A few days back the Aiwan-e-Sadar [Presidential Palace] was utilized as the a wedding reception hall to host the wedding ceremony of our Prime Minsters Gilani’s sons wedding - its just surprising that the entire country suffers the worst economic crisis but oblivious to all this suffering our leaders continue to live lavishly utilizing public property for their own advantage. I’m infuriated at such blatant misuse of public office, when is all this going to stop!! will they ever consider it their duty to ‘work for the people of Pakistan’ the people who got them there in the first place !! place !!
The fossil of a "bizarre" feathered dinosaur from the era before birds evolved has been discovered in China.
Epidexipteryx was very bird-like, with four long ribbon-like tail feathers - probably used in display.
But the pigeon-sized creature shows no sign of the flight feathers seen in other bird-like dinosaurs, according to a report in the journal Nature.
The discovery highlights the diversity of species present in the Middle to Late Jurassic, just before birds arose.
The fossil was described by a team of palaeontologists led by Fucheng Zhang and Xing Xu, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Dr Angela Milner, associate keeper of palaeontology at the Natural History Museum, London, said: "This exquisitely preserved fossil is an exciting and totally unexpected find.
"It shows that feathers were likely being used for ornamentation for many millions of years before they were modified for flight.
"It provides fascinating evidence of evolutionary experiments with feathers that were going on before small dinosaurs finally took to the air and became birds."
Air of mystery
The discovery adds yet more complexity to the early history of the era when small meat-eating bipedal dinosaurs evolved into birds.
Many feathered dinosaurs have been unearthed at the now famous fossil site in Laioning Province in China. These include the squirrel-sized creature called Microraptor, which is thought to be a key discovery in the story of how dinosaurs led to birds. Microraptor used the long feathers on all four of its limbs to glide or parachute from tree to tree, scientists believe.
Epidexipteryx, on the other hand, was a primitive, flightless member of the avialae clade.
It was discovered at the Daohugou beds, in Nincheng County, Inner Mongolia, in sediments which have been dated to around 168-152 million years ago.
Phylogenetic analysis suggests the species is a member of a "bizarre lineage" known as the scansoriopterygidae (meaning "climbing wings").
The authors also note that it displays "an unexpected combination of characters" seen in several different groups of theropods - the bipedal dinosaurs which eventually gave rise to birds.
The fossilised claw of Epidexipteryx, discovered in the Daohugou beds, China
It had a fluffy, down-like covering and sprouted two pairs of enormously long, ribbon-like shafted tail feathers. These were almost certainly used for display - making it the oldest known species to possess these.
But its limbs lacked contour feathers - a feature common to most modern birds.
Dr Zhang said: "Although possessing many derived features seen in birds... [Epidexipteryx] shows some striking features... not known in any other theropod.
The new species is the earliest known to possess ornamental display feathers
"The bizarre appearance... indicates that morphological disparity... close to the origin of birds is higher than previously assumed.
"The absence of... limb feathers suggests that display feathers appeared before aerofoil feathers and flight ability.
"It underscores the importance of Jurassic theropods for understanding avian origins."
Dr Graham Taylor, of Oxford University's Animal Flight Group, said: "This fossil is the latest in a string of feathered dinosaurs emerging from China, but is especially exciting for two reasons.
"Firstly, whereas other feathered dinosaurs date from after the appearance of the first known bird, this fossil appears to be much closer in age, so it opens a new window on the evolutionary events at the critical transition from dinosaurs to birds.
"Secondly, it has an exquisite set of ornamental tail feathers, suggesting that feathers were used in show even before they were used in flight."
The scans effectively strip passengers and highlight anything they may carry
EU lawmakers have delayed the introduction at airports of full body scanners, machines that generate images of passengers - minus their clothes.
MEPs voted for a further study on the implications for privacy and health.
Computer pictures generated by the scanners give an outline of passengers' bodies beneath their clothes.
Supporters say they detect hidden objects not picked up by traditional metal detectors. But critics say they amount to a virtual strip search.
The new scanners have already been introduced in several US airports and have been tested around the world.
Efficient measure
The European Commission - which supports their implementation - has given assurances that the scanners will not be used routinely on all passengers.
And it would be a faster and less intrusive alternative to frisking or strip-searching people.
Where scanners are in use, security staff can pick out individuals to stand in a booth while three pictures are taken of the person in slightly different positions.
This is an offence against human dignity
Martin Schulz
European MP
Within seconds, a scanner produces an image of the body.
What shows up is the naked human form and anything that may be concealed, such as a gun or drugs.
