EV Cup electric car racing to get the electrons flowing this year

via Autoblog Green by Jonas Dalidd on 2/23/11

Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Th!nk (Think), Racing


EV Cup, the world's first racing series dedicated solely to zero emission vehicles, starts this August with a debut race in the UK, followed by events in Spain, Portugal, and the U.S. Drivers will compete in three categories: the City EV class, which will feature the tiny Think vehicles; the Sports EV class, with drivers racing in Westfield iRACERs; and the Prototype EV class, wherein non-production EVs (with very little limitations) will go head-to-head in time trials.

Entering in the Sports EV class is Drayson Racing, headed by Lord Paul Drayson, former British Government Minister of Science who quit his job to get into green racing (at the time, a bio-ethanol car in Le Mans). Drayson had good things to say about the EV Cup in a prepared statement:

The team at EVCUP have taken a bold step forward to create the world's first electric racing series. As one of the world's leading green motorsport teams, we want to be a part of it and we want to win it!

If you're an auto racing enthusiast who is also concerned about the environment, make sure to check this series out. To get all the details, the full press release is available after the jump.
[Source: EV Cup / Drayson Racing]
Continue reading EV Cup electric car racing to get the electrons flowing this year

EV Cup electric car racing to get the electrons flowing this year originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 Creative Uses Of The New Facebook Profile Page

 

 

Sent to you by Sugandh via Google Reader:

 

 

10 Creative Uses Of The New Facebook Profile Page

via MakeUseOf.com by Jeffry Thurana on 2/24/11

Don't call yourself a true Facebook user if you haven't tried to "hack" your new profile page. Well, at least that's what the profile page hackers believe. A French artist called Alexandre Oudin is credited as the pioneer of the craze. Since then many people have joined the trend and created their own hacked profile page.

If you want to create your own, below are several examples that could inspire you. Please note that due to the nature of Facebook profile pages, which some people change as often as changing clothes, the linked Facebook page might already display a different series of images when you visit them. That's why some of these page profile artists recorded their creations and saved them somewhere else.

Tools Of The Trade

Before we go through the examples, let's see some of the tools that you can use to customize your Facebook Profile Page. We discussed several of them in 3+ Ways To Customise Your Facebook Profile Picture and How To Reface Your Facebook Profile Using FB Photo Magic.  There are also other similar tools that you could try, such as :

• Profile Pimp
• Facebook Profile Picture Generator
• Profile Maker
• MyPeex
• Your New Profile
• Cut My Face (in French)

Armed with these tools, you are ready to go. You only need some inspiration to spice up your own design, inspiration you could perhaps get from some of the following profile pages. The list is in no particular order – except for the first.

1. Alexandre Oudin

   The first spot is reserved for Mr Oudin to honor him as the person who triggered the trend. He creatively used a close-up picture of himself to compile his profile page. Looking at how many profile page creation tools are available today, it's amazing how he – being the first of the pack – did his profile page manually, with the help of Photoshop and a lot of patience.

   

2. Jon Yang

   I have only one word for this one: amazing. Mr Yang used the profile page layout to perfectly put the emphasize on the action.

   

3. John Robert-Nicoud

   Whose heart wouldn't melt after looking at this cute picture? Mr Robert-Nicoud divided the images into two parts and so enhanced the focus on each one. The cute hand and the small flower connected the two parts and gave soul to the whole.

   

4. Thibaut Le Brasseur

   Who said that Facebook profile page hacks have to be built only from photos? This example shows a playful twist to the page hacking process.

   

5. Jack Smith

   This is what we call going all the way. Mr Smith didn't stop at utilizing the profile page and photo streams, but also the other lines of images. I don't know whether this one was done manually or by using one of the available tools, but you surely need lots and lots of patience to do it the manual way.

   

6. Cynthia Lay

   Even with the help of the Facebook profile page builder, this profile page is not an easy one to create (at least not for me). Aside from the well-thought out composition, adjusting the position of the butterflies to fit the page hack layout is not something that ordinary people could do in one go.

   

7. Claudio Nader

   While I personally think that this one is not as good looking as the other examples, Mr Nader creatively uses the space that he has to promote himself. He shows us that the Facebook profile page hack can also be used to literally show your profile.

   

8. Taylor Kwek

   This is an example of how a limitation can be turned into an advantage. Mr Kwek utilizes the edges of the profile picture and photo streams as a virtual wall to give the illusion that he is peeking from behind the wall.

