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A List Apart

A List Apart

A List Apart Issue 275
( This RSS Feed: http://www.alistapart.com/rss.xml )

  • Return of the Mobile Style Sheet
    At least 10% of your visitors access your site over a mobile device. They deserve a good experience (and if you provide one, they'll keep coming back). Converting your multi-column layout to a single, linear flow is a good start. But mobile devices are not created equal, and their disparate handling of CSS is like 1998 all over again. Please your users and tame their devices with handheld style sheets, CSS media queries, and (where necessary) JavaScript or server-side techniques.
     
  • Semantics in HTML 5
    The BBC's dropping of hCalendar because of accessibility and usability concerns demonstrates that we have pushed the semantic capability of HTML far beyond what it can handle. The need to clearly and unambiguously add rich, meaningful semantics to markup is a driving goal of the HTML 5 project. Yet HTML 5 has two problems: it is not backward compatible because its semantic elements will not work in 75% of our browsers; and it is not forward compatible because its semantics are not extensible. If "making up new elements" isn't the solution, what is?
     

1Web Site Details »

Computerworld

Latest from Computerworld


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Computerworld QuickStudy News


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  • QuickStudy: Global positioning systems
    How the global positioning system works.
    Add to digg Add to StumbleUpon Add to Twitter Add to Slashdot

     
  • QuickStudy: Identity-based encryption
    QuickStudy: Identity-based encryption solves many of the problems of public-key cryptography.
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  • QuickStudy: High-definition TV
    Digital television will soon be ubiquitous, so what exactly does HD mean? We explain.
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  • QuickStudy: Transactional Memory
    Transactional memory is a programming approach for multiple CPUs ensuring that updates to shared memory are performed without interrupting or invalidating other code.
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  • QuickStudy: Cloud computing
    Cloud computing is the most recent successor to grid computing, utility computing, virtualization and clustering. Cloud computing overlaps these other concepts but has its own meaning: the ability to connect to software and data on the Internet (the cloud) instead of on your hard drive or local network.
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  • QuickStudy: Blade servers
    Blade servers were invented to enable today's small, powerful computers to fit more efficiently into standard server racks. Here's the scoop on the history, technology and market for blade servers.
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  • More QuickStudy News...
    View more news and analysis from Computerworld.com
     

2Web Site Details »

Digital Blasphemy

Digital Blasphemy 3D Wallpaper

The Digital Blasphemy Free Gallery
( This RSS Feed: http://www.digitalblasphemy.com/rss/dbfg.xml )

  • "First Light" added to Members Gallery
    First Light
    I've also added a new image to the Members Gallery this afternoon. It's called "First Light". I always like to follow up my Christmas/Winter wallpapers with something warm and I think this fits the bill. If I can't go someplace like this for real then at least I can have it on my desktop.

    Enjoy!
     

  • Happy 2009! "Song of the Sky" Added to Free Gallery
    Song of the Sky
    Happy 2009 everyone! Here's to hoping that this trip around the sun goes a little more smoothly than the last one. I ended 2008 recovering from some surgery so it can only get better from here for me.

    I am getting back in the groove now though and I've updated the free gallery. I've taken down "Blue Christmas" (until next time) and I've added "Song of the Sky".

    I'm also working on a new project that I hope to have up in the Members Gallery either later today or early tomorrow. Stop back and check it out.
     

  • Blue Christmas Added to Free Gallery
    Blue Christmas
    I've added "Blue Christmas" (from my Christmas Collection) to the free gallery today. I'm sorry I didn't get to add it sooner, but I've been on the mend from some surgery I had earlier this month and I am only now getting back into the swing of things.

    If you are still looking for a last minute gift for a heavy computer user (or art lover) I hope you will consider a Digital Blasphemy Gift Certificate. They are redeemable for a 1 year or Lifetime Membership and are sent through email to as many as six recipients at a time (on a date you specify). This year I have made it so you get an increasing discount with each gift certificate you buy.

    Jessie, Ian, Jason and I wish you all a safe and happy Holiday!
     

  • Triple Widescreens Added to Members Gallery
    I've begun adding 7680 x 1600 (triple widescreen) renders to the Members Gallery. My last twenty wallpapers are now available and all new multiscreen renders will be provided at this resolution.
     
  • "At World's Edge (Winter)" Added to Members Gallery
    At World's Edge (Winter)
    It was suggested that I do a winter version of my "At World's Edge" wallpaper, so I've added one to the Members Gallery this evening.
     
  • "Song of the Sky (Yuletide)" Added to Members Gallery
    Song of the Sky (Yuletide)
    For the past three years I've been licensing my Christmas images to a UK based company called "Art in Design" for use on corporate charity greeting cards (17.5% of each card order goes to charity). Earlier this year they asked me if I could combine "Song of the Sky (2007)" image with "Yuletide (2007)" as sort of a hybrid. It's normally my policy to not do custom requests, but since this didn't involve creating something completely from scratch (and it was for a good cause) I made an exception.