"The Commission believes that body scanning methods can complement in a very effective and efficient way the existing security measures at airports," said spokesman Jens Mester at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
European officials believe the X-ray scans could ease airport queues
Goce has fins to keep it stable as it flies through whisps of air
Europe's gravity mission has been bumped to next year because of ongoing technical problems with its launcher.
The arrow-shaped Goce satellite will map tiny variations in the pull of gravity experienced across the world.
The information will give scientists a clearer insight into how the oceans move, and provide a universal reference to measure height anywhere on Earth.
But concerns about the reliability of its Russian rocket mean a lift-off is now unlikely before February.
It is a frustrating delay for the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer (Goce).
The satellite was already two years behind schedule when it was sent to the launch pad because engineers had to work through immense technical difficulties in building it.
The super-sleek spacecraft was due to go into orbit on a modified intercontinental ballistic missile, known at the Rockot, from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in north-west Russia in the spring.
It was held on the ground while an investigation was undertaken into the performance of a different, failed rocket system that shared key components.
Once that was cleared, Goce's own launcher then became the focus of separate investigations that have now resulted in a further, extended delay.
The problem is centred on the guidance and navigation units of the Breeze upper stage that has been added to the ICBM to inject satellite payloads into their correct orbits.
Goce is a remarkable mission by any standards. It will sense the very subtle gravity anomalies that exist across the planet.
There is a misconception that Earth's pull is the same everywhere. In reality, it differs ever so slightly from place to place.
One of the reasons is that our planet is not a perfect sphere - it is flatter at the poles, fatter at the equator. Its interior layers are also not composed of uniform shells of homogenous rock - some regions are thicker or denser.
This leads to an irregular distribution of mass; and as everything that has mass is pulled by gravity, that tug becomes irregular, too.
The variations, though, are tiny - almost imperceptible. Goce will carry a special device known as a gradiometer to measure these anomalies.
The gradiometer incorporates precision-built accelerometers that sense accelerations that are as small as 1 part in 10,000,000,000,000 of the gravity experienced on Earth.
But for optimal performance, Goce needs to fly low - below 300km. This is difficult because the residual atmosphere at that altitude can jostle the spacecraft and introduce "noise" into the data.
Just how much air is present at the flight altitude is linked indirectly to activity on the Sun, which heats the upper reaches of the atmosphere, altering its density on an 11-year-cycle.
If, as expected, the Sun gets more active in the coming months and years, Goce may have to fly higher than was anticipated, limiting the resolution of its data.
GRAVITY FIELD AND STEADY-STATE OCEAN CIRCULATION EXPLORER
1. Goce senses tiny variations in the pull of gravity over Earth
2. The data is used to construct an 'idealised' surface, or geoid
3. This traces gravity of equal 'potential'; balls won't roll on its 'slopes'
4. It is the shape the oceans would take without winds and currents
5. So, comparing sea level and geoid data reveals ocean behaviour
6. Gravity changes can betray magma movements under volcanoes
7. A precise geoid underpins a universal height system for the world
8. Gravity data can also reveal how much mass is lost by ice sheets
GRAVITY FIELD AND STEADY-STATE OCEAN CIRCULATION EXPLORER
1. The 1,100kg Goce is built from rigid materials and carries fixed solar wings. The gravity data must be clear of spacecraft 'noise'
2. Solar cells produce 1,300W and cover the Sun-facing side of Goce; the near side (as shown) radiates heat to keep it cool
3. The 5m-by-1m frame incorporates fins to stabilise the spacecraft as it flies through the residual air in the thermosphere
4. Goce's accelerometers measure accelerations that are as small as 1 part in 10,000,000,000,000 of the gravity experienced on Earth
5. The UK-built engine ejects xenon ions at velocities exceeding 40,000m/s; Goce's mission will end when the 40kg fuel tank empties
6. S Band antenna: Data downloads to the Kiruna (Sweden) ground station. Processing, archiving is done at Esa's centre in Frascati, Italy
7. GPS antennas: Precise positioning of Goce is required, but GPS data in itself can also provide some gravity field information
During the auction Jim was able to sneak out with Darryl and the guys from the warehouse and ended up at a bar, running into Roy Anderson in the process. Although I would've liked to see more of Jim and Roy's interactions, he was mostly necessary as a plot device to put even the smallest seed of doubt into Jim's head about his relationship with Pam. The following sequences with him driving out to see Pam, and then turning around do make me believe they aren't going to go that route, but I hope they do. Pam should be returning from school in the next few weeks, and it would be great to see how she handled the relationships she made out there.
