text:
|Method for fusing images and apparatus therefor
|Burt et al.
|Automatic optimization of photographic exposure parameters for non-standard display sizes and/or different focal length photographing modes through determination and utilization of extra system speed
|Wheeler et al.
|Image sensing device with diverse storage fumes used in picture composition
|Takahashi et al.
|Wide dynamic range camera
|Ginosar et al.
|Silver halide multilayer color photographic material containing couplers having different coupling rates
|Exposure control system for an electronic imaging camera having increased dynamic range
|Alston et al.
|Photographic element including superimposed silver halide layers of different speeds
|Marchant et al.
|Silver halide films with wide exposure latitude and low gradient
|Warren et al.
|Taber et al.
a. establishing a response function characterizing the source images in terms of values of a response parameter and exposures producing the values; and
b. based on the response function, combining the source images into a composite image comprising image detail from each of the source images and having a greater range of image detail than any of the source images
c. the source and composite images each comprise an ordered array of pixels;
d. the pixels of the composite image correspond to the pixels of the source images; and
e. the images are combined by assigning, to each composite-image pixel, a pixel-parameter value representing a weighted average of the pixel parameter of corresponding pixels from the source images obtained by:
i. for each source image, generating a certainty function characterizing a tonal range of greatest image detail; and
ii. for each composite-image pixel, (A) weighing the corresponding pixels from the source images in accordance with the certainty functions, (B) combining the pixel-parameter values of the corresponding source image pixels in accordance with the weighting, and (C) assigning the combined pixel-parameter value to the composite-image pixel.
a. featurelessly approximating parameters of a projective coordinate transformation that spatially relates, in first and second images source, pixels corresponding to common subject matter therebetween;
b. applying the parameters to the first source image to thereby transform it into a processed image, the common subject matter encoded by pixels in the processed image being substantially spatially consistent with the common subject matter encoded by pixels in the second source image; and
c. aligning the images by combining the pixels corresponding to the common subject matter; and
d. repeating steps (a) to (c) until all source images are aligned.
a. identifying a shadow-region pixel from a first source image, the shadow-region pixel having an image location and an associated pixel parameter;
b. identifying, in a second source image, a corresponding second-image pixel having the same image location as the shadow-region pixel and having an associated pixel parameter;
c. identifying, in the first source image, a first-image pixel having an associated pixel parameter equal to that of the second-image pixel;
d. identifying, in the second source image, a corresponding second-image pixel having the same image location as the first-image pixel;
e. repeating steps (c) and (d); and
f. deriving the response function through comparison of the pixel parameters of the pixels identified in the first source image with the pixel parameters of the pixels identified in the second source image.
a. analysis means for establishing a response function characterizing at least one of the source images in terms of values of a response parameter and exposures producing the values;
b. combining means for combining, based on the response function, the source images into a composite image comprising image detail from each of the source images and having a greater range of image detail than any of the source images; and
c. a computer memory for storing images as ordered sets of pixels each having at least one associated pixel parameter;
d. the analysis means establishes a response function characterizing at least one of the source images in terms of values of a pixel parameter and exposures producing the values, and is configured to generate, for each source image, a certainty function characterizing a tonal range of greatest image detail; and
e. the combining means is configured to (i) weight the corresponding pixels from the source images in accordance with the certainty functions, (ii) combine the pixel-parameter values of the corresponding source image pixels in accordance with the weighting, and (iii) store the combined pixel-parameter value in the computer memory as a displayable value.
a. identifying a shadow-region pixel from a first source image, the shadow-region pixel having an image location and an associated pixel parameter;
b. identifying, in a second source image, a corresponding second-image pixel having the same image location as the shadow-region pixel and having an associated pixel parameter;
c. identifying, in the first source image, a first-image pixel having an associated pixel parameter equal to that of the second-image pixel;
d. identifying, in the second source image, a corresponding second-image pixel having the same image location as the first-image pixel;
e. repeating steps (c) and (d); and
f. deriving the response function through comparison of the pixel parameters of the pixels identified in the first source image with the pixel parameters of the pixels identified in the second source image.
The present invention relates to processing of electronically encoded images, and in particular to methods and apparatus for improving the dynamic range of such images.
Most everyday scenes have a far greater dynamic tonal range than can be recorded on a photographic film or an electronic imaging apparatus (e.g., a still or video camera). This is because photographic media, both photochemical and electronic, exhibit limited response: exposure must be sufficient to induce a chemical transition or be detected electronically, but excessive exposure results in saturation and consequent loss of response. The result is reduced detail in shadow and highlight regions, with deep shadows recorded as undifferentiated black and bright highlights "washed out" as undifferentiated white.
Every photographic medium exhibits a characteristic dynamic range--that is, the tonal gradations it is capable of rendering in response to different amounts of light. A typical photographic film may have a dynamic range of several hundred to one, representing the range of illumination intensities (highlight to shadow) that the film is capable of recording. The "speed" of a film reflects the minimum camera exposure that will yield adequate shadow detail--that is, the onset of the useful recording range. Films having equivalent dynamic ranges may nonetheless differ in terms of their contrast responses. Low-contrast media are formulated to exhibit limited sensitivity to changes in exposure, recording gradually increasing density levels as exposure increases dramatically. The densities of high-contrast media increase more suddenly with small exposure increases.
Camera exposure mechanisms have traditionally attempted to adjust the lens aperture and/or shutter speed to maximize the overall amount of detail that will be recorded. More recent systems, though, incorporate some "intelligence" attempt to identify areas of interest in the scene and adjust exposure to place these well within the photographic medium's dynamic range. Photographers frequently expose the same scene at a variety of exposure settings, later selecting the one exposure that they most prefer; this procedure is called "bracketing".
Unfortunately, proper exposure merely ensures that the system's inherent dynamic response range is well utilized; it cannot expand that range, which represents an inherent property of the photographic medium. As a result, scenes with both strong highlights and important shadow detail cannot be photographically rendered with substantial fidelity. In effect, the photographer must choose which end of the tonal scale to sacrifice. Consider, for example, a photograph of an individual in front of a bright window. Exposing for the person will result in ultimate rendition of the window as a uniformly white background shape, while exposing for the outdoor scene visible through the window turns the person into a black silhouette.
Various attempts have been made to expand the dynamic range of traditional photographic media. For example, increasing the thickness of the film emulsion increases its dynamic response, but at a cost of increased scattering and consequent loss of spatial resolution (i.e., rendition of fine image detail), as well as loss in sensitivity to slightly differing exposures. More than three decades ago, Charles Wyckoff formulated a multiple-layer photographic emulsion in which each layer exhibited different overall sensitivity to light. The Wyckoff film had three layers identical in their spectral sensitivities (that is, unlike color film, none exhibited preferential sensitivity to a particular wavelength over others), differing only in their speeds; the bottom layer was very slow, with an ISO rating of 2, while the top layer was very fast, with an ISO rating of about 600. However, upon processing, the three layers adopted distinct colors (from color dyes) so each could be separately accessed; the result was equivalent to three differently exposed black-and-white pictures.
A picture taken on Wyckoff film can both record a dynamic range of about one hundred million to one and capture very subtle differences in exposure. Furthermore, the film was designed to provide good spatial resolution through the use of a relatively thin emulsion. As a result, the film eliminates to some extent the tradeoff between, on one hand, dynamic range, and on the other, sensitivity to subtle differences in exposure and spatial resolution.
In electronic photography, images are represented as an ordered series of picture elements, or "pixels", arranged in discrete locations on a planar grid. The appearance of each pixel on an output device (such as a display or printer) is specified by data contained in a memory location corresponding to the pixel (which is itself frequently referred to as a pixel), and which is accessible to the output device. If the output device is a display, each pixel will ordinarily specify a luminance or brightness value (i.e., a value monotonically proportional to the amount of light emitted by the display at the pixel location) and chrominance values that specify the color of the pixel in terms of hue and saturation. In digital terms, the dynamic range is typically characterized in terms of image "depth", referring to the number of discrete brightness levels that the system is capable of resolving and displaying. (In an analog system, depth need not be discretized in this fashion.) An eight-bit deep image includes pixels that may assume any of 256 brightness values, while a one-bit deep image refers to a binary image whose pixels are either "on" or "off".
An electronic camera contains an array of light sensors (usually charge-coupled devices) that record the brightness levels of an observed scene and quantize these into a grid of pixels. Like photographic emulsions the sensors exhibit a limited dynamic response range, requiring at least a threshold amount of illumination to activate and saturating above a maximum amount.
In theory, very high spatial resolution can be exploited to increase dynamic range. A sensor array or film with a small number of bits of depth (even one bit) can record a continuous-tone image with good fidelity if the spatial resolution is high enough. This tradeoff between image depth and spatial resolution is utilized in halftoning, whereby an image is processed so that a grayscale can be rendered by single-valued (colored or uncolored) pixels. Unfortunately, as a practical matter, spatial resolution is limited in both electronic and photochemical recording. Both types of systems inevitably exhibit image noise that degrades resolution. Digital recording systems, in particular, exhibit quantization noise that results from assignment of a continuously variable illumination level to one of the allowed discrete pixel values. This type of noise is most pronounced near the threshold and satuaration points--precisely the image region where exposure compensation is most desirable. For example, subtle shadow detail might be binarized between pixel values of 0 and 1 or lost altogether by quantization to a region of pixel values uniformly set to 0.
Clearly, some approach to expanding the dynamic recording range of conventional and digital photographic media would be desirable. One might, for example, attempt to create a composite of differently exposed images of the same scene, utilizing perfectly registered component images or processing them into spatial alignment, then manually pasting the best-exposed portions of each into a final composite image. Unfortunately, this adaptation of Wyckoff's approach would not only prove cumbersome, but also would rarely produce acceptable images. The boundaries between light and dark regions are generally not well defined and, therefore, not easily traced by hand. Moreover, the abrupt changes that result from suddenly switching from one image to another generally introduce unwanted artifacts, even if the various replacement regions can be identified with precision.
Brief Summary of the Invention
The present invention utilizes differently exposed source images to generate a final image having a dynamic range greater than that of any source image, but maintaining sensitivity to subtle differences in exposure. The final image captures detail in shadow, midtone and highlight areas notwithstanding the limited response of the system that produced the component images. Those images need not have particularly high spatial resolution, since the increased image depth is not drawn at the expense of resolution. In effect, the invention selects optimally exposed regions (on a pixel-by-pixel basis) from the component images, and automatically combines these together into a final image. Automatic operation permits the process to occur entirely within the camera, relieving the user of the need to perform manual operations and ensuring the presence of an "objective" photograph that has not been retouched.
Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention comprises a method of combining a plurality of differently exposed source images of the same object or scene. The invention directly or indirectly establishes a response function relating the source images in terms of their exposures and, based on the response function, combines the images into a composite having a greater range of detail than any of the individual source images. Preferably, the composite image includes the bestexposed portions of each of the source images. In a preferred embodiment, these portions are identified by differentiating the estimated response function to produce a "certainty" function which, as the slope of the response function, characterizes the "step size" (i.e., quantization steps or the like); the more quickly varying the response function for a given exposure, the better will be the ability of the recording medium (film, sensor array, etc.) to capture subtle differences in exposure.
In a second aspect, the invention combines pixels from the source images in a smooth manner, deriving each final pixel value from the values of correspondingly located pixels in each of the source images, so that the final image reflects contributions from each of the source images. In this way, sharp transitions between different exposure regions are avoided. In a preferred embodiment, by weighting each final pixel value toward the value in the best-exposed source image, the invention generates a final image having an expanded dynamic range reflecting an optimal combination of the source images, even if estimates of the response function and overall exposure levels are only approximate. Acceptable images may be produced simply from a very rough estimate of the general trends of the response function.
In a third aspect, the invention operates on source images that are not perfectly aligned, registering these so that overlapping subject matter appears at consistent pixel locations in all source images.
In a fourth aspect, the invention allows the natural variation in overall sensitivity caused by, for example, automatic gain control or autoexposure mechanisms to aid in constructing an image composite of extended dynamic range.
In a fifth aspect, the invention comprises apparatus for performing the foregoing operations.
The foregoing discussion will be understood more readily from the following detailed description of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 graphically depicts the relationship between density and logarithmic exposure for a typical photographic film;
FIG. 2 graphically depicts the exposure distributions of three photographs of the same scene that differ only in exposure;
FIG. 3 graphically depicts different "effective" responses of a single recording medium to different exposures;
FIG. 4 graphically depicts certainty functions derived from the plots illustrated in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a (possibly unknown) response curve plotting effective exposure against pixel output values;
FIGS. 6A and 6B are estimates of idealized cross-histograms, generated in different ways, resulting from comparisons between pictures of the same scene that differ only in exposure;
FIG. 6C is a "range-range" plot of pixel value in one image against corresponding pixel values in the other, which is based on the response curve and may be derived from the cross histograms shown in FIG. 6A or 6B;
FIG. 7A is a flow chart illustrating overall operation of the invention;
FIG. 7B schematically depicts overall operation of the invention; and
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a representative hardware environment for the present invention.
1. Image Characteristics and Combination
Refer first to FIG. 1, which illustrates the response of a conventional photographic film to increasing exposure. The curve 10 relates the increase in density produced by increasing exposure E (plotted on a logarithmic scale). Greater exposure to light results in a darker image (i.e., greater density). The curve consists of a "foot", where it begins to rise; a steep, more-or-less straight-line portion, where density is approximately proportional to log E, representing the material's optimal region of sensitivity to subtle changes in exposure; and the "shoulder", where the curve levels off. The foot of a "fast" film is shifted to the left of the foot of a "slow" film; in other words, the response of fast films begins at relatively lower exposures.
The density of the material ranges from a minimum, Dmin, which in a photographic film represents the emulsion fog (i.e., the density obtained on a material developed without exposure), to a maximum Dmax. The region 12 represents the response region where useful shadow detail is recorded, the region 14 defines the midtones, and the region 1 6 the highlights. Light intensities below region 12 fall below the material's response threshold, while above region 16 the material is saturated and can no longer record intensity differences. Within the steep region 14, the material obeys the canonical equation D=α+βEγ where γ represents the slope of the log E plot and, hence, the film's contrast.
Electronic cameras behave in a similar manner, although greater exposures may be translated directly into higher output intensities (i.e., pixel luminance values) instead of darkening for increased light, thereby obviating the need for an intermediate negative. The minimum exposure necessary to produce a response is known as the "noise floor"; sensors also exhibit saturation above their detection limits. Performance improves and degrades along a curve analogous to the derivative of that shown in FIG. 1 due to the increased noise levels in regions where the response curve levels off. For convenience of presentation, the ensuing discussion will focus on traditional photographic media, it being understood that electronic imaging equipment would exhibit analogous behavior. Indeed, the curve shown in FIG. 1 is directly relevant to much digitally represented photography, since frequently this originates as a conventional photograph that is scanned and digitized into a pixel array; in this case the analog characteristics of photographic film are directly carried over into the digital domain.
The Wyckoff film would be represented by three separated curves 10, each having a toe whose distance from the origin reflects its speed. Three different exposures on (successive frames of) the same film, on the other hand, would merely represent different utilizations of the film's recording capabilities as expressed in its single curve. Each differently exposed photograph might, for example, be represented by an effective scene intensity distribution as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the curves 20a, 20b, 20c represents the exposure distribution, as recorded on film or by sensors, produced by different camera settings; the shape of the curves is dictated by the fact that any picture represents a large number of individual exposure levels (in the sense of reflected light intensities reaching the film), since any scene ordinarily contains elements of low, average and high reflectivities; accordingly, even short recording times (as represented by curve 20a) produce some bright highlights and long recording times (as represented by curve 20b) still record some dark shadow regions. Nonetheless, where the majority of the exposures fall, and how the image will be recorded on film, is grossly determined by the recording time. Curve 20a might, for example, represent a shutter speed of 1/500 sec, curve 20b a shutter speed of 1/250 sec, and curve 20c a shutter speed of 1/125 sec at the same aperture setting.
Alternatively, one can consider exposure not in terms of the film's response, but instead in terms of the camera--that is, the response of the film as constrained by the amount of light admitted by some combination of lens aperture and shutter speed. In these terms, the "effective" exposure can be represented by the curves 25a, 25b in FIG. 3, where curve 25a represents the effective response of the film to light admitted during a relatively long exposure, while curve 25b represents the effective response to a shorter exposure. Measured in these terms, the effective response is analogous to the same exposure taken on films of different speeds; the faster film would exhibit an intrinsic response curve similar to curve 25a, while the slower film's characteristic curve would resemble curve 25b.
As noted previously, parts of the responsive medium (film or sensor array) that are exposed in the extremes (greatly overexposed or greatly underexposed) cannot record detail; small changes in light level cannot be distinguished, since the resulting changes in density or pixel value are too small to be recorded or are overwhelmed by noise. It is exposure falling within the steep portions of the curves that is best rendered. In these regions, small changes in light level will cause large changes in the measured value of the response function, and even if the measurements are highly quantized (e.g., constrained to an eight-bit grayscale), small differences in exposure will remain discernible. Accordingly, to combine the best-rendered portions of different source images, one would extract those portions of each image whose exposures were recorded along the steep, responsive portions of the characteristic curve. Therefore, a preferred embodiment of the invention favors combining pixels whose values in the middle of the response range.
These portions may be identified in an automated fashion by differentiating the effective exposure curves to produce "certainty" functions that express the exposure-induced density (or pixel value) variation as a function of exposure--that is, which exposure regions are emphasized and how much. This is illustrated in FIG. 4, where the derivatives of curves 25a, 25b are plotted as curves 30a, 30b, respectively. The peak of each certainty curve represents the exposure level recorded most faithfully. By using a series of exposures, relatively small exposure ranges can be selected from each source image; the more densely packed the differently exposed source images that are employed, the smaller will be the amount of information extracted from each and, consequently, the less deviation from peak fidelity. Thus, for example, to produce a composite from the images responsible for the curves shown in FIG. 4 and varying from a minimum exposure E1 to a maximum exposure E2, one utilizes the exposure range Δ1 in the longer-exposed image and the exposure range Δ2 from the shorter exposure. In neither case is deviation from the peak significant (whereas deviation would be substantial if either image were considered in isolation). Moreover, the approach is consistent with traditional principles of densitometry, since longer exposures generally yield better shadow detail but contain "blocked" highlights. Highlight detail is better captured in shorter exposures.
