Without Pity (Special Occasion)

• Posted: 12/06/2008 02:06:00 pm
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• Author: lil_bulbul
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• Filed under: advice, wisdom word

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NetBeans IDE 6.5 Just Released

• Posted: 12/04/2008 11:51:00 am
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• Author: Java[at]Saindra
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• Filed under: aplikasi, application, IDE, java, netbeans, programming

NetBeans - Development Simplified

A free, open-source Integrated Development Environment for software developers. You get all the tools you need to create professional desktop, enterprise, web, and mobile applications with the Java language, C/C++, and even dynamic languages such as PHP, JavaScript, Groovy, and Ruby. NetBeans IDE is easy to install and use straight out of the box and runs on many platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Solaris.

The NetBeans IDE 6.5 provides several new features and enhancements, such as rich PHP, JavaScript and Ajax editing features, improved support for using the Hibernate web framework and the Java Persistence API, and tighter GlassFish v3 and MySQL integration.

What do developers say about the NetBeans IDE? Read their testimonials and switch stories.

Create professional-looking GUIs with automatic spacing and alignment.

Design Swing GUIs by dragging and positioning GUI components from a palette onto a canvas. The GUI builder automatically takes care of the correct spacing and alignment. Click into JLabels, JButtons, ButtonGroups, JTrees, JTextFields, ComboBoxes and edit their properties directly in place. You can use the GUI builder to prototype GUIs right in front of customers.

You can choose whether the GUI code should be generated with fully qualified or simple class names. The help bar displays context-sensitive hints about what can be done with the selected component and suggests shortcuts that can speed up your work in the future. The NetBeans IDE also comes with built-in support for GUI localization and accessibility. If you use JDK 6 Update 10, you can now preview your forms in the new Nimbus look and feel.

The extensible Component Palette comes with pre-installed Swing and AWT components and includes a visual menu designer. Use the Component Inspector to view a component's tree and properties.

The Swing Application Framework simplifies the handling of the application life cycle, actions and resources. Take advantage of the provided code-generation tools and building blocks, and develop small to medium-sized desktop applications faster than ever. Create menus fast and intuitively by dragging and dropping menu items onto the canvas; you can add mnemonics and rename menu items inline by clicking and typing in the Design view.

Take advantage of Beans Binding technology and the Java Persistence API to create Swing desktop database applications more easily. Using the new Java Desktop Application project template, you can quickly set up a form that displays a database table and also enables you to modify the database. Bind a database table to an existing form by dragging a table from the Runtime window onto the form.

The NetBeans IDE provides tools for building all Java EE components, including web pages, servlets, web services, and Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs).

The NetBeans IDE make it easy to create Java EE projects that rely on the Spring and Hibernate frameworks. The editor supports code completion, navigation and refactoring for mapping files.

You can import Eclipse Web Application projects. Imported Eclipse projects stay synchronized with their original when you modify them in Eclipse.

Take advantage of full syntax highlighting, code completion, pop-up documentation, and error checking for JSP, JSF, XML, JavaScript, CSS and PHP - even mixed.

Create, test and debug applications for the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) 1.0, 2.0, 2.1 (MSA), the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC) 1.0 and 1.1, and the Connected Device Configuration (CDC).

Develop GUIs rapidly with the Visual Mobile Designer (VMD): Drag and drop components like wait screens, login screens, file browsers, an SMS composer, and splash screens are included. The Analyzer tool helps you decrease file size by identifying unused components for removal, and it also checks for MIDP 1.0 compliance. The VMD also makes GUI localization easier.

Use the Custom Component wizard in the New Project dialog to develop custom Visual Mobile Designer components. The wizard creates all of the necessary module project infrastructure including component descriptors, component producers and changes the layer.xml file to install the new components you create.

The NetBeans project offers a version of the IDE tailor-made for developing PHP sites. PHP developers do not need to install the full Java Development Kit (JDK) to run the NetBeans PHP IDE, the standard Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is sufficient.

The NetBeans PHP editor is dynamically integrated with NetBeans HTML, JavaScript and CSS editing features such as syntax highlighting and the JavaScript debugger. NetBeans IDE 6.5 fully supports iterative development, so testing PHP projects follows the classic patterns familiar to web developers.

Take advantage of syntactic and semantic code highlighting, pop-up documentation, code formating and folding, instant rename, code templates, and automatic code completion (including bracket completion) for PHP. The Editor recognizes PHP code including heredoc notation in PHP projects and in PHTML and PHP files.

PHP projects can easily be deployed from within NetBeans IDE 6.5 for testing to local or remote servers via FTP, or by the use of an upload script for more complex deployments. Run the project as a local web site, as a command line script or as a remote web application via FTP.