Michael and Holly's relationship got off to a good start this week, as it seems like they're having fun and enjoying each others company. They are a perfect match, although combined with the last two weeks I feel a little over-saturated with them. Take Pam and Jim's relationship: we're still seeing them in the work setting, not really getting too much of a glimpse as to what their engagement is like outside the office, and I think that's for the better. A little bit goes a long way with aspects like that, and all the Holly and Michael stuff this week turned me off a bit. Of course the revelation with David Wallace at the end will have big repercussions next week for the Halloween episode.
The humor this week fell a little flat, especially compared to last weeks fiasco with the baby shower. The premise was fine, but the execution of the auction felt like it could have been much more, especially considering most of the cast was present for the scene. There were some funny bits, most notably Ryan shying away once David Wallace made a rare appearance, and most of Dwight's exchanges with Phylis, but as a whole I felt underwhelmed by the comedy this week.
One minor detail this week was the abundance that the camera crew was referred to. Although it is a small detail, I believe it engages the viewer more when "we" are referred to, and makes the documentary aspect of the show more believable.
It was inevitable but the first (work safe) teaser for Sarah Palin-inspired porn flick ‘Who’s Nailin’ Palin’ is proving a huge success on YouTube. The brief clip shows a Palin lookalike improving diplomatic relations with a pair of Russians.
A small treat for Take That fans. The video for the bands forthcoming single ‘Greatest Day’ is being premiered exclusively online today at AOL’s music microsite. The film, which was shot in downtown LA, has been directed by Meiert Avis.
In times of economic turmoil, nothing sells like a discount. Still, we're not sure what retailers will make of which publishes online "coupon codes", allowing users to wheedle all kinds of discounts from popular brands' websites.
All you Twitterers out there who aim to be ahead of the curve, alas, your social network of choice has gone mainstream. Turns out Britney Spears and her web team have started using the site to keep in touch with fans.
India has successfully launched its first mission to the Moon.
The unmanned Chandrayaan 1 spacecraft blasted off smoothly from a launch pad in southern Andhra Pradesh to embark on a two-year mission of exploration.
The robotic probe will orbit the Moon, compiling a 3-D atlas of the lunar surface and mapping the distribution of elements and minerals.
The launch is regarded as a major step for India as it seeks to keep pace with other space-faring nations in Asia.
It was greeted with applause by scientists gathered at the site.
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says there has been a lot of excitement about the event, which was broadcast live on national TV.
Competitive mission
An Indian-built launcher carrying the one-and-a-half-tonne satellite blasted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at about 0620 local time (0050 GMT).
One key objective will be to search for surface or sub-surface water-ice on the Moon, especially at the poles.
Another will be to detect Helium 3, an isotope which is rare on Earth, but is sought to power nuclear fusion and could be a valuable source of energy in future.
Powered by a single solar panel generating about 700 Watts, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) probe carries five Indian-built instruments and six that are foreign-built.
The mission is expected to cost 3.8bn rupees (£45m; $78m).
The Indian experiments include a 30kg probe that will be released from the mothership to slam into the lunar surface.
The Moon Impact Probe (MIP) will record video footage on the way down and measure the composition of the Moon's tenuous atmosphere.
"Chandrayaan has a very competitive set of instruments... it will certainly do good science," said Barry Kellett, project scientist on the C1XS instrument, which was built at the Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory in the UK.
C1XS will map the abundance of different elements in the lunar crust to help answer key questions about the origin and evolution of Earth's only natural satellite.
Researchers say the relative abundances of magnesium and iron in lunar rocks could help confirm whether the Moon was once covered by a molten, magma ocean.
"The iron should have sunk [in the magma ocean], whereas the magnesium should have floated," Mr Kellett told BBC News.
"The ratio of magnesium to iron for the whole Moon tells you to what extent the Moon melted and what it did after it formed."
The instrument will look for more unusual elements on the Moon's surface, such as titanium. This metallic element has been found in lunar meteorites, but scientists know little about its distribution in the lunar crust.
Chandrayaan will also investigate the differences between the Moon's near side and its far side. The far side is both more heavily cratered and different in composition to the one facing Earth.
The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket will loft Chandrayaan into an elliptical "transfer orbit" around Earth.
The probe will later carry out a series of engine burns to set it on a lunar trajectory.
The spacecraft coasts for about five-and-a-half days before firing the engine to slow its velocity such that it is captured by the Moon's gravity.
