text:
2 Calculating power
3 Definitions
3.1 Mechanical horsepower
3.2 Metric horsepower (PS, cv, hk, pk, ks, ch)
3.3 Tax horsepower
3.4 Electrical horsepower
3.5 Hydraulic horsepower
3.6 Boiler horsepower
3.7 Drawbar horsepower
3.8 RAC horsepower (taxable horsepower)
4 Measurement
4.1 Nominal (or rated) horsepower
4.2 Indicated horsepower
4.3 Brake horsepower
4.4 Shaft horsepower
5 Engine power test standards
5.1 Society of Automotive Engineers/SAE International
5.1.1 Early "SAE horsepower" (see RAC horsepower)
5.1.2 SAE gross power
5.1.3 SAE net power
5.1.4 SAE certified power
5.2 Deutsches Institut für Normung 70020 (DIN 70020)
5.3 CUNA
5.4 Economic Commission for Europe R24
5.6 80/1269/EEC
5.7 International Organization for Standardization
5.8 Japanese Industrial Standard D 1001
For other uses, see Horsepower (disambiguation).
One mechanical horsepower lifts 550 pounds by 1 foot in 1 second.
Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions being used today are the mechanical horsepower (or imperial horsepower), which is about 745.7 watts, and the metric horsepower, which is approximately 735.5 watts.
The term was adopted in the late 18th century by Scottish engineer James Watt to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses. It was later expanded to include the output power of other types of piston engines, as well as turbines, electric motors and other machinery.[1][2] The definition of the unit varied among geographical regions. Most countries now use the SI unit watt for measurement of power. With the implementation of the EU Directive 80/181/EEC on January 1, 2010, the use of horsepower in the EU is permitted only as a supplementary unit.[3]
A team of six horses mowing hay in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
The development of the steam engine provided a reason to compare the output of horses with that of the engines that could replace them. In 1702, Thomas Savery wrote in The Miner's Friend:[4]
So that an engine which will raise as much water as two horses, working together at one time in such a work, can do, and for which there must be constantly kept ten or twelve horses for doing the same. Then I say, such an engine may be made large enough to do the work required in employing eight, ten, fifteen, or twenty horses to be constantly maintained and kept for doing such a work…
The idea was later used by James Watt to help market his improved steam engine. He had previously agreed to take royalties of one third of the savings in coal from the older Newcomen steam engines.[5] This royalty scheme did not work with customers who did not have existing steam engines but used horses instead.
Watt determined that a horse could turn a mill wheel 144 times in an hour (or 2.4 times a minute).[6] The wheel was 12 feet (3.7 m) in radius; therefore, the horse travelled 2.4 × 2π × 12 feet in one minute. Watt judged that the horse could pull with a force of 180 pounds-force (800 N). So:
P = W t = F d t = 180 lbf × 2.4 × 2 π × 12 ft 1 min = 32,572 ft ⋅ lbf min . {\displaystyle P={\frac {W}{t}}={\frac {Fd}{t}}={\frac {180~{\text{lbf}}\times 2.4\times 2\,\pi \times 12~{\text{ft}}}{1~{\text{min}}}}=32{,}572~{\frac {{\text{ft}}\cdot {\text{lbf}}}{\text{min}}}.}
Watt defined and calculated the horsepower as 32,572 ft⋅lbf/min, which was rounded to an even 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min.[7]
Watt determined that a pony could lift an average 220 lbf (0.98 kN) 100 ft (30 m) per minute over a four-hour working shift.[8] Watt then judged a horse was 50% more powerful than a pony and thus arrived at the 33,000 ft⋅lbf/min figure.[9][better source needed] Engineering in History recounts that John Smeaton initially estimated that a horse could produce 22,916 foot-pounds (31,070 N⋅m) per minute.[10] John Desaguliers had previously suggested 44,000 foot-pounds (59,656 N⋅m) per minute, and Tredgold suggested 27,500 foot-pounds (37,285 N⋅m) per minute. "Watt found by experiment in 1782 that a 'brewery horse' could produce 32,400 foot-pounds [43,929 N⋅m] per minute."[11] James Watt and Matthew Boulton standardized that figure at 33,000 foot-pounds (44,742 N⋅m) per minute the next year.[11]
A common legend states that the unit was created when one of Watt's first customers, a brewer, specifically demanded an engine that would match a horse, and chose the strongest horse he had and driving it to the limit. Watt, while aware of the trick, accepted the challenge and built a machine that was actually even stronger than the figure achieved by the brewer, and it was the output of that machine which became the horsepower.[12]
In 1993, R. D. Stevenson and R. J. Wassersug published correspondence in Nature summarizing measurements and calculations of peak and sustained work rates of a horse.[13] Citing measurements made at the 1926 Iowa State Fair, they reported that the peak power over a few seconds has been measured to be as high as 14.9 hp (11.1 kW)[14] and also observed that for sustained activity, a work rate of about 1 hp (0.75 kW) per horse is consistent with agricultural advice from both the 19th and 20th centuries and also consistent with a work rate of about 4 times the basal rate expended by other vertebrates for sustained activity.[13]
When considering human-powered equipment, a healthy human can produce about 1.2 hp (0.89 kW) briefly (see orders of magnitude) and sustain about 0.1 hp (0.075 kW) indefinitely; trained athletes can manage up to about 2.5 hp (1.9 kW) briefly[15] and 0.35 hp (0.26 kW) for a period of several hours.[16] The Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt produced a maximum of 3.5 hp (2.6 kW) 0.89 seconds into his 9.58 second 100-metre (109.4 yd) dash world record in 2009.[17]
Calculating power
When torque T {\displaystyle T} is in pound-foot units, rotational speed N {\displaystyle N} is in rpm, the resulting power in horsepower is
P [ hp ] = T [ ft ⋅ lbf ] × N [ rpm ] 5252 . {\displaystyle P[{\text{hp}}]={\frac {T[{\text{ft}}\cdot {\text{lbf}}]\times N[{\text{rpm}}]}{5252}}.}
The constant 5252 is the rounded value of (33,000 ft⋅lbf/min)/(2π rad/rev).
When torque T {\displaystyle T} is in inch-pounds,
P [ hp ] = T [ in ⋅ lbf ] × N [ rpm ] 63,025 . {\displaystyle P[{\text{hp}}]={\frac {T[{\text{in}}\cdot {\text{lbf}}]\times N[{\text{rpm}}]}{63{,}025}}.}
The constant 63,025 is the approximation of
33,000 ft ⋅ lbf min × 12 in ft 2 π rad ≈ 63,025. {\displaystyle 33{,}000~{\frac {{\text{ft}}\cdot {\text{lbf}}}{\text{min}}}\times {\frac {12~{\frac {\text{in}}{\text{ft}}}}{2\pi ~{\text{rad}}}}\approx 63{,}025.}
If torque and rotational speed are expressed in coherent SI units, the power is calculated as
P = τ ω , {\displaystyle P=\tau \omega ,}
where P {\displaystyle P} is power in watts when τ {\displaystyle \tau } is torque in newton-metres, and ω {\displaystyle \omega } is angular speed in radians per second. When using other units or if the speed is in revolutions per unit time rather than radians, a conversion factor has to be included.
The following definitions have been or are widely used:
Mechanical horsepower
hp(I) ≡ 33,000 ft lbf/min
= 550 ft⋅lbf/s
≈ 17696 lb⋅ft2/s3
= 745.69987158227022 W
≈ 76.04 kgf⋅m/s
≈ 76.04 kg ⋅ 9.80665 m/s2 ⋅ 1 m/s
Metric horsepower
hp(M) – also PS, cv, hk, pk, ks or ch ≡ 75 kgf⋅m/s
≡ 75 kg ⋅ 9.80665 m/s2 ⋅ 1 m/s
≡ 735.49875 W
≈ 542.4760388407421 ft⋅lbf/s
Electrical horsepower
hp(E) ≡ 746 W
Boiler horsepower
hp(S) ≡ 33,475 BTU/h
= 9,812.5 W
Hydraulic horsepower = flow rate (US gal/min) × pressure (psi) × 7/12,000
= flow rate (US gal/min) × pressure (psi) / 1714
Air horsepower = flow rate ( cubic feet / minute) × pressure (inches water column) / 6,356
In certain situations it is necessary to distinguish between the various definitions of horsepower and thus a suffix is added: hp(I) for mechanical (or imperial) horsepower, hp(M) for metric horsepower, hp(S) for boiler (or steam) horsepower and hp(E) for electrical horsepower.
Assuming the third CGPM (1901, CR 70) definition of standard gravity, gn = 9.80665 m/s2, is used to define the pound-force as well as the kilogram force, and the international avoirdupois pound (1959), one mechanical horsepower is:
1 hp ≡ 33,000 ft-lbf/min by definition
= 550 ft⋅lbf/s since 1 min = 60 s
= 550 × 0.3048 × 0.45359237 m⋅kgf/s since 1 ft ≡ 0.3048 m and 1 lb ≡ 0.45359237 kg
= 76.0402249068 kgf⋅m/s
= 76.0402249068 × 9.80665 kg⋅m2/s3 since g = 9.80665 m/s2
since 1 W ≡ 1 J/s =1 N⋅m/s=1 (kg⋅m/s2)⋅(m/s)
Or given that 1 hp = 550 ft⋅lbf/s, 1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 lbf ≈ 4.448 N, 1 J = 1 N⋅m, 1 W = 1 J/s: 1 hp ≈ 746 W
Metric horsepower (PS, cv, hk, pk, ks, ch)
One metric horsepower is needed to lift 75 kilograms by 1 metre in 1 second.
The various units used to indicate this definition (PS, cv, hk, pk, ks and ch) all translate to horse power in English. British manufacturers often intermix metric horsepower and mechanical horsepower depending on the origin of the engine in question. Sometimes the metric horsepower rating of an engine is conservative enough so that the same figure can be used for both 80/1269/EEC with metric hp and SAE J1349 with imperial hp.[citation needed]
DIN 66036 defines one metric horsepower as the power to raise a mass of 75 kilograms against the Earth's gravitational force over a distance of one metre in one second:[18] 75 kg × 9.80665 m/s2 × 1 m / 1 s = 75 kgf⋅m/s = 1 PS. This is equivalent to 735.499 W, or 98.6% of an imperial mechanical horsepower.
In 1972, the PS was rendered obsolete by EEC directives, when it was replaced by the kilowatt as the official power-measuring unit.[19] It is still in use for commercial and advertising purposes, in addition to the kilowatt rating, as many customers are still not familiar with the use of kilowatts for engines.
Other names for the metric horsepower are the Italian Cavallo vapore (cv), Dutch paardenkracht (pk), the French cheval (ch), the Spanish caballo de potencia and Portuguese cavalo-vapor (cv), the Russian лошадиная сила (л. с.), the Swedish hästkraft (hk), the Finnish hevosvoima (hv), the Estonian hobujõud (hj), the Norwegian and Danish hestekraft (hk), the Hungarian lóerő (LE), the Czech koňská síla and Slovak konská sila (k or ks), the Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian konjska snaga (KS), the Bulgarian конска сила, the Macedonian коњска сила (KC), the Polish koń mechaniczny (KM), Slovenian konjska moč (KM), the Ukrainian кінська сила (к. с.) and the Romanian cal-putere (CP), which all equal the German Pferdestärke (PS).
In the 19th century, the French had their own unit, which they used instead of the CV or horsepower. It was called the poncelet and was abbreviated p.
Tax horsepower
Main article: Tax horsepower
Tax horsepower is a non-linear rating of a motor vehicle for tax purposes.[20] The fiscal power is ( P 40 ) 1.6 + U 45 {\displaystyle \textstyle \left({\tfrac {P}{40}}\right)^{1.6}+{\tfrac {U}{45}}} , where P is the maximum power in kilowatts and U is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in grams per kilometre. The term for CO2 measurements has been included in the definition only since 1998, so older ratings in CV are not directly comparable. The fiscal power has found its way into naming of automobile models, such as the popular Citroën deux-chevaux. The cheval-vapeur (ch) unit should not be confused with the French cheval fiscal (CV).
The horsepower used for electrical machines is defined as exactly 746 W.[21] In the US, nameplates on electrical motors show their power output in hp, not their power input. Outside the United States watts or kilowatts are generally used for electric motor ratings and in such usage it is the output power that is stated.
Hydraulic horsepower
Hydraulic horsepower can represent the power available within hydraulic machinery, power through the down-hole nozzle of a drilling rig,[22] or can be used to estimate the mechanical power needed to generate a known hydraulic flow rate.
It may be calculated as[22]
hydraulic horsepower = pressure × flow rate 1714 , {\displaystyle {\text{hydraulic horsepower}}={\frac {{\text{pressure}}\times {\text{flow rate}}}{1714}},}
where pressure is in psi, and flow rate is in US gallons per minute.
Drilling rigs are powered mechanically by rotating the drill pipe from above. Hydraulic power is still needed though, as between 2 and 7 hp are required to push mud through the drill bit to clear waste rock. Additional hydraulic power may also be used to drive a down-hole mud motor to power directional drilling.[22]
Boiler horsepower is a boiler's capacity to deliver steam to a steam engine and is not the same unit of power as the 550 ft-lb/s definition. One boiler horsepower is equal to the thermal energy rate required to evaporate 34.5 lb of fresh water at 212 °F in one hour. In the early days of steam use, the boiler horsepower was roughly comparable to the horsepower of engines fed by the boiler.[23]
The term "boiler horsepower" was originally developed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876, where the best steam engines of that period were tested. The average steam consumption of those engines (per output horsepower) was determined to be the evaporation of 30 pounds of water per hour, based on feed water at 100 °F, and saturated steam generated at 70 psi. This original definition is equivalent to a boiler heat output of 33,485 Btu/h. Years later in 1884, the ASME re-defined the boiler horsepower as the thermal output equal to the evaporation of 34.5 pounds per hour of water "from and at" 212 °F. This considerably simplified boiler testing, and provided more accurate comparisons of the boilers at that time. This revised definition is equivalent to a boiler heat output of 33,469 Btu/h. Present industrial practice is to define "boiler horsepower" as a boiler thermal output equal to 33,475 Btu/h, which is very close to the original and revised definitions.
Boiler horsepower is still used to measure boiler output in industrial boiler engineering in Australia, the US, and New Zealand. Boiler horsepower is abbreviated BHP, not to be confused with brake horsepower, below, which is also abbreviated BHP.
Drawbar horsepower
See also: Power at rail
Drawbar horsepower (dbhp) is the power a railway locomotive has available to haul a train or an agricultural tractor to pull an implement. This is a measured figure rather than a calculated one. A special railway car called a dynamometer car coupled behind the locomotive keeps a continuous record of the drawbar pull exerted, and the speed. From these, the power generated can be calculated. To determine the maximum power available, a controllable load is required; it is normally a second locomotive with its brakes applied, in addition to a static load.
If the drawbar force ( F {\displaystyle F} ) is measured in pounds-force (lbf) and speed ( v {\displaystyle v} ) is measured in miles per hour (mph), then the drawbar power ( P {\displaystyle P} ) in horsepower (hp) is
P [ hp ] = F [ lbf ] × v [ mph ] 375 . {\displaystyle P[{\text{hp}}]={\frac {F[{\text{lbf}}]\times v[{\text{mph}}]}{375}}.}
Example: How much power is needed to pull a drawbar load of 2,025 pounds-force at 5 miles per hour?
P [ hp ] = 2025 × 5 375 = 27. {\displaystyle P[{\text{hp}}]={\frac {2025\times 5}{375}}=27.}
The constant 375 is because 1 hp = 375 lbf⋅mph. If other units are used, the constant is different. When using coherent SI units (watts, newtons, and metres per second), no constant is needed, and the formula becomes P = F v {\displaystyle P=Fv} .
This formula may also be used to calculate the horsepower of a jet engine, using the speed of the jet and the thrust required to maintain that speed.
Example: How much power is generated with a thrust of 4,000 pounds at 400 miles per hour?
P [ hp ] = 4000 × 400 375 = 4266.7. {\displaystyle P[{\text{hp}}]={\frac {4000\times 400}{375}}=4266.7.}
RAC horsepower (taxable horsepower)
See also: Tax horsepower
This measure was instituted by the Royal Automobile Club in Britain and was used to denote the power of early 20th-century British cars. (An identical measure, known as ALAM horsepower or NACC horsepower, was used for early U.S. automobiles.) Many cars took their names from this figure (hence the Austin Seven and Riley Nine), while others had names such as "40/50 hp", which indicated the RAC figure followed by the true measured power.
Taxable horsepower does not reflect developed horsepower; rather, it is a calculated figure based on the engine's bore size, number of cylinders, and a (now archaic) presumption of engine efficiency. As new engines were designed with ever-increasing efficiency, it was no longer a useful measure, but was kept in use by UK regulations which used the rating for tax purposes.
RAC h.p. = 2 5 D 2 n , {\displaystyle {\text{RAC h.p.}}={\frac {2}{5}}D^{2}n,}
D is the diameter (or bore) of the cylinder in inches,
n is the number of cylinders.[24]
This is equal to the engine displacement in cubic inches divided by 0.625π, then divided again by the stroke in inches.
Since taxable horsepower was computed based on bore and number of cylinders, not based on actual displacement, it gave rise to engines with "undersquare" dimensions (bore smaller than stroke), which tended to impose an artificially low limit on rotational speed, hampering the potential power output and efficiency of the engine.
The situation persisted for several generations of four- and six-cylinder British engines: for example, Jaguar's 3.4-litre XK engine of the 1950s had six cylinders with a bore of 83 mm (3.27 in) and a stroke of 106 mm (4.17 in),[25] where most American automakers had long since moved to oversquare (large bore, short stroke) V8 engines (see, for example, the early Chrysler Hemi).
The power of an engine may be measured or estimated at several points in the transmission of the power from its generation to its application. A number of names are used for the power developed at various stages in this process, but none is a clear indicator of either the measurement system or definition used.
In the case of an engine dynamometer, power is measured at the engine's flywheel.[citation needed]
Nominal or rated horsepower is derived from the size of the engine and the piston speed and is only accurate at a steam pressure of 48 kPa (7 psi).[26]
Indicated or gross horsepower (theoretical capability of the engine) [ PLAN/ 33000]
minus frictional losses within the engine (bearing drag, rod and crankshaft windage losses, oil film drag, etc.), equals
Brake / net / crankshaft horsepower (power delivered directly to and measured at the engine's crankshaft)
minus frictional losses in the transmission (bearings, gears, oil drag, windage, etc.), equals
Shaft horsepower (power delivered to and measured at the output shaft of the transmission, when present in the system)
minus frictional losses in the universal joint/s, differential, wheel bearings, tire and chain, (if present), equals
Effective, True (thp) or commonly referred to as wheel horsepower (whp)
All the above assumes that no power inflation factors have been applied to any of the readings.
Engine designers use expressions other than horsepower to denote objective targets or performance, such as brake mean effective pressure (BMEP). This is a coefficient of theoretical brake horsepower and cylinder pressures during combustion.
Nominal (or rated) horsepower
Nominal horsepower (nhp) is an early 19th-century rule of thumb used to estimate the power of steam engines.[26] It assumed a steam pressure of 7 psi (48 kPa).[27]
nhp = 7 × area of piston in square inches × equivalent piston speed in feet per minute/33,000
For paddle ships, the Admiralty rule was that the piston speed in feet per minute was taken as 129.7 × (stroke)1/3.38.[26][27] For screw steamers, the intended piston speed was used.[27]
The stroke (or length of stroke) was the distance moved by the piston measured in feet.
For the nominal horsepower to equal the actual power it would be necessary for the mean steam pressure in the cylinder during the stroke to be 7 psi (48 kPa) and for the piston speed to be that generated by the assumed relationship for paddle ships.[26]
The French Navy used the same definition of nominal horse power as the Royal Navy.[26]
Comparison of nominal and indicated horse power
Indicated horse power (ihp)
Nominal horse power (nhp)
Ratio of ihp to nhp
Dee 272 200 1.36 [26]
Locust 157 100 1.57 [26]
Rhadamanthus 400 220 1.82 [26]
Albacore 109 60 1.82 [27]
Porcupine 285 132 2.16 [26]
Harpy 520 200 2.60 [26]
Spitfire 380 140 2.70 [26]
Spiteful 796 280 2.85 [27]
Jackal 455 150 3.03 [26]
Supply 265 80 3.31 [27]
Simoom 1,576 400 3.94 [27]
Hector 3,256 800 4.07 [27]
Agincourt 6,867 1,350 5.08 [27]
Bellerophon 6,521 1,000 6.52 [27]
Monarch 7,842 1,100 7.13 [27]
Penelope 4,703 600 7.84 [27]
Indicated horsepower
Indicated horsepower (ihp) is the theoretical power of a reciprocating engine if it is completely frictionless in converting the expanding gas energy (piston pressure × displacement) in the cylinders. It is calculated from the pressures developed in the cylinders, measured by a device called an engine indicator – hence indicated horsepower. As the piston advances throughout its stroke, the pressure against the piston generally decreases, and the indicator device usually generates a graph of pressure vs stroke within the working cylinder. From this graph the amount of work performed during the piston stroke may be calculated.
Indicated horsepower was a better measure of engine power than nominal horsepower (nhp) because it took account of steam pressure. But unlike later measures such as shaft horsepower (shp) and brake horsepower (bhp), it did not take into account power losses due to the machinery internal frictional losses, such as a piston sliding within the cylinder, plus bearing friction, transmission and gear box friction, etc.
Brake horsepower
Brake horsepower (bhp) is the power measured at the crankshaft just outside the engine, before the losses of power caused by the gearbox efficiency and drive train efficiency.[28]
In Europe, the DIN 70020 standard tests the engine fitted with all ancillaries and exhaust system as used in the car. The older American standard (SAE gross horsepower, referred to as bhp) used an engine without alternator, water pump, and other auxiliary components such as power steering pump, muffled exhaust system, etc., so the figures were higher than the European figures for the same engine. The newer American standard (referred to as SAE net horsepower) tests an engine with all the auxiliary components (see "Engine power test standards" below).
Brake refers to the device which was used to load an engine and hold it at a desired rotational speed. During testing, the output torque and rotational speed were measured to determine the brake horsepower. Horsepower was originally measured and calculated by use of the "indicator diagram" (a James Watt invention of the late 18th century), and later by means of a Prony brake connected to the engine's output shaft. More recently, an electrical brake dynamometer is used instead of a Prony brake, in order to measure the engines brake horsepower, the actual output of the engine itself, before losses to the drivetrain.
Shaft horsepower
Shaft horsepower (shp) is the power delivered to a propeller shaft, a turbine shaft, or to an output shaft of an automotive transmission.[29] Shaft horsepower is a common rating for turboshaft and turboprop engines, industrial turbines, and some marine applications.
Equivalent shaft horsepower (eshp) is sometimes used to rate turboprop engines. It includes the equivalent power derived from residual jet thrust from the turbine exhaust.[30]
Engine power test standards
There exist a number of different standard determining how the power and torque of an automobile engine is measured and corrected. Correction factors are used to adjust power and torque measurements to standard atmospheric conditions, to provide a more accurate comparison between engines as they are affected by the pressure, humidity, and temperature of ambient air.[31] Some standards are described below.
Society of Automotive Engineers/SAE International
Early "SAE horsepower" (see RAC horsepower)
In the early twentieth century, a so-called "SAE horsepower" was sometimes quoted for U.S. automobiles. This long predates the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) horsepower measurement standards and was really just another term for the widely used ALAM or NACC horsepower figure, which was the same as the British RAC horsepower, used for tax purposes.
SAE gross power
Prior to the 1972 model year, American automakers rated and advertised their engines in brake horsepower, bhp, which was a version of brake horsepower called SAE gross horsepower because it was measured according to Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) standards (J245 and J1995) that call for a stock test engine without accessories (such as dynamo/alternator, radiator fan, water pump),[32] and sometimes fitted with long tube test headers in lieu of the OEM exhaust manifolds. This contrasts with both SAE net power and DIN 70020 standards, which account for engine accessories (but not transmission losses). The atmospheric correction standards for barometric pressure, humidity and temperature for SAE gross power testing were relatively idealistic.
SAE net power
In the United States, the term bhp fell into disuse in 1971–1972, as automakers began to quote power in terms of SAE net horsepower in accord with SAE standard J1349. Like SAE gross and other brake horsepower protocols, SAE net hp is measured at the engine's crankshaft, and so does not account for transmission losses. However, similar to the DIN 70020 standard, SAE net power testing protocol calls for standard production-type belt-driven accessories, air cleaner, emission controls, exhaust system, and other power-consuming accessories. This produces ratings in closer alignment with the power produced by the engine as it is actually configured and sold.
SAE certified power
In 2005, the SAE introduced "SAE Certified Power" with SAE J2723.[33] This test is voluntary and is in itself not a separate engine test code but a certification of either J1349 or J1995 after which the manufacturer is allowed to advertise "Certified to SAE J1349" or "Certified to SAE J1995" depending on which test standard have been followed. To attain certification the test must follow the SAE standard in question, take place in an ISO 9000/9002 certified facility and be witnessed by an SAE approved third party.
A few manufacturers such as Honda and Toyota switched to the new ratings immediately, with multi-directional results; the rated output of Cadillac's supercharged Northstar V8 jumped from 440 to 469 hp (328 to 350 kW) under the new tests, while the rating for Toyota's Camry 3.0 L 1MZ-FE V6 fell from 210 to 190 hp (160 to 140 kW). The company's Lexus ES 330 and Camry SE V6 were previously rated at 225 hp (168 kW) but the ES 330 dropped to 218 hp (163 kW) while the Camry declined to 210 hp (160 kW). The first engine certified under the new program was the 7.0 L LS7 used in the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Certified power rose slightly from 500 to 505 hp (373 to 377 kW).
While Toyota and Honda are retesting their entire vehicle lineups, other automakers generally are retesting only those with updated powertrains. For example, the 2006 Ford Five Hundred is rated at 203 horsepower, the same as that of 2005 model. However, the 2006 rating does not reflect the new SAE testing procedure, as Ford is not going to incur the extra expense of retesting its existing engines. Over time, most automakers are expected to comply with the new guidelines.
SAE tightened its horsepower rules to eliminate the opportunity for engine manufacturers to manipulate factors affecting performance such as how much oil was in the crankcase, engine control system calibration, and whether an engine was tested with premium fuel. In some cases, such can add up to a change in horsepower ratings. A road test editor at Edmunds.com, John Di Pietro, said decreases in horsepower ratings for some 2006 models are not that dramatic. For vehicles like a midsize family sedan, it is likely that the reputation of the manufacturer will be more important.[34]
Deutsches Institut für Normung 70020 (DIN 70020)
DIN 70020 is a German DIN standard for measuring road vehicle horsepower. Similar to SAE net power rating, and unlike SAE gross power, DIN testing measures the engine as installed in the vehicle, with cooling system, charging system and stock exhaust system all connected. DIN 70020 is often seen abbreviated as "PS", derived from the German word for horsepower Pferdestärke. DIN hp is measured at the engine's output shaft, usually expressed in metric horsepower rather than mechanical horsepower.
A test standard by Italian CUNA (Commissione Tecnica per l'Unificazione nell'Automobile, Technical Commission for Automobile Unification), a federated entity of standards organisation UNI, was formerly used in Italy. CUNA prescribed that the engine be tested with all accessories necessary to its running fitted (such as the water pump), while all others—such as alternator/dynamo, radiator fan, and exhaust manifold—could be omitted.[32] All calibration and accessories had to be as on production engines.[32]
Economic Commission for Europe R24
ECE R24 is a UN standard for the approval of compression ignition engine emissions, installation and measurement of engine power.[35] It is similar to DIN 70020 standard, but with different requirements for connecting an engine's fan during testing causing it to absorb less power from the engine.[36]
ECE R85 is a UN standard for the approval of internal combustion engines with regard to the measurement of the net power.[37]
80/1269/EEC
80/1269/EEC of 16 December 1980 is a European Union standard for road vehicle engine power.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishes several standards for measuring engine horsepower.
ISO 14396 specifies the additional and method requirement for determining the power of reciprocating internal combustion engines when presented for an ISO 8178 exhaust emission test. It applies to reciprocating internal combustion engines for land, rail and marine use excluding engines of motor vehicles primarily designed for road use.[38]
ISO 1585 is an engine net power test code intended for road vehicles.[39]
ISO 2534 is an engine gross power test code intended for road vehicles.[40]
ISO 4164 is an engine net power test code intended for mopeds.[41]
ISO 4106 is an engine net power test code intended for motorcycles.[42]
ISO 9249 is an engine net power test code intended for earth moving machines.[43]
Japanese Industrial Standard D 1001
JIS D 1001 is a Japanese net, and gross, engine power test code for automobiles or trucks having a spark ignition, diesel engine, or fuel injection engine.[44]
Brake specific fuel consumption—how much fuel an engine consumes per unit energy output
Dynamometer engine testing
European units of measurement directives
Mean effective pressure
Horsepower-hour
^ "Horsepower", Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
^ "International System of Units" (SI), Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
^ "Directive 2009/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2009", Official Journal of the European Union. Retrieved 2013-02-15.
^ "The miner's friend". Rochester history department website:. Archived from the original on May 11, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
^ "Math Words — horsepower". pballew.net. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
^ Hart-Davis, Adam, Engineers, pub Dorling Kindersley, 2012, p121.
^ Tully, Jim (September 2002). "Philadelphia Chapter Newsletter". American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Archived from the original on 2007-08-13. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
^ Coon, Brett A. Handley, David M. Marshall, Craig (2012). Principles of engineering. Clifton Park, N.Y.: Delmar Cengage Learning. p. 202. ISBN 978-1-435-42836-2.
^ Marshall, Brian. "How Horsepower Works". Retrieved 27 June 2012.
^ Kirby, Richard Shelton (August 1, 1990). "Engineering in History". Dover Publications: 171.
^ a b Kirby, Richard Shelton (August 1, 1990). Engineering in History. Dover Publications. p. 171. ISBN 0-486-26412-2. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
^ Popular Mechanics. September 1912, page 394.
^ a b Stevenson, R. D.; Wassersug, R. J. (1993). "Horsepower from a horse". Nature. 364 (6434): 195. Bibcode:1993Natur.364..195S. doi:10.1038/364195a0.
^ Collins, E. V.; Caine, A. B. (1926). "Testing Draft Horses". Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin. 240: 193–223.
^ Eugene A. Avallone et. al, (ed), Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers 11th Edition , Mc-Graw Hill, New York 2007, ISBN 0-07-142867-4, page 9-4.
^ Ebert, T. R. (Dec 2006). "Power output during a professional men's road-cycling tour". International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance: 324–325. PMID 19124890.
^ "Scientists model "extraordinary" performance of Bolt". Institute of Physics. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
^ "Die gesetzlichen Einheiten in Deutschland" [List of units of measure in Germany] (PDF) (in German). Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). p. 6. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
^ "Council Directive 71/354/EEC: On the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to units of measurement". The Council of the European Communities. 18 October 1971. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
^ "Measurements, Units of Measurement, Weights and Measures". numericana.com. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ H. Wayne Beatty, Handbook of Electric Power Calculations Third Edition, McGraw Hill 2001, ISBN 0-07-136298-3, page 6-14
^ a b c "Hydraulic Horsepower". Oilfield Glossary. Schlumberger.
^ Robert McCain Johnston Elements of Applied Thermodynamics, Naval Institute Press, 1992 ISBN 1557502269, p. 503.
^ Hodgson, Richard. "The RAC HP (horsepower) Rating - Was there any technical basis?". wolfhound.org.uk. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
^ Mooney, Dan. "The XK engine by Roger Bywater". Classicjaguar.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Brown, David K (1990), Before the ironclad, Conway, p. 188, ISBN 0851775322
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l White, William Henry (1882), A Manual of Naval Architecture (2 ed.), John Murray, p. 520
^ "Brake horsepower definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary". www.collinsdictionary.com. Retrieved 2018-12-11.
^ Oxford Dictionary. Retrieved 2016-12-06. Dictionary.com Unabridged, Random House Inc. Retrieved 2016-12-06.
^ "equivalent shaft horsepower". aviation_dictionary.enacademic.com.
^ Heywood, J.B. "Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals", ISBN 0-07-100499-8, page 54
^ a b c Lucchesi, Domenico (2004). Corso di tecnica automobilistica, vol. 1o—Il motore (in Italian) (6th ed.). Ulrico Hoepli Editore S.p.A. p. 550. ISBN 88-203-1493-2.
^ "Certified Power - SAE J1349 Certified Power SAE International". Sae.org. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ Jeff Plungis, Asians Oversell Horsepower, Detroit News
^ "Text of the 1958 Agreement, ECE Regulation 24, Revision 2, Annex 10" (PDF). www.unece.org.
^ Breen, Jim (2003-03-22). "Farmers Journal: Tractor and machine comparison: what's the 'true' measure - 22 March 2003". Farmersjournal.ie. Archived from the original on 2003-04-06.
^ "ECE Regulation 85" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 14396:2002 - Reciprocating internal combustion engines - Determination and method for the measurement of engine power - Additional requirements for exhaust emission tests in accordance with ISO 8178". Iso.org. 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 1585:1992 - Road vehicles - Engine test code - Net power". Iso.org. 1999-11-15. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 2534:1998 - Road vehicles - Engine test code - Gross power". Iso.org. 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 4164:1978 - Road vehicles - Mopeds - Engine test code - Net power". Iso.org. 2009-10-07. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 4106:2004 - Motorcycles - Engine test code - Net power". Iso.org. 2009-06-26. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "ISO 9249:2007 - Earth-moving machinery - Engine test code - Net power". Iso.org. 2011-03-17. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
^ "JSA Web Store - JIS D 1001:1993 Road vehicles - Engine power test code". Webstore.jsa.or.jp. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
How Stuff Works - Horsepower