Use the navigator window or the Go To Type, Go To File, Go To Symbol, Go To Declaration, Find Usages menu items for easy code navigation in large projects. The editor warns about potential code problems by flagging them and giving an hint in a pop-up. A tasks window lists all warnings in the project, making it easy to find and resolve problems.

Debug PHP code using Xdebug: You can inspect local variables, set watches, set breakpoints, and evaluate code live. Navigate to declarations, types and files using Go To shortcuts and hypertext links. Use a global PHP include path for all projects or customize it per project.

The NetBeans IDE for PHP also offers command-line debugging: The PHP program output appears in a command line display in the IDE itself and you can inspect the generated HTML without having to switch to a browser.

PHP developers can also look forward to working with MySQL. The Insert Code command provides a Database Table option that creates the code needed to execute a SELECT statement in MySQL. Open a window to make changes to MySQL tables, select individual table cells with the mouse, and edit them directly.

The Ruby project type supports Ruby files, RSpec specification files, and YAML files. Use the new Ruby Platform manager in 6.1 to choose between executing projects using JRuby, or any other native Ruby interpreter on your system. The IDE has Rake build tool integration and gives you access to the Interactive Ruby Shell (IRB).

The editor indents, completes, and highlights your Ruby code syntactically as well as semantically. It parses your code live as you type, so it can match words and brackets, mark errors and occurrences, and display new quick fixes (improved in 6.1) and RDoc.

In 6.1 you can now maintain hints and errors in the task list. With a few keystrokes you insert commonly used code snippets from live templates. Refactoring and support for Test::Unit, Auto Test, and RSpec are well integrated.

The Ruby on Rails project type supports Rake targets and database migrations. You can generate Rails 2.0 projects, or generate code through the Rails code generator graphical wizard. The logical project view clearly separates controllers from models, views, and database migrations.

Edit ERB files and deploy projects directly to the WEBrick and Mongrel web servers. You can jump quickly between a Rails action and its corresponding view, and warp to the browser for the URL most relevant to the file you are editing.

Single-step or run through Ruby code and ERB files. Set breakpoints, look at local variables, navigate the call stack, switch threads. Hover the mouse over a variable in the Editor to evaluate the expressions and show it in a tooltip. The NetBeans IDE supports the Fast Ruby Debugger, which also works with JRuby.

Ruby Gems Installation Manager

Extend your Ruby installation using the integrated Ruby Gems packaging system. From 6.1 on you can configure $GEM_PATH or $GEM_HOME using the Gems installation manager. Add and manage freely available Ruby software libraries, and distribute your own packages.

NetBeans IDE includes project types for C and C++ and appropriate project templates. You can work with and create C/C++ applications with dynamic and static libraries, and you can also create C/C++ projects from existing code.

The C/C++ editor supports syntactic and semantic highlighting , improved code completion, improved code assistance accuracy, automatic indentation and formatting (including a choice of formatting styles), bracket matching, code folding, and templates. You can find classes, variables, functions, #include directives, derived classes, and more.

The C and C++ editor is well integrated with the multi-session GNU gdb debugger. You can set line and function breakpoints and view them in the Breakpoints window. You can inspect the call stack and local variables, create watches, and view threads. You can evaluate a selected expression by moving the cursor over it and viewing the tooltip. The Disassembler window displays the assembly instructions for the current source file.

A Makefile wizard lets you define and manage targets and configurations.

The NetBeans IDE supports a variety of leading compilers, such as the GNU compilers from Cygwin and MinGW. You can specify your compiler, pre-processor definitions, compile-time options, and much more.

Use the Configurations Manager in the Project Properties to save different sets of settings, for instance for debugging or for the release. Supply command line arguments, run directory path, console and terminal type. You can override the project compiler settings and other properties on a per file basis, and also exclude files from a build in a specific configuration.

Remote Development

Use the Development Host Manager in the C/C++ Options windows to define remote hosts. You can then use development tools on those hosts to build and run projects from your client system.

You can configure your project to have it automatically package compiled applications as either TAR files, ZIP files, SVR4 packages, RPMs, or Debian packages.

Memory Window

The memory window displays the contents of memory addresses that are currently used by the project that is being debugged.

Use the Classes window to navigate class hierarchies: See all classes in your project, and also members and fields for each class.

Call Graph

The Call Graph window shows all callers/callees of the selected function. You can choose between a direct call graph and a reverse call graph.

Use the Usages window to show you everywhere a class (structure), function, variable, macro, or file is used in your project's source code.

Inspect the hierarchy of source and header files in the Include Hierarchy window. Inspect all supertypes and subtypes of a class in the Type Hierarchy window. Hyperlinks allow you to switch between corresponding source and header files with a single click.

