prozord

Master Yip Man

2010-05-24T17:39:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yip Man (simplified Chinese: 叶问; traditional Chinese: 葉問; pinyin: yè wèn, Cantonese Jyutping: jip⁶ man⁶; Ip Man;^[1] also known as 葉繼問 He was born on October 1, 1893 and died on December 2, 1972. Yip Kai Man was considered the first martial arts master (Chinese: Sifu) to teach the Chinese martial art of Wing Chun openly.^{[citation needed]} He had several students who later became martial arts teachers in their own right, including Bruce Lee. He was born to Yip Oi Dor and Ng Shui, and was the third of four children. He grew up in a very wealthy family in Foshan, Guangdong, and received an exceptional traditional Chinese education. His older brother was Ip Kai Gak. His older sister was Ip Wan Mei and his younger sister was Ip Wan Hum.^[2]

Yip Kai Man was the last Wing Chun student of Chan Wah-shun ^[3]^[4] when he was 70 years old.

Biography

When Yip Man was thirteen years old he started learning Wing Chun from Chan Wah-shun (陳華順). Because of his sifu's old age, Yip Man had to learn much of his skills and techniques from his master's second eldest disciple Ng Chung-sok (吳仲素). Three years into Yip Man’s training Chan Wah-shun died. One of his dying wishes was to have Ng continue training Yip.

At the age of 15 Yip man moved to Hong Kong with help from Leung Fut Ting, a relative. At age sixteen, Yip Man attended school at St. Stephen's College in Hong Kong.^[2] It was a secondary school for wealthy families and foreigners who lived in Hong Kong.

According to Yip Man's two sons,^[2] while at St. Stephen's Yip Man intervened after seeing a foreign police officer beating a woman. The story goes that the Police officer tried to strike Yip Man who used his martial arts to strike the officer down, at which point Yip Man and his classmate ran to school. The classmate is said to have told an older man who lived in his apartment block. Yip Man was invited to see this man and the man asked Yip Man what martial art he studied. The man then asked Yip Man to show him his first 2 forms (Sil Lim Tao and Chun Kiu). The man then told Yip man that his forms were “not too great.” ^[2] Yip Man was then invited to Chi Sau (a form of training that involves controlled attack and defence), Yip Man saw this as an opportunity to prove his Kung Fu was good, but he was beaten after just a few strikes. It turned out that the old man was his master's elder fellow-disciple (and so, by Chinese tradition Yip Man's martial uncle), Leung Bik (梁璧), son of his master's master Leung Jan (梁贊). After that encounter, Yip Man continued his training lessons from Leung Bik. By the age of 24, Yip Man had returned to Foshan, his Wing Chun skills tremendously improved. ^[2]

In Foshan, Yip Man became a policeman.^[2] He did not formally run a Wing Chun school, but taught several of his subordinates, his friends and relatives. Amongst those informal students, Lok Yiu, Chow Kwong-yue (周光裕 (六仔)), Kwok Fu (郭富), Lun Kai (倫佳), Chan Chi-sun (陳志新) and Lui Ying (呂應) were amongst the most well-known. Chow Kwong-yue was said to be the best student among his peers, but eventually he went into commerce and dropped out of martial arts all together.

Kwok Fu(郭富) and Lun Kai(倫佳) went on to teach students of their own. The art of Wing Chun in the Foshan and Guangdong area was mainly passed down from these two individuals. Chan Chi-sun(陳志新) died young, and Lui Ying(呂應) went to Hong Kong. Neither of them took any students.

Yip Man went to Kwok Fu's village house during the Japanese Occupation. He only returned to Foshan after the war, to once again take up the job of a police officer. At the end of 1949, the Chinese Communist party won the Chinese civil war. Yip Man being an officer of the opposing Kuomintang political party, decided to escape to Hong Kong without his family when the Communists had come to Foshan.

In Hong Kong, Yip Man opened a Wing Chun martial arts school. During the period of his youth in Foshan, it was not uncommon for young men from wealthy families to acquire the habit of smoking opium. Although it was illegal in Hong Kong, it was not difficult to obtain on the black market. Yip Man was known to be an opium addict^[5]. The costs of opium were considered high at the time. Altogether, he needed a dependable source of income to support his habit and his family still living in Foshan.^[6]

Initially, business was poor because his students typically stayed for only a couple of months. He moved his school twice, to Hoi Tan Street (海壇街) in Sham Shui Po, and then to Lee Tat Street (利達街) in Yau Ma Tei. By then, some of his students were skilled enough that they were able to start their own schools.

Notable students of Yip Man include: Lun Gai, Gwok Fu, Leung Sheung 梁相, Lok Yiu 駱耀, Chu Shong-tin 徐尚田, Wong Shun Leung 黃淳樑, Wang Kiu 王喬, Yip Bo Ching, William Cheung, Hawkins Cheung, Bruce Lee, Lo Man Kam (Yip Man's nephew), Wong Long, Wong Chok, Law Bing, Lee Shing, Ho Kam-Ming, Moy Yat, Duncan Leung, Derek Fung (Fung Ping Bor), Chris Chan 陳成 (Chan Shing), Victor Kan, Stanley Chan, Chow Sze Chuen, Tam Lai, Ip Ching, Ip Chun, Lee Che Kong and Kang Sin Sin. Some of Yip Man's students and descendants compared their skills with other martial artists in combat. Their victories over other martial artists helped to bolster Ip Man's reputation as a teacher.

In 1967, Yip Man and some of his students established the Hong Kong Ving Tsun Athletic Association (香港詠春拳體育會).

In 1972, Yip Man suffered throat cancer and subsequently died on the 2nd of December that same year.^[7]

Within the three decades of his career in Hong Kong, he established a training system for Wing Chun that eventually spread across the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yip_Man

Ip Man (film)

Ip Man (simplified Chinese: 叶问; traditional Chinese: 葉問; pinyin: Yè Wèn) is a 2008 semi-biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of the martial art Wing Chun and the first person to teach the art openly. One of his students was the widely influential and acclaimed martial artist and filmmaker Bruce Lee. The film focuses on events in Ip's life that took place in the city of Foshan during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen as Ip Man, with martial arts choreography by Sammo Hung. The supporting cast includes Simon Yam, Lynn Hung, Lam Ka-Tung, Xing Yu and Hiroyuki Ikeuchi.

The idea of an Ip Man biopic originated in 1998 when Jeffrey Lau and Corey Yuen discussed the idea of making a film based on Bruce Lee's martial arts master. However, the studio producing the proposed film closed, and the project was abandoned. Producer Raymond Wong decided to develop his own Ip Man film with full consent from Ip's sons, and had filmmakers head to Foshan to research Ip's life. Ip Chun, Ip Man's eldest son, along with martial arts master Leo Au Yeung and several other Wing Chun practitioners served as technical consultants for the film. Principal photography for Ip Man began in March 2008 and ended in August; filming took place in Shanghai, which was used to architecturally recreate Foshan. During filming, conflicts arose between the producers of Ip Man and filmmaker Wong Kar-wai over the film's working title. Wong, who had been developing his own Ip Man biopic, clashed with the producers after learning that their film would be titled Grandmaster Ip Man (traditional Chinese: 一代宗師葉問), which was too similar to the title of Wong's film. The producers of Ip Man agreed to change the film title, despite Wong's film being in development hell.

Ip Man premiered in Beijing on 10 December 2008, and was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 19 December 2008, receiving widespread acclaim from critics and audiences. Prior to the film's release, Raymond Wong announced that there would be a sequel; a second installment titled Ip Man 2, was released in April 2010. Ip Man grossed over US$21 million worldwide, despite not being released in North America and most of Europe. Following its success, the film was nominated for 12 Hong Kong Film Awards, winning awards for Best Film and Best Action Choreography.

Directed by	Wilson Yip
Produced by	Raymond Wong
Written by	Edmond Wong
Starring	Donnie Yen Simon Yam Lynn Hung Hiroyuki Ikeuchi Lam Ka-Tung
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Cinematography	O Sing-Pui
Editing by	Cheung Ka-Fai


Running time	108 min
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese Japanese Mandarin
Budget	US$11,715,578^[1]
Gross revenue	US$21,888,598
Followed by	Ip Man 2 (2010)

Ip Man 2

Ip Man 2 (traditional Chinese: 葉問2:宗師傳奇; simplified Chinese: 叶问2:宗师传奇; ) is a 2010 semi-biographical martial arts film based on the life of Ip Man, a grandmaster of Wing Chun martial arts. A sequel to the 2008 film Ip Man, the film was directed by Wilson Yip, and stars Donnie Yen, who reprises the leading role. Continuing after the events of the earlier film, the sequel centers on Ip's movements in Hong Kong, which is under British colonial rule. He attempts to propagate his discipline of Wing Chun, but faces rivalry from other practitioners, including the local master of Hung Ga martial arts.

Producer Raymond Wong first announced a sequel before Ip Man's theatrical release in December 2008. Ip Man 2 was intended to focus on the relationship between Ip and his most famed disciple, Bruce Lee. The filmmakers, however, were unable to finalize film rights with Lee's descendants and decided to briefly portray Lee as a child. Principal photography for Ip Man 2 began in August 2009 and concluded in November; filming took place inside a studio located in Shanghai. For the sequel, Yip aimed to create a more dramatic martial arts film in terms of story and characterization; Wong's son, screenwriter Edmond Wong, wanted the film to portray how Chinese people were treated by the British, as well as the Western perceptions towards Chinese martial arts.

Ip Man 2 premiered in Beijing on 21 April 2010; the film was released in Hong Kong, as well as in other Asian territories on 29 April 2010.

Directed by	Wilson Yip
Produced by	Raymond Wong
Written by	Edmond Wong
Starring	Donnie Yen Sammo Hung Lynn Hung Huang Xiaoming
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Cinematography	Poon Hang-Sang
Editing by	Cheung Ka-Fai


Running time	109 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese Mandarin English
Budget	US$12,902,809^[1]
Gross revenue	HK$36,975,610 (domestic)^[2]
Preceded by	Ip Man (2008)

Robin Hood: Trailer

2010-05-12T13:21:00.001-07:00

Forza 3 DLC Trailer - Exotic Car Pack

2010-05-11T07:34:00.001-07:00

Front Spin Bo Staff Techniques

2010-05-10T18:52:00.000-07:00

Martial Art Bo Staff Techniques: Video Series

http://www.ehow.com/videos-on_330_martial-art-bo-staff-techniques.html

Metsubushi

2010-05-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Metsubushi (目潰し^?) - "eye closers", the name for variety of techniques used to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient the opponent.

Ninja would use these for self defense or to facilitate their escape. Later, they were also used by police, where they were blown into the target's face.

One kind is a powder made up of ashes, ground up pepper, mud, flour, dirt, for severe damage fine glass or salt, and other small powders. It was kept in hollowed-out eggs (happō), bamboo tubes or other small container and when confronted by an attacker, a person would throw metsubushi in the attacker's eyes, blinding him, while the victim ran off or hid themself.^[1] This practice is thought to have brought about tales of ninja disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Other techniques would be blinding the opponent with light reflected off a mirror, or throwing any item at an opponent's head, making them instinctively close their eyes.

Flash and smoke bombs would also count as metsubushi.

On Spike TV's Deadliest Warrior, a happō filled with crushed glass was featured as one of the ninja's weapons in "Episode 3: Spartan vs. Ninja". It was called a "Black Egg" in the show.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metsubushi

Sodium hydroxide with Al in H2O makes H2

2010-05-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

2 Al(s) + 6 NaOH(aq) → 3 H₂(g) + 2 Na₃AlO₃(aq)

Hydrogen gas (dihydrogen)[9] is highly flammable and will burn in air at a very wide range of concentrations between 4% and 75% by volume.[10] The enthalpy of combustion for hydrogen is −286 kJ/mol:[11]

2 H2(g) + O2(g) → 2 H2O(l) + 572 kJ (286 kJ/mol)[note 1]

Hydrogen gas forms explosive mixtures with air in the concentration range 4-74% (volume per cent of hydrogen in air) and with chlorine in the range 5-95%. The mixtures spontaneously detonate by spark, heat or sunlight. The hydrogen autoignition temperature, the temperature of spontaneous ignition in air, is 500 °C (932 °F).[12] Pure hydrogen-oxygen flames emit ultraviolet light and are nearly invisible to the naked eye, as illustrated by the faint plume of the Space Shuttle main engine compared to the highly visible plume of a Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster. The detection of a burning hydrogen leak may require a flame detector; such leaks can be very dangerous. The destruction of the Hindenburg airship was an infamous example of hydrogen combustion; the cause is debated, but the visible flames were the result of combustible materials in the ship's skin.[13] Because hydrogen is buoyant in air, hydrogen flames tend to ascend rapidly and cause less damage than hydrocarbon fires. Two-thirds of the Hindenburg passengers survived the fire, and many deaths were instead the result of falls or burning diesel fuel.[14]

H2 reacts with every oxidizing element. Hydrogen can react spontaneously and violently at room temperature with chlorine and fluorine to form the corresponding hydrogen halides, hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride, which are also potentially dangerous acids

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV

2010-05-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Lamborghini unveiled a new version of the Murciélago, the LP 670-4 SuperVeloce.^[11] The SV moniker had previously appeared on the 1995–99 Diablo SV, a highly tuned version of the car that appeared close to the end of the model's production run. ^[12]

The SuperVeloce's V12 produces 670 PS (493 kW; 661 hp) at 8000 rpm and 660 N·m (490 lb·ft) of torque at 6500 rpm, thanks to improved valve timing and intake system modifications. The car's weight was reduced by 100 kg (220 lb) by swapping several interior parts and exterior panels out for carbon fiber replacements, along with the installation of a new, lighter exhaust system. The LP670-4 SV comes standard with the LP640's optional six-piston caliper, 15-inch carbon-ceramic disc brakes, slowing black 18-inch wheels. In its June 2009 issue, Car and Driver magazine predicted that the LP 670-4 SV was capable of reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standing start in just 3.2 seconds. Lamborghini claims the car can reach 342 km/h (213 mph) with an optional smaller spoiler, or 337 km/h (209 mph) with the standard Aeropack wing.^[13]

According to Maurizio Reggiani, head of Lamborghini R&D, the LP 670-4 SV's steering was tuned for high-speed sensitivity. Production of the top-of-the-line Murciélago was limited to 350 cars, priced at $450,000.

In April 2010, Lamborghini released a variant of the LP 670-4 called the SuperVeloce China Limited Edition. The car is distinguished by special exterior markings.

Press Release:

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce – the new king of the bulls is even more powerful, lighter and faster

The Lamborghini Murciélago is one of the most extraordinary super sports cars of all time. Automobili Lamborghini has now expanded its model range with a new, exceptionally purist and even more extreme top model – the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is even more powerful, lighter and faster than the Murciélago LP 640. With the output of the 6.5 liter V12 increased to 670 hp and a weight reduction of 100 kg (220 lbs), the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs) per hp. This catapults it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a breathtaking 3.2 seconds and powers it on to a top speed of around 342 km/h (212 mph). Distinctive design refinements ensure that each of this 350-unit limited edition series conveys its full potential from the very first glance.

With its outstanding performance, razor-sharp precision and exceptional high-speed stability, the Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the ultimate performance car for advanced sports car drivers. The super sports car has been extensively redesigned with a new front and rear, an innovative engine bonnet and a choice of two aerodynamic set-ups featuring either a small or large rear spoiler. The interior in Alcantara and carbon fiber provides a purist and minimalist approach.

In order to achieve the substantial weight reduction of 100 kilograms (220 lbs), the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce was extensively reworked and redeveloped in virtually every aspect – from chassis to engine and transmission, right through to the interior. The increase in engine output from 640 to 670 hp is the result of optimized valve timing and a reworked intake system. The significantly modified aerodynamics with substantially increased downforce brings considerable improvement to vehicle stability at very high speeds. With the small standard-fit rear spoiler, top speed stands at 342 km/h (212 mph), while the large “Aeropack Wing” and its added downforce gives a top speed of 337 km/h (209 mph).

“The new Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the systematic continuation of our brand philosophy. It is more extreme and uncompromising than virtually any other automobile,” says Stephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “As the new top model of the highly successful Murciélago range, the SuperVeloce displays not only outstanding driving dynamics, it is also further evidence of our company’s technological expertise. Customers can look forward to an utterly unparalleled driving experience.”

Design and aerodynamics

The Murciélago is an icon of the Lamborghini brand – a sports machine of menacing character and brutal power. Its unique design radiates a supreme form of highly concentrated sensuality. Wide, low, with its glass area pushed way forward and a long, taut back – the interplay between the soft contours of the basic form and razor sharp edges is the perfect expression of the Lamborghini design language. In the totality of its character, the Murciélago is without comparison on the sports car market.

Yet even a character like this can be further refined – the new Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is the more extreme, even more purist pinnacle of the model range. This is clearly evident from the very first glimpse of its completely redesigned front end – pulled way forward and finished in matt black paint, the carbon fiber front spoiler is connected to the front end via two vertical elements. The large air intakes for the front brakes are more powerfully emphasized. The new front fenders feature additional air intakes for brake ventilation. The air vent for the oil cooler located in the driver-side sill area is painted matt black to match the sills.

The modifications are even more apparent around the mighty engine bay of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. The twelve-cylinder engine is presented as an engineering masterpiece under a transparent engine bonnet that boasts a completely new architecture. Hexagonal polymer plates made from transparent polycarbonate are set on three levels within a carbon fiber framework. The layers are open towards the rear, playing a key role in the thermodynamics of the high-performance engine.

The impressive rear end of the SuperVeloce is dominated by a veritably noble, flat and extremely wide exhaust tailpipe and, on the underside, by a two-level diffuser system finished entirely in carbon fiber. The rear light clusters display their signals in that distinctive Y-shape that has been a fixed element of Lamborghini design since the Murciélago LP 640, Reventón and Gallardo LP 560-4. The panel between the lights is made from carbon fiber, while the large intake mesh below expands across the full width of the rear end. Made from thick-walled aluminum, the hexagonal pattern is laser-cut and a Teflon coating provides the necessary heat protection.

The aerodynamics of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce have been completely redeveloped. Alongside the enlarged front spoiler and the twin rear diffuser, the new fixed rear spoiler also plays an important role. Customers can choose between two versions, with the small rear spoiler providing improved downforce at high speeds. As an option, the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce can be supplied with the “Aeropack Wing” – a large, fixed, carbon-fiber wing mounted on two carbon-fiber brackets. The new aerodynamic set-up provides a significant boost to directional stability at the very highest speeds. The top-speed downforce on the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce with Aeropack is strongly increased.

Bodyshell and lightweight construction

With the construction of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, Lamborghini proves its expertise in the manufacture of lightweight materials and in working with hi-tech carbon fiber. The structure of the super sports car is a composite construction of extremely stiff carbon components and a tubular steel frame – as in a race car. The transmission tunnel and the floor are made of carbon fiber, attached to the steel frame using rivets and high-strength adhesives. The roof and the exterior door panels are formed in sheet steel, while the remainder of the outer skin is made from carbon composite material.

For the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce, engineers in Sant’Agata Bolognese recalculated the framework and selected a new, super high-strength sectional steel. This achieved two objectives – on the one hand, they increased the torsional stiffness of the chassis by 12 percent to provide improved handling precision and, on the other, they were able to reduce weight by 20 kg (44 lbs), making a significant contribution to the reduction of overall vehicle weight. And the systematic approach to lightweight design continues throughout the entire bodyshell. The front fenders, the rear side panels/fenders and the casing for the third brake light are made of a modified carbon-fiber material. Combined with the removal of the drive for the moveable spoiler, this brings a further weight reduction of 13 kg (28.6 lbs).

Added to the 33 kg (72.6 lbs) of weight reduction from the chassis and exterior, are 34 kg (74.8 lbs) from the interior, as well as over 33 kg (72.6 lbs) removed from the engine and drive train.

Power unit and transmission

The longitudinally mounted 6.5 liter V12 delivers the infernal power for an unparalleled driving experience. With 670 hp (493 kW), the engine in the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is 30 hp more powerful than in the Murciélago LP 640. The twelve-cylinder sends its mighty 660 Nm (487 lb-ft) of torque to the crankshaft at 6,500 rpm; maximum power is reached at 8,000 rpm, with an average piston speed of 23.7 meters per second – a figure almost comparable to race engines.

The V12 is eager to deliver its performance – it brings its menacing power with immediacy and precision to guarantee breathtaking performance – after only 3.2 seconds the SuperVeloce has already reached 100 km/h (62 mph).

The engine block and heads of the V12, positioned at the ideal cylinder angle of 60 degrees, are made from aluminum. The four chain-driven camshafts are variably controlled, while the intake manifold operates in three stages – both technologies add even greater thrust to the merciless pushing power. To increase the performance of the SuperVeloce, the intake system was modified, the valve train optimized and, most importantly, valve travel was increased.

The control electronics for the V12 were developed internally by Lamborghini – each cylinder bank has its own high-performance processor. If the engine needs more cooling air, intake funnels emerge from the rear pillars: when not in operation, they lie flush with the bodyshell. Dry sump lubrication enables the V12 to be mounted extremely low down, benefiting the handling dynamics: this also guarantees oil supply under extremely dynamic driving conditions. With 12 liters of lubricating oil in circulation, the oil cooler is located on the left side of the vehicle and cooled by air flowing through the aperture in the sill.

The weight reduction of more than 26 kg (57 lbs) in the engine area was derived primarily from the completely new exhaust system. The muffler has been redesigned and even the mighty tailpipe of the SuperVeloce manufactured from new materials is lighter than on the Murciélago LP 640. But most of all, the new exhaust system makes for an acoustic experience that is surely equal to the driving performance – from the heavy rumble of a stormy night, through the trumpeting of mighty elephants to the roar of a raging lion, the SuperVeloce performs the grand opera for 12 cylinders, 48 valves and 8,000 revs.

The SuperVeloce is equipped as standard with the sequential, automated manual transmission e.gear, which uses electro-hydraulics to shift gear extremely quickly and smoothly. A cockpit display informs the driver of the gear currently engaged. In addition a special “Corsa” mode and a “Low adherence” mode are available.

As a no-premium option, the SuperVeloce is available with a six-speed manual transmission. Its short metal shift stick runs in an open gate of classic Italian elegance. In both variants, the new lightweight clutch makes its own contribution to the weight loss program.

All-wheel drive and chassis

The Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce delivers its extreme power to the road with great reliability – assured by its permanent all-wheel drive. Before the rear wheels spin, the viscous coupling sends up to 35 percent of driving force via its additional shaft to the front wheels. The front and rear limited-slip differentials are set at 25 and 45 percent. With its four driven wheels and traction, the Murciélago delivers a decisive advantage over rear-wheel drive sports cars when it comes to accelerating out of a corner – and always with maximum stability. The rear axle bears 58 percent of its overall weight – a distribution ratio that is highly beneficial to traction.

Explosive dynamics, tenacious cornering and extreme speeds – the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is a super sports car packed with aggressive power, but by no means a mean-spirited car. Its steering requires very little power support, giving full control of the car to the driver. Those prepared to tackle the beast head on are quickly rewarded with intimate contact and trust – as speed increases, so the Murciélago reveals its strengths, thus exposing a character with no hidden surprises and behavior that can always be anticipated.

The Murciélago is fitted with double wishbone suspension all round. Spring struts – two on each of the rear wheels and one on each of the front – control the loads transferred from the road. The standard-fit lifting system enables the front end of the vehicle to be raised by 45 mm (1.8 inches) to avoid obstacles such as garage entryways. The SuperVeloce is equipped with exclusive “Ares” alloy-forged wheels, bearing the exclusive five twin-spoke design. The front wheels are clad in 245/35 ZR 18 rubber, while the rears sport 335/30 ZR 18. High-grip Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires come as standard.

Four brakes controlled by a hi-tech ABS system are capable of mighty stopping power when required. The Carbon Ceramic (CCB) brakes are fanned by cooling air flowing through enlarged channels in the bodyshell, while openings in the front fenders provide additional ventilation for the SuperVeloce. The ceramic discs are exceptionally lightweight, fade-free and capable of extremely high operational performance.

Interior and equipment

Even stepping into the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce is an experience as individual as the vehicle itself. The upward-opening doors – a solution developed by Lamborghini in the early seventies for the Countach – are released via small latches, then swing wide open to reveal a panorama of the exclusive interior of the Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce. The dominating materials are Alcantara and carbon fiber, which make for an ambience that is as high-quality as it is sporty.

The sports bucket seats come as standard and provide exceptionally firm support around the hip and shoulder areas. The bucket seats are made from lightweight and highly robust carbon fiber and guarantee the driver perfect support, even in the most extreme driving situations. The Murciélago’s standard seats are also available on the SuperVeloce as an option free of charge.

Not only the seats are upholstered in black Alcantara micro-fiber; the cockpit and the roof lining are also finished in this high-quality, lightweight material. The Y-shaped perforations on the seats and roof lining bring additional finesse, with an inlaid backing material in the same color as the exterior paintwork. The Murciélago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce can be delivered with the paint finishes Giallo Orion, Arancio Atlas, Bianco Isis, Grigio Telesto and Nero Aldebaran, as well as Bianco Canopus (white matt) and Nero Nemesis (black matt) as an option.

Naturally, the interior also makes its contribution to weight reduction. The door panels are clad in carbon fiber, as is the wide center tunnel. The application of Alcantara instead of leather is another weight-saver, just like the selection of sports bucket seats and the omission of the radio-navigation system (if requested, this is available as an option). At the end of the day, the music in a Murciélago comes from the engine compartment. Overall, modifications to the interior contribute over 34 kg (75 lbs) to the SuperVeloce weight loss program.

But absolutely no corners have been cut when it comes to one characteristic that is a feature of all Lamborghini super sports cars – the exceptionally high quality of the workmanship. The craftsmen in Sant’Agata Bolognese are all masters of their respective trades; the three-year warranty bears testimony to absolute faith in product quality.

The Warez Scene Hierarchy

2010-04-27T16:22:00.000-07:00

A Scene, também conhecida como Warez Scene, é uma rede mundialmente desconhecida onde pessoas compartilham conteúdo pirata, como DVD’s, filmes, jogos, aplicativos, etc. Primeiro, o conteúdo é lançado por releasegroups, grupos dos quais especializados em publicar esse material. Eles copiam um Dvd ou quebram a proteção de um jogo, e o torna disponível pra outras pessoas, nos chamados releases. Quando esses grupos terminam um release ele é upado nos sites. São servidores FTP muito rápidos e privados, sendo a primeira escala na distribuição do release. Eventualmente, ao final da distribuição, os releases estarão disponíveis pra todos na rede P2P.

A velocidade dessa rede mundial é enorme. Em questão de minutos um release pode ser copiado para centenas de outros sites. Em questão de uma hora, para milhares de sites.

Em questão de um ou dois dias são disponibilizados em grupos de noticias, no IRC, e por fim na rede P2P. Não se trata de uma familia grande e feliz. A Warez Scene consiste de certos grupos/camadas. No topo temos os releasegroups e os topsites. Esses grupos constituem o núcleo da Scene. Os demais grupos oficialmente não fazem parte da Scene. Ainda que muitas pessoas os considerem parte dela.

A Scene não é somente uma rede de distribuição, vai muito além disso. Existem regras na Scene que servem pra garantir releases de boa qualidade. Caso contrário, o release será nukado. Significa que ele será marcado como irregular. Releases nukados não são vistos com bons olhos e o grupo que lançou acaba ficando com uma má reputação.

Segurança é um tema importante na Scene. Tendo em vista as atividades serem ilegais os sceners precisam estar protegidos, à salvo de organizações anti-pirataria e evitarem serem plotados em Operações.

A Hierarquia

A Scene é baseada numa certa hierarquia. Para explicar a estrutura disso, aqui vai uma visão geral da cadeia alimentar pirata. Nem todas essas camadas constituem a Scene. As organizações anti-pirataria e a maioria das outras partes que não representam a Scene propriamente dita, consideram todos esses grupos como filiados à Scene. Ainda que não sejam na prática. De fato, os releasegroups e o pessoal dos topsites odeiam esses outros grupos. O motivo pra isso é que os fxp boards, os irc traders e principalmente os users P2P colocam a Scene em perigo. Os Sceners buscam manter seus releases para uma quantidade limitada de pessoas. Pois qualquer um que tenha computador e saiba usar software P2P, pode baixar o conteúdo. Isso causa grande perda no ramo logístico e na produção cinematográfica, o que nos leva até as organizações anti-pirataria, polícia/atenção do FBI, etc. Isso põe os Sceners em risco, então por isso acabam desaprovando esses grupos. Os FXP Boards se consideram integrantes da Scene. Os irc-traders e os grupos de notícias tem noções da Scene, e os usuários P2P definitivamente não conhecem a Scene.

A hierarquia da Scene é a seguinte:

Releasegroups - Grupos de pessoas que lançam o conteúdo na Scene. Frequentemente ligados com os Site Traders.
Topsites - Servidores FTP muito rápidos com pessoas que compartilham os releases dos releasesgroups para outros (top)sites.
FXP Boards - Pessoas que buscam/hackeiam/sabotam computadores vulneráveis com conteúdo.
IRC Trading - Usuários do IRC que baixam via XDCC ou servidores de arquivos.
Newsgroups - Pessoas que baixam de canais de notícias binários.
Peer-to-Peer - Usuários de programas P2P tipo KaZaA e BitTorrent que compartilham uns com os outros.

O Sistema

Na hierarquia da Scene explicamos o que é um topsite. Aqui nós daremos informações mais detalhadas sobre topsites e seu sistema, e o sistema da Scene. Segurança certamente é uma questão muito importante. Os topsites são muito privados. Uma típica configuração de topsite irá permitir aos usuários somente logarem-se com uma certa identificação e host (ou faixa de IP), com autenticação SSL em todas as sessões FTP. Servidores FTP são frequentemente usados pra esconder o verdadeiro endereço IP do topsite, e pra compartilhá-lo na rede. A maioria dos usuários irá se conectar através de proxy. Dessa forma os sites não vêem seus verdadeiros IP´s.

IRC: todos os membros do site se fazem presentes no canal IRC do mesmo. Esses canais em sua maioria localizam-se em servidores IRC privados e muito seguros, e você precisará se conectar via SSL. Além do SSL existem outras medidas de segurança. Você não pode simplesmente entrar (join) no canal, você precisa se convidar, utilizando uma linha de comando quando você se conecta ao site. Desse jeito pessoas que não são membros do site, não poderão entrar (no canal) uma vez que é protegido com auto-convite e/ou com uma channel key (senha). E os canais são frequentemente protegidos com FiSH. FiSH é um add-on (seria um algo a mais) que criptografa as mensagens em um canal. Com isso as pessoas que não tiverem a fish key correta, não poderão ler as mensagens. Nesse canal IRC, os membros e os operadores do site podem comunicar-se uns com os outros. Também há um bot presente, que fará anúncios quando um releasegroup publicar um novo release no site, ou anunciará quando um membro upar um release. Muitos sites também tem um canal de anúncios. Esse canal mostra automaticamente os últimos releases logo após o PRE. Mais sobre isso abaixo.

Sistema de Créditos: O site trabalha com um sistema de créditos. Operadores do site e alguns afiliados ficam isentos desse sistema, com uma conta Free Leech. Esse sistema de crédito funciona de acordo com o ratio. O mais comum é o 3:1, significa que quando você upa 3 GB, você pode baixar 9 GB. Quando um membro não consegue o valor mínimo mensal requerido de upload, ele automaticamente será deletado. Créditos podem ser perdidos upando release irregular que termina como nukado. Nukes multiplicados afetam a quantia de créditos perdidos.

Afiliados: Falaremos basicamente de três ranks: siteops, affiliates e racers. Siteops (operadores-site) são os administradores. Existem geralmente de dois à três siteops por site. Um deles na maioria das vezes é o fornecedor do site, o outro a pessoa que encontra o fornecedor e o guia durante a instalação do servidor. E o outro será de amigos e pessoas envolvidas na Scene. Um ou mais dos siteops será nuker. É seu encargo nukar qualquer release considerado velho ou falso (fake). Affiliates são os releasegroups que postam os releases logo após serem finalizados. Cada afiliado tem acesso a uma pasta privada e oculta no topsite. Essa pasta é usada no upload de novos releases antes de se tornarem disponiveis em outros sites. Quando um novo release é upado em cada um dos sites do grupo, um comando é executado pra simultaneamente copiá-lo pra uma pasta acessível por outros usuários, e engatilhar um anúncio no canal IRC do topsite. Esse comando é chamado de PRE-command. “To pre” refere-se à execução desse comando. Pre-releases também podem ser replicados em canais externos de anúncios pra informar outros membros/usuários que um novo release está disponivel pra racing (concorrência, competição).

Banco de Dados: Quando o pre de um grupo é lançado, o release é automaticamente registrado no pre-database. É um enorme banco de dados que contém todos os releases que já foram lançados na Scene. Esse banco de dados grava nome dos releases bem como data e hora, embora os campos variem de banco pra banco. Exemplos de outros campos comuns incluem gênero (releases MP3), seção, e detalhes do nuke. Os bancos de dados são mantidos de modo que forneçam aos grupos informações necessários a fim de se evitar um dupe (duplicidade). Os próprios usuários podem fazer essa checagem, vendo por exemplo, se o filme já foi lançado, a data do release, o status (nukado ou não), entre outros. Os bancos de dados são atualizados através de processos automáticos ora buscando em Topsites por novos releases, ora captando anúncios nos canais do site.

Nukes: Se um grupo publica um release que já foi lançado por outro grupo, é um dupe (duplicidade). Então o release será nukado. Isso significa que será marcado como release irregular. Os grupos tentam evitar nukes, uma vez que eles lhes darão uma má reputação. Com exceção de dupes, os releases podem ser nukados por outras razões também. Existem dois tipos de nukes:

Nuke Global: nukado em razão do próprio release. É nukado por haver algo de errado com o release, por exemplo: erros no som, dupe, vídeo congelando, mal ripado, etc. Se um grupo se der conta de que há algo errado, eles podem pedir um nuke. Nukes comuns: Dupe, Bad Aspect Ratio (Bad AR), Bad Inverse Telecine (processo de conversão dos quadros incorreto), interlaced (linhas pretas no movimento conforme a ordem do campo estiver incorreta).

Nuke Local: nukado em razão da localidade. Determinados sites irão nukar por estar em desacordo com as regras, por exemplo: nada de telesyncs, nada de Dvd´s dublados em outros idiomas que não o inglês, etc. Nesse caso não haverá nada de errado com o release. Por serem localmente nukados, eles ainda podem ser compartilhados em outros sites.

Regras

As regras da Scene são padrões na Scene Warez para os lançamentos. Esses padrões são os requisitos mínimos para um release. As regras da Scene são definidas por grupos de pessoas que estiveram envolvidas ativamente por vários anos estabelecendo vínculos com grupos maiores. Essas pessoas formam um comitê, que formula idéias a serem aprovadas por esses grupos maiores. Na distribuição organizada da warez, todos os releases devem seguir esses padrões pré-definidos pra tornarem-se materiais aceitos. O comitê geralmente cicla a maioria das idéias e finalmente decide qual serve melhor ao propósito, e então as mandam para aprovação. Uma vez a idéia assinada pelos grupos, se torna ratificada e aceita como padrão atual. Existem diferentes padrões pra cada categoria de releases. As regras da Scene podem ser atualizadas à qualquer hora, embora o recomendado sejam no máximo uma ou duas alterações anuais. Essas regras são arquivos particulares, não acessíveis pra ninguém fora da Scene. Porém algumas podem ser vistas pela web.

As regras da Scene podem parecer um pouco rigorosas, mas elas certamente não estão lá pra incomodar rippers. Existem vários motivos pra essas regras existirem:

1. As regras englobam apenas releases de alta qualidade, então não se preocupe com baixa qualidade, erros ou coisas do tipo.

2. Pelo fato dos releases serem divididos em pequenas partes você não precisa se preocupar em baixar novamente o release inteiro se algo der errado. Você pode controlar se tudo foi baixado corretamente verificando o arquivo SFV. Portanto você sempre saberá se pegou algo incompleto do release que baixou. Significa que você terá o mesmo número de arquivos no computador, assim como a pessoa que upou primeiramente o filme e criou o release.

3. As regras levam à um modo padronizado de compartilhamento, no qual os downloads obviamente acabam se beneficiando. Você aprenderá a reconhecer um bom release e estará a par dos problemas/surpresas inconvenientes de filmes pobremente ripados por amadores. Também será muito mais fácil comparar os releases entre si.

4. Os releases da Scene sempre contém todas as informações de como foram ripados, em qual qualidade, etc. Dessa maneira você sempre sabe o que está baixando.

Alguns grupos da Scene

São grupos da Scene: ALLiANCE, PreVail, HLS, SaGa, CAMERA, LRC, DoNE, ESPiSE, DMT, VoMiT, mVs, LPD, iKA, AFO, DvF, iMBT, FLAiTE, TFF, DiAMOND, PUKKA, e muitos outros. Lembrando que aXXo e FxM não fazem parte da Scene, são grupos de reencoders. Topsites nunca postam releases desses dois grupos.

Fonte: AboutTheScene.com
Créditos pela tradução: XandeAlves @ CPturbo.org

Artigo publicado após permissão do tradutor. Em caso de cópia ou re-publicação, favor manter créditos e links.

http://www.umtudo.com/a-scene-warez/

The scene is build up in a certain hierarchy. To explain the structure of this, here is a global overview of the piracy food chain. Not all these ‘layers’ are considered as a part of the scene by everyone. The anti piracy organizations and most of the other parties which are not in the scene themself, do consider all these groups to the scene. Though they are not a part of the scene. In fact, the releasegroups and the people on the topsites hate these other groups. The reason for this is that fxp boards, irc traders but mostly peer to peer users bring the scene in danger. The sceners (people from the scene) want to keep the releases for a limited amount of people. Since everyone who knows how to use a computer knows how to user p2p-software, everyone would be able to download releases. This causes big losses for record labels, movie producers etc, what leads to the anti-piracy organisations, police/fbi-attention etc. On their turn, this brings the sceners in danger, so that’s why they dissaprove these groups. FXP boards consider themselves in the scene. Irc-traders and newsgroups might now even know about the scene, and p2p-users defently don’t know about the scene.

Here is the hierarchy:

Releasegroups – Groups of people who release the warez into the scene. Often linked with Site Traders.
Topsites – Very fast FTP servers with people who trade the releases from the above groups to other (top)sites.
FXP Boards – People who scan/hack/fill vulnerable computers with warez.
IRC Trading – Users of IRC who download from “XDCC Bots” or “Fserves”.
Newsgroups – People who download from alt.binaries newsgroups.
Peer-To-Peer – Users of p2p (peer-to-peer) programs like KaZaA but also BitTorrent who share with eachother.

We’ll start at the bottom and we’ll work ourselves up to the top.

Peer-To-Peer
At the bottom of the piracy food chain we have the peer-to-peer users. There seem to be two groups of peer-to-peer users. The first group are kids and downloading some music now and then because they can’t afford cd’s. Second are the older p2p users who use p2p for also for downloading games, programs, movies, etc. In the media, peer-to-peer are being labeled as dangerous pirates. They are a lot easier to bust for the RIAA/FBI and there are quite some of them who are being sued by the RIAA for thousands of dollars. The level of security is very low, and it’s easy to get access to all warez. This is why they endanger the sceners. The download speeds are quite low since you download from other users. Most p2p-users don’t have a clue about what a long way a release has made untill it’s available for download in p2p software. It has been released, spread from topsites to fxpboards, then to irc/newsgroups and in the end it’s available for the mass via peer-to-peer. The speed of p2p is the lowest, since users download from eachother.

A special kind of p2p system is BitTorrent. It uses a central location which coodinates the downloads but it doesn’t host any downloads. The download itself consists of several pieces offered by various users. Such a coordinated group is called a torrent. BitTorrent is widely used, allthough it’s rather insecure. It’s also fairly accessible. The central distributionpoint is called the tracker. The tracker knows which users already have the file, and which users want to download it. The users who already have the download are called seeders, and the users who are downloading are called leechers. Every user who downloads a certain file, downloads a different part of the file. When the seeder goes offline, they can still download from eachother and all complete the file.

Newsgroups
Once upon a time when the internet was still young there were special interest groups that shared information and kept in touch by using a bulletin board type system. This system was designed to take advantage of the internet in a way an old bulletin boards couldn’t; each location had a machine (news server) that would store all the messages of the newsgroups that were desired by it’s users. A short time passed and the users of certain newsgroups thought that this system would be ideal to share files with each other. It’s easy to access newsgroups but unless you are familiar with them, navigating and downloading files from the newsgroups takes more effort than p2p software. You can download from newsgroups using a newsreader, for example: NewsLeecher and Xnews. There are also pay newsservers, these are faster and can hold up the files longer than free newsservers. Free newsserver can be quite fast, and pay newsservers are even faster.

IRC Trading
Not far up from peer-to-peer users we have the people who go to IRC for their warez. In general, these people intend to have a better knowledge about computers and the internet. Warez channels are often run by people who have access to a fair amount of pirated material.

There are generally two types of these channels. These can often feed by people from FXP boards or bad sites. First there are Fserve (user-to-user) channels. They mainly use the mIRC client’s File Server function and some scripts to share their warez directly from their hard drives. Second there are XDCC (server-to-user) channels. These are usually run by people who are into FXP boards or in the scene. They have access to fast, new warez. They employ people to hack into computers with fast internet connections and install XDCC servers (usually iroffer) which are used to share out pirated goods. There is a limited amount of people allowed to download a release at once, so when a release is populair you are placed into a waiting line. That way good download speeds will be guaranteed. The download speed is often very good.

FXP Boards
FXP is the File eXchange Protocol. It isn’t an actual protocol, just a method of transfer making use of a vulnerability in FTP. It allows the transfer of files between two FTP servers. Rather than client-to-server, the tranfer becomes server to server. The fxp’er just gives a command to 1 server to send files to the other server. FXP usually allows very fast transfer speeds although it totally depends on the connection of the servers. Still it’s ussually faster since the hackers are able to hack very fast servers. The fxp boards layer in the piracy food chain is quite unknown and therefore rather safe. Though the hacker’s activities are very illegal, and therefore dangerous. Security is important. The members are ussually a lot smarter than irc-traders/p2p-users and have a greater knowledge about computers and internet.

The boards usually run a vBulletin forum with custom hacks. The boards ussually don’t work with a credit system. Though the admins do an user cleanup once in a while. The board’s members consist of scanners, hackers, and fillers. They each have their own tasks:

The Scanner
The Scanner’s job is to scan IP ranges where fast internet connection are knwon to lie (usually universities, company’s, etc.) for vulnerable computers. We’re talking brute forcing passwords from programs, or scanning on ports for certain programs which contain a bug. The scanner will oftten use slow previously hacked computers for his scanning (known as scanstro’s), using remote scan programs. Once the scanner has gotten his results, he’ll run post this at the board. This is where the Hacker” comes into play.

The Hacker
Hackers are the people who break into computers. There are many easy-to-exploit vulnerabilities. Hackers get in to a computer using an exploit to get in via a program’s bug. An exploit is a script which uses the bug to get in the pc. The program/exploit he uses (of course) depends upon the vulnerability the scanner has scanned for.When in, the hacker runs his rootkit (a modified version of Serv-U ussually). This rootkit is the server where other people can download from. Most likely he will also install remote administrator software (ussually Radmin), so he can get in to the computer easily. Once the server is installed and working he’ll post the admin logindata to the FTP server on his FXP board. Depending on the speed of the compromised computer’s (aka pubstro or stro) internet connection and the hard drive space, it will be used either by a filler or a scanner.

The Filler
Now if the pubstro is fast enough and has enough hard drive space, it’s the filler’s job to get to work filling it with the latest warez. The filler gets his warez from other ftp servers hacked/filled by other people. Fillers sometimes have site access, and fxp releases from there to their pubstro. These people who are in sites and in fxp boards are considered corrupt, and if other sceners find out, they will be scenebanned (banned from all his sites). Though it is said that it happens quite often. Once he’s done fxp’ing his warez, the filler goes back to the board and posts leech logins for one and all to use. Fillers (with site access) all try to post a release the first. It’s kinda like a race, who ever wins it get the most credit. The speed of these pubstro’s depend on how fast the pc is they hacked. Though the hackers from these fxp-boards are rather good, and are able to hack 100mbit’s.

Pub/Pubbing
Pubbing is not so important anymore nowadays. This scan/hack/fill methodes are from the old days when many university and business ftp servers had write access enabled on anonymous ftp-servers. So instead of break ing into a computer, they would just upload their warez and give the IP address to their friends. This was very popular but died out for obvious reasons. It works like this; there is someone who scans for ftp servers with anonymous logins with write-access. Once found a pub would be tagged (a folder with the name “tagged.by.name”). The idea was that if a pub was already “tagged” other pubbers would leave it alone. This apparently worked for a while, with people respecting other people’s tags and leaving the pubs alone. But it certainly hasn’t worked for a very long time.

A method against retagging is dir locking. This is used in pubbing to stop people which are not allowed to get into the directory of the tagger (and slowing the server down). There are a couple or dir locking tricks. The first and easiest is to make a maze. When you make a maze you just make a lot directories and other people would never know in what map your stuff is since you would have to try them all out. Second is UNIX tagging. That’s about a the magical character, the Ã¿ (alt+0255) which is an escape character on UNIX machines. When give a directory a name containing that character, the name will be displayed different then when you typed. The creator can get in by typing in the original name. Last is dir locking NT systems. More about this and other dir locking here.

Topsites
Next on the list and pretty much at the top or near the top are the site traders. Site trading is basically sending releases from one site to another. Releasegroups publish their releases on these sites, so they are the first stadium in the distribution of warez. From there on a release will be spread all over the world.

The Sites
These sites have very fast internet connections. 10mbit is considered the minimum, 100mbit good, and anything higher pretty damn good. The sites have huge hard disk drives. 200GB would probably be the minimum, and they can get up to 5 terabytes. These sites are often hosted at schools, universities, people’s work. Also some countires have the preference. The Netherlands and Germany have fast internet connections, Sweden also but then a lot cheaper. These sites are referred to as being legit. This means that the owner of the computer knowns that they are there and being run, which is the opposite of pubstro’s. Fast connections mean a lot to some people. If you have access to a 100mbit line (and are willing to run a warez server there), there are people who would quite happily pay for and have a computer shipped to you just for hosting a site that they will make absolutely no profit from. Commercial use of site access is not something common, most people do it just for fun, not to make money. Standard site software are GlFTPd and DrFTPd. As well as running FTPD, the sites run an eggdrop bot with various scripts installed. The bot will make an annoucement on an IRC channel when a directory is made or upload completed. It will also give race information, since just like on fxp boards, the site traders try to send a release as quick as possible to another site. That way he will earn credits. The more credits, the more he can download. The speed between topsites can reach about 15 MBps.

The People
There are basically three ranks in sitetrading: siteops, affiliates and racers. Siteops (Site-Operators) are the administrators. There are usually between two and five siteops per site. One is often the supplier of the site, another the person who found the supplier and guided them through the installation of the FTPD. The other will be friends and
people involved in the scene. One or more of the siteops will be the nuker. It is his job to nuke any releases that are old or fake. Affiliates are the releasegroups who post their releases there right after they are finished.

Racers are the people who will race releases between sites. Usually they will have access to a number of sites and will fxp release as soon as they’re released. FXP’ing a release will gain credits. The ratio is usually 1:3, so fxp’ing 3 GB will get them 9 GB credits on the site. The race is to upload the most parts of the release at the fastest speed. Racing happends shortly after a release is released.

http://scenereleases.info/2006/06/the-warez-scene-hierarchy.html

Keysi Fighting Method

2010-04-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Keysi Fighting Method (KFM) is a method of self defense that is based on natural fighting instincts and several street fighting techniques, developed by Justo Diéguez Serrano from his fighting experiences in the streets of Spain. The system was founded with the help of Andy Norman.^[1] Both founders, Justo Diéguez and Andy Norman, are certified Jeet Kune Do instructors under Dan Inosanto^[2]. The Keysi Fighting Method became famous after it was used in the fighting choreography of the movies Batman Begins and its sequel, The Dark Knight.

Description

KFM was created in the 1950s on the streets of Spain and is in a constant state of evolution.^[3]

KFM makes use of multiple attacking ranges, with or without weapons. The KFM trademark is the thinking man (Pensador) and thinking man attack (pensataq), which makes use of a tight defensive shape to protect the most precious part of the body, the head, and smashes and opens up the opponent for the finish using all ranges of strikes -- punches, hammer fists, kicks, knees, head butts, and the sharp elbows -- all at high, middle, and low lines on the opponent.

Unlike many martial arts, KFM tends to get into extreme close quarters when in combat. From the Pensador defense a variety of counter attacks to vital targets (such as the biceps, kidneys or solar plexus) are often launched. KFM also relies on understanding how people typically move or attack in a fight so that when striking, the opponent's body moves to expose further targets.

The shape of the thinking man represents the unification of the mind and body.

Another aspect of KFM is its "360-degree" approach to multi-assailant attacks whether standing, kneeling, sitting or lying down. Part of KFM's philosophy is the redefining of the terms "predator and prey" as well, where the would-be victim becomes the predator and the would-be attackers his/her prey.

Most schools offering KFM are located in Europe, but seminars have been introducing it to America where instruction has now been established in New York, Texas, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware and Orlando, Florida.

KFM is also starting to develop in Australia, with schools appearing in Perth, Brisbane and Canberra

In popular culture

KFM was featured in the movie Batman Begins as Batman's fighting style after it was introduced to the stunt coordinators by Jujutsu world champion Buster Reeves, who was Christian Bale's stunt double for the movie.^[4]^[5] It is again used as Batman's primary fighting style in the sequel The Dark Knight.^[6]^[7]
In the movie Mission Impossible III, Tom Cruise uses a few KFM moves.^[8]

Cop Out:

2010-04-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Directed by	Kevin Smith
Produced by	Marc E. Platt Polly Johnsen Michael Tadross
Written by	Mark Cullen Robb Cullen
Starring	Bruce Willis Tracy Morgan
Music by	Harold Faltermeyer
Cinematography	Dave Klein
Editing by	Kevin Smith
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	USA: February 26, 2010 (2010-02-26) UK: April 16, 2010 (2010-04-16)
Running time	107 minutes^[1]
Country	United States
Language	English

Trailer

Best Engineering Schools Specialty Rankings: Chemical

2010-04-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Ranked in 2010

1	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA	4.9
2	University of California--Berkeley Berkeley, CA	4.8
3	California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA	4.7
	University of Minnesota--Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN	4.7
5	Stanford University Stanford, CA	4.5
6	Princeton University Princeton, NJ	4.4
	University of Texas--Austin (Cockrell) Austin, TX	4.4
	University of Wisconsin--Madison Madison, WI	4.4
9	University of California--Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA	4.2
10	University of Delaware Newark, DE	4.1

Train Hard, Win Easy. The Kenyan Way

2010-04-20T06:36:00.001-07:00

Nike+ Men vs. Women

2010-04-14T10:52:00.000-07:00

Bat Pod

2010-04-12T17:50:00.001-07:00

Batman Tech - Secrets of the Dark Knights Technology

2010-04-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

Academia Wikipédia 2010

2010-04-08T10:51:00.000-07:00

A partir do dia 16 de Abril, Portugal junta-se ao restrito conjunto de países a acolher uma "Academia Wikipédia", pela mão da Associação Wikimedia Portugal, representação nacional da Wikimedia Foundation. A "Academia Wikipédia 2010" é uma iniciativa inédita no nosso país e irá reunir durante um dia, na Exponor, especialistas, investigadores, professores, estudantes, entusiastas e editores de conteúdos Wikipédia. A entrada é livre.

Organizada pela Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP) e pela Associação Wikimedia Portugal, a "Academia Wikipédia 2010" é um evento de sensibilização e promoção que procura atrair para a Wikipédia a colaboração de estudantes, professores, investigadores e outros especialistas. A sessão do próximo dia 16 de Abril (que se realiza na sala B4 do Centro de Congressos da Exponor) vai contar com uma palestra de Kul Takanao Wadhwa, Head of Business Development da Wikimedia Foundation, havendo ainda sessões de debate sobre temas relacionados com a Wikipédia, como o recurso à esta ferramenta nas salas de aula, entre outros.

Destinada a estudantes, professores e especialistas do meio académico e do universo das novas tecnologias, o evento conta também com uma ligação a Berlim (através de videoconferência) à Wikimedia Chapters Meeting 2010 - uma iniciativa de âmbito mundial que reúne todos os interessados neste tipo de assuntos. A FEUP vai estar representada por Sérgio Nunes, docente do Departamento de Engenharia Informática, que apresentará um estudo sobre o uso da Wikipédia para investigação em Informática.

De realçar ainda que a Wikipédia em língua portuguesa foi criada em 20 de Maio de 2001, sendo a 5ª versão linguística mais antiga. Com cerca de 556 mil artigos, a Wikipédia lusófona é actualmente a 9ª maior do mundo.

A entrada é livre mas sujeita a registo. Para este efeito e para informações sobre o programa consulte este site

Sobre a Academia Wikipédia
A Academia Wikipédia foi organizada pela primeira vez em 2006 na Universidade de Göttingen, na Alemanha. Desde aí, já se realizaram mais de uma dezena de eventos similares em países como África do Sul, Argentina, EUA, França, Índia, Israel, Noruega e Suécia.
Em 2010, a Academia Wikipédia realiza-se pela primeira vez em Portugal, numa co-organização entre a Associação Wikimedia Portugal (WMP) e a Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto (FEUP).

Sobre a Associação Wikimedia Portugal
A Associação Wikimedia Portugal é uma associação sem fins lucrativos que visa promover e apoiar os projectos da Wikimedia Foundation, sediada nos Estados Unidos da América. Entre esses projectos encontra-se a Wikipédia.

Sobre a Wikipédia
Disponível em 268 línguas e dialectos com um total de mais de 15 milhões de artigos, dos quais mais de meio milhão a versão em língua portuguesa, a Wikipédia é actualmente um dos sites mais visitados no mundo. Lançada a 15 de Janeiro de 2001, a Wikipédia assume-se como a maior enciclopédia online, alimentada por milhares de voluntários em todo o mundo.

https://www.fe.up.pt/si/noticias_geral.ver_noticia?P_NR=10384

Show Them To Me

2010-03-26T06:46:00.001-07:00

The Tumbler

2010-03-25T04:13:00.000-07:00

The Batmobile depicted in the Christopher Nolan directed films Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight (2008) owes more to the tank-like vehicle from Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and has a much more 'workhorse' appearance than the sleek automobiles seen in previous incarnations. The vehicle does not have a front axle, a design that was influenced by the spinners featured in Director Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. The film's production designer described the machine as a cross between a Lamborghini and a Tank on the Batman Begins special features DVD. It is said to resemble a crouching bat, but in some ways resembles the F-117 Nighthawk.

In the 2005 movie, Bruce Wayne modifies a prototype military vehicle called "the Tumbler" that was designed as a bridging vehicle for the military. In the Nolan films the vehicle is never referred to as the "Batmobile". Six vehicles were built for the production of the film. Two full-sized, driving versions were used in exterior shots. One full-sized model with hydraulic enhancements was used in jump sequences. One full-sized, functional version carried propane tanks to fuel the rocket blast out of the rear nozzle. A radio-controlled, 1/3-scale electric model also performed stunts in the film (e.g., the roof-top chase sequence). These scenes were filmed over 9 weeks, on a massive set built on a stage at Shepperton Studios.^{[citation needed]}

The Batmobile returns in The Dark Knight, and appears twice in the movie: when Batman captures the Scarecrow and the fake Batmen in the car park, and in the chase where it is damaged beyond repair by a chain 'tumbling' reaction, initiated by a rocket-propelled grenade fired by The Joker; Batman ejects from the Batmobile in the Batpod (a motorcycle formed by the front wheels and struts of the Batmobile). Once ejected, Batman programs the Batmobile to self-destruct. The Batmobile is also seen in the trailers in a deleted scene, getting out of the improvised Batcave.

Technical specifications

Length: 15 feet (4.57 m)
Width: 9 feet 4 inches (2.84 m)
Weight: 2.5 short tons (2.3 t)
Acceleration: 0-60 in 5.6 seconds. Under full acceleration, the car could actually rise up on its front "legs" while the back wheels stayed planted on the ground creating an effect like a giant spider.
Engine^[47]: 5.0 litre Vauxhall/GM engine capable of 500 horsepower (370 kW).
Fuel: The "jet engine" on the back of the car was fed by propane tanks.
Tires: 4 "Super swamper" tires standing 44 inches (1,100 mm) tall (via titanium axles) in the rear and 2 Hoosier dirt tires on the front.

[edit] Features

The Batman Begins Batmobile has a pair of autocannons mounted in the nose of the car between the front wheels. In "Attack" mode,^[48] the driver's seat moves to the center of the car, and the driver is repositioned to lay face-down with his head in the center section between the front wheels. This serves two main purposes: first, it provides more substantial protection with the driver shielded by multiple layers of armor plating. Second, the prone position reduces the risk of injury a driver faces when making extreme driving maneuvers.^[49] Other devices included:

Rear flaps for brake
Front autocannons
Rocket launcher
Landing hook to Sprung landing stabilization
Integrated fire-extinguishing system
Integrated safety connection to gasoline control
Jet engine on back of car for quick boosts/rampless jumps
Stealth mode, which turns off the car's lights and cuts off the main engine, the vehicle is powered by an electric motor making the car very hard to find in dark places
Caltrops are deployed from the rear of the vehicle. Batman uses this to immobilize a police vehicle following him.
Front of car is heavily armored, so the car can crash into and destroy objects, and also protects the driver (Batman) while in the prone driving position/"Attack" mode
Both front wheels can eject when the vehicle is damaged to form the Batpod, a bat-cycle like vehicle (the rest self-destructs).

Production process

Nathan Crowley, one of the production designers for Batman Begins, started the process of designing the Tumbler for the film by model bashing. One of the parts that Crowley used to create the vehicle was the nose cone of a P-38 Lightning model to serve as the chassis for the car's jet engine. Six models of the Tumbler were built to 1:12 scale in the course of four months. Following the scale model creation, a crew of over 30 people, including Crowley and engineers Chris Culvert and Annie Smith, carved a full-size replica of the vehicle out of a large block of Styrofoam, which was a process that lasted two months.^[50]

The Styrofoam model was used to create a steel "test frame", which had to stand up to several standards: have a speed of over 100 mph, go from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 5 seconds, possess a steering system to make sharp turns at city corners, and to withstand a self-propelled launch of up to 30 feet (9.1 m). On the very first jump test, the Tumbler's front end collapsed and had to be completely rebuilt. The basic configuration of the newly designed vehicle included a 5.7-liter Chevy V8 engine, a truck axle for the rear axle, front racing tires by Hoosier, rear 4x4 mud tires by Interco., and the suspension system of Baja racing trucks. The design and development process took nine months and cost several million dollars.^[50]

With the design process completed, four street-ready cars were constructed, with each vehicle possessing 65 carbon fiber panels and costing $250,000 to build. Two of the four cars were specialized versions. One version was the flap version, which had hydraulics and flaps to detail the close-up shots where the vehicle propelled itself through the air. The other version was the jet version, in which an actual jet engine was mounted onto the vehicle, fueled by six propane tanks. Due to the poor visibility inside the vehicle by the driver, monitors were connected to cameras on the vehicle body. The professional drivers for the Tumblers practiced driving the vehicles for six months before they drove on the streets of Chicago for the film's scenes.^[50]

The interior was an immobile studio set and not actually the interior of a street-capable version. The cockpit was over-sized to fit cameras for scenes filmed in the Tumbler interior. In addition, another version of the car was a miniature model that was 1:5 scale of the full-sized one. This miniature model had an electric motor and was used to show it flying across ravines and between buildings. However, a full-size car was used for the waterfall sequence.^[50] The scale model scenes were filmed on a massive set built on a stage at Shepperton Studios in England over the course of nine weeks. The full-sized vehicles were driven and filmed on the streets of Chicago. In The Dark Knight, the Batpod ejects from the Tumbler, with the Tumbler's front wheels as the Batpod's wheels; this was rendered using computer-generated imagery.

BatMobile In Top Gear - Celebrity bloopers here

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine version - Official

2010-03-23T17:07:00.000-07:00

Gato Fedorento passam a 3

2010-03-23T10:11:00.001-07:00

Cheapy Lighter Laser Burner!

2010-03-22T11:11:00.001-07:00

World Half Marathon record by Tadese in Lisbon!

2010-03-22T04:32:00.001-07:00

Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea smashed the World record in the Half Marathon today, clocking 58:23* at the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon.

Tadese, the winner of four successive World Road Running and World Half Marathon titles, eclipsed the mark of 58:33 set by Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru in 2007.

Following the uncooperative weather the day before this IAAF Gold Label Road Race, nobody expects great things from the race today, but the Gods protecting this event came through. After a little bit of fog appeared on Lisbon’s famous 25 Abril Bridge, the sun was smiling through the clouds throughout the race.

So, that was the perfect signal everybody wanted as the race commenced. With the start at sea level (without crossing the bridge) the elite field ran against the clock as the organisers predicted.

By the 10th kilometre (27:53), the race was practically defined. By then, Tadese was running alone against the clock - the rabbits lasted for only nine kilometers – and produced the race of life. So far, that is!

20Km World record first to fall

Inside of World record pace, even when he reached 15Km in 41:33 (four seconds behind Felix Limo’s 41:29 World record set in 2001), Tadese forced the pace to another level. The Half Marathon World record was well within reach when he crossed the 20Km marker in 55:21*, 27 seconds faster then Haile Gebrselassie’s World record of 55:48 set in 2006.

The reigning World silver medallist in the 10,000m forged onward to clock 58:23, smashing by 10 seconds Wanjiru’s mark set at The Hague in 2007.

“I felt very good, and looking for a performance just like that,” said Tadese, who had a previous personal best of 58:59 over the distance set at the 2007 World Half Marathon Championships in Udine, Italy.

“I’m in a good shape. Kilometre after kilometre I achieved more courage and determination and always believed that I can get the world record.”

Afterwards, Tadese opened the window to the near future. “I hope to be in the same shape and to use the same skills to try for the world record in the London Marathon.” Impressed the event’s organisation, Tadese promised to return to what he described as “ a marvelous city and course!”

By the 10th kilometre is was clear that there were two races today, Tadese’s run against the clock, and the one for the runner-up spot. By the 15th kilometre Kenyan Sammy Kitwara, the winner of 2009 Rotterdam Half Marathon and the 2008 Paris Half Marathon, was 24 seconds behind Tadese, and by the finish the margin didn’t change. He was second in 59:47, a personal best, ahead of his compatriot Emmanuel Mutai, the 2009 World silver medalist in the Marathon, who clocked 1:00:03, also a personal best.

Duncan Kibet (1:00:21) was fourth and Gilbert Masai (1:00:28) fifth, both with personal bests.

Two-time World Marathon champion Jaouad Gharib of Morocco was still in contention for a podium spot at 15Km, but faded in the waning stages to finish a distant sixth in 1:00:33.

Amid the African domination, former European 10,000m champion “Chema” Martinez of Spain was the first European across the line, finishing 11th in 1:02:52, 46 seconds ahead of the first Portuguese, Hermano Ferreira, who was 13th with 1:03:38.

Arusei dominates women’s race

With the spotlight on the men contest, the women race didn’t get quite the same attention, with the results considerably more modest.

As in the men’s race, Peninah Arusei was in the lead from the early stages, and passed 15Km in 48:14, more than 1:30 ahead of her closest pursuer. The winner of the 2010 Koyang Half Marathon and 2009 Berlin Half Marathon, didn’t falter en route to her 1:08:38 victory, eight seconds slower than American Kara Goucher’s course record set last year. But she was well clear of the runner-up Askale Tafa of Ethiopia who clocked 1:10:46.

Finishing off the podium, at age 40, was local heroine Fernanda Ribeiro. The former Olympic, World and European 10,000m champion clocked 1:12:17.

“It is fantastic being in the podium of a race of this dimension,” said Ribeiro, who is still very much revered in Portugal. “I’m very happy to be here, and achieving this podium for the third time in my career.” In previous appearances, Ribeiro finished second in 1999, third in 2000, and fourth in 2006.

IAAF President Diack pleased with race organisation

Among the guests this year was IAAF President Lamine Diack, who was invited to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the race. Diack was especially pleased to be on hand to witness Tadese’s World record on his first visit to this race.

Among the runners was Portuguese Prime Minister José Socrates.

http://www.iaaf.org/LRR10/news/newsid=56209.html

Monty Hall problem

2010-03-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

The Monty Hall problem is a probability puzzle based on the American television game show Let's Make a Deal. The name comes from the show's host, Monty Hall. The problem is also called the Monty Hall paradox, as it is a veridical paradox in that the result appears absurd but is demonstrably true.

A well-known statement of the problem was published in Parade magazine:

Suppose you're on a game show, and you're given the choice of three doors: Behind one door is a car; behind the others, goats. You pick a door, say No. 1, and the host, who knows what's behind the doors, opens another door, say No. 3, which has a goat. He then says to you, "Do you want to pick door No. 2?" Is it to your advantage to switch your choice? (Whitaker 1990)

As the player cannot be certain which of the two remaining unopened doors is the winning door, most people assume that each of these doors has an equal probability and conclude that switching does not matter. In fact, in the usual interpretation of the problem the player should switch—doing so doubles the probability of winning the car, from 1/3 to 2/3.
When the above statement of the problem and the solution appeared in Parade, approximately 10,000 readers, including nearly 1,000 with PhDs, wrote to the magazine claiming the published solution was wrong. Some critics pointed out that the Parade version of the problem leaves certain aspects of the host's behavior unstated, for example, whether the host must open a door and must make the offer to switch. However, such possible behaviors had little or nothing to do with the controversy that arose (vos Savant 1990), and the intended behavior was clearly implied by the author (Seymann 1991). More general interpretations of the problem in which, for example, the host may sometimes reveal the car, have been discussed in mathematical literature.
The Monty Hall problem, in one of its common formulations, is mathematically equivalent to the earlier Three Prisoners problem, and both bear some similarity to the much older Bertrand's box paradox. These and other problems involving unequal distributions of probability are notoriously difficult for people to solve correctly, and have led to numerous psychological studies that address how the problems are perceived. Even when given a completely unambiguous statement of the Monty Hall problem, explanations, simulations, and formal mathematical proofs, many people still meet the correct answer with disbelief.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem

Vectir 2.2

2010-03-11T12:00:00.001-08:00

Vectir 2.2

The Ultimate PC Remote Control Solution

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Vectir is a smart and user friendly PC Remote Control application. With support for a range of devices and applications, Vectir is an ideal home and business solution. Use your mobile phone to control PowerPoint presentations at work and then control your Media Player when you get home.
Start controlling your PC straight away with pre-loaded support for Windows Media Player, iTunes, Winamp, PowerPoint, Mouse and Volume. Vectir also makes it easy to adjust existing behavior suited to your own personal requirements. Change font sizes and colors, add new commands and choose which keys on your phone control selected features. With the help of keyboard commands, you can add basic remote control support for virtually any application running on your PC!
Remote Desktop support is also provided by Vectir. This feature lets you remotely view and control your computers desktop from a mobile phone via Bluetooth or WiFi. Use the phones navigation keys to move around desktop, zoom in and out and control the mouse.
A wide range of phones are compatible with the Bluetooth Remote Control feature. Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Samsung, Benq Siemens and Blackberry phones have all been successfully tested. As long as your phone supports Java and Bluetooth, there is a good chance it will work.
WiFi remote control is also now available. Users with WiFi enabled mobile phones are able to access all of the features available over Bluetooth but with greater range and speed.

PS3 vs Xbox 360

2010-03-11T05:22:00.000-08:00

PlayStation 3 - PlayStation Move

Xbox360 - Project Natal

prozord

Master Yip Man

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Biography

Ip Man (film)

Ip Man 2

Robin Hood: Trailer

Forza 3 DLC Trailer - Exotic Car Pack

Front Spin Bo Staff Techniques

Martial Art Bo Staff Techniques: Video Series

Metsubushi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Metsubushi (目潰し?) - "eye closers", the name for variety of techniques used to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient the opponent.

Ninja would use these for self defense or to facilitate their escape. Later, they were also used by police, where they were blown into the target's face.

Sodium hydroxide with Al in H2O makes H2

Lamborghini Murciélago LP 670-4 SV

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O Sistema

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Keysi Fighting Method

Description

In popular culture

Cop Out:

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Bat Pod

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Academia Wikipédia 2010

Show Them To Me

The Tumbler

Technical specifications

[edit] Features

Production process

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - Rube Goldberg Machine version - Official

Gato Fedorento passam a 3

Cheapy Lighter Laser Burner!

World Half Marathon record by Tadese in Lisbon!

Monty Hall problem

Vectir 2.2

Vectir 2.2

The Ultimate PC Remote Control Solution

PS3 vs Xbox 360

PlayStation 3 - PlayStation Move

Metsubushi (目潰し^?) - "eye closers", the name for variety of techniques used to temporarily or permanently blind or disorient the opponent.