Author: Serkadis

Heikki Kovalainen may have been the perfect colleague for Lewis Hamilton back at McLaren Mercedes – the Brit actually praised the wonderful person and friend that he found in Heikki – but he plans to change all that at Lotus. Now that he can actually benefit from equal status within the drivers’ lineup, the Finn wants to prove everybody that he is a better racer than what people make of him.

I don’t really care what people think, said Kovalainen, according to British tabloid The Sun, referrin… (read more)

Article Tags: World Temperatures

WASHINGTON — A new analysis of global surface temperatures by NASA scientists finds the past year was tied for the second warmest since 1880. In the Southern Hemisphere, 2009 was the warmest year on record.

Although 2008 was the coolest year of the decade because of a strong La Nina that cooled the tropical Pacific Ocean, 2009 saw a return to a near-record global temperatures as the La Nina diminished, according to the new analysis by NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York. The past year was a small fraction of a degree cooler than 2005, the warmest on record, putting 2009 in a virtual tie with a cluster of other years –1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, and 2007 — for the second warmest on record.

“There’s always interest in the annual temperature numbers and a given year’s ranking, but the ranking often misses the point,” said James Hansen, GISS director. “There’s substantial year-to-year variability of global temperature caused by the tropical El Nino-La Nina cycle. When we average temperature over five or ten years to minimize that variability, we find global warming is continuing unabated.”

January 2000 to December 2009 was the warmest decade on record. Looking back to 1880, when modern scientific instrumentation became available to monitor temperatures precisely, a clear warming trend is present, although there was a leveling off between the 1940s and 1970s

Click source to read FULL report

Source: nasa.gov

Read in full with comments »   

You knew it was coming: There are rumors of strife between living legend Cher and powerhouse singing star Christina Aguilera as the two divas join forces on the set of the movie musical Burlesque.

The ladies are all smiles while the cameras are rolling, but acting newcomer Christina secretly resents Cher’s “unsolicited acting advice” and alleged demands.

“Cher is like a bull in a China shop, asking for a bigger trailer, her own hair and makeup people, and requesting specially prepared meals. It’s driving Christina up the wall,” a Star informant claims in the publication’s Feb. 1 issue.

On February 9th, the inaugural race of the NASCAR iRacing Drivers World Championship, a new series sanctioned by NASCAR, will be held, marking the return of the most watched motorsports in the US in the virtual world. It follows the demise of the Papyrus Racing/Sierra NASCAR sim and will be the first NASCAR licensed PC game since EA’s NASCAR SimRacing in 2005.

NASCAR iRacing series will comprise 18 races, spanned over a 39-week calendar. The series will feature the 50 top-rated drivers curren… (read more)

Google has revealed its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2009 and, even with high expectations, it managed to surprise everyone with a very good quarter. The tone was very confident and optimistic among the top execs at Google starting with CEO Eric Schmidt. Revenue was at $6.67 billion in Q4, up 17 percent from last … (read more)

You’ve seen the Squad Rush gameplay trailer. Why stop there? Here’s another one for Battlefield: Bad Company 2, and this time, it’s the Single Player trailer.
 
 
 

The grid for the opening round of the 2010 Formula One season in Bahrain will have (at least) two black cars on it. Well, leaving aside the sponsors and everything, these two machines will feature a predominant black livery, as confirmed by one of the team’s race drivers for the new F1 campaign. And since he hate the suspense, we’re talking about Virgin Racing and Lucas di Grassi.

The Brazilian driver told Brazil’s Globo website that the car will be entirely black, with the drivers’ helmets a… (read more)

This news story will surely make some people laugh, especially if they watched the development of the VW – Suzuki negotiations. In short terms, the Japanese manufacturer denied every possible link with Volkswagen until the very last moment, saying that it is not interested in selling a stake to the German company. However, this actually happened, and VW is now holding a 19.9 percent stake in Suzuki.

Under the "Yeah, sure" premise, Suzuki CEO says he would promptly refuse Volkswagen,… (read more)

After during the Automotive News World Congress a group of Teamsters Union representatives protested against Chrysler, it’s time for yet another attack, this time in front of the Italian consulate in Detroit, on Friday, January 22.

