Karthi’s Alex Pandian Latest News

After finalizing the title of Karthi’s forthcoming movie recently, the makers of Alex Pandian have now released the first look of the Tamil movie. In the posters, the actor star will be seen in rugged look.

Smoking beedi, holding guns, with dhoti- vest clad costume, Karthi brings back the memories of his earlier movies Paruthiveeran and Siruthai, where he was seen in roughneck roles. Here, we are bringing you the first look of Alex Pandian.

Alex Pandian is the role famous made by Rajinikanth in Monndru Mugam. Now, this has generated a huge-hype around the forthcoming Tamil movie starring Karthi and Anushka Shetty. The film directed by Suraaj also features Milind Soman and Suman.

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ODI axing may push Ponting towards retirement ...

Ricky Ponting, one of the greatest batsmen of the modern era, is likely to announce his retirement on Tuesday from One Day cricket after Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel dropped him from the tri-series squad on Monday.

For the past two years, Ponting has been under huge pressure to retain his place with slump in form and advancing years.

In the current tri-series he has scored mere 18 runs in five matches, which has prompted the selectors to axe the former Australian skipper. However, he had stepped into the captaincy role for two games in place of the injured Michael Clarke. In his last outing on Sunday, he led Australia to victory against India in Brisbane.

Ponting is meeting the media on Tuesday at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The indications are that the 37-year-old might give up the shorter format of the game and keep himself available for Tests after re-discovering his lost touch in the five-day version against India. He hopes to feature in 2013 Ashes series and win back the urn against old foes England.

As soon as Australia opted to keep Ponting out of the squad for the next set of tri-series games, it became clear that he would not be considered again.With Shane Watson also returning from injury and Peter Forrest impressing in his debut series, it is definitely the end of Ponting who has been a prolific run-getter for Australia.Captaincy duties did not affect his batting much and he continued to blossom under leadership responsibilities.

In 375 ODI games, he has scored 13,704 runs at an average of 42.03 with 30 hundreds and 82 half centuries. He made his debut in 1995.

Ponting is second in the all-time highest scorers in ODI cricket with Sachin Tendulkar heading the list with 18,179 runs.

In his last World Cup innings, in Ahmedabad, last year, he scored one of the finest centuries in the 50-over showpiece event. However, that hundred ended in a losing cause against India in the quarter-finals.

That innings of 104 was his last ODI ton and since then he has played 16 matches with a highest score of 90 not out against Sri Lanka.

His numbers in Test cricket are also great. In 162 Tests, he has 13,200 runs at 53.44 with 41 hundreds and 61 fifties.

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Dream Angel Kareena Kapoor....

BEBO’S MAGIC!

She’s one of the hottest actress’ in the world…. Hails from a family of noteworthy actors…. Popularly known as the “size zero” girl…. Kareena Kapoor aka “bebo” of bollywood….

The question is….is that all there is to Kareena Kapoor?…. Is she where she is because of where she comes from?…. or has this young lady made a place and a name for herself?….

I’ll go for the latter…. Kareena Kapoor has done a stream of roles….some good…some not so good…. But over the years this young lady has grown….she has grown as an actor….as a performer….as an entertainer…. Be it her role as “poo” in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham….be it her character as “chameli” in chameli….be it as “dolly mishra” in omkara….be it as “geet dhillon” in jab we met…. “avantika ahuja” in kurbaan….kareena Kapoor has GROWN!

Kareena Kapoor was born on the 21st of September in the year 1980), to Babita and Randhir Kapoor. Throughout kareena’s career, she has been honored with 6 Filmfare Awards, in the midst of nine nominations, Kareena has been applauded for her performance in an array of film genus’; they include her efforts in contemporary and romantic drama… to comedy… to period films… major Bollywood creations, in addition to less publicized autonomous movies.

Randhir Kapoor is kareena’s daddy and Babita is bebo’s mom, Karisma kapoor (one of the most graceful actor) her elder sister…. It’s evident that Kareena has faced the limelight ever since she was very young, but it wasn’t until the year 2000 that Kareena took to acting and faced the camera for the 1st time ever, in the lead role in the movie Refugee. Her 1st ever big commercial success came with her melodramatic role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

If you ask yourself what’s the one role where you actually “noticed” Kareena as an “actor”….. I’m sure the answer will be “chameli”….where Kareena was seen in the role of a sex worker (2004) and this is the role which ended up being the “turning point” for Kareena as an actor….