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Top 5 Most Poisonous Plants

• Posted: 12/03/2008 01:46:00 pm
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• Author: Java[at]Saindra
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• Filed under: informasi, information, plants

by Amy Hunter

Plant Image Gallery


Tom Laman/National Geographic/Getty Images
A carnivorous pitcher plant
in Malaysia. See more
plant pictures.

In the mid-1800s, the story of a man-eating tree captured widespread attention. In a report he wrote for the South Australian Register, Carl Liche, a German explorer, claimed that while exploring Madagascar, he'd witnessed a woman climb the trunk of a large plant and drink its nectar. When the plant sensed her presence, it captured her with its tentacles and pulled her into its body.

One hundred years later, a 1950s science writer debunked the legend, asserting that not only was there no such tree, but that no one by name of Carl Liche had ever explored Madagascar.

While a tentacle-wielding, man-consuming tree may not exist, a scaled-down version of such a plant does. The man-eating tree of Madagascar may have been an exaggeration of the pitcher plants that grow in Madagascar, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia and other hot and humid, low-lying areas. The largest of the pitcher plants is known as Nepenthes, and this plant does capture small vermin and lizards in its pitchers (or flowers).

The pitcher plant creates a substance within its leaves that coats the inside of its pitcher-shaped flowers. This substance mixes with water that the plant draws up through its roots. Insects and, on occasion, small animals are attracted to the scented water. When they come to drink, they fall into the pitcher, are unable to escape, and the plant draws nutrients from the captured prey.

While you certainly won't fall prey to the pitchers of the Nepenthes -- they're entirely too small to hold a human -- you could easily fall prey to the sickness some plants induce. In fact, the following five could actually kill you.

Poisonous Plant Number 5: The Castor Bean

The castor bean plant, or Ricinus communis, is widely cultivated for its castor oil and is also used as an ornamental plant. Neither of these uses would clue you into the fact that this plant has deadly contents: ricin.

Medioimages/Photodisc/Getty Images
Castor bean plants are cultvated for their oil, but their seeds also contain a deadly poison -- ricin.

Castor oil is a mild-tasting vegetable oil that is used in many food additives, flavorings and in candy production. It's also available to the consumer as a laxative and to induce labor (though no scientific evidence shows it's successful in inducing labor). Castor oil comes from the plant's seeds, which are 40 to 60 percent oil.

The castor bean plant probably originated in Africa, but is now found throughout the world. This large, shrubby plant is popularly used in gardens because of its hardy nature. It grows well in barren areas and doesn't require special care. It's fast-growing and can reach 36 feet (11 meters) in a season. The flowers of the plant are yellowish green, and the centers of the flowers are red. The leaves are large with toothed edges.

Ricin is present in low levels throughout the plant, but it is largely concentrated in the seed coating. Seed poisonings are rare and usually involve children and pets, but they can be deadly. As few as three seeds, which are green with brown markings, could kill a child who swallows them.

Symptoms of castor bean poisoning include nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, internal bleeding, and kidney and circulation failure. Many people suffer from an allergic reaction to the dust from the seeds and may experience coughing, muscle aches and difficulty breathing. Exposure to the dust is most common in areas where the beans are processed for commercial use. In ancient times, the castor bean was used in ointments, and allegedly, Cleopatra applied the oil to the whites of her eyes to brighten them.

All-natural Murder

Well-known Bulgarian writer Georgi Markov defected from Bulgaria in 1969, when Bulgaria was still a Communist state. Once he settled in England, he took a job as a journalist and broadcaster for BBC World Service and Radio Free Europe. Bulgarian government officials were not pleased when Markov developed a broadcast titled "In Absentia -- Reports" about life in Communist Bulgaria. So they made arrangements to silence him for good.

Poisonous Plant Number 4: Deadly Nightshade

The name says it all. Deadly nightshade, or Atropa belladonna, contains poisonous atropine and scopolamine in its stems, leaves, berries and roots.

Neil Fletcher and Matthew Ward/Getty Images
These leaves may look harmless enough, but don't you dare take a bite.

Deadly nightshade is a perennial plant that grows between 2 and 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall. You'll recognize it by its dull, dark green leaves and bell-shaped purple, scented flowers, which bloom from mid-summer through early fall. Deadly nightshade berries are green when they form and turn to a shiny black as they ripen. They're sweet and juicy, which makes them tempting to children. The plant requires rich, moist soil to thrive, and it grows wild in some areas of the world, but in the U.S. is limited to cultivation. Not all animals are affected by deadly nightshade. While it's deadly to humans and some animals, horses, rabbits and sheep can eat the leaves without harm, and birds feed on the berries.

The poisons contained in deadly nightshade affect the nervous system. Taken in sufficient doses, the deadly poison paralyzes nerve endings in the involuntary muscles of the body, such as the blood vessels, heart and gastrointestinal muscles. Symptoms of deadly nightshade poisoning include dilated pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, headaches, confusion and convulsions. As few as two ingested berries can kill a child, and 10 to 20 berries would kill an adult. Even handling the plant can cause irritation.

Legend has it that women in Italy put deadly nightshade juice in their eyes to brighten them [source: Georgetown Pharmacology]. In fact, one of the common names for deadly nightshade is belladonna, which is Italian for "beautiful lady." Today, doctors rarely perform any type of eye surgery without using atropine, one of the poisons in deadly nightshade, to dilate the patient's pupils.

Poisonous Plants at the Garden Center

If you think the only way to find a poisonous plant is to visit the jungles of South America or the tropical zones of Africa, you're mistaken. You'll find plants that could make you seriously ill or even kill you at your local garden center. Plants with innocent-sounding names, like cardinal flower and angel's trumpet, could send you to the hospital. Ingesting cardinal's flower's leaves or blooms can cause extreme gastrointestinal distress, and the angel's trumpet's leaves and blooms can cause terrifying hallucinations.

Poisonous Plant Number 3: Rosary Pea

The rosary pea, or Abrus precatorius, has very pretty seeds. Two-thirds of the seed is red, and the top third is black. These decorative seeds are often used to make jewelry, and that jewelry is imported to other countries. In fact, these seeds are especially popular for rosary prayer beads.

Jeffrey D. Allred/Getty Images
Rosary necklaces are sometimes strung with rosary pea seeds.

But rosary pea seeds contain the poison abrin. The seeds are only dangerous when the coating is broken -- swallowed whole, the rosary pea doesn't present any danger. But if the seed is scratched or damaged, it's deadly. The rosary pea poses greater danger to the jewelry maker than to the wearer. There are many reported cases of death when jewelry makers prick a finger while handling the rosary pea.

Rosary pea plant is an aggressive grower and can take over an area if not kept in check. One rosary pea vine can grow and climb over 20 feet (6 meters) in a single season. The plant, which is native to Indonesia, has spread across the world, in tropic and sub-tropic climates. It's even located in several states in the United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Hawaii. The plant has long leaves with off-shooting leaflets and red flowers.

Abrin, the poison found in the rosary pea seed, is more deadly than ricin. Less than 3 micrograms of abrin in the body is enough to kill, which is less than the amount of poison in one pea. In the human body, abrin bonds to cell membranes and prevents protein synthesis, one of the most important duties of the cell. Symptoms of rosary pea inhalation poisoning are: difficult breathing, fever, nausea and fluid in the lungs. If ingested -- and the seed coating is broken -- rosary pea seeds cause severe nausea and vomiting, which eventually leads to dehydration, and ends with the kidneys, liver and spleen shutting down. Death usually follows within three to four days.

Using Deadly Plants as Medicine

It seems counterintuitive to put deadly plants to work at saving lives. But some of the most deadly plants are used in the medical arena. Jimsonweed, for example, has been used by hired assassins to kill people and by doctors to treat epilepsy. Other contenders?

Poisonous Plant Number 2: Water Hemlock

The water hemlock, or cicuta maculata, is a very attractive wildflower with an upright growth pattern, purple-striped leaves and small white blooms. But the water hemlock's white roots are sometimes mistaken for a parsnip plant -- a potentially fatal error. The poison contained in the water hemlock, cicutoxin, is present in the entire plant, but is most concentrated in the roots. Anyone who confuses the plant with parsnips and decides to take a bite faces a violent death.

The water hemlock, which is native to North America, is considered by many to be the most deadly plant on the continent. The wildflower, which grows to 6 feet (1.8 meters), thrives along stream banks, in marshy areas, and in low-lying, damp meadows.

For those unlucky enough to taste the water hemlock, the onset of illness is rapid. The cicutoxin contained in the plant causes violent and painful convulsions, nausea, vomiting, cramps and muscle tremors. Those who survive the poisoning experience long-term health conditions, such as amnesia. No amount of water hemlock root is considered safe to ingest.

Plants that Attack

It seems impossible that a plant, rooted to one spot, could attack. But several species of stinging trees, indigenous to rainforest areas of Australia and Indonesia, certainly make victims feel that they've been assaulted. These plants, which range from overgrown shrubs to full-sized trees, have glass-like hairs covering their leaves and fruits.

Poisonous Plant Number 1: Oleander

The oleander, or Nerium oleander, is considered by many to be the most poisonous plant in the world. All parts of the beautiful oleander contain poison -- several types of poison. Two of the most potent are oleandrin and neriine, known for their powerful effect on the heart. An oleander's poison is so strong, in fact, that it can poison a person who simply eats the honey made by bees that have digested oleander nectar.

Thomas Schmitt/Getty Images
Oleander flowers are beautiful, but don't be deceived -- this plant is deadly.

The oleander is an attractive plant, and despite its deadly reputation is often planted for decorative purposes. Although native to the Far East and the Mediterranean areas, oleander has been introduced in the United States, where it grows easily. It's tolerant of poor quality soil and dry weather. The plant grows as a dense shrub, and is typically 6 to 18 feet (1.8 to 5.4 meters) tall at maturity. It has thick, dark green leaves, and the flowers, which grow in clusters, can be yellow, red, pink or white.

Even in barren areas, the oleander produces lovely flowers and fragrance. Animals instinctively avoid the plant, and it grows rapidly, so it's often used for highway barriers and other areas that require screening from noise and pollution. Its rapid growth also makes it a popular choice around new construction zones, as it prevents erosion.

Unlike some toxic plants, the oleander is poisonous to most animals as well as humans. A single ingested oleander leaf can kill a child. Ingestion of oleander results in diarrhea, vomiting, intense stomach pain, drowsiness, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, and often, death. If the victim survives the initial 24 hours after ingestion, his or her odds of surviving increase dramatically. For successful treatment, the patient is induced to vomit, his or her stomach may be pumped, or he or she may be fed activated charcoal to absorb as much of the poison as possible.

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Avenged Sevenfold

• Posted: 12/01/2008 12:17:00 pm
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• Author: Java[at]Saindra
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• Filed under: a7x, avenged sevenfold, band, biography, music, musik

Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold in Bangkok, Thailand, 2007 (From left to right: M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, Synyster Gates, The Rev, and Johnny Christ)
Background information
Also known as	A7X
Origin	Huntington Beach, California, United States
Genre(s)	Hard rock Heavy metal Metalcore (early)
Years active	1999–present
Label(s)	Good Life Recordings, Hopeless, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	Pinkly Smooth, Suburban Legends, Buckcherry, Good Charlotte
Website	AvengedSevenfold.com
Members
M. Shadows Zacky Vengeance The Rev Synyster Gates Johnny Christ
Former members
Justin Meacham Dameon Ash

History

Inception (1999-2004)

The band was formed in 1999 in Huntington Beach, California with original members M Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, The Rev. and Matt Wendt. Avenged Sevenfold's first album, Sounding the Seventh Trumpet, was recorded when the band members were just eighteen years old and in high school. It was originally released on their first label, Good Life Recordings in 2001. After lead guitarist Synyster Gates joined the band, the introductory track "To End The Rapture" was re-recorded with the removal of the piano track. The album was subsequently re-released on Hopeless Records in 2002. Having settled on their fourth bassist (Johnny Christ), a follow-up album, entitled Waking the Fallen was released on the same label in 2003. Shortly after its release, Avenged Sevenfold was signed to Warner Bros. Records.

City of Evil (2005–2007)

City of Evil, the band's third album, was released on June 7, 2005. Propelled by the success of the first single "Bat Country" and its accompanying music video, the album sold well and became Avenged Sevenfold's first gold record. City of Evil strayed away from the band's previous metalcore sound and M. Shadows chose to abandon the screaming vocals from the first two albums. Although Shadows acknowledges that he sustained throat and vocal cord damage after Waking the Fallen and later required surgery to help correct the problem, he states that the change in vocal style was not a result of this issue. In their DVD All Excess, Mudrock, producer of Avenged's second and third albums, said prior to Waking the Fallen, Shadows had stated that he wanted a CD with half-screaming, then one with no screaming, which was achieved in City of Evil. Shadows maintains that he's since been able to scream even better than before the surgery and training with vocal coach Ron Anderson.^[1]

Avenged Sevenfold (2007)

Avenged Sevenfold's mainstream success got them an invitation to 2006's Ozzfest tour on the main stage, alongside other well known hard rock and heavy metal acts DragonForce, Lacuna Coil, Hatebreed, Disturbed, and System of a Down. That same year they also completed a worldwide tour, including the US, England, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. After canceling Fall and Winter 2006 tour dates, the band announced that they were planning their fourth studio album, a self-titled album. M. Shadows has stated that it would not be a City of Evil Part 2 or Waking the Fallen Part 2, but he says it will attract fans of both original albums while still being a surprise.^[2] They played their first tour dates of 2007 on an Asian tour with stops in Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan. To "tide fans over" until the release of the new album, Avenged Sevenfold released their first DVD, All Excess, on July 17, 2007. All Excess debuted as the #1 DVD in the USA which included a documentary and live footage dating back to 1999 along with music videos and the making of the Seize the Day music video.

The self titled album was released out on October 30, 2007 to early success, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 with approximately 94,000 copies sold.^[3] Two singles, "Critical Acclaim" and "Almost Easy" along with its music video, were released prior to the album. An animated video was made for "A Little Piece of Heaven" and was going to be included on the MVI, but due to the song's subject matter (i.e. Necrophilia), Warner Brothers released it to registered MVI users over the internet in December 2007. The third single, "Afterlife" and its video was released in January 2008. Avenged Sevenfold has confirmed that their fourth single is the country rock style song "Dear God".

Recent (2008)

They recently headlined the Taste of Chaos tour with Atreyu, Bullet for My Valentine, Blessthefall and Idiot Pilot.^[4]

Guitarist Zacky Vengeance confirmed in an interview that the band had recently entered the studio to record two new cover songs from metal giants Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath.

On July 16 (Issue 1219), Kerrang! released a free CD, Maiden Heaven: A Tribute to Iron Maiden as a tribute album to heavy metal band, Iron Maiden. It features Avenged Sevenfold covering the song "Flash of the Blade". "Maiden are by far the best live band in the world and their music is timeless," quoted by vocalist M Shadows. "This also gives us a chance to expose this great song to some of our younger fans who maybe aren't as familiar with Iron Maiden." ^[5]

Avenged Sevenfold was awarded "Album of the Year" at the Kerrang! Awards. M. Shadows said this to the fans:

During a recent festival performance in Leeds & Reading, UK, of which was sold out, the band were forced to shorten the leeds performance and canceled the reading performance altogether due to M. Shadows being told by his doctors in Los Angeles and the UK to rest his voice due to vocal strain.^[6] A few days later, the band was forced to announce the cancellation of the remaining September shows, with the tour set to resume again on October 15.^[7]

Avenged Sevenfold's most recent release, Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough, a two-disc B-sides CD and live DVD, was released on September 16, 2008.

The Dear God video is now available for purchasing on itunes, it was released on 28th October, 2008.

Musical characteristics

Band name and lyrical content

The band's name is a reference to the Book of Genesis in the Bible - specifically Genesis 4:24, where Cain is sentenced to life in exile for murdering his brother. God marked him so that none would kill him on account of his sin; the man who dared to kill Cain would suffer "vengeance seven times over" (KJV)^[8]. The abbreviation for Avenged Sevenfold came from Zacky Vengeance as A7X. The title of Avenged Sevenfold's song "Chapter Four" refers to the fourth chapter of Genesis, in which the story of Cain and Abel takes place. The song's subject also appears to be this story. "Beast and the Harlot", yet another song derived from the Bible, comes from the book of Revelation only it is written in the first person and refers to the punishment of Babylon the Great, world empire and seat of false religion. Another biblical reference occurs in the song "The Wicked End". In this song, several times it is said "dust the apple off, savor each bite, and deep inside you know Adam was right." making reference to Eve eating the forbidden fruit. Although the band's title and members' stage names make references to religion, Shadows stated in an interview that they are not a religious band. "Anyone that reads the lyrics and really knew anything about us, they would know we're not promoting either," he said. "That's one thing about this band that I love is that we never really shove any kind of, like, political or religious beliefs on people. We just, the music's there to entertain and maybe thought-provoking on both sides, but we don't try to, like, really shove anything down anyone's throat. There's too many bands that do that nowadays, I think."^[9] The band has a few songs that are somewhat political in nature like "Critical Acclaim", "Gunslinger" and "Blinded In Chains". The song "Betrayed" off of their album "City of Evil" was written about "Dimebag" Darrel's, of Pantera and Damageplan, death.

The Deathbat

The band sports a logo known as the "Deathbat". It was originally designed by an artistic high school friend of Avenged Sevenfold, Micah Montague, as seen on the bands first DVD, All Excess, though Cameron Rackam has done many more pieces for the band's albums. The Deathbat has appeared on all of the band album covers including their new CD/DVD Live in the LBC & Diamonds in the Rough and is on the inner part of the cover with City of Evil being the exception. It is also on covers of a number of singles such as "Bat Country", "Almost Easy" and "Critical Acclaim."

Genre

In general, Avenged Sevenfold is classified as an important and even influential band in the NWOAHM^[10]. Their material ranges across many genres - including several crossover genres - often leaving the concept of genres altogether (especially in their most recent albums). For example, Avenged Sevenfold's debut Sounding the Seventh Trumpet consisted almost entirely of metalcore sound^[11], however consisted of several deviations to this genre, most notably in "Streets" which adopts a punk style, and "Warmness on the Soul," which consists of mainly piano, and could be considered soft rock. On Waking The Fallen, the band displayed a much more refined and fluent metalcore album that was able to harness the rawness of the first album, and add more mature and intricate musical elements. On City of Evil, Avenged Sevenfold's third album, the band has chosen to abandon the metalcore genre, developing a more punk metal/thrash style, very much like bands such as Bullet for My Valentine and Trivium. Also, the drumming on both these albums is played in a more thrash-influenced alternative metal style, similar to that of Slipknot. Avenged Sevenfold's self-titled album, again, consists of several deviations to less consistent genres and styles from the album's main hard rock and heavy metal songs, most notably in "Dear God", which adopts a country style, and "A Little Piece of Heaven", which includes elements of Broadway show tunes, using primarily brass instruments and stringed orchestra to take over most of the role of the lead and rhythm guitar. The band has changed considerably since its first album, which was characterized as a heavy band with the screams, growls, and lyrics one can expect from the metalcore genre, to being more of a fusion between punk rock, hard rock, and heavy metal.

Band members

Current members

• M. Shadows - lead vocals, piano (1999–present)
• Synyster Gates - lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2001–present)
• Zacky Vengeance - rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals (1999–present)
• Johnny Christ - bass, backing vocals (2002–present)
• The Rev - drums, percussion, backing vocals (1999–present)

Former members

• Justin Meacham - Bass (1999–2001)
• Daemon Ash - Bass (2001–2002)

Discography

Main article: Avenged Sevenfold discography

• Sounding the Seventh Trumpet (2001)
• Waking the Fallen (2003)
• City of Evil (2005)
• Avenged Sevenfold (2007)

References

External links

• Official Website
• Avenged Sevenfold at MySpace
• Avenged Sevenfold at PureVolume
• Avenged Sevenfold at SodaHead
• Avenged Sevenfold at MocoSpace

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Top 5 Green Myths

• Posted: 11/30/2008 09:37:00 am
• |
• Author: Java[at]Saindra
• |
• Filed under: informasi, information, nature

by Maria Colenso

Introduction to Top 5 Green Myths

Global Warming Image Gallery


Bruce Laurance/Photographer's Choice/­Getty Images
It's great to adopt green habits, but it's also smart to do your legwork before making major changes. See more global warming pictures.

Many of us have adopted small, easy habits to help make our lives a little more environmentally friendly. Maybe you've given up bottl­ed water, switched to eco-friendly household cleaners, started recycling or switched the lightbulbs in your home to the more energy-efficient compact fluorescent alternative. Each of these decisions is a good way to help combat global warming. But how do you choose which green living changes are right for you? And how can you be sure your choices are right for the planet?

­It can be hard to sort out the facts about leading an eco-friendly lifestyle, and there are many shades of green. What you think you know is true may turn out to be more turquoise than shamrock. The big offenders in the global warming crisis are in the news all the time -- coal-burning power plants and high levels of fossil fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, the number of cars on the world's roads. But let's consider the not-so-obvious offenders. Trees, for example. Good for the planet, right? In many respects, yes, but we bet you didn't know that planting trees to offset atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO­₂­) might actually cause a net warming effect. Yes, you read that correctly: warming.

­What other myths are out there? In this article, we'll look into the truths behind five common green myths, including how to drive a stake through the heart of vampire power.

CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images
Vampire power isn't usually this electrifying, but the small energy drain from appliances in standby mode does add up.

­­Turning off your computer when it's not in use is a great way to save energy. But did you know that some devices and appliances, including your computer, continue to use power even when they're off?

It's a phenomenon called vampire power, sometimes called standby power or energy leaks. Vampire power is the energy a piece of equipment continues to use even after it's been switched off. In a study done at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, researchers found that vampire power may consume as much as 15 to 30 watts per appliance [source: California Energy Commission]. Totaled up, it's estimated that more than 5 percent of your power bill can be attributed to appliances in standby mode, which equals about $4 billion consumer dollars spent to feed vampires each year [source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory]. Contributors include any device that relies on standby power, such as televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, computers, cell-phone chargers and any appliance that maintains (and displays) a clock.

Green Myth 4: Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency Are the Same

Robert George Young/Photographer's Choice RR/Getty Images
Energy efficiency isn't the same as energy conservation.

­­Each one of us consumes energy as part of our everyday lives. We heat and cool our homes, commute to work or school and flip on lamps or televisions through­out the day. Conserving energy and choosing energy-efficient products are both key to energy sustainability. They may sound similar but, in fact, they're two different things.

Energy conservationis any activity where the outcome is the consumption of less energy, such as choosing to turn off the lights when you leave a room. Energy efficiency is any technology that requires less energy to carry out the same task. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) provide the same illumination as standard incandescent bulbs but use just one-quarter of the energy and last 8 to 12 times longer [source: International Herald Tribune]. They're an example of energy efficiency.