   

9. Dave Keffer

   This profile page hack literally bends the concept of linear edges. The curved photos give the feeling of depth, as if there's a room behind the page.

   

10. Serentonin Boogie

    Scrapbook fans will love this one. Instead of using just one photo like the majority of profile page artists, Mr Boogié tastefully composed and stitched several images into one, making the result a true work of art.

    

These ten are just a tiny proportion of the total number of Facebook profile page hacks. There are lots more examples out there, and it's impossible to show them all. If you have a favourite or if you'd like your creations to be featured here, please share them using the comments below.

Image credit: thurana

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Google Invades Microsoft Territory, Integrates Google Docs With Office Products

 

 

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Google Invades Microsoft Territory, Integrates Google Docs With Office Products

via Fast Company by Austin Carr on 2/24/11

Although Google has pushed hard to make Google Docs a worthy competitor to Microsoft Office, there's always been a sense that Docs just couldn't stack up. As a web-based program, Google Docs lacked the features, ease-of-use, and stability of Office--it's an online convenience, certainly, but no where close to a replacement for Microsoft's suite of products.

But today, Google took steps to grow its role beyond just an online supplement to Office--and, in doing so, is going right into Microsoft's backyard.

On Thursday, the search giant unveiled a new tool to sync Microsoft Office with Google Docs, creating a seamless transition from one program to the next. Called Cloud Connect, the plugin installs to the toolbar of any Office application, whether Word, Excel or PowerPoint, and enables users to "share and simultaneously edit" documents. Using the Google plugin, all files and revisions are synced to the cloud and continuously backed up through Google.

[youtube H12teRzulW0]

Rather than try to reinvent the wheel, it appears Google is trying to better integrate itself with market leader Microsoft by doing what it does best: cloud computing and real-time collaboration. As an ad for the new plugin says, "You gain all the benefits of the cloud without learning anything new or updating existing software."

Similar plugins already exist, but none that pose as much a threat to Microsoft as Google. If the product were to ever to become popular, it'd be a huge branding coup for Google: a Google toolbar incorporated prominently into one of Microsoft's most ubiquitous programs.

And we've seen this strategy before from Google. Remember when it first added the Google search toolbar to Internet Explorer? Or when it added Google Desktop on Windows?

Unless Microsoft is careful, Office might be next--regardless of whether ol' Clippy has been able to fend off competitors in the past.  

 

 

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Thousands of Screws Make a 3D Portrait (15 pics)

 

 

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Thousands of Screws Make a 3D Portrait (15 pics)

via Featured Blog Posts - My Modern Metropolis by alice on 2/24/11

Meet Andrew Myers, one of the most patient modern-day sculptors around. This Laguna Beach, California-based artist goes through a multi-step process to create incredible works of art you almost have to see (or touch) to believe. He starts with a base, plywood panel, and then places pages of a phone book on top. (Cool fact: He'll use pages from his subjects' local area.) He then draws out a face and pre-drills 8,000 to 10,000 holes, by hand. As he drills in the screws, Myers doesn't rely on any computer software to guide him, he figures it out as he goes along. "For me, I consider this a traditional sculpture and all my screws are at different depths," he says.

One of the most challenging parts is getting rid of the flat drawing underneath because he then has to paint over each of the screw heads, individually, so that in the end, the sculpture looks like an actual portrait.

Look through these photos and you'll notice that the real magic happens when you see these pieces from an angle.















Andrew Myers, the Artist

Andrew Myers' website
via [AOL]

 

 

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Office Relocation - Dilbert's Humour

Cricket fever

Cricket fever…

Extremely important recommendations for wives, girlfriends, fiancées

– from all husbands, boyfriends & fiancés :

 

1.    From 19^th Feb to 2^nd April, the television is mine, at all times, without any exceptions.  The remote control will be fingerprinted each night, any sign of your fingerprints and all shopping trips will be cancelled for a month.

2.    If you have to pass by in front of the TV during a match, for an important reason such as preparing snacks or getting in the beers, I don't mind, as long as you crawl along the floor.

3.    During the cricket season, read the sports section of the newspaper so that you get the flavor of the cricket season.

4.    During the matches I will be blinkered to match.  You cannot expect me to listen to you, open the door, answer the telephone, it won’t happen.

5.    It would be a good idea for you to keep at least 2 six packs in the fridge at all times, as well as plenty of things to nibble on, and please do not make any funny faces to my friends when they come over to watch the matches. In return, you will be allowed to use the TV between 12am and 6am, unless they replay a good match that I missed during the day.

