A digital camera is basically a digital device that enables images to be captured. Digital camera images are stored electronically rather than on film. This process involves converting light into electrical charges, and then translating this back into the image that was seen through the digital camera LCD. Although the digital camera is a recent addition to the world of photography, the concept of the possibility of a digital camera was begun in the 1950s.

The early concept of the digital camera was closely linked to television technology. It began with digital images being recorded on scanners and in the form of digital video signals. In 1951 broadcasting companies were recording images as electrical impulses and onto magnetic tape from their television cameras, and this paved the way for digital camera technology to begin. By 1956 electrical impulse recordings were common practise within film industry, and camera manufacturers began to dream of a digital camera device.

The first record of a patent for a type of digital camera was in 1972 when Texas Instruments patented a camera that did not require film. However, the patent revealed a more analog based design rather than a digital camera, and there is no record of whether the camera was actually created. What the patent does show, however, is that interest towards a digital camera was growing with the idea that the need for film could be removed. A pioneer in the history of digital camera was Steve Sasson, an engineer at Kodak. Digital images were of the moon were being transmitted via sat

Central to this early concept of the digital camera, and still used by digital cameras today, is the Charged Coupled Device. The CCD detects light and colour intensity and then converts this information into electrons. The value of each cell in the image is then read, and converted to binary format to make the image computer compatible. Steve Sasson produced his first digital camera image in 1979. The image took a total of 23 seconds to take, and a further 23 seconds to read from the playback unit. Although the digital camera image was less than perfect, it showed that the digital camera was a possibility. Kodak had developed a camera that developed picture from light, but it was never manufactured for the public.

The first camera to be marketed was the Sony Mavica electronic still camera in 1981. It was not a true digital camera as the image was recorded on mini disc, and then attached to a television or video. It was more a freeze frame video camera but it greatly influenced people`s attitude to the recorded image. It made public the possibility of a camera that stored images using techniques other than film. It still used more television technology but was the first hand held with the general idea of digital camera usage. Cameras that could transmit images via satellite became popular, but were used by the media only due to the expense incurred. The possibilities were becoming apparent and images were used for news coverage. The first camera for general use with a computer was the Apple Quicktake 100 camera which appeared in1984. In 1986 the Canon RC-701 was used for coverage of the Olympics, with quality images printed in the newspaper. This showed the possible quality, and the desire for the digital camera was born.

The first mega pixel sensor was invented in 1986. It contained 1.4 million pixels and was suitable for a digital camera image measuring 5×7 inches. In 1987 accessories for storing, printing, manipulating, transmitting, and recording digital images came onto the market, with the Fuji DS-P1 arriving in 1988. This is arguably the first true digital camera as recognised today, boasting a 16MB memory card. With the arrival of JPEG and MPEG standards in the 1990´s, the face of the digital camera was changed for ever. Kodak marketed the first readily available digital camera that met all standards, with the Kodak DC40 in 1995.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author’s name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/camera-digital.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

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In recent times, the PHP websites seem to draw lots of attention and why not? Where can you get such a complete content site management solution that is simple, yet fast; robust yet flexible and cross platform yet secure? Using PHP programming language, the PHP website makes it easier to maintain an interactive, community driven website.

When Rasmus Lerdorf wrote the first PHP scripts, little did he realize that PHP will become the most dominant scripting language even before the first decade of new millennium comes to an end! The language he developed as a series of Perl scripts to spy on the viewers of his resume is today recognized by such formidable names as Google.com, Mitsubishi, Redhat, MP3, Lycos, Ericsson and NASA.

Ever since 1994, the PHP as a server side scripting language is evolving and growing as an open source code. According to an estimate, numbers of PHP supported web sites are growing at a rate of 20% per month.

The PHP web site provides a complete web site content management system solution. The client output supports XHTML 1.0 and meets the W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative requirements.

You will not require much technical knowledge to maintain PHP website contents.

• The interactive content feature allows your visitors to post comments or submit links.

• The flexible layout control feature allows you to change site pages at any time.

• Different PHP website Themes makes customized user experience possible

• The calendar feature allows the posting to appear under categories

• Automatic history rollover feature allows the site to organize announcements by topics and categories

If you are buying web hosting service from a service provider, you have to make sure that you have PHP website support set up in your web hosting account. Beware of those commercial web hosts who would not allow you to install PHP scripts without their approval. Before you hire a web host, make sure the provider has already installed PHP, along with MySQl in your server.

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Known as Florida’s “Space Coast”, Brevard County lies only 35 miles from the metropolis of Orlando and boasts over 70 miles of picturesque Atlantic coastline. Combining the common attractions of Florida such as golf, beach sports, and overall relaxation with several rocket launch sites including the famed Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County has become the most sought-after vacation destination in the entire state of Florida. The county’s long reach from north to south allows it to encompass hundreds of square miles of park space and walking trails, most only a short distance from the beautiful expanse of white sand beaches.

While surfing and fishing remain intensely popular in Brevard County, the area’s proximity to many of NASA’s major launch sites also make it a prime destination for the scientific minded. Rocket and shuttle launches can be seen far and wide from all over the county, and all of the launch sites offer up-close and personal views of take offs year round.

Affordable for both residents and visitors, the city of Cocoa Beach boasts attractions such as the Brevard County Zoo and over 500 holes of golfing opportunities. With Orlando only an hour’s drive to the east and Port Canaveral just minutes to the south, residents cite Cocoa Beach’s centralized location as its main drawing feature.