Alternatively, it is possible to obtain less precise results with less computational effort by defining an arbitrary certainty function high in the middle and in some sense representative of the response variation as a function of the effective exposure. A simple peak function is suitable for some applications.
The certainty functions identify the best portions of a series of source images, but do not specify the manner in which they are to be combined. One could, of course, simply cut and paste, using the certainty functions to outline the various regions to be extracted. This approach is undesirable for reasons discussed previously. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment present invention, every pixel of a composite electronic image--whether shadow, highlight or midtone--is drawn from the corresponding pixel in each of the input source images according to a weighted average. Preferably, the weighting is based on the certainty function (or even a crude estimate thereof) associated with each source-image pixel corresponding to an output pixel in the final composite image. In this embodiment, the value of the relevant pixel parameter (generally luminance or brightness) for a given final-image pixel is given by ##EQU1## for n source images, where Pn is the pixel parameter and cn is the certainty function associated with the corresponding pixel of each source image n.
This approach provides a gradual transition between combined image components, where the shadow detail derives primarily (but not exclusively) from the more highly exposed image(s) and the highlight detail from the less-exposed image(s). If the resulting pixel value falls between allowed quantization levels, it may be rounded to the nearest allowed level if an integer output image is desired.
2. Camera Calibration
The foregoing operations presume explicit knowledge of the characteristic response curves of the recording medium--that is, the manner in which image density or a pixel parameter varies with exposure (i.e., the quantity of light falling on each point of the sensor array). Effective exposure curves can be generated quantitatively through experimentation and analysis, exposing, for example, different pieces of the same film to varying, known quantities of light (e.g., a known light source at different camera settings) and evaluating the density response.
Such precision is not, however, necessary for utilization of the invention. Instead, the following technique can be used to establish a relative response function relating electronic images in terms of relative values of a pixel parameter and exposures producing the variations; an explicit relationship between absolute quantities of light and image response is not necessary. The technique recognizes that a numerical pixel value is seldom linearly related to the quantity of light falling on the corresponding sensor element, whether due to nonlinearities in an electronic camera or in a traditional photographic image scanned into a digital representation (in which case the scanner would add further nonlinearity to the nonlinearity of the film). The invention provides a method of finding the pointwise nonlinearity of the entire process f that maps the light q projected on a point in the image plane to the pointwise value in the picture f(q) (i.e., the value of the pixel parameter) up to a constant scale factor.
In one approach, useful for images exhibiting little noise, a relatively dark pixel is first selected from a first source image f, and its location (x0, y0) and pixel value f0 observed. The actual quantity of light that gave rise to f0 is unknown, but may be denoted as q0. Since f0 is the result of some unknown mapping, f, applied to the unknown quantity of light q0, the pixel value of the selected pixel, f(x0, y0), is denoted by f(q0).
In a second step, the pixel in a second source image g with the same location (x0, y0) as the dark pixel from image a is located. Because some amount k times as much light gave rise to the pixel value g(x0, y0) as compared with f(x0, y0), it is clear that g(x0, y0)=f(kq0). For convenience, g(x0, y0) is denoted by g(q0), so that g(q0)=f(kq0).
In a third step, image f is searched for a pixel having the numerical value f(kq0). The coordinates (x1, y1) and the value f(q1) of this newly located pixel are noted. Substituting, f(x1, y1)=f(q1)=f(kq0).
In a fourth step, the value g(x1, y1) of the pixel in the second image g at location (x1, y1) is observed. Because k times as much light fell on (x1, y1) in image g as compared with image f, g(x1, y1)=f(kq1)=f(k2 q0).
The third step is now repeated for f(k2 q0), the fourth step for the correspondingly located pixel in image g, and so on. Continuing in this fashion, the nonlinearity of the image sensor is obtained in the form of points relating multiples of an arbitrary quantity q0 of light, q0, kq0, k2 q0, . . . , kn q0, against the resulting exposure (pixel parameter values), f(q0), f(kq0), f(k2 q0), . . . , f(kn q0). The value of n--that is, the number of iterations--is based on an acceptable-error criterion or point selection. Dividing by q0 (that is, normalizing the plot to q0) produces the response curve shown in FIG. 5, with f(q) plotted against k. It is not necessary to know q0 (although this quantity could, if desired, be obtained with a single reading from a light meter), since all that is important is the variation in the output pixel parameter f(q) with a known relative variation in q. Differentiating the response curve shown in FIG. 5 to obtain the certainty function upon which image combination will be based eliminates q0 entirely. The certainty curves will be displaced from one another by a factor of k.
In a more general approach, a cross histogram can be generated for each pair of image and used to obtain a parametric plot of f(q) versus f(kq). While a histogram for a single image can illustrate, for example, the distribution of pixel luminances (luminances versus number of pixels having the corresponding luminances), a cross histogram relates the manner in which pixel brightness levels relate to one another in different images. Each point on a cross histogram reflects, for example, the number of pixels of brightness u in image a that correspond to identically located pixels in image b having brightness v. In order to represent numbers of pixels, each point of a cross histogram (called a "bin", with the number of pixels in the bin called the "bin count") is usually represented as a shaded value for ease of comprehension, although other representations (such as numerals indicating the bin count) are equally valid. Consequently, the cross histogram of an image with itself--that is, where k=1--is a diagonal line. In differently exposed images of the same scene, the shape of the cross histogram reflects the exposure differences between the two images. Due to quantization effects and noise, the cross histograms of real-world images generally are not lines; instead they are fuzzy shapes with higher densities--that is, the largest bin counts--clustered along a ridge corresponding to the curve of the parametric plot of f(kq) as a function of f(q).
Accordingly, a cross histogram can be "slenderized" into a parametric plot, equivalent to the cross histogram one would obtain were the images free of noise, through estimation. In FIG. 6A, the plots were crudely estimated merely by selecting the largest bin count from each row or column of a cross histogram (which is generated computationally in a conventional fashion). The parametric plots shown in FIG. 6B were estimated more robustly by choosing the first moment across each row or column of a cross histogram and enforcing a monotonicity constraint. FIG. 6C illustrates the operation of the step-by-step procedure for low-noise images discussed above in terms of the parametric plot of f(kq) against f(q).
Ordinarily, k is known because the conditions under which the images were obtained is known. For example, if the two images are created by exposure bracketing, the bracketed range represents k; thus, if the images are one stop apart, k=2, while if two stops apart, k=4, etc. However, because of the characteristic relationship between the shape of the cross histogram and the degree of exposure difference between the compared images (which, as shown in FIG. 6A, can be observed even with a crude estimate), obtaining the cross histogram allows an approximate measure of k to be made.
3. Image Registration
The techniques heretofore described assume that the images are in perfect register, so that correspondingly located pixels of each source image represent the same subject matter. If this is not the case, the approach disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 08/558,012 (entitled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RELATING AND COMBINING MULTIPLE IMAGES OF THE SAME SCENE OR OBJECT(S) and filed on Nov. 13, 1995), commonly owned with the present application and hereby incorporated by reference, may be used to place the images into register (even if the images reflect different camera orientations) so that the invention may operate on common subject matter in each of the component images. Briefly, the '012 application discloses a featureless approach to relating images to one another using a projective coordinate transformation, utilizing spatiotemporal derivatives of a pixel parameter (such as brightness, luminance or color) to obtain a "projective flow" or "projective fit" model of coordinate transformation. For a given input image frame, the model defines the universe of possible changes in each image point consistent with the projective coordinate transformation, and is used to find the transformation parameters which, when applied to the input image, make it look most like a target image. The projective model used in the invention correctly relates images of common (static) subject matter taken by a single camera at a fixed location, free to rotate about its center of projection (e.g., free to rotate about its optical axis, and to pan and tilt) and having a lens free to zoom; and planar scenes recorded by a camera free to move arbitrarily (including translation or other movements of the center of projection itself). Accordingly, the invention disclosed in the '012 application extends the techniques of optical flow and optical fit to estimation of projective coordinatetransformation parameters.
Projective fit assumes that each point in a first image or image region can be related to a corresponding point in a second image according to a projective coordinate transformation model. With this approach, the pixels of both images are compared to identify point correspondences, and the degree and direction of displacement between corresponding points (the "flow velocity") is determined. Parameters of the chosen transformation model that "explain" each displacement are then computed. The "projective flow" procedure does not require point-to-point correspondences. Instead, the change in a pixel parameter (e.g., brightness) from one image to another is assessed at each pixel position, and the global set of changes is used to compute a best-fit coordinate transformation that accounts for these changes.
The techniques disclosed in the '012 application are applicable over a wide range of resolutions. However, as explained therein, it is preferred to analyze images iteratively, at multiple resolutions levels. Coarsely sampled images are first analyzed to ensure the presence of common subject matter. Further iterations at progressively finer resolutions approximate the projective (or "homographic") coordinate transformation relating the two images with increasing accuracy. Iterative processing is preferably also used at each level of resolution in the estimation procedure itself.
4. Applications and Variations
An important advantage of the present invention is the ability to control the manner in which the various component images are combined. In a preferred embodiment, the user is accorded the ability to alter certain global image parameters, or local image parameters within a selected portion of the image, that affect the component images or their combination.
As set forth earlier, the component images are combined by weighting in accordance with the associated certainty functions. The user, however, can be permitted to alter this weighting, thereby exerting control over the tonality of the final image. For example, by biasing the weighting toward overexposure (i.e., higher pixel brightness levels), the user obtains an image with more detail than would appear in a single overexposed image, but still appearing somewhatwashed out if that is the desired effect.
With the effective response curves established for two or more images, a hypothetical intermediate image can be generated; in other words, instead of blending images, the user can reconstruct an image very much like the one that would have resulted if it had been taken at an intermediate exposure. This is accomplished by establishing, from the actual effective-respose curves, a hypothetical curve representing the intermediate exposure, and modifying the actual pixel values of the output image so as to be consistent with the intermediate curve. The hypothetical curve is straightforwardly generated so long as k--the exposure difference between the images--is known, in which case the intermediate curve may, for example, be established through interpolation between the two nearest curves. If the effective exposure curves for the actual images are known analytically, of course, the intermediate curve can itself be generated analytically.
The source image and/or the final composite image can also be filtered in various ways. For example, using a homomorphic filtering operation, the nonlinearity inherent in the sensor response is reversed, and the filtering is carried out in the natural-light domain. After filtering, the inverse of the preprocessing function may be applied, restoring the original nonlinearity. Other nonlinearities may also be applied to the output image.
Another useful filtering operation, well known in the art, is gamma correction, which alters the contrast of the image (effectively altering the slope of the steep region of the characteristic curve). Gamma correction is applied on a pixel-by-pixel basis, either throughout the image or over a selected local area. For example, in an eight-bit system where each pixel can assume a brightness value of zero (dark of "turned off") to 255 (brightest), a suitable gamma-correction function is ##EQU2## where Pin is the original pixel value, Pout is the gamma-corrected pixel value, and γ, the degree of correction, is selected by the user. The main problem with gamma correction, in the context of the prior art, is its tendency to accentuate shadow detail when γ>1 and accentuate highlight detail when γ<1, resulting in loss of information and degradation of the image. When used with the output image produced in accordance with the present invention, by contrast, image quality remains high. This capability allows construction of a "virtual" camera with many adjustments that may be applied over a wide range after a picture is taken.
FIGS. 7A and 7B together illustrate the operation of the method of the invention. In a first step 100, three differently exposed source images, S1, S2, S3, of an Original Scene OS are obtained. Source image S1 is underexposed overall but well-exposed for highlight image areas; source image S2 is "properly" exposed for the overall scene, representing the best compromise exposure, although only certain scene portions (such as the person's shirt) are acceptably exposed; and S3 is overexposed overall but well-exposed for the heavily backlit person. If necessary, the source images are registered in step 105 and non-overlapping subject matter discarded or retained with lesser ultimate modification. If effective exposure response curves are not available for the source images, these are obtained in a calibration step 110.
In step 115, certainty functions C1, C2, C3 are generated for each source image S1, S2, S3, respectively. Ordinarily, this is accomplished by determining the camera's pointwise response function for each image using the calibration procedure discussed above, and differentiating the resulting set of functions; if k is known, only a single response curved is obtained and differentiated, since the remaining curves will be displaced from the computed curve by multiples of k. For each pixel of a target image buffer T, corresponding pixels from each source image are identified, and weights assigned thereto in accordance with the certainty functions (step 120). Finally, in step 125, the source-image pixels are combined according to the weights, and the weighted value introduced into the target buffer pixel location. Steps 120 and 125 are repeated for all pixels of the target image buffer. If desired, a filtering step 130 can be applied to one or more of the source images and/or to the final composite image. In addition, the pixel depth can be augmented to permit intermediate values generated by the combination process to be rendered explicitly (rather than quantized to the next higher or lower allowed pixel value), or at least approximated with greater precision. Furthermore, instead of creating a new composite image from the source images, one of the source images can be loaded into buffer T, and differently exposed portions of one or more other source images added thereto. For example, highlight detail from a relatively light image can be introduced into a relatively dark image to brighten the highlights while retaining the overall darker tonality of the dark image, and vice versa. Alternatively, a composite image can be constructed from relatively dark pixels of a lighter image and relatively light pixels of a darker image by increasing the pixel values of the darker image (and/or decreasing the pixel values of the lighter image) in accordance with an increase/decrease schedule derived from the cross histogram of the two image, or from the camer's response function.
Refer now to FIG. 8, which illustrates, in block-diagram form, a hardware system incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention. As indicated therein, the system includes an image source 202 (e.g., a still video camera or a digital scanner), which supplies input images to be analyzed. The output of source 202 is a pixelmap, which is sent as a bitstream on a system bus 206 over which all system components communicate, and may be stored in a mass storage device (such as a hard disk or optical storage unit) 208 as well as in a main system memory 210 (specifically, within a partition defining a series of input image buffers capable of storing a sequence of video frames, and representatively denoted by reference numerals 2121, 2122, 2123 . . . ).
The operation of the illustrated system is directed by a central-processing unit ("CPU") 220. To facilitate rapid execution of the image-processing operations hereinafter described, the system preferably contains dedicated image-processing hardware 222; this is a standard component well-known to those skilled in the art.
The user may interact with the system using a keyboard 230 and a position-sensing device (e.g., a mouse) 232. The output of either device can be used to designate information or select particular areas of a screen display 234 to direct functions to be performed by the system.
The main memory 210 contains a group of modules that control the operation of CPU 220 and its interaction with the other hardware components. An operating system 240 directs the execution of low-level, basic system functions such as memory allocation, file management and operation of mass storage devices 208. At a higher level, an analyzer module 243 and combiner module 246, each implemented as a series of stored instructions, direct execution of the primary functions performed by the invention, as discussed below; and instructions defining a user interface 250 allow straightforward interaction over screen display 234. User interface 250 generates words or graphical images on display 234 to prompt action by the user, and accepts user commands from keyboard 230 and/or position-sensing device 232.
The contents of each image buffer 212 define a "raster", i.e., a regular two-dimensional pattern of discrete pixel positions that collectively represent an image and may be used to drive (e.g., by means of image-processing board 222 or an image server) screen display 234 to display that image. The contents of each memory location in a frame buffer directly govern the appearance of a corresponding pixel on display 234.
It must be understood that although the modules of main memory 210 have been described separately, this is for clarity of presentation only; so long as the system performs all necessary functions, it is immaterial how they are distributed within the system and the programming or hardware architecture thereof. Likewise, although conceptually organized as grids, pixelmaps need not actually be stored digitally in this fashion. Rather, for convenience of memory utilization and transmission, the raster pattern is usually encoded as an ordered array of pixels.
As noted above, execution of the key tasks associated with the present invention are directed by modules 243, 246, which govern the operation of CPU 220 and control its interaction with main memory 210 in performing the steps associated with image analysis and combination. Thus, in a representative implementation, a series of differently exposed source images are stored in buffers 2121, 2122, 2123. Analyzer module 243 generates response curves and certainty functions associated with the source images or, as an alternative to estimating the response function, selects a reference frame and matches a histogram to the reference frame using a "generic" certainty function (e.g., any curve suitably peaked in the middle). Combiner module 246 then combines pixels from each of the source images by weighting correspondingly located pixels in accordance with the certainty functions, loading the resulting pixel values into a target image buffer 250 whose contents are shown on screen display 234. If the source images are not aligned, analyzer module 243 registers them using a coordinate transformation. Preferably, analyzer module 243 featurelessly approximates the parameters of a projective coordinate transformation that spatially relates, in pairs of source images, corresponding subject matter, and then applies the parameters to one or both of the images to thereby coordinate transform it into an image that is spatially consistent with the other image or to transform both images into a separate but spatially consistent space where common subject matter is in register.
User interface 250 is preferably configured to permit the user to modify the displayed image by activating one or more filters 255 (the dashed lines indicating the optional nature of this feature). In particular, interface 250 desirably provides graphical representations of a series of "slider" switches, manipulation of which (using mouse 232) alters a global or local image characteristics. In the case of corrections operating on the source images, the filters alter data in source-image buffers 2121, 2122, 2123 in accordance with the filter function. The filters 255 can also affect operation of combiner 246, e.g., by permitting the user to alter the weights applied to the component images. Finally, operations such as gamma correction are applied to the displayed image residing in target-image buffer 250, or equivalently incorporated into the process of arriving at ("rendering") the output image.
It should be stressed that this implementation is exemplary only. Other hardware approaches are possible--for example, the various modules of the invention can be implemented on a general-purpose computer using appropriate software instructions, or as hardware circuits, or as mixed hardware-software combinations (wherein, for example, pixel manipulation and rendering is performed by dedicated hardware components). Indeed, the invention is not limited to operations on discretely represented digital images. Instead, the foregoing techniques can be applied to continuous images represented in analog form, using, for example, contrast masks to combine source images.
Furthermore, the differently exposed images need not arise from different camera exposures. Instead, the various source images can represent different color channels (e.g., red, green and blue) from a digital camera, or differently filtered exposures of the same scene taken with a film camera. The red channel or redfiltered image, for example, would provide better sky and cloud detail than the other images. The differently colored source images can be combined, as discussed above, into one grayscale image of a single color.
It will therefore be seen that the foregoing represents a highly flexible and effective approach to generating high-quality images that exhibit both large dynamic ranges and capture subtle variations in exposure. The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.


text:
<—Bad News Refuge for Friendless Girls—>
Olga's Diary (Continued)
Dear Diary
What did I do wrong: The water in my bath was so hot the bathroom was thick with steam, burning my skin and I could barely see the bath taps. But I didn't want to cool it down, I wanted it as hot as I could bear it.
Earlier Moores had said she'd meet me at the pub, but wasn't there when I arrived. So, I got my ginger beer from the barman and sat down. The pub was busy and noisy and though I'd been there a few times before, this was the first time on my own.
From where I was sitting I could see John Edward in the other bar with a group of friends. Before the war he was a senior doctor in St Mary's Hospital in Paddington and very well respected. Now he was working as a doctor in the army based somewhere near London. He's very popular and everyone knows who he is. He has a reputation for being a bit of a ladies man. Moores would often tease me about him saying I had a crush on him and, it was true, I did like him a lot, but he'd never even noticed me.
I'd been sitting there for half an hour and Moores still hadn't turned up so I decided to get one more drink. I decided I'd go back to the Nurses' Home if she hadn't arrived by the time I'd finished it. I felt a twinge of disappointment when I went up to buy my ginger beer because I couldn't see John in the other bar.
I sat down and the next thing I knew he was sitting opposite me. He smiled at me but I was overcome with shyness.
"Olga, isn't it?" he said loudly so I could hear above the noise. Goodness, I thought, he knows my name.
"Yes, it is".
I was getting a really good look at him now. I'd never seen anyone so handsome, except, of course, film stars, but most of them were dark haired. John was slim and fair-haired and he had such a lovely smile. By now I was hoping Moores wasn't coming because I wanted John all to myself. He told me he had three days leave before he had to report back to the army. I could see some of the other girls in the bar looking at us, a bit jealous I thought, and I felt so proud that he seemed interested in me.
My initial shyness was gone and I was surprised by how easy he was to talk to. I told him where I came from and all about my family and he talked about his life in the army. We talked like two people who had been friends for ages. He offered to buy me another ginger beer and while he was at the bar I went to the ladies toilet.
As I came out he was standing in the passage waiting for me and took hold of my hand.
"Come with me, Olga, I want to show you something."
We went down the passage, in the opposite direction of the bar and John opened a door and we were in a small dirty yard where there were lots of beer barrels and crates of beer. He closed the door and I wondered what we were doing there.
Then he pushed me against the wall of the pub and started kissing me very roughly. With his knee he forced my legs apart and I was frightened because I knew then that something bad was going to happen to me.
I tried to push him away from me but the weight of his body had me pressed against the wall.
"Stop, please stop, you're hurting me" I pleaded still trying to push him.
"Stop struggling and it won't hurt" he said.
He pulled my dress up and my knickers down. He'd undone his trousers and by now I was crying
"Please, don't" I said, my fists punching his shoulders. I looked at him and he was smiling and then he covered my mouth with one hand and forced himself inside me.
Suddenly terrible, terrible pain, as he repeatedly pushed himself into me. The pain was so bad I thought I wanted to pass out prayed to God to let me pass out so I could not feel it any more. After a few minutes I felt his body relax.
Again I said "Stop, you're hurting me" and he laughed.
"It's OK, Olga, I'm finished now". He buttoned up his trousers and then went back inside.
For a few minutes I stayed in the same position I'd been in throughout my ordeal, leaning against the wall because I couldn't stand up properly on my own without its support. I could feel fluid running down my legs but was afraid to go back inside to the toilet to clean myself up.
There was a door in the yard that opened straight onto the street. I tried to run back to the nursing home but my legs were shaking so much I couldn't. I kept my head down all the way back not wanting anyone to see my tears or to make eye contact with me because I thought they would know what had just happened to me.
I felt so ashamed and humiliated and tried to think what I had done or said in the pub to make such a bad thing happen to me, but I couldn't think of anything.
I stayed in the bath until it was cold, crying for Mammie.
Dear Diary
I have physical pain and yet I feel numb too. How can that be?
I'm not the person I was before. That Olga has gone. I cannot concentrate on anything I am asked to do and am always being scolded by Sister Tutor. She asks me
"What's wrong with you, are you sick?"
I can't tell her. I don't tell anyone.
If I don't pull my socks up there will be no point in sitting the first year examination again she tells me. I don't care any more. I have nightmares now and am too frightened to sleep, because, when I close my eyes, I see it all happening again, so I stay awake.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
PITTSBURGH — Baseball's awards races are winding down, and the Baseball Writers Association of America has some difficult choices to make in the four voting categories for each league.
Mike Trout, Clayton Kershaw and Jose Abreu appear to be shoo-ins for American League MVP, National League Cy Young and AL Rookie of the Year, respectively.
But the other categories — including the two Manager of the Year awards — may come down to the final weeks.
On the flip side, there are also some interesting races shaping up for the worst performances of the 2014 season.
Here's how one man's ballot would be shaping up, if these awards actually existed:


text:
Take $25 off your first order | Exclusions Apply
Apply Today, Buy Today1
• Build your credit history with us • Low monthly payments1 • Trusted brand names
Price does not include other fees such as tires services, tire disposal or any applicable state environmental taxes. Actual tire may vary from displayed image and does not include wheels/rims.
Will this tire fit your vehicle? Simply locate your vehicle's recommended tire size in one of these easy locations: your owner's manual, on the sidewall of your current tires or on a sticker on the inside frame of your driver's side door. Fingerhut will not be able to help you determine if this tire will fit your vehicle.


text:
Obama Found Out About North Korea's Mini Nukes in 2013
By Julio Rosas
August 12, 2017
People were in a frenzy after the Washington Post reported Tuesday on how the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) had determined North Korea is now capable of arming nuclear warheads onto intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). This means North Korea has the capability to hit large portions of the United States with nuclear weapons.
However, Fred Fleitz of the Center for Security Policy wrote in an op-ed for FoxNews.com on Thursday that the Washington Post omitted several details in its report, one of which was that the DIA had actually reached this conclusion in 2013:
During an April 11, 2013, House Armed Services Committee hearing, Congressman Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., inadvertently revealed several unclassified sentences from a DIA report that said DIA had determined with "moderate confidence" that North Korea has the capability to make a nuclear weapon small enough to be launched with a ballistic missile.
Another was how the Obama administration tried to downplay the 2013 report:
The Director of National Intelligence and Obama officials subsequently tried to dismiss Lamborn's disclosure by claiming the DIA assessment was an outlier that did not reflect the views of the rest of the U.S. Intelligence Community. [...]


