amayaku

THE VIRGINITY HIT (2010)

2011-01-08T06:33:00.000-08:00

Four guys with a video camera and too much free time who tell the tale of one of their own and his quest to lose his virginity. Matt’s the only one of the four who hasn’t gone all the way – he was going to do it with his girlfriend on their two-year anniversary, until he found out she cheated on him and called it off. Now he’s got some unfinished business and it becomes more important than ever for Matt to do the deed. His friends want to see him close the deal and lead him on a journey through friends with benefits, internet hookups, and even adult film stars – recording it all for the web.

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KILL SPEED (2010)

2011-01-08T06:09:00.000-08:00

Kill Speed is a high-octane, youth-oriented, Top Gun meets Fast & Furious tale about best friends who fly home-built, high-tech planes to deliver Mexican-manufactured, crystal-meth throughout rural California in order to fund their Hollywood lifestyle until their group is infiltrated by a beautiful, young woman who is not what she pretends to be.

LINK MOVIE - (Password : mediafire4u.com)

- Part 1 : http://adf.ly/FDlP

- Part 2 : http://www.mediafire.com/?n9dkp4r8o98i9fg

- Part 3 : http://adf.ly/FDlX

- Part 4 : http://www.mediafire.com/?rvr52qrf45z6zr7

DEATH RACE 2 (2010)

2011-01-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

Death Race 2 takes place in the very near future, as the United States economy begins to decline and violent crime starts to spiral out of control. To contain the growing criminal population, a vast network of for-profit, private prisons springs up, creating a lawless subculture ruled by gangs, cold-blooded killers and sociopaths. The worst of these prisons is Terminal Island. Convicted cop-killer Carl Lucas arrives on the Island to serve his life sentence just as ruthlessly ambitious television personality September Jones launches the ultimate reality show, Death Race. A brutal prison yard demolition derby that pits prisoners against each other in steel reinforced, heavily armed vehicles, Death Race offers the winner the ultimate prize: freedom — if he can survive to enjoy it. When Lucas signs up to be a driver, the stage is set for the birth of a legendary racer.

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- Part 1 - Part 2
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ALICE IN WONDERLAND

2010-04-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) is the daughter of Charles Kingsleigh (Marton Csokas), a wealthy man who planned to find profitable shipping routes through the world in the 19th century. When she tells him of her adventures in Wonderland (later to be revealed as 'Underland'), he declares her mad, but that all the best people are. However, many years afterward, Charles has passed away, and Alice misses his playful attitude.

Now feeling trapped in a world of proper etiquette for one such as herself, Alice is taken to a garden party, where it is hoped that she will accept a marriage proposal from Hamish (Leo Bill), the son of one of her father's business partners. However, Alice soon grows distracted seeing a rabbit with a waistcoat nearby, and rushes after the strange creature.

Following it, she finds her way to the trunk of an old tree some ways off, and falls down a hole. The hole leads her to a strange room, of which she finds a key, as well as a drink that makes her smaller, and a cake that increases her size. After getting the key and shrinking down to use a small door, she soon finds herself in an enormous garden area.

Soon after, she comes across the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), as well as the Dormouse (Barbara Windsor), a Dodo bird (Michael Gough), and the Tweedles (Matt Lucas). The White Rabbit explains that is sure he has found the right Alice this time, while the Dormouse believes he is mistaken. Alice explains that her name is Alice, but feels they are looking for another "Alice." They take her to Abosolom the Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), who consults a scroll, which contains details regarding the history of Wonderland, from it's birth onward. The scroll claims that on the Frabjous Day, Alice will return to slay the Jabberwocky. Alice sees this, and adamants that she is not the person in the scroll, when a commotion breaks out, and the Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover) appears, along with some red-carded soldiers and a creature called a Bandersnatch. Everyone scatters, as the Knave takes the scroll, and captures the Dodo bird. Alice, when confronted with the Bandersnatch, stands her ground, convinced that it is just a dream. However, the creature scratches her, and Alice takes off running, but not before the Dormouse plucks out one of the creature's eyes.

Some ways off, Alice encounters the Tweedles again, who attempt to help her, but are soon captured by a giant bird that takes them to the Red Queen's castle. At the castle, the Knave of Hearts informs the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) about the scroll, and the prophecy of Alice killing the Jabberwocky (of which she possesses). The Red Queen orders Alice to be found, and the Knave utilizes a bloodhound named Bayard (Timothy Spall) to track her down, promising freedom for Bayard's wife and pups (a lie, meant as a way to get the dog to help the Red Queen).

Meanwhile, Alice encounters the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), who leads her to the Mad Hatter's place, where she encounters the Dormouse again, as well as the March Hare (Paul Whitehouse). The Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) is pleased to see Alice, and is in rapture over the coming Frabjous day in which she will slay the Jabberwocky. Alice again insists she is not 'that Alice,' when the Knave of Hearts and Bayard close in. The Hatter stuffs Alice into a teapot, to hide her from the Knave. In secret, the Dormouse scolds the dog for bringing the Knave there, but Bayard explains why he came. He then attempts to lead the Knave off in a different direction.

After they have left, the Hatter walks Alice through the nearby woods, where they come across the burned ruins of a small village. The Hatter then explains to Alice about how in the time she was gone, the Red Queen has taken over Wonderland, banishing the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) to her own domain, and taking her vorpal sword.

As they talk, the Knave again approaches, and the Hatter places Alice on his hat, and flings it across a river, giving himself up to the Knave, who takes him to the Red Queen. Later on, Bayard finds the hat and Alice. Alice manages to convince Bayard to take her to the Red Queen's castle, to rescue the Hatter. Along with the hat, they find their way there, where Alice encounters the White Rabbit assisting with a game of croquet with the Red Queen. Alice requests to be made larger (she is still the size of a gerbil), and the rabbit gives her a cake. However, she eats too much and ends up almost 10 feet tall, disrupting the croquet game. The Queen does not recognize Alice, who says she is 'Um' from Umbridge, and wishes to help the Queen. The Queen, impressed by the size of Alice's head, declares her to be made part of her royal court.

The Hatter is brought before the Queen and Alice, and is at first intended to be beheaded. However, the Hatter manages to stall for time, by requesting that he make the Queen a hat for her enormous head. Flattered by the attention, she gives into this request. Alice soon after finds out that the vorpal sword is on the grounds of the castle, but is locked away in a chest in the quarters of the Bandersnatch. After procuring the plucked eye from the Dormouse (who has broken into the castle to free the Hatter), Alice manages to return the eye to the creature. This allows her to gain access to the sword. Alice goes to the Hatter's room, and finds the Dormouse there. However, the Knave of Hearts shows up shortly, and when the Dormouse lets slip Alice's true name, he attempts to kill her. Alice manages to escape into the courtyard, where the Bandersnatch helps her escape from the castle. Bayard also accompanies her, as they head for the White Queen's castle.

The Red Queen then orders that the Hatter and the Dormouse be executed the next day. However, the Cheshire Cat uses his trickery to take on the guise of the Hatter, and allows the Hatter, Dormouse, the White Rabbit, the Tweedles, and Bayard's family to escape. They all soon meet up at the White Queen's castle, where the Queen has used her potions knowledge to shrink Alice to normal size.

The next day then dawns...the Frabjous day. Almost everyone is willing to take up arms for the White Queen. However, she hopes that Alice will fulfill the prophecy, but Alice rushes off to the Queen's garden, still upset over everyone pushing her into this task. It is there she encounters Absolom, cocooning himself. It is here that Absolom explains to Alice how she had been to Wonderland before, and suddenly, it all comes back to her, that what she thought originally was a dream was real. After her revelation, Alice dons the armor prepared for her by the White Queen, and takes up the vorpal sword.

Both the White Queen and the Red Queen meet on a checkerboard field. Both Queens meet first, with the White Queen asking her sister to not do battle, but the Red Queen refuses to give into the pacification of her sister's plea. The White Queen brings forth Alice as their 'champion,' as the Red Queen' summons the Jabberwocky. As Alice faces off with the creature, the rest of the armies go to war. Alice plays a mind-game with herself, talking of 6 impossible things, as it is claimed her father would do before breakfast. In her mind-game, she manages to find the strength to slay the Jabberwocky. The Red Queen demands that her subjects kill Alice, but as the White Queen's champion has slayed that of the Red Queen, the Red Queen's subjects will no longer follow her commands.

The White Queen orders the Red Queen banished to the Outlands, for the crimes that she has committed (due to a the White Queen's vow not to harm a living creature, she will not kill her sister), with noone to offer her sympathy. The Knave of Hearts is also chained to her, as punishment as well. However, the thought of being alone with the Queen causes him to try to kill her, before his dagger is taken from him by the Hatter.

After the Red Queen and the Knave are taken away, the White Queen's army rejoices, with the Hatter doing a Fudderwupping dance, much to the delight of everyone. The White Queen then collects some of the Jabberwocky's blood, and gives it to Alice. The blood of the Jabberwocky allows Alice to return to her world, and she returns to the Garden Party.

Alice then explains to Hamish that she cannot accept his proposal, as well as speaks her mind to a number of different relatives and acquaintances. Her forthright attitude catches the eye of Hamish's father, and soon, the two discuss plans to expand the shipping routes to China, a land that has not yet been opened to the west.

Alice is then made an apprentice to the company, and sets off with a crew to open the shipping route to China, aboard a ship titled "Wonder". The last thing shown is a bright blue butterfly, none other than Abosolom.

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FROM PARIS WITH LOVE

2010-04-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

A low-ranking intelligence operative (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) working in the office of the U.S. Ambassador in France takes on more than he bargained for when he partners with a wisecracking, fast-shooting, high-ranking U.S. agent (John Travolta) who’s been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack.
Cast: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Kasia Smutniak, Richard Durden, Bing Yin
Director: Pierre Morel
Genres: Action Thriller, Action, Odd Couple Film

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BROOKLYN'S FINEST

2010-04-22T04:55:00.000-07:00

Training Day director Antoine Fuqua takes viewers on a dark ride through the streets of Brooklyn, following three New York Police officers as they wrestle with temptation, loyalty, and duty while attempting to uphold the law and deal with the pressures of the job. Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere) is days away from retirement, but he's been burnt-out for years. Unable to remember why he signed up for the job in the first place, all Eddie can think about is retreating to his fishing cabin in Connecticut, and forgetting the horrors that he's seen during his decades on the job. At the same time, undercover narcotics cop Clarence "Tango" Butler (Don Cheadle) is right in the thick of it. As hard as he tries to quit, however, his superiors always find a way of keeping him on the job. Much like Dugan, he's lost sight of his priorities, and these days Tango's loyalties seem to lie more with notorious inner-city drug dealer Caz (Wesley Snipes) than with the boys in blue. And Tango isn't the only cop who's being drawn to the dark side of the law; narcotics officer Sal Procida's (Ethan Hawke) wife is currently pregnant with twins, and he's barely making enough to keep his family afloat. When Sal learns that his wife is at risk of losing their unborn children, desperation drives him to consider unethical means of ensuring financial stability. In seven days, the lives of all three officers will converge at one crime scene as the NYPD attempts to clean up the BK projects, the epicenter of lawlessness in the highest-crime precinct.

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COP OUT

2010-04-22T04:46:00.000-07:00

Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan team up for the Warner Bros. police buddy movie Cop Out in this Kevin Smith-directed production. From a script by Robb and Mark Cullen, the story centers around police detectives Jimmy (Willis), a no-B.S. divorced dad, and Paul (Morgan), a crazy-talking loose cannon. Despite nine years as partners, the two lawmen can still sometimes seem like polar opposites -- especially when Paul's unpredictable antics get them suspended without pay. Already strapped for cash and trying to pay for his daughter's wedding, Jimmy decides to sell a rare baseball card that's worth tens of thousands. Unfortunately, when the collector's shop is robbed and the card vanishes with the crook, Paul and Jimmy end up going rogue, tracking down the card and the drug ring behind its theft, all on their own time, and without any backup -- except for each other.

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CLASH OF THE TITANS

2010-04-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

The gods of Ancient Greece were immortal. Endowed with supernatural powers, the breathed the rareified air of Mount Olympus, lived on ambrosia and nectar and were worshipped by the mere mortals who dwelt on the plains below and built temples to their honor.

Love and charity were not necessary part of the lives of these super-beings-they frequently betrayed their god-like attributes. Benevolent, vengeful contrary and bawdy, they quarreled and fought for power and pursued selfish aims, In fact, they were almost human.

Persius, son of Zeus, could be considered an immaculate start to any man's life, but not when your father's philandering has upset a fistful of gods as powerful as Hera, Athene, Thetis and Aphrodite. Persius was to experience the vagaries of the humor and temper of the gods.

CLASH OF THE TITANS tells of Persius' battles to win the hand of beautiful Andromeda. The gods look down and help or hinder according to their whims, as Persius, aided by Pegasus, the winged horse, and Bubo, an owl of uncommon talent, overcomes the three Stygian witches with one eye between them, a monstrous two-headed wolf/dog, Dioskilos; Medusa of the Gorgon's head; and ultimately the terrifying Kraken, a giant monster raised from its primeval home on the sea-bed to bring destruction.

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(password part 1 & part 4 : np90.blogspot.com )

LITTLE BIG SOLDIER

2010-04-06T06:07:00.000-07:00

It was the darkest times in China, when ruthless warlords waged battles to satiate their endless aggression. Millions of lives were perished, and those who survived had only two choices - To kill or be killed.
The battalions of warring states Liang and Wei collided in a bloodbath that lasted from dawn till dusk. Only two men were left standing - A FOOT SOLDIER from Liang (Jackie Chan) and the rival GENERAL from Wei (Wang Leehom). The soldier could survive because he's an expert in playing dead, with a device strapped on his body that could protrude an arrowhead for added realism.

The Soldier captured the wounded General, hoping to use the enemy as his exit - By handing the General to the Liang warlord, the Soldier could be honorably discharged and returned home to his peaceful life. The young General, though taken captive, was always condescending towards the Soldier. The two men were often at loggerheads during the long and winding journey.

Along the way, they encountered a mesmerizing but scheming songstress, who drugged the duo and stole the General's jade medallion, the only evidence of General's identity. In the course of pursuit, they became entangled with a cohort of refugees who robbed all their food and water. To make their life even more complicated, they were stalked by a ferocious bear. The odd couple was forced to collaborate in order to survive one crisis after another.

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THE FOURTH KIND

2010-04-06T06:01:00.000-07:00

In 1972, a scale of measurement was established for alien encounters. When a UFO is sighted, it is called an encounter of the first kind. When evidence is collected, it is known as an encounter of the second kind. When contact is made with extraterrestrials, it is the third kind. The next level, abduction, is the fourth kind. This encounter has been the most difficult to document...until now.

Structured unlike any film before it, The Fourth Kind is a provocative thriller set in modern-day Nome, Alaska, where—mysteriously since the 1960s—a disproportionate number of the population has been reported missing every year. Despite multiple FBI investigations of the region, the truth has never been discovered.

Here in this remote region, psychologist Dr. Abigail Tyler (Milla Jovovich) began videotaping sessions with traumatized patients and unwittingly discovered some of the most disturbing evidence of alien abduction ever documented.

Using never-before-seen archival footage that is integrated into the film, "The Fourth Kind" exposes the terrified revelations of multiple witnesses. Their accounts of being visited by alien figures all share disturbingly identical details, the validity of which is investigated throughout the film.

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BROTHERS

2010-04-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

BROTHERS tells the powerful story of two siblings, thirty-something Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) and younger brother Tommy Cahill (Jake Gyllenhaal), who are polar opposites. A Marine about to embark on his fourth tour of duty, Sam is a steadfast family man married to his high school sweetheart, the aptly named Grace (Natalie Portman), with whom he has two young daughters. Tommy, his charismatic younger brother, is a drifter just out of jail who’s always gotten by on wit and charm. When his Black Hawk helicopter is shot down in the mountains Sam is presumed dead and the Cahill family suddenly faces a shocking void. Tommy tries to fill in for his brother by assuming newfound responsibility for himself, Grace, and the children. In the grief and strangeness of their new lives, Grace and Tommy are naturally drawn together. Their longstanding frostiness dissolves, but both are frightened and ashamed of the mutual attraction that has replaced it.

But Sam is not dead; he and a fellow soldier have been captured by Taliban fighters. In Afghanistan’s harsh, remote Pamir Mountains, Sam is subjected to traumas that threaten to rob him of his very humanity. At the same time that Sam’s sense of self is being destroyed overseas, Tommy’s self-image is strengthening at home.

When Sam unexpectedly returns to the States, a nervous mood settles over the family. Sam, uncharacteristically withdrawn and volatile, grows suspicious of his brother and his wife. Their familiar roles now nearly reversed, Sam and Tommy end up facing the ultimate physical and mental challenge when they confront each other. In the shifting family dynamics, who will dominate? Directed by six-time Oscar® nominee Jim Sheridan (IN AMERICA, IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER), BROTHERS tells the compelling tale of how two brothers come to terms with issues of love, loyalty, and manhood—and with the woman caught between them.

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POSSESSION

2010-04-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

POSSESSION stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Jess, a woman whose life turns surreal after an automobile accident leaves both her husband Ryan (Michael Landes) and her brother-in-law Roman (Lee Pace) in a coma. Things take an even darker turn when Roman wakes believing that he is Ryan. As Jess tries to deal with these increasingly disturbing events, she also struggles with the possibility that either the spirit of her husband has returned to her or that something very sinister is at work.

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HACHIKO : A DOG STORY

2010-04-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

An American adaptation of a Japanese tale about a loyal dog named Hachiko. This very special friend would accompany his master to the train station every day and return each afternoon to greet him after work. Sadly his master departs one day, passes away and never returns to the station. Hachiko faithfully returns to the same spot at the station the very next day, and every day for the next nine years to wait for his beloved master. During his daily visits, Hachiko touches the lives of many who work near and commute through the town square. He teaches the local people love, compassion and above all unyielding loyalty. Today, a bronze statue of Hachiko sits in his waiting spot outside the Shibuya station in Japan as a permanent reminder of his devotion and love.

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GREEN ZONE

2010-04-06T05:39:00.000-07:00

Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93) re-team for their latest electrifying thriller in Green Zone, a film set in the chaotic early days of the Iraqi War when no one could be trusted and every decision could detonate unforeseen consequences.

During the U.S.-led occupation of Baghdad in 2003, Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) and his team of Army inspectors were dispatched to find weapons of mass destruction believed to be stockpiled in the Iraqi desert. Rocketing from one booby-trapped and treacherous site to the next, the men search for deadly chemical agents but stumble instead upon an elaborate cover-up that inverts the purpose of their mission.

Spun by operatives with intersecting agendas, Miller must hunt through covert and faulty intelligence hidden on foreign soil for answers that will either clear a rogue regime or escalate a war in an unstable region. And at this blistering time and in this combustible place, he will find the most elusive weapon of all is the truth.

Genre: Thriller / Drama

Starring: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan

Directed by: Paul Greengrass

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The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

2010-04-06T05:25:00.000-07:00

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary 'Imaginarium', a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick, in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick. Valentina is now rapidly approaching this 'coming of age' milestone and Dr Parnassus is desperate to protect her from her impending fate. Mr Nick arrives to collect but, always keen to make a bet, renegotiates the wager. Now the winner of Valentina will be determined by whoever seduces the first five souls. Enlisting a series of wild, comical and compelling characters in his journey, Dr Parnassus promises his daughter's hand in marriage to the man that helps him win. In this captivating, explosive and wonderfully imaginative race against time, Dr Parnassus must fight to save his daughter in a never-ending landscape of surreal obstacles - and undo the mistakes of his past once and for all...

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MOTOGP 2010 RIDERS

2010-03-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ducati Marlboro Team

27 - Casey Stoner - Australia

69 - Nicky Hayden - USA

Fiat Yamaha Team

46 - Valentino Rossi - Italy

99 - Jorge Lorenzo - Spain

Interwetten Honda MotoGP

7 - Hiroshi Aoyama - Japan

LCR Honda MotoGP

14 - Randy De Puniet - France

Monster Yamaha Tech 3

5 - Colin Edwards - USA

11 - Ben Spies - USA

Paginas Amarillas Aspar

40 - Hector Barbera - Spain

Pramac Racing Team

36 - Mika Kallio - Greece

41 - Aleix Espargaro - Spain

Repsol Honda Team

4 - Andrea Dovizioso - Italy

26 - Dani Pedrosa - Spain

Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

19 - Alvaro Bautista - Spain

65 - Loris Capirossi - Italy

San Carlo Honda Gresini

33 - Marco Melandri - Italy

58 - Marco Simoncelli - Italy

MotoGP 2010 Race Schedule click here

MOTOGP 2010 RACE SCHEDULE

2010-03-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

The provisional 2010 Grand Prix schedule for the FIM MotoGP World Championship is as follows:

Date - Grand Prix - Circuit:
11 April - Qatar* - Losail
25 April - Japan - Motegi
2 May - Spain - Jerez
16 May - France - Le Mans
30 May - Italy - Mugello
6 June - Great Britain - Silverstone
26 June - Netherlands** - Assen
4 July - Catalunya - Catalunya
18 July - Germany - Sachsenring
25 July - United States*** - Laguna Seca
15 August - Czech Republic - Brno
29 August - Indianapolis - Indianapolis
12 September - San Marino & Riviera di Rimini - Misano
19 September - Hungary - Balatonring
10 October - Malaysia - Sepang
17 October - Australia - Phillip Island
31 October - Portugal - Estoril
7 November Valencia Ricardo Tormo-Valencia

* Evening Race
** Saturday Race
*** Only MotoGP class

World Cup 2010 Anthem - Wavin` Flag by K`Naan

2010-03-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Wooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho (2 times)

Give me freedom, give me fire

Give me reason, take me higher

See the champions, take the field now

You define us, make us feel proud

In the streets are, exaliftin

As we lose our inhabition,

Celebration its around us

Every nation, all around us

Singin forever young, singin songs underneath that sun

Lets rejoice in the beautiful game

And together at the end of the day.

WE ALL SAY!!

When I get older I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

When I get older I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

Wooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho (2 times)

Give you freedom, give you fire

Give you reason, take you higher

See the champions, take the field now

You define us, make us feel proud

In the streets are, exaliftin

Every loser in ambition

Celebration, its around us

Every nations, all around us

Singin forever young, singin songs underneath that sun

Lets rejoice in the beautiful game

And together at the end of the day

WE ALL SAY!!!

When I get older, I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

When I get older I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

Wooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho (2 times)

WE ALL SAY !!!

When I get older I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

When I get older I will be stronger

They’ll call me freedom

Just like a wavin’ flag

And then it goes back

And then it goes ...

Wooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho

And everybody will be singin it

Wooooooooooooh woooooooooohh hohoho

And we are all singin it

Download this song here

Watch the video ....

World Cup 2010 South Africa Match Schedule

2010-03-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Gurita Cikeas...Di Balik Skandal Bank Century

2009-12-30T22:56:00.000-08:00

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AED - Automated External Defibrillator

2009-08-30T23:12:00.000-07:00

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is used in cases of life threatening cardiac arrhythmias (an abnormal electrical signal in the heart) which lead to cardiac arrest. Symptoms of cardiac arrest are chest pain or loss of consciousness. The AED restores the heart's normal electrical signal, if the heart is not defibrillated in 3 minutes or less death or serious incapacitation will occur.

During sudden cardiac arrest, your brain and other vital organs are being starved of blood and oxygen which carries live saving nutrients. You can die in minutes and/or survive but sustain permanent damage to your brain and other organs. The heart's rhythm must be restored fast since every minute that passes is critical to your chance of survival and the amount of damage you sustain.

When the electrodes or pads of automated external defibrillator capable of automatic operation are attached to your chest, these electrodes can detect the heart's rhythm during cardiac arrest and automatically delivers an electric shock to get your heart beating again.

Sudden cardiac arrest happens when your heart's electrical activity is disrupted and the heartbeat gets dangerously fast (ventricular tachycardia) or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation). Your heart stops beating effectively and does not adequately pump blood because of these irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia).

A non trained bystander that acts quickly and calls 911 to summon emergency medical services to the scene before using the AED can then grab an “automatic operation” defibrillator with voice prompts and easily connect it to your chest to allow the AED to evaluate your heart rhythm. If your heart rhythm can be treated with an electric shock, the AED automatically sends an electrical shock to get your heart back into a normal rhythm.

Only defibrillation can restore the heart's normal rhythm and ultimately save your life although cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is important to use to keep some blood flowing to your heart and brain.

Uncorrected, these cardiac conditions (ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, asystole) rapidly lead to irreversible brain damage and death. After approximately three to five minutes, irreversible brain/tissue damage may begin to occur. For every minute that a person
in cardiac arrest goes without being successfully treated (by defibrillation), the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent

Requirements for Use
AEDs are designed to be used by laypersons who ideally should have received AED training. This is in contrast to more sophisticated manual and semi-automatic defibrillators used by health professionals, which can act as a pacemaker if the heart rate is too slow (bradycardia) and perform other functions which require a skilled operator able to read electrocardiograms.
Bras with a metal underwire and piercings on the torso must be removed before using the AED on someone to avoid interference.

Placement and Availability
Automated external defibrillators are generally either held by trained personnel who will attend events or are public access units which can be found in places including corporate and government offices, shopping centres, airports, restaurants, casinos, hotels, sports stadiums, schools and universities, community centers, fitness centers, health clubs, workplaces and any other location where people may congregate.

The location of a public access AED should take in to account where large groups of people gather, regardless of age or activity. Children as well as adults may fall victim to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)
In many areas, emergency vehicles are likely to carry AEDs, with some ambulances carrying an AED in addition to manual defibrillators. Police or fire vehicles often carry an AED for first responder use. Some areas have dedicated community first responders, who are volunteers tasked with keeping an AED and taking it to any victims in their area. AEDs are also increasingly common on commercial airlines, cruise ships, and other transportation facilities.

An AED in airport

In order to make them highly visible, public access AEDs often are brightly colored, and are mounted in protective cases near the entrance of a building. When these protective cases are opened or the defibrillator is removed, some will sound a buzzer to alert nearby staff to their removal, though this does not necessarily summon emergency services; trained AED operators should know to phone for an ambulance when sending for or using an AED. In September 2008, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation issued a 'universal AED sign' to be adopted throughout the world to indicate the presence of an AED, and this is shown at the top of this page.

A trend that is developing is the purchase of AEDs to be used in the home, particularly by those with known existing heart conditions. The number of devices in the community has grown as prices have fallen to affordable levels. There has been some concern among medical professionals that these home users do not necessarily have appropriate training, and many advocate the more widespread use of community responders, who can be appropriately trained and managed.

Typically, an AED kit will contain a face shield for providing a barrier between patient and first aider during rescue breathing; a pair of nitrile rubber gloves; a pair of trauma shears for cutting through a patient's clothing to expose the chest; a small towel for wiping away any moisture on the chest, and a razor for shaving those with very hairy chests.

Preparation for operation
Most manufacturers recommend checking the AED before every period of duty or on a regular basis for fixed units. Some units need to be switched on in order to perform a self check; other models have a self check system built in with a visible indicator.All manufacturers mark their pads with an expiry date, and it is important to ensure that the pads are in date. This is usually marked on the outside of the pads. Some models are designed to make this date visible through a 'window', although others will require the opening of the case to find the date stamp.

Mechanism of operation
The rhythms that the AED will treat are usually limited to:
1. Pulseless Ventricular tachycardia (shortened to VT or V-Tach)
2. Ventricular fibrillation (shortened to VF or V-Fib)

In each of these two types of shockable cardiac arrhythmia, the heart is active, but in a life-threatening, dysfunctional pattern. In ventricular tachycardia, the heart beats too fast to effectively pump blood. Ultimately, ventricular tachycardia leads to ventricular fibrillation. In ventricular fibrillation, the electrical activity of the heart becomes chaotic, preventing the ventricle from effectively pumping blood. The fibrillation in the heart decreases over time, and will eventually reach asystole.

