Halloween 2011 - Trick or Treat

Halloween Pumpkin

U.S. and around the world are preparing for Halloween this year - the holiday that is celebrated on 31 October and includes activities such as making scary pumpkins, dressing in crazy costumes, fireworks, tricks, treats, telling scary stories and watching horror movies.


Halloween costumes usually copy these supernatural figures like monsters, ghosts, skeletons, witches and demons. Over time, these were added and costumes of popular characters from science fiction movies, celebrities, and are very popular costumes of ninjas and princesses. Interestingly, traditionally people in Ireland and Scotland digging turnips, remembering thus souls held in purgatory. But immigrants in North America began to use the pumpkin, which is much larger and more convenient for digging. Black and orange are the traditional colors of the holiday.

Halloween Spooky Party Decoration

Recent research shows that distressed economy Americans refused to celebrate Halloween this year. Nearly 75% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate the holiday, but will spend less this year for costumes and sweet. Average cost is expected to amount to 53 dollars for 73 dollars last year, according to a survey of American Express.


Most Americans will allocate money to decorate for parties and costumes, this is especially true for younger employees who are expected to spend between 63 and 80 dollars for clothing. About 70% of U.S. consumers will spend an average of 28 dollars for cakes and decorations. Halloween can not pass without pumpkins that will cost Americans about $ 18. Ghosts, goblins and witches are the most popular costumes for kids and adults, but there are some unusual options this year.


Actor Charlie Sheen, whose departure from the TV series "Two and a Half Men" was widely covered by media, is among the most popular costumes this year. National Federation of Retailers predicted that the most sought after costumes for little girls for the seventh consecutive year will be those of the princesses, and thanks to the popularity of Captain Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp, the boys will give preference to pirate costumes. The costumes of animals and insects are also expected to be a hit.


Las Vegas, New York and San Francisco are your favorite cities for people to travel for Halloween, according to a survey of American Express. But most Americans prefer to stay close to home and will visit many haunted houses and theme parks dedicated to ghosts.

Libyan Dictator Moammar Gadhafi is Dead

Moammar Gadhafi

Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, the most wanted man in the world, has been killed on Thursday, 20 October 2011.


Muammar Gaddafi – the dictator who ruled Libya with an iron fist for nearly 42 years before being driven from power in a bloody uprising.
Gaddafi has been killed as he tried to flee his hometown of Sirte. He was ousted by rebels in a bloody civil war.


The flamboyant tyrant who terrorized his country and much of the world during his 42 years of despotic rule was reportedly cornered by insurgents in the town of Sirte, where Gadhafi had been born and a stronghold of his supporters.


There were conflicting reports of how he was killed – there were initial reports that he was killed in a gun battle, but NATO has since confirmed it hit a convoy of Gaddafi loyalists fleeing Sirte on Thursday. It could not say whether the former Libyan leader was in the convoy.


Al Jazeera television showed footage of a man resembling the 69-year-old leader lying dead or severely wounded, bleeding from the head and stripped to the waist as fighters rolled him over on the pavement. Witnesses said his body was put on display in the nearby city of Misrata.


Initial reports from fighters said Gaddafi had been holed up with the last of his fighters in a furious battle with revolutionary forces. At one point, a convoy tried to flee the area and was blasted by NATO airstrikes, though it was not clear if Col Gaddafi was in the vehicle.


His body, bloodied, half naked, Gaddafi's trademark long curls hanging limp around a rarely seen bald spot, was delivered, a prize of war, to Misrata, the city west of Sirte whose siege and months of suffering at the hands of Gaddafi's artillery and sniper made it a symbol of the rebel cause.


A quick and secret burial was due later on Friday.

Libyan rebels

Libyans rejoiced as news of his death spread. Car horns blared in Tripoli as residents poured into the streets to celebrate. In Sirte, revolutionary forces fired endless rounds into the sky and sang the national anthem.


"We have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Moammar Gadhafi has been killed" Jibril said at a news conference in Tripoli.


"It's time to start a new Libya, a united Libya" Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril declared. "One people, one future."


Word of Gadhafi's death triggered celebrations in the streets of Tripoli with insurgent fighters waving their weapons and dancing jubilantly.


