ADDENDUM:
SkyJack Lets You Hunt Down and Hack Other Drones From the Air
It was only a matter of time before someone started hacking drones, and now Samy Kamkar has released all the hardware and software required to build a drone that can hunt and hack others as it flies—creating an army of zombies along the way.
When most people look at a large city like Tokyo the first thought that pops into their heads is most likely not, ”Hey this looks like it could be a great place to grow food.” However the Pasona Company located in Tokyo, Japan has done just that. Integrating sustainable horticulture into the day to day
It’s certainly preferable to become famous by taking amazing photographs, but here a few examples of photographers who became known all across the planet because of some major mistakes that were caught on camera. Now, most of this stuff is hilarious, but it’s also educational. As a wise man once said, the truly intelligent learn from other people’s mistakes. So grab a chair, laugh your heart out but also make notes of what you need to avoid.
In the 70s and early 80s most little boys in the UK wanted to be wisecracking Bodie from The Professionals. Let’s remember our being in awe of Collins’ brooding action hero
I wanted to be Lewis Collins when I was a boy. I’d kick open the kitchen door with a water pistol in my hand, shouting at my mum to: “Get down on the ground, hands where I can see them!” This must have been quite annoying. She was probably wearing yellow Marigolds rubber gloves, for a start, which wasn’t very villainous.
Two decades later, I was still in awe. It was said that he was a bit moody and didn’t like talking about The Professionals any more, both of which proved untrue. He was charm personified, only too happy to reminisce. He had a mischievous sense of humour, a rumbling voice and a booming guffaw. We still found ourselves going all giggly and coquettish.
So it was with heavy heart that I heard this morning that Collins had lost his five-year struggle with cancer, aged 67. Reruns of The Professionals on ITV4 will now acquire an extra poignancy. I might go and watch one when I’ve finished writing this blog.
For any boy growing up in the late 70s and early 80s, crime drama The Professionals was about as thrilling as TV got. Most action shows back then, like Starsky & Hutch or The A-Team, were American imports. Home-grown equivalents were few and far between. Like The Sweeney before it, The Professionals felt special. It was British. It had Ford Capris and grotty pubs in it. It was ours.
When I was allowed to stay up late to watch it, the brassy, funky wacka-wacka theme tune sent a shudder of excitement down my spine. Then came the opening voiceover: “Anarchy, acts of terror, crimes against the public … To combat them, I’ve got special men. Experts from the army, the police, from every service. These are The Professionals.”
Collins played womanising, wisecracking bruiser William Bodie, an ex-paratrooper and mercenary. He was recruited to fictional elite unit CI5 by stern Scotsman George Cowley (Gordon Jackson) to form a crime-fighting duo with curly-haired copper Ray Doyle (Martin Shaw). Doyle had his fans – my mum among them – but Bodie was the one who most boys wanted to be and women wanted to be patted down by.
He was brooding and lippy, with style and real swagger. He had good hair, lovely sideburns and looked great in a poloneck, usually worn under a belted jacket or leather blouson. Collins tried out for the role of James Bond, before it went to Roger Moore, but his audition was deemed “too aggressive” – which is pretty cool in itself.
His other memorable role came in 1982, as the lead in SAS film Who Dares Wins. He starred as Captain Peter Skellen, who infiltrates a terrorist group and ends up in a siege with remarkable similarities to the real-life Iranian embassy stand-off two years earlier. Collins subsequently applied to join the Territorial SAS ,but was rejected because of his fame, despite passing all the entrance tests. He was a proto-Ross Kemp. A classy Danny Dyer. Jason Statham with hair and a splash of Old Spice.
I like to imagine he’s currently kicking open the pearly gates and telling God to hit the deck. If I was God, I’d do as I was told.
See video at:
Who Dares Wins (1982)
A compilation of Who Dares Wins staring Lewis Collins Judy Davis and Edward Woodward, with music by Roy Budd.
The new Nikon Df with its full-frame quality FX sensor, has classic styling with mechanical dials for ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation and shutter release mode. Nikon has also made a special edition older looking, 50 f/1.8G lens. It certainly is an interesting concept, but it’s a little too early to tell how this format will catch on. It can be pre-ordered and is priced at 2,226.56€ The Nikon Df is a considerable investment for most photographers and might be a tough choice against the comparably priced D800.
Malta Institute of Professional Photography: annual international convention, 2013 http://vimeo.com/80535708
“A short clip reporting on the year 2013’s MIPP ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONVENTION: The annual international photography convention by the Malta Institute of Professional Photography (MIPP) was recently held over three days in Malta (18 -20 Oct.) This was the ninth edition of the MIPP convention, which brought together MIPP members along with media and photography students, in a series of forums and workshops that enabled them to exchange and learn several experiences, creativity methods and varied techniques with a number of foreign speakers, purposely brought to Malta for this event. During the workshops conducted, those present could learn and appreciate how foreign photographers work and apply their art and craft. The MIPP annual convention is the fruit of a 10-year long joint collaboration with the UK’s Society of Wedding and Portrait Photography (SWPP), which has over 3,000 members. Amongst the speakers hosted this year’s series of workshops, there were: John Denton, a British fashion, glamour and fine art photographer; Heidi Levine, a North American photo-journalist who has been covering the Middle East news; and Irishman, Podge Kelly, who teaches photography and specializes in fashion and wedding photography. A interesting public forum for those attending on “From Photographer to Successful Brand” was led by Joseph Zammit Lucia. The British professional fashion model Nikki Hafter was also brought to Malta for the three days of workshops, which covered fashion, glamour and news-press photography genres in an extensive way. Founded 17 years ago, the MIPP has amongst its 200 members it includes students, photography professionals, as well as those who practice or have to hearth the art of photography. Messrs. Juliette and Phil Jones, Directors of the SWPP, commented positively on how they remain impressed every year with the level and passion of Maltese photographers. This year, two MIPP members qualified for their Associateship and another two for their Licentiate. See selection of event photos at URL: https://ivanmconsiglio.wordpress.com/2013/11/08/whilst-at-the-annual-mipp-international-photography-convention-2013/ Issued on Mon. 10/21/13 11:54 hrs”
Evan Booth can make a gun comprised of a hair dryer, magnets, batteries, hairbands, and other items purchased at terminal stores
The Tennessee web developer demonstrates how to make his gun, as well as a crossbow, blowgun, and other weapons on his DIY website Terminal Cornucopia
For the past two years, a mysterious online organisation has been setting the world’s finest code-breakers a series of seemingly unsolveable problems. But to what end? Welcome to the world of Cicada 3301.
The Cons's Nook: www.ivanmconsiglio.com 