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Asia-Pacific Canada Canadian Armed Forces Christopher Cowan Defense Eastern Europe and Russia Investment Islamic State Procurement Security Technology The Middle East and North Africa The United States of America
The Folly of the Fifth Generation?: A Look at the Future of Fighter Aircraft
Posted on October 14, 2014 October 7, 2014 Author Christopher CowanComments Off on The Folly of the Fifth Generation?: A Look at the Future of Fighter Aircraft
As airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria and Iraq began last week, an interesting piece of news emerged. The United States Air Force reported that an F-22 Raptor had successfully struck an IS "command and control"facility in northern Syria on its first ever combat mission. What makes the F-22's successful mission so noteworthy is that it is the world's first fully operational fifth generation aircraft, and it is supposed to usher in a new era of advanced fighters to dominate the skies.
Aside from the already operational F-22, there are four fifth generation aircraft currently in development: the F-35, the Russian Sukhoi PAK FA, and two Chinese fighters: the J-20 and J-31. All are multirole fighters; the F-22 and J-20 are designed primarily for air superiority, while the F-35 and J-31 are primarily fighter bombers, and the PAK FA is somewhere in between. They are also the culmination of decades of research and development and billions of dollars of defence spending.
F-22 deploying flares
"Fifth generation"is a type of aircraft classification used to distinguish more technologically advanced and stealthy fighters from their older, less stealthy counterparts (called "fourth generation"aircraft). Fifth generation aircraft are designed with a host of features that make them superior to fourth generation aircraft like the F-15 and F-16. One is stealth capabilities, including stealth coatings and low probability of intercept radar, which allow these fighters to penetrate advanced air defence systems and successfully engage the enemy while reducing the chances of being detected.
Another is advanced avionics. Active Electronically Scanned Array radars, that send out radar beams at multiple frequencies and is difficult to jam, represent a significant leap forward in airborne radar technology and are to be the norm on fifth generation aircraft. The final major feature is "data fusion", which integrates data from the aircraft's avionics with data from the military network (like satellites and surveillance drones) on one screen to give the pilot an unprecedented level of situational awareness. Despite these advantages, doubts have begun to surface about the viability of these aircraft.
One of the main issues regarding fifth generation aircraft is procuring them. Designing, testing, and building such sophisticated aircraft is a long and very expensive process. The F-22 program has cost the United States approximately $67 billion USD (with each F-22 costing approximately $186 million USD) and has been plagued by pilot oxygen supply issues. The F-35 has been mired in development torment, as cost overruns (the Joint Strike Fighter program is expected to cost $1 trillion USD) and doubts about the planes'capabilities have led to cancelled orders. The development of the PAK FA has also been marred by controversy. The Indian Air Force (which a joint partner in the PAK FA program) is reportedly unhappy with several features of the plane's design and Russia's unwillingness to share information. China's J-20 has seen its fair share of issues too, as it has been plagued by engine trouble. Maintenance is undoubtedly an issue as well. The F-22 has shown that stealth aircraft maintenance is labour-intensive and more costly than expected, which does not bode well for the chequebooks of the Chinese and Russian air forces.
The questions surrounding fifth generation fighter programs are not based solely on cost, but on the changing nature of aerial warfare. The emergence of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and developments in surface-to-air missile (SAM) technology have raised doubts about the utility of fifth generation fighters. UAV technology has matured to the point where the deployment of a UAV with the ability to carry out a mission autonomously is feasible within the next decade, prompting debate on the future utility of manned aircraft.
Sukhoi PAK FA
Rapidly advancing SAM technology also poses a major threat. Currently, only the most advanced American and Russian SAM technology is capable of defeating the stealth technologies used by the upcoming fifth generation aircraft but this capability is likely to proliferate as the SAM systems become cheaper to produce. There are rumours that Russia has agreed to sell the S-400, its most advanced SAM system (that can reportedly defeat stealth technologies), to China. This will in all likelihood render the advantages given to the fifth generation aircraft by their stealthiness ineffective relatively soon.
This leads to the underlying question regarding fifth generation aircraft: are they worth it? With development programs lasting decades and costing billions of dollars, only the world's biggest defence spenders can afford them (and even then sometimes they cannot). In combination with the fact that the technology needed to defeat them is fast becoming cheaper and more widely accessible, the claims of the cost being too high are becoming more and more justified.
Christopher Cowan
Christopher Cowan is a recent graduate of Queen's University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Political Studies with a focus on International Relations. During his time at Queen's, Christopher studied abroad in both the United Kingdom and Turkey. His research interests include Asia-Pacific security issues, maritime security, Canadian foreign and defence policy, and Australian foreign policy. On top of his position as a Junior Research Fellow for the NATO Association of Canada, he is currently working on publishing his first academic journal article. He will begin his graduate studies in the winter at the Australian National University, where he will be pursuing a Master's degree in Strategic Studies.
Anojan Nicholas Canada Culture Diplomatic Relations Israel Refugee Rights Security Society Society, Culture, and Security The United States of America
Who said foreign policy couldn't be "domesticated"?
Posted on October 23, 2014 October 29, 2014 Author Anojan Nicholas
Anojan looks at how different diaspora communities in the United States and Canada have sought to include their interests within the wider foreign policy goals of their adopted homeland
Expanding Community Kabir Bhatia Procurement
On a Contemporary Commonwealth Defence Pact
Posted on January 29, 2015 February 2, 2015 Author Kabir Bhatia
Kabir examines the lessons that can be learned from previous security leagues when shaping a modern commonwealth security pact.
Cyber Security and Emerging Threats Diplomatic Relations Energy & Resources Infographic Security Stefano Spensieri The Middle East and North Africa The United States of America Western Europe
Nuclear Iran
Posted on April 10, 2015 April 10, 2015 Author Stefano Spensieri
With the Iran Deal close to ratification, this infographic outlines some of the key points and main sanctions of the deal.
Russia's Pacific Debut
Joint Press Conference with the NATO Sec-Gen and the President of Ukraine


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Home » Flake lifts hold on USTR ag trade nominee
News Politics Trade
Flake lifts hold on USTR ag trade nominee
02/01/18 3:00 PM By Bill Tomson
KEYWORDS Gregg Doud Jeff Flake nafta ncba USTR
Sen. Jeff Flake today released his hold on the nomination of Gregg Doud, President Donald Trump's nominee to be the chief agriculture negotiator for the U.S. Trade Representative.
Flake's surprise announcement comes as the pressure was mounting from farm and ranch groups who want to see Doud (center in above photo) fighting for their interests as the U.S. renegotiates the North American Free Trade Agreement and considers new trade pacts.
The Arizona Republican's hold on Doud has been linked to his concerns about a controversial U.S. proposal to make it easier for U.S. produce farmers to file anti-dumping cases against Mexico. Flake addressed the concerns in the statement he released today:
"Given the importance of U.S. agriculture and what's at stake for them in the NAFTA negotiations, I am pleased that this nomination can move forward. While certainly there are areas in the NAFTA agreement ripe for modernization, adding ill-advised seasonal or regional components to existing trade remedies would lead to needless trade restrictions, devastating economic consequences, and likely retaliation."
The announcement on Doud also comes on the heels of a letter sent to Flake by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, promising to work with Flake on his concerns about the USTR's "seasonality" proposal.
The letter was key to Flake releasing the hold, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kans., told Agri-Pulse.
"Gregg Doud is needed … at USTR and the sooner he can get to work, the better off we will all be," Moran said.
USTR ag negotiator nominee anxious for new trade talks with India and Japan
USTR announces pick for assistant USTR for ag affairs
USTR's NAFTA plan seeks to maintain duty-free status for ag trade
Flake said he also got a promise from USTR Robert Lighthizer to meet with Arizona business people who would be affected by the U.S. proposal.
That "seasonality" proposal is being championed mostly by Florida tomato farmers who are struggling to compete with cheap imports from Mexico. Fruit and vegetable importers, packers and distributors are firmly opposed.
Doud sailed through his nomination hearing and was then approved in a bipartisan vote in October by the Senate Finance Committee. The lifting of the hold clears the way for the final hurdle, a full Senate vote.
"This is great news for America's cattlemen and women, and for all agricultural producers. We're glad that Senator Flake has finally heard our call for him to drop his hold and allow Gregg Doud to start working to improve market access around the world for our producers," said National Cattlemen's Beef Association President Craig Uden. "With talks continuing on NAFTA, the Korea-U.S. trade agreement, and access to many other markets still up in the air, it's imperative that the U.S. Senate now move as quickly as possible to confirm Doud's nomination."
(Spencer Chase contributed to this report.)
Bill Tomson
Senior Trade Editor

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The popular mobile role playing game Summoners War is about to expand its reach into a whole new medium.
Skybound Entertainment, the production company of The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman, has teamed up with South Korean developer Com2us, the makers of the mobile game, "to produce several adaptations, including an upcoming animated TV series", according to a press release. Learn more about the Summoners War TV show and watch a new short film featuring several of the franchise's notable characters below.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris "Doc" Wyatt and Kevin Burke have been hired to write and produce the animated version of Summoners War. The pair previously collaborated on animated shows like Avengers Assemble, Spider-Man, Stretch Armstrong & the Flex Fighters, and Skybound's Super Dinosaur.
THR says Skybound and Com2us teamed up back in 2017 "to build out the universe of the game" through comics, animated series, and more, though so far that deal seems to have primarily resulted in videos on the game's YouTube page.
The game looks generic enough for these guys to be able to essentially do whatever they want with it, which seems like the perfect creative opportunity for a pair who have worked so extensively on properties with name recognition in the past. "We're pleased to get started on yet another exciting Summoners War extension sure to entertain the brand's legion of fans and expand to new fans around the world," said Catherine Winder, an executive producer on this show who has worked with Wyatt and Burke before.
In the meantime, Skybound is also working on an animated version of Kirkman's Invincible comic book, which recently locked in an exceptionally talented voice cast.


All kids have great potential. Y staff and volunteers are also mentors and role models, helping youth realize who they are and what they are capable of achieving. The Y offers enrichment and leadership programs and opportunities to ensure every child has the opportunity to pursue a positive future and take an active role in strengthening their community.
To ensure every child has the opportunity to pursue a positive future, the Y offers a variety of enrichment and leadership activities. Programs include Let's Move Outside to encourage youth and families to experience outdoor spaces; Young Achievers to support teens to explore careers and prepare for college; Youth and Government to give high schoolers hands-on learning about the legislative process; and Youth Volunteer Corps hosted by the Y, to promote a lifetime commitment of service among youth ages 11-18 through service learning and volunteering.


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The ad targets a number of GOP lawmakers who are in competitive districts, including Rep. Darrell Issa. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Progressive tax reform campaign launches ads in Republican districts
By COLIN WILHELM
The left-leaning group "Not One Penny" launched a TV ad campaign in eight Republican congressional districts Friday, portraying the GOP tax reform push as a giveaway to the rich driven by campaign donors.
The ad, which plays off a Bernie Sanders-style populist tone, cites "the richest 1 percent of Americans" and rhetorically asks, "Why are Republicans pushing a tax bill that would give billions more to the richest?"
The narrator adds, "Let Congress know, not one penny more, not one penny in tax cuts to millionaires, billionaires and wealthy corporations."
The targeted lawmakers are Iowa Reps. Rod Blum and David Young, Martha McSally of Arizona, Kevin Yoder of Kansas, Bruce Poliquin of Maine, Will Hurd of Texas, Rick Crawford of Arkansas and Darrell Issa of California. Except for Crawford, all of them are in competitive districts.
In a release, Not One Penny said the ad buy was "seven figure," without specifying the total. It also will run on cable channels in Washington, D.C.
Congress is expected to take up a tax reform plan in the fall. So far, the conversation has been dominated by conservative voices, including groups that have run ads backing the GOP approach to reform. Congressional Republicans and the Trump administration are advocating a combination of corporate and individual tax cuts and broader changes to the tax code.
Political intelligence on Washington and Wall Street — weekday mornings, in your inbox.
"The American people are sick and tired of the wealthy and well-connected not paying their fair share," said Nicole Gill, executive director of Tax March, one of the progressive groups behind the Not One Penny campaign, in the same release. "[We] will hold lawmakers accountable for trying to give even more tax breaks to billionaires and corporate insiders, while working American families foot the bill."
Kevin Yoder
Rick Crawford
Martha McSally
Rod Blum
Bruce Poliquin


The books reviewed in this section are for people aged 12-18, and deal with a wide range of themes and issues. We recommend parents have a look at the book first if they have concerns about it being suitable for younger readers.
Some reviews may expose vital plot developments!
The book First Love by James Patterson and Emily Raymond initially attracted me because of the author James Patterson. Having delighted in reading many of his books, I knew I wasn't going to be disappointed. Glancing at the cover I noticed the tittle "First Love" and the text positioned underneath it. Uttering those words aloud, I became hooked, as I love the romance genre as well as works of realistic fiction.
This novel tells a story of a renowned good girl Axi Moore who leaves her often drunken father, to embark on a road trip with her carefree and rebellious best friend Robinson. On their trek the pair break many rules together but the book takes a drastic turn when the friends find themselves on the run from the police. Compounding their woes Robinson collapses, leaving the friends to wonder if these precious moments together might be their last.
I rate this book a three out of five, and although it is not up to the high standard of James Patterson's other books, I would still recommend it to fans of his work. People enticed by tragedies or romances would enjoy reading First Love.
This is the first book in a 3 book series, which is good because if you get into it, there are two more books you can read that you will like. It is set in Alexandriaville, Ohio in the USA and it is fiction.It is about a 12-year-old boy named Kyle, who loves all sorts of games. So when Kyle hears that the world's most famous game maker has designed the new public library and is having an invitation only lock-in on the first night he is determined to be there. The lock-in turned out to be much better than he had anticipated and the prize was beyond his wildest dreams.
Icebound tells the story of a group of scientists who end up trapped on an iceberg in the middle of a storm. I enjoyed the book to begin with, as it falls under my favourite genre: crime/mystery. However, as the book progressed I found it became more unrealistic and I had trouble believing what was happening. The ending was also rather quick. However, on the whole I liked this book. I would recommend it to people who enjoy crime and mystery novels or who are looking for a quick and somewhat easy read. I'd recommend it to people 16+.
Wundersmith is the second book in the 2017 series Nevermoor. It was written by Australian author Jessica Townsend. Wundersmith is set one year after the events of the first book Nevermoor, where 12-year-old girl Morrigan Crow has just been inducted into the prestigious elite wunderous society, where the people all have wonderful and amazing abilities such as breathing fire under water or riding dragons. But Morrigan does not have an ability like anyone else. She is a wundersmith, a feared and so called evil ability to have. Morrigan must get through the year.This book is a fantastic book to read and will leave you on the edge of your seat with suspense and magical enjoyment.
This is a story where teenagers are kidnapped and placed in prison because of crimes they committed but they have no memory of them. The story explores each characters' personality to a high level which I particularly liked as it made them more relatable. However, Robinson could have experimented showing different perspectives of a wider range of characters such as the guards, the prisoners who thought they were innocent and the ones who though they were guilty. The teenagers in the story are not chosen at random, they all share a special skill that some want to take advantage of. The characters are set on breaking free, and as there is a sequel, it leaves you on a cliff-hanger. I would recommend Nowhere to fans of mystery of sci-fi.
Conspiracy 365 is about the Ormond riddle. If you like action and mystery this is the book for you. Straight away you're thrown into the action after a strong man tries to converse with Cal on New Years Eve his life goes downhill. But drifting off to sea in a sabotaged boat, and being accused of the attempted murder of his younger sister and uncle is not the worst of it as he is now being chased by two criminal gangs wanting to know or the Ormond riddle. Will the gangs catch him, what is the Ormond riddle and who actually tried to kill his family – this book has you hooked from the very beginning till the startling end. If you like this book, other books you may like are The Wonderling by Mira Bartok, The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon, and The Secret Keepers by Trenton Lee Stewart. I rate it 4 and a half stars!
Audrey's daily life is affected by an anxiety disorder. She starts talking to Dr Sarah who helps her to make progress throughout the disorder. Audrey's progress is slow and steady but when she meets Linus, her brothers friend, everything changes. They become friends and Linus becomes the one person Audrey can connect and express her fears with. As their friendship intensifies and they form a romantic connection, Audrey's recovery speeds up.
I really loved the book Wings of Fire because it is funny and is about dragons. I recommend this book to ages of 8+. I also give this book a 4/5 stars.
Wings of Fire is a fantastic series of eleven books plus a winglets collection and a book of legends. Talons of Power is the 9th book in the series and it's a great book. It's about a dragon who has a secret. The story is his journey of coming out of his shell, telling his friends his secret and fighting the bad guy. His secret is that he has magic and he's too scared to tell anyone because he's afraid he will have to use it so much that he'll go crazy like his ancestor Albatross. His name is Turtle. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read action packed, fantasy books with hidden plots you don't find until you re-read it like I did. This book fits in well with the other books in this series, all of which I have read.
This is an exemplary culmination to her now seven-book series. Maas is an American fantasy and young adult fiction author, now with two complete, wide-known series. Although this book falls into the fantasy and YA fiction genres, it also contains a nicely entwined historical fiction background. Kingdom of Ash includes an intense storyline which some readers can find greatly enjoyable. This novel flows quite gracefully from one character's perspective to another's without becoming confusing. Maas has thoroughly detailed scenes while still retaining some mystery and cliff-hangers.
I found Kingdom of Ash enjoyable as I could easily feel as though I was watching a film through reading this book. I also concluded that the characters and their actions were relatable and understandable, but not predictable, which I believe helps keep the story interesting.
Personally there is no part of this book I could consider changing as I found this book continuously alluring. Kingdom of Ash gives off a different feel as there was little to no cliché-moments. Maas has once again created an extremely compelling book. Due to this book being the end of a large series, I would recommend this whole series to anyone who enjoys or finds inspiration from strong, independent female protagonists. Kingdom of Ash includes character development in every one of the main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book series, and I hope more readers do too!
Tomorrow when the war Began follows the lives of seven teenagers who return from a camping trip only to find their countries been invaded and most of the population captured. Inspired by the wonderings of how today's youth could cope with the problems their descendants faced one hundred years ago, Marsden has seized the essence of the human spirit and how one fights for one's beliefs. With a plot and storyline that is both riveting and horrifyingly realistic, this book will leave you breathless with excitement and fear for the complex, yet wonderfully written characters. I recommend this book to anyone with a good reading level and a taste for adventure and thrills.
Allegiant is the final book of Veronica Roth's explosive divergent trilogy. I really liked reading this page turner and would strongly recommend it if you loved The Hunger Games and the Twilight series.This third book is about Tris Prior, Four(Tobias) and the few friends they trust as they adjust to the information revealed in insurgent (book 2). By taking a huge risk and going outside the fence they discover if life outside the city really is better.I recommend you to read, Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant as you will not regret it.
This is about two teenage sisters; Emma and Henri, who get shipwrecked on a deserted island after a boating accident. A boy named Alex also gets shipwrecked on the island. As Emma and Alex get closer, Emma and Henri fall further apart. To survive they must first survive each other. I loved reading this book as it has suspense at the end of each chapter, willing you to read more. It's the kind of book that you need to keep reading to find out what happened in the past and present. A great book filled with action, adventure, friendship, and a little romance.
Sasha, Jade, Nell and Rose love singing together, but when one of their songs gets put in the largest music competition, Killer Act, they are surprised to make it into the top nine. Now they have the pressure to sing live on TV with the competiton and stick together. But when celebrity judge Linvs forces the girls to drop Rose from the band, the public have something to say about it.I would rate this book 9/10 as it is very engaging and relatable.
Harriet is a very smart girl who know lots of things, but the one thing she has no clue about is making new friends in grade 6. She only has to make new friends because her old ones are avoiding her, and she knows even less about being a glittering supermodel!Apparently - now she is…..Does Harriet crash and burn? Or does she finally get her time to shine.
If fourteen-year-old Kirra is having a mid-life crisis now then it doesn't bode well for her life expectancy. Her so-called friends bully her, whatever semblance of a mother she had has been drowned at the bottom of a gin bottle ever since her dad left them for another woman, and now a teenage ghost is speaking to her through a broken phone booth. Kirra and the ghost make a pact. She'll prove who murdered him almost twenty years ago if he makes her popular, gets her parents back together, and he promises not to haunt her. Things aren't so simple, however, and Kirra realises that people can be haunted in more ways than one. This is a awesome book. So far, I think this should win the category. The main character is endearing and highly individualistic. The plotline is in some ways quite predictable - we are introduced to the 'weird' character with the blinking sign above their head saying 'this person will soon be your friend, not the popular crowd you currently hang with.' Then, the plotline does 90 degree turns, 10s, 360s, and spirals to amazing places that are familiar and predictable yet tackled with an energy and portrayed hauntingly. The side characters have depth and really fleshes out the protagonist. In many ways this book has a simple storyline, yet after reading it you will have a new appeciation of how an author can take familiar elements and shape them into something amazing.
VERDICT: A must read for all teens.
Claire's first novel, Sky So Heavy, is an apocalypse teen drama about 2 brothers in Sydney who have to survive after they are basically abandoned by their parents - it had weird pacing, but was quite enjoyable. This latest novel is a teen growing/up relationship novel that I found somewhat similar to her last novel, 'The Protected,' in that it involves a death in the family, the ensuing drama, and emerging secrets. I much preferred 'The Protected' however, as that book had an excellent air of poignancy about it. 'One...' has a main character who I found very un-engaging. He is annoying in his immaturity and his decision-making; we find out why he is like this as the story continues, but this did not make him any more relatable - I found that I had such a strong dislike for him that I didn't 'forgive' him.
The novel is set in South Coast/Wollongong which will make it very relatable to our local readers, but thinking back it didn't really add anything to the story, or if it did it was just to contrast the fact that it is 'outside Sydney.' Surfing and music plays a central theme in this book, so they are some hooks that may get you to read it.
VERDICT: If your reading material has to have a male protagonist, read it. Otherwise, I would prioritise reading The Protected.
The year is 1878 and our heroine Verity, an orphan, is only thirteen years old. As the story begins, Verity has already been working as an apprentice for two years to Madame Louisette, the hat maker. When Verity is falsely accused of theft, she loses her job and it seems that Verity might end up on the street until an unlikely rescuer appears who changes Verity's life forever. This delightful and well written book is hard to put down.
Dow Amber's home is the small village of Yellow Bank, nestled at the foot of the Great Plateau and far from the ocean. Dow's destiny was to be like his father, a timber cutter, but Dow's dream was to be something much greater. One autumn, Dow accompanies his father to cut timber on the high plateau and it is on this trip that he sees the ocean for the very first time. This exciting and fast paced book follows Dow as he overcomes many obstacles to fulfill his dream of becoming a sailor, his ultimate battle with The Maelstrom and his encounters with the Ship Kings.


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Canadian Arctic
 Fjords of Canada
 Glaciers of Canada
 Great Lakes
 Mountain peaks of Canada
 Appalachian Mountains
 Pacific Cordillera
 List of mountains in Canada
 List of volcanoes in Canada
 Prairies of Canada
 Rivers of Canada
 List of islands of Canada
 List of lakes in Canada
 Extreme points of Canada
 List of waterfalls in Canada
 Valleys of Canada
 World Heritage Sites in Canada
 Other
 Canadian Shield
 St. Lawrence Lowlands

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Kaizad Gustad est un réalisateur, scénariste et producteur indien né en 1968 à Bombay (Inde).

Biographie

Filmographie
Kaizad Gustad écrit les scénarios des films qu'il réalise.
 1994 : Corner Stone Blues
 1995 : Lost and Found (également producteur)
 1998 : Bombay Boys
 2003 : Boom
 2007 : Bombil and Beatrice
 2013 : Jackpot

Liens externes

Réalisateur indien
Scénariste indien de cinéma
Producteur indien de cinéma
Naissance en 1968
Naissance à Bombay
Étudiant de la Tisch School of the Arts


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ccflags-$(CONFIG_CRYPTO_TINYCRYPT_SHIM) += -I${srctree}/ext/lib/crypto/tinycrypt/include

obj-$(CONFIG_CRYPTO_TINYCRYPT_SHIM) += crypto_tc_shim.o
obj-$(CONFIG_CRYPTO_ATAES132A) += crypto_ataes132a.o

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


A new operation has been called upon by hacker @k0detec fighting against the jail system and alike business's. The operation is calling for all hackers to join forces and get what they can on these systems, if this will work is anyone's guess but as we have seen in the past a simple message like this can stir up a lot of trouble for big companies. the message: Please help get the word out. "Mass incarceration on a scale almost unexampled in human history is a fundamental fact of our country today -- perhaps the fundamental fact, as slavery was the fundamental fact of 1850. In truth, there are more black men in the grip of the criminal-justice system -- in prison, on probation, or on parole -- than were in slavery then. Over all, there are now more people under 'correctional supervision' in America -- more than six million -- than were in the Gulag Archipelago under Stalin at its height." -- Adam Gopnik, "The Caging of America" One in fifty Americans are now in the grip of some part of the Prison Industrial Complex, either locked up, on parole or probation or being regularly drug tested. Along with the rise in prison population has come the rise of prison as a highly profitable industry. This is big business at it's worst, exploiting prisoners for cheap labour and government cash. If you are running private prison the math is easy, more prisoners, more money, more corporate bonuses. https://www.businessinsider.com/the-private-prison-business-2012-3#-4 ^^ "Total US Corrections Market exceeds $70 billion" "At a time when states are struggling to reduce bloated prison populations and tight budgets, a private prison management company is offering to buy prisons in exchange for various considerations, including a controversial guarantee that the governments maintain a 90% occupancy rate for at least 20 years." - source: USA Today https://usat.ly/y64Mgb In the UK there are similar private facilities, resulting in incidents like this in 2003: "More than 170 young offenders are to be removed from the first privately run juvenile jail as the publication of a damning report by the chief inspector of prisons today led to it being named as the worst prison in Britain." source: https://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2003/feb/05/youthjustice.politics How do governments manage to maintain a 90% "occupancy rate" (they make it sound like a goddamn Holiday Inn)? This is not tinfoil hat buffoonery, the solution for cash strapped governments is an obvious one. Harsher sentencing, three strike laws and "truth-in-sentencing" legislation all help keep more people locked up for longer periods of time, maximizing profits for the companies involved and taking the pressure off of state budgets. Some people deserve to be in prison. We are prepared to admit that. How long they spend there and how they spend that time should not be dictated by CEOs, shareholders and Wall Street though. We are asking that our fellow #Anonymous and #antisec brothers and sisters join with us in targeting anyone and everyone involved in the prison profit system including, but not limited to: + Prisons themselves + Prison design companies + Prison suppliers (food, maintenance, anything) + Inmate "equipment" (uniforms, restraints, transportation) + Correctional Officer training services + Inmate telephone service providers (rip off exploiters) + Companies/labs that drug test for prisons or the cops And anyone else you can think of. Make them aware that their "business model" is not acceptable. Leak their data, their emails, their passwords, deface their websites. Do this not just for us, but for all our imprisoned comrades. Do this for sup_g, Kahuna, Topiary, Trick, MLT, all of our people doing time.


and use the recommended cooking method.
Brush meat with oil instead of adding oil to pan. This will reduce the amount of oil needed and assist in sealing in the juices.
Ensure that cooking surface is hot - there should be lots of sizzle.
Place meat on surface and let cook until moisture appears, then turn (once only).
Brown meat in small botches (about 200g at a time) to prevent the meat from stewing. Set aside.
Reduce heat and add onions, garlic and spices and sauté until transparent.
Add flavourings, firm vegetables and liquid.
Bring all ingredients to the boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for approx 2 hours or transfer to oven dish and cook on low oven (160 C) for 2 hours.
Add soft vegetables in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
TIP: If buying steaks cut to 2.5cm cubes.
TIP: Buy MSA graded beef and lamb for guaranteed eating quality.
Brown meat in small batches (about 200g at a time) to keep the pan hot and prevent the meat from stewing.
Remove from pan. Add aromatics (garlic, chili and spice).
Stir-fry vegetables. Return meat and add any sauces.
Heat through and be sure not to bring to the boil.
If buying steaks, cut into strips of meat to 60mm x 12mm x 12mm. Serve immediately.
Cook until steak feels 'very soft' with back of tongs.
AFTER COOKING: Place steak in a warm place or cover with foil and rest for 3-5 minutes.
Cook until steak feels 'springy' with back of tongs.
Reduce heat slightly and continue to cook until steak feels 'very firm' with back of tongs.
Preheat oven to recommended temperature - refer table below.
Place roast on a rack in a roasting tray.
Follow suggested cooking times - refer table below.
Periodically check internal temperature using a meat thermometer - refer table below.
Remove from oven and cover with foil when cooked.
Rest in warm place for 10-20 mins for large roosts or 5-10 for small roasts, like lamb racks and mini roosts, before carving.
TIP: If roast is fillet, brown before roasting.
Also visit www.themainmeal.com.au for quick and easy beef and lamb recipes.


Pipkins' customers are given unlimited telephone support throughout the length of their product maintenance contract.
After Hours Phone Support is intended for critical issues. Non-critical issues should be submitted by phone during our business hours or via email 24 hours a day.
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text:
chemicalviolence
organicfarming
dicamba
Study warns US farmland is now 48 TIMES more TOXIC to insects: Are neonicotinoids to blame for the impending "insect apocalypse?"
10/10/2020 / By Cassie B.
Researchers have determined that the nation's farmland is now 48 times more toxic to insects than it was just 25 years ago, and much of this rise in toxicity is being blamed on the widespread use of a dangerous category of pesticides known as neonicotinoids.
The study, which was published in the PLOS ONE journal, provided a thorough assessment of the use of pesticides in America and was the first study to determine just how dangerous our fields have grown for insects in recent years. The role of pesticides was dramatic; the scientists found that neonicotinoids were responsible for a remarkable 92 percent of the rise in toxicity.
Part of the problem is that neonicotinoids create a cumulative toxic burden because they are far more persistent within the environment than other types of commonly used insecticides, which is why the burden today is so much higher than it was a quarter century ago and is likely to grow even higher.
Study co-author Kendra Klein, Ph.D., said: "It is alarming that U.S. agriculture has become so much more toxic to insect life in the past two decades. We need to phase out neonicotinoid pesticides to protect bees and other insects that are critical to biodiversity and the farms that feed us."
She also called for a shift from our food system's dependence on dangerous pesticides toward organic methods of farming that work in harmony with nature instead of destroying it.
Will there be any insects left on our planet in the decades to come?
The problem is growing so significantly that some scientists are warning that we could soon be seeing an "insect apocalypse." Of particular concern is the link between neonicotinoid use and honeybee colony collapse disorder. Honeybees are considered one of the planet's most important food crop pollinators, and at least a third of the food humans consume relies on this type of pollination.
Three neonicotinoids that became popular in the mid-2000s were singled out by the study as being responsible for the rising toxic loads in farmland: Bayer's imidacloprid and clothianidin, along with Syngenta-ChemChina's thiamethoxam. These three chemicals have already been banned in Europe for all types of farming activity. Several American states have also put restrictions in place on the chemicals out of concern for the honeybee population, but they are still in wide use in other places.
A nationwide survey by the University of Maryland's nonprofit Bee Informed Partnership found that beekeepers in America lost 40.7 percent of their bee colonies in the year from April 2018 to April 2019. This represented a slight increase over the yearly average of 38.7 percent and marked the highest winter losses in the study's history.
Meanwhile, a report from UK Wildlife Trusts found that 41 percent of bug species are facing extinction. One of the authors, Dave Goulson, explained the dangers to the media, saying: "Three quarters of our crops depend on insect pollinators. Crops will begin to fail. We won't have things like strawberries. We can't feed 7.5 billion people without insects." He added that pesticide reduction targets would help tremendously.
According to the report, five species of bumblebees have experienced massive declines in North America in the last 25 years, with one going extinct. Ohio's butterfly population, meanwhile, has dropped by a third, while the overall abundance of moths has dropped by 28 percent in Britain.
In addition to the indisputably vital role of pollination, some of the insects that are seeing population declines play other important roles, such as recycling nutrients and aerating soil. If the use of dangerous pesticides and the resultant insect losses continue, particularly in honeybees, we could see significant crop losses and food shortages in the near future.
WakingTimes.com
Edition.CNN.com
Tagged Under: agriculture, bees, chemicals, dangerous chemicals, Ecology, extinction, food supply, harvest, honeybees, insects, neonicotinoids, pollinators, toxins
Study: Glyphosate is present in both organic and genetically modified foods
STUDY: Corporations are destroying our planet's soil
Pesticides have made agriculture 48 times MORE toxic to insects in the past 25 years… what's it doing to your food?
Continued pesticide use ENDANGERS farm workers and children – why are these risks still IGNORED?
Glyphosate and GMOs: Toxic weed killer linked to a HIGHER risk of kidney disease
Researchers warn about the ecological disaster headed for humanity because of our overuse of pesticides
High levels of toxicants from plastic products found in stranded dolphins and whales
08/11/2020 / By Evangelyn Rodriguez
Uncovering the truth about pesticides in food
Bayer's chairman quits as the company attempts to settle Monsanto lawsuits
5 Top-selling companies of highly hazardous pesticides rake in profit by the BILLIONS
02/27/2020 / By Darnel Fernandez
Bayer and BASF ordered to pay $265 million to Missouri peach farmer in dicamba weedkiller lawsuit
Tenneessee restricts use of Monsanto herbicide dicamba as damage to food crops spreads
03/13/2019 / By Rhonda Johansson
As global insect population plunges toward total ecological collapse, the corporate-run media still censors the truth about GMOs and pesticides
02/14/2019 / By Tracey Watson
Evidence suggests glyphosate standards are failing to protect the public
01/16/2019 / By Earl Garcia
Big Ag running out of herbicides that work, resulting in "superweeds" that are threatening the food supply
01/09/2019 / By Russel Davis
What can be done to address the number of suicides carried out with pesticides?
Landmark study describes the link between pesticide levels in expectant mothers and autism risk in their infants
Insect population COLLAPSE a death warning for all humanity
Bayer wants EPA to issue "updated label" on Dicamba – claiming their growers now spread the toxic herbicide in the "right way"
COPYRIGHT © 2017 DICAMBA NEWS


Remapping Clearmountain Drums II ?
Moving the Performance Directoy ??
AMIII...Anyone try it with GS?
Donnie - are you here????
Pitch tables supported in GS?
Lightpipe i/o with GS questions.
HELP !!! What cd rom drive is 100 % compatible with s-convert ???
HELP !! What cd-rom drive is 100% compatible with S-convert ???
vertical panning and board problem???
GS sample CDs VS Akai?
Do I need PIII 500 for GS?
DELTA 10/10 & Gigasampler !!!!!!
New directX drivers for Yammy DSPfactory available.
What's the best way to import Akai CDs ??
How good is the Miroslav Vitous Mini Library ?
Ensonic audio pci driver needed !!!
GigaSampler Sound Collection #1 ? ? ?
Anyone know where I can get a good deal on WamiRack 24?
Where do I find the Bosendorfer?
when is next release of giga?
I want REAL sounding brass..please help!
How to control filter resonance?
Percussion demo is (finally) up!
Has anyone tried quantum hard drives?
Gigasampler and new ILIO's Groove Control Method.
Where is GS LE manual?
DARLA 24 AND LOGIC 4.04 MULTICLIENT?
what is drum checkbox on wizard page 1?
Stereo and Mono issue when converting !!!
How can I get my demos onto the web?
Did anyone get a WamiBox working?
What's with the long xsample loading times?
HELP ME!! Opcode MIDI Translator DRIVERS!!
GS with SBLive! crashes my system!
Will giga work with Motu 1224 or 24i??
How about Accoustic Essentials impression?
Nemesys recommends Aardvark Direct Pro 24/96 no longer?
How many instruments can I load?
Make a great piano better!
Best way to fine-tune two instruments ?
will these cards work with gigisampler?
Papa & Desound - GigaStudio: More! More!, More!
How do you get the "ring" out of the Gigapiano?


A method and apparatus is disclosed for determining the remanent noise in a magnetic medium by DC saturation of a region thereof and measurement of the remaining DC magnetization. Conventional recording transducers may be used to determine the remanent noise. Upon determination, the remanent noise may then be compensated for in either or both of the record and playback modes for all varieties of magnetic media including, videotapes, cassette tapes, etc.
The sources of noise in a readback signal from a magnetic recording medium have been investigated and identified. One of those sources includes the irregularities and defects in the microstructure of the magnetic medium itself. For many years, the noise generated from this source has been thought, as with the noise generated from other identified sources, to be random and subject only to statistical analysis for its determination. The inventors herein have recently demonstrated that this noise component is instead deterministic, i.e. is permanent and repeatable, depending entirely on the transducer-medium position and on the magnetic history of the medium. As confirmed by experiments conducted by the inventors herein, when the medium has had no signal written on it and has been recorded only with DC fields, the observed readback signals are almost identical. The magnetic contribution to the readback signal under these conditions results from spatial variations in the medium's magnetization: magnetic domains, ripple, local fluctuations of the anisotropy field and saturization magnetization. These local properties, in turn, are affected by the morphology and magnetic properties of the individual grains which make up the domain and which do not change after deposition. Hence, the noise from a nominally uniformly magnetized region measured at a fixed position on a magnetic medium is reproducible. As shown by the inventors herein, a magnetic medium may be DC saturated and its output then measured to determine its remanent state or remanent noise. The inventors have confirmed that this remanent noise is a function of the magnetic microstructure by comparing the remanent noise after a positive DC saturation with the remanent noise after a negative DC saturation. It has been found that these wave forms are virtual "mirror images" of each other thereby demonstrating a close correlation. Similarly, other methodologies were used to confirm that the remanent noise was determinative, repeatable, and related to the physical microstructure of the magnetic medium itself. Remanent noise arising from the permanent microstructure Appendixs identifiable features characteristic of that permanent microstructure after practically any magnetic history. See Spatial Noise Phenomena of Longitudinal Magnetic Recording Media by Hoinville, Indeck and Muller, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Volume 28, No. 6, November 1992, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The inventive technique disclosed and claimed herein relies upon the discovery that the microscopic structure of the magnetic medium itself is a permanent random arrangement of microfeatures and therefore deterministic. In other words, once fabricated, the recording medium's physical microstructure remains fixed for all conventional recording processes. In particulate media, the position and orientation of each particle does not change within the binder for any application of magnetic field; in thin film media, the microcrystalline orientations and grain boundaries of the film remain stationary during the record and reproduce processes. It is the magnetization within each of these fixed microfeatures that can be rotated or modified which forms the basis of the magnetic recording process. If a region of a magnetic medium is saturated in one direction by a large applied field, the remanent magnetization depends strongly on the micro-structure of the medium. This remanent state is deterministic for any point on the recording surface. Each particle or grain in the medium is hundreds to thousands of Angstroms in dimension. Due to their small size, a small region of the magnetic surface will contain a very large number of these physical entities. While the fabrication process normally includes efforts to align these particles, there is always some dispersion of individual orientations. The actual deviations will be unique to a region of the medium's surface making this orientation deterministic and making its effects susceptible to elimination. As can be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, noise reduction enables increase in storage capacity, increase in data rates, and eases the burden on transducers, medium, and system design and fabrication.
Although this discovery has been made by the inventors herein, noise reduction techniques based on this discovery have not been implemented. As this noise component of remanent noise is deterministic, it may be reliably repeated and measured at any particular point on a magnetic medium. Accordingly, the inventors have developed several techniques which take advantage of this fact for producing uncorrupted pre-recorded signals which may be played back by any playback device but which, when played back, have already been compensated for the remanent noise component. In other words, a magnetic recording may be recorded at the factory with a signal which has been first compensated for remanent noise such that as the signal is played back later the playback signal or read signal has the remanent noise component virtually eliminated. As the remanent noise component may very well be the most significant factor in noise emanating from pre-recorded magnetic media, this noise reduction technique may very well provide a dramatic reduction in noise with no required modification to the tremendous number of playback machines presently in the public's hands. This would include playback machines for the entertainment industry, etc. In a first embodiment of the invention, the remanent noise is first determined and the recording device compensates the original signal for the remanent noise before writing the compensated signal on the magnetic medium. These steps may be readily achieved with conventional recording transducers, as explained herein. Consequently, very little, if any, modification to existing recording equipment need be made to achieve these noise compensated recordings.
A second methodology will also create uncorrupted pre-recorded signals on magnetic medium. With this method, the signal is first written on the magnetic medium, the written signal is then read from the magnetic medium, this read signal is then compared with the original signal. The differences therebetween are determined to be noise, the greatest component of which is deterministic medium noise. The original signal is compensated to eliminate this noise before being recorded back at the same location on the magnetic medium. Thus, after the compensated signal has been recorded onto the magnetic medium, any other readback or playback machine would then produce a signal which has been compensated for remanent noise.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, the inventors have developed a methodology for compensating a signal read from a magnetic medium for remanent noise in real time. This methodology permits a playback device to be manufactured and sold which can play back pre-recorded magnetic medium which has not itself been compensated prior to recording, and produce a signal which is compensated on readback. With this method, the signal is first read from the magnetic medium, the remanent noise is determined for said magnetic medium, such as by saturating the magnetic medium and reading the remanent noise directly therefrom, and the signals are then compared to eliminate the noise from the original corrupted signal prior to use. As determining the remanent noise, as envisioned by the inventors, involves destroying the original recorded signal when the medium is saturated, another step to the method may well include re-recording either the original signal or its compensated counterpart. Thus, with this methodology, a playback device may take a pre-recorded magnetic medium whose signal has not been compensated, and transform it into a magnetic medium with a compensated signal recorded thereon such that further playbacks of the same magnetic medium would possibly not require compensation. With this methodology, if implemented in one alternative embodiment thereof, a user with a suitable playback machine may very well transform his entire collection of recorded media from non-compensated to compensated magnetic media. In other words, one may readily convert a collection of analog cassette tapes having original non-compensated signals thereon to a collection of analog cassette tapes having compensated signals recorded thereon which may then be played back by any playback device and produce what should be an enhanced signal because of the noise reduction.
In essence, the present invention is elegantly simple and adapted for implementation by conventional recording transducers as are commonly found and used in virtually every read or read/write device presently utilized by the public at large. Such examples include cassette players, magneto-optic disc players, and VCRs. In its simplest implementation, a conventional recording transducer need merely DC saturate a specified portion of a magnetic medium, and then "read" or "play back" the remanent noise which remains. This remanent noise, which is an analog signal, may then be used to compensate an original signal, such as a musical program, dramatic reading, etc.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the electronics shown in FIG. 7.
As shown in FIG. 1, a region of magnetic medium 20 is built up with a plurality of microcrystalline structures 22 in a random pattern. This microcrystalline structure 22 is comprised of particles or grains varying from hundreds to thousands of Angstroms in diameter. The view of FIG. 1 is greatly enlarged and magnified in order to depict this physical phenomena. As shown in FIG. 2, this microcrystalline structure extends throughout the magnetic medium even though the magnetic medium 24 shown in FIG. 2 may be itself comprised of tracks 26, 28, 30 as well known in the art.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a plurality of conventional recording transducers 32, 34, 36 are shown mounted in a transducer transport 37 with a traveling magnetic medium 38 controllably driven past recording transducers 32, 34, 36 all as is well known in the art. Recording transducers 32-36 are all connected to electronic circuitry 40, as well known in the art, to control and read their input and output and further process signals for playback or other use. Although only three transducers 32, 34, 36 are being shown in FIG. 3, it will be well understood to those of ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of recording transducers of any number may just as easily be provided and, as taught herein, may be required in order to effect the purposes of the present invention. In implementing the present invention, the recording transducers 32-36 as shown in FIG. 3 may be considered as part of a device which is used to create pre-recorded magnetic medium with remanent noise compensated recordings. Alternately, the device shown in FIG. 3 may be considered as a playback unit of either a specialized playback device with means for creating a remanent noise compensated signal from a non-compensated pre-recorded signal, or a standard playback device which may be used to play back a remanent noise compensated magnetic medium. All of these functions are achieved with conventional recording transducers and therefore are readily implemented using existing and available technology.
A remanent noise compensated signal may be pre-recorded onto a magnetic medium by utilizing the following method. The remanent noise of the magnetic medium may first be determined by DC saturating the medium and then reading the remanent noise with a conventional recording transducer. This would take transducer 32 to saturate the medium and transducer 34 to read the remanent noise. The original signal would then be compensated, using conventional compensation circuits as is well known in the art to modify the original signal such that it may then be recorded by recording transducer 36. In this manner, using this method and device as shown in FIG. 3, a pre-compensated recording, pre-compensated for remanent noise, may be created on magnetic medium 38. While there is a fixed and close spacing between transducers 32-36, the remanent noise is itself capable of being used for indexing the transducers 32-36 to thereby ensure that the compensated signal is recorded by transducer 36 for the remanent noise which in fact appears at that point on the magnetic medium for which said compensation has been made. This is because, as explained earlier herein, while the remanent noise is random, it is unique to any particular point on the magnetic medium and thus can be used to identify such point for benchmark purposes. While this is the perferred embodiment, it should be understood that the remanent noise is always there, whether the medium has been recorded over or not. Therefore, it is not strictly necessary that the specified portion of medium containing the remanent noise be DC saturated, or DC saturated in the same polarity in order to obtain the remanent noise.
In a variation of the first embodiment hereof, still another methodology may be used to create a pre-recorded magnetic medium having a signal recorded thereon which is remanent noise compensated. This second embodiment involves the steps of first writing the original signal on the magnetic medium, such as for example by transducer 32 in FIG. 3, reading the recorded signal from said magnetic medium such as by transducer 34, comparing the read signal with the original signal to determine the differences therebetween, compensating the original signal, and then writing the compensated signal with transducer 36. Using this methodology, as with the first embodiment of the present invention, magnetic medium 38 would thus receive a recorded signal which has been compensated for the remanent noise inherent in the magnetic medium 38. These compensated recordings may then be played back by any conventional playback device and produce a signal which is noise compensated. This is important as with this implementation of this embodiment, uncorrupted copies or noise compensated copies of pre-recorded signals may be produced and made available for play back by the large number of playback devices already in the public's hands. This could very well be implemented for improving the pre-recorded playback of musical and dramatic programs on magneto-optic discs, cassette tapes (analog and digital), and VCR video tapes.
The inventors have developed a generalized model with an algorithm for implementing the write-read-write embodiment of the present invention. This generalized model is explained in Appendix A. As noted therein, and referring to FIG. 3 thereof, this generalized model compensates for additive medium noise and explains a design approach for implementing this embodiment with a silicon tap delay line. As shown in FIG. 3 of Appendix A, the signal s.sub.1 (t) is processed by a write head, represented by h(t) onto a magnetic medium. As it is written, the signal is corrupted by two kinds of medium noise, non-repeatable medium noise n.sub.1 (t) and repeatable additive medium noise n.sub.d (t). This corrupted signal is then read by a read head which processes it as represented by a function g(t). In order to determine the error function portion of the signal, the signal s.sub.1 (t) is processed as represented by a function b(t) which is the equivalent of a write and read function, and then subtracted from the output of the read head. Additionally, an electronics noise signal w.sub.1 (t) is added to represent the electronics noise. The result is an error function e(t) which is representative of the total noise introduced in the signal s.sub.1 (t) by a write and read function. Next, the error function e(t) is then processed by a filter function c(t) which is the inverse of the noise expected to be added by a later write and read function. Finally, the output of the filter function c(t) is subtracted from the data signal s(t) and a write head processes this signal with the function h(t) to record it onto a magnetic medium where it again suffers corruption through the two kinds of magnetic medium noise, repeatable additive medium noise n.sub.d (t) and also non-repeatable medium noise n.sub.2 (t). At this point in the model, a signal desired to be recorded, s(t) has been recorded in a precompensated manner as the function c(t) subtracts out the effects of the write function, a later expected read function and the expected repeatable additive medium noise n.sub.d (t). As the magnetic medium is then read by a read head and the signal processed with the function g(t), a signal output y(t) is produced which is clearly compensated for.
Computer simulations have been run on this methodology utilizing the mathematical solutions for the various components of the system. As indicated at page 9 of Appendix A as well as FIGS. 5-7 of Appendix A, the precompensation model disclosed therein with the write-read-write scheme yields a reduction in noise power on average. The amount of the reduction depends on the ratio between the repeatable noise power and all other noise. A distribution of noise powers is shown in Appendix FIG. 5 for 1,000 runs demonstrating the significantly decreased noise levels expected for recording with signal precompensation. Appendix FIGS. 6 and 7 further demonstrate the improved signal wave form which is also achieved.
Further explanation of this write-read-write embodiment of the present invention is found in FIGS. 7 and 8. As shown in FIG. 7, a first write head 102 writes the signal s.sub.1 (t) on the medium 104. The recorded signal is then read by read head 106 which produces an output y.sub.1 (t) to an electronics circuit 108, as explained in FIG. 8. The electronics 108 produces a compensated data signal which is then written by write head 110 back on the magnetic medium 104. The write head 110 thus writes a precompensated version of the data signal s(t) which, after being read by another read head (not shown) produces an output of data signal s(t) which has been compensated for additive repeatable magnetic noise.
As shown in FIG. 8, the electronics 108 includes an adder 112 which subtracts an output signal d(t) from ideal channel 114 having a function b(t) which processes the diagnostic signal s.sub.1 (t) as equivalent to a write and read function. Diagnostic signal generator 115 processes the data signal s(t) to produce the diagnostic signal s.sub.1 (t). For example, s.sub.1 (t) could be a DC saturation signal. The output of adder 112 produces an error signal e(t) which is then compensated by compensation filter 116 through a signal transformation function c(t). As explained above, the compensation filter function c(t) is the inverse of the noise expected to be added by a write and read function. A second adder 118 subtracts the output of compensation filter 116 from the data signal s(t) to produce a signal which corresponds to a precompensated data signal for writing onto the magnetic medium by write head 110. As noted above, the generalized model and algorithm for each of the functions included in FIGS. 7 and 8 may be readily determined by one or ordinary skill in the art from the equations given in Exhibit A.
In still another implementation of the noise compensation methodology of the present invention, a playback device may be manufactured and sold which is capable of producing a noise compensated signal from recordings on magnetic media which have not been noise compensated. In this embodiment of the present invention, the signal is first read, such as by recording transducer 32 in FIG. 3, the remanent noise is then determined such as by saturating the magnetic medium with a signal from transducer 34 and reading the remanent noise with transducer 36, and then the original signal would be compensated with said remanent noise prior to playback or other processing. Although not specifically shown, a fourth transducer may be provided to re-record either the original signal or the compensated signal back on the magnetic medium 38 for subsequent playback. With this device and method, conventional recordings on magnetic media may be compensated for remanent noise prior to playback. Also, perhaps while being played, magnetic media may be transformed from uncompensated to noise compensated recordings. Thus, with this implementation, a device may be made and sold for use with the vast inventory of pre-recorded magnetic media presently in the public's hands.
In still another implementation of the present invention, the unique remanent noise pattern may be used as a benchmark to locate a transducer at a particular position in a magnetic medium. For example, for editing purposes, and as previously explained above, the conventional recording transducers 32-36 as shown in FIG. 3 could be readily used to determine the remanent noise at a particular position on the magnetic medium 38. This could then be used to reposition the transducers 32-36 at the start or finish of an edit, or otherwise to precisely position a conventional recording transducer with respect to the magnetic medium. This application would provide significant advantages in dubbing, etc. which is commonly used for taking rough cuts of many kinds of programs and editing them for final production. For that matter, editing is used in a large number of applications too numerous to mention herein. In each of these applications, it is desired to accurately and reliably reposition a recording transducer to ensure the continuity of the signal and program through the discontinuity created by the editing process. As the inventors' methodology provides a convenient and simple way to most accurately determine the exact position on a magnetic medium, and to find that exact position, the present invention provides a unique and novel way to position a recording transducer for editing.
As shown in FIG. 4, a magneto-optic disc player 64 has a magneto-optic disc 66 in its tray 68 ready for play. As explained herein, a magneto-optic disc player 64 may play back remanent noise compensated magneto-optic discs 66. Furthermore, although not presently commercially available for home use, magneto-optic disc players 64 may soon be available which are capable of recording onto magneto-optic discs 66. In such event, all of the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented such that magneto-optic discs 66 may be noise compensated when played back, even though its original signal was not recorded in a noise compensated format, and CD player 64 used to re-record a noise compensated signal back onto magneto-optic disc 66.
Similarly, a cassette player 72 as shown in FIG. 5 has a cassette 70 being inserted therein for play. This magnetic medium is also susceptible to implementation of the inventors' methodologies to enhance the record and/or playback of cassette 70 in remanent noise compensated format.
A last example of an implementation of the inventors' methodologies is shown in FIG. 6 and includes a VCR 74 with a video tape cassette 76 being inserted therein. As the video tape cassette 76 is a magnetic medium, it is also susceptible to the noise compensation methodologies disclosed and claimed herein.
recording said source signal on said portion of magnetic medium.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of computing the compensation signal includes the step of computing a repeatable noise component of said portion of magnetic medium.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of computing a repeatable noise component includes the step of computing a repeatable noise component corresponding to a remanent noise of said portion of magnetic medium.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said remanent noise is additive, and the step of computing the repeatable noise component corresponding to said remanent noise includes the step of subtracting a desired signal response for said diagnostic signal from the reading of said portion of magnetic medium.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of recording the diagnostic signal includes the step of recording with a first write head, the step of reading said portion of magnetic medium includes the step of reading with a second read head, and the step of recording the source signal includes the step of writing with a third write head, all of said heads being substantially aligned to sequentially traverse the same portion of magnetic medium.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of computing the source signal includes the step of subtracting the compensation signal from a signal desired to be recorded.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the source signal desired to be recorded is used as the diagnostic signal.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the diagnostic signal is a DC saturation signal.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reading a prerecorded signal from the portion of the magnetic medium upon which the diagnostic signal is subsequently recorded, wherein the step of computing a source signal for recording includes computing said source signal using the reading of said prerecorded signal.
recording said recordable signal with a third write head.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein all of said heads are substantially aligned with a direction of head travel so that said heads sequentially traverse the same portion of magnetic medium.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of synthesizing a compensation signal includes the process of convolution.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of synthesizing a recordable signal includes the step of subtracting said compensation signal.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of subtracting includes the step of subtracting said compensation signal from the source signal.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the source signal desired to be recorded is used as the diagnostic signal.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein the diagnostic signal is a DC saturation signal.
17. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of reading the source signal from said magnetic medium portion with a fourth read head.
18. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of electronically synthesizing a compensation signal includes the step of determining a desired signal response for said diagnostic signal.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the step of electronically synthesizing a compensation signal further includes the step of computing an error signal by subtracting the desired signal response for said diagnostic signal from the reading of said magnetic medium portion.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of electronically synthesizing a compensation signal further includes the step of processing the error signal with a filter function representing an inverse of the noise expected to be added by subsequent recording and reading steps.
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