Alexander's Gallery

Sliced

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:42:51 +0000
Top Crowdfunding Site Rankings Revealed

The best of the crowdfunding websites have been ranked and announced by the Internetʼs top crowdfunding reviewer website. Www.Crowdfunding-Website-Reviews.com has reviewed and ranked Leverage PR and EquityNet.com . "These are the No. 1 sites out there," said Howard Orloff, president and founder of www. Crowdfunding-Website-Reviews.com . "If you are interested in crowdfunding either as an investor or someone seeking funds, these are the companies for you. They do everything right." GoFundMe - Top crowdfunding site GoFundMe earned 5 stars for the thee ranked categories of traffic, customer service and usability. GoFundMeʼs often has a heavy traffic load, which can work against some websites because it slows response times. GoFundMeʼs servers are capable of handling the load, according to Crowdfunding Reviews. The forums and community at GoFundMe were ranked "best."GoFundMe" is the crowdfunding company to watch," Mr. Orloff said.

 

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Sliced - E-commerce - Sliced Wikizine

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:07:54 +0000
Six Signs Your Gadget’s Screen Sucks
Forget about speeds and feeds. Here are six surefire signs that laptop, phone or tablet display just won't cut it.

Source: http://feeds.digg.com/~r/digg/topic/tech_news/popular/~3/Kksy8QpcEZg/six_signs_your_gadget_s_screen_sucks

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Sliced - Opinion - Sliced Wikizine

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:45:40 +0000
Found Objects, Worldviews & High On A Hill

High On A Hill

Couple of things have been on my list of things that I have been
considering posting to the list over the past few days. Some different
topics, some directed to different people, though to the group
generally as well. Because that's how it works, eh.

Generally and specifically.

Concurrently.

Somewhat like, if you will imagine, first and third, with a weather
eye on second position.

Some topics that were generated as responses to posts on list. Some
topics from my day-to-day experiences. Some topics that were bought up
by friends on and off the net as being issues for them in recent
times. So here these subjects float in and around my brain,
occasionally bumping into the mundane activities that needs must be
carried out, and floating out into a wider orbit ... they will be
back, as surely as the sun will rise in the morning. Or so I believe.

 

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Sliced - Arts - Sliced Wikizine

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 04:46:10 +0000
Chasing Mummies: Archeology as Reality TV

Dr Zahi Hawass the Egyptian archaeologist is well known to those who enjoy historical documentaries.  He is highly respected in his field and is the current Secretary General of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities.  I have always found his manner rather abrasive and have tended to avoid his offerings.  However, his new TV show program on the History Channel: 'Chasing Mummies' is quite a different affair; this is actually riveting and addictive television.  The producers of 'Chasing Mummies' seem to have recognised the potential of Dr Hawass' explosive temper and have harnessed it to great effect.

In one incident, Dr Hawass' assistant Casey Fitchner gets completely blasted by the good doctor for being late to work.  Later, while exploring inside the Stepped Pyramid, Fitchner asks if there is somewhere she can go to the bathroom.  Dr Hawass informs her in no uncertain terms that the pyramid is a holy place and of course she can't go.  Later, she can no longer resist the call of nature and wets herself on camera.  Dr Hawass' outbursts make Gordon Ramsey look kindly and avuncular.

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Sat, 08 May 2010 04:16:21 +0000
Heckler exposes 'celebrities' thin skins

 

I recently watched a documentary on SBS TV called "Heckler". In this program, a series of well known entertainers and comedians recount their reactions to hecklers and also, that most loathsome of all television denizons: critics. Celebrities such as George Lucas, Bill Maher, Mike Ditka, Rob Zombie, Howie Mandel are interviewed.

Heckler is initially interesting as an account of how entertainers deal with the disruptions of hard core hecklers. Some deal with audience antagonists with skill, firing back one liners and making the disruption an amusing part of the act. Others become overwhelmed with rage and descend to exchanging obscenities; allowing the heckler to win in doing so. As the program progresses the focus is more and more on critics and how they are the lowest form of life.

 

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Sun, 25 Apr 2010 08:42:28 +0000
'A Clockwork Orange' | Faith in a godless world?

While discussing Stanley Kubrick's film 'A Clockwork Orange', a friend was surprised when I commented that I thought it carried a very religious message.  Perhaps Anthony Burgess' religious message was easier to appreciate in the book than in the film, but it is still a strong element.  The whole point behind 'A Clockwork Orange' is the Christian doctrine of free will.  It can be used to maintain faith in a world that appears godless.

The Christian doctrine of free will states that god allows evil to exist in the world because people must be able to choose their own path.  Of course, god could overcome the devil and remove all evil from the world, but that wouldn't work out.  Being good by nature is no good; we must have the potential for evil but must choose goodness to get into heaven.  When Alexander Delarge undergoes Ludovico's treatment, it renders him unable to perform violent acts; the very thought of violence makes him violently ill.  When his forced good behaviour finally results in his attempted suicide Anthony Burgess' point is made; there is no life without free will and god's existence is completely proved, well, not quite.

 

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Sun, 25 Apr 2010 04:06:03 +0000
Beowulf: A Quest to Kill God

Recently I have watched the Robert Zemeki movie 'Beowulf' numerous times. I actually know people who will readily admit to watching 'The Sound of Music' 30+ times so I'm not overly embarrassed to admit my own obsession. It is an enjoyable film, an amazing multimedia cartoon and a bit like watching a very long favourite music video. Some time ago I discussed issues in sexual politics I think the film raises in this article: Beowulf's Femme Fatale. As I have re-watched the film I have been impressed by the Zemeki's attention to detail; you just keep noticing new little details. One is a strong anti Christian undercurrent that appears at different points during the narrative.

In the very first sequence, Unferth (John Malkovich) stands urinating with a friend and explains to him how the whole Christianity deal works. The terms of the transaction; the acceptance as Christ as the one true good in return for immortal life are laid out in very stark terms by Unferth (a very unsympathetic character who repeatedly beats his servant in almost every scene he appears in). Several other less than positive references are made during the film. As Beowulf watches the carnage as his troops slaughter some Fresian raiders he remarks: "The time of heroes has passed. The Christ god has killed it and left the world with only weeping martyrs..."

Religion features in the original poem somewhat differently:

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Sun, 11 Apr 2010 05:16:03 +0000
The World's Most Expensive Painting - You Will Not Believe What It Is

The honor of having the most expensive painting ever sold goes to Vincent Van Gogh.   We all know Van Gogh's interesting life story -- How he sold only one painting during his life, how he sliced off his own ear and sent it to a prositute, took his own life in an asylum - but the story of this painting is almost as interesting.

The #1 Most Expensive Painting of All Time is a portrait of Van Gogh's doctor, Doctor Gachet, painted in 1890.  In 1990 it sold for an astonishing $82.5 Million!  That alone makes it interesting -- but there is much more to the story. The painting is one of two known that Van Gogh did of Dr. Gachet. They were done at the doctor's request in an effort to treat Van Gogh's melancholia.

This painting was completed just 8 weeks before Van Gogh took his own life and remained unsold at that time.  The painting subsequently passed throught the hands of several collecters before being aquired in 1938 by Nazi Supremo, Hermann Goring.  After his death it was aquired by the Kramarsky family who were the ones who sold it at Christie's in 1990.

But the fun doesn't stop there.

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Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:55:49 +0000
Understanding basic image parameters in digital photography - Part II

In this photography online course we will be understanding some more image parameters and improving digital camera image quality.

 

Saturation: Saturation is the intensity of a particular color. An image with color saturation as zero is a gray-scale image. Some digital cameras have a high contrast setting that increases the saturation of all colors in an image. This feature can be used in Photoshop also. Some image viewers also permit this option.

This feature is helpful in the still images of flowers and fruits. It depicts the natural color of the subject better. If you reduce the saturation of an object digitally; it gives a rustic effect to the photograph. The rustic effect is particularly useful when you are photographing bus, train or truck. You could also reduce the saturation and increase contrast to give a grunge touch to the picture image. This is useful for portraits or the pictures of pets.

 

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Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:45:36 +0000
Basic image parameters in digital photography

In this photography online course, we will be learning the vital image parameters in digital photography and digital cameras.

They are:

Hue, Saturation, Contrast, Sharpness, Tone and Color space

For better digital camera image excellence and for better digital photography you can manipulate these image parameters and make better your photography. But you must also realize that the best option is always to take a photograph in RAW file option and tweak it using image-editing softwares.

Tweaking features offered by some brands:

Some brands of digital cameras do have some ingrained tweaking features which you may use if you have one of them. Some of these are:

Nikon D300 and Nikon D400 allow tweaking parameters by settings for individual parameters and presets.

 

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Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000
Creative Nude Photography

The naked body has been a favourite subject with photographers from the very beginning, and all the techniques applicable to conventional photography apply equally when you are working digitally.

The main objective is to control lighting contrast to ensure that the subtle transitions in tone that guide our perception of the human form are not lost in heavy shadows or empty highlights. The best way to ensure this is to use a single, simple light source - preferably one that is large and diffused. For example, hang a sheet over a window to diffuse in-coming daylight, or direct studio flash into a brolly reflector. To lighten shadows, use a reflector, such as a white card, to direct extra light where it is needed.

Another approach is to soften the image. Generally, the rule is: the sharper the better. Too much sharp detail in images of the human form, however, tends to brings out minor skin features. Working digitally, you can always soften detail using filters and other techniques. Another softening technique is to throw the subject out of focus. However, in many digital cameras manual focus adjustment is limited.

 

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Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:25:20 +0000
The Weekend Eunuch

"When I was in high school in the '70s, I was a member of a generation of girls lucky enough to benefit from the gains won for us by the feminists of earlier decades. We were told we could do and be anything we wanted. Yet, more than 30 years later, there are still some occupations and professions that many people regard as 'men's work'..." Editors Note by Judith Whelan, editor of the Good Weekend Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald. Whelan goes on to say that the 'women's issue' will contain stories on women in a range of jobs; a jockey. a pilot an engineer, a doctor and an umpire. It might well be true that many occupations and professions are still regarded as men's work, that the glass ceiling still exists and that equal employment opportunity rules go only part of the way towards redressing the imbalance. However, this belies the fact that Whelan's editorship of The Good Weekend may well have significantly hampered the feminist cause and moves towards equality.

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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:51:38 +0000
The Da Vinci Scam

The popularity of The Da Vinci Code  has spawned a great deal of controversy and also numerous television documentaries. These documentaries are usually hosted by Leonard Nimoy and pose an endless series of questions which are of course, never answered. Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene actually married with children? Do their descendants still walk the earth today? Has a secret society called the Priory of Sion existed since the time of the Knights Templar and do they hold the secret to the bloodline of Jesus Christ? Could the infamous quest for the Holy Grail relate to this secret? Did Leonardo Da Vinci know the answers to all of these questions and hide clues for the rest of us in his art?

Perhaps most important of all, is Dan Brown's book just a very clever scam?

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Fri, 05 Jun 2009 00:26:15 +0000
Ghost In the Machine

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Fri, 29 May 2009 16:26:40 +0000
Home entertainment agoraphobia
Not so very long ago, having a personal computer at home was unthought-of. The internet was just a twinkle in Tim Berners-Lee’s eye. Many people still watched black and white television and had never heard of cable. You might have been lucky enough to own an early video recorder if you were one of the few who could afford the exorbitant price tag. An even more select elite had early mobile phones; they had the prefix ‘007’, were the size of a brick and could not be taken out of your car. The closest you got to an interactive game was pong. No, I am not referring to a dark age hundreds of years ago; things were still pretty much this way until the end of the 1980s.

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Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:56:04 +0000
Vodafone's folding girlfriend
In a recent Vodafone ad shown on Australian TV, a guy going on a trip decides he wants to take his wall map with him so he neatly folds it and puts it in his pocket. He then decides to take his computer, his TV and then his CD collection (including a large cabinet). He neatly folds them up one by one and puts them in his pocket. Just as he's almost out the door he looks at his sleeping girlfriend, then comes back, folds her up and puts her in his pocket too. Vodafone uses the slogan 'Take your world with you' for this ad.

Is this commercial not just the slightest bit insulting to women? Firstly, he takes his girlfriend last, almost as an after thought. She is perhaps the least important of his essential accessories? Secondly, is that all she is? An accessory? The intended implication is that he is taking everything he loves with him but this seems to relegate her to the status of an object on a par with a computer or a TV.

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Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:33:08 +0000
Graffiti and public art
NSW Citirail has recently updated the murals in the tunnel that stretches from Devonshire Street to Broadway at Central Station in Sydney. The old murals had been vandalised over the years and were looking worse for wear. The new murals all have a railway theme, and while rather generic in style help to add some interest to what would otherwise be a long and tedious walk. Despite their relative youth, the process of vandalisation by graffiti tag has already begun.

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Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:28:44 +0000
Warhol's comfortable numbness
As Paris celebrates a new exhibition of Andy Warhol's celebrity portraits, I find myself wondering about Andy's legacy. Andy Warhol's seemingly endless series of serial artworks made one of the most cogent statements of the 60s. Works like 'Saturday Disaster' (1964 shows a series of repeated pictures of a car crash) comment on the idea that repeated exposure to violent images in the media makes people less sensitive. The 'Desensitisation by mass media' theory has been commemorated by an endless number of high school essays and articles by Marshall McLuhan (like this one, entitled numbness). The repeated images of Marilyn Monroe and Campbell's soup cans investigated the numbing effects of mass production and the interesting inconsistencies of low quality printing. Warhol's repeated images translate very well into celebrity portraits of people like Mick Jagger, John McEnroe and Tatum O'Neill, Blondie and Michael Jackson.

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Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:46:49 +0000
Olympia and Venus

While I was at college, I was set this essay question: "In his early work, Manet was heavily influenced by the old masters. What do you make of this?" Kind of a strange question. What I made of it was this: In his early work, Manet was heavily influenced by the old masters. What I also made of it was the image below.

The image compares Titian's 'Venus of Urbino' to Manet's 'Olympia'. There is obviously a strong similarity. Both depict naked women in a reclining position, and both women are 'courtesans' which is a nice way of saying prostitute. Titian's Venus has long been held by the art establishment as one of the ultimate examples of figure painting and female beauty. In stark contrast, Manet's 'Olympia' created a scandal when it was exhibited at the Paris Salon of 1865. In fact, it ignited a scandal over art and decency that has rarely been paralleled.

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Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:38:13 +0000
Beowulf's Femme Fatale

When I saw this ad on a billboard for the movie 'Beowulf', (directed by Robert Zemeckis 2007) I just had to see it. This film was created with digital animation and the whole thing has the look of a video game. I enjoyed it; no great work of art but it's kind of fun. Ray Winstone must have found it very flattering to have his short, stocky physique transformed into a buff nordic god. However, the Beowulf story is evidence that the devouring female versus passive victim dichotomy is not confined to classical mythology alone.

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Mon, 13 Apr 2009 15:00:10 +0000
The Rock of Doom

'The Rock of Doom', by Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones was painted between 1885 and 1887. This painting is the sixth in Burne-Jones' Perseus Cycle. This picture, like others in the series, draws upon the version of the Perseus legend that appears in William Morris's "The Doom of King Acrisius" from The Earthly Paradise. The picture is in some ways relevant to the issues previously discussed.  The theme of a helpless woman in peril being rescued by a heroic male is recurrent in the history of Western art (St. George and the Dragon for example). A Fruedian analysis of this work seems appropriate.

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Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:41:07 +0000
Review: The Shopaholic series
A year or so ago I entered a competition on a website I visit occasionally not expecting to win anything, but, to my delight, a couple of weeks later I received an email announcing that I had won the above mentioned series of books! I was thrilled! But my joy was short lived. With hindsight, I suspect I may have been palmed off with the booby prize.

The Shopaholic series relates the oh so amusing (not) adventures of the eponymous heroine, one Becky Bloomwood, a woman who loves to shop. I had heard of these books and believed they would be right up my street, after all, I love to shop too. How wrong could I be?

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Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:05:01 +0000
Miss Naked Beauty: Judgement of Gok

Miss Naked Beauty purports to promote the cause of ‘real women’. It’s contestants are supposedly vying for the opportunity of being ambassadors for ‘natural beauty’ and the idea that a woman doesn’t have to be young and thin to be beautiful; in the winner’s immortal words (in fact, I think all the girls said it) everyone is beautiful. We are invited to believe that the winners of this reality TV contest will form the grass roots of a movement in defiance of the odious fashion industry, which incessantly promotes impossible ideals of feminine beauty.

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Sat, 11 Apr 2009 09:54:06 +0000
Zeitgeist: Conspiracy or Internet idiocy?

While Zeitgeist is an interesting and unusual film, the ideas it presents should be approached with some caution. Before taking my word for it, visit this site to watch the movie online: » click here to view

Zeitgeist abounds with conspiracy theories and makes a very good case against Christianity (according to the film; there is no record of Jesus as a historical figure; the story is more an astrological metaphor), and it also has a section attacking the central bank of the U.S.: financiers like J.P. Morgan intentionally precipitated the depression by calling in loans on mass for their own advantage, and the central bank continues it’s hegemony by providing the government with currency at interest that can never be repaid.

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Tue, 18 Mar 2008 14:00:00 +0000
Contemporary art goes down the gurgler

Reuters: Technology News

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:55:53 GMT
Apple enjoyed Irish tax holiday from the start
SAN FRANCISCO/DUBLIN (Reuters) - Apple has operated almost tax-free in Ireland since 1980, welcomed by a government keen to bring jobs to what was then one of Europe's poorest countries, former company executives and Irish officials have said.

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BBC News - Technology

Thu, 23 May 2013 10:27:38 GMT
Google acquires kite-power firm
Google has acquired a US start-up that generates power using turbines flying on robotic tethered kites.

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Geek.com

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:54:54 +0000
Atari plans to auction off all its game assets in July

Back in January Atari US filed for bankruptcy in New York, but hoped to sell off all its games assets in a single sale to pay off debtors. Initially interest was strong with…

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