Sponges are found in every ocean of the world. Since the time of the ancient Greeks, they have been used for many purposes, including cleaning tasks and painting.

In 1993, researchers identified sponges from the Agelas family that emit six important chemicals believed to help them defend their territory.

Those chemicals, called agelastatins, have also been shown to kill cancer cells by obstructing cell division. Agelas sponges, which are found in the Coral Sea and Indian Ocean, are difficult to obtain, so researchers have had trouble generating enough agelastatin to conduct large-scale experiments in cancer cells. For that reason, chemists have been trying to find ways to synthesize them in a laboratory setting—for a potential cancer drug. So far, chemists have successfully produced some of the chemical compounds, but not all six.

According to Mohammad Movassaghi, a chemist at MIT working on the project, “They [agelastatins] have a very broad range of biological activity.” The species can also repress an enzyme known as glycogen synthase kinase-3, a potential target for treating Alzheimer’s disease and bipolar disorder.

Movassaghi’s lab is now collaborating with other researchers to test the biological activity of the compounds, with an emphasis on their anti-cancer activity. Using the new synthesis methods, the researchers should be able to produce variants not found in nature, which could produce “even more powerful effects,” said Movassaghi.

Players and VIPs will be riding in eco-friendly Mercedes-Benz vehicles at the 2010 U.S. Open this month.

According to the German automaker, it will be dispatching its F-Cell hydrogen fuel vehicles in addition to 75 S400 hybrids. “By tapping our portfolio of eco vehicles, we can provide athletes, staff and officials with green transportation without having to sacrifice luxury or safety,” said Stephen Cannon, vice president of marketing for Mercedes-Benz USA.

In 2008, the U.S. Tennis Association launched an environmental program in an effort to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the prestigious tournament.

The S400 hybrid features an advanced lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive use—and the carmaker holds 25 patents on it. It also works with just a 20 horsepower electric motor and a 275 horsepower V6 gasoline engine, which gets 30 miles per gallon on the highway.

The F-CELL model has a range of about 240 miles and runs on compressed hydrogen, which Mercedes-Benz said “boasts an equivalent fuel mileage of 71.3 city-highway combined miles per gallon—and water is the vehicle’s only emission.”

The world’s fastest computer chip will begin shipping this month.

The z196 processor was developed to be used for businesses managing huge workloads, such as banks and retailers. It will ship with zEnterprise 196 systems, which IBM said, “contains 96 of the world’s fastest, most powerful microprocessors, capable of executing more than 50 billion instructions per second.”

The zEnterprise 196 is a new version of IBM’s Mainframe, which was made possible by an investment of more than $1.5 billion in research and development, as well as more than three years of collaboration with some of IBM’s top clients around the world.

Do you constantly wear a Bluetooth headset over your ear because it’s convenient for making and receiving calls? Now there’s a new way to keep that headset handy at all times—without having to wear it over long periods of time.

ID8-Mobile unveiled a unique accessory for iPhone users. The MoGo Talk XD combines an ultra-thin Bluetooth headset with a polycarbonate protective case system.

According to ID-8 Mobile, the case also charge the Bluetooth headset via a MicroUSB connector.

The MoGo Talk XD will begin shipping September 1 and is compatible with iPhone 4, 3G, and 3GS models. Pre-orders are available now at www.mogostore.com—$99 (MSRP).

Owning a Porsche is an experience many never get to know. Most drivers will tell you that nothing looks or drives quite like them. Very few cars can match the German automaker’s rich history.

Founded in 1931 in Germany, the Porsche brand made its debut in the U.S. sixty years ago.

To celebrate their anniversary, the company is inviting Porsche owners and enthusiasts to participate in two contests that are sure to enhance their experience with the brand—to find the oldest Porsche in America, and an opportunity to share their passion for the luxury high performance cars.

Owners are invited to participate by submitting an entry on www.porsche60years.com. Twelve models will be selected, including the Porsche 356, 911, 912, 914, 924, 928, 944, 969, Boxter, Cayenne, Carrera GT and Cayman. In addition, the search is on for finding the oldest Porsche ever sold in the U.S.

Porsche 550 Spyder.

The selected vehicles and their owners will receive special recognition and become eligible for additional awards, including an exclusive badge from the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. Exhibition-quality images of winning models will also be featured at the new “Sixty Years of Porsche in America” exhibit, opening October 12 at the same museum—one vehicle could be selected for display at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, alongside the company’s newest models.

For Porsche aficionados, they can write a story that exemplifies their unique appreciation for a specific model, an experience, or the brand itself. A special panel will select 20 stories. Fans will then vote online for their favorites. The three entries with the most votes will win an all-expense-paid trip to the Porsche Sports Driving School in Birmingham, Ala.

Slayer recently kicked off their American Carnage tour alongside Megadeth and Testament. The concert series have been a huge success for the band, and for metal fans it has been a real treat listening to their album, Rust in Peace, which they are playing in its entirety—in addition to other tracks.

Now, the great American rock band of the last three decades, known for having a distinct and radical thrash metal sound, will release for the first time a limited-edition box set called The Vinyl Conflict.

The eleven vinyl discs will feature the band’s entire recording catalogue—all ten albums. “Most longtime Slayer fans may not have these records at this point,” said Dino Paredes, from American Recordings, “or their copies are completely beat-up, so to have the complete catalogue in this first-class presentation is terrific.”

According to the music label, a lot of effort went into creating The Vinyl Conflict, treating the band’s previous albums the same way they would treat a great jazz, classical, Bob Dylan or Miles Davis record—something that isn’t normally done for metal records. Slayer’s catalogue has been re-mastered from the original analog flat master tapes, and were pressed on the highest quality—180-gram audio vinyl at RTI. “The vinyl box is a real treat for fans, especially with today's renewed and increased interest in vinyl,” promised Sony Legacy's Adam Farber. And Farber is right. The old-school audio format indeed is making a comeback. A Nielsen’s 2009 sales figures report shows that vinyl sales grew by a whopping 89 percent between 2007 and 2008.

It remains to be seen if vinyl’s resurgence will continue. There are those that swear by the full-bodied substance of a vinyl recording—their numbers are growing.

The Vinyl Conflict will be released October 12 and can be pre-ordered now for $129.

Studded with magnets and electronic muscles known as actuators, a prototype robot can automatically fold itself into an airplane or an origami boat.

A Pittsburgh-based company associated with the Carnegie Mellon University Entertainment Technology Center has teamed up with the Autism Center of Pittsburg to provide an innovative robot-based therapy for children with autism.

The program, called Character Therapy, will use a robot named Popchilla to test the ability of children that have limited or no verbal skills. “We’ve had numerous individuals tell us our robots could be tremendous tools for autism therapy,” explained Seema Patel, CEO and co-founder of Interbots.

Popchilla will be used in the first phase of the program with a trained therapist. Programmers and developers at the high-tech company have created an iPad application that will allow the therapist to direct sessions, which will eventually be transitioned to allow the child to control the robot through the app to identify emotions. “The premise behind the program is that children with autism are sometimes more likely to communicate with a non-human entity,” said Cindy Waeltermann, founder and director of the Autism Centers of Pittsburgh. “By using Popchilla as an intermediary, we hope to increase the understanding of the child's internal feelings, thus reducing behavioral frustrations.”

The iPad application is currently in production and Character Therapy is slated to begin this fall. “Nobody is more excited than the parents of the children with autism who have the potential to gain great strides from this program," concluded Waeltermann. "That's what this is all about—thinking outside the box to reach these kids.”

The iPad is proving to be an excellent tool for home automation. Companies such as Creston and Home Logic now offer apps that can transform it into a large home theater touch panel—it's also a much cheaper alternative to high-end remotes.

Elite Home Theater Seating, maker of high-end theater seating is now offering an ergonomically designed custom chair tailored for iPad use. “It’s hard not to feel a bit like a Star Fleet officer on the bridge of the Enterprise as you stare into the big beautiful touch panel,” said the Vancouver-based company.

The iPad Chair uses the Luxa2 H4 iPad holder, which secures the device tightly with six rubber pins. The iPad can be rotated vertically or horizontally, and can even be positioned flat like a table.

Pricing starts at $2495 and includes power recline and the Luxa iPad holder. An adjustable headrest is available with the Premium Package.

For more information about the iPad Chair, visit www.elitehometheaterseating.com/ipad-chair.html.

In 1957 a fire broke out at the Browns Lane Jaguar factory in the U.K. and destroyed several D-type race cars and their road variants—XKSS models.

Fortunately, twelve out of sixteen XKSS sports cars survived and were eventually sold, mostly in the U.S.—the actor Steve McQueen owned one for personal use.

To celebrate its 75th anniversary, the British luxury carmaker, for the first time ever, will bring the surviving roadsters to Monterey, Calif. this weekend.

Jaguar’s kick-off party begins on Thursday, and continues through Sunday with a series of events planned around this unique reunion.

Steve McQueen’s XKSS will be shown, along with other key historic Jaguars, including the 1988 Le Mans-winning XJR9, the legendary 1966 XJ13, and the 1935 SS90 that served as the prototype for the first car named Jaguar—just to name a few.

For decades marine biologists have been studying a barrel-shaped organism that resembles a kind of streamlined jellyfish—the salp.

These mid-ocean dwellers are known to rapidly increase their numbers by budding off hundreds of clones in long chains without the need of a partner. Fortunately, for scientists, their abundance has yielded significant findings that could help the environment.

In a recent report by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), researchers believe that the salp’s waste material may actually help remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the upper ocean and atmosphere. “We had long thought that salps were about the most efficient filter feeders in the ocean,” said Laurence P. Madin, WHOI director of research and one of the investigators. These creatures consume particles spanning four orders of magnitude in size. “This is like eating everything from a mouse to horse.”

Salps capture food particles, mostly phytoplankton, with an internal mucous filter net. Until now, it was thought that only particles as large as or larger than the 1.5-micron-wide holes in the mesh could be captured. However, a mathematical model suggests that they might be capturing smaller particles. So why is this important? According to the researchers it enhances the importance of the salps’ role in carbon cycling. As they eat these particles, “they consume the entire ‘microbial loop’ and pack it into large, dense fecal pellets,” explained Madin.

The larger and denser the carbon-containing pellets, the sooner they sink to the ocean bottom. “This removes carbon from the surface waters,” revealed researcher Kelly R. Sutherland, “and brings it to a depth where you won’t see it again for years to centuries.” And the more carbon that sinks to the bottom, the more space there is for the upper ocean to accommodate carbon, hence limiting the amount that rises into the atmosphere as CO2.

As much as they are impressed with the practical implications involving the salp’s carbon exchange, the scientists are captivated by the unique, almost magical performance of this natural undersea engine.

“The work does imply that salps are more efficient vacuum cleaners than we thought,” concluded Roman Stocker, a contributor to the study from MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Their amazing performance relies on a feat of bioengineering—the production of a nanometer-scale mucus net—the biomechanics of which still remain a mystery, adding to the fascination for, and the interest, in these animals.”

Facebook and Vonage have collaborated to bring a new calling program that allows you to call Facebook friends for free.

To enroll, you must download and install the Vonage Mobile for Facebook app. To start making free calls, just sign in with your Facebook credentials. The app works anywhere you have 3G or Wi-Fi coverage. There are no international calling fees or data roaming charges when on Wi-Fi.

If you do not have an unlimited 3G data plan or Wi-Fi subscription, check with your provider, as charges may apply.

The Vonage Mobile for Facebook app is available now for the iPhone and Android. You can download it from the iTunes App Store, or Android Market.

The popular Looney Tunes cartoon shorts that spanned from the 1930s through the 1960s are coming back to the big screen in a new way.

Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote will be appearing in animated 3D shorts attached to Warner Bros. upcoming family features.

In the new cartoon series, each three minutes in length, Wile E. Coyote is as determined as ever to catch the elusive Road Runner, who continues to leave his hapless nemesis in the dust with the infamous “Beep! Beep!”

For Wile E. Coyote, using 21-century gadgets to snag his meal might give him the edge, or will the Road Runner outsmart him once again? “Audiences have always delighted in Wile E. Coyote's dogged pursuit of the Road Runner, with hilarious, albeit predictable, results,” said Warner Bros.

The first short can be seen now preceding “Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.” The second will appear with “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” which opens on September 24th. The third one will be attached to “Yogi Bear,” on December 17th.

Warner Bros. did not comment about other Looney Tunes characters appearing in future cartoon shorts.

If you’re a fan of movies in 3D and you simply can’t get enough, you’re in luck. You can now produce your own video content with a low-cost camera system. Meet HUEY, a video solution designed for video enthusiasts, filmmakers and Web producers.

Creator Chuck Cirino explains, “While all the Hollywood blockbusters are releasing in 3D, I'd like to bring this technology to the people.”

HUEY works with standard software, including Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Adobe Premier. “The 3D post production work-flow is simple and intuitive. It's easy, creative and fun, I'll map it all out for you,” promises Cirino.

The 3D HD video system is available now for $2499 and includes 3D HD camera, shock-proof underwater housings, MP3/WAV audio recorder, 12 pairs of 3D glasses, pelican case, and a private 3D video tutorial produced by Cirino.

For more information about HUEY, visit www.shoot3dvideo.com.

Police Blotter On Demand is the name of an innovative public service initiative through which even the most leisure-minded, channel-surfing cable TV watcher can help law enforcement personnel track and apprehend local fugitives. More than 18 million Comcast Digital cable subscribers can go to their on demand menu for access to Police Blotter's ever-expanding library of videos profiling fugitives in their area. Full-motion mug shots provide details on the fugitives' past, their crimes and their possible whereabouts. Sometimes surveillance footage is available, along with interviews from witnesses and investigators assigned to the cases.

In the 23 markets where this content is currently being offered, profiles are posted regularly in partnership with local and national law enforcement agencies. Since its launch in 2006, Police Blotter has posted profiles of more than 700 fugitives.

Upwards of 90 fugitives have been caught as a result of tips from Police Blotter watchers and On Demand customers. Recently, a New Jersey woman who absconded from the New Jersey Intensive Supervision Program after being charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest turned herself in after her own family saw her on Police Blotter On Demand, called her and told her to turn herself in. Benjamin Moore, a Pittsburgh fugitive, was arrested while standing in line to order lunch. An anonymous caller reported having seen Moore’s mug shot on Comcast.

Matt Strauss, senior vice president of new media for Comcast Cable, is not surprised how successful cable crime fighting has become. “People, without getting off their couch, using their remote control, have been able to play a role in giving back to their community in providing leads that have helped these local authorities capture 90 fugitives, so it has been a phenomena and success story for us," he said. “It’s only been encouraging and fueling our passion for continuing to deploy this and other local services across our footprint.”

Strauss said Comcast is passionate about Police Blotter because of the unique partnership between local law enforcement and viewers. “We do not charge for this. We fund it as a public service back to the community we service,” he explained. “It fosters an unspoken partnership that we’ve never experienced before. What I mean by that is, when a person watches Police Blotter, they are partnering with the police and are helping solve the crime. They’re trying to make our streets a little bit safer.”

According to Strauss, Police Blotter is a natural progression for Comcast On Demand. “The innovation really is an extension of the way we just approach the On Demand platform in general.”

When On Demand service started in 2003, it virtually revolutionized the way people watched television. “We’ve been big believers that the future of television is offering customers the ability to watch what they want, when they want it,” Strauss remarked. Early digital programming reflected that need through offering programming such as Pet Adoptions, Dating On Demand, Baby Boost and Activity TV.

Once programming with local ties became popular, it was only a matter of time before the idea of a local version of America’s Most Wanted came into play. The first city to offer Police Blotter was Philadelphia, in 2008. Of the 90 confirmed Comcast-related fugitive captures nationwide, 79 fugitives were taken into custody in the Pittsburgh area, according to Comcast and local police. Sheriff William Mullen of the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department said he thinks Police Blotter has been so successful because it empowers people to fight crime in their community without fear of retaliation from suspected criminals. “Tipsters don’t have to testify,” he noted. "There is no reward. They are completely anonymous.’’

Delaware law enforcement officials are also optimistic about the new tool they have in fighting crime. Senior Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh of the Delaware State Police said Police Blotter is especially helpful for victims.

“From my own perspective, the other benefit that’s rarely talked about is what we’re able to do for victims now with this technology. When someone is victimized, officers work very hard to apprehend the suspect; however, what’s been difficult is to keep the victims in the loop as to the steps you’re taking to do that.” Comcast’s Police Blotter offers us a way. They can directly see by going over to their television what we’re doing to apprehend the person that victimized them. It adds a degree of empowerment for the victim. When I’m at home, I’m the one that likes to hold the remote control, because there’s a little bit of power that goes along with that, so we think when someone’s victimized and they put that remote control in their hands … it’s just a little bit of power back, and makes them feel a little bit less of a victim than maybe they once were.”

According to Troy Scott, CEO of E-CYCLES, consumers are “in need of a well-built, environmentally-friendly machine, that's sturdy, reliable and dependable.” And this is “what we are delivering.”

The new eco-friendly vehicles do not compromise on performance. With just a 120-volt outlet needed for charging, E-CYCLES can reach speeds of over 65 mph, and have a range of 45-100 miles on a single charge.

The company expects to hire 40 new employees at its North American assembly and distribution operations plant in Ariz. “We believe Phoenix offers promise, support and a bright future for companies such as ours who are in the clean tech and alternative energy fields. We are truly excited about being here,” added Scott Paullin, executive vice president.

The new E-CYCLES come in 15 different models, and have a starting MSRP of $1999. They are sold at authorized motorcycle, powersport and scooter dealerships throughout North America. A 30-day money-back guarantee is also available.

To find a dealership near you, or for more information about E-CYCLES, visit www.ecyclesusa.com.

The Urbanpack gained instant popularity among business commuters because of its great flexibility and features, including a padded sunglass compartment, magazine pocket, a secure main compartment, and an ergonomic back panel. The backpack even offers extra-wide shoulder straps to prevent clothes from wrinkling.

Through the customization process, users can embroider their name with black yarn on the Urbanpack. A sternum strap can also be added for increased stability when riding a bike or motorcycle. The laptop compartment can house computer sizes ranging from 8.9 inches to 15.4 inches, keeping it securely in place and well protected.

With a new solar kit option, the Urbanpack is converted into a mini traveling power plant that can harness the power of the sun, providing recharging capabilities for small mobile devices.

The solar panel, located on the front main compartment, captures the sunlight and recharges the battery pack, which is located directly above the solar panel. SEIZ has obviously thought out every detail and has included adaptors to allow charging for the vast majority of MP3 players, PDAs, mobile phones and GPS navigators.

The company also offers foldable solar kits that are specifically designed for laptop battery charging and other power-hungry devices.

The Urbanpack is available now for $170, and $430 with solar kit.

A new program at the Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Tex. is offering aspiring young explorers a chance to propose, design and fabricate a reduced gravity experiment.

According to Douglas Goforth, the program manager, “This project gives students a head start in preparing for future ventures by allowing them to do hands-on research and engineering in a truly reduced gravity laboratory.”

The selected teams will get to test and evaluate their experiment aboard NASA’s specially modified microgravity jet, which generally flies 30 parabolic maneuvers over the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA will announce the selected participants next December, and the first flights are expected to take place in summer 2011.

Ford Motor Company announced on Thursday that over 3,300 reservations have been placed for the 2011 Shelby GT500.

The hotrod is powered by a new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine, which is 102 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and produces 550 horsepower. Interior options include SYNC voice-activated navigation, SIRIUS Travel Link, HD Radio and dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control.

According to the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker, retail orders for the Shelby GT500 have exceeded expectations, and “The car continues to be popular with sports car enthusiasts and collectors who are blown away by the increase in horsepower and performance.”

To ensure exclusivity, production of the Shelby GT500 will be limited to 5,500 units in the U.S. “The limited production of the 2011 should make this year even more desirable,” asserted Ford.

According to scientists, the wine molecule influences lifespan by activating a group of enzymes known as sirtuins (Sirtuin1), which keep cells alive and healthy in the face of stress by coordinating many hormonal networks and other genes.

In humans the Sirtuin1 protein is encoded by the SIRT1 gene. “We have now found that SIRT1 activity also promotes plasticity and memory,” revealed Professor Li-Huei Tsai, lead author of the study at Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Because of SIRT1’s multi-faceted role in the brain, Tsai said it shows promise as a target for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases.

In addition to helping neurons survive, SIRT1 also has a direct role in regulating normal brain function, demonstrating its value as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of the central nervous system.

Bar-Gadda, the president and CEO of Genesys LLC, has produced a breakthrough technology that allows the efficient and economical production of hydrogen from any water source. This means that hydrogen extracted from water can be converted into fuel-grade hydrogen. The technology, called RET, or radiant energy transfer, relies on the unique properties of the oxygen-hydrogen (OH) bond. By using electromagnetic radiation tuned to the OH bond energy, it is possible to break the bond with a minimum amount of energy. RET, a continuous process technology that operates at room temperature, is modular, easily scalable and carbon neutral. As a consequence of this revolutionary approach, RET modules can be added or subtracted very quickly to respond to changes in hydrogen demand.

“What thrills me about this is that we have the potential to eliminate global warming,” Bar-Gadda remarked. He hopes that through producing hydrogen economically, this unique technology will eventually eliminate the need for fossil fuels. Bar-Gadda also hopes that his company, Genesys, will be a supplier of radiant energy. He realizes, though, that breakthrough technologies can take a long time to become widely adopted. “I suspect it will take 10-12 years from now," he added. "I know it won’t happen overnight.”

Bar-Gadda said the journey that led him to this point certainly didn’t happen overnight. “The unique blend of experiences working with energy at Exxon and high-tech labs for Phillips Research gave me what I needed to get here today,” he explained.

A graduate of Cooper Union and the University of Pennsylvania, Bar-Gadda noted that the inspiration behind RET was to make a better tomorrow. Fortunately, many others share that same goal, with RET leading the way. During a live demonstration of RET, Darren Cordova, the mayor of Taos, N.M., said, “I foresee great success in the future of your technology. I also predict that it will reduce global warming, generate new jobs and increase our energy security.” As the event drew to an end, Cordova closed by saying, “We look forward to making the town of Taos and the state of New Mexico the first to benefit from your revolutionary invention.”

RET technology is also on the radar of the California Energy Commission. B.B. Blevins, former executive director of the commission and a member of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first Climate Action Team, stated, “Geothermal energy and heat from abandoned oil wells represent a substantial resource that the RET technology can tap to produce commercial quantities of hydrogen. This can have a major impact on California’s clean energy needs for the future.”

Bar-Gadda exudes not just vision but passion for a greener, more sustainable future. “In an age of global warming and peak oil consumption, it is important to find a renewable resource that is plentiful and economical without damaging the environment. Water fits that criterion. Water, like oil and coal, needs to be refined in order to convert it to a useful energy source. RET has established that,” he asserted.

If you own an iPhone 4, you’ve probably used the video chat service FaceTime.

The new calling feature works great, but can only be used from iPhone to iPhone over a Wi-Fi connection.

There is a new app called Fring (aka FaceTime without Wi-Fi) that will work over 3G/4G networks between multiple smartphones.

Fring runs in the background and notifies you when someone is trying to initiate a video chat session with you. The app works with Droid, Nokia Symbian S60, Evo and the iPhone.

Can Fring really work over 3G? In the video below, you can see the new app in action. Although the video shows some stuttering and blockiness, video calling over 3G is possible, and the performance could be acceptable for some users.

The Apple iPad, unquestionably the year’s most popular gadget, has reached a new record. Yesterday, Apple announced a total of 3 million units sold within 80 days of its debut.

Although Apple is expected to sell 10 million units this year, the iPad’s cultural impact will be far greater than the number of units sold.

The iPad is not only changing the landscape for many industries, but scientists are now finding innovative ways to use it for their research work.

A young bottlenose dolphin named Merlin became the first of his species to join the growing number of iPad fans. “Merlin is quite curious, like most dolphins, and he showed complete willingness to examine the iPad,” commented research scientist Jack Kassewitz when he introduced the device to the dolphin.

Kassewitz leads the dolphin research project SpeakDolphin in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico. “The use of the iPad is part of our continuing search to find a suitable touch screen technology which the dolphins can activate with the tip of their rostrums or beaks,” he said.

Kassewitz has been anxiously waiting for a technology that could help him significantly expand communication between humans and dolphins. The iPad fits the criteria. “Waterproofing, processor speed, touch-sensitivity, anti-glare screens, and dolphin-friendly programs are essential. As this database of dolphin symbols grows—we’ll need fast technology to help us respond appropriately and quickly to the dolphins,” he explained.

How does Merlin use his iPad? The juvenile dolphin first looks at real objects, which include a ball, cube or plastic duck, and then he is asked to touch photos of those same objects on the iPad’s screen. “This is an easy task for a dolphin, but it is a necessary building block towards our goal of a complete language interface between humans and dolphins,” added Kassewitz.

Each time the dolphin touches the object, Kassewitz records the sound Merlin makes. He hopes that in time, with the help of the iPad, he will be able to decipher the dolphin’s language and establish communication.

Scientists from the Cleveland Museum of Natural History have discovered the fossil remains of an early hominid in Ethiopia.

The finding sheds new light on what is possibly our earliest ancestry. “This individual was fully bipedal and had the ability to walk almost like modern humans,” commented Dr. Yohannes Haile-Selassie, curator and head of physical anthropology at the museum.

The partial skeleton, which was excavated over five years, belongs to the same species as the famous “Lucy,” Australopithecus afarensis, but appears to be 40,000 years older. The specimen was nicknamed “Kadanuumuu,” or “big man” because of its large size—which is 5 to 5 1/2 feet tall, while “Lucy” stood at about 3 1/2 feet.

According to Dr. Haile-Selassie, “We can now confidently say that 'Lucy' and her relatives were almost as proficient as we are walking on two legs, and that the elongation of our legs came earlier in our evolution than previously thought.”

Social networking site Twitter is now rolling out paid advertising spots in its popular micro-blogging platform.

Disney/Pixar became the first advertiser on Twitter to pay for a “trending topic” to promote its newest film Toy Story 3.

How does it work? Clicking on the Toy Story 3 link automatically searches for the topic. At the top of the search results, the latest tweet from Disney/Pixar appears. Other tweets below the “promoted” tweet remain unedited.

You can expect to see tweets from others promoting products and services soon, including Starbucks and electronics retailer Best Buy. According to Twitter, this is the first phase, which will help to assess user experience and advertising value. Tweets that do not resonate with the user community will be removed.

Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. is one step closer to their dream of providing a new abundant, non-polluting, inexpensive energy to power the world.

This validation measurement video demonstrates how their new motor can power multiple appliances. According to Paul Donovan, chief technical officer and presenter, their 50 horsepower motor can generate enough energy to power an entire home.

Click Here to watch the video.

It may sound like science fiction—a person apparently freezes to death but then comes back to life. This phenomenon has actually occurred in reality, and researchers may have found the key to explain how it is possible.

There have been well-documented examples of humans who appear frozen to death, without a heartbeat—but somehow are resuscitated with no long-term adverse health consequences.

Widely publicized cases include Canadian toddler Erica Nordby, who in the winter of 2001 wandered outside wearing only a diaper. Her heart had stopped beating for two hours and her body temperature had dropped to 61 degrees Fahrenheit before she was discovered and resuscitated.

Another incident that made the headlines involved a Japanese man, who in 2006 fell asleep on a snowy mountain and was found by rescuers 23 days later with a body temperature of 71 degrees Fahrenheit. Mitsutaka Uchikoshi was also resuscitated and made a full recovery.

Biologists have discovered a possible reason for this phenomenon, which could potentially bring significant health benefits.

In a laboratory, yeast and garden worms survived hypothermia, if they were first put into a state of suspended animation by anoxia, or extreme oxygen deprivation.

Under normal circumstances, both organisms cannot survive severe cold. But according to cell biologist Mark B. Roth, Ph.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 66 percent of the yeast and 97 percent of the garden worms survived when they were deprived of oxygen right before freezing. “We have found that extension of survival limits in the cold is possible if oxygen consumption is first diminished,” he said.

The relationship between low oxygen and low temperatures may one day lead to the development of improved techniques for extending the shelf life of human organs for transplantation. “Our experiments in yeast and nematodes suggest that organs may last longer outside the body if their oxygen consumption is first reduced before they are made cold,” said Roth.

Another key potential benefit from this discovery could also help patients in trauma situations, including victims of a heart attack or blood-loss injury, by reducing their need for oxygen until proper medical attention can be provided. Roth explains that these patients could easily be put in suspended animation by exposing them to agents such as hydrogen sulfide, which could lower metabolism as a means to “buy time.”

Roth’s research is far from over, but his findings have already generated great interest within the scientific community, and may yield significant advances in medicine someday.

It’s considered the most advanced and lethal aircraft in the history of the United States Navy. The Lockheed Martin F-35C made its inaugural flight earlier this week.

According to Vice Adm. Thomas J. Kilcline, Commander of Naval Air Forces, “This flight marks the beginning of a new chapter” for the Navy.

The F-35C will become the first stealth aircraft operating from a big-deck carrier. “Wherever on the world’s oceans we position a 98,000-ton nuclear carrier, we can launch a long-range stealth strike fighter with the ability to defeat the most sophisticated air defenses,” said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager of the F-35 integration program.

The $4 billion F-35 development project was made possible by partner countries, including the U.K., Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.

This video captured the F-35’s first flight.

Preston Tucker’s experimental vehicles created a wave of excitement in postwar America in the late ‘40s.

His prototypes were impressive, sleek and included many innovative features that have since been adopted by modern cars—including seat belts long before their use was mandated by the Federal government, and a safety windshield, just to name a couple.

It began with a dream and strong desire to challenge the big Detroit automakers during an era when American auto design reached a new peak of ingenuity. For Tucker however, his pioneering spirit was tarnished with scandal when he was accused of stock fraud, and was prosecuted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Ultimately, Tucker was found not guilty in a court of law, but the damage had already been done.

The maverick car designer was forced to halt production and close his factory. As a result, only 36 four-door sedans were ever produced. Using partially completed vehicles and parts from the factory, an additional 16 Tuckers were completed over the next several years.

Tucker’s spirit and the saga surrounding the car’s production have captured the imagination of car collectors everywhere—as they speculate about what could have been.

Little is known about what other projects were being worked on in the Tucker Corporation experimental department when the plant was forced to shut down. One project has been confirmed to date—“Project Vera,” a prototype two-door Tucker Convertible.

According to documented accounts by former designers and engineers, the Tucker Convertible was in development when the factory shut down in 1949.

Now, thanks to the restoration efforts of experts at Benchmark Classics of Middleton, this one-of-a-kind classic will be offered to the highest bidder at the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance on June 20. The Tucker Convertible is expected to sell for around $2 million.

Tucker died in 1959, but he left a piece of automotive history that will continue to excite car enthusiasts from around the world.

During World War II, a B-17E bomber crashed in one of the most remote locations on Earth—a swamp on the north coast of Papua New Guinea.

Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, the bomber was sent to Australia for the first long-range U.S. bombing mission in the South Pacific.

During its raid against Rabaul, the main island base of Japanese military and naval activity, the B-17E suffered damage from enemy gunfire, and loss of fuel caused the pilot to crash-land the plane. The crew miraculously survived and after a harrowing six-week escape to safety, they returned to combat. For the next 64 years, the bomber slept beneath water and tall grass until a collector of World War II aircraft salvaged it through a treacherous recovery effort in 2006.

The bomber was given the nickname “Swamp Ghost,” and is one of only four B-17E bombers ever recovered.

The “Swamp Ghost” will be restored, possibly to flying condition, and will be displayed at an aviation history museum in honor of America’s veterans.

To celebrate the return of the “Swamp Ghost” to the U.S., John Tallichet, whose late father David Tallichet initiated the recovery efforts in the ‘80s, will host an event with surviving relatives of the bomber’s crew.

The event will be held at the Long Beach Harbor in Calif. on June 11. It will include a reception, P-51D Mustang/P-40 Warhawk formation flyover, and the unveiling of the remarkably intact “Swamp Ghost” front fuselage recovered from the Papua New Guinea swamp.

For more information about the Swamp Ghost, visit www.aeroarchaeology.com.

If you would like to find out more about the B-17 bomber, you can read the article “The Flight of the Sentimental Journey” in the May-July 2010 issue of MyTekLife Magazine.

We’ve all experienced it before—the arrival of the dreaded cell phone bill, as thick as a phone book, wrapped ominously in a large envelope. Whether the charges are the result of excessive text messages or Web usage, the common denominator is the bandwidth used to make many of our smartphones function. Simply put, our growing demand for bandwidth is causing an increasing shortage, which in turn increases the rate cell phone companies charge for services such as streaming video. Communications experts see this shortage as an impending crisis thanks to the public’s increasing appetite for smartphones. So, what does this mean for consumers and cell phone providers? For companies like Verizon, Sprint and AT&T, the biggest challenge will be to upgrade the infrastructure and invest in developing ways to expand from 3G to 4G coverage to keep up with consumer demand.

For average bandwidth users, this predicament presents a unique opportunity.

Companies like SmartComm aid the average consumer in purchasing a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). According to SmartComm's CEO, Carole Downs, this will be a viable option in the future of the industry. “Wireless spectrum is something foreign to most people. So, when we realized that we had something we could offer folks, we didn’t want them to just say ‘that sounds good’ and write a check … because there’s an obligation after you get your license. And that is to construct it, operate it. You become a small-business owner, in other words,” she explained.

For those who are interested in obtaining an FCC license, the outcome could be lucrative; the value of these licenses is increasing astronomically because of the growing demand for the spectrum supporting all of the wireless devices. “We found a niche that wasn’t being offered to the general public,” Downs said. “Most people didn’t know that individuals could own an FCC license.”

SmartComm has put together Webinars and seminars to present and explain this opportunity to interested individuals. The Webinars also help to connect the license holders with each other so they can collaborate and build an infrastructure. To some, obtaining a personal FCC license may seem daunting, but Downs said it's not that different from other business ventures. She noted that SmartComm encourages its clients to hold on to their license and to build it out, “because the income is forever.”

