NavetSpot.com

Aus v NZ Chappell Hadlee Trophy 2010 Live Link

2010-03-08T21:20:00.000-08:00

For all sports fans, here is how you can feel the closeness of the matches live & online for free
Video: Link 1 - Link 2- Link 3
Audio: Link 1 (working)

iPhone users can also enjoy the live commentary of each game by installing a free app FStream (search it in appstore) and then adding the following (mms://mms.iinet.net.au/radiosport) link to apps favourites list. Since this link is redirected via iiNet servers, iiNet customers can enjoy this link without disturbing their data allowance - freezone :D !

Hope you all enjoy this like me. For more details and schedule of the matches, visit http://www.radiosport.co.nz/ or evergreen www.cricinfo.com

Nexus One v iPhone ... surprisingly Google wins

2010-01-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

13 ways the Nexus One is better than the iPhone

“Open system” so that, God forbid, if someone can create a better browser, address book, calendar, or email client, you can install it. Somebody at Apple thinks it has the monopoly on good app development. He or she is wrong.
Actions are snappier. This is hard to quantify, but things seem to happen faster and crisper on a Nexus One than on an iPhone.
Flash for the camera. Maybe Apple employees are always in well-lit places, but this isn’t true for me.
The same charger for the Nexus One works with Bluetooth headsets. That’s just one less thing to carry, and one less plug in your car.
Ability to type a period without going to another screen. I know the iPhone can do this automatically, but only at the end of sentences. I need it for email addresses and links.
Alphabetic list of all installed apps (without having to hook up to iTunes on a computer). Sometimes don’t you want to see a nice list of everything?
Anchored application icons on the home page—as opposed to how iPhone’s reorder themselves automatically in what can only be described as a crapshoot unless you use iTunes.
Reasonable way to install beta versions of applications as opposed to the UDID iPhone insanity.
Non-Facist app-store approval process. I’ve gotten so many “We submitted it to Apple. It could be a couple of weeks before it’s approved” emails that I want to puke.
Persistent “elevator” in the vertical scroll bar. I like to know where I am in a long list (for example, email inbox). The iPhone only shows the elevator when you are scrolling. It disappears as soon as you stop scrolling.
Better organization of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings. Nexus One: Settings—>Wireless & Networks has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings. iPhone: Settings—>gets you to Wi-Fi but then you have to go to General to get to Bluetooth.
Five guesses for the word that I’m typing instead of one. I’ve seen Nexus One display as many as fifteen if you vertically scroll.
Replaceable battery. Duh.

4 ways the iPhone is better than the Nexus One

Name. With the infinite money that Google has, “Nexus One” is the best name it could come up with? Holy kaw!
Syncing your Calendar with Exchange. The Nexus One’s inability to do this astounds me. It must be because Google employees only use Gmail.
Syncing Contacts with Exchange. Google says this can be done, but I can’t get it to work completely. Specifically, I have 7,461 contacts in Exchange, Address Book (on my MacBook), and Gmail. My Nexus One shows 7,202 contacts when displaying only Gmail contacts; 60 when displaying only Exchange contacts; and 7,537 when displaying both. I assume this is my fault, but I’ve really tried to make it work. But the truth is that I can live with this disparity, but it offends my organized mind.
More applications—only time will tell how this shakes out. Today, the essential ones that I use are there: Seesmic, Evernote, TripIt, and Fandango plus enough games for my kids. I do miss Tweetie—I hope that Loren will come to his senses.

5 ways the iPhone and Nexus One equally suck

Dependence on AT&T. That’s all we need: another popular smartphone that uses AT&T. Yes, Nexus One can use Tmobile, but let’s be serious. God help us if Apple makes a tablet that updates automatically using AT&T. Google says that the Nexus One will be available for Verizon this spring.
One-day battery life. I guess smartphone users just have to live with this shortcoming—but I thought Apple had the exclusive on sucky battery life.
Why can’t Apple and Google put a “.com” button on the keyboard used for email applications? Am I the only person in the world who types “.com” many times in email?
How about Flash? My bet is that Nexus One will have it before iPhone, though.
How about demo versions of applications so we that can try before we buy? (Update: You have twenty-four hours to return an Android app for refund. How much can you learn in twenty-four hours, though?)

By the way, if you get a Nexus One, you should know this. When you add an application, it doesn’t automatically appear on the home page. You have to choose to display it. My prediction is that lots of people will “know” they installed something but cannot find it. Google should change this logic. Imagine if you bought songs in iTunes, but they didn’t appear in your iPod automatically.

Summary

The Nexus One is a serious challenge to the iPhone—particularly because this is version 1 of Nexus One while the iPhone has been out for years. It is the phone that Palm should have created, but that’s another story.

Right now I cannot use a Nexus One as my primary phone because it cannot sync my calendar (something my teenage son doesn’t care about), I use it all the time (without a SIM card, just as a Wi-Fi device) while my iPhone charges around the house. The day that calendar syncing works will be very interesting.

Source: alltop.com

How honest should you be at a job Interview

2009-12-14T16:33:00.000-08:00

Job interviews are a little like a first date. You aim to impress the person sitting opposite you while simultaneously sussing out whether they can offer you what you want.

There's the sweaty palms, the awkward silences and waiting for the call in the coming days as you both decide whether this could lead to something more. Then there's deciding just how much you should reveal about yourself.

Whether you are trying to impress a hot date or hoping to score your dream job, never ever tell a straight-out lie – unless you don't mind being unceremoniously dumped when reality comes back to bite.

It would be a rare person who doesn't have some career baggage, whether it's being fired from a previous job, a poor reference, a major character flaw, a criminal record, being slightly under-qualified or another skeleton which doesn't want to be yanked out of the closet just yet. However, far too many job candidates take the 'honesty policy' to one extreme or another.

Choosing to reveal everything that could be possibly perceived as a career wart before even sitting down or alternatively concocting an elaborate tale of professional prowess will both probably kill off any chances of a second interview.

Here are a few rules to follow which can help you find the balance between lying and giving away too much information.

Keep it clean from the outset

It's easy to get caught in a web of lies. A slight distortion of the facts on a resume may score you an interview, but the truth will eventually come out whether it's in the interview itself, during a reference check or when you turn up for the first day on the job and have no idea what to do. Know the difference between dressing up the facts to make them look good and making them up altogether.

Keep it to yourself

Do yourself a favour – if you don't get directly questioned about something that you know will require a slightly unsavoury answer, don't just go and bring it up anyway. Only answer the questions you are asked and if possible try to stay focused on the positives.

Don't try and bluff

When you are asked a direct question, like why you left your last job, don't think you can weasel your way out a response. Answer it directly, honestly and with a smile, without losing your composure or getting defensive. Most situations aren't the big deal many candidates perceive them to be, so if you don't blow it out of proportion the interviewer probably won't either. Plus, professional HR types are trained to detect a bluff from a mile off, so while you think you are pulling the wool over their eyes, they are probably taking note of what your eyes are doing to see if you are playing by the rules.

Be true to yourself

The last person you want to lie to is yourself. If you tell the interviewer you are keen to take the job (salary, working hours and conditions all taken into consideration) then be prepared to live with it! If you ramp up your qualifications or lie about your current salary to get a better starting price, you will have to be prepared for higher expectations and heavier workloads.

Inappropriate questions

If you are asked a question which you deem as inappropriate or discriminatory, whether it be your age, if you have any children or your sexual preference you are within your rights not to answer.

Illegal questions are those in relation to race, disability, sex, marital status, parental status, religious or political beliefs. Legally permitted questions are those that relate to the skills, experience and knowledge required to do the job.

A good response to an illegal question is to remain pleasant and ask about the relevance of the information to the job. Pointing out that a question is illegal will only put the interviewer on the defensive.

A positive mindset

Remember the worst thing you can possibly do is rock up to a job interview focused on your negative points. Be proud of you experience, skills and character and use the interview as an opportunity to show them off. By focusing on the positives, you might just slip through with minimal emphasis placed on the negatives, without actually having to be deceptive.

Content Credits: Career FAQs Australia

Images: Google Image Search, Flickr

Fifa 2010 schedule calendar

2009-12-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

For all those who are eagerly waiting for FIFA WC June 2010, here is the easy way to make sure you don't miss on the action when it goes live.

All you need to so is to download the zip file below, extract it's CSV file and import it to your application (iPhone in my case).

If you find any trouble in importing this to your desired format. feel free to discuss it in comments section below. Here are the steps for some of the most used platforms.

1) Google Calendar

Simply log into Google Calendar, Go to SETTINGS > CALENDARS > IMPORT CALENDAR > Locate the extracted CSV file and up you go. FIFA Schedule is now loaded into your GCalendar.

2) Microsoft Outlook

Go to Import/Export wizard and locate the extracted .csv file to import the entries into the Outlook Calendar.

3) iPhone/iPod
Simply synchronize your Outlook/Google/MobileMe/etc calendar (from the steps above) with iPod/iPhone via iTunes and you are all set to have alerts on all upcoming matches.

NOTE:

Reminder set for match start time
Match durations are 2 hours
Match start times are SAST (South African Standard Time), ie UCT+2:00

Click HERE to download (2.12kb)
Special thanks to Arthur Williamson

Top 10 : Must have Firefox add-ons

2009-12-14T01:08:00.000-08:00

As we all know that Firefox is the fastest growing popular web browser and its growing more and more every day. There are too many handy options provided by the firefox and this is the main reason for its popularity. You can easily find lots of free download able extensions and add-ons that are available on the internet for Firefox, so here comes the list of a few that are too hard to missed.

10. AutoCopy

We like it because we're bloggers, having to quote and copy links and code every day, but anyone who does a fair amount of copying to and from the web will dig AutoCopy. The basic use: It copies anyt text you select on the web as soon as you select it—no Ctrl+C necessary. For pasting into text forms, you simply hit the middle mouse button rather than Control+V. If that's all it did, hey, we'd recommend it to anyone who writes, copies, or pastes a lot, but we also have to point out that it fixes really long, wrap-broken URLs automatically. Three cheers for fewer pinky-finger stretches!

9. Google Gears

It's a bit more technical than most browser extensions, but for all intents and purposes, Gears is an easy-to-install add-on that unlocks an entirely new world to the internet. Primarily, it takes Google apps offline—Gmail, Google Reader, Docs, and Calendar—but a handful of other apps make good use of its mini-database powers, including Remember the Milk and PassPack. Still, given the kind of impressive implementation Offline Gmail received, we've only scratched the surface of the potential in them there gears.

8. Personal Menu

Personal Menu is kind of a next-generation version of the much-loved Tiny Menu, accomplishing the same basic but totally great effect: Giving the web content you're actually looking at more space to breath. It does this by stripping the screen-wide menu bar at the top of Firefox's windows and converting it into a single drop-down menu, then lets you choose which of those menus show up in it. Keyboard shortcut ninjas can enable an option to temporarily bring back the menu bar when Alt is pressed, and the extension auto-adds a history and bookmarks button to the main toolbar to compensate for the two most active menus.

7. Better Gmail 2

It's not a revelation that Gmail functionality is one of our pet obsessions. Better Gmail 2 fixes or answers a lot of our Gmail complaints and wishes in one neat package. You can individually enable or kill any of Better Gmail's more than a dozen fixes and improvements, and whenever a great new Gmail user script hits the Greasemonkey realm, you can count on seeing it added to Better Gmail by our own Gina Trapani.

6. DownThemAll!

Not a tool you need every day, but really useful when you want it, DownThemAll is a selective, powerful download manager. It makes short work of snatching all the images on a page (including those links to the "bigger" or "zoom" versions), all the MP3s off a music blog, or any other kind of filter you can set up. Gina's showed us how to do some smart tune-grabbing and Flickr downloading with her guide to supercharging your Firefox downloads with DownThemAll, but her walkthrough should work for any types of files and any page. Incidentally, DownThemAll isn't just one of our favorites—it's also the most popular download manager among Lifehacker readers.

5. Tab Mix Plus

Remember browsing before tabs? We kind of recall a faint smell of kerosene and words like "dubloon" still in use. In all seriousness, browser tabs are the key ingredient to how many of us multi-task on the web every day, and Tab Mix Plus is a master key for everything you like or loathe about tabs. It controls which links open in a new tab, new window, or same window to an OCD-friendly level, adds key features like italicizing the text on tabs you haven't viewed yet, and super-powers Firefox's undo closed tab feature. It gets way, way more intricate than that, but even for just the bare basics, it's totally worth the install.

4. Automatic Save Folder

This one is technically an experimental, non-Mozilla-approved download, but with the positive reaction it received in our experimental extensions round-up, and experimental extensions no longer requiring a sign-up and log-in, it's more than worth stepping out on the ledge. It's the smart-downloading companion to DownThemAll, placing the files you download in a certain folder on your system based on the file extension or the site you grab it from. So if you always want the .xls spreadsheets you grab from Gmail to go into your Reports folder, but an .xls you grab from anywhere else to show up on your Desktop like everything else, you set the rules. JPG files from your friends' Flickr page, versus photo downloads off the rest of the net? Tell them where they should go. It keeps your folders and desktop clean, and sets up rules you shouldn't have to tweak much after one go—truly an extension after our own geeky hearts.

3. Adblock Plus

You knew this would be here, didn't you? Ad-blocking can make the internet a more tolerable place to look around, and AdBlock Plus does this with a powerful ad-blocking feed subscription you can pick at start-up. Alternately, any ads you find particularly distracting ("ONE RULE TO A FLAT STOMACH: OBEY") can be right-clicked on and killed in perpetuity with "Adblock Image." Ads can be brought back if you're feeling curious, but as many a commenter (and AdBlock-loving editor) has said: After getting used to AdBlock Plus, you forget what the internet truly looks like until you turn this extension off. Lifehacker is, of course, an advertising-supported site, so we'd love it if you kept our ads displaying, opting instead to individually kill only the ones that make your eyeballs itch.

2. Greasemonkey

For Firefox changes that require deep browser integration (like adding a new button to the browser's chrome), there are extensions. For everything else, there's Greasemonkey. Greasemonkey is a difficult extension for the uninitiated to wrap their heads around, but once they do, it's a breeze. In essence, Greasemonkey is a meta-extension of sorts. It does nothing by default when first installed; the power lies in Greasemonkey user scripts developed by JavaScript-wielding geeks fed up with under-performing sites or interested in bringing more power to the sites they already love. If you don't like seeing labels on your Gmail messages, but wouldn't mind seeing them when your pointer hovers over them, there's a fix. Want YouTube to acknowledge your bandwidth and load high-quality clips by default? Same deal. Those are just a few recent examples, but the list goes on, and the fixes keep getting better. You can find Greasemonkey scripts all over the web, but if you're just getting started, you may also want to check out Userscripts.org—sort of like Mozilla's add-ons site but for Greasemonkey scripts.

1. Xmarks

Foxmarks is gradually rebranding as Xmarks, but what we really like about Fox/Xmarks remains the same as the last time it claimed the Must-Have crown: It's nearly seamless at keeping your bookmarks and passwords synchronized between browsers on any platform, and stores them on a site you can visit from any browser where you can't install an extension. If you're not down with the cloud, you can even tell this extension to store your stuff on your own server. Foxmarks is also available on IE and Safari, and you can separate your work bookmarking from ooh-cool life stuff with selective bookmark profiles. It's the tool that lets you keep fleeting thoughts, IM links, and other ephemeral web stuff all together, so of course we dig on it. The transition to Xmarks adds a few semi-nifty, social-y features to your searching and bookmarking, but if you're not keen on those changes, you can easily disable them in the Xmarks preferences.

(Re)Install Windows with Ease

2009-12-13T22:24:00.000-08:00

If you are upgrading to Windows 7 from XP you will need to do a clean install, and installing your favorite apps again is time consuming and annoying. Ninite is a cool new service created by two programmers in San Francisco who believe that installing software shouldn’t require work.

Here is what Ninite does:

Installs your favorite applications (while you walk away and do something more enjoyable)
Large selection of popular freeware and open source applications.
Automatically downloads and install your selected apps using Ninite installer (latest, best version of each app)
Installs the software with default settings and says “no” to any extra crapware (like browser toolbars)
Even Ninite isn't installed on your system
Ninite checks your PC's language
64-bit support
Ninite runs on Windows XP/Vista/7
Works in the background
100% hands-free.

Steps to Install (courtesy: HowToGeek.com)

Go to the Ninite site and pick the software apps you want to install.

After you made your choices, click on the Get Installer button at the bottom of the list.

Download the Ninite installer file.

Then double click to launch it.

Now walk away and go go to the coffee shop, have a beer, play some xbox or whatever you want to do that is more fun than installing a bunch of programs. A progress screen is displayed while it downloads and installs your selected programs.

When you get back you will see the finished screen.

You’ll see the icons of the programs you installed on the desktop and in the start menu. The default install paths and settings are automatically chosen for you with no crapware at all. Now you can enjoy using your favorite apps with little effort on your part. It couldn’t be easier, it’s so easy that even Grandma can pull it off.

To download the utility - Click Here

Inside Google Calendar

2009-12-10T21:49:00.000-08:00

Life can be very organized and efficient with the full use of Google Calendar, it has definitely made a big impact on my life. It not only let you organized but also can allow you to get others connected with you easily. Good thing about this featured

Import iCalendar or CSV files

To import events from iCalendar or CSV files, just follow these steps:

Click the Add down-arrow button at the bottom of the calendar list on the left side of the page, and select Import Calendar.
Click Browse and choose the file that contains your events, then click Open.
Select the Google Calendar where you'd like to import events, then click Import.

Please note that recurring events may not be recognized when importing events from CSV files. In this case, individual items will be created for recurring events that fall between the dates you've selected.

Export your calendar

With Google Calendar, you can export content from a specific calendar or from all your calendars at once.

Exporting content from a specific calendar

Follow these steps to export one of your calendars:

In the calendar list on the left side of the page, click the down-arrow next to the appropriate calendar and select Calendar settings. (Alternatively, click the Settings link at the bottom of the calendar list, then click the appropriate calendar.)
Click the ICAL button in the 'Private Address' section at the bottom of the page, and click the displayed URL.
Save the exported file to the desired folder on your computer.

If you receive a 'Feed Processing Error' message when exporting events, please make sure you're using your calendar's private iCalendar address ('Private Address'). You can only use your calendar's public iCalendar address ('Calendar Address') to export events when your calendar is publicly shared. Learn how to share your calendar with others.

Exporting content from all calendars in your 'My Calendars' list

Here's how you can export all the calendars in your 'My Calendars' list at once:

At the bottom of the calendar list on the left side of the page, click the Settings link .
On the Calendar Settings page, click the Export calendars link at the bottom of the My Calendars section. Keep in mind that you won't be able to bulk export calendars in your Other Calendars list (for example, public calendars you've added to your list, shared calendars with 'view' access only, etc.)
In the resulting compressed folder, you'll see an ICS file for each of the calendars you have permission to 'Make changes and manage sharing' for.

Syncing

Sync with Microsoft Outlook (Troubleshoot)
Sync with iCal or Sunbird
Sync with Mobiles

Checking Calendar via SMS

Google Calendar's SMS notification feature allows you to conveniently check your calendar when you're on the go. Just send Google Calendar a quick text message, and you'll get an SMS notification with the information you requested.

In order to use this service, you'll need to register your cell phone number in Google Calendar. Just sign in, click Settings on the top-right of the page, and go to the Mobile Setup tab. Learn more

To receive a notification with your calendar information, send a text message containing one of the following commands to the shortcode '48368' (GVENT):

'next': request your next scheduled event
'day: request all of your scheduled events for the present day
'nday': request your events scheduled for the following day

Please note:

This feature is available only in the United States at this time.
Only event information from your primary calendar will be retrieved.
Information is currently only available for events that are scheduled within 24 hours of the request.

Create an event via SMS

To create an event on your primary calendar via SMS, simply send a text message containing your event's details to the shortcode "GVENT (48368)."

For example, if you send a message with something like "Shopping with Sarah at Monterey Market 5pm Saturday," Google Calendar can figure out what you mean and pop the new event into your calendar.

Please keep in mind that this feature is only available in the US at this time.

Customized Calendar Sharing

To share your calendar with everybody, just follow these steps:

In the calendar list on the left, click on the down-arrow button next to the appropriate calendar, then select "Share this calendar." (Alternatively, click on "Manage Calendars" at the bottom of the calendar list, then click the appropriate "Share this calendar" link.)
Select "Make this calendar public."
If you don't want others to view the details of your events, select "Share only my free/busy information."
Click "Save."

Keep in mind that making your calendar public will make all of your events visible to the world, including via Google search.

More sharing options:

Heights of Advertisement

2009-12-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

This is interesting, instead of feeding money in for new ideas for adverts, its safe to chase your competitors and go bang on them. See how....

SEE WHAT HAPPENED NEXT ………

AFTER A FEW DAYS ...

and FINALLY ...

the most happening……

This is so stupid Denmark

2009-12-10T18:37:00.000-08:00

The sea is stained in red and in the mean while it’s not because of the climate effects of nature.

It's because of the cruelty that the human beings (civilised human) kill hundreds of the famous and intelligent Calderon dolphins.

This happens every year in Feroe island in Denmark . In this slaughter the main participants are young teens. WHY? To show that they are adults and mature.... BULLLLsh

In this big celebration, nothing is missing for the fun. Everyone is participating in one way or the other, killing or looking at the cruelty “supporting like a spectator”

Is it necessary to mention that the dolphin calderon, like all the other species of dolphins, it’s near instinction and they get near men to play and interact. In a way of PURE friendship

They don’t die instantly; they are cut 1, 2 or 3 times with thick hocks. And at that time the dolphins produce a grim extremely compatible with the cry of a new born child.

But he suffers and there’s no compassion till this sweet being slowly dies in its own blood

Its enough! We will send this mail until this email arrives in any association defending the animals, we won’t only read. That would make us accomplices, viewers.

Take care of the world, it is your home!

Top 10 Adverts of Recent Times - Part Two

2009-12-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

Top 10 Adverts of Recent Times - Part One

2009-12-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

In conversation with famos photographer Joseph Szymanski

2009-12-07T05:53:00.000-08:00

The magical aspect of photography is that it so effectively channels an infinite number of perspectives, interests and styles. With this in mind a deeper or second look at a photographers work can often reveal something to a viewer that may be subtle or mysterious. One photographer whose style and subject material builds off of such subtleties and mystery is Joseph Szymanski who specializes in dark moody black and white photography. Take special note of Joseph’s consistency and philosophical approach to learn an often elusive aspect of photography that gets lost in a lot of technical discussions… personal vision.

What gear/software do you use?
I’ve been working exclusively with 35mm Leica rangefinders for some years now. I typically carry two bodies, one with a 50mm and the other with a 35mm lens, along with a 24mm lens in the bag. Just recently I’ve also been working with a twin lens 6×6 Minolta Autocord. My film of choice has always been Kodak Tri-X 400. I’ve always worked primarily in black and white and rarely shoot any color. I occasionally use an orange filter to increase contrast, and from time to time a red filter to darken up the sky. Other than that I’m a bit of a
minimalist, I don’t like bells and whistles.

Describe your photography in 100 words or less.
My work tends to be a bit dark, though I don’t believe it is necessarily dark in nature. A great deal of my images focus specifically on light and shadow, and the shapes of things I find on the street. I often find that content is almost secondary, at least in my own mind, though it is of course often an important element in my photographs. I suppose my work is really about memories, places, and pieces of things along the way. For me, it’s always been the way I chronicle where I’ve been and what I’ve done.

What’s one quick tip that you’d give people getting into street photography to help them improve?
I don’t think there is any one tip that can improve your work. The best thing for someone starting out is to keep shooting, always carry a camera, but remember to take your time. Always be looking at good work, inspiration is a constant process. Remember that well thought out photographs take time and effort, and quality is always more desirable that quantity.

What 3 Photography Sites or Photoblogs do you Recommend?

Magnum Photos is by far the site I visit most. It never fails to deliver, and is one of the greatest archives of photographic history on the net.

Alt.blog is another one of my favorites. I can’t read a word of it, but the imagery is consistently impressive, the photographs speak for themselves.

I also like to keep up with the Center for Fine Art Photography site. They always have interesting shows and exhibitions they’re putting together in a wide variety of styles and mediums.

View more of Joseph Szymanski’s work at http://www.josephszymanski.com

Source: Digital Photography School

Christiano Ronaldo gets yelow for removing his shirt

2009-12-07T03:42:00.001-08:00

In the soccer world there are rules, like in any other sports.

One of those rules is that you NEVER take off your shirt before the game is over, it is ok to get shirtless for the final victory but it is conceder offensive to do so during the game.

During his first home match since his ankle injury last night, not only did Cristiano Ronaldo set up Madrid's first goal he also managed to get a yellow card for removing his shirt in celebration of his goal as you can see on the picture above [source]

"Taking off my shirt was an instinctive reaction. I know that I made a mistake but I'm human. I didn't want to do it."

I think Cristiano should wait for his new Emporio Armani underwear campaign to show off!

From Pictures to Images

2009-12-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

There’s one surefire way to start becoming a better photographer. Stop taking pictures.

A picture is what you take when you accidentally mash your hands on the shutter release while your camera sits idle on the living room table. It’s when you bump the camera while it hangs from your shoulder and snap that oddly angled picture of your feet. It’s the photos you took of your friend just because they asked you to. It’s also generally what most of us are shooting the first time we pick up our cameras – myself included.

But if you really want to advance your photography, you’ve got to stop pressing that shutter release just because you can. Instead, take the time to create a vision. Stop taking pictures. Start creating images.

Professionals Create Images

We all admire the fantastic work of professional photographers from around the globe. It’s not simply because their photos are perfectly exposed, their white balance is spot on or they followed an exacting rule of thirds guideline. Given enough practice, anybody can do these. Many photographers still do. There’s a simple element that separates those photographers you admire from those you don’t.

Good photographers take great pictures, great photographers create images.

An image is something that evokes an emotional response from the viewer. It speaks to us individually and conveys some form of attraction or connection with a photo. Whether it’s longing, awe, desire, fear or any one of a thousand other, an image elicits within us a response. The ability to combine the technical with the creative and create an image is what separates a great photographer from a good one.

Fueling that creativity is a constant journey we should all strive to be better at every day. It’s something I work at every day as well. None of us have it right from the start, and even veterans of 20 and 30 years are pushing every day to take it to that next level. Here are a few techniques I’ve found helpful on my own drive towards creating images and not just taking pictures.

Continue Shooting and Start Planning

If it sounded like I’ve been telling you to stop shooting, it’s exactly the opposite! As well-know commercial photographer Chase Jarvis says, the best camera is the one you have with you. Shooting every day, even with a simple camera phone, helps develop your eye for pleasing compositions, great locations and visionary editorials. But you don’t want to be taking just pictures anymore. You want a mix of pictures and images.

What you need to add to create those images now is a plan. That doesn’t mean you need to look for six assistants, a creative director, three models and twelve lights! The start of your plan can be as simple as spending an afternoon out with your friends and showing them having a good time, keeping a vision in mind.

Ask Yourself Why

A practice I’ve always found helpful is to ask myself, “Why am I taking this photo? Why is it different from any other out there? What am I trying to convey with it? What emotion am I trying to invoke? Who is my audience?”

Advertisements plan for and answer these questions all the time. They want to create the vision of a lifestyle in their images that says, “Hey, buy this brand and you’ll be like this,” or a longing that says, “You too could be experiencing an extraordinary sunset at our hotel pool.” And they want you to create that emotion through your unique vision.

Answer some of those questions and you’ll be able to answer the one every client or company asks when seeking a photographer for a job. “Why are you worth paying for?”

Draw Out Editorials

Before pitching a model or client a test shoot, I’ve usually sketched down my ideas and a few frames on a piece of paper. It can be an invaluable tool in laying out an editorial or a vision. It’s a great way to involve your subjects in the images and help direct them. The confidence in having a clear cut vision and idea will be obvious to those you are working with, and they’ll take confidence from it as well. Ultimately, you’ll create better images because of it.

Whether it’s a landscape angle you see in your mind or simply a few portrait poses, drawing out a few ideas goes a long way towards executing a vision. Always remember to ask, “What am I trying to convey?”

Set Yourself a Client

Here’s an exercise you can set for yourself the next time you step out the door with your gear in tow and you’re just out to shoot for fun. Set yourself a client to shoot for.

Let’s say it’s the clothing store Pac Sun. What kind of image conveys the Pac Sun lifestyle? Who shops there and what message do you think will connect with them? Start thinking about what the client would want and you will be on the way towards creating photos with a purpose.

So remember the next time you grab your camera, sit down for a few moments first and concept some ideas. With a vision, planning and perspiration you’ll soon find yourself no longer taking pictures, but creating images.

Author: Matthew Dutile (Web site) for Digital Photography School

What it takes to be in IIM, UPSC, CA or an IAS

2009-12-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

Q.How can you drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
A.Concrete floors are very hard to crack! (UPSC Topper)

Q.If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
A. No time at all it is already built. (UPSC 23 Rank Opted for IFS)

Q.If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in the other hand, what would you have?
A. Very large hands.(Good one) (UPSC 11 Rank Opted for IPS)

Q. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
A. It is not a problem, since you will never find! an elephant with one hand. (UPSC Rank 14 Opted for IES)

Q. How can a man go eight days without sleep?
A. No Probs , He sleeps at night. (UPSC IAS Rank 98)

Q. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
A. It will Wet or Sink as simple as that. (UPSC IAS Rank 2)

Q. What looks like half apple ?
A : The other half. (UPSC - IAS Topper )

Q. What can you never eat for breakfast ?
A : Dinner.

Q. What happened when wheel was invented ?
A : It caused a revolution.

Q. Bay of Bengal is in which state?
A : Liquid (UPSC 33Rank )

Q. How many buckets of water does Pacific Ocean contains?
A : It depends on the size of the bucket. (CA Institute Campus Interview Placement)

Q. Interviewer said 'I shall either ask you ten easy questions or one really difficult question. Think well before you make up your mind!'

A. The boy thought for a while and said, 'my choice is one really difficult question.'

'Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice! Now tell me this. 'What comes
first, Day or Night?'

A : The boy was jolted into reality as his admission depends on his answer, but he thought for a while and said, 'It's the DAY sir!'

'How' the interviewer asked,

A. 'Sorry sir, you promised me that you will not ask me a SECOND difficult question!'
He was selected for IIM!

HTML5 - next big thing !!

2009-12-02T14:45:00.000-08:00

If you are a Safari user, you must have noticed a stylish start-up animation screen calling "welcome to Safari 4". This impressive move is a courtesy of HTML 5 which will revolutionize the way things appear in any browser(s) or what all you can do within it. Below youtube video is a brief indication of what lies ahead in the near future once the HTML5 goes live and take over the static display of technically old browsers.

Drink Water, live better

2009-12-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

Correct timing of water intake will maximize its effectiveness to human body!

Two glasses of WATER 30 minutes before meal, helps digestion.
One glass after waking up, helps activate internal organs.
One glass before sleeping avoids stroke or heart attack while sleeping
One glass after taking a bath, helps lower blood pressure.

Top 10 Ergonomic Upgrades for Workspace

2009-12-02T14:03:00.001-08:00

It's easy to forget about your body's needs when you're deep into your work or the net—until your body offers a painful reminder. Save your physical shell some strain with these cheap, customizable ergonomic workspace upgrades.

10. Elevate your laptop to eye level

Your neck can't text you to explain how annoying it is to have to keep looking down at your laptop. Over time it will let you know, though, in a nagging, painful way. If your laptop is your day-to-day work machine, elevate it to eye level using any one of a number of clever solutions. Perhaps one among our Top 10 laptop stands will do the trick, or a built-to-fit DIY pipe stand. Any of them are better than imagining yourself as a hunched old man or woman, constantly warning the neighborhood kids to sit up straight and look ahead.

9. Mix up your positions with a standing desk

It's hard to slouch when you're not in a seat. To help your body benefit from your upright instinct, and give your lower body a break from sitting, work a standing desk into your workspace. You can go for it in a big way, like with this handcrafted setup, stick with something as simple as a $20 model or a surface on a storage rack. If you want to go really fancy, you could try a treadputer or something like this adjustable desk. It doesn't have to be your only desk, either—just a break room for your butt.

8. Get better sleep support

How your back, neck, and joints fare over eight hours of work can be influenced by how they spent eight hours in bed. Give your body a better night's sleep by catching up on Lifehack.org's pain and posture basics. According to the post, the standard, no-pain position to shoot for is "on your side, knees bent, pillow between the knees, and your head resting on a single pillow," or on your back with one pillow under your knees and one under your head. You might need to leave out an element or two from that ideal if you've got a hard-set sleeping habit, but it's worth considering a switch-up. Photo by james.thompson. (Original post).

7. Invest in a real mouse and keyboard

If you've stuck with your mouse and keyboard just because your desktop came with them, we feel for you. If you've been using a laptop at a desk without an external mouse or keyboard, we're in tears. Invest in the tools your hands spend thousands of hours on every year by perusing the best mouse recommendations from Lifehacker readers and their ultimate keyboard picks. All of them are designed with a good hand feel and better functionality in mind. Consider your hand comfort worth five cents an hour? You'll amortize these puppies in no time.

6. Align yourself properly with your computer

Adam's had his problems with hand, wrist, and back pain from repetitive stress and other conditions at his workspace, and a few years ago, he decided to set up a healthy, usable workspace to get back in shape. His post is a front-to-back assessment of what healthy working spaces should include, but his basic sitting setup involves keeping your elbows bent near 90 degrees, keeping a mouse comfortably within reach of a keyboard, avoiding slouching, and keeping a monitor at eye level, between 18-28 inches from your face.

5. Build your own ergonomic desk from scratch

You don't have to have Bob-Vila-level woodworking skills to craft your own workspace—after all, college students have been laying doors on cinder blocks for years. To make an actually ergonomic desk from medium-density fibreboard, you need two power tools (your neighbor has them if you don't), time enough to sketch and plan your cuts, and measurements to know how high you should set up the legs, so your monitor is at eye level and you've got just enough room for everything you're working with. When you're done, you can paint or stain it whatever color you'd like, and when your friends ask where you got that desk, well, you know the answer. (Original post)

4. Use exercises to ward off RSI

You can do a lot to prevent stress and pain in your hands working at a computer all day, but you'll almost inevitably have bad days full of overly long hours, and, over the long haul, risk sidling yourself with repetitive strain injury (RSI). Percussionist David Kuckhermann knows a thing or two about repetitive wrist and forearm strain, as does RSI expert Sherry Smith, and they both recommend and demonstrate a few simple exercises that can ward off and heal the effects of working your hands into knots. (Original post)

3. Fine-tune your desk spacing

Are you the type that busts out the tape measure whenever you're putting anything up on the wall? For setting up your workspace with proper distances and heights between yourself and your computer tools, ergonomic goods firm Ergotron offers an ergonomic workspace planner that, once you enter your height, gives up the details on suggested seat heights, monitor heights and distances, and keyboard shelves. If you're thinking about working in a standing desk, they've got measurements for that, too. (Original post)

2. Use software enforcers

It's great that you're dedicated to pushing out this project on time, but unless your deadline's right this hour and you need every second, you should be stepping back occasionally to give your wrists, eyes, and arms a rest—and maybe even read something off-screen, while you're at it. If mental reminders aren't enough, apps like AntiRSI and Timeout for Macs, and Workrave for Windows and Linux, force you, in differing levels of subtlety, to take a break and physically remove your hands from the keyboard every so often. (Original posts: AntiRSI, WorkRave, Time Out)

1. Go easy on your eyes

Eye strain is particularly bad news for those who write (code, copy, or anything else) or assemble things on a computer all day—it hits you right in what feels like your brain, and makes concentration terribly hard. Two simple solutions are to turn on ClearType and increase your monitor refresh rate in Windows systems, or install a serious protection scheme like EyeDefender. Reader's Digest suggests other easy eye fixes, like keeping your monitor slightly below eye level to bring less glare into your retinas. And simply using a darker desktop theme is often a nice first step toward reducing the amount of time you feel like you're staring into a flashlight with words written on it.

Credits: Lifehacker.com

A love story through Google Search #Video #funny

2009-12-02T12:07:00.000-08:00

In conversation with Set Designer Raffy Tesoro

2009-12-02T11:59:00.000-08:00

In this post Dustin Carbonera interviews Set Designer Raffy Tesoro. Raffy has answered a number of questions as well as walking us through some of the shots he’s been involved with creating sets for.

Everybody seems to be into photography nowadays. Everyone wants to be the person behind the lens and capture a beautiful frame. Everyone wants to be that person who’ll be praised by people because he was able to come up with a perfect shot, of course, with the help of the oh-so-powerful Photoshop.

Sadly, it seems that the name of the game today (for some) is not really how well you do in Photoshop, not how well you know how to get a good shot. For example, we need a surreal set for a model. We shoot a model and render a nice background. Less hassle, and faster processing, and viola! A nice photograph.

Then comes Raffy Tesoro– a man who I can say is the Creator…of set designs. He is a man in between worlds; a man who knows and loves to build his set by hand, but does not fail to see the ease of using a 3D world. I had a wonderful chance of interviewing him online and learned so much about a world not ventured by most.

As note, I did not edit his answers as they were perfect as they are, at least we get a grasp of Raffy Tesoro on a more personal approach.

1. How did you start in this industry? Why did you choose this path?

I guess I was just born into it. My parents are both artists. My mom is a fashion designer and my dad is a lawyer by trade but an actor & theatre denizen by heart. So I was learning how to bead and embroider when I was a kid and just kept moving on from there. As for production design specifically, I got into it because my friend Jay Tablante sort of egged me on into it. I started by making one set because I was bored and he thought I should just do it regularly. I think I was too stupid at the time to say no… and here we are. All in all I think that the path chose me more than I chose it.

Art Endures – I made this shot in November 2008 with Jay Tablante. I wanted to show how beauty and art can and will survive the test of time. My reference was how archeologists dig up bones and pieces of the past. Clues to our history through art… which basically is the only thing that does survive. Well in this case… what if they uncovered a beauty untouched by time? To give it a sense of realism… I buried the model in 200 kilos of sand, flour and cornstarch. Then the rest was posted in.

Photography: Jay Tablante
Hair & Makeup: Lanie Acedilio for Paul & Joe
FA: Genald Tungol for Whitewall Industries
Model: Nadine Howell

2. Humble beginnings, a little history of who you are. Perhaps background on how were you as a kid?

Growing up was different for me. When most kids were out playing, I was helping my mom make clothes. At 12 or 13 I decided to try doing events and shows full time so I asked my mom’s director, Ogee Atos, if I could apprentice. I was basically juggling school, fashion shows, pageants, design and a whole gamut of things. Somewhere in between I was a bouncer, a dyer, a t-shirt maker, a talent agent, a bum, a secretary… whatever.. It seems like a lot of rubbish at the time and I was definitely finding my way through life but I wouldn’t change it for anything. All these experiences help me with my work, my passion and my outlook in like.

Rogue – This was for Jay’s exhibit. He wanted to make something interesting so I suggested doing a comic book character. Together with Gelo Lico, we came up with this concept. It was kinda fun! I had to make that pillar and break it up so it would look more realistic. Gelo came up with the layout and I figured out the storyline and look.

Photography: Jay Tablante
FA/AD: Gelo Lico
Model: Rhian Howell

3. Raffy Tesoro is synonymous to…?

Strange. That’s about it really…. ask my friends. I never get anything normal in this life.

Rock & Roll – Nadine wanted a kinda rock & roll concept for herself. So I took inspiration from the old Rolling Stone mag covers and came up with this.

Photography: Wesley Villarica for Parallax Studios.
Model: Nadine Howell

4. Set design is…?

…is all about creating a world. May it be a glimpse, a touch… or an entire panoramic view of reality and/or fantasy. Production designers like to joke that our job was the first one ever since God created a world to his liking… lol. But yes, we create time (periods, timelines, etc.), space (rooms, worlds, props,) ideas (genres, concepts, fantasies) and whatever else. Production design isn’t only about making things to be placed in the physical aspect of the job… but also to design an aesthetic and create concepts that are pertinent to the work at hand. Its more mental than menial but don’t let that fool you… there’s a lot of hard, dirty, hands on work involved. PDs are usually the first on the set and the last to leave… plus there’s a lot of prep time before construction even starts. Photogs usually just have to show up and set lights, or MUAs just need to bring their kit and brushes. We’re there hours, even days before anyone else is. I’m not saying that our work is more important than anyone else’s in the team… but rather, everyone has to realize that each profession has its requirements. This one is ours. Gotta put in more time than the others.

My Sorrow – This one was totally on the fly. Well okay not really… I made the mask and had the idea in mind… the execution of it was a bit of a bitch tho. We ended up using one light and even that was gobo’d. I wanted to convey a feeling of sadness and solitude with this but not make it come out so much in the expression. Actually the mask was there to show how we conceal our true emotions especially when it comes to our own sorrow.

Photography: Genald Tungol of Whitewall Industries
Model: Karen Pamintuan
Makeup: Noel Flores

5. I think your Flickr site is just a little glimpse of your work and they sure are mind-blowing. How do you come up with these ideas? Any weird rituals before coming up with a design? Any memorable story?

Guh I really need to update my flickr more often. I just think them up! Okay that’s not the whole story but in a nutshell that’s how it goes. I can just be watching TV and I just start thinking that it would be fun to make people fly naked through clouds of creamy cocoa. But no… its more like a product of just being immersed in the arts for so long. The experiences, the lessons, aesthetics, rules, etc… all go in and out in a flash but leave a mark on the idea. A good example of this is a story I heard about this big company that wanted to update their logo… so they hired a very talented big name graphics designer to do it. During the preliminary meeting, she was doodling on a napkin while they were talking about what they wanted the new logo to signify. So at the end of the meeting she showed them her napkin doodle and voila… there was their logo. They loved it. But they didn’t want to pay her so much since they thought… she just scribbled on a napkin! To which she said that this design didn’t come out of thin air. Sure it was made out of nothing really… but behind it, her experiences, her travels, her studies, etc. That cost her a lot of time, money and personal investment. That’s what they were paying for. Her Vision. And this is something that most people don’t realize about artists. We may create something out of nothing… but that nothing had to come out of something.

As for my stories…. well… they’re just too weird to be published I think. Sometimes people think I make it up… but truth IS stranger than fiction sometimes…

Power – This is part of my personal headshot project. I’m doing a series of head shots that convey a word and a story. I get actors to do the shots and work out the emotions pertinent to the word then get my team together to create the setting, graphics, styling, makeup and whatnot in order to complete the effect. This one is “Power”. I wanted to show how the use of colors, effects, layout and placement could control people’s minds. It’s a very effective tool used by authoritarian regimes.

Model: Gino de la Peña
Photography: Jay Tablante
Makeup: Noel Flores
Styling: Raffy Tesoro
Graphics: Gelo Lico
Concept: Raffy Tesoro

6. How is it working with one of the best fashion photographers (referring to Jay Tablante) in the local scene?

They’re the best? Wahahaha! No really, they are. I mean… with the likes of Jay Tablante, Wesley Villarica, Doc Marlon, Genald Tungol, Erik Liongoren, Dix Reyes, Neal Oshima, Wig Tysmans, Dominique James… All these guys are awesome.. I just can’t see how it can’t be fun and productive. But we can’t overlook the rest of the team either. The makeup artists like Omar Ermita, Xeng Zulueta, Josa Primero, or stylists like Hannah Sison, Guada Reyes… models, designers, art directors, graphics designers, and whoever else. I mean I could name all the guys I’ve worked with but that’s gonna be a long and boring read. Regardless, they’re all an intrinsic and important part of the project. You may have a great photog but if your model is bleh… you’ve got a problem. OR a lousy MUA but the model is drop dead gorgeous… still won’t work so well. We are only as strong as our weakest link after all.

It tends to spoil you in some ways since you can just pull something out of your ass creatively and they’ll understand you immediately. God knows how many times I’ve done that to a newbie and they would just stare at me, completely flummoxed by whatever insanity I was spouting out at the time. They all have their styles, their quirks and their perceptions… but what makes them good and talented is their versatility, smarts, creativity and experience. It’s hard to make anything that would please yourself if the people you’re working with can’t execute the vision to your liking. That’s just how it is. I’d like to think I give them the same options as well. Most of the time.

Strings – Did this shot with Jay Tablante and a bunch of other photogs for our Singapore workshop. I created a concept for them where I wanted pure elegance… like timeless jewelry shots… but using only the simplest of materials… like white thread.

Photography: Jay Tablante
Model: Rhian howell

7. Any favorite style (?) that is you see is prominent in your work. It’s like if we see ___________, that’s Raffy Tesoro.

I don’t think I have any defining style really… other than that I like detail. Not just detail in the sense that oooh there’s so many things going on… but more like how the whole thing was thought up down to the last few bits here and there. I have some pretty ornate stuff and I also have a good number of minimalist work… since for me even the lack of detail is a detail in itself, as long as you thought about it first. Plus I always need a story or an idea in the shot. If it doesn’t than its just a snapshot, no matter what it is. Unless your concept WAS to make a snapshot…

Temple Warrior – Made this for a fashion show some time back. Decided to give it an amazon feel… and like she was guarding something important. Heh.

Photography: Jay Tablante
Makeup: Omar Ermita
Model: Michelle Fedalto

8. Opinion on the digital age: with advanced (?) technology on our side now, we can make sets through clicking. Some photographers even use shoot the model and render a 3D background. Any thoughts on this?

Not that keen about it. I don’t hate photoshop or digitech. They are tools just like any other. The beef I have with it is that its extremely abused and creates a veneer of laziness in everyone. I just love (insert sarcasm here) how people would shoot something… then when they check the LCD and see things off here and there… they’d just say, “oh we can photoshop that” instead of fixing it in situ. If that was the case… I’d solve every design problem with my favourite tool as well: A hammer. “Oh… wall’s not in the right place. A hammer can fix that.” Or, “Hey the model’s not in her light. No prob… gimme my hammer..” See what I mean?

Any good piece of art has to be convincing… and that means there has to be a healthy balance of all the skills, talents, tools and ideas involved. I use graphics if the shot calls for it. Same way that I call for a nude if I think the concept needs it as well more than “oh… the model’s hot, let’s strip her.” Believe me I’ve heard that line waaaay more times than I’d like to. But yes, there is a reason to making art… and doing it well means you have to draw the audience into the world you’re creating. A one-sided world made by one tool or thing usually doesn’t make it very appealing. Despite the fact that most who look are laymen, always remember that everyone has the capacity to detect a lie. If you look at it in a certain way, all forms of art are lies. So be a good fibber. :p

I’m a huge advocate of learning the old techniques. It instills discipline and a deeper understanding for the craft. I usually explain this to people when they question why I push for this by telling them about my Zombie theory. Imagine that you’re in a reaaaaaalllly bad B-movie situation where you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and a gazillion shuffling zombies are comin round lookin for a lovely brrraaaaaainnns buffet. Guess what… you’re on the menu! This scene is never complete without managing to escape long enough to find a decrepit barn with a battered Ford inside. YOU’RE SAVED!!! Except when you discover that its a stick shift and you’ve only ever driven an automatic. Poor, poor you. Hope you find a shotgun…. except… dammit you don’t know how to reload the thing since the only time you’ve EVER used a firearm was for Time Crisis 2. And the list goes on and on…

Bottom line is: don’t gimp yourself by not learning the old ways. Yes, technology has made things more convenient, but to deny oneself of a proper learning experience isn’t good for the artistic technique or creative output. Its part of earning a proper education in whatever career you’re passionate about.

Priscilla – This was for a men’s magazine that never launched. Got our friend Priscilla to model for us… and when I got to the venue I found out that it was basically a blank hut made out of concrete and steel pipes. So I had to make do with some wood, cloth and whatever else I could find to make this into something shootable.

Photography: Wesley Villarica for Parallax Studio
Model: Priscilla Mereilles
Styling: Rachel Lisbeth So

9. (Cliche question, well, all of them are) Tips for the starters in this field?

Sure… this one’s easy. Don’t get into it. LOL. Unless you’re passionate enough, stupid enough and stubborn enough to really want to… then go ahead! I’m just saying this because a lot of people want to get into PD, Fashion, Photography, etc… because it’s hip, cool, fun… whatever. Sure it’s all that. But behind it is a LOT of hard work and a lot of heartache. Be prepared for it and don’t bitch when you find out the hard way. That’s just how life is. Well okay you can bitch from time to time but every artist needs to cultivate patience, discipline, mental stamina, open-mindedness, morality and thick skin with a thick skull to match. People are either going to love your work or hate it… but I take both as a compliment. The worst thing that any artist can hear is when their work doesn’t illicit an opinion at all. Ouch.

There’s that and there’s that one other uber-important aspect: Education. PDs need to know a lot about construction, safety, materials, surfaces, textures, spacial reasoning, etc… but you also need to know a little about everything. You’re creating a world after all, down to the pots and pans, nails, bedbugs and whatever else is there no matter how big or small. Like I said… you’re a god… even if its for a little while.

Wedding Essentials – Did this for Wedding Essentials magazine. Made a few paintings for it and set the theme… kinda like sitting in an art gallery or something.

Photography: Jay Tablante

Credits: Digital Photography School

10 Ways of how photography can change life

2009-12-02T11:54:00.000-08:00

Has Photography Changed Your Life?

It has certainly changed mine, for the better.

Not too long ago, before cameras became digital, I, like many baby boomers, used film based cameras, and mainly used my camera to take pictures of my children as they grew up. You know the standard ones that are in every family album–first day pictures, visiting grandma pictures, first Christmas pictures, vacation pictures, and so on. Looking back, that was all fun, and it certainly will always bring back fond memories.

For me, that’s when it began and ended, because due to life’s intervention, I stopped taking pictures for many years, because I became a full time mother, daughter, sister, wife, and worker.

But after moving to California and after some life changes, low and behold, a 2008 Christmas present of a Nikon D40, allowed me to literally as well as figuratively “take a new look at photography.”

In the last 10 months, photography has taught me more than I bargained for, and I still can’t get enough:

1. “Look.”

Now I’m constantly looking at the world, and my surroundings. Now I center on every detail that within my purview. And when I say look, I mean I really look—up, down, and all around. No detail large or small is not within my effort to visualize how it might look in a photograph, even if I’m not currently taking one. Before restarting my passion for photography, I would just walk around and take many sights and sounds for granted. Not anymore, that was then and this is now—and now, I look and pay attention.

2. “See.”

Although I talked about looking in the paragraph above, frequently just looking isn’t good enough; you have to see, too. See the different angles, the different sides, the different light, and the different heights, from all venues and vantage points.

3. “Time.”

Time used to be a measurement of getting from one place to another. For most people, it’s about always being “on the move.” For me, now, time is spent much differently. I spend my time trying to take in my surroundings with a more discerning consciousness, and attempting to look and see everything that I can at any given moment. Time is more than time passing me by, or a clock ticking from one hour to the next, time is a place and fact that I use to merge into my ability to see and look in advance, in why I would approach my subject matters, and how I would use that time to my advantage to capture the image that I’ve visualized.

4. “Light.”

Art and Photography are borne and spring from the proper understanding, and mastery of the use of light. This one kind of goes without saying, but now I take notice where the light is coming from, its intensity, its frequency, its duration, and its brightness. Before, I barely paid attention and took a nonchalant attitude about it. When you have a camera in your hand, light becomes an integral part of your life.

5. “Distance.”

How the focal point of your photograph and its subject matter is presented is a function of not only light but distance. How far away should one stand or focus on to get the right shot at the right time? It’s amazing what occurs to me when I’m visualizing the “perfect” shot, which will be a function of my subject matter, where I’m standing, or what lens I plan to use.

6. “Learning.”

As the old saying goes, you never stop learning, especially when photography is concerned. Even for professional and seasoned photographers, resources like DPS are invaluable. Through this wonderful resource, everyday new innovations are presented, analyzed, explained, and taught as the name Digital Photography School, belies its ultimate mission. Even when learning about the new, the old is equally important – matters including, composition, shutter speed, aperture, or the Rule of Thirds. The other area of learning which has become very important to me is studying the masters—for example, Ansel Adams, Henri Cartier-Bresson, or Margaret Bourke-White. It’s invigorating, challenging, and always a journey to learn, and learn some more.

7. “Travelin’.”

Yes, and as my website is testimonial, I have discovered travelin’, but not travelin’ around the world, or even for a vacation. I travel everyday in my own neck of the woods– in my city’s neighborhoods. And because my neighborhood is in Los Angeles, I admit to having a pretty large and interesting one at that. However, the theory remains the same, regardless of how large your neighborhood is– you can find plenty of relaxation, fascinating places, and unique photos to take in your own backyard. Look, see, and realize that what’s in your own neighborhood is all too frequently an “Eye into the Soul of the World.” Best of all, it’s exciting, affordable, and I learn as much if not more, right here, right now, and that’s how Travelin’ Local came to be.

8. “Seconds.”

Before owning a camera, seconds didn’t matter. Now, just as taking time to get a great shot is important, seconds are equally as important. They can be the difference between an action and inaction. Seconds are the breakdown of time further into time. Time is a function of space and distance, and that plane is, and will be forever an issue for photographers to master.

9. “Focus.”

For sure, every photographer worth his or her salt, needs to know about and how to use proper focus; but I’m also talking about focus in relationship to personal focus. Focus on your camera’s battery, focus on your camera settings, focus on your subject, focus on your environment, and even focus on your time management. It’s not always about taking the picture, but as importantly the process of how you’re going to do so–the post processing, marketing, mounting, and all else that keeps us photographers concerned about and why we are passionate about taking pictures. This list is interminable, and goes on and on.

10. “Appreciation.”

With my camera in my hand, I’ve gained a new found appreciation of a smile, a gesture, a sunset, a building, a child, and the beach– and life itself more. I see things differently, more clearly. These were but only a few examples of my new found appreciation of life, and life’s offerings since I’ve got bit by the camera bug.

How about you? How has photography changed your life and made it better?

Credits: Lisa Newton from Travelin’ Local (via Digital Photography School)

Custom Home Button for iPhone

2009-12-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

By default the iPhone allows you to set the double clicking of the home button to one of five tasks. You can set it to go to home, search, your phone favorites, camera or the iPod. Sort of limiting don’t you think.

That’s where Custom Home Button comes in. Available for jailbroken iphones via the Touch Mania source (http://cydia.touch-mania.com/) allows you to set the double clicking of your home button to anything your hear desires. You can choose from your App Store applications, Cydia Applications, Web Sites or one of the default actions.

Once installed you’ll see the Custom Home Button settings within your iPhone’s default settings application. Within the settings you can not only configure what happens when you double click the home button but you can toggle the entire application on or off.

It’s as simple as checking off which function you want double clicking the home button to open an off you go.

One thing to watch out for. If you use Categories to organize your applications you can not set an application that’s inside a Categories folder and your double click home button. It won’t launch. Any application you choose must be visible on the springboard.

I’m not sure why this feature isn’t built into the iPhone by default. Limiting the function to only five actions seems restrictive to me. But if you’re jailbroken this app. solves the limitation.

Credits: iPhone-Enthusiast.Blogspot.Com(via @Rene818)

Hippo Hot Tips for Cover Letters

2009-12-02T05:34:00.000-08:00

Your cover letter is arguably the most important part of your job application. It's what your potential employer reads first, and should sum up what you have to offer within the first few sentences. Writing a good cover letter can also be the most challenging step in the job application process, so we've put together these tips to get you started:

Begin by reading the job advertisement carefully to find out exactly what the employer wants. What qualities and experience do you need to address? If you're applying online, should the cover letter be sent as an attachment or in the body of your email?
Sum up what makes you right for the position within the first few sentences. Be as specific as you can, referring to past work experience before moving on to personal qualities.
Don't forget to mention why the job appeals to you. If you can't say it lines up with your particular interests, perhaps emphasise that it's an opportunity to broaden your skills.
Keep your tone professional, but try to avoid any overly formal phrasing. Try reading your letter aloud and imagine you're speaking to the employer.
Don't forget to include all your contact details: full name, email address, phone number and postal address. Wherever possible, address your letter to the contact officer mentioned in the job advertisement.
Still stuck? The vast number of examples online can provide inspiration, but make sure the wording is largely your own.

The best thing about writing a great cover letter? You can keep it handy and tweak it to suit your next job application. Put in some initial effort and you will definitely thank yourself in future.

Credits: Hippo.com.au

iiNet Freezone Radio on iPhone

2009-12-02T05:26:00.000-08:00

To listen the Radio Channels, open this website in your iPhone/iPod Safari browser and clink on the desired channel. You can do anything on your device while listening to the streaming as the music wont stop even after you press home button.

Streaming following channels on iiNet Wireless network is free, as they are covered in freezone means usage wont be counted towards your monthly data allowance. So Enjoy and have fun with the links below. Please post your requests/suggestions/complaints in the comments columns.

Remember, you dont need to install any app or pay anything for streaming these from your mobiles.

3 RRR
3RRR 102.7FM
95BFM
ABC Classic FM
ABC ClassicFM 2
ABC dig Country
ABC dig Jazz
Absolute Classic Rock
Absolute Radio
Absolute Radio Xtreme
BassDrive
Breaks
ChroniX Aggression
ChroniX Grit
ChroniX Metal
Club 977 - The 80s Channel
Club 977 - The Hitz Channel
DI.FM - PsyChill
DI.FM Chillout Dreams
DI.fm Chillout
DI.fm DJ Mixes
DI.fm Drum & Bass
DI.fm ElectroHouse
DI.fm Eurodance
DI.fm European Trance
DI.fm Funky House
DI.fm Goa-psy Trance
DI.fm Hard Core
DI.fm Hard Dance
DI.fm Hardstyle
DI.fm House
DI.fm Lounge
DI.fm Minimal
DI.fm Progressive
DI.fm Trance
DI.fm Tribal House
DI.fm Vocal Trance
Dogglounge
ETN.fm Progressive
EYE97 Dance & Club Mix
EYE97
Future Synth Pop
GeorgeFM Classic Dance
GeorgeFM Jazz
GeorgeFM Live Radio
Gremlin Radio
HitzRadio
Idobi - Alternative music network
Idobi radio
Paradise radio
Philosomatika.com
Plus FM
Radio NRI
Radio Skipper
RTR FM - The Sound Alternative
RTR FM
Sky.fm Classical Guitar
Sky.fm Mostly Classical
Sky.fm Roots Reggae
Sky.fm Salsa
Sky.fm World Music
Smooth Lounge
Smoothjazz
SomaFM Beat Blender
SomaFM Groove Salad
SomaFM Illinois Street Lounge
SomaFM Secret Agent
SomaFM Space Station
SportFM (including Perth Wildcats)
Starpoint Radio
The 80s
Trance
Triple J

Following WONT play on iPhone/iPod but can still be played on any of the popular media players like WMP, Real, Winamp and VLC.

ABC - Radio National
ABC 702 - Brisbane
ABC 702 - Melbourne
ABC 702 - Perth
ABC 702 - Sydney
BBC World Service
Flava
NewsTalkZB
RadioSport
The Edge
ZMOnline

Recommendation: If above links are working fine for you, you can always add bookmark or add to home screen this website for one click access for future, by clicking Plus (+) sign on the bottom bar of safari on your device.

Update: I am still working on for a new list of Radio streams and FM Channels which are not covered in freezone but can be played on Apple device (QuickTime format). So stay tuned for more entertainment and feel free to follow us on twitter or facebook for daily updates.

Live life like an eagle

2009-12-02T04:33:00.000-08:00

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life.

A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes.

It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results. Let's change to make a change!!!

"If you focus on results, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get results"