AEDs, like all defibrillators, are not designed to shock asystole ('flat line' patterns) as this will not have a positive clinical outcome. The asystolic patient only has a chance of survival if, through a combination of CPR and cardiac stimulant drugs, one of the shockable rhythms can be established, which makes it imperative for CPR to be carried out prior to the arrival of a defibrillator.

An AED is external because the operator applies the electrode pads to the bare chest of the victim, as opposed to internal defibrillators, which have electrodes surgically implanted inside the body of a patient. Automatic refers to the unit's ability to autonomously analyse the patient's condition, and to assist this, the vast majority of units have spoken prompts, and some may also have visual displays to instruct the user. When turned on or opened, the AED will instruct the user to connect the electrodes (pads) to the patient. Once the pads are attached, everyone should avoid touching the patient so as to avoid false readings by the unit. The pads allow the AED to examine the electrical output from the heart and determine if the patient is in a shockable rhythm (either ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia). If the device determines that a shock is warranted, it will use the battery to charge its internal capacitor in preparation to deliver the shock. This system is not only safer (charging only when required), but also allows for a faster delivery of the electrical current.
When charged, the device instructs the user to ensure no one is touching the victim and then to press a button to deliver the shock; human intervention is usually required to deliver the shock to the patient in order to avoid the possibility of accidental injury to another person (which can result from a responder or bystander touching the patient at the time of the shock). Depending on the manufacturer and particular model, after the shock is delivered most devices will analyze the victim and either instruct that CPR be given, or administer another shock.

Many AED units have an 'event memory' which store the ECG of the patient along with details of the time the unit was activated and the number and strength of any shocks delivered. Some units also have voice recording abilities[citation needed] to monitor the actions taken by the personnel in order to ascertain if these had any impact on the survival outcome. All this recorded data can be either downloaded to a computer or printed out so that the providing organisation or responsible body is able to see the effectiveness of both CPR and defibrillation.

AEDs available to the public may be semi-automatic or fully automatic. Fully automatic units are likely to have few buttons, often activating as soon as the case is opened, and possibly just one button to shock, or in some cases this will be performed automatically. The user has no input in the operation of the unit apart from attaching the pads and following the prompts. Health care professionals and other trained responders may use a semi-automatic defibrillator, which is likely to have an ECG readout display, and the possibility to override the rhythm analysis software. This allows trained personnel to provide a higher level of care.

The first commercially available AEDs were all of a monophasic type, which gave a high-energy shock, up to 360 to 400 joules depending on the model. This caused increased cardiac injury and in some cases second and third-degree burns around the shock pad sites. Newer AEDs (manufactured after late 2003) have tended to utilise biphasic algorithms which give two sequential lower-energy shocks of 120 - 200 joules, with each shock moving in an opposite polarity between the pads. This lower-energy waveform has proven more effective in clinical tests, as well as offering a reduced rate of complications and reduced recovery time.

Simplicity of use
Unlike regular defibrillators, an automated external defibrillator requires minimal training to use. It automatically diagnoses the heart rhythm and determines if a shock is needed. Automatic models will administer the shock without the user's command. Semi-automatic models will tell the user that a shock is needed, but the user must tell the machine to do so, usually by pressing a button. In most circumstances, the user cannot override a "no shock" advisory by an AED. Some AEDs may be used on children - those under 55 lbs (25 kg) in weight or under age 8. If a particular model of AED is approved for pediatric use, all that is required is the use of more appropriate pads. Some organizations, such as the American Heart Association, recommend that if pediatric AED pads are not available, adult pads should be used to determine if the child is in a shockable rhythm. There is insufficient evidence to suggest that a child, in a shockable cardiac arrest, can be "hurt" by an adult defibrillation energy setting.

All AEDs approved for use in the United States use an electronic voice to prompt users through each step. Because the user of an AED may be hearing impaired, many AEDs now include visual prompts as well. Most units are designed for use by non-medical operators. Their ease of use has given rise to the notion of public access defibrillation (PAD), which experts agree has the potential to be the single greatest advance in the treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest CPR.
since the invention of CPR.

Liability
Automated external defibrillators are now easy enough to use that most states in the United States include the "good faith" use of an AED by any person under the Good Samaritan laws. AEDs create little liability if used correctly; NREMT-B and many state EMT training and many CPR classes incorporate or offer AED education as a part of their program. In addition to Good Samaritan laws, Ontario, Canada also has the "Chase McEachern Act (Heart Defibrillator Civil Liability), 2007 (Bill 171 – Subsection N)", passed in June, 2007, "Good faith" protection under a Good Samaritan law means that a volunteer responder (not acting as a part of one's occupation) cannot be held civilly liable for the harm or death of a victim by providing improper or inadequate care, given that the harm or death was not intentional and the responder was acting within the limits of their training and in good faith. In the United States, Good Samaritan laws provide some protection for the use of AEDs by trained and untrained responders. which protects individuals from liability for damages that may occur from their use of an AED to save someone's life at the immediate scene of an emergency unless damages are caused by gross negligence.

First Aid Medications

2009-08-29T02:58:00.000-07:00

Acetaminophen

Common Name : Tylenol
Use : Mild pain reliever, reduces fever. Good for headaches, muscle aches, and menstrual cramps. A good alternative to aspirin if person has an aspirin allergy. Acetaminophen will not upset the stomach. It does not, reduce inflammation.
Adult Dose : 325 to 500 mg every 3–4 hours, as needed. For short-term use the total daily dose should not exceed 4,000 mg.
Precautions : Do not drink alcoholic beverages if you are taking more than an occasional 1–2 doses. Individuals with liver disease should consult their physician before using this drug. Overdose can cause permanent liver damage and death. Treatment must be initiated within hours after overdose to be effective.

Aspirin

Common Name : Aspirin, Bufferin, Bayer, Anacin
Use : Mild pain relief. Fever reduction. Anti-inflammatory.
Adult Dose : 650 mg as needed with lots of water and food if possible
Precautions : May irritate stomach, cause vomiting, abdominal pain or bleeding. Do not use if you have a history of peptic ulcers or related disorders. Can cause allergic reaction: watch for skin rashes and asthma-like symptoms. Overdose will cause dizziness and confusion. If ringing in the ears is present, discontinue immediately. Aspirin is also an anticoagulant, so it can lead to bleeding.
Drug Interactions : Aspirin may interact with Diabinase or other diabetes drugs to cause a dangerous fall in blood sugar for diabetics.
Contraindications : People with aspirin allergies, bleeding stomach ulcers, anemia, high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, gout, or hemophilia. Diabetics or people who have allergic sinusitis or asthma should contact physician prior to taking.

Tincture of Benzoin

Ingredients : Benzoin, alcohol 80%
Use : Use only as a topical solution on skin to provide a sticky surface for tape or moleskin to adhere to. Benzoin is not effected by wet or sweat. Not for internal use.
Directions for Use : Clean and dry the area. Apply a thin coating and let air dry until tacky, then apply tape or moleskin.
Precautions : Do not apply to open wounds. Do not take internally.

Diphenhydramine

Common Name: Benadryl
Use : Antihistamine, anti-allergy medication. Inactivates histamine produced by allergic reactions. Provides temporary relief of sneezing, watery and itchy eyes, and running nose due to allergies and hay fever. Also helps relieve upper respiratory allergies.
Adult Dose : 25 - 50 mg every 4-5 hours.
Precautions : May cause drowsiness. Avoid driving or hiking in dangerous terrain. Do not drink alcohol. Large doses may cause central nervous system depression or convulsions.
Contraindications : Antihistamines add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system depressants such as sedatives, tranquilizers and sleeping pills. Consult your physician before taking an antihistamine with these other drugs. Consult your physician before taking if you have asthma, glaucoma, liver disease, or difficulty in urinating due to enlargement of the prostate gland.

Epinephrine

Ingredient : Epinephrine 1:1000 solution (a synthetic form of adrenalin)
Use : This drug is used for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions that cause respiratory distress. It is a fast-acting bronchodilator that also reduces swelling in the throat to allow breathing. It also serves to constrict the capillary bed to restore the circulating blood volume. After injection, bronchodilation may occur within 5-10 minutes, with maximum effects within 20 minutes.
Adult Dose : 0.5 ml. of epinephrine solution from the syringe in the kit, injected into the muscle of the shoulder (deltoid) or thigh. Dose may be repeated in 10–15 minutes as needed. See the kit itself for attached administration instructions.
Adverse Effects : Increased heart rate, heart flutters, increased blood pressure, trembling, dizziness, anxiety, weakness, paleness, nausea, vomiting, and headache. Excessive doses cause very high blood pressure, and cardiac irregularities.
Precautions : Use according to directions attached to the kit. Epinephrine is light sensitive and should be stored in the box provided. Store at room temperature. Periodically check contents of the syringe. The solution should be clear and colorless. If it appears brown or cloudy or contains a precipitate, do not use. The effects of epinephrine may be potentiated by tricyclic antidepressants or by some antihistamines.
Contraindications : Must not be given intravenously! It must be given into the muscle only. It should not be used on individuals in shock from blood loss. Epinephrine is a powerful cardiac stimulant. Use may be contraindicated in persons with high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid disease, or heart disease.

Hydrocortisone Cream

Common Names : Cortaid, Lanacort
Use : Relieve redness, swelling, itching of skin. Use on skin rashes and irritations caused by eczema, insects, poison ivy/oak/sumac, soaps, detergents, cosmetics, genital and anal itching.
Dose : Apply cream to affected area not more than 3-4 times daily.
Precautions : External use only. Do not bandage or wrap the skin being treated unless directed to by a physician. Occlusive dressings increase the amount of medicine absorbed through the skin. Avoid contact in eyes. Do not use it for skin problems that are not listed on the package label without checking with a physician. Discontinue use after 7 days if itching is still present, and contact a physician. Do not use for external feminine itching if there is a vaginal discharge.

Ibuprofen

Common Names : Advil, Motrin
Use: Mild pain reliever, muscle relaxant, anti-inflammatory,. Good for menstrual cramps.
Adult Dose : 200 to 400 mg every 4–6 hours, as needed. Total daily non-prescription dose should not exceed 1,200 mg.
Precautions : Ibuprofen can irritate the stomach; take with food or milk. It should not be taken if there is a history of ulcers or severe indigestion. Ibuprofen can also produce gastrointestinal ulceration and bleeding. Ibuprofen also has a tendency to cause fluid retention, so care should be used in situations where fluid retention is a problem (ex. acute mountain sickness or high altitude pulmonary edema). Pregnant women should not take Ibuprofen without consultation with a physician.
Contraindications : Do not take if you are allergic to aspirin or salicylates.

Laxatives

Common Names : Ducolax
Use : Stimulant laxative for prolonged constipation, to encourage bowel movements
Dose : varies with specific preparation
Precautions : Do not take if there is abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. Discontinue if rash appears, or if there is rectal bleeding. Do not use if there is a history of kidney disease. Continued use can cause a dependence upon laxatives.
Contraindications : Do not use products with Bisacodyl if you are allergic to aspirin.

Triple Antibiotic Ointment

Common Name : Neosporin ointment
Active Ingredients : Polymyxin B sulfate, Bacitracin Zinc, Neomycin, in a white petrolatum base
Use : to prevent skin infection in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns..
Dose : apply a small amount (an amount equal to the surface area of a finger tip) on the area 1 to 3 times daily. To clear up the infection completely, use the medication for the full time of treatment (even if symptoms have disappeared).
Precautions : For external use only. Do not use in the eyes or apply over large areas of the body. There is a separate product specifically designed for use in the eye. Stop use and consult a physician if the condition persists or gets worse, or if a rash or other allergic reaction develops. Do not use this product if you are allergic to any of the active ingredients. Do not use longer than 1 week unless directed by a physician. In case of ingestion, seek professional medical care on contact the nearest poison control center.

Pepto-bismol

Use : Antacid, for upset stomach, heartburn, indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea. Neutralizes excess stomach acid and protects stomach lining. If you are having diarrhea, taking a dose before eating may help.
Dose : 2 tablets chewed or dissolved in mouth every 1/2 to 1 hour, as needed, to a maximum of 8 doses in 24 hours. Best to take an hour after meals, and every 2-3 hours thereafter.
Note : A darkened coating of the tongue or darkening of the stool may occur with use. Both conditions are harmless and temporary.
Precautions : May prevent the absorption of other drugs, so avoid taking when on other medications. Do not take more than 16 tablets in 24 hours. Do not use maximum dosage for more than 2 weeks. Consult physician prior to giving Pepto-bismol to teenagers during or after recovery from flu or chickenpox. If diarrhea is accompanied by high fever or continues more than 2 days, evacuate and contact physician.
Contraindication : Do not use this product if you are allergic to aspirin. Contact a physician prior to use if you are on anticoagulants (blood thinners), have diabetes, kidney disease, stomach ulcers, or gout.

Povidone-Iodine Solution and Ointment

Common Name : Betadine
Uses : Antiseptic (cleansing and sterilizing agent), topical antibiotic, water purification.
For cleaning and irrigation : Flush wound with povidone-iodine solution.
Mixing Solution : Mix about 1-1½ inches (2-4 centimeters) of povidone-iodine ointment with 1 liter of water (anywhere from 1:100 to 1:1000 concentration is acceptable). Allow to dissolve completely; wait 10-15 minutes. This solution can be safely stored in plastic bottles for extended periods, but may be slightly light sensitive.
For skin disinfection : Apply ointment directly to skin, or to sterile dressing to be placed over a wound.
Precautions : Individuals who are allergic to iodine. A chronic skin rash is the usual manifestation. Do not use directly in deep puncture wounds, on severe burns, and avoid contact with eyes.

Psuedoephedrine

Common Name : Sudafed
Use : Decongestant, for the common cold. Promotes sinus/nasal drainage. Relieves nasal congestion due to colds, hay fever, and upper respiratory allergies.
Doses : 60 mg tablets every 4-6 hours. Do not exceed 240 mg in 24 hours.
Adverse Effects : Acts as a mild stimulant and makes some individuals restless or jumpy, inhibiting restful sleep. Reducing dose of drug usually relieves these side effects. Taking the last dose of the day several hours before bedtime will help prevent trouble sleeping
Precautions : Do not exceed recommended dosage because at higher doses nervousness, dizziness or sleeplessness may occur. Do not take this product if you are presently taking a prescription anti-hypertensive or anti-depressant without consulting a physician first.
Contraindications: If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, or thyroid disease consult your physician before taking this drug.

Sting Relief Swabs

Common Name : Sting-Eze
Use : Local immediate sting relief for non-allergic reactions
Directions : Remove swab from packet, squeeze mini-vial between fingers, and apply using sponge end directly to sting site, spreading with your finger.
Precautions : Do not use in eyes or nose. Not for prolonged use, or use over large areas of the body. If swelling or pain persists, discontinue use.

Zinc Oxide Ointment

Use : Skin protectant (total sun block). Apply liberally to desired area (especially face).
Precautions : Do not take internally. Avoid eye contact. Do not apply to open wounds.

[source : www.princeton.edu ]

First Aid For Animal, Human, or Insect Bites

2009-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Scorpion Bites
Scorpions are lobster-like arthropods in the arachnid class (the same class as spiders), with a curling stinger at the end of their tail, and are usually found in desert areas of the Southwest and Mexico. Scorpion stings are not likely to be fatal and are easy to treat, but are more dangerous to children and the elderly. Symptoms include immediate pain or burning, minor swelling, sensitivity to touch, and a numb or tingling sensation.
The steps below should be followed for treating scorpion bites:

Wash the area with soap and water.
Use a cold pack on the area for ten minutes, repeating as necessary at ten-minute intervals.
Call the Poison Control Center for any severe symptoms.

Deadly Arizona Bark Scorpion, African King Scorpion and her sting

Tick Bites
People who live near wooded and grassy areas or who spend recreation time in these locations are most susceptible to tick bites. These tiny arachnids feed on the blood of mammals such as deer, rodents, and rabbits and are able to carry disease from animal to human. First aid for tick bites includes removing the tick immediately to avoid the bite reactions and reduce any possibility of developing one of the tick-borne infectious diseases such as Lyme disease, Colorado tick fever, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
To remove a tick:

Use a pair of flat or curved forceps or tweezers and take hold of the head of the tick as close to the skin as possible, and gently remove it without squeezing the tick.
Clean the area with soap and water and apply antihistamine or 1% hyrdrocortisone cream.

[Alert : Don’t put petroleum jelly, alcohol, or ammonia on ticks—they will make ticks bury deeper. If you live in a high-risk area and get a tick bite, always call your doctor for advice as you may need to get additional medical care including antibiotics]

Ticks, tick burrowing in skin and lyme disease bullseye rash

Spider Bites
Of the many spiders in the United States, only blackwidow spider and brown-recluse spider bites are dangerous or potentially life threatening to humans. Some species of tarantula can cause serious but not life-threatening local reactions. Identifying the type of spider that has caused the bite can often aid in the treatment and may even save the person’s life.

Symptoms of black-widow spider bites can appear one to twenty-four hours after the bite and include numbness at the bite site, dizziness, sweating, skin rash, intense muscle and chest pain and muscle spasms, severe abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, and difficulty breathing and tightness of the chest. You may also have pain at the bite site, white blisters that sometimes form painful ulcers (craters), rash, swelling and tenderness, weakness, stomach and joint pain, and fever.

Black Widow Spider and her bites

brown-recluse spider and her bites

The following steps should be taken for spider bites:

When bitten by a suspected nonpoisonous spider, wash and treat the bite site as outlined for cuts and lacerations, cover the bite with a clean dressing, and consult a doctor if any signs of infection develop.
For all black-widow or brown-recluse spider bites, call 911 or go immediately to an emergency department in order to receive treatment, and in the case of blackwidow bites to receive antivenom.
Monitor the person’s ABCs and place them in a sitting position.

Snakebites
Rattlesnakes, copperhead, cottonmouth (water moccasin), coral snake, and cobras are some of the many poisonous snakes. Symptoms of a snakebite include:

Fang marks in the skin
Bleeding
Blurred vision
Warmth and burning at the sight of the bite
Seizures
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Sweating
Fainting
Fever
Increased thirst
Loss of muscle coordination
Weakness
Nausea and vomiting
Numbness and tingling
Rapid heart rate
Severe pain at the site of the bite
Skin discoloration and swelling

A nonpoisonous snakebite will usually produce a horseshoe-shaped ring of tooth marks on the person’s skin, producing mild pain and possibly swelling. First-aid treatment of a nonpoisonous snake bite includes:

Washing the bite with soap and water
Covering the site with a sterile bandage or dressing

If you are unsure of the date of your last tetanus shot, consult with your doctor about a booster shot. Bites that begin to swell and change color are usually indicative of a poisonous snake. Take the following steps for a poisonous snakebite:

Call 911 and the Poison Control Center immediately so that antivenom can be ready when the person arrives at the emergency department.
Calm the person, limit movement, and keep the affected area below heart level to reduce circulation of venom.
Remove jewelry or other constricting items and apply a loose splint to help restrict movement.
Monitor temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, and blood pressure if you are able. Manage signs of shock

Do not bring the dead snake in unless it can be done safely, and know that snakes can bite for up to an hour after they are dead. Don’t allow the person who has been bitten to exert himself; carry him if you have to transport him. Don’t apply a tourniquet or any cold compresses to the bite. Never cut into a bite or try to suction the venom by mouth. Don’t allow any medications unless instructed by a doctor and don’t give the person any food or drink.

Insect Stings
Insect stings only produce a mild reaction in most people. Multiple stings, stings in the mouth and throat, and stings to persons with adverse allergic reactions to the venom, however, can produce anaphylactic shock and must be treated immediately. (click here for anaphylactic shock treatment)
First aid for stings includes:

Wash the sting site with soap and water.
Use a cold pack if needed to reduce swelling.
Keep the site of the sting below the person’s heart if possible.

Additionally, using calamine lotion and Benadryl (diphenhydramine hydrochloride) can relieve itching and swelling. Also a paste of baking soda and water, or uncoated aspirin, will help reduce the stinging pain and reduce inflammation.

If the person has received a bee sting:

Quickly and carefully scrape the stinger away with a knife, credit card, or fingernail without touching the sack that’s attached; this sack will still be pumping venom into the wound.
Do not use tweezers or squeeze the sack, as this may inject even more venom into the person.
Wash the site with soap and water and apply a cold pack, keeping the sting site below the level of the person’s heart if possible.

Yellow-Jacket Wasp Bee and his sting

You can use a credit card to scrape stinger out

Watch for signs of an allergic reaction that can develop up to twenty-four hours after a bee sting. If the site becomes infected, seek medical attention. In case of allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock, or sustained multiple stings, call 911 or go to an emergency department for treatment and observation. Multiple stings can produce life-threatening reactions in otherwise healthy people.

Bugs Bites
Head lice bites

They like to hide in the neck and behind the ears. If you have lice, you likely got it from sharing a hat, brush, or other item with a person who has lice. Lice are itchy, but scratching can lead to infection. In severe cases, hair may fall out. To kill lice and their eggs (called nits), use lotions, creams, or shampoos from the drug store or prescribed by your doctor. Wash clothing, bedding, and brushes to prevent the spread of lice. Check all household members, and treat everyone who has nits or lice.

head lice and the scratch infection

Flea bites
Fleas are small, wingless, agile insects that live off the blood of their host – and they don't just bite pets. They dine on people, too. Some people are very sensitive to flea bites — but scratching can cause a wound or infection. The best solution is to get rid of fleas on pets and in your home. Keep pets out of your bed and be sure to vacuum rugs daily. Spray insecticides on infested areas. Consider using a once–a–month insecticide on your pet.

Flea and their bites

Fire Ants bites

Fire ants look much like ordinary ants — and are found in most of the Southeastern states. They produce large mounds in open areas and are aggressive when disturbed. During an attack, the fire ant latches onto the skin with its jaw, then stings from its abdomen. It may inject venom many times. The fire ant sting typically causes red hive–like lesions that burn and itch. Painful pus–filled lesions can also occur. Cold packs, pain relievers, and antihistamines can help relieve the discomfort. A large number of stings may trigger a toxic or severe life–threatening allergic reaction. Get emergency care.

Fire Ant and her bites

Bedbugs bites

Their name tells the tale, as these tiny insects tend to hide in bedding. They are often found in hotels, shelters, and apartment complexes — and can hitch a ride into your home aboard luggage, pets, and boxes. Bedbugs leave itchy, red bites on the skin, usually on the arms or shoulders. More of a nuisance than a health hazard, it is possible to develop an infection from scratching. If you have an allergic skin reaction, use creams with corticosteroids and take oral antihistamines and see your doctor.

Bedbug and her bites

Puss-Caterpillars sting

The most poisonous caterpillar in the U.S., puss caterpillars, can be found in Southern states where they feed on shade trees like elm, oak, and sycamore. The poison is hidden in hollow spines among the hairs. When a puss caterpillar stings, you may get waves of intense pain, rash, fever, vomiting, and muscle cramps. Remove the broken-off spines by using cellophane tape or a commercial facial peel and call your doctor.

Puss-caterpillar and her sting

Animal Bites
Cats and dogs cause most animal bites. Cat bites can cause very deep puncture wounds and present a serious risk of infection because punctures cause bacteria to be forced deep into the skin and tissues. Dog bites also carry a risk of infection and increased incidence of damage to
affected tissues. These bites usually produce marks that have broken the skin and sometimes bleeding, depending upon the severity and location of the bites. Redness and swelling typically occur within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. For animal bites, check with a veterinarian for related health risks and have the wounds looked at by a physician. Your doctor may want to administer a tetanus shot and in some cases antibiotics. Keep the pet safe and secured in your custody until a doctor has evaluated the bite and the proper health authorities have ruled out any transmittable diseases.

For severe bites or when the injured person loses consciousness, check for airway, breathing, and circulation and begin CPR, call 911, and manage for shock until help arrives. For minor bites, take the following steps:

Wash your hands with soap and water and wash the bite under running water for at least five minutes.
Clean the bite with soap and water, saline solution, or povidone-iodine.
Stop bleeding with direct pressure and treat the bite as outlined for cuts and lacerations.
For unbroken skin, apply a cold pack.
Raise the wounded limb above the level of the person’s heart (if possible) to reduce any swelling.
Check the bite site daily for signs of infection such as increased swelling, redness, or discharge.

Large and deep puncture wounds require medical attention. Always seek medical help for bites involving the neck, face, and hands due to the risk of serious infection and/or scarring.

Human Bites
Human bites can be more dangerous than animal bites because of the high levels of bacteria and viruses contained in the human mouth. Human bites also have a high risk of infection. Even in minor wounds, infections can lead to complications such as severe joint infections. In the case of human bites, avoid putting the wound in your mouth because this adds bacteria to the wound. Take the following steps for human bites:

Use soap and water or saline to wash the wound thoroughly if the skin around the wound is not broken— never attempt to clean a wound from a human bite that is actively bleeding.
Apply an antibiotic ointment to the wound, cover with a nonstick bandage, and continue to watch the area carefully.
Seek medical attention if there is numbness or if the fingers cannot be straightened or bent.
If the skin is broken and bleeding, apply direct pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop any bleeding. Elevate the area, cover the wound with a clean or sterile dressing, and seek medical help.
Get medical attention within twenty-four hours of being bitten in order to prevent complications from any deep wounds.

Seek medical attention for any signs of infections including warmth around the wound, swelling, pain, pus discharge, or signs of tendon or nerve damage such as inability to bend or straighten a finger and loss of sensation over the fingertip.

[ source : The Everything First Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N. , www.webmd.com ]

First Aid For Allergic Reactions

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An allergic reaction is an acquired, abnormal inflammatory reaction to a substance (allergen) that is usually mild to moderate in most people. Pollens, medications, certain foods, insect stings and bites, dust mites, pet dander, perfumes, and detergents may cause an allergic reaction. Allergies are common in all age groups and reactions to allergens range in severity from mild to severe to a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Even though a person may previously have experienced no reactions or only very mild reactions to an allergen for many years, in some cases repeated exposures (sensitization) may eventually lead to a more severe reaction without warning. As you become more sensitized to an allergen, even a mild exposure may at some point trigger a potentially life-threatening reaction.

Allergies occur when your body’s defensive system, the immune system, comes into contact, by eating, touching, breathing, or injecting, with something it interprets as a foreign substance and a threat. Sometimes the immune system works to protect your body but other times it has difficulty distinguishing between the actual threats and substances that are not a threat. Those hyper-reactive systems tend to react with an inflammatory response to substances that aren’t actually harmful, such as certain foods. Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe reactions
requiring immediate medical attention. Sometimes symptoms are localized and immediate, but they can also be general (systemic) and delayed.

Allergens and modes of contact

Signs and Symptoms
Most allergic reactions are mild, and although they are normally not serious or life threatening, it’s a good idea to advise your doctor of the condition if it is new or unique to your medical history. The following are common symptoms of mild allergic reactions:

Itchy skin
Itchy, watery eyes
Itchy, runny nose with clear nasal discharge
Sneezing
Rashes and hives
Minor swelling

Mild Allergic Reactions
A localized itchy rash (contact dermatitis) can be prevented by avoiding contact with the allergen. Wash off any known allergens immediately with soap and water, keep the area clean and dry, and if needed treat with calamine lotion. For all allergy symptoms, check with your
family doctor to see whether prescription or OTC allergy medication is advised, such as antihistamines, decongestants, or a combination of both. Your doctor may tell you to treat rashes with antihistamine cream or 1% hydrocortisone cream. As always, determining what is causing
the allergic reaction and avoiding it is the best course of action.

Sinus irrigation is a method of rinsing out and irrigating the inside of your nose and the sinuses to remove any allergens. It also helps clear any areas of infection that may be forming in your nasal passages, making breathing easier, as well as moisturizing your sinuses. It’s necessary
to use a salt concentration similar to that of your body, or isotonic, to prevent nasal-tissue swelling and damage to the tissues. You can buy commercial products or you can make your own solution (½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and 1 pint warm water) and store it in the
refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use the following method of sinus irrigation for relief of nasal congestion due to allergies:

Use a soft rubber-tip bulb syringe to irrigate the nose.
Stand over a sink or in the shower with head forward, mouth open, and chin out.
Insert the tip of the bulb syringe filled with solution in the nose, stop breathing, and squeeze the solution into nose, being careful not to swallow. If you need to swallow, stop and bend your head forward and allow solution to run out of your nose.
Repeat on the other side, then blow your nose very gently, closing off one side at a time and blowing with the mouth open.

If you are bothered with allergens in the air, irrigate your sinuses twice daily at first and then every day to every third day or after activities that involve being outside among allergens. You may also use a pulsating system according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Severe Allergic Reactions
Severe allergic reactions are less common, and can be life threatening if not treated immediately. If a person is exhibiting any of the symptoms below, take them to a hospital emergency room, or call 911 for emergency transport immediately:

Flushed face, neck, chest, arms, hands, feet, or tongue
Swelling of the face, eyes, tongue, or lips
Rapid breathing
Signs of panic or anxiety
A feeling of tightness in the chest and throat
Abdominal cramping or pain
Nausea and/or vomiting
Dizziness or weakness
Pale and damp skin
Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty breathing and wheezing
Lips turning blue
Feeling faint or loss of consciousness (LOC)

Swelling of the airway during a severe allergic reaction can result in loss of oxygen to the brain and other vital organs. If someone is experiencing these symptoms, call 911 and follow emergency-response steps (CPR) as it is critical that they get immediate attention.

Anaphylactic Shock
Anaphylaxis is a sudden severe systemic (wholebody) allergic reaction that can potentially kill a person in less than fifteen minutes unless emergency measures are taken. Anaphylaxis is a constellation of symptoms including:

Difficulty breathing
Wheezing
Confusion
Abnormal breathing sounds
Weak or rapid pulse
Heart palpitations(missed beats)
Blueness of the skin(including the lipsand nail beds)
Slurred speech
Fainting
Lightheadedness
Dizziness
Hives Itching and skin redness
Anxiety
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Nasal congestion
Cough

[Doctors will prescribe an Epinephrine Auto-Injector for patients with severe allergies.If someone in your family has a prescription and is experiencing a severe allergic reaction in which the throat is constricting and breathing is becoming increasingly difficult, you need to usethe injector immediately as instructed by their doctor]

These symptoms develop rapidly in response to an allergen, often within seconds or minutes, and without proper intervention may result in anaphylactic shock including dangerously low blood pressure, respiratory arrest (the person stops breathing), and cardiac arrest
(when the heart stops beating). Try your best to remain calm. For all severe allergic
reactions, follow the steps outlined below:

Call 911 immediately.
Check for ABCs (airway, breathing, and circulation) and perform CPR.
If the person has received a bee sting, quickly and carefully scrape the stinger away with a knife, credit card, or fingernail without touching the sack that’sattached . Wash the site with soap and water and apply a cold pack, keeping the sting site below the level of the person’s heart if possible.
To prevent shock, if able to breathe easily, lay the person flat with head tilted up (do not use a pillow, as this will restrict breathing) and raise the feet eight to twelve inches. Use a blanket to keep the person warm. If the person is having difficulty breathing, place them in a sitting position and keep them calm until EMS arrive.
Do not give the person any food or drink if they are having difficulty breathing, swallowing, or if they are wheezing.

[ source : The Everything First Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N. ]

First Aids For Common In-Home Incident

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Cuts and Abrasion Wound
Cuts and abrasions of all kinds can happen every day, from scraped knees on a patio to deep cuts on fingers and hands in the kitchen and workshop. Cuts are skin wounds that involve separation of the skin and are usually caused by a sharp object like a knife or a piece of glass.

Take the following steps to care for simple cuts and abrasions:

Wash your hands with soap and water and then wash the wound under running water. For wounds that are bleeding, apply direct pressure with a sterile cloth or bandage and elevate the wound.
Apply antibiotic cream, but avoid using iodine or hydrogen-peroxide solutions, as they can cause further damage to injured tissues and may cause allergic reactions in people reactive to iodine and shellfish.
Dress the wound with a sterile gauze, preferably nonstick, bandage to protect the wound from infection and water loss until a scab forms.
Keep the area around the wound clean and change any dirty dressings promptly.

Change most dressings daily and replace dressings when any fluids soak through, to decrease any chance that the wound will dry and stick to the dressing. Cleaning open wounds can sometimes cause bleeding, which can be easily stopped with direct pressure using a sterile
gauze pad.

In the case of lacerations that are deep enough to see fatty tissue:

Pull the edges of the wound together and use butterfly closures to secure them.
Apply antiseptic or antibiotic ointment over butterfly closures, cover with a bandage, and seek medical attention.

See a doctor :

For cuts that don’t stop bleeding after ten minutes or applying pressure
If there is a chance that nerves or tendons have been affected
If there is something embedded in the cut
If the cut is caused by an animal or human bite or was punctured by anything dirty that may cause infection
If the cut is on the mouth, face, hand, or genitals

If stitches are needed, keep the wound closed with butterfly closures until you can get professional care. If the wound is very dirty or is likely to be so, such as with human or animal bites, you only have about six hours before the wound is too contaminated to stitch. Other
wounds may go as long as eight hours after the injury before being stitched, but the longer you wait, the less likely that stitches will be possible and any scarring can be minimized. For any signs of complications such as numbness or decreased movement; tenderness, inflammation,
swelling, or red streaks around the wound; or fever seek immediate medical attention.

Puncture Wounds
A puncture wound is a small but deep hole caused by such things as fangs, pins, sticks, staples, nails, or any object capable of penetrating the skin deeply. Puncture wounds don’t usually bleed a lot, but can cause internal injury, and it’s difficult to estimate how deep the wound may be. First aid for puncture wounds are :

Wash your hands with soap and water and wear gloves.
Clean the wound under a stream of running water, using soap followed by povidone-iodine.
Bandage loosely and monitor the wound daily for signs of infection suh as increased swelling, redness, or discharge.

Never seal the puncture wound and do not use antibiotic ointments because sealing the wound may actually increase the chance of infection. Don’t attempt to clean a major puncture wound as this may cause more serious bleeding. Never try to remove an imbedded object from a puncture wound. Depending on where the wound is located, this can cause further damage, bleeding, and
even immediate death. Never probe or remove debris from a wound, attempt to push body parts back in, or breathe on a wound or dressing because doing so may cause serious infection later. Call 911 immediately for any serious puncture wound. If the wound is bleeding heavily, apply direct pressure until help arrives.

Localized infections taking the following steps:

Wash the area daily with soap and water.
Apply antibiotic ointment or cream and cover the infected area lightly with a dry gauze, nonstick bandage.
Watch for signs of a more serious infection such as increased redness, pain, swelling, or pus.

Handle Accidental Tooth Loss
A knocked-out or partially dislodged tooth can usually be reinserted in the socket within thirty minutes of an injury. Adults should hold the tooth in place with clean gauze, trying not to touch the root of the tooth. You may handle the tooth with a sterile gauze or pad and rinse it with water if it has become very dirty, but it is best not to clean a dislodged tooth. If you are not able to hold the tooth in place for any reason or you cannot reach a dentist or emergency room within thirty minutes, the tooth may be placed in a container with fresh whole milk or the person’s own saliva for transport. For an empty bleeding socket, place a fold of sterile gauze or pad over the socket and bite down on it. Maintain this pressure for twenty minutesor until bleeding stops.

Handle Broken Teeth
Rinse the mouth with water and cover the broken tooth with a sterile gauze pad. Hold a cold pack against the face to reduce pain and swelling. Keep the broken portion and call your dentist, as the dentist may be able to reattach it. Do not eat or drink anything before receiving dental care.

First Aid for Toothache
If your tooth starts to become sensitive to cold or heat and progresses in level of pain, it’s an indication that there may be gum disease or a problem related to the nerve inside the tooth. Sensitive teeth can be treated daily using a toothpaste that is designed for sensitive teeth, but if you really have a toothache you need to see a dentist.

In the early stages of a toothache, astringent mouthwashes are antiseptic and help to shrink swollen tissue.
Use a cold pack on the face and take aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen for pain and swelling.
(Remember, never give aspirin to children younger than sixteen due to the risk of a life-threatening condition called Reye’s syndrome.)
Rub ice on your hands. According to a Canadian study, rubbing an ice cube on your hands kills tooth pain because the cold, rubbing sensation travels the same pathway to the brain as tooth pain, and overrides the signals from your mouth about half of the time. Try wrapping a cube and rubbing it where the bones of your thumb and index finger meet.
See a dentist if the pain persists. An abscessed tooth with swelling and inflammation that is progressing from your tooth to other parts of your face is life threatening and needs immediate medical or dental care.

Diabetic Emergencies
When a person has diabetes, her body doesn’t produce and properly use insulin, the hormone required by the body to convert sugar, starches, and other food into energy. Prolonged blood-sugar extremes in diabetics can cause loss of consciousness known as a diabetic coma. Symptoms of high blood sugar or low blood sugar often appear gradually and some or all of the following symptoms can signal the onset of a diabetic coma:

Fruity-smelling breath
Frequent urination
Fast heart rate
Deep and rapid breathing
Extreme thirst
Dry mouth
Warm, dry, red skin
Drowsiness
Nausea with upper abdominal pain
Vomiting
Loss of consciousness
Agitation, behavior changes, irritability

In the case of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, take the following steps:

If you know the person is diabetic, or if you find a Medic Alert bracelet stating the person is diabetic, ask if she has taken her required insulin. If she has not or you are unsure, call 911 for help.
In the case of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, give her some form of sugar such as fruit juice. Don’t give hard candy to someone who is very ill or in an altered state because of the risk of choking.

Many people are aware of how to treat their diabetes and how to test their blood-glucose levels. If tested blood remains below 60 mg/dL or if the person continues to have symptoms of severe hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, or insulin reaction, call 911 and get to an emergency department.

First Aid for Earache
In the case of a high fever or discharge from the ear canal, get immediate medical attention, as antibiotics are necessary if the cause of the earache is an infection. Take the following steps:

Children should always be seen by a doctor.
Take the entire course of any prescribed antibiotics.
Use OTC painkillers such as ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin (adults only), eardrops, and hot packs to help alleviate pain.
To help prevent ear infections, wash hands often.
Use a bulb syringe to suction mucus gently out of the nose of infants and toddlers and keep baby’s head tilted up during feeding.
Elevate the head of a child’s bed a few inches (place item under the mattress, not on top where it could lead to suffication) to help drain the fluid that collects behind the eardrums and use a humidifier in your child’s room at night.
Never place cotton-tipped swabs, matches, hairpins, or anything else in the ear. This can push wax further into the ear canal or perforate the eardrum, resulting in severe
ear damage.

Treating an Ear Injury
Ear injuries are typically accompanied by pain, dizziness, hearing loss, and bleeding from inside the ear canal. Take the following steps to treat an ear injury:

Cover the outside of the ear loosely with a bandage or dressing to soak up blood and drainage, but do not attempt to plug the ear or try to stop any flow.
Place the person on the injured side with the injured ear facing down to drain the blood, and call 911 or go to an emergency department immediately.

First Aid for Food Poisoning
Use the following guidelines for treating food poisoning:

Anyone who is experiencing short episodes of vomiting and small amounts of diarrhea that last less than twentyfour hours can be cared for at home by abstaining from solid food during the nausea and vomiting phase and drinking plenty of fluids, ideally clear liquids.
Try to avoid alcoholic, caffeinated, or sugary drinks, and use over-the-counter rehydration products that are made specifically for children, such as Pedialyte and Rehydralyte, and sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade diluted with water (full-strength energy drinks contain too much sugar and may worsen diarrhea) for adults.
After nausea and vomiting have stopped and you have been able to tolerate fluids, resume eating regular food slowly beginning with plain foods such as rice, wheat cereals and breads, potatoes, bland cereals, lean meats, and baked chicken that are easy on the stomach. Unless you have lactose intolerance you can safely drink milk also.

Most of the time, you do not need an OTC medicine to stop diarrhea, but they are usually safe if used as directed and only by adults. If you have any concerns or symptoms of dehydration or nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea that last longer than twenty-four hours, bloody diarrhea and/or
high fever, seek medical attention.

[ source : The Everything First Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N. ]

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

2009-08-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

History
The origins of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be traced back to 1740, when the Paris Academy of Sciences first formally recommended mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for near-drowning victims. Over a hundred years later in 1891, the first documented and effective chest compression in humans was performed by Dr. Friedrich Maass. Through the years the use of external chest compressions in human resuscitation was attempted and analyzed, and it was proven that expired air by a rescuer is sufficient to oxygenate an unresponsive person. CPR was then officially developed and instituted in 1960, and a program by the American Heart Association (AHA) provided CPR training and encouraged the use of CPR by the general public. The American Red Cross and other agencies came on board to institute performance standards, standardized training, and certification for CPR for intervention of sudden cardiac arrest and acute life-threatening cardiopulmonary problems.

The ABCs of First Aid
There are three critical steps in emergency first aid. A person needs all three common denominators to live, and basic life support or CPR, together with early defibrillation, is proven to improve long-term survival after a cardiac arrest. The ABCs of first aid is a mnemonic that stands for airway, breathing, and circulation:

Airway : Is the airway unobstructed? Use measures to clear the airway.
Breathing : Is the person breathing? Start rescue breathing.
Circulation : Is the person’s heart beating? Start chestcompressions.

The steps for performing CPR are:

Open the airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift method—one hand on the forehead, fingers of the other hand under the bony part of the lower jaw, near the chin. Tilt the head back, gently lift the jaw, making sure not to close the mouth or push on soft parts beneath the chin. Avoid lifting the neck in the case of spinal injury.
Check for normal breathing by putting your ear to the person’s mouth and turning your head to look for chest movement, while listening for air flowing through the mouth or nose and trying to detect breath on your cheek. A person with periodic gasping is most likely in cardiac arrest and needs CPR.
If there are no signs of breathing, pinch the nose; make a seal over the mouth with yours and give the person a breath strong enough for you to see the chest rise. When the chest falls, repeat the rescue breath once more for a total of two breaths. If available, use a CPR mask as a barrier between your mouth and the person’s mouth that you are rescuing. These first three steps are called “rescue breathing.”
Begin chest compressions by placing the heel of your hand in the middle of the chest, over the lower half of the breastbone at the nipple line. Place your other hand on top and lace your fingers together (heel of one hand on chest, heel of the other hand on top of that hand) and compress the chest about one to two inches. Allow the chest to recoil completely, and then perform thirty compressions, at a rate of 100 compressions per minute.
After thirty chest compressions, immediately repeat the two rescue breaths. Open the airway with headtilt, chin-lift again. This time, go directly to rescue breaths without checking for breathing again. Give one breath, making sure the chest rises and falls, then give another.
Perform the cycle of thirty compressions followed by two breaths for about two minutes. Then stop and recheck for breathing. If the person is not breathing, continue chest compressions and rescue breaths.

Steps of CPR

The AHA now recommends that a series of thirty compressions followed by two breaths (compressionventilation ratio of 30:2) be given to all persons, regardless of age. Continue the cycle of compressions and rescue breathing until professional help arrives or until the person
recovers and begins breathing. In children age one to eight, use one or two hands as necessary to compress the chest one-third to one-half the depth of the chest. For the unresponsive infant or child, perform five cycles of thirty compressions and two breaths for about two minutes
before leaving the child to call 911 and get an AED if one is available.

CPR for Newborns and Infants
Newborn CPR has different recommendations than those for infants. But the recommendations for newborn CPR only apply to newborns in the first hours after birth until the newborn leaves the hospital, so the general public needs only to be concerned with infant CPR guidelines
that apply to babies less than approximately one year of age. The rescue-breathing rate for infants with pulses is about forty to sixty breaths per minute, with chest compression to one-third the depth of the chest. Deliver ninety compressions and thirty ventilations per minute. Compress the infant chest just below the nipple line (on lower half of sternum) using two fingers (rather than a whole hand) to compress the chest with a compression-ventilation ratio
of 30:2.

Problems Associated with CPR
Some of the problems the AHA has identified regarding performing CPR are excessive ventilation given during CPR and compressions that are interrupted too frequently and that are often too slow and too shallow. It’s believed that bystanders may be reluctant to perform CPR because it seems too complicated and difficult to remember. That’s why in recent updates the AHA has made attempts to simplify the steps by making the compression-ventilation ratio used the same for infants, children, and adults. The same update has been issued for chest compressions in children and adults. While it’s been surmised that the public is afraid of contracting diseases and is therefore reluctant to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the data illustrates that transmission of infection is very low; nonetheless, use of a barrier device (CPR mask) while giving ventilations is still encouraged. If you are still reluctant to give mouthto-mouth ventilations, at least call for help and start chest compressions immediately.

Recovery Position
The recovery position is a technique used in first aid for all unconscious people who are breathing. This includes anyone over the age of one year old who has started breathing after being given CPR, those who may be unconscious or nearly unconscious but are still breathing, those who are too inebriated to assure their continued breathing, persons of near drowning, and in cases of suspected poisoning. An unconscious person who is lying face up is in a position that may result in obstruction to the airway. When a person is laying face up, the tongue may relax to
the back of the throat and fluids such as blood or vomit can pool in the back of the throat and obstruct the airway. Also, in the face-up position, the esophagus is tilting down slightly from the stomach toward the throat, and when combined with loss of muscular control that occurs
when someone is unconscious, this can lead to what is called passive regurgitation—when the stomach contents flow up into the throat. Aside from airway obstruction, any fluid collecting in the back of the throat can flow down into the lungs and the acid from the stomach that is in that fluid can damage the lungs, a condition known as aspiration pneumonia. In many instances, the actual injury or illness that caused unconsciousness will not be fatal, but the resulting passive regurgitation or aspiration pneumonia will be.

A very common cause of death is excessive consumption of alcohol that leads to unconsciousness followed by all or some of these events. While in the recovery position, the force of gravity keeps the tongue from obstructing the airway and prevents fluids from flowing the wrong way.
This, coupled with raising the chest above the ground, protects the person while aiding breathing.

As in all first-aid situations, assess the area for safety before approaching the unconscious person. Next, assess the person for the ABCs. If there is no need to perform CPR or if you already have performed CPR and the person begins breathing, then put the person into the recovery position. If there is no suspicion of spinal or neck injury, you want to place the person into what is called the lateral recovery position:

With the person lying on his back with legs straightout, kneel on one side, facing him. Position the person’sarm that is closest to you perpendicular to hisbody, with his elbow flexed. Then position the otherarm across the body, resting the hand across thetorso.
Bend the leg that is farthest from you up; the kneeelevated, reach behind the knee and pull the thightoward you.
Use your other arm to pull the shoulder farthest from you while rolling the body toward you. Maintain theupper leg in a flexed position so that the body isstabilized.

Lateral recovery position

Because people who stay in this position for an extended period of time may experience nerve compression, you may move the person from side to side every thirty minutes if emergency rescue is taking a long time to arrive. In case of spinal injury, any other movement of the unstabilized neck will carry a risk of causing permanent paralysis or other injuries, so movement should be minimized. The only reason to move a person with a suspected spinal injury into a recovery position is if you must drain vomit from the airway. And then you should use what is
called HAINES modified recovery position (High Arm IN Endangered Spine). In this modified position, raise one of the injured person’s arms above the head (in full abduction) while turning the person’s body in order to support the head and neck for less neck movement.

In a suspected spinal or neck injury, your first priority is keeping the airway open, so if the person is breathing, leave them in the position you found them. But if breathing stops, regardless of potential for increased injury to the person, you must continue ABCs: airway, breathing, and circulation. Breathing is the first priority; everything else is second.An unconscious pregnant woman should always be positioned in the recovery position on her left side, and anyone with wounds to the torso should be placed with the wounds closest to the ground to decrease any
chance of blood pooling in the lungs. Place a baby less than a year old in a modified recovery
position by holding the infant in your arms, head tilted downward, in order to prevent the tongue from obstructing the airway or the infant from inhaling vomit. In all cases, continue to monitor the person’s level of response, pulse, and breathing until help arrives.

Signs of Heart Attack
Sometimes heart attacks are sudden and there is no doubt what is happening, but those are the minority. Most heart attacks begin slowly with very mild discomfort and pain. The biggest mistake is when people aren’t sure and they wait too long to seek help. If you or anyone you know has the following symptoms, seek help immediately:

Chest discomfort such as uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes, or that comes and goes
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body including pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach
Shortness of breath
A cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness

Women are more likely to have some of the other common symptoms, in particular back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. Even if you are not sure, it’s wise to call 911. If you are not able to access Emergency Medical Services (EMS), have someone else drive you to the hospital immediately. Never drive yourself unless there is no other option.

Are the symptoms of a heart attack the same for both men and women?
Women have the same symptoms as men but, are more prone to also have back or jaw pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. You need to seek immediate medical help for any symptoms, not just the “classic” symptoms of a heart attack.

What Is Happening In Heart Attack?
The heart functions both mechanically and electrically. It pumps blood by contracting, which you are able to feel as a pulse—the mechanical function. The heart also has cells that regulate the mechanical system by transmitting electrical signals through conduction pathways, stimulating the muscle tissue to contract—the electrical function. The rate of electrical stimulation or pulses
normally correlates with the rate of heart-muscle contractions or beats, and should be between sixty and eighty times per minute at rest, increasing with exertion. The pumping chambers of the heart are the ventricles. If they suddenly stop effectively contracting and pumping blood into the body, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) occurs. The heart then has a disorganized and abnormal rhythm and spasmodic twitching called “ventricular fibrillation” (VF) that is ineffective in pumping blood to the body. The person in VF or V fib usually has no pulse because the heart is not pumping blood, and they will then become unresponsive, stop breathing, and die within minutes without intervention.

Choking
Choking occurs when an object gets stuck in the throat and partly or completely blocks the airway. Signs of choking include:

Pointing to throat, hands crossed on throat (universalsign of choking)
Gasping or coughing
Signs of panic
Difficulty speaking
Red face that steadily turns blue
Loss of consciousness

When you suspect someone is choking, ask her, “Are you choking?” If the person is able to answer you, don’t do anything because it’s likely that she will free the food or object on her own. In the case of actual choking, the person will not be able to talk and you need to help them.
Call 911 if the person can’t talk, make noise, or breathe well or is unconscious, then perform the Heimlich maneuver as outlined below. If the person is unconscious, lay her on her back. Check the person’s mouth for any visible obstruction and try to dislodge it using a finger sweep.
If you are unable to do so, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR. Continue to check inside the person’s mouth for any signs of the foreign body as the chest compressions of CPR may dislodge it.

Heimlich Maneuver
The Heimlich maneuver (pronounced Hi-mlick) is a technique whereby you administer abdominal thrusts to yourself or to a person who is choking. The Heimlich maneuver is recommended for use in clearing a blocked airway in conscious adults and children over the age of one; it is not meant to be used for choking infants under age one. The act of abdominal thrust lifts the diaphragm and forces air from the lungs, similar to a coughing action, so that the foreign body in an airway may be moved and expelled. (Click here for Heimlich Maneuver steps)

Managing Shock
Preventing and managing shock is a matter of life and death in emergencies. When the circulatory system stops working to deliver blood to the body, shock occurs. If the heart beats irregularly, if blood vessels become too dilated, or if a person is losing too much blood, shock may occur. The symptoms of shock are a weak and rapid pulse; disorientation; dizziness or confusion; cold, clammy skin and hands and pale skin; extreme thirst; nausea and vomiting; high level of anxiety; and fingernails that do not blanch with applied pressure (turn white when pressed and color does not return within two seconds).

If someone is in shock, elevate her legs, keep her warm,
and turn her head to one side if neck injury is not suspected

In emergency situations you must guard the person against shock. Call 911 for help immediately, because you cannot manage shock alone for long, and the person is likely to go into cardiac arrest. Check the ABCs continually while waiting for help and begin CPR if needed. If the head, neck, back, hips, or legs are not injured, lay the person on the ground facing up and elevate the legs to keep critical blood flow to vital organs. Use a towel, a sanitary napkin, or a piece of clothing to apply pressure to open wounds to slow bleeding. Keep the person calm, comfortable,
and warm, but never give the person water, even if they claim to be very thirsty. Monitor the person for consciousness and ABCs continually until help arrives.

[ source : The Everything First Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N. ]

Heimlich Maneuver Instructions

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What is The Heimlich maneuver

What is The Heimlich maneuveris an emergency technique for preventing suffocation when a person's airway (windpipe) becomes blocked by a piece of food or other object. The Heimlich maneuver can be used safely on both adults and children, but most experts do not recommend it for infants less than 1 year old. You can also perform the maneuver on yourself.

Perform the Heimlich Maneuver

Steps :

Ask the choking person to stand if he or she is sitting.
Place yourself slightly behind the standing victim.
Reassure the victim that you know the Heimlich maneuver and are going to help.
Place your arms around the victim's waist.
Make a fist with one hand and place your thumb toward the victim, just above his or her belly button.
Grab your fist with your other hand.
Deliver five upward squeeze-thrusts into the abdomen.
Make each squeeze-thrust strong enough to dislodge a foreign body.
Understand that your thrusts make the diaphragm move air out of the victim's lungs, creating a kind of artificial cough.
Keep a firm grip on the victim, since he or she can lose consciousness and fall to the ground if the Heimlich maneuver is not effective.
Repeat the Heimlich maneuver until the foreign body is expelled.

Tips & Warnings

If a victim is coughing strongly or able to talk, let the person try to expel the foreign body using his or her own efforts.
If the choking victim displays a weak or ineffective cough, this indicates that air exchange is minimal and that you should start the Heimlich maneuver.
Teach your family the universal choking sign--clutching the throat. Encourage everyone you know to become familiar with this sign and use it when choking.
To avoid breaking bones, never place your hands on the victim's breastbone or lower rib cage when performing the Heimlich maneuver.
If choking persists, call 911 immediately. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Heimlich Maneuver on a Child

As long as your child is coughing and able to talk, give her the chance to dislodge the foreign body on her own. If your child becomes silent and isn't able to breathe, begin the Heimlich maneuver immediately.

Steps :

Squat behind your child as she stands in front of you.
Place one hand on top of the pelvis line, in the middle of the abdomen. Put your other hand on top of the first. Pull upward, forcefully, toward the child's nose, in a series of five quick thrusts. If that doesn't work:
Place the child face down across your lap. Put one fist below the point where the ribs meet the breastbone.
Give a solid whack to the back, between the lower shoulder blades, with your other hand.
If the child begins to lose consciousness, lower her slowly to the floor. Be sure an emergency squad has been called.
Straddle your child's thighs or sit at her side. Sit at her feet if she is very young.
Put the heel of one hand at the belly button and thrust upward toward the nose five times. These motions are called abdominal thrusts.
Open the child's mouth and look inside to see if you have dislodged the foreign body. If you see a foreign body, sweep it out with a hooked finger. Tilt your child's head to the side, in case of vomiting.
Attempt to open the airway by tilting her head and lifting her chin. Look and listen for signs of breathing.
Give your child a breath by pinching her nose with your fingers and putting your lips over her mouth to form a tight seal. Exhale forcefully into her mouth. Watch to see if her chest rises with your breath. If not, your child's airway is still blocked.
Continue with abdominal thrusts.

Tips & Warnings

One study has shown that 85 percent of serious choking incidents in young children involve peanuts. Because of their size, peanuts often lodge in the tracheae of children under age 6.
Sweeping foreign objects from the mouth should be done with one hooked finger, which helps ensure you will not lodge the object in the throat.
If you are alone with a choking child and must dial 911, take the child with you to the telephone or bring the telephone to the child, so that you can perform the Heimlich maneuver as you are calling the emergency squad.

Heimlich Maneuver on an Unconscious Adult

HeimlichIf a person begins to choke and his or her airway becomes blocked, the Heimlich maneuver can save the victim's life, even if he or she is unconscious.

Steps :

Lay the choking victim prone, with his or her back against the floor. Straddle the choking victim's body directly above the knees.

Place the heel of one hand on top of your other hand. Intertwine the fingers of your top hand with the fingers of your bottom hand.

Keep your bottom hand (the one pressing against the victim) open, palm-side against the victim.

Position your hands in the middle of the victim's torso, between the belly button and breastbone.

Administer a series of five firm upward thrusts. Do not thrust straight downward or you may cause injury to the aorta.

Open the airway by grasping the victim's tongue and lower jaw, and look inside the mouth for any sign of a dislodged foreign body. See something? Use your index finger to sweep it out.

Listen for breathing. Watch for the chest to rise and fall. Look carefully, as the victim's breaths may be shallow

Pinch the nostrils closed and place your mouth over the victim's mouth.

Breathe into the mouth and watch to see if chest rises and falls. If it doesn't, the airway is still blocked.

Repeat the abdominal thrusts if you can't hear breathing or see chest movement.

Tips & Warnings

If no one is around to help, it's difficult to know when to leave the unconscious victim to call 911. When in doubt, call 911 first, but return to the victim as quickly as you can.
If you're successful in dislodging a foreign body from a choking victim's airway and the victim begins breathing unassisted, carefully roll the person onto his or her side. This way, if the victim should start to throw up, the vomit won't cause more choking.
If you have specific medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you contact a physician. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Heimlich Maneuver on Your Self

If you live by yourself, a self heimlich might just save your life. This is a refresher and not meant to instruct you as a teacher of the heimlich maneuver. Doing this correctly will save a life, maybe your own.

Steps :

Living alone, one must be pretty self sufficient in many facets of living. There are teachers who instruct and are trained to guide you to be able to do the heimlich maneuver on others and yourself too. Please take advantage of those courses. This is a refresher only, which is always suggested to review every year the skills to dislodge something from the throat. Maybe it can save your life if you live by yourself. After you have taken the course in the Heimlich maneuver, you know you have to be able to detect if you can talk. If you can talk, you can breathe.
If there is something caught in your throat that prevents you from saying anything, you need to act fast. Do not panic! Do not waste time. Act quickly to find a straight back chair and sit down. If you cannot find a chair, a wall will do just fine. Put your back on the firm surface of the wall or straight back chair. If you will be using the wall, you might be lowering yourself to the floor, but do not do that initially. You need the room to place your hands appropriately to do the self Heimlich.
Make a fist with one hand and cover that fist with the other. Your thumb of one hand will be tucked into the fist of the other hand. The other thumb will be on top of the doubled fist. Practice this as you are reading, so it will come naturally for you if and when you need to use it.
Find your sternum or breast bone. That is the firm bone in the center of your chest. This bone has the ribs attached. The end of the ribs are lower than the sternum. Go to the end of the sternum and you will feel a softness without any bone. You are in the right spot to put that thumb that is on top of your two fisted hand clasp.
You are going to push inward and upward to force air from the lungs to bring that object or piece of food out of your throat or windpipe. You will continue to do that thrusting motion until you are successful. Use five forceful thrusting movements at a time and rest momentarily only seconds before resuming. The food particle will be expelled. Put your head to the side so you can vomit away from your working hands and not hinder them with slippery stomach contents.
As soon as you can talk. Lay down with your head elevated slightly to relax. If you are feeling faint, put your head down flat with your head to one side just in case you vomit again. You should see a doctor or health care professional afterwards to make sure all is well with you following your self Heimlich maneuver.
Right now the American Red Cross has down graded this technique by using back blows and then abdominal thrusts. When you are by yourself, you won't be able to do the back blows, so that is why they are not mentioned above.
It is also possible to lunge over the back of a chair to force a thrusting action to simulate the Heimlich maneuver. This is successful and can be chosen instead of the double fisted technique described above.

Tips & Warnings

I am a woman who lives alone. I am not a doctor nor am I a trained technician to teach you the Heimlich maneuver. You can only use this as a reference from a concerned person willing to share this information. Please sign up for a Heimlich class every year to save non only your life, but your loved ones possibly one day if they need it.

Video about Heimlich Maneuver :

[source : www.ehow.com]

The Wrong Myths About FIrst Aid

2009-08-19T19:25:00.001-07:00

Never slap a choking person on the back—let the person cough and the object may dislodge itself. If the person stops coughing or breathing, then perform the Heimlich maneuver.
Never cut and suck the skin of or apply a tourniquet to a person with a snakebite. Sucking may introduce more bacteria and spread the venom, and a tourniquet will cut off blood supply to the area.
Peeing on a jellyfish sting won’t help the pain.
Don’t breathe into a paper bag for hyperventilation.
Don’t drink alcohol to warm up when cold, it will only lead to hypothermia in cold weather.
Don’t drink alcohol for a toothache or any other pain.
Don’t put butter, Crisco, or any other type of grease on a burn; grease can trap heat and lead to infection and scarring.
Don’t put a raw steak on a black eye or any other injury; the bacteria on the meat may contaminate the wound or the eye.
Don’t use hydrogen peroxide to clean wounds, it may kill the body’s defensive cells that are rushing to the wound to take care of invading bacteria.
People don’t swallow their tongues during seizures, so don’t try to hold the tongue or put anything in the mouth. Don’t restrain the person either.
Don’t squeeze the stinger on a bee sting or try to pull it out with tweezers—this will squeeze venom into the wound; use a credit card to scrape it away.
Don’t throw your head back during a nosebleed—it will cause blood to run down your throat and you may vomit. Instead, lean forward slightly and pinch your nose for ten full minutes.
If you have something embedded in your skin, you should not pull it out if there is a chance the object is sealing a wound and preventing bleeding. Get medical help if you are not sure.
Don’t continue to run with shin splints; running while injured will increase your injury.
Don’t put vinegar on a sunburn; instead, apply cool compresses.
You can’t stop motion sickness by staring at a point on the horizon.
Poison ivy is not contagious, but the oil is. If the oil is on you, it can be spread to others.
Don’t use rubbing alcohol to cool down a fever—it will absorb into the skin and may cause further illness.

[ source : The Everything First Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N. ]

First - Aid Basics

2009-08-19T03:07:00.000-07:00

First aid is complex and situation specific, so the more informed and better trained you are the more prepared you are to deal with any unexpected illness or injury. When someone suffers an injury or sudden illness, first aid is your initial course of action. But first aid is more than having a properly stocked first-aid kid; it is being able to prevent, prepare for, recognize, and easily take care of small accidents, and knowing what to do in the case of an emergency. You can treat most common illnesses and injuries when you know what to do, but first you must decide if first aid will be adequate or if you need professional help. And when the condition warrants measures
beyond first aid, knowing how to act until help arrives can save someone’s life.

Don’t Panic!
Being prepared is the best way to avoid panic. Being ready for anything will help you to stay calm, sum up the situation quickly, and proceed with more efficient, capable action. Being prepared will ensure you are composed and self-assured, which will help calm the injured party.
In order to be prepared, make sure to post emergency telephone numbers near the phones in your home and office. Important numbers to keep in addition to 911 are the fire department, the nearest hospital, the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222), and your family doctor. Encourage family members with serious medical conditions to wear a Medic Alert tag or bracelet, and keep a list of your family members’ medical conditions along with your emergency numbers. Also, have an escape plan from your home and practice it with your children. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand and show all your family members how to use it.

You can obtain Medic Alert identification at your pharmacy or doctor’s office.
These jewelry identification tags are usually engraved
with your primary medical conditions (e.g., allergies),
ID number, and twenty-four-hour emergency-response-center number.

The Proper Supplies
In order to properly administer first aid, you will need a good first-aid kit. The better stocked and organized your first-aid kit is, the more likely you are to effectively respond to emergencies in your home. Keep a written list of kit supplies in your home, along with your emergency plan, and be sure to restock the kit as needed and replace items with expired dates, items that have been used, or anything with an open package or broken seal that is supposed to be sterile. Keep a first-aid manual like this one with your kit, along with your list of emergency phone numbers, your list or chart of family’s medical conditions and medications, and a flashlight.

Be sure to keep first-aid supplies out of the reach of children and pets,
as many first-aid supplies are potentially hazardous.
Your kit should be in an accessible place, but not one that a child
or pet could easily reach, either on their own
or with the help of a chair, for instance.

The Right Container
Use a container with a strong handle that can be closed securely, and clearly mark it “First-Aid Kit.” Commercial kits can be purchased from many sources, but any large, well-built plastic fishing-tackle box or toolbox works great, and is usually much cheaper. Ideally, you want your kit to be light enough to carry, but large enough to hold all necessary items in an organized
and easily accessible format. It should be dust proof, waterproof, and sturdy enough to resist damage from falling or crushing.

The Right Location
Store your kit safely in a cool, dry location inside your home. Avoid storing it in the garage or laundry room because of the potential harm to its contents from moisture and temperature extremes. Pick a location in your home that is central and accessible to everyone who will be using the kit.

The Right Contents
The ideal kit that will prepare you for most injuries and household emergencies should include the following items:

Benadryl (generic Diphenhydramine)
Antibiotic ointment or cream
Activated charcoal (only use if instructed by the Poison
Control Center)
Antacid (liquid)
Calamine lotion
Antihistamine cream
1% hydrocortisone cream
Povidone-iodine solution
Aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen
Sterile eye-wash solution
Epinephrine auto-injector kit (if prescribed by your
doctor)
Extra prescribed medications (such as inhalers)

Your kit should also contain bandages and dressing
supplies including:

Commercial Band-Aid bandages
Sterile cotton balls
Cotton-tipped swabs
Sterile gauze (pads and rolls)
Elastic bandage rolls
Extra bandage clips
Butterfly bandages
Sterile eye patches
Regular adhesive bandages (multiple sizes)
Adhesive tape (waterproof and stretchable)
Triangular bandages
Large foil-lined bandage

Epinephrine is for emergency use on persons with sudden, severe symptoms or reactions to any allergen such as certain foods, insect stings, and inhaled allergens. If anyone in your family has ever had such a reaction, ask your family doctor to prescribe an Epinephrine autoinjector and to instruct you on how to use it.

Additionally you should include tools and other items such as:

Bulb syringe
Medicine spoon (transparent tube marked with typical
dosage amounts)
Small paper cups
Clean cloths and tissues
Hand sanitizer
Digital thermometer (and rectal thermometer for
babies less than one year old)
Small jar of petroleum jelly
Sterile disposable gloves
Disposable CPR face mask
Safety pins
Scissors (the sharp, angular style with rounded end)
Tweezers
Tooth-preservation kit
Space blanket
Penlight
Small pad of paper and pencil
Emergency candle and waterproof matches
Disposable self-activating cold and hot packs
Magnifying glass
Whistle

Aspirin and children’s aspirin should never be given to children under age sixteen who have flu-like symptoms or chickenpox. Aspirin may cause Reye’s syndrome, which is a life-threatening condition affecting the nervous system and liver.

When preparing your kit, think about your family’s medical history, such as drug allergies and risk factors, and keep these drug warnings in mind. Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs may cause stomach bleeding and kidney injury even when taken as directed. The risk is generally higher in people older than fifty-nine, those with stomach ulcers, and anyone who takes blood-thinning drugs or steroids while taking NSAID medications for an extended period. Acetaminophen carries a risk of severe liver damage when people take more than the recommended dose or have three or more alcoholic drinks while taking it. Many overthe- counter medicines (OTC) contain acetaminophen, so check the label of all medicines to make sure you are not exceeding the recommended maximum dose of four grams or four thousand milligrams for a healthy adult in a twenty-four-hour period.

Your family medical list or chart should include any information needed for reference by you, paramedics, or doctors including shot records with dates, medical problems and conditions, medications, and allergies.

Gathering Medical Information
Your family medical history is a complete record of health information from three generations of relatives that helps doctors recognize the many factors that your family has in common, including genes, environment, and lifestyle. This medical history will give clues to medical conditions that may run in your family, along with certain patterns ofdisorders, to determine your risk of developing a particular condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure,
stroke, certain cancers, and diabetes.

Compile an information record for all family members that includes their full name, birth date, allergies, history of illnesses, current and past medications, immunization records, history of injuries, any disabilities, rehabilitations, addiction and substance-abuse history and treatment, past hospitalizations, and surgeries. Include any contact information that a first responder may need in case of disasters and in case of times where there may not be anyone to provide the necessary information.

Make sure you also record the name and contact information of your doctors, your insurance coverage, who to notify in case of emergency, and even your religious preference in your medical-information record.

Calling 911
You may be afraid, embarrassed, or wary of calling 911 if you are not sure whether the medical condition or complaint is really an emergency. There are many conditions that require Immediate attention, and you should not wait before calling 911. Instead of risking serious consequences or death if you are not sure, it’s wise to call for help. The following are conditions that warrant calling 911, although certainly not an exhaustive list:

Severe allergic reaction
Chest pain or heart attack, shortness of breath
Severe asthma attack or respiratory arrest
Loss of consciousness or responsiveness
Confusion, dizziness and fainting, or seizures
Drug overdose, poisoning, or chemical exposure
Heat stroke
Rectal bleeding, bloody diarrhea, bleeding with
weakness, or vomiting blood
Blurred speech, weakness, any signs of stroke
Uncontrolled bleeding, including nosebleeds
Serious burns
Broken bones accompanied by signs of shock or spinal
injury
Suicidal behavior, self-harming or violent behavior

If you have warning signs of a heart attack, call 911 immediately— there is a very limited amount of time before damage to the muscle of the heart is permanent. Emergency medical services (EMS) are trained to treat cardiac arrest on scene and in transit, and you will be treated faster at the hospital if you arrive by ambulance.

The dispatcher’s computer is likely to show your location, unless you are on a cell phone or calling from work or another location where the phones are connected to a switchboard. Try to remain calm and answer all questions quickly and as accurately as you are able. The dispatcher
will need all of the following information :

Nature of the emergency
When emergency first occurred
Exact location or address where help is needed
Phone number that you are calling from
Your name and who else is involved

Follow all instructions given by the 911 dispatcher and stay on the phone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up, or for as long as it is safe to do so. Stay calm, be clear, listen to the dispatcher carefully, and answer as concisely as possible.

It’s the 911 dispatcher’s job to know how to ask the right questions.
Pay attention and answer all questions as best you can.
Don’t hang up until you are told to; if you are on a cell phone you may have
to give your exact location and other information
as your location will not be visible to the dispatcher.

Informing Kids
Teach young children how to phone 911 by using a toy phone or an old, nonworking cell phone. Explain to them that emergencies include car accidents, crimes like when someone is hurting another person or breaking into the house, when someone in the family is suddenly very
sick (for example, having a hard time speaking, breathing,or turns blue), if anyone collapses or passes out, or if the house is on fire.

Most children over five years of age are capable of understanding
and learning how and when to call 911. Instruct children to call 911
only for real emergencies. Make sure they understand
that the police and firefighters will come when they call 911.

Universal Precautions
The threat of communicable disease is a hazard in performing first aid. You should follow some standard precautions (called universal precautions) and use personal protection equipment like gloves, a CPR barrier, or eye protection. Universal precautions protect aid providers from
exposure to HIV (the virus that causes AIDS), hepatitis B, and other blood-borne germs when exposed to blood, certain body fluids (including semen and vaginal fluid), and tissue from anyone who is infectious. Universal precautions should also be taken for cerebrospinal (from the lining of the brain and spinal cord), synovial (joint), pleural (lung), peritoneal (abdominal), pericardial (heart), and amniotic (pregnant uterus) fluids. These guidelines don’t apply to other body fluids like saliva, urine, sweat, tears, nasal secretions, sputum, and feces unless they contain blood. Professional universal precautions include:

Wash your hands before and after any medical intervention.
Wear gloves whenever you are in contact with another’s blood, body secretions, or tissues even if the person you are helping is a family member.
Wear a facemask or body gown whenever there is a possibility of blood splashing onto the rescuer.
Dispose of contaminated sharp objects in the appropriate puncture-proof container.
Dispose of all contaminated equipment in an appropriate biohazard container.

While you may not have all the equipment necessary, these professional guidelines will steer you in the right direction. As a layperson, you should try and follow these precautions as closely as possible.

Practice universal precautions when coming in contact
with blood or any body secretions or fluids that may
also contain blood to protect your own health and even
save lives.

To carry-out universal precautions against infectious disease, you should use a protective barrier when you are providing care to anyone, even if you know the person well. In this day and age, it’s just common sense to avoid contact with an unknown potential source of infection. If you don’t have gloves, improvise and use something like plastic wrap and wash your hands. thoroughly before and after providing any care.

Universal precautions mean you are to be careful and
not take chances; it doesn’t mean that you don’t provide care!

The Proper Training
While this book is designed to be a comprehensive resource, providing first-aid basics, nothing can replace the hands-on learning you get from formal training in a classroom setting. Anyone can learn first aid, and by learning new lifesaving skills and updating past knowledge,
you will feel and act more confident at home and work and while traveling.

Many organizations offer first-aid classes, such as the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and the National Safety Association; and other local EMS organizations offer Basic Life Support (BLS) classes. Some occasionally offer free one-day classes to the community;
most charge a small fee for a one- to two-day course in CPR and basic first aid.

[source : The Everything 1st Aid Book by Nadine Saubers, R.N.]

FASTEST SPORT MOTORBIKE

2009-08-19T01:39:00.000-07:00

Ducati Desmosedici RR

The Ducati Desmosedici RR is a limited production road-legal version of the Desmosedici MotoGP racebike. Ducati made 1500 Desmosedicis for public purchase. The bike was launched at the 2006 Italian MotoGP event. The entire 500 units for the United States sold out in five hours. In 2004, Ducati announced that they would be producing a low volume bespoke replica of the Desmosedici, available from 2006.

Termed the Desmosedici RR (Racing Replica), it was claimed to be the first true road replica of a MotoGP racing bike. Priority for ordering was given to Ducati 999R owners, with production projected at one bike per day at a retail cost of US$72,500 and GBP£40,000. The price includes a three year warranty and servicing, cover plus a racing kit including a "race only" exhaust system, a "slip-on" muffler and complimentary fuel and ignition mapping in a "race ECU". Production has been limited to 1500 motorcycles. It also includes sponsor stickers, enough to fill both sides of the bike.

The bike was eventually launched at the 2006 Italian MotoGP event at Mugello, with production beginning in December 2007 and the first customer orders delivered from January 2008. Ducati guaranteed customer orders would be fulfilled by the end of 2008.

Specifications

Engine

Type: Double L-Twin (4 cylinder Twin Pulse), liquid-cooled, DOHC, Desmodromic, four valves per cylinder, gear-driven camshafts
Displacement: 989 cc (60.4 cu in)
Power: 147.1 kW (197.3 bhp) @ 13,800 rpm[4]
Torque: 11.8 kg·m (85 ft·lbf) @ 10,500 rpm[4]
Fuel injection: Four 50 mm (2.0 in) Magneti Marelli throttle bodies, 12-hole "microjet" with injectors over throttle, manual idle control
Exhaust: '4-into-2-into-1' vertical exit exhaust/silencer
Emissions: Euro 3

Transmission

Gearbox: 6-speed; Cassette type
Clutch: Dry multi-plate slipper clutch, hydraulically actuated

Vehicle

Body: Full carbon fiber bodywork
Frame: Tubular steel trellis hybrid, carbon fiber seat support, aluminum swingarm
Front Suspension: Öhlins 'FG353' PFF forks USD 43 mm (1.7 in) pressurized, with preload, rebound and compression adjustment, TiN coated sliders
Front Wheel: Marchesini forged and machined magnesium alloy wheels, with 7 spoke design as GP6
Rear Suspension: Öhlins rear shock, with rebound, low/high speed compression adjustment, and hydraulic preload adjustment
Rear Wheel: Marchesini forged and machined magnesium alloy wheels, with 7 spoke design as GP6
Tires: Bridgestone, front 120/70 R17- rear 200/55 R16
Front Brake: Two Brembo radial "monoblock" calipers with four 34 mm (1.3 in) pistons; two semi-floating 320 mm (13 in) x 6 mm (0.24 in) discs, with machined flange: the same as GP6 wet race set-up
Rear Brake: 240 mm (9.4 in) fixed disc, fixed caliper with two 34 mm (1.3 in) pistons
Fuel tank: aluminum alloy
Dry Weight: 171 kg (377.0 lb)
Instruments: New lightweight Corse electronic multifunction dashboard with LCD 'bar' graph tachometer, trip/odometer, anti-theft immobilizer, lap time measurement, oil pressure, fuel reserve, EOBD, clock, air temperature, rev counter

Version

Colors: Two versions — 1) Desmosedici RR: Rosso GP with a white number plate on the tail section; 2) Desmosedici RR "Team Version": Rosso GP with broad white fairing stripe.
Versions: Single-seat with racing exhaust (102 dB) - without catalytic converter. A team sponsor decal kit will be provided with each bike.

Performance

Top speed 190mph
Average fuel consumption 33mpg

Video of Ducati Desmosedici :

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14

The ZZR1400 (Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 in North America) is a hyper sport motorcycle manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries and is currently their most powerful sport bike. It was introduced at the Tokyo 2005 show and released for the 2006 model year as a replacement for the ZX-12R. Its direct competitor in the hyper sport segment is the Suzuki Hayabusa.

The ZZR1400 is capable of accelerating from 0–60 mph in 2.5 seconds. The top speed is electronically limited to 186 mph (299 km/h). This limit has been in effect on both Kawasaki and Suzuki sport motorcycles since 2001 when both companies realized that the speed war between them would only serve to bring about government regulation. However, the Ninja also has been reported at speeds of 210 mph with its limiter removed for all motorcycle needs. The motorcycle was featured in season 10 of Fifth Gear on October 30, 2006.

Motorcycle USA road tested the bike in its October 10, 2006, issue and posted the following stock results:

60 ft.: 1.713 sec.
330 ft.: 4.349 sec.
1/8 mile: 6.447 sec., achieving 117.39 mph
1/4 mile: 9.783 sec., achieving 147.04 mph (top speed 186 mph)

The manufacturer’s MSRP for the 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 in the U. S. market is $11,699–11,999.

Colors

2006: Passion Red, Ebony, and Candy Thunder Blue. (European model: Pearl Meteor Gray and Candy Thunder Blue.)
2007: Diablo Black, Candy Plasma Blue, and Special Edition Pearl Crystal White.
2008: Metallic Midnight Sapphire Blue, Atomic Silver, and Special Edition Metallic Flat Spark Black/Metallic Persimmon Red.
2009: Candy Lime Green/Flat Super Black, Special Edition Candy Burnt Orange/Metallic Diablo Black

Specification

Manufacturer Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Also called ZZR1400 (Europe and Japan)
Production 2006-present
Predecessor Kawasaki Ninja ZX-12R
Successor none
Class hyper sport
Engine 1352 cc four-stroke, liquid-cooled, DOHC, four valve per cylinder, inline-four
BorexStroke: 84.0 x 61.0 mm
CR: 12.0:1
DFI with 4xMikuni 44 mm throttle bodies
Torque 113.5 ft·lbf / 153.9 Nm @ 7,500 rpm
Transmission 6-speed, X-ring chain
Suspension Front: 43 mm inverted cartridge fork with adjustable preload, stepless rebound and compression damping adjustments / 4.6 in travel
Rear: Uni-Trak with adjustable preload, stepless rebound and compression damping adjustments, adjustable ride height / 4.8 in travel
Brakes Front: Dual semi-floating 310 mm petal discs with dual radial-mounted four-piston calipers
Rear: Single 250 mm petal disc with twin-piston caliper
Rake, Trail 23 degrees / 94 mm
Wheelbase 57.5 in, 146.1 cm
Dimensions L 85.4 in, 216.9 cm W 29.9 in, 75.9 cm H 46.1 in, 117.1 cm
Seat height 31.5 in, 80 cm
Weight 474 lb, 215 kg (2007) / 485 lb, 220 kg (2008) (dry), 555 lb, 251.7 kg (2007) (wet)
Fuel capacity 5.8 US gallons (22 l)

Video of Kawasaki ZX-1400

Suzuki Hayabusa

The Suzuki Hayabusa (also known as the GSX1300R in some countries) is a hyper sport motorcycle originally introduced by Suzuki in 1999. It has a 1298 cc (79.2 cu in) inline-4 engine and was consistently tested as the fastest production motorcycle in the world before the 2001 detuning agreement referred below. The 2009 model has a MSRP of US$13,199.

The name Hayabusa translates directly from the Japanese as Peregrine Falcon, The bird is said to be capable of speeds of over 200 mph (322 km/h) — and predator of (perhaps not coincidentally) the common blackbird. The name is a subtle reference to Honda's competing Hawk models. When introduced in 1999, it overtook the Honda CBR1100XX Super Blackbird as the fastest production motorcycle. The first generation of the Hayabusa was called the GSX1300R and was powered by a 1299 cc (79.2 cu in) inline-4 liquid-cooled engine. It remained substantially unchanged up through the 2007 model year.

Competition in the hyper sport bike segment increased with the release of motorcycles like the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14 and BMW K1200S. This increased competition led to Suzuki heavily revising the GSX1300R for the 2008 model year. Suzuki has dropped the GSX1300R designation in some countries and simply called the motorcycle the Hayabusa. The engine size was increased to 1349 cc (82.3 cu in) with the compression ratio increasing to 12.5:1. The revised engine has a claimed 12% increase in power to 194 hp (145 kW).

Fuel is now fed through a pair of new 44 mm (1.7 in) Suzuki Dual Throttle Valve (SDTV) throttle bodies. The Suzuki Drive Mode Selector (S-DMS), a technology introduced on the GSX-R line of motorcycles, provides three options of power delivery for a range of touring to wide open high performance. Some of the more notable features include a new 4-2-1-2 exhaust system meets Euro 3 and EPA Tier 2 emission regulations, a slipper clutch, and redesigned bodywork.

