Mouse (computing)

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This article is about the computer input device. For the animal, see mouse. For other uses, see mouse (disambiguation).

A contemporary computer mouse, with the most common standard features: two buttons and a scroll wheel, which can also act as a third button

In computing, a mouse (plural mouses, mice, or mouse devices.) is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons. It sometimes features other elements, such as "wheels", which allow the user to perform various system-dependent operations, or extra buttons or features can add more control or dimensional input. The mouse's motion typically translates into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a Graphical User Interface.

The name mouse, originated at the Stanford Research Institute, derives from the resemblance of early models (which had a cord attached to the rear part of the device, suggesting the idea of a tail) to the common mouse.^[1]

The first marketed integrated mouse – shipped as a part of a computer and intended for personal computer navigation – came with the Xerox 8010 Star Information System in 1981. However, the mouse remained relatively obscure until the appearance of the Apple Macintosh; in 1984 a prominent PC columnist commented the release of this new computer with a mouse: “There is no evidence that people want to use these things.”^[2]

A mouse now comes with most computers and many other varieties can be bought separately.

Supercars

Enzo Ferrari

The company's loftiest efforts have been in the supercar market. The 1962 250 GTO may be considered the first in the line of Ferrari supercars, which extends to the recent Enzo Ferrari and FXX models.

[edit] Concept cars and specials

Ferrari P4/5

Ferrari has produced a number of concept cars, such as the Ferrari Mythos. While some of these were quite radical (such as the Ferrari Modulo and never intended for production, others such as the Ferrari Mythos have shown styling elements which were later incorporated into production models.

The most recent concept car to be produced by Ferrari themselves was the 2005 Ferrari Ascari.

A number of one-off special versions of Ferrari road cars have also been produced, some of which have been commissioned by wealthy owners.

[edit] Bio-fuel cars

Ferrari has considered making hybrids. A F430 Spider that runs on ethanol was displayed at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Ferrari has announced that a hybrid will be in production by 2015.

Palm Islands

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The original designs of the three palm islands; Palm Deira has since been scaled down.

The Palm Islands are artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on which major commercial and residential infrastructure will be constructed. They are being constructed by Nakheel Properties, a property developer in the United Arab Emirates, who hired Belgian and Dutch dredging and marine contractor Jan De Nul and Van Oord, some of the world's specialists in land reclamation. The islands are the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira.

Each settlement will be in the shape of a palm tree, topped with a crescent, and will have a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment centers. The Palm Islands are located off the coast of The United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf and will add 520 kilometres of beaches to the city of Dubai.

The first two islands will comprise approximately 100 million cubic meters of rock and sand. Palm Deira will be composed of approximately 1 billion cubic meters of rock and sand. All materials will be quarried in the UAE. Among the three islands there will be over 100 luxury hotels, exclusive residential beach side villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas.

The creation of the Palm Jumeirah began in June 2001. Shortly after, the Palm Jebel Ali was announced and reclamation work began. The Palm Deira, which is planned to have a surface area of 46.35 square kilometres, was announced for development in October 2004. Construction was originally planned to take 10–15 years, but that was before the impact of the global credit crunch hit Dub

Petronas Twin Towers

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Petronas Twin Towers
Petronas Twin Towers were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004.[I]
Preceded by	Willis Tower
Surpassed by	Taipei 101
Information
Location	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Status	Complete
Constructed	1992–1998
Use	Office
Height
Antenna/Spire	451.9 m (1,482.6 ft)[1]
Roof	378.6 m (1,242.1 ft)
Top floor	375.0 m (1,230.3 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	88
Floor area	395,000 m2 (4,252,000 sq ft) (1 & 2)
Elevator count	78 (1 & 2)
Companies
Architect	César Pelli
Structural Engineer	Thornton Tomasetti
Contractor	Tower1: Hazama Corporation Tower2: Samsung Engineering & Construction and Kukdong Engineering & Construction B.L. Harbert International
Management	KLCC
I^ Fully habitable, self-supported, from main entrance to highest structural or architectural top; see the list of tallest buildings in the world for other listings.

The Petronas Twin Towers (Malay: Menara Berkembar Petronas) (also known as the Petronas Towers or just Twin Towers), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are twin towers and were the world's tallest buildings before being surpassed by Taipei 101. However, the towers are still the tallest twin buildings in the world. They were the world's tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004 if measured from the level of the main entrance to the structural top, the original height reference used by the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat from 1969 (three additional height categories were introduced as the tower neared completion in 1996).^[2]

Endurance training

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Endurance training is the deliberate act of exercising to increase stamina and endurance. Exercises for endurance tends to be aerobic in nature versus anaerobic movements. Aerobic exercise develops slow twitch muscles. Performing these exercises strengthens and elongates the muscles for preparation of extended periods of use.

Athletes train for endurance to compete in 5k and 10k races, half marathons, marathons, ultra marathons, triathlons, Ironman competitions, Century bike rides, mountain biking and so on. Non-athletes can train similarly with an aerobic workout to burn calories and fat. It is known that long distance training (LDT) for endurance over long periods of time can be helpful to joints and ligaments as one ages.

Long-term endurance training induces many physiological adaptations both centrally and peripherally mediated. Central cardiovascular adaptations include decreased heart rate, increased red blood cell count, increased blood plasma which reduces blood viscosity and increased cardiac output as well as total mitochondrial volume in the muscle fibers used in the training (i.e. the thigh muscles in runners will have more mitochondria than swimmers). Adaptations of the peripheral include capillarization, that is an increase in the surface area that both the venous and arterial capillaries supply. This also allows for increased heat dissipation during strenuous exercise. The muscles heighten their glycogen and fat storing capabilities in endurance athletes in order to increase the length in time in which they can perform work. Catabolism also improves increasing the athletes capacity to use fat and glycogen stores as an energy source. These metabolic processes are known as glycogenolysis, glycolysis and lipolysis.