The Landscape pictures of theYear 2009

A camera and a view... sometimes it's really all it takes for a wonderful masterpiece.

Here are the winners of this year "Take a View - Landscape Contest", a competition for photographers of all ages and origins to show the world the images that can only be seen in Britain.

The winners of the contest will be seen again in a six-week exhibition to be held at the National Theatre on London’s South Bank from 5 December 2009 until 24 January 2010.

Well, let the images do the talking...



Emmanuel Coupe's photograph of the sunrise over the Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye, Scotland - 1st prize in the Take a View - Landscape Photographer of the Year 2009


John McGovern photograph of a wheat field at dawn - 1st prize in Young Landscape of the Year



John Parminter photograph of Aberdeen Harbour entitled Food for Thought



Chris McIlreavy's photograph of a Sunset in Cumbria - 1st prize in English National Parks Award


John Parminter photograph of the Rannoch Moor in Scotland


Alex Varey photograph of a storm clearing over Westminster Palace in London - 1st prize in photo made with a phone camera


Nigel Hillier's photograph of Heben Bridge in West Yorkshire during winter - 1st prize in Landscape on your Doorstep Award

UFOS over Moscow?

They are here! A very strange halo shaped cloud registered last week in the skies of Moscow, in Russia, have put the UFO enthusiasts on a frenzy.

Meterologists have spoken up that the cloud was not digitally altered, and a lot of photographs and videos showing the phenomena are already online to prove that it was observed by a lot of people.

Although there's no official explanation yet, some scientists are affirming that's just an odd optical phenomena.

The Sum of all Thrills

Disney's Epicot Center in Florida is opening today a brand new atraction, ready to thrill everyone!
It's "The Sum of All Thrills", an interactive robotic roller coaster simulator that shows to kids that math can be fun.

The simulator will use a real robotic arm, and a spherical carbon-fiber hood to provide the visitors with a unique full sensorial 4D experience. With legs and feet suspended, the riders will be fully immersed in the simulation, with high definition video, stereo sound and even controlled air motion that gives that sensation of wind blowing your hair that only real speed can give.

The new Sum of All Thrills ride will be opened today at the Innoventions, at Epicot Center at Orlando Disney Complex, in Florida.

Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters

A new fever is about to take the kids in the next few months that are left, before Christmas.

It's the Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters, a brand new toy ready to create imediate fun for your kids, and better than any other pet, they won't bite, and don't need to be feed, or have to be cleared up after.

And diferent from real pets, they can talk and search for adventure; responding to various habitat stimuli.

They come in five diferent models:

Patches – the flower-loving hamster
Chunk – the laid back surfer hamster
PipSqueak – the petite powerhouse hamster
Mr. Squiggles - the hamster who loves to explore
Num Nums – the hamster with an affinity for yummy food

The toys offer also a second mode with a very close to a real hamster pet behaviour, cooing and purring.

And there are already a good collection of acessories that can be purchased to make Zhu Zhu Pets even funnier:

Adventure ball
Surfboard and sleep dome
Skateboard and U-turn
Hamster funhouse
Hamster wheel and tunnel
Hamster-mobile and garage
Spiral slide and ramp
Pet bed and blanket
Pet carrier and blanket

To avoid the Holliday season rush, you can order your Zhu Zhu Hamster from Amazon, the cost is between $25 and $30. The acessories are not included.

This is so cool...

Specially for the millions of fans of Harry Potter, turning the channel will be funnier from now on.

A new universal remote control made in the shape of Harry Potter's wands can execute 13 programmable commands, such as change channels and adjust the volume, just using wand movements.

The cost will be around $80 and it can be purchased on this website: http://thewandcompany.com/

I guess the wishing list for Santa will start with this remote for a lot of people...