Artist amp refers to a postage stamp-like art form. It is similar to a Cinderella stamp, in that it is not valid for postage, but it differs from a forgery or a bogus stamp in that no intention is made to fool any post office or collector of stamps. The artist amp is intended to be a miniature art form which can depict or remember any subject its creator chooses.
Techniques for the creation of artist amps may or may not include perforating the boundaries of the piece to more resemble a stamp, as well as applying gum to the reverse side of the paper. Whole sheets of such stamps are often made at one time. The artwork can be hand-drawn or painted, lithographed or offset-printed, photographed, Xeroxed, rubber stamped, or even output by computer-driven printer.
Creators of art within this genre include Donald Evans, Anna Banana, Steve Smith and the surprisingly prolific New Zealander Bruce Henderson. Henderson's output spans more than three decades and encompasses an entire alternative universe of artist amp countries. These include the Sultanate of Occussi-Ambeno, the Kingdom of all the Sedan, the Sultanate of Upper Yafa, the People's Republic of Kemp land, the Free Vineland Republic, the Republic of Liegerland, the Republic of Port Maria, Tui Tui, Aldabra, Karenni, Raoul, the Land of Muggy, Terra Candella, Cryonica, Aramoana, Whangamomona, Laré, Nova Arcadia, the Antarctic Confederation and the Khanate of Bokhara. Henderson's artist amp world even has its own imaginary "United Nations," the "International Council of Independent States". His creations are sometimes identified as micro nations, however, being completely imaginary and without "participants", they do not fit the definition.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, is a associate of the Cardinal family of birds in North America. The bird's name comes from the red-robed Roman Catholic Cardinals. Its crested head is also said to resemble a bishop's mitre. Cardinals have been also referred to as redbirds and Virginia nightingales. Cardinals were once popular cage birds for their bright color and rich, varied songs.They eat frequently seeds, fruits, wastes, small animals, and insects. Cardinals approximately always come in pairs; if one is seen, its mate will usually be nearby.
Males are bright, deep red with black faces and red beaks. Females are lighter, with frequently grayish-brown tones. Both possess prominent raised crests and strong beaks. Cardinals are abundant across the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and in Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Their variety extends west to the U.S.-Mexico border and south through Mexico to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, northern Guatemala, and northern Belize. They have been introduced in Bermuda, Hawaii, and Southern California. Their usual habitats are woodlands, suburbs, gardens, swamps and thickets.
The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from a tree top to protect his territory, which he jealously guards. He will chase off other males. The pair sometimes sing together before nesting and the male may feed his mate. The female builds a cup nest in a well-concealed spot in dense shrub or a low tree. Both feed the young. Young fledged cardinals resemble adult females in coloring. The male will grow in bright red feathers as he matures and is eventually chased away by his sire.
Males are bright, deep red with black faces and red beaks. Females are lighter, with frequently grayish-brown tones. Both possess prominent raised crests and strong beaks. Cardinals are abundant across the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and in Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Their variety extends west to the U.S.-Mexico border and south through Mexico to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, northern Guatemala, and northern Belize. They have been introduced in Bermuda, Hawaii, and Southern California. Their usual habitats are woodlands, suburbs, gardens, swamps and thickets.
The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from a tree top to protect his territory, which he jealously guards. He will chase off other males. The pair sometimes sing together before nesting and the male may feed his mate. The female builds a cup nest in a well-concealed spot in dense shrub or a low tree. Both feed the young. Young fledged cardinals resemble adult females in coloring. The male will grow in bright red feathers as he matures and is eventually chased away by his sire.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Aircraft
An aircraft is any machine capable of atmospheric flight.
Categories and sorting
Aircraft fall into two broad categories:
Heavier than air
Heavier than air aerodynes, including autogiros, helicopters and variants, and conventional fixed-wing aircraft. Fixed-wing aircraft generally use an internal-combustion engine in the form of a piston engine or a turbine engine, to supply thrust that moves the craft forward through the air. The movement of air over the airfoil produces lift that causes the aircraft to fly. Exceptions are gliders which have no engines and gain their thrust, initially, from winches or tugs and then from gravity and thermal currents. For a glider to maintain its forward speed it must descend in relation to the air. Helicopters and autogiros use a rotating rotor to provide lift; helicopters also use the rotor to provide thrust. The short form of VTOL is applied to aircraft other than helicopters that can take off or land vertically. STOL is Short Take Off and Landing.
Lighter than air
A hot air balloon takes off from Royal Victoria Park, Bath, EnglandLighter than air aerostats: hot air balloons and airships. Aerostats use resilience to float in the air in much the same manner as ships float on the water. In particular, these aircraft use a comparatively low density gas such as helium, hydrogen or heated air, to displace the air around the craft. The distinction between a balloon and an airship is that an airship has some means of controlling both its forward motion and steering itself, while balloons are carried along with the air stream.
Categories and sorting
Aircraft fall into two broad categories:
Heavier than air
Heavier than air aerodynes, including autogiros, helicopters and variants, and conventional fixed-wing aircraft. Fixed-wing aircraft generally use an internal-combustion engine in the form of a piston engine or a turbine engine, to supply thrust that moves the craft forward through the air. The movement of air over the airfoil produces lift that causes the aircraft to fly. Exceptions are gliders which have no engines and gain their thrust, initially, from winches or tugs and then from gravity and thermal currents. For a glider to maintain its forward speed it must descend in relation to the air. Helicopters and autogiros use a rotating rotor to provide lift; helicopters also use the rotor to provide thrust. The short form of VTOL is applied to aircraft other than helicopters that can take off or land vertically. STOL is Short Take Off and Landing.
Lighter than air
A hot air balloon takes off from Royal Victoria Park, Bath, EnglandLighter than air aerostats: hot air balloons and airships. Aerostats use resilience to float in the air in much the same manner as ships float on the water. In particular, these aircraft use a comparatively low density gas such as helium, hydrogen or heated air, to displace the air around the craft. The distinction between a balloon and an airship is that an airship has some means of controlling both its forward motion and steering itself, while balloons are carried along with the air stream.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Transistor
The transistor is a solid state semiconductor device which can be used for amplification, switching, voltage stabilization, signal modulation and many other functions. It acts as a variable valve which, based on its input current (BJT) or input voltage (FET), allows a precise amount of current to flow through it from the circuit's voltage supply.
In essence, a transistor have three terminals. A current or voltage applied through/across two terminals controls a larger current through the other terminal and the common terminal. In analog circuits, transistors are used in amplifiers. Analog circuits comprise audio amplifiers, stabilised power supplies and radio frequency amplifiers. In digital circuits, transistors function basically as electrical switches. Digital circuits include logic gates, RAM (random access memory) and microprocessors.
Transistor was also the common name in the sixties for a transistor radio, a portable radio that used transistors (rather than vacuum tubes) as its active electronic components. This is still one of the dictionary definitions of transistor.
In essence, a transistor have three terminals. A current or voltage applied through/across two terminals controls a larger current through the other terminal and the common terminal. In analog circuits, transistors are used in amplifiers. Analog circuits comprise audio amplifiers, stabilised power supplies and radio frequency amplifiers. In digital circuits, transistors function basically as electrical switches. Digital circuits include logic gates, RAM (random access memory) and microprocessors.
Transistor was also the common name in the sixties for a transistor radio, a portable radio that used transistors (rather than vacuum tubes) as its active electronic components. This is still one of the dictionary definitions of transistor.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Space missions
Unmanned space missions are those using remote-controlled spacecraft.
The first such mission was the Sputnik I mission, launched October 4, 1957. Some missions are more appropriate for unmanned missions rather than manned space missions, due to lower cost and lower risk factors.
Since the early 1970s, most unmanned space missions have been based on space probes with built-in mission computers, and as such may be classified as embedded systems.
Most American unmanned missions have been synchronized by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and European missions by the European Space Operations Centre, part of ESA (the European Space Agency).
ESA has conducted comparatively few space exploration missions. ESA has, however, launched a variety of spacecraft to carry out astronomy, and is a collaborator with NASA on the Hubble Space Telescope.
There has been a large number of very successful Russian space missions. There were also a few Japanese and Chinese missions.
The first such mission was the Sputnik I mission, launched October 4, 1957. Some missions are more appropriate for unmanned missions rather than manned space missions, due to lower cost and lower risk factors.
Since the early 1970s, most unmanned space missions have been based on space probes with built-in mission computers, and as such may be classified as embedded systems.
Most American unmanned missions have been synchronized by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and European missions by the European Space Operations Centre, part of ESA (the European Space Agency).
ESA has conducted comparatively few space exploration missions. ESA has, however, launched a variety of spacecraft to carry out astronomy, and is a collaborator with NASA on the Hubble Space Telescope.
There has been a large number of very successful Russian space missions. There were also a few Japanese and Chinese missions.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Rail transport
A railroad or railway is a guided means of land transport, intended to be used by trains, for transporting both passengers and freight. It consists of two parallel rails, usually made of steel, and wooden or concrete sleepers or ties that hold the rails precisely at the proper distance from each other. See Rail tracks
Rail transport is one of the most energy well-organized means of mechanised land transport known. The rails give very smooth and hard surfaces on which the wheels of the train may roll with a minimum of friction. This is more comfortable and saves energy. Trains also have a small frontal area in relation to the load they are carrying, which cuts down on air resistance and thus energy usage. In all, under the right circumstances, a train needs 50-70% less energy to transport a given tonnage of freight, than by road. Furthermore, together with the sleepers the rails share out the weight of the train evenly, allowing significantly greater loads per axle/wheel than in road transport.
Rail transport is also one of the safest modes of transport, and also makes a very efficient use of space: a double tracked rail line can carry more passengers or freight in a given amount of time, than a four-laned road.
Rail transport is one of the most energy well-organized means of mechanised land transport known. The rails give very smooth and hard surfaces on which the wheels of the train may roll with a minimum of friction. This is more comfortable and saves energy. Trains also have a small frontal area in relation to the load they are carrying, which cuts down on air resistance and thus energy usage. In all, under the right circumstances, a train needs 50-70% less energy to transport a given tonnage of freight, than by road. Furthermore, together with the sleepers the rails share out the weight of the train evenly, allowing significantly greater loads per axle/wheel than in road transport.
Rail transport is also one of the safest modes of transport, and also makes a very efficient use of space: a double tracked rail line can carry more passengers or freight in a given amount of time, than a four-laned road.
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