Fancy Dress Outfitters offer a range of fancy dress costumes for adults and kids. The range includes superhero costumes and fancy dress costumes alongside fancy dress accessories. I really loved Queen of Broken Hearts Costume there. It is a fancy dress costume comes with a full length skirt which can be removed to reveal a shorter version, a matching top with broken heart design, long sleeves, choker style collar and headband with crown for a full regal look! Perfect for making a big impression at any party! A lot of other fancy dress outfits are available there. Check it out!
Steel stand alone or desk type shelving by Safco Products
While running a business establishment, it is important to stock the right kind of office supplies and ensure smooth day-to-day functioning. office supplies online is a great option especially if you are thinking in terms of bulk purchases. In fact, making purchases through the Internet is now extremely popular for the great advantages that it offers. Check out Steel stand alone or desk type shelving by Safco Products. If you are looking for good steel shelves, then you must consider Safco products.
TurboCAD 17 Deluxe
TurboCAD® Deluxe gives you unlimited design options with hundreds of professional drafting and design tools, incredible file support, video and interactive tutorials, photorealistic rendering and pre-drawn drag-and-drop symbols. It’s everything you need to create presentation-ready home plans, technical drawings, mechanical designs, illustrations, school projects and more. Downloadbuyer.com is offering a wide variety of TurboCAD software for PC and Mac such as the TurboCAD 17 Deluxe at discounted prices and with free, instant delivery online.
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Paragon Partition Manager 10
With growing hard drive capacity, the need to reasonably split up the space is more important than ever. Paragon Software's easy-to-use partitioning tool is optimal for re-structuring your hard disk for effective data storage. Improve your PC's performance on-demand without having to re-install your operating system and software applications. You can get it from Downloadbuyer.com. They have a large selection of software available, such as Paragon Partition Manager 10, available for download today.
Web is Like a Bread
The Web has gone from being a boxed-up tool of the 90s into a dynamic environment. Now a days, web is like a bread. Confused? Let me elaborate it, like a piece of bread can be presented in a manner that depends on how you like it (i.e. with peanut butter, butter and jelly, etc.) , you can customize your web experience depending on your taste by using applications and websites that are appropriate for your lifestyle.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
SharingEbooks.com
Perhaps you are now a super-busy, no time to do another activity. And you now need a tutorial ebook, Where you should seek and find. The answer is the website called SharingEbooks.com. It is where we find the solution of the ebook. Surely we occasionally difficult to find or search for ebook about something, such as ebook tutorials, or other ebook. Also here we can also find lots of info-info about auido book, audio book sharing, and many others.
Visit SharingEbooks.com
Visit SharingEbooks.com
Neural Network Control of Nonlinear Discrete time Systems (CRC Press)
Intelligent systems are a hallmark of modern feedback control systems. But as these systems mature, we have come to expect higher levels of performance in speed and accuracy in the face of severe nonlinearities, disturbances, unforeseen dynamics, and unstructured uncertainties. Artificial neural networks offer a combination of adaptability, parallel processing, and learning capabilities that outperform other intelligent control methods in more complex systems.
Download Ebook CRC Neural Network Control of Nonlinear Discrete time Systems
Download Ebook CRC Neural Network Control of Nonlinear Discrete time Systems
Artificial Intelligence and soft computing
With all the material available in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and soft computing-texts, monographs, and journal articles-there remains a serious gap in the literature. Until now, there has been no comprehensive resource accessible to a broad audience yet containing a depth and breadth of information that enables the reader to fully understand and readily apply AI and soft computing concepts.Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing fills this gap. It presents both the traditional and the modern aspects of AI and soft computing in a clear, insightful, and highly comprehensive style. It provides an in-depth analysis of mathematical models and algorithms and demonstrates their applications in real world problems. Beginning with the behavioral perspective of "human cognition," the text covers the tools and techniques required for its intelligent realization on machines. The author addresses the classical aspects-search, symbolic logic, planning, and machine learning-in detail and includes the latest research in these areas. He introduces the modern aspects of soft computing from first principles and discusses them in a manner that enables a beginner to grasp the subject. He also covers a number of other leading aspects of AI research, including nonmonotonic and spatio-temporal reasoning, knowledge acquisition, and much more. Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing: Behavioral and Cognitive Modeling of the Human Brain is unique for its diverse content, clear presentation, and overall completeness. It provides a practical, detailed introduction that will prove valuable to computer science practitioners and students as well as to researchers migrating to the subject from other disciplines.
Download Ebook Artificial Intelligence and soft computing
Download Ebook Artificial Intelligence and soft computing
Biomolecular Sensing, Processing And Analysis
Volume 4 of the multi-volume reference, BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology is a balanced review of key aspects of BioMEMS sensors, including (i) BioMEMS sensors and materials, (ii) means of manipulating biological entities at the microscale, and (iii) micro-fluidics and characterization. These three sections provide a succinct review of important topics within a single volume. This volume is very well illustrated with many of the figures in color.
Download Ebook Biomolecular Sensing, Processing And Analysis
Download Ebook Biomolecular Sensing, Processing And Analysis
Micro-Nano Technology for Genomics and Proteomics BioMEMs
BioMEMS and Biomedical Nanotechnology, includes contributions reporting on fundamental and applied investigations of the material science, biochemistry, and physics of biomedical microdevices with applications to Genomics and Proteomics.
Topics include gene expression profiling utilizing microarray technology; imaging and sensing for gene detection and use in DNA analysis; and coverage of advanced microfluidic devices and the Human Genome Project.This volume is very well illustrated with many of the figures in color.
Download Ebook Micro-Nano Technology for Genomics and Proteomics BioMEMs
Topics include gene expression profiling utilizing microarray technology; imaging and sensing for gene detection and use in DNA analysis; and coverage of advanced microfluidic devices and the Human Genome Project.This volume is very well illustrated with many of the figures in color.
Download Ebook Micro-Nano Technology for Genomics and Proteomics BioMEMs
Nano Mechanics and Materials: Theory, Multiscale Methods and Applications
Nanotechnology is a progressive research and development topic with large amounts of venture capital and government funding being invested worldwide. Nano mechanics, in particular, is the study and characterization of the mechanical behaviour of individual atoms, systems and structures in response to various types of forces and loading conditions.
This text, written by respected researchers in the field, informs researchers and practitioners about the fundamental concepts in nano mechanics and materials, focusing on their modelling via multiple scale methods and techniques. The book systematically covers the theory behind multi-particle and nanoscale systems, introduces multiple scale methods, and finally looks at contemporary applications in nano-structured and bio-inspired materials.
Download Ebook Nano Mechanics and Materials: Theory, Multiscale Methods and Applications
This text, written by respected researchers in the field, informs researchers and practitioners about the fundamental concepts in nano mechanics and materials, focusing on their modelling via multiple scale methods and techniques. The book systematically covers the theory behind multi-particle and nanoscale systems, introduces multiple scale methods, and finally looks at contemporary applications in nano-structured and bio-inspired materials.
Download Ebook Nano Mechanics and Materials: Theory, Multiscale Methods and Applications
Unbounding the Future: the Nanotechnology Revolution
This book is about molecular nanotechnology for the layperson. According to the glossary of the book, molecular nanotechnology is “thorough, inexpensive control of the structure of matter based on molecule-by-molecule control of products and byproducts; the products and processes of molecular manufacturing, including molecular machinery.” Basically, what if you could build something by assembling it one molecule at a time? The book covers the technology itself, paths leading to the development of the technology, and the positive and negative social and economic consequences of the technology. This is a fascinating subject, but I found the book tedious to read. I think this is due in large part to the numerous “scenarios” that the authors present. There are two main problems with the scenarios. First, the book dwells too much on the fact that they are scenarios. Second, the scenarios are too explanatory to be good stories, and too tedious to be good explanations. Perhaps science fiction would have been a more effective format. Additionally, I believe this book paints an overoptimistic picture, for two reasons. First, I feel that the scientific and engineering difficulties in developing nanotechnology have been glossed over. For example, it is one thing to note that plants can transform sunlight into stored energy; it is another to suggest, with no justification or explanation, that we can engineer an equivalent system. Second, despite the authors’ claim that this is not an optimistic book, I think the difficulties in preventing accidents and abuse have been underestimated. For those of you familiar with SETI and the Drake Equation, perhaps the true measure of L, the lifetime of communicating civilizations, is not the ability to survive nuclear weapons (which seems to be the commonly assumed limiting factor) but the ability to survive nanotechnology.
Download Ebook Unbounding the Future: the Nanotechnology Revolution
Download Ebook Unbounding the Future: the Nanotechnology Revolution
What Is the What (Vintage) By Dave Eggers
What Is the What is the epic novel based on the life of Valentino Achak Deng who, along with thousands of other children--the so-called Lost Boys--was forced to leave his village in Sudan at the age of seven and trek hundreds of miles by foot, pursued by militias, government bombers, and wild animals, crossing the deserts of three countries to find freedom. When he finally is resettled in the United States, he finds a life full of promise, but also heartache and myriad new challenges. Moving, suspenseful, and unexpectedly funny, What Is the What is an astonishing novel that illuminates the lives of millions through one extraordinary man.It is hard to understand how much a young boy can live through and keep going. The main character actually has several different names as it changes as he moves through geography and life. (my favorite is Gone Far) No one raised in the western world can comprehend what the the "Lost boys of Sudan" went through to simply survive long enough to walk to refugee camps. I also don't think many of us realize the length of stay many refugees have in camps before they are accepted into the the US or other western countries. That anyone physically survived the walk through Sudan (the author actually watched as boys were plucked from the line of walkers and carried off by lions), then survived the nutritional and hygiene deprivations of refugee camps is amazing. All this without parents or siblings, just other boys.
