Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed as the New Yardbirds in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band are widely considered to be one of the most successful, innovative and influential groups in the history of music.

After changing their name, the band signed a favourable deal with Atlantic Records that allowed them considerable artistic freedom. Led Zeppelin did not release songs from their albums as singles in the United Kingdom, as they preferred to establish the concept of album-orientated rock. Their first two albums, with their heavy, guitar-driven blues rock sound, led to Led Zeppelin being regularly cited as one of the progenitors of heavy metal and hard rock, even though the band’s individualistic style drew from varied sources and transcends any single music genre. Their next two albums incorporated wider musical influences, particularly from folk music; the fourth, untitled album, which featured the track “Stairway to Heaven”, is among the most popular and influential works in rock music, and it cemented the status of the group as “superstars”. Subsequent albums saw greater musical experimentation and were accompanied by record-breaking tours, which, like the group’s earlier tours, earned them a reputation for excess. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, in the later 1970s, the band’s output and touring schedule were limited by the personal difficulties and circumstances of the members. Led Zeppelin disbanded following Bonham’s sudden death in 1980.

Source: wikipedia.org

by John Coleman and Bill George
Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/five_resolutions_for_aspiring.html

As the New Year approaches, people will be making resolutions to eat better, exercise more, get that promotion at work, or spend more time with their families. While these are worthwhile goals, we have a more important challenge for young people: Think seriously about your development as a leader.

These are tough times. Many leaders of the baby boomer generation have failed in their responsibilities by placing their self-interest ahead of their organizations. In so doing, they have failed to serve society’s best interests. As a result, more young leaders from Gen X and the Millennials are being asked to take on major leadership responsibilities. To be prepared for the challenges you will face, we propose the following resolutions this New Year’s:

Find a trustworthy mentor: Mentorship is a critical component of your development as a leader. A 2004 study showed that young leaders with mentors were more likely succeed professionally and experience career satisfaction. The essence of effective mentoring is developing a trusting relationship between the mentor and mentee. Identify someone with whom you have a genuine chemistry and who is committed to your development. Although many mentees do not realize it, a sound relationship is a two-way street that benefits both parties — not just the mentee. We suggest looking for mentors whom you admire for their values and character more than their success.

Form a leadership development group: Most of us have little time to reflect on the values and characteristics we want to define us as leaders, the difficulties we’re facing, or the long-term impact we hope to have. Forming a leadership development group can give you the space you need to think deeply about these subjects. Leadership development groups are groups of six to eight people who meet to share their personal challenges and discuss the most important questions in their lives. Find people you can trust, and make a commitment to be one another’s confidential counselors. Meet regularly, and share openly your life stories, crucibles, passions and fears, while offering each other honest feedback.

Volunteer in a civic or service organization: Have you served your community this year? In the Facebook era it’s easy to lose touch with our real-world neighbors. Long hours often cause us to avoid volunteer opportunities. Participating in local organizations — from religious organizations to civic groups — can give you early leadership experiences, provide real connection to your neighbors, and offer opportunities to serve others. It adds a dimension to your life that work can’t, and helps you develop and solidify your character while giving back to the community. You will find your time serving a community organization is highly rewarding while broadening your outlook on people and life.

Work in or travel to one new country: “The world is flat,” as Tom Friedman puts it, so it has never been more important to get global experience. In the future cultural sensitivity will be a more important characteristic for leaders than pure intellectual ability. John’s survey of more than 500 top MBAs found that on average they had worked in four countries prior to entering graduate school and expect to work in five more in the next ten years. Having a global mindset and the ability to collaborate effectively across cultures are essential qualities for aspiring leaders of global organizations.

Finally, ask more questions than you answer: With the high velocity of change in the world, it is impossible to have answers to all the important questions. Much more important is a deep curiosity about the world and the ability to frame the right questions in profound ways. The world’s toughest problems cannot be solved by you or any one organization. Your role will be to bring the right people together to address the challenging issues you raise. Our research demonstrates that the biggest mistakes result from decisions made by people without deep consideration of thoughtful questions.

Young leaders will soon be asked to take on major leadership responsibilities in their organizations and their communities. We believe it is essential that they take steps like these in order to be prepared for the difficult leadership challenges they will face. There’s no better time to get started than the coming year.

THE BURJ KHALIFA — THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WORLD
Begin your Dubai sightseeing with Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. The Burj Khalifa skyscraper is a world-class destination and the magnificent centerpiece of Downtown Dubai , Dubai’s new urban masterpiece. The world’s tallest building is surrounded by hotels , must-visit shopping destinations and a world of entertainment options. Source: http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/

Burj Khalifa (Arabic: برج خليفة‎ “Khalifa Tower”), known as Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration, is a skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and is currently the tallest structure in the world, at 828 m (2,717 ft). Construction began on 21 September 2004, with the exterior of the structure completed on 1 October 2009. The building officially opened on 4 January 2010, and is part of the new 2 km2 (490-acre) flagship development called Downtown Dubai at the ‘First Interchange’ along Sheikh Zayed Road, near Dubai’s main business district. The tower’s architecture and engineering were performed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill of Chicago, with Adrian Smith as chief architect, and Bill Baker as chief structural engineer. The primary contractor was Samsung C&T of South Korea. Source: www.wikipedia.com

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Moammar Gadhafi ruled Libya for forty-two years. He was killed Thursday after fighters loyal to the National Transitional Council, the NTC, captured him in his hometown of Sirte. People celebrated in Tripoli, including this engineer who gave only his first name, Osama.

OSAMA: “All the people go outside and they celebrate and feel so happy about the end of this Gadhafi’s regime and everyone, even the families, the children, the old people, all are out to celebrate this moment. This moment is very happiness moment now.”

Questions about how the Libyan leader died have raised the possibility of an international investigation.

Moammar Gadhafi was twenty-seven when he took power in nineteen sixty-nine after a military overthrow of Libya’s king. He once declared himself Africa’s King of Kings.

This Nigerian social worker, Mary Ene, says other African leaders who want to stay in power forever should learn something.

MARY ENE: “This is a lesson to our leaders in this part of the world to know that power belongs to God and that God can take power from anybody anytime. It is time for our leaders to look beyond trying to grab all the things that belong to the public for their own pockets, for their own families.”

Ugandan government spokesman Fred Opolot had some praise for the former leader.

FRED OPOLO: “Gadhafi will be remembered in Uganda as a Pan-Africanist who contributed a lot to the workings of the African Union. Also in individual countries he contributed a lot in foreign direct investment and let’s not forget, he was a key proponent for African unity, so in that context, Gadhafi will be missed.”

The United States blamed Libya for bombing a German nightclub in nineteen eighty-six. Two American servicemen were killed. The United States reacted with deadly air strikes in Libya.

In two thousand three, Colonel Gadhafi took steps to improve relations with the West. He admitted responsibility for the nineteen eighty-eight bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. That attack killed two hundred seventy people. He also rejected weapons of mass destruction and terrorism. As a result, the United States re-opened diplomatic ties with Libya.

The rebellion in Libya began in February in the eastern city of Benghazi. Colonel Gadhafi sought to crush the unrest. He refused to leave even as NATO planes began attacking his forces in March.

NATO says its air strikes likely aided in his capture. It says its planes had attacked a large group of vehicles that attempted to flee Sirte on Thursday. It says NATO officials did not know at the time that Colonel Gadhafi was in one of the vehicles.

NTC officials have said control of Sirte would begin a series of moves for elections, a new government and a new constitution.

President Obama said the United States looks forward to the quick formation of a government and to free and fair elections.

Mr. Obama added, “Without putting a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objectives, and our NATO mission will soon come to an end.”

Source: Voice of America Special English
Contributing: Elizabeth Arrott, Gabe Joselow, JulieAnn McKellogg and Dan Robinson

Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists. Boston’s best-known works include the songs “More Than a Feeling,” “Peace of Mind,” “Foreplay/Long Time,” “Rock and Roll Band,” “Smokin’,” “Don’t Look Back” and “Amanda.” They have sold over 31 million albums in the United States, of which 17 million are their self-titled debut album and 7 million are their second album, Don’t Look Back. Source: Wikipedia

Guns N’ Roses (sometimes abbreviated as G N’ R or GnR) is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album. The classic original lineup, as signed to Geffen records, consisted of lead vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Co-founder Axl Rose is the only current original member of Guns N’ Roses.
The band has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, including shipments of 45 million in the United States. The band’s 1987 major label debut album, Appetite for Destruction, has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and is also the highest selling debut album of all time in the US. In addition, the album charted three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Sweet Child o’ Mine” which reached No. 1. Appetite was followed by the eight-song album G N’ R Lies in 1988. The 1991 albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II debuted on the two highest spots on the Billboard 200 and have sold a combined 14 million copies in the United States alone and 35 million worldwide. An album of covers titled “The Spaghetti Incident?” was the last album that featured Slash, Duff, and Sorum. After over a decade of work and many lineup changes, the band released their follow-up album, Chinese Democracy, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in the United States.

This performance artist, Tania Bruguera, is a non traditional artist – one of those performance types. This story is particularly attractive because she is choosing to channel her work towards a very real topic: Illegal Immigration. She wants to draw attention to the issue by living with a group of immigrant ans their children – in a small apartment, on minimum wage.

What is interesting is that this artist who is notable on an international level and who considers things like yoga a necessity says that the immigrants whom she is living with don’t quite understand, none the less have room in their lives for art appreciation.

Also, she is proposing to help through communal classes, like English! Her method is interesting though: she wants to teach English but in a way that also teaches them about themselves. I am curious about how she plans on doing that.

Excerpt taken from the NY Times, May 19, 2011

“An artist’s performance: A year as a poor immigrant” BY: Sam Dolnick

Tania Bruguera has eaten dirt, hung a dead lamb from her neck and served trays of cocaine to a gallery audience, all in the name of art. She has shown her work at the Venice Biennale, been feted at the Pompidou Center in Paris and landed a Guggenheim fellowship.

But now she is sharing a tiny apartment in Corona, Queens, with five illegal immigrants and their six children, including a newborn, while scraping by on the minimum wage, without health insurance.

She has not fallen on hard times. Ms. Bruguera is performing a yearlong art piece meant to improve the image of immigrants and highlight their plight. And she is bringing her high-concept brand of provocation to a low-wattage precinct of taco stands and auto-body shops, where the neighbors have responded with varying degrees of curiosity, amusement and befuddlement.

“She’s an artist? I didn’t know that,” said J. P. Jimenez, a salesman at Metropolitan Lumber and Hardware on Roosevelt Avenue, opposite the storefront Ms. Bruguera opened last month. “I don’t see nobody going in with paintings.”

Ms. Bruguera (pronounced brew-GAIR-a) has turned the space, a former beauty supply store, into the headquarters for her new advocacy group-cum-art project, Immigrant Movement International, using about $85,000 from Creative Time, a nonprofit arts group, and the Queens Museum of Art.

She seeks to blend politics and art to empower immigrants through English classes, legal help and impromptu performances. She has held workshops to write slogans — like “I am today what your grandparents were yesterday” — that she plans to print on bumper stickers and T-shirts. And she intends to live like her working-class Latino neighbors; she has vowed not to tap her credit cards, personal bank account or assistants in Italy and Cuba.

“I don’t want to hear things in the office — I want to live them,” said Ms. Bruguera, 43, who is from Cuba but spent the last year in Paris. “I want to have the anxiety.”

She added, “Those are things I have to feel on my skin.”

She has already learned a thing or two. After finding her apartment and roommates in January through a flier on the street, she was surprised that the local gym did not offer yoga. The apartment had no heat through the winter, and her minimum-wage salary, which she wrote into the project description, offers little leeway.

“One week I saved $8,” she said, standing in her spartan bedroom, which can barely fit the dresser she found on the street.

Her roommates, especially an out-of-work Ecuadorean laborer, do not know what to make of her. “I explained to them four times what I’m doing already,” she said. “They don’t get it. They’re not very excited.”

But people have begun trickling into the storefront. They ask for English classes, jobs and legal help — services outside her training. “They don’t want any art at all,” Ms. Bruguera said. They want “very concrete and mundane things,” she said. “This is what their life is.”

She plans to address those needs — with a twist. Artists will teach English “in a more creative way, where people can learn English but also learn about themselves,” Ms. Bruguera said. A lawyer will offer advice informed by artists, who “are very good at looking at loopholes and seeing where the system has a failure.”

If it all sounds a bit vague, Ms. Bruguera means it to be.

She wants immigrants to shape her work by telling her what they want to achieve here. “You work with people’s hope,” she said. “That’s the material of my work.” ”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/19/nyregion/as-art-tania-bruguera-lives-like-a-poor-immigrant.html?_r=1&hp

ASIMO (アシモ ashimo?) is a humanoid robot created by Honda. Standing at 130 centimeters (4 feet 3 inches) and weighing 54 kilograms (119 pounds), the robot resembles a small astronaut wearing a backpack and can walk or run on two feet at speeds up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph), matching Hitachi’s EMIEW.

ASIMO was created at Honda’s Research & Development Wako Fundamental Technical Research Center in Japan. It is the current model in a line of twelve that began in 1986 with E0. ASIMO resembles a child in size and is the most human-like robot HONDA has made so far. The robot has 7 DOF (Degrees of freedom) in each arm — two joints of 3 DOF, shoulder and wrist, giving “Six degrees of freedom” and 1 DOF at the elbow; 6 DOF in each leg — 3 DOF at the crotch, 2 DOF at the ankle and 1 DOF at the knee; and 3 DOF in the neck joint. The hands have 2 DOF — 1 DOF in each thumb and 1 in each finger. This gives a total of 34 DOF in all joints. Honda will not confirm how much it costs.

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Game Theory attempts to map the fluctuations of economic, social and political factors in order to predict future outcomes

Game Theory was originally created as an analytical tool to help understand and predict economic tendencies. The premise of Game Theory is simple: economies are a phenomenon created by humans and that operate in the context of human society. Whether studied on a macro or micro level, economies are controlled by human decisions and human actions. We make decisions based on our knowledge of the system’s current state, and we make judgements that reflect what state we expect the system to experience in the future. We also make decisions that are based on our own previous decisions, as well as the knowledge of others’ actions and decisions within the same system.

The “games” in Game Theory are not really games in the traditional, fun-making sense. Rather, they are circumstances or situations that may arise due to different conditions and constraints in the system. These situations may be conducive to cooperative behavior, competitive behavior, neutral behavior– or different combinations of all three.

Since the creation of Game Theory in economics, the theory has been expanded and adapted to also try to explain social behavior in other areas: namely, politics. The political realm is composed of highly social and competitive interactive processes. In recent years, researchers have tried to create accurate computer models, based on possible political “games”, to try and predict world political events. The results have been surprisingly accurate, and this article gives an interesting account of Game Theory’s newest developments.

Enjoy!