Downs recounted a particular success story. “We have clients over in California who, through a lottery, won a license … and it’s one of the examples we use, because they are still getting a check today, after 20 years. They’re still all getting an annual check for around $175,000 each, for a very small percentage of ownership that they have. Because they retained their license, they receive a check from that carrier every year. How much did they invest initially? About $700.” This may seem too good to be true to some, but Downs offered some advice. “You have to be patient. You have to be prepared to spend the money to build it out. That cost may be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000. So, you want to have those funds set aside. And that’s why we take the time to really educate people, because it really is a small business opportunity.”

It is unlikely that our appetite for bandwidth will abate anytime soon, but now that the FCC has created the next big technology gold rush, literally out of thin air, it’s a business opportunity worth exploring.

It’s been said many times, many ways before. A great phone, but what about multitasking? Where’s the flash, and how about HD? The list from the user community keeps on going.

If you’ve been on the fence about getting an iPhone in the past because of hardware or software limitations, this may be the right time for you to consider Apple’s new iPhone 4.

Apple unveiled the next generation of the iPhone at its Worldwide Developer’s Conference earlier today.

The iPhone 4 brings some dramatic hardware improvements. With Apple’s new A4 processor (the same chip found in the iPad), the iPhone lets you record, edit and playback 720p high definition video at 30 frames per second.

A 3.5-inch screen has a resolution of 960x540 pixels and the display uses a new technology Apple is calling Retina Display, which has twice the amount of pixels per inch (326 ppi), when compared to the current iPhone’s 163 ppi. Noting that 300 ppi is the resolution limit of the human eye, Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs said that the “iPhone 4 is the biggest leap since the original iPhone.” When the phone is held at a normal distance, text, images and video will look sharper, smoother and more realistic.

The battery is 16% bigger than the current one, which makes the phone about 3 grams heavier than the 3GS—but the phone is 34% thinner, and Apple claims it offers 40% more talk time.

The iPhone 4 features a 5 megapixel autofocus camera with an LED-based flash and 5x digital zoom. With a higher sensitivity to lighting, you can take better pictures and record video in low lighting conditions.

Other new additions include 802.11n Wi-Fi, and SDPA/HSUPA speeds of 7.2Mbps downlink and 5.8Mbs uplink.

The new iOS 4 operating system has over 100 new features, including multitasking, ability to browse folders, enhanced mail application, better enterprise support for business users, and more customized options.

Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the new iPhone 4 is video calling, which is possible with its front facing camera. Apple calls it FaceTime and the application works over Wi-Fi.

AT&T said it would allow current iPhone customers in the U.S. to become eligible to upgrade to the new iPhone up to six months earlier than it typically does.

The iPhone 4 will go on sale on June 24 in the U.S., France, Germany, Japan and the U.K. The 16GB model will sell for $299, and the 32GB model will sell for $299.

Apple has also released this video of the new iPhone 4.

To watch video, click Here.

For those suffering from diabetes, having to prick their fingers for blood glucose monitoring can be a painful experience—considering that the average type 1 diabetes patient has to do this up to a dozen times a day.

“Diabetes is an enormous problem, global in scope, and despite decades of engineering advances, our ability to accurately measure glucose in the human body still remains quite primitive,” said Professor Michael Strano, from MIT’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

Strano and postdoctoral researcher Paul Barone are hoping to change that and are currently working on a simple, but effective way to monitor blood glucose with a “tattoo” of nanoparticles.

The nanoparticles are injected once below the skin. A device similar to a wristwatch would then be worn over the “tattoo,” which would display the patient’s glucose level with accuracy.

“It is a life-and-death issue for a growing number of people,” said Strano. A 2008 study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that frequent monitoring among diabetes patients who were at least 25 years of age, helped them bring their blood glucose levels under control.

There are wearable devices on the market now for monitoring glucose levels, but according to the researchers, they are not as accurate as the finger-prick test. Furthermore, the glucose sensors that work via an injection of an enzyme and accompany an electrode placed on the skin to produce a measurable reaction, cannot be used longer than seven days at a time.

The new “tattoo” particles could last up to six months, before needing to be refreshed.

According to Barone, they are still years away from human trials, but they may soon start trials in animals.

There is one educational app, however, that sells for $999. BarMax offers a bar exam preparation course for law students who are looking to condense 50 pounds of books into one simple app.

For Nick Tucker, an eleven-year-old California resident, curiosity got the best of him. He went to the App Store to check out BarMax and admitted buying it for his iPod touch by accident.

“I was definitely scared and I didn’t know what to do ... I didn’t know why it started downloading,” said Nick.

Nick’s mother, Jackie, was shocked when she received the bill for $999.99. “I was speechless,” she said.

According to Jackie, they were able to pause the 1GB app download just in time, and went to her local Apple store hoping they could help reverse the charges. The Apple store could not help, so Jackie emailed Apple directly and they promised a full refund.

Nick later said that he was not prompted for a password to download the app. This happens sometimes when purchasing or downloading multiple apps from the App Store—you’re only prompted for a password once if you are downloading them within a short window.

One of the most recognized cultural icons of the 20th century will be auctioned for the first time in history at the annual Automobiles of London event next October.

The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 as driven by Sean Connery in Goldfinger and Thunderball is expected to go for over $5 million.

With its interesting modifications originally conceived by Oscar-award winning special effects expert, John Stear, the Bond DB5 is factory-fitted with the full complement of operational “Q-Branch” gadgets, including machine guns, bullet-proof shield, revolving number plates, oil slick sprayer and more—all controlled from factory installed toggles and switches hidden in the center arm-rest.

The DB5 was originally loaned to EON Productions for the filming of the two Bond movies, and returned to the Aston Martin Lagonda factory after a promotional tour. An American radio broadcaster named Jerry Lee later convinced the factory to sell it to him for $12,000 in 1969. Lee became the first and only owner of the DB5, which has remained in his possession and has rarely been seen by the general public.

“The James Bond car has brought me much enjoyment for some 40 years,” said Jerry Lee. “Even as I sell it and use the proceeds to fund the Jerry Lee Foundation, the car will continue to give me great pleasure as it furthers the mission of the Foundation to do good around the world.”
Prior to its auction debut, the DB5 will make an appearance at the Bond-themed Midsummer Classic/Thunderball concourse and black-tie reception on June 26th at the Stone Park Club outside of London. Bond fans will recognize the park as the site for the first confrontation between 007 and his archenemy, Goldfinger.

Paranormal TV shows are everywhere these days. America’s curiosity of the unexplained is keeping them glued to their televisions. In 1976, In Search Of..., hosted by Leonard Nimoy, was one of the earliest TV shows focusing on this phenomenon. The series had a huge following, and explored many paranormal topics, including UFOs, lost civilizations and other mysteries.

In Search Of... ran for six years and is credited for paving the way for modern paranormal TV shows.

The producers of the new TV show Paranormal Matrix are bringing the ET phenomenon to a worldwide audience in a unique way.

Paranormal Matrix consists of a team of investigators who uncover unexplained events through extraordinary first-person accounts. The show is hosted by Katie Cook, host of CMT Insider on the CMT TV network.

“We have two pilot episodes produced,” said Scott Davis, producer of Paranormal Matrix. Davis tells me that both pilots are now in the hands of distributors to get the series aired on TV networks. “Until that happens, our pilot episodes, and 15-20 different individual stories are online on our Web site.”

On Saturday, June 5th, Paranormal Matrix will host world-renowned author, lecturer and “contact mediator” Lyssa Royal Holt during a live video webcast called Experience: Contact. Holt will lead a group of participants in an attempt to contact extraterrestrial life—and for the first time, let viewers around the world participate live as it happens.

Davis explains how the idea originated, “We were producing a story with Lyssa in the desert about a month ago, about the contact work she does all over the world. While in editing, we noticed the meditation and techniques she used to bring people into the right mode—it just jumped out of the screen to us. I said, ‘We need to put this online for people to watch.’” The idea then evolved into producing a live event with a mission to allow anyone who wanted to participate from around the world, to do so.

“The whole UFO ET phenomenon is not going away. Despite those that ridicule it, there are very credible people that have had experiences,” noted Holt. According to a recent Reuters News poll conducted by Ipsos, one in five (20%) of adults surveyed in 22 countries say they believe that alien beings are on Earth. “We’ve gone beyond questioning whether they exist. “We know they do and I am excited to bring the reality of contact with other intelligence in our universe to a worldwide Internet audience. It will be a fascinating adventure.”

“A lot of people laugh at it, but a lot of people also take it seriously,” said Davis. He hopes that the live webcast event will offer a unique opportunity for participants. “This is a way for anybody to participate, and if they don't want to tell others they are participating, they don’t have to, because they are in the privacy of their own home. And if they want to make it a group event where they bring everybody to their house to do it together, they can do that too.”

An event of this magnitude has not been attempted before, so Davis and his team are working hard to anticipate and avoid potential problems. A huge concern is Web server overload. As a measure, pre-registration is required. The event will originate from the Spectrum Video & Film studio in Phoenix, Ariz. “We’re really proud to showcase Lyssa Royal Holt and her unique gifts in our first webcast. Our goal is to expand awareness. And there’s nobody better than Lyssa,” added Ken Liljegren, president of Spectrum.

“Experience: Contact can be viewed at no cost as a promotional special for this first in a series of live video webcasts. “If all goes well, then we do have ideas to advance it for future presentations,” concluded Davis.

To pre-register for the Experience: Contact video webcast, visit www.paranormalmatrix.tv. The two-hour event is scheduled to begin at 6 pm MST on Saturday, June 5th.

It’s not just a smartphone or a tablet—it’s both.

Dell officially announced the Streak, a 5-inch mini-tablet running Google’s Android operating system.

According to Dell’s Chief Blogger, Lionel Menchaca, “The Dell Streak is a hybrid device that lives in the space between a smartphone and other larger tablets, or netbooks that you might be using right now.”

The Streak will offer a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor; 5 megapixel front-facing camera with autofocus, flash and video chat capabilities; microSD slot; 3G/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth; and a user-replaceable battery.

Menchaca said that the Streak will initially launch in the U.K. early next month, and is expected to become available in the U.S. in late summer.

A breakthrough technology to recycle carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into gasoline and other types of fuel is being developed and could soon be produced on an industrial scale.

In the first quarter of 2009, Carbon Sciences unveiled a prototype facility in Santa Barbara, Calif. “We took the carbon dioxide as a feedstock and, through a biocatalyst process, we turned it into methanol,” said Byron Elton, Carbon Sciences’ CEO, in an interview with MyTekLife.

This was a starting point for Carbon Sciences, but it was not a new concept. Elton’s team reproduced the process in a laboratory, taking carbon dioxide in a low-pressure, low-temperature environment and turning it into methanol. “When we did it initially, it presented one of the first challenges that anybody that pursues this path of creating fuel encounters—the kinetics ... the time that it takes,” Elton said. He quickly found that the reaction could take anywhere from eight to 10 hours. “At that point, it becomes commercially unviable,” he added.

Elton’s team of researchers, led by Dr. Naveed Aslam, began looking into ways to dramatically reduce the reaction time so it could become industrially viable. He also looked into the enzyme-based biocatalyst process—how to take the carbon from the carbon dioxide and the hydrogen from the water and through the biocatalyst process, to get the enzyme molecules to produce hydrocarbon quickly and efficiently. “The issue has always been that while [enzymes] are good at what they do, they don’t last very long. And they have to be replenished after a few cycles,” Elton explained. “They become depleted or exhausted, and it becomes a very expensive process.

Dr. Aslam was able to connect the dots on reaction time and the life of the enzyme molecules. His invention, a nano-scale reactor called Smart Particle Technology introduces a low-energy, enzyme-based biocatalyst process, and a proprietary enzyme encapsulation technology increases the life of key enzymes to reduce the cost of fuel production. “This is a data-generation stage. We will be putting a pilot together sometime by next September,” Dr. Aslam noted. The pilot will attempt to prove that not only can this be done in a laboratory setting, but also on a larger scale.

Because of the impact of this technology, Carbon Sciences has met with prominent companies from around the world to potentially form partnerships, Elton told MyTekLife. “These are people that have significant facilities around the world ... large CO2 emitters, in some cases coal plants and refineries. They are very interested in being a partner in the full-scale pilot.”

Carbon Sciences’ technology is ambitious, and its timetable is aggressive. Elton hopes that by the end of the year a partnership will be announced and a commercial package will be available to a partner. He estimated that by the end of 2011 a completed facility could be fully operational and producing fuel.

McLaren Automotive takes great pride in its most successful carbon-based vehicle on the market, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. And with good reason. Between 2003 and 2009, 2114 of them were sold. The Formula 1 (F1) on the other hand, despite it's stunning features, was too expensive at $1 million. Falling short by a 200-vehicle production, only 100 F1s were ever sold between 1993 and 1998.

Reducing weight is an obsession at McLaren, born from principles that have driven its racing teams to success. Its newest supercar, the MP4-12C is not expected to go on sale until spring 2011, but early data reveals a car of exceptional performance. Weighing in at 3100 pounds, not only is the 12C incredibly fast (0-60 mph under 3 seconds), McLaren says it also features leading-class fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

“We are very encouraged with this first release of performance data from the latest XP-Beta development cars. We are focusing on ‘real-world’ performance that has relevance for 12C drivers on track or on road,” said Mark Vinnels, McLaren program director.

The 12C’s interior is simple and elegant. The controls are positioned on both sides of the driver, with paddle shifters on the backside of the steering wheel. The doors open up and forward, just like those in the Ferrari Enzo and Mercedes McLaren.

Inspired by the F1, the 12C features a range of new technologies at a significantly lower cost of about $225,000. Its compact 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 can produce 600 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque.

Many veterans experience a difficult and dramatic transition when coming back from overseas.

Upon his honorable discharge from the military, David Johnson, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who was stationed in Iraq for three years, returned home to Phoenix and found himself alone and missing his military family. “I realized how much I missed the Army, my buddies, and a place that I used to call ‘home,’” he confided.

Johnson enrolled at Arizona State University and soon realized that there were other veterans in most of his classes. “Men and women just like me, who faithfully served, departed from service and were now going to school. They were facing similar challenges adjusting to civilian life,” he said. Strong bonds of friendship formed between them instantly, and they were all able to find strength and support in each other. They were “my brothers in arms.”

After a few months, Johnson learned that there were over 600,000 veterans living in the Phoenix area. In disbelief, he thought, “Why do I only know about 30 of them? There has to be a better way for them to connect and support each other.” Johnson pondered the idea for months.

Last year, “a light bulb went off in my head,” explained Johnson. “Why not create a new online social media networking Web site, exclusively designed for military personnel, veterans, family members and supporters.” ArmedZilla was born.

ArmedZilla provides a unique forum for our military to connect and share words of encouragement, upload motivational videos, or if you’re a family member, write to a loved one who may be in active duty.

Among other features on ArmedZilla is the B. Board, or Bulletin Board, which allows users to post simple but important requests. Browsing through the posts, you can find requests from others needing a ride to the airport, or seeking a local service provider near a base. Johnson commented that “these requests may sound minor to you and me,” but to the men and women in uniform, they are very important.

ArmedZilla launched in April and is growing rapidly, with hundreds of members joining daily. Johnson’s newfound commitment to providing the military community with the necessary tools and services is helping them find support in each other on a global scale, which is making a difference in their everyday lives.

To sign up for an ArmedZilla account, visit www.armedzilla.com

WarBikes: Kickstarting History is a new online TV show that pushes custom motorcycle design to places it has never gone before—all the way back to World War II America.

The series follow a team of custom choppers as they explore the unique history and craftsmanship of vintage American military aircraft to produce motorcycles inspired by the warbirds.

The first ten episodes titled “Gunfighter,” document the design, construction and completion of a bike inspired by the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) legendary P-51D Mustang fighter plane. “The CAF is dedicated to honoring American military aviation by bringing the history to life,” said CAF President and CEO, Stephan Brown. “The WarBikes project showcases the history of these great American airplanes in a very unique way, by repackaging their stories in a medium that impacts a new audience.”

The warbird-theme bikes are hand-built by Ralph Randolph from Knockout Motorcycles Co. in Mesa, Ariz. Over the years, Randolph has built themed motorcycles for celebrities including Lorenzo Lamas and Matthew McConaughey. “We just try to build great bikes that invoke strong passions in the people who see them. Attention to detail and a love of what we do is the key,” said Randolph.

The next Warbirds series called “Sentimental Journey” are said to be launching soon, and will showcase a motorcycle inspired by the CAF’s B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. Just as “Gunfighter” allowed viewers to become involved in the construction of the P-51 Gunfighter, “Sentimental Journey” will also enable the audience to engage the team members with questions and recommendations. The new episodes will be posted to the WarBikes site every week. Fans are also encouraged to join the WarBikes Facebook page for show updates, discussions, contests and additional information about the show.

“The whole purpose of this project is to honor the flying machines that helped make America what it is today. If these custom motorcycles can capture an ounce of that spirit of adventure and self-reliance, then our job is a success,” explained Executive Producer Duncan Kennedy.

To watch the WarBikes: Kickstarting History TV series, visit www.warbikes.com.
WarBikes Facebook page (www.facebook.com/Warbikes).

If you would like to find out more about the CAF’s B-17 bomber, you can read the article “The Flight of the Sentimental Journey” in the May-Jul 2010 issue of MyTekLife Magazine.

Imagine building a society where new social, political, and legal systems are designed and tested to ultimately create a new frontier.

The Seasteading Institute (TSI) is behind this concept and hopes to have the first of many permanent dwellings on the ocean by 2015. The institute has already received close to$1 million in funding and grants from Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and founder of the Thiel Foundation.

Earlier this week, TSI announced that nanotech entrepreneur Jim Von Ehr, founder and CEO of Zyvex Labs, donated $100,000 to the project. “History teaches us that we see incredible gains for civilization whenever a new frontier is developed. Seasteads represent a freedom frontier unique in the world—offering a chance to provide social, economic and political freedom to its citizens. Humanity will benefit from more places open to liberty, opportunity, free markets and innovation in everything,” said Von Ehr.

The Thiel Foundation will match Von Ehr’s donation, completing their $100,000 matching grant for the first half of 2010. In addition, the foundation will also now increase their grant match up to $250,000 for all TSI funds raised through December 31.

Harris is currently completing a mental endurance challenge to raise $100,000, and create awareness for leukemia and lymphoma. All proceeds will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in honor of his mother, who passed away last year after a 10-year battle with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. “Since my mother's passing, I've been looking for a bigger challenge to accomplish in her memory,” said Harris. “What better challenge for a guy who never shuts up than to not talk for a month?”

The rules Harris has established for the challenge, allow him to only communicate with others via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, and other social media channels. He cannot e-mail, write, text or use sign language. Simple yes and no questions can be answered by nodding his head. “I can't wait to see how he continues to manage, and adapt to work and social life without the use of his vocal cords,” commented Matthew Simpson, Harris’s business partner.

Is it possible to raise money for a cause in the social media world versus using traditional methods? Harris’ social media experiment will determine that. So far, he has collected close to $2,000 through small donations.

If you would like to contribute to Harris’ cause, you can help by making a small donation ($5) by visiting www.tinyurl.com/silencecancer. You can also follow him on his blog at www.socialmediaexperiment.com.

ClamCase is a new product that will debut next fall. The company behind this product is promoting it as an all-in-one keyboard, protective case and stand for the iPad.

There is no pricing information on this product yet.
www.clamcase.com.

By Craig Taylor
May 6, 2010

NASA will send two astronauts, an undersea engineer and a scientist into the ocean to test exploration concepts and learn more about working in an unforgiving, treacherous environment.

This is NASA’s 14th expedition into the ocean depths off Florida’s east coast. During the 14-day mission, which begins on May 10, the NEEMO 14 crew will live aboard the underwater laboratory Aquarius, and venture out on simulated spacewalks.

The ocean simulates aspects of another planet’s surface and provides an ideal low-gravity environment. Last October, another team of aquanauts set the stage for NEEMO 14 by placing mockups of a lander, rover and small crane that mimic a robotic arm.

The crew is expected to simulate the removal of a mockup of the Lunar Electric Rover from the lander, retrieve payloads from the lander and the ocean flow, and the transfer of an incapacitated astronaut from the ocean floor to the deck of the craft.

While inside Aquarius, the crew will perform life science experiments focused on human behavior, performance and physiology.

Google Chrome 5.0 is now available for Mac, Windows and Linux. The release brings several enhancements, including an integrated Flash player plug-in and noteworthy speed increases.

According to Google, the new release incorporates Chrome’s most significant speed and performance increases to date—with 30% and 35% improvement to its V8 JavaScript engine.

You can download Google Chrome here.

SMS Texting can be expensive if you’re not on an unlimited monthly data plan. There is an iPhone app that allows you to send text messages to your friends and family without taking a chunk out of your data plan—as long as your contacts are iPhone users.

Textie is available as a free application with built-in ads, or can be purchased for $1.99 for an ad-free version.

If you text someone who is using Textie, the conversation takes place within the application. If your contact does not have Textie and uses the standard SMS or email apps, your side of the conversation takes place in Textie—saving you money.

Textie—www.textie.me.

ZAP has been producing electric vehicles since 1994. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the company is a key supplier of trucks and vans to the military, and government and corporate fleets. Zap was also a pioneer in the development of electric motorcycles, scooters and ATVs.

On Thursday, the company announced it would begin mass production of its new cost effective, high-speed vehicle called Alias. The Alias will be produced in China, making it one of the first electric sports cars to be produced in that country.

The Alias was designed to travel at freeway speeds with an estimated range of over 100 miles per charge. Recharging is simple via any 110-volt outlet. It retails for $35,000 and ZAP is now accepting reservations on their Web site www.zapworld.com, with a refundable reservation fee of $1,000.

Lithium-ion batteries are incredibly popular these days. They are widely used in portable electronics, and because of their high energy efficiency and long life at a lower cost, the electric vehicle industry has been transformed.

Lithium-oxygen (also known as lithium-air) batteries are similar, in principle, to lithium-ion batteries, but instead of using heavy conventional compounds, they use lighter carbon-based electrodes with oxygen drawn from a flow of air.

Because of their light weight, leading companies, including IBM and General Motors, have committed to major research initiatives on lithium-air technology.

A group of researchers at MIT have been focusing on improving battery technology for electric vehicles. The team has made significant progress on lithium-air technology, which could lead to batteries with up to three times the energy density of batteries on the market today.

The research showed metal catalysts play an important role in determining the efficiency of lithium-air batteries. When an electrode with gold or platinum was used as a catalyst, a much higher level of efficiency was obtained—in comparison to a simple carbon electrode. “It’s a very promising area, but there are many science and engineering challenges to overcome,” said Yang Shao-Horn, an MIT associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering. One of the hurdles Shao-Horn alluded to was how to go about controlling the reactive nature of lithium metal. The researchers believe that the challenges can be overcome in time and that this new battery could become the battery of choice in the future. “If it truly demonstrates two to three times the energy density” of today’s lithium-ion batteries, Shao-Horn added, the likely first applications will be in computers and cell phones, which are high-value items, and could later be added to electric vehicles.

Do you like taking notes by hand, but wish there was a way to import your notes into computer file format? There is new iPad application that allows you to you take notes in own handwriting using a stylus pen or your finger, and create text documents that can be stored on your iPad, or synchronized with your desktop computer.

WritePad can recognize cursive, print, or mixed handwriting styles, and according to the developer, adapts and learns while it is being used, improving the recognition quality overtime.

WritePad—$1.99 (download link). For best results, an iPad stylus pen is recommended. The True Touch Stylus Pen is a popular one and is available here.

Just when you thought digital cameras had made instant film photography obsolete, Polaroid is making a comeback.

Two years ago Polaroid shocked the photography industry by announcing it would stop making its iconic product and focus instead on producing digital cameras.

Now, with help from creative fans and prominent photographers, the next generation of instant film photography debuts. Featuring traditional Polaroid instant film, automatic flash and four scene settings, the Polaroid 300 Instant Camera delivers a new twist on the classic instant photo.

“Apart from its approachable nature to amateur photographers, the Polaroid brand is a central part of many renowned artists' work, including Ansel Adams, Andy Warhol and Maurizio Galimberti,” commented Juan Garcia de Oteyza, executive director of Aperture Foundation.
Another fan of the Polaroid brand is the pop star Lady Gaga, who was appointed as the creative director for the brand. Lady Gaga recently presided over a series of product design and development sessions in Tokyo for co-branded Polaroid products. At these sessions, she unveiled her creative vision, style and passion for Polaroid products.
Polaroid has also partnered with ZINK Imaging, a company that has developed the new Zero Ink Printing Technology, which will appear in the Polaroid PoGo Instant Mobile Printer and Instant Digital Camera later this year. Both products can print photos instantly and without ink.
Polaroid’s initial action to end instant film photography was a possible oversight. It underestimated a loyal fan base. In this case, the old and the new may ultimately complement each other.

Polaroid 300—$89.99 (MSRP). www.polaroid.com.

Nokia will launch a smartphone that can double as a portable entertainment center. The N8 will be available in select markets next fall—$530 (MSRP). According to Nokia, the new touch screen phone comes with a 12 megapixel camera with a Xenon flash, and can record HD-quality videos at 720p with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.

The N8 has a storage capacity of 16GB, but its MicroSD memory card slot, allows up to 32GB of additional storage.

Want to playback your HD videos on your TV? The N8 has an HDMI connector. Other features include: Bluetooth 3.0, USB connector, built-in FM radio, GPS and 802.11 b/g/n wireless.

The Nokia N8 also offers Web TV services that deliver channels like CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. Additional Web TV content is also available from the Ovi Store.

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There are many novelty computer accessories on the market today. Most can be described as cool, fun and in some cases humorous. It’s no wonder that they make unique gifts.

The Motormouse is in a league of its own with its elegant design and great functionality. Inspired by the Porsche 911 series luxury automobile, the mouse works very well.

We love everything about this mouse, from its packaging (reminiscent of Apple’s sleek packaging), to its slim, ergonomic design that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand.

You can clearly see the amount of work that went into the Motormouse. At first glance, it appears as though you are looking at a die cast model. Its high quality paint finish is eye-catching. It’s available in three colors, black, silver and red. We were surprised to find rubber tires and chrome alloy wheels as well—but don’t let appearances fool you, the wheels are slightly elevated and don’t get in the way when using the mouse.

The Motormouse comes with one of the smallest USB receivers we’ve seen, which is about 19mm and operates on a 2.4GHz radio frequency. An ultra wide rubber scroll wheel makes scrolling a snap and its 1200DPI optical sensor gives you precise and stable movement on most surfaces.

Need to replace your batteries? Just pop your trunk open (just like a real Porsche 911). The trunk can also accommodate the USB receiver for those who are always “on the go.”

A mouse mat is included, with a carrying pouch to protect the Motormouse and to carry extra batteries.

The Motormouse is available now for $49.95, and can be ordered at www.motormouse.us.com.

“I can testify that I was presented with a magnetic air generator that fully functioned and produced more energy that it consumed,” commented Bert Taube, Ph.D. Dr. Taube was one of the several scientists and engineers who were in attendance at the event.

Steven Leonard, visionary and founder of Magnetic Air Motors, Inc., credits physicists who came up with this complex research many years ago. His work is largely based on the theories put forth by Chen Ning Yang from Princeton and Tsung-Dao Lee from Columbia University. “They wrote a theory on a motor ... building a motor in which more energy goes out than goes in. They proved their theory and won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957,” said Leonard.

Leonard and his team have five patents on the technology behind the magnetic generator and some of its applications. The generator exploits the fact that asymmetry can be used by charges and dipoles for extracting and pouring out electromagnetic energy from the vacuum with no observable energy input. This energy is also called Radiant Energy (RE). The high-voltage peaks of the RE break up the large crystals of lead sulfate, which age and finally destroy lead acid batteries. As a consequence, the battery can be recovered when a generator is connected to it.

According to Dr. Taubel, the configuration of the magnetic generator includes two sets of batteries, the generator as well as an inverter with two loads (mixer and lamp). During the demonstration, the generator was started by a set of 12-volt batteries. At the exact moment the machine reached a certain speed, electrical energy started to flow back from the generator to the second set of batteries. A voltage meter verified this observation as the voltage of the batteries started to increase. After a short start-up phase, the generator converted into an energy source. “In a perfect setting, this configuration could be expected to run without a time limit,” explained Dr. Taube.

Leonard and his team at Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. are now positioned to begin commercializing this technology through adequate business models to be implemented in the near future. “I have to express my admiration for the vision, competencies, and accomplishments that the team around Steven Leonard embraces. Steven and his team are featured by a thorough understanding of the scientific concepts including their history as well as the technologies and applications implied. It is impressive to see that Steven Leonard and the team developed such deep comprehension of the complexity of the physics behind the magnetic air generator and its applications,” concluded Dr. Taube.

This exclusive video shows the magnetic generator running appliances.

Click Here to watch the video.

To coincide with the launch of Jaguar’s flagship model, the 2011 Jaguar XJ, the automaker announced today that it would offer new extended coverage as standard for all 2011 Jaguar models.

The Jaguar Platinum Coverage features a five-year/50,000 mile new vehicle limited warranty and complimentary scheduled maintenance for the duration of the warranty period. This includes oil changes, filters, brakes, pads, brake discs, brake fluids and wiper blade inserts.

"Jaguars have always been known as beautiful, fast cars, and now, with our modern lineup supported by Jaguar Platinum Coverage, they will be known as beautiful, fast cars with exceptional customer care and dealership service," said Jaguar North America Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Richard Beattie.

The 2011 Jaguar lineup includes the Jaguar XF—$53,000 (MSRP), Jaguar XK Couple and Convertible—$83,000, and Jaguar XJ—(72,500).

The U.S. Army TARDEC’s Fuel-Efficient ground vehicle Demonstrator (FED) program has engaged students at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Mich. to help develop the interior and exterior features of one of the two demonstrators in development.

The students’ designs will be displayed in TARDEC’s exhibit at the SAE International 2010 World Congress at Cobo Center in Detroit.

About 15 CCS Transportation Design juniors are spending the semester researching requirements for military vehicles and designing fuel-efficient demonstrator concepts. They will be covering design principles, drawing, rendering techniques and digital modeling while working with TARDEC engineers and World Technical Services, Inc. (WTI). These lessons are incorporated into design work that produces concepts that address functional needs in the field, including fuel efficiency, weight and aerodynamic principles. The three best student designs will be produced as scale models, with the top design incorporated into the demonstrator under development.

"The collaboration between WTSI, TARDEC and our Transportation Design students on the Fuel Efficiency Demonstrator is a perfect opportunity for CCS students to work in a professional environment with real-world requirements aimed at delivering a creative outcome," said Professor Mark West, Transportation Design, CCS.

The first FED is scheduled for completion in early 2011 and is expected to have the latest hybrid-electric (HE) vehicle technology and military stealth, along with advanced energy and battery developments.

“Don’t Text Me” is a free app that was released with hopes of preventing accidents by letting others know when you are driving.

All you need to do is create a list of the people who constantly text you, store it, and with the push of one button it notifies them not to text you while you are driving. When you have arrived at your destination, you press another button, which tells your contacts you are available and can receive text messages.

Status messages can also be customized to suit your needs. For example, “Don't text me I'm working,” “At a meeting,” “In class,” etc,

“Don’t Text Me” can be downloaded here.

Xtreme Green is building electric motorcycles that can travel longer distances on a single charge, and can reach higher speeds. The X rider is the most powerful motorcycle in its lineup, with a range of 100 miles per charge and top speeds of 65 mph. “The response has been overwhelming. We have already sold out of our initial inventory of X Riders,” said David Isserman, corporate communications director for Xtreme Green.

“It took us two years to develop an electric propulsion system that was strong enough to reach speeds of 65 miles per hour,” added Neil Roth, president and CEO of Xtreme Green. The management system they have built for their vehicles uses a Lithium Ion battery that can handle between over 2,000 charges—about seven 7 years based on one charge per day average.

The Sentinel was designed for police departments, and security personnel at malls and universities. Xtreme Green is working closely with several police departments and universities across the country, including the Dallas Police Department. “We’ve got orders coming in and orders are going out. It’s pretty exciting,” Roth said.

The Motor Scooter has a sleek design and can reach speeds of 50 mph for a distance of 75 miles on a single charge. It has a built-in 110-volt battery charger. It retails for $6,999.

The X Rider can now be ordered at Xtreme Green’s online store. It is available in yellow, silver or green. It retails for $8,495 and comes equipped with 13-inch wheels —giving it the same feel as a regular motorcycle.

Xtreme Green has developed partnerships with some major automotive distributors in the U.S. to complete the rollout of these vehicles. They are starting with Colorado, Las Vegas, St. Louis and the North East. Roth is excited about being able to provide vehicles that produce no emissions and as he says, “are cheap to operate.” He hopes that urban commuters can use motorcycles like the X Rider and Motor Scooter to get to work. Roth also tells MyTekLife that Xtreme Green is in the process of developing an ATV and an all-terrain utility vehicle. He expects them to hit the market later this year.

Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. has now reached a major milestone in the development of the new vehicle.

We’ve received a private invitation from Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. to attend an event later this month, to preview the magnetic air motor, which will be used to power the prototype.

The technology being developed will provide abundant, inexpensive, non-polluting energy that will not only power vehicles, but homes, ships, planes, appliances, etc.

The video below shows the motor being tested.

Click Here to watch video.

Are you pressed for time, and need to scan an email quickly? Mapping directions to your dinner destination, but have to call the restaurant and let them know you’re running late?

Use these BlackBerry navigation shortcuts the next time you’re racing against the clock!

To switch applications quickly, hold down the menu button.

Press T to scroll to the top of a message, your inbox or a Web site.

Press B to go to the bottom of a message, your inbox or a Web site.

To reprogram the buttons on the side of your BlackBerry, click the Options icon on the Home Screen, and then select Screen/Keyboard.

You can also navigate your inbox while a message is open, with these speedy tricks:

Press N to open the next message in your inbox.

Press P to open the previous message in your inbox.

Press R to reply to that message.

So, be a BlackBerry speed demon! Maximize your time and enhance your productivity with a single keystroke!

BJ Davis has achieved the extraordinary. Not only has he performed spectacular stunts and broken world records, but he has also produced and directed many memorable Hollywood films.

Davis told me that he made his debut in Tinseltown as a walk-on extra in the popular western television series Bat Masterson, when he was just nine years old. “There was a contest to be in the show, and I got the spot,” Davis said. “That began my quest. My objective became to write, create and produce.”

He was attracted to Hollywood as a child during visits to California from eastern Texas. “I remember specifically as you go into Hollywood, you walk along the Walk of Fame. I was about four years old, and I remember seeing the stars and told my parents, ‘I’m going to be in the movies.’”

Growing up, Davis excelled in sports, rodeo and motocross racing. “I had a great, God-given gift for competing in the rodeo in saddle bronc and bareback riding, and steer-wrestling bull riding. I began to win different competitions and ultimately won Best All-Round Cowboy,” he added.

When he reached 16, he left from home and enlisted in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. He served for two years before coming to Hollywood to pursue his dream. “At this point in my life, I was breaking horses for a living and anything else I could do to become a stuntman, because I knew that it was very tough and competitive.”

In his twenties, Davis recalls the days when he tried to sneak into Universal Studios so he could hustle as a stuntman, or, as he jokingly put it, “stuntman wannabe.” The guard at the gate had been watching him. “He let me walk through the gate ... because I was climbing over the fence to get into the studio. I really didn’t know anyone when I came to Hollywood. It’s good to know people that can help you open doors.” Davis credits that “special” guard for allowing him to come into the studio.

It turns out that the guard, named Scotty, was the same man who also allowed Steven Spielberg in. “You know the story. Spielberg bluffed this guy and told him that he had an office at Universal. Scotty was a dear, sweet man that worked there for so many years. He passed away about five years ago,” Davis noted.

Davis recalls when he first approached the senior stunt coordinators. “The guys from the John Wayne era, from the ‘40s and ‘50s—they didn’t want a kid from east Texas asking, ‘Can I be a stuntman?’”

According to Davis, to become a stuntman you must belong to the Screen Actor’s Guild. “You can’t work if you don’t belong to the Screen Actor’s Guild, and you can’t get membership without work, so it’s a catch-22. Very tough to get in!” he said. Davis decided to take a different approach and became a stunt coordinator instead. “I was the first stunt coordinator to advertise in the Hollywood Reporter and Variety for services in stunt coordination—coordinating equipment and personnel,” he noted.

Advertising helped Davis get work. “I was fortunate to double for five Academy- award winners: Jack Nicholson, Tommy Lee Jones, Tom Hanks, Michael Caine and Art Carney, who was very famous from the Honeymooner series.” As a stunt coordinator, Davis worked in more than 250 films and television series.

From there, Davis decided to step up his game and break two world records in stunts: an aerial neck suspension beneath a helicopter at 70 mph, from 1,000 ft., for a flight period of 20 minutes, and the highest fall from a helicopter into the ocean, from 180 ft. “I flew from Universal Studios to the Santa Monica Pier ... it was an aerial trapeze. I took the initiative to create this, produce this, to catapult me ahead of the competition.”

Being suspended by a neck harness is extremely dangerous, but at that time it was all in a day’s work for Davis. “When I first began to lower myself down, the cable began to spiral and it could have snapped. I didn’t have a hand-deployed parachute or a body-pack. So, we were purely muscle,” he said proudly. “When we got to the pier, I took off the long tail tuxedo—I put that on for some flair ... and then jumped out into the ocean.”

The event caused a media circus and was covered by all of the major networks. “It was a great time in history. Obviously, I was blessed and lucky to do that. We were very fortunate. We did get millions of dollars of publicity, and it did help springboard me to the next level,” Davis added.

This is the 30-year anniversary for those two records. An attempt to break them was made several years ago by another stuntman, who tragically was killed.

Davis worked as a stuntman in more than 180 films and television shows. He even organized a fraternal group of stunt players, Stunts Spectacular, which eventually became a stunt equipment and supply organization. His group created a reality-based, commercially successful video, How to Become a Hollywood Stuntman, hosted by Charlie Sheen. Davis wrote, produced and directed the video.

Davis also had the honor of being inducted into the Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame. It’s a prestigious award, which only 300 others have received since 1900.

DAVIS’ NEW FILM, GOLIATH HAS BEEN A
TOP SECRET PROJECT UNTIL NOW.

I asked Davis about his favorite moments in Hollywood. “I’ve had the great honor of working with Clint Eastwood, Oliver Stone and John McTiernan, who did Predator and The Hunt for Red October,” he replied. “It’s such a collage of personalities, vanities and egos that really is inspiring. It’s humbling, and it’s educating to be around these people.” Davis also mentioned what a great experience it was to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and film Institute.

Another highlight for Davis was his involvement with the Star Trek franchise as a stunt coordinator and actor. He talked about a historic moment while shooting one of the films. “We had some of the original cast and the new cast together for the first time. That was a Star Trek moment, and it was a great honor for me to be part of that history.”

Davis recalled another great moment, “when we gave Ethan Wayne, one of John Wayne’s sons, his first job as a stuntman on the television series B.J. and the Bear. You have to pass it on.” He helped other new talent by opening doors for them as well. Davis fulfilled another longtime dream of saluting America’s heroes by creating, in association with the Medal of Honor Society, the television series Medal of Honor, hosted by Burt Reynolds.

Among his other accomplishments, Davis directed Brandon Lee in his first feature film, Laser Mission, which catapulted the son of martial arts great Bruce Lee into the spotlight. A martial arts expert himself, Davis appeared in action films with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Chuck Norris. He recently partnered with noted producer John D. Schofield, who is most known for the Academy Award-winning hits Jerry Maguire and As Good as It Gets. Their partnership led to the creation of Beverly Hills Studio and yielded Davis’ first comedy, Forget About It, starring Burt Reynolds and Raquel Welch.

During his 30-year career, Davis has broken just about every bone in his body. “I’ve had chemical peels on my face ... had a whole lot more hair,” he said with a laugh, “and got burned. My left hand is metal, my nose is rubber ... I’ve had facial reconstruction, concussions.” But Davis has no regrets. “The essence of filmmaking is doing something with nothing and actually doing it well. My angels have also protected me all this time.”

Davis is working on a book titled Confessions of a Hollywood Stuntman. In this book, he hopes to inspire others by letting them know that “dreams can come true. I want to challenge people to go beyond,” he said.

The book also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the power deals and breaks in Hollywood. “I will give bits and pieces of Hollywood insight to certain things ... personalities that will make you say, ‘Wow! I didn’t know that. Did they really do that?’” Davis commented.

Davis shared an excerpt from the upcoming book. “A prime example with Chuck Norris ... I knew his wife, who he later divorced. We were in Israel and Chuck was a big star in the ‘80s. So, he’s dancing with this beautiful leading woman from Israel at a restaurant bar at a party. I was his bodyguard at the time. All of a sudden, these paparazzi start taking pictures, so I had to take the camera and the film. It almost caused an international incident,” Davis recalled.

I asked him what he thought about technology and how it has changed filmmaking and stunts. “It’s a much more narrow court of opportunity now. You can put Harrison ford in front of a runaway train, like it was done in Fugitive. The new technology ... the cameras, like Collateral with Tom Cruise. They shot that with an HD camera called the Red One. You don’t have to do any lighting; you can just use the available ambient light. Opportunities are fewer for stunt players. A lot of them now try to double up as an actor ... where you have one line and you come in and get beat up, get shot, or knocked out of a window. There is still opportunity there,” he said.

Davis is also working on a movie called Goliath, which is in pre-production. I got an exclusive sneak peek into what is sure to be a blockbuster. “Picture it in your mind. You open from the biblical standpoint, where you have young David as a shepherd boy being challenged by this giant. We then cut to Israel in the Gaza Strip in the future. There’s a firefight and an explosion. Unearthed are the remains of a giant in ancient armor. It’s taken away and recreated with DNA genetic coding, and nothing can stop him,” Davis said.

Davis’ life can be summed up by his own motto: We do the difficult immediately, the impossible by appointment—a motto that shows his commitment, pride and dedication to his work. Beyond the big screen, he actively contributes to charities and teaches film and television classes at universities. He also mentors film students. Recently, he has been helping to promote the state of Arizona with studio facilities and attractive tax incentives for producers from around the world.

Davis has a rich history of achievements. His personal walk of fame seems to be a continuing journey, a quest—with challenges along the way that he will undoubtedly take on with his personal brand of determination and with a vision to inspire those around him.

During the Second World War, British and American engineers joined forces to produce the P-51D Mustang fighter. The Mustang is credited for winning air superiority over the European Theater, mainly due to its carbon fiber body and Rolls-Royce Merlin V12 engine, which gave it incredible strength and made it lightweight.

Engineers from both countries have now rejoined forces to produce a supercar. The Hennessey Venom GT will have a production curb weight of just 2,400 pounds due to its carbon fiber bodywork and wheels.

Based on the Lotus Elise, the new Venom GT combines a high-tech, British chassis with a powerful American 6.2-liter Corvette ZR1 V8 engine.

Hennessey said the engine has been tweaked to 725 horsepower, and that it would offer 100 and 1,200 horsepower twin turbo V8 engine variants.

The Venom GT plans will be available via a network of dealers and distributors in Europe, Russia, Asia and the Middle East. Production is limited to just 10 vehicles per year and the company already has orders for 4 Venom GTs. The new supercar will cost approximately $600,000.

Witnessing an automobile accident can be a horrific experience. More so if you have experienced one in its entirety—and found yourself right in the middle of it. What would you do?

Junichi Shimizu, a driver for Chipman Relocations, experienced one while traveling near Fairfield, Calif. last year. It all started when a vehicle crossed the centerline of a busy highway, and struck a car in front of Shimizu’s truck. The vehicle spun into a ditch, as the second one hit his truck twice before bursting into flames.

Shimizu quickly called for help, and set out to help the injured drivers and passengers. Putting his own life at risk, he ran to the car on fire, and broke the driver’s side door window. With help from another motorist, he pulled the driver out of the vehicle to safety.

Shimuzu turned his attention to the second vehicle. He determined that the driver of that vehicle had been killed, so he tended to the injured passengers and removed them from the vehicle.

He changed his focus back to the burning vehicle, and he retrieved his fire extinguisher. Somehow, he managed to bring the fire under control until the local fire department arrived on the scene.

Because of his bravery, Shimuzu received Goodyear’s “Highway Hero” award last week. “In this terrible accident, one driver perished, and our thoughts and prayers go out to this family,” said Joseph Copeland, Goodyear’s VP of commercial tire systems. “But we also honor the quick actions and selflessness of Junichi Shimizu. Although his own rig was struck in this accident, he remained calm and immediately pulled his vehicle to a stop and called for help. He then reacted quickly and put himself in harm’s way, in order to help rescue strangers who were in peril. Because of that decision, three lives were saved. For this, Junichi has earned the right to be called a hero.”

In April 2009, Shimuzu was also recognized by the California Highway Patrol and received a certificate of commendation for his role in the lifesaving effort.

The event, hosted by Regis Philbin, will take place in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and is free and open to the public.

Titanic Museum Attraction is a half-scale, permanent, three-deck reproduction of Titanic. It houses 20 galleries, which will display hundreds of authentic Titanic artifacts—carried from the ship into lifeboats by survivors, and those found afloat soon after the ship’s sinking.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to view Third-Class quarters, a First-Class suite, dining rooms and a $1 million exact reproduction of Titanic’s Grand Staircase.

Additionally, the museum will have an interactive attraction, which creates the illusion of Titanic at sea. A 90-minute guided tour gives guests the sensation of sailing on the original 1912 maiden voyage.

“We pay respect to Titanic by telling the story of the ship and her passengers,” said John Joslyn, owner of the new Titanic Museum Attraction. “Visitors learn the individual stories of those onboard the ship as they are learning about the ship itself.
We have spent years researching these people and their stories are absolutely amazing.”

For more information about the Titanic Museum Attraction, you can visit www.TitanicPigeonForge.com.

In the next issue of MyTekLife Magazine, we will feature the world’s fastest woman on a motorcycle, Leslie Porterfield.

Porterfield started riding motorcycles at the age of 16. She now holds the fastest female world record and among many other accomplishments, has become the first woman to earn inclusion into the prestigious Bonneville 200 MPH Club.

“I don’t just want to be the fastest woman in the world,” said Porterfield. “I want to be the fastest person in the world. That’s what’s next.”

While her crew begins prepping for the next round of speed trials, which begin in May in El Mirage, Calif., Porterfield is taking some time to focus on StandUp for Kids, a non-profit organization that assists homeless children in America. Next June she will raffle off a Honda CBR1000 motorcycle, with all proceeds going to StandUp for Kids.

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Do you have spotty cellular coverage at home? AT&T announced today that it would begin to roll out its 3G MicroCell service to customers across the U.S. starting next month.

The 3G MicroCell service allows users to route their cellular phone calls securely to broadband Internet connections when walls, construction, wiring and other factors interfere with cellular signals.

Supporting voice and data services, the device is available now for $149.99. Users can either use minutes from their normal calling plans, or sign up for a $19.99 monthly plan, which allows unlimited calling over the 3G MicroCell.

AT&T is currently offering rebates for customers who purchase calling plans for the 3G MicroCell, or for those who purchase AT&T’s DSL or U-verse 1.5MB or higher broadband services.

AT&T’s 3G network performance has been the subject of significant criticism since the launch of the iPhone 3G, more specifically in high-density areas such as New York City and San Francisco. The company has been working on major network upgrades over the past year, which have yielded major improvements over its 3G network nationally. According to Jenny Bridges, a spokeswoman for AT&T, the carrier will be spending between $18 billion and $19 billion in total capital expenditures this year, which she said is a 5 to 10 percent increase over 2009.

A supersonic Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter rode more than 41,000 pounds of thrust to a vertical landing today for the first time, confirming its required ability to land in confined areas both ashore and afloat.

This video documented the event.

Click Here for video.

The MEDL Panel is a lightweight (just 2.2 pounds), battery-operated, 13-inch LED display.

The new high definition display is compatible with Macs or Windows based computers. It can also be used with portable video players, cameras, DVD players, iPhones and iPods, and gaming platforms. Its maximum resolution is 1280x800.

MEDL Technology said its new monitor could operate on batteries alone for five hours. "The technology wasn't available previously to manufacture an elegant, lightweight and durable, portable display; but with the Panel, anyone can add a second or third monitor to their laptop and easily pack it up and go," said Eric Liao, CEO of MEDL Technology.

The Panel is expected to hit the market later this year. No pricing information has been released yet.

You don’t always have to give up performance in return for good fuel economy.

The Ford Mustang has an all-new 5.0-liter V8 engine that gives an amazing 412 Hp, with a fuel economy of 17 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

“The 2011 Mustang continues to exceed expectations in every category, and these fuel economy numbers are another chapter in an incredible story,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president, Global Product Development.

The Mustang’s increased fuel economy and peak horsepower is possible with a new Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT), which can quickly adjust the intake and exhaust valves. A pair of new transmissions, both with six forward ratios and an all-aluminum construction, also play a large part in giving the 2011 Mustang GT the best fuel economy in its class.

The intraoperative radiation therapy, or IORT Novac7, allows patients to receive one dose of radiation during surgery, as opposed to multiple radiation treatments over several weeks.

After his mother passed away from breast cancer, Dr. Pablo Lavagnini, director of radiation oncology at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA), began a crusade to bring the world’s best cancer-fighting options to patients.

Since the Novac7 arrived in the U.S., Dr. Lavagnini’s only sister was also diagnosed with breast cancer. She traveled from her home in Uruguay to seek a second opinion from her brother, and coincidently became the first patient in the U.S. to receive IORT with the Novac7 last week.

“It is as if my life’s work was leading up to this day,” said Dr. Lavagnini. “I never expected my sister to be my patient, but I am thankful that she was among the many women who will benefit from this technology, which is very different from the treatment that our mother received many years ago.”

Other patients like Jackie Stevens, who traveled to CTCA from Virginia Beach, Va., received treatment last Wednesday. “As soon as my doctors told me that I could get my radiation at the same time as my lumpectomy, I thought ‘Wow! What a blessing,’” said Stevens.

It is expected that patients with breast cancer who undergo tumor removal surgery will benefit from IORT the most, but CTCA also believes that this valuable tool could also help patients battling other types of cancer including stomach, pancreatic, rectal and prostate.

CTCA has set up a patient hotline for those who are interested in learning more about IORT treatment. They can be reached at 1-888-353-7687.

You can do just about anything with your iPod/iPhone these days. The latest app, i-Got-Control, lets you turn them into universal remotes.

The app is free, but requires an IRB1 transmitter, which is available for $69.95 at i-Got-it.com.

iGot-Control has a database of more than 40,000 IR codes for consumer electronic devices. That means you could operate most A/V equipment anywhere you take your iPod/iPhone.

Doug Schwartz, president of i-Got-it.com, commented, “i-Got-Control empowers users to operate A/V devices, as well as many other pieces of IR equipment, including lighting and HVAC systems, no matter where they are ... i-Got-Control does not require learning, making it simple and easy to set up and use.”

iGot-Control will also work with Apple’s upcoming iPad.

Pink Floyd has won a legal case against its record label company, EMI, over the sales of individual tracks in digital music services like iTunes.

The English rock band originally signed a contract with EMI in 1967. The contract contained a clause to preserve the artistic integrity of the albums, which stated that individual songs could not be sold without permission from Pink Floyd.

In the UK's High Court, the band argued that digital sales should not be exempt from their agreement with EMI. The judge assigned to the case agreed and as a result, Pink Floyd tracks could soon be removed from digital stores. Additionally, EMI must pay $60,000 in costs.

Pink Floyd is one of many high-profile bands that have strongly opposed splitting up what they consider to be single pieces of work. According to former manager Peter Jenner, the release of complete albums has always been important to the band.

After having a paranormal experience of his own, Jason Hawes founded TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) with friend Grant Wilson. Roto-Rooter plumbers by trade, these modern-day ghost hunters rely on the latest technology to investigate ghostly occurrences around the country.

You have probably heard of or seen their popular television series, Ghost Hunters, on SyFi Channel. The show is now in its sixth season and continues to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Their approach is unique and, unlike other paranormal investigators, they attempt to disprove paranormal activity during their well-controlled investigations. Jason and Grant do occasionally discover unexplained disturbances and apparitions through the use of technology. As you watch these unfold on your television set, they can send chills up your spine.

The investigations typically start in a location they have been asked to analyze by the property owners or caretakers. These locations include old abandoned hospitals, Civil War era prisons and forts, famous ships, and in some cases, ordinary homes. When the TAPS team arrives at each location they first conduct an interview with the owner about specific disturbances observed, then set up their technology equipment where these are most prominent. As night falls, the lights are turned off and the team gets down to business. Their investigative work spans through the night until morning.

Some of the devices used can be purchased off store shelves, and some have been customized and modified to assist with the in-depth analysis process of alleged hauntings. The most frequently used device is the EMF (Electromagnetic Field) detector. “The theory is that spirits are made of energy ... if they are present, this energy will manipulate the Earth’s magnetic field,” said Steve Gonsalves, Tech Manager for TAPS. When this happens, the EMF detector will register that. “If an entity needs to draw energy, it’s gonna draw it from whatever is around it ... whether it’s air, you, or batteries—that causes a drop in temperature.” Hawes added, “So any time there is a cold spot, it’s worth checking into it.” A digital temperature thermometer that reads ambient temperature is then used to measure the cold spot’s temperature. When an entity is suspected to be near, the temperature can fluctuate between 15 to 40 degrees.

During their research, the team has personally witnessed the temperature drop in just a few seconds when paranormal activity is suspected.

Another useful component is the digital voice recorder. The recorder is used to gather EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena). These are voices and sounds that cannot be heard by the human ear, but can be picked up by a recorder. An external microphone is often used to filter through other noises and amplify other sounds and voices. It is theorized that the sounds captured are from the spirit world. Jason and Grant do capture voices frequently on their television show, and in some cases the voices recorded appear to answer direct questions posed by the team. Are you getting spooked?

Perhaps the most valuable tool is the thermal imaging camera, which records in video format, hot and cold temperature fluctuations. In the recent episode, Hometown Haunts, while investigating a landmark pool hall, TAPS witnessed a child-sized entity. The anomaly appeared to manifest itself out of thin air, and then vanished just like that while being recorded. While this had a hair-raising effect on most viewers, the specialized camera technology itself is remarkable. Thermal Imaging cameras are not cheap, they start around $6,000 and can quickly go up to more than $40,000. It is indeed the most sought out technology by most paranormal investigators. When Jason and Grant visited the tunnels underneath Fort Delaware, they were also able to capture what appeared to be a full body apparition in plain sight. The entity appeared for a brief moment and disappeared into a wall.

There is also an Ion generator, which creates energy that alleged spirits can absorb. The theory is that spirits use energy and suck energy such as electricity and power from batteries to manifest themselves, move objects and communicate. The Ion generator provides the energy they need. When the team visited the St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida in Season 2, an in-house developed Ion generator was used to assist the team with their research. The investigation revealed a great deal of unexplained paranormal activity, including visual and audible personal experiences by several team members.

Upon concluding their investigations, TAPS analyzes the data over the next several days. The evidence gathered is then presented to the property owners or caretakers, and they decide how to interpret it. Ghost Hunters are on SyFi Channel on Wednesday nights. Check your local listings for times.

If you’re a Mac user, you will undoubtedly recognize the famous startup chime that comes on after turning on your computer.

The sound became a famous pop-culture moment when it was featured in the film “Jurassic Park”—when the computers controlling park operations rebooted. Most recently, the sound was heard in Disney’s “WALL-E.”

Meet Jim Reekes, the programmer behind the startup chime and most of Apple’s sounds in the ‘90s. In this interview performed by Dutch site onemorething.nl, it was surprising to learn how technically challenging the process was.

Click Here for the interview.

Cisco announced its newest router, the CR-3, earlier this week. The CR-3 is designed to handle massive scale data transfer rates.

The new router has a capacity of 322 terabits per second, 3 times higher than its predecessor, the CR-1. At this rate, the entire Library of Congress can be downloaded in just one second, and every motion picture ever made can be streamed in just four minutes.

Cisco said that Internet service providers need to upgrade their equipment for consumers to start experiencing faster speeds, which could be many years away. They are working on upgrading the largest providers in the world. The CR-3 has a price tag of $90,000.

If you have a hard time waking up in the mornings, maybe you need a new alarm clock. Not only is the iLuv iMM178 a dual alarm clock with a dock connector for your iPod/iPhone, it also comes with a bed shaker with speakers. That’s right a bed shaker!

The bed shaker vibrates a bed or a pillow to wake up even the heaviest sleepers.

The new iMM178 retails for $99 and is available now.

The filming of Alice in Wonderland has been described by its leading characters as somewhat isolating and lonely. That could be because 90 percent of it was filmed in front of a green screen. The end result, however, is an amazing montage of beautiful scenery, superb character animations and designs—combined with magnificent acting from some of Hollywood’s best.

With so many advancements in computer animation, is no surprise that green screen technology has become a factor in many Hollywood films today.

This interesting behind the scenes look at Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland shows in detail how challenging filming in front of a green screen can be for actors.
WARNING: The footage contains spoilers.

Click Here to play video.

The drama focused on the life of Beth Connolly, a teenager who is forced to move to a strange new suburb after her parents separate. The series were described by Producer Thomas Robins as dark as Twilight and as snobby as Gossip Girl, exploring all the issues that teenagers face.

A new town, a new school, a new life, Connolly can’t help feeling scared, confused and homesick. The people behave strangely and inexplicably stare at her constantly.

“Everyone in Reservoir Hill is freaked out by Beth, and she has no idea why,” Robins elaborates. “That story links all the episodes, but her journey is directly affected by the viewers—by becoming an online friend, by watching her blogs, or even by texting her, they really do become a part of the story.”

The viewers gave Connolly advice while the show aired on Mondays, which would be reflected in the next show. A personal video blog from Connolly was uploaded on Thursdays, so she could explain what was going on in her head. Comments on social media networking site Bebo also helped drive the story forward.

Reservoir Hill nabbed the first nomination spot in the International Digital Emmy Awards. Other nominees included shows from China, Canada, Finland, Brazil, Germany and the United Kingdom. The awards ceremony will be held on April 12.

Two Florida residents have become the first to complete a new commercial space flight training program at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Terence Witt, founder of Witt Biomedical and his wife Virginia took a flight in the same supersonic jet once used to train astronauts, the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

The Witts purchased a four-day training program for $30,500 from Incredible Adventures. The package included security clearance, academic instruction, use of training equipment, one training flight in the Lockheed Starfighter and high-definition flight video. The flight is provided by Starfighters Aerospace, a privately owned company that maintains a fleet of F-104 Starfighters, and is authorized by both the FAA and NASA to offer civilian suborbital space flight training. The company’s Starfighters take off and land on the very same runway used by the space shuttle.

“My life can now be separated into two distinct parts, the part before I flew an F-104 and the part after. I can’t thank the Starfighter team enough for making this possible,” said Witt. “To say that it was merely ‘incredible’ does it a great disservice.”

Mrs. Witt was equally enthusiastic after her Starfighter flight. “Wow. There are no words to describe this ride.”

Each completed a flight profile carefully designed to prepare future space tourists for the physical challenges of a suborbital space flight. A high-speed vertical climb simulated the high-sustained g-forces of a rocket launch and was followed by a supersonic flight over the Atlantic Ocean. A parabolic maneuver exposed the couple to the sensation of weightlessness.

This video captured the flight.

Click here to play video.

A groundbreaking study conducted on patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage showed that a minimally invasive treatment approach that combines catheter-delivered ultrasound and the strong clot-busting drug plasminogen activator (rt-PA), removed the hemorrhage.

“The most surprising thing we discovered was how rapidly the hemorrhage disappeared with ultrasound,” said Dr. David Newell, co-executive director of the Swedish Neuroscience Institute. “And there were virtually no side effects, such as site infections or bleeding, during or after treatment.” Dr. Newell emphasized that a multi-center trial for safety and efficacy with a redesigned catheter is warranted. “If this technique is proven to work on several hundred patients in a controlled study, it will provide huge benefits.”

The study was made possible by funds provided through the tobacco settlement appropriated in Washington state.

Porsche revealed three new advanced hybrid vehicles. They include the 918 Spyder high-performance sports car concept, a new 911 GT3 R race car and the Cayenne S Hybrid.

Porsche’s President and CEO Michael Macht said earlier today at the Geneva Auto Show that the 918 Spyder employs plug-in hybrid technology and can achieve 0-60 miles per hour in less than 3.2 seconds.

Michael Macht, President and CEO of Porsche AG, presents the Porsche 918
Spyder Concept Car in Geneva.

Macht also presented the 911 GT3 R Hybrid, a car that uses two electric motors on the front axle to supplement the 480 horsepower engine driving the rear wheels. Instead of the heavy batteries usually found in a hybrid road car, an electrical flywheel power generator is installed next to the driver delivering energy to the electric motors.

The Cayenne S Hybrid features a highly sophisticated full parallel hybrid system that combines the power of a 333-horsepower V6 with a 47-horsepower electric motor, offering 380 horsepower—essentially the high performance of a V8 with the fuel efficiency of a V6. The Cayenne is expected to go on sale in the U.S. this fall.

Fixmo Tools BlackBerry Edition isn’t officially out until March 17, but don’t let that stop you. You can download a 15-day free trial today at www.fixmo.com.

Fixmo is like a utility belt for your BlackBerry. It is conveniently packaged to give you an essential set of tools, which include the following:

Undelete
A recycling bin that allows you to retrieve deleted email, PIN messages, calendar events, tasks and memos.

Silencer
Monitors your calendar and automatically silences your smartphone during meetings.

Forward/Reply with Edit
Allows you to edit the original message when you reply or forward it.

Battery Watch
Monitors power usage and warns you when your battery reaches low levels.

Memory Monitor
A “check up” function that tracks detailed memory stats and measures performance across both RAM and Device Memory.

Flame Retardant
Provides a warning mechanism when you’re about to Reply All to a message on which you were BCC’d, and when you’ve used potentially inappropriate content, such as profanities or excessive punctuation and capitalization. It also allows you to keep clients and friends off internal business emails.

Hotchkis Camaro HQ covers everything from 1967 SS cruisers and race-prepped 2nd Generation Camaro track cars to the latest 2010 model.

“Camaros are a big part of our customer base, and as we increasingly produce more videos and online articles, we decided to create an entertaining online outlet just for Camaro fans,” explains company owner John Hotchkis. “More than just a standard website, the new Hotchkis Camaro HQ blog has an archive of technical articles, test results, racing videos and vehicle features.”

The blog also features an online vehicle gallery divided by Camaro generation. Visitors can share photos and videos of their favorite cars in action.

To visit the blog, go to www.hotchkis.net/blog.

Slim enough to fit in your pocket or purse at less than an inch thin—about the size of a deck of cards—the TX5 is the thinnest and smallest waterproof digital camera on the market.

The 10.2 megapixel waterproof camera can be submerged in up to 10 feet of water for an hour. It takes high-quality panoramic photos and can record 720p high definition videos.

The TX5 camera will be available in silver, black, pink, green and red this April for $350.

Space shuttle Endeavour and its crew of six touched down at Kennedy Space Center in a rare night landing, following a successful space station construction mission.

Following last night’s landing, Shuttle Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses said that space shuttle Endeavour’s landing capped off a flawless mission. “The crew did an outstanding job,” Moses said, referring to the complex task of installing Tranquility and its seven-windowed cupola to the International Space Station. “The landing today went as smooth as you can hope for—by the numbers.”

The International Space Station (ISS) is now 98 percent complete.

Endeavour has one more flight left before it is decommissioned later this year. The STS-134 mission is targeted for launch July 29. This last flight will deliver a particle physics experiment module, which will be mounted on the ISS.

The majority of the sites were specifically designed to address terrain challenges, according to AT&T. The improved coverage is focused between N. Scottsdale Road to the west, along E. Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and extending to N. 124th Street to the east, E. Bell Road to the north, E. Shea Boulevard to the southwest, and beyond Via Linda to the southeast.

AT&T also activated a 3G cell site at the Scottsdale Stadium, home of the San Francisco Giants’ spring training.

Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane said early Monday that the new cell sites will improve everyday lives and help economic development efforts. “One of my goals is to make certain that Scottsdale remains an attractive place for companies to invest in new technology that offers business and consumers more choice and more services.”

Thomas Jefferson Primary School in Peoria, Ill. underwent an LED lighting retrofit, becoming the first school in the U.S. to be entirely lit with white-LED solid-state lighting (SSL) technology.

The retrofit is expected to reduce the school’s lighting energy load by 49% and eliminate approximately 1.76 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over thenext ten years.

“Installing low energy, low maintenance, dimmable LED lighting systems accomplishes three goals," said Dave Ryon, District #150’s Director of Capital Programs. “They reduce operating costs of the school, they provide quality illumination for the students, and they help teach the students the importance of sustainable building. No other lighting technology can provide such a complete solution.”

Included in the renovation was the replacement of over 600 fluorescent fixtures with LED Troffers provided and installed by Albeo Technologies, Inc. “This is a true milestone for the entire lighting industry and an indicator that LED lighting and Albeo will be leading the drive towards a sustainable future,” added Jeff Bisberg CEO of Albeo.

As the world looks for more efficient vehicle designs that combine sophisticated and sleek lines with functionality and fuel economy, the Kia Ray concept is a bold new collaboration between design and engineering.

The new futuristic four-seat compact sedan is based on the Kia Forte platform. The Ray is designed with lightweight and recycled materials, as well as hexagonal roof-top solar cells embedded in the glass roof panel that power extra lighting or climate control systems.

As a plug-in hybrid, Ray is designed to reach driving distances of over 50 miles using its electric motor on a single charge, and has a fuel economy rating of more than 202 miles per gallon—with a total range of 746 miles.

The WiLink integrates GPS, Wi-Fi (802.11n), FM and Bluetooth technologies.

According to Texas Instruments, integrating these capabilities on a single chip, the 65-nanometer WiLink solution reduces costs by 30 percent, reduces size by 50 percent and delivers superior coexistence performance in comparison to today’s existing solutions.

Devices using the WiLink solution are expected to enter the market by the end of 2010.

Scientists from Imperial College London and partners from Volvo Car Corporation are developing a material that can store and discharge electrical energy.

The prototype material is strong and lightweight and could be used as part of a car’s body. Imagine a car becoming one giant battery. Scientists expect that this material will benefit hybrid and electric vehicles—making them lighter, more compact and more energy efficient. Additionally, scientists are confident that the material could be used for building casings for electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones—eliminating the need for a separate battery.

“We are really excited about the potential of this new technology. We think the car of the future could be drawing power from its roof, its bonnet or even the door, thanks to our new composite material. Even the Sat Nav could be powered by its own casing,” said Dr. Emile Greenhalgh, the project coordinator from the Department of Aeronautics at Imperial College London. “The future applications for this material don’t stop there–you might have a mobile phone that is as thin as a credit card because it no longer needs a bulky battery, or a laptop that can draw energy from its casing so it can run for a longer time without recharging. We’re at the first stage of this project and there is a long way to go, but we think our composite material shows real promise.”

What is next for this new composite material? The $4.5 million research project is in its infancy, but scientists believe the new composite material shows real promise. They are planning to improve the material’s mechanical and chemical properties so more energy can be stored. The team is also investigating the most effective method for manufacturing it at an industrial level.

Click here for video.

Dr. Emile Greenhalgh, from the Department of Aeronautics, explains how the composite material works and the future benefits of using this material in the car manufacturing industry.

Lifted by hydrogen and powered by solar energy, the Aircruise concept designed by London-based Seymourpowell has obvious environmental benefits.

Although only a conceptual proposal, Seymourpowell has developed detailed technical specifications for the craft which, according to them, are achievable.

The video below illustrates this giant, vertical airship designed to carry travelers in style and luxury.

Link to video.

If you have trouble locating your car at shopping malls or other large parking lots, Park’n Find for the iPhone helps you find it fairly quickly.

Park’n Find allows you to tag your parking location by using the iPhone GPS and attach photos, voice memos and notes.

You are guided back to your parking location with a satellite image, which automatically zooms and pans to show where your car is parked relative to your current location.

The application works with 3G and 3GS iPhone models. 3GS users receive additional guidance by an arrow that shows which way to walk.

The app is simple and has a user-friendly interface. It is available now at the App Store for $0.99.

