Harry Potter Theme Park a Reality

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Written on 3:43 PM by Unknown

A theme park inspired by the adventures of schoolboy wizard Harry Potter is to open in the US. The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter will open at the Universal Orlando Resort, in Florida, in 2009.

harry potter theme park
Harry Potter author JK Rowling said: "The plans I've seen look incredibly exciting, and I don't think fans of the books or films will be disappointed."

Touted as a "theme park within a theme park", it will feature attractions and rides based on Harry Potter locations.

'Authentic'

Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig, who has worked on the Harry Potter films, is leading the creative design for the park to ensure it remains faithful to JK Rowling's vision.

"Our primary goal is to make sure this experience is an authentic extension of Harry Potter's world as it is portrayed in the books and films," said Craig.

The Harry Potter series of books has been translated into 65 languages with more than 325 million copies sold worldwide. The films, produced by Warner Bros, have grossed more than $3.5bn (£1.7bn) at the box office worldwide.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the series, will open in cinemas on 13 July 2007.

The seventh and final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, will be published on 21 July.

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Sweden Opens Virtual Embassy

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Written on 4:31 PM by Unknown

7 Firefox Add-Ons for Secure Browsing

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Written on 2:06 PM by Unknown

Both IE 7 and Firefox 2 have welcome new built-in antiphishing features designed to block phishing sites and (in case of IE 7) to warn against unknown ones. But no single solution can spot every ill-mentioned site, especially when a recent Google survey has shown that 10 percent of Web pages contain drive-by malware (MALicious softWARE - Software designed to destroy, aggravate wreak havoc, hide potentially incrimination information, and/or disrupt and damage computer systems). But of course, Mozilla Firefox is still the more secure of the two.

Supplement your Firefox's security with these tools:

  1. SiteAdvisor: Get a warning icon next to potentially dangerous results from popular search engines, along with an icon in your status bar that indicates the risks and annoyances associated with the page you are viewing.
  2. Password Hasher: This excellent tool lets you use a single password at your end but achieve the safety of generating a unique and robust password at each site. While you continue typing the same password at each site you visit that requires one, Password Hash converts that one familiar string on the fly into a series of safe and unique passwords - one for each site. And you never have to learn the special coding to benefit from its protection.
  3. NoScript: JavaScript is a very useful type of web programming, but many online attacks exploit it. Use this plugin to block sites from running JavaScript in Firefox until you explicitly say its okay.
  4. OpenDNS: Not technically an add-on, OpenDNS can make your surfing faster and safer by introducing windows configuration changes to your DNS settings, a necessary part of all browsing. It will block known malicious sites and help correct fumble fingered mistakes such as typing yuutube.com. But consult your IT person before changing it at work, since you might need to keep work DNS settings to reach company servers.
  5. Gmail S/MIME: With the Gmail S/MIME extension, you can send and receive signed and encrypted S/MIME messages in Gmail. Version 0.2.1 successfully inter-operates with Microsoft Outlook 2003, Microsoft Outlook Express, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Apple Mail.app, and should work with others.
  6. Netcraft Toolbar: Use Netcraft toolbar to get a second line of defense for blocking phishing sites that might have snuck by your browser's built-in protection.
  7. VeriSign EV Green Bar Extension: Enables Firefox to recognize SSL servers that have implemented the Extended Validation Certificate as currently supported by Microsoft in IE7. Installing this extension brings identical functionality to Firefox.

    This add-on adds extended validation (EV) certificate support to Firefox. The address bar turns green and displays certificate owner and CA issuer information when the browser receives an EV certificate. Additional information is available when the certificate label in the address bar is clicked.


Latest Issue of Wired a Shocker

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Written on 11:47 AM by Unknown

OMG, can this really be true?









he he he, hope you liked this. Go ahead and create your own cover of WIRED Magazine at http://www.condenet.com/promo/xerox/
Cheers!

Google Overhauls Search Results

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Written on 1:30 PM by Unknown

Google is overhauling its search system so it returns "universal" results not just those from webpages. The change means users will also get results from news sites, blogs, video services and other relevant places.

Before now the different categories have been separate which meant searches had to be repeated to pick up all possible results.

The expanded results will be available via a series of tabs that will appear on the results page.

Drilling down

"It's breaking down the silos of information that have been built up," said Marissa Mayer, Google's vice president of search and user experience.

"It's a broad, long-term vision that will unfold over the next few years," she said.

Initially the changes only affect searches done on Google.com in English.

Read more on BBC

Inventors Killed by Their Own Inventions

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Written on 1:10 PM by Unknown

This is a list of inventors who have been killed by inventions they designed or were involved in.