text:
Recall 10V009000
Possible Brake Failure
Recall Details
Some vehicles may have been assembled with a deformed brake booster input rod retainer or no retainer at all. As a result, the brakes may fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will install a new brake booster input rod retainer to correct this problem. This recall is expected to begin during February 2010. The Chrysler recall number is J37.
Our Quick Take
The brakes could fail without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
What Should You Do?
We at RepairPal have designated this as a high priority recall; the brakes could fail without warning. Please contact your Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealer. They will check to see if your specific vehicle is affected and advise you on what to do next. Always have your vehicle identification number (VIN) handy when you call.


text:
gunta necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 39 diseños de 9 diseñadores freelance.
The company is a young full service agency in terms of finance. We are looking for a new and clear design, transporting liability. As it`s a branche, where reliability is important you have to find the right mixture between modern look and credence.
On the one hand there is the tax advising part, on the other hand the auditing part.
Basically we want you to come up with 3 designs
- entry page
- homepage
- inner page
Please take your time to read the description if you want to participate.
And now have some fun :-)
Basically you are required to create the following 3 designs.
- One design is the
entry page, showing the two major business units: tax advising part and auditing.
- the other design is the homepage of the tax advising unit, which has the same design as the homepage of the auditing unit.
- The 3rd design is the inner page of the tax advising unit, which has the same design as the homepage of the auditing unit. At the entry site, the user chooses which direction he wants to go. e.g: have a look at the existing site: http://www.houf.at/
If user chooses the tax advisor part of the homepage, he comes to the tax advice part
if he chooses the right part, he comes to the auditing part.
For your design, please feel completely free to decide on your own, how to show/split these 2 units!
Design requirements:
Only 3 major requirements:
- please use the colour of the existin website http://www.houf.at/
- As there is no real logo, please use the way we write AUDIT PARTNER and CITYTAX http://www.2befound.at/design/VCT-A…5x21_A.pdf
- Use the slogans as a core element for the websites
for AUDIT PARTNER it`s "building trust"
for CITYTAX it`s "building visionsLogo integration
- The logo (e.g. business unit name) should be placed very clearly and in a dominant poistion. See teherfore also: http://www.2befound.at/design/VCT-A…5x21_A.pdf
Structure of homepage
- Home
- Performance
- Tax online
- News
- Services
- ContactTarget Audience
- major part of customers are (young) enterpreneurs up to 45 years.Spirit
- The site should portray a rock-solid image of our company and attract our target group with a modern design.Format
- PSDPrize
$ 700 guaranteed!
- showing liability
- look very clear and modern
- communicate the two different business units
- showing a website of a dynamic young professionals
- Classic pictures, associated with that kind of business. Like meeting people, pens, paragraphs etc.
- Logo design
- Flash
- Overuse of flash gradients
- Many different fonts
- Overuse of bright colors


text:
At a party last weekend, I got stuck with "That Mom." You know, the mom you dread seeing at school functions, birthday parties, playdates, or park outings. So I decided to make a list of the most common types of "That Mom" I've come across. This way you can avoid her before she traps you!
Know it all Nicole - This mom is like Kris Jenner, but she won't take your family to Hawaii. She will, however, advise you how to be a better mom and wife, because frankly, who doesn't like unsolicited advice on parenting and marriage? She'll tell you whether you should or shouldn't vaccinate, how to get whites their whitest, and why you can never go to a drive-thru. If you want her to impart her wisdom elsewhere, bring up a blush-worthy topic like blow jobs. If she doesn't run for the hills, hear her out -- you can never know too much about blow jobs -- then bring up vibrators.
PMS Pam - Talking with this "depress-fest" is more sobering than watching an aged Paul McCartney perform live. Her weighty conversations will include talk of symptomless diseases (that could strike at any time), children who were poisoned by school lunches, and Botox gone horribly, irreversibly wrong. After a few short minutes, you'll be sucked into an abyss of worry and despair that will have you questioning your safety, your health, and your marriage. Never talk to her alone. It will take another friend to pull you from the pit (hope that friend comes bearing cocktails)!
More from The Stir: 9 Rules Moms Should Follow at the Playground
Donna Droner - Talking to Donna will make you wish you had a cyanide pellet. This chatty chick finds every detail of her stories not only necessary, but fascinating, whether she's describing how she rescheduled her children's annual checkups, or rattling off her 37-step trick to getting discoloration out of grout. Throughout your pow-wow you'll feign interest and nod politely, while wondering if plastic party knives are strong enough to perform Hari Kari.
Braggy Beth - This gal will make you question whether your child is stupid, lazy, or socially inept. No matter what your kid's accomplishments are, Beth's kids did it better, and did it earlier. "Your daughter doesn't know her alphabet yet? Have you had that looked into? I mean, I'm sure she's fine. My Lily is just really advanced. She probably learned it in the womb -- I mean, we taught her French in the womb. Does yours speak French yet? Sorry, that was insensitive, she barely speaks English." Listening to her talk will bring out a shameful side of you that wants to give the perfect little princess the finger.
Delusional Denise - DD has no earthly idea what her child is REALLY like. She's blissfully unaware that her sweet offspring, whom you've seen suffocate a baby bunny, could do any wrong. If confronted, Denise will emphatically deny that it was her little angel, she'll explain how it was surely an accident, or she'll complain that her child always seems to be the scapegoat. Beware: Denise's kids are the ones who grow up to be serial killers.
Judgy Julie - This delightful mom is assessing your every move. At playdates, she's estimating how many toys you have in your dining room, the sugar content in your pantry, and when you last dusted your blinds. Her goal is simple -- find enough evidence to confirm what she suspected all along, and arrive at the inevitable conclusion: she is better than you. Be careful, Judgy Julie doesn't keep her verdicts to herself. Yep, the high fructose corn syrup snacks you offer up could be the talk of the next PTA meeting.
Which type of mom do you find most annoying? Feel free to add your own!
Image via Jenny Isenman


text:
The Manchester clubs, once again, ended up the top two in the Premier League in 2012/13, however when combining a Manchester XI against an XI from London, which team would come out on top?
Here we take an unbiased look at whether the Premier League's Manchester rivals - City and United - would come out on top against the best players from Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham.
Using data from EA Sports' Player Performance Index (PPI) from last season and a pair of star squads selected by talkSPORT, GMS has come up with a definitive guide as to which players could propel their respective cities to success in such a derby.
Goalkeepers: David de Gea (Man Utd) vs. Petr Cech (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - De Gea: 441 vs. Cech: 501 (LONDON wins)
Right-back: Gael Clichy (Man City) vs. Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Clichy: 401 vs. Azpilicueta: 375 (MANCHESTER wins)
Centre-back: Vincent Kompany (Man City) vs. Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
PPI outcome - Kompany: 316 vs. Koscielny: 285 (MANCHESTER wins)
Centre-back: Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd) vs. Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
PPI outcome - Ferdinand: 432 vs. Vertonghen: 467 (LONDON wins)
Left-back: Pablo Zabaleta (Man City) vs. Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Zabaleta: 436 vs. Cole: 419 (MANCHESTER wins)
Right-midfield: Shinji Kagawa (Man Utd) vs. Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Kagawa: 295 vs. Hazard: 614 (LONDON wins)
Centre-midfield: Yaya Toure (Man City) vs. David Luiz (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Toure: 564 vs. Luiz: 382 (MANCHESTER wins)
Centre-midfield: Michael Carrick (Man Utd) vs. Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Carrick: 558 vs. Lampard: 448 (MANCHESTER wins)
Left-midfield: David Silva (Man City) vs. Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur)
PPI outcome - Silva: 552 vs. Bale: 705 (LONDON wins)
Centre-forward: Sergio Aguero (Man City) vs. Juan Mata (Chelsea)
PPI outcome - Aguero: 392 vs. Mata: 706 (LONDON wins)
Striker: Robin van Persie (Man Utd) vs. Dimitar Berbatov (Fulham)
PPI outcome - Van Persie: 827 vs. Berbatov: 530 (MANCHESTER WINS)
So, after a theoretical extra time and perhaps even penalty shoot-out, the Manchester XI would secure victory over their London rivals, by six players to five.
The back four and goalkeeper is made up of a mix from Manchester and London - the Manchester partnership of Yaya Toure and Michael Carrick prove the best central midfield pairing, whilst Eden Hazard and Gareth Bale would combine to make a world-class winger duo, ahead of Shinji Kagawa and David Silva.
Statistically, Robin van Persie is the best player to be taking part in the hypothetical match-up, after leading United to their twentieth Premier League title.
Write for GiveMeSport! Sign-up to the GMS Writing Academy here: https://bit.ly/12evFlH
DISCLAIMER: This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeSport Writing Academy and does not represent the views of GiveMeSport.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article. GiveMeSport.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.


text:
The recent headline reporting the Supreme Court's decision involving Arizona, "High court repeals most of Ariz. Immigration law" (July 26) is factually incorrect. No court can "repeal" a law.
A court can interpret a law, hold it unconstitutional and therefore void (judicial review), or issue an injunction to temporarily or permanently block its enforcement (for a variety of reasons). Only a legislature can "repeal" a law that it passed. Only the Arizona legislature (or perhaps its voters by referendum) can "repeal" SB1270!
Joel B. Grossman, Baltimore
The writer is a professor in the political science department of Johns Hopkins University.


text:
Madge & Child: the ad campaign
While Guy Ritchie is hooking up with a new model every other day – click here to see - Madonna was in New York yesterday shooting an ad for D&G with a young male model. Let's all say it together: he looks like her son. Obviously. Her Madgesty is cheeky for sure, but in recent years she's lost her sense of humour. I'd be impressed if she was actually making a play on how everyone's been ragging on her age issues, mamma walking home with her boy after grocery shopping, but chances are, they're probably just trying to sell this sh-t to us like this androgynous youth is her lover.
She looks good though. These paps shot her in some soft flattering light. Oprah light! And I do love the picture of her about to take a sip from her drink, smiling wide, with a glint of her punk attitude from back in the day in her eyes. These moments though, they are fleeting. Especially when you consider she's pimping coconut water now remember? And, well, I have to squint at this thumbnail since my internet takes 5 hours to open it, but doesn't that say "coco" on the box?
Photos from Bauergriffinonline.com


text:
Talk to us on
Message (optional)
Max. 255 characters
Information documents
Legal publications
This Tariff for insured devices which compensate for a motor deficiency and related services constitutes an up-to-date regulatory tariff.
For previous versions of the tariff, see the register below. The "Related Legal Document" links lead to the notice of the Régie relating to the tariff. Unless indicated otherwise, the date of publication corresponds to the date of coming into force.
Please note that under the second paragraph of section 72.1 of the Health Insurance Act (CQLR, chapter A-29), publication on this website of a regulation respecting the goods and services (devices that compensate for a physical deficiency) referred to in the fifth paragraph of section 3 of the Health Insurance Act and of the related legal documents imparts authentic value to them.


text:
In this spellbinding memoir, Bill Zimmerman relates his many adventures in the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements of the sixties and offers invaluable lessons on the art of effective protest for today's activists.
In Troublemaker, Zimmerman vividly describes registering black voters in Mississippi, marching with Martin Luther King, Jr., organizing for the March on the Pentagon, protesting at the Chicago Democratic convention, and flying food to protesting Indians at Wounded Knee. He relates how he abandoned his career as a scientist to prevent military misuse of his research, then smuggled medicines to North Vietnam, established an international charity that rebuilt a Vietnamese hospital bombed by Nixon, and helped lead the grassroots lobbying campaign that finally ended the war. Breaking down the complex strategies and tactics of the antiwar movement, Zimmerman provides an invaluable look at the sixties and its continuing relevance today.
Bill Zimmerman, who holds a doctorate in psychology from the University of Chicago, is one of the nation's most experienced political consultants. As cofounder of the leading consulting firm Zimmerman & Markman, whose work for ballot initiatives and for organizations such as the ACLU, NRDC, and MoveOn.org has won multiple awards, he continues to advocate for social justice.
"Remarkable. . . . Activists today will want to read this inspiring story."
—Wes Boyd, Co-founder of MoveOn.org
"A smart, tough, incisive look at the politics of the '60s and how they impact us today. . . . Read it. Then go out and cause trouble."
—Robert Greenwald, Producer and Director, Brave New Films
"A well-written, passionate story of a personal journey through the Vietnam protest era, and a valuable model for progressive activists of our own time."
—The Nation
"Bill Zimmerman gives the lie to the old saw that if you remember the '60s you weren't there. . . . Zimmerman has written one hell of a page-turner."
—Paul Begala, CNN Political Consultant
"As thrilling as any true-life thriller. . . . At a time when journalists persist in judging the Occupy movement by its easily visible signs and accomplishments of the past hundred days, Troublemaker is a useful reminder of how much of a social movement takes place in a profusion of lives, under the surface, among the unfamous."
—Todd Gitlin, The New Republic
"A riveting book. Bill Zimmerman is a shining example of . . . a patriot his country can count on in dark times. . . . This is an inspiring story of a life committed to a better world. And, what a life! What a story!"
—Daniel Ellsberg
"Bill Zimmerman's memoir is a great adventure story. . . . Zimmerman's tales of derring-do are fused with insightful analysis, and a history we thought we knew is retold in surprising and moving ways."
—Richard Flacks, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara and Co-founder of Students for a Democratic Society
"Bill Zimmerman's wise and rollicking chronicle of his contrarian transit across the sixties and early seventies (a sort of cross between Zelig, Zorro, and Zapata) can help explain the political and cultural passions of that era, both to those who lived through them and to their progeny, better than any such text has yet managed to do. It's a vivid tale, elegantly dispatched."
—Lawrence Weschler, Director, New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU
"A thoughtful eyewitness history of America's war at home and a thrilling political adventure story. An engaging exhortation to take risks and live a meaningful life."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Exhilarating . . . a vivid evocation of the romanticism and extraordinary shifts in consciousness that the 1960s unleashed."
—Publishers Weekly


text:
Returns and Refunds
We strongly suggest reading the complete Returns and Refunds Policy before making a purchase. Thank you!
USED ProductsIAmAlphaM does not refund or exchange USED products.
Shipping Fee Is Non-Refundable
IAmAlphaM will not reimburse (refund) any customer for the shipping cost of a returned product. You will be responsible for the cost of returning a product as well as accept all risk of loss for the product being returned.
Return of UNUSED ProductsUnused items may be returned within 30-days of the invoice date for refund less shipping. No refunds are issued after 30 days.
All items returned for a refund must be returned in "as new" condition in the original packaging.
When returning the product, we strongly recommend the use of a carrier that tracks packages.
IAmAlphaM will not be responsible for any shipping loss; therefore, you are responsible for insuring the returned item.
Please allow 2-7 business days to process your return after receipt.
IAmAlphaM reserves the right to refuse service that would void the return policy. IAmAlphaM may reject the entire return or choose to impose additional charges against for improper returns.
You may return UNUSED product for a full refund (less original shipping). Please include a copy of your invoice. If you don't have the invoice, then please include a note with your order number. You will be provided with the return address when you contact IAmAlphaM Customer Service at [email protected]
Custom Products
Custom orders are subject to our vendors' policies and cannot be returned or refunded. However, our vendors stand by their work and will resolve any problems associated with custom orders. Contact [email protected] with any issues within 7 days of receipt.
Cancelling Order
Email [email protected] to cancel your order. NOTE: Cancellations are not possible after the package has been shipped. Cancellations after shipment may be refunded (product cost less shipping) upon proper return (see above: Return of UNUSED Products) of product(s).
Shipping Errors | Order Discrepancy, Damaged Item, Incorrect Address, Incorrect or Missing ItemsPlease inform IAmAlphaM of any shipping error within 7 days of the delivery date to [email protected]The following information is required for verification.
-Photo of the shipping box
-Photo of the damage/incorrect item
Customer Service will review the order and respond within 24 hours.


text:
Rosslyn Park Sevens awaits Boys High School All-Americans
BOULDER, Colo. – The USA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans will arrive in London on St. Patrick's Day to prepare for the Rosslyn Park Sevens, which begins on Thursday, March 22. Salty Thompson's young team made it to the round of 16 at last year's tournament, and hopes to perform well on Thursday giving them a chance to advance during the knockout stages on Friday.
"We earned a measure of respect last year," Thompson said. "We're in with a couple of tough teams and hopefully a couple of easier teams. It's a big challenge."
Sponsored by Aircraft Charter Solutions, the HSAAs defeated one of the two British Columbia teams in the High School Elite Division Final at the Las Vegas Invitational in February. While the Canadian opponent was a tough test for Thompson's team, the depth of experience and talent of the English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish teams will bring out the best in the All-Americans.
"We played with athleticism, skill and game understanding in Vegas," Thompson said. "Players are arriving into the HSAA program with better skills and rugby IQ thanks to the improved levels of coaching and the fact that the players are starting to play younger."
With 110 teams in the open division at the Rosslyn Park Sevens, the High School All-Americans have been drawn in Group C with English schools Kirkham, London Oratory, and Robert Clack and Welsh side Tasker Milward.
Calvin Whiting of United Rugby Club in Utah will captain the All-Americans and will be joined by club teammate Zach Webber in London.
"Both players were instrumental in our success and have made significant improvements in their pace and power since they debuted on the South American tour in July," Thompson said.
After Rosslyn Park Sevens, the U17 All-Americans will travel to London for the Wellington College International Tournament, where they will face Wales U16s, Belgium U17s and England South U16s in group play.
USA Rugby Boys High School All-Americans Roster | Rosslyn Park Sevens
Sondai Adjei
Niall Barry
Mitchel Gusman
Joseph Kelly
David Kucharski
Billy Maggs
Jesse Mander
Austen Middleton
David Todd
James Vaifale
Zach Webber
Calvin Whiting


text:
- ITV Report
AFC Bournemouth get replay at Wigan Athletic
Instead, the Cherries' battling display after Eunan O'Kane had netted a superb opener earned them a replay at Dean Court and a place in tomorrow's fourth round draw.Wigan's second-half performance was enough to merit a share of the spoils, with new-boy Angelo Henriquez heading against the bar within minutes of his introduction at the break.
Although the romance of the FA Cup does not come from half-empty stadiums and severely weakened teams, the competition remains capable of conjuring up stories from even the least promising of circumstances.
A large number of Bournemouth supporters had already made their presence felt when O'Kane let fly from 20 yards four minutes before the break.
The 22-year-old from Derry, who by dint of birth is one of those who appeared for both Northern Ireland and the Republic at Under-21 level, had been existing in relative obscurity.
That changed when the former Coleraine and Torquay man advanced a couple of strides and drove a shot like an arrow into the top corner of Mike Pollitt's goal.
At 40 years and 11 months, Pollitt was becoming the second oldest player in Wigan history, behind Dave Beasant.
His failure to keep out O'Kane's strike had nothing to do with age though. The credit was all the Bournemouth's man, who raced away to celebrate, pursued by understandably ecstatic team-mates.
The visitors, unbeaten in their previous 16 games under Ernie Howe, could claim to deserve their interval lead too.
Although clear cut chances were at a premium, they had largely succeeded in shutting down a lacklustre Wigan attack, with even Maynor Figueroa - one of only two men remaining from the team that started against Manchester United on New Years' Day - failing to threaten with a couple of trademark piledrivers.
Marc Pugh was a useful attacking outlet for a Bournemouth side lacking both David James and star man Brett Pitman.
And the winger thought he had won a penalty when he went down under the lunge of Wigan debutant Roman Golobart.
Much to Pugh's chagrin, referee Robert Madley did not agree, instead booking him for diving.
Roberto Martinez was suitably unimpressed and introduced Henriquez at the break.
The 18-year-old is already a full Chile international and the excellent progress of Tom Cleverley during his loan spell with the Latics led Sir Alex Ferguson to believe Henriquez's talent could be developed under Martinez as well.
And within eight minutes, the young striker had hit the bar, ghosting to the near post where he met David Jones' free-kick with a firm contact that flicked over off the woodwork.
The Bournemouth crossbar was rattling again when Figueroa unleashed another brutal effort from 30 yards which Shwan Jalal could get nowhere near.
Having taken command, the hosts still required another controversial intervention by Madley to drag themselves level.
Madley was in no doubt Simon Francis hauled Figueroa over inside the six-yard box. TV replays showed he was correct.
But, yet again, Bournemouth were unanimous in their disagreement.
Gomez kept his cool throughout the rancour and was alert enough to tap the rebound into an empty net after Jalal had saved the midfielder's initial spot-kick.
Full coverage of all the FA cup fixtures can be found on ITV's Sport website here.


text:
To give you the best possible experience, this site uses cookies. Continuing to use marksandspencer.com means you agree to our use of cookies. See our cookie policy for more information.
Add a little sunshine to your cold-weather look with our winter-bright knitwear
Shop cardigans & sweaters
Our coats, jackets and work shoes mean business, whatever the weather
Shop workwear
Winter calls for one of our luxurious new dressing gowns or pyjama sets
Shop pyjamas
Shop dressing gowns
From hosiery with Heatgen tech to leggings and vests, it's the perfect time to love your base layer
Shop thermals
This way: essential M&S shoes, trousers, shirts, socks and more
Shop formal shirts
From cosy cashmere to must-have merino wool, take to the street in our snow-ready sweaters
Shop jumpers & cardigans
Shop coats & jackets
Layer your little one in our adorable baby bodysuits
Shop now
From newborns to pre-schoolers, bring on the Christmas cuteness
Shop dresses
Keep them extra snug this winter with thermals with boys and girls
Shop boys' thermals
Shop girls' thermals
Beat the chill in fabulously vibrant jumpers for kids
Shop boys' knitwear
Shop girls' knitwear
Hibernate in comfort and style with winter-ready bedding and super-soft pillows
Shop all bedding
Shop duvets & pillows
With cookware and crockery made for weekday dining and weekend entertaining
Shop crockery
Shop cookware
Sign in to your Marks & Spencer account, or Create an account for quicker shopping. Plus we'll give you personal product recommendations, offers and price drop alerts
Hurry, only 0 left in stock!
You've reached your quantity limit for this item.
We only list UK sizes. If you're not sure what your UK size is, please click on 'What's my size?' or review our size guides.
These leather boots for women are sure to make a statement, in a knee high style that pairs perfectly with mini skirts for a standout look. The sleek side zip and chunky heel are stylish touches, while Insolia® technology reduces pressure on the feet to keep you comfortable whatever the day throws your way.
You may return unused products within 35 days of purchase with a valid parcel summary document. Your items don't need to be in the original box or bag as long as they're securely packaged.
Free returns to select M&S stores.
Hassle-free returns from home. Simply print the returns label, attach it to the top of your parcel and insert the returns note in the parcel. We will automatically deduct the cost of return from your refund.
To print the returns label and return, simply click here.
Free delivery to your nearest store: within 3-4 working days
Standard Delivery: FREE over £50 (normally £3.50); within 3-4 working days.
Sign up to our Jersey site and you will be the first to receive updates about new arrivals and M&S exclusives.


