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  • The Algerian Diaspora

    Selon les statistiques onusiennes : « entre 5 à 7 millions » de personnes vivent loin de leur pays


    Une étude sur le nombre de ressortissants algériens établis à l’étranger est en cours, a indiqué jeudi le secrétaire général du ministère de la Solidarité nationale, de la Famille et de la Communauté nationale à l’étranger, Abdellah Bouchenak Khelladi.

    « Cette étude, qui est en cours de réalisation, en collaboration avec le réseau associatif algérien à l’étranger et les secteurs concernés, a pour but de recenser le maximum de nos ressortissants afin de pouvoir agir en matière de prise en charge », a précisé M. Bouchenak lors d’une rencontre, à l’occasion de la célébration de la Journée internationale des migrants. Evoquant le nombre de ressortissants algériens à l’étranger, le même responsable a indiqué qu’il est estimé « entre 5 à 7 millions » de personnes, alors que le nombre de ressortissants algériens enregistrés au niveau des ambassades s’élève à « plus de 1,6 million de ressortissants », a-t-il dit. Par ailleurs, le secrétaire général du ministère de la Solidarité nationale a relevé que, selon les estimations des Nations unies, quelque 214 millions de personnes résident en dehors de leur pays de naissance ou de nationalité en 2010.

    S’agissant de la Convention internationale sur la protection des droits des travailleurs migrants et des membres de leurs familles, il a noté que jusqu’en 2009, seuls 42 Etats ont ratifié cette convention, dont l’Algérie en 2005, tandis que 15 autres Etats l’on signée. Quelque 200 millions de personnes à travers le monde vivent loin de leur pays, selon des statistiques de l’Organisation des Nations unies, rendues publiques hier à l’occasion de la Journée internationale des migrants, célébrée le 18 décembre. « La question de la migration touche chaque pays, qui peut être une terre d’origine, de transit ou de destination, ou encore les trois à la fois », a indiqué le secrétaire général de l’ONU, M. Ban Ki-moon, affirmant qu’en 2009, « quelque 200 millions de personnes, soit 3% de la population mondiale, vivent hors du pays où elles sont nées ».

    M. Ban Ki-moon s’exprimait dans un message transmis à la presse, à Dakar, par le Centre d’information de l’ONU (CINU) pour le Cap-Vert, la Côte d’Ivoire, la Gambie, la Guinée, la Guinée-Bissau, la Mauritanie et le Sénégal. Après avoir souligné que beaucoup de migrants « font face à la discrimination, à l’exploitation et aux mauvais traitements », M. Ban Ki-moon a assuré, dans son message, que « la migration peut être une bonne chose pour les migrants eux-mêmes, qui ont ainsi la possibilité de réaliser leur potentiel, de même que pour les sociétés dont ils sont originaires et celles qui les accueillent ». Par ailleurs, même si de nombreux pays ont imposé des restrictions plus sévères à l’immigration, et adopté des mesures plus fermes pour lutter contre les migrations clandestines, M. Ban Ki-moon a averti que « ces mesures peuvent renforcer le risque d’exploitation et de mauvais traitements ».

    El Watan

  • Sakarya – Bus Terminal u/c

    source: sakarya belediyesi

  • Germany advises its citizens to say ‘nein’ to Internet Explorer

    Autsch! In light of the recent attacks on Google China and Microsoft’s revelation that an Internet Explorer security flaw served as an impetus in the assault, Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security has released a warning to its population: avoid IE. Specifically, the report calls out the latest three versions — 6, 7, and 8 — but let’s face it, those older versions should be avoided on grounds of usability alone. Boy, bet the Bonn-based agency is happy about that Windows 7 web browser ballot screen, eh?

    Germany advises its citizens to say ‘nein’ to Internet Explorer originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Região Dos Lagos – RJ

    Bom, criei um thread semelhando no internacional e no latino e agora estou criando esse aqui. Eu ultimamente tenho andado muito ocupado, sem tempo para poder ir a Angra e fotografar a cidade ou ir a Paraty e fazer o mesmo, Assim como as Usinas nucleares, mas espero que em breve eu consiga um tempo para poder fazer isso.

    Região dos Lagos

    Situada ao norte da capital Rio de Janeiro, a Região dos Lagos (também conhecida como Metropolitana de Cabo Frio) é considerada uma das mais belas regiões do litoral do sudeste brasileiro. Uma de suas principais características é conseguir conviver harmonicamente com os contrastes vindos do luxo e da simplicidade, do moderno e do colonial, tudo com a naturalidade de um povo acostumado a receber e a tratar com simpatia todos os turistas que visitam suas belezas naturais.

    CABO FRIO

    By magdarossana – PHOTOBUCKET

    No total, a Região dos Lagos é formada por 13 cidades que compreendem mais de 100 quilômetros de litoral: Araruama, Armação dos Búzios, Arraial do Cabo, Cabo Frio, Carapebus, Casimiro de Abreu, Iguaba Grande, Macaé, Maricá, Quissamã, Rio das Ostras, São Pedro da Aldeia, Saquarema. Todas elas, com inúmeras lagoas e praias belíssimas para todos os gostos, desde as de mar aberto, propícias à prática do surfe, como aquelas de enseada com águas calmas, favoráveis para o mergulho.


