Keira Knightley Pretty Sure She Doesn't Explode In 'Jack Ryan'

Actress describes Chris Pine-starring film as a 'good old-fashioned Hollywood thriller' — and promises she won't be in 'Fifty Shades of Grey.'
By Amy Wilkinson, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Keira Knightley
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1698376/keira-knightley-pretty-sure-doesnt-explode-jack-ryan.jhtml

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The 5 best HDTVs you can buy (and some budget-friendly alternatives)

22 hrs.

Geoff Morrison , HD Guru

This year has been an interesting one for new TVs. For the most part, picture quality stayed the same as last year, with the improvements coming in price, size and features. (In a few cases, we even saw ?picture quality decrease.)?But there were notable standouts, with some of the?best looking images we?ve ever seen.

Our first pick is definitely the overall best HDTV of 2012. The ones that follow are all excellent in their own right, but aren?t in any particular order. For those seeking a great picture but have a tighter budget, we've named some of?the best alternatives where possible.?

TV shoppers, bear in mind that prices shown are valid at the time this post and are subject to change.

And the winners are:

Panasonic TC-P65VT50 plasma -?The best of the best
Every year, Panasonic makes their top-of-the-line plasmas just a bit better. They?ve gotten so good that they?re now equal to, if not better than, the first few generations of Pioneer?s vaunted "Kuro" plasmas. The native contrast ratio and black levels of the VT50 series (image at top) are significantly better than anything else on the market today. It's a truly gorgeous television.

Feature-wise, it has all the great performance goodies, including 96Hz for judder free movies without the "soap opera effect" seen on LED LCDs with 120Hz or higher refresh. It?s also THX-certified for excellent image quality out of the box, without a lot of fine-tuning. This is also built-in software for Internet?streaming video, Skype video calling (with optional camera) and more. The VT50 is available in the 65-inch and 55-inch versions. We currently have a TC-P65VT50 in our test lab.

Price: TC-P65VT50 ($3,200), TC-P55VT50 ($2,200)

If the VT50 series is too pricy for you, the GT50 models offer black levels not quite as good as the VT50, and they lack 96Hz refresh, the Touch Pad Controller and the?ISF ccc calibration option.?The cheaper model uses the Infinite Black Pro screen filter in place of the VT50's Infinite Black Ultra, so the GT50 is not not quite as effective in cutting down room reflections in bright viewing environments.

The TC-P65ST50 is the next step down after that,?and it's a lot cheaper. It offers slightly less performance than the GT50, and drops the THX settings and a few other features, but makes up for it in pure value.?

Sharp?Elite PRO-70X5FD
We reviewed the Elite a few months ago, and we?re highly impressed. As one of the few local-dimming LED LCDs, the Elite combines excellent brightness with deep black levels. Its native contrast isn?t quite as good as the VT50, and off-axis performance is poor, but overall the image is nearly as good. Check out our review of the 60-inch PRO-60X5FD. The Elites are available in the 70-inch and 60-inch screen sizes.

Price: PRO-70X5FD ($8,000), PRO-60X5FD ($4,600)

Sony XBR-65HX950 LED LCD
As one of the only other local dimming LED LCDs, the HX950 series offers significantly better performance than edge-lit LED LCDs. It doesn?t have nearly as many zones as the Elite, so it doesn?t quite offer that level of picture quality, but it puts out an excellent, bright, punchy image for a lot less money. Check out our review of the 55-inch XBR-55HX950. Available in the 65-inch and 55-inch screen sizes.

Price: XBR-65HX950 ($5,000), XBR-55HX950 ($3,000)

If?you like what you see but your budget doesn't fit the 950, try the 55-inch?HX 850 series.?It lists for $1,000 less than its 950 counterpart. You will lose the full LED backlight, so the contrast won't be as amazing, but you'll keep all the other major features.

Samsung PN64E8000 plasma
Though it doesn?t quite offer the picture quality of the VT50, that?s a lot like saying a Nissan GT-R is slower than a Ferrari. The E8000 has speech recognition, facial recognition, gesture control, a fantastic Smart TV suite, and oh right, really excellent picture quality.?Read our review?here.

Price: PN64E8000 ($2,900), PN60E8000 ($2,200), PN51E8000 ($1,200)?

For those of you on a budget, check out the 7000 series (51-, 60- and 64-inch screen sizes starting at $998) which offers near identical performance but lacks the the built-in camera and face, speech and gesture recognition.

LG 84LM9600 Ultra HD 4K LED LCD
The Era of Ultra HD ??aka 4K ? is upon us. Forget 1080p:?With its 3,840 x 2,160 pixels, the 84-inch 84LM9600 offers four times that "full HD" resolution.

Our review of the 84LM9600 is coming shortly, but we can say now that it blew us away. It produces the best 3-D image we've ever seen on a TV, and it had excellent upconverting, so regular HD looks good all the way up at 4K.

As we discussed in?our introduction to Ultra HD,?there are a couple of advantages to the higher resolution now, one of the biggest being passive 3-D at full vertical resolution. Yet?there currently is no Ultra HD standard and ??although many film directors now shoot in that resolution ??there?s basically no 4K content available to the general public.

Price: $16,999.99

Geoff Morrison can be followed on Twitter at?@TechWriterGeoff.?His novel, "Undersea," is?now in paperback.

More?on HD Guru:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/5-best-hdtvs-you-can-buy-some-budget-friendly-alternatives-1C7356194

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The Two Timeless Building Materials: Wood And Stone ? UK Home ...

You may view this as another rant about the way natural materials are always the best, but this article?s different, since I?m looking purely from an aesthetic point of view. They?re all stunning the latest white-rendered buildings covered in glass, for now. However, these materials are not natural and will date far quicker than natural alternatives, although since there is no natural alternative to glass it will have to suffice.

What comes from above the ground looks good above the ground. Wood and stone are the only building materials that you can extract from the top of the ground, and maybe it is for this reason that they never seem to date and complement virtually every other building material, whether it be the neo-modern white-wash buildings or the classic brick and mortar, as well as their natural surroundings. In fact, wood is still used in nearly all buildings today for the main structure as it is the cheapest material for this job, but is still very strong. What is more, the new-England style of architecture show cases wood cladding not only because this is a quick and cheap way of covering outside walls, but also because painted, sealed wood provides sufficient covering for a house.

Stone, on the other hand, is used much more modestly nowadays with the introduction of other materials which cost less since stone can cost a lot, especially for the high end marble and granite, but even for local sandstones, which by far complement best oak frames which can be made to stand proud in plain sight. Stone and wood have this quality that whatever style of construction, or interior for that matter, you use, they will always look good. Of course, the type of wood and stone needs to be chosen carefully.

And so, if you do find a material that stands better the test of time; and by the way, just to prove the effectiveness of these materials, just look at all the remaining ch?teaux, especially in France, where the wall are made from stone supported by wood, and you will see the infinite beauty of these structures; you are more than encouraged to comment.

Tags: Builders / Building Work // Add Comment ?

Source: http://www.ukhomeimprovement.co.uk/the-two-timeless-building-materials-wood-and-stone/

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How Can I Give A Good Gift Without Being Cliche?

Dear Lifehacker,
I suck at buying gifts, and I know too many people who just don't seem to want anything. How can I give better gifts without resorting to gift cards or traditionally "man gifts" that no one really likes?

Sincerely,
Gift Grump

Dear Gift Grump,
I think everyone has at least one person in their lives that's impossible to shop for, and a number of people that are just difficult to get gifts for in general, no matter the occasion. That said, it's not impossible to crack those tricky gifting puzzles and pick up something they'd enjoy. You just have to be willing to get creative about the process. Here's what we mean.

Do A Little Harmless Stalking

The internet is a powerful tool to learn about someone, and while we would hope you don't learn something you didn't want to know, there are plenty of ways to harmlessly learn about people or profile them a bit so you understand them a little better. Check out what they've said on Facebook or Twitter. Check out the pages they've liked recently on Facebook, or items they've posted to Tumblr or Pinterest, whatever they use. Photo by Yohann Legrand.

Even if the person you're shopping for is a family member you know very well, they may be willing to tell the anonymous crowds on the internet (or their chosen circle of friends online) about interests that they may not share with you. Be careful not to judge however; you already run the risk of learning something they don't want you to know. If you're tactful and doing this because you care and want to give the perfect gift, you're coming at it from the right place.

Ask Friends and Family

Of course, you could always ask the person's friends or family members what they might like as a gift: even if they're in the dark too they may have ideas or be willing to go in with you on a more expensive item that they know your recipient will really enjoy. Similarly, family specifically may have insight that you don't, like the recipient's favorite food or something they've been planning to buy for themselves for a while. Plus, if they know you're planning on giving them a truly meaningful gift, they'll likely spill the beans and (hopefully) keep your secret.

Offer Experiences Instead of Gifts

If you're really stumped on what to buy someone, consider offering them an experience instead of an object that'll take up space in their lives. If you're close to that person, make it something you can enjoy with them. Now is a good time for some cheap cold-weather vacations, so maybe a trip to Vegas or a cruise is in order. Alternatively, try to think less of something that your gift recipient has always wanted, and think instead of something they've always wanted to do. Even if it's a hike through a nearby national park, tickets to a band they love or a night for them and their spouse at a jazz club, giving experiences that they'd enjoy instead of just objects make better?and more memorable?gift ideas.

Give the Gift of Subscriptions

We mentioned giving the gift of subscriptions when we rounded up our gift suggestions for premium web services. A domain name, a free year to a service your recipient already uses, or even a prepaid Netflix subscription or Amazon Prime subscription is a gift that your friend or loved one can use all year. Your subscription doesn't have to be to a webapp or service, either. If your recipient is a food, wine, or coffee lover, consider a subscription to an "of the month club" that matches their interests. I've been renewing a magazine subscription for my best friend every year that I gifted to him something like 8 years ago, and he still reads every issue. To that point, giving the gift of a subscription opens the door to you giving the same subscription again the following year if they really appreciated it.

Give Crafty, Handmade Gifts That Mean Something

Similarly, break free of the idea that the only gifts that are worth anything are the ones you have to run out and buy. Instead, consider giving something handmade and useful, like those DIY bitters for the bartender in your life, or any of these DIY gift ideas. Food items make great DIY gifts, because you can make a lot of them and give them to multiple people. Maybe some handmade jams or jellies, an infused vodka or gin (or some other home-rolled liqueur,) or a bag of homemade candied ginger is in order. We're not suggesting you go and knit a scarf or sweater, that'd be cliche. A thoughtful crafted gift that isn't the usual is something that your recipient will appreciate, treasure, and hopefully use up so they don't have yet another item cluttering up their lives. If you want to buy, head to Etsy and shop around for something unique. Bonus: if you do well and make something really great, they'll love it so much they'll want to know how you did it?or they'll ask you to make more next year. Photo by Kelly Sue DeConnick.

Turn to the Web and Make Gift Searching Fun

If you're still stuck, you can find a little inspiration in a number of web services designed to spark some gift ideas and help you figure out what to give the people closest to you. Here are a few to check out:

• What F**king Gift Should I Buy? takes a fun approach to finding the perfect gift if you're having a hard time digging up gift ideas. Warning though, cursing abounds, but so do great gift suggestions for all types of people.
• I've Got 99 Problems but a Gift Ain't One is also fun, and while the recipients they suggest are off the wall, the gifts themselves are really interesting and unique?things I wouldn't have considered giving. Some of them are useful, some are funny.
• Amazon's Gift Central helps you with gift suggestions for people based on their relationship to you and their interests, assuming you know. Of course, they also make it easy to buy directly. The problem though is that a lot of the gift suggestions (power tools for Dad, for example) are incredibly cliche.
• Etsy, as we mentioned, is a great source for handmade and unique crafted gifts that anyone will love. You can search for just about any interest or item to get started, but if you need suggestions Etsy has a gift idea page to get you started.

Remember, sometimes the reason someone is so difficult to buy for is because they already have what they want, or they're the most familiar with their hobby, so you trying to buy something you don't understand will result in disaster (anyone who loves technology knows what I mean here. We've all had friends or family who meant well, but inevitably bought us a cheap knockoff version of something we actually wanted, or a handy gadget that isn't compatible with the things we have.)

When you're really stumped for a gift idea, don't hesitate to do a little digging or try something off the wall that you wouldn't have normally considered for the person. If you're tired of that kind of digging entirely or just would rather start making instead of researching, try giving experiences or crafted gifts. With luck, everyone on your list will love what they unwrap from you.

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

Have a question or suggestion for Ask Lifehacker? Send it to tips+asklh@lifehacker.com.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/k_R32FQXKa0/how-can-i-give-a-good-gift-without-being-cliche

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99% Finding Nemo 3D

All Critics (225) | Top Critics (45) | Fresh (235) | Rotten (2) | DVD (48)

A genuinely funny and touching film that, in less than a decade, has established itself as a timeless classic.

It makes even more compelling what is still my all-time favorite Pixar film.

Think of this re-release as an encore, a handy touchstone for you and your kids. "Finding Nemo" was and remains the gold standard against which all other modern animated films are measured, a classic from the day it premiered.

In this seamless blending of technical brilliance and storytelling verve, the Pixar team has made something as marvelously soulful and innately, fluidly American as jazz.

Nemo, with its ravishing underwater fantasia, manages to trump the design glamour of earlier Pixar films.

Though some scary parts may make the very young fret unduly, the film also puts forward some thoughtful messages for both children and their parents. [Blu-ray 3D]

Detail is what holds your attention from frame to frame: the panorama of soft and hard corals, the different textured sea bottoms, the undulating seaweed, and the schooling sardines that look flashy and real as can be.

I don't exactly worship Pixar, but "Finding Nemo" is truly a great film.

Gill is Platoon's Sgt. Elias if he'd survived Sgt. Barnes' treachery and returned to civilian life weary and hard-bitten from his experiences. And also a fish.

Finding Nemo 3D is a quality post-conversion experience that successfully enhances the 2003 film's original standout visuals.

The 3D gives the images a little more depth but they already had heft and weight. The 3D is a money-making gimmick, nothing more.

A great blend of storytelling and technology.

It's downright curmudgeonly to remain focused on the negatives when the rest of the picture is saturated with invention and wit.

It's bright, it's beautiful and it hasn't aged a day. So why, then, do we need to see it in 3-D?

A rare example of a movie that not only survives its 3-D conversion but benefits from it

It was as funny as I remember and brilliant because it is subtle. It just knocks it out of the park. I love everything about this movie, one of my favorite Pixar movies of all time, 5/5 Schmoes. The new sound/3D adds to the greatness that is Nemo.

If you're fishing for fun in an ocean of movie mediocrity, grab the kids or the grandkids, fork out a few extra bucks and see this one in three-dimensions.

It's a great movie, so much fun, an acheivement that should be enjoyed by children of all ages and worth seeing it in 3D.

Sea-worthy w/enhanced visual lure and rich, humorous characters set in a double narrative; this 3D revisit allows us to fall overboard all over again.

If ever there was a film that wasn't broke, this is it. So naturally they converted it into 3D for a special re-release this weekend. (Stupid irony.)

I believe my sensitivity to certain creative choices of the picture has dulled some, while age has opened my eyes to its complex relationships and tireless sense of exploration.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/finding_nemo_3d/

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Web Designer VS Web Developer - samuelfolkes.com ...

A database allows you to store information that you can retrieve at a later date and lets you store: The list is actually endless and depends entirely on how you want the database to improve the functionality your website. The development of electronic commerce should be the backbone of your site, and it is of vital importance. While it is important to obtain information quickly and easily as possible, a website monotonous and bland can not just do the trick for clients. WordPress is a development platform website that provides remarkable features a web developer can use for the development of e-commerce to develop websites with unusual features integrated, easy navigation and optimization. The web designers are actually people that you should look for whatever your needs, because you can tell them what type of design and layout that you want for your website and what features you want to offer your visitors. I will also provide the knowledge, active updates on all this and on how to get your site up and running using the Wix editor platform whether a site flash your choice to create a website in HTML5.
WordPress web design companies provide exclusive services to make their customers have complete control over the presentation and execution of their online sites on their own ie without involving development companies and over again. Its priorities include the time and effort invested in the creation and maintenance of a website. Because your site already has a foundation, the web developer should not charge much, unless you have a long list of requirements for your site. On the other hand the field of web development focuses on methods of implementation available throughout programs and software and other techniques. Before starting your trip web design, you will need to XHTML is the basic language of the Web. Your web developer Flash does not work in the house (as a freelancer), but from the well-equipped office outsourcing provider.
Internet and Businesses Online: Web-Design Internet and Businesses Online: Web-Design a website can only demolish the online business as well. Customer interaction with an employee Virtual Flash Designer is easy and as often as the client wishes, making it easy to manage, monitor and collaborate online. Web development with this new technology online, pretty good fight if the encoding difficulty, which was a difficult thing for many years back and I love using the Wix editor. Internet and Businesses Online: Web-Design
Depending on what you need on your site, it may be beneficial if the designer of any code, and then build a design around it. The web designer is primarily concerned with the aesthetic presentation of the web page and puts the viewer's appreciation above all else. Outsource flash designing a full-time web designer dedicated Flash and enjoy the benefits of twin-quality results at competitive prices. You never know with the web, it could become what his next brilliant career in the new work, and especially for those who have chosen to enter all this, there also seems to be a lot of cost-effective use of such tools for web designers who want to help provide services to their customers quickly and sleek graphic appeal. I do not say that by learning this program, you become a talented graphic designer ? you may already have one, in this case, good for you. The answer is quite clear and that is why, when it comes to a great web designer, we discuss the way to rise above all others.
Hi ? My name is Liz, and I'll describe a list of key skills, I think you need to become a freelance web designer or web developer. The web designers who can not handle your needs will most likely refer you to a web developer. Most e-commerce web development and software development Services Company lacks a quality web developer. A web developer is primarily concerned with the functionality of a web page. This will also include a brake hub 3 part series for beginners and average users for now, because knowledge is fresh and new, even for me as a web developer. A web developer Flash can make web applications more interactive.
The fact is, there will probably be more expensive if you leave a web developer to manage both the design and features of your site. Flash is not one of the most popular techniques and elegant web design available today. Web design offers a personal or business site one more chance to deliver. You probably will not handle more than a few thousand rows in a database that you create for your web design project first or second. When we talk about web design, the designer focuses on the appearance of the site. The following are reasons why you should choose services WordPress Website Design: There are many companies that provide WordPress development solutions for people.

Source: http://www.samuelfolkes.com/web-designer-vs-web-developer/

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Source: http://porfiriosantiago.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/web-designer-vs-web-developer-samuelfolkescom.html

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ProBlogger's Secrets for Building a Business Blog: Interview With ...

I caught up with Darren Rowse at his ProBlogger event in Melbourne recently and got to ask him about how get a business blog going. Here?s what we discussed in our interview.

Here?s a transcript (for those of you who prefer reading).

Adam Franklin: Hi there it?s Adam Franklin and I?m here with Darren Rowse. You may know him as ProBlogger, one of Australia?s premier bloggers. I?ve got a question for you? But first, thank you for having us at your course this weekend.

Darren Rowse: You?re welcome.

Adam Franklin: You spoke a lot about from small things big things come and you are obviously very successful; it?s taken 10 years, and congrats on your 10th year anniversary. For business bloggers, what type of effort do they need to need to be putting in at the early stages, and how long until they can expect genuine business results from a blog?

Darren Rowse: It is one of those things it is hard to give an exact timeframe and the exact results that you will get. It is certainly is something that the more you put in the better results, and that is pretty much like anything in life; the more you work at it the better.

I think for me, it is probably more important to understand who you are trying to reach than the amount of time, so I would really be thinking about; what are the needs of my potential readers? If it is a business; who are my customers, what are their needs, and how can I serve them through that?

Doing that hard work is probably where most of the work, is actually identifying; what are we going to talk about this blog? And setting yourself some targets, in terms of the writing that you are going to do, and then just consistently dripping out content that serves those needs.

I would probably spend a lot of time those first couple weeks, before you even start the blog, identifying needs and problems that people have, and then in mapping out what to do. I think that is probably the hardest part. Once you got those topics and those needs to write about, it is actually not that hard to create content, and it is the type of content that you do not even think anyone would, it is not even that important to you, because you have forgotten all the lessons that you have learned, but to other people, that is really important stuff.

Writing that really basic content that helps someone overcome a certain need really does not take that much time. The key is doing it consistently over time, and just consistently publishing good content.

Adam Franklin: Awesome. Where are some of the points where people give up, where they just need a bit more encouragement that results are just around the corner? Where to you find typically, they will fall over?

Darren Rowse: Typically, I would say a lot of bloggers give up before they start because they are completely paralysed and overwhelmed by the technology, that is often the point. I have talked to a lot of bloggers who have ideas for blogs but they do not act on
them.

The other point is usually about 3 months, and 3 months is the hard part because you do not get a lot of feedback from people. They say about 1% of visitors to a blog comment, so you could have 100 readers and not be getting any feedback, at all. You are actually doing something relatively significant, but you are not getting that interaction, so that is a really tough hurdle to get over, to start getting that engagement.

Then I often find about a year, in a year I guess you look back over a year and you think of all the work you have done on something, and for a lot of people, that is the point where they evaluate whether they continue or not. I personally find, yes, 2 or 3 years on my blogs is what it has taken to actually get over the hump, get that interaction, and to understand who my reader is, but also; what is my voice and how do I communicate to them?

Adam Franklin: Awesome. Thank you so much for that Darren. I really appreciate it. On Twitter he is @ProBlogger. I highly recommend you follow him on Twitter. Also read his blog. I have found it very valuable over the years.

Darren Rowse: Thank you.

[end of interview]
PS. If you?re blogger or an aspiring blogger, I highly recommend the ProBlogger Training Event held in Melbourne in October. I?ll be back in 2013.
PPS. Thanks for Brad Swart for putting together our new video format!

Source: http://www.business2community.com/expert-interviews/probloggers-secrets-for-building-a-business-blog-interview-with-darren-rowse-0346322

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