Stay AT Home GAMES: 2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Introducing The Hybrid Car. Discover The Potential Power Driving These Fantastic Motor Vehicles

By Ramitin Goodman

A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) combines a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) with the electric power propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve possibly much better gasoline overall economy than a standard vehicle, as well as much better overall performance.

A variety of kinds of HEV exist, and also the degree to which they perform as EVs may differ also. The most common type of HEV is the hybrid electric powered car, although hybrid electric vans (pick-ups as well as tractors) also exist.

Current Hybrid Electric powered Vechicles or HEVs take advantage of efficiency-improving technologies for example regenerative braking, that converts the vehicle's kinetic power into battery-replenishing electrical energy, as opposed to wasting it as heat energy since standard brakes do. A few types of HEVs make use of their internal combustion engine to generate electricity by rotating a power generator (this combo is called a motor-generator), to choose to boost the electric batteries or even directly power the electrical drive motors. Several HEVs cut down nonproductive emissions simply by shutting down the ICE at idle and restarting this when needed; it is termed a start-stop technique. A hybrid-electric produces much less emissions from the ICE compared to a comparably-sized petrol car or truck, as an HEV's gasoline motor is generally small compared to the pure fossil-fuel car or truck, and if not used to directly drive the vehicle, can be geared to operate at optimum effectiveness, further enhancing gas mileage.

Ferdinand Porsche in 1900 created the Lohner-Porsche Mixte Hybrid, the very first gasoline-electric hybrid vehicle in the world.

For the greatest guides on Top 10 Cars in the World check out www.whole-wide-world.com. There are numerous articles like the ones on the best wine in the world.

About the Author:

Technologies Pro Ramitin Goodman investigates the thrilling new realm of electric car take a look at the site. If you wish your site to always be on googles first page have a look at: www.internet-marketing-tools-best.org for info on internet marketing tools.

Having Fun And Making Money Through Knitting For Profit

By Stella Blankhead

For many people around the world, knitting is a relaxing and creative hobby. Whether it is knitting in front of the TV, on the bus, at the beach, even some stolen seconds at a party - knitting is the ultimate transportable artistic indulgence! However, the value of knitting does not have to stop at just being a hobby. Knitting for profit means a keen handcrafter can make money from their favourite pastime!

When a handcrafter has established their ability to knit well and quickly, and has built up a number of items to be sold, they can begin marketing! There are various options available to the knitter: on the world wide web, at markets, through reputation, and boutiques.

Selling via the internet means the handcrafter can move stock from their own home. This does not mean it is necessarily easy at first, because dealing with product enquiries, shipping and doing buyer follow-up does take time and organisation. Taking good quality photographs of the item in good light, and making sure the product looks attractive will help sell the piece. Composing a couple of sentences describing the product - what it is made of, the tone, size, how to mix and match - will enhance buyer perception. The browser will stop to take a second look, and find ready-made reasons to purchase.

Choosing the right price is important too: too low, and it will not reflect the talent and time invested by the knitter or the value of the item; too high, and the item may not attract attention of those shoppers looking for a bargain. Factoring in the time spent making the product and the expenses incurred is an essential first step in pricing, but as the seller may be competing with inexpensive mass-produced knitting available in stores, it may be valuable to err on the side of lower pricing, at least in the first couple of months.

Meeting buyers and selling directly happens at markets. The seller can pitch the sale according to each customer, and display their range according to taste. Describing how the product is made helps the buyer become emotionally invested, and hopefully help them reach for their purse!

Word-of-mouth is an easy but unreliable method of selling. It depends upon the subject of hand-knitting to come up in conversation between friends and friends-of-friends. Still, it is always a good idea for the knitter to keep friends updated on the business, and to show them pieces from the collection, in case the opportunity does arise.

Selling pieces through boutiques is a cost-effective way of marketing handcrafts. Boutiques cater to customers who have more disposable income, which usually is the target market for hand-knitted products. Many boutique owners welcome sellers directly supplying them product: the owners does not have to order it in or take responsibility for it, and may only request a small commission for having the products on their shelves. In exchange, the knitter receives display space and the opportunity to show their business card or logo, usually with a website address, for the customer to take if interested in the full range.

To keep expenses lower and income higher, it can be worthwhile using found, second-hand or recycled materials. Wool from charity shops or estates mean that the overheads are lower, and the environment benefits too. Vintage is forever popular, so reinventing antique pieces is not only thrifty and sustainable, but excellent marketing as well!

About the Author:

To read more about knitting for profit and get started making money with your passion for knitting out our blog knitting for profit thanks for reading and enjoy your knitting!

Emo Shoes and the Elements Used to Get the Look

By Paulie Jon

Many shirts, shoes, and even mugs today are already infiltrated by the famous emo subculture. These emo articles typically contain a depiction of deep human emotions such as loneliness and sadness. Many emo lovers like the fact that these emo inspired articles show the deepest human emotions.

To further understand why people of all ages love emo shoes, here are some of the common themes seen in these emo inspired shoes:

Blood and dark hues - Many of the popular emo shoe designs depict blood and other dark hues in the designs. Blood evokes a symbolic expression of human emotions that are used in the emo fashion. Such designs are used not only in shoes but also in bags, shirts, caps and other fashion articles as well.

Mystical figures - These shoes are also characterized by its use of occult or mystical figures just like the Goth shoes. Such quality is a shared characteristic of these shoes with the slightly similar punk shoes and goth shoes. The emo shoes are depicted with these slightly weird and mystical figures to get the message of the theme across. You need not worry about the appeal and character of such themes because they hold so much character that will let you stand out in a crowd.

Sad faces - Many emo shoes will also depict a sad face whether in human form or in caricatures or emoticons. Hence, these shoes will be more distinguishable over other popular shoe fashion trends such as the punk shoes or goth shoes.

Broken hearts - As humans consider the heart as the seat of the most intense human emotions, the use of hearts in emo footwear becomes perfectly logical. When these heart figures are used, there is a depiction of a deeper human emotions through it. There are oftentimes modifications in depicting hearts in emo art such as the bleeding or broken heart. Through this depiction of the heart, the message of sadness or other deep emotion can be more easily expressed.

The use of famous artists and bands in the emo genre - It is also an observable trend in seeing popular artists, music bands and other popular emo personalities in these shoes. Hence, this shows us that the emo subculture has definitely started a trend that now has many followers. The popular personalities in the emo scene are often seen in all these shoe designs. Even famous anime characters are used to depict the emo tone and to achieve variety in the emo designs.

About the Author:

Emo Shoes are one of the highest fashion products out there now to buy.