    Picasa – José Roberto Cordeiro

    As cidades mais populosas são respectivamente, Macaé e Cabo Frio, 194.413 hab. – IBGE/2009 e 186.004 hab. – IBGE/2009.


    picasa – By dzguy99

    A atividade mais tradicional encontrada na região continua sendo a extração de sal marinho, presente em abundância por toda a costa fluminense. Geralmente junto às salinas encontram-se os moinhos de ventos, considerados também um dos símbolos da região, juntamente com o sol que brilha 300 dias no ano sob um céu azul e limpo.

    Ao visitar as várias cidades que compõem o cenário dessa região litorânea, não é difícil encontrar colônias de pescadores espalhadas pelas praias mais calmas. Apesar de todo o desenvolvimento, ainda existem muitas famílias que vivem em função da pesca, o que intensifica ainda mais a tonalidade rústica de algumas de suas paisagens.


    Wilson Picasa

    Dentre todas essas citadas, as mais visitadas por turistas são Cabo Frio e Búzios. Cabo Frio principalmente de sua noite, belezas naturais e praias. Muito conhecida principalmente por mineiros, que costumam passar a temporada nesta bela cidade do Rio de Janeiro que hoje é considerada uma das maiores. Búzios é uma cidade muito famosa também por suas praias, uma beleza descoberta por Bardot. Outra boa opção são as cidades de Arraial do Cabo e Saquarema.

    Brigitte

    por GEPascual

  • Podcast Review: Mind Podcast Episodes 4-7

    The podcast reviewed here is the Mind Podcast. In the 4th podcast in the series which is part 1 of 2 about the brain (available here) Hoeve gives an overview of the brain with a brief discussion of anatomical structures, very brief functions for different parts of the brain and imaging studies that are used to investigate brain function. He also covers the case of H.M who developed anterograde amnesia after a bilateral temporal lobectomy. Hoeve has noted in a previous episode of the podcast series that he has created these podcasts as he is studying and I think these podcasts are a useful starting point for further reading giving orientation to the field. His podcasts are specifically aimed at those studying psychology. I thought that a neat feature of the podcasts was the Baroque music playing in the background although there are some listeners who prefer to separate background music from educational material. In part 2 of the series about the brain (available here) he has interestingly created an accompanying mindmap to represent the information. He gives a broad overview of the structure of the cerebral cortex with some accompanying functions for each area including the sensory and motor homunculi as well as Broca’s area In the third part of the series (available here) he has a basic overview of the endocrine system. Melatonin is replaced with melanin and I thought there was a slightly different pronunciation of the Pineal gland. He also discusses genetics towards the end of the podcast. Again this is relatively brief introductory material that is useful for those new to this area. Hoeve has an easygoing manner and creates some pleasant introductory material.

    Other reviews of the Mind Podcast

    Episodes 1-3 reviewed here

    Twitter

    You can follow ‘The Amazing World of Psychiatry’ Twitter by clicking on this link

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    You can listen to this post on Odiogo by clicking on this link (there may be a small delay between publishing of the blog article and the availability of the podcast).

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    Disclaimer

    The comments made here represent the opinions of the author and do not represent the profession or any body/organisation. The comments made here are not meant as a source of medical advice and those seeking medical advice are advised to consult with their own doctor. The author is not responsible for the contents of any external sites that are linked to in this blog.

  • EVs mass market: 2010 Detroit Auto Show: BMW ActiveE Electric Car TNR.v, CZX.v, WLC.v, LI.v, RM.v, LMR.v, CLQ.v, SQM, FMC, ROC, BMW, DAI

    Obama has told you about our Investment Thesis in three short sentences. We are not so smart and we do not have such an authority – we need to bring reason to decompound his message. Time for us to drop couple of lines about Middle-class and our Christmas wish.”


    All in all it looks to us that BMW lost this time on pure Electric car and has converted BMW1 in this ActiveE car, that is why weight is so high. Mini E trials were also like so much yesterday for us compare to Nissan Leaf, Renault and even Mercedes with E-Cell concept. But we expect BMW to move fast now from its active hybrids to road ready EVs. This half baked concepts just prove our suspicion that everybody would like to be ready for the Next Big Thing.
    BMW ActiveE Video

    TreeHugger:

    by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada on 01.14.10



    Photo: Michael Graham Richard
    Will be Available in Limited Numbers for LeasingMost of you probably know about the MINI-E, an electric version of the MINI made by BMW to do real-world EV testing (and exploit a CARB loophole, some say). BMW says that it will repeat the experiment, but this time with the ActiveE, a converted BMW series 1 coupe.

