Motivated seller, large price reduction. Rarely does a restaurant/bar with this kind of sterling reputation enter the market! Owned & operated by the same remarkable family for the past 33 yrs, the owners are selling because they are ready to retire. The sale includes the land (.84 of an acre,) the restaurant (2700 sq ft,) the fixtures, the Class C liquor license, & the sellers will stay on to help with the training & transition. The furnace was replaced in '07, the a/c unit is on the rooftop and serviced every year, a new roof was installed over the kitchen in '17, a new exhaust system in '17, & new cooling units behind the bar, '14. There is parking for app. 50 cars, over 140' of steel guardrail, a storage building, 2 restrooms, a walk-in cooler, lots of storage, beautiful long bar, & 3 decades of goodwill that comes from serving cooked-to-order meals, with seafood being the specialty of the house! Land contract terms with $100,000 down payment, other terms are negotiable.


Fashionable design with propeller-shaped shiny-chrome metal clip by Hannes Wettstein, the Swiss designer who also created the LAMY® scribble. Additional extra-special colour verion in the high-price segement. Elaborate ladquering process in which the lacquering is builit up in several layers and finished with a final matt coat of clear lacquer.
As a certified retailer for Lamy® I am able to only list their products at their recommended MSRP or allowed discount. Other certified retailers of this manufacturer are given the exact same guidelines. Should you see prices under the MSRP, I would caution you as to whether or not you are receiving an item from a certified retailer of this manufacturer. Purchasing items from non-certified retailers may invalidated your guarantee. However, only the manufacturer can address that issue with certainly. Remember buying below MSRP or our authorized discount price may not actually represent a "savings".
Special order item so allow 2-3 weeks to receive once order is placed.


If you're using a digital camera, you should be able to take great shots no matter what the lighting situation is. But sometimes, you'll need to take a few shots in order to figure out the right balance.
If it looks off to you, then you can set it to balance on the camera manually. Look for the settings on the camera that change the lighting in regards to indoor or outdoor, overcast or bright daylight, regular bulbs or fluorescent lights. Sometimes photos taken under fluorescent lights have a tendency to appear too washed out.
Decide what style of Christmas portrait you're aiming for – informal or formal and then have everyone dress accordingly. Better yet, take both kinds (just make sure you remind everyone to bring a change of clothes to the shoot).
For more formal Christmas portraits, everyone can wear black tie or silver dresses if you don't want to use reds or greens. If you have a large family or want to have a portrait that includes extended family, think up.
You climb up a few steps on the stairs and take the photo. If you don't have stairs, use a small stepladder. Resist the urge to take the 'family on the staircase' photo.
No one every really looks good hunched together on a set of stairs. Plus the people further up the steps can end up looking like floating heads if the lighting is too dark.
Create a scene where everyone's trimming the tree together. Let everyone pick an ornament to hang for the picture. That way they're all together in the shot, around the tree, but it's more natural looking that scooting into close quarters and standing in a still pose.
In order to get every family member in the shot and not have an MPT (missing photo taker) then you should use a tripod or other method for holding the camera.
Using the delay button will give the picture taker enough time to zip into the picture. Remember that it's okay to be relaxed during a photo. No need for stiff, forced smiles.
If you have older teens who would rather scrub the house and skip junk food than have their picture taken, you might want to forego any posed photos and instead take ones that are teen friendly. You might even try to take some funny family pictures.


text:
Big Picture, February 2012
Federal Jury Says Cops Can't Arrest People for Recording Police Encounters
by Oregon PeaceWorks • February 9, 2012 • 1 Comment
by Jacob Sullum
Last week a federal jury in Oregon awarded damages to an environmental activist who sued the city of Eugene after a police officer seized his video camera and arrested him for wiretapping. In March 2009, Josh Schlossberg was distributing leaflets outside Umpqua Bank in downtown Eugene when Sgt. Bill Solesbee told him to move along. Schlossberg replied that his lawyer had advised him he was not breaking any laws. Solesbee then entered the bank and came back out. When he approached Schlossberg again, Schlossberg took out his camera and announced that he was recording the encounter. The Oregonian describes what happened next:
Solesbee told Schlossberg he needed a permit to set up a table in front of the bank and accused him of blocking pedestrian traffic. Then he asked, "Are you taping me?"
As the two men argued over whether Schlossberg had notified him he was shooting video, the sergeant pointed at the camera and said, "Gimme that. That's evidence."
Schlossberg's lawyer [Lauren Regan] said the sergeant then charged the activist, roughly grabbed for his camera and wrenched his arm behind his back. Schlossberg was thrown to the ground, where his head struck the pavement, and felt the sergeant's knee on his neck, Regan said.
Solesbee seized Schlossberg's camera and arrested him. He was jailed for five hours on charges of resisting arrest and intercepting communications. Prosecutors later dismissed the charges.
Victim's Financial Award to Goes to Lawyers
As Simon Glik did after he was arrested for recording an arrest in Boston, Schlossberg complained to the police department, which said Solesbee had not done anything unconstitutional or contrary to policy. Like Glik, Schlossberg filed a federal lawsuit to vindicate his constitutional rights when the police department was unresponsive. In a pretrial hearing U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Coffin ruled that Solesbee had violated the Fourth Amendment by examining the contents of Schlossberg's camera without a warrant. As a result of last week's verdict, in which an eight-person jury concluded that Solesbee arrested Schlossberg without probable cause and used excessive force, the city is supposed to pay Schlossberg $4,083 for injuries, $1,500 for pain and suffering, and $200,000 for legal fees.
Regarding the verdict's broader significance, Regan tells The Oregonian, "Across the country right now, legal scholars and lawyers are just eating it up, because it's actually a solid statement of the right to privacy in the age of technology." The outcome also reaffirms that photography is not a crime. In both the Glik and Schlossberg cases, courts found that trumped-up wiretapping charges against people recording public events are unconstitutional. Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says the department has changed its policy in light of court rulings since 2009 and now discourages such arrests. Φ
Radley Balko covered "The War on Cameras" in the January 2011 issue of Reason.
Tags: police, Eugene, activist, arrest, filming, reassessment of police policy, lawyers, pain and suffering, political crimes.
Tags: activist arrest Eugene filming lawyers pain and suffering police political crimes reassessment of police policy
← Chicago Prepares an Iron Fist for NATO/G8 Protests
ALEC Education "Academy" Launches on Island Resort →
1 comment for "Federal Jury Says Cops Can't Arrest People for Recording Police Encounters"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Mon, 12:32: Police car labeled "ANPR Interceptor" drove past. Was hoping for SHADO.
Mon, 14:42: We're now offering fully BS-compliant Buzzword-as-a-Service with an email API.
Mon, 14:47: Ex-NGO friend points out that Tony Blair fully deserves his legacy award. No one man has given relief agancies more work.
Mon, 15:07: Steeping cherry blossom green tea in a Starbucks mug. Bathos, defined.
Mon, 15:20: Think i need a better single cup diffuser. Any recommendations?
Mon, 15:45: Good news everybody (or at least #lumia930 users). The latest Windows Phone developer preview release is compatible with TfL WiFi!
Mon, 15:58: And the point where you realise the tweet you made hours ago that's still being retweeted has a typo. Also, @tweetdeck, spellchecker please?
Mon, 18:24: Dear spammer. If I wanted a mobile app, I'd write my own. See the shiny Xamarin license. No love, me.
Mon, 20:57: Dear @FedEx. We have a doorbell. It works. No love, me.
Mon, 21:21: What happened to @IsMtRainierOut? Nothing for 22 days... I know the weather isn;t that bad.
Mon, 21:40: Flipping: pancakes? the bird?
Mon, 21:48: So my Xbox Music sub is about to expire. I don't think I'll be re-upping.
Mon, 22:16: No. This is wrong. No Doubt should not have covered Talk Talk's "It's My Life".


text:
Události
 po porážce Hannibala (203 př. n. l.) uzavřelo Kartágo mír s Římem, vzdalo se v jeho prospěch Hispánie a zavázalo se neválčit bez jeho svolení. Tímto skončila druhá punská válka.
 v bitvě u Castrum Mutilum porazili Keltové římské oddíly

Hlavy států
 Čína – Kao-cu (206–195 př. n. l.)
 Seleukovská říše – Antiochos III. Megás (223–187 př. n. l.)
 Řecko-baktrijské království – Euthydemus I. (230–200 př. n. l.)
 Parthská říše – Arsakés II. (211–185 př. n. l.)
 Egypt – Ptolemaios V. Epifanés (204–180 př. n. l.)
 Bosporská říše – Hygiainon (220–200 př. n. l.)
 Pontus – Mithridates III. (220–185 př. n. l.)
 Kappadokie – Ariarathes IV. (220–163 př. n. l.)
 Bithýnie – Prusias I. (228–182 př. n. l.)
 Pergamon – Attalos I. (241–197 př. n. l.)
 Sparta – Nabis (206–192 př. n. l.)
 Athény – Euthycritus (202–201 př. n. l.) » Nicophon (201–200 př. n. l.)
 Makedonie – Filip V. (221–179 př. n. l.)
 Epirus – vláda épeiroské ligy (231–167 př. n. l.)
 Římská republika – konzulové Cn. Cornelius Lentulus a Publius Aelius Paetus (201 př. n. l.)
 Numidie – Masinissa (202–148 př. n. l.)

Externí odkazy

3. století př. n. l.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Are our seminarians being taught about the Extraordinary Rite? And if not, why not?
William Oddie
Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos celebrates Mass in the Extraordinary Form at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome (CNS photo from Catholic Press Photo)
Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, has recently declared that the Extraordinary Rite should be available "to those who prefer it", and that seminarians ought to be taught to say it. He isn't just talking the talk but walking the walk: he is introducing seminarians to the Extraordinary Form at the St Charles Borromeo seminary (this vast establishment is one of the sights of Philadelphia) with teaching on the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum "that elucidates the theology underlying the 1962 Missal so that the seminarians are afforded a clear understanding of the Motu Proprio and the Holy Father's pastoral concern for the faithful who have a deep love for the Tridentine liturgy". He also said that "seminary course work in theology, liturgy and Church history will cover and expound upon the Holy Father's initiative. It will be helpful for them to see the continuity between the two expressions, but will also afford the opportunity to address the changes that took place in the liturgy following the Second Vatican Council."
What is happening here? This isn't the first we have heard of the idea of training seminarians in the celebration of the Extraordinary Rite: according to a CNS story in 2008, "the Vatican" was then writing to all seminaries to request that all candidates for the priesthood should be trained to celebrate the Mass according to the Tridentine Rite.
Well, it seems that now (quite soon if you think of the glacial pace at which these things happen) something seems to be stirring in Philadelphia as a result of this letter. But what about this country? Is Cardinal Rigali responding to the Vatican letter or is he acting on his own convictions? Come to think of it, was the letter, in fact, ever sent to the seminaries? The source of the CNS story was Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos, who was then still president of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei (the outfit set up to try to re-establish full communion with the SSPX), and therefore a committed traditionalist. Was Cardinal Castrillón's statement just a bit of Roman gossip, given conviction by his own wishful thinking?
So, did our own seminaries in fact ever get a letter about the use of the Extraordinary Rite? Even if they didn't, those running them (as well as the bishops themselves) must know that it is the Pope's wish that the "Old Mass" should be more widely available. So are our seminarians currently being trained in the celebration of both authorised forms of the Latin rite? This is a genuine question. I would be interested to hear (anonymously if necessary) from anyone at present undergoing seminary training for the priesthood what is actually going on.
And what, while we are on the subject, about the selection of our future priests? It certainly used to be the case that any applicant for priestly training who revealed the slightest interest in or approval of, not just the "Old Mass" but even the idea of celebrating the Novus Ordo in Latin, to the diocesan bureaucrats entrusted with weeding out supposedly unsuitable candidates, would have his application immediately blocked. Has that all changed, in the new atmosphere following the papal visit? Or is it still going on?
If not, that's the first thing to which our bishops need to turn their attention if they really want the "Benedict bounce" to maintain its momentum. They should tell their underlings to stop blocking candidates for the diocesan priesthood who want to teach and be formed by the authentic tradition of the Catholic Church.
Second, they need to be absolutely sure that it is that tradition which is the ultimate source of the priestly formation of our future clergy. And one of the things that needs to be re-established there is that in what is still officially described as "the Church of the Latin Rite", our priests need to be competent in the Latin tongue. The deliberations of Vatican II, don't forget, were conducted entirely in Latin: it was the lingua franca of the assembled bishops, in both formal utterances and informal conversation. If (which God forbid any time soon) there were ever a Vatican III, could the world's bishops talk to each other in Latin? I doubt it. And simultaneous translation, with so many languages involved, would surely be impractical. So: there's an inducement for any remaining Tabletista bishops: learn Latin yourself (and make sure your seminarians are taught it) or there will be no hope of a Vatican III, ever (hee, hee).
The first thing they should do is make sure that our future priests can at least understand and celebrate the Novus Ordo in Latin. Incidentally, while we are on the subject of the Novus Ordo, one of my SSPX friends asked me, a blog or two ago, why, if I believed that the Novus Ordo is so clearly valid (which I do), I had also written some weeks before that "the English Mass we have is by the skin of its teeth a valid Catholic rite". What I was talking about in that blog was our reductionist English translation of the Mass, which, thank heaven, is now on its last legs: and though I didn't say so I was thinking particularly of Eucharistic Prayer II. But in Latin, there's no doubt at all about the validity of any of the prayers of the Novus Ordo: and our seminarians ought to be thoroughly familiar with the Rite in the ancient tongue of the Church of the Latin Rite. Start there: and we will be on our way. Then (and not too much later: a month or two at the outside) start teaching the great riches of the Extraordinary Rite and of the tradition of which it is one majestic embodiment.
I cannot resist ending by quoting Cardinal Castrillón again: "This kind of worship is so noble, so beautiful," he said. "The worship, the music, the architecture, the painting, makes a whole that is a treasure. The Holy Father is willing to offer to all the people this possibility, not only for the few groups who demand it but so that everybody knows this way of celebrating the Eucharist in the Catholic Church." This is not just an expression of an old man's nostalgia: it is an aspiration for a revolution that would renew and invigorate the whole Church. There may be a mountain still to climb: but we have been pointed by the Holy Father in the right direction, we have already reached the foothills, and the only way forward is up.
Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos
Cardinal Justin Rigali
Extraordinary Form
Novus Ordo
priestly formation
The Old Rite Requiem shows us the awe-inspiring nature of death
The traditional Requiem is unremittingly bracing, calling us to contemplate the fearful mystery of death
Francis Phillips
Why do our Bishops pull out candidates for the priesthood from seminaries which teach the Extraordinary Form? Why are they so intent on defying the Pope?
The new vision of liturgical pluralism should now be an integral part of priestly formation
The SSPX claim the Novus Ordo is a Protestant rite. Can they be serious?
The Mass of Paul VI is unambiguously sacrificial, not simply a remembrance of 'the Lord's Supper'


- Easy Configuration and Management What customer say?
Qno's QoS Firewall Routers focus on delivering high performance and resilient operational demands, combining Multi-WAN, Load Balance, 3G Backup, Firewall, QoS Management in a private network, eg the MPLS network like Singtel Meg@pop, etc.
Qno's Security Appliances are focus on IP-VPN and Multi–WAN connection with broadband sharing and security functions, integrating Multiple VPN Protocols, Load Balance, 3G Backup, QoS, and Advanced Firewall with ARP Attack Prevention to operate on today's internet environment.
Qno's SSL VPN Security Appliances are focus on data security and flexible control to satisfy the data access needs of the people on the move.
overheat problem. Such design avoids operating noise and successfully save extra energy consumed by fan.
to societies and next generations on the Earth.


text:
© EEZ Aurich/ PREFA/ Corce & Wir
EEZ Energie-, Bildungs- und Erlebnis-Zentrum (Energy-, Education- and Adventure-Center) Aurich
At EEZ Aurich, you can experience energy through fun and excitement.
At EEZ Aurich, you can experience energy through fun and excitement. At the heart of this visitor attraction is the permanent interactive exhibition ENERGIE ZUKUNFT, which presents the various fields of energy in a fun and informative way. In seven themed sections, scientific phenomena are brought to life by impressive exhibits and interactive stations, with experiments making them easy to understand. Both conventional forms of energy and the energy sources of the future are showcased and the visitor is encouraged to think about the challenges of the transition to alternative energies. Visit the ENERGIE TURM to feel the breath-taking power of energy up close and personal. In the outdoor area, you can even view the original powerhouse and rotor blade of a wind turbine.
© EEZ Aurich/ Impulsdesign
© EEZ Aurich/ Karlheinz Gremer
The German standardised "Reisen für Alle" identification and certification system provides in-depth verified information on accessibility. The transparent, reliable data is gathered by trained assessors and evaluated according to clear criteria for accessibility and usability.
Information for wheelchair users and people with walking impairments
Parking spaces for people with disabilities are available.
Access to the building is step-free and there is step-free or lift access to all rooms that can be used by guests.
Turning spaces measure at least 150 cm x 150 cm (exception: in front of the door to the WC).
Doors and passages are at least 90 cm wide (exception: some in the shop are only 85 cm).
The outdoor paths are smooth.
There are no revolving doors.
All exhibits can be viewed from a standing or sitting position and are suitable for wheelchair users.
Wheelchair-suitable tables are available in the restaurant area.
A lift and generous sanitary facilities are available to guests on the ground floor.
Individual tours are offered for wheelchair users and people with walking impairments. Booking is required.
Aids can be borrowed free of charge: children's buggy, walker, wheelchair.
Reduced entry fee for people with disabilities.
Disabled toilet
The WC is at least 70 cm high and accessible from both sides.
Fold-up grab rails are provided on both sides.
The wash basin is partially wheelchair-suitable and the mirror can be seen from sitting and standing positions.
Emergency call buttons are provided.
Information for the deaf and hearing impaired
There is no induction loop.
Rooms and corridors are lit.
Exhibits are presented visibly.
Tables with bright and non-glare lighting are available.
There are tables with no standing or hanging lamps that could impede the line of sight or eye contact.
There are seating areas with low ambient noise.
There is no electro-acoustic sound.
Information for the blind and partially sighted
Assistance dogs are permitted in the exhibition, but not in the restaurant area.
Written stop information is provided at the bus stop.
There are high-contrast, tactile indicators on the ground on the outdoor path to the entrance.
There is no guidance system with indicators on the ground inside, but the wall can sometimes be used for orientation.
There are not usually obstacles such as objects protruding into the path (exception: exhibits in the permanent exhibition).
Rooms and corridors are well lit and glare-free.
There are glass doors without safety markings.
The first floor is accessed via stairs or a lift. The steps on the stairs do not have a high-contrast design. Any emergency call in the lift is confirmed with a sound alarm.
In the catering area, the menu is designed in an unembellished, high-contrast font.
Exhibits are lit and contrast visually with the surroundings.
Signs are in an easy-to-read, high-contrast font.
No information is available in Braille or prism font.
Information for people with cognitive impairments
The name and logo of the facility are clearly recognisable from outside.
On both indoor and outdoor routes, the destination is usually within sight.
No information is available in simple language.
Information is not shown in images or pictograms.
The dishes in the restaurant are presented visibly.
Osterbusch 2
websiteE-Mail
Plan your journey to "EEZ Energie-, Bildungs- und Erlebnis-Zentrum (Energy-, Education- and Adventure-Center) Aurich" with Google Maps.


text:
\section{Introduction}
\label{sec:introduction}

\noindent{The concept of metric space is the main solution for the problematic of managing data similarity. According to this methodology, a multivariate data instance (a record) refers to the descriptive characteristics of a single entity in a specific domain. Having a set with multiple data items (a dataset), and with the aid of a distance function (or similarity measure), it becomes possible to determine an {\it order relation} within the dataset. Once that relation is set, one can perform similarity queries over the data and have results that reflect certain properties of the entities; the reflected properties will be defined according to the very data and according to the distance function being used. This kind of functionality is also known as {\it content-based data retrieval} and has a large scope of application, from bioinformatics to complex-data storage systems. In this work, benefiting from this methodology, we combine metric space techniques and visualization techniques in order to discover data patterns in a multiple views environment.}

Similarity queries, the goal of metric space systems, work by searching a dataset and tracking for the elements that, according to a distance function, are similar to a given data element, named {\it query center}, within a given scope. The result of a similarity query is a subset of elements, as much as possible, similar to the query center. In an analogical view, the query center and its scope of data retrieval resembles the idea of a region in space; in such region the center is the query center surrounded by neighboring data elements. This analogy is the basic idea of our methodology:

\begin{enumerate}
	\item{first, the user must refine the dataset with the aid of similarity queries;}
	\item{the result sets produced by these queries are the focus of visualization workspaces enriched with multiple visualization techniques.}
\end{enumerate}

We propose an environment that allows the user to browse a dataset in its tabular format, visualize such data, select query centers, perform similarity queries and have the results of the queries drawn into visualization workspaces that co-exist in the system. Our contributions aim at inserting intelligence into the problematic of precisely and semantically filtering a dataset into complementary visualizations. Our future goals are to foster works on scalability and semantical visual data analysis.

Visualization techniques in general are designed to work with the entire dataset, providing an initial overview of the data, followed by interactive brushing (selection). However, what if the dataset is too complex (with too many attributes), voluminous and/or heterogeneous, making visualizations inefficient due to overlapping of graphical items and due to cluttering of visual information across different visualization techniques? In the context of these issues we aim at answering the following questions:

\begin{itemize}
	\item{How to filter out data in situations where interactive brushing is not efficient due to overlapping of graphical elements or due to a high number of data attributes?}
	\item{How to add semantics in the visual data analysis process, providing better visual feedback in the context of a specific application domain?}
	\item{How to quickly make sense of metric spaces in a visual manner?}
\end{itemize}

Our results show that the use of a metric space can significantly improve the quality of visualizations, enabling us to answer those questions. In our work, we proceed by precisely configuring what data items are being displayed and how these items are arranged in multiple workspaces.

In order to test our hypotheses, we have built a system named Metric Space Platform (MetricSPlat) (\url{http://gbdi.icmc.usp.br/~junio/MetricSPlat/index.htm}). MetricSPlat is a system that integrates the components that define a metric space so that content-based data retrieval can be accomplished in a visual interactive environment. It uses plug-in features and coding frameworks to permit the fast prototyping and testing of features extraction techniques, distance functions and metric structures. The ensemble of the system joins research concepts from database and Visual Analytics in a novel manner, bringing an original contribution to both fields. The paper has further five sections: related works, concepts, proposed methodology, experiments and conclusions.

\section{Related works}
\label{sec:related_works}

\noindent{According to Rundensteiner {\it et. al.} \cite{RundensteinerWYD02}, conventional multivariate visualization techniques present limitations that result in a display with an unacceptable level of clutter. In fact, most visualization techniques suffer with data overlapping and with datasets whose elements tend to spread over the data domain. Therefore, such visualizations provide views with a reduced number of noticeable differences.}

The most used alternative to troubleshoot the anomalies of data visualization is the interactive filtering principle that, according to Keim \cite{14}, claims that ``in exploring large datasets, it is important to interactively partition the dataset into segments and focus on interesting subsets''. Following that principle, many other authors developed tools aiming at the interactive filtering goal, as the Polaris system \cite{Chris2008} and dynamic querying tools \cite{Hochheiser2004}. Selective visualization is fundamental since it enriches the user participation during the visualization process, allowing users to focus on partitions of more interest by constantly redefining the view in order to characterize the data under analysis.

Gerken {\it et. al.} \cite{Reiterer2009} make an extensive review of visual information seeking systems. They state four conditions for the design of efficient such systems: (1) to support various ways of formulating an information need, (2) to integrate analytical and browsing-oriented ways of exploration, (3) to provide views on different dimensions of the information space, and (4) to make search a pleasurable experience. In this work, we consider these recommendations by proposing a methodology that puts together the analytical power of metric spaces and that is flexible in a multiple-ways query interface.

Following the idea of metric spaces and visual data analysis, Hiroike {\it et. al.} \cite{HiroikeMSM99} developed a system that presents the results of a content-based image retrieval system in a scatter diagram. In the diagram, image thumbnails have their size determined by their similarity to an image used as the query center. The arrangement of the images is determined by the values found in their respective features vectors. The system is introduced as an interface for content-based image retrieval.

\section{Basic concepts}
\label{sec:basics}

\noindent{This section reviews concepts of metric space and content-based data retrieval, part of the techniques used in our work.}

\subsection{Multivariate data}

\noindent{The first thing in order to index a set of complex data is to have it in an appropriate multivariate format, popularly called tabular form. In many domains, such as image and video, this step demands a process of {\it features extraction}. That is, one must translate the data into a numerical representation that corresponds to a vector $x=\{x_0,x_1,...,x_{n-1}\}$ of $n$ representative numbers intrinsic to the original data. Classic examples, in the case of images, are the color histogram \cite{Felipe2005a} and the coefficients achieved with the Fourier transform \cite{Zhang2001b}. In other domains, data must simply be collected in order to represent the instances of observed events. That is, the features extraction occurs according to a previously established model, as for example, in commercial transactions, census data and remote sensing data.
Along this text, we refer to features extraction in general as a function $f:D \rightarrow \mathfrak{D}$, where $D$ is a domain of specific data, e.g. images, and $\mathfrak{D} \subset R^n$ is an $n$-dimensional features space.}\\

\subsection{Distance function}

\noindent{The second step in order to define a metric space is to establish a similarity measure, or distance function, among the vectors of numbers extracted from the data objects. A trivial way to do this is to consider each numerical feature as an $n$-dimensional coordinate and calculate the Euclidian distance among the vectors. Other examples of distance functions are the City Block and the Minkowisk distances \cite{Aggarwal2001e}. A distance of particular interest in this work is the weighted Minkowisk distance \cite{Randall97}, defined as follows:}

\begin{equation}
	\delta_{Minkowski}(o_i,o_j) = \sqrt[p]{ \sum_{i=1}^n w_i\left(x_i - y_i\right)^p }
	\label{eq:MinkowskiPond}
\end{equation}

Where $o_i=\{x_0,x_1,...,x_{n-1}\}$ and $o_j=\{y_0,y_1,...,y_{n-1}\}$ are vectors with $n$ representative numerical features, $0 \leq i < n $, $o_i$ and $o_j \in \mathfrak{D}$, the domain of elements to be indexed. The vector $w=\{w_0,w_1,...,w_{n-1}\}$ is a vector of $n$ weights.

The use of different metric distances allows not only having a diversity of scopes around the query center in similarity queries, it also permits to weight specific dimensions, adding semantical interest into the query execution. These two parametrization possibilities correspond to a guided distortion of the space according to the needs of the analyst, who may decide about which dimensions are more relevant in a specific domain.\\

\subsection{Metric space}

\noindent{Once feature vectors and a distance function are specified, a metric space is established. A metric space refers to a set in which the notion of distance among its elements is well-defined. Formally, a metric space is a pair $M = <\mathfrak{D},\delta()>$, where $\mathfrak{D}$ is the domain of the elements to be indexed and $\delta:\mathfrak{D} \times \mathfrak{D} \rightarrow \Re^+$ is a function that associates a distance to any pair $o_i, o_j \in \mathfrak{D}$. Moreover, given three elements $o_i, o_j$ and $o_k \in \mathfrak{D}$, the pair $M = <\mathfrak{D}, \delta()>$ is named metric space whenever the function $\delta()$ satisfies the following axioms:}

\begin{enumerate}
\item {\bf Symmetry}: $\delta(o_i, o_j) = \delta(o_j, o_i)$
\item {\bf Non negativity}: $0 < \delta(o_i, o_j) < \infty $ if $o_i \neq o_j$ and $\delta(o_i, o_i) = 0$
\item {\bf Triangular inequality}: $ \delta(o_i, o_j) \leq \delta(o_i, o_k) + \delta(o_k, o_j)$ \label{item:desTriang}
\end{enumerate}

A metric space, as stated by its name, embeds numerical vectors inside a space in which the distances among objects are kept coherent following the properties of the metric axioms. The spatial analogy is what makes the concept so useful for humans, who can intuitively operate in such a space through the notion of similarity.\\

\subsection{Similarity queries}

\noindent{Over a metric space, it becomes possible to perform similarity queries. That is, given an element of interest -- the center of the query -- what are the elements of the dataset with smaller distances (higher similarities) to this element. The most well-know similarity query is the Nearest-Neighbor:}\\

\noindent{{\bf Definition 1(Nearest-Neighbor query)}: Given a query object $o_q$ represented by its features vector $f(o_q)$, and the set of data elements $D$, the nearest neighbor is the element of $D$ such that $NNQuery(o_q)=\{o_n \in D | \forall \ o_i \in D, \delta(f(o_q), f(o_n)) \leq \delta(f(o_q), f(o_i))\}$. An example of a nearest neighbor query is: ``find the enterprise record in $D$, which is the most similar to enterprise record $o_q$''.}

The extrapolation of definition 1 for $k$ nearest neighbors, $k \geq 1$, is straight and determines what is known as {\it K Nearest Neighbors} query (KNNQuery). Formally, a $KNNQuery(o_q,k)$ generates an ordered list in which the $(n-1)$-th-element is closer to $o_q$, or at the same distance, than the $n$-th-element, $2\leq n \leq k$.

\section{Combining metric spaces and visualization techniques}
\label{sec:system}

\noindent{In this section we describe the MetricSPlat system and how it defines a framework that supports content-based data retrieval combined with visual analytics.}

\subsection{Overview of the Metric Space Platform (MetricSPlat)}

\noindent{In order to versatilely use features extraction, MetricSPlat has an embedded dataset facility. This way, the system can perform similarity queries over any given set of extracted features provided in a simple tabular format. The format requires a table in which the {\it n} first fields correspond to the numerical features. Besides the features, it is necessary to have an extra field named {\it COD}, an integer indexing counter, as the last field (left to right order) of the dataset. No database installation is necessary.}\\

\noindent{{\bf Distance functions and metric structures}}\\
\noindent{In MetricSPlat, we benefit from an Application Programming Interface (API) named {\it Arboretum} -- \url{http://www.gbdi.icmc.usp.br}. This API defines a set of software interfaces to ease the development of distance functions and metric structures supporting the execution of similarity queries. In order to make MetricSPlat easily extensible to new functionalities, we have developed it around a Dynamic Linking Library (DLL) framework in compliance to the Arboretum API. Like so, MetricSPlat automatically recognizes new dll files making them ready for use with no recompilation.}\\

\noindent{{\bf Data visualization}}\\
\noindent{MetricSPlat also offers a set of visualization techniques to permit the visual inspection of the dataset under analysis and of the result set produced by similarity queries. When the results of similarity queries are under investigation, the system builds dedicated workspaces that support multi-modal visual analysis. After the execution of a nearest-neighbor query, a dedicated workspace is created loaded with the correspondent result set. Each workspace is initially presented using the FastMap spatial projection technique.}

This technique is based on the dimensionality reduction algorithm FastMap \cite{Faloutsos1995}, which is used to reduce the dimensionality of the features dataset. FastMap is an instance of multidimensional projection, that is, a function $m: \mathfrak{D} \rightarrow \Re^3$ whose goal is to minimize the sum of the distances differences between functions $\delta$ (original space) and the Euclidean distance $d$ (projection space). That is:

\begin{equation} Argmin_{m}({\sum_{i,j}|\delta\{(o_i,o_j)\}-d\{(m(o_i),m(o_j)\}|)}
\end{equation}

Where $o_i$ and $o_j \in \mathfrak{D}$.

Once the dataset has its dimensionality reduced to $3$ dimensions, it becomes possible to have it in a $3$-dimensional plot space. In such representation, one can observe clusters, exceptions and, more important, the spatial distance-based placement of the data. This possibility corresponds to the visual observation of a metric space allowing to see how a similarity query works and what are its results, as it can be seen in figure \ref{fig:visualization}.

\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./Visualization.png}
\makeatletter\def\@captype{figure}\makeatother
\caption{Visualization of a result set in a $3$-dimensional environment. (a) The query center as the origin of the projection. (b) 3D interaction. (c) Zooming capabilities.}
\label{fig:visualization}
\end{center}

Besides FastMap for spatial data projection, MetricSPlat provides well-known techniques for visualizing the extracted features that define the search space: Parallel Coordinates \cite{Inselberg90}, Scatter Plots, Table Lens \cite{Rao94}, and Star coordinates \cite{Kandogan2000}.

\subsection{MetricSPlat systematization}
\label{subsec:systematization}
\noindent{The MetricSPlat system implements all the features needed in order to have a metric space in which similarity queries can be performed. Once the user defines a dataset, he/she can create a metric structure automatically, with one of several metrics structures and distance functions, see figure \ref{fig:systematization}(a). After this step, the analyst can select subregions of the data domain by choosing query centers of his/her interest and perform nearest neighbor or range similarity queries. The correspondent data elements are propagated to FastMap projections, see figure \ref{fig:systematization}(b), where it is possible to observe the region of the space that was selected. From the FastMap projections, it is possible to derive multi modal visualization techniques, as indicated in figure \ref{fig:systematization}(c). Finally, one can re-examine the visualizations and choose new query centers for further similarity queries, figure \ref{fig:systematization}(d). This process can repeat several times defining a multiple views environment where each view holds a different subregion of the data domain.}

In comparison to purely visual methods, in which the user can select subregions in a graphical data projection, the use of similarity queries: provides more precision on the task of selecting elements, is faster even compared to interactive methods, is immune to overlapping elements and carries the structural information embedded in the ensemble of a metric space.

\begin{figure*}
 \begin{center}
  \scalebox{0.4}{
    \includegraphics*{./Systematization.png}
  }
 \end{center}
 \caption{
The MetricSPlat multiple views environment. (a) MetricSPlat interface. (b) Propagation of result sets produced from similarity queries into FastMap projections. (c) Multivariate data visualization over subregions of the metric space. (d) Choosing new query centers, for new similarity queries.
 }
 \label{fig:systematization}
\end{figure*}

\section{Experiments}
\label{sec:experiments}

\noindent{In this section we answer the questions raised in section \ref{sec:introduction}. We perform two experiments with two different datasets, each followed by conclusions about how the visual analytical process brought new possibilities for data investigation. Because the demonstration of our interactive system is not favored by the flat paper presentation, we have put the system fully operational at \url{http://gbdi.icmc.usp.br/~junio/MetricSPlat}, where it can be experimented with several datasets.}\\

\noindent{\bf Filtering out data with precision and accuracy}\\
\noindent{We have performed experiments over a dataset of agrometeorological data. The dataset has nine attributes: precipitation, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), water requirement satisfaction index (WRSI), average temperature, potential evapotranspiration (ETP), real evapotranspiration (ETR) and measured evapotranspiration (ETM) collected partly with remote sensors (satellite) and partly with {\it in locu} samples from sugar cane plantation regions in Brazil. The data was collected during 82 months from 2001 to 2007, so that each record corresponds to the data collected in a given month for one region. Since there are 5 regions (Araraquara, Araras, Jaboticabal, Ja\'u, and Ribeir\~ao Preto), there is total of 410 records. The goal of the data collection is to analyze the relationship between the weather (temperature and humidity) and the agricultural production.}

To test our methodology, we aim at creating visualizations that put together and that characterize regional weather conditions according to multiple simultaneous queries. Each query allows to choose a subregion of the data domain having a specific center to focus on. The goal is to visualize the subregions of interest out of the great data mass in dedicated visualization workspaces, where a simplified analytical process can proceed in a reduced graphical space. After an initial selection, the data is overviewed in a data projection and explored with multi modal multivariate visualization techniques, where patterns can be observed.

In figure \ref{fig:experiments1}, we illustrate three queries over the agrometeorological dataset. At the top of figure \ref{fig:experiments1}, it is possible to see the entire data domain in a FastMap projection. In this image, there are three regions of interest with their correspondent query centers. Figure \ref{fig:experiments1} also describes each of the three queries, Q1 and Q2. At the left side of the image, it is possible to see the initial Euclidean data selections in FastMap projections along with parallel coordinates. In Q1, the query center has id number 430, which corresponds to the region of {\it Ribeirao Preto} in the 18th month of observation along with 40 similar elements. Its Euclidean query returned a sparse subregion of similar elements. Its parallel coordinates, in turn, shows a distribution of elements tending to high evapotranspiration (the three right-most axes) and low vegetation rate (axis 3). The correspondent scatter plot, right, shows that this query center corresponds to a region of extreme temperatures in the dataset (right-top of scatter plot: average temperature x ETM) and that this region corresponds to a profile of regions that suffer from excessive sun radiation, defining a local correlation between high evapotranspiration and high temperature. The query has automatically selected for us the other regions that mostly correspond to that profile: {\it Jaboticabal} and {\it Jau}.

In query Q2, the center is element number 156 from the region of {\it Araras} in the 74th month of observation, surrounded by 40 similar elements. Its FastMap projection depicts three clusters, informing that there are three classes of records regarding the similarity to element 156. The correspondent parallel coordinates show that the profile of the most similar elements is that of high NDVI (axis 3), high WSRI (axis 4) and low evapotranspiration (the three right-most axes). Further, the table lens visualization shows an inverse proportionality between vegetation rate (column 3) and temperature (columns 2, 5 and 6). By examining the records presented in the FastMap visualization, we verified that this profile corresponds to the months when the sugar cane culture was in the middle of its annual cultivation cycle (high vegetation and mild temperatures), beginning of the cycle and, less intense, final of the cycle (low vegetation). The more close to the middle of the cycle, the higher is the amount of biomass in the crops, providing higher levels of vegetation. This observation explains the three clusters observed at the initial FastMap projection and, also, it explains why the third cluster is less observable. Had we defined a smaller number of elements, we would not have the third further most cluster with records corresponding to the end of the sugar cane cycle, when harvesting takes place.

\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./Experiment1.png}
\makeatletter\def\@captype{figure}\makeatother
\caption{Multiple views visualization of the agrometeorological dataset. At the top, an overview of the entire dataset. Following, queries Q1 and Q2, Euclidean distance, with two distinct query centers and correspondent multivariate visualizations, parallel coordinates, scatter plots and table lens.}
\label{fig:experiments1}
\end{center}

{\ }\\
\noindent{\bf Adding semantics in the visual data analysis process}\\
\noindent{Our second experiment uses the well-known semantic rich cars dataset (\url{http://stat.cmu.edu/datasets}). This dataset is broadly used due to its common sense domain, allowing readers to quickly understand what is being presented in only a few words. It has 8 dimensions and 406 data elements. The information in the dataset comes from car road tests performed by the Consumer Reports Magazine between 1971 and 1983. The attributes of the data are fuel performance in miles per U.S. gallon (MPG), number of cylinders in the engine (CYLINDERS), engine displacement in cubic inches (DISPLACEMENT), time to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (ACCELERATION), output of the  engine in horsepower (HORSEPOWER), vehicle weight in U.S. pounds (WEIGHT), model year (YEAR), and origin of the car (ORIGIN). The last attribute organizes the dataset into three categories, American cars (1), Japanese cars (2) and European cars (3).}

In the following experiment, we want to show that with the aid of content-based data retrieval techniques, it is possible to add semantics to the visual analytical process. To do so we use two different distance functions: the Euclidean distance and the weighted Minkowski distance function with $p=4$ and two different sets of attribute weights. In the website of MetricSPlat, there is a video that shows how new distance functions can be added to the system in less than three minutes. Figure \ref{fig:experiments2} shows at its top an overview of the cars dataset in a FastMap projection using the Euclidean distance.

Figure \ref{fig:experiments2}(Q1) refers to the data domain sub region around car number 4, an American car produced in 1970 that is considered to be a mostly non economic car, as all of its attributes deviate from the average toward values of high consume and high power. At Q1, left, the set of data items in the region around car number 4 corresponds to the 50 cars that more close present attributes similar to those of car number 4. The view achieved with the Euclidean distance, although showing a subset with distinguishable properties, does not present a highly characteristic silhouette in relation to the query center. Differently, the scene achieved with the weighted Minkowski distance, at the right, linearly weights the attributes so that the number of cylinders (CYLINDERS) and the weight of the cars (WEIGHT) have less impact on the placement of the data elements. The result is that even cars with significant differences in those attributes are put together in the spatial arrangement of the metric space and of the visualization. The correspondent visualization presents data elements whose attributes have smaller amplitudes than the Euclidean presentation, allowing the analyst to observe the cars that, even if semantically more powerful and heavier, have the other attributes similar to those of car number 4. That is, attributes CYLINDERS and WEIGHT, although sound, are not determinant for this specific subset.

Figure \ref{fig:experiments2}(Q2) presents the subregion of the data domain around car number 369, a Japanese car produced in 1981 with economic features as lower number of cylinders and high miles per gallon consume. At Q2, left, again we have the 50 cars closely similar to car 369 according to the Euclidean distance. At this second experiment, we noticed that linear weighting of attributes rarely produced result sets different from Q2 left visualization. Therefore, we have opted for an exponential weighting, so that the higher the difference between two data attributes, the much higher their distance in the metric space. We have weighted attributes ACCELERATION and HORSEPOWER, and at Q2, right, we can see a data subset that aggregates cars with similarity in those attributes. Semantically, what we see is the visualization of the cars with average economic profile (similar to car 369), at the same time that we can observe the local distribution of their acceleration and power. Hence, it is possible to have an idea of the cars that are mildly economic, with high and low power, and that are as close as possible to profile 369. Query Q2 shows how the use of intelligent distance functions can add semantics to the visual data analysis process, reducing the data domain, and the visual complexity, to reflect the analyst interests.

\noindent{\bf Making sense of metric spaces}\\
\noindent{In both experiments, it is possible to perceive the metric space defined by the data domain. This is possible due to the FastMap projection of the entire dataset along with the subregions selected via similarity queries. By joining the multiple visualizations interactively, the user can build a mental map of how the data elements are positioned in the space. This possibility, combined to metric space techniques, can lead to a potentially useful instrument for dealing with the challenges of content-based data retrieval.}

\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{./Experiment2.png}
\makeatletter\def\@captype{figure}\makeatother
\caption{Multiple views visualization of the cars dataset. At the top, an overview of the entire dataset. Following, queries Q1 and Q2 for Euclidean distance and for weighted Minkowski distance with two sets of attribute weights.}
\label{fig:experiments2}
\end{center}

\section{Conclusions and future work}
\label{sec:conclusions}

\noindent{In this work we benefit from two data management methodologies: content-based data retrieval (metric spaces) and visual data analysis. The combination of both methodologies has been used to answer three questions: how to efficiently filter out data for visual inspection, how to add semantics to the visual data analysis process, and how to quickly make sense of metric spaces. In order to answer these questions, we have built a system named MetricSPlat, which puts together a wide set of technologies related to similarity querying and multivariate data analysis. The system joins both expertises by using the FastMap multidimensional data projection. FastMap draws the metric space defined by the features, the distance functions and the metric data structure providing an intuitive spatial view of the data. This spatial view is the first step of our methodology, which is followed by multi modal multivariate data visualization. Complementing the system, we make use of multiple visualization workspaces presented simultaneously to the user. This feature is specially interest because it is useful to compare several spatial drawings of the data, enriching the analytical possibilities.}

We have demonstrated our system with two datasets. The first one is from agrometeorological research, and the second one, a classic dataset used in visualization demonstrations. We have showed the possibilities of efficiently filtering out the datasets with the aid of similarity queries. Also, we have presented tests on how to add semantics to the visual data analysis process by defining intelligent distance functions according to the analytical interests. Both experiments demonstrated the usefulness of the tool in depicting a metric space visually, instigating the user intuition about the data.

We conclude by stating that our work is the convergence of two methodologies related to the same big field of data management. Their convergence seems beneficial for both. Visual data analysis is improved by a filtering possibility more efficient than interactive filtering (brushing), as it can be more accurate and semantically rich. Content-based data retrieval is improved by the possibility of understanding the metric space that supports the similarity queries, allowing the fine tuning and advanced use of distance functions, features extraction, and metric data structures. We foresee future works following the benefits in both areas.\\

\section*{Aknowledgements}
This work is thank to Brazilian agencies Funda\c{c}\~ao de Amparo \`{a} Pesquisa do Estado de S\~ao Paulo (FAPESP), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient\'ifico e Tecnol\'ogico (CNPq), Coordena\c{c}\~ao de Aperfei\c{c}oamento de Pessoal de N\'ivel Superior (Capes), to Microsoft Research, and to STIC-AmSud cooperation program.

\bibliographystyle{IEEEtran}
\input{refs.bbl}

\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


text:
Q: Ghost feature in D3 I am very new. to GIS. I am making an interactive that uses TopoJSON. Starting with a shapefile map of the world that shows the last bit of the Russia on the left rather than attached to the main Russian shape. I deleted the little shape on the left and modified the russia map to add the shape on the right. Export to mapshaper looks good. export to topojson and review on mapshaper, still god. bring into my interactive (using d3, yes this might be a d3 questions but I have to start somewhere) and the mystery shape is back on the left!

A: That piece of Russia is supposed to be there - the edge of your map in D3 (and many other GIS packages) is 180 degrees West. That edge cuts through Russia (hence why Sarah Palin could see it from her house), so D3 has cleverly chopped the Russian coastline along that edge and drawn it in for you in the right place.
The advantage of doing it this way is that if you use one of the D3 views that allows you to scroll the world around you won't see a spurious line through Russia where the two bits are joined. There is a reason all those example maps use a black fill.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
« Star Trek Into Darkness – International Trailer
Despicable Me 2 – Trailer »
Interview With Author and Hammer Expert Marcus Hearn About Dracula (1958)
This is a very exciting release for horror fans isn't it?
It's an exciting release for Hammer fans and, as you say, anybody interested in classic horror films. And if you're a beginner this is a great place to start.
Dracula is one of the most portrayed characters in film. Why is Christopher Lee's the one that is perhaps best remembered?
I think his interpretation is definitive. Lee transformed our perceptions of the character, suggesting the character's danger and cruelty in a far more subtle way than had ever been suggested before. He quite rightly interprets Hammer's Dracula as an urbane sexual predator, and I think every subsequent portrayal owes something to his performance here. He dominates this film with remarkably little screen time.
Why is this such an important version of the classic story?
This was the film where the formula for classic Hammer horror was perfected. Everything came together with Dracula, both on screen and behind the scenes. Its creative and commercial impact inspired almost 20 years of Gothic horror films from Hammer. It's possibly even more important for the way it influenced cinematic interpretations of Bram Stoker's novel. Here is Dracula presented as a story about sex. The influence of that decision is still felt today in modern films and TV series about vampirism.
What is your favourite thing about this film?
Its production values are modest but flawless. The lighting is beautiful; the performances – especially from Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee – are detailed and sincere. It's eerie, erotic and surprisingly savage in the final act. This is not an explicit film by modern standards, but it's a horror film for grown-ups.
You have to take into account the film's age, or rather the conservative era in which was made. But I think that's pretty much the only concession you have to make. Anyone expecting torture porn, explicit sex or a bloodbath is going to be disappointed. It's carefully paced, erotic, unsettling, occasionally shocking and even thought-provoking. The restorations on these discs – especially the Blu-ray – really enable us to fully appreciate the craftsmanship that went into the making of Dracula.
It's pretty incredible that the additional footage was found in Japan. What can you say about the footage that has been reinstated into the film?
It's nothing short of a miracle that it survived and that it's been so brilliantly restored and integrated. The classic formula for Hammer horror basically comprises sex and death, and the reinstated footage provides more of both. The original version of the sequence where Dracula seduces Mina can now be seen for the first time outside Japan. The unspoken interaction between Christopher Lee and Melissa Stribling carries a powerful erotic charge which alarmed British censors in 1958.
The extra death comes in a now complete version of Dracula's disintegration at the end of the film. This is a remarkable special effect by the standards of the day (no CGI in 1958!) and is not only startling but also restores the original rhythm of the editing in that sequence. This is surely one of the most iconic moments in post-war cinema and now we can finally see it as director Terence Fisher intended.
The film is notable for its beautiful colours, presented here for the first time in accurate, High Definition. What is your favourite thing about the restoration?
It's not been discussed much, but this is the first time the film has been released in any home entertainment format in its correct aspect ratio of 1:66.1. I think that's a cause for celebration. The picture is incredibly sharp for a film of this age, and the colour palette is just as lush as you would expect from a Hammer horror. These films weren't supposed to look realistic – they were nightmarish fairy tales.
You have provided a commentary for the film with Jonathan Rigby. What was this experience like for you and why would you urge fans to listen to it?
The commentary was great fun. Jonathan Rigby (writer and film critic) and I were principally there to provide behind the scenes information, but quite often we lapsed into 'fan mode' and simply discussed our favourite scenes as they appeared! This was the first time Jonathan had seen the 2012 restoration and you can hear how surprised and impressed he is on the commentary. Or rather commentaries, because at the appropriate moments you'll hear us say different things about the 2007 and 2012 restorations.
With Twilight, TV's True Blood and Hammer's own Let Me In, Vampires have had a boom in pop-culture in recent years. What do you think it is about the mythology of the vampire which is continually attractive to audiences?
Vampirism is a metaphorical vehicle to portray so many of the ideas that we find disturbing, such as the loss of humanity and sexual violation. The films and series you mentioned present this in a seductive way, and I think that continues the reinvention that began with Hammer's Dracula. This seductive quality is partly what the censors objected to in 1958, and this is what has been reinstated to the film now. Dracula may be 55 years old, but in that respect it's now more relevant than ever.
DRACULA was Released on 3-disc Double Play on 18th mARCH 2013
dracula film hammer interview movie
This entry was posted by Vicky Hinault on March 21, 2013 at 3:00 pm, and is filed under Interviews. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0.You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.


So, earlier in October 2015, I got a chance to head down to Monterey for the weekend. It's been years since I've been down to there. Granted, it's only two hours away.
That two hours makes such a difference in the quality of light. The San Francisco Bay Area's light quality seems to have a softer quality of light, even when it is not blanketed in clouds or fog. Maybe it's a difference in air quality too.
In Monterey, the light seemed to be much more harsh. The sky was a bit more blue too. The intensity of the sun played well with the intense colors of the various things I photographed wandering around. It was nice to find vibrant colors, as well as things that could be photographically "quiet" and still explore some recent ideas I picked up from reading a couple of books by Jay Maisel, It's not about the F-Stop. Trying to focus on light, color and gesture.
It was nice to take my Nikon D810 out for a spin for color, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the black & white from the Hasselblad turned out when I process it soon.
Maybe a bit more reflection on the trip after the film is done.
This entry was posted in In the Field, Photography.


For her doctorate, Kaye studied molecular chaperone assisted protein folding in thermophilic bacteria under the supervision of Prof. Robert Scopes. In 1999, shortly after obtaining her PhD, she was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship to examine the protein import machinery in mitochondria of yeast and was hosted by Prof. Nikolaus Pfanner (Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Freiburg, Germany). In 2001 Kaye was promoted to group leader within the Pfanner lab where she continued her studies on the molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial protein translocation. In 2004 she was awarded a QEII Fellowship by the Australian Research Council to study protein degradation by AAA+ proteases in bacteria and mitochondria. In 2009 Kaye was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship to extend her research in the area of mitochondrial protein homeostasis focusing on the role of AAA+ proteases in protein quality control and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. Kaye is currently a Senior Lecturer and is examining mitochondrial protein biogenesis pathways and protein homeostasis networks in relation to human health and disease.


ELI PERRINS-DAVIES WELCOME TO THE TEAM!
We are proud to announce that super Grom Eli Perrins-Davies has joined our UK Pro Team. Eli is the current U12 UKPSA Pro Surf Tour Champion and earlier this year grabbed himself the U12, U14 and U16 Welsh National titles. I think it's safe to say the future for Eli is very bright and we are pleased to support another up and coming UK talent. Stoked to have you on board, welcome to the team!
Eli Perrins-Davies UKPSA Under 12 Open Champion 2017 Video & Edit Mr B Productions from UKPSA Pro Surf Tour on Vimeo.


text:
Review: Scarface Blu-ray Steelbook
– September 6, 2011Find Others: Blu-ray, Movie, ReviewGet More: Al Pacino, Brian De Palma, Crime, F. Murray Abraham, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia, Universal
STUDIO: Universal | DIRECTOR: Brian De Palma | CAST: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Paul Shenar, Harris Yulin, F. Murray Abraham
RELEASE DATE: 9/6/2011 | PRICE: Blu-ray $34.98
BONUSES: featurettes, U-Control features, deleted scenes, BD live functions, more
SPECS: R | 170 min. | Crime drama | 2.35:1 widescreen | DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 and DTS 2.0 Stereo | English, French and Spanish subtitles
Scarface co-star Steven Bauer sums up the worship, relevance, controversy, influence and criticism of the 1983 film in one roaring statement in "The Scarface Phenomenon," a 40-minute featurette that's one of the only new supplements found on Universal's long-awaited Blu-ray edition of the film: "It's not a human story that everybody can relate to — it's fucking Dante's Inferno!" Right on!
The cocaine-drenched Scarface is one of those galvanizing movies that gets a different reaction from everyone. It's the gospel for some, a rich, contemporary crime saga for others, a delicious guilty pleasure for still more, and so on. Conversely, there are those who just don't get what all the chatter is about.
But legions of fans of Brian De Palma's (Dressed to Kill) film get downright fiery about it — and not just as a movie, but as a vital addition to their home entertainment libraries, whatever its configuration. This is not lost on the executives of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, who've been releasing updated VHS and DVD editions of the film for more than a quarter of a century.
Universal's Blu-ray edition is undeniably a handsome-looking piece, packaged in a cool steel box containing 10 slick art cards inspired by the movie as well as a DVD version of the same-named 1932 Howard Hawks (Rio Lobo) gangster film upon which De Palma's film is based.
As for the high-definition presentation of the film itself, well it's pretty handsome too. Star Al Pacino's (Carlito's Way) titular facial laceration is uglier, the blood runs redder, the hot Miami sun burns brighter, the nightclubs lights are more garish and the machine gun bursts are flashier. Yes, it's the best version of Scarface I've ever seen on my home screen, but does it look much better than Universal's 2003 Special Edition DVD? Well, not that much better.
But the sound is a different story. The 7.1 audio mix adds considerable heft to Scarface's explosive soundscape of machine gun fire, grenade launchers and manic crowd scenes, while still allowing a clear portal for screenwriter Oliver Stone's (Platoon) brash dialog. And the dialog isn't just confined to the front speakers. It frequently snakes its way around to the back, along with many background sounds and Giorgio Moroder's throbbing, oh-so-1980s score.
The complement of bonus features on the Blu-ray disc includes virtually all the supplements we've seen on previously issued DVD editions — the featurettes, the deleted scenes, the meter that tracks the number of times the "F word" is uttered and so on.
The main new addition, The Scarface Phenomenon, is mildly diverting but doesn't offer anything to fans that they don't already know. Talking heads in the piece include film critics, writers, filmmakers, cast members (including Bauer, Robert Loggia, Richard Belzer and Angel Salazar), archival De Palma and, bafflingly, TV hostess Jillian Barberie, who gushes over her "favorite movie of all time."
The Universal U-Control's picture-in-picture function recycles a lot of previously seen material along with new additions from cast and crew members (many of whom appear in the Scarface Phenomenon featurette). There are a lot of fun nuggets embedded in the mix, like the film's stunt coordinator talking about how the infamous chainsaw scene was choreographed, or Cocaine Cowboys documentarian Billy Corben describing the real-life Miami of 1980s (which is dangerously similar to the one on the screen).
There are also a bunch of pop-ups of parallel scenes from the Hawks' original film and edited versions of sequences as they appeared on network TV, all of which are fun to compare and contrast. Again, this bonus will be only passable for some, but fans will definitely eat it all up.
That said, if you're a fan, stop reading and go buy it already.
Buy or Rent Scarface Blu-ray Steelbook
Blu-ray Steelbook | Blu-ray Humidor Gift Set | Instant Video Blu-ray Steelbook | Blu-ray Humidor Gift Set Blu-ray Steelbook
New Release: Scarface Blu-ray Steelbook and Humidor
Review: Carlito's Way Blu-ray
News: Scarface back in theaters on Aug. 31
Top Movies: 14 Days of Romance Day 12, Gangster Movies
Blu-ray Review: Savages


Mark Ruffalo Trolls Fans On April Fools With Avengers: Endgame "Spoiler"
Avengers: Endgame star Mark Ruffalo trolled fans on Instagram by promising a spoiler video that turned out to be an April Fools' Day prank.
Hot Toys' 1/6th Thanos Collectible Figure showcases the Mad Titan's new weapon, a double-bladed sword, to be wielded in Avengers: Endgame.
The original Avengers join with Ant-Man to take on Shanghai in new Avengers: Endgame art for the upcoming international blockbuster.
Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of a decade of MCU films, but the movie may also be used to introduce the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse.
The Skrulls were finally introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Captain Marvel and they could have a big role in Avengers: Endgame.
The official Chinese poster for Avengers: Endgame features Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) fighting alongside the Avengers - and the fallen heroes.


GRETCHEN ipinagtanggol ng utol: sino ba ang nagpakain at bumuhay sa pamilya noon?
ITINAKWIL na si Gretchen Barretto ng kanyang inang si Inday Barretto.
Clearly, kinampihan ni Inday ang bunso niyang anak na si Claudine sa latest war nito with her sisters.
Ouch! Ang sakit naman no'n.
Imagine, tinawag kang evil ng iyong ina! Sabi pa ni Inday, she's willing to take all the bullets that Gretchen will shoot. A truly fighting mom, Inday Barretto is.
Now, we foresee a Gretchen crying on national television, that is, if she decides to address the issue.
And if she will, baka mas marami pang lumabas na controversy, knowing her na wala ring preno kung magsalita, ha!
Or, we will never see her saying her piece, her way of protecting herself from the bashings that she will surely get once she aimed her claws at her feisty mom.
She may also choose to write an official statement para tapos na agad ang kontrobersiya.
On the other hand, ipinagtanggol naman si Gretchen ng kanilang kapaid na si Joaquin "Jayjay" Barretto.
May ipinadala itong statement sa media tungkol sa panibagong iskandalo sa kanilang pamilya.
Sey ni Jayjay, "shocking" at "hurtful" daw ang naging pahayag ng kanilang ina against Gretchen, he also said, "But what bothers me most is that while she attacks my sister, Gretchen, and pictures her as evil personified, she seems to have forgotten the truth.
"Mom, as you have gone out of way to answer the issues that Claudine ought to answer for herself, maybe it is high time to reflect on things and address these concerns as well.
You have lifted Claudine on a pedestal as the teleserye queen and labelled Gretchen nothing but an ST queen.
"But who took over the role of her parents, worked at the age of 12 and gave up her education to put her siblings to school?
Who put food on the table, paid for the rent, electricity and hospital bills when dad suffered from his heart condition at least two times?
"Did you ever once stop her from doing all that because you loved her and wanted to protect her just like what you are now doing for Claudine?" ang bahagi ng sentimyento ng kapatid nina Greta at Claudine.
Hindi naman nagpa-interview si Claudine sa isang reporter ng GMA 7 nang tangkain nitong kapanayamin siya para hingan ng reaction about Gretchen.
Sey ng aktres, sasagutin niya ang issue sa tamang oras.
Dagdag pa niya, "I am praying for more strength dahil kailangan ko ring protektahan ang mga anak ko, lalo na sa pinagdadanan namin ngayon.


text:
Waste Management Unveils New RNG Facility
June 6, 2018 • by WT Staff
Like wind, solar, and other biofuels, landfill gas is a renewable source of fuel and energy endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency as an alternative to fossil fuels.
Image courtesy of Waste Management
Waste Management unveiled the latest technology at its Outer Loop Recycling and Disposal Facility in Kentucky, turning waste from the landfill into usable, renewable natural gas (RNG). This innovative facility captures methane produced by the landfill and converts it to pipeline quality natural gas.
The facility processes up to 5,000 standard cubic feet per minute (SCFM) of incoming landfill gas. This equates to about 2,500 mmbtu per day of RNG, or 18,000 diesel gallon equivalents (DGE) per day, enough to fuel about 800 of the company's compressed natural gas (CNG) collection trucks.
The Outer Loop RNG facility serves as a model for a planned rollout of additional facilities in the coming years. Waste Management also operates renewable natural gas facilities in Illinois (Milam Landfill) and Ohio (American Landfill).
16 million diesel equivalent gallons of renewable natural gas are produced by harnessing the methane at the company's landfills with RNG facilities.
Image courtesy of Waste Management
RNG, or biomethane, is a pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas and thus can be used in natural gas vehicles. RNG is essentially biogas, the gaseous product of the decomposition of organic matter, that has been processed to purity standards. Like conventional natural gas, RNG can be used as a transportation fuel in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG).
16 million diesel equivalent gallons of renewable natural gas are produced by harnessing the methane at the company's landfills with RNG facilities. Waste Management uses this RNG to fuel a portion of its collection fleet, lowering fuel costs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions more than 80% compared to those powered by diesel.
RNG, or biomethane, is a pipeline-quality gas that is fully interchangeable with conventional natural gas and thus can be used in natural gas vehicles.
Waste Management's 110 compressed natural gas stations deliver 60 million diesel equivalent gallons of natural gas each year. The company's fleet of 6,700 natural gas trucks represents 30% of the company's overall collection fleet. The company continues its commitment to converting its fleet from diesel to natural gas with 80% of new truck purchases powered by natural gas.
Like wind, solar, and other biofuels, landfill gas is a renewable source of fuel and energy endorsed by the Environmental Protection Agency as an alternative to fossil fuels. Waste Management is a leader in this important renewable resource, including the company's landfill-gas-to-energy facilities, with 130 projects at our landfills around the country and the equivalent of more than 650 megawatts of capacity — enough to power 490,000 homes.
RELATED: Renewable Dairy Fuels Adding RNG Plant
Read more about RNG Waste Management Renewable Fuel Biomethane Green Fleets Fuel Savings
Q&A: WEX CEO Smith on Fleet Fuel Business
Automotive Fleet checks in with Melissa Smith about a new headquarters, mobile payments, and several recent acquisitions.
WEX Offers Mobile Fuel Payments at Shell Stations
Fleet drivers with a WEX Inc. fuel card will now be able to use their mobile device to pay for fuel at Shell stations, the company has announced.
Carter Fuel Systems Awarded for Quality
Carter Fuel Systems, a manufacturer of complete fuel system solutions, was recognized by Paccar Inc., with the 10 Parts Per Million (PPM) Quality Award.
Johnson & Towers Merges with Western Branch Diesel
Johnson & Towers, Inc., and Western Branch Diesel, Inc., have closed on a transaction merging the organizations.
Selecting the Right Oil for Mixed-Fuel Fleets
Managing a mixed fuel fleet presents unique challenges that need innovative solutions. One area that is particularly affected is maintenance, especially when it comes to engine oil.
Booster Raises $56M in Funding Investments
The company has now raised more than $88 million in funding from firms such as Invus Opportunities, Conversion Capital, Enterprise Holdings Ventures, Madrona Venture Group, Maveron, Perot Jain LP, Total Ventures and Vulcan Capital.
MVT Solutions Partners With Emissions Testing Organizations
MVT Solutions is partnering with the University of California, Riverside, and MeasureMission to bring a comprehensive fuel efficiency and emissions evaluation package to the trucking industry.
WEX Sets Up EV Charging Payment Solution
WEX Inc. commercial fleet clients that manage plug-in electrified vehicles will be able to pay for charging under a new partnership with ChargePoint, which now operates the nation's largest EV charging network.
Do Grille Guards Catch Wind?
One might wonder what impact all that heavy metal stuck out in front of the highly aerodynamic profiles honed by truck makers can have on cheating the wind.
Navistar to Settle Class Actions over MaxxForce Engines
Navistar International has agreed to settle pending class action lawsuits that alleged that certain Navistar MaxxForce Advanced EGR engines are defective and that Navistar failed to disclose or correct the alleged defect.


text:
IEA blocks unaccompanied women from flights
IEA defense minister meets with former generals
Freight trains to Afghanistan via Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif suspended
Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) rulers refused to allow dozens of women to board several flights, including international flights, because they were traveling without a male chaperone, two Afghan airline officials said Saturday.
The Associated Press reported that the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity said dozens of women who arrived at Kabul's international airport on Friday to board domestic and international flights were told they couldn't do so without a male guardian.
Some of the women were dual nationals returning to their homes overseas, including some from Canada, according to one of the officials.
Women were prevented from boarding flights to Islamabad, Dubai and Turkey on Kam Air and the state-owned Ariana Airline, said the officials.
The order came from the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) leadership, said one official.
By Saturday, some women traveling alone were given permission to board an Ariana Airlines flight to western Herat province, the official said. However, by the time the permission was granted they had missed their flight, he said.
The airport's president and police chief, both from the IEA and both Islamic clerics, were meeting Saturday with airline officials, AP reported.
Related Topics:featuredIEApeaceWomen
WFP says lack of funds threatening its operations in Afghanistan
IEA designates days for women and men to visit Kabul amusement parks
(Last Updated On: February 2, 2023)
Defense Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) Mawluvi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has met with former senior military officers and assured them that their problems will be resolved and their security will be ensured.
According to a statement issued by the defense ministry on Wednesday, the defense minister and Chief of Army Staff, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, met with generals of the former government and several other ex-military officials.
"The whole goal now is peace, security and defense of territorial integrity, and we have to preserve this Islamic system at any cost," Mujahid told the generals.
The former military personnel included lieutenant general Afzal Aman, lieutenant general Mohammad Zaman Ahmadzai, major general Shaor Gul, major general Nabiullah, brigadier general Farid, colonel Afandi and several other generals and former corps commanders, read the statement.
At the meeting Mujahid said that their only aim is to restore peace in the country and heal the past wounds. He said that bringing an end to prejudice needed sincerity and love.
The minister listened to the problems and recommendations of the former military officers and promised them their issues would be resolved. He also assured them of their security.
Local officials in Herat say that the process of issuing Iranian visas to Afghans has resumed in the province after a pause of two months.
A private company has been authorized as Iranian visa application center in Herat, but travel agencies which used to offer services to the applicants criticize the move.
They say that this process was put out to tender and seven companies were selected to offer visa services, but this process has been given exclusively to one company.
"We used to do this for 150 afghanis, but this company charges 350 afghanis," said Abdul Waheed Amiri, the manager of a travel agency in Herat.
Currently, more than 300 travel agencies are operating in Herat city.
Local officials in Herat say that the company that is authorized as Iranian visa application center is an Iran-linked agency.
"Iran has set agents for itself in three parts of Herat city. The agency of the diplomatic mission of Iran operates here," said Naeemulhaq Haqqani, the head of Herat's information and culture department.
The process of issuing Iranian visas resumed in Herat since three days ago, but visa applicants are not satisfied with this process and say that they wait day and night for their visas to be issued.
"We have been visiting here for three days. The Islamic Emirate says that the visa is suspended, but it will be opened when we leave here. People are not taken care of," said Fraidoon, a visa applicant.
Referring to Pakistan's concerns about terrorism threats emanating from Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), on Wednesday called on Islamabad to stop blaming Afghanistan for insecurity.
Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate a drug addiction treatment center in Kabul, Muttaqi said that the root of Pakistan's security problems is in the country itself and should not be attributed to Afghanistan.
He suggested the government of Pakistan do more investigations into Monday's mosque bombing in Peshawar, especially due to the extent of damage. He said it doesn't look like it was a suicide bomber or an IED.
Muttaqi said that Afghanistan is not a terrorist haven.
"If someone says that Afghanistan is the haven of terrorism, they also say that terrorism knows no boundaries. If terrorism was in Afghanistan, it would spread to China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. Today, all these countries are safe. Afghanistan is also safe," Muttaqi said.
The event was also addressed by Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani who suggested that the international community is exercising double standards over humanitarian aid.
"You claim day and night that you are supporters of human rights. If you can't provide three billion [dollars] in aid to these people (addicts), provide at least one billion," Haqqani said.
The administrative deputy of the prime minister also criticized the regional and Islamic countries for not cooperating with Afghanistan in finding alternative crops for poppy cultivation.
"In providing alternative crops to farmers, neither the neighboring countries, nor the Islamic countries, nor the countries of the world, have provided any kind of assistance to the Afghan people and the Afghan government until today," Abdul Salam Hanafi said.
Thousands of addicts are expected to be treated in the newly inaugurated facility called "Aghoosh."
Abdulhaq Hamkar, deputy interior minister for counternarcotics, said that the establishment of the facility has cost about 75 million afghanis.
Latest News2 hours ago
Traders expect Pakistan's Rupee to lose ground in coming week
World3 days ago
Iran thwarts drone attack on military site
UN emphasizes the importance of aid for Afghanistan
Peru bus plunges off cliff, killing at least 24
Bus crash in southern Pakistan kills at least 41
Science & Technology3 days ago
Metal robot can melt its way out of tight spaces to escape
Sport4 days ago


Tired and worn out would not even begin to describe this Marlin Model 1881when it came through our doors. Chambered in 40-60 Marlin, which is actually the same cartridge as 40-65 WCF, this is an extremely rare factory engraved, special finishes Model 1881 with a special order gold plated receiver and a nickel plated barrel, magazine tube and lever.
This Marlin has been fully restored using the original stocks and a new barrel. A complete metal polish, engraving re-cut, stock restoration and checkering re-cut have returned this rifle to its original beauty.