Kareena’s work in the movie jab we met, an imtiaz ali direction, won Kareena the best actress at filmfare awards. She moved on to do the lead character in Kurbaan , a thriller in the year 2009, where she was critically acclaimed…. Next came 3 Idiots in the year 2009, and this became the peak-grossing Bollywood motion picture of time immemorial. Having done so, Kapoor has established herself as a leading actress of the Hindi film industry.

Success did not end here for bebo….she went on to launch a clothing line and became the brand representative for a retail chain named Globus.

Kareena Kapoor FILMOGRAPHY:

In the year 2000, kareena worked in refugee as nazneen “naaz” ahmed for which she was nominated as best female debut (filmware awards)

In the year 2001, kareena worked in movies like:

Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai as Pooja Saxena ;

Yaadein as Isha Singh Puri;

Ajnabee as Priya Malhotra ;

Asoka as Kaurwaki, where she was Nominated for best actress (Filmfare Award);

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… as Pooja “Poo” Sharma where she was Nominated for best supporting actress (Filmfare Award).

In the year 2002, kareena was seen in:

Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, in the role of Tina Kapoor ;

Jeena Sirf Merre Liye ,where she played the character Pooja/Pinky.

In 2003, kareena picked up roles in:

Talaash: The Hunt Begins… as Tina;

Khushi as Khushi Singh (Lali);

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon as Sanjana;

LOC Kargil as Simran.

In the year 2004, kareena worked in movies like:

Chameli, as Chameli where she was given the Filmfare Award (Special Performance);

Yuva as Mira;

Dev as Aaliya where she got the Filmfare Critics Award (Best Actress);

Fida as Neha Mehra;

Aitraaz as Priya Saxena/Malhotra;

Hulchul, as Anjali.

In the year 2005, kareena worked in:

Bewafaa, in the role of Anjali Sahai;

Kyon Ki , as the character Dr. Tanvi Khurana;

Dosti: Friends Forever, as Anjali.

In the year 2006, kareena worked in movies like:

36 China Town, in the role of Priya;

Chup Chup Ke, in the role of Shruti;

Omkara, in the role of Dolly Mishra where she was given the       Filmfare Critics Award (Best Actress) and Nominated for best actress (Filmfare Award);

Don – The Chase Begins Again, in the role of Kamini (in a Cameo).

In 2007, kareena picked up roles in:

Kya Love Story Hai;

Jab We Met, as the character Geet Dhillon for which she was given the Filmfare Award (Best Actress)

In the year 2008, kareena worked in movies like:

Tashan , in the role of Pooja Singh;

Roadside Romeo as           Laila (Voice over);

Golmaal Returns, in the role of Ekta.

In the year 2009, kareena worked in:

Luck by Chance, (Special appearance);

Billu (Special appearance);

Kambakkht Ishq as the character Simrita Rai;

Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, as the character Raina Khanna;

Kurbaan, as the character Avantika Ahuja/Khan where she was nominated for best actress (Filmfare Award);

3 Idiots, as the character Pia Sahastrabudhhe where she was Nominated as Best Actress (filmfare award).

In the year 2010, kareena worked in movies like:

Milenge Milenge, in the role of Priya Malhotra;

We Are Family, in the role of Shreya Arora  (Best Supporting Actress-filmfare award);

Golmaal 3, in the role of Daboo (Nominated for Best Actress- filmfare award).

In the year 2011, kareena was seen in:

Bodyguard, as the character Divya (Post-production);

Ra.One, as the character (Post-production);

Agent Vinod, as the character Iram            (Filming).

In the year 2012, kareena will be seen in movies like:

Reema Kagti’s Project (Filming)

Shakun Batra’s Project (Filming)

THE EARLY LIFE…

Kareena is Raj Kapoor’s (film maker) granddaughter, Prithviraj Kapoor’s (actor) great-granddaughter, and Rishi Kapoor’s (actor) niece. Babita, kareena’s mother says that Kareena was named so because during her pregnancy Babita was reading through Anna Karenina’s book and that’s where the name “Kareena” was derived.

Kareena remembers herself as a naughty, spoilt baby who always modeled around in her mother’s dresses!…. there was a time in bebo’s life when her parents separated because bebo’s father disapproved of women making a career in the Hindi film industry….during this “rough” patch….bebo’s mother struggled to bring up both her daughters in lokhandwala, where she switched between jobs….perhaps this explains where Kareena gets her streak of independence and strength from….

