Slow.

One Word Movie Reviews: Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game of Shadows is a post from: Digital Podcast

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Anyone who is hoping to travel outside their own country will need a valid passport. It is generally a good idea to try and implement the procedures for obtaining one as soon as possible. This will involve filling out an application form. You will also be required to provide identification that can be verified,along with documents to indicate nationality. Read on and stop wondering how long does it take to get your new passport.

Identification

There are certain types of identification that are acceptable. A current driving license can be used. Passports that have already been issued but are out of date will also be accepted. If you have some form of identification that has been certified by the government, you can submit this as proof of your identity.

Application Process

All application forms need to be correctly and legibly filled out. They should be accompanied by two photographs. These need to be recent. They should have been taken within a six-month time frame previous to making the application. They also need to be two inches square in size. If you’re replacing a stolen US online passport, you will need a different form.

Wait Time

If you are making your application by post, you can expect to wait longer for issue. If you are not in a hurry, this should not pose any problems for you. Generally, the time taken to do this will be between five to six weeks.

Fast Passport

There are other options if you do not have time to wait. An expediting service exists and can be used to get this document quicker. Going down this route means that there will be extra costs that will be added on. An issue can then happen in around two weeks.

Shipping Costs

Additionally, there will be shipping costs to be paid for a quicker issue. These are added on to compensate for the services that are used to get passports in a hurry. These charges do increase the total cost of issue quite significantly.

Peak Application Times

There are certain factors that must be taken into consideration when trying to estimate processing times. The main factor is the time of year. Seasonal travel is a time when there are more applications going in. Holiday periods mean that more people are travelling. In cases where there are many applications, eight weeks may have to pass before you get your travel document. This is in respect of mailed applications. When using an expediting service, expect a turnaround of anything from a few days to a week on top of normal processing times.

It is possible to obtain a passport in one day. This involves arriving at an office of issue, making an application and waiting for it to be issued. You can stop wondering and asking yourself how long does it take to get your United States passport by following one simple rule of thumb. It depends on how soon you want it. If you are willing to pay extra and up into hundreds of dollars, it is possible to have it in one day. It is also useful to bear in mind that time frames are estimates, and nothing can be guaranteed. You can also replace a stolen passport this way.

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As the year 2011 turns into a fond mix of gratitude and wonderful memories, I am incredibly fortunate to have you as part of our audience.

Laura and I wish everyone, both near and far, Merry times until we shortly ring in the year new.

@markjensen

NewMediaGear

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You might not want to wait until your family wants to travel to get valid travel documents for your children. Getting a US passport for kids can take some time so it can be helpful to get it done when you don’t yet need it. Since you’re the parent, it is your responsibility to make sure that your child’s application is done properly.

New Standards

In this context, a child is anyone under the age of sixteen years old. Even if your child already has one, these are the rules to follow if it will expire before your child reaches sixteen years old. The requirements have gotten increasingly detailed over the years as the federal government tries to minimize the risk of child trafficking.

Proof of Citizenship

You’ll have to prove your child is a US citizen. The easiest way to do this is provide a certified, long form copy of your child’s birth certificate. Other acceptable documents to prove citizenship include a valid US passport (not yet expired), certificate of naturalization, report of a birth abroad, or certification of a birth abroad.

Custodial Parent

You’ll also have to show that you have legal standing, either as their parents or legal guardian, to make this application for them. If any of the documents you use to prove US citizenship list both your names as the parents for the child, this document can serve as proof for both issues. However, if both the names of the parents aren’t on the proof of citizenship document, you’ll have to provide something else. This could be a court order that shows custody or guardianship, or it could be an adoption decree.

Requirements

A child can’t make an application without full parental consent. Normally, this means that both parents must show their consent. However, in recognition that there are complicated family statuses, there are specific requirements to follow in case there is only one legal parent or guardian. If that is your situation, you can consult at the table of parental consent, which is online, to determine your exact requirements.

Passport Agency

Whatever the family situation, at least one parent or the legal guardian must be present with the child to make the application at an authorized US passport agency. You’ll also need a filled out form of federal form DS-11, which you can get from any number of online sites. However, as the parent, you can’t sign this form before arriving or it won’t be valid. It can only be signed in front of the acceptance agent.

Federal Forms

Ideally, both parents will be present and sign the DS-11. If only one parent can be present with the child at the application appointment, you will have to submit a federal form DS-3053 as well, which is a notarized statement showing the absent parent’s consent for the application. There’s a different form for online passport renewal application.

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The ‘UNFLASH’ Link, just for our Apple Listeners!

The team at Blue Microphone still know how to get a reaction. The ‘reactor’ is a radical, albeit functional offering, bringing to mind visions of a Fringe alternate reality episode.

This mic is hefty. Arriving in a handsome, padded flight case, a nicely crafted ‘orbital’ shock mount and rare earth magnetically affixed blast filter are on-board.

Unconventional as it appears, I found the lighted, large and magnified rotary pattern switch to be a treat! Just by a glance, you’ll know which pattern is selected and how to reach the others. The blast filters magnets attach it to the capsule, but a quick twist below the filter allows you to alter it’s position; left/right, near/far.

Being an externally charged, large diaphragm condenser; the reactor requires 48 volts phantom power. After lighting it up, the reactor treated me to a full, crisp sound. This one, indeed, would make a fine voiceover microphone. The omni pattern was very pleasing, as it didn’t pull up the noise floor.

Reasonably priced and a great performer (not to mention a head turner), I found this one from Blue to be a sonic gem.

At publish date, street prices are 9.xx.

Listen in and let me know what you think?

@markjensen

NewMediaGear

The general assembly of the wheels of vehicles can be broken down into wheels, tires, rims and hubs. These chief components are the ones that leave your driving prints on the road and the ones that ensure your vehicle is still connected to the road. Together with your brakes, these assemblies are the primary articles where your life depends on when you travel. Because of the critical nature of wheels, it is important that you upgrade them regularly to maintain their precision performance and for you to travel safely.

If you’re thinking of fitting your vehicle with new set of wheels, it is important that you know what type of wheels you intend to replace with your original components. Nowadays, wheel and tire packages are not only meant to enhance the performance of vehicles. They are also considered as essential car integrations that improve the aesthetics of any vehicle. As a matter of fact, if you would walk down the aisle of auto parts stores you would definitely be faced with all kinds of wheels that you could think of. Hence, you could readily pick the ones that would go with your vehicle’s style and performance. Written below are some of the most notable types of rims which you might want to look at to aid you in your selection.

Steel wheels are perhaps the most basic form of rims that has been consistently used on many automobiles for years. Wheels that are made from steel are normally covered with hub caps for improved aesthetics and they are also acknowledged for their heavy weight, which makes them the wheels’ of choice for heavier vehicles and for off-road and winter driving. Although they are not as visually pleasing compared to other rims in the market today, many car owners still prefer using them due to their competitive pricing. Yet, the use of these wheels are slowly losing pace because of the introduction of inexpensive alloy rims in the market.

Alloy wheels or “mags” as they are popularly known are vehicle rims constructed from magnesium alloy or aluminum. Unlike steel rims that are heavy, alloy rims are lightweight in nature and are known for their durability, which in turn give vehicles increased handling performance and air circulation. They are also commonly used to enhance the aesthetics of automobiles and are good options to go for if you frequently drive around the metro.

If you’re after CX rims to focus more on the aesthetics of your ride, aside from steel and alloy, there are several other choices of wheels at hand such as chrome, spinner and billet. Chrome wheels are widely used in car shows because of their glossy exteriors and unique designs that they could easily pass on to the cars they are incorporated to. On the other hand, spinners have also become popular in the car show scene due to their appendages stemming from the vehicle hub that makes an optical illusion as though they are spinning even while the vehicle isn’t moving. Meanwhile, billet wheels are known for their durability since they are made from two pieces of solid aluminum, but unlike other wheels they cannot be painted nor plaited, which in turn could lend a rugged finish to your vehicle.

