Why We Act Without Thinking
Three classic experiments show how stereotypes can influence our behaviour without our knowledge. Despite their bad name, stereotypes can be handy short cuts that give us useful information about the world and other people. For example the stereotype of psychologists is that they are going to analyse you, then start meddling. There"s certainly some truth to that, after all that is their job.
When stereotypes are dangerous is when we automatically draw conclusions about individuals that aren"t accurate and may even be insulting to them. So the question is: when a particular stereotype is activated - say we see an old person, a French person or a psychologist - can we avoid thinking, respectively, "slow", "rude" and "nosy"?
Until the classic social psychology study I"m about to tell you about, it was thought that we didn"t automatically act on stereotypes, that we were able to consciously discard them. But, asked Yale Professor John Bargh and colleagues, how can we consciously discard a stereotype if we"re not even conscious that it has been activated? And will this unconscious stereotype have any effect on our behaviour?
To find out Bargh et al. (1996) conducted three experiments, starting with an attempt to make some people ruder and others more polite, using a very simple cue.
Polite or rude? In the first experiment 34 participants were divided into 3 groups with each group unconsciously cued into a different state: one "rude", one "polite" and one neither. This had to be done in a roundabout way so that the participants didn"t suspect they were being manipulated. What the experimenters did was give them a word puzzle to unscramble. To activate the idea of rudeness in one group it contained words like "bother", "disturb" and "bold". To activate the idea of politeness the next group unscrambled words like "courteous", "patiently" and "behaved". The third group unscrambled neutral words.
After finishing the unscrambling participants left the room to track down the experimenter but found them deep in conversation with someone, forcing them to wait. The question the researchers wanted to answer was what percentage of people would interrupt if the experimenter kept ignoring them by talking to the other person for 10 minutes.
In the group cued with polite words, just 18% of participants interrupted with the rest waiting for the full 10 minutes while the experimenter continued their conversation. On the other hand, in the group cued with impolite words, fully 64% interrupted the experimenter. The neutral condition fell between the two with 36% interrupting.
This is quite a dramatic effect because participants were unaware of the manipulation yet they faithfully followed the unconscious cues given to them by the experimenters. One group became bold and forthright simply be reading 15 words that activated the concept of impoliteness in their minds, while the other group became meek and patient by reading words about restraint and conformity.
Old and slow? In the second experiment the researchers turned their attention to the stereotype of age. They used the same trick as before of splitting 30 participants into two groups and cueing stereotypes in their minds by getting them to unscramble words. One group unscrambled words associated with being old like "Florida", "helpless" and "wrinkled" while another group unscrambled words unrelated to age.
This time the experimenters wanted to see how fast participants would walk down a 9.75m corridor after they had completed the task. Would cueing people with words about age actually make them walk slower? Yes, indeed it would; participants primed with old age took, on average, a full extra second to cover the short distance to the elevator. That was some pretty slow walking!
African American and aggressive? In both the previous experiment the researchers checked with participants whether they had noticed any connection between the words they were unscrambling and what was going on. Although only one did, the experimenters then changed their method in a third experiment to make the cueing of participants completely subliminal (below the level of conscious awareness). In the previous experiments participants had been mostly unaware of the connection between cueing and what was being measured but in this experiment they wouldn"t even be aware of the cue.
This time 41 participants were given a very boring computer-based task to do. While doing it a picture of either a young Caucasian male or a young African American male was periodically flashed up on the screen so quickly that it was impossible to consciously apprehend (for about one-fiftieth of a second). They did this because previous research had shown that people generally stereotype African Americans as being more aggressive than Caucasians. After they had finished, the experimenter told the participants (none of whom were African American) that the computer had failed to save their data and they"d have to do the task again.
What the experimenters were interested in was the participant"s reaction (which they recorded) to the possibility of doing the whole boring study over again. Directly after their facial reaction, the experimenters told participants it was OK, the computer had saved their data and they didn"t actually need to do the study again; they had what they needed: that crucial first flicker of emotion to a frustrating event.