The White House and NATO said they were unable to confirm reports of his death.


U.S. President Barack Obama, in a veiled dig at the Syrian and other leaders resisting the democrats of the Arab Spring, declared "the rule of an iron fist inevitably comes to an end."


Al Jazeera aired video of what appeared to be the dead leader, which showed Gadhafi lying in a pool of blood in the street, shirtless, and surrounded by people.


Gadhafi had been on the run for weeks after being chased out of the capital Tripoli by NATO bombers and rebel troops.


He had been believed to be hiding in the vast Libyan desert while calling on his supporters to rise up and sweep the rebel "dogs" away, but his once fearsome power was scoffed at by Libyans who had ransacked his palace compound and hounded him into hiding.

Gadhafi - the man who ruled Libya for 42 years.

Gadhafi, 69, ruled Libya with an iron fist for almost 42 years. He seized control of Libya in Sept., 1969 in a bloodless coup when he was just 27 years old. The then young and dashing army captain and his small band of military officers overthrew the monarch King Idris, setting up a new Libyan Arab Republic that over the years became increasingly isolated from the rest of the world.


Gadhafi took over the top spot as the world's most wanted man after Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. troops in Pakistan.


At the height of his ability to threaten terrorism, President Ronald Reagan dubbed Gadhafi the "mad dog of the Middle East."


He was accused of backing the 1986 bombing of a Berlin disco popular with American soldiers, reportedly funding the hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985, and the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which resulted in the U.N. and United States imposing sanctions on Libya.


For years, Gadhafi refused to take responsibility for the bombing, but that changed in 2003 when he acknowledged his role and tried to make amends.


The eccentric leader, who amassed power and wealth by controlling the nation's oil industry, held the title of being the longest-serving leader in Africa and the Arab world.


Over the years, Gadhafi earned an international reputation for his outlandish apparel and much-ridiculed phobias and proclivities.


His killing, which came swiftly after his capture near Sirte, is the most dramatic single development in the Arab Spring revolts that have unseated rulers in Egypt and Tunisia and threatened the grip on power of the leaders of Syria and Yemen.


Following his death, Libya's new leaders are expected to declare the country's "liberation". They face the challenge of healing divisions and holding credible elections in a country wracked by months of fighting.

11 Creative Ideas that Steve Jobs Used to Take Apple to the Top

Steve Jobs

14 years ago Apple was on the brink of bankruptcy. Today it is the largest technology company in the world with a market capitalization of 355 billion dollars. How do you achieve such a turnaround? With the revolutionary ideas of Steve Jobs.

Not a long ago, the most innovative creator of our time, Steve Jobs, left us. He died after many years fighting with the diseases he was suffering.

You can read more about that here.

But now let's take a look at the creative and successeful ideas that he used to make "Apple" the number one technology company!

Business Insider gives us unusual point of view on 11 decisions, with which Jobs turned the "Apple" into the famous logo.

1. Partnership with competitors:

Can you imagine a collaboration between Pepsi and Coca-Cola? Such was the initial reaction, after Apple and Microsoft announced a partnership to Macworld Expo in 1997.

After 12 years of financial losses Jobs had to find a quick source of funding for Apple. So he turned to Bill Gates, who invested $ 150 million in "Apple". "The era of rivalry between Apple and Microsoft ended" said Jobs then. "It is necessary to lift the leg again Apple", he said.

2. Attractive products:

As an experienced trader, who knew the importance of aesthetics, Jobs realized that Apple products seem quaint. Therefore a meeting of the company in 1998, he asked: "Do you know where is the company's mistake? The products look terrible. Do not caress the eye." Today Apple is recognized as a company that creates the most beautiful products in the world of technology.

Steve Jobs as young, holding an apple

3. Changing the startup vision development:

Apple started as a company that manufactures computers only. Jobs, however, realized that if the "apple" really wants to succeed, must expand its portfolio. So Apple is directed to new products such as iPod, iPhone, iPad. Jobs in 2007 and changed the company name from "Apple Computer" to "Apple" as a symbol of the new broader vision.

4. Circumvent barriers to new solutions:

Jobs was dissatisfied with the product placement in Apple stores. The solution? Apple Store. Scattered throughout the world shops "Apple" today enjoys great popularity.

