Google Maps: Mosul City Dam in Iraq.
Submitted on October 30th, 2007 by admin
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The little tip is at the bottom of the post. For the most part this is just something cool to see.
The Iraqi dam pictured below is at risk of collapse. It was built on water-soluble gypsum and started leaking almost immediately after it was built. If it fails, it is predicted that as many as 500,000 people could be killed.
I don’t care about the politics. I just think it is amazingly cool that I can see a picture of this using google map. Heck, I can even embed it here for you guys. Once again, my hat is off to the google boys…
As world attention focuses on the daily slaughter in Iraq, a devastating disaster is impending in the north of the country, where the wall of a dam holding back the Tigris river north of Mosul city is in danger of imminent collapse. “It could go at any minute,” says a senior aid worker who has knowledge of the struggle by US and Iraqi engineers to save the dam. “The potential for disaster is very great.” If the dam does fail, a wall of water will sweep into Mosul, Iraq’s third largest city with a population of 1.7 million, 20 miles to the south. Experts say the flood waters could destroy 70 per cent of Mosul and inflict heavy damage 190 miles downstream along the Tigris.
URL Parts…
http://maps.google.com/maps?
q=http:%2F%2Fbbs.keyhole.com%2Fubb%2Fdownload.php
%3FNumber%3D969827&t=k&om=1&ie=UTF8&z=13
Okay, one quick tip. The links provided above from the official google bbs.keyhole site are zoomed in way too far. The google embedded maps always use the original url. To get the correct zoom area as shown above, I had to change the zoom level directly on the url.
By setting the &z= number within the url, you can set the zoom. I changed it from 19 (which is too close to see anything) to 13.
OS X 10.5 Leopard Stacks
Submitted on October 24th, 2007 by admin
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Tech-Recipes has been slowly leaking out Leopard Tutorials over the last couple of weeks. Tons of screenshots and step-by-step directions as usual.
One of the most visually pleasing features is the ability to use folders in the dock as stacks. Instead of a simple pop up list, the new dock folders can display as a grid or as a fan.
(all images used are from here at tipmonkies or tech-recipes…)
Tiger Example
Leopard Stacks - Fan
Leopard Stacks - Grid
Transfer AIM to Your Cell Phone
Submitted on October 20th, 2007 by admin
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Everybody text messages now. Text messaging is the natural, mobile extension of instant messaging. A link or hybrid between text and instant messaging would seem ideal. We are getting closer…
AIM now allows users to forward IMs to cellular phones.
When forwarding is enabled, your IMs will be transferred to your phone during the following circumstances:
- When the AIM server sees you offline
- When you manually select “Forward to Mobile” in your Away menu
- When the AIM server detects that you are idle
After you are on the service, you can also control forwarding through text messaging the AIM server via your cell phone.
By sending your AIM screen name and password to 265023, you will be sent directions on enabling and disabling the forwaring service.
Facebook Friends Photo Collage Easter Egg
Submitted on October 18th, 2007 by admin
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Labnol discovered an interesting Facebook easter egg.
Step 1: Login into your Facebook account and click the Friends tab
Step 2: Select the drop-down box and click the list separator (–) in
that drop down…
By following these directions, you get a great photo montage from your facebook friends.
Check out all the labnol facebook photo collage directions and screenshots.
Tags: facebook, easter egg, photo, montage
How To Track New Feed Subscribers in Google Analytics
Submitted on September 30th, 2007 by admin
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The Gospel According to Rhys describes an easy method of tracking your new RSS subscribers in analytics.
Basically, this requires setting up a dummy page containing the analytics code that uses a meta refresh to redirect to your actual feed page.
Analytics will be able to track this dummy page. Therefore, you can use the goals feature in analytics to see how many people are subscribing to your feed on a daily basis.
List of Free Social Bookmark Icons
Submitted on September 23rd, 2007 by admin
Filed under Blogging
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Social bookmarking is the rage. Web 2.0 is everywhere. It’s great to have some pretty, well-designed icons to represent these services on your site. Here is a best free icons that I have seen used. Feel free to add more…
How Do You Pronouce Linux?
Submitted on July 26th, 2007 by admin
Filed under Linux
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Why do I wonder about this stuff?
Most people agree that several accepted pronunciations exist…
- Lin-nicks
- Line-icks
- Lean-oocks
The author of linux Linus Torvalds prounounces it this way.
I have always said “lin-nicks” as I related it to “you-nicks” (unix).
How do you say it?
ILoveIM - Web Based IM Option
Submitted on July 25th, 2007 by admin
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For my web-based IM needs, Meebo is still my favorite; however, tonight I decided to take a look at ILoveIM. Meebo is frequently blocked by network firewalls, but ILoveIM is small enough that it is often spared.
ILoveIM is truly web-based and does not require java or flash. It allows access to MSN, Yahoo, AOL, and gTalk. It is very stable on a broad selection of web browsers.
When communicating with a contact, a seperate, resizable window opens to mimic a traditional IM program. At the bottom of this window is a banner advertisement.
This service does not use a secure http connection so your username/password could be snagged by man-in-the-middle techniques.
If more secure services are blocked, then ILoveIM is a fine option. Consider using a temporary account or frequent password changes if you are worried that somebody might want to hijack your account.
Do you recommend any other web-based IM clients?
Quick Twitter to Cellular Tutorial
Submitted on July 15th, 2007 by admin
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Twitter is a web service that allows you to post super short messages. People typically use it to update their social circle about what they are actively doing. By integrating this with your mobile phone, you can always know what your friends are doing and they can always keep up with you.
After setting up an account, go to http://twitter.com/devices and setup your cell phone. Once you setup your number, you need to validate by sending the provided code to twitter’s number 40404. Sending an SMS to 40404 will be the way you communicate with twitter with your cell phone for now on.
View your friends’ accounts on twitter and add them as friends. To them, you will be listed as a follower. You will receive any of their updates via SMS to your cell phone. If they wish to receive your updates, they will need to add you as a friend as well.
Two common commands are use in chatting on twitter through SMS.
The “at” symbol or @ publicly directs a message to somebody else on twitter. Its format is the following: @ name message
For example, I responded to one of qmchenry’s updates with a laugh: @qmchenry LOL. Such a post would be shown publicly on my twitter page.
The “d” command sends a private message to one of your friends. Its format is familiar: d name message.
For example, if I wanted to send a private message to my buddy, I would do the following: d qmchenry This is a private message.
If you are getting overwhelmed with twitter messages, you can turn them off by texting “off” to 40404. You can turn them back on by texting “on” as well. You can also turn off twitter updates automatically through the notifications area of twitter.
Several twitter bots are starting to be released. Once you add them as friends, you can direct message these bots to receive information. For example…
Stocks -
d stocks stocksymbol
For example d stocks aapl would respond with information on apple’s stocks
Forecast -
d forecast city, state or d forecast zipcode
For example, d forecast 27713 provides weather forecast for Durham, NC
I can be found on twitter here: http://twitter.com/davak/
Tech-Recipes (hearts) TipMonkies (hearts) You.
Submitted on July 13th, 2007 by admin
Filed under Announcements
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I think I am safe in saying that TipMonkies is a great website that recently has been fading away. Looking at the stats, it appears that many of you, like me, have continued to visit on a daily basis and stay subscribed to the RSS feeds.
As one of the editors/founders of tech-recipes, I approached Martin and asked if we could take over the site to try to shock it back to life. Recently starting a new job and moving to NYC, Martin no longer has the energy to drive the site forward. Hopefully we can help. Martin wants to continue to contribute to this project, and we hope that he does so.
I have always enjoyed TipMonkies, and it pains me to see it failing to thrive.
Other than to develop content, what can I do to bring TipMonkies back to its original form and glory? I’ll get out free shirts to the best suggestions (be sure to leave a real email address in the email field).
At least on tech-recipes, we have continue to grow through user-submitted content. If you want to contribute to this project, please mention it in the comments. I would like to use all the ad money obtained from this project to reward users who submit content. I think that is only fair–especially during this time of rebuilding.
I look forward to your responses and appreciate your continued support of this project.
Davak