- Wan Hu. A minor officer in the Ming Dynasty died while trying to launch himself into space using a rocket.
- William Bullock. Born 1813, died 1867, Bullock had his foot crushed while trying to repair a rotary printing press that he had invented. The resulting infection would later prove fatal.
- Otto Lilienthal died August 10, 1896 from injuries sustained two days earlier in a crash of one of his hang gliders.


- Thomas Midgley, Jr. accidentally strangled himself with the cord of a pulley-operated mechanical bed of his own design in 1944.


- Alexander Bogdanov, a physician and scientist, conducted an experiment for a "rejuvenation" technique wherein he deliberately gave himself a transfusion of blood from a student who suffered from malaria and tuberculosis. He died of the subsequent infections.


- Franz Reichelt. "The Flying Tailor" jumped off the Eiffel Tower while trying out his combined overcoat/parachute invention. The parachute failed to open and he died from the fall.



Popular myth
Contrary to popular belief Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, the supposed inventor of the guillotine, did not himself directly invent it and did not die by it, nor did Haman invent the gallows - he was simply hanged on the gallows he had built.

Rowling Updates Diary With Spoiler Warning

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Written on 10:15 AM by Unknown


J. K. Rowling has updated her diary on her website, warning fans about spoilers. This is what she had to say:



MAY 14th



A couple of weeks ago (April 28th, if you want to go and search the archive) the Potter fansite The Leaky Cauldron posted an editorial on potential spoilers for "Deathly Hallows". It made me laugh, but I was also incredibly moved and grateful.

We're a little under three months away, now, and the first distant rumblings of the weirdness that usually precedes a Harry Potter publication can be heard on the horizon. The Leaky Cauldron's early mission statement on spoilers (ie, don't, and we're not putting them up if you do) is deeply appreciated by yours truly.

I add my own plea to Melissa's for one reason, and one only: I want the readers who have, in many instances, grown up with Harry, to embark on the last adventure they will share with him without knowing where they are they going.

Some, perhaps, will read this and take the view that all publicity is good publicity, that spoilers are part of hype, and that I am trying to protect sales rather than my readership. However, spoilers won't stop people buying the book, they never have - all it will do is diminish their pleasure in the book.

There will always be sad individuals who get their kicks from ruining other people's fun, but while sites like Leaky take such an active stance against them, we may yet win. Even if the biggest secret gets out - even if somebody discovers the Giant Squid is actually the world's largest Animagus, which rises from the lake at the eleventh hour, transforms into Godric Gryffindor and... well, I wouldn't like to spoil it.


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Karate - Can it Improve Your Health?

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Written on 5:11 AM by Unknown

Karate is a system of self-defence that has developed over many years and which now contains elements of keeping fit and keeping a supple body. Both the mind and body are focused whilst karate classes take place and this gives the practitioner the opportunity to escape the normal pressures of everyday life. In a good karate club there should be a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, so that somebody who is new to the club does not feel intimidated or frightened. Sometimes, exercise equipment might have to be used in order to aid your karate exercises. Bodyrev Perfect Pushup is one such equipment for aiding you in push up exercises.

How can karate actually benefit your health?

A new beginner to a karate class is introduced to this Martial Art firstly by a systematic stretching routine. This loosens up the body and allows blood to flow to joints and nerves that may have been somewhat starved in the past. The moves of karate, e.g. the blocks, strikes and kicks are explained in a step by step manner, so that the practitioner has the chance to repeat these moves over and over, until they eventually become second nature.

The movements described above bring the body into a toned condition, the posture is encouraged to remain upright and one becomes generally more alert. As the techniques of karate improve so does ones general health. Practitioners who smoke often find that after a few lessons they don’t feel the need for nicotine, and nine times out of ten, they stop smoking. As the student’s skills improve, the techniques become more fluid and quicker, and thus one’s aerobic capacity gradually improves, bringing benefits to the heart and lungs.

After a while the techniques that have been learnt are practised with a partner, in a controlled and pre-determined manner. This is the point where karate can help your mind. You need mental concentration for this part of the class and the concentration, together with the physical techniques that have been learnt, give the practitioner a great sense of elation and achievement. It is quite noticeable in the student’s faces and in their conversation after the class, that something quite positive has taken place.

Some people practise karate for life. It is known at many clubs for students in their 60’s and 70’s to regularly practise karate. Many younger people start, and many parents are introduced to the classes by their children attending. A good karate club will encourage students of all ages to enjoy karate. Children however, usually do not begin karate before the age of six.

Yes, Karate can help your mind and body achieve and keep good health, but as an ultimate test for this we should look at karate as a means of self-defence. As a system of self-defence karate may one day save your life or save the life of a friend or family member. That is surely one of the best ever benefits to your health.