Allard’s newest system, designed as a front-end processor for their existing line of modular ethanol distillation systems, turns ordinary waste products into fermentable sugars.

“The ability to economically use cellulose as a feedstock has been the last hurdle in widespread adoption of a distributed fuel production model,” said Sharon Allard, CEO. “Historically, the big limiting factor for people wanting to make their own ethanol fuel has been a lack of abundant feedstock. Since everyone has cellulose growing in their yards, not only are we able to make fuel from that feedstock, we are also helping to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.”

Allard’s automated ethanol fuel systems produce ethanol in a compact machine controlled by a UNIX-based operating system running on an Apple Mac Mini. Machinery include commercial grade stainless steel tanks, valves, pipes, fittings and a stainless steel distillation column.

In 1960, hotrodder Mickey Thompson made history when he became the first American to break the 400 mph barrier at the Bonneville Salt Flats of the Great Salt Lake Desert in northern Utah.

Thompson broke the record using his garage-built machine, the “Challenger 1.”

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of this extraordinary achievement, long-time friend and fellow hotrodder Gale Banks will present the new exhibit, "Mickey Thompson: The First American to 400 mph,” at the Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum on Feb. 12.

“Mickey was ten years older and already pretty well-known when I opened my first little speed shop in 1958,” said Banks. The two crossed paths often in those days but never became on or off-track rivals. “What I was doing with engines always intrigued Mickey, and the progress that he was making with chassis design and tires always got my full attention,” Banks remembered.

The exhibit will feature many of the innovative machines that Mickey Thompson designed, built, and in many cases, drove into the record books, including the “Challenger 1.”

“It’s a great honor for me personally to have the name Banks associated with both Mickey Thompson and racing icon Wally Parks, two men that I felt very privileged to call friends,” Banks concluded.

Next November, Edelweiss Bike Travel, best known for its guided motorcycle tours, will begin a never before attempted expedition over five continents.

“We have been organizing professional motorcycle tours for 30 years now. To celebrate our anniversary, we are organizing an unforgettable expedition around our Earth for motorcycle enthusiasts,” said Werner Wachter, Founder of Edelweiss Bike Travel.

Kevin and Julia Sanders from GlobeBusters, the Guinness Book record holders for the fastest circumnavigation of the world, are supporting Edelweiss during the arduous expedition.

She sings to comfort, heal, move, transport and awaken the divine voice in us all.

Her fans refer to her unique voice as “shiver inducing,” and her vocals have appeared on hundreds of motion pictures, including Steven Spielberg’s Munich, Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and Disney’s Narnia film series, to name just a few.

Lisbeth told me that she was raised as a classical pianist and began to discover her voice right after college. “When I graduated from college, I played for modern dance classes. I was singing one day to make it more interesting, and everyone stopped and told me what a beautiful voice I had. I had never really thought about it, but that’s where it all began, and I’ve been pretty blessed ever since,” she said.

Soon after that, she was asked if she would like to sing on a score Hans Zimmer was doing. “My initial reaction was, who is he?” Lisbeth confided. “I quickly learned it was a true honor to be asked by someone as great and talented as Hans.”

Lisbeth said she felt blessed and privileged to work with Zimmer on a number of projects. Their first collaboration was on the movie Toys, with Robin Williams, and that led to Broken Arrow, which she said was “the first huge score.”

Impressed with her vocal abilities, composer John Williams wrote the Munich piece for Lisbeth. “That was a special highlight of my career,” she said, adding that when she sang the piece for the first time, she recalls saying to Williams, “Wow! This music feels so natural, as if it was written for me.” “That’s because it was,” he told her.

So what is Lisbeth up to these days? She released a new album in November titled “Hope Is a Thing.” According to Lisbeth, the new album has a special purpose. “Awhile back, I decided that given all the recent focus on what challenging times these are, I wanted to create a way to keep people looking forward and focusing on dreams and visions, because I’ve always believed anything is possible.”

In connection with her new album, Lisbeth started a site on the Internet, hopeisathing.com. The site was originally created as a way to garner financial support for the album, and “through many generous souls, the CD is done!” she added proudly.

Hopeisathing.com is a place where people from all over the world can see what others are hoping for. Visitors can take a picture of themselves with a handmade sign that illustrates what they hope for, and upload it to the gallery page. “As we grow, I’d love to be able to make some of these hopes and wishes come true somehow. I haven’t figured out how yet, but I will!” Lisbeth exclaimed.

Her new album has 15 tracks, ranging from pop tunes to music that’s ideal for relaxation and meditation. It also includes new versions of Imagine and Hallelujah, which are probably the most covered songs of all time. “I feel these are pretty special,” Lisbeth said. The music video for the track Hope Is a Thing was shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler.

Lisbeth also supports the non-profit organization Education Through Music Los Angeles. “ETMLA is such a wonderful organization that helps bring music to kids in schools that might not otherwise have access. I feel I was blessed with music as a child,” she commented. Both of her parents were award-winning ballroom dancers. “I love the idea of everyone being able to have that same access. In fact, it saddens me to think of a child who is deprived of the basic gift of music,” she added.

I asked Lisbeth what some of her fondest memories were from her career. She mentioned that everything she has worked on has been a gratifying experience. “Being able to sing on John Debney’s score to The Passion of the Christ was truly an emotional experience, as was working on Munich— which was where I first got to meet Spielberg and Williams and experience their incredible energy.” Lisbeth described her work on the Narnia films and Shrek as “fun and rewarding” and said that working on Steve Jablonsky’s Transformers was “certainly another highlight.”

THIRD-GRADE STUDENT FROM ST. SEBASTIAN’S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN LOS ANGELES HOLDS UP HIS “HOPE IS A THING” SIGN.

Another huge accomplishment for Lisbeth is her participation in James Cameron’s new blockbuster, Avatar. “I was so excited when James Horner invited me to sing on such a highly anticipated film,” she said. “The film and score are beautiful, stunning and truly epic in every way.”

It’s difficult to imagine what films would be like without beautiful music and vocal renditions from talented artists such as Lisbeth Scott, who has touched many people, not only with her beautiful and unique sound, but also through her work with charitable organizations.

AC/DC will be releasing a greatest hits collection under the name AC/DC: Iron Man 2.

The new album will be released on April 19, just one month before the film Iron Man 2 is released. AC/DC: Iron Man 2, features 15 classic songs selected from ten of the band's studio albums, dating from 1976 to 2008.

In the first Iron Man film, director John Favreau featured AC/DC’s “Back in Black” track. “Favreau's vision and passion for AC/DC's music blend seamlessly into this incredible film,” said Steve Barnett, co-chairman of Columbia Records. “The music really underscores the high energy and excitement of the film.”

Robert Downey Jr. is reprising his starring role in Iron Man 2 as the larger-than-life leading character, along with Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke and Samuel L. Jackson.

Based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero, Iron Man 2 continues the story of the Iron Man, which grossed nearly $600 million worldwide in 2008 and was the first feature film produced independently by Marvel Studios.

Ricky James has become one of the most recognized figures in off-road racing. His accomplishments are an example of boundless perseverance.

We caught up with James at the 2009 Lucas Oil Off- Road Racing Series in Surprise, Ariz., last October.

From the moment you meet the 21-year-old, it is apparent that he is living his dream. “I have been wanting to race since I was 5 years old,” James said. “I started with dirt bikes and kept on riding throughout my childhood.”

James became a talented rider as he grew up. His desire to become a professional motocross rider surfaced during his early teenage years. “My dad held me back from racing ... to keep me away from injuries, but he knew I wanted to race ... it’s what I wanted to do for a living,” he added.

When James turned 13, his father allowed him to participate in motocross racing. Once he got going, he didn’t stop. He asked his parents to be home-schooled, so he could focus on riding. He’d take cycling classes in the morning, ride most of the day, take another cycling class at night, and still manage to find time for his school work. It was a hectic schedule, but in his mind, he was on his way to fulfilling his dream.

In 2005, James received a sponsorship from Honda to ride in the amateur motocross nationals at Lake Whitney, Tex. This championship event is the premier amateur national series in the United States and proving grounds for America’s future professional motocross riders. During the first two days of competition, James performed well and proved that he was a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, as the race continued, another rider’s bike became tangled with his. He fell to the ground and his bike landed on his back. The blow to his vertebrae left him paralyzed from the sternum down.

“After that, I spent most of my time trying to figure out how I was going to race, being paralyzed and in a wheel chair ... what I could race in and still be competitive,” James noted. The injury didn’t slow him down. On the contrary—he became more competitive.

About two years ago, James and his father bought a West Coast Pro Truck, customized it and started racing. The truck was wheelchair-adapted, which allowed James to operate the truck.

Ricky James was injured in a motocross accident at the largest amateur national motocross race in the country.

In his first year of truck racing, James won the Coast Pro Truck series at Toyota Speedway of Irwindale and stunned his competitors. It was a remarkable accomplishment, which also earned him Rookie of the Year honors.

Shortly after, SoCal SuperTrucks took notice of James’ talent and offered to be his main sponsor. The new Super Lite race truck they provided for him was outfitted with special hand controls. “I had never jumped a truck 70 feet through the air before, so I just pointed the truck at the jump, pushed the hand control throttle to the full position and hoped for the best,” James said.

“I love the truck. It’s as close to motocross as I am going to get. You can be paralyzed and be competitive ... just like the other guys out there,” he added.

The truck’s hand control system allows James to control the throttle, brake, clutch and shift with his left hand while leaving his right hand free to steer. “My hand never leaves the controls. There’s a lot going on, but I can manipulate the tools, just like everybody else can manipulate their feet. It feels pretty natural.”

But James’ competitive drive does not stop there. In 2008, he won the 70.3 Ironman World Championship triathlon in Hawaii. “I have a great trainer. His name is David Bailey. He did the triathlon three years in a row. He’s a good friend of mine. Bailey is a former professional motocross racer who was also injured in a motocross crash that left him paralyzed in 1987. “He taught me how to swim, ride my bike and push my chair,” added James. Bailey was inducted in the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of fame in 1999.

It was inevitable that James would ride his bike again. He designed adaptive components for his motorcycle that have allowed him to enjoy the sport he loves so much. In 2008, he became a silver medalist at the x Games Adaptive Motocross Championship. His component designs have also inspired other motocross racers with spinal cord injuries.

An engine loaned by fellow competitors, Speed Technologies, got the truck race-ready just before the Super Lite start. James eventually took the victory by a 25 truck-length margin in Surprise last October.

In Surprise last October, James proved once again that he is a great racer. He placed first in round 9 and second in round 10. This was after a mishap that caused him to roll his truck during qualifying, and also having his engine blown with just two laps to go.

James embodies perseverance, determination and a never-quit spirit that will continue to inspire others. His passion for racing is sure to bring him many more victories in the future.

Today Apple announced its newest product, the iPad tablet. The new device is essentially a giant iPod touch with a new 1GHz processor developed by Apple—with more hardware configuration options.

Just like the touch, you can browse the Web, read and send email, browse photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games and read e-books.

The new tablet is 0.5 inches thick, weighs 1.5 pounds, has a 9.7-inch LED glossy screen and can display a native resolution of 1024x768. It comes in two versions—one with Wi-Fi and the other with both Wi-Fi and 3G.

The 3G version utilizes the AT&T network, which offers new exclusive pre-paid data plans without contracts.

The iPad can provide up to 10 hours of battery life surfing the Web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.

According to Apple, all iPod touch or iPhone apps run on the iPad—including games.

Apple also announced a new version of its office suite iWork, specially designed for MultiTouch and the iPad. With Pages, Keynotes and Numbers you can create documents, presentations with animations and transitions, and spreadsheets with charts, functions and formulas.

The iPad also offers a docking station and keyboard as accessories, which can turn it into a workstation.

A new online bookstore was also introduced and is expected to go live late March. With the iBookstore, you can browse, buy and read books directly from the iPad. It will feature books from major and independent publishers.

The iPad will be available in late March worldwide for a suggested retail price of $499 (US) for the 16GB model, $599 (US) for the 32GB model, and $699 (US) for the 64GB model. The Wi-Fi + 3G models of iPad will be available in April in the US and selected countries for a suggested retail price of $629 (US) for the 16GB model, $729 (US) for the 32GB model and $829 (US) for the 64GB model.

A video of the new iPad is available here.

But how exactly do they work? The technology behind them is extensive, but for the most part, it’s also straightforward. Let’s look at the two most commonly used photo radar devices, intersection speed cameras and highway speed cameras.

Intersection speed cameras are responsible for recording red light violations. They use induction-loop triggers that are positioned under the asphalt, near the stop line. The trigger connects to an electrical power source and meter, which generates a magnetic field. The meter monitors the total inductance level of the circuit. When a significant change is made, a computer catches the change and determines that a vehicle has crossed over the loop. If a vehicle sets off the trigger when the light’s status is red, the computer snaps two pictures with 35-mm cameras—one of the vehicle at the edge of the intersection, and the other showing the vehicle in the middle of the intersection.

In addition, intersection cameras have been programmed to register the speed of vehicles as they cross the intersection. If a vehicle is traveling faster than the posted speed limit, the cameras activate and record the violation.

On the highway, you will find cameras similar to those in place at intersections, although the technology used in the highway speed cameras is not as complicated. With built-in radar units similar to those used by law enforcement personnel, the cameras detect the speed of a traveling vehicle and snap pictures if the vehicle has exceeded the maximum speed limit. Three photos are taken when a violation occurs. The cameras snap a picture of the driver, front view of the vehicle and the back of the vehicle—with a clear view of the license plate. Most law enforcement agencies allow up to 10 miles per hour over the posted limit before a violation is considered.

Hundreds of pictures taken by photo radar units are examined daily, matching the drivers with their driver’s license photos on file. When a match is made, a citation is issued and mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

Whether the debate will continue to stir controversy is something to keep a close eye on. The reality is that the photo radar units are here now, and you should be aware of them when driving. If you do happen to find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being photographed by one, don’t forget to smile!

Boy George has been busy these days working on a new album and will be performing in the U.K. in a series of concerts this winter titled “Up Close and Personal.” He is also supporting Talenthouse, founded by George’s long-term collaborator, Amos Pizzey. Talenthouse is a revolutionary way for new artists to showcase their work on the Internet.

We caught up with Boy George and asked him about his new project.

MyTekLife: You seem very willing to help artists in their creative process by lending your support to Talenthouse. What would be the perfect story for you—of someone who uses this new medium and becomes well known on a global scale?
Boy George: I guess everyone has his or her own personal idea of what success is. I would say that being able to make a living out of doing what you love is the best kind of success. I’m excited to support the Talenthouse platform, as it gives artists a chance to showcase their work, find projects and gain exposure. I’ve obviously experienced global success, and while it’s exciting to begin with, in the end your fame tends to get in the way of your music. Right now I’m just concerned with creating things I’m proud of—things with substance that touch people. How many records I sell is out of my hands. It’s been such a long time since I was involved in the big machine of pop music. In my career, I have always collaborated with lots of different and amazing people. I have a simplistic message for anyone who wants to create music, and that is to simply do it from the heart, without any unrealistic expectations. If you have too many expectations, you will probably never feel satisfied.

MyTekLife: Do you see this medium as a springboard for someone who may not otherwise have the means to demonstrate their artistry?
Boy George: With the big record companies folding at an alarming rate, people are looking to the Internet for new ways to be heard—to promote their work and hopefully inspire each other. Talenthouse, for example, is designed specifically for the creative community and provides opportunities for artists anywhere they may be in the world. In addition, I have just signed my first online record deal with The Orchard, and as far as I’m concerned, the Internet is the future for promoting and selling music.

It’s sad to think there will be less hard copies of recordings, but you can’t hold back change and people are more into downloading—and this has and will continue to shape the future of the music industry. Sites like Facebook, Twitter and Talenthouse allow artists like me direct access to their audience. Through Twitter, I can speak directly to lots of people and use that medium to promote my own work, or the work of people I admire— even turning a new audience on to something classic like an X-Ray Spex song, or other vintage gems like “Violence Grows” by the Fatal Microbes. I might tell them about a book I’ve read or simply what I’ve made for lunch. I even tweet recipes.

MyTekLife: Are there any other new projects you are currently working on?
Boy George: I’m starting a monthly night in London called “Dose” to showcase new talent and hopefully to lure some big name artists to come and do something out of their comfort zone. It will mostly be an acoustic affair, with maybe a piano or a set of bongos. The focus will be on the music. I know so many amazing singers who need to be heard, so I’m hoping to create a real fun, quality night for people who love real voices. I’ll also be releasing my own new material in the coming months and will have a dance E.P. out soon.

MyTekLife: You have voiced your opinion on shows like American Idol before. Do you think Talenthouse can bring “hope and inspiration” back to music?
Boy George: I don’t have too much of a problem with things like American Idol—I just find the choice of judges quite suspect. In England we have The X-Factor, and you have people with a mild amount of talent judging others, which seems a bit of a joke. These shows tend to go for people with a story or some tragic past, which they can play up in the media, and very often great singers get overlooked. I think you have to see these shows for what they are. It’s mostly cruise ship-style entertainment. I don’t think “hope and inspiration” have ever been far away ... a little blurred by the dry ice maybe. That’s why I’m excited by the concept of Talenthouse, where artists have an opportunity to reach a global audience and are judged by the global creative community, encouraging great talent to rise to the top.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station now have access to the Internet via wireless connection. Surprisingly up to this point, astronauts could only send e-mail to ground operation personnel.

The software update enabling World Wide Web access provides astronauts with direct private communications with family and friends. NASA believes this will enhance their quality of life during long-duration missions by helping to ease the isolation associated with life in a closed environment.

Expedition 22 Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer made first use of the new system Friday, when he posted the first unassisted update to his Twitter account, @Astro_TJ, from the space station. Previous tweets from space had to be e-mailed to the ground where support personnel posted them to the astronaut's Twitter account.

"Hello Twitterverse! We r now LIVE tweeting from the International Space Station—the 1st live tweet from Space! :) More soon, send your ?s," said Creamer.

To follow Twitter updates from ISS crew, visit twitter.com/NASA_Astronauts.

A new eco-friendly technology could soon replace petroleum. OriginOil, Inc. is developing an innovative technology that can transform algae into a renewable source of oil. MyTekLife caught up with Riggs Eckelberry, CEO of OriginOil and asked him about this new patent-pending technology.

The concept of cultivating algae for oil has been a challenging task for chemists for various reasons, according to Eckelberry. Perhaps the most arduous obstacle is how to go about introducing carbon dioxide and nutrients needed by the growing algae culture without disrupting it. Algae needs light to fuel its growth and oil production capabilities. It also has to be cracked at the cellular level to extract its oil, he explained.

OriginOil’s technology can overcome these challenges and produce “new oil” from algae through a cost-effective, high-speed manufacturing process. Each oil-producing cell can mature in just hours and contains as much as 60 percent of its dry weight in oil. OriginOil uses what it calls the Helix BioReactor system, an advanced algae growth system that can grow multiple layers of algae.

“We call it crude, without the tar,” Eckelberry said, adding that the new oil could be used in products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, plastics and solvents without the adverse effects associated with petroleum.

OriginOil hopes this technology will change our source of oil without disrupting the environment. The company offers an alternative to drilling for oil by manufacturing clean oil that can meet current and future demands—and, perhaps most important, can eliminate the need to import oil. We could see this technology as soon as 2010.

Buffalo Technology has shipped the DriveStation HD-HXU3 external drive.

The new USB 3.0 drive is capable of transfer rates up to 625MB per second. It’s ideal for the quick transfer and storage of high-resolution graphics, digital audio/video, large multimedia files, photos and more.

It is also backward compatible and works with all USB 2.0-enabled computers and notebooks, as well as forthcoming USB 3.0 models, which are expected to be introduced to the market next summer.

Buffalo offers three models: 1.0TB for $199.99 1.5TB for $249.99 and 2.0TB for $399.99.

The cast and crew give you an in-depth look at the making of James Cameron's epic. WARNING: Video contains spoilers.

Subaru is offering a 400 hp sleigh. If snow tires aren’t enough, the new WRx STi TRAx is equipped with a snow track system. Ready for the half-pipe? The new vehicle comes with a Yakima fatCat 4 Snowboard Rack, a Yakima Landing Pad rack base and DC Shoes xfB-C Snowboards. Naturally, there’s a custom matching sleigh to go with it.

Under the hood, the ultimate Subaru snow machine sports a 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder, turbo- charged and intercooled STI engine. The engine, which kicks out approximately 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, is teamed with a programmable driver controlled center differential (DCCD) all-wheel drive (AWD) system.

Laptops for the Wounded started a program to provide laptops for wounded servicemen and women. With the laptops, our heroes can reach out to family and friends via email, instant messaging, or even have a live conversation with built in webcams.

The program is now active in 8 hospitals across the U.S. “One of the challenges in developing a program to provide laptop computers to wounded veterans was finding a source for dependable and inexpensive laptops,” said Phil Drouin, founder of Laptops for the Wounded. “That's where Computer Recycling USA came in.” Computer Recycling USA has developed a network of corporations nationwide that can help our armed forces by donating their out-of-service laptop computers.

Computer Recycling USA accepts the laptops, erases the data that is contained on the hard drive, refurbishes the laptop computer and ships it out to Laptops for the Wounded. Computer Recycling USA will also accept other technology with residual value like servers and networking equipment.

Fisker Automotive has secured access to $115.3 million in private equity funding to speed up the completion of the company’s first plug-in hybrid, the Karma.

The funding is necessary for Fisker to access the $528.7 million conditional loan from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Karma starts at $87,900 and is is the first luxury plug-in hybrid in the world. Designed and engineered in the U.S., the four-door Karma is a fuel-efficient vehicle that does not compromise style and power.

Fisker said the completion of the Karma will pave them way for the development of lower-cost plugin hybrids. Following the Karma, a family-oriented car code named Project NINA is expected to be built starting in 2012.

"Raising $115 million in these times speaks volumes about the value of our business model and the vast potential of plug-in hybrids," said Henrik Fisker, CEO.

Team Korea made up of Young-Ho Bae, age 18 and Mok-Min Ha, age 17 were crowned winners—receiving a $100,000 prize.

“It is amazing that our team won the world title! Every moment in every round of the texting game was just awesome!” said Bae. “We are very thankful to LG for the chance to participate in the world texting championship. It’s an additional delight that we got to meet new friends from different countries in one of the most exciting cities in the world.”

Kate Moore, left, and Morgan Dynda from Team USA concentrate during one of the fives challenges of the LG Mobile World Cup Championship texting event Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 in New York. Team USA went on to win second place after competing against teams from 12 other countries.

Morgan Dynda and Kate Moore from the United States placed second splitting $20,000. “I think it’s really cool that all the cultures can come together to do this one thing,” said Moore, the 2009 U.S. National Texting Champion. Juan Ignacio Aufranc and Agustina Montegna from Argentina placed third splitting $10,000.

In the wake of cyber attacks from China, Google has announced it will improve security for consumers connecting to its Gmail service.

Google plans to implement encryption for data traveling to its servers, a move Consumer Watchdog called on the Internet giant to make more than a year ago.

“Good for Google,” said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate for the nonprofit, nonpartisan group. “This should serve as a model for email service providers like Yahoo!, AOL and Microsoft. They all should follow Google's lead.”

Consumer Watchdog said Google should use encryption for connections to all its Internet-based services, not just Gmail.

The new security measures would not have prevented the recent cyber attack out of China. But it does increase security to prevent third parties from snooping as information moves from a computer over a network to Google's servers.

Google said it now would make SSL using the HTTPS protocol the default mode for Gmail and consumers will have the option to turn it off if they wish.

“This greatly improves security for average users, most of whom run services with the default settings,” said Simpson.

SG Biofuel and Life Technologies Corporation have formed a strategic alliance to advance the development of Jatropha. “By combining our library of Jatropha DNA with the extensive genetic expertise and resources of Life Technologies, we have the opportunity to unlock the true potential of Jatropha as the most profitable and sustainable biofuel feedstock," said Kirk Haney, President and Chief Executive Officer of SG Biofuels. "Sequencing the genome will allow us to rapidly develop region-specific cultivars from the promising traits we've already identified.”

The partnership will initially include sequencing the Jathropa Curcas genome, allowing for the rapid introduction of new traits targeted toward increasing the yield of the oil-producing plant.

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As the global nanotechnology industry continues to produce cutting-edge consumer products, the scientific community is leaving a key part of the U.S. public behind when sharing knowledge of this new field of science, according to a new study by Arizona State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Nanotechnology involves controlling matter of an atomic and molecular size to develop devices of an incredibly small scale, usually 100 nanometers or smaller (tiny enough to fit through a surgical mask). The technology has expanded to offer more than a thousand consumer products from over 24 countries, including the U.S., China, Canada and Germany. Nanoscale materials now are in common electronics such as iPods, as well as cosmetics, automotive and medical products.

Researchers found widening gaps in nanotech knowledge since 2004 between the least educated and most educated citizens. Americans with at least a college degree have shown an increase in understanding of the new technology, while knowledge about nanotechnology has declined over time for those with education levels of less than a high school diploma.

“Unfortunately, people with little or no formal education–those who need outreach the most–aren’t getting as much information about this issue, which will likely become even harder to understand over time,” said Elizabeth Corley, Lincoln Professor of Public Policy, Ethics and Emerging Technologies in Arizona State University’s School of Public Affairs, and co-author of the study.

Well-educated people who are already “information-rich” are learning about nanotechnology from traditional outreach efforts such as museums, Corley added.

“There is a real urgency to find ways of communicating effectively with all groups in society,” says Dietram Scheufele, John E. Ross Professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and co-author of the study. “Unless we find ways to close these learning gaps, we will create two classes of citizens–those who are able to make informed consumer and policy choices about these new technologies, and those who simply can’t.”

But there is a silver lining. The study also found that the Internet is one of the most effective methods in closing gaps and informing the less educated about nanotechnology. “Online and social media are some of the most promising tools for making sure we reach all members of the public with information about science and technology,” says Scheufele, “and tools like Digg, Twitter, or Facebook will only become more important down the road.”

Do you have a large vinyl collection you wish you could convert to digital? Meet the ION LP2 FLASH. The LP2 FLASH is the fastest and easiest way to convert your vinyl recordings directly to an SD card or USB device without the need for a computer.

It is smart enough to detect silence between songs on your recordings and automatically breaks up an album into individual tracks. It also has a large display and familiar controls for record, playback and navigation. You can even control the quality of your MP3s without connecting a computer. If you do prefer to use your computer, you can transfer your music with the USB cable included.

You can also connect the LP2 FLASH to your stereo system using the included cable and play records just like a traditional record player. The unit retails for $230.

The 2011 Honda CR-Z sport hybrid coupe, made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week.

Set to go on sale late summer in the U.S., the CR-Z is powered by a 1.5-liter i-VTEC engine with Honda's compact and lightweight Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid-electric system. The two-passenger CR-Z introduces a new three-mode drive system that allows the driver to select between Sport, Econ (Economy) and Normal driving modes. The system delivers a combined peak output of 122 horsepower(2) at 6,000 rpm and 128 ft-lb. of torque(2) at 1,000 to 1,500 rpm.

The new CR-Z brings sleek styling and sporty handling to the hybrid market. “The CR-Z is a personal sport hybrid coupe for people with a spirit of adventure and an elevated sense of responsibility toward the environment,” said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda. “It's the first hybrid designed to maximize style and fun, in addition to efficiency and economy.”

Preliminary fuel economy estimates are anticipated to result in a rating of 36 city/38 highway miles per gallon. Manual transmission models are anticipated to achieve an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 31 city/37 highway miles per gallon.

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk hopes to raise awareness about the importance of eating healthy and staying active in a fun, interactive way.

The nine-time x Games gold medalist has unveiled the “Tony Hawk: RIDE Like a Champion” interactive video game, which allows players of all skill levels to step onto a skateboard-shaped controller and use their bodies to perform typical skateboard maneuvers, including grinds, ollies and grabs, like a pro.

“I am committed to promoting healthy lifestyles, and Tony Hawk: RIDE is one more way to encourage people to engage in an activity they can enjoy on their own, as well as with their family and friends,” Hawk said.

Last November, Hawk joined the “Live Like a Champion” tour across Calif. The 16- city statewide tour featured other interactive games and challenging sports-themed activities that encouraged students to bring out their “inner champion.” The tour was part of the California Governor’s Council of Physical fitness and Sports, and it featured a select group of celebrities who helped advocate and raise awareness about physical fitness.

“Tony is a fabulous athlete and the best skateboarder of all time, but as I’ve gotten to know him over the past few years, I’ve learned that what makes him really special is his passion for the sport he loves and his passion for kids,” said Jake Steinfeld, chairman of the council.

Hawk began to ride a skateboard when he was 10 years old. His father constructed a ramp in their backyard. By the time he was 11, he had won his first skating contest, and by the age of 14, he had turned pro.

In 1999, Hawk was the first skater ever to land one of the most technically demanding tricks in skating—the 900 aerial spin— which he performed on a skateboard ramp at the x Games.

What many people don’t know is that during the competition, Hawk attempted the trick 10 times before he succeeded. It was even past regulation time, but since the x Games were so new in 1999, just four years old, the judges declared, “We make up the rules as we go along. Let’s give him another try.” None of the other skaters objected; on the contrary, they cheered Hawk on as he landed the trick. At later x Games, Hawk performed the trick again, this time landing within regulation time.

“Tony Hawk: RIDE Like a Champion” is available now for the Xbox 360, Wii and PlayStation 3. It comes with a motion-sensing skateboard, which lets you control the action with your feet just like you’re really skateboarding. You can ride your skateboard in six locations across the world and master more than 100 tricks. You can even choose to play as one of 13 well-known skaters.

This is the thirteenth video game Hawk has been featured in. His brand has not only dominated this arena, but has expanded to other markets, including skateboard hard goods, lifestyle apparel and toys.

During the private beta period of FreeAllMusic.com, users will be offered up to 20 free downloads per month, five per week, starting every New Music Tuesday.

FreeAllMusic.com is keeping with its "walk before we run" philosophy in slowly building its user and advertiser base.

FreeAllMusic.com is a new music service that provides consumers with downloadable, high-quality, iPod-compatible MP3s of popular songs that are advertiser-paid, free, legal, and unrestricted (DRM-free).

In exchange for watching one brief video commercial per download on the FreeAllMusic.com site, users receive a permanent, high-quality download, which they can enjoy anytime, anywhere with no further advertising or restrictions. There is no software required for the service.

To download a free track, registered users simply select a participating brand they prefer, and watch a brief video from that brand. After each download, FreeAllMusic.com serves additional advertisements for that brand across targeted Web sites. Visitors to those sites will see ads displaying information about downloads, supporting brands, and FreeAllMusic.com. Users can also email information about their download to friends, who can also download it legally for free. Sharing of download activity can also be posted on popular social networking sites.

“For the first time, a legitimate free music download service is making 'doing the right thing' easier than piracy. Our site is fast, easy and fun for consumers,” noted FreeAllMusic.com's Richard Nailling. "The addition of UMG's artists from Lady Gaga and Rihanna to Taylor Swift and Jay Sean means people can count on FreeAllMusic.com to offer an excellent selection of DRM-free music for just about every taste.”

In response to a growing need to support military members returning from active duty, Cell Phones for Soldiers has expanded their services by offering free cell phones to all armed forces returning from service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"With tens of thousands of our brave troops returning from active duty this year, the need to help them get back on their feet here at home has never been greater," said Brittany Bergquist, cofounder of Cell Phones for Soldiers. "We are thrilled to be able to provide this tremendous service to our brave men and women."

The Helping Heroes Home campaign relies on donations from individuals and corporations. Qualifying phones are refurbished and given to requesting soldiers along with a month of calling time. Other donated phones will either be recycled or used to fund the charity's free calling-card program for troops overseas.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by brother and sister Robbie and Brittany Bergquist. To date, they have provided more than 60,000,000 minutes of free calling cards to our troops.

"There are more than 130 million phones retired every year in the United States," added Bergquist. "If just 2% of all Americans were to donate their phones, we could supply every soldier with a phone as a small measure of the gratitude of a nation."

You can send your old phone to Cell Phones for Soldiers by visiting their Web site at http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/shippingLabel_att.asp and printing a free shipping label.

After having a successful career in the information technology industry, Jim Allchin decided to pursue his lifetime passion for music. His first album, Enigma, is not only receiving rave reviews from the public, but he tells me that for him, it signifies a personal journey of passion and persistence.

The former Microsoft executive, who is best known for developing the Windows operating system and growing and developing Microsoft’s server business, is no stranger to music. Allchin’s passion for music began in his teens and has been a constant in his life for over forty years.

Allchin grew up poor in a remote rural area in the South. “It was in the middle of an orange grove in the middle of Florida—no town, just phosphate mines,” he notes. His first musical instrument was a trumpet. He learned to play jazz tunes well, but it did not take long for him to realize that the trumpet would not be his calling. It turns out that playing the trumpet became too painful of an experience, especially when his lips tightened and the trumpet squealed. His teeth became loose and kept cutting into his lips, which made him bleed often. He decided instead to save money for a year to buy a guitar.

During the next several years, Allchin started playing the guitar and writing music. He felt inspired by blues and Latin musicians such as the Allman Brothers and Santana. “My heritage is more blues than anything else. I grew up in the South, and that is what we played.

I do like all styles of music though—anything that is intellectually stimulating,” he notes. Allchin followed bands around the South, learning from them and improving his guitar skills.

Allchin decided to attend college, after his father insisted. While enrolled in graduate school at Stanford, he fell in love with mathematics and computer science. He became a skilled programmer in networking languages and operating systems, eventually accepting a position with Microsoft, where he became a world-renowned leader in the industry. He earned the Technical Excellence Person of the Year award in 2001—and joined the ranks of visionaries like Steve Jobs. During his time at Microsoft, Allchin made some great contributions to the development of the Windows operating system. He also helped Microsoft expand its server technology presence, which led to a position of dominance in that market among business and corporations of all sizes.

