On Wednesday, the 13th of March 1991, American Cablevision of Queens, New
York, sent the first electronic "Bullet". This so-called "Bullet" was in fact, an electronic signal directed to unauthorized cable boxes causing them to turn-off. Approximately 300+ unsuspecting customers then called the cable company to complain and were subsequently taken to court for cable theft. The "Bullet" works by ordering the computer processor within the cable box to lock-up if it is authorized for all channels. Since pirate chips installed in a cable box would authorize all channels, the TV "goes black".
HOW THE CABLE COMPANIES CATCH PIRATES
There are several methods; here are some of the more popular. The first method is somewhat costly to the cable company, and is used usually only when they think they have a thief. A device called a Time-Domain
Reflectometer(TDR) is used to send a timed signal from the cable line outside you home to your decoder.
The reflected energy of the signal is measured and then compared to previous measurements to find a time difference which would indicate that the box has been tampered with. Pirates were able to get around this by installing an in-line amplifier which would weaken the reflected signal.
One problem with TDR is that you need previous readings, which are not usually taken at the time of installation for a reference point.
The second way is to modulate an identification signal onto the cable line at about 108 MHz. This signal sounds something like a "cuckoo", and "leaks" from the converter box where it can be picked up by cable company employees outside of suspected pirates homes using hand held receivers. Unfortunately the signals sent by the cable companies can also cause interference with FM reception within the home.
A third method is to program all cable boxes from the headend to display a message. This message is displayed only by boxes which have had a test chip installed and left in. The message informs the customer that they have won a free t-shirt or something similar. They only have to go to the Cable
Company HQ to pick up their prize. And what a prize it is! A FREE trip to jail! Don't fall for this. There is no free lunch.
IS THERE A FIX FOR THE BULLET?
Yes, there are several solutions to the problem. The "Bullet" as sent from headend causes the box to lock-up, and not output a picture. The fix is simple - unplug the power cord. After a few minutes, plug-in the box again and it should reset. At worst, the box may stay dead for up to 24 hours.
The poem, To the Mercy Killers, by Dudley Randall is by far a poem which tackles the subject of euthanasia right up to its target: the “Killers”. The “Killers” are unfairly portrayed in a negative light, evoking pity for the terminally ill. For most, it is the cause of so much division in terms of beliefs evolving into a never ending moral dilemma, being the natural victims of the absolute conditioning of society. Euthanasia or mercy killing is a confusing subject that tackles the moral, legal, medical and ethical issues. It’s so confusing that even the Randall is somewhat baffled too, about which side to take, although the last line settles everything with: “Do not put my life. Let me still glow” (14), when there is nothing bright about the idea of being robbed off, of the life as a human.
Sling Blade Film directed by and screenplay by Billy Bob Thornton. Theme Sling Blade’s main theme is the redemption of Karl’s lost childhood. Karl Childer’s overly religious parents believed he was a punishment from God. They severely abused him, treated him like an animal, and forced him to live in a shed in solitude.
Warriors of God by James Reston Jr. is a non-fictional view of the third crusade. This particular crusade spanned from 1187-1192, containing many gruesome battles and a lot of intense moments between Islam and Christianity. Reston supplies the reader with a little background to the third Crusade when he talks about the first Crusades happening since 1095. Reston gives a fairly impartial view of this holy war. He discusses the battles, politics, and emotions of the Crusade as an outside party and if he takes any side at all it is with the Muslims. He often speaks badly of King Richard and he speaks well of Saladin, the sultan. He portrays Richard as a greedy, anti-Semite, who is intolerable of other religions, while he shows Saladin as tolerant to the Jews, reasonable, and an overall good leader. Reston wrote this book mostly to inform readers about the third Crusade but also to add some of his own insights. His thesis was a little unclear but he stated that the Crusades were the most violent event in history all the way up to Hitler’s rein. Reston did a good job in proving this when he told of battles and then analyzed them. He told of a time when King Richard had twenty thousand Muslims executed and when Saladin had Reginald of Chatillon beheaded along with many other Christian prisoners.
One of the first rifles was the Kentucky Riflemen on May 12 1700. It was used by the
The Public Enemy (1931), directed by William A. Wellman, was received by the American public as one of the greatest gangster films of all time. The story revolves around the Powers family and how Tom Powers and Matt Doyle’s lives are torn apart because of the mob during the 1920s. Bootlegging, gang related violence, sexual relations, and sex appeal are just some of the things average Americans witnessed or played a role in during the 1920s. Tom Powers and his partner in crime Matt Doyle live carefree and fulfilled lives as children until they get caught up in the gangster lifestyle.
Picture Manhattan in 1860, a time before the city had been dolled up and gotten ready for the silver screen, before the glamour and allure took over. Amsterdam Vallan (DiCaprio) is a young Irish man that migrates to the USA at a young age. Amsterdam’s story takes place in Five Points District of New York, a filthy and dangerous part of the city before it was deleted form history. As a young boy Vallan witnessed his father’s murder at the hand of William Cutting or Bill the Butcher (Day-Lewis) during one of their many gang wars. As Amsterdam’s story progresses along side The Butcher they become inseparable, but Amsterdam had ulterior motive. Ultimately, Amsterdam attempts to betray his new found ally in order to avenge his father’s death. Historical accounts of events are almost always synthesized by the storyteller; in the case Gangs of New York Martin Scorsese tells of Five Points, The Dead Rabbits Riots, and The Draft Riots, but is his fictional story accurate through history?
Parents can choose to utilize the V-chip feature by selecting a rating level that they see fit for their children. V-chip reads the transmitted rating code for all programming and will automatically deny access to programming that exceeds their preset rating limitations. It does by intercepting a rating code transmitted by broadcasters analogous to the Motion Picture Industry Association of America's that has been used for almost thirty years. The rating for each show would be electronically encoded in the black area of the bro...
One of the more romantic elements of American folklore has been the criss-crossing rail system of this country – steel rails carrying Americans to new territories across desert and mountain, through wheat fields and over great rivers. Carl Sandburg has flavored the mighty steam engine in elegant prose and Arlo Guthrie has made the roundhouse a sturdy emblem of America’s commerce.
This film by virtue of its independence has shied away from the usual hype associated with American movies. The result is an original screenplay by Billy Bob Thornton that is transformed into a mesmerising tale of the south. Thornton cast actors with ability rather than their image or ‘Hollywood status’. Sling Blade challenges us to re-evaluate our principles and our definitions of right, wrong and of justice.
"Demolition Man" is an action/science fiction movie staring Sylvester Stallone as a police officer named John Spartan, Wesley Snipes as a criminal named Simon Phoenix, and Sandra Bullock as an SAPD officer named Lenina Huxley. The movie begins in the year 1996 in the "out of control" city of Los Angeles. The city is out of control. John Spartan arrests Simon Phoenix for a hostage situation, but the hostages are killed and Spartan is charged with their murders. Both men are then sent to a prison where they are to be frozen until their parole. In 2023 when Phoenix is thawed out for his parole hearing he kills some prison officers and then he escapes. Because of Phoenix's actions Spartan is thawed out in order to recapture Phoenix. After Spartan is released he teams up with Lenina Huxley.
In better and more prosperous times, my previous employer held a yearly event called Parthenon. The best employees from across the US were chosen to attend. These individuals were chosen based on either performance or nomination. It was intended to be the ultimate award for peak performance. The trip was all inclusive; free airfare, luxurious hotel accommodations, full meals with any choice of beverage, and free fun events associated with the local area.
their tickets so that the one who had the most should receive the prize. To the
When you think of a superhero one normally thinks of Spiderman, Batman, or Superman, but there were superheroes long before these characters were created. First one must understand that the basis of this name is hero. What is a hero? A hero is a person who does something special or out of the ordinary in order to help others. It could also be someone who is admired for a characteristic about them, be it physical or mental. They are individuals that normal everyday people can look up to. This being the case, a superhero is nothing more then someone who is a hero, but not just that once and for that one person, but someone who helps many people, or leads them. As time went by the number of people who were true heroes diminished and just doing something for someone was no longer big news. There had to be something more to make them stand out. The American culture needed someone or something to admire and that is where our common day superheroes come into play. It gave them a goal which could never be reached in hopes that people would never stop trying.
In 1784, someone using a flintlock pistol shot Edward Culshaw. In those days, there were no bullets, as we know them. Gunpowder and a ball of lead were put into the gun’s muzzle and packed with paper wadding. A spark made when the gun’s hammer struck some flint at the back end of the barrel ignited the powder. When the constable examined Culshaw’s wound, he found a piece of newspaper used as wadding to pack the powder in the killer’s gun. The prime suspect in the killing was a man named John Toms. When a piece of newspaper found in Toms’ pocket was compared with the piece found in the wound, the pieces fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Based on the evidence, Toms was easily convicted. The Toms case was probably the first in America in which ballistics was used to solve a crime.
War. Conflict. Famine. Pestilence – these are the four horsemen of Apocalypse as the people in the mid-ages imagined them. They stormed through countries and cities, leaving thousands dead, injured, frightened or crying behind. The first two – the most merciful ones, or to be more precise, the fatal tools they use to make their evil deeds are the subject of my essay. To be precise, I’m going to speak about the types of modern firearms - the ones that a single man can handle and which fire bullets – very simple, easy-to-use and deadly.