5. Tell customers what they want instead of asking:

Jobs did not use focus groups and analysis, and tells customers what they want before they themselves know that they want it. When Apple released iPad, people initially perceive it with derision. Nearly 20 million sales later, it no longer seems ridiculous, said Business Insider.

6. Integration of products:

Besides being innovative, Apple products are integrated. iPod is connected to iTunes. To download applications for iPhone and iPad do you need the App Store. According to Jobs "creativity consists in connecting things".

7. Not hiring a template:

In 1994, Jobs said: "I think part of what made Macintosh great was that people who worked on it were musicians, poets, artists, historians, who also proved to be the best computer scientists in the world."

Apple's motto - "Think different."

8. Encourage others to think differently:

The ad campaign of Apple "Think different" at the end of the 90s of last century has one of the most effective of all time.

9. Bet on simplicity:

Simplicity is a bliss. Apple designer confirms this strategy: "We are trying to make the best possible product easy to use."

10. Sell dreams, not products:

Jobs was able to make people like the product. Customers do not buy Apple products, they buy what it symbolizes.

11. Believe in your inner voice:

In his speech at Stanford University Jobs points out: "Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you really want to be."

These are some really good and useful advices that Steve Jobs taught us.

If you gather all these creative ideas and make them a one whole, you can achieve great success.

Man Charged After Hacking Hollywood Celebrities Email Accounts

A Florida man was charged with hacking into the emails of dozens of people, including Christina Aguilera, Scarlett Johansson and Mila Kunis, in a computer invasion scheme that targeted Hollywood celebrities, according to documents released Wednesday.


A man has been arrested following an FBI investigation into a Hollywood hacking ring which stole naked photographs from the phones and email accounts of celebrities.
The man has been charged with hacking into celebrity email accounts in a scheme that led to the posting of private information, including nude photos of American actress Scarlett Johansson, on the internet.


It was the first arrest in a year long probe called Operation Hackerazzi, which has sought to identify those obtaining private images from electronic devices belonging to female stars.


Christopher Chaney of Jacksonville hacked Google, Apple and Yahoo email accounts beginning last November and December, then hijacked the forwarding feature so that a copy of every email received was sent, "virtually instantaneously" to an email account he controlled, according to an indictment handed up Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles.


There were more than 50 victims in the case, including Mila Kunis, Christina Aguilera and actress Renee Olstead, authorities said. Others were named only by initials and investigators wouldn't disclose if they were famous, but said victims named in the indictment agreed to have their identities made public.

Chaney offered some material, including photographs, to celebrity blog sites and some of the files and photographs ultimately were posted, according to an FBI statement.


Chaney allegedly used the hacker names "trainreqsuckswhat", "anonygrrl" and "jaxjaguars911". He is charged with 26 counts of identity theft, unauthorized access and unauthorized damage to a protected computer.


Chaney made his initial court appearance in a Florida courtroom Wednesday and was released on $10,000 bond. He was charged with 26 counts of identity theft, unauthorized access to a protected computer and wiretapping. If convicted, he faces up to 121 years in prison.


Authorities said Chaney was responsible for stealing nude photos taken by Johansson herself and were later posted on the internet.


Last month nude images of the actress Scarlett Johansson appeared on the internet after reportedly being taken from her mobile phone by hackers.


High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens has also reportedly spoken to the FBI about compromising images being stolen her email accounts.


Mila Kunis, Selena Gomez, Jessica Alba, Miley Cyrus and Christina Aguilera were also among the celebrities believed to have been targeted by a hacker in recent months.

Scarlett Johansson, Miley Cyrus, Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Hudgens
- famous victims of the hacker

Speaking after having her private photographs stolen by hackers last month, Miss Johansson said: "Just because you're in the spotlight, or just because you're an actor or making films or whatever, doesn't mean that you're not entitled to your own personal privacy."


A federal grand jury claims that, beginning late last year, Chaney gained unauthorised access to the email accounts of more than 50 people - but the indictment only listed 11 specific incidents.