Before you actually jump into the rim upgrading process of your vehicle, you have to take into consideration that changing the wheels of your ride could profoundly impact the overall performance of your car either in a positive or negative way. With that said, even if you would like to go for chrome custom wheels or regular alloy rims, consider looking at the wheel specification of your car to appropriately determine what type of wheels will meet its rim fitment requirements. As much as possible ask for the advise of a professional mechanic before you make your choice. Always put in mind that your driving safety greatly depends on these wheel assemblies, so there should be no room for error when integrating these components on your vehicle.

The tires, rims, hubs and wheels of your automobile are what generally make-up your wheel assembly. Therefore, it is essential that you regularly upgrade your rims so as to maintain their functionality and to ensure that you will drive safely on the road. When changing your car alloy wheels, you have to pay special attention to what type of rims your car really needs. If you frequently use your vehicle for off-road driving, it would be more preferable to settle for steel wheels and rims. If you’re driving your vehicle in the city, it would be wiser to opt for alloy custom wheels to make it more lightweight and aesthetically pleasing.

It is important that you fit your car with appropriate set of rims. You have to understand that aside from rims are essential parts that could significantly affect the way your vehicle runs on the road. Before you swap the original alloy wheels of your vehicles for new aesthetically pleasing car rim, you have to know what type would go well on your vehicle. You could choose from steel, alloy, spinners and billet.

It’s coming up on Christmas and lots of people will be buying iPods, Kindles and other gadgets for their loved ones. I thought I might suggest a few ideas for the Geek Dad, which is probably what I qualify for.

In this version, I thought I would focus on some books I really enjoyed this year. Links are affiliate links that will show you where to get audiobook downloads, CDs, ebooks or good old books made from dead trees.

Here’s my list from my favorites this year. I’m cheating a bit because some of these are series, not just individual books.

1.) My favorite of the year has to be Daemon by Daniel Suarez. This is actually a two part book with the second book called Freedom (TM). This two book series is all about a mad scientist who dies and leaves behind a computer Daemon to take over and reform the world. Lots of good geek stuff, action and an fun plot. The book goes fast and the narrator in the audiobook version do a great job.

2.) Next in line is the Dark Tower series from Stephen King. The Dark Tower starts off with The Gunslinger and then continues with six more books. The first book introduces the gunslinger Roland Deschain of Gilead. Roland is kind of a knight of this other world. He pursues a man he sees as evil called the Man in Black and eventually learns that he must find his way to the Dark Tower to resolve his demons. This series is a masterpiece from Stephen King’s amazing mind. It will keep your Dad going for a long time.

3.) Moneyball is a winner from Michael Lewis. You probably saw the movie version, but the book is much better. It reveals inside the world of baseball and the main guy of the book Billy Beane. I really liked this book and recommend the audiobook to all who like a good story. I also like The Big Short and Boomerang by Michael Lewis as well. These two focus on the big financial mess of the past few years and explain what really happened. Excellent stuff if you ask me.

4.) Next up on my list is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Wow! What a story this one is. The main character is Louis Zamperini who in times of peace was a great athlete. But war comes along as Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and Louis like many others is pulled into the war. This book is his story. Zamperini endures things you won’t believe. It is a tail of a desperate struggle for survival in an environment of perpetual torture. Just when you think things can’t get any worse, they do. And it happens more than once. Zamperini survives and becomes something of an inspiration. This is the story that many of our grandfathers really endured. It’s definitely worth the time to listen or read the book.

5.) Last on my list, here’s something I enjoyed that will connect the fathers and daughters out there. The book is called The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is another sci-fi story of survival in the face of certain death. In this story, the hero is a teenage girl who must find a way to fight and survive. The book has two follow-on books in the saga. While it’s clearly targeted to teenage girls and can be a bit gushy at times, The Hunger Games is an action packed, well told story that I think just about everyone will like.

I hope you find your Dad some thing great for Christmas.

Five Books for the Geek Dad is a post from: Digital Podcast

Digital Podcast» Digital Podcast focuses on using new and social media to build real businesses.

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