São Paulo techies demand 10% pay rise in 2014

<xo so kien thietp>Summary: IT professionals want a share of employer's profits

The Information Technology Workers Union of São Paulo (Sindpd) will kick off its yearly demands for better pay and benefits for sector professionals.

Nearly 100,000 São Paulo-based professionals are represented by Sindpd, which is the largest technology workers union in the country. Demands include a 10 percent salary increase, profit sharing plans and an increase in daily meal allowances.

The union will also demand that employers provide training subsidies - according to Sindpd, the salaries paid by tech companies are not compatible with the cost of IT-specific courses.

According to the union's president Antonio Neto, considering that the IT sector saw an average growth of 10 percent this year in Brazil, it is only fair to increase techies' salaries at the same rate.

Sindpd's demands will be delivered to Seprosp, the union representing the employers. Negotiations should commence in January.

In 2011, Sindpd led a much-publicized IT strike involving hundreds of professionals from several large technology companies based in São Paulo. The case ended up at the Regional Labour Tribunal, where employers offered a 7.5 percent boost in pay against the 11.9 percent increase originally demanded by the workers union.

The Perfect Gift

If you are stumbling around in stores or searching online for hours for the "perfect gift" for somebody special, you are not alone. Giving your partner a gift can be as simple as writing or quoting a poem, sending a love note or flowers or offering a relaxing massage. However, data from The Normal Bar (our book based on the most extensive study every done on relationships) shows us that giving nothing is definitely toxic and, over time, will actually harm your relationship.

Furthermore, we found a strong connection between gift-giving and sexual satisfaction. Of those who said they never receive romantic gifts of any kind, 64 percent of women and 88 percent of men were also dissatisfied with their sex lives. Perhaps the lack of gifts meant a lack of general romanticism in the relationship or just that extra caring touch that makes your partner want to embrace you, but the correlation between gift giving and eroticism in the relationship is definitely something to keep in mind as you are finishing up your holiday shopping.

In fact, if you don't give romantic gifts, it's worth considering why you don't. Perhaps, your own family never gave gifts when you were growing up and you never learned the habit. If so, the habit may seem forced and false. Or maybe you've offered gifts in the past but your picky partner never seem to appreciate your choices and you gave up trying. Perhaps you loved giving gifts but your partner insisted it was a waste of money, and now you agree. Or maybe your partner tells you your relationship is so solid that you don't need to bother with gifts. These are all compelling justifications, but they can mislead you into unintentionally undermining your relationship. Relationships need reciprocal gift giving!

Follow your instincts: partners like to know they are loved and that you are thinking of them. Even when your partner says, "It's okay, you don't need to get me a present," they may not entirely mean what they say. They might want something more in line with their taste, or they may have some other reservation about gift giving but that doesn't mean that all gift giving should stop in its tracks. Figure out what the problem is, and then give gifts that matter; remember a humble flower can touch your partner's heart, it doesn't have to set back the family budget. It really is the thought -- that counts.

But that old saying about it's the thought that counts is not really a superficial sentiment. Gifts need to be a genuine expression of love and well thought out. They need to come from the heart, not out of a sense of obligation or duty. They also cannot be generic, your partner needs to know why you gave him or her that specific gift. And they shouldn't just be the end result of a lot of hints. No one wants to have to tell the other person to give, so if you feel the love, by all means show the love.

We asked thousands of people in the Normal Bar study about gift giving and as much as we would like to share them all with you, we picked out a couple of our favorites that we hope will spark some creativity when presenting your "perfect gift" to your partner over the holiday season:

"For Christmas my partner made a scavenger hunt around his apartment with notecards of all his favorite memories of our relationship, that led to my Christmas gift."

"My husband is a practical guy, so it's tough to give him a gift that is romantic, so I buy him whatever practical gift that I know he really wants and always attach a bonus gift. The bonus gift ranges anywhere from a poem that I wrote about him, a one hour candlelight massage, to a ipod shuffle with all his favorite songs. I have so much fun coming up with a creative bonus gift every year and he appreciates the love and thought put into it."

" My wife borrows my things... all the time! Sometimes that are not put back where I left them and it drives me crazy. So, I bought her an exact duplicate of everything she borrows from me. The package included, tweezers, scissors, sweatshirt, noise canceling head phones for the animated christmas cards free, iphone charger, razor, comb, umbrella, and my favorite hat. The present had a nice card and mentioned a small getaway I had planned- she said it was the best present ever!"

Follow Chrisanna Northrup on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@thenormalbar

Nikon D5300 Review

<Nikon D5300 Cyber Monday Dealp>

Introduction

The Nikon D5300 is a new 24.2 megapixel DSLR camera with no optical low-pass filter that can record Full HD movies at 1080/50/60p with stereo sound and comes equipped with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS. A high-resolution 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD monitor makes it easier to compose your shots from difficult angles, while the extensive ISO range of 100-25600 should cope with virtually all lighting conditions. A 5fps burst shooting mode, EXPEED 4 image processor, 39-point autofocus system with nine cross-type sensors, 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, High Dynamic Range mode, Active D-Lighting, and nine different special effects for stills and movies complete the Nikon D5300's headline specs. Available in three colours, black, grey and red, the Nikon D5300 costs £729.99 / $799.95 / €899 body only, or £829.99 / €1029 with the 18-55mm VR kit lens, and $1,399.95 with the AF-S NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens.

Ease of Use

The Nikon D5300 replaces the year-old D5200 as the new mid-range model in Nikon's extensive DSLR line-up, slotting in between the existing D3200 and D7000 models, not only in terms of feature set and functionality, but also in terms of size and weight. It isn't quite as compact and lightweight as the D3200, but neither is it as bulky and heavy as the D7000. In comparison to its predecessor, the D5300 is slightly smaller and lighter than the D5200. The right-hand grip is deep and therefore quite comfortable for photographers with large hands and/or longish fingers, and there's also a handy rubberised thumb rest on the back of the body.

The D5100's 24.1 megapixel CMOS sensor has been superseded by a 24.2 megapixel sensor with no optical low-pass filter, which promises to deliver slightly finer details. The sensor can clean itself by way of high-frequency vibrations that will, at least in theory, shake off any non-adhesive dust particles that may have settled on the low-pass filter during a lens change. You can specify, via an option in the Setup menu, whether you want sensor cleaning to take place at shutdown, startup, both or neither, with the default being 'both'. The cleaning process pleasingly has no practical impact on startup times, which were near instant. The new image sensor is complemented by the more powerful EXPEED 4 processing engine and a larger buffer as well.

The D5300 is the first Nikon DSLR to offer both built-in wi-fi and GPS connectivity, instead of relying on optional accessories like all previous models. The wi-fi function essentially pairs the D5300 with an iOS or Android smartphone or other smart device, and allows you to eidt and share images directly to social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. It also makes it possible to control the D5300 remotely via a smart device using the free Wireless Mobile Utility app, and set the focus point using the smart device's touchscreen. The built-in GPS/A-GPS receiver logs location information such as latitude, longitude, and altitude in the image's EXIF data, even when the camera is turned off, allowing you to retrace your steps even when you're not taking photos.

The 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR kit lens that Nikon supplied feels fairly well-balanced on the Nikon D5300 and it fits into place with a reassuring mechanical click. It also adds the very important advantage of Vibration Reduction. Nikon bodies don't offer any form of in-camera image stabilisation, unlike similar models from Sony, Pentax and Olympus, so the affordable 18-55mm VR lens is a good starting point if you don't already have any Nikon lenses.

The shutter release action on the Nikon D5300 is surprisingly quiet, with a dampened mirror slap that makes this DSLR actually quieter than some rangefinder cameras. Furthermore, there is a Quiet Shutter Release mode, in which the mirror is raised fairly slowly to further reduce the sound it makes. This does, however, introduce some shutter lag, which usually isn't worth the few decibels of difference versus what is already an impressively quiet shutter.

FrontRear

The Nikon D5300 follows conventional DSLR design in having a shooting mode dial on the top of the camera, which allows you to select either one of the advanced modes like Manual, Aperture- or Shutter-priority, or a number of scene modes. The Exposure Compensation button is thoughtfully positioned next to the shutter release. Hold down this button with your right forefinger and spin the control wheel on the top-rear of the camera with your thumb to adjust its settings - simple and intuitive.

The Effects shooting mode, first introduced on the D5100, now provides 9 different filters that can be applied to both still images and movies. The Night Vision effect is particularly worth of mention, pushing the camera's sensitivity to a whopping ISO 102,400, although a monochrome rather than colour image is recorded. For stills, you can enter Live View mode to preview the effect or simply use the optical viewfinder. For movies, the recording is slowed down (dependent upon the chosen effect) as the camera uses a lot of processing power to apply the effect, leading to footage that can have a rather staccato feel. Note also that the camera sets virtually everything in the Effects mode - exposure, shutter speed, white balance, ISO, file type and quality - so its only creative in terms of the arty effect that's applied. Several of the same effects can be applied to an image or movie that you've taken, though, so you can have the best of both worlds (albeit without the luxury of a preview).

The second button sitting next to the shutter release is labeled 'info'. This button is arguably at the heart of the Nikon D5300's ease-of-use, as like its predecessor the camera lacks the monochromatic status LCD of the older D90, so Nikon had to provide a different way to check vital shooting information without having to look into the viewfinder. Enter the info button - pressing it displays virtually all of the camera's main settings on the large rear screen. Pressing the "i" button on the rear of the D5300 then allows you to interact with and set the onscreen options, with 14 available in total.

The rear articulated LCD screen is hinged at the side rather than the bottom. This fully articulated design is a much more flexible solution, allowing the screen to be folded out from the left side of the camera and folded inwards to protect it when not in use. The screen is slightly bigger than the D5200 at 3.2 inches and higher resolution too, with 1,037k dots, so there's nothing to complain about in this department. The screen also has an anti-glare coating, so that it's usable most of the time outdoors in strong daylight, although it still struggled a little with reflections.

The D5300's Live View is accessed in a different and arguably less intuitive way than on the D3200/D7100. Instead of a combined switch / button on the D3200/D7000, the D5300 has a fore-finger operated spring-loaded switch on top of the body that is pushed downwards and toggles between turning Live View on and off. Positioned next to the Shooting Mode dial, it allows you to enable Live View whilst holding the camera at arms length with one hand, or to turn it off as you hold the camera up to your eye. We'd prefer it to be on the rear of the camera and also to incorporate the Movie record button, in keeping with the D3200/D7100 models.

Press the Lv switch and the mirror flips up, the shutter opens and the rear screen displays the scene as seen through the lens. There is a red rectangle in the middle, which you can move practically anywhere in the frame. When in manual focus (MF) mode, you can magnify into this rectangle in a number of steps by repeatedly pressing the button marked with a loupe icon, but this magnification seems to be at least partially interpolated. This means that you cannot see detail down to the pixel level, unlike some competing cameras.

Fortunately, MF is not the only focusing option in Live View, at least as long as you are taking stills. Single-servo AF (AF-S) and Full-time-servo AF (AF-F) modes are also available and, while slow, they tend to be accurate. Both modes can also be used in connection with face detection. 'Face-priority AF' had no problem finding and keeping track of human faces as long as they were facing the camera, but acquiring focus was another story - very, very slow.

Live View must also be entered to shoot movies. After pressing the Lv button and optionally presetting the aperture and focus, you can start recording video by pressing the dedicated Movie Record button on top of the camera next to the shutter release. The camera records full high-definition, wide-screen video in 1920x1080 pixel resolution, at a frame rate of 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p, in AVI format using the motion JPEG codec. As with Live View, contrast-detect AF is possible whilst shooting movies, although as with still images there's an audible whine as the camera refocuses and it's still too slow to focus on any fast-moving subject, so much so that we suspect most serious users will use manual focusing instead. Although the D5300 can automatically focus during video recording, it's just not fast enough to warrant regular use.

You can set both the aperture and the shutter speed during movie recording, although the slowest shutter speed is limited to 1/30th second, plus exposure compensation and AE-Lock can also be set. Out of the box the D5300 can record stereo sound via its built-in microphone with three different levels of sensitivity on offer, and improved sound can also be recorded using an optional external microphone. The maximum size of a single video clip is 2 gigabytes which, given that movies occupy about 100 megabytes of storage space per minute, would theoretically translate into about 20 minutes of continuous recording.

The D5300 has a proper through-the-lens optical viewfinder with a slightly improved magnification of 0.82x, on par with most of its rivals. The Nikon D5300's 39 auto-focus points are permanently marked on the focusing screen, whereas the compositional grid lines can be called up via a menu option. Two warning signs - telling you that the battery is running low or you have forgotten to insert a memory card - may also appear in the form of overlaid icons when appropriate. Below the finder is a traditional monochromatic status bar showing practically all relevant shooting information (including the ISO sensitivity, if so specified in the menu).

As stated above, the Nikon D5300 has 39 auto-focus sensors, out of which 9 are cross type. The other thirty are of the line variety, consequently being only sensitive to either vertical or horizontal detail, but not both. In practice, this did not turn out to be a real problem, with the camera typically locking focus on the subject quickly and easily, no matter which AF point was selected. In the viewfinder, the active AF point appears in red, which is easy to see. Selecting the active AF point is done by way of the four-way pad - except if you choose Auto Area AF - again a simple and intuitive solution. In low light, the AF sensors are helped by an AF assist lamp located on the front plate of the camera.

The 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor used by the D5300 is again identical to the system used by the more expensive D7100 model. This provides precise data to the camera's Scene Recognition System, which optimises exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released.

Memory Card SlotBattery Compartment

The Nikon D5300 only has one control wheel and there are no dedicated buttons for controlling ISO sensitivity, white balance, metering or AF mode. The Fn button can be reprogrammed to perform ISO selection or white balance adjustment (or one of a few other functions such as file quality specification), but the others still have to be set through the main info screen, called up by pressing the [ i ] button top-right of the rear display. With practice, performing adjustments via this screen becomes fairly quick and easy, but it's not as efficient as the older D90's dedicated controls.

Most of the camera's rear controls are scattered, seemingly almost randomly, to the right of the D5300's large folding screen. While we can understand the need to locate them to accomodate the 3 inch LCD, the positioning of the Zoom In and Zoom Out buttons in particular isn't very intuitive, being operated with your right-hand thumb, and right next to the Delete button. As the D5300 isn't a very complex camera in terms of the number of external controls, it thankfully doesn't get too confusing, but is something to consider from an ergonomic point of view.

For the images that you've already already captured, the Nikon D5300 offers a broad range of retouching tools, including post-capture D-lighting (useful if you forgot to turn on Active D-lighting before capture), red-eye correction, trimming, monochrome conversion, different filter effects, colour adjustments, image resizing, image overlay, in-camera raw processing, quick auto retouching, straightening of crooked pictures, lens distortion correction, fisheye, colour outline, colour sketch, selective colour, miniature effect, and perspective control. Many of these functions make it unnecessary to buy specialised computer programs or plug-ins and spend hours in front of a computer to achieve a desired/popular effect.

The Nikon D5300 is powered by a proprietary EN-EL14a Lithium-ion battery, good for 600 shots, and records videos and image files on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards. As we noted in our D5200 review, we would really have liked to see Nikon add a second card slot for Compact Flash cards, so that owners of higher-specified Nikon DSLRs who buy a D5300 as a second body can use their existing memory cards. It also lacks the dual-SD slots of the D7100. As far as connectivity goes, there are USB/VideoOut and Mini HDMI ports as well as an accessory terminal for the connection of a wired remote or a GPS unit, all sheltered behind a door on the left side of the camera, when viewed from the back.

That concludes our look at the D5300's interface and feature-set. Now let's take a look at the D5300's image quality...

Entry Tags

Source: Photographyblog

Nikon D5300 hands-on review

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealh2>Nikon D5300 at a glance:

• 24.2-million-pixel, APS-C-sized CMOS sensor
• 1.037-million-dot, 3.2in, 170° LCD screen
• Expeed 4 image processor
• 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors
• ISO 100-25,600
• Price £730 body only

Nikon D5300 - Introduction

While the serious enthusiast is unlikely to be swayed into buying a Nikon DSLR over a Canon model purely because the Nikon camera is newer, the reality is that at the non-premium end of the market this is how some people make their buying decisions. 'Newer' must mean 'better'.

This demand for the 'new' explains why we see such short product cycles in the camera market, and why manufacturers feel the need to introduce even small advances in technology or feature sets in cameras with completely new names - rather than a 'Mark II' type of naming format.

Those familiar with Nikon's range of DSLRs may not see the sense in the company's introduction of the new D5300, especially as Nikon will maintain the D5200 alongside this model in the range - new and old together. By doing so, though, Nikon expands the number of cameras it has on offer and the number of price points it can cover, while also being able to have a model that can carry a 'New' sticker, and which introduces new features to the price band in which it will sit.

That's not to say that the Nikon D5300 isn't different to the D5200, though, as a new processor, new body design and the integration of wireless communications do genuinely bring additional benefits to the photographer.

Nikon D5300 - Design and handling

Nikon is very pleased that it has achieved a new way of constructing camera bodies, which it describes as a 'monocoque'. Instead of there being a chassis, onto which the components and the body shell are attached, the D5300 is designed to have everything screwed to the insides of the body form itself: exoskeleton, rather then the usual endoskeleton.

Image: The top of the camera houses only a few control points, keeping the layout simple and unintimidating for newcomers. A stereo microphone lives in front of the hotshoe

The D5300's body shell is also made of a new material, although Nikon won't say what that new material is - just that it is new. The upshot is that the body is less heavy than it might have been, and is 25g lighter, including the battery, than the camera it doesn't replace, the D5200.

I'm not entirely sure that when I used the camera I could appreciate the exact weight loss that has occurred, but I was able to enjoy the fact that this is truly a lightweight DSLR, of the type that we might not mind carrying all day, over the shoulder, in a bag or in a large pocket. The body is very small too, although it is balanced with a reassuringly large grip for the right hand. It seems ironic that a small and light camera should need a large grip, but I found it allowed me to be aware I was carrying the camera, and should a larger lens be attached it will help to support the forward pull of such a weight distribution.

Image: The body styling will be familiar to those used to the Nikon 5000 series, as will the standard menu. The 3.2in flip-out screen has impressive visibility

The buttons are arranged much as one might expect, with all the principal controls falling easily to the finger or thumb. The rear 3.2in LCD is very nicely bright and clear, with its 1.037-million-dot resolution. Nikon has set the viewing panel into the glass screen, so there are no gaps or internal reflections, which produces good contrast and a clear view from a quoted angled of up to 170°. I am impressed.

In live view, the screen works well when the camera is held low or high, and I found the AF quick enough and seemingly accurate. The response of the shutter in live view also seems good.

Image: Nikon has retained its choice of layouts for the rear-screen display, with text-based and graphically expressed options to suit personal preferences

Nikon D5300 - Still to test

The principal changes in this model are of the sort that will only be proved in testing, but at this stage their potential is worth pointing out. Using the higher-capacity Expeed 4 processor, Nikon claims it has been able to reduce noise in its images through the use of more complicated calculations. A related benefit is that now noise levels are lower the company is comfortable offering a higher ISO setting - the Nikon D5300 allows ratings of up to ISO 25,600. More complex calculations also provide the potential for better white balance assessment in automatic modes via a more comprehensive assessment of the scene, and a better rendition of colour overall.

Lower noise should also lead to better resolution of detail from the 24.2-million-pixel sensor, as should Nikon's decision to do without the micro-blurring effects of a low-pass (anti-aliasing) filter. Leaving the low-pass filter off the sensor has become very fashionable, and I suspect it will be a great draw for many photographers. Moiré in images created by a sensor with 24 million pixels, even an APS-C-sized sensor, is still something that is quite likely to occur, but there is also plenty of software to correct it after the event.

The other thing to note is that this model sees the introduction of a new battery cell, which Nikon says increases capacity from 500 shots to 600 compared to the cell used in the D5200. It annoys me when companies change their battery forms, but on this occasion the new cell and that used in the D5200 are interchangeable.

Obviously, I couldn't test the battery life of the camera, but we should take the increase as good news. I will also have to wait to test the Wi-Fi and GPS capabilities of this new model, but neither can be held as negative points just for their inclusion. The Wi-Fi integration means users will be able to control the camera from an Android or iOS device, and will be able to wirelessly transfer images for viewing, editing and sending while on the go.

Image: The new battery, which is backwards compatible with the D5200, offers a longer life. There is no low-pass filter on the sensor, for extra resolution

Nikon D5300 - Conclusion

It would be easy to dismiss the Nikon D5300 for being too similar to the D5200, but that really isn't the point. There is not much wrong with the D5200, and the changes that this new model brings can only make it better. Perhaps Nikon could have called it the D5200 ll, but I'm not sure it matters one bit.

The Nikon D5300 will cost around £730 body only and be available from 14 November.

Source: Amateurphotographer

Nikon ad teases retro-styled full-frame DSLR, possibly called the Nikon DF

<Nikon D5300 Cheapp>Rumors about Nikon launching a retro-styled full-frame shooter have been confirmed by the camera giant with the release of a teaser ad this week.

The first of five ads in Nikon's "Pure Photography" ad campaign shows a guy "alone in a bleak landscape", as the accompanying blurb informs us, adding, "Something has been missing in his creative life."

He certainly looks as if he has things on his mind; perhaps he's worried about how much he'll have to shell out for the new camera, or maybe he's concerned about claims that it'll have no video functionality.

Being a teaser (check it out below), Nikon doesn't actually show us the camera. Instead, we can hear it in all its retro glory. By that, we mean we can hear the heavy clicks as the actor turns the shooter's dials, and then, the real giveaway, the sound of the shutter, one that'll be familiar to those with experience of film SLR cameras and which may cause a warm, fuzzy feeling in their tummies. Go on, have a listen and lose yourself in a haze of nostalgic bliss.

Nikon Rumors claims the new camera will be called the Nikon DF, with DF standing for Digital Fusion. Design-wise, it's expected to resemble the camera maker's old F3 film cameras (above) popular with professional photographers in the 1980s and beyond.

The DF's autofocus system is rumored to be the same as Nikon's recently released entry-level full-frame D610 camera, with 39 points. Additionally, the upcoming camera is thought to incorporate settings for 1:1, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios. Add a full-frame FX sensor, an EVF/OVF hybrid viewfinder, and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8G lens and we may have ourselves a very stylish piece of kit.

Now Nikon has rolled out its first ad, we probably don't have too long to wait before the big reveal - in fact, there's already a space for it on Nikon's website alongside its other full-frame offerings.

Source: Digitaltrends

Nikon DF Announcement Rumored For 5th November

<Nikon D5300 Black Friday Dealp>Nikon has been rumored to be getting themselves ready for a launch of one of their new cameras, a certain Nikon DF which is allegedly a hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera system, akin to Sony's recently announced A7 AND A7R products. We had heard that an early November announcement of the camera was a possibility and now according to Nikon Rumors, an announcement for the 5th of November will most likely be taking place. We're not sure where they are getting their information from, but presumably it is coming from one of their sources, so we guess you should take this news with a grain of salt for now.

As to what we might be able to expect, well the Nikon DF is said to feature a body whose design is similar to that of the Nikon FM2, giving it a more retro look. It is said to sport a full-frame sensor (the megapixels are unknown at this point in time), and will have the same AF system found on the Nikon D610, meaning that photographers can look forward to a 39-point AF system. It will also have settings for 1:1, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios, and there is a chance that the camera might come without video recording capabilities.

Source: Ubergizmo

Nikon Unveils D5300 DSLR With WiFi, GPS

By Greg Tarr On Oct 17 2013 - 10:59am

Nikon D5300 Discount's D5300 ($799 body only) is the company's first DSLR to incorporate WiFi and GPS geotagging.

Melville, N.Y. - Nikon introduced Thursday its D5300 D-SLR, offering an enhanced 24.2 megapixel CMOS sensor and a Nikon-first built-in Wi-Fi and GPS.

The company also added an AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G lens prime lens.

Nikon's D5300, which will be available in October for a $799.95 (body only) suggested retail price or $1,399.95 for a kit including the camera and an AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens , is the company's first D-SLR with built-in Wi-Fi and GPS functionality to provide instant photo sharing with smartphones or tablets, and to enable geotagging images.

The camera incorporates a 24.2-megapizel DX-format CMOS sensor and is features a compact, lightweight ergonomically body design.

Other key features include a 3.2-inch swiveling Vari-angle LCD display; a 39-point AF system with 9 cross-type sensors; 5 fps continuous shooting, FullHD 1080p video capture with built-in stereo microphone; intuitive scene recognition and a variety of image efects and in-camera editing tools.

The D5300 will be available in a choice of black, red and gray body colors.

The AF-S Nikkor 58mm f/1.4G lens, which will be available in October for a $1,699.95 suggested retail price, will accommodate both FX and DX format cameras offering high quality low-light shooting performance.

Nikon said the unusual 58mm focal length is ideal for portraits, landscapes and street photography.

Source: Twice

Nikon D5300 DSLR Unveiled, 24.2MP Successor to the D5200

Posted on 18. Oct, 2013 by Steve in Digital Cameras

Nikon D5300 Black Friday Deal-with-18-140mm-Nikkor-lens.jpg">Nikon has unveiled the successor to the popular Nikon D5200 digital SLR, which the company launched almost one year ago, the new model is named Nikon D5300. The new Nikon D5300 will start to ship early next month with a retail price that is just under $800 for the camera body. The D5300 and the D5200 both share a similar body design, but there are minor differences or improvements that the D5300 has to offer buyers.

The improvements list is short and consists of features that enhance the photographic abilities of the camera and a feature that brings the camera up-to-date with a new digital camera market trend.

Improvements that will help the overall performance of the new Nikon D5300 over the now-old D5200 include a newly designed and higher resolution CMOS image sensor along with a brand new image processor.

Between the Nikon D5200 and the new Nikon D5300, the 24.2 megapixel D5300 has just 0.1 megapixels more resolution than the 24.1 megapixel D5200, however the D5300′s sensor has no built-in OLPF (optical low pass filter) and Nikon say's that will help with image clarity, both the old D5200 and new D5300 use similarly sized DX-format CMOS image sensors.

Nikon D5300 digital SLR gallery:

The new image processor that you will be getting with the upcoming Nikon D5300 is Nikon's newly developed EXPEED 4 image processor. According to Nikon, the new EXPEED 4 offers fast performance while 'maximizing energy efficiency, reducing image noise and delivering true-to-life colors'. The D5200 digital SLR features the EXPEED 3 image processing engine.

After the new image sensor and processor the only other major new feature included with the new Nikon D5300 digital SLR is Wi-Fi. The camera will be shipped with Wi-Fi capabilities built-in that don't need any external accessories like the Nikon WU-1a. The built-in Wi-Fi will let you pair your D5300 to your mobile devices iOS or Android after you install the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility free app. Also the Wi-Fi working with the cameras built-in GPS can geo-tag files all without external accessories.

However, with the Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility app you will be able to complete functions like remote shooting where you can use your mobile device as a live view enabled wireless remote for snapping photos, wireless transferring of photo and video files, manual file upload for sending files to your mobile device even when you're not paired to the device (the image just downloads later when you are paired).

After you consider all of those differences the Nikon D5300 isn't really a radically new camera compared to the out-going Nikon D5200. However nobody should have expected a totally different camera given the very short gap between the two cameras launches, the D5200 was launched November of last year.

Some big similarities include Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps, continuous Shooting up to 5 fps, expandable ISO from 100-25600, 39-Point auto-focusing system, active D-Lighting and built-in HDR, Nikon F mount support, and an at eye-level pentamirror optical viewfinder.

From an exterior design perspective you can really see the lack of a re-design in the D5300 compared to the D5200. The only difference in looks is the vari-angle LCD is now 3.2-inches with the D5300 instead of 3.1-inches. Even with the color options the new Nikon D5300 is much like the D5200, the new camera will be offered in Black, Red or Grey colors.

Camera seller B&H Photo Video is offering pre-orders for the Nikon D5300 body at $796.95 (same price for each color) and they are offering a body+14-140mm telephoto zoom lens kit (pictured first above) for $1,396.95. With this particular retailer you can expect your pre-ordered D5300 camera to ship on November 14, 2013 according to notice put on each listing.

Tags: 1080p, 3.2-inch Vari-Angle LCD, 720p hd, active D-Lighting, auto-focus system, cmos sensor, digital camera, dslr, DX-format DSLR, full hd, FullHD, gps, hd, hdmi, hdr, image stabilization system, interchangeable lens, memory card, Nikon, Nikon D5300, Nikon dslr, Nikon Expeed 4, Nikon F mount, Nikon Wireless Mobile Utility, optical low pass filter, optical viewfinder, pentamirror optical viewfinder, sd memory card, sdhc memory card, sdxc memory card, tilt LCD, Video, wi-fi

Source: Digital-cameras-planet

'Sexy' costumes come under fire

<cop costume for toddlerp>We're always looking for news, sports, and entertainment footage that you've taken around town, to share with The Province readers. Upload your videos through YouTube, as follows. Thanks!

Source: Theprovince

A Peek Into The Private Lives Of 'Burton And Taylor'

You have to be of a certain age to remember firsthand the tornado of publicity that erupted when Liz Taylor, the former child star turned screen vamp, first met British stage star Richard Burton on the set of the 1963 movie cleopatra makeup step by step. But it's still one of Hollywood's most famous and inescapable love stories.

He played Mark Antony, she played the Queen of the Nile, and just like their onscreen characters, they fell in love. Though Liz and Dick were married to others at the time, they began a torrid affair, the coverage of which spread outside the gossip columns. Eventually, they divorced their spouses and got married. After 10 years and many films together, they divorced - then, after a while, married each other a second time, then got divorced again. That all happened by 1976.

In the early '80s, Liz and Dick decided to reunite once again - but this time, only professionally, as the stars of a limited-run Broadway revival of the Noel Coward comedy Private Lives. The play was about a long-divorced couple who meet while on honeymoons with new spouses - but whose love for one another is rekindled during the chance encounter.

Liz, who was popping pills and drinking at the time, may have wished for life to imitate art. Dick, newly sober, considered Liz one more compelling addiction it was wiser for him to avoid. And it's this period of their lives that screenwriter William Ivory examines in the new BBC America telemovie import, Burton and Taylor.

It's a highly entertaining study, for two reasons. One is the decision to peek at the private lives of these very public figures through such a tiny, fixed peephole. It's much more satisfying than watching a boring by-the-numbers recreation of career highlights, like last year's horrible Lifetime telemovie Liz & Dick, starring Lindsay Lohan. That wasmore focused on getting the costumes and makeup right than caring about the performances or character insights. Burton and Taylor, though, stays in one place long enough to make us feel their emotions - and, because of the excellent performances, believe them.

The performances are the other reason this drama works. The stars of Burton and Taylor sound like unlikely choices, but they mesh perfectly. Helena Bonham Carter, who's spent much of the past decade playing cartoonish characters for Tim Burton and others, plays Liz with a fire, and a vulnerability, that quickly make the impersonation succeed. And as Richard Burton, one of the most commanding and forceful actors of his generation, the movie casts Dominic West, whom fans of The Wire know well as Detective McNulty.

Here, the native British actor gets to drop the accent he used for that HBO series, and approximate Richard Burton's gravelly, velvety tones. West does it so well that he, too, quickly makes you forget about the performer and get drawn into the often intimate action.

Burton and Taylor is as serious as last year's Liz & Dick telemovie was campy. For writer Ivory and director Richard Laxton, it's easily a career best. For the stars, it's one more triumph to add to their already impressive resumes. And for other TV writers and producers looking to dramatize the lives of famous figures, Burton and Taylor - like Steven Spielberg's narrowly focused movie biography of Lincoln - serves as a very clear lesson. Sometimes, when deciding how much of a life to examine, less very definitely is more.

Source: Npr

Outdoor enthusiasts flock to opening of Bass Pro Shops

<muzzyp>

Tina Russell / Observer-Dispatch

People file into Bass Pro Shops in Utica during its grand opening in North Utica Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2013.

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The Houser family showed up to the Bass Pro Shops Outpost on Wednesday night to find some new gear for the family's youngest hunter.

On Monday, Alexis, accompanied by her father, Eric, will be going bow-hunting for the first time.

"She's been with me watching before but she's 12 so this will be her first time," he said.

Alexis said her favorite part of hunting is seeing the animals and being successful.

The Housers were some of the early arrivals to the store's grand opening at Riverside Center in North Utica.

While the 60,000-square-foot facility didn't draw the expected 9,000 outdoor enthusiasts, by the time the doors opened just after 6:30 p.m., a sizeable crowd filled the parking lot in front of the store.

John Eberley of Whitesboro came to Bass Pro to look for some new arrowheads.

"It's interesting," he said. "I might look for some replacement broadheads, just see what they have."

Television host Jimmy Houston of "Jimmy Houston Outdoors" emceed the opening ceremonies.

As the crowd slowly filled the parking lot leading up to the ceremony, Bass Pro employees and Trax, the Utica College mascot, fired T-shirts into the crowd.

The store created more than 200 new jobs and as part of the evening, half of the proceeds from Wednesday's sales were donated to conservation efforts.

Bass Pro will be the fourth sporting goods store to open in the area, joining Dick's Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain and Herb Philipson's.

As with any store opening, the ceremony included an official ribbon cutting, but staying with Bass Pro's outdoor theme, the ribbon was cut with a large hunting knife.

Follow @OD_Hughes on Twitter or call him at 792-5063.

The Houser family showed up to the Bass Pro Shops Outpost on Wednesday night to find some new gear for the family's youngest hunter.

On Monday, Alexis, accompanied by her father, Eric, will be going bow-hunting for the first time.

"She's been with me watching before but she's 12 so this will be her first time," he said.

Alexis said her favorite part of hunting is seeing the animals and being successful.

The Housers were some of the early arrivals to the store's grand opening at Riverside Center in North Utica.

While the 60,000-square-foot facility didn't draw the expected 9,000 outdoor enthusiasts, by the time the doors opened just after 6:30 p.m., a sizeable crowd filled the parking lot in front of the store.

John Eberley of Whitesboro came to Bass Pro to look for some new arrowheads.

"It's interesting," he said. "I might look for some replacement broadheads, just see what they have."

Television host Jimmy Houston of "Jimmy Houston Outdoors" emceed the opening ceremonies.

As the crowd slowly filled the parking lot leading up to the ceremony, Bass Pro employees and Trax, the Utica College mascot, fired T-shirts into the crowd.

The store created more than 200 new jobs and as part of the evening, half of the proceeds from Wednesday's sales were donated to conservation efforts.

Bass Pro will be the fourth sporting goods store to open in the area, joining Dick's Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain and Herb Philipson's.

As with any store opening, the ceremony included an official ribbon cutting, but staying with Bass Pro's outdoor theme, the ribbon was cut with a large hunting knife.

Follow @OD_Hughes on Twitter or call him at 792-5063.

Source: Uticaod

Official Nexus 7 Flip Cases Hit Google Play in Four Colors, Steep $49.99 Price - Droid Life

Google pushed out brand new "official" Nexus 7 (2013) flip 5s iphone cases life proof skin to Google Play this morning that run $49.99 a piece. The cases come in four colors: red, blue, white, and black. The red and blue versions are mostly grey suede, though, but have red and blue interiors for pops of color. Each case also features a lower-left positioned Google flag, so you'll never forget who designed your protective cover.

This case is the "first tablet case designed by Google" for your new Nexus 7, which features a built-in stand and a body that is "made to the exact specifications of your Google-designed technology."

I've got to say, that these are indeed quite pretty cases. The price is throwing me off a bit at $49.99, but we have a couple on order already to report back to you with. Also, don't forget to check out our mega-comparison of various low-priced cases that can be had through Amazon for as little as $5.

Source: Droid-life

Masonry fall from Darlington town clock sparks investigation

<mkh3>Masonry fall from Darlington town clock sparks investigation

5:00pm Thursday 3rd October 2013 in Darlington By Vicki Henderson, Darlington reporter

The area cordoned off around the Darlington town clock

AN investigation is underway after pieces of masonry fell from Darlington's historic town clock.

The area around the Grade II listed clock tower has been cordoned off by staff from Darlington Borough Council after parts of the facade fell to the ground.

No-one was hurt during the masonry fall and there are no indications that there is a serious problem with the building.

A council spokeswoman said the authority had taken steps to secure the site as soon it was made aware of the incident.

She added: "A structural engineer is due to attend the site next week to inspect the clock tower and to assess its current condition.

"We have an ongoing commitment to inspect and maintain all council buildings and are fully aware of the additional potential risks posed by high level buildings."

Refurbishment work was done to the highest parts of the tower ten years ago.

Councillor Bill Stenson, one of the longest serving council members, said he was concerned to hear about any damage to the clock, but said he felt confident repairs would be made quickly.

He said: "I think the council has always looked after the town clock. There's no way the council would let that go to a point where it's going to cause problems.

"Hopefully it's just a bit of pointing and they'll be able to get it fixed. It might only be something small now but it could be a bigger problem soon."

Although supportive of the work to maintain the town clock, Councillor Stenson has again spoken of his concerns about the state of the High Row steps, installed as part of the pedestrianisation of the town centre.

The steps have been known to slide out of position and Coun Stenson said he was worried that they appear to have moved again.

The council said work to push the stones back into position takes place about twice a year and they are monitored regularly.

Coun Stenson said: "If people fall down them because they are out of place or covered in ice in winter there really will be trouble.

"I go down to the town centre a couple of times a week and I always keep an eye of them and I've noticed that some of them are moving again. If they go any further they will become dangerous."

The council's spokeswoman said: "Our Highways team regularly inspects the steps in the town centre and any that have worked their way forward are pushed back into place and secured using a silicone gel."

Source: Thenorthernecho

LifeProof Debuts Two New Galaxy S4 WaterProof Cases

Case maker LifeProof has announced two new additions to its popular case line, both of which are compatible with Samsung's latest flagship device: the Samsung Galaxy S4.

The first case in the new Galaxy S4 compatible line-up, the LifeProof nuud Galaxy S4, offers much of the same profile that users get with the nuud Samsung Galaxy S3. That includes the company's drop protection for falls of up to 6.6 feet, water resistance for up to 6.6 feet and clear rear-facing and front-facing shell. That clear shell allows users to still showcase the color of their device, while protecting the particularly fragile Galaxy S4 from dirt, dust snow and ice. Although the case does nearly completely encapsulate the Galaxy S4, users shouldn't have a problem accessing its buttons and jacks. The LifeProof nuud, will debut at $89.99.

For $79.99, Galaxy S4 fre case allows users to protect their investment completely, thanks to a built-in screen protector. That's in addition to the case also being fully submersible in water for 6.6 feet, and rated for drops as high as 6.6 feet. Users can still show off the color of their phone with the rear-case window and it too allows users access to the headphone jack and USB port of the Galaxy S4 without any trouble.

As for looks and functionality, both 5s iphone cases lifeproof echo mirror the LifeProof nuud Galaxy S3 case GottaBeMobile reviewed last month. We found the case to be particularly well made, going so far as to declare it the "best Galaxy S3 waterproof case we've tried."

Read: LifeProof nuud Galaxy S3 Review: Waterproof Case

While users can't purchase either of the cases just yet, they can sign up to receive an email alert from LifeProof the moment the cases are available. A press release made available to GottaBeMobile indicated that users should expect each case to go on sale this month.

Although some users might balk at both cases' price tags, it's likely that they will thank themselves for making the large investment should they ever drop their device in water or on a hard surface. The Galaxy S4 is legendary for providing small software based features meant to enhance user's lives, however most users would agree that its somewhat flimsy back and plastic edges mean the phone is very susceptible to trauma.

Source: Gottabemobile

Pow Wow, Octoberfest and a film festival scheduled this weekend

<wowp>

Manton Apple Festival

Apples, apple pies and other apple specialities will be featured at the Manton Apple Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Manton School, 31345 Forward Road, Manton.

This annual festival held the first Saturday of October will also feature vendors selling hand made craft items, jewelry and food. There will be free carriage rides, country and blue grass music as well as an apple pie and pie eating contests.

The Manton Museum will be open so visitors can learn more about the history of the area. Local vineyards will offer wine tastings in the afternoon. No pets, alcohol, drugs or tobacco products are allowed at this event.

Soroptimist International of Redding 16th annual Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon

Jonna Tamases will be the guest speaker at the Soroptimist International of Redding's Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon at 11 a.m. Friday.

Tamases is the playwright and performer of "Jonna's Body, Please Hold," a one-woman play that chronicles her journey through breast cancer.

The luncheon will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at the Redding Civic Auditorium, 700 Auditorium Drive, Redding.

The event also includes raffles and the person of distinction presentation.

Proceeds provide mammograms to people in the North State community who otherwise could not afford them.

Tickets are $35 each and are available at Kueblers Furniture and Banner Real Estate, both in Redding, or by calling 227-0251.

Oktoberfest at Hawes Ranch

This weekend Hawes Ranch celebrates the German tradition of Oktoberfest at the ranch, 21923 Dersch Road, Anderson.

Activities kick off at 4 p.m. Friday, with a traditional keg tapping at 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, the festival starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 11 p.m. Starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, The Mellodramatics will lead the "Rocktoberfest" dance party.

On Sunday, the fest will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

During Oktoberfest, a variety of German food will be served, such as bratwurst, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, hot pretzles, roasted chicken and pork.

Admission is $12.95 a person and includes Oktoberfest activities, farm attractions, corn maze and movies after dark. Food and drinks are extra.

For more information, go to http://www.historichawesfarms.com/

Redding Rancheria's Stillwater Pow Wow

The Redding Rancheria will celebrate American Indian culture and traditions at its annual Pow Wow Friday through Sunday at the Shasta District Fair grounds, 1890 Briggs St., Anderson.

Photo by Hung T. Vu

The weekend will feature dancing, a hand game tournament and a drum contest. No alcohol, smoking or drugs are allowed at this family-friendly event.

The Pow Wow will be from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Admission is $2 a person.

For more information, go to www.redding-rancheria.com.

Manhattan Short Film Festiva

Film buffs will have a chance to see 10 short films and vote on their favorite at the Manhattan Short Film Festival at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Cascade Theatre, 1731 Market St., Redding.

Redding is just one stop on this festival's global tour that introduces audiences to 10 short films and gives them a chance to pick their favorite.

The 10 finalist films being screened are: "Do I Have to Take Care of Everything," "Black Metal," "Faces From Places," "#30," "I am a Big Ball of Sadness," "Friday," "Kizmet Diner," "Irish Folk Furniture," "No Comment," "Pale of Settlement."

Tickets are $18 each. For more information, go to http://www.cascadetheatre.org.

2013 Community Creek CleanUp

Get outside, get some exercise and help clean up along the Sacramento River Saturday morning.

The Community Creek Cleanup will be from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday on the north side of the Sacramento River Trail. The area to be cleaned up will be between Market Stree and the Sundial Bridge.

Volunteers will help remove trash and invasive plants such as Himalayan blackberry, ailanthus, pyracantha, fruiting mulberry, mimosa, acacia, black locust and arundo. They should bring water and wear closed-toe shoes, long pants and sunscreen. Tools, gloves and goggles will be provided. Volunteers should be 10 and older.

To register, please go to www.shastacreeks.com.

Admission is free.

French Country Market

Pilgrim Congregational Church invites people to visit its French Country Market this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 2850 Foothill Blvd., Redding.

This event features a French Bistro lunch for $10. It also includes music and raffles. Vendors will be selling home and garden items, collectibles, baked goods, crafts, jewelry and wine items.

Proceeds help fund community service projects.

Admission is free.

For more information, call 243-3121 or go to www.pilgrimchurchredding.com.

Bark and Wine and Brew

Haven Humane Society will hold its sixth annual Bark and Wine and Brew from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the Red Lion Inn, 1830 Hilltop Drive, Redding.

This evening includes wine and beer tasting, hors d'oeuvres, music, live and silent auctions and raffles.

Tickets are $35 each. You can also purchase a VIP package that includes two tickets, a raffle ticket in a drawing to win a Lake Tahoe vacation, special seating and a gift from Haven.

This event is for people 21 and older.

Proceeds help support animals at Haven Humane.

Source: Redding

Chicopee City Council questions funding on tree program

<couponp>CHICOPEE - City Councilors criticized the way a program to evaluate trees was handled but will allow it to continue.

Early this year the city received a $23,500 Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Urban Forestry grant to inventory the location and type of all trees in the city. Councilors, who were hesitant to approve the grant at first, later learned the cost of the program more than doubled.

In a routine review of city expenses, councilor Gerry Roy discovered that an additional $38,500 was withdrawn from a forestry department account to finish the inventory.

Recently Councilors asked the Community Development Department, which is overseeing the project, to explain the cost overrun and why the department had not requested the transfer from the City Council as is routine. This week they submitted a report of the discussion.

"The problem is they did not come to us for a transfer," Roy said, adding the money was taken from an account for tree trimming and related expenses such as police details.

"It just wasn't handled right. I hope they will come to us in the future," Councilor James K. Tillotson said.

The overrun was caused in part by the fact that the original grant and the department figured the city had 5,000 trees on public ways. When the count began, it was discovered the number was seriously underestimated and the city in fact has about 15,00 trees.

The city was also supposed to use a number of volunteers but then it hired Davey Resource Group and no volunteers were actually used, Roy said.

"It made sense but it took on a life of its own," he said.

Along with counting and mapping the trees on a GPS system, the city also recorded the overall condition of each tree and set priorities on which needed to be removed, pruned or treated for disease.

The program gives the city a record of what type of species are planted in different neighborhoods so the city can diversify the species so, in the case of disease, all trees on one street are not killed.

It also shows city officials there is a lack of trees so they can plant more when they have an opportunity.

Source: Masslive

Early Halloween festivities show that 'holiday creep' is getting scary

<halloween candy moldsp>Happy Halloween.

I know, I know. The calendar says that we're still in September, and nightfall on the final day in the month of October is 32 days away.

But Halloween has already broken out.

Halloween costumes are popping up on store racks, and those big bags of fun-sized treats are already on sale in the grocery's candy aisle.

Celebrating Halloween this early is the equivalent of having a New Year's Eve party two weeks before Thanksgiving or handing your valentine a dozen roses and a heart-shaped box of chocolates on Christmas Eve.

There's a name for this sort of disregard for the calendar. It's called "holiday creep."

Halloween has become a victim of an ever-creeping Christmas, which used to be a December holiday until it was moved up to the day after Thanksgiving with the creation of a marathon of competitive shopping better known as Black Friday.

Last year, Black Friday shopping turned into Black Thanksgiving, with stores opening on Turkey Day rather than waiting until after midnight to begin the annual holiday shopping onslaught.

And this year, Wal-Mart jump-started the Christmas holiday season on Aug. 21, by announcing a holiday layaway shopping program that began on Sept. 13.

So Halloween has been under pressure.

So far, the local haunted houses haven't succumbed to the September push.

Clayton's Fear Farm and Haunted Scream Park will crank up on Friday; 3 1/2 weeks before Halloween seems modest now, unless you're one of those people like me who remember Halloween as a single night, one centering on a pretty simple door-to-door candy gathering operation.

Clearly, that's an outdated model.

There's a bumper crop of websites that advise you to give trick-or-treaters something healthier than candy.

A woman identifying herself as "Sexy Vegan Mama" on the Circle of Moms website claims to have found the perfect alternative to the traditional Halloween candy.

"I'm a big fan of grabbing multipacks of toothbrushes at The Dollar Store, where I often find them eight-for-a-dollar, and stuffing goody bags with a toothbrush and stickers or other inexpensive party favors like spider rings," she wrote."Also, I give mad props to parents who choose not to give out candy. With two little ones allergic to red dye, those non-candy items are a treasure because they don't have to be culled!"

Handing out toothbrushes on Halloween?

Maybe it's time to reimagine the holiday, even if it does fall in September.

With staff contributions.

Source: Newsobserver

In a week without much action among the Top 25, the few teams with quality wins came up big.

One of the familiar tropes coming into Week 4 was that it was a generally weak slate of games and that there wouldn't be much action. That generally held true over the course of the day, especially for the big boys; the highest-ranked team to lose was No. 23 Arizona State, who had the unlucky task of traveling to No. 5 Stanford. Similarly, the next-best team going down was Michigan State (No. 26, if you will, in the AP and No. 24 in the Coaches Poll), and the Spartans also had the rare ranked away game, with a trip to No. 22 notre Dame.

Past that, there was a lot of interesting moving and shaking, and we should see a significantly clearer picture in the BCS computer rankings after this week.

You'll remember that after Week 3, there were 45 teams that got votes from someone - Coaches Poll voters, say, or a wayward computer poll. That will not be the case after this week. Expect to see a much shorter list of Top 25s from both the human voters and computer polls, because the scene directly below the Top 25 was a bloodbath. Only six of the lower 20 teams picked up wins against FBS competition, and eight of them took Ls. That's a good way to cull the herd.

Here are your movers and shakers for Week 3.

Going Up

Rankings are based on last week's full BCS simulation, which includes computers and polls that have yet to be released this week.

No. 22 Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish may have gotten a little assistance from the zebras in their 17-13 win over Michigan State, but a win's a win, as they say, and this was one of the best weeks anyone in the polls had. Not only does Notre Dame add its new best win to its resume, but its strength of schedule should get a small boost from Michigan's road win at UConn and Purdue's loss to powerhouse Wisconsin. In a week where few teams distinguished themselves, Notre Dame shined.

No. 30 Fresno State

Beating Boise State 41-40 was good enough by itself to make a positive impression on voters, but Fresno picked up a massive assist from Week 1 opponent Rutgers, who knocked off SEC foe Arkansas. Fresno's schedule gets significantly easier from here in the newly top-heavy MWC, so there may not be too many good weeks coming for the Bulldogs' strength of schedule, but Friday and Saturday were both good days.

No. 20 Florida

Losing Jeff Driskel to a leg injury for the year stinks; there's no question about that. But for as competent as Tyler Murphy looked in relief, Florida was also buoyed by not only getting a win over an SEC foe, but seeing its other two opponents (Toledo and Miami) pick up wins.

Also, No. 4 Stanford probably won't be going anywhere, but getting in its first nationally convincing win should stop its slide in the polls (Clemson's jumped the Cardinal) and convince the computers, which had them ranked at No. 7 last week.

Going Down

No. 27 Michigan State

There's no inherent shame in losing at Notre Dame, especially when you can grouse about the officiating in the process. It's just that the Spartans got essentially no help from the rest of their schedule, with the only win coming via Youngstown State beating up on Duquesne. That's not going to impress the computers, especially when Western Michigan (a 26-13 win for MSU) goes down 59-3 at Iowa.

No. 33 Arkansas

The Razorbacks were poised to make a run at the top 25 in the Coaches Poll (less so the AP, for now) until a brutal loss at Rutgers this week derailed the perfect non-conference slate. The rest of Arkansas' run didn't help matters, and really, just about anyone in a BCS conference could have gone 3-1 against the likes of Rutgers, Southern Miss, Louisiana-Lafayette and Samford.

No. 3 Ohio State

It seems paradoxical to look at a team that just won 76-0 and say "well, it was a good run," but Ohio State did its already weak strength of schedule no favors by whipping lowly Florida A&M, arguably the worst team to strap 'em up in the recent history in the 'Shoe. The computer polls don't factor in margin of victory, remember, and human voters aren't going to let the Buckeyes displace any of the top three of Alabama, Oregon and Clemson just by beating up on cupcakes. With Stanford and Clemson both in stronger positions, expect a slight dip from the Buckeyes.

No. 36 Boise State

The BCS dream is officially dead for Boise State; even if the Broncos win out for the season and knock off Fresno State in the inevitable Mountain West rematch, an 11-2 team with this weak schedule isn't crashing the BCS party. Boise's non-conference slate was basically a one-game affair, and that ended in a blowout at Washington's hand.

Week 5's BCS impact games

South Carolina at UCF (12:00, ABC): Central Florida is one of the biggest surprises of the young 2013 season, and a home win against the Fightin' Jadeveons would be a crown jewel in the Knights' cap. Do Knights wear caps? Probably not. We're getting off topic. Someone's coming away from this game with a significant win on their resume, one that just might make a difference when it comes to handing out BCS bowl bids in December.

LSU at Georgia (3:30, CBS): Alabama and Texas A&M already took the crown for "first great SEC game of the season," but this'll be right up there in terms of quality and impact on the BCS race. Both teams are in the top 10, and whoever comes away with the win has a golden ticket punched to the top five and the inside track to at least an at-large BCS bid.

Oklahoma at Notre Dame (3:30, NBC): Oddly enough, the computer polls love Oklahoma, putting the Sooners fourth overall as of last week. Notre Dame looked tough but vulnerable - like Ryan Gosling! - in the last win over Michigan State, and where each team stands on the contender/pretender spectrum will be more clearly defined after this game.

Wisconsin at Ohio State (8:00, ABC): One wouldn't normally think a division in a BCS conference would be decided in September, but these two teams are so far ahead of the pack in the Big Ten's Leaders Division (especially with Penn State ineligible) that whoever wins this game can start thinking about the trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title in December. Ohio State's the favorite but needs to show it can shut down a high-powered rushing attack, otherwise the BCS Championship picture's going to get a little less complicated.

USC at Arizona State (10:30, ESPN2): Guffaw all you'd like, but there'd be no more classic Lane Kiffin move and Todd Graham move than to have the Trojans vault straight back into the Pac-12 title picture with a win in Tempe in late night action.

Follow @SBNationCFB Follow @SBNRecruiting

* Longform: Bill Connelly's Big Ten road trip

* Stanford pounds Arizona State, 42-28

* Notre Dame outuglies Michigan State, 17-13

* Florida tops Tennessee, but loses Jeff Driskel

* Players apparently participate in NCAA protest

* Today's college football news headlines

Source: Sbnation

blackberry founder Mike Lazaridis is reportedly considering a bid to take over the struggling smartphone maker.

Lazaridis, who stepped down as co-chief executive last year, is talking to private equity firms about a bid for the company, which reported a big loss and announced 4,500 layoffs this week.

The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported the talks. The New York Times said that Lazaridis has separately approached the Blackstone Group and the Carlyle Group about making an offer. The talks are in a preliminary stage. But the potential for a deal is growing as BlackBerry's stock tanks further.

On Friday, shares plunged as the company reported quarterly revenue far below analyst expectations. BlackBerry shares listed in the United States fell 17.1 percent to $8.73. The publications could not reach the parties for official comment.

Private equity firms have considered a bid for BlackBerry for more than a year, but the company is in a tough spot, making the private equity firms gun shy about investing money in it.

Lazaridis, who co-founded the firm in 1985, is still one of the largest individuals shareholders.

On Friday, BlackBerry said it expects operating loss between $950 million and $995 million in the second quarter and it would lay off 4,500 employees. It will refocus on enterprise and "prosumer" customers rather than mainstream consumers.

As part of its move away from the consumer market, the company says it will reduce its smartphone portfolio from six phones to four (at this point, there are only two BlackBerry 10 devices on the market). Now that the iPhone and Android are dominating mainstream smartphone buyers, BlackBerry's only hope is to appeal to the businesses that need its secure services and its few remaining hardcore fans. The company plans to offer two high-end smartphones and two entry-level phones, with each group containing an all-touchscreen device and physical keyboard model.

BlackBerry says it will also offer hardware and software services to other companies. It just announced a new flagship smartphone, the BlackBerry Z30, as well as plans to bring its BlackBerry Messenger service to the iPhone and Android this weekend.

Source: VentureBeat

The San Francisco 49ers' 29-3 loss to division rival Seattle left the defense banged up and reeling. Defensive tackle Ian Williams suffered a broken left ankle and was placed on injured reserve. Fellow defensive tackle Ray McDonald is nursing not one, but two ankle sprains. Promising rookie safety Eric Reid suffered a concussion.

Add to that the recent arrest of linebacker aldon Smith on suspicion of DUI, and the 49ers have a lot of question marks heading into this week's game against the up-and-coming offense of the Indianapolis Colts.

McDonald says he will play, and Reid passed the first leg of the NFL-mandated concussion protocol test on Friday after participating in a contact simulation after practice.

Reid still has to participate in more contact drills to be cleared, but expects to play.

"I went to the doctor yesterday and they said all my post-concussion tests were good - passed all my baseline tests, so I think I have to go back and get released for Sunday, but I should be fine," Reid told CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.

Going up against Colts' quarterback Andrew Luck and the newly acquired Trent Richardson figures to be a challenge - if the 49ers want to get back on track, pulling this game out at home is of paramount importance. While picking up a win is always the goal, getting a quality win against a quality opponent like the Colts one week after an embarrassing loss could boost the 49ers' shaken confidence - a loss could be devastating.

Source: Fansided

TORONTO - For the second time in three months, mixed martial arts' pound-for-pound kingpin nearly suffered a shocking upset.

However, Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion Jon Jones (19-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) avoided Anderson Silva's recent fate and edged a resilient Alexander Gustafsson (15-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) via unanimous decision.

In the lead-up to Saturday's UFC 165 pay-per-view headliner at Toronto's Air Canada Center, UFC officials didn't know exactly how to promote Gustafsson as a viable contender. They focused on the Swede's height, of all things. Instead, it was his effective game planning, remarkable durability and pure moxie that nearly halted Jones' new UFC record of six consecutive 205-pound title defenses.

"I've been asking for a dog fight for a long time, and I finally got that dog fight I've been asking for," Jones said after the five-round fight.

The first round offered a little of everything, including some signs of hope for the challenger. While Jones, a 26-year-old fighting phenom who's run through a who's who of ex-champions, was his usually aggressive and effective self, Gustafasson slowed his attacks with nice counter-punches. He even surprised the champ with a late-round takedown, which marked the first time a fighter had scored one on Jones in 13 UFC fights.

Heading into the next frame, Gustafsson appeared to find confidence. After catching a leg and quickly sending the champ to the mat with a sweep kick, Gustafsson avoided a takedown and showed improved striking defense. He didn't check every kick and elbow, and some pesky side and front kicks to the shins and thighs slowed his advances. But Gustafsson took Jones' best shots and returned some solid blows of his own.

PHOTOS: Best of UFC 165: Jones vs. Gustafsson

After the two close rounds and with Jones' face showing some heavy swelling and bruising, Gustafsson immediately unloaded a nice combination to start the third round. Jones retaliated with a crisp kick to the face, but with the challenger's effective takedown defense and increasingly accurate counter-strikes, Jones was forced to throw punches and kicks from distance, which made them easier to deflect. Body shots, though, continued to find their mark, and front kicks to the knee and shins presented problems for Gustafsson.

As the fight entered championship rounds, Jones fired off head kicks and some stiff elbows. Gustafsson, though, continued his surprising takedown defense. Jones' leg kicks also landed flush, but even deep into the fight, they didn't really slow the challenger. As Jones' facial cut gushed blood, Gustafsson fired off smooth combinations as he easily darted in and out of range. But late in the round, Jones finally landed a spinning elbow flush to the forehead, and a follow-up knee had a quickly bloodied Gustafsson on wobbly legs. The bell saved the staggered Swede, but Jones had captured momentum for the final round.

In that decisive fifth round, with both fighters' faces swollen and bloodied messes, Jones finally secured his first takedown. While such a development would usually mark a significant advantage in a Jones fight, Gustafsson quickly scooted to the fencing and returned to his feet. Both fighters looked for the finishing blow between heavy breaths in the final minutes. Each landed some violent strikes to close out a bout that received a raucous standing ovation.

After a night of questionable scoring, the headliner could have gone either way. Ultimately, though, the judges sided with the champ via 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 scores. Nearly all the cageside media agreed with the decision.

"He was just a tough fighter," Jones said. "I spent a lot of time on my boxing in this camp. Maybe that wasn't the best idea. I should have been like water and used more versatility. But hat's off to Alexander. That was by far my toughest fight, and I really got to exercise my warrior spirit tonight. That makes me happier than getting the win."

Gustafsson, who was as much as a 12-1 underdog with some sports books, presented the seemingly indestructible champ the biggest challenger of his career. It was enough to warrant a rematch, though the disappointed 26-year-old wasn't in a mood to campaign for one.

"I will learn from this, and I'll come back much stronger from this," Gustafsson said. "I'm just starting my career, and I have lots of fights to do."

UFC 165 results include:
-- Champ Jon Jones def. Alexander Gustafsson via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) - to retain light heavyweight title
-- Champ Renan Barao def. Eddie Wineland via TKO (kick, punches) - Round 2, 0:35
-- Brendan Schaub def. Matt Mitrione via submission (D'Arce choke) - Round 1, 4:06
-- Francis Carmont def. Constantinos Philippou via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
-- Khabib Nurmagomedov def. Pat Healy via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-- Myles Jury def. Mike Ricci via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-- Wilson Reis def. Ivan Menjivar via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28
-- Stephen Thompson def. Chris Clements via KO (punches) - Round 2, 1:27
-- Mitch Gagnon def. Dustin Kimura via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 1, 4:05
-- John Makdessi def. Renee Forte via KO (punches) - Round 1, 2:01
-- Michel Prazeres def. Jesse Ronson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-- Alex Caceres def. Roland Delorme via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Daniel Omielanczuk def. Nandor Guelmino via KO (punches) - Round 3, 3:18

Source: Usatoday

(STMW) - Alex Martinez, who rents video games from Redbox at a Walgreens in Waukegan, has twice opened game cases that only had a piece of paper with a bar code inside, the Lake County News-Sun is reporting.

"I thought I was going to be charged for the full price of the game, but Redbox was pretty cool about everything," said Martinez, 39, who rents games for his 9-year-old son. "I just worry that if it happens two or three more times, that [Redbox] is going to think it's me stealing the games."

Bill Orechia found himself in a similar situation after renting a video game from a Redbox kiosk in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. His copy of "Street Fighter" was empty.

"I got scared when I called [Redbox] because I thought I'd be charged the full $60 for the game," said Orechia, 27.

As it turns out, Orechia said, "It was routine business for them. The whole call took 10 minutes, and they even gave me codes for two free rentals."

That's because Orechia and Martinez fell victim to a scam that's been brewing since Redbox, based in Oakbrook Terrace, introduced game rentals in 2011.

Each Redbox disc has a bar code sticker that tracks customer credit card information and date of rental, among other things. But when unscrupulous users photocopy the bar code - or simply peel off the sticker and place back it in the case - the kiosks are duped into thinking it is the actual game.

For the company, it's hard to pinpoint who's to blame.

"If you're renter No. 1, then it's obvious," said Joel Resnik, vice president and general manager of video games at Redbox. "The problem is [the thefts] are not clear-cut."

Redbox declined to say what percentage of customers have been affected by the scam, and Resnik wouldn't elaborate on steps the company might be taking to combat this kind of theft. "If the problem was widespread it wouldn't be a profitable business for us - nothing is full profit - but we are constantly looking at new ways to address these challenges," he added.

Scammers might get away with a $60 video game as long as they're not greedy and stealing dozens of games at a time, but Resnik views the thefts as a cost of doing business. Redbox charges customers $2 a day for each video game rented.

"I draw this comparison to retail," Resnik said. "All retailers deal with shrink. There is always a risk to doing business. ... It has grown and more people are aware of the scam."

The awareness Resnik is referring to are various consumer complaints left on sites like Yelp!, Reddit and gaming forums such as Gamefaqs.

Redbox, which is operated by the publicly traded company Outerwall, closed Friday at $46.43 a share, up from roughly $45 a year ago. On Tuesday, the company hit a nine-month low after management lowered future revenue expectations. The company has rented more than 3 billion DVDs or video games since Redbox kiosks were introduced in 2002.

Meanwhile, the company recently increased the cost of renting DVDs by 20 cents, stating the "increase is a result of rising operational costs, including increased debit card fees."

"We are constantly looking at new ways to address these challenges and make sure people don't make a tremendous impact on our customer's experience," Resnik said. "That's what's really important to us - overall experience."

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Source: CBS Chicago

Grand Theft Auto 5 has come under fire this week from critics and gamers alike for its portrayal of women and one particularly 'taboo' scene. VG247′s Dave Cook discusses the week that was. WARNING: SPOILERS.

No really, this is your second and last SPOILER WARNING.

As expected, Rockstar North's fifth core GTA game launched to near-perfect scores across the board this week. At the time of writing Metacritic tracks the Xbox 360 version at 98/100, while the PS3 build rests at 97/100. Yet as the days rolled on and the world had a chance to sleep on the matter, several questions have been raised about the game's misogynistic tone and one playable scene involving a man being graphically tortured.

It's a playable scene that rewards a completion score depending on how many implements you use to hurt a man - an innocent man I might add - strapped shirtless to a chair. You can water-board him, break a knee-cap with a wrench, electrocute him with a car battery and if you're feeling particularly savage, extract a tooth with a pair of pliers. The scene can't be skipped, and you lose a fraction of your final mission percentage if you exert mercy and skim over any of the tools.

This has got a lot of people upset, and many gamers are now asking why critics failed to either highlight the scene in their reviews, or dock the game points for its gratuitous nature. I'm no prude, and I enjoy wanton violence in movies and games - hell, I even watched the fourth Rambo film last night with a friend and that is absolutely horrific - but I too felt uneasy when I guided Trevor's hand.

I also have to point out that when writing my own appraisal of GTA 5, I hadn't witnessed that scene. If memory serves it's about 22-25% into the core plot-line. I played for nine hours and didn't even get that far due to side-quests and such, but why did it make my skin crawl? After all, GTA games have always done this sort of thing, and always with an erect tongue bursting through its own cheek. So there's no need to get upset about it, right?

Well no, that sort of thinking can't be used as a blanket 'get out of jail free card' any more. In fact, it could never apply to the GTA series because as I'm sure you're all well aware, it has long-existed as a parody of American life, criminality and the falsehoods of everyday life. Jokes are subjective to begin with, and while one person may find a particular joke hilarious, another might find it offensive. Where do you draw the line between observational humour about a particular class of person before it becomes prejudice? Do you laugh at racist jokes? Is the death of a celebrity cause for humour or shock?

Personally, no, these things absolutely are not funny, but like it or not, agree or not, each person will answer these questions differently. That's the nature of the world we live in, and that too is the nature of parody. Some of us will view the torture scene as some sort of statement on how readily American security firms such the FBI and the CIA persecute those of Middle Eastern descent as potential terrorists without proper grounds to do so. We saw it happen on the news after 9/11, with stations like FOX regularly slapping images of men from different ethnic backgrounds on the screen and calling them villains.

"I found it to be vulgar, and it really didn't have to be a playable scene, but does this mean I'm shitting on the game or saying it's crap? Not at all, and I think some gamers are too quick to savage critics for saying anything negative about the game. I think some of the flack aimed at reviewers on this issue is appalling in many cases, and completely unwarranted."

I - personally - feel that the scene wasn't a statement about anything to do with press scape-goating or profiling. To me it was mean-spirited and another in a long-line of Rockstar 'shock-tactics' (most of which I've enjoyed over the years as black humour, so this is not a dig at the studio at all). Is this literally the case? I have no idea. I'd have to ask the Housers, but they're impossible to get on the phone. In the end, this is what I personally read into the scene. It's this subjectivity, the ways in which our past, upbringing and varying levels of intelligence allow us to perceive the meaning of parody, jokes and themes.

GTA 5 is not light on varying observational themes, and much like the player's personal emergent stories throughout the plot, it speaks to each person on different levels. If you feel it was just harmless banter then who am I to argue with you? I can raise my concerns, but I also understand that they probably won't change your views the matter. We are all different at the end of the day.

This also applies to GTA 5 reviewers. I don't believe that any game is beyond criticism, but I suspect that many critics out there were either cramming the game too fast to give the scene a second thought, or simply didn't find it offensive at the time. Some reviews mentioned the scene and other nagging concerns, but still dished out high scores. That's because these elements are subjective and may not apply to all who play the game. This isn't an easy thing for critics to gauge, as docking games for these 'taboo' occurrences is to veer away from objectivity and closer to editorialising.

Again, I found it to be vulgar, and it really didn't have to be a playable scene, but does this mean I'm shitting on the game or saying it's crap? Not at all, and I think some gamers are too quick to savage critics for saying anything negative about the game. I think some of the flack aimed at reviewers on this issue is appalling in many cases, and completely unwarranted. I get it, you love GTA, but that doesn't make it impervious to criticism. No game is perfect. That's just a fact.

However, where I do feel the game stumbles - and if I'd known its true extent I would have mentioned it in this blog - is in its portrayal of women. There either there to be rescued, shouted at, fucked, to be seen fucking, put up with, killed, heard prattling away like dullards on their mobile phones or shopping. Is this also a statement about the portrayal of women in American media and/or action movies? Possibly, but again for me, personally, it didn't take.

I put up with it at first expecting there to be some more central, female character who was capable of fending for herself. I'm now over 13 hours in and aside from the female hacker I hired on the game's initial heist, I'm yet to encounter a woman who fits this description. I truly believe that there should be such a character in there - not through obligation alone - but because this would have been a refreshing spin on the format we've been used to. Imagine if the game's villain was a ruthless, smart and deadly female like GTA 3′s Catalina? It would at least serve as a counter to the dumb, blonde stereotypes I've seen so far.

I've not finished the game so who knows; maybe there are stronger female characters in the game that I'm yet to meet, but so far, they're all unlike any woman I've ever met. I'm aware that GTA 4′s informant Michelle was something of a manipulative dark horse and Kate was actually quite grounded, but something about GTA 5′s female quotient is - so far - simply not doing it for me. Does it ruin the experience? Nope, and that's because it's subjective, and maybe I am missing a joke here, but like many thigh-slappers heard around the water-cooler I simply amn't finding it funny.

There's a strong chance I'll be hauled over coals for this blog - like my infamous Wonderful 101 review that many people mis-read as me saying I wanted the game to fail when actually, I said repeatedly that I liked it - but I want to make clear one last time and in bold words: I don't think these points raised dilute the overall quality of GTA 5, I just personally found them to be in poor taste, just like I might find a graphic scene in a film a bit stomach-turning. I braved it, soldiered on and enjoyed myself at large.

If you liked those scenes then that's fine, I have absolutely no problem with you liking that, because again, GTA 5 is a subjective piece of entertainment, but I think there needs to be some consideration for the objective review process. It's a delicate line to walk, and I feel that many of us need to take a step back and see that raising these issues may not a sleight against the game as a whole, and that no title, regardless of its standing, is beyond criticism.

All this said, what is your view on these two issues and the week's events?

Source: Vg247

Trey Canard remembers the moments just before the crash.

He didn't have enough speed to the third hill, so he backed off the throttle and cleared the second one, thinking he'd just ride over the third.

After that, the memories were splotches on his consciousness: The intense pain as he woke up in a medical helicopter, bits and pieces of hazy, drug-induced conversations, wires and tubes hooked to beeping machines, worried family members looking on.

Once he was able to grasp what had happened, Canard's first thought was about how lucky he was.

A 300-pound motorcycle landed on his back and he not only survived, he was expected to make a full recovery. Once Canard pushed past the initial stages of his recovery, he set a goal.

He was going to race again.

"It's all I've ever known," Canard said.

Canard did make his way back to racing this year. Not just turning laps, either. Racing his way to top-10 finishes during the Supercross and outdoor seasons.

For those who know him, it was no surprise.

Misfortune - whether the death of his father at a young age or a series of severe injuries - has seemed to follow the rider from Elk City, Okla., throughout his life.

Canard never let allowed any of it to make him back off the throttle, beating back adversity with a combination of determination and faith.

"He's kind of stubborn," Canard's mother, Kari, said. "So I knew he'd be able to come back."

Canard's biggest setback came when he was 12.

His father, Roy, had been a huge supporter of his motocross racing and built a small track on the family's property.

One day while working on the track, Roy Canard was clearing some rocks with a tractor. When he climbed off the tractor, it somehow flipped over and the family found him pinned underneath it.

"We knew it didn't look good when we saw him," Trey said.

Canard could have abandoned racing after such a traumatic event. He had grown up riding dirt bikes with his dad and no one would have blamed him for losing his passion for the sport.

Instead, the accident pushed Canard toward motocross even more, driving him to work harder in his father's honor.

"It certainly was something that was very difficult to go through," said Canard, who turned 23 last Tuesday. "But you find a way to get through it and continue with your life. Racing was something that we did together and it just made me want to work hard and be the best I could be."

After a decorated amateur career, Canard was one of motocross' rising stars and proved it by winning the 250cc AMA Motocross title in 2010. That landed him a 450 ride, but it also started his run of injuries, including two broken femurs and a broken collarbone.

The worst of it came on Jan. 21, 2012 during a Supercross race at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles.

After getting a piece of sign stuck in his wheel, Canard didn't have the speed to complete a triple jump, so went for the double. Just as he started over the third hill on the ground, fellow Ryan Morais came sailing in from above. Already committed to the jump and with nowhere else to go, Morais came down on Canard, landing his back wheel on his back.

Both riders went sprawling as the crowd let out a gasp.

Morais suffered numerous injuries, including a broken back, jaw and ribs.

Canard broke three vertebrae and had to be airlifted to a local hospital.

Confusion followed; Canard because he was in shock and sedated, his family because they couldn't get any answers and were concerned about the care he was receiving.

"It was frustrating because there wasn't a lot of information being shared and we weren't sure how bad it was," Kari Canard said.

The family had Canard moved to another hospital, where he underwent surgery to take the pressure off his spinal cord and stabilize the broken vertebrae with two rods along his spine.

Then started the long rehabilitation process, from the first few days of working on range of motion to swimming and strengthening exercises. He took small steps - like being able to take out the garbage by himself or riding his bicycle - and was back on his dirt bike seven months after the accident.

Canard returned to competitive racing for the 2013 Supercross opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Jan. 5. Despite all the attention his return generated, it was like Canard had never been gone; he finished second in the main event to David Millsaps.

"I was pretty nervous, but it felt good to get back out there," Canard said. "The support I got from the other riders was pretty incredible, something I'll never forget."

Canard made it through the next race with no problem and fought off the jitters on the third race of the schedule, finishing second a year after suffering a life-threatening injury.

What surprised Canard was what happened next: The mental hurdle was still there.

Instead of just going out and racing, Canard found himself thinking about injuries, wondering if he was going to have another motorcycle land on his back. He went into a funk for the next few races, battling himself as much as the bike or the track.

"I think it really played on him - I don't know if it was the fear or the memory or what," Kari Canard said. "It really weighed on him for the next few races."

But, as he has for most of his life, Canard fought his way through the adversity.

He closed out the Supercross season by winning at Las Vegas and finished sixth in the overall standings.

Canard opened the outdoor season by finishing fourth at the Hangtown Classic in Northern California and was steady most of the way through, finishing fourth overall with a high of second at Spring Creek in Minnesota.

"Trey has a tremendous amount of persistence," said Davey Coombs, vice president of the Lucas Oil Motocross Championships. "For him to have all the injuries and setbacks he's had and keep fighting is pretty incredible."

Not to Canard.

Adversity is a challenge to him, one he's not about to back down from.

Source: Timesunion