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A terracotta brick must be made in keeping with a number of manufacturing rules, which are adapted to the types (and variations) of raw materials used whilst always respond to the requirements of its users.
The clay used to make bricks is first blended and kneaded into a regular texture.
The resulting material is then worked and formed in a mould or through a wire mesh.
The bricks are dried carefully respecting specific procedures. The drying times can vary significantly, from a few hours to a number of weeks depending on the type of clay and the procedures used.
This is a ring-shaped kiln, with a continuously burning and mobile heat-wagon which is moved around to fire the bricks which are placed on the floor. This procedure dates back to the industrial revolution, around the end of the 19th century.
A temperature of around 1,000° is required to fire the bricks and the movement of the fire-wagon ensures that there is a gradual pre-heating process.
Inside the kiln, the dried bricks must be piled in a very precise way, allowing the air to flow horizontally and the fuel (usually coal) to fall vertically from the upper floor through openings in the heat-shielded vaults.
Using coal in a naturally ventilated kiln produces variety amongst bricks fired on the same day.
The clay used is never exactly the same from one hour to the next and the absence of mixing during the clay preparation processes generates natural variations.
This kind of technology first appeared during the second half of the 20th century. The bricks are piled up on wagons which travel through a heated tunnel. Depending on the type of clay and procedure used, the firing time varies from a few hours to a number of days. The fuel used is generally natural gas.
Discover the seven brickworks of the North of France and their production.