Located in the southern portion of Brevard County is the city of Melbourne. While the majority of the city lies on the mainland, a small section exists on a barrier island; the Indian River Lago

Home to Orlando’s closest beach and some of the best natural reserves to be found in the United States, Titusville offers a wide range of opportunities for enthusiasts of everything from science and nature to surfing. With 27 miles of undeveloped beaches, surfers and fisherman alike flock to the city.

Also situated on the Indian River Lagoon coastline is Palm Bay, another of Florida’s quaint, small cities. With a rich history of water sports and activities such as parasailing and water skiing, Palm Bay has long been a favorite destination of beach activity enthusiasts. The city’s Regional Park stretches over 200 acres, providing seemingly endless green space and playing host to one of the only cricket courts to be found in central Florida.

Timothy Tyson has spent most of 2007 driving around the state of Florida. See what he learned about Brevard County Florida

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What is a FMEA?

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) or FMECA is an analysis technique which facilitates the identification of potential problems in a design or process by examining the effects of lower level failures. Recommended actions or compensating provisions are made to reduce the likelihood of the problem occurring, and mitigate the risk, if in fact, it does occur.

The FMEA team determines, by failure mode analysis, the effect of each failure and identifies single failure points that are critical. It may also rank each failure according to the criticality of a failure effect and its probability of occurring. FMECA is the result of two steps: 1) Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and 2) Criticality Analysis (CA). Or in other words, FMECA is just FMEA with Criticality Analysis.

There are many different types of FMEA. There are Conceptual or Functional FMEAs, Design FMEAs, and Process FMEAs. Sometimes during a Design FMEA the analysis will look at a combination of functions and hardware. Sometimes it will include just hardware, and sometimes the analyst will take a detailed look at the system down to a piece-part level, especially when critical functions or hardware are involved.

Why is FMEA or FMECA Important?

There are a number of reasons why this analysis technique is so valuable. Here are just a few:

1) FMEA provides a basis for identifying root failure causes and developing effective corrective actions.

2) The FMEA identifies reliability and safety critical components.

3) It facilitat

4) FMEA provides a foundation for maintainability, safety, testability, and logistics analyses.

FMEA / FMECA Background and History

FMEA or FMECA is an offshoot of Military Procedure MIL-P-1629, titled Procedures for Performing a Failure Mode, Effects and Criticality Analysis, dated November 9, 1949. It was originally used as a reliability technique to determine the effect of system and equipment failures. Failures were classified according to their impact on mission success and personnel/equipment safety.

FMECA was further developed and applied by NASA in the 1960′s to improve and verify reliability of space program hardware. The procedures called out in MIL-STD-1629A are probably the most widely accepted methods throughout the military and commercial industry, although SAE J1739 is a very prevalent FMEA standard used in the automotive industry.

This article just scratches the surface of FMEA, an analysis technique that has proven its worth time and time again throughout many industries. There are many good books and other resources where you can find out more about FMEA. Both large and small companies will benefit as they make FMEA an integral part of their quality programs.

Are you looking for more information on FMEA?

Get more information here: FMEA

Rich Herman has been involved in reliability engineering for over 20 years and much of that time has been spent working with FMEA. For more information on FMEA visit his website:
http://www.fmea-fmeca.com

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By:  Mashaunda Alecia Guice

A University of Phoenix Criminal Justice Graduate Student

My professional, academic, and military background has prepared me to conduct various forms of research.  I am currently a Criminal Justice graduate student with the University of Phoenix, and I have been tasked by my professor, retired NASA Office of Inspector General Senior Special Agent Joseph Richard Gutheinz, Jr., to investigate the whereabouts of Vermont’s Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 Moon Rocks, which were awarded to the State of Vermont over 35 years ago. 

As the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) celebrates the moment which made history 40 years ago this year—the first American moon walk, it is sad to hear that many of the treasures that were awarded to states and nations of the world following that historical moment have been displaced and even destroyed and stolen.

My search commenced with brainstorming who to contact regarding the rocks awarded to the State of Vermont.   Additionally I discerned that I needed to get a better understanding on the history and significance behind the moon rocks.  I learned that between 1969 and 1972, NASA conducted 6 manned missions to the moon. The first of these missions was the Apollo 11 mission. The first of these missions was where Apollo 11 gave us the immortal words: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Another mission, Apollo 13, almost proved to be detrimental to the space mission.  To share the accomplishments of the six Apollo missions, Preside

I started with sending emails to the governor of Vermont, Mr. Jim Douglas, the Vermont Historical Society, the Fairbanks Museum, the Vermont State Archives, and the University of Vermont’s School of Science.  I doubted that I would hear anything back.  To my surprise—and my relief, I did.  A very helpful woman named Mary Rogstad, a registrar at the Vermont Historical Society (VHS), sent me the information that I was requesting. Even though I had sent an email directly to Ms. Rogstad, my email to the State Archives was also forwarded to her.  The state of Vermont was indeed aware of the whereabouts of their precious commodities.  The plaque which houses the Apollo 11 and Apollo 17 rocks are safely inside of a case at the Vermont Historical Society. 

According to Rogstad, the Apollo 11 moon rocks were brought back from the moon’s surface by astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, Jr.  on July 16, 1969.  These chips are black and weigh 50 milligrams.  The Apollo 11 rocks are fragments of crystalline rock, breccias, and glass sieved from the dusty lunar surface.  They were a gift to the people of Vermont from President Richard M. Nixon.  They were conveyed to the VHS by then Governor Deane Davis. In December of 1972, NASA conveyed moon rock from the Apollo 17 mission to each state. This gift consisted of a fragmented single rock imbedded in plastic sphere, called a Lucite ball, and mounted, with a small Vermont flag, on a wooden base.  Ms. Rogstad was gracious enough to even send pictures of the rocks.