text:
The Fanboy SEO Blog
by Fanboy SEO · Published November 10, 2016
Epson to Launch the Moverio BT-300 in Southeast Asia, the World's Lightest OLED binocular Smart Glass
Epson has announced the upcoming availability of the Moverio BT-300 in Southeast Asia. This see-through smartglass is touted to be the "World's Lightest OLED binocular Smart Glass" which features Epson's own cutting edge silicon-based OLED or...
MMA / Sports
Yoshiaki Ito Announced as New President of One Championship
08 November 2016 – Tokyo, Japan: The largest sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship™ (ONE), has just announced another key addition to its team of senior leaders with the appointment of Japanese executive...
Geek / Movies
Eddie Redmayne Greets PH, Leads Magical Cast of "Fantastic Beasts"
Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, in Warner Bros.' "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" which takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling's...
Lifestyle / Tech
Shopee Starts the Christmas Shopping Season as Early as November
Manila, Philippines – Shopee, one of the leading mobile marketplaces in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, announced the November 11 launch of its Shopee Christmas Time deals, officially starting the online shopping holiday countdown. Known...
Forest Whitaker in Consecutive Sci-Fi Adventures "Arrival," "Rogue One"
Oscar Best Actor winner Forest Whitaker casts a giant shadow in the science-fiction genre as he stars in back-to-back sci-fi thrillers in December: Columbia Pictures' Arrival and Lucasfilm's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story....
Gaming / Tech / Uncategorized
Monster Hunter XX Brave Style Introduction Trailer Now Streaming
Capcom has released several Monster Hunter XX Brave Style Introduction trailer videos! What is Brave Style No we're not going to do a Shinsuke Nakamura reference…. ok we'll do one… Monster Hunter's Brave...
Gaming / Tech
Thank the Gods! Overwatch Goes Free from November 18 – 21
Overwatch fans as well as those who are curious what the hype is all about can check out the game as Blizzard has announced that the game will be free from to play this...
Blog / Lifestyle / Tech
by TrickyBaymax · Published November 10, 2016
EVOLUTION: A Gallery of the Past, the Present, and the Future
The Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID) Class of 2016 held one of the most awesome exhibits I've seen in awhile. All I could do when I entered the gallery was hold my mouth close...
Three Photos to Prove Janella Salvador is a Bonafide Hottie Now
Kapamilya star Janella Salvador is now officially a hottie thanks to these new Instagram photos during her trip to Singapore. Whats even more surprising is her mom, Janine Desiderio, never aged a...
Entertainment / Movie Reviews / Movies
A Rebel Angel's Love Story: Fallen PH Premiere
Last Tuesday, 9th of November 2016, is a very important event in the Philippine cinema world as Fallen, based on the world-renowned novel written by Lauren Kate, first premiered globally in Cinema 8 of...
Page 607 of 715« First«...102030...605606607608609...620630640...»Last »


text:
The State of Community Conservation in Namibia
Sustainable support
Funding Partners - Past and Present
Help improve this site
Programme History
Conservation icons
Support to Conservation
Community Conservation Governance
Allied Governance Structures
Conservation Management Partners
Specialist Articles
The Namibian Rural Women's Assembly
Women for Conservation in Kunene Region
Livelihoods
The Earning Power of Conservancies
Sources of Returns
Game Harvesting
Benefits to Conservancies and Members
Household Income and Benefits
Communities benefit from conservancies
Delivering on the promise of conservancies
Diversifying income with Wildlife Credits
Guarding conservation hunting benefits
Livelihoods in King Nehale Conservancy
Unlocking value in natural resources
Wildlife Populations
Sustainable Wildlife Utilisation
Human Wildlife Conflict
Conservation Areas in Namibia
Focus on Fisheries Protection
Living with elephants
The Impact of Community Conservation
Conservation at Scale
The Expansion of Conservation
People Living in Conservancies
Biomes and Habitats for Wildlife
Contiguous Conservation Areas
Transboundary Conservation Areas
Transboundary Forums
National Development
A Global Impact
Nepal and Namibia Share CBNRM Experiences
The Big Issues
Combatting Wildlife Crime
Human-Wildlife Conflict
Game counts
Namibia's north-west game count
Most conservancies conduct routine game censuses. The biggest of these is the North-West Game Count, conducted annually since 1999. The count includes all the conservancies and tourism concessions outside of national parks in the north-west and is the largest annual, road-based game count in the world. It covers an area of around seven million hectares and is undertaken as a joint exercise between conservancy members and staff, the MEFT and conservation NGOs.
Similar methodology has been extended to other parts of the country which also carry out annual game counts, but the application of approach has been adaped to local conditions. Conservancies in the east perform an annual moonlight waterhole count, while conservancies in the north-east undertake counts on foot along fixed transect lines. These counts amount to 2,500 kilometres walked annually. All census methods are intended to contribute to and work synergistically with other existing census methods, such as the aerial censuses conducted by the MEFT, and event book data collected daily and collated every month.
North East game count
The north-east game count – on foot
In large open areas where animals are free to roam, determining trends is challenging because animals can move into or out of the areas being monitored. In addition, in certain regions, and in particular in desert conditions, animal numbers are driven to a large extent by good and poor rainfall seasons leading to 'boom and bust' cycles in wildlife populations. These two factors make the analysis of trend data extremely challenging, particularly over the short-term, and a long-term view has to be taken.
Marienfluss Conservancy
Namibia's game counts are scientifically based
Namibia's game counts are scientifically based, and are designed to include conservancy members, NGO workers and MEFT rangers in a joint effort that generates both data and strengthens partnerships. The counts provide an idea of where game occurs, an approximate estimate of how many animals there are, but most importantly, they track changes (or trends) in population numbers over time. Figures for wildlife population estimates, which show long-term trends, are used as a key indicator of success or failure in conservation.
Wildlife movement in and out of game count areas (including trans-boundary movements to and from neighbouring countries, which has been actively recorded for some species through remote tracking) is the main explanation for significant annual fluctuations. The data also underlines the value of using different counting methods to gain a better understanding of wildlife dynamics.
Game count posters and reports can be downloaded from the Resources section of the NACSO website.
Aerial Censuses
Regular aerial censuses have been undertaken by the MEFT in different parts of Namibia. These confirm the long-term trend of wildlife population increases in both the north-west and north-east.
Aerial count
Elephant counts
The African Elephant Status Report for 2016, published by the IUCN using aerial and other census data from Namibia, estimated the population of elephants in Namibia at 22,754 ± 4,305, with a possible further 90 elephants in areas not systematically surveyed. Elephants occur across the north of Namibia, mostly in conservancy and national park areas. Their range of 164,069 km2, which is 20% of the country, includes the extremely arid north-west, the central savannah of Etosha, and the riverine and forested north-east. The report details four main populations, the largest being the transfrontier population moving through the Zambezi Region to and from Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe (the KAZA area). Due to the transfrontier movement of elephants, numbers in this area make up the bulk of the Namibian population. Despite an upsurge in wildlife crime over recent years, the population has continued to grow, bringing increased opportunities for tourism-based income, but also increased human-wildlife conflict. Other populations occur in Khaudum National Park adjacent to Botswana, and in the north-west Kunene Region, sometimes referred to as 'desert elephants'.
The Event Book
The Event Book is used by community game guards to record suspected poaching incidents, human-wildlife conflict, and wildlife sightings.
This highly successful management tool was initiated in 2000 and has been continuously refined ever since. It is used by almost all registered conservancies and is systematically introduced to emerging conservancies during their formation. The simple but rigorous tool promotes conservancy involvement in the design, planning and implementation of natural resource monitoring and management.
The annual audit of the books produces data, which is used by the conservancy in its adaptive feedback management, is also sent to the MEFT and NACSO to update national data and produce trend analyses of monitored events.
The Event Book monitoring system is at the heart of natural resource management. This system is often implemented before a conservancy is officially gazetted to allow emerging conservancies to start monitoring their resources as soon as possible. Without a monitoring system, conservancies could not tell if they have enough of any particular species to use it sustainably. Although game counts are done annually, and aerial surveys are completed every few years, there is no replacement for day-to-day monitoring on the ground using Event Books.
The Event Book system starts with small yellow books that community game guards keep with them at all times while on duty. They use their books to record incidents relating to wildlife (Events) during their daily activities. Incidents or events include cases of human-wildlife conflict (e.g. crops damaged or livestock killed), suspected poaching or wildlife deaths from unknown causes, sightings of locally rare species, wild fires, or any unusual observations. Which species sightings are monitored and what constitutes an Event that should be recorded is defined by the conservancies themselves, rather than externally, to increase ownership over the data collection process.
Once a month, the game guards report to their conservancy office and transfer the information from their yellow booklets to a blue monthly reporting chart. The chart is a simple bar graph that is filled in based on the number of Events recorded for that month (e.g. animals seen). This blue book contains monthly records from all game guards for that conservancy. Records from the blue book are transferred into a red book on an annual basis during an Event Book audit. These books are all kept at conservancy offices, such that interested conservancy members can access them.
Members of the NRWG transfer the information from the paper books at the conservancy offices to a computer each year as part of an Event Book audit, which allows further analysis at a national level. These audits provide opportunities for examining the quality of the data and speaking directly with game guards and conservancy managers to clarify any unusual records.
The Event Book is used by community game guards
Graphic columns show trends at a glance
Yellow, blue and red books collate data daily, monthly and yearly, revealing trends in wildlife populations and human-wildlife conflict
Learn more about Natural Resource Management
The Scale of Conservancy Management
Specialist articles relating to natural resource management:
Living with elephants - Vistorina Nangolo's story
Voices from the Field: Community Game Guards
This page was last updated on: 18th February 2022
State of Conservancy Reports, Brochures and Posters
» go to download page
Copyright 2023 © NACSO and MEFT
Website by Jaro Consultancy


text:
AAA Study Yields Surprising Results
by: Staff
By now we all know the dangers of texting while driving, but a new AAA study shows that even hands-free technology (In-car systems, bluetooth, etc.) can provide dangerous distractions for drivers.
"This is the third part in a series of studies that looked at cognitive distractions. So hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, seemingly paying attention but your mind is otherwise engaged," says Beth Mosher of AAA Chicago.
AAA tested drivers in ten different vehicles using three different phones, and they used numerous devices to measure their cognitive processes.
The average reaction time for a driver is around 400 milliseconds. But AAA's findings show that when using hands-free technology, that number jumped to 650 milliseconds and the reaction time remained slower than average for another 27 seconds. A
"What these findings really say is that it can take a lot longer than expected for the mind to readjust to the task of driving after issuing a voice command or a text," adds Mosher.
And that's why those who teach driver's education are stressing the importance of avoiding any use of a phone.
"Stay off your phone. Even if you have the Bluetooth. You're sitting there, you're concentrating on what they're saying, you're listening to them. You're going to respond back to them and your brain can't do two things at one time," adds Drive Right owner, Barry Mollencupp.
Molencupp has been teaching young drivers for over 30 years and says that while spreading awareness is important, it's parents leading by example that is most impactful.
"Parents need to be the example and set the example with the cell phone and everything that goes on in the car."
So while you may be keeping your eyes on the road, remember that regardless of where you're looking, it's where your mind is at that counts the most.