So, did the subliminal primes of either Caucasian or African American faces have the expected effect? Participants primed with the Caucasian face were rated by independent observers as showing hostility of just over 2 on a scale of 1 to 10. Participants shown the African American faces were rated as showing hostility of almost 3 out of 10. This suggested the African American faces had activated the stereotype and made people react more aggressively to the frustrating situation. As a side-note, the experimenters also measured the racist attitudes of the participants and found that even participants who were low in racism were still likely to behave in a more hostile manner if cued with the African American face.
Buy Pepsi Cola! The authors of the paper draw the parallels between their own work and the supposed power of subliminal advertising. As you may know subliminal advertising generally doesn"t work in the way advertisers would hope by causing a stampede for their products. But in these experiments the researchers do seem to be subliminally influencing people to act in pre-defined ways, so how can these opposing findings be resolved?
In fact there"s a subtle difference because in each of the situations in these experiments the response that was primed was absolutely appropriate in each of the situations. Getting angry when your time has been wasted is perfectly normal. It was just the scale of the reaction that was affected by the experimental manipulation. Advertising, however, can prime certain ideas in our minds and associate them with products but the leap to parting us with our cash is much bigger than that in the current experiment, and so more difficult to achieve.
What this study demonstrates very neatly is just how sensitive we are to the minutiae of social interactions. Subtle cues from the way other people behave and more generally from the environment can cue automatic unconscious changes in our behaviour. And by the same token signals we send out to others can automatically activate stereotypes in their minds which are then acted out. As much as we might prefer otherwise, sometimes stereotypes can easily influence our behaviour and our conscious mind seems to have no say.
Posted by: Jerry Read more Source
Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:06:26 GMT Julie Fader and Daniel Romano
Thursday night"s Julie Fader & Friends show at the El Mocambo was an intimate experience, delivering a collaborative set from some of Toronto"s finest musicians in a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. Fader and Daniel Romano both have ties to the east coast, making Halifax native Andrew Sisk a perfect fit for the bill.
It felt more like a series of jam sessions than a rigidly defined concert. The audience remained seated, hiding in the shadows of the Elmo as each performer took to the stage with a seemingly endless barrage of friends and family eager to pick up an instrument or lend their voice. Attention was undivided - the crowd remained captivated and respectful from the opener to the end closer.
Posted by: Matthew McAndrew Read more Source
Fri, 25 Dec 2009 05:45:53 GMT Philips LED sets go all brushed metal cool
LED lit TVs are set to be the sorta affordable future of HDTVs before the proper OLED sets are actually made in decent sizes and for not hilarious prices. As such, we are rather interested in the tech, and the launch of two Philips sets that look like the one above has certainly got our appitites going!
Both a 40, and 50 incher are available boasting 50million to 1 contrast ratios, 5 HDMI ports, and that lovely brushed metal finish. Unfortunatly at present they are UK only, but perhaps a US launch will be on the cards soon enough?
Posted by: Pat Read more Source
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:54:19 GMT Scan your life straight to microSD memory card
This SkyPix Handheld Scanner captures full colour 600 dpi resolution images directly to a microSD card, or you can forsake convenience and transfer to a PC via the USB port. Your call. And your scan really, eh? $119.95.
This is the portable, cordless handheld scanner that preserves important documents, letters, or recipes, recording its contents onto a memory card for later retrieval on your computer (Play Video). As you move the scanner over an area as large as 8 1/2″ H x 50″ L, its sensitive color image sensor scans at high (600 dpi) or standard (300 dpi) resolution, saving images as JPEG files stored on an inserted microSD card. A scan of a passport takes only five seconds.
Posted by: Redferret Read more Source
Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:03:59 GMT Find True Love with an App
The app is named
iRateMyDate and its exactly what it sounds like, a way for daters to keep track of a date and track various qualities the user is looking for in a potential mate. According to the press release, the the iPhone-exclusive app"s goal is to answer the question "Is my date worth having my legs waxed" or "Was she worth missing the game?"
Developed by Yollswa, the app allows you to do side by side comparisons of potential mates, for those of us lucky enough to have that many candidates to choose from. You can choose up to 20 of must-have or important traits that "The One" should have and rate them. You can upload their photos, add their horoscope and take notes on the date, as well as schedule the next date -- if there will actually be a next date.