    Under the Hood of the BMW ActiveE”The BMW Concept ActiveE has allowed BMW to explore new vehicle packaging solutions and components which will be crucial to the success of the Megacity Vehicle. The intelligent integration of drive components within the existing vehicle package of the BMW 1 Series Coupe offers the opportunity to provide four full-size seats and a luggage compartment with a capacity of 200 litres / 7 cu ft. The motor, specially developed for the model and located in the rear axle, delivers 125 kW/170 hp and provides maximum torque of 250 Nm / 184 lb-ft. It accelerates the vehicle in less than 9 seconds from zero to 100 km/h (0-60 mph in approx. 8.5 seconds).”

    Sounds like a more practical car than the MINI-E for every day driving.
    One of the downside of being an EV is that the ActiveE weights about 3,900 pounds, but weight distribution is close to 50/50, so handling should still be decent. I suspect that this high weight is partly due to the fact that this is a conversion job and not a car that was designed from the ground up to be an EV (for example, the Nissan LEAF is estimated to weight about 2,800 lbs).

    “The electric drive system draws its energy from new, advanced lithium-ion battery pack developed jointly by BMW and the co-operation partner SB LiMotive especially for the BMW Concept ActiveE. They enable a range of approx. 160 kilometres (100 miles) in everyday use. An intelligent battery management system helps achieve this range largely independently of external climatic conditions. Additionally, the charging period required for the lithium-ion batteries is very short. On the European power grid, the battery pack can be fully charged in just 3 hours at a wall box with a current of 50 ampere at 230/240 volts. In North America, using a high-current (32 ampere continuous) residential wall box, the charge time is about 4.5 hours.”
    Range is similar to the Nissan LEAF (but the LEAF will be made in bigger numbers than the ActiveE, and will probably be a lot less expensive).”

  • The German government has warned web users to find an alternative browser to Internet Explorer to protect security

    The warning from the Federal Office for Information Security comes after Microsoft admitted IE was the weak link in recent attacks on Google’s systems.

    Microsoft rejected the warning, saying that the risk to users was low and that the browsers increased security setting would prevent any serious risk.

    However, German authorities say that even this would not make IE fully safe.

    Thomas Baumgaertner, a spokesman for Microsoft in Germany, said that while they were aware of the warning, they did not agree with it, saying that the attacks on Google were by "highly motivated people with a very specific agenda".

    "These were not attacks against general users or consumers," said Mr Baumgaertner.

    "There is no threat to the general user, consequently we do not support this warning," he added.

    Microsoft says the security hole can be shut by setting the browser’s security zone to "high", although this limits functionality and blocks many websites.

    However, Graham Cluley of anti-virus firm Sophos, told BBC News that not only did the warning apply to 6, 7 and 8 of the browser, but the instructions on how to exploit the flaw had been posted on the internet.

    "This is a vulnerability that was announced in the last couple of days. Microsoft have no patch yet and the implication is that this is the same one that exploited on the attacks on Google earlier this week," he said.

    "The way to exploit this flaw has now appeared on the internet, so it is quite possible that everyone is now going to have a go."

    Microsoft traditionally release a security update once a month – the next scheduled patch is the 9th of February. However, a spokesman for Microsoft told BBC News that developers for the firm were trying to fix the problem.

    "We are working on an update on this issue and this may well be involve an out of cycle security update," he said.

    Fix development

    However, this is no easy task. Not only have the firm got to fix the loophole, but they have to ensure it does not create another one and – equally importantly – works on all computers. This is a challenge compounded by the fact they have to fix three different versions of its browser.

    Microsoft said that while all versions of Internet Explorer were affected, the risk was lower with more recent releases of its browser.

    The other problem facing developers is that the possible risk might not be prevented by anti-virus software, even when recently updated.

    "We’ve been working to analyse the malware that the Chinese are using. But new versions can always be created," said Mr Cluley.

    "We’ve been working with Microsoft to see if the damage can be mitigated and we are hoping that they will release an emergency patch.

    "One thing that should be stressed is that every browser has its security issues, so switching may remove this current risk but could expose you to another."

    News from: www.bbc.co.uk

  • Cariocas em Sampa: a cidade, arquitetura, pesseios culturais e a Bienal Internacional de Arquitetura

    Essas fotos são de duas viajens que fiz a São Paulo em 2009, uma para ir à Feira da Construção em março e a ultima para a Bienal Internacional de Arquitetura em novembro, onde eu tinha um trabalho em grupo que foi selecionado para participar do concurso internacional de Arquitetura da Bienal, na categiria estudantes. O trabalho ficou exposto e só ganhamos experiência e o mérito de expor na Bienal rsrs
    Estive em Julho tb, mas voltei no mesmo dia e não deu para fazer nada.
    O thread está grande, pois tem fotos de várias partes de cidade…

    1- Da janela do hotel

    2- idem

    3- Idem

    4- Av. Paulista

    5- MASP

    6- Ponte estaiada

    7- Cara, não imaginava encontrar uma favelinha ao lado da ponte

    8- Edifício bonito que não sei onde fica

    9- Bairro lindo onde se tem um grande conjunto de edifícios modernistas interessantes. Lugar com muito verde e um parque bem legal que não me recordo do nome

    10- Idem

    11- Estranho

    12-

    RUA OSCAR FREIRE E REDONDEZAS

    13- Restaurante interessante embaixo da copa de uma árvore

    14- Hotel Fasano

    15- Idem

    16-

    17-

    18-

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    23-

    24-

    25-

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    35-

    36- Gostei dessa loja.