"Workers Will Ask Fiat/Chrysler To Stop Killing American Jobs After Taking Bailout Billions," reads the teamsters’ call to arms. "Tomorrow morning members of Teamster Local 299 will rally outside the Italian Consulate in downtown Detroit. Fiat/Chrys… (read more)

Shakira is planning to open a school for the youngest citizens of the quake-hit island of Haiti.

The Colombian pop star’s Barefoot Foundation has teamed up with the Architecture for Humanity charity to build a institution that will open its doors to Haitian children as soon as the nation becomes functional again.

The “She Wolf” hitmaker/humanitarian already helped open an education facility in her native Colombia, which provides teaching, nutrition, and counseling for at-risk children.

“There is a great need for immediate aid in Haiti, but also for longer-term reconstruction,” Shakira wrote in a personal message to fans on her website Thursday. “For that reason, we are doing our small part to help Haiti rebuild and give the children affected by this disaster the chance to learn and thrive. I hope we can use some of what we’ve learned working in Colombia to help Haiti’s children recover,” she added.

“When we educate children we empower societies, and right now Haiti needs all of our help.”

Move over Brad and Angie, Aniston’s ready to strike a pose in her what celebrity spies call the most revealing photospread of her career. After once again sparking rumors of a clandestine liason, Hollywood sweetheart Jennifer Aniston and Scottish actor Gerard Butler will set tongues wagging with a nearly X-rated photoshoot on the pages of the March issue of W Magazine, PopEater insiders squealed this week.

The pics, taken in the California desert that kisses the outskirts of Los Angeles, feature Jennifer scantily-clad in skimpy underwear while Gerard poses as a leather-clad NYPD officer. The snaps are sure to provoke comparisons with Brad and Angelina’s infamously retro-themed shoot for W in 2005.

“For two days Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler were in the desert outside LA ­creating these really hot pictures. The result is the raciest cover in the history of W. Those pictures of Brad and Angelina? Forget it,” says a source.

“Jen has a natural and effortless sexiness compared to Angelina’s very stylized look. And you have Gerry who is just the epitome of a manly man, dressed in a cop uniform. These photos will do nothing to quell the rumors of their romance – quite the opposite in fact,” the source added.

Jen and Gerard, both 40, will co-star in the upcoming blockbuster The Bounty Hunter, opening later this year. The celebs were snapped “flirting” at the Golden Globes last weekend, further fueling speculation that the time they spent filming the feature sparked an off-screen affair.

The battle for Saab continues but, judging by the latest rumors on the matter, Spyker managed to set itself apart from the rest of the contenders and is now in pole-position to purchase the Swedish unit. Spyker CEO Victor Muller told Reuters that a decision on Saab is expected to be announced soon, as negotiations continue every day.

On the other hand, Genii Capital representatives are claiming that they haven’t heard anything from General Motors from almost one week since they submitted the … (read more)

Saqqara.nl

With photos.

Week 1 (3-8 January)

In order to make this season a little longer, we begin a bit earlier than usual. It will be quite a bit different season not only in length but also in logistics and operations, as you will see in forthcoming weeks. It’s partly because of these differences that Maarten and I made it longer, and partly because of our planned scope of activities, which we think are quite ambitious.

On 3 January the team’s advance party of 4 linked-up in Cairo: myself, Annelies (our new main surveyor), and Nicky and Irene (our two field assistants). The next day I signed the contract at the Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA) and promised to return to Cairo for a meeting with Dr. Zahi Hawass, for whom the expedition hopes to find the bones of Queen Mutnodjmet. I also found out that the team’s old friend Osama Es-Shimy had just been promoted to the position of General Director of Giza and Saqqara, and a new colleague, Ali Asfar, had been promoted to Osama’s former place, Director of Saqqara.

‘Beit Raven’ is situated down hillThe next day the team departed to Saqqara and our new home, a ‘brand new’ resthouse built at the foot of the desert escarpment. This is one of the major logistical differences. No longer do we stay in ‘Beit Emery’. Actually we are grateful to the SCA for requiring us to move – despite some tinges of nostalgia – since living at the old facility often seemed like camping in the outback.

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

Diario Djehuty

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

Egypt State Information Service

Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Dr. Zahi Hawas inaugurated on 21/1 / 2010 the restoration works and development of the monastery of St. Anthony at Red Sea.

It is considered the first monastery in the world and its name is attributed to St. Anthony who was considered the first Egyptian Coptic monk in the world and father of all monks.

The monastery was located on a mountainside tribal desert on an area of 18 acres, and was established in the fourth century.

Its library comprises 1,438 manuscripts that date back to the 13 the century AD.

The oldest form of the Coptic language was found in the monastery. It was about a collection of writings that was founded under the Church of the Apostles.

The establishment of the monastery in Egypt underscores the depth of national unity and cohesion of the fabric of the nation, Hawas said.

He added that the completion of the maintenance of the monastery came after the restoration that lasted for about five years, which included the architectural elements of archaeological work and the monastery wall paintings.

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

While surfing the web for exciting things to tell you about, we came across this very interesting study made by navigation solutions provider TomTom. The study is the first fully detailed research on which are the fastest and the slowest interstates in the US and ends in an interesting note: Americans tend to keep within the speed limits.

The results of the study, which you can sweep through below, are based on data from Speed Profiles, TomTom’s historical speed database. The data were orga… (read more)

zawya.com (Safaa Abdoun)

Protection of Egypt’s antiquities was the subject of heated debate at the People’s Assembly as steel mogul and senior National Democratic Party MP Ahmed Ezz and Minister of Culture Farouk Hosni argued over private ownership of antiquities.

The point of contention was Article 8, which bans the trade, or any other form of disposal, of antiquities unless there is a written consent from the Supreme Council for Antiquities (SCA). It also states that the council has the right to take the antiquity from the owner and offer a reasonable compensation.

Ezz argued that the majority of Egyptians don’t know the characteristics of an antiquity and some people inherit an antiquity unknowingly, and so penalizing them would be unfair.

However, Hosni, who cancelled a trip to Luxor to attend the draft law’s discussion at the PA, said there are set criteria for identifying antiquities and such owners should report these inherited pieces to the SCA.

Minster of State for Legal Affairs and Parliamentary Councils, Mofid Shehab, proposed to add a clause to the articles which states that anyone in possession of an antiquity has to notify the council within a year of the law coming into force.

Parliament Speaker Ahmed Fathi Sorour said that the crime of owning an antiquity is only punishable if the owner knows that it is an antiquity and doesn’t report it, and he postponed the discussion of this article until the entire law is discussed.

Independent MP Alaa Abdel Meniem says that the law needs more work especially in defining what constitutes an antiquity.

Al-Masry Al-Youm (Nehal Mostafa)

A controversy erupted in parliament this week when MP Ahmed Ezz, who is also a leading member of the ruling National Democratic Party, suggested an amendment that would legalize trade in antiquities. Ezz’s suggestion was promptly shot down by other members of parliament and Zahi Hawass, the chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Al-Masry Al-Youm hit the streets to find out what the average Egyptian thinks of legalizing the sale of ancient artifacts.

Yasser Adel, 40, programmer: “If it is good source for money, I’ll totally agree. But I don’t think it will be a good idea if there was money and no one benefited from it. So I’d only agree if there was a direct benefit like paying debts or solving problems.”

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

Swansea University Conference Page

Conference announcement
EXPERIMENT and EXPERIENCE: ANCIENT EGYPT in the PRESENT

We have discounted rates for students and early bird booking (before 15 February), and daily rates as well!

Are you interested in ancient Egypt ? Are you interested in ancient technology or crafts?

This is a conference where academics, craftspeople and the general public, in fact all those interested in ancient Egypt or in technology, can meet and share their common enthusiasm. All ages and abilities are welcome. We have an exciting array of demonstrations and talks lined up for you, from flint knapping to flower arranging, from textiles to ship building, not to mention woodworking, stoneworking, manufacturing ritual clay artefacts, shipbuilding, antler bow manufacture, glassworking, an oral performance, and of course mummification!

Experimental archaeology applies the scientific method, and has the potential to be a powerful research tool while being interdisciplinary. Along with experiential approaches, it is a perfect medium for education and widening participation. This conference aims to integrate the arts, humanities and sciences. Through a series of lectures, workshops and practical demonstrations we will explore the value of a hands-on approach to understanding the past, in particular, Ancient Egypt.

Hosted by CEMA, Egypt Centre and the Department of History and Classics, Swansea University
9am Monday 10th through Wednesday 12th May 2010
Faraday A , Swansea University

PROVISIONAL LIST OF SPEAKERS

Salima Ikram (keynote speaker):
From the Meadow to the Em-baa-lming Table: Experimental Archaeology and Mummification

Ashley Cooke
The Experimental Work of F.C.J. Spurrell: Faience, Glass and Beads

Pearce Paul Creasman
Exposing Ancient Shipbuilders Secrets through Experimental Reconstruction

Andrzej Ćwiek
Limestone Speaking: Experience and Experiments in the Field

Carolyn Graves-Brown
Experimental Work on Egyptian Lithics: From Spurrell to Lund

Sonia Focke
The Horn Bow – Egyptology’s Problem Child

Rosalind Janssen
Ancient Egyptian Pleating

Janet Johnstone
Practical Dressmaking for Ancient Egyptians: Ancient Sewing Techniques
and Replica Clothing Construction

Geoffrey Killen
Ancient Egyptian Woodworking

Marquardt Lund
Flintknapping Scenes from the Beni-Hasan Tombs Viewed and Interpreted
by a Contemporary Flintknapper

Sally McAleely
Experimental Recreation of a an Ancient Egyptian Funerary Garland
Found on the Mummy of Ramesses II.

John Merkel
New Kingdom Copper Smelting, Refining and Casting Experiments

Paul Nicholson
Could the Egyptians Make Glass? An Integrated Approach to Experimental
Archaeology.

Pauline Norris
Keeping the Horse in Front of the Chariot: Experiments and
Observations on Harnessing and Handling Horses in Ancient Egypt

Richard Parkinson and Barbara Ewing
Experimental Philology: Performing Ancient Egyptian Poetry

Ann Richards
Could Ancient Egyptian Textiles Have Pleated Themselves?

Donald Ryan
Reed boats and the Experimental Archaeology of Thor Heyerdahl

Denys Stocks
Some Experiments in Ancient Egyptian Stone Technology

Kasia Szpakowska
Making and Breaking Ritual Figurines

Willeke Wendrich
Apprenticeship as a Research Method

For further information, please contact us
Kasia Szpakowska
or
Carolyn Graves-Brown
or visit our websites:
http://www.swan.ac.uk/egypt/conference010.htm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Swansea/Experiment-and-Experience-Ancient-Egypt-in-the-Present/201764173865?ref=nf

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

British Museum Studies in Ancient Egypt and Sudan 14

I’ve posted about BMSAES 14 in dribs and drabs but here’s the entire volume, all available free of charge online from the above address.

The final issue of 2009 features two articles based on British Museum fieldwork in the Edfu area, and another on epigraphic work at Tombos in Sudan, with publication of related material in museums in Cairo and Khartoum.

More details on British Museum fieldwork in the Nile Valley and research projects on the collection

The two papers by Veldmeijer continue a series on ancient Egyptian footwear, and include detailed discussion and photography of several sandals and shoes held in the British Museum.

Finally, the Hawkins paper presents a new interpretation of two Amarna letters, with fantastic photography of the tablets kindly provided by colleagues in the Egyptian Museum (Cairo) and the Vorderasiatisches Museum (Berlin).

The final tranche of records have been uploaded to the Collection database online, which now holds records for 1,838,067 objects in the British Museum, of which 477,018 have associated photographs. New photography is being added to the database on a regular basis. High-resolution photographs are available free of charge, for non-commercial uses, which includes academic publications.

Finally, the subject-related web resources pages of the Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan have been updated, including new links, allowing access to a range of online resources relating to the cultures of the Nile Valley, past and present.

Neal Spencer
Contents

Kom el-Farahy: a New Kingdom Island in an evolving Edfu floodplain
Judith M. Bunbury, Angus Graham and Kristian D. Strutt

The British Museum epigraphic survey at Tombos: the stela of Usersatet and Hekaemsasen
W. Vivian Davies

The British Museum expedition to Elkab and Hagr Edfu, 2009
W. Vivian Davies and Elisabeth R. O’Connell

The Arzawa letters in recent perspective
J. David Hawkins

Studies of Ancient Egyptian Footwear. Technological Aspects. Part VII. Coiled Sewn Sandals
André J. Veldmeijer

Studies of ancient Egyptian footwear. Technological aspects. Part XII. Fibre shoes
André J. Veldmeijer

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes