all news

Mondo Mini Shows Web Originals - Shard At Work

2011-02-16T10:55:00.000-08:00

Dick Figures - Trouble Date

2011-02-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

Success

2011-02-16T10:33:00.000-08:00

Only after its internet debut in 2000, Happy Tree Friends became an unexpected success, getting over 15 million hits each month,^[2] and being shown in film festivals.^[3] In some countries, the episodes can be seen on television. They can be seen on the French, Dutch, German, Polish, Swedish, Filipino, Brazilian, Lithuanian, Japanese, Italian, Israeli, Indonesian, British, Australian, Mexican, Greek, and the Spanish TV channels, the Greek Mad Music Channel, channel C4 in New Zealand, the Russian 2×2 channel (though it was pulled from the station following a warning from a government group),^[4] the Canadian television channel Razer, the American television channel G4, the Czech musical channel Óčko, and on the Australian Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) network. The series has been reformed into its own show, rather than as a part of a compilation as before. Happy Tree Friends has also gained a collection of Audibles and an "IMVironment" for Yahoo!'s instant messenger. It is featured on many websites on which flash cartoons can be watched, such as YouTube, Atom Films, Purple Twinkie, Albino Black Sheep and the official Happy Tree Friends website. On select 2007 Ozzfests, some Happy Tree Friends episodes were shown on the big screen.^{[citation needed]}
Encouraged by the show's success, its creators have released four DVDs (First Blood, Second Serving, Third Strike and Winter Break) containing the episodes shown on the website and others that have not been released. A collection consisting of the first three DVDs and five bonus episodes, Overkill, has also been released. Two episodes, "Stealing the Spotlight" and "Ski Ya, Wouldn't Wanna Be Ya!", are only available in the Happy Tree Friends: Winter Break DVD.
Happy Tree Friends is currently one of the most downloaded iTunes podcasts and thousands of fan-made videos have appeared on YouTube.^[5]

history

2011-02-16T10:30:00.005-08:00

While working on Mondo Mini Shows, Rhode Montijo drew on a little piece of scrap paper a character who would later become Shifty. He then drew on a spreadsheet poster a yellow rabbit that bore some resemblance to Cuddles and wrote "Resistance is futile" underneath it. Rhode then hung the drawing up in his workstation so other people could see his idea, and eventually the idea was pitched to and accepted by the Mondo Media executives.^[1] In 1999, Mondo gave Aubrey Ankrum, Rhode Montijo and Kenn Navarro a chance to do a short for them. They came up with a short named Banjo Frenzy, which featured a blue dinosaur (an earlier version of Lumpy) killing three woodland animals, a rabbit, squirrel and beaver (earlier versions of Cuddles, Giggles and Toothy) with a banjo. From there, Mondo gave them their own internet series, which they named Happy Tree Friends. They got new writers and animators to work on the show.

Happy Tree Friends

2011-02-16T10:30:00.001-08:00

Happy Tree Friends is a Flash cartoon series by Mondo Mini Shows, created and developed by Aubrey Ankrum, Rhode Montijo, Kenn Navarro and Warren Graff. The show has become a popular Internet phenomenon since its debut and has also won a cult following.
As indicated on the official site, it is "not recommended for children under 10". Despite its childish appearance, the show is extremely violent, with every episode featuring blood, pain, and gruesome deaths. The portrayal of death in Happy Tree Friends is usually graphic and exaggerated, depicting bloodshed and dismemberment in a vivid manner. The episodes last from between 1 to 7 minutes.
The show is nearly free of dialogue, and when the characters do speak, it is mostly in gibberish. According to the website, the idea for Happy Tree Friends was conceived by Rhode Montijo when he drew a yellow rabbit slightly resembling the character Cuddles on a piece of paper and wrote "Resistance is futile" underneath it.

