Decentralized computing :

Decentralized computing is a trend in modern day business environments. This is the opposite of centralized computing, which was prevalent during the early days of computers. Decentralized computing is the allocation of resources, both hardware and software, to each individual workstation, or office location. In contrast, centralized computing exists when the majority of functions are carried out, or obtained from a remote centralized location.A decentralized computer system has many benefits over a conventional centralized network. Desktop computers have advanced so rapidly, that their potential performance far exceeds the requirements of most business applications. This results in most desktop computers remaining idle (in relation to their full potential). A decentralized system can utilize the potential of these systems to maximize efficiency. However, it is debatable whether these networks increase overall effectiveness.All computers have to be updated individually with new software, unlike a centralised computer system. Decentralised systems still enable file sharing and all computers can share peripherals such as printers and scanners as well as modems, allowing all the computers in the network to connect to the internet.A collection of decentralized computers systems are components of a larger computer network, held together by local stations of equal importance and capability. These systems are capable of running independently of each other.Peer-to-PeerBased on a “grid model” a peer-to-peer system, or P2P system, is a collection of applications run on several local computers, which connect remotely to each other to complete a function or a task. There is no main operating system to which satellite systems are subordinate. This approach to software development (and distribution) affords developers great savings, as they don’t have to create a central control point. An example application is LAN messenging which allows users to communicate without central server.File sharing applicationsOne of the most interesting debates over decentralized computing involves Napster, a music file sharing application, which granted users access to an enormous database of files. Record companies brought legal action against Napster, blaming the system for lost record sales. Napster was found in violation of copyright laws by distributing pirated software, and was shut down.After the fall of Napster, there was a demand for a file sharing system that would be less vulnerable to litigation. Gnutella, a decentralized system, was developed. This system allowed files to be queried and shared between users, without a central directory, and therefore shielded the network from law.Conclusion:The debate over centralized computing versus decentralized computing will continue to be hotly debated, with advocates on either side. It is unlikely that either use will become standard or predominant.

IMAX: Mummies - Secrets of the Pharaohs (Blu-ray)
The Movie:
While the crappy films of Stephen Sommers may have gone a long way towards ruining what our collective consciousness thinks mummies really are, the fine folks at IMAX have recent unleashed a pretty great little documentary intent to set things right. Don't expect people to turn into sand or send armies of scarab beetles after their enemies here, because this is essentially 'Mummies 101' - an educationally slanted effort that presents us with plenty of interesting facts alongside some incredible footage of Egypt and some not so incredible reenactments.
Narrated with regal class and authority by the one and only Christopher Lee, the film begins by explaining the religious beliefs of the Egyptians that lead to the development and ritual of mummification. We learn why this culture felt it was important to preserve the bodies after death and how they went about doing it. As Lee explains the basic points of mummification, we then move into some of the aforementioned reenactment footage where we see what is supposed to be Ramses II and learn a bit about his lengthy rule of the country. Now, most reenactments in these types of films tend to fall flat on their face and while this still feels a fair bit out of place alongside the more natural footage, it is at least of better quality than your average historical documentary. That said, my personal bias is probably showing, because for whatever reason, historical reenactment footage tends to bug me.
Getting back on track, we then meet an Egyptologist named Dr. Bob Brier who is a bit of an expert in the history of mummies. Here we learn how various parts of the process were passed down by mouth rather than recorded and how he and other scientists have discovered the secrets to Egyptian embalming ingredients through careful study. Brier and a colleague have even gone so far as to actually embalm a body (no worries- it was left to science by its former owner) and literally create a mummy in the same way that t he ancient Egyptians would have done thousands of years ago.
From there we kick back to some more reenactments where we see some 19th century explorers tomb raiding in and around Egypt and eventually discovering the mummies. The story behind this is actually quite interesting as it involves a legitimate man of science coercing with some brothers intent on profiting off of the antiquities that they discovered. Eventually a tomb with the bodies of twelve pharaohs was discovered and the information gleamed from this excavation proved to be invaluable for the scientists involved in the study - and amazingly enough, once the excavation was complete, the tomb collapsed.
A truly classy production from start to finish, this is a lushly photographed piece that really shows how simultaneously intimidating and beautiful the desert landscapes that surround the Egyptian pyramids really are. The reenactment footage is also done with an obvious eye for detail and handled quite carefully, trying to create as authentic a look as you'd imagine would be possible which is a testament to the filmmakers' good intentions. While this won't really offer up anything that those already fascinated with Egyptian history already know, it's a great way to introduce those without a prior knowledge to this fascinating world or to get kids/students interested in ancient history. On that level, the piece is a pretty magnificent success, even if it really only just scratches the surface of this subject

WE ARE ALL MUTANTS SAY SCIENTIST

Each of us has at least 100 new mutations in our DNA, according to research published in the journal Current Biology.
Scientists have been trying to get an accurate estimate of the mutation rate for over 70 years.
However, only now has it been possible to get a reliable estimate, thanks to "next generation" technology for genetic sequencing.
The findings may lead to new treatments and insights into our evolution.
In 1935, one of the founders of modern genetics, JBS Haldane, studied a group of men with the blood disease haemophilia. He speculated that there would be about 150 new mutations in each of us.
Others have since looked at DNA in chimpanzees to try to produce general estimates for humans.
However, next generation sequencing technology has enabled the scientists to produce a far more direct and reliable estimate.
They looked at thousands of genes in the Y chromosomes of two Chinese men. They knew the men were distantly related, having shared a common ancestor who was born in 1805.
By looking at the number of differences between the two men, and the size of the human genome, they were able to come up with an estimate of between 100 and 200 new mutations per person.
Impressively, it seems that Haldane was right all along.
Unimaginable
One of the scientists, Dr Yali Xue from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridgeshire, said: "The amount of data we generated would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.
"And finding this tiny number of mutations was more difficult than finding an ant's egg in an emperor's rice store."
New mutations can occasionally lead to severe diseases like cancer. It is hoped that the findings may lead to new ways to reduce mutations and provide insights into human evolution.
Joseph Nadeau, from the Case Western Reserve University in the US, who was not involved in this study said: "New mutations are the source of inherited variation, some of which can lead to disease and dysfunction, and some of which determine the nature and pace of evolutionary change.
"These are exciting times," he added.
"We are finally obtaining good reliable estimates of genetic features that are urgently needed to understand who we are genetically."

JACKSON DEATH CERTIFICATE AMENDED
Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest in June
Michael Jackson's death certificate has been amended to reflect his cause of death as homicide.
The document has been changed to specify that his death was caused by "injection by another".
Investigators had concluded that a powerful concoction of prescription drugs killed the pop star.
The coroner's further homicide verdict increases the chances of criminal charges being brought against Jackson's doctors.
'Hoax videos'
Jackson died at his Los Angeles home in June, aged 50.
Police have interviewed his personal physician Dr Conrad Murray but he has not been named as a suspect. He has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
Jackson is expected to be buried in a private sunset ceremony in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in California.
Only close family and friends of Jackson will be in attendance for the event.
Meanwhile, a hoax video apparently showing the singer emerging from a coroner's van has emerged.
German broadcaster RTL posted the footage on YouTube and received 880,000 hits in one day.
Heike Schultz, spokeswoman for the network, said it had been an experiment.
"We wanted to show how easily users can be manipulated on the internet with hoax videos," she said.
"Therefore, we created this video of Michael Jackson being alive, even though everybody knows by now that he is dead - and the response was breathtaking."

Engineer error knocks out Gmail

It is not the first time Gmail has hit difficulties
Google has issued an apology after a "miscalculation" caused a blackout of its Gmail service, affecting the "majority" of its 150 million users.
The firm described Tuesday's two-hour outage as a "big deal" and said it was investigating ways to ensure it did not happen again.
The disruption was caused by an error during "routine upgrades" to the company's web servers, it said.
It follows outages of the Gmail service in February and March.
"We know how many people rely on Gmail for personal and professional communications, and we take it very seriously when there's a problem with the service," said the firm's Ben Treynor in a blog post.
"Thus, right up front, I'd like to apologise to all of you - today's outage was a big deal, and we're treating it as such."
He said the problem occurred when engineers took some of Gmail's servers offline to perform routine upgrades.
"This isn't in itself a problem - we do this all the time, and Gmail's web interface runs in many locations and just sends traffic to other locations when one is offline," he said.
However, said Mr Treynor, engineers "slightly underestimated" the increased load put on other parts of the system during the upgrades, causing the "widespread outage" of its webmail.
Other ways of accessing the service - such as through desktop email programs - were unaffected, the firm said.
Google's last major technical problem happened in May, with millions of people unable to use its main search page, as well as Gmail and Google News.
The free version of Gmail has been ranked as the world's third most-popular e-mail program, behind similar services provided by Microsoft and Yahoo.

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