Geocaching The Technology Behind The Hi-Tech Treasure Hunt

It all started on May 2, 2000 with the removal of selective availability by the White House. (Selective Availability is the intentional modification of GPS signal to degrade accuracy of readings) At that moment, the GPS receiver became 10 times more accurate.

GPS, or Global Positioning system is a navigational system which operates through the use of twenty-four satellites positioned around the globe in low Earth orbit. These sattelites were placed by the U.S. Department of Defense but are free for the world to use.

Each satellite above the Earth is solar-powered, with a battery back-up for times during eclipses. They send a signal that is extremely accurate, within 40 billionths of a second. GPS receivers take the signal from the satellites and use triangulation to calculate the exact location of the user, as well as speed, distance traveled, and elevation.

Triangulation works by the receiver using the signals of three or more satellites to determine location. It is a trigonometric process that identifies the position of a point using the bearings to it from two fixed points a known distance apart.

Before Selective Availability was removed, GPS units received a scrambled signal which affected their accuracy. After May 2, 2000, a new world of opportunity involving GPS opened up.

GPS units are popping up more and more these days as their particular usefulness is recognized by the general public. Many cars today offer a GPS navigational system to help guide you to your destination.

One day after the removal of selective availability, a computer consultant by the name of David Ulmer decided to test the new accuracy. He hid a container in a forest in Oregon and shared the coordinates with an online community. Within a week, several people found his container, and they started hiding their own. Thus, Geocaching was born.

The name of the hobby is simple enough Geo meaning Earth and cache referring to hidden treasure. Taking part in the sport is also simple. The only tools required are the GPS unit and a love for adventure.

The seeker acquires coordinates to the hidden container through the hobbys official website www.geocaching.com. The GPS unit points the way, with an accuracy usually within 25 meters. Once at the location, the seeker must hunt for the hidden cache which may be in a tree stump, in between rocks or even hanging in the air!

The containers may also vary in size, from small keyholders or 35 mm film canisters to large buckets or ammo cans. Each container normally contains a log book for the finder to sign and also may hold various items and trinkets available for trading. Generally the finder takes an item and leaves another item in its place.

The removal of Selective Availability allows civilian use of GPS technology, which has led to many advantages. In addition to the hobby of geocaching, GPS is also used in surveying, exploration, mapping and various location and transportation systems, among many other uses. Geocaching is just one example of how GPS technology is used by civilians today. Technology at its finest offers a plethora of applications.

Tonia Jordan is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for all kinds of writers. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/spidergirl so stop by and read for a while.

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Lose Weight With Stone-Age Wisdom

You may already know that America spends more than any other country on health care. Almost ten times more.

You may already know that we spend over $3 Billion a year on weight loss programs and products.

But it may surprise you to know that we rank 38th of the top 40 industrialized nations in overall health. Even though we spend the most, we don't have the Best. Far from it:

We're fatter, sicker and weaker than just about every other modern country

obesity and diabetes are being classified as epidemic

Radical procedures like Gastric bypass are becoming more popular

The ultimate irony: even though we spend over $3 billion a year on weight loss programs and products, we spend over $3 billion a year on junk food, too.

The pharmaceutical industry spends billions in research and treatment of Heart disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Osteoporosis, cancer...but we're still getting sicker and sicker.

Why? Because these aren't diseases that you "catch". Researchers call them the "diseases of Modern Civilization", because they're directly connected to the things we eat. To our modern, so-called Civilized diet. I call them diseases of 'Disconnection'. Because we're disconnected from Nature, disconnected from our Food, and disconnected from Ourselves.

Researchers, historians, nutritionists, scientists--anyone who's studied the natural history of these changes in human health (especially the recent changes)--all agree that the trouble started thousands of years ago with the Agricultural Revolution. That's when we started domesticating animals and plants for food, and using fire and tools to eat new foods that our bodies weren't designed to eat.

The next big shift was the Industrial Revolution, about 100 years ago. As people moved from the country into the cities, they couldn't grow their own food. So the people in the country had to grow food for everyone else. The new machinery made it easier to grow, harvest, process, preserve and transport all that food. Unfortunately, all that technology disconnected us even further from our Original diet, and made us sicker quicker.

Dr. Loren Cordain, Author of The Paleo diet, did most of the pioneering research into the Stone Age eating patterns. He found that over 70% of the calories we eat today were not even available in the Stone Age. Our bodies haven't changed a whole lot since the Stone Age, but our food certainly has. Dr. Cordain calls it a "collision" between our ancient genes and our recently introduced foods. And our bodies can't handle it.

now, 100 years may not seem like it's very recent, but compared to the thousands of years before, it's not really that long. And even in the past ten or twenty years things have changed dramatically, with more and more junk food, fake foods, food replacements. (My favorite: Pasteurized processed cheese food product.)

Whether you call it a Collision or a Disconnection, it's a mess. Our modern advances and technology have ultimately given us the Diseases of Modern Civilization: epidemics of Heart Disease, Arthritis, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Osteoporosis, cancer.

Spending all that time, energy and money trying to "cure" these diseases isn't really helping (and I don't believe it will ever help). I believe the answer lies in re-connecting. Re-learning our natural, innate, pre-programmed eating habits--based on lean meat, fresh fruits and vegetables--and feeding our bodies the way they were created/designed to eat.

No, you don't have to live in a cave or kill your own food. It's easy to eat in the Stone Age while you live in the Space Age--if you learn and apply the eating principles of our early ancestors. You'll be able to lose weight, feel great, and re-create your Ideal body from the Inside-Out.

Vince Campbell, D.C.
Madison, GA
Better Health, Better Energy and a Better life
tools for Eliminating high-Tech stress
http://www.cavemancuisine.com

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Golf Putter - The Right Putter For You

Choosing the right putter can be the most important decision you make when it comes to your equipment. In fact, the putter is the club you use the most. Choosing the right one is like choosing a best friend. A few basic considerations to keep in mind when you are making such an important decision have to do with the bottom section or the "head" of the putter. this is where the brains of the putter are. There are other factors to consider such as the length and the grip but the brains of your best friend will be the most important part of choosing the right putter. Before looking at all of these considerations, let us first consider the most important part of this club known as the "head" of the putter.

The head is the most important part of the putter because it is the place where your ball will make contact on the green. The material in the head affects the way the ball moves and its direction across the green. cheap or "dumb" putters are usually made of lighter plastic, zinc or aluminum. The lighter material requires you to hit the ball even harder on the green and allows for more mistakes. "Smart", quality putters will usually incorporate stainless steel, titanium or brass. They can also have some wood mixed in or can be made of a combination of these other materials to create a more solid head. The difference will be felt when you hit the ball. On a slow green, the ball will move a lot easier. On a fast green, it will seem that you hardly have to hit it at all.

Perimeter weighting and Lie-angle - Two other important considerations in the head of the putter are perimeter weighting and lie-angle. Perimeter weighting has to do with the size and shape of the head. If you look, you will see a recess in the center of the head. this recess makes it possible for the weight of the head to be distributed in the toe and the heel which is preferable. The other important factor is the lie-angle in the putter head. this tells you whether the putter is sitting flat against the ground when you hold it. put yourself in your most comfortable stance and ask the salesman to check this for you. If the putter head is not sitting flat against the ground, you may need to have it adjusted.

Length and Grip - Two final things to consider in a putter are the length and the grip. The standard length of a putter is thirty-five inches. If you tend to stand upright, you may want it longer. If you bend over a lot, a shorter putter may be necessary. There are also various grips to consider so that a golfer with smaller hands may need a smaller diameter grip and vice versa. Most importantly, choose a putter that looks and feels comfortable to you because this is going to be your best friend! With these considerations in mind, you will know that you have definitely chosen the right putter for you.

Aidan Sugrue is a golf Enthusiast and creator of Hot golf Secrets the Internet's hottest resource for free golf tips. If you would like to turbo-charge your game then go to Hot Golf Secrets now and Claim Your free online golf tips and start having more fun on the fairway today! You can also visit free golf tips Blog for more fun stuff.

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