Microsoft Announces Zune HD Media Players

Last night Microsoft announced the upcoming line of Zune HD portable media players.  The new line of players brings a flood of changes to the device, from a new form factor to a multitouch screen to HD radio support to the ability to play back 720p video on your HDTV (with an optional dock).  From the press release:


• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users
  can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go.
  Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data
  broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from
  their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song
  playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels
  for additional programming.



• The bright OLED touch screen
  interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content
  with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution)
  offers a premium viewing experience on the go.



• The
  HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video
  files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia
  interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct
  to an HD TV in 720p.*



• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.



• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.





In short, the Zune HD is aggressively positioning itself against Apple’s iPod touch, with its multitouch capability and App Store.  What Microsoft is hoping will set the Zune HD apart are its HD radio offering and native integration with the XBox and Windows PCs, creating a sort of cloud for music and video content purchases from the soon-to-be-launched Zune Marketplace.

The devices will be formally debuted at E3, and will be available this fall.  No prices have been announced yet.

Read more about the Zune HD here, or read the full press release after the cut.

–Aric A.




Microsoft Announces the
Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and
Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player


Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.


REDMOND, Wash. - May 26, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the
evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment
service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video
service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important
development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than
17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft
confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune
HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable
media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver,
high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting
diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.


“The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune
experience, and we’re proud to be growing and extending our offering
beyond the device,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of
the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. “Delivering on
Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning
point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium
video content to living rooms around the world.”

Zune Service Expands to New Platform


Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace,
bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will
occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE
Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of
new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo
(E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into
Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.

Introducing Zune HD



Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a
new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media
player category.












• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users
  can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go.
  Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data
  broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from
  their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song
  playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels
  for additional programming.



• The bright OLED touch screen
  interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content
  with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution)
  offers a premium viewing experience on the go.



• The
  HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video
  files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia
  interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct
  to an HD TV in 720p.*



• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.



• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.






More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.

About Zune



Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an
integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes
a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune
Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the
Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover
more music. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices
Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to
help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More
information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Xbox LIVE


Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to
each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from
one remote than can be found from any device connected to the
television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing
friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or
across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be
found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.


About Microsoft


Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses
realize their full potential.


* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit
the screen at 480 x 272 - not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and
an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD
resolution.


HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.











Find Out Who Keeps Calling You!

By Tess Mallory

Are you one of the people who keeps receiving calls on your cell phone and you have no idea who is on the other end? Well you are not the only one; in face millions of people come to the internet to try to uncover who is on the other end of the line.

The internet is full of valuable information on how to find out who is calling you. However you may or may not be familiar with a site called Reverse Phone Detective. This site will allow anyone to look up any type of number that they want to research.

Do you dread the sound of your phone during the day; because the same caller keeps calling. Have you constantly picked up the receiver to tell the person on the other end to stop calling; only to hear a dial tone in your ear.

No matter why you want to find out the number who keeps calling your spouse or children; the point is you can easily get your hands on the information. If you have attempted to ask your loved ones why they spend so much time online and not getting the response that you believe; then it is time to uncover the truth.

Just by using Reverse Phone Detective anyone can easily uncover the information on any phone number. When you get to the site; you will type in the 10 digit phone number. When you hit enter all you have to do is wait while the site goes to work and brings back all the information about the number in question.

Utilizing this service you can easily find out all the information in less than two seconds. When the results come back; you get to decide if you want to dig deeper for more information or not. You can easily find out all the personal information about the caller on the other end.

Visit our site below and get more valuable information on how to find out the information on any phone number that you want to research. Find out why some people choose to investigate a particular number and should you be trying to find out who keeps calling you? - 23596

About the Author:

Learn How To Find Out People With Just Their Numbers! Do You Know How To Trace Numbers Free?

Buying Super Cheap Apple Ipod Discounts

By Peter Prince

If you still belong to the almost extinct CD player-toting, stacks-of-CDs-in-the-bag generation of music lovers, it is time for you to enjoy the finer things in life infused with ease and convenience by buying an Apple iPod. Cheap versions like non-Apple brands are available but why settle for less?

The technological breakthroughs that the Apple iPod has brought to the music industry may be seen on a sour note. You see, since the emergence of these gadgets, more and more consumers have shunned the CD stores and has opted for free music downloaded through the internet.

Since you’ve got a stash of CDs in your possession, discover the wonders of the iTunes application and begin converting raw audio files to a format Apple iPods can understand which the Mp3 is. Although there are some protected albums so you can’t immediately revise fields unless convert them to AAC then to Mp3.

