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This morning I took my daughter to a swimming lesson at the local leisure centre. As usual, my best friend H and I went to the spectator area to see our beautiful little six-year-old selkie-girls performing mushroom floats, swimming on their backs, and venturing into the Deep End for the first time. As usual, the vending machine with the "Out of Order" notice was working perfectly, and as usual, the other vending machine - the one without an "Out of Order" notice - was out of order.
All was well with the world, until we saw him.
Now I'm not saying that every lifeguard should look like an extra from Baywatch. In fact, there are very few ideas more revolting in life than the idea of getting one of The Hoff's curly chest hairs stuck to your soft palate during a rescue. At the same time – and at the risk of sounding politically incorrect - I don't expect a lifeguard to be both obese AND asleep.
So, naturally, I was concerned. Any mother would be, and especially one with a diagnosed "general anxiety disorder". (Or as my partner prefers to call it, "a bottomless pit of need".) The only way this lifeguard was ever going to mount a successful rescue was if his vast orange body managed to displace all the pool water on contact, and only then, if he fu**ing woke up.
But of course, nothing happened. H and I sucked on our lukewarm decaff coffees from the functioning "out of order" vending machine and distracted ourselves with talk of mini apronectomies, rogue facial hairs, and (with increasing hysteria) the pros and cons of using urethral inserts during zumba lessons. We tried hard, oh so hard, to stop ourselves from staring at the human space-hopper squeezed into an unstable high chair at the edge of the pool, in defiance of the laws of gravity, and STILL asleep. Then, at the end of the half-hour lesson, we bundled our damp, happy little girls into our cars, strapped them in safely, and went home.


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Eddie Vedder + Natalie Maines Mark Anniversary of West Memphis 3 Release With 'Golden State'
Today marks the anniversary of something that many thought might never come. On Aug. 19, 2011, the three men known as "The West Memphis 3″ were finally freed from jail after serving 17 years behind bars for the murder of three young boys.
Over the years, the stories of Jessie Misskelley, Charles Baldwin, and Damien Echols were told in the 'Paradise Lost' documentary series, with many feeling they were wrongly convicted and not provided a fair trial. A number of musicians and celebrities started championing the cause to get their case heard again, and finally, last year, they were granted a new trial and freed.
Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder was one of many who supported the West Memphis 3 over the years, and in celebration of the occasion he took to the stage with the Dixie Chicks' Natalie Maines to record a duet of the John Doe song, 'Golden State.'
To mark the one year anniversary, that duet is currently available for download today on iTunes and at Pearl Jam's website, but you can also hear a stream of it at Rolling Stone's website. Proceeds will benefit the West Memphis 3 Freedom Fund.
In addition, iTunes is also offering pre-orders for Damien Echols' upcoming book, 'Life After Death,' which chronicles his 18 years of wrongful imprisonment. Place your orders here.

subset: commoncrawl


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Penn State's NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) announced its 2014-15 TL1 research fellowship opportunities for graduate students in areas relating to clinical and translational sciences.
The TL1 program is designed to extend students' knowledge and skills beyond their primary area of study, fostering a greater understanding and practice of patient-oriented, epidemiological, behavioral, outcomes and health services research that transitions scientific findings from laboratories to clinical settings to best practices in the community.
Successful applicants will be expected to enroll in Penn State's dual-title doctoral degree program in Clinical and Translational Sciences. Additional coursework is expected. The program is best suited for pre-doctoral students who have not completed their candidacy exam.
All TL1 scholars receive a monthly stipend and tuition support from Aug. 1, 2014 through July 30, 2015. Applications should be submitted electronically through the CTSI website and are due by Feb. 3, 2014.
For more information, visit http://ctsi.psu.edu/ or contact the TL1 program administrator Mardi Sawyer, email@example.com, 717-531-1286.


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Thanh Tuyen
Thanh Tuyen's real name is Nguyen Nhu Mai. She was born on October 29 in Dalat. Her family moved to Saigon where she attended Bui Thi Xuan and Le Van Duyet high school. Thanh Tuyen's famous sibling is Son Tuyen. She is also Shayla's mom. In 1979, Thanh Tuyen's family came to the United States and settled in Washington and then Houston, Texas.
As a child, Thanh Tuyen demonstrated a nack for singing and performance. At the age of five, against the wishes of her parents, she studied music with an uncle. Consequently, she was often disciplined for being so defiant. She later studied music under Mr. Manh Phat. She first sang publicly at Thong Nhat Theater in Saigon at the age of 7. She received many praises for this performance and the newspapers at the time gave her the title, "Nhu Mai The Prodigy". In her words, "I only wanted to have a voice like the sound of a stream to bathe the masses". Thanh Tuyen also plays the guitar, dances, acts, and sings Vo.ng Co^?.
In 1964, after signing an exclusive contract with Continental studio, she recorded the hit Chie^`u Mu+a Bie^n Gio+'i by Mr. Nguyen Van Dong. Almost overnight, Thanh Tuyen became a household name. That same year, she received recording awards from South Vietnam's recording industry.
When asked about her source of influence, Thanh Tuyen states that she really does not model after any artist or style. In fact, she just sings the way she feels. She claims that when she performs, the music and her emotions become one. Although she added that she does choose her music carefully to meet the demand of her audience.
After 30 years in show business, Thanh Tuyen has countless stories from her years on the road singing to entertain the troops, singing at night clubs, on stages from central to south Vietnam, as well as in various parts of the United States and the world. She added that "each of the performances brings back a special memory that is forever inscribed in her heart, and that she feels the love in her audience on each of those occasions". Her three most memorable songs are No^~i Buo^`n Hoa Phu+o+.ng, Ru+`ng La' Tha^'p and Ha`n Ma.c Tu+?.
Thanh Tuyen often stays in touch with her fans through meetings after her many performances. She is not camera shy and often takes pictures with her fans. Fans can write to her at following address: P.O. BOX 9132, Fountain Valley, CA 92728-9132. In her spare time, she likes to read, studies the Buddhist scriptures, plays tennis, listens to foreign music and to her friends' music. She occasionally surfs the net. As for favorite food, Thanh Tuyen likes all kinds of vegetables and rice.
She is currently working on her latest CD A'o Hoa. She is also taping her video titled Tie^'ng Ha't Thanh Tuye^`n, a collection of work to commemorate her farewell to the stage.
As for the future, upon leaving the life of a performer, Thanh Tuyen wishes to do volunteer work for the needy, spend time to meditate to achieve inner peace, but she added that "this is all contingent on her dissolving debts (responsibilities) to all in her family".


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April 19, 2009
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Yale went to Cambridge, Mass. on Saturday for the annual Harvard-Yale dual meet. It seemed to go well: it was the first meet of the season for the Bulldogs in which it did not rain (though it threatened to), and nearly everyone competed, which has not happened for the past few weeks. Though the Bulldogs competed strongly in many events, the points did not show how close it was. Yale ended the meet with 61 points to Harvard's 101.
As captain Jennifer Lin said, "It was bizarre. We competed really well as a whole team. It seemed a lot closer than it ended up being on paper."
Sophomore thrower Stephanie Scaramella earned the most points for the Bulldogs today: she won the shot put and the hammer throw and came in second in the discus throw, making a total of 13 points. Scaramella was also the highest scorer at this event last year as a freshman with 11 points.
Sophomore Rachel Kuschner won the discus throw in 39.92 meters to complete Yale's sweep of the throws.
Junior Bailey Carroll won the pole vault (3.20 meters), and senior Bryna Harrington came in third for a great first throw this season.
Yale had some exciting races in the running events. Junior Claudia Duncan ran the 400-meter dash in a close race, but held on in the last stretch to win in 56.32 seconds, less than .2 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, and less than .2 seconds over the ECAC qualifying time.
Lin won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:03.09, which is less than a second above ECAC standards.
The 4x400-meter relay team (Lin, sophomore Jennifer Parker, Grace and junior Faith Briggs) won their event easily in 3:53.17. The team qualified to run at ECAC championships several weeks ago at Colonial Relays.
Yale had some great performances in long distance events. Freshman Anne Lovelace won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 11:02.50 for a personal best.
Sophomore Kate Grace won the 1,500-meter run in a personal record less than half an hour after anchoring the 4x100 meter relay. It was an exciting race, and Grace finished strong in 4:30.31 - a good two seconds faster than her last time, which was good to qualify for the ECAC championships.
Junior Alexandra Cadicamo ran a great race to come in third in the 3,000-meter run in 10:05.83, recording another personal best for the Bulldogs.
Competing against Harvard is always exciting for the Bulldogs.
"This meet is especially competitive because it's one-on-one and it has so much history behind it," Lin explained.
Harvard had a lot of good performances in the sprints, and had a deeper field in some events. This meet showed the Bulldogs what the Crimson have, and started to prepare them for the Heptagonal Championships at Penn May 9th-10th.
Select Bulldogs will be running at Penn Relays this Thursday through Saturday, and then will all return home for the Springtime Invitational at Yale next Sunday the 26th.
Report by Kyle Eichner '12, Yale Sports Publicity


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Standard ECMA-316
8 mm Wide Magnetic Tape Cartridge for
Information Interchange - Helical Scan Recording - VXA-1 Format
2nd edition (December 2001)
This Ecma Standard specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics of an 8 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge to enable physical interchange of such cartridges between drives. It also specifies the quality of the recorded signals, the recording method and the recorded format called VXA-1, and thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means of such magnetic tape cartridges.
This Ecma Standard specifies three types depending on the length of magnetic tape contained in the case, referred to as Type A, Type B and Type C.
Information interchange between systems also requires, at a minimum, agreement between the interchange parties upon the interchange code(s) and the specifications of the structure and labelling of the information on the interchanged cartridge.
If compression is used with this format, it shall be according to Standard ECMA-222.
The following file can be freely downloaded:
This Ecma publication is also approved as ISO/IEC 20062.
The previous replaced "historical" edition of this Ecma Standard is available here.


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Setup experience that is a breeze
Flat intuitive UI
Experience a modern UI built on single web page architecture. Get easier access to all the power of the LMS without navigating multiple pages. A friendly user interface and fast application performance make working with this LMS a breeze.
Manage competencies
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One-click publish using Adobe Captivate
Get your training content out to your learners with minimum effort, thanks to content-LMS integration that is virtually plug and play. Track multi-format eLearning content, such as PPTX, video, PDF, and DOCX files and xAPI-, AICC-, and SCORM-compliant packages.
Smart assignment using enroller
Assign roles, courses, and learning programs to teams and individuals in a jiffy. Simplify user selection by using metadata, such as role, manager, department and location to quickly identify an individual or a group.
Easy set-up of learning structure
Create structured learning by combining reusable modules into courses. Combine virtual or live classrooms and eLearning courses into learning programs and certifications that focus on skill development, onboarding and compliance.
Hand-holding videos & support
Access 30+ help videos from within the product for step-by-step assistance on setting up your LMS. Get onboarded faster with our online help center and 24X7 phone support.
Learning Plan
Auto-assign learning activities based on dates or events, such as skill achievement, completion, entry, exit, role, and location change. Orchestrate branched learning based on the outcome of the previous learning activity.
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Ensure that your organization is up to date and compliant by automatically reassigning certifications when they expire. Offer certifications based on completion of designated courses, learning programs, and approved external activities hosted by third parties.
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Group modules as you want to create structured courses, learning programs, and curricula. Keeping your organizational learning and certifications current and consistent is as easy as updating the modules and saving them as new versions.
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Give learners personal dashboards that they can customize using drag and drop widgets. Let them view completed, pending, and recommended courses, skills attained, badges received, and details of activities to earn more badges and points. The dashboard launches a leaderboard where learners can compare their performance to peers.
Choice of language, format and delivery type
Allow your learners to change their language or format anytime while taking the course and also select a delivery type based on the learning style that works best for the individual — eLearning, instructor-led training, or virtual classroom.
Learners can personalize the learning recommendations they want to receive from the LMS based on must-have skills required to do well in their current job or new skills for an aspirational role they are targeting within the team or in another function.
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Enhance retention by allowing learners to bookmark and create revision notes. Notes can be taken in real-time and span across multiple modules. These notes act like microlearning bytes that learners can email to themselves for easy access.
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Generate learner transcripts to track the learning history of individuals or teams. Managers and administrators can download transcript data and choose from predefined pivot tables to create reports on learning progress, course enrollment, completion details, and skills achieved.
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Enterprise experience that is scalable
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Upgrade the skills and drive the effectiveness of your partner organizations by extending your learning programs to your vendors and sales partners. Customize objectives and track outcomes of each partner organization as a separate group.
Provide your departments, divisions, or clients with their own instance of LMS, which they can customize, brand, administer, and manage while sharing seats, catalogs and reports.
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Use a step-by-step wizard to move your existing LMS users, content, and learning data to Adobe Captivate Prime. Migrate using iterative sprints, and get complete visibility on the status of each sprint to ensure that your learners experience zero downtime while you are migrating your legacy data to Adobe Captivate Prime.
API layer
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The applications and online services are not available in all countries or languages, may require user registration and may be subject to change or discontinuation without notice. Additional fees or subscription charges may apply.


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I'm brand loyal to Canon.
I use to have the Rebel Xti, I upgraded to the XSi (which got stolen at work). So i'm finally getting around to replacing it!
I'm looking at the Canon t3i or going back to my XSi. Does anyone here have an opinion, or own the t3i?
I've read that the t3i is really slow. Does anyone have this problem?
You are hereForums › General › Photography › Upgrading DSLRs, Opinions?
Upgrading DSLRs, Opinions?
I'm brand loyal to Canon.
I can't wait to see what responses you get... I'm a big Canon fan, too, and have been eyeing the t3i as well.
hmmm.... I'm a Nikonian.... but I know that putting more money to some fast glass will make the biggest difference of all! not sure what lenses you already own, but maybe stick with the XSi and get some new lenses? DPreview is always a good source for reviews...
Yea... like Jaclyn, I'm a Nikon girl myself and do very similar. I don't spend my money upgrading my body as when I want to do/learn something new and different... I just invest in buying a new lens. I use to buy the fancy filters too, but found there was only one I liked and really ever used consistently and that is this one: Hoya 77mm DMC PRO1 Digital Circular Polarizer Glass Filter I paid $130 used several years back, but you can get them now for about $100 new. I will say though if I were ever going to step away from Nikon it would be for a Canon, most likely. This is what I got for my hubby when he wanted a point & shoot that would do it simply, but allow him nice manual and macro features in a compact form.
I'm specific to Canon sensors, and the ability to use a variety of lenses across "time" (meaning, no adapters needed).
I currently have NO dslr, as when my bag got taken...everything was inside. Except the tripod, of course.
Shawna, I completely agree though. I don't much look at upgrading a body (as if I had a dslr at the moment) unless my sensor was failing, or I was having other mechanical problems.
I, as well, am a Canon girl all the way!
I currently have the T2i my current "go to" portrait lens is the 85mm 1.8
Of course my wish list included the 70-200 2.8
and a 24-70 2.8 as well!
I have to admit I really want the 5d..
The question is which one to save for first but I will let sale prices dictate that or if I am able to snatch one up slightly used. I am more then half way there in my saving so if my holiday portraits pick up more I may get there by Christmas!
I shoot with a canon 7d. My 2 lenses are the 50 mm 1.8 and the 70-200L II 2.8. I REALLY badly want to get the 24-27L 2.8. It's on my wish list along with maybe a full frame body...
When you mention that you heard the T3i is 'slow'.... do you mean 'frames per second'? If you're looking for something faster, you could look into the 50D, I have that and the 7D. The 7D is WAY faster (but also more expensive), but the 50D was my body for several years shooting wildlife photography.
Love my Fuji - 30X Optical zoom - 16 mpx -
Love the burst mode, it takes several pics in a row. It is nice to be able to pick the best shots. It also captures expresions that otherwise would not capture.
I am very interested in reading the responses on this thread...I am a Canon girl, all the way. I've had many "point and shoot" cameras and then went to my starter DSLR being the XSI, I am now looking to upgrade it and am looking at the Canon T3i or the 60D. I would like to hear what opinions you all have on either or both or which is best? I would appreciate the help, thank you so much.
@Reba I recently was upgrading from a Canon Rebel XSI and after reading many reviews and opinions finally decided on a Canon T4i. LOVE it! Still have a lot to learn but it is far superior to my XSI. Last weekend took a class on manual shooting and that was an eye opener-learned so much! I ended up with the T4i vs the 60D as I am not a professional and from the reviews I read there were a lot of professionals that felt that the T4i was quite sufficient - they gave praises for the T4i. As I never plan to become a pro I decided that the T4i would provide me with all the bells and whistles that I needed.
I shoot a 5d mk2 and i have say the full frame sensor is nice... but not entirely necessary. Important to remember too .. 5d doesnt have a pop up flash... I agree that lenses are where id put MY money ... lenses are what makes the 'magic' happen!!
I know this is an older thread but I was wondering what the turn out was. I am in the market for a DSLR and am torn between a couple that are on sale this week. The T3i for $600, the T4i for $650 or the Nixon d3100 for $450. They all come with the same type of lenses. I think that I am leaning towards the T4i from the reviews but the Nixon is such a great deal. Any help is appreciated!
@Emily I recently got the T4i upgrading from a Rebel XSI. So far I really like it. When I did my research I found that many professionals lean toward Canon. Some have both. I just went to a manyakl shooting class and most in it had Canons. Be sure as to whether you want Canon or Nikon. My sister wanted a new camera and considered getting a Canon as that is what her daughter in law had but she has invested in several lenses and that made a deciding factor to get another Nikon. I do know that one of the advantages of the T4i is that it does take video so you might want to consider that.
@ Janet thanks for the advice. If you don't mind me asking which lense(s) do you have with your T4i? I know that some are better than other but do you like yours or which is your favorite.
I have three..the 18-55 IS (image stabilizer) which came with it, a 55-250mm IS and I recently got a 50mm 1:1.4 when I bought my T4i. I got the 50mm after reading the Clickin Moms blog, it seems by the reviews to be a good "universal" lens to use. My only problem with that is the learning curve with not having a zoom lens. I have to be farther away when taking family impromptu pics. Also, many times they have a "bundle" option which would include the 55-250mm lens for a bit more money and I would highly suggest it if you can afford. There is nothing like being able to take that distance photo! Something else to consider....I did invest in a Speedlite 580EXII flash. Although I don't use it all the time (probably should-have to increase my expertise with flash photography) but there are times that it comes in really handy. I wanted to get the coast of San Francisco with all the lights before sunrise when returning from a cruise and it was just a black blah with the camera's flash but when I put on my Speedlite it was gorgeous! Maybe something to put on your wish list. One other thing, although they are expensive, I would make sure to get at least one extra battery also - you don't want to be without "power." I had two backups with my Rebel but only got one extra this time (it was about $80) - until I have the money for a second backup. I also only get the Canon products even though other brands may be a little less money. Hope this helps.
@ Janet Thanks for all of the information!!! I think that I am going to get the t4i this week. I also have heard good things about the 55mm as well. That is a good idea to get a back up battery for just incase moments that always seem to happen.
I did it! I bought the T4i and I love it!! Thanks for all of the info Janet!
Great Emily! Now the challenge is to learn to shoot manually! LOL, I am still trying to do that! While working on manual shooting, make sure you also take the auto focus pics or you could be sad! We had a tea and I was so glad I did both because I need a lot of work with the manual shooting!


