Jeff P. Henderson

"Adding digital intelligence to the power grid is getting all the attention right now from Congress, investors and entrepreneurs, but a next-generation smart grid without energy storage is like a computer without a hard drive: severely limited. Energy stored throughout the grid can provide dispatchable power to address peak power needs, decreasing the use of expensive plants that utilities power up as a last resort when demand spikes, making the network less volatile. Energy storage will also be crucial for making the most of variable renewable energy sources (the sun shines and the wind blows only at certain times) once they’re connected to the grid." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"A series of setbacks for flywheel energy storage last year made us wonder if the technology was just spinning its wheels. But this morning things are looking up for the tech’s long road to commercialization, with word from the Department of Energy that it has awarded a conditional $43 million loan guarantee to Beacon Power to help with construction of a 20 MW flywheel energy storage plant in Stephentown, NY — the first full-scale commercial deployment of the company’s technology." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"An internal AT&T memo that was leaked today is full of very impressive number regarding the iPhone 3GS — numbers that once again show why AT&T’s exclusive contract with Apple to sell the iPhone in the U.S. is so important. The iPhone 3GS’s launch gave AT&T its best sales day at its retail stores — ever, its second largest traffic day at retails stores, the most transactions it has ever processed in a day, the most orders through att.com in a single day ever and the biggest features sales day at att.com ever. Oh, and it led to the most upgrade eligibility checks ever, which is not surprising at all, though most were probably disappointed." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Maybe. However, in photography of the digital kind, there’s an equivalent function that, used properly, can be of enormous help in capturing subjects with degrees of sharpness that may surprise the less informed photographer. Anyhow … I sometimes look longingly at my unused film camera gear and especially at the lenses and then notice something I see on very few current digital SLR lenses — a scale displaying a zone of focus. This shows the function of lens aperture and distance setting; with a zoom lens there is info on the lens barrel that helps you to calculate the effect of changing the lens aperture, focus setting and focal length. Hyperfocal distance — call it a zone of focus — is a useful feature that is the function of the lens aperture (f stop), distance and focal length. When you focus your lens there will be a zone that is in focus and areas that are out of focus. The area that is in focus is called the focal plane of acceptable sharpness. - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"This week I am celebrating the one year anniversary of my switch to Nikon from Canon. After 17 years as a Canon user, I switched – mostly because no Canon camera could come close to the performance of the Nikon D3. So what have I learned in a year?" - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"It goes without saying that we've been pretty excited about the Olympus E-P1 (or "digital Pen") since we first laid eyes on the prototype the company was showing off. The Micro Four Thirds camera just seems to breed gadget lust amongst the staff, combining the best of modern tech with a throwback retro style that is somewhat irresistible. Of course, no one wants to drop $800 on a digicam unless it's actually capable of taking a decent shot -- so we thought we'd put the E-P1 through some basic paces to see if this guy is worth unloading nearly a grand on. Read on for some of our first impressions and observations" - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"In the continuing absence of hands-on primary experience, maybe this will help with the E-P1 size debate. A regular reader who's become a friend of the site sent me this illustration he made. He took the images from various places on the web but they're presented scrupulously to scale. (Personally, I think each of us should just wait to judge until we see and hold the camera for ourselves. But we're here to please.) Left to right, Canon G10 (1/1.7" small sensor), Olympus E-P1 (Micro 4/3), Canon 450D (APS-C), and Canon 5D Mark II (24x36mm or "full-frame"). Click on the image to see it a bit larger." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

@Cecily, exactly! I wasted too much time (and film!) trying to "frame" my Holga shots. When I just pointed in the general direction and pressed the shutter, I ended up with much better images. I am really kind of lusting after that new Olympus, though... - vicster

"Robert Taylor, the transit employee and subway photography buff who was arrested earlier this year for taking a picture a New York City subway train, is suing the city over the incident. Both the city tabloids are reporting the lawsuit today. The Daily News reports: "Gerald Cohen, Taylor's attorney, said he is asking for $1 million in the lawsuit, but would be pleased with a settlement similar to the $31,000 settlement the city gave to another subway photographer last year." The Post has a different figure, calling it a "$2 million wrongful-arrest lawsuit." The charges against Taylor—which at one point included unauthorized photography, disorderly conduct/unreasonable voice and impeding traffic—were dismissed, both papers report." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"Seven online merchants operating more than 40 Web sites have agreed to pay a $765,000 settlement following an investigation by the New York State Attorney General's office, the AG's office said. "These companies engaged in the worst kinds of consumer fraud, from classic bait-and-switch schemes to blatant lies and bullying sales tactics," New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said in a news release that went out Thursday. "Let this be a message to online merchants everywhere: such abuse of consumers and violation of the law will not be tolerated." All of the companies were based in Brooklyn, and while their names invoke digital photography, many also sell gear ranging from projectors to HDTVs and computers. Five of the companies--Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo, and Broadway Photo--agreed to change their business practices, according to the release, while the other two--Camera Wiz and Sonic Photo--will close." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

It's about time! These fraudulent companies have been operating for decades and no one has done anything about their unscrupulous practices until now. Why has it taken so long for the New York State Attorney General's office to do something about these rip-off artists? - Jeff P. Henderson

f you're one of the hapless folks out there still having trouble tracking down a new iPhone 3GS, Apple is making things a little bit easier on you with an online tool to check up on stock at Apple retail stores. There's a full breakdown of color and capacity, which might seem like overkill to some, but given the fact that stores with stock in all four current models are a bit of an exception (outside of NYC, anyways), we'd have to say that this is just the sort of overkill we need. - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

That's how I got my 3G. - Derrick

Not all states are listed. In Boise, Idaho, your iPhone arrives whenever folks make it through with room to spare on ox carts... but most of the time they don't have room & have traded the phones for food or bullets long before they got here. - Wade Dorrell

"California will step up its campaign against bad diets, bulging waistlines and clogged arteries when three new laws dealing with restaurant and school food take effect July 1. The Golden State will become the first in the nation to require restaurants to disclose how many calories are in their standard menu items. It will also bar schools from offering students fries, baked goods and other dishes made with oils, margarine or shortening containing artery-clogging trans fats, and it will prevent high schools from selling students sodas. "California is becoming a healthier place for people to live, especially for California children," said Harold Goldstein, executive director of the nonprofit California Center for Public Health Advocacy. The new calorie-count requirements are modeled after a New York City ordinance and affect 123 chains with at least 20 restaurants in California." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

I just ignore this kind of thing. I'm overweight. I know I am and I eat what I want. - Judy Jones

Billy Mays, the burly, bearded television pitchman whose boisterous hawking of products such as Orange Glo and OxiClean made him a pop-culture icon, has died. He was 50. Tampa police said Mays' wife found him unresponsive Sunday morning. A fire rescue crew pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. It was not immediately clear how he died. He said he was hit on the head when an airplane he was on made a rough landing Saturday, and his wife, Deborah Mays, told investigators he didn't feel well before he went to bed about 10 p.m. that night. - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

:( - Mona Nomura

Preliminary Coroners report said that he did not die from a head injury. Most likely heart failure from heart decease. - Jeff P. Henderson

"It seems like Cablevision and others have been trying to roll out "remote storage" network DVRs forever, and now that the Supreme Court has decided against hearing the appeal of the Hollywood studios looking to block it, they should finally be able to deliver as soon as this summer. Of course, there's benefits to having a locally stored copy of I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, but just in case we forgot to queue up a recording, the power went out or suffered some other manner of catastrophe, we'd still have access to all the Lou Diamond Phillips anyone could ask for, and there's really no way the highest court in the land could get in the way of that." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"In a Q&A interview, titled "Talk to the Newsroom", New York Times Assistant Managing Editor for Photography, Michelle McNally issued an apology for freelance writer Sonia Zjawinski's unencumbered advice to use Flickr's photographs for interior decorating, not providing any suggestion that the potential user confirm the photographer has granted those rights. (New York Times Advocating Copyright Infringement?, 6/26/09). When asked during the Q&A by Rod Irvine:" - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

Q. Do you endorse the view of Sonia Zjawinski that it is perfectly acceptable to steal copyrighted images from the Internet? Do you think it's a good idea for The New York Times to seemingly endorse such views by publishing them? Or do you think it is as disgusting and outrageous as I do? McNally responded: "We are strong proponents of copyright protection. The New York Times does not... more... - Jeff P. Henderson

Doh! - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"When Google representatives recently invited dozens of prominent artists to contribute work to be featured on its new Web browser, the company enthusiastically sold the idea as an opportunity to have artwork shown to millions. But some, like Gary Taxali, were not impressed. Mr. Taxali, an illustrator based in Toronto whose work has appeared in publications like Time, Newsweek and Fortune, received a call in April from a member of Google’s marketing department. According to Mr. Taxali, the Google representative explained that the project will let users customize Google Chrome pages with artist-designed “skins” in their borders." “The first question I asked,” Mr. Taxali said in a recent interview, “is ‘What’s the fee?’” Mr. Taxali said that when he was told Google would pay nothing, he declined. In the ensuing weeks, a tide of indignation toward Google swelled among illustrators, who stay connected through Drawger, a Web site. - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

And now for the counter point article on the whole MJ media circus... - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

Nah. Not funny.Almost, but no... - Rahsheen ™

Oh man, I laughed. I'm sorry. :( - Tad, Anti-Immanentizer

Don't know if this is a hoax or not, but it's both funny and cool at the same time if it is for real. - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"Last week, Matt Kloskowski on his blog Lightroom Killer Tips (which, by the way, is an excellent Lightroom resource. If you haven’t been there yet … What are you waiting for?) posted an article Is it wrong to steal Lightroom presets? discussing the ethics/legality/morality of copying someone else’s presets and applying that to your own work. With the exception of Matt’s drug company argument (drug companies use patents to protect their drugs. It’s only when the patents expire that others can produce generic copies) I have to agree with him. To equate the process with the final product is not something copyright law contemplates. It’s ludicrous to think that Michaelangelo could sue because you happened to sculpt using marble because he used marble! You could give me all the marble you want and there’s no way you’ll get a David or a Pieta out of me!" - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

I love LightRoom so much. - Mona Nomura

"In the last week, we’ve found two people testing the weather-resistant sealing of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II but not intentionally. Not just in rain, but in an actual full scale dunk in water – a very scary proposition to folks who’ve spent big bucks on the 5D mk ii! I think we’ve learned something besides the quality of the water resistance of the 5D2, keep a bag of rice around the house. First, we heard from Joey (trigg3rsnappy on twitter) and check out her photography site. She had posted “dropped her 5D MkII and f2.8L lens IN the river… going to cry right now #Canon #troubleshoot” and we wanted to know more… a bit later, “its official – no water damage after being dipped in a waterfall! the 5D Mk II is an underwater camera – take it scuba diving! #Canon” so we asked who helped and what she did to keep from losing the camera. Here’s her reply:" - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

"And with that, the first bona fide pre-production Chevy Volt -- its own parts and all -- has hit the pavement. General Motor's storied EV will be taken through the ropes to see what needs to be tweaked / modified before it finally goes into full production, which is expected to be at a rate of about ten a week as of mid-July -- and if you happen to live near Warren, Michigan, you might just spot one of these early models out on the road. Hard to believe Volt's defied more than a few odds, but so far, it looks promising. Good on ya, GM." - Jeff P. Henderson via Bookmarklet

The Volt looks a lot different in this photo than it did in the PR photos. It really looks rather blah from the side! - Jeff P. Henderson