Our Turn: No plans to kick the planning habit

Milestone birthdays matter. At least, in the world according to Pinterest, some parents and myself.

Guilty of whipping out the paper cutter more often than necessary, I've been known to design invites to parties of three, so imagine my enthusiasm as my husband's birthday nears.

Whether it's the result of my history in the hospitality business or the remnants of my third-grade passion to become "an artist," when I hear the word milestone, I immediately start planning a menu or choosing a location.

Unfortunately, when my husband hears "milestone" he thinks about mortality, death and the disappearance of his wife, who can be found either in the craft room or discreetly using up all the printer ink.

Each year I assume "no surprises" and "no big crowds" — knowing my better half would always choose intimate and small to a lavish celebration.

But in spite of his lower-than-average expectations, I still wake up at 3 a.m. with the perfect "small meets big" celebration idea only to forget it by 8. I rally friends who will never be included for ideas, ask restaurants for their availability without confirming reservations and likely hassle my mother-in-law with incessant emails.

Consumed with planning, he can see determination on my face as the day nears. I'm no longer listening, but instead heating up my hot glue gun and trying to book a theater in which he can watch his birthday "video card."

If "gift-giving-anxiety" is a thing, I have it. I thrive on the successful gifts so much that every birthday is outdone the next year. A trip to the beach turns into a weekend away, lunch includes a show and likely a hotel stay afterward. Dinner is a three-course meal paired with the perfect brew and ended with a three-tier cake.

Regardless of the year we're celebrating, the outcome is never that small, so the awareness that "this birthday matters more than most" causes an all-new pressure for planners like me, whose calendars are marked with more exclamation points than numbers.

And so imagine my surprise, and eventual satisfaction, when my mortality-obsessed husband came clean about my non-surprise plans for 14 people.

Too much, too many.

"Guest of honor" is a cardstock crown my man never plans to wear.

No sooner had he confessed before my early morning wake-up calls ceased. No longer stressed by concerns about my checking account or whom I may have left out, instead plans for possible chinese chinese new year cards food were made, friends were alerted via email, and my husband's face began to show less concern and more acceptance, with what might even be a hint of enthusiasm.

But, while I quieted his Aquarian concern and we reached a Gemini-friendly compromise, one twin agreed while the other secretly wondered if I would still have time for paper invitations, now that we had finally come to an understanding on the nature of the celebration.

Surely, a follow-up to the email request is called for; after all, this is a milestone birthday.

Just two. Two, real paper invitations, hand-written addresses. A keepsake, for my sake, not his.

Amazon denies reports it is in early stages of streaming pay TV service

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Amazon would not be not the only service attempting to chip away at the monopolies cable companies have on distribution.Simon Dawson/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Amazon has denied a report that it plans to roll out a pay TV streaming service that will feature live programming from several media companies, according to USA Today.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Amazon had approached at least three media companies, citing people familiar with the matter.

Amazon now offers on-demand TV shows and movies free to customers who are members of its premium shipping service, Prime. A move toward such online streaming would add live television channels to the on-demand video service and come as a challenge to cable- and satellite-television service providers.

If the service did come into fruition, the world's largest online retailer would join the ranks of several other companies trying to own the living room with TV programming piped through the Internet. Intel attempted a similar move, though it scrapped its ambitions and sold its project to Verizon on Tuesday for an undisclosed sum.

The venture would also add to the growing number of services popping up that are eating away at the profit margins of legacy distribution companies like Comcast and Time Warner.

Television giants tend to be reluctant to make distribution deals that might upset long-standing partners whose fees and payments have fueled industry growth.

Companies like Netflix and Hulu have seen their customer base grow by 4 percent in the past two years, while TV subscriptions have dropped 6 percent, according to research from the NPD Group. Google's YouTube and Microsoft are also working to step up their streaming-video program services.

It's not just cable companies that have their backs against the wall. The four big broadcast companies have waged an all-out war on the streaming service Aereo, which uses digital "antennas" to broadcast local TV channels without paying the companies the traditional lucrative retransmission fee.

Aereo's customers, instead of paying cable companies a sizable monthly fee, pay the service as little as $8 a month for access to local channels and a collection of syndicated programs, movies and children's programming. The company also offers limited Spanish-language channels.

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Aereo has the right to operate without paying the broadcasters. So far, lower courts have sided with Aereo.

Verizon, meanwhile, announced on Tuesday that it is buying Intel Media for an undisclosed price. The chip-making giant intended to deliver movies and TV programming to customers via the Internet cloud, but the project never got off the ground.

Verizon said the acquisition "will accelerate the availability of next-generation video services" delivered to devices, including mobile phones and tablets.

The deal includes intellectual property rights and other assets for Intel's OnCue Cloud TV platform. Verizon will also offer to keep the 350-person Intel unit, which will continue to be based in Santa Clara, Calif.

Al Jazeera and Reuters

Cable companies have struggled to keep their subscriber base in recent years, as more people opt out over costly cable bills, poor customer service and subscriber-fee disputes between the distributors and media companies - like the recent feud between Time Warner and CBS - that leave millions of customers without access to channels they have paid to receive.

Kids' Christmas Cards Rejected In Sad Move by Veterans' Hospital

There are plenty of reasons to want the festive, cheery holiday season to go on and on, but angry debate about saying " Merry Christmas!" vs. " Happy holidays!" is not one of them. This year, it seems like the tension around the topic is at an all-time high. And sadly, both those who insist on Christmas being the one and only holiday acknowledged or others who want to keep season's greetings 100 percent secular 100 percent of the time are just plain wrong.

Take, for example, a recent upsetting incident in North Texas: Grace Academy students made Christmas cards for local bedridden veterans at the VA hospital in Dallas, thanking them for their service. But the teacher heading up the effort was told the hospital "can't accept anything that says 'Merry Christmas' or 'God bless you' or any scriptural references because of all the red tape.'" Oh dear.

According to the local FOX affiliate, an official with the VA later clarified the policy, which is in the Veterans Health Administration handbook, by stating the following:

In order to be respectful of our Veterans religious beliefs, all donated holiday cards are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary team of staff led by Chaplaincy services and determined if they are appropriate (non-religious) to freely distribute to patients. After the review is complete, the holiday cards that reference religious and/or secular tones are then distributed by Chaplaincy Service on a one-on-one basis if the patient agrees to the religious reference in the holiday card donation. The holiday cards that do not contain religious and/or secular tones are distributed freely to patients across the Health Care System. We regret this process was not fully explained to this group and apologize for any misunderstanding.

What a bummer! For those poor kids and veterans! While I understand what the VA is trying to do here by respecting that veterans may be Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, atheist, etc., I feel like this is a case where they're just going way too far for the sake of political correctness. Just like what reportedly happened at a Mississippi military base where soldiers were told their Christmas football event was to be called a "holiday football event." Oy! Even Lorne Michaels calls SNL's annual holiday show a "Christmas Special." And that's FINE!

Here's the thing ... As much as we want to try to make it one, this issue is not antique christmas cards and white. Public organizations shouldn't be banning mentions or greetings of Christmas! But at the same time, they should and can be sensitive to the fact that not everyone is Christian. As a Jewish American, I definitely appreciate , secular season's greetings that don't assume the recipient is Christian. But I would never begrudge anyone wanting to wish me or a veteran or anyone for that matter a "Merry Christmas!" It's a lovely sentiment!

What it boils down to: We shouldn't care what the specific greeting is, as long as it's about spreading cheer, good will, love, and not forcing religious beliefs on others. That's what this time of year and all the holidays that fall in December are supposed to be about anyway.

What do you think about what happened here with the children's Christmas cards for veterans? Do you say "Merry Christmas," "Happy Holidays," or both?
Image via theogeo/Flickr

Last Minute Gifts That Keep On Giving! | www.qgazette.com | Queens Gazette

Last Minute Gifts That Keep On Giving!

With only 24 days this year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we an all find ourselves lost in the land of last-minute gift shopping.

If you are finding it hard to come up with unique gift ideas because of the short season, or if you are having trouble finding the right gift for that hard-to-please person, you might want to consider giving a membership to a health or sports club, or one of a variety of clubs that offer gift cards in a variety of choices, from wine and beer, to jams, cheeses, to "Fruit of the Month" baskets.

Consider giving a "green gift" that gives back to the environment or a gift that helps a favorite charity. There are dozens of websites that list gifts that give back in many ways - from helping to save the life of a child to rescuing an abandoned or abused pet by donating to a local shelter.

Gifts that keep giving can include computer lessons, gym membership or gift cards to help pay for medications. Let us help with these suggestions:

• Personalize It! Everybody has a favorite photo of friends or family members that can be printed onto a calendar, blown up to poster size or mounted in a special frame to make the perfect holiday gift. Act now and there is still plenty of time to order personalized gifts.
• Give a gift that grows. Potted plants are a terrific idea because they are a wonderful addition to interior decoration - and they help clean the air. With so many household plants readily available you are sure to find one that's perfect for the person who has everything.
• Give an experience. Often, it's not what's in the box, but the memory that stays with friends and family, long after the holidays. Giving an experience can make a truly meaningful gift.

Just think about what interests the person has, or an activity they've enjoyed - like a hot air balloon ride or white water rafting. If the person loves to shop, arrange for them to accompany a personal shopper for a day and let them see what it's like to shop for the stars. If the person loves to cook, purchase a spot in a class taught by Bobby Flay, or another Food Network star.

• ."Mommy and Me" aprons make a great gift for children and all proceeds benefit St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, which provides life-saving treatment for youngsters with catastrophic illnesses. For information visit www.shop.stjude.org.
• Give your child a new pair of shoes and TOMS shoes will donate a matching pair for a child who has no shoes. For details visit www.tonsshoes.com.
• Help a family member support a pet by paying for a license or veterinary services. Give a gift card for pet food or buy toys for cats and dogs from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (beach themed christmas cards). All proceeds are used to help animals in need. For information visit www.aspca.org.
• Give the gift of computer literacy. Pay for a course in computer instruction for any family member or friend - regardless of age.

Learning to master the Internet and other computer functions opens doors for seniors who live too far away for frequent visits.

Give A Day Trip: If you are at a loss for just the right gift, consider buying tickets on a bus headed for Atlantic City.

You can purchase a package that includes transportation and lunch, which will also provide a voucher (in a predetermined amount) that can be exchanged at slot machines and tables at casinos.

• Basketful of Cheer: If you are in the market for a gift for someone who is homebound or for a hard-to-please senior, consider buying a gift basket - wicker, felt, wire or other. Fill the basket with an assortment of post cards, greeting cards, thank you notes, pens, pencils, markers (different sizes and colors), wrapping paper, scotch tape, packing tape, gift tags, shipping labels, shipping paper, postage stamps and other items that can be used on a daily basis by those who love to stay in touch with friends and family without using a computer. Include a note in the basket - a reminder that mail carriers will pick up letters and parcels from people who can't get to a Post Office or a mailbox.
• A membership to a local health club, aerobics or other class could be the perfect surprise for runners and sports enthusiasts on your list. And remember - today's seniors are more likely to run a race than rock themselves to sleep.
• If you have an aspiring student (young or senior) on your gift list, consider prepaying for a course at a local college or specialty school. It's a thoughtful, unusual gift that might pave the way to a new beginning for someone special.
• Consider giving a gift of your services to someone on your list who may need a little extra help.

Offer free child care to a single parent, so they can go out for an evening - or an afternoon, without worrying about the kids, offer your time to help clean out a closet, cook some meals or help with supermarket shopping or a trip to the doctor.

You might also consider purchasing a Gift Card from a pharmacy or medical supply shop patronized by a senior friend or family member.

It's the perfect gift for seniors who are trying to meet the skyrocketing costs of prescription medications and other supplies.

Give a gift card from a hair or beauty salon, a beauty supply store or for a fill-up at a local gas station. Give a gift card for "Lunch For Two" at a local diner or restaurant, or for a year's worth of treats at a Baskin Robbins or Dunkin' Donuts shop.

Considering the current state of the economy, anyone would welcome a gift card that provides necessities - or plain good fun.

You might also consider purchasing gift cards from local supermarkets. The cards, sold in different denominations, are available at store courtesy desks. They make a perfect gift for friends and family members who are struggling to make ends meet.

The cards are available in a series of holiday designs, in denominations ranging from $10 to $100 at most major supermarkets.

One of the best gifts is still a free Library Card. It's an invitation to the world of books, free computer use, discussions and free classes.

Do something different, like purchasing a library book for just $25, in someone's name, that will be placed on the shelves of the local library. Go to www.quenslibraryfoundation.org for complete information.

And don't forget about the gift that keeps on giving - a subscription to the Queens Gazette. To purchase a Gazette gift subscription call 718-361-6161 or visit us online at www.gazette.com.

Nikon D5300 First Shots: Can Nikon's new mid-level DSLR not only beat the D5200, but compete with the D7100?

<Nikon D5300 Buy Cheapp>by Roger Slavens

In less than a year's time, the recently introduced Nikon D5300 has replaced the mid-level consumer D5200 DSLR. And while its upgrades may not be revolutionary, the new model stands as a compelling, affordable option for advanced amateurs who may be eyeing the higher-end, prosumer D7100 -- as well as an enticement for owners of Nikon's older models to take a step up. We just got the Nikon D5300 into the lab, and we've published our first batch of First Shots -- Still Life* test images -- for you to analyze closely.

The D5300's enhanced DX-format, 24-megapixel APS-C-type CMOS sensor was designed to maximize the camera's resolving power by omitting the optical low-pass filter (as Nikon did earlier this year with the D7100). If the D5300 can minimize moire and anti-aliasing as well as the D7100 did, forgoing the OLPF in a consumer-friendly DSLR could be the move that opens up a realm of incredible detail and sharpness to a mass audience. What's more, the D5300 incorporates Nikon's latest processor -- the EXPEED 4 -- which even the company's most recently announced full-frame prosumer DSLR, the D610, doesn't have. This next-generation imaging engine purports optimize the DSLR's detail-versus-noise output and enhance color accuracy, and its improved ISO sensitivity -- now ranging from 100 to 12,800 in standard mode -- could up the ante on low-light performance.

How do all these upgrades translate in terms of image quality?

Check out our Nikon D5300 First Shots for yourself. And be sure to pit these test images side-by-side with those from the D5200, D7100 -- or any other camera we've ever tested -- via our Comparometer™ image quality comparison tool.

For more information about the DSLR's new features and specs, read our first impressions Nikon D5300 review. In addition to image quality and performance enhancements, the camera also boasts built-in Wi-Fi functionality and GPS -- the first Nikon DSLR to do so -- as well as a more compact and lightweight design, and a 3-2-inch tilt-swivel LCD monitor that features a whopping 1,037K dots of resolution.

* Use our Still Life target images to look for detail (tone-on-tone, fine, highlights, shadows), as well as noise suppression, white balance, color accuracy and color shape retention.

Order your Nikon D5300 with trusted Imaging Resource affiliates Adorama or B&H now. The D5300 body runs about US$700, and kitted with a Nikon 18-140mm lens about $1,400.

Adorama:

B&H:

Source: Imaging-resource

New And Exclusive Micro-Site Content

ePHOTOzine's Micro-Site Roundup - Find out what's been happening on our five Micro-Sites.

Posted:

Here's a roundup of the exclusive content we've got for you to have a read of on our five micro-sites this week:

On PENTAXPORTAL this week, you can take a look at some top tips for photographing seals with your Pentax camera, and check out some top Pentax sunset photos. Plus, the brand new K-3 DSLR has been reviewed on site this week, and there's news of new images from Ricoh Imaging brand ambassadors.

Over On EIZO ColorZone, you can learn how to perform a monitor viewing angle check and find out why ColorNavigator software is a great tool for aiding calibration. Plus, there's news of a new 3D CG colour management handbook that's now available.

Meanwhile, on Olympus Image Space this week, there are techniques on how to use blur creatively, and there's news on Olympus workshops taking place over the coming months with Damian McGillicuddy and Steve Gosling. Plus, news on the Olympus Impressions 'Fall' competition, and £100 accessory cashback when you buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera have also gone live.

On Totally Tamron this week, you can learn some top tips for taking better photos of ice with your Tamron lens, plus there are some top Tamron portrait photos for you to take a look at. Don't forget to take a look at David Pritchard's blog the days zoom past, too, as he's been out-and-about with his newly acquired Tamron 24-70mm lens.

Last but not least, on Nikon Nation this week, you can check out some ideas and tips for on location portrait shoots, get creative with colour balance and lots more. Plus, don't miss the Nikon D5300 Offers DSLR review and news of ono-to one training with Nikon School in December.

Make sure you check back to the Micro-Sites regularly, as new and exclusive content is posted weekly!

Source: Ephotozine

Nikon's D610 Gets a Dust-Free Green Light

<Nikon D5300 Couponsimg src="http://petapixel.com/assets/uploads/2013/11/D610_front.high_.jpg">

Way back when, I wrote about the dust problems we were seeing in Nikon D600 cameras. There was enough of a furor about it that when the Nikon D610 was released I assumed that the dust problem would be fixed. But I'm rather the paranoid type, and I never like assumptions, so as soon as the first D610s were delivered I thought it worthwhile to just double-check that assumption.

I set up a fairly simple protocol for the first twenty-five D610 bodies delivered:

The first image taken with each camera was our standard f/16, white-wall shot with contrast enhancement to check for sensor dust.

The cameras then went to a tech for testing and checkout, which involves about 20-30 shots being taken, then back to me for a second sensor dust image.

The cameras then went out on their first rental and when they returned I took yet another sensor dust image.

Just like I did in the first article, I then stacked the images for each stage in Photoshop using the 'darken if' action to make a single image of the dust on all the cameras.

The results are pretty clear, and for those of you who hate to read, they indicate the sensor dust issues have, indeed, cleared up (I love puns) in the D610.

Remember, when you look at the images below, this is not the dust on one sensor; it's the total of all the dust on 25 sensors.

New - Out of the Box

For those of you who think a camera is always going to arrive with a dust-free sensor, let me assure you this is a really good result. One camera had a big chunk, 6 others had a small dust spot, the rest were clean to the limits of the test. That's an excellent result; as good as any camera we inspect.

After In-House Testing

We expect the 20 or 30 shots we do with initial testing to jar loose some more dust that's in the mirror box or around the shutter or sensor edges. That's the case here as you can see, but again, this is a good result. There is more dust now, but most of it is small, as opposed to the large chunks we often saw with the D600. This is about what we see with any other camera and no single camera had more than a couple of specs.

After Rental

So we cleaned all those sensors and sent them out on rental, then took another image when they came back. I've only had 10 cameras come back from rental, so this composite is for 10 sensors, not 25 as above. But things looked so good I thought I'd go ahead and post now. Obviously rental conditions vary - we don't know who was in studio and who went to the beach, but with D600s we definitely would see the pattern of large chunks in the left upper corner no matter where it went on rental.

With the D610 we just see a bit of scattered dust and one fiber. There's nothing of note in the left upper corner. If anything, this is a bit better than most cameras, but certainly no worse.

We'll keep an eye out, of course, for problems in the future, but as best I can tell (and as we all expected) the D610 does not appear to have any sensor dust problems.

I'll also note that when I evaluated the D600s I thought perhaps the shutter design, with its wider slot, was the problem. I was apparently wrong about that, since the D610 has what appears to be exactly the same shutter design. Since we saw the dust problem disappearing after 5,000 shots or so, it may be simply that there was a lot of dust inside the D600s that worked its way out early on. Perhaps the 'cure' was simply keeping dust out in the first place. Or maybe there's something inside the camera (I haven't had a chance to open one up yet) to prevent dust getting out to the sensor.

Of course, figuring out why it's better is just to satisfy my curiosity. It doesn't really matter what's different as long as the problem is fixed, and it certainly does appear to be fixed.

About the author: Roger Cicala is the founder of LensRentals. This article was originally published here.
Source: Petapixel