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Sunday, March 31, 2013

How To Turn A Job You Hate Into A Job You Love


Even people who are relatively happy at work go through periods when they hate their jobs—for days, weeks or even months at a time. Just read between the lines of the recent obituaries of CBS newsman Mike Wallace, who died on April 7 at the age of 93. As The New York Timesreported, Wallace suffered a nervous breakdown when his documentary on deception by the American military about the strength of Vietnamese enemy troops prompted a $120 million libel suit against CBS filed by Gen. William C. Westmoreland, the commander of American troops in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968. Still, after the case settled in 1985, Wallace spent more than 20 more years at CBS.
Sure, you can quit when the going gets tough, but it’s hard to do that gracefully. Seattle lawyer Wendy S. Goffe wrote eloquently about the subject in, “How To Quit Your Job Without Burning Your Bridges.” Plus finding something better in today’s tight job market can be a challenge. Thinking about self-employment? That too, has its ups and downs, as  FORBES senior editor Deborah L. Jacobs describes in “How To Make Money Without A Job.”
So let’s assume you decide to hang in there for awhile rather than bolting. Here are 10 things you can do to make things better.
1. Negotiate changes in your job description. Talk to your boss about altering your workload or the kind of work you currently do. Whether you’reoverworked and overwhelmed, or completely unchallenged, your boss will understand that you will never be as productive as you could be unless something gives.
Just being able to have this conversation can be a great start to shaping something new. Your goal is to come up with a solution that will not only be best for you, but also work for your boss, your team and your organization.
2. Arrange to work with different people. Even if you don’t necessarily hate your co-workers, it can refresh your outlook on your work and the aspects of it that you hate to involve different people. On upcoming projects, ask to be teamed with individuals you don’t usually work with or even interact with around the office.
On a more informal basis, you can ask these people to react to various ideas or include them in your brainstorming sessions. Another possibility is to find out whether your organization has retained external consultants who you could team up with on certain assignments. Mix it up to get a new take on things.
3. Seek synergy. If you already know which people you enjoy working with and work well with, find more opportunities to collaborate with them. Internally this could mean asking permission to work on your next presentation with someone you know you have good chemistry with.
Externally, there may be individual suppliers and customers with whom you have a particularly good rapport. Nurture these relationships, strengthen these bonds and take an active role in continuing to grow and develop them. If you’ve previously worked well with specific external consultants, consider asking for their input again.
4. Transfer to a different team or department. If there’s nothing going for you where you are, think about maneuvering a sideways shift. See if your boss is open to the idea of your transferring to a different business area. Think smartly about how you can be helpful in bringing this about, rather than sitting back and expecting to be moved somewhere new. Do some research before submitting your request and look at which areas of the organization play to your strengths or what new teams are on the horizon that you might want to get involved with. Seek opportunities where your input can be valued.
5. Find a confidant. Regardless of whether you stay in your current team or switch to a different one, there will be times where you’ll just want to let off steam. Although your boss is the person to talk to about a lot of issues, this is not the kind of individual we’re talking about here. An alternative confidant may be a colleague, a mentor or a close friend in another department. Choose carefully: it should be someone you can trust and have a private conversation with in a closed space, knowing it will go no further.
6. Make the most of your free time. A lot of us find ourselves resenting the time we spend at work because of what we’re doing –or rather not doing– with our time away from the desk. Spend time off with the people you care about, make sure you get enough sleep, and build in quality time for yourself. Schedule activities that invigorate and energize you. Finding time to chill and unwind will help you enjoy both work and play more. (For other ways to strike a work/life balance in a 24/7 world, see “How To Keep Your Job Without Working Yourself To Death.”)
7. Don’t neglect diet and fitness. A poor diet leaves us feeling sluggish and irritable, exacerbating any negative feelings we may have about work. By eating well and exercising regularly, we increase our energy levels and alertness and lift our mood. You might be surprised at how much these changes can contribute to a more positive attitude about your job.
8. Reset your work clock. If you resent your job because your work schedule restricts you from doing the school run or dropping in on your elderly parents during the day, don’t feel you have to put up with it in silence. Talk to your employer about possibly shifting your hours. For example, to give yourself time to do the morning school run, you could start work a little later and finish up a little later. A growing number of organizations are amenable to flexible work schedules.
9. Adapt your surroundings. If we’re spending at least eight hours a day, five days a week staring at the same blank four walls and the same boring desk, it’s little wonder our office space can feel like a prison and our job like a life sentence. Personalize your working space with photos of friends and family, favorite ornaments or decorations or even a vase of brightly colored flowers. If your chair is uncomfortable or the wrong height, bring in a cushion or two and ask your office manager or a co-worker to demonstrate how to adjust your seat height.
10. Prune the backlog. Few things are more demoralizing at work than the inbox on your computer screen filled with unsorted and unread emails or the inbox on your desk crammed with papers you haven’t even glanced at yet. Set aside time to sort emails and hard copies into different folders so you have a clearer idea of where things stand. Also, play around with the apps on your tablet or smartphone to see which ones can help you be more organized going forward.
forbes.com