    They seemed to like the hybrid and now I've posted it up in the Members Gallery. It's called "Song of the Sky (Yuletide)". I do plan on trying my hand at something new for Christmas this year but I wanted to post this one up now to tide everyone over.

    Click here to check out the rest of my Christmas collection.
     

  • "At World's Edge" Added to Members Gallery
    At World's Edge
    Added a new wallpaper, "At World's Edge", to the Members Gallery this evening. I've also added a few new resolution options for Members. In addition to 2560 x 1600 and 1920 x 1200 widescreen images, I now offer 1680 x 1050 and 1440 x 900 downloads as well. I've added 200 480 x 320 images designed to fit the new Blackberry Bold and hope to add 360 x 480 images for the Blackberry Storm soon.
     
  • Gift Memberships Discounted
    I've made a change to my Gift Memberships which could save folks quite a bit of money this holiday season. Thousands of people have purchased gift memberships for friends and family over the past 10 years but now it's even more economical.

    I've made it so you will get an increasing discount based on the number of gift certificates you buy. Buy 2 gift memberships and you will receive 10% off the total price. Buy 3 and get 15% off, 4 and get %20 percent off, up to 30% off if you purchase 6 gift memberships. You could a Lifetime Membership for only $69 or a 1 year membership for only $17.50 (purchasing gift memberships for yourself perfectly fine of course).

    Happy Holidays!
     

  • "A New Dawn" Added to Members Gallery
    A New Dawn
    I've added "A New Dawn" to the Members Gallery this morning. The title seemed fitting on this morning after a historic election in the US.
     
  • "Dispersion" Added to Free Gallery
    Dispersion
    I've added "Dispersion" to the Free Gallery this morning.
     

3Web Site Details »

Forex Street.com

FXstreet.com

FXstreet.com latest updated reports. Currency market overviews, forex trading recommendations, technical analysis, currency forecasts, etc. A must in your trading day.
( This RSS Feed: http://xml.fxstreet.com/index.xml )

  • The FED Fears The Worst
    The FED Fears The Worst Trading in equities very closely mirrored yesterday’s volatile session. It is clear that investors are still uncertain, as direction in the Dow has been largely range-bound. Equities have swerved between two extremes, at one time positive by more than a hundred points. Even though the excitement and enthusiasm behind the newly proposed relief program has managed to give equities a new leg, we are still undeniable seeing the levels of concern that have pervaded the


     
  • New York Session
    The buck gave up overnight gains in NY trading as a poor batch of US economic data and the FOMC meeting minutes dealt the market a fresh dose of reality.  The ISM services index was the lone positive surprise, coming at a still dismal 40.6 in December after a paltry 37.3 print the prior month.  Factory orders for November, however, were worse at -4.6% and the key capital expenditure measure that feeds into GDP was revised lower, to a horrendous three-month annual run-rate of


     
  • Minutes of December 16 FOMC Meeting: Fed on Hold for Extended Period, Ponders about Various Options
    Minutes of December 16 FOMC Meeting: Fed on Hold for Extended Period, Ponders about Various Options The minutes of the December 16 FOMC meeting are close to the policy statement issued after the meeting. The Fed is on hold for an extended period of time in light of the fluid financial market conditions and significantly troubling economic environment. The weakness in consumer spending was one of the major areas of concern. It was noted that the combined impact of lower equity prices, declining


     
  • Greenback Slumps on Soft data
    1/6/2009 3:20 PM: EUR/$..1.3498 $/JPY..93.83 GBP/$..1.4922 $/CHF..1.1184 AUD/$..0.7230 $/CAD..1.1826 Greenback Slumps on Soft Data The dollar relinquished its recent gains versus the majors, tumbling by over four big figures against the pound to 1.4960. The economic data released earlier in the session was mixed, with durable goods, factory orders, pending home sales and non-manufacturing ISM reported in the Tuesday session. The November headline durable goods orders posted a 1.5% decline,


     
  • U.S. Forex Market Commentary
    EURO The euro moved extended its sharp slide vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar today as the single currency tested bids around the US$ 1.3310 level and was capped around the $1.3660 level.  The common currency has now fallen about fourteen big figures in about two weeks’ time.  Today’s move lower followed worse-than-expected European economic data.  First, EMU-15 December services PMI figure fell to 42.1 from 42.5 in November, a new ten-year low and well below the 50.0 “boom-or-bust”


     
  • U.S. Forex Market Commentary
    EURO The euro moved extended its sharp slide vis-à-vis the U.S. dollar today as the single currency tested bids around the US$ 1.3310 level and was capped around the $1.3660 level.  The common currency has now fallen about fourteen big figures in about two weeks’ time.  Today’s move lower followed worse-than-expected European economic data.  First, EMU-15 December services PMI figure fell to 42.1 from 42.5 in November, a new ten-year low and well below the 50.0 “boom-or-bust”


