cool site for linux

There is a guy called Manu Cornet. He has a wonderful website http://www.whylinuxisbetter.net/

It lists why Linux is better with description. Also it has got reasons why you might still want to stick to Windows. It also lists the way to get Linux.

The layout and idea of the website is very cool.

Biodynamic Astronomy Lecture and Star Party on September 6th

Over the past many years I've made several visits to a biodynamic farm called Live Power Farm. The children at San Francisco Waldorf School have a tradition of going there to learn about farming and as a parent on several of these trips I have had a chance to get to know the farmers at Live Power Farm and the approach they embrace, biodynamic farming. It relates to astronomy because it is a very natural and harmonious approach to working with soil, seed, sun and the cycles of nature. As a member of the Live Power CSA, I share in the bounty of the farm and enjoy the amazing food they produce every week.

On my visits to Live Power Farm I learned that the farmers are very cognizant of the lunar cycles and planetary positions with respect to the Sun and Earth. They use a well known guidebook by Maria Thun and biodynamic calendars to guide their work on the farm and I was fascinated to see how farmers worldwide have come to understand cycles in the heavens and use these cycles in their farming. I spent many nights at Live Power Farm talking with the farmers and apprentices about the celestial mechanics of the sky to deepen their appreciation of how these cycles actually come to be.

Saturday September 6th I will be hosting a lecture with Stephen Decater of Live Power Farm. I will share my insights on how to understand the motions of the Moon and planets and how we see their motions from our vantage point here on Earth. Stephen will share his interpretations of these motions and how he works with the cycles in the heavens to guide his work on the farm. Please join us at 7:00 pm for the lecture and 8:30 for star gazing and telescope viewing of the skies. This event takes place at the Marin Waldorf School and is being sponsored by Live Power Farm, San Francisco Waldorf and Marin Waldorf Schools. I hope to see you there.

Share Folders in linux for Windows

We can share folders in linux for windows user to access. We can create a share for windows users.

To do so first of all install samba.

In Ubuntu install it by opening a terminal
sudo apt-get install samba

Start it by
sudo /etc/init.d/samba start

You don't need to do this after restart as it gets started automatically on boot.

Now create a password for your user
sudo smbpasswd -a

Share any folder and on windows computer when accessing the share use the above username and newly created password.

The Best Movies of the 2000s

The headline says it all. The top choices are placed in order of preference, with their directors in parentheses. The runners-up are listed alphabetically. The list will be updated as I see more movies from the era. Get your Netflix queue ready and enjoy!!

2000:
You Can Count On Me (Kenneth Lonergan)
The House of Mirth (Terrence Davies)
Dancer in the Dark (Lars Von Trier)
George Washington (

The Best Movies of the 2000s

The headline says it all. The top choices are placed in order of preference, with their directors in parentheses. The runners-up are listed alphabetically. The list will be updated as I see more movies from the era. Get your Netflix queue ready and enjoy!!

2000:
You Can Count On Me (Kenneth Lonergan)
The House of Mirth (Terrence Davies)
Dancer in the Dark (Lars Von Trier)
George Washington (

Richard Sandler's Brave New York and Sway

New Yorkers, especially the seasoned ones, will be in for a bittersweet taste of the city's old way of doing things when Richard Sandler's artful documentaries Brave New York (2004, 56 minutes) and Sway (2006, 33 minutes) screen at the Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden on Friday, August 22nd, starting at 8:30 pm. Given Sandler's singular talent behind the camera, this is truly an event

Richard Sandler's Brave New York and Sway

New Yorkers, especially the seasoned ones, will be in for a bittersweet taste of the city's old way of doing things when Richard Sandler's artful documentaries Brave New York (2004, 56 minutes) and Sway (2006, 33 minutes) screen at the Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden on Friday, August 22nd, starting at 8:30 pm. Given Sandler's singular talent behind the camera, this is truly an event

Farewell, Black Moses: Isaac Hayes (1942-2008)

A few months ago, in my town of New York City, I wandered into the Caffe Reggio. I love that place. It's a beautiful little coffee grotto on well-traveled MacDougal Street, near Washington Square Park. It's always supremely relaxing for me to sit there in its low light and contemplate the taste of a black espresso while basking in the outside street scenes, the rich-toned woods, the antique

Farewell, Black Moses: Isaac Hayes (1942-2008)

