Harnessing The Power Of The Sun

By Doyle Christensen

Electricity bills are soaring as generating power gets more and more expensive. In the summer months, this can be particularly concerning with the need to turn on air conditioning so you can keep cool. You also need to keep your refrigerator running to store ice so you can make sure you always have something to put in your drink to beat the heat. If you have someone in your household like a senior citizen with a delicate constitution, it’s even more important to keep them away from the sun’s punishing rays. Heat stroke is a real and deadly killer you need to protect your family from.

The sun doesn’t have to be your enemy though. Believe it or not, you can actually use the sun to help keep cool. Learning how to make solar power is the key to surviving the summer heat without burning a hole in your wallet when the next electricity bill comes along. Look into purchasing solar panels to install in your home so you can take advantage of this environment-friendly power source. You won’t just be helping your family and your finances. You’ll be helping Mother Earth too by being less reliant on electricity that may come from power plants running on burning coal that pollutes the atmosphere.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_XkaAHvgM0[/youtube]

In the winter, when the sun is scarce, solar power can be an asset. These panels can draw in the sun’s rays even if it’s hiding behind the clouds so you have a power source that works for all seasons. You can experience the sun’s warmth despite a snowstorm via your heating system. The power absorbed by solar panels can be diverted to a battery for later use on a rainy or snowy day. You no longer have to rely on an expensive generator for emergency power in case of a power outage. This means you can stay safe and warm in the event of a winter blackout.

But will learning how to make solar power mean making a huge initial investment? Technology these days has made the transition to solar power far more affordable than it used to be. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to install and make use of solar panels in your home. There are now options available on the market where you simply take a thin film comprised of solar panel material and stick it onto your roof. Installation is a breeze for any do-it-yourself novice so there’s no need to hesitate about employing this type of power. You can even make it a family activity by getting your older kids to help out and giving them a lesson in science and environmentalism.

Look to the sun and you can’t lose. The benefits are blinding when you bring solar power to your home. Keep your family and friends comfortable in summer or winter with power that comes from a natural source. When you invest in utilizing solar power, you’re guaranteed the benefit of saving money while still getting optimal efficiency and serving the environmentalist agenda.

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Warren Buffett to host world’s most expensive lunch

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Billionaire Warren Buffett, Chief Executive of Berkshire Hathaway, auctioned lunch with himself on eBay for US$2.63 million.

Bidding, which started on eBay a few weeks ago, attracted nine bidders, offering huge sums for the opportunity to have a steak lunch with the man said to be a “legendary investor”.

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The winning bidder, an anonymous individual, will be parting with $2.63 million for a meal with the world-famed investor and has the opportunity to bring along seven friends for the meal.

This, the latest of Buffett’s charity auctions, is providing funds to the Glide Foundation, a charity that provides food, health care, housing and job training for San Francisco’s homeless.

Over the last ten years, Buffett has netted $5.9 million in donations through such auctions.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Warren_Buffett_to_host_world%27s_most_expensive_lunch&oldid=4239984”

OhmyNews citizen reporters meet in Seoul, Korea

Friday, June 24, 2005

Seoul — More than 300 “citizen reporters” hailing from countries as far apart as Chile and Norway are coming together at the OhmyNews International Citizen Reporters’ Forum from June 23 to June 26, 2005 in Seoul. OhmyNews is one of the most popular South Korean news websites, and it has played an important role in the election of reformist President Roh Moo-hyun. Unlike traditional news sources, OhmyNews allows any individual with an Internet connection to contribute stories. A professional staff of journalists vets incoming submissions and decides which stories are to be published.

The project is sponsoring the forum in order to promote its English edition, officially launched in May 2004. Citizen reporters writing in English exchange ideas and stories, and try to understand the inner workings of the Korean edition. The conference is sponsored by Korean corporations such as Samsung, SK Corporation, LG, Yuhan-Kimberly, and Asiana Airlines.

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Wikinews Shorts: April 19, 2007

A compilation of brief news reports for Thursday, April 19, 2007.

Wikinews reported previously on an Internet outage in New Zealand that lasted for over five hours. Telecom New Zealand, the company that owns and operates the “local loop”, said that they will review compensation for its customers on a case-by-case basis.

A wholesale ISP is attempting to give its subscribers compensation for the outage. CallPlus says that it is asking Telecom for the thousands of dollars it needs to pass on to its affected customers. They doubt Telecom will give them the money needed.

Related news

  • “Outage leaves tens of thousands of New Zealanders without Internet” — Wikinews, April 18, 2007

Sources

  • Newsroom. “Callplus seeks Telecom compo” — National Business Review, April 19, 2007
  • “CallPlus to seek compo over broadband outage” — Radio New Zealand, April 19, 2007

Farmers in Peru striking over the Peruvian government’s stance on coca, have issued an ultimatum. The ultimatum appears to be: negotiate within 24 hours, or face roadblocks indefinitely.

The protests come in response to a coca eradication drive and measures Peruvian president Alan García is taking against cocaine production in the country.

Peruvian police have arrested the leader of the Shining Path rebel group, Jimmy Rodríguez on charges of organising anti-government protests.

Sources

  • Dan Collyns. “Peru coca farmers warn government” — BBC News Online, April 19, 2007
  • Xinhua. “Peru police arrest Shining Path leader linked to coca protest” — People’s Daily Online, April 19. 2007

Meetings are underway at NATO headquarters in an attempt to reassure Russia that the missile defence plans pose no threat. The United States maintains the system is to protect against missiles from rogue states, whereas Russia sees the system as compromising its strategic interests in the region.

In today’s talks NATO allies encouraged the United States to make the planned anti-missile shield capable of covering all of Europe. They did this without committing themselves to joining the project.

Reaction to the proposed system in European states has been mixed.

  • “US set for Russia missile talks” — BBC News, April 19 2007
  • Mark John. “NATO allies urge U.S. to open missile shield plan” — Reuters, April 19 2007

Irrigation water to a substantial proportion of Australia’s farming regions could be cut due to drought conditions, Australian PM John Howard has warned.

Mr Howard’s comments concerned the Murray-Darling Basin, one of the largest systems in Australia. “If it doesn’t rain in sufficient volume over the next six to eight weeks, there will be no water allocations for irrigation purposes in the basin”, adding that the drought conditions could continue until May 2008.

He continued “It is a grim situation, and there is no point in pretending to Australia otherwise,” he said. “We must all hope and pray there is rain.”

Sources

  • “Australians warned of water cuts” — BBC News Online, April 19 2007
  • Rob Taylor. “Drought-hit Australia to stop irrigating food bowl” — Reuters, April 19 2007

Russia, in coordination with the government of the United States and Canada, is planning to build a tunnel from Russia to Alaska, Viktor Razbegin, deputy head of industrial research at the Russian Economy Ministry, told reporters in Moscow Wednesday.

The tunnel is budgeted to cost US$65 billion and would take 10 to 15 years to build. The tunnel is to provide train and automobile transport between Alaska and the Russian Far East, and to carry petroleum and natural gas pipelines, and high-voltage electrical cable.

The proposed tunnel is 64 miles long, or about 100 kilometers, in total, and is designed to link with two islands in the Bering Strait. The project is expected to have a very positive economic effect in the area.

Derek Brower, an energy market expert, called the project “absurd” and suggested the Russian government is playing political games to threaten its European customers to sign energy deals.

“I’ve never heard of this plan,” said Sergei Grigoryev, Vice President of oil pipeline monopoly Transneft.

“To be honest, anyone who look[s] at the map will realize that the project is too hard to implement,” an anonymous government source told Reuters.

Sources

  • Miro Cernetig and Peter O’Neil. “Russia proposes Bering Sea tunnel, railway to B.C.” — Vancouver Sun, April 19, 2007
  • Dmitry Zhdannikov. “Russia-Alaska tunnel is far off, if not a pipe dream” — Reuters, April 18, 2007
  • Yuriy Humber and Bradley Cook. “Russia Plans World’s Longest Tunnel, a Link to Alaska (Update4)” — Bloomberg News, April 18, 2007

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Wikinews_Shorts:_April_19,_2007&oldid=2611862”

Shopping For A Commercial Blender

By Lawrence J. Reaves

So, you think you’re in the market for a commercial blender? Is that because you’ve spent a lot of time watching the Food Network? Or do you really need one.

There are plenty of options for commercial blenders on the market. Finding the right one can be a challenge. But first, determine that you really need to upgrade from just a standard kitchen blender of the wedding present variety. Do a little research and make sure you’re making a wise investment.

Now, if you’re in business, as opposed to just wanting to upgrade the home kitchen, that’s a different story. If you’re in food service, a bar tender or even if you operate a health food store or spa, a commercial blender is probably a necessity. But for now, let’s just talk about options for bars.

For a bar operation, a commercial blender will combine the essential ingredients for the perfect cocktail. Bars serving daiquiris, frozen margaritas or other frozen drinks make having a blender a necessity.

When you’re selecting the right blender for your needs, consider the capacity you need. How many ounces will the blender jar or cup hold? If your bar is a popular spot for frozen margaritas or other blended drinks, you need to be prepared for multiple orders of the same drink. You should also consider the size of drinks you’re serving.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNSXQsP-VQY[/youtube]

But keep in mind that for the most efficient use of your blender, you shouldn’t fill it more than three-quarters full. Nobody wants to spill a margarita.

The container, which is sometimes referred to as the blender jar or blender cup, can come in glass, plastic, or stainless steel. Do your guests sit at the bar and watch you work. A glass or plastic container allows you to showcase the drink as it is being blended. At the same time, stainless steel is more durable, and can present a sleek modern look.

Make sure the base of your blender is strong and durable. It needs to weigh about five pounds to be a sufficient foundation for the blender. That’s particularly true if you’re using a lightweight plastic container.

Appearance and maintenance are other considerations to give in selecting a blender base.

A chrome base can look really cool. But it may be hard to keep clean and streak free.

Stainless steel bases are attractive and give a professional look. But again, you’ll need to keep it clean. An option here is brushed stainless steel because it’s less likely to show fingerprints and drips. Keep in mind that over time stainless steel will rust if it’s scratched or cleaned with bleach.

Plastic can be durable and easy to clean. But it doesn’t always give the same professional look.

Consider also how much power you’ll need in a blender. For bar drinks, you won’t need the extra power a chef would to chop and puree.

A more important consideration will be speed. In the most basic sense, you need an on/off switch. A two-speed blender will have an option for high or low. A pulse feature will allow you to hold down or pulse on and off as you need to. For the most part, that will take care of a bartender’s blending requirements.

You can spend more for programming options which give you various speeds. It might be useful as a bartender to have the option to time the blending of the drinks. That allows the bartender to blend the drink while preparing the glass. But in most cases, bar blenders aren’t this advanced.

Choosing the right blender for your bar is a good long term investment for happy customers. And that means they’ll keep coming back.

About the Author: Lawrence Reaves is a freelance writer with knowledge in kitchen appliance and cookware including

blenders

, slow cookers, and toasters. For more information about any of these products

click here

.

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British Parliament bans smoking in pubs, workplaces and clubs

Friday, February 17, 2006

MPs at the British Parliament have voted by large majority of 200 to bring in legislation banning smoking in all pubs, clubs and workplaces in a landmark free vote. The ban is expected to come into force from summer 2007.

The originally proposed fine of £200 was raised to £2500 for failing to stop people smoking in banned areas in the late stages of the parliamentary process. Other fines include a fixed penalty notice of £50 for lighting up in banned areas and spot fines of £200 for failing to display no smoking signs in banned areas.

Smoking may also be banned in “substantially enclosed” venues such as railway stations and football stadiums; this may also include cars carrying passengers but no decision has been taken on this as yet. Ministers will finalise precise regulations after a three month consultation.

The vote was politically fraught, as the Labour Party in government had proposed a ‘compromise’ bill, in line with their election manifesto, which would allow pubs not serving food to be exempt from the ban. With many Labour MPs threatening to rebel against this compromise however, in favour of a full ban, Labour granted its members a free vote. MPs then voted for the full ban by a margin of 453 votes to 125,­ a majority of 328.

MPs then debated a last-minute amendment to exempt private members clubs, which was also rejected, by 384 votes to 184,­ a majority of 200. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, voted for a complete ban along with his health secretary, Patricia Hewitt.

