How to Guide to Stock Photography

So, you have decided to make some money from your pictures and sell them as Stock Photography? Your collection of stock photographs can be very good. I don't know your collections, but there is a huge difference between taking good or great pictures and photos which sell. You can see great pictures in photo magazines and exhibitions, which people admire, but these pictures don't make you much money. Pictures, which make you money so called stock photographs, may not be great, but these fulfill the need of the buyer. Fro example pictures on packaging, in textbooks, leaflets, promotional material etc.

When you are going to take a picture, you need to think not in composition of the photograph itself (by the way, golden rule is better than rule of thirds), but in terms that part of the picture will be filled with the text, coupon or some insert of other picture.

I know, it can be sometimes frustrating, because this may not satisfy your eye for good composition, but this is what makes photography to sell. It doesn't mean that photos are bad, it just mean that you need to take pictures with the buyer in mind. For example to take a landscape picture vertical, instead horizontal (magazines are in vertical format) and leave more sky for buyers to insert whatever they decide. The text will not obstruct your picture in the final form by anything. You will have much better chance to be featured for example on the front page of some magazine instead.

Try to avoid supplying stock photo libraries which offer royalty free pictures or cheap pictures. If you do, this will bring you little income and you lose your copyright to these pictures. There are many other serious stock picture buyers, who will buy your pictures with one time publication and will be willing to pay much larger price for your photos. Don't sell yourself cheap. You can offer cheaper prices on the beginning but you can raise your prices later, when stock photography buyers know you more.

Remember, the most stock libraries take a large cut of the price of each photograph sold. They are in business to make money from photographers. This is ok, as long as these photographers have a good deal. This may not always be the case. So, before sending your stock photos to any stock photo library, read the small print. Choose only those stock photo libraries, which give you satisfactory deal and percentage.

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Make A Cartoon With The Best Animation Software

Do you enjoy cartoon animation? I know I do. When I was growing up in the 70's, everyone knew that Saturday was cartoon day. We would sit and watch our favorite characters: Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Tweety Pie...and the list goes on. I was amused for hours by their antics. But I always wondered how they could create these tickle you funny animations.

I even attempted to make my own cartoons with little flip books. I would draw a cannon on one side of the page. And each following page I made the same cannon but with a cannon ball a little further from the mouth of the barrel. On the last page there would be the word boom written in a cloud of smoke. I would amuse myself by watching that cannon ball mysteriously move across the page as I flipped those tiny pages.

That was my first experience with the idea of stop motion animation. That little animation technique would be considered old school for today's budding animation maker. Computer technology has turned child's play into an amazing growing art form. If you have ever dreamed of how to make a cartoon, it couldn't be easier with today's 3d animation software. Computer animation has made it easier than ever, for the animation maker in all of us.

Where does one begin today if they want to make a cartoon? I have a simple philosophy that I apply to most situations. We grow from what we know. In other words, it is really difficult to understand calculus if you don't have adding and subtracting down. Too often people want to jump in where they can't swim yet. And as an adult we can become quiet discouraged at our ever so slow learning pace. If cartoon animation really interest you, my suggestion would be to start with some basic animation program to get your feet wet...so to speak. There are plenty on the market.

Most basic cartoon software will use an animation technique that is similar to my cannon ball illustration. It is known as key-framing. An animator will make a simple representation of a character. It can be as basic as a stick figure. They will draw this figure repositioning legs, arms, and body with slight variable changes. The animator will then set these changing figures at different points on the screen. The animation software will work its magic by interpolating the movement. The end result is the seamless movement of the animation much like my cannon ball flip book and the big boom.

So stop dreaming and make a cartoon just like an animation master. Technology has brought us a long way from my childish cartoon flip book. Release your imagination and make your own animation.

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A True Disney Story

From the time he was born in 1901 to the time he died in 1966 Walt Disney lived in a world of fantasy. The rest of the world was lucky enough to be able to share Disney's fantasy which still lives today.

Walt Disney got his start in high school. He was the cartoonist for the high school paper. In 1919 he moved to Kansas City set on having an artistic career. He got a temporary job at an ad company and met a man that would become a very close friend and a partner in later endeavors, Ubbe Iwerks.

Together Disney and Iwerks went on to create their own studio, Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists. While it didn't last for very long, it was Walt's first experience in creating his own company. While working a temporary job at another company he learned about cutout animation and decided to be an animator. This was the beginning of what would go on to become the Walt Disney Company, a huge media conglomerate.

Disney's first venture into cel animation production was called Laugh-O-Grams. They were shown in a small local movie theater. They went on to become hugely popular. Laugh-O-Grams studio was very popular and Disney hired many other animators to work with him. Unable to manage money well the company went broke.

After Laugh-O-Grams shut down Walt Disney, along with his brother Roy O. Disney, went west to Hollywood to seek their fortunes.

Once in Hollywood, the Disney brothers started a new studio and started producing new shorts. They were the Alice's Wonderland series. They were a live-action/animated set of shorts. These movies were the basis of the Disney Brothers' Studio. It was in 1925 that he hired an animator named Lillian Bounds who became his wife.

It was also during this time that Walt created his first animated character that was a popular character, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. In '28 Disney went to Universal, who owned the rights and distributed the shows, to ask for higher fees. They refused and took Oswald away from him.

While that was a personal disaster leading to his company going bankrupt again, it ended up turning into a good thing. That loss pushed him into creating Mickey Mouse. Walt personally voiced Mickey until 1947. There were several silent Mickey shorts before Steamboat Willie came about. It was groundbreaking because Mickey actually had sound. That caused Disney to start using sound in all his cartoons and pushed Mickey's popularity to zoom.

Following several other shorts Disney decided to create a feature length animated movie, his first, the Oscar winning Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Everyone thought that he was crazy but it went on to become wildly successful.

Taking the profits from Snow White, Disney started a new complex of studios for his company. The Walt Disney Studios are where the company remains headquartered. Disney Studios made several more feature length movies as well as shorts. They slowed down during WWII because the animators were working on propaganda films. It was actually during this time that Walt came up with the idea of his theme parks. He wanted to have somewhere that his animators' kids could play. He even had a plot of land for the park across the street from the studios.

After the war, Disney Studios branched out into live action films like Treasure Island, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But there were also several animated movies made during this time, including Bambi.

Disney also partnered with another well known Company to create a show that would end up being one of the longest-running primetime television series, originally called Disneyland and eventually The Wonderful World of Disney. This was the start of Disney's multimedia empire. They also started Buena Vista during this time to distribute their own films. It was also during this time that The Mickey Mouse Club also started.

Using the TV series, in 1954 Walt revealed his idea for Disneyland Park in Anaheim California. In 1965 the announcement was made for Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida. Walt died in December 1966 before he could see the opening of that park. In 1967 the last two movies that he had a hand with were released.

Roy O. Disney took over and led the company until his death in 1971. From the early '70s through the middle '80s Disney's movies weren't as successful as they had been in the past. But they continued making movies and having television shows. They also started The Disney Channel on cable and releasing movies on videocassette. The main focus of Disney during this time was Walt Disney World. They added EPCOT center to the park.

In 1984 Micheal Eisner took over as CEO of The Walt Disney Company and started leveraging it into the media giant that it is today. New movies like The Little Mermaid reversed their fortunes, as well as new animated television shows.

The 1990s brought more parks to the Disney line up, Disneyland Paris and Disney's California Adventure Park. They continued making movies like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, which featured Disney's first venture into computer animation.

The 1990s and 2000s Disney also went on to make a distribution agreement with an independent animation studio called Pixar, which they went on to buy in 2006. Disney also purchased ABC television. With the purchase of Pixar Disney has started making hand drawing their movies again, beginning with The Princess and the Frog.

At the end of the first decade of the 21st century Disney has taken over the media world. They have their own radio station, music group, animation studios, movie company and cable channels. They also own ABC. Disney also owns a huge chunk of theme park and leisure activities with 7 parks or resorts all over the world and their own cruise line.

From the dream of one man who came up with a mouse named Mickey to a major media and entertainment giant, The Walt Disney Company has created fantasies for people young and old all over the world.

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Pokemon Pokemania - Got To Catch Them All

Japan is the origin of Pokemon, and the land of spinoffs when it comes to games and toys, so it is not surprising that Japan is unquestionably the Pokemon stronghold for sales and popularity. Second to Japan is not the rest of Asia (though Pokemon animation has been dubbed into most languages and the game is available and popular), but rather North America and Europe, particular the former where game play is intense and enthusiastic fans hold many events.

Merchandising of Pokemon seems to be split between an older and younger crowd: the older crowd (teens) is far more intent on gaming and far less on buying stuffed toys, animation, and Pokemon game cards. Gamers often develop favorite characters, however, and sometimes will buy a Pokemon stuffed toy. Particularly now, as the release of Pokemon Black and White has quite literally set off a new Pokemon rage, older gamers as well as the more traditional younger crowd are buying Pokemon Black and White Plush Toys, Pokemon zukan and Tomy figures, and Pokemon Cards, which are seen for now as collector's items. Nintendo has a big hit with anything to do with the Black and White series.

In Russia, Pokemon was banned for a while for obscure reasons, but Pokemon animation dubbed in Russian and other Pokemon goods are back on the market now. Pokemon doesn't seem to have captured the imagination of the Russian youth as much as Nintendo would like however. Still, Russia is an exception. In other areas such as the Middle East, Pokemon has shown the same craze popularity as it has elsewhere but in some places the cards have been banned because of local laws. In England there was some trouble for a while because of fisticuffs fighting among youth over Pokemon cards but the situation seems to have calmed down now and is back to normal.

Perhaps not all that surprising in mainly Hindu India with its own mind boggling pantheon of gods, Pokemon was a national craze for some years, with the animation dubbed in both Hindi and Tamil, and shops springing up in all the major cities selling Pokemon merchandise. The craze has leveled off for now but it is my guess that sales are bound to spike again with the introduction of Pokemon Black and White. India appears to be hooked.

In other parts of Asia such as the Philippines and Thailand, Pokemon merchandising has not seen the success yet that merchants would like but like in other places the animation is very popular, and where the animation is popular the merchandising usually follows (I call it the Disney Standard). Similar Pokemon figures are coming out of Brazil and the rest of South America. Pokemon games and goods are popular in South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand as well, pretty much on a level with Europe.

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Mastering Animation Lessons Can Lead You to the Success You Dream Of

In the present situation, learning animation is one of the greatest professions you can ever think of. Once you have taken animation lessons and have graduated or certified in this course, getting a job in some production studio might just be a dream come true for you.

Career in animation

Joining a course in animation does not mean you just learn how to operate the animation software, but it also means that you are thoroughly trained in the related skills.

It is a very good way to earn your livelihood, especially if you join an animation film company where you are able to display your skills and talent globally.

What is included in the course?

There is another way to learn about the latest news and techniques of animation. If you have made up your mind to learn animation then attending animation seminars could enlighten you greatly. You can learn a lot from such seminars.

If you have natural animation skills then with a little bit of creativity, no one will be able to stop you from excelling in this field. When you enroll in a course it will offer you animation lessons in various subjects such as 2D animation, 3D animation and modeling, multimedia, sound, drawing, etc.

Where can you work?

In the past, a film studio was the only place where an animator was offered a lucrative job. But now, industries, medical institutes, corporate offices and many other trades have opened the employment doors for skilled animators.

A corporate office might want to display their presentations using animation to make it look more lively and convincing. Medical or engineering students or any learning institute might use an animated simulation for a better understanding of their subject.

What is needed from you?

You need to be totally involved and devoted to this animation course. Apart from getting a certification you should always keep yourself up-to-date with the latest details on animation technology.

You will be considered brilliant and smart if you display your animation abilities, spiced with a thorough knowledge of the newest animation software. You also need to pave your way in this career by interacting with the correct people who can further promote you.

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The Companies Behind Pokemon Merchandising

Pokemon started out not so many years ago as a video game ported to Gameboy. It became very popular very quickly and Nintendo quickly saw great opportunities in merchandising spinoffs. These days it is a big worldwide industry whose spinoffs overshadow the flagship video game (which still leads the product line's creative conceptions however) and include the animation series and movies, which have been translated into dozens of languages, Pokemon manga (comics), the very popular Pokemon card game, and countless Pokemon stuffed toys.

The spinoffs are kept 'fresh' by keeping up with the updates in the video game. The latest incarnation is Pokemon Black and White, and sure enough, this is what fans are going crazy for: Pokemon Black and White plush toys (stuffed toys), Pokemon Black and White game cards, Pokemon Black and white promo cards, and Pokemon Black and White Zuken figures. Both cards and toys can be very expensive collector's items, and especially cards can become rare or be collectible because they are written in different languages. Cards can also be plain, promo, Legendary Pokemon, shiny suicune, shiny raikou, or shinny entei.

Everything associated with the merchandising of Pokemon spinoff goods is controlled by the Pokemon Company, an affiliate of Nintendo. All non-Asian production is under control of The Pokemon Company International, likewise an affiliate to its parent, Nintendo. Tomy and other 2nd and 3rd party companies handle the physical manufacturing of the goods, including the cards and stuffed toys. The game usually goes under the trade name of 'Game Freak.'

Pokemon is an industry that generates an incredible $10,000,000 USD an hour in revenue. It also attracts imitations worldwide, and illegal copying of its Nintendo game seem to sprout up in markets around the world as soon as they are released. Behind corporations like Tomy however there is a vast amount of other industries and cottage industries behind the Pokemon line. Studios and their artists need to be hired for production of the animation, and the scriptwriters must work closely with Nintendo to make sure that the animation episodes are accurate. Worldwide dubbing of the episodes must also be handled legally.

In a free market, the Pokemon Company has no direct control over the sales of its products of course, but has, like the Apple Store, set Pokemon stores that sell only Pokemon goods exclusively. It is assumed that the company takes on the costs of running and promoting the stores, but enjoys the return in profits. Pokemon advertises little; it's so popular that it doesn't need to. Finally, there is a whole collector's industry that revolves around old Pokemon games, cards, and stuffed toys. Most of these goods can be found on the Internet.

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Why Many Kids Don't Always Have A Favorite Pokemon

I'm sure you've heard of Pokemon, but did you know that a new release of the video game called Pokemon Black and White is out? There are new Pokemon Black and White plush toys to go along with it, as well as new Pokemon Black and White promo cards and Pokemon Black and White game cards. There are also new Pokemon Black and White Zukan figures by Tomy. My son can't stop checking out all the new goods at his favorite Pokemon web site.

As far as individual Pokemon go, there is the phenomena of kids or gamers becoming attached to a certain Pokemon. In fact, a teenager of 17 might become so enamored of a certain character that he may even buy the Pokemon plushie (stuffed toy). Which is quite out of character for a 17 year old. And everyone who knows anything about Pokemon knows that Pikachu is of course the adored unofficial but obvious mascot to Pokemon in the same way that Mickey Mouse is to Disney.

But usually kids have a hard time telling you their favorite Pokemon character when asked. It makes sense though when you break it down. For one thing, no matter how cute, comely, or handsome the Pokemon may be, they are after all monsters. Even 'cuddly' Pikachu has an absolutely terrifying electric punch. Every Pokemon character is dangerous. Mickey Mouse can't hurt you but any of the over 400 Pokemon can- lethally! So there is a dark element to the Pokemon that I think kids remain in awe and are a little frightened of when it comes to the Pokemon.

It's a fascinating thing to be a trainer of monsters. In Ultraman, monsters represent absolute evil. There is no taming them- the only solution is to destroy them utterly. Ultraman is a savior, not a tamer. Monsters only represent chaos and destruction. The monsters in Pokemon represent something different altogether. Pokemon are animal-like creatures that in general present us with a temperate, cute, and even affectionate nature. Watch out when they release their powers though, for they become formidable. Pokemon are more like a Stegosaurus than a Godzilla: basically they are non-aggressive but are quite capable of defending themselves when necessary. Stand back when they do.

Finally the tremendous combination of species with different capabilities makes it hard to have an absolute favorite. There are no 'all mighty' Pokemon. Some are stronger than others of course, but different Pokemon can be very useful in surprisingly different situations. So one type of Pokemon could be a favorite in a given scenario, and another in a different one. I think that rather than developing favorites (like a favorite ship in a space game), the drive is to know and handle as many Pokemon as one can. With enough skill, one can then become a Pokemon master.

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Why I Let My Son Play Pokemon

My son doesn't watch TV very much. My son is now 10 but first became a 'gamer' at age two with Reader Rabbit's Preschool (mouse only) and I have encouraged him to use the computer ever since. Yes, I admit that he has broken nearly $1000 USD worth of DVD drives, keyboards, and other peripherals, but I consider that to be 'collateral cost damage' to his education. As a parent, I don't believe in restricting my child on the computer: I want him to learn as much as he can as fast as he can.

Since I myself can fix any software problem he can cause I let him use my account. I want him to have the 'full arsenal.' If I worry that he is going to come across things on the Internet that will be harmful to him, I also know that I can always check wherever he's been. An emptied history cache is a tell tale sign that something's up and it's time for a talk. Kids are learning the Internet and computer databases very quickly. Filters prevent kids from learning in my opinion. I believe in talking, and trust. The day that my son can outsmart me on the computer will be his rite of passage. In any case, I trust my son.

My son has always been a gamer. He was playing "Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego?" when he was five. He branched out. Recently Pokemon came out with a new game called Pokemon Black and White and my son went nuts for it. I haven't bought him the DS game yet though- he's crazy for the Pokemon Black and White cards and loves browsing the websites featuring the spinoffs. I just bought him a Pokemon Plushie at a realtor near us that he, unfortunately or not, is sleeping with. He seems content playing Crystal though, and knows his mother- he doesn't nag for new games. One private reason I don't buy him the Pokemon Black and White game (apparently you have choice between the two colors) is that I don't feel he really understands Crystal yet.

Allow me to put this way. My son does a lot more on the computer than play games. He knows the file system, can navigate like nobody's business, and knows how to solve problems. He has a good knowledge of the basic database, which is what computing is all about. He knows HTML 1 well enough to make a simple homepage, and knows a little PHP as well. He can troubleshoot and fix problems. I strongly feel that gaming adds to his knowledge, and that computers are the thing he is best yet. So I encourage gaming- I think he has a good career ahead of himself.

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From Goma Chan to Pikachu: The Ultra Cute Pokemon Mascot

The one truly unique thing about Pikachu is his tremendously powerful capacity to deliver electric shocks In the Japanese world of 'cute' creatures, Pikachu is probably unprecedented in that sense, and it undoubtedly adds to the character's popularity. The other hugely popular cute mascot to come out of Japan the world over is Hello Kitty. Hello Kitty is so harmless that she can't even talk back to you or insult you- she has no mouth!

Pikachu is an original Pokemon and by far the most famous. For this reason he is called a Legendary Pokemon and is one of the characters in the line of Legendary Pokemon cards. It's been a long time since Pikachu first arrived on the scene however and now there are over 400 individual Pokemon. The latest incarnation of the game is called Pokemon Black and White and it wildly popular. If you didn't know, the Pokemon Black and White game has already resulted in many spinoffs including Pokemon Black and White plush toys (stuffed toys), Pokemon Black and White Promo Cards, Pokemon Black and White Game Cards, and special Pokemon Black and White cards like shiny suicune, shiny raikou, and shiny entei.

Hardly any Westerners know Goma Chan, though all Japanese do. Goma Chan is a baby seal, and a seal who's just beginning to get his black spots as he grows out of his snow-white coat. Goma means 'sesame' in Japanese and in this case refers to the appearance of white rice sprinkled with black sesame seeds. In Japanese animation, Goma Chan is the height of cuteness, harmlessness, cuddliness, and vulnerability. While Hello Kitty has the above mentioned quirky feature that I don't particularly care for, Pikachu has a ferocity that never before has come out anything so cute. Goma Chan on the other hand is flawless.

But in truth, Pikachu borrows heavily off the Goma Chan elements. He looks like a baby seal for one thing, though he is yellow. He also looks a little like a cat, drawing off the Doraimon character, which, although not really considered to be cute, is very likable and charming, and finally Pikachu unmistakably has cute bunny ears. He has the kind of cuddly animal look that makes you want to hold him like a big fat lap cat and stroke his ears. He also has a voice that is cute to the point of being 'baby annoying.' And yet, to watch Pikachu battle is awe-inspiring and dashes whatever images of pure cuteness we had of him over the cliff. Pikachu is cute, but potentially a thunder god.

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The Many Types Of Pokemon

In case you didn't know, there are now over 17 types of Pokemon, with 495 individual species. This is a far cry from the few original 'Capsule Monsters' that Satoshi Tajiri invented less than twenty years ago. Unfortunately for some (some- most gamers just accept the new Pokemon with joyous enthusiasm), there is no real story or logic behind the proliferation of all these species over the years, but they keep growing. And the more there are, the more there are to be caught and trained!

The latest in the Pokemon craze is the Pokemon Black and White which has of course spawned new monsters, both the new Pokemon Black and White video games, and also a whole new line of Pokemon Black and White cards, Pokemon Black and White plush toys (stuffed toys) and Pokemon Zukan Tomy figures. Pokemon Black and White promo cards were very hot when they came out. In fact, Pokemon Black and White has been the most exciting release that the game has seen in a while.

Type 1 are called 'normal' Pokemon, though it's hard to see what's normal about them. 

Type 2 are Fire Pokemon and as the name implies, have some ability to make fire. Most do not look anything like dragons however. 

Type 3 is Type 2's opposite- the Water Pokemon. Presumably a Fire Pokemon will be doused in battle with one of these, or whoever has more of each will win.

Type 4 are the Electric Pokemon. From this group comes the Pokemon mascot, Pikachu. These creatures are capable of generating huge electrical charges when they need to- that is, in battle, or in the hands of an inexperienced trainer. 

Type 5 are the Ice Pokemon, which are really good for slowing down an opponent in battle.Technically, they should be able to keep a cooler chilled on a road trip to Vermillion City as well. 

Type 6 are the Grass Pokemon, which generally means that their DNA has been crossed with plant life. These leafy vestiges usually give the Pokemon powers like razors or intoxicating scents. 

Type 7 are the Fighting Pokemon, and as the name implies, they excel at punching, kicking, and the martial arts. 

Type 8 are the Poisonous Pokemon. Don't let these guys bite you, spit on you, or lick you. Many have poisonous skin or other body parts as well.

Type 9 are the Ground Pokemon. They hunker low and release a ferocious upward attack. They are hard to pin down as well. 

Type 10 are the Flying Pokemon. Their advantages are obvious but they are susceptible to fire, water, and poison attacks. 

Type 11 are the Physic Pokemon. They usually know what their opponent's next move will be.

Type 12 are the Bug Pokemon. Their weakness in fragility they make up for in agility. 

Type 13 are the Rock Pokemon. They are very hard to defeat and deliver devastating blows. 

Type 14 are the Ghost Pokemon. If you can't see them, you can't hit them. 

Type 16 are the Dark Pokemon. They are very good at blending into the background for a sneak attack. Finally, 

Type 17 are the Steel Pokemon. Like the Rock Pokemon, they are very hard to defeat and deliver devastating blows.

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Grids and Zones: The Virtual Pokemon World

Gaming can be odd. In space games, it seems logical that the virtual space of the game would be divided into quadrates, and in each of these 'territories' different races would live. We humans have done this to the earth with nation states and within those nations created states, prefectures, and counties. We also do it by putting up fences or walls around our houses in the suburbs.

But this is not true for nature. Swallows migrate regardless of national borders and grasshoppers could give a whit about the fence that separates your grass from mine. Not so though with the Pokemon game. In the game, as well as in Pokemon animation, only certain Pokemon live and can be caught in specific sectors. Why the game was designed like that I'm not sure. Obviously, fish don't live in trees and parrots don't nest with penguins. But nature is quite fuzzy and the Pokemon geography is anything but.

By the way, there has been a new release of the popular Pokemon video game called Pokemon Black and White. It is so popular that Webmasters are postings warnings of slow servers due to all the heavy traffic in response to the release. Spinoff merchandise like Pokemon Black and White stuffed toys (called plushies); Pokemon Black and White cards for the evermore-challenging Pokemon card game, and new Pokemon Black and White promo cards are selling like crazy. The new Pokemon Black and White plush toys inventories are hard to keep in stock as well.

Of course, for the new Pokemon Black and White game a new sector has been created as the place to go to catch the new Pokemon. All the other old Pokemon are still waiting for you trainers as well of course. What is never explained in the game though is why Pokemon do not wander out of their sectors like normal animals would. Are their fences around them keeping them in?

It's just as easy to design a 'random appearance' game as a 'contained' one. I think the game is designed to help the gamer keep sense of what Pokemon he has caught and if wants a particular new one, where to go to catch it. Dividing a game into sectors also ensures that the player will end up seeing all there is to see sooner or later. Like Mario, Pokemon is basically a maze game. You can design this in two ways. One, you can make the game linear like Mario so that each successive level is either more difficult or different in strategy, finishing out at a 'top.' Pokemon is more about winning battles in arenas though in a quest to becoming a Pokemon master. Does the fact that sectors are restricted in Pokemon take away from the game? I don't think so.

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Locking Horns With the YouTube Crowd Over Pokemon

On forums I do not get angry easily. Really, I am quite calm. I try to present my point of view moderately and reasonably. I maintain respect for people I disagree with, even if they don't with me. I'd make a good moderator. But I must admit my graciousness was tested to its limits when I got embroiled on YouTube with a gaggle of young high school or immature college age men the other day.

It all started out with Pokemon Black and White. As a mother, I'm not a big Pokemon player, but it did register to me quite clearly from my son that Pokemon Black and White was the big thing now and he was dying to have a new game. I did want him to have something- he's been really helpful lately, so I bought him a Pokemon stuffed toy (a 'pokedoll?') which he called a Pokemon Plush, whatever that means.

My son has been into Pokemon for quite a while so the other night I became curious as to this game he wants and how it is played. Obviously, YouTube would be the place to go, right? Well, you betcha! But, I was absolutely shocked at the abusive language that I heard on the Pokemon YouTube videos. Pokemon is supposed to be for young children. I understand that its difficult to control the massive amount of videos on the internet, but the fact that abusive language is so prevalent in videos that are supposed to be for children was shocking.

I flagged the guy for abuse of course and even went into the main forms. I realized that if I just randomly walked into this 'chamber' they must be all over YouTube. Of course I complained on the users comments section of the video and immediately got entangled with the crowd (I could tell by their writing that they were not kids). I didn't mind arguing with them, but after an hour I became sad at the fact that they didn't care that young children were watching. I know as a parent that this is partially my job to control what my child is watching, but how are we supposed to control what we think is harmless childrens content?

As a college student, we were still in the post Mario age. There were some Internet games around, mostly arcade type, and I even remember Pokemon coming onto the scene after I graduated. I remember PlayStation and all that, but I was a little old for that. Still, I've maintained some off and on interest in games. What bothers me is the idea of profanity that is easily accessible for children. Games are supposed to be fun and enjoyable for children. I really think this problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Children need to be protected from this.

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Pokemon Tutorials on YouTube - What Else Are Your Children Learning?

As a (young) middle-aged mother, I have little interest in video games. In fact, I have almost none at all. Watching my son, I've disapproved of some of the violence in these games but beyond the bloodshed, they have seemed to me for the most part to be pretty innocuous. About the worst I could say about them is that they were too absorbing and the overwhelmingly focus on hand-eye coordination rather than logical thought processes. They also keep kids from the physical world, which by the way, isn't going to go away any time soon. I forced my son to grow vegetables this year in our small Japanese garden and, you know, he's actually enjoying it.

Recently however a new Pokemon store opened at a mall near us and I got my son something called a Pokemon Plush, which is just another way of saying 'stuffed character.' He chose 'Ampharos,' which looked friendly and hardly seemed a 'monster' to me (the origin of the word 'pokemon' is hard to describe: technically it's Japanese but if comes from the Japanese transliterations of the two words 'pocket' and 'monster,' which is then abbreviated to 'pokemon' or 'pocket monster'). But most of these Pokemon Plush toys seem more like cute animals than monsters.

There are different facets to Pokemon playing, and a very popular one is from the original- the computer game. I must confess that I have become rather interested in Pokemon recently as they appeal to my curiosity for both science fiction and evolution. I also like computers and robotics. So I decided to have a gander at how to play a game and chose a tutorial from YouTube. I heard Black and White was the latest thing in Pokemon goods and playing and chose one of those. I must say though that as a parent I was shocked and appalled by the 22 year old narrator. His language was very obscene. For adults I have no problem with violence or profanity, but when its under the pretext of a children's video is where a line needs to be drawn.

I've watched hundreds if not thousands of YouTube videos, and I can't recall a more venomous narration than this. I was shocked and angry as I made a lengthy complaint to YouTube and I realized that this is not confined to Pokemon games but games across the board. As a mother, I thought was harmless children's content was not the case. I'm sure there are a lot of unsuspecting parents out there who also are unaware of this. I really think that something needs to be done to give these videos a warning label or at the least some sort of rating that would make it easier to identify which ones are suitable for young children.

I am happy to report that I checked out a lot of Pokemon web sites and found most of them innocent and cute. I picked up my son's plushie and will continue to monitor what my child watches. I urge all parents to do the same.

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Tips On The Cartoons To Draw To Enable You To Earn You A Sensational Extra Income

Learn about the cartoons to draw if you wish to create a fantastic additional income. To generate a bit of superfluous money from drawing cartoons there are issues that you have to take into consideration. In order to be able to attain your objective you will have to adhere to some guidelines.

Taking heed of these below 5 pointers before you commence sketching can get you on the way to building that added income effectively in a small quantity of time.

1) Prior to deciding on the cartoons to draw that will get you on your way to earning those additional $$'s you will want to use some time re-assessing your skillsets as well as ability. You might very well not have had pencil to paper or done any drawing for quite a while and getting back to it may well turn out to be a shock. This will be significant because you may discover you need to spend time practicing to update your skills. Also, equipment and methods of delivery will most likely have improved.

2) Finding cartoons to draw for your new venture will require some added space. Ensure you allocate an adequate amount of space in your house whether or not it be a full room or a part of another room. You need to recognize this space as your own for your business. It will be a location where you do not get bothered and is able to be partitioned off from alternative spots. It is important that your family know this section is yours as well as when you are utilizing it you are not to be disturbed. Generate guidelines from the beginning to be fair to the complete household. They will appreciate you have the need for this place in order to be imaginative without being interrupted.

3) Have sufficient decent sketch pads in a few sizes as well as the right pencils with you or near by so you can do something straight away as any magnificent ideas for cartoons to draw come up. You do not require much to start out with although you will end up annoyed in the event you can't find the appropriate artists pencil or something to draw on. The motive for this is to not lose the instant.

4) If you happen to sketch on a flat surface, the viewpoint within your drawing can be deceiving also the features of your figures may appear distorted. The cartoons to draw that are going to assist you bring in added money will be best done on an easel or sketch board to alleviate this. When drawn flat on a table top, the head of a figure may seem larger than when the sketch is raised to a vertical angle.

5) Learning about the cartoons to draw that best suit your style will come easily. Your humour and drawing style will turn into your brand hence researching your marketplace is essential. It can be tricky to know where to start and there will be a few alternatives available. Do you focus on cartoon strips, animation, comic book art or perhaps newspaper comic strips? Contemplate your drawing style and who your audience will be.

These helpful hints should enable you to start producing additional cash flow from your new venture so now you can begin thinking about the cartoons to draw to make the cash start rolling in!

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Drawing the Human Body - The One Thing You Need To Know

In order to draw the human figure well, you need to have a good knowledge of human anatomy. Yet many artists today still hang on to the myth that good figure drawing does not involve studying anatomy. Perhaps the reason so many artists feel this way is because they never saw first hand what a big difference a little anatomical detail can make to their sketches.

In this article, I'd like to give you some quick but important points about the human body and how they pertains to your figure drawing.

Of all the aspects of human anatomy, the muscles will undoubtedly have the most impact on how your drawings look, as it is at the very surface. One thing to remember about muscles is that they always pull; every movement that you make is the direct result of one or more muscles contracting and pulling on your bones. What this means is that when the figure you are drawing is engaged in dynamic action, you must pay attention to the muscles involved and depict them accordingly.

For example, if you are drawing a boxer who is throwing a right hook, you must ask yourself, "Which muscles are pulling in order to make this action possible?" Then you would draw those muscles as flexing. In this case, the flexing muscles would be the pectoralis major, the deltoid, and the biceps, to name a few. In most cases, a particular movement will involve multiple muscle groups and the more muscles you can depict, the more convincing your drawings will be. Without this, your drawings will look static and lifeless.

Your ability to recognize and draw these muscles will improve as your knowledge of anatomy increases. As a beginner, you might only be able to draw big muscles like the bicep or shoulder, but as you progress in your study of anatomy, you'll be able to add in finer details like the supinator longus and the anconeus. This will give your drawing an extra dimension of realism.

Just a light knowledge of anatomy can do wonders for your drawing. For example, there are many muscles in the neck but there is one particular muscle that artists should pay attention to. It is the sternocleidomastoid. It connects behind the ear and attaches to the collar bone. This muscle is very prominent and can be seen on almost everyone. Simply by adding this one muscle to your drawings of the neck, you can instantly make it ten times more realistic. This should show you how useful human anatomy is to the figure drawing artist.

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Learn How To Draw Step By Step

If you want to learn how to draw step by step you really have to realize it is achievable. There are a lot of people who are of the opinion that you cannot really be taught to sketch and that you are either born or "meant" to draw or you are not. Natural talent does exist however it does not mean that a person is not gifted enough to learn how to draw step by step. 

Naturally talented artists can typically form a technique quicker and make it seem a lot easier, although, it is still not impossible for any individual to learn a drawing method for themselves. Drawing and painting can be a decidedly relaxing activity and one that once you are immersed can keep you occupied for hours!

If you are interested in sketching and are not actually a natural, you need to learn how to draw step by step. Detailed beneath are three options for you to consider when thinking about how you are going to make this possible.

1) When you would like to learn how to draw step by step you are able to take an art class. You should learn there are a lot of courses that you can select from and they extend from beginners straight through to courses for individuals who comprise a natural skill but are simply wishing to sharpen their skillsets and progress their capabilities. Based on how serious you are with your art career, you can opt for a longer term course that will gain you a degree in art or otherwise you are able to take fundamental classes that will assist you in improving and developing your own style for your own reasons.

2) You could select textbooks and kits to learn how to draw step by step. These books and kits can again be found for learners through to the more formed artists. They can be found in art supply stores and even a number of high quality book stores. You will also learn that if you search the internet you are able to find books that are downloadable teaching you all you will need to learn.

3) You can discover the net is an outstanding device in your pursuit to learn how to draw step by step. The net will be able to provide downloadable video tutorials to help with showing you actual strategies on how to portray particular things. Should you plan to learn how to draw a tiger you visit a video website such as YouTube and search for "How To Draw A Tiger." It is now you will find a number of videos showing how to draw tigers. You can hunt for whatever it is you want to learn how to draw step by step - it's an outstanding tool. There are additional video websites available like YouTube, making the web a much required part of your drawing education.

Now that you have opted to learn how to draw step by step the world is your oyster so go full steam ahead and belt out those creations of yours! Should you have a natural talent for sketching, it will quickly turn out to be obvious to you. If you do not, that doesn't matter. You will still learn to draw well enough to make excellent doodles in your notebook, or to embellish the pages of your scrapbook with appealing pictures and designs, if you so choose. You can read art books that will show you how to glance at things that you aspire to sketch, and how to best figure out the dimensions and angles. The more you sketch, the better you will become, just as with anything else in life. When you learn how to draw step by step, perhaps the best teacher is your own eye.

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Simply Love Naruto

Naruto is one hell of an anime! By anime I mean something like a cartoon, just that a Japanese animation is known as anime. Naruto is also the name of the lead character in the anime series. He is a young boy who is learning the ropes to be a successful ninja. He also wants to be the chief of his village one day. 

This Naruto anime teaches us many things. I guess it is a show about adventure, friendship and also perseverance. Trapped within Naruto is a powerful force in the form of a spirit and that what makes Naruto so powerful. But he tries hard not to allow that nine tailed fox spirit inside him from taking control and causing death and damage to others. Then there are also his ninja team mates sakura and sasuke. Sasuke has unfortunately fallen into the dark side but Naruto tries his best to rescue him back to the original path.

With so much plot twists and adventure, how can one forget that there are various Naruto toys available for Naruto fans? From plush toys to action figures, there are really plenty of these toys to go around. One can find the various characters of the Naruto drama series in cute little action figures. As the anime series first came about from a comic, fans who have only got to known Naruto through the anime might want to buy the comics series and have a look. 

In Japan, the comics are known as manga and Naruto manga is very popular too. If you do not want to buy the comics, you can just check out the online Naruto toys and I am sure you will find something that you like. Perhaps you can even buy some of them as gifts for xmas! I would greatly recommend the plush toys for the children and as for adults, some Naruto replica weapons such as the swords would be nice. Yes they sell such things online too you just have to check them out!

My favourite character in Naruto is none other than Gaara. He is somebody like Naruto because he has a strong being trapped inside him and many people refuse to be friends with him because he is immensely powerful. Gaara of the Sand uses sand attacks and the main reason I like him is because his attacks are very cool. For example he can put up a shield of sand to defend other attacks!

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Evangelion 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance Review

Evangelion is one of those shows where, if you say you've never seen it before in the presence of anime fans, you'll probably be thrown out of the building. It's one of those classic shows that is considered a requirement to be a fan, right along side Dragon Ball Z, Cowboy Bebop, and Tenchi Muyo.

The plot of the series revolves mostly around the annoyingly whiny Shinji, the pilot of Eva Unit 01. I'm not joking when I say he's annoyingly whiny. There were times were I was incredibly annoyed at how much he was complaining or whining about something. At times, yes, it was justified, but those instances were often far and few between.

The time is 2015 A.D. Angels have been attacking mankind. Their goal is to wipe out all life on Earth so that it can start over again. The organization, Nerv, is created to come up with a means of defense against the Angels, as our conventional weapons have no effect. What they come up with are the Evangelion units. A mix of machinery and squishy parts, the Evas are essentially large, pilotable mechs, who will only function when piloted by young teens. Shinji, the son of the man who created the Evas just happens to become one of those teens, although he doesn't want to. What takes place is a fantastic, deeply woven plot filled with theological references and insane enemies.

The show was an immediate success, but poor financing, time restrictions, and deep depression lead to Neon Genesis Evangelion ending much sooner than intended and in a way no one expected. The last episodes of the series were essentially nonsense acid trips. It wasn't until afterwards when they made the two films that the show got its conclusion.

Now, years later, Hideaki Anno, the creator of the show, has recovered from his deep depression, he is completely re-making the series to make it what he originally intended it to be. Instead of a show, this time the series would be made into three films.

The first film, Evangelion 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone, was almost exactly like the first half of the show. Very little was changes aside from about 10 minutes of added scenes, some changed dialog, totally new animation, and re-vamped Angels. This wasn't all that surprising to me. I mean, at this point in the show, things where going as planned. It was pretty much how he wanted it. The new animation was gorgeous, and included a lot of CGI, that is very well integrated into the 2d animation to make it look like it isn't CGI at all. The re-vamped Angels were great. The most dramatically changed Angel was the fifth Angel, Ramiel. In the series, this Angel was just a black diamond with a laser. In 1.11, it was a translucent octahedron that morphed into geometrical shapes when it attacked or defended, making it significantly cooler and more entertaining to watch.

Going into 2.22, I wasn't expecting that many changes thanks to the lack of changes in 1.11... boy was I caught off guard. Almost the entire second half of the show was re-written into this film. Barely anything is the same. Totally different Angels, a new pilot, lots stuff was cut out, and a totally different cause for the ending of the movie.

I'll start with the new pilot since this was the only disappointment for me. Mari Illustrious Makinami, the fourth child. Yup, fourth child, not fifth. "But what about Shinji's friend? The one Shinji was forced to almost kill when the Dummy Plug was first tested." you might say. This never happens in 2.22. In order to prevent spoilers, lets just say that the scene still happens, but its not the same person. Anyway, there's not much to actually say about Mari, which is why I was so disappointed. Mari has maybe 10 minutes worth of screen-time. We don't get to see much of her personality other than she absolutely loves piloting and fighting in Evas, and she has a thing for the smell of LCL, the liquid that the pilots breath inside the Evas. I would have loved to see more of her, and I'm sure we will in 3.33, but seeing as how she had a somewhat important role at the end of this film, she should've had a bit more screen-time.

As for the bits that were cut out, I have to wonder what they will do with this. In the original series, Tabris, the 17th Angel, was a young teen named Kaworu Nagisa, who befriended Shinji. In the end, Shinji was forced to kill him. This all happened long before the end of the series, whereas in 2.22, he only makes a few cameos, implying that he will show up in 3.33. I have to wonder how things will play out since 3.33 ends with the beginning of the Third Impact, just as the show did. Which of course, as I mentioned previously, is started is a COMPLETELY different way than in the show.

So now the main question is, "With all of these changes to what was already an award winning and popular show, is it still any good?". The simple answer is YES. Dear god, yes. In my opinion, and at the risk of getting a lot of hate, these new films are far superior to the original show. While the show holds a place near my heart, I can't deny that it was incredibly difficult to understand, if not impossible. The show required not only multiple viewings, but also lots of research online just to even SOMEWHAT understand everything. Even then, almost all of the info you find online about the original show is simply fan speculation and theory. With the new films, the story is much better explained and done at just the right pace so that you don't feel like you're just watching a bunch of exposition.

So, in a nutshell, if you enjoyed Neon Genesis, you'll love these films. If you've never seen Neon Genesis, then these films are perfect for you. If you're a hard-core Neon Genesis fanboy who turns red in the face from any mention of change, then you should probably stay away.

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5 Witty Episodes to Watch From Phineas and Ferb Season 1

If you like watching Phineas and Ferb on Disney Channel and you've missed some of the episodes or just want to enjoy seeing them again, here are 5 witty episodes to watch for a fun filled day.

The episode titled "Crack That Whip" was aired on May 24, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb surprise their grandmother by constructing a roller-derby rink for her. Grandma, who once participated in a championship derby team uses the opportunity to skate against her rival, none other than Jeremy's grandma. In the same episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz plans to take revenge at a statue of Rutherford B. Hayes with a beard because he thinks the status is mocking him as he can't grow facial hair.

The episode named "The Best Lazy Day Ever" was aired on May 24, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb who are used to doing something new and adventurous every day decide to change all that and spend an entire day doing nothing. Naturally, Candace doesn't buy that and still wants to bust them. In the same episode, it is revealed that evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz is considered to be one of the least pretty people in the area so he builds a device designed to make everyone else uglier than him in order for him to become the prettiest person.

The episode titled "Boyfriend from 27,000 B.C." was aired on June 7, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, a caveman gets revived from a glacier thanks to Phineas and Ferb and then he gets loose at a costume party which Candace is attending making her believe the caveman is actually Jeremy. In the same episode, Dr. Doofenshmirtz wants to do the world a favour and comes up with a plan to destroy all the people which are dressed as sandwiches.

The episode named "Voyage to the Bottom of Buford" was aired on June 7, 2008 on Disney. In this episode, Phineas and Ferb help Buford find his missing goldfish Biff and Dr. Doofenshmirtz saves a kitten by accident and tries to re-gain his evil reputation afterwards.

The episode titled "A Hard Day's Knight" was aired on June 14, 2008 on Disney. In this easygoing episode, Phineas and Ferb set on creating a renaissance fair while paying a visit in England at their grandparents along with Candace. At the fair, Candace enters a jousting tournament. In the same episode, Perry The Platypus is undercover at a convention in an attempt to locate the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz.

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