Chandrayaan will slip into a near-circular orbit at an altitude of 1,000km. After a number of health checks, the probe will drop its altitude until it is orbiting just 100km above the lunar surface.
India, China, Japan and South Korea all have eyes on a share of the commercial satellite launch business and see their space programmes as an important symbol of international stature and economic development.
Last month, China became only the third country in the world to independently carry out a spacewalk.
But the Indian government's space efforts have not been welcomed by all.
Some critics regard the space programme as a waste of resources in a country where millions still lack basic services.
A member of staff removes a wedding ring from a waxwork of Madonna at London's Madame Tussaud's museum, a day after the pop star announced her divorce from guy Ritchie.London's Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum unveiled their version of Madonna's "Hard Candy" album cover. The singer is shown in a boxing ring in a similar position as the image on the album - coming out April 29Th in the US. I am surprised that they did not go all the way to reproduce it exactly like the original photograph though if does look like the Goddess is really there in person.
Telenor has announced the suspension of all contracts with China's ZTE - citing alleged breaches of its code of conduct, without going into details. The ban lasts for at least six months.
"We have suspended ZTE from participating in tenders and new business opportunities for a period of six months ending March 3 next year," Telenor spokesman Dag Melgaard said, adding "The move is based on a breach of Telenor's code of conduct in relations to a procurement process,"
The ban applies to all Telenor subsidiaries worldwide.
The company has come under pressure following claims that suppliers to companies which supplied services to Grameenphone in Bangladesh were relying on child-labour, although our records do not include any sales by ZTE to that operator.
China's ZTE has reported to the news that Telenor has blocked the firm from any network tenders for breaching its ethical policy by confirming that a breach did occur - but only one employee was involved.
"This situation between Telenor and ZTE has arisen because of the actions of a single employee in a ZTE subsidiary, acting on his own behalf," ZTE said in a written response to the Reuters news agency, adding that "the individual concerned has been disciplined and we are reviewing possible legal action."
Telenor has come under pressure to boost its ethical standards following an apparently unrelated issue in Bangladesh with a 3rd party supplier. Yesterday, Telenor announced that it would ban ZTE for a period of six months from participating in any tenders. On the same day though, ZTE announced the win of a US$400 million contract with Aircel - a subsidiary of Malaysia's Maxis.
Earlier this year, ZTE denied bribing Philippine officials over a large broadband landline contract, which has engulfed various members of the government. The contract was canceled by President Arroyo following mounting pressure over the corruption allegations. Following the scandal, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Philippines' president, ordered a halt to large infrastructure projects which rely on funding from Chinese companies.
Residents of Muswell Hill, in London, and Whitchurch, in South Glamorgan, are to be the first to try next generation broadband in the UK।
Exchanges in both areas are to become pilot sites where the fibre-based broadband will be tested.
Once they are upgraded, home users should be able to go online at speeds of up to 40 megabits per second (Mbps).
Up to 15,000 home and business customers in each area will get the chance to take part in the pilot.
Fast forward
The operational pilots will run fibre-optic cables to the street cabinets that connect homes and businesses to telephone exchanges.
A BT spokesman said the two sites were chosen because of their mix of customers and net providers in these areas as well as the make-up of the local communications network and geography.
"These two areas are perfect for our needs for the pilots," said the spokesman.
The pilots will begin in summer 2009. Prior to the start of the large scale trials BT's Openreach will run a small trial in early 2009 involving 30 homes connected to the Foxhall exchange in Kesgrave, Suffolk.
The pilots are being run by BT Openreach which looks after the so-called "first mile" of the communication network that links homes and office buildings to BT's core network.
The BT spokesman said it was proper to describe the installation of the equipment as a pilot as it would not remove the hardware once the pilot period ended.
Because of this, said the spokesman, it was not clear which broadband firms would be recruiting people to take part in the trial or the terms and conditions that would govern it.
Further pilots in new areas will be chosen towards the end of 2009 and the commercial roll out of the service is set to begin in 2010.
In July 2008, BT said it would spend £1.5bn installing fibre-optic cables to that would bring the high-speed broadband to about 40% of the UK population.
The pilot will test the technology Openreach has chosen and those taking part will be encouraged to use demanding web-based applications, such as high-definition movies and online gaming, simultaneously to see how the new system copes.
"We have no clear idea of the applications that are out there that people might need really high speed services for," said the spokesman.
In a separate trial BT is also running fibre to thousands of new homes being built at a large scale development under construction in Ebbsfleet, Kent. The technology being installed to these homes is expected to deliver speeds of about 100Mbps.
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