    37- Entrada e percurso marcados no teto com as três listras símbolo da marca

    38-

    39-

    40-

    41- Esta vitrine da direita é espetacular, vocês entenderão o por quê

    42-

    43-

    44-

    AVENIDA EUROPA E REDONDEZAS

    45- Aqui começo a perder o foco, olhem a ferrari

    46-

    47- Pronto, aqui eu já estava possuido, não queria mais saber de arquitetura e estava cagando pra cidade, meus amigos ficaram imprecionados com minha euforia, mas eles já imaginavam, sou apaixonado por carros

    48- O engraçado é que essa concessionária estava recuada em relação ao alinhamento das edificações da rua e eu estava no grupo atrás, ou seja, meus amigo viram antes e mandaram eu parar, parei e me mandaram preparar meu coração uahuahahua, qdo vi, pirei rs

    49-

    50-

    51- O mais fabuloso é que eu via vários carros desse porte nas ruas desse bairro, tipo, vi umas 4 ferraris em 1 hora, vários porches, cara, n consegui tirar foto de vários, mas… No Rio raramente se vê carros desses, e nesse lugar era um atrás do outro

    52- Olha que lindo

    53- Encontrei ele depois no trânsito rs OBS: Um Porche no cantinho direito rsrs

    54-

    55-

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    60-

    61- Museu da Escultura

    62- Idem

    63- Idem

    LOJA FARM E REDONDEZAS
    Uma loja espetacular, toda sustentável e linda. O projeto saiu na AU e estava exposto na Bienal.

    64- Uma loja próxima a Farm

    65-

    66- Chegando nela.

    67- Olha que fachada linda

    68-

    69- Sistema de reaproveitamento de águas pluviais

    70- Adoro escadas

    71-

    72-

    73-Nas paredes existem umas pequenas perfurações circulares que são preenchidas com adubo, e nesse lugares foram plantados várias espécies de vegetais que dão esse efeito nas fachadas. A irrigação é feita por esses canos amarelos, os quais têm birros irrigadores em determinadas áreas.

    74- O interior é lindo

    75-

    76- Espetacular

    77-

    78- O melhor é a simplicidade, reparem como estão expostos os calçados

    79-

    PINACOTECA E REDONDEZAS

    80- Exposição de carros antigos na rua entre a Pinacoteca e a Estação da Luz

    81- Idem

    82-

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    87-

    RUY OHTAKE
    Adoro esse Arquiteto, pra mim, um dos melhores do Brasil na atualidade

    88- Hotel Unique e a galera da faculdade, só tinha essa foto cheia de gente, por isso foi essa mesmo.

    89- Ohtake Cultural, lindo!

    90-

    91-

    92-

    93- Parte de dentro

    94-

    95-

    96-

    ESTÁDIO DO PACAEMBU, MUSEU DO FUTEBOL E REDONDEZAS

    97- Chegando no estádio por um beco estranho

    98- Feira do pastel segundo algumas pessoas, em frente ao estádio

    99-

    100-

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    102-

    103-

    104- Fachada principal

    105-

    106- Maquete do estádio

    107- Museu do Futebol

    108-Cara, mesmo não gostando de futebol achei o lugar fantástico

    109-

    110-

    111-

    BIENAL INTERNACIONAL DE ARQUITETURA DE SÃO PAULO
    Fui pra São Paulo por causa da Bienal, pois tinha um trabalho exposto lá, mas a decepção foi enorme, o evento estava horrivel e decadente, por isso não me empouguei e só tirei fotos da exposição de estudantes, a qual estava inserido meu projeto

    112-

    113-

    114- Meu grupo, com a ausência de uma integrante e nosso projeto atrás

    115- Projeto

    116- Maquete

    117-

    118-

    119- Fomos pra a inalguração, onde só entravam convidados, e quando chegamos ainda estavam fazendo essa arte na parede, que por sinal é fantástica. A foto foi na hora que estavamos de saída, com a arte pronta, daí não podíamos deixar passar em branco sem o nosso toque rsrs

    120- Projetos de outros estudantes

    121- Idem

    122- Idem

    123- Idem

    124- Idem

    125- Idem

    126- Idem

    Agradeço a todos meus amigos da faculdade que participaram dessas viagens e desse projeto comigo.

    Espero que gostem!

