Dindo's blog

Native to Sumatra, the "corpse flower" -- officially known as the amorphophallus titanium -- is a flower of many mysteries. The flower starts as a tuber, lives most of its life as one big leaf, and then blooms into a giant, rotting-flesh-smelling flower. Since corpse flowers usually bloom only two or three times in their lives, it is big news when it does happen. In various botanical gardens around the country, the amorphophallus titanium flower is emerging.

Source of article: Corpse Flower - Amorphophallus titanium blooms around the country by Personal Money Store

The cycle of a corpse flower

For numerous reasons, a corpse flower is distinctive. Typically grown in Sumatra, the flower is rare. The very pungent scent of the flower is meant to attract not bees and birds but flies and beetles. They pollinate these flowers. In greenhouses and botanical gardens around the country, amorphophallus titanium flowers are kept very carefully. The flowers bring in lots of crowds.

Keeping a corpse flower alive

Very few gardens sell amorphophallus titanium starts. Because corpse flowers are difficult to pollinate, they are generally pollinated with frozen pollen. In Berkley, you can purchase a Titan arum start around $ 35 and $ 50. The flowers tend to be very touchy. Most of the life cycle just has one big leaf. The flower only blooms a couple times and smells awful. If you really want one of these liver-colored, huge, stinky plants, you may want to build a closed-off addition to your sun room.

Less stinky, but just as cool

During the E3 trade show, Microsoft announced the Xbox 360 Kinect controller system. Last year, Microsoft announced project Natal, which has officially been renamed the Kinect – possibly as a cross-marketing effort with the Kin phone. To control the games and features on the Xbox Kinect, the user is expected to use their whole body. As an add-on package to the Xbox 360 gaming system, the Kinect will be sold in November or October of this year.

Source for this article: Microsoft Xbox Kinect - Motion-controlled gaming goes hands free By Personal Money Store

How the Kinect works

A two-camera system is built to the Xbox Kinect. One camera uses RGB color sensors, while the other recognizes depth. This system will let the Kinect track and re-create full-body movements.This means there could be no controllers and no separation between game and player.

Games on the Kinect

The Microsoft Kinect, as an add-on to the Microsoft XBox, is slated to debut with a fairly wide range of games. These games will include a Star Wars game from LucasArts. There may also be a general sports game, a dance challenge, and a lot more. The most exciting thing, for many gamers, is the possibility that Xbox games like Halo Reach may migrate over to the Kinect as well.

Will Kinect be the only live controller

Because of how huge Wal-Mart really is, economic analysts like to pay very close attention to Wal-Mart sales revenues. Wal-Mart sales revenues are used as an indicator of consumer spending and also the health of the economy. Many sales reports coming from leading retailers have been meeting expectations. Sales reports will show there is more hiring, paying, and a lot more hours to work. Wal-Mart's sales revenues are down, while Target's sales revenues are up. But officials from both of the companies are saying that the consumer comeback that many are hoping will drive the U.S. economic recovery from the Great Recession may not be sustainable.

Source for this article: Wal-Mart sales revenue clouds U.S. economic recovery predictions

Wal-Mart sales report

In a normal week, Wal-Mart has around 100 million shoppers. Shoppers spending their additional cash generate a lot more than $ 400 billion in annual sales. CNNMoney.com reports the Wal-Mart sales report actually shows revenues worldwide rose 6 percent to $ 99.1 billion, which beat analysts' forecasts of $ 98.45 billion. Sales at Wal-Mart stores open at least a year -- a key metric of retail performance called same-store sales -- fell 1.4 percent within the 3 months that ended April 30. Same-store sales rose 3.6 percent in the same period a year ago. A 1.6 percent decline in the fourth quarter is what these sales are following.

Wal-Mart 2010 sales revenues