Ask any music enthusiast if their lives have dramatically changed since the dawning of the Apple iPods and they will gladly answer you with a teary-eyed yes. These gadgets come in different volume sizes from 1GB or around 240 songs to as much as 120GB or 28,800 songs the least.

This wonderful gadget not only allows you to listen to a multitude of songs but allows you to relax, watch a movie in the comfort of your home or practically anywhere. Apple iPod, cheap music players and other non-amusing brands have already emerged in the market to cater to consumers who are on a restrictive budget.

The latest addition to the iPod omnibus is the iPod Shuffle. It is so useful for people on the go who just needs some rhythm going on at the back of the minds. The iPod Shuffle was designed to be the smallest digital music player ever invented and released in the market. Packing a cool 4GB worth of music, it is such a breeze to listen to around 960 songs.

Purchase your version of the Apple iPod to suit your listening preferences. Do you know that there are some people who even fall asleep while being connected to their music players? Bear in mind that the high decibel of sound for a long period of time leads to loss of hearing. With the latest in-ear technology of the earphones, it would be more possible for you to experience a louder than life performance of your favorite band or crooner. - 23544

About the Author:

Visit the cheapipodfinder.com to get incredible savings for Super Cheap Ipods you also can find discounts on a refurbished ipod touch!

Sharp AL 1226 - Print In A Flash So You Don't Have To Waste Time

By Ben Pate

The Sharp AL 1226 Printer is an extremely affordable printer that produces high quality print outs and copies. It is considered a medium sized printer but for its size and multi functions it is actually very compact. The copier speed has a maximum of 20 cpm and the printing speed has a maximum of 16 ppm. This is an excellent choice for small business printer or personal use. This printer has many of the same options found in much more expensive models making it a great price. Check out Sharp AL 1226 toner.

This printer only has one connectivity option, using a USB 2.0 connection. If you are looking for a network printer then it is advised to purchase a different model with this feature. However this is really the only weakness as the Sharp AL 1226 Printer uses the latest laser and digital technology to produce professional and crisp looking documents.

The printer has enough memory to hold several different documents and set them up in a queue for printing. This printer has the ability to print and copy in black and white but you can also scan in color documents. There are not many paper printing options but it takes the standard paper sizes of A4 and legal. The resolution for printing and copying is 600 x 600 dots per inch.

There are several zooming options available if you are copying a document. There are fixed zoom options that are found at increments between 25 and 400%. You can also customize your zoom at any 1% increment between 24 and 400%. The printer comes with ally needed software and rivers and comes with all the documents needed for warranties and user manuals.

Your computer will need at least 10 MB of hard disk space, and you will need a free USB port, and CD drive. You can hook it up to any computer as long as it is running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 or Windows XP as the operating system.

This laser printer produces the highest quality printouts as it uses the latest in laser printing technology. Your data is completed protected as Sharp uses many different security options that include user identification, password protection documents, secure network access and secure socket layers. It is possible to use other software to customize your own documents and then print them on the Sharp AL 1226 Printer.

This printer will print out the first document of the day in under a minute as it has a fast warm up time. It is also an environmentally friendly machine as all Sharp electronics are energy star compliant. The company is dedicated to producing ass ‘green’ electronics as possible.

Your Sharp AL 1226 Printer will use a Sharp AL 1226 toner and it is always recommended to have one on hand as you will be inconvenienced when it runs out and you cannot print. You will not be disappointed with the Sharp AL 1226 Printer as it can take care of all of your printing needs. - 23594

About the Author:

All of your documents will be of the highest quality and as long as you keep some Sharp AL 1226 toner on hand you will have continuous printing. Sharp toner is the best toner.

Outdoor Lights: Having That Exact Amount Of Light

By Pamela Smith

Outdoor lights that are well-placed and illuminated just right give out a warm aura that welcomes guests like a polite butler. When they are neither too dim nor too bright, they give an impression of elegance. They do not have to be the expensive kind to function this way. You only have to install them in the right place, properly spaced.

Many people install outdoor lightings for several reasons. Three of these main reasons are the so-called utilitarian, amenity, and for decorative purposes. Outdoor lightings are very important for commercial and industrial buildings. Private residences need to have outdoor lightings for security reasons. Lightings for amenity purposes are in need for public buildings, residential streets, and malls. Floodlights, Christmas Trees, and laser displays are a few examples for decorative lightings.

Moreover, private homes can have both the security and decorative sorts of outdoor lightings. Some of the current popular outdoor lightings are the so-called not too bright and not too dim house lightings. If you are the kind of person who loves to have card games, cocktails, or parties in your house, you can have the kind lightings that can best serve to your lifestyle. Excellent house lightings can add the magical mood during your evening revelries. You may, of course, adjust the lights the way you want it to be for your special occasion.

The brightness, or dimness, in your house lightings can certainly influence the general mood of everyone. As you can imagine, the lightings in your home can even have the kind of effect that you like to have. For instance, whenever you like to have that romantic effect in your home, you need only to have that kind of lightings that would bring out that desired aura for the occasion. Yet again, you sometimes need your lightings to brighten your home for security reasons.

If you intend to have people come over often enough to your place for outdoor gatherings at night, do not scrimp on expenses. Buying cheap models may save you money in the short term, but eventually you end up having to making purchases again to keep your lawn lighted. Your lights do not have to be expensive either. Brand names usually cost more than the lesser-known models. If you are on a budget, consult light experts on the matter. The bigger stores normally have them. Ask them all the questions you need to regard outdoor lights. - 23546

About the Author:

Many people opt to have Outdoor Lights in their homes as these serve to purposes: one is to provide the kind of illumination needed for safety and security and the other is to simply make the home more appealing. This makes a home more inviting to welcomed guests and forewarn bad elements. Simply visit this site at http://www.simplyoutdoorlighting.com for some suggestions.

Toy Tips with Marianne Szymanski - Summer Swimming

Editor’s Note: Marianne Szymanski is a leading expert in toy reviews, and the founder of the Toy Tips Research Institute.  She is the author of Toy Tips: A Parent’s Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices and also the editor of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine.

 Whether it’s bathtub swimming, the backyard pool, the lake, at the country club or the public park pool, summer swimming means safety, safety and more safety.  Kids of any age should NEVER be left alone at the pool and the buddy system when swimming is mandatory.  Parents should always be in the water even when lifeguards are around.

Before kids start their summer swimming lessons, be sure to get the appropriate summer swimming tools in place based on age. Many children are afraid of the water so be patient but eventually they will catch on!  It’s important for children to know how to swim.

Here are some helpful products:


• Watermelon Baby Spring Float



• Speedo Silicone Swim Cap



• Swim Diapers



• Speedo Kids’ Swim Goggles



• Huggies Little Swimmers Sunscreen



• Fun Noodle





Enjoy the water!
–Marianne Szymanski

Man Booker International Prize Goes to Alice Munro, Canadian Master of Stories

From a finalist lineup that included the likes of E.L. Doctorow, V.S Naipaul, and Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Munro was “totally amazed and delighted” earlier today to receive the 2009 Man Booker International Prize, news the book-loving community and her readers have greeted with approval and delight. Her win feels especially notable for the fact that she’s widely considered the greatest living writer of short fiction, a genre that often gets short shrift–even her two books described as novels, Lives of Girls and Women and Who Do You Think You Are?, are series of interwoven stories. But as the Booker judges noted, Munro “brings as much depth, wisdom and precision to every story as most novelists bring to a lifetime of novels.”

Munro has already won multiples of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards (three Governor General’s Awards and two Giller Prizes), but this international recognition should finally break her out of popular obscurity, as The Guardian’s Lisa Allardice enthused: 

While admirers such as Margaret Atwood and A.S. Byatt have long been forceful advocates of Munro’s stories, a younger generation of writers has recently joined the cult of Munro: you might expect a relative hipster like Jonathan Franzen, for example, to be more in thrall to the noisier attractions of the Big American Men, but it is Munro he calls “The Great One.” And yet, until today at least, Alice Munro has remained something of a paradox: while critics and fellow authors have fallen over themselves to crown her “the greatest living short story writer”, they have also formed a chorus lamenting her obscurity and lack of recognition. She is the secret everyone likes to shout about–and yet she somehow retains her secret status. As Atwood puts it,”It’s as if she jumps out of a cake–Surprise!–and then has to jump out of it again, and then again.”

If you haven’t read Munro in a while (or ever), start with her best. Or start anywhere. All of her stories are architecturally perfect little worlds to inhabit, “deep caves paved with kitchen linoleum.” And at 77, Munro is paving still darker caves–her new collection of stories, Too Much Happiness, comes out in Canada this August, and it sounds gritty, complete with “child murders, strange sex, and a terrifying home invasion.” (We’ll take her word on the happiness part.)  –Mari Malcolm



Lucky Shops Amazon for: Coveted Shoe Lines

Coclico, a Lucky favorite, has been turning out feminine, chic shoes for nearly a decade. Created by fourth-generation shoemaker Sandra Canselier, the collection continues to impress with understated detailing and beautifully simple shapes that call to mind the French countryside. Here, a few of our most wanted.

Coclico “Revolute” sandals, $275.95, Coclico “Orion” sandals, $308.95, Coclico “Lotus” sandals, $349.95

Click here to subscribe to Lucky!

