Years ago, children used to dream of owning walkie-talkies, the short wave communications devices used by action figures such as soldiers. Toy walkie-talkies could be purchased from good retailers, and some of them actually worked over small distances. Meanwhile, grown men with time on their hands did the same thing at longer wavelengths. They were known as radio-hams, and later as CB (citizen band) radio operatives. Radio-hams wanted to know what was going on in their world, which consisted largely of mysterious and remote places. The CB fanatics were just mindless chatter boxes.
Fast forward to the world of the mobile phone. The technology has evolved, people haven't. The mobile phone, a brick sized monster, was seen as a status symbol. Instead of small boys desiring these new objects, it was city slickers. Yuppies. Young, thrusting and economically potent. The mobile phone became the grown-up equivalent of walkie-talkies.
Technology advances, and different technologies combined to produce a smaller and more versatile phones. But the new phones are not just phones. They can text eachother, connect to the internet, play music, play movies, take photos and films, play games, tell the time, carry out calculations, do most things a computer can do.
But, people are still the same. The cache of the mobile phone has been recovered by children. They are the walkie-talkies of today. And so desirable are they that legislation was introduced in attempt to stop mugging of phone show-offs by "the gangs". It failed of course, and mobile phones are now de rigeur theft items for the "excluded youth" of today.
In effect, it is childlike desires that have driven the development of the mobile phone as much as anything else. It is fortunate that mobile phones can be so very useful for coping with emergencies. Perhaps this facet is more of a freebie than anything else. But it just goes to show how technology can be used to create interesting items for a voracious young market and yet still be used for serious occasions by those with gravitas and mobile phone that, until recently, have been kept firmly in the off' position.
By: Jim Grayson-16825
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for the best and most comprehensive place on the world wide web to find your next cheap mobile phone, look no further than the expert advice and handsets on offer at mobiles2yourdoor --
Mobile Phones: A Childhood Dream
15 July, 2009
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8:43 AM
The Significance Of Pollution Management And Appropriate Disposal Of Nitric Acid Results
Nitric acid is produced in the US in large volumes and along with this is the need for effective pollution control measures as well as proper disposal practices of the by-products of nitric acid manufacture.
Oxides of nitrogen are the waste products of nitric acid production. These oxides escape into the atmosphere and go through complex reactions with water vapor to form sulfuric acid and the re-formation of nitric acid. Nitric acid plants produce nitrous oxide (NOx) is a greenhouse which is 310 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.
There are two kinds of nitrogen oxides: nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitric acid is a flammable and colorless gas with a slight odor. Nitrogen dioxide is a nonflammable and reddish brown gas also with a distinct smell. Nitrogen dioxide has strong oxidizing properties that when it reacts with air, it produces the highly corrosive nitric acid along with hazardous organic nitrates.
In a recent court case filed by the Environment Integrity Project (EIP) and Sierra Club against the Environment Protection Agency, it stated that the Agency had failed to evaluate and bring up to date its emissions standards for nitric acid manufacturing plants.
According to the EIP and the Sierra Club, nitric acid plants are one of the top contributors of nitrous oxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse phenomenon tremendously. By using necessary cost effective technology for managing nitrous oxide emissions and reducing it by even a small percentage can be very important, more so because of the fact that nitrous oxide is such a potent greenhouse gas.
Aside from the greenhouse effect, it is also a main constituent in acid rain formation. Acid deposition can happen as a result of two processes: hydrochloric acid released directly into the atmosphere and as a product of secondary pollutants that form from the oxidation of nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide which are given off into the atmosphere. These gases undergo reactions in the earth’s atmosphere which convert them into nitric acid and sulfuric acid.
This phenomenon can lead to the deposition of nitric acid in the world’s ocean basins or it could be through dry deposition which is then converted to acids once they are made to react with water. Acid rain also ruins structures, eroding buildings making them weak and more susceptible to damage. Acid rain had also been known to kill trees reacting with minerals in the soil and depriving them of these essential nutrients required for growth.
It is therefore of utmost importance that nitrous oxide emissions are addressed not only by government agencies but more particularly by nitric acid manufacturing plants since they are the source of this pollutants and are in a better position to deal with nitrous oxide straight from the source.
There are available abatement systems which can be integrated into the existing system of the plant. Types of abatement systems are adsorption, absorption and reduction (selective and nonselective) methods.
Proper disposal and on-site control measures of emission are the sole responsibilities of the nitric acid manufacturing plant. Emissions can be greatly reduced if manufacturing practices and systems are built around the concept of reducing nitrous oxide released into the atmosphere.