Kareena is an alumni of the Welham girls school, Dehradun  and believes that it was at welham’s that she lived the finest years of her life!…. she then went on to study commerce at the Mithibai college in Mumbai…later she registered at the Harvard University (USA) for a 3 month course in the area of microcomputers. Kareena also had a vivid interest in the area of Law, which she pursued…onlt to realize that it was only acting that had always been her dream….it was then that she started training at as an actor, and was mentored by Mr. Kishore Namit Kapoor, who is a member of the FTII (Film and Television Institute of India).

HER WORK OFF-SCREEN…

Kareena’s been a part of numerous world tours and stage shows since the year 2002. Her 1st world tour was at the Heartthrobs: Live in Concert, and was fruitfully performed all across the U.S. as well as Canada. Later that year, she worked alongside numerous Bollywood actors at the Kings Park Stadium in South Africa, Durban, for a show called Now or Never. Four years later on, Kareena was a part of the Rockstars Concert world tour, which was showcased in nineteen cities all across the U.K., U.S. and Canada. In the year 2008, bebo was seen in Shahrukh Khan’s Temptation Reloaded 2008.

CHARITABLE WORK…

in the year 2003 (November), Kareena performed at “Each One Reach One Benefit Concert” at Marco Ricci, which was a charity performance for the World Youth Peace Summit. In the year 2005, she was a part of the HELP! Telethon Concert, where she helped raise funds for the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake victims. Later, she was spotted in the show “jai jawan” on NDTV where she visited Rajasthan to boost up the spirits of the Indian Army Jawans. In 2007 (April), bebo donated what he won from Kaun Banega Crorepati to the St. Anthony’s Old Age Home and Mount Mary Bandra.

She’s been a part of the NDTV Greenathon, the 1GOAL Education for All, and the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, to mention a few.

HER CLOTHING LINE…

August 2007 was when Kareena replaced Soha Ali Khan (actress), as the brand ambassador for Globus, where the brand experienced a swooping 75% hike in sales.

She later launched her own clothing line in association with globus and states that this particular line reflects her own sense and style…..she wishes to be a part of designing and planning in this venture…. As expected her clothing line was a success across various cities in the country….once the 2 year contract with globus ends, Kareena wishes to be associated with an international brand or design house so she can launch the clothing line on an international platform….

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Adventure of android

Android™ delivers a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications.
Open

Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It was built to be truly open. For example, an application can call upon any of the phone’s core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. Furthermore, it utilizes a custom virtual machine that was designed to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android is open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.


Dessert Names for Google Android Versions ?

All applications are created equal
Android does not differentiate between the phone’s core applications and third-party applications. They can all be built to have equal access to a phone’s capabilities providing users with a broad spectrum of applications and services. With devices built on the Android Platform, users are able to fully tailor the phone to their interests. They can swap out the phone's homescreen, the style of the dialer, or any of the applications. They can even instruct their phones to use their favorite photo viewing application to handle the viewing of all photos.

Breaking down application boundaries
Android breaks down the barriers to building new and innovative applications. For example, a developer can combine information from the web with data on an individual’s mobile phone — such as the user’s contacts, calendar, or geographic location — to provide a more relevant user experience. With Android, a developer can build an application that enables users to view the location of their friends and be alerted when they are in the vicinity giving them a chance to connect.


Fast & easy application development
Android provides access to a wide range of useful libraries and tools that can be used to build rich applications. For example, Android enables developers to obtain the location of the device, and allows devices to communicate with one another enabling rich peer–to–peer social applications. In addition, Android includes a full set of tools that have been built from the ground up alongside the platform providing developers with high productivity and deep insight into their applications.

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The mystery of beauty

Cleopatra was queen of Egypt about 2,000 years ago. She was intelligent, proud, strong-willed, and she was determined to keep her country free from invaders. When Egypt’s army was defeated by the Romans, Cleopatra decided she would rather die than be taken captive. According to legend, she held a poisonous snake to her body. The snake bit her, and she died.










A CLEVER QUEEN IN TROUBLED TIMES
Cleopatra was the daughter of the pharaoh (ruler) of Egypt. In 51 bc, when Cleopatra was 17 or 18, her father died. Cleopatra and her 12-year-old brother became the rulers of Egypt. Three years later, her brother declared that he should be the only ruler. He forced Cleopatra to leave Egypt.


Cleopatra started putting together an army to fight her brother. But before war began, Roman general Julius Caesar arrived in Egypt. Cleopatra decided to ask Caesar for help. But how was she going to get back into Egypt, past her brother’s guards? She came up with a clever plan. Her servants rolled her into a carpet, and delivered it as a gift to Caesar. When the carpet was unrolled, out stepped Cleopatra.

