Harry Potter - Ending with a Splash
The release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II on July 15 marks the end of perhaps the most ambitious – and certainly the most remunerative - film cycles in cinematic history. Almost 10 years on from Philosopher’s Stone, J.K. Rowling’s saga is concluded on screen, in 3D. As with Part I, the film is directed by David Yates and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rowling. As always, the film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, supported by a panoply of top British acting talent, both young and old.
For VFX studio Framestore, too, Deathly Hallows: Part II marks the end of an era. The company has been a part of the cycle from the outset, contributing to every single film. Framestore’s work has included the deadly Basilisk in Chamber of Secrets, Buckbeak the Hippogriff in Prisoner of Azkaban and Dobby the House Elf’s moving final performance in Deathly Hallows Part I.
The new film sees Framestore once more facing new challenges, with the company providing a brace of dazzling sequences, as well as – a bittersweet honour and pleasure – helping create the last sequence and shot of this last film.
After destroying one Horcrux and discovering the significance of the three Deathly Hallows, Harry, Ron and Hermione continue, in Deathly Hallows: Part II, to seek the other Horcruxes in an attempt to destroy Lord Voldemort. However, now that Voldemort has obtained the Elder Wand, he aims to complete his final stage to ultimate power and launches an attack on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the trio return for one last stand against the dark forces that threaten to take over the Wizarding and Muggle worlds.
VFX Supervisor Andy Kind led the Framestore team’s work on the film. “Compared to our contribution to some of the other films,DH: Part II was a relatively modest affair, some 90 or so shots,” he notes, “That said, it kept us pretty busy. Not only were there challenging technical aspects to the VFX work, but the creation of our own 3D versions of these sequences to an appropriately high standard meant we had to stay on our mettle.”
Water Palaver
The first of Framestore’s sequences takes place in the Chamber of Secrets, the underground cave system below Hogwarts, first seen in the eponymous second film of the Potter cycle. Ron and Hermione return to the Chamber, seeking one of the Horcruxes, which is in the form of a cup. Finding it, they destroy it by striking it with a tooth taken from the corpse of the Basilisk that Harry slew several years ago. As they strike, the residual malevolent Voldemortian energy possesses all of the water in the Chamber, causing it to rise up (Voldemort’s face briefly forming in it) and pursue Ron and Hermione through the chamber before running out of energy and collapsing in a huge, drenching splash over them. As the waters recede, Ron and Hermione are moved to express their feelings for one another…
Strategies in Light 2012 issues call for papers
trategies in Light 2012 Advisory Board is now accepting abstracts for the conference, which will take place in Santa Clara, CA on February 7-9, 2012.
With the theme of "The Booming LED Market," Strategies in Light 2012 takes place on February 7-9, 2012 in Santa Clara, California.
The Call for Papers for the 2012 conference is now open. Abstracts should be submitted via the online abstract submittal form on the Strategies in Light 2012 website.
All abstracts must be submitted by Friday, August 1, 2011.
The target audience includes buyers of LEDs, lighting designers, corporate R&D, light system designers, product engineers, technical management, sales, marketing and financial analysts.
To identify suitable subject areas, please look at Suggested Subject Areas & Themes (below). All abstracts must be submitted in English, using the on-line form found on the Strategies in Light website.
The main body of your abstract should be between 100 and 300 words. Abstracts will be selected by the Strategies in Light 2012 Advisory Board on the basis of technical content, audience interest and industry relevance. Abstracts with an overt marketing/sales/commercial subject will be rejected. Please do not submit abstracts that are scheduled to be presented at other LED-related conferences.
Please note: In submitting an abstract you are indicating your availability and willingness to attend and present a paper at Strategies in Light 2012, if selected, and to comply with all deadlines. Please ensure that the speaker and author details you are providing when submitting your abstract are correct as these will be used for pre-event marketing purposes.
AP Top News at 9:37 p.m. EDT
With compromise talks at a vituperative standstill, Senate Republicans unexpectedly offered Tuesday to hand President Barack Obama new powers to avert a first-ever government default threatened for Aug. 2. Under a proposal outlined by Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Obama could request - and likely secure - increases of up to $2.5 trillion in the government's borrowing authority in three separate installments over the next year, as long as he simultaneously proposed spending cuts of greater size.
House GOP fails to turn off light bulb standards
WASHINGTON (AP) - House Republicans on Tuesday failed to stop the enactment of new energy-saving standards for light bulbs they portrayed as yet another example of big government interfering in people's lives. The GOP bill to overturn the standards set to go into effect next year fell short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage. The vote was 233-193.
APNewsBreak: Romney rejects gay marriage pledge
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign said Tuesday that he will not sign a conservative Iowa Christian group's far-reaching pledge opposing gay marriage, making him the first Republican presidential candidate to reject it. Two of Romney's rivals for the Republican nomination, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, have signed the The Family Leader's 14-point pledge, which calls on the candidates to denounce same-sex marriage rights, pornography, same-sex military accommodations and forms of Islamic law.
AP sources: Rebels gaining on Gadhafi regime
WASHINGTON (AP) - Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is facing dramatic shortages of fuel for his soldiers and citizens in Tripoli, and he is running out of cash to pay his forces and what is left of his government, according to the latest U.S. intelligence reports. In France, the foreign minister reported that Gadhafi is prepared to leave power. Rebel forces that captured towns from Nalut to Kikla in Libya's western Nafusa mountains cut a key crude oil pipeline that feeds one of the regime's major refineries in the town of al-Zawiya, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. They cited U.S. intelligence estimates that fuel shortages could occur within as little as a month.
Afghan leader's half brother gunned down in south
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) - The powerful half brother of President Hamid Karzai was gunned down in his heavily fortified home by a close associate Tuesday, setting off a power struggle in southern Afghanistan and raising doubts about stability in a critical area for the U.S.-led war effort. The assassination of Ahmed Wali Karzai, a wheeler-dealer and the key to his half brother's power in the south, leaves the president without an influential ally to handle the tricky job of balancing the interests of the region's tribal and political leaders, drug runners, insurgents and militias.
Afghanistan war vet given highest honor
WASHINGTON (AP) - The soldier in uniform extended his prosthetic hand after losing his own in battle. And the commander in chief reached out to clasp it. It was a sobering moment toward the end of a moving ceremony at the White House Tuesday, as President Barack Obama awarded the nation's highest military honor to Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry for his brave actions to protect his comrades in the firefight that cost him his right hand.
Witness tampering alleged at Casey Anthony trial
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Authorities were looking into allegations of witness tampering during Casey Anthony's murder trial, a Florida sheriff said Tuesday during a wide-ranging news conference with his top investigators in what he said was an effort to bring closure to a case that polarized the country. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings also revealed that prosecutors were considering perjury charges against Anthony's mother, but a spokeswoman for the state attorney's office later said they would not be pursued.
Should parents lose custody of super obese kids?
CHICAGO (AP) - Should parents of extremely obese children lose custody for not controlling their kids' weight? A provocative commentary in one of the nation's most distinguished medical journals argues yes, and its authors are joining a quiet chorus of advocates who say the government should be allowed to intervene in extreme cases. It has happened a few times in the U.S., and the opinion piece in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association says putting children temporarily in foster care is in some cases more ethical than obesity surgery.
Sustainable energy in SA
Brett van den Bosch
‘Sustainable’ is one of those buzz words that gets bandied about nowadays whenever government types talk about anything to do with the world’s energy supply. But how does the idea of sustainable energy apply to us in South Africa, not only as electricity consumers which we all are, but in the engineering community as well?
Sustainable energy defined
As Wikipedia puts it: “Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources are most often regarded as including all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, bio-energy and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies that improve energy efficiency.
“This sets sustainable energy apart from other renewable energy terminology such as alternative energy and green energy, by focusing on the ability of an energy source to continue providing energy. Sustainable energy can produce some pollution of the environment, as long as it is not sufficient to prohibit heavy use of the source for an indefinite amount of time. Sustainable energy is also distinct from low-carbon energy, which is sustainable only in the sense that it does not add to the CO2 in the atmosphere.”
In a South African context, the importance of sustainable energy is threefold. Over and above the need to control our greenhouse gas emissions, we must overcome the challenges of providing electricity to rural areas and lessening our reliance on Eskom.
With an estimated 46% of South Africa’s people residing in rural areas, the problems involved in supplying them with electricity are certainly not trivial, particularly given the vast geographical areas involved. Nor can the importance of electricity supply to these people be underestimated. This goes way beyond simply the provision of light and heat: in an age when information is becoming a more and more vital commodity, access to sources such as the Internet becomes ever more crucial. When considering the difficulties in supplying these far-flung regions with utility power, it becomes patently obvious that sustainable energy is the way to go.
Eskom’s inability to meet the country’s demand for electrical power has been oft discussed and much publicised in recent years, and is set to continue into the foreseeable future. While this gives homes and industry headaches, it also provides business opportunities. When rolling blackouts and load shedding were at their worst in 2008, sales of generators skyrocketed and suppliers who scrambled desperately to meet the sudden demand reaped immediate rewards. These same suppliers were then burdened with excess stock when load shedding was discontinued.
The reluctance to be reliant on Eskom is also driving the uptake of renewable energy alternatives, albeit in less of a ‘boom or bust’ fashion. There is a gradual convergence of technologies, awareness and monetary incentives that is serving to grow this market. Going hand in hand with this are energy saving initiatives that have the added benefit of slashing electricity bills. To Eskom’s credit, it has instituted policies that address these issues, but are they enough?
Lenovo India launches IdeaCentre A320
Lenovo India announced the launch of the Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 - an ultra light and super slim All in One PC. With innovative features to better suit consumers’ dynamic lifestyles, this fully loaded PC is an iconic style symbol and can be used without any hassle.
The Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 is the best AIO for customers seeking a compact, space-saving PC, simple-to-use PC for play or study and also for those wanting a second or third PC in the home, maybe in the bedroom or kitchen. The Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 is packed with an array of features, is highly energy efficient and offers great value proposition to consumers. Equipped with an ultra slim double shell design and a wide 21.5” LED screen, the stylish Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 is powered by 2nd Generation Intel? Core? i3/i5 processors, Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which provides an effective computing experience with up to 8GB DDR3 memory and a 750 GB hard disk. It has USB3.0, USB2.0, 7-in-1 card reader, Integrated Bluetooth?, high-speed 802.11n WiFi, SRS Premium Surround sound enabled integrated speakers and External USB DVDRW for unlimited fun & entertainment.
Offering an unmatched computing experience, Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 comes with a trendy design, wireless keyboard & mouse to de-clutter the desk, making the PC fun and simple to use. The new Integrated Lenovo HD High-Sense Webcam offers a better resolution and improved video chat. The new YouCam advanced webcam software enables facial tracking and image effects. Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 comes with 3 Years onsite warranty and one year of McAfee Antivirus Pack for complete peace of mind.
Pricing and Availability
Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 will be available at all Lenovo Exclusive Stores (LES), LES Lites (a smaller version of LES), Lenovo Multi Brand stores (LMB) and Large Format Retailers (LFR) like Croma and Reliance
About Lenovo: Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a $US21 billion personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries, and the world’s fourth-largest PC vendor. Dedicated to building exceptionally engineered PCs and mobile internet devices, Lenovo’s business is built on product innovation, a highly-efficient global supply chain and strong strategic execution. Formed by Lenovo Group’s acquisition of the former IBM Personal Computing Division, the company develops, manufactures and markets reliable, high-quality, secure and easy-to-use technology products and services. Its product lines include legendary Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea-branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. Lenovo has major research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina.