Sadie's theory.

[Mr Gray]

For all those who didn't read Angeles post properly
Angelo said no evidence consistent with abduction
The fact that Maddie is missing is consistent with abduction

[misty]

There is absolutely nothing to connect Smithman or Tannerman with an abductor, it is purely conjecture.  Similarly, there is no physical evidence which connects an open shutter and window with an abduction, not an iota.  And since the only prints found on the window glass belonged to Kate McCann and a policeman, we can rule out the latter.

Is there a report on the forensics done re. the interior opening mechanism of the shutters?

[ShiningInLuz]

I have been wondering what time the street lights come on in May, now I know. Thank you. I have seen pictures at night with the new street lights which were installed pretty quickly, I understand. They certainly bathed the patio in light, but I don't think the old ones did; look how dark it is at the bottom of the steps where the flash of the camera doesn't reach. I haven't been able to find a street photo taken when the original street lights were still there;

The street lights come on before it gets dark, so I would assume well before the Tanner sighting, otherwise it would be a bit dangerous around here.

I think the photo you mean is due to the natural effect of the flash, dropping off with distance.  Perhaps the camera kit was good enough to tackle indoor, outdoor at close range, outdoor at medium range, but I don't know.  The one of the rear patio is picking up enough reflection from the rear garden wall to show that up, so why the flash doesn't seem to have reached the side wall near the foot of the steps is a puzzle.

The reason for the switch of street lamps is also a puzzle.  I have little idea what the old spec was and what the new spec is.  By that, it could be that the new ones are brighter, or less bright, or much the same.  Typically in Portugal, if something like that works, it doesn't get replaced.  The only real difference that I remember is that the old ones waste a lot of light by shining much of it up, whereas the new ones seem to be fitted with a reflector on top to spread more down.

I believe there is one of the old type at the Smithman sighting.  I found the light adequate, despite descriptions of poor light.  I'll see if I can wander down around the equivalent time and grab a photo or 2.

Going back to the PJ photo, isn't the yellow blob near the top the old light?  To work out 100% accurately, what illumination there was, what was required was a photo of the same view, but without flash.  Or one could go back, temporarily refit an old style one, and measure/photograph the light.  However, I cannot see how HOLMES could work this out or flag it as an issue, so someone would need to raise it with OG.

[Brietta]

Let's be honest Sadie, there is no actual evidence consistent with an abduction is there?

I think Sadie's theory is as good as any and better than some.

She has gone to the trouble of visiting to see first hand the areas involved, therefore her theory also has the benefit of being an exceedingly well researched and informed one.
We have many examples from Shining's posts of the manner in which on the spot observation can alter perceptions.

There may be little physical evidence  from the apartment and environs.  It is generally accepted that is as a result of a very poor understanding of the value of a crime scene the general area was not cordoned off as a matter of priority.

No 'fingertip' searches  were conducted and cigarette butts from a possible observation point were discarded.  Although powerless to prevent people entering the apartment before their arrival - not the hundreds that has been suggested, but a few - the police were relaxed enough initially to use the crime scene as a command post with only the children's room taped off.

If the level of professional understanding is:-

"I have spoken to respected experts on crime and none of them agrees it would be possible to pass a child through the window," Flores testified regarding the 2007 disappearance of the then-3-year-old child.

"It would have been a very stupid person who tried to pass a sleeping child through the window of the McCanns' holiday flat."
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2010/01/13/Ex-detective-questions-Madeleine-abduction/35111263407253/

In my opinion it would not have presented too much of a difficulty for Madeleine, who was of slight build, to be passed to a person in the passageway outside the window ... and seconds for the intruder to exit via the door.

[Brietta]

The street lights come on before it gets dark, so I would assume well before the Tanner sighting, otherwise it would be a bit dangerous around here.

I think the photo you mean is due to the natural effect of the flash, dropping off with distance.  Perhaps the camera kit was good enough to tackle indoor, outdoor at close range, outdoor at medium range, but I don't know.  The one of the rear patio is picking up enough reflection from the rear garden wall to show that up, so why the flash doesn't seem to have reached the side wall near the foot of the steps is a puzzle.

The reason for the switch of street lamps is also a puzzle.  I have little idea what the old spec was and what the new spec is.  By that, it could be that the new ones are brighter, or less bright, or much the same.  Typically in Portugal, if something like that works, it doesn't get replaced.  The only real difference that I remember is that the old ones waste a lot of light by shining much of it up, whereas the new ones seem to be fitted with a reflector on top to spread more down.

I believe there is one of the old type at the Smithman sighting.  I found the light adequate, despite descriptions of poor light.  I'll see if I can wander down around the equivalent time and grab a photo or 2.

Going back to the PJ photo, isn't the yellow blob near the top the old light?  To work out 100% accurately, what illumination there was, what was required was a photo of the same view, but without flash.  Or one could go back, temporarily refit an old style one, and measure/photograph the light.  However, I cannot see how HOLMES could work this out or flag it as an issue, so someone would need to raise it with OG.

Heri has carried out a study on the effects of lighting in the area of both the Smith and Tanner sighting locations ... I think that, as you have done Shining, that is the only way to get a 'feel' for the circumstances at the time.
He had the advantage that when he took his photographs, the lighting was as it had been and not updated.

ILLUMINATION

The Low Pressure Sodium (LPS) lights like those in Praia da Luz streets do no emit in the same frequencies as the Sun or the incandescent lights. The Sun and the incandescent lights emit in all the frequencies of the visible spectrum, being the color we perceive the reflected light frequencies by the reflecting body, ie the frequencies that are not absorbed. What we call “white” in sunlight is the reflection of all frequencies that the “white” body receives. Conversely what we call “black” in sunlight is the absorption of all frequencies that the “black” body receives.
     
The LPS lights mainly emit in two wavelengths:  589.0 and 589.6 nanometers (the wavelength is the constant speed of light divided by the frequency). So what we call “white” in sunlight or under incendescent lights mainly reflects these two frequencies under LPS street lights.

But “a picture worth a thousand words”.

I took the following pictures at the Tanner and Smiths sightings places at day and night.

http://espacioexterior.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-madeleine-mccann-abduction-janosch.html

[ShiningInLuz]

@SIL.  The gardens in Block 5 seem to 'belong' to the ground floor apartments and to be accessed from their balconies. Is there a way for those in the upper apartments to enter and exit through the gardens, do you know? I'd like to know if it applies to Block 6 also. Sorry to keep asking questions of you, but you're nearer than me ha ha.

I have no problems in answering such questions.

My worry is that a great deal of the latter posts in this thread appear to me to be off topic, and therefore are at risk of being pruned.  You might do better to find a more appropriate thread.

The gardens in block 4, block 5 and block 6 all belong to the ground floor occupants.  Anyone on an upper floor could go down, round and access from the rear, but in that case it would be trespass.

Block 6 is slightly different.  The flat at the east end appears to have no rear gate that I can see, but instead seems to have a gate at the front/side.  The west end does not appear to be gated off, so some or all of that could be used as an observation point of 5A.  Anyone casually smoking there would simply look like someone has just popped out into fresh air.

[pathfinder73]

The orange light is why the jacket changed from blue to the sketch colour.

Blue and orange make a variation of the color brown when mixed together.

[G-Unit]

I have no problems in answering such questions.

My worry is that a great deal of the latter posts in this thread appear to me to be off topic, and therefore are at risk of being pruned.  You might do better to find a more appropriate thread.

The gardens in block 4, block 5 and block 6 all belong to the ground floor occupants.  Anyone on an upper floor could go down, round and access from the rear, but in that case it would be trespass.

Block 6 is slightly different.  The flat at the east end appears to have no rear gate that I can see, but instead seems to have a gate at the front/side.  The west end does not appear to be gated off, so some or all of that could be used as an observation point of 5A.  Anyone casually smoking there would simply look like someone has just popped out into fresh air.

Thanks SIL. What I was wondering was if Sadie's correct in thinking that a 'watcher' on the public balcony would be able to exit through the rear gardens into the car park south of the block.

[slartibartfast]

For all those who didn't read Angeles post properly
Angelo said no evidence consistent with abduction
The fact that Maddie is missing is consistent with abduction

That's like finding a dead body being proof of murder.

[Mr Gray]

That's like finding a dead body being proof of murder.

The word angelo used was "consistent" not "proof"..these words are not interchangable as anyone knows...and you accuse people of moving goalposts

[G-Unit]

The street lights come on before it gets dark, so I would assume well before the Tanner sighting, otherwise it would be a bit dangerous around here.

I think the photo you mean is due to the natural effect of the flash, dropping off with distance.  Perhaps the camera kit was good enough to tackle indoor, outdoor at close range, outdoor at medium range, but I don't know.  The one of the rear patio is picking up enough reflection from the rear garden wall to show that up, so why the flash doesn't seem to have reached the side wall near the foot of the steps is a puzzle.

The reason for the switch of street lamps is also a puzzle.  I have little idea what the old spec was and what the new spec is.  By that, it could be that the new ones are brighter, or less bright, or much the same.  Typically in Portugal, if something like that works, it doesn't get replaced.  The only real difference that I remember is that the old ones waste a lot of light by shining much of it up, whereas the new ones seem to be fitted with a reflector on top to spread more down.

I believe there is one of the old type at the Smithman sighting.  I found the light adequate, despite descriptions of poor light.  I'll see if I can wander down around the equivalent time and grab a photo or 2.

Going back to the PJ photo, isn't the yellow blob near the top the old light?  To work out 100% accurately, what illumination there was, what was required was a photo of the same view, but without flash.  Or one could go back, temporarily refit an old style one, and measure/photograph the light.  However, I cannot see how HOLMES could work this out or flag it as an issue, so someone would need to raise it with OG.

That does look like the street lamp at the top of the photo and it isn't illuminating the pavement or the gate area, let alone the steps. AFAIK this is taken after the new lights were installed, look at the shape of them. There is plenty of light shining on the gate and up onto the balcony;



This photo shows the old lights-they are round;



This is what was said in the article where the above photos appeared;

The changing street lamps of Praia da Luz
 
By Nigel Moore
23 April 2009

it would have been an astonishing decision to replace the street lamps in order to reduce the quality of the lighting. So, we can safely assume that the lighting in the whole area around the Ocean Club is now considerably improved - in terms of brightness and visibility
http://www.mccannfiles.com/id237.html

[slartibartfast]

The word angelo used was "consistent" not "proof"..these words are not interchangable as anyone knows...and you accuse people of moving goalposts

...you mean as opposed to not taking to the pitch at all. You have shown time and time again that you will not back up your statements or enter into proper discussion, so I think I will leave you to it. Have fun.

[Mr Gray]

...you mean as opposed to not taking to the pitch at all. You have shown time and time again that you will not back up your statements or enter into proper discussion, so I think I will leave you to it. Have fun.

I have proved myself right and you wrong...I have backed up my statement that there is evidence which is consistent with abduction...there is and I have stated it. Your assertion that I have not backed up my statement is therefore a lie

[Angelo222]

For all those who didn't read Angeles post properly
Angelo said no evidence consistent with abduction
The fact that Maddie is missing is consistent with abduction

That's just silly davel.  Maddie being missing could mean a host of things.

[slartibartfast]

I have proved myself right and you wrong...I have backed up my statement that there is evidence which is consistent with abduction...there is and I have stated it. Your assertion that I have not backed up my statement is therefore a lie

I was talking generally.