The suspect was arrested in Florida and is believed to have distributed any images obtained from the hacking to websites for free.
He allegedly offered some of the hacked material, including photographs, to websites and some of it was said to have been posted.


The "cyber intrusions" may have targeted devices including desktop computers, laptops, iPads, mobile phones and personal online accounts.


Authorities wouldn't say whether Chaney was able to access email accounts via mobile phones, but he was able to figure out secure passwords to various celebrity accounts through information that had been made public.


Chaney "mined through publicly available data and figured out passwords and security questions".


Investigators said they hoped the celebrity-infused case will jumpstart those who don't value online security enough to protect their personal information and create more secure passwords that can't be easily figured out by would-be hackers.


Celebrities and people in the news have long been targets of privacy invasion but concerns have redoubled in the internet age.


In Britain, publisher Rupert Murdoch closed down the News of the World this year after contentions that the tabloid routinely hacked into people's phones in the hunt for exclusive stories.


The paper, which had published for 168 years, faced allegations of systematically intercepting private voicemail of those in the news - including a teenage murder victim.

ATMs Security. How to Avoid Stealing Your Account Data or Money

ATM

ATM bank cash machines have been incorporated in our way of life. They offer a real convenience to those on the run, but at the same time offer an element of risk. Using a bank ATM machine safely requires awareness and a little planning. Just because a bank ATM machine is open and available 24-hours a day doesn't mean it is always safe to use it.


ATMs keep your personal identification number (PIN) and other information safe by using encryption software such as Triple DES (Data Encryption Standard). But there are lots of things that you can do to protect your information and your money at an ATM.


The more I get to know about ATM hackers, the less I want to use ATMs. Especially stan-alone ATMs.


Do you really want to know why? Just open some of the biggest websites for selling products (from example - eBay) and type in "ATM".
You will be amazed. Availability varies, but often you can find machines for sale that cost just a few hundred bucks.


Bad guys can buy these, get a computer programmer to rewrite the code and set them up just about anywhere to collect people's card information and PINs. Sometimes the machines actually dispense some cash, but often they're set up just to display an error message - after stealing your data.


Crooks can put skimmers over the card readers to suck up your data and record your PIN with miniature cameras. Some bad guys don't bother with the ATMs at all, instead putting the skimmer on the key card lock of the door that leads into an ATM.
But security procedures and video surveillance at banks usually mean these skimmers are detected fairly quickly. 

Here are some tips that can make your ATM transaction safer:


- Don't write down your PIN. If you must write it down, do not store it in your wallet or purse.


- Make your PIN a series of letters or numbers that you can easily remember, but that cannot easily be associated with you personally.


- Avoid using birth dates, initials, house numbers or your phone number.


- Store your ATM card in your purse or wallet, in an area where it won't get scratched or bent.


- Get your card out BEFORE you approach the ATM. You'll be more vulnerable to attack if you're standing in front of the ATM, fumbling through your wallet for your card.


- Stand directly in front of the ATM keypad when typing in your PIN. This prevents anyone waiting to use the machine from seeing your personal information.


- After your transaction, take your receipt, card and money away. Do not stand in front of the machine and count your money.


- If you are using a drive-up ATM, get your vehicle as close to the machine as possible to prevent anyone from coming up to your window. Also make sure that your doors are locked before you drive up to the machine.


- Do not leave your car running while using a walk-up ATM. Take your keys with you and lock the doors before your transaction.


- If someone or something makes you uncomfortable, cancel your transaction and leave the machine immediately. Follow up with your bank to make sure the transaction was cancelled and alert the bank to any suspicious people.


- Be suspicious of any stand-alone ATM. Yes, there are plenty of legitimate ones, but it can be tough for a layperson to tell which ones feed information to thieves rather than cash to you. You'll definitely want to avoid any ATM that isn't bolted to the side of a building or secured inside a facility. Real ATMs are heavy and have money safes, so they're not going to be easy to move. Also beware of stand-alone ATMs that advertise "no fees", since legitimate owners of stand-alone ATMs have to charge fees to make money.


- Avoid bank ATMs if the access door is broken. If you normally have to use your ATM card to unlock a door to get to the ATM and the lock is broken or the door is propped open, don't go in. Someone could have forced open the door to install a skimmer.


- Beware of "out of service" signs. If there are two ATMs and one has an "out of service" sign, it could be legit - or it could be trying to get you to use the other ATM, which has been compromised.


- Give the card slot a good yank. Put your hand on the slot where your card goes in and give it a push. A real one won't give way, while a skimmer often does. If the card slot looks strange at all, find another ATM.


- Report "malfunctions" immediately. If you get an error message instead of money, contact your bank right away. You're at much greater risk of fraud.


- Monitor your transaction activity. It doesn't matter how busy you are. You can still take a few minutes every week to log on to your accounts and look over your transactions. You'll want to report bogus transactions right away, since your liability for fraud is waived only if you spot the problems within a couple of months.




Yeah, pretty long list. But following the steps above, can protect yourself from stealing your bank account data or money.

For safety reasons, ATM users should seek out a machine that is located in a well-lighted public place. Federal law requires that only the last four digits of the cardholder's account number be printed on the transaction receipt so that when a receipt is left at the machine location, the account number is secure. However, the entry of your four-digit personal identification number (PIN) on the keypad should still be obscured from observation, which can be done by positioning your hand and body in such a way that the PIN entry cannot be recorded by store cameras or store employees. The cardholder's PIN is not recorded in the journal, but the account number is. If you protect your PIN, you protect your account.


Most bank ATM robberies occur at night between 7pm and midnight when the machine only produces 10% of the daily transactions. Between 7pm and 4am, the ATMs handle only 11% of the total daily transactions but suffer 60% of the crime.


Bank ATM robbers are usually males under 25 years of age and most work alone. ATM robbers usually position themselves nearby (50 feet) waiting for a victim to approach and withdraw cash. Half of the ATM robberies occur after the cash withdrawal. Many ATM robbery victims are women and were alone when robbed. Most claim that they never saw the robber coming. Most ATM robbers used a gun or claimed to have a concealed weapon when confronting the victim and demanding their cash.


Remember - always use safe places when taking cash from ATM. Taking money from bank ATM is the safest.
Avoid stand-alone ATMs. Avoid ATMs showing error messages.

23 Killed in Egypt Clashes

The Protest in Egypt

At least 23 people were killed and 193 injured Sunday in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, when a protest by Coptic Christians over the recent burning of a church escalated into rioting against military rule.


Twenty three people were killed in Cairo on Sunday, the health ministry said, when Christians, some carrying crosses and pictures of Jesus, clashed with military police in the latest sectarian flare-up in a country in political turmoil.


Christians protesting against an attack on a church say they were marching peacefully when thugs attacked them, drawing in military police who used what activists described as unnecessary force.


Protesters used firebombs, set army vehicles alight and battled with security forces in Egypt's most violent clashes since the February uprising that ousted former president Hosni Mubarak.


More than four vehicles were set ablaze and television footage showed army personnel carriers driving full speed towards crowds of protesters.

Flag of Egypt

Christian demonstrators said a peaceful rally in the mostly Coptic neighborhood of Shubra turned deadly when the group marched to Egypt's Radio and Television Building where plainclothes police attacked them. The protests later spread to Tahrir Square, the focal point of the February revolution.


Protesters threw rocks and petrol bombs and set cars on fire, as thick smoke wafted through the streets in some of the most violent scenes since the uprising that ousted Mubarak.


In the past few weeks, riots have broken out at two churches in southern Egypt, prompted by Muslim crowds angry about church construction.


One clash took place near the city of Aswan after church officials agreed to a demand by local ultra-conservative Muslims, known as Salafis, that a cross and bells be removed from the church building.


The protesters want the government to fire the governor of Aswan Province, Mostafa al-Sayed, after the partial demolition of the church on Friday. Egyptian media said Muslims were accused of attacking the church after talk spread in the town that the building did not have legal authorisation.


Egyptian officials said they would investigate the causes of Sunday's violence, calling for calm.

Map of Egypt

Christians make up about one-tenth of Egypt's 80 million people and often face attacks from Islamic extremists. Copts joined with Muslims during the protests that ousted Mr. Mubarak, but sectarian troubles have since intensified.


Egypt has been considering new laws designed to stem sectarian violence, including banning protests at places of worship and the use of religious slogans to incite hatred.


In May, 12 people were killed in sectarian clashes between Christians and Muslims after rumors spread that Christians were holding a woman who had converted to Islam.

Steve Jobs Died at the Age of 56. Steve Paul Jobs 1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

Steve Jobs, the mastermind behind Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod, iMac and iTunes, has died, Apple said. Jobs was 56.


Yesterday, we announced Apple's new smartphone - iPhone 4S.
But today, we are announcing something very sad and tragic.


Steven P. Jobs, the Apple Inc. chairman and co-founder who pioneered the personal-computer industry and changed the way people think about technology, died Wednesday at the age of 56.


Jobs was the mastermind behind the iPad, the iPod, the iPhone, the iMac and iTunes. He transformed personal use of technology, and his contributions have been compared to those of Henry Ford and Walt Disney.


Jobs suffered a number of serious health issues over the years. In 2004, he announced he had a rare - but treatable - form of pancreatic cancer. He had a tumor successfully removed from his pancreas later that year.
In 2009, Jobs received a liver transplant after announcing his "health-related issues were more complex than I thought."

Steve Jobs' picture that is posted on Apple's website

Wednesday evening, the Apple homepage featured a black and white photo of the technology icon wearing a black turtleneck with simply the words, "Steve Jobs 1955-2011."


Apple, also realeased a statement on their website: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genious, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a comapny that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."


Jobs died "peacefully" surrounded by family members, his family said in a statement.


Neither Jobs' family nor Apple revealed where Jobs died or from what cause, though in recent years he had fought a form of pancreatic cancer and had a liver transplant. In August, Mr. Jobs stepped down as chief executive, handing the reins to longtime deputy Tim Cook.


Nevertheless, he remained as chairman of the corporation, a new position created just for him.


"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," read a statement by Apple's board of directors. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve. His greatest love was for his wife, Laurene, and his family. Our hearts go out to them and to all who were touched by his extraordinary gifts."


Industry watchers called Jobs a master innovator - perhaps on a par with Thomas Edison - changing the worlds of computing, recorded music and communications.

Jobs younger

Jobs' rivals in the development of personal computers, Microsoft co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen, immediately reacted to his death and highlighted his importance to their industry.


Allen called him "a unique tech pioneer and auteur who knew how to make amazingly great products."


Gates extended his condolences and noted in a written statement that he and Jobs "have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives."


"The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come" Gates added. "For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely."


A more recent rival, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, also weighed in with a statement on Jobs.


"Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend" it read. "Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you."


One of the world's most famous CEOs, Jobs remained stubbornly private about his personal life, refusing interviews and shielding his wife and their children from public view.


Upon Jobs' death, Apple said it was not planning any public events, though Cook's memo to Apple employees said the company was "planning a celebration of Steve's extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon."

Steve Jobs

At Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, yesterday night, people were hugging and crying. Candles were being lit around an iPad with a picture of Jobs on the screen, and people very quietly stood and looked at the memorial.


The highlights of Jobs's career trajectory are well-known: a prodigy who dropped out of Reed College in Oregon and, at 21, started Apple with Wozniak in his parents' garage. He was a multimillionaire by 25, appeared on the cover of Time magazine at 26, and was ousted at Apple at age 30, in 1984.


In the years that followed, he went into other businesses, founding NeXT computers and, in 1986, buying the computer graphics arm of Lucasfilm, Ltd., which became Pixar Animation Studios.


He was described as an exacting and sometimes fearsome leader, ordering up and rejecting multiple versions of new products until the final version was just right. He said the design and aesthetics of a device were as important as the hardware and software inside.


Steve Jobs turned Apple into the largest retailer of music and helped popularize computer-animated films as the financier and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, which he later sold to Walt Disney Co. He was a key figure in changing the way people used the Internet and how they listened to music, watched TV shows and movies, and read books, disrupting industries in the process.




I'm devastated and terrified. 
I would like to bring my sincere condolences to Steve Jobs' family.
He will always be with us.


Steve Jobs, thank you for creating a revolution in the communication and computer technology. You will be always remembered.
Rest in peace!




If you want to share your condolences and thoughts with Apple, write them at rememberingsteve@apple.com

iPhone 4S - Apple's New Smartphone

Apple iPhone 4S

The wait is over. Apple announced the next incarnation of its smartphone - an iPhone 4S - at an event yesterday at its headquarters.
Apple finally announced the long-awaited iPhone 4S. Looking identical to the previous iPhone 4, it certainly isn't the radically redesigned iPhone 5 many people were expecting.


Apple is trotting out a new iPhone on Oct. 14, but it's not the iPhone 5 some were expecting. Instead, it's a more modest upgrade, the iPhone 4S. Here are some facts to help you decide if it's time to make the plunge.


Apple announced the iPhone 4S, which looks exactly like the iPhone 4—on the outside. On the inside, it’s a whole different story, and that the message Apple tried to get across during its presentation yesterday.
"Don't be fooled. Inside it is all new" Apple's Phil Schiller said during the phone's unveiling. Indeed, while the iPhone 4S looks strikingly similar to the iPhone 4, it's packing some seriously upgraded hardware and promising new software.

iPhone 4S Black

First, and most importantly, the iPhone 4S will be powered by a new A5 processor. The A5 is a dual-core processor which will be up to twice as fast as the current A4, and seven times faster processing graphics. Apple is also claiming faster data speeds (with maximums of 14.4 Mbps download speeds, and 5.8 Mbps upload). The battery life is slightly longer *8 hours talk time versus 7 hours for the iPhone 4), but standby time is much less (200 hours versus 300).


The iPhone 4S is powered by Apple's new dual-core A5 chip, which Apple claims can deliver up to two times more power and seven times faster graphics performance than the iPhone 4. In addition, the iPhone 4S will be available on Sprint, along with AT&T and Verizon Wireless. It is a world phone, meaning it will support both CDMA and GSM networks.


Second, it’s got a dual CDMA/GSM chip for different networks, making it a world phone. The antenna is also redesigned to improve call quality.


Third, the camera is much better. Not only is it an 8-megapixel sensor with 60 percent more pixels than the one in the iPhone 4, but it is also designed to capture 73 percent more light 33 percent faster. The camera includes a high end infrared filter as well as five layered lenses which should improve the sharpness of pictures by up to 30 percent. And since the camera is one of the most used features on the phone, double-tapping the home button now opens the camera. The time it takes to get off your first shot is 1.1 seconds, and half a second for each shot after that. And it shoots 1080p video as well.


Based on the specs it’s probably the best camera system attached to a phone on the market right now, though real-life tests will have to be performed next month to determine image quality and evaluate the veracity of Apple’s speed claims. The changes aren’t superficial, though, and the camera should be on the short list of reasons to consider upgrading.

iPhone 4S White

The iPhone 4S also will ship with iOS 5, and all the iCloud-enabled apps. AirPlay will aslo work on the phone so that you can stream videos wirelessly to your Apple TV.


In addition to these improvements, the iPhone 4S will feature advanced support for voice-recognition and control through Siri.


It's the biggest new piece of software that takes advantage of the A5 chip - the Siri Assistant - a voice-controlled assistant you can call up anytime by holding down the home button for a few seconds. You can ask it the weather, time, directions from Yelp, schedule a meeting on your calendar, reply to messages, play a song from iTunes, or ask any factual question via Wolfram Alpha. All with voice commands.


Despite these improvements, many things remain the same. The physical design, for instance, has remained untouched, and the phone has the same 3.5-inch display found on the iPhone 4.

Apple iPhone 4S - White and Black

Let's see the iPhone 4S features:


- Operating system: Apple iOS 5


- Dimensions: 4.5 inches tall by 2.31 inches wide by 0.37 inch thick; 4.9 ounces


- Display: 3.5-inch, 960x640-pixel Retina Display touch screen


- Processor: 1GHz Dual-core Apple A5


- Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB internal


- Camera: 8-megapixel camera with LED flash, autofocus, 1080p HD video recording, backside-illuminated sensor; front-facing VGA camera


- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0; Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n); dual-mode world phone; GSM/HSPA+ 14.4; CDMA/EV-DO Rev. A


- Battery life: 8 hours talk time on 3G, 8.3 days standby time


- Expansion slot: No


- World phone: Yes


- NFC support: No


- Carriers: AT&T, Verizon, Sprint


- Price (on contract): $199 for 16GB, $299 for 32GB, $399 for 64GB




So, if you travel a lot, it might be worth upgrading from the 4 to the 4S because you'll be able to use it on wireless networks in other countries.




Take a look at the Apple iPhone 4S introduce video:

Ozone Hole Opened Over The Arctic

Ozone Layer cartoon

Ozone is Earth's natural sunscreen, shielding life from excessive amounts of ultraviolet radiation. But Earth's ozone layer has been damaged by well-intentioned chemicals - chlorofluorocarbons, used for refrigerants and aerosol spray-cans - that have the unintended consequence of destroying ozone molecules.


A huge Arctic ozone hole opened up over the Northern Hemisphere for the first time this year, an international research team.


The hole covered 2 million square kilometres - about twice the size of Ontario - and allowed high levels of harmful ultraviolet radiation to hit large swaths of northern Canada, Europe and Russia, the 29 scientists say.


The discovery of the "unprecedented" hole comes as the Canadian government is moving to reduce staff in what Environment Minister Peter Kent calls the "streamlining" of its ozone monitoring network.


Environment Canada scientists say the "chemical ozone destruction over the Arctic in early 2011 was - for the first time in the observation record - comparable to that in the Antarctic ozone hole."


It also highlights the importance of Environment Canada's ozone networks, which scientists have warned could be drastically reduced. Department officials say ozone monitoring will continue but will be "streamlined" to eliminate "redundancy."


The scientists say maintaining "comprehensive" data is "critical" to understanding Arctic ozone depletion and the threats it poses.


They used U.S. and European satellites, along with ground stations and scientific balloons - including those operated by Environment Canada - to find and track the hole. "The satellites, ground stations and balloons each provide a piece of the puzzle", says co-author Kaley Walker, at the University of Toronto. "It is important to have them all."

The peak of the Ozone Layer in late March

The hole formed over the Arctic in February and March, then swung across northern Canada, northern Europe and Central Russia to northern Asia, prompting scientists to issue warnings this spring about excess radiation.


A report shows just how big and remarkable the hole was and how it moved. It also points to what scientists are calling "ominous" changes in the Arctic stratosphere, about 20 kilometres above the surface, which may be linked to climate change and increasing greenhouse gas emissions.


The ozone-destroying chlorine compounds have been banned internationally, but they are so "long-lived" the scientists expect them to stay in the atmosphere for decades. Scietists say it will likely be about 70 years - "a full generation of humans" - before the chlorine compounds disappear from the atmosphere. Meantime a cooling trend in the stratosphere, which is thought to be tied to increasing greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, could create more ozone holes.


They also say "more acute Arctic ozone destruction could exacerbate biological risks from increased ultraviolet radiation exposure, especially if the vortex shifted over densely populated midlatitudes, as it did in April 2011." The "polar vortex" is the frigid air mass that circles the polar region in winter and can dip as far south as New York and Rome.

I love the Ozone Layer sticker

The lowest value (deepest hole) ever recorded was 73 Dobson Units on September 30, 1994, while the broadest hole occurred on September 29, 2000, when the ozone-depleted area stretched 29.9 million square kilometers. The record for mean size of the ozone hole - the greatest extent over a one-month window - was September 7 to October 13, 2006, when the hole reached 26.2 million square kilometers. The mean ozone hole in 2010 was 22.2 million square kilometers.




In 2010 report, the science advisers to the Montreal Protocol found that:


- Global ozone and ozone in the Arctic and Antarctic is no longer decreasing, but is not yet increasing.


- The ozone layer outside the Polar Regions is projected to recover to its pre-1980 levels some time before the middle of this century. The recovery might be accelerated by greenhouse gas-induced cooling of the upper stratosphere.


- The ozone hole over the Antarctic is expected to recover much later.


- The impact of the Antarctic ozone hole on surface climate is becoming evident in surface temperature and wind patterns.


- At mid-latitudes, surface ultraviolet radiation has been about constant over the last decade.




Ozone hole 2011, compared to previous years: