I love all the girls, but my favorite is Carrie. Sarah Jessica Parker has always charmed me, but as Carrie in SEX AND THE CITY she continued, week after week, to take me along on her emotional roller coaster rides. Big (Chris Noth) broke my heart as well as hers. I felt her pain as she pushed and pulled Aiden (John Corbett) in their relationship. Jack Berger (Ron Livingston) hurt me in the way he treated Carrie. Post-It notes will never have any other meaning! Last, there's Aleksandr (Mikhail Baryshinokov) who will never be forgiven.
Carrie's friends became my friends. Kim Cattrall plays Samantha, the wonderfully confident (most of the time) woman who takes the world by its balls. To name all her men would take a lifetime, but the touchingly good, Smith (Jason Lewis), and the dreadfully bad, Richard (James Remar), are both in one of the best tear-jerking scenes in the series.
Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is the guilt-ridden lawyer who is, most of the time, the most levelheaded friend. The most unlikely relationship develops with Steve (David Eigenberg), a bartender and, eventually, the father of her baby. It doesn't' work out, and then there's Dr. Robert Leeds (Blair Underwood). She did break up with him for a very good reason, but I hated to see him go!
Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is the naïve, forever-optimistic friend. When she gets depressed, it's justified because she seems to have the worst luck. Once she lands Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLauchlan) her real troubles begin, the main one the haughty, controlling mother-in-law. Never has anyone wanted a child more, or had more difficulty.
The last season of SEX AND THE CITY was so emotional that I cried at least once during every episode. It was still a comedy, but dealt with so many important issues. The girls really came through some tough situations, mainly because they had each other. When I watched it again on the Fox reruns I was so disappointed that they left out so many great moments. Can't wait for the movie!
วันศุกร์ที่ 25 เมษายน พ.ศ. 2551
HDTV Is Available Over-The-Air For Free
HDTV is the newest addition in a long line of high-tech entertainment gadgets. Many homes have already added HD programming to their satellite systems and added $$ to their bill . Some plans even have additional charges for local channels. But did you know that HDTV and digital signals are free if you have an antenna and an HDTV/tuner.
Yes, you may have to spend a little money . A well-known author once said 'There ain't no free lunch' . But this is close . If your old TV is not HDTV compatible, you will likely upgrade soon anyway . The older analog signals will cease to exist on February 17, 2009 . You can still get a tuner-box that will translate the digital signal for your older set but you will miss out on some of the advantages that come with digital service such as HD.
If you can dig through the garage or attic and find that old TV antenna that you discarded long ago, then you are well on your way.
This type of service is called over-the-air. It is free. Now that's refreshing in this world of pay-parking, pay-toilets, pay-internet, pay cell phones etc. Even water is not free anymore.
If you live close to a larger city, then you can very likely receive all your local channels, many of which will broadcast some of their programming in HD. The remainder of their programming will be either digital or the older analog signal. Your trusty antenna may pick up all of these signal types. There is some variation. Your milage may vary.
If you live in a rural area, you may be limited it what you can receive. But if you live within 75-100 miles of a big town, then there is a very good chance you can get some digital service for free. But check with a local store or ask neighbors who have an antenna before you buy anything. You can also find good references on the internet.
HDTV antennas are available in two flavors, Directional and Omni-directional. If you live in a metropolitan area where there are many strong signals available, then an Omni-directional antenna is fine. These may also be placed indoors and avoid the need to install an outdoor antenna. If not, a directional antenna is better. You will have to turn it to gain the best signal. But you can get a rotor that will allow you to turn it from the comfort of your easy chair.
Outdoor antennas must be installed. This is best done by a professional. Don't scrimp here ! A well-done install is worth every penny. But if you are determined to install your own, here are some important considerations :
1. Stay well away from overhead power lines. Plan your install so they are as far away as possible.2. Keep the length of the wire from antenna to TV as short as possible. Avoid flapping in the wind.3. Don't raise the antenna any higher than necessary.4. Be sure it is properly grounded to avoid lightning damage.5. Be sure the antenna is well-anchored to your house. It must easily stand up to gusty winds and not rotate or topple.
How do I pick an antenna ?
Use what you have especially if you live in a metropolitan area. It will likely work ok. But if not, find an antenna that meets your needs. I have seen many at garage sales that people will give away.
There is a color-coded classification system for outdoor antennas. The colors used are Yellow, Green, Light Green, Red, Blue, Violet, and Pink. In general, as you move from Yellow toward Pink, you are moving from areas with very strong local signals toward fringe areas where signals are more difficult to receive.
Use the internet to research antennas. One site is AntennaWeb.org . It provides a tool that will show you what signals you should be able to receive and what type of antenna to use.
There are lots of Pros and Cons in using an antenna. But, in my book, the Pros outweigh the Cons. You can't beat free or almost free.
Yes, you may have to spend a little money . A well-known author once said 'There ain't no free lunch' . But this is close . If your old TV is not HDTV compatible, you will likely upgrade soon anyway . The older analog signals will cease to exist on February 17, 2009 . You can still get a tuner-box that will translate the digital signal for your older set but you will miss out on some of the advantages that come with digital service such as HD.
If you can dig through the garage or attic and find that old TV antenna that you discarded long ago, then you are well on your way.
This type of service is called over-the-air. It is free. Now that's refreshing in this world of pay-parking, pay-toilets, pay-internet, pay cell phones etc. Even water is not free anymore.
If you live close to a larger city, then you can very likely receive all your local channels, many of which will broadcast some of their programming in HD. The remainder of their programming will be either digital or the older analog signal. Your trusty antenna may pick up all of these signal types. There is some variation. Your milage may vary.
If you live in a rural area, you may be limited it what you can receive. But if you live within 75-100 miles of a big town, then there is a very good chance you can get some digital service for free. But check with a local store or ask neighbors who have an antenna before you buy anything. You can also find good references on the internet.
HDTV antennas are available in two flavors, Directional and Omni-directional. If you live in a metropolitan area where there are many strong signals available, then an Omni-directional antenna is fine. These may also be placed indoors and avoid the need to install an outdoor antenna. If not, a directional antenna is better. You will have to turn it to gain the best signal. But you can get a rotor that will allow you to turn it from the comfort of your easy chair.
Outdoor antennas must be installed. This is best done by a professional. Don't scrimp here ! A well-done install is worth every penny. But if you are determined to install your own, here are some important considerations :
1. Stay well away from overhead power lines. Plan your install so they are as far away as possible.2. Keep the length of the wire from antenna to TV as short as possible. Avoid flapping in the wind.3. Don't raise the antenna any higher than necessary.4. Be sure it is properly grounded to avoid lightning damage.5. Be sure the antenna is well-anchored to your house. It must easily stand up to gusty winds and not rotate or topple.
How do I pick an antenna ?
Use what you have especially if you live in a metropolitan area. It will likely work ok. But if not, find an antenna that meets your needs. I have seen many at garage sales that people will give away.
There is a color-coded classification system for outdoor antennas. The colors used are Yellow, Green, Light Green, Red, Blue, Violet, and Pink. In general, as you move from Yellow toward Pink, you are moving from areas with very strong local signals toward fringe areas where signals are more difficult to receive.
Use the internet to research antennas. One site is AntennaWeb.org . It provides a tool that will show you what signals you should be able to receive and what type of antenna to use.
There are lots of Pros and Cons in using an antenna. But, in my book, the Pros outweigh the Cons. You can't beat free or almost free.
4 Ways Videos Can Help Your Business
How can video help your business? Hmmm...there's a myriad of possibilities. Let's look at four.
1) Web Videos
To have a presence on the web and one that communicates your Brand you need a video. Market your company, tell your story and grow your business through the use of image pieces, sales incentives, product information, and CEO messages. Quite simply, video branches out and serves as a conduit to all the masses that are online. Your audience is waiting.
2) Video Emails
Care to step out from the crowd? Video emails provide your company another platform to deliver your message to the businesses that matter the most to your company. Video emails can integrate with the rest of your web site creating a powerful engine for B2B communication, as well as Business to Consumer. From your desktop to theirs it's a burgeoning avenue of communication to be reckoned with.
3) Instructional Videos
Take employee education to another level using instructional videos. Videos can increase awareness, foster learning and change, as well as benefit risk management from a safety perspective, and employ methods to change attitudes in a positive manner.
4) Advertainment
Companies using social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube to post video can yield great results if their video is positioned and marketed correctly to those outlets. Traditional marketing videos that focus on selling first are generally ignored and are largely unpopular. Marketing your company through advertainment...(entertaining first, then marketing) is a successful route to choose.
About Bright Circle, Inc.
Scott Whitney is a partner with Bright Circle, an South Florida video production company. Bright Circle specializes in corporate video production services in Orlando, Florida.
1) Web Videos
To have a presence on the web and one that communicates your Brand you need a video. Market your company, tell your story and grow your business through the use of image pieces, sales incentives, product information, and CEO messages. Quite simply, video branches out and serves as a conduit to all the masses that are online. Your audience is waiting.
2) Video Emails
Care to step out from the crowd? Video emails provide your company another platform to deliver your message to the businesses that matter the most to your company. Video emails can integrate with the rest of your web site creating a powerful engine for B2B communication, as well as Business to Consumer. From your desktop to theirs it's a burgeoning avenue of communication to be reckoned with.
3) Instructional Videos
Take employee education to another level using instructional videos. Videos can increase awareness, foster learning and change, as well as benefit risk management from a safety perspective, and employ methods to change attitudes in a positive manner.
4) Advertainment
Companies using social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube to post video can yield great results if their video is positioned and marketed correctly to those outlets. Traditional marketing videos that focus on selling first are generally ignored and are largely unpopular. Marketing your company through advertainment...(entertaining first, then marketing) is a successful route to choose.
About Bright Circle, Inc.
Scott Whitney is a partner with Bright Circle, an South Florida video production company. Bright Circle specializes in corporate video production services in Orlando, Florida.
Calibrate Your New Television: Three Reasons Why You Should
Millions of consumers make a significant investment when they purchase a new plasma, DLP, or LCD television. A common belief is that the display settings present at the time of delivery are often the best ones. For a variety of reasons this simply isn't the case and, in fact, these factory settings may not create the best viewing, could significantly shorten the lifespan of the television screen, and will often cause the TV to consume more energy than necessary.
The display settings on a television showroom floor are often set to the extreme, with maximum brightness and contrast to catch the eye of passing shoppers. The lighting within a showroom is also much different than that in the average living room. Overly bright pictures, excessive contrast, and so forth can create eye strain over time. In addition, such settings are not realistic and do not accurately reproduce a scene as it is shot. Certainly, getting color settings accurate will also be key in obtaining a life-like picture. An owner should get their new television situated in the room and then calibrate it under the type of lighting conditions that will be present during normal viewing.
In addition to improving viewing quality and comfort, calibrating a new television can help to preserve the life of the screen. Settings that are too bright will prematurely age the phosphors in a plasma screen, the pixels in an LCD, or the lamp in a DLP. Replacing the lamp on a DLP is the most common repair but can cost a few hundred dollars even if the owner takes on the task. Obviously, replacing a plasma or LCD screen involves even greater expense if the screen is no longer capable of producing a quality image.
Another reason for calibrating a television screen as soon as possible is to reduce the amount of power it consumes. Decreasing brightness and contrast settings can significantly reduce the energy used. Energy conservation is not only environmentally conscious but it can help owners save on electricity usage each month. Certainly, a single electronic device is not responsible for a large percentage of any power bill but over time, the savings do add up. As television screen size has increased significantly in the past 10 years, the energy consumption of a television has become more of a concern. Consumers are wise to take this into consideration when purchasing a new television.
For a fee, many retailers now offer consumers the service of installing and calibrating their television upon delivery. However, owners can also take on the task themselves with relative ease using a commercially available calibration disk. The advantage of this do-it-yourself method is that if the television is moved at any point in time, the owner can easily re-calibrate it to suit the new living environment.
The display settings on a television showroom floor are often set to the extreme, with maximum brightness and contrast to catch the eye of passing shoppers. The lighting within a showroom is also much different than that in the average living room. Overly bright pictures, excessive contrast, and so forth can create eye strain over time. In addition, such settings are not realistic and do not accurately reproduce a scene as it is shot. Certainly, getting color settings accurate will also be key in obtaining a life-like picture. An owner should get their new television situated in the room and then calibrate it under the type of lighting conditions that will be present during normal viewing.
In addition to improving viewing quality and comfort, calibrating a new television can help to preserve the life of the screen. Settings that are too bright will prematurely age the phosphors in a plasma screen, the pixels in an LCD, or the lamp in a DLP. Replacing the lamp on a DLP is the most common repair but can cost a few hundred dollars even if the owner takes on the task. Obviously, replacing a plasma or LCD screen involves even greater expense if the screen is no longer capable of producing a quality image.
Another reason for calibrating a television screen as soon as possible is to reduce the amount of power it consumes. Decreasing brightness and contrast settings can significantly reduce the energy used. Energy conservation is not only environmentally conscious but it can help owners save on electricity usage each month. Certainly, a single electronic device is not responsible for a large percentage of any power bill but over time, the savings do add up. As television screen size has increased significantly in the past 10 years, the energy consumption of a television has become more of a concern. Consumers are wise to take this into consideration when purchasing a new television.
For a fee, many retailers now offer consumers the service of installing and calibrating their television upon delivery. However, owners can also take on the task themselves with relative ease using a commercially available calibration disk. The advantage of this do-it-yourself method is that if the television is moved at any point in time, the owner can easily re-calibrate it to suit the new living environment.
Making professional slide shows and videos with Animoto!
Today i have come across a website that has addicted me ever since i found it. It’s called Animoto and the purpose of this website is to take your pictures and make them into a professional looking video. When i say professional i mean professional. I will paste the link to a sample video at the end of this post.
How you do it- First you create an account. You have two choices. Number 1- Make a 30 second video which is very high quality and FREE, and then there is one that you can get longer. Unfortunately for that you have to puck up some dough. The 30 second one is really all you need though.
Then they will ask you to upload the pictures for you video. They prefer you upload between 10 and 15 images as if you do any more they will be cut off. This should take only a little while depending on your Internet connection speed.
Next you are able to choose from a selection of songs for your slideshow. The best part is that your slideshow will play to the beat of the song. If you don’t like any of their beats(which i highly doubt you will dislike) you are able to upload your own song from your computer.
After that you fill in the required information for the presentation, and click next. There they will produce the movie within several minutes. You will get an email when it is fully produced. Then watch as Animoto amazes you.
The finished product is really quite remarkable. Taking less than 15 minutes i see a video that would take me weeks or more to build on my own. Here is the video that i made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hA5AYD0NCc.
If you are interested in making your own account go to animoto.com and get started. Animoto if i had to rate it would defiantly be a 10 out of 10 for performance, but also for the speed in which it is finished at.
How you do it- First you create an account. You have two choices. Number 1- Make a 30 second video which is very high quality and FREE, and then there is one that you can get longer. Unfortunately for that you have to puck up some dough. The 30 second one is really all you need though.
Then they will ask you to upload the pictures for you video. They prefer you upload between 10 and 15 images as if you do any more they will be cut off. This should take only a little while depending on your Internet connection speed.
Next you are able to choose from a selection of songs for your slideshow. The best part is that your slideshow will play to the beat of the song. If you don’t like any of their beats(which i highly doubt you will dislike) you are able to upload your own song from your computer.
After that you fill in the required information for the presentation, and click next. There they will produce the movie within several minutes. You will get an email when it is fully produced. Then watch as Animoto amazes you.
The finished product is really quite remarkable. Taking less than 15 minutes i see a video that would take me weeks or more to build on my own. Here is the video that i made http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hA5AYD0NCc.
If you are interested in making your own account go to animoto.com and get started. Animoto if i had to rate it would defiantly be a 10 out of 10 for performance, but also for the speed in which it is finished at.
Download Full Length Movies
Did you know that you can download and watch full length movies without leaving your home? As matter of fact, there are thousands of sites letting you to download full length movies legally. Some sites offer downloads completely free and some charge a fee. The free ones are usually the ones that come along with a virus as they are not properly scanned. The sites that offer free downloads are not likely to be legal movie download site but the ones that charge a fee usually offer legal downloads without any copyright infringement.
With increased access to the internet, there is a high demand to watch and download full movies and it is becoming movie download sites are becoming popular. Through these sites, you'll be able to have your collection of your favorite movies and watch it whenever you want.
So what should you look for in a website that offers you full length movie downloads? You must go for a site that charges you a one time fee or for each download. These sites will give you high-quality, virus free, legal downloads. These sites will also offer high speed downloads with downloads speeds up to 8 mbps. That depends on your internet connection if you have a dial up it'll be slow but if you use a DSL modem it is likely that you can download movies from these sites at break neck speed. These sites offer great protection against spyware threats and give you the ability to download in the format of your choice.
If you want to download full movies then you should go for the paid service as it will ensure spyware and virus free download unlike the free ones. If you think that these few bucks are a lot then you'd probably be paying a very high price because your computer would get hacked.
Watch Direct TV is one such site that allows you to download unlimited movies, software, music and tv shows with virus protection for a one time fee. Click here to read more about Watch Direct TV.
With increased access to the internet, there is a high demand to watch and download full movies and it is becoming movie download sites are becoming popular. Through these sites, you'll be able to have your collection of your favorite movies and watch it whenever you want.
So what should you look for in a website that offers you full length movie downloads? You must go for a site that charges you a one time fee or for each download. These sites will give you high-quality, virus free, legal downloads. These sites will also offer high speed downloads with downloads speeds up to 8 mbps. That depends on your internet connection if you have a dial up it'll be slow but if you use a DSL modem it is likely that you can download movies from these sites at break neck speed. These sites offer great protection against spyware threats and give you the ability to download in the format of your choice.
If you want to download full movies then you should go for the paid service as it will ensure spyware and virus free download unlike the free ones. If you think that these few bucks are a lot then you'd probably be paying a very high price because your computer would get hacked.
Watch Direct TV is one such site that allows you to download unlimited movies, software, music and tv shows with virus protection for a one time fee. Click here to read more about Watch Direct TV.
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