Online Sweepstakes And What They Exist To Accomplish

By John Fair

Promoting a service or a product is the reason that an online sweepstakes exists. Following the rules that are posted on the web site that is connected to it and accurately answering the questions on the entry form will allow an individual to participate. Once those actions have been completed then all one has left to do is wait and wish that one's name is drawn as the winner.

One of the advantages of these online games for money or other prizes is that there is usually no cost to participate in them. After all there is no need to purchase the supplies that are needed to participate in their mail in counterparts. Envelopes, stamps, writing paper, and postcards can get very expensive after a while.

At times there are certain clauses in these games for cash and other types of items that require one to try out a service or a product or two as part of the entry. In this way those that sponsor these contests will earn the dollars they are after. It would not hurt them any if after one has gone through the trial and decided they like what they have tried and want more of it.

Another twist that one may run into when it comes to entering one of these competitions is that there may be additional requirements to comply with in order to be eligible. These may include answering a couple of trivia questions, writing an essay, or taking a photograph of a specific subject.

If one has decided that they want to find one of these sweepstakes and online games for money it would not take much time. All that one needs to do is to bring up a popular search engine and run a search on the appropriate terms. Another avenue is to look at the advertising on certain pages and click on the one that looks promising.

Online sweepstakes are an interesting and effective method of advertisement. They enable a promoter to put their products and such in front of the public while enticing them to participate in a trial of it in the hopes of winning a prize. Thus giving a participant a chance at a little bit of laughs is another reason that these games were created.

About the Author:

John Fair is one of few writers who writes about a unique and exciting web sweepstakes type that permits web gamers to legally play their favorite blackjack game and win real cash prizes.

What Follows Is A Little Story Of Ballroom Dancing

By Abner Finnigan

Ballroom dance means kind of social dances where a couple would dance together following very common steps. Ballroom dance derives from the word 'ball' (early 18th century social events patronized by the high class men and women that successively comes from the Latin word 'ballare' with the meaning 'to dance'. The most widely found kinds of ballroom dance might be mentioned as Quickstep, Tango, Slow Foxtrot, Modern Waltz, Viennese Waltz and many forms of Latin dances.

Ballroom dance has its roots in England, sometime between the late 18th century and the early 19th century, and was conducted by the top classes of modern society in balls as well as celebrations. By degrees over time and during the nineteenth century, ballroom dance became a fad among the working classes and middle classes who took part in social dance events.

In the 1920's, ballroom competitions rose in popularity which led to the formation of the Ballroom Branch of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing in 1924 that bore the vision to standardize the actions, music, and method of ballroom dance. Today, ballroom dance is performed not only in Europe, but inside the Asian-Pacific and also the Americas also. Official ballroom dance contests referred to as Dance Sport are commonly offered for ballroom exponents with various degrees of skill levels.

The a variety of ballroom dance forms come from different settings and boast of exclusive artistic values, tempos, methods and beats. Despite these differences, all ballroom dance sorts do share comparable traits. Executed by a couple (generally by a male and a female, these dances demand that they perform in a set pattern which is prominently referred to as the 'Close Hold'.

This position requires the two folks to maintain five areas of contact - three hand contact points wherein the man's left hand holds the woman's correct hand, the woman's left hand is positioned on the man's correct upper arm and the man's proper hand is placed below the left shoulder blade on the woman's back; 1 elbow contact point wherein the woman's left elbow is placed on the man's correct elbow and both arms are maintained in a horizontal line contributing to the ease of movement; 1 chest contact point wherein the correct region of the chest of the man touches the best region of the woman contributing to the expression of feelings and emotions between the two.

In conclusion, ballroom dance is really a fashion which will never die away given the manifestations of love, joy and pain between 2 people.

About the Author:

A single person who has brought dance instruction to an exciting new level is actually Louis Van Amstel. If you'd like to learn to dance ballroom form dances check out our site at: Learn To Dance.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Different Ways For Men To Wear Scarves

By Sue Mitchell

The scarf is an ideal way to keep both yourself warm as well as stay fashionable during the cold winter months. Men wear scarves to not only stay in style but warm and comfortable. Contrary to popular belief men regularly wear accessories, including scarves, to stand out and look more attractive.

Scarves are a great addition to any winter wardrobe and add comfort; you can wear it with different outfits. Here are different ways for men to wear scarves along with you will find a couple of different ways to tie your new accessory which below explain and the best jacket to match it to. Perfectly they are wrapped around the neck in order to keep your whole body from getting a cool, as cold air can travel down from your collar into your coat, possibly giving you a cold.

First is the most popular knot, the Persian. You do this knot by folding the shawl in both of your hands and fold it lengthwise. Then simply put it around your neck and insert the two loose ends in the loop that you've created with the fold. This knot gives you plenty of opportunity to adjust the scarves thickness and overall look. This is an ideal knot if you are going to wear a short leather jacket. Leave the notch collar down with the shawl out, however, if it's really cold outside, you can tuck it inside the jacket and pull the zipper up for ultimate comfort.

The simplest knot is the knot around once. The knot is very easy you can bind it without any trouble. This is a big knot if not too cold outside, but you want to retain the option of staying warm in case it gets cold, it's a nice and loose knot adds comfort and a comfortable level of warmth. Just cover around his neck with one end slightly more than the other, then take the long end and take it around the neck allowing you to put on your chest. Your ideal choice if you go quickly and a perfect complement to a jacket equipped.

A scarf is a vital accessory in the winter, and a great way to keep warm. Enjoy the experience and show your personality through scarves great accessory. There are several different types of knots and equipment with which you can use. You can enjoy the warmth and style with the large number of tissues in the market. These are a fun way to add to your look while staying warm. At the present scarves has become a contest most notable for the costumes of men, not just something to keep the heat.

About the Author:

Sue Mitchell is a leading name amongst the writers of SEO Company, has got handsome exposure to a wide variety of topics like scarves

Scarf And Winter Go Together.... For last

By Sue Mitchell

There are certain accessories which come to mind when you go outside in the cold winter weather. First in mind come the gloves and hats, and of course the scarfs. There is only so much you can do with a pair of gloves or a hat, however, with a scarf you can really take your outfit to a different level. One scarf can be worn in so many different ways which will actually change the whole outfit and overall look that you are trying to express.

There are plenty of other ways to wear it with many knots and styles. Scarf is very essential accessory which giving you an original, attractive, and fashionable appear. In the winter you can wear a scarf around your neck or over your head that is perfect for you.

The ascot knot is fairly simple and most widely used. This is basically when you have the scarf around your neck and flip one side over the other towards the front, leaving both sides facing forward. The European loop is another standard way to tie your scarf. This is by putting the two ends of the scarf together and putting it around your neck, then the two ends are pulled through the loop which is made by the fold. This has a very nice and sophisticated look. These two are the most popular and widely used, they are also most effective in keeping the cold out around your neck.

You need to do the Kelly Wrap which is prefect for you for winter if you are looking to protect your head as well as your neck from the cold. It is also very fashionable. You should make a triangle if you have a square scarf. Put on your head with your hairline then pull them under your chin and cross them. Before knot you should need to check that they are on top of the centered corner in order to keep it. It's perfect for warming your head, neck as well as ears. For this you will need either a triangular or a square scarf. Square or triangular scarf are a great option for nice warm. This is very good fashion accessory for winter.

Enjoy the winter with the perfect accessories. With just a couple of scarfs you will find that you can add onto just about any outfit. For each style and outfit there is a different tie option. Go on - experiment and have fun!

About the Author:

Writing on Corporate Gifts is like a passion for Sue Mitchell, being the editorial manager at aclickahead, she has got immense opportunities to write on a variety of topics including scarf

Scarves - Add Style To Your Accessory

By Sue Mitchell

Many people search for the perfect accessory that is ideal for all of the seasons throughout the year. Aside from jewelery, scarves are a great way to add onto your outfit. Aside from being great for keeping warm, they are a great way to add onto the overall look. You will find that there are thousands of great designs, colours and textures which you can choose from in order to completely match them to the overall look you are going for. There are ones which are perfect for the colder seasons as they are much thicker and much warmer and you can wear them in ways which are only attractive but also keep you nice and warm. There are also ones that are not necessarily used to keep you warm but to add onto an overall look. Also, you can wear them to protect yourself from the sun. It all depends on the material, it's size, as well as the shape of the scarf.

Winter scarves are worn around the neck, head, ears as well as nose and mouth to ensure complete comfort. With the right scarf you can cover all of these parts depending on the size and shape of the scarf. A triangular or square scarf can do the trick for the head, ears and neck. You can put it over your head, and tie the ends under your chin. This will ensure complete cover of the ears and head, though the neck does not necessarily get all of the necessary warmth in the front. If you have a longer scarf which also has width you can ensure the full coverage by putting the scarf over your head in the center, and then wrapping it around your ears and neck. The excess you can use to wrap around to cover your mouth and nose as well.

You can find the scarves in the nearest market so make your choice and buy the best scarf for you. You can also match the scarf with your outfit because matching of the scarf with the outfit gives more beautiful and attractive look to the scarf. The use of the scarf comes in handy when it is very cold or it is snowing and you want to have a walk outside. You can cover your neck with the scarf to prevent you from getting cold because you can catch the cough and flu virus if you do not protect yourself from the cold. So when you wear the scarf in the cold season so it can protect you from getting the cold and it will also give the beautiful look to your outfit. It means you can do two things together when you wear the scarf and those are the safety and the fashion.

There are many scarves available in the market those are very affordable to buy. The use of the scarf is getting so much popular that everybody loves to wear it in modern days and it has become a great fashion for the young generation. If you see the latest male or female models photo shoot then you will observe that most of the models are wearing the scarves along with the different kind of outfits and they look so much beautiful and they enhance the beauty of the outfit.

The summer scarves are usually available in the check design. The summer scarves can also give many advantages along with the fashion. The summer scarves can help you from getting the dangerous sun rays which can let your skin colour to go dark. You can also use scarves to clean your face when it is wet after sweating.

About the Author:

Sue Mitchell An Expert On Promotional Products, having a large number of articles published on various well reputed internet sites. Check out for more about scarf

Examining Barn Door Hardware Vs Pocket Doors

By Chad Ray

Barn door hardware is usually a special and creative fresh way of incorporating life and character to any room in your house. As house owners and designers search for new ways to edit and highlight the interiors of residences, more and more are checking out this novel design.

Although this hardware is commonly used by larger entrances and doorways for instance to living rooms, studies, living rooms, and so on., additionally it is being extensively applied as an alternative for pocket doors.

But exactly what are pocket doors? Well, if you happen to be a homeowner and you have one, you understand exactly what it is. Additionally you probably have not indeed noticed that entry door in a stretch of time since it spends most of its existence in the wall structure. However for the sake of everybody getting on the very same page, let's discuss briefly as to what a pocket door is. Pocket doors are those doors that glide to and fro into the open and closed positioning. These are ordinarily regular sized and so are great for small entrances such as from your kitchen to your individual dining area, or a bed area to a restroom. Their unique quality is they essentially slide within the next wall and away from view, its side in fact becoming part of the door jamb.

However this form of entrance is becoming more and more unpopular due to several reasons. If you're a homeowner with this particular style of doorway someplace in your home, you will end up nodding your head as you go through a lot of these. First, they are often a hassle to open up and close. When you slide them out and in of position, they have a tendency to swing just a little resulting in these to hit the inside within the wall structure or door jamb and stop abruptly.

Next, the latch on the inside of the door is exasperating to use. Its such a compact hook that it becomes tedious to fumble with it just so you are able to hook your finger on the very small latch and draw the doorway out of within the wall structure. This is why the door spends the majority of its life inside the wall structure.

Last but not least, in hindsight property owners often realize that they spent a lot of extra money on a doorway that they do not use, which can be the ultimate annoyance. Nobody wants to throw away cash.

Hence barn door hardware is increasing in popularity. The door rolls forward and backward with smooth ease. Since it stays not in the wall, it's rarely difficult to open up or close. Additionally because it stays outside the wall structure, the door is always in sight, effortlessly becoming a portion of the room's decor. And since the track hardware mounts not in the wall structure, no major renovation is necessary.

About the Author:

To get even more information and facts on barn door hardware check out Barndoorhardware.info

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Woodworking Ideas for People with No Time

By Bill McClintlock

Quick Project: Drawers & Cabinet Doors

A close attention to detail and finesse is required for woodworking cabinets and drawers. These are, however, great ways to take on a weekend project when focusing on a larger one.

Woodworking Project Instructions

Take a look at the link in my profile or search around the internet - you'll find some great ideas for project instructions when making woodworking projects.

Too many times I've seen people start a plan that is more than they need. They often can't finish it, and this is because they've picked a project that is too big. The most important thing in staying in woodworking in the long term is that your projects get finished.

A quality woodworking plan can often be the difference between success and failure when putting together a project. Paying for quality plans can save you lots of money and time in the long run.

Entry Level Projects

The possible lists of little projects is endless. Candle Holders, Birdhouses, bird-feeders, there are lots of ideas to get started with. Remember that Perfection comes from a long term dedication, not from short term spurts. Look for ways to improve over time.

When doing small woodworking projects over a weekend, try to focus on looking for options to improve along the way. Small projects can be a great way to learn how to woodwork, and once you get good at them, you can do a few over a weekend.

Woodworking Specialized Projects

Larger projects can always be completed, but it's important to consider that they can take a while to get done. Look for options that will let you stop for a break along the way, and you'll see the entire project as more in line over time.

Dust Collection

Always remember cleanup time at the end of a project! I'm a big believer in keeping a clean shop, but when you're producing woodworking projects, you can't avoid making a mess. I always make sure that I allocate time to clean up dust and other items even when I'm working on a quick project - it will help make the next project you do that much more pleasant.

Repairing Stripped Screw-hole - Quick Project Idea

When looking for alternate options for woodworking, I always like to look for other tasks like repairing stripped screw-holes. Stripped screw holes can be a major pain, and over time can cause problems with existing projects. By taking the time to repair some as a weekend project, you'll get more life out of the projects you've already created.

A weekend project is a great way to get into woodworking. Take your time and enjoy it, and remember that it's a great feeling to be able to produce quality materials with your own hands!

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on woodworking plans?, then visit www.woodworkingsecrets.info to find the best advice on Woodworking Secrets tips and tricks for your workshop.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Article Marketing Robot Review

By Ivan Ithcyhol

In case your wondering whether Article Marketing Robot is worth getting or not, let me just give you a brief overview of it. Article Marketing Robot is both an article spinner aswell as an article submitter, even so the developer in fact studied the weaknesses and strengths of his competitors and attempted to enhance around the competition. Did he get the job accomplished?

Is the Article Marketing Robot Good? The spinner is ambitious, definitely. The theory is that it looks being the higher with the spinners in the marketplace - a lot better than The best article spinner due to the thesaurus resource: it provides a "look up" feature in which the software looks words up online pretty quickly (not instantly, but rapidly, according to your web connection).

The spinner within the Article Marketing Robot has two thesauri: engineered to be dynamic,Is prefer the best Spinner, Nevertheless in theory AMR surpasses TBS - since it doesn't depend on the pooled misspellings of countless other users that don't spell perfectly, whenever you mix this with all of the jumbled mass of intermingled meanings within the very "the best Spinner's" thesaurus aswell.

Being fair, this isn't a critique of the most effective Spinner - and Jonathan Leger's team is taking care of cleaning that up within the recently revised thesaurus (I had been about during the Beta test, and it had been 100% cleaner). My point is, that the Article Marketing Robot is very good, now that they've cleaned it up.

Marketing Robot, sought to correct this problem of meaning and context. This software program is full of a mixture involving the directories you are aware of love, the high PR directories in Magic

Submitter, including GoArticles and EzineArticles and stuff like that - and numerous solid PR directories I never been aware of.The developer also offers included a "suggest directories" feature, and you're in a position to add any directory, provided that there exists a template for this - see above for that templates. There are numerous of features concerning the submitter that we like, not the smallest amount of which would be the targets - you receive a lot of PR 3 and greater targets. (By

And also you reach the directories by PageRank, by status (ought to you desired to put them based on submission status, as an example), even by template (Article Dashboard, and so on.). That's hot stuff, so as an example need to you wanted only 10 PR 4+ articles to look out - it's a piece of cake. Choose your targets and jam. Now do not you believe Article

Is marketing robot superior?I believe its a great buy - otherwise I wouldn't have bought it and the biggest reason why I got it was because theres a sixty day money back guarantee. I'd make certain you possess a couple of articles - lots of the them spun already - after which try the 5 day totally free trial.If you're only beginning, I could suggest you acquire this tool prior to acquiring other things to construct backlinks.

If you're only beginning out, I may suggest you acquire this tool prior to acquiring other things to construct backlinks. You will possibly not "need" whatever else so far as article promotion goes, but I can't say that for specific now since i have just got it. It still is among the best "purchases of the year" in 2010 in my hunble opinioon anyway. That's why I can label Article Marketing Robot, very good!

About the Author:

If you'd like 60% off article marketing robot, then look no further and download a copy now! Also remember to read - bookmarking demon review, visit his site if youd like a free trial!

Applications That Allow You To Access Twitter Easily

By Dana Smith

Are you thinking of ways of promoting your business? Getting updates from news and latest trends used by celebrities? Looking for old friends and communicate with them?

Tweeter has a lot of functions and applications to offer. Most of its tools are user friendly, reliable, fast and accessible for everyone who uses Twitter.

Twitter is accessible either to your desktop, laptop and even mobile phone. Even from a browser, twitter tools can be seen in mobile phone. You can even adjust your default settings either in your phone or computer which will be your primary or it can be both. You can find and use apps for the computer as well as they have the same applications in mobile phones.

Applications like UberTwiitter or blackbird are suitable for blackberry phones yet Hootsuite and TweetDeck can be used for your desktop at home. Whichever, you won't miss a thing.

If you want to get the latest news with your social network like Facebook, Google and Twitter. Or simply follow leads at Twitter, applications like FriendFeed does it for you in just one click of an application known as Postling in Twitter.

If you use Twitter through mobile MMS, or simply texting, videos and music or both, try using the TweetPhoto and TwitPic for it helps you share you photos. There are many Twitter followers who shares their photos using this application.

Share your memorable videos and photos using Magnify.net with friends whenever you uses Twitter. It also allows you to share music and your favorite songs through Blip.fm and Song.ly. But if it is a document and files, try using the TwitDoc and FileSocial for easy and save you a lot of time.

What makes it all the more exciting is the fact that Twitter apps and tools are free and indeed does not cost you anything! If you are new to Twitter, better try each application prior to choosing and settling for it. Several applications works too but it is best to explore the use of Twitter.

About the Author:

Besides Twitter advice, the author also frequently contributes articles about personalized golf balls and customized golf tees.

Bobby Kotick Brings The Gaming Industry To New Levels

By Rachel Witherspoon

An entrepreneur and businessman from birth, Bobby Kotick's career began while attending the University of Michigan in 1983. He started creating software for the Apple II and gives credit to Steve Jobs for advising him to drop out of college. From there, he began a successful career pursuing entrepreneurial interests in the software business. In 1990, Bobby Kotick bought a 25% stake in Activision, an American computer game company and he is credited for transforming Activision from a near bankrupt game company into one of the most successful third party publishers to date.

He has dedicated himself to resuscitating the business, and today Activision's market value doubles the market value of Electronic Arts, the other leading third party publisher in the video and computer gaming world. Kotick's vision for Activision was to build a well managed company with a focus on the independent game developer and keeping passion in game development. It was Bobby Kotick who devised the merge between Activision and Blizzard, and in 2008 he was appointed CEO of the combined company by stockholders of Activision Blizzard Inc.

As the most successful third party publisher in the business, Activision is responsible for games such as World of Warcraft, Guitar Hero, and Call of Duty as well as popular franchises such as Modern Warfare 2, StarCraft II, and Hero. Bobby Kotick is dedicated to the gaming community and to changes that will benefit gamers. Kotick urged the British government to repeal the recently implemented austerity measures that reverse course on the previously planned tax relief for British game developers, knowing that the tax won't be fully burdened by the companies as it will result in higher game prices for the consumer. In 2009, Kotick threatened Sony by refusing to make games for the Playstation 3 platform if the price of the console was not cut.

As a businessman rather than gamer, Bobby Kotick seemed an unlikely candidate to take over a bankrupt gaming company and reap success, but Kotick was able to transform Activision into the most successful and most valuable videogame publisher in the world. Activision Blizzard is worth $12.3 billion with $3 billion in revenue. Not a gamer himself, Bobby is passionate about games and dedicated to both independent game developers and gamers. In an effort to keep passion in game development, Kotick launched an Independent Games Competition in February, 2010 with a total prize of $500,000 for small developers working with new platforms. The idea behind the project was to allow one developer the funding to make their game development dreams a reality.

To raise awareness of the needs of returning United States veterans while simultaneously providing jobs, Bobby Kotick created the Call of Duty Endowment. Millions of dollars of profit from the game Call of Duty are donated to the Endowment, which is dedicated to supporting a variety of organizations that provide job training and placement to veterans. The Call of Duty Endowment, with no hidden motives, is truly dedicated to improving the unemployment rate. Kotick is quoted as saying, "We will measure ourselves by the number of jobs we find veterans. Not how much money we raise, not how many fundraisers we host, not how great a party we can throw but simply by the thousands of jobs we hope to find for our veterans.

About the Author:

For more info in regards to Bobby Kotick and Activision Blizzard Inc. please see www.bloomberg.com for updated stories.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

How to Partition External Hard Drive?

By Richard Nalder

Every computer needs more than one hard disk to store its operating-system, programs and user information. This drive is usually internal; however, as desktops allow us and different needs, threats have arisen, the external harddrive is very popular. It allows an individual to aid or store material separate through the main internal harddrive, which often can become compromised by online or offline activities. Another benefit from the external hard disk is the fact that it can be portable and operates using a plug-and-play basis.

There are several reasons why you should explain the main advantages of partitioning external hard disk drive:

Firstly, in case you separate your applications from the data from the different partitions with the external hard drive, a credit application is installed is corrupted or accidentally deleted, your data in another partition defintely won't be erased. You will simply have to recover one partition, that is certainly faster than recovering the entire hard disk drive.

Secondly, encryption is amongst the fundamental ways of protecting critical data from theft or corruption, but it slows the performance of one's computer. You'll be able to create different partitions with partition manager---Partition Assistant Home Edition, then you can just encrypt those partitions that requirement protection while in the external hard disk, and various aspects of your system will run unencrypted. As a result, it helps your personal computer improve your speed.

Thirdly, harddrive partitioning lets your personal computer finds files and data quicker the way it only ought to search one partition, not an entire external disk drive. Plus it makes easier for you to categorize files and folders in partitions based on logical schemes. Partition software will help you divide partitions many different purposes, permits you to need not search a lot of folders to identify a particular file or application which enable it to enable you to improve your productivity. You simply will not have got to spend time trying to find this or that files after partitioning and may complete more useful tasks perfect.

In order to make partitions work smoothly each other, before we partition external disk drive, we must ensure that one essential point that may be whether there may be some unallocated space, because we have to shrink the existing partition from unallocated partitions to manufacture a partition.

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How to Manage Windows 7 Partition Both 32bit and 64bit?

By Richard Nalder

Newly, Windows 7 has become common because of its greatly advertised features over its predecessors. Additionally, the way to deal with Windows 7 partitions is actually a problem which is becoming important for Windows 7 owners. Is there any Windows 7 Partition Manager for you?

Windows 7 stands out as the newest edition of Microsoft Windows, some operating systems created by Microsoft to be used on personal computers, including home and Professional desktops, laptops, tablet PCs and media center PCs. Windows 7 was launched to manufacturing on July 22, 2009, with standard retail availability set for October 22, 2009, less than 36 months following the release of its predecessor, Windows Vista. Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2, is targeted for release at about the same time.

Users have had the option of 64-bit Windows computing as the release of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition in May 2005, four years following the release of Windows XP 32-bit. At the end of 2006, Windows Vista 32-bit and 64-bit versions were launched together. Even so chances are you're currently using a machine that runs the 32-bit version of Windows.

That is planning to change. Windows 64-bit has begun to achieve a substantial foothold during the past 2 years as more systems ship with 3GB or more of memory. With Windows 7, 64-bit computing will probably become especially popular.

What are the differences among 32-bit and 64-bit computing? In short, the numbers relate to the quality of bits a computer can process in a single computation. In addition , they result in the number of random access memory (RAM) a computer can address. A 32-bit Windows computer can address a maximum of 4GB of RAM, while a 64-bit Windows machine can address as much as 128GB and even more (64-bit applications can address theoretically up to 16 billion gigabytes of memory). So as the higher number of bit means better computing, both with regards to precision and capability.

Because Windows 7 64 bit system has grown to be the major trend.How can we resize partition Windows 7? The disk management feature built in the system is only able to carry out some easy partition managements. It wouldn't meet our demands.

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Things To Know About Online TV Player Technology

By Ben Sparks

Media software and digital technology have reached such a point that there are a great number of sites that allow you to watch programming by means of an online TV player. How is this possible? What is the technology that has brought this about?

Streaming media and P2P software are the two methods in which television and other video programming is "broadcast" to internet users. When one says that video is streaming they are saying the video signal is encoded as digital information, pushed to the site offering the content and distributed in digital "packets" as media content to end-users, that is, the viewers. Since there is a constant back and forth of signals from users to sender, the transmission is smooth and video quality is usually excellent. P2P stands for "Person-To-Person." In such a network each person in the network downloads the video and as they do others in the network are receiving the video as well as it is uploaded to everyone online in the network. This can be a problem as large numbers of viewers are needed to maintain a strong stream. If a video torrent is weak the image will look poor and move slowly. Sound will also be affected. The torrent will be weak the less users there are in the P2P network.

Also, there are two ways of viewing programs online: live broadcast and on-demand. Live digital broadcast is made possible by streaming and will thus not be available to users of P2P protocols. Livecasting works online as it does on television: the event being viewed online is happening as it is being broadcast or in the case of prerecorded programming is viewed online at the same time it is premiering on television. With on-demand, the content is always pre-recorded, and is made available after the television broadcast is over. In this case the viewer selects the show he wants from either a menu of program titles or categories, then selects from a list of available episodes. He may then watch the program, and may watch it whenever he likes as long as that episode is available.

Television content is made available, broadly, in two ways. Either by means of live broadcast (often called webcast) or video on-demand. Streaming networks make possible webcasting and imitates the way television delivers its content. When others are watching your show on television, you will be watching the same episode online. Video on demand offers previously recorded and aired programming stored on a site where you can choose from the list of offerings and view online or download to your media player. Though not simultaneous with broadcasting, you can watch on demand programs at any time you wish.

The viewer interface is the software that allows media to be played. Examples include Adobe Flash Player, Quick Time, Windows Media Player and others. These programs can be downloaded free online from the providers, often it comes with operational software or your computer, or the website has the player embedded. Streamed content makes it possible to watch the program on your media player without downloading, though some sites offer that option. The site server delivers the program data to your media player. There it is decoded and shown to you when you press play.

So, the digital media revolution has brought better, faster and affordable programs and application for delivering, storing and viewing video. As such, it is possible to recreate the experience of watching television on the internet through online TV player technology, and because of this, demand has increased and websites have sprung up with free content to meet that demand.

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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

How To Get Your First Game Testing Job

By Musa Aykac

If you are trying to find a job game testing then you may be finding that this is not as easy as it sounds. This is down to the fact that most of these game testing jobs will have a skill requirement but you will also have to have a certain amount of experience too. This is a prime example of a catch 22 situation with no experience you are not going to get a job and with no job, you can't get any experience.

The following ideas could help you out however when it comes to picking up a game testing job.

- It is probably best to accept some jobs paying low wages in the beginning. I'm not saying here that you should allow yourself to be exploited, but taking a few low paying jobs can allow you to gain experience. You can up your charges once you have some experience behind you and you will also find that the work is much easier to come by when you have experience.

- You should consider joining the online game testing communities because these are a great place to find your feet. You are not going to find jobs that are paying large sums of money here but there is work here and it is better than nothing. Use these communities to establish yourself and make your name because that is the best way to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

- Even though the chances of you being accepted for a high paying job are quite low in the beginning, you should still keep applying as you could be lucky. But as you keep gaining experience, your resume will keep improving and this is probably the best way for you to get these jobs.

The recruiters will like the fact that you never give up applying and after a while they will more than likely decide to take a chance on you.

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Inventory Management System Something Very Interesting

By Kriss John

Every warehouse management aims at regulating the inventory movement and consequently bringing simplicity in the warehouse operations. Its usually not only in relation to supervising the movement and additionally storage space nonetheless its in actual terms equally bringing order to the inventory operations.

One of the most problematical tasks has in literal terms been overlooking the Inventory Management System movements, seeing as it usually involves processing a enormous amount of data and keeping track of every movement.

The competitive small business has it that for a corporation actually to reign on the market it naturally has to be highly efficient to be able to be very well successful. For businesses to be successful its in usual terms central that they in usual terms monitor all the functions of the industry in an successful style. In usual terms bring that effectiveness, intelligibility and consequently streamlining the warehouse operations its in actual terms imperative that there be an efficient method in place that best streamlines all the warehouse operations not to mention regularly brings the much desirable perfectionism.

Customarily the main function of every warehouse hovers around picking the stock, packing them and additionally shipping them to respective destinations. These are mostly some of the typical transactions that are essentially pretty ordinary for every warehouse. By means of possessing a Inventory Management System in place a conglomerate can fluently carryout operations and together with bring the much needed proficiency, intelligibility on the part of warehouse operations.

Even though every warehouse needs warehouse management for smooth and efficient monitoring of warehouse operations still not all warehouses basically have the same type of requirement. So a solution that is by general means just right for one warehouse might not exactly be sufficient for another warehouse. It may all depends on the kind of establishment one has in literal terms and additionally the size of the operation. Nonetheless whatever the mode of business is basically and additionally also the extent of transactions that take place it actually needs to be understood that thing that having a system in place can streamline all the Inventory Management System operations as this ensures lucidity in operations, minimizes human error and additionally redundancy of information.

About the Author:

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What Is The Best Cataclysm Guide for Getting WoW Gold?

By Christian Bellatore

An enthusiastic player of World of Warcraft always has a feeling of wanting to be superior of the game. Yet this fact will not be easy for every player to achieve especially to those players who are still novice who don't have any idea where to begin with.

Because of this really undeniable need, a lot of the avid fans of the mentioned game are really looking for ways on how they will be able to make their playing experience easier - by using some of the most reliable guides out there as their road map.

But this is not an easy thing to do considering the fact that a lot of so-called 'best' guides are already popping into the market right now. Because of this current situation, this article will give you some of the things that you need to look for in order to know that one guide is really worth spending your time on because of its effectiveness.

A good guide is considered good when it provides particular steps you need to follow which will make you get more gold out in the Auction House. Mostly, these guides associated with Auction House gives guidelines on how to maximize your money by selling the right items.

It is smart to realize that most guides get outdated fast. Be sure the guide you chose to buy has free life time updates. This means that something as simple as patch update will not make your cataclysm guide obsolete.

Also, good guides provide you exact steps on how to make the most of your gathering skill in your game that will make you become rich. Moreover, good and reliable guides will let you know of several spots and courses that should take awareness.

When these guides have all the characteristics discussed above, it is surely the guides that you must have and be your personal teacher.

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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Help Me Remove Spyware - Does This Question Apply To You?

By Samson Marshall

"Help me remove spyware" is a everyday inquiry being asked of those who are in the know. For the consumer who just likes to surf the internet and play games, this may be virtually worse than a horror show.

You grasp something is just not right with your PC. Every so often the modifications are subtle like one too many popup ads begin showing up. Other times, you become aware of more drastic concerns like severely slow performance and corrupt files.

After many hours of scouring the internet, and maybe spending some cash on spyware finder software, you have determined that the spyware and adware blocker isn't really blocking any spyware.

Spyware removal is not unproblematic. The attacks that are out there nowadays can infect multiple areas within your PC. Removing these significant attacks from the inner workings is undeniably a challenge. We are talking about a piece of software, that can detect every specific keystroke you make at while sitting at your machine. Some spyware can regenerate itself by leaving behind a small piece of code even after you have hit the remove key on the on your spyware blocker. The removal of the threat not only requires removal of the active portions of the spyware, but the underlying remnants as well.

Research is key to success in order to help remove spyware from your PC. Not all of these types of antispyware can achieve the task completely and there are many horror stories of lost information and identity theft. This task will inevitably require you to recognize reliable spyware removal software. Be sure to use the antispyware packages as directed by the provider. Following a detailed plan is the best way to ensure that you have scanned every nook and cranny of your PC and removed all evidence of the these threats from your PC. The tedious process of burning bootable CD's, unplugging your PC, disconnecting from the internet, and running what may be multiple different scans and cleaners can seem overwhelming. When I first got started in computing, I had an issue. It was so frustrating that I contacted a reputable company to help me remove spyware from my PC. I needed to leave it to the experts. I have learned over the years how to do this for myself and you should too. Take the time to do the research and you will be fine. If you have the patience and some basic know how, it is not impossible to do it yourself. Be sure you have at least some faint experience with Windows processes and duties before you inadvertently remove or stop a necessary working component of your operating system. Once its all over, you can believe yourself a lucky survivor of the spyware removal process.

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Photoshop Selection Transformation Techniques

By Bill Hargreaves

Making selections is a common requirement in Adobe Photoshop. If your boss says to you, "Can we cut out this person and put them against a different background?", there is no way that you can tell the program to do this. As far as a computer is concerned, your image is just a series of pixels. How easy or difficult it is to select the person will depend on how much contrast there is between them (or more likely their clothes) and the background scene behind them.

Having made an initial selection, you will often need to transform it in some way. Photoshop selections can be transformed in a manner not dissimilar to the way that objects are transformed in the vector environment. One key thing to remember is that in order for this transformation to work, one of the selection tools has to be active. If the Move tool is active, the pixels inside the selection will also be transformed.

Moving a selection is probably the simplest form of transformation. This can be done either by placing the cursor inside the selection and dragging or by using one of the cursor keys on the keyboard. Each time a cursor key is pressed, the selection will move one pixel in the direction specified. If the Shift key is held down while a cursor key is pressed, the selection will move 10 pixels in the given direction.

For other forms of transformation, choose Transform Selection from the Select menu. A bounding rectangle will then be displayed around the selection with handles similar to those found in vector drawing programs. You can drag the handles to resize the selection or drag just outside the handles to rotate. You can even hold down the Control key and drag the handles to distort your selection.

As well as transforming a selection by manipulating it, Photoshop's Select menu also contains a number of automatic transformation commands. One of the most commonly used is feathering: Select - Feather. Feathering blurs the edges of a selection enabling the selected area to blend into the non-selected parts of the image. To access the other options go to the Select - Modify sub-menu. For example, the command Select-Modify-Expand allows you to increase the size of the selection by the number of pixels you specify. Naturally, there is also the reverse command: Select-Modify-Contract.

About the Author:

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Monday, January 31, 2011

Ways To Install And Download Free Wii Games

By Helen Brown

Online gaming has become popular over the years. In terms of gadgets used, a wide array is available in the market today. The top ranks include Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's Playstation 3, and the seventh-generation console, Nintendo's Wii. The latter, however, gained most support from fans and customers alike ever since it was released on November 2006. It even gained more support after the possibility to Download Games For Wii was introduced in the world wide web.

This device comes with useful features and functionalities. First off, it has a wireless controller. It also boasts its remote that can be used as a handheld pointing device and detects movement in three dimensions. While in standby mode, it's capable of receiving messages and updates over the Internet through WiiConnect24. All these and more are designed to provide fun and satisfaction to everyone.

While this device offers an experience like no other console, it also demands high maintenance. You need to spend much money to buy the game discs to continue having fun on it. Apparently, this has caused some problems among individuals. Good to know that a few smart people have come up with a unique program that allows other applications to work on the console. With this available online, avid gamers no longer have to worry in having to spend that much money.

Such innovation can be applied by installing the program through either hardmod or softmod. The former can be a bit difficult especially for people who do not like technical stuff because it needs advanced skills. It requires manual installation; hence, the risk is big and the possibility of invalidating the warranty of the device is high. However, choosing the latter option is most preferred since it does not require manual set-up and saves the warranty of the unit.

Various service providers exist online to offer assistance for this matter. You just need an SD card and an access to the internet and you're good to go. Be warned though because not all service providers online are safe. Some sites do not comply with the standards while some are flooded with scams. Because of that, choosing the correct site to make use of is a great idea.

An ideal site to look for offers the following features: lifetime membership for a one-time fee, unlimited download, and access to other media entertainment like games, TV shows, movies and music. It must also highlight total refund, conversion software, free tools and accessories, and no recurring charges. Some of the best Free Wii Games that you can obtain online now are Donkey Kong Country Returns, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops, GoldenEye 007, New Super Mario Bros, Metroid Other M, Sonic Colors, and more.

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Dealing With Antivirus Spyware And The Damage It Can Do

By Beyongaga Lagagita

Everyone knows that spyware is a problem. But lately a new problem coming up has been antivirus spyware. This is a type of malicious program released by evil little individuals that masquerades as an antivirus program but in reality is spyware. They release this to make money and also grab your personal info.

After its done looking through your computer its then going to send this information back to a server. After this the people who made it will take the info and put it to nefarious uses, as well as share it with other scammers. Typically it's your social security, date of birth, and your driver's license number. As you can see it can be quite a hassle to deal with.

To get rid of these malcontents all you need to do is download and use legitimate antivirus software. Most modern decent companies program their products to hunt down these fakers and destroy them on site. Having real programs on your machine and keeping it immunized from the start can protect it in the first place. It takes a lot of work to secure your pc these days.

Antivirus spyware programs have been on the rise lately though. Many people make them look legitimate and sell them to get money quickly. It's very easy and cheap to set up a website and get server space to release a program that looks real. As you can guess the amount of identity thefts has gone up as a result.

All a person needs to get a hold of your identity is a few snippets of information and off they go. They will open credit cards and everything else under the sun in your name. There are identity theft solutions to protect against this but the best way to protect yourself is to take preventative measures and not use any suspicious programs. Don't give your info out to shady looking websites and if your legitimate programs tell you something is awry pay attention to them.

There are many free programs out there that are reputable. Finding them isn't hard but take care not to be entrapped by a fake one. Go to legitimate trusted download sites and search for them. In most cases these sites will have reviews and you can make your choices off the reviews.

To wrap things up antivirus spyware program have grown like rabbits over the years. They can be hard to get rid of because they can trick your system into thinking they are real but with patience and vigilance you can hunt them down. If something wants to know your info and it has no reason to then don't give it out. One place that has information and programs that can help is: www. Noadware. Net.

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Swords and Sandals Goes Epic

By Matt Branson

Somewhere in the North of Britain, AD117. A rain-sodden band of Roman soldiers from the infamous Ninth Legion bemoan their lot while keeping guard at midnight in a fort. It's the start of Neil Marshall's Ancient-era action movie Centurion, and the hero, Quintus Dias (Michael Fassbender) grumbles, "I know this enemy well. They will not be drawn into open combat. This is a new kind of war!"

Suddenly, the soldiers are snapped to attention by a noise from the darkness outside. It could be the dreaded savages from the local Pict tribes. It could be a Boadicea-style female assassin who is lurking in the shadows. Or it could, given the right timings and locations, be the sound of the cast and crew from another competing Ninth Legion movie, which is gaining ground near by. This one is called Eagle of the Ninth, and stars Jamie Bell, is directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland), and is coming soon to a sword'n'sandals-filled cinema near you.

There has never been a better time to make a movie set in the Ancient era. Besides these two high-profile Ninth Legion films, we are also about to witness a big-budget Clash of the Titans remake that features Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and $100 million worth of special effects. We've already had the Greek gods and teen heroes in Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Mickey Rourke, meanwhile, is starring in Dawn of War, a mortals-versus-gods adventure from the director Tarsem Singh (The Fall). Plus, the TV series Rome is being revamped for the big screen, and the hottest story in US TV right now is the explicit raunch and violence in the Gladiator-inspired series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

So what's behind this resurgence? And why is it happening now? And what, for that matter, have the Romans ever really done for us? They've given us great stories, says Spartacus's executive producer, Robert Tapert, who sees the renewed interest in all things Ancient as a timely confluence of primal storytelling archetypes and movie-making technology. "What all these stories have in common is a great heroic central figure who sets out on a hero's journey. But the technology has evolved so far that it can allow a new generation of film-makers to bring these journeys to life in ways that were unthinkable before."

Basil Iwanyk, producer of Clash of the Titans, agrees, and says that the intention with his film was to "marry old world David Lean-esque film-making with the visual effects seen in modern movies, so that the world is so intense and so specific that audiences can immerse themselves in it." He also puts the sword'n'sandals resurgence into a historical and commercial context, saying that although the genre died out after the high-water mark of movies such as Ben Hur and Cleopatra, Ridley Scott's Gladiator in 2000 was a game-changer.

"When Gladiator was being made, it was seen as very brave," Iwanyk says. "The subject had become one of the great Airplane jokes: 'Do you like gladiator movies?' But then the movie came out, and it was fantastic. Commercially, it opened up a lot of eyes in the studios. And in the film business, if one type of genre works then it has a knock-on effect."

Movies such as Troy and Alexander followed. But the former performed less successfully than expected, and the latter was an outright disaster, the makers of both movies having failed to comprehend the secret to Gladiator's success. The genius of Scott's movie, Marshall says, was that it had played every single scene "straight down the line, and without a hint of camp". Marshall, who agrees that it has been something of a "foot race" to get his Ninth Legion movie out before Macdonald's, says that a lack of camp is essential to the modern-day depiction of the Ancient era.

Even 300, the thong-and-pecs party that bristled with homoerotic tension, never resorted to the ironic wink or the comedy nod. "On our set, of course, there were a lot of Life of Brian gags, and certainly when Dominic West walked on in his full costume someone did say, 'He wanks as high as any man in Wome!' But that just helps to get it out of your system, so there's none of it left in the film itself."

Iwanyk says that the producers and writers of Clash of the Titans went through their movie "over and over again, making sure there wasn't anything goofy or that would make people roll their eyes. We didn't want audiences laughing at our hero, Sam Worthington, who is a man's man, because he's wearing a skirt. Or that we've got men with beards and braided hair. Or even the fact that we have gods talking. So, yes, camp is a big thing we tried to avoid."

Even Tapert, who previously worked on the high camp of Xena: Warrior Princess (his wife is the Xena star Lucy Lawless) and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, says that the mood had changed by the time Spartacus came along. "We wanted the characters to play it 100 per cent straight, and to allow the dramatic flourishes - the sex and the violence - to be the things that would provoke the audience. We never wanted to acknowledge to the audience that they are in on a joke, which we did periodically on Xena and Hercules."

Tapert says that he is aware that the sex and violence in Spartacus - which runs the gamut, respectively, from orgies to on-screen dismemberment - is regarded as controversial. The British pressure group Mediawatch UK is so offended that it is trying to block Spartacus from reaching our TV screens. Tapert dismisses the group, saying that its members are using the show to "fuel their own popularity and promote their own agenda". He says: "Although we've pushed the boundaries of what one would normally see on television, there are ancient plaques from the houses of prostitution in Pompeii that are also pretty explicit."

And yet, there must be more to the rebirth of the sword'n'sandals era than special effects, heroic storytelling, stiff wrists and sex? Well, yes, and it's called subtext, says Natalie Haynes, part-time Classical scholar and author of the forthcoming book The Ancient Guide to Modern Life. "The reason that we keep coming back to these stories and characters is partially because they are crisp and clear in dramatic terms," she says. "But they are also sufficiently sparsely drawn for us to insert our own subtext."

Such as? Centurion, for instance, depicts an imperial occupying army bogged down in guerrilla warfare in mountainous Scottish terrain not unlike a soggy Afghanistan. "This is a war without honour and a war without end," muses Quintus Dias.

The parallels with modern warfare are deliberate, Marshall says. "I didn't want to ram it down the audience's throat, but the analogy is certainly there. I'm not trying to make a political film, but it's obvious nonetheless." Spartacus, too, Tapert says, through its depiction of a lusty Roman upper class, "is consistently and absolutely addressing ideas and social mores, such as homosexuality, that are pertinent to modern society."

That is surely the key both to the genre's power and its sudden resurgence in popularity. At a time when mainstream films address the issues of the day only with anodyne drivel such as the action-thriller Green Zone, it is up to the ancients to redress the balance. These tales explore urgent modern ideas about the end of empire, the effects of globalisation and the battle for natural resources that would be regarded as unseemly if delivered in a contemporary setting. It's as if we can see ourselves clearly only by looking through an allegorical mirror that is 2,000 years old.

Haynes says that we are more like "them" now than we ever were. "At pretty much no point in history between then and now did things look so similar," she says, referring to parallels in our societies, politics and cultures. "We are drawn to the ancients because they are exactly like us. And there is a temptation to be very grown-up about it, and say, 'No! Now is now, and then was then'. But really, it's just too tempting to pin the two together."

Clash of the Titans is released on April 2

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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Games Listing !

Hi guys, i propose a great listing of CLIENT Games, especially MMORPG's.

And if you want other strategy, shooter, action, ...games, am ready !

Dark Swords
Our Rating:

Discover a dark and mysterious fantasy world full of orcs, elves and other wild creatures, and help fight against the ominous forces of evil in this free-to-play client game...
Genre: RPG Setting: Fantasy