Dubbed as Project Loon, this new technology will bring wireless internet beamed down from balloons 20km above earth. Google scientists used helium-filled balloons above Christchurch–these have antennae that are linked to ground based stations.

The balloons can supply internet access to people within a 20km radius.

Video from The New Zealand Herald:

Earlier this week in Geraldine, a small community in the South Island of New Zealand, farmer Hayden MacKenzie and his wife Anna received a request to participate in a secret project. They aged, and that night, two men from Google showed up in their home and installed a device on their roof.

The device is a red ball with an antenna that would give them internet access. “It sounded crazy …But at the end of the day, you hope things will work out,” MacKenzie said.

Christchurch, NZ is the first place where the balloons were released. “We couldn’t be prouder that Canterbury is the first place in the world to pilot this new technology from Google. Here in Christchurch, we’re well aware of the importance of connectivity in crisis situations, and Project Loon could be of major benefit to aid organisations and disaster-affected governments alike as they help get cities up and running again,” said Mayor Bob Parker.

See photos of Project Loon here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10890750

Video of Project Loon: The Technology:

The project were created by the same people behind the Google Glass and self-driving cars.

Project loon is still on its trial stages, but if all goes according to plan, Google plans to launch more of the inflatables to remote parts of the globe–the 2/4 of the planet that do not have internet access.

Google has not yet revealed how much customers will be charged when it’s already up and running.

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight have been missing for almost a decade, and they have been found by a neighbor in a Cleveland residential house.

A neighbour reportedly heard screams coming from a house. The neighbour rushed to her and found Berry. He handed his cellphone so she could make a 911 call.

“I heard screaming…and I see this girl going nuts trying to get outside of the house,” said the neighbour. “Then I realized I’m calling 911 for Amanda Berry. I thought that girl was dead,” he added.

“Help me! I’m Amanda Berry. … I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m here. I’m free now,” she told the 911 emergency operator. She reportedly gave the name of her abductor and said that he was out of the house.

According to police reports, there was also a 6-year-old found in the house. They, however, did not elaborate.

Berry disappeared in 2003 when she was 16–she was last seen leaving a fast food restaurant where she was working. De Jesus was abducted a year later, when she was 14; and Knight was 20 when she disappeared in 2002.

The three women were brought to the MetroHealth Medical Center. They all “appear to be in fair condition” and were safe, said doctor Herald Maloney. “This isn’t the ending we usually have to these stories, so we’re very happy. We’re very happy for them,” he told reporters.

“What a phenomenal Mother’s Day gift she gets this Mother’s Day,” said Sheila Figaro, DeJesus’ cousin. She said that the mother “never gave up faith knowing that her daughter would one day be found.”

Meanwhile, crowds have gathered on the street where the three women were found. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said that he’s thankful that the three were found alive. “We have many unanswered questions regarding this case, and the investigation will be ongoing,” he told reporters.

Police did not give details on the people who got arrested, but reports say that three men (reportedly brothers)–aged 50, 52, and 54 were arrested.

Watch related videos – http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/05/07/2-ohio-teen-girls-missing-for-decade-found-alive-as-cops-offer-few-details/

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• LIVE BLOG: Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus Found Alive
• Emily Castro, Daughter Of Ohio Kidnapping Suspect, In Prison For Attempted Murder Of Her Baby?

Funeral owner Peter Stefan also listed Tsanarev’s time of death as 1:35am on April 19, 2013–four days after the bombing in Boston, which killed three and injured over 260.

Reports also said that Stefan is having a hard time looking for a graveyard that would accept the suspect’s body. Protesters outside his home are upset that he decided to handle the funeral. “I keep bringing up the point of Lee Harvey Oswald, Timothy McVeigh or Ted Bundy. Somebody had to do those, too,” he said.

Video from USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/2013/05/04/2134667/

Oswald was the sniper blamed for the assassination of John F. Kennedy, McVeigh was blamed for the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, and Bundy was blamed for serial killing, kidnapping, and rape.

“My problem here is trying to find a gravesite. A lot of people don’t want to do it. They don’t want to be involved with this,” he said.

Tsarnaev died after a gunfight with police. According to authorities, he ran out of ammunition before his brother–19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev–dragged his body under the vehicle. Dzhokhar, who is also a suspect had escaped but was captured again.

According to United States officials, Dzhokhar has told the interrogator that he and his brother had considered doing the bombing on the fourth of July.

“I think the most important thing is that we got them, and there’s investigation continuing about where the other leads may lead,” he said. “I can tell you, having been thoroughly briefed, that the law enforcement at every level is pursuing everything,” said Gov. Deval Patrick.

According to reports, the Tsarnaev family is plans to bury Tsarnaev in the Boston area.

May also interest you -

Lee Harvey Oswald – A Shot Seen Across the Country (video)

Timothy McVeigh – Oklahoma City Bombing (article)

Make copies of important documents.

You may not necessarily need these, but bring some back-up in case the original copies get stolen or misplaced. Make at least two copies of the following: passport, visa, airline tickets and itinerary, credit card, health card, insurance, list of medications you need, and contact information of people back home.

Things to have in your daypack.

Here are some of the most important items that should always be in your bag:

• Reusable water container
• Sunglasses with UV protection
• A hat
• Sunblock
• Flashlight / Torch (with extra batteries)
• Raincoat / Rain gear
• Insect repellent
• Resealable plastic containers (eg. Ziplocs. It would get very dusty there, so you may want to put your important stuff in there as you explore)
• Disinfecting wipes (for your face, neck, arms, and legs)
• A separate pouch for important stuff like money, passport, and other valuables
• A sweater / jacket for cool nights.

Purchase good binoculars.

You will be able to get binoculars in your destination, but it’s best if you purchase them in your country before you leave (it’s usually cheaper, and you’ll have more time to try them out). Get 8x or higher, and you can also opt for the lightweight ones (these may cost more, but they’ll be more convenient to carry).

Invest in a good camera.

Most of the animals you’ll see in a safari could only be viewed from a distance, so you will need to have a good zoom (for point-and-shoot digital cameras) or a telephoto or prime lenses for SLRs/DSLRs. While experience is the most important thing, it would be best if you also have lots of wonderful memories with you (a camera with good HD video is also a plus). Also, bring a USB or portable external hard drive with you so you can easily back-up your files.

Dress accordingly.

Clothes – Neutral shades (dark green or khaki) are some of the most preferred colors for a safari trip. If you’re wearing shorts, see to it that you put insect repellent, and if you’re planning on wearing pants, opt for the ones that have thin materials because it will be hot during the day. It’s usually chilly and cold in the morning and at night, so you should have jackets and pants as well. You can also research about the most ideal clothing tourists could wear in the country–the ideal stuff to wear when going around town, local customs, etc.

Shoes – Blisters are the last thing you’d want to have while you do all the exciting safari activities, so make sure that before you leave, you have already worn your shoes/boots a couples of times–break them in so you won’t have problems when you’ll start to actually use them in the safari.

A safari trip is one of the most beautiful experiences that every nature and animal-loving traveler could ever have. Keep these things in mind before your trip to ensure that you won’t have to face and hassles along the way. So get your camera ready start planning wisely for your life-changing adventure!

Here are some tips on healthy cooking that will surely help you improve your cooking lifestyle.

1. Why fry if you can poach? Although there are several oils that are labelled as “healthy oils”, it still doesn’t change the fact that it contains cholesterol and fats. And one healthy way to reduce unwanted fats and cholesterol from your system is through substituting oil with water. In other words, why “fry” when you can “poach”, right? Poaches are not only great with eggs, you can also try this when cooking chicken or fish. This way you’ll be able to reduce your body’s consumption of cholesterol and fats, and at the same time you’ll also save some dollars for not using oil!
2. Stir-fry it. Stir fry is healthier than frying because it uses less oil. When doing this, you slice your meat into smaller pieces or in a thinly manner so that it gets easily cooked. You can also opt to use a non-stick wok or skillet with heat that’s over medium to high.
3. Reduce fat from the meat you purchase. Whether it is meat, pork, chicken, or turkey, it is advisable that you select lean cuts when you purchase it. Choose “round” or “loin” cuts. For pork’s, choose cuts that have “leg” or “loin” as much as possible. You can also trim off the fats from the meat before you cook it. The fatty part is usually located beneath the skin. For instance, in turkeys and chicken, skin them off before you eat them or you can remove the fatty part before cooking them. When you fry meat, make sure to drain off its fats or better yet just broil or bake the meat.
4. Scoop off the fatty part in stews and soups. Have you ever tried chilling stews or soups? If yes, can you see its hard whitish layer on its surface? That is its fat. So before you reheat it for your meal, skim off that fatty portion and say goodbye to those unnecessary fats!
5. Lessen your sodium consumption. Instead of using canned foods, why not use healthy and natural veggies? Canned foods have many preservatives added to it and some of these artificial chemicals are really bad for our health.

These are some of the ways of cooking healthier meals for you and your family. There are still dozens of techniques out there that’s waiting for you to discover, so go ahead, learn more, improve your lifestyle, and live healthy!

You should check your credit score before you begin to search for homes. Your score will determine your interest rates, and a poor score may mean that you do not qualify for a mortgage at all. Many times a poor credit score can be repaired. Getting this right should be the first part of your buying process.

Before purchasing a home, it is important to make sure your credit is sound. Your credit score can determine whether or not you get approved for a mortgage. Make sure to check your credit score with all three agencies before talking to a lender. Also, forgo any large purchase until after closing on your new home.

When purchasing a home, put down at least twenty percent of the house’s selling price as your down payment. If you put down less than this amount, you will usually be need to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI). This fee is around half of a percent, which would be about $1000 a year on a $200,000 house.

When you are ready to make an offer on a home, make sure that you get a pre-approval letter from your mortgage company. This will show the seller that you are a serious buyer and will help put the seller at ease over the fact that you do qualify for a mortgage, for the amount that the house is selling for.

When you are interested in buying a house, it is OK to try to find out what the seller’s needs are when they are selling their house. Have your agent try to talk to the seller’s agent to see what type of closing date that the seller might be looking for or if they would like to see a mortgage preapproval letter when an offer is made.

These common sense strategies can give you the advantage of years of experience that others have had to learn the hard way. It is not as difficult as you may think to buy that new home when you apply the advice in this article. You will be well on your way to a new home.

The military will set up what is called the Expeditionary Lab - Mobile to select Afghanistan locations. The lab is made up of shipping containers that are 20 feet long and are filled with the latest in technology, including plasma cutters, industrial CNC machine, 3D printer, and more.

The tools inside the lab let the engineers make new parts for guns and other equipment on the spot in Afghanistan instead of having to ship the new equipment from overseas. It reduces the cost of shipping, but also means that soldiers will get immediate access to potential life saving equipment.

The CNS machines and 3D printers will be used to create custom made parts for armor, guns, and other equipment which the soldiers will use in the field.

Currently, there is only a single lab in Southern Afghanistan and the military plans to deploy another one in the Eastern region come fall. There will also be one in the US as support for natural disasters.

From YoUTube…

Will you be using it for both photos and videos?

Many smartphones in the market today already have excellent photo and video functions, so it will be easy to look for models that will give you good images. The best ones you’ll find are in smartphones, but this means that you will have to shell out quite a large amount of money (and also be tied to a plan for at least two years). Some of the extra functions offered are photo editing features, face recognition technology, and direct uploads on social networking websites.

Would you be comfortable typing in a QWERTY keypad?

There are two keyboard options for cellphones: the standard alphanumeric keypad and QWERTY (the modern-day keyboard which is called as such because of the first six letters in the layout). Most people who are used to the regular keypad will usually have to adjust for a few days or weeks if they update to a touch screen qwerty smartphone. If you think that you will get more job done by having a tactile device, you should think twice about buying a touch screen phone. The best way to deal with this is to try out both types of devices at different stores and read up on user reviews online.

How long will the cellphone’s battery last?

The more apps and function a phone has, the more battery is consumed, so if you’re planning on getting a smartphone, the battery will surely run out faster. Most top-of-the-line smartphones could last up to 8-10 hours of web surfing and other online activities, and the regular phones will usually last up to 12-15 hours or more. Aside from the charger included in the package, you may also want to get a portable charging device for your car or something extra for school or the office.

Will you use it for going online?

If you only need to make some texts and calls, you’re better off getting a regular cellphone. There are many affordable regular phones in the market today that would allow you to perform minor tasks such as emailing and chatting (but are rarely efficient in web surfing), so if you’re just going to need the basic functions, you won’t really need a smartphone.

Before you purchase a phone and decide on a plan, you must take note of these things first. You’d want to arrive at a brand, model, and service provider that meets your wants and needs, so make sure that you look closely and take your time in weighing your options.

This will definitely be a great developments for those who have an inexplicable love for sweets.

British taxpayers will no doubt be tickled to know that the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the UK government’s leading funding agency for research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, has produced this video about chocolate printing.

As the scientists explain, consumers who download a piece of software will easily be able to sketch the kind of chocolate they’d like to make. Then they can send the 3D CAD file to a machine in a local shop and pick up their chocolate 10 minutes later.

Now, getting your own daily dose of chocolate can simply be downloaded and printed, sparing you the big feat of going to the store to get it in the exact kind that you want.

Of course, as most of us probably know, printing will always not go as smoothly as it is advertised. Sometimes, it will have to experience jams. And in the case of making chocolate, it can get pretty messy.

Image by nan palmero via Flickr

With the growing popularity of 3D printing, we have been made to believe that whatever we can draw, we can make. This might be easier said than done but with some practice, anyone can fabricate almost anything with a 3D printer.

From Twitter…

 DIY: 3D printing a custom iPhone case http://t.co/OIkozi0v via @CNET

— brianlawler (Brian Lawler) (@brianlawler) Mon Aug 6 2012

In the latest episode of Always On, CNET’s Rich Brown, ventured into 3D printing to print his own Phone case. Here is a brief overview of the process of 3D printing.

1. Acquire a 3D model file via download, by designing a model yourself, or by scanning a physical object.
2. Send that file to the 3D printer, generally via your Windows, Mac, or Linux-based computer.
3. The printer then draws from a spool of 1.75-millimeter or 3mm plastic filament, printing your design by building up layers of heated, extruded plastic.
4. Bask in the glow of having brought into existence an actual 3D object.

Unless your line is into serious prototyping, anyone who wants to print 3D things will have to shell out at least $1,500 for a good machine. You will also have to deal with maintenance, mechanics, and programming language.

One popular option is to just outsource your 3D printing job to companies like Shapeways. You just have to upload your design to them and they will take care of printing it.

From YouTube…