Graphics Interchange Format: Horror Gift for Halloween

Alternatives: Portable Network Graphics (PNG) was designed as a replacement for the GIF format in order to avoid infringement of Unisys’ patent on the LZW compression technique. PNG offers better compression and more features than GIF. The format is more suitable than GIF in instances where true-color imaging, alpha transparency, or a lossless data format are required. MNG was originally developed as a PNG-based solution for animations, but has not been widely adopted. The GIF format is still preferred for animation over PNG, although true Animated Portable Network Graphics are under development by Mozilla and is supported in Firefox 3. Read more …

Graphics Interchange Format: Gift Animated Joker Applauds

PNG image files are generally smaller than GIF files of the same image quality, due to the more efficient compression techniques used in PNG encoding. PNG files can indeed be much larger than GIF files in situations where a GIF and a PNG file were created from a high-quality master image, as PNG is capable of storing more color depth and transparency information than GIF. However, for identical 8-bit (or lower) image data, PNG-format image files are almost always smaller than the equivalent GIF. Misinformation about PNG efficiency can generally be traced back to poor PNG support in older versions of some image manipulation programs, (for example Adobe Photoshop did not optimize PNGs for reduced color palettes by default). Read more …

Graphics Interchange Format (GIF): Implants Gif Boo

The Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) is a bitmap image format that was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and has since come into widespread usage on the World Wide Web due to its wide support and portability.

The format supports up to 8 bits per pixel, allowing a single image to reference a palette of up to 256 distinct colors chosen from the 24-bit RGB color space. It also supports animations and allows a separate palette of 256 colors for each frame. The color limitation makes the GIF format unsuitable for reproducing color photographs and other images with continuous color, but it is well-suited for simpler images such as graphics or logos with solid areas of color.

GIF images are compressed using the Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) lossless data compression technique to reduce the file size without degrading the visual quality. This compression technique was patented in 1985. Read more …

Why Jack O Lanterns Shouldn’t Drink Ohhhh…..mmm

Jack Pumpkinhead is a fictional character from the Oz book series by L. Frank Baum. He first appeared in The Marvelous Land of Oz. Jack’s tall figure is made from tree limbs and jointed with wooden pegs. He has a jack o’lantern for a head which is where he gets his name.

Jack was made by a little boy named Tip (Princess Ozma in the form of a boy) to scare his guardian, an old witch named Mombi. From Mombi’s chest he took some old clothes for Jack; purple trousers, a red shirt, a pink vest with white polka dots, and stockings, to which he added a pair of his shoes. However, instead of being frightened, when Mombi saw Jack she almost smashed him to pieces, but then she decided to test her new Powder of Life on him. The powder worked and Jack came to life.

Jack is not known for his intelligence which seems to depend on the quality and number of the seeds in his pumpkin-head at that time. However he does manages to come up with random bits of wisdom and common sense often, For example, after bringing Jack to life, Mombi has the following exchange with him:

Even Mombi was not without a curious interest in the man her magic had brought to life; for, after staring at him intently, she presently asked:

“What do you know?”

“Well, that is hard to tell,” replied Jack. “For although I feel that I know a tremendous lot, I am not yet aware how much there is in the world to find out about. It will take me a little time to discover whether I am very wise or very foolish.” Read more …

Sexy Beast for HB: Sexy Beast is a 2000 British film directed by Jonathan Glazer, starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley and Ian McShane

Sexy Beast is a 2000 British film directed by Jonathan Glazer, starring Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley and Ian McShane. It was Glazer’s debut feature film. He had previously been a director of music videos, such as Rabbit in Your Headlights for British electronica group UNKLE, and commercials for companies such as Guinness and Levi.

The film earned Kingsley an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 2004 the magazine Total Film named Sexy Beast the 15th greatest British film of all time.

The film is rated 18 by the BBFC for Very Strong Language, Strong Bloody Violence, Strong Sex and Sex References.

Ex-con and expert safe-cracker Gary “Gal” Dove has served his time behind bars and blissfully retired to a Spanish villa with his beloved wife Deedee. He also has the company of longtime friend Aitch and his wife Jackie. Their idyll is shattered by the arrival of an old criminal associate, the angry and unstable Don Logan. Read more …

An avatar (Skeletor) is a Computer User’s Representation of Himself/Herself or Alter Ego

An avatar is a computer user’s representation of himself/herself or alter ego, whether in the form of a three-dimensional model used in computer games, a two-dimensional icon (picture) used on Internet forums and other communities, or a text construct found on early systems such as MUDs. It is an “object” representing the embodiment of the user. The term “avatar” can also refer to the personality connected with the screen name, or handle, of an Internet user.

Origin

In English, the word has come to mean “an embodiment, a bodily manifestation of the Divine.” However, the Sanskrit word Avatara means “incarnation.” The term is used primarily in Hindu texts. For example, Krishna is the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu the Preserver, whom many Hindus worship as God. The Dasavatara are ten particular “great” incarnations of Vishnu. Read more …

Halloween Horror Nights (Orlando)

History

Halloween Horror Nights began at Universal Orlando in 1991 under the title “Fright Nights” but was re-christened Halloween Horror Nights in 1992, advertising it as the “second annual.” It began as a 3 night event but has since evolved into a 23-night scare-a-thon spanning late September through the first weekend of November. Although it normally only operates from Thursday to Sunday, an occasional Wednesday occurs during what scare actors (the park’s hired actors that are paid to scare guests) dub “Hell Week”, known for its large crowds and the increase of alcohol related incidents.

From 1991-2001, the event was held at Universal Studios Florida. Halloween Horror Nights moved to Universal’s Islands of Adventure (IOA) in 2002. In 2004, the park experimented with a dual park format, which opened parts of both parks. Guests were funneled through backstage areas and the soundstages, where most of the haunts are built. In 2006, the event made a return to Universal Studios Florida where the event continued through its 18th year in 2008. Read more …