Primeval Precipitation: What Fossil Imprints of Rain Reveal about Early Earth

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Fossil rain suggests the atmosphere 2.7 billion years ago boasted a hydrocarbon haze

By David Biello ?| March 28, 2012?|

FOSSIL RAIN: The imprints of fossil raindrops from 2.7 billion years ago reveal details of the early Earth's atmosphere. Image: Courtesy of Sanjoy Som

Some 2.7 billion years ago in what is now Omdraaisvlei farm near Prieska, South Africa, a brief storm dropped mild rain on a new layer of ash laid down by a recent volcanic eruption (not unlike ash from the 2010 Eyjafjallaj?kull eruption in Iceland) forming tiny craters. Additional ash subsequently buried the craters and, over eons, hardened to become rock known as tuff. Closer to the present, other rainstorms eroded the overlying tuff, exposing a fossil record of raindrops from the Archean eon, and may now have revealed the density of early Earth's atmosphere.

By scanning with lasers the craters created by ancient raindrops?and comparing the indentations with those made by water drops sprinkled onto a layer of similar ash today?physicist Sanjoy Som of the University of Washington in Seattle and his colleagues have derived a measurement of the pressure exerted by the primitive atmosphere. The scientists report in Nature on March 29 that the ancient air could not have been much denser than the present atmosphere?and, in fact, may have been much less so. (Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group.)

"Air pressure 2.7 billion years ago was at most twice present levels, and more likely no higher than at present," Som explains. The key to that determination is raindrop size. Back in 1851 pioneering geologist Charles Lyell?suggested that measuring the fossilized indentations of raindrops might reveal details about the ancient atmosphere. These mini-craters are formed based on the size and speed of ancient raindrops.?Because the atmosphere drags on each drop, constraining the speed of its descent based on its size, if one could determine an ancient raindrop's size, one could determine how thick the atmosphere likely was.

The largest raindrop ever measured in modern times was 6.8 millimeters around, Som notes, which is also the theoretical limit; larger raindrops break apart. Because the laws of physics were likely the same in the distant past, this suggests that raindrops were no bigger in the Archean and puts an upper limit how big the ancient drops could have been. Plus, such raindrops are exceedingly rare in modern storms?and tend to fall in powerful downpours, which in the Archean would have been more likely to have washed ash away rather than form craters that could be fossilized.

To determine the size of the ancient droplets, Som and his colleagues compared the fossilized imprints with the craters that formed when they released various-size droplets from 27 meters above similar ash taken from the 2010 Eyjafjallaj?kull eruption in Iceland as well as from Hawaii. They then turned these modern craters to "rock" "using hair spray and low-viscosity liquid urethane plastic." Based on the comparisons, they concluded that the size of ancient droplets fell in the range of 3.8 to 5.3 millimeters.

Plugging those numbers into the mathematical relationship between raindrop size, speed and atmospheric density suggests that the early Earth's atmosphere exerted at most twice as much pressure as the present day atmosphere?assuming raindrops of the maximum size and speed created the craters?and more likely was roughly the same or as little as half present pressure.

A better understanding of the properties of Archean Earth's atmosphere may help explain what's known as the "faint young sun" paradox. Billions of years ago, the sun emitted less radiation, roughly 85 percent of its present output, and therefore heated the planet less. Yet, the fossil records suggest abundant liquid water and other signs of a warm, "clement" climate, as Som and colleagues noted in the analysis. The simplest explanation for this is that Earth simply boasted an atmosphere thick with greenhouse gases. "The sky was probably hazy," from the gases, Som says, in addition to being ruled by a fainter sun that passed across the sky more quickly because Earth rotated faster then. Plus, the atmosphere lacked a significant quantity of oxygen (because there were no plants), potentially lightening the atmospheric pressure. "Earth back then looked nothing like it does today."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=115409d4cb79373480ba5f72d5207ece

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Day Trading or Investing for the Long Haul?

Those types of who purchase and sell stocks there is an ongoing debate about perhaps the most profitable method of stock exchange trading is short or long term investment. And the two sides rarely reach agreement, because one side is rather conservative in its approach, whereas the other includes a more radical and freewheeling attitude. Day traders usually are considered the mavericks of the trading world, plus they are known when planning on taking gambler?s risks and making huge profits in short amounts of time ? sometimes investing the same stock many times within a day. People who prefer to buy and hold their stocks follow an even more risk-averse path, and cite historical trends to back up their declare that their method is actually more reliable and is the actual shortcut to wealth.

Most investors can benefit from the most useful of both worlds, by setting aside a few of their money for day trades, and the balance of it for longer-term investment. Because daytrading is commonly more volatile, and can result in quick profits or fast losses, the majority of us could be advised to put only just as much of our investment capital as we can comfortably afford to lose, into this type of trading strategy. That way, even if you encounter a worse case scenario, it will not adversely impact your general financial situation.

There are pros and cons to both styles of investing. Those who do day trades enjoy the proven fact that they could get in and out from the market quickly, and make money without waiting for the results. But any type of stock market investment strategy requires research to the companies you determine to invest in, and research can take time for you to do. If you are exchanging so fast that you don?t have time and energy to do adequate background analysis, day trading may not be a prudent approach.

Investing in companies offering slow but steady returns is really a time-tested method of the stock market. In fact , most historical evidence supports the theory that if you buy quality stocks and hold them for long expanses of time ? at the very least five years or maybe more ? you will prosper in the stock market. For this reason, those who are young enough to possess time on their side would probably be wise to buy some stocks and sock them away for retirement.

With most investments, it will always be best to diversify to attenuate risk and maximize potential gains. One way to attempt in the stock market would be to employ both strategies, and use a percentage of your investment capital for short-term trades, while leaving another portion in long term investments. If one basket of investments doesn?t prosper, one other probably will. And if both prosper, you?ll enjoy doubly much success.

Visit Phoenix international for your investment solution

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Source: http://articlethecw.info/day-trading-or-investing-for-the-long-haul/

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TechCrunch-FCC Documents Show Sony Chromebook, Potentially Running On ARM

Last Updated : 6 hours ago.

	TechCrunch ? Google?s Chromebooks haven?t exactly made a splash, but apparently not everyone has been scared off. Sony seems to think there?s gold in them thar laptops, and they?re making their own. For now it?s known as the VCC111 (probably shorthand for ?Vaio Chromebook Computer, series one, 11-inch display?), according to documents and pictures from FCC testing. ~ The understated look continues with these Vaio Chromebooks, even as far as what appears to be a matte black unbranded shell. A white version is also shown in the test setup photos. But the most interesting thing is the processor, which is listed simply as T25, and may in fact be Nvidia?s Tegra 2 chip by that name. An ARM laptop? Hey, if Microsoft can do it, why not Google and Sony? ~ At 1.2GHz, ...More with 2GB of RAM and a few of the other usual fixings, it isn?t a stunner spec-wise, but that?s kind of the point. It?s a tastefully-designed netbook designed to boot fast and get on the internet. It isn?t an ultrabook or work laptop or what have you. So it should fulfill that purpose admirably, and sell well below $500 to boot. ~ Release date is unclear, but they filed a confidentiality request for 180 days after August 15, 2011, so this unit has been around for a while ? but they probably weren?t planning a release until at least 2012, judging by their request to keep the external photos secret for half a year. ~ Perhaps they?re waiting for Google I/O? Seems a bit of a long wait to release something that was more or less ready late last year. Hopefully we?ll see an official announcement soon and get our hands on the device for some real-world testing. ~ [via Laptop Reviews] ...Less

More from your sources

http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/03/23/manual.references.chrome.os/

Electronista | Gadgets for Geeks ? Sony appears to be preparing to bring a Vaio-branded Chromebook onto the market, as the VCC111 series. The company has yet to formally unveil the device, however the FCC has posted pictures of the notebook with a keyboard layout that omits the Windows key. The pictures are accompanied by literature that includes directions to "start Chrome OS."... fcc : vaio : chromebook : sony : windows :

http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/23/sony-vaio-vcc111-chromebook-laptop-fcc/

Engadget ? Wondering if Chrome OS has a future? Wonder no more. After Samsung and Acer ushered out Chromebooks of their own following Google I/O 2011, it looks as if Sony's planning to usher in one of its own prior to this year's gala. The VAIO VCC111 has just found its way into the FCC's database, signaling that there's only a minimal amount of time before this here machine ...More is cleared for sale on US shelves. So far as we can tell, this is the first significant proof that Sony was (or is) dreaming of involving itself with Google's cloud-centric operating system, with the user guide clearly explaining the boot-up procedure for a "Chrome OS," and the keyboard clearly resembling that seen on the Series 5 from Samsung -- in other words, the Chrome-ified row of hot keys and an omitted Windows key. Judging by the photos, there's also a headphone port, microphone jack, HDMI socket, SD card reader, a pair of USB 2.0 connectors and an 11.6-inch display. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for more; given where it's at, it shouldn't be long before Best Buy's database picks it up. ~ Sony VAIO VCC111 Chromebook passes through FCC, Chrome OS flies its flag originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 14:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds. ~ Permalink?Laptop Reviews ?|? FCC ?|?Email this?|?Comments ...Less acer : chromebook : sony-vaio : fcc : chrome-os :

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http://liliputing.com/2012/03/unannounced-sony-vaio-chromebook-visits-the-fcc.html

Liliputing ? Sony hasn't officially announced plans to release a notebook running Google Chrome OS, but it sure looks like Sony is as least thinking about joining the Chromebook ...More party. A Sony Vaio VCC111 Chromebook just showed up at the FCC website. Actually, the VCC111 showed up at the FCC way back in September, but the confidentiality agreement just lifted and photos... ~ Read more ? ~ Unannounced Sony Vaio Chromebook visits the FCC is a post from: Liliputing ...Less fcc : chromebook : actually : sony : sony-vaio :

http://www.slashgear.com/sony-vaio-vcc111-chromebook-photos-and-manual-leaked-by-fcc-23219841/

SlashGear ? An unannounced Chromebook from Sony has surfaced on the FCC website this week. The Sony VAIO VCC111 Chromebook has been pictured in several photos along with a user ...More manual, all of which were recently published after the FCC?s confidentiality agreement with Sony had lifted. The original filing actually dates back to last September. ~ The Sony VAIO VCC111 Chromebook appears to have a 11.6-inch display, a top row of Chrome-specific hot keys, USB 2.0 ports, HDMI, SD card reader, SSD storage, and headphone and microphone jacks. It also has a 4100mAh 31 Whr removable battery, but other details on processor and memory haven?t been specified. ~ Typically showing up at the FCC suggests an imminent product launch, but not always. Sony may have been interested in joining Samsung and Acer with its own Chromebook, but it?s sure taking it slow, considering the FCC filing dates back 6 months ago. Chromebooks haven?t exactly been a hit and recent buzz around Ultrabooks leave a question mark on the fate of this Sony VAIO VCC111. ~ [via Laptop Reviews] ~ Sony VAIO VCC111 Chromebook photos and manual leaked by FCC is written by Rue Liu & originally posted on SlashGear. ~ ? 2005 - 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved. ...Less fcc : usb : chromebook : sony : google-chrome :

http://www.talkandroid.com/101592-usb-access-comes-to-your-android-smartphone-with-the-sanwa-usb-reader/

Talk Android ? For those times that you?d like to transfer some files from your smartphone to your thumb drive, but you don?t have your computer handy, you can turn ...More to the Sanwa USB Reader/Dock. This nifty little gizmo is quite handy for those on-the-go quick transfers. Your plug-in options consist of a full-size USB port, SD card slot, micro SD card slot and a micro USB port. Sanwa has conditioned this tool to work with a small portion of phones at this time including the Samsung Galaxy S2, Sony Xperia NX SO-02D, Sony Xperia arco HD IS12S, Toshiba REGZA Phone T-01D, and Sony S-series Tablet. Interested buyers can snatch one up for around $40 USD by clicking the source link below. ~ source: Sanwa via Everything USB ~ Visit TalkAndroid for Android news, Android guides, and much more! ...Less usb : xperia : samsung-electronics : sony : sanwa :

http://androinica.com/2012/03/htc-one-v-makes-final-fcc-stop-before-being-released-evo-design-4g-to-get-ics-update-soon/

Androinica ? In an unusually quiet end of the week on the technology front, we got our most important piece of news from HTC. Actually, there are two pieces of news concerning ...More HTC smartphones, one referring to the upcoming One V and one to the already released EVO Design 4G. ~ Let?s start with the beginning and warn technology geeks on a budget to be prepared for the One V release. The low-end, but very stylish smartphone, unveiled a while back, will most definitely hit the market in April, having already received FCC approval. ~ That?s the final touch and the last formality to be fulfilled before the release of any smartphone and, considering the fact that we already spotted the One V gaining GCF (Global Certification Forum) approval last week, I am willing to bet my life on seeing the handheld up for sale as soon as April Fools. ~ I?m not going to insist very much on the One V?s spec sheet, as we have talked about the gadget before on our website, but if you need a reminder, please check out this post detailing all of the 3.7-incher?s features. ~ The second piece of news (or rather rumor) from HTC might be more interesting for mid-range gadget lovers, as it seems that the EVO Design 4G is finally gearing towards an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update. ~ The EVO Design 4G, launched last fall, is a pretty popular device amongst Android enthusiasts, even though it is only powered by a single-core 1.2 GHz processor. With a more than fair quality-price ratio (we saw the gadget available for free on contract a while back) and a nice overall design, the 4-incher is set to draw some additional attention once upgraded to ICS. ~ It?s unclear when the update might happen, but it?s fair to assume that it will be coming our way soon, giving the fact that the EVO Design 4G, codenamed PH44xxx, has gained Bluetooth recertification yesterday, as the guys at Ameblo.jp have exclusively reported. ~ Stay tuned on Androinica.com for more details about the HTC smartphone duo and please hit us with a c... ...Less fcc : one : htc : actually : lets :

Source: http://www.buzzbox.com/tech/default/2012-03-23/fcc%3Asony/?clusterId=9606072

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Muamba's family: Midfielder faces long recovery

By STUART CONDIE

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 8:19 a.m. ET March 23, 2012

LONDON (AP) -Fabrice Muamba's family says the stricken midfielder still faces "a long period of recovery" from his on-field cardiac arrest.

The Bolton player is still at London Chest Hospital, where he was taken on Saturday after collapsing just before halftime of his club's FA Cup quarterfinal at Tottenham.

Muamba's father and fiancee released a statement on Friday in which they said "even though Fabrice has made great progress over the last couple of days, he is still in intensive care and still has a long period of recovery ahead."

Marcel Muamba and Shauna Magunda thanked fans, football figures and medical staff.

Players across Europe have worn T-shirts expressing their support for Muamba.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/46770140/ns/sports-soccer/

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Mohsin Hamid: After a dozen years of disastrous military rule followed by corrup...

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Continuing Education is an Option for Busy Professionals

Whether your goal is to change careers, update your existing skills or augment new skills to launch a new career path, continuing education has a course or program that will help you to reach your goals. This learning option often involves enrollment in post-secondary, credit-granting courses by part-time students, and is often offered through a division or school of continuing education of a college. As the term suggests, it is assumed that the student already has an education and is simply continuing it.

At Centennial College in Toronto, Ont. students have a few continuing education options thanks to the institution's School of Continuing Education. These options include: part-time, evening, weekend, online and alternative format courses ? all of which are designed to help students improve their skills, further their education and pursue a variety of interests.

In addition, Centennial College's continuing education options: provide experienced instructors who understand adult learning needs and offer flexible, learner-centered teaching methodologies; provide practical hands-on knowledge to place relevant theory into context and perspective; recognize and respect both the level of maturity and work experience of students; and provide effective instructor to student ratio and an optimal classroom size enabling competent peer interaction. As a result, the school's Continuing Education school sees nearly 22,000 learners each year in 160 programs that feature more than 1,200 courses and a 97 per cent learner satisfaction.

All programs facilitated through the continuing education school have their own prerequisites and it's best to check each individual program's page to ensure that students have the necessary requirements to apply.

It should also be noted that within certain programs there might be qualification requirements and costs for external accreditations, designations, certifications or recognitions. These are set by the granting bodies and not by Centennial College. In order to qualify for any of those external accreditations, designations, certification or recognition, students and graduates will need to follow the processes and meet the applicable requirements listed on the websites and materials of those external bodies. Among the continuing education areas of study are: Addiction Studies, Business, Computers and Information Technology, Early Childhood Education, Engineering Technology, Food Service Worker, Media and Design, Part-time Health Studies, Retirement Communities Management/Long Term Care Management, Transportation, and more.

Two other Continuing Education School options are Distance Learning and Print Based Courses. First, Distance Learning programs and courses are offered in an online learning format that is instructor-led but allows students to complete course material and assignments in their own time and space, with 24- hour access to the online classroom. Meanwhile, correspondence or print based courses (PB) are also available offering students the ability to work at their own pace within typically a six-month time frame. Print-based courses are best suited to students who work independently with minimal supervision. In most cases both delivery methods (online & PB) require that students attend the campus towards the end of their class to write a continuing education final exam.

Source: http://education.ezinemark.com/continuing-education-is-an-option-for-busy-professionals-7d34fe11ea6e.html

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Guess He?ll Go Back To Selling Crack (Theagitator)

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