text:
7700 Leesburg Pike Ste 324
COMING EVENTS FROM THE LATEST WEEKLY INTELLIGENCE NOTES - Use month index in right column to jump to current month:
THIS IS A LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS in 2021
UPCOMING EVENTS IN 2021 WILL BE LINKED HERE WHEN THAT PAGE IS AVAILABLE
Documentaries, Videos of Interviews, and Commercial Movies of interest
View video from your desk using this link
"Looking Over The Horizon"
CIA's Third Conference on The Ethos & Profession of Intelligence
was held Tuesday, 20 September 2016
at George Washington University, Lisner Auditorium, Washington
The conference included the following panelists: Speakers: David S. Cohen, (Moderator) Deputy Director, CIA; Carrie Cordero, Founder, The Law Office of Carrie Cordero; Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for National Security (former) Ben Huebner Privacy and Civil Liberties Officer, CIA; Dan Klaidman, Deputy Editor, Yahoo News; Jason Leopold, Investigative Reporter, VICE News. Speakers: Christopher Kojm, (Moderator), Visiting Professor, Practice of International Affairs, GW; Chairmain, National Intelligence Council (former); Susan Gordon, Deputy Director, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; Nancy Jackson, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, US Department of State; Carla Koppell, Vice President Applied Conflict Transformation, US Institute of Peace. Speakers: Frank Cilluffo, (Moderator), Associate Vice President, GW; Director, Center for Cyber and Homeland Security, GW; Chris Darby, President and CEO, In-Q-Tel; Andrew P. Hallman, Deputy Director, Digital Innovation, CIA; Chris Inglis, Distinguished Visiting Professor in Cyber Security Studies, US Naval Academy; Deputy Director, NSA (former); Dr. Jason Matheny, Director, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity; Matt Olsen, President of Consulting, IronNet; Director, National Counterterrorism Center (former). Speakers: John Brennan, (Moderator) Director, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai, Defense Minister of Afghanistan (acting); Nick Warner, Director-General, Australian Secret Intelligence Service; Alex Younger, Chief, British Secret Intelligence Service. Speakers: Frank Sesno, (Moderator) Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs, GW; Peter Clement, Deputy Assistant Director, Europe and Eurasia Mission Center, CIA; John McLaughlin, Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, Johns Hopkins University; Acting Director, CIA (former); Dennis Wilder, Senior Fellow and Assistant Professor, Georgetown University.
Video of panels may be viewed at this link.
All GW Center for Cyber and Homeland Security videos are here.
The President's Daily Brief: Delivering Intelligence to Nixon and Ford was a document release event by the Central Intelligence Agency, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Foundation, and the National Archives. The event was held Wednesday, 24 August 2016, in Yorba Linda, California.
Video of the event can be viewed here.
Director of Central Intelligence Agency John Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper were one of several speakers. A special invitation-only reception followed at close of program, hosted by AFIO President James R. Hughes.
[Above: President Richard Nixon's 1969 visit to CIA Headquarters]
Previously classified President's Daily Briefs (PDB) from the Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford Administrations produced by the CIA were released on Wednesday, 24 August, at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda, California, at a symposium from 1:00 - 4:30 pm.
The event featured panel discussions and remarks by CIA Director John O. Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, senior Intelligence Community historians, and leaders from the academic and archivist communities. AFIO's president, James R. Hughes, hosted a post-conference reception and met with many members and other attendees.
The President's Daily Briefs (PDBs) contain intelligence analysis on key national security issues for the president and other senior policymakers. Only the president, vice president, and a select group of officials with high-level security clearance receive the daily briefing, which represents the Intelligence Community's best insights when confronted with threats, as well as opportunities related to our national security.
This public release highlights the role of the PDBs in foreign and national security policymaking. This collection includes the PDBs published during President Nixon's term from January 1969 through the end of President Ford's term in January 1977. These documents offer insight into intelligence that informed presidential decision-making during critical historical events including: the Vietnam War, President Nixon's Trip to China, the OPEC embargo, and the Arab-Israeli War.
The declassified documents in this release event were posted on the CIA website here. This collection was assembled as part of the CIA's Historical Review Program, which identifies, reviews, and declassifies documents on historically significant events or topics.
You can view video of presentations at event here.
CNN's TV Series "Declassified" starts Episode 1 with "Trigon: The KGB Chess Game"
Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies
The CNN TV Series appears each Sunday.
In Season 1, Episode 01 - "Trigon: The KGB Chess Game" - 45 minutes, we hear from CIA Operations Officer Marti Peterson, CIA Chief of CI James Olson, and KGB Maj. Gen. Oleg Kalugin discuss covert operations conducted by Marti in Moscow. Watch as Marti "goes black" - gets out of the embassy without KGB surveillance to obtain stolen, crucial information on nuclear arms and US-USSR confrontations.
Episode covers the SR100, dead drops, going black, Trigon, L-pills, concealment devices, camera pens, women case officers, and the useful outcome -- the 'take' -- from this operation.
Season,	Episode,	Title,	Release Date
1,	1, Trigon: The KGB Chess Game, 2016-06-19
1,	2, The Hunt for Saddam, 2016-06-26
1,	3, Zarqawi: The Father of ISIS, 2016-07-03
1,	4, Cuba: Traitor on the Inside, 2016-07-10
1,	5, Cross International: The Billion Dollar Black Market, 2016-08-14
1,	6, The Taliban's Double Agent, 2016-08-21
1,	7, Red Storm Rising, 2016-08-28
1,	8, Hexagon: The Secret Satellite, 2016-09-04
The series provides factual accounts of America's covert operations told firsthand by the officers who lived it, and includes access to the often complicated, hidden world of covert operations and espionage.
Series is hosted by former US Congressman/former House Intelligence Committee chair and current CNN national security contributor and AFIO member Mike Rogers.
The Assets Returns
Previously cancelled by ABC TV, the counterespionage series based on the successful hunt for CIA traitor Aldrich Ames continues to be released...slowly on ABC.The Assets, an eight-part miniseries, is based on the real life events of CIA counter-intelligence officer Sandy Grimes (Jodie Whittaker). 1985 is the backdrop to the final showdown of the Cold War when Sandy and her partner Jeanne Vertefeuille (Harriet Walter) vow to find the mole that turns out to be the most notorious traitor in US History [before Edward Snowden]: Aldrich Ames (Paul Rhys). Sandy is in a race against time to save the Soviet intelligence officers from being caught and killed. Living her own double life at home, this beautiful wife and mother vows to stop at nothing until she uncovers the truth. The Assets looks inside the personal stories as told by the keepers of the nation's secrets: the CIA.
The Assets stars Paul Rhys as Aldrich Ames, Jodie Whittaker as Sandy Grimes, Harriet Walter (Babel) as Jeanne Vertefeuille, Stuart Milligan (Jonathan Creek) as Art O'Neill, Julian Ovenden as Gary Grimes, Christina Cole as Louisa, and Ralph Brown as Lawrence Winston.
The Assets is based on the book Circle of Treason: A CIA Account of Traitor Aldrich Ames and the Men He Betrayed by Sandy Grimes and Jeanne Vertefeuille. Morgan Hertzan, Rudy Bednar and Andrew Chapman executive produce the series. The Assets is produced by Lincoln Square Productions.
ABC started running The Assets on January 2nd but suddenly pulled the series after two episodes -- "My Name is Aldrich Ames" and "Jewel in the Crown" -- without explanation. The network then announced the show would return, ran two episodes in June, pulled the show again.
Episodes one thru eight are available on various online streaming services:
My Name is Aldrich Ames - Episode 1
Jewel in the Crown - Episode 2
Trip to Vienna - Episode 3
What's Done is Done - Episode 4
Check Mate - Episode 5
Small Useless Truth - Episode 6
The Straw Poll - Episode 7
Avenger - Episode 8
TOURS OF THE CIA AND NSA MUSEUMS
A Tour of the CIA Museum - Two Parts - 1 June and 8 June 2014
A Tour of the National Cryptologic Museum - 25 March 2014
Videos are from C-SPAN's American History TV
"The Changing Face of American Intelligence" - a presentation at The Institute of World Politics
by S. Eugene Poteat, President of AFIO
The video runs approximately 1 hour.
Theme covered: The CIA has responded to changing national security needs. The early CIA, staffed by former OSS men with Special Ops expertise, succeed in countering the Communist subversion of Italy, Greece and Turkey. Political interference however, led to the disastrous Bay of Pigs fiasco. Special Ops were replaced by analysts who sought to inform policymakers on all they needed to know. But without HUMINT, analysts failed to answer the most critical intelligence question of the time, the "bomber and missile gap." Eisenhower answered the question with high tech reconnaissance, beginning with the U-2 and Corona satellites, which also helped in the Berlin and Cuban Missile crises. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, followed by challenges of global Islamic terrorism, American intelligence has returned to an updated version of Special Ops, i.e., integration of HUMINT, analysis, high-tech weapons, such as the Predator, all working hand-in-glove with Special Forces based in Florida.
Nature of Domestic Terrorist Threats
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies
AFIO's chairman, Spike Bowman, was one of the panelists talking about the growing threat of "lone wolf" domestic terrorist attacks. "Lone wolf" is a term associated with notable attacks such as the shooting at the Fort Hood, Texas, Army base, the bombing at the Oklahoma City federal building, and the 2013 shootings at the Washington, D.C., Navy Yard and at LAX airport.
1 hour, 45 minutes.
International Organized Crime and National Security
AFIO's chairman, Spike Bowman, was one of the panelists talking about organized crime as a national security threat, including the effects of organized crime on the security of New York City, and what should be done about it. This event took place at the America Bar Association's annual national security conference.
1 hours, 51 minutes.
AFIO's Vice President, John Sano, interviewed on C-SPAN Washington Journal Tuesday, 10 September 2013
on CIA Uses of Intelligence.
John Sano, who oversaw the day-to-day management of the CIA's covert operations as the former deputy director of its National Clandestine Service, talks about how the CIA gathers and uses intelligence.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/314938-5
Two additional videos we recommend:
A Newseum/American Bar Association Panel on Tuesday, 25 June 2013 on
NSA Surveillance Leaks: Facts and Fiction
Features AFIO's Chairman, Spike Bowman, and board member Stewart Baker.
CIA Careers Overview
ZERO DARK THIRTY: For a decade, an elite team of CIA intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. This is the story of history's greatest manhunt for the world's most dangerous man.
Directed and co-produced by Kathryn Bigelow with screenplay by Mark Boal
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Ehle, Mark Strong
Book is tied to the October release of the political thriller film Argo (starring Ben Affleck as Mendez).
This is a fast-paced account of a 1979 rescue operation during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979–1981. Iranian militants entered the American Embassy in Tehran and held dozens of Americans hostage for 444 days. Six diplomats managed to escape and fled to the Canadian ambassador's home, avoiding discovery and possible execution by militants for two months. After a recap of the hostage situation at the American embassy, the narrative follows the six step-by-step as they moved through several hideout locations. CIA operative Mendez (Spy Dust), in charge of creating and maintaining myriad false identities and disguises for the CIA, relates, with the aid of journalist Baglio (The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcism), how he concocted a clever but risky plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. Posing as a film producer, he set out to disguise the six as a Hollywood production crew scouting locations for a fake science fiction movie titled Argo: "It's like Buck Rogers in the desert."
Details of the dangerous operation inject strong suspense and excitement into the closing chapters.
Film trailer viewable here or click image above
ARGO: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History
by Antonio Mendez and Matt Baglio [Viking Press, 320p, October 2012]
CIA declassifies Extraordinary Fidelity - Available for viewing at link at right
CIA has declassified Extraordinary Fidelity - a moving one-hour documentary about two CIA Officers (and two pilots) on a dangerous 1952 mission in the Manchuria region of northeast Communist China.
They are shot down, lost to all back home, tortured, and were in-and-out of solitary confinement for decades. How the operation went awry, the betrayals, the methods each used for keeping sane and motivated under unending imprisonment, was compounded by the fact that, back home, they were MIA and later presumed dead since China never acknowledged -- for years -- their survival and capture.
The documentary, produced by CIA and never aired outside headquarters, is now available for viewing on YouTube.
The two pilots died but CIA officers - Richard G. Fecteau and John T. "Jack" Downey - were freed in 1971 and 1973, respectively, and have gone on with their lives devoid of bitterness and have continued to excel in the new paths they have taken.
The documentary can be viewed at this link: http://www.youtube.com/user/ciagov
or click on image above. We recommend you take the hour to view it.
When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the valiant men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to country, team and their families back home. Act of Valor uses active duty U.S. Navy Seals as actors. The characters they play are fictional, but the weapons and tactics used are real.
Act of Valor opened in many theaters as of February 17, 2012
Click on image above to view film trailer or use this link: trailer
I R A N I U M
An important film about a possible threat
that shows a country bent on annihiliation of the free world:
Iran's Acquisition of Nuclear Weapons
For a limited time, entire film can be viewed online at no cost.
We urge you to take the time to do so now.
TWO Semi-Documentaries to see:
Fair Game - A Film about CIA Officer Valerie Plame, diplomat Joe Wilson, CIA, and the Bush Administration - in Theaters November 5, 2010
Click image below to view trailer
A suspense-filled glimpse into the corridors of political gamesmanship where leaked intelligence community doubts about the lack of any serious threat of WMDs in Iraq, comes up against an administration hellbent to justify an invasion of Iraq to bring about regime-change. The film is based on the autobiography of the same name of CIA National Clandestine Services [NCS] officer Valerie Plame [Naomi Watts], whose career was destroyed, and marriage strained, when her covert identity was exposed by White House minions, in a campaign to neutralize her and to discredit her husband who released the findings not meant for public release, when it was clear his assessment would not support administration goals.
But the situation was not as simple as the book and film would have us believe. As a NCS officer operating as a "NOC" [non-official cover officer], working in CIA's Counter-Proliferation Division, Plame leads an investigation into the existence of WMDs in Iraq. Plame's husband, diplomat Joe Wilson [Sean Penn] -- a well-known critic of the Bush administration -- is drawn into the investigation when he is assigned [by whom?] to substantiate an alleged sale of enriched uranium from Niger. His classified findings are that there was no sale and likely no WMDs. But when the administration ignores his findings and uses the issue to continue its call to war, Wilson violates the secret nature of his assignment and writes a New York Times editorial outlining his conclusions, igniting a firestorm of controversy. The WH sees the editorial, by the husband of a CIA officer who likely played a role in cherrypicking Wilson for the assignment, as nothing less than a deliberate endplay, and a blatant, politically motivated betrayal of decisions that should have remained in the hands of the President and his advisors who, alone, were the ones to decide which facts to accept or ignore from a vast number of inputs arriving from intelligence collectors and analysts.
Misbehavior on both sides. There still is little agreement on where the betrayals were greatest, but the deliberate exposure of Valerie Plame's undercover status was unconscionable for it put the lives of scores of sensitive operations, proprietaries, other officers, and intelligence agents at risk in countries that quickly arrest and often kill entire families found to be aiding CIA or other western services.
Farewell - A Documentary based on spy Vladimir Vetrov
A real espionage case. Do not miss the following...
Farewell - A movie based on spy Vladimir Vetrov
In Select Theaters July 2010 - New York and Los Angeles - July 23, 2010
Cast & Crew: Director: Christian Carion Producers: Christophe Rossignon, Bertrand Faivre, PHILIP BOEFFARD
Cast: WILLEM DAFOE, Guillaume Canet, EMIR KUSTURICA, ALEXANDRA MARIA LARA, Dapkunaite, Dina Korzun, David Soul, Fred Ward
Written by: Eric Raynaud
France 2009 | Run time: 112 min.
Director: Christian Carion | Language: French - English - Russian
In 1981, Colonel Grigoriev of the KGB (real name - Vladimir Vetrov), disenchanted with what the Communist ideal has become under Brezhnev, decides he is going to change the world…
Discreetly, he makes contact with a French engineer working for Thomson in Moscow and little by little passes on documents to him - mainly concerning the United States - containing information which would constitute the most important Cold War espionage operation known to date.
During a period of two years, French President, François Mitterrand, was to personally vet the documents supplied by this source in Moscow, to whom the French Secret Service gave the codename « Farewell ».
Then master of the White House, Ronald Reagan, set aside his reluctance to work with a French Socialist to put this unhoped-for information from the very heart of the KGB to use. Farewell would in fact decapitate the network which enabled the KGB to gain in-depth knowledge of scientific, industrial and military research in the West.
Once the USSR had been deprived of these precious sources of information, Ronald Reagan's announcement of the new « Star Wars » military programme sounded the death bell of the Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall would fall before the end of the 80s…
In his own way, Farewell managed to change the world, by avoiding traditional espionage methods too well known to the KGB and by not asking for any financial compensation whatsoever - much too capitalist for his taste. He simply followed his destiny, so that a new world might dawn for all his fellow Russians, but especially for his son.
A trailer of the film can be viewed at this link:
http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/independent/farewell/
More information about the case and film is available at: http://www.FarewellTheMovie.com
2021 Monthly Events
Current Members:
*Online Renewal*
"Change of Address
or New Email Info

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Conlang/Intermediate
← Beginner
Learning your conlang
Sound notation →
The Intermediate level of this book is for those familiar with the basic elements of conlangs (or of languages in general) who want to learn how to create a conlang with added depth. It aims to familiarize you with the internal structure of different elements of language, and basic terminology for discussing them. It assumes prior familiarity with technical terms only up to the minimal level explained by the Beginner level.
Theory and practiceEdit
The terminology explained in this level, and the analysis of language structure described by that terminology, are useful tools for conlanging. They give you a map with which to navigate the vast territory of language. However, as you study these useful tools, remember that the map is not the territory.
For one thing, they are tools of analysis, and that doesn't necessarily suit them for constructing languages. By breaking something into pieces you can describe it, and then try to figure out how it was put together in the first place; but the way you broke it down probably isn't the way it was put together, especially if it's something really complex. Language — as has been noted in the conlanging community — is the most complex thing humans do. Strange natlang features aren't random; if you use linguists' analysis as a menu of things to do, rather than working from why and how those features come about, there's a risk your conlang could acquire an oddly artificial feel.
Linguists' analysis of language may only sometimes work. There are languages that don't have syllables (or so some linguists figure). Sometimes it's hard to be sure when things are or aren't separate words. Words often don't classify neatly into standard parts of speech. Or, the analysis may be (or may be suspected to be) purely descriptive, with no causal structure behind it; some linguists have suggested that ergativity (a feature that has enjoyed some popularity amongst conlangers, and which we'll get to in the Advanced level) is just a superficial characteristic of language, the way "has blue feathers" is a superficial characteristic of some birds that doesn't really tell you anything important about bird biology.
The terminology and analysis offered here is useful; we need some way to talk about language. Just don't let it limit your understanding, or your creativity.
What's in this level?Edit
Each section is designed to cover details of a different facet of languages, natural and constructed. The sections are:
Sound notation: Different languages — or even different dialects of the same language — may have different rules for how written words should be pronounced. This section introduces an alphabet for representing just the sounds of human speech, no matter what language the sounds are being used in.
Phonetics and phonology: How the sounds of a language (phonetics) fit together to form a system (phonology).
Grammar: How words change and combine to determine meaning.
History: How languages change over time.
Writing systems: The many and varied written representations of language.
Tips for adding irregularities to your conlangs: Kinds and causes of irregularities in a language.
Exploring new realms: Some thoughts on deliberately leaving the beaten path.
Next: Sound notation
Retrieved from "https://en.wikibooks.org/w/index.php?title=Conlang/Intermediate&oldid=3642779"


