EigenFunctions

We are sure seeing a lot of scientific research trying to copy nature. We see non-technology copying birds, insects, spyders, animals and MIT and AUVs-Underwater Autonomous Vehicles copying fish. And before you try to catch a Tuna for Sushi better check out what it is made of first. RoboTuna has arrived;

http://www.mit.edu/afs/athena/org/t/towtan…robotunaII.html

All this in efforts to build the AUV for the US Naval Research Group.

These vehicles can detect sea mines, guard harbors, remain dormant and then when needed do their needed duty. But think of the commercial purposes, finding the King Crabs, inspecting ice pack for navagation, monitoring fish populations, tracking whales, dolphins, finding sunken treasure, finding thermal vents at depths of 30,000 plus feet below sealevel. AUVs are also available in tethered forms which are called ROVs which can be lowerd from platforms.

Finding oil and natural gas deposits are just one of the solutions which will be relatively easy for the AUVs. And just when you thought this was the only idea of copying nature check out RoboLobster too;

http://www.onr.navy.mil/media/release_display.asp?ID=105

And RoboPike;

http://web.mit.edu/towtank/www/projects.html

In a quest for efficiency and in an attempt to learn what the organic machines have modified themselves to do to stay within niches in the environment, we can learn things which may well propel us to the innovations of the future to keep mankind on the technological edge as we take our own ideas of nature and modify them to fit our needs.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Nominated for 17 Emmys in its short four-year stint, In Living Color is widely considered the best skit comedy show since SNL. Created by the multitalented star Keenen Ivory Wayans (the eldest child from a large and talented family), the 30-minute TV show became an instant hit for emerging big network competitor FOX in the spring of 1990. Showcasing the talents of the Wayans family (especially blockbuster talent Damon Wayans), along with initial cast members David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Kim Coles, T’keyah “Crystal” Keymah, Kelly Coffield, and Jim Carrey (who would use the show as a springboard to smash hit movie career that would begin with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective in 1994), In Living Color quickly achieved the status of TV cult icon…

The In Living Color DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere in which the show begins with a skit entitled “Love Connection”. Jim Carrey stars as Chuck Woolery, trying to bring together star-crossed lovers Mike Tyson (Keenen Ivory Wayans) and Robin Givens (Kim Coles). This first episode also features the first appearance of the popular characters from the skit “Men on Film”. Other notable episodes from Season 1 include “Introducing… Homey D. Clown” in which the world first meets an ex-con turned clown who refuses to engage in any clown-like acts, and “Anton in the People’s Court” which features the skits “M.C. Hammer Video” and “Ted Turner’s Very Colorized Classics - The Kid”…

Below is a list of episodes included on the In Living Color (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 04-15-1990
Episode 2 (The Wrath of Farrakhan) Air Date: 04-21-1990
Episode 3 (Lean on Me Beautiful) Air Date: 04-28-1990
Episode 4 (Transitions) Air Date: 05-05-1990
Episode 5 (A Date with Grace Jones) Air Date: 05-12-1990
Episode 6 (Jheri’s Kids) Air Date: 05-19-1990
Episode 7 (Don King - The Early Years) Air Date: 05-27-1990
Episode 8 (Endangered Species) Air Date: 06-03-1990
Episode 9 (Introducing… Homey D. Clown) Air Date: 06-17-1990
Episode 10 (Vera DeMilo) Air Date: 06-24-1990
Episode 11 (Anton in the People’s Court) Air Date: 07-15-1990
Episode 12 (Conspiracy) Air Date: 09-02-1990
Episode 13 (Homey D Clown Returns) Air Date: 09-09-1990

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the In Living Color (DVD).

It is possible for nineteen dollars and ninety five cents plus the cost of the paper and framing to create a work of art worthy of hanging on your wall. All it takes is a little planning, a five to eight megapixel camera and a good printer . Today there are digital cameras that will equal the quality of film cameras, but they are quite expensive. I know you advanced photographers who swear by large format will be the first to state that large format contains more detail and less grain that 35mm and you are right. But we SLR photographers have to go with the camera that we have and work within that format. Professional photographers these days enlarge their photo image files to wall size and get beautiful results.