I asked Allchin what happened to his music while he was at Microsoft. “It took a back seat,” he answered. A light day for him was about twelve hours, and finding the time to play his guitar was extremely difficult. I asked him why he retired from Microsoft. He had a bright future and could have made more contributions in that field. I was surprised to learn the reason was of a personal nature, which he openly shared. “I love computer science, but I ended up with a health problem. I had cancer. It was a wake-up call for me.” Allchin has recovered now, but he admits that this wake-up call made him realize that there were many things he loved but had not yet pursued—especially his passion for music. It became apparent to him that he wanted to focus on music. Since leaving Microsoft in 2007, he has been working on composing, playing, singing and producing.

His new album, Enigma, is very unique. It has a diverse collection of music styles and techniques that Allchin has picked up over the years. “I always get asked to say what the genre is, but of course I can’t say what the genre is for the album. I have to say what the genre is per song,” jokingly adds Allchin. His album contains metal, country, pop, rock, blues and some Latin. He wrote and produced Enigma, and he also sings and plays the guitar. The acoustic and electric guitar renditions are simply stunning, especially in tracks like “Rockin’ Chair,” “Kick it” and “Enigma Machine.” “I’ve always done compositions, but they were very complex. This is the first time that I’ve ever tried to do something more commercial,” he notes when referring to Enigma. For Allchin, Enigma was also a learning experience. “I got a lot of feedback on the first one. I learned a lot from it, and some things I will not do again.” I asked him if there is going to be a second album and learned that he is currently working on material for this. He believes that you have to take risks and learn from your experiences. “You are going to have people out there that love it and some that don’t. If you really want to improve, you have to put yourself out there. If you believe in it, you just go for it.”

Allchin has a tremendous talent for music that is apparent the minute you start listening to his album. His persistence is a true testament to finding your passion, working hard and accomplishing your goals. His departure from computer science did have a tremendous impact in that industry, but now that he has embarked on a new chapter in his life, success has clearly followed him.

The system is essentially a modified garage floor tile with two raised ridges, which when driven over, signal the driver to stop.

"The AccuPark System is a clever solution for a common problem. We know it'll save a lot of bumpers and walls in the future," said Jorgen Moller, CEO of SnapLock Industries, Inc.

The AccuPark system can snaps into any of SnapLock’s existing RaceDeck floor systems and is available now for $49 each.

SimpliSafe is an affordable, full-featured wireless alarm system you can take with you whenever you move. It’s linked to an emergency dispatch center, and there is no minimum contract.

The product arrives pre-programmed and setup takes only 15 minutes. It comes with an 85-decibel alarm siren and entry motion sensors that can detect large objects within 20 feet, and it’s “pet friendly” for pets that weigh less than 50 pounds. The SimpliSafe system retails for $250, and the emergency dispatch center service is $15 per month.

USB flash drives are popular because they enable us to quickly transfer files between computers. Unfortunately, they’re easy to lose, which can be a huge problem if they’re carrying sensitive data.

Microsoft introduced BitLocker technology in its new operating system, Windows 7. With BitLocker, you can encrypt your documents with a password.

If your USB drive is lost or stolen, the data can’t be accessed unless the password is entered.

To protect your private files with BitLocker, follow these instructions:

Log in to your Windows 7 computer with an administrative account.

You must be able to configure a printer if you want to print the recovery key.

Click on Start, click Control Panel, click System and Security and then click BitLocker Drive Encryption.

Click Turn On BitLocker for the fixed or removable data drive you want to encrypt.

Before BitLocker encrypts the drive, the setup wizard prompts you to store the recovery key. You can save the recovery key to a file, or print it.

If you want to disable BitLocker, you can do so by opening Control Panel, clicking on BitLocker Drive Encryption and clicking on Turn Off BitLocker for the USB flash drive. You must enter the password to disable it.

If you would like to re-enable BitLocker, you can do so by right clicking on your USB flash drive and selecting Turn On BitLocker.

DriveSafe.ly is a free mobile app that reads SMS text messages and emails aloud in real time and automatically responds without having to touch your mobile phone.

The app is currently available for the BlackBerry and Android based phones and new features are expected soon in version 2.0, which will include two-way SMS texting and emailing via voice commands.

“People want to stay connected while driving, and we’re giving them a way to do it more responsibly,” says iSpeech CEO Heath Ahrens, “Reducing the number of people looking at phones instead of the road is always a good thing.”

DriveSafe.ly runs in the background without draining the battery until a new SMS text message or email message arrives. Without any action from the user, the message is read aloud. With 2.0, the following voice commands will be available: voice response, auto-response, repeat message or call back.

DriveSafe.ly will soon be available for the iPhone and Palm based smartphones as well.

The Empire State Building is arguably the most famous urban icon in America and has been named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. For more than 40 years, this 102-floor landmark was the tallest building in the world and symbolized American capitalism.

Excavation of the site began on January 22, 1930, and construction got under way on St. Patrick’s Day of the same year. The construction was part of an intense competition in New York for the title of “world’s tallest building.” Other competitors for the title included the Chrysler Building and the 70-story skyscraper at 40 Wall Street.

During construction, the Empire State Building project was contracted to the prominent Starrett brothers, Paul and William. It took the effort of 3,400 workers, mostly immigrants from Europe, and hundreds of Mohawk iron workers from the Kahnawake reservation near Montreal to erect the massive structure, which they did in only 14 months. They worked so quickly that the steel they used, which came from mills in Pittsburgh, was still hot.

A worker bolts beams during construction of the empire state building. The Chrysler Building can be seen the background.

The human cost was high, however. Paul Starrett later wrote that he “suffered a rather severe nervous breakdown,” and he blamed William’s death in 1932 on overwork. Although the building opened in 1931, it didn’t reach full occupancy for many years because of the Depression, despite its new title as the “world’s tallest building.” In addition, on a foggy Saturday morning in 1945, a U.S. Army B-25 bomber crashed into the Empire State Building. The pilot, Lt. Col. William Smith, was confronted with dense fog, and before he knew it he found himself in the middle of Manhattan, surrounded by skyscrapers. Unfortunately, he couldn’t maneuver his way out and crashed into the north side of the building at the 79th floor, leaving a hole that was 25 feet high. Catherine O’Connor, a survivor, described the crash: “The plane exploded within the building. There were five or six seconds—I was tottering on my feet trying to keep my balance—and three-quarters of the office was instantaneously consumed in this sheet of flame. One man was standing inside the flame. I could see him. It was a co-worker, Joe fountain. His whole body was on fire. I kept calling to him, ‘Come on, Joe. Come on, Joe.’ He walked out of it.” fountain later died from the injuries he sustained. A total of 14 people were killed and 26 were injured. Surprisingly, the integrity of the building was not compromised. The cost of the damage to the building was about $1 million.

As the years passed, the Empire State Building, with its chrome-nickel steel rails, added dazzle to the New York skyline. The observatory tower, with its open-air terraces, provided panoramic views of the entire city and became a top destination for tourists. The building’s distinctive architecture and Art Deco-inspired structural features could be seen in the exterior and interior of the building. In the ‘60s, floodlights were added to illuminate the top of the building at night, in colors that depicted holidays and other important events such as Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day or the fourth of July.

In 1994, a motion simulator attraction was added on the second floor that provided a simulated aerial tour of New York. When the “Sky Ride” first opened, it featured James Doohan, Star Trek’s Scotty, as the pilot. Doohan, in a humorous way, would attempt to keep the flight under control during a simulated storm, with the tour taking an unexpected route to Coney Island, the subway and other New York landmarks. In 2002, the ride was updated and a new pilot was introduced— actor Kevin Bacon. The new ride is in High Definition, and the simulation takes tourists to more than 30 sights for which New York is famous. It also shows retrospective tribute footage of the World Trade Center.

New York City is the largest media market in the U.S., so it’s no surprise that nearly all of the city’s television and FM radio signals are transmitted from the top of the Empire State Building. At the very top, you’ll find a lightning rod.

After 42 years as the tallest skyscraper, the Empire State Building was surpassed in 1973 by the North Tower of the World Trade Center. After the September 11, 2001, attacks and the destruction of the World Trade Center, it again became the tallest building in New York City and the fifth-tallest building in the country. This iconic landmark has a vibrant history and continues to symbolize American ambition and ingenuity.

The U.S. Army has been awarded more than $14 billion in federal funds to pursue important military and energy efficiency projects, and some of these technologies will be showcased at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit later this month.

TARDEC, the U.S. Army’s lead organization for ground vehicle systems integration, engineering and technology development, will display its very latest in hybrid-electric (HE) vehicle technology and military stealth, along with advanced energy and battery developments.

"In keeping with the nation's interest in fuel efficiency, renewable power and energy security, TARDEC is fully engaged in ambitious programs that push development of hybrid electric vehicles for U.S. military use," noted TARDEC National Automotive Center (NAC) Director Paul Skalny. “The organization is also pursuing advanced technologies in areas like energy storage, power and thermal management, robotics, survivability and vehicle platform design that not only benefit our soldiers, but have commercial applications as well.”

TARDEC’s exhibit will also feature the APD, a robotic system that is capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and is helping engineers to develop, integrate and test next-generation unmanned ground vehicle mobility technologies.

The new CERV is a surveillance and reconnaissance vehicle that can maintain speeds of 80 miles per hour and climb 60 percent grades—all while reducing fuel consumption by up to 25 percent compared with conventional vehicles of comparable size.

The U.S. Army is the owner and operator of the world’s largest fleet of ground vehicles. The new HE vehicle technology and other alternative fuel energy programs will address fuel consumption and also help reduce risk of insurgent attacks on soldiers on the road delivering fuel. The Army is also looking into how much longer troops could operate in austere environments if conventional fuel wasn’t a challenge.

The plug-in hybrid Volvo C30 BEV will make its debut in 2012. Last year, a small number of prototype versions of the C30 BEV were built and tested internally by Volvo.

"The Volvo C30 is the first model we will try out with electric power. This car's excellent properties in city traffic and its relatively low weight make it particularly suitable, since electric cars are primarily expected to be used in and around cities and for daily commuting," said Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

The Volvo C30 BEV is powered with a Lithium-Ion battery that is charged via a regular power socket found in most homes. Recharging an entirely depleted battery will take about eight hours. It has a range of up to 93 miles.

You can now pre-order the Arcimoto Pulse with a $500 deposit. The three-wheel, 62 horsepower, single-passenger, compact vehicle can travel a distance of 50 miles using Lead-acid batteries.

The Pulse plugs into a standard 110-volt household outlet. Just plug it in, and unplug when you are ready to go. It takes about 6 to 8 hours to charge if the batteries are completely depleted.

The vehicle is being built in Eugene, Ore. and will be available next fall for under $20,000.

The Mars exploration rovers have seen their share of dust storms, terrain challenges and mechanical troubles during their six years on the “red planet.” During what began as a three-month mission, Spirit and its twin, Opportunity, have exceeded NASA’s wildest expectations. But could Spirit have met its match?

“It’s gratifying how well these machines keep performing,” said Chris Voorhees, a mechanical systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. “These rovers are tough. They faced dusty winds, power starvation and other challenges—and survived.” Alan Stern, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, D.C., agreed. “These spacecraft are amazing,” Stern said.

Spirit has gathered strong evidence that ancient Mars was wetter than the planet is now. Liquid or gas flowed through cracks penetrating underground rock on the surface. These fluids may have produced conditions to support possible habitats for microbial life. “The engineering efforts that have enabled the rovers’ longevity have tremendously magnified the science return,” said Steve Squyres of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. Squyres is the principal investigator for the rovers’ science payload. “All of Spirit’s most important findings, such as evidence for hot springs or steam vents, came after the prime mission,” he noted.

A typical storm on Mars can generate winds in excess of 300 mph, so whenever the rovers encounter one, it raises serious concerns among NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory team members. Solar arrays on the rovers collect sunlight used to charge the rovers’ batteries, which provide electricity. Over the past several months, the solar panels have not been able to generate as much electricity as they normally would because dust storms have been interfering with the amount of sunlight that reaches the solar arrays. The storms also leave a coat of dust on the arrays that reduces the rovers’ ability to generate electricity even when the sky is clear.

Spirit has experienced “amnesia-like” symptoms five times in the last year. When this happens, the rover fails to record data from the day’s activities on its flash memory, when the rover powers down. “We still don’t have information about what causes these amnesia events,” said John Callas, project manager of the Mars Exploration Rover project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “If they are intermittent and infrequent, they’re a nuisance that would set us back a day or two when they occur. If the condition becomes persistent or frequent, we will need to go to an alternate strategy that avoids depending on flash memory. We would only get data collected the same day, and any unsent data from an earlier day would be lost.”

Perhaps the toughest challenge for Spirit came last April, when the rover became embedded in soft soil at a site called Troy. The rover team suspended all driving attempts and began performing test scenarios on Earth to free the robot from its sand trap. After months of tests, the space agency began transmitting commands to the rover last November, but it does not expect the escape efforts to be quick or easy. Spirit has only five wheels working, after one stopped functioning in 2006. NASA said the task could last well into February, when an annual review of the program is scheduled. If the rover’s extraction is not successful, scientists may instead choose to leave it at its current location and continue conducting scientific readings until it dies.

Opportunity is still knocking. The twin rover continues rolling along and making groundbreaking discoveries on the other side of Mars. Luckily, it has not experienced as many challenges as Spirit.

Spirit’s survival is remarkable, considering that two thirds of previous Mars missions have failed. For scientists, working daily with these rovers can seem like a train wreck waiting to happen. They know that these rovers are on borrowed time, and it’s just a matter of time before they expire. Regardless, the anticipation of a possible breakthrough discovery must overshadow any worries they have.

Neuroscientists have developed a powerful new class of tools to reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light. When targeted to specific brain neurons, these tools could potentially lead to new treatments for the abnormal brain activity associated with disorders such as chronic pain, epilepsy, brain injury, and Parkinson’s disease.

The tools work on the premise that such disorders might be best treated by silencing, rather than stimulating, brain activity. These “super silencers” exert exquisite control over the timing of the shutdown of overactive neural circuits—an effect that’s not possible with existing drugs or other conventional therapies.

Scientists loaded two genes knows as Arch and Mac into viruses that inserted their genetic cargo into mouse neurons. Optical fibers attached to lasers flashed light onto the neurons, and electrodes measured neural activity.

“Silencing different sets of neurons with different colors of light allows us to understand how they work together to implement brain functions,” explained Ed Boyden, senior MIT researcher of the study. “Using these new tools, we can look at two neural pathways and study how they compute together. These tools will help us understand how to control neural circuits, leading to new understandings and treatments for brain disorders—some of the biggest unmet medical needs in the world.”

Boyden’s “super silencers” Arch and Mac genes can be found in various natural organisms such as bacteria and fungi. When neurons are engineered to express Arch and Mac genes, researchers can inhibit their activity by shining light on them. Light activates the proteins, which lowers the voltage in the neurons and safely and effectively prevents them from firing. Light can then bathe the entire brain and selectively affect only those neurons that are sensitive to specific colors of light. Neurons engineered to express Arch are specifically silenced by yellow light, while those expressing Mac are silenced by blue light.

Boyden’s team plans on using monkeys to determine if the genes are safe and effective. The next research study will be a critical next step toward the potential use of these optical silencing tools in humans. Boyden plans to use these “super silencers” to examine the neural circuits of cognition and emotion and to find targets in the brain that, when shut down, could relieve pain and treat epilepsy. His group continues to mine the natural world for new and even more powerful tools to manipulate brain cell activity–tools that, he hopes, will empower scientists to explore neural circuits in ways never before possible.

A new self-developed high efficiency linear motor (LM) propulsion system powering China's first domestically developed and manufactured driving metro train was successfully tested and validated in Changchun, China.

The technological achievement was developed by Harbin Electric and is part of a larger plan to make China self-reliant with its own advanced technology in many sectors of its fast growing economy.

According to the Chinese, the successful development of this LM driving metro train ranks China as the third country in the world after Canada and Japan to master linear motor technology for a scaled production of linear driving transit systems.

Compared to the traditional rotary motor propelled metro transit system widely used around the world, the linear motor driving metro train provides higher performance efficiency with lower energy consumption. It can negotiate steep grades and cope with tight curves and corners, lower maintenance cost, provide a safer ride under severe whether conditions such as rain and snow, and is quieter and more comfortable.

The technology is also environmental friendly and due to the simplicity of the LM propulsion system, the vehicle body is more compact, reducing the cross section of underground tunnels by about 40%, which could accelerate construction of the tracks, thus providing significant cost savings.

"We are extremely proud of our successful participation in China's development of a technologically advanced urban metro transit industry. The first 'made-in-China" LM metro train relies on our proprietary technology and has met international standards, with significant lower production costs than similar foreign products. With the success of this trial production, I believe that Chinese enterprises have entered into the high-end LM driving metro transit market and possess the skills and strength necessary to compete with world-class metro rail car manufacturers," said Mr. Tianfu Yang, Chairman and CEO of Harbin Electric.

China has approved plans to build subways in 22 cities over the next decade. In addition, it plans to produce a four-car train set for the Beijing Capital International Airport Link using LM technology.

The Parrot AR.Drone, a quadricopter that can be piloted with an iPhone or iPod touch, allows you to fly in a real-world environment while simultaneously playing a video game from the device's screen. It combines Wi-Fi, video and gaming technologies to allow real-world objects and conditions, like a tree or wind, to become a part of the video gaming experience.

"At Parrot, we have been developing wireless concepts for video games for 4 years. Our first project was a Bluetooth race car. We've developed it, but I was not satisfied. A video game should contain a part of a dream that I missed with the Bluetooth car," explained Henri Seydoux, founder and CEO of Parrot. "It should fly! So I started the idea of the AR.Drone. With video cameras and a powerful computer, we have developed a very stable drone that is easy to control and flies like a dragonfly."

The quadricopter consists of a central cockpit surrounded by four propellers, each driven by an engine. At the heart of the AR.Drone, you will find two cameras. The first camera, located underneath, connects to an Inertial Measurement Unit, which allows the AR.Drone to measure its speed and perform stationary flight. Parrot Smart Piloting (PSP) technology compensates for wind and other environmental conditions during outside flights.

A second camera, at the front, broadcasts and streams to the iPhone or iPod touch screen, what the AR.Drone sees, as if you were sitting in the cockpit. This allows for the augmented reality gaming experience.

The Parrot AR.Drone generates its own Wi-Fi network that simply connects to an iPhone or iPod touch and turns it into a true piloting station.

If you have recently visited a Web site for a major Hollywood movie, chances are it was produced by Jason Yim and Trigger, LLC. Yim is the founder and executive director of Trigger. His company has been producing rich-media digital marketing campaigns for Hollywood releases for more than 10 years. The firm’s past and current clients are among the biggest brands in the entertainment industry and, as a result, their talent has unquestionably earned the company prestige.

“Digital marketing is no longer just Web design,” Yim said. Trigger not only creates award-winning Web sites, but it also develops online games, mobile phone marketing and gaming, and social media marketing. Last summer, the company worked on campaigns for X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Star Trek and Transformers 2.

Trigger has a wide range of talent in-house, with offices in L.A. and Shanghai. “The great thing is that we have such a mix,” Yim said. “We have project managers and account managers that manage our clients’ expectations. We have highly technical people like the programmers and the creative group divided into graphic designers, flash animators ... a whole 3D team that we pulled from a lot of the gaming development studios. They do all the modeling and create the animation for the games.” Trigger even has a music composer on staff.

Yim attained a degree in graphic design from UCLA in 1995, when visual Web sites were starting to appear on the Internet. While in school, Yim’s assignments focused on the Internet. “One of our professors had us look into this stuff versus working on CD- ROM ... that kind of media. A couple of us from school did a big presentation at a conference in L.A., and we got a lot of interest,” Yim noted.

The group decided to start a company soon after that, working out of an apartment. “This was before any fame or fortune from Internet work,” he added with a smile. These days, Trigger generates about $5 million a year.

Yim’s first movie-related project was to create a screensaver for Independence Day. Later, he designed the Web sites for Spiderman 1, 2 and 3. “Those films made our name,” said Yim. Trigger’s portfolio expanded to include projects for Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Hancock, Cars MMO and Angels & Demons. The company’s most recent projects include Web site designs and games for 2012, District 9, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and Planet 51.

Yim hopes that people will realize the amount of time Trigger puts into designing Web sites and games. His strategy of using video games to market movies across all new media is brilliant and has paid off. The firm’s creations continue to enhance the excitement around new releases and certainly help take a movie’s popularity to a whole new level.

Weighing just three ounces, the new 168 degree Epic Action WIDE ANGLE Video Cam is ideal for action sports, motorsports and adventure enthusiasts. It captures video and audio from the athlete’s point of view.

The WIDE ANGLE comes with a 2GB SD card (SD slot supports up to 4GB), two AAA Energizer lithium batteries and a waterproof case to keep out dirt and water.
It can store up to 200 minutes of video at a resolution of 640 x 480, at 30 frames per second in AVI format.

The Epic Action WIDE ANGLE Video Cam retails for $210. Additional mounting devices are available for a wide range of surfaces.

“Three billion applications downloaded in less than 18 months—this is like nothing we’ve ever seen before,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The revolutionary App Store offers iPhone and iPod touch users an experience unlike anything else available on other mobile devices, and we see no signs of the competition catching up anytime soon.”

Last September, Apple reached two billion downloads. The App Store now has over 85,000 apps available to more than 50 million iPhone and iPod touch users in 77 countries.

“The App Store has reinvented what you can do with a mobile handheld device, and our users are clearly loving it,” concluded Jobs.

Microsoft senior program manager Rebecca Deutsch describes her job as “connecting spokes and keeping the wheel turning.” For Windows 7, the wheel Deutsch helped turn was developing a new feature that allows users to quickly jump to frequently used destinations.

“Jump List” is activated when a user right-clicks certain icons in the taskbar, or hovers over icons in the Start menu. The “Jump List” window then pops up with links to transport the user to frequently or recently used documents, files and Web sites, just to name a few.

“It starts working automatically as you start using Windows 7, opening files,” Deutsch said. “Creating new files, visiting Web sites, creating folders, playing music—all of your actions contribute to the knowledge of the system to be able to compile the things that are used the most. With the Jump List, accessing the things you use most is just another click away.”

Deutsch, who interned twice on Microsoft's Windows team as a Carnegie Mellon University student, joined the company as an employee after graduating. More than five years later, she still enjoys working on the "pieces that make up the cornerstones of what the Windows operating system means to users.”

Google’s new Nexus One smartphone was released yesterday. The Android-based smartphone offers an 800X400 screen, 5 megapixel camera with flash and is powered by Qualcomm’s 1GHz Snapdragon processor. It offers 512MB of Flash and 512MB of RAM and ships with a 4GB Micro SD card—with support for cards up to 32GB.

The phone is priced at $170 with a two-year agreement with T-Mobile. It is also available at $529 as a standalone purchase, which could be used in any GSM network by inserting a SIM card into the device.

Go Green Solar Energy launched a new Web site to educate the public on solar power. Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com will serve as a guide for those interested in solar power and for finding affordable ways to use solar energy. The Web site will focus on options for creating home solar power systems, including information about solar energy grants and do-it-yourself “DIY” solar power resources.

“With the current climate crisis, it is becoming more important that each one of us does everything we can, every day, to help the Earth and the environment,” said M.S. Rochell, editor of Go Green Solar Energy. “Our mission is to provide useful information on the advantages of solar energy and to help ordinary people to learn how to affordably access the savings and clean energy that solar power can provide.”

Rochell explains, “Although solar power for homes is not yet widely available, new technological advancements are being made now that are creating opportunities for even ordinary citizens to begin using solar power technology.”

Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com also offers several useful eBooks and a growing resource library of free solar energy information in their affordable solar energy section, which are available free of charge from the site.

DIRECTV’s 3D offerings will include everything from movies to sporting events. To enjoy the 3D experience, you will need a pair of 3D glasses and a compatible 3D HDTV.

Groovel was founded in 2007 by two long-time high school friends, Jacob Fuller and Ryan Fitzgibbon. The Web site has since become popular with young Internet surfers. “Groovle was created to provide users the ability to upload photos and customize their Internet start page. We thought it would be a cool feature to have a nice photo of friends, family, etc., every time you launch your web browser, instead of the very plain Google.com and Yahoo.com page,” said Fitzgibbon.

Both Fitzgibbon and Fuller noted that the domain name dispute came as a surprise to them, because they felt that they always had a good relationship with Google. “Google never had anything to fear from our Web site. The arbitrators' decision that the two domain names are sufficiently different should put Google at ease, and we look forward to a renewed positive relationship with Google,” concluded Fuller.

James Cameron's 3D computer graphic adventure Avatar broke box office records during its first two weeks. With 750 million in sales worldwide, industry experts are calling the Avatar technology ensemble one of the greatest technological achievements of recent cinema history.

"We were approached by the Avatar production in late 2005, because we had been developing real time motion management systems," said Concept Overdrive President Steve Rosenbluth. "The Avatar workflow was all about integrating streams of motion in the production environment, both real and virtual, so our technology was a perfect match.” Concept Overdrive had an extensive role on the film’s special effects.

During Avatar’s production, six Overdrive motion management systems were used. Concept Overdrive technology was also integrated into Virtual Camera and Camera Wheels applications.

The "Samson" helicopter and Avatar’s biomechanical “Amp-suit” were filmed on hydraulic motion bases controlled live by the Overdrive control system. Actors and camera operators performed inside the helicopter while outside operators simulated a flight path with joysticks. The helicopter motion was captured so the moves could be matched in the 3D computer graphic environments.

Using Simulcam technology, production crew combined real world actors and sets with computer graphics actors and sets, giving the director the experience of shooting the scene live. This allowed the shot to be framed accurately. The camera motion in Simulcam, both lens data and gross positioning from an optical motion capture system, streamed through an Overdrive system.

The Virtual Camera and its Concept Overdrive microcontroller handled analog and digital inputs, which were sent through an Overdrive system as well, to be streamed into the 3D computer graphics world. A camera-wheels device was also developed with an internal embedded Overdrive computer—this was fed into the CG world and used for tracking shots with frame-accurate sync.

Nearly every CG shot of Avatar flowed through Overdrive computers and protocols at some point. "Being a deterministic real time system, the Overdrive boxes were the only computers on set that could gen-lock (synchronize two sources together) to camera shutter and time code," said Rosenbluth. "On some shots there were four of our systems running in parallel, it was awesome to see it all happening. On-set users had no idea of how much data was flying around the room, they just took for granted that they could get the shot, which is how it should be."

Concept Overdrive noted that because of the technology utilized on Avatar, it saved years of labor and made the virtual production run like a live-action shoot.

The new USPS mobile application takes advantage of GPS capabilities, using the Locator function to show post office locations, automated postal centers and collection boxes in closest proximity to the user. A ZIP Code lookup can also provide the ZIP code of the user’s current location

A Track and Confirm feature provides a visual monitor of packages and requires only initial input of tracking code numbers.

Fans, users and developers of the popular Google Android smartphone now have a brand new online community where they can learn from each other, share Droid apps and tips, get expert advice and catch up on the latest Droid-related news.

FeistyLittleDroid.com offers community members the chance to interact with fellow Droid enthusiasts via a variety of popular social networking tools including discussion forums, reviews, photos and personal blogs.

Movie fans may recognize the new site’s name as a nod to one of the most beloved characters in the Star Wars franchise, R2-D2.

“Everyone’s favorite little Droid in Star Wars was a feisty fellow” said Jay Witherspoon of Cellular Sales, the sponsor for FeistyLittleDroid.com. “He was unafraid to back down when challenged, while remaining loyal and eager for friendship. Those are qualities we think reflect the Droid phone and its users, too. So we loved the idea of using the ‘feisty little droid’ reference for our new community.”

Witherspoon hopes the new site will grow into a premier one-stop shop for Droid enthusiasts who want to develop relationships based on their shared interest, and work to enhance the Droid platform. “We want it to become an entertaining, informative and welcoming home for the entire Droid community. That’s why we have created FeistyLittleDroid.com with a playful and spirited atmosphere—maybe like the Star Wars cantina, but with less blaster fire,” concluded Witherspoon.

The second F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing stealth fighter arrived yesterday at Naval Air System Command in Patuxent River, Md.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Joseph T. "O.D." Bachmann piloted the aircraft nonstop from Lockheed Martin's plant in Fort Worth, Tex., successfully completing aerial refueling en route.

"Pax River is ready to begin the extensive four-year flight test campaign to help field the future of Marine Corps and Navy Aviation," said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. "Over the next year, an integrated government/industry test team will ramp up the flight test at Pax River for the F-35B variant and F-35C carrier variant, and at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant."

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs.

The app i-Inject was created by David Warden, who was diagnosed with MS in 2008. He dreamed of a more technically streamlined and accurate way to manage his healthcare and worked with a developer to bring his vision to life. "By using your iPhone or iPod touch, you don't have to organize and carry paper journals. You can track your injections and oral meds and even e-mail records to your doctor, all on a device you already use every day," said Warden.

The new app provides a means for users to track their injection rotation sites, set medication reminders and run various reports on medication inventories and use.

i-Inject is available for download to any iPhone or iPod touch mobile digital device for $14.99.

NASA has selected three proposals as candidates for the agency's next space venture to another celestial body in our solar system. The final project selected in mid-2011 may provide a better understanding of Earth's formation or perhaps the origin of life on our planet.

The proposed missions would probe the atmosphere and crust of Venus; return a piece of a near-Earth asteroid for analysis; or drop a robotic lander into a basin at the moon's south pole to return lunar rocks back to Earth for study.

NASA will select one proposal for full development after detailed mission concept studies are completed and reviewed. The studies begin during 2010, and the selected mission must be ready for launch no later than Dec. 30, 2018. Mission cost, excluding the launch vehicle, is limited to $650 million.

"These are projects that inspire and excite young scientists, engineers and the public," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These three proposals provide the best science value among eight submitted to NASA this year."

Each proposal team initially will receive approximately $3.3 million in 2010 to conduct a 12-month mission concept study that focuses on implementation feasibility, cost, management and technical plans. Studies also will include plans for educational outreach and small business opportunities.

The OTS Facebook page was launched to coincide with the annual Holiday DUI Enforcement Campaign, which began earlier this month and runs through New Year's weekend.

"The number of people visiting social networking sites is growing tremendously every day," said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. "They are fast becoming important means of communicating. We want to make sure that traffic safety is part of the conversation and continue to reduce the number of people killed and injured on our streets."

Beyond serving as an agency information page, the new Facebook page will allow OTS to communicate with all California motorists with real-time updates, life saving resources and engaging applications.

The Facebook page was launched with two key interactive elements that allow Facebook users to play an active role in being safe drivers and advocating for safe roads. The first is a non-alcoholic "Mocktail" Recipe Contest and the other is to encourage fans to make a pledge this holiday season.

The non-alcoholic recipe contest aims to inspire California party hosts to create a festive “mocktail” they can provide to guests and designated sober drivers. OTS Facebook fans can enter their favorite holiday beverage in the "Mocktail" Recipe Contest through January 13, 2010. All drinks will be judged based on creativity and taste. Two semi-finalists will be announced on January 14th to compete for the grand-prize! The grand prize winner with the winning mocktail will be revealed by January 19th.

The OTS also encourages those participating in the holiday celebrations to simply eliminate the need to drive altogether by staying the night at a nearby hotel, walking, or simply taking a taxi to ensure you arrive home safely.

Burlington International Airport in Vermont had its first wind turbine installed at their new General Aviation Facility, Heritage Aviation.

The new Northwind 100 is a 100kW wind turbine, which will help Heritage Aviation to qualify their new office and hangar facilities for LEED certification.

In addition, the facility had a 25kW solar electric system and a solar hot water (thermal) system installed.

The photovoltaic (PV) solar electric system includes 120 Evergreen 210 watt solar panels on the office-building roof. The combined output of the wind turbine and both solar energy systems are expected to offset approximately $14,600 in energy costs at the location each year, and produce enough energy to power over 40 Vermont homes.

"We're proud to be on the leading edge of energy efficiency, corporate responsibility and environmental stewardship, in our region and in the aviation industry," said Christopher Hill, president of Heritage Aviation.

According to Dr. Natalia Uribe, an optometrist who directs the Contact Lens Program in The Vision Center at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, "The brain's visual system is not fully mature until about age eight. It is critical that infants and very young children with eye problems have their sight corrected so the visual pathway develops properly. Otherwise it may not be possible for them to enjoy normal vision as an adult."

The Vision Center will treat more than 700 children this year, making it one of the largest centers in the U.S. Dr. Uribe noted that more infants are being diagnosed with major eye problems due to better screening and to the higher rate of survival among extremely preterm infants. She believes that infants may be fitted for contacts if they have had cataract surgery, need extremely high-strength prescription glasses, or have very different prescriptions for the two eyes.

Premature infants are at risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a disease affecting the blood vessels feeding the retina, and for other eye problems. Medical studies have shown that approximately 20 percent of all premature babies will develop some form of strabismus (crossed eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye) or serious refractive error (require glasses) by the time they are 3 years of age.

"Many of the children I see have a medical condition that affects only one eye. Wearing glasses with one thick lens and one clear lens will not work on very young children. A properly fitted contact lens can produce near-normal vision—the images are the same size, clear and focused, and input equally from both eyes—spurring proper brain development," said Dr. Uribe.

For example, if an infant is born with a congenital cataract, the lens inside the eye, which is used for focusing, is cloudy. Vision development in that eye is blocked, leading to amblyopia as the child grows.

When a cataract is surgically removed in an adult, it is usually replaced with a lens implant. Lens implant surgery does not work for very young children because their eyes are growing so rapidly. Contact lenses are the preferred choice because they can be refitted frequently and they provide more natural vision than lop-sided cataract glasses.

Contact lenses for young children run from $90 to $300 per lens depending on the prescription. Because of the huge changes that occur in the eye during a baby's first year of life, children may require up to six different prescriptions. The lenses are considered medically necessary (vs. cosmetic use), so insurance generally covers at least some of the costs associated with them.

Dr. Uribe reports that parents are generally scared to insert the lenses at first, but quickly develop ways of coping. As the child grows, he/she often becomes responsible for his/her own lenses at age seven or eight.

"Although we often think of contact lenses as appropriate cosmetically for teenagers, they can also be a good alternative for school-age children who wear glasses and want to participate in sports or are subject to teasing," said Dr. Uribe.

Wait a second—rabbit ears? Is this 1950?

No, it's almost 2010, and the Lams are a modern Los Angeles family that, like many in the region, are rediscovering the convenience—and economics—of the old-fashioned TV antenna.

In the wake of the transition to digital television, Southland viewers are finding they can get nearly three times as many channels as they once could with an antenna. And rather than the erratic, fuzzy reception of yesteryear, today's rabbit ears are capable of delivering a surprisingly clear high-definition picture.

Best of all, it's free, said Nancy Lam, the mother of the family.

"I've saved a lot of money by getting rid of cable," Lam said. "We only had to purchase the antenna one time, and now we have it forever, instead of paying every single month."

In these penny-pinching times, watching TV over the airwaves is becoming an increasingly attractive option for many households, particularly among the Los Angeles region's minority communities.

Although the number of households with antennas in the U.S. fell slightly in the last year, nearly 20,000 Asian American homes in the region began using rabbit ears, and 8,000 African Americans switched to over-the-air TV, according to the media research firm Nielsen Co.

Nearly a quarter of Latino households with televisions, or about 440,000 homes, already tune in with an antenna—the most of any demographic group in the area.

About 11% of U.S. households—or about 13 million homes—watch over-the-air broadcasts.

But watching TV over the airwaves has begun to appeal to a broader audience.

"It's the best-kept secret around here," said Mike Mahan, who recently installed a pair of antennas in the attic of his Ladera Ranch home and dropped his cable subscription. "I just got tired of paying for hundreds of channels I don't watch."

With antennas that can cost as little as a dollar, most Los Angeles viewers can now pick up close to 70 channels, up from around 26 before the federally mandated digital switch-over last summer. Nearly a dozen of the digital channels are broadcast in high definition.

Having upgraded to the more sophisticated digital technology, stations are able to slice their broadcast spectrum into a number of subchannels, such as KNBC-TV Channel 4's 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4.

Many of the new channels are aimed at the region's ethnic communities, giving rise to a growing selection of news, entertainment and educational programming for Latino, Asian and Eastern European viewers.

In Los Angeles, more than 30 over-the-air channels are available in English, including stations featuring movies, dramas and children's programs. Major networks including ABC, CBS and NBC beam out daytime and prime-time shows—and professional sports—in resolution with clarity that may shock viewers expecting the hazy broadcast signals they remember from childhood.

"Everyone who does it says the picture quality is actually better than what you're getting through cable," said Patricia McDonough, a senior vice president at Nielsen.

As more viewers tune in to the newly reenergized possibilities of broadcast television, manufacturers say they can't make antennas fast enough.

"Our sales are going through the roof," said Richard Schneider, president of Antennas Direct, a St. Louis manufacturer of the devices.

Schneider said that sales had nearly tripled since the switch-over, and that he had to add a new assembly line in his factory to meet the demand. The company produces nearly 100,000 antennas every month, thousands of which are sold in the Los Angeles area, he said.

Viewers are also finding they can combine broadcast television with the growing array of movie and TV programming available online.

Mahan of Ladera Ranch dropped his subscription to Cox Cable last year in favor of a pair of high-end antennas and an Internet connection that lets him watch movies through Netflix and TV shows through video websites such as Hulu .com. He even rigged up a device that can record shows directly off the antenna.

But cable companies contend that over-the-air broadcasts are less reliable and that the signal can be easily interrupted or weakened, depending on where a home is. Homes near hills, for instance, may have trouble receiving all the channels available in a given area.

"There are always risks involved with going over the air or using an antenna to receive a digital picture, mainly because digital airwaves are not as forgiving as analog airwaves and are always subject to interference," said Darryl Ryan, a spokesman for Time Warner Cable Inc.

In addition, many popular cable-only channels, including ESPN and CNN, are not yet available over the air. However, at least one Silicon Valley start-up has been experimenting with piping cable and satellite programs onto the airwaves in Los Angeles. Sezmi Corp. expects to roll out its service in major U.S. markets early next year. It plans to charge users about $25 a month for a service that offers a selection of broadcast, cable and Internet programming.

To watch broadcast TV, viewers must have both an antenna and a television capable of processing the digital signal. Those with pre-digital televisions can purchase a converter box for $30 to $50 that will enable the antenna to work with their TV set.

The cost of antennas varies according to their size and complexity, and can range from less than $5 for small, indoor rabbit ears to nearly $200 for a larger outdoor antenna that will receive more channels and clearer signals. Finding the right antenna, and the best location for it, may involve some trial and error.

The best evidence that the broadcast audience is growing may be the flowering of new local channels, said Francis X. Wilkinson, general manager of KJLA-TV, an L.A. station.

KJLA has divided its broadcast spectrum into nine digital sub-channels, 57.1-57.9. It carries three channels in Spanish, three in Vietnamese, and one each in Korean and Armenian. (The remaining sub-channel is a shopping network devoted to jewelry.) As with other broadcast stations, several of KJLA's sub-channels are available via an antenna but not through cable.

"Nobody really expected the plethora of stations and choices that people would have over the air," Wilkinson said. "It's been a tremendous plus for everyone."

In February, the Lams plan to watch local Chinese New Year festivities on Little Saigon TV (Channel 44.4). With their two swimmer sons practicing for the Junior Olympics and a daughter headed for college, the Lams haven't had as much family TV time as they once did.

But when they do gather to watch the festivities, they'll be using rabbit ears that don't look any different from what viewers may have used six decades earlier, perhaps even in price. Instead of shelling out $30 for a new antenna, the Lams got theirs at a 99-cents store.

"The cheapest one was super clear," Lam said.

As America again faces both economic collapse and multiple wars, pulp fiction appears to be making a comeback as entertainment, according to the latest movie box office and publishing figures. America’s fascination with pulp classics dates back to the 1930s and 50s—a time known as the “Golden Age” of pulp fiction and the last period that America faced similar challenges.

During the first decade of the 21st century, 8 of the top 10 films were stories written during fiction’s golden age. Lord of the Rings, Batman: The Dark Knight, Spider Man 1 and 2 and Star Wars Episode 3 grossed well over $3 billion in the U.S. alone. In publishing, L. Ron Hubbard’s multi-genre pulp fiction series, “Stories from the Golden Age,” Walter Gibson’s “The Shadow” and Lester Dent’s “Doc Savage,” all saw marked increases in distribution and sales in traditional and non-traditional outlets.

Hollywood-based Galaxy Press reported a 500% sales increase spurred by a strong domestic demand from the library; education and transportation markets since the launch of its line of 80 pulp fiction print and audio books by pulp master L. Ron Hubbard.
"It's clear that these audiences are looking for high-action entertainment with a broad appeal to readers of all ages—including readers who need to see the story take off right away," said John Goodwin, president of Galaxy Press, publishers of the Stories from the Golden Age book series.

Pulp fiction characters, like the stories, were bigger than life and that is what appealed to the 30 million readers caught in harsh economic times. America needed and wanted heroes and the pulps provided them. Adventure House publisher, John Gunnison, a Maryland-based republisher and distributor of pulp fiction, understands why Hollywood is so enamored with pulp fiction, stating, "There are no better heroes than the pulp heroes."

Goodwin believes that for a few decades “Americans didn’t need their heroes with America’s global expansion, housing, technology and Internet booms—who needs a hero to save you if you're not in danger?"

Based on film success and publishing figures, America's love for heroes and desire to see them win has definitely returned.

The “Advanced Technology SuperHighway” exhibit will feature vehicles with advancements in electric, diesel, natural gas, advanced petroleum, biofuels, ethanol and hydrogen technologies. Among others, the Mercedes-Benz F-Cell hydrogen fuel cell car will be on display, as well as the new Toyota Prius PHV and Nissan Leaf.

"We are literally putting innovation front and center," said Charles Stringfellow, chairman of the 2010 Washington Auto Show, which is known for its mass appeal as well as its emphasis on public policy. "The concept of the SuperHighway is to provide a central meeting place for policy makers, industry officials, consumers and the media to survey the tremendous advances in the industry."

The Washington Auto Show is scheduled for January 27-31.

The 2010 Ford Taurus earned top five-star crash ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for driver and passenger in front and side crash tests.

Ford has implemented a new suite of advanced crash-avoidance technologies in the redesigned Taurus, including a radar-based collision warning system and Cross Traffic Alert that helps drivers avoid accidents. The system, enabled by Adaptive Cruise Control, uses a radar sensor to detect moving vehicles ahead and provides a visual “heads-up” warning signal and an audible warning when slower-moving traffic is detected ahead. “The new Taurus is the Ford safety flagship with top safety ratings and advanced crash-protection and crash-avoidance technologies that you may not find in luxury vehicles that cost twice as much,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president for Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “A stiffer body structure and new crash-avoidance technologies make the Taurus even safer.”

The new Taurus also features some of the industry's first side air bags that use pressure pulses from a side impact to deploy up to 30 percent faster than traditional air bags with acceleration-based sensors. Pressure-based sensors more accurately measure crash severity to better differentiate between a potentially serious air bag-deployable crash and a less serious accident that would not require air bag protection.

Although there is increased pressure to cut budgets during tough economic times, some CIOs are realizing the importance of retaining good staff. "High quality staff can always get jobs and I think it's these people we need to concentrate on. We need to keep them involved and engaged," said Powell.

The role of training is also vital in retaining IT staff. Many employees regard training as more important than money. "Development plans should be put into place, because that is more important to people in the IT space than money is. Money tends to be a very short-term motivator and long-term de-motivator. IT people in particular see themselves as being change agents and really value the development more than anything else so I'd much rather that CIOs are continuing to invest time if not money into the development of their people," added Whiting.

Ensuring that employees are working on interesting projects is another top tip. "It's about giving people enough interesting work and interesting projects. Technical people especially like to be working on the newest and the greatest technologies, and you have to allow for that,” noted Powell.

Whilst keeping your employees happy in the workplace is extremely important, getting people out of the office and away from computer screens can improve people's creativity. Powell explains why days out can get people's imaginations fired up. "In the Arts Council we tend to go to an artistic exhibition, we spend a day out, see some art. You're taking employees right away from IT and making them realize why they're working for the Arts Council.”

IT staff with softer skills are also a key asset. "In the modern world we have to try and exploit those softer skills," exclaimed Powell. As IT people become more senior within an organization it becomes less and less about technology, and it's more and more about the softer skills. "The people who can make that transition will be the ones that add more value to an organization and that's what people really need to be thinking about," concluded Powell.

Ricky James and the SoCal SuperTrucks Super Lite team experienced a roller-coaster weekend plagued with mechanical issues at the Rockstar Energy 2009 Challenge Cup at the Lake Elsinore Motorsports Complex.

Despite the mechanical issues, Friday’s qualifying went well for James as he came away with the third fastest time—only a few tenths of a second behind off-road racing veterans Todd LeDuc and Rob Naughton, who made cameo appearances in the Super Lite class. James’ crew worked through the night, making tweaks and adjustments in hopes of fixing an issue that had been plaguing the team over the past few months.

As the green flag waived on Saturday for the main event, James wasted no time getting out front and showing the crowd why he is a dominant driver in the Super Lite class. Unfortunately, after the fourth lap it was evident that his engine was giving out. James continued to fight, but the truck slowly began to fade to the back of the pack.

“It was definitely a bummer today, but that’s racing”, said Ricky James. “I would have loved to take the win for the team, but this gets me more motivated than ever to bring home a Championship in 2010.”

Casey Coughlin, co-owner of SoCal SuperTrucks, added “We definitely experienced a whirlwind of emotions today, watching Ricky go from first to mid-pack, back to first, and then backwards. Ricky did everything right today and we’re proud of him. With the season done we can now go back, troubleshoot the mechanical issues and prepare for the 2010 Super Lite Championship.”

Dewalt is making it easier to track and monitor your valuables, and recover them in case they are stolen. It’s newest product, the Dewalt Mobilelock uses a portable GPS tracking locator and built-in alarm sensors. It’s sensors can also detect vibrations, door contact, tampering and even changes in temperature.

The Mobilelock system is managed through a secure Web site or phone menu system. Optional alerts by mobile text message or email are available, providing you the opportunity to be informed of a disturbance of your equipment.

The Dewalt Mobilelock is available now for $390.

Ford Motor Company has been working on a new technology that allows engineers to actually see unwanted sounds and eliminate them during vehicle development.

"The key to world-class interior quietness is to pinpoint the source and location of every unwanted sound, no matter how subtle it is," said Bill Gulker, Ford's leader of Wind Noise Engineering.

Noise Vision is a small sphere that is placed inside the vehicle cabin. The high-tech tool's thermal imaging is similar to the kind used for military work and medical research. It is equipped with more than 30 highly sensitive microphones and 12 special cameras. A software program reads data from Noise Vision and creates a computerized image showing interior noise "hot spots," including wind noise, a squeak or rattle, or unwanted feedback from the engine or the road.

Ford began using this technology for the development of its 2010 lineup. "Noise Vision already is paying off for Ford, with the new 2010 Taurus, Fusion, Flex and F-150 achieving the quietest interiors in their class," added Gulker.

Prior to Noise Vision, Ford engineers worked long and hard to identify unwanted rattles, squeaks or knocks. Finding an unwanted sound often was a process of elimination, which could take days or weeks.

Noise Vision now streamlines the process to hours, and it's cost-effective. "We used to rely on trial and error to make a vehicle quieter," said Gulker. "It was a process of elimination that often led us to mask the issue with thicker glass or more sound insulation. Noise Vision literally shows us where the noise is and allows us to eliminate it once and for all.”

For decades, it has been known that cutting normal calorie consumption by 30 to 40 percent can boost lifespan and improve overall health in animals such as worms and mice.

A new study conducted by biologist Leonard Guarente from MIT showed that those effects are controlled by sirtuins—proteins that keep cells alive and healthy in the face of stress by coordinating a variety of hormonal networks, regulatory proteins and other genes.

Guarente notes that sirtuins bring about the effects of calorie restriction on a brain system known as the somatropic signaling axis, which controls growth and influences lifespan length. His research team genetically engineered mice whose ability to produce sirtuin (SIRT1) in the brain was greatly reduced. Those mice and normal mice were placed on a calorie-restricted diet. The normal mice showed much lower levels of circulating growth hormones, demonstrating that their somatropic signaling system was impaired—but calorie restriction had no effect on hormone levels of mice that could not produce SIRT1.

“This puts SIRT1 at a nexus connecting the effects of diet and the somatropic signaling axis,” said Guarente. “This is a major shot across the bow that says sirtuins really are involved in fundamental aspects of calorie restriction.”

Guarente and others believe that drugs that boost sirtuin production could help fight diseases of aging such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s, improving health in later life and potentially extending lifespan. Drugs that promote sirtuin production are now in clinical trials for diabetes patients, with results expected next year.

PosiMotion announced the Helix Gaming Grip accessory for the iPod Touch and the iPhone.

The Helix is light and portable and is expected to improve accelerometer-based gameplay.

“Not only does the simplicity of Helix make it easy to travel with, but it allows the end user to play games in both landscape and portrait mode,” said PosiMotion’s President Olivier Hennessy.

The Helix ships next spring and will retail for $19.99.

The first S-76D helicopter airframe has entered production on the assembly line at Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic in preparation for the customer deliveries planned to begin in 2011. The new airframe had its fuselage joined and then entered its final assembly at Aero. The fuselage is scheduled to depart from Aero in April 2010 for delivery to Sikorsky Global Helicopters facility in Coatesville, Penn., where final assembly and completion of the S-76D helicopters will take place.

"It has taken a tremendous amount of coordination, teamwork and dedication to reach this important milestone in the S-76D helicopter program, both within Sikorsky's operations and with many key suppliers who have contributed to the program," said Tim Fox, S-76D helicopter program manager. "Today we can say we are manufacturing S-76D aircraft, and we are truly excited about it."

Sikorsky will receive S-76D helicopter fuselages at an initial rate of one per month, beginning with the first fuselage due in April 2010. Full S-76D helicopter production rates are expected to be achieved in 2011.

More than 30 key suppliers support the S-76D helicopter production effort. "These suppliers are committed to the program and are working collaboratively towards the delivery of the aircraft. With the airframe originating in the Czech Republic, the engines in Canada, avionics in France, and tail pylon in Turkey, to name a few components, the S-76D helicopter is truly a world citizen supported by world-class suppliers," Fox said.

Among the S-76D helicopter's features are all-composite, flaw-tolerant main rotor blades; an advanced Thales avionics system and autopilot; dual speed rotor with active vibration control; powerful Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engines; a quiet mode for enhanced public acceptance; and an optional Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS) for all-weather capability.

“This does not surprise me,” said Mimi Witcher, a 66 year-old tech-savvy instructor and founder of Computer School for seniors. “Seniors are flocking to the Internet. I have seen a steady increase in my college classes geared toward seniors. They want to learn how to get connected with family and friends.”

Based on the recent research, the online computer school changed their curriculum on December 16th to a three step process to help their senior students, get connected, explore the world and learn more about their computers.

Along with a new streamlined website, Computer School for Seniors (www.CS4seniors.com) is reaching out to sons, daughters and grandchildren to help get their parents and grandparents connected this holiday season with a gift enrollment to the newly remodeled online campus.

“We want to encourage the more computer-savvy children and grandchildren,” said Witcher, “to help their parents and grandparents learn how to use the Internet to stay in touch with friends and family all over the world.”

Microsoft introduced Bing in the App Store. The new iPhone/iPod Touch application offers direct access to the new Bing search engine.

The application is capable of searching for images, movie times, maps and directions, business listings, and news.

Bing also utilizes geolocation to provide movie listings in the user’s area and can also provide a starting location for map-based directions.

Voice search is also available and works similar to Google’s Mobile App.

Toshiba launched a 64GB embedded NAND flash memory module, the highest capacity currently on the market. The chip is the flagship device in a line-up of six new embedded NAND flash memory modules.

The new chips were designed to work in a wide range of digital consumer products, including smartphones, mobile phones, netbooks and digital video cameras. The 64GB embedded device combines sixteen pieces of 32Gbit (equal to 4GB) NAND chips.

Toshiba said it would begin mass production in the first quarter of 2010.

A group of researchers from UC Santa Barbara and the University of Michigan have developed synthetic particles that closely mimic the characteristics and key functions of natural red blood cells—including softness, flexibility, and the ability to carry oxygen.

The primary function of natural red blood cells is to carry oxygen, and the synthetic red blood cells (sRBCs) perform this function well, retaining 90% of their oxygen-binding capacity after a week.
The sRBCs also have been shown to deliver therapeutic drugs effectively, and can carry well-distributed contrast agents for enhancing the resolution of diagnostic images.

“This ability to create flexible biomimetic carriers for therapeutic and diagnostic agents really opens up a whole new realm of possibilities in drug delivery and similar applications,” noted UCSB chemical engineering professor Samir Mitragotri. “We know that we can further engineer sRBCs to carry additional therapeutic agents, both encapsulated in the sRBC and on its surface.”

In addition to synthesizing particles that mimic the shape and properties of healthy red blood cells, the technique can also be used to develop particles that mimic the shape and properties of diseased cells, such as those found in sickle-cell anemia and hereditary eliptocytosis. The availability of such synthetic diseased cells is expected to lead to greater understanding of how those diseases and others affect red blood cells.

The U.S. Air Force X-51A WaveRider vehicle made its first captive carry flight under the wing of a B-52 carry aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

A captive carry flight, in which a test vehicle is attached to and carried by another aircraft, is a common approach for testing a new type of aircraft before it flies on its own.

"The successful captive carry flight keeps the X-51A team on track for a major breakthrough in propulsion technology and the realization of scramjet powered flight," said George Thum, X-51A program manager, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.

The X-51A program is a collaborative effort of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, The Boeing Company and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne. "This was a great day for the program," added Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager, Air Force Research Laboratory. "We successfully captured all of our test points without any anomalies. I'm really proud of the AFRL, Air Force Flight Test Center and the Boeing/Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne teams' efforts to move us toward the big event."

During the “big event” early next year, the X-51A will demonstrate hypersonic flight up to six times the speed of sound.

Scientists have discovered that the drug hydroxyurea kills bacteria by forcing them to produce molecules that are toxic to themselves.

The discovery is important, because it raises the possibility of finding new antibiotics that use similar mechanisms.

Hydroxyurea inhibits the enzyme critical for making the building blocks for DNA, so for decades it has been widely used to study the consequences of preventing DNA replication in E. coli, yeast and mammalian cells. It is also sometimes used in chemotherapy to halt the growth of cancer cells.

The researchers from MIT and Boston University found that cells don’t die after hydroxyurea treatment because their DNA replication is blocked, but because the blockage sets in motion a chain of cellular events that culminates in the production of hydroxyl radicals. Those radicals are highly reactive and can damage cellular molecules such as nucleic acids, lipids and proteins.

“This naturally leads to the thought that one could perhaps find a new class of antibiotic that acts further down the chain of events that stimulate hydroxyl radical production,” said Graham Walker, lead research biologist from MIT.

The findings could also aid in the development of adjuvants—small molecules that would enhance the lethality of current antibiotics, concluded Collins.

With more than 60 years combined experience in the automotive industry and a passion for classic British automobiles, Brian Thornton and Keith Leigh-Monstevens are embarking on a new venture together with the establishment of Heritage Spares in Highland, Mich. The new company will be the main distributor for AP Braking (formerly AP Lockheed) brake and clutch replacement parts in North America.

“By reintroducing genuine AP brake and clutch replacement parts to the U.S. and Canada, we are providing the British car enthusiast with the optimal maintenance or restoration solution—the ability to fit factory specified, original equipment replacement parts to their cars,” said Brian Thornton, president and vice president of sales and marketing for Heritage Spares. “The brake, clutch and automotive engineering experience that Keith and I bring to the company, along with our intimate knowledge of classic British cars and our singular focus on brake and clutch replacement parts, will undoubtedly establish Heritage Spares as a premier source for the British car owner, restorer or mechanic.”

With backgrounds stemming from mechanical and automotive engineering, Thornton and Leigh-Monstevens have an appreciation for the technology behind high quality automotive parts. In addition, Leigh-Monstevens’ 40 years of experience working for AP companies, including AP Braking, and serving as its chief engineer further drive his passion for making premier British parts available to American and Canadian classic car aficionados.

Heritage Spares will provide customers with a product line that features genuine AP replacement parts that are manufactured to original tolerances from original AP tooling and specified materials. Its main goal is to help maintain the performance and safety that the British OEMs originally engineered into their products.

Parts will be available to British models spanning from the ‘40s, ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s. They include: Austin, Austin-Healey, BMC, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini, MG, Morgan, Morris, Riley and Triumph.

Microsoft and Lockheed Martin reached an intellectual property licensing agreement that will allow Lockheed to build simulators based on ESP PC-based visual simulation software platform.

The agreement gives Lockheed Martin access to the ESP technology portfolio enabling the company to build cost-effective simulation solutions to better train pilots for battle. Lockheed Martin also plans on extending the current capabilities of ESP to go beyond flight training to include ground and civil agency applications.

“The training needs of our military and civil government customers continue to expand,” said Chester Kennedy, vice president of Engineering at Lockheed Martin’s Simulation, Training & Support business unit. “Seeking out and developing new innovative solutions such as this one based on the proven Microsoft ESP technology allows Lockheed Martin to provide our customers with new and tailored training systems more quickly and cost efficiently.”

A Bell 206B JetRanger police helicopter flying over an urban downtown is one
example of how Microsoft ESP enables pilots to navigate through a wide variety of
highly-realistic static and animated objects including ground and air vehicles,
buildings, and other structures.

The first live 3D broadcast ever to be shown on giant video screens at a major sporting event was unveiled at Cowboys Stadium, electrifying over 80,000 fans who were given 3D glasses upon entering the stadium. Beginning with the second half kickoff of the Dallas Cowboys-San Diego Chargers football game, the enormous center-hung screen in the new stadium was converted from high definition 2D, enabling fans to view both live action and instant replays in 3D.

The screen measures 160 feet in length and 72 feet in height. It is suspended 90 feet directly over the center of the playing surface and stretches from one 20-yard line to the other. Its massive size allowed fans on all levels in the stadium to view the game in crisp, clear 3D images during the second half.

"The HDlogix 3D technology experienced by the Dallas Cowboys fans today at Cowboys Stadium will soon be enjoyed by television viewers around the world," said Jim Spinella, President and CEO of HDlogix. "Our new ImageIQ 3D technology will make it possible for anyone to enjoy 3D video of sporting events, feature movies and television shows whether they were produced in 3D or not. We believe it is the next significant evolution in television viewing.

MIT Media Lab researchers have created an LCD display that lets users manipulate on-screen images using hand gestures.

A group of scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have identified gene expression and biological pathways involved in the onset and healing process of gingivitis.

Gingivitis is characterized by gums that are red, swollen and tender and that bleed easily during brushing and flossing.

The discovery is important because gingivitis that is left untreated can potentially lead to tooth loss, premature birth, heart disease, diabetes, or stroke.

Researchers found that more than 9,000 genes, which are approximately 30% of the genes found in the human body, are involved at the onset of gingivitis and the healing process. "The study's findings demonstrate that clinical symptoms of gingivitis reflect complicated changes in cellular and molecular processes within the body," said Steven Offenbacher, D.D.S., Ph.D., the study's lead author and director of the UNC School of Dentistry-based Center for Oral and Systemic Diseases.

The study was performed on 14 healthy individuals with mild gingivitis. After baseline tooth cleanings, gingivitis was induced in each participant, followed by an oral hygiene regimen of twice-daily brushing and regular flossing. Gum tissue was collected at baseline, four weeks after the induction of gingivitis and one week after resuming the oral hygiene regimen of brushing and flossing.

The gene expression data was analyzed using gene chip technology that enabled the researchers to detect changes in the expression of more than 30,000 genes. By applying advanced genomics bioinformatics tools, the researchers were able to identify the biological pathways and gene expression patterns associated with gingivitis—including those associated with immune response, energy metabolism, neural processes, vasculature, chemotaxis, would healing and steroid metabolism.

The build-up of plaque formed during the onset of gingivitis represents the overgrowth of bacteria as a biofilm on the teeth above and below the gum line. Biofilms can form in other parts of the body and are known to be involved with health conditions, such as urinary tract infections, ear infections and chronic sinusitis. Researchers believe that learning about how the body interacts with bacteria overgrowth during gingivitis could provide insight into a variety of biofilm-associated diseases.

In 1994, a United States federal court granted exclusive rights to RMS Titanic, Inc. to recover objects from the wreck site of the world-famous ocean liner.

Since then, the company has conducted seven research and recovery expeditions in the North Atlantic, which have yielded the recovery of approximately 5,500 artifacts.

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition is devoted to the artifacts that have been recovered from Titanic’s final resting place. Visitors will get a glimpse at life onboard the ship, see the worldwide debut of artifacts from Carpathia, Titanic's rescue ship, discover the science behind Titanic's design and demise, and witness the remarkable search and recovery efforts that have led to a better understanding of what happened on that fateful night in 1912.

The Titanic is considered the most tragic shipwreck in history. Out of 2,223 people on board, only 706 survived. Last Nov. the youngest passenger on board Titanic and the last living survivor of the tragedy, Millvina Dean, passed away at the age of 97 near Southampton, England.

Since 1991, Titanic exhibitions have been seen by over 16 million people worldwide. The newest exhibit is being hosted now in Rochester, N.Y., Louisville, Ky., New York City, N.Y., St. Paul, Minn. and Las Vegas, Nev.

The Safety Advisory Board is the latest component of an aggressive global safety agenda for the company. Over the past year, Facebook has been working with attorneys general across the U.S. to help protect children from online predators by identifying and disabling the accounts of registered sex offenders.

The company said it plans to regularly meet with board members to review the existing safety resources it provides its users, develop new materials, and seek advice on general safety best practices on an ongoing basis.

"We believe that the only way to keep kids safe online is for everyone who wants to protect them to work together," said Elliot Schrage, Vice-President of Global Communications and Public Policy at Facebook.

This is not the first time Facebook has consulted with external organizations on its safety practices. The formation of the Safety Advisory Board will allow the company to gather more feedback and to formalize the relationships with these organizations. The five organizations on the board are Common Sense Media, ConnectSafely, WiredSafety, Childnet International and The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI).

The new wireless Internet frame allows you to view and share photos, listen to Internet radio, watch videos and receive news updates from RSS feeds.

It comes with a 7-inch widescreen and has a native resolution of 800x480. Its rechargeable battery has an estimated battery life of 1.5 hours.

You can upload photos and other content into its 128MB internal memory from a memory card, the Web, a PC via Wi-Fi or USB connection; or view content directly from memory cards as well.

The frame also has a built-in clock, calendar, alarm and on-screen QWERTY keyboard.

The Intouch IT750 frame retails for $229.99.

The largest renewable energy provider in Europe, Statkraft, has developed a prototype that can generate power by exploiting the energy available when fresh water and seawater are mixed.

Osmotic power is a renewable and emissions-free energy source that Statkraft has been researching for 10 years. "This new technology generates electricity simply by mixing water. New solutions to meet the climate challenges might be closer than we expect, which makes me confident that the future looks bright," said Statkraft CEO and President, Bard Mikkelsen.

Mikkelsen said that the prototype in Norway will have a limited production capacity and is intended primarily for testing and development purposes. His goal is to build a commercial osmotic power plant within a few years’ time.

Statkraft estimates osmotic power can generate between 1,600 and 1,700 TWh annually, which is equivalent to 50 percent of the Europe’s total production.

Future osmotic plants can be built wherever fresh water runs into the sea. They produce no noise or polluting emissions and can be integrated into existing industrial zones.

"For women at high risk for breast cancer, screening is very important, but a careful approach should be taken when considering mammography for screening young women, particularly under age 30," said Marijke C. Jansen-van der Weide, Ph.D., epidemiologist in the Department of Epidemiology and Radiology at University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands. "Further, repeated exposure to low-dose radiation should be avoided."

Dr. Jansen-van der Weide noted that women who are at high risk for breast cancer need to begin screening at a younger age, because they often develop cancer earlier than women at average risk. However, alternative screening methods to mammography such as ultrasound and MRI should be considered, because the benefit of early tumor detection in this group of women may be offset by the potential risk of radiation-induced cancer.

The researchers conducted their study by performing an analysis of peer-reviewed, published medical research to determine the effect of exposure to low-dose radiation among breast cancer gene mutation carriers, and the effect of radiation on women with a family history of breast cancer. Using data from these studies, the researchers were able to calculate pooled odds ratios to estimate radiation-induced breast cancer risk.

The results showed that among all high-risk women in the study, average increased risk of breast cancer due to low-dose radiation exposure was 1.5 times greater than that of high-risk women not exposed to low-dose radiation. High-risk women exposed before age 20 or with five or more exposures were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than high-risk women not exposed to low-dose radiation.

Dr. Jansen-van der Weide said that this analysis is based on a small study sample and should be interpreted with caution. She also pointed out that these results apply only to specific high-risk groups of women. Women at average risk were not assessed in this study.

In general, early detection with mammography and prompt treatment can significantly improve a woman's chances of survival. More than 90 percent of women whose breast cancer is found in an early stage will survive. For young, high-risk women and their doctors, it is important to weigh the benefits against any potential risk when making a decision about annual breast cancer screening with mammography.

SIRIUS Traffic is expected to be installed in 70% of the Mercedes-Benz 2010 model lineup equipped with navigation and SIRIUS satellite radio.

The service comes pre-activated with a six-month trial subscription along with a six-month trial of the SIRIUS Everything satellite radio package.

SIRIUS Traffic provides traffic speed and flow information to vehicles over SIRIUS’ nationwide satellite network. It also provides information on traffic incidents, scheduled road closings and road construction. Since SIRIUS Traffic is integrated with the vehicle’s navigation system, the service assists drivers in picking the quickest, safest routes based on real-time traffic conditions.

The one-of-a-kind New York Yankees Ford Mustang GT that was offered as a sweepstakes prize commemorating the opening of the brand new Yankees stadium, will sell to the highest bidder. The original winner of the vehicle, a lifetime Yankees fan, is allowing it to be auctioned so he can put the proceeds towards the education of his children.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase a one-of-a-kind commemorative collector car," said Robert Doyle, auctioneer for United Country Absolute Auction & Realty. "The World Series win for the Yankees this year only adds to the provenance of this unique collector car. Plus, the dashboard is signed by the 2009 SI Sportsman of the Year, Derek Jeter."

The 2010 Mustang has less than 1,000 miles on the odometer and comes complete with all paperwork validating the authenticity of the car and copies of the publicity pictures. In addition to the signature Yankees pinstripe paint job and logo, the Mustang has a 4.6L V-8 engine, an automatic transmission, interior blue lighting throughout, 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry, ambient interior lighting, convertible top, leather interior, Shaker 500 AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo system, anti-lock brakes with traction control, Ford cold air induction system, side airbags, and power seats.

NASA Television will air the events surrounding the launch and delivery of the next three new residents to the International Space Station. Coverage with a broadcast of prelaunch activities begins on Dec. 8 at 11 am CST and continues through the crew’s arrival to the orbiting laboratory on Dec. 22.

The Soyuz TMA-17 crew comprises Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, U.S. astronaut Timothy Creamer and Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi. They will launch on Dec. 20 at 3:51 pm CST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and are expected to remain at the space station for six months.

The 10-minute DVD will be available to school districts across the U.S. “It is so important for us to help our children stay safe and healthy given the abundant and sometimes confusing messages about colds, the flu, swine flu, H1N1 and influenza," said Mary Craig, president of the Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center (ENAHEC). "The more we can educate youngsters on this critical health concern the better equipped they will be to stay free of all flu types including the H1N1 virus."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported there were eight million cases of H1N1 flu virus among children under the age of 18 from April through October 17. This represented 36 percent of all cases nationwide and included 36,000 hospitalizations and 540 deaths.

Visitors can watch and share more than 12,000 two-minute streaming clips from the libraries of 20th Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Inc., Paramount, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures.

"Our goal was to build a place where we could easily find, watch, and share all the best movie scenes. Our content partners are incredible. They made it possible for us to build the greatest collection of licensed movie clips online today. It's pretty cool to be able to send a clip from Sixteen Candles to my sister on her birthday or a Wayne's World 'Party on!' clip to my friends on a Friday night," said co-founder and CEO Zach James.

The MOVIECLIPS.com player can be embedded in social networks like Facebook and MySpace, blogs and personal websites and Twitter.