After concluding my research for these rocks, I can admit that I have gained a greater appreciation for the purpose which they serve.  I believe the most important fact to remember about these moon rocks is that they tell a story as well.  Even after the stories about the first moon walk await the 50th anniversary before being discussed again, the moon rocks that are in our nation’s museums, planetariums, federal offices, and universities will allow the stories about that moment in history to stay fresh in our minds and hearts.  Vermont should be commended for showing the proper respect for history, by properly maintaining these moon rock treasures for the citizens of Vermont to both see and enjoy.

I am currently a graduate student with the University of Phoenix.

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Space Exploration Disproves Evolution from shopndrop.com

Does space exploration shed any light on the theory of evolution? Not exactly. It “sheds” more darkness than light.

The phrase most often used by evolutionists is probably “billions and billions of years:” “life evolved over billions and billions of years,” “the solar system developed over billions and billions of years,” “the universe has been expanding for billions and billions of years.” It almost seems as if these accounts of the evolution of our universe are intended to keep people from questioning unverifiable statements. That is, how do you go about disproving what allegedly happened so long ago? It’s quite difficult to construct a planet in a laboratory and let it lie around for billions and billions of years to prove that life will not create itself. Unless, of course, you have a long lease.

If your lease expires within the next four and a half billion years, the following may be of interest to you:

In 1977 two scientists, in search of hot water spewing from the ocean floors, crammed into a small research submarine named ALVIN and descended to the bottom of the ocean near the Galapagos Islands. Finding the first hydrothermal vent, an opening where water heated by earth’s molten interior is released into the ocean, was not nearly as fascinating as what they discovered by accident — the vent was surrounded by animals never seen before. Closest to the vent, in the midst of water which som

For any living creature to thrive this deep in the ocean and in such scalding water was mind boggling enough. But there was more. Most animals need sunlight to survive; this part of the ocean gets no sunlight whatsoever.

Then, as if to laugh in the face of what’s considered “normal” for biological life forms, these tube worms had no eyes, mouth, or intestinal tract. There may not be much to see in the dark, but how did these creatures eat or digest food?

It took scientists years to figure out how tube worms receive their nourishment. Without getting too involved with the details, these tube worms have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria which grow in profuse quantities near the underwater vent. The bacteria find their way into the tube worms, literally between their cells. The tube worms receive nutrition from the bacteria, and the bacteria in turn receive some vital functions from the tube worm.

If you think this sounds too bizarre, I don’t blame you. Such creatures really do exist. And you haven’t heard the most astonishing aspect of these creatures.

An additional factor in the area around the vent makes it an even more hostile environment than described above (if you can imagine that). The bacteria on which the tube worms depend, thrive on a chemical called hydrogen sulphide, which is found in the water coming from the hot vent. To most higher animals, hydrogen sulphide is as poisonous as cyanide!

We’ve just described a world which before its discovery was hard to imagine and certainly impossible to predict. The hostile environment in which the tube worms and their life-sustaining bacteria exist is truly “out of this world.” It makes one wonder if biological life forms are limited or restricted in any way whatsoever to any kind of environment.

Since 1977, several more vents have been discovered on the ocean floors. Besides tube worms, other exotic animals have been found thriving in the immediate vicinity of the vents — pink fish, snails, shrimp, sulphur-yellow mussels, and foot-long clams. Similar animal populations have since been discovered in waters only a few degrees cooler than freezing. Scientists have since found quite a few totally new forms of life and species.

In addition to the adverse conditions under which these creatures live, life apparently can also survive in a wide range of temperatures.

Cacti are known to survive the most difficult and unusual climates. Their ability to sustain themselves in areas of little rainfall, hot dry winds, low humidity, strong sunlight, and extreme fluctuations in temperature is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s almost as if the physical structures of these plants, which help conserve the little water they receive and shed some of the excess sunlight, were designed by someone. Some cacti can survive internal temperatures of near 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Most plants haven’t got a chance where some cacti prosper.

Lichens, a combination of fungus and algae, have been found thriving in an area of Antarctica where temperatures sometimes get colder than 70 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. As far as hostile environments go, this seems to be the extreme opposite of deep, dark, hot waters.

There are insects in the Antarctic which produce natural “antifreeze” to keep from freezing at lower temperatures. Another insect in the Antarctic produces anti-antifreeze. When temperatures get so low that other insects freeze to death, this natural compound allows this insect to freeze gradually. When temperatures get warmer, the insect thaws and lives on.

Bacteria have been found growing an amazing 25 feet underground. For life to survive such depths is incredible, to say the least.

There are animals and insects which carry venom strong enough to cause disease and death in other living organisms, yet these carrying organisms are unaffected by the venom. Mosquitoes spread yellow fever, malaria, dengue, and encephalitis to animals thousands of times their size. But no mosquitoes have been known to die of these diseases. Snakes, too, discharge venom which kill other animals, yet they themselves are unaffected by the poisons they carry.

Earth now has millions of species of plants and animals. The sheer number of species is overwhelming. The precise number of living organisms is nothing short of mind boggling. And the diversity of these creatures — from such monstrosities as whales right down to microscopic life forms such as the amoeba — is probably beyond the imagination of even Steven Spielberg.

IT IS BELIEVED . . .

In the course of earth’s history, about a half billion animal species have been in existence. That’s a half billion before you even bring plant life into the picture.

IT IS ALLEGED . . .

The sun, earth, and the other planets in our solar system, according to scientists, were formed about four and a half billion years ago. It is further alleged that the most primitive forms of life already appeared on earth about three billion years ago. Huge creatures such as dinosaurs roamed our planet as far back as 200 million years ago. They ruled for an enormously long period of over 100 million years. Finally, humans appeared about two to three million years ago. That is, something as complex as the human brain has allegedly been around for at least a staggering two million years. An optical instrument as sophisticated as the eye (of the non-human variety) has been around even longer.

VERIFICATION

Now, how does one verify how all these living organisms came into existence? That is, if you can’t build your own planet and cultivate it for billions of years, what’s the next best thing? Finding a planet in outer space which has been around for as long as earth? No, that’s not the next best thing. That’s even better.

Why?

Because the science of planetary evolution, if you can call it that, is far from an exact science, to say the least. After many years, scientists still question the generally accepted view of the composition of earth’s atmosphere in that alleged period of three and a half billion years ago. For a long time scientists believed that earth’s primordial atmosphere contained little or no oxygen. Then, some studies suggested that earth’s atmosphere may have contained one million times more oxygen than previously believed, and the ultraviolet rays of the sun may have pounded earth at levels thousands of times higher than today.

Whether the new interpretations make any more sense than the old assumptions is irrelevant. What is relevant here is that laboratory simulations and scientific deductions of primordial conditions on earth are obviously based on much guess work and unverifiable assumptions. So why resort to such vagrant concoctions when a real “living” planet tells the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

LIFE ON MARS

Two Viking spacecraft landed on Mars as early as the summer of 1976. Viking 1 landed in the Chryse Planitia region and Viking 2 landed in the Utopia Planitia region. One goal of these missions was to find life or evidence of life on Mars. The spacecraft spent months analyzing the Martian soil and atmosphere, with no luck. More recent spacecraft on Mars produced the same results — no life on Mars. Not a trace of past or present life was found. No dinosaurs. No microorganisms. No carcasses. No bones. No fossils. Absolutely nothing. It’s become obvious to scientists that for evidence of life to be found on Mars, they’d have to send KFC up there to pluck their chickens.

Of the planets we’ve explored to date, Mars seems to resemble earth more closely than any other planet does. If life were to have existed anywhere else in our solar system, Mars would probably have been the place. But no trace of life has been discovered on Mars, or any other planet, for that matter.

FAVORITISM IN NATURE

Now take what is known, what is “believed,” and what is “alleged,” about earth and compare it to what is known about Mars. What do you get? Verification of theories? No. You get inexplicable contradictions! We live on a planet where life proliferates in virtually every nook and cranny. You’d be hard pressed to find a place on earth where there is no life whatsoever. And the environment doesn’t seem to matter either. Life on earth thrives under the most adverse conditions.

Yet, when we look at a planet right next to us in space, what do we find? We find a barren world with no trace of life ever having existed. How’s that possible?

Are we to believe that this god called evolution, who has given earth such a sophisticated organ as the human brain as far back as two million years ago, has to this date not managed to put forth on Mars so much as a dumb ass? Are we to believe that the same evolution which has given earth living creatures the size of dinosaurs 200 million years ago has in a staggering four and a half billion years not given Mars even simple one-celled organisms? Are we to believe that this glorious evolution which has to this date given earth an astronomical total of literally millions upon millions of plant and animal species has in the same period not given Mars even one species of plant or animal?

Sure the Martian environment is hostile. But then, here on earth, two miles down at the bottom of the ocean near vents which spew hot water mixed with hydrogen sulphide in total darkness is not exactly my idea of a summer vacation spot, either — it’s about as hostile as an environment can get! But life thrives there in complete defiance of what are normally considered ecological adversities.

Antarctica is also a hostile environment. So is 25 feet underground. So is the desert. Furthermore, in that alleged period of three and a half billion years ago, the entire earth, according to scientists, was hostile. Life on earth allegedly began in an environment which would be hostile to many of today’s life forms. And many of today’s life forms live in conditions which would have been intolerable to the organisms which allegedly brought life into existence billions of years ago. But life on earth thrives in spite of it all.

Life on earth goes even a step further. Some organisms do not simply thrive in adverse conditions, they actually become immune to conditions which are designed to kill them. Many bacteria become resistant to antibiotics as a result of being overexposed to the very drugs which have killed them in the past. In some cases, bacteria even transfer this resistance to other bacteria which have not had such exposure to the drugs.

There is a species of South American bee which has become immune to DDT. The bees can carry doses hundreds of times the amount needed to kill other bees without suffering ill effects. Some mosquitoes are also immune to DDT.

So, you see, life on earth is as potent as it is diversified. It pushes forward, overcoming many seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and sometimes in spite of these obstacles. Looking at the diversity of conditions under which life on earth thrives, looking at the life forms which have learned to fight environmental hazards and man-made poisons, it’s hard to imagine life on earth ever being completely wiped out by any kind of disaster, natural or manmade. But somehow, life on Mars has either been completely wiped out — and the telltale traces mysteriously hidden — or something prevented life from coming into existence. How do you account for the complete absence of any trace of life on Mars? Does evolution have favorites? It is totally inconceivable that something as powerful and as diversified as life has not left its mark on Mars. Where is all the evidence of an evolutionary process? If not currently living creatures, at least bones and fossils.

Some find it difficult to explain. But is it really difficult to explain? Maybe some people are just looking for the wrong explanations. Maybe they’re looking for preconceived explanations and discounting the facts. The fact is there is no sign of life or evolution on Mars.

NEW LIFE FORMS

Let’s take this one step further. Who made the life forms on earth the standard for life? That is, why does life have to have anything to do with oxygen, carbon dioxide, or even carbon compounds? As accidentally as life allegedly formed of what was available on earth, life could have formed of what ever happened to be available elsewhere in space. After all, we’re still having problems grasping the limits to which biological life can go — as is acutely demonstrated by tube worms and other unusual biological life forms — we’re certainly not close to understanding consciousness and intellect on a scientific level. We may know that consciousness and intellect “attach” themselves to certain biological systems, but we haven’t the foggiest clue as to how or why; no scientist has yet shown any physical relationship between a biological system and the psyche. So why isn’t there life on the moon? That’s right, the moon’s own version of “biological” life. Perhaps intelligent creatures made up of lunar soil which receive their nourishment through cosmic rays?

And what about Venus? Sure it’s 900 degrees there. But by astronomical standards, when you talk about stars which burn at temperatures around ten million degrees, Venus could be the “Siberia” of the Milky Way. Why are there no creatures there which live in a 900 degree environment and drink sulfuric acid for nourishment

If some of this sounds a little facetious, it is not meant to be. Remember, we’re not talking about a Supreme Intelligence with a plan, design, and purpose, which would imply that life was put precisely where it was meant to be and nowhere else for reasons we may or may not fully understand. We’re talking about a mindless force of nature which purportedly creates life at random out of inanimate matter. What made life on earth so “feasible” and life elsewhere so “impossible?”

A PROBLEM IN LOGIC

To say that it is “difficult to explain” why life is in such abundance here on earth yet nonexistent elsewhere in the universe is just another case of sticking one’s head in the ground. Explaining why a cigarette lighter will not work underwater is only difficult for someone who for some insane reason remains convinced it will work in spite of all contradictory evidence. Why it will not work is not difficult to explain. The difficulty lies in explaining why one continues to believe it will work. Similarly, why there is no extraterrestrial life is not difficult to explain. Our space explorations have found the irrefutable answer: the process we call evolution simply does not work. The difficulty lies in understanding those who prefer to ignore the facts.

According to NASA, microorganisms were inadvertently taken to the moon by an unmanned spacecraft. When the equipment of this spacecraft was brought back to earth more than two and a half years later by our astronauts, it was discovered that an earth microbe had survived the lunar environment, which is harsher than the Martian environment. Obviously, for life to have thrived on extraterrestrial bodies there was no need for nature to even resort to biologically “strange” creatures. In spite of the hostile environments of these spheres, life forms with which we are familiar could have survived. Yet, these worlds show absolutely no signs of ever having been inhabited by any forms of life — normal or strange. So, where does all this leave evolution? Not on very solid ground.

A HOSTILE EARTH

Strangely, even earth today, which is considered a hospitable environment to present life forms, only gives that appearance superficially. It took a twentieth-century epidemic — AIDS — to make us aware of the true hostile nature of the very environment modern man thrives in. AIDS is caused by a virus which attacks the immune system and leaves the body susceptible to a host of deadly diseases which are caused by other viruses and microbes. AIDS accentuates the grim reality that earth today is so contaminated with deadly viruses and bacteria that were it not for a complex and ingenious immune system, the average human being, and probably a host of other living organisms, could not survive beyond infancy. Is outer space really more hostile than this? Hard to imagine. So why hasn’t life in outer space evolved and developed an immune system to ensure its survival? Hostile environments apparently do not deter life. Obviously, this process we call evolution is purely the product of imagination — it belongs in a Steven Spielberg movie, not in a science textbook.

by Josh Greenberger This has been an excerpt from his free book on evolution at EvolutionDead.com

Josh Greenberger: A computer consultant for over two decades, the author has developed software for such organizations as NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell Laboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since 1984, the author’s literary works have appeared in such periodicals as The New York Post, The Daily News, The Village Voice, The Jewish Press, and others. His articles have ranged from humor to scientific to topical events. Visit his site: shopndrop.com

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During the 1960’s and the 1970’s space exploration was on the lips of mankind, anxious to see if travel on the moon would be possible. The space race between the United States and the Soviet Union had the scientists scrabbling to see who could reach it first, while Americans sat eagerly on the edge of their seats with anticipation. Space technology was booming and the NASA budget at that time reflects that. During the mid-60’s, NASA space budget was a massive approximation between 2.5 and 5 billion dollars, which would equal about approximately 25 to 34 billion dollars (with modern inflation applied) (NASA, 2009). The Apollo program was designed to reach space first and be the first to put a man on the moon. The Soviet Union beat the United States into space through their launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, but the United States were the first on the moon with Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.

In 1972, NASA launched Apollo 17 for a lunar landing to gather information and samples from the Moon to bring back to Earth. Apollo 17 is a significant mission for many reasons and one being that is was the last mission to put man on the Moon. However, it is significant for another, less known reason, and that would be the collection and distribution of the Goodwill Moon Rocks. One of the samples of rock brought back from the Moon, sample #70017, was divided to be distributed by President Richard Nixon. President Nixon divided the sample into 135 pieces, “each rock, encased in Lucite, and was mounted to a plaque with the recipient’s flag also flown to the

Tragically that could not be farther from the truth. The interest in space exploration has seen a steady declined since the Apollo missions. The once massive NASA budget of 25 to 34 billion dollars as dwindled down to approximately 15 billion dollars. The nail-biting excitement of the mid to late sixties no longer exists today. Of the 135 moon rocks that were distributed, only approximately a dozen have known whereabouts (CollectSPACE, 2009). Most have been lost or stolen over the years with the exception of a few high profile cases. In 1998, a senior special agent with NASA’s Office of Inspector General, Joseph Gutheinz Jr., led an undercover operation with the hope of locating some of the missing moon rocks (Geotimes, 2004). Senior special agent Gutheinz operated a bogus estate sale company title John’s Estate Sale and place an add in the USA Today entitled “Moon Rocks Wanted” with the hopes that someone who was illegally in possession of one of the rocks would contact him. Sure enough, Senior special agent Gutheinz was contacted by a seller who want $5 million dollars for the moon rock. After a lengthy investigation into the authenticity of the moon rock, Senior special agent Gutheinz was able to seize the moon rock on behalf of the United States (Geotimes, 2004). On February 28, 2004, the Honduran moon rock was presented to its rightful owner, Honduran President Ricardo Maduro (Geotimes, 2004).

While the Honduran moon rock was safely recovered, there are still many more left in poorly secured areas or missing entirely. The Goodwill Moon Rock of Romania was presented to Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and is believed to have been one of the possessions in his estate that were auctioned in 1998. It is unknown at this time whether the Goodwill Moon Rock was one of those possession auctioned off at that time and the buyers list from that auction is confidential. According to Bucharest Business Week, in an article written by Sonya Rabbitte, the moon rock was held at the National History Museum of Bucharest and displayed as part of a two-part exhibition of the late dictator’s possessions (1998). The disheartening part of the whole article is the manner in which the moon rock is referred.

But the days of pride in the President are long gone, and now you’ll find the exhibition carefully labeled and stored away in the Museum. In retrospect some of the more valuable gifts seem comical… A plaque bearing a sample of moon rock collected by the crew of Apollo 11 was presented by Richard Nixon during his presidency (Rabbitte, 1998).

What was given as a symbol of the greatest success for mankind at that time, is now being viewed as a past comical gift. Something that was held as such an achievement for mankind is being lost in time. The United States is the one who made this amazing achievement, and yet is still cutting the NASA budget almost in half from what it was then. How can we expect those of foreign countries to pay anymore respect to those missions and the accomplishments when as a country we to devalue the space program? Without a serious change in the mentality surrounding the importance of the space programs, the Goodwill Moon Rocks will not be the only pieces of history that will be lost.

As I take man’s last step from the surface, back home for some time to come — but we believe not too long into the future — I’d like to just [say] what I believe history will record — that America’s challenge of today has forged man’s destiny of tomorrow. And, as we leave the Moon at Taurus-Littrow, we leave as we came and, God willing, as we shall return, with peace and hope for all mankind. Godspeed the crew of Apollo 17. – Eugene A. Cernan, Apollo 17 Commander. Last man to walk on the moon, December 14, 1972 (Wikipedia, 2009).

CollectSPACE (2009). The history of the Goodwill moon rock. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://www.collectspace.com/resources/moonrocks_goodwill.html

Gutheinz, Jr., J.D., J. (2004, November 1). In Search of the Goodwill Moon Rocks: A Personal Account. GeoTimes.

NASA (2009). Budget Documents, Strategic Plans and Performance Reports. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://www.nasa.gov/news/budget/index.html

Rabbitte, S. (1998, February 23). Spring cleaning Ceausescu’s store. Bucharest Business Week.

Wikipedia (2009). Apollo 17. Retrieved April 1, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_17

Rebecca Lyford, graduate student at the University of Phoenix

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Bed and breakfast travel is one of our favourite ways of discovering new places and the historic Twin Gables B&B is a real treat. It is a 4.5 star-rated bed and breakfast, located in the upscale Mount Royal neighbourhood in Calgary, which is about 25 minutes away by foot from downtown, and the restaurant area on 4th Street takes just a 10 minute to walk to. It was the perfect location for our Sneak Peek at Calgary and after a good night’s rest after our feast at Il Giardino’s last night, we enjoyed the comforts of our Mount Royal Suite, complete with its own sitting area, a private bathroom, an in-suite jacuzzi, a fireplace and a laptop computer with high-speed Internet access.

Well, a good portion of the B&B experience is the breakfasting experience and boy, were we in for a treat. We were just waiting to sit down for our morning meal in the historic parlor, when the two other B&B guests came down the stairs: a good-looking couple about our age was about to join us for breakfast.

I thought the face of the young man looked familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. My husband, on the other hand, recognized him right away: Michael Damian , a.k.a. “Danny Romalotti” from the famous “The Young and The Restless” daytime television show.

I did some research on our famous breakfast companions and was rather astounded at their achievements. Not only did Michael star in the #1-rated daytime drama (with an audience of over 100 million around the world), he is also enjoying great success in music

Mike’s wife Janeen (formerly Janeen Best) is a celebrity in her own right: she is a former Solid Gold dancer and her film credits include Basic Instinct, Bugsy, Earth Girls Are Easy, Footloose and many more. Her television credits include Solid Gold, the Academy Awards, American Music Awards, Grammy Awards, the Young and the Restless, Matlock, Fantasy Island, Love Boat, Johhny Carson, the Dukes of Hazard and many more. So, it finally dawned on me that we were indeed surrounded by stars.

Well, after I got over this initial surprise, the breakfast was excellent, we started off with a yoghurt with fresh fruits, followed by beautiful home-made blueberry scones. The main course was a delicious Western omelette with green peppers, onions and mushrooms. The meal was delicious and we had a great conversation with our famous breakfast companions.

Mike and Janeen shared with us that they were in town to scout out a location for their upcoming movie project and they were staying at the Twin Gables for a few days. They mentioned that they launched a movie production company called Riviera Films a few years ago, and that they enjoy a great collaboration writing, producing and directing movies. Their latest project “Hot Tamale” was recently completed and will be premiering shortly at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

For a moment it felt a bit strange, sharing the breakfast table with real celebrities, but Mike and Janeen were so natural and down-to-earth, it was like sitting down with a regular couple from next door. There was not even a hint of snobbishness or arrogance here and all four of us had a delightful conversation.

For me it was very interesting because I myself have been making a transition into the creative / media field with my website, so it was very informative for me to listen to Mike and Janeen share their own stories of moving from acting in front in front of the camera to stepping behind the camera into directing and producing movie projects, a field where they had to prove themselves all over again. We also shared lots of laughs and parted, wishing each other good luck for our respective projects. Our encounter goes to show you that some of the stereotypes that we associate with celebrities often don’t apply and that fame doesn’t automatically inflate people’s egos. It was a real delight meeting Michael and Janeen, two successful, creative and down-to-earth people.

After breakfast I wanted to sit down a little with Deirdre and Henry Brost, the owners of the Twin Gables, to find out more about the background of this historic home and how it came to be this special bed and breakfast. Deirdre explained that in 1909 there was a big boom in Calgary and CP Rail owned all the land in the neighbourhood and decided to sell it off in lots. American investors wanted to call it American Hills, but CPR’s founder would not allow that. He decided to name the area Mount Royal, in keeping with making it the most exclusive area in Calgary.

The house itself was built between 1910 and 1912 by a lawyer, a certain Mr. Milliken, who had come to Calgary from Toronto. Due to the economic crisis following the 1929 stock market crash he lost the house to the bank in 1931 and a certain Wellington Walker, an entrepreneur also from Toronto, bought it in 1932 for $10,500. He was involved in the coal and cattle business and owned several sign shops. In 1965, at 91 years of age, he willed the house to his caregiver who turned it into a lodging house after his death. After she passed away in 1972 it remained a rooming house and slowly started to fall in disrepair.

The house’s previous owners, Marge and Tsak Rogers, are local artists who produce highly sought after paintings and they started renovating the house from top to bottom in 1976. In 25 years they gutted it and completely renovated all three floors. Henry & Deirdre bought the house about 4 years ago after they had already owned a bed and breakfast in the suburbs of Calgary. Deirdre wanted to move into the center of town where there would be demand for tourist accommodation all year round. It was a big step for both of them, and the taxes in the city proper were a significant increase in costs, but Deirdre loves the location. She said that this is the house she has always dreamed of owning.

Henry & Deirdre’s story of how they opened their B&B is rather amazing in itself: They took possession on a Saturday and their friends helped them move. On Sunday they unpacked their 3-bedroom house, on Monday the B&B inspector came, and Monday afternoon they were open for business. Sure enough that Monday evening they had their first guest.

They filled me in on a whole litany of renovation adventures: they added bathrooms to two of the three guest bedrooms. A big surprise hit them when they found out they had to rewire the whole house, but Henry, an expert electrician himself, rewired the house by leaving the walls and the historic wallpaper intact and installing wires from the floors above. They installed extra plugs, extra telephone wires and high-speed Internet access all throughout the house.

Another adventure befell them when their sewer pipe collapsed: they had several guests in the house when the clay pipe leading away from the house broke and a rather unpleasant liquid started backing up into the house. They had to get a work crew in with a back hoe and many thousands of dollars later they had not only a new sewer pipe, but also a new driveway and parking lot.

They also had to redo the chimney, and while they were at it they had to remove a family of squirrels. The chimney’s mortar had deteriorated and they had to redo the joints between the bricks. From 2004 to 2005 the house was completely repainted and holes behind the eavestroughs were fixed: it took 72 packets of silicon to fill in the cracks. Then they handwashed and painted the house. And all this had to be scheduled while the B&B was hosting a wide variety of guests. Both Deirdre and Henry say that owning an old house is like a moneypit, but they both love the house. Henry, always with a smile on his face, did virtually all the renovations and says he enjoyed them all. They even redid the entire garden, not surprising considering that Deirdre is an avid gardener.

Deirdre runs the bed and breakfast full-time while Henry helps her as much as he can, considering he is working full-time as an electrician. Deirdre said she had to train him not to snatch strips of bacon away from her B&B guests on his way to work. With a boyish smile on his face Henry says he has learned the rules of the house in the meantime and no longer grabs tasty morsels from the guests’ breakfast.

With all the renovations, Deirdre and Henry tried to preserve the outstanding architectural features of the house. The dining room has not changed at all, the wallpaper, furnishings and hand-moulded cornices are original to the house. The room also features a built-in mahogany china system. To this day, Twin Gables has a functional “maid call system” with bells to call the household help on every floor.

The parlour features a wall surround wallpaper with scenes of Hyde Park in London. Deirdre believes the wallpaper dates back to either the first or second owner. The first owner, Mr. Milliken, was friends with the Prince of Wales, who is said to have been here at the Twin Gables.

The living room and parlour feature original light fixtures with a copy of the original Edison lightbulbs. Certainly not the brightest lighting, but truly historic. The previous owners got the house designated as a provincially registered “historic resource” in 1984 because of the house’s historic arts and crafts style.

