icank blog's

" Severity Israel "

2009-01-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

' hopefully quick end "

The Hundreds, Livestock, & eS Limited Shoe Collabo

2008-09-18T21:23:00.000-07:00

The epic skateboard shoe company eS has teamed up with with Livestock a popular shop out of Vancouver and The Hundreds one of LA's most popular street wear brands. The three companies joined together and created a double shoe pack. The double shoe pack consists of a pair of Theory Mids and the ever popular Square One. Livestock chose to design the Theory Mid giving the shoe a colorful yet urban feel. In contrast the Hundreds designed the Square One giving the shoe a dark stealth like look. The shoe pack gives you options. If you are feeling bright one day rock the Theorys, but if you are feeling a little dark wear the Square Ones. The collabo is limited to 500 sets sold at Livestock and The Hundreds stores set to release mid-October.

Check back soon for more sneaker news and reviews.

taken from : http://www.skateboard.com/blogs/blog/20080910/the_hundreds__livestock____es_limited_shoe_collabo-1449.html

Digital SLR Camera Nikon D90 Coming To Indonesia

2008-09-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of its newest DX-format digital SLR, the D90. More than just a new camera, the D90 represents a new era of digital SLR fun and creativity.

The first thing that will amaze photographers about the D90 is its stunning image quality, which takes its inspiration from Nikon’s flagship DX-format digital SLR, the D300. The D90’s image sensor and 12.3 effective megapixels combine with Nikon’s exclusive EXPEED image processing to deliver outstanding images featuring fine details, smooth tones, rich colors and low noise across a wide ISO sensitivity range.

The D90 is the world’s first* digital SLR camera with a movie shooting function that delivers genuinely cinematic results, enhanced by the creatively shallow depth of field made possible by the DX-format sensor. This is further refined by the optical quality and broad selection of NIKKOR lenses — the same lenses relied upon by professional photographers the world over. Thanks to the D90’s large image sensor, D-Movie images exhibit less noise than those of a typical camcorder, most notably in low-light situations.

The D90 also provides remarkable performance and operability, featuring Nikon’s exclusive Scene Recognition System that advances precision in auto focus, auto exposure, and auto white balance in diverse shooting situations. Live View mode allows shooting while confirming the subject on the large 3-in., approx. 920k-dot high-density color LCD and offers three contrast-detect AF modes to allow photographers to focus on any point in the frame, enabling a greater variety of composition. In addition to wide and normal area AF, the D90 offers face priority AF in Live View mode for even sharper pictures of people.

All of these powerful features and more are housed in a compact, comfortable-to-hold body, with intuitive controls. In other words, the D90 is a camera that will satisfy the requirements of passionate photographers who demand superior image quality and crave exciting new photographic possibilities.

*As of August 27, 2008, according to research conducted by Nikon Corporation

Nikon D90 Feature Highlights

Newly designed Nikon DX-format CMOS image sensor with wide ISO sensitivity range with low noise

D90’s 12.3 effective megapixels provides outstanding resolution, delivering images with extraordinarily defined detail and expanded enlargement capacity. The extremely wide sensitivity range of ISO 200 to 3200 delivers incredibly low-noise characteristics throughout. Furthermore, sensitivity can be increased to Hi 1 (ISO 6400 equivalent) and decreased to Lo 1

(ISO 100 equivalent) to expand shooting versatility. The camera also employs the Image Sensor Cleaning function that works to free image-degrading dust particles from the sensor’s optical low-pass filter.

EXPEED for smooth tones, rich colors and fine details

Nikon’s comprehensive digital image-processing EXPEED technology is optimized for the D90 to realize the high-quality, high-speed image processing capability. EXPEED also contributes to the outstanding performance of other powerful features such as Live View and the new Face Detection System.

D-Movie: the world’s first* D-SLR movie mode

In a world first* for D-SLRs, the D90 offers a movie function, allowing you to shoot 320 x 216 pixels, 640 x 424 pixels or HD720p (1,280 x 720 pixels) movies at the professional smoothness of 24 frames per second in motion JPEG format. The D90’s sensor, which is much larger than the sensor of a typical camcorder, ensures higher image quality and exceptional low-noise, high ISO sensitivity performance, even during movie shooting. Capturing creative movie clips or the drama of life’s moving moments is further enhanced by the wide selection of incredibly sharp NIKKOR interchangeable lenses that are available, from fisheye to wide-angle to super-telephoto. And Micro NIKKOR lenses bring the magic of extreme close-up imagery to movie making.

*As of August 27, 2008, according to research conducted by Nikon Corporation
Note: Autofocus and some other functions are not available when recording movies.

Scene Recognition System integrated with Face Detection System

The D90 precisely reads the color and brightness information of each scene from the 420-pixel RGB sensor, and applies this to auto focus, auto exposure and auto white balance. The D90 also recognizes human faces using the new Face Detection System, data which is incorporated during calculation, resulting in faces with newfound definition and accuracy as well as enabling face priority AF in Live View mode and immediate zoom into people’s faces in playback zoom.