  • Portable innovation – the Bumper Dumper

    Never have to 'hold on' for too long again - the Bumper Dumper

    When taking a long scenic drive or getting away camping for the weekend, one guarantee aside from the picturesque views and camp side tranquility is that you, or one of your fellow adventurers are going to need to answer a call of nature at a most inappropriate time – i.e. in the car in the middle of nowhere or halfway through a forest hike. Well gone are the days of the “phantom squat” or ducking behind a tree and hoping not to be stumbled on by a family of tourists. This nifty invention known rather fittingly as the Bumper Dumper, is literally a toilet seat attached to a steel frame that requires only a trailer hitch receiver to turn the back of your vehicle into a veritable port-a-potty making the whole “roughing it” experience far more palatable…

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  • FoursquareX: Foursquare Addicts Need To Get This Desktop Fix Immediately

    Screen shot 2010-01-16 at 1.26.00 PMUse of the location-based service Foursquare is on the up and up. But it’s use is mainly limited to mobile phones currently. That makes sense since the service is all about sending your location when on the go. But it would be nice sometimes to use it on your computer (beyond visiting the rudimentary mobile site from your browser). Enter FoursquareX.

    This new application built by software developer Eric Butler is easily the best way I’ve ever seen to interact with Foursquare on a computer. Using Foursquare’s API, Butler has made a OS X client that not only allows you to see where your friends are, but even allows you to check-in at venues. And when paired with the notification application Growl, it’s a great way to get alerted about what’s happening on Foursquare without having to check your phone every few minutes.

    The app is mainly meant to run in the background in your menu bar to serve you notifications (again, via Growl) when friends check-in places. But the more interesting part of the app may be its map component. If you open that up, you’ll get a window displaying a Google Map with all of your friends’ Foursquare icons overlaid on it to show where they are in the world. You can zoom in or out to show more detail of where they are. Or you can click on their names displayed in a timeline to the left of the map to bring up more details about their latest check-in.

    There’s another view to this map too which gives you a visual representation of the Foursquare venues close to where you currently are. Clicking on any of them allows you to easily check-in. To the right of this map view there is a list of the venues currently trending on Foursquare (where multiple people are checking-in) as well as your “favorites” (the venues you check-in to the most).

    There is also a setting for the app that lets you get notifications when other people check-in to the same venue you’re checked-in at, even if you don’t know them. Some people may not like that, but if you’re interested in meeting new people that you have at least one thing in common with (your use of Foursquare), it’s kind of an interesting way to do that.

    Again, this app is currently Mac-only (and specifically, Snow Leopard-only), but if you’re addicted to Foursquare, it’s a must-have. Find it here.

    Screen shot 2010-01-16 at 1.09.50 PM

    Screen shot 2010-01-16 at 1.10.32 PM

    Screen shot 2010-01-16 at 1.11.35 PM

    Screen shot 2010-01-16 at 1.44.10 PM

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  • Making connections amid chaos: Learning loved ones’ fates

    (CNN) — Punctuating the scenes of heroic rescue and devastating death in Haiti is another drama: moments of connection.

    A man in Haiti identifies a woman he sees on the street as the missing person whose photo is posted on CNN’s iReport. A husband reels off the names of missing college students and a stranger hundreds of miles away confirms they are safe.

    It is a scenario being played out again and again. Somehow, desperate pleas relayed mouth-to-mouth, through the Internet, on television and in text messages become fodder for celebration with the confirmation: They’re alive.

    iReporter Wolin Delerme sent in a frantic video about her sister who had left for Haiti on Monday, a day before the 7.0-magnitude quake struck. Minutes after her plea aired on CNN, a man in Haiti contacted her.

    "He saw my sister not too far from where he’s standing," Delerme said.

    Watch Delerme describe the amazing connection with her missing sister

    Choking back tears, she said, "I am very overwhelmed, and full of joy in my heart. There’s just no words that can explain it. I am just so happy." She has since spoken with her sister.

    Kristy Springer sought information on her mother and several church members who were in Haiti on a missionary trip. "I am here waiting for you mom. You need to be OK," Springer told iReport.

    Her mother sent a text message at 1:30 a.m. Thursday. Everyone was "at least safe for now."

    iReporter Darius Hyworon found similar good news. His wife, Mariah Levin, was with a group of Tufts University students in Haiti at the time. In the quake’s aftermath, he scrambled to learn their fate. The U.S. Embassy was able to tell him everyone is OK.

    "Thank you for those who helped in the effort," he said. "Please pray for the millions of people who are affected by this tragedy."

    iReport: Are you looking for loved ones?

    Much of Haiti’s infrastructure crumbled during the quake, knocking out power and other communication networks, further hampering people’s efforts to get word of missing relatives and friends.

    Mark Frohardt is heading to Haiti with two "radio suitcases," mobile communication devices with a range of about 30 miles that can tap into radio waves. A veteran of disaster efforts in the 2004 tsunami and the 2008 Pakistan quake, Frohardt hopes to disseminate critical information about humanitarian efforts over the radio in Haiti. As of Friday, 13 radio stations were up and running.

    "Part of that is ‘family tracing,’ " he said, "working with organizations and radio stations on getting the word out — who’s alive and getting messages back to loved ones."

    iReport: I’m alive — messages from Haiti

    There is no confirmed death toll from the earthquake. Bodies litter the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and barely functioning clinics are overwhelmed with injured. Survivors wander the streets.

    For loved ones seeking information on the missing, the wait is anguishing. Sometimes the answers that come are not reliable.