Their arrival in the US is just another beginning of a difficult foreign walk. I heard of a local group in my home town, their sponsor would visit their apartment and re-explain what foods went in the refrigerator and what went in the cupboard. In the book, Achak marvels that his neighbor would rather call him on the phone then walk 2 doors down to speak with him. The efforts it takes to receive an education from the refugee camp to American colleges makes me feel a bit ashamed for the attitude many Americans take towards school. It also makes me wonder how many of the refugee students
in our district have significant PTSD. How do you learn your way around a new world with the legacy of war and refugee camps, to say nothing of poor perinatal and childhood nutrition?
Excellent book. I want to read it again immediately because it is so fascinating to me that a person could go through so many trials, much more than a lot of this world can't even imagine, and still have the outlook that Deng does. I didn't know much about what was going on in Sudan, and I hope this book raises awareness on the situation. It made me look at some of the things I have been complaining about and put in perspective just how fortunate I really am. I am glad I bought this book because this is not a one-time read. I love the concept of "the What," and it has given me much to think about as well.
Download Ebook What Is the What (Vintage) By Dave Eggers
Their arrival in the US is just another beginning of a difficult foreign walk. I heard of a local group in my home town, their sponsor would visit their apartment and re-explain what foods went in the refrigerator and what went in the cupboard. In the book, Achak marvels that his neighbor would rather call him on the phone then walk 2 doors down to speak with him. The efforts it takes to receive an education from the refugee camp to American colleges makes me feel a bit ashamed for the attitude many Americans take towards school. It also makes me wonder how many of the refugee students
in our district have significant PTSD. How do you learn your way around a new world with the legacy of war and refugee camps, to say nothing of poor perinatal and childhood nutrition?
Excellent book. I want to read it again immediately because it is so fascinating to me that a person could go through so many trials, much more than a lot of this world can't even imagine, and still have the outlook that Deng does. I didn't know much about what was going on in Sudan, and I hope this book raises awareness on the situation. It made me look at some of the things I have been complaining about and put in perspective just how fortunate I really am. I am glad I bought this book because this is not a one-time read. I love the concept of "the What," and it has given me much to think about as well.
Download Ebook What Is the What (Vintage) By Dave Eggers
House Rules: A Novel By Jodi Picoult
Ebooks Free Download | House Rules: A Novel By Jodi Picoult | The astonishing new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult about a family torn apart by an accusation of murder. They tell me I'm lucky to have a son who's so verbal, who is blisteringly intelligent, who can take apart the broken microwave and have it working again an hour later. They think there is no greater hell than having a son who is locked in his own world, unaware that there's a wider one to explore. But try having a son who is locked in his own world, and still wants to make a connection. A son who tries to be like everyone else, but truly doesn't know how.
Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject--in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger's--not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect--can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family, who only want to fit in, feel the spotlight shining directly on them. For his mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Download Ebook House Rules: A Novel By Jodi Picoult
Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject--in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger's--not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, flat affect--can look a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel. Suddenly, Jacob and his family, who only want to fit in, feel the spotlight shining directly on them. For his mother, Emma, it's a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it's another indication of why nothing is normal because of Jacob. And over this small family the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?
Download Ebook House Rules: A Novel By Jodi Picoult
Bright Lights, Big City By Jay McInerney
A lot of books got a lot of hype in the 80s for supposedly describing the shallowness of that decade. This is one book that in my opinion, deserved and still deserves the hype. The nice thing about this novel is that it doesn't try to do too much or jam too much into its pages. Furthermore, although the hero of the book is basically a nice Midwestern boy who takes a good job in publishing in NYC and quickly gets in over his head, the book doesn't succumb to all those "yuppies on the wild side" cliches. Sure, the narrator runs into a few weird characters, such as the bald girl with the tattooed head in the first chapter, but these are minor encounters, the type you'd expect. He doesn't go off on some crazy "Desperately Seeking Susan" wild ride of the type that launched a thousand plots in the 80s, each of them less believable and less funny than the last.
It would have been so easy to go that way too, because our hero has a coke habit and money problems and appears in some danger of ending up on the wrong side of a dealer or three, but the book stays realistic. Our hero gets up, throws away the dunning letters from Brooks Brothers, and goes to make an attempt at keeping his job before getting dragged out again by his party-hearty buddy Tad Allagash. He occasionally grieves for his dead mother or his lost wife (who has run off to pursue a career of her own in modeling) before drowning his sorrows in the next round of booze and coke. At the end, he finally realizes that he will have to learn to live all over again and get over his loss, and that life unmedicated can still be sweet despite its pain. This is truly a story that could happen to anyone, or at the very least, to anyone's friend.
I also liked that the narrator and his wife did not appear to come from very wealthy backgrounds and therefore were a lot more relatable than the characters in Bret Easton Ellis's books. The narrator and his wife are wide-eyed kids when they come to the city, and it's easy to see how they get led astray by its delights. Nor does the book sink into the overly literary mode of, say, Michael Chabon. Mcinerney's prose is airy and descriptive and yes, similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald updated to a more modern age. It captures a lot of great details in a minimum of sentences.
I was charmed by this book even though I never had a coke habit or a fast-paced job in NYC. It's a nicely crafted little remembrance of an era that's past...or is it? I bet a lot of the same stuff is going on in NYC today among the young people who move there and get exposed to the "bright lights, big city" for the first time. Five stars. I just wish McInerney's other books had been this good.
Download Ebook Bright Lights, Big City By Jay McInerney
It would have been so easy to go that way too, because our hero has a coke habit and money problems and appears in some danger of ending up on the wrong side of a dealer or three, but the book stays realistic. Our hero gets up, throws away the dunning letters from Brooks Brothers, and goes to make an attempt at keeping his job before getting dragged out again by his party-hearty buddy Tad Allagash. He occasionally grieves for his dead mother or his lost wife (who has run off to pursue a career of her own in modeling) before drowning his sorrows in the next round of booze and coke. At the end, he finally realizes that he will have to learn to live all over again and get over his loss, and that life unmedicated can still be sweet despite its pain. This is truly a story that could happen to anyone, or at the very least, to anyone's friend.
I also liked that the narrator and his wife did not appear to come from very wealthy backgrounds and therefore were a lot more relatable than the characters in Bret Easton Ellis's books. The narrator and his wife are wide-eyed kids when they come to the city, and it's easy to see how they get led astray by its delights. Nor does the book sink into the overly literary mode of, say, Michael Chabon. Mcinerney's prose is airy and descriptive and yes, similar to F. Scott Fitzgerald updated to a more modern age. It captures a lot of great details in a minimum of sentences.
I was charmed by this book even though I never had a coke habit or a fast-paced job in NYC. It's a nicely crafted little remembrance of an era that's past...or is it? I bet a lot of the same stuff is going on in NYC today among the young people who move there and get exposed to the "bright lights, big city" for the first time. Five stars. I just wish McInerney's other books had been this good.
Download Ebook Bright Lights, Big City By Jay McInerney
Brightness Falls (Bloomsbury Paperbacks)
'The story of a disintegrating marriage set in New York in the frenzied few months leading up to the Wall Street crash of 1987. A sort of BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES with the added advantage of believable, likeable characters' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY Their moment was of the brief, shining sort when everything seemed possible. The gold rush of the 1980s, when the best and the brightest vied with the worst and most craven for riches, fame and the love of beautiful people. With all the force and cunning enterprise of Manhattan itself, BRIGHTNESS FALLS captures lives-in-the-making - men and women confronting their sudden middle-age with wit and low behaviour, fear and confusion, and occasionally even a little honesty and decency. None of them, ever, would be the same again
Reading this novel made me realize that I'm not nearly as good a writer as I'd always thought I was. I make a living writing but McInerney reminded me of how beautiful prose can be. The subject matter - a self-obsessed upper-middle class couple in Manhattan - is not what makes this novel special. It's McInerney's incredible ability to develop characters on an intimate level, relying almost exclusively on dialogue, that earns him the book review comparisons to Fitzgerald. Most writers take the easy way out, describing characters - how they are. Better writers show how they are through their actions and reactions. The great ones let it flow naturally as conversation that the reader feels they are part of. I feel like I know Russell and Corinne Calloway - even if I don't like them at all.
Download Ebook Brightness Falls (Bloomsbury Paperbacks)
Reading this novel made me realize that I'm not nearly as good a writer as I'd always thought I was. I make a living writing but McInerney reminded me of how beautiful prose can be. The subject matter - a self-obsessed upper-middle class couple in Manhattan - is not what makes this novel special. It's McInerney's incredible ability to develop characters on an intimate level, relying almost exclusively on dialogue, that earns him the book review comparisons to Fitzgerald. Most writers take the easy way out, describing characters - how they are. Better writers show how they are through their actions and reactions. The great ones let it flow naturally as conversation that the reader feels they are part of. I feel like I know Russell and Corinne Calloway - even if I don't like them at all.
Download Ebook Brightness Falls (Bloomsbury Paperbacks)
Forex Technical Indicators
Forex indicators is one of the trading technique that is used in Technical Analysis. It uses many technical patterns and models like Relative Strength Index, Parabolic SAR, Moving Averages, etc. Technical traders use tend lines, support and resistance, charts, along with many design and mathematical analysis in order to recognize trading opportunities.
IASeminars: Specialists in IFRS training
Iaseminars.com has been around for 12 years, since the domain was registered. Iaseminars.com is very unpopular. It ranks number 1,122,959 in the world according to Alexa. The site is owned by International Accounting Seminars Ltd. Based on Alexa's measurements www.iaseminars.com is very slow (6.531 seconds), 93% of sites are faster. IASeminars is now offering in-person live, and online e-learning IFRS Training on 100 topics world-wide. IASeminars has a 10 year record of delivering comprehensive IFRS training solutions to a global client base using an international faculty of experts.
IASeminars Online IFRS e-Learning courses are available now. For further information, please visit www.iaseminars.com or call USA number 1-888-430-4377 for advice and assistance.
SkyZop
SkyZop is a Free service that allows you to earn money from your regular online activities. They offer a short URL service empowering users to earn money from the links they shorten just like Linkbee or Linkbucks. You can also earn by many other ways:
1. Shrink URLs
2. Upload Photos
3. Upload Your Videos
4. Create a Custom Blog
5. Advertise Your Business
6. Write Reviews
Here is an example of a link with a top banner: http://www.skyzop.com/lnk33057
1. Shrink URLs
2. Upload Photos
3. Upload Your Videos
4. Create a Custom Blog
5. Advertise Your Business
6. Write Reviews
Here is an example of a link with a top banner: http://www.skyzop.com/lnk33057
Eleotin Tea
Eleotin is a natural diabetes cure which is manufactured by Eastwood Bio-Medical Research. It is a blend of many herbs which have known powerful and effective in controlling and lowering blood glucose level. The eleotin tea ingredients include Platycodi Radix (Root), Schizandrae Fructus (Fruit) Capsella Bursa (Stem), Glycyrrhizae Radix (Root), and others. Those herbs are usually considered as health food in many countries and they have been used traditionally among local people. For further information click here.
Marathon des Sables Begins Sunday
Competitors from around the globe are descending on Morocco where they are preparing to compete in what some call the most challenging footrace on the planet, the Marathon des Sables.
The race is a six day, 243km (151 mile) race that takes place annually in the Sahara Desert. Over those six days, the competitors will run the equivalent of five-and-a-half marathons, usually in very trying conditions. Temperatures often exceed 120ºF and the brutal sun only gives way to blowing sands that can make for extremely challenging conditions for the racers. As you can imagine, that heat and sand can play havoc with your feet as well, turing them into a blistered mess after just one day.
As if running a marathon under those conditions wasn't challenging enough, the competitors will also have to carry all of their gear (save their tent!) and water with them as they go. Each checkpoint will ration out more water for them, but other than that, they must be completely self sufficient while in the desert. This is especially important on the 4th day, which is usually the longest, and often stretches well into the night.
Now in its 24th year, the Marathon des Sables, or Marathon of the Sands, is considered one of the grand jewels of endurance sports. It is challenging on many levels, and attracts some of the top ultramarathon athletes from around the globe each year. 2010 will be no different, as dozens of runners are now assembling, and preparing to get underway in a few days time.
Good luck to all the racers. Enjoy the challenge and the scenery.
The race is a six day, 243km (151 mile) race that takes place annually in the Sahara Desert. Over those six days, the competitors will run the equivalent of five-and-a-half marathons, usually in very trying conditions. Temperatures often exceed 120ºF and the brutal sun only gives way to blowing sands that can make for extremely challenging conditions for the racers. As you can imagine, that heat and sand can play havoc with your feet as well, turing them into a blistered mess after just one day.
As if running a marathon under those conditions wasn't challenging enough, the competitors will also have to carry all of their gear (save their tent!) and water with them as they go. Each checkpoint will ration out more water for them, but other than that, they must be completely self sufficient while in the desert. This is especially important on the 4th day, which is usually the longest, and often stretches well into the night.
Now in its 24th year, the Marathon des Sables, or Marathon of the Sands, is considered one of the grand jewels of endurance sports. It is challenging on many levels, and attracts some of the top ultramarathon athletes from around the globe each year. 2010 will be no different, as dozens of runners are now assembling, and preparing to get underway in a few days time.
Good luck to all the racers. Enjoy the challenge and the scenery.
Posted by
King Shady
Contest: Organized or Messy Desk - Which is Better?
Is your desk clean or messy? Have you ever thought of it? Interesting right. You can win big my answering this simple question. Excited? Check out this contest, Organized or Messy Desk - Which is Better? In order to be eligible to enter the contest you have to write a blog post of about 150 words telling your opinion about having either an organized desk or a messy desk. You can win an win an MDV3BA Pro Series Vacuum made by Metro Data Vac. So what are you waiting for grab your place.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Solo Sailing Update: Abby Nears The Horn, Jessica Heads For Home!
Our two intrepid 16-year old young ladies who are out on the oceans making solo circumnavigation attempts are both reaching for milestones it seems. Both American Abby Sunderland and Australian Jessica Watson have been making progress in their respective journeys, and while one nears a major challenge, the other is heading well on her way home.
For Abby, her first big challenge comes in the form of Cape Horn, the very tip of South America. The region is notoriously windy, and can generate some of the most powerful storms on the planet at times. The Horn has been the stuff of nightmares for sailors for hundreds of years, and the teenage adventure will be passing round it, and into the Atlantic Ocean, tomorrow.
Abby's father has already arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, and will be sailing out into the turbulent waters with some of the locals when his daughter goes sailing past. He hopes to catch a glimpse of her, and cheer her on, as she sets course for Africa next, in her bid to become the youngest to solo circumnavigate the globe.
The trip has not been an easy one thus far. It took her sometime to find the right boat, and at an affordable price, before settling on her small and swift Wild Eyes, which has served her well thus far. But she has lost two autopilots so far, which has made it challenging at times, including keeping Abby at the helm into the cold, and freezing nights, in recent days. And once she clears the horn, her challenges are far from over. According to this story, because she started late in the season, Abby will face similar challenges when rounding both the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, both of which are typically not as difficult to navigate, but weather conditions could be tough.
Meanwhile, Abby's main competition for the "Youngest Round" title is Jessica, who is zipping right along in her ship, the Ella's Pink Lady. Jessica has now left Africa far behind and is more than halfway across the Southern Ocean and is well on her way home. She set out from Sydney, and will return there, completing her circumnavigation attempt in a few short weeks time. Thus far, she has covered more than 18,000 nautical miles, and is closing in on Cape Leeuwin as well.
For the most part, it has been business as usual for Jess as she goes about her daily routine. She's had to deal with a variety of elements in the past few weeks but, at this point she is a veteran sailor with few challenges left to conquer. The next story will probably be out about her arrival back home, and her wait to see how long it takes Abby to finish. When she's done, Jess will be the youngest around, but Abby is five months younger than her, and thus she has an advantage in the "race".
At least until Laura Dekker starts her solo sail in a few months time.
For Abby, her first big challenge comes in the form of Cape Horn, the very tip of South America. The region is notoriously windy, and can generate some of the most powerful storms on the planet at times. The Horn has been the stuff of nightmares for sailors for hundreds of years, and the teenage adventure will be passing round it, and into the Atlantic Ocean, tomorrow.
Abby's father has already arrived in Ushuaia, Argentina, and will be sailing out into the turbulent waters with some of the locals when his daughter goes sailing past. He hopes to catch a glimpse of her, and cheer her on, as she sets course for Africa next, in her bid to become the youngest to solo circumnavigate the globe.
The trip has not been an easy one thus far. It took her sometime to find the right boat, and at an affordable price, before settling on her small and swift Wild Eyes, which has served her well thus far. But she has lost two autopilots so far, which has made it challenging at times, including keeping Abby at the helm into the cold, and freezing nights, in recent days. And once she clears the horn, her challenges are far from over. According to this story, because she started late in the season, Abby will face similar challenges when rounding both the Cape of Good Hope in Africa and Cape Leeuwin in Western Australia, both of which are typically not as difficult to navigate, but weather conditions could be tough.
Meanwhile, Abby's main competition for the "Youngest Round" title is Jessica, who is zipping right along in her ship, the Ella's Pink Lady. Jessica has now left Africa far behind and is more than halfway across the Southern Ocean and is well on her way home. She set out from Sydney, and will return there, completing her circumnavigation attempt in a few short weeks time. Thus far, she has covered more than 18,000 nautical miles, and is closing in on Cape Leeuwin as well.
For the most part, it has been business as usual for Jess as she goes about her daily routine. She's had to deal with a variety of elements in the past few weeks but, at this point she is a veteran sailor with few challenges left to conquer. The next story will probably be out about her arrival back home, and her wait to see how long it takes Abby to finish. When she's done, Jess will be the youngest around, but Abby is five months younger than her, and thus she has an advantage in the "race".
At least until Laura Dekker starts her solo sail in a few months time.
