The Lucky Cabin

What is VoIP?

First things first, VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. At a base level that means phone calls over your broadband connection. You really do need a high-speed connection to take advantage of VoIP to get phone calls comparable to a normal landline phone. Traditional “dial-up” connections are not really sufficient.

VoIP works in a different way to your home phone. Your home phone is based on an analogue network, whereas VoIP is based on a digital one. Essentially when you speak into a VoIP enabled phone or headset your voice is converted into digital packets; it is then compressed to help your Internet connection run more efficiently and then it is transferred down the connection much like an email. Once it reaches its destination the process is reversed.

Why might I want to switch to VoIP?

It’s a good question. We all have a working phone in our homes or business, why should we change? Lets look at the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP

Advantages

Well to put it simply - cost. VoIP makes calls significantly cheaper. And (Depending on your package) for a low cost monthly subscription local and national calls can be made for free, and international calls made at a significantly lower rate.

When you subscribe to a VoIP service it is possible to get a phone number for life. You will be able to take your number with you whenever you move (or even travel) with obvious benefits. The contract packages that companies who are offering the service contain for the most part all the features and more that your current phone service supplier offers. You are likely to find most VoIP companies offering free voicemail, call forwarding, caller ID, call waiting, call waiting ID, 3 way calling, speed dialling and much more.

VoIP is very much in it’s infancy; the technology is progressing all the time. Future benefits that we may not be able to envisage yet are certain to appear, you current analogue phone system will not be able to compete.

Disadvantages

Your VoIP phones system will be exclusively based on your broadband connection, if you ISP has a period of service downtime then you will not be able to make calls. Additionally if your electricity supply has a power out then you will not be able to make any calls, this includes calls to the emergency services. Some providers have already got a work around with the emergency calls, so make sure when you decide on a supplier they provide this.

A further disadvantage currently is the set up of the VoIP is not the simplest procedure to undertake, though many suppliers will assist with installation.

The quality of the call via VoIP can be slightly less than your current analogue phone, but the technology is steadily improving, and before long you will not be able to tell the difference in call quality between the two mediums.

© Mike Bromley 2005

INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS - CAN THEY BE TRUSTED?

While posting on a vacation message board for St. John, Virgin Islands yesterday, I was referred to as a “troll” and compared to looters in Louisiana. Being called names in The Virgin Islands, especially from someone from St. John is par for the course. Even when the topic and postings disappeared, from the VI Now Message Board, I was not surprised.

The VI Now Message board seems not to be intended for just anyone’s comments. Like most communications in The Virgin Islands, they are censored. In anticipation of the message board being erased, I copied both pages, viewable now from my web site.

Past and future USVI Vacationers come to the VI Now Message Board for the truth about what is happening in The Virgin Islands, not propaganda from condo owners looking for guest. There is a communications monopoly in The Virgin Islands. When the people with access to outgoing news control the outgoing news, it’s censorship.

I was not surprised to find the pages had been erased, the topic was “Racial Tension On St. John. I shared the missing pages with a woman who was also reading the postings on the VI Now Message Board, she sent E-Mail, and she wasn’t the only person I sent the missing pages to.

The Wall Street Journal calls corruption in The Virgin Islands the major problem. Now the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department are investigating hate crimes on “The Love Island” St. John.

This was not the first message board with advertisers disguised as common folk. My name and one of my books is mentioned on a Skincare Rx Message Board, but I was not allowed to post. It seems you have to be an advertiser to post on a message board for people trying to get rid of melasma and acne.

I say that I’m not surprised, but I am afraid. I’m afraid we are losing our access to the true news because advertisers and corporations own our communications outlets, even the one’s on the Internet.

When my father visited me here in St. Thomas he asked me, “Where are the Polynesians I saw in the travel magazines about The Virgin Islands? I said dad, The Virgin Islands is 85% African Descendants, there are no Polynesians.