When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes—Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost—band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch's way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, "The Guardians" are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear. The film is based on "The Guardians of Childhood," a series of highly anticipated books by William Joyce.

The CG animated film will most likely be produced in 3D and is scheduled for a November 2, 2012 release.

The Up! Lite concept car made its debut at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The new hybrid is capable of up to 70 mpg on the highway, with room for four adults.

At the heart of the Up! Lite is Volkswagen's all-new hybrid power train consisting of an 0.8-liter, two-cylinder Diesel engine, and an electric motor that acts as the vehicle's starter, alternator, and E-drive unit. On its own, the 0.8L engine produces 51 horsepower and up to 88 lbs.-ft. of torque. The electric motor, with its 13 additional horsepower, can be used to boost the Diesel engine when needed. Its seven-speed transmission ensures the driver has access to the full power range whenever needed, and allows for a 0 to 60 mph run of 12 seconds, a top speed of 100 mph, and a fuel economy rating of 70 mpg.

Unforgettable Vocals
Vocalist Lisbeth Scott shares with us her experiences working on some of the biggest blockbuster movies and discusses her new album and campaign called “Hope Is a Thing.”
Pg. 16

NASA’s Spirit Rover: Five Years on Mars, But Could the End Be Near?
Its exploration mission on the “red planet” was originally planned to last only three months. After numerous obstacles, the rover has survived much longer, but are its days numbered?
Pg.12

An Urban Icon in America
The Empire State Building is not only famous for its appearance in the movie King Kong, but also its vibrant history.
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Smile, You’re on Photo Radar!
It seems as though photo radar is everywhere these days, but how exactly does it work?
Pg. 38

40,000 Miles in 248 Days
Learn about an expedition that will take motorcycle enthusiasts around the world.
Pg. 36

Perseverance Knows No Boundaries
Ricky James has become one of the most recognized figures in off-road racing. His accomplishments are an example of
boundless perseverance.
Pg. 32

Move Over Petroleum, Algae is Coming
A new eco-friendly technology could soon replace petroleum. OriginOil, Inc. is developing an innovative technology that can transform algae into a renewable source of oil.
Pg. 15

Finding New Talent
Boy George has been busy these days working on a new album. He is also supporting the world’s first online creative community, called Talenthouse. We caught up with Boy George and asked him about his new project.
Pg. 37

Digital Marketing at Its Best
Jason Yim and Trigger LLC design high-end Web sites and games to market big Hollywood movies.
Pg. 39

From Garbage to Ethanol
In the motion picture Back to the Future Part II, Dr. Emmett Brown refuels the DeLorean time machine with garbage. These days, that technology is not so far-fetched.
Pg. 10

Technology News and Tips
Epic Action WIDE ANGLE Video Cam
Securing Your USB Flash Drive with Windows 7
Robots: The Interactive Exhibition
The Subaru WRX STi TRAX
Wireless Alarm System
SuperSpeed USB 3.0 External Drive
Pg. 42

Railroad Safety Operations
Have you ever wondered how railroad crossing warning signals work? Brian Lehman, who serves as railroad safety supervisor with the Ariz. Corporation Commission Railroad Safety Section, tells us about the technology behind the crossing signals.
Pg. 44

Ride Like a Champion
Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk releases a new gaming experience that aims to teach kids about living a healthy lifestyle.
Pg. 14

Data received from NASA’s Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, revealed the existence of water in a lunar crater.

The discovery was made in a permanently shadowed region of the moon called Cabeus. Scientists refer to these regions as “cold traps,” because they are shadowed from sunlight.

"We're unlocking the mysteries of our nearest neighbor and, by extension, the solar system," said Michael Wargo, chief lunar scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

NASA also believes that if the water was formed or deposited billions of years ago, these “cold traps” could hold a key to the history and evolution of the solar system. "Along with the water in Cabeus, there are hints of other intriguing substances,” added Anthony Colaprete, LCROSS project scientist and principal investigator at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif. Colaprete’s team is analyzing these clues to understand the concentration and distribution of water and other substances within the soil at the impact site.

According to officials, water and other compounds represent potential resources that could sustain future lunar exploration.

The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class vehicles are equipped with a new split view command system. It has an 8-inch display, which allows the driver to keep an eye on the GPS and other informational data, while the passenger simultaneously taps into entertainment-related features, such as a DVD movie.

The two displays are actually on the same screen, but a special filter is used to mask each display that controls what is viewed based on where you are seated.

Digital cameras have revolutionized the process for capturing priceless moments in our lives. Not only have they simplified the way we take pictures and how they are edited, but they have also made it possible for us to distribute photos in so many ways. A picture can be taken, transferred to a computer, touched up, and sent by email or posted to a web site in just a few minutes. Here are some great tips to get the most out of your digital camera:

1. Date and Time
This is the first configuration change you should make. When a picture is taken, the file it creates is given a date and time stamp based on this setting. The date and time stamp will always remain the same, even after transferring pictures to a computer. Having the wrong date and time on pictures will make it difficult in determining when a picture was taken.

2. Battery Charging
The battery may appear to be charged when you first turn on the camera straight out of the box. You should not use it until it is fully charged. On average, battery charge-up time is about 2 hours.

3. System Event Sounds
Disable camera system event sounds. This setting typically turns on/off the sounds made when navigating through camera menus and when a picture is taken. Turning it off will help improve battery life.

4. Power-Saving Option
Most cameras are equipped with a power-saving function. This setting will turn the camera off after a certain period of inactivity. Enable this setting and set it to the lowest parameter available. This will prevent the battery from draining completely in case you forget to turn off the camera.

5. Embedding Date
Turning this on will embed the date on pictures taken. Once a picture is taken, it cannot be removed. You really do not need this on. The embedded text ends up obstructing the content of the picture you are taking. If you want to add the date on pictures, you can do this with any photo editing software after transferring pictures to a computer. The software will allow you to place the date in a less obstructive area. Remember, when a picture is taken the file created has a date and time stamp so you know when it was taken.

6. Auto Mode
Using advanced or manual settings can produce the best results if you know what you are doing. If you are new to digital cameras, we recommend using Auto mode. This mode automatically adjusts shooting settings to match particular conditions.

7. Image Review
After a shot is taken, the picture will appear on the camera’s LCD screen. The default setting on most cameras is about 2 or 3 seconds. This may not be enough time to look at the picture taken or show others how it turned out. Increase this setting according to preference.

8. Picture Processing
Once you have reviewed a picture and you determined that it did not turn out to your liking, you should remove it from the camera. This will help conserve storage on the memory card. You never know when you are going to capture the perfect picture, so the last thing you want is to run of space and have a
“Memory Card Full” error message come up.

9. Memory Card
Most digital cameras come with a standard 32MB memory card, which will limit how many pictures you can take. You should upgrade to a memory card with at least 512MB, or 1GB for better results. Depending on the camera, this should let you store a couple of hundred pictures or more. The bigger the capacity, the more pictures you can store in your camera.

10. Red Eye Reduction
This setting will reduce red eye on pictures. Red eye is caused by the flash. When a picture is taken, the retina in your eye bounces the light from the flash back into the camera lens.

It was a time of exploration and great discoveries. It was the turn of the twentieth century. Many adventurers around the world set forth in search of clues about our past in an almost gold rush-like fever. Among these adventurers was F.A. Mitchell-Hedges (October 1882 - June 1959) from the United Kingdom.

Mitchell-Hedges had a great love for ancient archeology. As described by his daughter Anna Hedges, “He liked to find things out about the past and prove them for himself. He questioned the way things were and didn’t ever accept what other people told him.” Mitchell-Hedges has been labeled the ‘real Indiana Jones.’ During his many adventures that expanded over forty-three years, he discovered about thirty-seven thousand artifacts, which reside in many museums around the world today. He was a remarkable human being who lived an extraordinary life.

He believed that there was a connection between the legendary city of Atlantis and the Mayan civilization. He spent most of his life in pursuit of this connection. In 1924 his daughter Anna discovered a possible key component to this theory during a visit with her father to the ancient Mayan pyramid in Lubaantun, Belize. According to Anna, she discovered the now famous crystal skull buried under a collapsed altar inside the Mayan temple. Ever since the skull’s existence was made public, it has generated a great deal of interest from historians and scientists. The relic’s true origin is unclear and scientific testing has yielded inexplicable results, which has given rise to some controversy through the years.

So why is the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull getting so much attention these days? You may have seen or heard about the movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It is based on the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull.

I had the privilege of interviewing Bill Homann, the current caretaker of the crystal skull. He met Anna Hedges back in 1981. “We became instant friends when we met, and the fact is that we both shared a lot of the same things. We both loved adventure and she was a very spiritual person. It was a blessing and an honor to be around her,” exclaimed Bill. He continued to describe what an amazing life Anna led. “She just had a life that all this stuff just came to her,” he added. “You can probably write a book about every period of her life with the different things that happened to her.” Bill cared for Anna during the last eight years of her life until she passed away in April 2007 at 100 years old. After Anna’s passing, he became the caretaker of the skull.

The existence of the crystal skull is an incredible technological achievement. It was made from a block of clear quartz and is about the size of a human skull. Back in 1970, the skull was analyzed by Hewlett Packard Laboratories. They found that by placing the skull in benzyl alcohol, they were able to match the reflective quality of the crystal. It almost seemed to disappear when submerged in alcohol, which proved that it was made from an incredibly pure type of quartz. Polarized light was then projected through the skull. Using filters, they were able to see wavy stress lines throughout the face of the skull and jawbone. The lines revealed no flaws or mismatches and demonstrated that the skull was not made from modern synthetic crystal, but was of natural origin.

“At that time, they were able to find three prisms that were put right inside the crystal for directing the light, and also lenses were found on the sides (arches) of the eyes that would direct the light into the eye sockets, which is unbelievable,” added Bill. The polarized light also proved that the skull originated from the same piece of rock crystal, which had to be at least three times the size of the skull. The researchers were astonished by this because pure crystal quartz is one of the hardest materials found on Earth, only slightly softer than diamond. What this means is that quartz is incredibly difficult to carve. It also has the tendency to shatter, since it is also somewhat fragile when carving it. The team determined that if whoever made the skull had today’s technology and used diamond tips to carve it—it would take about a year to complete. Furthermore, they felt that it would be almost impossible to make such an incredible and flawless object with any type of modern tool. The heat, friction and vibration created by the tool would cause the skull to shatter to pieces. “What they did, without knowing it, is they opened themselves up to the fact that there must be somebody way before us with more advanced technology than we have today. We don’t know where it came from or who made it. Was it the Mayans, or was it from before the Mayans? Somebody had some super-advanced technology not only to be able to make the skull, but make it in a way that ... there is a certain way that crystal grows and it’s supposed to be cut in a certain way, and it was cut against those lines and that is another reason why it should not even exist,” concluded Bill.

I asked Bill what he thought the skull was used for. “I think it was used for different things. They talk about Atlantis using power crystals. I think it had something to do with that in its beginning. As it went forward, I believe the Mayans—I think they used it in healing and fire ceremonies. It was also used by high priests as a tool because it was made to look like it talks with a light beam put underneath it and coming out of the eyes.

The effect would be pretty powerful to any natives or anybody,” he added. According to Mayan legend, the skull was brought to their civilization by a different race of people at the beginning of their time. “I think inadvertently, Mitchell-Hedges didn’t realize that the crystal skull was that key—if that is the case, that could be the Atlantian-Mayan connection.”

The crystal skull is in pristine condition and it is believed that this was due to the Mayans’ care and admiration for the artifact. In addition, since quartz does not erode, decay or change in any way with time, it could be hundreds if not millions of years old. “The polish is so perfect, and it’s because of the love, the time and the effort that was put into it,” added Bill. According to Anna, the Mayans had told her that the skull was over 100,000 years old and was modeled after the head of a great priest with the hopes of preserving his wisdom forever. The age of the skull still remains a mystery—it cannot be carbon dated, since it does not contain any carbon atoms. It is composed of silicon and oxygen.

The Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull has been called the skull of love. I asked Bill if he felt a connection or an emotion when he is near the skull. “The skull, one of the main things that it does—it works on the heart of man. It allows a universal consciousness, a universal love, a way of being able to tie in and understand the unity between all of mankind, all of the animal kingdom, and realize that everything is part of God’s universe and we are all part of that. It puts people in that frame of feeling and understanding. It opens up their hearts to this universal consciousness and universal love and they are able to take that with them and spread it around the world like a ripple in a pond effect,” exclaimed Bill.

Bill hopes that the skull is able to bring him to places more than it takes him to places. “I want to work with the skull and want to work towards world peace. That is what I really believe in. There are some people in the United Nations that I am going to be working with. I am also supposed to get in touch with the Dalai Lama and work with different people that are interested in using the skull as a tool, using it with the consciousness towards world peace—at a time when you can save the planet, but not save the people from the planet. Because there are many forces that want to pretty much destroy everything,” said Bill. He would like to work toward a diplomatic purpose and open up people’s hearts to a universal love.

“There is so much controversy right now and there are a lot of people that are trying to discourage the work of Mitchell-Hedges for some reason. I am not sure why it would bother them so much. There must be a reason behind it,” concluded Bill.

The discovery of the crystal skull is indeed one of the greatest discoveries in human history. The British Museum and the Trocadero Museum in France both have crystal skulls that are noticeably inferior in crystal purity and craftsmanship. At this time it is unknown if they are related to the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull. According to Native American legend, thirteen crystal skulls exist. The skulls are said to be a source of great knowledge and wisdom. The legend also indicates that one day, at a time of great peril, all of the crystal skulls will be discovered and brought back together to reveal their knowledge to all humankind. Bill believes that the Mitchell-Hedges skull is related to the other twelve skulls. He also believes that the others will be found before the year 2012, which is the year the Mayan calendar ends. Only time will tell.

The Winter 2009 issue of MyTekLife magazine is full of great content our readers will love. Vocalist Lisbeth Scott shares with us her experiences working on some of the biggest motion pictures, and talks about her new album and campaign called “Hope is a Thing.”

Scott’s unique voice has been heard in hundreds of films including Steven Spielberg’s “Munich,” Disney’s “Narnia” series and HBO’s “True Blood,” just to name a few.

Lisbeth is releasing the "Hope Is a Thing" music video on Nov. 20. For a special behind the scenes look at the new video, click here.

To purchase the Winter 2009 issue of MyTekLife magazine, click here.
To subscribe to MyTekLife magazine, click here.

The renewable energy pioneer Cannon Group, has received $19.4 million in federal grants to spur construction of its 400-megawatt wind farm in Washington state.

The funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act introduced earlier this year by the federal government.

According to Cannon, this is the first of over $170 million in Treasury grants it expects to receive in the next few months as it completes construction of its Windy Point/Windy Flats project.

"This project brought more than 300 construction jobs and additional permanent positions," said Gary Hardke, Cannon's president and managing director. "New roads also help area farmers and ranchers, and wind turbine leases generate income and a much needed financial cushion for many area families. With the significant revenue and opportunities for the local community, it's a win-win for everyone."

The Windy Point/Windy Flats project will be completed in just 18 months, and will deliver electricity to over 250,000 California households per year.

The Consumer Reports Index shows that one quarter (24.9%) of Americans are planning to buy small or personal electronics this month, up five percentage points from October.

However, the majority of consumers are reluctant to increase their retail spending habits as we approach the start of the holiday shopping season.

"While relative stability has returned to the Retail Index, it has not been able to demonstrate growth for three straight periods. With the holiday season fast approaching, this has dire implications for expectations this season," said Ed Farrell, a director of the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

Farrell believes that the economy remains in a precarious position where further decline is possible. “Unless consumers can see concrete improvements in their lives and retail activity picks up, any near-term recovery is improbable," he concluded.

U.K. based Vee24 introduced the veedesk; a technology that may change the way customers shop online.

The veedesk will allow online shoppers to both see and talk to a customer service assistant in real-time. They can ask questions, discuss products, and request help with form filling and checkout processes.

Vee24 believes that this new technology will also increase sales that are lost at the checkout stage because face-to-face interaction will enable consumers to talk with a representative when they are making purchasing decisions.

"Today, many websites are struggling to live up to customers' high expectations. Online businesses that fail to make the most of their e-commerce offering are losing billions of pounds in sales every year. Can you imagine a store on the high street with no staff to serve customers? That's exactly what we have online - slick websites but nobody to help if you have a question or encounter a problem. There would be chaos too if 80% of shoppers abandoned the shopping trolleys at the checkout of their local supermarket, yet this is exactly what's happening online.

The new technology is currently being implemented by Lexus Germany.

Pancreatic cancer kills an estimated 35,000 Americans each year. Learning more about its origins could help scientists diagnose it earlier, and would aid in the development of better treatments. “By the time pancreatic disease is typically diagnosed, it’s already very advanced and non-curable. Our new findings can help scientists focus their drug development efforts and lead them to new ways to detect the disease in early stages,” said Sharon Friedlander, a postdoctoral associate at MIT’s David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research.

MIT cancer biologists have identified a subpopulation of cells in mice that express a protein called pdx1, which can give rise to pancreatic cancer. The protein plays a major role in the development of the pancreas. When the cancer-promoting gene K-ras, commonly activated in tumors, was turned on in the pdx1-expressing cells, they became cancerous. Their research also revealed that tumors can form in other, more mature pancreatic cell types, but only when they become injured or inflamed.

According to Friedlander this suggests that pancreatic cancer can spring up from different types of cells depending on the circumstances.

MIT researchers plan to closely monitor the molecular events that take place during the development of pancreatic cancer in mice, with the intent to identify potential targets for drug treatments and protein markers for early diagnosis.

The conference kicks off on Nov. 11 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The opening keynote address will be performed by former Vice President Al Gore followed by a concert by Sheryl Crow at Chase field. Crow has become one of the leading voices in the environmental movement.

This year’s expo will have over 1,000 exhibiting companies showcasing the latest green products and technologies.

The event is expected to provide a unique opportunity to connect with other green building peers, industry experts, and influential leaders as they share innovations in the green building movement.

By default, iTunes automatically syncs your entire music library whenever you connect an iPod or iPhone.

This method will automatically add any new music or videos and remove any items no longer in your iTunes library. It works well, but there are times that you may want to manually choose what songs and videos you would like added to your device. This is especially true if you have a music library that is larger than the capacity of your iPod or iPhone. For example, if you have a 20GB library and connect an 8GB iPod nano, your entire library is not going to fit, and iTunes will only sync what it can. As a result, your desired content may not make it into your device. There is an easy way to manually sync your music and videos. Follow these simple instructions:

Connect the iPod or iPhone to your computer.

Open iTunes.

Select the iPod or iPhone in the Devices list.

Click the Summary tab and select “Manually manage music and videos.”

Click Apply.

When the manual management setting is enabled, you will still be able to sync some content automatically by enabling the “Sync only checked songs and video” option as well.

To begin manually adding content to your device, just drag individual songs or playlists from your music library directly to your iPod or iPhone in the Devices list on the left-hand side of the iTunes window. Your content will be copied and the progress will be shown until completed.

Students are sharpening their key strokes and practicing their arithmetic as they gear up to compete in The American Math Challenge.

The student with the highest score will be declared American Math Champion and receive a Minted Gold Medal. Three top students will also be chosen to represent the United States as Team Ambassadors on World Math Day, in March 2010.

Best-selling author and Guinness World Record Holder as the "Fastest Human Calculator" Scott Flansburg is Ambassador for the Challenge. Flansburg earned his title for his ability to process numbers with amazing speed and calculator accuracy. He can add, subtract, multiply, divide—and even do square and cube roots—all in his head.

The “Human Calculator” is using his extraordinary gift to inspire students, teachers and "non-math" people, demonstrating that arithmetic really can be as easy as "0, 1, 2, 3."
"Students compete in a multi-player game environment, inclusive of all levels of math ability, making math exciting" Flansburg noted. "Results show that participants will make significant improvements in their mental arithmetic skills and have fun in the process. All school children and homeschoolers are invited to participate."

The American Math Challenge kicks off today and will continue until Nov. 6.

Published in the Fall 2009 issue of MyTekLife Magazine

The invasion of Normandy by Allied forces was the largest focused military operation in history. Over 5,000 ships of every type and over 150,000 troops composed of Americans, British and Canadians crossed over the English Channel on that fateful date of June 6, 1944. Their mission, as stated by Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, “bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.”

Among these brave soldiers was Pfc. Alvin ‘Al’ Stevens from the U.S. Army. Al was part of the Omaha Beach invasion force and came up against the worst conditions encountered on D-Day. The strong winds and treacherous sea currents made it extremely difficult for landing crafts (LCVPs) to reach their intended destinations. Some never made it to land, and heavily laden soldiers were forced to swim through long distances of water. A large number of men died before hitting the beach. Those who made it to the shore were seasick and extremely exhausted. They were also met by increasingly heavy fire from German automatic weapons and heavy artillery. “It was quite an experience and hard to describe,” Al said as he began to share his experience with me.

“As soon as that Navy man dropped that gate on the LCVPs you had to get out of there. They were firing right through the middle. Seeing everybody around you falling ... it really takes it out of you,” he added. Al was at the very front of the LCVP. He explained that because of the heavy equipment carried by troops, many drowned, while others had to unload their weapons in order to stay afloat as they continued their desperate attempts to reach the shoreline. “You’ve got about 50 to 75 pounds on your back. Some were lucky and some were not,” he said. The lucky ones who did finally make it to land did not have the weapons needed to deter heavy enemy fire.

As with most in Omaha Beach, Al had to ditch his gear, including his M-1 rifle and clips, but he managed to hold on to his .45-caliber gun. He was without sufficient weaponry for about two days. During those two days, the valiant troops were under fierce and constant attack by the Germans just above the hills over the beach. “The Navy did a heck of a job,” said Al, when he discussed the cover they provided for Allied troops on land. “I don’t think we had any air power for a few days because of the storms. It wasn’t clear enough for the ‘Fly Boys’ ... that would have helped a lot,” he added. During the days ahead, enemy troops began to lose their edge as more troops, heavy machinery and supplies made it to shore.

Al recalls the Mulberry Harbors, code-named Mulberries, during those days. “They towed them all the way from England across the channel. They were the size of a football field, made out of concrete,” he noted. The Mulberries consisted of individual prefabricated concrete blocks that, when assembled and connected, would make up ports. Ships could connect and unload the precious supplies desperately needed by troops.

Pfc. Alvin ‘Al’ Stephens, 1944.

The Mulberries were one of the most colossal and innovative engineering projects of World War II. The proposer of the idea of the Mulberries is disputed according to historical records; nevertheless, the plans were indeed submitted to the British War Office. It took over 20,000 British workers and 865,000 tons of concrete over a period of six months to build these giants. They were composed of three main elements: the breakwater, pierheads and floating roadways. The breakwater consisted of concrete caissons, which were sunk to create a barrier for arriving cargo ships. Once the ships entered the protected area, they could dock at the pierheads and begin unloading their cargo. The cargo was then loaded on vehicles and taken across the floating roadways, which would lead to the shoreline.

The breakwater caissons were placed together in a continuous row. “They had anti-aircraft guns mounted for protection. They even had cooks inside with living quarters,” added Al. The Mulberries had a profound impact on the troops. “If it was not for that—the artificial harbors—we would’ve been done,” concluded Al.

Mulberries towed across the English Channel.

By June 30th, over 850,000 troops, close to 150,000 vehicles and 104,000 tons of supplies had arrived. From Normandy on, Al continued with the rest of the Allied offensive deep into Europe under Lt. Gen. Courtney Hodges. He encountered many battles, and even endured the cold winter in Bastogne, Belgium, a place that became a symbol of American resilience and resolve. He continued on with a courageous fighting spirit, achieving successful counteroffensive battles until ultimately reaching Germany. Al demonstrated remarkable valor, living in extraordinary times.

The new theme park pays tribute to the passion, excellence and performance and technical innovation that Ferrari has established over the years.

The poppies referred to in the poem grew in abundance in Flanders in the spoiled earth of the battlefields and cemeteries were war casualties were buried.

Aussies can now commemorate Remembrance Day on Nov. 11 by downloading a digital poppy to their mobile phone. All funds raised from poppy downloads will help continue vital veteran welfare work in Australia. Visitors can also download mobile content to their wireless devices, such as the Last Post ring tone and the national anthem, "Advance Australia Fair.”

"For the first time Australians everywhere can pay tribute via the web and mobile sites to the 102,000 Australian men and women who sacrificed their lives serving their country since World War I," said Doug Formby, Queensland branch president from the Returned & Services League of Australia. "Plus they can leave a personal tribute on an online Wall of Remembrance, a unique way for Australians to come together and remember those who died in war.”

According to Formby, mobile technology is also helping to “bring values of honor and respect for veterans into the modern era.”

The first satellite radio that can be controlled by an iPod Touch or iPhone is now available for purchase.

The new XM SkyDock gives you access to the SIRIUS programming package and can also charge iPod Touch or iPhone devices while listening to satellite radio.

Subscribers can tag songs and purchase them from the iTunes Store, including songs on SIRIUS XM’s 24/7 artist-branded commercial-free channels.

It is available for $119.99 and can be found at Best Buy, RadioShack, or the Apple Store.

Published in the Fall 2009 issue of MyTekLife Magazine

When you think of an aluminum can, the first thought that may come to mind is probably your favorite soft drink or beer, right? What also comes to mind is what an amazing, infinitely recyclable material aluminum is, and how the recycling process saves energy and helps preserve the environment. The aluminum can has been around for over 100 years. This basic metal cylinder was designed to keep foods and beverages fresh. What if I told you that aluminum cans are being used to create beautiful works of art? It’s true. They are called alumosaics, and Jeff Ivanhoe is the creator of this absolutely delightful art form.

Jeff has been producing incredible art pieces since 1981. He studied art at the University of Arizona and ultimately became a graphic artist who went to work in the advertising field. He also worked with several celebrities such as Julie Andrews, Bill Bixby and E.G. Marshall setting up promotional sets for them. I sat down with Jeff and my first question was, “How in the world did you ever come up with the idea to use aluminum cans in such an unusual way to create beautiful art?” Jeff responded, “A stretch shoe lace patented idea is where it originated from.” He invented a shoe lace that would stretch, making it possible to insert your foot into a shoe by just pulling on the tongue without having to tie a knot on the shoe itself. It was an innovative invention. As he was getting ready to send this into mass manufacturing, he decided he wanted to present his invention with something different. He thought of aluminum cans, so he started cutting them up into tiny pieces and wrapped them around the tips of the shoe laces. He made hundreds of shoe laces and, as a result, he had hundreds of aluminum pieces lying around. One day, his wife started moving some of the pieces around. Jeff asked, “What are you doing? You’re never going to be able to do anything with that.” He walked away and after about an hour, he came back and noticed she had created the shape of an object with the pieces. They both looked at each other and said, “Oh my gosh!” They both knew they were onto something.

For the next week, they both worked on putting together a portrait of a Native American. The piece unfortunately did not last very long and had to be destroyed. Since this was his first creation, Jeff did not know how to seal the piece properly and the portrait developed mold. As he continued producing pieces, he improved the process, which resulted in spectacular works of art.

His work started to appear in galleries and libraries. It was even featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! It appeared in all national newspapers in 1982. He was amazed at the response and interest he received by the publicity. It further fueled his desire and passion to create even more beautiful pieces. Some of his work made it into the private collections of several celebrities, as well.

So how exactly is this whole process done?
He gets the aluminum cans from family and friends. There are times when he will buy several 24-packs of soft drinks or beer cans. “It’s really inexpensive because when you think about painters, they spend about $10-12 for paint. I can get a 24-pack for about 8 bucks, and if I buy three, I get a fourth one for free,” added Jeff. He starts the process by cutting up the top and bottom portions of a can with an Exacto knife. He then bends the aluminum until it cracks and lays it down on a board flat like a sheet of paper. The board has tape marks that he uses to cut the pieces so they are exactly the same size. The result, a basketful of perfectly cut pieces.

Jeff uses white gesso on top of a Masonite board. He puts his sketch on top of the gesso and begins to lay each piece one by one. After all the pieces are in place, he pours glue on top to hold the pieces together. He continues by adding a liquid polymer on top. “You have to use very strong glue. When you mix the glue and liquid polymer, it gets very hot, and the pieces can easily come off if the glue is not strong enough. I learned this the hard way the first time I did this and I almost gave up on this whole thing, but over time I found a stronger glue,” said Jeff. For the first two hours after pouring the glue, he uses a hair dryer to work out the bubbles. The drying process then continues for about eight hours.

Once the piece is dry, he adds some finishing touches by filing down some areas in the back and on the sides. He paints his name, and the piece is sent off to the framers.

It is truly amazing how Jeff is able to pick out pieces from a can of Coke Zero to create spoke wheels on a classic 1930s roadster and mix it with pieces from a Mountain Dew can to create grass underneath the wheels. On the piece featured below, you can clearly see this effect. “Years ago in the ’30s, people would pull their cars off the road and have a little picnic. There were not very many places to eat back then, so people would carry food in their cars. They pulled off onto the grass and that is where they had their little picnic,” added Jeff. That is the story behind the piece below.

When you first look at Jeff’s art from a distance (about 8 feet or so), you say to yourself, that is one beautiful work of art. You are attracted and intrigued by the piece, and you begin to move closer. As you get closer, you start to notice that there is something different about this piece. When you are right in front of it, you come to a realization and say to yourself, those are pieces of aluminum cans. Incredible! That was my reaction when I witnessed Jeff’s art collection. So what is Jeff working on these days?

About a year and a half ago, he was approached by an auto dealer from Cleveland who wanted one of his alumosaics. “He said to me, I want one of these, but I want a ’57 Thunderbird, with the name of my dealership on a billboard in the background,” Jeff noted.

This was the first car he had put together and he really enjoyed it. “After I did that, I said, I love doing cars ... and I’ve gotten better at it, and now all I want to do is cars,” added Jeff. His latest “work in progress” is a gorgeous 1957 Corvette, pictured below. He has also created a ’63 Corvette, a ’57 Mercedes-Benz 300SL, a ’57 Chevy and a Shelby Cobra, just to name a few.

This particular piece will be on display later this year, together with about twenty-five others, at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Las Vegas, at the Mandalay Bay. Barrett-Jackson represents a high standard in classic car auctions by providing a wide range of vintage vehicles, and the event draws a large crowd. Last year, over 300,000 people attended and more are expected this year. Jeff hopes to display his latest passion for cars through his alumosaics. “People can take a look at my work, hopefully make a purchase and maybe even ask me to do a certain car,” added Jeff.

I asked Jeff what his favorite masterpiece was. There is only one that stands out in his mind. “I have had many people call me on this piece indicating that the expression portrayed moved them,” stated Jeff. He is referring to the piece he calls “The Chief.” On this piece, he has been able to capture a state of emotion on the subject portrayed. It is that of calmness, self-assurance and self-power. “This is the one I feel the strongest about.” I love cars, of course, but there is something about this one that stands out,” he added.

Upon concluding my interview with Jeff, I asked a simple question, “Why do you do this?” He responded that he was destined to do this, and this is his passion that drives him. He also said, “If I continue to sell more pieces, great, but success to me is what I’ve created, with her help,” meaning his wife, Barbara. “She has been there with me the whole time.” His wife is his inspiration. “I know in my mind when I leave this Earth, these things are going to exist and my name is on them. It’s a selfish thing you see,” he noted as he smiled proudly. “Just think. Two hundred years from now, my son’s son’s son will probably have one of my pieces. Someone may even ask, what crazy person did this? That is what it’s all about,” concluded Jeff.

For more information about Jeff Ivanhoe and his alumosaics, visit his website gallery at: http://www.jeffivanhoe.com.

James Cameron’s next blockbuster film “Avatar” is expected to revolutionize the technology used in modern-day films. It uses new stereoscopic 3D and sound techniques. The movie will be released on December 18.

The film’s composer, James Horner has added singer Lisbeth Scott to his creative musical lineup for the highly secretive film. The singer, whose voice can be recognized from many of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters of the past decade, will be featured on vocal tracks to be used in the film’s anticipated breakthrough score.

Lisbeth has been featured as a vocalist in “Passion of the Christ,” “Narnia,” “Shrek 2,” “Transformers” and “Munich.” Her songs have also appeared on HBO’s “True Blood” and ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters.” She is also releasing her ninth studio album on Nov. 10, called “Hope is a Thing.”

Published in the Fall 2009 issue of MyTekLife Magazine

A friendly neighborhood gym is running on some of its own power by generating it in a unique way. Adam Boesel is the owner of The Green Microgym in Portland, Ore., which utilizes human-powered electricity. “I always knew I wanted to have my own gym someday,” Adam shares with me. He was living in Seattle at the time and wanted to move to Portland. “There was a strong focus on the ecosystem and being green,” adds Adam. He thought what a perfect way to pursue his interests by helping others live a healthy life through exercise, and by helping the environment through an eco-friendly concept. He began researching ways to make it happen. “I read about a gym in Hong Kong that was experimenting with getting electricity from exercise machines,” exclaims Adam. He decided to “give it a try and see what would happen.” Adam really did not have experience with electrical concepts, so he started researching technology that could fulfill his objective.

“I found a device on the Internet called pedal-a-watt,” adds Adam. The pedal-a-watt device is a stand that connects to the back wheel of a bicycle. The idea behind it is that electricity can be created from human effort and then stored in batteries. After buying a pedal-a-watt device, he said he “quickly found out that although this is a nice machine for a bicycle, it’s not going to work in a gym setting.” Adam was concerned that the device would not withstand regular usage and could be cumbersome to operate for gym members. He determined that the motor inside could potentially work, but not with a regular bicycle. “I needed to use regular gym equipment and retrofit it—so there was no change for the user,” notes Adam.

Adam’s gym can generate an average of 8 kilowatts per day.

Adam decided to retrofit spin bikes and put them into action. The retrofit is a simple and sturdy design. The spin bike sits on the stand, which keeps it in place. “When you get on the bike and ride, the wheels start spinning, and the electricity goes right into a 12-volt power pack—you can easily unplug it and use it for other things,” he adds.

Recently, Adam found a 250-watt grid tie inverter and received approval from the power company and the city to use it with his equipment on a test basis. The inverter, intended for use with solar panels he has installed on the walls outside the gym and small wind turbines, is unique. It plugs into normal wall outlets to feed electricity back to the grid. This is much more affordable and simple than the traditional method of hardwiring an inverter into a building’s circuit box.

Adam also has an elliptical machine connected to a power pack and has figured out a way to operate treadmills using 30 percent less electricity. “I figured out a way for them to be used in what I call ‘power-less’ mode, which basically turns off so the motor is disengaged—and then you can walk on it to get it started again.”

Adam notes that there is much more to being green than just generating electricity. His focus expands to the conservation of energy as well. He purchases used and refurbished equipment, and the installed solar panels on the walls outside the gym can collectively generate an average of 8 kilowatts per day. In addition, his gym utilizes compact fluorescent lights, recycled rubber, marmoleum, and eco-friendly cork flooring.

The Green Microgym opened its doors in September 2008 and currently has about 120 members. If you are ever in the Portland Alberta Arts neighborhood area, make sure you stop by and visit Adam’s innovative gym.

MyTekLife magazine caught up with one of the most recognized figures in off-road racing, Ricky James. His accomplishments are an example of boundless perseverance.

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Sen. John McCain said that Luke Air Force Base in Glendale and Tucson International Airport are the finalists as potential bases for the next-generation joint strike fighter.

For months now, state and local officials have been strongly promoting Luke for having the largest training base for F-16 pilots in the world.

The F-35 will be replacing the F-16. The new fighter uses next generation stealth and weapon technologies—even more advanced than those found in today’s F-22 Raptor.

Do you enjoy running, but often feel aches and pains after your workout? Aches and pains come with the sport, but they can also be a sign of injury.

There are several scenarios that can increase your risk for injury. These include lack of proper stretching, an unbalanced diet and insufficient hydration. You may be also be running on the wrong type of shoes. It used to be that you could just go into a sporting goods store and find a pair of sneakers that fit, and you were good to go. You are probably thinking, well—yeah, that’s what I did, and isn’t that what you are supposed to do? Not exactly! Those days are long gone. Picking the right running shoes has become a science.

You will discover that running shoes come in a variety of types and styles. Manufacturers have made great advancements in shoe technology over the years. These improvements have led to shoes that provide better support, cushioning, motion control, stability and better racing. Will you be running races? Perhaps you will be doing some trail running, or occasional jogging? The choices may seem confusing at first glance, but picking the right shoe to fit your running style means fewer aches and pains—just remember that you place nearly six times your body weight on each foot while running.

The wrong shoe can leave you more susceptible to a variety of injuries. The most common ones include Achilles tendonitis, knee pain, plantar fasciitis and shin splints. When you do find the right shoe, your body will appreciate it and your workouts will be more enjoyable.

Before we get into the shoes, let’s look at the running styles. There are three main categories—pronation, supination and neutral. If your running style causes your ankle to roll inward, you fall into the category of pronation. If your ankle rolls to the outside, you guessed it—supination is your category. If it’s right in the middle, then you are neutral. If you are unsure about your running style, there is a very simple way to determine which category you fall into. To find out, grab a white sheet of paper, put it on a hard-surface floor and wet the bottom of your barefoot with a sponge or a spray bottle. Take one step onto the sheet of paper. If the print made is wide, you are a pronator. A narrow print, or with the middle part missing completely, reveals that you are a supinator. Somewhere in between means you are neutral. There are also several running specialty stores that have shoe-fitting techniques that can help you find the right shoe.

These shops have treadmills available that are hooked up to video cameras and sensors. They can analyze your running style in slow motion and measure the pressure you exert in a normal gait through a pad sensor on the floor. You can even bring your old shoes in so a running expert can analyze your wear pattern to determine the best shoe for your body mechanics. Among the leaders in technical footwear development is ASICS, which has created the Impact Guidance System, or IGS. IGS technology allows the foot to perform in a more natural manner—delivering comfort and performance. ASICS has also come up with SpEVA, a new generation of midsole material, which contains special polymers that provide “bounce back” properties. It contains qualities that break down at a slow rate, increasing durability of the midsole.

Another big player in shoe technology is Saucony, which has developed the GRID system that offers stable and controlled cushioning. The GRID cassette fits into the rear foot section of the midsole; as the impact occurs, the interwoven Hytrel strands bend to the shape of the heel, while the midsole compresses, thus providing cushioning. Saucony has also introduced Arch-Lock technology, which offers better control and support by wrapping the upper area around the mid-foot area and embedding it into the midsole. The strength of the midsole is imparted into the upper part area, ensuring that the foot is held snugly into the shoe.

Before your next run, do yourself a favor and find out which shoe will be best for you. Make sure you keep track of mileage and replace shoes after about 500 miles. You can run with minor aches, but you should never run with persistent pains. If in question, always consult a physician. See you on the roads!

Project Nina will deliver a $40,000 plug-in hybrid vehicle for the mass market. At 100,000 units per year, it will have six times the production volume of the Karma.

‘We plan to export at least 50% of the cars manufactured in this plant,” Fisker said. He chose the Boxwood plant for several reasons: The number of skilled workers in the area; the welcoming reception they received from the governor and the other state officials; their willingness to work with his company; and great facilities at the plant.

Fisker was joined by Vice President Joe Biden at the plant. During his speech in his home state, the Vice President talked about how difficult it was on the community when the plant closed down, but was optimistic about the future of car manufacturing in the U.S. “I believe we can lead the world in automobile manufacturing for the next century,” he concluded.

After only three months in the iTunes App Store, Pizza Hut has generated more than $1 million in sales.

"We are very excited to see our customers respond so positively to our Pizza Hut App," said Brian Niccol, Pizza Hut CMO. "Reaching one million dollars in sales with the App emphasizes the value of ordering innovation to our customers and how important it is for Pizza Hut to continue to create successful new ways to engage with them."

The App allows users to virtually build and customize their own pizza, and place an order. Each time a user orders using the App, they also get 20% off their entire order.

The internationally renowned supermodel Naomi Campbell, is devoting her time and talent to help find the next international fashion photographer through the Talenthouse global community. The winner of the “Artist Invite” contest will have the opportunity to work with a major fashion magazine.

Naomi has had an incredible career in the fashion industry. The high point for her was in the nineties when she became part of an elite group of supermodels, alongside Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Kate Moss.

She has also been very active in charities in Africa and has worked with Nelson Mandela to help the poor. In 2005, she helped establish Fashion Relief to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, and helped raise over a million dollars in aid.

“I'm thrilled to be working with Talenthouse, where artists of all kinds come together to share their experience and collaborate with the next generation of photographers, musicians, artists, designers and film makers,” said Naomi.

Talenthouse empowers established artists like Naomi, to create original content and collaborate with new artists to receive inspiration and recognition for their work.

If you are a talented photographer and would like to showcase your work on a global scale, Talenthouse is a great social media network to make it happen. Even if you don’t win the contest, having your portfolio on Talenthouse could lead to other opportunities-—perhaps finding that lucky break.

Have you ever heard about the magnetic air car? It’s not a new concept and most definitely not a car making its debut in the latest Hollywood blockbuster—at least not yet. The idea of a magnetic air car is derived from a concept developed by J.M. Custer more than 75 years ago. In 1932, he not only built the world’s first compressed air car, but he also had a working prototype that actually ran. His vehicle utilized an engine that was developed by Roy J. Meyers, the inventor of the “Absorber.” The “Absorber” was a device that absorbed electricity from the air, which could then be converted into usable energy.

The car consisted of four fuel tanks filled with compressed air that made it possible to drive for 500 miles at a speed of about 35 miles per hour. The engine required no mechanical moving parts traditionally found in gasoline motors—no cooling or ignition systems, nor a carburetor.

Custer’s concept has resurfaced, and a company in the heart of Silicon Valley is developing a prototype vehicle that is going to revolutionize our mode of transportation—as we know it. I caught up with Steven Leonard from Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. and spoke to him about his remarkable endeavor. Leonard is a visionary and a modern-day Tesla in his own right. The technology he is developing will provide abundant, inexpensive, non-polluting energy that will not only power vehicles, but homes, ships, planes, appliances, etc.

I asked Leonard what prompted him to begin working on this concept and learned that it was the work of Chen Ning Yang from Princeton and Tsung-Dao Lee from Columbia University. “They wrote a theory on a motor ... building a motor in which more energy goes out than goes in. They proved their theory and won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957. Based on that assumption, it can be done,” Leonard noted. This was his inspiration and because of the work of Yang and Lee, he wrote a book called ‘Magnetic Air Cars, The History of Magnetic Motors and Compressed Air Cars,’ and dedicated the book to them and other visionaries and inventors like Thomas Bearden, Dr. Nikola Tesla and Joseph Newman—just to name a few.

Having a great deal of experience in mechanics, Leonard understood the concept and physics behind the theory. “I met with Paul Donovan, who was a thirty-year master mechanic also. He asked me if I could fill up two 10-gallon tanks in ten minutes at 200 psi. I came back to him about two weeks later, and I told him I could do it in 19 seconds,” exclaimed Leonard. Paul is now the chief technical officer of Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. The team is also composed of other prominent individuals, including Jim Vye, president and CEO. Jim worked as a program manager for Hughes Aircraft. He helped manufacture the cruise missile. Ron Powers is an advisor to the company. He helped design mock-ups for the space shuttle and the international space station. “We’ve got a pretty good dynamic engineering team that actually believes that we can take this from a theory and turn it into reality,” added Leonard.

I asked Leonard how the new prototype is going to work. “The biggest challenge is, can we fill up two ten-gallon tanks in approximately 10 minutes? That is the key. We have to have enough free energy to do that,” he explained. He plans on using a pump compressor that will fill the tanks at 200 psi, which requires 17 horsepower. The magnetic motor can provide the 17 horsepower needed, but it can actually provide a total of 33 horsepower. A simple 12-volt battery starts the motor. The pump compressor drives an air cycle machine. “The air cycle machine is basically air bearing turbochargers ... I don’t have to prove that air bearings are the future, because NASA and Toyota have already stated that they are the future of all propulsion systems on the planet. If they say it, it must be true ... if I say it, it’s not,” jokingly added Leonard. The main benefit of air bearings is that they do not require oil or fluids or any maintenance for about one hundred years.

The prototype will have a total of four air bearing turbochargers. “You have to remember that air bearing turbochargers are designed to run F-22 aircrafts. They are also putting air bearing turbochargers on 767 airbuses. Air bearings provide energy, just like fuel does. You’ve seen what a hurricane can do. I can put a level 5 hurricane under your hood,” Leonard exclaimed.

The problem he has to overcome is not pressure, but how it’s released and controlled—how to keep the car from blowing up. The key, he noted, is not to over-engineer and only allow 80 percent of the pressure to operate it. “That will give you more than enough and still break all speed records,” he added. The prototype will not have a transmission, as most vehicles do. Instead, he will be using a pneumatic torque converter, which will bring the compressed air to the wheels.

Leonard also plans on adding computer intelligence to the motor in the prototype. He is adding GPS and UHF as communication devices to interact with the vehicle. “You will be able to turn the power on and off remotely. You will also be able to log in and access the vehicle through a web site to see how the motor is running, and also gather data,” he concluded.

Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. technology diagram

Leonard is indeed a visionary who is working aggressively to complete the design and have a prototype up and running later this year. He has support from local, state and federal government agencies. He believes that providing a new abundant, non-polluting, inexpensive electromagnetic energy to power the world can solve the energy crisis. Keep an eye out for Steven Leonard and Magnetic Air Motors, Inc. in the near future. Rumor has it, his prototype could be featured in an upcoming motion picture.

The EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Air Show is hailed as the world’s greatest aviation celebration. This video shows the wide range of aircraft that were present at the event last August. It is accompanied by the song “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.

Grammy winning guitarist, Peter Frampton, was joined on stage by his son, Julian Frampton, for the first time for the West Coast run of his Summer tour. Photographer Richard Aaron, who took the world renowned photo used on the cover of Frampton's Comes Alive album, was on hand to capture the moment. Frampton Comes Alive was the best selling album in 1976 and is among the best selling live albums in history.

Frampton won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental for his last album, Fingerprints. He is currently working on a new album for release in 2010.

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin a $1 billion contract to continue the development and evolution of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System (ABMD).

There are currently 19 Aegis-equipped warships in service in the U.S. Navy and two in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The system is hailed as the premiere naval defense system in the world. It has the ability to detect, track and engage a wide range of targets, which include sea-skimming cruise missiles and ballistic missiles in space.

"This contract will both continue the spiral development of Aegis BMD capability to meet expanding global security threats and increase the number of BMD-capable ships at sea by integrating Aegis BMD into the Aegis Modernization program," said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of the Lockheed Martin business completing the work.

The new program also showed GM’s confidence in its vehicles by allowing consumers to return their vehicle within 30-60 days of purchase, or waive the return policy in exchange for a $500 rebate, which could be used toward the purchase of their vehicle.

According to GM, only 15 vehicles out of tens of thousands sold have been returned for a refund.

GM’s money-back program ends on Nov. 30 and can be used for any 2009 and 2010, GMC, Buick, Cadillac, or Chevrolet vehicles.

A new beautifully designed and state-of-the-art hospital will not only provide top critical care for cancer-stricken patients, but will exceed energy and environmental ratings.

The Shands Cancer Hospital at the University of Florida is energy self-sufficient, providing uninterrupted power independent of the city’s energy grid—regardless of a prolonged outage elsewhere in the community. It can efficiently convert clean fuel into electricity, which will provide 46 percent savings when compared with traditional fossil fuels.

"We used insulated windows that are treated to reduce solar glare and white rooftops designed to reflect heat," said Brad Pollitt, Shands HealthCare vice president for facilities. The hospital’s air-conditioning heat wheels help to recover lost energy, and irrigation and drainage systems use reclaimed water. The facility also provides showers for employees who bike to work and offer special parking for hybrid vehicles.

Because of the hospital’s decision to use environmentally sustainable construction methods, Shands Healthcare has earned the silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation per the U.S. Green Building Council Rating system.

The $388-million, 500,000-square-foot hospital also includes 12 high-tech operating rooms designed to accommodate anticipated evolutions in robotics, and 3-D imaging. A full-spectrum radiology department features the Aquilion ONE 320-detector row CT scanner, known as the “crown jewel” of imaging. The $2.5 million diagnostic tool helps physicians diagnose cancer, and it can detect stroke and heart disease in minutes. "Every planning and design decision we made as a team was centered on patient comfort and ease for hospital staff in providing safe and healing care," said Laura Stillman, principal-in-charge/project director at Flad Architects.

The hospital opens in November. Its completion highlights the commitment to building a healing environment for the growing needs of cancer patients. It also showcases environmental stewardship, which is becoming an integral part of design and construction practices.

A new treatment that represents a major milestone toward medical science’s goal of using gene therapy to cure disease was recently administered on patients suffering from congenital blindness.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, revealed dramatic vision improvements on five children and seven adults in just two weeks after the first injections were issued.

The greatest improvements were noticed in the children. “Children who were treated with gene therapy are now able to walk and play just like any normally sighted child," said Albert M. Maguire, M.D., a physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Although the patients did not attain normal eyesight, twelve of them improved enough that they might no longer be classified as legally blind. “The clinical benefits have persisted for nearly two years since the first subjects were treated with injections of therapeutic genes into their retinas," noted Jean Bennett, M.D., Ph.D., F.M. Kirby professor of Ophthalmology at Penn.

Bennett also attributed the new findings to nearly 20 years of gene studies on hereditary blindness, starting with pioneering work in mice and dogs. "These remarkable results," she added, "have laid a foundation for applying gene therapy not only to other forms of childhood-onset retinal disease, but also to more common retinal degenerations.”

The next follow-up studies will monitor the patients to determine whether the treatment stops the progression of retinal degeneration. The researchers will also investigate whether this new therapy can be applied to other retinal diseases.

The Kinesis K3 is about the size of a flashlight. It allows you to recharge your cell phones, iPods/MP3 players, PDAs, portable gaming devices, GPS units, digital cameras and other electronic devices using solar and wind power. Its charging ability can also store power from an AC wall plug. It is ideal for aiding in disasters and emergencies.

According to Kinesis, just one hour of sun and wind can provide about 30 minutes of talk time on a cell phone and about 300 minutes of MP3 music.

This portable recharger has a battery capacity of 4000 mHh and comes with one USB port with adapter tips to charge various devices. It can also charge from any computer via USB and from a car cigarette lighter with available USB adapter. The K3 sells for $99.95.

Peramivir becomes the first FDA-approved intravenously (IV) administered antiviral for the treatment of influenza.

The approval was in response to a request from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The FDA reviewed scientific data on peramivir and concluded that it can now be used in certain hospitalized adult and pediatric patients with confirmed or suspected H1N1 influenza.

The emergency use of this drug is authorized only for patients who are clinically appropriate candidates for IV therapy and for whom oral or inhaled therapies are not feasible or have failed.

For over a century now, engineers and scientists from all over the world have known that transferring electricity without wires can be accomplished. Believe it or not, it all started with one of America’s most respected inventors and electrical engineers, Nikola Tesla, back in 1899.

Tesla worked on over 760 patented inventions and is credited for developing the alternating electrical current, which eventually surpassed Thomas Edison’s direct current system and became the standard in the United States. In 1899, he accomplished an incredible technological breakthrough in Colorado Springs, Colo. He successfully transmitted 100 million volts of high-frequency electrical power wirelessly over a distance of 25 miles. The power transmitted lit up 200 bulbs and also ran one electric motor.

In 1901, he convinced a prominent investor to construct a tower in Long Island, New York. It was to be the first tower to transmit electrical energy without wires to the whole world. His plan was to utilize the Earth’s ionosphere. The ionosphere is the ionic charged part of our atmosphere, which protects us from solar radiation. It is also a place where atoms and molecules are torn by solar radiation, and it is an excellent conductor of radio waves, as well. Unfortunately, for unknown reasons, the investor that pledged support for this endeavor withdrew his funding, and Tesla was forced to abandon the project.

The tower was torn down and demolished in 1917. Over the next two decades, other inventors introduced similar devices and various methods for transmitting electrical energy without wires. After the Second World War, all efforts on the subject were halted. Later, scientists pursued transferring energy using electromagnetic radiation, but it proved to be inefficient because the waves sent spread in all directions, causing most of the energy to become lost. It was not until the year 2006 that the concept resurfaced by researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Professor Marin Soljacic.

An experiment was conducted, which consisted of using two copper coils, a transmitter attached to a power source and a receiver attached to a lightbulb that was placed seven feet from the transmitter. The lightbulb was successfully lit without any wires. The data gathered by the initial experiment indicated that 40 percent of electricity was transferred to the lightbulb. What was interesting about this is that when wood, metal and other devices were placed between the two coils, the energy still traveled to its destination despite these obstructions. According to Professor Soljacic, the idea to transmit power wirelessly began late one night several years ago.“ It was probably the sixth time that month that I was awakened by my cell phone beeping to let me know that I had forgotten to charge it. It occurred to me that it would be so great if the thing took care of its own charging,” said the professor. He began working on this and soon realized that close-range induction inside a transformer could potentially transfer electricity over long distances. A power transmitter would fill the space around it with an electromagnetic field that is “non-radiative,” and energy could then be picked up by devices, exclusively designed to “resonate” with the field. The energy not picked up by a receiver would be reabsorbed by the emitter.

What does this mean for our future? Soljacic envisions a future when laptop computers and mobile devices will no longer need wires at all. Imagine not having any underground or above-ground cables. What about batteries? They would become obsolete, since electricity would be all around us. We could also potentially see vehicles with coils installed, which would replace combustible fuels. The possibilities are immense.

Corresponding with this morning’s launch of Windows 7, Microsoft opened its first retail store in Scottsdale.

Additional stores will open across the U.S. in the next year, with its next store opening next week in Mission Viejo, Calif. “Our customers have told us they want choice, better value and great service when shopping for technology, and that is what we will deliver through our Microsoft stores,” said David Porter, corporate vice president of Microsoft Retail.

Microsoft has shared publicly that it is targeting Apple’s retail stores with its new stores. It’s strategy, to open many of the new stores close to existing Apple stores and offer a wider range of computer-related products.

As soon as you enter the store, you can see the variety of laptops and PCs on large cedar tables. The walls are lined with giant LCD screens showing product images to create interest and spark curiosity.

The store also carries laptop bags, computer accessories and an array of software titles. Towards the back, you will find an Xbox gaming zone, featuring a 94-inch widescreen television.

There is also an “Answer Bar,” which provides support for Windows users and various other Microsoft products.

Lisa Gahard, 8, plays a game on a Microsoft Surface
computer with help from Sarah Brazeal of Microsoft (left).

Microsoft said the new store will have a staff of 80-100 and expects to create hundreds of jobs as its chain grows nationally.

In the winter issue of MyTekLife magazine, we sit down with Hollywood actor, producer, director, screenwriter, and stuntman, BJ Davis.

BJ has worked in hundreds of films and television shows, including the Star Trek series and movies.

He is also known for holding two world records in stunts: The highest fall from a helicopter into the ocean from 180 ft and an aerial neck suspension beneath a helicopter at 70 mph, from 1000 ft, for a flight period of 20 min.

BJ sits down with us and shares his extraordinary accomplishments during his 25-year career and also talks about his new and exciting upcoming projects

Dominating its sales, were Mac computers and iPhones. Sales increased from $7.9 billion to $9.9 billion when compared to a year ago.

Today Apple managed to grab the headlines again by releasing major upgrades to its Mac computer line.

The iMac was upgraded and now includes a 21.5-inch and 27-inch 16:9 LED-based widescreen. It comes equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors at speeds of 3.06Ghz and 3.33Ghz. Its graphics options include the Nvidia GeForce 9400M, or the ATI Radeon 4670. In addition, Apple has added two more RAM slots to accommodate 16GB of RAM. The iMac can now support up to 2 terabytes of hard drive capacity. They are priced starting at $1,199.

The MacBook was redesigned and now includes a unibody design just like the MacBook Pro. The screen was also upgraded and now includes an LED screen. Battery life has improved and can last up to seven hours. They are priced starting at $999.

Apple also introduced a new Multi-Touch mouse, called Magic Mouse. It is also bundled with the new iMacs. It works a lot like the multi-touch surface on the MacBooks. It supports two-finger gesture movements for scrolling up and down.

The Mac mini was also upgraded and includes newer processors, an NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics adapter and a 160GB hard drive. It is priced at $599. The second model offers a 320GB hard drive and is priced at $799

"This is a dream come true. Just two years ago I thought the U.S. would begin large-scale green initiatives and look at what has happened," said Dirk Saecker, CEO and founder of Green Eco Sys.

The multi-million dollar deal will allow Green Eco Sys to create new green jobs and stimulate the renewable energy industry.

Green Eco Sys also offers vertical wind systems, desalination water treatment systems and organic fertilizing solutions.

The study showed that children ages 4 to 8 that are restrained in the rear seat of a car in a belt-positioning booster seat are 45% less likely to be injured in a crash—compared with children using a seat belt alone.

This new analysis reinforces that “policymakers, pediatricians and health educators should continue to recommend as best practice the use of belt-positioning booster seats once a child outgrows a harness based child restraint until he/she is at least 8 years of age," said Dennis Durbin, M.D., M.S.C.E., Co-Scientific Director of The Center for Injury Research and Prevention and study co-author. Additionally, these results suggest the use of a backless booster seat versus a high back booster seat does not result in any compromise in safety.

About 7,000 children between the ages of 4-8 involved in real-world crashes were studied between 1998 and 2009. According to the lead researcher, Kristy Arbogast, Ph.D., the study also revealed that booster seat usage has tripled among older kids ages 6-to 8 since 2002.

The increase in booster seat use among older children is attributed, in part, to new child restraint laws in the U.S. There are currently 47 states that have booster seat laws, but only 25 of them and the District of Columbia, require booster seats for children up to at least age 8.

In Arizona, there are no booster seat laws. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is urging policymakers to close these gaps in the laws to ensure that children under age 8 are protected in crashes.

Henrik Fisker is known for creating beautiful automotive designs, which include the Aston Martin DB9 and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. You may also have seen his BMW Z8 roadster design in the James Bond film, The World is Not Enough. His new car company is taking the lead in building the first luxury hybrid cars in the U.S. without compromising design and performance. The Karma will make its debut in 2010, and the Karma Sunset in 2011.

I caught up with Fisker at Concorso Italiano 2009 in Monterey, Calif., last August.

MyTekLife: Some are saying that this is the perfect timing for Fisker Automotive. Did you plan that?
Fisker: You know, sometimes you have to be somewhat lucky. It’s a coincidence I met with the CEO of a company called Quantum Technologies. They had done a military vehicle that could go behind enemy lines and was quiet. It was kind of a hybrid. I started thinking, why not use this for a real car? It would be great! There was one problem—the components would not fit in a normal car. You have the electric motors in the back, the battery in the center of the vehicle and the normal engine in the front.

MyTekLife: How long ago was this?
Fisker: This was in 2007. At the same time, I had seen Leonardo DiCaprio show up at the Oscars with a Prius. I said, you know what, there is a market here. We can’t all be driving a Prius. Some of us want a fast, beautiful car.

MyTekLife: What about the name Karma? Is there a story behind it?
Fisker: As we started working on the vehicle, we started looking into names. I was reading something about good karma, which as you know means that you do something good today, and then tomorrow something good will happen. We build an environmental car like this today and we get a better environment in the future. I just thought that was perfect. I said that name must be taken already, so we did a Google search and also researched it. It turns out that no one had taken it, so we put a trademark on it.

MyTekLife: Do you have a distribution plan?
Fisker: We have signed up about 45 dealerships in the U.S., and we have already signed up 13 European importers as well. These dealers are putting out showrooms or modifying their existing showrooms to fit the Fisker series of cars in there. That will all take place in the beginning of next year. The first Karma out of production will be in May, with a first delivery in June.

MyTekLife: Are you planning any other models besides the Karma and the Sunset? What is your goal and how many cars do you plan to build?

Fisker: The goal is obviously to get these cars out. The Karma series of cars will have one more model. We are starting with about 15,000 a year, but the goal is to eventually get over 100,000 cars produced per year. And we are also working on a low-cost model, which will be a smaller vehicle. It will be low cost, higher production. We have applied for Department of Energy loans. We have started the business model already. There are so many secrets about it because we barely just started working on it. The Karma will be the most expensive car we do. From now on, everything else we add will be low cost.

MyTekLife: Do you have a time frame on when you think you will get an answer from the feds on a loan?
Fisker: We applied and we hope that it will be within the next few weeks.

MyTekLife: I understand that branding is very important to you. What is the one thing you want people to know Fisker Automotive for?
Fisker: I want people to say, that car is gorgeous. With most cars there is always a compromise. The goal was to build a car that can fit four people with four doors, but it would be stunning and beautiful. More beautiful than any other gasoline car in its segment, so that is where there was no compromise. The same with power—no compromise there. A fuel-efficient vehicle with no compromise.

MyTekLife: Do you think new technology can save the U.S. economy?
Fisker: I think this is our only hope at this point in time. The U.S. car industry has not been a leader in the last 34 years. A country like the U.S. with the biggest car population, at least in terms of value in the world … China may surpass those numbers, but the cost per car and investment from people is much bigger. And I think considering that this is the most important economy in the world America should be leading the car industry. I think with new technology and the support from the government, America can come back.

MyTekLife: Are you a pioneer at this?
Fisker: We are part of it. Other car companies have to come in too, and I think it’s important for others to know we can’t do it alone. People expect more with this new technology. They expect a beautiful design that has excitement. The technology is not enough; it’s got to be the whole vehicle integration and how you package this car to make it desirable.

MyTekLife: Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
Fisker: Well, hopefully on a beach somewhere enjoying life. Right now it’s 18 hours a day, seven days a week. I see myself hopefully being part of a very successful American car company that is a leader in the world.

MyTekLife: When did you first find that you had a passion for cars?
Fisker: Since I can remember. I got my first little model car … I remember a Ferrari and others that I had. Cars always amazed me, and I think it was a combination of amazing power, technology and beauty. I don’t think there is any other product in the world that we can truly say we can fall in love with the way we fall in love with cars. You don’t fall in love with a toothbrush, even an iPod or an iPhone—you don’t fall in love the same way. They’re very user-friendly and you love them in a certain way, but you don’t fall in love like you do with a car.

The MacBook Air is ultra-thin and ultra-portable, but is this 0.76-inch, three-pound notebook right for you? The product has been a top seller for Apple. Its thin-form factor has made it popular among those who are always “on the go” and need something portable that can perform most common computer tasks. It does, however, have some limitations when compared to thicker notebooks. Apple has recently released a few revisions of the MacBook Air, which included some improvements on CPU speeds and a surprising new price drop of $300.

The biggest question you need to ask yourself is, what will I be using the MacBook Air for? Your expectations should be realistic. You need to think about balancing portability versus usability.

It is very apparent that Apple’s main objective was to create one of the thinnest notebooks on the market that could run a “full” operating system. When a company embarks on such an endeavor, it becomes obvious at the drawing board that many features found in bigger devices may not be possible and will most likely not be included.

The MacBook Air is currently offered in two basic configurations. One has a 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and is priced at $1,499. The higher-end model comes with a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and an optional 128GB solid-state drive. It is priced at $1,799. Both models have a native resolution of 1280 by 800 and a 13.3-inch LED backlit TFT glossy screen. They can support up to 1920 by 1200 through an external monitor. We are wondering why a matte screen option was not offered. Glossy screens are popular among consumers, but there are those who prefer a matte screen. Perhaps a future revision or refresh will have this option.

The MacBook Air comes equipped with a built-in camera, Bluetooth 2.1, a 802.11n wireless card, an audio out connector, one USB 2.1 port and a Micro-DVI connector. As you can see, there are several components that were left out. No Ethernet port, additional USB ports, firewire or CD/DVD drive. It does come with a USB-Ethernet adapter and an optional external USB DVD SuperDrive.

Now comes the part where we ask, what do you intend to use the MacBook Air for? To help in determining if this machine is right for you, we have broken this up into typical user activities. This will help you avoid disappointment and set up realistic expectations.

If you are a gamer, this device is most definitely not for you. The video card is about average, and it’s not meant to render complex graphics at fast frame rates. The integrated NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card also uses 256MB of system memory, since it is shared. Not to mention the CPU is not fast enough for most new games. But, if the only types of games you play are chess or solitaire, you should be fine.

If you design graphics for a living and need to quickly develop or manipulate graphics on the go that do not require heavy processing or rendering, you should be able to use this notebook. Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS4 versions have no issues on the MacBook Air; however, working with these applications in a 13.3-inch screen may be challenging for some. Your work may have to wait until you are back at your workstation on your large monitor. In addition, if you have large files, you could run into disk space issues and some bottlenecks reading them, as well. The standard internal drive maximum capacity is 120GB at 4200 rpm. An optional 128GB solid-state drive is also available. The multi-touch trackpad that ships with the Air functions similar to the iPhone’s multi-touch and that of other MacBooks. It’s wider than most notebooks, at 5 inches diagonal. Its features will come in handy when working with graphics. You can rotate an image by rotating fingers. You can zoom in and out using “pinch” and spread gestures. You can perform a three-finger swipe up and down or side to side, which works much like the next and previous arrow keys. This means you can switch between images and web pages. The touchpad bar is unusually thin and takes a bit of getting used to.

If you are away from your office and require remote access to your company’s network, the MacBook Air is perfect. You can take it with you fully loaded with your Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Entourage or Outlook (if you are running Windows), check your email and stay in touch with your peers. The CPU is more than adequate for multi-tasking, but the lack of a built-in 3G wireless chip could be a problem if you are not near a Wi-Fi hotspot. As an alternative, you can plug in an external 3G modem to the USB port, but you will need a USB extension cord. The port is located in a fold-down compartment, which is somewhat difficult to get to.

If you are a blogger and like to write, the MacBook Air is right for you. You may find yourself at a local Starbucks enjoying a cup of java and writing articles on a frequent basis. This is a good scenario for this notebook. If all you are doing is using a word processor such as Microsoft Word and occasionally browsing the web for references, the average battery life is about three hours. You can get over four hours by lowering the brightness setting to about midpoint. One of the biggest complaints about the MacBook Air is that the battery is not user-replaceable. Apple does have the MacBook Air Out-of-Warranty Replacement Program. It will cost $129 to replace and can be done at a local Apple store; same-day repair is available with an appointment. Apple also offers mail-in repair with a 5 to 7 business day average turn-around time. The MacBook Air is a dream come true for a student. The thin-form factor makes it extremely attractive for students who want to bundle it with their books inside their backpacks. It is excellent for taking notes in classrooms, and since most universities have Wi-Fi available, you can connect easily connect to the Internet. The price tag of $1,599 may make it impossible for most students to purchase, though.

If you do a lot of web surfing, it will work great. Animated graphics found on the web, such as flash animation, are smooth, and you can even play back high-quality video. QuickTime trailers play smoothly at resolutions of 1920 by 1080. The MacBook Air has a single speaker, which appears to be louder than a MacBook’s but not louder than a MacBook Pro’s. It is located just under the arrow keys on the keyboard. The built-in camera can be used for video chatting
with friends and family.

The lack of a firewire port and the notebook’s processing speed does not make the Air feasible for video editing. Of course, if you have a smaller digital camera and want to quickly import video or pictures via USB 2.0 port, you can.

As you can see, the MacBook Air is not for some, but it’s great for others. We believe that this technological innovation will serve as a second computer for those who are always “on the go” and need quick access to their information. Since it is so thin and appears to be well constructed, we can see it being used more regularly than a Blackberry or iPhone. The screen size is more than enough to perform basic office-related tasks. Not to mention, the brightness of the LED backlit LCD screen is absolutely gorgeous.

NASA will be conducting the first flight test for the new crew launch vehicle today. The Ares I-X, will bring the agency one step closer to achieving its ambitious goal of returning to the moon.

The test flight will give NASA the opportunity to test new hardware, facilities and ground operations. The data collected will be used to assess the new rocket’s design to ensure that it is safe and stable in flight before new astronauts can begin testing it into orbit.

The aircraft is part of the Constellation Program, which includes new systems and vehicles to support space exploration not just to the moon, but to Mars and beyond. With this new program, NASA has stated that the Space S