Tubeblogger - Digital Media - Tips and News

What's Good About the New YouTube Design?

2012-01-24T10:30:00.000-08:00

With the announcement of the new $100 million strategy to incorporate original design and content, YouTube has planned an intensive six week schedule to enhance the user experience. Owned by Google, YouTube's new design will see many transformations and benefits caused by Google's far reaching influence in the virtual world.

One of the most striking features of the new YouTube is the bold and futuristic look. Designed aesthetically to reflect a sharper UXDriven website, the new look of YouTube is pleasant and sophisticated. The Channels 3.5 design is simple and easy to navigate.

In the new and improved YouTube design, advertising on channels is more organized and well thought out. The flexible designing to place advertising allows the channel user to customize and create user flows and layouts that effective rather than the previous practice of randomly placing uploads and playlists. The new decision divides the YouTube UI in three or more environments. This tabbed browsing quality includes different environments like Videos, Feed, Custom and Featured. Making the UI more simplistic, the new design is compartmentalized to feature different types of content.

Another positive addition to the new design of YouTube is the integration of Google+. Although this change does not directly add to the features of the website, YouTube's reach will expand further with the addition of other Google ventures. The addition of the Google Search Plus Your World will make YouTube more powerful and accessible than before. Google's power on paid and organic searches will take YouTube to newer levels of visibility.

Marketers prefer to invest in websites that are capable of monitoring the viewers to detect patterns and make advertising more effective. Realizing the importance of analytics, YouTube followed the footsteps of Facebook Insights and Google Analytics to introduce the YouTube Analytics. This platform is robust and is accompanied by new metrics to monitor the website for demographics, views, comments, shares and measure Likes, Dislikes and playbacks.

Author Bio: Annabelle is a writer by profession and likes to blog about her varied interests. She represents Airsoft Gun and BB gun online store.

Is Pawn Stars Real or Fake?

2012-01-23T14:10:00.001-08:00

Although many recently reality shows have been discovered as being fake, the presence of these so called "reality" shows are not going anywhere. This History Channel's most popular program has often been called fake. Pawn Stars is viewed world wide and talked about across the globe. A small pawn shop in Las Vegas keeps it's television viewers entertained with countless historic items coming through the doors. But is Pawn Stars for real? A real person from the show speaks out on his YouTube channel in this video.

Five Technologies It’s Time To Let Go Of

2012-01-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

Technology marches on at such an impressive pace that we've had little time to mourn those inventions of the last fifty years that are no longer with us. The disappearance of such pieces of live-fast, die-young tech as the Dial-Up Modem seems especially odd when you consider that some entirely dated technology has held on to our affections for ages. Here are five technologies, some older than others, that we really should have euthanised by now.
Vinyl

There’s a pretty good chance that if you’re still harping on about vinyl, there are few other things you need to let go of. These things may include: your hair, the notion that teenagers are going to start playing on your recently cut lawn, your recently divorced wife of thirty years and all hope that Prog Rock is, and ever was, listenable.
You may even only have a physical age of twenty five, but your love of analog has aged you irrevocably. Completely unable to discern the ‘warmth’ of analog recordings, it’s only logical for me to conclude that, given your age and your regular consumption of music, you simply have Tinnitus.
Wristwatches

Wristwatches are still valid as an accessory, but as technology? Ok, so reaching into your pockets to grab whatever clock-possessing tech you have on your person is a little like returning to the days of the pocket watch. But it’s not like we’re in the trenches of the Somme: it’s time we can spare.
And no, I’m not saying that people should be throwing their timepieces into the fires of the Swiss Mount Doom from whence they were forged. It’s just that there are people out there, who genuinely believe that wristwatches are necessary, as opposed to being yet another way for them to preen and flash their wealth in your plebeian face.
Landline Telephones

Doomsayers tend to forecast the death of any technology that is incorporated into our mobile phones with great enthusiasm. This seems kind of ironic considering that after decades of mobile-phone usage, the landline still isn’t dead. Nevertheless, everyone under the age of sixty could live without their landlines, were it not for the inflated prices you have to pay to phone anyone you don’t particularly want to phone. Depending on where you live, you can get round this and live without your landline already: toll-free numbers are free to call via Skype. You know, as they say they should be.
Traditional Photography

Subject to precisely the same sentimental nonsense as vinyl, traditional photography is meaninglessly touted as somehow ‘more authentic’. Typical digital cameras on the market nowadays match the resolution of film with less noise and grain. And you don’t get more ‘what you see is what you get’ than the digital experience either.
Sure, film has complex benefits over digital. But if you’re not a high-tier professional, preaching about them is a kind of Clear Blue for pretentiousness. And the snobbery that goes with that impression is justifiably detected: the beauty of digital is that it opens photography to those who don’t have to make every single shot count. Today’s photographers can learn on the job without having to spend prohibitive amounts of money on film and on developing their pictures. Typical digital camera prices allow absolutely everyone to get in on the fun. The easy portability of image data even means that everybody can choose to ignore your holiday snaps via email, Facebook, Flickr and all kinds of avenues.
Games Consoles

Whipping up a little drama in the gaming industry is a little difficult these days. Claiming anything is dead or dying and trying to sound especially original is impossible. Right now, smartphones are pushing a pillow into the face of handheld gaming whilst their own pricing and lack of innovation are considered symptoms of a coming implosion. Then there’s the PC, which has been slowly throttled by the home games console for over a decade.
And even games consoles are endangered technology. Seven generations of consoles have established a fairly predictable five-year cycle of innovation that has suddenly been broken. The technology behind the consoles is simply getting too expensive: Sony’s Playstation 3 has taken nearly five years to dip below £200 in the UK, whereas its predecessor took less than two years to reach that price point.
And what would the console manufacturers even do with a new generation? Nintendo’s Wii-U, which is apparently controlled by a fisher-price tablet computer looks an especially desperate attempt to answer that question. Games developers too also seem reluctant to step forward, production costs being as inflated as they are. Even consumer enthusiasm for the next big thing cannot be depended on: graphics are now subject to a law of diminishing returns that will mean that whatever these companies come up with next, we’ll shrug it off and barely recognise the difference in fidelity.
Something’s got to give. Cloud gaming services like Onlive mean that the platform you use is, in theory, irrelevant. Perhaps we’re headed to a future where games consoles are like any other entertainment player: a badged unit built around shared, standardised technology. Meanwhile the march of the consoles towards being fully featured PCs will be complete, and both platforms will die in the collision.

Author Bio: Steph Wood likes to stay ahead of the tech game and writes content for electronics retailer Comet, who sell a cheap iPad 2 in the UK market.

The Techniques of Infomercials and Why They Work

2012-01-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

In the brand management and marketing industry the idea of an infomercial is largely frowned upon. This is understandably so due to the overly enthusiastic infomercial presenter, annoying catchphrases, and obscure products present in all infomercials. However, despite this apparent repulsion infomercials do exceptionally well in this modern environment of advanced branding and marketing techniques despite the ongoing development of digital platforms and social media. Surprisingly, figures show that infomercial advertising brings in over £91 billion of revenue each year so it’s quite clear that something is working. But of course we know that, as we all have some infomercial product stashed away at the back of our kitchen cupboard and have at least once been glued to the infomercial television screen.

The Negative Perception of Infomercials

First of all, let’s have a look at why infomercials have such a bad reputation amongst branding and marketing officers. The look and feel of infomercial advertising with the eager salesman and testimonials seem a bit downmarket. Thus for many brands that rely on the ‘cool’ factor or have an upmarket brand image, infomercials could tarnish the brand. Also, brand advertisers simply believe that infomercial videos simply do not work. With the advanced marketing techniques and high budgets of campaigns today, it is commonly believed that something that simple cannot be effective. Finally, TV infomercials run against the grain of advertising in general and therefore against all the knowledge of an advertiser.

Advantages and Techniques of Infomercials

Now let’s look at the advantages of an infomercial and what techniques make the infomercial products sell. The most obvious advantage is production costs; an infomercial costs about a quarter less than most regular television ads. Second of all, because of the length of infomercials, the advert acts as a self-contained unit or presentation. Thus if you have a product with a specific function that sets it apart from competitor products, that cannot be fully explained in a slogan or in small print, infomercials will fully explain, answer any questions of doubt a viewer may have, and then re-explain the infomercial product. Just have a look at this example for fitness equipment, the 'Standing Ab' machine. Believe it or not, infomercials are engaging and convincing and if done properly, converts into sales. But wait, there’s more!

Neuro-linguistic Programming

The addictive quality that some television infomercials seem to possess can be accounted to a very specific technique used by infomercial producers, namely neuro-linguistic programming. Neuro-linguistic programming refers to a specific take on communication, personal development and psychotherapy that was developed in the seventies. It states that there is a connection between neurological processes and language in certain patterns of behaviours that have been learnt through experience. Although not supported by scientific evidence, its application was made popular by Tony Robbins, a self help guru, motivational speaker and infomercial expert. Whether or not the psychotherapy behind infomercials is correct or not, there’s no doubt that the infomercial’s call to action phrases get viewers dialling

Author Bio: Penny Munroe is an avid writer in the branding and marketing techniques used to sell products and services. After being persuaded into buying a steam mop and steam cleaning machines on an informercial, Munroe decided to look into why infomercials are so convincing, even though most of us are so repelled by them.