Easy-to-use Live View mode

One press of the Live View button activates the D90’s Live View mode, delivering a bright, crisp image to the 3-in., approx. 920k-dot color LCD and allowing comfortable shooting without looking through the viewfinder. There are three contrast-detect AF modes that let you focus on any point in the frame: Face priority AF automatically detects up to five faces and focuses on that calculated to be the closest. Wide area AF offers a large AF area suitable for handheld shooting, and normal area AF provides focus with pinpoint accuracy when using a tripod. And when Nikon VR (Vibration Reduction) lenses are in use, photographers will enjoy the benefit of a VR-smoothed image, even in Live View mode.

Picture Control System: Customize the visual style of your images

Nikon’s Picture Control System enables users to customize the look and mood of images. Six original setting options are available — Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape — for easy customization of image preferences.

Active D-Lighting for smooth tone reproduction in high-contrast lighting

The D90’s Active D-Lighting accurately restores details in the shadows and highlighted areas, which are often lost in high-contrast lighting situations, by localizing tone control while shooting. There are four levels, including the new “Extra High.” Active D-Lighting can be used manually or set to Auto mode. It is also possible to bracket your pictures, allowing the capture of one image with Active D-Lighting and one without.

Versatile, practical 11-point AF system

Thanks to the Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module, the D90’s 11-point AF system offers fast and precise autofocus coverage across the frame with the most sensitive AF sensor operating from the center. In addition, the D90 features versatile AF-area modes to handle most shooting situations: Single-point AF is recommended for stationary subjects, dynamic-area AF for moving subjects, auto-area AF for spontaneous shooting and 3D-tracking (11 points) AF for when you want to change the composition after focusing on your subject.

Bright pentaprism viewfinder featuring frame coverage of approx. 96%

The D90 has a precise eye-level pentaprism viewfinder with approx. 96% (centered) frame coverage and an easy-to-view 19.5 mm eyepoint (at -1.0 m^-1). The built-in 16-frame superimposed grid display can be activated to assist in the creation of better-balanced compositions.

Advanced Scene Modes for superior image quality

The D90 features Advanced Scene Modes: Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports and Night Portrait. These modes not only adjust exposure and image processing, but also judge the optimum Active D-Lighting and Picture Control settings to obtain the best results. The D90 also recognizes if VR (Vibration Reduction) is on or off and minimizes noise even in dimly lit scenes.

Extensive palette of in-camera Retouch Menus

The D90’s designers incorporated a wide variety of image editing functions, making it easy for users to enhance images within the camera. The D90 introduces several new retouch options: Distortion Control adjusts lens aberration, Straighten corrects inclination of the image, while Fisheye produces optical effects similar to a fisheye lens.

Engineered for precision and durability

Accurate exposures rely on precise shutters and the D90’s electronically timed shutter mechanism was specifically engineered for long, accurate service. To ensure this, D90 shutters, assembled in D90 bodies, underwent exhaustive 100,000 shutter-release cycle testing.

Nikon D90 Other Features

Gives you quick response, with 0.15-second start-up, 65 ms shutter release time lag (CIPA standard) and 4.5 fps continuous shooting.
3-in., approx. 920-k dot high-resolution LCD monitor with wide viewing angle that lets you change composition of the frame during shooting from various angles and easily confirm your image during playback.
Built-in flash with 18mm lens coverage, guide number of approx. 17/56 (ISO 200, m/ft., 20°C/68°F) and Nikon’s original i-TTL flash control; works as a commander; controlling up to two groups of remote Speedlights.
Highly efficient energy-saving design allows approx. 850 images on a single charge of the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e. (CIPA standard, with AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR, with 50% of pictures taken with flash)
Extensive playback functions offer ample options for viewing and selecting the right shot, including 72-frame playback, calendar playback and histogram display for magnified portion of the image.
Versatile Pictmotion menu creates slideshows combining five choices of both background music and image effects.
Compatible with HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output.
Supports the Nikon Creative Lighting System when using the SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 Speedlight, or Wireless Close-up Speedlight System R1C1; ensures accurate exposures via i-TTL flash control.
Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D80 (Optional, in common with the D80) gives you the choice of using one or two Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries EN-EL3e or six R6/AA-size batteries to extend battery life.
New optional Remote Cord MC-DC2 enables shutter release and long time exposures (bulb) remotely.
With the new optional GPS Unit GP-1, location information such as latitude, longitude, altitude and time is automatically recorded to each image’s EXIF data.
Included Nikon ViewNX image browsing and editing software lets you organize, label and select images as well as perform RAW (NEF) image editing adjustments and conversions.
Optional Capture NX 2 photo-editing software features patented U Point™ technology and powerful tools for quick and easy photo editing including enhanced RAW (NEF) Editing.