    Len Gengel and his wife have endured a parent’s worst nightmare. Their daughter Brittany was visiting Haiti with a group of students from Lynn University in Florida.

    The parents were initially told their daughter survived. Upon reaching South Florida for what they thought was going to be a reunion, the parents learned the original information was wrong. Brittany was still missing, along with three other students and two professors.

    "We are praying that our daughter Brittany be one of the rescued today and be brought home safe," her father told CNN-affiliate WCVB.

    The International Committee of the Red Cross has set up a Web site for people trying to find information on the fate of relatives in Haiti. However, inside Haiti, the Red Cross has not been able to collect and publish identities and whereabouts of survivors.

    Frohardt, a vice president for Internews Network, hopes to help change that.

    "The focus," he says, is "connecting the community so they know where all their loved ones are."

    News from: www.cnn.com

  • All PopCap Proceeds Today Go to Haiti Earthquake Relief

    Haitian presidential palace collapsed

    Following the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on Teusday, a number of video game makers are joining the growing national effort to raise money for organizations offering relief for survivors in the shattered country (via Kotaku).

    Most urgent for the public to know about would be PopCap’s announcement, as it lasts for the remainder of the day only: 100 percent of all proceeds from PopCap games purchased until 11:59PM PST will go to Partners in Health, an organization already on the ground in Haiti and helping survivors. So if you’ve been looking into finally picking up some PopCap games like Plants vs. Zombies, today would be a good day to do it.

    Bungie has also announced their intentions to help raise money, as they’re urging all their Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST fans to don a special Haitian-relief emblem while in multiplayer sessions this Wednesday and Thursday. For every player who does so, Bungie will donate $100 to the American Red Cross for Haiti relief, up to a total of $77,000. Additionally, they’re selling a special edition of the Superintendent “Be a Hero” t-shirt, with all proceeds also going to the Red Cross.


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  • Male Pattern Baldness – Symptoms and Treatments You Should Keep in Mind

    Our hair is made of keratin, a protein that also is found in nails and the outer layer of our skin. The average adult has 100 thousand strands of hair on his head. it is normal to lose about 50-100 strands every day. Old hair falls out so the new ones can grow out of the follicle. However, various factors ranging from genes, hormones and stress can lead to loss that occurs suddenly and excessively.

    Hair loss is experienced by men and women of all ages. The type of baldness most common is male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). The causes are associated with genes, hormones and age.

    Another type of baldness including auto-immune condition known as pattern baldness and a patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), temporary hair loss (telogen effluvium), compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania) and traction alopecia.

    Signs and Symptoms

    Male pattern baldness is the most common baldness in men which can also occur in some women. In this type of baldness, hair loss is usually gradual. Pattern baldness is different between men and women.

    In addition to male pattern baldness, there are several other types of conditions.

    i. Patchy hair loss (alopecia areata): In this condition, baldness bererapa field suddenly appeared. Emotional factors are some of the drivers. When recovering from stress, hair loss usually stops or slows down. However, the situation could become serious in which the head and body hair may fall out (alopecia totalis).

    ii. Temporary hair loss (telogen effluvium): This causes a number of hairs falling out suddenly for a few days. This can be caused by severe stress, childbirth, severe illness, surgery and some medications. As the name implies, the effect is usually temporary. However the recovery may take a year or longer depending on the cause.

    iii. Compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania): This causes the hair and usually broken tidka to cause damage to the scalp. This usually occurs in children and women and is associated with a psychological cause. If not stopped, it can cause permanent hair loss.

    iv. Traction alopecia is caused by some hairstyles such as a ponytail, bun, or braid that exert constant pressureon the scalp.

    Causes:

    Genes (heredity)

    This cause determines whether a person will have male pattern baldness or not.

    Hormones

    Androgens play a role in male pattern baldness. These same hormones encourage the growth of pubic hair, armpits and face during puberty. People with male pattern baldness may have a level of male hormones are the same as normal people, but these hormones to accumulate in certain areas on their heads and causing the hair follicles there setbacks.

    Most women avoid this baldness because they produce less androgens, and because the female hormone, astrogen can fight the effects of male hormones. However, women who produce too much androgen may have the same problem. Other hormones, such as that produced by the thyroid gland, can also affect your hair. For example, too much or too little thyroid hormone from the gland can cause baldness.

    Stress

    Sudden stress can also promote baldness half / incomplete or temporary baldness. Temporary hair loss can also be driven by the stress after the birth or the loss of a beloved person.

    Medical Conditions

    Some drugs, such as anti-coagulant, anti-depressants, anti-thyroid drugs used in chemotherapy, can cause baldness. Most vitamin A also has the same effect.

    inappropriate Hair Care

    Choosing a hairstyle that makes the hair from the scalp tight can cause your hair to turn brittle and broken. Broken hair can also be caused by shampooing too frequently and the use of excessive chemicals, such as dyes, bleach and permanent curling.

    Treatment and Prevention

    It is important to know the main cause before treatment. Most conditions are temporary and can be restored if the main causes of such stress are lost. However, male pattern baldness may have a permanent effect. Recently, medical science has made progress in helping the people regrow their hair.

