| Will a changed China emerge from the Olympics?
Some 15 years after a failed bid to host the Olympics, China is less than 200 days away from its global coming-out party at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games. China's first-ever Olympics are a fairly safe gamble in the realm of world politics. Although the risk of overwhelming pollution, political protests and traffic gridlock could mar the August event, the rewards - namely China assuming its place in the world's collective conscience as a global power - are apt to win out in the end, many China watchers say. "They are basically buying a two-week period when they can present the best China possible to the rest of the world and have the people of China think about their new role and status in the world," said Adam Segal, a China specialist with the Council on Foreign Relations.
Hardware German Scientists Awarded Prize for Work in LEDs
More innovation in the LED tech sector debuted in new lighting module. We've seen LEDs in everything from cars to laptops to TVs. A handful of German scientists recently won the German Future Prize 2007 for their work with LED illumination technology. Dr. Andreas Bräuer of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering IOF in Jena and Dr. Klaus Streubel and Dr. Stefan Illek of OSRAM Opto Semiconductors received the award for technology and innovation, which is bestowed by the German President. The work is based on previous work by OSRAM in thin-film LEDs which permits the extraction of light in a single half-sphere. The breakthrough in design allows all colors of the LED to be combined as well as more efficient temperature management. In order to harness the capabilities of the LED, a special optical piece was designed at Fraunhofer.
New Orleans: Vanishing City
Local residents, too, see the housing struggle as a test of self-will. Knowing that she didn't fight her way back to New Orleans just to founder at her own doorstep, Kawana Jasper doesn't plan on going anywhere. "Sometimes I feel like, 'What I came back for?' Because they don't want us here," she says. "But I'm not going to give them what they want." Michelle Chen works and plays in New York City. Formerly on staff at the independent, now-defunct, news publication, The NewStandard, her other recent occupations include living in Shanghai as a Fulbright research fellow, freelance writing and dish-washing. Her work has also appeared in Extra!, Legal Affairs, City Limits and Alternet, along with her self-published zine, cain. * * * Video on the St.
McCain’s life experiences will suit road ahead
John McCain was not my first choice. Or even the second or third. He'd be far more appealing with a Southern conservative as a running mate — former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, or Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, to name three. But conservative running mate or not, Mitt Romney's class-act exit leaves McCain without serious challenge for the nomination. And as both Romney and McCain noted in same-day speeches to the Conservative Political Action Conference, this election is not about shades of gray. "Elections in this country are fought within margins of small differences," said McCain. "This one will not be. We are arguing about hugely consequential things." Romney's departing words defined the immediate course for conservatives.
Southern Storm to Give Glancing Blow
Just look out your window the next time snow is forecast. Or remember the last 2 hurricane season's. Predicted to be horrible, like 2005 record setting category 4 and 5 storms. Both years were (thankfully) quiet.
Posted by: DrJeckel on Jan 21, 2008 at 04:03 PM I think the days of any signifigant snow for the tri-state area have long since passed. Our climate here is now more typical of what one would have seen about 15 years ago in Nashville or Knoxville TN. As it continues to warm in the upcoming years we will probably be more like Little Rock AR. It will eventually get to where all the snow you see will just be a few flurries in the air occassionally. We have almost reached that point now. An early morning dusting gone by noon is a huge news event.By the way tio, I heard Jurica at noon today say that by this weekend we will get a break from the cold (yes) and snowy weather we have been experiencing??????
Posted by: DrJeckel on Jan 21, 2008 at 03:52 PM Yeah tio, You should have been a Meteorologist.
Obama is worth big spending
He's going all the way to the White House, unless they gun him down,'' said Uncle Chet. ``And I do lose sleep over that. It seems too much like '68, with the war and the crowds and Bobby Kennedy. Actually, Bobby was the first candidate I ever sent money to.'' ``Have you sent Obama any?'' asked Hon. ``I did. Fifty smackers.'' ``Is a smacker a dollar?'' asked Buddy. ``Yes,'' I said as Hon served chicken, potatoes, salad and bread. ``This looks wonderful,'' said Alice, who took a drumstick. ``First, I bought the hat,'' said Uncle Chet. ``But later I was thinking, I don't care if I get a good deal on a hat; I want to help this guy get elected. So I hit the credit card again.'' ``Last of the big spenders,'' I said.
Avs need to score at trade deadline
That's a lot of lost revenue. And consider that the Avalanche already announced that tickets prices are going up again next season. Wasn't it interesting that season-ticket holders were told that if they committed to renew for next season by Friday — or four days before the trading deadline — they will pay regular-season prices for their seats in this year's playoffs ... if the Avs make it? That means the Kroenke Sports folks already have at least a hint of how much their season-ticket base might further diminish for next season. And maybe about how desperate they want Giguere to be as he seeks a means to strengthen the Avs' chances of just making the playoffs, which might stem a bit of the bleeding. On Tuesday morning, the Avs still will be at least mathematically in the running for a postseason berth.
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