The ban will bring England in line with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, which will all be introducing a full smoking ban for pubs and clubs. The bill also gives ministers powers to increase the age for purchasing cigarettes from 16 to 18 which ministers will begin the consultation process upon shortly.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=British_Parliament_bans_smoking_in_pubs,_workplaces_and_clubs&oldid=546838”

Ontario Votes 2007: Interview with Liberal candidate Kate Holloway, Trinity-Spadina

Monday, October 1, 2007

Kate Holloway is running for the Ontario Liberal Party in the Ontario provincial election, in the Trinity-Spadina riding. Wikinews’ Nick Moreau interviewed her regarding her values, her experience, and her campaign.

Stay tuned for further interviews; every candidate from every party is eligible, and will be contacted. Expect interviews from Liberals, Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party members, Ontario Greens, as well as members from the Family Coalition, Freedom, Communist, Libertarian, and Confederation of Regions parties, as well as independents.

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Ontario_Votes_2007:_Interview_with_Liberal_candidate_Kate_Holloway,_Trinity-Spadina&oldid=4495432”

Wikinews Shorts: December 7, 2008

A compilation of brief news reports for Sunday, December 7, 2008.

Officials say that progress is being made in a deal to bail out three United States carmakers. The U.S. government will be holding weekend talks on the plan after two days of Congressional hearings.

Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, stated that discussions with both parties had been “constructive”.

Executives from the three companies – General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler – have pleaded before two Congressional committees, asking for $34 billion in order to stop collapse.

“I’m convinced that by Sunday we will have an agreement that people can understand on this bill,” said Barney Frank, a representative from the state of Massachusetts.

Sources

  • “‘Progress’ in US auto bail-out” — BBC News, December 6, 2008
  • “Bailout Progress: Accord by Sunday?” — ABC News, December 6, 2008

 This story has updates See Ghanian presidential elections go to run-off 

The people of Ghana, a country often shown of as an example of a good democracy in Africa, will vote for a new president and parliament.

The current president, John Kufuor, will resign after serving the maximum of two terms in office. The elections are expected to be close.

The three main contenders for the presidency are: the Nana Akufo Addo from New Patriotic Party, who was the foreign minister under the current president, John Atta Mills running for the National Democratic Congress, and the Convention People’s Party’s candidate, one Paa Kwesi Nduom.

Sources

  • Douglas Mpuga. “Ghanaians Enthusiastic About Sunday Poll” — VOA News, December 6, 2008
  • Will Ross. “Ghana to vote for new president” — BBC News Online, December 6, 2008

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said that Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe must be forced out of office and face trial for his crimes against humanity.

“The time has come for Robert Mugabe to answer for his crimes against humanity, against his countrymen and women and for justice to be done. The winds of change that once brought hope to Zimbabwe and its neighbours have become a hurricane of destruction, with the outbreak of cholera, destitution, starvation and systemic abuse of power by the state,” said Sentamu.

Sentamu that the power-sharing deal that was signed by Mugabe and the Zimbabwean opposition in September was “now dead”.

Dr Sentamu’s statement comes after a severe cholera outbreak spread in Zimbabwe, and saw 12,545 cases reported and 565 people dead.

Sources

  • “Archbishop urges Mugabe overthrow” — BBC News Online, December 6, 2008
  • “Mugabe must be toppled now – Archbishop of York” — guardian.co.uk, December 6, 2008

Republicans experienced another victory late Saturday, as the Associated Press called the race in Louisiana’s 2nd district at 22:35 CST in favor of Anh “Joseph” Cao, heralding the first Vietnamese-American member of Congress and sending the incumbent scandal-ridden Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson home after nine terms.

Sources

  • “Beleaguered congressman trails in Louisiana vote” — CNN, December 6, 2008
  • “APNewsShort” — Associated Press, December 6, 2008

Retrieved from “https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Wikinews_Shorts:_December_7,_2008&oldid=1581935”

Sonic The Hedgehog Arcade In The Xbox Live

By Damian Cross

In Sonic the Hedgehog (Xbox Live Arcade), Sonic must fight with evil Dr. Robotnic and obtain Chaos Emeralds to win the game. If you are unable to finish the whole game, you can save the game and retrace to the stage where you stop. To win the game, Sonic must collect all six Chaos Emeralds.

There is no big difference in the Xbox version except it is now harder to control because of the analogue in the Xbox controller and not digital control system. You can no longer have access to the title screen. It is not possible to enter the cheats when the title is loading including level select U,D,L,R A+start. You also cannot enter the debug mode, or make the score go all weird by using cheat code. The blue spheres and knuckles add-on is also not available in the game.

However, if you dont want to complete the whole game, you can save the game at any point and retrace to the saved game later. You can now compare your friend score through the Xbox live leaderboard. The screen can be stretched and have pseudo-widescreen.

Other than all these, the game is the same. For example, Sonic will automatically become invincible whenever it is hit by spikes and flashing.

Just like all the Xbox game, there are 200Gs to achieve in this game. The 200Gs that are up for grabs include Centurion (10G), Chaos Emerald (10G), Chaos Master (35G), Clear Green (5G), Fast Green (10G), Fast Marble (15G), Fast Win (30G), Labyrinth Zone (8G), Perfect Win (40G), Spring Yard Zone (7G), Star Light Zone (5G), and Win (25G).

Centurion (10G) is awarded when you successfully get 100 rings. This should be done during the first stage because the bad guys in this stage are easier and faster to kill compare to higher stages.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAMjjTFXz5Y[/youtube]

Chaos Emerald (10G) is awarded when you successfully get one Chaos Emerald. To achieve this, complete the Act (other than act 3) with more than 50 rings. After that, you should jump into the giant ring which can be found at the end of the level. Finally, collect one emerald from the special stage and you will be awarded the Chaos Emerald.

Chaos Master (35G) is awarded when you successfully get all the Chaos Emerald.

Clear Green (5G) is awarded when you successfully get all through zone 1 and beat Dr. Robotnik in the Green Hill Zone.

Fast Green (10G) is awarded when you successfully conquer the Green Hill Zone Act 1 within thirty five seconds. To achieve this, hold down the right button on the Xbox controller. You must know the level layout of where bad guys are before you jump.

Fast Marble (15G) is awarded when you successfully conquer Marble Zone Act 1 within 80 seconds.

Fast Win (30G) is awarded when you successfully conquer the game within 40 minutes.

Labyrinth Zone (8G) is awarded when you successfully get to the Labyrinth Zone.

Perfect Win (40G) is awarded when you successfully conquer the game without dying. You can use the save/load feature so that if you die, you can load the last save.

Spring Yard Zone (7G) is awarded when you get to the Spring Yard Zone.

Star Light Zone (5G) is awarded when you get to the Star Light Zone.

Win (25G) is awarded when you beat the game the end of game boss.

About the Author: Find

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Sonic Games

at Blueblurzone.com. The best place to

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Study: Fish reduces Alzheimer’s disease risk

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Consumption of grilled or baked fish at least once a week can preserve the brain structure of seniors and reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by three to five times, according to the results of a recent US study.

The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania, asked 260 volunteers with an average age of 76, about the frequency of their fish consumption. Ten years later, brain scans were carried out on those being researched. Those who regularly ate fish were found to have better preservation of parts of the brain related to memory. An additional five years later, 31% of those who did not regularly consume fish contracted mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease. Of those who ate fish at least once a week, between three and eight per cent contracted the aforementioned medical conditions.

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According to The Daily Telegraph, consumption of grilled or baked fish increases the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids, providing a greater amount of blood flow to the brain; therefore prompting a reduction in inflammation and internal gathering of plaque encountered in the lead-up to Alzheimer’s disease. Fried fish does not reduce the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s disease due to the low amount of Omega 3 it contains.

Dr. Cyrus Raji, who took leadership of the study, called it “the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer’s risk.” Raji concluded that “people who consumed baked or [grilled] fish at least one time per week had better preservation of grey matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.”

The Alzheimer’s Society’s research manager, Dr. Anne Corbett, stated: “This moderately sized study adds weight to existing evidence suggesting that eating fish reduces your risk of developing cognitive decline.” However, she contested these findings, saying they “did not account for lifestyle factors such as other foods or exercise”, which may have affected the overall outcome. Dr. Corbett advised consumers to “eat a healthy diet including fruit and vegetables along with taking regular exercise and giving up smoking” to reduce the risk of contracting dementia.

Meanwhile, Alzheimer’s Research UK lead researcher, Dr. Simon Ridley, believed the study had not clarified “whether other underlying factors may have contributed to the lower risk in people who eat fish.” There is “a clear need for more conclusive research into the effects of dietary fish on our cognitive health,” according to Dr. Ridley.

The results of the study are to be presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

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