Earlier this month a Florida woman was exonerated after spending two and one-half years in jail charged with child abuse. The video from the parent's "nanny cam" appears to show Claudia Muro shaking the child violently. However the nanny cam used shoots video at about 1/10th the rate of a regular video camera. This difference can change gentle back-and forth motion into motion that appears violent. The local CBS station has copies of the video footage.

With the advent of the inexpensive video camera the instances of using video in courts of law or public opinion have increased. At the same time the multitude of ways of capturing and processing video have grown more powerful and complex. These advances bring great possibility to the consumer while making it imperative that video be looked at with a critical eye to ensure it actually shows what is first perceived.

Televangilist Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was retribution for promoting peace in Israel. While not unusual that I would take issue with the words of Mr. Robertson even this is an amazing new low. In pondering the proper response the only thing appropriate that comes to mind is the following passage from Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

"NO DRIVR" reads the ontario license plate. "driven by Mac OS X" reads the fender of one Volkswagen Toureg. In comes another dust-covered Toureg with its play on the familiar Volkswagen line "Drivers not needed," the rear fender proclaims. Indeed it is almost correct. The vehicle has just become the first to traverse the 132-mile course with only a computer at the controls. Though it has logged more than a thousand miles in training its artificial intelligence system, the 132 that it logged on Saturday are historic.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) 2005 Grand Challenge filled the parking lot behind Buffalo Bills' in Primm, Nevada this weekend. I snapped a few photos of the first vehicles to complete the 132-mile desert course. In contrast to the 2004 Grand Challenge where the top teams managed only seven miles, 22 of the 23 finalists surpassed the seven-mile mark. Five teams finished the entire 132-mile course this year, although only four finished in the alloted 10-hour timeframe. 43 teams went to the National Qualification Event over the last two weeks. The teams competing had bots ranging in size from Blue Team's diminutive Ghostrider Robot a motorcycle based platform to the 16-ton green machine TerraMax.

Stanford's Stanley, a Volkswagen Toureg, completed the course in 6 hours 53 minutes and 58 seconds to win the challenge's $2 million purse.

A beautiful evening in Fort Collins as the Rams of Colorado State rolled over the wishbone offense and non-existant defense of the Air Force Fighting Falcons. After watching the Rams struggle last season it was great to see a running back that can begin to fill the shoes of Ram greats Kevin McDougal and Cecil Sapp. As is usual the Flacons pulled out a couple of new plays in the contest. One worked well in confusing the Rams' defense and netted a touchdown. It wasn't until later in the fourth quarter that things got surreal. Returning a kickoff the Falcons threw a forward pass that was tipped by the Rams and ended up more lateral than forward. Forward is forward however, and the play cancelled an 85-yard return. From there the Falcons descended into self-destruct mode. A self-sack set the Falcons up inside the Rams' 10-yard-line.

There is all of this a great lesson about managing or coaching teams. DeBerry's squad called a gutsy play. The best that could happen was a bite out of the 18-point lead. Not a win, not greater confidence but a swing on a trick play. However the trick play backfired and the Falcons folded. However, had they chosen to run a few plays they could have battled back and made it a contest and possibly had a shot at a win. Instead a risky gamble didn't pay off and the consequences were disastrous for the the Falcons.

Update: Although it seems the Falcons play-calling left something to be desired in the game the head play-caller, DeBerry, proved once again his class tonight. Following the game he talked for a few moments with Sonny Lubick as is customary.