The world’s temperature has risen in unprecedented levels never seen before. Weather and climate conditions have become more unpredictable. The greenhouse effect has a huge impact on these changes and we have no else to blame but ourselves.
We have brought this into ourselves but it is never too late. We have to take responsibility for our actions and do what we can while we can. Nitric acid manufacturing plant owners and managers are in the position to do this by adapting and implementing environment-friendly manufacturing practices and systems.
By: joalesto
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Jo is a content writer for ‘ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd’ (www.reagent.co.uk), a reputable UK stationed chemical company that makes, carries and supplies a wide selection of premium chemicals. If your business is looking for superior quality chemical product for example www.reagent.co.uk/nitric-acid-ar.html”>Nitric Acid or has other industrial compound needs for purposes like chemical fusion, analytical purposes and cleaning then take a look at ReAgent Chemical Services Ltd.
15 June, 2009
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2:16 AM
Us Electricity From Methane Digester Increases Slowly
Steady Growth in Anaerobic Digestion in the US
There are two state programs designed to encourage farmers to install methane digesters, which capture methane gas that can be converted into electricity. In spite of these efforts, Minnesota farmers have been slow to adopt this technology.
This hesitancy may be due in large part to the significant upfront costs and low electricity purchase rates offered by utilities. Technical limitations of biogas production may also be a factor. Studies have indicated that profitable biogas production in Minnesota using current digester technology may be limited to large dairy operations (at least 300 cows) that collect manure by scraping rather than flushing. Profitable methane production requires a significant amount of manure to be gernated on-farm, and cows have been shown to have greater gas production potential than swine or poultry (measured in ft.3/animal unit/day).
View this! - Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Video
A methane digester is reported to be the newest project at Green Meadow Farms. They produce methane and sell the methane gas to a company called North American Biofuels L.L.C. They take the gas and convert it to electricity. The manure will now be diverted into the digester before it goes into the treatment plant. By doing this they should also be able to cut down on the cost of the ferric chloride that they use in the treatment process.
Straus Creamery expects to generate up to 600,000-kilowatt hours per year, saving an estimated $6,000 in monthly energy costs. A digester is an airtight container that uses bacteria to break down manure. As part of that process, methane gas is produced and used to power electrical generators.
Progress is taking place, but more momentum is needed if the sector is going to make a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in the next 10 years. Biogas digesters are not going to appeal to all. Biogas is one of those matters where results do not come immediately. It can take a few weeks for process changes to take effect, so the changes will be harder to control than in other process plant, but they do come.
One great and as yet hardly tapped in the US, is the use for biogas is as a replacement for natural gas in our gas systems worldwide. Biogas must be very clean before it can be pumped into that system, to reach exacting natural gas distribution pipeline quality standards. It must be of the correct calorific composition for the local distribution network to accept. Carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen sulfide and particulates must all be removed if present.
Production of biogas is a mature technology, well established in many European countries. Experience in Sweden has shown that upgrading biogas for use as a transportation fuel, while a relatively new technology, can be done with high reliability and at reasonable cost. Even the sludge that comes out at the end makes an excellent fertiliser.
In the US concerns still exist about the production of biogas during the winter, costly dung collection arrangements, inadequate slurry handling systems and lack of outside financial help. These are even so just some of the constraints reported in the promotion of the program.
By: Steve Evans
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
There are two great sites at which you can find out more about this green technology and those are the electricity from methane digester web site and the anaerobic digester web site. Take a visit now!
23 March, 2009
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4:09 AM
Paid Search Marketing 101
Paid Search Marketing 101 The phenomenon of paid search marketing has been around for about a decade now and presents a great way for new websites to build traffic and attract buyers. The basic concept is that an advertiser bids a dollar amount for their ads to be placed in a search result alongside standard “organic” results the search engine finds for the term entered in the search. The advertiser then pays for each click on the advertised link that brings a user to their website. How high your ad appears in these sponsored links depends on a few factors including you bid, tags you want you ad placed against, and how many other advertisers are looking to place a sponsored ad in your category. The advantage to this type of sponsored link is it allows you to get the attention of people searching for a term in your ad immediately. A lot of websites use these paid search ads while they are optimizing their site to raise its search position organically. Also, they may have a new product they want to promote that would benefit from immediate exposure through one of these paid search links.
All of the major search engines provide the ability to place these ads and some have even expanded the placement of your ad to a more syndicated format with other partners on the web. The cost of these ads can be very easily controlled and modified as needed though a login supplied when you setup your account. You can change the bid you have for click-through cost as well as search terms you want your ad to appear next to. You can also retrieve very detailed statistics on how you specific ad is doing and actually run several versions of your ad to see which wording or keywords work best for you. The real bonus here is that if you create your ad correctly, you will only pay for very qualified leads since you don’t pay for impressions, only clicks. This means that if you tailor your ad correctly, the user will have already made a buying decision before clicking on your ad. In today’s tight economy, it is nice to know that a few dollars can deliver a very qualified and motivated buyer targeted specifically for the product you have to offer. Paid search marketing and paid search marketing software can help you deliver these results.
By: stickystebee-16825
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
In today’s tight economy, it is nice to know that a few dollars can deliver a very qualified and motivated buyer targeted specifically for the product you have to offer. Paid search marketing and paid search marketing software can help you deliver these results.
at
4:05 AM
Green Energy And Development Of Alternative Energy
In March 2009, Qatar Airways is launching its direct flights between Doha and Houston, two leading energy capitals of the world. This is further indication of our nation’s long term dependence on foreign oil: a major challenge facing the nation that poses a threat to our country’s national security. But today, breaking our oil addiction does not seem like an unattainable goal as President Barack Obama, in his first week in office, reaffirmed his campaign promise of achieving energy independence. Mr. Obama reiterated his determination to end U.S. reliance on oil from the Middle East and Venezuela over the next ten years.
Mr. Obama sees sources of alternative energy as the answer to our nation’s energy problems. He repeatedly asserted that we need to dramatically change the ways we generate and use energy. Not only is it in our nation’s long-term best interest to adopt clean and renewable energy but also it is critical for the future of our planet. Dependence on costly and finite sources of energy as President Obama suggests, will not take us very far.
Much of the thought process behind green energy relates to the concept of sustainable development. The term was coined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987 to describe “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." In short, it means not only thinking about our immediate concerns, but also considering the conditions in which we will leave the planet for our children and our children’s children. By “going green” we are making a commitment to give the least amount of damage to our planet and its inhabitants as possible.
Barack Obama’s bold new national plan on energy efficiency has been well received around the world, especially in Europe. Leaders of major European countries and the European Commission, the executive wing of the European Union, demonstrated their unequivocal support for the President’s comprehensive new energy plan for America. Both the Obama administration and European leaders know that achieving this goal is not easy and requires collective action.
Obama and Vice President Joe Biden both asserted their understanding that the only real solution to climate change requires all major emitting nations to join in the solution. While they believe that now is time for America to lead, developing nations like China and Brazil must not lag behind in making their own binding commitments. To develop an effective and equitable global program, Obama and Biden expressed their willingness to reengage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) – the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate problem. They will also invigorate the Major Economies (MEM) effort and bring all the major emitting nations together to develop effective emissions reduction efforts.
President Obama, with his comprehensive New Energy for America plan, seeks to ensure that 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable energy sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025. What are these clean, renewable and sustainable energy sources? There are four major ones: wind, solar, hydropower and geothermal. These are sustainable sources of energy in the sense that they do not harm the environment by creating greenhouse gases, pollution, or waste for future generations. For one, wind is a renewable source of energy that can be found in every nation. The raw power of the wind can be turned into clean energy and it is infinite. So is solar energy. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), currently, solar thermal devices do everything from heating swimming pools to creating steam for electricity generation.
The idea of installing wind turbines or solar electric panels is no longer a dream exclusive to the advanced industrialized nations. The developing world can afford the new technology with the latest inventions; in fact they will save money with solar and wind solutions. As a leading renewable energy provider, Dynowatt believes the future is green. Dynowatt envisions a more livable world for our children and we work very hard to make it happen; a world free of greenhouse gases, carbon emissions and pollution.
By: Mel Joelle
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Click here to read the rest of Texas Electricity Company. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about Green Energy .
25 February, 2009
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5:17 AM
10 Ways To Generate Your Own Energy
Your parents were right; if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Sure, the government is passing legislation to encourage development of alternative energies. The energy industry is taking their own measures to increase efficiency while reducing environmental hazards. All of that is great, and necessary.
However, generating even a little of your own energy is a great idea for several reasons. First, you’re reducing your carbon footprint, resulting in less use of fossil fuel. Second, every piece of energy-efficient equipment you buy encourages those companies to develop even better technologies. Third and best of all, generating your own energy saves you money, particularly in the long run. Should you generate more electricity than you use, your energy provider might even purchase your excess energy, putting cash in your pocket.