    Two types of drugs now available to help prevent severe male pattern baldness. Finasteride and minoxidil works by stimulating new growth of hair in the follicle. Finasterise against the effects of the hormone testosterone. These drugs are only available by prescription and are only allowed to be used in men. They are not recommended for women because they can cause birth defects. Finasteride can take several months to show any effects.

    Another drug, minoxidil is available in stores. It’s used on the scalp and works against the decline of the follicle caused by hormones. However, not everyone responds to this drug, and even those who do respond don’t see any tangible results for several months.

    Alopecia areata is often treated with steroid injections in the affected scalp area. While problems underlying the scalp such as tinea capitis (fungal infection) should be treated appropriately with medical care. Causes of telogen effluvium may need professional guidance from a psychiatrist. Causes like childbirth usually take under a year for women to recover.

    Are you looking for the best male pattern baldness cure? Visit http://www.baldness-prevention.com today for more information!

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  • Laser Hair Regrowth Device Now Has Fda Clearance

    It may seem strange to hear about a laser being used for hair regrowth, but this type of treatment has been around for some time and was discovered accidentally by a scientist testing the effects laser radiation on mice. It was in 1967 soon after the first working laser was invented that Dr Endre Mester at Semmelweis, university in Hungary was carrying our research to see if laser radiation cased cancer in mice. No cancers were found, but what surprised him was that hair grew back much more quickly on a shaved test area of the mice than on the mice in an untreated group. This effect called low level laser therapy (LLLT) also known as laser biostimulation, photobiomodulation and cold laser therapy is now used for the treatment of hair regrowth.

    Possibly due to the then high cost of laser technology, very little research was carried out over the two decades after the first experiments were conducted. During the 1980s LLLT started becoming available as an expensive treatment through a number of exclusive hair clinics. The lasers used were large complicated fixed devices where patients had to sit under a hood similar to a salon hair dryer. Treatments were performed as frequently as 2-3 times per week, this was often inconvenient for individuals who might have to travel many miles to the nearest clinic or salon. However the results achieved were very good and soon, many salons all over the Europe, Asia and later in the US began offering treatments.

    This laser hair regrowth treatment has now been backed up as an effective hair loss treatment by many scientific studies. In 1982 Trelles, M., and Mayayo, E, published “The Growth of Hair Under Laser Influence of the HE-NE Beam”. In this study, patients with alopecia areata responded with positive results after only 6 to 8 twice weekly treatments. Later studies in the 1990’s tested lasers working at different wavelengths and pulsing the laser to find the most effective laser configuration for treating hair loss. Most therapeutic lasers now operate at a wavelength in the range 600-1000nm where the wavelength is related to how far the light penetrates the scalp. The best wavelength to use is still argued over but it should be sufficient to penetrate at least 5-6mm depth to target the hair bulbs. Many current LLLT devices operate using visible red light at a wavelength of 660nm which can penetrate down to a depth of about 8-10mm. Higher wavelength lasers at 800-900nm are also used these can penetrate to a depth of about 30-40mm but these are mainly used for treating joints and muscle related problems.

    More recent LLLT laser hair regrowth studies have started to reveal the reasons why and how laser light therapy helps stimulate hair regrowth. These studies have shown that laser light increases the levels of a chemical compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is known to stimulate living cells including the hair follicles. LLLT also has the effect of increasing the circulation of blood to the hair root which delivers the nutrients to cells that make up the hair follicle. The increased blood flow is also thought to help flush away the damaging waste products that may affect the hair growth cycle. This helps to improve the scalp environment to help stop thinning hair and promote new hair growth.

    Over the last few years laser technology has advanced to a stage where a laser devices can now be manufactured to a size smaller than your small finger nail and at very low cost. In 2000 a company developed and patented the first miniature LLLT laser hair regrowth device using the new laser technology. This made possible for the first time an effective LLLT hair loss treatment that was cheap and small enough be used in your own home without having to go to an expensive hair clinic. The new device comes in the form of a hair comb/brush that needs only be used for 10-15 minutes three times per week. The manufacturers claim that while users experience will vary, 45% of users will see positive results after 8 weeks of treatment with another 45% seeing benefits from 10-16 weeks onward.

    In February 2007 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the laser comb device for use in the treatment of hair regrowth. The laser comb is now one of only three treatments cleared by the FDA for use in hair regrowth the others being Finasteride and Minoxidil. The laser hair regrowth device now brings new hope to the many men and women suffering from premature hair loss.

    Please visit our web site for more information about alopecia areata treatments.

    John Tulley has written many articles on the subject of hair loss treatments and remedies. To read further articles by John Tulley click here: Hair loss directory.

