Blade PC

A blade PC is a form of client or personal computer (PC). In conjunction with a client access device (usually a thin client) on a user's desk, the supporting blade PC is typically housed in a rack enclosure, usually in a datacenter or specialised environment. Together, they accomplish many of the same functions of a traditional PC, but they also take advantage of many of the architectural achievements pioneered by blade servers.

Description

Like a traditional PC, a blade PC has a CPU, RAM and a hard drive. It may or may not have an integrated graphics sub-system. Some can support multiple hard drives. It is in a “blade” form that plugs into an enclosure. Enclosures offered by current blade PC vendors are similar but not identical. Most have moved the power supplies, cooling fans and some management capabilities from the blade PC to the enclosure. Up to 14 enclosures can be placed in one industry standard 42U rack.

Blade PCs support one or more common operating systems (for instance Microsoft has created a “blade PC” version of their XP and Vista Business operating systems and many Linux distributions are installable). Importantly, these solutions are intended to support one user per discrete device. This is a major difference from server-based computing, which supports multiple users simultaneously using an application hosted on one discrete server (be it a discrete piece of hardware or a discrete virtual machine on a server).

Blade (archaeology)

In archaeology a blade is a type of stone tool created by striking a long narrow flake from a stone core.

Blades are defined as being flakes that are at least twice as long as they are wide and that have parallel or subparallel sides and at least two ridges on the dorsal (outer) side. Additionally, a tool must be part of an intentional blade industry in order to properly be considered a blade; tools which show the characteristics of blades through variation but are not intentionally produced with those characteristics are not considered true blades. Blades became the favoured technology of the Upper Palaeolithic era, although they are occasionally found in earlier periods. A soft punch or hammerstone is necessary in creating a blade and their long sharp edges made them useful for a variety of purposes. They were often worked to create scrapers or burins.

Cores from which blades have been struck are called blade cores and the tools created from single blades are called blade tools. Small examples (under 12 mm) are called microblades and were used in the Mesolithic as elements of composite tools. Blades with one edge blunted by removal of tiny flakes are called backed blade.

Blade (rapper)

Blade is a British rapper. His first single, "Lyrical Maniac (Raw Bass)", was recorded in 1989 and brought Blade to prominence in the then-fledgling British rap scene.

Early life

Born in the Armenian quarter of Iran, Blade came to London when he was 7. Because of the Iranian Revolution his family became unable to send money to support him. He remained in London, schooled in Blackheath, and spent a summer holiday in Hove with his brother and cousins who were studying there.

Blade started out as a break dancer and graffiti artist using the name Electron, before he was named "Blade" by a friend. The friend was later killed while painting graffiti on the underground, and Blade kept the name as a mark of respect.

His first contact with hip hop came in 1979. He began to write down the lyrics of songs he heard and performed them at school. The release of the Wild Style film made him realize hip hop's potential influence and made him determined to become part of the movement.

In 1986, he moved to New Cross. Unable to afford furniture or a social life, he spent time at home, writing lyrics and perfecting his style. During this time, that he wrote the track "Lyrical Maniac".

Marvel Anime

Marvel Anime is a series of four television anime series and two direct to video films produced in collaboration between Marvel Entertainment and Japanese animation studio Madhouse. The four twelve-episode series, based on Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade respectively, aired in Japan on Animax between October 2010 and September 2011. An English-language version aired in North America on G4 between July 2011 and April 2012. Each of the series, guided by writer Warren Ellis, largely features Japan as the setting for the storyline.

Premise

The project took top Marvel characters and reintroduced them for a Japanese audience via four 12-part series; Iron Man, Wolverine, X-Men, and Blade, which aired in Japan on Animax between October 2010 and September 2011. The announcement was confirmed at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con. According to former Madhouse President and CEO Jungo Maruta, Marvel gave the anime studio free rein to re-imagine the Marvel superheroes for Japanese audiences. An English version is currently airing in the United States on G4. The series was guided by Warren Ellis. "It will create an entire parallel universe for Marvel," said Simon Philips, president of Marvel International about Marvel Anime. The Marvel Anime series is being aired in Australia on Sci Fi.