The motorcycle in stock form is capable of the following performance:

1/4 mile (402 m): 9.34 seconds @ 149.7 mph (241 km/h)
0–60 mph: 2.49 seconds
0–180 mph: 15.9 seconds
Top speed: 188 mph (303 km/h) electronically restricted

Specification

Engine : 1349 cc (82 cu in), 4-stroke, four-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 16-valve
Bore Stroke : 81.0 x 65.0 mm
Compression Ratio : 12.5:1
Power : 197 hp (147 kW)[5]
Torque : 102.3 lb·ft (139 N·m)[5]
Fuel System : Fuel Injection
Lubrication : Wet sump
Ignition : Digital/Transistorized
Transmission : 6-speed, constant mesh
Final Drive : #530 chain
Overall Length : 2195 mm (86.4 in)
Overall Width : 740 mm (29.1 in)
Overall Height : 1170 mm (46.1 in)
Seat Height : 805 mm (31.7 in)
Ground Clearance : 120 mm (4.7 in)
Wheelbase : 1485 mm (58.5 in)
Dry Weight : 220 kg (485 lb)
Suspension Front : Inverted telescopic, coil spring, fully adjustable spring preload, adjustable rebound damping and adjustable compression damping
Suspension Rear : Link-type, gas/oil damped, fully adjustable spring preload, adjustable compression & rebound damping
Brakes Front : 4-pot Tokico radial mount calipers on 310mm x 5.5mm disc
Brakes Rear : Single hydraulic disc
Tires Front : 120/70-ZR-17
Tires Rear : 190/50-ZR-17
Fuel Tank Capacity : 21 l (5.5 US gal) -- 20.0 l (5.3 US gal) CA. model

[source : wikipedia - motorcyleusa.com - youtube.com]

MotoGP 2009 - Schedule, Result and Statistic

2009-08-18T03:55:00.000-07:00

SCHEDULE & RESULT

1. COMMERCIALBANK GRAND PRIX OF QATAR
13 April Losail Circuit Qatar - Result

2. POLINI GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
26 April Motegi Japan - Result

3. GRAN PREMIO bwin.com DE ESPAÑA
03 May Jerez Spain - Result

4. GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE
17 May Le Mans France - Result

5. GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA ALICE
31 May Mugello Italy - Result

6. GRAN PREMI CINZANO DE CATALUNYA
14 June Circuit de Catalunya Catalunya - Result

7. ALICE TT ASSEN
27 June Assen Netherlands - Result

8. RED BULL U.S. GRAND PRIX
05 July Laguna Seca United States - Result

9. ALICE MOTORRAD GRAND PRIX DEUTSCHLAND
19 July Sachsenring Germany - Result

10. BRITISH GRAND PRIX
26 July Donington Park Great Britain - Result

11. CARDION AB GRAND PRIX CESKE REPUBLIKY
16 August Automotodrom Brno Czech Republic - Result

12. RED BULL INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX
30 August Indianapolis Indianapolis - Result

13. G.P. CINZANO DI SAN MARINO E DELLA RIVIERA DI RIMINI
06 September Misano San Marino - Result

14. bwin.com GRANDE PREMIO DE PORTUGAL
04 October Estoril Portugal - Result

15. AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
18 October Phillip Island Australia - Result

16. MALAYSIAN MOTORCYCLE GRAND PRIX
25 October Sepang Circuit Malaysia - Result

17. GRAN PREMIO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
08 November Comunitat Valenciana Valencia - Result

LATEST STATISTIC (after Misano - San Marino race)

Pos. Rider Nation Team Points

1 Valentino ROSSI ITA Fiat Yamaha Team 237

2 Jorge LORENZO SPA Fiat Yamaha Team 207

3 Dani PEDROSA SPA Repsol Honda Team 157

4 Casey STONER AUS Ducati Marlboro Team 150

5 Andrea DOVIZIOSO ITA Repsol Honda Team 133

6 Colin EDWARDS USA Monster Yamaha Tech 3 123

7 Loris CAPIROSSI ITA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 97

8 Alex DE ANGELIS RSM San Carlo Honda Gresini 88

9 Randy DE PUNIET FRA LCR Honda MotoGP 88

10 Marco MELANDRI ITA Hayate Racing Team 87

11 Chris VERMEULEN AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 84

12 Toni ELIAS SPA San Carlo Honda Gresini 80

13 James TOSELAND GBR Monster Yamaha Tech 3 78

14 Nicky HAYDEN USA Ducati Marlboro Team 73

15 Mika KALLIO FIN Pramac Racing 51

16 Niccolo CANEPA ITA Pramac Racing 35

17 Sete GIBERNAU SPA Grupo Francisco Hernando 12

18 Gabor TALMACSI HUN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 12

19 Yuki TAKAHASHI JPN Scot Racing Team MotoGP 9 (out from MotoGP)

20 Aleix ESPARGARO SPA Pramac Racing 8

MotoGP 2008`s Bike

Apple 3GS - Best Smartphone 2009

2009-08-18T02:52:00.000-07:00

The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.

The good: The iPhone 3GS finally adds common cell phone features like multimedia messaging, video recording, and voice dialing. It runs faster; its promised battery life is longer; and the multimedia quality continues to shine.

The bad: The iPhone 3GS' call quality shows no improvements and the 3G signal reception remains uneven. We still don't get Flash Lite, USB transfer and storage, or multitasking.

The bottom line: The iPhone 3GS doesn't make the same grand leap that the iPhone 3G made from the first-generation model, but the latest Apple handset is still a compelling upgrade for some users. The iPhone 3GS is faster and we appreciate the new features and extended battery life, but call quality and 3G reception still need improvement.

Three years after the first rumors of an Apple cell phone began to make the rounds, the iPhone continues to garner huge buzz, long lines, and a growing share of the cell phone market. And as we approach the second anniversary of the first model's frenzied launch day, Apple drops the newest model in our laps. The iPhone 3GS, which will hit stores June 19, promises faster processing and network speeds, extended battery life, more memory, and additional features. It's enough to get our attention, but not enough to get us completely excited.

In many ways, the iPhone 3GS delivers on its promises. The battery, which could sometimes deplete in less than a day on the iPhone 3G, lasted longer in our preliminary tests, and the phone's software ran noticeably faster. Yet, we still have some concerns. A faster AT&T 3G network isn't going to happen overnight, and some features, like tethering and multimedia messaging, aren't scheduled until later in summer 2009. We also struggled to see any change in call quality, which, as any iPhone owner can tell you, remains far from perfect.

So should you buy it? That will depend on how much you'll have to pay for the privilege. If you don't own an iPhone yet, and you've been waiting for the right model, now is the time to go for it. The same goes for iPhone Classic owners who never made the jump to the iPhone 3G. But, if you're a current iPhone 3G owner, the answer isn't so clear. If you're eligible to upgrade at the cheapest prices ($199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB model), we suggest doing so, as long as you don't mind the required two-year contract. If you own an iPhone 3G, but are not yet eligible for the upgrade, we recommend upgrading to the new iPhone OS 3.0 operating system, and then waiting. As much as the iPhone 3GS brings, it's not worth the extra $200 that the 16GB and 32GB models cost.

Design and interface
The iPhone 3GS looks exactly like the previous model. It shares the shape and the same external controls, but the iPhone 3GS is unique in a handful of ways. You can get both memory sizes in white or black, and the iPhone 3GS display sports a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating that is supposed to attract fewer fingerprints and smudges. The new model shares the same dimensions as its predecessor, but it's slightly heavier (4.76 ounces versus 4.7 ounces), a virtually unnoticeable difference.

The menu interface is also the same, but in the past year, as we've added apps to the Home screen, something new has begun to bother us. As intuitive and simple as the interface is, it becomes unwieldy after you get above four menu pages. Swiping through multiple pages is tedious; and it's rather painful to drag applications from page to page if you're an organizational freak. We hate that there's no way to categorize related apps into folders, such as one for news, another for social networking, and so on. Not only would this cut down on menu pages, but you'd also be able to find your app faster. And while we're at it, how about letting us delete some of the native apps we never use?

Features
Since the iPhone 3GS inherits many of the features from the previous model, we'll concentrate on what's different on this device. If you need a refresher on such elements as the clock, YouTube, weather, iPod player, calculator, and e-mail, please see our iPhone 3G review. We'll start off with the new features that only the iPhone 3GS will offer.

Camera

Until now, the iPhone's camera has been good, but far from great, with decent photo quality, but no editing features. Apple didn't include options such as white balance, a digital zoom, or a self-timer that come standard on many basic VGA camera phones. The minimalist shooter bothered us so much that we began to worry if Apple was leading a new trend of "dumbing down" cell phone cameras.

The iPhone 3GS puts some of those fears to rest. Apple boosted the camera's resolution to 3 megapixels and added a new "Tap to Focus" feature. As you point the lens toward your subject, a small box appears on the center of the display. Tapping that square focuses the camera automatically on that point and adjusts the white balance, color, contrast, and exposure accordingly. If you'd rather focus on the edge of your shot, just tap the display at your chosen point and the square moves with you. If you don't tap anywhere, the camera will focus the entire frame.

Tap to Focus performs well. For example, if we photographed a book cover sitting on a desk, we were able to get a clear reading on the book's title. If we shifted the focus away from the book, the title became somewhat blurry. Alternatively, if we focused on the brightest part of an image, the entire picture would appear brighter. But if we focused on the darkest part of any image, the photo would darken accordingly. The iPhone still doesn't come with a flash, though, so don't expect miracles.

On the other hand, the new automatic macro setting didn't appear to make much of a difference. Close-up shots looked slightly better on the iPhone 3GS than they did on the iPhone 3G, but we couldn't tell when the macro focus was working and when it wasn't. As with the autofocus feature, the macro setting is a welcome addition, but we'd prefer to have more control over it. In other words, the iPhone 3GS' camera is smarter than those on the earlier iPhones, but the camera, rather than the user, still runs the show.

On the whole, the iPhone 3GS' photo quality looks better than the 3G camera's quality, but it depends on the shot. Outdoor shots and photos taken in natural light looked less blurry in our tests, with brighter colors. Photos taken during cloudy days were less likely to be blown out, and photos in low-light conditions looked brighter and had less of an orange tint. Indoor shots without natural light showed little change, however. The iPhone's camera is not optimized for fluorescent light. For a full gallery of shots taken with the camera, see our iPhone 3GS camera slideshow.

Video recording
The iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone to offer video recording, another feature other phones have offered for years. Apple makes up for some lost time by offering an easy-to-use video-editing option right on the phone.

Controls for video shooting work just like the still camera's controls, and you can use the Tap to Focus feature here, as well. The quality is just VGA, but the camera shoots at 30 frames per second, so while colors look muted and some videos appear washed out, the iPhone 3GS did better at handling movement than most cell phone cameras. After you're done recording, you can send your clip in an e-mail or upload it directly to your YouTube account. We were able to upload to YouTube and send a video from our synced IMAP4 Exchange account, but when we tried to send a video from a synced Yahoo POP3 account, an error occurred. We're checking with Apple on the discrepancy and will report back. The phone's video-editing tool is utterly intuitive and fun to use. After loading a previously shot video, you'll see it displayed frame by frame in a linear format along the top of the touch screen. Using your finger, you can slide the cursor to any point in the video and start playing from there. If you care to edit, just touch either end of the border that surrounds your video. When the border turns yellow, you can shorten the clip by dragging either end toward your desired cutoff point (the image on the display will conveniently change as you move along). Once you've made your edits, just hit the "Trim" control.

We liked the video-editing feature a lot, but it's worth noting a couple of small complaints. First off, when you trim a clip, the edited version replaces your original video, rather than saves it as a new file. Also, you can trim only in a linear format--meaning you can't cut out something in the middle and stitch the remaining two ends of the video together.

We also like a new feature that allows you to quickly open a photo or video that you just shot. After taking your snap or video, a small thumbnail will appear on the bottom of the viewfinder next to the shutter control. Tapping that thumbnail takes you to the photo gallery page, from where you can view your work or send it on to a friend.

Watch a video of the iPhone 3GS' video quality.

Voice Control
We've long berated Apple for not including voice dialing on previous iPhones, particularly in this age of hands-free driving laws. Overdue as it is, the new Voice Control feature goes far beyond just making calls. To activate it, hold down the home button until the Voice Control feature appears.

As with hundreds of other cell phones, Voice Control lets you make calls by speaking the contact's name or phone number into the receiver. After you say your command, you'll get audio confirmation and the name or number will show on the display. If the iPhone makes a mistake, you can press an "undo" touch control at the bottom of the screen. The feature is speaker-independent, so you won't need to train it to recognize your voice; you'll be ready to go the first time you turn on the phone.

In our tests, the voice dialing performed well. When using names, it understood us accurately most of the time. It made occasional mistakes--for example, it wanted to call "Siemens" instead of "Stephen"--but that's hardly unusual for a voice dialer. Voice Control performed better when using only numbers. We didn't have to speak loudly, except in noisy environments, but it was capable of filtering out most background noise.

If you call a contact with multiple numbers, but don't specify which number you prefer, it will prompt you with "home," "work," etc. If you ask for a name that has multiple listings in your phone book (we know multiple people named Tim, for instance), it will prompt you for your choice, while showing the options on the screen. Alternatively, you can call a contact using his or her company's name, but that company must be in the contact's electronic business card.

Voice Control also interacts with the iPhone's iPod player and the iTunes Genius list. You can ask it to play a song by artist name and album, and you can request an entire playlist. Once music is playing, you can pause, skip to the next song, and go back to the previous track, using your voice. Say "shuffle" and the player skips to a random song. The feature was accurate most of the time, but it occasionally confused some artist names.

Unsure which song is playing? You can find out by asking, "What song is this?" You'll then get audio confirmation of the track name and artist. Like what you're hearing? Say, "Play more songs like this," and the player will use your iTunes Genius list to play a related song. In either case, the music will dim while you speak. They're nifty features, to be sure, and we can't think of another MP3 player or cell phone that offers such capability.

On the other hand, we can't imagine that many people would use it outside of a car. And the iPod Voice Control isn't perfect. It read Pink's name as "P N K" in our tests (Pink spells her name as "P!nk" on her album covers), and it twice tried to call "Annette" when we asked what song was playing. Also, we're not sure how Gwen Stefani would feel about being related to Britney Spears in the Genius list, but there you have it.

Compass
You'll find the iPhone 3GS' digital compass option directly on the Home screen; just tap to open. The attractive interface shows a large compass with your bearing and your latitude and longitude. Similar to any other compass, it continues to point true or magnetic north as you turn around. Reception was spotty inside, so you'll need to stay clear of any interference. If it can't get a bearing, you'll be advised to move away from the interference and re-establish the compass' orientation by moving the iPhone in a figure-eight motion.

The compass also interacts with Google Maps to point you in the right direction. To switch to the maps, just press the familiar bull's-eye icon in the bottom-left corner. You'll see your position on the map, and if you tap the bull's-eye again, the map will rotate to show the direction you are facing. It's a nice touch, and we like how the standard Google Maps view now shows the 3D outlines of buildings.

Accessibility features
The iPhone 3GS is the first iPhone to offer a full set of accessibility features. Visually impaired people can use Apple's Voice Over to navigate the handset's menus and type messages and e-mails. As you drag your finger around the display and tap a button, the iPhone will read a description of that button. The phone will also read the text of dialog boxes, the time of day, the status and orientation of the display (locked or unlocked, portrait or landscape), and detail information, such as the battery level, Wi-Fi, and cellular network signals. What's more, it speaks each character as you type a message, and it will suggest autocorrection choices. Voice Over can read text messages, e-mails, and even Web pages.

To use Voice Over, you will need to learn a different set of gestures--for example, you'll have to double-tap to open an item--but the feature provides audible instruction. You can set the speaking rate and choose from 21 supported languages. Voice Over works with all of the phone's native applications, but support for third-party apps varies. Though we're sighted and our Voice Over user experience can't compare with someone who is visually impaired, we were impressed by the feature's capabilities. The iPhone 3GS also adds multitouch zoom support for the Home, Unlock, and Spotlight screens for all applications, both native and third-party. Previously, zoom only worked in the photo gallery, e-mail in-boxes, and the Safari browser. You can activate the enhanced zoom in the Settings menu, but you can't use it and Voice Over simultaneously.

You also can reverse the display's contrast to white on black. Menus will show white text on a black background, while the Home screen will change to a white background. Just be aware that the contrast change alters the appearance of photos in the gallery so that they look like negatives. It has a similar effect for app icons on the Home screen.

What else is new?
The iPhone 3GS includes support for Nike + iPod, which integrates your iPod with a sensor that fits inside Nike running shoes. You use it as a pedometer to track your distance traveled and your pace. When you turn on the app in the settings menu, an icon will appear on the Home screen. The headphones included with the iPhone 3GS also show changes. You'll find controls for using the Voice Control feature, adjusting the volume, answering calls, and controlling music and video playback.

iPhone OS 3.0
The iPhone 3GS will support the new iPhone OS 3.0 update from day one. The OS 3.0 is a significant update that promises 100 new features, including such long-awaited gems as multimedia messaging, stereo Bluetooth, a voice recorder, and cut, copy, and paste. Apple has yet to release a fully detailed list--and we've barely scratched the surface in our testing--but we'll continue to report improvements as we find them. First announced in March 2009, it was released June 17, 2009, for the iPhone Classic and the iPhone 3G.

Multimedia messaging
We've ranted endlessly about why it took so long for Apple to achieve multimedia messaging (MMS), so we're glad that it's finally on its way. Besides photos, you'll also be able to send videos, audio files, and map locations. At long last, the iPhone can do something that almost every other cell phone can do, and has done for ages.

But, and this is a big "but," AT&T doesn't have things ready on its end. We don't know the real reason for the annoying delay, nor do we have a timetable for deployment; we just know that AT&T will support MMS "later this summer." (Also, because it wasn't integrated with the proper radio, the iPhone Classic will not support MMS.) When we first tested the beta version of iPhone OS 3.0, we were able to compose, but not send, a multimedia message in a few quick steps on our iPhone 3G. In subsequent OS 3.0 updates, Apple removed the process for doing this; presumably you'll get it back when MMS goes live. On the upside, the messaging process was intuitive. When using the text- messaging app, a small camera icon appeared next to the writing area. After tapping it, we had the choice to take a new photo or send an existing shot. If we decided to shoot a new photo, we had the option of retaking it if we wished. Alternatively, we could initiate a picture message from the photo gallery. In either case, the photo appears in the typing area of the message application, and you can delete it if you change your mind.

Cut, copy, and paste
The cut, copy, and paste feature is long overdue. The interface is simple and easy to use, and it works across all applications, including notes, e-mails, messages, and text on Web pages. Developers will even get access to it in applications.

To get started, just double-tap a selection of text and the cut, copy, and paste commands will appear. You then can change the highlighted area by dragging the blue grab points around the page. Once you get to your pasting area, just tap the screen again and select the paste button. If you make a mistake and paste in the incorrect place, you can shake the iPhone to undo your command. When in Notes and e-mail, you also can highlight with a long press (aka holding your finger down). You'll see two options: Select and Select All. The former command highlights just the word that you're touching, while the latter highlights the entire block of text. Using the feature in the Safari browser takes some acclimation, but even then we needed only a few minutes to get the hang of the process. Because the double-tap motion is also used to zoom in on a Web page, you must use a long press to select text that you want to copy or cut. You then can drag the blue points as normal. Depending on how closely you're zoomed in, you can highlight just one word or an entire block of text.

Landscape keyboard
Formerly--and inexplicably--available only in the Safari browser, the landscape keyboard now works in e-mail, text messaging, and notes. After haranguing Apple over the past two years to get it, we have to admit that it took a second to get accustomed to it. Though the landscape keyboard is much wider, with larger buttons, it's also a lot shorter. It did take us a couple of days to get the hang of it. Don't think that we're complaining, though, as it's quite the opposite. We love being able to use two hands, but we had grown accustomed to the one-finger tap dance on the vertical keyboard.

You can also now view your e-mail in-box, contacts, and text messages in landscape mode. The calendar remains in a portrait orientation, but the changes we received are welcome.

Spotlight
Until now, it's been rather painful to sift through the data to find e-mail or calendar entries on the iPhone. Luckily, iPhone OS 3.0 adds a Spotlight feature that makes the search process vastly easier. Similar to many of the OS 3.0 additions, it took way too long to get here, but we have few complaints about the final product. To get to the Spotlight feature, swipe your finger to the right from the first menu page. You'll then see a keyboard with a typing field above it (this keyboard only works in portrait mode). As you type in a search term, the results appear below the search bar, with results grouped together by category for easy navigation. You can search calendar entries, music, notes, apps, contacts, and e-mail, and you can search within an individual e-mail in-box. For IMAP4 and Exchange accounts, you'll also be able to search messages saved only on the server.

Tethering
In March, we heard that tethering would be possible with the OS 3.0, but that it would be completely carrier-dependent. Here again, AT&T isn't on the ball. While other iPhone carriers around the world will be ready when the iPhone goes live, AT&T is saying that the carrier will support tethering later this summer. Unfortunately, we don't know the exact reason for the delay, when tethering will actually arrive, or whether AT&T will charge extra for it.

Text messaging
Deleting and forwarding individual messages in a texting thread works just like the e-mail app. When you select the edit button, small dots appear next to each message. Hit the dots for your desired messages before pressing the delete or forward options. Thanks, Apple, but this should have been on the first iPhone.

Stereo Bluetooth
We were very glad to see a stereo Bluetooth profile arrive with iPhone OS 3.0. We tested it with the LG HBS-250 stereo Bluetooth headset. The pairing process was easy and incident-free. In the music player, a small Bluetooth icon appears next to the player controls. Press it to route audio to the headset; you then can toggle back and forth between the speaker and the headset. Speaking of Bluetooth, the update also adds Bluetooth peer-to-peer networking for gaming. Yet, neither Bluetooth feature is available on the iPhone Classic, even with the OS 3.0 update installed. Apple has a chart with more information.

Turn-by-turn directions
iPhone OS 3.0 brings support for turn-by-turn directions, making the iPhone a fully functional GPS device. The bad news is that, along with MMS, we'll have to wait until later this summer for complete functionality. Directional services won't come from Apple, but will instead come from third-party apps. TomTom will be one of the first companies to offer an app; a TomTom executive demonstrated it at WWDC 2009. AT&T has built an app for its AT&T Navigator service and we expect that other companies will offer their own apps.

From what we could tell from the brief demo, TomTom's service looks promising. The interface was attractive and the audible directions were clear. TomTom will also offer a car kit that will secure your iPhone to your windshield or dashboard while charging it at the same time. That's good news for a device that sucks up juice quickly.

We're concerned with how much the app will cost. TomTom will offer a "range" of U.S. and international maps, but that's as much as we know. GPS maps are not cheap, so we'll be interested to see how TomTom will package and price the content to make it affordable for consumers and profitable for TomTom.

What's more, we're curious how much memory the maps will consume and how the app will integrate with the iPhone's other features. From what we understand, we'll be able to make hands-free calls and play music on our car's radio while getting directions. Unlike the Palm Pre, however, the iPhone doesn't multitask (we have more to say on that below). If the GPS feature has to suspend because you get a call--just as the iPod player suspends when you take a call--then things could get tricky. We suspect, though, that Apple and TomTom have this covered.

iTunes Store
With the software update, your iPhone's iTunes Store experience will change a bit. Now you'll be able to rent and purchase movies, download TV shows and audiobooks, and access iTunes U. You'll also be able to redeem iTunes gift cards on the phone in the iTunes App store. Previously, you could only redeem in the iTunes music store.

Also new is the capability to make purchases while inside apps. For example, you can renew a magazine subscription or buy additional levels of a game. This is a small win, at least for us. Sure, it's nice that you won't have to close the application and return to the iTunes Store, but this is almost one of those "problems I didn't know I had." Just remember to keep a limit on your impulse buying. Apple promises that free apps will always be free, to avoid a bait-and-switch scenario. While that's great for consumers in that you'll never have to shell out money for an update, even now we see two versions of many apps cluttering the App store. The free app get you hooked, much like a demo version of a game, while the paid app offers the whole experience. As we see it, that's not much better than offering an app for free, but then charging later for an update.

Find My iPhone
If you're prone to losing your iPhone 3GS, OS 3.0 will give you some peace of mind. If your handset goes missing, you can use a computer to find its position on a map. You can then send it a message that instructs anyone who finds your phone to call you. It plays a tone to get a passerby's attention, and it even plays the tone when the sound is off. Presumably, however, it won't play the tone when the phone is off.

It sounds like a great service, but there are a couple of caveats. Find My iPhone is only available to MobileMe users. Also, it can be dislabled, and you'll need someone on the other end who is responsible enough to notify you that he or she has found your phone. Luckily, if the latter doesn't hold true, you can use a remote wipe option to swipe your iPhone clean of data. This is the first time remote wipe is available to consumers outside of an enterprise setting.

Voice recorder
Did we mention that iPhone OS 3.0 adds features that should have been on the first-generation device? Oh, that's right, we did. But, in any case, the new voice-recording app is another example of something being better late than ever. It has its own icon on the Home screen, and its interface is clean and easy to use. Tap the record button to start and tap it again to end; you can continue to record while you're using other applications, like the Web browser. When finished, you can e-mail your voice clips to a friend, or you can trim them in the same fashion as you would videos.

Stocks
You'll now see news headlines for the company tickers saved in your Stocks application. That would be a nice touch if we used the Stocks app more often. You'll also be able to see a chart in landscape mode, and you'll be able to get a stock price at any point on a chart.

Other additions
The remaining additions range from useful to trivial. Thanks to iPhone OS 3.0, you'll also get push notifications, expanded parental controls, a shake-to-shuffle feature for the iPod player, the capability to forward meeting invites and contacts, Notes syncing for Macs and PCs, autofill for Web fields and Wi-Fi auto-log-ins, the option to change the default destination for the home button, and additional wallpaper. Finally, if you tap and hold on a Web link in the Safari browser, a new menu will appear with choices to open the link, open it in another page, save an image, or copy the link.

What we're still waiting for
Fortunately, this list is getting shorter with each incarnation of the iPhone. Yet, the iPhone 3GS still lacks some important features. To begin with, it does not offer multitasking. We've been hung up on this for a while, but after seeing the Pre handle multitasking so elegantly, we think Apple can at least compete. And keep in mind that multitasking is hardly limited to Palm's showpiece. It is frustrating that on a phone that can do so many things well, we have to close an application and go back to the menu in order to open another one. But more than that, it's becoming unacceptable.

As mentioned earlier, you can't change the look and feel of the iPhone's interface. Though we like not having to root through multiple menu layers to access features, we'd still enjoy more customization. Similarly, Apple continues to lock down the iPhone's file structure. There's no file manager feature, and USB mass storage and transfer remain largely elusive. While you can access your iPhone's camera folder via a USB cable, you can only transfer photos and videos from the iPhone 3GS to your computer. To transfer photos, videos ,and other media files to your iPhone, you must rely on iTunes. And even then, iTunes restricts what kinds of files you can move and it tells you where to store them on the phone. A wide variety of cell phones, from simple candy bar handsets to high-end smartphones, offer USB mass storage. We think Apple should do the same.

Flash support for the Safari browser is also a must. Apple has skirted this issue, so there may be hope in the future. But in the meantime, we still expect Flash Lite to get a true Web experience. Apple has long boasted that the iPhone puts "the Internet in your pocket," but without Flash, it's not quite there.

We doubt we'll ever get the last few items on our list. But as long as we're complaining, we'd love to see an FM radio, a "mark as read" option in the e-mail app, an FM transmitter, and a user-replaceable battery. We still wonder what you're supposed to use as a cell phone when you send in your iPhone for a replacement battery. And don't forget: you'll have to pay for that service.

Internal performance
The "S" in iPhone 3GS stands for speed and the device promises to be quicker in two ways: not only will a new processor enable it to load apps faster, but it will utilize an upgraded AT&T 3G network for speedier Web browsing. We expected both of these improvements, so we're not surprised that they are the new 3GS' prime selling points.

We'll start with the processor: Apple doesn't provide details on the processor's capabilities, but a T-Mobile Netherlands' Web site briefly reported that the iPhone 3GS has a 600MHz processor--similar to the Pre's--and 256MB RAM. In contrast, the earlier iPhone 3G had a 412MHz processor and 128MB RAM. As our colleagues at CNET Asia said, twice the memory "should speed things up a fair bit."

The promised change surprised us, since we never thought the iPhone Classic or the iPhone 3G were that slow in the first place. But, whatever the reason for the improvement, we're certainly not going to refuse if Apple wants to dish it out. And from what we can tell, it's not an empty promise. We conducted side-by-side tests between an iPhone 3G and an iPhone 3GS. Both phones had identical contact lists, calendars, photos, apps, and music libraries.

For most native applications that don't depend on a cellular or Wi-Fi connection, the iPhone 3GS was consistently faster. For the photo gallery, camera, calculator, calendar, notes, clock, and contacts list, the iPhone 3G lagged about 2 seconds behind. No, that's not a huge difference, but it was a difference nonetheless. We noticed a similar change when using the Spotlight feature and opening the Settings menu.

We saw a bigger change in other areas. The iPhone 3GS opened the iPod player almost 5 seconds faster, and it was much quicker at loading some notoriously slow apps. For example, Bejewled 2, which can take up to 12 seconds to load on the iPhone 3G, started in just 5 seconds on the 3GS. Even better, Pocket God went from opening in almost 30 seconds to starting in just 11. The iPhone 3GS also started up much quicker than the iPhone 3G--we were up and running in 26 seconds instead of 50 seconds.

We realize that the above tests aren't very scientific or exact, but they do reflect everyday use. Indeed, the iPhone 3GS appears to delivers speedier internal performance; people should notice a difference.

Browser and data
On the other hand, we didn't notice any differences in data and browser speeds over AT&T's 3G network. We'd certainly welcome any improvements that should come from the carrier's forthcoming HSPA network upgrade to 7.2Mbps, but there's an important caveat for the moment: AT&T won't start rolling out the faster network until later this year. What's more, full deployment is scheduled for 2011. Though we expect urban areas will be first, coverage will vary widely for the next year, at least. As such, we don't predict any miracles soon. On the other hand, we noticed faster browser speeds when using CNET's Wi-Fi network. The New York Times loaded in about 30 seconds on the iPhone 3GS, but took up to a minute on the iPhone 3G.

Call quality and reception
We tested the quad-band (GSM 850/900/1800/1900) iPhone 3GS world phone in San Francisco. Call quality was virtually unchanged from the iPhone 3G. When the calls could connect, and when they weren't dropping, the audio quality was decent. Voices sounded natural and we heard a satisfactorily low amount of "side noise," which is the sound of your own voice coming back through the phone. Wind noise was apparent in some instances, and the volume could be louder, but the 3GS lacks the sensitive sweet spot that we encountered on the first iPhone.

On their end, callers didn't report any differences from the caller experience on the iPhone 3G. They could hear us under most conditions, and, while they could tell that we were on a cell phone, that's not unusual. The only complaints mentioned occasional background noise. Automated calling systems could understand as well, but we had the best experiences when using the phone inside. We'll test the iPhone 3GS in more places over the next few weeks.

Speakerphone calls were good, but not great. The external speaker was rather soft, but voices weren't distorted, except at the highest volumes. Also, as long as we were in a quiet room, we didn't have to speak close to the phone if we wanted to be heard on the other end. We connected to the BlueAnt Q1 Bluetooth headset without any problems. Call quality was mostly satisfactory, though we noticed a slight amount of static. That could be from the headset, however.

Unfortunately, we saw no change in overall signal strength and reception. The hand off between EDGE and 3G remains shaky, and the iPhone still tries to latch onto the 3G signal even when it's barely detectable. As we found with the iPhone 3G, the reception jumped if we switched off the handset's 3G radio on the Settings menu. Constantly doing that, however, can be a pain.

While testing the iPhone 3GS with the iPhone 3G in areas of San Francisco with reliably poor AT&T coverage, we noticed no difference in the number of bars or in the capability of each to establish a connection and make a call. What's more, the iPhone 3GS dropped calls as frequently as its predecessor in the "semidead zones." We also used the iPhone's internal Field Test application, which is a more accurate test of signal strength than the number of bars on the display. In most cases the iPhone 3GS had a stronger signal, but not by much. Dial *3001#12345#* to run the test yourself. You'll see the signal strength in decibels in the upper-left corner of the display--the lower the number, the better the signal.

According to FCC radiation tests, the iPhone 3GS has a rating of 0.79 watt per kilogram. That is the highest at-ear SAR for voice calls. Data use and at-body use can result in different SARs.

Audio and video quality
Editors' note: Senior Editor Donald Bell contributed to this section.

For all the small tweaks and improvements made to the iPhone 3GS, music and video playback quality is indistinguishable from the 3G model. Fortunately, in this department, the iPhone can afford to rest on its laurels. Audio is crisp and full, with a suite of iPod EQ presets, ample volume, and minimum background hiss. A range of audio files and resolutions are supported, starting at basic MP3 and AAC, all the way up to CD-quality formats, such as AIFF, WAV, and Apple Lossless. Video playback quality is still the same bright, smooth experience we enjoyed on the 3G model. If there's a story to be told about video improvements, it's the fact that the 3GS is the first iPhone to both play and record video. Apple has also updated the mobile version of the iTunes store to include movie, television, and music video downloads, in addition to the music and podcast downloads offered prior to the OS 3.0 update. Music quality on the LG HBS-250 stereo Bluetooth headset was quite satisfactory--a big improvement over the iPhone's external speaker and better than the standard wired headset. Of course, your experience will vary depending on which stereo headset you choose.

Battery life
Battery life remains one of the iPhone 3G's biggest detractions. Indeed, you're lucky if your handset lasts longer than a day with heavy use. When Apple first introduced the iPhone in June, the company promised relief for beleaguered users. The 3GS' rated battery life is 9 hours of Wi-Fi battery life, 10 hours of video playback, 30 hours of audio playback, 12 hours of 2G talk time, and 5 hours of 3G talk time.

In our initial tests conducted just after this review posted, the iPhone 3GS' battery appeared to last longer than its predecessor's. We could go longer during a day of heavy use before having to recharge. Also, our first talk time test with EDGE delivered almost 11.5 hours of battery life, which is impressive considering the iPhone 3G lasted 8.75 hours on EDGE. We then sent the 3GS to CNET Labs for more rigorous testing. In those tests, the 3GS largely matched Apple's promised times. We'll start with voice calls first. CNET Labs managed 5.36 hours of 3G talk time and 13.4 hours of 2G talk time. While those results may seem surprising, remember that we leave the handset alone with the display dimmed during our talk time tests.

Battery life for multimedia use also was satisfactory. In Airplane Mode on with the cellular radio turned off, the 3GS delivered 36.7 hours of music playback and 10.03 hours of video playback. With the Airplane Mode off and 3G enabled, we got 35.4 hours of music time and 9.2 hours of video playback. In both cases, the screen was off during music playback.

It's important to remember that real-world use will be a better judge of the iPhone 3GS' endurance. The large color display, frequently switching between different applications, and heavy 3G or GPS use will drain the battery faster than just making a call. As it's difficult to develop an accurate benchmark for testing battery life while multitasking, your experience will vary widely depending on how you use your iPhone 3GS. There are quite a few things you can do to maximize battery life, but we recommend using Wi-Fi over 3G whenever possible, limiting GPS use, and dimming your display's brightness. The 3Gs is the first iPhone to show the percentage of battery charge on the Home screen.

Click here for detail specification!

[ source : www.CNET.com ]

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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

2009-06-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad born 28 October 1956 is the sixth and current President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. He became president after winning the 2005 presidential election and was re-elected to a second term in 2009 after a disputed election. Many Iranians are involved in ongoing mass protests claiming election fraud and other abuses. Despite his title, he does not hold the highest constitutional office in Iran, which belongs to the Supreme Leader of Iran (Ali Khamenei), who is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Iran, according to Article 113 of the Constitution of Iran. Prior to becoming president, Ahmadinejad was mayor of Tehran and governor general of Iran's Ardabil Province.

Ahmadinejad has been a critic of the United States and Israel, and backs strengthening Iran's relations with Russia, Venezuela, Syria, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.

Ahmadinejad claims that Iran's nuclear program is for electricity generation and not for nuclear weapons development. Under his leadership, Iran has refused to end nuclear enrichment despite United Nations Security Council resolutions calling for it to do so. Ahmadinejad argues that the sanctions imposed by the West over Iran's nuclear enrichment are illegal and that Iran will continue to abide by International Atomic Energy Agency monitoring of its nuclear program.

According to a speech translation disputed by the Iranian government, Ahmadinejad has called for the dissolution of the state of Israel. He also calls for free elections in the region. He believes that the Palestinians need a stronger voice in the region's future.

One of Ahmadinejad's most controversial statements was one in which, according to the initial Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting translation, he called for the "occupying regime" to be "wiped off the map," though the translation and interpretation of the comment is disputed. He has also been condemned for describing the Holocaust as a myth, which has led to accusations of anti-semitism; the interpretation of this quote is also disputed. In response to these criticisms, Ahmadinejad said “No, I am not against Jews, I respect them very much.” Ahmadinejad also clarified, "I'm not saying that [the Holocaust] didn't happen at all. This is not the judgment that I'm passing here."

During his presidency, Ahmadinejad launched a gas rationing plan to reduce the country's fuel consumption. He also instituted cuts in the interest rates that private and public banking facilities could charge. He issued a directive, according to which the Management and Planning Organization should be affiliated to the government.

Background

Ahmadinejad, whose birth name is Mahmoud Saborjhian is the son of a blacksmith, born near Garmsar in the village of Aradan on 28 October 1956. The name, which derives from thread painter, a once common and humble occupation, was changed into Ahmadinejad, meaning 'of the race of Mohammed' or 'of virtuous race', ahmad meaning "virtuous" in Arabic is used as a byname of Muhammad and nejad being the Farsi for "race, lineage". According to his relatives, it was for "a mixture of religious and economic reasons." During the presidential campaign in 2009, political opponents have speculated that the name was changed in order to cover Jewish roots. In the 1950s, when he was still a baby, his family moved from Aradan to Narmak district in southern Tehran in search of more economic prosperity; It was during this time period that the Saborjhian family changed its name to Ahmadinejad.

In 1976, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took Iran's national university entrance contests. He has claimed that he ranked 132nd out of 400,000 participants that year, and soon enrolled in the Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) as an undergraduate student of civil engineering. He also received a PhD in transportation engineering and planning from IUST in 1997. After the Islamic Revolution, he became a member of the Office for Strengthening Unity, an organization developed to prevent students from sympathizing or allying with the budding Mojahedin-e Khalq. According to a July 1, 2005 article of the New York Times, 6 former hostages of the 1979 US Embassy Crisis in Iran remember Ahmadinejad playing a major role in their captivity. During this crisis 52 American hostages were held for 444 days. William J. Daugherty, a former intelligence officer, colonel Charles Scott, commander Donald Sharer, lieutenant colonel David Roeder, and marine guard Kevin Hermening are five of the hostages who distinctly remember Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being involved directly and in a supervisory role in interrogations. For example, Mr. Roeder recalls, “He was one of the interrogators in the room . . . when they threatened me with my son’s kidnapping.” Mr Roeder also recalled “Mr. Ahmadinejad working in a supervisory role in one third or more of the 44 interrogations he underwent.” A follow up article on July 29, 2005 from the New York Times indicated an investigation into the matter by the US State Department was inconclusive. However at the time of the July 29 article none of the aforementioned six hostages had been interviewed. The White House alleged that “Mr. Ahmadinejad was leader of the student movement that organized the attack on the embassy and the taking of American hostages." Admadinejad and Iranian officials deny he had any involvement with the hostage taking.

Some details of Ahmadinejad's life during the 1980s are not publicly known. But it is known that he held a number of administrative posts in the province of West Azerbaijan. It has been widely reported that after Saddam Hussein invaded Iran, Ahmadinejad joined the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution and served in their intelligence and security apparatus, but his advisor Mojtaba Samareh Hashemi says "He has never been a member or an official member of the Revolutionary Guards", having been a Basiji-like volunteer instead. He was accepted to a Master of Science program at the same school in 1986, and eventually received his doctorate in 1997 in civil engineering and traffic transportation planning. During his doctoral studies at Tehran, he was the governor general of Ardabil Province (1993-1997). Ahmadinejad was a lecturer and member of the faculty at the university since 1989.

Ahmadinejad is married and has two sons and a daughter. One of his sons formerly studied at the Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic).

Supporters of Ahmadinejad consider him a "simple man" that leads a "modest" life. Upon becoming president, he wanted to continue living in his "modest" family home in Tehran, until his security advisers forced him to move. Ahmadinejad rolled up the antique Persian carpets in the Presidential palace and sent them to a carpet museum, and used low-cost carpets instead. There are stories that he refused the V.I.P. seat on the Presidential plane, and that he eventually replaced it with a cargo plane instead. Also upon gaining Iran's presidency, Ahmadinejad held his first cabinet meeting in the Imam Reza shrine at Mashhad, an act perceived as "pious".

Early political career

Ahmadinejad began his political career as governor to both Maku and Khoy in West Azarbaijan Province during the 1980s. He eventually became an advisor to the governor general of Kurdistan Province for two years and was appointed as the governor general of Ardabil Province in 1993. In 1997, Mohammad Khatami removed Ahmadinejad from his position in Ardabil, and Ahmadinejad returned to teaching. In 2003, however, Ahmadinejad returned to the political scene after the City Council of Tehran appointed him to the position of mayor, after a 12 percent turnout led to the election of Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran's conservative candidates in Tehran.

During his mayorship, he reversed many of the changes put into effect by previous moderate and reformist mayors, putting religious emphasis on the activities of the cultural centers founded by previous mayors, going on the record with the separation of elevators for men and women in the municipality offices, and suggesting that the bodies of those killed in the Iran–Iraq War be buried in major city squares of Tehran. Such actions were coupled with an emphasis on charity, such as distributing free soup to the poor.

After two years as mayor, Ahmadinejad was shortlisted in a list of 65 finalists for World Mayor in 2005 and was among 3 strong candidates for the top-10 list but became non-eligible because of his resignation. Out of the 550 nominated mayors, nine were from Asia.

He was not widely known when he entered the presidential election campaign, although he had already made his mark for rolling back earlier reforms. After his election to the presidency, Ahmadinejad resigned from his post as the mayor of Tehran. His resignation was accepted on 28 June 2005.

He is a member of the Central Council of the Islamic Society of Engineers, but his key support is inside the Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran (Abadgaran).

Presidency

2005 Presidential campaign
Ahmadinejad generally sent mixed signals about his plans for his presidency, which some US-based analysts considered to have been designed to attract both religious conservatives and the lower economic classes. His campaign motto was, "It's doable and we can do it."

In his presidential campaign, Ahmadinejad took a populist approach, with emphasis on his own modest life, and compared himself with Mohammad Ali Rajai, the second president of Iran. Ahmadinejad said he had plans to create an "exemplary government for the people of the world" in Iran. He is a self-described "principlist"; that is, acting politically based on Islamic and revolutionary principles. One of his goals has been "putting the petroleum income on people's tables", referring to Iran's oil profits being distributed among the poor.

Ahmadinejad was the only presidential candidate who spoke out against future relations with the United States. In an interview with Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting a few days before the elections, Ahmadinejad accused the United Nations of being "one-sided, stacked against the world of Islam." He has openly opposed the veto power given to the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. In the same interview, he stated, "It is not just for a few states to sit and veto global approvals. Should such a privilege continue to exist, the Muslim world with a population of nearly 1.5 billion should be extended the same privilege." He has defended Iran's nuclear program and has accused "a few arrogant powers" of attempting to limit Iran's industrial and technological development in this and other fields.

During his campaign for the second round, he said, "We didn't participate in the revolution for turn-by-turn government.…This revolution tries to reach a world-wide government." Also he has mentioned that he has an extended program on fighting terrorism in order to improve foreign relations and has called for greater ties with Iran's neighbours and ending visa requirements between states in the region, saying that "people should visit anywhere they wish freely. People should have freedom in their pilgrimages and tours."

As confirmed by Ahmadinejad, his ideological and spiritual mentor is Ayatollah Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, a senior cleric from Qom. Mesbah is the founder of Haghani School of thought in Iran. He and his team strongly supported Ahmadinejad's campaign during presidential election in 2005.

Election and term
Ahmadinejad became the sixth president of Iran on 6 August 2005, after winning 62 percent of the vote in the run-off poll, nearly twice that of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. He received the presidential authorization from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on 3 August 2005. During the authorization ceremony he kissed Khamenei's hand in demonstration of his loyalty to him. Ahmadinejad's current term will end in August 2009, but he will be eligible to run for one more term in office in the 2009 presidential elections.

Ahmadinejad was required to introduce his suggested ministers to Majlis for a vote of approval in 15 days, after which Majlis would have one week to decide about the ministers. Masoud Zaribafan, Ahmadinejad's campaign manager, mentioned that Ahmadinejad would probably introduce his cabinet on the same day of his vow, but that did not happen. The list was finally sent to the Majlis on 14 August 2005.

The parliament had held a private meeting on 5 August, when Ahmadinejad presented a shortlist of three or four candidates for each ministry, to know the opinion of Majlis about his candidates. The final list was officially sent to the Majlis on 14 August. After a few days of heavy discussions in Majlis, which started on 21 August 2005, Ahmadinejad's cabinet was voted for on 24 August.

2006 Councils and Assembly of Experts election
Ahmadinejad’s team lost the 2006 city council elections, and his spiritual mentor, Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi, was ranked sixth on the country's Assembly of Experts. In the first nationwide election since Ahmadinejad took office, allies of the Iranian President failed to dominate election returns for the Assembly of Experts and local councils. Turnout of about 60 percent was reported, and the results suggested a voter shift toward more moderate policies. An editorial in the Kargozaran, an independent daily newspaper, remarked "The results show that voters have learned from the past and concluded that we need to support.. moderate figures." An Iranian political analyst said that "this is a blow for Ahmadinejad and Mesbah Yazdi's list."

2009 presidential election
According to Iran's election headquarters, from a total number of 39,165,191 ballots cast in Iran's 10th presidential election on Friday 12 June 2009, Ahmadinejad won 24,527,516 votes, which accounts for 62.63% of the votes, while his main rival, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, could secure only 13,216,411 (33.75%) of the votes. Within Iran, the presidential election garnered an unprecedented level of public interest. Live television debates between the candidates took place. On 23 August 2008, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei announced that he "sees Ahmadinejad as president in the next five years," a comment interpreted as indicating support for Ahmadinejad's reelection. On 12 June 2009 Iran held its elections all day. Mir-Hossein Mousavi, former Prime Minister of Iran, is the front running contender for the seat Ahmadinejad currently holds. As of 13 June 2009, the election results are in dispute with both Mousavi and Ahmadinejad believing that they won.

Mousavi`s supporters protest for the election result

Domestic policy

Economic policy
In Ahmadinejad's first three years as president, Iran's real GDP growth fell short of the 7.5 percent growth that was expected by the central bank, despite a highly educated and young labor force and a growing middle class. Inflation and unemployment have both increased and the government has continued a cycle of unsustainable spending and poor economic management. Ahmadinejad has increased spending by 25 percent and has supported subsidies for food and gasoline. He also initially refused a gradual increase of petrol prices, saying that after making necessary preparations, such as a development of public transportation system, the government will free up petrol prices after five years. Interest rates were cut by presidential decree to below the inflation rate. One unintended effect of this stimulation of the economy has been the bidding up of some urban real estate prices by two or three times their pre-Ahmadinejad value by Iranians seeking to invest surplus cash and finding few other safe opportunities. The resulting increase in the cost of housing has hurt poorer, non-property owning Iranians, the putative beneficiaries of Ahmadinejad's populist policies. The Management and Planning Organisation, a state body charged with mapping out long-term economic and budget strategy, was broken up and its experienced managers were fired.

In June 2006, 50 Iranian economists wrote a letter to Ahmadinejad that criticized his price interventions to stabilize prices of goods, cement, government services, and his decree issued by the High Labor Council and the Ministry of Labor that proposed an increase of workers' salaries by 40 percent. Ahmadinejad publicly responded harshly to the letter and denounced the accusations. Ahmadinejad has called for "middle-of-the-road" compromises with respect to Western-oriented capitalism and socialist. Current political conflicts with the United States have caused the central bank to fear increased capital flight due to global isolation. These factors have prevented an improvement of infrastructure and capital influx, despite high economic potential. Among those that did not vote for him in the first election, only 3.5 percent said they would consider voting for him in the next election. Mohammad Khoshchehreh, a member of Iranian parliament that campaigned for Ahmadinejad, said that his government "has been strong on populist slogans, but weak on achievement." President Ahmadinejad has changed almost all of his economic ministers, including oil, industry and economy, since coming to power in 2005. In an interview with Fars News Agency on April 2008, Davoud Danesh Jaafari who acted as minister of economy in President Ahmadinejad’s cabinet, harshly criticized Ahmadinejad’s economic policy: “During my time, there was no positive attitude towards previous experiences or experienced people and there was no plan for the future. Peripheral issues which were not of dire importance to the nation were given priority. Most of the scientific economic concepts like the effect of liquidity on inflation were put in question." In response to these criticisms, Ahmadinejad accused his minister of not being "a man of justice" and declared that the solution to Iran’s economic problem is "the culture of martyrdom". In May 2008, the Petroleum minister of Iran admitted that the government illegally invested 2 billion dollars to import petrol in 2007. At Iranian parliament, he also mentioned that he simply followed the president's order.

While his government had 275 thousand billion Toman oil income, the highest in Iranian history, Ahmadinejad’s government had the highest budget deficit since Iranian revolution.

Family planning and population policy
In October 2006, Ahmadinejad opposed encouraging families to limit themselves to just two children, stating that Iran could cope with 50 million more people than the current 70 million. In remarks that have drawn criticism, he told MPs he wanted to scrap existing birth control policies which discouraged Iranian couples from having more than two children. Critics said his call was ill-judged at a time when Iran was struggling with surging inflation and rising unemployment, estimated at around 11 percent. Ahmadinejad’s call for an increased birth rate is reminiscent of a call Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini made in 1979. The policy was effective in increasing population growth, but was eventually reversed in response to the resultant economic strain.

In 2008, the government sent the "Family Protection Bill" to the Iranian parliament. Women's rights activists criticized the bill for removing protections from women, such as the requirement that a husband obtain his wife's consent before bringing another wife into the family.

Housing
The first legislation to emerge from his newly formed government was a 12 trillion Rial (US$1.3 billion) fund called "Reza's Compassion Fund"which was named after Shi'a Imam Ali al-Rida. By tapping into Iran's oil revenues, Ahmadinejad's government says that this fund will be used to help young people to get jobs and to afford marriage, as well to assist in purchasing their own homes. The fund also sought charitable donations, and includes a boards of trustees in each of Iran's 30 provinces. The legislation was in response to the costly housing in urban centres which is pushing up the national average marital age (currently around 25 years for women and 28 years for men). In 2006 the Iranian parliament rejected the fund. However, Ahmadinejad ordered the administrative council to execute the plan.

Human rights
Several Western human rights organizations and governments have criticized Ahmadinejad's human rights record. According to a report by the group Human Rights Watch, "Since President Ahmadinejad came to power, treatment of detainees has worsened in Evin Prison as well as in detention centers operated clandestinely by the Judiciary, the Ministry of Information, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." Again according to Human Rights Watch, "Respect for basic human rights in Iran, especially freedom of expression and assembly, deteriorated in 2006. The government routinely tortures and mistreats detained dissidents, including through prolonged solitary confinement." Human Rights Watch described the source of human rights violations in contemporary Iran as coming from the Judiciary, accountable to Ali Khamenei, and from members directly appointed by Ahmadinejad.

Responses to dissent have varied. Human Rights Watch writes that "the Ahmadinejad government, in a pronounced shift from the policy under former president Mohammed Khatami, has shown no tolerance for peaceful protests and gatherings." In December 2006, Ahmadinejad advised officials not to disturb students who engaged in a protest during a speech of his at the Amirkabir University of Technology in Tehran, although speakers at other protests have included among their complaints that there had been a crackdown on dissent at universities since Ahmadinejad was elected.

In April 2007, the Tehran police, which is under Khamenei's supervision, began a crackdown on women with "improper hijab." This led to criticism from associates of Ahmadinejad.

Universities
In 2006, the Ahmadinejad government reportedly forced numerous Iranian scientists and university professors to resign or to retire. It has been referred to as "second cultural revolution". The policy has been said to replace old professors with younger ones. Some university professors received letters indicating their early retirement unexpectedly. In November 2006, 53 university professors had to retire from Iran University of Science and Technology.

In 2006, Ahmadinejad's government applied a 50 percent quota for male students and 50 percent for female students in the university entrance exam for medicine, dentistry and pharmacy. The plan was supposed to stop the growing presence of female students in the universities. In a response to critics, Iranian minister of health and medical education, Kamran Bagheri Lankarani argued that there are not enough facilities such as dormitories for female students. Masoud Salehi, president of Zahedan University said that presence of women generates some problems with transportation. Also, Ebrahim Mekaniki, president of Babol University of Medical Sciences, stated that an increase in the presence of women will make it difficult to distribute facilities in a suitable manner. Bagher Larijani, the president of Tehran University of Medical Sciences made similar remarks. According to Rooz Online, the quotas lack a legal foundation and are justified as support for "family" and "religion."

"December 2006 student protest"
On 11 December 2006, some students disrupted a speech by Ahmadinejad at the Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic) in Tehran. According to the Iranian Student News Agency, students set fire to photographs of Ahmadinejad and threw firecrackers. The protesters also chanted "death to the dictator." It was the first major public protest against Ahmadinejad since his election. In a statement carried on the students' Web site,[citation needed] they announced that they had been protesting the growing political pressure under Ahmadinejad, also accusing him of corruption, mismanagement, and discrimination. The statement added that "the students showed that despite vast propaganda, the president has not been able to deceive academia." It was also reported that some students were angry about the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust.

In response to the students' slogans, the president said: "We have been standing up to dictatorship so that no one will dare to establish dictatorship in a millennium even in the name of freedom. Given the scars inflicted on the Iranian nation by agents of the US and British dictatorship, no one will ever dare to initiate the rise of a dictator." It was reported that even though the protesters broke the TV cameras and threw hand-made bombs at Ahmadinejad, the president asked the officials not to question or disturb the protesters. In his blog, Ahmadinejad described his reaction to the incident as "a feeling of joy" because of the freedom that people enjoyed after the revolution.

One thousand students also protested the day before to denounce the increased pressure on the reformist groups at the university. One week prior, more than two thousand students protested at Tehran University on the country's annual student day, with speakers saying that there had been a crackdown on dissent at universities since Ahmadinejad was elected.

Nuclear program
Ahmadinejad has been a vocal supporter of Iran's nuclear program, and has insisted that it is for peaceful purposes. He has repeatedly emphasized that building a nuclear bomb is not the policy of his government. He has said that such a policy is "illegal and against our religion." He also added at a January 2006 conference in Tehran that a nation with "culture, logic and civilization" would not need nuclear weapons, and that countries that seek nuclear weapons are those which want to solve all problems by the use of force.[98] In a 2008 interview Ahmadinejad elaborated that countries striving to obtain nuclear weapons are politically backward nations and those who possess them and continually make new generations of such bombs are "even more backward".

In April 2006, Ahmadinejad announced that Iran had successfully refined uranium to a stage suitable for the nuclear fuel cycle. In a speech to students and academics in Mashhad, he was quoted as saying that Iran's conditions had changed completely as it had become a nuclear state and could talk to other states from that stand. On 13 April 2006, Iranian news agency, IRNA, quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that the peaceful Iranian nuclear technology would not pose a threat to any party because "we want peace and stability and we will not cause injustice to anyone and at the same time we will not submit to injustice."

Despite Ahmadinejad's vocal support for the program, the office of the Iranian president is not responsible for nuclear policy. It is instead set by the Supreme National Security Council. The council includes two representatives appointed by the Supreme Leader, military officials and members of the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. It reports directly to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who issued a fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2005.

Khamenei usually refrains from speaking in public, but has criticized Ahmadinejad's "personalization" of the nuclear issue. However, sources close to the president have said the article comes from Rafsanjani. Ahmadinejad vowed on 23 February 2008, that Iran will not be held back from developing its peaceful nuclear program, and said the "nuclear technology is ... the sort of technology that has been monopolized by a few countries". Ahmadinejad has stated that at least 16 different peaceful uses for nuclear technology have so far been identified.

Domestic criticism

Accusations of corruption
Ahmadinejad has been criticized for attacking private “plunderers” and “corrupt officials,” while engaging in "cronyism and political favouritism". Many of his close associates have been appointed to positions for which they have no obvious qualifications, and "billion dollar no-bid contracts" have been awarded to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), an organization that he is strongly associated with.

Criticisms of statements and social issues
In 2005, Ali Khamenei responded to Ahmadinejad's alleged remark that Israel should be "wiped off the map" by saying that "the Islamic Republic has never threatened and will never threaten any country." Moreover, Khamenei's main adviser in foreign policy, Ali Akbar Velayati, refused to take part in Ahmadinejad's Holocaust conference. In contrast to Ahmadinejad's remarks, Velayati said that the Holocaust was a genocide and a historical reality.

In June 2007, Ahmadinejad was criticized by some Iranian parliament members over his remark about Christianity and Judaism. According to Aftab News Agency, Ahmadinejad stated: "In the world, there are deviations from the right path: Christianity and Judaism. Dollars have been devoted to the propagation of these deviations. There are also false claims that these [religions] will save mankind. But Islam is the only religion that [can] save mankind." Some members of Iranian parliament criticized these remarks as being fuels to religious war.

