Cinder Cone Volcanoes

Cinder cone volcanoes are volcanoes which are typically characterized by highly steep slopes, and a bowl-shaped crater at the top. These are the most common volcanic structures on the planet, such that if you are to picture a volcano, the chances that you will end up picturing a cinder cone volcano exist in plenty. Simply put, what we refer to as cinder cone volcanoes are cinder cones or scoria cones i.e. steep conical hills formed by accumulation of volcanic fragments around the single vent. As these vents continue to erupt even after these conical structures are formed around them, they are referred to as cinder cone volcanoes.

Cinder Cone Volcanoes Formation

Cinder cones are most often associated with Strombolian eruptions, which are relatively low-level volcanic eruptions that range from small to medium in terms of volume ( see types of volcanic eruptions). These eruptions consist of incandescent cinders, lapilli and lava bombs. In fact, the cinders - from which these volcanic structures get their name, are pebble-like glassy structures with air bubbles within that are formed when magma explodes in air, and cools in mid-air before it comes to the ground. These cinders get accumulated around the single vents wherein the first eruption takes place, and their piling in course of time results in formation of cinder cones.

As eruption continues, more and more lava is added to the volcanic structure and the cone can eventually attain a height of somewhere between 250 - 300 meters. However, there do exist cases wherein such cinder cones exceed the seemingly impossible height of 400 meters. Paricutin cinder cone volcano in the state of Michoacan in Mexico is one of the best examples of this. It erupted in a corn field for the first time in 1943, and continued to erupt for the period of next nine years as a result of which the structure attained a height of 424 meters.

As the vent walls - which are formed as a result of cinder accumulation, are not strong enough to contribute to the pressure created by molten rock, you seldom get to see eruption of such volcanoes from the top. In such circumstances, lava flow results in a breach on one side of the crater thus making it appear as if it were an amphitheater. Similarly, small eruptions from the flanks are also observed in some cases. Furthermore, when the gas pressure drops further, lava flow can also break through the base of the volcanic structure. Such eruptions can also alter the shape of a volcano, and eventually result in formation of aligned twin cones.

Interesting Facts about Cinder Cone Volcanoes

The volcanologists at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) state that cinder cones typically develop alongside other volcanoes, and that explains why they are often associated with shield volcanoes or calderas at times. There are as many as 100 cinder cones along the periphery of the famous Hawaiian shield volcano Mauna Kea. Similarly, there exist as many as 300 cinder cones along the flanks of Mt. Etna volcano in Italy. With their average height ranging between 300 - 400 meters, cinder cone volcanoes are the smallest among the different types of volcanoes on the Earth. However, the fact that they grow quite rapidly as compared to their counterparts is also worth taking a note of.

The 'Cinder Cone and the Fantastic Lava Beds' at the Lassen Volcanic National Park in California are quite popular among hiking enthusiasts with its nature trail allowing hikers to go right up to its crater. Other popular cinder cone volcanoes in the United States of America include Mount Gordon in Alaska, Puu Oo in Hawaii, Mount Tabor in Oregon, the one located at the center of the Crater Lake in Oregon, etc. The Cerro Negro volcano in Nicaragua boasts of being the most active cinder cone volcano on the planet with as many as 23 eruptions since it came into existence in 1850.

With those cinder cone volcano facts we covered a significant bit of information on these volcanic structures. Even though they are considered relatively harmless, that doesn't mean they cannot harm human life and property. Even these volcanoes emit harmful gases - such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide, which can result in fatalities in high concentration. Similarly, there also exist instances of cinder cone lava engulfing vast stretches of land in the vicinity. The Paricutin cinder cone volcano is again an apt example here as the lava flow from it (during the 9 year long eruption) engulfed 9.7 sq miles of land around it.

Best USB HDTV Tuner

Viewing TV channels and satellite broadcasts on laptops and desktops is a practice that has been around for many years now. The rapid spread of High Definition (HD) content and HDTV sets though has raised the bar higher, and given people the ability to see ultra clear and crisp pictures. Plasma TV sets, LCD TV sets, LED TV sets and OLED TV sets are all capable of playing full-HD content now, but these TV sets are admittedly priced pretty high. There are many people who wish to enjoy their favorite shows and movies in HD quality but are unable to do so for many reasons.

