“What we have found, they are there, they’re in the building and not in their chairs. They are in the cafeteria, with counselors, in stairwells or a variety of places, some legitimately and some not. If they are on campus, we can legally count them present.”

Source: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/09/rfid-chip-student-monitoring/

The above Wired article mentions further details:

"Gonzalez said John Jay High has 200 surveillance cameras and Anson Jones Middle School, about 90.

'The kids,' he said, 'are used to being monitored.'”

Other articles mentioned the school's attempt to broker a deal with the girl and her family, including this one at OpposingViews.com:

"Civil liberties lawyers at the Rutherford Institute told Infowars.com that they are going to file a temporary restraining order petition to prevent the school from kicking Hernandez out.

In response to public outcry and pressure from rights groups, John Jay High School has offered to remove the battery and chip, but wouldn’t budge on the ID.

The offer would also require the Hernandez family to end their public criticism and agree to support the policy, something Andrea’s father Steve Hernandez finds unacceptable."

Source: Article by OpposingViews.com at http://www.opposingviews.com/i/technology/gadgets/student-andrea-hernandez-expelled-refusing-wear-location-tracking-rfid-badge*

The OpposingViews.com article also mentions that Hernandez opposes the program on grounds of both privacy and religion.

Here are some other links to coverage of the subject, both in the U.S. and the U.K.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20461752

http://now.msn.com/andrea-hernandez-suspended-for-refusing-to-wear-an-rfid-locator-tag-can-stay-at-school-until-court-hearing

http://www.zdnet.com/student-expelled-for-refusing-to-wear-rfid-tracking-chip-badge-7000007723/

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/11/texas-school-districts-rfid-tracking-of-students-goes-to-court/

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13463095-student-tracker-project-in-texas-schools-leads-to-court-row

http://rt.com/usa/news/school-hernandez-rfid-student-449/

http://www.goddiscussion.com/104442/high-school-student-faces-expulsion-for-refusal-to-wear-device-she-believes-is-satanic/

Details mentioned in some of them include the plans in Texas to spread the mandatory RDIF program statewide.

I've done my best to provide ones from sites with various political leanings and editorial foci because:

• 1) I feel that it's helpful to read several articles on a subject to get a sense for what is actually going on.
• 2) I do not believe that this is an issue limited to either conservatives or liberals in the United States.

It is my personal opinion (though it is only my opinion and not a fact, and should be debated if disagreed with) that this program:

• 1) Should never have been implemented.
• 2) Does not serve the students or parents.
• 3) Will rarely benefit teachers.
• 4) May benefit school administrations financially.
• 5) Is disturbing in its approach to tracking U.S. citizens that have neither committed a crime nor found themselves the subject of a criminal investigation.
• 6) Violates the rights of the parents to grant or deny their consent to a controversial school measure.
• 7) Violates the spirit of the Constitution, whether or not it violates the exact wording of it (and may potentially violate both).

That's at least one part of my opinion. I hope you'll share this issue with others you know. If you disagree with me, I would still like to hear your thoughts. I hope that I can learn from seeing the issue through someone else's eyes.

See also as above Zoomable Gigapan image

Been away for a long time having a blast shooting all sorts of wild things and acting directing. I thought I would share this little clip (to show off my new car ** cough ** I mean spaceship) and also show 60fps vs 30 fps vs 24fps in the same shot.

24p film look vs 60p live look in ONE file so you can see the psychological effect. You'll need to DOWNLOAD and play (only 1280 x 720p sorry full 1920 x 1080p was too big. This switches in REAL time between the two in the same shot so you can really feel out the difference. I prefer 24p for narrative story telling and 60p for POV horror or news live look or 3D holographic shooting which I have been doing lately (not with the gh2 - using modded sony 3D pro cam, consumer ts10, and red epic for that). Note: this will only stream at 30p online (i really dislike 30p) you must download and play to see what I am talking about, No current online streaming service that I know of except for LIVESTREAM currently supports 60i or 60p streaming. I HAVE done it with livestream on my site which is astounding WHEN it works but it is still a little unreliable as of yet you need a business class hard wired ethernet cable and black magic card and an upstream of at least 20mbit down 5 megabit up CONSTANT. 1.5 won't do. Wifi won't do even dual band it gets blips. I can do 848 x 480 and sometimes 1280 x 720p live with a 4G card.

Enjoy... hope everyone is well...let me know what you think.....more to come!

http://vimeo.com/michaelbiggins/filmlookvslivelook

PS - just for fun and giggles - Disney let me toy around in one of their sets with Trumpet:

;)

Michael Biggins AKA Blackout BLACKOUT'S BOX STUDIOS Hathouse Films New York City - Florida - California 877-9-BLACKOUT michael @ REMOVETHISandSPACESforspam blackout.com

Highlighted columns are comparison with same month last year.

Things are not good. Especially in mirrorless department.

US shipments in May were 36% of May last year :-)