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One of the most popular uses for digital video at the moment is for viral videos.  YouTube and other sites are full of them, and they seem to be an effective way of gaining attention for advertising, a cause or you personally.  Often these videos have clickable links or an email form embedded in them.  If you have ever wanted to learn how they did it, now is your time.

Traditional marketing methods are slowly losing ground.  People are becoming “ad-blind” where they are tuning out advertising and not clicking through or otherwise converting.  This is causing the advertising and marketing fraternity to think again, and one of their new weapons is the viral video.

Having a clickable navigation option right next to a video call to action is bound to create more conversions to any production.  Making it happen is actually easier than you might think, which is why you see so many of them.

I use a program called Veeple.  You do have to pay for it, but it isn’t much, and the service is excellent.  They specialize in video interactivity and have a number of useful tools for the budding video marketer.

One such tool is the interplay API, which is currently free to use.  It adds a layer to any video within which you can add your interactive options.  This can be a web link, email form, email address link or whatever you can think of.  The beauty of the tool is that the API lets you do almost anything you want to that layer and it doesn’t affect the video.

The website cites an average 24% clickthrough rate on videos that uses the technology, but don’t offer the data to back it up.  Whether it’s true or not, it is an excellent way of adding that little something extra to your productions.

To use it, you simply sign up for the free use of the API and load your video onto it.  It will add a layer at any given point during the file and asks you what kind of interactivity you want.  A simple HTML link is added in seconds and you will be able to check it before it is saved into the file.

The more creative amongst you will be able t take this a little further, turning videos of web pages into actual web pages, or items in the background into clickable items and so on.  This adds a completely new dimension to video editing and one I get pretty excited about.

Splinter Cell: Conviction demo in Jan News | Xbox 360 | Eurogamer

Read our Splinter Cell: Conviction demo in Jan News for Xbox 360.

Bloomberg Buys Energy News Publisher | paidContent

A week after closing its purchase of BusinessWeek, it has bought New Energy Finance, a UK-based publisher of news covering the carbon and clean power markets. Terms were not disclosed. Peter Grauer, Bloomberg's chairman, recently hinted …

Tesco to offer iPhone in UK on December 14th | iLounge News

According to a report from BBC News, British department store Tesco will begin to sell the iPhone in the UK starting on December 14th on a twelve-month contract. The lowest rate plan is expected to be £20 per month (US$32.50), …

Ulead COOL 3D Production Studio is a new breed of 3D animation software for high-quality video production. Streamline your 3D text and graphics with advanced tools to produce professional-looking animation.

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Design sophisticated 3D text and objects with intuitive tools. You can use pre-made shapes and styles or create them by scratch. COOL 3D Production Studio imports the most popular 2D and 3D file formats.

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Drag and drop hundreds of customizable backdrops and animation effects. Apply video backgrounds and add audio to your creations. Use magic, natural texture and particle effects for dynamic-looking animations.

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Starting A Career In Professional Video Production

Dec 7, 2009 Advertising

If you have always wanted to be a film maker and create videos and films for TV, professional video production is the career for you. Video production careers are easy to come by, but actually becoming successful is entirely different. You can choose from various kinds of professional video production including TV, corporate, and online.

When you start out in professional video production you will need to complete a degree. Many video directors and producers don’t, however, and still manage to make a success of their chosen profession. The key to becoming a success lies in your project choices, who you know, and how to get involved. Here are a few tips that you can use if you want to get a career in the video production industry.

Look at Lots of Productions: This means that you should watch television shows and documentaries to see how they are made. You can analyze different videos and films to understand the concepts of editing, sound, camera movement, and lighting to create different effects and moods. Directing skills also play a huge part in this, so also look at how different show are directed including reality TV, game shows, films, and more.

Get Equipment and Practice: Once you have figured out the main aspects of video production, you can start doing your amateur footage. This is just to practice, but where possible get a good camera, tripod, and practice some lighting designs. You can also get a few friends together to help you.

Join a School or Take a Course: If you are really interested after trying it out to pursue this as a career, look for a course. Studying goes a long way to helping you break into the industry. It will give you the practical details and technical information that you need to be taken seriously as a film maker. You can find schools online, take courses at a film college, study at a university full time, or take a few night classes. These all allow you to develop your skills.

The Job Options: Once you have learned all the technical aspects of video production you will have a better idea of what job you want. You don’t have to go into full on video production as a director. You might prefer the lighting jobs or jobs as a sound editor. You could choose to be the production manager if you prefer to organize the shoots. You have numerous other video production jobs to choose from.

Plan Your Show Reel: The only way you will get a job in video production is if you produce a show reel. This is a length of taped footage that will encompass your techniques and talents. It can contain different kinds of video production excerpts that you have done, and should cover every aspect of video that you enjoy. This footage should be created specifically for your show reel.

Get a Job: Now that you have all the information and details needed, you can go and get a job in video production. You can find plenty of production companies in your area that specialize in corporate videos, TV and media, advertising, and online video production.

Looking for Professional video production services? Big U Media is a Professional video production company located in Tampa Florida. Complete production services by professional, award winning video-graphers.

Tags: Advertising, commercial video production, tv commercial production, video production, video production company, video production florida, video production services

In the web video world, it usually takes the words “off the record” for a journalist to get any real understanding of what things cost. But for GigaOM Pro this week, we tried out some other words — “completely anonymous” — and had a bit of luck. The producers of a multi-episodic web series allowed us to publish a complete copy of their production budget today, which offers an unfiltered look at the realities of the sort of low-budget production currently happening in the online video world (as opposed to 2007, which was the last time we tried to answer this question).

Getting $30,000 to produce a multi-episode web series on a professional level isn’t bad at all, and seeing where the costs break down is fascinating. How much should you spend on catering? Almost as much as the cost of props and wardrobe combined. How do you keep the costs of renting a location down? Shoot in only one place. And if one of the producers doubles as the lead actor, well, that’s a great way of making sure you only have to pay him once.

We dig into the details, and provide the complete balance sheet, over at our subscription research service GigaOM Pro. The most notable thing about the budget was that it wasn’t much different from those I’ve seen in the film and TV world, except web budgets are missing a few zeroes, and a lot was being done for a relatively little amount of money. How long might it be before that’s no longer the case?

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

“What if the job losses this time around aren’t temporary, the ‘ebb’ part of the ebb and flow of the business cycle?” Caroline Baum asks. “What if employers are hacking away at their permanent workforce?” (Bloomberg)

The recession has slashed U.S. output of planet warming gases and puts the country on track to reach President Barack Obama’s short-term emissions goal, but cutting the pollution further will take more effort as the economy recovers. (Reuters)

One of the oddest phenomena of the boom years was how kitchen appliances quickly morphed into sexy, high-maintenance trophies. These high-flying days flickered out when the real estate market imploded, but they may come back. (The Big Money)

President Barack Obama has put together a grab-bag program to combat unemployment, which resembles the approach taken by recent presidents of both parties, who have leaned heavily on tax cuts to spur job creation. (Associated Press)

“While some upper-middle class marriages may be strengthened, on the margins, by the recession, working class marriages are more likely to be weakened, even as the continued decline of the manufacturing sector makes men without college degrees less marriageable to begin with,” writes Ross Douthat. (New York Times/Evaluations)

More consumers are turning to processed foods, either prepared, frozen or canned and often filled with fat-generating calories, refined grains and sugars. Experts said that’s making more Americans chubbier and prone to obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes in what has been dubbed “recession fat.” (Chicago Tribune)

In a poll of more than 1,000 Americans conducted late last week, 84% of those surveyed believe that the economy is still in recession. (CNN/Money)

Many young workers say the economic crisis has made their generation more conservative, which is reflected in not only their financial decisions, but has also made them less inclined to “job hop.” (Boston Globe)

Most of the struggling homeowners who have enrolled in the Obama administration’s marquee mortgage-relief program still haven’t proved they qualify for help, illustrating lingering weakness in the effort to aid distressed borrowers. (Washington Post)

“This dichotomy of record profits and bonuses on Wall Street while you have real unemployment of 15 percent-plus in this country is very striking,” Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Chairman Phil Angelides said yesterday. (Huffington Post)

If you come across a good article or blog post about the recession pass it on. To receive Recession Briefing in your inbox, subscribe to our daily email.

By Thomas Penny Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) — Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said the U.K. economy will recover from its longest recession on record next year as the government’s stimulus measures take hold. The finance minister forecast growth in 2010 to between 1 percent and 1.5 percent, the same as he estimated in March. He expects growth of about 3.5 percent in 2011 and 2012. For 2009, Darling forecasts the economy will shrink by between 4.75 percent, deeper than his March projection for a contraction between 3.75 percent and 3.25 percent. Trailing in opinion polls before an election that he must hold by June, Prime Minister Gordon Brown is balancing the need to clamp down on a record budget deficit while extending support to voters struggling in the deepest recession since 1980. “We must continue to support the economy until the recovery is established,” Darling said in a speech in Parliament in London today. “The choices are between going for growth or putting the recovery at risk. To reduce the deficit while protecting front-line services or cuts, which put these services in danger.” Darling, delivering his pre-budget statement, will announce his deficit projections later in the speech. In March he expected a shortfall of 175 billion pounds ($285 billion) in the current fiscal year, about 12 percent of gross domestic product and the most in the Group of 20 nations. Tax Plans He’s also planning to raise taxes on bonus pay earned by bankers and to maintain spending on health and education programs popular with voters, Treasury officials say. He confirmed he’d return value added tax to 17.5 percent at the end of this year from 15 percent. He also extended tax relief on empty properties, cut duties on bingo gaming and raised the basic state pension 2.5 percent from April. He also will increase disability benefits by 1.5 percent. Brown’s Labour government and David Cameron’s Conservatives both have promised measures to bonus payments in the City, London’s financial district. Where the two parties diverge is on just how quickly the government should curb the deficit. “We can’t solve the problem of the deficit straight away, but what there’s an absence of is a credible plan,” Conservative leader David Cameron said yesterday. “I don’t think anyone’s going to be impressed with a plan that doesn’t at least have some early action in it.” To contact the reporter on this story: Thomas Penny in London at tpenny@bloomberg.net

Read more from the original source:
Darling Says U.K. Economy Will Recover From Recession Next Year, Grow 1.5%

WASHINGTON – Le nombre de nouveaux travailleurs licenciés désirant obtenir les prestations de chômage a augmenté plus que prévu la semaine dernière, après avoir baissé pendant cinq semaines consécutives. Malgré cette augmentation, les demandes ont baissé régulièrement depuis cet été, un signe que les suppressions d'emplois sont à ralentir et à l'embauche pourrait reprendre dès l'an prochain au milieu d'une reprise économique générale. Demandes initiales d'assurance chômage a augmenté de 17.000 à une 474000 corrigées des variations saisonnières, le département du Travail a annoncé jeudi. Qui a été supérieur aux attentes des analystes de 460.000 nouvelles demandes. Des réclamations ont été en partie gonflé par un bond suivant la semaine de vacances de Thanksgiving, alors que de nombreux bureaux de chômage de l'État sont fermées, un analyste du département dit. Licenciements saisonniers dans l'industrie de la construction a également joué un rôle.

New Jobless Claims Rise to 474,000 After Falling For 5 Straight Weeks

Posted on 23 November 2009

(AP) — A robot powered by a ground-based laser beam climbed a long cable dangling from a helicopter on Wednesday to qualify for prize money in a $2 million competition to test the potential reality of the science fiction concept of space elevators.

The highly technical contest brought teams from Missouri, Alaska and Seattle to Rogers Dry Lake in the Mojave Desert, most familiar to the public as a space shuttle landing site.

The contest requires their machines to climb 2,953 feet (nearly 1 kilometer) up a cable slung beneath a helicopter hovering nearly a mile high.

LaserMotive's vehicle zipped up to the top in just over four minutes and immediately repeated the feat, qualifying for at least a $900,000 second-place prize.

The device, a square of photo voltaic panels about 2 feet by 2 feet and topped by a motor structure and thin triangle frame, had failed to respond to the laser three times before it was lowered, inspected and then hoisted back up by the helicopter for the successful tries.

LaserMotive's two principals, Jordin Kare and Thomas Nugent, said they were relieved after two years of work. They said their real goal is to develop a business based on the idea of beaming power, not the futuristic idea of accessing space via an elevator climbing a cable.

“We both are pretty skeptical of its near-term prospects,” Kare said of an elevator.

The contest, however, demonstrates that beaming power works, Nugent said.

“Anybody who needs power in one place and can't run wires to it – we'd be able to deliver power,” Kare said.

Earlier out on the lakebed, team member Nick Burrows had pointed out how it grips the cable with modified skateboard wheels and the laser is aimed with an X Box game controller.

It had never climbed higher than 80 feet previously, he said.

The day's competition began late after hours of testing the cable system, refueling the helicopter and waits for specific time windows in which the lasers can be fired without harming satellites passing overhead.

The Kansas City Space Pirates went first with a machine that initially balked but eventually began climbing. Its speed was too slow to qualify for any prizes but it got within about 160 feet of the top before the laser had to be shut down for satellite protection.

Ben Shelef, CEO of the contest-sponsoring Spaceward Foundation, said the Pirates had a minor laser tracking problem but the real problem appeared to be in the mechanical system.

As the afternoon grew late, the University of Saskatchewan's Space Design Team had to put off its attempts until Thursday. All three teams had further chances to qualify through Friday.

The competition was five years in the making, Shelef said.

“A lot of hurdles to cross,” he said. “Now that it's happening I'm actually happy already. It doesn't matter what the outcome is.”

Enlarge

The 2009 Space Elevator Games.

Funded by a NASA program to explore bold technology, the contest is intended to encourage development of a theory that originated in the 1960s and was popularized by Arthur C. Clarke's 1979 novel “The Fountains of Paradise.”

Space elevators are envisioned as a way to reach space without the risk and expense of rockets.

Instead, electrically powered vehicles would run up and down a cable anchored to a ground structure and extending thousands of miles up to a mass in geosynchronous orbit – the kind of orbit communications satellites are placed in to stay over a fixed spot on the Earth.

Electricity would be supplied through a concept known as “power beaming,” ground-based lasers pointing up to photo voltaic cells on the bottom of the climbing vehicle – something like an upside-down solar power system.

The space elevator competition has not produced a winner in its previous three years, but has become increasingly difficult.

The vehicles must climb at an average speed of 16.4 feet (5 meters) per second, or about 11 miles (18 kilometers) per hour, to qualify for the top prize. A lesser prize is available for vehicles that climb at 2 meters per second.

The rules allow one team to collect all $2 million or for sums to be shared among all three teams depending on their achievements.

While the concept of an elevator to space may seem too fanciful, Andrew Williams, 26, a mechanical engineer on the Saskatchewan team, said he has no doubts it will come about.

“Once we put our minds to something it's just a matter of time for us to achieve it,” he said.

Video: In their first run today and their first ever successful run in any of the NASA sponsored Power Beaming Challenge events, Team Lasermotive qualified for at least a share of the 1st level prize money of $900,000.

More information: http://www.spaceelevatorgames.org/

©2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Un robot propulsé par un motif à base de laser est monté un long câble suspendu à un hélicoptère mercredi pour bénéficier de prix en argent à un concours de 2 millions de dollars pour tester la réalité potentielle de la notion de science-fiction d'un ascenseur spatial. Le concours apporté très technique des équipes du Missouri, de l'Alaska et à Seattle pour Rogers Dry Lake dans le désert de Mojave, les plus connues du public comme un lieu d'atterrissage de la navette spatiale. Le concours exige que leurs machines à gravir 2953 pieds (environ 1 kilomètre) un câble accroché sous un hélicoptère en vol stationnaire près d'un mile de haut. Véhicule LaserMotive's zippé jusqu'en haut en un peu plus de quatre minutes et immédiatement répété l'exploit, admissible pendant au moins un prix de 900,000 $ deuxième place. L'appareil, un carré de panneaux photovoltaïques d'environ 2 pieds par 2 pieds et surmonté par une structure de moteur et le châssis triangle mince, avait omis de répondre au laser à trois reprises avant qu'elle ne soit abaissé, inspectés et ensuite hissé en arrière par l'hélicoptère pour les essais réussis. LaserMotive les deux directeurs, Jordin Kare et Thomas Nugent, a déclaré qu'ils étaient soulagés après deux années de travail. Ils ont dit que leur but réel est de développer une activité basée sur l'idée de la puissance rayonnante, pas l'idée futuriste de l'espace d'accéder via un ascenseur escalade d'un câble. "Nous avons tous deux sont assez sceptiques quant à ses perspectives à court terme", dit Kare d'un ascenseur. Le concours, cependant, démontre que les œuvres de puissance rayonnante, Nugent dit. «N'importe qui qui a besoin de pouvoir dans un seul endroit et ne peut pas courir des fils à elle – nous serions en mesure de fournir de l'énergie", dit Kare. Plus tôt sur le lit du lac, membre de l'équipe Nick Burrows a fait observer la façon dont il saisit le câble avec des roues de planche à roulettes modifiées et le laser vise avec un contrôleur de jeu X Box. Il n'a jamais grimpé plus haut que 80 mètres plus haut, dit-il. Concurrence La journée a commencé tard après des heures de tester le système de câble, de ravitaillement de l'hélicoptère et attend les fenêtres temporelles particulières dans lesquelles les lasers peuvent être congédiés sans nuire satellites passent au-dessus. Le Kansas City Space Pirates se rendit d'abord avec une machine qui initialement hésité mais a finalement commencé à monter. Sa vitesse était trop lente pour se qualifier pour les prix mais c'est devenu à environ 160 pieds de haut avant le laser a dû être fermée pour protéger les satellites. Ben Shelef, PDG du concours-parrainage Spaceward Fondation, a déclaré Les pirates avaient un laser mineur suivi des problèmes mais le vrai problème semble être dans le système mécanique. Comme l'après-midi à se faire tard, l'Université de la Saskatchewan's Space Design Team ont dû reporter ses tentatives jusqu'à jeudi. Les trois équipes ont eu d'autres chances de se qualifier au vendredi. La compétition était de cinq ans dans la fabrication, Shelef dit. «Un grand nombre d'obstacles à franchir, dit-il. «Maintenant que ça se passe, je suis effectivement heureux déjà. Peu importe quelle est l'issue." Agrandir L'édition 2009 du Space Elevator Games. Financé par un programme de la NASA pour explorer la technologie en gras, le concours est destiné à encourager le développement d'une théorie qui a pris naissance dans les années 1960 et a été popularisé par Arthur C. Clarke 'S 1979 roman "Les Fontaines du Paradis." Ascenseurs spatiaux sont envisagés comme un moyen d'atteindre l'espace sans risques et aux frais de roquettes. Au lieu de cela, les véhicules électriques devrait monter et descendre un câble ancré à une structure de chaussée et l'extension des milliers de miles jusqu'à une masse en orbite géosynchrone – le genre de communications en orbite des satellites sont placés dans de séjourner plus de un point fixe sur la Terre. L'électricité serait fournie grâce à un concept connu comme «le pouvoir rayonnant, lasers basés au sol vers le haut de cellules photo-voltaïques sur le fond du véhicule escalade – quelque chose comme une tête en bas système d'énergie solaire. Le concours ascenseur spatial n'a pas produit un gagnant dans ses trois dernières années, mais il est devenu de plus en plus difficile. Les véhicules doivent grimper à une vitesse moyenne de 16,4 pieds (5 mètres) par seconde, soit environ 11 miles (18 kilomètres) par heure, de se qualifier pour le premier prix. Un prix moindre est disponible pour les véhicules qui montent à 2 mètres par seconde. La réglementation autorise une seule équipe pour recueillir l'ensemble des 2 millions de dollars ou pour des sommes à répartir entre les trois équipes en fonction de leurs réalisations. Bien que le concept d'un ascenseur pour l'espace mai semblent trop fantaisiste, Andrew Williams, 26 ans, ingénieur en mécanique à l'équipe de la Saskatchewan, a déclaré qu'il n'a aucun doute qu'il se produira. "Une fois que nous mettons notre esprit à quelque chose, c'est juste une question de temps pour nous d'y parvenir", at-il dit. Vidéo: Dans leur première manche aujourd'hui, et leur premier passage réussi à tout jamais de la NASA a parrainé Power Beaming événements Challenge, Team Lasermotive qualifié pour au moins une part du prix de 1er niveau de prix de 900.000 $. Plus d'informations: http://www.spaceelevatorgames.org/ © 2009 The Associated Press. Tous droits réservés. Ce matériau mai ne pas être publié, diffusé, modifié ou redistribué.

<b>News</b> Corp: MySpace Risks $900 Million Google Deal

The takeaway: The site is losing traffic and money and no longer expects to get all of the $900 million it once counted on from a Google search deal. Also, the company really doesn't know what to expect of the property going …

Olympus launches E-P2 Micro Four Thirds camera: Digital <b>…</b>

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Google CEO Eric Schmidt envisions the <b>news</b> consumer of the future <b>…</b>

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General Tech

With the different technologies available today it is not easy selecting the perfect big screen television that will fill our needs, here is a guide to help you choose:

Not too big: Don't get a television that is too big for your room. If you don't have a very high resolution picture, you will see all the flaws in the picture. Sometimes a smaller screen effectively gives you a better picture! In addition, you might not like the way a large screen can tend to dominate a small room.

LCD vs Plasma: Plasma screens use more electricity and run hotter than LCD screens. Plasma screens display better and more colours than LCDs. Plasma screens refresh the picture faster than LCDs. Plasma screens are not so good in bright rooms because of the glare off the glass panel. LCD televisions are easier to set-up and more robust than plasma screens. LCD screens can display higher resolutions. Plasma screens are only available in large sizes. LCD screens are better for connecting to your computer. Plasmas may have a shorter lifespan (become dimmer) faster than LCDs

LCD vs DLP: (Liquid crystal display vs Digital light processing). DLP has faster image refresh rates. DLPs are lighter, but take up more space, for the same screen size. DLPs are cheaper in the short term, but require bulb replacements every once in a while which adds to the cost. While bulbs should last a few years under optimal conditions, in real-life usage, turning on-and-off, they may only last 3 – 6 months, and cost a lot to replace. Some people think that DLPs produce images that can look “artifical” or “processed”. DLP sets may show unwanted “rainbow” effects. LCD may show uwnanted “screen door” effect. DLP sets may be more power efficient

Screen resolutions: It may not serve you to buy a 1080 resolution set (as opposed to 720), since you probably won't notice the extra resolution unless your screen is extremely large, or you sit very close to the screen when viewing. Also, there's currently not a lot of full HD content available — though there probably will be in future.

LCD vs CRT: Even though LCD screens may be somewhat more power efficent than CRT (cathode ray) screens, since the screen size can be much larger, they can actually use a lot more power.

Viewing distance: If you sit too far away from your high-resolution screen you won't be getting the benefit of the high resolution — because beyond a certain distance the human eye can't resolve it. You may need to sit as close as 2 – 2.5 metres away from your screen to get the maximum effect of a high-definition picture, or a bit further away for standard definition.

Buying: Don't buy a big-screen tv just prior to a major sporting event, like the olympics, or you are likely to be paying an inflated price.

Jose Luis Rodriguez's haunting portrait of an Iberian wolf won over the judges

A picture of a hunting wolf has won the prestigious Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009 award.

Jose Luis Rodriguez captured the imaginations of the judges with a picture that he had planned for years, and even sketched out on a piece of paper.

“I wanted to capture a photo in which you would see a wolf in an act of hunting – or predation – but without blood,” he told BBC News. “I didn't want a cruel image.”

With a great deal of patience and careful observation of the wolves' movements, he succeeded in taking the award-winning photograph.

Mr Rodriguez used a custom-built infrared trap to snap the wolf as it leapt into the air.

The WPY competition, now in its 45th year, is owned by BBC Wildlife Magazine and London's Natural History Museum.

The panel of judges looked through more than 43,000 entries to this year's competition.

This is the fifth year that wildlife photographer Mark Carwardine has been on the judging panel. He said of the winning photo: “It's captured thousands of years of human-wolf interaction in just one moment.”

The image of a photographer's dreams Enlarge Image

Mr Rodriguez won the Animal Portraits category and went on to win the top prize with this haunting image that the judges said captured the character of the wolf.

When he started planning the photograph, he feared that he might not be able to get close enough to the Iberian wolves.

This subspecies of the grey wolf lives close to human habitation in northern Spain. They are often persecuted by people who see them as a threat to livestock, and they are consequently very wary.

Watching the animals as they returned to the same spot to collect food each night, Mr Rodriguez decided on his dream shot.

He eventually captured it using a photographic trap that included a motion sensor and an infrared barrier to operate the camera.

He hopes that his picture, “showing the wolf's great agility and strength”, will become an image that can be used to show just how beautiful the Iberian wolf is and how the Spanish can be proud to have such an emblematic animal.

Hasselblad 503CW with a 6×6 Fujichrome backing + Planar 80mm lens; 1/30 sec at f11; ISO 50; purpose-made Ficap infrared camera trap

The yellowhammer males fought over ownership of the oats Enlarge Image

Fergus Gill, who was 17 years old when he entered the competition, won this year's Young Photographer of the Year award for his picture of a brief but dramatic clash between two of the colourful UK songbirds.

He started planning the image in summer, collecting oat sheaves from a local farmer specifically as winter food for the yellowhammers.

One evening in February, hearing that snow was forecast for the next morning, Fergus set up his hide in the garden of his home in Scotland and hung out feeders for the birds.

“At one point, I counted 32 yellowhammers feeding on the ground,” he said.

When the snow fell, the birds jumped up on to the feeders and the males would occasionally fight over the oats.

“The spats were incredibly fast,” he said. It took Fergus two days to capture the dramatic clash that earned him his award.

Nikon D300 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens at 220mm; 1/1000 sec at f5.6; ISO 500

Ryska the cat fiercely guarded her property Enlarge Image

With the help of his feisty cat, Igor Shpilenok won the Urban and Garden Wildlife category with this shot.

He spent five months as a ranger in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve in Kamchatka in the east of Russia, and took his cat Ryska with him for company.

“It's a very remote place and there were lots of animals – bears, foxes, wolverines – living near my cabin,” he told BBC News.

“The cat was really jealous about me. If I started to look at the animals, she would attack them. Just like a woman,” he smiled.

“Maybe she thought I was her pet.”

But the animals were curious about the area's new residents, and were drawn by cooking smells from the cabin. The foxes in particular would visit every day. “When they came within 20m, that was her boundary and chased them. It was really funny – foxes were climbing trees to get away from the cat.”

Mr Shpilenok's wife, Laura Williams, selected the category-winning image. “It's ironic,” she said. “He photographs the wilderness, but the two times he's won a category [in this competition] it's been the urban wildlife one. Because the wilderness is his back yard.”

Nikon D3 + 300mm lens; 1/500 sec at f4.5; ISO 640

Snowflakes make difficult terrain for tiny springtails Enlarge Image

Urmas Tartes won the Animals in their Environment category for this image of a springtail, otherwise known as a “snow flea” navigating its way through delicate snowflakes.

When the temperature drops below freezing, the insect climbs down through the frosty crevasses to the warmer soil below.

“But they're only active a few degrees below zero,” Mr Tartes told BBC News. “I had to 'ambush' the weather for just the right temperature and conditions.

“I was travelling with my wife and it started snowing slightly,” he recalled.

“We came to a place where we thought it might be possible [to see the insects] and the thermometer in the car said it was just the right temperature.”

Mr Tartes had waited for the perfect weather in which the snow fleas would be active, but the snowflakes would remain frozen.

His patience paid off, and he managed to take over 100 shots while the insects negotiated their way through the tricky terrain.

He believes he captured something truly unique and that this was largely thanks to his knowledge of his country and its climate.

“I think the best of the photos I take are in my homeland,” he told BBC News.

“There's a saying in Estonia that in order to see new things, you have to follow common paths – paths you know.”

Canon EOS-5D Mark II + Canon MP-E65 f2.5 1-5x Macro lens; 1/200 sec at f14; ISO 400

The male jaguar sat on the riverbank calmly staring at the photographer

Tom Schandy won the Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife for this image, which he took while working on a book project in Brazil.

“We spent a few days on a boat along Rio Paraguay and saw four jaguars in the space of three days.

“It was really amazing, because it is such a difficult animal to find.

“This one was very relaxed – it just lay on the river bank staring at us for more than an hour.

“It was a glimpse into the eye of the wilderness.”

At sunset, the jaguar rose, yawned and scent-marked. Then he faded back into the dense forest.

Canon EOS-ID Mark III + 500mm f4 lens; 1/250 sec at f4; ISO 400; beanbag

The highly anticipated video game of 2009 going into 2010 is Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2. With thousands of people already putting deposits down to make sure they receive their copy of the released game on November 10th, the excitement is starting to rise. Infinity Ward is carefully not releasing to much information of this release to soon or too quick. Gamers are searching the web daily to find any new information on this beloved game. Infinity Ward has hosted contests to entice gamers to watch small clips of the new coming video game and try to figure out what the game will entail. This video game that has stolen the hearts of many gamers around the world has a countdown to the remaining days left until they can get their hands on that beautifully rectangular shaped box from their local gaming store that will be sure to have lines and crowds of people waiting at the doors on the releasing day (or night).

Infinity Ward released the 2nd major trailer of the highly anticipated game title Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 last night during NFL Steelers game. With nothing but intense excitement from the fan base of the game, IW revealed more of what the story line will play out to be, adding to the previously released trailer some months ago. Excitement so intense, fans had a bit of trouble logging on to the Infinity Ward forums to post their opinions, while Robert Bowling, Community Manager at IW tweeted last week “…this is the one I've been waiting for!” While keeping in mind the story line from the 1st Modern Warfare, and the 1st reveal trailer of Modern Warfare 2, the new trailer seems to show what effect the story will have on the U.S. section of the of the battle, ending with an epic scene of what looks to be Washington D.C. in shambles, after what we can only assume Vladimir Makarov, the associate of Imran Zakhaev, has done to bring the battle to U.S. soil. This is a bit different from the 1st reveal trailer which started itself where the 1st story line left off, on the bridge where the main character “Soap” takes out Zakhaev and his personal staff, then showing the fight which proceeded through Rio de Janeiro.

Adding to the intense graphics of the trailer, the dialog throughout the trailer hints to it being spoken by Makarov, and talks about the death of a brother, revenge, and how meaning of combat isn't felt until it's held on familiar soil, supporting more the theory of Makarov trying to get this battle state side to the U.S.

As fans watch, and re-watch the video until they're hearts are content, and yearning for more, the release of Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on November 10th should be an epic day in the world of gaming.

<b>News</b> and notes – Modern Art Notes

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l4d hacks | MW2 Petition | Infinity Ward

Infinity Ward's MW2 server decision results in severe economic implications

10/20/2009 by: Anshel Sag – Get more from this author

Late last week there was an interview with Robert Bowling [known as FourTwoZero on Twitter]. He cleared up the rumors about delays and said that they did not expect to see any delays of the game itself, but that there was much more to come. He then began to talk about the fact that Infinity Ward would be coming out with a new online game system called IWNet which was a way of match making PC gamers instead of allowing the traditional dedicated server model. In addition to this, they would also be creating a private game mode, but this too would be running off of the IWNet proprietary multiplayer platform.

Rob also detailed that there was going to be a partnership with Steam and that they would be using VAC as the method of anti-cheating as opposed to Punkbuster. So not only were they doing away with dedicated servers, they were also doing away with Punkbuster. In a way, this is a positive movement that should prevent cheating, but also makes up one game less to play on LAN parties. The servers would not be using Steam for matchmaking, but the details are on hold as Valve Corporation will be releasing a statement soon about the involvement of Steam in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Image from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Playable only on Infinity Ward-sanctioned servers.

So, how does this all create an economic impact? It cuts out 3rd party server hosts who would normally be responsible for hosting the dedicated servers for various clans that would move over to this new game and purchase those servers or at least rent them monthly. A statement posted on the Infinity Ward forums
that came from a gameservers.com http://www.gameservers.com representative stated;

“Ticket JCG-53334 has been updated by Tanner Hurst .

Hey XXXX (name blocked),

I can't lie, as of right now we will not be able to support the game.

People are canceling their preorders and demanding their money back. Don't hold me to this but at last check the cancelations were upwards of 61,000 and counting.
IW has decided to NOT provide dedicated server support for the game, so therefor servers cannot be rented.

In the case that they change their mind (which we all hope they do) we will definitely be supporting the game.

Tanner Hurst
“7hoR “
GameServers.com Support

~ The GameServers.com Team ~
Frag. Not Lag.”

From the calculation on the slot base , we can see that GameServers.com lost around $122,000 [now, imagine a loss in monthly charges] by the time Mr. Tanner responded to the ticket. The outrage over this decision also sparked an on-line petition that is going around online that anyone can sign that asks that they bring back dedicated servers. This was created because the petition on the Infinity Ward forums was deleted in a typical strongarming move known on all official game forums, especially ones in relation to Activision Blizzard. It states:

“To: Infinity Ward
Get Infinity Ward to review their decision not to allow fully dedicated servers for their forthcoming game release CoD:MW2. Remember that this Call of Duty was made popular by PC Gamers who have supported the series throughout.
Sincerely,
The undersigned“

This petition resulted in over 95,000 signatures, gaining around 25-30,000 signatures on daily basis.

All of this is on the heels of many PC gamers feeling constantly abandoned by developers in various games. Because of this, Infinity Ward may stand to lose a lot of money from the PC gamer crowd which was originally responsible for the runaway success of the Call of Duty franchise to begin with. This will probably cause the game to be a short-lived title that will most likely have a very short shelf-life in respect to games like Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Source which are still a widely played games almost a decade after its release. In my opinion, they're trying to ruin PC gaming for the sake of control of the game. Also, as many PC gamers have experienced in games like Left 4 Dead, the ping in servers will begin to go through the roof in comparison to a dedicated server.
If you want to hear the whole chat between the guys at BASHandSlash.com and Robert Bowling, fast forward to 1:38:00 where Robert Bowling hops on in.

Editor's take
At the end of the day, Infinity Ward wanted to take control of their game in the same manner as Blizzard did with Battle.Net. Given that both IW and Blizzard's titles are published by the same company [Activision Blizzard Inc.], we're not surprised that IW went with their own platform. In a way, I found this quite inefficient, but there are economic reasons for that move as well.

For decades, gaming developers were spending hundreds, if not thousands of work hours in order to create dedicated server for the game, and usually those servers were given for free, creating a whole new economy around dedicated gaming server business. You didn't need to buy the game to run the server and at the end of the day – that was wrong move from day one. After dedicated gaming server became a real business, it was weird seeing massively pirated titles being played at these services, providing zero dollars in revenue. In the case of Unreal Tournament 3, Mark Rein gave me a sum of 40,000,000 pirated clients who tried to access the server, yielding a grand total of two billion dollar damage for Epic Games alone. Yes, that’s a “b”. Just like Valve proved, it is possible to run a dedicated server business by connecting a dedicated server on Steam [true, $$$ is involved].

Did you shell out a couple hundred bucks just to play Halo on X-Box? Do you find yourself dreaming of monsters from playing Doom years back? Do you consider your life comparable to a level on Duke Nukem? Do you have flashbacks based on World War games like Call of Duty? Did you buy Serious Sam: First Encounter for ten bucks thinking it would only entertain you for a few hours? Do you argue with others over what the best first person shooter (FPS) really is?

Hopefully some of that applied to you. I won't lie, FPS games aren't my bread and butter, I recently wrote an article on strategy games and, thinking as a gamer should, didn't want to leave out the fascinating stories behind some of the games that kept me addicted in the late hours. Strategy can only go. so far.

There have been many strong third person shooter games like Max Payne and Die Hard, but FPS games are popular enough for a serious discussion to be made.

According to the history books, it was Return to Castle Wolfenstein that really started the revolution of FPS. Doom was created by id, the same software company that made Wolfenstein, and this was the game that would keep many up all night.

Doom ignited the FPS popularity. It is considered by many to be the best computer game of all time. I differ, as a strategist should, Civilization was the best computer game ever. It is a reality that both these games came out about the same time, and started a cultural revolution into the vastly improving computer gaming market.

Doom had a simple story: Demons crossing over after a freak accident with a teleporter between planets. Yet the absolute mayhem of the fighting, whether they be the simple fire breathing monsters, the humans who changed over into mutants, or the bosses like the Minotaur. It was bloody, and turned away some, leaving others heavily addicted.

How did FPS evolve from Doom to Halo? Halo, created by Bungie, was a direct descendant of the Doom game. There were some sequels to Doom. Doom 2 was good but like its predecessor was ruined by cheat codes. The graphics evolved even more in Doom 3, which wasn't' praised as much as the first two.

Gaming had evolved from games like Double Dragon being a focal point to Doom. FPS games were sold on console systems, and in my estimation this directly resulted in the creation of Halo. Golden Eye, a James Bond game with incredible multiplayer capabilities, had to have had an influence. Gamers moved away from Double Dragon and Mortal Kombat to games like Doom and Golden Eye.

There were countless others, but I always stuck with the big ones. Duke Nukem was fun, graphic, and had just about everything else that Doom had, but failed to bring an original storyline. There were even Terminator games in the mold of Doom. The mods continued, until, another PC hit came about selling for a very cheap price, Serious Sam. This introduced improved graphics and a game that didn't require multiplayer to be fun (differing from Unreal). The monsters were unique and it had an innovative soundtrack that worked well with the epic feel of the battles.

Consoles were ideal for FPS games but until Golden Eye there was no true great game. Doom was outdated by the time it was made into a console game, but Golden Eye really filled a void. The single player mission was okay, but the multiplayer replayability was what worked. It let developers know games like Halo could be made for consoles, and didn't have to be based on the Doom engine.

Halo was the only reason I bought an X-Box. Yes, that was why I spent over $300 dollars on the system and games. Based on an intergalactic war, Halo utilized both aliens and monsters, taking it a step up from Serious Sam and Doom. The soundtrack and graphics fully utilized what the X-Box could do; and the story was so good there were successful book series and comics created. Halo, like Doom, succeeded in making a worthy sequel game, with a step up in action and difficulty. There were differences: In Halo you could fly a jet, drive a tank or jeep, or even use alien craft. Doom or Halo are different games: Halo is superior, but Doom was revolutionary. One isn't better than the other.

It is my hope the Doom series will continue beyond the movie version with The Rock.

I already know Halo and Microsoft don't need any help.

A new field of games set in during major wars is becoming popular. The series include Medal of Honor and Call of Duty. Both have a historical feel with surpasses anything attempted by Halo or Doom and, though these games are far from superior, history fans should take note. World War II was never done more justice in an FPS than in the Call of Duty games.

FPS games have an appeal to gamers wanting to expend some rounds and let out all that frustration. I still like strategy more, even wrote an article saying so, but there are just some days that alien head would look better with a bullet through it rather than playing diplomacy.

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Being a country music fan I thought I heard incorrectly. My husband and I listen to country music stations, and he reads Country Weekly Magazine, and watches the Opry on TV – he had not heard about it. Some quick research and now I know, and I'll share it with you.

The White House has been having a series of musical events they are calling The White House Music Series, which was introduced by First Lady Michelle Obama. They have already featured jazz at a Jazz Master Class. The series will have musicians of all ages. Interaction between musicians and children is meant to educate and enlighten the children about all types of music. The Jazz event was very successful. The White House is looking forward to the next music event, Country Music and a Classical event will be held in the fall.

Next on the agenda will be this Tuesday, July 21, 2009 – Country Music. The White House should be into some heavy duty toe-tappin' with the likes of country music star Brad Paisley along with Alison Krauss and Union Station. Tuesday will be an all day event with workshops for 120 students from O.W. Smith school in Nashville, along with students from other schools across the country. Students will learn about song writing, as well as country music traditions. The day will end with a special performance for the President and Mrs. Obama, along with White House staff and members of Congress.

To give credit where credit is due, the Country Music Celebration is presented with assistance from The Country Music Association and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It is being produced by the Grand Ole Opry and Great American Country Television.

Country Music has been a part of Washington festivities and activities for years. East Tennessee's own Kenny Chesney sang the National Anthem for a t-ball game on the White House lawn a year ago. Lee Greenwood was a guest of George H.W. Bush for a bbq on the White House lawn. Don't forget Willie Nelson who smoked a little pot on the White House roof when he visited during Jimmy Carter's administration.

So if you happen to be near the White House on Tuesday and get an urge to put on cowboy boots and a hat and all of a sudden you feel like doing some line dancing, don't be surprised! Country Music should be oozing through the portico during the Country Music Segment of the White House Music Series.

Sources:
GACTV.com
PositivelyBarack.com

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(AP) Sen. John Ensign's former mistress and her husband sought an $8.5 million settlement from the Nevada Republican before the affair became public, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, a friend of Ensign, acted as an intermediary in negotiations last spring with the lawyer for Cindy and Doug Hampton before Ensign publicly admitted the relationship with Mrs. Hampton, the Times said.

According to the Times, Coburn rejected as “ridiculous” the $8.5 million figure suggested by the Hamptons' attorney, Daniel J. Albregts. The amount was to cover the purchase of the couple's home in Nevada, lost wages and pain and suffering.

The Times said that the Hamptons' lawyer came back with a $2 million figure, which Coburn passed on to the senator, who flatly rejected it.

Both Hamptons worked for Ensign while the affair was taking place, Doug Hampton as his administrative assistant and Cynthia Hampton as treasurer for two Ensign-controlled campaign committees.

Early last year, Coburn warned Ensign that if the affair did not end, Coburn would “go to Mitch,” referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and tell him about the relationship.

The Times also reported that after Doug Hampton discovered the affair, Ensign played a role in helping Hampton get work representing NV Energy, the largest power company in Nevada, and Allegiant Air, a Las Vegas-based discount airline.

On Thursday, Ensign's office responded to the report with an e-mail noting that it had previously been publicized that the senator helped Hampton get two jobs. Ensign's office did not reply to further questions.

Coburn's spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Ensign has a long record of assisting Allegiant and NV Energy. The Times reported that Hampton, in coordination with Ensign and his staff, played a significant role in pushing the Washington agendas of both companies.

According to the newspaper, Hampton spent the summer of 2008 strategizing with the senator's chief of staff, John Lopez.

Following requests from Hampton, said the newspaper, Ensign called the secretary of transportation last year on behalf of Allegiant Air. Ensign also arranged for Hampton and his clients to meet the new transportation secretary in a successful effort to resolve a dispute with a competitor, the Times said.

Teens can learn at a early age how much they can afford to buy. They will understand the difference between expensive clothes and reasonable priced clothes. It is important for them to understand how to buy the most items possible with their money at a early age. It will help them realize that it isn't worth it to waste money on expensive stuff that they don't really need. Teens who learn how to manage and save money when they are young will most likely grow up being a responsible adult money wise. They probably will have not much debt due to learning how to properly manage money in the beginning. Here are five tips for teaching teens about money.

1. Open up a savings account for the teen. This will give him or her a excellent start in being able to start to save money. Savings accounts are often free with no monthly fees for a teen since they are a minor child. After a few years or more of saving money during the summers then he or she might have a enough money to buy a cheap car when he or she gets their drivers license. The goal of saving money for a car might encourage them to save even more money.

2. Show them how to manage money in their savings account. Have them write down on a piece of paper how much money they put in the savings account and minus any money that they took out from the savings account. This will help teach them the skills on how to manage a checking account in the future too.

3. Teach them the importance of goals. Have the teen write down a list of any certain items or special gifts that they would like to buy with their money and set a reasonable date for the goal to be accomplished by. This will help them feel better about saving money since they will have something to work toward. This will help them feel like they have accomplished something with their money by setting goals and accomplishing it.

4. Help the teen to figure out how much more that he or she would need in order to accomplish a certain goal. In order to do this you need to figure out how much money that need to put into their savings account each month in order to meet the goal. This is a learning experience for the teen since it is most likely their first savings account. You can write how much money that would need to save each month and then figure out how long it take for them to earn that amount of money.

5. Once he or she has mastered the process of being able to manage a savings account then when the teen gets a little older then you could open up a checking account for the teen. Most banks allow minors to open a checking account as long as an adult is also a signer on the checking account. A checking account will probably make the teen feel more grown up since it is more responsibility and a big step in preparing to be an adult person.

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By Nick Wingfield

Microsoft’s top brass took a pay haircut last year because of the weak economy, but one executive got a nice perk as part of his hiring by Microsoft, according to a company proxy filing with securities regulators.

That executive, Microsoft business division president Stephen Elop, received a whopping $4.1 million in relocation expenses for the fiscal year ended June 30. That amount included the usual travel, shipment of household goods and other costs, but it also reflected a deal Elop cut with Microsoft when he joined the company in January 2008 under which Microsoft agreed to purchase Elop’s former home in pricey Silicon Valley, where the executive was previously chief operating officer at Juniper Networks.

As part of the agreement, Microsoft agreed to purchase Elop’s old house at a price equal to the average of three independent appraisals if he couldn’t sell the place within an agreed upon time. If the average appraisal came in below what Elop originally paid for the house, adjusted for home improvements, Microsoft promised to pay Elop the difference. He got another sweetener in the form of a “tax gross up” from Microsoft–a reimbursement from the company on any individual income stemming from the real estate transaction.

Since the California real estate market tanked during that time, Microsoft ended up as the owner of Elop’s house, later selling it at a price “significantly below” Elop’s original purchase price, Microsoft said in its proxy. In addition to the $4.1 million Elop got last fiscal year in relocation expenses, the filing says he received a $1.2 million tax gross up.

Microsoft said in the filing that it also purchased and resold the former homes of its CFO Chris Liddell and COO Kevin Turner in previous years, though its expenses related to those transactions were significantly less than they were for Elop.

In their pay, Microsoft’s executives felt the sting of the weak economy, which was a big factor in the company’s first-ever decline in annual sales last fiscal year. All of its top executives saw drops in total direct compensation in fiscal 2009, mainly because of a decline in stock awards. COO Turner was the hardest hit, seeing a 37% decline to $8.6 million in total direct compensation in fiscal 2009 from $5.4 million the prior year. (Mr. Elop’s compensation rose between fiscal 2008 and 2009, but only because he joined Microsoft midway through fiscal 2008.)

In its filing, Microsoft said its “compensation decisions for fiscal year 2009 reflect the difficult economic environment, the impact of that environment on company financial performance, and the degree of success each executive officer achieved in meeting these challenges.”

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