A few months ago, in my town of New York City, I wandered into the Caffe Reggio. I love that place. It's a beautiful little coffee grotto on well-traveled MacDougal Street, near Washington Square Park. It's always supremely relaxing for me to sit there in its low light and contemplate the taste of a black espresso while basking in the outside street scenes, the rich-toned woods, the antique

Paul Newman

There is no celebrity calamity in my recent time--and I am including Stanley Kubrick--that has affected me more deeply than learning of Paul Newman's recently announced, soon-to-be fatal bout with lung cancer. It's difficult to imagine a world without Hollywood's greatest humanitarian and actor, but I suppose it's a feat we're all going to have to achieve. Today, it was announced that soon we

Paul Newman

There is no celebrity calamity in my recent time--and I am including Stanley Kubrick--that has affected me more deeply than learning of Paul Newman's recently announced, soon-to-be fatal bout with lung cancer. It's difficult to imagine a world without Hollywood's greatest humanitarian and actor, but I suppose it's a feat we're all going to have to achieve. Today, it was announced that soon we

My screenplay.

I'm lucky enough to have an incredibly kind friend who sent me a link to a great, simple, perfect screenwriting program (a description that doesn't do it justice) that's enabling me to get my thoughts down on paper as I have never been able to do before. I hate FINAL DRAFT, as it is clunky and unmanagable. But CELTX is the best. So, over the next few weeks, I'll be working on my long-gestating

My screenplay.

I'm lucky enough to have an incredibly kind friend who sent me a link to a great, simple, perfect screenwriting program (a description that doesn't do it justice) that's enabling me to get my thoughts down on paper as I have never been able to do before. I hate FINAL DRAFT, as it is clunky and unmanagable. But CELTX is the best. So, over the next few weeks, I'll be working on my long-gestating

Webcam viewer in Ubuntu -Review

Yesterday I got a webcam whose driver doesn't come with Windows. Fearing to search for the driver I plugged it in my USB and lsusb showed the camera.

Quickly I installed three Web camera viewing softwares, camorama, cheese and xawtv.

sudo apt-get install camorama cheese xawtv

Camorama


Camorama had a small preview windows. I tried to preview in small and large mode but it failed. The adjustments were easy to handle.


It came with quite good effects. The color correction effects produced better picture out of my dual camera. You can compare yourself the above two pictures.

One of the feature of camaroma is auto capturing image.
Other feature includes timestamp while capturing photo. You can even put custom message in place of timestamp.
When its opened, a tray icon also comes but it has no function.


XawTv

Should I say I like this application or not? It worked properly but I think its UI is very poor.



Instead of saying poor UI you can say its a simple program with simple UI.
You can put your configuration in a file or configure via simple window.


It supports full screen mode and produces good picture too.


Cheese

I dont know for what reason but cheese takes rougly 3 seconds to produce preview. It also supports both photo capturing and video capturing.


It comes with few effects which you might find useful. Like starting, applying effects also took time.


The captured photo and video are displayed in the main program as a thumbnail. This is very nice and handy feature.

KFOG Broadcast: August 5th, 2008

Linux Is Beautiful

A cool video between Windows, Mac and Linux or say Microsoft, OS X and Novel.

The Windows and Mac guys try to figure out who is number one thinking there are no other OS. But here you'll see Linux, a beautiful lady clearing there misconception.

Dance of the Planets

The evening sky in August and September will feature a terrific display of planets, stars and the moon in an elegant dance just above the horizon shortly after sunset. This interplay of planets is a chance to become familiar with the motions of the planets, particular the closest three (Mars, Venus and Mercury) in stark contrast with the motion of the stars and Saturn.

Sky and Telescope has an impressive animation showing the motion of the objects in the evening sky from the start of August until the end of September. The stars move a small distance closer to the horizon every evening of the year, but the planets move from the west toward the east in their orbit around the sun.

Perseids Meteor Shower

While observing in the mountains two weeks ago I saw several meteors streak across the sky. Meteors are always a joy to watch because they appear completely without warning yet are so brilliant to see. Seeing one is the reward for keeping focused on the sky and keeping your eyes open and attentive. Every night of the year there are many meteors to be seen but throughout the year there are particularly intense periods of meteor activity called Meteor Showers. The biggest show of the year is the Perseids Meteor Shower which peaks this year during the morning of August 12th. StarDate Online has a helpful list of meteor showers throughout the year and provides some insight how they happen.