­The result of choosing energy-efficient products may be energy conservation -- but not always. Think about it like your favorite cookie: just because they started making a low-fat variety doesn't mean you should consume the whole box.

Green Myth 3: Organic Is Always Better

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Organic food is great when it will be eaten locally -- the case for this San Francisco City Hall garden. But it isn't the environmentally friendly default many believe it to be.

­Which came first? The chicken or the egg? These days, it ­seems that's not the only chicken riddle we have to solve while food shopping. Were the chickens treated humanely? Were they kept free-range? Are these eggs from organic, cage-free birds?

Choosing organic fruits, vegetables, dairy and meats is smart. While there's no definitive ev­idence that organic foods have any significant nutritional benefits over conventional foods, they must be produced without antibiotics, growth hormones, and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. This lowers your exposure to potentially toxic substances. And because organics are grown and produced using sustainable, regenerative farming methods, they're good for the soil and good for the planet.

Except when they aren't.

Organic foods are only good for the planet when they're not trucked, shipped or flown around the world before landing at their final destination. Food miles are the distance your food has traveled from farm to store. The idea is the higher number of food miles traveled, the greater amount of energy consumed and pollution released -- both of which contribute to the problem of global warming. On average, most of our meals have traveled about 1,300 miles (2,092 km) before they arrive on our table [source: ATTRA]. Think about it: How did fresh strawberries get to your local store in the middle of winter? In 2005, the total amount of fruits and vegetables that were flown into California alone released more than 70,000 tons of CO_2­­, the same amount of pollution produced by 12,000 cars on the road [source: National Resources Defense Council].

­What to do? Choose locally grown foods -- and, even better: locally grown organic foods. Visit your farmers' market or join a local CSA (community supported agriculture) group, and you're guaranteed to get foods that have taken the road less traveled.

Green Myth 2: Hybrid Vehicles Are Better Choices Than Standard Cars

Scott Olson/Getty Images
If you have to drive a truck, a hybrid may be your most eco-friendly option. But an oversized hybrid is no comparison to a standard compact car.

The ­recent rapid spike in gas prices may have you thinking about trading in your gas-guzzler for a hybrid. Since it's estimated that hybrids cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than one-third compared to many non-hybrids, that's hardly a bad decision [source: Natural Resources Defense Council]. But a little research before you buy could lead you to the used car lot instead.­

First, consider the amount of energy needed to make a new car. To make a new Toyota Prius, or a new gas-only vehicle for that matter, roughly 113 million BTUs of energy are used -- that's equal to 1,000 gallons (3,785 liters) of gasoline [source: Wired].

Also consider gas consumption. Small hybrids are some of the most fuel-efficient cars on the roads, and not all hybrids are equal. Some gas-only used cars may actually have smaller carbon footprints. Take, for example, large hybrid SUVs and trucks. Sure, they're made with hybrid technologies but their gas mileage doesn't measure up against some of the conventional fuel-efficient compact cars on the market. A gas-only Honda Fit gets an estimated 33 mpg compared to the estimated 27 mpg of a hybrid Toyota Highlander [source: Edmunds].

­The smart choice depends on what type of car you need, as well as your driving habits. For people who really do need to own a truck or large car, swapping a gas-only model for a hybrid is potentially a better option. But if, like many of us, you're hauling nothing more than you and your family around, consider your options. Or you could always trade your car in for a bike and save nearly 1,600 pounds (725 kilograms) of CO_­2 in a year [source: AOL Research & Learn].

Green Myth 1: Planting Trees Will Fix Global Warming

Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images
The value of forestry offsets depends on where they're
planted, among other factors.­

Most people are familiar with the idea that trees and vegetation help to defend our planet against global warming. However, recent scientific studies show those benefits depend on where those trees are planted. Plant in the wrong part of the world and you may be wasting time and money.

Forests in the tropical belt around the equator benefit the planet. They absorb CO₂­, in a process called carbon sequestering, which helps lower temperatures. It's the forests outside of the tropics that may have little or no impact on climate change.

The farther away from the equator forests are, the more likely they are to trap heat in their dense canopies, raising temperatures. This is known as the albedo effect. In a study conducted by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Carnegie Institution and Université Montpellier II, scientists found that forests in mid-to-high latitudes could increase temperatures by up to 10 degrees F (5.5 degrees C) in the next 100 years than if those forests were not there [source: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory].

While supporting forestry projects remains a popular carbon offsetting option, it's important to be smart about which programs you back: Helping to mitigate the effects of tropical deforestation is a sound choice. And you can't go wrong when you keep your community green and beautiful by planting saplings around your neighborhood.

­­It's always admirable to choose to make your life greener -- especially when you do a little research beforehand. Each step we take as individuals, no matter how small, helps add up to a healthier planet.

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