And the Oscar goes to…Researchers, computer scientists, and photographers

Just a few days ago the Academy Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievements were announced. The 8 awards go to a wide range of professionals in areas such as computer software, high-speed cameras, aerial cameras, and laser film preservation.

In many ways these descriptions are beyond our understanding, but they do, at the very least, bring into your mind the constant innovation in the film business.

These awards will be handed out on February 11, 2012, with the main awards show going on two weeks later.
 

Mantra Software

Invention and integration of micro-voxels in the Mantra software. This work allowed, for the first time, unified and efficient rendering of volumetric effects such as smoke and clouds, together with other computer graphics objects, in a micro-polygon imaging pipeline.

By Andrew Clinton, Mark Elendt
 

Phantom High-Speed Cameras

Design and engineering of the Phantom family of high-speed cameras for motion picture production. The Phantom family of high-speed digital cameras, including the Phantom Flex and HD Gold, provide imagery at speeds and efficacy surpassing photochemical technology, while seamlessly intercutting with conventional film production.

By Radu Corlan, Andy Jantzen, Petru Pop and Richard Toftness
 
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Downton Abbey – British costume drama from the creator of Young Victoria – Season 1 free on PBS

Julian Fellowes is as English as Earl Grey and clotted cream. As an actor, director and writer, he has continually peeked under the petticoats of British mores and conveyed the details with relish to audiences. His writing of the upstairs-downstairs whodunit Gosford Park won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 2002, and his subsequent films Vanity Fair and The Young Victoria established Fellowes as the class-fixated Anglophile’s Anglophile.

A lifelong Conservative, Fellowes was made a Peer of the Realm in 2011 and bestowed with the title Baron Fellowes of West Stafford.

Now with season two of the Edwardian-era Downton Abbey, the internationally syndicated costume drama he conceived and wrote for ITV, airing in the States as part of PBS’ Masterpiece.

Downton, the period piece most watched in the U.K. since Brideshead Revisited, left off last season with the outbreak of WWI and the able-bodied men in the household heading off to the trenches.

via LA Times Magazine

Get your anglophilia on!

Watch full episodes online at PBS.

The most interesting man in the world…on Google+

Whenever I watch those Dos Equis commercials about the ‘most interesting man in the world,’ I can’t help but imagine the real person. I’m sure we’ve all encountered several of them in our lives.

Well it turns out that I’ve found one in a social networking site. His name is Trey Ratcliff and I consider him the most interesting man in the world…on Google+.

Things that make him interesting:

  • Always social
  • Always travelling
  • Shares amazing photos for free (creative commons)
  • He has kids
  • He is polite
  • Teaches others about photography
  • Designs iPhone apps (for free).

I suggest circling him in Google+.

Albert Pujols contract with the Angels includes money for marketing and a retirement job

From a report on mlb.com:

The deal, which was agreed upon on Dec. 8, is divided into three different agreements.

The player deal: a full no-trade clause with a base salary of $240 million through the 10 years (more details on this below).

The marketing deal: Pujols will be paid $3 million for accumulating 3,000 hits (he’s currently at 2,073) and $7 million for a record 763 home runs (he has 445).

Since it’s bonus money to account for the marketability of those milestones, that money will not go against the luxury tax ceiling, according to reports.

The post-retirement deal: Pujols’ contract also includes a 10-year personal-service agreement that kicks in either after the contract expires or after Pujols retires.

In it, Pujols will be paid $10 million ($1 million a year) and will serve, among other things, as a consultant to owner Arte Moreno. Details of what that role will entail are still pretty foggy.

Because it comes as post-retirement work, the $10 million of that deal also will not count towards the luxury tax.
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Art and icons of Foursquare…can you decipher the meaning?

These icons are from the lead designer at Foursquare. The gray ones are meant to identify locations and the color ones are badges meant to reward you for something.

Can you identify the location and/or reward for each one?

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2012 Awards Seasons for movies – dates for the oscars, razzies, baftas, and more

Golden Globe Trophy

There really are a lot of awards…

 

December 2011

Dec 15 – Golden Globe Nominations

 

January 2012

Jan 5 – Writers Guild of America (WGA) Nominations

Jan 12 – Critics Choice Awards

Jan 15 – Golden Globe Awards

Jan 17 – BAFTA Nominations (British Oscars)

Jan 21 – Producers Guild Awards

Jan 23 – RAZZIE Nominations

Jan 24 – Academy Award Nominations (Oscars)

Jan 29 – SAG Awards (screen actors guild)

 

February 2012

Feb 11 – Academy Awards for Scientific and Technical Achievements (Oscars)

Feb 12 – BAFTA Awards

Feb 19 – Writers Guild Awards

Feb 25 – Independent Spirit Awards (for indie films)

Feb 25 – RAZZIE Awards

Feb 26 – 84th Academy Awards (Oscars)

 

Photos of the Google Street View car, snowmobile, bicycle, and push-cart

The cameras behind Street View from Google have covered large parts of the globe and even many indoor locations. But, have you ever wondered what the vehicles carrying those cameras look like?

Cars

Captured in São Paulo, Brazil, on March 26, 2010.

Continue reading “Photos of the Google Street View car, snowmobile, bicycle, and push-cart”