text:
Friday, 22 May 2020 11.00 am
Agenda reports pack
Coronavirus (Covid-19) - Impact and Response of the County Council and Financial Implications - Supplementary Reports. PDF 1 MB
Order Paper and Representations. PDF 928 KB
Printed minutes PDF 224 KB
Venue: Sparkenhoe Committee Room, County Hall, Glenfield
Contact: Anna Poole (Tel. 0116 305 2583) Email: anna.poole@leics.gov.uk
Order paper. PDF 418 KB
A webcast of the meeting can be viewed at https://bit.ly/2NKDhFz
Minutes of the previous meeting. PDF 169 KB
The minutes of the meeting held on 28 April 2020 were taken as read, confirmed and signed.
Urgent items.
There were no urgent items for consideration.
Declarations of interest.
The Chairman invited members who wished to do so to declare any interest in respect of items on the agenda for the meeting. He and Mr. Breckon CC, Mr. Blunt CC, Mrs. Richardson CC, and Mr. Shepherd CC declared a personal interest in agenda item 4 (a) (Coronavirus (Covid-19) Impact and Response of the County Council) as members of district councils.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) Impact and Response of the County Council. PDF 285 KB
Additional documents:
Coronavirus COVID19 Impact and Response of the County Council , item 409. PDF 296 KB
APPX A LLR Prepared COVID-19 Multi-Agency Response Structure , item 409. PDF 180 KB
APPX B Member Working Group Draft Terms of Reference , item 409. PDF 281 KB
Coronavirus Covid 19 Financial Implications , item 409. PDF 338 KB
Comments Dr Eynon - Labour - Coronavirus , item 409. PDF 215 KB
The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Chief Executive, Director of Corporate Resources and Director of Public Health regarding the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and work being undertaken by the County Council and its partners to respond to this. A copy of this report and two supplementary reports, circulated separately, marked 'Agenda Item 4', are filed with these minutes.
Having noted the original report, the Cabinet considered the supplementary reports -
Supplementary Report (a) Coronavirus (Covid-19) Impact and Response of the County Council
The Cabinet considered a joint report of the Chief Executive and Service Directors which advised of the work being undertaken within the County Council and with partners to address the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) within the County.
Members noted comments of Dr. T. Eynon CC on behalf of the Labour Group, a copy of which is filed with these minutes.
In introducing the report the officers informed Members that the number of cases of Covid-19 in Leicestershire had decreased and plateaued, and was below the East Midlands and national averages, but in line with other East Midlands' counties; seven of the Council's Recycling and Household Waste Sites had re-opened and had generally operated well; the situation regarding the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) had eased, and the Council had a clear understanding of the needs of care homes and other domiciliary providers. Care homes would be prioritised for testing, especially those where staff were isolating. Recovery work would include a review of ways of working and optimising use of digital technology in line with the Council's environmental commitments.
Mr. Rushton CC commended Labour and Liberal Democrat members for supporting the establishment of a cross-party working group on recovery.
With the permission of the Chairman, Dr. Eynon CC asked whether he, as Leader of the Council, would issue a statement similar to that of the Leicester City Mayor with regard to schools reopening. The Chairman referred the matter to Mr. Ould, who said that he was content for schools in the County to use their own judgement as to when it was safe to open and the Council would continue to support them as needed.
Mr. Pendleton CC noted that a report on school transport arrangements would be considered by the Environment and Transport Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting in September.
(a) That the actions taken to date in response to COVID-19 be noted;
(b) That thanks be conveyed to the Sichuan Provincial People's Government for its donation of 20,000 face masks;
(c) That the work that has commenced on recovery be noted and the establishment of the cross-party member working group with the terms of reference as set out in Appendix B to the report be approved.
REASONS FOR DECISION:
To note the current position on the response to the coronavirus pandemic and to agree the establishment of a cross-party member working group to provide high-level direction and political perspective to the County Council's Recovery Plans.
Supplementary Report (b) Coronavirus (Covid-19) Financial Implications
The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources regarding the expected financial implications of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and the measures being put in place to monitor and minimise the impact.
In introducing the report, the Director said that as well as the additional costs incurred, the Council would suffer badly from the predicted loss of income from Business Rates and Council Tax. He highlighted the increased costs related to meeting demand for Special Education Needs and Disabilities and highlighted the comprehensive package of support provided by the County Council to care homes. A report ... view the full minutes text for item 409.
Country Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2019 - 2029. PDF 438 KB
APPENDIX Country Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2019-2029 , item 410. PDF 8 MB
The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources
regarding the outcome of the consultation on the Country Parks and
Open Spaces Strategy 2019-2029 and seeking approval for the final
Strategy. A copy of the report, marked 'Agenda item 5', is filed with these
Mr. Rhodes CC commended officers for the development of the Strategy and highlighted the importance of Country Parks and Open Spaces for communities as the lockdown due to Covid-19 was lifted. Mr. Pain CC noted that the Strategy would underpin the Environment Strategy and support the Council to meet its commitment for carbon neutrality in its own operations by 2030.
(a) That the comments of the Scrutiny Commission on the draft Strategy, and changes made as a result, be noted;
(b) That the Country Parks and Open Spaces Strategy 2019 – 2029 be approved.
The Country Parks and Open Spaces Strategy has been developed to give a strategic direction to developments, including maintenance and preservation, within country parks in Leicestershire over the next ten years.
Leaders Farm Development Proposal. PDF 541 KB
View the background to item 411.
View the decision for item 411.
Appendix A Site Plan , item 411. PDF 1 MB
Appendix B Financial Sensitivity Analysis , item 411. PDF 519 KB
concerning the development proposals for the Leaders Farm site near
Lutterworth and seeking approval for the allocation of resources to support the
associated planning application, design team fees and construction costs. A
copy of the report, marked 'Agenda item 6', is filed with these minutes.
The Director, in introducing the item, reminded members that the report set out the plans and views of the Council as a landowner and developer only. It was recognised that part of the proposal did not accord with allocated planning use for the site, and the scheme would be subject to consideration by the relevant Planning Authority (to be confirmed), including full public consultation.
Mr. Rhodes CC said that he had reviewed the proposal and was satisfied that it was a good investment and gave a good rate of return.
(a) That Option 2 for development of the Leaders Farm site as set out in paragraph 26 of the report be approved, namely
i. two Drive Thru restaurant units
ii. a 50,000 sq ft light industrial unit (subject to successful negotiations with the proposed tenant)
iii. further light industrial units on the remainder of the site (at an appropriate time in the future, subject to wider market assessment of the need for such units);
(b) That £8.2m be allocated from the Corporate Asset Investment Fund for the development of the Leaders Farm Site as set out in (a) above;
(c) That the Director of Corporate Resources, following consultation with the Cabinet Lead Member, be authorised to undertake all necessary preparatory work to enable the submission of a planning application for the proposed development.
(KEY DECISION)
The development of the Council-owned land will support the delivery of both new business accommodation and income generating assets.
Having reviewed the various options available to the Council, Option 2 presents the best projected return for the capital invested based on current information.
OTHER OPTIONS CONSIDERED:
A further three options were set out in the report:
Option 1 - Develop the entire site including the Drive Thru units and the Light Industrial Units. This would require a capital contribution of approximately £7.95m.
Option 3 - Develop the site with the Drive Thru units, the unit for the potential occupier and dispose of the remaining land. This would require a capital investment of approximately £6.44m but would be offset by a £6m capital receipt from the occupier and possibly a capital receipt in the region of £750,000 from the sale of the remaining land.
Option 4 - In the event the occupier interest does not come to fruition, to develop the Drive Thru units and dispose of the remaining land. This would require a capital contribution of approximately £3m offset by a land sale of potentially £1.75m.
Leicestershire Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020-23. PDF 223 KB
APPENDIX Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020 - 2023 , item 412. PDF 1014 KB
Comment Max Hunt - Youth Justice Strategic Plan , item 412. PDF 307 KB
The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children and Family Services which sought aggreement for the Leicestershire Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020-2023 to be submitted to the County Council for approval. A copy of the report, marked 'Agenda Item 7', is filed with these minutes.
Members noted comments from Mr. Max Hunt CC, on behalf of the Labour Group, a copy of which is filed with these minutes.
Mr. Ould CC highlighted the benefits of a whole-family approach and in working with partners to support children with the most complex needs. He supported the actions included in the Plan to address criminal exploitation of children and young people.
(a) That the comments of the Scrutiny Commission on the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020-2023, be noted;
(b) That the County Council at its meeting on 8 July 2020 be recommended to approve the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2020-2023.
The County Council has a statutory duty under Section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to produce an annual Youth Justice Plan. Following guidance issued by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in 2015, the Youth Offending Service Management Board (YOSMB) was able to choose whether to develop a one or three-year Plan. The new Plan will cover a three-year period with annual updates being provided to the YOSMB and YJB, so reducing the burden on the Youth Offending Service.
The Youth Justice Board may request the Youth Offending Service to undertake further reviews of the Plan before it is next refreshed in 2021 to ensure that it reflects changes in priorities and budget.
Dates of Council Meetings 2020-21 and 2021-22. PDF 221 KB
The Cabinet received a report of the Chief Executive regarding the proposed dates of Council meetings for the next two years. A copy of the report, marked "Agenda Item 8", is filed with these minutes.
That the County Council be recommended to hold meetings on the following dates during the next two municipal years:-
Wednesday 17 February 2021 (to consider the budget)
Wednesday 19 May 2021 (Annual Meeting)
Wednesday 7 July 2021
To comply with the Local Government Act 1972 and the County Council's Standing Orders.
Items referred from Overview and Scrutiny.
There were no items referred from Overview and Scrutiny.
In attendance


