss - Blue Danube

· Debussy - Clair de Lune

· All Saints - Never Ever

· The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun

The Misses

Playing this music in your car could be stirring up trouble. It has the
ability to raise blood pressure and heart rates.

· Wagner - The Ride Of The Valkyries

· The Prodigy - Fire Starter

· Chemical Brothers - Block Rockin' Beats

· Mussorgsky - Night On A Bare Mountain

· Verdi - Dies Irae (Requiem)

· Motorhead - Ace Of Spades

· Hoist - Planet Suite (Mars)

· Carl Orff - Carmina Burana

· Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell

· Sex Pistols - Anarchy In The UK

2. Wagner slammed in latest RAC "road rage" probe

16 Apr 2004 by hra

The classical music world has this week been stunned by the results of a
study by the RAC Foundation which sensationally named and shamed
Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries" as top of its blacklist of in-car music
found most likely to engender reckless driving.

As the news broke on Wednesday, leading radio station Classic FM
responded by playing some suitably soothing, calming music no doubt
intended to avert the spectre of a national road network beset by
renegade classical music enthusiasts jumping red lights and ploughing
through roundabouts, Waitrose trolleys and each other. The musical treat
in question was in fact none other than Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"
proudly broadcast on their popular "Lunchtime Requests" programme,
having been "requested" on behalf of a motorist who said it suited his
driving style. The eventual fate of the said motorist is unknown, but
perhaps as a salutary warning to such listeners and to redress the
balance, Classic FM is also frequently known to play Siegfried's Funeral
March from the same operatic masterpiece.

Quite by coincidence, the latest research conducted into traffic chaos
on the M25 by the Department for Transport has also cast blame on
Wagner, instead of rather more prosaic traffic cones, white vans or even
women drivers. Douglas Ramsbottom, a senior driver behaviourist with the
Department explained: "Rather than listen to mere snippets such as the
'Ride of the Valkyries', classical music enthusiasts have been stopping
in the carriageway to hear Wagner's entire Ring Cycle, and that's just
between junctions 7 and 8."

The offending work, which can last up to 20 hours depending on the
conductor, has also since been held responsible for a recent spate of
train chaos outside Paddington and holiday flight delays to Cyprus, as
listeners in their droves avidly tune in.

Speaking from his retirement home in Valhalla today, Richard Wagner, who
will be 191 next month, is quoted as saying he had "no intention of
inciting 'road rage'" when he originally conceived his magnum opus. The
four music dramas, he claims, were originally designed "for a sedentary
audience in an opera house or similar ambience" and not for frustrated
commuters speeding up the hard shoulder of the M4 at 95mph in their
Citroën Saxos, imagining they were some kind of horde of mythical
Valkyries on winged horses.

In a statement through his solicitor, Wagner also disclaimed legal
liability for any speeding tickets, parking fines, or congestion
charging fees incurred by Brunnhilde or any other of the Valkyries,
dwarves, giants, animals or deities featuring in the aforementioned work.

A replacement Government-approved musical interlude, suitably equipped
with speed humps, red-route markings and traffic cameras and titled "The
Tailback of the Skodas" is anticipated shortly.

3. For 6 weeks, 11 volunteers (all 14- and 15-year-olds) listened to
classical music for 20 minutes every day. They were told not to do
anything else at the same time. Another 10 volunteers carried on with
their normal lives—with no classical music. Each week (except for a
1-week vacation break), the school nurses drew blood from all 21
students, took a drop from each blood sample and smeared it on a slide.
On each slide, they counted white blood cells, which are responsible for
fighting diseases and germs. The more white blood cells you have, the
healthier you are. The counting involved hours of work every day after
school.

The results showed that, over the course of the 6-week experiment, the
white blood cell count went up and down in both groups. Consistently,
however, the students who listened to classical music had higher counts
than those who didn't.

"We did some research and found that people with less stress have higher
white blood cell counts," "It has to do with relaxation."

Just sit back and let Mozart stream in for a little while each day, for
a healthier, less stressful life.

Lenny the Misfit

2006-05-29T13:18:00.000+04:00

http://www.wizardacademy.com

Lenny the Misfit

Caterina dumps baby Lenny on her boyfriend, then moves to town and gets
married to someone else. Neither Lenny's father nor his mother is
willing to give Lenny their family name, so he is known only by the name
of the mountain under whose shadow he was born: Lenny Albano.

An unwanted child, Lenny grows up strangely in this remote, rural
neighborhood without access to comic books or video games. Estranged
parents. Odd relationships. A badly broken situation.

But his imagination is intact. Is your imagination intact?

Long walks in the hills surrounding Mount Albano cause Lenny to fall in
love with animals. He loves them so much that he buys caged creatures
just so he can set them free. How Lenny makes his money is unimportant.
But how he spends it reveals his soul.

How do you spend your money?

People laugh when Lenny becomes a vegetarian. He doesn't care. People
have laughed at him since the day he was born. Lenny hides from them by
taking journeys in his mind. He goes exploring, deep inside his own
head. Lenny is amazed by the things he finds.

Lenny scribbles his thoughts in journals and draws little pictures in
the margins. Although no publisher is willing to publish these random
thoughts, Bill Gates recently paid 30 million dollars for just one of
Lenny's journals.

Lenny is very smart.

But Lenny's deep curiosity causes him to be easily distracted. Although
lots of people are willing to buy his paintings, rarely can he stay
focused long enough to finish one.

Lenny isn't completely alone in his quirky curiosity. When Lenny is 40,
a man named Chris sails west to look for the east. Go figure. Long after
Lenny dies, the world realizes how far ahead of his time he'd been.
Sigmund Freud said Lenny "was like a man who awoke too early in the
darkness, while the others were all still asleep."

But we no longer call him by the name of the mountain under whose shadow
he was born. We choose instead to call him by the name of the village he
was from. And for some strange reason we insist on calling Lenny of
Vinci, "Leonardo."

I think Lenny would have laughed had he known.

And I think he would have fit right in at Wizard Academy.

What do you think?

Roy H. Williams

Upgrade Your Life: The Processor

2006-05-29T11:04:00.000+04:00

http://www.informit.com/articles/article.asp?p=471097&rl=1

Upgrade Your Life: The Processor

Date: May 26, 2006 By Joseph Phillips.

"What is my purpose in life?" you might ask. Joseph Phillips helps you
find that answer by asking you to look in the world's greatest computer
— your brain — and to update and care for that critical piece of
hardware so it can work at its optimum potential.

Do you dread Sunday night? Millions of Americans do because it’s
symbolic of the end of their weekend and a sign of work to begin the
next day. For these people, Sunday night is the last gasp of freedom
before they sell their soul back to a job they despise.

If you are one of these people—or fear becoming one of them—you need to
ask yourself one very important question: "What is my purpose in life?"
A purpose in life is more than a mission to accomplish a task. A purpose
in life is to discover and act upon the reason you were born.

The good news is you can use the world’s greatest computer to find your
purpose. The world’s greatest computer is the one between your ears:
your brain. Your first piece of hardware to upgrade is your processor.

Your Brain and Your Purpose

A processor may be the brain of a computer, but it only has the ability
to process information that has been sent to it from another source. The
human brain has the ability to create or retrieve the information and
then process the data to arrive at conclusions. To discover your
purpose, you’ll have to rely on logic, emotion, trust in yourself, and
self-acceptance that you are capable of achieving great things.

One of the most powerful tools in your mind that you can use to discover
purpose is imagination. Imagination has been snubbed by adults and
generally reserved for school kids, dreamers, and artists. If you’ve not
exercised this portion of your brain, you should make an appointment to
do so! Your imagination is much more than a tool for pretending and
playing—it can help you discover, create, and invent. Do you think
Thomas Edison ignored his imagination?

Edison created more than 1,300 different inventions—including the record
player, the movies, and the light bulb. Edison was known to have
completed nearly 50,000 failed experiments while working on a new
storage battery before finding success. When asked about his results,
Edison remarked, "Results? I have gotten a lot of results. I know 50,000
things that won’t work."

Want to try something? Complete this quiz—but only you have the correct
answers.

1. Imagine you have a new profession. This profession can be anything
you’d like: doctor, schoolteacher, missionary, high tech consultant,
racecar driver, or whatever. This profession doesn’t have to be anything
you are serious about undertaking, just choose some profession that has
always seemed interesting to you. Now that you’ve chosen, what is it
about this profession you’d enjoy?
2. Imagine you have discovered a method to that will enable you to
travel throughout time. You decide to go back in time and visit yourself
as a younger child. What would you tell yourself to do with your life?
3. Now hop in your time machine and visit yourself years from now.
You want to hear what an older, wiser you has to tell you about your
life. What does this wise, old person have to say?

Great! So often we can discover important messages by imagining
ourselves in different circumstances. Look at your answer for the first
question. What feelings did you experience about this imaginary position?

The feelings you imagined yourself having are probably very positive in
nature: happy, excited, and satisfied. These feelings you imagined
having in this imaginary job are the feelings you desire in your current
life. Use your processing power to discover why these feelings may be
lacking or missing altogether.

Look at your answer for the second question. Did you tell the younger
you to do everything exactly as you have already done? Or did you tell
yourself to pursue a different occupation, to pay attention to certain
details, or pursue education? Whatever you told this younger you is
probably true of what you wish you were doing with your life now. How
can you make that desire a possibility?

Finally, look at your answer for the third question. What exactly did
this older you have to say? I bet he didn’t say to work longer at the
office every night. Whatever this older you said is reflective of what
you are aware is missing in your life. Again, you must decide to act
upon your own advice.

Use your imagination and combine the advice the older you offered and
the feelings you recorded from your dream job. Isn’t it amazing how
those two seem to fit together so nicely? To continue with your upgrade,
you’ll need to commit to a plan to make your imagination a reality. This
takes time—and lots of revisions—and it won’t happen on its own.
Schedule time, or slip away right now and work on the upgrading your
processor.

Using the Processor

Imagine purchasing a new computer with a processor that outpaces any
other computer on the market. You bring the computer home, power it up,
and then position it to hold open your garage door. That’d be a terrible
waste of resources. Now think of your brain. Is it being used to its
maximum potential, or is it just propping open a door somewhere?

Our brains are always looking for the path of least resistance for
learning. For example, have you ever learned to juggle? At first it
seems impossible, but after 10 minutes you could teach yourself to do
it. Why? Your brain learns the pattern and the expected results of the
series of motion. After a day of juggling, your brain could do it as
easily as walking or combing your hair. This what is referred to as
mental conditioning.

What your brain has already been conditioned to accept is your
self-image. If you are consistently telling yourself you are a failure,
worthless, and that you cannot succeed, your brain will accept it as
fact. Your brain’s image of yourself, which it sees as fact, impacts
everything you do. Just like juggling becomes second nature, so does the
reality of this perception to your brain.

What if instead you told yourself, on a consistent basis, how
successful, how happy, and how fortunate you are? I believe the
perception of failure would change, with time, to the perception of
success. As your mind began to trust this new concept and you began to
succeed, you’d experience the evidence of success and the concept would
grow into a deeper, more permanent reality. Henry Ford said, "Whether
you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right."

While I am a tremendous advocate of positive thinking, I admit positive
thoughts do not solve everything. You can have all of the positive
thoughts in the world, but until you act upon those thoughts they are
worthless. You must take action to make a difference. Just like an
incredibly powerful processor that won’t return the answers to the
applications, positive thinking must be followed up with positive actions.
Moving Forward

I am challenging you to create a plan to follow through on the powerful
thoughts you’ve created. Append your decisions to this new plan.
Positive thoughts, new ideas, and detailed plans are worthless unless
you implement positive actions.

Harness your power, exercise your brain, and achieve.

800 East 96th Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46240

Poetry Card - Sunset by Sabiha

2006-05-28T07:52:00.000+04:00

Turn your poetry into a beautiful Poetry Card and pass it around.

Email us your poetry at orbuae@gmail.com.
Or just post it on http://orb-network.ryze.com/
We'll create a Poetry Card for you.
Feel free to share this poetry card with your family and friends.
Just click on image to enlarge, right-click to save in your PC.

Card created by Hitesh Gusani (http://www.cybertecstudio.com)

SUNSET

Enthralled I watched
The sweet union
The coloured rapture
The merging of bodies

The stillness in one
The lapping another
The fiery globe
Drowning or hiding?

The colours vanished
Slow and steady
The bodies merged
In dark fantasy

The stars twinkled
In celebration
The night united
The sky and the sea

~Sabiha

More poems by Sabiha on her blog:
http://desertsojourn.blogspot.com

Thought Card - Child is the Father of the Man

2006-05-28T07:32:00.000+04:00

SHARE A THOUGHT CARD with family and friends.
Click image to enlarge and right click on image and save it to your PC.
Forward it in your email to your friends.

Older Thought Cards

2006-05-24T12:32:00.000+04:00

The following Thought Cards were made in 2004 and were uploaded in the Files section of our Yahoogroup. Posting it again for the newer Orbits who haven't seen them. Click image to enlarge and right click on image and save it to your PC.

Free Thought Card - Self Worth

2006-05-23T09:15:00.000+04:00

SHARE A THOUGHT CARD with family and friends. Click image to enlarge and right click on image and save it to your PC. Forward it in your email to your friends.

Free Thought Card - Soul Experience

2006-05-22T12:46:00.000+04:00

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Forward it in your email to your friends.

Today's Free Thought Card

2006-05-21T10:20:00.001+04:00

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Forward it in your email to your friends.

Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped to Samoa

2006-05-01T08:28:00.000+04:00

http://www.todayinliterature.com/today.asp?Search_Date=05/01/2006

TODAY IN LITERATURE

RLS, Kidnapped to Samoa
by Steve King

May 1, 1886

On this day in 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped began
serialization in Young Folks magazine. Although begun "partly as a lark,
partly as a potboiler," Kidnapped was an instant and huge hit; taken
with the earlier Treasure Island (1883) and A Child's Garden of Verses
(1885), it established Stevenson as one of England's most popular
writers of "Children's Literature." The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde, provoked by a dream and written in a ten-week burst during the
writing of Kidnapped, was also published during this period. Though
Stevenson wrote prolifically and in almost every genre, these four books
from the mid-1880s are, for most, those upon which his reputation stands.

That reputation has been constantly debated and revalued. While praised
by stylists such as Henry James, Jorge Luis Borges and Graham Greene,
many modernists regard him as a mere tale-teller and the stuffiest of
literary armchairs. Some say his essays and travel writing are his best
work; others prize his short stories; still others say the unfinished
Weir of Hermiston would have been his masterpiece. One of the most
widely-read at the turn of the century, he was not even mentioned in the
1973 Oxford Anthology of English Literature.

Few have ever questioned the remarkable industry and spirit of a life
lived in the shadow of death. A year after Kidnapped he left Scotland
and southern England for America in search of adventure and a better
climate for his tuberculosis. He had already been once; his fame there
now was such that the two pilots who boarded his steamer for its entry
into New York Harbor announced themselves as Jekyll and Hyde. One winter
in upstate New York was enough, and Stevenson was soon off to the South
Seas, settling in Samoa for his last four years.

Writing continued on land and sea â€“ 400 pages a year for twenty years,
reckoned his first biographer. From one letter home a year before
Stevenson died:

For fourteen years I have not had a day's real health; I have
awakened sick and gone to bed weary; and I have done my work
unflinchingly. I have written in bed, and written out of it, written in
haemorrhages, written in sickness, written torn by coughing, written
when my head swam for weakness; and for so long, it seems to me I have
won my wager and recovered my glove.... And the battle goes on â€“ ill
or well, is a trifle; so as it goes. I was made for a contest....

He had 300 acres and twenty servants in Samoa, but he learned Samoan and
championed the natives' anti-colonial causes so determinedly that he was
almost deported. When he died in 1894, just forty-four, the Samoans
carried "Tusitala" ("Teller of the Tales," though Stevenson liked it
translated as "Chief White Information") to his chosen mountaintop
grave. The ceremony there included a prayer which Stevenson had written:
"Bless to us our extraordinary mercies ... if the day come when these
must be taken, have us play the man under the affliction."

Henry James wrote Stevenson's widow that she was fortunate "to have
lived in the light of that splendid life, that beautiful, bountiful
being." In 1897 two plaques were placed on the mountaintop tomb, one
bearing Ruth's speech to Naomi ("Entreat me not to leave thee..."), the
other bearing Stevenson's "Requiem," written over a decade earlier:

Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live, and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies, where he longed to be;
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish

2006-04-27T11:28:00.000+04:00

http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html

'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says

This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of
Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12,
2005.

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the
finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college.
Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college
graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life.
That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then
stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really
quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed
college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption.
She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates,
so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer
and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last
minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a
waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have
an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My
biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated
from college and that my father had never graduated from high school.
She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few
months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to
college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college
that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class
parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six
months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to
do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it
out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved
their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would
all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it
was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I
could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and
begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the
floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits
to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every
Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I
loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity
and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one
example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy
instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every
label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I
had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided
to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about
serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space
between different letter combinations, about what makes great
typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in
a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life.
But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh
computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac.
It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never
dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never
had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since
Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer
would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never
dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not
have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was
impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college.
But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only
connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots
will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something —
your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let
me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I
started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and
in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a
$2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our
finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just
turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company
you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was
very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so
things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge
and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of
Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out.
What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was
devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had
let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped
the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and
Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a
very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the
valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what
I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had
been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start
over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple
was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness
of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner
again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the
most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another
company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would
become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer
animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful
animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple
bought NeXT, I retuned to Apple, and the technology we developed at
NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I
have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been
fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the
patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick.
Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going
was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And
that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is
going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly
satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to
do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet,
keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll
know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets
better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find
it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live
each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be
right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33
years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If
today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about
to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days
in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've
ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because
almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of
embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of
death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are
going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you
have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not
to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in
the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't
even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost
certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect
to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go
home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare
to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd
have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to
make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as
possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a
biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my
stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got
a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there,
told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors
started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of
pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and
I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope its the
closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can
now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a
useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want
to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No
one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is
very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change
agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the
new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually
become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is
quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.
Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other
people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out
your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow
your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly
want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole
Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was
created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo
Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the
late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it
was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was
sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came
along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great
notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth
Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final
issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of
their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road,
the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so
adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish."
It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay
Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you
graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

Monday Morning Memo - Sleep

2006-04-24T13:15:00.000+04:00

http://www.wizardacademy.com

Sleep Is The New Sex

"Men think about it every seven seconds or so. Women romanticize it.
Teenagers yearn for the weekends, when they might get a little of it...
Sleep is the new sex." ? Susan A. Nielsen, journalist for The Oregonian

The National Sleep Foundation has confirmed what you've long suspected:
Americans aren't getting enough sleep.

The culprits are:

Email: It just won't let us unplug from the grid. We stay up late,
tapping out messages lest someone be offended by our lack of response.

Caffeine: Our shortage of sleep has deepened in lockstep with the rising
popularity of gourmet coffee. Coffee goes up. Sleep goes down. Surprised?

Alcohol: A little wine may help put us to sleep, but it also keeps us
from sleeping deeply. Alcohol robs us of much-needed rest during the night.

Lack of exercise: Our bodies need physical exertion. The more we sweat,
the better we sleep. But few of us are getting any real exercise.

Overcommitment: We're taking care of our jobs, our children, and our
parents, then trying to squeeze out a few droplets of me-time. Too much
to do in too few hours is keeping our motors revving at redline.

Instant Gratification: We want what we want and we want it now. We make
purchases the moment we can qualify for the payments because acquiring
things is how we keep score, right? Then, Impending Financial Doom keeps
us anxious and chases sleep from the room. So we take a pill. Doctors
prescribed drugs to 42 million of us last year who said we couldn't
sleep. Two billion dollars is what we spent for sleeping pills in 2005.
But the 300 million spent by pharmaceutical companies to advertise
sleep-inducing drugs had nothing to do with that, right? You and I
aren't affected by advertising.

Technology: The uses we find for it proclaim our belief in the instant
and easy.

Let me tell you how screwed up I am: Sitting on a reclining sofa with my
laptop connected to the web by wi-fi, Pandora streams my unique blend of
tunes through our home stereo system by means of a wireless Squeezebox.
When Pennie places her robotic vacuum cleaner on the floor and activates
it, Pandora disconnects. A few minutes of experimentation reveal that
the wireless signal of the robotic vacuum is interfering with the
wireless Squeezebox. I turn off the vacuum, restore Pandora, then walk
into the kitchen to reheat my coffee in the microwave, only to learn
that my instant food-heating device likewise disconnects my personalized
online music service.

I begin looking around for my dog, Astro.

Yes, I had a George Jetson moment and I didn't like it.

I've decided that maybe it's time to read On Walden Pond by Henry David
Thoreau, the American colonial who said 160 years ago that "the mass of
men lead lives of quiet desperation." His advice: "Simplicity,
simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and
not a hundred or a thousand. . . ."

Sounds good to me.

I've decided to go to Walden Pond with Henry David, if only for a few
minutes each night before I go to bed. Want to join me? The book is in
the public domain and is therefore available as a free download. 3.0MB
PDF File Courtesy of Wizard Academy Press
http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=417

To heck with keeping up with the Joneses! Henry and I hereby declare the
Jones to be the winners by acclamation. And thus one withdraws from the
rat race.

Onward, friend. Onward to Walden Pond.

And to sleep.

Roy H. Williams

PS ? In response to numerous requests, Jeff and Bryan Eisenberg have
made a limited number of reduced-cost, no-frills seats available for
their May 9-10, Waiting for Your Cat to Bark Wizards of Web event.
http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=419 (Even if you can't
afford to buy 100 books to help them reach the bestseller list, they'd
still like to see you at this event.) The launch of Waiting for Your
Cat... by Thomas Nelson Publishers is expected to be one of the most
important new book releases of 2006. Each copy of this new hardback ?
due out in June ? contains a 90-minute DVD inside the back cover that
will blow your mind. Gone. Finito. The next Eisenbrothers appearance at
Wizard Academy won't be until very late in the year.

Look in the left column of today's Monday Morning Memo and you'll see a
button that let's you hear the Wizard narrate the memo in his own voice,
complete with sound effects... Thank You to Richard Grosbard. (If you
remember that name, it's because Richard is one of the Wizard's artistic
and intellectual mentors. Specifically, the one to whom the opus
Accidental Magic http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=420 was
dedicated a few years back.) ? Dave Nevland, audio engineer and producer

[Today in Literature] April 18 - Chaucer, Darwin, Ravenat, Frost, Darrow

2006-04-18T08:18:00.000+04:00

[Today in Literature NEWSLETTER] April 18 - Chaucer, Darwin, Ravenat,
Frost, Darrow

http://www.todayinliterature.com/

1. Chaucer's Canterbury Pilgrims

On this day (or possibly the next) in 1394, Geoffrey Chaucer's
twenty-nine pilgrims met at the Tabard Inn in Southwark to prepare for
their departure to Canterbury. Chaucer's intention was to have his
pilgrims arrive on Easter morning, after a fifty-five-mile hike through
a pleasant English springtime; the pilgrims never made it, though the
poetry endures. [full story]
http://www.todayinliterature.com/today.asp?Search_Date=04/18/2006

2. DARWIN

Erasmus Darwin, one of the leading intellectuals of 18th century
England, died on this day in 1802, and his grandson, Charles Darwin
(http://www.todayinliterature.com/biography/charles.darwin.asp) died
tomorrow, 1882. Erasmus Darwin made pioneering contributions to the
theory and practice of a wide range of sciences; among his interests
were the ideas which would eventually become his grandson's specialty:

" Would it be too bold to imagine that, in the great length of time
since the earth began to exist, perhaps millions of ages before the
commencement of the history of mankind, would it be too bold to imagine
that all warm-blooded animals have arisen from one living filament...."

(from Erasmus Darwin's Zoonomia)

Organic life beneath the shoreless waves
Was born and nurs'd in ocean's pearly caves;
First forms minute, unseen by spheric glass,
Move on the mud, or pierce the watery mass;
These, as successive generations bloom,
New powers acquire and larger limbs assume;
Whence countless groups of vegetation spring,
And breathing realms of fin and feet and wing....

(from his poem The Temple of Nature)

Whatever else, the gene of unconventionality seems to have been passed
from generation to generation in the Darwin family. Gwen Ravenat,
granddaughter of Charles Darwin, tells an amusing anecdote in her memoir
about the behavior of her uncle, William Darwin, at his father's
funeral. It was a grand affair at Westminster Abbey, full of pomp and
propriety, but William felt a draught on his bald head when he took his
top hat off, and decided to show some adaptation skills of his own: "So
he put his black gloves to balance on the top of his skull, and sat like
that all through the service with the eyes of the nation upon him."

3. ROBERT FROST

Robert Frost's "The Bear" was published on this day in 1928. It makes
some species comparisons of its own, and comes down hard on the
over-intellectual human, who restlessly paces the cage of science he has
made for himself:

…Or if he rests from scientific tread,
'Tis only to sit back and sway his head
Through ninety odd degrees of arc, it seems,
Between two metaphysical extremes.
He sits back on his fundamental butt
With lifted snout and eyes (if any) shut,
(He almost looks religious but he's not),
And back and forth he sways from cheek to cheek,
At one extreme agreeing with one Greek —
At the other agreeing with another Greek,
Which may be thought, but only so to speak.
A baggy figure, equally pathetic
When sedentary and when peripatetic.

Frost had an interest in monkeys, too. His poem "At Woodward's Gardens"
was partly inspired by the Scopes Monkey Trial — Clarence Darrow was
born on this day in 1857 — and partly by a trip to the zoo when a boy.
He teased one of the monkeys with his magnifying glass, until the monkey
snatched and broke it:

....Who said it mattered
What monkeys did or didn't understand?
They might not understand a burning-glass.
They might not understand the sun itself.
It's knowing what to do with things that counts.

http://www.todayinliterature.com/

Hunger of the Candle for the Flame

2006-04-11T07:46:00.000+04:00

Hunger of the Candle for the Flame

You are a column of wax.

Your purpose began as a spark, a flicker easily ignored. But you didn't
ignore it. You turned to face it and your head caught fire.

Grace Hansen admonishes, "Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid
it will never begin." In other words, be afraid you will never catch fire.

Lethargy. Apathy. Malaise. Aimlessness. Depression: Five different words
for the absence of a flame.

What is it that burns in your soul and shines through your eyes?

Did you know that humans would rather be angry than bored? Anger is an
ugly flame, but it feels better than no flame at all. This is why people
who have no creative vision spend so much time being angry. Anger gives
them purpose.

Try not to walk in their shadow.

Jorge Luis Borges, consumed by the tiger of time, is gone. But when he
walked among us he looked directly into the lens of life's camera and
said, "Time is the substance of which I am made. Time is a river that
sweeps me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that tears me apart,
but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire.
The world, unfortunately, is real; I, unfortunately, am Borges."

Time is the fire, the animator of us all. You step into it at birth. You
step out of it at death and grow cold, a column of wax once more. Your
candle is spent.

What did it light?

You've heard me say it many times... I repeat it again today, not
because I can think of nothing else to say, but because it's vitally
important to your happiness:

"Lives, like money, are spent. What are you buying with yours?"

Roy H. Williams

PS ? Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you might be able to
write something worth reading? Something that would live in hearts and
minds long after you are gone? I believe the Wizard Academy Writer's
Conference will be an important national event in years to come.
Saturday, April 22, 2006 will be the first one ever. Come and I promise
you'll leave on fire. http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=406

Another Indulgence, Another Addiction ? I shared with you my thoughts
about Pandora.com a couple of weeks ago and a number of you have since
expressed your thanks. You're welcome. Here's an even tastier treat: the
Today in Literature daily email newsletter. I look forward to it every
morning. Have for a long time. I got the free edition for awhile, then
subscribed for Premium Access. Best twenty dollars I ever spent. Take a
look - http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=407. (And no, I
don't have a dog in this fight. In other words, I'm not making a penny
off this. But I really admire Steve King and want to support his
efforts. - http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=408) ? RHW

10 Unusual Ways to Advertise ? -
http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=409 Entrepreneur tells
me that this recent column I wrote for them is receiving a lot of web hits.

In Awe of the hypnotist!!

2006-04-08T07:07:00.000+04:00

Wow! What an evening we had yesterday!!

True to his word, the hypnotist arrived in Dubai and arrived on time
at the venue! Of course we Dubai-ites as usual were late (most of
us!) and he had to wait for a while before we started the session....

Thanks to Ashwin who volunteered to pick Santosh and drop him off
later at his hotel!

Thanks to Ramesh and Rani for allowing us to have fun at his home
and gobble down dosas, parathas, korma and chutni like we have never
eaten before! Special thanks to Rani for being as usual a wonderful
host who just knows how to give and give!

The following people attended the session:

1. Sabiha
2. Muffaddal & Tasneem
3. Ramesh & Family (didn't have a choice did they??:-P)
4. Shahbaaz
5. Maliha
6. Mayura
7. Ragesh
8. Raj & Family
9. Ashwin

I know each one of us had loads of fun listening to Santosh
explaining to us how "imagination" is stronger than "will power" and
then going on to demonstrate the same! He gave a wonderful insight
into our own psyche and how we love to control everything which is
probably the reason for most of our disappointments. He further
illustrated how we can control anger by choosing to be angry rather
than give another person the charge of making us angry...sounds
complicated? Not really! With the way the hypnotist elaborated all
this it was so easy to understand and agree!

We learned to create our personal space - a place that can take us
away from the stress and hassles of day to day life and give us
energy and rejuvenate us! We felt it...at least I did!

The highlights of the evening were when he demonstrated the
following:

1. Going in a trance when our eyelids are heavy and we cannot open
them even though we wanted to - many experienced that!
2. Making us clamp our hands so tight, eventually when we tried to
pry they wouldn't! They had a mind of their own :-))
3. Making Shahbaaz as stiff as a rod so that he balanced his entire
body only by placing his head on one chair and feet on another
(nothing to support the rest of the body) and actually sat on him!
We all gaped in awe!

It was interesting to note that hypnosis is not really someone else
controlling us, but our own mind controlling our actions! We can all
learn to hypnotize and self hypnosis isn't that difficult either -
at least not when someone like Santhosh is teaching you! :-)

It's a play of words, tone of the voice and use of imagination! But
it doesn't cease to fascinate!!

A wonderful evening with the wonderful hypnotist from Delhi! I had a
blast yesterday and from the responses of other members, I know they
enjoyed every bit of it!

We were so into this whole thing that no one remembered to click
pictures! Ramesh clicked a few at the end of the session...I am sure
he will share those with us shortly!

Cheers!

Sabiha

Bank ATM's Converted to Steal IDs of Bank Customers

2006-04-05T13:42:00.000+04:00

A team of organized criminals are installing equipment on legitimate bank ATM's in at least 2 regions to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN. The team sits nearby in a car receiving the information transmitted wirelessly over weekends and evenings from equipment they install on the front of the ATM (see photos). If you see an attachment like this, do not use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the phone on the front of the ATM.

The equipment used to capture your ATM card number and PIN are cleverly disguised to look like normal ATM equipment. A "skimmer" is mounted to the front of the normal ATM card slot that reads the ATM card number and transmits it to the criminals sitting in a nearby car.

At the same time, a wireless camera is disguised to look like a leaflet holder and is mounted in a position to view ATM PIN entries.

The thieves copy the cards and use the PIN numbers to withdraw thousands from many accounts in a very short time directly from the bank ATM.

Equipment being installed on front of existing bank card slot.

The equipment as it appears installed over the normal ATM bank slot.

The PIN reading camera being installed on the ATM is housed in an innocent looking leaflet enclosure.

The camera shown installed and ready to capture PIN's by looking down on the keypad as you enter your PIN

Tell more people

(Source: Email Forward in Dubai, 4/4/06)

This Week's Links We Like. Tips, Hints And Fun Stuff

2006-04-04T12:28:00.000+04:00

* Find your long-lost school photos
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-School_Photos

* PC hardware news
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-Hardware

* Dig a hole through the center of the earth
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-Digholes

* Top 100 April Fools Hoaxes
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-AprilFools

* What's that photo? (requires registration/login)
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-Photo

* Create your own Hollywood star
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-Star

* Missed an episode? Find out what happened.
http://www.wxpnews.com/0MGDOD/060404-Episode

(Source: WxpNews.com Newsletter)

PhotoWorld-Dubai 2006

2006-04-04T10:07:00.000+04:00

The 2nd International Digital & Imaging Exhibition for the Middle East.
4-6 April 2006, Hall 4, DWTC, 11am to 8pm
Entrance free to trade visitors and professionals.

http://www.photoworld-dubai.com

(Source: 7days.ae, 3/4/06)

President Football Cup Final - Al Ain vs Sharjah Live Online

2006-04-03T13:36:00.000+04:00

Brought to you by Abu Dhabi TV and Etisalat on 3rd April 2006 at 4:30 pm
on http://www.live.ae

Harlem Globetrotters in Dubai!

2006-04-03T12:43:00.000+04:00

The Original Harlem Globetrotters - the legendary basketball team will
be displaying their gravity defying skills at the Al Nasr Sports Club,
Rashid Bin Hamdan Hall on April 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th of April 2006, Dubai.

http://www.harlemglobetrottersdubai.com

[Creative Sparks] Achyuth - New music compositions online

2006-04-02T13:54:00.000+04:00

Achyuth's new Music Compositions online :
http://www.musolist.com/achyuthkesavan/

[Creative Sparks] Orbit Ali's Art-Photo Mix

2006-04-02T09:30:00.000+04:00

[Creative Sparks] Orbit Amir's Art Work

2006-04-02T09:25:00.000+04:00

UAE Web of Life - Issue 3

2006-03-29T20:39:00.000+04:00

*********************************
* U A E W E B O F L I F E
*********************************

(http://uaeweboflife.blogspot.com)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Internet Magazine on what's happening in the local UAE Internet community.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An ORB-UAE Creative Group Publication (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orb-uae)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Issue 3

CONTENTS
*********

1. UAE WEBSITES IN THE NEWS

2. REGULARS - Cub & Bug

3. INTERVIEW - Grapeshisha - UAE's first independent current affairs ezine.

****************************
WEBSITES IN THE NEWS
****************************

1) AD WORLD - New UAE Business Directory
-----------------------------------------
Register your company for free or place an ad
http://www.IndexYellowPages.com/index.asp

2) Free Dubai & Abu Dhabi Rents Information spreadsheet
--------------------------------------------------------
Grapeshisha compiles one more useful spreadseet - UAE Rental Range Spreadsheet - Download @: http://www.GrapeShisha.com

3) DU is here! UAE's new telecom
---------------------------------
Get to know them here! http://www.Du.ae

4) TEN Movies
------------------
The Movie Resource of the Middle East [Cinemas in UAE, Lebanon, BahrainQ, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan] - http://movies.theemiratesnetwork.com/

5) For Labour Complaints
-------------------------
Now you can help some poor labourer get his rightful dues:
- http://www.LabourComplaints.ae

************
REGULARS
************

1. Cool UAE Blog (CUB)
----------------------
Samuraisam's One Big Construction Site : http://onebigconstructionsite.blogspot.com/

In spite of strong language in some of his posts, Samuraisam impresses! He also runs the UAE Community Blog forum with SecretDubai and the Arabic UAE COmmunity blog forum.

2. Best UAE Group (BUG)
------------------------

The Dubai Writers Group (more than 299 members) run by Adnan who also runs the Dubai Bloggers Meetup Group and the Dubai Indie Filmmakers Meetup Group.

http://writers.meetup.com/293/

Meet writers from the UAE, share writing tips, get feedback on your work, meetup with the writers whenever there is meet, a very happening group!

*************
*
INTERVIEW *
*
*************

GRAPESHISHA - Maybe the first independent UAE Current Issues Newsletter, the editor also compiles useful UAE data files for UAE residents and would be residents.

http://www.grapeshisha.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 1) Can you tell us a bit about yourself, your educational and work background?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have stayed relatively anonymous due to the nature of the work that I do, but I am originally from the UK and have been in the region for the last few years, doing strategy consultancy for a few organisations, both here and in the UK.

----------------------------------------------------
> 2) What inspired you to start Grapeshisha?
-----------------------------------------------------

Well, Grapeshisha originated from an email home to friends to give them an understanding of the Middle East, and specifically the UAE, since most thought I was living in a war zone. It evolved to tackling cross cultural issues, before I formalised it about a year ago. Now, I just tackle an issue every month or so that I feel is of interest to people who have signed up. I have also started to put together information on subject areas such rent, cost of living etc. at the website because of the many emails I receive asking questions about specific issues. I just hope that the resources help people in some way.

----------------------------------------------------------
> 3) How has the response to your newsletter been so far?
----------------------------------------------------------

The reponse so far has been generally very positive. I get requests to cover certain topics, but am sometimes not able to cover them, but in the main, I try and keep the readers happy if there is a want for subject coverage.

----------------------------------------------------
> 4) What are your future plans for Grapeshisha?
----------------------------------------------------

I'm really not sure what will happen with Grapeshisha. I have just started a blog, and am trying to add more information to the website when I can, but essentially it is just a hobby. Really, it is to promote cross cultural awareness and understanding, as well as help people understand what life is like here, if they need to make a decision to move here, for example. If there is significant interest, perhaps it will become more of a real portals out there, but that's a full time job. If it can make a little money for charity as well, that would be nice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 5) Any interesting tid-bits and happenings that you can share from your experience with Grapeshisha?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I have had a couple of interesting marriage proposals from men, which my wife thought was amusing. At least this clears up the fact that I am male. Best of all, I had an email from a supposed ex-General in the Ivory Coast, asking if I could provide 10,000 shisha pipes, and if I could provide my bank details so that they could wire me the money. What will they try next?

-----------------------------------------------
> 6) What are your other interests and hobbies?
-----------------------------------------------

I read. I read a lot, usually business literature. I am also a 24, and Lost aficionado and a closet American Idol and Apprentice viewer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 7) What are your favourite books, music, movies, celebrities and inspiring personalities?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FAVOURITE BOOK: Fiction, A Fine Balance - by Rohinton Mistry, Non-fiction, I have just finished Blue Ocean Strategy by Kim and Mauborgne, which was an excellent read.

FAVOURITE MUSIC: Anything that is not too hardcore. I like stuff like Sting, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Coldplay & Kanye West. I guess you might class that into popular mainstream, these days. I also like old school R&B.

MOVIES: Too many to list, but here are a selection I like: Jacob's Ladder, Heat, Crash, Lock Stock, The Godfather, Stand by Me, The Insider, Memento

CELEBRITIES: Whoever is making a fool of themselves at the time. The TomKat thing was hilarious
Inspiring Personalities : Gates, Clinton, Branson & the Aga Khan - all successful and inspiring in different ways and all philanthropists in different ways.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 8) What is your motto or philosophy of life that you would like to share with our readers?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The winner is the chef who takes the same ingredients as everyone else and produces the best results." - Edward de Bono

**********<>**********

Want to feature your UAE website, online service, blog, forum, ezine etc. here? Got some online news to share? Want to send us your rants and raves? Email us at orbuae@gmail.com

To Unsubscribe: Email: orbuae@gmail.com with 'Unsubscribe' in the subject.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
An ORB-UAE Publication (http://orb-network.ryze.com)
Copyright 2006 UAE Web of Life http://uaeweboflife.blogspot.com
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Evision broadcasts Eclipse live today

2006-03-29T11:42:00.000+04:00

The UAE and neighboring countries will be experiencing a partial solar
eclipse this-coming Wednesday, starting from about 14:20 and lasting
till about 16:15.

E-Vision, will be broadcasting this astronomical event LIVE on its
Information Channel (Ch 1).

IMPORTANT: You are cautioned not to look directly at the sun during this
phenomenon, as there is still more than enough sunlight available to
cause injury to the eyes. Even sunglasses are not deemed appropriate
protection.

Valuable Information:

Previous solar eclipse over the UAE took place on October 23, 2004
Next partial Lunar Eclipse will take place on September 07, 2006.
Next Annular Solar Eclipse will take place September 22, 2006.
Penumbral lunar eclipse took place March 14, 2006.
A lunar eclipse is usually followed by a solar eclipse.

Thought Particle Technology has Arrived

2006-03-27T15:07:00.000+04:00

http://www.wizardacademy.com

Thought Particle Technology has Arrived

I consider Pandora.com to be the first commercial application of Thought
Particle technology. Have you allowed Pandora to read your mind yet?

Pandora.com is a streaming music service crafted by a couple of hundred
really serious music experts whose ideas about music are much bigger and
more divergent than the mere idea of "format" or "genre." Tell Pandora
what songs you like and she'll soon figure out what all those songs have
in common that you never realized. Pandora also learns from the songs
you tell her you don't like.

I fed Pandora everything from James Taylor and Jimmy Buffett to the
blistering rage of Bone Thugs and System of a Down. I even admitted a
fondness for certain songs of Janice Ian and Frank Sinatra and Nat King
Cole.

Pandora says I tend to like songs with a subtle blues or country
influence, Likewise, I'm a sucker for paired harmony, a syncopated
rhythm, interesting part writing and strong melodies. And that's just a
few of the characteristics my songs tend to have in common. But you've
got to tell her what you like.

The benefit of all this back-and-forth interaction with Pandora is that
she will soon begin playing songs you never knew existed, songs that
make you say, "Wow! This is the coolest music I've ever heard in my
life!" Even I write this, I've got Pandora playing through my laptop. A
moment ago I heard, I Concentrate on You, by Steve Tyrell. Never heard
it before in my life. Loved it. Right now Pandora is playing It's
Alrightby Big Head Todd & The Monsters. Who the heck is Big Head Todd?

Pretty soon Pandora will change the tempo and take me in another of my
favorite directions. Wow. What a coincidence. Just as I typed "another
of my favorite directions," the mellow mumblings of Big Head Todd segued
into the bee-sting guitars of Ten Years After playing another song I've
never heard in my life, When It All Falls Down.

Click the image that appears on your monitor while a song is playing and
Pandora will let you give it a Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down. She'll link you
to iTunes to buy the mp3 or to Amazon to buy the CD. She'll even explain
why she chose that song for you.

Yes, Pandora has leaped light-years beyond Amazon's suggestion of
"People who bought this CD also bought....."

No, I'm not making a penny off any of this. I'm suggesting that you meet
Pandora for your benefit, not hers.

You need her a lot more than she needs you.

Next week I'll tell you about a few other soon-to-be-released
technologies built on Thought Particles, the simple but practical
application of a bizarre pattern-recognition system that is easily
encoded into software to create powerfully convincing artificial
intelligences.

The day of Thought Particles has arrived.

Roy H. Williams

PS ? Our long shot hit the bullseye! The incomparable David Freeman
will, in fact, be flying in from Hollywood to join us as an instructor
at Wizard Academy's First Annual Writer's Conference on April 22. David
teaches a step-by-step technique that will allow you to create richly
textured, complex characters in fiction. You'll learn the same technique
he taught to many of the emerging screenwriters whose movies you're now
seeing in theaters. Sexton, Maddock, Freeman! If you want to expand your
skill as a writer of fiction, non-fiction or advertising, be here.
http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=397

Become a better writer, then party under the stars. Following a fabulous
dinner that evening we'll have the release party of the wonderful new
book, People Stories: Inside the Outside, Conversations Overheard in the
Middle of the Night on the Wrong Side of Town
(http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=398). All 143 authors
of that book have been invited to be our guests at the Writer's
Conference and every conference attendee will be given a copy of People
Stories. I expect about half the authors will be able to come. How many
signatures will you be able to get in your copy of the book?

This will also be the unveiling party for Wedding Chapel Dulcinea
(http://www.wizardacademy.com/mmmredirect.asp?id=399) wine, as well as
the grand opening of the Wizard Academy Press Bookstore and Giftshop on
the campus of Wizard Academy. It's gonna be an amazing, fun-filled day.
You coming?

Partial Solar Eclipse - Wednesday, March 29 2006

2006-03-26T11:14:00.000+04:00

Partial Solar Eclipse - Wednesday, March 29 2006

The UAE and neighboring countries will be experiencing a partial solar
eclipse this-coming Wednesday, starting from about 14:20 and lasting
till about 16:15.

During this period the moon moves between the sun and earth, causing a
shadow to move across certain parts of the earth, including the UAE. The
maximum obscuration in the country at about 15:15 is expected to be only
22%.

You are cautioned not to look directly at the sun during this
phenomenon, as there is still more than enough sunlight available to
cause injury to the eyes. Even sunglasses are not deemed appropriate
protection.

Amazing CV

2006-03-25T07:30:00.000+04:00

Nice one, posted on Creativegarh!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creativegarh

Message: 9
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 01:55:29 -0800
From: Preethi Sriram
Subject: amazing CV

Hi,

Chk out this CV.... This guy posted his resume as a musical on the net and
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http://www.paradoxware.com/alstudio/cv/en.htm

[Monday Morning Memo] The Origin of Creativity

2006-03-20T14:56:00.000+04:00

http://www.wizardacademy.com

The Origin of Creativity

I like to think God said, "Let there be?" and then paused to think for a
moment. Suddenly it came to him, "Light!"

If you accept the book of Genesis, then God is a creator by nature. And
he created us in his image, little miniatures of himself. That means
we're creators by nature, too. Creativity is our heritage. It's in our
DNA. When we create, we're being Godlike. We're doing what we're
supposed to do. Musicians, inventors, landscapers, cooks, beauticians
and actors and writers of books are just following the call of a
creative plan and fulfilling the destiny of a thing called Man.

What do you create?

In the fifty-fifth chapter of his book, Isaiah reports God as saying,
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it
yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that
goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Now back to the nature of God for a moment. When he said, "Let there be
light," we can be sure he didn't use vocal cords to create vibrations
that traveled through air. The fourth part of the letter to the Hebrews
tells us "the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and
of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart."

Did you catch that first part, about how God's statements are "living,"
alive?

John's gospel skips Bethlehem and the begats. John takes us back to the
big bang, "Let there be? Light!" Here's how he puts it: "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him [the
Word,] and without Him nothing was made that was made? and the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us."

Writers, like God, speak worlds into existence. Likewise, every artist
takes visitors to a world that isn't there. Photographers take us to
long-ago moments by freezing a frame in this filmstrip we call the
space-time continuum. Painters take us to places we've never been.
Actors introduce us to people that don't exist. Landscapers create moods
and feelings we didn't have before, as do musicians and interior
decorators. Video games create emotion in us by allowing us to star in
our very own movie. They are an art form like every other.

What is the form of your art? Into what moist clay are you leaving your
fingerprints? Are you molding the minds of young men and women? Are you,
like Alberto Mendieta, causing buildings to rise from piles of
materials? Are you able to swing his hammer?

Please don't insult God by telling me you aren't creative. You are
creative. And every creative effort brings a rich reward.

Read the first chapter of Genesis. And then create something. Do it so
the thing will exist. Fling it into existence from the fingertips of
your mind.

And then watch what happens.

Roy H. Williams

Have you signed up yet for Wizard Academy's April 22 Writers Conference?
Seating is physically limited to just 200 people. Why not make yourself
one of them? Instructors will include the pragmatic Jeff Sexton and the
startling David Freeman and the rarely-seen Christopher J. Maddock.

PS ? Want to meet Chris Maddock via streaming video?
http://www.wizardacademy.com/playclip.asp?ClipURL=maddockfinalcutFLB001.mov&ClipName=Advanced%20Wordsmithing%20

PPS ? Note to the Cognoscenti: Do you remember our session on phonemes?
How I told you that the sound represented by the letter "B" often
signifies the separation of one thing from another? With this in mind,
take a close look at the sixth paragraph of this memo. "Bethlehem,
begat, back, big bang, beginning." Think about how each of these words
fulfills the promise of its opening phoneme. Project: Write a paragraph
of 100 words about the creative process. At least 14 different words
must begin with the letter B. Send your 100-word paragraph to
ChrisMaddock@WizardOfAds.com before midnight Sunday, March 26, 2006.
You'll find out why later. Maybe. ? RHW

[EZINE CORNER] Grapeshisha - Tax in Dubai

2006-03-20T13:30:00.000+04:00

http://www.grapeshisha.com

Tax in Dubai

For years the UAE has been touted as a tax free haven. This month we
break down the necessity and impact of VAT in Dubai.

