No Comments

Things (my box camera)

The beginning of the (last) century was the beginning of mass production.

The most known example is, of course, the "Ford T". But a very good example, also, is the "Kodak Brownie" the first "box camera" and the first camera build to be build for the masses. With minor improvements this camera has been produced until the '70s.

I cannot afford a "Ford T", but I have this nice "Brownie", shown in the pictures. I found this camera, in the attic, when I was perhaps 14 years old. At that time it worked faultless. Unfortunately it uses a kind of film that is not available anymore (some adaptation is possible to use other kind of film, though) so I cannot assess its present condition.

This particular camera build, perhaps, in the '40 or in the '50, has, as the most curious characteristic, the lateral blade we can pull out to insert an extra lens to decrease the focal distance. Working as a sort of macro lens it was build to be use in portrait photos (i.e. at medium-close range).

Note also the 2 identical "half a periscope" visors. Each one is linked to one of the two identical small lens in the from that give this camera an anthropomorphic aspect. The camera can be used in 2 positions and each visor has been build to use in each of the positions.

Graduation

The photos show some details of the graduation of a student that as completed her graduation work offshore Angola (Cabinda), under my supervision. She used some seismic data (and a lot of computer power!) to evaluate the properties of an oil reservoir.

David and Goliath

I like this picture a lot. As you all probably know I have been a supporter of the “no software patents” campaign.

The “pro software parents” movement, fulled by the resources of big companies and bureaucratic organizations, lobbied heavily.

Although the most known example was the “free ice cream”, they have, also, used a boat to ask for support of the “CII Directive”.

The “no software patents movement”, is mainly rooted in small size companies, almost all programmers and in academia.

Although the odds seem to favor the first, the “no software patents” has shown a lot of imagination. In the image, they got their own boat and allowed the photographer to capture the picture.

And the "CII Directive" was NOT approved.

Blowing up a comet for the 4th of July (III)

The get-together to follow the comet impact went very well. We got a big screen where we project, at will, the NASA TV (relayed throw ESA TV) or the screen of a Internet connected PC.

Although very early in the morning (he session started at 06:30, with the climax about 07:00), we had a very friendly and enthusiastic audience, so most of the time the commentators where not on central stage, but mangling with the people ( sometimes forming small groups around one of the large number of portables computers in the room).

As far as I understand all national TV channels, except SIC (channel 3) where there and we had a direct at 07:00 on channel 1 news service (I have been told). Several newspapers were also present.

A friend of mine has digitally recorded – and sent to me - a TVI news flash, broadcasted at lunchtime and I captured a frame seen above.

v-day

In the last few months I spend some of my time campaigning against software patents, as has been proposed by the EU Council of Ministers and the European Commission, and in support of the September 2003 decision of the (elected) European Parliament.

http://lasers-in-the-jungle.blogspot.com/2005/06/june-21-demonstration-in-lisbon.html

Today is Victory Day.

BUT eternal vigilance is the price of democracy. Please do NOT forget.

Some links:

http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/05/07/06/1156214.shtml?tid=155&tid=17

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20050705130920424

http://www.ffii.org/

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8B5BPBG0.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down

Blowing up a comet for the 4th of July (II)

The best 2 ways to follow the event:

******(1) WAY ONE - Join me at...

starting 06:30 AM :-)))


Location1: (map, zoom in and out as you like)

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?latlongtype=decimal&latitude=38.77820&longitude=-9.11400


Location2: (aerial photo, zoom in and out as you like)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=lisbon+portugal&ll=38.77820,-9.11400&spn=0.005300,0.007124&t=k&hl=en


Location3: (coordinates)

38.77820N 9.11400W (WGS-84)


Location4: (address)

IGeoE - Instituto Geográfico do Exército
( Call: Ten. Cor. António Afonso)
Morada: Av. Dr. Alfredo Bensaúde 1849-014 Lisboa
Telefone: +351 21 850 53 00
Fax: +351 21 853 21 19
igeoe@igeoe.pt

( more details in: http://www.nuclio.pt/projectos/000040.html )


******(2) WAY TWO Look at the sattelite/webcast

see details at:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

****** EVENTS TIME LINE:

Mission Events, Earth-receive time - in EDT (also in Lisboa/Lisbon Time)

July 3, 2:07 a.m: (Lisboa/Lisbon 7:07 a.m Sunday)Impactor released into comet's path

July 4, 12:22 a.m.:(Lisboa/Lisbon 5:07 a.m Monday)1st impactor targeting maneuver

July 4, 1:17 a.m.: (Lisboa/Lisbon 6:17 a.m Monday)2nd impactor targeting maneuver

July 4, 1:39 a.m.: (Lisboa/Lisbon 6:39 a.m Monday)3rd impactor targeting maneuver

July 4, 1:52 a.m.: (Lisboa/Lisbon 6:52 a.m Monday)(+ or - 3 min.): Impact with Tempel 1

July 4, 2:05 a.m.: (Lisboa/Lisbon 7:05 a.m Monday)Flyby goes into shield mode

July 4, 2:06 a.m.: (Lisboa/Lisbon 7:06 a.m Monday)Flyby's closest approach to Tempel 1

****** WEBCAST TIME LINE:

All times in EDT (also in Lisboa/Lisbon Time)

Pre-impact update
July 3, 2 p.m. (Lisboa/Lisbon 19:00 Sunday)

NASA TV encounter coverage begins
July 3, 11:30 p.m. (Lisboa/Lisbon 04:30 a.m Monday)

Post-impact briefing
July 4, 4 a.m. (Lisboa/Lisbon 09:00 a.m Monday)

Post-impact press conference
July 4, 2 p.m. (Lisboa/Lisbon 19:00 Monday)

****** More links:

http://www.nuclio.pt

http://www.portaldoastronomo.org

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/deepimpact/main/index.html

http://lasers-in-the-jungle.blogspot.com

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMVKW5DIAE_index_0.html

Threepenny Opera

Last Thursday I went to see the Threepenny Opera [a Ópera dos 3 Vinténs] by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill.

I took this picture (without flash, of course).