6.    Please, please, please!! if you see me upset because one of my teams is losing, DO NOT say ' get over it, it’s only a match', or 'don't worry, they'll win next time'. If you say these things, you will only make me angrier and I will love you less. Remember, you will never ever know more about cricket than me and your so called 'words of encouragement' will only lead to a break up or divorce.

7.    The replays of the matches are very important. I don't care if I have seen them or I haven't seen them, I want to see them again. Many times.

8.    Tell your friends NOT to have any babies, or any other child related parties or gatherings that requires my attendance because I will not go, I will not go, and I will not go. However, if a friend of mine invites us to his house on a Sunday to watch a match, we will be there in a flash.

9.    You are welcome to sit with me to watch one match and you can talk to me during halftime but only when the commercials are on, and only if the score is pleasing me. The daily cricket season highlights show on TV every night is just as important as the matches themselves. Do not even say 'but you have already seen this...why don't you change the channel to something we can all watch?

10. And finally, please save your expressions such as: 'Thank God the cricket world cup is only every 4 years'.  I am immune to these words, because after this comes the Premier League.

 

******************************************************************************

Experiment Shows Not Washing Jeans for 15 Months is Disgusting But Safe - Slashdot

Experiment Shows Not Washing Jeans for 15 Months is Disgusting But Safe - Slashdot: "'Young people who argue with their parents over wearing the same pair of smelly jeans can now cite the work of a 20-year old University of Alberta student who wore the same jeans for 15 months straight. From the article: 'Josh Le wore the same pair of jeans to break in the raw denim, so it would wrap the contours of his body, leaving distinct wear lines. He had his textile professor test the jeans for bacteria before washing them for the first time. The results showed high counts of five different kinds of bacteria, but nothing in the range of being considered a health hazard.'"

NEVER LIE TO A WOMAN!

NEVER LIE TO A WOMAN!

A man called home to his wife and said, "Honey I have been asked to go fishing up in Canada with my boss & several of his Friends.
We'll be gone for a week. This is a good opportunity for me to get that Promotion I've been wanting, so could you please pack enough Clothes for a week and set out my rod and fishing box, we're leaving from the office & I will swing by the house to pick my things up. Oh! Please pack my new blue silk pajamas. "
The wife thinks this sounds a bit fishy but being the good wife she is, did exactly what her husband asked.
The following Weekend he came home a little tired but otherwise looking good.
The wife welcomed him home and asked if he caught many fish?
He said, "Yes! Lots of Salmon, some Bluegill, and a few Swordfish. But why didn't you pack my new blue silk pajamas like I asked you to Do?
You'll love the answer...
The wife replied, "I did. They're in your fishing box ....."

THE SILENT TREATMENT

A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other "the silent treatment" by not talking to each other. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5:00 AM." He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he has about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It is 5:00 AM. Wake up."

Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

Sahib Sindh Sultan - Cunning business trick - Felt cheated

Sahib Sindh Sultan – Cunning business trick on V-day (14-FEB-2011) – Felt cheated

 

On this Valentine’s Day I took my wife out for dinner to a restaurant called Sahib Sindh Sultan. It is located inside Forum Mall, Koramangla, Bangalore. I had a nice feeling when I entered it – felt romantic and was looking forward to having a nice quiet candle-lit dinner to celebrate the day with my beloved. I had anticipated the rush and a long waiting queue at the restaurant – so I had made advance reservation online, through HungryZone.com. But while coming out, I had mixed feelings – one of which was of being cheated and bullied into paying exorbitantly high price for a dinner. Other feelings were, less extreme. Food was good (7/10); ambience was superb – colonial railway station and ultra-luxury train theme with stewards dressed as ticket checkers (8/10); service was cordial and prompt (7/10).

 

I knew before-hand that this one was a bit on the pricey side. I had been there once before a couple of years back. Quick check on reviews and past experience gave me a rough estimate of 1000 bucks for a dinner for two (without any drinks). But I think these guys went a bit overboard in an attempt to cash-in on the V-day rush. They had removed the main course menu card altogether and replaced it with V-day special package with the price tag of 899 + tax, which came out to be 2245 finally for one couple. Now what pissed me off the most was there refusal to serve à la carte. This package was not an option – I was told very politely that today, they shall be serving this package only.

