[silk] booze and poppy seeds
i've been enjoying the online-only correspondent's diary [1] daily feature on economist.com. their defence correspondent highlights the hypocritical western policy in afghanistan on substance abuse (the economist is a big proponent of the legalisation of drugs): --- Few people in Kabul want the return of the Taliban. There has been progress of a kind. Now the city can grapple with the modern ill of traffic jams. The markets are full of goods and people to buy them. Many seem happy for international forces to stay. But the foreigners’ degenerate ways have not gone unnoticed. “They are encouraging people to drink alcohol,” says one veteran Afghan journalist, “but they are stopping Afghans from growing poppies that provide livelihoods for their families.” --- http://economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displayStory.cfm?subjectid=7933598story_id=8691739 1. http://economist.com/daily/diary
Re: [silk] Eureka!
Udhay Shankar N wrote: [ on 10:50 AM 9/7/2006 ] A great example of the Butterfly Effect - little actions having big consequences. Udhay http://www.fastcompany.com/subscr/108/open_lightbulbs.html How Many Lightbulbs Does it Take to Change the World? One. And You're Looking At It. For years, compact fluorescent bulbs have promised dramatic energy savings--yet they remain a mere curiosity. That's about to change. snip In the next 12 months, starting with a major push this month, Wal-Mart wants to sell every one of its regular customers--100 million in all--one swirl bulb. In the process, Wal-Mart wants to change energy consumption in the United States, and energy consciousness, too. It also aims to change its own reputation, to use swirls to make clear how seriously Wal-Mart takes its new positioning as an environmental activist. Here's another interesting development in this vein: http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Smart_Ideas/Design?Article=/Smart%20Ideas/Design/U4J4M9K7 Light Bulbs Are History Downunder David Richards and Wire Services - Tuesday, 20 February 2007 The Australian Federal Government is set to turn the lights out on Australians in an effort to introduce energy efficent technology. The Australian Federal Government is set to turn the lights out on Australians in an effort to introduce energy efficent technology. The power hungary standard incandescent light bulb a metal filament which glows white-hot in a vacuum and wastes up to 95 per cent of the energy it uses will be phased out within three years. The end result according to Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull is big savings for both Australia and all Australians We are introducing new energy efficiency standards and these old lights simply won't comply, they will be phased out and basically over a period of time they will no longer be for sale, Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull said today. The move to sell the electorate a simpler environment policy contrasts with Labor's plan to introduce emissions trading, increase mandatory renewable energy targets and sign the international Kyoto climate agreement. It is understood the Government has decided the old light globe, developed for the mass market more than 125 years ago, should be replaced with modern compact fluorescent lights, also known as low-wattage bulbs. The Government will work with major manufacturers and importers to bring about the change. While the new technology lights are more expensive at $4-$6 each, they cost considerably less to run and have a much longer life than incandescent bulbs, which can sell for less than $1. Incandescent bulbs waste up to 95 per cent of the energy they use, mainly in the form of heat. Compact fluorescent lights use about a fifth of the electricity to produce the same illumination. Details of the plan, including costs, have not been made available, but a source said it was expected the purchase cost of the new technology lights would come down as the volume of sales dramatically increased. Compact fluorescent lights can produce savings of 66 per cent of the cost of the older technology and the new lights last between four to 10 times longer. Federal Government figures suggest energy used for household lighting in Australia contributes up to 12 per cent of coal-energy greenhouse gas emissions and around 25 per cent of emissions from commercial and public lighting. It is felt the change to fluorescent lighting could cut greenhouse gas emissions by the order of 800,000 tonnes a year by 2012. Founder of environment group Planet Ark, Jon Dee, said he had been working with Mr Turnbull's predecessor, Ian Campbell, and lighting company Phillips on the idea since late last year. Mr Dee said Planet Ark and Phillips were to announce a Ban the Bulb campaign next week, but that had now been gazumped by Mr Turnbull's announcement. Although he was disappointed by Mr Turnbull's timing, he was glad the Government had made the decision. The fact is we have to do more real world things to reduce our impact on the environment and reduce climate change, he said. The fact that the Government is committing to this idea is absolutely fantastic. -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
[silk] 802.11a on the MBP C2D
As far as I know the MacBook Pro C2D supports 802.11 a/b/g officially, and draft n unofficially. However, my notebook doesn't detect an 802.11a network. Co-workers tell me that Macs sold in India have 802.11a support disabled since it is not an allowed spectrum in India. Would anyone have more information? My favorite search engine is not being very helpful right now. Cheeni
Re: [silk] 802.11a on the MBP C2D
On 20/02/07, Srini RamaKrishnan [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: As far as I know the MacBook Pro C2D supports 802.11 a/b/g officially, and draft n unofficially. However, my notebook doesn't detect an 802.11a network. Co-workers tell me that Macs sold in India have 802.11a support disabled since it is not an allowed spectrum in India. Would anyone have more information? My favorite search engine is not being very helpful right now. Your colleague seems to be correct. The TRAI's website is a horrible mess, but some judicious googling came up several whitepapers etc. that talk about de-licensing the 5GHz band for 802.11a use, they also seem to acknowledge that 11a's acceptance is going to be low because of 11b/g and possibly 11n. What I could eventually make out is that 5GHz is indeed not available for public use, and de-licensing it will take time so as to migrate existing users away. http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/Recommendations/21/Recommendations%20on%20Internet%20and%20Broadband%202004-04-29%20FINAL.pdf Binand
Re: [silk] 802.11a on the MBP C2D
As far as I know the MacBook Pro C2D supports 802.11 a/b/g officially, and draft n unofficially. However, my notebook doesn't detect an 802.11a network. Any particular reason for using an 802.11a network, btw? -- Aditya (http://aditya.sublucid.com/)
Re: [silk] 802.11a on the MBP C2D
Aditya Chadha wrote: As far as I know the MacBook Pro C2D supports 802.11 a/b/g officially, and draft n unofficially. However, my notebook doesn't detect an 802.11a network. Any particular reason for using an 802.11a network, btw? See nanog for an ongoing - very interesting thread on that subject Having 11a accesspoints for stuff that needs guaranteed bandwidth helps when you have got dozens of 11b APs competing for frequency, announcing themselves loud and clear etc.
Re: [silk] 802.11a on the MBP C2D
On 2/20/07, Aditya Chadha [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: As far as I know the MacBook Pro C2D supports 802.11 a/b/g officially, and draft n unofficially. However, my notebook doesn't detect an 802.11a network. Any particular reason for using an 802.11a network, btw? It's faster. Cheeni
[silk] Burn baby burn
http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/57132.html Hot, hotter, hottest: NMSU sets Guinness chili record In this photo released by New Mexico State University, Paul Bosland, a professor at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M., displays the official certificate received from the Guinness World Records organization that recognizes the Bhut Jolokia chile pepper as the world's hottest spice on Feb. 9, 2007. New Mexico State University is mentioned in the official entry as the location where the chile's heat index was measured. Bosland was responsible for locating the chile pepper, testing it, engineering it so it sets fruit better, and ultimately submitting his findings to Guinness for review. (AP Photo/New Mexico State University, Darren Phillips) Related Links http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/ By ASSOCIATED PRESS February 16, 2007 LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) - Paul Bosland recalls taking a bite of a chili pepper and feeling like he was breathing fire. He gulped down a soda, thinking, That chili has got to be some kind of record. The Guinness Book of Records agreed, confirming recently that Bosland, a regents professor at New Mexico State University, had discovered the world's hottest chili pepper, Bhut Jolokia, a naturally occurring hybrid native to the Assam region of northeastern India. The name translates as ghost chili, Bosland said. We're not sure why they call it that, but I think it's because the chili is so hot, you give up the ghost when you eat it, he said. Bhut Jolokia comes in at 1,001,304 Scoville heat units, a measure of hotness for a chili. It's nearly twice as hot as Red Savina, the variety it replaces as the hottest. By comparison, a New Mexico green chili contains about 1,500 Scoville units; an average jalapeno measures at about 10,000. New Mexican Virtual Tours The Bhut Jolokia variety has potential as a food additive in the packaged food industry, Bosland said. It could be pickled while green, dehydrated and used as seasoning. Because the heat is so concentrated, food manufacturers would save money because they'd use less. This isn't something you'd pickle whole and eat, but it could replace dehydrated jalapeno as an additive, Bosland said. A member of NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute who was visiting India sent Bhut Jolokia seeds to NMSU for testing in 2001. The plant doesn't produce fruit easily, so it took a couple of years to get enough for field testing, Bosland said. He then grew Bhut Jolokia, Red Savina and habanero peppers under controlled settings and found that Bhut Jolokia had significantly higher Scoville ratings. Those findings were confirmed by two independent laboratories. Bhut Jolokia seeds are available through the Chile Pepper Institute. -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
Re: [silk] Burn baby burn
Biju Chacko wrote [at 10:41 AM 2/20/2007] : In this photo released by New Mexico State University, Paul Bosland, a professor at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, N.M., displays the official certificate received from the Guinness World Records organization that recognizes the Bhut Jolokia chile pepper as the world's hottest spice on Feb. 9, 2007. Got any in your collection? Not yet. Any kind-hearted soul want to bring me a few? Udhay -- ((Udhay Shankar N)) ((udhay @ pobox.com)) ((www.digeratus.com))
