We all take reasonable care of our stuff, particularly when we wear it, we wash our clothes regularly, we shower, more than twice a week! but when was the last time you cleaned your headphones? they might not look dirty, or do they? this article seemingly does.
Headphones are a necessity for the modern music-lover or phone user but your gadgets could also be taking a negative toll on your skin.
Some things in life never seem to last as long as we want them to: Your last paycheck, free cookies, or (perhaps most disappointing of all), clear skin are all relatable examples. Sure, we know that there are tons of prescribed, over-the-counter, and even some go-to natural ingredients that can treat an annoying blemish in a flash, but wouldn’t it be less frustrating to know why our pimples are, well, popping up in the first place?
While genetics and hormones play a huge role, there are certain sneaky, everyday habits that could be irritating your skin too. Like coveting those beloved gadgets of yours.
For instance, think about how your headphones go everywhere with youâ€"school, work, the subway, the gymâ€"and you slide them on without giving it a second thought. Cranking up the music is totally therapeutic (and yes, great for drowning out an annoying sibling), but it turns out if you’re seeing spots on your temples and jaw line, the headphones you use for your daily jam sessions to Taylor Swift might be the culprit for recurring breakouts.
"Wearing over-the-ear headphones is a perfect setup for causing an increase of acne breakouts and skin infections," says dermatologist and Simple advisory board member Dr. Debra Luftman. "This is especially the case when you wear them during and after a workout, or if you keep them on for long periods of time. Sweat and moisture collect on and around the headphones, compressing the skin and therefore encouraging bacteria and yeast to multiply." Gross, but true.
Luckily, a blemish-free complexion doesn’t mean retiring your giant pair of Beats or new Frends headphones for good. To keep them gunk-free, Dr. Luftman recommends giving them a daily rubdown with a makeup remover wipe. (Simple’s Cleansing Facial Wipes are so easy to toss in your bag!) Then, remember to use another wipe to clean the areas around your ears, hairline, and jaw before the next time you toss your headphones on again.
If you find that your headphones get discolored or grimy particularly often, you can also keep a stash of anti-bacterial cloths handy in your purse or backpack. Feel free to pick these up during your next drugstore run. Just be sure to let the earphones dry completely before using them again. The same bacteria that develops from sweat and moisture, can build up from any dampness that stems from your cleansing tools. Come on, putting whatever you’re listening to on pause for 10 minutes isn’t too much to ask now, is it?
Dealing with acne is never fun, but preventing it with these simple tips is music to our earsâ€"literally!
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Friday, May 22, 2015
How Dick Tracy Invented the Apple Watch
Apple CEO Tim Cook suddenly became a little boy again as he showed that Apple’s new smart watch will also send and receive phone calls.
“I have been wanting to do this since I was 5 years old,†Cook exclaimed. “The day is finally here.â€
The 54-year-old Cook was harking back to 1965, when any American youngster could tell you that the coolest gizmo around was Dick Tracy’s two-way wrist radio.
The comic strip detective’s creator, Chester Gould, had introduced the futuristic device in 1946, after he scripted Tracy into a jam from which there seemed no credible escape.
Gould decided that he would go high-concept and have Tracy appeal directly to his inky-fingered creator. Gould figured he could then just extricate Tracy from the predicament Manus Dei.
But Gould’s employer, the Chicago Tribune, rejected the idea as a cheat.
Gould then recalled visiting the workshop of an inventor extraordinaire named Al Gross several weeks before. Gross had developed the walkie-talkie when he was barely out of high school. Gross’s more recent projects when Gould stopped by included a two-way radio that could be worn on the wrist like a watch.
Gould now got on the phone to Gross.
“He called and asked if he could use that idea on the wristwatch,†Gross would say in an interview years later. “I told him sure. And he gave Dick Tracy that wristwatch.â€
As a token of his gratitude, Gould presented Gross with the first four panels in which Tracy begins using the soon-to-be-famous gizmo. The device proved to be just the thing for Tracy to extricate himself along with his creator from the predicament.
Do you remember the old dick tracy comics? we're not convinced that Tim cook got the idea from these comics, it's an interesting idea that the whole of apple was built on the idea that one day they would emulate the comic books.
In the comic strip, the two-way wrist radio is created by a young inventor named Brilliant. He develops another seemingly impossible gadget for Tracy conceived by the real-life Gross: a compact, battery-powered video surveillance camera. This is too much for one of the comic-strip mobsters, and Brilliant meets a bloody end in a 1948 installment.
As a token of his gratitude, Gould presented Gross with the first four panels in which Tracy begins using the soon-to-be-famous gizmo. The device proved to be just the thing for Tracy to extricate himself along with his creator from the predicament.
In the comic strip, the two-way wrist radio is created by a young inventor named Brilliant. He develops another seemingly impossible gadget for Tracy conceived by the real-life Gross: a compact, battery-powered video surveillance camera. This is too much for one of the comic-strip mobsters, and Brilliant meets a bloody end in a 1948 installment.
Gross did enjoy a continuing thrill that had been first sparked when he was still in grammar school. His parents took him on a cruise across Lake Erie from Cleveland to Buffalo, and his destiny was decided when he wandered into the ship’s radio room.
“The radio operator put me on his lap and let me put the earphones on,†Gross would remember. “I heard all of those dots and dashes, and I’ve been interested ever since.â€
Wonderment was joined by wondering, and the result powered a lifetime of prophetic tinkering. Gross followed up the walkie-talkie during World War II with a ground-to-air radio system. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff credited it with “saving millions of lives by shortening the war.â€
Yet the closest Gross came to fame was as a pioneering Citizens Band radio operator dubbed “the Father of CB.†Even in this he was best known not by his real name but by his handle, Phineas Thaddeus Veeblefetzer.
Not that Gross needed recognition. He was still busy in his workshop right up to the time of his death in late 2000, at the age of 82.
Childhood fascination was at the heart of it all, so it only makes sense that his two way wrist radio would have had a similar effect on youngsters over the years, these notably including little Timmy Cook in 1965.
On Monday, Cook said he had been wanting for half a century to unveil a real-life gizmo that worked just like the one in the comic strip of his youth.
One hopes Cook is aware that the two-way wrist radio was itself inspired by the real-life ideas of a visionary who should be as well-known to us as Jobs or Gates.
Gross observed in his later years, “‘If you have a cordless telephone or a cellular telephone or a walkie-talkie or beeper, you’ve got one of my patents.â€
And now we can posthumously add the Apple Watch.
Source -Â http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/10/how-dick-tracy-invented-the-apple-watch.html
“I have been wanting to do this since I was 5 years old,†Cook exclaimed. “The day is finally here.â€
The 54-year-old Cook was harking back to 1965, when any American youngster could tell you that the coolest gizmo around was Dick Tracy’s two-way wrist radio.
The comic strip detective’s creator, Chester Gould, had introduced the futuristic device in 1946, after he scripted Tracy into a jam from which there seemed no credible escape.
Gould decided that he would go high-concept and have Tracy appeal directly to his inky-fingered creator. Gould figured he could then just extricate Tracy from the predicament Manus Dei.
But Gould’s employer, the Chicago Tribune, rejected the idea as a cheat.
Gould then recalled visiting the workshop of an inventor extraordinaire named Al Gross several weeks before. Gross had developed the walkie-talkie when he was barely out of high school. Gross’s more recent projects when Gould stopped by included a two-way radio that could be worn on the wrist like a watch.
Gould now got on the phone to Gross.
“He called and asked if he could use that idea on the wristwatch,†Gross would say in an interview years later. “I told him sure. And he gave Dick Tracy that wristwatch.â€
As a token of his gratitude, Gould presented Gross with the first four panels in which Tracy begins using the soon-to-be-famous gizmo. The device proved to be just the thing for Tracy to extricate himself along with his creator from the predicament.
Do you remember the old dick tracy comics? we're not convinced that Tim cook got the idea from these comics, it's an interesting idea that the whole of apple was built on the idea that one day they would emulate the comic books.
In the comic strip, the two-way wrist radio is created by a young inventor named Brilliant. He develops another seemingly impossible gadget for Tracy conceived by the real-life Gross: a compact, battery-powered video surveillance camera. This is too much for one of the comic-strip mobsters, and Brilliant meets a bloody end in a 1948 installment.
As a token of his gratitude, Gould presented Gross with the first four panels in which Tracy begins using the soon-to-be-famous gizmo. The device proved to be just the thing for Tracy to extricate himself along with his creator from the predicament.
In the comic strip, the two-way wrist radio is created by a young inventor named Brilliant. He develops another seemingly impossible gadget for Tracy conceived by the real-life Gross: a compact, battery-powered video surveillance camera. This is too much for one of the comic-strip mobsters, and Brilliant meets a bloody end in a 1948 installment.
Gross did enjoy a continuing thrill that had been first sparked when he was still in grammar school. His parents took him on a cruise across Lake Erie from Cleveland to Buffalo, and his destiny was decided when he wandered into the ship’s radio room.
“The radio operator put me on his lap and let me put the earphones on,†Gross would remember. “I heard all of those dots and dashes, and I’ve been interested ever since.â€
Wonderment was joined by wondering, and the result powered a lifetime of prophetic tinkering. Gross followed up the walkie-talkie during World War II with a ground-to-air radio system. The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff credited it with “saving millions of lives by shortening the war.â€
Yet the closest Gross came to fame was as a pioneering Citizens Band radio operator dubbed “the Father of CB.†Even in this he was best known not by his real name but by his handle, Phineas Thaddeus Veeblefetzer.
Not that Gross needed recognition. He was still busy in his workshop right up to the time of his death in late 2000, at the age of 82.
Childhood fascination was at the heart of it all, so it only makes sense that his two way wrist radio would have had a similar effect on youngsters over the years, these notably including little Timmy Cook in 1965.
On Monday, Cook said he had been wanting for half a century to unveil a real-life gizmo that worked just like the one in the comic strip of his youth.
One hopes Cook is aware that the two-way wrist radio was itself inspired by the real-life ideas of a visionary who should be as well-known to us as Jobs or Gates.
Gross observed in his later years, “‘If you have a cordless telephone or a cellular telephone or a walkie-talkie or beeper, you’ve got one of my patents.â€
And now we can posthumously add the Apple Watch.
Source -Â http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/10/how-dick-tracy-invented-the-apple-watch.html
Friday, May 15, 2015
New Technology May Double Radio Frequency Data Capacity
A team of Columbia Engineering researchers has invented a technologyâ€"full-duplex radio integrated circuits (ICs)â€"that can be implemented in nanoscale CMOS to enable simultaneous transmission and reception at the same frequency in a wireless radio. Up to now, this has been thought to be impossible: transmitters and receivers either work at different times or at the same time but at different frequencies. The Columbia team, led by Electrical Engineering Associate Professor Harish Krishnaswamy, is the first to demonstrate an IC that can accomplish this. The researchers presented their work at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco on February 25.
“This is a game-changer,†says Krishnaswamy, director of the Columbia high-Speed and Mm-wave IC (CoSMIC) Lab. “By leveraging our new technology, networks can effectively double the frequency spectrum resources available for devices like smartphones and tablets.â€
In the era of Big Data, the current frequency spectrum crisis is one of the biggest challenges researchers are grappling with and it is clear that today's wireless networks will not be able to support tomorrow's data deluge. Today's standards, such as 4G/LTE, already support 40 different frequency bands, and there is no space left at radio frequencies for future expansion. At the same time, the grand challenge of the next-generation 5G network is to increase the data capacity by 1,000 times.
So the ability to have a transmitter and receiver re-use the same frequency has the potential to immediately double the data capacity of today's networks. Krishnaswamy notes that other research groups and startup companies have demonstrated the theoretical feasibility of simultaneous transmission and reception at the same frequency, but no one has yet been able to build tiny nanoscale ICs with this capability.
“Our work is the first to demonstrate an IC that can receive and transmit simultaneously,†he says. “Doing this in an IC is critical if we are to have widespread impact and bring this functionality to handheld devices such as cellular handsets, mobile devices such as tablets for WiFi, and in cellular and WiFi base stations to support full duplex communications.â€
The biggest challenge the team faced with full duplex was canceling the transmitter's echo. Imagine that you are trying to listen to someone whisper from far away while at the same time someone else is yelling while standing next to you. If you can cancel the echo of the person yelling, you can hear the other person whispering.
“If everyone could do this, everyone could talk and listen at the same time, and conversations would take half the amount of time and resources as they take right now,†explains Jin Zhou, Krishnaswamy’s PhD student and the paper’s lead author. “Transmitter echo or ‘self-interference’ cancellation has been a fundamental challenge, especially when performed in a tiny nanoscale IC, and we have found a way to solve that challenge.â€
Krishnaswamy and Zhou plan next to test a number of full-duplex nodes to understand what the gains are at the network level. “We are working closely with Electrical Engineering Associate Professor Gil Zussman and his PhD student Jelena Marasevic, who are network theory experts here at Columbia Engineering,†Krishnaswamy adds. “It will be very exciting if we are indeed able to deliver the promised performance gains.â€
This work was funded by the DARPA RF-FPGA program
Thankyou to columbia.edu for the tireless research, this really is an exciting invention, the possibilities if this can be brought to our industry are unbelievable.
CoSMIC (Columbia high-Speed and Mm-wave IC) Lab full-duplex transceiver IC that can be implemented in nanoscale CMOS to enable simultaneous transmission and reception at the same frequency in a wireless radio
“This is a game-changer,†says Krishnaswamy, director of the Columbia high-Speed and Mm-wave IC (CoSMIC) Lab. “By leveraging our new technology, networks can effectively double the frequency spectrum resources available for devices like smartphones and tablets.â€
In the era of Big Data, the current frequency spectrum crisis is one of the biggest challenges researchers are grappling with and it is clear that today's wireless networks will not be able to support tomorrow's data deluge. Today's standards, such as 4G/LTE, already support 40 different frequency bands, and there is no space left at radio frequencies for future expansion. At the same time, the grand challenge of the next-generation 5G network is to increase the data capacity by 1,000 times.
So the ability to have a transmitter and receiver re-use the same frequency has the potential to immediately double the data capacity of today's networks. Krishnaswamy notes that other research groups and startup companies have demonstrated the theoretical feasibility of simultaneous transmission and reception at the same frequency, but no one has yet been able to build tiny nanoscale ICs with this capability.
“Our work is the first to demonstrate an IC that can receive and transmit simultaneously,†he says. “Doing this in an IC is critical if we are to have widespread impact and bring this functionality to handheld devices such as cellular handsets, mobile devices such as tablets for WiFi, and in cellular and WiFi base stations to support full duplex communications.â€
The biggest challenge the team faced with full duplex was canceling the transmitter's echo. Imagine that you are trying to listen to someone whisper from far away while at the same time someone else is yelling while standing next to you. If you can cancel the echo of the person yelling, you can hear the other person whispering.
“If everyone could do this, everyone could talk and listen at the same time, and conversations would take half the amount of time and resources as they take right now,†explains Jin Zhou, Krishnaswamy’s PhD student and the paper’s lead author. “Transmitter echo or ‘self-interference’ cancellation has been a fundamental challenge, especially when performed in a tiny nanoscale IC, and we have found a way to solve that challenge.â€
Krishnaswamy and Zhou plan next to test a number of full-duplex nodes to understand what the gains are at the network level. “We are working closely with Electrical Engineering Associate Professor Gil Zussman and his PhD student Jelena Marasevic, who are network theory experts here at Columbia Engineering,†Krishnaswamy adds. “It will be very exciting if we are indeed able to deliver the promised performance gains.â€
This work was funded by the DARPA RF-FPGA program
Thankyou to columbia.edu for the tireless research, this really is an exciting invention, the possibilities if this can be brought to our industry are unbelievable.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Bill Would Allow Coloradans To Use 1 Earphone Behind The Wheel
Cellphone makers have come up with lots of devices that make it easier to drive with both hands on the wheel while using their technology, but in Colorado one common setup for going hands-free is illegal.
Using earphones while driving is illegal in the state, even if only one ear has an earbud in it or the headphones have audio coming out of only one side.
Rep. Jovan Melton, a Democrat who represents Aurora, says that’s a problem.
“I definitely understand and respect that they’re following the letter of the law, but people shouldn’t be punished for trying to drive safely by keeping both hands on the wheel,†he said.
Melton says Denver police has written 172 tickets in the past three years for people wearing earphones or a single earbud.
“It’s important that we clean this piece of the statute up,†he said. “Allow people to drive safely without having to worry about being fined or ticketed or pulled over for wanting to do the right thing.â€
This is illegal in the US, and is also illegal here in the UK, it's not common to see drivers in the UK doing this. But the worrying rise in touchscreens in cars could increase the chances of more accidents.
Melton is carrying a bill that would allow motorists to use one earphone or earbud while driving.
“A lot of the earbuds that you get with your phone will come with two for music listening, but we wanted to make sure that you are only using one earbud so you can still hear emergency vehicles,†he said.
Melton’s bill doesn’t require hands-free devices like earphones when talking on the phone behind the wheel. Melton tried and failed to get such legislature approved last year. But he says he’s not giving up.
“I think if we can get this passed it’s just one more step in that conversation which will hopefully lead to a successful (hands-free) bill next year,†he said.
The one earbud bill has passed in the House of Representatives and it was approved unanimously in a Senate committee on Thursday. It now moves on to the full Senate.
Colorado has several laws currently on the books related to distracted driving:
â€" It is illegal to text and drive
â€" If you are under 18, you can’t text or talk on the phone
â€" You cannot have a TV or computer that shows entertainment, social media or email in a position in the vehicle where the driver can see it.
Source -Â http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/03/05/bill-would-allow-coloradans-to-use-1-earphone-behind-the-wheel/
Using earphones while driving is illegal in the state, even if only one ear has an earbud in it or the headphones have audio coming out of only one side.
Rep. Jovan Melton, a Democrat who represents Aurora, says that’s a problem.
“I definitely understand and respect that they’re following the letter of the law, but people shouldn’t be punished for trying to drive safely by keeping both hands on the wheel,†he said.
Melton says Denver police has written 172 tickets in the past three years for people wearing earphones or a single earbud.
“It’s important that we clean this piece of the statute up,†he said. “Allow people to drive safely without having to worry about being fined or ticketed or pulled over for wanting to do the right thing.â€
This is illegal in the US, and is also illegal here in the UK, it's not common to see drivers in the UK doing this. But the worrying rise in touchscreens in cars could increase the chances of more accidents.
Melton is carrying a bill that would allow motorists to use one earphone or earbud while driving.
“A lot of the earbuds that you get with your phone will come with two for music listening, but we wanted to make sure that you are only using one earbud so you can still hear emergency vehicles,†he said.
Melton’s bill doesn’t require hands-free devices like earphones when talking on the phone behind the wheel. Melton tried and failed to get such legislature approved last year. But he says he’s not giving up.
“I think if we can get this passed it’s just one more step in that conversation which will hopefully lead to a successful (hands-free) bill next year,†he said.
The one earbud bill has passed in the House of Representatives and it was approved unanimously in a Senate committee on Thursday. It now moves on to the full Senate.
Colorado has several laws currently on the books related to distracted driving:
â€" It is illegal to text and drive
â€" If you are under 18, you can’t text or talk on the phone
â€" You cannot have a TV or computer that shows entertainment, social media or email in a position in the vehicle where the driver can see it.
Source -Â http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/03/05/bill-would-allow-coloradans-to-use-1-earphone-behind-the-wheel/
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones * Top A Few Products Reviewed
The most popular reason why people choose to go wireless with their headphones is mainly for working out. The Motorola Rokr S9 HD positions themselves in the Bluetooth marketplace just for that purpose. It has superb audio quality with a sports design in mind when it was engineered. It is lightweight and has a neckband that connects the different types of earpiece to fit behind the head. The price for this headset will go for under $100.
That said, if you have a lot of equipment that you absolutely must lug around with you, you know it's impossible to recharge everything at the same time with one, maybe two outlets. The power strip is great because you can recharge your laptop, iPhone, camera battery and communication equipment all at once. Start charging when you return to your room and by the time you've unpacked your souvenirs, relaxed for a half hour, showered and dressed for dinner, everything will be ready to go.
The bundles usually have a series of games which can be played by almost everybody. After this you need to check the types of earpiece which is wireless. With the help of this device you can even play the games online.
Bluetooth technology radio earpiece may fail because it is wireless and the transmitter or the receiver may become faulty. However, the reliability of cell phone speakers is guaranteed because the only time they will not work is when your phone is not working. An advantage common to both Bluetooth technology and cell phone speakers is that not much is attached on the interior. This reduces the risk of vandalism by people after your gadgets. Another advantage that is common to both Bluetooth technology and communicating through cell phone speakers is that both are low power wireless technologies. This means you do not need an external source of power - the power of the phone output is enough.
Electric power strip. First, make sure that the ship allows this in your cabin. If they do, never leave it unattended and unplug it when not in use. Make sure it has an automatic reset switch. Fire is the worst hazard aboard a ship.
Tony Bownes is an Electrical Engineering major at Christian Brothers University and in his free time, he nearly ruins BlackBerry skins to fit his phone.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Veteran Stage, Screen and Star Trek Actor Leonard Nimoy Passes Away, Aged 83
Veteran actor and director Leonard Nimoy has passed away aged 83.
The actor, who was best known for his portrayal of the half-Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock from the Star Trek franchise, was also notable for directing two of the Star Trek movies (the third and fourth instalments, respectively), as well as the popular 1987 comedy Three Men And A Baby.
Tributes to this iconic TV and film personality have flooded in from all angles, from Canadians defacing their $5 banknotes by ‘Spocking’ them, to a unique and exceptionally touching tribute from astronaut Terry W. Virts, who took a photo of a Vulcan salute given whilst aboard the International Space Station, just as the vessel passed over the actor’s home town of Boston, Massachusetts.
Further tributes from Nimoy's colleagues in the arts and entertainment industries, and elsewhere, have been touching and, at times, surprising.
Long time co-star William Shatner (who portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series, as well as 7 of the related feature films), said of Nimoy "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love." George Takei, also a Star Trek co-star, called him not only an “extraordinarily talented man†but also noted that he was “a very decent Human beingâ€.
US President Barack “I loved Spock†Obama said of Nimoy that he was, "a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time." Such an admirer of Nimoy's was the US President, that when they met in 2007, Obama actually greeted him with a Vulcan salute.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, praised Nimoy for making “the journey into the final frontier accessible to us allâ€.
Fellow sci-fi Actor Christopher Judge, whose film credits include The Dark Knight Rises, but who is most famous for his portrayal of Teal'C in TV's 'Stargate SG-1' Tweeted, “RIP Mr Nimoy. I hope my eyebrow made you proud. It was a ten year homage to you sir. You are my hero. Indeedâ€
The flood of tributes directed at Nimoy's passing not only reflect his status as an icon of television and film, but also his generosity of spirit.
In 2014, actor Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekhov in Star Trek, revealed that Nimoy had personally appealed to the show's producers to have African American actress Nichelle Nichols' pay raised to equal that of co-stars Koenig and George Takei, which they then did. Nimoy also refused to voice the character of Mr. Spock in Star Trek: The Animated Series unless the producers first hired Nichols and Takei, who had not been cast at that time. For this, and many other acts of kindness on set, 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry was known to refer to Nimoy as “the conscience of Star Trekâ€.
Speaking following her long-time colleague's death, Nichols, 82, said, “His vision and heart are bigger than the universe. I will miss him very much and send heartfelt wishes to his family."
Away from Star Trek, Nimoy was also notable for his occasional TV appearances in The Simpsons and Futurama, as well as his hosting of paranormal series In Search Of... and his recurring role in Mission: Impossible.
Nimoy also appeared in small parts, or Guest Star slots in iconic US shows such as Dragnet, Wagon Train (which is ironic, as Trek creator Gene Roddenberry originally pitched his show as Wagon Train to the stars!), Bonanza, Columbo Rawhide, The Man From U.N.C.L.E and, more recently, Big Bang Theory.
Other fan-favourite credits include his voicing of the character Galvatron in the cult 1986 animated feature Transformers: The Movie and his performance in 1978's critically-acclaimed Invasion of the Body Snatchers re-make.
Early in his career, Nimoy also enjoyed a small role in the 1954 science fiction movie Them! which has since come to be viewed as a classic creature feature.
Leonard Nimoy was also a noted stage actor, appearing in plays such as The Fiddler On The Roof, an adaptation of Ken Keseys novel One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest (in which he played McMurphy), Sherlock Holmes, The King And I, My Fair Lady, Equus and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
He also wrote, directed and starred in Vincent, a play based on the life of Vincent Van Gogh, which he later published in book form.
Away from acting completely, Nimoy was a qualified pilot, a published photographer and sometime musician. He could also read and speak fluent Yiddish. He was also active in several charitable organisations, including the American Cancer Society, the American Foundation For Equal Rights and most famously, the Nimoy Foundation, which was created to “encourage, recognise and support the work of artists†by granting money to aspiring creators.
Nimoy, also a successful author who published a two-volume autobiography beginning with I Am Not Spock and ending with I Am Spock, was also known as a poet, publishing several volumes throughout his later life, some of which also included his photography.
It is fitting, then, that Leonard Nimoy's final words to his many fans were warm and poetic. Just a few days before he died, Leonard left this message on his Twitter page, “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.â€
Leonard Nimoy was more than just a legendary TV and film actor; he was a sweet and noble soul. An artist, an inspiration and an ever-popular presence in any role he performed, be it as an alien explorer, a husband and father, or even a grandfather. LLAP.
The actor, who was best known for his portrayal of the half-Vulcan science officer Mr. Spock from the Star Trek franchise, was also notable for directing two of the Star Trek movies (the third and fourth instalments, respectively), as well as the popular 1987 comedy Three Men And A Baby.
Tributes to this iconic TV and film personality have flooded in from all angles, from Canadians defacing their $5 banknotes by ‘Spocking’ them, to a unique and exceptionally touching tribute from astronaut Terry W. Virts, who took a photo of a Vulcan salute given whilst aboard the International Space Station, just as the vessel passed over the actor’s home town of Boston, Massachusetts.
Further tributes from Nimoy's colleagues in the arts and entertainment industries, and elsewhere, have been touching and, at times, surprising.
Long time co-star William Shatner (who portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series, as well as 7 of the related feature films), said of Nimoy "I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love." George Takei, also a Star Trek co-star, called him not only an “extraordinarily talented man†but also noted that he was “a very decent Human beingâ€.
US President Barack “I loved Spock†Obama said of Nimoy that he was, "a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time." Such an admirer of Nimoy's was the US President, that when they met in 2007, Obama actually greeted him with a Vulcan salute.
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, praised Nimoy for making “the journey into the final frontier accessible to us allâ€.
Fellow sci-fi Actor Christopher Judge, whose film credits include The Dark Knight Rises, but who is most famous for his portrayal of Teal'C in TV's 'Stargate SG-1' Tweeted, “RIP Mr Nimoy. I hope my eyebrow made you proud. It was a ten year homage to you sir. You are my hero. Indeedâ€
The flood of tributes directed at Nimoy's passing not only reflect his status as an icon of television and film, but also his generosity of spirit.
In 2014, actor Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekhov in Star Trek, revealed that Nimoy had personally appealed to the show's producers to have African American actress Nichelle Nichols' pay raised to equal that of co-stars Koenig and George Takei, which they then did. Nimoy also refused to voice the character of Mr. Spock in Star Trek: The Animated Series unless the producers first hired Nichols and Takei, who had not been cast at that time. For this, and many other acts of kindness on set, 'Star Trek' creator Gene Roddenberry was known to refer to Nimoy as “the conscience of Star Trekâ€.