A five to eight mega pixel digital camera set on 50 or 100 ISO can be enlarged to 18 x 24 without showing pixels or losing sharpness.
Save the image in a RAW or TIFF file. If a JPEG file is necessary, choose the extra fine option. I recommend a compact flash card with at least 512MB of memory. Even though the digital file is forgiving when printing out a slightly over or underexposed image, bracketing the average exposure is a wise precaution. The greatest danger in an overexposed image file is loss of detail in the highlights. An underexposed image file will lose definition in the shadows. By bracketing the image, some image software makes it possible to exchange portions of the images for a perfect final exposure. Digital files act more like transparency film, requiring an exposure within on half stop of normal. Do everything you can to prevent the image from softening. Clean your lens immediately before use, keep the lens out of the rays of the direct sun and use a tripod if available.

In camera sharpening is not as effective as after processing sharpening in the computer. The same goes for adding contrast to the basic camera settings. A well balanced color setting will make it easier to print perfectly. Since digital images are extra sensitive to color balance changes in light, a camera with a custom white balance is a plus. If artifacts show up in the smooth areas of the picture, a software called PureImage will remove the artifacts while preserving the edge sharpness.

When photographing nature subjects, use a smaller f stop like f4.0 or f5.6 in order to insure a good depth of field. Many types of light will produce good pictures, but the tried and true early morning/late afternoon is foolproof. Other successful lighting is shooting into the sun (bracketing is a must), using a sunset as a source and skim lighting. Use any trick to improve the dramatic values: framing the main subject for increasing the apparent depth or darkening the edges to bring attention to the main subject. Emphasize the vastness of a natural feature by including a diminutive figure in the composition or with the use of a super wide angle lens.

Telephoto lenses are often used in nature photography, even for scenic shots. The flattening properties of the telephoto lens compresses distance and plays up fog and mist for an eerie effect. Of course, these long lenses are invaluable when photographing animals in their natural setting.

Some zoos and animal parks contain enough greenery to help the telephoto lens fool the eye into thinking that these animals are in the wild. They are also useful in isolating an interesting composition when getting closer is not an option.

A vacation is an ideal time to capture beautiful scenics. A light tripod that hangs under your camera case or one of the new pod bags is not too heavy a burden and will improve the sharpness of your photographs. Remember that all hand held pictures contain some percentage of blurriness, depending on the shutter speed. A tripod enables you to choose a small aperture with no penalty. Take the time to compose your photograph, paying attention to vertical lines and how the areas are balanced within the frame. Run your eyes around the outside of the view finder to check that everything is included safely. Landscape photography is challenging but rewarding if one comes out good enough for the wall. We just may make you sign it!

Retired portrait photographer now photographs flowers and nature.

The Kansas State Agency that oversees the collection and reporting of State income taxes deducted from payroll checks is:

Department of Revenue
Docking State Office Bldg.
915 S.W. Harrison
Topeka, KS 66625
(877) 526-7738
www.ink.org/public/kdor

Kansas does not require you to use a state form to calculate state income tax withholding.

Not all states allow salary reductions made under Section 125 cafeteria plans or 401(k) to be treated in the same manner as the IRS code allows. In Kansas’s cafeteria plans are not taxable for income tax calculation; not taxable for unemployment insurance purposes. 401(k) plan deferrals are not taxable for income taxes; taxable for unemployment purposes.

In Kansas supplemental wages are taxed at a 5% flat rate.

In Kansas supplemental wages are required to be aggregated for the state income tax withholding calculation.

You must file your Kansas state W-2s by magnetic media if you are have at least 250 employees and are required to file your federal W-2s by magnetic media.

The Kansas State Unemployment Insurance Agency is:

Department of Human Resources
Division of Employment Security
401 S.W. Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66603-3182
(785) 296-5025
http://www.dol.ks.gov/WC/HTML/wc_ALL.html

The State of Kansas taxable wage base for unemployment purposes is wages up to $8000.00.

Kansas has optional reporting of quarterly wages on magnetic media.

Unemployment records must be retained in Kansas for a minimum period of five years. This information generally includes: name; social security number; dates of hire, rehire and termination; wages by period; payroll pay periods and pay dates; date and circumstances of termination.

The Kansas State Agency charged with enforcing the state wage and hour laws is:

Department of Human Resources
Office of Employment Standards
1430 SW Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, KS 66612-1880
(785) 296-4062
http://www.dol.ks.gov/UI/HTML/EnUI_DBR.html

The minimum wage in Kansas is $2.65 per hour.

The general provision in Kansas concerning paying overtime in a non-FLSA covered employer is one and one half times regular rate after 46-hour week.

Kansas State new hire reporting requirements are that every employer must report every new hire and rehire. The employer must report the federally required elements of:

• Employee’s name
• Employee’s address
• Employee’s social security number
• Employer’s name
• Employers address
• Employer’s Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN)

This information must be reported within 20 days of the hiring or rehiring.
The information can be sent as a W4 or equivalent by mail, fax or electronically.
There is no penalty for a late report in Kansas.

The Kansas new hire-reporting agency can be reached at 888-219-7801 or 913-296-1716 or on the web at http://www.dol.ks.gov/ui/html/newhires_BUS.html.

Kansas does not allow compulsory direct deposit

Kansas requires the following information on an employee’s pay stub:

Kansas requires that employee be paid no less often than monthly.

Kansas requires that the lag time between the end of the pay period and the payment of wages to the employee not exceed fifteen days.

Kansas payroll law requires that involuntarily terminated employees must be paid their final pay by their next regular payday; by mail on request and that voluntarily terminated employees must be paid their final pay by the next regular payday; by mail on request.

Deceased employee’s wages must be paid when normally due to the surviving spouse, children 18 or over, parents, siblings, or funeral director (in that order) on demand.

Escheat laws in Kansas require that unclaimed wages be paid over to the state after one year.

The employer is further required in Kansas to keep a record of the wages abandoned and turned over to the state for a period of 10 years.

Kansas’s payroll law mandates no more than 40% of minimum wage may be used as a tip credit.

In the Kansas payroll law there is no provision covering required rest or meal periods.

Kansas’s statute requires that wage and hour records be kept for a period of not less than three years. These records will normally consist of at least the information required under FLSA.

The Kansas agency charged with enforcing Child Support Orders and laws is:

Child Support Enforcement Program
Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
300 S.W. Oakley St.
1st Fl., Biddle Bldg.
Topeka, KS 66606
(785) 296-3237
http://www.srskansas.org/cse/iwo/

Kansas has the following provisions for child support deductions:

• When to start Withholding?Next payday after 14 days after service.
• When to send Payment?Within 7 days of Payday.
• When to send Termination Notice?“Promptly.”
• Maximum Administrative Fee?lesser of $5 per day period of $10 per month
• Withholding Limits?Federal Rules under CCPA.

Please note that this article is not updated for changes that can and will happen from time to time.

Charles J. Read, CPA has been in the payroll, accounting and tax business for 30 years, the last fifteen in private practice. Mr. Read is the author of “How to Start a New Business”. For Professional Payroll services at a Budget Price go to http://www.PayrollonaBudget.com a Paperless Payroll Company. Go to http://www.CustomPayroll.com For a full service payroll service bureau with CPA’s on staff. See an excerpt of Mr. Read’s interviews from William Shatners “Heartbeat of America” television show on the websites linked above.

King Kong is a fictional giant gorilla who stars in books, tv shows, video games and movies that bear his name. Though many know him because of his latest 2005 remake - King Kong’s groundbreaking film came to the screen in 1933 with the first remake being released in 1976.

Let’s take a stroll through the history of King Kong and reveal the awesome legacy he has built.