Nikon Digital SLR Camera D90 Specifications

Type	Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount	Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)
Effective picture angle	Approx. 1.5 x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
Effective pixels	12.3 million
Image sensor	23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels	12.9 million
Dust-reduction system	Image Sensor Cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 required)
Image size (pixels)	4,288 x 2,848 [L], 3,216 x 2,136 [M], 2,144 x 1,424 [S]
File format	• NEF (RAW) • JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8), or basic (approx. 1:16) compression • NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System	Can be selected from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; storage for up to nine custom Picture Controls
Media	SD memory cards, SDHC compliant
File system	DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge
Viewfinder	Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage	Approx. 96% horizontal and 96% vertical
Magnification	Approx. 0.94 x (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity; -1.0 m^-1)
Eyepoint	19.5 mm (-1.0 m^-1)
Diopter adjustment	-2 to +1 m^-1
Focusing screen	Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with focus frame (framing grid can be displayed)
Reflex mirror	Quick-return type
Depth-of-field preview	When depth-of-field preview button is pressed, lens aperture is stopped down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (other modes)
Lens aperture	Instant return, electronically controlled
Compatible lenses	• DX AF Nikkor: All functions supported • Type G or D AF Nikkor: All functions supported (PC Micro-Nikkor does not support some functions). IX-Nikkor lenses not supported. • Other AF Nikkor: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II. Lenses for F3AF not supported. • AI-P Nikkor: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II and auto focus. • Non-CPU: Autofocus not supported. Can be used in exposure mode M, but exposure meter does not function. Electronic rangefinder can be used if lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster.
Shutter type	Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Shutter speed	1/4,000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, Bulb
Flash sync speed	X = 1/200 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/200s or slower
Release modes	Single-frame, continuous low speed, continuous high speed, self-timer, delayed remote, quick-response
Frame advance rate	Continuous high speed: up to 4.5 fps, continuous low speed: 1-4 fps
Self-timer	Can be selected from 2, 5, 10 and 20 s duration
Exposure metering	TTL exposure metering using 420-pixel RGB sensor
Exposure method	• Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses) • Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 6-, 8- or 10-mm circle in center of frame • Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2% of frame) centered on selected focus point
Exposure range (ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)	• Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0-20 EV • Spot metering: 2-20 EV
Exposure meter coupling	CPU
Exposure modes	Auto modes (auto, auto [flash off]), Advanced Scene Modes (Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Close-up, Night Portrait), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M)
Exposure compensation	±5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
Exposure bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
Exposure lock	Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)	ISO 200 to 3200 in steps of 1/3 EV, can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 100 equivalent) below ISO 200, or to approx. 0.3, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 6400 equivalent) over ISO 3200, ISO sensitivity auto control available
Active D-Lighting	Can be selected from Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low or off
Active D-Lighting bracketing	2 frames
Autofocus	Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 autofocus module with TTL phase detection, 11 focus points (including 1 cross-type sensor) and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5-3 m/1 ft. 8 in.-9 ft. 10 in.)
Detection range	-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C /68°F)
Lens servo	• Autofocus: Single-servo AF (S), Continuous-servo AF (C), Auto-servo AF (A), Predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status in single- and continuous-servo AF • Manual (M): Electronic rangefinder supported
Focus point	Can be selected from 11 focus points
AF-area modes	Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF, 3D-tracking (11 points) AF
Focus lock	Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Built-in flash	Auto, Portrait, Close-up, Night Portrait modes: Auto flash with auto pop-up P, S, A, M: Manual pop-up with button release
Guide number (m/ft.) at 20°C/68°F	• At ISO 200: Approx. 17/56, 18/59 with manual flash • At ISO 100 equivalent: Approx. 12/39, 13/43 with manual flash
Flash control	• TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 420-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 or SB-400 • Auto aperture: Available with SB-900, SB-800 and CPU lenses • Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27 or SB-22s • Range-priority manual: Available with SB-900 and SB-800
Flash modes	Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync
Flash compensation	-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3, or 1/2 EV
Flash bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1 or 2 EV
Flash-ready indicator	Lights when built-in flash or SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX, or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output in i-TTL or auto aperture modes
Accessory shoe	Standard ISO 518 hot-shoe contact with safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)	Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, or SU-800 as commander and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 or SB-R200 as remotes; Auto FP High-Speed Sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400; Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
White balance	Auto (TTL white-balance with main image sensor and 420-pixel RGB sensor); 12 manual modes with fine-tuning; color temperature setting; preset manual white balance
White balance bracketing	2 or 3 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3
Live View AF modes	Face priority AF, wide area AF, normal area AF
Live View focus	Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face priority AF is selected)
Movie image size (pixels)	1,280 x 720/24 fps, 640 x 424/24 fps, 320 x 216/24 fps
Movie file format	AVI
Movie compression format	Motion-JPEG, with monaural sound
LCD monitor	3-in., approx. 920k-dot (VGA), low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment
Playback function	Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, Pictmotion, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 characters)
USB	Hi-Speed USB
Audio video output	Can be selected from NTSC and PAL; simultaneous playback from both the audio video output and on the LCD monitor available
HDMI output	HDMI Mini connector; camera monitor turns off when HDMI cable is connected
Accessory terminal	• Remote Cord MC-DC2 (Optional) • GPS Unit GP-1 (Optional)
Supported languages	Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish
Battery	One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e
Battery pack	Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D80 (optional) with one or two Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e or six R6/AA-size alkaline, Ni-MH, lithium or nickel-manganese batteries (Battery Holder MS-D200 is required when using R6/AA-size batteries.)
AC adapter	AC Adapter EH-5a (optional)
Tripod socket	1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 132 x 103 x 77 mm/5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in.
Weight	Approx. 620 g/1 lb. 6 oz. without battery, memory card, body cap or monitor cover
Temperature	0-40°C/32-104°F
Humidity	Less than 85% (no condensation)
Supplied accessories (may differ by country or area)	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, Quick Charger MH-18a, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecup DK-21, USB Cable UC-E4, Audio Video Cable EG-D2, Camera Strap AN-DC1, LCD Monitor Cover BM-10, Body Cap, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, Software Suite CD-ROM