text:
Catherine Ireton
h3. Favourite god help the girl track and why
Musician Please Take Heed – because it builds so dramatically and really sticks in your head
h3. Current favourite song of any artist
oooh tricky… currently on repeat on my mp3 player is Bob Dylan 'Blood on the Tracks'
h3. How did you get involved in the project? (short answer!)
While at university in Cork I was the singer in a jazz/pop band and we recorded an album back in 2003. When one of the bandmates moved to Glasgow to do a postgrad Stuart's girlfriend's flatmate happened to be in his class. Stuart got hold of the album and thought I should audition for the girlgroup he was thinking about forming. I came over to Glasgow in March 2005, had a singsong with Stuart and the guys and… that was the beginning.
h3. Current crush in the popular domain past or present.
Used to be into Superman, but Wolverine has taken his place…
h3. Special power that you wished you had
to have a photographic memory
h3. favourite meal to cook
sunday roast with all the trimmings
h3. one thing you would change about the world
get rid of plastic bags
h3. tell us a secret about yourself (real or made up!)
I used to drive around without a driving license…
h3. best subject at school
All the sciences… I almost became a radiographer
h3. in a doomed relationship, do you prefer to dump or be dumped? and why..
to be dumped. Better to feel bad rather than feel bad and guilty.
h3. most annoying thing about 'god help the girl'
That the people involved all live too far away to get together more often
h3. what pet would you most like?
to have or to be like? – I'm not really into the idea of having pets but if I had to it'd probably be a cat because they just sit around and do their own thing. if I had to choose a pet that I am like, I'd choose a cat for the same reason. ha!


HOW WILL MONEY STUFF MAKE ME RICHER?
If you want to be rich you need maths. If you don't want to be poor, you also need maths. The poorer you are, the more important it is to maximise your spending power.
Rich or poor, sometimes people panic about their money position – because they don't know what their true position is – which is because they aren't keeping track of their money.
After completing Money Stuff, just a couple of hours a month will enable you to keep track of your finances, and so feel secure.
You need maths to manage money. Money Stuff will help you to manage your money better – and avoid being ripped off.
Because bills, bank statements and credit card statements are printed, people assume that they are true. Because internet banking looks so efficient, people often assume that it is accurate.
Have you noticed that any official-looking errors are rarely in your favour? After you've been through the Money Stuff course, you will be able to quickly check such documents. What's the point of making money if you lose it because of other people's errors? Saving money improves your finances.
Have you ever felt too intimidated by a waiter to query the bill? Money Stuff has an inbuilt self-confidence course. You need confidence to query a bill, question your bank or make a complaint. You need tenacity to find the energy to pursue your energy company for putting you on the wrong tariff – or overcharging for energy that you haven't used.
Money Stuff also contains a simple system to organize your life, so you don't try to do too much, get in a muddle, get exhausted or panic. Plus there are sections on Budgets and How to Keep Track of Your Money.
Incidentally, money can also affect your relationships. Over 70% of couples who split up, name money problems as their main reason: so for richer, for poorer… you need maths.
© Shirley Conran 2015. All rights reserved.


The nation's first voter ID law came from a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit in Indiana.
The law was integrated into American politics in 2007, and the American Civil Liberties Union and Democrats fiercely opposed the form of legislation.
But in his latest Huffington Post interview, Judge Posner seems to expressed regret for his decision. When asked if he felt like the judges made a mistake, he gave the following response.
"Yes. Absolutely. And the problem is that there hadn't been that much activity with voter identification. And … maybe we should have been more imaginative… we…. weren't really given strong indications that requiring additional voter identification would actually disfranchise people entitled to vote. There was a dissenting judge, Judge Evans, since deceased, and I think he is right. But at the time I thought what we were doing was right.
Thoughts on the judge's change of heart? Too little too late?


text:
Q: Find null space (kernel) and image of these linear transformations/maps of functions let $V$ be a vector space of functions $f : \mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}$.
Consider the linear map:
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{A} : V \to V \mbox{ where } (\mathcal{A}f)(x) = f(x^2)
\end{equation}
and the linear map:
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{A} : V \to V \mbox{ where } (\mathcal{A}f)(x) = (x+1)f(x)
\end{equation}
I have proven they are in fact linear. I have no trouble determining the null space and image of other maps of functions, however, I couldn't quite get the hang of these.
What I have (in a nutshell):

*

*(Kernel of the first map):
Exists of all functions whose value is $0$ whenever $x \geq 0$.

*(Image of the first map):
All functions which are symmetric in the $y$-axis. Because if we take $x = -a$, then $(\mathcal{A}f)(x) = f(x^2) = f((-a)^2) = f(a^2)$.

*(Kernel of second map):
All funtions whose value is 0 whenever $x \neq -1$. What value those functions have whenever $x = -1$ does not matter as long as they are defined for this value of $x$.

*(Image of second map):
In any case the set of functions $\{f(-1) = 0 \mid f \in V \}$ will be in the image space. If the function is not defined in $x = -1$, then the function will still be in the image space whenever the function is defined for some other value of $x$. The image space is therefore the union of the the set $\{f(-1) = 0 \mid f \in V \}$ and all functions that are not defined on $x = -1$ but are defined for some other value of $x$.
Are these foundings correct?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Don't let bad weather kill your plans and your computer!
1. Unplug everything: We mean everything including the power cord from the wall for your computer and monitor and any network cables. Power surges can occur through cable lines, telephone lines, and network lines so it's a good thing to unplug those as well.
3. Use a Battery Backup/UPS: Getting a good UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is a great way to protect your hardware and data. The battery backups have built in surge protection and provide power to your hardware during an electrical outage. These devices are relatively cheap and because they keep your computer running when the power goes out you have time to safely shut down your computer which will help prevent data loss.
4. Backup your data: While having a good data backup system in place won't protect your hardware from damage, it will protect your data from being lost forever. Data backups are essential and offer protection from hardware failures, viruses, ransomware, and several other disasters that can strike.
Get your hardware and data protected today. Give us a call should you have any questions and we'll be happy to help.


Vincent Branch is chief executive of Accelerate, AXA XL's innovation team. He has more than 20 years' experience in the insurance industry, and most recently held the position of chief underwriting officer and chief actuary for VitalityHealth (part of the Discovery group). Prior to this role, Branch was the global chief underwriting officer for personal lines at Zurich Insurance. In these roles he implemented a wide range of product and pricing innovations.