Posted by: Sarah Read more Source
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:18:59 GMT Showy Snow Sculpture
If you"re lucky enough to live in a snow-prone country, chances are you"ve already dug out your winter boots and oversize jackets, which means chilly temperatures will soon bring flurries to the skies.
If you think your annual snowman is impressive, check out these 10 phenomenal snow sculptures that will have you wishing for your own winter wonderland.
(thanks Jessie)
Posted by: Gerard Read more Source
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:46:51 GMT Polaroid Instant Photos Are Back
The saying goes, "Never say never", and with Polaroid returning to the instant photo camera market, the saying has never been truer.
Apparently the digital age has caused many people to further accelerate their desire to have what they want in a hurry and that extends to hard copy photos.
Actually, ever since the dawn of photography, there has been an increasing demand that photographs be made available as soon as possible after they have been taken.
First people started developing their own film at home, bypassing the local "photofinisher." Then came the "drugstore" print service, the "next-day" service offers, followed by "same-day" and then "1 hour" photofinishing.
But nothing delivers a print faster than the Polaroid camera with its "instant" prints; not even today"s digital processors and do it yourself kiosks.
Well guess what; Polaroid is back, with a new form of instant camera, and it"s more "instant" than all the previous ones.
Here"s the scoop on the latest
Polaroid instant print products, which are a blend of today"s
digital camera and portable photo printer technology.
Take a camera with you whenever possible, and look around, you"ll find a picture somewhere.
Photo Source:www.polaroid.com
Posted by: Karen Read more Source
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:36:13 GMT Shaggy Dog Movies of the '00s
by Simon Abrams
Amongst other things, December is the magic time of the year when lists of the "Best/Most Important/Least Degrading/Most Thoughtful/Most Transgressive/Most Crowd-Pleasing Films of the Year" are compiled by critics and other buffs; once in a blue moon, you also find lists championing the "Best/Greatest/Most Entertaining/Artfulliest Films of the Decade." While there"s certainly an argument to be made in favor of these self-important necessary evils, one of the many problems with these lists is that they exclude so many good, sometimes troubled films just because they don"t end up where they start out.
These are the cinematic equivalent of "shaggy dog" jokes-stories that build and build only to leave the viewer with a preposterous anticlimax of an ending. Sometimes they drag the viewer along and build up the expectation that some central burning question will be solved when, in fact, it won"t. Sometimes their creators bite off more than they can chew, delivering a film that"s prematurely deemed an ignoble failure because it"s too wrapped up in its own obtuse punchline to let us in on the joke. Whatever the reason, the fact that they don"t add up in the end is what makes them so fascinating, confounding, irritating, bewitching and cruelly funny. A few of them involve God, outer space and/or other generic conventions, because nothing makes for a more enticing road to nowhere than a heady story about alien or celestial mother ships. Behold, my Top 10 Favorite Shaggy Dog Movies of the Decade That Was the Aughts. There are a good deal of SPOILERS along the way; you"ve been warned.
Posted by: ahillis Read more Source
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:54:06 GMT Online Canadian Pharmacy: Making Its Way Ahead
Online Canadian pharmacies are a way of obtaining cheaper drugs for millions of un-insured and under-insured Americans. According to an online poll conducted by Wall Street Journal in 2006, 80% of U.S. citizens prefer to import medications primarily from Canada and also from other countries, such as India and the U.K. Many online Canadian pharmacies even bear a seal of approval of the authorized Canadian organization known as the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. Many U.S. Legislators also encourage purchasing foreign-made prescription drugs to promote reduction in American health costs.
Advantages of Online Canadian PharmaciesCanadian online pharmacies sell their drugs through mail-order and patients need not even leave their homes to order. This convenience combined with competitive prices is quite beneficial for people taking regular or periodic medications on a long-term basis. People of the United States are allowed to purchase cheaper drugs especially from Canada as per a plan that is supported by President Barack Obama's budget. For instance, these pharmacies can fill medications for illness such as depression, blood pressure, pain management and even birth control. A number of online Canadian pharmacies also provide a proper receipt for reimbursement through your health insurance. They have customer service representatives to provide instant answers to customers' queries.
Online Canadian Pharmacies: Getting Online Prescription ProcedureIt is important for consumers for carry out in-depth online research to find a reputable online Canadian pharmacy. One should ensure that the selected pharmacy is licensed by the Canadian government and should not have a record of breaking laws.
