text:
QCAD: 2D CAD
QCAD/CAM
Strumenti della riga di comando di QCAD
Il libro QCAD
Manuale di riferimento
QCAD Testimonials
Andrew Mustun	 Ultima modifica: 13 Gennaio 2021
Read what QCAD users are saying about QCAD.
"QCAD is really a fantastic tool, keep up the great work!"
- Vince -
"Since I got used to QCAD I don't want to go back to any other 2d cad software!"
- David -
"Thank you very much for this fantastic software, which is in no way behind other better known ones. In fact, I am drawing faster than in other programs, since its functions are more intuitive."
- Paulo -
"QCAD is so easy to use. Thanks"
- Dean -
"I really like the layering and block system, and am very impressed with how intuitive and easy QCAD is to use, eg. the tools modes and snap/placement is a joy to use."
- Phil -
"Congratulations on the program. I feel very good, very intuitive, and I can work very well with QCAD despite being self-taught."
- Diego -
"Loving QCAD can't wait for next release... it's a breeze to use compared to AutoCad
I never thought I would ever say this as I've used Acad for over 30 years [2d only]... fantastic work.."
- John -
"My thanks as well for providing a Cad Program that is very reasonably priced, so that a person like me could make it a hobby to learn some Cad Drafting"
- Nimal -
"As a school we have free access to all of the Autodesk products which is great, but I'd much rather use QCAD due to it's simplistic, streamlined interface and bloat-free installation. For the money I'm blown away at how good it is. I used LibreCAD several years ago and I had no idea what I was missing!"
- Ryan -
"I have to say that QCAD is a great example of how software should be - affordable, super functional, easy to use and reliable.
Keep up the great work!"
- Derek -
"Today I renewed my QCAD licence (for Linux, it's one of only two programs I paid for). I must say it's worth every penny :) Great SW, thanks for it."
- Pietro -
"Often you will see it said the such-and-so product is excellent, for the money. I've worked with QCAD-Pro in its non-trial version now for a couple of weeks and can say this software stands up to the best and is worth far more than its price."
- Bob -
"QCAD 2D professional is an awesome product for a great price! Never been happier spending 40 euros on a software product."
- Erwin -
"Just wanted to say this is a wonderful product for 2D drafting. The program has a very fair price, I get to own my copy of the software, the license is very good. Most of all, it has every 2D tool I needed with a few surprises and a scripting interface for making my own routines.
This is how software should be designed and sold.
I find this model far more honest and fair than other CAD vendors.
A job well done. Please, thank your programmers and staff for their work here."
"I am taking a 2 minute break from QCAD because I am inspired to say THANK YOU! I always saw QCAD as a free but limited alternative to the big name software. I bought my pro license almost a year ago because I was using QCAD more and more. Now I am hooked. QCAD is my go-to design software. The keyboard shortcuts are AMAZING! The tools are FANTASTIC! and useful new tools are always being released! The new overlays are great for what I am working on (digitizing old boat building plans) and I can't wait to use the new morph tool to automate airplane wing ribs.
I was actually enjoying QCAD soo much that I had to stop and let you know. THANK YOU for the excellent work!"
- TaoHawaii -
"I have been a LibreCad user, then moved to draftsight. As they discontinued their linux product, I decided to give a try to QCAD. And I feel like "fish in the water" :D. Is a flashback to many familiar and loved things used in LibreCAD, with many more features."
- Nacho -
"Previously an Autocad user, love this program! Bravo on a great product."
"Super program with best support"
- Kurt -
"This is the best, affordable, 2D drawing package I have come across. Excellent."
- Nick -
"GREAT PRODUCT!! I love QCAD."
- SK -
"Super impressed with QCAD... I have a lot to learn. But very happy I went this route... QCAD is awesome."
- Todd -
"I'm a Qcad user for many years and I'm very satisfied with this program. Its easy to learn and I use it daily."
- Dimitri -
"It seems like a very user friendly program. I'm glad that I purchased it."
"I am busy with my PhD in Industrial Archaeology and have used your program to draw a few dozen site plans very easily."
- Graham -
"I'd like to take a moment to thank you for a great program that fills an important niche in the hobbyist CAD world.
I have been looking for some time for a replacement for Draftsight. As a retired teacher and hobbyist who uses 2D drafting only 3 or 4 times a year, the $100 that Draftsight now charges was just not worth it. I've tried between eight and ten other 2D CAD applications and none served my purpose until QCAD. I was able to produce a workable materials cut sheet for a woodworking project the first time I attempted to use QCAD after I'd installed it.
Once again, thank you for a fine product!"
- Leonard -
"I'm not really a 'CAD person', but need to use/translate CAD files as part of my workflow occasionally, and QCAD seems to be, by far, the best solution I have come across. It feels more intuitive and simpler to use, yet powerful. Thank you!"
- Jason -
"Just a message to say that QCAD is absolutely brilliant. I don't have a need to do engineering drawings that often, but when I do, QCAD is there for me. The book is one of the best pieces of documentation I have."
- Nigel -
"Having just retire where I used to use AutoCAD and knowing I couldn't afford same for my own use I found QCAD. I have to say that with little self-tuition I am now producing work if not faster and easier than when using AutoCAD. There are a few niggles as there was with AC but the work around's are simple. After just a few minutes on the free version I purchased the program. Many thanks to the team for a job well done."
"For my engineering business QCAD is way better than the alternative by Autodesk, [...] I don't consider any other CAD programs now."
- Dale -
"QCAD has already pretty well weaned me off my previous CAD programmes. Impressive."
- Peter -
"This is a great product and I use it every day at my place of work. Nice One!!"
- Mark -
"I have been using QCAD Professional for a few years now, and I have been very happy indeed with the program, the service responses from RibbonSoft, and the regular release of software updates. QCAD is an excellent program, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who wanted to purchase a 2D-CAD program."
"Hey QCAD team, just a note to say thanks for a GREAT CAD platform for my Mac. Best money spent for a great package. Thanks again and keep up the great work."
- Ed -
"I really like this CAD app. Very very very very impressed."
- Paul -
"Thank you for all you work on such an easy to use CAD program, I have used it to design all my FPV quad frames and knew nothing about CAD software"
- JP -
"I am really enjoying using QCAD and am increasing in confidence every day. [...] My first proper CAD output in less than a weeks worth of learning. Beats so many other CAD programmes!"
- holmside -
"[...] I would also like to let you know how impressed I am with the QCAD software suite, particularly from the point of view of the developer! With all of the APIs available via JavaScript, it seems like a very flexible and developer-friendly product, which has really made it very easy for us to achieve our goal."
- Ian -
"I purchased QCAD Professional and the e-book yesterday. The software is great and I have become quite proficient in just a short period of time after having almost now experience with a CAD program."
- Jim -
"I bought a pro licence a few weeks ago and have found since then that QCAD does every thing I need. The user interface is really simple to use allowing me to produce DXF's quickly from the start. Many thanks"
- Garry -
"I've come to love this 'little' cad program for its easy/intuitive interface and for its maturity - and that it's available for Win & Linux. Thanks a lot!"
- Daniel -
"I am happy and satisfied because with your QCAD I hit the bull's eye. I used to work with AutoSketch 8.0. This no longer works on Windows 10. Switching succeeded quite easily. Congratulations and thank you for your product."
- Walter -
"By the way, I find QCAD super! It is a fantastic system. Super easy to use and perfect, fast results."
- Johannes -
"Well done. I tested many CAD programs in the last few month. QCAD is the best one for many reasons."
- Thomas -
"Just want to thank you for your efforts in creating the only open-source CAD complete enough to be professionally used."
- Андрей -
"I have used other cads like Auto cad and just used QCAD that too free version Wow What an intuitive software anticipating what you want to do and making drawing a pleasure and so easy."
- Govindarajan -
"Two days ago I downloaded your QCAD and I must tell you that it was a very good basic 2D CAD for the Mac platform. Cannot fault it and I am using the basic version. You must be congratulated for having designed such a good program full of features and precision. And free of charge. Wow, I can't believe it. Well done!"
- Al -
"I want to thank you and the QCAD team for a logical and practical CAD drawing program. The structure of the tools (and also the shortcuts) and the resulting operating speed is excellent and for a 2D program, in my opinion, unbeatable."
- Simon -
"In many respects, I'm finding that I like the way QCAD handles issues much better than AutoCAD. There are some very powerful commands within this program that are going to be fun to use.
Those of you who wrote and are working on updating the program, my congratulations on a job well done. The cost of the program and manual are pretty much insignificant compared to the value I'm getting for the program."
"This is a terrific cad prog so easy to use."
"I bought a copy of QCAD last week. After some days working with it, I am very happy. I think it is a very easy and useful CAD program, I like it. Thanks, a lot."
- Valentin -
"Love using the product, just finished building my new kitchen, all drawn up with QCAD, no bugs at all"
- Steve -
"I am very pleased indeed with QCAD Professional. I bought QCAD as a replacement for an old version of Auto Sketch (6.1) that I had been using for many years, and I am very glad that I did so. Thank you for producing some really excellent software."
"Having finally sat down with the intention of drawing properly, I have to say QCAD is a really, really, nice programme to use. An interface that has enough information, without 'turning user's off'. For a CAD programme, it's easy to use. I love it."
- Kelly -
"Just to let you know that the software works like a dream! Well concipiated and executed."
- EJ -
"At work I use QCAD 3 Pro version for all my laser cutting needs. QCAD boasts an impressive 2D toolset for drafting purposes and the modification toolset is an absolute must for me when it comes to 'cleaning up' student files for laser cutting.
I am able to create new drawings and Library items and save them so easily and the library browser tool is always there to insert my blocks in a 'snip'.
The intuitiveness of QCAD makes it so easy to use and to be honest I am so glad that I found QCAD a couple of years ago – I wouldn't be without it now!
The customer support is second to none and the resources available are just great.
If you are new to computer aided design in general and want a straight forward 'all round' fully functional CAD program, then QCAD Pro is for you and at such a reasonable price – it's a 'giveaway!
The QCAD book which is sold separately, is again at such a reasonable price and is a constant reference source for me and believe me I use it often."
- Clive Tubb, Department of Architecture, Cambridge University, UK -
"Your software is very conducive to pattern drafting and I really enjoy using the program. I think the interface is simple enough even for the novice, yet it has incredible power when you need it."
- Lori -
"Thanks for your help and your very nice product. I've been using it for almost 2 years as a professional and it changed the way we work."
- Bernard -
"I'd like to say that I'm very happy with QCad3 RC4, I'm using it on XUbuntu. The scripting facility is amazing :D and the support / information here in the forum and the responsiveness to bug reports at the bug tracker is very impressive! Thank you for your excellent work, keep at it!"
- Stefan -
"As a complete newcomer to CAD I am very impressed by the QCAD Pro and book package. The book is one of the best technical manuals I have read. Everything is explained in simple language and, most important of all, there is no ambiguity. The program is first class. It does everything I want and is simple to learn and use. From getting the software and book to designing large, complex items took me 4 weeks. The price is excellent. I couldn't afford to pay the 'normal' prices the big companies charge so buying QCAD was the way in for me. I don't use Microsoft either and it works perfectly on GNU/Linux. I recommend this totally. I'm trying the CAM package next. I am a highly satisfied customer."
- Keith -
"I love QCAD. It's powerful simplicity is amazing."
- Don -
"QCAD is the *BEST* CAD program I've ever used, bar none!"
- Dennis -
"A few weeks ago, we bought a license for the QCAD software. Just to try it out :-) It works splendidly! We are VERY pleased."
- Verner -
"Thanks for the excellent job on QCAD, I'm a furniture maker/designer and QCAD has been an excellent tool for my work - not too complicated, not too simple - just about right."
"I experience QCAD to be one of the nicest and fastest drawing packages I could find. With the constant improvements, it is better every time."
- Koos -
"I use it [QCAD] for all of my 'sketching' as a land surveyor, and all is so automatic to me now, that it is almost as fast as grabbing a pencil and scratch pad! And everything I 'sketch' is to scale as an added bonus. QCAD has become an extension of my thinking! I love it!"
- Lowell -
"Just a note to let you know that I downloaded and installed QCAD Professional and the associated parts library. Everything appears to work perfectly and I am delighted. It appears that I'll be able to do with this all that I did with a CAD program that cost a former associate more than USD $1,200 more than five years ago."
- Joel -
"I licensed QCAD in an attempt to quickly find an affordable and straightforward CAD program to create schematics for an urgent electrical project. I have been very impressed with its abilities, despite its apparent simplicity and relatively gentle learning curve. The ability to create pdf files (using the freeware driver) makes it simple to send drawings to customers. QCAD is also one of the most stable PC applications I have used! The only disappointment has been the libraries: I have not found the electrical symbols I needed, but perhaps I haven't spent enough time looking. Thanks for offering such GREAT VALUE."
"QCAD is great! I just bought the commercial version. I used the Debian package to design a new type of bed frame as a way of exploring CAD after many years using a drafting machine. I tried using other CAD programs to do the same job, but they weren't as intuitive and flexible as QCAD. I found QCAD to be an excellent CAD application, and I wanted to support your efforts, not to mention getting scripting capabilities too."
- Ruven -
"Thanks for an outstanding program - this fit my needs very nicely without being overly complex."
"I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate your product, and your commitment to the Open Source philosophy. I downloaded and compiled the source on my Fedora box a few weeks ago, and I just finished using it to redesign my kitchen. Also, I just purchased the Professional edition on your web site; it's the least I can do to support your efforts. I hope you'll continue to be a proponent of the Open Source movement, and I applaud your work."
- Per -
"After using QCAD for some weeks, my overall impression is that it's reaching it's goal being a simple drawing program usable for people with no special drawing skills like me. My employer has a site license for Autocad LT, but I still prefer using QCAD because of it's easy use ;)"
- Ton -
"I was very happy to find QCAD. You have done an outstanding job on the program. I have been trying to move my engineering company completely off Win 98 and onto Linux. CAD was a problem before QCAD. On Win98, I use TurboCad 3.0 (a Win95 issue). As you remarked, each version got more complex, slower, and more confusing. Your philosophy is correct; keep it simple."
"I just purchased QCAD and love it!"
- Mike -
"I'm amazed, finally a CAD software for 2D that makes sense and is fun to use. The user friendliness, the handling and the clarity when constructing is optimal. Someone really thought something when creating the user interface and designed it from the point of view of a user and his everyday life. In the respect of usability ACad and others could learn something from QCAD."
- Harald -
"I have to say that the 25 Euros were worthwhile. I've used QCAD since a couple of years already, but with QCAD 2.0, you succeeded in doing a 'quantum leap'."
- Detlev -
"I think QCAD is a very valuable piece of software and deserves a great future."
- Ulf -
"I am very pleased to at last see a GPL/free CAD app for the Mac. We have had to wait a very long time indeed. But the wait seems to be very much worth it with QCAD."
- Trevor -
"Thank you very much for QCAD, it is a very very nice program for quick sketches for our work shop and it is easy to learn."
- Markus -
"This is an awesome tool and a feather in Linux's cap!"
"I have never really used a CAD program before [..] QCAD is really easy to use and seems to do a great job."
- Herb -
"Congratulations on such a nice CAD tool! :-)"
- Jonathan -
"The program is VERY impressive. Good job."
- Bill -
"I have been using QCAD for a couple of months now. I really like the user interface and the simplicity of the program."
- Ivar -
"Congratulations on turning out an excellent 2d drawing package. It's easily the best I've seen on Linux. [..] In a world thats gone 3d crazy it seems that no one has noticed that without accurate 2d everything that comes afterwards will be more difficult."
- Mick -
"I just bought QCAD Pro, and as I'm playing with it now, I wanted to congratulate you for the wonderful job you did. This is a very good piece of software, as we, MacOSX users, do not have anything like AutoCAD on our beloved platform ;-)."
- Nicolas -
"Your manual would be a fine example to other people who write Linux software. Help files just seem to never be written or are skimpy to say the least. Yours is the best I have seen in any Linux or Windows program, bar none!"
"Offering multi-platform licenses is brilliant as a key concern and an attractive feature for me of QCAD is the ability to move across platforms."
"Thanks for an exceptional CAD programme, with thorough documentation and libraries."
- Terry -
"I love QCAD more and more every day! Great job on a great piece of software!!"
"Nice product concept and pricing and Open Source/Commercial approach. Keep up the good work."
"Thank you for your continued work on QCAD. Finally, I can get rid of my dual boot W2K setup, because for my work QCAD can now do 95% of what I used to do with ACAD. A few years ago I reviewed QCAD, found it "not there yet" and forgot about it. Yesterday I re-found it and I am absolutely over the moon. I imported some dxf drawings and got to work on them straight away. I am a pretty experienced 2D/3D cad user (about 15 years). All 3D work I still do on W2K (unfortunately). I have used several 2D and 3D cad programs, in 2D mostly AutoCAD. I appreciate your philosophy of keeping it simple and sticking to 2D. Contrary to what you express on your website, I think that with this philosophy you can still have software that is capable enough for most "power users" (whoever that may be), while being easy enough for most beginners."
- Edwin -
"Thanks for a great bit of software. I've used it all the way through my degree course so far (their preference are AutoCAD and Solidworks - and I don't want to shell out on an AutoCAD student licence if I can avoid it. SolidWorks SE was too much money as it was. I find QCAD really quick to use - I prefer 2D anyway, and 2D is still the industry standard AFAIK."
- Tom -
"I tried qcad demo. I was impressed well within the first ten minute run, and proceeded to order a copy immediately thereafter. What a wonderful package and what a competitive price!"
- A.J. -
"QCAD is overall the best, easiest to use, most intuitive software I have ever used. Within the scope of what QCAD is designed to do, it does so very well."
"QCAD is great and I have already caused one other person to buy it. There will be more. And thank you for the FreeBSD version!"
- Russell -
"Thank you for the quality of your software, which contains all the essential features of a CAD. Very good work."
- Marc -
"Thank you, good work! Finally I found Autocad killer :-) which is fast, usable and with cool price."
- Milan -
"I use QCAD frequently and find it to be indispensable."
- Barry -
"I've been working since two weeks with the development version of QCAD 2.2.0 and just wanted to say that I am thrilled. The new features are a great assistance for drafting."
- Claus -
"I love QCAD. It is the easiest to use CAD package I have ever tried. [...] It is so easy to to draw what I want, then to save it as a Jpeg. Thanks for a great product, I will continue to sing it's praises."
- Michael -
"Thank you for providing us Linux users (and students too!) a powerful drawing tool which is perfect for the base applications we are required to do in 2D form. I love the program and its ease of use!"
- Philip -
"I am a sculptor, but have never learned how to use computer assistance with my designs. I finally decided it was time this old dog learned a new trick. I'm very happy I chose QCAD."
- Patrick -
"When building a mechanical sculpture I needed to have a local shop cut some steel shapes for an animated character. The shop charges $100 to make DXF files from rough sketches, so I grabbed the QCAD demo and within 30 minutes had learned how to "draw" the shapes myself! When I finally bought QCAD it cost a fraction of the shop price for DXF production, and now I use it for so many other things in my artistic adventures. This is so much easier than I remember CAD being in highschool. Thanks for a great product (and cheap too)."
- Brian -
"I am extremely happy with QCAD, it is helping me get my company and our drawings in sync with the times."
- Oliver -
"I have been so unable to figure out AutoCAD as an occasional user and thought, why not buy QCAD which I have used and find incredibly easy to use vs ACAD. I am trying to point it out to others I know."
- Jerry -
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Red Brand Trailer Released for 'Ready or Not' with Dark Comedic Kills
Ryan Pineda June 19th, 2019 - 1:54 PM
Directors of the 2014 horror film Devil's Due, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, have a new film coming out this summer. An upcoming thriller by the name of Ready or Not is slated for an August release starring Samara Weaving, Adam Brody and Andie MacDowell. The film just released its first official trailer and a Red Band one at that.
The trailer showcases the film's premise about a newly wedded bride visiting her husband's family. The family of the Husband have a certain family tradition that they want the couple to be a part of: a simple game of Hide and Seek. At least that's what it seems at first for the Bride, until she realizes that this game has a very sadistic twist behind it. Rather than simply hiding, she must hide for her life as the family goes on a killing spree with the intent to find and murder her.
The trailer showcases a lot of brutal kills committed in a dark humorous way, giving the film a dark comedic edge. It still possesses the thrills and violence of a typical R-rated Horror film, with tons of blood and gore and a character fighting for her life. This will certainly be a game of Hide and Seek unlike any other.
Ready or Not is set for release on August 23rd 2019.
Watch the Full Trailer Below
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett
Samera Weaving
Ryan Pineda