The History of Internet

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Written on 4:07 PM by Unknown

Many young people around the world use the internet every day, and yet they have no memory of the history that led to the creation of the global network. Many have no understanding of how or why the internet has developed. Hence this post...

1969
- ARPANET (precursor to internet) invented. (If anyone makes any overused Al Gore jokes they will be beaten unconscious with a 300 baud modem)

1972
- Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack get stoned out of their minds and build a computer that costs a fortune and runs no software. "Everyone will want one of these!", says Jobs.

1976
- Dr. Robert M. Metcalfe develops Ethernet, later to be replaced by SodiumPentatholNet.

1977
- E-mail invented. most common message: "Let me know when you're there so I can call you"

1978
- Dan Bricklin invents the spreadsheet. It will be 5 more years before anyone knows what they're for, and another decade before anyone knows how to use them.

1981

- Bill Gates embarks on heroic and lifelong quest to piss off every person in America.


1983
- Researchers develop TCP/IP, DNS, IAB, and other important internet acronyms.

1985
- Apple's low-cost computers for schools offers an affordable way to give kids training in software they will never use.

1990

- Scientists develop sexy buzzword "Internet" to replace awkward term "ARPANET"


- First ISP created. Business is slow due to the fact that the Internet has no purpose, nobody knows about it, and more people own Betamax machines than computers.


1992
- World-Wide Web released by CERN. Group suggests someone invent a web browser so people can use it.

- Mosaic - the first major web browser - is released. Users complain that it should support animated gifs, or at least a - blink - tag. Yeah, that would look AWESOME!

1993
- DOOM is released, slowing the network to a near stop, and worker productivity to a total stop.
Parents rejoice as the release of the game frees them from all responsibility for how their kids behave.

1994

- First piece of spam appears in USENET newsgroups and is quickly removed. "Well, that should be the last of that", say users.


1995
- AOL, Compuserve, Prodigy, and other on-line services take off, making heaps of cash. Microsoft execs begin thinking: "Maybe we should look into this internet thing".

- Support for animated .GIF files and MIDI music on webpages becomes widespread. "Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!", scream users.


- Release of Windows 95 and Internet Explorer bring sharp rise in memory sales, profanity use.

- Real Audio released, allowing users to listen to halting bursts of static in real time.


1996
- Instant messaging created as a way for people all over the world to interrupt each other.

- US Robotics releases the 56k modem, allowing users to download even more data before their next random disconnect.

- AOL begins its efforts to make sure that no human being on planet earth is without an AOL sign-up disk.

- Parenting groups become concerned that spending extended time online is depriving children of important time spent watching television.

1997

- Internet introduced to businesses. Worker productivity up 35%.



- Internet Porn introduced to businesses. Worker productivity down 97%.


- Scam e-mails replace oil as the chief export of Nigeria.

1998

- 3lit3 hax0rz, d00d: Teens become most prolific illiterate writers in history.



1999
- Internet gold rush. Silicon valley geeks crushed to death under heaps of investment money.


- Napster introduced. Rampant piracy drives Metallica to life of abject poverty as wandering minstrels. Other artists soon to follow.


- Everquest Released. People give up repetitive, boring, normal lives in exchange for repetitive, boring, virtual lives.


- FARK introduced as a service to help teenage boys locate pictures of breasts on the internet.

2000

- Year 2k apocalypse averted. Populace comes out of bunkers, goes back to playing Everquest as if nothing ever happened.


- The internet is finally given purpose when Scientists Mathew Chapman and Michael Chapman complete their research and bring Homestarrunner technology to the internet.

2001

- EPA warns that entire surface of the earth will be completely blanketed with AOL CDs by the end of 2000.


- Blogging invented. Promises to change the way people bore strangers with banal anecdotes about their pets.

- Napster collapses. Music industry suddenly profitable again, and able to meet insatiable public demand for more boy bands.

- Internet bubble bursts. Investors take back money and hide it under a mattress. Geeks go back to Burger King.

- Cats becomes sole proprietor of all your base. Every Zig moved.

2002
- With the fall of Napster, numerous other P2P networks rise to allow users to share movies as well as music. "I guess we should have seen that coming", says entertainment industry.

2003
- After 43.2 million spams, and over 2.3 billion pop-up ads worldwide, someone buys an X-10 mini cam.


- Still operating after more than three years of service, Zombo is the only successful dot-com to date.

Progress: Since its inception almost 30 years ago, the internet has been transformed from a primitive device for sharing thoughts and ideas, into a massive network where people pay to connect and read advertisements they don't want, while calling each other "asshats".


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