    To download a free copy of John Tulleys’ brand new e-book, “Hair Loss Treatments: How to Stop Hair Loss and Regrow Your Hair!”, click here: Hair Loss Treatments Report

  • Dexim iPod Nano 5G Power Case

    Dexim's DVA004 Power Case for Apple's iPod 5G

    China’s consumer electronics manufacturer Dexim has announced the release of a multi-functional power case to complement the new iPod Nano 5G. Coming with a powerful flashlight to help shoot video in low light conditions, a built-in speaker for desktop listening and an antenna for improved FM radio reception, the DVA004 will also gives extended play courtesy of its lithium battery pack…

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  • The world’s first motorcycle comes up for auction

    The world's first motorcycle comes up for auction

    An unrestored example (top left) of the very first vehicle to which the name ‘motorcycle’ (motorrad in German) was ever applied is to come up for auction in April. The 1895 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller motorcycle sounds like a modern motorcycle in its specification – twin-cylinder, four-valve, water-cooled, 1488cc engine – but it is indeed as unconventional as it is rare. Check out the diagram and you’ll see the rear wheel doubled as a pseudo flywheel and indeed, the piston connecting rods and the pushrods that actuate the valve gear are also attached to the rear wheel, there’s no clutch, no brakes and there’s a lot of work to be done on a machine that’ll cost you GBP40,000 to 60,000 before you start. At the end of it all though, you’ll have a bonafide centrepeice for any transport museum. ..

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  • Video: Lingenfelter Corvette ZR1 runs quarter mile in 9 seconds

    Lingenfelter ZR1

    It’s not like the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is already one of the hottest supercars to come out of Detroit. Well, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering felt it could make it better. The tunner added some modifications to the ZR1 providing it with a total of 739-hp and a peak torque of 740 lb-ft.

    The tuning helped the Lingenfelter 2009 C6 Corvette ZR1 achieve three 9 second runs, hitting a best of 9.813 quarter-mile at 145.74 mph at the Maryland International Raceway, Budds Creek, Md.

    “The track is the ultimate proving grounds to showcase Lingenfelter’s years of engineering expertise and to test the performance capabilities of our ZR1,” said Ken Lingenfelter, owner, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. “We are excited to continue developing product that pushes this sports car to the limit.”

    Lingenfelter says that the 9 second quarter-mile was done with stock exhaust manifolds and a factory catback exhaust with a “Mild-to-Wild” switch.

    Make the jump for the video and the specs of the Lingenfelter ZR1.

    Additional upgrades to the Lingenfelter ZR1 include:

    – Lingenfelter cast aluminum supercharger air intake snout
    – Lingenfelter 8.5″ diameter harmonic balancer – 11 rib
    – Lingenfelter 2.60″ diameter supercharger pulley – 11 rib
    – Lingenfelter S&B air filter
    – 4′ diameter air intake tube with mass air sensor
    – Ported stock throttle body
    – Lingenfelter C6 ZR1 Supercharger Cast Aluminum air inlet
    – Double capacity intercooler heat exchanger
    – Larger capacity intercooler reservoir system
    – Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials R345/35R18 rear tires
    – M&H Racemaster P185/50R18 front tires
    – CCW aluminum wheels

    Enthusiasts can purchase individual components such as the upper pulley kit and the lower balancer kit to modify their own ZR1.

    For more information, visit www.lingenfelter.com, contact Lingenfelter Performance Engineering at 1557 Winchester Road, Decatur, IN 46733, or call 260.724.2552.

    – By: Kap Shah


  • The Motorola Shadow: a Droid For the Light Side? [Shadow]

    There’s not a whole lot that’s certain about these images, which popped up at Mobile01, showing Motorola’s Shadow as a friendlier-looking Droid. But they’re interesting.

    These aren’t the first rumors that have trickled out about the Motorola Shadow. One leak, a few weeks ago, pegged it as having a super-thin body and a 4.3-inch, 800 x 484 screen. These renders, of admittedly dubious provenance, suggest a more Droid-like form factor, except with a white keyboard and wrist strap.

    Mobile01 also suggests that the Shadow could be a candidate for the next official Google Phone and thus the designation of Nexus Two. Maybe, but it seems a little too early for Google to be picking the Nexus One successor. And what of HTC? [Mobile01 via Engadget]







  • Smart USA launches its first U.S. nationwide lease incentive

    Smart ForTwo U.S. Lease Incentive

    Smart USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, announced earlier this week that it is launching its first nation wide lease incentive in partnership with Daimler Financial Services.

    “Our new lease program allows customers added flexibility with financing options and allows smart customers to enjoy leasing benefits such as low monthly payments, driving a new vehicle every two-to-three years and hassle-free vehicle turn-ins,” said Jill Lajdziak, President, smart USA. “We have continued confidence in the brand based on the volume of vehicles sold since the Smart ForTwo went on sale and two years of residual value data to offer a lease option.”

    Well-qualified Smart ForTwo buyers may lease a Smart ForTwo pure coupe for $169 a month on a 36-month, 10,000 miles-per-year lease. Smart says that qualified customers must provide $999 down, $595 acquisition fee and first month’s payment at the time of lease.

    The incentive will run through February 28, 2010.

    Since its debut in the U.S., Smart has sold 40,000 ForTwo units through its 77 Smart centers located in 36 states.