Author: Serkadis

While most of the World Rally Championship contenders for the 2010 season are switching to newer, improved machines – or at least try out the new S2000 cars before the rule-changing 2011 campaign – Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg will use a different strategy for the upcoming rallying event he’s going to start, namely the season opening Rally Sweden.

According to the official site of the WRC, the 11th finisher in the 2009 WRC standings has decided to trade his Subaru S14 WRC2008 for an older ve… (read more)

Adam Lambert is back in the arms of his former flame- just three months after the couple called it quits.

The gay rocker — a sensation on Season 8 of American Idol – split from interior designer Drake Labry in November, with reports speculating that Lambert wanted to focus promoting his debut album, For Your Entertainment. However, the pair has reportedly reconciled, sources tell E! Online. Adam and Drake were spotted enjoying a night out at Hollywood hotspot Avalon.

“(They) were sitting at a private table with friends, but the two of them could not keep their hands off of each other,” a spywitness says. “Drake was stroking Adam’s leg, and Adam could barely take his eyes off of him. They both seemed to be in a great mood and were keeping more to themselves instead of mingling with nearby friends.”

Peugeot released details of the 2010 107 Sweet Years version, a flavor that proved to be one of the best-selling models across the 107 range. The car comes with a number of customizations for both the interior and the exterior and also features a number of upgrades concerning the offered equipment levels.

First of all, the Sweet Years boasts an AvMap Geosat 6 Drive Safe navigation system, with maps included in the price. A multimedia system is available as well and comprises popular features … (read more)

The Mexican authorities are failing in their duty to protect human rights activists from killings and life-threatening harassment and attacks, Amnesty International warned on Thursday in a new report.

The report Standing up for justice and dignity: Human Rights defenders in Mexico describes more than 15 cases of defenders who have suffered killings, attacks, harassment, threats and  imprisonment on fabricated charges between 2007 and 2009 to prevent them from doing their work.

"Defending human rights in Mexico is life-threatening and the government is not doing enough to tackle the problem," said Nancy Tapias-Torrado, researcher on human rights defenders at Amnesty International. "When one human rights defender is attacked, threatened or killed, it sends a dangerous message to many others and denies hope to all those on whose behalf the defender is working".

Amnesty International said it believes there are dozens of such cases, very few of which are effectively investigated and even fewer brought to justice. In none of the cases included in the report has a full investigation been carried out and in only two of them suspects are in detention.

Human rights defenders take action to protect and promote human rights. States have a responsibility to protect these people and ensure they can carry out their work.

Activists working to protect the rights of communities living in poverty, those who defend the rights of Indigenous peoples or work to protect the environment are at particular risk of attack. Their work is seen as interfering with powerful political or economic interests. Too often they are treated as trouble-makers not as human rights defenders working for a better society where respect for human rights can be a reality.

Obtilia Eugenio Manuel, founder and president of the Organization of the Me’ phaa Indigenous People (OPIM) in Guerrero, southern Mexico, has been the victim of numerous death threats and acts of intimidation since 1998.

The campaign of intimidation against her got so serious in recent years, Obtilia and her family were forced to flee their community out of fear. For example, in January 2009, a man who had been following her on several occasions shouted at her: "Do you think you’re so brave? Are you a real woman? Let’s hope you also go to prison… If you don’t go to prison, we’ll kill you."

None of the threats or acts of intimidation against Obtilia has been investigated.

In another case, Ricardo Murillo Monge, a spokesperson and founder member of the Sinaloan Civic Front (FCS), was found dead in his car in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa State, on 6 September 2007. Only two years later, on 31 August 2009, Salomón Monárrez, another spokesperson for the FCS, narrowly survived an assassination attempt.

"The Mexican government must urgently develop an effective and comprehensive programme of protection for human rights defenders," said Nancy Tapias-Torrado.

Activists standing up for justice in Mexico (Feature, 21 January 2010)

Call on the Mexican government to protect human rights activists

Tara Reid is getting married.

The American Pie actress and reformed partygirl is delighted after her boyfriend, German millionaire Internet entrepreneur Michael Axtmann, flew into Los Angeles to propose to her on Monday, the actress’ rep told PEOPLE Wednesday. Axtmann popped the question to Tara while dining at The Little Door restaurant in L.A. on Monday night. The rep said, “Michael surprised Tara with a beautiful round brilliant cut ring. Tara was so happy, and the other patrons clapped and yelled out, ‘Congratulations.’”

The businessman reportedly texted friends after the proposal to say: “Tara just got the ring from me and is over the moon.”

The couple – who have been dating since May 2009 – plan to tie the knot in Mexico this summer. Tara was previously engaged to former MTV VJ Carson Daly.

Un clásico que renace en versión española, editores de periódicos contra Google News, con amenaza de querella sobre la mesa (El economista). En el debate en sí no hay muchas novedades, las mismas voces señalan que quien no quiere salir en Google puede conseguirlo con facilidad y que éste manda tráfico a los medios, algo por lo que deberían estar agradecidos… personalmente, sigo comprendiendo que no lo estén.

Google no es el amigo de los medios, es un intermediario que actúa en beneficio propio. Un día integra la cartelera y empieza a utilizar su posición dominante en el mercado de las búsquedas para entrar en servicios y contenidos. Los medios están acostumbrados a intermediarios – los distribuidores físicos – que no cambian el modo de hacer negocio de sus ingresos sino que comisionan. Pasar a un intermediario-interfaz con el usuario, que se lleva gran parte del negocio de la publicidad (no directamente en Google News, pero sí en el buscador) y que por criterio propio reparte el tráfico es algo que no se debe digerir bien, es comprensible que no estén felices con la situación.

Y hasta ahí llega la comprensión en la batalla de editores contra Google News, si los usuarios deciden utilizar un agregador o cualquier otro intermediario ante los contenidos es porque les aporta valor. Puedes decidir lo que prefieras, pero en una internet en la que existen Google News y Menéame y tienen tráfico, es mejor salir en ellos lo máximo posible que no salir. A abundancia de contenidos, pensar en un modelo de lector de periódico de toda la vida, que lee todos de una misma fuente, no es realista y puedes acabar luchando contra los enlaces a tu web con la excusa de que tal web te coge un extracto. La pelea al final no es contra tal o cual agregador, es ante la imposibilidad de repetir el mismo modelo del siglo XX en lo que a dominar la relación con el usuario y el reparto de la tarta publicitaria se refiere. No creo que los editores tengan razón – si exceptuamos casos que empiezan a rallar el abuso de posición dominante – pero es comprensible que no estén felices con el cambio.

Relacionado: Las publicaciones ante los intermediarios que agregan.

Imagen de Carlos Carreter.

YouTube engineers sure move fast, just last week they asked people what features and changes they’d like to see on the site and, after an overwhelming response, the most requested feature is already live on the video site. YouTube has announced that it has begun to roll out support for HTML5-based videos ditching the regular Flash player for an open and standard implementation. The HTML5 version of player doesn’t show up on all videos and there are still some bugs and kicks to work out, but i… (read more)

I know there are some of you out there that are hard core Star Trek fans. You may hide it or you may flaunt it, but you know when you’re a Trekkie at heart.

Now all you Trekkie fanatics can sit down to breakfast with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock with Star Trek Eggo Waffles. These special waffles were released in March 2009 to promote the new Star Trek flick.

Good luck finding them in your local grocery frozen aisle now, although they are probably available on eBay if you really have to get one.

Related posts:

1. Velociraptor Hunting Trophy
2. The Outlawed Pez Gun
3. The Sub Zero Pop-Up Bar: For When You Want Your Beer Ice Cold

Researchers have found the key to what makes women beautiful. A great body or smooth skin doesn’t hurt, but what really signals beauty is a face with the “golden ratio.”

What is this golden ratio you ask? Scientists have found that women are considered most attractive when the space between their pupils is 46 percent of the width of her face from ear to ear.

The other key measurement is when the distance between a woman’s eyes and her mouth is 36 percent of the overall length of her face from hairline to chin.

So who are some celebrities that have this magic, perfect, golden ratio? Jessica Alba, Liz Hurley and Shania Twain, just to name a few.

Experts who conducted the research at the University of Toronto said there is still hope for women that don’t have the golden ratio.

The right haircut can manipulate the ratios because of how much or little of a woman’s face is shown. That’s why some people immediately look unattractive or vice versa after a haircut.

Related posts:

1. Find Out if a Woman Likes You: Look at Her Feet
2. Zac Efron is the New Ideal of Male Beauty
3. Scientists Say Women Are Getting More Beautiful

	Trexa platform lets you develop your own damn electric vehicle! Stop complaining and DIY is the message here.		Bu$ vs. car? Public transit can save riders an average of $9,200 a year Chump change?
	Millionaire plots to save Detroit… by turning it into a farming community? Pushing forward back.	Other news: Automakers’ biggest green car challenge just might be education BYD gets government approval to start making all-electric E6 Video: Helen Mirren tries out the Chevrolet fuel cell Equinox

AutoblogGreen for 01.21.10 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Smithsonian.com (Evan Hadingham)

Five page article about investigations into the Sphinx. Here’s an extract:

Recognized today as one of the world’s leading Egyptologists and Sphinx authorities, Lehner has conducted field research at Giza during most of the 37 years since his first visit. (Hawass, his friend and frequent collaborator, is the secretary general of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities and controls access to the Sphinx, the pyramids and other government-owned sites and artifacts.) Applying his archaeological sleuthing to the surrounding two-square-mile Giza plateau with its pyramids, temples, quarries and thousands of tombs, Lehner helped confirm what others had speculated—that some parts of the Giza complex, the Sphinx included, make up a vast sacred machine designed to harness the power of the sun to sustain the earthly and divine order. And while he long ago gave up on the fabled library of Atlantis, it’s curious, in light of his early wanderings, that he finally did discover a Lost City.