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Rembrandt's 'Night Watch' restoration goes under public watch
Robin Utrecht, AFP | Restoration of Rembrandt's 'The Night Watch' is being done in a glass cage at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam's famed Rijksmuseum on Monday began a historic restoration of Rembrandt's "The Night Watch", erecting a huge glass cage around the painting so the public can see the work carried out live.
The multi-million-euro makeover of the giant 1642 masterpiece, the survivor of a difficult history including several acts of vandalism, will also be streamed online so that people around the globe can see it.
"The Night Watch is one of the most famous paintings in the world," Rijksmuseum director Taco Dibbits told a media conference in front of the glass restoration case, alongside the research team.
"More than two and a half million people come and see it each year. It belongs to everybody who lives in the Netherlands, and the world. And we felt that the public has the right to see what happens to that painting."
Dubbed "Operation Night Watch", the project is the "largest and most comprehensive research on Rembrandt's masterpiece in history", the museum added in a statement.
"Operation Night Watch aims to preserve the painting optimally for the future and takes place in front of the public in a specially designed glass room."
Rembrandt van Rijn was commissioned by the mayor and leader of the civic guard of Amsterdam, Frans Banninck Cocq, to paint the picture of the officers and other members of the so-called "Night Watch" militia.
Experts say the groundbreaking three metre by four metre (nine feet by 13 feet) picture is the first of its kind to show such a group in motion, rather than in static poses, and features the interplay of light and shadow that the Dutch master is famed for.
Vandal attacks
Over the last three centuries Rembrandt's brooding painting has endured travails including an escape from the Nazis, losing large chunks from each side during a move, and three attacks by vandals.
The last major restoration work was carried out 40 years ago, after a mentally ill man slashed it with a knife, and it is now housed in its own special room in the Rijksmuseum.
But experts have recently noticed changes to the painting, with a white haze appearing on some parts, especially in the area around the knife damage, where it is bleaching out the figure of a small dog.
The museum wants to "understand how the changes are happening and the best way to restore it", Dibbits said when he unveiled the project in October.
Experts will examine the painting using high-resolution photography and computer analysis of every layer including varnish, paint and canvas before deciding on the best restoration techniques.
The work will then take place in a glass case designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who was behind revamps of both the Rijksmuseum and the Louvre gallery in Paris.
"This research and restoration will be carried out with the world watching... so that everyone in the world, no matter where they are, can see," Dibbits added.
Jeff Koons' 'Rabbit' sculpture sets new auction record for living artist
French, Italian leaders honour da Vinci 500 years after death
Paris museum renames masterpieces after black subjects
Lunar eclipse to mark launch of Apollo 11 mission, 50 years on
Iran nuclear deal 'not in good health, but still alive,' says EU top diplomat
World hunger on the rise with more than 820 million at risk, UN report says
WWII codebreaker Turing to be face of UK's new £50 note
Thousands rally in Moscow over opposition exclusion in city parliament vote
Despite US warnings, Russian S-400 missile systems arrive in Turkey
Lobster and champagne: French minister in hot water for living the lavish life on public funds
Mystery deepens over disappearance at Vatican, 36 years on
Italy's Salvini denies his far-right League party took funds from Russia
Turkey slams EU claim that drilling off Cyprus is illegal
UK MPs vote to legalise same-sex marriage and abortion in N. Ireland


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Q: How to import obj and mtl file to three.js I am  having a hard time importing these obj and mtl files to load a model at three js.I try this code:
var loader = new THREE.OBJMTLLoader();
loader.load ("test.obj", "test.mtl");
loader.addEventListener("load", function (object) {scene.add(object);}, false);
Should i do something more? I found out something about importing scripts like js/OBJMTLLoader.js to the html.if so should i download them from somewhere?

A:             var onProgress = function ( xhr ) {
                if ( xhr.lengthComputable ) {
                    var percentComplete = xhr.loaded / xhr.total * 100;
                    console.log( Math.round(percentComplete, 2) + '% downloaded' );
                }
            };

            var onError = function ( xhr ) {};
            THREE.Loader.Handlers.add( /\.dds$/i, new THREE.DDSLoader() );

        if (name == "House"){
            var loader = new THREE.OBJMTLLoader();
            loader.load( 'models/House/house_obj/house_obj.obj', 'models/House/house_obj/house_obj.mtl', function ( object ) {
                object.traverse( function ( child ) {

                    if ( child instanceof THREE.Mesh ) {

                        child.material.side = THREE.DoubleSide;

                    }

                } );

                object.rotation.x = Math.PI/2;
                 var scale = 0.15/ (MapWidth*0.5/3);//upsos tabani
                object.scale.set(scale,scale,scale);
                House = object;

            }, onProgress, onError );
            }

this is the code i used.. In this example i check if the user select to insert a house model. The onProgress and onError functions state the completeness of the loader. I use OBJMTLLoader.js and DDSLoader.js

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


There are magical people in this world. There are magical moments. At least, that's the best way I would be able to describe it. Experiences that are striking and unexpected, that stop everything from moving, that capture our attention, ignite our imagination, leave a mark. There are places, too, that have this effect. You can visit them whenever you want, and the feeling they provide almost always seems to be there. Places where you feel centered and calm. Unafraid.
The old mission church outside of Tucson, San Xavier del Bac, is one such place. Every time I ascend the hillside overlooking the church, it feels like everything in the world has stopped. It feels like there is no pain or frustration, no madness, no confusion. I suppose religious places have this effect on a lot of people, but San Xavier is the only one I've visited that really made me feel at peace. Not the Basilique Saint-Sernin de Toulouse, not Notre Dame, and certainly not the Holy Trinity Catholic church I attended when I was a child.
Walking through the woods, I was overcome suddenly. I took my eyes off the ground. I stopped and caught my breath, pouring out of me in thick clouds. The sound of shifting dry snow, that unusual crackling that sounds like it could almost be a campfire, except there's no light or warmth. I looked around and it seemed as though the woods extended forever. I felt like I was in a Tolkien novel, or 'The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.' This plot of earth begged to possess some kind of mystical name, like The Icefields of Tregaron, or The Blue Hallows of Kill Creek. Kansas is, after all, the Land of Oz, so I suppose I should be satisfied enough by that.
I may have only been there a moment, but it drew out; it felt like I was there for a long and enjoyable time. I didn't feel cold.
And then I kept moving forward.


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Home Sports Women's track had a tough offseason, has to work hard to get...
Women's Track and Field (Indoor)
Women's track had a tough offseason, has to work hard to get ready for the season
Jacob Keppen
Myiah Sturdivant runs in a meet this season. She was part of the 4X400 relay at the Coach I Open that took third place. Photo/ Rowan Athletics.
In track there is no offseason. Constantly you're working to improve, no matter the time of year.
You have to be prepared coming into the winter season. You can't take a break. That's hard to do when faced with the near month long winter break.
The winter break has been a challenge for this Rowan team. Of course the athletes have been away for almost a month.
"I am at the mercy of them, hoping they do what I ask them to," said Head Coach Ringo Adamson.
Rowan athletes do not come back early, as athletes would at a Division 1 school. For almost a month the team cannot fully train and prepare as they would in the spring, as the cross country athletes have all fall. That month gap really hurts the squad, especially as they try to prepare for track season.
For the sprinters and hurdlers, this is the beginning of their season. They haven't been training and getting into shape like the cross country runners did all fall.
With the delay in schedule, Adamson is looking at it through the long game. This is what separates track from other sports like football. In football there is one season, once it's over, it's over until the next year. Everything is riding on that one season.
In track it is different. There is winter and spring track. Despite the setbacks, Adamson is looking to use this early part of the winter season to get back to the level he knows his team can be at.
"That's why I use this [meet], and by the time outdoor comes we're just about ready," Adamson said. "That's why we're able to do things. We don't have a choice to miss meets … so some of these kids i'm using some of these events as a high powered [test for them] just so I can get them into racing condition."
For comments/questions about this story, email sports@thewhitonline.com or tweet @TheWhitOnline.
New Jersey Athletic Conference
Ringo Adamson
Rowan Track and Field
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(1997) Directed by Guillermo del Toro; Written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins; Based on the short story, "Mimic," by Donald A. Wollheim; Starring: Mira Sorvino, Jeremy Northam, Alexander Goodwin, Giancarlo Giannini, Charles S. Dutton and Josh Brolin; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Rating: ***½
"There was something in this movie that forced me, like the Mimics, to evolve into something different. It was perhaps not quite human, if you look at my body proportions, but certainly made me survive, and made me find my own voice and my own personality, visually…" – Guillermo del Toro (from Director's Cut Blu-ray commentary)
If there's one cohesive theme throughout Bug Month, it's that our days as the Earth's dominant species might be numbered. Many of us view insects as inferior lifeforms, unworthy of our attention. It could only take a little push to upset the balance, tipping the scales in their favor. Mimic suggests that this day of reckoning, thanks to our hubris, could be much closer than we think.
Guillermo del Toro's second feature film introduced the then 33-year-old writer/director to the rewards and pitfalls of Hollywood filmmaking. While working with Miramax* afforded him the comparatively vast resources of a larger production (with a $30 million budget, compared to around $2 million for his debut feature, Cronos), it created a great deal of friction for the filmmaker and his vision. The director constantly clashed with an endless parade of producers, including Bob and Harvey Weinstein,** resulting in myriad of arguments over virtually every aspect of the production. As a result, the theatrical cut that was released in theaters represented a compromised, watered-down version of del Toro's original concept.*** For the purposes of this review, I took a look at the so-called "Director's Cut,"**** which is probably the closest we'll ever get to what del Toro originally intended.
* Note: Above all, the most disturbing issue behind the scenes was Ms. Sorvino's ongoing harassment by Miramax head, Harvey Weinstein.
** Note II: In a 2017 interview, del Toro commented, "My first American experience was almost my last because it was with the Weinsteins and Miramax. I have got to tell you, two horrible things happened in the late nineties, my father was kidnapped and I worked with the Weinsteins. I know which one was worse… the kidnapping made more sense; I knew what they wanted." (excerpted from IndieWire article by Zack Sharf)
*** Fun Fact #1: At the insistence of Miramax, the original script from del Toro and Matthew Robbins was subjected to numerous re-writes by some of Hollywood's most prominent figures, including John Sayles, Steven Soderburgh, and Matthew Greenberg.
**** Fun Fact #2: According to del Toro, much of the second-unit work (shot by Robert Rodriguez, among others), which was utilized in the theatrical cut, was removed for the "Director's Cut."
The opening scene establishes that New York City is besieged by Strickler's disease (not to be confused with Stickler syndrome), a deadly epidemic that strikes children.* Dr. Susan Tyler (Mira Sorvino), a brilliant young entomologist, develops a new species of insect,** the "Judas Breed" (incorporating some DNA from cockroaches, termites and mantids), to combat the roaches that carry the contagion. Initial results are promising, but in the researcher's zeal to solve one problem, she creates a potentially larger one. Dr. Tyler discovers that the new species, left to its own devices in the secluded lower recesses of the New York subway system, is thriving. The bugs were genetically engineered to be sterile, but to borrow a phrase from a certain popular dinosaur movie, "Life, uh…finds a way." If left unchecked, this new life form could threaten the population of New York City and beyond.
* Fun Fact #3: The stylized opening scene (excised from the theatrical cut) became another bone of contention when the producers asserted the set didn't resemble a real-life hospital.
** Fun Fact #4: According to del Toro, he originally wanted the Mimics to be based on the White Oak Borer Beetle, but Miramax executives (apparently associating NYC with another common insect) insisted that cockroaches should be the star of the show.
Sorvino is likeable in her lead, relaxed performance as intrepid researcher Dr. Tyler. Not quite as convincing is Jeremy Northam as her husband (and CDC official), Dr. Peter Mann, the film's nominal hero. It's not terribly surprising that his performance never quite gels, considering Northam wasn't del Toro's first choice to play the character (del Toro wanted an African American actor to play Dr. Mann, but the shortsighted producers objected to the inclusion of an interracial couple). Possibly because of the script revisions and cuts, some other characters are reduced to bit roles: F. Murray Abraham as Dr. Tyler's mentor, Dr. Gates, and Josh Brolin as an unlucky police detective.
The most intriguing supporting character is Chuy (Alexander Goodwin), a young neurodivergent boy with uncanny powers of observation. Chuy possesses an innate talent for determining shoe size on sight and, most importantly, imitating the clicking sounds of the human-sized insects. Rather than feeling revulsion, he seems entranced by the Mimics' odd appearance, referring to one of them as "Mr. Funny Shoes." Unlike everyone else who has encountered them, he doesn't display fear, which proves to be his protection. He forms a special connection with the creatures through communication, clicking spoons to mimic the Mimics.
A common theme in del Toro's films is how he shines the spotlight on marginalized people. In Mimic, he illustrates how individuals can appear to be little more than insects to the upwardly mobile. Manny (Giancarlo Giannini),* runs a humble shoe shine business in a bustling subway station. His grandson Chuy, who possesses unique patterns of cognition and interpreting the world, seemingly exists in a world of his own. The film draws further parallels to our hierarchical society, with a group of sweat shop workers who fall prey to the Mimics. The people behind the garment manufacturer are no less predatory or unfeeling than the Mimics (one shot lingers on a label that reads "Proudly Made in the USA," reminding us the means don't necessarily justify the end). One of del Toro's many talents is featuring characters you might initially write off, infusing them with nuances that make them rise above plot devices. On the surface, beat cop Leonard (Charles S. Dutton) is just another cog feeding into a bureaucracy, but he proves to be much more, versed in the rich, forgotten history of the subway system, and a snarky sense of humor (he also delivers the film's best line).
* Fun Fact #5: Before Giannini was cast in the role of Manny, the studio considered other actors, including Ian Holm, Max von Sydow, and André Gregory. The director's initial choice was Federico Luppi (ultimately rejected because his English was a bit shaky), who appeared in del Toro's previous film, Cronos (1993), and subsequent production, The Devil's Backbone (2001).
The distinctive look of the title creatures is the main attraction. Aiming for something that appeared real, rather than fanciful, del Toro insisted on a "National Geographic" approach, eschewing features that didn't already exist in the insect world.* Designed by TyRuben Ellingson and refined by effects virtuoso Rob Bottin, the Mimics were brought to life through puppetry effects by Rick Lazzarini.** The creature design accounted for factors that limited the size of insects and other arthropods, incorporating lungs and a modified exoskeleton more suited to a much larger organism. The icing on the creepy cake is a bipedal creature that presents a crude, albeit effective approximation of our appearance. The result is at once mesmerizing and unnerving.
* Fun Fact #6: In another battle (which del Toro thankfully won), the producers were perturbed that the Mimics looked too much like bugs, as opposed to some alien life form. They suggested adding teeth, gums and hair – none of which are present in insect anatomy.
** Fun Fact #7: Among Lazzarini's memorable prior contributions were the Budweiser frogs, which appeared in a series of popular commercials in the '90s.
As with all of his films, del Toro incorporates layers of substance into his style. Catholic iconography figures prominently throughout, signifying the intersection of the spiritual and concrete (science-minded) worlds. The use of color also presents a stark contrast, with vivid golds and blues, representing the juxtaposition of the human and insect realms. In his commentary, del Toro described another theme throughout the film, as a contrast between fecundity (the Mimics) and infertility (Dr. Tyler's personal struggles to conceive a child).
Guillermo del Toro referred to his movie as an "imperfect child," an apt description for the end product of too many chefs meddling with the recipe. In his "Director's Cut" commentary, he takes a philosophical (and likely diplomatic) outlook to his ordeal grappling with the multiple producers. While his vision was inevitably compromised, the painful process of give and take helped map a future blueprint for his filmmaking methodology. Mimic is a film full of great ideas, memorable imagery, creatures that evoke chills, and a top-notch Marco Beltrami score. It suffers from a few too many loose ends, undeveloped characters, and an ending that's far too pat (the original, un-filmed, ending envisioned a much darker conclusion which seemed more in line with del Toro's sensibilities). Even if Mimic falls a bit short at times, it's well worth a look (especially the Director's Cut), to spot the elements del Toro would continue to refine and develop, to great effect, in his subsequent films.
Sources for this article: Director's Cut Blu-ray commentary; Guillermo del Toro – Cabinet of Curiosities, by Guillermo del Toro and Marc Scott Zicree; "Guillermo del Toro 'Hated the Experience' of Working withHarvey Weinstein on 'Mimic'," by Zack Sharf, IndieWire
Posted by Barry P. at 11:20 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Directors, Horror, monsters, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi
(1955) Directed by Jack Arnold; Written by Robert M. Fresco and Martin Berkeley; Story by Jack Arnold and Robert M. Fresco; Starring: John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva and Ross Elliott; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Dr. Matt Hastings (John Agar): "But what if circumstances magnified one of them in size and strength, took it out of its primitive world and turned it loose in ours?"
Professor Townsend (Raymond Bailey): "Then expect something that's fiercer, more cruel and deadly than anything that ever walked the earth."
What is it about the Arizona desert* that makes it the ideal setting for a bug movie? Phase IV (1974) and Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) are two notable examples that exploited the arid, unforgiving climate. As these films, and today's featured title, would have you believe, the vast desert landscape is the perfect place to conceal something terrible under our very noses. Universal International's** fourth collaboration between producer William Alland and director Jack Arnold (after It Came from Outer Space, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Revenge of the Creature) was based on co-writer Robert M. Fresco's*** original script for Science Fiction Theater episode, "No Food for Thought." The most significant tweak to the original story was to add a giant spider. Produced on a modest $334,000 budget, Tarantula utilized real footage of a live spider, in lieu of stop-motion animation or puppetry, (with the exception of a mock-up of the big creature's face, used for close-ups).
* Fun Fact #1: Tarantula was actually filmed in the California desert, in the town of Apple Valley, where the cast and crew had to contend with temperatures reaching 120 degrees (Fahrenheit). One scene features a prominent geological formation called Deadman's Point, which was duplicated in miniature for a rockslide.
** Fun Fact #2: According to David Schecter, while the music is commonly attributed to Herman Stein and Henry Mancini, much of the score in the film was a hodge-podge of various snippets from the voluminous Universal library. Among the components "borrowed" from other films were cues from This Island Earth (1955) and It Came from Outer Space (1953).
*** Fun Fact #3: According to an interview with film historian Tom Weaver, Fresco claimed that he was forced to give Arnold co-credit for the story, although Arnold supposedly didn't write any of it.
Genre movie stalwart John Agar stars as small-town family physician, Dr. Matt Hastings, who suspects something's rotten in the state of Arizona. He's called in by the local sheriff to examine the body of Eric Jacobs, a man who collapsed in the desert. The corpse's distorted features indicate acromegaly (erroneously referred to as "acromegalia" in the film), which usually develops over years instead of days. Signs point to the esteemed Professor Gerald Deemer (Leo G. Carroll), who employed Jacobs in his home-based laboratory.*/** Deemer is tinkering with a hormone, which accelerates aging and results in rapid growth. Although he views his research as a possible solution to world hunger, it's not so good for Jacobs, or a second lab assistant, Bob Lund,*** both who succumbed to the serum's deleterious side effects. Lund blames Deemer for his disfigurement, attacking the scientist and throwing the lab equipment into disarray. In the ensuing scuffle, Lund smashes the glass to an enclosure for one of the test subjects, an enlarged tarantula, enabling the critter to escape.**** As a final insult, Lund injects the professor with a dose of his own medicine, ensuring that he'll meet the same awful fate.
* Fun Fact #5: Professor Deemers' home was the "Dabney House," on Universal's backlot, built for the 1948 film Tap Roots. It was also featured, with different backdrops, in genre favorites This Island Earth (1955) and The Creature Walks Among Us (1956).
** While we're on the subject of Professor Deemers, what's the deal about scientists with home labs? As countless movies would lead you to believe, every scientist worth his or her salt is independently wealthy, with their place of research conveniently situated within their own home.* Naturally, it's all the better to carry out ethically dubious skullduggery on the sly, free from reliance on grants or the prying eyes of pesky university/government officials.
*** Fun Fact #4: If you feel a sense of déjà vu while watching this movie, your perceptions aren't entirely unfounded. Stuntman Eddie Parker appears three times in the film, as Deemers' lab partner Eric Jacobs, the sole ground crew who meets Dr. Hastings' plane, and Paul Lund, his second lab assistant.
**** The mind reels, wondering what would have happened if one of the other lab animals had made their way out instead, such as an oversized guinea pig (nope, they didn't use a capybara). I'm sure I speak for others when I state that Attack of the Giant Guinea Pig is something I would like to have seen.
As with most super-sized creature movies, a healthy suspension of disbelief is required. In the real world, spiders (and other arthropods) are limited in size due to several factors. Chiefly, the gargantuan tarantula depicted in the film* wouldn't be able to absorb enough oxygen with its current breathing apparatus, and its exoskeleton would be too heavy and unwieldly. And speaking of exoskeletons, considering the spider's rapid growth, you'd think there would be several molts lying around. In another bit of artistic license, the tarantula roars, but we'll let this slide.
* Fun Fact #6: According to Weaver, five tarantulas were cast for the role of the titular creature, although the film's pressbook apparently claimed a much larger number were used.
Tarantula stays a cut above many of its giant bug contemporaries, because it never forgets that while we're obviously here for the spider, the human characters* count. Director Arnold and crew takes a moment to get to know the characters as three-dimensional people, not simply props for exposition or a means to move the plot along. Hastings is an affable individual, as friendly as he's inquisitive. Carroll lends a touch of class to the production, as a man deeply invested in his work. Stephanie "Steve" Clayton (Mara Corday), is pursuing her master's degree in biology, and knows her stuff but has her work cut out for her, navigating the male-dominated academic and professional landscape depicted in the film. Character actor Nestor Paiva provides a welcome face, and adds some subtle humor to the film, as local sheriff, Jack Andrews. Hank Patterson also provides some levity as Josh, the hotel manager/resident busybody. The movie keeps things interesting, thanks to some snappy dialogue. When the dubious sheriff dismisses Hastings' professional opinion over elder scientist Deemers, Hastings replies, "There's nothing like the safety of prestige."
* Fun Fact: Watch for a young Clint Eastwood, in a small role, as a jet fighter pilot. You almost expect him to ask the giant spider if it feels lucky (spoiler: He doesn't, and it's not).
It wouldn't be 1950s sci-fi without some unfortunate old-fashioned misogyny, lobbed against Steve. When Hastings learns about her professional aspirations the doctor comments, "Give women the vote and what do you get? Lady scientists." When she finally meets Deemers, her new employer, the professor states that he didn't expect his new assistant to look like her (not exactly a great beginning to their professional relationship). Even the big spider is part of the boys' club. In a scene reminiscent of King Kong, the pervy arachnid sneaks a peek into Steve's bedroom window while she's in her jammies, just before it demolishes the house.
Compared to the titular monster in Jack Arnold's earlier movie, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the giant arachnid doesn't have much personality, mindlessly roaming the desert and consuming everything in its path. Unlike King Kong, I don't suspect many folks would shed a tear for the errant arachnid. What makes the film tower above much of the competition is its three-dimensional characters, dialogue and heart, keeping this from being a by-the-numbers exercise. Perhaps just a shade behind Gojira (1954) and Them! (1954), Tarantula remains one of the best giant critter movies of the '50s, or any decade.
Sources for this article: DVD commentary by Tom Weaver, Dr. Robert J Kiss, and David Schecter; Science World article, "Why Aren't SpidersBigger?"
Posted by Barry P. at 9:21 PM 2 comments:
Labels: Classics, Drama, Horror, monsters, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi
(1974) Directed by Saul Bass; Written by Mayo Simon; Starring: Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy and Lynne Frederick; Available on Blu-ray and DVD
Rating: ****
Note: This article is an expanded version of a capsule review, originally posted in November 2014.
"They're not individuals. They're individual cells. Tiny, functioning parts of the whole. Think of the society, James, with perfect harmony, perfect altruism and self-sacrifice, perfect division of labor organized for preordained roles. Think of the building of elaborate, complex structures according to plans they know nothing of, and execute perfectly. Think of their ability to evolve and adapt in ways that are so beautiful and still so unknown. And all contained in one simple form. So defenseless in the individual, so powerful in the mass." – Dr. Ernest Hubbs (Nigel Davenport)
For the bulk of recorded history, humankind has been complacent about our position in the grand scheme of things, confident in the assumption that we are the dominant life form on Earth. But what if another creature, unassuming in its diminutive size, was poised to usurp our throne? Saul Bass' cerebral science fiction film, Phase IV asks us to reconsider how we rate in the universe, compared to the ants.* Bass, best known for creating the memorable title sequences for many classic films (including Psycho and West Side Story), made his one and only outing as a feature film director with this movie.
* Fun Fact #1: Need further proof? The total population of ants is estimated to number 1 quadrillion, and the largest colony (consisting of Argentine ants) occupies a 3,700-mile stretch of land along the Mediterranean.
The opening narration informs us that unspecified "events in space" have upset the balance of life on Earth, leading to a profound shift in ant behavior. Cut to an abandoned housing project in the arid Arizona desert,* where the resident ants have successfully supplanted the human population. The desolate landscape sets the stage for a research project to observe the insects and their activities. An entomologist and his assistant, a statistician, collaborate to determine what the ants are planning. While the humans scratch their heads, they remain under the ever-watchful eyes of the colonial insects, perched within their unfathomable, monolithic towers.
* Fun Fact #2: Many of the sequences in the "Arizona" desert were actually filmed in Kenya.
The three primary characters represent a rough, albeit imperfect cross-section of society. Lead researcher Dr. Ernest Hubbs (Nigel Davenport)* parallels the ants in his single-minded pursuit of information, suspending emotion and compassion in favor of logic. His callous demeanor provides a stark contrast to the more balanced approach from his younger colleague, James Lesko (Michael Murphy). Lesko regards deciphering the ants' patterns as a sort of game. Unlike Hubbs, however, he retains perspective about the stakes that are being played, as well as the human cost. In a scene when their compound is under siege, Hubbs resorts to releasing a powerful toxin against the ants. While fleeing their farm, a farmer and his wife (Alan Gifford and Helen Horton)** are caught in the crossfire, succumbing to the poison. Despite the fact that the pesticide caused their deaths, he's more concerned with the ingenuity of the ants, as opposed to their lifeless bodies outside. After they rescue the couple's teenage daughter Kendra Eldridge (Lynne Frederick)***, Lesko is ready to pull the plug on the project, but Hubbs is opposed to anything that would compromise his research. Compared to the two scientists, Kendra is an innocent, caught in the middle. Although she seems the most likely target for the ants and their abstruse schemes, all of them are being manipulated in oddly unique ways.
* Fun Fact #3: According to the DVD commentary, Davenport read for the part of HAL 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
** Fun Fact #4: And while we're on the subject of wayward artificial intelligence, Helen Horton, who appears briefly as Kendra's grandmother, later provided the voice for the computer, MU-TH-UR 6000 (aka: "Mother"), in Alien (1979).
*** Fun Fact #5: Per the DVD commentary, Linda Blair was once considered for the part of Kendra.
Phase IV effectively depicts the hidden world of the ants and their society, providing a glimpse of an intelligence we can scarcely comprehend. The massive colony operates as a massive solitary organism, singular in its purpose, with every member committed to its goals, unfettered by emotion or mercy. While the pesticide released by Hubbs seemingly stops the colony dead in its tracks, it only proves to be a temporary setback. In one scene, the worker ants slowly and methodically move the deadly yellow congealed poison. They execute their plan little by little, with cold, unrelenting precision and the end goal continually in mind. Individual deaths don't matter in the grand scheme of things, only the survival of the colony. The design of the desert research facility itself mimics the twisty chambers of the ants' lair, with the scientists navigating the labyrinthine rows of equipment.
Few would dispute that Phase IV's claim to fame is its stunning, immersive macrophotography by Ken Middleham (who previously worked on the 1971 pseudo-documentary, The Hellstrom Chronicle), affording viewers an unprecedented insect's eye view. The ants scurry about in their tunnels, revealing a place as alien as anything our minds could imagine. The filmmakers never make the claim that no insects (or arachnids) were harmed in the making of this picture, as Phase IV unflinchingly illustrates the often brutal, merciless aspects of the ants' lives. Dick Bush's cinematography expertly complements Middleham's images, with an emphasis on shapes and symmetry. In the film's opening shot, what appears to be a field of stars pans out to reveal grains of sand. The shot gradually transitions to space, suggesting there are worlds within worlds. In another scene, the camera lingers on the enigmatic towers created by the ants, the angular tops turned toward the sky, in a crude mimicry of human faces. One of the film's most disturbing images shows ants crawling out of a hand (also used in the film's poster art) recalling a similar shot from the surrealist film, Un Chien Andalou (1929), by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí.
As a result of studio meddling, Saul Bass' original, dystopian-flavored ending was scrapped in favor of a shorter, more ambiguous conclusion. The hallucinatory sequence, once thought lost, can now be found on the UK Blu-ray from 101 Films, providing an interesting alternate, if not necessarily better, conclusion to the story. With or without the original ending, Phase IV remains a thoughtful exploration of a mystery. In the best tradition of 1970s cinema, the film raises more questions than it answers, reveling in its ambiguity, and unabashed in its downbeat implications. But what's pessimistic for humankind is optimistic for ant society (Are the ants ushering in a new stage of human evolution, or are we simply a vehicle for the ants' evolution?). It's a science fiction movie that trusts the intelligence of the audience to fill in the blanks. Phase IV suggests that we don't have all the answers, and success, as well as failure, is a necessary part of science.
Sources for this article: 101 Films Blu-ray commentary by Allan Bryce and Richard Hollis; Ants.com; BBC Earth News, "Ant Mega-Colony Takes Over World," by Matt Walker
Labels: Drama, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi
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Volunteering: Under 30? Want to Work in Burundi for a Year?
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February 8, 2011 1977 views	Africa, Asia, Caribbean & Americas, Health, Pacific, Volunteering
Global Health Corps announced applications are open for year-long fellowships for professionals under 30 years old to work on the front lines of underserved communities around the world.
GHC announced:
Global Health Corps is expanding this year to support 70 emerging leaders in their 2011-2012 fellowship class.Applications for placements in Burundi, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and the USA are now open. GHC is seeking applicants with diverse skill-sets outside of the traditional health workforce—managers, communicators, architects, computer scientists, supply chain analysts and other exceptional young people from disciplines important to building strong health systems.
GHC has 36 fellows working on projects ranging from developing electronic medical record systems in Malawi, to counseling homeless youth in New Jersey, to constructing a world-class hospital in rural Rwanda.
You can choose the fellowship you want so you won't end up a health counselor in Newark if refugee issues in Uganda or AIDS in Malawi are what's calling you.
About YourCommonwealth
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The festive season and new year often bring jubilation and hope. But it appears much of…
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has been criticized for failing to live up to his pre-election promises…
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Samara Ali, 27, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Pakistan.
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North Yorkshire County Council has approved an application by an energy firm to carry out fracking in England, for the first time since a ban was lifted in 2012. The application was made by Third Energy, who is planning to extract shale gas near Kirby Misperton in Ryedale.
Councillors on the counties planning committee voted 7-4 to allow the controversial drilling process to take place, despite opposition from hundreds of protestors who had gathered outside. The meeting, which was held in Northallerton, also heard from those expressing concerns about the environmental impact of the plans, citing water contamination, earthquakes and noise and traffic pollution as possible negative factors.
Whilst supporters of the project - including landowners, farmers and Third Energy employees - expressed their support for the plans, a council planning officer said there had been 4,375 letters of objection and 36 of support for the application.
Fracking - or Hydraulic Fracturing - is a process which involves drilling into the earth and injecting shale rock with a high-pressure mixture of water, sand and chemicals to release natural gases found inside. The process has been prohibited in the UK since 2011, when tests on the Fylde coast, in Lancashire, were found to have been the probable cause of minor earthquakes.
Rasik Valand, chief executive of Third Energy, told the BBC that the approval meant the firm now had "a huge responsibility". He said: "We will have to deliver on our commitment, made to the committee and to the people of Ryedale, to undertake this operation safely and without impacting on the local environment".
Campaign group, Frack Off, said: "These plans could pave the way for thousands of fracking wells to spread across Yorkshire and many other parts of the country if not stopped. Impacts, including pipelines, air pollution and waste disposal, will spread far beyond the areas being drilled.
"Third Energy's plans in Ryedale are the thin end of a very large wedge." In the last five years, two further fracking applications, made in Lancashire, have been rejected by councillors.
The plans stipulated that Third Energy wants to use an existing two-mile deep well to begin the practice. The energy company said that it would halt operations if a seismic event measuring above 0.5 on the Richter Scale occurred.
World Turtle Day 2016: Why are sea turtles facing extinction?


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December 13 – Roll of Honour
Watchkeeper December 13, 2019 December 13, 2019 Daily Remembrance, On this day, RN WW2
On This Day in 1939 Cdre HH Harwood in HMS Ajax with Achilles and Exeter engaged the Admiral Graf Spee at the Battle of the River Plate forcing her to enter Montevideo in Uruguay for repairs but she scuttled believing superior forces were waiting. An early WW2 result. William Freeman from Cookstown was in Exeter.
William Freeman joined the Royal Navy in the summer of 1938, On the morning of 13th December, shortly after 6am AB Freeman was lying on deck when the order came for "action stations". Distant guns flashed and soon HMS Exeter had received her first baptism of fire. Freeman was a member of the crew of one of the 4.7-inch guns that returned fire until the gun itself was disabled by a hit that killed and wounded many men, a piece of shrapnel cutting a hole in Billy's cap and a slight cut to one hand. While serving onboard HMS Exeter, Billy served with 14 men from Northern Ireland as well as men from the Republic of Ireland. He died on 07/02/1944 in HMS Leonian.
Representing their comrades who died on this day
+WATT, Henry
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 9th Btn. Private. 19295. Died 13/12/1916. Aged 25. Son of Joseph and Isabella Watt, of Annaghbeg, Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone. He is a linen worker. Henry enlisted in Bundoran, County Donegal. Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France. Dungannon WM
+McKENZIE, John
RN. Died 13/12/1917. Armitage St., Belfast. Belfast Telegraph 17/12/1918 in memoriam notice from sister Susan Barker of Armitage St., Sara Downs of Bright St., and brother David. Megain Memorial – PCI RH
+WILSON, George D H
RM. PLY/9192. HMS Carysfort. Died 13/12/1917. Age 36. Born Bridgnorth, Salop 01/02/1879. Enlisted Walsall 31/05/1898. Son of John Wilson, Mount St., Coleraine. Husband to Annie Wilson, Plymouth. Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent
+DOUTHER, Archibald Douther,
18th (Western Ontario) Battalion. Sergeant. 53042. Died 13/12/1918.
Enlisted in Fergus, Ontario in the 18th (Western Ontario) Battalion on the 24 October 1914, pointing out that he was 'enlisting as a regimental tailor'; he was a tailor by trade. His service was later deemed to be from the 29 April. He was 5' 9" tall, had brown eyes and brown hair, and said he was a Methodist. He was married, his wife Martha then being at North End, Ballyclare. During the war, since Archibald was to serve only in England, she lived at 3, Hillview Terrace, Etchinghill, Lyminge, Kent. He said he was born in Ballyclare, elsewhere Larne, but he was actually born at Drains, Cairncastle on the 28/09/1888 and he was the son of carpenter Thomas Douther and Agnes Elizabeth McConnell. He left Canada from Halifax aboard the SS Grampian on the 18/04/1916 with the 18th Battalion and landed in England on the 29th. April. He passed through the 36th Battalion before going to the 39th Battalion. He stayed there until transferred to the 6th (Reserve) Battalion on 04/01/1917. Archibald Douther was one of those struck down by the Spanish influenza outbreak at the end of the Great War. He was ill by 11/12/1918 and his illness was designated 'influenza-pneumonia' the next day. His problems developed rapidly and he was seriously ill on the 13th. He died at 12 Canadian General Hospital, Bramshott at 5.45 pm that day. Archibald Douther's body was brought home and was buried in Ballyclare New Cemetery.
+FERGUSON, William Joseph
RNR. Trimmer. 7543/TS. HMS Pekin. Died 13/12/1918. Age 19. Son of Joseph and Margaret Ferguson, of Whitehouse, Belfast. Grimsby (Scartho Road) Cemetery.
+McCLUGGAGE, Edward
RAF. Sergeant. 521091. Died 13/12/1939. Aged 23 236 Sqdn. Test pilot for the RAF, died after a flying accident in England. Son of Edward and Jane McCluggage of Larne. Larne (McGarel) Cemetery. (Larne Times 26/11/2009).
+GAMBLE, Thomas
RAF. Corporal. 638345. Died 13/12/1941. Aged 24. Son of George Gamble, and of Florence M. Gamble of Lisburn. Dromara First Presbyterian Churchyard
+HENDERSON, John
RN. Petty Officer Supply. P/MX. 55389. Died 13/12/1941. Age 23. HMS Puckeridge, a Hunt type escort destroyer. Lost 06/09/1943. Around 2015 hours on 6 September 1943 HMS Puckeridge (Lt. John Cecil Cartwright, DSC, RN) was hit by two of four torpedoes fired by the German submarine U-617 and sank about 40 nautical miles east of Gibraltar in position 36º06'N, 04º44'W. HMS Puckeridge was en route alone taking important messages to Oran. 129 men were rescued and 62 men were lost with the ship. Four years service in RN. He was a member of10th Belfast Scout Troop and of St John Ambulance Brigade. Worked previously in Durham Street Weaving Company. He was married only three weeks before his death. Son of David and Elizabeth Henderson, Dundela Crescent, Belfast; husband to Isobel Henderson, Dunfermline, Fife. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 02/01/1942). Commemorated Pembroke Dock Cemetery, Wales
+MONTGOMERY, Thomas
RNVR. AB.Service Number P/ED/X. 1615. Died 13/12/1941. Age 21. HMS Puckeridge. Brother Richard serving with the Royal Artillery. His father had served throughout WW1. Son of William and Rebecca Agnes Montgomery, Boundary St., Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 26/12/1941). Pembroke Dock (Llanion) Cemetery
+MARTIN, William John Robertson
RN. AB. D/JX 146964. Died 03/12/1942. Age 22. HMS Penylan. Joined RN as a Boy. Served two years on China Station prior to the war. Brother also serving in the RN. Father and two uncles served in WW1. Husband to Wilhelmina Mary Martin, Auburn St., Belfast. (Belfast Weekly Telegraph 25/12/1942). Plymouth Naval Memorial, Panel 66
+NUTT, John
RN. AB. D-JX182483. HMS White Bear. Died 13/12/1942. Age 25. White Bear served as a tender to submarine flotillas. Son of Joseph and Sarah Nutt, Ballysillan, Belfast. Carnmoney C of I churchyard
+PRICE, George
RAF. Sergeant. 541549. Died 13/12/1943. Aged 27. Husband of Margaret Price, of Belfast. Dundonald Cemetery
+JOHNSTON, George Usher
RN. Leading Stoker. D/KX132149. HMS Kenya. Died 13/12/1943. Age 21. Born 21/01/1923. Son of William & Annie Johnston, Cookstown. He had tried to join the Navy on a couple of occasions before his 18th birthday but was unsuccessful. Died as a result of a fatal accident during recreational bathing in Trincomalee harbour. His body was buried in an iron casket on the shore close to where he died. A few years later his body was reinterred at Trincomalee War Cemetery, Sri Lanka. Cookstown WM. Molesworth Presbyterian RH
WHITESIDE, Henry Albert
Lieutenant. North Irish Horse. Henry Albert (born Albert Henry) Whiteside was born on 13 December 1892 at Goragh, Mullaglass, County Armagh, the third or fourth of eight children of farmer David Whiteside and his wife Rebecca (nee Kirkpatrick). By 1911 he was living at Goragh and working on the family farm.
Whiteside enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 12 November and 8 December 1909 (No.426 – later Corps of Hussars No.71025). He embarked for France on 20/08/1914 with C Squadron, seeing action in the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
Much later in the war he applied for a commission and undertook training at an officer cadet battalion in the UK. On 27 March 1918, he was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant and posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Later that year he embarked for France, where he was posted to one of the Inniskilling battalions in the field. He saw action in the Advance to Victory offensive in the last months of the war, and in September or October 1918 was wounded, though not seriously.
Whiteside was promoted to lieutenant in 27/09/1919.
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Richard Doherty says:
Sergeant Samuel Trimble, Corps of Royal Marines, 'a big red-faced Ulsterman known as "Baggy"', was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for his service on HMS Achilles. The ship's spotting officer, he was wounded severely when the DCT (gun director control tower) was knocked out by splinters from an early strike from the KMS Graf Spee that killed three of the party and injured Trimble and another. The citation for his CGM notes that, in spite of being wounded (he didn't report that he had been injured until later) Trimble 'stood fast without flinching or complaint throughout the hour of action that followed, bearing his wounds with great fortitude. When the medical party came he helped them to move the wounded and then made his own way to the Sick Bay with little aid'. The CGM was second only to the VC as a gallantry award to enlisted personnel. On HMS Exeter, Stkr 1st Cl. Patrick O'Brien, a Dubliner, also earned the CGM for rescuing wounded men in very difficult and dangerous circumstances.


Actress Karen Black, a headliner for the "Solo Mio '95" festival of solo acts, has abruptly canceled her cabaret performance.
Black, who has been in such classic films as "Nashville" and "Five Easy Pieces," was to have presented "A View of the Heart," a montage of characters from American literature and song on September 15 at the Cowell Theater in Fort Mason.
The show recently sold out 16 weeks at Luna Park in Hollywood, according to her agents, Irvin Arthur Associates.
Black was reported to be en route to London yesterday to shoot a film with Stephen Baldwin. A spokesman for her agents said production has been delayed, requiring her to be on location through the weekend of September 15.
"Solo Mio" co-producer Joegh Bullock said he has offer ed Black two pairs of later dates, September 27 and 28 or October 6 and 7, but she has not responded.
"It's a mystery. She's just on the stressed side is what we're gathering," said Bullock, who planned to appeal to Black again when she arrived in London.
"It's annoying," said Bullock. "I'm trying to contain these frustrations because we're out there as far as scheduling."
Replacing Black on September 15 will be the Sick and Twisted Players, presenting "Black Attack," the best bits from Black's movies including "Airport '75,"
The "Solo Mio" festival is in its sixth year of presenting solo performances. This year's event, labeled "The Year of the Eccentric," runs September 9 to October 15, and features the West Coast premiere of Eric Bogosian's "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" and "Shock Value" by John Waters.


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AI in Healthcare: Keep in Mind the Applications
By Proscia | June 22, 2017
It can be hard to get through the week without seeing something written about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. A Google search for "AI+healthcare" yields nearly 36 million results. While this growing attention is a good thing, those of us in industry and academia driving new AI developments need to be mindful of our words. While there is a time and place for broad, sweeping language, we can't let buzzwords distract or distort the meaningful progress that is being made in very specific applications across healthcare.
Bruce Liang, chief information officer of Singapore's Ministry of Health, was quoted in a CNBC article as saying "A.I. could play a big role in supporting prevention, diagnosis, treatment plans, medication management, precision medicine and drug creation." Most people with some familiarity with artificial intelligence agree with Mr. Liang—myself included. However, the anthropomorphization of artificial intelligence ("A.I. could play…") is something to watch out for.
Not to pick on Mr. Liang in particular, but "AI" is a term with both positive and negative cultural connotations. Countless fictional works tell tales of runaway, evil, or otherwise uncaring artificially intelligent beings. Elon Musk, one of the most prolific and well-recognized innovators of this century, has cautioned us that AI "could wipe out humanity." When "AI" becomes a sort of mantra, it resembles the black monolith of Kubrick's 2001, ominous and full of foreign power. Instead of bundling AI into a singular, ever-growing juggernaut of unknown capability, we ought to focus on the tangible, quantifiable improvements AI applications can make in patient care. There's no doubt it's convenient to refer to the extremely diverse set of "smart" technologies as the collective term "AI," but I think we are better served to talk about specific applications.
A recent Accenture report breaks AI applications in healthcare into ten different domains, ranging from "robot-assisted surgery," to "fraud detection," to "automated image diagnosis." These high level groupings are a good start at pulling apart the AI monolith that old and new media have crafted for us, inadvertently or not.
A closer look at just one of those domains, "automated image diagnosis" (which I think is more usefully described as "image-based analytics") yields a dizzying number of applications and several technologies at various stages of maturity.
Enlitic and IBM Watson Health are two ventures applying deep learning technology to the field of radiology, where new technology promises to assist in patient triage, screening, and clinical decision support. Enlitic claims to be able to improve diagnostic efficiency and accuracy using advanced image analysis technology.
In the realm of pathology, a fast-growing international competition called CAMELYON has attracted the attention of both academic researchers and tech companies (including Google) eager to tackle the difficult problem of detecting and staging metastatic breast cancer. In the most recent phase of competition, Proscia and other leading participants demonstrated either substantial or almost perfection agreement with a panel of expert physicians.
While such results highlight the potential for AI to augment medical practice, further validation is required to draw firm conclusions on clinical efficacy. However, some technologies are more mature. Pittsburgh-based Cernostics has performed multi-institutional, multi-year studies on its image analysis-driven assay for Barrett's esophagus, a potential precursor to esophageal cancer. Evidence from studies shows that Cernostics' technology "has stronger prognostic power than current clinical variables, including the pathologic diagnosis."
As builders of these exciting new technologies, it is our responsibility to communicate them effectively. We can indulge in buzzwords occasionally, but we cannot let them displace the quantitative results we see in hyper-specific domains.


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The Zayed National Museum tells the story of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (1918–2004), his unification of the United Arab Emirates, the long history of the region and its cultural connections across the world. Onya is proud to be associated with the development of this website.
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The primary function of this position is to serve as Engineering Technician for the Project Section, Facility Management Service at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS), San Juan, Puerto Rico. Serves as an Engineering Technician in the Project Section of Facility Management Service, with the overall coordination of any assigned construction project.
Assists in performing and/or directing the survey and investigations at the project site to determine the condition of facilities and to secure necessary data prior to initiating design, evaluates the data obtained and incorporates the salient factors into design considerations and solutions.
Assists in evaluating design objectives, performs technical calculations, identifies most economical and efficient procedures for project design and performance considering all influences necessary.
Prepares detailed cost estimates for use in obtaining project funding and bid evaluation.
Works, prepares, draws and plots plans and specification for projects including drawings as-built plans and technical drawings for renovations in existing buildings or new projects.
Data gathering and investigations, preparations of as-built drawings, working drawings and/or analysis of technical equipment.
Prepares correspondence, technical reports, estimates, fact sheets, status reports and schedules as required to complete project assignments.
Assists in reviewing and evaluating shop drawings, samples and material certifications submitted by contractor for contract and performance requirements, recommending approval, rejection or receipt.
Assist the project manager/engineer in the review of architect engineer firms works to ensure design excellence, contractual requirements and that the project intentions are met.
Assists in performing, as requested, architectural/functional survey and utilities systems and/or mechanical/electrical systems engineering investigations at the project site to determine condition of facilities and to secure necessary data prior any design be initiated.
Assists in preparing project application requests, cost estimates, drawings, justification, environmental evaluation and scoring sheet for the Chief Projects Section signature and funding consideration.
Participate in construction projects evaluation, planning and coordination meetings.
Assures adequate inspection and also control or monitor the construction operations.
Performs all duties as assigned.
The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: possess the experience in proficient written and spoken English and Spanish. NOTE: Applicants must possess the ability to speak and write fluently and proficiently in English and Spanish in order to receive consideration for this position. Applicant's inability to proficiently speak and write in English and Spanish will result in an ineligible rating. The hiring facility will interview or test to evaluate the applicant's ability to write and speak in English and Spanish.
Physical Requirements: Physical agility and manual dexterity are essential in that the incumbent must be able to climb, lift, push, balance. stoop, kneel, crouch, craw, and reach during normal project inspection procedures and/or equipment or systems evaluations. In addition, the incumbent must have good hearing, eye sight, color and depth perception, and use of all limbs to be able to perform at an optimum level.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (787) 641-7582.
Promotion Documentation Reminder - If you are a current or former Federal employee, you must provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, "Notice of Personnel Action." The SF-50 must identify your position, title, series, grade, step, tenure, and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). If you have previously held a higher grade and are applying based on that grade, you must provide a copy of the SF-50 showing you held the higher grade IN ADDITION to your last or most recent SF-50 indicating proof of status.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/07/2019 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10430153.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/525889400. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.