Conservative MP Rafat Bayat has blamed Ahmadinejad for a decline in observance of the required hijab for women, calling him "not that strict on this issue". Ahmadinejad has been also accused of indecency by people close to Rafsanjani, after he publicly kissed the hand of a woman who used to be his school teacher.

Ahmadinejad's criticism of the West has led to attempts to compel him to go to the Iranian parliament to answer questions. In October 2008, Ahmadinejad's statements on the Holocaust were criticized within Iran by cleric and presidential hopeful Mahdi Karroubi.

"Statements on the United Nations and football stadiums"
Two statements that have brought criticism from some religious authorities concern his speech at the United Nations, and the attendance of women at football matches. In a visit to group of Ayatollahs in Qom after returning from his 2005 speech to the UN General Assembly, Ahmadinejad stated he had "felt a halo over his head" during his speech and that a hidden presence had mesmerized the unblinking audience of foreign leaders, foreign ministers, and ambassadors. According to at least one source (Hooman Majd), this was offensive to the conservative religious leaders because an ordinary man cannot presume a special closeness to God or any of the Imams, nor can he imply the presence of the Mahdi.

In another statement the next year, Ahmadinejad proclaimed (without consulting the clerics before hand), that women should be allowed into football stadiums to watch male football clubs compete. This proclamation "was quickly overruled" by clerical authorities, one of whom, Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Fazel Lankarani "refused for weeks to meet with President Ahmadinejad" in early 2007.

Criticisms from other political parties

Many reformist and independent political parties, including some of those that boycotted the first round of the presidential election, have called for an alliance against Ahmadinejad, calling it "a national alliance against fascism." Critics, including some independent ones, have mentioned that while there are some similarities between the actions and rising of supporters of Ahmadinejad with those of fascism, the movement differs because it is neither nationalistic nor racist and lacks corporatism.

Some dissident groups also accused him of being a ruthless interrogator and torturer in the 1980s.

Ahmadinejad–Haddad Adel conflict over Iranian constitution
In 2008, a serious conflict emerged between Iranian President and the head of parliament over three laws approved by Iranian parliament: "the agreement for civil and criminal legal cooperation between Iran and Kyrgyzstan", "the agreement to support mutual investment between Iran and Kuwait", and "the law for registration of industrial designs and trademarks". The conflict was so serious that the Iranian leader stepped in to resolve the conflict. Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to parliament speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, furiously denouncing him for an "inexplicable act" in bypassing the presidency by giving the order to implement legislation in an official newspaper. President Ahmadinejad accused the head of parliament of violating Iranian constitutional law. He called for legal action against the Parliament speaker. Haddad-Adel responded to Ahmadinejad accusing him of using inappropriate language in his remarks and letters.

Ali Kordan's fabricated doctoral degree and moral charges
In August 2008, Dr Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, appointed Ali Kordan as Iran's interior minister. Kordan's appointment has been criticized by Iranian parliamentarians, media and analysts after it came to light that a doctoral degree allegedly awarded to Ali Kordan was fabricated, and that the putative issuer of the degree, Oxford University, had no record of Ali Kordan receiving any degree from the University. It was also revealed that he had been jailed in 1978 for moral charges. Fabrication of legal documents is punishable in Iranian law with one to three years of imprisonment and in the case of government officials, the maximum sentence (three years) is demanded.

Iran`s Interior Minister, Ali Kordan

In November 2008, President Ahmadinejad announced that he was against impeachment of Ali Kordan by Iranian parliament. He refused to attend the parliament on the impeachment day. Ali Kordan was expelled from Iranian interior ministry by Iranian parliament on 4 November 2008. 188 MPs voted against Ali Kordan. An impeachment of Kordan would push Ahmadinejad close to having to submit his entire cabinet for review by parliament, which is led by one of his chief political opponents. Iran's constitution requires that step if more than half the cabinet ministers are replaced, and Ahmadinejad has replaced nine of 21.

Ahmadinejad–parliament conflict
On February 2009 after Iran's National Audit Office reported that $1.058 billion of surplus oil revenue in the (2006-2007) budget hasn't been returned by the government to the national treasury, Ali Larijani-Iran's parliamentary speaker-called for further investigations in order to make sure the missing funds are returned to the treasury as soon as possible. Ahmadinejad criticized the National Audit Office for what he called its "carelessness", saying the report "incites the people" against the government. also Head of the parliament Energy Commission, Hamidreza Katouzian reprted:The government spent $5 billion to import fuel, about $2 billion more than the sum parliament had authorized.Katouzian quoted Iran's Oil Minister, Gholam-Hossein Nozari, as saying that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had ordered the extra purchase.
On February 2009 parliamentary research centre report Iran faces a budget deficit of 44 billion dollars in the financial year starting in March. Ahmadinejad rejected report and said: budget is without deficit.

Foreign relations

Relations with the United States
During Ahmadinejad's presidency, Iran and the US have had the most high-profile contact in almost 30 years. Iran and the US froze diplomatic relations in 1980 and had no direct diplomatic contact until May 2007.

While the U.S has linked its support for a Palestinian state to acceptance of Israel's "right to exist," Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has retorted that Israel should be moved to Europe instead,[136] reiterating Muammar al-Gaddafi's 1990 statement. The U.S. has sent clear signals to Iran that its posturing against Israel's right to exist is unacceptable in their opinion, leading to increased speculation of a U.S. led attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Even though Iran has denied involvement in Iraq, then-President Bush warned of "consequences," sending a clear message to Iran that the U.S may take military action against it. The Bush administration considered Iran to be the world's leading state supporter of terrorism. Iran has been on the U.S. list of state sponsors of international terrorism since 1984, a claim that Iran and Ahmadinejad have denied.

Ahmadinejad met Bush

On 8 May 2006, Ahmadinejad sent a personal letter to then-President Bush to propose "new ways" to end Iran's nuclear dispute. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley both reviewed the letter and dismissed it as a negotiating ploy and publicity stunt that did not address U.S. concerns about Iran's nuclear program. A few days later at a meeting in Jakarta, Ahmadinejad said, "the letter was an invitation to monotheism and justice, which are common to all divine prophets."

Ahmadinejad invited Bush to a debate at the United Nations General Assembly, which was to take place on 19 September 2006. The debate was to be about Iran's right to enrich uranium. The invitation was promptly rejected by White House spokesman Tony Snow, who said "There's not going to be a steel-cage grudge match between the President and Ahmadinejad."

On November 2006, Ahmadinejad wrote an open letter to the American people, representing some of his anxieties and concerns. He stated that there is an urgency to have a dialog because of the activities of the US administration in the Middle East, and that the US is concealing the truth about current realities.

The United States Senate passed a resolution warning Iran about attacks in Iraq. On 26 September 2007, the United States Senate passed a resolution 76-22 and labeled an arm of the Iranian military as a terrorist organization.

In September 2007 Ahmadinejad visited New York to address the General Assembly of the United Nations. Prior to this he gave a speech at Columbia University, where the university president Lee Bollinger used his introduction to excoriate the Iranian leader as everything from a "cruel and petty dictator" to "astonishingly uneducated." Taking questions from Columbia faculty and students who attended his address, Ahmadinejad answered a query about the treatment of gays in Iran by saying: "We don't have homosexuals like in your country. We don't have that in our country. We don't have this phenomenon; I don't know who's told you we have it." An aide later claimed that he was misrepresented and was actually saying that "compared to American society, we don't have many homosexuals".

In a speech given in April 2008, Ahmadinejad described the September 11, 2001 attacks as a "suspect event." He minimized the attacks by saying all that had happened was, "a building collapsed." He claimed that the death toll was never published, that the victims' names were never published, and that the attacks were used subsequently as pretext for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

In October 2008, President Ahmadinejad expressed his happiness of 2008 global economic crisis and what he called "collapse of liberalism". He said the West has been driven to deadend and that Iran was proud "to put an end to liberal economy". Ahmadinejad used a September 2008 speech to the General Assembly of the United Nations to assert the American empire is soon going to end without specifying how. "The American empire in the world is reaching the end of its road, and its next rulers must limit their interference to their own borders," Ahmadinejad said.

On November 6, 2008 (one day after the 2008 US Presidential Election ), President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Barack Obama, the newly elected President of the United States, and said that he "Welcomes basic and fair changes in U.S. policies and conducts, I hope you will prefer real public interests and justice to the never-ending demands of a selfish minority and seize the opportunity to serve people so that you will be remembered with high esteem". It is the first congratulatory message to a new elected President of the United States by an Iranian President since the 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Relations with Israel
On 26 October 2005 Ahmadinejad gave a speech at a conference in Tehran entitled "World Without Zionism". According to widely published translations, he agreed with a statement he attributed to Ayatollah Khomeini that the "occupying regime" had to be removed, and referred to it as a "disgraceful stain [on] the Islamic world", that needed to be "wiped from the pages of history."

Ahmadinejad's comments were condemned by major Western governments, the European Union, Russia, the United Nations Security Council and then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Egyptian, Turkish and Palestinian leaders also expressed displeasure over Ahmadinejad's remark. Canada's then Prime Minister Paul Martin said, “this threat to Israel's existence, this call for genocide coupled with Iran's obvious nuclear ambitions is a matter that the world cannot ignore.”

The translation of his statement has been disputed. Iran's foreign minister stated that Ahmadinejad had been "misunderstood": "He is talking about the regime. We do not recognise legally this regime." Some experts state that the phrase in question (بايد از صفحه روزگار محو شود) is more accurately translated as "eliminated" or "wiped off" or "wiped away" from "the page of time" or "the pages of history", rather than "wiped off the map".Reviewing the controversy over the translation, New York Times deputy foreign editor Ethan Bronner observed that "all official translations" of the comments, including the foreign ministry and president's office, "refer to wiping Israel away". Dr. Joshua Teitelbaum, an Israel-based professor with ties to AIPAC, in a paper for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, examined the language that President Ahmadinejad has used when discussing Israel. Using Farsi translations from Dr. Denis MacEoin, a former lecturer in Islamic studies in the United Kingdom, Teitelbaum wrote that "the Iranian president was not just calling for “regime change” in Jerusalem, but rather the actual physical destruction of the State of Israel," and asserted that Ahmadinejad was advocating the genocide of its residents as well. Teitelbaum said that in a speech given on 26 October 2005, Ahmadinejad said the following about Israel: "Soon this stain of disgrace will be cleaned from the garment of the world of Islam, and this is attainable." Teitelbaum argued that this type of dehumanizing rhetoric is a documented prelude to genocide incitement. Dr. Juan Cole, a professor of modern Middle Eastern and South Asian history at the University of Michigan, has argued that Ahmadinejad was not calling for the destruction of Israel, “Ahmadinejad did not say he was going to wipe Israel off the map because no such idiom exists in Persian.” Dr. Stephen Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard University has said “I don’t think he is inciting to genocide." According to Gawdat Bahgat, Director of Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "the fiery calls to destroy Israel are meant to mobilize domestic and regional constituencies" and that "Rhetoric aside, most analysts agree that the Islamic Republic and the Jewish state are not likely to engage in a military confrontation against each other."

In July 2006, Ahmadinejad compared Israel's actions in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict to Adolf Hitler's actions during World War II saying that "like Hitler, the Zionist regime is just looking for a pretext for launching military attacks" and "is now acting just like him." On 8 August 2006, he gave a television interview to Mike Wallace, a correspondent for 60 Minutes, in which he questioned American support of Israel's "murderous regime" and the moral grounds for Israel's invasion of Lebanon. On 2 December 2006, Ahmadinejad met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah in Doha, Qatar. At that meeting, he said that Israel "was created to establish dominion of arrogant states over the region and to enable the enemy to penetrate the heart Muslim land." He called Israel a "threat" and said it was created to create tensions in and impose US and UK policies upon the region. On 12 December 2006, Ahmadinejad addressed the International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust, and made comments about the future of Israel. He said, "Israel is about to crash. This is God's promise and the wish of all the world's nations."

When CNN's Larry King asked Ahmadinejad "does Israel remain Israel" in his version of the Middle East, Ahmadinejad suggested that throughout the Palestinian territories free elections for all be conducted under the supervision of international organizations. Ahmadinejad suggested that "..we must allow free elections to happen in Palestine under the supervision of the United Nations. And the Palestinian people, the displaced Palestinian people, or whoever considers Palestine its land, can participate in free elections. And then whatever happens as a result could happen."

Relations with Russia
Ahmadinejad has moved to strengthen relations with Russia, setting up an office expressly dedicated to the purpose in October 2005. He has worked with Vladimir Putin on the nuclear issue, and both Putin and Ahmadinejad have expressed a desire for more mutual cooperation on issues involving the Caspian Sea. More recently, Iran has been increasingly pushed into an alliance with Moscow due to the controversy over Iran's nuclear program. By late December 2007, Russia began to deliver enriched batches of nuclear fuel to Iran as a way of persuading Iran to end self-enrichment.

Ahmadinejad and Vladimir Putin

Relations with Venezuela
Ahmadinejad has sought to develop ties with other world leaders that are also opposed to U.S. foreign policy and influence like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela. Venezuela voted in favor of Iran's nuclear program before the United Nations, and both governments have sought to develop more bilateral trade.As of 2006, the ties between the two countries are strategic rather than economic; Venezuela is still not one of Iran's major trading partners.

Ahmadinejad and Hugo Chavez

Regional relations

Immediately after the Islamic Revolution, Iran's relations with most of its neighbors, particularly those with large Shiite minorities, were severely strained. Ahmadinejad's priority in the region has been to improve ties with most of Iran's neighbors in order to strengthen Iran's status and influence in both the Middle East and Greater Muslim World.

Turkey has always been an important ally in the region due to its ties to the West through NATO, Israel, and its potential entry into the European Union. Ahmadinejad made a visit to Ankara in order to reinforce relations with Turkey immediately after the 2007 NIE report was released. Relations were briefly strained after President Abdullah Gul had stated that he wants the atomic threat to be eliminated from the region, perhaps a hint to Iran; however, business has remained cordial between the two countries. Despite US disapproval, Turkey recently signed a multibillion dollar gas line deal with Tehran in late 2007.

Iran's relations with the Arab states have been complex, partly due to the Islamic Revolution of decades ago, as well as more recent efforts by the United States to establish a united front against Iran over the nuclear issue and War on Terror. Ahmadinejad has sought reconciliation with the Arab states by encouraging bilateral trade and posturing for Iranian entry into the Gulf Cooperation Council. Outside of the Persian Gulf, Ahmadinejad has sought to reestablish relations with other major Arab states, most notably Egypt. As of 2007, Iran did not have an open embassy there.

Iran's ties to Syria have been most notable in the West. Both nations have had to deal with international and regional isolation. Further, they both have cordial ties to the militant group, Hezbollah, and concerns over Iran-Syria relations were further exacerbated following the 2006 Lebanon War, which both Ahmadinejad and President Assad claimed as a victory over Israel.

Due to the similar culture and language Iran has with Afghanistan, the two countries have historically been close and, even though the US has a military presence in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan maintains he wants Iran to be one of its closest allies. At Camp David in August 2007, Karzai rejected the U.S. claim that Iran backs Afghan militants. Karzai described Iran as "a helper and a solution," and "a supporter of Afghanistan", both in "the fight against terror, and the fight against narcotics". He called relations between Afghanistan and Iran "very, very good, very, very close ".

Ahmadinejad has also attempted to develop stronger, more intimate ties with both Afghanistan and Pakistan to the East in order to ensure "regional stability." In particular, Ahmadinejad is interested in more bilateral talks between Iran and both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Moreover, Ahmadinejad's administration has taken part in establishing the "peace pipeline"; a pipeline from Iran that will eventually fuel both Pakistan and India. In theory, the plan will help to integrate South Asian economies, and, by consequence, calm tensions between Pakistan and India.

Ahmadinejad met foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov of Azerbaijan in order to discuss increased cooperation between the two nations. Mammadyarov also expressed desire to expand the North-South corridor between Iran and Azerbaijan and to launch cooperative projects regarding power plant construction. Iran has also redoubled efforts to forge ties with Armenia; during Ahmadinejad's visit in October 2007 the discussions were focused on developing energy ties between the two countries.

Ahmadinejad was the first Iranian president to visit Iraq. Ahmadinejad, in Baghdad 2 March 2008 for the start of a historic two-day trip, said that "visiting Iraq without the dictator Saddam Hussein is a good thing." Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, heading home after a two-day visit to Iraq, again touted his country's closer relations with Iraq and reiterated his criticism of the United States.

Allegations of Holocaust denial and anti-Semitism

Controversies
On 14 December 2005, Ahmadinejad made several controversial statements about the Holocaust, repeatedly referring to it as a "myth," as well as criticizing European laws against Holocaust denial. According to a report from Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, Ahmadinejad said, referring to Europeans, "Today, they have created a myth in the name of Holocaust and consider it to be above God, religion and the prophets." The quote has also translated as "They have created a myth today that they call the massacre of Jews and they consider it a principle above God, religions and the prophets."

In a May 30, 2006 interview with Der Spiegel, Ahmadinejad insisted there were "two opinions" on the Holocaust. When asked if the Holocaust was a myth, he responded "I will only accept something as truth if I am actually convinced of it." He also said, "We are of the opinion that, if a historical occurrence conforms to the truth, this truth will be revealed all the more clearly if there is more research into it and more discussion about it". He then argued that "most" scholars who recognize the existence of the Holocaust are "politically motivated," stating that:

"...there are two opinions on this in Europe. One group of scholars or persons, most of them politically motivated, say the Holocaust occurred. Then there is the group of scholars who represent the opposite position and have therefore been imprisoned for the most part."

In August 2006, the Iranian leader was reported to have again cast doubt on the existence of the Holocaust, this time in a letter to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, where he wrote that the Holocaust may have been invented by the Allied powers to embarrass Germany. During the same month, in a public speech that aired on the Iranian News Channel (IRINN), Ahmadinejad reportedly implied that Zionists may not be human beings, saying “They have no boundaries, limits, or taboos when it comes to killing human beings. Who are they? Where did they come from? Are they human beings? ‘They are like cattle, nay, more misguided.’”

On 11 December 2006 the "International Conference to Review the Global Vision of the Holocaust" was held in Iran. The conference was called for by and held at the request of Ahmadinejad. Western media widely condemned the conference and described it as a "Holocaust denial conference" or a "meeting of Holocaust deniers", though Iran maintained that it was not a Holocaust denial conference, commenting the conference was meant to "create an opportunity for thinkers who cannot express their views freely in Europe about the Holocaust".

In his September 2007 appearance at Columbia University, Ahmadinejad stated "I'm not saying that it didn't happen at all. This is not judgment that I'm passing here" and that the Holocaust should be left open to debate and research like any other historical event.

In response to some of Ahmadinejad's controversial statements and actions, a variety of sources, including the U.S. Senate,[ have accused Ahmadinejad of anti-Semitism. Ahmadinejad's September 2008 speech to the UN General Assembly, in which he dwelled on what he described as Zionist control of international finance, was also denounced as "blatant anti-Semitism" by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

American President Barack Obama posed a direct challenge to Ahmadinejad during his June 2009 visit to Buchenwald concentration camp, saying that Ahmadinejad "should make his own visit" to the camp and that "[t]his place is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts, a reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our history".

Response to allegations
Ahmadinejad has denied allegations of Holocaust denial and acknowledged that it seems the West is right in its claim of the Holocaust:

"If the Europeans are telling the truth in their claim that they have killed six million Jews in the Holocaust during the World War II - which seems they are right in their claim because they insist on it and arrest and imprison those who oppose it, why the Palestinian nation should pay for the crime. Why have they come to the very heart of the Islamic world and are committing crimes against the dear Palestine using their bombs, rockets, missiles and sanctions."

Ahmadinejad has said he respects Jews and that "in Palestine there are Muslims, Christians and Jews who live together". He added, "We love everyone in the world - Jews, Christians, Muslims, non-Muslims, non-Jews, non-Christians... We are against occupation, aggression, killings and displacing people - otherwise we have no problem with ordinary people." Ahmadinejad has further said the Jewish community in Iran has its own independent member of parliament. Ahmadinejad has argued Zionists are "neither Jews nor Christians nor Muslims", and has asked "How can you possibly be religious and occupy the land of other people?"

Shiraz Dossa, a professor at St. Francis Xavier University, in Nova Scotia, Canada, argued in June 2007 that

"Ahmadinejad has not denied the Holocaust or proposed Israel’s liquidation; he has never done so in any of his speeches on the subject (all delivered in Farsi/Persian). As an Iran specialist, I can attest that both accusations are false... What Ahmadinejad has questioned is the mythologizing, the sacralization, of the Holocaust and the “Zionist regime’s” continued killing of Palestinians and Muslims. He has even raised doubts about the scale of the Holocaust. His rhetoric has been excessive and provocative. And he does not really care what we in the West think about Iran or Muslims; he does not kowtow to western or Israeli diktat."

Dossa was criticized in Canadian media, by university president Sean Riley, and by 105 professors at his university for his attendance at Tehran's Holocaust conference. Dossa replied he did not know Holocaust deniers would be in attendance, that he has "never denied the Holocaust, only noted its propaganda power", and that the university should respect his academic freedom to participate.

Speech of Ahmadinejad at he U.N. Durban II conference in Geneva, April 20 2009 Video

Ahmadinejad Speech in Columbia University, USA September 2007

[source : wikipedia and others]

Extreme Motorcycle

2009-06-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Dodge Tomahawk

This is an 8200cc Monster of a Bike. It’s like riding a 2-wheeled Train Engine.

ENGINE

500 bhp (372 kW) @ 5600 rpm (60.4 bhp/liter); 525 lb.-ft. (712 Nm) @ 4200 rpm
10-cylinder 90-degree V-type, liquid-cooled, 505 cubic inches (8277 cc)
356-T6 aluminum alloy block with cast-iron liners, aluminum alloy cylinder heads
Bore x Stroke: 4.03 inches x 3.96 inches (102.4 x 100.6)
Two pushrod-actuated overhead valves per cylinder with roller-type hydraulic lifters 6.
Sequential, multi-port electronic fuel injection with individual runners
Compression Ratio: 9.6:1
Max Engine Speed: 6000 rpm
Fuel Requirement: Unleaded premium, 93 octane (R+M/2)
Oil System: Dry Sump; takes 8 quarts Mobil1 10W30 Synthetic
Cooling System: Twin aluminum radiators mounted atop engine intake manifolds, force-fed from front-mounted, belt-driven turbine fan.
Takes 11 quarts of antifreeze.
Exhaust System: Equal-length tubular stainless steel headers with dual collectors and central rear outlets.

SUSPENSION

Front :
Outboard, single-sided parallel upper and lower control arms made from polished billet aluminum. Mounted via ball joint to aluminum steering uprights and hubs. Five degrees caster. Single, fully adjustable centrally located coil-over damper ( 2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pullrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs.
Rear :
Hand-fabricated box-section steel inboard swing arms, incorporating “hydral-link” lockable recirculating hydraulic circuit parking stand. Single fully adjustable centrally located Koni coil-over damper ( 2.25-inch coil with adjustable spring perch); pushrod and rocker-actuated mono linkage. Center-lock racing-style hubs.

BRAKES

Front :
20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled machined stainless steel rotors, one per wheel. Two four-piston fixed aluminum calipers per wheel (16 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Hand-activated.
Rear :
20-inch perimeter-mounted drilled cast-iron rotors, one per wheel. One four-piston fixed aluminum caliper per wheel (8 pistons total), custom designed. Blue anodized caliper finish. Foot-activated.

The Tomahawk is a Viper V-10 based motorcycle, a 500 horsepower engine with four wheels beneath it.
Chrysler will be selling the original Tomahawk concept and nine replicas through Neiman Marcus, for up to $555,000 each. The motorcycles cannot be licensed, so they cannot be legally driven on public roads. A Chrysler spokesman told Reuters they were meant as rolling sculptures.

Rumors had the Tomahawk selling for under $200,000, most likely at a loss or breakeven price, for publicity purposes - but still fully drivable. Wolfgang Bernhard, Chrysler’s not particularly respected first mate, was said to be enthusiastic about that project, so much so that hundreds were projected to be built at under $200,000 each. They reportedly cost Chrysler over $100,000 to build (admittedly the work is outsourced).

The Dodge Tomahawk can reach 60 miles an hour in about 2.5 seconds, and has a theoretical top speed of nearly 400 mph. Each pair of wheels is separated by a few inches and each wheel has an independent suspension. Bernhard said four wheels were necessary to handle the power from the engine.

The Tomahawk remains on display at auto shows - though well out of reach of the general public, elevated on a special display.

PERFORMANCE

0-60 mph: 2.5 seconds (est.)
Top Speed: 300+ mph (est.)

DIMENSIONS

Length: 102 inches
Width: 27.7 inches
Height: 36.9 inches
Wheelbase: 76 inches
Seat Height: 29 inches
Weight: 1,500 lbs.
Track, Front: 8.75 in
Track, Rear: 10 in
Weight Dist: 49F/51R
Ground Clearance: 3 in
Fuel: 3.25 gallons

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Alternator: 136-amp high-speed

Battery : Leak-resistant, maintenance-free 600 CCALighting: Headlights consist of 12 five-watt LEDs, front, with beam-modifying optics and masked lenses.

Eight LEDs, rear. Headlamps articulate with wheels.

TRANSMISSION

Manual, foot-shifted two-speed
Aluminum-cased two-speed, sequential racing-style with dog ring, straight-cut gears
Gear Ratios: 1st 18:38; 2nd 23:25Clutch: Double-disc, dry-plate with organic friction materials, hand lever actuated with assistFinal drive: Dual 110-link motorcycle-style chains
Front Sprockets: 14 teethRear Sprockets: 35 teeth
Longitudinal, centrally mounted engine, rear-wheel drive layout; monocoque construction, engine is central, stressed member. Body of billet aluminum.

O2 GPS-WiFi-Camera Phone

2009-06-17T04:08:00.000-07:00

O2 Xda Serra

The Serra is one of two similar smartphones that now sit at the top of the XDA range of devices from mobile company O2, along with the recently launched Ignito. The Serra is a natural step up for anyone who has previously owned one of O2’s Orbit devices but also anyone looking for a business-class smartphone.

Despite its small footprint, the Serra has a full qwerty keyboard tucked away behind its screen. Turn the device on its side, slide the screen up and out it comes with a satisfying clunk. As you would expect from a device this small, the keys are tiny – measuring just 6mm square – but bigger than that on most BlackBerries. It is perfect for anyone who hates having to use on-screen virtual keyboards or handwriting recognition to type messages on the go. It is this sliding keyboard that is one of the major differences from its sister smartie, the Ignito.

The Serra is slightly fatter than its Orbit predecessors because of that keyboard but shaves a few millimetres off the height and width. Despite this, the device’s 2.8 inch touchscreen remains the same size and Orbit users will be glad to see that the Serra’s native resolution is 480x640, compared to its predecessor’s 240x320. Processing power has also received a boost with a Qualcomm 528MHz chip instead of the 400 MHz engine in the Orbit 2. As for its looks, the Serra is a winner. The device has a smoky black exterior and very few external ports and buttons to trouble its slick design. The screen extends to the edge of the device too, making you want to dive in like one of those infinity pools.Despite its small footprint, the Serra has a full qwerty keyboard tucked away behind its screen. Turn the device on its side, slide the screen up and out it comes with a satisfying clunk. As you would expect from a device this small, the keys are tiny – measuring just 6mm square – but bigger than that on most BlackBerries. It is perfect for anyone who hates having to use on-screen virtual keyboards or handwriting recognition to type messages on the go. It is this sliding keyboard that is one of the major differences from its sister smartie, the Ignito.

The Serra is slightly fatter than its Orbit predecessors because of that keyboard but shaves a few millimetres off the height and width. Despite this, the device’s 2.8 inch touchscreen remains the same size and Orbit users will be glad to see that the Serra’s native resolution is 480x640, compared to its predecessor’s 240x320. Processing power has also received a boost with a Qualcomm 528MHz chip instead of the 400 MHz engine in the Orbit 2.