Personnages happy tree freind

2011-02-16T10:26:00.001-08:00

Cuddles (Calineur) : Il n'y a rien de plus doux que la fourrure de ce mignon lapin... Et malheureusement, ses poils finissent par voler dans tous les sens à la fin de chaque épisode avec Cuddles.Voix de Kenn Navarro
Giggles (Rigolade) : Timide et douce, la marque de fabrique de cette petite écureuil tamia est sa personnalité pétillante et ses petits gloussements. On voudrait la serrer très fort dans ses bras... à l'en étouffer!.Voix de Lori Jee
Handy (Manuel) : Il n'y a pas de travail impossible pour ce castor amputé des bras. Il est toujours prêt à donner un coup de moignon et vous prouvera que quand on veut, on peut.Voix de Warren Graff
Lumpy (Bossue) : Toujours à côté de la plaque, cet orignal bleu un peu bêta a beau être généreux, il est toujours maladroit.Voix de David Winn
Toothy (Denté) : La seule chose plus grande que la queue de ce castor à taches de rousseur est sa mâchoire. Il finit toujours par mordre plus qu'il ne peut mâcher.Voix de Warren Graff
Nutty (Foldingue) : Cet écureuil nerveux à l'œil fou se met toujours dans des situations vaseuse à cause de sa grande gourmandise pour les sucreries.Voix de Michael Lipman
Petunia : Cette mouffette à l'odeur douce ne lâchera jamais de pet odorant ; la présence de cette créature amicale ne vous fera jamais boucher votre nez. Elle a la délicatesse de porter un sapin désodorisant « Arbre Magique© » autour de son cou !Voix d'Ellen Connel
Sniffles (Renifleurs) : Ce fourmilier intello adore manger des fourmis, ce qui lui attire des ennuis à tous les coups.Voix de Liz Stewart
Splendid (Splendide) : Ce n'est pas un oiseau, ce n'est pas un avion, c'est un écureuil volant ! Ce héros des cieux est toujours prêt à porter secours. Ne mesurant pas la force de ses pouvoirs, il fait plus de mal que de bien !Voix de David Winn
Flaky (Floconneux) : Dès que la situation devient épineuse, ce porc-épic est sûr d'être loin, très loin...Voix de Nica Lorber
The Mole (La Taupe) : Gardez un œil sur cette taupe aveugle. Elle trouve le moyen de se sortir des situations les plus périlleuses. Elle a réellement un grain de beauté, en anglais « a mole ».
Disco Bear (L'Ours Disco) : Cet ours funky a l'âme charitable ! Toujours groovy, les ennuis arrivent quand il bouge.Voix de Peter Herrmann
Russell : Fermez les écoutilles quand ce vieux loup de mer vient à bord. Il a un bon crochet du droit !Voix de Francis Carr
Mime : Si les actions parlent plus que les mots, alors ce cerf silencieux est un grand bavard. Ses superbes mimes vous laisseront sans voix.Voix de Warren Graff (pour les rares sons audibles que Mime émet)
Lifty et Shifty (Débrouillard) : Frères ratons laveurs kleptomanes et maîtres de la remise à 5%, Lifty et Shifty voleraient votre cœur et vous le revendraient. Voix de Mark Gianbruno (Shifty) et de Kenn Navarro (Lifty)
Cro-Marmot (Cro-Marmotte) : C'est le premier personnage inanimé du dessin animé. Ce mammifère antique est gelé dans un bloc de glace et glisse sur les soucis.
Flippy (Disjoncté) : Cet ours vétéran de la guerre du Viêt Nam, psychologiquement instable, brûlera votre maison sans laisser de survivant... et sans le faire exprès.Voix de Kenn Navarro (état normal) et de Aubrey Aukrum (état meurtrier)
Pop (Papa) : Cet ours paternel nous apprend qu'il y a toujours une place pour l'incompétence dans la responsabilité parentale.Voix de Aubrey Aukrum
Cub (Ourson) : Innocent et mignon, Cub provoquera malheureusement des ennuis à son pauvre père Pop... Avant qu'ils ne retombent sur lui.Voix d'Ellen Connel
Buddhist Monkey (Le Singe Bouddhiste) : Quand il s'énerve, mieux vaut ne pas être là, car il s'énerve pour n'importe quoi.Voix de Jeff Biancalana

A l'occasion du dixieme anniversaire de la série le 1er mars 2010 ,les auteurs propose 3 nouveaux personnages pour la série Lammy (Laineuse) la brebis et Monsieur Pickels (Monsieur Cornichon) et Truffles (Groin) le cochon matelot. Ils proposent aussi un concours pour savoir le(s)quel(s) des personnages sera dans les prochains épisodes, et après le poisson d'avril du 1er avril (où ils ont dit qu'il n'y aura pas de personnage) les personnages qui seront dans les prochains épisodes sont Lammy (voix de Renée Mac Donald)et Monsieur Pickels.

Happy Tree Friends

2011-02-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

Happy Tree Friends est une série télévisée d'animation américaine créée par Kenn Navarro, Aubrey Ankrum et Rhode Montijo et diffusée depuis 2000 sur Internet et depuis le 2 octobre 2006 sur le réseau G4. En France, vingt épisodes ont été diffusés le 16 octobre 2007 sur Virgin 17.

What is the role of the army?

2011-02-15T16:50:00.001-08:00

Observers say the army has always been the key power in a highly fluid, opaque and dangerous situation - able either to shepherd Egypt towards a democratic future of free elections, or to uphold the status quo.
In contrast to the security police, it has pledged not to use violence to quell what have been near-universally peaceful protests.
This apparently neutrality has won it praise from other governments, concerned about the possibility of a bloody denouement of this crisis.
After the 10 February Supreme Military Council meeting, a military communique was issued appearing to back the protesters' demands, prompting a day of speculation of a military take-over.
It was therefore a shock to protesters when Mr Mubarak gave a state address some hours later not offering his resignation, but expressing more determination than ever to ride out the crisis.
Speculation then turned to the possibility of a split in the army, with an old guard backing the old order and younger officers more in harmony with the protesters.
The air force, whose aircraft have buzzed the protests' epicentre in Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square as a show of intimidating force, was believed to have remained loyal to the president, who was himself a military pilot and commander.

What caused the street clashes early on in the conflict?

Countrywide protests after Friday prayers on 28 January were met with typically repressive measures by the security police, but the determination and sheer numbers of protesters proved overwhelming.
Government tactics appeared to be in disarray. Security police melted away, and heavy military armour appeared on the streets to the cheers of protesters.
There followed several days of carnival-like protests centred on Cairo's Tahrir (Liberation) Square, effectively celebrations of the newfound freedom and mutual respect among protesters.
It culminated in the so-called "march of the million" on 1 February.
However, a more sinister atmosphere was emerging, as state media reported a wave of looting in Cairo, causing many people to set up armed neighbourhood watch groups to protect their homes.
Government loyalists also voiced frustration, especially with the media for giving too much prominence to the protests.
On 2 February, pro-Mubarak marchers tried to gain access to Tahrir Square and what had been a peaceful scene deteriorated into vicious stone- and petrol-bomb-throwing street battles.
Barricades were erected by the anti-Mubarak side and they appeared ready to dig in for a long occupation of the square until the president resigned.

Is this the long-awaited "Arab Spring"?

The consequences of Egypt's unrest could be great for other Arab countries and rulers. Democracy is a rare commodity in the region and several other governments could be sitting on similar political volcanoes.
What surprised many Egypt-watchers was the vehemence and cohesiveness of the first day of protests, which seemed to change the entire political landscape within a few hours.
Protests were seen in the second city, Alexandria, as well as in many large conurbations in the Nile Delta, Suez and Ismailiya. It is testimony to the resilience and tenacity of Mr Mubarak's rule that he was not swept immediately away like Mr Ben Ali.
Mr Mubarak's most influential Western ally, the US, has been caught in a serious bind. Should it live up to its professed desires for democracy or support the Egyptian president for fear of loss of influence and what might follow his overthrow?
It has been able to exert little influence beyond calling for an "orderly transition" at the earliest opportunity.
Other Arab autocrats offered Mr Mubarak support, but faced mass protests of their own.
After the initial flurry of imitative protests in Yemen, Jordan, Algeria and elsewhere, their rulers made hasty concessions. Meanwhile, their simmering populations awaited the outcome of the struggle in Egypt.

Q&A: Egyptian protests against Hosni Mubarak

2011-02-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

President Hosni Mubarak has resigned after nearly 30 years in power and 18 days of relentless pressure from street demonstrations demanding an end to his rule. Here is a guide to what is happening and why it matters for the rest of the world.

What prompted Mr Mubarak to step down?

Friday's announcement that Hosni Mubarak had handed control to the Supreme Military Council came as a surprise in one way, but in another way it was remarkable how long he had lasted.
"Game over" was the message from the streets, and protesters were adamant that they would not go home until he left office.
But the government hung on, offering various concessions and deploying various tactics to intimidate the pro-democracy crowds, but they only became more numerous and more passionate.
It seemed as though the game was up on Thursday, when the army council met without a senior government figure in the chair.
But the president came back with one last throw of the dice - in a state address on TV reiterating his position.
This enraged the expectant multitude in Cairo's Tahrir Square and around the country, and their zeal perhaps was the final message that the game was finally over.

How did it all start?

Egypt has long been known as a centre of stability in a volatile region, but that masked malignant problems which erupted in popular demonstrations against the 30-year rule of Hosni Mubarak on 25 and 28 January.
His National Democratic Party (NDP) monopolised political power through a mixture of constitutional manipulation, repression and rigged elections, cronyism, and the backing of powerful foreign allies.
The main drivers of the unrest have been poverty, rising prices, social exclusion, anger over corruption and personal enrichment among the political elite, and a demographic bulge of young people unable to find work.
The catalyst was fellow Arabs in Tunisia successfully overthrowing their autocratic ruler, Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, with a popular uprising on 14 January.
Popular anger was fuelled by dozens of deaths at the hands of the security forces, while protesters' voices have been heard thanks to social media and the presence of independent news broadcasters at the scene.
Their rallying cries were "The people want the fall of the regime", "Mubarak, go", and "Illegitimate, illegitimate".

Why does it matter?

Egypt is by far the most populous Arab country and what happens there carries great political weight around the world, especially the Middle East.
Cairo's relationship with Washington is underpinned by a peace treaty with Israel, agreed in the late-1970s after four Arab-Israeli wars in which Egypt was standard-bearer of the Arab cause.
Hosni Mubarak's autocracy, and billions of dollars of US military aid, permitted him a free hand to engage with Israeli governments, unhindered by deep public concern about Israel's military and political handling of the Palestinians and Lebanon.
The realities of democratic politics could bring about a recasting of those relationships; hence the apprehensiveness of Israelis and Americans as they follow events.
There are also major economic implications, as Egyptian industry and the valuable tourism sector have been paralysed by the political unrest. Oil prices have risen amid fears of unrest affecting traffic through the Suez Canal and, in the long term, of a wider regional crisis.

Who are the anti-government protesters?

The protests have included people from all sectors of society, but at the forefront have been young, tech-savvy Egyptians who have never known another ruler of their country.
There is no single figurehead or unified leadership, although a number of opposition political figures and groupings are taking part.
They include the UN former nuclear agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei and Ayman Nour, a lawyer and leader of the Ghad party, who was jailed after contesting the 2005 presidential election.
The Muslim Brotherhood, officially banned but still Egypt's only large-scale organised opposition movement, has also joined the protests.
Although the Muslim Brotherhood is signed up to democratic reform and has renounced violence, fears of a swift post-Mubarak lurch towards Islamist rule is the main worry for Western powers and Israel.
A "Council of Wise Men" has been formed, including prominent businessmen, lawyers and academics, who see dialogue with the government as the way out of the crisis.

What was the government's initial response?

Hosni Mubarak made concession after concession hoping to appease public and international opinion, but his refusal to step down immediately made the protests more vociferous.
His main gambit was to appoint a new vice-president, in the shape of Omar Suleiman, the shadowy head of Egypt's intelligence service, and to cede some powers to him.
He has also confirmed he would not stand for re-election, and nor would his son Gamal, who for years was apparently being lined up as a successor to his father.
Although talks took place between Mr Suleiman and opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood despite its official ban, they quickly hit an impasse.
The government insisted that the street protests should end immediately and life return to normal, while the protesters believed that pressure must be kept up to ensure any reforms are not purely cosmetic.
As the protests entered their third week, the authorities changed tone somewhat, describing protesters as honourable people with honourable aspirations, rather than wayward youths.
The government's moves were dismissed by most opponents as a ploy to hang onto exclusive power.
Protesters were especially unhappy about the prospects of a President Suleiman. Not only is he linked to the alleged detention and torture of government opponents, but he is also Egypt's main go-between with Israel.
Both president and his deputy have been branded by protesters as "agents", acting in US and Israeli interests rather than those of Egyptians.
It is too early to tell whether they will accept Defence Minister Mohamed Hussein Tantawi as interim de-facto leader, or if Mr Suleiman will have a role in the new set-up.

What's Going On In Egypt?

2011-02-15T16:45:00.000-08:00

After days of protest, Egypt's civil unrest came to a head today, with protestors defying curfews as the nation's military entered the streets. If you're new to the story, here's what's going on.
Protests started on Tuesday, January 25, when -- inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia -- thousands of people began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for thirty years. These were the first protests on such a large scale to be seen in Egypt since the 1970s. The government responded by blocking Twitter, which was being used by organizers to coordinate protests.
Blocking Twitter not only enraged Egyptian citizens; it also brought increased national attention to the uprising. Over the course of the next two days, Egypt proceeded to block Facebook while the much-hated riot police took to the streets, arresting and injuring hundreds with batons, tear gas water cannons. Protests occurred not only in Cairo, the capital, but also in Alexandria and Suez, two other major cities.
On Thursday as the protests continued to rage throughout the country, Nobel Laureate and former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohamed ElBaradei (ehl-BEHR'-uh-day), returned to Egypt from Vienna, declaring that he was ready to lead the protests. Often thought of as a potential Egyptian leader should Mubarak lose power, ElBaradei is a strong opposition force.
Additionally, the Muslim Brotherhood, long a fierce opponent of the Mubarak regime and officially banned in Egypt, threw their weight behind the protestors, many of whom are young, tech-savvy Egyptians, reports the New York Times. Two-thirds of Egypt's population has never known a leader other than Mubarak.
The largest protests were planned for Friday, at which point the government took the unprecedented step of blocking all Internet services in the country. With Twitter and Facebook already down, email other social networking outlets fell as well. Text messaging was also blocked. Protestors and journalists began finding alternate means of getting online and pushing out information.
During the day, the military was called in to take over security, a move that was welcomed by the protestors. Most Egyptians are reported to hold the armed services in higher regard than the police. The U.S announced that due to the ongoing protests, the Obama administration would be reviewing the substantial aid, both military and non-military, provided to Egypt. (Egypt is the second-largest recipient of U.S. aid -- most of it military -- right behind Israel.)