Speaking following her long-time colleague's death, Nichols, 82, said, “His vision and heart are bigger than the universe. I will miss him very much and send heartfelt wishes to his family."
Away from Star Trek, Nimoy was also notable for his occasional TV appearances in The Simpsons and Futurama, as well as his hosting of paranormal series In Search Of... and his recurring role in Mission: Impossible.
Nimoy also appeared in small parts, or Guest Star slots in iconic US shows such as Dragnet, Wagon Train (which is ironic, as Trek creator Gene Roddenberry originally pitched his show as Wagon Train to the stars!), Bonanza, Columbo Rawhide, The Man From U.N.C.L.E and, more recently, Big Bang Theory.
Other fan-favourite credits include his voicing of the character Galvatron in the cult 1986 animated feature Transformers: The Movie and his performance in 1978's critically-acclaimed Invasion of the Body Snatchers re-make.
Early in his career, Nimoy also enjoyed a small role in the 1954 science fiction movie Them! which has since come to be viewed as a classic creature feature.
Leonard Nimoy was also a noted stage actor, appearing in plays such as The Fiddler On The Roof, an adaptation of Ken Keseys novel One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest (in which he played McMurphy), Sherlock Holmes, The King And I, My Fair Lady, Equus and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
He also wrote, directed and starred in Vincent, a play based on the life of Vincent Van Gogh, which he later published in book form.
Away from acting completely, Nimoy was a qualified pilot, a published photographer and sometime musician. He could also read and speak fluent Yiddish. He was also active in several charitable organisations, including the American Cancer Society, the American Foundation For Equal Rights and most famously, the Nimoy Foundation, which was created to “encourage, recognise and support the work of artists†by granting money to aspiring creators.
Nimoy, also a successful author who published a two-volume autobiography beginning with I Am Not Spock and ending with I Am Spock, was also known as a poet, publishing several volumes throughout his later life, some of which also included his photography.
It is fitting, then, that Leonard Nimoy's final words to his many fans were warm and poetic. Just a few days before he died, Leonard left this message on his Twitter page, “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP.â€
Leonard Nimoy was more than just a legendary TV and film actor; he was a sweet and noble soul. An artist, an inspiration and an ever-popular presence in any role he performed, be it as an alien explorer, a husband and father, or even a grandfather. LLAP.
Monday, May 5, 2014
We Have a Look at the Latest Xbox bundle
The Xbox One Kinect is an incredible thing. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve wanted to fight the in-game characters one-on-one instead of relying on moves and combos.
“If I didn’t have to rely on these buttons so damn much” I frequently grumble, “I’d grab that monster and kick it in myself!”
For example: the fat bloke from Pokemon. In every single version of that game, there’s some fat chug blocking your way until you’ve done something he wants you to do. If some fat fool did that here in the real world, your average gamer would simply not stand for it. I’m not an especially violent person, but I have things to do, y’know?
Maybe that’s how Team Rocket and that lot get started? Perhaps they grew tired of the many, many road blocks in their path, rocks that turn out to be Geodudes, Bug Catchers and Snorlax after sodding Snorlax, maybe one day they just had enough. They are cat lovers after all and cat lovers can’t be bad people, can they?
Well, with the Kinect, your body is the controller. When you’re boxing or fighting, its your own fist you’re swinging, when you’re running, its your own legs you’re pumping. Now, the Xbox one with kinect bundle is putting all of these great things in one place, making it easier than ever to get playing the greatest gaming innovation since Sonic 2 allowed you to push down and ‘B’ in order to get up hills without running all the way back where you came from.
Yes, you read that right, the Xbox one with kinect bundle represents the future of gaming. You can, at last, take matters into your own hands. Finally you can play a game without having to rely on buttons, sticks, gizmos or combos, you can play an organic and natural feeling game and also get in a bit of a workout, even if it does make you look like kind of a d*ck (our advice is to close the curtains first). Yep, the future is here and its Kinect-shaped…I know what you geeks are thinking, because I’m thinking it too, we’re one step closer to the invention of the Holodeck…Yay!
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