The painting Chris calls “Self Portrait With a Gun” actually features his younger brother, dressed as a cowboy, holding his dad’s rifle. From afar this unusual artwork looks more like an old yellowed photo, but as you approach it, you realize it’s actually something completely different – a painting made of ants.

To the artist, this bizarre ant painting represents how humans learn about things abstractly, only to have their impressions changed as they get closer to them. But actually completing his masterpiecewasn’t the simplest task, mostly because he hated killing the creatures he perceives to be ” right on the line of what I consider intelligent life.” When he first began the project, he decided to catch the ants himself, but the ants in San Francisco, where he was living at the time, were too small. So he decided to order them online, from a guy who was breeding and selling them as food for lizards.

First he ordered just 1,000 ants, because he didn’t know how many he would need for the right density, but then he started ordering 40,000. They came in peanut-butter jars, and seeing them moving around in there, it was hard for Chris to make a decision. He couldn’t release them, because they weren’t native to that area, and they could start biting people. So he decided to kill the ants himself. It wasn’t easy, and he even took a 1-year-break, but decided to complete his ant masterpiece,  because he didn’t want the first batch to have died in vain.

Some of the ants dried up and were torn to pieces, so Chris Trueman used them in the large parts of the painting, where details weren’t important, saving the full-sized ants for the detailed parts. he would handle them with tweezers, placing them on the Plexiglass canvas and coat them in a painting resin called galkyd.

Chris Trueman‘s ant painting is on display, at an art gallery in San Diego, and is priced at $35,000.

Our country reels from energy-related problems. The price of gasoline continues to rise. More threats come from the unpredictable economic and political conditions in the Middle East, Iraq, Iran and other countries. If anything, these problems have indicated the extent of dependence of the United States economy on imported oil.

The need to chart new directions on the matter of energy production and supply has become unavoidable for Americans. We need to cut our dependence on imported oil and find viable alternative energy sources. Experts contend that the time for relatively cheap fuel is over, and that we must be ready to pay for its escalating cost unless we succeed in developing cost-effective alternative energy sources. With our technologically-advanced and energy-dependent society, the need for fresh technologically and financially viable alternative energy cannot be avoided.

The environmentalists add their voices to the call for a swift to alternative fuel due to damages inflicted on the environment by petroleum-generated power. Globan warming, water and air pollution have been identified as some of the many environmental risks we expose ourselves to from extensive use of fossil fuel.

Nevertheless, we must also exercise caution in developing alternative energy. Coal, for example, is not inspiring. It is dirty, dangerous to extract, and is also harmful to the environment. Surely, there must be other alternative sources of energy that are safer to process and more environment-friendly, and to which we must turn our primary focus.

Other countries are likewise hard pressed to pursue an alternative energy agenda. It can be assumed that they also contribute to the worsening global climate, and the responsibility for addressing the problem needs to be shared by all. European countries and the United States have made initial advances in the search for alternative energy towards not only reducing their dependence on fossil fuel but also on cleaning up the environment.

The developing countries need to follow our lead in collecting relevant research data and developing alternative energy technologies. The level of government and private research and development collaboration in this field augurs well for strengthening our technological edge. Added benefits thus await from bright prospects of marketing these technologies to other countries.

Other alternative sources of energy that continue to merit further investigation are hydro-electric technology, bio-fuels from trees and beans, natural gas, atomic energy plants, hydrogen cells, and solar energy. Currently getting extra attention from experts is determining the overall viability of wind and solar energy, as well as of generating electricity with hydrogen.

Expectations are high that more sources of better quality alternative energy can be found and put in operation while research and development in this field continues. By then we can look forward to ride our cars and sustain our technologically advanced societies with less fear of further damaging our environment.