Value added tax has long been the bane of the consumer, ever since it
was first introduced in France in the mid 1950s. It has slowly crept up
on developing societies, and now is about to hit the GCC. This is a
worry for residents, especially in Dubai given the rocketing cost of
living that has plagued the emirate in recent years. Nevertheless, it is
time to face the reality that a tax must be introduced, with VAT hitting
the UAE within the coming two to three years.

The implementation of VAT is not necessarily a blame game, because a tax
of some sort is a natural evolution for the UAE. But, if you want to
point the finger of blame at someone, blame the IMF. In their 2005 Staff
Report on the UAE, the IMF recommended ?broadening the tax base and
introducing the VAT system? But don?t be too harsh in your judgment -
their recommendations come with good logic.

There are three reasons why the tax is necessary: one, the federal
government currently has no revenue streams that fall under its own
control and rely primarily on payments from Abu Dhabi and Dubai; two,
with free trade agreements in discussion stages with the US, EU,
Australia and China, customs duty will have to be removed leaving
minimal revenue from the remaining countries; and three, there is
essentially limited monetary policy control with the Dirham being pegged
to the US Dollar.

But let us clear one thing up - taxes do already exist. Profits of the
international banks and the energy firms are taxed at the federal level.
Visit any hotel in Dubai, even for a meal and slap another 10 per cent
on to the bill. Alcohol? ? Well, that is taxed at 50% on entry to the
country. Maintenance fees at the free-zone developments are considered
tax equivalent also. And if you didn?t know, there is also a council tax
that is secretly picked up through utility bills.

But what exactly is VAT? VAT is an indirect tax levied on the sale of
goods and services. It is classed as an indirect tax, because it is a
tax that is collected from someone other than the person who actually
bears the cost of the tax. VAT is therefore likely to be an
administrative hassle for firms, since they will essentially collect the
tax for the government. Look at it this way ? VAT is a saving grace for
the consumer ? if there was an intention to take the direct approach and
tax income, there would be all sorts of ramifications. Psychologically,
VAT is easier to stomach than income tax. In any case, the UAE currently
does not have an accurate enough financial system to be able to
implement an income tax. What the VAT will do is start to force
companies to fill in a tax return and finally create some semblance of
accurate financials and visibility.

Some opponents say, why tax now? Oil is at an all time high. The UAE is
in budget surplus - everything looks more or less rosy. That is exactly
the point. While oil is expected to remain at a relatively high level in
the short to medium term, historically, it is highly volatile. Less than
8 years ago, we were looking at $10 a barrel. And while hedging against
future oil losses might be an option, bringing in a tax to stabilise the
federal budget and looking beyond the current oil boom, coupled with a
discretionary fiscal spending policy should further impress long term
investors that the UAE is serious about planning for the future.

What rate would VAT come in at? Most likely, the starting rate would be
between five and seven per cent in order to cover the lost income from
implementing the free trade agreements. And so, in theory, it should not
have much effect on the consumer, if there is a straight swap, since
many goods are currently imported. However, keeping an eye on inflation
would be sensible as well as policing companies preventing them from
passing down more charges that are actually necessary. It would also be
prudent to phase in the VAT, firstly on inelastic type goods, such as
tobacco as well as on electrical and luxury items such as cars, with a
second phase on other products. And to protect the effect on the lower
middle classes, there would need to be exemptions on basic goods and
services such as bread and medical care, for example. Furthermore, it
would also have to be exempted from the free-zones, or this would lead
to companies citing promises broken, breaking down investor confidence.

How will tax affect competition? Not much. A five per cent VAT
implementation will not change the perception of the UAE as a low tax
destination or hurt economic activity. Indeed, as there will be no
personal tax, the label of ?high quality, low cost environment? will
still remain. VAT would be positive with regard to fiscal reform and
would most likely not hurt the competitiveness of the UAE. Bear in mind,
firstly, that the GCC as a region would most likely follow suit in the
same direction as the UAE as it moves forward to a common market in 2007
and monetary union in 2010, by economic convergence. This would mean
that, assuming free trade agreements are signed in 2006, that VAT would
be implemented before these agreements were fully implemented, i.e.
within two years of signing the agreements.

What?s next on the tax agenda? Are you worried that income will get
slashed? There?s no need to at the moment. The IMF?s next
recommendations are a property tax and a corporate tax across all
sectors. No comment on that just yet, but it is all a matter of time.
The oil in Abu Dhabi won?t last forever.

The main issue is in the implementation of VAT. Lessons will be learned
from the recent realization of VAT in India. If the tax is to succeed,
it will need to be meticulously planned and conceived. No doubt the IMF
and Dubai Customs are doing that as we speak. The UAE has undergone a
major transformation which needs a fresh approach for a changed economic
reality. The time to change for the future is now.

Smoke you next time!

Mridu Khullar's Monthly Writing Update (March 2006)

2006-03-12T07:35:00.000+04:00

Mridu Khullar's Monthly Writing Update (March 2006)

Writing Across the Borders:
Tips, Information and Advice for Success in your Writing Career

Visit http://www.MriduKhullar.com for more.

=============================================

In This Issue:

* My Desk to Yours
* Feature: How to Make a Source Open up to You
* Work Smarter: Boost Your Bottom Line (3-part series)
* Free Stuff from Mridu

=============================================
My Desk to Yours
=============

The blog is finally up and running again. Apparently, my web host
went out of business because the owner was arrested for... hold
your breath... credit card fraud! And to think I begged them to
take payment by credit card and they said, "Nope. Cash or check
only." What kind of fraudster was he, anyway?

Read on:
http://www.mridukhullar.com/journal/2006/02/28/sorted/

Just Because...
------------------
"I'm a fraud. I'm such a fraud. I write health and fitness
articles and I haven't exercised or slept properly in the last
two months. I write pieces on how not to procrastinate and then I
spend three hours on Blogshares. I write about getting organized
and the chi in my room is huffing and puffing out of suffocation.
Yeah, I'm a fraud."

This is an entry from my journal from October. For a few brief
seconds, I felt the same way today.

Read on:
http://www.mridukhullar.com/journal/2006/03/06/just-because/

Solving the Big Bio Puzzle
--------------------------------
While pitching a query letter on something a friend and I are
doing together, I needed to write up 100-word bios for each of
us. Here are some statistics:

Time taken to research and write the query letter: 2 hours 45
minutes.
Time taken to write his bio: 15 minutes.
Time taken to write my bio: 4 hours 20 minutes.
Total time procrastinated to avoid writing the bio: 4 days

Read on:
http://www.mridukhullar.com/journal/2006/02/13/solving-the-big-bio-puzzle/

That's all the news from me in India this month. I'll see you in
April!

Keep Writing!

Mridu Khullar
International Freelance Journalist
http://www.mridukhullar.com

=============================================

Interested in Writing Query Letters that Sell?

Sign-up for 12 daily nuggets that'll take your hand and show you
the way. Sign up for *free* at

http://www.mridukhullar.com/ecourses.html

=============================================
Feature: Making a Source Open Up to You
===================================

How to Make a Source Open up to You
By Mridu Khullar

Once in a while I'll come across someone who's an interviewer's
delight. Then, I'll meet someone who doesn't quite cut it. You
know the kind-the one who'll answer in monosyllables even when
you've sent questions via email, or the one who won't answer any
of your questions but will reveal every uninteresting personal
detail about his life, or the one who'll be helpful and
informative, but when you listen back to the interview, you find
that everything's just a repetition of itself and there's not
much that you can actually use. And if you're like me, you don't
like having to go back to an interviewee, because let's face it,
every time you do that, you're not only wasting your time, but
coming across as the journalist who couldn't get it right the
first time.

So now that you know you're going to meet your fair share of bad
interviewees, here's some good news: you can salvage the
situation. It's best to go prepared and make sure the interviewee
opens up to you.

Sometimes, people are great at talking on the phone, but freeze
up in person. Or someone might be awfully good at what he does,
but doesn't really know exactly what you're looking for, or he's
afraid that you might misquote him and make him look stupid so
he'll stick to the safe monosyllables. To avoid these scenarios
you need the source to have faith in you, in order for him or her
to open up to you.

Do Your Research
----------------------
If you don't know what information you're looking to find, the
interviewee is hardly going to be able to give it, no matter how
good he is. Let's say you're writing a piece on how money can
ruin a marriage. You have the basic premise, but if that's all
you have when you go in for the interview, you're only going to
come up with information you've probably already seen on the
Internet. Or you might think it's brilliant when the interviewee
says it, but find that it's the same old advice floating around
everywhere. In other words, your interview is a waste. Don't just
barge in and ask your expert, "How can money ruin a marriage?"
It's too wide a topic, and your expert will probably need three
days to tell you everything you need to know.

Instead map out the direction the article will take before the
interview, and see where you need the quotes to fit in. For
instance, from my research I might find that a lot of couples
fight because while one makes a lot of money, the other is buried
in debt, and this is hurting their joint credit history. Now I
can ask my expert the real questions: "Should couples have joint
credit or keep it separate?" "Should the person making good money
help pay off the other person's loans?"

I've found that if you're writing a service piece, you're
addressing a problem. So it's your job to figure out that problem
before you approach the experts, and then ask them about the
solutions, not the problem itself. In the above example, I've
decided that the article "Is Money Killing Your Marriage?" would
be a list of ten financial problems that couples face and how to
resolve them. Most writers will head off to the experts to figure
out what those problems are. A smart writer will figure out those
problems through his research and then ask the experts for the
solutions. That saves him from having to come back again with
more questions.

I'll often end my interviews by asking the expert if I've missed
something or if there's anything he'd like to add. For instance,
after going through my own list of problems, I might ask him if
he thinks there's any problem that I've missed out. But I
wouldn't start out by seeking the problems. I'd look for the
answers instead.

Make It About the Other Person
-------------------------------------
When you're out to interview someone, that someone is the
important person. You're the secondary part. You're only the
medium that takes the expert to the reader, and if you've done
your job well, the reader should think that the expert is talking
to him directly. You're invisible. That's your role. And you
should play it even during an interview. Instead of introducing
your own personal bias, or letting your own attitudes take over,
ask the questions your readers want the answers to.

Take Charge
---------------
While you should try and let the interview run its own course,
and the expert set the tone and pace, chances are high that
you'll be the one setting the actual pace, at least initially. If
you get into deep discussions, your interviewee will likely shed
his reservations and get into some himself. If you seem
disinterested, you'll get random spurts of yes and no
headbobbings. And if you're laughing and making jokes, well,
it'll be easier for the person you're interviewing to do so, too.
That's why it's best to take charge initially, set the other
person at ease and then let him take control of the reigns. Once
you've achieved an initial rapport, you'll get all the
information you need. In one particular incident, I already had a
good rapport with my expert's PR person. So when he walked into
the room while we shared a common joke, he immediately lightened
up as well, and the interview was a breeze.

Invite the PR People
-----------------------
Which brings me to the PR person who set up the interview for you
in the first place. If you came into contact directly with the
expert, fine. If they have a PR representative, it's a good idea
to ask them if they'd like to be present. They will anyway, but
asking them makes you seem like the good guy and they're more
helpful when they know you're looking out for them. I usually ask
for permission to tape the interview. If you're doing an
e-interview, be nice and send a CC to the PR person who initiated
contact.

Help Them Trust You
-------------------------
Trust is the most important part of an expert-writer
relationship. They should know that you're not going to smear the
next day's papers with personal details they wouldn't share with
their own mothers. And let's face it, journalists aren't all that
popular for their integrity. So come across as someone who cares.
Promise your source that you're not about to tarnish his
reputation and working together will be mutually beneficial.
Almost a year ago, I interviewed a doctor for a short profile I
was doing for a technology magazine, and I wanted to share his
experience using a particular digital camera with the readers.
After the interview, he asked me to write everything he'd said in
my own words, which basically translated to, "Make me sound
smart." He'd given me a lot of good insights, but he hadn't
really said anything worth quoting. I was happy to have the
liberty to say the same thing in a better way, and he was happy
not to sound dumb, but intelligent and savvy. It was a win-win
situation.

Like the doctor, almost every other person that I interview in
person or on the phone will ask me to smarten it up. And I do.
That's where the trust comes in. During the course of the
interview, I might have joked with him about the camera's
shortcomings and laughed at his description of its other
unintended uses. But I would never let my story read, "Doctor
says camera great for spying on his wife." And the doctor knew he
could count on me not to do that.

Put Them at Ease
--------------------
If you're discussing a particularly controversial topic, or if
you anticipate trouble with the source, why not just invite him
to a business lunch instead? You can interact in a non-official
environment and that'll put you both at ease to talk about
things. Or you could take a brisk walk together just to get out
of that formal business atmosphere, so that you can talk openly
as just two people, keeping the writer-expert relationship at the
back.

---
Freelance journalist Mridu Khullar, 24, loves to travel to new
and interesting places, meet fascinating people and hear their
stories, and in the process, find some of her own.

During the past three years, she's written hundreds of articles
for almost 70 publications in countries across the globe,
including the United States, Canada, England, Australia, India
and Bahrain. Her most recent credits include articles and essays
in publications such as ELLE, Yahoo.com, Chicken Soup for the
Soul, Writer's Digest, Women's Health & Fitness and The Times of
India. She lives and works out of New Delhi and has the mandatory
writer's coffee addiction and temperamental muse. Visit her
online home at www.MriduKhullar.com

=============================================
Work Smarter: Boost Your Bottom Line - Part III
====================================

Most writer-oriented books and periodicals tell readers, "If you
write for $1 per word or higher-paying national publications, you
can earn six figures a year." But let's face it-- for a writer
just starting out, high-paying assignments from Cosmopolitan and
The New Yorker are hard to come by. Is writing for national
consumer publications or landing a three-book deal with a major
New York publisher the only way to generate a good income?

Not so, say experts. In fact, there are many ways a writer can
boost the bottom line and bring in more money. In this 3-part
series, I'll talk about some ways that have worked for me.

Go International
-------------------
Recycling, reslanting and reselling old articles are great ways
of keeping the cash inflow steady. But to make even more money,
go international. Most magazines want first rights in their own
countries anyway, and by selling first rights in various regions
across the globe, you not only get them all to pay you their top
rates, but also achieve the status of international writer on
your resume.

But don't think that just because you're writing for the
international market, the road ahead will be easy. Far from it.
You need to research the magazine, find the editor's name and
spell it correctly, and pitch targeted stories just as you would
to a magazine in your own country.

Then there are the subtle differences. "You must open your eyes
to the cultural nuances of the country you're writing for," says
Kamala Thiagarajan, a freelance writer based in India. Don't
settle for interviewing experts in your own country. Thiagarajan
says it's essential that you locate experts in the country where
the magazine is published.

Consider additional revenue streams
-------------------------------------------
Many writers learn soon enough that they need to create
additional revenue streams from their existing products or
services. Have you written a book on organizing your workspace?
Why not teach an e-course on it, too? Sold a romance novel to
Harlequin? Get in touch with the Romance Writers of America and
offer to speak at some of their events. Are you a food writer who
has achieved considerable success in that area? Why not write an
e-book or start an e-zine?

Think in hours, not words
------------------------------
If a magazine editor asks you to write a 1,000-word article at
the rate of $1 per word, and another editor asks that you write a
feature for the same number of words for $200, the first one is
the more lucrative assignment, right?

Not necessarily. For all you know, the editor paying you $1 per
word might require three rewrites, research from ten different
sources and interviews with five experts, taking up days of your
time. Yet, you might be able to whip up an article for the $200
editor in two hours flat. Which is the more lucrative assignment
now?

The pay alone isn't enough to determine whether the assignment is
worthwhile. Instead, you should think in hours. How much time
will the assignment take, and how much frustration is it going to
cause?

"I've written for markets that pay anywhere from $0.25 to $2 per
word and more. Yet some high-paying assignments required do much
extensive background research, reporting and revising that I
actually made less per hour than I did on other 'lower-paying'
assignments," says Kelly James-Enger, author of Six-Figure
Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money. "Of course
writers should consider what the per-word rate is, but they
should also consider how much time the assignment will take them
and what it's worth to them."

=============================================
Free Stuff from Mridu
===============

12-Day E-Course: Write Query Letters That Sell
Sign up at http://www.mridukhullar.com/ecourses.html

-----

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Need material for your website or e-zine? Check out my entire
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=============================================

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The Third Annual Portfolios.com Awards

2006-03-11T08:27:00.000+04:00

From Farrukh's blog: http://farrukh.wordpress.com/

The Third Annual Portfolios.com Awards - Completely Online! 3 March, 2006

Here’s one awards function you don’t have to buy air-tickets for.
The Portfolios.com International Awards Show, which recognises the best
in illustration, photography, graphic design, web design and advertising
is now calling for entries for the 2006 competition.
The work in this awards show is submitted online, judged online and
announced online.
I think it’s an interesting concept. Minus the tuxedos and black suits.
And yes, the air-tickets and vacation.

More info : http://www.portfolios.com/award/2006/

A new digital revolution

2006-03-11T07:31:00.000+04:00

http://www.physorg.com/news11628.html

A new digital revolution

Technology : March 10, 2006

For hip-hop, techno and dance music in particular, the changes brought
about by digital music has been significant. Computer production has its
first poster-boy in hip-hop producer 9th Wonder, who makes his popular
beats with a $99 computer program that others with five-figure studios
fail to create.

Industry analysts argue that listeners can instantly tell whether a beat
came from computer rather than standalone hardware because of the clean
sound most digital producers employ. But Wonder's musical backdrops,
employed by artists such as Jay-Z, Destiny's Child and Memphis Bleek in
addition to his own group Little Brother, refute this notion all by itself.

"I can make it do any type of beat I want to," Wonder said in an
interview with Remix Magazine, referring to the program he uses, FL
Studio. "I listen for bass lines and the way I can tighten up the drums.
I can make it sound like a crispy, empty beat or a dirty beat."

Wonder writes his soulful soundtracks on the same computers millions of
Americans use everyday to send e-mails, instant message and play
computer games. This is done on a program that often "costs less than a
single good microphone," said Mike Metlay, an associate editor at
Recording Magazine.

FL Studio is only the beginning when it comes to the massive electronic
music production culture. For Windows users there are programs like
Cakewalk's Kinetic, Propellerhead's Reason and Sony's ACID while Apple
users have access to programs like the free and simple GarageBand or the
professional-grade Logic Pro. Each successive version of these programs
adds new features, making each one more and more like an
all-encompassing studio.

More exhaustive programs now create less-expensive software to compete
with the aforementioned programs. The industry standard in music
production and sequencing, Pro Tools, once only available for thousands
of dollars, now can be accessed in smaller, less intensive versions for
just a couple hundred dollars.

"This stuff starts at the fringes in the experimental and DJ culture,"
Metlay said. "(It) moves toward the mainstream as the companies
recognize larger markets. (They) realize that there's a whole world full
of people out there who have computers and might enjoy making their own
music."

It isn't all about making money for everyone, as evidenced by the free
multi-track audio editor and recorder Audacity. The software does many
of the things a $1,500 multi-track hardware recorder does but is
available for free download on the Web. This program and others like it
offer Web forums and message boards for users. This creates a massive
digital community that grows everyday.

"Free software is not just free of cost (like 'free beer')," the
Audacity Web site states. "It is free as in freedom (like 'free
speech'). Free software gives you the freedom to use a program, study
how it works, improve it, and share it with others."

A quick search on the Musician's Friend Web site, one of the more
popular musical instrument and equipment retailers, finds that the
closest thing to a program like FL Studio, an AKAI MPC1000 sequencer,
costs about $1,000. More advanced sequencers cost even more.

"You can do much more for potentially less money," says Markkus Rovito,
technology editor for Remix Magazine. "A new MPC2000XL or MPC25000 costs
about $2,000 street price. For less money than that, a person could buy
a decent PC and (FL Studio), Cakewalk Sonar Home Edition or some similar
software -- or an Apple iMac with the pre-loaded GarageBand software."

These pieces of hardware utilize a smaller screen, are less intuitive
and adaptive and can't do the wide range of things a computer program
can do. But software does have its drawbacks. For one, a computer isn't
a standalone instrument like a sequencer is.

"A computer is not designed from the ground up to make music and nothing
else," Metlay said. "Even a computer that's built for audio and never
used for anything else still uses Mac OS X or Windows XP, operating
systems that are not audio-specific. This means that there are many ways
a computer can get confused, lock up, or crash while making music that
you wouldn't see in a hardware box."

Though 9th Wonder quickly became one of hip-hop's hottest producers
using just a turntable and a Dell laptop, the number of well-known
artists who make their music solely on computers remains low. Techno
artist Moby is known for his laptop-based live shows, Metlay says, and
even jazz great Herbie Hancock occasionally replaces his synthesizer
hardware with a laptop.

For the most part, many of these inexpensive programs remain underground
just like the artists who use them. But just because producers don't use
computer software exclusively doesn't mean the digital revolution
doesn't affect music production more and more everyday.

"Ultimately, the transition to computer music production is nearly
complete," Rovito said. "There are very few professionals who don't use
a computer in some capacity in the production process, and beginners,
hobbyists and semi-pros usually take the computer route for its cost
effectiveness and practicality."

Firefox Flicks Ad Contest

2006-03-06T07:22:00.000+04:00

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/

Project Description

Create a 30-second ad, in any style (live action or animated,) that
brings Firefox to life for the millions of Web users who have yet to
discover Firefox and the better Web experience it delivers.
Project Summary

Mozilla seeks to expand awareness of Firefox among a broader audience
for Web browsers: mainstream consumers who may have little knowledge of
the value proposition for Firefox. To help increase awareness of Firefox
among this target audience, Mozilla would like to produce a
high-quality, innovative 30-second ad that introduces Firefox to
mainstream Web users.

In line with its history and orientation, Mozilla is opening up the
creation of its initial advertising creative to
film/TV/advertising/multimedia professionals, students and aspiring pros
as part of the Firefox Flicks Ad Contest.
Target Audience

The primary target audience for the Firefox advertising campaign are
moderately experienced Web users, who are comfortable with using the Web
but are not necessarily power users. These users understand how to
download and install software, and use the Web for basic activities:
reading news, web-based email, limited online shopping and banking. They
may rely as much on the physical Yellow Pages as they do Yahoo! or
Google. They may also have had negative experiences with the Web as a
result of spyware, viruses and other Web nuisances. Yet they see the
value in the Web, and so return. But they likely do not clearly
understand how a Web browser can improve their Web experience.
Objective

After watching the ad, the audience should be intrigued enough by
Firefox to visit getfirefox.com to learn more.
Ad Perception/Tone/Guidelines

1. Exciting, easy, simple, fun, modern, smart, cool, adventurous,
young, empowering, helpful. We're sure there are other angles you can
think of.
2. Ad should function more at brand level than at product
features/benefits level.
3. Ad can be in any style: live action, animated, etc.
4. Don't overhype. If you have to, err on the side of subtlety, and
let the audience connect the dots to get the message.
5. Take risks. The brand is new. The product is one-year old. Be fresh.
6. Use these guidelines as very broad suggestions. We are most
interested in seeing how creative you can be in expressing the core
premise of Firefox: making the Web experience better for everyone, and
getting that message out to mainstream Web users.
7. Entries must be submitted no later than midnight, March 31, 2006.

Key Messages

You don't have to incorporate all of these messages or ideas. These are
here to show you what we're interested in getting across. Pick and choose.

1. Firefox offers a better way to experience the Web. It's secure,
easy to use, and customizable.
2. Having a choice in Web browsers matters.
3. The Web is too important to too many people to let a single
company decide how we all get there.
4. The Web browser has a dramatic impact on the user's experience of
the web.

More Information

Contest overview:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest

Contest blog:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/backstage

Official Rules:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/rules.html

FAQ:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/faq.html

Technical details for submissions:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/submit.php

Judges:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/judges.html

Prizes:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/prizes-sponsors.html

Firefox backgrounder:

http://www.firefoxflicks.com/adcontest/background.html

[ARTICLES ON CREATIVITY] Creativity Takes Two Routes; Early to Blossom, Long in Bloom

2006-02-18T07:39:00.000+04:00

Posted in the Creativegarh Yahoogroup
(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/creativegarh) by owner Arun Verma:

Creativity Takes Two Routes; Early to Blossom, Long in Bloom

Newswise ? Despite Robert Frost's musing about the possibility of
veering off toward "the road not taken," he and other artists are, by
their inclinations, pretty much destined to follow one of two major
pathways to success, contends David Galenson, Professor in Economics
at the University of Chicago.

Galenson, whose recent work has used economic data to examine the
careers of painters, has expanded his work to study other creative
artists, including poets, novelists, sculptors and movie directors.
In each case, he has found that creative people fall into two camps:
the conceptual artists who come up with new visions for their fields
and blossom early, and the experimental artists who spend long
careers polishing approaches to their work and often achieve their
most important success later in life.

His findings, which challenge work by psychologists on creativity,
are published in Old Masters and Young Geniuses, The Two Life Cycles
of Artistic Creativity.

"What I have found provides people with new ways of understanding
artists and appreciating, for instance, a trip to a museum," Galenson
said. "I also think this analysis can be used to understand how new
ideas develop in many fields, including academic disciplines."

Galenson based his findings on an examination of a number of
indicators of success: the highest prices paid for art work by
particular artists, listings of work in art textbooks, the number of
references to particular authors in anthologies and critical opinions
of the movies made by film directors. In each case, when he began to
look at the age at which these creative people gained the most
success, he found two different patterns at work.

"Conceptual innovators historically have been those artists most
likely to be described as geniuses, as their early manifestations of
brilliance and virtuosity have been taken to indicate that these
individuals were born with extraordinary talents," Galenson said.
These artists are the ones who come up with entirely new approaches
to their fields.

Examples of important conceptual artists are Pablo Picasso, Ernest
Hemingway and Orson Welles. The price of Picasso's work produced in
his mid-20s is much more valuable than that produced later in his
career, Galenson said.

"In 1943, with Hemingway just 44 years old, James Farrell called The
Sun Also Rises (1926) Hemingway's best novel and declared that his
contribution was "essentially complete by age 30." Orson Welles
completed Citizen Kane, his first film, when he was 26. The film was
important largely because of its technological breakthroughs.

Experimental artists, on the other hand, spend a whole career doing
similar projects, seeking to find perfection. Paul Cézanne, who spent
a lifetime painting similar landscapes in the south of France,
reached the top of his form in his 60s, an era from which 36 percent
of his paintings published in art books were produced. The share of
Picasso's works from his 60s is only 2 percent.

Frost also is a classic experimental artist. Rather than coming up
with a new paradigm for poetry, as T.S. Eliot did in his famous
work, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," Frost spent a lifetime
listening to people in New England and reproducing the poetry of
their language. Elliott was only 23 when he wrote "The Love Song of
J. Alfred Prufrock," while Frost was 48 when he penned his most
frequently anthologized poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."

Among film directors, Alfred Hitchcock, who polished his particular
form of suspense filmmaking, is a classic example of an experimental
artist. Critics judge his best work to be Vertigo, which was made in
1958 when he was 59.

"Experimental innovators are most often praised for their wisdom and
judgment. Their major contributions typically involve superb
craftsmanship, the result of painstaking effort and experience
acquired over the course of long careers," said Galenson.

By examining a wide range of data and looking at a variety of
professions, Galenson was able to come up with new observations about
creativity, perspectives missed by psychologists, who, for instance,
study the ways in which people become innovative.

"I learned early in my career, as an economic historian, that it is
important to disaggregate the components of a trend, rather than
lumping all the data together and then averaging things out. I think
that is the problem with the literature on creativity. People are
putting all the data together and developing one bell curve, rather
than separating the information on artists and finding multiple bell
curves, different points at which careers peak."

By looking at these individual trends, based on the careers of
specific artists, Galenson was able to dispute some commonly held
perceptions: that the field itself determines the age at which
artists excel; poets peak early and novelists, late in their careers.

"The psychologists' belief that the nature of an intellectual
activity determines the pattern of the life cycle of its contributors
appears to be founded on the proposition that some activities are
more complex than others," Galenson pointed out.

When artists work with abstract ideas, such as those that inspire
conceptual artists, the breakthroughs can come at an early age, while
other contributions, such as those that require patience and respect
for tradition, take much longer and require the skills of an
experimental artist.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/518052/