     
  • Daily Forex Signal
    [19:57:30] jordan : lots happening on the 4 hour too, time to take a look GBP/JPY USD/CHF GBP/USD USD/JPY EUR/USD


     
  • Today's Live Show: Is There Any JPY Srength Left?
    Forex traders, join the daily All Things Forex broadcast- a live one hour program covering Forex and major economic events, trend developments, research, analysis, ideas, education, live traders forum, interviews with some of the most respected names in the trading world, and much more.. In the broadcast today: Is There Any JPY Strength Left? We examine the JPY and the recent USD/JPY rally, we analyze trend developments with major currencies, we take a close look at new forecasts from Morgan


     
  • U.S Market Update
    - Optimism has been fairly robust this morning despite mixed economic data, helping to keep the major US indices in positive territory. The November Pending Home Sales data came in significantly worse than expected, hitting its lowest level since the series began eight years ago. The November Factory Orders reading showed US manufacturing activity contracting at the fastest pace since 1980. Meanwhile, front-month crude tested above $50/bbl as the natural gas row between Russia and Ukraine


     
  • Chart of the Day - USD/JPY
    (Chart courtesy of FX Solutions' FX AccuCharts. Price on 1st pane, Slow Stochastics on 2nd pane; uptrend lines in green; downtrend lines in red; horizontal support/resistance lines in yellow; Fibonacci retracements in grey; chart pattern in magenta; 50-period simple moving average in light blue.) 1/06/2009 – USD/JPY – Coming into the New Year, price action on the key USD/JPY pair (a daily chart of which is shown) has made a very decisive break above a strong downtrend resistance line that has


     

Fibo and Pip

FXstreet.com daily comic strip
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4Web Site Details »

Global Forex Trading

GFTforex.com - Weekly Forex Trading Commentary

Global Forex Trading
( This RSS Feed: http://www.gftforex.com/rss/weekly.asp )

  • Weekly Forex Market Commentary

    The excesses of this unfinished decade are being rectified aggressively, and the pendulum is swinging hard from high-flying over-leveraged free for all trading to the other pole. The VIX has soared to record highs while rumors fuel panic.  The high volatility permeated the FX markets as well, but not the panic of a bleak future that affects stocks. As the US financial system is shrinking, the need for dollars remains high, and this demand reversed a long-term downtrend for the US currency.  Our economy might be in a shambles and the carry-trade dead, but the dollar, ironically, should remain strong. Enjoy it, with extreme care!


     
  • Weekly Forex Market Commentary

    The financial crisis has only started and the wild gyrations in the stock markets may provide better levels to liquidate stocks. Hedge funds and pensions funds will probably face further distress. The outlook is extremely grim. But we focus on currencies, and this is and will remain the island of profitability for months and probably longer. The dollar should remain strong in the medium to long term, especially versus the European and the commodity currencies. But this week, the US currency could see some consolidation with a bearish tone.     
     

  • Weekly Forex Market Commentary

    The crisis affecting the financial markets, especially in the US, is unprecedented. The house of cards built over many years on unreasonably cheep money, financial fraud, power abuse and lack of competent regulation has been blown away. The force of gravity always works, even if it takes longer than normal to assert itself. Those responsible for this historical disaster will remain largely unpunished and most of them will actually be rewarded. And so it goes. With the appetite for risk annihilated, the European and the commodity currencies were sold in panic against the Japanese yen. Barin
     

  • Weekly Forex Market Commentary

    The demand for funding out of Europe and ongoing liquidation of yen crosses pushed the dollar sharply higher versus the European currencies last week.  While profit taking should be seen this week, the outlook for the currency remains strong. The risk to it is the equity markets, which have fallen sharply and should sink further, despite the no short-selling rule for financial stocks.
     

  • Weekly Forex Market Commentary

    With the US financial world topsy turvy and with its jewels up for sale at fire prices all eyes on Monday will be on the US Congress and its political games in ratifying the Treasury's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). This is not the time for games and details are very important. The money market is broken and on this milieu, currencies took a back seat to other asset classes. The dollar is lacking much direction, but given the illiquid trading conditions and the ratification of the TARP, its bias is up.
     

Global Forex Trading Blog | GFT Forex

Latest Posts
( This RSS Feed: http://forex.gftforex.com/public/rss/119250 )

  • U.K. Pound Pursues Gains Against the Euro in Forex Trading
    Sterling expected to recover faster in currency tradingRecently, the U.K. pound has been taking a beating at the hands of the U.S. dollar and the euro in forex trading. However, things are changing -- at least in terms of sterling currency trading performance against the euro.

    Right now, the big worry for the euro zone is deflation. As a result, euro weakness in forex trading is becoming more pronounced. It is this weakness that is prompting many to speculate that the British economy will recover before the euro zone economy.

    This belief that the British economy will soon recover is spurring gains by the sterling in currency trading, and sending the euro lower.


    See Also


     
  • Emerging Market Currencies Continue to Struggle in FX Trading
    Recession cuts into investments in emerging marketsEmerging market currencies are suffering in FX trading on the currency market right now. As global recession forces wealthier nations and investors to make new decisions, overseas investments in emerging markets are decreasing.

    Another factor is the riskiness of emerging market currencies. In forex trading, emerging markets represent greater risk, and that means that in the current climate of risk aversion, many traders are turning to the tried-and-true currencies of developed nations.

    As emerging market currencies falter in FX trading, such currencies as the U.S. dollar continue to rally, since they are seen as more stable over the long run.


    See Also


     
  • Euro Forex Trading Forecast
    Weaker euro in currency tradingThe euro forex trading forecast continues to show weakness on the currency market, especially against the U.S. dollar. Right now, the euro is mainly in trouble as worries of deflation become paramount.

    Just a couple of weeks ago, ECB leaders insisted that things were moving toward recovery in the euro zone. With optimism, they talked of the end of monetary easing. However, the prospect of deflation is ending that speculation. Now, some expect that more ECB rate cuts are in the future.

    This stands in contrast with the U.S. economy, which is looking forward with hope toward economic stimulus when Barack Obama takes office later this month. The euro forex trading forecast can't seem to compete with what people expect from the U.S. dollar.

    See Also


     
  • U.S. Dollar Rally Continues in Currency Trading
    Forex trading with the greenbackThe U.S. dollar rally continues in currency trading on the FX market. Hope of economic stimulus continues to help in forex trading as the greenback moves higher on optimism about where the U.S. economy is headed.

    Right now, the greenback is mostly up against other major currencies (the Canadian dollar being an exception). Even with oil prices gaining, the greenback remains strong against the euro in forex trading.


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  • Canadian Dollar Gains in Forex Trading
    Rising oil helps loonie in currency tradingThe Canadian dollar is gaining in forex trading right now, rising for the first time in quite a while. One of the main reasons that the loonie is seeing some measure of success in currency trading comes from rising oil prices.

    With supply back in focus for oil prices, $50 a barrel has been breached. The Canadian dollar, as a commodity currency, relies heavily on oil revenues for support. Indeed, early in 2008 the loonie saw parity with the U.S. dollar in currency trading, thanks to higher oil prices.

    It is uncertain how far this rally will extend for the Canadian dollar in forex trading, but for now things appear to be looking up for now.


    See Also


     
  • Forex Trading Resolutions for 2009
    Currency trading on the FX marketAs the New Year begins, many of us are thinking about resolutions, and making plans to improve things in the coming year. One of those areas could certainly be forex trading. Here are some possibilities for forex trading resolutions in 2009:
    • Learn a forex trading strategy -- and use it consistently.
    • Make use of stop loss orders.
    • Consider fundamentals as well as technical analysis.
    And, of course, it is important to remember as a New Year begins that forex trading is risky. While you can make money with currency trading, it is also possible to lose it.

    See Also


     
  • Commodities Help Down Under Currencies in Forex Trading
    Aussie, kiwi gain in currency tradingAfter finishing strong on Friday in FX trading, down under currencies are again making gains. In forex trading, things are looking better for the Australian dollar and the New Zealand dollar as commodities start their recovery and risk appetite increases, thanks to the news about the U.S. dollar and the U.S. economy.

    The Aussie and the kiwi are both seeing some recovery, but we will see how long it lasts. Bloomberg reports on the Aussie and kiwi in currency trading:

    “The Aussie and the kiwi dollars have continued from their strong finish on Friday night due to an improved risk environment and some optimism for equity inflows,” said Robert Rennie, chief currency strategist at Westpac Banking Corp. in Sydney, referring to the currencies by their nicknames. “The deteriorating situation in Israel also has the potential to boost crude prices.”

    See Also


     
  • U.K. Pound Gains Against Euro in Forex Trading
    Sterling ticks higher in currency tradingOne of the more surprising bits of news on the currency market this morning is the fact that the U.K. pound is making gains against the euro in forex trading.

    Indeed, euro weakness on the FX market is not just affecting its performance against the U.S. dollar; the sterling is making in gains in currency trading against the euro.

    Right now, the gains by the U.K. pound against the euro in forex trading are mostly being attributed to the announcement that the British government is considering a guarantee for asset-backed securities. The move is expected to help to a certain degree. Additionally, an interest rate cut by the Bank of England is expected this week.

    See Also


     
  • Euro in Forex Trading: Weakness Likely to Continue
    Euro interest rate cut expectedRight now, euro weakness in forex trading could be worth more attention that the continued U.S. dollar rally. This is because the euro zone appears to be threatened on a number of levels by economic data.

    Right now, deflation is one of the major concerns for the euro in forex trading. Instead of holding steady -- or even raising -- when it comes to euro zone interest rates, cuts are back on the table. Action Forex reports on the euro in forex trading:

    Euro's rally in Dec was fueled by speculation that ECB will pause rate cutting in Jan but markets are getting increasingly doubtful on this. More Euro long positions are closed after ECB Vice-President Papademo's comment that deflation is becoming a convern and ECB will "do what is necessary, in terms of the timing and in terms of the size (of interest rate policy action) to ensure that price stability is preserved."

    See Also


     
  • U.S. Dollar Gains in Currency Trading
    Greenback surges against euro in forex tradingThe U.S. dollar is making solid gains in currency trading on the FX market this morning. The greenback is surging against the euro in forex trading as news of President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan inspires some optimism for the U.S. economy. Indeed, there is a certain amount of bullishness for the U.S. dollar right now, due to hopes for the future. (After all, no matter how bad things get for the U.S. economy, chances are that everyone else is worse off...)

    Expectations that the U.S. economy could begin recovering in the latter part of 2009 are prompting a return to some risk appetite (albeit somewhat cautiously) and providing a reason for investment in some riskier assets. (U.S. stocks, however, remain mixed this morning.)

    The main points that Obama addressed for economic stimulus include:
    1. Rebuilding America's crumbling infrastructure.
    2. Investing in renewable energy and technology.
    3. Tax cuts.
    The first two items are meant to encourage job growth and stymie the growing unemployment rate. Job loss continues to help fuel the foreclosure crisis and contribute to lower consumer spending. The third item, tax cuts, are designed to provide more money for consumers so that they will spend it, turning the wheels of the economy.

    See Also


     

5Web Site Details »

HisDarkMaterials.org

HisDarkMaterials.org - News

Latest His Dark Materials and The Golden Compass news by HisDarkMaterials.org
( This RSS Feed: http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/feed/news )

  • The Scarecrow and his Servant Theatre Review

    Southwark News reports: Right, I've got the Christmas entertainment sorted for you. Take your kids (all ages) to see The Scarecrow and his Servant. It is truly magical. And it is written by Philip Pullman, he of His Dark Materials.

    It was a frantic, cold Friday night that we attended the theatre beneath London Bridge Station. On Tooley Street all the office bods were off to parties, oblivious to the secret nether world that exists beneath their very noses.

    As we walked into the theatre we were met with a multitude of old mineral water bottles hanging from the ceiling. Then CRASH, BANG, WALLOP! A clap of thunder, helicopters, search lights, soldiers marching! Jack runs into a dark field, afraid he'll get caught.

    The scarecrow in the field speaks -he's come to life! He's a bit posh panto-dame, a bit C3PO kind of a scarecrow; the kids in the audience were entranced by him.

    Once Jack gets over the shock of a talking scarecrow who has a turnip for a head and a broomstick for a backbone he embarks on a journey with him. Scarecrow wants to visit Spring Valley, a wonderful place full of streams, wells and castles with lots of fresh air. Poor old Jack has no family, no friends and no home, so he has nothing to lose by going. New lands, strange people, mad birds, danger and song & dance await him.

    Did I mention strange people? How about a scary-fairy-book old crone with a Tesco plastic bag for a hat? There's been some great invention here recycling stuff; it gets the kids seeing rubbish as a creative material. There's tricorn hats made from newspaper, dresses from plastic carrier bags and medals from Coca Cola tins. In fact, there is a very serious message woven into this tale but more about that later.

    The cast is a dream: I have seen both Mark Leipacher and Oliver Senton at the Union and they are both fine comic actors. Senton plays loads of characters ranging from Signor Rigatelli, a cockney 'Italian' theatre manager to a farmer who is a bit, ummm, you know. You'll have to go and see it to find out why he's er, you know, ummm…

    Scarecrow falls in love with the farmer's broomstick and they have a bit of a barn dance where the water bottles light up and there is a disco glitter ball spinning around. Scarecrow is so happy he feels like an onion (I'm not on drugs, really).

    But, tragedy the broom runs off with a rake, so Jack and Scarecrow go to sea, off to war and off to the theatre. Then there is the panto horse and Bernard the Blackbird. The vultures, wise old birds that they are, subtly give the kids a talk about global warming and discarding rubbish. After all, if there are weedkiller factories polluting the air and messing up the rivers, well, Spring Valley won't be that pleasant place any more.

    One little boy in the audience summed it all up; Oliver Senton had him in fits, he sang along to the music and burst into tears when he thought his scarecrow had died, only to rally round when he saw the turnip-head dancing again. And that really was magical… Merry Christmas!

    Southwark Playhouse, Shipwright Yard (Corner of Tooley St. & Bermondsey St.) SE1 2TF
    December 10th 2008 - January 10th 2009,
    Running time: 120 min. (incl. interval)
    Tel: 020 7407 0234


     
  • Inkheart — Our Review

    Today we had the opportunity to see New Line Cinema's (NLC) movie Inkheart, based on the Inkworld trilogy by the German author Cornelia Funke. People will doubtlessly point out that this is yet another fantasy trilogy which New Line Cinema has adapted after their successful Lord of the Rings trilogy, and considering the below-par performance of The Golden Compass (TGC) in the US this observation might not necessarily lead to positive expectations. However, I should start off by saying that there are a few big differences between the two properties.

    The Golden Compass book handles some huge concepts: innocence versus experience, the origin of consciousness, and obedience without question are among those concepts. Inkheart is a much more straightforward book with a much more linear concept at its core: it's a book about reading a story, and the power of story reading itself. Inkheart tells the story of Meggie and her father Mo - a pair with the unique attributes of a "silvertongue," but not that brand which tricks armoured bear kings, rather the kind of "silvertongue" who can bring fictional characters and elements to life by reading aloud. With a true father, daughter, and their relations at its core cast rather than a happenstance collection of orphans, panserbjorne, and witches, the fantasy element of Inkheart immediately becomes more family-oriented and less epic in scale.

    Aside from the obvious differences in story between The Golden Compass and Inkheart, Inkheart's Director, Iain Softley, had a much more organic approach to creating his movie. Only two large-scale CGI effects appear during the movie - very well put together and integrated with the movie's sets, but in the age of epic battles with sweeping CGI scenes stampeding before audiences, if you can't handle a ferret with a little glue keeping his costume horns on, then maybe Inkheart isn't for you; Inkheart is family fantasy over epic fantastical.

    Lacking the same demands as The Golden Compass in terms of having uncontroversial source material and no pressing need to create a parallel world with CGI sets, the true question of Inkheart became this: Cornelia Funke's "silvertongue" can bring stories to life, can Director Iain Softley do the same?

    Our short verdict is that the movie is pretty true to the book, and will certainly appeal to the existing fans of Cornelia Funke's book. The longer story - outside of the book itself - is that Inkheart is enjoyably down-to-earth as a fantasy movie, even where its flaws show through.

    The film has a very engaging feel, doubtlessly due in part to the fact that the director Iain Softley used as much "real" scenery as possible. Keeping in contact with the book's author Cornelia Funke, Screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire managed to keep the majority of the story's original elements of charm while bolstering some roles with little character quips. One change that fans of Inkheart will notice in the movie's opening is that "Silvertongue" Mo, instead of simply being able to accidentally read characters to life from books, can also hear those characters speaking to him from within the books themselves - quite a nuisance for a man with an occupation as a bookbinder!

    The movie advances with Mo and his daughter inevitably thrown from one circumstance into another, with the villainous Capricorn at the core and the ambiguous Dustfinger often setting events in motion. As far as the cast goes, author Cornelia Funke may have literally been writing Mo's role to suit the actor Brendan Fraser, but Andy Serkis as Capricorn is distinguishably the first character of serious note. Not one to be trifled with but not such an evil villain to send parents with screaming children running from the theatre, Serkis' Capricorn is the perfection of stylishly scary, threatening without the actual need to commit dramatic acts of on screen violence; in any case, who would be foolish enough to go against him? Capricorn waxes lyrical on the beauty of duct tape and, after bidding his "silvertongue" to steal away a particular fairy tale princess from within her bookbinding, the dark-hearted villain announces her fate with delight: "Throw her into the dungeon, and give her a haircut!" Our nameless princess is, of course, that famed Rapunzel.

    Brendan Fraser and Eliza Bennett, in the lead roles of Mo and Meggie, make a believable pair as father and daughter. Not an Oscar-worthy performance, but not weak either. Played by Paul Bettany, Dustfinger rounds out the remainder of the main characters. Despite a flat start for his character, Bettany walks the line well and doesn't disappoint with Dustfinger.

    Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, and Rafi Gavron make up the secondary cast. Mirren, who looked to poet Edith Sitwell rather than the character Aunt Elinor for her inspiration, makes the largest character change from book to film. Her portrayal of Aunt Elinor stems on stereotypical book nerd sometimes, but she is well supported in her role and is noteworthy as an actress. Broadbent shines in his quirky kid-in-a-candy store role as Fenoglio, the author of Inkheart who discovers his characters have come to life. "Look, it's Basta!" He remarks joyously while Basta - clearly his own black mark on the bad guy scale - holds a knife to Fenoglio's throat.

    The movie's soundtrack comes from the same Javier Navarrete who wrote the score to Pan's Labyrinth. The scenes sweep by mountainous regions and the music swells. Nothing spectacularly complex as in The Golden Compass, but it's an enjoyable soundtrack that isn't overbearing on the heartfelt imagery of chords.

    The movie might be aimed at the younger generation, but there enough jokes and scraps of symbolism strewn through the story which appeal to adults. An example of the latter is found in one of the final scenes, where Capricorn, dressed all in black, faces off with Meggie dressed in a white ceremonial dress.

    Overall, we give Inkheart a 7/10. It's a family movie and one that is refreshingly distinct from the other holiday fare of Kris Kringle's and reindeer, so it is a shame that US and wide-release cinemas won't be seeing Inkheart until late January. The screenwriting does leave something to be desired of a few characters in terms of their development and story arcs, but this may be a quality levelled at the book itself as a very linear narrative. A very faithful translation from book to screen, Inkheart may not have the epic visual battles and struggles of some of the bigger fantasy films, but what it does have is a nice sense of timelessness, and what better to say of storytelling than that very quality.


     
  • Inkheart — Where Are We Now?

    It's been a while.

    Remember way back when wirework with witches filled sets and men dressed as Bolvangar guards could be seen on lunch breaks? When the days of filming styrofoam balls on sticks in front of green screens were at their peak and the calendar read 2007? To say that it has been a while is to say that the Earth still rotates; here we are nearly two years later.

    There may not be a great deal happening right now to look at Philip Pullman, Chris Weitz, Dakota Blue Richards or any of the other hundreds of names we might think of when we think HDM and news, but luckily for book readers and story lovers, there are always more dark materials to create more worlds.

    One of those dark materials with such potential is Inkheart, the bestselling first novel in the series by German author Cornelia Funke. Inkheart is a story about reading aloud in an age when the bedtime stories stop being fun far too early in life. Mortimer "Mo" Folchart and his twelve-year-old daughter Meggie, share a passion for books. Oddly enough, they also share the ability to "read" characters to life: to make actual living persons appear because of their reading aloud from a book. However, the gift isn't without consequences and we meet the pair living alone after Mo has read to life a slew of personalities from one particular book, while accidentally reading his wife into that same binding. The book is, of course, Inkheart.

    Inkheart One Sheet

    And what good would a book called Inkheart be without a dark-hearted villain at its core? His name is Capricorn, and after meeting our world and making himself home here, he decides to use Mo and Meggie's talents to build even more comfort. Kidnapping Meggie, Capricorn demands that Mo bring more of his evil henchmen to life. Determined to rescue his daughter and send the fictional characters back where they belong, Mo assembles a unique group of friends and allies - some real, some magical - and embarks on a daring journey to set things right.

    But Mo and his daughter aren't the only ones bringing fictional characters to life. Back in the days of polar bear stand-ins on stilts, we had a set visit to Shepperton Studios to see how The Golden Compass was coming along. Our visit didn't end there, and we moved on to see New Line's second project in filming: Inkheart, starring Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Eliza Bennett, Andy Serkis, Jim Broadbent, and Helen Mirren.

    Entering the studio set for Inkheart was a striking contrast from The Golden Compass. After all the green screens we stood in a set decorated with an ominous, enormous medieval church, a partial tower and staircase built of real stone - not the carved foam blocks of most movie sets, but the real organic stuff you'd expect to see from European architecture. The set wasn't entirely dressed, but it was still impressive to see.

    We met with Executive Producer Diana Pokomy who spoke with us and introduced some of the other on set personalities. Costume Designer Verity Hawkes explained some of her direction choices in making costumes for the movie. Her pieces had to span from the modern clothing of our world to the somewhat medieval era clothing Mo inadvertently pulled from Inkheart on the characters he read to life.

    Production Designer John Beard was up next to talk more about Inkheart and show off some of the movie's scenes and props. Our group looked over concept art, scene stills, and some of the character props. Beard explained some of the challenges in design, including the integration of the book's sequel into set dressing.

    The film set also boasted a set of animal trainers. Apparently when the little ferret on an actor's shoulder doesn't need to change into a wildcat at will, it works just as well to have a real ferret. Or a dozen real ferrets. And if that ferret is actually a marten "read" to life from another world where martens have little horns on their heads, the creative production group seeks out the makeup department necessity: beard glue. Aside from the ferret actors, the character Dustfinger has an affinity for animals in general and the set animal trainers keep that respect mutual. We watched one of the trained dogs respond to their cues and rewarded them with treats for their good performances.

    Dustfinger and Gwin

    HisDarkMaterials.org also then the chance to watch a scene from Inkheart being filmed. To set the stage a little: Capricorn has kidnapped both Mo (Brendan Fraser) and Meggie (Eliza Bennett) and makes his confession that none of the characters will ever be returning to the pages of "Inkheart." He wickedly throws the last copy of the book into the fireplace to the complete destruction of Dustfinger (Paul Bettany), a character read to life whose only ambition was to return home. Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings, The Prestige) plays the villain Capricorn with aplomb, delighting over his loves of the real world: "Duct tape, ah yes, duct tape," he gleams.

    The scene cut and our group went off to cast interviews and lunch. But lunch never led to dinner, and the release of the Inkheart film got pushed back nearly two years after its filming. Cast interviews from the set visit are riddled with questions to Fraser on the filming start of The Mummy 3, in theatres this past summer. Author Cornelia Funke has brought to life the third book of the series and fans of her book have likely been disappointed once and again to see the Inkheart adaptation sent further down the production line.

    Perhaps they've borrowed some of Capricorn's delightful duct tape, but reason regardless, Inkheart now has an official theatrical release date stuck to it. As Director Iain Sotfley told ComingSoon.net, "one of the things that appealed to me about the story was that it was this very sort of dysfunctional group of people who were fighting the good fight." With hope that Inkheart is one book-to-film translation that makes the good fight a great movie. The fight's been long.

    Inkheart in UK theatres 12 December, 2008
    US theatres 23 January, 2009
    Wide Release Info


     
  • Put your questions to Philip Pullman

    BBC News reports: Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, is one of the world's best-known children's writers.

    He has won several awards for the trilogy - Northern Lights , The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - including the Whitbread Book of the Year Award in 2002.

    Northern Lights was made into a Hollywood film last year, The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.

    And Billie Piper played the lead role in the BBC adaptations of his Sally Lockheart novels, The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North. Pullman has also written several other books.

    Pullman's His Dark Materials books have been controversial with some Christian groups who have accused Pullman of using them to promote his atheist beliefs, a claim he has denied.

    Pullman will answer some of your questions as his 2005 book The Scarecrow and his Servant is adapted for the stage. It will open at London's Southwark Playhouse on 10 December.

    More on The Scarecrow and his Servant

    Submit your questions to Philip Pullman using the form on the BBC website:
    Form link


     
  • Stars Book a Place at Literary Festival

    Liverpool Echo reports: Literary giants including Philip Pullman and AS Byatt are heading for Liverpool next week.

    The University of Liverpool organised the Shipping Lines Literary Festival to celebrate the city’s Capital of Culture title.

    Simon Armitage, Beatles biographer Philip Norman and Howard Jacobson are also among the line-up for the November 3-9 event.

    Children’s author Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, will be joined by 38 renowned writers.

    They will discuss their work and take part in interactive workshops.

    Poet and novelist Simon Armitage, who was most recently shortlisted for the TS Eliot Prize, will be joined by Roger McGough, Brian Patten andCarol Ann Duffy.

    Roger McGough said: "The festival is a great way of acknowledging Liverpool’s literary heritage and welcoming new talent.

    "I’ll be reading from my work, as well as hosting a session where readers can discuss their favourite poetry and exchange recommendations."

    Booker Prize winner A S Byatt, best known for her novel Possession: A Romance, will talk about her life and work including Little Black Book of Stories and Matisse Stories.

    Authors Andrea Levy, Malorie Blackman, Mal Peet and poets Jorie Graham, George Szirtes and Paul Farley will also host events during the week-long festival.

    University School of English head Professor Marcus Walsh said: "We’re thrilled to welcome so many internationally-renowned writers to the city during Capital of Culture year.

    "We work closely with the community to promote reading and cultural engagement, and we hope that the festival will entertain and inspire all who are passionate about reading and writing."

    Shipping Lines Literary Festival is open to the public and will take place at venues across the university and city centre.

    Tickets are available from the Philharmonic Hall Box Office on 0151 709 3789 or online at www.liv.ac.uk/literaryfestival

    Shipping Lines Liverpool Literary Festival
    3 - 9 November 2008

    Friday 7 November - Philip Pullman Lecture: The Elementary Particles of Narrative
    Saturday 8 November - In Conversation: Philip Pullman


     
  • Happy Birthday Philip Pullman

    Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, turns 62 today, 19 October, 2008.

    Warm Birthday wishes and all the best from the staff of HisDarkMaterials.org.

    Bio in Brief

    Philip Nicholas Outram was born in Norwich 19 October, 1946. His father, an RAF pilot, was killed in combat and after his mother remarried, Philip took the last name Pullman.

    Pullman spent his childhood years on the move, from Southern Rhodesia to Australia, eventually settling for a time with his Grandfather - an Anglican vicar - in Wales. Educated at Exeter College - the inspiration and real-life movie backdrop for Lyra's Jordan College - Pullman has become a noteworthy author and spokesman, giving voice to causes to prevent strict reading limitations and save a local historical boatyard.

    Pullman has written numerous books, the most popular of which, the His Dark Materials trilogy, has been translated into 36 different languages.

    Pullman's novel The Golden Compass (U.K. title Northern Lights) saw the big screen late last year in the film adaptation The Golden Compass. Pullman's other series, starring Sally Lockhart in a Victorian thriller, has also come to life as a TV drama in The Ruby in The Smoke and The Shadow in The North. A film adaptation of Pullman's The Butterfly Tattoo - a uniquely fan-funded production - is also set to reach cinema and you can watch the trailer online.

    Pullman's books have also seen success in the theatre, with