Microsoft Announces Zune HD Media Players

Last night Microsoft announced the upcoming line of Zune HD portable media players.  The new line of players brings a flood of changes to the device, from a new form factor to a multitouch screen to HD radio support to the ability to play back 720p video on your HDTV (with an optional dock).  From the press release:


• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users
  can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go.
  Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data
  broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from
  their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song
  playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels
  for additional programming.



• The bright OLED touch screen
  interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content
  with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution)
  offers a premium viewing experience on the go.



• The
  HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video
  files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia
  interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct
  to an HD TV in 720p.*



• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.



• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.





In short, the Zune HD is aggressively positioning itself against Apple’s iPod touch, with its multitouch capability and App Store.  What Microsoft is hoping will set the Zune HD apart are its HD radio offering and native integration with the XBox and Windows PCs, creating a sort of cloud for music and video content purchases from the soon-to-be-launched Zune Marketplace.

The devices will be formally debuted at E3, and will be available this fall.  No prices have been announced yet.

Read more about the Zune HD here, or read the full press release after the cut.

–Aric A.




Microsoft Announces the
Expansion of the Zune Entertainment Service to New Platform and
Markets; Confirms New Zune HD Portable Media Player


Premium Zune digital entertainment service to be available internationally on Xbox LIVE.


REDMOND, Wash. - May 26, 2009 - Microsoft Corp. today announced the
evolution of Zune, the company’s end-to-end music and entertainment
service, to a new platform and new markets. Zune will extend its video
service to Xbox LIVE internationally this fall. This marks an important
development in the Zune strategy and brings the Zune brand to more than
17 million international Xbox LIVE subscribers. In addition, Microsoft
confirmed the next generation of the Zune portable media player, Zune
HD. Available in the U.S. this fall, Zune HD is the first portable
media player that combines a built-in HD Radio receiver,
high-definition (HD) video output capabilities, organic light-emitting
diode (OLED) touch screen, Wi-Fi and an Internet browser.


“The Zune music player is an integral part of the overall Zune
experience, and we’re proud to be growing and extending our offering
beyond the device,” said Enrique Rodriguez, corporate vice president of
the Microsoft TV, Video and Music Business Group. “Delivering on
Microsoft’s connected entertainment vision, this news marks a turning
point for Zune as it brings cross-platform experiences and premium
video content to living rooms around the world.”

Zune Service Expands to New Platform


Zune will be a premium partner in the Xbox LIVE Video Marketplace,
bringing an exciting catalog of TV and film to the platform. Zune will
occupy the first slot within the Xbox user interface in the Xbox LIVE
Video Marketplace, exposing the Zune brand experience to millions of
new consumers for the first time. At the Electronic Entertainment Expo
(E3) next week, attendees will see firsthand how Zune integrates into
Xbox LIVE to create a game-changing entertainment experience.

Introducing Zune HD



Zune HD is the next iteration of the Zune device family and brings a
new level of listening and viewing experiences to the portable media
player category.












• Zune HD comes with a built-in HD Radio receiver so users
  can listen to higher-quality sound than traditional radio on the go.
  Users also will have access to the additional song and artist data
  broadcast by HD Radio stations as well as additional channels from
  their favorite stations multicasting in HD. If you don’t like the song
  playing on your station’s HD channel, switch to its HD2 or HD3 channels
  for additional programming.



• The bright OLED touch screen
  interface allows users to flip through music, movies and other content
  with ease, and the 16:9 widescreen format display (480×272 resolution)
  offers a premium viewing experience on the go.



• The
  HD-compatible output lets Zune HD customers playback supported HD video
  files from the device through a premium high-definition multimedia
  interface (HDMI) audiovisual docking station (sold separately) direct
  to an HD TV in 720p.*



• Zune HD will include a full-screen Internet browser optimized for multitouch functionality.



• Zune HD is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing for instant streaming to the device from the more than 5 million-track Zune music store.






More information on Zune and related images is available at http://www.zune.net/press and http://www.zune.net/ZuneHD.

About Zune



Zune is Microsoft’s music and entertainment brand that provides an
integrated digital entertainment experience. The Zune platform includes
a line of portable digital media players, elegant software, the Zune
Marketplace online store, Zune Pass music subscription service, and the
Zune Social online music community, created to help people discover
more music. Zune is part of Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices
Division and supports the company’s software-based services vision to
help drive innovation in the digital entertainment space. More
information can be found online at http://www.zune.net/en-us/press.

About Xbox LIVE


Xbox LIVE connects more than 17 million members across 26 countries to
each other and the entertainment they love. Home of more content from
one remote than can be found from any device connected to the
television, Xbox LIVE is also a unified online social network bringing
friends together, no matter where they are - in the living room or
across the world. More information and Xbox LIVE membership can be
found online at http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live.


About Microsoft


Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses
realize their full potential.


* Supported 720p HD video files play on the device, downscaled to fit
the screen at 480 x 272 - not HD resolution. Zune HD and AV Dock, and
an HDTV (all sold separately) are required to view video at HD
resolution.


HD Radio™ and the HD Radio logo are proprietary trademarks of iBiquity Digital Corp.











Rough and Tumble--Balls That Last

Toys get hard use in my home and balls in particular get thoroughly tested. Not only are the toys Lab tested, but they are also terrier tested, German Shepherd Dog tested and Jaws-of-Death Doodle tested. You want to know what toys go the distance? These do:

Orbee Balls
Sure, they are cute, but they are tough, too. Left outside through a long, cold New Hampshire winter, mowed with our lawn tractor and abused by numerous dogs our Orbees still just fine. Not usually a favorite toy, Pip has recently taken a shine to their “Snowball,” adding it to this week’s golluming pile.

Everlasting Fun Balls
Add these to the list of great food dispensing toys. Soft yet hard wearing, ours have seen daily use here for many months with no noticeable wear. We’ll always have a few of these around. My only criticism is that opening where the food comes out is the same in all three sizes, meaning that toy-breed sized mini kibble simply falls out.

Fantastic Foam Balls
These make no sense to me at all. When I got my first one, I laughed. This will last a few minutes, I thought as I tossed it to PJ, an experienced toy destroyer. But it has lasted for nine or so months now with only one small nick out of it. Amazing.

Jolly Ball Tug-n-Toss
Okay, Jolly balls aren’t durable but they are, apparently, just as fun flattened, chewed, and handle-less as they are fresh out of the box. We have one “Jolly Chunk” that’s been around for several years now. It is no longer even remotely “ball” shaped but it remains a favorite toy among our gang.

–Sarah Wilson, MySmartPuppy.com
———————
Sarah Wilson is a pet behavior specialist, author, media personality, and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex. Sarah’s books include, “Dogology“, “My Smart Puppy“, and “Tails from the Barkside“, all available now.

Rough and Tumble--Balls That Last

Toys get hard use in my home and balls in particular get thoroughly tested. Not only are the toys Lab tested, but they are also terrier tested, German Shepherd Dog tested and Jaws-of-Death Doodle tested. You want to know what toys go the distance? These do:

Orbee Balls
Sure, they are cute, but they are tough, too. Left outside through a long, cold New Hampshire winter, mowed with our lawn tractor and abused by numerous dogs our Orbees still just fine. Not usually a favorite toy, Pip has recently taken a shine to their “Snowball,” adding it to this week’s golluming pile.

Everlasting Fun Balls
Add these to the list of great food dispensing toys. Soft yet hard wearing, ours have seen daily use here for many months with no noticeable wear. We’ll always have a few of these around. My only criticism is that opening where the food comes out is the same in all three sizes, meaning that toy-breed sized mini kibble simply falls out.

Fantastic Foam Balls
These make no sense to me at all. When I got my first one, I laughed. This will last a few minutes, I thought as I tossed it to PJ, an experienced toy destroyer. But it has lasted for nine or so months now with only one small nick out of it. Amazing.

Jolly Ball Tug-n-Toss
Okay, Jolly balls aren’t durable but they are, apparently, just as fun flattened, chewed, and handle-less as they are fresh out of the box. We have one “Jolly Chunk” that’s been around for several years now. It is no longer even remotely “ball” shaped but it remains a favorite toy among our gang.

–Sarah Wilson, MySmartPuppy.com
———————
Sarah Wilson is a pet behavior specialist, author, media personality, and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex. Sarah’s books include, “Dogology“, “My Smart Puppy“, and “Tails from the Barkside“, all available now.

YA Wednesday: BEA and the Trouble With Mary Sue

Are you going to BookExpo America (the notorious BEA)? I am not, but Amy Krouse Rosenthal is, and she’ll be at the Children’s Book and Author Breakfast on Friday, May 29, at 8 a.m., along with Meg Cabot, Tomie de Paola, and Julie Andrews (yes, that Julie Andrews). Here’s a funny preview, with tangerines:

Other potentially exciting YA/kids-related events:

Friday, 2 p.m., BEA Young Adult Editor’s Buzz, with editors from Arthur A. Levine books, Disney/Hyperion, Delacorte, First Second Books, Feiwel & Friends, and Harper Collins Children’s Books.

Saturday, 10:30 a.m., Cassie Clare (The Mortal Instruments series) and Scott Westerfeld (Leviathan)

Saturday, 2 p.m., YA Authors of YA Editor’s buzz, which looks like it may include Laini Taylor (Lips Touch), Sarwat Chadda (The Devil’s Kiss), James Dashner (The Maze Runner), Danica Novgorodoff (illustrator of Refresh, Refresh), Jill S. Alexander (The Sweatheart of Prosper County), and Adriana Trigiani (Viola in Reel Life).

For a full schedule of YA author and blogger events, visit the BEA website or see Shelf Talker’s list of kids’ book events.

What’s a Mary Sue?
Crossover, a newish blog by Kelly Herold (Big A, Little a), kicked off with the most obvious crossover hit, Twilight. A ton of YA authors and bloggers joined in the discussion of why the series appeals to grown-ups, and children’s author Kelly Fineman sparked further talk with her “Mary Sue” remark:

“What makes [the Twilight novels] work is the very Mary Sue main character, Bella Swan, who is the reader’s proxy in the books. She’s clumsy and awkward and whiny, yet still manages to charm all the boys, including Edward Cullen. And once she vamps out midway through Book 4, she vampires better than anyone else. She’s living the dream - ordinary girl who attracts extraordinary things, and ends up being the Very Best Vampire Ever with Extra-Special Powers.”

Gail Gauthier, who is not a fan of Mary Sue, responds on her blog with “How Do I Avoid Writing Mary Sue?”:

If I stay away from romance, will Mary Sue characters stay away from me? If I don’t write about anyone over the age of thirteen will I be safe? What if I use male main characters? Will that work?

Author Tanita Davis (Mare’s War) comments:

…when I know I’m protecting a character by making her a mixture of Clark Kent and Captain Americana, I know I’m Mary Sue-ing, and I have to draw up those mental divorce papers all over again.

Blogger Liz B. (from Tea Cozy) adds:

When does my Mary Sue radar go off? When the character is “too perfect” and idealized. It doesn’t mean they are perfect–just that everyone in the story sees them as so. When all the boys fall in love for no apparent reason. When there are characteristics that don’t add up to a character (for example, Bella’s clumsiness to make her ‘normal’). When there is a “tragic backstory” that has little or nothing to do with the plot or character except to have other characters/reader learn about it, feel sorry for the person, and somehow that sorry translated into liking the person.

Quick links…
The Guardian announces their Children’s Fiction Prize longlist, including Terry Pratchett’s Nation and, one of the books I’m most looking forward to this year, Siobhan Dowd’s Solace of the Road, which comes out in the U.S. this October. The short list will be announced in September, and the winner on October 8.

John Green goes to Australia.

Shifty author Lynn E. Hazen posts two videos on how to make a Shifty card:

Happy watching/card-making/panel-attending/reading.–Heidi

"Waltz With Bashir": Best DVDs of June/July 2009

What it is: Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman interviews nine colleagues who fought with him in 1982’s Lebanon War about the disturbing dreams that have plagued them since (Folman cannot remember anything about that period). He grabs their experiences and captures them in a graphic-novelesque animated vision. It’s animated, and it’s a foreign-language film, but it’s also a documentary.

Why It’s Significant: Considered a shoo-in for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar (but upset by Japan’s Departures), Waltz With Bashir was also ignored by the Animated and Documentary categories. And why wouldn’t it? After all, it’s such a rare feat that a film can integrate all three genres in such a seamless way that the mainstream might be confounded at how to categorize it. Folman’s surrealist way of portraying the soldier’s dreams and memories displays not only the horrors of war but some moments of beauty as well. Below is our exclusive interview with Folman. --Ellen

Toy Tips with Marianne Szymanski - Summer Swimming

Editor’s Note: Marianne Szymanski is a leading expert in toy reviews, and the founder of the Toy Tips Research Institute.  She is the author of Toy Tips: A Parent’s Essential Guide to Smart Toy Choices and also the editor of Toy Tips and Parenting Hints Magazine.

 Whether it’s bathtub swimming, the backyard pool, the lake, at the country club or the public park pool, summer swimming means safety, safety and more safety.  Kids of any age should NEVER be left alone at the pool and the buddy system when swimming is mandatory.  Parents should always be in the water even when lifeguards are around.

Before kids start their summer swimming lessons, be sure to get the appropriate summer swimming tools in place based on age. Many children are afraid of the water so be patient but eventually they will catch on!  It’s important for children to know how to swim.