Tomb Raider interview: The apocalyptic art of Lara Croft


When Tomb Raider—the reboot of the game franchise with which it shares a name—came out earlier in March, many a column inch was devoted to Lara Croft's evolution from archaeological adventurer to concerningly capable killer. Rather fewer were given over to the use of apocalyptic artwork, invisible cameramen, birth metaphors, and emotional color palettes. To redress the balance, Wired.co.uk quizzed Brian Horton, Senior Art Director at Crystal Dynamics, on all of the above and then a little bit more.
The Tomb Raider games are iconic—how do you even get started reworking a game with such a strong visual legacy?
As a fan of the classic games, I played Tomb Raider 1 and 2 again to remember why I loved them so much. Lara Croft was a confident and totally capable anti-hero, but she didn't have much room to grow in ability or characterization.
Our concept was a simple one that allowed us to rework Lara's look and abilities; an inexperienced Lara Croft on her first expedition, her ship crashes on an island and she must do whatever it takes to survive. To believe in this survival story, we grounded Lara, and her world, making both as realistic as we could.
We removed Lara's experience and confidence but we retained her intelligence, curiosity, and determination. These changes gave us room to allow her to grow as a character. It was exciting and scary at the same time, we knew it would be a bold change for Tomb Raider and we were happy with the positive reception when we announced the reboot in 2009.
OK, so in terms of Lara herself, how did her look progress and how did you know when you'd got it right?
Lara's look took a lot of exploration and iteration. Lara went through many incarnations, at one point she had a more classic look with a young girl as a companion—she even had a monkey as a helper in one version!
Brenoch Adams (Art Director) and I went through the design process together. We were inspired by characters in films and TV, like Ellen Ripley from Aliens, Kate from Lost, John Rambo from First Blood, and even John McClane from Die Hard. All of these heroes relate to a common theme; they are real people in a horrible survival situation. They get hurt and express emotion, but find the inner strength to keep moving and prevail.
We wanted this young Lara to look like a girl you knew while retaining some of the iconic qualities of Lara Croft. We made her body frame more petite, her face less chiseled, and her clothes are practical, with dual tank tops, cargo pants, and boots. We retained some iconic elements, like her brown eyes, her "M" shaped upper lip and the ponytail. We did a focus test on the final concept and it tested very well, most people were more drawn to her face than they were to her body.
To bring the concept to life, we purchased real clothes and hired two models to scan, one for the body and one for the face. This was just a foundation for us to achieve the believability, our Principal Character Artist, Kam Yu, refined this data over the course of a month to finalize the model you see in the game today.
There were hints of The Hunger Games and Katniss Everdeen in Lara's look too although I gather that was coincidental. Do you think they both tap into a how we are trying to portray women at the moment or is it something else entirely?
We weren't even aware of The Hunger Games when we finalized Lara's look and the bow as her new signature weapon.
I do think this happens in our culture, where themes emerge from different places and seem to connect. We feel Lara is one of the most influential female heroes in all media, but we knew the 90s represented different values for a hero. Our interpretation is in line with what we like to see in our heroes today, flaws are as important as strengths.
In terms of visual reference points what were your inspirations, either in terms of other games or in terms of artworks? I thought I detected a touch of John Martin apocalyptica in the opening sections...
For inspiration we looked at movies like Apocalypse Now and The Descent. They have a dark beauty to them that we wanted to capture in Tomb Raider. The John Martin painting is amazing and while not an immediate reference, it was in line with the paintings we were inspired by from Turner, Bierstadt, and Church. They created some of the most amazing natural wonders that look beautiful but ominous; showing how nature can be scary. These influences were the foundation of bringing personality to the island of Yamatai.
How did you reflect the "Survivor is Born" theme visually?
The beginning of the game is kind of a metaphor for her birth; she struggles out of the darkness of the caverns and emerges to the light of the cliff side. This is her birth, she's thrust into this situation and she can't go back. Her evolution through the game is a continuation of this journey, she has to confront her fears and keep moving forward.
As well as the sympathetic geography, changes in color palette are linked to Lara's character evolution. Could you explain a bit more about how that works?
We use color as a way to express emotion. These colors will change and evolve throughout the story to reflect Lara's state of mind. For instance, we start the game in cool tones—the fire is the one source of light and warmth, and this represents the player's hope, as well as a tool for survival. Then at the end of the level we take away the fire as she scrambles up the muddy incline, a pinhole of light closes in as the cave starts to crumble until we go to black. When Lara emerges she's bathed in warm light.
It's a deliberate color choice to provide relief and accomplishment. The audio team takes these cues to create music and sound that complement these emotions perfectly, with dissonant percussion in the caverns, and a piano as she emerges onto the cliff path.
I noticed you used a fair amount of lens flare and water effects—why do you think we like to be reminded of a camera that technically doesn't exist?
We wanted this game to be presented as if it were a documentary of her first adventure. Effects like lens flares, dirt, water, and blood splashes on the lens add aesthetics to this documentary, further immersing players into our fictional world. Remi Lacoste is the genius behind the cinematography in this game and his camera performance complemented this vision and brought the virtual cameraman to life.
How did you translate the violence and emotion of the first kill into a visual experience?
We wanted to express the gravity of death through gameplay. We started this with a deer, which Lara has to kill to survive. She has empathy for the deer before she harvests it for food; it's a sacrifice she has to make to survive. When she's confronted with wolves, they will not hesitate to kill Lara so she must take an aggressive stance to survive them. Finally, we present the player with a human, but a sadistic, amoral enemy: we deliberately want the player to feel disgust, and a palpable sense of menace.
The moment where Lara has to kill a human for the first time must feel justified, but also powerful and revelatory: this moment changes her, and from that point on she and the player understand that killing is the only way she can survive the insanity of this island.
Were there any ideas you loved but couldn't make work?
There are a lot of ideas that we really like that didn't make the game. Some of them would fit into the new format, some, while cool, will never quite work. For instance we had an epic battle on the beach level that had Lara fending off a siege of Solarii with a mounted machinegun. While fun, it didn't really fit her character and upped the kill count to unrealistic proportions. We spent a lot of time on it, but cut it because it didn't fit the game.
What are you proudest of in relation to the game?
The team is proud of the game we made. Even before it hit retail we knew it was the best game we could make. We sacrificed time away from family to ensure it was true to our vision, looked great, and was fun to play. This kind of game doesn't come around often, and I'm honored to have been a part of it.
http://arstechnica.com

