03.23.09
Space Shuttle and Liftoff Preparing
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A space shuttle which referred to Space Transportation System is a spacecraft used in the United States for spaceflight missions. The shuttle has 3 parts. The two solid rocket boosters, the external fuel tank, and the orbiter which is a plane but it’s a shuttle. The shuttle comes in a variety of names which are Discovery, Endeavour, Atlantis, Columbia, and Challenger.
The two solid rocket boosters provide 83% of thrust are needed to liftoff. For high temperatures in re-entry, the space shuttle is made of Silica Ceramic Tiles, which can withstand temperatures as high as 3000°F (1650°C) while maintaining the vehicle’s structure at no more than 350°F (177°C).
One of the world’s largest buildings by volume, the VAB covers eight acres. It is 525 feet tall, 716 feet long and 518 feet wide. It is divided by a transfer aisle running north and south that connects and transects four high bays. Facing east toward the launch pads are bays 1 and 3, used for the vertical assembly of Space Shuttle vehicles. On the west side of the VAB are Bays 2 and 4, used for flight hardware and orbiter storage.
The shuttle sits on a launch pad or moves from pad to pad when needed. There are two pads the shuttle goes on. It doesn’t matter which pad the shuttle goes on. I think it normally goes on 39A. After a shuttle lands, the crew will bring it to the VAB which stands for Vehicle Assembly Building. First, the crew waits for the external tank to come out of a tunnel. It is like a building, but it’s a tunnel which is used to bring out the external fuel tank.
A moment later, the external tank comes out and heads for the VAB to get ready for a new launch. Once it’s inside the VAB, they begin by tilting tank up. It takes about 10-20 mins for the action to be done; at least that’s how I know because I watched a video of the action on youtube.
Meanwhile, the External Tank is up and is being lifted by a different crane. It’s going to be attached to the boosters. There are two rows of machinery which hold the SRB and the EFT. A crane carries the shuttle upward to be attached to the external tank and the boosters. Once it’s attached, the crew makes sure that everything is in properly. Then it’s time for the rollout to the pad. This process takes precisely 6 hours. The crawler will travel slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process for preparing a new launch in the VAB takes longer than six hours; it takes 3 to 6 months to regenerate a new shuttle. There is a weird thing that happens to the external tank when its getting ready to launch. It tilts from side to side a little bit. That is weird. There is a video of that on youtube. I was trying to find it so I can describe it to you.
There are two crawler-transporters available at the KSC. Once it’s ready to launch, there are six pre-launch events that happen before blasting off. Here is the following: RCAA (Retract Crew Access Arm), APU (Auxiliary Power Unit), GOX (GOX Vent Arm), SWS (Sound Water Suppression), Main Engine Start, and LIFTOFF!
03.13.09
Grass
Grass is the common word that generally describes monocotyledonous green plants. The family Poaceae (or Gramineae) are the “true grasses” and include most plants grown as grains, for pasture, and for lawns (turf). They include some more specialised crops such as lemongrass, as well as many ornamental plants. They also include plants often recognized to be grasses, such as bamboos, maize or some species of weeds called crab grass.
Grass-like plants are among the most versatile life forms. Plants having grass-like structures have existed for millions of years, providing fodder for Cretaceous dinosaurs, whose fossilized dung (coprolite) contains phytoliths of a variety of grasses that include the ancestors of rice and bamboo.[1] Grasses have adapted to conditions in lush rain forests, dry deserts, and cold mountain steppes, and are now the most widespread plant type.
Plants of this type were always important to humans. They were cultivated as food for domesticated animals for up to 10,000 years. (See grass fed beef.) They have been used for paper-making since at least 2400 BC. Now they provide the majority of food crops, and have many other uses, such as feeding animals, and for lawns. There are many minor uses, and grasses are familiar to most human cultures.
Many types of animals eat grass as their main source of food. These animals are usually called “herbivores“, although certain herbivores are more inclined to eat leafy plants, and some omnivorous or even primarily carnivorous animals have been observed eating grass on occasion. Some of the most familiar grass eaters include cows, sheep, horses and rabbits.
Grass is also used in several contexts in sports, most notably with sports played on fields such as football, American football, cricket, baseball, and rugby. In some sports facilities, including indoor domes and places where maintenance of a grass field would be difficult, grass may be replaced with artificial turf, a synthetic grass-like substitute. Sports such as cricket, golf and tennis are particularly dependent on the quality of the grass on which the sport is played.
A cricket pitch often starts with a thin cover of green blades, but over the course of a five-day match tends to dry out and harden. Even in one-day matches cricket pitches are often nearly bare earth covered only by a layer of dry yellow stalks. A green or moist pitch favours the bowler, as it varies the bounce of the ball and increases its movement. A hard, dry pitch gives a more predictable, higher bounce which favours the batsman, at least initially. However, as the pitch dries out over a long match, it becomes somewhat better for fast bowlers, who benefit from unpredictable bounces caused by cracks that develop, and is especially favourable for spin bowlers, who can gain more deviation than normal with their deliveries because of the increased traction available on a dusty pitch. The nature of the outfield is also important, as grass may slow down a ball, causing it to stop before reaching a boundary or allowing a fielder more time to gather the ball. Laws 10 and 11 of cricket detail maintenance and protection of the pitch. Unlike test cricket, One Day International and indoor cricket which is played on an artificial surface.
In tennis, grass is grown on very hard-packed soil, and bounces may vary depending on the grass’s health, how recently it has been mowed, and the wear and tear of recent play. The most famous grass tennis court in the world is Centre Court at Wimbledon. But tennis is usually played on clay courts, and only a few regular tennis tournaments are played on grass. The surface is softer than hard courts, so the ball bounces lower, and players must reach the ball faster. Grass courts are now rare as they must be watered and mowed often, and take longer to dry after rain than hard courts.
Golf, on the other hand, is usually played on grass, and is dependent on the maintenance of a very large area of well-cut grass. Grass on golf courses is kept in three distinct conditions: that of the rough, the fairway, and the putting green. Grass on the fairway is short and even, allowing the player to cleanly strike the ball. Playing from the rough is a disadvantage because the grass is generally much longer, which may affect the flight of the ball. Grass on the putting green is the shortest and most even, ideally allowing the ball to slide smoothly over the surface. An entire industry revolves around the development and marketing of grasses for golf courses.
animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn (or made with computers to look similar to something hand-drawn) film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot (even if it is a very short one). This is distinct from the term “animation” or “animated film”, as not all follow the definition.
Early examples of attempts to capture the phenomenon of motion into a still drawing can be found in paleolithic cave paintings, where animals are depicted with multiple legs in superimposed positions, clearly attempting to convey the perception of motion.
The phenakistoscope, zoetrope and praxinoscope, as well as the common flip book, were early animation devices to produce movement from sequential drawings using technological means, but animation did not really develop much further until the advent of motion picture film.
The first animated cartoon (in the traditional sense, i.e. on film) was “Fantasmagorie” by the French director Émile Cohl. Released in 1908.
One of the very first successful animated cartoons was “Gertie the Dinosaur” by Winsor McCay. It is considered the first example of true character animation.
In the 1930s to 1960s, theatrical cartoons were produced in huge numbers, and usually shown before a feature film in a movie theater. MGM, Disney, Paramount and Warner Brothers were the largest studios producing these 5 to 10-minute “shorts”.Competition from television drew audiences away from movie theaters in the late 1950s, and the theatrical cartoon began its decline. Today, animated cartoons are produced mostly for television.
The advent of film technology opened opportunities to develop the art of animation. The basic animation process is described in the article Animation, and the classic, hand-drawn technology in Traditional animation.
At first, animated cartoons were black-and-white and silent. Felix the cat is a notable example.
The first cartoon with synchronized sound is often identified as Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie, starring Mickey Mouse in 1928, but Max Fleischer’s 1926 My Old Kentucky Home is less popularly but more correctly credited with this innovation. Fleischer also patented rotoscoping, whereby animation could be traced from a live action film.
With the advent of sound film, musical themes were often used. Animated characters usually performed the action in “loops”, i.e., drawings were repeated over and over, synchronized with the music. The music used is often original, but musical quotation is often employed.
Disney also produced the first full-color cartoon in Technicolor, “Flowers and Trees“, in 1931, although other producers had earlier made films using inferior, 2-color processes instead of the 3-color process offered by Technicolor.
Later, other movie technologies were adapted for use in animation, such as multiplane cameras, stereophonic sound in Disney’s Fantasia in 1941, and later, widescreen processes (e.g. CinemaScope), and even 3D.
Today, animation is commonly produced with computers, giving the animator new tools not available in hand-drawn traditional animation. See Computer animation for further information of the specific technologies. However, many types of animation cannot be called “cartoons”, which implies something that resembles drawings. Most forms of 3D computer animation, as well as clay animation and other forms of stop motion filming, are not cartoons in the strict sense of the word.
An animated cartoon created using Adobe Flash is sometimes called a webtoon.
American television animation of the 1950s featured quite limited animation styles, highlighted by the work of Jay Ward on Crusader Rabbit. Chuck Jones coined the term “illustrated radio” to refer to the shoddy style of most television cartoons that depended more on their soundtracks than visuals. Other notable 1950s programs include UPA’s Gerald McBoing Boing, Hanna-Barbera’s Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw, and rebroadcast of many classic theatrical cartoons from Warner Brothers, MGM, and Disney
Hanna-Barbera’s show, The Flintstones was the first successful primetime animated series in the United States, running from 1960-66 (and in reruns since). While many networks followed the show’s success by scheduling other primetime cartoons in the early 1960s, including The Jetsons, Top Cat, and The Alvin Show, none of these programs survived more than a year in primetime. However, networks found success by running these failed shows as Saturday morning cartoons, reaching smaller audiences with more demographic unity among children. Television animation for children flourished on Saturday morning, on cable channels like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, and in syndicated afternoon timeslots.
Primetime cartoons were virtually non-existent until 1990s hit The Simpsons ushered in a new era of adult animation. Now, “adult animation” programs, such as Aeon Flux, South Park, Family Guy, and Futurama are a large part of television.
03.11.09
Filmaking
Filmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story idea or commission through scriptwriting, shooting, editing and finally distribution to an audience. Typically it involves a large number of people and can take anywhere between a few months to several years to complete. Filmmaking takes place all over the world in a huge range of economic, social and political contexts, using a variety of technologies and techniques.
This is the stage where an idea is fleshed out into a viable script. The producer of the movie will find a story, which may come from books, plays, other films, true stories, original ideas, etc. Once the theme, or underlying message, has been identified, a synopsis will be prepared. This is followed by a step outline, which breaks the story down into one-paragraph scenes, concentrating on the dramatic structure. Next, a treatment is prepared. This is a 25 to 30 page description of the story, its mood and characters, with little dialog and stage direction, often containing drawings to help visualize the key points.
The screenplay is then written over a period of several months, and may be rewritten several times to improve the dramatization, clarity, structure, characters, dialogue, and overall style. However, producers often skip the previous steps and develop submitted screenplays which are assessed through a process called script coverage. A film distributor should be contacted at an early stage to assess the likely market and potential financial success of the film. Hollywood distributors will adopt a hard-headed business approach and consider factors such as the film genre, the target audience, the historical success of similar films, the actors who might appear in the film and the potential directors of the film. All these factors imply a certain appeal of the film to a possible audience and hence the number of “bums on seats” during the theatrical release. Not all films make a profit from the theatrical release alone, therefore DVD sales and worldwide distribution rights need to be taken into account.
The movie pitch, or treatment, is then prepared and presented to potential financiers. If the pitch is successful and the movie is given the “green light“, then financial backing is offered, typically from a major film studio, film council or independent investors. A deal is negotiated and contracts are signed.
In pre-production, the movie is designed and planned. The production company is created and a production office established. The production is storyboarded and visualized with the help of illustrators and concept artists. A production budget will also be drawn up to cost the film.
The producer will hire a crew. The nature of the film, and the budget, determine the size and type of crew used during filmmaking. Many Hollywood blockbusters employ a cast and crew of hundreds while a low-budget, independent film may be made by a skeleton crew of eight or nine (or less). Typical crew positions include:
- The director is primarily responsible for the acting in the movie and managing the creative elements.
- The assistant director (AD) manages the shooting schedule and logistics of the production, among other tasks. First AD and second AD are different jobs with different responsibilities.
- The casting director finds actors for the parts in the script. This normally requires an audition by the actor. Lead actors are carefully chosen and are often based on the actor’s reputation or “star power.”
- The location manager finds and manages the film locations. Most pictures are shot in the predictable environment of a studio sound stage but occasionally outdoor sequences will call for filming on location.
- The production manager manages the production budget and production schedule. He or she also reports on behalf of the production office to the studio executives or financiers of the film.
- The director of photography (DP or DOP) or cinematographer creates the photography of the film. He or she cooperates with the director, director of audiography (DOA) and AD.
- The production designer creates the look and feel of the production sets and props, working with the art director to create these elements.
- The art director manages the art department, which makes production sets
- The costume designer creates the clothing for the characters in the film working closely with the actors, as well as other departments.
- The make up and hair designer works closely with the costume designer in addition to create a certain look for a character.
- The storyboard artist creates visual images to help the director and production designer communicate their ideas to the production team.
- The production sound mixer is the head of the sound department during the production stage of a film. He or she records and mixes the audio (dialogue and occasional effects) on the set. He or she works with the director, DOP, and 1st AD.
- The sound designer creates new sounds and enhances the aural feel of the film with the help of foley artists.
- The composer creates new music for the film.
- The choreographer creates and coordinates the movement and dance – typically for musicals. Some films also credit a fight choreographer.
03.09.09
what is a cord
A power cord, line cord, or mains cable is a cord or cable that temporarily connects an electrical appliance to the distribution circuits of an electrical power source via a wall socket or extension cord.
The terms are generally used for cables using a power plug to connect to a single-phase alternating current power source at the local line voltage—generally 100 to 240 volts, depending on the location). The terms power cable, mains lead or flex are also used. A lamp cord is a light weight ungrounded two wire cord used for small loads such as a table or floor lamp. The term cord set is also used to distinguish those cords that include connectors molded to the cord at each end.
Power cables may be either fixed or detachable from the appliance. In the case of detachable leads, the appliance end of the power cord has a socket (female connector) rather than a plug (male connector) to link it to the appliance, to avoid the dangers from having a live protruding pin. Cords may also have twist-locking features, or other attachments to prevent accidental disconnection at one or both ends. A cord set may include accessories such as fuses for overcurrent protection, a pilot lamp to indicate voltage is present, or a leakage current detector. Power cords for sensitive instruments, or audio/video equipment may also include a shield over the power conductors to minimize electromagnetic interference.
Common types of detachable power cable have appliance-side connectors such as the IEC 60320 C13 sometimes colloquially known as an IEC connector, “kettle lead”, “jug plug” or “IBM plug” (commonly used for higher current appliances where an earth or ground connection is required) and IEC 60320 C7 commonly used for low-current applications such as an power supply inlet for use with a laptop computer. The IEC C7 is also known as a “figure-of-eight lead” (connecting by two small round pins, with round insulating bushings; the connector has a figure-of-eight cross section). The polarised IEC 60320 C5 connector is now commonly used on the AC side of laptop computer power supplies. The IEC C5 is commonly known as “cloverleaf plug” or “Mickey Mouse plug” because of the shape of its cross section.
IEC power cables come in high-temperature and low-temperature variants, as well as various current capacities. The connectors have slightly different shapes to ensure that it is not possible to substitute a cable with a lower temperature or current rating, but that it is possible to use an over-rated cable. Cords also have different types of exterior jackets available to accommodate environmental variables such as moisture, temperature, oils, sunlight, flexibility, and heavy wear. For example, a heating appliance may come with a cord designed to withstand accidental contact with heated surfaces.
World-wide, more than a dozen different types of connectors are used for fixed building wiring. Products sold in many different markets can use a standardized IEC connector and then use a detachable power cord to match the local electrical outlets. This simplifies safety approvals, factory testing, and production since the power cord is a low-cost item available as a commodity. Note that the same types of appliance-side connectors are used with both 110 V and 230 V power cables, so care must be used when moving appliances between countries with different voltage standards — substituting a power cord that matches local power outlets will result in an incorrect voltage being applied to the appliance or equipment. Some devices have a slide-switch to adapt to different voltages, or wide-ranging power supplies. Unless explicitly labelled as capable of handling local voltages, this is very likely to damage or destroy the appliance.
Cord sets must be distinguished from plug-in wall mounted power supplies, where the connector also contains a transformer, and possibly rectifiers, filters and regulators. Unwary substitution of a standard mains-voltage connector for the power supply would result in application of full line voltage to the connected device, resulting in its destruction and possible fire or personal injury.
03.05.09
Light Bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric light that works by incandescence, (a general term for heat-driven light emissions which includes the simple case of black body radiation). An electric current passes through a thin filament, heating it until it produces light. The enclosing glass bulb prevents the oxygen in air from reaching the hot filament, which otherwise would be destroyed rapidly by oxidation. Incandescent bulbs are also sometimes called electric lamps, a term also applied to the original arc lamps.
Incandescent bulbs are made in a wide range of sizes and voltages, from 1.5 volts to about 300 volts. They require no external regulating equipment and have a low manufacturing cost, and work well on either alternating current or direct current. As a result the incandescent lamp is widely used in household and commercial lighting, for portable lighting, such as table lamps, some car headlamps and electric flashlights, and for decorative and advertising lighting.
Some applications of the incandescent bulb make use of the heat generated, such as incubators, brooding boxes for poultry, heat lights for reptile tanks, infrared heating for industrial heating and drying processes, and the Easy-Bake Oven toy. In cold weather the heat shed by incandescent lamps contributes to building heating, but in hot climates lamp losses increase the energy used by air conditioning systems.
Incandescent light bulbs are gradually being replaced in many applications by (compact) fluorescent lamps, high-intensity discharge lamps, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and other devices, which give more visible light for the same amount of electrical energy input. Some jurisdictions, such as the European Union are in the process of banning the use of incandescent light bulbs in favor of more energy-efficient lighting.
03.04.09
Snow Day 3-1-09
Snow day was an awesome event for me and Stacey. In the morning hours, I took Daisy out front and when i was coming back from Althea, it starts SLEETING AHHHHHHHHH so I ran like the dickens. I felt it. After mom left maybe 15 mins later, snow was falling. I think it was like 39 degrees. So we were like YAAAY IT IS SNOWING! So we go upstairs and played N64 for a couple of hours. Later, we looked out my window and the ground was white as blankets. OHH and before it started snowing, mom thinks it was gonna melt, but she was wrong about that waaa waaaa wuuuuuuuuuh and even Dad was too cuz i was chatting with Mikey and theey were getting it and he was telling me that dad was saying it was gonna melt but then he said it ain’y meltin so mom and dad are both wrong. Double WAAA WAAA WUUUUHHHH! After all that me and stacey go out and we threw snowballs at each other and then took pictures and filmed. Before we went out, Lue was out there, even his family were playin as well so we waited until they went back inside so that was cleared so we went out and played in it.It was still falling. It was falling all day lolz! As the rest of the day passed and mom arrived home safely, the snow moves on. Wanna see the film of it in action? Then go to the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gTywK1thAo&feature=channel_page