text:
In memory of Mary Saunders
(28/4/1935 – 26/1/2021) - by husband Mike
Mary was a quiet but well-loved lady within the club where we had been members since 1973, at which time the club premises were in Homewell House near St Faith's in Havant
In our earlier years as members we spent many happy Saturday evenings and Sunday lunchtimes at Denvilles House after the club moved there. But as time went on we spent less time there at week-ends, being more content to enjoy the quieter events such as Dave Bruce's 'Opera Evenings' on Mondays and the Friday afternoon film shows. We also supported the Thursday Quizzes, at which Mary came out of her shell and showed her surprisingly wide general knowledge to good effect. In later years we enjoyed the club outings and holidays on numerous occasions.
In her working life in London Mary had been a private secretary in what was then called 'The Colonial and Commonwealth Office'' off Downing Street, a position she held until the first of our two children was born.
We were both Londoners and moved to Havant in 1969. since which time we had come to consider ourselves less as 'GROCKLES' and more as 'adopted locals', as a result of having made so many good friends here.
Mary had enjoyed good health until her early 80s when she started to suffer some ill effects, notably 'BriIttle-bone disease', COPD, and more recently Early-stage Alzheimer's, which she bore with her typical stoicism. As she needed more care our son Tom moved down from Cumbria to help me with Mary's needs, which lifted her spirits no-end.
On 26th January 2021, at the age of 85, she finally succumbed to her numerous ailments, and died peacefully in her sleep in QA hospital with me and Tom each holding a hand as she slipped away, only a bare two months short of our 65th Wedding Anniversary.
The death certificate recorded Pneumonia, COPD, and Alzheimer's as causes of death.
Mary will be sorely missed not only by her family, but by her many friends in the Denvilles Club and elsewhere.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: How to use sailsjs generated session in phonegap html front page file Here, this my html code

    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no" />
    <meta name="msapplication-tap-highlight" content="no" />
    <meta name="viewport" content="user-scalable=no, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, minimum-scale=1, width=device-width, height=device-height, target-densitydpi=device-dpi" />
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/index.css" />
    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/bootstrap.min.css" />
    <title>Hello World</title>

from the above code
var html = ejs.render("

<%= session.User.name %>

", { });

Here, i want to get sails server created session object in my cordova front end view. i tried many times , but i have't get session name. I'm very new to cordova . So , Please help me .

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


1. Search for your trip by destination, activity, or tour operator name using our awesome filter, sort, and reviews tools.
2. Pick your trip, then click the big yellow RESERVE button at the top right of the trip page. Offer available from select tour operators. See full list below.
- spend $5000 or more to receive $500 credit.
- spend $2500 or more to receive $250 credit.
- spend $1000 or more to receive $100 credit.
5. You must ensure that the tour operator knows that you were referred by Stride Travel. You can do this by booking directly on the operator site AFTER clicking on the Stride 'Reserve' button. You can also add this in as a comment if you contact the operator via email. Or, if making a reservation by phone, just tell the sales agent that you were referred by Stride Travel and ask them to append that to your reservation record. IF THE TOUR OPERATOR DOES NOT HAVE A RECORD OF STRIDE TRAVEL AS THE ORIGINATING SOURCE OF YOUR BOOKING, WE CANNOT HONOR THE TRAVEL CREDIT OFFER.
6. Drop us an email at producthunt@stridetravel.com. Include your name and proof of payment for your trip. For example, an email confirmation from the operator or scanned copy of your invoice.
7. We'll send you a Visa (or MasterCard, AMEX) gift card via email once your trip departs (to allow for any cancellations).
Only one (1) travel credit per person can be redeemed. You must book your trip direct with tour operator by December 31, 2016 and depart by December 31, 2017 or this offer is void. Offer is available only when booking a trip with the participating tour operators below. To receive your credit, you must follow the above steps and travel with one of the tour operators listed below. After your trip departs, Stride Travel will email you your travel credit in the form of a gift card - valid wherever Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX are accepted.


text:
Azure victim of Gadolinium – APT 40
Exfilteration
PravinKarthik September 25, 2020 2 min read
Security researchers at Microsoft say they upended a hacking campaign that used the company's own Azure commercial cloud service as part of the command-and-control network for its malware.
The hacking group — labeled Gadolinium by Microsoft and also known as APT40 — was hosting apps on the Azure Active Directory and using open source tools "to enhance weaponization of their malware payload, attempt to gain command and control all the way to the server, and to obfuscate detection," .
APT40 has been linked to China's government, and recent targets have reportedly included organizations in Taiwan and Malaysia. The typical goal is data exfiltration for espionage,Microsoft's report does not mention China by name, but notes that the hacking group has previously focused on the maritime and health industries.
Beijing has denied in the past that it conducts such cyberattacks.
Microsoft said it suspended 18 of the Azure applications in April and has been continuing to the track the group's evolution.
"Because cloud services frequently offer a free trial or one-time payment (PayGo) account offerings, malicious actors have found ways to take advantage of these legitimate business offerings,". "By establishing free or PayGo accounts, they can use cloud-based technology to create a malicious infrastructure that can be established quickly then taken down before detection or given up at little cost."
The use of open-source malware code also marks an evolution in the hacking group's tactics, Microsoft said. For years, Gadolinium, also known as Leviathan, has leaned on "custom-crafted malware families that analysts can identify and defend against," the researchers said. The open-source toolkits are a crafty way for the group "to obfuscate their activity and make it more difficult for analysts to track."
As is common with attempted attacks on large organizations, the hackers looked to infiltrate via email: "These attacks were delivered via spear-phishing emails with malicious attachments," the researchers said.
The report does not specify who the targets were, where they were based or how much data the attackers might have pilfered.
In addition to APT40's known interest in specific industries and Pacific Rim targets, Microsoft said the hacking group's "newly expanded targeting" appears to include "higher education and regional government organizations."
Tags: APT 40 AZ App Service Azure Apps China Microsoft Security Threats
Previous Zerologon ! Goes Wild
Next Fileless Malware , On a rise to be worried


São Paulo/Aughotlirnk News/ June 28, 2012 – The international media company Bertelsmann is accelerating its expansion in the world's growth regions: Thomas Rabe, Chairman & CEO of Bertelsmann AG, officially opened the Group's new Corporate Center in the Brazilian city of São Paulo yesterday evening. The Corporate Center will be the contact point for the expansion of Bertelsmann's operations in South America. Earlier this year, in February, the media company had opened a new Corporate Center in India, and Bertelsmann has had one in China since 2006. Bertelsmann owns Random House in the United States.
Bertelsmann has already been active in South America for some time through its divisions. RTL Group's production arm Fremantle Media currently sells a variety of popular formats here such as "Idol" and "The Apprentice." The book-publishing subsidiary Random House Mondadori has operations in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, and Uruguay. Gruner + Jahr owns three Motor-Presse offshoots in Argentina, Mexico and Brazil, and G y J Televisia in Mexico. Arvato operates across South America in fields including distribution services, service centers and print. In total, Bertelsmann employs approximately 3,000 people in South America.
Thomas Mackenbrock, formerly Senior Vice President of Bertelsmann's Corporate Development department, will head Bertelsmann's new office in Sao Paulo. In addition to the office that has now opened in Brazil, Bertelsmann has Corporate Centers in New Delhi, Beijing, New York and Gütersloh as well as liaison offices in Berlin and Brussels.


Those who experience Pablo's show for the first time find themselves mesmerized by his hilarious dead on impersonations. Gene Lavanchy of FOX – TV Boston calls Pablo "the most talented comedian in the business today". His unbelievable ability to physically morph himself into movie stars, singers, friends, family and a multitude of nationalities gives Pablo's show a universal charm. His drop-dead funny spoofing often leaves his audiences struggling to catch their breath which is the driving force behind his huge success.
In addition to his Comedy Central specials & DVD's, Pablo has appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," Comedy Central's "The Show Biz Show w/ David Spade" and "Mind of Mencia." He has also been a cast member on the Fox Network's sketch comedy show "Mad TV," TBS's "Frank TV," and appeared on Howard Stern's radio show.


Now I am looking for a good hard shell to prevent any damage to that beauty.
Musikalsk indslag med Halvor Bogh og Marskens Guld.
By far, this is the best Mac I've ever had.
I have tried the Macbook and betchan signup bonus code the MBAir also.
Got a great deal from B H will work with them when purchasing items like this in the future.Excellent replacement for my 3-year old MBPr.Love my macbook pro.The touch bar is a wonderful innovation, allowing her to quickly but accurately scan through her photos.Date published: Rated 5 out of 5 by Anonymous from Don't Believe The Naysayers; Get This One For Christmas.The Touch Bar places controls right at your fingertips and adapts to different apps to provide useful functions without having to navigate complex menus or memorize keyboard shortcuts.
Markering af 100 året online gambling revenue australia for afslutning.
It is also a great, everyday kind of computer for email, web browsing, etc.
Date published: Rated 5 out of 5.She outgrew her 128 GB MacBook Air, and she needed a lot more SSD memory because she does video editing.That's two in the family now, as mine is the 256 GB version.The display is quite good, though.I highly recommend this new MacBook Pro!Sange med klaverledsagelse af Else Valeur.15-15.30 Forventet afslutning/tak for i dag.I admit there is a bit of a learning curve but I'm getting there.Base Clock Speed.9 GHz, maximum Boost Speed.3 GHz, total Installed Memory 8 GB, memory Type, lpddr3 sdram, memory Speed 2133 MHz.I'm in (and this emoji came straight out of the Touch Bar)!


text:
NEW LOCATION FOR FLOW KING OF THE HILL 2019
photo by Neil Barnard/Barbados Rally Club of Dane Skeete tackling the final uphill section of the Stewarts Hill course
Sol Rally Barbados 'shakedown' moves to Stewarts Hill
In the first announcement about its plans for next year's 30th running of its premier event, the Barbados Rally Club (BRC) has confirmed that Flow King of the Hill will move to Stewarts Hill in St Philip. Run on the Sunday before the main event since 2008, KotH plays a key role in seeding the running order for Sol Rally Barbados, and the change of venue has already found favour with Britain's Rob Swann, who describes it as "a great spectator stage, which has a bit of everything."
Sol RB19 will run from Friday, May 31 to Sunday, June 2, with The Rally Show and Flow KotH the previous weekend (May 25/26). The event has evolved from small beginnings as the International All-Stage Rally of 1990 into the Caribbean's biggest annual motor sport International and a key National Event on the island's sports-tourism calendar.
The BRC returned to the popular venue in the south-east corner of the island for the first time in six years last month (October 28) for the Flow Winter Sprint, the double-header finale of the new-for-2018 Flow SuperSprint Series. Swann finished a close second to Jamaica's Jeff Panton in both directions, after making a late decision to enter, as it would bring back good memories of his first KotH in 2009.
Swann, who has finished second in Sol Rally Barbados three times in the past five years, said: "I was really pleased to read about the Winter Sprint, as Stewarts Hill in 2009 was our first KotH, as we only did Rally Barbados in 2008, due to British Rally Championship commitments. And to hear that it will be KotH next year is great news, a welcome change. It's a great spectator stage, which has a bit of everything - all our gang have enjoyed watching there and as a driver you can see the crowds. On the main straight, there's plenty of time to wave, if you feel like it.
"I love driving the stage, too. From the start-line, its very fast in to a very committed left-hander which, if taken well, carries so much speed on to the very fast section with blind corners, and that's all top gear stuff. Then you go through the cut rock with some crests and open out on to the main straight, which seems to go on for ever! Braking is all you think about, trying to be as late as possible. Then you turn in and attack the hill, which has a series of twisty bumpy corners, all the while climbing, so you don't want to scrub off any speed. After all that, it's time to pester the co-driver: 'How did we do? Come on, it must have been quicker than that' is the usual comment from me!"
After the inaugural event in 2008 at Turners Hall in St Andrew, KotH moved venues, first to Stewarts Hill, then Sailor Gully in St Peter, before finding a more permanent home on Hangmans Hill in St Thomas, where it has run every year since 2011, apart from 2013, when it moved to Luke Hill in St Lucy. For the past four years, the Hangmans Hill route has also taken in various configurations of the Vaucluse Raceway.
The BRC's Winter Sprint was in part a trial run for next year, as Sol RB Chairman Mark Hamilton explains: "As in previous years, we are always looking to make changes to our premier event and the two weeks of activities that revolve around it, with a view to keep things interesting for both competitors and spectators, while at the same time staying true to the core values that have served us so well in the past. The iconic Hangmans Hill stage has been very successful as the venue for King of the Hill for many years, but we felt it was time to introduce something new, and with an equally iconic and popular venue for 2019.
"Stewarts Hill offers many attributes that make it a very challenging course for drivers, while at the same time offering great viewing, as well as the ability to enter and exit the spectator areas while the event is under way. Its use for the Flow Winter Sprint was well received by everyone and the preliminary work undertaken by the Club for that event underlined the potential the venue offers with more infrastructure in place.
"We have every confidence that Flow King of the Hill 2019 will reach the same levels of success enjoyed in previous years. And I'm delighted that Rob Swann, one of our most loyal overseas visitors, is looking forward to next year, but he should know that the course for Flow KotH 2019 won't be quite the same as it was for the double-header . . ."
King of the Hill – winners, 2008 - 2018
2018 (H) Jeffrey Panton – JAM/Michael Fennell Jnr – JAM (Ford Focus WRC06)
2wd: Barry Mayers/Ben Norris (Ford Fiesta), 9th overall
2wd: Rhett Watson/James Hutchinson (BMW M3), 7th o/a
2016 (H) * Simon Jean-Joseph – FRA/Jack Boyere – FRA (Ford Focus WRC08)
* Jeffrey Panton – JAM/Michael Fennell Jnr – JAM (Ford Focus WRC06)
2wd: Josh Read/Mark Jordan (Toyota Starlet), 6th o/a
* joint winners, final run cancelled
2015 (H) Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (Subaru Impreza WRC S12B)
2014 (H) Paul Bird - ENG/Aled Davies – WAL (Ford Focus WRC08)
2wd: Roger Mayers/Sean Corbin (WR Starlet), 8th o/a
2013 (L) Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (Suzuki SX4 WRC)
2wd: Roger Mayers/Barry Mayers (WR Starlet), 6th o/a
2012 (H) Paul Bird - ENG/Kirsty Riddick – SCO (Ford Focus WRC08)
2wd: Neil Armstrong/Barry Ward (Toyota Starlet), 8th o/a
2010 (SG) Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (Ford Focus WRC 07)
2wd: Ian Warren/Robert Warren (Suzuki Swift), 5th o/a
2009 (SH) Roger Skeete/Louis Venezia (Subaru Impreza WRC S12B)
2008 (T) Paul Bourne/Stuart Maloney (Subaru Impreza WRC S9)
2wd: Sean Gill/Michael Cummins (Suzuki Swift), 6th o/a
Key to locations: H – Hangman's Hill; L – Luke Hill; SG – Sailor Gully; SH – Stewarts Hill; T – Turner's Hall
Sol Rally Barbados and Flow King of the Hill are organised by the Barbados Rally Club, which celebrated its 60th Anniversary in 2017; Sol RB19 marks the 12th year of title sponsorship by the Sol Group, the Caribbean's largest independent oil company, and the fourth by communications provider Flow.
For media information only. No regulatory value.
For further media information: e-mail - robin@bradfax.com
Websites: www.rallybarbados.net; www.barbadosrallyclub.com


Home » ECONOMY COSTUMES » SUPER HERO CAPE, CHILD 36"
Turn an ordinary hero costume into a super hero (or heroine) costume by adding this Deluxe Superhero Cape! Wear it to complete a Superman or Wonder Woman costume, or create your own superhero character.
It's suitable for many costume ideas, such as storybook hero/villan, sci-fi Vader, super villain, superhero, devil, phantom, vampire, etc.
Cape also available in other colors (sold separately).
Interlock knit cape with no collar, ties in front.
Available colors are Black, Blue, Green, Red or Yellow.


text:
Rules and Restrictions for individuals and stunt groups:
Individual Cheerleader and Individual/Duo Dance Competition Rules and Requirements
There will be four divisions offered:
Mini (8 years & younger)
Junior (12-14 years)
Senior (15-18 years)
All individuals are eligible regardless of whether or not their squad is competing in the squad
competition (cheer will be offered in both gymnastics and non-gymnastics).
Ninety seconds is the maximum time allowed to perform a combined cheer and dance
routine. Timing will begin with the first word, movement, or note of music occurring after
each contestant is announced and has taken his or her opening position on the floor. An
automatic 5-point penalty will be deducted for going 3 or more seconds over the time limit.
Entrances and exits will NOT be timed or judged, and should not be choreographed.
Music may be used for any or all of the 90 sec.
Best Stunt Group Rules and Requirements
There will be five divisions offered:
Youth (11 years & younger) up to five team members- all female
Junior (14 years & younger) up to five team members- all female
Senior (18 years & younger) up to five team members- all female
Junior Coed (14 years & younger) up to five team members
Senior Coed (18 years & younger) up to five team members
All cheerleaders are eligible regardless of whether or not their squad is competing in the squad competition.
Each stunt group can compete with a maximum of five squad members (all female), unless entered in the Junior & Senior Coed Division.
Participants must all be from the same team.
Each group will perform a 60-second or less routine with background music. Timing will begin with the first movement or note of music occurring after the group has been officially announced and has taken its opening position on the floor. An automatic 5-point penalty will
be deducted for going 3 or more seconds over the time limit. Entrances and exits will NOT be timed or judged.
No props are permitted other than pompons, megaphones and signs.
Two cued copies of your music are required. Each group must write its name and school name on each CD.
Allstar Scoring Rubric
Allstar Prep Scoring Rubric


For decades, servitization served as a strategy to gain a competitive advantage over competitors. However, due to its ubiquitous adoption, it is no longer a viable source for differentiation. In this context, data and analytics bear the potential to create new value and, thus, is believed to drive the next frontier of servitization. Yet, the majority of organizations fail to create new innovative services utilizing data and analytics, while research on this topic is also still very limited. Based on a structured literature review, we derive the following contributions to this research field: First, we provide a general overview over the topic, linking single discussions to a larger discourse. Second, we contribute to the fundamental understanding of the research field by pointing out the gaps in the existing literature. Third, we lay the foundation for future research by opening a research agenda to address the highlighted gaps.


text:
Justia Patents US Patent for Measurement of relative detector gain Patent (Patent # 5,302,824)
Measurement of relative detector gain
Dec 1, 1992 - Hughes Aircraft Company
An imaging system including a scanning linear detector array is calibrated with the aid of a source of radiation to provide uniformity in gain among the various detectors of the array. A first memory is provided for storing a map of the source obtained by a scanning through a succession of parallel line scans by means of a single one of the detectors, the detector array being offset between the successive line scans to enable the single detector to perform all of the line scans. A second memory is provided to store an image of the source provided by a scanning by all of the detectors along their respective scan lines. The data obtained in each line scan in each of the memories is averaged. Then, the average value for a scan line stored in the second memory is divided by the average value of the same scan line appearing in the first memory to provide a ratio for each scan line. The ratio is the gain of the detector of the scan line relative to the gain of the first detector. The mapping allows equalization of the gains for eliminating the effect of nonuniformities of the test source from the resultant calculation of the relative detector gains.
Latest Hughes Aircraft Company Patents:
Acoustic adiabatic liquid quantity sensor
Method and apparatus for detecting a change in capacitance of a capacitive proximity sensor
Liquid crystal light valves using internal, fixed spacers and method of incorporating same
Apparatus and method of fusing the outputs of multiple intelligent character recognition (ICR) systems to reduce error rate
Helmet mounted display system
This invention relates to an array of detectors employed in the scanning of a field of radiation emanating from a source of radiation to provide an image of the source, such as a scanning array detector for imaging infrared radiation. More particularly, the invention relates to a method of measuring the relative gains of the various detectors of the array by use of a reference source of radiation, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention and, in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, provides a procedure for calibrating perturbations of radiation intensity which may be present in the reference source.
Scanning detector arrays may be employed for forming images of various sources of radiation including both acoustic and electromagnetic radiation. In such scanning-array detector imaging systems, it is a common practice to employ a linear array of detectors, and to scan the radiation field past the array in a direction perpendicular to the long dimension of the array. Each of the detectors forms a part of a separate signal-processing channel, and each channel may include amplification and filtering to develop a good signal-to-noise ratio, and may also include, an analog-to-digital converter for producing digitized samples of the analog signal produced by the detector. The samples may be portrayed as an array of samples set forth in rows and columns wherein the samples of each row represent the scan line of a corresponding one of the detectors. The number of samples per scan line is dependent on the sampling rate. In the foregoing representation of a two-dimensional array of samples, each sample is a pixel of the scanned field of radiation. Various implementations may be used, including multiplexing a single analog-to-digital converter to output digitized samples of the respective detectors serially. The scan may also be interlaced.
Of particular interest herein is the use of a scanning detector array for imaging a scene radiating infrared radiation such as imaging systems employed for night vision. In order to ensure that the image produced by such systems is an accurate reproduction of details of the scene being viewed, it is advantageous to have the same signal gain in each detector channel. This is accomplished by a calibration procedure in which the gains of the respective detector channels are measured, and the resultant gain information is employed to adjust the gains of the individual channels so as to equalize the gains.
In a calibration procedure, concern is directed to two sources of error. One source of error is a possible inequality among signal gains of a plurality of detectors of a sensor assembly, and the second source of error is a lack of uniformity in the intensity of radiation emanating from a reference source of radiation employed in the calibration procedure. It is recognized that insufficient uniformity of radiation intensity of the test source can degrade the measurement of relative detector gains in a sensor assembly. Accordingly, a present procedure for calibrating uniformity among plural detector channels includes compensation for source perturbations.
A problem arises in that present methodology in measuring the uniformity among detector channel gains is somewhat unwieldy. A further problem arises in that present procedures for compensating for source perturbations, during a calibration of detector channels, may not be sufficiently accurate for precise imaging of a subject or may require additional test fixturing.
As an example of present procedure in measurement of uniformity among detectors in a scanning detector array, there is employed a slit infrared target which serves as the reference source of radiation. To compensate for possible source perturbations, the source is defocused in an effort to remove temperature nonuniformities in a test subject which serves as a source of radiation. Typically, the unit under test is connected to a test panel which is connected to a digital multimeter or oscilloscope. The baseline-to-peak voltage for each detector is then measured, whether semi-automatically by a computer or manually by a technician. The measurements are then used to calculate the gain uniformity based on some predefined criteria. This procedure is very time consuming, especially if the measurements are made manually by a technician. Also, it is a disadvantage that the defocusing of the source does not always ensure that the nonuniformities in temperature of the radiation source will be removed, this leading to inaccurate results. A disadvantage in the presently available measurement method is that a temperature nonuniformity in an infrared source might result in the discarding of a perfectly good infrared night-vision system in the mistaken belief that the system is faulty wherein, in fact, the failure is in the test infrared source. Clearly, such an event would lead to production delays and additional costs.
The aforementioned problem is overcome and other advantages are provided by a method, in accordance with the invention, for measuring the relative gain of detectors in an array of detectors scanning a field of radiation emanating from a test source. The invention allows one to attain the requisite data and to calculate the gain uniformity in a minimal amount of time, thus reducing test time and reducing the cost of the test. Importantly, in the case of an infrared test source, temperature nonuniformities may be accounted for so as to be factored out of the calculation of gain uniformity. This provides for a much more reliable measurement process.
The measuring method is intended for use for a scanning detector array in which the detectors are arranged in a linear column or row, and wherein a scanning of a radiation field, incident upon the detector array, is accomplished in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the array. With this configuration of a scanning-array imaging system, there is produced an image comprising a set of pixels arranged in a raster of rows and columns. Each row provides imaging data obtained in a scan line of a specific one of the detectors of the array. For example, in a non-interlaced system there are N detectors that produce N scan lines. And, if there are M samples taken of the outputted detector signal of each detector in each scan line, the resulting array of pixels is arranged in a raster of N rows and M columns.
In accordance with the invention, the method begins by designating a set of scan lines corresponding to respective detectors of the array, a first set of the scan lines being scanned by the first of the detectors, an Nth one of the scan lines being scanned by an Nth one of the detectors. The invention provides a method of measuring the relative gains of the various detectors of the array by use of a reference source of radiation, in accordance with a first aspect of the invention and, in accordance with a second aspect of the invention, provides an optional procedure for calibrating perturbations of radiation intensity which may be present in the reference source. The average values of detector gain for each of a plurality of detector channels is employed to equalize the channel gains so as to provide a uniformity of gain for all of the detectors.
For calibrating the source, the methodology of the invention provides for a mapping of the source, the mapping being accomplished by activating only the first detector while the other detectors are inactive. In the mapping step, one of the detectors is employed to scan the entire portion of the source to be imaged. Thereby, any variation in the detector output signal is due only to the source. This produces a map of the source which allows any nonuniformities to be factored out of the detector gain uniformity calculations.
The mapping step is accomplished by providing a succession of scans with the first detector, and offsetting the position of the array relative to the field of radiation being scanned. The offsetting is accomplished repetitively, there being one offset between each of the successive scans to enable the single detector to scan all of the lines which would be scanned normally by the respective ones of the detectors. In the apparatus for practicing the invention, the detector array is held at a point distant from a pivot axis, the distance being sufficient to allow the offsetting to be accomplished by a slight tilting of the housing, including the detector array and the scanning mirror, about the pivot axis. Alternatively, means may be employed to translate the temperature source to provide this action. In this fashion, a single detector scans all of the scan lines of the raster to provide a complete map of that portion of the source which is being imaged by the imaging system. Alternatively, each detector may be scanned across the same narrow area of the source and the average of each detector's output normalized. Then the two methods are equivalent.
The method of calibrating gain uniformity continues with a scanning of the source by all of the detectors in the array. Each of the detectors scans its designated portion of the temperature source. Thereupon, the data of the respective scan lines obtained during the mapping step, and also the data obtained for each scan line during the scanning step, are averaged for each scan line. Then, in each scan line, the average of the data obtained during the step to provide the relative gain of an individual detector channel relative to the gain of the channel containing the first detector.
The aforementioned aspects and other features of the invention are explained in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an imaging system having a scanning detector array, the system including circuitry for implementing the method of the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a flow chart describing operation of the system of FIG. 1 in the implementation of the method of the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a system 20 which produces an image of a subject 22, the image appearing on a display 24. By way of example in the practice of the invention, the subject 22 is shown as a test source of infrared radiation comprising a front element 26, and a rear element 28 disposed directly behind the front element 26. The front element is at room temperature, for example, 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The rear element 28 is set by a temperature controller 30 to a temperature slightly higher than the temperature of the front element 26, for example, 1 degree higher than the temperature of the front element 26 to place the rear element 28 at a temperature of 73 degrees Fahrenheit. A square-shaped central portion of the front element 26 is open in the manner of a window to expose a surface of the rear element 28. If desired, other well-known configurations of front panel, such as a sequence of slits (not shown) may be employed.
Briefly, the system 20 is employed for calibrating an infrared (IR) sensor comprising a scanning mirror and an array of detectors operative with the scanning mirror, as will be described in detail hereinafter, to output signals via detector channels having adjustable-gain amplifiers. There are two aspects to the calibration. In a first aspect, the system 20 allows for the calibration of individual detector channels so as to provide uniform detector gain. In a second aspect of the invention, the system 20 employs the IR sensor for calibrating uniformity of the radiating surface of the subject 22 which serves as the source of the infrared radiation during the calibration of the detector channels. In the ensuing description, the components of the IR sensor are regarded as part of the system 20 to facilitate description of the system 20 in carrying out both of the foregoing aspects of the invention.
The system 20 includes an array 32 of detectors 34 of infrared radiation, and a mirror 36 which provides for a scanning of a field of infrared radiation emanating from the subject 22 by the detector array 32. The scanning of the radiation field is accomplished, in the embodiment of the system 20 shown in FIG. 1 by locating the detector array 32 at a fixed position relative to the subject 22, and directing rays of radiation from the subject 22 via a collimator lens 38 and the mirror 36 to the detectors 34 of the array 32. The mirror 36 is mounted pivotally via a shaft 40 to a motor 42 which rotates the mirror 36 about the shaft 40 to scan the radiation field past the detector array 32. The mirror 36 may rotate continuously in one direction, or may rotate with oscillatory movement to provide a succession of scans of the field of radiation past the array 32. The detectors 34 are arranged, in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, as a linear columnar array coplanar with the shaft 40; however, the principles of the invention can be employed with other arrangements of the detectors 34 including a curved array (not shown). The radiation field is indicated by rays 44.
The transverse orientation of the array 32 relative to the direction of sweeping of the radiation rays incident upon the respective detectors 34 produces a raster scan as is presented diagrammatically at a raster 46. The scanning direction is indicated horizontally in the raster 46. Radiation detected by each of the detectors 34 is represented by a separate horizontal row of the raster 46. The portion of the subject 22 being viewed at one instant of time by the detectors 34 is represented by a vertical column of the raster 46. Each cell of the raster 46, at the intersection of a row and a column, represents a sample of data in radiation detected by one of the detectors 34 at a specific instant of time. In the ensuing description, reference will be made to the number of rows of the raster 46, there being N rows, and to the number of columns, there being M columns. Also, the letters i and j will be used as running indices to identify, respectively, individual ones of the rows and individual ones of the columns.
In accordance with the invention, the system 20 is employed to provide both an equalization of gains of the detector channels (gain uniformity) by a scanning of the subject 22, and a mapping of the subject 22 for calibrating uniformity of radiation intensity emanating from a surface of the subject 22. The mapping procedure is similar to that of the scanning of the gain-uniformity procedure except that, in the mapping procedure, only one detector is employed for scanning the complete portion of the radiation field presented by the raster 46. In the general case, the mapping procedure is accomplished by a sequence of steps in which the radiation field is scanned past the single detector to provide data of the first scan line of the raster 46. Then the relative position between the single detector and the radiation field is altered so that, upon a subsequent scan of the field past the single detector, the detector detects the portion of the field presented by the second scan line of the raster 46. The mapping procedure continues by providing further scanning of the field by the single detector, with the single detector being displaced relative to the field between the subsequent scannings so as to provide a sequence of scan lines corresponding to the scan lines of the raster 46. In the practice of the invention, the gain-uniformity procedure may be performed before the mapping procedure, or alternatively the mapping procedure may be performed before the gain-uniformity procedure.
The system 20 includes two memories 48 and 50 for storing image data, the first memory 48 being employed to store data obtained during the mapping procedure, and the second memory 50 being employed to store image data obtained during the gain-uniformity procedure. The array 32 of detectors 34 in combination with the scanning mirror 36 constitutes the IR sensor, the IR sensor being enclosed within a housing 52.
In the practice of the mapping procedure, it is convenient to select, for the single detector, one of the detectors 34, such as the detector 34 at the top of the array 32. This detector produces the first line scan at the top of the raster 46. In order to accomplish the offsetting of the single detector relative to the radiation field between successive ones of the scans in the mapping procedure, the system 20 is provided with a tilt mechanism 54. The tilt mechanism 54 comprises a shaft 56 which supports the housing 52, the housing 52, the housing 52 and the shaft 56 being rotatable about an axis of the shaft 56 by means of a motor 58. The detector array 32 and the scanning motor 42 are carried by an arm 60 which locates the mirror 36 relative to the array 32, and connects with the housing 52 for tilting therewith. During a scanning of the radiation field past the detector array 32, the housing 52 is held in a predetermined reference position by the motor 58. During the mapping procedure, prior to each scan of the mapping procedure, the housing 52 is indexed rotatably to a different orientation which brings the first detector 34 to the requisite position relative to the radiation field for producing the next scan line of the raster 46.
The system 20 further comprises a sampling circuit 62 which includes an analog-to-digital converter 64, a switch 66 for connecting the sampling circuit 62 to the memories 48 and 50, and a set of amplifiers 68 coupled via a sensor electronics unit 70 for connecting individual ones of the detectors 34 to the sampling circuit 62. The amplifiers 68 and the sensor electronics unit 70 also constitute a part of the IR sensor and are located within the housing 52. By way of example, the electronics unit 70 may comprise averaging circuitry and other noise reduction circuitry. As an example of averaging, the mirror 36 may provide a few line scans (possibly 3 or 4 scans) for each detector 34 at a specific angle of tilt of the housing 52, with the electronics unit 70 outputting data of a single line scan equal to an average of the data received by the few line scans.
In operation, the detectors 34 output electric signals in response to radiation incident upon the detectors 34. The amplifiers 68, in accordance with well-known practice in the construction of infrared imaging systems, amplify the detector signals and, in cooperation with the electronics unit 70, serve to couple the detector signals at a desired impedance level to the sampling circuit 62 to enable accurate sampling of the detector signals. Also, if desired, the amplifiers 68 may include well-known bandpass filters for filtering the detector signals to optimize signal-to-noise level. It is also desirable to provide each of the amplifiers 68 with the feature of adjustable gain so as to compensate for variations in the gains of the various detectors 34.
It is particularly advantageous, for the generation accurate image of the subject 22 upon the display 24 to provide each detector channel, comprising a detector 34 and its following amplifier 68, with the same signal gain. This is accomplished by adjusting the gains of the respective amplifiers 68 after a measurement of the individual detector channel gains in accordance with the procedure of the method of the invention. Adjustment of the gains of the amplifiers 68 may be made manually, or automatically in response to signals (to be described hereinafter) on line 68A. Also included in the system 20 are a timing unit 72, a logic control unit 74, a computation unit 76 for producing mathematical computations, and a memory 78 for storing values of computed gains of the various detectors 34.
In operation, the timing unit 72 provides signals for activating the motors 42 and 58. In the procedure for calibrating uniformity of the detector channels, the scanning motor 42 is activated to scan the rays 44 past the array 32 of the detectors 34. In the mapping step, for measurement of the uniformity of radiation intensity of the subject 22, both of the motors 42 and 58 are activated, the tilt motor 58 providing a succession of desired tilts for the housing 52 while the scan motor 42 scans radiation past the first of the detectors 34. The logic control unit 74 is responsive to timing signals of the timing unit 72 for directing operation of the sampling circuit 62, the switch 66, the computation unit 76, and the memories 48, 50, and 78. Samples of the detector signals 34 are provided by the sampling circuit 62, and are routed by the switch 66 to either the first memory 48 during the mapping procedure, or to the second memory 50 during the scanning of the gain uniformity procedure. In the construction of the sampling circuit 62, a plurality of converters 64 may be employed with one converter coupled to each of the amplifiers 68 for converting the analog format of the detector signals to digital format suitable for storage in the memories 48 and 50. Alternatively, if desired, well-known multiplexing circuitry (not shown) may be included within either the electronics unit 70 or the sampling circuit 62 in conjunction with a single converter 64, the multiplexing circuitry serving to connect sequentially the outputs of the amplifiers 68 to the single converter 64 for sampling and digitizing the respective detector signals. Each signal sample constitutes one cell of the raster 46 and one pixel of an image presented on the display 24. In terms of the operation of the system 20, the digital portions of the system 20, namely, the sampling circuit 62 and the memories 48, 58, and 78, as well as the computation unit 76 and the logic control unit 74 may be regarded as an image processor 80.
In order to increase further to signal-to-noise ratio, the scan produced during the scanning and the mapping may be repeated several times, and the pixel data obtained for each pixel is averaged to provide an average value of pixel data at each of the cells of the raster 46. Since the data stored in the memories 48 and 50 are in digital format, the image processor 80 can readily perform the averaging of the pixel data by use of the computation unit 76. In accordance with instructions of the logic control unit 74, the memories 48 and 50 store pixel data for each of the scans, and the computation unit 76 averages the stored data for each of the pixels to provide the desired average value of pixel data. Then, the raw pixel data in each of the memories 48 and 50 is replaced with the averaged pixel data.
In accordance with an ensuing mathematical description, the relative gains of the detectors 34, relative to the first detector 34 used in the mapping procedure, are established by using stored pixel signals wherein each pixel signal is the average of the detector signals for that pixel. As will be shown in the mathematics, the gains are proportional to the average of all of the pixel signals stored in the memories 48 and 50 for any single scan line of the raster 46. Therefore, calculations of relative gain can be made by use of mathematical manipulations of the stored pixel signals. The requisite computations are made by the computation unit 76 under control of the logic unit 74, and the resultant relative gains for each of the detector channels are stored in the memory 78. Data stored in any one of the memories 48, 50, and 78 may be viewed on the display 24.
By way of example in the use of the system 20, and the methodology of the invention for determining uniformity of gain among the detectors 34 and their respective signal channels, the IR sensor employed with the collimator 38 and the image processor 80 might be regarded as a night vision system. There follows a mathematical section providing a mathematical basis for the practice of the method of the invention, this being followed by a flow chart explaining operation of the system 20, particularly the image processor 80. With respect to construction of the system 20, the function of the timing unit 72, the logic control, unit 74, and the computation unit 76 may be provided by a digital computer programmed in accordance with the flow chart of FIG. 2.
MATHEMATICAL BASIS FOR METHOD
The procedures consists of three parts, temperature source calibration (Optional), gain uniformity measurement and gain uniformity calculation. The temperature source calibration is optional if it is assumed that the source is uniform or if the IR sensor is defocused, such that the source appears uniform. If the temperature source is to be calibrated, the procedure can be performed separately or as part of the gain uniformity measurement. If calibration is performed as part of a separate procedure, then the IR sensor must be rotated such that detector 1 views the entire temperature source. If calibration is performed as part of the gain uniformity measurement, then the IR sensor must be rotated such that each detector views the same portion of the temperature source.
For simplicity, it is assumed that there is a one-to-one mapping between the IR sensor and the image processor. The following terms are then defined:
x.sub.i .ident.gain of detector at row i; where i=1. . . N
A.sub.i,j .ident.temperature source effect at position i,j; where j=1. . . M
A.sub.i .ident.average temperature source effect at row i
y.sub.i,j .ident.output after temperature source calibration at position i,j
y.sub.i .ident.average output after temperature source calibration at row i
z.sub.i,j .ident.output after gain measurement at position i,j
z.sub.i .ident.average output after gain measurement at row i
u.sub.i .ident.normalized detector gain at row i
Assume that there are at least two N.times.Mimage memories in the image processor. y.sub.i,j is stored in Memory 1 at pixel position i,j. Z.sub.i,j is stored in Memory 2 at pixel position i,j.
CASE 1 Temperature Source Calibration-Detector 1 Views the Entire Source
1.1 Temperature Source Calibration
The IR sensor is positioned such that the first detector views the top of the temperature source. Several frames of data are captured and averaged together (to reduce random noise) by the image processor and the data corresponding to the first detector is stored in Memory 1 at position 1,j. The IR sensor is then repositioned vertically so that detector 1 views the portion of the scene formerly viewed by detector 2. Data is again captured and now the data line corresponding to detector 1 is placed in Memory 1 at position 2,j. This is repeated N times. Thus, the data in Memory 1 at pixel position i,j is equal to
y.sub.i,j .tbd.x.sub.i A.sub.i,j
If the data in line i, corresponding to the i.sup.th detector, is averaged together, then ##EQU1## which is equal to
y.sub.i =x.sub.i A.sub.i
1.2 Gain Uniformity Measurement
The IR sensor is returned to its original position. Video frames are again averaged together and the data corresponding to the first detector is stored in Memory 2 at position 1,j. The data line corresponding to detector 2 is placed in position 2,j, and so on. Thus, the data in Memory 2 at pixel position i,j is equal to
z.sub.ij =x.sub.i A.sub.i,j
z.sub.i =x.sub.i A.sub.i
1.3 Gain Uniformity Calculation
In order to calculate the uniformity, the effects of the temperature source must be removed. This is accomplished by ##EQU3## which is equal to ##EQU4## Thus, u.sub.i is the gain of the i.sup.th detector after the temperature source effects have been removed. Gain uniformity can be calculated a number of different ways depending upon the predefined criteria. Most generally, this is done by comparing the gain of the individual detectors to the average gain.
CASE 2 Temperature Source Calibration-Detector (i) Views a Constant Part of the Temperature Source
The IR sensor is placed in position 1. Video frames are averaged together and the data corresponding to the first detector is stored in Memory 2 at position 1,j. The IR sensor is removed such that the second detector views the portion of the temperature source previously viewed by detector one and video frames are again averaged. The data line corresponding to detector 2 is placed in position 2,j, and so on. Thus, the data in Memory 2 at pixel position i,j is equal to
z.sub.i,j =x.sub.i A.sub.i,j.
z.sub.i =x.sub.i A.sub.1.
CASE 3: No Temperature Source Calibration
Video frames are averaged together and the data corresponding to the first detector is stored in Memory 2 at position 1,j. The data line corresponding to detector 2 is placed in position 2,j, and so on. Thus, the data in Memory 2 at pixel position i,j is equal to
z.sub.i =x.sub.i A.sub.i.
In this case, the temperature source is assumed to be uniform or is made to be uniform by defocusing the IR sensor. Thus,
A.sub.i .apprxeq.A.sub.j i,j.
In order for the data from this method to agree with the other two methods, the data from each detector is normalized by the first detector. This is accomplished by ##EQU9## Since the effects of the temperature source are constant, this is approximately equal to ##EQU10## Thus, u.sub.i is the gain of the i.sup.th detector after the temperature source effects have been removed. Gain uniformity can be calculated a number of different ways depending upon the predefined criteria. Most generally, this is done by comparing the gain of the individual detectors to the average gain.
FIG. 2 shows operation of the system 20 beginning with the mapping procedure for measurement of the uniformity of radiation from the subject 22, followed by the procedure for calibrating the gain-uniformity of the array 32 of detectors 34. The operation begins at block 82 and proceeds to a set of steps enclosed in block C, indicated in phantom lines, which is the mapping procedure. The first step, block 84, of the mapping procedure is also identified as step A and provides for s scanning of row 1 of the raster 46 with the first detector 34 (FIG. 1). Upon sampling and digitizing the detector signal, the pixel data is stored in the first memory 48, block 86, this step also being identified as step B. Then, at block 88 there is a repetition of the steps A and B to provide additional signals of the detector for the first scan line of the raster 46 so as to permit an averaging of the raw data of each pixel to provide an average value of the pixel data. In block 88, the steps A and B are repeated R times where R may be equal to 3, 5, 8, or some other number of repetitions desired for the averaging process. The stored raw data is withdrawn from the memory 48 and averaged at block 90 to produce the average value of the pixel data. The average value of the pixel data is stored in the first memory 48 at block 92, the averaged or smoothed pixel data being represented by the letter y in the mathematical description. Blocks 84-92 constitute a sequence of steps of the mapping procedure C for providing pixel data of the first row of the raster 46. At block 94, the steps of the mapping procedure are repeated for the remaining rows of the raster 46. This is accomplished by offsetting the IR sensor by the tilt mechanism 52 prior to each repetition of the steps of the mapping procedure C so as to position the first detector 34 at each of the successive scan lines of the raster 46.
The method of the invention then advances, at block 96 to the detector gain-uniformity procedure. Herein, the detector array 32 is positioned by the tilt mechanism 52 at the reference position, and all of the detectors 34 are activated to scan simultaneously their respective lines of the raster 46. This is in contradistinction to the mapping procedure wherein only the first of the detectors 34 is activated. As used herein, the term "activating" means to extract data from the detector, and is accomplished readily by directing the sampling circuit 62 to sample the output signal of a specific one or ones of the detectors 34. Thus, in the case of the mapping procedure, the sampling circuit 62 is operated to sample only the signals of the first of the detectors 34 while, during the detector gain-uniformity step of block 96, output signals of all of the detectors 34 are sampled by the sampling circuit 62. Alternatively, if desired, activation can be accomplished by applying an electrical voltage to a terminal of a detector 34, with deactivation being accomplished by removal of the voltage. The average pixel data obtained in the scanning step 96 for the respective rows, or scan lines, of the raster 46 are stored in the second memory 50. This data is represented by the letter z in the mathematical description.
The method proceeds to block 98 for calculation of average value y and z, this being in accordance with the equations in the mathematical description for calculation of the average values of y and z for each row of the raster 46. At block 100 the row averages of z are divided by the corresponding row averages of y to obtain the relative gain of each detector channel of the respective rows of the raster 46 relative to the gain of the first of the detector channels at the first row of the raster 46. This information is stored in the memory 78. If desired, corrective electrical signals, corresponding to these values of gain, may be stored also in the memory 78 to be outputted to respective ones of the amplifiers 68 via line 68A to automatically equalize the detector gains. Alternatively, this information can be used by an operator of the system 20 to manually adjust the gains of the amplifier 68 to equalize the gains of the detector channels. Equalization of the gains is indicated at block 102. Thereafter, further scannings of the subject 22, wherein the subject 22 is a normal scene such as a building or a person rather than a test source of radiation, are accomplished with equalized channel gain with the result that image data stored in the second memory 50 provides for a precise image of the subject 22. The image may be outputted by the memory 50 to the display 24 for presentation to an operator of the system 20.
It is to be understood that the above described embodiment of the invention is illustrative only, and that modifications thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, this invention is not to be regarded as limited to the embodiments disclosed herein, but is to be limited only as defined by the appended claims.
1. A method for measuring the relative gains of detectors in an array of detectors scanning a field of radiation emanating from a source, the method comprising steps of:
designating a set of scan lines corresponding to respective detectors of said array, scanning a first of said scan lines by a first of said detectors and scanning an Nth one of said scan lines by an Nth one of said detectors;
scanning said radiation field by said array of detectors with each detector scanning its designated line;
averaging values of radiation detected for each line scan of said scanning step;
mapping said source, said mapping step comprising activating only said first detector while other ones of said detectors are inactive, said mapping step further comprising providing a set of line scans by said first detector while introducing an offset of said array relative to said radiation field between successive ones of said line scans, said offset enabling a scan of each of the N scan lines by said first detector;
averaging values of radiation detected for each line scan of said mapping step; and
dividing an average value for each line scan of said scanning step by an average value for a corresponding line of said mapping step to obtain a normalized gain of each of said detectors relative to a gain of said first detector.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said offsetting is accomplished by a tilting of said detector array relative to said radiation field.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said radiation is infrared radiation.
4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising a step of arranging the detectors of said array in a direction transverse to a direction of said scanning.
5. A method for measuring the relative gains of detectors in an array of detectors scanning a field of radiation emanating from a source, the method comprising steps of
scanning said radiation field by an array of detectors arranged transversely to a direction of scan, each of said detectors providing a separate line scan;
averaging values of radiation detected for each of said line scans;
providing a scan of each of said lines by use of a single detector;
averaging values of radiation detected for each line scan of said providing step produced by said single detector; and
dividing an average value for each line scan of said scanning step by an average value for a corresponding line of said providing step to obtain a gain of each of said detector channels relative to a gain of the channel employing said single detector.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said single detector is one of the detectors in said array of detectors.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said step of providing includes a further step of offsetting said detector array relative to said radiation field between a scanning of one of said lines and a second of said lines to enable a scanning of each of said lines in said providing step by said single detector.
8. A method according to claim 5 further comprising a step of producing an image of said source from data of the line scans of said scanning step.
4873442 October 10, 1989 Klatt
4876453 October 24, 1989 Wirick
5134474 July 28, 1992 Hanafusa et al.
Date of Patent: Apr 12, 1994
Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Los Angeles, CA)
Inventor: Kenneth E. Prager (Los Angeles, CA)
Primary Examiner: Constantine Hannaher
Attorneys: Michael W. Sales, Wanda K. Denson-Low
Current U.S. Class: 250/2521; Including Detector Array (250/332); Including Means For Scanning Field Of View (250/334)
International Classification: G01J 500;


text:
BAXI Manresa competes until the last quarter on the champion's court
Wednesday 28 of October of 2020 at 21:15
The Bages team, despite not having the day in the shot, fought until the end against Baskonia, more successful and rocky in defense.
87 TD Systems Baskonia I Vildoza 13, Kurucs, Giedraitis 4, Polonara 17 and Jekiri 12; Henry 6, Sedekerskis 2, Diop, Fall 6, Peters 13 and Dragic 14
68 BAXI Manresa I Dani Pérez, Rafa Martínez 2, Jou 4, Báez 6 and Eatherton 15; Mason 13, Hinrichs, Tabu 5, Sajus 6, Vaulet 11 and Sima 6
Partials : 21-16, 20-14, 20-26, 26-12
BAXI Manresa could not maintain its unbeaten record as a visitor, as it fell at the complicated court of TD Systems Baskonia, the current champion of the competition (87-68). The players led by Pedro Martínez faced their powerful rival until the last minutes, who could only escape in the final stretch. Saturday from 20:45, another match at the Nou Congost, this time against another Basque rival, RETAbet Bilbao Basket.
In the first quarter the defenses prevailed over the attacks, and Eatherton led the visitors, who were initially ahead on the scoreboard. Vitoria's team then turned it around and took a five-point lead (21-16).
In the second the Manresans had the strength to be just two points (27-25), forcing Dusko Ivanovic to ask for a timeout. Then the locals picked up the pace again and got a difference of eleven points at halftime (41-30).
Returning from the locker room, Makai Mason scored nine points in a row that allowed his team to stand at four points (47-43). Then the BAXI Manresa was more comfortable on the court, and this made them resist the escape attempts of Baskonia and finish the third quarter just five points below (61-56).
The last period began with two free throws converted by Tabu (61-58), but then appeared the figure of Polonara, who led some Basques who opened more and more hole in front of reds who could not react and did not have options to compete for victory in the last moments.
Tuesday 27 of October of 2020
BAXI Manresa facing a level challenge: visit to the court of the champion Baskonia
Janari Joesaar will remain the only casualty for this Wednesday's match at 18:30 (live on Movistar + Deportes).


The first runner starts from the summit at 1pm. The others follow at minute intervals, depending on the weather.
Registration will be from 11.30am until 12.30pm. Full kit as usual.
Free entry but we are collecting for The Children's Society charity.
Please share cars where you can, as parking is limited at all races. Due to requests from landowners, dogs are not permitted at any of the races.


text:
Purdue javelin thrower set for World Championships
David Woods david.woods@indystar.com
In August 2013, Kara Winger and then-fiancé Russ Winger were on a camping trip. They were thousands of miles from Moscow and not following or talking about the World Championships … but neither was the meet far from their minds.
"We're loving this hike," as Kara put it. "But Moscow would be cool, too."
She is heading back to the World Championships, and back to Beijing, where she competed in the javelin in the Bird's Nest at the 2008 Olympics. This time she will be joined by her husband, a discus thrower. She said it is something the couple has dreamed about for as long as eight years. They were wed last Sept. 28.
Kara Winger (nee Patterson) is one of 10 athletes with Indiana connections who will compete at the World Championships, which open Saturday and continue through Aug. 30.
Winger has rejuvenated her career following rehabilitation for an ACL injury she endured at the Olympic Trials. She threw at the London Olympics anyway, then had surgery Sept. 26, 2012.
She threw 218 feet, 1 inch on May 2 at Austin, Texas for her longest since 2010 – when she set an American record of 218-8 at the nationals and won the Prefontaine Classic at 216-2. Her 218-1 ranks No. 3 in the world in 2015.
She has competed often on the international Diamond League circuit in what has been her best season since 2010. She was seventh at Shanghai, second at Prefontaine, sixth at Oslo, sixth at Paris, fifth at London and sixth at Stockholm. Winger also won a silver medal at the Pan American Games and gold at the North American, Central American and Caribbean meet (NACAC).
"I knew I had it in me to come back from that ACL injury, but I knew that people didn't believe me," she said. "I have been a little surprised by it, even in this World Championship year. When I had surgery, I knew it was because the timing was for Rio. It wasn't for 2015. To all of a sudden to really be coming into my own and hitting my stride is really fun."
She said knee surgery was "way more debilitating" than expected, and she continues to feel pain there. The injury is still healing, she said, and is sore after workouts and meets.
In many ways, the Purdue graduate epitomizes complications of a modern pro in track and field.
The Vancouver, Wash., native lives and trains in Colorado Springs, Colo., her husband's hometown; her coach, Ty Sevin, lives in Austin; her strength coach, Jamie Myers, is in Chula Vista, Calif., and her agent, Daniel Wessfeldt, is in Sweden. Winger has sponsorship contracts with QALO, which manufactures silicone wedding rings, and Asics.
Winger has pieced it all together. She has never made a final at an Olympics or worlds and senses a new urgency.
"A new name, and a new kind of beginning, and a fresh perspective on the career," she said. "But also being 29 and feeling like I don't know how many years I get to throw remaining in my career.
"It really helps you focus on what's important and helps you see that you really do want those medals that you've never gotten before."
Call Star reporter David Woods at (317) 444-6195. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
Indiana at World Championships
(With season bests. Foreign countries in caps.)
110-meter hurdles
Greggmar Swift, 24, Indiana State/BARBADOS, 13.28. Olympian won gold medal at July's World University Games. Ranks 18th in world.
Derek Drouin, 25, Indiana/CANADA, 7-9 ¼. Has bronze medals from 2012 Olympics and 2013 worlds. Ranks third in world.
Candyce McGrone, 26, Warren Central, 22.08. With Allyson Felix skipping 200, McGrone is fastest entry in the field. She was second to Jenna Prandini at USA Championships.
Molly (Beckwith) Ludlow, 28, Indiana, 1:58.68. Indianapolis resident ran Aug. 14 time trial, with running start, in 1:57.2. Only one woman in world is faster. Ranks sixth in world.
Lauren Johnson, 28, Huntington North, 4:04.17. Former basketball player, equestrienne and farm girl has had amazing rise since relocating to Oregon and becoming a pro runner.
3,000-meter steeplechase
Victoria Mitchell, 33, Butler/AUSTRALIA, 9:36.52. Former NCAA champion and 2008 Olympian ran season best Aug. 1.
Molly Huddle, 30, Notre Dame, 31:39.20. Moves up in distance after finishing 11th and sixth, respectively, in 5,000 at 2012 Olympics and 2013 worlds.
Devynne Charlton, 19, Purdue/BAHAMAS, 13.00. Set Bahamian national record in finishing seventh at NCAAs.
Amber Campbell, 34, Pike, 238-10. Coming off gold medal in North American, Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) meet, throwing 237-6. Two Olympics and five world teams. Ranks 12th in world.
Kara (Patterson) Winger, 29, Purdue, 218-1. Has never made Olympic or world final. Six-time U.S. champ won silver medal at last month's Pan Am Games. Ranks third in world.


text:
92 nabbed on suspicion of loan-sharking activities in 3-day police operation
ST GRAPHICS
http://str.sg/4DFm
Clement Yong
clementy@sph.com.sg
SINGAPORE - A three-day islandwide operation saw 92 people arrested for involvement in loan-sharking activities, the police said in a news release on Thursday (July 27).
Conducted between Monday and Wednesday, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the six police land divisions took into custody 66 men and 26 women, aged between 17 and 77.
Seventy-three of them are believed to have facilitated illegal moneylending by opening bank accounts and giving away their ATM cards and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to loan sharks, preliminary investigations revealed.
Another 13 suspects are believed to have carried out Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transactions on behalf of loan sharks.
Of the remaining six, three are suspected of providing false contact information to obtain loans and three of carrying out acts of harassment by splashing paint and scrawling graffiti on walls.
Under the Moneylenders' Act, a person is presumed to have assisted in loan-sharking activities when his bank account or ATM card is used to facilitate unlicensed moneylending.
First-time offenders found guilty of assisting in the business of unlicensed moneylending may be fined between $30,000 and $300,000, be imprisoned up to four years and also be liable to be punished with six strokes of the cane.
First-time offenders found guilty of carrying on a business of unlicensed moneylending may be fined between $30,000 and $300,000, be imprisoned for a term of up to four years and be liable to up to six strokes of the cane.
"Members of the public are advised to stay away from loan sharks and not to work with or assist them in any way," the police added.
The public can call the Police at '999' or the X-Ah Long hotline at 1800-924-5664 if they suspect or know of anyone who could be involved in illegal loan-sharking activities.


At Coastal Marine Survey good, solid decisions are key to our success and to yours. Below we have provided a list of helpful links that will assist you with additional information and resources related to help you make the best decision possible.
Some of the links in this section will take you to Web sites not owned or operated by Coastal Marine Survey. Coastal Marine Survey is not responsible for the condition of these links or the information they provide. If you would like to report an issue with one of these links or the information displayed please contact us at and we will investigate the issue.


text:
Lady Gaga Reveals Las Vegas Residency 'Enigma'
The superstar will launch her Las Vegas revue this December.
Text: Jake Viswanath
Hold onto your wigs—unless you're heading to Vegas, then snatch them in advance. Lady Gaga has officially announced details of her highly anticipated Las Vegas revue. The exclusive residency opens on December 28 and actually consists of two distinct shows at Park Theater.
ENIGMA is a brand new pop show that promises to be an "experience unlike any other", while Jazz & Piano will see Gaga at the piano performing stripped-down versions of her hits, as well as selections from the Great American Songbook (another sign of Cheek to Cheek Part Deux, perhaps?). 23 ENIGMA dates have been announced through November 2019, with four Jazz & Piano dates sprinkled in.
"I can't wait to share ENIGMA with all of my fans and with Las Vegas," the superstar said in a statement. "We're creating a show unlike anything I've done before. It will be a celebration of all that is unique and different within us. The challenges of bravery can be overcome with creativity and courage that is grown out of adversity, love and music."
Tickets will start at a relatively affordable $77.90 plus fees (have you seen the prices for other Las Vegas shows?). The Little Monsters pre-sale begins tomorrow, August 8, with tickets available to the general public on Monday, August 13. Get more details at gagavegas.com, and see all of Lady Gaga's residency dates below.
LADY GAGA ENIGMA
THE LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY AT @PARKTHEATERLV
PLUS 4 EXCLUSIVE JAZZ & PIANO ENGAGEMENTS
LITTLE MONSTERS PRE-SALE TOMORROW
ON SALE 8/13. https://t.co/pv0Ib9sGnV #GAGAVEGAS pic.twitter.com/DsZhRH79KH
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) August 7, 2018
LADY GAGA ENIGMA Shows
Dec. 28, 30 and 31
Jan. 17, 19, 24, 26 and 31
June 1, 6, 8, 12 and 14
Oct. 17, 19, 23, 25 and 31
Nov. 2, 6 and 8
LITTLE MONSTERS PRE-SALE FOR #ENIGMA AND JAZZ & PIANO
TOMORROW AT 10AM PT
SIGN UPhttps://t.co/pv0Ib9sGnV #GAGAVEGAS pic.twitter.com/YAzeZzKLKD
LADY GAGA JAZZ & PIANO Shows
The Fashion That Rocked Lady Gaga's Album Art
REVIEW: 'A Star Is Born' is a Tour De Force of Breathtaking Storytelling
V99: Karl Lagerfeld & Hedi Slimane Face To Face
Fendi Enlists the McGregor Sisters for #MeAndMyPeekaboo


text:
F1 2016 race calendar
Нико Росберг
Which is the longest track on the f1 calendar?
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
What Tyres do f1 cars start the race on?
Pirelli are the official tire suppliers to the Formula 1 . They currently provide three dry sets of tires – soft, medium and hard. Apart from this, for rainy conditions, intermediate and full wet tires are also supplied by the Italian manufacturers. Drivers are expected to select 10 sets of a tires event.
What is the best Formula 1 race to go to?
These are the 100 best Formula 1 races since 2008 according to readers of RaceFans. 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix – 9.45/10. 2019 German Grand Prix – 9.44/10. 2011 Chinese Grand Prix – 9.24/10. 2014 Canadian Grand Prix – 9.19/10. 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix – 9.14/10. 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix – 9.11/10.
Who drove for Mercedes in 2016?
In 2016 , they extended this record with 19 wins. Its 2020 drivers are Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. In 2019, they beat the record Michael Schumacher and Ferrari set in 2004 which was 5 consecutive championship doubles, with Mercedes getting 6 in a row.
Why is Mercedes so dominant in f1?
Mercedes have been dominant in Formula 1 for a number of years now due to the fact that the other competition can not get up to their standard, it then transforms into some very boring racing in fact its only been the last 2 races that sky sports have really focused on the front 2 racing cars so much that Hamilton was
What is the shortest f1 race?
Confusion caused the official results to be declared from the end of the 14th lap. It holds the record for being the shortest Formula One World Championship race ever held.
You might be interested: F1 drivers net worth
What is the shortest f1 track?
Are there any f1 tracks in the US?
The Circuit of The Americas (COTA) is the first purpose-built F1 facility in the US designed for any and all classes of racing and was officially opened on October 21, 2012 by COTA ambassador and 1978 F1 world champion, Mario Andretti.
Do f1 drivers wear diapers?
Apparently some drivers wear adult diapers , but most of them just let nature take its cause. According to lifestyle website Gizmodo F1 cars are equipped with a "drinks system" – a simple bag of fluid with a pump. The "drinks" button sits on the steering wheel, with the tube feeding the driver through the helmet.
Why is refueling banned f1?
Refuelling was banned at the end of the 2009 season as part of efforts to reduce costs and increase safety. Moving the equipment—and the employees needed to look after it—around the world did not account for a major chunk of any team's budget, but back then every penny counted.
Can you get a red flag in f1 2020 game?
Since the first World Championship Grand Prix in 1950, red flags have been shown in seventy-three races, with the latest one being at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix on 29 November 2020 .
What is the cheapest f1 race to attend?
Will the new tracks be added to f1 2020?
Codemasters has already said that they won't be adding tracks to F1 2020 in line with the new season. That's the route Codemasters should take to give fans the content they want. There isn't an F1 2020 player around that wouldn't pay £15-20 more for four new tracks in the game.
You might be interested: Us f1 visa renewal
Is f1 losing popularity?
The total audience in 2017 was 1.755 billion and 1.758 billion in 2018. However, live race audiences dropped slightly from 2017 to 2018, the total brought down by a decline in Italy, without which numbers would have gone up year on year.
Jobs for f1 visa students
Oppo f1 specification


Nielsen Entertainment has released the findings of its third annual Active Gamer Benchmark Study, showing that social elements of gaming are on the rise and "becoming an increasingly important part of the overall gaming experience."
Though conventional wisdom has posited gaming as a solitary experience, the study of 2,000 consumers over the age of 13 showed that "active gamers" are spending upwards of 5 hours a week playing games socially, the largest category of which are teenagers, who Nielsen found are socially involved in gaming 7 hours per week on average. Though 40% of Nielsen's study were in this teenage group, the study found that almost 13% (15 million) gamers are 45 years or older, and that women make up two-thirds of all online gamers.
Amongst the study's other findings were that older females comprise the largest percentage of casual gamers, but that "active gamer" teens and young adults also make up a considerable portion of this market, with more than half playing casual games an hour or more a week.
On platform ownership and ubiquity, the study found that 64% of Active Gamers play on PC-based systems, a figure Nielsen called "not surprising" given the penetration of PCs in households and the experiences of MMOGs that consoles have yet to match. PCs are also the most popular platform for casual gamers, especially women, 64% of whom play online.
In consoles, the study found the PlayStation 2 dominating ownership at 59%, followed by the Xbox at 33%, the GameCube at 30%, and the Xbox 360 at 15% ownership amongst "active gamers." The study also noted that the rate of cross-ownership amongst consoles is still in the majority, and that cross-ownership amongst consoles and handhelds has risen from 7% to 16% over the past year, due in large part to the DS and PSP.
The study also notes that handheld ownership among "active gamers" is significantly more gender balanced, and that gamers are playing an average of 17 hours a week on portables, compared to 14 on console. About a quarter of those studied also are playing on mobile phone.
Finally, the study found that over the past 6 months "active gamers" purchased an average of 4 games, 90% of which came from retail and 10% of which were purchased online, and that the average player spent 47 hours with each game purchased. The average "active gamer" was found to have spent around $58 a month on entertainment, $16 of which on gaming, and spent a quarter of their weekly average leisure time on games, followed by music.
"The Active Gamer 2006 Report comes at a pivotal time in the evolution of the video game industry," said Emily Della Maggiora, Senior Vice President of Nielsen Interactive Entertainment. "The expansion of next generation hardware and technology in the marketplace is simultaneously delivering new ecosystems of social exchange, interactive entertainment, media experiences and advertising models. We see everyday how important online gaming is in terms of connecting people and bringing communities of gamers together. From a simple battle in Halo to a more immersive communal experience, online gaming has the power to unite gamers across the street and/or around the world."


text:
Thursday, Mar 27 2003
AIDS Healthcare Foundation To Refile Lawsuit Over GlaxoSmithKline's Antiretroviral Drug Patents
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest nongovernmental provider of health care services for people with HIV/AIDS in the United States, on Monday announced plans to refile a lawsuit against pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline over their antiretroviral drug patents, Reuters Health reports ( Reuters Health , 3/25). U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter earlier this month dismissed the lawsuit, which was filed by AHF in July 2002 against the U.S. branch of GSK. AHF alleges that the company's prices for its drugs "exorbitantly exceed" its licensing, manufacturing and distribution costs, "present[ing] a formidable obstacle for proper treatment of the AIDS epidemic in the United States," according to the suit. Epivir, Retrovir and Ziagen -- three drugs often used in combination antiretroviral therapy -- were developed with "significant amounts" of federal funding and should be sold "at more reasonable rates," according to the suit. The suit also focuses on patent issues surrounding Retrovir, Epivir and Ziagen, stating that the patents on these drugs should be invalidated for their "obviousness" ( Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report , 3/13). While it was "initially unclear" whether AHF would be allowed to refile the lawsuit, a court order issued Sunday said that the dismissal of the lawsuit was made "without prejudice," allowing for amendment and refiling of the lawsuit, according to Reuters Health ( Reuters Health , 3/25). "We cannot -- and will not -- allow GSK's inflated price for AZT and other HIV medications to stand unchallenged," Michael Weinstein, president of AHF, said, adding, "We believe GSK has no legitimate claim to the underlying patents and are grateful to Judge Hatter to have the opportunity to continue to pursue this injustice in court" (AHF release, 3/21). A GSK spokesperson said that the company is unsure how AHF plans to amend the suit, adding that the company believes that the claims previously filed were "without merit" ( Reuters Health , 3/25).