Here are some helpful products:


• Watermelon Baby Spring Float



• Speedo Silicone Swim Cap



• Swim Diapers



• Speedo Kids’ Swim Goggles



• Huggies Little Swimmers Sunscreen



• Fun Noodle





Enjoy the water!
–Marianne Szymanski

Man Booker International Prize Goes to Alice Munro, Canadian Master of Stories

From a finalist lineup that included the likes of E.L. Doctorow, V.S Naipaul, and Joyce Carol Oates, Alice Munro was “totally amazed and delighted” earlier today to receive the 2009 Man Booker International Prize, news the book-loving community and her readers have greeted with approval and delight. Her win feels especially notable for the fact that she’s widely considered the greatest living writer of short fiction, a genre that often gets short shrift–even her two books described as novels, Lives of Girls and Women and Who Do You Think You Are?, are series of interwoven stories. But as the Booker judges noted, Munro “brings as much depth, wisdom and precision to every story as most novelists bring to a lifetime of novels.”

Munro has already won multiples of Canada’s most prestigious literary awards (three Governor General’s Awards and two Giller Prizes), but this international recognition should finally break her out of popular obscurity, as The Guardian’s Lisa Allardice enthused: 

While admirers such as Margaret Atwood and A.S. Byatt have long been forceful advocates of Munro’s stories, a younger generation of writers has recently joined the cult of Munro: you might expect a relative hipster like Jonathan Franzen, for example, to be more in thrall to the noisier attractions of the Big American Men, but it is Munro he calls “The Great One.” And yet, until today at least, Alice Munro has remained something of a paradox: while critics and fellow authors have fallen over themselves to crown her “the greatest living short story writer”, they have also formed a chorus lamenting her obscurity and lack of recognition. She is the secret everyone likes to shout about–and yet she somehow retains her secret status. As Atwood puts it,”It’s as if she jumps out of a cake–Surprise!–and then has to jump out of it again, and then again.”

If you haven’t read Munro in a while (or ever), start with her best. Or start anywhere. All of her stories are architecturally perfect little worlds to inhabit, “deep caves paved with kitchen linoleum.” And at 77, Munro is paving still darker caves–her new collection of stories, Too Much Happiness, comes out in Canada this August, and it sounds gritty, complete with “child murders, strange sex, and a terrifying home invasion.” (We’ll take her word on the happiness part.)  –Mari Malcolm



"Waltz With Bashir": Best DVDs of June/July 2009

What it is: Israeli filmmaker Ari Folman interviews nine colleagues who fought with him in 1982’s Lebanon War about the disturbing dreams that have plagued them since (Folman cannot remember anything about that period). He grabs their experiences and captures them in a graphic-novelesque animated vision. It’s animated, and it’s a foreign-language film, but it’s also a documentary.

Why It’s Significant: Considered a shoo-in for the Best Foreign-Language Film Oscar (but upset by Japan’s Departures), Waltz With Bashir was also ignored by the Animated and Documentary categories. And why wouldn’t it? After all, it’s such a rare feat that a film can integrate all three genres in such a seamless way that the mainstream might be confounded at how to categorize it. Folman’s surrealist way of portraying the soldier’s dreams and memories displays not only the horrors of war but some moments of beauty as well. Below is our exclusive interview with Folman. --Ellen

Gifts from the Kitchen: Juana's Roasted Garlic in Oil

The first time I met Juana we made Argentinian food in her kitchen, and she sent me home with two beautiful jars of roasted garlic in oil.

She makes the garlic in big batches, stopping at Costco to buy not one, but two of their huge sacks of garlic. First she cuts off the tops of each garlic bulb and puts the bulbs on a baking sheet, pouring a little olive oil over each one.

Then she bakes them in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour, until they are soft when speared with knife. Once they’ve cooled, she peels the garlic and drops the cloves into a huge jar, filling it with enough oil to cover them completely.

She stores the garlic in the fridge, where it will last for weeks, adding it to a myriad of dishes and giving it in small jars, with a sprig of rosemary and a dozen or so peppercorns, as gifts. (Juana told me to keep my jars in the fridge as well.)

A gift of food is a gift of love, and Juana’s great dexterity in the kitchen is matched only by her generosity of spirit.

–Tracy Schneider

My Interview with "Weeds" Star Justin Kirk

You probably know him best as “Uncle Andy” Botwin from Weeds. Under that context, we already know this guy is freakin’ hilarious. Oh, the stuff he gets into…

Well, during the filming of Weeds: Season 4, I was able to catch up with Justin to talk about the new season, hear some stories from filming past seasons, and talk about his acting career in general.

Make sure you tune in to hear about his unique experience of filming a dog biting off his toes, some awful jobs he had before he was an successful actor, and his strangest experiences since he became famous.

Also, if you only know Justin Kirk from Weeds, make sure to check HBO’s Angels in America, where Justin plays a main character dying from AIDS. He also stars along side Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, and Mary Louise Parker. The man has many layers. — Jordan

Listen:

Kathy Casey: Minty Mojitos Keep You Cool in the Summer!

Fresh mint–mmmmm–the fragrance is so uplifting. Over the years, we’ve loved it in all kinds of libations from Mint Juleps in frosted silver cups to the classic Mojito, currently enjoying a major resurgence. Nothing says refreshing like fresh mint–shaken, hand-pressed, or added in some way or another to a cocktail.

Mojitos are the classic cocktail originating from Cuba and it is now one of the most ordered cocktails from restaurant and bar menus. Shake up one of these refreshing drinks for your next get-together…it could be with fresh cherries, peaches, or juicy berries–get creative and bring out your inner bar-chef!

In my new book Sips & Apps, I feature a Blue Thai Mojito that has a syrup infused with coconut, red pepper flakes, mint, and cilantro to add an exotic kick to this tall rum classic.

I’ve included a few different recipes here for you–from a classic, to a quickie, to the inspired. Happy mixing!

Blue Thai Mojito
The infused syrup adds an exotic kick to this tall rum drink.

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1/4 ounce blue Curaçao
1-1/2 ounces Bacardi Limon rum or silver rum
1-1/2 ounces Coco-Mint Syrup (recipe follows)
1 ounce fresh lime juice
2 ounces chilled soda water

For garnishing:
Fresh mint and/or cilantro sprigs
Shaved coconut (optional)

Directions:
1. Fill a tall glass with ice. Measure in the Curaçao, rum, syrup, lime juice, and soda water. Stir with a bar spoon.

2. Garnish with fresh mint and/or cilantro and a sprinkling of shaved coconut, if using.

Coco-Mint Syrup
Makes 3 cups, enough for about 16 drinks

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 bunch fresh mint, torn
12 large sprigs fresh cilantro
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Directions:
1. Combine the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 1 hour.

2. Strain, pressing out as much liquid as possible, then discard the solids.

3. Let cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate, for up to 1 month, until needed. Remix before using.

© 2009 by Kathy Casey from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books
Photo from Sips & Apps, Chronicle Books, Angie Norwood Browne Photography




Classic Mojito
Use this as a classic recipe to get creative with!

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
3 large sprigs fresh mint
2 ounces silver rum such as Cruzan
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
3/4 ounce Simple Syrup*
Splash of chilled soda water
Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Directions:
1. Tear the mint sprigs and drop into a cocktail shaker. With a muddler, press the mint to release its flavors.

2. Fill the shaker with ice. Measure in the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Cap and shake vigorously. Pour into a large glass. Top with soda water.

*Simple Syrup: One cup sugar and one cup water brought to a boil and cooled; keep refrigerated for up to 1 month.

© 2009 Kathy Casey Inc.

Peach Melba Mojito
This quick and easy mojito is made with my Dish D’Lish Mojito cocktail mix. You can substitute strawberry purée for the raspberry if desired.

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients:
1 lime squeeze
1 large wedge fresh peach
2 ounces Bacardi Peach Red Rum
2 ounces Dish D’Lish Classic Mojito Cocktailor
2 tablespoons raspberry purée
Splash of soda water

For garnishing:
Fresh mint sprig
Fresh raspberry if in season

Directions:
1. Squeeze lime and drop it into cocktail shaker.  Fill with ice. Add rum, Cocktailor, and purée.

2. Cap and shake vigorously. Add soda water. Pour into a tall glass. Top with more ice if needed. Garnish with mint and raspberry if using and insert straw.

© 2008 Dish D’Lish® Inc

For more Dishing with Kathy Casey and recipes visit www.kathycasey.com/blog 

A new "Buffy" movie is in the works... but it's not what you might think

According to The Hollywood Reporter, there's a new Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie in development. But don't jump up and down just yet, Joss Whedon fans. The article says that Whedon is not involved, and this movie "would have no connection to the TV series, nor would it use popular supporting characters like Angel, Willow, Xander or Spike. [Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment and original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui and her husband, Kaz Kuzui,] are looking to restart the story line without trampling on the beloved existing universe created by Whedon." The article adds this caveat, which sounds like a way to quell the expected uproar: "The
producers do not rule out Whedon's involvement but have not yet reached out to
him."  There are also hopeful references to the new Star Trek, which successfully rebooted a favorite franchise, but it seems to me that a Joss-less Buffy, without some Abrams-level firepower attached to it, would face a major uphill climb, or even outright hostility.  –David