Cleopatra’s plan succeeded. Caesar helped Cleopatra defeat her brother. She was again Egypt’s queen. 


Caesar fell in love with Cleopatra. When Caesar returned to Rome, Cleopatra visited him there. Caesar promised that the Roman army would not invade Egypt. Then in 44 bc, Caesar was murdered, and Cleopatra returned to Egypt.




ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
After her return, Cleopatra ruled Egypt without interference for several years. In 41 bc, however, Roman general Mark Antony demanded that Cleopatra meet with him. 


Cleopatra was in a difficult situation. She knew that the powerful Roman army could invade Egypt at any time. Cleopatra agreed to meet with Antony, but surprised him by arriving on a magnificent ship, seated on her royal throne. Antony, too, fell in love with the proud queen.

In 35 bc, Antony married Cleopatra and they lived in Egypt. The next year, they announced that they were the rulers of the eastern part of the Roman Empire. This included Egypt and most of the Middle East.


The Roman rulers were angered by this. Roman general Octavian declared war on Antony and Cleopatra. In 31 bc, Octavian won the war and took over Egypt. Both Antony and Cleopatra killed themselves.

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Execellent Quotes by Warren Buffet

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Sailing stones

There is something utterly magical about the sailing stones of the Racetrack Playa in Death Valley California. Scattered about the desert are large rocks with mysterious trails left behind them. The trails show that these rocks have rolled and zig-zagged across the ground, sometimes for as long as 860 feet. Yet no one has ever seen the stones actually move. The trails last for years before fading, so it is almost impossible to predict when the stones will move or how fast they move.

A team of scientists set out to find the answers. They named a group of stones, and did surveys of the area over a seven-year period. A 700-pound block dubbed Karen, which didn't move at all while under study, was entirely missing when they returned years later. A sighting of the 700-pound Karen was made over half a mile from the survey site. Later teams have studied the phenomenon and determined that winter ice flows and strong winter winds are responsible for the movement of the stones; in particularly strong winters, stones may move further. 

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Golden Eagle

This powerful eagle is North America's largest bird of prey and the national bird of Mexico. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their heads and necks. They are extremely swift, and can dive upon their quarry at speeds of more than 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour.


Golden eagles use their speed and sharp talons to snatch up rabbits, marmots, and ground squirrels. They also eat carrion, reptiles, birds, fish, and smaller fare such as large insects. They have even been known to attack full grown deer. Ranchers once killed many of these birds for fear that they would prey on their livestock, but studies showed that the animal's impact was minimal. Today, golden eagles are protected by law.

Golden eagle pairs maintain territories that may be as large as 60 square miles (155 square kilometers). They are monogamous and may remain with their mate for several years or possibly for life. Golden eagles nest in high places including cliffs, trees, or human structures such as telephone poles. They build huge nests to which they may return for several breeding years. Females lay from one to four eggs, and both parents incubate them for 40 to 45 days. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months.


These majestic birds range from Mexico through much of western North America as far north as Alaska; they also appear in the east but are uncommon. Golden eagles are also found in Asia, northern Africa, and Europe.


Some golden eagles migrate, but others do not—depending on the conditions of their geographic location. Alaskan and Canadian eagles typically fly south in the fall, for example, while birds that live in the western continental U.S. tend to remain in their ranges year-round.

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California Condor

The California condor is the largest flying bird in North America. Their wings may stretch nearly 10 feet (3 meters) from tip to tip. When in flight, these huge birds glide on air currents to soar as high as a dizzying 15,000 feet (4,600 meters).


Like other vultures, condors are scavengers that feast on the carcasses of large mammals, such as cattle and deer. When a big meal is available, the birds may gorge themselves so much that they must rest for several hours before flying again.
            Condors were sacred birds to the Native Americans who lived in the open spaces of western America. Today, they are best known as the subjects of a famous captive breeding program that may save them from extinction.


After decades of decline, condors neared the point of extinction in the late 1970s, when only two or three dozen birds survived. No one is sure exactly what cause or causes contributed most to this decline. Many birds died from poison ingestion and illegal egg collection, and all felt the steady loss of the open lands over which they once soared. Fossil records also show that the birds occupied only a fraction of their former range when Europeans first reached America—perhaps because of the loss of the great prehistoric herds that formerly roamed the continent.

California condors mature and reproduce slowly. They don't breed until they are between six and eight years old, and the female lays only one egg every two years. If that egg is removed, however, she will lay a second or a third. With this in mind, scientists began to collect eggs for captive incubation. They also captured wild birds for captive breeding and, when the wild population dropped below 10 individuals, all of the remaining wild condors were brought into captivity in 1987.


Through the efforts of many organizations and individuals, reintroduction of California condors began in 1992. Today about 127 birds live in the wild. Though they are protected, mortality rates are still high from accidental death. Powerlines are a particular hazard for condors, and they fare better in areas where human population density is low.

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Bald Eagle

The bald eagle, with its snowy-feathered (not bald) head and white tail, is the proud national bird symbol of the United States—yet the bird was nearly wiped out there. For many decades, bald eagles were hunted for sport and for the "protection" of fishing grounds. Pesticides like DDT also wreaked havoc on eagles and other birds. These chemicals collect in fish, which make up most of the eagle's diet. They weaken the bird's eggshells and severely limited their ability to reproduce. Since DDT use was heavily restricted in 1972, eagle numbers have rebounded significantly and have been aided by reintroduction programs. The result is a wildlife success story—the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has upgraded the birds from endangered to threatened.

Though their numbers have grown in much of their range, bald eagles remain most abundant in Alaska and Canada. These powerful birds of prey use their talons to fish, but they get many of their meals by scavenging carrion or stealing the kills of other animals. (Such thievery famously prompted Ben Franklin to argue against the bird's nomination as the United State's national symbol.) They live near water and favor coasts and lakes where fish are plentiful, though they will also snare and eat small mammals.


Bald eagles are believed to mate for life. A pair constructs an enormous stick nest—one of the bird-world's biggest—high above the ground and tends to a pair of eggs each year. Immature eagles are dark, and until they are about five years old, they lack the distinctive white markings that make their parents so easy to identify. Young eagles roam great distances. Florida birds have been spotted in Michigan, and California eagles have traveled all the way to Alaska.

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What you still can......

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Backtrack 5

There are certain tools when you are a security consultant that are just crucial to your job. No matter how good you are, these tools will make you a lot better.
                                                                                                                     In the past couple of years one of the security tools that has risen to this rank is called Backtrack. It is a Linux based operating system that comes pre installed with a numerous amount of security programs on it.It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or an expert you will find several tools that are installed on it that will help you.


In the past few weeks the newest version of the Backtrack operating system, version 5, has been released. There are several new things that the people who have used this operating system will love about the new release. There are also things about this release that will excite people who are new to the operating system as well.
                                                                     In the following article I will discuss the Backtrack operating system in more detail and I will show how you can use it on your own system to secure it.


More details about the Backtrack operating system

As I said earlier this is a Linux based operating system that comes equipped with tons of security software that you might need. But there is a little more to it than that.


First of all, the software is not only installed but also optimized for the system. You will not have to worry about configuring the software to work on your system correctly.
The Linux installation that it is based on is known as Ubuntu. Ubuntu is known as being a very user friendly operating system. The installation also has several different UI configurations that you can use to get started. There is the gnome desktop interface and KDE interface.


If you are a new user then you might want to go with the Gnome interface since some people seem to think that it is easier. More advanced users might want to try the KDE version of the operating system. It gives you more options to configure the system.


There are several different aspects of the Backtrack operating system that allow it to be the tool of choice for security professionals. One of these is the amount of different categories of security that the operating system maintains software for.


These categories include information gathering, network mapping, vulnerability identification, web application analysis, Digital forensics, reverse engineering, and basic penetration.
                                                                                                                                 So as you can see, no matter which part of the computer security field that you work in the Backtrack operating system should have you covered.

What is added with the number 5 version of Backtrack

When you install backtrack version number 5 you will find several things that are different compared to previous versions. The first thing that is different is that both KDE and the Gnome interface have been updated to the latest version.


Also you will find that the latest version of the Backtrack operating system is able to be installed in both 32 bit and 64 bit flavors. More and more computers are now 64 bit and Backtrack has upgraded to reflect that reality.


Another aspect of the new version of the Backtrack operating system is the fact that all of the software that came with it before has now been updated. The whole purpose of this operating system is to allow you to use the software that you need without any configuration.


If you have to keep track of the updates of these pieces of software then that would defeat the whole purpose. Instead the Backtrack operating system will update them for you every time there is a new version that is available.
Of course, if you want the newest version of the software you can install it yourself but with this system it is not necessary.
                                                     But it is not only the software that you use directly that has been updated. It is the software that is behind the scenes that has been updated as well. The drivers that you will need to use the Linux based system have been updated to the newest versions, especially the wireless drivers.
                                                In the past, the Backtrack operating system has had a problem with drivers for different wireless cards that were installed on the user's computer. While this problem hasn't gone away completely you will find that it is a much easier situation to deal with. There are more wireless drivers included in the installation than ever before.


In conclusion
You will find that if you are a computer security consultant that there is no better tool to use than Backtrack. It has all of your favorite tools in one place ready for you to use.
                                                                                                                                                If you own a company that has to store important data then it is vital for you to have a tool like this. That way your security people can be sure that they are testing your network with the same tools that the bad guys are using.

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Ubuntu 11.10

The look has not changed much in Ubuntu 11.10, but the features sure have. For those unable to use Unity 3D, Unity 2D is now available as well. The login manager is now LiteDM which is fast and efficient. A new window switcher has also been added and there have also been improvements to the lenses feature. Ubuntu as always, is free to try, and remains one of the top choices for Linux newcomers. For a long time Ubuntu was the most popular choice among Linux users, but for the time being the position may have been respectively passed on to Linux Mint. At least temporarily…


Ubuntu 11.10 Features
3.0.0-12.20 Ubuntu kernel, based on Linux v3.0.4 Upstream stable kernel.
Improved performance for ext4 filesystems.
With a few simple commands you can upgrade from Ubuntu 11.04 to 11.10.
A music lens which is integrated with Banshee has now been added to the dash.


Ubuntu 11.10 Applications
Banshee Media Player 2.2
Firefox Web Browser 7.0.1
Shotwell Photo Manager 0.11.4
Transmission BitTorrent Client 2.33
Totem Movie Player 3.0.1
Brasero Disc Burner 3.2.0
LibreOffice 3.4.3
Tomboy Notes 1.8.0
Empathy Instant Messenger 3.2.0
Thunderbird Mail Client 7.0.1


Ubuntu 11.10 Installation

When first booting the Ubuntu 11.10 live CD you will be prompted with a welcome screen asking if you would like to try Ubuntu with no changes to your computer, or you can begin installation. You can also change the language used for the Ubuntu installer. If you begin installation you will see a checklist for basic requirements, and a few options for updates and third-party software. Next you can manually or automatically configure your partitions. Then simply choose install now and the files will begin copying. You then have time to choose your location, your language, and input your user information. A brief slide show will entertain you while the installation finishes, then you can reboot.


Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop

As I said above, LightDM is now the default login manager and uses the Unity greeter. Gnome classic is no longer available, only Unity 2D or Unity 3D. After logging in you will see your primary panel with your system notification icons. And you will have your Unity launcher on the left side of the desktop. All applications can be found inside the Dash, and several launchers are available inside the Unity panel. The whole desktop is left quite clean, though I am still not very fond of the default wallpaper, or theme for that matter. Things are now far more stable, and as always the speed is certainly up to par.


Ubuntu 11.10 Menus

You can quickly search for all of your applications, music, and files using the Dash. The dash contains a search bar, and launchers for many of your applications. You can open the Dash by clicking on the Ubuntu logo that sits on the top of your Unity launcher panel. And now you can use the enhanced lens feature to narrow your searches. You can select one of the small icons at the bottom of the Dash to search everything, only your applications, only your music, or only your files and folders. There is also an advanced search feature that is accessible by clicking on the filter results button on the right side of the Dash search bar.


Ubuntu 11.10 Panels

A key feature of Ubuntu 11.10 is the Unity launcher located on the left hand side of the desktop. Launchers for all of your favorite applications as well as open windows will be located here. And you can add your favorite applications to the panel at any time simply by right clicking on an application inside the dash, then selecting keep in launcher. Items can also be dragged from the Dash into the Unity launcher. The launcher will often be hidden from view when you are working with full screen windows but you can always find it again by moving your mouse to the left side of the desktop.


Ubuntu 11.10 Software

Much has changed inside the Ubuntu software center. The interface has been re-designed for improved navigation. The toolbar has been upgraded, and top rated applications are now highlighted in the main window. Also the ability to filter software by top-rated, name, or date is now available. A stylish new banner has also been added to the top of the Ubuntu software center window. This banner is meant to inform users about new and popular applications. As always Ubuntu uses Debian packages, and users always have the choice of DPKG, APT, or Aptitude for installing software. But unfortunately the Synaptic package manager is no longer installed by default.


Ubuntu 11.10 File Manager

And not much has changed regarding the file manager, users will still get the speed and reliability of Nautilus. Nautilus of course is a great choice for new users because of maximized default functionality. You can launch Nautilus by clicking on the file manager icon inside the Unity dock, or click on a specific folder inside the dash. The Nautilus window is easy to navigate, and very user-friendly. All of your files and folders can be seen on the right hand side of the main window, and as usual there is a bookmarks panel on the left. A few important folders on your system are located inside the bookmarks section, and more folders can be dragged into the panel at any time for convenience.


Ubuntu 11.10 Themes

Using the Dash you can search for appearance settings to find your themes. Unfortunately only 4 themes are available by default, and you can no longer customize your themes directly through the user interface. Sadly that was one of my favorite features. The Ambiance, Radiance, High Contrast, and High Contrast Inverse themes are available. The Radiance theme can be seen in the screenshot, this is the only theme I find especially pleasing.


Ubuntu 11.10 Wallpapers

You can also change your desktop wallpaper from the appearance settings window. And thankfully there is a vast selection of beautiful backgrounds to choose from. Most are scenery and landscape wallpapers, but they are vivid and quite unique. Surely more can be added probably by dropping them into a wallpapers folder, but it seems the convenient interface options are gone. The interface seems to have been reduced and simplified to a point that it lost much of what made it great in the first place, of course that is my opinion. As always I’m sure things will continue to improve.


Ubuntu 11.10 Synopsis
I first installed Ubuntu during the 7.04 release, and it has been the primary distribution used on many of my systems since then. But for me at least, the Ubuntu days are numbered. Many of my systems are currently still stuck on the 10.10 release, at least until 10.10 becomes slightly more outdated. After that I may finally make the move to Linux Mint as my primary choice. Be sure to share your opinions.

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World’s Greatest Mysteries

1. Easter Island
Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui, is remotely located 2,000 miles off the coast of Tahiti. The original settlers of the island were Polynesians who migrated to the far-off land between 400 and 600 BC. They built many shrines and statues, called moai, from stones quarried throughout the island including a volcano site. Researchers still question exactly how the large stones were moved.

The world is full of unsolved mysteries, some that invoke the supernatural. Many have tried to establish reason to these wild quandaries, but not all have perfect answers. Here are some of the best enigmas the world has to offer…


2. The Legend of El Dorado
The Legend of El Dorado originates from the Muisca, who lived in the modern country of Colombia from 1000 to 1538 AD. In a ritual ceremony for their goddess, the tribal chief would cover himself in gold dust and jump into a lake as an offering. This spawned the legend of a lost golden city, which led Spanish conquistadors on a wild goose chase to nowhere.

3. The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle — located in the Atlantic between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico — is a thief, stealing planes and boats right out of existence. The area got its name after Sgt. Howell Thompson (l.), along with 27 Navy airmen, vanished from the devilish spot during a routine flight in 1945. Rumors persist on a supernatural explanation, but many specialists blame hurricanes, a heavy Gulf Stream and human error.

4. The mighty Incan Empire of South America
The mighty Incan Empire of South America flourished between 1200 and 1535 AD. They developed drainage systems and canals to expand their crops, and built stone cities atop steep mountains — such as Machu Picchu (above) — without ever inventing the wheel. Despite their vast achievements, the Incan Empire with its 40,000 manned army was no match for 180 Spanish conquistadors armed with advanced weapons and smallpox.

5. The Mayan Temple
According to the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar, made famous by the ancient Mayan people, December 2012 marks the ending of the current baktun cycle. This little bit of information has many archeologists spooked. Some believe the Mayans were warning of a coming apocalypse, while others insist it’s simply a mathematical misconception.

6. The Nazca Lines
The Nazca Lines cover more than 190 square miles in the southern deserts of Peru. The mysterious shapes etched into the land rival football fields and predate the Incan Empire. The ‘Las Manos’ figure (above) is 2,000 years old. Little is know about why the Nazca people constructed such vast pieces of sand art, some believe they are extraterrestrial in nature, while others claim they may have carried and pointed to sources of water.

7. Ancient Pyramids in Giza, Egypt
Khafre (l.) and Khufu (r.) are two of the three ancient Pyramids in Giza, Egypt. Khufu is the biggest, consisting of more than 2 million stones with some weighing 9 tons. The Pyramids, built as elaborate tombs for divine kings, date back to 2,550 BC. Modern Egyptologists believe that the Pyramids are made from stones dragged from quarries and, despite ancient Greek testimony, were built predominantly by skilled craftsmen rather than slave labor.