The Sphinx was not assembled piece by piece but was carved from a single mass of limestone exposed when workers dug a horseshoe-shaped quarry in the Giza plateau. Approximately 66 feet tall and 240 feet long, it is one of the largest and oldest monolithic statues in the world. None of the photos or sketches I’d seen prepared me for the scale. It was a humbling sensation to stand between the creature’s paws, each twice my height and longer than a city bus. I gained sudden empathy for what a mouse must feel like when cornered by a cat.

Nobody knows its original name. Sphinx is the human-headed lion in ancient Greek mythology; the term likely came into use some 2,000 years after the statue was built. There are hundreds of tombs at Giza with hieroglyphic inscriptions dating back some 4,500 years, but not one mentions the statue.

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

After months of speculation regarding the future of Opel’s Belgian plant, General Motors has just confirmed that it will shut down the Antwerp factory in the course of this year. Titled "necessary next step in rebuilding Opel," GM’s statement informs that the German brand "will continue to engage in the official information and consultation process with employee representatives regarding the envisaged restructuring".

We fully understand the effect this announcement has on … (read more)

The paint hasn’t dried yet on the 2010 Acura MDX, and the North American division of Honda announced a safety recall involving a potential number of 644 units affected of this model. According to the notice posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem seems to be due to a faulty air bag component.

Certain model year Acura 2010 MDX vehicles manufactured between October 2007, 2009 and November 14, 2009 are recalled. A bolt used to attach an interior trim pie… (read more)

Article Tags: ClimateGate, James M. Taylor, Russian Temperature Data

Researchers at the heart of the Climategate scandal tampered with Russian temperature data to assert far more warming in recent years than actually has occurred, according to the Russian Institute for Economic Analysis.

The tampered data underlie United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assertions the planet has been warming rapidly.

Unrepresentative Data Used

The Russian Institute for Economic Affairs (IEA) reported on December 15 the Hadley Center for Climate Change, which provides the data for U.N. temperature compilations and is at the heart of the ongoing Climategate scandal, ignored 75 percent of the temperature data gathered by Russian stations.

Of the few stations the Hadley Center utilized for its Russian temperature reconstruction, it cherry-picked ones that showed more rapid warming than the majority of Russia’s temperature stations. It also chose to report data from temperature stations that did not have complete data histories, according to the Russian agency.

Source: heartland.org

Read in full with comments »   

A few people can argue against the fact that Valentino Rossi had plenty of bad luck during this week’s projected testing session with Ferrari. The reigning MotoGP champion began his second and last day of testing with the Scuderia on the Circuit de Catalunya venue with high hopes, yet he didn’t get to test the Ferrari F2008 for a single lap in the early hours of Thursday.

According to the Italian team’s official site, the morning session of the Corse Clienti meeting in Barcelona was heavily a… (read more)

drhawass.com

Press Release. Here’s an extract. There are more details and photos on the above page.

The most important tomb is the one belonging to Idu. It is rectangular in structure with a mud brick outside casing covered with plaster. It has several burial shafts cased with white limestone, as well as niches in front of each shaft.

Adel Okasha, supervisor of the excavation, said that the upper part of Idu’s tomb had a vaulted shape, symbolizing the eternal hill from which the human creation began, according to the Memphis religious tradition. This shape, said Okasha, is strong evidence that this tomb dates to the early 4th Dynasty. This shape is also similar to those of tombs located beside Snefru’s pyramid in Dahshur.

On the western side of Idu’s tomb, the mission uncovered another collection of workmen’s tombs as well as the remains of coffins, while on its southern side another large tomb has been found. It is a rectangular shaped tomb built of mud brick with several burial shafts, each one containing a bent skeleton along with sherds of clay.

Evidence uncovered also revealed that the families in the Delta and Upper Egypt sent 21 cattle and 23 sheep to the plateau every day to feed the workers. Hawass pointed out that the families who sent these were not paying their taxes to the Egyptian government, but rather they were sharing in one of Egypt’s national projects. The number of workers did not exceeded 10,000, said Hawass, contradictory to Herodotus, who recorded that the number of workers reached 100,000.

Egyptology News Blog, Andie Byrnes

Japanese carmaker Toyota has secured a lithium supply contract in Argentina through one of its business arms, Toyota Tsusho Corp., as Reuters writes.

Toyota Tsusho Corp, a trading company partially owned by the carmaker, stated that it would develop the Lithium Project in Argentina with Orocobre. The project is estimated to cost around $80-$100 million, Orocobre spokesman Paul Ryan told Reuters.

As electric or hybrid vehicles become more and more important on the auto market, the demand fo… (read more)