As a former tower climber / tower climbing instructor and engineering manager in the wireless internet and cellular industries I can tell you that the big cellular companies do push hard to crank out new sites or upgrades to existing sites, but it's ultimately up to the climbers / installers and site foreman to insure that safety standards are followed and gear is inspected and used properly. It's hard to read about all these deaths and injuries knowing that - as with many things - these things can be avoided. When properly trained and equipped, tower climbing is remarkably safe, there are systems and backup systems to keep you on the tower should something go wrong. More often than not climbers will free climb or not utilize a 100% tie-off system, meaning even while moving, you're clipped in 100% of the time, even if it slows you down to move from one part of a tower to another. I was climbing up until September of last year and my climbing partner and I inspected everything we used and all the safety gear on the tower as we ascended. We also checked each other front and back to make sure we were not forgetting a strap or a ring or something before climbing.
One of the amazing things about the cellular industry that I noticed (I did cell networks for about 9 years all over the USA and 2 years of wireless business internet in the PacNW) is that the cell companies will outfit a million dollar site with radio gear and amplifiers and the latest and greatest connectivity they can get there, and then 6-12 months later come out and rip it all out and upgrade it again. They then resell the old gear to other providers here in the US or abroad, ie third world countries etc. This breakneck pace puts a lot of pressure on tower crews to crank out sites fast, adding to the safety issues. All to make a buck, the good ol' American way...
I own the 5D Mark II and I love it, especially since Canon recently released the firmware to enable ISO, Aperature and Shutter Speed control in video mode. I work on indie film and professional video and I can tell you that even though this isn't a "video" camera, the full-frame sensor and the Canon line of lenses, especially the high-end primes, are a wonderful combination. Such shallow depth of field, such great color reproduction, and great low light sensitivity.
Most prosumer / consumer HD cameras can't touch the sensor and lens combo that this camera does, unless you get above 10K$ for your camera. Naturally, in indie film we want to get the best bang for the money, so this camera has been a godsend. A lot of companies like Redrock and Zacuto are now selling full rail systems with matte boxes and follow focus equipment for this and other DSLR's enabling a DP to utilize a DSLR like a traditional video or film motion picture camera.
One of the biggest issues with this third-party firmware is it has to be reinstalled every time you power down and power up the camera. I hope Canon sees what the community is doing and adds these features directly or at least supports the development of 3rd party firmware. We're still missing 24/25P, and a real Zebra function would be incredible.
Funny you should mention that, I've been checking out 3D engines with the sole intention of starting an Ultima Underworld remake in 3D, maybe the Quake 3 engine would be useful. I'm downloading it now... If anyone else would be interested, say so here or let me know where a good forum to discuss this is... i can be reached at joe AT nerdnet DOT com
...especially since I need solid video editing (FCP 4) and I also need X, gcc (for embedded systems design work) and security. I bought my first OS X laptop about a year ago and since then I have gotten rid of everything Windows that I owned. My Mac, honestly, has been the most reliable and usable computer I've ever owned. I don't get involved in the whole DEFEND YOUR OS nonsense, my motto is USE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, and for me, thats Mac OS X.
Why charge for something they screwed up to begin with? Why use a product if you have to pay for them to fix their own mistakes? I'm going to use an abacus from now on.
i use a free version of webwasher on my windows box with mozilla, and it scrubs everything pretty clean... some legit images get blocked in the process but who cares... I looked at my stats in Webwasher (http://www.webwasher.com - free for noncommercial use blah blah) and since March 3rd it's blocked 19387 images, the MAJORITY of which were advertising. It's also stopped 1229 popup windows, 8702 cookies, and 3059 scripts. What the hell is wrong with people that they waste so much time and effort polluting our web experience with such trash? Not ONCE in many many years of web surfing has any advertising appealed to me, AT ALL. IT DOESNT WORK, people! GET A CLUE. If I were wealthy I'd start a clean slate version of the Internet that didn't allow advertising AT ALL...:) oh well.
I went to high school @ Logan High, graduated in 1989 and its interesting to me to see how much they've changed. When I was in the computing courses there we did everything on Apple ][e's and ][c's using ProDOS and BASIC, Logo and machine language for the most diehard of us geeks. Anyone else remember copying line after line of machine code from BYTE magazine into an Apple after hours at your high school? Hey, it was the only way we could get free Dig Dug clones!
Just released: Polygram Records is proud to announce the release of the COMPLETE reading of the Linux kernel on CD or cassette! This 14,000 volume release has been digitally mastered for optimum listening enjoyment in wonderful stereo! Recorded at the world-famous Sun Studio, Linux joins timeless legends like Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Order Now!
I've had DSL and cable for about 4 years now, and I'll be damned if they make me pay for more than one IP. Thanks to Linux and FreeBSD, I can share my connection with several machines. Its not their business what I run behind my router, I still pay for the line, I pay for my bandwidth... If anyone wants to entertain the idea of a startup company that runs fiber to the home and lights it up, count me in, I'll jump on the bandwagon;)
I don't get it. The Internet is an international system, with no concrete regulation system in place. So why is it that people can get away with things like this? Who or what gives them the right to do this? Screw trademarks, if I buy it, I own it. Freedom of speech, expression, etc. Just because Big Corporate Asshole Company has more money and more lawyers doesnt mean they should be able to go stomp on anyone for expressing their rights and opinions. What has this world come to? I am fed up with people getting bent over and screwed just because someone else is afraid they might lose a buck or two. What ever happened to having rights? Assuming that the domain wasnt taken, if I bought coke.com or nike.com before they did, they should have NO CLAIM to my property. Bastards. Be damned!!!
Method: A system to completely automate the tasks required to spam innocent media consumers with hype, badgering, vaporware, and nonsense about any of the following:
1) The Government and Politics
2) The Software Industry
3) Religious Entities
4) The Internet
5) Napster
This system is automatically designed to reconfigure itself when necessary to abuse new communications systems on the fly. It currently supports the following:
1) Television
2) Radio
3) Telephony
4) The Internet
5) Napster Clients
6) Full page advertising in porn magazines
Australia is not the only country doing things like this, but they seem to be the most vocal about what they are doing. It is an unfortunate bretrayal of the government against its own people. I only hope they realize what information privacy and freedom mean to the people of Australia. They deserve more.
What ever happened to reputable business practices...? We all know what a cut-throat market the computer industry is. What gets me is that most of us choose products based on prior experience and from reading reviews and other user experiences from places like Ars... A company succeeds in this industry by providing the best technology for the price, staying on top of new developments and supporting those loyal customers that invested in their technology to begin with. I don't think I will ever purchase anything from ArtX after seeing this....
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As a former tower climber / tower climbing instructor and engineering manager in the wireless internet and cellular industries I can tell you that the big cellular companies do push hard to crank out new sites or upgrades to existing sites, but it's ultimately up to the climbers / installers and site foreman to insure that safety standards are followed and gear is inspected and used properly. It's hard to read about all these deaths and injuries knowing that - as with many things - these things can be avoided. When properly trained and equipped, tower climbing is remarkably safe, there are systems and backup systems to keep you on the tower should something go wrong. More often than not climbers will free climb or not utilize a 100% tie-off system, meaning even while moving, you're clipped in 100% of the time, even if it slows you down to move from one part of a tower to another. I was climbing up until September of last year and my climbing partner and I inspected everything we used and all the safety gear on the tower as we ascended. We also checked each other front and back to make sure we were not forgetting a strap or a ring or something before climbing.
One of the amazing things about the cellular industry that I noticed (I did cell networks for about 9 years all over the USA and 2 years of wireless business internet in the PacNW) is that the cell companies will outfit a million dollar site with radio gear and amplifiers and the latest and greatest connectivity they can get there, and then 6-12 months later come out and rip it all out and upgrade it again. They then resell the old gear to other providers here in the US or abroad, ie third world countries etc. This breakneck pace puts a lot of pressure on tower crews to crank out sites fast, adding to the safety issues. All to make a buck, the good ol' American way...
I own the 5D Mark II and I love it, especially since Canon recently released the firmware to enable ISO, Aperature and Shutter Speed control in video mode. I work on indie film and professional video and I can tell you that even though this isn't a "video" camera, the full-frame sensor and the Canon line of lenses, especially the high-end primes, are a wonderful combination. Such shallow depth of field, such great color reproduction, and great low light sensitivity.
Most prosumer / consumer HD cameras can't touch the sensor and lens combo that this camera does, unless you get above 10K$ for your camera. Naturally, in indie film we want to get the best bang for the money, so this camera has been a godsend. A lot of companies like Redrock and Zacuto are now selling full rail systems with matte boxes and follow focus equipment for this and other DSLR's enabling a DP to utilize a DSLR like a traditional video or film motion picture camera.
One of the biggest issues with this third-party firmware is it has to be reinstalled every time you power down and power up the camera. I hope Canon sees what the community is doing and adds these features directly or at least supports the development of 3rd party firmware. We're still missing 24/25P, and a real Zebra function would be incredible.
Where is this exactly, I do a lot of flying in that area and I'd love to go see it and maybe fly above it at like 50 feet.
http://archrecord.construction.com/innovation/4_Pr oducts/0411ProductFeature.asp
Funny you should mention that, I've been checking out 3D engines with the sole intention of starting an Ultima Underworld remake in 3D, maybe the Quake 3 engine would be useful. I'm downloading it now... If anyone else would be interested, say so here or let me know where a good forum to discuss this is... i can be reached at joe AT nerdnet DOT com
...especially since I need solid video editing (FCP 4) and I also need X, gcc (for embedded systems design work) and security. I bought my first OS X laptop about a year ago and since then I have gotten rid of everything Windows that I owned. My Mac, honestly, has been the most reliable and usable computer I've ever owned. I don't get involved in the whole DEFEND YOUR OS nonsense, my motto is USE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU, and for me, thats Mac OS X.
Why charge for something they screwed up to begin with? Why use a product if you have to pay for them to fix their own mistakes? I'm going to use an abacus from now on.
i use a free version of webwasher on my windows box with mozilla, and it scrubs everything pretty clean... some legit images get blocked in the process but who cares... I looked at my stats in Webwasher (http://www.webwasher.com - free for noncommercial use blah blah) and since March 3rd it's blocked 19387 images, the MAJORITY of which were advertising. It's also stopped 1229 popup windows, 8702 cookies, and 3059 scripts. What the hell is wrong with people that they waste so much time and effort polluting our web experience with such trash? Not ONCE in many many years of web surfing has any advertising appealed to me, AT ALL. IT DOESNT WORK, people! GET A CLUE. If I were wealthy I'd start a clean slate version of the Internet that didn't allow advertising AT ALL... :) oh well.
I went to high school @ Logan High, graduated in 1989 and its interesting to me to see how much they've changed. When I was in the computing courses there we did everything on Apple ][e's and ][c's using ProDOS and BASIC, Logo and machine language for the most diehard of us geeks. Anyone else remember copying line after line of machine code from BYTE magazine into an Apple after hours at your high school? Hey, it was the only way we could get free Dig Dug clones!
Just released: Polygram Records is proud to announce the release of the COMPLETE reading of the Linux kernel on CD or cassette! This 14,000 volume release has been digitally mastered for optimum listening enjoyment in wonderful stereo! Recorded at the world-famous Sun Studio, Linux joins timeless legends like Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Order Now!
Linux 2.4.18 on CD:
$31,000 (s&h 780$)
Linux 2.4.18 on Cassette:
$28,458 (s&h 780$)
NO COD'S!
Visa and Mastercard Accepted!
I've had DSL and cable for about 4 years now, and I'll be damned if they make me pay for more than one IP. Thanks to Linux and FreeBSD, I can share my connection with several machines. Its not their business what I run behind my router, I still pay for the line, I pay for my bandwidth... If anyone wants to entertain the idea of a startup company that runs fiber to the home and lights it up, count me in, I'll jump on the bandwagon ;)
a) The FBI kicks in your door and installs Outlook
b) You always open email with the subject "Snow White and the 7 FBI Agents"
c) You run the attachment called "FBILOVESYOU.VBS" (and you run Windows, Outlook, etc)
Blah, dumb communist FBI
I don't get it. The Internet is an international system, with no concrete regulation system in place. So why is it that people can get away with things like this? Who or what gives them the right to do this? Screw trademarks, if I buy it, I own it. Freedom of speech, expression, etc. Just because Big Corporate Asshole Company has more money and more lawyers doesnt mean they should be able to go stomp on anyone for expressing their rights and opinions. What has this world come to? I am fed up with people getting bent over and screwed just because someone else is afraid they might lose a buck or two. What ever happened to having rights? Assuming that the domain wasnt taken, if I bought coke.com or nike.com before they did, they should have NO CLAIM to my property. Bastards. Be damned!!!
Method: A system to completely automate the tasks required to spam innocent media consumers with hype, badgering, vaporware, and nonsense about any of the following: 1) The Government and Politics 2) The Software Industry 3) Religious Entities 4) The Internet 5) Napster This system is automatically designed to reconfigure itself when necessary to abuse new communications systems on the fly. It currently supports the following: 1) Television 2) Radio 3) Telephony 4) The Internet 5) Napster Clients 6) Full page advertising in porn magazines
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen anyone do! By 52001 I should be just about ready for retirement!
Australia is not the only country doing things like this, but they seem to be the most vocal about what they are doing. It is an unfortunate bretrayal of the government against its own people. I only hope they realize what information privacy and freedom mean to the people of Australia. They deserve more.
What ever happened to reputable business practices...? We all know what a cut-throat market the computer industry is. What gets me is that most of us choose products based on prior experience and from reading reviews and other user experiences from places like Ars... A company succeeds in this industry by providing the best technology for the price, staying on top of new developments and supporting those loyal customers that invested in their technology to begin with. I don't think I will ever purchase anything from ArtX after seeing this....