There are two simple guidelines for observing the Perseids. First of all you want to be in a dark location with a clear view of the eastern sky. From San Francisco there is a great deal of light pollution which will obscure many of the meteors. The brightest meteors will still be visible but the rate will be considerably lower than the 1-meteor-per-minute rate you would see in very dark skies. So if you want a good view, drive east away from urban centers. Second of all, you want to view them in the early morning hours when the earth is speeding into the spacedust that makes up the meteor shower and when the moon has set. The best viewing should be from 2 AM until 4:30 AM. NASA has a helpful page showing where to look in the sky. During the early morning hours the rate will increase up to a maximum of 1 per minute.

!!!My 100th filmicability Post: Side Orders #5

Thought I'd celebrate by keeping my post brief. Here are some of my favorite scenes:The truly creepy, nightmare-causing dungeon elevator ride taken by Hans Conried, Peter Lind Hayes and Tommy Rettig (where can I get a beanie like that?) in Roy Rowland's adaptation of Dr. Seuss's The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T. This is kind of a scary movie for kids, I think, but it's cool because of that. Imagine

!!!My 100th filmicability Post: Side Orders #5

Thought I'd celebrate by keeping my post brief. Here are some of my favorite scenes:The truly creepy, nightmare-causing dungeon elevator ride taken by Hans Conried, Peter Lind Hayes and Tommy Rettig (where can I get a beanie like that?) in Roy Rowland's adaptation of Dr. Seuss's The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T. This is kind of a scary movie for kids, I think, but it's cool because of that. Imagine

Film #73: Used Cars

Years before his Forrest Gump became the cultural touchstone that it is, director Robert Zemeckis was assaulting movie audiences with a recognizable, hard-edged yet invariably slapstick form of comedy. His first film, I Wanna Hold Your Hand (soon to be reviewed here on filmicability) frantically followed a bunch of New Jersey Beatles lovers and haters as they travel to New York to see the Fab

Film #73: Used Cars

Years before his Forrest Gump became the cultural touchstone that it is, director Robert Zemeckis was assaulting movie audiences with a recognizable, hard-edged yet invariably slapstick form of comedy. His first film, I Wanna Hold Your Hand (soon to be reviewed here on filmicability) frantically followed a bunch of New Jersey Beatles lovers and haters as they travel to New York to see the Fab

Film #72: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, director/producer Stanley Kramer was well-known for his more socially-conscious brand of moviemaking, signified by heady "important" films like Judgment at Nuremburg, The Defiant Ones, Inherit the Wind, On The Beach and The Caine Mutiny. However, in 1962, he was itching to do another movie with his favorite leading actor Spencer Tracy. But Tracy was fighting a long

Film #72: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, director/producer Stanley Kramer was well-known for his more socially-conscious brand of moviemaking, signified by heady "important" films like Judgment at Nuremburg, The Defiant Ones, Inherit the Wind, On The Beach and The Caine Mutiny. However, in 1962, he was itching to do another movie with his favorite leading actor Spencer Tracy. But Tracy was fighting a long

Film #71: The Last Waltz

After a lifetime on tour and in the studios, The Band--Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson--decided to call it quits on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. But before they blew the scene, they staged one massive goodbye party at San Francisco's Winterland Theater...and Martin Scorsese--devoted fan and confidant of Robbie Robertson--was invited to film it all, lucky for

Film #71: The Last Waltz

After a lifetime on tour and in the studios, The Band--Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson--decided to call it quits on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. But before they blew the scene, they staged one massive goodbye party at San Francisco's Winterland Theater...and Martin Scorsese--devoted fan and confidant of Robbie Robertson--was invited to film it all, lucky for

Film #70: Voices

This is a short review of a film I haven't seen in a long time, and would like to see on DVD as soon as possible. It's 1979's Voices, the only big-screen effort from television producer/director Robert Markowitz and TV writer John Herzfeld. Now that I think about it, given this pedigree, I suppose the film is a little tv-movie in quality--the visuals don't pop out at me much as strong memories.

Film #70: Voices

This is a short review of a film I haven't seen in a long time, and would like to see on DVD as soon as possible. It's 1979's Voices, the only big-screen effort from television producer/director Robert Markowitz and TV writer John Herzfeld. Now that I think about it, given this pedigree, I suppose the film is a little tv-movie in quality--the visuals don't pop out at me much as strong memories.

Film #69: Streets of Fire

1984's schizophrenic sci-fi-tinged action musical from writer/director Walter Hill marked the beginning of the filmmaker's downward slide. Hill was once the heir to the Peckinpah throne, the action master of 80s classics like Southern Comfort, 48 HRS, and The Long Riders--and let's not forget his 70s classics like Alien (as producer and co-writer), The Warriors, Hickey and Boggs (as writer), and

Film #69: Streets of Fire

1984's schizophrenic sci-fi-tinged action musical from writer/director Walter Hill marked the beginning of the filmmaker's downward slide. Hill was once the heir to the Peckinpah throne, the action master of 80s classics like Southern Comfort, 48 HRS, and The Long Riders--and let's not forget his 70s classics like Alien (as producer and co-writer), The Warriors, Hickey and Boggs (as writer), and

Film #68: Saturday Night Fever

John Travolta created a huge stir in late 1977 with his Oscar-nominated role as Tony Manero, king of the Brooklyn dance floor, in Saturday Night Fever, the now-legendary hit directed by John Badham (WarGames). Manero (get it--MAN-ero?) is a hardware store worker who reconsiders his station in life when he meets Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), a poorly name-dropping Manhattanite also striving for

Film #68: Saturday Night Fever

John Travolta created a huge stir in late 1977 with his Oscar-nominated role as Tony Manero, king of the Brooklyn dance floor, in Saturday Night Fever, the now-legendary hit directed by John Badham (WarGames). Manero (get it--MAN-ero?) is a hardware store worker who reconsiders his station in life when he meets Stephanie (Karen Lynn Gorney), a poorly name-dropping Manhattanite also striving for

Open source alternative

Check osalt.com

It helps you to find alternative software for the commercial counterpart.

When you move to Open source software this might be very helpful friend for you.

Give it a try and see if you are using the best of the open source software.

Film #67: Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun, as shameless and vulgar as it certainly is, remains one of producer David O. Selznick’s most watchable post-Gone With The Wind motion pictures, even when one considers his infinitely more valuable productions like Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock, 40), Gaslight (George Cukor, 44) and Since You Went Away (John Cromwell, 44). The film also represents Selznick’s most blatant and

Film #67: Duel in the Sun

Duel in the Sun, as shameless and vulgar as it certainly is, remains one of producer David O. Selznick’s most watchable post-Gone With The Wind motion pictures, even when one considers his infinitely more valuable productions like Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock, 40), Gaslight (George Cukor, 44) and Since You Went Away (John Cromwell, 44). The film also represents Selznick’s most blatant and

Great eclipse images

The total solar eclipse of August 1st was well documented. Sky and Telescope has a nice gallery of pictures. I find that photos can't really do justice to the real thing, but a collection of photos like those on Sky and Telescope are interesting if taken in total -- that is, look at many of them and imagine seeing all of these images at the same time with your eye. That is what it is like at an eclipse. Your eye can see a lot more shades of brightness than a camera and besides the visual spectacle of an eclipse, being there is an unforgettable experience.

A colleague showed me this amazing view of the total solar eclipse from an airplane. The most intriguing thing to me is the way the shadow of the moon looks from the vantage point of an airplane and how it moves from north to south during the very short period of totality. It must be a very eerie sight to see in person.

Astrophotographer Dennis diCicco takes excellent photographs and this depicts him at work in China.This image gives you a sense of what it looks like to be there with a dusk-like but not dark sky. You can see Mercury and Venus to the upper left of the sun-moon pair.

The Exploratorium had its usual great coverage of the eclipse live from China. The video is now available for replay on their website. It is a great resource if you want to get an idea of what it is like to be at an eclipse.

Regular expressions in short

Caret (^)	Matches the expression at the start of a line, as in ^A
Question mark (?)	Matches the expression at the end of a line, as in A?
Backslash (\)	Turns off the special meaning of the next character, as in \^
Brackets ([])	Matches any one of the enclosed characters, as in [aeiou] (Use a hyphen [-] for a range, as in [0-9].)
[^ ]	Matches any one character except those enclosed in brackets, as in [^0-9]
Period (.)	Matches a single character of any value except end of line
Asterisk (*)	Matches zero or more of the preceding characters or expressions
\{x,y\}	Matches x to y occurrences of the preceding
\{x\}	Matches exactly x occurrences of the preceding
\{x,\}	Matches x or more occurrences of the preceding

Source: ibm.com