8. Sphinx of Giza, Egypt
Another Egyptian wonder, the Sphinx of Giza has the body of a lion and the head of a Pharaoh, believed by most to be that of king Khafre. It was carved from soft limestone, and has been slowly falling apart over the years. A popular theory of the missing nose claims Napoleon’s soldiers shot it off with a cannon in 1798, but early sketches discovered of the Sphinx without a nose predate Napoleon’s rampage.

9. The Loch Ness Monster
According to Scottish folklore, a mystical creature called a water horse lures small children to a watery grave by tricking them to ride on its sticky back. The Loch Ness Monster became an English wonder in 1933, after witness accounts made newspaper headlines. No hard evidence of the creature has ever been recorded with several pictures, including the one above, being proven as hoaxes.

10. Aliens
Area 51, located on Groom Lake in southern Nevada (c.), was founded in 1955 by the U.S. Air Force to develop and test new aircrafts – such as the U-2 Spy Plane, A-12 Blackbird and F-117 Stealth Fighter. The secretive nature of the military base, combined with its classified aircraft research, helped conspiracy theorists imagine an installation filled with time-travel experimentation, UFO coverups and alien autopsies.

11. The Stonehenge
The Stonehenge landscape of Salisbury Plain, England, has become a tourist hotspot. But before foreigners with windbreakers and cameras showed up, the area may have been a burial ground and ceremonial den dating back 5,000 years.

12. The Lost City of Atlantis
The Lost City of Atlantis was introduced to the West 2,400 years ago by Plato, who claimed it to be the island home of an advanced society. Legend says it was sunk by an earthquake, with later interpretations as an underwater kingdom protected by mermaids. Its whereabouts still a mystery, recent underwater evidence suggests it was once apart of a larger landmass in Cyprus off the Mediterranean (c.), but the only true Atlantis exists in the Bahamas as a grand casino and resort hotel.

13. The Fountain of Youth
Don Juan Ponce de Leon completed Spain’s claim on America in 1509, and soon after was made governor of Puerto Rico. Six years later, following Indian rumors, he traveled north to the island of Bimini in search of the Fountain of Youth. Bimini turned out to be the peninsula of Florida, and the fountain remained hidden until July 2006, when famed magician David Copperfield claimed the waters on his $50 million Exumas Island (c.) had healing properties.

14. The Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of the Covenant is described in the Bible as a wooden casket, gold plated, made for carrying the tablets of the Ten Commandments. The casket was carried throughout the desert and remained in the Israelite Temple until its destruction by the hand of the Babylonian Empire. Its whereabouts are still unknown, but Hollywood made its own version for ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark.’

15. Chupacabra
Phylis Canion holds the head of what she is calling a Chupacabra at her home in Cuero, Tex. The strange-looking animal, first reported in Puerto Rico in 1995, apparently has a taste for chicken and goat blood. Although many pictures like the above might prove its existence, biologists assure none such creature exists.

16. The Iron Pillar of Delhi
The Iron Pillar of Delhi is a 1,600-year-old, 22 feet high pillar located in the Qutb complex in India. The pillar, made from 98% wrought iron, has been astounding scientists by its ability to resist corrosion after all these years.

17. Stone Spheres in Costa Rica
Discovered in the early 1940s in Costa Rica during excavations by the United Fruit Company, these perfectly formed stone spheres date from 600 AD to the 16th century. Their makers and purpose still unconfirmed, many believe them to be some religious effigy made to worship the sun.

18. The Tunguska Explosion of Russia
The Tunguska Explosion in Russia occurred around 7:14 a.m. on June 30, 1908. To this date, the exact cause of the explosion – which leveled 80 million trees over 830 square miles – remains a heated debate. Most believe it to be caused by a meteoroid fragment, others insist either a black hole or UFO origin.

19. Mothman
A humanoid with insect wings and crimson eyes, known as the Mothman, terrorized Point Pleasant, W.Va., during the late 1960s. No solid evidence exists of the creature, except for a handful of witness reports documented in paranormal-journalist John A Keel’s ‘Mothman Prophecies’.

20. Jersey Devil

According to legend, 250 years ago a Jersey woman by the name of Mrs. Leeds cried out in despair during her 13th pregnancy, ‘Let it be the Devil!’ After childbirth, the baby was revealed to be a kangaroo-like creature with wings, and flew away to cause all sorts of Jersey Devil mischief. Today the Jersey Devil can be seen getting fans riled up during local hockey games.

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