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Earth is getting 50,000 tonnes lighter every year, even while 40,000 tonnes of space dust fall onto our planet's surface during the same period. So, why are we losing so much weight? You will be surprised.
At least, I never considered this and I was surprised to hear the reasoning in More or Less, a BBC Radio 4 program about statistics and numbers. According to Dr Chris Smith and Cambridge University physicist Dave Ansel's calculations, despite those 40,000 tonnes of space dust that become part of our planet every year, Earth loses 50,000 tonnes of mass. Is it because we keep launching rockets? No. These are their back-of-the-napkin calculations:
Adding weight• Earth gains about 40,000 tonnes of dust every year, the remnants of the formation of the solar system, which are attracted by our gravity and become part of the matter in our planet. Our planet is actually made from all that starstuff.
• NASA says that Earth gains about 160 tonnes of matter a year because the global temperature is going up: "If we are adding energy to the system, the mass must go up." Oh, those crazy thermodynamics.
• Of course, having more people or building stuff doesn't add any mass to the planet. Humans and things are made with the matter that is already in the planet. It's just being transformed.
• Most of the rockets and satellites that we launch to Earth orbit eventually fall down back to Earth, so no real effect here.
• Earth's core loses energy over time. It's like a giant nuclear reactor that burns fuel. Less energy means less mass. 16 tonnes of that are gone every year. Not much.
• And here's the big mass loss: about 95,000 tonnes of hydrogen and 1,600 tones of helium escape Earth every year. They are too light for gravity to keep them around, so they get lost. Gone into space.
The result: the rough estimate is -50,000 tonnes every year. Which is about 0.000000000000001% less mass every year.
Should we be worried about Earth disappearing into thin air? No, you shouldn't. And you shouldn't worry about losing hydrogen. There's plenty and it will take trillions of years to deplete it.
Helium, on the other hand, is a different matter. It represents 0.00052% of the volume in our atmosphere, but it's mainly harvested from natural gas using a process called fractional distillation. Helium is becoming scarce in our planet. In fact, Cornell University physicist and Nobel Prize-winner Robert Richardson once said that each floating party balloon should have a $100 price tag, who campaigned against the US Government decision to sell the country's helium stockpile by 2015 to keep prices down.
He's probably right, considering that it is crucial for devices like MRI scanners, where it is used for cooling superconducting magnets and growing silicon and germanium crystals as well as the production of titanium and zirconium. But to keep its price down, the US [Download the program here (5MB)]
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When a product goes into production sometimes it may run into performance issues due a number of issues such as traffic increases and uses of the product it was not designed for originally (as more user discover more and more about using the product in their daily work).
The Performance Troubleshooting Guideline Series (Doc Id: 560382.1) series of whitepapers, from My Oracle Support, covers the techniques (by tier) to help detect and address performance issues for products using the Oracle Utilities Application Framework. The whitepaper covers all the versions of the Oracle Utilities Application Framework so covers a lot of versions of various products.
While the whitepaper is comprehensive and includes a process for diagnosing performance issues there are some general advice that can help you address performance issues and even prevent them. Here is a summary of advice that you should consider when configuring your product as well as diagnosing performance issues:
The advice above is merely a summary of the advice in the whitepapers and the whitepaper document techniques used by customers to address performance issues in their implementations. Some customers incorporate this advice in their monitoring regimes to help identity issues before they become problems.
I strongly advise customers to take a look at the whitepapers to find advice that may assist. It saves time and helps keep your system healthy.
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One of the (many) reasons augmented reality apps haven't caught on is because they usually require markers or special objects for their tracking software to work. Unlike this Obvious Engine system which can easily track anything in a scene.
The results are, admittedly, pretty impressive. This quick demo shows a Dr. Pepper can being bulged and warped in real-time, without also distorting the area around the can. So the software is obviously very adept at isolating the object from the rest of the scene. It also shows the can being augmented with glowing rings, and creepy little creatures dancing around it, possibly worshipping its syrupy goodness.