The people that control the Message Boards in The Virgin Islands don’t want prospective vacationers to St. John to know that the FBI and the Justice Department are investigating hate crimes. And the cosmetic companies don’t want you to know that you can get rid of melasma for less than $10.00 a month, instead of several hundred dollars a year.

Message Boards, can they be trusted?

As a large proportion of people worldwide are increasingly favouring the Internet as a means of communicating with others, it should come as no great surprise to see it being adapted to encompass that other technological marvel of our age, the telephone.

Once again, the Internet has taken another step forward in its evolution, this time with the arrival of voIP (voice over Internet Protocol). By using the Internet as a signal carrier, this system allows users to make and receive free or cheap telephone calls anywhere in the world. Whilst voIP is still in its fairly early stages, it is however showing all the signs of being a huge success.

Apart from a computer, there is only a minimal amount of equipment required to access this service. Firstly, users would have to route calls through a voIP provider, what is needed then is a fast connection such as broadband together with a telephone and voIP adapter and you’re up and running. Calls are then made and received in the normal way.

This latest technology whilst advancing the capability of the Internet even more could simultaneously be signalling the onset of a decline in conventional telecoms companies, who may find that they will have to adapt rapidly to keep up and compete in what could turn out to be another communications revolution. There are at present quite a number of voIP providers already in existence who have obviously seen the potential in this system and taken early action to be a part of it from the outset.

Is it a possibility then that the telephone could become the number-one method of communication again and eventually gain superiority over email? One of the main attractions of email is the fact that apart from the standard ISP charges it is otherwise free to use. It is therefore hardly a shock that since its inception email has relegated the art of letter writing to third place with the telephone only just above it as a preferred communication medium.

So, is all that due to change with the arrival of voIP? Will free or cheap telephone calls compliment or outstrip email usage in the next year or two? That remains to be seen. To the far-sighted among us, voIP is a natural progression that was bound to happen sooner or later. To the rest of us it is an exciting new concept that will not cost a fortune to operate, a benefit many will welcome with open arms.

There is however, a certain amusing irony in the fact that as the very system that contributed to the decline in telephone usage, the Internet could now turn out to be the biggest aid to its revival. The constant growth and ever-increasing abilities of the Internet has most of us asking the question, how much further can it go? As far as our imaginations will take us, would for the time being be as good an answer as any.

This article is the property of the author and may only be reproduced in its original form.

Communication began with simple, one-on-one, in person-based interactions, primitive yet effective. Today there is an explosion of technology that allows groups of individuals to communicate worldwide without leaving their offices. This is the technology of teleconferencing, which literally means, “conference at a distance”. Initially teleconferencing was conducted via a telephone network, and was limited to voice only. Computers have given a new meaning to the term, they allow more than just talk. Once a teleconference is established, these groups can share video, applications, presentations, and a host of other multimedia experiences.

Teleconferencing permits participants to meet in a virtual conference room, and communicate as if they were sitting right next to each other. Until the mid 90s, the hardware costs made teleconferencing exceedingly expensive for most businesses, and individuals, nevertheless this situation is changing rapidly. Most experts believe that teleconferencing will be one of the fastest growing segments of the computer industry.

In its basic form, teleconferencing uses communication means that range from simple telephone lines to sophisticated satellite links. The only requirement is that the conditions be interactive, allowing participants at each location the opportunity to actively participate in the meeting. As equipment and high-bandwidth cabling become more commonplace, it’s possible that sophisticated, multimedia teleconferences can be held from your own computer or even in a mobile setting. Recent developments include improved equipment, more transmission options, the introduction of digital devices, and the integration of teleconferencing technologies with the desktop through personal computers. Additionally, there is a trend toward using teleconferencing for more international applications. As more international services have become available, this segment has seen significant growth for teleconferencing.

The advantages of teleconferencing are obvious, and numerous. However, there are some disadvantages that should be bought to light. Technical failures may occur when trying to establish a conference or during a conference, which would terminate the meeting prematurely. Socializing is less than a face-to-face meeting, and it would be difficult to build close relationship between group members.

An individual’s capability to progress culturally is unified in their ability to expand potential through innovative technology. Teleconferencing appears to address this progress, by enhancing productivity, communications, information management, continuing education, and travel and lower energy costs.

I have a personal favorite photograph and it hangs on my office wall. It’s this black and white photo of the young girl and her little red wagon (Radio Flyer). The photo was taken nearly twenty years ago.

I lived in an ethnic neighborhood in Chicago at the time, and would often go out into the street and try to document my surroundings. My focus at the time was to document the heavily populated Latin American residents and their incorporation into the U. S. culture. The majority of these Latinos didn’t speak English and had only lived in the States for several months. I saw them as outsiders until I photographed the girl and her little red wagon.

I knew the moment I turned the corner and saw this girl I had to take the phototograph. As Cartier-Bresson would say, it was the “decisive moment”. There was more than just an image here, there was story. And that has always been a goal to strive for when I take a photo. In this image the story was the wagon, the girl, and when juxtaposed together, the creation of a metaphysical bridge between two cultures. I had a red wagon when I was a child and I’m sure a great many of you had one too. I was able to identify with her. This photo in so many ways tells me how much alike we all are.

I should note here, and this is stating the obvious, that this is a black and white print. This image lent itself to black and white film. I don’t think color would have given it quite the impact that the starkness of black and white accomplishes. I mention this not to discourage anyone from using color, however, to point out the effect one medium might have versus the other. One of my current interests is photographing horse races. I love the pagentry and the presence of color. Black and white might have a role at the races but color is almost always my first choice.

To this day I try to continue to capture images like I did of the girl and Radio Flyer wagon. I look for images that are narrative in nature. They capture a story and drama. Today I often find myself at events for clients where I’m asked to do just this. One of my little tricks is to put myself in a specific frame of mind. I literally tell myself to “capture the drama”. It becomes my mantra for the event. I try to follow the ebb and flow of the proceedings. There are highs and lows at these events, which means that not every moment is meant to be photographed. This is how I watch and wait for drama to unfold.

If you’re planning on photographing an event either as a serious professional or a weekend enthusiast I might suggest several tips that will lend to more fullfilling picture taking. Approach the event, party or ballgame as if you are making a film, which you actually are, just not at the usual 24 to 30 frames per second. Consider the linear aspect of time and what will take place, a beginning, a middle and an end. Then throughout the event say to yourself…”capture the drama” as you look through the lens.

Images of the photo can be seen at http://www.sitecritic.net/projectDetail.php?id=21

View Sitecritic.net Photography project ideas for more inspiration

Big Dinosaur emerges from the depths of the ocean, attacks city, destroys city, gets killed, world saved. Pretty much your standard fare for dinosaur movies from back in the 1950s. But there was one that was different, one that had a story that tugged at your heart and didn’t let go. It’s rare that a dinosaur movie will ever get more than two stars out of four when you read those review books.

Gorgo was one of the very few exceptions.

To be fair, Gorgo wasn’t one of your 1950s dinosaur flicks. It was made in 1961 in the United Kingdom. The original story was written by Robert L. Richards. This was a man with real talent and not just another schlock “sci-fi” con man. He got some help from a gentleman by the name of Daniel James. Between the two of them they put together one of the most compelling dinosaur movies ever made. The direction of Eugene Lourie completed this masterpiece of a movie.

Unlike most dinosaur flicks, the plot of this one was actually very involved. The story was brilliant. It begins with an undersea earthquake that nearly sinks a salvage vessel off of the coast of Ireland. A few nights later a sea monster enters the coastal town. This is where a couple of men, who happen to run a circus, decide that this creature would be an incredible addition to their displays. So the two men, Joe Ryan and Sam Slade, played brilliantly by Bill Travers and William Sylvester, set out to capture the beast. After several attempts, one which nearly costs Ryan his life, the creature is captured and brought to the circus. The creature was named Gorgo for the purpose of attracting fans and curiosity seekers.

A boy by the name of Sean, played by Vincent Walker, was against this from the start. He insisted that the creature deserved to be free. He told Ryan and Slade this under no uncertain terms. Of course the men don’t listen to the boy.

While in captivity at the circus there is an accident where someone gets too close to the creature and is killed. Unfortunate, but no reason to close down the circus or the attraction. Still, the boys warnings continue.

And then the fun begins.

Ryan and Slade are brought in to a scientific meeting and are told straight out that this creature is not full grown. They then show the men some drawings depicting the child and the parent, who just happens to be about four times the size. The men are a bit taken back but in spite of requests to release the beast, they refuse to do so.

And then it happens.

Out of the ocean comes the child’s mother, huge and terrifying and quite angry. And thus begins this creatures destructive trek through the city. The military goes after it with everything it has. In the meantime a reporter, played beautifully by Maurice Kaufmann, gives a chilling play by play of the entire event as the creature destroys most of England’s greatest landmarks.

Eventually the mother makes her way to her child, frees it from the circus and returns home. As this unfolds the reporter remarks how feeble we as humans were in our attempts to stop this creature. And as the boy watches on, he speaks the film’s final lines.

“They’re going back now…back where they belong…back to the sea”.

His face was split between tears and a smile.

No, this wasn’t your typical dinosaur flick.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Films

Can you find a pattern in this sequence? Or is it two patterns running together as one? Or is it a multiple set of patterns, which is simple in nature and moves to the more complex as the equation moves forward? Hard to say, but let us explore this number shall we?

Lets create a pattern rather than trying to find one and here is the sequence I came up with which carries this set of numbers out a ways. Here it is;

4 8 15 16 23 42, 32, 39, 65, 139, 64, 71, 104, 204, 443, 128, 135, 175

This was accomplished by drawing a pyramid [linear] on a piece of paper, then drawing five lines parallel to the base. Where each line touched a side I drew a downward perpendicular line to them. This created a grid inside the pyramid with additional intersections and thus each of the new intersections received one of the numbers of the original sequence starting at the tip of the pyramid from right to left until I ran out of numbers. Then I re-adjusted the number of lines to fit my given numbers due to the number of intersections. Then I simple used each distance between each number as the forward calculations for the next number. No big deal. Then I noticed that if you put the numbers in sequence on a line and run sines and cosines over them you get the same answers as long as you use the same forward calculation numbers.

Anyway, that is the pattern I created and it works for me. 4 of the numbers in this sequence I created are [+,-] because you cannot know the answers, but my guess is close and perhaps the real question it the relationship of the unknown to the known. Consider such patterns in 2006.

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

One of the WB network’s most successful series so far, Smallville centers around the life of a high school-age Clark Kent in the years before he becomes Superman. Tom Welling is cast in the starring role of the teenage Clark Kent, who fled from the destroyed planet of Krypton. Having landed along with his ship in the farming town of Smallville, Clark is raised as a natural son by two locals Martha (Annette O’Toole) and Jonathan Kent (John Schneider). Quite unlike most Superman continuations, the series attributes powers to additional people in the township due the debris associated with Krypton’s demolition. As a result, Clark must keep his powers secret from the world while fighting against others who are far more powerful than regular humans. Smallville also gives us a glimpse into the early life friendship between Clark and Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). Additionally, it covers Clark’s romance with high school classmates Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack) and Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk). A hybrid science-fiction fantasy and a teenage dramatic series, Smallville is a modern day TV classic…

The Smallville (Season 2) DVD offers a number of exciting episodes including the season premiere “Vortex” in which Clark rescues Lana from certain death while Jonathan is buried alive with a obnoxious journalist (who’s uncovered the story of Clark’s secret powers). Meanwhile, Lex Luthor struggles with his own personal guilt while at the bedside of his critically injured father… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Red” in which Clark first comes into contact with the dreaded “red kryptonite,” prompting a change in his personality and demeanor, and “Rush” in which the entire student body of Clark’s high school becomes infected with a “bug” that causes them to participate in outrageously dangerous behavior…

Below is a list of episodes included on the Smallville (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 22 (Vortex) Air Date: 09-24-2002
Episode 23 (Heat) Air Date: 10-01-2002
Episode 24 (Duplicity) Air Date: 10-08-2002
Episode 25 (Red) Air Date: 10-15-2002
Episode 26 (Nocturne) Air Date: 10-22-2002
Episode 27 (Redux) Air Date: 10-29-2002
Episode 28 (Lineage) Air Date: 11-05-2002
Episode 29 (Ryan) Air Date: 11-12-2002
Episode 30 (Dichotic) Air Date: 11-19-2002
Episode 31 (Skinwalker) Air Date: 11-26-2002
Episode 32 (Visage) Air Date: 01-14-2003
Episode 33 (Insurgence) Air Date: 01-21-2003
Episode 34 (Suspect) Air Date: 01-28-2003
Episode 35 (Rush) Air Date: 02-04-2003
Episode 36 (Prodigal) Air Date: 02-11-2003
Episode 37 (Fever) Air Date: 02-18-2003
Episode 38 (Rosetta) Air Date: 02-25-2003
Episode 39 (Visitor) Air Date: 04-15-2003
Episode 40 (Precipice) Air Date: 04-22-2003
Episode 41 (Witness) Air Date: 04-29-2003
Episode 42 (Accelerate) Air Date: 05-06-2003
Episode 43 (Calling) Air Date: 05-13-2003
Episode 44 (Exodus) Air Date: 05-20-2003

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Smallville (Season 2) DVD.

The use of technology in various fields has been so successful and beneficial for us to reach the standards we have in this modern world that it is difficult to summarize the importance of technology, which is never ending for everyday a lot people are doing there best to modify our technology.

Technology is seen and enjoyed in every phase of our life these days. We don’t use Internet, digital cameras, camera phones, and computers, fax machines, Xerox machines or photocopiers. It’s so nice to see that we don’t have that much technology before and it feels very normal to us because we are in a situation where the benefits of technology are overwhelming.

Technology has gone as far as even saving lives of the impossible cases of medical problems. These days hospitals and medical health care centers are using such complicated machineries that portray the advancement of the technological sector in this world. It is only because of the technology that lives are being saved every time. It’s important not only in our daily lives but also the major world issues that technology should be the most encouraged scientific education in the coming years.

The major advancement in technology is because of the increased scientific research these days. Science has been the pillar of technology and therefore it is considered to be the most looked upon subject in the modern world due to its technological success. It is also a major benefit for the upcoming generations to continue with the hold of the most developed technological field going on these days. 


UK base rate cut welcomed by mortgage providers

Last Wednesdays base rate cut could stimulate the economy and is a sign that the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) sees the threat of inflation lessening - that’s the noise coming from various financial solutions experts.

After many months of negative news homeowners may finally have something to grasp as news comes out that leading mortgage lenders are passing the ensuing 0.5% reductions down to the consumer. A move that could make a considerable difference to disposable incomes of home owners on variable rate mortgages and have an immediate impact on anyone with a tracker mortgage.
The Times predicts the cut will immediately benefit some 4 million consumers with tracker mortgages and calculated that someone with a £150,000 mortgage would be better off to the tune of £63.00 per month.
And it’s not just mortgages that are taking the benefit, consumers with other forms of variable rate credit, such as secured loans and variable personal loans, will also be better off.

It’s also anticipated that the general cost of new lending will come down in line with the base rate and the cheaper cost of borrowing. Industry experts are hoping that lenders will take the opportunity to pass the saving to consumers, offering more competitive finance deals without jeopardizing their own profits.

Further reading:
bankofengland.co.uk/
thinkmoney.com/
fool.co.uk/