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Strong focusing

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Sextupole electromagnet as used within the storage ring of the Australian Synchrotron to focus and steer the electron beam

In accelerator physics strong focusing or alternating-gradient focusing is the principle that the net effect on a particle beam of charged particles passing through alternating field gradients is to make the beam converge. By contrast "Weak focusing" is the principle that nearby circles, described by charged particles moving in a uniform magnetic field, only intersect once per revolution.

Earnshaw's theorem shows that simultaneous focusing in two directions at once is impossible. However, ridged poles of a cyclotron or two or more spaced quadrupole magnets (arranged in quadrature) alternately focus horizontally and vertically.[1][2]

Strong focusing was first conceived by Nicholas Christofilos in 1949 but not published (Christofilos opted instead to patent his idea),[3] In 1952, the strong focusing principle was independently developed by Ernest Courant, M. Stanley Livingston, Hartland Snyder and J. Blewett at Brookhaven National Laboratory,[4] [5] who later acknowledged the priority of Christofilos' idea.[6] The advantages of strong focusing were then quickly realised, and deployed on the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron.

Courant and Snyder found that the net effect of alternating the field gradient was that both the vertical and horizontal focusing of protons could be made strong at the same time, allowing tight control of proton paths in the machine. This increased beam intensity while reducing the overall construction cost of a more powerful accelerator. The theory revolutionised cyclotron design, and permitted very high field strengths to be employed, while massively reducing the size of the magnets needed by minimising the size of the beam. Most particle accelerators today utilise the strong focusing principle.

Multipole magnets[edit]

Quadrupole electromagnet from the storage ring of the Australian Synchrotron serves much the same purpose as the sextupole magnets

Modern systems often use multipole magnets, such as quadrupole and sextupole magnets, to focus the beam down, as magnets give a more powerful deflection effect than earlier electrostatic systems at high beam kinetic energies. The multipole magnets refocus the beam after each deflection section, as deflection sections have a defocusing effect that can be countered with a convergent magnet 'lens'.

This can be shown schematically as a sequence of divergent and convergent lenses. The quadrupoles are often laid out in what are called FODO patterns (where F focusses vertically and defocusses horizontally, and D focusses horizontally and defocusses vertically and O is a space or deflection magnet). Following the beam particles in their trajectories through the focusing arrangement, an oscillating pattern would be seen.

Mathematical modelling[edit]

The action upon a set of charged particles by a set of linear magnets (i.e. only dipoles, quadrupoles and the field-free drift regions between them) can be expressed as matrices which can be multiplied together to give their net effect, using ray transfer matrix analysis.[7] Higher-order terms such as sextupoles, octupoles etc. may be treated by a variety of methods, depending on the phenomena of interest.

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

  1. ^ Courant, E. D.; Snyder, H. S. (Jan 1958). "Theory of the alternating-gradient synchrotron" (PDF). Annals of Physics. 3 (1): 1–48. Bibcode:2000AnPhy.281..360C. doi:10.1006/aphy.2000.6012.
  2. ^ The Alternating Gradient Concept
  3. ^ Christofilos, N. C. (1950). "Focusing System for Ions and Electrons". US Patent No. 2,736,799.
  4. ^ Courant, E. D.; Livingston, M. S.; Snyder, H. S. (1952). "The Strong-Focusing Synchrotron—A New High Energy Accelerator". Physical Review. 88 (5): 1190–1196. Bibcode:1952PhRv...88.1190C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.88.1190.
  5. ^ Blewett, J. P. (1952). "Radial Focusing in the Linear Accelerator". Physical Review. 88 (5): 1197–1199. Bibcode:1952PhRv...88.1197B. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.88.1197.
  6. ^ Courant, E. D.; Livingston, M. S.; Snyder, H. S.; Blewett, J. (1953). "Origin of the "Strong-Focusing" Principle". Physical Review. 91: 202–203. Bibcode:1953PhRv...91..202C. doi:10.1103/PhysRev.91.202.2.
  7. ^ Beam focusing


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Sutton College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Not to be confused with Sutton Coldfield College, a predecessor of Birmingham Metropolitan College.

Sutton College, formerly known as Sutton College of Learning for Adults (SCOLA) and originally named Sutton College of Liberal Arts, is a college based in the Borough of Sutton in London, England. The college offers over 1000 part-time courses at its borough wide centres.[1]

Main centres[edit]

Business unit[edit]

In part to national Government demands that educational establishments create better links with employers, SCOLA introduced its SCOLA Business Unit, to provide courses both at its centres and at the business.

External links[edit]

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The Twilight Zone (1985 TV series)

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  (Redirected from The New Twilight Zone)
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The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone 1985.jpg
Created by Rod Serling, based on his previous 1959 TV series
Narrated by Charles Aidman (1985–87)
Robin Ward (1988–89)
Country of origin United Kingdom
United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 110 (list of episodes)
Running time >22 min. (Seasons 1)
45-48 min. (Season 2, 3)
Production company(s) CBS Productions (1985–87)
Persistence of Vision (1985–87)
London Films (1985–89)
CBS Broadcast International (1988–89)
Atlantis Films (1988–89)
Distributor MGM/UA Telecommunications (1988–89)
CBS Television Distribution
Original network CBS (1985-87)
First-run syndication (1988-89)
Picture format 4:3
Audio format Stereo, Mono
Original release September 27, 1985 (1985-09-27) – April 15, 1989 (1989-04-15)
Preceded by The Twilight Zone (1959 series)
Followed by The Twilight Zone (2002 series)

The Twilight Zone (1985) is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.[1]

Series history[edit]

It was Serling's decision to sell his share of the series back to the network that eventually allowed for a Twilight Zone revival. As an in-house production, CBS stood to earn more money producing The Twilight Zone than it could by purchasing a new series produced by an outside company. Even so, the network was slow to consider a revival, shooting down offers from the original production team of Rod Serling and Buck Houghton and later from American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. Their hesitation stemmed from concerns familiar to the original series: Twilight Zone had never been the breakaway hit CBS wanted, so they should not expect it to do better in a second run. "We were looking at the success of the original series in syndication and the enormous popularity of the Steven Spielberg films," said CBS program chief Harvey Shepard. "Many of them (such as E.T. or Poltergeist) deal with elements of the show. Perhaps the public is ready for it again."

Despite the lukewarm response to Twilight Zone: The Movie, Spielberg's theatrical homage to the original series, CBS gave the new Twilight Zone a greenlight in 1984 under the supervision of Carla Singer, then Vice President of Drama Development. "Twilight Zone was a series I always liked as a kid," said Singer, "...and at that point it sounded like an interesting challenge for me personally." These sentiments were seconded by a number of young filmmakers eager to make their mark on a series which had proved influential to their life and work—people like writers Harlan Ellison, George R. R. Martin, Rockne S. O'Bannon, Jeremy Bertrand Finch, Paul Chitlik and directors Wes Craven and William Friedkin. Casts featured stars including Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Season Hubley, Morgan Freeman, Martin Landau, Jonathan Frakes, and Fred Savage. New theme music was composed by Jerry Garcia and performed by The Grateful Dead.[2]

Filling in for Serling (who died in 1975) as narrator was Charles Aidman, himself the star of two classic Twilight Zone episodes. The Twilight Zone ran for two seasons on CBS. For most of the network run the series was one hour in length, but occasionally (and in a departure from the original series), presented two or three stories within the one-hour time slot. For part of season 2, the show presented half-hour episodes.

An additional third season of half-hour programs was produced in 1988 to "pad" the series' syndication package. Robin Ward replaced Aidman as the narrator of these Canadian-produced episodes. Unlike Serling (whose image appears fleetingly in the revival's opening credits) and Forest Whitaker, host of the 2002 revival, neither Aidman nor Ward appeared on screen.[1][3][4]

First season (1985–86)[edit]

The Twilight Zone debuted the night of September 27, 1985 to a generally warm reception: it would win its Friday-night time slot in four of its first five weeks. Episodes featured adaptations of stories by Harlan Ellison (whose "Shatterday" launched the new series), Greg Bear, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert McCammon, and Stephen King.[5] A new batch of scripts was supplemented with remakes of classic Twilight Zone episodes like "Dead Man’s Shoes", "Shadow Play", and "Night of the Meek". Though the production crew was convinced that they were making all of the right decisions, ratings began to slide as the novelty of the show wore off. "You have not known humiliation until you have been beaten by Webster and Mr. Belvedere", said executive story consultant Alan Brennert.[6]

Wes Craven directed several episodes including "Shatterday",[5] "A Little Peace and Quiet",[7] "Wordplay", and [8] "Chameleon".[9]

Other Season One episodes included "Healer",[10] "Dreams for Sale",[11] "Examination Day",[12] "Children's Zoo",[13] "Kentucky Rye",[14] and "Nightcrawlers".[15]

The DVD release includes several episode commentaries by Executive Producer Philip Deguere. On these DVD extras, he states that CBS initially told him the show would air at 10 PM and therefore the earliest episode were written with that time slot in mind. The late and unexpected rescheduling of the show to the 8 PM family viewing time slot resulted in the broadcast of the first six episodes in a time slot Mr. Deguere states were inappropriate for their content. He attributes the intensity of the earliest aired episodes, considered by him as not the best fare to be broadcast during family viewing time slot, as the reason why the series ratings dropped and never recovered.

That the show's producers had even managed to hire Harlan Ellison was considered by many to be nothing short of miraculous; Ellison was an extremely vocal critic of television who had already published two collections of essays on the subject, “concluding that to work in television is akin to putting in time in the Egyptian House of the Dead.” These feelings surfaced once again when the script he submitted for Twilight Zone's Christmas special – an adaptation of Donald E. Westlake's 1964 story "Nackles", in which an obnoxious and mean-spirited drunk frightens his children with stories of a malicious anti-Santa Claus – was rejected by CBS' West Coast Program Practices. The segment, which was to be Ellison's directorial debut, was halted in mid-production. This cost the program between $150,000 and $300,000 and Ellison’s services as a creative consultant. “[Their] suggestions were vile, infamous!” Ellison recalled of his aborted attempts to change the network’s mind. On the DVD release, Mr. Ellison further expounds on his experiences during four audio commentaries to four of his stories that were adapted for the show.

The "Nackles" incident generated a flurry of press which ultimately proved inadequate to revive public interest in the series. "I can see why people who were expecting The Twilight Zone were disappointed with it," said staff writer Michael Cassutt of the show's low ratings. "...our show always seemed uneven to me. There were episodes perfectly in keeping with The Twilight Zone spirit, and then others that could have been from The Outer Limits or from anything." Thanks to such successes and despite poor ratings, The Twilight Zone was renewed for a second season in early 1986.

Second season (1986–87)[edit]

The series debuted in an hour-long format, but was put on hiatus only a few weeks into the season. CBS had moved the series to Saturday nights, which led to falling ratings. When The Twilight Zone returned in December, the episodes were half-hour shows, and generally contained only one story. The series was cancelled by February, with remaining episodes being aired over the summer as hour-long multi-story episodes. Season 2 only ran for 11 episodes; several of the unproduced episodes would be filmed for season 3. In regard to writing for the episode "The Girl I Married", J. M. DeMatteis commented "I have a feeling that the show that appears will not bear much relation to what I wrote. What I've found out is that this season—unlike last, where the script was pretty much regarded as sacrosanct—the network is really interfering a lot. [...] Regardless, I know I did a good job and it was a real satisfying experience."[16][17]

Third season (1988–89)[edit]

CBS replaced the original production team, and set out to do thirty 22-minute episodes for the third season; this way they could have enough episodes to sell the series into syndication. Robin Ward replaced Aidman as the narrator of these Canadian-produced episodes, and he also re-recorded Aidman's narration when the CBS episodes were edited for inclusion in the syndication package. To lead the writing team, the producers brought in a new group led by executive producer Mark Shelmerdine (I, Claudius) and supported by story editors Paul Chitlik, Jeremy Bertrand Finch, and J. Michael Straczynski. Straczynski authored more episodes that season than anyone else on staff. The producers named Straczynski the sole story editor following the release of Chitlik and Finch. Notably, Harlan Ellison was coaxed back to The Twilight Zone in the third season, and wrote what would be the third-to-last episode of the series, titled "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich."[18]

DVD releases[edit]

Image Entertainment has released The Twilight Zone on DVD in Region 1. Season 1 was released on December 28, 2004 and Seasons 2 and 3 were released together in a 7-Disc DVD on June 28, 2005. The company re-released all three seasons as a boxed set on August 26, 2014.[19]

In Region 2, Cinema Club UK has released all three seasons on DVD in the UK. Season 1 was released on September 19, 2005 on 6 DVDs, Season 2 on December 23, 2005 on 4 DVDs, and Season 3 on May 12, 2006 on 4 DVDs.

In Region 4, Shock Entertainment has released the entire series on DVD in Australia. All 3 seasons were released on June 1, 2011. On October 3, 2012, Shock released a complete series box set.

Alan Brennert, one of the writer-producers who contributed to the series, wrote that the picture quality of the DVD set was "NOT a 'bad transfer'" but rather that the episodes were "shot on film, but edited on video. In other words, the raw footage was 35 mm film, which was then transferred to videotape. Editing, dubbing, special effects—everything was done on video. We were in fact the first drama series on television to do this. So unlike the original Rod Serling TZ, there are NO original film negatives from which Image could strike new prints for transfer. All that exist are the old one-inch master tapes, and the unfortunate reality is, videotape does deteriorate some over time. Image has, in my opinion, done a superb job packaging our series, and it is to them that I award the five stars in this review! If not for their interest in bringing this show to DVD, those one-inch masters might eventually have eroded into so much static (as my 3/4-inch tapes of the show already have)." He concluded by saying "If you enjoyed this series, just be grateful it's been preserved!"[20]

See also[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Twilight Zone: TV Series (1985-1989)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  2. ^ "Grateful Dead Twilight Zone, Vol. 1". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  3. ^ "The Twilight Zone: Season 1 (1985 - 1989)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  4. ^ "The Twilight Zone (1985)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  5. ^ a b " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Shatterday". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  6. ^ "Episode List (1985-1986)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  7. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: A Little Peace and Quiet". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  8. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Wordplay". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  9. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Chameleon". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  10. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Healer". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  11. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Dreams for Sale". Retrieved 2011-02-13.
  12. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Examination Day". Retrieved January 26, 2012.
  13. ^ " - The Twilight Zone 1985: Children's Zoo". Retrieved 2011-02-14.
  14. ^ " - Twilight Zone 1985: Kentucky Rye". Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  15. ^ " - Twilight Zone 1985: Nightcrawlers". Retrieved 2011-02-15.
  16. ^ Salicrup, Jim; Zimmerman, Dwight Jon (November 1986). "J. Marc DeMatteis (part 3)". Comics Interview (40). Fictioneer Books. p. 21.
  17. ^ "Episode List (1986-1987)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  18. ^ "Episode List (1986-1987)". Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  19. ^ Twilight Zone 80s: The Complete Series
  20. ^ Brennert Amazon review of The Twilight Zone
  • Ellison, Harlan: "The Deadly "Nackles" Affair". The Twilight Zone Magazine, February 1987
  • Graham, Jefferson: "The Twilight Zone Returns". The Twilight Zone Magazine, April 1985.
  • Zicree, Marc Scott: The Twilight Zone Companion. Sillman-James Press, 1982 (second edition)

External links[edit]


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Tags » BLD

Broker rating changes:

Macquarie Atlas cut to Hold vs Add – Morgans

Automotive Holdings cut to Underperform vs Neutral – Credit Suisse

Navitas cut to Underperform Neutral – Credit Suisse… 21 more words

Broker rating changes:

Metcash cut to Lighten vs Hold – Ord Minnett

Dexus cut to Lighten vs Hold – Ord Minnett

Boral cut to Underweight vs Equalweight – JP Morgan… 52 more words

Boral reconfirms FY16 guidance

Boral reconfirms FY16 guidance, repeats outlook presented at 1H results.

So, like they say….everything good must come to an end!

In the last few weeks, we have interacted with several businesses and they rendered such exceptional service that I honestly became used to receiving great service experiences until this morning. 583 more words

Elephants never forget

Hair by “LoQ Hairs” Hair Attachment For Hats – Jet Black No Longer Available

Skin by Lumae :: Eirtae – Solaris // Bare (Brow 3) with Lumae :: Leevi Long Ears Group Gift  75 more words

The Lady in Pink

Hair by /Wasabi Pills/ Reese v2 Mesh Hair – (FLF Exclusive pack)

Eyes by ~BLD~ Blue Ice – Standard Eyes

Skin by… 65 more words


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Tags » Orange

Céline for Sunday

Lazy Sunday in bed… and in this fleecy, sleeveless cocoon dress by Céline. As seen on Charlee Fraser during autumn-winter 2016 fashion show.

Nasturtium - Assinine Sunday

Oh little nasturtium

You are so orange

Always on the sunny side

Why, I ask,

are capers

So disgusting?

Can you come up with a piece of truly atrocious poetry to share? 7 more words

31 DNAC - Inspired by the supernatural

Hello guys,

Today’s mani is a bit halloweeny but I’ve wanted to do something like Cristine’s glowing cat here for ages. And I had no idea what to do other than UFO or ghosts anyway so I went for this and loved it. 57 more words

Nail Art

If On a Winter Night's a Traveller

There is absolutely nothing spectacular about this photo to me, aesthetically. It is, however, the only photo I snapped while foraging the bridges of Orange, Connecticut. 26 more words

Summer 2016 Week 8

Here’s week 8. Wow, I can’t believe how fast this season is flashing by. It really feels like it was just yesterday when I was trying out the first episode of so many anime and having to decide what to drop and what to follow. 977 more words


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Tags » Rigid Thinking

Fruit classification

“How about this one here?

Where would you place it, which one’s the tier?

It’s less red or green and a lot more yellow

But the shape it has is round and quite mellow. 199 more words

Peopley Story

Day #23. Reblog. My way or the highway - the rigid thinker!

We have had a rather quiet, calm family day today with board games and a trip to the local Cobb & Co Museum.

Tonight’s post is another reblog from a previous post.  23 more words

32. Who Supports Trump?

People describe Trump supporters in various ways, but I think I see something that most others overlook.  Here is my logic.  Above all, the supporters are conservatives, and of course, Republicans.   243 more words


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Congressman Keith Ellison Would Eliminate Borders

Posted by Steve Markowitz on December 26, 2010

Progressives have incrementally increased their influence power in recent decades.  At the same time they have become emboldened with the belief that their radical agenda could actually be implemented in the United States.  This euphoria reached new heights with the election of the inexperienced Barack Obama, who merely eloquently preached generalities to obtain the most powerful position in the free world.  Fortunately, November’s elections indicate that the American people are not yet ready to roll over to the radical Left.

The emboldening of Progressives has caused them to drop their guard.  While they previously hid their radical agendas, they now often preach it without any camouflage.  Such was the case with radical Minnesota Congressman, Keith Ellison.  As reported by TheBlaze.com, Ellison recently attended a “spiritual conference” sponsored by the Network of Spiritual Progressives, or NSP in which he advocated the elimination of national borders saying:

No security policy position can be premised on military might. …  The way it works is we are a country guided by ideals of equity, generosity and engagement in our relations with other nations and those philosophical ideals create safe borders … and, God willing, one day the border will become an irrelevancyAnd you know, the fact is, it’s time for us to answer a critical question, and that is how are we going to shape a progressive foreign policy agenda that provides a platform for the U.S. government in the 21st century.”

This is an outrageous statement, especially from a sitting U.S. congressman.  A link to the video is supplied below.  Also attending the conference were other radicals, some of whom have ties to Barack Obama.  They included:

  • Key speaker Michael Lerner, who is an avowed Marxist editor of the pro-Palestinian Tikkun Magazine.  It was reported that Lerner compared Tea Party activists to Hitler at the conference.  Lerner was a member of the radical Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) that spawned the Weather Underground terrorist organization.  Lerner was also quoted as saying: “We’re here to support Obama. …We’re here to help him to be the Obama Americans thought they elected“.  Imagine that: Barack Obama associated with radicals!
  • A co-chair of the Network of Spiritual Progressives conference was radical Princeton professor, Cornel West, also a Marxist and honorary member of the Democratic Socialists of America. West was a Louis Farrakhan Million Man March advisor and is a self-described personal friend of racist Farrakhan.  Obama named West to the Black Advisory Council of his presidential campaign.  West authored two books on race with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., another Obama pal. More Obama associations with radicals and bigots.
  • Heather Booth was another speaker at the conference.  Her pedigree includes being the founder of the Midwest Academy, which teaches the community organizing tactics of radical Saul Alinsky.  The Midwest Academy was also involved with Obama’s 2008 campaign.  Now there’s a surprise!

Keith Ellison was elected to Congress in 2006 has a close association with the controversial Council on American-Islamic Relations (CARE), who has been accused of being involved with some unsavory Islamic causes.  It is this connection with Islam that makes Ellison’s call for the border elimination curious, at best.  It is likely that the borders Ellison would eliminate are those of the United States.  A suggestion Mr. Ellison; why not start with the Palestinians who seem so uptight on having their own borders?  In the meantime, as long as there are terrorists and others with bad intent towards the United States and its citizens, leave our borders alone.

Finally, you swore and oath to protect the United States Constitution.  If you are unable to abide by that oath, take another job.

U.S. congressman Keith Ellison declares: Borders will be “irrelevant’” video

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Favorite DJ's, musical artists, bands..2008!

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Location: Santa Cruz, Ca

Favorite DJ's, musical artists, bands..2008!

Postby DaftBrian » Fri Sep 12, 2008 8:20 pm

Joachim Garraud blew my fecking mind away on Friday night at the domes, what a surprise. I had so much fun, the vibe was crazy that night and I could feel the energy from everyone else.

Any performances that especially made your day/night/moment?
He appears mad indeed but to a few, because the majority is infected with the same disease. [Lat., Nimirum insanus paucis videatur, eo quod Maxima pars hominum morbo jactatur eodem.]

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Postby revjim » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:08 pm

center camp

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Category Archives: iPhone

The Dangers of Externalizing Knowledge

The moment I read the name of that TechCrunch article by Devin Coldewey I was certain it would articulate the subliminal feeling I’ve been having ever since I bought my iPhone that I am committing less and less to memory … Continue reading

Posted in Blogging, iPhone | 1 Comment

Few niggling UI shortcomings of the iPhone

Yes, I am now among the ecstatic legions with an iPhone – if my Samsung had not managed to last so long I would have jumped long ago. And now I’m as happy as all those other souls. After 10 … Continue reading

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Posts Tagged ‘Newsweek’

Ground Zero mosque imam calls Hamas “a terrorist organization”–again

December 26, 2010

The imam behind Cordoba House at Park51, the so-called Ground Zero mosque, has been roundly pilloried by the right for refusing to call Hamas a terrorist organization. It’s a bum rap, but see for yourself in this interview with Feisal Abdul Rauf in the December 27 issue of Newsweek.

More lies about Obama from the liars of Fox News and talk radio: His Asian trip costs more per day than the Afghanistan war

November 5, 2010

President Obama leaves Friday for a ten-day trip to India, Indonesia, South Korea and Japan.  His trip will cost $200 million a day, or $2 billion for the trip, on which. he will be escorted by 34 warships, twelve percent of the United States Navy. All this according to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN).

Except it’s as false as Obama’s Kenyan birth, his Muslim faith, his secret importing of “small quantities of Muslims,” and the death panels in his health care act. The story was reported in an Indian newspaper, quoting an anonymous provincial official.

The White House response was that the “numbers are wildly inflated.” The Pentagon dismissed the report as “absolutely absurd” and “just comical.” And the non-partisan factcheck.org summarized its findings this way:

“This story has spread rapidly among the President’s critics, but there is simply no evidence to support it. And common sense should lead anyone to doubt it. For example, the entire U.S. war effort in Afghanistan currently costs less than that — about $5.7 billion per month, according to the Congressional Research Service, or roughly $190 million per day. How could a peaceful state visit cost more than a war?” (more…)

Ann Coulter strikes a blow for civility. (Of all people!)

August 25, 2010

Ethics Bob doesn’t often get a chance to speak up for Ann Coulter and Mitch McConnell, but here goes.

On Meet the Press Sunday, host David Gregory was exploring the implications of the Pew poll that showed that thirty-one percent of Republicans polled think that President Obama is a Muslim. Here’s his exchange with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Senate minority leader:

MR. GREGORY: As a leader of the country, sir, as one of the most powerful Republicans in the country, do you think you have an obligation to say to 34 percent of Republicans in the country–rather, 31 percent who believe the president of the United States is a Muslim? That’s misinformation.

SEN. McCONNELL: The president says he’s a–the president says he’s a Christian, I take him at his word. I don’t think that’s in dispute.

MR. GREGORY: And do you think–how, how do you think it comes to be that this kind of misinformation gets spread around and prevails?

SEN. McCONNELL: I have no idea, but I take the president at his word.

The liberal media went bananas. Chris Matthews dedicated his entire Hardball show to McConnell’s words, saying. “I take him at his word,” was a “pitch-perfect dog whistle to the haters.” Matthew’s guest, Howard Fineman of Newsweek, pitched in, helpfully explaining that in McConnell’s Kentucky “the nativist appeal outside of Louisville really works (more…)

Fareed Zakaria says build the Ground Zero mosque

August 11, 2010

I’ve been writing in favor of Park 51, the so-called Ground Zero mosque, because ethics demands that we treat others as we would be treated, and because religious freedom is a precious American birthright.

But sometimes the ethical thing is also the best strategy. Fareed Zakaria, one of America’s most insightful political commentators (and an Indian-born, Yale- and Harvard-educated Muslim) writes in this week’s Newsweek that encouraging groups like the one behind Park 51 is part of a “lasting solution to the problem of Islamic terror.”

Zakaria has been tagged by New York Magazine as a possibility to be the first Muslim Secretary of State. All his columns are worth reading, but this one is a must for understanding the national security reason for supporting Park 51 and other efforts by moderate American Muslims.

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John McCain: Liar, liar, pants on fire

April 13, 2010

John McCain is a big fat liar. It’s sad how someone who has been so widely admired can tell such a whopper. McCain told Newsweek, “I never considered myself a maverick.”

No, except for his autobiographical Worth the Fighting For: The Education of an American Maverick, and the Heroes Who Inspired Him. And except for all his campaign ads calling himself and Sarah Palin mavericks. And thousands of times during the 2008 campaign.

McCain is in  the fight of his Senate career: J. D. Hayworth is mounting a serious challenge for the Republican nomination, and the outcome is in doubt. To increase his chances against a challenge from the right McCain seems to have decided he needed to run away from his past and from his self-identification as a maverick.

Sad. And revolting.

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15-16 JUNE 2016 / Tour & Taxis / Brussels

PPP in achieving quality education for all

PPP in achieving quality education for all

Tuesday, November 26, 2013 -
18:15 to 19:30

Key points

  • Quality learning, not just school attendance, must be the objective of education policy.
  • Education is about more than passing exams; tolerance and respect are also learned in the classroom.
  • Mobile phones and TV learning are part of the IT solution to Africa’s education challenge.

In a session devoted to Nigeria, private sector educationalists and United Nations specialists warned that without concrete action to improve the quality of teaching in public schools, and serious efforts to address growing inequalities in access to learning, generations of young Nigerians are facing a bleak future.

Some 10.5 million school-age children currently fail to attend classes in Nigeria. That is a higher number than anywhere else in the world, according to Mark West, Associate Project Officer for Teacher Development and Education at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He said illiteracy is rampant, especially among poorer women and girls, while the majority of poor girls from rural areas never start school at all.

‘The world is going to have to get together to help Nigeria solve these issues,’ West said.

Raymond Dokpesi, Managing Director of Nigeria’s private sector DAAR Education Services (DES), said the biggest barrier to learning is a crisis in the teaching profession. Low pay and deplorable working conditions mean that graduates refuse to become teachers. In addition, many state authorities cannot afford to hire teachers with even the minimum qualification. As a result, many pupils end up being taught by unqualified staff who are unable to see them through end-of-school exams.

Taken together, these failings breed cynicism about education, with many poorer families preferring to see their children at work rather than wasting time in the classroom. As an example of the depth of the crisis, Dokpesi pointed to the results of the Education Sector Support Program in Nigeria, which in 2008 carried out a capacity and aptitude assessment test of public school teachers in Kwara state; 7 out of 19,125 teachers passed.

Speakers agreed the Nigerian government is taking the crisis in schools very seriously, with education now a budget priority. The challenge, however, is huge. In terms of physical infrastructure, Dokpesi said:

  • 49 % of Nigerian classrooms need refurbishing;
  • 70 % need access to electricity and clean water; and
  • classroom capacity will have to double to meet population growth between 2015 and 2030.

In terms of raising teaching standards, he said the main requirements are better pay, teacher retraining and strengthening the law on qualifications.

Speakers agreed that IT and the private sector have a role to play in meeting these challenges. The DES, for example, is under contract with Nigeria’s federal education department to develop a curriculum of 12,000 lessons to be broadcast to schools via 25 TV channels. Some channels will be dedicated to primary and secondary programmes, while others will broadcast Islamic lessons and teacher training. However, the main problem is getting power to every school in the country so that TVs and other equipment will work.

West added that UNESCO is working with telecommunications company Nokia to deliver text messages to 10,000 Nigerian teachers. He said mobile phone apps can also deliver education texts to students, as even poor rural girls can usually access a mobile phone.

Philippe Cori, Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund’s Brussels office, said the challenge facing Nigeria’s education system goes beyond formal teaching. Children learn tolerance and respect in the classroom, including respect for girls. If the system fails young people, he said, and they leave education without acquiring the skills to make value judgments, then extremist groups such as the fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, will seek to radicalise them.


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What Country Allow Online Gambling

Net gambling’s planet is strictly controlled which is very important to first be familiar with what online gambling is allowed by nations before you begin. Casinos have observed a constant development in recognition in the last couple of years, with much more and increased individuals joining with sites to be able to appreciate a common casino games.

You’ll look for a few nations all over the world where this exercise is not illegal and several of these home machines which are available to individuals surviving in places where it’s not. Which means that where gaming online is barred should you reside in a country, you may still not be unable to perform by calling in to a host that’s located beyond your region.

The Usa of America

It’s correct that increasingly more nations therefore are definitely taking steps toward this and are recognizing the advantages of legalizing web gaming. However, regulations regulating web gaming in America’s prohibition is somewhat uncertain. The appraisal is the fact that roughly 70 percent of us residents make the web gaming population up and endure small effects due to it. It might be the scenario is hard since gaming online occurs within the solitude of one’s house and never within the public attention to check and control.

Online Gambling All Over The World

You can certainly do an easy search on the internet to discover what nations allow onlinegambling. The number below displays some of these where onlinegambling is legitimate:

New Zealand

Nations like Mexico, Argentina and some Asian nations all have began the procedure of legalizing gaming.

Administration and Regulation

Even though net gaming business is heavily controlled, specialists acknowledge that it’s not easy to check due to the pretty unknown character. This presents an issue since it is practically impossible to determine people in the united states who sign up from their homes where onlinegambling is barred. This suggests the debate that why bar onlinegambling whatsoever if it’s challenging and therefore readily available to check? Legislation remains simpler than prohibition in the pattern and also most cases appears to demonstrate that more and more nations are recognizing this.

When experiencing your preferred casino games it’s better to effectively examine what nations permit onlinegambling to make sure that you’re about the right-side of regulations. This can also assure that you will get to maintain whatever profits you create

Arcade Games Give Online Casino A New Face

Online game is still another item of the advanced technology that’s utilized in video games. Among lovers, game games haven’t dropped its appeal from entertainment facilities towards the Internet. Today, in many casinos, game games are among the gambling items which should not maintain the record of every casino.

Features of online game games Activities under this class aren’t any distinctive from those performed by kids in theme parks and centers. They’re actually a smart choice kind of sport. They therefore are clear to see and don’t need much work. The technicians are hardly simple’so compound that actually the traditional Supermario Brothers be seemingly harder.

Game games have discovered a home in online casino sites though conventional casinos contain them within their lineup of product choices. It’s through these systems they could accomplish recognition and the popularity they truly deserve. Similarly, playing with game games online produce particular benefits to people.
Arcade Games Give Online Casino A New Face
Benefit of online video gambling Among The factors, which describes the online recognition of video game may be the utilization of advanced technology. This technology-flat method for these activities to become more dynamic when compared with its conventional alternatives.

The sole need that game games request would be to grab the likes as well as image suits. However, presently, these activities have previously highlighted racing-inspired styles. Such remove provides the people more pleasure and gradually eliminates the indifference that people generally experienced when playing this game.

Payouts are also offered by online game games. This consequently describes why they lure more to people. Thinking about the fact that get large but still one isn’t required to build up an elaborate technique, it is really nailed by game games.

Similarly, it enables the people to increase their gaming time. People have in experiencing game games a very limited-time. Generally, they invest it awaiting their change. Those people who are less unconscious on which the following participant may state, frequently so, drops the chance to truly have a good casino experience and reduces their time. Yet, these issues all are resolved once a person decides to play online.

Indeed, it’s apparent that online game games advantages towards the people and provide more benefit. It may be challenging for newcomers, but because the sport, as previously mentioned, hardly takes a technique, after which there’s truly nothing to be worried about. That is significantly the brand new atmosphere for Web casino gambling, and its own degree of amusement is truly interesting. So do not left out.

Behind The Royal Vegas Online Casino Technology

Behind The Royal Vegas Online Casino Technology
Welcome below all of your favorite sport convinces and come to life at our comfort. The Royal Vegas casino has become typically the most popular method of remaining in contact along with lottery, blackjack, poker, bingo, your many favorites and slot games or sports betting in your winning team. The internet gaming is becoming everywhere, among the many distinctive methods for having enjoyment anytime you would like you-all, and incredible you receive an opportunity to be paid for experiencing you favorite sport. It gets no greater than that. Royal Vegas Online Casino consider the freedom to illuminate it participant about the various sport, bonuses, advantages, returns, and also the offers you’ll find in below. Additionally, it consider the freedom to see it participant about the easiest way to be always a great gambler, how age should you operating side having a legalized online casino, just how to play-safe about the games, and also to guard, manual kids and under-age teens from getting involved with online gambling. It’s also discovered it essential by telling the ball player of the engineering behind the internet casinos to illuminate its participant about the fundamental of online gambling.

How secure online gaming is the truly amazing change from land-based casino gave rise to some quantity of issue. This issue still hold thousand of casino game-lovers back available who’re scared of the move because of the truth they hardly understand how precisely the casino work. They choose they old-fashion, that will be still ok given that they reach go to the property-based casinos once awhile and revel in the activities but lose out a great deal when it comes to effectiveness, comfort and freedom in playing time, that the internet provides.

For this reason this review about the engineering behind the internet casinos is essential towards possible casino game fan and the people. First of all, it’s very important to realize that casino games are not illegal under many regulation territorial legislation in the united states, but to become about the safe part you ought to examine under their legislation if online gambling is legitimate. It’s very important to know this technology of online casino works that it’s possible to be attentive when joining with any casino after conforming that. The reason being enrollment needed someone to employ economic depth and their legitimate identification as well as deposit money in the consideration. In order to play with online casino inside room or your family room has been permitted by businesses creating applications and portable games and online casino games that are applications for doing offers and incredibly suitable for notebook, computer or your cellular devices.

All-they do is create application that produces an extremely appealing program with amazing styles and quality to help make the sport you discover in your computer or cell phone on the slot machine game in a property base casino extremely receptive. We because the Royal Vegas Casino we buy this unique applications and link the number of game room and it that people provide at our casino and all that’s necessary to complete is register a merchant account around. You then reach access an authenticated version of the internet gambling applications in your computer and you will now access room or our all of the casino games in the convenience of one’s family room. That’s just the engineering behind the internet casino works.


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Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer, a beautiful but extremely destructive, exotic insect pest, has now been detected in North Carolina. These beetles kill ash trees by feeding on the trunks. So far Person, Granville, and Vance Counties are under a quarantine. Since Emerald Ash Borer eggs or larva could be in the wood, no movement of ash trees or ash wood products, or of hardwood firewood, is allowed from these counties.

For more information, including who to contact if you find an Emerald Ash Borer, see the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Press Release June 17, 2013

Additional information can be found on the NC Forest Service Emerald Ash Borer FAQ page.

Thanks to Mike Munster at the NCSU Plant Disease and Insect Clinic for sharing this information

Image courtesy of Bugwood

Written By

Dr. Lucy BradleyExtension Specialist, Urban Horticulture (919) 513-2001 Horticultural Science - NC State University

Posted on Jul 16, 2013

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The Nikon 1D Mark III (AKA D800)

The Nikon 1D Mark III (AKA D800)

Even when I’m on a well deserved vacation this God forsaken industry refuses to allow me to get some rest. Here I was trying to relax on the beach on a beautiful sunny day in the Bahamas, quietly sipping some exotic looking drink I can’t remember the name of, when my phone starts going crazy. Facebook, SMS, Email, Whatsapp – fucking everything started giving me notifications while at the same time calls were being diverted from the office as well. Similar to a crazy war veteran, I started getting flashbacks from 2008 when the 1D Mark III debacle was still upon us and started reciting prayers in my mind hoping to God this was not related to issues with the 1DX or 5D Mark III.

Turns out all the fuss was about the piece of shit Nikon D800 and D4 winning the EISA 2012-2013 camera of the year awards. If you ever had any doubt about all these awards and reviews in this industry being nothing more than a big fucking joke, then I’m hoping that this will remove all doubt. Just check this out:

The EISA judges said: “The best professional camera of the year is Nikon’s full frame 16-million-pixel D4, for its ability to deliver the highest image quality even in extremely difficult conditions. Tests performed by EISA magazines found the camera has an exceptional combination of high resolution, wide dynamic range, very low noise levels even at ISO 12800, super-fast autofocus, short response time and high frame rates that can be maintained for very long sequences. The body is rugged and well protected against dust and moisture. The viewfinder delivers a sharp, comfortable and very precise view of what will be recorded. Almost perfect handling makes the D4 very easy and pleasant to use and we especially like the new joystick control that’s available whether the camera is in the horizontal or vertical position. The D4 also delivers very high video quality thanks to its uncompressed output.”

This is just pure hogwash. High video quality? BAHAHAHAHA right, with all the softness, moire and aliasing? Looks like the EISA judges aren’t aware of Philip Bloom’s review:

And highest image quality? With the shitty JPEG engine in both the D4 and D800?? Please, don’t make me laugh. Even the 5D Mark III JPEG images look better than the D4 images:

So, what can be taken away from this test? Well, the 5DIII kicks the daylights out of the D4, no doubt about it. The kickers that make the 5DIII even more superior: it has 6Mp more resolution than the D4 and only costs half as much. Talk about getting bang for your buck!

And also:

After comparing the sets of images in Lightroom and comparing the two cameras, there wasn’t exactly a clear winner. The Nikon D4 seemed to have cleaner highlights, while the Canon 1Dx appeared to have better contrast and possibly cleaner shadows. In the end, if we have to award a point here and pick a winner, it’s the Nikon D4 – by a hair. Still, the Canon 1Dx still has slightly more pleasing colour and overall image tone.

Not to mention the awful as fuck green screen on both the D4 and D800 that makes everyone, including Ken Rockwell, want to shoot with Canon instead:

Matt is not alone in noticing this issue with the Nikon D4, as a simple internet search will instantly reveal many others complaining of the same green screen issue. Matt has actually called Nikon about the issue and feels that Nikon may have been a bit coy in their response when they claimed that this was the first they have heard of it, and boldly claimed that the D4 has a more actuate screen than its predecessors. Maybe Nikon doesn’t have the internet?

Needless to say, the greenish cast that the Nikon D4 exhibits is enough of an issue to put Matt into a big decision scenario; stay with Nikon or switch to Canon? Though there have been reports and claims of fixes and work-arounds to counter the green screen issue, we found that none have been effective in resolving it. Canon has an incredibly enticing system in the 1DX…is it enough to sway Matt away from his beloved Nikon system after over a decade of professional loyalty?

And super-fast autofocus on the D4? Well, certainly these guys seem to disagree with those fucking EISA idiots:

The previous tests were close to call. This wasn’t. The Canon 1Dx ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED the Nikon D4 in the AF speed test. It was almost three times faster than the Nikon. Where the D4 was yielding an average of just under one image per second, the 1Dx was handily snapping three. Even more telling was the hesitation that the Nikon D4 seemed to display, at times not knowing if it should continue to focus forward, or head back. In contrast, the Canon 1Dx just ripped it to shreds, launching it’s AF like a shotgun, sure and confident, every time.
Matt, who has over a decade of experience with Nikon cameras & lenses was absolutely blown away by the Canon performance here. He echoed himself over and over again for hours afterward, saying “I can’t believe how fast that Canon can drive those lenses…”  A clear winner in the Canon 1Dx

No wonder these guys are considering getting the 1DX instead of the D4:

And high resolution? The 1DX wins here with 18MP – 2 MP more than the D4. High frame rates? Again 1DX wins with 14fps compared to 10fps on the D4.

So you tell me: Apart from some obviously huge Nikon cocks, what the bloody fuck are those EISA judges smoking? The 1DX should have been the winner here.

Judges from EISA are seen here testing a Nikon D800 in the field

Judges from EISA are seen here testing a Nikon D800 in the field

And then there’s the D800. Oh God, the D800. I’ve spent a number of posts discussing this stinking heap of crap in the past already. First we had those fucking idiots at DxOLabs blatantly misleading everyone with their claims. Now it looks like these morons from EISA also want to join in and continue to mislead the entire fucking industry with the D800, strangely while the press stands by and watches it happen. This is what the fuckwads at EISA would have you believe:

The EISA judges said: “This year’s best camera is the Nikon D800. Its 36-million-pixel full frame sensor offers exceptionally high resolution capture and, according to EISA magazine tests, no compromises have been made to the extent of the camera’s dynamic range or noise levels at high ISO settings. In a compact and reasonably priced, strong and sturdy body, it offers first-rate metering and a 51-point autofocus system developed from the professional D4. The camera has a clear and bright 100% viewfinder that is very precise and comfortable to use even for glasses wearers. The tiny flash can command additional Nikon flash units and delivers just the right amount of fill-in illumination even in complex lighting conditions. The D800E version delivers even higher resolution images without needing any post processing sharpening: the image quality comes close to that of a medium format camera, but with the benefits and versatility of a lightweight 35mm reflex camera.”

No compromises have been made with noise levels at high ISO settings? I beg to differ.

D800 sucks balls

D800 sucks balls

And also:

How can it be that the D800 gets a better score for low light high ISO shooting (2853 ISO), while clearly the 5D Mark III has less noise at the high ISO values????? Clearly there’s something seriously wrong here, and DxOMark is misleading everyone with their overall scores. In the noise graph above the 5D Mark III is in the middle, and when it comes to the scores, suddenly the D800 performs better. But even from the sample pictures above, it’s clear that the D800 performs worse at the high ISO values. So how can it get a higher score for low light shooting on DxOMark??

Don’t forget what Ken Rockwell said:

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III is the world’s best digital SLR. It easily lets us create smooth, clean, beautiful and colorful images in any sort of light. It handles much better my cheaper Nikon D800 and D800E; my 5D Mark III handles and sounds smoother, quieter, feels better and makes better-looking images than my Nikon D800E. The 5D Mark III also has the best LCD ever put in a DSLR, while the LCD on my Nikon D800E is smaller in actual use, and most importantly, the Nikon’s LCD isn’t color-accurate. My 5D Mark III LCD is big, bold, bright, sharp, clear, colorful and accurate, and automatically varies its brightness brilliantly for use in any light. (My D800E also has auto LCD brightness control, but doesn’t work well enough to want to use it.)

To shooters upgrading from the Nikon D800 and D800E, the Mark III is greatly improved over the Mark II, while the Nikon D800 and D800E are a step backwards in ergonomics and LCD quality from the D700. Therefore the status quo has reversed; I used to prefer Nikon, while today with the 5D Mark III, I greatly prefer it to my D800E. Pixels impress amateurs, while guys like me who shoot every day for a living are more impressed at how my 5D Mark III lets me get more of the right pixels faster, not just more of the wrong ones.

The 5D Mark III is the world’s best DSLR. It’s a huge improvement over the 5D Mark II due to the improvements from automatic color fringe correction, and the greatly improved power, depth-of-field and playback controls. If you shoot Canon, you deserve one of these.

Obviously those fuckwads at the EISA don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Because the movie mode of the D800 is crap as well, with all the noise, aliasing and moire. This can be seen in Philip Bloom’s review above, but here’s another:

But the shitty green screen LCD, the noisy-ass images and the horribly aliased and moired video are the least of your concerns if the universe hates you so much that today you somehow find yourself owning a D800. A bigger concern for you should be the malfunctioning autofocus system on the D800, that as of right now, is shaping up to become the equivalent of the 1D Mark III debacle for Nikon.

So here you have a camera with a 36MP sensor, that’s so fucking overhyped with regards to the resolution that it supposedly produces (which in reality isn’t that much more compared tot he 5D Mark III), but apparently you can’t actually focus accurately to take advantage of the resolution on the sensor. I have to say, this reminds me of the 5D Mark II which had a similar problem. Fortunately Canon Inc. got their act together with the 5D Mark III, but all of you Nikon morons are now fucked with the D800. Similar to the green screen LCD, Nikon apparently refuses to really acknowledge the autofocus problem on the D800. Nikon whore Thom Hogan already had the following to say about it:

The one thing I think Nikon is getting wrong here is this: Nikon knows they messed up and shipped some number of defective cameras. Yet they are defacto forcing the customer not only to detect the problem, but to pay for shipping of the unit back to Nikon for repair. I think the least Nikon could (and should) do is this: for every camera they receive that actually gets fixed by this new recalibration test, Nikon should refund the shipping cost to the customer. If I were in charge, I’d go further than that and try to find some small reward I could include above and beyond that, along with a note of apology.

Yes, that’s costly. But so is a US$3000 camera that doesn’t focus right. Why is the customer the one that gets punished here?

Here’s more from Thom Hogan:

 August 7 updated (commentary)–Consider this email: “I got the estimate today for my D800 AF repair; it’s listed as a B2 repair and they want to charge me $245 for the repair as I did not include the bill of sale. I called and asked them if there were any D800’s out of warranty and they insisted that it was procedure. I was bucked up to a supervisor who also insisted that I needed to send them a bill of sale.”

Let’s see, the camera has a NikonUSA sticker on it, the serial number starts with 30, the camera has only been out for a couple of months, the camera was registered immediately on purchase on the Nikon site, need I say more? In short, Nikon’s customer support has always been on the poor side, but making customers jump through hoops to service a known problem is just pathetic. Oh, did I mention that the person in question was an NPS member and someone who has taught photography for 30 years? Just how many students do you think he might influence as to camera decisions?

Nikon morons are literally filling up the Internet with their complaints regarding the autofocus issues on the piece of shit D800. Here’s a screenshot taken on Nikon Rumors:

Nikon D800 is fucked

Nikon D800 is fucked

“Many loyal customers are now switching to 5d mark III or 1DX due to superior AF  system and better low light capabilities.”

Those Nikon morons really need stupid fucks like DxOLabs and EISA to make them feel better about spending their money on the worthless crap that is the D800.

That’s just fucking hilarious. Here’s what Lloyd Chambers has to say:

But after testing today with my D800 and D800E both just back from Nikon, my conclusion remains the same as what I initially showed in my review of the Nikon D800: the D800 /D800E has poor autofocus precision, and that’s with the center focusing sensor, which is the best one (one example). In short, the asymmetry issue is a footnote issue compared to the fundamental problem of poor precision in general.

In my testing today under the same conditions, the Canon 5D Mark III + 85mm f/1.2L II achieved both high precision and high accuracy, similar to what I found with the Canon 1D X autofocus. If anything, an ƒ/1.2 lens is more of a challenge than an ƒ/1.4. lens.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lloyd, man, just get a 5D Mark III or a 1DX and throw that piece of shit D800 in the river.

And similarly, you may want to check out this website with a discussion of the D800 issues. Here’s the end result after some failed attempts at getting it fixed:

My choice(s)? Getting rid of a defective product, not bothering to check the My Nikon website each day for reasonable answers that never come, skipping the robotic conversations full of empathy but no meaningful information, not risking an additional failed attempt by Nikon’s Service Center to fix my D800, not wasting my time taking photos of test charts, and using the camera I already have. The good news? My doctor also tells me that, with time, the phenomenon of seeing Siemens Stars everywhere will eventually subside.😉 And if Nikon will reimburse me $73 for the scenic, but fruitless trip my D800 took to Melville, I suspect I will feel even better.

So once again, my D7000 is glad the D800 has left our home. And this time… so am I.

Here are some quotes from the comments:

Nikon’s stupidity and arrogance are beyond belief!…or are they?  As much as I and many respect this site, Thom Hogan, the more sane posters at dpreview, etc., many D800 owners,such as those Thom met in Alaska, have no idea they have a defective camera and a manufacturer whom doesn’t give a damn.
Galbraith is offline, Nikon Reviews is apparently a shill, Kelby is all self-promotion now—who is going to speak up for poorly treated Nikon customers?
It unfortunately seems that there are many cameras Nikon cannot fix with recalibration. If recal was the solution, they would have done it a long time ago. It is a stopgap measure which can improve some cameras, but there must be a major manufacturing/structural error which is so expensive for Nikon to fix or replace, they have decided not to do it. That is why there has been no public statement.
So, if you have a camera they cannot “fix” with recal, Nikon has abandoned you.  What can we do about it?
No class action suit unless someone is injured (your response when I suggested this previously)?  I’m not an expert or a lawyer.
Nikon needs to pay for this, in more ways than one. What can we do?
Those readers who have suggested we need a kinder, gentler response to those nice Nikon people need not apply.

After hearing of the mess Nikon has made of this problem and comparing it to my experience with my first Nikon, the D5000, I am seriously considering selling all of my Nikon equipment and moving to Canon.

I finally got my D800 back from Melville, exactly a month after sending it in due to extremely inconsistent af. I of course had to cover the shipping and insurance costs. I tested it once again and found that it was in much worse condition than before sending it in. Before I sent it in the center point was slightly off and the edges were a complete mess. After receiving it back the edges are slightly better but the rest of it is absolutely horrendous, including the center! The af is so bad that I can even see through the viewfinder that it is not grabbing focus and it goes without saying that the resulting images are completely fuzzed. I am using charts and multiple lenses to test, i.e 24 1.4, 35 1.4, 24-70 2.8 and so forth. I am comparing all my results to lv which is perfect.

Being a full time photographer with multiple Nikon bodies and lenses including the D4, I am somewhat astonished and appalled  by the conversations I have had with Nikon and with the treatment I am receiving.

I wish I had returned my body when I had the chance but wrongly trusted Nikon repair to do the right thing. It’s back in a box heading to Melville yet again and my fingers are crossed that I do not get stuck with a $3000 lemon.

My D800 is back from the second repair attempt. The left focus issue is not resolved. Maybe I can return it back to Amazon after 5 months of use … unbelievable …

After reading your story and several others in a number of forums I am convinced that I made the right decision when I returned my D800 to the vendor. As much as I like the D800 I cannot bring myself to spend $3k on something with a known defect that Nikon can’t seem to repair.

My D800 came back from Melville today UNREPAIRED. El Segundo had it for 19 days and couldn’t fix it. Melville received it Tuesday, overnighted it to me last night and it is still not focusing on the left. This issue was escalated to Nikon’s Sr. Management (I spoke to them on the phone yesterday) and they still could not get it right.

Those of you who ended up buying this piece of garbage can try to get sharp images by reading this post of mine.

How to get sharp images with a Nikon D800

How to get sharp images with a Nikon D800

What a nightmare for Nikon and all those Nikon morons who bought into the D800 hype. I warned all of you from the very beginning that the D800 was a piece of shit. I warned you, you poor pathetic fools, I warned you. But ya just wouldn’t listen. Some people have emailed me and called me a prophet or psychic, but with my 30 years of experience in this industry, “predicting” this stuff is a piece of cake. I’m not called the Canon Camera Guru for nothing – I fucking earned that title!

And honestly, when Nikon was caught using footage from the 5D Mark II to promote the D800, you had to realize the video quality from the D800 was probably nowhere near good enough to sell the camera. Certainly, as we’ve seen, it sucks compared to the 5D Mark III.

So what do those fuckwads from EISA have to say about this??? Does this camera really deserve a camera of the year award? Honestly? As far as I’m concerned, Nikon can go ahead an rebrand the D800 to become the Nikon 1D Mark III. It fucking deserves that title!

Everywhere you look right now, people are impressed with the 1DX and 5D Mark III, especially with regards to the autofocus system. Both of these cameras are using the new 61-point AF system with 41 cross-type points that just kicks incredible amounts of ass in terms of speed and accuracy.

But there’s something seriously wrong in Europe. Nikon appears to have some strong influence on key organizations and publications in Europe. DxOLabs is one, but EISA clearly is also biased towards Nikon. I’ve already sent an email to Mitarai to have this situation thoroughly investigated.

CLEARLY what you can get out of all of the above, is that the Canon 1DX and Canon 5D Mark III are really the best DSLR cameras available today. Everyone who is honest and isn’t biased or influenced by Nikon says this. You simply cannot come to a different conclusion GOD DAMMIT!!!!1

Now all of you stop bothering me and let me enjoy the rest of my vacation.

77 thoughts on “Introducing the Nikon 1D Mark III (AKA the piece of shit D800)

  1. Ha ha ha! Yeah Chuck, you’re right and everyone else in the industry is a moron! Suck it up princess, everyone knows the Nikons are superior. And the D600 is coming to give Canon another ass whooping too.

    • Oh the Nikons are superior alright. Just ask all those people complaining about the D800 autofocus issues which Nikon apparently can’t seem to fix.

      • This camera has really upset you, hasn’t it? 😀 It’s OK Chuck, everyone makes mistakes. Just ebay your Canon gear and go get one, move on man. This self torment won’t do you any good.

      • I’d rather get kicked in the nuts by a donkey instead of buying a D800. I mean that.

    • Today is a very happy day. The courier just delivered my Nikon D600! 😀 Along with my 70-200mm 2.8. Just taken some test shots and even at 2000 iso is very very impressive. Much much better than my old Canon 550d at 400 iso. Then I read the Canon 6D specs! Yes, today is a very happy day! 😀😀 I’m so glad I switched to Nikon.

  2. Great post, as ever. All these big companies need someone with enough balls to expose their defective products that, once and again, launch to the market. Well done, FCW!

  3. You guys are seriously sick – change your druggs and get shooting instead of
    wasting your time with such a bullshit!

  4. my Minolta X700 got that EISA award long time but that camera fails me and breaks every 2 weeks. On the paper all the features seem great but on the field it’s terrible. Seems like nothing ever changed with EISA.

  5. Chuck, Nikon is starting to sound like United Airlines (lost a 10 year kid, and didn’t give a shit ) and Progressive Insurance (defended a customer’s killer in court to avoid paying a claim ). Apparently, giving a shit about your customers is passe.

  6. Ahahaha! Great post Chuck! You are doing a great service in exposing these things of the photographic industry. Hopefully the message is not lost in the twisted humor, though!

    • Someone has to do it. Might as well be me since the entire fucking industry consists of a bunch of photographic girliemen.

      • I have a D800, and it rocks😉
        Sorry Chuck…
        I think you have an obsession problem. Maybe you are frustrated and you need to have sex ?

      • I can’t deny needing sex. Lots of it to be honest with you. However, this doesn’t make the facts about the piece of shit D800 and Nikon’s fuckups less true.

      • The camera shop offered me a good deal on a 5D mk3 the other day. They got stock they can’t move. Told them to bash that up their arse sideways, I only want a D800… :p

  7. with all your posts, you look much disappointed than them… anyway, just get Canon’s best camera award from bloom, rockwell and all the persons you idolized for their opinion. fact of the matter is none of it would matter and certainly wont make you happy either.

      Today’s tests with my factory serviced D800 and D800E + Nikon AF-S 85mm f/1.4G were a huge disappointment, showing me that using autofocus at a distance of ~80 feet is joke, showing hit and miss results ranging from sharp to soft to badly blurred. All on a tripod with everything fixed — just repeat the same thing and roll the dice on what you get.

      In my testing today under the same conditions, the Canon 5D Mark III + 85mm f/1.2L II achieved both high precision and high accuracy, similar to what I found with the Canon 1D X autofocus. If anything, an ƒ/1.2 lens is more of a challenge than an ƒ/1.4. lens.

      • so? yes its true there are some units that are affected by the defect in AF, so what? it happens to every camera thats been released in the past. besides only Nikon USA has not been able to fix this issue, while the rest of the distributors have and they have done it correctly, no disassembly of the unit, no black tapes, etc… and there are A LOT of D800/E out there that are working perfectly out of the box. you’re just arguing for the sake of it… seriously, grow some brains princess

      • and let me remind you, it took Canon 2 flagship units before they could get their AF system working fine, and in the end they redesigned to to be released on the 1Dx because they couldnt fix it… those are FLAGSHIP units princess

      • Hey moron, didn’t you read? Those 2 D800 bodies were FUCKING FACTORY SERVICED BY NIKON!!! And still it could not focus sharp enough, at least not as good as the 5D mark III. MANY people are reporting this problem. I have links above, google it. Nikon service centers in other countries have also not been able to fix this. Google is your friend.

  8. Hey FC, great shot catching those judges working hard, that’s a 10 right there. I use Nikon, and yes a D800, which I love. D’you know what’s Nikon evil plan buying off every judge of every test of every company?
    Keep fighting the good fight my friend, you know I’ll come back everytime, a little humour comes handy nowadays…
    Come on and switch already, you know you want to… be true to your heart…

  9. Nikon really is the new canon. As a Nikon user, I appreciate what you are doing here and I hope Nikon inc. reads this and learns from it. Nikon got their asses handed to them this year! The D800 is crap. Ergonomics and iq. It’s like taking a fucken dump then holding it up to your face and making click click noises. Now I just have to figure out what I am going to do with all my nikkor glass. I am thinking about putting it all on eBay and starting over.

  10. I just don’t know. You canon morons wandered around lost for several years before canon pulled its head out of its ass. Now us Nikon morons are the ones who are lost and Nikon has its head so far up its ass it doesn’t know which way is up. Keep my glass and wait for Nikon to figure it out or sell everything at a loss and switch brands? What to do….

  11. Chuck my man, lucky you’re still around, kicking asses as bad as ever for our great enjoyment. Keep it up, man, keep it up.

  12. You had me until you started quoting Ken Rockwell. Then again he has a similar mentality as yourslef of “I”m right and the rest of the people of this world are morons.”

  13. I’d love to hear your comments regarding the rumor of a Canon 3D. 46 mp< LMAO… My only thought is WTF??? Is Canon gonna turn tail and follow Nikon in the race to MEGA-megapixels??? Hear we go again, it's like the USA vs USSR in the space race all over again… PR companies, start your engines…. LOL

  14. ‘After hearing of the mess Nikon has made of this problem and comparing it to my experience with my first Nikon, the D5000, I am seriously considering selling all of my Nikon equipment and moving to Canon.’

    That’s EXACTLY what I did. D7000, 24-70mm f/2.8, 105mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, 18-200mm, Sigma 8-16mm and an SB-600, all jacked in.

    Got a lovely new 5D Mk III, 580 EX II (what a flashgun), 50mm f/1.4, 24-70mm f/2.8 L, 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L. Couldn’t be happier.

    Fuck you Nikon and hello Canon!

    • I shoot along side several avid canon users, my old Nikon D3 kick Canon’s ass. You should hear the cussing and damn thing would;nt focus, or damn thing missed that one. It’s funny to listen to the disappointment if trying to capture a bird in flight for example. What really pisses of a Canon user is when we put our images on the big screen and view the percentage of in focused and well exposed action shots. Now if you are trying to capture images of stationary or slow moving subjects, the canon is just a good. My 600 F4 Nikkor is just as good as the 500 F4’s that these Canon guys are shooting. That is even after their 500 F4 canons were sent back into canon to be adjusted as they say.

      • You should take a look at DigitalRev yt video with their 1Dx vs. D4 overview – seems like C R&D finally did something considering AF issues, in side by side shootout D4 was loosing it.

  15. I just wiped my ass with my D800, threw it into my fucking fire-pit dumped gasoline on it and lit the bitch on fire. Thanks Nikon, for nothin. If the CF card survived I will be posting a video of it. I doubt it though. Piece of fucken shit looks like a blob of smoking bear shit now.

    • Amen brotha, after sending my D800 back to Melville to fix the crippled AF issues, getting back just as bad, I sold the motha fucka. Sure, I took a $500 loss, but as the wife says, “Get rid of the Fucker and move on. Life is too short to deal with drama”.

      • Yeah, we got rid of a Canon crop sensor DSLR because it was a noisy piece of shit you couldn’t get a decent photo out of at anything over 400 iso. Switched to Nikon and never looked back. DXO mark scores agree with our findings, you Canon shooting retard fanboys just get all upset ‘cos the DXO marks disagree with your fanboy opinion. I bet the two ‘tards above never even owned a Nikon camera, just making up fanboy bullshit.

  16. Nikon D600 just come in third behind the D800 twins on DXO marks sensor ratings. That would mean something to you Canon shooting retards if you knew anything about image quality. But just to generalise it for you, Nikon shooters have a higher ability to take better quality photos than Canon shooters. Less Noise, more dynamic range, higher colour depths…

    • Hmm, wonder if Henri Cartier Bressona needed Nikons higher ability to take better quality photos with less noise, more dynamic range, higher colour depths…

      • True, very few of HCB’s images are in focus….I hear he had arthritis and couldn’t focus those antique Leica lenses. Getting a D800 would assure that he would be able to continue his out of focus technique.

  17. love your review!! Nikons overpriced and over rated. Bought a d800 first without looking at reviews, took some shots, didn’t like what I was seeing.. decided to max my credit card by buying a 5D3 from another store, took a few shots with both in the same places. Checked the pics at home and punted the d800 straight back, lucky they accepted it! wish I hadn’t deleted the pics, they would have done justice to this review! Couldn’t be happier with how dependable this bitch is!

  18. I have bought 2 nikon D800 and i have sold them fast, because of the problem’s that they have. The lenses are good but come on Nikon, give as what Canon give, a 5D3 and a 1dx. I need a Full Frame camera raight now, but Nikon don’t have any camera to function normaly. It is a good time to be a Canon shooter.

  19. I raced out an bought a 5D mk3 after reading your blog. Well… what a piece of shit. All my friends D800’s and D600’s shit all over this thing for image quality. My photos are dull and lifeless and if I have to shoot in high contrast conditions, I’d be better off borrowing some old Nikon crop sensor. Now I’m going to lose big dollars trading in this shitbox for a Nikon. Wish I’d listened to my friends in the first place instead of this rubbish blog.

  20. Pingback: The 5D Mark III proves itself; The D800 sucks balls | Fake Chuck Westfall

  21. Anyone looking at the ISO performance from dpreview shows that the d800’s image is cropped in further, compared to the other cameras. When cropped to the same size on both images, the D800 does phenominally well for a 36mp sensor. And easily compares with the other cameras. Go back to that site and check again, and notice, the images for the d800 are shown cropped more.

  22. My only problem with Canon is, the 5D Mark III is the only camera worth buying, anything below that (7D, 60D, 600D) is worthless in terms of image quality. Nikon on the other hand, has an army of very compelling low end DSLRs (D3200, D5200,D7000) ready to steal Canons marketshare. I can’t wait to see what they have for 2k13, It will be the D7100 vs the 70D and both NIkon and Canon are playing the waiting game to see who releases first.

  23. Camera is a camera, i own both cameras, D800E for studio and 5D MARK 3 outdoors for sports. i like them both. I like D800 cause of that old school film look it produces at higher ISO and 5D3 for fast AF. both handles well. I agree with the test result with DXOmark not being close to each other but yet again. I found out they are looking for how much color array that sensor accepts.

  24. You look like an old guy, yet yo use fuck and simular words in 50% of your sentences. Its kinda patetic. I would take you much more seriously if you would act like an adult, instead you try to act all though, pathetic.

  25. Hey Chuck, Canon spent alllllll that time designing a new camera, adding an extra 1 megapixel and auto focusing ( one that should have been updated in the mark ii) and increased the sensor’s sensitivity by 1-2 stops, WHOOOPY FUCKING DOOO Argh pathetic canon…

  26. Pingback: Nikon Taking a Serious Beating – DXOMark SUCKS BALLS | Fake Chuck Westfall

  27. D700 owner with lots invested in lenses. I’ve taken great shots with the D700 but I have always been infatuated with Canon’s color, WB and over artsy feel in the overall image. I usually can pin point a 5D of some sort pretty easy. I want to sell/trade my system but I’m in the middle of wedding season but I was recently offered a straight over trade for a mkII and lenses. I have the D700, 85/1.4G, 24-70/2.8G, 50/1.4G, 80-200/2.8G and he has the 5dMkII, 35/1.4L, 50/1.4/, 85/1.4, 24-105/f4 and Sigma 80-200/2.8.

  28. Just a quick note.

    In our photo group is always struggle between Canon and Nikon.
    What I always find crap.
    Just use it and have a little fun, don’t worry about pixel counts.

    We see that at 500 ASA the D800 has better scores, between 500 and 800 it is almost even, and above the 5Dmk3 preforms clearly better.
    We never use 3200 and is not worth a fight between the two brands.
    Calling names at the D800 is not neat, who uses 3200 iso?
    We find it interesting till 1000 iso , te most valid and used values.
    Regarding noise levels the two camera’ s are almost equal.
    The AF off the EOS is more precies, but in the studio we do MF with the D800 and the EOS , so the is a different approach on various situations.

    Simply put: “where you use it for?” Studio, outdoor photography, concerts, sport in bad light conditions and then make your choice .

    Are you going to make sport with a D800 with high iso values then you should not complain that there is noise.

    You can make i great impression to architecture, interior design photographs with a tripod at 100 ASA with a D800 and a prime lens.

    For we see that the EOS 5 d mk3 scores well on all surfaces although it has a lower pixels count.

    K. (Netherlands)

    • A lot of people use ISO 3200 and 6400 even and above in certain situations. Wedding and other event photographers for example. So it’s important to have low noise and good colors even at the high ISO values. Like I said before, I’m dreaming of the day that Canon Inc. will finally give us a body where ISO 1600 will look like ISO 100. It’s possible. And it’ll be here in the future.

  29. Pingback: On the Canon 70D Image Quality and other stuff | Fake Chuck Westfall

      • You mother fucking cock sucker!
        Hope you get a golden shower on your holiday….Blah blah blah!!!

  30. Pingback: Why Scott Kelby switched to Canon | Fake Chuck Westfall

  31. Was going to buy Nikon D610 then Finally thought d610 … mother F****ing Cock sucker!
    But that doesn’t mean you don’t know what you are talking about….and you sure have a f***ing grasp of the English language! Holy crap! You have …scared the shit out of me! Really pissed off now! What do I do wait for Nikoff to bring out the D810 or get D610 now?!
    D10 latter .. Or drop Nikoff and go to Canon for my full frame shit!?!?!
    I’m fuckin done with you …I hope someone takes a contract on you as you have fucked up my day!! Fuck your holday!!! Spassa!

    • Used this language so you could grasp what I have said….to all you others…does this man really lnow what he is talking about …I think not.. Most people shoot at around 100 to 200 ads at that setting I believe the D800 would be significantly better than
      the Cannon in terms of resolution in average outdoor settings also do not believe autofocus would be a problem … In dim light believe the D610 would be superior to the canon mkIII again…in the same situation …finally have had both canon and nikon cameras they make good cameras some specific models stand out in this case cannon mkIII and D800 are both good cameras with strengths and weaknesses in terms of resolution at 100 To 200 asa believe the d00 would be surperior …end is story …suck on that!!

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