Pinewood Design

Cloud-making machine makes a peace sign 

When one-time magician Francisco Guerra decided to float an idea he really pulled a rabbit out of the hat - a cloud-making machine.

The clouds, or ‘Flogos’, come in any shape you want, from Mickey Mouse to the Olympic rings.
They are made of soap and gases, such as helium, which allow them to fly off and retain their puffy texture.
They will fly for miles,’ said Mr Guerra. ‘They are durable so they last a while.’

Cloud-making machine makes a child figure

Depending on the weather and the formula used, the Flogos can last from a few minutes to more than an hour.

They can fly up to 48km (30 miles) and go as high as 6km (four miles) but normally the little clouds level out at about 150m (500ft).

His machines can pump out your flying logo at a rate of one every 15 seconds.

The clouds can be made in 60cm (2ft) or 90cm (3ft) sizes but a 1.8m (6ft) generator is in the pipeline.

Current designs are only available in white but Mr Guerra plans to add colour options from next year.

Cloud-making machine makes the Olympics sign

Mr Guerra, whose US company Snowmakers creates weather effects for Hollywood movies, insisted Flogos are environmentally friendly because the soaps that make up the foamy shapes are plant-based.

‘Eventually a Flogo just evaporates in the air. It does not pollute the skies,’ he said.

‘They’re safer than mass balloon launches where the fragments pollute the environment and are dangerous to wildlife.’

The proto-clouds have also been cleared by the authorities of being a hazard to aeroplanes.

FROM: METRO

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Cloud-making, clouds, Flogos, Snowmakers

I’m running Firefox 3 RC2 right now and have been highly impressed. But here is a few problems I have encountered are the fact that the Google Toolbar is not available and have a small problem with the realplayer plugin.

It seems every major extension supports FF3 now, especially some key web developer ones (ex: Firebug, HTML Validator) but Google Toolbar is the only extension I use nonstop and isn’t supported in FF3.

I do realize that the latest RC2 is still BETA, Based on past experience, Google will probably not release a version of their toolbar for Firefox 3 until around the time when Firefox 3 is released. However we really really really need this Google Toolbar to work.. like many have mentioned.. I’m totally lost without it

Considering Google is working on Google Toolbar 3, it seems we’ll all have to wait for Google Toolbar 3 for Firefox before we get official Firefox 3 support.  Personally, I’m unhappy how Google treats it’s Googe Toolbar for Firefox as the red headed step child, we don’t even have beta versions available yet, and IE8 has had it available for months.  In their defense, I can only assume GT3 has a lot of under the hood  improvements and in order to move from FF2 to FF3 there had to be a lot of rewriting…

Google! Please!

I want my Google search bar, Gmail notifier, Google Bookmarks… all my Google Toolbar back!

Right Now!!!!!

Related post:
Firefox 3 launches today; Five reasons you can’t live without it
Still waiting for Google Toolbar for Firefox 3
Official: Firefox 3 ‘weeks not months’ away
Don’t think the Firefox 3 “awesome bar” is awesome? Here’s how to disable it

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Bookmarks, Firefox 3, Gmail notifier, Google, plugin, RC2, search bar, Toolbar

Prince turns 50: Highs and lows

Multi-talented multi-instrumentalist Prince is celebrating his 50th birthday on Saturday.

 

The star cherry-picked the best of rock, funk and blues to redefine pop music in the 1980s - but he has had a turbulent time in the spotlight.Use our interactive timeline to find out more.

Full name: Prince Rogers Nelson

 Born: 7 June 1958, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Also known as: The Kid, The Purple Perv, The Minneapolis Midget, Alexander Nevermind, Christopher Tracy, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince.

 Biggest hits: Little Red Corvette, Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret, Kiss, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World.

Quotes: “Sex on a stick” (Kylie Minogue). “A dwarf who’s been dipped in a bucket of pubic hair” (Boy George).

According to legend, Prince is named after his father’s dog, perhaps triggering his identity crisis 40 years later.

His parents drift apart and separate when he is two years old, and the youngster chooses to live with his father. But he is thrown out of his family home aged 12 after allegedly being caught in bed with an older girl. He moves in with the family of his school friend, and future band member, Andre Anderson.

 1978 - DEBUT ALBUM

Prince records his solo debut album, For You, for Warner Brothers. Despite a popular single, Soft And Wet, it only makes the lower end of the Billboard 200 album chart.

1980-82 - DIRTY MIND

Dirty Mind included songs such as When You Were Mine and Uptown

Third album Dirty Mind, containing songs about oral sex and incest, is a critical success but a commercial flop.

Fans include The Rolling Stones, who ask Prince to open two shows in Los Angeles for them. But the crowd do not appreciate the moustachioed musician’s sexually ambiguous look and boo him off stage.

A year later, in 1982, he scores his first mainstream success with ambitious double album 1999. It sells three million copies in the US, and sets the template for the Minneapolis sound - buzzing synths and funky drum machines wed together in a lascivious funk groove.

 

1984 - PURPLE RAIN

The Purple Rain album and tour were performed with Prince’s band, The Revolution

Purple Rain finally establishes Prince as a bona fide star, and sits at number one in the US for a staggering 24 weeks. The accompanying film - part-concert movie, part-autobiography - takes nearly $100m (£50.8m) at the box office.

Lyrically, the album is unusually restrained for the sex-obsessed singer. But the erotic fantasy of one song, Darling Nikki, enrages one mother, Tipper Gore, to such an extent that she forms the Parents Music Resource Center and gets explicit albums branded with “parental advisory” stickers.

 

 

The faux-psychedelia of seventh album Around The World In A Day disappoints, with the exception of pop classic Raspberry Beret. The 1986 follow-up, Parade, is more successful but the star’s new film, Under The Cherry Moon, bombs.

“For all those out there who can’t get enough of Prince, Under The Cherry Moon may be just the antidote,” says the New York Times.

Sign O’ The Times featured Prince singing in a sped-up voice with vocals credited to “Camille”

Compiled from the debris of three abandoned albums (Crystal Ball, Dream Factory and the untitled “Camille project”), Sign O The Times is hailed as Prince’s masterpiece.

Trailed by the sparse blues-funk of the title track, the album spans every genre in popular music including rock (I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man), funk (Housequake), soul (Slow Love) and pop (U Got The Look).

Rolling Stone says it is “the most complete example of his artistry’s breadth, and arguably the finest album of the 1980s”.

 

The Lovesexy tour in 1988 was Prince’s most ambitious show to date

Prince scraps his next project, The Black Album, days before release, calling it “dark and immoral” (it’s also pretty bad). The star says he reached the decision following “a spiritual epiphany”, which some reports suggest was the result of an early experience with the drug ecstasy.

The Black Album’s replacement, Lovesexy, and follow-up Batman (recorded in just six weeks) keep Prince’s profile high, but receive mixed reviews.

 

Diamonds and Pearls featured the hits Cream and Gett Off

Despite another dire film (Graffiti Bridge), Prince’s fortunes are on the rise, thanks in no small part to Sinead O’Connor’s cover of Nothing Compares 2 U.

Prince responds with two of his most commercial and accessible albums in years - Diamonds and Pearls and Symbol. The only downside is his attempt to embrace hip-hop by enlisting the services of Tony M - a rapper who can’t rap.

 

With his star back on the rise, Prince releases a greatest hits album, announces his retirement, and changes his name to an unpronounceable symbol.

It turns out that he is embroiled in a legal dispute with Warner Brothers over his music. His independently-released single, Most Beautiful Girl In The World, gives him his first UK number one.

 

Negotiations with Warner Brothers stall, and Prince takes to writing the word “slave” on his face in eyeliner. The public is not impressed.

 

Prince’s newborn son, Gregory, dies of Pfeiffer syndrome, a condition which causes the bones of the skull to fuse too early. The musician splits from his wife, Mayte Garcia, in 1999.

Unsurprisingly, his musical output during this period lacks its usual fire and inspiration. Critics are particularly harsh about his album, The Rainbow Children, which features the advocacy of Jehovah’s Witness dogma (Prince had been converted to the religion earlier that year).

 

Prince and Beyonce performed Purple Rain and Crazy In Love at the Grammys

Musicology, Prince’s 22nd studio album, is hailed as a return to form, and sees him back in the top five on both sides of the Atlantic. In the same year, he duets with Beyonce at the Grammys, is inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and puts on the most profitable US tour of the year.

Having embraced the internet as a way to release music as and when he wants, Prince wins a Webby Award in 2006. But, three weeks later, his site is shut down with no warning.

 

Prince’s Super Bowl performance won rave reviews

After a dazzling performance at the Super Bowl (in which the rain actually turns purple) Prince shocks the music industry by announcing he will give away his latest album, Planet Earth, on the cover of a newspaper.

He also plays a wildly successful 21-night residency at London’s O2 arena, with guests including Amy Winehouse and Elton John.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: POP STAR, Prince, PURPLE RAIN

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The odd couple … Mario Marconi, 42, says he and lover Lisa bonk every day. The gym buff’s real name is Shaun.
Mum-of-one Lisa Appleton, 40, from Warrrington, reckons she is a lookalike for Xena Warrior Princess

The man who claims to have slept with 200 women said: “I call her Red Rum, cos she has got an a*** like a horse and needs a lot of riding.”

Mincer … vain dance teacher Dennis McHugh, 23, loves showing off his moves and watching US comedy Will And Grace. Says he has ’fabulous’ eyes

 
As part of a secret task, Scouser Stephanie must convince fellow housemates that Mario is her boyfriend.

Flash … Stephanie wows crowd
Host Davina McCall said: “Stephanie’s sexy, sassy, single — but not for long.”

Albino … songwriter Darnell Swallow, of London, was raised in the US but later deported to UK

Alexandra from Croydon had to suffer the most boos as she entered the house, with the crowd chanting “Who are ya?”

Gymslip mum … Accounts exec Alexandra De-Gale, 23, from Croydon, turned to Islam after having a daughter at 16

Cocky student Dale was a big hit with female fans gathered outside the house.

Show-off … Cocky PE teacher Dale Howard, 21, loves money, fame and “fit women with funny noses”

Cheryl Cole lookalike Jennifer got a large cheer as she began her stay.

Tree-hugger … Model Jennifer Clark, 22, is a veggie animal activist. The Durham mum admits to a healthy sex appetite

Blind cross-dresser & radio producer Mikey Hughes, 33, entered the house using a white stick. has admitted he likes to sometimes dress as a woman.

Blind comic … Radio producer Michael Hughes, 33, lost his sight in an op. Does comic turn dressed as a girl

Mohamed, 23, works as a toy demonstrator at Hamleys in London.

Drifter … Toy salesman Mohamed Mohamed, 23, was born in Somalia and has lived all over the world

Bubbly Rebecca gave the crowd an eyeful after flashing her bottom as she entered the house.

A bot naughty … Rebecca Shiner

Nutter … Monster Raving Loony party supporter Rebecca Shiner, 21, of Coventry, loves “getting leathered”

Ego maniac … Miss Wales runner-up Rachel Rice, 24, was in a Hugh Grant flick. She is obsessed with her looks

Bible basher … Sierra Leone-born student Sylvia is a fan of fashion, 21, attends church on Sundays in South London and prays each night

God-fearing Sylvia Barrie, 21, looked sensational in a figure-hugging mauve dress. But she insisted: “I hate getting the evil eye from other girls — it’s not my fault I look good and they don’t.”

Executive chef Rex from London looks set to cook up a storm after admitting he wants to be a professional bully while in the house.

Playboy … Millionaire’s son Rex Newmark, 24, from London, is a playboy chef. Admits he is a “bully”

Shorty … Thai massage therapist Kathreya Kasisopa, 30, is just 5ft. She has lived in Kent for seven years

Swot … Politics student Luke Marsden, 20, from Wigan, doesn’t drink or swear. Works as a wrestling ref

Related Post:
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In pictures: Meet the Big Brother 9 housemates
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written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: BB9, Big Brother, contestant, housemate, UK

Gosh, I would hate to work around him.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Bill O'Reilly, edition, fox, Hillary, inside, News, OBAMA

IT’S a typical Banksy stunt - flypost the capital with a whole heap of posters and get Internet blogs buzzing with anticipation. But tomorrow at 10.30am all will be revealed.

A crack team of top stencil artists, led by the infamous Bristolian, will turn a south London street into a massive outdoor art gallery.

The location - being kept top secret until the official unveiling  - will play host to more than 40 artists, including 3D Del Naja, Blek and Sten. Newcomers are also invited to create their own works at The London Cans Festival (being dubbed “a street party of stencil art”) which will run over the Bank Holiday weekend to 5 May. www.thecansfestival.com

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: 3D Del Naja, Banksy, Blek and Sten, london, London Can Festical, stencil art

Ghd ad: the ASA ruled it was likely to cause offence

A TV ad campaign featuring lingerie-clad women praying for beautiful hair has been banned by the advertising watchdog because it might offend Christians.

The series of three TV ads, created by ad agency TBWA Manchester for beauty firm ghd, had an overall religious theme using the strapline “Ghd. A new religion for hair”.

Ghd’s ads showed scantily-clad women in various positions, such as lying on a bed, while looking upwards with their hands clasped as if in prayer. Some had objects that looked like votive candles and rosary beads.

Viewers could hear the thoughts of each of the women, in various languages including English, which centred on having great hair.

One woman was thinking “May my new curls make her feel choked with jealousy”, while another was saying to herself “May my flirty flicks puncture the heart of every man I see”. At the end of each ad an endline ran: “Thy will be done”.

The Advertising Standards Authority received a total of 23 complaints, including one from the Archdeacon of Liverpool, objecting that the ads were offensive to the Christian faith.

The complaints particularly highlighted the use of the phrase from the Lord’s Prayer and the depiction of the letter “t” as a cross in “thy”.

The ASA said that while previous ghd campaigns did not “mock” faith or belief, the new ads went further with the women appearing to be praying while being erotic.

The ad watchdog decided to ban the ad because the eroticised images in conjunction with religious symbols and the phrase “Thy will be done”, as well as the letter “t” as the cross of Jesus, were likely to cause serious offence, particularly to Christians.

Martin Penny, the managing director of ghd, said that the ban was perplexing, adding that the company had used the phrase “a new religion for hair” for seven years with little problem.

“We have a loyal following of women and the ads were, in fact, produced by an all-female creative team,” he said. “It has nothing to do with religion really, if it was more people would have complained.

“There are far more erotic things in Nuts or on Page 3 if that’s what people like. It is a fashion ad which is tasteful and sensitive. The ASA seem to be frightened of their own shadow.”

GHD: New Religion in Hair Care (Thy will done)

GHD: new religion for hair commercial

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: ad, banned, Beauty, Christian, Ghd, video

http://mrsircy.blogspot.com/2008/01/obama-could-be-in-big-big-trouble.html
 
obama could be in big big trouble

If this is true Obama is done. There have been rumors about Obama experimentig with drugs as a teen. Even people from Hillary Clinton’s camp have said that something big was coming out about Obama back around Christmas. Could this be it? I don’t really care for Obama but I don’t like Hillary Clinton. Eventually Obama will have to respond.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: BARACK, drugs, gay, HUSSEIN, larry sinclair, OBAMA, sex

By Ian Youngs Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Heath Ledger mixed blockbuster roles with independent films

Actor Heath Ledger, who has been found dead at the age of 28, was regarded as one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars, with a string of acclaimed films behind him and a major career ahead.

The death of such an admired star at such a young age will cause huge shock among fans, the media and the movie industry.

He shot onto the A list less than three years ago with a lead role in the universally acclaimed Brokeback Mountain, which proved he could shine in emotionally challenging roles as well as comedies and action films.

He played the inarticulate and volatile ranch hand Ennis, who became romantically entangled with a rodeo cowboy, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, in 1960s Wyoming.

It earned him Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominations.

E Annie Proulx, who wrote the story upon which the movie was based, said: “He was so visceral. How did this actor get inside my head so well? He understood more about the character than I did.”

HEATH LEDGER’S TOP FILMS Batman - The Dark Knight (2008) I’m Not There (2007) Brokeback Mountain (2005, above left) The Brothers Grimm (2005) Ned Kelly (2003) Monster’s Ball (2001) A Knight’s Tale (2001) The Patriot (2000) 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Two Hands (1999)

After Brokeback Mountain, Ledger was beginning to win blockbuster roles, and had just finished playing The Joker in the new Batman film The Dark Knight.

A recent trailer showed him playing the character as a sinister villain who proves a match for the superhero, played by Christian Bale.

“When we came to shoot the movie it was a physically and mentally draining role but I thoroughly enjoyed it and this is the most fun I’ve had with any character,” he said.

Ledger was also thought to be in the middle of filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, a new fantasy movie with former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam.

Set and shot in modern London, it is the tale of a travelling theatre that takes the audience into a parallel universe.

He has also just been seen in I’m Not There, which saw six actors play characters based on Bob Dylan at different stages of his career.

Ledger was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1979

Ledger said his character Robbie Clark focused on “Dylan’s struggle with love and his marriage and divorce and family and balancing being in the media spotlight”.

Ledger’s other roles have included a heroin addict in Candy in 2006, Gilliam’s The Brothers Grimm in 2005 and the title part in 2003’s Ned Kelly.

He appeared alongside Halle Berry in the Oscar-winning Monster’s Ball in 2001, starred in popcorn movie A Knight’s Tale the same year, and was seen alongside Mel Gibson in The Patriot in 2000.

His Hollywood debut came in teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You and he starred in light-hearted Australian gangster flick Two Hands in 1999.

And like many Australian actors, he had cut his teeth in TV soaps, playing surfer Scott Irwin in Home and Away in 1997.

The star had a daughter with US actress Michelle Williams

Ledger was not known as a hellraiser, but was said to have been uncomfortable with fame.

And the spotlight inevitably fell on him during the bad times as well as the good.

He was recently reported to have split from his fiancee Michelle Williams, whom he met when she played his wife in Brokeback Mountain.

They had a daughter, Matilda Rose, in October 2005, but were believed to have parted in late 2007.

Ledger was previously in a couple with another actress, Naomi Watts. Their relationship ended in 2004.

But he will be remembered for his film roles and after establishing himself as one of Hollywood’s finest actors under 30, Ledger’s life has ended just as his talent was beginning to be fulfilled.

written by Pinewood Design \\ tags: Batman, Brokeback Mountain, Heath Ledger, Obituary, The Brothers Grimm