Thursday, March 28, 2013

'Disruptive' Ouya games console shipped to first supporters


Ouya console


A new games console which industry experts say could disrupt the industry has begun shipping to customers.
The Ouya costs $99 (£65) and runs on Google's Android operating system.
Games on the system will be a fraction of the cost of traditional console games, more comparable to those found on mobiles and tablets.
However, it may struggle to muscle in on a market dominated by big players such as PlayStation and Xbox, one analyst predicted.
The Ouya was financed using crowdfunding website Kickstarter, where it attracted over $8m (£5.3m) in funding from 63,416 backers.
The company has begun sending out consoles to the first supporters of the project - while other interested gamers can pre-order the device.
Indie movement
The Ouya will look to capitalise on a growing popularity for cheap, often independently produced games.
Mobile devices have eaten into the handheld gaming market, attracting millions of casual gamers who are not prepared to invest in bespoke gaming devices, but are still keen to dabble in gaming.
While traditional platforms, such as Nintendo's DS or Sony's PlayStation Vita, have titles costing in the region of £30-£40, games downloaded from app stores are considerably cheaper, and often free.
Developers on these newer platforms are instead looking to other monetization methods, such as in-game upgrades.
The Ouya is the first major attempt to bring that same kind of disruption to the home gaming industry, says gaming analyst Piers Harding-Rolls, from IHS.
"The space of TV gaming is getting to that point where it's the one area that hasn't been significantly disrupted," he told the BBC.
"Ouya will get other companies involved in the space, looking at it more intently.
"It will get the existing console companies to be more aggressive in their business models, opening up their distribution channels."
Hotting up
While Ouya is the first major launch of this style of gaming device - it will soon have plenty of company.
Gamestick, a UK-based firm, is also developing its own Android-based console.
Nvidia, traditionally a manufacturer of high-end graphical hardware, announced its Project Shield console at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
Ouya boss Julie UhrmanOuya boss Julie Uhrman wants to see new titles written for the little gaming gadget
Perhaps an even greater threat comes from Valve, the PC gaming giant which confirmed it was to make its own "Steambox" - a console utilising the already massively popular Steam network to deliver games.
But Ouya is the first, and likely to be the cheapest.
The console, a small cuboid, can be opened up and upgraded if users wish. It uses off-the-shelf components, minimising manufacturing costs.
Speaking to the BBC in January, Ouya chief executive Julie Uhrman said her device will allow smaller players to get stuck into the home gaming industry.
"Console gaming had traditionally been closed to new entrants," she said.
"That's made it very difficult for small developers to bring titles to the television, and really expensive for gamers [to play]."
However, IHS's Mr Harding-Rolls said the console may struggle in its early days if the quality of titles does not meet expectation.
"It's obviously creating a lot of developer interest, as are others in this space, not just the Ouya," he said, adding that some games may just be direct copies of mobile games.
"I think there will be in the first case a lot of porting that goes on which will not necessarily show off the best capabilities of the device."

bbc.com

Hottest Sex Scenes in Hollywood history (Photos) 18+

thesun.co.uk :   HOLLYWOOD sex scenes are about to become a thing of the past.

Studio bosses are ordering stars to cover up and stay out of the sack - because celluloid romps no longer sell.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Some iOS 6.1.3 users hit by battery drain and Wi-Fi issues



The latest iOS update seems to be creating trouble for a number of users chiming in on Apple's support forums.


(Credit: Image created by Josh Long/CNET)
Another iOS update, another round of complaints.
Released last week, Apple's iOS 6.1.3 was designed to fix a security hole that let someone access the iPhone by sneaking past the lock screen. But the update also seems to haveplagued some users with other problems, according to blog site Gotta Be Mobile.
The persistent battery drain rears its ugly head again with iOS 6.1.3. Several people posting on Apple's Support Communities forum say the battery drains faster after installing the new update. Some have tried the usual fixes, such as turning off notifications and restoring the device to factory settings, but say their battery charge still doesn't last long.
Battery drain seems to be a constant complaint with every new iOS update. Just how pervasive a problem is it?
A significant number of people ran into battery drain woes with iOS 5.0, forcing Apple to release several subsequent updates to try to resolve the problem. Even after those updates, several users said they continued to experience battery drain with each new update.
Another iOS 6.1.3 glitch affecting some users is Wi-Fi connectivity. Several Apple forum commenters say their Wi-Fi connections are grayed out or inoperative. This particular issue has been around since iOS 6.0. Some say the problem was fixed with iOS 6.1.2 but came back with 6.1.3, while some say it was resolved with 6.1.3.
Apple has acknowledged the problem in the past and offers a support page with suggestions on resolving it.
Still one more issue affecting a few people is a battery drain that occurs when connecting to Microsoft Exchange -- another problem that's been around awhile. This one was supposedly fixed with iOS 6.1.2 but still seems to trouble a certain number of people.

iPhone 5S expected to launch late June, says analyst



The next-generation iPhone should start shipping by the end of June, followed by a low-cost iPhone in the September quarter, says analyst Gene Munster.
(Credit: CNET)
Apple will likely bring out its next iPhone in late June, projects Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
Assuming that forecast comes true, Munster believes Apple will sell 4 million units of the new phone before the month and the quarter are over. That estimate compares with the 5 million iPhone 5 handsets sold during that model's opening weekend.
The analyst expects Apple to sell 30 million iPhones over the June quarter, a 15 percent increase over the same quarter a year ago.
What will the iPhone 5S offer over its predecessor?
Like most analysts and Apple watchers, Munster expects the phone to include a faster processor, better camera, and new software features tied into the hardware. He thinks there's an "outside chance" the 5S may come with an NFC (near-field communications) chip to open the door for mobile payments.
Apple's purchase last year of security technology provider AuthenTec could lead to a biometric security feature, aka fingerprint reader, for the 5S. But the analyst thinks such a feature is more likely to debut with the iPhone 6.
A follow-up act from Apple will come in the September quarter when the analyst expects to see the launch of the much-rumored low-cost iPhone. Targeted for emerging markets, a budget iPhone would help Apple tap into a market for low-cost smartphones that would be valued at around $135 billion in total. Munster pegs the unlocked price of a low-cost iPhone at $250.
Finally, Apple could announce its new television sometime in the December quarter, according to Munster, ultimately followed by the announcement of a smartwatch.
The analyst doesn't think either product would generate substantial revenue. But they would show that Apple is still capable of cooking up innovative products, something that would benefit the company and its stock price.
"We believe investors have wondered if Apple can put out new and innovating products without Steve Jobs," Munster said in an investors note released today. "We believe that ultimately, if Apple is viewed as a company that can innovate, the multiple will improve."
cnet.com

Sony gives developers a peek at PS4 controller, Eye camera



The company's showing off mock-ups of two of its upcoming peripherals for the PlayStation 4 at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco.

A mock-up PS4 controller from Sony.
A mock-up PS4 controller from Sony.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
Sony gave the press a peek at its upcoming next-generation console last month, and today did the same with developers.
The company was in San Francisco earlier today as part of the Games Developers Conference, and showed off some of the only hardware of the PlayStation 4: the new DualShock 4 controller and PlayStation 4 Eye camera peripheral. Both were behind an enclosed display case and marked as mock-ups on GDC's expo floor.
High-resolution photos of both pieces of hardware were released by Sony late last month.
Key among the new features in Sony's new DualShock 4 controller is a built-in touch pad that can be used to interact with games and on-screen menus. There's also a built-in microphone jack, and a share button nestled next to the trigger buttons that lets gamers stream their gameplay live to friends in real time.
Sony's newest Eye camera for the PS4.
Sony's newest Eye camera for the PS4.
(Credit: James Martin/CNET)
Also on display was Sony's latest iteration of its Eye camera, which has taken on a bar shape that rests on top of the TV. It works with PlayStation Move and now the DualShock 4 controller to track movement and sync it up with what's going on onscreen. The company's latest version has two cameras that capture 85 degrees of activity, up from the 75 degrees of its predecessor.
Sony has still not detailed the look of the console itself, nor its price and release date -- all which are expected to be unveiled at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles in early June. Sony execs have already said the company is aiming for a release in time for the holiday 2013 shopping season.

Google Launches Maps Engine Lite, Makes It Easy To Create Advanced Custom Maps



maps_engine_lite
For years now, Google has offered its Google Maps Engine to enterprises who want to visualize their custom geospacial data and starting today, anybody will be able to use a subset of this functionality thanks to the launchof Google Maps Engine Lite (beta). This new tool, Google says,  will allow any mapping enthusiast to “create and share robust custom maps using this powerful, easy-to-use tool.”
Maps Engine Lite allows users to upload small spreadsheets with locations and visualize them on a map. They can also compare up to three different data sets for, the company stresses, non-businesses purposes.
maps_engine_iconsThese custom maps can have multiple layers and users who don’t have any spreadsheets they want to upload can also manually draw lines, mark specific areas and set place markers. Google offers a total of nine base maps, including its usual satellite and terrain maps, as well as styles that emphasis city boundaries political boundaries and highways. Maps Engine Lite also offers about 150 different icons that you can be used to mark specific places.
To help new users get started, Google also published a tutorial that offers a few sample data sets and a set-by-step guide to publishing a custom map.
tutorials_mapsenginelite_16_tempicons
Google says it will still offer My Maps, its earlier custom mapping tool for the time being and My Maps users can import their maps into the new Maps Engine Lite. Over time, however, Google product manager Beth Liebert writes in today’s announcement, My Maps will be “incorporated into Google Maps Engine Lite.”
For now, Google is officially labeling Maps Engine Lite as a ‘beta’ and it’ll only be available in English for the time being.
tutorials_mapsenginelite_17_basemaps

Product:Google Maps
CompanyGoogle
Google Maps is Google’s free web-based mapping application. As of May 2008, Google Maps includes photos, videos, and user-created maps along with location searches. It uses Panoramio and YouTube for the content.
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Sharpen Your Memory with Brain-Healthy Foods



Sharpen Your Memory with Brain-Healthy Foods
image credit: Shutterstock
If notes crowd your desk and your phone is overloaded with reminders, you may want to consider making some dietary changes. While we often blame memory lapses on aging, poor memory can be improved by nutrition.
"A sharp memory depends on your total number of brain cells, the smooth flow of communication between the cells and the health of cells," says Joy Bauer, author of Food Cures (Rodale, 2011) and nutrition expert on NBC’s Today Show.
She suggests eating these six foods to keep your grey hairs from affecting your grey matter:
1. Beets to regulate heartbeat.
A healthy ticker means a healthy brain. "Every cell in the body needs a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to stay alive and work properly," says Bauer. Keep blood pressure levels in check (less than 120/80), exercise regularly, and stock up on foods such as beets that improve blood flow, ensuring a steady supply of nutrients to the brain. "A brain filled with well-nourished neurons enables you to think and remember more clearly," says Bauer.
2. Fish to maintain brain cell health.
"When it comes to food and memory, fish should be the star of the show," says Bauer. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel contain generous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which are important for maintaining the health of brain cells. Bauer recommends eating a four-ounce portion (slightly larger than the palm of your hand) of a fatty fish at least three times a week.
3. Berries to prevent brain cell breakdown.
Berries are busting with antioxidants called anthocyanins which help prevent the breakdown of brain cells. A 2012 Harvard study found women who eat at least one cup of blueberries and strawberries per week experienced a 2.5 year delay in mental decline compared to women who rarely ate berries. "Blueberries in particular have received a lot of attention because they can enhance spatial memory and learning," says Bauer. She recommends eating four cups of berries per week. Even if berries aren't in season, frozen ones are just as nutritious. Add some berries to your morning smoothie or bake them into your pancakes.
4. Lean protein to improve cognitive skills. 
Chicken and turkey breast, eggs and low-fat milk are excellent sources of vitamin B12 which is an important protein to maintain cognitive skills. A 2012 Tufts University study showed older adults who were mildly B12 deficient were at higher risk for cognitive decline. 
5. Walnuts to improve memory scores.
Walnuts might resemble a miniature version of the human brain for a reason. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that walnut consumption was associated with better memory scores and cognitive function. Walnuts are also a great source of alpha-linolenic acid -- a plant-based form of omega-3 fatty acids. Sprinkle some walnuts on your salad or yogurt or mix chopped walnuts with pancake batter.
6. Coffee to sharpen focus.
Caffeine can temporarily sharpen your focus and memory. While Bauer says a couple cups of coffee are OK to drink during the day, she recommends avoiding caffeine at least eight hours before bedtime so it doesn't interfere with your sleep. "Quality sleep is a critical component to a sharp mind," she says.
Read more stories about: ProductivityPersonal healthMemory


Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226179#ixzz2Oj6t9ah8