As for its looks, the Serra is a winner. The device has a smoky black exterior and very few external ports and buttons to trouble its slick design. The screen extends to the edge of the device too, making you want to dive in like one of those infinity pools.

On firing up the Serra, you first come to the home screen which, by default, shows a large digital clock, quick links to call history and the calendar and a scrollable ribbon of icons to access the most regularly used applications, including contacts, email and the web browser (now using the superior Opera Mobile instead of Pocket Internet Explorer).

Scrolling will come as a pleasure to anyone who has used Windows Mobile before. The Serra uses TouchFlo 3D technology to scroll around on the touchscreen. Dragging a finger in a particular direction, scrolls it that way. If you are in Opera browser, a double tap zooms in (and then out again). If you are looking at photos, drawing a circle with your finger zooms in (clockwise) or out (anti-clockwise). I still don’t find the gesture functionality as good as the interface on the iPhone but it is a huge leap forward for people brought up on Windows Mobile and its menu-based interface.

Sliding out the keyboard automatically switches the orientation of the screen from portrait into landscape mode. If you are in an application, it just switches to the wider view but if you are in the Home screen, it takes you to an eight-icon quick launch screen showing the most commonly used applications.

When you connect the device to your computer using the included USB cable, it prompts you to choose between using Microsoft’s ActiveSync, which lets you synchronise specific files or personal information data but does so slowly, or treating the Serra as an external disk drive, which offers faster data transfer.

The Serra comes pre-installed with a range of business-traveller friendly software, including Mobile versions of Excel, PowerPoint and Word, allowing you to read and change documents sent from colleagues or forwarded from your own desktop although many advanced features of the desktop versions of these applications are not fully supported. Another nice pre-installed application is WorldCard Mobile

The Serra has a micro SD slot hidden away in the battery compartment, allowing you to expand storage up to 32GB

The spec
3.2MP camera with autofocus, wireless 802.11b and g, triband GSM, HSDPA, Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, weight 165g with battery, dimensions: 102x51x18.1mm, flash memory 512MB, RAM 288MB. Standby 17 days, talk time up to 3 hours 30 minutes, built-in GPS receiver but no installed GPS software

The hype
They say: “Designed for business customers who want a portable mobile device that delivers all the features of a desktop”

The reality
We say: It’s not quite a portable desktop but comes very close. Push email, Office Mobile and a very usable browser coupled with TouchFlo 3D gesture control makes this the closest Windows Mobile smartphone yet to a PC in your pocket.

From free to £244.67 on a pay monthly contract from the O2 Business Shop

The verdict
This is a slick upgrade for anyone who has previously had one of O2’s XDA smartphones – the fast processor, hi-res touchscreen and slide-away keyboard are all great improvements on previous models. This is also a good smartphone for anyone who likes the looks of the Apple iPhone but can’t abide its limitations – the lack of cut and paste and the inability to use it as a modem with your laptop to name but two. Despite the smaller screen, I find it a more compelling and user-friendly device than the touchscreen BlackBerry Storm too.

The O2 Xda Ignito

Last year O2 announced and brought to the marketplace the Orbit 2 which featured: 3Mpixel camera, fast processor, large RAM / ROM, GPS, Quad band, phone, Touch interface, etc.

This has now been superceded and replaced with the O2 Xda Ignito which serves to enhance and further the popular Xda range. Again a candy-bar design (no hardware keyboard) the Ignito sports:

3.2MPixel camera, 528Mhz processor, VGA (640 x 480 display), Quad band, large ROM / RAM, A-GPS, 3G phone / video phone, Touch FLO 3D interface, etc

We'll look at its features as we move through the review and see if the Ignito does carry on the traditions of the Xda series.....

Once more we extend our thanks to the generous folks at O2 for allowing us to review the Xda Ignito. [view detailed spec.]

O2 Xda Zest

O2’s Xda range is something of a stalwart in Windows Mobile circles. The company’s own label smartphones have been around for many years, and a quick peek at the current range is all the evidence you need of O2’s liking for HTC, because almost every handset in the current line-up is made by them. In most cases you can get something identical both SIM free and from other operators.

But the new Xda Zest is different. It is made by Asus and the design is unique to O2. And perhaps even more interestingly, it is the first Xda to be available on prepay (where it will set you back £249.99) as well as on Pay Monthly where it will be free on some contracts.

This is a decidedly middle-of-the-road Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional device, with some real plus points and a few niggles.

The overall dimensions make it a little squat as it is rather wider than we are used to at 60.5mm. It is 102mm tall and a slightly chubby 16.5mm thick, and weighs very slightly over the odds at 120g. This translates to ever so slightly less comfort in the hand than we are used to, but we don’t want to overplay that point and it is certainly not a deal-breaker.

The casing is pretty predictable in looks. The plastic shell is mostly black with a few silver highlights, most notably the D-pad on the front fascia. The Call, End, Start Menu and OK buttons are all a bit small, but they are neatly integrated into the overall look.

We like a lot that there is a hold button on the right edge. Slide this and it dims the screen and locks out the touchscreen and all buttons. Windows Mobile has its own lock feature but this is software driven and is only accessible from the main screen – and only then if you choose to show it there. The option here is far more useful as you can get to it at any time.

Here comes a niggle. There is 256MB of ROM and 128MB of RAM. These numbers are standard fare and nothing to grumble about. You can add more memory with microSD cards – again a standard feature. But the card slot is under the battery which means you have to power the Xda Zest down to get to it. Really, these days, we expect memory slots to be more accessible than that so we can hotswap cards easily.

There is a GPS antenna and you get a three-month trial of the CoPilot navigation software. We are more used to seeing this bundled for free for good, and forking out for it later on might be irksome to you. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are also built in. The Xda Zest is a HSDPA device and there is a front facing camera for two way video calling.

One highlight of the Xda Zest is its screen. This measures a generous 2.8-inches with a 640x480 pixel resolution. Screens with this resolution are much clearer and sharper than those with 320x240 pixels, and we really found that to be a boon.

Following the trend to hide the now rather dated Windows Mobile interface, O2 has put its own alternative on board. From the standard Windows Mobile Today screen you can choose the softmenu marked ‘O2 Menu’, and from there you have access to three screens, either by tapping their icons on the bottom of the screen or by finger-sweeping on the horizontal plane.

The screens offer a 4x4 grid of photocontacts, a 3x3 grid of shortcuts to applications, tools and settings, and a main screen that shows the time, weather and information about messages, emails, missed calls and so on. There is nothing revolutionary about the system, but it has a graphical design that appeals and the finger-sweeping is smooth and efficient.

There is a camera on the back of the casing and this shoots stills to 3-megapixels. Again this is nothing revolutionary, but the right side mounted button makes it very easy to use as do on-screen tappable icons for everything from zooming to choosing the image resolution, switching into macro mode, using the self timer and selecting shooting modes.

Another significant niggle is that there is no dedicated headphone socket. Headsets have to use the mini USB connector that is shared by mains power and the PC cable. This is far from ideal, and for us it is bit of a deal breaker as it means we need an adaptor to use our favourite headphones.

We are pleased to see O2 offering an Xda on Pay&Go as well as Pay Monthly, and we like the high res screen, finger-sweep interface and HSDPA. But we do have some niggles too. There is a lot of mid-range competition out there to check out before taking the plunge. [view detailed spec.]

O2 XDA Guide

O2 is making a strong attempt to be all things to all people with its increasingly diverse range of Xda smart phones. The latest is the O2 Xda Guide and it places the emphasis firmly on sat nav and location-based services, thanks not just to it's built-in A-GPS transmitter, but also the CoPilot Live 7 sat nav software which comes with it.

As with the rest of the Xda series, the Xda Guide is actually made by Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, which produces very similar devices under its own Touch brand, the nearest match to this handset being the HTC Touch Cruise. They are in fact more or less identical, but you'll only get CoPilot Live 7 with the O2 model.

Also on board are a 3.2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth, Opera web browser and HTC's attractive TouchFLO interface, which brightens up the versatile but awkward Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system that lies beneath it. [view detailed spec.]

The O2 Xda Orbit 2

O2 have been renowned for innovation over the years with the creation and development of the Xda series of machines. Twelve months or so ago O2 launched what was arguably the best Xda machine - the Xda Orbit. This developed a massive following despite it having a few shortcomings such as too fast a trackball and a relatively slow operational speed.

O2 have now launched the replacement for the Orbit which has been imaginatively named the Xda Orbit 2. This is again based on a generic HTC design (the Polaris) but has been fitted out with an O2 designed housing as was the original Orbit. This resultant blend of HTC technology and O2 style serves to produce a modern looking and attractive machine.

The Orbit 2 serves to bring to the user a high level of features; 3Mpixel camera, fast processor, large RAM / ROM, GPS, Quad band, phone, Touch interface, etc.

O2 are back with another revolutionary Orbit design, but will it follow through and gain on the success of the original Orbit or will it be found lacking?

We'll look at its features as we move through the review and see if the Orbit 2 does carry on the traditions of the original Orbit.....

Once more we extend our thanks to the generous folks at O2 for allowing us to review the Xda Orbit 2. [view detailed spec.]

O2 Xda Stellar

O2 have been renowned for innovation over the years with the creation and development of the Xda series of machines. The last twelve months or so however have seen few machines being released which look to be current compared to machines being offered by other carriers. However this is now being addressed with O2 bringing to the marketplace the O2 Xda Stellar which is based on the design of the HTC TyTN II - one of the latest machines created by HTC.

The Stellar serves to bring to the user a high level of features; QWERTY keyboard, 3Mpixel camera, fast processor, large RAM / ROM, GPS, Quad band, phone, etc.

Once again O2 are back in tune with what the user wants. We'll look at these features as we move through the review and see if the Stellar does deliver the features demanded by today's user and whether it serves to extend the proud line of Xda branded products.

Needless to say that once again we extend our thanks to O2 for allowing us to review the Xda Stellar. [view detailed spec.]

Apple GPS-WiFi-Camera Phones

2009-06-17T03:43:00.000-07:00

Apple iPhone 3G

The iPhone may probably be second to none in terms of the buzz it has generated around the world. Part of this is due to the penetration of the Internet, while part of it may also be that the iPhone is seen as something to be desired. So good is the extent of the marketing.

In the box (prototype)

- Transceiver unit
- 1 standard battery
- Charger set

Exterior
The iPhone 3G is very flat. It is long, no doubt about it, but it feels a little more like a Nintendo game from the 80s then what you would expect from a handphone. Our review unit is in white, which denotes that it is a 16GB model.

Buttons/Screen
The screen is 3.5 inch one, with an OS that thrives on responsive graphics such as slider buttons that you can drag across the screen with your fingers. The buttons are all metal and placed around the edges of the device. The volume toggle is on the left and the Sleep/Wake button is on the top of the device.

What passes for a menu button is at the bottom of the screen. Pressing on it gets the main menu with its set of icons back onto the main screen.

Hardware
The iPhone 3G weighs 133 grams and most people exclaim on the flatness of the device the first time they see it. The dimensions are 115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3 and the screen itself is a 16 million colour TFT type displaying 320 x 480 pixels in what is pretty stunning graphics.

The iPhone has a few sensors built into it. The light sensor adjusts the screen brightness according to the ambiant lighting. The proximity sensor turns off the screen when you put it up to your ear to take a call. Finally, an accelerometer detects the orientation of the device. I just didn’t like it very much when it kept rotating a photo that someone else shot at a funny angle.

Charging is done via a slot on the bottom of the phone. However, the shape of the device meant that it rocked slightly from side to side when you place it on a flat surface during usage.

Full specifications can be found here

Software
The YouTube program was nice. It connects directly to YouTube and lets you watch videos on the move. If you can afford the rather stiff data charges, that is. Still, this can be something to play with in one of those free Wi-Fi cafes or hotels.

Let us touch a little bit on the Safari browser here. First of all, it does not do multiple pages and it does not cache data very well, causing a lot of reloads. Reloads, on a mobile network, are costly affairs. The other thing is that the Maxis 3G network to which a Malaysian iPhone is locked to is pretty fast, but only when it is working.

During some testing, we found that the 3G network isn’t too good and the browser just freezes up. When it does switch you to EGPRS, the speeds aren’t too great. Simple things like loading up a BBC webpage could take random tries for up to an hour.

Even as I write this, my favourite gaming site has just issued an advisory saying it is now iPhone compatible but it won’t support a couple of my favourite games.

Camera/Video
The camera is a 2.0 megapixel type, which was a disappointment to many iPhone fans who were hoping for something better than the camera on the first iPhone. 2.0 megapixel is really scraping the bottom of the barrel in mid-2009.

There is no dedicated camera button, and this means that you will have to unlock the phone and activate the camera from within the graphical menu. This is a rather unwieldy way to get a camera to work. Well, we’ve seen worse and it’s a matter of a learning a new way to activate the camera.

Connectivity
The iPhone supports HSDPA 1.8 Mbit/s, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, EDGE and GPRS. It has Bluetooth for local connections and an airplane mode to turn the radios off when you can’t have RF interference.

The reviewer’s manual mentioned something like ‘fit 10 radios into a device this small’, but I think that it is downright deceitful to leave out the FM radio and then make you buy it from the App Store. Talk about missing the point with the radios.

Apparently, the radio works on iPhone 3G firmware but I’ve got a much nicer music box and couldn’t be bothered to spend a world wide wait downloading the application to try.

Games
The iPhone does not come with built-in games. The user is expected to choose and download what they want from the App Store.

Related posts :

Making Biodiesel From Waste Vegetable Oil

2009-06-16T06:09:00.000-07:00

What is Biodiesel?

Biodiesel is a fuel derived from a process known as transesterification whereby the oils produced by oliferous plants (typically in the UK we are talking about rapeseed or sunflower oil as the major sustainable sources) are combined under the correct conditions with a methoxide catalyst to cause separation of the oil into usable fuel oil and glycerol by-product.

In layman's terms, transesterification can be thought of as the process of converting one ester into another ester. An ester is a chemical combination of fatty acids attached to alcohol. Animal and vegetable fats, oils and biodiesel are examples of esters.

If both vegetable oil and biodiesel are esters, why is it not practical to use vegetable oil in a diesel engine instead of going through the process of creating biodiesel? In other words, why is there a need for transesterification?

The answer lies in the difference in viscosity, that is the thickness or resistance to flow, between the two esters. Vegetable oil has too high a viscosity for diesel engines, designed for fossil diesel, to cope with. This is because the constituent alcohol molecule of the vegetable oil ester, glycerol, is very large. Hence we need to reduce the thickness of the vegetable oil by replacing the glycerol with an alcohol that is smaller in molecular size, methanol, and thus create a different ester.

This is what the process of transesterification allows us to do. By converting the vegetable oil ester into the biodiesel ester, it separates the larger glycerol molecules from the fatty acids within the vegetable oil. The methanol combines with the fatty acids producing smaller methyl esters thus creating the more free flowing biodiesel.

Given that transesterification is the process of converting one ester into another, it has to be noted that the process is reversible.

Benefits of Using Biodiesel

As we all know, the fossil fuels are a finite resource and will soar in price as the world's resources dwindle. Alternatives for road transport are not being given the impetus and investment that they deserve (hydrogen fuel cell technology is a prime example) and this represents a tremendous opportunity for the biodiesel industry to solve several problems with a series of simple strokes.

Firstly, biodiesel is completely sustainable. It is carbon neutral in that it releases the same amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as it took out in the first place during the growth cycle. There are other major benefits in the use of biodiesel.

3 tonnes less carbon dioxide are liberated from storage in fossilised hydrocarbons
180g less sulphur oxides are produced - virtually zero emissions
20kg less nitrous oxides are produced
50kg less carbon monoxide is produced
40kg less particulates are produced - and biodiesel particulate emissions are NON-carcinogenic

Additionally, biodiesel fuel is 98% biodegradeable within 21 days.

Economically, there are also huge potential long term advantages in terms of producing cash-crops for farmers. Such utilisation of set aside and under-utilised land could increase agricultural sector employment by one person per 20 hectares dedicated to energy crops.

Professionally manufactured biodiesel is monitored by Customs and Excise as well as the Environment Agency. It conforms to DIN 51606 and EN 14214 and so is guaranteed to be effective in any diesel engine without modification.

The Process

The process of making biodiesel is known as transesterification and is achieved by adding methanol to vegetable oil. The process requires a catalyst to increase the rate of the chemical reaction between the methanol and vegetable oil. The catalyst used in the creation of biodiesel is an alkaline one, either Sodium Hydroxide or Potassium Hydroxide.

When the process is complete the catalyst can be recovered unaffected by the chemical reaction that it accelerated, along with the glycerol separated from the vegetable oil.

If waste vegetable oil is used then we have another situation to deal with. Waste vegetable oil will have been been reheated several times during the course of its usage. The reheating will cause some of the fatty acids bonded to the glycerol to break away and float freely in the vegetable oil - hence the name Free Fatty Acid (FFA). There are two ways of dealing with free fatty acids:

Esterify the FFAs creating methyl esters then proceeding with the transesterification.
Increase the amount of catalyst in the single transesterifaction process so that the additional catalyst neutralises the FFAs creating soap as an additional by-product.

Transesterification is a reversible reaction. This means that the process is working both ways simultaneously until a balance between the vegetable oil and biodiesel is reached. Consequently we need to ensure that the process continues the creation of biodiesel rather than stall once it reaches this point of equilibrium.

In commercial production we would tap off the output as it is created thus ensuring that there is a greater quantity of input vegetable oil to keep the reaction producing the biodiesel. For smaller scale production, however, it is more practical to use an increased volume of methanol to ensure that the reaction continues in the direction of producing biodiesel.

Step by Step from the Top

The commencement of the production process depends upon the type of oil employed, and whether it is fresh oil or used oils from the catering industry. In the case of the latter, a titration process takes place, the result of which determines the proportions of methanol to sodium hydroxide used in the preparation of the reaction catalyst. (Inadequate or omitted titration on used vegetable oil is the single biggest cause of fatty deposits in fuel filters).

There are then the following steps in the process of producing the biodiesel:

Filtration of inbound waste oil
Drying the fuel (i.e. removing water content, especially in the case of used oils)
Transesterification (specifically, the separation of the methyl esters from the glycerol)
Settling period
Separation of the biodiesel fuel from the glycerine layer [containing glycerol, catalyst, soap and methanol]
Washing the biodiesel fuel
Filtration to 5 microns
Drying the fuel again
Final products of biodiesel fuel and the by-products

This is the picture of the process making of wasted vegetable oil-biodiesel from Utah Biodiesel Supply :

[source : www.ehow.com]

Antivirus Download PCMAV 2.0c Update Build 1 + Clamav

2009-06-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

Coincided with rising magazine PCMedia Edition 07/2009, PCMAV 2.0c officially launched, with the ability to detect the virus in 2771 that many circulating in Indonesia.

IN THE NEW PCMAV 2.0C

Updated! Added a database and virus cleaning 51 local / foreign / new variants have been spread in Indonesia. Total 2771 virus with all variant, including virus Conficker , the many circulating in Indonesia is well known in this version 2.0c.
Updated! Cleaner and RTP supports the latest generation of engine ClamAV 0.95.
Updated! Added special solvets that can handle a lot of virus Risa make changes to the configuration of Windows.
BuG fixed! Cleaner sometimes can not be started when RTP is active. This problem caused the process that is still “hanging” in the memory.
BuG fixed! RTP in Cleaner detects a particular condition (or vice versa) as a “suspected virus”.
BuG fixed! In some conditions and certain computer configurations, the RTP does not want to run and appeae error message “For first usage or upgrading to newer version, …”
Improved! Now advanced heuristic engine can be optimized to detect variants in the polymorphic virus that spreads a lot in Indonesia.
Improved! Unit Automatic Updates to be more optimized thread safe.
BuG fixed! Error detection (false alarm) heuristik on some programs and scripts.
Improved! PCMAV.LOG content of the report.
Updated! Contents README.TXT conditions.
Improved! Several name changes the virus has found a new variant.
Improved! Some minor improvements and bug improvised code to ensure that internal PCMAV can still be anti-Indonesian pride.

Download PCMAV 2.0c Complete (4shared) at http://www.4shared.com/file/61999492/5e308ecc/PCMAV_20cBuild2Clamav0951_12Juni09_.html

Download PCMAV 2.0c Complete (Indowebster) at : http://www45.indowebster.com/4ffeace9047d6f42d0856888cf35d7df.rar

Download daily.cvd (daily update of Clamav Engine)

Make Your Own Biogas Generator

2009-06-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Basic Principles

What Is Biogas?
Biogas is actually a mixture of gases, usually carbon dioxide and methane. It is produced by a few kinds of microorganisms, usually when air or oxygen is absent. (The absence of oxygen is called “anaerobic conditions.”) Animals that eat a lot of plant material, particularly grazing animals such as cattle, produce large amounts of biogas. The biogas is produced not by the cow or elephant, but by billions of microorganisms living in its digestive system. Biogas also develops in bogs and at the bottom of lakes, where decaying organic matter builds up under wet and anaerobic conditions.

A microscope photo of the methane-producing bacteria.
(Photo courtesy of University of Florida,
Agricultural and Biological Engineering Department)

Besides being able to live without oxygen, methaneproducing microorganisms have another special feature: They are among the very few creatures that can digest cellulose, the main ingredient of plant fi bres. Another special feature of these organisms is that they are very sensitive to conditions in their environment, such as temperature, acidity, the amount of water, etc.

Plant-eating animals such as bison release large amounts
of biogas to the atmosphere.

Biogas is a Form of Renewable Energy
Flammable biogas can be collected using a simple tank, as shown here. Animal manure is stored in a closed tank where the gas accumulates. It makes an excellent fuel for cook stoves and furnaces, and can be used in place of regular natural gas, which is a fossil fuel.

Biogas is a form of renewable energy, because it is
produced with the help of growing plants.

Biogas is considered to be a source of renewable energy. This is because the production of biogas
depends on the supply of grass, which usually grows back each year. By comparison, the natural gas used in most of our homes is not considered a form of renewable energy. Natural gas formed from the fossilized remains of plants and animals-a process that took millions of years. These resources do not “grow back” in a time scale that is meaningful for humans.

Biogas is Not New
People have been using biogas for over 200 years. In the days before electricity, biogas was drawn from the underground sewer pipes in London and burned in street lamps, which were known as “gaslights.” In many parts of the world, biogas is used to heat and light homes, to cook, and even to fuel buses. It is collected from large-scale sources such as landfi lls and pig barns, and through small domestic or community systems in many villages.

Build It!

The apparatus you are going to build uses a discarded 18 litre water container as the “digester.” A mixture of water and animal manure will generate the methane, which you will collect in a plastic balloon. The 18 litre water container performs the same task as the stomach of a livestock animal by providing the warm, wet conditions favored by the bacteria that make the methane.

Safety Precautions
The main hazards in this activity are from sharp tools such as tubing cutters and scissors. Exercise caution while using any tool. There is no risk of explosion due to the leakage of methane because the gas develops so slowly that it dissipates long before it can reach fl ammable concentrations in room air. Exercise the normal precautions in the use of Bunsen burners: keep hair and clothing away from the burner while it is lit.

Tools
• Tubing cutter
• Scissors
• Adjustable wrench
• Rubber gloves
• Electric drill with ¼” bit, or cork borer
• Hot glue gun, with glue sticks
• Electrical or duct tape
• Sandpaper (metal fi le will also work)

Materials
• Used 18L clear plastic water bottle
• Large Mylar helium balloon Plastic water bottle cap (with the “no-spill” insert-see photo)
• Copper tubing (40 cm long, 6.5mm (1/4”) inside diameter)
• T-connector for plastic tubing (barbed, 6mm or ¼” long)
• 1 cork (tapered, 23mm long)
• Clear vinyl tubing (1.5 m long, 4mm or ¼-inch inside diameter)
• 2 barb fi ttings (¼” x ¼”)
• Ball valve (1/4”)
• 6-8L manure pellets (goat, sheep, llama, rabbit, or other ruminant)
• Rubber gloves
• Large plastic funnel (can be made from a 4L plastic milk jug with bottom removed)
• Wooden dowelling or stick (30 to 50 cm long, 2-3 cm thick)

The materials and tools you’ll need to build a
biogas generator.

Sources
Water bottle: Many hardware and grocery stores now sell purifi ed water that they bottle on site. They often collect containers that can no longer be refi lled because of dirt or damage to the bottle. These unrefi llable bottles are frequently available for free. Ask to speak to the clerk in charge of refi lling bottles. Ask for a used cap as well.

Mylar balloons: Check with any local fl orist or novelty store.
Tubing, valves, T-connectors, barb fi ttings: Check at your local hardware or plumbing supply store.
Manure: If you do not know someone who has domesticated rabbits, sheep, llamas or other similar pellet-producing animals, you can often purchase sheep or steer manure by the bag at your local garden center.

A. Prepare the biogas collection system
1. Cut a 20cm piece of copper tubing. Round off the sharp edges of the freshly cut tubing using sandpaper or a metal fi le.
2. The Mylar balloon has a sleeve-like valve that prevents helium from escaping once it is fi lled. This sleeve will help form a leak-proof seal around the rigid tubing. Push the tubing into the neck of the balloon, past the end of the sleeve, leaving about 2cm protruding from the neck of the balloon, as shown below.

Inserting copper tubing.

3. Test the tube to be sure air can enter and leave the balloon freely, by blowing a little in through the tube. The balloon should infl ate with little or no resistance, and the air should be able to escape easily through the tube.
4. Securely tape the neck of the balloon to the tube as shown in the illustration.

Taping the neck.

5. Using a drill or cork borer, make a small (4mm) hole in the center of the stopper. Add a few drops of hot glue around and inside the hole and insert the stem of the ¼-inch T-adapter into the cork.

Gluing cork.

6. Screw the two barb fi ttings into the body of the ball valve. Tighten with the adjustable wrench.

Installing the barb fi ttings on the ball valve.

7. Cut two sections of vinyl tubing, each 25cm long. Use them to connect the balloon to the T-adapter, and to connect the ball valve to the Bunsen burner. Assemble the rest of the gas collection system according to the diagram below.

Assembly of the biogas collection system.

B. Prepare the manure mixture
This is a job best done outside, with rubber gloves!

1. Cut the bottom off a 4L plastic milk jug to make a wide-mouthed funnel.
2. Place the funnel into the neck of the plastic water bottle and scoop in small amounts of manure.

Scooping manure.

3. Use a stick or piece of dowelling to push the manure through the neck of the bottle if it gets
plugged.
4. Add enough water to bring the level close to the top of the water bottle.

Slurry level.

5. Use the stick to stir up the manure and water mixture, releasing any bubbles of air that might be trapped.
6. Clean up carefully. Use soap and wash hands thoroughly.

C. Final Set-up
1. Snap the cap onto the top of the manure-fi lled 18 litre water bottle.

Completed biogas generator.

2. Be sure the ball valve is closed, but that gas moving from the water bottle can pass freely
through the T-adapter to the balloon.
3. Set the biogas generator in a warm location, such as over a heat register or radiator or in a sunlit window. If the biogas generator is placed in a window, be sure to wrap the outside of the container in black plastic or construction paper, to discourage algae from growing inside the bottle.

Test It!

For the fi rst few weeks, your biogas generator will produce mainly carbon dioxide. When the aerobic bacteria use up all the oxygen inside the bottle, the anaerobic bacteria, which make methane, can take over. It can take up to a month for the generator to start making biogas with enough methane to be fl ammable. When gas begins to accumulate in the balloon, test it by attempting to light the Bunsen burner:

Use caution when testing the biogas.

1. First, open the clamp or valve so that biogas can fl ow back from the balloon to the Bunsen burner.
2. Have a friend squeeze the Mylar balloon gently while you attempt to light the Bunsen burner with a match or spark igniter.
3. If your Bunsen burner ignites, your biogas generator is a success!

[source : A Renewable Energy Project Kit - The Pembina Institute]