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Here is my usual jumble of news to start off this week. There are tutorials, news of various software releases, a cool "Making of Rango", and really sweet advert for Twinnings tea, and lots more. Feel free to add anything I may have forgotten.
Isabelle Duarte
firstname.lastname@example.com Experience Scheme: Brilliant Idea or Forced Labour?
I guess that few of you will have missed the media furore caused by the government's new Work Experience Scheme. It has been dominating the headlines over the past few days and every time I turn on the TV or radio, it seems there's another story about a well-known company 'dropping out' of the scheme.
News Round-Up: Monday 27th Feb 2012
It's the time of the week when I share with you the news that picked my interest over the last seven days. This time, there are the following goodies on offer: a cool making of from Framestore, some great new tutorials, a trailer of Pixar's "Brave", a new trailer for Spiderman and lots of education news related to Michael's latest announcements regarding education reforms.
News Round-Up: Monday 20th Feb 2012
After an absence of a week, I am back again with my usual digest of news. This week, we have some great showreels from the likes of Pixomondo, a great trailer from Spiderman and even some tutorials.
UK Uni Fee's Up – Applications Down
This was hardly surprising news, but the positive spin put on this stat by Universities UK, was that the drop wasn't as great as predicted. However, a decrease of 8.7% is significant, and demonstrates prospective students are unable or unwilling to pay the increase in fees imposed by the current government.
There were more women than men applying, but the biggest drop is not amongst school leavers, down only 3.6%, but from older students over 21 which were down significantly.
However, there was also a slight increase in overseas students applying here, and conversely more UK students are applying abroad, for example, Maastricht University forecasts 600 applications.
It's not rocket science figuring out that fees of £9000 p/a over a three year degree, plus all living costs will be a considerable sum to repay, and for a non-vocational degree, it will require serious thought to justify. After all, if the degree studied will not guarantee a job at the end earning you X amount, then being saddled with that kind of debt is a hefty burden to bear.
Even the prospect of the student idyll and those first tastes of freedom living away from the parents, in the life of Riley, may now seem a little indulgent.
In our sector, Animation and Computer Graphic degrees are wide ranging and extensive, but this can be both their strength and their weakness. Yes, you may learn a wide range of skills, direct your own mini movie masterpiece, and if you're exceptionally talented and hardworking, this film may lead to a job winning Showreel.
The reality is too often we see films that are either strong in one discipline but severely lacking in others, so making the overall effect disappointing. Or either, so many students have worked on one jaw dropping movie, that it's hard to see exactly how much of a role any one individual played in the overall execution.
If getting a job is your top priority, fair to say it's better to study an in-depth industry specific course, such as we offer here at Escape Studios, rather than something less focused.
News Round-Up: Monday 6th Feb 2012
There's all sorts of goodies in this week's edition of my News Round Up: we have free sofware from DAZ3D, some cool VFX breakdowns, the usual Oscar related stories, and lots of lots of news on the state of the UK education system. Hope you enjoy it, and as usual, I welcome your feedback.
"The Artist": Hype or Genius?
Hype or Genius? That's the question on many people's lips – especially with so much speculation as to whether or not it will steal the show at the Oscars, and take the prize for best picture.
News Round-Up: Monday 30th Jan 2012
This week, my round up of CG news features software and hardware announcements, interviews with VFX professionals, and some cool new VFX breakdowns. Hope you enjoy it!
News Round-Up: Monday 23rd Jan 2012
My, what a busy week! There are announcements from the likes of Pixar about their RenderMan software, interviews with London studios such as Pixomondo and the much more education controversy. Here's my pick of last week's more interesting stories.
New Animation Software Market Report Shows Growth in New Sectors
Not sure how many of you picked up on this story, but a new report on the Global Animation Software market was released last month. The cost of the full report is a little steep at 3,983 Euro, but the press release did have some interesting snippets of information, which I thought I would share with you.
Houdini: The VFX Industry's Best Kept Secret
A few weeks ago, we posted some details of changes and improvements we were making to our courses. We promised we would be giving details of these improvements soon, and today we are going to be talking to you about Houdini.
News Round-Up: Monday 16th Jan 2012
After an interesting last week in our Los Angeles studios, I have come back to what seems to have been a week dominated with announcements about the state of our education system. But my round up of news is not just about education news, and this week, there is news about what the London Olympic stadium is going to look like, details of Cinecite's internship program and lots more...
News Round-Up: Monday 9th Jan 2012
First week back at work and it's as if Xmas was months ago. The news certainly kept on coming this week, and here is a quick summary of what I picked up on this week.
News Round-Up: Tuesday 3rd Jan 2012
It's been a while since my last News Round-Up... Hopefully, you will all be rested after this holiday season and rearing to go. So, to get you going, I have selected a whole bunch of news items which have been published over the last couple of weeks.
News Round-Up: Monday 19th Dec 2011
This will be my last Weekly Round-Up of News for this year..., hope you enjoy it. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment. I'll be sure to look at your suggestion during the Xmas break.
Amazing Realistic Paintings of Children's Drawings
An old colleague of mine (thanks Miles!) recently posted this link on his Google+ profile and I was instantly mesmerised. Illustrator Dave DeVries has had the amazing idea of taking children's drawings and representing them as 'realistic' paintings in a project called "The Monster Engine". The results are absolutely amazing. The artist describes his initiative as "a book, a demonstration, lecture and a gallery exhibition. The premise for all three came from one single question: What would a child's drawing look like if it were painted realistically?"
Four Million Children In The UK Do Not Own A Book
This is an incredibly depressing statistic, but one that I wish had been accompanied by more background information and context. I read it in a BBC article entitled "National Literacy Trust highlights book-free millions" published last week. According to the BBC, a new report by the National Literacy Trust indicates that the proportion of children without books is increasing, and now stands at one in three, compared to one in ten in 2005.
News Round-Up: Monday 12th Dec 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
The Votes Have Been Cast And The Results Are In…
The judging is done, and the votes are in – the winners for CG Whiz 2011 have been decided upon, but you'll have to wait until the 14th December to find out who the winner are. I know, it's a bit cruel, but we like to make a big deal of our Reveal Event. It's only fair considering how much work all our entrants have put in to their reels.
What's in Your TV 'Must Watch List' This Xmas?
It's about this time of year when I actually start getting quite excited about watching TV. I know it sounds quite sad, but I don't get that much spare time to watch the box normally. Xmas is THE time when I indulge my secret passion for children's tales and magical stories. The child in me is reawakened every year during that time, when I barely move out of the house – or off the sofa!
The Future of University Applications Looks Confused
There were a whole raft of announcements and news stories about university applications last week - sadly they didn't get much air time as TV and radio stations remained firmly focused on the state of the Euro. Still, the BBC did publish a few stories which are worthy of further discussion.
News Round-Up: Monday 5th Dec 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
News Round-Up: Monday 28th Nov 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
The Illusionist: Beautiful Animation but is it Faithful to Tati?
I love Sunday. It's my favourite day of the week: a day when I can 'veg out' and watch all the stuff on TV I don't normally have time for. Yesterday, I settled down to watch a feature animation which had been on my 'To Watch' list for some time. It's called "The Illusionist" and is a Franco-British collaboration, directed by Sylvain Chomet.
News Round-Up: Monday 21st Nov 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
A Francophile's Take on Tintin
I went to see Tintin in 3D a few days ago - in itself, there's nothing unique about that, but I am both a Francophile living in England and a die-hard fan of Tintin, so I thought I would write my views about this new take on my childhood hero.
VES Awards: Send Your Entries Now
The 10th Edition of the VES (Visual Effects Society) Awards is upon us, and whilst I know many of you will already be working on your entries for it, I thought I would take time to write about it in this blog to encourage those of you who haven't considered entering the competition.
Movember Progress
We are halfway through Movember, and it's time to show off the progress achieved in the past couple of weeks. For us girls in the office, this time of year is a lot of fun! It's our time to taunt the boys and watch them act all manly. Very funny indeed. And of course, it's all in help of a good cause. Which reminds me,... feel free to donate all you can to "There's Mo Escape" (that's the name of our team), by clicking here.
Another Week, Another Student Protest
Last week, disgruntled students took to the London streets to protest about tuition fees and the "privatisation" of universities. Frankly, I don't think it got the attention it deserved, but in an unstable world where the media is focused on the economic consequences of what Greece and Italy's political elite are up to, I can't say I am surprised. Shame though, because there is a lot that still needs to be said about this government's reform of the higher education system.
News Round-Up: Monday 14th Nov 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
CG Whiz Closes To Entries But Which Is Your Favourite? Vote Now!
Time's up! Escape Studios' CG Whiz competition 2011 is now closed. Our judges are starting work behind the scenes and boy, do they have some work to do! What a breath of fresh air this year's entries have been! The standard has been exceptionally high and unbelievably inspiring. Not only are they technically accomplished, but they are also proof of the raw talent that continues to emerge. All, I'll say is that I'm glad I'm not judging the countless number of entries; they'd all get my vote!
Last Chance to Enter CG Whiz 2011
If you've been thinking of entering CG Whiz 2011, but haven't submitted your showreel yet, then there is still time. But you'll have to be quick – the competition closes on Saturday. The standard of this year's entries is incredibly high, but you shouldn't let that put you off. Our judges are looking for your potential and creativity, not just good technique. If you think you've got what it takes -whatever your talent or specialism- then head to our Facebook page and follow the instructions to upload your reel.
3D Art by Yuki Matsueda
Every so often, I come across something that makes me pause for a second. I did just that yesterday in one of my usual web trawls.
News Round-Up: Monday 7th Nov 2011
The more obsevant among you will have noticed that I didn't publish my round up for a couple of weeks - apologies for this, but I decided it was time to take a well deserved holiday. Still, I am back now, and here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
CG Whiz Entries So Far
There's less than two weeks to go before CG Whiz 2011 closes to new entries, so we thought we'd take a look at the entries we've so far received for this year's contest. We've had nearly 80 entries already and we've been blown away by the level of talent out there.
What Would Winning CG Whiz Do For You?
The whole point of CG Whiz is to give talented aspiring artists the kind of exposure necessary to kick-start their career, and there's no better example of that than the first ever CG Whiz winner, Adam Droy. Following his 2009 success, Adam completed a twelve-week training course with Escape Studios, and now works as a 3D Artist at CG Whiz sponsors The Mill, at its UK studio in Soho, London.
CG Whiz Judge Lee Danskin: Tips for the Amateur Category
CG Whiz 2011 has been open for entries for over a week now, and we're already seeing lots of great work coming in. We know a lot of you will be hard at work on your showreels, so to give you some insight into what the judges will be looking for in the amateur category, we caught up with Lee Danskin, our Training Director and a CG Whiz judge since the competition started two years ago.
News Round-Up: Monday 17th Oct 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
Escape Studios' Blog Factor
A few weeks back we launched an internal competition at Escape Studios to get people's creative juices flowing and find new budding literary talent. We invited people to write blog posts on anything they felt passionate about. It didn't have to be CG related; it just had to be something which got under their skin enough to get them writing about it.
News Round-Up: Monday 10th Oct 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of News, with stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
CG Whiz is Coming!
Those of you who follow us on Twitter will probably have noticed that we are soon to launch the third edition of our now famous CG Whiz competition. So, since the 'cat's out of the bag' already, I thought I might just get away with giving you a bit of an insight in what we have been cooking up for this year's edition of CG Whiz.
News Round-Up: Monday 3rd Oct 2011
Following on from last week's announcement about our Weekly Round-Up of news, here are the stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
News Round-Up: Monday 26th Sep 2011
Here is my usual Weekly Round-Up of news with the stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
News Round-Up: Monday 19th Sep 2011
Following on from last week's announcement about our Weekly Round-Up of news, here are the stories that I have picked up over the past week. If you have suggestions for stories I missed, just drop me a line or post a comment.
News Round-Up: Monday 12th Sep 2011
For some time now, I have been doing a weekly round up of news for our own internal use at Escape Studios. I never actually thought of sharing it more widely until someone pointed out to me last week, that actually, maybe it would be useful to the people who read this blog.
3D Paintings on Panes of Glass
I came across these amazing pieces of work late last night in one of my typical 'browsing fest', and just couldn't keep my eyes of them. That's what I call 3D with a difference!
US Teachers Get Disney Training to Make School Fun
I know it sounds nuts, but I promise this is not a joke. My colleague Susan wrote a post about this yesterday in our US Blog and pointed to an article in the Washington Post entitled "To inspire, schools take a page from Disney".
Raytrix Lightfield Cameras: Ahead of Lytro
A few weeks ago, Simon Fenton wrote about the new - yet to be launched - Lytro 'lightfied camera'. Being a complete photography nerd, I have to say that I got quite excited about it and went on a search fest to find out as much as I could about it.
Dom Davenports Writes for The Guardian About Careers in the Creative Industries
With the launch of our Creative Futures report, we have been giving the topic of 'Jobs in the Creative Industries' a lot of thought lately. We have been talking to many professionals in sectors as diverse as Graphic Design, Architectural Design, Web Design or VFX. Ultimately, the majority of men and women we have been talking to are interested in getting tips and advice on how to get better jobs and further their careers. Seems it's quite a hot topic. So much so that Dom - our CEO - was asked to write a piece for The Guardian about what young professionals needs to do to improve their changes of getting a job in the creative industries.
Career Changes Ahead for Creative Pros
A few weeks ago we launched our Creative Futures report, which looked at people in the creative industry and how they were prepared to take pay cuts and self fund their own training if it meant getting ahead in their careers.
Aardman Create the World's Largest Stop-Motion Animation
Here is something cool to brighten your Friday afternoon and to prepare you for the weekend. It has been doing the rounds this week, and was even featured in the Metro earlier in the week.
A Third of UK Children Still Struggle in the Three-Rs
I was driving home from work last night, and as per usual, I tuned into the PM program on BBC Radio 4. Among the usual daily political squabbles about the Hacking Scandal, the debt crisis in America and the conflicts in Libya and Syria, there was a piece about the 2011 Sats results that caught my attention. Well, when I say "caught my attention", I actually mean that it left me reeling with anger and bemoaning the fact that we so often fail children. Let me explain...
What Happened at the London RenderMan UGM
We hosted the much-anticipated London Pixar RenderMan User Group Meeting last week, and all I can say is that it was pretty packed.
Lucian Freud Dies at 88
A great artist died yesterday and whilst his death has nothing whatsoever to do with the world of CG and VFX, I thought many of you would be mourning the death of this great artist.
Reporting Back on HP7 in 3D
Last weeks I wrote about Harry Potter and asked you whether or not you would be watching the last instalment it in 3D (The Harry Potter finale: 2D or 3D?). Many of you replied back through Facebook and on this blog – thanks to all of you who took the time to do so.
GRAPHIC Animation Competition at the Sydney Opera House
Those of you starting out in the CG industry may be interested to know that the Sydney Opera House is currently running an animation competition.
Happiness Versus Pay
A couple of weeks ago, we launched our Creative Features Report which looks at how much creative people value training.
The Harry Potter finale: 2D or 3D?
After years of waiting, Harry Potter finally nears the end with the last instalment which premiered in London last week. Warner Brothers' decision to convert the final Harry Potter film into a 3D format left many of us concerned the magic would be lost.
Private Colleges Set to Undercut on Tuition Fees
Did any of you read this recent story (Private college undercuts on tuition fees) published on the BBC? If you haven't, it basically focused on the emergence of competition in the education sector from private colleges. The journalist, Sean Coughlan, took the example of the ifs College of Finance in London who recently announced that they would be charging fees of £5,750 to £6,000 per year.
The Hidden Beauty of Pollination
Those of you who, like me, enjoy beautiful photography are in for a real treat with this one. Louie Schwartzberg has spent a life time filming flower pollination in its most minute details and his work is of breathtaking beauty.
Would You Pay For Your Own Training to Get Ahead?
Would you pay for your own training to get ahead of the competition and secure a better job? Well that's one of the hot topics in our new Creative Futures Report which launches today.
Online Mentored Student Spotlight: Miska Janhunen
Finland native, Miska Janhunen had been working for his family's visual design firm as a Webmaster for some time, but he harboured a dream of working in VFX. For years he has been trying to find time and flexibility to study CG. "Because of my location and current situation in life, it felt more or less 'mission impossible'. Then, in the autumn of 2010, I found Escape Studios' Online Mentored VFX course and all the pieces fell into place."
CMVP: European Conference on Visual Media Production
CVMP, the European Conference on Visual Media Production, taking place on the 16th & 17th of November 2011 at the BFI Southbank, London, is putting out a final call for papers.
Do Universities Need To Teach Basic Job Skills?
An announcement by Edge, the education charity, caught my eye this week. It said that universities should now be required to teach employment skills as part of degree courses. According to its latest study, employers now believe too many graduates are unfit for the workplace.
Escape Studios Online Mentored Student Spotlight - Ricardo Viana
Current Escape Studios' VFX Online Mentored student, Ricardo Viana is approaching the end of his course and looking forward to developing his showreel and meeting with our recruitment team. In addition to his coursework, he has a very busy schedule to maintain, but that has not stopped him from pursuing his dream.
The BBC Visits Escape Studios
We were absolutely delighted when Iain Mackenzie of the BBC chose to come to Escape Studios to chat to Lee Dankin and Mark Cass about the state of the UK Visual industry, which is currently booming.
Escape Studios' Website Awarded Best SilverStripe Website for Enterprise
We are delighted to announce that our website has received the "Best SilverStripe Website for Enterprise" award at the CMS Expo in Chicago last week. Our thanks go to the team at GPMD and Distinguished & Co who have worked so hard to make our site what it is today.
Stunning Imagery in "Inside the Human Body"
Did any of you watch the first episode of a brand new BBC1 series called "Inside the Human Body"? It aired last night for the first time and I watched in total amazement. OK, so most of you who follow my posts will know that I avidly watch any science programs... I know I am a captive audience, but seriously, the visual effects were absolutely beautiful and the program captivating.
Employment Opportunities in VFX and 3D Sectors to Rise in India
In recent years we've seen massive leaps forward in entertainment technology. 3D TV is all the rage and the release of the Nintendo 3DS has given us our first, glasses-free, 3D console. But what does this advance in entertainment technology mean for the Visual Effects industry? According to the latest statistics, the industry in India is set to grow at 18.5% a year - in short, it's a great time to be working in VFX and 3D in the Indian subcontinent.
James Cameron on Great Underwater Adventures
Those of you who are fans of The Terminator, The Abyss, Avatar or even Titanic, will enjoy watching this video of James Cameron in which he explains what actually drove him to film making and the people and things that provided inspiration to him along the way.
Breaking into the VFX industry – Escape Studios Featured on The Guardian's Latest Careers Q&A
You may remember last month that Lee Danskin and Paul Wilkes were featured on The Guardian's careers blog about the film industry. This month, the topic was 'Breaking into the Visual Effects', and as it's our specialist subject we had no less than three spokespeople on the panel this time.
Using 3D to Good Effects in Teaching
It's not often that I see something that just makes me pause and wonder in amazement, but a few days ago, I came across a short video that did just that.
Half of English Universities Opt for Charging Top Fees
Another week, another headline about English universities charging students over the odds: "University fees: Half opting for top fees".
Live Q&A: Breaking into the visual effects industry
Garreth Gaydon, Lee Danskin and escapee Ben Cantor are going to be joining a live Q&A session on 'How to Break into the Visual Effects Industry' hosted by the Guardian online.
Record Number of Overseas Students
Did any of you read the recent article published on the BBC called "Record numbers of international students"? This is definitely worth a read.
Coming Up: Live Twitter Q&A with The Mill's Steve Venning
Want to get an insider's view on all things VFX? If the answer's yes, then our next Twitter advice session is right up your street.
Wimbledon in 3D... Really?!
I don't often get completed 'weirded out' by news announcements, but this one really made me stop for a second. Sports Business News published a story yesterday about this year's Wimbledon tennis tournament being shown in 3D. According to them, "The 3D coverage will be produced in partnership with the BBC, the host broadcaster of the tournament, and will also be offered to international broadcasters. Sony will also work with theatrical distribution partner SuperVision Media to take the action into cinemas".
Top Ten Uses of Special Effects for Great Storytelling
I came across an interesting little article yesterday on PodcastFilmReview.com about the top ten uses of special effects for story telling. It was refreshing to see someone looking at this from the angle of the story telling rather than just for the special effects themselves.
UK Games Industry in Need of Help
We were all delighted for our friends at Double Negative on Sunday, as they scooped an Oscar for their VFX work on Inception, and the whole country was feeling a touch of national pride as Brits dominated the 'big' awards. No matter what your thoughts on the future of British film, it was certainly a good day to be a part of the UK film industry.
BBC to Broadcast New Dinosaurs Documentaries
The BBC have announced that they are to broadcast a new series of famous dinosaurs documentaries. This will be a much shorter series than the original Walking with Dinasaurs - only 3 programs - but will feature all the 3D and visual effects wizardry you would expect from this program. According to Broadcasting News, it will feature photo-realistic fight scenes to give a "whole new perspective on dinosaurs".
WETA Run Auction for Victims of the NZ Earthquake
WETA are doing what they can for the victims of the Christchurch earthquake by hosting an auction on ebay of some famous collectibles. So, if you fancy getting your hands on some pretty cool and rare film memorabilia while doing your bit for charity, now is your chance. Check it out here.
Brit Success at the Oscars
The winners of the 2011 Oscars were finally revealed yesterday amidst the usual pomp and ceremony that we are accustomed to, and I have to say, it was a pretty good night for Britain.
Visual Effects Benefit from New Rules at the Oscars
No doubt you'll all be looking forward to the Oscars this weekend. It's particularly significant if you're a VFX fan, with five nominees in the Visual Effects category this year rather than three.
The Future's Bright for our CG Whiz Winners
Since winning our 2010 CG Whiz competition last year Stu Schwartz, Natalie Rocks and Justyna Galka have been on a world wind of activities. Stu wrote a blog recently about how excited he is to start studying with us in our brand new LA campus . He's also going to continue to blog about his experience on the course throughout his study so make sure you keep and eye out on our blog for that.
Escapee Ricardo Viana Gives us the Low Down on our Online Mentored Course
Want to know what it's like to do one of our Mentored courses? Well we caught up with Escapee Ricardo Viana to find out how he got on – all the way from sunny Portugal.
Winners of our Satisfaction Survey Announced
First of all, I want to take the time to thank you all for taking part in our recent satisfaction survey. More than 2,400 of you took part, and over the course of the following weeks, I will be sharing the results of our findings with you.
HeyUGuys speaks to Union VFX's Special Effects Guru, Tim Caplan
Have you seen the interview with our friends at Union VFX (the company behind the visual effects for 127 Hours) on HeyUGuys? With the Oscars around the corner, it's good to get an insider's view on one film that's up for a few gongs.
A New VFX Outfit to Watch
Currently wowing audiences everywhere, and hot off the back of its Oscar nominations, Danny Boyle's latest film 127 Hours is something we've been keeping a particular close eye on. Obviously we're fans of Mr Boyle's work (personally, I can't wait to see the Olympic opening ceremony), but in this case we're more interested in a small team of people working behind the scenes.
Mentored Training Webinar, 9th February
We know just how popular our webinars are on all things CG, well the next in line is all about our Mentored Training and includes a preview of our exciting e-Learning platform.
For those who can't give up work for 12 weeks or come to our offices in London or Los Angeles, Mentored Training is just the ticket. You can study our VFX or Compositing online and still get expert mentoring and feedback from our tutors and share your creations with classmates on Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo (that's thanks to our clever e-learning technology!).
A Career in Games: Smart Move
According to the UKIE, "UK development leads the charge on Motion Controlled Gaming and in the All Format chart". Figures released earlier in the week show that games made by UK developers account for 42% of all units sold for Microsoft's Kinect since its launch. Those are pretty impressive results and something that we should be celebrating. Pity the government doesn't value the industry enough to maintain the tax breaks for the games industry – you can read more about this in a recent post by Lee Danskin.
Good News: Graduates Vacancies are on the Increase
At last, we have good news for graduates in the UK. The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) have just released figures indicating that the number of graduate vacancies is actually on the increase for the first time since the recession started.
New kid on the block: 3D World's Andy Price
Exciting news on the Escape Studios blog - we're pleased to announce that 3D World's very own online editor Andy Price is going to be giving us his take on the latest CG action. For those that don't know, Andy covers everything that's up and coming in the world of CG and animation for 3D World.
New Year's Resolution
It's that time of year when everybody makes a multitude of New Year's resolutions. I am of the opinion that they are not worth doing unless you are going to stick to them. Having said that, we have actually decided to start the year with a resolution. It's a fairly simple one: we are resolute in our wish to give you more of the free tutorials that you want. There you are, I told you it would be an easy one.
Enter our Satisfaction Survey for a chance to win an iPad and Amazon Vouchers
Do you have lots of things to say about Escape Studios? We've put together a satisfaction survey which has been designed to help us understand what you'd like to see from Escape Studios. If there are things you think we can improve or are doing really well, we really do want to hear about it.
That's all Folks! For now…
With 2011 around the corner, I wanted to reflect on some of the amazing things that Escape Studios has achieved this year. Opening our offices in LA, launching our brand new US website, the phenomenal success of CG Whiz and the launch of our Mentored Training Courses is just the tip of the iceberg. We've had Paul Frankin of DNEG talk to our students about the incredible VFX created for Inception and Christan Manz, VFX supervisor on the latest HP7 talk about how Framestore wowed with their character creation.
Addicted to Games: Overhyped or a Real Risk?
The gaming industry has been grabbing headlines over the last few days. The long awaited release of World of Warcraft and last week's Panorama on the BBC has got lots of people talking. But has the exposure been good or bad for the gaming world?
The wait's finally over – CG Whiz 2010 shortlist
We said it was going to be tough to judge and we were right. The entries for this year's CG Whiz competition blew us away (quite literally!) and the quality of the reels overall impressed each and every judge.
Kettling, the new video game...
Sometime, I just come across stories that make me laugh out loud. This one is just one of them.
The Amazing Flying Festo Manta Ray
Have any of you been watching Wallace and Gromit's new program on BBC1? It's basically like a new version of Tomorrow's World with Wallace acting as the presenter and Gromit taking the role of the funny side-kick.
Weird and Beautiful Effects with Acrylic on Flesh
Dom – our CEO – sent me a link to Alexa Meade's website some time ago and I have been meaning to write about it ever since.
CG Whiz 2010: A tough task to judge
As this year's CG Whiz competition finally closes, we're delighted to announce we had 170 entries through the door (smashing last year's entry tally) and the quality of reels blew us away. There's definitely a lot of talented CG artists out there and we know just how much this competition can help up and coming artists get their foot in the door.
More VFX Wizardry from Framestore with Harry Potter
Here I am, sat in the airport with some time to kill – so I start reading the papers and the front pages are all covered with reviews of last night's premiere of Harry Potter (The Deathly Hallows Part 1) in London. That's lucky, because I really like Harry Potter and I am quite looking forward to seeing the film.
First Look: Costumes of 'Tron'
Disney's Tron Legacy is due out on December 17th, and I have no doubt that many of you will be eagerly waiting for that date.
CG Whiz is closing
We've had some fantastic entries for CG Whiz 2010, but the deadline is fast approaching. Any entries submitted after midnight tonight (Pacific Time – 8 am GMT or 7 pm in Sydney, Australia) will not be counted, so you've only got a few more hours to get your reel in. You can do this via Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube or Facebook, but remember to email firstname.lastname@example.com with your contact details too.
Students Protest Violently Over Tuition Fees
Few of you will have missed this morning's headlines about yesterday's violent student protests in London. Taking to the streets is not something that comes naturally to British people – unlike the French, who view student protests almost as a right of passage. So, having 50,000 of them marching in London shows the level of discontent over the government's recent decision to increase tuition fees.
MA Way
Last week, we launched our first academic qualification, an MA in Visual Effects Production, which we're running with the University of Bradford. You'll probably be wondering what we're up to, what with everything that's been in the news about how much university tuition is going to cost in the UK. Having collaborated on this project with some leading industry pros, however, I reckon we're on to a winner. Here's why:
Is Technology Making Us Stupid?
Now, I realise that it's a bit of a leading question, especially as all of us in this industry rely so much on technology…
Mandelbrot on roughness
Judging by the high number of re-tweets and Facebook shares of the story I posted on October 19th about Mandelbrot, I figured this was a subject that interested many of you. I am glad I am not the only one!
Salvador Dali and Disney: An Unlikely Collaboration
I came across a tidbit of trivia the other day about Salvador Dali that set me on a little 'surf fest' on this incredible artist.
Wallace and Gromit Return to our Screens
I read something last week which made me angry, sad and yet hopeful at the same time… This one is a bit of a long story, and I hope it won't sound too much like a rant, but I feel I owe it to all the people who, like me, felt rather disappointed when they watched "Wallace And Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit".
What's Your Favourite CG Film or Scene of all Time?
Our CG Whiz competition got us thinking about what our favourite CG films and scenes of all time are. One thing led to another, much "debating" took place around the office and then we thought it would be best to let our Twitter followers have the last say. After being inundated with many great suggestions from them, here are the top five.
Universities to be ranked by graduate employment rates
The coalition government released last week a whole host of new measures aimed at universities in a bid to make these institutions more transparent. You can read the full story published in the Telegraph here. I for one fully applaud the sentiment behind these measures, but if you'll allow me a cliché, "the devil is in the detail".
CG Whiz : 3 Weeks to Go
I have been checking out all the entries received so far into our CG Whiz competition, and it's been a lot of fun watching all the work submitted. Thanks to everyone who has entered so far.
Celebrating Mandelbrot: Beautiful 3D Images
Those of you into weird mathematical equations will probably have heard of Benoît Mandelbrot - who is famous for being the father of fractal geometry. Sadly he died a few days ago, but not without leaving us with the most amazing body of work.
Conrad Olson's take on Escape's Compositing Course
One of our escapee - Conrad Olson - recently posted a story on our LinkedIn group which I thought would be of use to all of you who are currently considering taking our Compositing Course.
CG Whiz update
We're eight days into this year's CG Whiz competition, and we've been amazed by the quality and number of entries through the door so far. It's going to be a tough one to judge and to think we've still got three weeks to go to see what talent's out there.
Missing the guys at Escape
A couple of weeks ago, we featured the work of Tracey Chung, who recently completed our Character Animation course. Tracey has been very busy since then working on her showreel, and we will keep you updated on her progress. But what I want to share with you today is a bunch of illustrations that Tracey created one day when she was clearly missing us all at Escape.
CG Whiz 2010: The search is on…
Calling all aspiring artists and CG wannabes! Here's your opportunity to build your dream career. Today we launched CG Whiz 2010 our annual search for the hottest amateur computer graphics talent. We're offering over £15,000 or $24,000 worth of prizes for the winners, thanks to our co-sponsors, The Mill, CG Society and 3D Artist.
CG Whiz 2010 is coming! Adam Droy our 2009 winner tells all
When Adam Droy entered the CG Whiz competition, he didn't believe he'd even make it to the runners up stage. Like many, knowing that the competition was tough, he submitted his showreel and forgot all about it. When he got the call asking him to come along to the CG Whiz reveal event he was astounded, and when we called his name as winner, he just about managed to find his feet to collect the prize. 3D Artist caught up with Adam to find out what life has been like in the aftermath of winning the competition. As a judge of this year's CG Whiz, we're excited to know what he's going to be looking for.
Highlights from Siggraph 2010
I recently returned from nearly a week out at SIGGRAPH and thought I'd put together a few highlights to share with you.
Free Tutorial from Brand New ZBrush Course
We're really excited about this month's free tutorial because it's taken from our new soon-to-be launched ZBrush Course. This tutorial is great if you're looking to up your ZBrush skills to an advanced level. It's an in-depth tutorial that demonstrates how to use tools to create fine details, specifically 'Wear and Tear' on a pre-made Gas Mask model. Plus, it's only 12 minutes long so you'll be able to squeeze it into your lunch break.
Robert Holmes takes time out to talk about his career to date
It's always great to find out how escapees get on after their training and enter the world of work. Last week, we met up with ex-student Robert Holmes out at SIGGRAPH. Since his time at Escape, Rob's gone on to work on some amazing projects at The Mill. He took time to tell us how he got his break and what's needed to be successful in this industry.
Save the UK Film Council
For those that may not have heard, the UK Film council is under threat of closure after having its funding cut. The UK Film Council has done many great things for the industry since its inception in 2000. We now have the highest cinema attendance in 7 years, UK film exports are also the highest in 7 years, and inward investment in the industry has doubled from 2008 to now.
CG Graduate Design Awards competition entry date extended to 16th August
Firstly, a big thanks to everyone who has entered our CG Graduate Design Competition Award so far. Entries have been coming thick and fast and as always the standard has been exceptional.
Thanks also for keeping in touch via all our social networks - it really is great to hear from you all and it just reaffirms our belief that the UK and the US have a wealth of talent and will undoubtedly produce many future stars in the CG world.
Escape Studios at Siggraph 2010
Escape Studios is going to SIGGRAPH in Los Angeles next week. We'll have a booth at the SIGGRAPH 2010 Job Fair (booth #26) and we'd love to see you there. Drop by and pick up some of the Escape Studios goodies!
New mentored courses for long distance learners
Today we've launched a brand new set of online mentored learning courses to offer a helping hand to international grads and drive the next wave of computer graphics talent. The twelve-month course offers the same high quality, interactive training experience as our flagship Visual Effects classroom course.
Competition reminder
It's great to see entries coming through for our Graduate Design Awards. Just a quick reminder you need to upload your show reel to our YouTube channel and then complete your entry by sending your contact details to email@example.com. We need your name, showreel title, email address, telephone number, year of graduation, university and course attended.
Graduated but still looking for a job?
The BBC recently reported on the struggle faced by graduates to find a job after leaving university. Unemployment amongst grads aged below 24, rose by 25% last year.
CG Graduate Design Awards go live
We've launched the CG Graduate Design Awards aimed at uncovering talented uni grads in the UK and US. This is the first international competition of its kind, where we'll be giving fresh talent, a helping hand into the competitive computer graphics world with our partners The Mill. So, if you're a student or recent graduate dreaming of breaking into the industry, this is the opportunity for you.
Escape Studios gets a makeover
The eagle eyed amongst you will have seen that we've got a slightly different look about us – we've got a new website and a new brand. We're still the same Escape Studios, we've just revamped everything to make it more accessible and better connected.
Final Animation Places!
As many of you will know, we are running our first Animation course with our new tutor Alex Williams starting on July 5th, and we still have a couple of places remaining. If you are interested in learning how to become a professional animator, and want to take advantage of Alex's expert knowledge, then please get in touch to reserve your place. There are only a couple of weeks to go, so make sure to get in touch straight away!
VFX Showreel: Part 2
Last month, we showcased some fantastic work which came off the back of our Visual Effects Course. Seems that everyone really enjoyed it so we thought we'd treat you to another. The quality of work from these guys, especially as it's after just 12 weeks of training, is pretty amazing. Hat's off to them!
Do you have the right skills to land your dream job?
Thanks to everyone that responded to our graduate survey a few weeks ago. It uncovered some interesting thoughts on the industry and challenges you face getting into CG.
Calling all Uni Grads
We are launching our new online competition to uncover the crème of the CG class of 2010 on both sides of the Atlantic. The CG Graduate Design Awards is the first international competition of its kind, where we'll be giving the most talented graduates out there a helping hand into the competitive computer graphics world.
Latest VFX Graduate Showreels
Check out some of the latest work from the VFX Course that's just finished. The work is really imaginative and demonstrates real technical ability - all pretty cool considereing they were here for just 12 weeks. If you're interested in VFX now is the time to get in touch so you can take advantage of our early bird discount.
Feedback competition winners
We're pleased to announce the winners of our latest Facebook competition. Having submitted their showreels to the Escape Studios Facebook fan page, five people were selected at random.
Calling all Animation Fanatics
In conjunction with their fantastic upcoming Ray Harryhausen – Myths and Legends Exhibition, the London Film Museum are offering the chance to meet the great man himself.
Fancy winning an iPod or an online 3D course?
Then take a look at Escape Studios' Graduate Survey. If you're a student or have graduated from a UK university we're keen to hear how you got on finding a job, and how well you think your university prepared you for the world of work.
Interview with our CG Whiz – Adam Droy
Back in December, Adam Droy became the first winner of our CG Whiz competition for his fantastic showreel. Part of his prize was a 12 week classroom course here, which Adam started last Monday. We caught up with him to see how his first week had gone.
Quick-fire Q&A with Pixar's Story Artist Matthew Luhn
At the Animation and Story Master Class which took place recently, we caught up with Matthew Luhn to get his thoughts on animation. He has worked on some of the biggest animated films produced, including Toy Story and Toy Story 2, Monsters' Inc., Finding Nemo and Up. Prior to joining Pixar in 1992 Matthew worked on The Simpsons as an animator.
Facebook fan page competition winner
We're delighted to announce that Alida Serrano has won our competition for three months' free access to one of our online courses. Alida, from New Jersey, US, was one of our fans on Facebook, and was selected at random from our followers on Thursday 1st April.
Breaking into CG - Guardian Careers Talk Podcast
Games tutor Simon Fenton has made his media debut for Escape Studios on the Guardian's Career Talk podcast. You can hear Simon talk about getting into the industry, his role as a tutor at Escape, his background and much more, alongside Tom Baskaya of Framestore, an Escapee and most recently a compositor on Avatar. Tom also talks about his time at Escape, as well as what it was like working on James Cameron's masterpiece.
New hiring for Escape - Tim Flett
We've got some exciting news: we've hired games industry veteran Tim Flett. Tim will be our new Business Development Manager for Games and Interactive, in charge of growing our professional services, which include training, technical consulting as well as hardware and software solutions.
2009 Customer Satisfaction Survey - Winners!
A few weeks ago we ran a customer satisfaction survey. As part of the survey, we had a prize draw, with the winners bagging a masterclass with our VFX tutor Lee Danskin and the runners up all receiving Amazon vouchers.
CG Whiz Awards video
Regular readers of the blog will know that last week we had the awards ceremony of the CG Whiz competition. We managed to grab the three winners and some of the judges, including Steve Venning from The Mill, to film their views on the competition. We think everyone had a great time, and over the next few months we're hoping to have blog posts from Adam Droy, the overall winner, and runners up Ronan McMeel and Marco Barrato, to see how the competition prizes have helped them break into the CG industry.
Taking online, offline: Escape studios meets the Twitterers
Over the last few months we've spent a lot of time meeting various people from the CG world on Twitter, and have been discussing everything from the latest Autodesk upgrades or Softimage updates, to Nick's doodles and even elephant clocks (this conversation really did happen). After all of this interaction, we thought it was about time that we got to meet some of you face to face, so on Friday we invited three of the more vocal Twitterers to a beer and CG evening at Escape Studios.
Announcing The Winners of the CG Whiz Competition...
Congratulations to all the finalists of our CG Whiz competition. We had a great time at the Reveal Event last night, meeting the future stars of the CG industry. As we've said before, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number and quality of the entries we've received.
Announcing...the CG Whiz shortlist!
It's the moment you've all been waiting for... Escape Studios and The Mill are delighted to announce the shortlist of our CG Whiz competition. We're astounded by both the level of interest and the standard of entries: we've had 136 entries, whilst the videos have received over 8,300 views! The shortlist (in no particular order) is:
Survey prize draw winners announced
A few weeks ago we ran a survey to find out what people thought of the CG industry, with a prize draw and some fantastic prizes for a lucky few. We're please to say we can now announce the winners of the prize draw.
CG Whiz update
The deadline has passed, and we're now reviewing all 136 entries we received. We've been amazed by both the number and quality of the submission, so well done to all who've entered.
Last call for entries
We're almost at the end! The CG Whiz competition ends at midnight tonight, so if you're going to enter act now. We've had a tremendous response so far, with over 125 entries posted here.
Just two days to go...
There's just two days until the end of the CG Whiz competition, so if you're going to enter you'd better post your videos soon! We've had 96 entries so far, will yours be joining them? Remember, the deadline is Friday 30th October, and to enter you need to post your entry to this video. Don't leave it until the last minute, get posting now!
CG Whiz - deadline approaching
There's just a week to go until the end of the CG Whiz competition. We've had 74 entries so far – is yours one of them? Here's a couple to give you an idea of what other people are doing:
October's Free Tutorial: Advanced Shading
We are so excited about the launch of our brand new Advanced Shading online course, we decided to give you access to over an hours worth of free tutorials from it. You can sign up and start learning right away; all you need to do is register on our website to access our online learning centre, then follow the instructions.
We've reached the halfway point
We're halfway through the competition and we've already had 49 entries – a great response, but we're still keen to see what everyone else is working on.
Keep those entries coming…
Our CG Whiz competition has got off to a fantastic start - we've already had an impressive 27 entries but there's still time to submit your best work.
Introducing Matt Long - Computer Arts Project Competition Winner
We're delighted to announce the winner of our competition with Computer Arts Project: Matt Long. We received many applications to this competition, and the overall quality of the entries was very high, but Matt impressed the judges with an original and well-executed character design. He wins a copy of Maya, access to the online Maya Core course, and a 6 weeks intensive Characters Course with us at Escape HQ in London.
Revamping of Escape Studios' website
I'm sure you've all seen that our website's undergone a bit of a makeover recently. We've added lots more news on our latest courses, free tutorials and information on events including the launch of our fantastic competition CG Whiz.
Free Animation Video Tutorial now available from Escape Studios
Our September Free video tutorial is now available! This month, we are giving away an hour long tutorial from our Online Animation Course.
Visualise your future... In The Independent
The summer is upon us, and school leavers across the land are wondering what next year will bring. Will I go to University? Will I go to College? Should I pursue my dreams or compromise because I have little chance to succeed?
And the winner is...Russell Chapple!
A Big 'Thank You' to all of you who took the time to complete our Online Courses Satisfaction Survey. The information you have given to us is invaluable and will help us refine and improve our systems. Congratulations to Russell who was selected at random to claim the prize of a black iPod Nano (8gp) … Well done Russell! Want to sign up for free tutorials? Log in and start learning... What's the best way to secure your dream job? Download a free PDF
Welcome to Escape Studios' very own blog. Come here for updates on the latest news and opinions from a selection of the Escape Studios team including, CEO Dominic Davenport, Development Director Lee Danskin, Recruitment & Training Director Paul Wilkes, Escape Tutors Simon Fenton and Jeff Pratt and Marketing Director Isabelle Duarté. You'll find all you need to know about our latest courses, competitions and the Escape Awards. We'll also be sharing our expertise, graduate success stories plus our views on the hottest issues in the computer graphics world. Find out what we're passionate about and get insider knowledge of the latest goings on at one of the most successful and well-respected CG academies. We'd like to hear your thoughts, so please share you comments with us. Escape Studios


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Cooked cream may not at first sound that mouth-watering, but when called by its Italian name, panna cotta, it immediately starts to tickle the taste buds.
"Clientele are constantly on the lookout for the perfect panna cotta," says Italian chef Giuseppe Barbero, who runs Osteria del Boccondivino in the heart of Italy's slow food country. "You try one that is so-so. And then you try another, which you like more. Then you try another and you think, boy, this is good. It's a real dessert. When you eat it, you feel satisfied. You're left with this creamy sensation in your mouth, this fresh flavor of cream."
For many, the quest for the perfect panna cotta ends at Barbero's door. The 45-year-old, who was born near Bra, perfected his recipe nearly a quarter of a century ago and has been gaining a following ever since. "Whoever tries our panna cotta says it's different—even the older generation," Barbero says. "If they come for the first time, they read the dessert menu and say, 'Mmm. I'm not wild about panna cotta because it's always rubbery. It's so difficult to find a good one.' They may order other desserts, but I always place a panna cotta in the middle of the table for them to share. They try it and they say, 'You're right. This isn't the usual panna cotta. It is the panna cotta.'"
After 23 years, the question is always: How do you do it? "As if I had a stroke of luck in finding this recipe," he says. "It becomes a game."
So what is Barbero's secret? The cream, he answers.
"It has to taste fresh, to still have a milky flavor. Then you have to feel the creaminess and softness when you eat it. It has to be moist."
Like wine, cream can have its good years and bad years, according to Barbero, and the flavor depends on the season it was collected.

subset: commoncrawl


text: GALLERIES Josh Peck Lexus Lexus Sean Ellis Sean Ellis Mary Harron Mary Harron 2008 Park City - T-Mobile Cafe - Day 1 2008 Park City - T-Mobile Cafe - Day 1 Coming Next OR 0 22 Back to Top ▲ Josh Peck Josh Peck Josh Peck Picture 7 AskMen Editors Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 0 Shares Actor Josh Peck is best known for his television work on Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show and the highly popular Drake & Josh series. He has also appeared on the big screen in SMean Creek (2004), Drillbit Taylor (2008), Safety Glass (2008), American Primitive (2008), and Drake & Josh in New York! (2008). Continue reading Josh Peck's profile. Next Page gallery news Comments Show Comments More Like This Promoted Around the Web Special Features


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Showing 1-5 of 5 items found in Sports & Gaming
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Storybrook Country Club
One of the most challenging 18 holes in Jo Daviess County. The front 9 features water on every hole, while the back 9 offers some of the most beautiful holes in the area.
CITY: Hanover
Woodbine Bend Championship Golf Course
Immaculate 18-hole links-style golf course offers a challenge and a great time for golfers of all skill levels.
CITY: Stockton
Black Hawk Run Golf Course
Beautiful course, hidden in the hills, awaits golfers of all skill levels. Eighteen challenging holes, elevated greens, wide open fairways.
CITY: Stockton
Cross Creek Golf Course
This nine-hole golf course features a pro shop, bar, snack bar and putting green.
CITY: Morrison
Mount Carroll Bowling Center
Join us for bowling -- stay for the fun! Full-service bowling center plus cosmic bowling, leagues and restaurant with daily specials. We can also host birthday parties.
CITY: Mount Carroll
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quote:Chris Kyle and another man were found dead at Rough Creek's shooting range between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Sheriff Tommy Bryant.
quote:Chris had been volunteering his time to help Marine Corps veterans suffering from PTSD and mentoring them. Part of this process involved taking these veterans to the range where one of them snapped and killed Chris and his neighbor for reasons that remain unknown at this time. The perpetrator then stole Chris' vehicle in an attempt to escape but we have received word that the police have since arrested him.
quote:Eddie Routh, 25. has been arrested for the murders
quote:In 2008, he made his longest successful shot after he spotted an insurgent with a rocket launcher near a U.S. Army convoy at a range of 2,100 yards (1.2 miles)
quote:Found dead at gun range


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Results tagged ' Fuji TV '
Cromartie overwhelmed by first visit to Hall of Fame
By Craig Muder
Warren Cromartie slipped on the white gloves provided by the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library and opened the file with his name on it.
"That was me, in the minors," said Cromartie, carefully examining a newspaper clipping from his days as an Expos farmhand. "Oh my word. You surprised me… You surprised me."
Suddenly, Cromartie's eyes filled. On his first trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame, the memories — and the tears — came flooding back.
Cromartie, who played 10 big league seasons with the Expos and the Royals, visited Cooperstown on Friday as part of an assignment with Fuji TV. Following a nine-year stint with the Expos that ended in 1983, Cromartie played seven seasons in Japan with the Tokyo Giants — learning the Japanese language and becoming a fan favorite.
Cromartie led his TV crew through the Hall of Fame, describing artifacts along the Museum's timeline before visiting the Library — which contains a file on each of the more than 17,000 players in MLB history.
"Playing in Montreal was great, and we had a good team," said Cromartie, who averaged 177 hits and 38 doubles per season in his first four big league campaigns from 1977-80. "But after the 1983 season, the Giants' owner said to me: 'Mr. Cromartie, how much will it take for you to come to play in Japan?' Well, I wrote down a figure with a lot of numbers, and they said OK. And I really enjoyed my time there."
Today, Cromartie lives in South Florida and is exploring ownership possibilities in minor league baseball. But the next major event on his baseball calendar comes Jan. 6, when his longtime friend Andre Dawson will be one of the top returning candidates in the Baseball Writers' Association of America Hall of Fame election.
In last year's election, Dawson received 67 percent of the BBWAA vote — falling just 44 votes short of the 75 percent needed for enshrinement.
"I'm going to be back here real soon, with tears in my eyes again," Cromartie said. "Everyone who saw Andre Dawson play knows he's a Hall of Famer. I can't wait to come back with Andre."
Craig Muder is the director of communications for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.


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Not many people can relate to Roberto Luongo's situation in Vancouver. SN's Jesse Spector knows one—Martin Biron, who waited a season behind Ryan Miller in Buffalo, then moved on to greener pastures.Start Slideshow
Plus, the importance of Donald Fehr, an odd shootout situation, changes for Cam Ward and a look at the Red Wings' chances in this week's Five Hole.
Also, Jesse's weekly talk with SN's Tom van der Voort is above.
Martin Biron is in his third season as Henrik Lundqvist's backup with the New York Rangers, a role in which he has thrived since signing on Broadway, holding down the fort for the 2011-12 Vezina Trophy winner with a 21-12-2 record and a .914 save percentage. When he came to New York, Biron knew that would be his job, and it is one that suits him well at the age of 35.Next
Earlier in his career, Biron was a backup for another Vezina winner, although at the time, Ryan Miller was only beginning to scratch the surface of his talent. Biron, who was the Sabres' first-round pick in the 1995 draft, worked his way into a starting job in Buffalo, playing as many as 72 games in the 2001-02 season. The next season, Miller made his NHL debut, and by the time the NHL came back from the 2004-05 lockout, the Sabres were ready to make him their No. 1 stopper.
Suddenly, Biron was the backup. Although he had a solid run in November and December 2005 after Miller broke his thumb, the writing was on the wall.
"I really thought that next summer, that first summer after the lockout, that I was going to go and something was going to happen," Biron told Sporting News. "Coming into the next season, it was a little different because I didn't think I was going to be there with the Sabres. I was happy to be there and I really loved the team. We had gone to Game 7 of the conference final against Carolina and we had a really good team — we started the season 11-0-1 and it was amazing. So, when I hadn't been traded that summer and I showed up to camp, I changed my mentality a little bit."
Knowing that, as a free agent the following summer, he would be moving on, Biron embraced the idea of spending a season as the backup for a Stanley Cup contender. He wound up joining the Philadelphia Flyers and started for a few playoff teams. Roberto Luongo may be signed with the Canucks through 2022, but he appears to be going through a similar process now in Vancouver, where Cory Schneider is tipped as the goaltender of the very near future.
"Being a backup is a lot funner than I anticipated………" was the tweet from @strombone1 — that it's Luongo's account is the worst-kept secret in the league – on Saturday afternoon. That was a day after Luongo made 27 saves in a shutout victory over his nemesis, the Chicago Blackhawks. On Monday night in Edmonton, Luongo got another start, his fifth of the season to Schneider's four, and racked up his third straight victory.
Rumors about Luongo continue to swirl, with the latest wave coming after NBC cameras captured Vancouver general manager Mike Gillis in the press box at the Washington Capitals-Pittsburgh Penguins game on Sunday, even though neither of those clubs would appear to be a logical destination for the 2010 Olympic gold medalist. Luongo has said that he would be glad to play out this season in Vancouver, and that makes sense — with two talented goaltenders, the Canucks have as good a chance as any at winning the Cup. He also has a no-trade clause, which allows him to dictate his future in a way that Biron could not when Miller came on the scene.
"You realize it's out of your control," Biron said. "When you play, you enjoy it, because chances were at the end of the season I would be a free agent anyway and looking for a starting job somewhere."
Biron wound up getting traded to Philadelphia, then signed a two-year deal with the Flyers and backstopped them to the Eastern finals in 2008. While Luongo has more control over his situation, he does appear to be sharing the philosophy of enjoying the chance to continue playing for an elite team, and worrying about his next stop when the time is right.
There is no indication that Donald Fehr has any plans to leave his job as the executive director of the NHLPA, and Monday's report from CBS Sports that NBA player agents want him to replace Billy Hunter as basketball's union leader said as much. Still, Fehr's name is now part of the discussion about the future of the NBPA, and notice has been taken.Next
"He's certainly done a great job for us, and we'd like to have him for a long, long time," Penguins forward Craig Adams, who was heavily involved in the latest round of labor negotiations, told Sporting News. "That's up to Don. Has he done great things for the PA? Absolutely. We have to build on that and continue to handle ourselves and operate in the way that he's led us. It would be better if he stuck around."
The NHL is in the first year of a 10-year collective bargaining agreement that has an opt-out clause after eight seasons. The NBA is in the second year of a 10-year CBA, with an opt-out after six. If the 64-year-old Fehr only wants to have one more negotiation in his legendary career, might he consider one that comes along sooner, facing a new commissioner after David Stern retires, rather than waiting to go toe-to-toe with Gary Bettman again? It would be an intriguing scenario, but it also would leave a feeling of unfinished business that is not part of Fehr's M.O.
With the lockout over, Fehr's challenge is to keep the players active with their union so that it can be strong for years to come. Fehr did that with the MLBPA, which has hardly missed a beat since he left in 2009.
"It's a question of a couple things," Adams said. "It's a question of having good people in place to fill those positions, and then it's also a feeling of responsibility and engagement that the players as a group have."
That is something that is still a work in progress. While there are more players than ever before who see the importance of the union's role, and the importance of their being a part of it, seeing Fehr leave so quickly would be a big blow — and that is something he surely knows.
One of the interesting things about this year's schedule featuring only intraconference games is that clearer differences can emerge between the East and the West. One that stands out in particular is how few games in the East are going to overtime and shootouts.Next
Overall, the rates of tie games after regulation and after overtime are about the same as they were last season. In 2011-12, 23.58 percent of NHL games needed more than 60 minutes to determine a winner, while 14.72 percent of games went to a shootout. This season, 23.62 percent of games have had overtime, including 14.17 percent that have featured the skills competition.
The odd thing is that while overtimes and shootouts are taking place at standard rates on a leaguewide basis, there have been far more beyond-the-buzzer games in the West than in the East. Of the 30 overtime games entering Tuesday, 21 had been in the West, including a whopping 15 of the 18 shootouts. The Colorado Avalanche were the only Western team yet to participate in a shootout, while the Boston Bruins were the only Eastern team to have more than one game tied after 65 minutes of hockey.
"I'm not really good at the shootout anyway, so I'll try to win it in overtime," said Islanders winger Michael Grabner, who has never taken part in a shootout in his NHL career, and hasn't had a chance to this season as both of New York's overtime games have been settled during the five-minute extra period. "It's been a lot of shootouts in the West. I've followed it on TV. I don't know if there's a particular reason for it, or if teams in the West just try to get to the shootout, and in overtime don't do anything. I can't really give you an answer."
There may not be an answer. Teams in both conferences are playing close games, and while there have been more one-goal games in the West, the 34-25 margin there is not wide enough to really be considered statistically significant. For now, it's just a quirky trend that so many of the Western one-goal games can't be settled in their allotted time, but it is a trend worth keeping an eye on as the extra points in the standings figure to shape the Western playoff race.
Cam Ward is not used to sitting. Two seasons ago, the Carolina Hurricanes' goaltender led the NHL with 74 appearances, and last year, he played in 68 games. That means, on average, Ward has missed 10 games a season since an injury-plagued 2009-10 campaign. Of the Hurricanes' first eight games, Ward has sat out twice, putting him on pace to miss 12 games in a shortened campaign.Next
The idle time is uncomfortable but understandable, as Ward opened the season allowing 15 goals over his first four starts before a solid relief appearance on Saturday and a 41-save effort to beat the Maple Leafs on Monday night in Toronto.
"It's a situation that I've never been a part of, with the long layoff for the lockout," Ward said. "The good thing about having a partner like Dan Ellis is that he's been playing in Charlotte (in the American Hockey League) and playing really well, especially early on, when it's been harder than anticipated to get your game to where it's used to being in such a quick amount of time. I'm really happy about how it went in Toronto, just to show the team I'm doing what I can got get my game in top form as quick as possible, because it has been a rough start."
If Ward found his top form in Monday's 3-1 victory, it is good news for the Hurricanes, who are two games into a six-game road trip and have been getting the offensive production that they expected from Eric and Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, and Alex Semin. Between them, the four forwards have contributed 33 points in eight games.
"I think the first eight games have shown the way that we can play," Ward said. "The unfortunate thing is that we've had a few lapses. It's a matter of bringing it on a consistent basis. After Toronto, the confidence grows, and the more time goes, the chemistry comes along with that, and we're really excited with the team we have."
"Just curious if you think the Red Wings can continue their playoff streak with so many injuries on the defensive side of the puck and an offense that has been average thus far. I know they have pieces, but can they overcome the injury bug soon enough to keep them in contention?" — Stephen Whittico
A day after a 4-1 home loss to the Calgary Flames, who have been mostly dreadful, may not be the best time to say this, the Red Wings will be okay. Jimmy Howard is not going to have an .892 save percentage at the end of the season, the power play will not be at 12.2 percent (the worst in the NHL last season was 13.5 percent) and the penalty kill certainly will be more effective than 69.8 percent. The injuries aren't long-term issues for the most part, and there is plenty of cap room to make a trade as the deadline approaches.
With Howard's struggles, the special teams numbers, and the injuries, Detroit still has managed to start 4-4-1. The Red Wings are not a lock for the playoffs — there is a big clump of teams that should be neck-and-neck from fifth in the West to about 12th — but will they be in contention? Yes.


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BlazingBarrager wrote:Then perhaps Pokemon ain't the best game for you. It's one of those where you HAVE to put time and effort into it in order get the best out of it.
Thunderbolt wrote:Sorry Barrager, I ended up working overtime until 10pm.
ClockworkGirl wrote:Hello, World and all who lives here.
NOX wrote:Captain's Log - 9/7/2009
Pandora's box was not filled with candy.
NOX wrote:Captain's Log - 9/7/2009
Pandora's box was not filled with candy.
Mathias wrote:Surely the character(s) will make a cameo.
Mathias wrote:I mean, Red made a re-appearance in Gold and Silver.
Teran wrote:I never choose the female protagonist.
Find it odd when people do that, even though it's pretty common.
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magnesium aspartate dihydrate (bulk)
Oral Bisphosphonates/Oral Multivalent Cations
This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.
Medical warning:
Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.
How the interaction occurs:
When these two medicines are taken together, they may bind to each other in your stomach. This prevents your body from absorbing your bisphosphonate.
What might happen:
The blood levels of your bisphosphonate may be decreased and it may not work as well.
What you should do about this interaction:
You should time when you take your bisphosphonate and products containing aluminum, magnesium, iron, or zinc so that you do not these products:- until at least 30 minutes after taking alendronate- within 2 hours of etidronate- until at least 1 hour after taking ibandronate- at the same time of day as risedronate- within 2 hours of tiludronate If you are not sure which bisphosphonate you are on of if you have questions about the timing of doses of your medicine, contact your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist). They may already be aware of this interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.
1.Fosamax (alendronate sodium) US prescribing information. Merck & Co., Inc. March, 2010.
2.Didronel (etidronate disodium) US prescribing information. Proctor & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc. December, 2009.
3.Boniva (ibandronate sodium) US prescribing information. Roche Laboratories Inc. January, 2011.
4.Actonel (risedronate sodium) US prescribing information. Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, Inc. January, 2011.
5.Skelid (tiludronate disodium) US prescribing information. Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC March, 2010.
6.Loron (disodium clodronate) UK summary of product characteristics. Roche Products Limited October 25, 2006.


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Madison Martini Glasses, Set of 6
The perfect cocktail glass
I have always hated stemmed cocktail glasses; they are hard to drink from, they spill and are often top-heavy. THESE, on the other hand, are the opposite of those qualities in every way. The slight upturn to the rim nearly eliminates spills and looks fantastic. They are durable and stylish and are a great price. They're perfect for a big cocktail party where traditional stemmed martini glasses would result in sticky messes everywhere. We love our collection of 5 dozen and will be investing in more!
November 27, 2011
classic martini
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May 10, 2009
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c Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. Governor STATE OF UTAH Office of the Governor Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-2220 Gary R. Herbert Lieutenant Governor o News Release July 1,2008 Contact: Lisa Roskelley Governor's Spokeswoman Office (801) 538-1503 Cell (801) 560-0137 Governor Huntsman Leads Western Governors Association as New Chair Salt Lake City - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman officially began as Chairman of the Western Governors' Association (WGA) today at the conclusion of the annual convention in Jackson, Wyoming. The Governor has been serving as Vice Chair for the past year and was elected to the position Sunday by his peers. "We must continue to focus on the issues that not only impact our region, but the globe. As we consider the issues of the environment and energy that are so critical, we must do so with three main concerns at the forefront: affordability, energy security and emissions," Governor Huntsman said. C "However, there is only so much we can do as a region, we must engage people outside of our nation's borders io bring an international dimension to the WGA. The challenges we face in the West cannot be solved without a global approach." Governor Huntsman replaces Governor Dave Freudenthal as the Chair. The Governor will serve for a one year period and along with the new Vice Chair of WGA, Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana. The Western Governor's Association serves the Governors of 19 states and three U.S. flag pacific islands. WGA addresses important policy and governance issues in the West, advances the role of the Western states in the federal system, and strengthens the social and economic fabric of the region. The association develops policy and carries out programs in the areas of natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and state governance. WGA acts as a center of innovation and promotes shared development of solutions to regional problems. The complete annual meeting agenda is available on the Web at www.westgov.org. ###
Object Description
Rating | |
Series | 25861 |
Agency | Governor (2005-2009: Huntsman) |
Caption | 2008; Jul-Aug |
Title | Press releases |
Source Container | Box 1 Folder 23 |
Source Relation | Series 25861 | Governor (2005-2009: Huntsman) | Press releases | 2008; Jul-Aug |
Date-Original | 2008 |
Date-Digital | 2012 |
Type | Text |
Format | Image/jpeg |
Converstion Specifications | Mach IV Quantum Scan vs 1.00.25 Quantum Process vs 1.04.25.01 as TIFF 200 PPI 8 bit greyscale, processed with Adobe Photoshop CS2 (levels, crop, resize) and saved as JPEG. |
Language | eng |
Rights Management | Digital Image created in 2012 by the Utah State Archives which holds the original records from Governor (2005-2009: Huntsman). |
Holding.Institution | Utah State Archives |
Finding Aid | http://archives.utah.gov/research/inventories/25861.html |
Directory | 25861001023 |
Subject |
Government publicity--Utah Huntsman, Jon M. (Jon Meade), Jr., 1960- |
Abstract | This series contains press releases and media advisories given to numerous media sources to publicize the governor's activities and opinions on the appointment of judges and state officials, announcements of new businesses in utah, legislative announcements and official decrees recognizing and celebrating significant individuals and events. |
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If comfort is your number one priority, this queen sleeper sofa is a great choice. It has big loose back pillows and two plush seats that combine with the 2 pairs of toss pillows to make it easy to nestle in and relax. It features casual rolled sock arms as well. Also available without sleeper. Matching loveseat, chair, ottoman also available.
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