Now obviously the bright table and well-lit room look like the optimal real-world conditions for the Obvious Engine to do its thing, but maybe the technology behind it is what augmented reality needs to finally become more than just a fad or mildly entertaining tech demo? [Obvious Engine via The Verge]
It's useless for keeping your floors clean, but those of us living in colder climates will certainly appreciate this concept Hagent robot that seeks out the warmest places in your home, absorbing the heat to share with you later.
Think of it as an autonomous roaming heater, but instead of generating its own heat, which would chew through a set of batteries in no time, it hunts down and steals the warmth from other items in your home. So for example, as the robot follows you into your living room, it would detect that the fireplace is producing considerably more heat than you are, so would park itself at a safe distance allowing its internal mechanisms to absorb as much warmth as possible.
Then, when you went to your bedroom at the end of the night, the robot would follow you there and using its sensors would determine that room was a lot colder than the last. So instead of trying to absorb more heat, it would emit what it had stored, warming its surroundings as much as possible. It's kind of like a high-tech approach to using warm rocks from a campfire to heat your sleeping bag, but with less risk of a deadly fire. [Daniel Abendroth via Ubergizmo]
Easy access to a wide variety of contract elements is essential when trying to handle the complexities inherent in managing revenue contracts. A contract administrator needs to keep a watchful eye on contract terms, billing plans, revenue recognition plans, project progress, team members, limits, withholdings, budgets, lots and lots of dates, and numerous other details in order to ensure good governance of an organization’s revenue. To ease the burden of the weary contract administrator, we recently added the Contracts Workbench to the PeopleSoft Contracts application in the PeopleSoft ESA 9.1 Bundle #16.
Designed based on requirements from several industries, the Contracts Workbench acts as a window into information from the PeopleSoft Contracts, Grants, and Project Costing applications. The data users see is dependent on which applications are installed, meaning that an organization can take advantage of the Contracts Workbench even if it is not using all three of the applications. Additionally, business analysts and users can configure sections of the Contracts Workbench to display only the award, contract, and project information relevant to the way their organization does business. Contract administrators and accountants can view and access information to identify instantly the need for adjustments, and they can quickly update contract lines, projects, bill plans, and so on.
Because it provides a great deal of contextual information, the Contracts Workbench can be a powerful tool for administrators and accountants in their quest to make more informed decisions when working a contract. With the context and the configurable aggregation of data offered by the Contracts Workbench, users can reduce the time they spend navigating software and comparing data and increase the time they dedicate to preventing revenue leakage, negotiating with customers, and performing other activities that protect and grow the all-important revenue stream.Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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That massive Gerber multi-tool on your belt probably comes in really handy during emergencies, but not on a catwalk. If you want to be prepared for whatever life throws out you and look fashionable, you'll want to consider Wenger's HypeX line.
Consisting of six stripped down lightweight tools that can be worn as pendants hanging from an included silicone necklace, the HypeX pieces include implements for starting fires, sharpening blades, tightening screws, stripping wires, and of course opening bottles and corks. They'll be available starting in June for around $60 to $100, with more sports-oriented models coming later in the year. [Wenger via Gizmag]
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After an airbag deploys it's not like you can just cram it back into your steering wheel and carry on. They have to be cut out and replaced, which gives MariClaRo the materials it uses to create this lovely backpack.
Because of the stresses it endures when it's literally exploded into a driver's face, the fabric material used in airbags can't be re-used again in case it fails. But it's still perfectly suited to the rigors of hauling laptops, textbooks, and sweaty gym clothes. So Toronto-based MariClaRo turns them into these one of a kind backpacks that are individually made to order.
As a result delivery takes up to three weeks after ordering, but considering they're made from 99% recycled materials and probably have an interesting back story you'll always wonder about, I think it's totally worth the wait. As for the $300 price tag, I'll leave that up to you. [MariClaRo via Ecouterre]
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Last week we showed you a quick preview of OK Go's new video for "Needing/Getting", and now here's the full monty, compiled from a literal drive-by of 1157 homemade instruments of melodic Rube Goldberg(ish) goodness.
You can check out the full rundown of how everything was put together—including the band taking stunt driving courses—in the details section of the video on YouTube. [YouTube]
No, the Super Bowl is not going to be in 3D this year. Again. But that doesn't mean you don't want a 3D set. Here's the thing: The best 2D TV is a 3D TV. The burlier image processors required to render the third dimension make everything look better.
So how are you going to watch the game this year? Huddled in front of your buddy's RCA, squinting at plays? No thanks, not when you can watch it on a screen big enough to make you feel like you're on the sidelines.
We tested four 3D-capable HDTV's, each with at least 60 inches of viewing area, to find the one that provides the best picture, clarity, color and most panel-defying 3D. We looked for one that was easy to setup, install, and use without calling in tech support. Because our ideal HDTV doesn't require a visit from from a specialist to get up and running, we set them all up using the THX calibration method, which you can find on any THX-certified Blu-ray. It's game time, after all, and you want your set ready to watch in minutes, not hours.
Fourth Place: Mitsubishi 75-inch LaserVue DLP LT 75-A94The Mitsubishi 75-inch LaserVue DLP is, first and foremost, gigantic—like having a drive-in theater installed in your living room. And for watching movies it was stupendous. Its six-color processor provides a huge range of color shades, but they were never quite as bright or as intense as the other TVs we tested. The set's minimal edging was a plus, helping add to the sense of being in a theater. It worked wonderfully under dimmed lights but trying to watch early Sunday sports was a problem—some of us have east-facing living room windows, and this baby is afraid of the light. It's also afraid of subpar content: Any sort of digital artifact or SD quality video (like a Netflix show streamed over a slow Wi-Fi connection) was glaringly obvious on its massive screen, even from far away. The 3D picture was solid with a good depth to the image, but fast-moving action—whether a thrown pass, car chase, or slap shot—did tend to get blobby and blurred.
On the hardware side, the LaserVue is a bit limited. It can't be wall-mounted, the set itself is horrendously heavy—tipping the scales at 140 pounds—and takes about 15 seconds to warm up when you turn it on. It does have four HDMI ports, which should be enough for most people, but its lack of USB jacks prevents you throwing in a few pirated movies family photos on a whim. Initial setup was straightforward, but the remote, which is about the size of my forearm with more buttons than my keyboard, took a while to learn.
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LaserVue DLP LT 75-A94 Specs• Screen Size: 75-Inch
• Display Type: DLP
• Refresh Rate: 120Hz
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, 4x HDMI, 2x component/composite
• 3D Type: Active Shutter
• Weight: 140 lbs
• Price: $6,000 MSRP
The LG Class Cinema has a matte screen and its frame has a transparent bezel. The matte finish helps cut down on glare from ambient light while the bezel features an attractive touch interface for power, volume, and channel control. Like on the TNG-era Enterprise.
The color accuracy and 2D picture clarity are both fairly good but not outstanding—on par with other mid-priced sets. It employs 8-channel processing for each color and is capable of displaying 16.7 million possible shades. Black levels and shadow details, unfortunately, were only average. There was a notable loss of detail in dark movies, like Aliens.
The LG's passive 3D is a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the glasses are lightweight, flicker-free, and inexpensive, which means everybody in the room actually gets a pair and nobody will be getting nauseus extended sessions. The 178-degree viewing angle is also quite generous. On the other hand, the passive technology comes at the price of half the vertical screen resolution—1920 x 1080 images actually come across as 1920 x 540. It's not a deal breaker, but certainty noticeable. And, despite the 240Hz refresh rate, we also noticed some blurring during fast action scenes.
The LG offers four HDMI ports and double USBs, as well as component and antenna hookups and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity. None of its ports face the rear of the set, so it can be wall mounted nice and flush. The remote feels a bit cheap, though. Good thing the set also includes a slick five-button, motion-controlled SmartTV remote that can perform all of the same functions.
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LG 65" 65LW6500 Specs• Screen Size: 65-inch
• Display Type: LED/LCD
• Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 4x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x RF, 2x component
• 3D Type: Passive
• Weight: 104 lbs
• Price: $4,500 MSRP
The Samsung 64-inch 1080p plasma is as gorgeous as it is slender. At a mere inch thick and 51 pounds, it's the thinnest and lightest set of the group. And, with slim, brushed-metal frame and inch-wide transparent bezel, there's very little to distract from the on-screen action.
The color accuracy was spot-on and the picture clarity was excellent—we barely had to make any adjustments during calibration. Colors were extremely vivid, much brighter and far more intense than any of the other sets. Combined with an anti-glare screen coating and Samsung's Real Black Filter, you can watch in a bright room without the picture getting washed out. 2D clarity was also fantastic, even with SD signals, though it did suffer from some digital artifacts when watching streaming content. The 3D image was very good with excellent—and adjustable—field depth. The active shutter glasses were a bit bulky though—you definitely notice them after a long 3D sesh.
It features four HDMI ports, two USB ports, and is Wi-Fi enabled. We were especially impressed with the remote, which has a Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard on the back side, making for easy-peasy username entering. Navigating the Samsung's menus was very intuitive, despite the amount of features it packs. Streaming content like Netflix and Hulu Plus are all there. Skype too, if you want to plug in a camera.
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Samsung 64" PN64D8000FF Specs• Screen Size: 64-inch
• Display Type: Plasma
• Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, DNLA, 4x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x composite/component
• 3D Type: Passive
• Weight: 51 lbs
• Price: $3,800 MSRP
The Sharp Aquos Quattron's screen is taller than the average American man. Its called Quattron because there's a fourth color—yellow—in its sub-pixel arrays (these colors are mixed to create the shade for each individual pixel), allowing it to generate nearly a trillion potential color shades. The black levels and shadow detail were equally impressive, thanks to the set's local dimming edge-lit LED back-lighting, with very little loss of clarity during dark scenes. The picture clarity was top-notch as well; there were significantly fewer jagged edges even on SD content. 2D HD content was clear enough that you could count the laces on a thrown football in flight.
The 3D was fairly good, though we did notice some halo effects with it turned on and some blurring during fast action (though that's pretty much universal in 3D sets). Screen flicker was, however, nearly nonexistent, and the 176-degree viewing angle was impressive.
The Sharp is Wi-Fi enabled, and includes four HDMI ports. No USBs, though, but you can push local content over your home network to play it . The streaming service selection was more sparse than the Samsung's offerings, but the amount and degree of picture controls were made calibrating the set dead simple.
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Sharp Aquos Quattron 70" LC-70LE735U Specs• Screen Size: 70-inch
• Display Type: LED/LCD
• Refresh Rate: 240Hz
• Connectivity: Ethernet, DNLA, 4x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x component
• 3D Type: Active
• Weight: 99 lbs
• Price: $4,300 MSRP
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Rejoice fellows of the Lego ring, because we got the first close-up look of the Lego Lord of the Rings sets coming out this year. And they are amazing, from the Mines of Moria—cave troll included!—to Helm's Deep to Shelob!
Yes, that was a Lego LOTR nerd squeaky scream. Look at the Hobbit mini-minifigs fighting Shelob! (that's another one). You can see the Mines of Moria on the back, with the cave troll battling the Fellowship! (yes, yes). That seems to be the second biggest set, the biggest one being Helm's Deep.
The image was secretly taken by a fan from Slovenia in private area of the Lego booth at Nuremberg's Toy Fair. This stolen image comes after Lego gave us the official look of all the Lego Lord of the Rings characters. I can't wait to see them at the New York Toy Fair next week (and show them to you). [Kocke Klub (Slovenian)——Thanks Scott!]
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