As technology makes life richer and easier, we leave a trail of information that is susceptible to prying eyes
Within the next four months, a major Bay Area supermarket chain plans to introduce a payment system that uses biometric fingerprint authentication to verify customers' identities. Under this system, shoppers in checkout lines won't need to use cash, checks, debit cards or credit cards. Instead, they can place their fingers on scanners that read fingerprints, and once the device links to their bank or credit card accounts, they can buy groceries, get cash back and do everything else shoppers do.
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[Podcast: Insight Editor Jim Finefrock and reporter Jonathan Curiel talk about how Americans might as well face up the fact that there is little privacy left.]
The system is already used in cities around the United States, including Portland, Ore., and Chicago, where one shopper says it has changed his life for the better. Linc Thelen, a 37-year-old interior designer, says the fingerprint system -- known commercially as Pay By Touch -- is convenient to use and expedites his way through grocery lines at Jewel-Osco, where he shops. Thelen says the system lets people leave their wallets behind, so they don't have to worry about being robbed or losing their credit cards.
"I had no reservation," Thelen said in a phone interview. "It's a safe way to store information."
But no system is 100 percent foolproof.
Despite the fact that armed men guard the computers that store the customers' virtual fingerprints, despite the fact that Bank of America's former security chief now heads Pay By Touch's security division, and despite the fact that Pay By Touch hires people to try to expose vulnerabilities in its computer system (so those vulnerabilities can be eliminated), Pay By Touch President John Morris acknowledges that "it's not impossible" for computer hackers to figure out how to tamper with its information.
And therein lies one of the 21st century's most vexing problems: More and more of our personal data are captured and stored by corporate and government interests, and are potentially available to anyone with the technological, legal or financial means to access that information.
Whether it's phone calls we make, library books we check out, CDs we buy on the Internet or divorces we finalize in court, we leave a trail of information that becomes susceptible to prying eyes. For the price of a bus pass, you can pay a company to supply anyone's address, phone number, political affiliation, estimated income and property history. For $20 more, you can find out if that person is married or divorced, has a criminal record, and what sort of jobs he or she has worked.
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., says she will introduce a "privacy bill of rights" because identity theft and security failures of personal records have become "one of the most important issues facing us as individuals and as a nation."
The availability of personal information -- downloadable onto laptop computers, which are increasingly being fitted with fingerprint technology -- is changing the culture in ways that may seem trivial but are really benchmarks for a new society already in its formative stages.
A small example: Unbeknownst to the men who date her, Judy runs background checks on all of them, using a private investigator to dig out any "red flags" that would presage troubling behavior. A businesswoman in Southern California, Judy, 50, uses a company called DateSmart, whose client base has boomed in the past five years as more people confront the perils of online dating.
"I'm glad the information is out there," says Judy, who did not want her last name used because of concerns her suitors would read this article. "The men I'm talking to online are complete strangers. And I have absolutely no knowledge of their character other than what they're saying in their profiles. I need to feel comfortable knowing that they're not an ax murderer. The people you meet might be well dressed, but you never know if they have any criminal history. It's for (my) safety."
Background checks are nothing new. What's changed are the speed with which you can obtain them, their relatively small price (some companies advertise free checks) and their growing public acceptance. The information revolution has transformed the background check into a common and casual tool, and those being scrutinized probably don't have a clue. More obvious are the security cameras embedded in nearly every major American city, including New York, Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles and, yes, San Francisco, where lenses record people's activities in such crime-ridden neighborhoods as Bayview-Hunters Point and the Western Addition. The spread of these cameras is championed by authorities, who say it reduces criminal activity, and criticized by the ACLU, which says the equipment is an unnecessary intrusion into public spaces.
Civil liberties groups have joined the widespread outcry against the government's monitoring of Americans' phone-call records. Two weeks ago in federal court, the ACLU challenged the legal rationale behind the National Security Agency program, arguing that the NSA's actions -- involving "data mining" of records provided by AT&T and other telephone companies -- violate Americans' rights to free speech and privacy as guaranteed under the First and Fourth Amendments. Last week, privacy experts raised questions about the U.S. government's monitoring of international bank transfers -- previously secret data surveillance officials say is justified by the fight against terrorism.
Americans' rights to privacy will be tested even more in the next few years as biometric technology creeps increasingly into everyday arenas. For example, on the campus of UC San Diego, biometric experts are testing a soda machine that uses both fingerprint and face-recognition technology. The machine is in a lounge for grad students in UC San Diego's computer science building.
"The students are very excited about getting it working," Serge Belongie, a UC San Diego associate professor of computer science, says in a phone interview. "People think it's very cool. ... No one uses money. They have accounts. What would be fun is if (the machine) recognizes you and says, 'Would you like your usual?' "
If UC San Diego students are reluctant to use the machine, their privacy concerns are outweighed by convenience -- a sentiment echoed in survey after survey on biometric technology. In March, Unisys Corp. released a report on public perception of "identity management" that said convenience and efficiency were the two biggest reasons consumers would use biometric technology. (The most preferred biometric methods are fingerprints and voice recognition, according to the survey. The least preferred, because of its perceived intrusiveness, is an iris or eye scan.)
Two of the biggest turnoffs for those who shun biometric technology: suspicion of how the technology works and loss of privacy. Among respondents from North America, just 56 percent said they'd be willing to share their fingerprint with a government organization such as a post office or tax authority. Among respondents from the Asia-Pacific region, 71 percent said they'd share their fingerprint with the government.
"As consumer confidence grows in the large-scale usage of (biometric technology) and standards are more generally comfortably adopted, you're going to see a pretty rapid migration" to it, says Mark Cohn, Unisys vice president for homeland security solutions.
Cohn, a principal architect of the Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT Exit system, which uses fingerprint technology to run background checks on visa applicants and verify their entry to and arrival from the United States, says Malaysia offers a preview of how the United States may change in the coming years.
Since 2001, the Malay government has issued a biometric "multipurpose card" to Malaysians 12 years and older. The card, which features a thumbprint and photograph, acts as a passport, driver's license, ATM card, toll and parking pass, and medical record that lists blood type and any allergies.
The card is convenient to use -- but it's a nightmare for Malaysians who lose it or have it stolen. Crime syndicates in Malaysia have altered cards with different photographs and used them to give members new identities, though the Malay government insists these identity thieves can't access the original cardholders' personal information. Special chip technology and other password features prevent this, they say. Also, the cardholder's fingerprint -- rather than being visible on the card -- is encrypted in the card itself: To reveal the fingerprint, the card must be inserted into a special biometric device that compares the encrypted print with that of the person claiming to be the cardholder.
For anyone who has read Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," where "telescreens" keep track of people's lives, this new biometric technology will seem like fiction come to life. It's showing up everywhere. By the end of this year, U.S. passport agencies hope to issue "electronic passports" with computer chips that have digital photos of the holders. With the help of face-recognition machines, airport security can compare a photo with the face of the passport holder. For two years, an American corporation, VeriChip, has sold government-approved electronic chips that are inserted under people's skin to give doctors instant access to patients' medical histories.
In 2008, as mandated by the Real ID Act, states plan to issue driver's licenses linked to a database that includes each license holder's photo and Social Security number. These licenses (civil liberties groups call them national identity cards) will likely include a biometric photo of the driver accessible by authorities.
In the meantime, banks are considering using iris scans and even palm scans at ATMs in an effort to cut down on fraud. (In 1999, Bank United in Texas adopted iris-scan technology at three of its ATMs in a test that was discontinued when Washington Mutual took over the bank.)
Some people love the new technology. Others shun it.
Pay By Touch admits it has encountered some resistance among shoppers it approached in supermarkets that already use the company's fingerprint service. But Morris, its president, says many of these customers are quickly won over by the convenience of Pay By Touch, which is free for consumers, and that the company keeps data points based on users' fingerprints, not actual fingerprints. So far, supermarkets in 40 states use the Pay By Touch system.
Pay By Touch, which is based in San Francisco, wouldn't say which Bay Area supermarket chain will start using its fingerprint system in the next four months -- only that the chain will use the system in just a handful of its Bay Area stores. Pay By Touch users sign up voluntarily and are under no obligation to use it at the checkout line.
Pay By Touch says it takes great care to safeguard its users' data. After fingerprints are converted into algorithms, they're encrypted, then stored in IBM computers. Those algorithms can't be reconverted into an exact copy of the fingerprint, though Pay By Touch may eventually store users' actual fingerprints if the technology improves, Morris says. The company insists it will never sell users' personal information or fingerprints to anyone else -- a pledge that's backed up in writing when users sign up with the company. But what if federal authorities, citing national security, insist on the finger scan and payment history of a Pay By Touch user?
Pam Dixon, who heads the World Privacy Forum, a public research group, went to Chicago to warn potential Pay By Touch users about possible dangers.
"It didn't stick," she says. "People were (more) concerned with (convenience than) the potential risks. People can put their thumb on a pad and be done with it. But meanwhile, their biometric data is sitting with another company, a third party, that's subject to subpoena. One argument that I made: Let's say that every supermarket in the country, particularly the large chains, (use) a biometric payment system. It's a law enforcement dream because who needs a biometric database run by the U.S. government when you've got one being run by private companies?"
Citing the recent disclosure by the Veterans Administration, which said a computer with credit information on millions of veterans had been stolen, Dixon says, "The second issue is information security. If the VA can't keep its records secure, which is a government agency that has all sorts of strict controls that are supposed to be in place, how on Earth can a private company without the resources of something like the VA manage to keep something secure? When we have a credit card stolen, we can call the credit card company and say, 'Give me a new number.' But you can't do that with your biometric. You can't say, 'Give me a new fingerprint.' "
Morris dismisses such concerns, saying that Pay By Touch will actually decrease the likelihood that consumers' credit information is stolen or misappropriated. "I think (Pay By Touch users) get pretty rapidly that it's the ultimate way to secure their private data," he says. "It connects (their accounts) to something that's uniquely them, as opposed to handing a credit card over to a stranger or writing a personal check that seven or eight humans touch before it gets in their statement. Securing information by a biometric is a giant leap forward. (Users) like that they don't have to pull their card out anymore. They (tell us they) like that they don't have to carry their (purses or wallets) through the parking lot of an urban supermarket. There's a physical security benefit. Their numbers are never displayed. The safety of securing their data is the No. 1 thing they like."
The marketplace will determine whether the public is ready to accept commercial fingerprint identification. Investors in Pay By Touch believe that day is here, capitalizing the company with $190 million in the past 12 months. More than 2.5 million shoppers already use the Pay By Touch system. Morris envisions a day when all stores -- even mom-and-pop ones -- offer a Pay By Touch option.
Soon, customers will be able to use Pay By Touch from home with the help of fingerprint readers attached to their computers. In ancient China, rulers would put their fingerprints on documents to give them an official seal. Artists would also mark their work with prints. It wasn't until the late 1800s that authorities realized they could use fingerprints to catch criminals. Their evolution as a way to pay for groceries is a 21st century twist fueled by technology. It's also a trade-off between privacy and convenience. Welcome to the brave new world in Aisle 5.
In a recession, tech gadgets become a luxury
3/3/2009CNN -- Matthew Baron is one of those gizmo guys, the kind who covets all toys new and shiny.
The slumping economy has more consumers holding on to older gadgets while holding off on shiny new purchases.
But the Brooklyn, New York, attorney, like so many other American consumers who are watching their bank account balances, is reassessing his gadget habit.
"If I'm going to buy something, I want it to count. I want it to last," said Baron, who incidentally goes by "OMG! Ponies!" when he posts comments on Gizmodo, a popular tech and gadget blog.
So, even though he'd like to upgrade his 4½ -year-old HDTV, this cowboy's holding back the reins. And while the latest iPhone was a "must have" for Baron, he said he's "waiting to pull the trigger" on that camera he's been circling. "I just can't go out and spend $400 right now."
Ignoring what you want. Recycling the old. Fixing what can be saved. Is this the new American way when it comes to tech toys and electronics -- an industry in which new gadgets can become outdated within months?
Many consumers are hoping to make products last longer, which is keeping businesses that repair and refurbish computers and other gadgets and electronics as busy as ever.
Don't Miss
"The percent of our business devoted to repair is definitely increasing," said Paula Baldwin, the mistress of propaganda (yes, that is her title) for Geek Squad, a consumer-electronics services company. People are seeking help "to either repair that gear or add to its functionality and what it [the product] does for them."
Scott Steinberg, publisher of DigitalTrends.com, said that function, in fact, "is the new fad."
People may need their cell phones and computers to work so they can simply get by, but they don't necessarily need the highest resolution screens, the sleekest designs and all the technological bells and whistles.
"Shiny is great, but shiny doesn't necessarily let you send that e-mail or send that text message," Steinberg said. "At the end of the day, as long as the gadget functions properly, does it have to be wrapped in white gold?"
But to hear it from Shawn DuBravac, an economist for the Consumer Electronics Association, which represents 2,200 technology companies, we're staying more true to our old selves than you might think.
"During other recessions, we could live without these technologies," he said. "Whether you're male or female, 18 or 81, chances are you'll buy a technology product this year."
People are more inclined to scrimp elsewhere -- tape a bumper to a car, for example -- than they are to go without a new cell phone, he suggested. In fact, the proportion of dollars spent on electronics versus other "durable goods," such as cars, has never been higher, he said, referencing Department of Commerce statistics.
To illustrate how strong the market remains, DuBravac pointed to the popularity of new televisions in 2008, saying that sales for LCD TVs were up 41 percent and digital TV sales, overall, were up 24 percent over the previous year.
"What he's telling you is right, but it's only half the story," said Wilson Rothman, feature editor at Gizmodo, the site "OMG! Ponies!" frequents.
While people are buying, they're paying much less, Rothman said. The Seattle, Washington, journalist believes the TV industry "kind of burned itself out" with its rock-bottom prices at the end of 2008.
"What ended up happening is after most people who wanted a TV bought a TV, the market vanished," leading to layoffs, slashed budgets and to Pioneer -- which he said currently has "the best TV on the market" -- getting out of the business.
"But the good news is everyone has an HDTV now," he added with a laugh.
Just as companies "bend over backwards to get people to buy," Rothman said the next best things are being held up in production because people can't pay for them. The OLED screens for phones and cameras, for example, aren't rolling in the way folks expected.
"Kodak sent me an OLED photo frame," Rothman said. "A thousand dollars! I sent it right back and said, 'I'm not going to review it. If I did, I'd only spend 800 words making fun of you.' "
Not only do people want to pay less, they also want more free.
Gizmodo is seeing increased traffic for its Dealzmodo link, where visitors can find discounted games, computers, movies and more. Same for its Hobomodo link, which offers freebies -- including everything from software to teeth-whitening products and tacos.
Nice-looking teeth and food handouts may not make up for out-of-reach tech gadgets, but Rothman, who said his site's audience is made up of "college kids and nerds of all ages," is learning that such things also can't hurt.
"The only agenda we have is we love gadgets," he said, "But we're also sympathetic to consumers."
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/02/recession.tech.gadgets/index.html
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THE LAST DAYS OF PRIVACY
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ASC process systems
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recover-repair-recycle
23/2/2009Benefit from Huntron's 30 years of providing quality Diagnostic Tools for PCA Recovery With today's valid concerns for protection of our environment, the recovery, repair and recycling of printed circuit assemblies (PCAs) is a positive move towards sustainable environmental-friendly practices.Huntron has been helping businesses troubleshoot and repair printed circuit assemblies for over 30 years. Repairing rather than discarding failed PCAs keeps the potentially harmful chemical components such as lead out of our world's landfills and disposal sites.Below is a list of Huntron products to help you recover, repair and recycle PCAs:• Huntron Tracker 2800 • Huntron Tracker Model 30 • Huntron TrackerPXI • NFSA RF Prober New Version of Huntron Workstation Available!A new version of Huntron Workstation is now available for download. Go to the Workstation Support web page to download version 4.1.3273! Update December 22, 2008.New Automated Near Field Signature Analysis Combining the Huntron Access Robotic Probing Station, Huntron Workstation Software and the new Test Evolution (TEV) Non-Contact RF Near Field Probe with local synthetic measurement technology sets the standard for Near Field Signature Analysis (NFSA).Placing the sensor, receiver and signal processing in one compact RF Probe assembly allows the sensing of EM fields emanating from RF circuitry. A specific position in a Near Field is defined as a Virtual Test Point™ (VTP) where a NFSA measurement is made. Identical circuits emanate nearly identical fields at the VTP. The combination of Huntron Prober and TEV RF Probe allows accurate positioning and measurement of VTPs. This provides the repeatability to measure VTP's from 200MHZ to 3GHZ on RF assemblies. When used for test, an engineer examines the UUT schematic with an eye toward following the RF signal path. Using Huntron Workstation Software, points along that path are selected for Virtual Test Points (VTP). A set of known good boards are then scanned making and saving Near Field signatures at the VTP's. Unknown UUT's are scanned with the same VTP's against the saved signatures. Any deviation against stored signatures indicates areas of concern.Near Field Signature Analysis (NFSA) is close proximity sensing of EM fields emanating from RF circuitry. Near Fields are close to active circuits with the strength dependent on power and circuit design. AC circuits radiate a unique frequency and magnitude “signature” being a function of frequency of operation, magnitude, distance to the test probe and geometric location of the probe.The RF NFSA Prober will be available from Huntron to USA customers only in early 2009. Contact Huntron for more details on Near Field Signature Analysis.Download the latest NFSA RF Prober brochure now!Huntron Access USB Probers The NEW Huntron Access USB Probers are the latest versions of the popular robotic probers used to automate testing of complex printed circuit boards. The Access USB Probers come in two sizes - the Access USB Prober can handle PCBs up to 19.4” by 14” and the larger Access 2 USB Prober can hold PCBs up to 22” by 23” in size. The new Probers come with a USB Probe Tip camera to monitor the probe placement as the test progresses. Both Probers uses linear encoders for incredible 20 micron accuracy. The new Access USB Probers can also be ordered with the Tracker Model 30 embedded inside the chassis for a space saving, all-in-one platform.Download the latest Diagnostic Systems brochure now!Huntron's flexible, automated diagnostic solutions help people solve circuit card problems.Huntron was founded in 1976 with the introduction of the Huntron Tracker®, the pioneering troubleshooting tool that uses power-off signature analysis to identify component failures on printed circuit boards.Today, Huntron's reputation in providing automated power-off diagnostics results in instrumentation and software for test, inspection and repair of electronic printed circuit assemblies. As density and complexity increase, printed circuit assemblies become tougher to probe and test. Huntrom complements conventional test equipment with access and test tools that catch the elusive problems other test methods often miss. The keys are physical and virtual access, which translates into meaningful results such as shorther design cycles, improved production yield and lower warranty costs. When you need to test, diagnose or troubleshoot complex circuit boards, Huntron lets you access, explore and discover more.Contact us for more information on how we can help solve your test and troubleshooting needs
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High Flow Range Mass Coriolis Flow Meter
23/2/2009
Ideal for the measurement of flow, density and temperature of liquids and slurries, such as aggressive or contaminated, sanitary or particle-filled fluids.
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TRACERCO Diagnostics
21/2/2009
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Powered by a 100MHz DSP platform using FPGA technology
15/2/2009We are a manufacturer of industrial ultrasonic testing equipment most commonly used in the petrochemical, aerospace, automotive, and other generally related industries. The pages that follow will provide you with general information regarding our products. If you have any questions, need technical support, or have a request for custom items, please contact us at your leisure using the information provided on this site.
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It is Easy Being Green
31/1/2009
5 low-cost things you can do to go greener at home
When that certain lovable Muppet Kermit the Frog sang “It isn’t Easy Being Green” so long ago, chances are pretty good that he wasn’t referring to how easy it is to help the environment.
Helping the world go greener can begin with you. Anything from purchasing the right appliances to changing out a light bulb can make a huge difference to both the world around you and even your pocketbook in the long run.
1. Reaching for the “stars”
What is already in place in your home that could be a drain on energy? Is it that old refrigerator in the garage? Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one older appliance (such as your trusty old fridge) can cost you as much as $150 more per year than an energy-efficient model?
What is already in place in your home that could be a drain on energy? Is it that old refrigerator in the garage? Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that one older appliance (such as your trusty old fridge) can cost you as much as $150 more per year than an energy-efficient model?
Here’s a sobering thought — if just 10 homeowners replaced their older appliances with EnergyStar®-qualified ones, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees. Plan a budget to slowly replace all your “energy hog” appliances with new energy saving models and you’ll thank yourself later on.
2. How hot is hot and how cold is cold?
Turning down the thermostat in cold weather and inching it up during the warm months can save as much as 3-5 percent for each degree adjustment. In fact, as much as 60 percent of your energy bill may be heating and cooling related. Programmable thermostats can make the most prudent adjustments automatically during any 24-hour period but are grossly underused, according to Ron McClure. of the Pleasant Hill, Calif.-based California Home Energy & Comfort Solutions, a company that sends inspectors to perform energy “audits” for homeowners or buyers.
Turning down the thermostat in cold weather and inching it up during the warm months can save as much as 3-5 percent for each degree adjustment. In fact, as much as 60 percent of your energy bill may be heating and cooling related. Programmable thermostats can make the most prudent adjustments automatically during any 24-hour period but are grossly underused, according to Ron McClure. of the Pleasant Hill, Calif.-based California Home Energy & Comfort Solutions, a company that sends inspectors to perform energy “audits” for homeowners or buyers.
“About six out of ten households already have programmable thermostats but don’t use the automatic (programmable) function on them,” says McClure, “The first thing they do on a cold morning is head to the thermostat to warm up the place and by the time they are comfortable they head out the door without another thought..” he relates. Even if you remember to shut your heat off before you leave the house, however, McClure goes on to say that it costs more to reheat your home than to maintain the temperature with a properly programmed thermostat.
Other low-cost energy saving tasks to look into:
- Get some new clothes for your hot water heater by placing an insulating jacket around it (usually costs under $20) and outfit your pipes for even less.
- HVAC (heating, ventilation and cooling) changes can contribute even more – something as simple as cleaning your furnace’s air filter monthly during heavy usage times can make a big difference.
- Shade your east and west facing windows to prevent the most brutal heat intrusion during summer months. And if your house doesn’t already possess dual-pane energy-efficient windows, why not start replacing those windows slowly, but start with those that receive the most intense sun exposure first?
- Saving heat generating activities such as dishwashers and cooking until the evening hours can help you ease up on cooling costs as well as your local energy grid.
- Using ceiling fans to move air on low speeds (even if TV reality remodeling shows think they’re not fashionable) can permit you to push the thermostat in either direction, providing more circulation of either cool or warm air.
3. Water, water everywhere but not a drop to waste
You may love the forceful flow of water at your faucets, toilets and showerheads, but did you know that installing aerators on them could cut your annual water consumption by more than half?
You may love the forceful flow of water at your faucets, toilets and showerheads, but did you know that installing aerators on them could cut your annual water consumption by more than half?
And then there is the commode... Toilets installed 15 years ago use more than twice the amount of water than the newer low-flow models. Even if you have older toilets, however, you can adjust your float valves to permit a lower water flow into the tank.
4. Going into the light
Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with the EnergyStar®-rated compact fluorescent variety all over the house can save you $100 per year, according to the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a voluntary partnership between leaders of the homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries. They calculate that if every family in the U.S. did this, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by one trillion pounds.
Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with the EnergyStar®-rated compact fluorescent variety all over the house can save you $100 per year, according to the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH), a voluntary partnership between leaders of the homebuilding, product manufacturing, insurance, and financial industries. They calculate that if every family in the U.S. did this, greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by one trillion pounds.
True — buying new bulbs does take an initial investment, but even a recent ad by Starbucks in The New York Times that said if every person who received the newspaper switched one light bulb to a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, it would be the equivalent of taking 89,000 cars off the road.
5. Filling in the gaps
Have you bothered to look around your attic space to see if all areas contain insulation? According to PATH, even a small area with limited or no insulation — or even insulation that has been damaged or compressed — can significantly decrease overall effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Energy says that adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost effective. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure the thickness of the insulation. If it is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic.
Have you bothered to look around your attic space to see if all areas contain insulation? According to PATH, even a small area with limited or no insulation — or even insulation that has been damaged or compressed — can significantly decrease overall effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Energy says that adding insulation to the attic is relatively easy and very cost effective. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure the thickness of the insulation. If it is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic.
An "energy audit" may cost you anywhere from $159 to $359, according to McClure, but PATH figures that you can recoup the cost of the inspection in about a year by implementing the recommendations the audits can provide. Try PATH for a list of inspectors in your area.
http://www.move.com/home-garden/home-maintenance/energy-efficiency/easy-being-green.aspx?gate=ibs_fran&source=a12556
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Super Bowl Ads: Get Out the 3D Glasses
30/1/2009
Yes, it's a historic moment for television, sports fans. Putting the III in Super Bowl XLIII, the very first commercial going into half time will also be the first 3D TV commercial in bowl history. It's a 90-second trailer for Dreamworks Animation's upcoming movie Monsters Versus Aliens. Viewers need a free pair of 3D glasses, which can be found at grocery and convenience stores nationwide. The stunt is a joint venture between Dreamworks and Pepsi, which is promoting its Sobe beverages in a follow-on 3D ad later in the broadcast. (See the best and worst Super Bowl commercials of 2008.)
"We worked longer on this than anyone in the history of the Super Bowl — four and a half years!" says Dreamworks' Jeffrey Katzenberg. (The four and a half years, by the way, is how long it took to make the whole movie, from which the trailer was cut.) "The last time someone has actually run more than a 60-second spot at the Super Bowl was when Nike did it in the mid-1990s. We wanted 90 seconds so we could take the time and try and tell a bit of a story."
The pugnacious studio boss has been a tireless evangelist for 3D, which he believes is the next big thing for Hollywood. The way he sees it, cinematic storytelling has undergone two sweeping technological changes thus far: the advent of talkies was the first, followed by the transition from black and white to color. He and other Hollywood luminaries, including James Cameron (who's currently making Avatar, a live-action 3D movie) believe that 3D, when done properly, isn't a zany retro gimmick but instead a narrative tool to pull movie watchers even deeper into the film. Just like sound and color. (See the top 10 TV ads of 2008.)
A lot is riding on the success of Monsters, which is why Dreamworks is ponying up for the marketing blitz. Nearly five years ago, Katzenberg decided to put his money where his vision is, and, starting with Monsters, committed to making all of his company's animations in 3D from the outset. While Disney's Pixar and others have also produced 3D animations over the years, the special effect is typically added in post-production. Dreamworks built its own 3D authoring software and hardware, and, along with Intel and HP, built a server farm that fills a room, floor to ceiling, the size of a small banquet hall. Among other tools, movie-makers there jerry-rigged a video camera that allows the director to peer through it while moving, and navigate through a virtual scene in real time. That helps him block scenes and understand how to use the "Z" access that adds the third dimension to film.
When Monsters is released in late March, it will be shown in nearly 1500 movie theaters that have been retrofitted with a device that fits over a digital movie projector, converting it to 3D. Moviegoers will get disposable Polaroid glasses that look like sunglasses, making the 3D effect far more engaging than the old-fashioned red-cyan "anaglyph" cardboard glasses of the 1950s and '60s. That said, the Super Bowl commercial (as well as Monday night's episode of the NBC sitcom, Chuck) is designed for TV broadcast and requires a setup that's similar to anaglyph, a newer, higher-quality version called ColorCode. "It doesn't bleed colors out the way the old anaglyph glasses did," says Katzenberg. "But consider this a warm-up for the movie theater experience, which, honestly, is 100 times higher quality than you could see on TV. This is like a Razor scooter compared to the Ferrari experience of seeing it in a theater."
Katzenberg said that Super Bowl viewers could still enjoy the commercials without the glasses: "If you don't wear 3D glasses and you have three beers, it'll look like everything else you're looking at."
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1875943,00.html?cnn=yes
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