3D Television: Eye candy or eye strain?
For whatever reason, movie producers have decided that 3D is where it’s at. The entertainment industry has tried 3D technologies in film throughout the last 40 years and, to date, none have been all that successful. The simple reason, side effects that include eye strain and headaches. These are fairly hefty side effects to overcome. Yet, here we are again with a barrage of new 3D films hitting the big screen.
In answer to all of those new films actually filmed in 3D, television makers have decided to try their hand at producing home 3D technologies. The problem with any current 3D technology is that it’s based on a simplistic view of how 3D works. That being, each eye sees a different image. Yes, that’s true. However, it’s hard to provide a quality 3D experience using a flat screen with each eye getting a different image. There’s more to 3D then that. So, while the each-eye-sees-a-different-image 3D technology does work, it does not seem realistic and, in a lot of other ways, it doesn’t really work.
IMAX
Over the years, IMAX has had its fair share of 3D features. Part of the appeal of IMAX is its very large screen. You would think that watching 3D on that very large screen would be an astounding experience. The reality is far different. Once you don the special polarized 3D glasses, that huge screen is seemingly cut down to the size of a small TV. The 3D imagery takes care of that effect. I’m not sure why that effect happens, but 3D definitely makes very large screen seem quite small. So, even though the screen is huge, were you watching the imagery as flat the 3D kills the scale of the screen. Effectively, the screen seems about half or a quarter the size that it is when watching the same feature as flat.
Worse, transitions that work when the film is flat no longer work in 3D. For example, fades from one scene to another are actually very difficult to watch when in 3D. The reason is that while this transition is very natural in a flat film, this is a very unnatural type of transition in 3D. Part of the reason for this transition problem is that the 3D depth changes confuse the senses and worsen the strain. Basically, you’re wanting to watch 3D to make the entire film seem more real, but some creative elements don’t function properly when watching in 3D. So, that fade I mentioned makes the film appear strange and hard to watch. While that fade would work perfectly when flat, it just doesn’t work at all in 3D. Film makers need to take into account these subtle, but important differences.
Just like filmmakers have had to make some concessions to the HD format (every blemish and crease on clothing is seen), the same must be said of 3D features.
Velvet Elvis
Unfortunately, 3D features haven’t really come much farther along than the early adopters, like Jaws 3D. So, the film maker employs such unnecessary tactics as poking spears at the camera or having flying objects come towards the camera or hovering things close near the camera. It’s all playing to the 3D and not to the story. These such tactics are trite and cliched… much like a velvet Elvis painting. Film producers need to understand not to employ these silly and trite tactics to ‘take advantage’ of 3D film making. There is no need for any extra planning. Let the chips fall where they may and let the film’s 3D do the talking. You don’t need to add flying spears or having things thrown towards the camera. If you didn’t need to do this in 2D, you don’t need to do it in 3D.
Emerging technologies
Television manufacturers are now trying their hand at producing 3D TVs. So far, the technologies are limited to polarized screens or wearing glasses. While this does work to produce a 3D effect, it has the same drawbacks as the big screen: eye strain and headaches. So, I can’t see these technologies becoming common place in the home until a new technology emerges that requires no glasses and produces no eye strain. So, for now, these television makers are likely to end up sitting on many of these novelty devices. Worse, for the same reason the IMAX screen seems half the size, this effect is also present on Televisions. So, while you may have that 60″ TV in your living room, donning a pair of 3D glasses and watching a 3D feature will effectively turn that huge screen into about half (or less) of its current size. So, you may feel like you’re watching that 3D feature on a 20″ screen.
Going forward, we need a brand new paradigm shifting 3D technology. A new technology that does not rely on glasses or polarization. A new technology that can actually create 3D images in space rather than forcing the eyes to see something that isn’t really there. It would be preferable to actually create 3D imagery in space. Something that appears real and tangible, but isn’t. Holograms come to mind, but we haven’t been able to perfect that technology yet… especially not projected holograms. Once we have a technology on par with Star Trek’s Holodeck, then we might begin to have emersive 3D experiences that feel and seem real.
Overall
For me, the present state of 3D is novelty and produces too many negative effects. However, because it is new, it is something that will win some support, but overall I think that people will still prefer to watch flat TV and movies because it causes far less eyestrain. So, I fully expect that this resurgence of 3D will dwindle to nothing within the next 2 years. In fact, in 5 years time, I’d be surprised to see if any TV makers are still producing the current 3D TVs and film makers will have dropped back to flat features keying off of lack of support. Effectively, I see this 3D resurgence as similar to the failed quadrophonic technologies of 70s.
Newest Scam: Law enforcement agencies target unsuspecting motorists with bogus citations
I’ve long suspected that this is happening, but now I’ve been a victim of this exact situation. In the state of the economy, especially here in California, local law enforcement agencies are apparently under the budgetary microscope. As a result, it now appears that law enforcement agencies have now joined the ranks of the scam artists… with one exception, they are legally sanctioned entities. In my case, my car was stated to have been located near an expired parking meter and cited for this parking infraction when it was no where near the location on that date. I do drive near that parking structure. Near yes, but almost never closer than 2-3 miles near it. Close enough that a local cop could have written down my plate number, seen the make, model and color and then used that information to create the scam citation. Yes, I could have contested the ticket, but the main issue is that the citation had nearly every bit of information about my vehicle correct except the body style (which was conveniently absent from the notice to pay). On top of that, the citation was issued so late in the contest process, I basically didn’t have time to contest it. However, the license plate number was correct, plate expiration year correct, make correct, color correct. The only thing that wasn’t correct and, of course, wasn’t written on the notice to pay the citation was the body style… how convenient. The other two things that were conveniently missing from their ‘system’.. the VIN and the month of the plate expiration. Two bits of information that would have conclusively proven my vehicle wasn’t there, but this information was conveniently absent.
Worse, law enforcement agencies can dig through the state’s plate database and simply choose license plates at random, write a citation based on some random vehicle incident, throw the ticket away and collect the money. That is assuming you don’t contest. The issue, though, is that if the officer is thorough enough about the make, color and license specifics, then they have you regardless of what the body style says to be or where you claim to have been at the time. Of course, if you happen to have conclusive proof that your vehicle wasn’t where the officer claims it was on the citation.. like a date stamped photograph of your vehicle at that moment in time (and how likely is that to happen) or some other proof your vehicle was locked up, then you’re likely going to end up paying the scam citation. Even contesting it, you may still end up paying. As long as the vehicle is in your name and the citation is tied to your plate, you’re liable period.
Honestly though, would you actually be able to successfully contest this? I mean, you can, yes. But, is it worth the effort? Sure, you could retain a lawyer, but that would cost you much more than the $45-$90 just to pay the citation. You could do it yourself and go to court. Again, they know this is a hassle and they are apparently exploiting this fact. They know you’ll pay because the amount is too small for all that hassle.
Incidents like these are exactly what government and law enforcement don’t need or want right now. Setting up scams to bring in cash isn’t the answer. But yet, it is happening.. likely every day. Note that in my case and because my car actually wasn’t where the officer claimed it was, I never received an initial citation. The only notice I received was from the collection agency. One officer stated to me when I called about this issue. “It might have just blown away”. Uh-huh.. riiiight. Maybe I didn’t receive it because my vehicle wasn’t actually there. But, that doesn’t matter. As long as the officer is thorough enough to go through the license database or write down your vehicle as you drive around town, they can easily set up scam citations to collect between $45 and $90 for the city, county (or the University in this case). And worse, as long as it’s in your name and the majority of the information is correct, even a judge may still find you liable for the fine.
Government problems just beginning
These issues are the beginning of the end of the government as we know it. When cops are now involved in state legalized racketeering, then there’s really no hope that this government can continue to exist. We are about to head back to the old west of lawlessness. If the police can no longer be trusted not to scam individuals out of their hard earned money, the no one can be trusted. This is the era in which the US and local governments will collapse. It will collapse under its own weight and ungainly methodologies. By unscrupulously taking advantage of its own infrastructure for illicit monetary gain, the end of this government draws near. It’s only a matter of time.
Government was initially designed to serve the people. Unfortunately, now it’s just the opposite. It now looks like people are now forced to serve the government. As long as these scams continue unabated, there is no hope for law enforcement agencies to gain any respect or trust from the people, let alone the government. And then they wonder why people no longer trust cops. Hello? Looks like the lights are on but no one’s home.
Our governments were designed to help us (the people). Unfortunately, now government appears to be helping itself more than the people. Of course, this issue is not the beginning. In reality, we can consider sales tax, use taxes, income tax all forms of legalized monetary scams. Ways to part you from your money. Sure, it’s supposed to help us through programs, but the only thing it really does is help government remain in power. If the American people stood up and finally said no to paying government fees, taxes and assessments in mass, it would be all over for government agencies. They simply would not be able to function. But, that’s not going to happen. Too many Americans believe that government is still necessary. But, do we need a government like this? A government that is no better than your average street thug dealing dope?
I’m not saying that government deals in dope, but don’t they? Just look at the FDA. It’s supposed to help protect us. But then, big pharma companies just use the FDA to put their expensive and hazardous drugs onto the market. Some of these drugs make us highly addicted or, worse, the drugs become lethal. Again, it’s another ‘legalized’ form of controlled chaos. I guess it’s all really a point of view at this point. It can only be called protection, though, if people don’t die. When people begin to die because big pharma decides to push the latest pill, then that isn’t any better than the drugs being shipped in from outside the US. So, how is the FDA really any better than a big drug cartel?
Government rethink
I think it’s time to rethink our governmental system. It is now time to realize that what our forefathers put in place is now collapsing under its own weight. Is there a governmental system that could work? Good question. We already know that other governmental forms like socialism and communism don’t really work. A democracy could work, but I think we’ve put so many laws into place that it’s now simply collapsing. I think there’s a point at which there are too many laws and I think we’ve already reached and exceeded that number. Worse, our governments have bastardized the bill of rights to fit the criteria of their point of view instead of what they actually mean. So, for example, you can claim the right to bear arms as long as you’re in a state where it’s legal to do so. Huh? How is that possible? The right to bear arms is a given right and cannot be revoked by any state. Again, as for the fourth amendment, what’s actually considered an ‘unreasonable search and seizure’? Because our forefathers weren’t more specific on this aspect, it is left open to interpretation. Interpretation leads to modification. Modification leads to the law only being valid under specific conditions. These modifications were not sanctioned by the bill of rights. Of course, so when it comes down to whether or not it violates the Bill of Rights, then it has to go in front of the Supreme Court. And, oh yes, this court is appointed by the President. If that is not conflict of interest, I don’t know what is.
Yes, it’s time to consider a new government. One that goes back to our roots. One that doesn’t try to save every business in the US. One that focuses on the people as people, not as a business. Free enterprise and entrepreneurship will survive no matter what. Businesses can fend for themselves. We no longer need businesses putting politicians in their back pockets simply to help keep the revenue flowing. This isn’t a nanny state, yet I believe that’s where we are fast heading, if not already there. Businesses don’t need any government officials ‘on their team’. But, big business will always argue that it does. That’s only because they want laws passed that benefit their ability to continue to make money. Truth is, no one looks out for an individual. Why should any third party look out for a company?
Government has sewn the seeds of its own destruction with situations such as all of the above. It’s now time for us to find another fundamental way to continue our society (and the human species). In the grand scheme of things, the government is probably the least important thing we have today. What’s most important is Earth and ours, the human species. Clearly, where we are today isn’t the answer.
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