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|Join hundreds of other Developers and InfoSec professionals for Training, Sessions and Community at our first conference of 2019
[AppSec Tel Aviv, May 26-30th]
GlobalMembershipCommittee Notes 20090820
From OWASP
Meeting #6 - Thursday, August 20, 2009
- Michael Coates (host)
- Dan Cornell
- Kate Hartmann
- Stephen Craig Evans
Minutes (16:00 - 16:45 EDT)
- General catch up
- Kate shared with the group the labor-intensive process of shipping out membership kits; including her time, the cost exceeds the available 30 USD per member.
- Current individual membership count is just over 700 and was 652 on August 06.
- Discussed having a Membership Committee presence at the AppSec DC conference November 10-13th. Kate volunteered to be there and do something after the initial rush of registration on the first day; note that she is the only person that can process credit cards on the spot.
- Discussed situations that required voting and who should qualify.
- Electing a board member - electing a 6th Board Member has been discussed - should be done by current OWASP contributors, which include: (1) Paid Members; (2) Board Members; (3) Chapter Leaders; (4) Committee Members; and (5) Project Leaders of active projects as determined by the Global Projects Committee (if somebody belongs to more than one group, they still have only one vote).
- Excluding for board membership, other elections should have a broader base of voters - perhaps including non-member chapter meeting attendees.
- Kate will present the committee's recommendations at the next Board Meeting.
- Discussed getting more organization supporters, focusing on conference sponsors.
- Agreed to have a monthly meeting on the last Thursday of every month at 10 a.m. ET (United States).


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Facelift service is now called Makeover
If you have an existing Facelift project, you can still receive help, but the name of the program has been changed from "Facelift" to "Makeover". It's still the same service, and we'll help you migrate your account.
For assistance, you can call (480) 366-3344 or book online.


text:
We will beat any price on this model!
Call us at 1-800-710-9939
The WineMate 1500HTD Wine Cooling Unit offers the latest innovations in climate control for wine cabinets and cellars. A digital controller with a blue LED display lets you easily adjust and monitor the temperature as well as regulate the humidity. It also features off cycle defrost and evaporator fan control. Connected to a Modbus RTU compatible monitoring unit, the digital controller can be managed from a computer or remote device over an intranet/internet connection.
The cooling unit is optimized for better distribution of cold air and features an exchangeable discharge grille that allows for front, back and down cold air flow. An oversized evaporator provides subtle cooling from 50°F to 65°F, while an unique condensate drain tray provides humidity control. Extra insulation provides both thermal and noise isolation. The standard rear hot air exhaust can be upgraded to a top venting exhaust. Self-contained and ready for use, the cooling unit is easy to install and maintain.
|Enclosure Volume
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At the beginning of the online interactive adventure featurette "Dark Ride," a warning pops up on the screen: "The following action is based on fantasy, not reality." While the plot line makes that seem obvious enough, there is far more to the story than meets the eye.
The film, which is available on www.lexusdarkride.com, is intended as a marketing piece for the automaker's new Lexus CT 200h, which will be released early next year. But, it is so much more. In fact, the film, a little more than 12 minutes long, is a high-quality production, shot in high definition. The objective is to pique user interest in the new 200h premium-compact hybrid, touted as the first of its kind. So, what better way to extol the virtues of the car than with a campaign that is a unique hybrid, as well—on more than one level.
The Web movie—which can be viewed at full screen—plays out like a scene from a feature film or game cinematic, with high-octane car chases that unfold during a drive that takes viewers on a trip along a deserted stretch of highway to dark city streets. Yet, integrated into the film are a number of interactive decision points, whereby you, the viewer, are prompted to make choices that will drive the action in a certain direction and even affect the outcome. In a number of scenes, you also have the ability to extend the first-person camera point of view to pan farther to the left or right for a more immersive experience. The filmmakers added even more depth to the narrative by allowing you to insert your picture and voice into the sequences.
Lexus has rolled out a hybrid film/game experience that enables potential customers to experience its upcoming CT 200h luxury-hybrid vehicle. Everything in the featurette was filmed live action except for the CT 200h, which is CG.
From a technical point of view, the featurette was shot live action, with actual actors in the roles of the various characters. The scenery is real, too. What isn't real, though, is the star of the movie: the Lexus CT 200h. That's because the car had not yet been manufactured, and an exterior production model was unavailable for this project. So, the decision was made to create the vehicle using computer graphics.
"With 'Dark Ride,' we are creating a unique visual test-drive opportunity so consumers can experience this hybrid [vehicle], which is like no other, months before it is available at dealerships," says Dave Nordstrom, Lexus vice president of marketing. "In [the movie], consumers play a co-starring role, as the fun-to-drive CT 200h is put through its paces. By guiding the driver and the vehicle through a series of adventures, customers will be exposed to 'The Darker Side of Green,' which is completely different than the way hybrids are usually portrayed."
Driving the concept and creative direction for this unique film-meets-game experience was Skinny, with James Brown directing. Stink handled the digital production, with Aris McGarry (Gone in Sixty Seconds, Kalifornia) for Stink serving as producer. Speedshape did the visual effects and postproduction.
Without question, this is not your father's automobile, nor is it your mother's advertising/marketing campaign. In addition to combining the thrill of a high-production film with the latest in interactive technology, the movie taps into today's popular social media and uses the latest computer tools to immerse you in the adventure.
According to Jonas Hallberg, chief creative officer at Skinny, Lexus is positioning this car for a new audience and a new market segment. "They wanted a fresh, new approach to reach this younger audience, compared to what they currently have," he says. To this end, the carmaker was looking for an innovative way for a young, technology-savvy, progressive audience to experience the CT 200h months before the vehicle was available to the public.
At top is the practical production model of the car's interior (called a "buck"), which was shot on a soundstage. At bottom is the stand-in vehicle used in the action scenes on set. That car was later digitally replaced by a CG version of the new Lexus, which is still in production.
Before embarking on the mission, you are prompted to link the experience to your Facebook photo (located automatically through under-the-hood technology). You are also asked to pose so your Webcam can snapshot a photo, and your voice is recorded while answering a handful of questions—all under the guise of providing you with the proper documentation for this mission. Your information is later integrated into the film's story line. If you choose not to perform the above tasks, then the experience still progresses, although your handler, who is prepping you, comments on your unwillingness to provide these identification sources. Then, at certain points throughout the drive, personal touches are inserted—for instance, your photo appears on the car's audio console screen as your voice recording begins—based on the culled information.
Behind the scenes, the personalized imagery and sound are pulled into the film using Adobe's Flash. Two servers run in the background: one for the film experience and the other for storing the person's image and recorded lines. Flash is resident on the Lexus site where the experience lives, and calls for the image and recordings as needed.
After the initial prompts, the movie begins—and the action is already in overdrive. You are inside a moving helicopter when the handler's voice informs you that earlier that day, the opposition has tried to steal the company's hybrid technology, then asks for help, adding that Tony, an independent driver, has been brought in to assist, too. You are implored to make all the decisions so Tony can concentrate on what he does best, drive, and get the car to Los Angeles in one piece. After this briefing, the helicopter lands, and you make your way to a waiting vehicle. Tony orders you to get in, and with your new partner behind the wheel, you're off. Thus, the adventure begins.
"All the stunts were done for real," says Hallberg of the featurette's live action.
You also assume a major role in the production, riding shotgun
beside Tony (played by actor Norman Reedus) as you head from the Nevada desert to a Los Angeles safe house, trying to protect the car's trade secrets from several tough guys who want to get their hands on the new prototype.
"You are the hero," Brown says of the unique nature of the ambitious project, which, to the best of his knowledge, breaks new ground.
Tony, as well as the baddies, look as if they just stepped out of a TV or movie drama. The wise-guy villains project a Sopranos-like attitude. The chase scenes could be straight out of the latest Hollywood action flick, the interactivity from a popular triple-A game title. In fact, the production quality of this Internet piece is on par with those types of projects. That's because a large portion of the movie was filmed with Red Digital Cinema's new RED One Mysterium-X HD camera, which was a prototype at the time of the shoot. Smaller Canon cameras were used to capture supporting footage for the visual content in the side mirrors of the car.
Speedshape developed special tracking markers for the stand-in car that would work in the low-light environment.
Most of the time, the camera in the movie reflects your POV from the passenger seat, allowing you to gaze at all the car's interior offerings (this is done subtly, as you are focused on your mission) as well as see the action unfolding outside the car. Inside the vehicle, a wider viewing angle lets you pan left or right, akin to actually sitting in the vehicle and turning your head from side to side. Other times in the movie, the camera cuts to a third-person POV, providing a better look at the unfolding scene.
The scenes were shot using two different methods over six days. All the vehicles are practical, except for the CT 200h. For the exterior shots on location, cameras were mounted onto a surrogate tracking vehicle that had the same wheelbase and wheel track as the new car. (The stand-in was later replaced with a photoreal computer-generated version of the new Lexus.)
Meanwhile, the interior car shots, including those with Tony, were filmed on a soundstage at Fox Studios against greenscreen using a prototype model of the CT 200h's interior (situated within a box-like casing), then composited within the live action.
In the film, when you are in the car, you are seeing footage from four different cameras. On location, the surrogate vehicle was outfitted with a RED camera, which was mounted on the front of the vehicle facing forward. Attached was a 6mm lens for capturing the 210-degree environment the car was traveling in. This footage was later undistorted and merged with RED, 6mm footage captured on the soundstage of the car's interior.
As Hallberg explains, the 6mm lens was key, as it enabled DP Claudio Miranda (Oscar nominee for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and DP for the upcoming TRON: Legacy) to capture a 210-degree scene, basically "seeing" slightly behind itself. Another big factor was the RED Mysterium-X camera itself: "It was the bomb!" says Brown.
"We spent a lot of time up-front trying to figure out how to look around inside the car and still have good-quality imagery," says Hallberg. "We only had a few days before the shoot when we found the RED camera—this is a brand-new one that makes it easier to shoot in low light, which allowed us to have a 6mm lens and still get sufficient light for our shoot. We didn't need any [additional] exterior lighting."
In post, the crew "undistorted" the footage shot with the 6mm lenses. Then, the 6mm RED footage from the front bumper was blended with the 6mm RED footage from the soundstage. (The soundstage cameras were situated at head level, where a passenger would be seated, so when you are sitting inside the car in the featurette, you can see the interior of the car and the action outside.) "All the POV segments were done with the 6mm lens, says Connor Meechan, VFX supervisor from Speedshape.
Using the new RED Mysterium-X camera with a 6mm lens enabled the crew to capture a 210-degree scene used to give the "rider" a wide field of view.
Two additional RED cameras captured the action from various angles as the surrogate car travels through the locations. Two Canon cameras, meanwhile, were mounted on the side rearview mirrors looking backward; that footage was later used in the rearview mirrors. The Cannons were later tilted upward to capture the light sources on the set; this was then used to project the light back onto the interior model on the soundstage. On the greenscreen stage, the imagery that was recorded on location was projected back over a screen fastened horizontally over the interior model.
"We effectively lit the car in the studio with a projection of the real, existing lights on location. Consequently, it all matches and looks great," says Brown. "We wanted people to feel like it was the real thing."
Of course, pulling this switcheroo would have been impossible without the photorealistic car model. "The model couldn't be too perfect or it would look like it was created in CG and not belong in the environment," Hallberg notes.
Speedshape was the driving force behind the digital vehicle. Rather than model the vehicle, the artists there acquired the actual CAD data for the car and used their proprietary tool to tessellate it. In addition, they utilized Autodesk's 3ds Max for the animation, texturing, and lighting. Also part of the pipeline was the Chaos Group's V-Ray render engine, The Foundry's Nuke for compositing, and Assimilate's Scratch for the DI and color. Finishing was done in Autodesk's Flame.
"The challenge for us was to get all the imagery through and not have it look CG—the level of quality had to be such that people could not tell whether it was digital or not," says Meechan. "We do this type of work all the time, but had to take it up a notch for this."
Ambient lighting for the scene was captured on location using HDRI spherical panoramas.
"We've been working with the auto industry for many years, and we have developed a process whereby we can import the raw CAD data and clean the surface, taking all the heavy stuff from the back and tessellating the front surface, which is what we use for rendering and animation," explains Meechan. "We also have built an extensive library of paint shaders over the years."
While Speedshape's pipeline is well tuned to handle hard, shiny objects, it wasn't quite ready for the RED introduction. "The Mysterium-X RED camera was new—it wasn't even available yet—so it took a bit of doing to integrate the latest build into our pipeline," Meechan adds. "Assimilate gave us a hand with that."
In order to seamlessly insert the CG into the scene, the crew at Speedshape used The Pixel Farm's PFTrack for 3D camera tracking and matchmoving.
Ilya Astrakan, CG supervisor at Speedshape, developed special tracking markers, built from LED pucks and Styrofoam balls, which were placed on the stand-in vehicle. "The shoot was at dusk, magic hour, and a lot of the conventional tracking markers do not work well in low-light situations like that," Meechan explains. Moreover, time was tight between takes, so they didn't have the ability to swap out tracking markers when shooting the wide and tight shots of the vehicle. "The markers had to support all types of shots," he adds.
For the close-ups, a black cross was added to the marker, so when the vehicle was close in the frame, the exposure of the LED marker would blow out and become too large, and the tracking software would lock onto the Xs in the white background.
In all, Meechan estimates that 90 percent of the shots were tracked. In addition, there were some fully animated shots. One of these occurs two-thirds of the way through the featurette, in the tunnel, when Tony drives up on the curve while seemingly trapped. "They didn't want the stunt guys to do it because it was a bit dangerous, so we did the scene in 3D," he says.
Editing was done on Avids by Stink personnel at the Speedshape offices in Los Angeles. Not surprising, editing this was different from editing a typical movie, says Hallberg. "Usually you have one linear story, but here you have a number of tracks," he says. As Brown notes, everyone who experiences the film has a varied adventure. "That makes it different as a film, but also as an editing experience. You [the viewer] are effectively editing it yourself," he adds.
The group took the process one step at a time, editing the linear segments and then, at each interactive moment, editing the three versions (which are dependent on what the viewer chooses to do). The overall length of the film varies based on how fast the viewer makes those interactive decisions.
"We don't know when you are going to click and what you will click (for choices), so we needed to load a lot of different assets, even though some of them will not be used based on your decisions. We had to find a way to do that and not lose bandwidth," says Hallberg. "It was a technical challenge, but I think we managed. The film will run fine as long as you have a sufficient bandwidth connection."
Unquestionably, the spot is new and geared for today's driver. Yet, the starting point, according to Hallberg, was not determined by what was new. "Lexus explained that this was the first fun-to-drive luxury hybrid, and we wanted to focus on the 'fun to drive' aspect first and the hybrid second," he says. "Because the car was not made yet, we wondered, 'How could we give you a driving experience, when you cannot drive it yet?' We wanted viewers to feel the fun of the drive, so we put them in the navigator's seat and let Tony, a professional, handle things."
And he definitely takes viewers on a thrilling ride. And while the experience is exciting for the viewer, it was an even wilder ride for the production and VFX crews.
Karen Moltenbrey is the chief editor for Computer Graphics World


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Tarayıcınız güncel görünmüyor.
KLM.com'un tüm özelliklerini güvenli biçimde kullanmak için, tarayıcınızı güncellemenizi veya farklı bir tarayıcı seçmenizi öneririz. Bu versiyon ile devam etmeniz web sitesinin bazı bölümlerinin düzgün biçimde görüntülenmemesine yol açabilir. Ayrıca, kişisel bilgileriniz güncellenmiş bir tarayıcı ile daha iyi korunabilir.
Hamburg's extensive public transport system consists of the U-Bahn (subway), the S-Bahn (suburban train), buses and harbour ferries, and makes getting around without a car pleasurable and easy. The U-Bahn is excellent and serves the whole city centre; it connects with the S-Bahn that services the suburbs, and this train network is the fastest way to get around the city. Buses are also convenient and night buses operate in the downtown area. Taxis are generally less expensive than in other German cities and are available at all hours. It is possible to hire a car but parking in some areas of the city, like the famous Reeperbahn, is extremely difficult to find and makes driving stressful. Like most cities in Germany it is possible to hire bicycles at very little cost and this is a fun way to get around. Parts of the city are best explored on foot and it is generally considered a safe city, but it is worth taking good care of your possessions when walking and using public transport.
GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the last Sunday in October).
220-230 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
The unit of currency is the Euro (EUR), divided into 100 cents. ATMs and exchange bureaux are widely available. The major credit cards are becoming more widely accepted in large shops, hotels and restaurants, although Germans themselves prefer to carry cash. The quickest and most convenient way to change money is to obtain cash from one of the ATM machines that are ubiquitous features on all German streets. Banks are closed on weekends, but exchange bureaux at airports and main railway stations are open daily.
The international access code for Germany is +49. Telephone numbers in Germany can range from four to nine digits. There are surcharges on international calls made from hotels; it is often cheaper to use public telephone boxes in post offices, which use phone cards. The local mobile phone operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns.
Emergencies: 110 (Police); 112 (Ambulance/Fire)
Everything about travel documents
Hamburg Airport is accessible by S-Bahn which takes 25 minutes to get from the airport to central Hamburg. Buses service the city centre and other suburban areas. Taxis are readily available outside both terminals; they take around 30 minutes to get to the city centre.
Avis, Europcar, Hertz, National and Sixt, among others, are represented at the airport.
Taxis are readily available outside both terminals. They take around 30 minutes to get to the city centre.
The terminals are connected and both can be explored on foot.
There are several restaurants, shops, bars and cafes throughout the airport, as well as banks, currency exchange and ATMs in Terminals 1 and 2. There is wifi access in all terminals. Disabled facilities are good; passengers with special needs should contact their airline in advance.
Short-term parking is charged at about €1 every 20 minutes up to €22 (P1 and P2) or €25 (P4 and P5) per day. Long-term parking is charged at between €70 and €150 per week.
Wifi access is free for the first hour; thereafter it's charged with a nominal fee.


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EUROPEAN UNION ERASMUS MUNDUS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NEPALESE STUDENTS - Bachelors, Masters, Phd, Post Doc Levels
Erasmus Mundus Europe Asia (EMEA) is a scholarship programme for students on undergraduate, master, doctoral and post-doctoral level as well as for university staff in academic or administrative positions, financed by the European Commission.
The scholarship programme is open to nationals in Nepal, Bangladesh, China, India and Pakistan who want to study or work at one of the European partner universities.
The on-line application is open between November 1 - December 15, 2010.
More details, click on the link: http://nepalscholars...-nepalese-2011/
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for Nepali Students 2011
Started by Avee, Dec 06 2010 09:30 PM
No replies to this topic
Posted 06 December 2010 - 09:30 PM
Most people think, great God will come from the skies,
Take away everything, and make everybody feel high.
Take away everything, and make everybody feel high.
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This article comes to us courtesy of California Watch
Smoking pot as a teenager can double a man's risk of getting testicular cancer.
But cocaine use can reduce the risk by half.
These are just some of the conclusions a team of researchers at the University of Southern California came to after interviewing more than 350 men, 163 of whom had been diagnosed with testicular cancer, about recreational drug use.
"We do not know what marijuana triggers in the testes that may lead to carcinogenesis, although we speculate that it may be acting through… the cellular network that responds to the active ingredient in marijuana, since this system has been shown to be important in the formation of sperm," said Victoria Cortessis, lead author and assistant professor of preventive medicine at USC's Keck School of Medicine.
The questionnaire included entries for poppers, mushrooms, Quaaludes, PCP, barbiturates and speed.
Testicular cancers are the most common forms of cancer in adolescent and adult men between the ages of 15 and 45, Cortessis said.
The number of men getting testicular cancer has been on the rise, Cortessis said, indicating something other than genetics is playing a role. Researchers have speculated that chemicals affecting the hormone system could be partly responsible, including some of the properties found in marijuana smoke.
"This isn't the first time that this information has come out," said Michael Craycraft, testicular cancer survivor and founder of the Testicular Cancer Society, a support and advocacy group for men and boys diagnosed with the disease.
"There have been at least two other studies in the past couple of years that have basically shown the same thing," he said. "In particular, that marijuana smoking is associated with nonseminoma, a harder-to-treat kind of testicular cancer."
Cortessis' group found the same thing: It was this hard-to-treat variety of testicular cancer that appeared most prevalent in these men.
The cocaine association the team found was surprising, and harder to explain. In the research paper, the scientists stressed that the drug should not be used as a preventative measure.
Indeed, they speculate that cocaine's effects on the testes are probably not ones that most men would condone, or any physician would support. As the authors write about cocaine's effects on rat testes: "Spermatogenesis is rapidly disrupted accompanied by cell sloughing and reduction in testicular volume."
And they note, another explanation could be as simple as cocaine's effects on veins: It shrinks them. Therefore, the drug is squeezing out the blood supply to the testes and making it impossible for them to produce cells.
In any case, they note, marijuana, cocaine and other recreational drugs should probably be avoided.
Parents should talk to their teens about the potential side effects of marijuana, Craycraft said, adding that anyone who did smoke pot as a teen should be extra vigilant about cancer.
Susanne Rust is an investigative reporter for California Watch, a project of the non-profit Center for Investigative reporting. Find more California Watch stories here.


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Tyga + Lil Wayne Get Big-Headed in 'Faded' Video
Rapper Tyga recently premiered his new video for 'Faded,' the second single from his latest album 'Careless World: Rise of the Last King.' The infectious song, which features Lil Wayne, boasts melodic chimes and a bumping 808 drum beat. Arguably, this song is a worthy successor to his ubiquitous radio hit 'Rack City.'
Directed by Colin Tilley, the visuals are just as far-out as the duo's stop-and-go rhymes. In the clip, we see Tyga sitting in a twirling bed with a harem of bodacious models. Elsewhere, Tyga and Weezy are bobble-head figures with bugged-out eyes. At the end of the video, Wayne's head explodes, which will probably happen if you watch this visually-insane video numerous times.
We'd also like to add, just for a point of reference, that the bobble-headed visuals have been done before by rap duo Chiddy Bang in their 2010 clip 'Opposite of Adults.' Nonetheless, Tyga's 'Faded' video is fun to watch.
You can catch Tyga getting faded on the road via his Careless World tour. The trek has about 18 dates to complete before it wraps up on April 15 in New Orleans.
Watch the Tyga 'Faded' Video Feat. Lil Wayne


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Andy Serkis, the actor who breathed life into the computer-generated characters of Gollum in the "Lord of the Rings" movies and Caesar in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and the upcoming "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," will make his directorial debut with a live-action adaptation of "The Jungle Book" for Warner Bros., according to the Hollywood Reporter. It is unclear if Serkis will star in the film, THR reports.
Though he is best known as an actor, Serkis does have directing chops too: He served as a second unit director on Peter Jackson's two "Hobbit" movies, including the elaborate and widely praised barrel chase scene in "The Desolation of Smaug." He has long been a favorite among fans of fantasy films, and has given rise to a movement of sorts for Hollywood to recognize computer-aided performance as much as it does the live-action kind.
The new "Jungle" film is based on Rudyard Kipling's 1894 short-story collection, fables of the orphan boy Mowgli who was raised by wolves in the Indian jungle. The film is said to explore life-and-death issues, with a darker tone closer to Kipling's original stories than the well-known Disney animated version, which was released in 1967.
Serkis, whose credits also include Jackson's "King Kong" and Steven Spielberg's "The Adventures of Tintin," has extensive experience working with computer-generated imagery and motion capture, which would presumably come in handy helming a film that, though live action, features numerous anthropomorphic animal characters.
As "Jungle Book" director, Serkis fills a void left by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel"), who left the project due to scheduling conflicts, and Ron Howard, who was briefly in talks to take the reins.
The installation of Serkis as director marks a significant step for Warner Bros., especially considering that Disney has a competing live-action "Jungle Book" project in the works. Disney's version will be directed by "Iron Man" helmer Jon Favreau and recently cast Idris Elba as the voice of the fearsome tiger Shere Khan.


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The regulations for each district pertaining to minimum lot area, minimum lot frontage, minimum lot depth, minimum front yard depth, minimum side yard depth, minimum rear yard depth, maximum height of buildings, maximum number of stories, maximum building area, maximum floor area ratio and minimum open space shall be specified in this article and set forth in Table 2: Table of Dimensional and Density Regulations, and subject to the further provisions of this article. A fence, wall or other enclosure is not regulated except as provided in §§ 255-24 and 255-28 below and in Article V.
[Amended 6-10-1992 by Doc. 52-C]
Table 2: Table of Dimensional and Density Regulations, as referenced and included on the accompanying pages, plus attached notes, is declared to be a part of this chapter.[1]
Editor's Note: Table 2: Table of Dimensional and Density Regulations is included at the end of this chapter.
The lot or yard areas required for any new building or use may not include any part of a lot that is required by any other building or use to comply with any provisions of this chapter, nor may these areas include any property of which the ownership has been transferred subsequent to the effective date of this chapter if such property was a part of the area required for compliance with the dimensional regulations applicable to the lot from which such transfer was made.
Lots shall not be so separated or transferred in ownership so as not to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
A screening and buffer area shall be required in any I or C District which adjoin or abut an R or S District at the side or rear of the property. This screening must consist of any one of, or some combination of, the following:
[Amended 8-14-1973 by Doc. 188]
A solid fence or wall not less than six feet in height.
Evergreen shrubbery placed in two rows, with at least three feet between rows. There shall be at least three feet from the center line of the row adjacent to the lot line and said lot line. There shall be at least three feet from the center line of the row furthest from the lot line and the nearest paved area or building. The plants in each row shall be no more than four feet apart, and the plants in one row shall be staggered in relation to the plants in the other row. All plant materials shall be at least three feet in height at the time of planting and shall be maintained at maturity between five and six feet in height. Shrubbery shall be selected from the following:
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry).
Buxus sempervirenus suffruticosa (English boxwood).
Ilex crenata rotundifolia (holly).
Juniperus chinesis pfitzeriana (Pfitzer's juniper).
Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel).
Pieris japonica (Japanese andromeda).
Taxus cuspidata (Japanese yew).
Trees (or large-scale shrubs) placed in two rows, with at least 10 feet between rows. There shall be at least six feet from the center line of the row adjacent to the lot line and said lot line. There shall be at least six feet from the center line of the row furthest from the lot line and the nearest paved area or building. The plants in each row shall be no more than 20 feet apart, and the plants in one row shall be staggered in relation to the plants in the other row. At least 1/2 of the selected trees for screening purposes under this method shall be of an evergreen variety. Such trees shall be at least three feet in height if of the evergreen variety or two-inch caliper if of the deciduous variety at the time of planting. Trees (or large-scale shrubs) shall be selected from the following:
[Amended 8-14-1973 by Doc. 188]
Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive).
Juniperus chinesis (Chinese juniper).
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar).
Ligustrum ovalifolium (California privet).
Picea excelsa (Norway spruce).
Pinus banksiana (pine).
Pinus nigra austriala.
Pinus resinosa.
Pinus strobus.
Populus grandidentata (aspen).
Thuja occidentalis (American arbor vitae).
Tsuga canadensis (hemlock).
Tsuga caroliniana.
Acer platanoides (Norway maple).
Gleditsia triacanthos inermis (thornless honey locust).
Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork tree).
Sophora japonica (Chinese scholar).
Tilia cordata (little leaf linden).
Zelkova or Japanese keaki-zelkova serrata.
Acer rubrum (red maple).
Acer saccharum (sugar maple).
Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo).
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweet gum).
Platanus acerifolia (london plane).
Quercus alba (white oak).
Quercus borealis (red oak).
Quercus coccinea (scarlet oak).
Quercus palustris (pin oak).
Ulmus americana (American elm).
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood).
Crataegus oxycantha pauli (Paul's scarlet hawthorn).
Crataegus phaenopyrum cordate (Washington hawthorn).
Koelreutheria paniculata (gold rain tree).
Malus floribunda (Japanese flowering crabapple).
Prunus sargenti (sargent cherry).
Cornus kousa (Japanese dogwood).
Amelanchier canadensis (shadblow).
Betula alba (white birch or canoe birch).
Betula pendula (cutleaf weeping birch).
Betula papyrifera (clump birch).
Acer platanoides columnara (columnar Norway maple).
Acer saccharum columnara (columnar sugar maple).
Ginkgo biloba fastigiata (sentry ginkgo).
Tilia americana fastigiata (pyramidal American linden).
The screening required by this section shall be set back 15 feet from each front lot line. The required screening, whether fencing or plant materials, shall be maintained in good condition.
The use of existing plant material and/or natural topography or any other method of screening entirely different from or in combination with the above may be utilized, provided that written approval of same is obtained from both the City of Haverhill's Director of Natural Resources and Director of Planning and Development.
[Amended 8-14-1973 by Doc. 188]
[Amended 8-14-1973 by Doc. 188; 1-14-1975 by Doc. 357/C]
Initial development of any parcel or lot shall include the provision of street trees, landscaping and preservation of natural vegetation in the following manner:
Street trees selected from those deciduous types listed in § 255-24A(3) shall be planted a maximum of 50 feet on center and three feet from the front property line (and within the property and with proper allowance for utility lines and driveways).
Exclusive of the street trees noted above, each lot or parcel developed shall include the installation of trees selected from and as stipulated in § 255-24A(3) in the following ratio:
Single-family and two-family homes on lots less than 15,000 square feet: two trees per lot.
Single-family and two-family homes on lots of 15,000 square feet or more: four trees per lot.
Multifamily development: 15 trees per acre.
Commercial or industrial development: one tree per every 20 parking spaces, to be distributed within such parking areas and protected from vehicular damage.
The developer of any lot or parcel is encouraged to preserve existing vegetation and, therefore, may fulfill the above requirements by maintaining and preserving existing tree growth that is consistent with the above specifications.
In R and C Districts, a detached accessory building shall conform to the following provisions: it shall not occupy more than 25% of the area of the rear yard; it shall not be less than 20 feet from the front street line, nor less than five feet from any other lot line or from any principal building; and it shall not exceed 20 feet in height.
In R and C Districts, an accessory building attached to the principal building shall be considered as an integral part thereof and shall be subject to front, side and rear yard requirements applicable to the principal building.
[Amended 8-8-1972 by Doc. 197]
In any district, an accessory swimming pool shall conform to the following provisions: it shall not be located in the required front yard; it shall not be less than five feet from any rear or side lot line; and it shall not exceed a height of six feet.
[Added 8-9-1983 by Doc. 131]
Within cluster residential, multifamily residential, planned unit development and single-family residential uses requiring Planning Board approval, any natural water body, any altered natural water body and/or any existing or proposed man-made temporary and/or permanent storage facilities of stormwater runoff known as and serving as detention basins, retention ponds and/or runoff delay areas shall have chain link fencing at least four feet in height completely enclosing said storage facilities at the top of the grade, when required by the Planning Board.
[Amended 10-17-1995 by Doc. 141]
The Building Inspector shall enforce the provisions of this section and shall provide written notice to anyone in violation. A fine of $100 per day shall be levied against any person in violation, beginning 30 days from the date the notice is issued. The Conservation Commission Officer shall notify the Building Inspector of any possible violations.


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In just 34 days (April 2) the 1940 census will be released. I have already signed up with FamilySearch.org to be an indexer. If you want to help too, you can get more information at the 1940 Census site: [link].
But what if you don't want to wait for volunteers to build the name index? With a little effort and persistence there is apparently a way you may be able to find some of your relatives sooner. According to the National Archives site [link], NARA will be releasing the digital images indexed to the enumeration district level. I wanted to check into this to see how feasible it would be to locate some of my relatives using the this method.
Both my maternal and paternal grandparents lived in Pottstown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in 1940 and I have the exact street addresses. I wanted to see how easy (or hard) it is to find the enumeration district(s).
I started with the Steve Morse Unified 1940 Census ED Finder page [link]. I entered the state and county, but as it turns out, Pottstown was not one of the options on the city/town drop-down list. I had to chose other and enter Pottstown in the adjacent box. Clicking on the "Get 1940 ED numbers" box resulted in the screen below. The red box shows where I had to choose "Other" from the drop down box and then enter the town name. If the city I wanted had been available on the drop down menu, I could have entered the House Number and Street and pin pointed the ED. As it turns out, I got a list of all the ED's in Pottstown.
In order to get more information about the EDs returned on the search screen displayed above, I clicked the 1940 ED Description radial button and the then the "More Details" button. The result is displayed below:
In reading through the ED descriptions, the boundaries are described in clock-wise rotation. I drew the red box around ED 173, which is the one containing both my paternal and maternal grandparents' homes. You can get more information (such as the number of residences included in that ED) by clicking on the view button on the right.
The reason I was able to hone in on ED 173 is because I am familiar with the street layout in this area of Pottstown. It would, however, be easier to visualize the EDs if they were drawn on a map. So finding the map was my next step.
As it turns out, you can get an ED map display from the NARA 1940 census research site: [link]. Follow the instructions under bullet 3 on that page. It will advise you to go to the Online Public Access Page [link]. I entered "1940 census enumeration district maps pottstown pennsylvania" in the search box on the Online Public Access page, and got the following map:
By zooming in using the controls at the bottom of the map, it's easy to confirm that ED 173 is indeed the one containing the addresses that I am interested in. So now, come April 2nd, I have the option of either waiting for the name index or browsing through the images of ED 173.


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I'm traveling to Indianapolis today to cover the NFL scouting combine Thursday through Sunday.
I'll be checking in with occasional blog posts as well as daily stories for the print product, covering the Raiders and 49ers (although I'll keep the 49ers updates off this medium).
Rumor has it my Southwest flight has Internet service . . .


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Justice on Trial Revisiting Leopold Loeb
By Gary Schmidgall
They gave a whole new meaning to the word "sangfroid," those two famously not nice Jewish boys Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold. Indeed, they became poster boys for cold-blooded murder after they kidnapped 14-year-old Bobby Franks, smashed his head with a chisel, poured hydrochloric acid over the body, then stuffed it into a drainage pipe in a nature preserve south of Chicago. It all happened on May 21, 1924, when Richard was 18, Nathan 19.
Though they confessed elaborately to the deed and scrupulous preliminary planning, they never expressed an iota of remorse. Indeed, while the rumor floated before sentencing that a despondent Leopold had hanged himself in the Cook County jail, he was blithely passing time playing the rec room piano and telling journalists that Rimsky-Korsakov was his favorite composer: "I like him for his precision and finish rather than for his emotional qualities."
Emotional qualities were in eerily short supply in these two callow but exceedingly bright youths. Richard was, at 18, the University of Michigan's youngest graduate ever in 1923, while Nathan matriculated at the University of Chicago at 14. Nathan intended to apply to Harvard Law School in the fall, Richard to Chicago's Law School.
The murderers' icy intelligence and suave good looks combined with their high social station — both families were wealthy pillars of Chicago's Jewish community (Richard's father was a vice president of Sears, Roebuck) — to make the 1924 trial a major media event, right up there with the Lindbergh and the O.J. Simpson murder trials later that century. Chicago's six daily papers — those were the days! — assigned multiple reporters to the story, and the fate of Loeb and Leopold quickly became a national obsession.
When the centennial of the births of Loeb and Leopold passed in 2005, Simon Baatz was well into his extensive research for what is, astonishingly, the first full-scale attempt to explore how the criminal justice system dealt with the case in all its "complexity and intricacy." The 541-page study, For the Thrill of It: Leopold, Loeb, and the Murder That Shocked Chicago (Harper), has just appeared — very fittingly, since Baatz is a professor of history at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Graduate Center. He tells of becoming interested in the case after happening upon a London cinema that was reviving Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film "Rope," which was based on the murder. (Loeb and Leopold had originally planned a joint strangulation with rope, but it was Loeb who wielded the chisel.)
Many other factors combined to give the trial an unprecedentedly high profile, most obviously the two families' hiring of the celebrity legal firebrand Clarence Darrow. Famed for his defense of the Haymarket anarchists back in1886 and for a long campaign against the death penalty, Darrow, Baatz says, had been for 30 years "the most famous lawyer in the U.S." Among his clients were the Communist Labor Party and the assassin of a Chicago mayor. The year after the Leopold-Loeb trial he headed to Tennessee for his most famous showdown — with William Jennings Bryan at the Scopes trial.
Darrow's opponent in Criminal Court was no slouch: the wily prosecutor Robert Crowe, whose idee fixe was that the confessed killers must hang. Two-thirds of Baatz's narrative is devoted to their epic courtroom dueling. The murder had been solved in just a few days, mainly due to the almost immediate discovery of the body and Nathan's distinctive tortoiseshell glasses lying nearby, plus the later discovery that a ransom note was produced on the same typewriter as Nathan's study notes for a law class.
Adding to the tension was the threat of an anti-Semitic backlash — and a homophobic one, for it soon emerged that the Loeb-Leopold relationship was sexual. According to Baatz, neither backlash broke leash. The Jewish community retreated to silence, and the discretion of the presiding judge, the poised, liberal-leaning John Caverly, kept sex matters under wraps. When the only testimony on the men's sexual activities was to be given, Caverly made sure it was whispered in a huddle around the stenographers before his bench, out of earshot of audience and reporters. Spicing the atmosphere outside the courtroom was the Ku Klux Klan, newly resurgent in Chicago and promising a lynching if the wheels of justice did not produce a hanging.
Darrow's brilliant initial gambit was to have his clients plead guilty (thus avoiding much washing of dirty laundry before a jury) and then focus on defending them at great length during the pre-sentencing hearing before Caverly alone. Darrow, whose sole aim was to avoid the gallows, would use the hearing to throw his clients on the court's mercy. One historic aspect of Baatz's narrative is Darrow's attempt to "mitigate" the crime through scientific evidence delivered by expert witnesses. No fewer than 12 psychiatrists, including the nation's leading one, William Alanson White of Washington, D.C.'s, famed St. Elizabeth's Hospital, held forth on the causes of mental illness, the killers' crippling "infantilism," and their endocrinological disorders. Instead of being "spoiled rotten," as Crowe and countless media kibitzers thought, the two boys suffered from "affective incapacity."
Crowe countered with 90 witnesses intended to "aggravate" the crime, among them a slew of neurologists willing to say they found "no mental disease" in the men. In the end the judge ignored all the science and, simply on the basis of their youth, sentenced Loeb and Leopold to life terms for the murder and 99-year terms for kidnapping for ransom. His carelessly forgetting to state the terms should be "consecutive" rather than "concurrent" meant that, according to state law, they could be eligible for parole in 20 years. Darrow had triumphed, though he was widely seen in the media, Baatz writes, as "the villain of the piece."
Baatz makes clear that he is troubled by the appearance of great legal panoply and expense saving Loeb and Leopold from the scaffold, while in many similarly horrific murders involving indigent or illiterate convicts the outcome was a noose. On the other hand, he is willing to grant that the trial marked an advance in the delivery of criminal justice. Baatz quotes Darrow's remark to a New York Times reporter: "Modern science says that young mental defectives can be adjusted to meet the problems of life in a normal manner. ... Influences can bring about cures that, in their wider application, spell crime prevention."
What happened to them? Thanks to family money funneled into his prison account, Loeb became something of a power behind the scenes in prison. He was not above bribing guards or pursuing other inmates for sexual favors. One inmate, a short 21-year-old named James Day, came under pressure from Loeb for sex. On Jan. 28, 1936, Day got his hand on a contraband razor and used it when Loeb entered a shower area for a tryst (Loeb had a key to the door to ensure privacy). Loeb died that day from more than 50 slash wounds.
Nathan Leopold behaved much better behind bars, teaching in a prison school, volunteering for experiments with anti-malarial medicines, and becoming an X-ray technician. In 1953, at his first parole hearing he testified, "I was a smart-aleck kid. I am not anymore." Crowe wrote furiously from retirement that Leopold "ought to hang…it was a brutal murder."
Leopold had to wait another five years, until March 13, 1958, for freedom. Soon he was working as a medical technician at a small Protestant hospital in Puerto Rico. There he met and in 1961 married a 53-year-old widow from Baltimore. They lived quietly and comfortably (thanks, in part, to a 1929 inheritance from his father), traveling widely after he emerged from parole in 1963. Leopold died of a heart attack in 1971.
Baatz notes that F. Scott Fitzgerald revealed in 1927 that he was working on a novel about the Franks murder. It never saw the light, which is a shame. The author of The Great Gatsby might have done it proud. He could have called it In Cold Blood.


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If Razer is good at one thing, it's selling a product.
"The Razer Mamba features gaming grade wireless technology with a hybrid system that enables instant wired/wireless functionality," preens the company. "Coupled with an industry leading 1ms polling rate, it is the fastest performing mouse both on and off the cord. Delivering true wireless freedom, lag-free speed and ergonomic comfort, the Razer Mamba is in a league of its own."
Sometimes it's worth buying Razer products just to experience the artistic heights of the marketing spiel. However, we review products, not PR, so keep reading for a look at the Razer Mamba!
Razer Mamba Wireless Gaming Mouse
Manufacturer: Razer
Released: June 2011
The Razer Mamba is typical of all Razer products in terms of overall design. Predominantly black, with impressive lighting, designed almost entirely to show off to anybody visiting your computer room. The lights of the Mamba are fully customizable -- with over 16 million colors to choose from, both the charging dock and the mouse will radiate any pigment you can think of. You can even have it automatically scroll through the spectrum if you're indecisive.
The Mamba feels comfortable in the hand, although I find the forward and back buttons are placed a bit too much toward the front. The traditional "forward" button is a bit of a stretch to reach, and that's coming from someone with pretty large hands. This is a minor issue, however, and otherwise the mouse is sleek and feels good to use, with a perfect sense of weight without being too heavy. The only other issue is that the scrollwheel can feel a little overzealous and unwieldy at times, suddenly jumping you down half a page at a whim.
The Mamba features your usual scrollwheel, left and right buttons, a forward and back button, and two extra buttons at the top, situation next to the left clicker. Those looking for a mouse full of buttons to help their MMO endeavors will likely not find what they're looking for here, but Razer very much has more action-oriented gamers in mind with this product.
You can use the Mamba as both a wired or wireless peripheral, using a USB cord that can go either to the charger or the mouse itself. Battery life when wireless is pretty good for the most part, although it sometimes has a tendency to die without warning, even with two bars still lit on the battery meter. Most of the time, however, I can get through an entire twelve-hour working day at Destructoid without having any issues. If the mouse does die, it's a snap to yank the cord from the charge base and stick it in the Mamba. Just make sure the mouse is turned off whenever you're charging, as it takes forever otherwise.
In order to make full use of the mouse, one must download and install the Razer Mamba "Synapse" program. This includes everything you need to customize the mouse, and it is absolutely crucial, because you're going to be spending a LOT of time tinkering with the sensitivity.
The Mamba uses 4G dual sensor technology and boasts the most precision of any gaming mouse on the market. The only problem with this is the fact that there is such a thing as too sensitive, and the ability to attain a DPI count of 6400 is absolutely ridiculous. As soon as I installed the mouse, I quickly realized it was too sensitive for any sensible use, be it for gaming or otherwise. The usual problems one gets with laser mice -- most notably a spectral pointer that travels around the screen of its own free will -- are exacerbated to almost farcical degrees. No matter what type of surface you get the mouse working on, it will take a lot of fiddling to get it to work right.
Fortunately, it can be done after much experimentation. It might require even going into Windows' control panel and setting the pointer sensitivity lower, but it's doable. After much messing about, I was able to find a very pleasant balance between speed and accuracy (although the pointer still goes crazy the moment I decide to play any Nine Inch Nails).
You can store more than five profiles on the Mamba, which should be more than enough. I currently have three -- one for work, one for drawing MS Paint pictures of genitals (seriously), and one for gaming. Even when gaming, I found that the mouse's highest DPI capabilities were too much, but this will purely be a preference thing. The sheer scope of what this mouse can achieve in terms of sensitivity means that anybody will find a perfect setting. It might take them a while to find it, of course.
As well as sensitivity, users can calibrate the mouse to a preferred surface, as well as determine the cut-off height, allowing you to choose how far the mouse is lifted from your desk before the computer stops registering it. As someone who doesn't really pick up his mouse when gaming, I didn't find much stock in it, but this is surely a boon to those that have very wide motions while playing.
When used for gaming, I've found the Mamba far more customizable, elegant and comfortable than my previous choices to date. After much experimentation, I've found a level of sensitivity that's damn near perfect, whether I'm playing a first-person-shooter, role-playing game or puzzler, and have a huge amount of options to further tailor my preferences to specific titles with more profiles. I can even enable on-the-fly sensitivity changes by mapping them to the two buttons situation atop the mouse, should I choose to do so (I prefer to use those for quick profile changes, personally).
As with all Razer products, the choice as to whether or not this deserves a purchase comes down to mainly how much you want to show off. The Mamba is an impressive piece of technology, but it's also expensive and its much-lauded sensitivity features a range so wide that many gamers won't even need to make use of it. However, it is stylish, visually eye-catching, and has the kind of capabilities that some gamers will happily pay simply to boast about.
It is most certainly a luxury item. It's one I'm personally really happy to have, but it's one I'd recommend only to those who are particularly flushed with cash and really feel like treating themselves. If that's you, then you'll most likely be thrilled with the purchase. Those who just want a solid gaming mouse and aren't fussed about huge amounts of customization or aesthetic frills will likely not get the most out of a purchase this extravagant.
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reviewed by Jim Sterling


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Page 1 of 14Next
Scrollin' Adventure!
By Caldwell Tanner
SCROLLIN' ADVENTURE General note: Overall this should mimic the feel of an NES style-style videogame. Image - A nineties-style illustration of a kid using a mouse on a computer ( reference point ) . The mouse is in the foreground, while the kid is being blown back by the intensity of the game. His face is lit up by the monitor glow. Title: Douglas Engelbert's SCROLLIN' ADVENTURE! Tag: A rock n' scroll world-wide-webscapade! A blinking title card reads: Start Scrolling to Begin! 3 2 1 LET'S SCROLL! LEVEL 1 - EASY GREENS Image: A simple, straight, 8 bit garden path appears. You scroll on it for just long enough to start feeling bored, when... LEVEL 1 COMPLETE! CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE EARNED THE RANK: SCROLL SCRUB Image: A screen featuring completely made-up stats appears STATS BOOSTED: SCROLLITUDE - - - - 2 SCRAGILITY - - - - 4 SCRAMBLED - - - - EGGS SCROLLS DISCOVERED: 0 Title card in flashing text: SCROLL DOWN TO TO CONTINUE: LEVEL 2 - LESS-EASY GREENS The path is just a different shade of green. You scroll for a bit, then approach a split in the road. WARNING: APPROACHING DIVERGING PATH. CHOOSE WISELY (SCROLL TO CHOOSE) You continue to scroll, the path diverges, it doesn't matter which path you take because you can't actually decide that. You continue scrolling. It is revealed that the left path leads to a pit filled with spikes and bones. You keep scrolling. THAT WAS CLOSE! GREAT CHOOSING. You scroll for a bit more, the path winds left and right. As the road winds, alerts appear along it. The road gets thinner and thinner. NICE SCROLLIN! GREAT WORK! COOL! NEEDLETHREADER BONUS +10 YOUR DAD JUST CALLED ME AND SAID HE'S SUPER PROUD OF YOU. LEVEL 2 COMPLETE! BOY HOWDY! YOU HAVE EARNED THE RANK: SCROLL SCOUT STATS BOOSTED: SCROLLITUDE - - - - 6 SCROLLMANSHIP - - - - 12 SCROLLIPSIS - - - - …. SCROLLS DISCOVERED: STILL ZERO Title card in flashing text: SCROLL DOWN TO TO CONTINUE: LEVEL 3 - WINTERMEDIARY you scroll for a bit on a icy blue path, then suddenly, a hideous 8-bit troll appears. WARNING: SCROLL TROLL APPROACHING PREPARE YOURSELF FOR BATTLE MODE CONTINUE PREPARING PREPARATIONS COMPLETE, BATTLE MODE ACTIVATED OH NO A BLIZZARD The screen all of a sudden becomes white. You scroll in utter whiteness for a moment. SCROLL TROLL IMMINENT The blizzard ceases, the troll, an 8-bit monster that casually waves his arms, approaches. TROLL ENGAGED, CONTINUE SCROLLING TO CULL SCROLL TROLL. You just keep scrolling, like you do. THE SCROLL TROLL IS DEFEATED! SCRELL YEAH! YOU HAVE EARNED THE RANK: SCROLLIZARD STATS BOOSTED: ALL OF THEM SCROLLS DISCOVERED: NOT EVEN ONE Title card in flashing text: SCROLL DOWN TO TO CONTINUE: You scroll down a long path of blue YOU'RE ALMOST THERE DON'T GIVE UP ALL RIGHT ALREADY WE'LL ALL SCROLL ON. - MODEST MOUSE GETTING CLOSER KEEP SCROLLIN' SCROLLIN' SCROLLIN' SCROLLIN' - SCRIMP BISCUIT CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE HALFWAY DONE. NOW IT IS TIME FOR A JAM BREAK An audio player featuring a freestyle Scrollin' Adventure rap plays. LEVEL 4 - SNOWY SCROLL KNOLL A pathway covered in 8-bit magma and fire that doesn't look threatening at all. WATCH OUT, SCROLL SCOUT. THIS PLACE IS LOUSY WITH HTML LYNX. As you continue scrolling, clipart lynxes holding flashing CLICK ME signs appear. If you click the link it will simply take you back to the top of the page. (is this too cruel? As an alt. it could take you to a random youtube page or something silly like that) KEEP YOUR PANTS ON, DILDUS, A CLICKSTER TRICKSTER IS APPROACHING! As you continue scrolling, a Chester the Jester-type figure appears. He is gesturing to two scrolls below him. Clickster Trickster: One of these scrolls contains the SECRET NECESSARY to completing your most radical adventure, but the other one is cursed and contains DANGEROUS TRUTHS that could erode your very being. Choose wisely! Each scroll takes you to a separate webpage (uploaded via CDN) where the scroll is unfurled. LEFT SCROLL - HEY. HEY GUESS WHAT. YOU'RE A BIG DUMB PILE OF SLOPPY HANDJOBS AND YOU CHOSE THE WRONG SCROLL. GO BACK AND CHOOSE THE OTHER ONE. YOU CAN DO THAT. I DON'T CARE NO ONE CARES. THIS IS STUPID. YOU'RE STUPID. RIGHT SCROLL CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE BESTED THE CLICKSTER TRICKSTER. COOL. THE ANSWER TO THE SCROLLMASTER'S RIDDLE IS: TIME NOW, SUMMON ALL YOUR SCROLLING STRENGTH AND PROCEED TO THE FINAL LEVEL. You return to the main page and scroll down. SCROLLY FUCK, YOU MADE IT TO THE FINAL LEVEL! YOU HAVE EARNED THE RANK: NICK SKROLL STATS: MAXED SCROLLS: YUP PATIENCE: DECREASING Title card in flashing text: SCROLL DOWN TO TO CONTINUE: You scroll a bit, you're pretty use to scrolling at this point. You come up on a web banner. This Level brought to you by Jynx Body Yogurt™ - Edible Body Sauce for the Bro on the Go Image: A photoshopped product that looks like a cross between Gogurt and Axe Body Gel. LEVEL 5 - JYNX BODY YOGURT presents EXOTIC PRO MASTER DUNGEON a 4D JYNXPERIENCE The road here is black and grey like an old bowser dungeon. Pixel skulls line the path. TIME TO PUT YOUR MOUSE TO THE METAL. AUTOBOTS SCROLL OUT. You continue to scroll, the path shifts to black. Suddenly huge text appears: DROP THAT CURSOR, HUMAN. you scroll a bit more, then the FINAL BOSS appears. FINAL BOSS: SCROLLEX Scrollex, a skull with a Skrillex haircut blocks the path. Scrollex: FOOLISH MORTAL, I WILL DROP YOU NOT UNLIKE I WOULD DROP A DANK BASS GROOVE. UNLESS OF COURSE YOU KNOW THE SECRET PASSWORD. IF YOU DO, I AM HONOR BOUND TO LET YOU PASS. SELECT PASSWORD A long list of HTML Links appears below, all but one link to a GAME OVER type page. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WASTED SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME SCROLLING THROUGH THIS ARTICLE WRONG PASSWORD - Opens into a separate page so you don't have to start over Giant pixel skull floats in center of page. YOU HAVE GOOFED To Un-Goof, return to previous page. CORRECT PASSWORD - Opens a page with a floating trophy shaped like a mouse. SCRONGATULATIONS! YOU HAVE EARNED THE RANK: MOUSE MASTER HERE'S A LIST OF BETTER THINGS YOU COULD HAVE DONE WITH YOUR TIME - RUN A MILE - CALL YOUR GRANDPARENTS - START A BOOK CLUB - LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE - EAT A SANDWICH - READ ALL OF BUZZFEED - GET A FULL-NIGHT'S SLEEP - IMPACT SOCIETY IN A MEANINGFUL WAY THANK YOU FOR NOT DOING ANY OF THOSE THINGS THE END