Doh! Potential Compensation Claims for Characters in ‘The Simpsons’

2012-01-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

The Simpsons is a widely adored television cartoon and as such, many people can recall classic moments and character quotes from the show with great ease. As someone who works within the industry of compensation claims, just some of the scenes that stick in my own mind include Bart trying to sue Krusty the Clown for appendicitis caused by ingesting a jagged metal Krusty-O (‘Round Springfield’, season 6, episode 22) and Mr Burns for hitting him with his car (‘Bart Gets Hit by a Car’, season 2, episode 10), Homer seeking compensation for being kicked out of an all-you-can-eat restaurant after eating too much (‘New Kid on the Block’, season 4, episode 8) and Marge wondering if she should sue Mr Burns for unfair dismissal from her short-lived job at the power plant (‘Marge Gets a Job’, season 4, episode 7).
I am however, surprised that there have not been more narratives in The Simpsons which explore claims for recompense since the potential for such is vast. Let’s take a look at just a few examples of where additional compensation claims could be made by characters in the show...

Ralph Wiggum: Excessive Paste Consumption

The problem:
The “special” child in the third grade of Springfield Elementary Ralph Wiggum has a penchant for eating paste which should actually be used for crafting activities during classes (‘I love Lisa’, season 4, episode 15, for example). Such a habit could cause major digestive problems in the long run for Ralph and this could force the boy to have time off from school and his father – Police Chief Wiggum – to take time off from his job, leading to a loss of earnings.
Who would be liable?
Schools across the United Sates are expected to purchase non-toxic glue for their students to use but considering how tight the budget for Springfield Elementary is (sneaking into an American Historical Battle re-enactment spot because the school can’t afford tickets for the students, anyone? – ‘The PTA Disbands’ Season 6, episode 21) due to underfunding it would not be shocking if the paste chosen by Principle Skinner was not safe for children.
If the purchased glue is up to the expected safety standards than Ralph would have no one but himself to blame should he become ill due to his habit.

Homer Simpson: Radiation Poisoning

The problem:
Nuclear power has the, er, power to cause all kinds of medical problems and genetic mutations – just look at the three-eyed species of fish Blinky! Since Homer has worked at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant for more than 20 years (in viewer time) it is hardly any wonder that all of his hair has fallen out and that his IQ apparently drops further as each day passes.
Who would be liable?
Arguably, as the employer and owner of the plant, Mr Burns would be to blame for any radiation-related medical problems that Homer might have. This explains why Mr Burns gave Homer a phoney award (the “First Annual Montgomery Burns Award For Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Excellence”) and a cash bribe of $2,000 when a routine health check at work revealed he had become sterile due to radiation poisoning (‘Brother Can You Spare Two Dimes?’, season 3, episode 24). Burns’ sneakily got Homer to sign a legal waiver denying the plant’s responsibility and therefore Homer of any accident at work compensation that he might deserve.
The fact that Homer is the power plant’s safety inspector could also stop any claims being unsuccessful as – arguably – he should have taken more significant steps to reduce the risk of radiation exposure for all of the plant’s employees.

Dr Nick Riviera: Medical Negligence

The problem:
Inept quack physician Dr Nick Riviera has apparently avoided being sued by any of his patients for medical negligence to date but this is somewhat miraculous. In ‘Homer’s Triple Bypass’ (season 4, episode 11), it is implied that Nick’s “old friend” Mr. McGregg – who has “a leg for an arm and an arm for a leg” – does so due to Nick’s incompetence. Dr Nick has also been seen digging up bodies for organs in Springfield Cemetery (‘The Girl Who Slept Too Little’, season 17, episode 2), presumably for use in his unwell patients.
Who would be liable?
Dr Nick would be held responsible for damage caused by his unqualified medical work, as would any practise that mistakenly hired him as a certified doctor (some of the certificates in his office in ‘Bart Gets Hit By a Car’ (season 2, episode 10) read “Club Med School”, “Female Body Inspector” and “I went to medical school for four years and all I got was this lousy diploma” indicating that he is a complete fake).
Local governments usually work very hard to protect practising doctors from claims for compensation but unfortunate patients of Dr. Nick would surely be entitled to a huge payout.

Troy McClure: ‘Fishy’ Abuse

The problem:
In ‘A Fish Called Selma’ (season 7, episode 19) it is revealed that washed-up movie actor Troy McClure has a fetish for doing less than savoury things with fish – one of the main reasons cited for his “career” forever being on the rocks. Troy’s self-described “sexual abnormality” left him quite unpopular with the folk down at the Springfield Aquarium who would no doubt sue should they once again catch the 1970s star engaging in unspeakable acts with their collection of ocean friends.
Who would be liable?
Obviously Troy would be responsible for anything that he does to the aquarium’s fish but he could perhaps claim he was in a state of “temporary madness” as a result of his weird obsession and thus; perhaps reduce the amount of compensation that he would be ordered to give to the venue and its owners.
Troy might also have to pay for damages related to any films in which he was due to star before the ‘fishy’ story hit the headlines, ruining their chances of success and the profit margins of Hollywood studios.

The author of this guest post – Kat Middleton – is employed as a specialist car accident compensation lawyer.

Weird Japanese Toys

2012-01-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

Image Credit
The Japanese are rather ingenious when it comes to toys, creating objects ranging from the weird to the wonderful. Some of these creations are highly desirable, while others strike people in the West as just strange. Here are some toys you may or not wish were nestling in your stockings next Christmas.

The Robot Butterfly

Now this one definitely comes under the heading ‘cool’. Any budding lepidopterist would be thrilled to have one of these robotic butterflies fluttering in a jar in their home and there is no need to fret about the oxygen running out. Beautifully designed, this toy represents a wonderful combination of nature and machine.

Belching Coin Munching Face Bank

Eerily resembling the Face of Boe from Doctor Who, this rather stomach-turning gurning coin gobbler devours cash with the gusto of the tax man. Genuinely creepy and clearly without manners, why anyone would want one of these monstrous mush-slabs chomping down on their money is beyond any rational person, but luckily there are queues of nutty consumers waiting to feed these freaky face banks their pennies.

Marshmallow Robot Gets Its Groove On

Mr Blobby meets John Travolta in the chubby form of this Japanese dancing robot with dance choreography straight from a Timberlake video. OK, so its moves are more like those of your mad uncle who dances at family parties after a cocktail too many, but it would still be fun to have next to your stereo until the novelty wore off after a song or two.

Green Slime Pig

It’s a common feeling. You’re walking the toy aisles being met by loads of run-of-the-mill action figurines, but what you’re really after is a pig made from ectoplasm that regains its shape from a disgusting splat once thrown against a hard surface. Luckily, this elderly gentleman stumbled across a Japanese guy who sold him this rather freaky oinker fashioned from what looks like atomic gloop.

Sticky Blinking Eyeballs

They’ve got their eyes on you. Who wouldn’t want to be stared at by these huge blinking eyeballs? Anybody with the slightest shred of sanity, that’s who. Can you imagine getting dressed in front of those spying blinkers? Obviously designed to be fun, these unsettling orbs are just plain odd, but it would be a laugh to leave them in unsuspecting victims’ bedrooms. What will they come up with next?

Chomping Snake Finger Trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcih16EIzJo
They came up with this. Certain to scare the living daylights out of young users, this snake- like contraption securely fastens itself to the victim’s finger and bites down hard. Modelled on the finger traps once used to terrify people, this bizarre toy slithers along the fine line between torture and entertainment. Every home should have one.

Potty Training Dog Toy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfrBnRVzwAs&feature=related
Designed to help toddlers understand the need to get their toilet deposits properly dumped and flushed, this cute dog toy drops the kids off at the pool when placed on the toilet seat, which just leaves the child to hit the handle and flush the poop away. Be sure to inform children that singing boisterously after relieving themselves is optional and is in fact frowned upon in some countries.

Chuckling Poop Toy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4FPJjIbC_8
The natural progression from the example above, this giggling pile of poo is modelled on the jovial waste deposits which feature in the Japanese Dr Slump Manga cartoons. More traditional toy buyers may wish to stay with Disney. When exactly did poop become fun? Either way, most toy collectors in the West would view this vibrating chuckler as nothing more than a piece of crap.

This collection of toys has been brought to you by Alton Towers Breaks, providers of short stay hotel accommodation and tickets to Alton Towers.

5 Infamous Celebrity Tax Evasion Cases of 2011

2012-01-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

Infamous 2011 Tax Evasion Cases

From Al Capone to Martha Stewart, many a famous names have got themselves into trouble with the tax authorities over the years. It seems sometimes that tax evasion is almost a second career for some celebrities, many of whom have been caught, shamed and even imprisoned over the years. With today's tough economic circumstances turning the spotlight on those who fail to pay their way, the past year hasn't been a good one for tax evaders. Here are five infamous cases from 2011:

1) The Osbournes

It was reported back in spring 2011 that this celebrity family had got themselves into a spot of bother with the US tax authorities. First, it emerged that daughter Kelly Osbourne owed the state of California over $30,000 in back taxes. The following week her parents Ozzy and Sharon were in the media, owing a much more substantial sum than their daughter. The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had placed a lien, or security, on their home, saying the pair owed them a total of $1.7m in missing taxes.

2) Douglas Bruce

You may not have heard of him (and he's certainly not as famous as the Osbournes!), but Douglas Bruce's tax evasion case deserves a mention because of his history of anti-tax campaigning. Bruce is a Colorado politician who has long been despised by those who disagreed with his extreme 'small government' stance. He brought Colorado's infamous 'Taxpayer Bill of Rights' into law during the 1990s, until it was suspended in 2005 due to a severe decline in the state's public services. Bruce's enemies may not be surprised to learn that he has personally helped contribute further to that decline with four counts of tax evasion, for which he was arrested in May 2011

3) Ja Rule

The well known American singer got into trouble with the law for tax evasion in 2011, although he was already well on the wrong side of it. On top of his 2 year sentence for a weapons charge, given in June, he was sentenced in July to 28 months for tax evasion. He owed the IRS a total of $1.1m.

4) The Julius Baer Cases

Swiss bank Julius Baer has, according to former employee Rudolf Elmer, been operating for many years as a 'safe haven' for wealthy tax evaders. Elmer worked for the bank for 20 years before retiring in 2002. In January, Elmer handed documents to the authorities that he said contained details of the tax evasion. Julius Baer refuted his claims, but the IRS arrested two of their advisers in October for conspiring in $600 bn worth of tax evasion.

5) Ai Weiwei

The Chinese artist, who created an installation in London's Tate Modern gallery in 2010, was hit with tax evasion charges in 2011. In April, he was detained by the Chinese authorities for 81 days. His supporters managed to raise enough to pay an £820,000 bond to have him released so that he could appeal. Weiwei is one of the Chinese government's most notorious critics.

This article was written by a leading outsource payroll provider

Movies That Destroy Cars: Stunts Cars at Stunning Costs

2012-01-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

It seems that every year movies have to one-up the previous generations by spending more money, producing better graphics, or performing more outrageous stunts. Some of these stunts require LOTS of money and LOTS of cars to deliver the bad-ass car chases, explosions, and pileups scenes that you love.

1) Casino Royale 3 Cars

James Bond set the standard for action movies and car chases and still continues today. During the movie, three Aston Martins were destroyed with a value of $300k each. That means the cost for the cars alone was almost $1 million.

2) Blues Brothers

Blues Brothers is a classic movie that has one of the best police car pile-ups ever. In order to create these types of scenes, they wrecked a record amount of cars, 103 to be exact, in the film. In the 1998 film the Blues Brothers, the new movie had to one-up the old one by beating the record with 104.

3) Smokey and the Bandit

Image credit
Another classic movie with great car chase scenes weaving in and out of 18 wheelers and faking funerals to block the cops. In total, the movie crashed five cars in the film including the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am “Special Edition” and the Pontiac LeMans which were donated by Pontiac.

4) Gone in 60 Seconds

Gone in 60 seconds is another one of those great fast car, ultimate heist, and intense-action kind of movies. During a 34 minute car chase scene, the movie crashed or destroyed 93 cars in total.

5) Starsky and Hutch

Inspired by an action-packed show from the 1970s, Starsky and Hutch the movie used about ten 1975-76 Ford Gran Torinos in its production.

Image credit

6) GI Joe

As any boy growing up with GI Joe action figures, this movie is a must see action flick for the graphics and action alone. The movie ended up wrecking over 112 cars which broke the Blues Brothers previous record of 104.

7) Dukes of Hazzard

Dukes of Hazzard is another classic show started in the 70s that turns into a movie decades later. The movie destroyed about 30 cars in total while the show destroyed over 300 during the entire life of the show.

8) Fast and the Furious

Of course a movie dedicated to awesome cars and fast racing is going to require a lot of cars for production. Built in Southern California's San Fernando Valley, there were about 240 cars built for the film.

9) The Matrix Reloaded

The matrix series captivated the imaginations and hearts of many viewers for both the mind-blowing story lines and the action. GM is rumored to have donated 300 cars for the production of the movie and all 300 were destroyed by the end.

10) Transformers Dark of the Moon

Year after year somebody has to come and break some record! In the third transformer movie released in September of 2011, the movie broke the record once again for the most cars destroyed at 532.

There are many more movies with great and radical car scenes that aren’t on the list. Feel free to share other great car scenes and movies with amazing car stunts.

This list was put together with the help of Vroom Vroom Vroom.

Top 5 talking animal YouTubes

2012-01-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

In the great maze that is YouTube, there’s always a theme that can make everyone laugh: talking animal videos. Don’t believe me? Try to think of a clip of a dog having a conversation that did not make you laugh. It’s the absurdity that makes these clips great. On a long boring Monday morning when you need to beat the blues, put on some headphones and curl into the corner of your cubicle to watch these Top 5 talking animal YouTubes.

Ultimate Dog Tease

This dog cannot handle hearing about all his foodie dreams get passed on to other people…especially the house cat.

“I love you” dog

Dogs are supposed to be man’s best friend. So it’s nice when they can say “I love you” back.

Cat Turf War

I wouldn’t cross into this cat’s territory either.

Lemur Discussing Quantum Physics

It’s always nice to be taught science lessons by an endangered lemur.

Ghetto Deer
(Warning: Some ghetto cursing! =D)
This deer shows the other animals who runs the neighborhood. The baby deer isn’t going to get any dates for awhile.

Author Bio: Terry Carter loves using YouTube as the occasional work distraction. She writes about a variety of topics online, including Demon Herbal Incense.

Contemporary Art in the 21st Century

2012-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

For millennia, art has been a staple form of expression for billions of people throughout the ages. Some prefer to sit back and admire the creations of others, whilst some want to be in the driving seat, creating artwork as much as time will allow. Whilst creativity can be stifled for some, for others, it comes as naturally as a baby taking to water.
Art itself has constantly changed form, often dictated through what is most popular at the time. Contemporary art today is so diverse, taking hundreds of different forms from abstract to impressionist. One thing that has stayed constant throughout the past few decades is that it is widely collected by keen art enthusiasts.

The definition of contemporary art
"Contemporary art" as a phrase could be defined as art which is produced at this present moment. Alternatively, it can be described as art which has been created since World War II. The definition of the actual word "contemporary" would support the view that it's art created in the present. But museums of contemporary art often define their contemporary art collections as consisting of art which has been produced since World War II.
Contemporary art itself continues to challenge the concept of how art is described. This is because 'fine art' used to describe traditional art, but there is now an influx of modern fine art. It is becoming increasingly difficult to put art in a 'box' to categorise it.

Contemporary artists today
There are many artists alive today creating beautiful fine art, such as Fabian Perez and Jack Vettriano. Their art portrays the female figure in particular, in romantic and atmospheric scenes. Their art has remained incredibly popular throughout the noughties, collected by many art collectors and sold for high prices. To be a living artist and still sell your art so widely (and for big prices) is a great achievement.
There's also a big collection of artists alive today, which carry the 'definition' of a contemporary artist, creating very modern art which doesn't conform to how 'fine art' is usually described. Such artists include the likes of Alexander Millar and Doug Hyde, who paint wonderful pieces depicting large, bold characters.
The emotion stirred by these kind of painting is just a rich as you might find from looking at a piece of fine art. These contemporary artists have mastered how to depict characters in such a way that you feel great fondness for them. Doug Hyde paints bold, larger than life faces and animal faces, yet in a soft and gentle way. You can't help but feel great admiration for the way this is done. Similarly, Alexander Millar fills the canvas with a character or two, but they are always in amusing or touching situations.
Contemporary art is far too fluid to be defined properly, and in this new century, it's likely that art will not be segmented in such a way as it has been in the 20th century.

The Enid Hutt Gallery is a Scottish Art Gallery selling art by hundreds of contemporary artists such as Doug Hyde. This includes canvas prints, wall decor and sculptures by modern artists.

Why is the Movie Never as Good as the Book?

2012-01-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

It's pretty much agreed that movies based on a book are never as good at their literary counterparts. There will always be somebody who disagrees with each comparison, but the vast majority of people who have read a book and watched the film will prefer the book. So why is this the case? Let's look at two of the most popular series of books and movies to find out...

Harry Potter

Let's start with the highest grossing book/movie series ever. Of course I'm talking about Harry Potter. JK Rowling's creation captured the imaginations of children and adults alike, breaking all of the world records you could throw at it. From 'The Sorcerer's Stone' to 'The Deathly Hallows', the Harry Potter series experienced unprecedented success, thus came the movie tie-in...
The first Harry Potter movie came in 2001, after the release of the fourth book, 'The Goblet Of Fire'. The general consensus seemed to be that it was good; as far as films go it was well worth watching. However, it still wasn't a patch on the book, as has been the case with the 7 subsequent films.

Lord of The Rings

Another hugely popular book/movie series, The Lord Of The Rings, experienced a slightly different reception. The books had always been relatively popular for a long time, but there wasn't anywhere near the same level of fandom as the Harry Potter books, until the movie arrived. In the case of Harry Potter, most people would read the book then watch the film, or just watch the film. In the case of Lord of The Rings, people were watching the films, then deciding to read the books.
In the case of Lord of The Rings, the movies received far less criticism, as to many people the films were their first introduction to the series. This could have had a major impact on how the films were received. For example, when a song is covered by a different artist, most people who like the original will hate the cover. Once we have an idea of how something should look or sound, we don't like having to change that idea to a different interpretation.

Your Interpretation Vs The Director's

Reading a book allows you to interpret everything however you like. You're given a verbal description of something, and it's down to you to build an idea of how everything looks and sounds in your own head. When a movie comes along you're forced to accept the director's interpretation of those ideas, which can be completely different to yours. The world you have created in your head is destroyed and replaced with someone else's idea which you're forced to accept if you want to watch the film.
Perhaps the books are regularly regarded as being better than the movie simply because the books are read first. It's rare that there is a major book released that is based on a movie, it is generally the other way round. This means that when the book is released, and well received, there is nothing to compare it to. However, when the film is then released it will inevitably be compared with the book, and any areas where it falls short, or anything that is left out, are far more noticeable. The film wouldn't be criticised for these (generally unimportant) issues if it weren't for the expectations placed upon it from the book.

Is Reading Just More Enjoyable?

To many people, reading could simply be more enjoyable than watching a movie. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix takes the average reader 24 hours to read, and has received over 55 million sales. The movie, however, lasts for just 2 hours, yet many still find this too long. The fact that so many people are happy to spend 24 hours reading the book, yet struggle to sit through a film for more than 2 hours shows just how much some people prefer reading.

Vision Boutique is the UK specialist in reading glasses, including ready readers and sun readers.

Film Reboots - Breathing New Life?

2012-01-13T17:00:00.000-08:00

There have been many reboots of film franchises through the years, some highly successful, some laughably wide of the mark. Nevertheless, film studios repeatedly re-imagine film franchises, mainly because they know an established audience is ready and waiting to buy a ticket and watch favourite characters and familiar stories on the big screen. Are film reboots creatively lazy and blatant exercises in money-grabbing? Sometimes, yes, but occasionally the studios get them right.

A Reboot on Target: James Bond and Casino Royale
Image Credit
Have you seen the original 1967 film version of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel Casino Royale starring David Niven as 007? Recovered yet from the indulgent mess? Martin Campbell’s 2006 version of Casino Royale was an excellent reboot of the James Bond franchise, which had become extremely tired and whimsical, relying on outlandish gadgets and transport to barely keep it remotely entertaining.
Daniel Craig breathed new life into the famous British Secret Service agent and fans were given a back story revealing how the cold hearted womaniser was turned into a near alcoholic licensed killer by the death of his first true love Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). Grittier and more realistic than other instalments, Casino Royale was followed by a lacklustre sequel Quantum of Solace. Let’s hope Sam Mendes’ new Bond film Skyfall re-injects some life into the Bond franchise when Craig reprises his role this year.

How Not To Do It: The Pink Panther
Image by: dwhartwig
Oh dear, why? Firstly, funny as he was on Saturday Night Live and in 80s classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), silver-haired Steve Martin was never a viable replacement for the comic genius of Peter Sellers. Secondly, the dodgy accent and comic mishaps of Inspector Clouseau were rather old hat when reimagined in the decidedly awful reboots The Pink Panther (2006) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009).
Critics and audiences made their dismay heard the moment the credits rolled and rightly so. The reboots were entirely lacking in style and unfortunately neglected to include any funny scenes. Cato should have delivered a well-timed karate chop to studio execs long before shooting began.

Utterly Pointless: The Day the Earth Stood Still
from:glass_window
The 1951 original was a cult classic that tapped into the global terror concerning the newly developed destructive capabilities of the atom bomb, featuring a visiting alien named Klaatu (Michael Rennie) and his all powerful robot Gort momentarily neutralising all electrical power on Earth as a warning to earthlings to stop their warlike ways or suffer the consequences.
However, the reboot was a shallow showcase for new special effects technology featuring the guy from Bill and Ted who can’t act. Maybe that’s a little unfair on Keanu Reeves, but either way the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still was soon languishing in bargain DVD bins clearly labelled ‘If It Ain’t Broke Don’t Fix It’.
Gruesome For the Wrong Reasons: A Nightmare on Elm Street
doublefeaturepodcast
When Wes Craven’s original horror masterpiece was released in 1984, the horrifically burned child-killer Freddy Krueger’s (Robert Englund) sinister past was largely kept in the shadows as he stalked teenagers in their sleep, targeting those who dared to dabble in sexual promiscuity. It was an overnight (a sleepless one) sensation, redefining the horror genre, which spawned many inferior sequels.
Samuel Bayer’s 2010 reboot recast the terrifying Freddy Krueger as a child molester, with many critics seeing the focus on paedophilia as being in rather poor taste. Was it a step too far? Despite doing quite well at the box office, the film’s critical reception was decidedly lukewarm, with many preferring Englund’s devilish demon to Jackie Earle Haley’s more vulnerable monster. Once again, the weaknesses of the reboot only served to highlight the superiority of the original.

Peaks and Troughs: The Batman Franchise
Img from:Futurkill
Batman has had a long and varied history on the big screen. First, there was the feature length version of the super camp 60s TV show starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader released in 1966. However, it was Tim Burton’s dark 1989 reboot starring Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as The Joker that gave fans the film version of Batman they deserved. Its 1992 sequel Batman Returns retained Burton’s gothic vision of Gotham, starring Danny DeVito as Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, but it was downhill from there.
For reasons known only to himself, Joel Schumacher took the reins for Batman Forever (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997) and made them even camper than the original 60s TV series, adding nipples to the suits of Batman (Val Kilmer/George Clooney) and the newly introduced Robin (Chris O’ Donnell), while making the sets almost entirely neon, making Gotham look like Mardi Gras. Fans were horrified and Clooney promised to personally reimburse the ticket price of anyone who watched Batman and Robin and approached him on the matter.
Finally, Warner Bros saw sense and let brilliant new director Christopher Nolan helm a dark, gritty and more realistic trilogy starting with Batman Begins in 2005 with Christian Bale donning the cowl. The sequel, The Dark Knight (2008), saw Heath Ledger posthumously awarded the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his reimagining of the iconic villain The Joker. The final instalment, The Dark Knight Rises, will be released this year. Thankfully, the Boy Wonder remains absent from Nolan’s trilogy.
It just goes to show that no matter how big the budget, if the fans aren’t given due consideration a careless reboot can sink a franchise faster than you can say “Holy latex nipples, Batman.” With hundreds of reboots on the horizon, including Total Recall, The Amazing Spiderman and Robocop, let’s hope studios don’t let us down.

This selection of reboots was brought to you by Thorpe Breaks; official hotel provider for Thorpe Park.

The Struggling Musician

2012-01-13T11:00:00.000-08:00

Every day a new band is created and old band breaks up. Some bands break up due to creative differences and some bands break up because of the high cost of professional musicians maintaining a full-time band. New equipment, transportation, public relations, advertisement, and the cost of night after night of gigs all add up to a high price for the would-be professional musician or the weekend musician. On top of all those costs the price of printing albums, demos, and shipping of said pressings can be a staggering amount that can hold back some great musicians from finding possible fans.

Equipment:
Equipment is usually the largest expense for a band. Every few months or years (if a band is lucky) new equipment is usually purchased. Items such as guitars, drums, keyboards, microphones, and recording equipment can average anywhere from fifty to hundreds of dollars out of musicians' pockets. The durability of this equipment is tested every night or every few nights on the stages of smoky bars and dingy dive lounges. This equipment isn't built for these extreme playing conditions and at most lasts a few years.

Transportation:
Transportation in any field of work or activity is a large expense. The price of gasoline is at all-time highs every month and day jobs don't compensate for the rising cost of fuel. Transporting the expensive equipment you buy with your hard earned money can be just as expensive as buying those items. Cases are often not included with musical instruments and equipment and can range from thirty five dollars to over one hundred dollars depending on the item. These costs can take a toll on a band's morale and pockets.

Advertisement:
Advertisement is key to a band or musician's success. The cost of an advertising agent or even the DIY method of printing flyers, posters, t-shirts, stickers, and internet ads can also cost a band more than they can pay. Bands often cut corners or print flyers to advertise more than just their own band to help save money but without advertisement a band can't get noticed by labels willing to fund these expenses.

Printing Albums:
Printing albums and demos is another necessity for a musician looking to become professional or make back the money they've already put into their music. Pressing albums alone takes time and money that a band isn't always prepared or willing to pay and often bands book gigs without any merchandise to supplement their earnings from the show. Major record labels and even independent record labels look for musicians with initiative and drive to make their own merchandise and build profit before they even consider signing them to the label. More often than not the musicians with the most money they can pump into image and advertisement are the ones noticed by record labels. Musicians cut costs by going through companies that print mass quantities of demo CDs or albums at a fraction of the would-be cost for self-printing.

The average musician usually falls under the weekend musician or hobbyist label but the most determined musicians are usually the struggling artist in dingy apartments doing all that they can to catch a small break or a little recognition to help propel themselves into professional status. The cost of equipment and advertisement plus album pressings and transportation can really stagger great musicians from finding a fan base but good musicians always find a way to cut costs on album pressings and equipment to help put themselves in the eye of record labels affected by the economy and digital age.

Author Bio: Musician Skylar Tate relies on blue ray and DVD duplication from DVDCopycat for all her San Francisco replication needsMusician Skylar Tate relies on blue ray and DVD duplication from DVDCopycat for all her San Francisco replication needs.

World's Funniest Car Crashes

2012-01-12T21:56:00.000-08:00

People love to watch videos, especially funny videos that involve silly things that happen to other people. Watching funny car crash videos is very popular on YouTube. When people buy a used car, they sometimes get into accidents because they are not used to driving their newly bought vehicle. Sometimes, it is easy to get distracted while driving and this is how a lot of car crashes happen. Now that YouTube is so popular, a lot of this is documented on film.

On many occasions, no one gets seriously hurt in the car crashes. The only thing that gets banged up is their bank account when it comes to paying for the damage created by the crash.
Often, in funny car crashes, there are no other vehicles involved, but the driver has somehow lost control of their vehicle and made some rather silly mistakes.

A compilation of several crashes.

Often, when a funny car crash happens, it is because the driver gets distracted or makes an error in judging the distance to an oncoming object. Quite a few accidents have happened to elderly people who have lost control of the big vehicles they are driving. Sometimes, people do get hurt when these rather spectacular and weird crashes happen. Some individuals panic when they see an oncoming object or misjudge distance and then they hit the gas pedal instead of the brakes. It is good to be prepared in emergency situations, but it is not always possible to keep a cool head when the actual situation arises. Taking a driver training course is the best way to prepare to avoid accidents. The driving instructor has a steering wheel, brake and gas pedals on their side of the vehicle and is able to override anything the student does. The driving instructor can help prepare students to develop proper reflexes when it comes to avoiding unforeseen obstacles while on the road.

Another short but funny video

Judging by some of these videos that are linked to this article, there are a lot of people who should definitely not be on the road. This is a sobering thought for other drivers and shows that everyone driving must be alert at all times. It is usually the silly mistakes that 'other drivers' make that cause accidents. People cutting in front or driving too fast or too slow are often the reason that accidents happen. The list of videos is by no means exclusive and there are plenty more funny car crash videos on YouTube for anyone interested. These videos may be funny but they are very sobering in that it is so easy to get distracted or panic when something out of the ordinary happens.

This is a funny car chase.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mji82PQTYeo
Car accident involving old lady.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAYnPxtkyFc
This crash happened in Jamaica.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsQhTclE7jc
Funny accident caught on CCTV camera.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRDnVkZt0UY
This is a furious, funny car accident.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrI-mwNqeL8
This one takes place in Egypt.

Author Bio: This article has been created by Louis Rix, marketing director at Netcars.com and Carfinance247.co.uk

Gaming Safety – 5 tips for online protection

2012-01-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

With the gaming industry now being worth millions, it is an attractive prospect for hackers and scammers, and even the biggest companies aren’t immune. Recent big scares in which people’s details have been at risk show that gamers can be vulnerable to online fraud. Here’s our top 5 tips for protecting yourself.

1. Don’t trust people who say that they can give you in-game cheats, especially if they ask for your account details to do it. There isn’t any reason why someone should have to log in as you, ever. If you want to improve in a game check out forums for tips and hints, don’t ever give out your details.
2. Use a separate email address for gaming, create one especially for signing in to these accounts and keeping this information so that it won’t be accessible should your main account be hacked.
3. Protect your password(s). Firstly, be aware of typing it in when other people are around – some people are very good at watching you type. Secondly, protect it from keyloggers – people who use tools to monitor what you type. Copy and pasting passwords can help avoid this but be careful where you save them. Password encryption programs are probably the best source of protection.
4. Be careful entering credit card or bank details. Companies are now offering ways round this, such as vouchers to spend online or pre-paid game cards, which you buy with cash so you don’t ever have to submit credit card details online.
5. Follow general computer safety advice, such as installing a firewall, and having anti-spyware and anti-virus software running.

Become An Art Director, A Creative Visual Dream

2012-01-05T16:30:00.000-08:00

There are many creative professions that appeal to creative individuals and will have them creating a career from what they love to do and where their passion lies. Advertising has become a multimillion dollar industry with many people enjoying careers in the industry. One aspect of the advertising industry and one of the most important and prominent ones is the role of an art director. If you would like to become an art director then read on and evaluate if this sounds like something you may have an interest in and you may find yourself in an office for rent New York or anywhere else in the world in no time.
If you are creatively inclined in terms of visual arts and are interested in brands and advertising then becoming an art director may be a career choice you may want to take into consideration. An art director communicates through the use of visual imagery, may it be content for advertisements like TV, magazines, billboards or websites or movies. When you become an art director you work with a copywriter conceptualizing a concept for a particular advert, once the concept has been formulated and finalized, it is then art directors job to communicate the concept through the different mediums and designs being utilized.

Becoming an art director means that you have final say of the visual imagery. It needs to create a mood, be purposeful, be emotive and cleary communicate the reasoning behind the advertisement. You may ask how do I become an art director? Well, there will be various creative institutions that you may enroll with. You can do a 2 year diploma but it’s better to do the three year degree. To answer one question on how do you become an art director, the degree will be a bachelor of arts and you will then specialize in art direction. Upon completion of your degree in becoming an art director you will be able to complete an internship, if you excel and show your worth, it is very possible you may have the opportunity to get a permanent position at that company. The hours may be long and stress will be an occurrence due to the deadline requirements and fussy clients but it is well worth it if that is where your passion lies.
Whether in some offices to rent Chelsea or the comfort of your own house doing the freelance thing, if you want to become an art director follow your passion, work hard and enjoy the success.

Author Bio: Sarah Mancini is an avid writer of the different careers available to individuals and gives some information on them and how to get into that specific path.

How to Document Your Latest and Greatest Social Escapades

2012-01-05T12:00:00.000-08:00

An increasing number of people are capturing their parties or social activities in a way that is more dynamic, amusing, or memorable than photographs: by breaking out the video camera. And why wouldn’t you? Becoming an amateur documentarian and uploading the videos to YouTube is a great way to share the memories of a fun night, promote a club or organization, or show people why they should come to the next party. Filming a party can be fun and rewarding; however, there are specific considerations to keep in mind as you break out your camera. Below are some tips for making sure your footage can stay in its best possible form:

Follow audio best practices whenever possible.

Parties are loud, and the sound of people laughing and chatting in the background can ruin a lot of great takes. If you choose to conduct interviews, ask people to step into a room that’s out of the limelight, where you’ll have a better chance of hearing them. You’ll thank yourself for this later, when you go look back over what you filmed and keep usable footage.

Crowd shots are great, but depending on what’s happening, they can make for uninteresting audio; it’s simply a room full of talking without any focal point. Consider using crowd shots as b-roll only, posting them over music, interviews, or other audio.

Remember, parties and social events can get rowdy—take care of your camera!

Just because you’re having fun doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep track of your camera at all times. Hold onto it all night; setting it down can encourage theft, errant drink-spilling, or other rowdiness.

Keep the reputation of every attendee in mind.

You may or may not choose to be in front of the camera. Whatever your decision, your rule of thumb about reputation should be: don’t post any footage online that could damage the reputation of anyone at your party. It is far too easy for parents, employers, or authority figures to find you online. If you simply must post footage of your friend’s award-winning keg stand, make sure your account is password-protected and only give the password to people you trust.

Don’t be shy.

When you’re behind the camera, especially in a casual social situation, you can feel like you’re intruding. It is often quite difficult to get close enough to the action to take great footage, and asking for interviews can feel uncomfortable. However, remember that most people actually love being on camera and, at the very least, will not mind being asked for a quote or an interview. And if you produce a fun, high-quality film, they’re much more likely to want to be in your next one.

When editing, keep it short.

Just because you took two hours of footage doesn’t mean you should share all two hours. Use your discretion and keep only the best, funniest moments; even the people who attended the party don’t need to see a boring play-by-play. Keep the final product at three punchy minutes or less, and offer an “extended version” to any party-goers who want to see more.

And most of all, just because you’re filming doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Good luck!

Author Bio: Brandon Morris is a blogger and filmmaking enthusiast who writes for Party Pong Tables

5 Movies Best Watched on VHS

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

Even with all of today’s high tech devices and the ability to watch just about anything, anywhere – there are still some things that should stay the same. One such activity is movie watching. Not just any movie watching, though, but rather the way we did it back in the “old days” – on VHS.
Over the years, there may have been numerous updates to the way that special effects are created, shows that can be watched in 3-D, and even interactive technology that allows us to participate. But there’s nothing quite like popping some popcorn and sliding in a VHS tape to watch one of our favorites.
Here are just a few movies that seem to stand out from the rest in terms of VHS viewing. Most of them may very likely take you back a few years!

Sledgehammer

If the thought of going back in time to watch a VHS tape isn’t horrifying enough, then watching “Sledgehammer” will scare you right out of the living room! This 1983 flick is your basic horror plot featuring a group of young people spending the night in a remote house, unaware that there’s a maniacal killer in the mix.
Because this production was originally shot on tape, it gives off a dime-store feel that’s highly appreciated by those who are still big fans of VHS. To top things off, the unprofessional lighting and sound will place this show at the top of your VHS viewing list.

Gone in 60 Seconds

Regardless of whether you’re a Nicolas Cage lover or hater, his portrayal of Randall “Memphis” Raines – an ex professional car thief – is flawless. This classic from 2000 includes its share of car chases, bad guys, and of course Angelina Jolie. What more could you ask!

Fight Club

Even though this flick failed to meet box office expectations back in 1999, it is still regarded as one of that year’s most talked about films. The movie does feature a fair amount of violence – originally intended to portray the metaphor of the conflict between the young generation and the value system of advertisers. Now considered to be more of a cult classic, the movie’s reputation has become more positive over the years.

Airplane

No matter how many times you hear Leslie Nielson say, “And stop calling me Shirley,” it’s hard not to at least giggle – even after 30 years. With a somewhat weak plot, one of the best things about this flick is what goes on in the background.
Along with poor effects and crazy scene changes, it all mixes together for a lot of good laughs. So, if you’re up for a good, senseless, slapstick type of mood, a good 90 minutes with a VHS tape of “Airplane” will definitely do the trick.

A Muppet Family Christmas

What holiday season wouldn’t be complete without Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy? In this classic VHS flick, Jim Henson takes all of his Muppets, along with the gang from Sesame Street and Fraggle Rock, and puts them all together in this one special show.
This cute production includes lots of songs – yes, we all probably know most of the words – as well as an appearance by Jim Henson himself showing what a wonderful time the group can have being all together at Christmas. Kids and adults of all ages will love this one!

Author Bio: Anthony Silver is a lover of all movies and writes about them frequently for online publications. His favorite are indie dramas, but any good old movie is a favorite way for him to spend a Friday night.

4 Best Professional Grade Video Cameras Under $2500

2012-01-03T09:41:00.000-08:00

Nowadays, even point and click entry-level digital cameras come with the ability to shoot high-definition video. Likewise, the latest smart phones like the iPhone 4S and the most recent Android models give users 720p shooting capability. Professionals and advanced amateurs don't need to take out a second mortgage to get a great, dedicated digital camcorder that captures high-definition video, as there are plenty of models available for under $2500. Here are four of the best examples you can find on the market at the moment. With these great cameras, the pictures for your car insurance claims will be extremely clear and detailed.

Samsung H200 Full HD Camcorder

Though it's the least expensive model on our list, the Samsung H200 is nevertheless one of the most rugged and reliable digital camcorders you'll find anywhere. It has a 37mm wide-angle 20x optical zoom lens and a 1/4.5" CMOS imaging sensor that's capable of 4.7 MP resolution for stills and 1080p high-definition video. It also features a slick 2.7” LCD touchscreen display for a hassle-free menu navigation experience. When it comes to software features and functions, you can't really expect the Samsung H200 to have the same flexibility of a $1500 digital camcorder. But for a camera in its incredibly low price range, it's still packed with tons of functionality. It's surprisingly steady, built-in Optical Image Stabilization allows you to shoot action video with startling clarity. The included IntelliStudio software rounds out the H200 nicely.

Sony HDRCX130 Handycam Camcorder

On the lower end of the price totem pole, the Sony HDRCX130 is a solid hand-held digital camcorder that's more than meets the eye. Despite its humble exterior, the HDRCX130 manages to put together quite the impressive hardware profile. It boasts a 42x Extended Zoom wide-angle G lens, an "Exmor R" CMOS sensor, and a 3.0” touchscreen LCD display for easy menu navigation and configuration. This particular Sony unit shoots crystal clear, full HD 1920 x 1080p video with support for HDMI playback to an external monitor. One area where the Sony HDRCX130 really shines is in low light shooting scenarios. Its built-in LED light assists users in making the most out of challenging situations. With over 90 scene shooting modes preconfigured to deliver the best picture possible, the HDRCX130 is one of the best budget camcorders you can find.

Canon VIXIA HF G10 Full HD Camcorder

As far as camcorder hardware is concerned, the Canon VIXIA lineup provides quite a bit of variety in terms of price and features. The VIXIA HF G10 is at the upper end of the range for both, but you definitely get what you pay for with this camera. It sports a 10x HD lens with an 8-blade Iris and manual focus, the legendary DIGIC DV III image processor, and an internal 32 GB storage drive by default. Aside from the VIXIA's superb components, it features the ability to shoot 12 straight hours of high-definition video and storage space expansion that scales up to 2 TB of on-board memory. It shoots 1920 x 1080 pixel video in a number of different modes, including high-end MXP and FXP. On top of that, Canon's famed Tele Macro function allows you to set minimum distances to subjects for perfect long-range shots. Retailing at less than $1300, it may just be the best overall value in the digital camcorder market when you consider its stellar quality and capabilities.

Panasonic Professional AG-HMC40 AVCHD Camcorder

The Panasonic Pro AG-HMC40 is one versatile piece of digital equipment, packing a slew of features and hardware into a single, compact package. Contained within its rugged exterior are three 1/4.1” Progressive 3MOS Imagers, a 12x Leica Dicomar lens, and a 2.7” touchscreen LCD display. At just 2.16 pounds, the AG-HMC40 is fairly lightweight for a camera of its size. While the default battery is good for three hours, continuous shooting time can be bumped up to seven hours by using the optional 5,800 mAh battery. While the AG-HMC40 is no doubt impressive when it comes to hardware, the included software and features are the real selling points. It's capable of shooting 1920 x 1080 pixel AVCHD video as well as 10.6 MP still photos. In addition, it sports a number of additional shooting features. Specifically, the AG-HMC40 boasts four AVCCAM modes, ranging from PH mode which averages 21 Mbps to HE mode which clocks in at around 6 Mbps. As an added bonus, it also supports PictBridge connectivity for convenient direct printing to compatible machines.

Final Thoughts

Your own unique preferences and tastes will weigh heavily on your choice of digital camcorder, but any of the above models will do just fine for most purposes. Whatever your price range, there's a full-featured and high-quality model of digital video camera that's right for you. The aforementioned models prove that shooting professional, studio-quality video doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg at the end of the day.

Author Bio: Emily Jamison is a technology expert and a freelance writer. She enjoys staying on top of the newest technological trends. When she's not researching the newest gadgets, she likes to compare auto insurance online.

Top Ten Star Trek Villains

2011-12-31T21:26:00.000-08:00

Some of the best villains in fiction were written for Star Trek.
Here are my favorite villains and a little bit about them!

10. Q: Q is an omnipotent being who charges himself with maintaining his version of order in the universe. His unpredictability is one of the things that makes him most dangerous. Q and others of his kind sometimes offer insights into the failings of human culture, other times they judges their actions, and they often plays pranks on different Starfleet crews.

9. Sela: The daughter of the deceased Enterprise-D officer, Natasha Yar and a Romulan general, Sela grew up hating humans and the United Federation of Planets. She tried to destabalize the Federation, first by working to destroy the relationship between the Klingon Empire and the Federation, then by trying to invade Vulcan.

8. Lore: Lore is an android that was created by Noonian Soong. Dr. Soong also created Lieutenant-Commander Data, an officer on the Enterprise-D. Lore went off the deep end, believing himself to be superior to all other lifeforms.

7. Kahn Noonien Singh: A genetically engineered man led his followers in a war on humanity. He confronted Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise two centuries later and nearly took over the ship. Kirk marooned him on a planet to keep him out of trouble. Kahn escaped and wanted vengeance.

6. The Vidiians: The Vidiians are a race with a plague that is wiping them out. In order to survive, they steal the organs and other body parts from other beings. They call it a fight for self-preservation. The USS Voyager is pitted against them several times.

5. Kai Winn Adami: Winn is a misguided spiritual and political leader on Bajor. She finally succeeded in gaining power through dishonest means. Although she had good motives, she eventually turns against her people.

4. Female Changeling: Her species were leaders of the powerful Dominion from the Gamma quadrant. The changelings were persecuted for years by “the solids.” This prompted them to found an enormous empire. “What you control can’t hurt you.” She isn’t afraid of killing millions of others in order to secure the safety of her species.

3. Weyoun: Weyoun is a sly diplomat from the Dominion. Those that do what he says get treated well by him. Otherwise, he sends an fighting force, the Jem’Hadar, to destroy you. He smiles his way through the door and stabs you in the back on the way out. That pleasant smile and genial laugh drive him insane.

2. Borg Queen: No leader has ever had such complete control over her minions as the Borg Queen. In her quest for perfection, she has subjected billions of individuals from thousands of different species to her rule. Those who are “assimilated” by the Borg are forced to do their bidding.

1. Gul Dukat: Another wiley politician, you never know what Dukat is going to do. Sometimes he acts like a friend. At other times, you know that he is nothing less than an enemy. He loves his children, yet he sold his people out to the Dominion to regain power. He is prideful and loves to hear the sound of his own voice. I believe that Dukat is the epitome of Star Trek evil.

Author Bio
Stephen Sharpe has worked for MyCollegesandCareers.com for more than 8 months. My Colleges and Careers is an online database which helps future students find online schools. Through an education, you can acquire your dream job.

5 Heartwarming Dog Movies

2011-12-27T21:13:00.001-08:00

Nothing beats the relationship between man and his dog. It’s a devoted bond between these two that can warm any heart and even bring a tear to the toughest guy’s eyes. From the first moment man and dog meet until the time has come to an end for one of them, the relationship is filled with love, joy, laughter and total dependence. If you are missing your furry friend or want to cuddle up and watch a great movie starring a furry friend we have picked out five great movie features that you will sure to love – all about the beautiful friendship bond with dogs.

Turner & Hooch
This hilarious, suspense thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat, while clutching your side from the funny scenes involving Tom Hanks and the lovable French mastiff, Hooch. Hanks is a police detective investigating a murder who takes on the care-giver role for Hooch after his owner is killed. Watching the neat-freak detective learn to live with Hooch, who is anything but neat, will keep you chuckling. Hooch soon wins Hanks over and they become inseparable as they crack the murder case.
Fox and the Hound
This animated classic was dreamed up by Walt Disney Studios back in 1981. The film surrounds the relationship between two young animals, Tod a fox and Copper a hound dog. The movie begins when a woman decides to care for Tod after his mother is killed by a hunter. As a mischievous young fox, Tod becomes friends with Copper. Through their many adventures they quickly become the best of friends. However, as time has its way, they grow a part and Copper turns into a hunting dog and their friendship becomes endangered as Copper begins hunting for a fox, who just happens to be his old best friend Tod.
Marley & Me
Marley & Me is a comedy/drama film delves into the relationship and struggles that come with getting a puppy. After the wedding of John and Jennifer Grogan, John gives his new wife a lovable Labrador Retriever puppy in hopes of stalling her desires for a baby. They both soon realize how much work a new puppy is, especially as Marley grows into a 100 pound dog, while still holding on to the puppy mentality. You will be laughing as they learn how to train this unruly dog, and your heart will be warmed as you watch their relationship grow with Marley. Warning, there will be tears as the Grogan family will have to face some very hard, real-life issues with Marley as he ages.
Beethoven
This movie is a child favorite, starring a lovable 185 pound St. Bernard who walks into a family’s life. The family soon adopts the slobbery dog named Beethoven, although the dad is not happy about the situation, the children become quickly attached. The movie is action packed with a vet and dog catcher who is after Beethoven and eventually dad is the only one who can save the day for this St. Bernard.
Eight Below
Eight Below is a story of survival and the love that bonds man and dog together. Taking place in the wilderness of Antarctica, a sled dog trainer must leave his dogs due to a treacherous storm. While he tries to leave his dogs in a safe place, so he can rescue them after the storm is passes, these beautiful Siberian Huskies and Malamutes must learn to survive the bitter cold and the wildness of Antarctica, while the sled dog trainer gets sponsorship to rescue his beloved dogs.

Dr. Susan Wright is a practicing veterinarian of more than ten years. Dr. Wright is the invisible fence alternatives expert for Dog Fence DIY and has authored numerous articles on domestic pets.

Shooting Underwater Video Like a Pro

2011-12-25T13:19:00.000-08:00

Shooting video is a challenging occupation, shooting it underwater even more so! That said however, there are a lot of things that you can do to make your home underwater videos sparkle and you won't need to invest in a high-end digital camera to do it.

First recommendation is to look at a lot of professional work. Notice how the shots are put together, how subject focus is made and maintained! See how dolly shots (swimming shots) are mixed with static shots. Also notice how few if any shots involve zooming ! There is a lesson in that!

Now assuming you're on a dive at a new dive site, you can't plan your shooting too far in advance. But what you can do is maintain some camera discipline as your dive progresses. First, equipment allowing, shoot from the moment you enter the water until you surface. Along the way, stop, refocus on close subjects and hold those shots for 5-10 seconds. Also, while shooting, remember the viewers' plane of reference. This simply means that you don't cross the line of action. An example of this would be shooting a fish swimming toward you from the left side and then the right side. Also, make your shots only as long as you can hold the camera steady! It's OK if the fish sway back and forth in the surge, but not the camera!

There are some stock shots which can work quite well for you and these include the descent shot and ascent shot. I shoot descent shots by starting with a reference to the dive boat from water level or slightly below water level if using a colored filter. I then pan the camera down and descend to the dive site. If you can frame other divers descending, so much the better. Passing through the occasional bubbles can make for a nice effect drawing the viewer into the dive.
The ascent shot typically focuses on something the viewer has seen in the last shot and then trails up and away while keeping the camera focused on that area. For example, if wreck diving you may have a long shot of the anchor line on a part of the wreck, followed by a medium distance shot which then you use as a frame of reference during the ascent. I'll finish the shot with a water eye view of the dive boat or perhaps the divers getting back into the boat from on deck.

Editing

Editing your footage is the next step and where many people throw up their hands. Editing can be done with a camera and consumer deck and nothing more. You simple cut scenes together using jump cuts, but if your camera work is smooth, that may provide you with many scene transitions on it's own. In any event, you need to scrap the out of focus, jittery and boring segments.
A basic format for editing should include a lead in shot, close up if appropriate followed by the next sequence. For example, a long shot toward a coral head in the distance followed by a close up of wildlife on the coral. That is why you shoot five to ten seconds of stationary footage of objects. Let the subject matter move rather than the camera!

Establishing scale can also be a powerful video technique when shooting large wrecks. Is isn't a bad idea when shooting large objects to try and get an above shot with some divers on the wreck to establish scale for the audience. This is one of the reasons I use the descent sequence to let the viewers see just how big things are!

Music can make or break a home video. If you want to make a so so video really jump, then music might save it! For example, several years ago while diving in Palau, I was shooting Oceanic White Tips (Longimanus). Now these fellows have little in common with reef White Tips. First they are phelagic sharks, found only in open ocean and it is the immense depth of the water near the Palauian walls which allows divers to see these 12 foot plus sharks!
On one shot, there was a large fellow swimming directly in line with me but perhaps 25 feet lower. As he approached, I tilted the camera down until the lens axis was vertical and directly aimed at the sharks dorsal fin. I then rotated around, while somehow managing to keep the camera inline and then tilted the camera up as the shark swam away. The effect was fairly spectacular and immediately reminded me of the opening sequence in the first Star Trek movie of the attacking Klignon Battle Cruisers. The music, if you haven't heard it is very distinctive.
When I got back home, I edited about 12 minutes of my shark footage into one sequence and used (without permission) John Williams' stirring Star Trek Music to open and the hand held motion control effect shark sequence. I played the tape a few weeks later at a local dive club meeting and was rewarded with several wows from the audience.

Lighting

Nothing tends to raise a debate like lighting among underwater videographers unless you include editing systems! That said, please consider the following my humble opinions rather than gospel.
Most consumer grade lighting systems fall into the 25-50 Watt range which is sometimes adequate for closeup and macro work. However, underwater, the fall off of light is very pronounced and can be very disconcerting to viewers who watch a basically green-blue scene light up with colors as the camera approaches the object during dolly shots. At that power range you're pretty well limited to lighting objects in the 6 foot or less range. Beyond that, either the lack of light causes problems or water clarity becomes problematic.
There are essentially two ways to overcome this problem, none of which are overly practical. First, is to shoot shallow, with lots of natural light available and a correction filter which is removed before each lighted shot. The second is to confine the entire video to closeups and macro shots. The third is to only shoot video in extremely clear water and the fourth is to live with the color shift!
Another basic problem with several u/w lighting systems is hot spots. A hot spot is an area within the light cone which is visibly brighter than the rest of the field and worse yet, in most cases this spot in dead center of the light. Before buying a video light, I highly suggest testing it against a wall to look for a hot spot.

Author Bio: Samet Bilir writes about technology trends, digital camera reviews, and photography, such as wide angle lenses and telephoto lenses. To read more articles from him visit his website at chi-photography.com.

The Top 5 YouTube Gaming Channels

2011-12-23T11:31:00.000-08:00

Gaming is big business, and it is a very serious business. If you’ve ever been trapped in a village in Skyrim, about to be tossed to the very tops of a tree by a woolly mammoth, you need to know where to get help. YouTube gaming Channels offer advice, reviews and some of the best cheats in the world.

NGT (NExt Gen Tactics) is loved by players of COD and all types of FSP games. It’s easy to use and the videos are well put together by professional gamers and technical wizards. You can learn about different strategies and how to really frag your opponent with fabulous firepower. NGT is more than just a video channel; it’s a forum, a website and offers some of the best game walkthroughs in the world.

Inecom presents the Classic Game Room on their YouTube channel, which is a resource for anyone who loves classic arcade games and pinball. CGR has a number of YouTube channels offering everything from comics and trailers to some solid reviews and tips and tactics for all levels of play.

NoobToob is the best resource for new gamers, but you will find many experienced gamers frequenting the channel because of the butt-kicking tips and tools for just about every type of game. NoobToob has been around for five years and covers every aspect of gaming, all games and how to load your weapons if you’re a beginner.
This is the spot to go to if you’re just getting into gaming. If you’re interested in the history of gaming then “All Your History Are Belong To Us” is a fabulous treat for noobies and experienced gamers alike. It’s a complete look at all your favourite games, how they came into being and how to beat any bad guy.

Yogscast offers excellent content, great walkthroughs and some of the funniest reviews available online. With nearly a million subscribers, Yogscast presents important, hysterically funny, gaming news from around the world. The channel has hundreds of videos and each one is delivered to give you the maximum amount of fun, humour and some great tips and tricks. Look for the Minecraft videos if you’re having trouble building your Airship. Let BlueXephos and Honeydew take you on whirlwind tour of everything to do with games

TotalBiscuit really takes the cake when it comes to fun and games and even fun and games for serious gamers. Watch TotalBiscuit and The Yogscast playing Magika or enter the world of Starcraft with the top players around the world. You can see championship games and delve into the very depths of gaming with the whacky gaming channels on YouTube.

This treasure trove of gaming channels was brought to you by www.broadbandchoices.co.uk; Broadband price comparison you can trust.

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5 of the Most Controversial Art Exhibitions

2011-12-22T17:06:00.000-08:00

For centuries Art has created whispers and murmurs. Here is a rundown of the 5 most controversial art exhibitions over the past century that has shocked an awed.

1) Marina Abramović - Rhythm 0

New York-based Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović has expressed that “I am looking for an art that really asks questions, an art which is disturbing, an art which really makes connections with our disconnected selves…” Themes of her work seek to explore the performer/audience relationship and test ones bodily and psychological limits. Her most standout and captivating piece is ‘Rhythm 0’ which was performed in 1974 in Studio Morra, Naples. Abramović adopted a passive role with the audience an active one.
In front of her laid 72 objects on a table which ranged from flowers and perfume to more threatening objects including nails, a knife, hammer and a loaded gun. Lying docile and naked, the audience were allowed to use these objects any way they wished.
Although at first modest, the audience began to inflict pain, harming Abramović and realising her as an object of their use.
With this powerful performance Marina certainly tested the physical and psychological limits of both herself and the participating audience.

2) Vito Acconci - Seedbed

American artist Vito Acconci performed ‘Seedbed’ in 1971. During this installation, Acconci lay hidden beneath a specially-designed ramp in the Sonnabend Gallery, New York to the anonymity of the visitors above.
He masturbated whilst voicing into a speaker his sexual fantasies about the visitors above him with sexually charged expletives. He did so over the course of three weeks, eight hours a day.
One of his main points of this performance was to create a situation of reciprocal exchanges between the audience and artist.

3) Damien Hirst – For the Love of God

For the Love of God is one of the more famous artworks of English artist Damien Hirst, which produced in 2007 for the Beyond Belief exhibition and displayed in the White Cube Gallery, London.
This artwork consisted of a platinum cast of a real human skull (with real teeth!) and was encrusted with 8,601 diamonds, which totaled at the sumly cost of nearly £14 million. It is rumoured that Hirst sold the piece for £50 million to an anonymous group of buyers.
Themes explored are that the object illustrated the brevity of human existence - it transcended over decay in a visual splendour.
Art historian Rudi Fuchs asserted that “it represents death as something infinitely more relentless." He went on to say, "Compared to the tearful sadness of a vanitas scene, the diamond skull is glory itself”.

4) Guillermo Vargas - Exposición N°1

Guillermo Vargas is best known for his exhibition at the Códice gallery of an emaciated dog in Nicaragua, 2007. This exposition featured the dog tied to a wall with a short length of rope. The words "Eres Lo Que Lees" ("You Are What You Read") were written on the wall with dog food.
This exhibition caused further controversy when it was reported that the dog died as a result of starvation. Although there was much reaction to this internationally on blogs and the internet, the director of the Códice Gallery reported that at no time during the exhibition did any visitor try to free the dog, feed it or call the police. In light of this Vargas has stated that both the exhibit and the controversy have illustrated people’s hypocrisy.

5) Michael Landy – Break Down

In 2001, installation artist Michael Landy spent two weeks destroying all of his worldly possessions to form his exhibition, Breakdown, on London’s busy Oxford Street in a disused shop.
He did so to reflect the lifespan of things, and also the emotional breakdown one can feel when losing their possessions.
There were a total of 7,006 objects and included mundane items such as cooking utensils, but also prized items such as original works by Damien Hirst.
All images sourced from Wikipedia

This article was produced by CultureLabel.com – the online art store for buying affordable art prints and unique gifts from leading museums and galleries.

The Hidden and Not So Hidden Costs of Filmmaking

2011-12-22T11:30:00.000-08:00

So, what does it take to make a billion dollar movie like Titanic or Avatar? Well, a lot! As the viewing public, we only get to see the total amount of money a certain film rakes in, but what is equally fascinating is what goes on behind the scenes.

In this day and age, making a movie can cost millions of dollars, depending on the actors cast and production costs involved. For some, however, it’s possible to produce a movie with only a few thousand dollars. In fact, the 1992 movie El Mariachi, which grossed $2 million, only cost $7,000 to make. You are probably thinking that the movie earned a lot, right? Well, not really, because when Columbia Pictures bought the rights to release the film, they had to spend an additional $200,000 for post-production work. When it was re-made in 1995 as Desperado, the production outfit had to shell out $7 million to finish the film, but it grossed roughly $25 million at the box office. Now that is what filmmakers call a good investment.

The Motion Picture Association of America reveals that in 2000, the cost of producing a Hollywood film averages about $55 million per film. There are several elements that come into play which can affect this cost. The factors that are involved in making a movie are often hard to quantify, as there are a lot of different variables involved. We’ve compiled a list of common ones in an effort to understand just how much money is spent on our favorite flicks.

1.    Production Costs – Perhaps the largest expense for any film, what are referred to as production costs are further divided into above the line and below the line expenses. Above the line expenses are those that cover the fees for the talent, including actors, directors, writers and producers, while below the line expenses are allocated for the crew, sets, costumes, transportation, and fees associated with post production costs such as editing, and cinematic effects. Traditionally, below the line production expenses account for about two-thirds of the entire movie budget. But given the escalating fees of A-list celebrities and directors, above the line expenses can easily tip the scale, especially if you’re hiring the likes of Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, or Cameron Diaz to star on your film.

2.    Financing Expenses – As with any business, making a film also involves a number of financing expenses. On top of the total production costs, you will also have to add an additional 1.5% to cover the fees for general insurance, as well as set aside an additional 10% of the production budget for unforeseen contingency expenses.

3.    Secondary Expenses - Once the film is making money, the theaters themselves need to get a cut, and based on reports from 2000, movie houses in the US took in roughly $7.7 billion. On top of that, portions of the film’s proceeds also go to the talent as bonuses, licensing costs, and other auxiliary expenses.

With the risks that big budget film producers take, and the growing costs of A-level talent, movie making is not for the weak at heart. Following the money trail and production process can be just as exciting as watching the movie itself.

If you want to understand where all the money goes (and maybe even join the film industry…err, not as an actor), consider getting your accounting degree online. You can schedule your accounting master's degree around your life, and be ready to make a huge step in your career.