Due to the spectrum reshuffle from switching television to digital broadcasts, a large section of wireless microphones used in houses of worship, clubs, and schools will become illegal to use after Jun 12, 2010. Specifically microphones that use 698MHz through 806Mhz are what will no longer be allowed. Many of the top-of-the-line microphones can be programmed to use frequencies below 698MHz, but these systems typically are $1000 and above in cost. Two manufactures are offering trade-in-rebates to help defer the cost of the change. The biggest problem with this is actually getting the word out to the owners of these systems, since it’s not tracked. So think about your community who may use them and ask if they are aware of the upcoming change. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/01/time-for-churches-to-come-to-jesus-on-wireless-mic-legality.ars?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss
Category: Technology
Back in December 2007, the main nuclear reactor that supplies the majority of the worlds supply of cobalt-60 and almost half of the world’s supply of Tech-99 had to be shut down. This create a shortage of diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. Apparently the Canadian government saw this possibility and started creation of two new reactors as backups; however, these had to be essentially scraped due to a miscalculation of the power coefficient of reactivity (PCR.) A negative PCR means as the reaction increases, the design of the reactor is such that the reaction will slow down in a negative feedback loop. The only problem was when they started tests, it actually had a positive reaction, meaning it would continue to build unless other safety measures were enabled (inserting rods for example to slow the reaction.) Since the negative PCR was part of the safety spec, it was not allowed to continue.
It’s an interesting read: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20527431.400-nuclear-safety-when-positive-is-negative.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
Curious what the view is like atop the the tower Burj Dubai tower? 2,689 feet!! check it out:
Apparently tons of cell phone carriers are having a problem with SMS messages showing a 2016 date instead of 2010, mine included. Interesting thing is 10 in HEX is 16 in decimal, so perhaps the date storing formula as a slight bug? read more here: http://tech.slashdot.org/story/10/01/03/1312209/2016-Bug-Hits-Text-Messages-Payment-Processing
“The enormous Thirty Meter Telescope, with a primary mirror the size of a blue whale, is part of a new generation of super powerful ground-based telescopes. Scheduled for completion in 2018, it will have nine times the collecting power of the Keck telescopes and 12 times the resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope. From its recently selected location atop the volcanic dome of Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the pioneering telescope will provide an extremely detailed look at the universe.”
Yes this is legal. Yes it is a good deal: for example: get Windows 7 Ultimate, Server 2008 R2, Sql Server, Microsoft Office Ultimate 2007, etc for $349 – 28% of the cost using this code: TMSAM07 so the total cost is $251.28. If you already have TechNet Direct, use the code to renew, and pay only $179.28 plus tax. $186.86 for me)
People: this is good for ~10 copies of Windows 7 Ultimate, plus 10 copies of Office 2007 Ultimate. all for HALF the cost of one retail copy of Windows 7.
go to http://technet.microsoft.com and upgrade all your systems cheap. Hurry, these codes don’t last long..
cheers.
What was I saying? Oh yes, apparently the idea that your brain uses gamma ways frequency to differentiate current experiences from past experiences. “They found that the hippocampus selectively tunes in to different frequencies of gamma waves coming from different brain areas. The lower gamma wave frequencies are used to transmit memories of past experiences, and the higher frequencies are used to convey what is happening where you are right now.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000140.htm
http://www.kurzweilai.net/news/frame.html?main=news_single.html?id%3D11439
Nanosolar has a manufacturing facility churning out flexible solar cells on aluminum foil. They claim they could produce electricity at five to six cents per kilowatt hour, which is 3-4 times less expensive than current methods. This brings solar cells electricity generation down to the same cost as coal. Now why hasn’t this gotten the attention of the US government..?
An excellent read for anyone who missed the fun times.. http://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2009/09/a-trip-down-memory-lane-and-beyond-at-vintage-computer-fest.ars/2
Finally RSAT for Windows 7 released ! Don’t forget to go to add/remove programs, select windows components, and install the tools.
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7
Version: 1.0
Date Published: 8/11/2009
Language: English
Download Size: 215.1 MB – 437.2 MB*
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=7d2f6ad7-656b-4313-a005-4e344e43997d
amd64fre_GRMRSATX_MSU.msu 222.1 MB
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/F/7/4F71806A-1C56-4EF2-9B4F-9870C4CFD2EE/amd64fre_GRMRSATX_MSU.msu
x86fre_GRMRSAT_MSU.msu 215.1 MB
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/F/7/4F71806A-1C56-4EF2-9B4F-9870C4CFD2EE/x86fre_GRMRSAT_MSU.msu
Yes! well,9 drops over 77 years, but it’s a liquid. http://www.smp.uq.edu.au/pitch/ 
This was published on NewScientist -http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn15016-humble-sticky-tape-emits-powerful-xrays.html
These clouds are so high in the atmosphere that they are only visible at dusk. These elusive clouds were thought to have been caused by methane reaching the 50 mile high altitude, but after careful review of sightings it was determined these happen within a few days of a shuttle launch. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/45954/title/Comet_likely_culprit_in_Tunguska_blast
This may not sound impressive, but it’s a step towards having LEDs used for blinkers on cars, yellow on stop lights, and other consumer products such as lower-cost LCD devices.
“A nitride phosphor with peak emission at 590 nm in the form of a dense ceramic – Lumiramic is attached to a highly efficient blue emitting InGaN diode, so that full conversion of blue light is achieved. A total External Quantum Efficiency (amber photons per electron) of 32% has been reached, resulting in a 300% improvement over the best direct AlGaInP LED”
A first of it’s kind, the superconducting plasma drive underwent successful initial tests. In about a week a full-output test will be conducted. This new engine will provide enough power to go on deep-space missions and at a fraction of the payload.
A cool video : http://www.adastrarocket.com/Plasma.html
The international Space Station is the first hop / node in space to use the new Interplanetary Internet. This first iteration has certain hours that it can be used, so it still has some growth, but at least it’s the first step in expanding out reach. It uses Delay-Tolerant-Networking (DTN) to send the data instead of our standard TCP/IP, since it’s likely there data will come in waves and perhaps out of order. The main difference with DTN is the node will store all information it receives until it finds another node to send the data. The reason for this is a NAK (not acknowledged) message could delay transmissions for days, so a new method was needed. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17416-interplanetary-internet-gets-permanent-home-in-space.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news
Interesting break-though folks. Now if they could only find an easy way to reverse hair loss……. “ Millions of people could have their eyesight saved thanks to ground-breaking laser treatment that has the potential to eradicate the most common cause of blindness. One of Britain’s leading eye experts has developed a technique to reverse the disabling effects of age-related macular degeneration(AMD), which leaves many older people unable to read, drive or live independently, and eventually robs them of sight in one or both eyes.”
“Scientists have identified a cardiac stem cell that gives rise to all of the major cell types in the human heart. The find opens the way to using patients’ own cells to heal their damaged hearts.” http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread478854/pg1