text:
sleep 512:02 am - In this age, show business is as big a part of coaching as, well, coaching. When you're losing, sometimes it's not a bad idea to go to outlandish lengths to show the fans you care. In New York, we've had some legendary actors: Billy Martin, Bill Parcells, Al Arbour. When Al compared Kevin Hatcher to Paul Bunyon, you think he really meant it?
The MSG Plus cameras almost never fail to show Scott Gordon after an opposing goal. Tonight for the 3-2 game-winning goal by Edmonton, the camera went from Andrew Cogliano to Joey MacDonald to Gordon in under five seconds.
When the calls are going horribly against your team - as they did tonight from Ontario to Alberta - Scott might want to consider drawing the cameras to him. There is no downside to freaking out on the officials. The refs will understand. The fans will see the heart beating.
That may be unfair, but it's the truth. It's the difference between Shrugging Eric Mangini and all the men Jets fans now want to coach their team.
(12:12 am, P.S.: Gordon did well in the post-game, showing some fire in his press briefing. Next up, he might need an Instant You Tube Classic wig-out within a game).
sleep 5
I called Islanders European scouting director Vellu-Pekka Kautonen tonight with a few questions about 2008 fourth round pick David Ullstrom of Team Sweden and snuck in one about another guy.
Point Blank: Do you get the sense from David Ullstrom that playing in North America, playing in the NHL, is very much in his plans?
Kautonen: I'll tell you what happened last night. I went with the rest of our scouts in Ottawa for the WJC out to dinner at The Keg (a sort of Friday's in Canada). We get there, and it turns out David's father, mother and sister are at the table next to us. His father told me that David is so excited about the opportunity to come to North America and be part of the Islanders organization.
David has been blown away by the incredible excitement at the WJC and he's following all the hockey since he got here two weeks ago. His father said that David can't stop talking about how much he wants to make it to the NHL. His dad told us he was going to do everything in his power to make sure his son is doing everything to get to this level. It was a real nice moment.
PB: Do you think Ullstrom's style would be a good fit for the Islanders and at the NHL level? Is he what you would call an NHL-style player?
Kautonen: Absolutely. He already has the size (6-3, 205) and his skating gets better with each year. He has the willingness to pay the price and is not shy in traffic. He has very good potential at this level.
PB: There's been a sense since you drafted him in the fourth round last summer that Ullstrom may have been the Islanders' biggest steal.
Kautonen: You're always happy with your picks in the days after, but it was nice when 4 or 5 of my European colleagues came up to me at the NHL Draft and said David was right in their sights with their team's next pick.
Ullstrom's a good player. Since we selected him, he has played in the Swedish Elite League and seen some time in the second league. (Former Islanders dynasty member and current scout) Anders Kallur sees him a lot and is very happy with him, and I know (Islanders scout) Eric Cairns was pleased with his progress when he traveled to Sweden last month to see Ullstrom and some of our other European draft picks.
PB: Any idea of a timeline for Ullstrom coming to play in North America?
Kautonen: Probably too early right now to be sure. I don't think we can rule out him coming here next season, but I'll also say that if he could play a regular shift on the third line of HV-71 of the Elite League next season, that would a very good option for his development. We'll have a better idea of a good plan for David after this season.
sleep 5PB: Okay, I fibbed about talking Ullstrom-only. I'm doing a bad job if I don't ask the Islanders Director of European Scouting about Victor Hedman.
Kautonen: He's real good. It's been an interesting time for Hedman at this tournament. Because of the hype around Victor, people are disappointed when he's not as flashy as they expect of him. That's not the type of player he is. He may not "wow" you every shift. He may not even "wow" you every game. It's not fair for anyone to compare him to John Tavares. Hedman's going to be fine. He is an outstanding prospect.
PB: I'm curious. When NHL scouts go to the World Junior Championships, do they spend time with their draft picks or do you leave them alone to focus on the tournament?
In most cases, you don't meet with them. You want them to be able to concentrate on the hockey, and you want to show respect to their teams. After David's first game in Ottawa, Eric Cairns gave him a quick call on behalf of all of us to tell him we were proud of the strides he has made. David has always been very good with the puck, but now he has come a long way in his play without the puck. David appreciated the call and since then we have kept our proper distance. This was an important time for him and for Team Sweden.
PB: How did Ullstrom do in the final tonight?
Kautonen: It was Canada's night tonight, but David played very, very hard. He had an excellent tournament and gave everything he had tonight. We're proud of the way he played.
PB: Will you go visit with Ullstrom after the game?
Kautonen: Part of you wants to, but it's always complete mayhem down there after the championship game. David knows we're proud of him. We will definitely make contact with him soon.
Since we've had to change our focus to The Big Picture about ten games ago, here's your mid-season report.
Tonight's loss in Edmonton takes the Islanders to 12-25-4 at the 41-game mark.
That's 12 wins in 41 games. That's 13 games under .500 just 41 games into a season in a league where only 7 of 30 teams are any games under .500.
In the interest of balanced journalism, the Islanders entered tonight's game with an astounding 253 man-games lost to injury.
After 41 games, the Islanders have won only 8 of them in 60 minutes of regulation play.
Believe me, I wish it were different. I really was looking forward to writing about hockey games. But 12-25-4 is the answer to the question why our coverage will continue to focus on trade deadline and prospective UFA decisions, the Tavheduch Watch and the development of young players in the NHL, AHL, Europe and junior hockey. It is why one of tonight's lead stories was about a fourth round draft pick from Sweden playing in the final of the World Junior Championships.
Good point by Jiggs McDonald: when the rosters for the Young Stars Game on All-Star Weekend are announced on Friday, Kyle Okposo should be part of it. Here's hoping the Islanders have campaigned to the league on behalf of Okposo. The Islanders assuming the NHL has got it covered would be a mistake.


text:
A.E. Schwartz $38.45 English 1937
About This Product
Norway PowerPoint Presentation: 35 slides
This Norway PowerPoint will teach you about the country's culture, customs, family life, gender roles, cuisine, etiquettes for dining, social and business interactions, and much more to assist you in your travels.
Did you know that Norwegians are the tallest of all Europeans? Or that the northern third of Norway is located in the Arctic Circle?
This Norway Power Point highlights these facts and much more including: 14 Points on General Information, 11 Points on Family Life, 34 Points on Food, 15 Points on Food Etiquette, 15 Points on Social Etiquette, 16 Points on Business Etiquette, and 8 Points on Trivia. Royalty Free - Use Them Over and Over Again. Once purchased, download instructions will be sent to you via email. (PC and MAC Compatible).
Participant Handout included
These participant handouts are identical to the PowerPoint Presentation Content except that the content has been eliminated. Never simply show your presentation. Allow participants to take notes while listening to you, fostering greater interest and retention. Our PowerPoint Participant handouts saves any presentor valuable time in having to prepare the handout themselves.
NOTE: All A.E. Schwartz & Associates PowerPoint Presentation Content, Handouts and Quotes products are compatible. This means they have been developed as a series. Purchase any and all of our PowerPoint Presentation Content and use all or a portion of each in any combination for all your presentation needs.
Bullets & Fonts
All Ready Set Present PowerPoint Content, Quotes and Handout Presentations use standard fonts. If your computer does not currently have these fonts installed, we have included a font file to ensure your presentation works properly.
When ordering, if you need an extraction program to unzip the file please visit one of these sites below. These programs all have free trials that can be used to unzip our files. Make sure you have your pop-up blockers disabled.
Winzip - https://www.winzip.com/win/en/dprob.html Winrar - https://www.rarlab.com/download.htm
Preview Pages
Some slides get distorted during conversion from PowerPoint to video. The quality of the video does not represent the actual PowerPoint file that you will receive upon purchase.
Keywords: Norway PowerPoint, Norway Country Power Point, Norway, Business in the Norway, Norway Family Life, Norway General Information, Norway Etiquette, Norway Trivia, Norway Cuisine, Norway Food, Norway ppt
Once purchased you may edit, add and include your logo!
You may insert your PowerPoint material/s into our presentation along with your logo. You also may add or delete, edit, or re-order our content. FAQ
Copyright & Liability
By purchasing this product I agree to the copyright & liability below:
Products electronically transferred are your acceptance to the terms and conditions of the license and usage as described. This material is for a single user who may present this material provided they do not alter and keep all copyright and other proprietary notices intact (more...). This product may not be re-sold, distributed, stored in a database or retrieval system, downloaded, except by written permission from the publisher. Any infraction or infringement will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Customer Reviews
Submit your feedback and get a chance to win a $50.00 gift certificate (more)…
Please send your reviews of this product to email@example.com.
Please include your name, title, and company.
Order This Product


text:
The Maserati GranTurismo is a four-seat coupe made by one of the most legendary marques in the business. With a base price of $126,850, it's exclusive and, with a top speed of 180 mph, it's fast. What more could customers want? Apparently, they want more of everything: Maserati just unveiled a tweaked Sport version of the GranTurismo for 2013.
To make the Sport appreciably sportier than the base GranTurismo S, Maserati bumped the horsepower power in the 4.7-liter V8 from 433 to 460. That also tops the limited-edition MC and MC Stradale (both with 444 hp).
The interior gets redesigned seats and a new steering wheel. On the outside, the GranTurismo Sport gets a new front fascia, with massive jowl-like air intakes accentuating the traditional Maserati oval grille. The headlights now include LED daytime running lights. Maserati calls the new look a "significant restyling," which is a bit of an overstatement. Still, the car they started with was arguably one of the best looking coupes on the road. What's that saying about things that aren't broken?
The 2013 GranTurismo Sport has more purpose than most tweaked "sport" models, since it will actually replace the GranTurismo S as the base model in the Maserati coupe range. The GranTurismo has only been around since the 2010 model year, but apparently Maserati feels the need to revamp it to stay competitive in the six-figure grand touring field.
Maserati will not release performance figures until the car's unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show, but the Sport's added horsepower should give it a boost. The question is whether it will be too close to the MC and MC Stradale. The track-biased Stradale is only sold in Europe and only has two seats, but the less-hardcore MC isn't as specialized.
The MC has a similar front end to the Sport, less horsepower (but more than the outgoing S), and comes with tweaked suspension and a smattering of carbon fiber trim. That all costs $143,400; if the Sport ends up costing near the S's base price, will it be worth it?
Maserati buyers may not care; they will most likely line up to put their names on the waiting list for the GranTurismo Sport just because it is the newest Maserati. Like any other piece of tech, everyone wants to have it first. After all, whether you buy an S, Sport, or MC, you are buying the same car. All of them have the same beautiful styling and the same Italian pedigree. The biggest problem will be explaining the difference between the models to confused bystanders.
The GranTurismo Sport will give Maserati buyers more of what they want starting in September 2012.