The company now boasts 22 employees, including scientists, farmers, international businessmen, industrial workers and of course family.
GreenEnergy`s corporate mission aims to bring large tracts of rural land under scientific but basic cultivation of bio-fuel feedstocks, bringing with it employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to potentially thousands of Vietnamese rural poor, while providing inputs for GreenEnergy`s core business, the refining and marketing of bio-diesel.
It is a win, win situation for everyone because not only does cultivation of this vegetable oil require only marginally arable, war damaged or barren land, this also means its activities do not compete with other food production which avoids putting upward pressure on food prices.
N.B (Vietnamese Government has identified seven million hectares as marginal, barren or war damaged land).
In addition GreenEnergy`s operations achieve a renewable and sustainable fuel source for Vietnam to continue its development with all the attendant social, economic and environmental benefits in producing clean energy.
Because of the scale and potential of the bio-diesel industry in Vietnam and indeed globally, where tens of millions of bio-fuel crops will have to be grown to substantially replace fossil fuels, a ‘second green revolution’ is possible, bringing with it true improvement in the lives of the rural poor and vegetable oils can play a significant role in helping to ameliorate global warming as a key aspect of climate change.
Global warming, a key aspect of climate change, now clearly recognized as a result of a concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere – has the worst impact on the climate.
Carbon dioxide, the most common of GHGs, is emitted during the burning of fossil fuels.
The Kyoto Protocol gazetted in February 2005 requires participating countries to cut carbon emissions.
Further to this, rising crude oil prices and the need to reduce dependence on imported oil has made it necessary for net oil importers to think of alternative energy sources. The precarious situation with fossil fuel supplies coupled with the ability of bio-fuels to lessen that risk, makes it feasible for the global economy to revert its focus towards agriculture and those traditionally engaged in it, thus offering a potential boon to Vietnam’s rural sector.
Full bio-diesel use would reduce net CO2 by over 78% compared to petroleum diesel and up to 16% with the use of blends comprising 20% bio-diesel.
While both fuels are almost equally efficient at converting raw energy resources into fuels, bio-diesel has a larger part that is renewable .Similarly, bio-diesel is non-toxic and environmentally friendly as it produces substantially less CO2, ensuring sustainable environmental practices.
GreenEnergy has recognized this mammoth task and has adopted a dual strategy for attaining its goals in Vietnam.
1.Public – Aggressive initiatives to “jump-start” the production side of bio-fuel feedstocks by forming a partnership with Vietnams Central Government and People’s Committees as well as aid agencies to help put large tracts of marginal land under bio-fuel crop cultivation quickly.
A memorandum of understanding and support was signed by the Peoples Committee of Binh Dinh Province and Green Energy Vietnam on the 8th of December 2006 and the 500 hectare Binh Dinh Research and Training Facility for the Cultivation of Biofuel Feedstocks has been established, known as BDF- FARMER ENERGY- a working laboratory devoted to developing the bio-fuel industry for the benefit of Vietnamese rural poor.
2.Private – Includes GEV investments to retain its ‘First Mover’ advantage by securing its proprietary feedstocks, expanding its physical plant refinery presence and continuing to build its integrated supply-chain, complete with forward contracted suppliers and customers.
It is in this first arena, Public Initiatives, that GreenEnergy sees co-operation with aid agencies.
Some of the substantial and sustainable benefits that the cultivation of bio-fuels crops can contribute to Vietnam are:
1. Real cash growth, raising the annual income of $820 to $1,300 U.S. for thousands of marginalized rural families.
2. Private homesteading for the rural poor.
3. Stress relief and barren or war damaged land reclamation.
4. Enfranchisement of poor, rural women.
5. Retention of scarce foreign currency reserves and
6. Independence from the uncertainties of global mineral oil markets.
The People`s Committee of the Province of Binh Dinh and GreenEnergy, Vietnam, in full realization of the enormous impact this Research and Training Facility will have for all of Vietnam`s rural communities, cordially invites any and all organizations seeking positive change in the livelihood of rural Vietnamese to form an active Partnership in the development of this Research and Training Facility.
The Binh Dinh Facility wants to be a catalyst in harnessing this opportunity for all stakeholders and delivering:
. A path for the rural poor to climb out of their deprivation rather than fall further behind.
. A renewable, sustainable and viable alternative to fossil fuel for Vietnam’s surging economy. and an industry that rejuvenates, rather than degrades the environment.
Introduction to the oil plant Jatropha.
The oil plant Jatrophas curcas (L) (Jatropha) or physic nut, is multipurpose and drought resistant, growing to a height range of 2 to 7 metres for the Asian species and it not only flourishes in tropical and sub-tropical climate zones but even in areas absent of water.
Because its leaves and stems are toxic to animals it is often used as a protective hedge around farm houses, gardens and fields.
It also reduces soil damage caused by erosion from wind and water and traditionally the seeds were harvested by women for medical treatments and local soap production.
In Thailand, Jatropha normally flowers twice a year, in dry and rainy seasons with seed harvesting conducted approximately 60-90 days after flowering and the oil plant has a productive life of 20 years.
Because the market is probably not yet mature enough for the plant to generate enough income solely from oil extraction, a holistic rural development approach has to be taken into account in order to exploit all potential uses of the Jatropha plant. This approach is known as the Jatropha System.
The system focuses not only on the use of the source as a fuel, but rather as an element, to activate a system combining ecologic, economic and income generating activities.
Consequently, the Jatropha System offers four main aspects of development aiming to better the livelihoods in rural areas, especially for women and farmers:
. Renewable energy- bio-diesel
. Erosion control and soil improvement
. Promotion of women and
. Income generation.
About one-third of seeds can be extracted as oil that has a similar energy value to diesel fuel. The oil is extracted by hydraulic pressure and then filtered through an intensive sleeve that can then be readily used without any complicated refinery process, directly available for small diesel engines as a substitution for diesel oil, without engine modification.
This oil can power engines, such as water pumps, tractors, hand mowers, other farm machinery and rice milling machines and by using this domestically produced oil as a substitution for imported oil, significant cash savings can be made.
GreenEnergy Ltd have already committed a considerable amount of time, money and resources to this environmentally sound an economically sustainable project in Vietnam and welcome further input from other interested parties.
It is also their belief that at an international level, stakeholders involved should perform a three pronged approach, with mutual knowledge, technology transfer, genetic development of high oil content in the seeds and exchange of Jatropha species, together with investment and trade linkage.

Micro-Tech commenced in 1986 as a subsidiary of the international hearing devices leader, Starkey Laboratories. Located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Micro-Tech was established with the intent of furnishing the hearing-impaired with compact, fashionable Micro-tech hearing aids which in spite of their dimensions should achieve good sound clarity.

In the interests of implementing such a standard, the factors depleted in Micro-tech hearing aids are of exceptional quality, and put in gold battery contacts hybrid microchips. Every Micro-tech hearing aid is subject to rigid quality control testing as well.

Micro-Tech even funds the annual trip that some of its audiologists take to Mexico, where properties fit indigent hearing-impaired folks with Micro-Tech hearing aids.

Audiologists are also important contributors to the development of innovative technologies for the users of for Micro-Tech hearing aids, and Micro-Tech is involved in providing educational programs for hearing specialists throughout several institutions including the American Academy of Audiology.

Micro-Tech Innovations

Some of the Micro-Tech hearing aid innovations have included the remarkable proprietary DiRx directional technology which allows Micro-Tech hearing aids users to adjust such a microphones in the directions of a speaker, both amidst additional clarity to his or her expressions and shutting out noises arising from other directions. The Caballo, Denali, and Dx3 Micro-Tech hearing aids can all be constructed with DiRx capability.

Micro-Tech was also responsible for introducing one of the earliest completely-in-canal, or CIC, hearing devices. The first of the CIC Micro-Tech hearing aids appeared in 1993, and has been followed by nearly fifteen years of advancements in miniature but technologically sophisticated hearing devices. CIC Micro-Tech hearing aids can be put up at their cutting edge laboratory to include any of Micro-Tech digital circuitry.

Micro-Tech has even designed its own line of batteries to use investing in Micro-Tech hearing aids, with gold-plated contacts to guarantee maximum conductivity.

Micro-Tech and Kids

Micro-Tech, in an go to ease the discomfort of children who have carried on diagnosed with hearing impairment, may provide a ?custom care package? for delivery investing in the child’s behind the ear Micro-Tech hearing aid. The packages can include everything from stickers and removable tattoos to coloring books and plush animals–and they are all free!

To help children learn responsibility for taking care of their Micro-Tech hearing aids, Micro-Tech bids Mr. BTE, a plush frog-like doll with key pockets, one of which contains a dehumidifier for the hearing aid.

Micro-Tech’s concern for the impoverished hearing impaired n Mexico and its ?custom care packages? are only two signs that it is a company with a heart, to which customer advantages will always be the top priority.

Football and athletics always has seemed to be an “afterthought” at Georgia Tech. Education and the struggle for excellence has always been the priority at Georgia Tech.

”I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck from Georgia Tech and a helluva engineer. A helluva, helluva, helluva, helluva, hell of an engineer.”

Those words from one of America’s most famous fight songs typify the spirit of athletics at Georgia Tech, a school with one of the most storied and honored traditions in college athletics.

Ever since 1892, when the first football team was organized on The Flats, Georgia Tech teams in all sports have represented the Institute in outstanding fashion while producing some of the best-known names in athletics. Tech has won four National Championships in football in the years 1917, 1928, 1952, and 1990. The Yellow Jacket football teams have one of the nation’s best records in bowl games at 22-14. Over the past 100 years, Tech has had only 12 head football coaches: John Heisman, Bill Alexander, Bobby Dodd, Bud Carson, Bill Fulcher, Pepper Rodgers, Bill Curry, Bobby Ross, Bill Lewis, George O’Leary, Chan Gailey and the present coach, Paul Johnson.

In the fall of 1891, before Georgia Tech organized a football team of its own, a game was scheduled between Auburn and Georgia. Due to the rivalry established in baseball games between Tech and Georgia (which is still strong after more than 100 years), the Tech students were invited to the game to cheer, of course, for Auburn. At a mass meeting, the students appointed a committee to recommend colors to be worn and cheers to be used at the game. The committee suggested white and gold, and about 200 students attended the game wearing school colors for the first time.

In 1893, when Tech’s football team played its first official game against Georgia, a group of young women from the Lucy Cobb Institute for Girls, dressed in white and gold, attended the game to cheer for Tech. These ladies were some of the earliest Tech supporters to show their allegiance by wearing the now-traditional colors.

The Yellow Jacket nickname and mascot are two of the most beloved trademarks of Georgia Tech athletic teams, but many conflicting accounts exist as to the origins and beginnings of the Yellow Jacket. One thing that is clear, however, is that the nickname did not grow out of the familiar six-legged insect, but instead that the insect mascot, known as “Buzz,” grew out of the nickname.

As far as can be determined, the first reference to Tech students as “Yellowjackets” appeared in the Atlanta Constitution in 1905 and became common usage at that time.

Historians say the name, spelled as one word, was first used to describe supporters who attended Tech athletic events, dressed in yellow coats and jackets. The actual mascot was conceived at a later date.

Other common nicknames which have applied to Georgia Tech teams include Engineers, which is still used by some writers; the Techs, the first known nickname which was phased out sometime around 1910; and the Blacksmiths, which was common between 1902 and 1904. Georgia Tech football has one of the most “storied” traditions and historical memories in College Football…Here a re just a few that TECH fans all remember:

The Cumberland Game. On Oct. 17, 1916, John Heisman’s team crushed Cumberland College 222-0 in the most lopsided and highest-scoring game in college football history.

The 1929 Rose Bowl, where Cal’s Roy Riegels ran the wrong way, Tech won 8-7 and claimed its second national championship.

Oct. 3, 1942, when Tech finally won at Notre Dame for the first time in eight tries, 13-6. Freshman phenom Clint Castleberry threw a touchdown pass in his only season on The Flats, before dying while piloting a plane during World War II.

Nov. 6, 1976: Tech 23, Notre Dame 14. In the “Passless Upset,” the Jackets _ with freshman QB Gary Lanier running Pepper Rodgers’ option to perfection _ didn’t throw a pass in shocking the Irish.

Nov. 11, 1978: Tech 42, Air Force 21. On the frozen tundra in Colorado Springs, Eddie Lee Ivery ran wild for 356 yards, breaking the NCAA single-game rushing record.

Nov. 8, 1980: Tech 3, Notre Dame 3. Bill Curry’s first team as head coach of the Jackets stunned the unbeaten, No. 1 Irish and nearly beat them before a late, tying field goal.

Nov. 3, 1990: Tech 41, Virginia 38. In Charlottesville, in likely the most significant victory in Tech annals, the Jackets staged a phenomenal comeback against No. 1 Virginia’s potent offense. Shawn Jones and William Bell led the resurgence, and Scott Sisson’s field goal with 7 seconds left stunned UVA and sent Tech on to the National Championship.

Tradition and integrity continues at GA TECH as one of the most celebrated alumni, Bill Curry, now returns to Atlanta to help build Georgia State University into a Football Contender. Curry has been named the FIRST Head Coach for the Atlanta University in establishing and building a football program, beginning play in 2010.

More tradition, more football in the “Deep South”…………….

Today, our world is going through a big economy crisis. A lot of investors in real estate go into bankruptcy, and only few of the big companies still stand. It affects the confidence of investors seriously, many investors choose to deposit their money into the bank but not invest in real estate. But hero always born in a hard time. If you make a good decision and invest in a real estate at present, I believe you will earn a big sum of money back. Following steps will increase your confidence.

Step1
The fed mortgage rate has been gone down.The fed mortgage rate is forecasted at 7% for 2009, and it is lower now. Keep your wants and needs close to heart and use your mind to find the right home now. If it is a smart decision, go bigger to stay at home. If you can afford it, now is the time to get a larger mortgage because it will be at a lesser rate than it will again anytime soon. Seize the rates of today.

Step2
The risk conceal the opportunities. Think of the current economy as a home sale of which you get to take advantage. Soon enough the economy will recover and you will have an excellent home and better mortgage rate than all those too shocked to act.Our economy has everyone terrified, but now is a great time to go after the home of dreams. Use the downturn to make things look up for you. This is quick set of tips for buying a home during a recession.

Step3
Good location exsit everywhere.You can find some great location for investment, and you only need to take advantage of a good deal and buy the house near a good school. Remember to choose to buy the house in good neighborhoods, even if the less attractive neighborhoods offer better deals,because there are many good location on other places. All of these will be benefit for your investment.

Step4
Taxes are paid back. If you apply some policies of reducing taxes at this time, you will get much more chances to success.Like china, their government has begun to save the market of real estate, and they are going to reduce much tax for flipper and buyer.

NexGen Enviro Systems Inc. is an industrial supplier of solvent recyclers to all industries for almost two decades. These years of experience coupled with the over 8,000 units sold in the United States alone, make NexGen the leader in the solvent recycler market. The specialized systems offer multiple features for the needs of individual users. Organizations who require a small scale solvent recycler can be offered machines in the 2.6 through 11 gallon volumes. Typical customers in this range may be surfboard manufacturers, collision repair companies, furniture refinishers etc. The typical solvent recycler used by these smaller volume users will be a batch processor with Teflon coated tank for easy cleanup. This solvent recycler will provide the user with clean, recovered product in 4 to 5 hours and keep them in EPA compliance for handling hazardous waste.

NexGen’s mid range customers will require a solvent recycler with slightly more sophistication and throughput. For these customers NexGen offers a solvent recycler with volumes of 16 or 24 gallon throughput and features which include auto load impulse pumps, normal or explosion proof electronics and touch screen programming and vacuum for high boiling solvents. This typical customer may be in a wide variety of industries, who never the less are interested in reducing their EPA exposure and saving on disposal costs associated with service companies.

For the large scale customer who will require a more hands free environment with their solvent recycler, NexGen provides 37, 53, 105 and 160 gallon models all in varying levels of sophistication and automation. These units are capable of working in single, multiple or continuous modes. In addition the user organization who require a solvent recycler built in to a process environment can easily be accommodated with features that include auto fill, auto unload of the waste and constant monitoring of the environment by the micro processor. Even the maintenance needed is displayed for the operator on the programming screen of the solvent recycler. This type of solvent recycler is currently in use by mid range to large scale manufacturers in aerospace, electronics, pharmaceuticals, furniture and cabinet manufacturing, package printing and many other disciplines. Many of these organizations are experiencing paybacks of several months to 1 year which easily justifies the expenditure on an in-house solvent recycler over service company expenses.

Companies are increasingly searching for ways to reduce cost in today’s challenging environment and an easy to use solvent recycler offers quick payback with the addition of a “good neighbor” profile with an environmentally friendly profile. Several of NexGen’s larger customers have won the “Governor’s Trophy for Pollution Reduction” in their respective states by the use of their solvent recycler in conjunction with a carefully managed hazardous waste reduction program.

NexGen Enviro Systems Inc. is a supplier of solvent recyclers to all industries struggling with safe and efficient solvent waste stream handling. In a world of ever increasing cost for petroleum based solvents, corporate management is continuously looking for ways to reduce expensive solvent waste disposal. In addition the replacement expense for reusable solvent amounts to paying over and over for the same product.

The large solvent user can maximize savings by installing a NexGen Continuous Operation solvent recycler. These “hands free” solvent recyclers are easily integrated with industrial process systems allowing totally enclosed handling of waste stream to clean distillate. Available in varying capacity handling, the ECO Continuous solvent recycler can process in excess of 650 gallons per day of waste solvent with no operator intervention. The system monitors itself and informs the user of maintenance requirements.

ECO Continuous solvent recyclers are recovering waste solvent streams worldwide, providing clean solvent plus a major reduction in waste handling and disposal costs. The systems provide solvent recovery with a minimum of personnel commitment. The heavy duty design offers unlimited solvent recycling and cost reduction.

Companies considering the acquisition of a solvent recycler should compare their current cost of purchasing expensive solvents including the total cost of disposal with the one time capital investment in a solvent recycler. In most cases they will find that purchasing a solvent recycler will have a very respectable payback, often less than a year. This allows the organization to reduce the continuous expense of solvent replacement since virtually all waste solvent streams are recoverable. When the never ending cost of Service Company billing is analyzed against the one time acquisition of a solvent recycler, the benefit is readily apparent.