Every consumer must create an online account to buy prescription medication from an online
Canadian pharmacy. A medical profile has to be filled by creating a unique username and password. The user is required to fill in his or her user name and address in the online account form along with information about their health problems, allergies and age. The purpose is to ensure that the consumer gets safe prescriptions.
Most reputable online Canadian pharmacies require consumers to have a prescription from a doctor. Consumers can mail or fax their prescriptions. In some cases, they may be required to fax their prescriptions through their doctor. Some less reputable online Canadian pharmacies also provide prescription drugs to patients through remote consultations with doctors. (Usually these companies are not actually Canadian and should be avoided.) Consumers can choose to make payment through credit cards or online checks.
NorthWestPharmacy.com is among the best Canadian mail order pharmacies offering both branded and generic prescription drugs. It is committed to provide its customer genuine drugs at affordable prices.
Posted by: Heather Read more Source
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:09:09 GMT Over-The-Knee Boots: How To Do It
Left: Pretty Woman. Right: Hussein Chalayan. Over-the-knee boots are constantly going in & out of fashion, & have done since the time of pirates. Yarrr! They were daily-wear for pirates, who often turned the cuffs down, as well as crazy adventurers & buccaneers, who wore them as protection while they were riding & often hid things inside them. Like a treasure chest for the leg, to be sure, to be sure, yarrr! YARRR! Women started wearing them in secret too, because they wanted in on the fun, & would hide them under their long skirts.
The style comes & goes, & in the last couple of years, they have drifted back into style again. We’ve noticed them on the likes of Carine Roitfield & Victoria Beckham, & designers, who have the beadiest eyes of all, have not missed this. Now practically every shoe store has a pair in their front window, & we start to think, ‘Hmmm, I wonder how that would look on me’. But just putting them on takes stacks of confidence, & then, you think, as you stare at yourself in the mirror (& everyone in the shop gawps at you), ‘What the hell would I even wear these with, anyway?’.
My darling, I am here to help. Here is my guide to rocking the most fabulous trend of the season.
Questions for the quivery-kneed.
Can I really pull this off?
Remember that the over-the-knee boot is a STATEMENT. What the statement is, exactly, is up to you, but it is probably more along the lines of, “I am a powerful bellatrix & I am not to be trifled with” than “Here is your library card & a photocopied hand-out of the Dewey Decimal System”. Knawmean? This is not a shoe for the shrinking violet. If your legs are your least favourite attribute, or if cannot handle oodles of attention from men on the street (because believe me, you’ll get it), you should not purchase a pair. Stick to your Hush Puppies or whatever. But if you’re up for a challenge, & if you want to throw down the delicious, fetishy gauntlet, then these are for you.
I don’t really think my thighs are my best feature. Should I go for it anyway?
It all depends on how self-conscious you are. If a stranger’s swiftest glance at your gams sends you into a hyperventilating panic, perhaps you should give this one a miss. All is not lost, though — over-the-knee boots look best when worn with black opaque stockings, so it’s not like you’re really showing them off all that much. Super-secret-hint: ribbed stockings (where the lines run vertically up your leg) will give you a slimmed-down, long & lean-looking thigh without the hassle of going to the gym or giving up eating fried chicken sandwiches every second night!
Top: Chloe, Giuseppe Zanotti, Jimmy Choo, Versace, Michael Kors.
Bottom: Gucci, Stella McCartney, Kelsi Dagger, Halston, Prada, Juicy Couture. Okay, I want to go for it. Should I buy a flat boot or one with a heel?
It really depends on what you’re most comfortable in & what you think you’ll get the most wear out of. I feel that a heel is always more flattering, especially when it comes to something like a high boot which can sometimes make even the leggiest lass look a bit… well… stumpy. But if you loathe wearing heels & wobble violently whenever you even think about a pair, flat boots are probably more your speed.
How high should the boot go?
I think a few centimetres over the knee is best. True thigh-high boots don’t give you a lot of room left over, & can look more like waders than sexy boots. But you know your style best. Try on a few different boots to find out what is most flattering for your body.
Should I go for leather or synthetic?
Leather boots are certainly more expensive, but if it’s in your budget (& fits with your morals), leather is the way to go. Why? Synthetic leather doesn’t breathe, it doesn’t sit as well against the skin (it can look kind of wrinkly & naff), & it’s less durable. Sometimes the colour will rub off or it will crack or split. It also looks cheaper, & because this is a look that can go wrong very easily, looking cheap is to be avoided!
This is not to say you cannot go synthetic; of course, you can. Just make sure you buy the best ones you find. It is worth shopping around (though really, this is true for everything).
If you decide to go for leather, here is a note about suede, because there are a lot of very attractive suede over-the-knee boots on the market. As beautiful as it is, & as wonderfully cosy as leather boots are in the winter, you need to be careful wearing suede boots in the rain. The occasional sprinkle of rain won’t ruin them (just be sure to put trees in them & let them dry out when you get home), but if they get soaked, you’ll be a very sad bunny. The dye in suede also runs like MAD when it gets wet, & it stains. You can Scotchgard your suede boots to protect them from the weather but still, use your common sense. While you are wearing them, don’t wash the car, drink too many cocktails beside a swimming pool, run a marathon during a tropical storm, etc.
PVC & patent leather boots should be avoided too, unless you are really, really, really sure you can pull it off. See: Pretty Woman.
Ugh, I tried on a pair & they don’t stay up when I walk around!
If they don’t stay up, don’t buy them! Realise that they may not be the right boots for you & continue with your search. Constantly tugging on the top of them will drive you bonkers, & if this is the case, know that there is no guaranteed way to keep them up. Liberal applications of Hollywood (or double-sided) tape will do the trick for a while, but even this is not a pinky-swear promise. Sometimes it won’t work. If the top of the boot is super-thin, you can attach suspender belt straps to them, but make sure the belt fits or your boots will just drag that down too! You see where I am going with this: ill-fitting over-the-knee boots will just create more problems than they are worth. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly. Don’t half-ass this one.
As well as making sure they stay up, they should also fit your thigh properly. Think snug, but not so tight your thighs go all bulgy like an unfortunate shibari incident. If you’re swimming in them, it will either a) ruin the proportions you’re trying to go for, or b) make you look like a pirate. I know, I know, yarrrrrrrr, the history & all is cool, but is Anne Bonny really your style icon?
Okay, I bought some! Now, what do I wear with these suckers?
The truth is that the first image that comes to mind for pretty much everyone is Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, & as charming as she was, she is not the woman we’re hoping to emulate. The best way to avoid looking like you are a woman of the night is to go for contrast (otherwise known as not being too obvious) & not show everything off at once. Over-the-knee boots are all about legs, which means your outfit shouldn’t also be geared to showing off your midriff or cleavage. (This is a pretty basic rule of dressing — you don’t show everything at once, unless you are stuck in Las Vegas & have to turn tricks to get home again.)
Remember that when you put an outfit together, your shoes only convey part of the message — so what you wear them with counts.
Think about proportions. Your boots are long & fitted, so go bigger on top. How would it look if you added a slouchy sweater or a big coat cinched in at the waist? What about a long t-shirt or a radically cut a-line skirt? You could wear them over skinny jeans with an enormous scarf & a leather jacket, with an oversized cardigan or a jacket with structured shoulders.
You also don’t have to show the entire boot to make the most of them. If you think of them more as leggings or stockings, that can free you up hugely in terms of what you team with them. You could wear them with a 40’s style dress, a pencil skirt or a huge tulle petticoat to wonderful effect.
One of the easiest ways to make an outfit visually interesting is to play with proportions & put unexpected things together. Big with small, tough with luxe, vintage with new. Mix it up & see what you can come up with.
Here are some more ideas!
Zara. The styling of these two images is delicious. It’s all about proportions. The look with the leather jacket is total perfection from start to finish. She’s wearing her boots over black skinny jeans & under an oversized white shirt, which is capped off with a short leather jacket. The jacket gives the outfit its shape, while the white shirt prevents it from looking too severe. Bravo.
The picture of the girl in the (faux?) fur jacket, cinched with a belt, & worn with black over-the-knee boots is just too yummy for me to even pontificate over. If I owned all the components of that outfit, you would be hard pressed to get me to wear anything else. Ever.
In my opinion, what saves these three looks from being trashy is that you’re not even really aware that the models are wearing over-the-knee boots. It’s like a fantastic leathery secret. They just look like they’re wearing fabulous stockings or skinny leather trousers. There is no flash of pale or mottled thigh & not a hint of fishnet. They look powerful, sexy & put-together.
The Hussein Chalayan look is from Fall 2006, & is a total winner. You could wear this outfit to work, after-work drinks, or even on a date with a bit of dazzling jewellery. It’s perfectly understated & just a little bit intimidating all at the same time.
I LOVE how Alice Burdeu (Australia’s Next Top Model winner!) looks in McQueen — totally makes me think of a headmistress at a strict-but-sexy (hey, it’s my imagination) Edwardian orphanage. So good. “No, Oliver! You may NOT have some more!”
I can’t say anything about the Givenchy look because I just drowned in my own drool. Sorry.
Flair Italia October 2009. This is perhaps not a look to emulate, but I had to include it just because it’s quite brilliant. It might be a good one for the bedroom, though.
Carine Roitfeld in Maison Martin Margiela, by Garance Dore. Carine (Editor-In-Chief of French Vogue) shows how it’s done. The sleek silhouette of the boots perfectly off-sets the size of the coat. Her outfit is so simple but it is completely genius — there are so few parts to it, but it works seamlessly & wonderfully. She could be wearing anything under that coat — a Garfield sweatshirt, a pair of sequinned hot pants, a bikini emblazoned with the American flag — but it doesn’t matter because the few pieces we can see are A++. & seriously, look at those boots. Oh, Margiela, you did us proud.
So, what do you think of the over-the-knee boot? Is it something you think you could see yourself wearing? I am totally mad about them, & have been schlepping from store to store trying to find The Perfect Pair. When I do, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Posted by: Gala Read more Source
Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:35:19 GMT Exotic Lingerie
Most women have a fascination for exotic lingerie. After all, it is one of the best ways to feel gorgeous, desirable and sexy, and definitely the best way to add spice to your nightlife. Whether you want to boost your self confidence by feeling good and thereby looking good, or whether you want to ignite the imagination of your lover, sexy lingerie can do it all for you.
Exotic Lingerie: Range of SelectionA wide range of high quality, hot and
exotic lingerie are available online. Depending on the kind of fun you have in mind, you can select your lingerie from online stores:
- Baby doll: Primarily sheer lingerie made of satin, mesh, and lace.
- Bra Sets: Two-piece outfits made of materials such as satin and Lycra. Some are adorned with ruffles to add to sexy, extra-feminine look.
- Bustiers: The entire bustier collection is embroidered or gorgeously adorned with nets and ruffles. All of them include matching g-strings.
- Camisoles: Available in satin, mesh and charmeuse materials, in trendy animal prints or simple and cute polka-dots.
- Gowns: Sheer gowns and bodice with satin fronts and lace trim make up this intimate look.
- Short sets: Short halter tops or string bras matched with shorts of the same color and material. Lycra is the most common material used.
- Skirt sets: Lycra mini skirts teamed with halter tops of the same fabric come together naturally for sexy and playful look.
- Rompers: This one-piece garment is made of Lycra is available in black, white, red, pink and chartreuse color.
- Teddies: This bodysuit-like lingerie is strapless with an adjustable back closure and is available in Lycra.
Exotic Lingerie: Care and MaintenanceExotic lingerie cannot be treated as regular wear such as jeans or shirts. Babydolls and camisoles cannot simply be thrown into a washing machine. This would damage the fabric. By following these simple guidelines, you can increase the longevity of your lingerie:
- Make sure you follow the instructions mentioned on the tag. The tag will mention whether the fabric requires a hand wash, machine wash or dry cleaning.
- Dry cleaning is the safest option. However, you if you are not comfortable with giving your lingerie to a specialist shop, you can use products that imitate the dry cleaning process at home.
- Always wash your lingerie in cold water.
- Never use bleach.
- Make sure that you do not wash dark-colored clothes with the light-colored ones.
Some of the best quality, provocative lingerie line is available at www.sexywearavenue.com.
Posted by: Heather Read more Source
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:57:40 GMT A Short Visual History of Videogames
Kyle Downes present is animated video – This was my final project for my BA(Animation & Interactive Media) course at RMIT, I worked on it over a period of 3 to 4 months during our final semester at uni. It provides a short comical overview of the history of the video game industry. My goal for this piece was to push my abilities to create photorealistic visuals of simple object. Most shots consist of a simple lighting scheme involving directional lights and area lights for diffused reflections, rendered in layers including a beauty pass, an occlusion pass overlayed and multiplied at varying opacities, geometry matte passes and depth passes. All consoles where modelled, textured and rendered in Maya 8.5, composited in After Effects 6.5, sound effects and editing was done in Premiere Pro. (via : ultra-awesome.com)
Posted by: thesilvershark Read more Source
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:43:31 GMT Watch the Big Game
At Sports On Bars you can find out which bars in New York City are going to be playing the game you want to see. No more will you have to go walking from bar to bar in search of the one that's playing what you want to see.
Create your own sports groups. Together you can all decide which game you're going to watch and which bar you should all meet at. Sports On Bars also has everything you need to socialize with other sports fans. There are forums to chat on, sports news, videos you can watch, and a way to find out what promotions New York City sports bars are offering.
Posted by: Linda Roeder Read more Source
Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:21:19 GMT Team Up For New Fitness Game
Your Shape
, Ubisoft"s addition to the fitness genre hopes to surpass Wii Fit"s impressive sales numbers with more precise exercise movements, a little innovation, and a little help from funny woman Jenny McCarthy filling the spot of your in-game workout buddy. The Nintendo exclusive game features over 400 exercises including strength training, toning, and cardio. Unlike other fitness games, Your Shape is totally Wiimote free. So how does the game make sure your doing the exercise? Simple. Your Shape will be debuting the first ever camera for the Nintendo Wii.
The included camera will scans your body and detects your movements. After the initial scan, it projects your image onto the TV screen so you can watch your movements. As you exercise, the camera will be monitoring your motion to ensure you"re not phoning it in and have the correct form. If you"re slacking, or just not getting the movement down, Jenny will help you correct your form in real time.
Posted by: Sarah Read more Source
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:08:24 GMT Real Estate Investment
Real estate investment entails purchase, management, ownership, sale or rental of real estate for the purpose of making profit. In relation to other forms of investment, real estate provides limited liquidity. Also, it is capital intensive and is highly dependent on cash flow. These features should be properly understood by investors before venturing into this field.
Sources for Real Estate InvestmentThis form of investments in most countries is unorganized and is not as efficient as other instruments of investments. An efficient investor should be aware of the techniques of locating profitable properties. This requires substantial work including the knowledge of the prevalent prices and an awareness of competition.
Some sources for real estate investment include:
- Private sales
- Public auction
- Real estate agents
- Wholesalers
- Market listings
The Process of Real Estate InvestmentOnce you find the property worth investing, follow these steps
- Verify and investigate the status and condition of the property. This is called the completion of preliminary due diligence.
- Negotiate the sale terms and price with the seller of that property.
- Finally, complete the contract for sale.
Benefits of Real Estate InvestmentFollowing are the benefits of investing in real estate:
- Cash Flow: This is the difference between the income and expense on your property. This could either be negative or negative. A positive cash flow would mean you secure a net gain in the property.
- Appreciation in the Value: This could be external and internal. An external appreciation relates to the economic conditions and land scarcity. Similarly, an internal appreciation would imply the improvement of your actual property which is controllable to a great extent.
- Leverage: In case of investing in real estate, you can borrow a percentage of the value of the property to buy it. This unique feature is called the leverage
Risks of Real Estate InvestmentThe main cause of real estate investment failure is the negative cash flow over a period of time. Such unsustainable cash flow often compels investors to resell the property at a loss.
Real estate investing involves high financial costs, technical knowledge and hard work. Venturing into this field without proper knowledge involves high cost. One place where you can get useful information on all aspects of investing in real estate is HomeVestors Realty Ltd (Canada). Here, you can register for free online classes on the techniques of real estate investing.
Posted by: Heather Read more Source
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:45:41 GMT The Red Shoes: Relaced and Restored
Even in this age of Blu-ray and appreciation for all things high-def, many take for granted how complicated but vital a great film restoration can be. Buzzed about at this year"s Cannes Film Festival as one of the most miraculous to date is the UCLA Film & Television Archive"s restoration of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger"s 1948 masterpiece The Red Shoes, starring Moira Shearer as a gifted young ballerina forced to choose between her love for composer Marius Goring and a career as lead dancer and muse to ballet company impresario Anton Walbrook. In association with the BFI, The Film Foundation, ITV Global Entertainment Ltd., and Janus Films, the restored 35mm print-which Film Foundation founder Martin Scorsese has praised as one of his all-time faves and the most extraordinary use of the three-strip Technicolor process-dazzled a packed house at the DGA Theater last night. (
The Red Shoes screens at NYC"s Film Forum from November 6 - 19.)
Thelma Schoonmaker-Scorsese"s three-time Oscar winning editor, and widow of Michael Powell-introduced the screening with a test sample showing a practical comparison of what had been done to correct for mold damage, shrinkage and surging color. Suffice to say, no superlatives can do justice to what was easily the most impressively eye-popping revitalization these eyes have yet popped for. Following the screening was a swanky afterparty at nearby Nobu 57, where I had a chance to speak briefly with Mr. Scorsese, Ms. Schoonmaker, and filmmaker (and fellow guest) James Toback about the event:
Posted by: ahillis Read more Source
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:31:34 GMT Twitter Clones
TechCrunch recently published an interesting piece on the new Spanish language Twitter clone, Birddi. I hadn"t realized how many Twitter clones were out there....There have been many Twitter-clones that have emerged over the past few years. There"s been Koornk, and German clone Duduku. Yahoo rolled out its microblogging service, Yahoo Meme, a few months ago in Portuguese, then Spanish and finally in English a few weeks ago. It looks like there is another clone on the block-Birddi. Birddi is among the most obvious Twitter clone - right done to the light blue background color.
Posted by: Nancy Read more Source
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:22:05 GMT Sonos iPhone Music Player Ships
Sonos has confirmed initial shipments of its much-anticipated ZonePlayer S5 all-in-one wireless music system that can be controlled by the iPhone or iPod touch.
The Sonos ZonePlayer S5 is a high-performance wireless music system with 5 speakers powered by 5 dedicated digital amplifiers. With 2 tweeters, 2 mid-range drivers and 1 subwoofer.
Music can be streamed wirelessly from either iTunes or the Internet directly. Other features of the S5 include auto-detection of connections for any iPod, CD player or TV.
The ZonePlayer S5 is going for $399 (with free shipping) directly from Sonos.
For more info,
click here.
Posted by: Jeff Read more Source
Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:47:52 GMT A New PC for the Kitchen
The QOOQ (pronounced "cook"), is a kitchen computer that might be able to make cooking a pleasurable experience for those of us that are a little gun shy around the oven. QOOQ comes with video recipes as well as 500 preloaded dishes. And if that"s not enough, users can sign up for a monthly subscription and have new recipes and sent to device. The digital recipe box can get internet access using WiFi or Ethernet. There"s no web browser to speak of, but you can check the weather and update recipes as needed.
In addition to the recipes and videos, the QOOQ also serves as a meal planner and can help create a shopping list, so you don"t off track with the impulse buying when you hit the grocery store. And when you need a little entertainment, QOOQ doubles as a digital picture frame and receives internet radio stations.
The 10.2-inch touchscreen tablet PC has a glass screen that makes for easy clean up as a precaution against those unexpected splashes and spills. Unfortunately, QOOQ is currently a French exclusive, but if there are plans to bring the device stateside, I"m sure it will sell like hotcakes (pun totally intended) to the burgeoning foodie movement.
Via Coolest Gadgets
Posted by: Sarah Read more Source
Mon, 19 Oct 2009 03:34:19 GMT Interior Design 101
This is the piece that will set the tone of my office. So happy!
He has also become an impromptu mascot of sorts, which of course means that he needs a name. Any thoughts?
Yorick is a strong contender…
(Glitter skull bought in a random gift store in the East Village, though you could make your own easily [polystyrene skull + spray adhesive + glitter]; sequinned mouse ears from Disneyland.)