inspiration : here

Making Background Blur In Photoshop CS 2

2008-08-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

To consumer of digital camera of class of consumer, used camera usually only using long and small censor of limited lens enough.

camera this type of difficult to get short DOF so that background seen blur to signalize obyek.

But constructively Photoshop, making blur background is very easy. Following stages;steps which must be in CS Photoshop CS 2 :

1.Making selection at obyek to be defended its durability, you can use lasso magnetic for easy selection.

2.Finished all obyek have in selection, last select;choose menu of select - inverse.

3.And then selecting menu of filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Including its value, depended how big background blur which you wish.

4.Presenting returning new layer result of selection, if still seen halo, hence you earn improve;repairing it return with Blur Tool using to vanish excess of selection which you conduct.

5.Don’t forgetting, save result of your activity if feeling have satisfied and is maximal. and kept in format of jpeg.

Congratulation have masterpiece.

Hopefully assist.

Thank’s….

Trik Improve The Amount Of Comment at Blog

2008-07-08T04:59:00.000-07:00

First moment make blog, possible comment is something that of a awaiting-supposing rainwater in dry season. To increase comment, all way of strived, even possible there is which incognito or pay for people for comment in blog alone.

Difficult to how create blog to be getting many attention of a visitor-marking with many comment him. One of the way of us to be our blog get the more attention from reader is by including interesting posting-posting.

Interesting Posting is I will give tips and of trik to be your posting draw.

There is a five trik and tips

1. Use example of personal. By using experience of person as topic. Reader will feel there is typical of your posting

2. Make title captivating and drawing

3. Don'T forget to give question, either in early and also is final of posting

4. Don'T forget to give picture, graph or photo

5. Citation, if relevant is true.

Use Plugins

Comment is one important element of blogging, and something that become apresiasi all blogger. By making comment as a interesting experience to your reader, hence will push the more commentator return to your blog.

Following is plugins which I suggest to increase the amount of comment in your blog

Nicedit is visual of a kind editor text watering down visitor of your blog in writing down comment. click here to getting of download

Exploiting External Link

Use link-link of other blog in blog posting, big enough in the reality its benefit.

There is three benefit of links outbound

1. Assisting reader of your blog to find valuable source and information. If you do consistently, they will see that you is the source of trustworthy

2. Blogger-Blogger which its of your him of link in posting there is, will detect your blog. Don'T surprise if at one time they also will include your blog as link in its his ( especially if topic or its of is same him) at least thank utterance

3. Your Trackback of course will appear in comment forum of blog-blog, which connote will deliver traffic to your blog.

Possible this is a few/little trik tips from me. So that assist...

Vector Eye Basic 3

2008-07-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

"VectorEye is a raster to vector converter that exports to SVG,Ps and Eps"
Faster than a tracing hand, this powerful software is the raster to vector converter you need for Illustrator (Adobe), CorelDraw (Corel), Flash (Macromedia), Mobile Designer (Beatware), Swish, Inkscape (freeware) and any vector-based software.

VectorEye is a raster to vector converter that exports to SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), Ps and Eps. Our third release can also export in native Flash format and Xaml new windows Vista format.
It recognizes all major raster formats (BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF) and makes the web raw materials. Raster images made from pixels acquired from scanner or CCD camera can be translated into scalable geometric shapes. Vector-based images are the best way to display high quality graphics with the minimum amount of information.

Extracting this information from raster images is a great challenge, and algorithms will probably never replace our artistic sensitivity. However VectorEye was designed to do better than current products, and gives surprisingly good results.

VectorEye combines efficient colour segmenting with robust curve fitting. Algorithms were developed in close relationship with Research in image processing and allowing artistic considerations.
The curve fitting is precise and allows you to use VectorEye to vectorize fonts and inked drawings. Moreover, the curves are always well preserved since the fitting can smoothe big curves without losing details.
Unlike other tracing programs, it simplifies the result image by removing non significant details and extracts the image essence. As a result, files are much smaller and ready for the web. you can free download Vector Eye Basic 3 now.

Vector Eye Basic 3 Screenshot

Vector Eye Basic 3 in here :download

Mystic Sk8 Cup 08

2008-07-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

If your anywhere near Europe or planning to go, try and check out the Mystic Sk8 Cup!

inspiration : here

About Saosin

2008-06-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

Southern California quintet Saosin are one of the fastest-growing headliners in rock – earning mainstage slots on the Vans Warped Tour, selling out clubs in a flash, going out with heavyweights like AFI, Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance and Taking Back Sunday and garnering an ocean of fans who’ve downloaded their songs from MySpace over five million times – all before they’ve released a full-length album.

That will all change on September 26th with the Capitol Records release of their self-titled debut. As your average Saosin fan (and there are legions) will be quick to point out, the wait was a considerable one. “We were waiting until the songs were right,” says frontman Cove Reber with some understatement.

It’s been three years since word of the band’s full-length debut first surfaced, and in that time a lot has changed within the music scene from which they originally emerged and within the band itself.

Seemingly overnight, stylized bands playing strains of melodic post-hardcore have sailed up the pop charts. But for Saosin -- Reber, bassist Chris Sorenson, drummer Alex Rodriguez, and guitarists Beau Burchell and Justin Shekoski -- things have played out a bit differently. During the scene’s ascension, the band’s members have all but shunned the idea of a genre tag or an “image” -- unless, of course, you count the jeans and t-shirts they soak in sweat every night onstage -- and have instead focused their energies on making an album that will live or die strictly on musical merits.

“At first we said we weren’t interested in putting the album out on a major label,” says Burchell. “We wanted to grow first.”

But the band’s sound and its ambition grew tremendously during the recording of their 12-song debut, an album that exceeds even the wildest of expectations. From the dueling guitar crunch of opener “It’s Far Better to Learn” to the nosebleed anthemic heights of lead single “Voices,” the livewire maelstrom of “Follow and Feel” and epic heartstring-puller “You’re Not Alone,” Saosin have created the kind of debut album that announces something indisputably new under rock’s sun.

“It was a long time coming,” says Sorenson, “but finishing the album really put a fire under our asses and we were better for it.”

The initial stages of the band’s debut date back to late 2003 when founding guitarists Burchell and Shekoski and original frontman Anthony Green began playing out, recorded a quick EP, Translating the Name, and embarked on a U.S. tour during which time Green exited the band. To the group’s surprise Translating the Name garnered the band a massive fanbase both online and at their live shows, which grew organically, and quickly.

The band, however, was so hands-off about promoting themselves that Google searches of the band turned up precious little info.

“It was cool if you knew about the band, we weren’t always easy to find,” says Burchell. “But I think that really brought kids together, having to actually make the effort to track us down.”

A collection of rabid fans with Ethernet connections soon began arguing about such pressing matters as how the band’s name was actually pronounced (it’s “say-o-sin”) and what it actually means (Saosin means “small heart” in Chinese. The word comes from a 15th century proverb about fathers telling their sons who are being married off for money not to get emotionally involved with their wives, who could die at any time.)

In the winter of 2005 the revamped Saosin lineup with Sorenson, Rodriguez and new frontman Reber signed to Capitol, released a self-titled EP of demos and live tracks, and began pre-production on their long-awaited full-length debut. As the band recorded various versions of their new songs -- both at their home studios and on a mobile recording unit that they set up on their tour bus – the burden of heavy expectations eventually gave way to genuine excitement.

“I would demo stuff with Chris,” Reber recalls, “and say, ‘This is really good – we can’t not run with this.’”

In turn, the album that Saosin began recording with producer Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Head Automatica) this past January -- nearly a full year after they began properly demoing its songs -- would live up to the band’s great expectations, and then some. More importantly, though, it proves that in a world of overnight success at least one group is devoted enough to write songs that are built to last.

“This record is going to take us places,” says Sorenson. “We don’t know exactly where, but it will definitely be an experience getting there.”

inspiration : here

Learn how to do a basic Vector Art Tutorial

2008-06-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

Vector is the term used for creating or editing images by stretching, twisting, coloring, and so on with a series of tools. It allows you to scale an image without making it blurry or pixel. A vector-based graphic is composed of a series of mathematically described lines that form geometric shapes.

This tutorial will teach you the basics on how to give your photo the vector feel using the program Adobe Photoshop 3. We will be utilizing the mighty pen tool in outlining each part of the image. The quality of the image isn’t an issue as long as you have enough details to trace.

1. Open the image you like to vector and make sure to duplicate the original image. Things will get a bit complicated as we go on; when worst comes to worst at least you still have another copy of the original image. Rename the duplicated image so you won’t be confused. Click the eye button of the original photo to turn off the visibility mode.

2. Begin outlining each part of the image using the pen tool, but make sure to follow every single detail of the original image. Create a new layer for every part of the image (face, hair, arm, shirt, cap, etc.) so that any changes you’d like to make as you go on would be much easier.

3. Add some highlights to add details and emphasis on your vector images. In this tutorial I’ve added highlights to the hat, hair, ears, eyes and shirt.

4. After you’re done with your vector, it’s time to create the background. Using the gradient tool choose your desired color. Here, I used dark gray, light pink and violet.

5. To spiff up your background add some styles using different types of brushes. The brushes I used here are mostly floral. If you don’t have a nice selection of Photoshop brushes, you can conveniently download some online.

6. Make sure the color of your background and brushes coordinates with your vector image.

7. Viola! You now have your Vector graphics

8. Finish

Inspiration :here

About Story Of The Year

2008-06-20T01:11:00.000-07:00

With its explosive, infectious roar, "Wake Up" alerts Story of the Year's fanatical, global following that the epic, uplifting The Black Swan is upon us. An artistic triumph in every sense, the beloved, million-selling band's third studio album is unequivocally its finest, building on the strength of past accomplishments while celebrating a newfound allegiance with Epitaph.

"Making this record felt like starting over," says Dan Marsala, frontman for the St. Louis-reared quintet. "We're like a brand new band. You can hear it in these songs, we're excited again. I think we've really stepped it up on this record."

If Story of the Year's career achievements - from 2003's smash debut Page Avenue to headlining massive festivals such as the Van's Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos, to world tours with the likes of My Chemical Romance, Linkin Park and The Used - have been abundant, they've also been the result of the esteemed modern rock outfit's tireless work ethic and willingness to push boundaries musically. Approaching the follow-up to 2005's In the Wake of Determination with a burst of creative freedom, Story of the Year - which also counts guitarists Ryan Phillips and Philip Sneed, bassist Adam Russell and drummer Josh Wills - elevates The Black Swan with these same key convictions.

Leaps and bounds beyond the standards of what an alt-rock anthem can be in 2008, the remarkably powerful, hopeful and deeply personal "Tell Me" is undeniable. "It opens with a fucking gnarly, classic riff that hits you right between the eyes," Ryan enthuses.

"It's about our band," Dan acknowledges. "Before we signed to Epitaph, things were up in the air for us. We knew we didn't want to be on a major label anymore. We were like, 'What does this mean? Is our band done?' We really had to work through it and it was a weird time for us. But it's also been a really positive experience. Like, 'we're going to get through this together and nothing can stop us!'"

Thematically based around the concept of impactful, unpredictable events, The Black Swan hits home with Story of the Year in that it relates to a massively successful rock band breaking free of confines and restrictions to thrive on its own terms. "Epitaph seemed like the perfect place for us at this time in our career," Ryan explains. "It's a much more creative environment." To which Dan adds, "We could tell that Brett [Gurewitz, Epitaph's founder] loved the songs."

Despite a back catalog that counts a half dozen radio staples (like 2003's "Until The Day I Die" to 2006's "Take Me Back") and a wall full of gold and platinum awards for record sales in North America, Japan and Australia, Story of the Year's loyal fans are its principal concern. And the legions that discovered the group via Page Avenue will be pleased to learn the group re-teamed with producer John Feldmann for a handful of tracks on The Black Swan.

Among them is the aforementioned, explosive "Wake Up," a collaboration between Phillips, Marsala and Russell, which took lyrical inspiration from Carl Sagan's book Pale Blue Dot. Written from a global perspective, Dan says of the track, "When you think about just how small the earth really is and just how small the human race really is, our existence is almost insignificant in the greater scheme of things. You think of how the wars and all of the fighting and killing are just so unnecessary. It's pointless, and we should all be living our lives to the fullest."

Elsewhere, the band's first bona fide ballad, "Terrified," upholds the same line of thinking, with an emotional and uplifting delivery. "It's an amazing story about a man who goes off to war leaving a pregnant wife," says Ryan. "It narrates from both sides; their fears, emotions, and the fact that she doesn't even know if he's still alive. It's a hard hitting song that needed to be personal and epic instead of heavy."

"A lot of this record explores social and ethical issues that we feel strongly about," explains Marsala. As is the case with the melodic charge of "We're Not Gonna Make It" which explores the struggle for an interracial couple to find acceptance and support from their parents and beyond in an overwhelmingly prejudiced America.

Equally poignant is the thought-provoking "Message To The World," which sends a global memorandum via the refrain, "When you kill me do it slowly." "People have this weird blind nationalism," says Dan. "Like, 'we're from America! And America is good. And we've gotta support America. And nobody else matters, because we're better than everybody.' And it's pretty obvious that having that kind of outlook will only result in things ending badly."

Additionally, Story of the Year teams with it-producer Elvis Baskette (Chevelle, Escape The Fate) on The Black Swan. "Elvis is a little more organic," Dan laughs. "He wants the guitars loud!" Be it "Welcome To Our New War," a stand out track that takes the group's shredding mastery to new heights, or the powerful riffs that propel "Apathy Is A Deathwish" - a track Phillips says, "Makes me want to smash stuff and drink a car-bomb shot" - the results are simply stellar.

Ferocious and thought-provoking, The Black Swan finds Story of the Year in the rare position of being one of the biggest bands in the world, while being left to its own devices to evolve and flourish creatively.

"I hope people really read into the lyrics and respect the fact that we don't sing about lollipops and gummi-bears," Ryan explains. "Musically, we've grown so much. We have some very unique, timeless, face melting guitar riffs and solos that have come to define our sound, without compromising the idea of a classic song."

Inspiration :here

Competiition Skateboarding

2008-06-20T00:54:00.000-07:00

"HERE WE COME... GRESIK SKATEBOARDING COMPETITON 2OO8 JUNE 22nd AT GKA SKATEPARK, BEHIND MUHAMADIYAH UNV, GRESIK.. LETS COME N JOIN THIS PARTY.. GET THIS pLAy WITH ENJOY.."

Inspiration :here

Going Day Skateboarding 21 June

2008-06-19T18:27:00.000-07:00

June 21st is right around the corner and if you don’t know by now, it’s the official GO SKATEBOARDING DAY!!! There are tons - and I mean tons - of events going on everywhere for this special day of ours. Personally for me, everyday is go skateboarding day but I guess this is the “official” day.

Just about every skateboard distribution company is assembling an event together for Go Skateboarding Day. If you’re not aware of something going on near your hometown then go by your local shop and get the details. If there still truly is nothing going on in your area it’s ok. You have two options… One you make something happen yourself, hit up all your homies and build the biggest skateboarding session you have ever assembled. You could even cooperate with your local core shop on doing something and I’m sure they would be up for it. Or option number two, you just skate! Yea that’s right, even if you are alone make sure you skateboard on go skateboarding day.

Just think, at that moment on that day when you are skateboarding, there will be millions of others doing the exact same thing. Imagine how many kids are doing ollies at the same exact time as you. How many tricks are being done in unison with each other? And how much street shredding will be going down. It’s a pretty remarkable thing if you think about it. So be sure to skateboard on this glorious day, and most importantly to have fun. Introduce some of your non-skateboarding friends to pick up a skateboard. Improve on your skills or just cruise the streets. Either way make sure you SKATE!

inspiration here

What Is Music?

2008-06-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

What is music? According to Webster's II: New Riverside University Dictionary, music is "the art of arranging tones in an orderly sequence so as to produce a unified and continuous composition". In reality, music does not have any one concrete meaning. Music has different meanings for different people. Music is unique in each person's life. To a musician, music is their life. They eat, breathe, and live music. Music is their passion. For others, music is a hobby, a pastime. Music is something that arouses interest and is pleasurable. The casual fan may learn about music, how to read music, how to sing, or how to play a musical instrument, but they do not have the all encompassing passion a musician possesses. Music is a means of relaxation for some, while others simply enjoy listening to the sounds, melodies, and rhythms that music brings to their ears, minds, and hearts.

The following definitions are taken from an article that defines music according to different perspectives.

Music is science

It is exact, specific; and it demands exact acoustics. A conductor's full score is a chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody, and harmony all at once and with the most exact control of time.

Music is mathematical

It is rhythmically based on the subdivisions of time into fractions which must be done, not worked out on paper.

Music is a foreign language

Most of the terms are in Italian, German, or French; and the notation is certainly not English &endash; but a highly developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics of music is the most complete and universal language.

Music is history

Music usually reflects the environment and times of its creations, often even the country and/or racial feeling.

Music is physical education

It requires fantastic coordination of finger, hands, arms, lip, cheek, and facial muscles, in addition to extraordinary control of the diaphragmatic back, stomach, and chest muscles, which respond instantly to the sound the ear hears and the mind interprets.

