The time is 18:30 (UTC) on 3rd May 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.
Che Guevara’s ”Motorcycle Diaries” companion dies
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Alberto Granado Jiménez, the Argentinian biochemist who was Che Guevara’s companion on his transformative motorcycle trip through South America, died in Havana on Saturday, reported Cuban state television. He was 88 and died of natural causes.
The politically active Jiménez met Ernesto “Che” Guevara, then a medical student, in Hernando, Argentina where Guevara had gone to play rugby. Both were intellectually curious and interested in exploration. In 1951 they set out on an eight-month motorcycle trip through South American that exposed them to the poverty in which most South Americans lived. The pair worked in a leprosy colony and met wtih destitute miners and indigenous people. Both men kept diaries which served as the basis for the 2004 film, The Motorcycle Diaries, produced by Robert Redford and directed by Walter Salles.
According to the Guardian, “Their road trip awoke in Guevara a social consciousness and political convictions that would turn him into one of the iconic revolutionaries of the 20th century.” The trip is widely believed to have inspired Guevara to go to Cuba and join Fidel Castro in his 1959 revolt against Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.
By the time the two men met again eight years later, Guevara was a revolutionary hero and chief of Cuba’s central bank. Jiménez, who had remained in Argentina working in a clinic, accepted Guevara’s invitation to move to Cuba in 1961 and founded a medical facility in Santiago. Later he moved to Havana where he continued his medical work. The two remained friends although they did not always agree. Jiménez rejected Guevara’s belief that social reform in Latin America had to be accomplished through guerrilla warfare.
The book The Motorcycle Diaries was published in the 1990’s. Jiménez said of the book that it inspired the image of the young Che as a romantic figure.
Jiménez authored the book Traveling with Che Guevara: The Making of a Revolutionary, published in 2003.
Advantages Of Voice Lessons
![](https://flic.kr/p/img/Nv6qv7_m.jpg)
See More About:
Advantages of voice lessons
by
Maria Gini
Vocal singing lessons are training courses where a professional vocal mentor teaches the singing methods to his students. Singers devote their time and money in vocal singing training because of different advantages. There are a number of modules in the vocal singing lessons like care for the voice, the apt singing techniques, stage performance and proper breathing.
There are a lot of people who love to sing and join the vocal singing lessons but all of them are not capable of carrying a tune. Some students already have a good voice tone but they want to make it even better. Vocal mentors furnish the students with various vocal methods and vocal exercises to improve their voice tone. Vocal coaches also offer customized lessons to the students according to their capacities. Students those who have good voice are trained to use their voice in diverse vocal ranges. To such students, teachers give vocal singing training to sing the low pitch songs and high pitch songs so that they can turn into multitalented singers.
In human body lungs are the most important organs that help in breathing. Singers need to have powerful lungs for maintaining the high notes. Vocal singing lessons offer warm up exercises particularly to make the lungs more powerful. In the course of discussion for vocal lessons, the vocal mentor guides the students the right inhalation methods. A vocal coach also educates about diaphragm, its location and how it influences the singing and the location of lungs. A vocal mentor also thinks that the knowledge of human body organs is very essential for the students so that they are well-informed about how the air enters the body (the knowledge of which is vital in singing). Daily practice of breathing exercises is a must as it helps in strengthening and expanding the lungs.
Vocal singing lessons also teach students to handle the microphone in a proper way, to control anxiety, to overcome the stage fear and the right posture. Students also learn to how to walk properly on the stage. The vocal coaches also teach the students how to beat the stage fright and sing confidently in front of the audience.
Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy – Learn how to sing better with the Most powerful and effective voice lessons online and get vocal classes and vocal singing.
Article Source:
ArticleRich.com
Category:August 3, 2010
Pages in category “August 3, 2010”
Gastric bypass surgery performed by remote control
Sunday, August 21, 2005
A robotic system at Stanford Medical Center was used to perform a laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery successfully with a theoretically similar rate of complications to that seen in standard operations. However, as there were only 10 people in the experimental group (and another 10 in the control group), this is not a statistically significant sample.
If this surgical procedure is as successful in large-scale studies, it may lead the way for the use of robotic surgery in even more delicate procedures, such as heart surgery. Note that this is not a fully automated system, as a human doctor controls the operation via remote control. Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery is a treatment for obesity.
There were concerns that doctors, in the future, might only be trained in the remote control procedure. Ronald G. Latimer, M.D., of Santa Barbara, CA, warned “The fact that surgeons may have to open the patient or might actually need to revert to standard laparoscopic techniques demands that this basic training be a requirement before a robot is purchased. Robots do malfunction, so a backup system is imperative. We should not be seduced to buy this instrument to train surgeons if they are not able to do the primary operations themselves.”
There are precedents for just such a problem occurring. A previous “new technology”, the electrocardiogram (ECG), has lead to a lack of basic education on the older technology, the stethoscope. As a result, many heart conditions now go undiagnosed, especially in children and others who rarely undergo an ECG procedure.
How Many Blades For Your Wind Generator Selecting The Right Set
![](http://flic.kr/p/img/bqhJEL_m.jpg)
See More About:
By Tony Jones
One of the most and often questions I get asked involves the blades configuration of a wind generator. How many blades? How long should they be? What is the correct material for them to be built out of. This is very important when building a wind generator. There has been a lot of misinformation printed lately in the name of making a sale. At Hurricane Wind Power we sell what we believe is the best product for our generators. At the end of the day it is our job to provide the consumer with the best product available therefore nothing I do is set in stone. If I find something better I am the am always willing to change, but these are my opinions based on my experience.
Buying or building a blade set is not a one size fits all application. It is very important to match the blade set to the generator you are installing them on. Our generators are all hand wound so it is easy to get to the cut in point. Let’s discuss that for a moment and assume you don’t know anything about wind turbines. If you do great if not this is a piece of information I consider essential when considering a blade set. The cut in point is the place in the generators power curve where the voltage exceeds that of what is being charged. The load can be a 12,24,or 48 volt bank of batteries. It could also be the start up point of a grid tied inverter which is adjustable. What you need to know is that all of the spinning that your wind turbine is doing before it reaches the cut in point makes you no power.
Once a generator is spun to an rpm the makes the voltage of the ‘cut in point’of the system the generator is then under a load. After that point, the torque in your blade set that pushes against the resistance is what creates power. Therefore in my opinion and for our products the more torque the better. This is because our generators have a low RPM cut in and do not need several hundred RPM just to reach the point where they can produce usable power. Surface area and blade length are what creates power.
As a general rule there are few absolutes in choice of material. The exception being that my opinion is building blades out of PCV is dangerous and a waste of your time. Further if they are not balanced correctly they can destroy a generator. Aluminum blades seem to be popping up all over the place. These cupped blades are cheap to make and have little flexibility. They therefore tend to stress crack pretty quick. Again just relaying my experiences
I have seen quality blades made of galvanized steal such as the ones we sell. These blades have a fixed pitch and have some give to them. They therefore flatten out a bit as the RPM increases allowing the blade to be more efficient and resistant to the weather and stress cracking. Wood and carbon fiber are also used to make some of the finest blade sets I have seen.
In summary I believe the diameter and surface area of the blade set are two of the most important factors in choosing a blade set. These are directly related to how much torque can be put on the generator to overcome resistance and therefore produce power.
At the end of the day it takes power to make power. If you see a wind turbine with a small blade set with no surface area claiming to output 2000 watts it is a good bet that is a fraud . Wattage is a measure of work being done, therefore spinning a generator up to a high RPM with no load on it and reporting the wattage output is deceiving at best.
About the Author: I am Anthony Jones MA owner of Hurricane Wind Power. We are a quality customer oriented wind power store specializing in,complete kits wind generators wind turbines grid ties and DIY products visit us at: The Wind Generator Authority
Source: isnare.com
Permanent Link: isnare.com/?aid=653772&ca=Computers+and+Technology
Eurozone approves Greece bailout
Monday, May 3, 2010
The European Union and International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed to provide the ailing Greek economy with 110 billion euros (US$146 billion) worth of loans over three years. Finance ministers from the sixteen countries that use the euro – known as the eurozone – approved the plan yesterday.
According to the plan, the EU is to provide 80 billion euros of the loans, and the IMF the other 30 billion; it is aimed at preventing Greece from defaulting on debt.
Before being fully implemented, however, the proposal must be individually approved by all fifteen other countries in the eurozone. According to Luxembourgish prime minister Jean-Claude Junker, up to 30 billion euros would be given to Greece in the first year.
German chancellor Angela Merkel commented on the proposal yesterday, saying: “The programmme is without alternative to safeguard the stability of the euro.”
The Greek government yesterday predicted that the country’s gross domestic product would drop by four percent this year; it also forecast the national debt, currently at 115% of GDP, will increase to 149% in 2013, before going down.
33 dead, 15 injured in Virginia Tech shootings
Monday, April 16, 2007
Two shootings at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia have left 33 people dead, gunman included, in the deadliest civilian shooting in the United States. A further 15 people are being treated in a hospital. According to police, the gunman committed suicide.
At a 4:45 p.m. EST press conference, it was stated that no names of the injured or killed will be released soon. According to the press conference, the shooter shot and killed two people at an on-campus dormitory in a “domestic dispute.” He then walked to the other end of the campus and began to open fire on students.
BC election writ drops; referendum campaigns underway
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The provincial election was called today in British Columbia. Alongside with the election, the citizens of the province will also be debating if they should change their electoral system from Single Member Plurality to Single Transferable Vote (STV). The vote for both the election and the referendum is to be held on May 12th.
According to the Angus Reid Strategies online poll, the issues before the candidates this year are the economy, crime and public safety, and health care.
Gordon Campbell is the current Premier of British Columbia, and leader of the Liberal Party. Three new tax measures have been proposed, increasing apprenticeship training tax credits, reducing small business income tax, and raising the revenue definition for small business. “Keep B.C. Strong” is the Liberal slogan.
The New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Carole James is focusing her election platform on supporting a green economy, eliminating the carbon tax, offering families tax relief, freezing post-secondary tuition, raising the minimum wage, and providing a small business tax holiday. The NDP slogan is “Take back your B.C.”
The Green Party, led by Jane Sterk, is focused on environmental issues, crime and police, and a ‘green economy’. The Green Party is in support of the carbon tax and will be campaigning in favour of the new STV voting system that is being proposed again. The Green Party slogan is “A better plan for B.C.”File:Carole james.jpg
Wilf Hanni is at the helm of the Conservative Party which opposes the Recognition and Reconciliation Act, privatization of BC Hydro Bill 42 ‘gag law’, and the carbon tax. They propose to reduce senior civil employee pay scale, as well as personal and corporate income tax.
Other parties running candidates are the Democratic Reform under Graeme Roger, the Marijuana Party under Marc Emery, the Work Less Party under Conrad Schmidt, the Refederation Party under Mike Summers, the Sex Party under John Ince, and the Communist Party under George Gidora.
For 60 days before the election, each party may campaign with an allowable CA$1.1 million, in the final 28 days, $4.4 million may be spent. $70,000 is allowed by candidates before the writ is dropped, and another $70,000 in the midst of campaigning.
The referendum will allow BC voters to choose between two voting systems. The Single Member Plurality system is the current system in all Canadian provinces, and is also used to elect Members of Parliament in Ottawa. The other system is BC-STV, which would replace 85 single-member ridings with 20 larger ridings in which between two and seven Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) would be elected. The total number of MLAs will not change. Voters would rank the candidates in order of preference, as many or as few as they wish. When the results are tallied, votes are transferred to the next preference on the ballot when the first preference has been elected or eliminated. The system is designed to ensure that every vote helps to elect someone, every vote counts as fully as possible, and every voter is represented by a candidate they voted for, as nearly as mathematically possible.
Previous elections held under the current Single Member Plurality (also known as First Past The Post) system led to odd results in certain elections, such as the 2001 election where the winning party obtained 77 of the 79 seats of the legislature with just 58% of the vote, and the 1996 election, in which the party with the most votes failed to win the election. The recommendation to switch to STV was made by the British Columbia Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform, a group formed in 2004 of randomly selected citizens. They spent a year learning about voting systems around the world and consulting with BC citizens.
It’s the fourth referendum in the country and the second in the province within the last 4 years. The previous referendum held in 2005 also voted on these same electoral systems and came within 2.3% of the 60% threshold. In order for the referendum to be binding, BC-STV will again need 60% of the popular vote and 50% of votes in 51 of the 85 ridings in BC. If the change is approved, it will be the first province in the country to adopt reform of the electoral system in recent history.
Fair Voting BC, recognized as the official proponent group, argues that STV will lead to fairer election results, effective local representation and greater voter choice. They argue that BC-STV will give voters the power to hold politicians and political parties accountable, by giving every voter a vote that actually makes a difference. If the STV system is approved, then it will be put into use for the first time for the 2013 provincial election.
The recognized opponent group is the No STV Campaign Society. Their arguments are that STV will give larger ridings, voters would be unsure of whom their MLA would be, there would be unequal geographic representation, that the counting method is too complicated, the electoral system results are unverified in practical usage, the system results in a higher probability of minority governments and the subsequent coalition of parties. They also argue that other countries who use systems similar to STV have had problems with their election results.
$500,000 in public funding has been given to both the proponents and the opponents of the referendum.
Reasons To Hire Rat Control Services In Alexandria, Va
![](http://flic.kr/p/img/hCxdi7_m.jpg)
See More About:
byAlma Abell
The realization that a household is suffering from a rodent problem can induce a state of panic in some homeowners. While panic is not helpful, taking immediate action certainly is; there are two ways to do this: take a DIY approach, or hire an exterminator. Most of the time, it’s a much better idea for homeowners to look into Rat Control Services in Alexandria VA than it is for them to attempt to solve the problem themselves.
Health Concerns
Rat infestations can pose serious health concerns to a home’s residents and visitors, as these rodents carry a wide variety of diseases that can be spread through rat droppings and urine. It’s never a good idea to handle rat detritus without adequate safety gear and experience.
Avoiding Further Damage
While it may be tempting to just spend a few dollars on traps and just wait around until the rats wind up getting caught, there’s no guarantee that they will, in fact, be trapped before they are able to do significant damage to the home. Rats can chew up insulation, wires, and even wood, and the cost of repairs can wind up eclipsing the price of hiring a professional to remove them quickly and efficiently if the problem is allowed to persist for long enough.
Get Rid of Every Rat
It’s rare for just one rat to take up residence in a home; chances are, if one rat has found a food source and a place to build a nest, others have already followed. Hiring Rat Control Services in Alexandria VA is the best way to ensure that every single rat has been eradicated.
Prevent Future Infestations
Getting rid of the existing rat problem is only the first step that homeowners should be taking. Once the rats that are already infesting the home have been removed, certain steps must be taken to prevent their return such as blocking entryways and eliminating sources of food and nest materials. A professional exterminator can offer preventative services that will stop the problem from reoccurring.
Get Help Now
Do you need to find Rat Control Services in Alexandria VA to get rid of rats but you’re not sure who to call? Contact Pest Management Services today to get a quote.