Posted by
King Shady
Join Bus2Antarctica's Andrew Evans Online This Wednesday
Over the past few months, one of the top adventure travel stories has been Andrew Evans and his Bus2Antarctica Expedition. For those not familiar with the story, Andrew, who is a contributor for National Geographic, boarded a public bus in Washington DC and began heading south. Ten weeks, and 44 more buses later, he arrived in Argentina, where he boarded a cruise ship that would deliver him to to the frozen continent itself.
Andrew's story was a popular one, with many people following along with his dispatches which were posted at National Geographic's Intelligent Travel Blog. His photo of an all black penguin would become a sensation in its own right, with many media outlets picking it up and sharing it across the globe.
Now, you can quiz Andrew yourself thanks to an online webinar scheduled to take place this Wednesday at 8 PM Eastern Time. The chat comes to us courtesy of Lindblad Travel, who are amongst the top adventure travel companies in the world. You can sign up for the event by clicking here, and reserve your spot in the webinar which will include a slideshow, videos, and a live chat with Andrew and Antarctic expert Karen Copeland.
This should be a very cool presentation, and gives you a chance to ask Andrew, and Karen, some questions directly.
Andrew's story was a popular one, with many people following along with his dispatches which were posted at National Geographic's Intelligent Travel Blog. His photo of an all black penguin would become a sensation in its own right, with many media outlets picking it up and sharing it across the globe.
Now, you can quiz Andrew yourself thanks to an online webinar scheduled to take place this Wednesday at 8 PM Eastern Time. The chat comes to us courtesy of Lindblad Travel, who are amongst the top adventure travel companies in the world. You can sign up for the event by clicking here, and reserve your spot in the webinar which will include a slideshow, videos, and a live chat with Andrew and Antarctic expert Karen Copeland.
This should be a very cool presentation, and gives you a chance to ask Andrew, and Karen, some questions directly.
Posted by
King Shady
Exploring The Himalaya By Paraglider
When most of us think about Himalayan adventures, our minds conjure up images of mountaineers in their down suits struggling to summit 8000 meter peaks or even intrepid trekkers exploring mountain passes. But the Himalayan Odyssey team wanted to explore those iconic mountains in a different way, and from a very unique perspective.
The expedition got underway a few weeks back, with Brad Sander, Antoine Laurens, and Mike Laengle, setting out to explore over 700 miles of Himalayan territory, stretched out through India, Nepal, and Sikkim, not on foot, but on paraglider instead. The journey is expected to take approximately six weeks to complete, and with much of it being filmed and photographed along the way. The team is also joined by guest pilots along the way, adding new faces to the expedition for some of the segments.
A typical day for the Himalayan Odyssey crew is to get up and check the thermal air currents to see how they'll impact their daily travel. If all is well there, they'll climb up above 2000 meters and launch out into the open skies, riding those thermals and traveling from one valley to the next along their route. As the day whittles away, they'll scout the ground below for a good place to camp, only coming in for a landing when they've found a a good site to pitch their tents.
While exploring the Himalaya from a paraglider probably is its own reward, the team has other goals in mind as well. Besides having an adventure of a lifetime, they're also exploring the amazing Himalayan culture, while also working to raise awareness of the plight of the Himalayan Condor, a bird that is dying out at an alarming rate.
You can track the progress of the expedition on the website, and follow along on their Twitter account as well.
Thanks to Alan for the tip on this one!
The expedition got underway a few weeks back, with Brad Sander, Antoine Laurens, and Mike Laengle, setting out to explore over 700 miles of Himalayan territory, stretched out through India, Nepal, and Sikkim, not on foot, but on paraglider instead. The journey is expected to take approximately six weeks to complete, and with much of it being filmed and photographed along the way. The team is also joined by guest pilots along the way, adding new faces to the expedition for some of the segments.
A typical day for the Himalayan Odyssey crew is to get up and check the thermal air currents to see how they'll impact their daily travel. If all is well there, they'll climb up above 2000 meters and launch out into the open skies, riding those thermals and traveling from one valley to the next along their route. As the day whittles away, they'll scout the ground below for a good place to camp, only coming in for a landing when they've found a a good site to pitch their tents.
While exploring the Himalaya from a paraglider probably is its own reward, the team has other goals in mind as well. Besides having an adventure of a lifetime, they're also exploring the amazing Himalayan culture, while also working to raise awareness of the plight of the Himalayan Condor, a bird that is dying out at an alarming rate.
You can track the progress of the expedition on the website, and follow along on their Twitter account as well.
Thanks to Alan for the tip on this one!
Posted by
King Shady
Office Desk in Paradise; Creative Writing / Blogging Contest!
With today’s world demanding more and more of diplomats and more creative people rather than academically strong students, office1000.com provides you a mega-grand opportunity to win a really cool computer desk! They call it the Office Desk in Paradise; Creative Writing / Blogging Contest!
And yes, you can win it with a very little toil but the only thing is that you have to really creative! All you have to do is write a minimum 300 word blog post creating and imagining a scenario about where you would be exactly sitting with the $282 mahogany and half oak office desk! There is no need to imagine it in reality – like for example you do not have to worry about where the electrical outlet will be and all those kind of stuff!
The winner will be chosen by the staff of office1000.com and the blog post really matters- they will look for an outstanding content and also, the font size, formatting, deviation from the topic also matters!
And yes, you can win it with a very little toil but the only thing is that you have to really creative! All you have to do is write a minimum 300 word blog post creating and imagining a scenario about where you would be exactly sitting with the $282 mahogany and half oak office desk! There is no need to imagine it in reality – like for example you do not have to worry about where the electrical outlet will be and all those kind of stuff!
The winner will be chosen by the staff of office1000.com and the blog post really matters- they will look for an outstanding content and also, the font size, formatting, deviation from the topic also matters!
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Winning prizes and competitions online
While surfing in the internet, I came across a very good site in which you can win prizes by very simple means! Well,this involves no gambling! This is truly a very legitimate site! It is called the ImBrickingIt. Signing up in this site is 100% free and this is the largest virtual brick wall in the internet! You are given a set of bricks to choose from and when you choose one, your name gets engraved on the brick! Then, you are notified the prize that your brick carries! Playstations, Holidays, Vouchers , Games and a whole lot to be won!
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Gmail Automatic Message Translation
Back in the early days of human existence, before language had fully developed, our caveman ancestors probably did a lot of grunting. Language, and thus life, were pretty simple: watch out for that saber-toothed tiger ("Blorg! AIYA!!!"); stop riding the wooly mammoth and help me pick some berries ("Argh. Zagle zorg!"); man, it's cold in this Ice Age ("Brrrr.").
Somewhere along the line, all those grunts diverged into thousands of distinct languages, and life became both richer and more complicated. And for the last few eons or so, we've struggled to communicate in a multilingual world. Which brings us to today. Since the heart and soul of Gmail is about helping people communicate, here comes the integration of Google's automatic translation technology directly into Gmail.
Simply enable "Message Translation" from the Labs tab under Settings, and when you receive an email in a language other than your own, Gmail will help you translate it into a language you can understand. In one click.
If all parties are using Gmail, you can have entire conversations in multiple languages with each participant reading the messages in whatever language is most comfortable for them. It's not quite the universal translators we're so fond of from science fiction, but thanks to Google Translate, it's an exciting step in the right direction.
Whether you're reading a family update from inlaws on the other side of the world, working with a multinational team, or just trying to bring about world peace, don't worry, Gmail's got your back.
Somewhere along the line, all those grunts diverged into thousands of distinct languages, and life became both richer and more complicated. And for the last few eons or so, we've struggled to communicate in a multilingual world. Which brings us to today. Since the heart and soul of Gmail is about helping people communicate, here comes the integration of Google's automatic translation technology directly into Gmail.
Simply enable "Message Translation" from the Labs tab under Settings, and when you receive an email in a language other than your own, Gmail will help you translate it into a language you can understand. In one click.
If all parties are using Gmail, you can have entire conversations in multiple languages with each participant reading the messages in whatever language is most comfortable for them. It's not quite the universal translators we're so fond of from science fiction, but thanks to Google Translate, it's an exciting step in the right direction.
Whether you're reading a family update from inlaws on the other side of the world, working with a multinational team, or just trying to bring about world peace, don't worry, Gmail's got your back.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Google promotes Chrome by Advertising on TV Ads
Google is THE Expert in the Advertising Stuff. Trust me, the successful adsense publishers know. And we thought Google only Advertised on the Internet. Well, if you thought so then Google is Now Advertising on TV too. Recently Google Featured a Chrome Ad where a chrome logo did something like a video game.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Apple Releases Mac OS X Update 10.5.7
There was a lot of buzz that it might come today, and it has. Apple just released Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.7 for download via Software Update. As one, let us install and restart our computers. Maybe the Internet will pause for a second in our absence.
Here are some highlights from the new release:
Includes additional RAW image support for several third-party cameras.
Improves performance of video playback and cursor movements for recent Macs with NVIDIA graphics.
Improves the reliability and accuracy of Unit Converter, Stocks, Weather and Movies Dashboard widgets.
Addresses a situation that may cause issues when logging into Gmail.
Improves reliability when syncing contacts with Yahoo.
Improves network performance when connected to certain Ethernet switches that have Flow Control enabled.
Improves stability for network home directories hosted by Mac OS X Server v10.4.
Improves Finder search results for network volumes that may not support Spotlight searching, such as Mac OS X Server v10.4, Time Capsule, and third-party AFP servers.
Includes several improvements to Directory Service and Client Management, which are described in the About Mac OS X Server 10.5.7 Update article.
For a complete list of fixes and enhancements, check out Apple’s official support article detailing the release. As always, let us know if the update brings any unpleasant surprises.
Here are some highlights from the new release:
Includes additional RAW image support for several third-party cameras.
Improves performance of video playback and cursor movements for recent Macs with NVIDIA graphics.
Improves the reliability and accuracy of Unit Converter, Stocks, Weather and Movies Dashboard widgets.
Addresses a situation that may cause issues when logging into Gmail.
Improves reliability when syncing contacts with Yahoo.
Improves network performance when connected to certain Ethernet switches that have Flow Control enabled.
Improves stability for network home directories hosted by Mac OS X Server v10.4.
Improves Finder search results for network volumes that may not support Spotlight searching, such as Mac OS X Server v10.4, Time Capsule, and third-party AFP servers.
Includes several improvements to Directory Service and Client Management, which are described in the About Mac OS X Server 10.5.7 Update article.
For a complete list of fixes and enhancements, check out Apple’s official support article detailing the release. As always, let us know if the update brings any unpleasant surprises.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
LaCie Now Offering 10TB "5 Big" NAS
This week LaCie announced yet another addition to their line of network storage drives with the 2big Network and the 5big Network.
They both feature Gigabit Ethernet, seven RAID modes, as well as “improved performance, enhanced features, comprehensive backup support, and extreme capacity expansion.” The 2big will offer up to 4TB of storage, while the 5big can load up with up to 10TB of storage through five hot-swappable drives.
Both of these are available today, and will start at $319.99 (2big) and $799.99 (5big). However, if you want the whopping 10TB version of the 5big, it’ll run you $2099.99.
They both feature Gigabit Ethernet, seven RAID modes, as well as “improved performance, enhanced features, comprehensive backup support, and extreme capacity expansion.” The 2big will offer up to 4TB of storage, while the 5big can load up with up to 10TB of storage through five hot-swappable drives.
Both of these are available today, and will start at $319.99 (2big) and $799.99 (5big). However, if you want the whopping 10TB version of the 5big, it’ll run you $2099.99.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Microsoft Attacks Apple over iTunes Pricing
More specifically, Microsoft continues its advertising offensive against Apple with yet another commercial pointing out the cost of being hip, only this one targets iTunes and not MacBooks.
In the latest ad, financial planner (certified, of course) Wes Moss points out it would take $30,000 to fill the latest iPod using iTunes at a buck a pop.
"I don't know about you, but I don't have thirty grand laying around for music," Moss says.
His solution? A subscription service like Zune Pass, of course! "One costs a lot, and one costs a little," Moss adds, referring to the iPod with $30,000 worth of music and Zune Pass's unlimited subscription plan for $14.99/month. For those of you doing the math at home, $30,000 buys almost 167 years of Zune Pass.
There are obvious flaws in Microsoft's latest pitch, but the goal here isn't necessarily to discredit Apple's iPod/iTunes combination as a viable music platform (too late for that) as much as it is to promote Zune Pass. The question is, will it work?
In the latest ad, financial planner (certified, of course) Wes Moss points out it would take $30,000 to fill the latest iPod using iTunes at a buck a pop.
"I don't know about you, but I don't have thirty grand laying around for music," Moss says.
His solution? A subscription service like Zune Pass, of course! "One costs a lot, and one costs a little," Moss adds, referring to the iPod with $30,000 worth of music and Zune Pass's unlimited subscription plan for $14.99/month. For those of you doing the math at home, $30,000 buys almost 167 years of Zune Pass.
There are obvious flaws in Microsoft's latest pitch, but the goal here isn't necessarily to discredit Apple's iPod/iTunes combination as a viable music platform (too late for that) as much as it is to promote Zune Pass. The question is, will it work?
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Shoes from Jimmy Choo
If you are looking for the shoes that have a rare combination of style, elegance and femininity, you are looking for shoes from Jimmy Choo. They were favored by the late Princess of Wales (Princess Diana), who would buy one style in several colors for her evening wear and to coordinate with her daily wardrobe. Apparently, Jimmy Choo lost count of the number of shoes he made for Princess Diana. She could frequently be seen in his delicate high-heeled shoes. But a pair of shoes from Jimmy Choo worth around a thousand euros. What makes Jimmy Choo shoes that expensive? It's probably because it uses the best types of material and because of the good marketing that it has generated itself. In marketing for the high-end marketing, sometimes what you got to do is just to make your line sound so exclusive. Indeed, while Jimmy Choo engages in ready-to-wear clothing, the line only has a few stores, with its flagship store based in London. Aside from shoes, Jimmy Choo also designer bags.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
UNH launch Green Launching Pad for commercial environmental projects
The University of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Office of Energy and Planning have just announced a new initiative, The Green Launching Pad, designed to use UNH resources to help launch new "green" businesses in the state. The Green Launching Pad will connect entrepreneurs and private industry with the technical, scientific and business faculty and staff of UNH, with a goal of creating a competitive green energy technology commercialization program.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Toyota: Unintended Acceleration Still Present on Post-Recalled Vehicles
Due to the recent issue of death of a whole family whilst driving in their Toyota vehicle, the giant Japanese car maker recalled millions of their vehicles which were reported to have unintended acceleration problem. Check out the whole piece of information here. Toyota appeared to be sincere in their recall, but the drivers are complaining that their cars are still facing acceleration problems even after they were recalled.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Medical identity theft: Fastest growing fraud that can be deadly
While you're probably well aware of identity theft and its impact on your credit, you may not be aware of a type of identify theft that can be even more harmful to you personally - Medical Identity Theft. Recent studies shows that medical identity theft or fraud is hugely happening in many parts of the world, especially in the US. Medical identity theft can cost you your life. Don't allow friends without insurance to use your insurance card. Be sure to act quickly to clean up any sign of identity theft.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Desperate Ohio Homeowner Destroys House
Like many people, Terry Hoskins has had troubles with his bank. But his solution to foreclosure might be unique. Hoskins said he's been in a struggle with RiverHills Bank over his Clermont County home for nearly a decade, a struggle that was coming to an end as the bank began foreclosure proceedings on his $350,000 home. You can read the detailed news here. I can't believe Terry has no regrets over bulldozing house. Really, desperation really drives some people to extreme actions.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Cubicle Zen: The Art of Office Serenity
This busy modern world has blessed us with compact office units, which is like second home to the workers especially to those who usually spend 10 hours there daily. And it is very important to turn those compact dull office units into a colorful home away from home and you can learn ways to to do so in this article.This would turn your workplace into a place where you would really love to work. Believe me, this could be motivational, help to center you and improve your productivity.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Just like Apps and Maps, C-Line has a product for everything!!
Just like IPhone has an app for everything, Verizon has a map for everything, C-Line has a product for everything. C-Line Products produces carries a wide variety of office supplies for storage & organization including sheet protectors, name badges, shop ticket holders other items that help keep your space organized.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Weight Loss Tips for the Starbucks Drinker
Having an addiction to coffee itself isn’t the worst thing you could do to your body. The problem lies in the fact that most people consider coffee a drink and do not realize how many calories and grams of fat they are consuming with each sip. Read this article, if you are a frequent Starbucks visitor and want to lose weight.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Buck Says Eminem Doesn't Agree With 50 Cent
Former G-Unit member Young Buck was recently in Detroit where he took time to diss his former camp and it's leader, 50 Cent. During the concert (that took place over the weekend), Buck first told the crowd about himself. "I'm a real life n*gga," Buck told Detroit fans. "For real. I wanna clear this sh*t up real quick because I see a lot of real n*ggas in here, you understand me. Let me tell you something. I don't f*ck with that n*gga 50 Cent for real. F*ck that n*gga."
Buck then brought up home-town hero, Eminem. "For real though, look, I got a lot of love for Eminem, that's my n*gga. You understand that? You understand me? Eminem don't even agree with the bullsh*t 50 Cent is doing with me. You understand me -- don't worry about Buck, I'm good with or without some b*tch a** n*gga named 50 motherf*cking Cent...F*ck you, f*ck the contract, I'm in Detroit, I'm in Eminem's hometown...A lot of these n*ggas can't come to Detroit, this is a no fly zone...I promise you, you will not see Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, none of them b*tch a** n*ggas out here without some motherf*cking security..."
Buck then brought up home-town hero, Eminem. "For real though, look, I got a lot of love for Eminem, that's my n*gga. You understand that? You understand me? Eminem don't even agree with the bullsh*t 50 Cent is doing with me. You understand me -- don't worry about Buck, I'm good with or without some b*tch a** n*gga named 50 motherf*cking Cent...F*ck you, f*ck the contract, I'm in Detroit, I'm in Eminem's hometown...A lot of these n*ggas can't come to Detroit, this is a no fly zone...I promise you, you will not see Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, none of them b*tch a** n*ggas out here without some motherf*cking security..."
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Eminem Told Drake 'Don't Get Nervous' About Grammy Performance
"I think it's a great night for hip-hop," Drake said at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on Sunday (January 31). "Just that medium being acknowledged at all."
The 23-year-old Canadian, himself acknowledged with two nominations, also had a great night — he got to close the show with the first-ever live performance of "Forever," joining Lil Wayne and Eminem on the Grammy stage. And while Drake is certainly used to rocking stages with his Young Money boss Weezy, he got some surprising encouragement from Slim Shady during rehearsals.
"Em gave me probably one of the best speeches ... not really a speech, but ... he gave me that reassurance," Drake said on the red carpet. "He was like, 'Man, anytime you need to look over at me, don't get nervous. Just look over at me, man, and I'll give it back to you. Everything will be all right. Don't be nervous.' For him to say that to me — I feel like that was an important moment. It was nice."
One glaring omission from "Forever," though, was the appearance of Kanye West. The Louis Vuitton Don is apparently back in the lab.
"I think 'Ye's in a good creative space right now," Drizzy said of his absence. "I think he's trying to create that next album the world needs. I know he's working very hard somewhere."
During the medley, Lil Wayne and Eminem also performed "Drop the World" from Wayne's Rebirth album, in stores Tuesday.
The 23-year-old Canadian, himself acknowledged with two nominations, also had a great night — he got to close the show with the first-ever live performance of "Forever," joining Lil Wayne and Eminem on the Grammy stage. And while Drake is certainly used to rocking stages with his Young Money boss Weezy, he got some surprising encouragement from Slim Shady during rehearsals.
"Em gave me probably one of the best speeches ... not really a speech, but ... he gave me that reassurance," Drake said on the red carpet. "He was like, 'Man, anytime you need to look over at me, don't get nervous. Just look over at me, man, and I'll give it back to you. Everything will be all right. Don't be nervous.' For him to say that to me — I feel like that was an important moment. It was nice."
One glaring omission from "Forever," though, was the appearance of Kanye West. The Louis Vuitton Don is apparently back in the lab.
"I think 'Ye's in a good creative space right now," Drizzy said of his absence. "I think he's trying to create that next album the world needs. I know he's working very hard somewhere."
During the medley, Lil Wayne and Eminem also performed "Drop the World" from Wayne's Rebirth album, in stores Tuesday.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Jedward wanted to work with Tupac,Eminem,50 cent
X Factor favourites John & Edward popped into MTV yesterday to tell us all about their new single with Vanilla Ice, and hinted about who they are eyeing up for their next collaboration.
The Grimes twins, who recently performed new single Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) at the National Television Awards told us all about how the unlikely partnership came about.
Edward said: “Vanilla Ice saw our performance on the X Factor and he decided what would be a really cool idea…we are really excited by it and it was loads of fun making it.”
When asked if they were a fan of the eighties rapper, John added: “When the song ‘Ice Ice Baby’ first came out, we weren’t even born but always knew the rift to it and I cant believe we are collaborating with him on it.”
After rapping with Ice on their new single, Jedward have set their sights on a few of rap music’s greats for their next single.
They exclusively told MTV News: “We would like to collaborate with Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac, even though he’s dead…”
John added: “Maybe Tupac has got a track that hasn’t been released yet that we could record our vocals over?”
The Grimes twins, who recently performed new single Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) at the National Television Awards told us all about how the unlikely partnership came about.
Edward said: “Vanilla Ice saw our performance on the X Factor and he decided what would be a really cool idea…we are really excited by it and it was loads of fun making it.”
When asked if they were a fan of the eighties rapper, John added: “When the song ‘Ice Ice Baby’ first came out, we weren’t even born but always knew the rift to it and I cant believe we are collaborating with him on it.”
After rapping with Ice on their new single, Jedward have set their sights on a few of rap music’s greats for their next single.
They exclusively told MTV News: “We would like to collaborate with Eminem, 50 Cent, Tupac, even though he’s dead…”
John added: “Maybe Tupac has got a track that hasn’t been released yet that we could record our vocals over?”
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Would Eminem win grammy for best rap album
Though some of the rapper's outrageous attacks at times felt a bit dated or obvious (kim kardisian,Jessica Simpson,lindsay lohan,mariah carey), the album still achieved the kind of sales success that voters won't pass up. To date, the spring release has sold more than 1.75 million copies, and Eminem was always in headlines.Eminem will get his fourth best rap album Grammy on Jan. 31.
Posted by
Rahul Verma
Eminem Is MTV News' #9 Man Of The Year
Which stars had the biggest 2009? Over the next week, we'll be unveiling our top nine most newsworthy, controversial and fascinating men and women of the year. We based our list on factors like music sales, box-office performance, MTVNews.com headlines and traffic, overall reach (crossover singles, appearances in movies, licensing of songs for commercials, clothing lines, etc.), plus X-factors like "impact" and "buzz." (And no, President Barack Obama didn't make the list — we'll leave that to the folks at Time.) This is by no means an exact science, but we think the list we've put together represents the men and women who helped make 2009 the most exciting and memorable 12 months in recent history.
We'll be rolling out our list of the Top 9 Men and Women of 2009 two per day until Friday, when we unveil MTV News' Man and Woman of the year! As always, we also want to know what you think, so weigh in with comments below, or upload them to Your.MTV.com!
9. Eminem
The (formerly) Blond Bomber returned in 2009 with Relapse, his first album in nearly five years, but if he was rusty, it certainly didn't show. Em sold a million-plus, put the entire industry on blast, feuded with his fellow MCs and reestablished himself as one of the biggest names in the game. It was just like old times. Along the way, he also managed to stir up a whole kettle of controversy, get mauled by a fictional German TV personality and make a cameo in a Judd Apatow flick. All of which made 2009 a very big year for Mr. Mathers.
2009 Highlights: Well, for starters, there was Relapse, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart in May, with sales of more than 608,000 copies, the year's biggest bow (until Susan Boyle dethroned him in December). But in the months leading up to the album, Em hyped it with big-name collaborations ("Crack a Bottle," which featured his old running mates 50 Cent and Dr. Dre) and videos that saw him revisiting his trash-talking ways (the now-infamous "We Made You" video, which slammed the likes of Jessica Simpson, Sarah Palin and a whole lot of other folks).
That, of course, of course, was followed by a public spat with Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon. (He paid for his transgressions by being symbolically run over by a bus in Carey's "Obsessed" video.) He then met the wrong end of Brüno at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, in an incident he would later refer to as a "gag."
There were the controversies, too. "We Made You" got Bill O'Reilly all hot and bothered, and as the year drew to a close, Em was getting heat for perceived anti-gay lyrics in a new song, "Elevator," which took aim at the likes of Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken.
But 2009 will be remembered as the year Eminem returned to prominence. Relapse was a smash, and songs like the gory "3 A.M." and the somber "Beautiful" earned him critical acclaim. His verse on Drake's "Forever" arguably outshined the likes of Kanye West and Lil Wayne. He was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards, second only to Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, and won Best Hip-Hop Video. And as '09 drew to a close, he was touting a re-issue of Relapse. He capped things off by being named the best-selling artist of the decade by Nielsen SoundScan, having sold more than 32 million albums in the '00s.
He also joined Jay-Z for a surprise performance at the party announcing their "DJ Hero" game. ... Was lightheartedly accused of cheating at Pac-Man by Fif. ... Channeled Rain Man in the "We Made You" video. ... Inducted heroes Run-DMC into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Promised to reunite D12 for a new album. ... And made a cameo in Judd Apatow's "Funny People."
Source: MTV
We'll be rolling out our list of the Top 9 Men and Women of 2009 two per day until Friday, when we unveil MTV News' Man and Woman of the year! As always, we also want to know what you think, so weigh in with comments below, or upload them to Your.MTV.com!
9. Eminem
The (formerly) Blond Bomber returned in 2009 with Relapse, his first album in nearly five years, but if he was rusty, it certainly didn't show. Em sold a million-plus, put the entire industry on blast, feuded with his fellow MCs and reestablished himself as one of the biggest names in the game. It was just like old times. Along the way, he also managed to stir up a whole kettle of controversy, get mauled by a fictional German TV personality and make a cameo in a Judd Apatow flick. All of which made 2009 a very big year for Mr. Mathers.
2009 Highlights: Well, for starters, there was Relapse, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart in May, with sales of more than 608,000 copies, the year's biggest bow (until Susan Boyle dethroned him in December). But in the months leading up to the album, Em hyped it with big-name collaborations ("Crack a Bottle," which featured his old running mates 50 Cent and Dr. Dre) and videos that saw him revisiting his trash-talking ways (the now-infamous "We Made You" video, which slammed the likes of Jessica Simpson, Sarah Palin and a whole lot of other folks).
That, of course, of course, was followed by a public spat with Mariah Carey and her husband Nick Cannon. (He paid for his transgressions by being symbolically run over by a bus in Carey's "Obsessed" video.) He then met the wrong end of Brüno at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards, in an incident he would later refer to as a "gag."
There were the controversies, too. "We Made You" got Bill O'Reilly all hot and bothered, and as the year drew to a close, Em was getting heat for perceived anti-gay lyrics in a new song, "Elevator," which took aim at the likes of Adam Lambert and Clay Aiken.
But 2009 will be remembered as the year Eminem returned to prominence. Relapse was a smash, and songs like the gory "3 A.M." and the somber "Beautiful" earned him critical acclaim. His verse on Drake's "Forever" arguably outshined the likes of Kanye West and Lil Wayne. He was nominated for four MTV Video Music Awards, second only to Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, and won Best Hip-Hop Video. And as '09 drew to a close, he was touting a re-issue of Relapse. He capped things off by being named the best-selling artist of the decade by Nielsen SoundScan, having sold more than 32 million albums in the '00s.
He also joined Jay-Z for a surprise performance at the party announcing their "DJ Hero" game. ... Was lightheartedly accused of cheating at Pac-Man by Fif. ... Channeled Rain Man in the "We Made You" video. ... Inducted heroes Run-DMC into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Promised to reunite D12 for a new album. ... And made a cameo in Judd Apatow's "Funny People."
Source: MTV
Posted by
Rahul Verma
North Pole 2010: 30 Down, 30 To Go For Dan and Amelia
For the North Pole explorers it was another challenging weekend with conditions on the ice varying greatly, and frustrations coming in all the usual flavors. Still, they continue their hike north, and with any luck, they'll start to pick up speed, and cover distance, soon.
The weekend had more than its fair share of challenges for Amelia Russell and Dan Darley, who are making good progress of late, but suffered a leaky fuel canister on Saturday. As a result, their food that night left a bit of a bad aftertaste, and they were a bit conservative on their fuel usage, keeping the tent cooler than normal. At the moment, they're knocking off about 8 nautical miles per day, but still suffering a small amount of negative drift. The Brits have now completed their first 30 days out on the ice, and have another 30 to go to reach the Pole. They've covered 2.5 of their 7 degrees, so there is still a lot of work ahead, but they're hoping that the remaining miles will be easier than they have been so far.
Solo explorer Christina Franco has passed a bit of a milestone herself, reporting that she is now under 600km to go to the Pole, or roughly 324 miles. She is reporting that high winds are still buffeting her, making progress tough, and covering her tracks in just minutes. She made the decision to load all of her gear on one sled, and left her other one behind, hoping to lighten the load a bit and speed progress. About half-way through the day Christina spotted a natural ice shelter out on the pan, and intended to use it to take a break, but as she neared it, she spotted very fresh polar bear tracks in the snow, and elected to keep moving on instead. Probably a wise choice at this point.
For Eric Larsen and his Save The Poles team, the wind is a constant nemesis as well, but it is the large chunks of ice, many five feet in height, or more. And when they're not dealing with those ice slabs, they're dealing with thin ice instead. At one point, Darcy St Laurent was out in front, navigating, he led the team on to a patch of thin ice, with Darcy himself falling through. The team rushed to set up camp and get the frozen gear off of their teammate, electing to call it a day at that point.
Tom Smitheringale reports that it is "blowing a howler outside" referring to the bad winds that seem to be hitting everyone. The solo, unsupported explorer is past the 84.5ºN mark, and is having less issues with the frostbite on his fingers, although they remain quite painful. The adventurous Aussie is whiling away the hours on his skis thinking about all kinds of wonderful foods he'll get to eat once he gets back home. At the moment, it seems to be driving him forward.
Finally, Ben Saunders is back in Resolute Bay following the catastrophic fuel leakage he suffered late last week. As you can imagine, he's quite disappointed to be back where he started, just a few days after setting out. As of Saturday he was still deciding what his next move was. If he can replace the fuel, and the food that was spoiled, he may head back out on the ice, and try one more time for the speed record to the Pole. We should know more in the next few days.
The weekend had more than its fair share of challenges for Amelia Russell and Dan Darley, who are making good progress of late, but suffered a leaky fuel canister on Saturday. As a result, their food that night left a bit of a bad aftertaste, and they were a bit conservative on their fuel usage, keeping the tent cooler than normal. At the moment, they're knocking off about 8 nautical miles per day, but still suffering a small amount of negative drift. The Brits have now completed their first 30 days out on the ice, and have another 30 to go to reach the Pole. They've covered 2.5 of their 7 degrees, so there is still a lot of work ahead, but they're hoping that the remaining miles will be easier than they have been so far.
Solo explorer Christina Franco has passed a bit of a milestone herself, reporting that she is now under 600km to go to the Pole, or roughly 324 miles. She is reporting that high winds are still buffeting her, making progress tough, and covering her tracks in just minutes. She made the decision to load all of her gear on one sled, and left her other one behind, hoping to lighten the load a bit and speed progress. About half-way through the day Christina spotted a natural ice shelter out on the pan, and intended to use it to take a break, but as she neared it, she spotted very fresh polar bear tracks in the snow, and elected to keep moving on instead. Probably a wise choice at this point.
For Eric Larsen and his Save The Poles team, the wind is a constant nemesis as well, but it is the large chunks of ice, many five feet in height, or more. And when they're not dealing with those ice slabs, they're dealing with thin ice instead. At one point, Darcy St Laurent was out in front, navigating, he led the team on to a patch of thin ice, with Darcy himself falling through. The team rushed to set up camp and get the frozen gear off of their teammate, electing to call it a day at that point.
Tom Smitheringale reports that it is "blowing a howler outside" referring to the bad winds that seem to be hitting everyone. The solo, unsupported explorer is past the 84.5ºN mark, and is having less issues with the frostbite on his fingers, although they remain quite painful. The adventurous Aussie is whiling away the hours on his skis thinking about all kinds of wonderful foods he'll get to eat once he gets back home. At the moment, it seems to be driving him forward.
Finally, Ben Saunders is back in Resolute Bay following the catastrophic fuel leakage he suffered late last week. As you can imagine, he's quite disappointed to be back where he started, just a few days after setting out. As of Saturday he was still deciding what his next move was. If he can replace the fuel, and the food that was spoiled, he may head back out on the ice, and try one more time for the speed record to the Pole. We should know more in the next few days.
Posted by
King Shady
Himalaya 2010: Kathmandu Busy, Base Camps Showing Signs of Life
As I mentioned yesterday, the annual descent on Kathmandu has begun, with climbers and trekkers beginning their pilgrimages to the various mountains that have been calling their name over the past few months. Word from KTM is that the city it is busy and bustling at the moment, as our usual cast of adventurers make last minute preparations before heading out to the mountains. \
One team that has been in and out of Kathmandu, and on their mountain of choice, is Edurne Pasaban's Annapurna Squad. For the moment, they remain the only team on the mountain, and have already established themselves up to C2. In fact, the team has been fixing ropes to C3 the past few days, and have been living in Camp 2 since Wednesday, which puts them well along in their acclimatization process. The group is hoping to make an early summit then move over to Tibet to take a stab at Shisha Pangma, grabbing the last two 8000 meter peaks on Edurne's schedule.
ExWeb is reporting that another woman in pursuit of the 8000 meter peaks, Miss Oh Eun-Sun of South Korea, is set to arrive in Annapurna BC this week, after acclimatizing on Tharpu Chuli. Anna is the only mountain left to add to her resume as well.
Meanwhile, the Shared Summits Team is in Nepal and preparing to take on Makalu, the 5th highest peak in the world? The team consists of Chris Warner and Marty Schmidt, who will be attempting a new route on the mountain along the South Face.
The Adventure Dynamics Team is made up of a group of climbers from South Africa who are taking on Everest from the North Side. The team leaves in a little less than a week for Kathmandu, and are in the last minute stages of planning.
Similarly, the Peak Freaks have begun sending updates from their Everest team, with climbers arriving in Kathmandu. The dispatch from today notes that bad weather is once again delaying flights into Lukla and Phablu, another village nearby. Seems like a rocky start to the season, but not unusual for this time of the year, and the mountaineers are in no rush to get to Base Camp at this point anyway.
Hold on to your hats, by next week this time, things will really be getting interesting.
One team that has been in and out of Kathmandu, and on their mountain of choice, is Edurne Pasaban's Annapurna Squad. For the moment, they remain the only team on the mountain, and have already established themselves up to C2. In fact, the team has been fixing ropes to C3 the past few days, and have been living in Camp 2 since Wednesday, which puts them well along in their acclimatization process. The group is hoping to make an early summit then move over to Tibet to take a stab at Shisha Pangma, grabbing the last two 8000 meter peaks on Edurne's schedule.
ExWeb is reporting that another woman in pursuit of the 8000 meter peaks, Miss Oh Eun-Sun of South Korea, is set to arrive in Annapurna BC this week, after acclimatizing on Tharpu Chuli. Anna is the only mountain left to add to her resume as well.
Meanwhile, the Shared Summits Team is in Nepal and preparing to take on Makalu, the 5th highest peak in the world? The team consists of Chris Warner and Marty Schmidt, who will be attempting a new route on the mountain along the South Face.
The Adventure Dynamics Team is made up of a group of climbers from South Africa who are taking on Everest from the North Side. The team leaves in a little less than a week for Kathmandu, and are in the last minute stages of planning.
Similarly, the Peak Freaks have begun sending updates from their Everest team, with climbers arriving in Kathmandu. The dispatch from today notes that bad weather is once again delaying flights into Lukla and Phablu, another village nearby. Seems like a rocky start to the season, but not unusual for this time of the year, and the mountaineers are in no rush to get to Base Camp at this point anyway.
Hold on to your hats, by next week this time, things will really be getting interesting.
Posted by
King Shady
The Gear Junkie Heads To The Himalaya
Syndicated outdoor writer Stephen Regenold, also known as the Gear Junkie, is headed to the Himalaya as part of the Hanesbrands Climb With Us Expedition. He's heading to Kathmandu this weekend and will begin blogging from Nepal next week, although he's post his first entry, a pre-expedition update, today as part of his Daily Dose Blog.