“King Kong” - 1933

The original groundbreaking classic was highly acclaimed for its use of special effects using stop-motion models. Yet it was widely criticized for its depiction of the Skull Island tribes people. This movie was inspired by the success of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Lost World,” about an expedition to a plateau filled with prehistoric animals. The film went down in history as one of the great film adventures to be produced in that time period, and is considered a classic today.

“Son of Kong” - 1933

After Kong has wrecked New York and sent producer Carl Denham into financial ruin, Denham flees back to Skull Island in search of treasure and discovers King Kong’s albino son. This sequel was considered mediocre at best.

“King Kong vs. Godzilla” - 1962

Kong is discovered on Farou Island and brought back to Japan. Godzilla, long thought destroyed, breaks free for an iceberg and heads for Japan. The authorities plan to bring Kong to Mt. Fuji where he will encounter, and, hopefully, destroy Godzilla. However the use of suitmation for King Kong aroused bitter hatred from fans of King Kong towards the horrid look and the fact that Kong had been brought to life in this manner.

“King Kong” The TV Series” - 1966-69

This was a popular ABC Saturday morning TV show based on the famous 1930’s monster movie. In this version, Kong lives peacefully on an island with the Bond family and fights various villains. It didn’t follow the premise of the movie at all.

“King Kong Escapes” - 1967

Another Toho film (following King Kong vs Godzilla). A jungle expedition is attacked by a dinosaur. They are rescued by King Kong who takes a liking to the prettiest female member of the expedition. Dr. Hu. She, however, turns out to be an evil scientist with plans to take over the world by building a huge “Mechni-Kong,” a robot designed to kill the real Kong.

“King Kong” - 1976

Prior to the 2005 release, this is probably the most remembered film in the King Kong series. An expedition goes exploring for oil. A shipwrecked woman, is captured by the natives and offered as a sacrifice to King Kong who falls in love with her. The woman is rescued and Kong is captured. He is taken to the US and used for exhibition. Kong escapes captivity to elope with the model and wreaks havoc on the city.

“King Kong Lives” - 1986

This sequel is by the same production company as the 1976 film. Kong survives his fall from the sky and is kept at a university research center outside Atlanta in a coma where it is discovered he requires a heart transplant. A female Kong is found in the jungles of Borneo and is transported to the research center for a transfusion that will enable King Kong to have his operation. Romance blooms between the two Kongs and they make an escape from the research center.

“King Kong” - 2005

A Universal Pictures remake of the original by New Zealand director Peter Jackson, best known for directing the The Lord of the Rings trilogy. The most recent incarnation of Kong is also the longest, running three hours and seven minutes.

The King Kong film character was the inspiration for several video games including:

* 1981 Donkey Kong and subsequent spin-offs

* The Rampage games by Atari/Midway

* Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game Of The Movie published by Ubisoft.

* War of the Monsters is a 3D fighting game developed by Incognito Entertainment for Sony PlayStation 2

The fascination with King Kong can continue with the launch of the fifth generation Apple iPod with video capabilities and digital entertainment companies like iVideoBlast.com. Thanks to them you can now enjoy the King Kong vs Godzilla movie on your iPod.

As you can see, although King Kong is being celebrated in the 2005 remake, he has become quite the phenomenon over the years. From scary to funny (though not meant to be). From thrilling to thought-provoking.

King Kong will continue to fascinate audiences for many years to come. Long live Kong.

iVideoBlast.com allows you to fuel your iPod with Animation, TV Shows and Movies. You can watch King Kong vs Godzilla on your iPod by going to http://www.iVideoBlast.com and registering for free.

To Apologize Apologies that are usually spoken come from the time of regret or remorse… Some come from the mind as others come from the heart, but the truest apology comes from the depths of the soul… There are fears that are at most times connected to the apologies that deal with the heart… It could be the sadness of the thought to never see them again as almost if you die everyday they are not apart of your life… Sometimes you may feel that no one will ever fill that space that is left in you… Because they were more than just inside your heart they were also under your skin… To almost you believe that God himself feels that pain you suffer when you cry silently for them… As if no emotion has ever placed such emptiness in another living soul… You want to apologize for every second you did not treat them with the love you could have… To take back your selfish ways or the decisions you made is the only wish you desire… And upon this sorrow without any request from you awareness comes and touches the sense of your reality… So as a single tear roll down your cheek you began to realize that a love had existed for beyond any feeling you have ever had… And the narrowness of your own selfish ways come to you and begs for forgiveness… Because you must first forgive self before you can learn to ask forgiveness from another… From that awareness you come to terms with the true meaning of love… To love is to give of one self without over shadowing the existence of the one you love… As it is said that any one person who finds true loves twice with the same person… Lives life not only from the breath they breathe, but from that breath that is released from every kiss that is shared from love.

www.originalpoetry.com

It is the scourge of our age: identity theft. Thieves learn an important part about your personal information, such as your credit card number, and they open accounts in your name and spend, spend, spend! Unfortunately, by the time you discover that you are a victim the damage is already done. Here are seven steps you can take to prevent identity theft.

1. Guard your social security number. Clerks, telephone sales people, etc. will sometimes ask for your social security number. Do not give this information out. Of course, certain government agencies require your social security number for identification purposes, but other than that no one has a “need” for your number.

2. Get a shredder. Yes, ripping papers up into little pieces can help but these pieces can also be put back together by someone determined to get information from you. Thieves resort to “dumpster diving” or “trash can trolling” to find out important information about you. Once they have it you can count on your problems beginning.

3. Protect your mail. Thieves will make off with your mail if they think there is something of interest there. Purchase a locking mailbox if you live in an area prone to mail theft. Notify the post office if you suspect any problems. The United States Post Office has their own team of investigators who really, really hate mail fraud.

4. Get your free credit report. As of September 2005 all three major credit reporting agencies — TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax - must permit consumers to access a copy of their credit report for free on a yearly basis. To maximize the benefit of this law order a copy every four months from a different agency. Check your report carefully and take the proper steps necessary to correct any errors.

5. Review your monthly statements. Chances are you skim your credit card statements since it has gotten quite lengthy with all your gas, food, retail, and internet purchases. Thieves count on you doing just that! Pay closer attention to each item and question anything remotely suspicious. Follow the instructions of your credit card provider for contesting anything that is incorrect.

6. Do not call. Give telemarketers and all other phone solicitors the boot by getting yourself listed on “do not call” registries. Screen calls with caller i.d. to filter out everyone else.

7. Protect your computer. Make sure that you are running the latest internet security programs, change your password regularly, and only purchase items through a secure site [those with an “s” in their web address: https]

Should you suspect a problem, notify the three credit reporting agencies and request that a “fraud alert” be placed in your file. Contact the fraud departments of the effected credit providing companies and follow up all that you do with statements in writing. In some cases your rights are only guaranteed if you send a letter, so be diligent to learn all that is required of you when you have been victimized.

Matthew Keegan writes on business related, human interest, education, aviation, and general issues. For samples of some of his work please visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com

Secured personal loan needs no introduction. It’s the most convenient and appropriate mean to answer your personal needs requirements. Secured personal loan is popular because of the several benefits it offers to the needy people.

For a common man his monthly income and little savings are not enough to meet his personal dreams. Though they are sufficient for day to day expenditure, but in case for other personal demands they are not optimum.Secured personal loan is therefore designed to cater to your several necessities in life.

Secured personal loan is secured against your property, which could be your home, car or any valuable asset. You are liable to give your property as collateral to the lender. In return he allots you long repayment time and gives flexibility in monthly installments. Low interest rate is also an advantage for you. You get enough freedom to borrow a good sum, because of your property.

However your property faces a constant threat from lender. He may repossess your property, if you fail to repay his amount. Secured personal loan has several purposes. Some of them are- debt consolidation, home renovation, car purchase, wedding and holiday expenditure, funding education and other miscellaneous expenses. These are all your personal requirements and require a big investment; hence secured personal loan is the right decision to meet them.

Apart from your personal needs, it’s also beneficial for business activities. It’s hard and confusing to choose the right lender directly in the market. You can do the same work, sitting at home and spending some time with internet. It will make you aware of all facts of secured personal loan.

About The Author

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Uk-Direct-Loans as a finance specialist.

For more information please visit: http://www.uk-direct-loans.co.uk

The personal loan is probably the most common type of loan. What could be the reason for this and how much does a personal loan really cost the borrower?

Usually, when an individual needed money but does not want to spell out the purpose of this money, he takes a personal loan. In previous years, the steps taken to take a personal loan involve going to the bank and filling up an application form. But today, there are other agencies or groups that provide such personal loans. One can have a personal from the local supermarket. One can obtain personal loans from financing companies that seem to sprout like mushrooms during a rainy day.

This implies that there is a huge competition among lending companies. Such competition is beneficial for the borrower because the interest rates are being decreased in order to attract loan applicants. This also means that the borrower now has a lot of choices before him. The best thing to do is to shop around for the right lending company.

Hidden Loan Charges

A person must be extra cautious when he finds a lending company that offers ridiculously low interest rates. While finding the lowest interest rates is a major goal of shopping around for lenders, the one with the lowest interest rate may not be a wise idea. In some cases, lenders who charged low interest rates had included loan charges that are not stated up front when the borrower is applying for the personal loan. This means that the lenders who attached these hidden charges make profits out of such hidden loan charges.

On the side of the borrower, the best thing that he can do is to carefully read the small print. In fact, the borrower should read and weigh all that has been written on the loan agreement before signing up and finalizing the loan deal.

Actual APR

The actual APR or Annual Percentage Rate of a personal loan is computed using a system which is known as “risk-based pricing”. The basic principle of this system is that if the lender’s risk is higher, the APR should be higher. If the lender’s risk is lower, then the APR should be lower. The “risk” is based on the borrower’s financial circumstances and his credit history.

Early Repayment Charges

Another important thing that a borrower should find out is the existence of early repayment charges. While it seems logical to pay one’s financial obligations earlier so that one can get rid of the debts, paying early may result to paying more. This is because some lending companies add an extra charge for loans that are paid earlier. This extra charge (called early repayment charge) is usually equal to the interest of one or two months.

However, there are lending companies that do not have early repayment charges. These lending companies are the ones that the borrower should look for.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author’s biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of UK Personal Secured Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.uk-personal-secured-loans.com website.

If you don’t know the difference between a home equity loan and a home equity line of credit, here’s a quick summary of both with their advantages and disadvantages.

A home equity loan is a fixed loan taken out over a fixed period of time and at a fixed rate. The monthly repayments are also fixed for the term of the loan so you know from month to month what you’re paying back.

The advantages of this loan are…

• That unlike your primary mortgage this loan is paid off over a shorter period of time, it varies between 5 - 30 years.

• You can’t borrow more than the amount you have agreed so you can’t get further in debt.

The disadvantages of this loan are…

• You may get carried away and may borrow a little more than you really need to.

• You can remain in debt by taking out an interest only home equity loan and not paying off the principal amount.

A home equity line of credit can be compared to a credit card; the lender offers you a fixed amount you can borrow up to in a certain time limit. These time limits can vary
from lender to lender. You get a fixed period of time you can borrow for and then a fixed period you to pay off your loan.

The advantages of this loan are…

• You don’t ever need to borrow the full amount offered.

• You can pay off the full amount and if you are still within the borrowing time limit, you can borrow the same amount out again.

• It’s more flexible than a home equity loan.

The disadvantages of this loan are…

• You are never on a fixed interest rate, your repayments vary from month to month.

• Some lenders require a small up front payment before using the loan

• You may only be able to borrow a minimum amount each time and have a minimum remain balance.

And finally, as with all loans, always be on the lookout for the best deals and make sure you can afford it before taking either loan out.

For more free home equity loan advice and information visit http://www.allabouthomeequity.com for details.