XL AWARD 2010

Kilimanjaro Snow May Vanish In 20 Years

photo: independent.co.uk

The "Snows of Kilimanjaro" will then exist only as a memory - and the title of a short story by Ernest Hemingway. Scientists at the Ohio State University predicted that the ice sheets of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest mountain peak, will melt in the next twenty years due to global warming. Scientists made their forecast after combining data from aerial photographs and ground measurements of ice thickness.
The ice that was present in 1912 gradually decreased by 85% by 2000, and by 2007 another 26% of the amount in 2000. This was the first time that the volume of the ice in Kilimanjaro was measured. The tests were conducted by Lonnie Thompson, a professor at Ohio State University. Professor Thompson said that the scientists have also detected elongated bubbles in the surface of the ice field, which occur when the ice melts and refreezes. There is no evidence this melting and refreezing has occurred at any other period going back 11,700 years.
"The fact that so many glaciers throughout the tropics and subtropics are showing similar responses suggests an underlying common cause," Thompson said.
Change in cloudiness and weather could have also been factors in the retreat of the ice, especially in recent decades, scientists said. These findings were first published in the journal proceedings of United States National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on November 3, 2009.

Boring

Really, I feel boring with my job and tasks. Everyday likes yesterday (not everyday likes Sunday). Always prepared report, meeting, meeting, and meeting…. Sometimes meeting result nothing. Meeting sometimes make you feel sleeping and bored. Like today, I have no interest with the meeting. My boss feels the same. Because he is my supervisor, he has authority to order me follow the meeting. Like told before, there have no result. Always talk but no action. Now I make report for my boss. But I still remember quotation from Og Mandino quotes (American Essayist and Psychologist, 1923-1996): “The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams.”
Ok, I try to enjoy my job.

StressWatch By Michael Mathis And Gerda Hopfgartner

photo: techmagnews.com

Designed by Michael Mathis & Gerda Hopfgartner, the StressWatch has a black bar graph to show your stress levels. Functions like the heart rate and the body`s temperature are monitored. The readings are taken via the lower part of the bracelet and the data gets transformed to guidelines for relaxation. The guidelines are the well-being waves, visualized on the display, the stress line, displayed on the black bar graph, as well as the heart rate and the body`s temperature, located into the clock face. The blues and greens that you see there means that you are mellow, but pink, red or orange means you are stressed, you need to change your breathing and your focus. As you slow down your breathing and find your optimal breathing rate, you will literally see a change of the graphic chart. So the alarming well-being waves transform into smooth one with cool colors and the stress line decreases back to the relaxing indication. The gadget can also tell the current time. Unfortunately, it is only a concept. There is no info on when this gadget will be available for purchase.

Sweden Best at Helping Poor Countries

Sweden is the top contributor to helping poor countries develop, considering its size, policy research organization the Center for Global Development (CGD) said. The Washington-based think-tank's Commitment to Development Index ranks 22 rich countries based on how their policies on aid, trade, investment, security, environment, technology and migration promote global development. Denmark was ranked second, and last year's winner, the Netherlands, tied for third place with Norway. "Sweden scores better than, for example, the United States measured against its economic size and potential to help," CGD President Nancy Birdsall said. "But it is the United States, Germany, France, Japan and the other economies that have the multiple linkages and potential in absolute terms to make a difference for poor countries. Their failure to use it to the fullest is a blow to the cause of truly shared global prosperity." None of the Group of Seven rich nations club make it into the top 10. Canada ranked highest among the G7 countries, in 11th place. France, Germany and Britain tied for 12th. The United States was 17th, Italy 18th, and Japan 21st. (Reuters)

AirAsia: Flight Bandung-Medan route

photo: rionih.files.wordpress.com

AirAsia Airline Indonesia will flight Bandung-Medan route started in November 26, 2009. “We sure average passenger level will reach 75 percent of capacity because no other airlines connected Bandung and Medan,” says Widijastoro, AirAsia Marketing and Distribution Director on Tuesday Novembe 27, 2009. Flight route Bandung (West Java)-Medan (North Sumatera) hoped can give alternative for domestic tourism developing of both provinces. “We also supported trade and tourism exchange between West Java and North Sumatera,” he says.

My BlackBerry Curve 8520 Gemini

Yesterday I bought BlackBerry Curve 8520 Gemini at Supermall Lippo Karawaci Tangerang because my pervious cellular phone is out of date (you can see in picture). My Sony Ericsson K-750i looks old, dirty and fat. I have been used this K-750i for more 3 years. Now, this is time for me to change cellular phone. BlackBerry Curve 8520 Gemini itself claimed as cheap Blackberry with price is Rp. 3.2 million (US$ 300). This price is not expensive for cellular phone like Blackberry. BlackBerry Curve 8520 Gemini shape is almost similar with BlackBerry 8900 Javelin but lighter because used plastic texture. Not ignored slam resistance and solid. But Gemini has some decreased specification likes only equipped with 2 megapixels camera and have no GPS tools. This cellular phone looks cool and nice.

Specifications :
Network : Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
Dimension : 10.9 x6 x 1.39 cm
Weight : 106 gram
Operating System : BlackBerry OS
Camera : 2 MP
Display : 2.64 inch, TFT MCD 65.536 colors, 320×240 pixels
Messaging : SMS, MMS, Instant Messaging, Email (push-email) corporate and individual account via BIS/BES
Transfer Data : EDGE 10, GPRS 10
Browser : BlackBerry Browser
Memory : Internal 256MB Flash Memory, External MicroSD (TransferFlash) up to 16GB
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11b/g (optional), microUSB data cable.
Battery: Lithium Ion 1150 mAh, Standby time 408 jam, 5 hours talk time.
Other Features : BlackBerry Maps, BlackBerry Messanger,Polifonik (mp3), full QWERTY keyboard, Trackpad Navigation, Media Player, GPS/A-GPS support (optional), java, BlackBerry Maps, Organizer, Calculator, Voice dial, Word ToGo.