Now that Marvel has their own studios, they are making their comic book crime fighters come to life one after the other. The first one being Iron Man and then moving to the Incredible Hulk. But those movies were last year. This year they have alot of plans, starting with the sequel to Iron Man. Iron Man 2 theaters May 7th and introduced Black Widow and War Machine. At the end of the movie, it showed the beginning of what is next in line. Thor. Thor is going to come in the summer of 2011 with Chris Hemsworth as the mighty son of Odin. Along with Thor, another main hero from the Marvel universe is in the making. You guessed it, it’s the Red White and Blue crime fighter himself, Captain America. Chris Evans is set to play Steve Rogers in the movie, and Hugo Weaving set as Cap’s arch foe, the Red Skull. Although Chris has already played another Marvel hero in the Fantastic Four movies (the Human Torch), there is news they will be redoing the Fantastic Four movies along with the Spiderman movies. None of the actors in the previous movies will be in the redos, but thats not stopping Chris from staying with Marvel. Cap is said to be released in 2012 along with the main team of the Marvel Universe, the Avengers. It all makes sense that all these hero’s are popping out one after the other. The original team cosists of Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Wasp and Giant Man, and Black Panther. Now we are missing a couple of the side hero’s such as Wasp, Giant Man and Black Panther, but they will most likely being introduced like Black Widow was in Iron Man 2. Giant Man (Henry Pim) is rumored to have his own movie called Ant Man, being that he was Ant Man when he started his career as a Super Hero. With his wife Janet (Wasp) they created a device that could shrink a living organism, which is how the became crime fighters. Pym later reverses the effects of the machine, making him grow a tremendous height. The two smaller hero’s will most likely not have their own movie, but have a good chance of being in the Avengers movie. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) is the leader of an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D is almost the leader of the Avengers, and has appeared in the Iron Man movies. He has a very important role, and Jackson is doing a great job of filling his shoes. Marvel has done a fantastic job with their latest movies, and continue to do better. So keep in touch with Marvel’s new movies, because they are simply amazing.

European researchers have taken the Harry Potter series and made an imprortant part of it reality. They have created a real invisibility cloak. The scientists who made the cloak were from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany and Imperial College London. There is little information about the subject but they say that “It’s kind of like hiding a small object underneath a carpet — except this time the carpet also disappears.” They put the material under a microscope and no matter what angle they put it at, they couldnt see a thing, everything was invisible. Now i dont know about you, but thats a nifty little toy that any kid wants. Everyone likes Harry Potter, so when this is perfected it will be sold like crazy. The Army could use it as well, making their jobs much easier. But until we know this will work on a larger scale, stay fans on the cloak because its in our near future.

The Audi R8 is one of the many super-cars of the world. It was introduced in 2007 and is made out of carbon fiber, magnesium and some aluminum. It has a 4.2 liter v8 engine and its top speed is around one hundred and ninety miles per hour. The engine is mounted in the middle of the car like any other super-car. The handling on the car is just phenomenal. The car is great looking and is probably best known as one of the cars Tony Stark drives in the movie “Iron Man.” Now on the BBC show “Top Gear” Jeremy Clarkson drives the R8 and Richard tried to out run him in a Porsche Carrera S. They did a half mile drag race and although the Porsche was quicker off the line, the R8 caught up very quickly. The end result looked like they tied but in the end Richard had won. Around their track, the R8 went one minute and twenty four point four seconds. Now there is a V10 version of the car is out and it is quite a bit faster than the older model. The 2010 version of the Audi has bigger scoops on the side to keep the airflow moving and uses LED headlights. There are bigger brakes on the rear wheels as well. The changes on the car a hadr to notice and are very subtle, but they make all the difference. The R8 can accelerate from zero to sixty in three point nine seconds and has a top speed of one hundred and ninety six miles per hour. So if you are thinking of buying a supercar, and are looking at a Ferrari, or a Lamborghini or even an Aston Martin, think again. The new Audi R8 is the way to go, no doubt about it.

Albinism is a very rare occurence and usually affects mice or rabbits, but they also affect other animals such as hedgehogs, penguins and even deer. If they are albino then they usually have white fur or skin with red or pink eyes due to loss of pigmintation. Now in bottlenose dolphins its different, the skin doesn’t turn white, it turns pink. Now for the dolphin this is extremely rare. Only fourteen albino dolphins have been recorded. The skin is smooth as it should be and the mammal is completely healthy besides the coloration. It is pink from nose to the tip of the tail, and has red eyes just like other albinos. Very little is known about the condition of the dolphins besides its albinism, which is we know because of human albinism. It is a lack in pigmintation in the skin and gets its pink color from blood vessels that lie just beneath the layer of blubber.  

Top Gear is a BBC television show about motor vehicles, but mostly about cars. The show is hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, and all three have there own nicknames which are used from time to time. Richard is sometimes called Hamster, Jeremy is Jezza and James is called Captain Slow being that he drives fairly slow compared to the other two. The show isn’t just a review of cars; they also do ridiculous and hilarious challenges in some cars. For example, the three had to get in a lorry, and power slide around a given course. In that same episode, they had to then attach a trailer with “valuables” in the back. By valuables I mean a car that was not tied down, a wedding cake, and a stack of hay on one end, and an electric fire on the other. James had the cake, Richard had the car, and Jeremy had the inferno waiting to happen. With their trailers on, the then had to race around the Alpine course with the precious cargo in the back. Now I won’t say what happened because you should watch it yourself, but you can see where it is headed. Another challenge was to make amphibious cars. That said, you can imagine what is going to happen. The three had their own cars, Jeremy had a Toyota Hillux (which later became the “Toybota”), Richard had a Volkswagen van which turned into a houseboat, and James had a Triumph Herald which he turned into a sailboat. The three had to go across a two mile reservoir in their car/boats. Now Captain Slow’s vehicle was the only one that successfully made it without sinking at all. Richards had sunk, and Jeremy’s would sink if he went to fast with his motor boat engines. The challenges they do are just hysterical and everyone should watch the show at some point, and I guarantee you will fall in love with the show.

Now besides the challenges, they do test how fast some of these cars really are on their own race track. Who drives around the course between the three? Well the answer is none of them do. They have their own test driver known only as the Stig. Now the Stig wears a racing suit and helmet that he doesn’t take off so no one knows his true identity. Jeremy usually introduces him with “some say…” and ends with “all we know is, he’s called the Stig!” One introduction was “Some say that he knows two facts about ducks, and there both wrong. All we know is, he’s called the Stig!” Jeremy does a great job with the comedic introductions. While Stig tests how fast the cars go around the track, Jeremy is usually the one who races it against another car, or to evaluate how amazing or awful the car is. Although most of the time the cars they use are very expensive, on some of the challenges they must find cars for very cheap and do the challenges in them, For example the Botswana Special. They had fifteen hundred quid, and had to go to Africa and buy a car that couldn’t be four wheel drive, and couldn’t be built to go off-road. James bought a 1985 Mercedes 230E, Jeremy bought a 1981 Lancia Beta Coupe, and Richard had bought a 1963 Opal Cadet which later became known as Oliver. Now in their cars, they had to drive from Zimbabwean border to the Namibian border, a trip that was 1,000 miles long.

Now usually in between the show, about halfway through, Jeremy will put a star in their “reasonably priced car” around the track. Guests include Simon Cowell, Jay Kay, Brian Johnson Sienna Miller and many more. The car is a Suzuki Liana, but was later replaced in the eight season by a Chevrolet Lacetti. Being that it was replaced and the Lacetti was more powerful, some of the stars returned to give it another go. They also have a “cool board” in which they put cars on in order of how cool they really are. The categories on the board from left to right; “Seriously Uncool”, “Uncool”, “Cool”, and “Sub Zero”. The show is on its fourteenth season, and it’s bound to keep going. The three make a perfect team and everyone will love this show. You don’t have to like cars to like Top Gear; you just have to like fun.

On the morning of December 7th 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu. It was only 7:53 when the first wave showed up and started to destroy everything. They came in two waves, the first being the primary attack, and the second to finish what jobs were not complete. The first group of the first wave went for the ships and aircraft carriers while the second and third group went for Fort Island and Wheeler and Hickam Field. After the first wave was done with their attack, the second wave came in to bomb the rest of the harbor. The Japanese fired torpedoes hitting the ships in the harbor destroying anything that we could use to fight back. They sunk eighteen ships but most were later repaired. However the USS Arizona was not that lucky. She sunk and trapped many men inside, and they are still there today beneath the waters. The attack lasted for ninety minutes, the longest hour and a half the Americans had fought.

After the attack, there was panic, fear, devastation, grief, and anger. The Hawaiians were struck with grief from the loss of their loved ones, and their home. The Americans were sad as well, but they also felt anger, they wanted revenge. We wanted them to pay for what they had done to us. But before we could even think of hurting them back, we mourned for our lost men, women, and children. The impact was huge on the nation. Everyone feared that a loved on had perished at Pearl Harbor. The women were scared for their husbands, and their sons or fathers that would have to risk their lives to fight back. A lot of men would be drafted into the Army to stand up against the Japanese threat. The day of Pearl Harbor was a day of grief, but it was also a day of realization and a day of courage. We pulled together as a nation, and stood up for what was right. We wanted justice and revenge more than anything and that is exactly what we brought.

Four years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and four years of revenge, the U.S. thought that we had to drop two atomic bombs on Japan. One on Hiroshima, and one on Nagasaki. The first bomb to be dropped was called Little Boy and it was exploded in Hiroshima on August 6th 1945. The death toll from the bomb was about 90,000-166,000 people. The next one was dropped three days later in Nagasaki. The bomb was named Fat Man. The death toll there was 60,000-80,000 people. The country argued whether or not we should drop the bombs at all, and in the end we did. The topic was debated for quite some time, but because we did, it ended the war. It killed many people, but it saved many lives as well. Now this was devastating for both the Japanese and the Americans. The Japanese lost their home, but the Americans didnt want this in the first place. The man who dropped the bomb on Japan committed suicide. So the bombings did not just affect the Japanese people. Now although the loss of many innocent lives had taken place, America was relieved that the war was done. We had avenged the deaths of those who died, and we were no longer grieving, we were joyful for once in a long time. The American people were happy, and glad that the war was finally over.

Today, Pearl Harbor is remembered by many. The USS Arizona is still in the harbor with her men still trapped inside. There is a tour of the memorial where you can see most of the ship on a bright and sunny day. There is also a tour of the USS Oklahoma memorial in the harbor. Pearl Harbor is a home to those who survived, and a graveyard for those who werent so lucky. No one will ever forget the terrible event that happened on December 7th of 1941. Although the time was devastating and terrifying, we worked up all of our courage and stayed strong. Pearl Harbor welcomes people to witness what actually happed on that day and to let those who dont know about the event, to learn about it. Everyone should know about the attack, it is a very important event in history and should always be remembered.

The Green Lantern is a Superhero of the DC Universe. The first Green Lantern was Alan Scott. Alan got his powers from a mystical green flame that turned into a metal lantern which just so happened to fall into the hands of Alan. After getting the lantern, he made a ring out of it and got extrodinary powers. He used this ring to fly, phase through solid objects, read minds and create rays of energy. He has also been known to create solid objects and create a forcefield like fellow Green Lantern Hal Jordan. Although his ring could protect him from any metal object, the ring could not save him from wood or plant based objects. Alan later became a member of the Justice Society of America (JSA) fighting along side Jay Garrick (the Flash) and other superheroes.

The next Green Lantern is Hal Jordan who is much different from Alan Scott. Hal has a weapon called the power ring, which enables him to fly and create whatever he can think of out of green light, as long as he has the willpower to do so. The only weakness of the Lanterns is Yellow light, which can only be defeated by conquering your fear. Hal comes across an alien named Abin Sur, dying on earth, he gives Hal his ring. The ring must be charged like a battery with the green lantern by saying the Green Lantern oath. “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight, let those who worship evils might, beware my power, Green Lanterns Light!” Although it is rare, a there are multiple human Green Lanters, such as John Stewart, Guy Gardner and Kyle Rayner. Hal was taught the ways of the Green Lantern CORPS by Sinestro, an alien from the planet Korugar. Sinestro was said to be the strongest Lantern of them all, until Hal joined the CORPS. Sinestro was banished from the CORPS for instilling fear instead of facing it and overcoming it. He was then banished to the Antimatter world. Once there, he created a yellow power ring, running on fear instead of will power. He comes back from the Antimatter universe for revenge against the CORPS and the Guardians. The Guardians of the Universe are small blue human like life forms who are in control of the Green Lantern CORPS.

Currently, the Blackest Night Prophecy is coming true in the DC Universe and different color Lanterns are appearing everywhere. The “emotional spectrum” is divided up into seven colors: red (rage), orange (avarice), yellow (fear), blue (hope), indigo (compassion), violet (love) and green (will). According to the prophecy, the three existing Corps would be joined by four new ones, each driven by a specific emotion and empowered by a specific color of the emotional spectrum, leading to a “War of Light” that would destroy the universe. Right now, black rings are being scattered around earth, and the dead are rising from the graves. The villain Black Hand is the COPRS leader, and is taking over earth, recruiting more and more people, such as the Martian Manhunter, Batman, and Superman of Earth Two. The series is still being written so if you are interested, find it and read it! It’s a great series!

 Everyone loves the classic American muscle cars, the Mustang, Cuda, and the Charger (as driven by Michael Weston in Burn Notice). I am going to compare two of the most famous of those cars, but their recent models, the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger. Now the old muscle cars were all about the good looks and the roar of their engine back in the day. It was a way for the guys to pick up the ladies. Nowadays, they still are a chick magnet, and are defiantly good looking. But we are going to see what’s under the hood, and see what really makes it purr. I want to know which has the better horsepower, the handling, and all the other good stuff to see which has the best performance over all.

  Chevrolet came out with their Camaro in 2010, as seen in the popular Transformers movies. The Autobot Bumblebee transforms into the yellow Camaro with the sleek black racing stripes. Now the Camaro now has 302 horse power in its 3.2L V6 engine and still gets about 29 miles per gallon. Not bad at all. Now the 6.2L V8 engine only gets about 25 miles per gallon, but is still cranking out about 426 horse power. The stock version of the car is around 33,000 dollars, not including what you want to do to the car. If you want to make your own, it will cost you a bit more. The new Camaro does have a fun package called the Transformers package which lets your car look like Bumblebee from the movie. It has the Autobots symbol on the 20’ rims and under the tags on the side of the car. It also has the symbol on the inside of the car on the center console. The fun symbols and pretty color scheme will cost you another 1,000 bucks. It’s a nice car, and a must have if you are a true Transformers fan.

 The new Challenger was premiered in 2008, but was released in 2009. The 2010 models will cost from 500-1,000 bucks more than the 2009 version. You have the option of getting the 3.5L V6 engine, 27 miles per gallon on the highway or the 5.7L V8 engine which gets about 25 miles per gallon. The R/T package has a 6.1L V8 engine getting around 22 miles per gallon. That ones going to cost about forty six grand, but the car is hauling at least 430 horse power. Depending on the engine and what package you want for your Challenger, your paying anywhere from 25,000-45,000 dollars. But you don’t want the wimpy engine, you want a car that can roar down the highway and that can haul some serious ass. So if you want a fast car, here it is, but at the cost of about forty five grand.

  So let’s review. They both have the same horsepower, they cost about the same, depending on the engine you want, both cars handle very well and they both get the same gas mileage. So which one is better? Well I guess that’s for you to decide. Do you want the smaller Transformer or the old school looking Challenger? It’s all up to you.

Powered exoskeletons are machines that are worn by human beings primarily to help them do heavy lifting, assist in rough terrain or protect the person who wears it. They are also being used by the elderly to help them do everyday things. The first exoskeleton was made in the 1960’s and it was named Hardiman. The machine was co-created by the US military and General Electric. Hardiman made lifting two hundred and fifty pounds feel like lifting ten pounds. It was a failure due to its enormous weight of one thousand five hundred pounds. That was our first attempt at a powered exoskeleton, but since then it has improved greatly. Many different suits or ideas come from fiction comic books or video games. One of the most famous examples is the suit of Tony Stark, aka Iron-Man. The red and gold suit was built and worn by Tony Stark, an industrialist playboy and genius engineer who gets kidnapped and suffers a heart injury. While in captivity, instead of building a weapon who is captors insist on him building, he builds an exoskeleton suit and escapes, thus becoming Iron-Man. But not all of the suits are comic book fiction; we have real working exoskeletons such as the BLEEX or HAL-5.

  UC Berkley made an exoskeleton that just assisted the legs of the wearer. This machine was called the BLEEX. The objective of the BLEEX was to create a self powered exoskeleton for strength and endurance and that is easy to maneuver, lightweight and durable. The suit consisted of the two powered legs, and a backpack like frame to hold the heavy loads. The suit attaches to the feet and the waist of the wearer. The suit was able to let the person squat, bend, swing from side to side, twist, walk and run on ascending and descending slopes, and step over and under obstructions while carrying the equipment. This allowed them to run with a huge amount of weight and run with it for a considerably long distance without losing any of their agility. The objective was to create a perfect exoskeleton, and I believe they succeeded. The machine was light weight, easy to maneuver and let them lift a huge load without breaking a sweat and they did just that.

   Now instead of just having powered legs, why not have all that power for your whole body? Well good news, Japan has created such and exoskeleton and they call it the HAL-5 or Hybrid Assistive Limb. There are two prototypes, the HAL-3, which was bulky and only has the leg functions, and the HAL-5 which is more compact and has leg, arm and torso functions. Right now, the HAL-5 will allow the user to lift five times as much weight as they would without the suit. This suit is different from the BLEEX. It is powered by sensing electrical impulses on your skin from the limb you are moving, and move with it. The suit will mimic all the same movements you want to do. The suit is powered by a one hundred-volt battery attached to the user’s waist. Although it is sill in production, it is said to be in production in the near future.

   In 1986, a man in the military broke his back in a parachuting accident and while recovering in the hospital, he read Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein, and from the description, he created a suit he called the LIFESUIT. He sent letters to the military showing them his plans. In 2001, the first LIFESUIT was built. Better models were made in 2005 and let the operator hold up to ninety two kg and were able to let the user to run a mile in about 90 minutes. I think a lot of the people designing these powered suits get their ideas from video games or other fiction books, for example, Samus Aran from Metroid Prime. She wears a powered suit of armor that fits around her body like a glove. Another example would be Master Chief from the famous Halo games. He wears a green suit of armor letting him run, jump, and maneuver around different terrain. I think the most influential of them all would still have to be Iron-Man. He has different suits for different purposes, one for deep sea diving, one for his friend Rhody (War Machine), one for space and even one specifically designed to take out the Incredible Hulk called the Hulkbuster suit. So just think, in the near future, we will have a real live Iron-Man flying around in the sky for all to see.