 

Clearly it was a cunning business trick which they played on unsuspecting love-struck diners. When you are in there for a dinner on V-day you are not likely to spoil your evening by getting up and leaving the place, in search of another restaurant. Besides, you may not get seat in any good restaurant at that time of the evening. So, very cleverly, the restaurant has played upon this by not announcing table d'hôte evening either at the like of booking confirmation or at the entrance.

 

Summary – please do a check on the approximate cost for a dinner at such pricey restaurants, to avoid last minute shockers like the one I had. About the restaurant – Not good value for money.

 

 

 

FoxNews.com - Mystery Surrounds Cyber Missile That Crippled Iran's Nuclear Weapons Ambitions

FoxNews.com - Mystery Surrounds Cyber Missile That Crippled Iran's Nuclear Weapons Ambitions: "Simply put, Stuxnet is an incredibly advanced, undetectable computer worm that took years to construct and was designed to jump from computer to computer until it found the specific, protected control system that it aimed to destroy: Iran’s nuclear enrichment program."

FW: 14 Feb 2011: Do not buy Petrol

-------------
Dear Friends!
Petrol in Pakistan Rs17 per litr
Malaysia Rs 18 per litr
In India it's Rs.65per litr
Why is there a difference within India itself? World Market CRUDE Oil is not

the reason for this. It's all Gain for private owners? As we are the
general public, or Common Man as R.K.Laxman wud hv said, we have to
raise our voice, let's raise thru Emails.

Forward this to all Indians who care.

IT HAS BEEN CALCULATED THAT IF EVERYONE DID NOT PURCHASE A DROP OF
PETROL FOR ONE DAY AND ALL AT THE SAME TIME, THE OIL COMPANIES WOULD
CHOKE ON THEIR STOCKPILES.

AT THE SAME TIME IT WOULD HIT THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY WITH A NET LOSS
OVER 4.6 BILLION DOLLARS WHICH AFFECTS THE BOTTOM LINES OF THE OIL
COMPANIES.
THEREFORE "
Feb.14 th" HAS BEEN FORMALLY DECLARED

"STICK IT UP THEIR BEHIND " DAY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS NATION SHOULD
NOT BUY A SINGLE DROP OF PETROL THAT DAY.

THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE DONE IS IF YOU FORWARD THIS E-MAIL TO AS
MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN AND AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET THE WORD
OUT. WAITING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND CONTROL THE PRICES IS
NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE REDUCTION AND CONTROL
IN PRICES THAT THE ARAB NATIONS PROMISED TWO WEEKS AGO?

REMEMBER ONE THING, NOT ONLY IS THE PRICE OF PETROL GOING UP BUT
AT THE SAME TIME AIRLINES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES,
TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE FORCED TO RAISE THEIR PRICES WHICH AFFECTS
PRICES ON EVERYTHING THAT IS SHIPPED. THINGS LIKE FOOD, CLOTHING,
BUILDING SUPPLIES MEDICAL SUPPLIES ETC. WHO PAYS IN THE END? WE
DO!

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.IF THEY DON'T GET THE MESSAGE AFTER ONE
DAY, WE WILL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN. SO DO YOUR PART AND SPREAD THE
WORD. FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW. MARK YOUR
CALENDARS AND MAKE* *
*Feb.* 14 th

A DAY THAT THE CITIZENS SAY
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"

We forward so many junk email to many of our friends, now let us do
it for some useful cause to cut down the price of the petrol .. ....

REMEMBER : *Feb * 14 th

QR Codes 101: Make Links to Your Website from Anywhere: Online Collaboration �

QR Codes 101: Make Links to Your Website from Anywhere: Online Collaboration �: "QR codes are an increasingly-popular way of converting data like website addresses into a form that can be easily scanned. Thus, it’s possible to publish a website address in print, and readers can go to that address without having to type in the address."

In the Future, Robots Will Surf Their Own Internet | Fast Company

In the Future, Robots Will Surf Their Own Internet | Fast Company: "If robots are to become our overlords, they will need their own Internet to communicate with each other. RoboEarth, a just-launched robot information sharing network, gets them that much closer to world domination.

The EU-funded RoboEarth project is bringing together European scientists to build a network and database repository for robots to share information about the world. They will, if all goes as planned, use the network to store and retrieve information about objects, locations (including maps), and instructions about completing activities. Robots will be both the contributors and the editors of the repository."

YouTube - Sphero On the Move - The Robotic Ball

YouTube - Sphero On the Move - The Robotic Ball

Geeta Saaransh - Must read