Twin Gables’s overseas guests mostly come from England, Scotland, Ireland as well as Germany and Holland. Of course they also see a lot of Ontarians, British Columbians and travelers from the United States. Off-season they get a lot of “urban romantics’” who are local Calgary residents, just trying to get away for a weekend of pampering and romance. They also see their fair share of business travellers, particularly during the week. Many of the travellers are teachers, doctors and lawyers, but they have even hosted NASA rocket scientists.

Overall they have had a really positive experience with their bed and breakfast and they have hardly ever had “the guests from hell”. The only thing that bugs them is when guests don’t come downstairs on time for breakfast or when they don’t show up at all. Freshly made breakfasts don’t taste that great a half hour later and Deirdre works hard to make sure her food tastes just right. She commented that she has truly found her niche in life and strives to deliver the best possible service. “Ï am here to serve”, she says, and Henry agrees, nodding with his characteristic smile.

All guest rooms are equipped with their own private bathrooms, telephone, and individual laptops with high speed access. Each room has a personal fridge and a coffee maker, and our suite had a wonderful Jacuzzi tub with a great view of the Calgary skyline.

Deirdre and Henry’s dedication to delivering a great B&B experience definitely shows.

For the entire article including photos please visit

http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/calgary_twin_gables.htm

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com), a popular web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new section featuring FREE ebooks about travel.

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To many women, attraction is a mysterious thing. Mistakenly, many women believe that attraction is completely based on looks or physical attributes. What they do not realize is that a big part of what attracts men and keeps them thinking about a woman is how you can mix the serious with the fun and do it in an unpredictable way. Being unpredictable in a fun way with a man is pure magic. But when it’s coupled with something serious, it’s a sure recipe for attraction and creating mystery that makes him want to stay – as either a date or a boyfriend.

This seemingly duplicitous nature does several things for a man. First, it makes YOU stick out in his mind. You are not another boring but pretty face if you can keep him on his toes and trying to guess what you are going to do next. Second – it creates attraction for him – especially if you can keep a fairly aloof position, exhibiting to him that you don’t need him and that you are not there at his beck and call. It shows him that you are a challenge, and men love that.

For example, let’s say you’re in a bar or in a restaurant and you’re talking with a man who you are attracted to. If you want to be like most women, then you’ll ask him some common questions about himself, his career, his life, his family, etc… and he will start wondering who won last night’s game. This is way too predictable and only works in a few lucky situations or if you’re some supermodel who makes men’s brains shut off just by looking at them.

Predictability is the antithesis of interesting. If you are always predictable, then by definition you’re not interesting. So keep doing things that are interesting and unexpected. Talking about this “regular” stuff, while it has some value in getting to know some details about a man’s life and history, can be an attraction killer when you do too much of it.

So what to do instead? Try playing with him a bit. Make up answers to his questions that are obviously not true, like saying that you are actually sent here to measure the intelligence of the life forms at the bar by NASA. Tell him you slipped him a Mickey in his beer and you will answer his questions only after it has taken effect and he is sure to remember nothing. Tell him you are a hypnotist and now he will start barking like a dog whenever someone says the word “tree”. The point is to keep the conversation fun and keep him guessing as to what you are going to do next.

How to Catch Him and Keep Him by Christian Carter

Click Here for Dating Tips for Women on How to Meet Men

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With Climate Change and Global Warming now becoming more important daily, educators, students, journalists, scientists and governments all need fast access to all the latest Global Warming research and news.

Alphatech5.com has created a large directory of information on Global Warming and put together all of the links to every major research center, research paper, news source, government bodies and educational institutions that are the authorities on Climate Change and Global Warming.

Leading authorities such as the IPCC, US EPA, the Stern Review, the Woods Hole Institute, NASA’s Goddard Space center and dozens more can all be accessed from one easy directory.

The site can be found at:

http://www.alphatech5.com/cchange/cchange.htm

Access is free and all interested parties are welcome to browse the directory and use the links as required. They give essential information for the general public, plus important research links for students and educators.

Global Warming and Climate Change are now accepted as fact, with governments around the world now looking to build on the Kyoto Protocol by establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.

The US President, George W Bush, has recently held talks with European counterparts in order to kick start this process and begin working on establishing reduction targets and time frames for the USA.

Currently only the USA, Canada and Australia have not accepted the Kyoto Protocols and it is currently the intention of those governments to establish their own

The major stumbling block to worldwide adoption of uniform targets and time-frames will be differing economic and political imperatives. The fast developing nations such as China and India do not wish to hinder the growth of their burgeoning economies, whilst the developed nations do not wish to slow their economies drastically either by reducing their income from fossil fuel industries such as oil, gas, petroleum and coal.

The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is clear. Polar ice caps are receding rapidly, glaciers are disappearing, weather patterns are changing, flora and fauna are disappearing at alarming rates.

It is now not a question of will the use of fossil fuels disappear, but when? Alternative energy sources such as Fuel Cells, Solar, Wind, Wave and even Nuclear will grow apace and the fossil fuel industries are now in their sunset phase.

Like the steam train, they have been of great use to mankind but they have now outlived their usefulness and must be consigned to the pages of history.

Keep plenty of photographs of your favourite petrol-guzzling auto. In a few years we will all be driving Hybrids – and eventually Fuel Cell or Hydrogen powered cars.

Allan Barker is the CEO and owner of Alphatech5.com

Contact alb5049@gmail.com

Global Warming Information Directory

Click this link to go to the Directory.

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