In that story, GJ discusses the trek to Everest Base Camp, which he'll be starting next week. He notes that it is roughly 40 miles from Lukla, the starting point of the trek, to BC, where he'll be spending the next few months hanging out with the Hanesbrand team of climbers while they make the long trip to the summit of the mountain. Regenold will chronicle the climb, sharing each phase with us back home.
The expedition, led by climber Jamie Clarke, will be testing out some revolutionary new mountaineering products while in the Himalaya, including the Champion Super Suit we've all been hearing so much about. The suit uses aerogel to make it incredibly thin and lightweight, but also super warm. The results of the expedition could potentially have a far reaching impact on the future of gear used on Everest.
Expect to hear a lot more from the Gear Junkie in the days ahead. The team is eyeing a summit bid sometime in May, but of course that is a fluid target at this point. How the suit performs will no doubt be of interest to the mountaineering community too.
In that story, GJ discusses the trek to Everest Base Camp, which he'll be starting next week. He notes that it is roughly 40 miles from Lukla, the starting point of the trek, to BC, where he'll be spending the next few months hanging out with the Hanesbrand team of climbers while they make the long trip to the summit of the mountain. Regenold will chronicle the climb, sharing each phase with us back home.
The expedition, led by climber Jamie Clarke, will be testing out some revolutionary new mountaineering products while in the Himalaya, including the Champion Super Suit we've all been hearing so much about. The suit uses aerogel to make it incredibly thin and lightweight, but also super warm. The results of the expedition could potentially have a far reaching impact on the future of gear used on Everest.
Expect to hear a lot more from the Gear Junkie in the days ahead. The team is eyeing a summit bid sometime in May, but of course that is a fluid target at this point. How the suit performs will no doubt be of interest to the mountaineering community too.
Posted by
King Shady
Spring 2010 Edition of Wend Magazine Now Available
It's no secret that I'm a fan of Wend Magazine. The publication is always high quality, with great articles and photos, with a great focus on travel, adventure, and environmental responsibility, and the Wend Blog is amongst my daily stops when surfing around the Interwebs.
A few months back, the good folks over at Wend announced that they were making all of their issues available online for free, and the Spring 2010 edition is no exception. To access the free online edition simply click here, launch the latest issue, or any back issue, and login. Returning users can sign in as usual, while new users will need to sign up, but no worries, as the process is quick, simple, and free!
The Spring issue has some great stuff, as usual. The cover story takes a look at Eric Larsen's journey to the South Pole as part of his Save The Pole's Expedition, which is on going right now up North. Other stories include a visit to the North Atlantic Garbage Patch, a photo diary of backpacking the Rockies, and a whole lot more. There really is something for everyone, and with free online access, there's no reason to not check it out.
A few months back, the good folks over at Wend announced that they were making all of their issues available online for free, and the Spring 2010 edition is no exception. To access the free online edition simply click here, launch the latest issue, or any back issue, and login. Returning users can sign in as usual, while new users will need to sign up, but no worries, as the process is quick, simple, and free!
The Spring issue has some great stuff, as usual. The cover story takes a look at Eric Larsen's journey to the South Pole as part of his Save The Pole's Expedition, which is on going right now up North. Other stories include a visit to the North Atlantic Garbage Patch, a photo diary of backpacking the Rockies, and a whole lot more. There really is something for everyone, and with free online access, there's no reason to not check it out.
Posted by
King Shady
North Pole 2010: If It's Not One Thing, It's Another
The polar explorers are finding plenty of challenges in their struggle to make progress in a northerly direction. For some, they continue to battle negative drift, while for others, the drift seems to have lessened , but now it's back to rubble fields and a new twist, whiteout conditions.
Whiteout is exactly what Amelia Russell and Dan Darley faced today as they began their daily trudge. Amelia reports "zero visibility" on their trek, and they were immediately faced with a 30 meter lead, which made the going tough right off the bat. They had set a goal or hitting 9 nautical miles, and were able to achieve 7.7 despite the adverse conditions. The good news is that the drift seems to have subsided, and they woke up in the same position today that they went to be last night. Not losing ground is major progress at this point.
Speaking of being frustrated with negative drift, Eric Larsen's comments give an indication of just how bad it has been for the teams. A few days back he mentioned that he, along with teammates Antony Jinman and Darcy St Laurent, had crossed the 85ºN mark FIVE times thanks to their on going battle with negative drift. They believe they have crossed it for the last time though, and now feel a bit better about their progress, having only drifted 27 feet to the south last night. But while the drift has subsided for now, they have had to endure long swims in the Arctic Ocean, yesterday they were out on the water for over an hour, and have had to struggle through rubble fields and around big leads. Still, they're making positive progress, and happy about that at the moment.
Solo explorer Christina Franco has had similar challenges the past few days, waking to whiteout conditions yesterday, and facing a vast rubble field today. At this point she is still more than 300 miles form the Pole and reports that she is exhausted. Drift continues to be a problem for her, and she has yet to cross 85ºN, but she remains upbeat on her audio dispatches, as she continues to tackle one problem after another. She's not giving up on her dream of becoming the first woman to make it solo to the North Pole, but she knows that progress needs to improve soon for that to become a reality.
On the other hand, Aussie Tom Smitheringale seems to be moving along quite nicely at this point, and has found his groove. His frostbitten fingers aren't giving him as much trouble as they were a few days ago, or at the very least they aren't getting any worse, and he reports that he has come across some large, expansive pans now, which are flat, open areas that make progress north much, much easier. If these pans hold out, he'll pick up speed quite quickly, and cover good ground. It is what every polar team is hoping for at this point. Tom also reports that he gets through his days dreaming of his home and Fremantle, and all the great food he is going to eat when he returns.
A few days back I reported that Ben Saunders was preparing to hit the ice, and begin his attempt at the speed record to the Pole. He hoped to cover the distance in just 30 days, but those hopes are dashed now, as the word from his home team today is that Ben cracked a fuel canister a few days back, and the fuel melted through the food containers, contaminating more than 70% of his food. The plan was to go unsupported to the Pole, and Ben doesn't want to make the journey any other way, so he's now on his way back to Cape Discovery, where he'll get a pick-up once the weather clears allowing a plane to land. Once he's back in Resolute Bay, he'll reevaluate the situation and determine if he can restart the expedition. You may recall that Ben made a similar attempt on the Pole back in 2008, but had to abandon that expedition when his skis broke down.
Stay tuned for more news from the Arctic. With teams finally starting to clear the drift zone, hopefully speeds will begin to pick up, and we'll start seeing positive progress on all fronts very soon.
Whiteout is exactly what Amelia Russell and Dan Darley faced today as they began their daily trudge. Amelia reports "zero visibility" on their trek, and they were immediately faced with a 30 meter lead, which made the going tough right off the bat. They had set a goal or hitting 9 nautical miles, and were able to achieve 7.7 despite the adverse conditions. The good news is that the drift seems to have subsided, and they woke up in the same position today that they went to be last night. Not losing ground is major progress at this point.
Speaking of being frustrated with negative drift, Eric Larsen's comments give an indication of just how bad it has been for the teams. A few days back he mentioned that he, along with teammates Antony Jinman and Darcy St Laurent, had crossed the 85ºN mark FIVE times thanks to their on going battle with negative drift. They believe they have crossed it for the last time though, and now feel a bit better about their progress, having only drifted 27 feet to the south last night. But while the drift has subsided for now, they have had to endure long swims in the Arctic Ocean, yesterday they were out on the water for over an hour, and have had to struggle through rubble fields and around big leads. Still, they're making positive progress, and happy about that at the moment.
Solo explorer Christina Franco has had similar challenges the past few days, waking to whiteout conditions yesterday, and facing a vast rubble field today. At this point she is still more than 300 miles form the Pole and reports that she is exhausted. Drift continues to be a problem for her, and she has yet to cross 85ºN, but she remains upbeat on her audio dispatches, as she continues to tackle one problem after another. She's not giving up on her dream of becoming the first woman to make it solo to the North Pole, but she knows that progress needs to improve soon for that to become a reality.
On the other hand, Aussie Tom Smitheringale seems to be moving along quite nicely at this point, and has found his groove. His frostbitten fingers aren't giving him as much trouble as they were a few days ago, or at the very least they aren't getting any worse, and he reports that he has come across some large, expansive pans now, which are flat, open areas that make progress north much, much easier. If these pans hold out, he'll pick up speed quite quickly, and cover good ground. It is what every polar team is hoping for at this point. Tom also reports that he gets through his days dreaming of his home and Fremantle, and all the great food he is going to eat when he returns.
A few days back I reported that Ben Saunders was preparing to hit the ice, and begin his attempt at the speed record to the Pole. He hoped to cover the distance in just 30 days, but those hopes are dashed now, as the word from his home team today is that Ben cracked a fuel canister a few days back, and the fuel melted through the food containers, contaminating more than 70% of his food. The plan was to go unsupported to the Pole, and Ben doesn't want to make the journey any other way, so he's now on his way back to Cape Discovery, where he'll get a pick-up once the weather clears allowing a plane to land. Once he's back in Resolute Bay, he'll reevaluate the situation and determine if he can restart the expedition. You may recall that Ben made a similar attempt on the Pole back in 2008, but had to abandon that expedition when his skis broke down.
Stay tuned for more news from the Arctic. With teams finally starting to clear the drift zone, hopefully speeds will begin to pick up, and we'll start seeing positive progress on all fronts very soon.
Posted by
King Shady
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