Music is all of these things, but most of all

Music is art

It allows a human being to take all these dry, technically boring (but difficult) techniques and use them to create emotion. That is one thing science cannot duplicate: humanism, feeling, emotion, call it what you will.

inspiration : here

Why People Do Not Skate

2008-06-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

The world is filled with human life and much of it to my sustain has tried to creep its way into our counter cultchure, trying to work in the industry , or starting up a company that is marketed at us with no real feel for what we are and as well on the other side of the spectrum by knobbing ticketing and tossing feeble attempts of running us. The federal government mannulle of history in most is this. To control to dominate and to xtermanate anything that is a minuscule threat or projects creativity that could lead to a down fall of a society.

Here is my top 10.

1# curbs. The whole world thinks of them as things to sit on spit gum on walk over trip on paint red yellow and blue for traffic law b/s and to keep rain water on track. Skaters we see them as objects of endless fun and a good thing to worm up on or learn or hohn a new combo of tricks or just one trick. I have spent over 8 months straight on a curb due to my cacuskations and it is still counting.

2# the feel of a solid Ollie. No outsider could ever understand or be able to feel the magnitude of power and fun that can come from one solid Ollie. From the nuculis to el toro there is nothing that can capture this feeling, the moment in air where you have no clue if you ill be able to pull it off or hang up on whatever you are going over, or just the feeling as you blast it off a curb cut in any zone,. The passion cannot be matched by any drug that is poked snorted or drank into the body or anything sex with the dream girl etc, it is the epitome of what skating is. Anytime some person try's to bring hate to my cheaper who is a non skater I just smile and think they have never felt what life is. They have never felt the grip tape under there feet as it vibrates from ruff ground as you weave in and out of city blocks in city streets or the feeling of investigating a school yards for hours to

3# up until x games and video games the knobs were in very few place as sure skate stopping has been around sise 84 but in low amounts. We urrendered our tricks over to them fo cash as if we were magicsuns giing away every hat trick or crafsmen showing all the secrrats to our trade. Showing the general public how a 50 5 or a back tail worked made them want to protect there marble cement and anything fun to skate with bullshit stoopppers witch is now a million dollor industry in its, self. Achurtecks and what not have drafed plans with thm in it. The fucks that do this will never understand the creative killing they asre doing to young minds thus making a generation of carben

4# we are not weed heads or surf spin offs or a cultchure of drunks we are fucking skaters. We are all from different back grounds ways of lfe creeds religions and gender. We are a fucking art form sport past time out let and one hwll of a work out we are skateboarders.

5# we can travel any plce on earth and have a place to lay our heads and have tour guides. When I was in itaily with my family on a family holiday at 15 I took my plank and in the city of floorence I decided to wonder from the hotel and skate the streets, not speaking one words of itailn I was was in fear but I had a gut feeling things would be ok. I ran into other sksters and in minutes were were talking about burnside josh beagale and john cardiel as if I was sjating local spot in Portland. They took me for an advenure I will never forget skating spots and riding on the back of a vespa. I got back to the hotel and my fam was tripping out thinking I was kid napped but I made it back okay. I knew the bond was that thick that I would have done the same here. I have met skaters from lebbonn and eseral who get along well and talk threw my spsce email etc. even though there countrys are at war in cnstant cnflicks. I have seen things brought together by skating that would be onherad peradimes in other worlds. Basketball olypics no. do not bring that up that is competive jock shit where on team feels there cunttry is better than anothers and wants to win. Skating there is no loosing no winning and we all are I he struggle together.

6# creativity, what passion has crwated so many free thinkers? Outsiders will never know or understand that people like Jason lee brian lotti spike jones steve berra yogi sherpared fairy ed templeton chris senn the gonz natas nea;l blender and so amny others have been birthed to there fre thinking minds from skating.

7# money materal worth and other shit that the world puts pressure on us 4 is out the window, we spend our cash on indoor t.f.s and building spots and cutting off knobs at spots etc.

8# OUR LINGO. There is no way any person who does not skate would understand front foot impossible for example. They would think it is a impossible trick to do, even though we all know Ocean and Jason Carney all did it in 91

9# The fact our sole purpose to work and live in skating has nothing to do with money, but fun and great times. Sure many people who are in skating could be in jobs making great cash selling cars and being doctors but They would rather work with skating for it is not just fun but an addiction. that is hard to break. many have tried to fall off the world of skating , but they always come back. My Friend Matt Hensley tried to retire in 92 but he could not escape the power of skating and soon after came back in the mix. just like in god father 3. "every time I try to get out they pull me back in" I could name many others who been distracted by other life goals and passions but they always swing back due to how amazing skating is. Another example is Jason Lee. He has plenty of cash from acting, there is no way any of you message board haters can say it was for the cash. My point is people who do not skate think of retirement meaning no longer playing a sport or getting out of the office. but in skating even if your pro status is done you still skate for life.

10# that there are 40 year olds who can skate rails. I hear it all day, "that is for young kids" people will say when they watch a young buck skating a rail. What they do not know is guys like Lance Mountain, and Steve Caballero can 50 50 and feeble a rail.

from : here