Some methods of generating electricity are easier than others, but you have to start somewhere. Here are ten ways to make your own energy and contribute to a greener future.
1. Exercise on a stationary bike equipped with a power generator. In effect, you’re powering an electric turbine while getting your morning exercise. If you like to build things on your own, you can purchase kits that include the parts you must attach to your stationary bike. Plenty of retailers will sell you complete units that are already assembled. If you pedal at even a moderate rate, you can power the radio or CD player you listen to as you work out.
2. Cover your roof with solar panels. Not only will this allow you to harness the rays of the sun in a productive way, but the panels also act as another layer of insulation, keeping the temperature of your home where you want it.
3. Reduce the amount of energy you need to use in the first place, and you won’t need to generate as much. You know the drill: turn off lights when you don’t need them, turn the thermostat down a little in the winter and up in the summer.
4. Harness the power of the rivers and streams on your property. Installing hydroelectric turbines will allow you to make use of all of that energy that would otherwise just flow on by. You’ll probably want to install the turbine at a point in the waterway that experiences the fastest flow. Bends and turns are good places for this. If you’re not sure, see if you can consult a geologist.
5. Replace your battery-powered flashlights with models that are powered by side-mounted cranks. This is a good idea for a couple reasons. Yes, you will be generating your own energy, but you also won’t have to worry whether or not the batteries in your flashlight are working when you find yourself in an emergency. Just turn the crank a few times, and you’re ready to go.
6. Connect your house to a biogas generator. A standard generator burns gasoline or another kind of fossil fuel to coax electricity out of a turbine when the public grid is having a problem. A biogas generator produces electricity by burning the methane that is created during the decomposition of natural materials.
7. Consider making your energy generation a neighborhood project. If you split the costs between several neighbors, you will be able to afford bigger, better and more efficient solar panels or wind turbines. Energy independence is a communal idea, and sharing these facilities with your neighbors is a good way to contribute to the renewable energy movement.
8. Invest in a wind turbine for your home’s roof. Unless you live in a particularly windy area, the turbine won’t be able to power your whole home by itself. Over time, however, the benefits will add up, contributing to your overall energy efficiency.
9. Take advantage of and generate heat energy using the source nearest to you. What is this source? Your own body. When you’re a little chilly, do a few jumping jacks to elevate your heart rate. You insulate your home; insulate yourself by using another blanket while you sleep. When you think about it, your body is a machine that turns food into mechanical energy and heat.
10. Keep an eye out for new options as they are developed. New methods for generating your own energy are being released all the time. For example, scientists are learning now to make clothes out of nanofibers that create electricity when you move around. This is perfect for a lot of personal applications, such as keeping your portable music player charged.
By: Mel Joelle
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Click here to read the rest of Texas Electricity Company. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about 10 Ways to Generate Your Own Energy.
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5:15 AM
Wind Power The Future Of Energy
It’s hard to escape news of the energy challenges the United States will continue to face in the coming decades. As we try to move past a petroleum-powered economy, consumers will increasingly turn to wind energy as a way to keep the lights on while preserving the environment. Just as European explorers counted upon the winds to fill their sails on the way to undiscovered countries, the future of energy, in part, is dependent on our ability to turn those same winds into the electricity we use every day.
How do you turn a gentle breeze or a hard gale into electricity in the first place? Wind power updates the principles behind the old-fashioned windmill. Those mills use the wind to turn blades that are directly attached to a grindstone to make flour. Today’s windmills usually feature three blades and are attached to a turbine that generates electricity and transfers it to substations. From there, the electricity goes into the grid and into your home.
Wind power is a particularly worthwhile option for the United States because of the healthy amount of wind you can find in the middle of North America. (Who would have thought all of those biting winter winds could be a good thing?) Thanks to the topography of the continent, the Texas panhandle experiences some of the strongest, most valuable wind speeds around.
Wind farms are large tracts of land dotted with a network of turbines. These wind farms are much better to look at than coal-burning power plants and are a big part of the future of cleaner, renewable energy for homes and industry. Communities, at times, have objected to the presence of these traditional energy plants. As suburbs continue to sprawl, wind farms will prove to be better neighbors than the plants most of us get our energy from today. After all, they don’t belch greenhouse gases into the sky or contaminate the local groundwater.
The future of energy also requires that everyone pitch in. Large wind farms will be an important part of this plan, but individual wind turbines will also grow in popularity. These roof-mounted turbines can supplement the electricity provided by your utility company. The excess power generated by an individual turbine can even be sold back to the energy company, further easing the strain of those household energy bills.
Transportation is a big contributor to our current energy problems. After all, we all need to get where we are going and Americans love their cars. Electric and hybrid automobiles command an ever larger market share because they require no fossil fuels and do not emit greenhouse gases. Unfortunately, plug-in cars would be charged by existing power plants, and these do add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Wind farms will eliminate carbon dioxide and other gases from the equation.
The United States Department of Energy and the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) have helped to lay the groundwork for a future powered by wind. Even though wind power has only been in use for the past couple of decades, capacity has grown exponentially and will only continue to spike. In 1999, Texas only had the ability to generate 180 Megawatts of wind power. By 2007, Texas led the country in capacity, with 4,296 Megawatts. (Over the same time frame, the United States went from a total of 2,500 Megawatts of wind power capacity to 16,596 Megawatts.)
Indeed, there are some drawbacks to wind power. It costs a lot of money to build wind farms, and the technology is not yet fully developed. These negatives, however, are actually good things. This kind of construction provides good, honest jobs that can’t be outsourced. Putting the infrastructure in place will keep Americans employed on these wind farms and in the factories that make the turbines. The research and development that will lead to the next generation of equipment and distribution is also a big positive for the economy. Once scientists in the university and in the private sectors have optimized our use of wind power, consumers will power their homes with clean and reasonably priced electricity.
It’s never easy to switch from one way of doing things to another. People get used to doing things and don’t want to face the challenge that change represents. Thankfully, there is opportunity to be found. In switching to a future powered by wind (and other renewable energies), the United States will continue to lead the way in energy efficiency and combat climate change.
By: Mel Joelle
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Click here to read the rest of Texas Electricity Company. If you enjoyed this article, you also might like our other stories about Wind Power and The Future of Energy.
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5:14 AM
Facts About Pseudogout
Pseudogout is clinically similar to gout, except that the attacks of arthritis are caused by deposits of calcium pyrophosphate crystals into the joints/tissues (Berkow, et al., 1997). Thus, this disease is often called calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPDD) (Wikipedia, 2008). Attacks are usually less severe than in gout and may cause chronic pain and stiffness in the joints of the arms and legs, which is often confused with rheumatoid arthritis. Joint damage progresses after years of crystal deposition. The cartilage within the joint may break down, causing pieces of cartilage to float in the joint space. As the cartilage continues to wear away, the bones rub together, resulting in chronic soreness and stiffness in the joints (Arthritis Foundation, 2007).
The cause of pseudogout is unknown. It is perhaps due to high calcium levels, iron levels, or low magnesium levels (Berkow, et al., 1997). This condition sometimes runs in families and some genetic factors are suspected to be contributing factors. These include hypothyroidism, hemochromatosis (excess iron storage), overactive parathyroid glands, and other causes of hypercalcemia (Schumacher, 2006).
The diagnosis of pseudogout is adequately made by taking fluid from an inflamed joint and testing any crystals for calcium pyrophosphate. Calcium pyrophosphate crystals also block x-rays and appear as white crystal deposits on x-rays as opposed to urate crystals which do not appear on x-ray (Berkow, et al., 1997).
Treatment
Pseudogout is more difficult to treat than gout. Reversing any conditions causing excess calcium production in the blood or low magnesium levels may be of benefit (Schumacher, 2006). There is no real longterm treatment. NSAIDs are used to reduce pain. Colchicine is used to reduce inflammation and pain during attacks and may prevent attacks when given orally. Corticosteroids help to reduce inflammation. There is no effective longterm treatment to remove crystals (Berkow, et al., 1997).
It may be possible to end attacks by ingesting large (RDA) doses of magnesium. This is to be taken with vitamin B6 to help absorption (Wikipedia, 2008).
Methotrexate works as an immunosuppressant and a potent antiinflammatory agent has been shown to be an alternative therapeutic option for patients with severe CPDD who fail to respond to conventional therapy with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and/or glucocorticoids (Chollet-Janin, et al., 2006).
By: vitalethics
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Michael Morales is an EMT-Paramedic and program director for Vital Ethics, providing basic and advanced life support training and certification programs to health care professionals. www.vitalethics.org/ www.vitalethics.org/learninglinks.html
Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/
18 February, 2009
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7:21 AM
Samsung Brings New Mobile Phones For You
Some of the names of the upcoming Samsung mobile phones which you can buy are the Samsung S9402, Samsung T459 Gravity and Samsung T919 Behold. These phones would soon come in the market with wonderful features which you might not have used till date. The Samsung S9402 has a camera of 5 mega pixels which enables the users to click beautiful photos at an image resolution of 2560 x 1920 pixel. In addition, it has also got other tools like auto focus and image stabiliser which would help you to get better photographs.
The Samsung S9402 would appeared in the Samsung mobile market in the most popular black colour. The dimensions of this handset are approximately 115 x 48 x 16 mm. You can carry this phone easily as it weighs 140 grams only. This widget is packed with advance entertainment features. With the help of its Mp3 player and stereo FM, you can tune in to all kinds of music.
The Samsung T459 Gravity would be soon available in two attractive colours : Aqua and Lime. It offers a good camera capable of taking alluring photographs. This widget is equipped with Bluetooth v2.0 and USB v2.0 features. These tools let you transfer data to other handsets. Samsung fans who like to play mobile games can ignite this passion further with this new Samsung phone. With the help of its phonebook, a user can store around 1000 numbers of contact entries. It has a brilliant memory which can easily store data.
Another upcoming mobile phone from the house of Samsung is the Samsung T919 Behold. It will come in the market in seductive light rose and black colours. Make use of its 5 mega pixels camera to capture attractive photos in your day to day lives. It has an image resolution of 2592 x 1944 pixel. With the presence of other features, like auto focus and integrated flash you can do excellent video recording. A user of this phone can send and receive emails with attachments in an instant way. No matter if you are not in front of your personal computer, because this gadget lets you enjoy better emailing work wherever you are.
There are lots of other features of these upcoming Samsung mobile phones which the users would personally come to know after they buy and use these practically. The price of these mobile phones are still not announced but there is nothing to worry as their price would definitely in the favour of the Samsung fans.
By: Adam Jaylin
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
The aforementioned article has been contributed by the Editor and publisher Adam Jaylin of 3mobileshop. Offering a wide range of Samsung mobile phone with latest Samsung Omnia phone click here.
http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Samsung-Brings-New-Mobile-phones-For-You/685159
12 January, 2009
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6:30 AM
Cretaceous Period
It was during the Cretaceous period that many of the best known types of dinosaurs lived, including Ankylosaurus, Iguanodon, Pachycephalosaurus, Protoceratops, Spinosaurus, Styracosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, and Velociraptor.
The biggest mystery of the Cretaceous is what happened at the end of it - suddenly, it seems that all the dinosaurs and other large animals, as well as a wide variety of terrestrial and marine life forms, became extinct. We probably should be grateful for this - as the extinction of the dinosaurs provided the opportunity for mammals to evolve into larger animals, and eventually humans (if the dinosaurs had not gone extinct, we would not be here), but of course we would love to know what was the reason that dinosaurs went extinct.
Many explanations have been proposed for dinosaur extinction, some more plausible than others. When considering, we need to bear in mind that we need to find explanation not only for the extinction of dinosaurs, but also for all the other creatures that became extinct at the same time. Currently, one of the most popular theories is that an asteroid hit the Earth blotting our sunlight for several years, and thus killing most plant life, and therefore depriving animals of food. Evidence for this theory, includes a layer of iridium (which comes from asteroids) found in rocks of the right age, and a crater in southern Mexico which may be the result of this asteroid's impact.
Reference:
Cretaceous Period, S. Tanna, http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1329734
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6:21 AM
Solar Eclipse; During the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox (21st - 23rd March and September)
The path of the sun over the monumentis such that exactly at noon no shadow is castby the monument’s spire.
Five kilometres north of the centre of Pontianak, one can find the precise spot at which the Equator bisects the earth. In an instant, visitors can travel between the Northern and Southern hemispheres without moving a muscle.Marking this spot is a monument erected in 1928 by a Dutch astronomical expedition. Ten years later, "Monument Khatulistiwa" was further developed by an Indonesian architect by the name of Sylaban. A unique natural phenomenom can be observed twice a year at the side of the monument. This phenomena is visible for a period of only 5 - 10 minutes. In anticipation of this special time, the Dayak and Malay ethnic groups, among others, exhibit their rich cultural heritage through traditional dance, music and handicraft displays. These twice-yearly festivals should not be missed; once witnessed, they will not soon be forgotten.
10 January, 2009
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5:09 AM