To offer a solution to this problem, we now have USB HDTV tuners which can simply plug into the USB drive of a computer, and receive live feeds of HD content in a manner similar to that of a regular TV tuner card. An HDTV tuner receives signals from an HDTV antenna and then transmits these signals to the USB device which then displays the signal on a laptop screen or a desktop screen for the viewing purpose of the owner.

These tuner cards also come equipped with some software tools in order to manage the channels that it receives, and this can be used for navigational purposes, for recording shows and for something as simple as switching channels as well. Several companies develop and sell these USB TV tuners, and here we will be telling you about some candidates for the title of best USB HDTV tuner 2011.

Top USB HDTV Tuners Available

ATI TV Wonder HD 750 USB
This HDTV tuner will cost you approximately $99, and it includes an HDTV antenna, an FM player and a remote as well. The software (Arcsoft) is compatible with all the major versions of Microsoft Windows operating system, and several other third party applications as well. Recording shows in a schedule up to 2 weeks is also made possible, and the antenna receives Over-The-Air (OTA) signals as well as regular cable signals.

AVerTVHD Volar MAX
This is an economical option at $65, but there is no remote and no FM radio provided along with the antenna. Windows Media Center and AverMedia software are enough for the navigational controls here, and this tuner has the added advantage of working seamlessly with Macs as well. It is compatible with digital cable signals and OTA analog signals too, so this is a pretty versatile HDTV tuner for a pretty economical price.

Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-950
This tuner will cost you around $99 and the lack of FM Radio and a remote control may seem strange at first. But this is a company that has established itself as one of the best in the line, and this particular tuner could be the best USB HDTV tuner around in the market right now. There is no software required for the device either and it syncs perfectly with Windows Media Center. Digital cable signals and OTA analog signals are pulled excellently on this tuner to provide a very impressive HD viewing experience.

Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick
Coming in at around $100, this is a little costlier than the other HDTV tuner cards, but this price is definitely worth it. The company was recently bought over by Hauppauge so there are bound to be some good aspects to this HDTV tuner. Digital and analog signals are received exceptionally well, OTA signals and cable signals are managed superbly and the software that is provided is also of the highest quality possible. FM radio is also included and the only downside is that there is no remote control provided along with the antenna.

Sabrent TV-USBHD Tuner
This specific HDTV tuner card will cost you around $50, and the package only includes a remote and an antenna. FM radio is conspicuously missing, but this is a feature one can do without at that price. It is compatible with Windows OS and receives signals pretty smoothly and without any interference and disturbance. The drivers have trouble loading though, and receiving digital cable signals is slightly beyond this tuner card.

Each of these USB HDTV tuners are pretty powerful in their own right, and as you can see, they are not very expensive either. Owning them can give you easy access to some high quality HD channels and these can then even be viewed on your HDTV, as long as it comes with a USB port, which is a highly useful feature to have.

Best DVD Players with USB Port

DVD players have become very common in many households across the country, and one of the best features that the latest DVD players offer is the ability to plug in a thumb drive into a USB port and play content off it. DVDs are slowly being replaced by Blu-Ray discs as well, so many Blu-Ray players are also coming equipped with USB ports now. A thumb drive has become a very common piece of external data storage since it provides easy transfer of data and instant access.

DVD players that have USB ports also give the user the ability to connect their external hard drives to the player, and play compatible content that is present on the hard drive. This includes video files, audio files, full-HD movies and images as well. The amount of space on these hard drives runs up to as much as 3TB nowadays, so you have the ability to access all of this data on your DVD player, as long as there is a USB port present on it.

Top DVD Players with USB Ports

All the major manufacturers of DVD players have realized the importance of providing a USB port on their device, so this is a feature that has become very common across all models that are released into the market. Consumers expect this feature in all their players and devices today, so not providing a USB port on a DVD player is a very bad move by a manufacturer. Here are some of the best DVD players with USB ports that are available in the market today.

Samsung DVD Players
Samsung is one of the leading brands in the consumer electronic market, and their DVD players do have a tendency to stand above the crowd. If you're looking for simple DVD players, then the Samsung DVD H-1080R (for $69) and the Samsung DVD-1080P9 (for $89) are good options for you. These players read a variety of formats through discs or drives, support 1080p HD format, are very light and portable and also provide a USB port each.

If Blu-Ray players interest you, then you should look at the Samsung BD-P1600 (for $199), the Samsung BD-P1500 (for $249) and the Samsung BD-2500 (for $699). These Blu-Ray players provide plenty of great features like full HD support, Netflix streaming, progressive scanning, JPEG photo playback, Dolby Digital sound and they also have USB ports at the rear.

Sony DVD Players
Sony is another brand that offers top notch devices with a plethora of features and services. Admittedly, devices from Sony cost a fair amount of money, but their quality is assured and very few other companies can match them. The interesting thing with Sony is that all their players are Blu-Ray enabled as they seem to have recognized that this is a format that will slowly catch on, and that they want to be the pioneers to offer Blu-Ray players. Some interesting models on offer by them are the various models in the Sony BDP-S series, the Sony BDP-N series, the Sony BDP-CX series and the Sony BDP-BX series. Here are some more Blu Ray player reviews that you can check out.

Along with expected features like wide video format support, 1080p HD playback and 7.1 channel surround, these players also provide web-based services like Netflix, Pandora and YouTube and also other features like Wi-Fi connectors and Ethernet ports. Needless to say, USB ports are also included in this package. Depending on the series and the model you pick, you can expect to pay anything between $150 - $1,000 for these players.

Vizio DVD Players
Another impressive brand in this particular market is Vizio, and their offerings are generally cheaper so many people prefer this brand. Do not let the low prices fool you though. The quality of these players is as good as that of any of the models mentioned above, with a few minor differences here and there. USB ports have become the norm in the DVD players provided by Vizio, so that is something that you do not need to worry about at all. Some of the best DVD players with USB ports offered by Vizio are the Vizio VBR220W (for $249), the Vizio VBR200W (for $199) and the the Vizio VBR333W (for $149).

The names suggest that these are all Blu-Ray players as well, and this is the general direction that the market is heading towards. As far as the picture quality specs are concerned, you can expect 1080p HD output, 3D content support, support for multiple DVD types and 7.1 channel surround sound for the audio aspect as well. JPEG photos are also supported and Ethernet ports and Wi-Fi connectors are also provided. Web access for Netflix, Facebook, Twitter, Pandora, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa and Vudu is also provided.

So these were some of the best DVD players in the market today that also support thumb drives and external hard drives through a USB port. Blu-Ray content has become very popular, so most DVD players are supporting this format as well, but they can simultaneously play all kinds of DVDs as well.

Best Camera Phones

Budget set? Dad says, either buy an SLR or a mobile phone? There you come under pressure. How do you convince your dad now? Mmm… here's a simple solution. Grab a cellphone with superb camera quality, and tell him, you no longer need an SLR. Chances are, he'll get hooked to your new phone much before you do. After all, camera phones are state-of-the-art, and they are here to stay. You know, for the most part, I must be exaggerating. Of course there's no match to those world-class digital single-lens reflex cams, but to tell you the truth, the camera quality of a slew of cellphones that has arrived in the last few years has left everybody stunned. A macro shot may look equally good when taken from a camera phone, and sometimes, much better. And after all, beauty is in the eyes of … blah blah. They say so, don't they?

So, I really can't tell what causes you to buy a cellphone with superb camera quality. What I can do, however, is enlist all those au courant cellphone beauties that have stolen the heart of millions with their pixels and color combinations. Here I unveil the finest, coolest, and certainly, the best camera phones available in the tech market today.

Best Camera Phones on the Market

With due respect to the feelings and needs of a budding mobile photographers, the following camera phones have much more to offer than just a few megapixels and colors. They can make you go down on your knees, and are capable of replacing any other gadget on your tech-shelf. Following are four of the best camera cellphones zooming, and taking over every other gadget of similar sort.

Apple iPhone 4
5 Megapixels with LED Flash
The boss of all, Apple iPhone 4 may have just 5 megapixels to flaunt, but the HDR technology it comes with makes it one of the most delectable camera phones today. Whether it is a macro, a nigh portrait, a landscape, or a user-defined mode… the iPhone 4 clicks with panache. It has up to 5x zoom, and comes with a dual camera, so that you don't miss clicking yourself. And as far as the phone goes, who is left untouched by what a phenomena the iPhone is?

Nokia N8
12 Megapixels with Xenon Flash
Those amateur photographers have a reason to smile. What a decently priced SLR is able to offer is all available in the Nokia N8 too. 12 megapixel camera, Xenon Flash, Carl Zeiss Optics (Nokia is known for doting upon Carl Zeiss), a Dolby surround sound, and HD-quality video recording. Capturing all colors faithfully, producing superb images even in the night, the Nokia N8 is one of the best smartphones to have excelled in all aspects. Consider it, for you don't really get 12 megapixels under a brand name as powerful as Nokia!

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10
8 Megapixels with Photo Light
Of all the Android smartphones available today, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 represents the highest-resolution camera. If you're looking for a phone that is capable of producing perfect impromptu shots, X10 is your pick. Of course, you cannot expect it to take over an SLR, but this one beats every other smartphone that stands pat against it with its on-the-go shooting facility that makes it a must-have! Grab it in the first place, its super-sharp images aren't something you get in every other smartphone.

Samsung M8800 Pixon
8 Megapixels with LED Flash
Too bad for Samsung, this phone doesn't really impress in terms of performance, but its camera takes away all Brownie points. Many users rate this 8 megapixel Samsung kid to be one of the coolest camera phones till date. If you want a decent phone with rich class camera performance, the M8800 Pixon is your pick! The touchscreen facility of this phone makes it easy for you to tap and swipe, and take pictures with ease. And, well, the video capture skills are equally superb with 30 frames per second. It may be a bit high-priced for those looking for a full-fledged camera smartphone, but if only clicking photos is your demand, you could consider this one for once.

Some More to Click Through…

Should you find the above less satisfactory, the following list represents a yet another compilation of some fairly good smartphones that are competent enough to stand a chance against the fantastic four discussed above.

It's awesome to send the first photos of a new experience to your family just by a simple tap and swipe. Click a thousand images of your vacation, and store them in your device for as long as you want. With the best camera phones having taken their toll on the world, you have a full-fledged photographer in your pocket. All you need to do is just click once, leave the rest on your smartphone.

Asynchronous Communication Tools

With the growth of e-learning and online education, it has become possible to interact with professors, educationists and teachers spread all across the world. Even if a student misses few lectures in a day, it is easily possible to log in with a specific ID and password and study the chapter. Do you know what is this type of communication called? Well, it is known as asynchronous communication.

Asynchronous Communication Tools: Definition

In this particular type of communication method, it is not necessary for communicating parties to be simultaneously present for the communication purpose. An online lecture missed by a student, for example can be covered at some other time. Flexibility is the most profitable aspect of asynchronous communication tools. To understand it better, let us take a contrasting example of Instant Messaging (IM), which is a synchronous communication tool. In IM, it is essential for all the parties chatting to be present at the same time. If you're chatting with your friend on some chat service, it is an essential condition that the other friend needs to be present on the other side and he or she must be replying you, else the communication remains incomplete. So synchronous communication tools work on the basic premise that all communicating parties can be at "different places" but at the "same time". Some examples of synchronous communication tools are audio conferencing, web conferencing, white boarding and video conferencing. Asynchronous communication tools are exactly the opposite to synchronous tools of communication. One of simplest example of asynchronous mode of communication is an email system. When you send an email to someone, you're automatically assuming that it can be replied later and not necessarily instantly.

Asynchronous Communication Tools List

Are you wondering which are real life communication methods used that are called as asynchronous communication tool? Read on, to know more...

Discussion boards: We all have been on some or the other discussion boards online at some point of time. It is an online community of members for sharing thoughts, ideas, questions, queries and information regarding some topics. It is a great way to make new friends and to know numerous ideas.

Bulletine Boards: You were not present online in a discussion on some topic and now you want to know about what you missed. Well, with bulletine boards, coordinators post the links pertaining to the discussion and you can use the browser to catch up what you have missed. This is certainly one of the biggest advantages of online education.

Blogs: Blogging is a great way to share and receive knowledge, habits and hobbies. People who like your writing, will follow your blog whenever they want. There is no restriction on time.

Website Links: Instead of providing entire content, it is easier to share website links that direct the user to the contents. It makes the task of information sharing easier and simple.

Shared Calendars: To coordinate numerous activities in your college or in your office, you can use shared calendar software available online that can be also used to share information regarding any public events or with a group of friends.

E-Books: Web books are the latest trends online and it is easier to access them irrespective of time constraints. Even if the local library is not open, it is very much possible to access a book online, late midnight or early morning.

Databases: Information storage is a great way to use it for future references whenever required. Databases are perfect examples of storage houses where data can be stored and managed.

Streaming Audio and Videos: As a part of your online education, you can log in to the video link on a website to learn the lessons again or later to revise it further. It has no limitations of time. You can visit the video anywhere, anytime, if you has access to required communication devices such as a PC and the Internet.

Surveys and Polls: Collecting information from a large number of people at the same time is not a feasible task. So surveys and polls help in preparing critical information regarding any important topic. Again the benefit of doing this task in multiple time zones makes it simpler.

E-Mails: As aforementioned, emails are not expected to be replied immediately and you give time to the other party to reply later. It is just like posting a letter in the post office. You don't get back the reply instantly. You wait for some time.

Being able to get information and communicate at any time forms the greatest advantage of asynchronous communication tools. Besides that, it is said that this communication type is great for communities and like minded people who can collect, store and share information despite being far away from another.

On the flip side, the disadvantage is that it requires discipline and administration. People who're involved in a discussion board, for instance, are expected to log in for accessing the information. Barring that, asynchronous communication tools are great for online community users and they've certainly revolutionized the way online interaction is done.

Cilantro Lime Rice

Mexican food has always been known for its multitude of variations, use of many different spices, colorful decorations and above all, for being delectable. Whether it be tortillas, tamales, nachos, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, corunda, chiltomate, carnita, etc. Cilantro lime rice is one of the delicious Mexican rice dish that is now popular in other parts of the world too. It is one of those versatile dishes that is perfect as a side dish or as a filling for burritos. It goes along well with a wide range of dishes. If you love the flavor of this Mexican food, you can prepare it at home. The following is a cilantro lime rice recipe that will prove helpful for you, in preparing this lip smacking Mexican food.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Rice

Preparing cilantro lime rice is not a difficult task, if you know the right method. In order to prepare four servings of this rice, you need the following ingredients.

Ingredients
Long grain white rice (preferably basmati) - 1 cup
Chicken broth - 1½ cup
Chopped cilantro - ½ cup
Fresh lime juice - 2 tablespoons
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Garlic cloves - 3
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Lime zest - from one lime
How to Prepare

Start by rinsing the rice with cold water. Rinse well, till the water runs clear, but, make sure to do this fast, so as to prevent the rice from getting soaked. Once done, put the rice in a colander and let it drain. Now, peel and mince the garlic cloves and keep them aside. Take a sauce pan and place it over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan, followed by the minced garlic and fully drained rice. Now, stir the rice and minced garlic in the pan for around two to three minutes. After that, add the chicken broth, along with salt and lime juice to the rice and bring the mixture to boil. The lime juice and chicken broth (along with cilantro) is responsible for the special flavor of the cilantro lime rice.

The next step is to cook the rice covered, for around fifteen minutes. You have to follow the manufacturer's instructions, as far as the cooking time of the rice (the particular type you are using) is concerned. This is very important as the cooking time of rice varies from one type to another. If you are not sure of the cooking time, check for the doneness of rice, in between. Once the rice is done, remove the pan from heat and add the chopped cilantro and lime zest. Serve the rice hot.

If you want a more easier cilantro lime rice recipe, you may try the following method. As per this recipe, you have to cook one cup of rice with two cups water and a teaspoon of salt. Meanwhile, you can prepare the cilantro paste by blending chopped cilantro, olive oil, garlic cloves, lime juice and two tablespoons of water. Make a smooth paste of these ingredients and mix it well with the cooked rice. Your cilantro lime rice is ready. You may enhance the flavor of this rice by adding a tablespoon of fine jalapeño slices (from the jar). You may also replace basmati with other types of rice, like, brown rice. But, make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, regarding the cooking time of the rice. If you opt for brown rice, the cooking time will increase considerably. But, avoid those rice types, that have a tendency to stick together, after cooking.

In short, preparing cilantro lime rice is one of the simple tasks, if you have all the required ingredients and you know the right method. The above mentioned was a simple recipe that can be prepared within thirty minutes. It can be served with fish, beef, shrimp, chicken or any other dish of your choice.