text:
Tag Archives: Phantom Of The Paradise
My Top Ten Brian De Palma Movies
Happy Birthday to Brian De Palma, who turns 78 today.
I really love some of De Palma's films. And feel "meh" about some. And kind of hate a couple. And still haven't seen some of his big ones (I've listed those at the end). His movies really are all over the place on quality & on genre! I do really like when he's gone more "horror" but his crime films are great.
So here are my top ten De Palma films that I've seen, although I didn't really like number 10 and barely remember number 9. And 11 was…. Ugh! I'm sure some of those I haven't seen or need to re-watch would make this list (certainly Blow Out or Body Double). I'll update this list when I see or re-watch any.
My Top Ten Brian De Palma Movies (I've seen 11…):
11. Mission To Mars (UGH)
Top Ten:
10. Snake Eyes (ugh)
9. Casualties Of War
8. The Fury
6. Sisters (aka Blood Sisters)
5. Carlito's Way (I could do with re-watching this…)
4. Phantom Of The Paradise
1. Carrie
Saw But Need To Re-Watch As Don't Really Remember Them:
Blow Out & Body Double
Some I've Not Seen:
Hi, Mom!, Obsession, Dressed To Kill, The Bonfire Of The Vanities, Raising Cain, The Black Dahlia, Redacted, Passion
**Oh, and De Palma made that Bruce Springsteen video for Dancing In The Dark where he pulls that "random" pretty girl (Courteney Cox) out of the audience to dance with him (this is probably the only time you'll see a Springsteen video on this blog. I'm not a fan…):
Posted in "My Top" Lists, Movies
Tagged Birthday, Blood Sisters, Brian De Palma, Carlito's Way, Carrie, Casualties Of War, Director, Film, List, Mission: Impossible, Movies, Phantom Of The Paradise, Ranked, Scarface, Sisters, Snake Eyes, The Fury, The Untouchables, Top Ten
Exam, Paul Williams Still Alive & The To Do List Movie Reviews
Happy Bank Holiday Monday to those in the UK who won't be reading this since you're not at work pretending to work while actually reading blogs! Then I think you Americans have next Monday off? So, since no one will be around the next couple of weeks, I figured it was time to do a few more mini-reviews of movies that I didn't give enough of a shit about to review when I watched them a year ago. Sounds like fun, right?! 😉 Here we go…
Exam (2009)
Directed by Stuart Hazeldine
Starring: Adar Beck, Chris Carey, Gemma Chan, Nathalie Cox, John Lloyd Fillingham, Chuk Iwuji, Luke Mably, Pollyanna McIntosh, Jimi Mistry, Colin Salmon
Exam is the best of these three movies, which doesn't say much for the other two. I'll say that Exam had a brilliant concept and I did appreciate that. It started out pretty great but got too far-fetched & silly by the end, which was disappointing since it had a lot of potential. I'm feeling lazy today so I'll let Wikipedia give you the set-up:
The film is set in present-time United Kingdom in an alternate history. Eight candidates dress for what appears to be an employment assessment exam; they enter a room and sit down at individual desks. Each desk contains a question paper with the word "candidate", followed by a number, from one to eight. The Invigilator, a representative of the company named DATAPREV, explains that the exam is 80 minutes and consists of only one question, but there are three rules: they must not talk to the Invigilator or the armed guard at the door, spoil their paper, or leave the room. If they do, they will be disqualified.
That sounds intriguing, doesn't it? And it is – it's why I watched this movie. And it gets even more interesting when the exam starts and the candidates discover the one question. The state of the world in this alternate history, which we learn a little about as the movie progresses, does help to explain the lengths that these eight candidates are willing to go to in order to get this job. But not quite… As to be expected, there are a couple of pricks who you're meant to immediately dislike but none of the characters are very well developed and you don't care enough about any of them to really care who will get the job at the end.
Had the characters been better instead of so one-dimensional and had the story been less far-fetched by the end, I'd have liked this one a lot more. I did really enjoy the mystery involved with the whole thing. It was fun seeing the candidates trying various ways to figure out what the hell was going on with the bizarre exam. In a world (shit, did I just use the "in a world" phrase?) where times are desperate, as in the story's alternate history, you can almost believe that these candidates will do anything to get this very important job. However, the movie doesn't manage to make us believe that "this could really happen", which sucks as I think it could. Exam reminded me a lot of The Purge, which is another movie that I thought had a brilliant concept & so many ideas to be explored but never were. Like The Purge, Exam feels like a wasted opportunity (although I really liked The Purge and find myself always sticking up for it).
Don't let my negativity discourage you if you like the sound of this movie. I think I may just be too picky in always expecting movies to have some deeper sort of meaning. If you don't think about it too hard & are able to suspend disbelief, you may get some enjoyment out of Exam.
Paul Williams Still Alive (2011)
Directed by Stephen Kessler
Starring: Well, mainly just Paul Williams, his wife, and the director but there's plenty of old footage with famous celebrities to watch.
What a shitty documentary. Hell, I think I could make a better documentary. The trouble isn't the subject as I think Paul Williams is fascinating enough to make for an interesting documentary. But god the director, Stephen Kessler, is annoying! This reminded me a bit of the John Hughes documentary, Don't You Forget About Me (which I reviewed HERE). In both films, the makers almost feel more like stalkers than like proper filmmakers.
I'll say that Paul Williams comes across a bit grumpy in the documentary but that's probably understandable as the director pretty much spends the whole film talking about how Paul Williams used to be a pretty big star but now he's nothing (which isn't true at all, especially since Daft Punk soon after declared their love for him & worked with him on their amazing Random Access Memories album). It's ridiculous as Paul Williams has had a longer and FAR more successful career than Kessler (his only other movie you'll have heard of is the crappy National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation).
As for Paul Williams, I know some people here probably know nothing about him although you may recognize his face. He was (well, still is) mainly a singer-songwriter but also an actor whose most famous work was in the Seventies. He wrote songs for people such as Barbara Streisand (Evergreen) and The Carpenters (We've Only Just Begun & Rainy Days And Mondays). Perhaps his most famous song, though, is The Rainbow Connection from The Muppet Movie (it's certainly my favorite & in my list of My Top Ten Happy Songs). He was also in Smokey And The Bandit and the spectacularly mad Brian De Palma film Phantom Of The Paradise, which I reviewed HERE. Williams plays an evil record executive in Phantom, which is a mental "horror musical" that I enjoyed so much that I decided to watch this documentary soon after. Bah! Rubbish. Watch Phantom instead.
It's hard to know what to rate this as it IS worth checking out if you're interested in Paul Williams and don't know much about him. There are plenty of old clips with lots of famous celebrities & the film is almost worth watching for that alone. Don't expect the most in-depth documentary ever, though, and be prepared to feel as annoyed by the director as Williams sometimes clearly is. I'm glad I watched it but would like to see a better documentary about Paul Williams.
(okay rating more for the fact that Williams is an interesting character than for the quality of the documentary)
The To Do List (2013)
Directed by Maggie Carey
Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Rachel Bilson, Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Sarah Steele, Andy Samberg, Scott Porter, Connie Britton
How can a totally filthy sex comedy be so BORING and completely unfunny in any way? What a load of shit.
I'm thinking that maybe I truly don't like Aubrey Plaza. I don't have much experience with her (she's in that Parks & Recreation thing, right? Never seen it). I didn't mind her in the slightly pretentious Safety Not Guaranteed but then she mostly just got on my nerves in the disappointing Life After Beth. Well, I'd have to say I pretty much hated her in this. I don't know if that's entirely her fault, though, as I can't say I liked anyone in this plus the movie is just plain bad. I honestly can't think of a less funny "comedy" that I've seen in recent years. It's almost as bad as a Jason Friedberg/Aaron Seltzer "parody" movie.
(Just go play with yourself instead of watching this movie – you'll have way more fun)
So, in this movie, perfect student Plaza decides she wants to lose her virginity & do every sexual thing that she can before heading off to college. Or something like that – I don't remember much of this movie now. Anyway, here's her sexual "to do" list:
I wouldn't call myself a prude so my issues with the movie have nothing at all to do with the subject matter. I do enjoy the occasional sex comedy. But what I require is for them to actually be funny. I mean, WTF is this shit?:
Aubrey Plaza's character is beyond annoying in this movie & I can't imagine anyone wanting to do any of the things on that above "to do list" with her. The only funny thing, looking at that list, is how it says "British?" next to "teabagging". lol. Okay – that's kind of funny. But the rest of this movie is NOT. This movie can go do all of the above things to itself. Yeah… Go fuck yourself, movie!
Now here's the rather epic, totally 70's prog rock-y Touch, Paul Williams' song with Daft Punk on Random Access Memories:
Tagged 2009, 2011, 2013, 3/10, 6/10, Adar Beck, Alia Shawkat, Andy Samberg, Aubrey Plaza, Bill Hader, Blow Job, Chris Carey, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chuk Iwuji, Colin Salmon, Connie Britton, Daft Punk, Documentary, Eat Out, Exam, Film, Gemma Chan, Hand Job, Jimi Mistry, John Lloyd Fillingham, Johnny Simmons, Luke Mably, Maggie Carey, Masturbate, Motorboating, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Nathalie Cox, Paul Williams, Paul Williams Still Alive, Pearl Necklace, Phantom Of The Paradise, Pollyanna McIntosh, Rachel Bilson, Review, Reviews, Rim Job, Sarah Steele, Scott Porter, Shocker, Stephen Kessler, Stuart Hazeldine, Teabagging, The Carpenters, The Rainbow Connection, The To Do List
Hi everyone! Crap – when did it suddenly become almost-2015?! Shouldn't we be living on Mars by now or something? This isn't the future I imagined back in 1984. What a disappointment.
Anyway! Where was I? Well, it looks like I have two days left of 2014 so I guess I better post my Top Ten Lists! Looks like I did this well into January last year but I'll be busy this January with my Studio Ghibli Month starting next Monday. Woohoo! (Oh man, why did I decide to do that to myself?! I'm sooo not prepared!).
I'll start with the list I actually enjoy the most: These are My Top Ten Movies Watched At Home In 2014. Tomorrow I'll post My Top Ten Movies Of 2014 (going by UK cinema release date). Then I may do My Top Books Read In 2014 on New Year's Day – that's a pathetic list since I didn't read much this year. I'll stop rambling – here's my list counting down from ten to my number one favorite. As always, these are the ones I enjoyed the most although there are others I watched that are probably more "worthy" and I'd give those higher ratings. I've included the links to the ones I've reviewed. 🙂
10. Spring Breakers
This probably doesn't deserve to be on the list, but… You know when you like a movie but you have NO idea WHY?? This is one of those movies for me.
9. TRON: Legacy
I know it has its flaws but I don't care – I had a lot of fun with this one. Plus: Garrett Hedlund! He's so pretty… Also: DAFT PUNK SCORE!
What's not to like about Brian De Palma's totally 1970s Faustian rock opera horror film?? Okay… Most of you went "WTF?" in the comments of my review but I do appreciate when a good discussion gets going on an interesting film like this one (thank you, Man In Black! I'll get to the rest of your comments soon – I've just been taking a blog break over Xmas). 😉
7. The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari
I'm surprised by how little I knew of this classic before watching it this year. Not only was the style of the whole film amazing but I thought the story was also ahead of its time. Every film lover should watch this movie.
6. Kiki's Delivery Service
This is one of several Studio Ghibli films I watched this year but I never got around to reviewing any of them, which is partly why I'm going to review a bunch of them together in January. I like the simplicity of this one. It's the most "child-friendly" Ghibli I've seen so far and it's one that really grew on me after watching it a couple of times.
5. Bernie
I like doing these lists at the end of the year because I find that some movies really grow on me & end up much higher on the list than I would have expected. Bernie is one of these movies. I've always been a fan of Richard Linklater's style and I'm not sure why I hadn't checked this one out until this year. I'm also not sure why it seems to have not received as much attention as some of his other films considering that the story is quite fascinating, especially the ongoing story involving Linklater & the real-life Bernie. I'm still amazed by the whole situation…
As I always say, I'm NOT a fan of war movies. However, I've worked my way through most of the war movies in the IMDB Top 250 and ended up loving a lot of them (The Bridge On The River Kwai and The Great Escape being my favorites). I didn't love Full Metal Jacket as much as those and the first half was far better than the second half but I still really liked the film. I may have to stop saying I'm not a fan of war movies…
3. Daft Punk's Electroma
I like Daft Punk. And sci-fi. And cool robots. And "artsy fartsy". I loved Electroma. So sue me. (Btw – thank you to the whole five commenters on the review for this! Lol! More than I expected… 😉 I'll catch up on replying to comments on this blog soon!)
2. The Return Of The Living Dead
I love zombies. And I especially love the 80s. I have no idea why I never saw this one before now but it's certainly one that's a new favorite I'll re-visit every now & then.
1. Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind
Obviously, I'm a fan of Studio Ghibli films as I'm dedicating a whole month to them. But there are maybe four or five Ghibli films I LOVE (so far) while the rest I just "really like" so I still wouldn't call myself the biggest Ghibli fan compared to other people out there. However, Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind really blew me away. (Ha! "Blew" me away… Blow away? Wind? Get it? Okay, it really wasn't that funny). This was like some weird sort of mash up of the later, more well known Ghibli stuff and 1981's Heavy Metal. It's post-apocalyptic and fairly violent for a Ghibli and very much not for young kids. I LOVED IT. It's so very "me" and I can't wait to review it for Studio Ghibli Month.
Like I said, the above are the ones I enjoyed the most but I watched a lot of other very good films that really deserve a mention as well:
Blue Is The Warmest Color
Night Of The Creeps
Rashômon
You can see my full list of movies watched in 2014 HERE. Sad, I know… 🙂
Tagged Bernie, Daft Punk, Electroma, Film, Full Metal Jacket, Kiki's Delivery Service, List, Movies, Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, Phantom Of The Paradise, Ranked, Spring Breakers, Studio Ghibli, The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, The Return Of The Living Dead, Top Ten, TRON
Daft Punk's Electroma (2006) Movie Review
Daft Punk's Electroma (2006)
Directed by Daft Punk
Thomas Bangalter & Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (Daft Punk)
Paul Hahn
Cédric Hervet
Peter Hurteau
Michael Reich
Sébastien Tellier
Linda Perhacs
Jackson C. Frank
Mathieu Tonetti
Daft Punk's Electroma is a 2006 film by French electronic music duo Daft Punk. The plot revolves around the quest of two robots (the band members, played by Peter Hurteau and Michael Reich) to become human.
I decided to finally watch this after reviewing the weird & wonderful Phantom Of The Paradise, Brian De Palma's 1974 Faustian rock opera horror film (you can read my review of that HERE). Daft Punk were massively influenced by Phantom Of The Paradise so I loved seeing the masked Phantom and the resemblance to the Daft Punk "robots".
Just like with Phantom Of The Paradise, I'm not going to recommend Electroma to absolutely everyone who may be reading this. You'd love it or you'd hate it and, if you're not a fan of Daft Punk and their whole robot persona thing, you may struggle to even make it through Electroma's 72 minute running time. I'll say you don't have to be a fan of their music, though, as none of their music is in the film. If you like "art", you may appreciate this film. This is more like an extra long music video than a film and it has lots of great images I so desperately want to use in this review as I think it would sell the film to some of you. Unfortunately, some of the coolest images are also major plot spoilers so I'll have to leave those out.
What did I think of Electroma? I loved it. There are actually four other films I kept thinking of while watching this (two earlier than Electroma & two that were made later). I've reviewed three of them and really like them all so, if you like these films, you MAY like this odd combination of the four. One is 1971 road movie classic Vanishing Point, another is 1973's Westworld, the third is the thoroughly strange French comedy horror Rubber about a car tire that kills people with its psychic powers (seriously – it's awesome), and the final one is the recent naked Scarlett Johansson movie Under The Skin which really had a very similar look to Electroma, especially during this particular scene:
I'd love to think I could actually talk at least one person into watching this but I better let you all know this: There's no dialogue in this film. There are extended periods of silence. There are very long sequences of the Daft Punk robots driving… and driving… and driving… and then walking… and walking… and wwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaalllllllllkkkkkkkiiiiiiinnnnnnnggggggggggggggg……………….. Well, none of that bothers me but I know that some people would turn it off during these bits. As I said, this is more a piece of art than a movie. The plot really is as simple as the above plot synopsis makes it sound (two robots wish to be human). It's an idea that has been explored more deeply in innumerable sci-fi movies but it's still a great plot that I always enjoy seeing represented in different ways, especially as we're getting closer & closer to things such as technological singularity becoming a reality. Not that that's really the theme of this film – I'd say Electroma is possibly set in a future where the singularity has already happened? And now these two robots long to be the humans that no longer exist? Yeah, I kind of like the sound of that and it makes the movie sort of bittersweet…
Those who know me will know that I'm also a big fan of music and I was surprised there wasn't actually more of it in this film made by two very famous musicians (and no music of their own, although they have the movie Interstella 5555 for that, which I now plan to also watch very soon). I did enjoy the music I'm sure they will have very carefully chosen, especially the Todd Rundgren and Curtis Mayfield songs & sequences in which they were used. I'll include the clip that uses Todd Rundgren at end of the review as it's at the beginning of the movie and will give you a feel for the film if you're at all interested. The clip of the Curtis Mayfield song is awesome but a massive plot spoiler that would ruin one of the best moments in the film if you watched it.
Daft Punk's Electroma is weird. This is "art" that I'm sure some would brand as pretentious. But, hey – I love Daft Punk's music & their whole image. Robots rock. The plot is simple but I think two robots wanting to be human is something that even humans can relate to as we ourselves don't even really know what it means to be human. If nothing else, Electroma is a lovely film to look at with a collection of cool sci-fi imagery and the backdrop of a beautiful Californian landscape. Good job, Daft Punk – I really enjoyed Electroma. Domo arigato, Mr Robotos. (Sorry – I was dying to get that line in here somewhere!)
Todd Rundgren – International Feel (actual clip from the movie):
Posted in Movies, Music, Reviews
Tagged Brian Eno, Cédric Hervet, Curtis Mayfield, Daft Punk, Daft Punk's Electroma, Electroma, Film, Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, Human, Michael Reich, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Paul Hahn, Peter Hurteau, Phantom Of The Paradise, Review, Reviews, Robots, Sébastien Tellier, Sci-Fi, Singularity, Thomas Bangalter, Todd Rundgren, Uncanny Valley
Phantom Of The Paradise (1974) Review
Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Jessica Harper
Gerrit Graham
A disfigured composer sells his soul for the woman he loves so that she will perform his music. However, an evil record tycoon betrays him and steals his music to open his rock palace, The Paradise.
This movie started getting a bunch of attention this year for its 40th anniversary and I'd never even heard of it before then. When I read reviews and saw that it was some weird sort of "rock opera horror" directed by Brian De Palma and starring the great Rainbow Connection Paul Williams and that it, basically, may be responsible for giving us DAFT PUNK… Well, I had to see it! I can't believe I'd never even heard of this now-cult-classic before. Apparently, though, it was a major flop at the time everywhere other than Paris and for some reason Winnipeg, where they worship this film and have organized Phantompalooza. I'm not sure why the movie is suddenly getting so much attention but I suppose that it's probably down to Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo (Daft Punk) declaring their love for it when collaborating with Paul Williams for their Random Access Memories album. Having watched it now, it's obvious what a huge influence it had on them. Check out William Finley as the Phantom in the title:
I finally saw this movie a couple of months ago and I still can't quite decide if it's a brilliant masterpiece or a big pile of shit. What a way to start a review, huh?! Maybe it's just brilliantly horrible. Horribly brilliant? Either way, although I just called this a possible pile of shit, I'll be giving it a 7.5/10 rating (so you can stop reading & just yell at me now, Brian). 😉 I sort of feel the same way about this movie as I did about David Bowie's The Man Who Fell To Earth. I know that, in a lot of ways, that movie was "bad" but I couldn't help but be fascinated with it and it's certainly one of the most memorable movies I've watched in the last couple of years and one I seem to come back to a lot when reviewing other movies that I liked yet can't fully explain why. Phantom Of The Paradise was the same for me and totally worth being the only full price Blu-ray I've purchased for myself in ages, even if I WAS thinking to myself "what the fuck?!" the entire time I was watching it.
Phantom Of The Paradise is a combination of The Phantom Of The Opera (obviously), Faust, and The Picture Of Dorian Gray. I'm not sure why it never achieved the success of two other similar films that both came out a year later – Tommy and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It certainly feels a lot more ambitious than either of those, which I suppose may have been the problem? There's a lot going on in Phantom and it maybe tries to be too many things at once. The other two aren't really any less strange than Phantom, though. Unfortunately, the biggest problem may just be that the songs aren't as good. Sorry, Paul Williams! I think you're awesome and I love what you did with Daft Punk and Rainbow Connection is my favorite Muppets song. But, unlike in Tommy or Rocky Horror, there's nothing really memorable in this when it comes to the music other than maybe the main ballad which is pretty but not exactly catchy like Time Warp or even Pinball Wizard.
I suppose I was a little upset that I was left unsure of how I felt about this movie once it finished as I'd hyped it up in my mind to possibly be some kind of undiscovered gem that I'd absolutely love. Well, there ARE things I really liked about it. Images such as the one above are what helped to convince me to watch this. The band is known as The Undeads, which is their third and best incarnation in the film as they keep changing their style to suit whatever record producer Swan (Paul Williams) thinks the public wants. This is in contrast to composer Winslow Leach, played by William Finley, who cares only about the music itself instead of fame and who (obviously) ends up the "Phantom" of the film. Paul Williams' Swan is an evil & greedy record producer and owner of "The Paradise" concert hall. Williams is great as some sort of satanic little brother to David Cassidy. Check him out:
The best thing about this film is the main story between Williams' Swan & Finley's The Phantom. I loved the cause of The Phantom's disfigurement and, of course, THE scene that is clearly the one that turned those lightbulbs on above Daft Punk's heads. (Slight spoiler but not really if you know Phantom Of The Opera): The Phantom's vocal chords have been destroyed along with his face so he not only needs to wear the strange silver helmet but also must use an electronic voice-box to talk (and sing). I wish I could find a clip of the scene to share here but can only find some images:
I should also give a quick mention to Jessica Harper, of Suspiria fame, who plays The Phantom's muse à la The Phantom Of The Opera and Gerrit Graham as a camp glam rocker. Both were really good in two fairly big roles and the below shower scene was pretty cool:
I know this review was far longer than my usual reviews but if I've talked at least ONE person into checking out this movie, I'll be very happy. Is it good? Is it shit? I'm honestly still not sure. I've said it a few times recently but these are the types of films that actually make me want to run a movie blog. I'll always watch & review loads of mainstream films but they rarely excite me in the same sort of way that the more "unusual" or artistic films do. I'd rather watch something extremely memorable like this than just another cookie cutter film made with a profit in mind. The main theme (of many) in Phantom Of The Paradise is timeless – art over profit. We need more Phantoms in this world but, unfortunately, there will always be more Swans.
You know I have to end this with Touch, the Daft Punk/Paul Williams collaboration on Random Access Memories: 🙂
Tagged 1974, 7.5/10, Brian De Palma, Daft Punk, Film, Gerrit Graham, Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo, Jessica Harper, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movies, Music, Musical, Paul Williams, Phantom Of The Paradise, Review, Reviews, Rock Opera, Thomas Bangalter, William Finley


The guys launch into a brushing teeth in the shower story. They get you going with some more of the patented Path Podcast discussion. They go through the usual – shop news, discussion, and some q & a. Nathan has cracked the code on making his exit and entry for his rides from home marginally better… Plus, another round of Auk's photo tip of the week.


So I deactivated my Facebook today and it already seems so much better. People always sending game invites and taking me in posts I don't care for. It feels good to be disconnected sometimes lol.
good or bad look for me?
So I take it you believe the same thing.


text:
Националният отбор по футбол на Буркина Фасо представлява Буркина Фасо в международни мачове и турнири по футбол. Ръководната организация е футболната асоциация на страната. Отборът на Буркина Фасо до 1984 г. играе под името Горна Волта (предишното име на Буркина Фасо). През 2013 г. отборът достига до финал на Купата на африканските нации.

Световни шампионати
 1930 – 1974 – не участва
 1978 – не преминава квалификациите
 1982 – не участва
 1986 – не участва
 1990 – не преминава квалификациите
 1994 – прекъсва квалификациите
 1998 – 2018 – не преминава квалификациите

Купа на африканските нации
 1957 – 1965 – не участва
 1968 – не преминава квалификациите
 1970 – прекъсва квалификациите
 1972 – прекъсва квалификациите
 1974 – не преминава квалификациите
 1976 – не участва
 1978 – отпада на груповата фаза (под името Горна Волта)
 1980 – не участва
 1982 – не преминава квалификациите
 1984 – 1988 – не участва
 1990 – не преминава квалификациите
 1992 – не преминава квалификациите
 1994 – прекъсва квалификациите
 1996 – отпада на груповата фаза
 1998 – 4-то място
 2000 – отпада на груповата фаза
 2002 – отпада на груповата фаза'
 2004 – отпада на груповата фаза
 2006 – не преминава квалификациите
 2008 – не преминава квалификациите
 2010 – отпада на груповата фаза
 2012 – отпада на груповата фаза
 2013 – финалист
 2015 – отпада на груповата фаза
 2017 – 3-то място

Източници

Буркина Фасо
Буркина Фасо

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia