<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Think - Write - Connect</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com</link>
	<description>Connecting Writers and Social Media</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:27:47 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2</generator>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>WINNING WAYS WITH WRITING CONTESTS</title>
		<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/winning-ways-writing-contests/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/winning-ways-writing-contests/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:27:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>writelink</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advice & How-To]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conjectures]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions & Debates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[creative writing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winning poetry contests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winning short story contests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winning writing contests]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing poetry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[writing short stories]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/?p=1344</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being short listed, placed or winning a poetry or short story writing contest yet many writers quickly become discouraged by the lack of success which greets most of their efforts.
The truth is, no matter how good your imagination or your grasp of language, there is an art to [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>There’s nothing quite like the thrill of being short listed, placed or winning a poetry or <a title="Short Story Writing Contests" href="http://www.squidoo.com/shortstorywritingcontests" target="_blank">short story writing contest</a> yet many writers quickly become discouraged by the lack of success which greets most of their efforts.</p>
<p>The truth is, no matter how good your imagination or your grasp of language, there is an art to winning writing contests of which many writers remain totally unaware.</p>
<p>Fortunately, the skill to get your work, at least on the judge’s short list isn’t difficult to acquire.  Mostly you just need to use a little common sense and be prepared to do some research.</p>
<p>Research?  Aren’t we talking fiction and the muse?  Well yes, but if you really want to win a good short story writing contest offering a decent cash prize or a poetry competition you really need to give your work some depth and verisimilitude by furnishing it with a believable plot and credible characters.</p>
<p>This is even more vital if you are venturing into the realm of fantasy or the ever popular ghost story.  These types of stories have the potential to really stretch the imagination and take the reader to places where they really wouldn’t like to go in real life.  The opportunity to experience voyeuristically between the relative safety of the pages is another matter entirely!</p>
<p>Unfortunately, few stories of this type live up to expectations with many authors trotting out the same old diet of blood, gore and weird beasties with hairy antennae and six eyes sporting names such as Zygog and Phlybub!</p>
<p>So what’s to be done?  It’s back to research!  Read the winning entries and the judges reports on the types of writing contests you wish to enter and analyse what makes them work for you and what caught the judge’s eye.</p>
<p>You can start with the <a title="Xmas Chillers Ghost Story Contest" href="http://www.writelink.co.uk/xmaschillers" target="_blank">Xmas Chillers ghost story contest</a>.  This has been running for several years and the top three from previous year’s winners list are always posted on the contest site.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/winning-ways-writing-contests/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Green Screen Studios</title>
		<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/green-screen-studios/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/green-screen-studios/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:03:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phil Guye</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[multimedia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[television]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/?p=2603</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Green Screen Studios is a cheap video and filmmaking method in which two frames are melded into one. It is also ordinarily called Chroma key or sometimes color keying. A notable use is in TV weather bulletins where the weather person looks to be standing in front of a giant graphic display. What happens actually is that the weather person stands in front of a blank Green Screen Studios. Different graphic displays are then digitally added to the blank green portions to finish the illusion.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Green Screen Studios is a cheap video and filmmaking method in which two frames are melded into one. It is also ordinarily called Chroma key or sometimes color keying. A notable use is in TV weather bulletins where the weather person looks to be standing in front of a giant graphic display. What happens actually is that the weather person stands in front of a blank Green Screen Studios. Different graphic displays are then digitally added to the blank green portions to finish the illusion.</p>
<p>Green is a preferred color because it&#8217;s so different from human skin color that good separation is achieved . It is also the color to which digital cameras are most sensitive. The other available color blue is less satisfactory because it is a common color in both male and female clothing and needs brighter lighting. Lots of the more modern Star Wars films make extensive use of color keying methodologies. Green Screen Studios is also far less expensive than having your characters or props in front of an honest to goodness projection or television screen.</p>
<p>Any project that involves green screen production should require the same sort of homework in sourcing a suitable Green Screen Studios as a sound stage for a picture or a recording studio for music. The taping or filming of your characters or your props in front of a Green Screen Studios and the successive keying out of the green background requires talented and accomplished technicians.</p>
<p>It is accepted that cost will be a vital consideration and that Green Screen Studios will charge primarily based on the size and the standard of the gear and the talents of their technicians. This has got to be balanced out against the fact that cheap facilities might be fatal for the standard of your project. Conversely, pricey facilities could be a waste of money given the production that you have in mind. A good Green Screen Studios will be offering such conveniences as adequate stage size, lighting, green rooms and air conditioning. A three wall cyclorama is a bonus if your project involves tons of movement by the characters. Other key concerns would be privacy, comfort and satisfactory power availability.</p>
<p>In picking the right Green Screen Studios you need to be certain the color is totally even and the surface totally flat. The screen also has to have the right dimensions. It is generally recommended that you go through each shot you plan and then measure the screen area so that you have the right dimensions. Make allowance for a little extra in case you want to dilate or frame the shot more than you had visualized. Inspect the area on either side of the screen to make sure that there is sufficient space to place your lights. Finally, get the maximum possible space between your characters or props and the screen itself. This could make the job of lighting a lot less complicated.</p>
<p>There are a lot of other websites offering various forms of advice on how to use green screen but most of them are not very detailed or concise. Before following these, be sure to check my own articles and reviews on <a href='http://www.atomicstudios.com/'>Green Screen</a> and <a href='http://www.atomicstudios.com/green-screen-rentals.html'>Green Screen Studios</a>, You can also reach me at 1-323-851-3825 or <a href="mailto:phillipguye@hotmail.com" title="mailto:phillipguye@hotmail.com">phillipguye@hotmail.com</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/green-screen-studios/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Risks of Dental Implants on International Soil</title>
		<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/risks-dental-implants-international-soil/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/risks-dental-implants-international-soil/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:03:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Dr. Lee Fitzgerald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dental implants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dental surgeons]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/?p=2583</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are times that patients will consider having dental implants placed in foreign countries in order to save money on the costs. ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dental implants are one of the most effective long-term solutions for tooth replacement.  Although dental implants are arguably very reasonably priced for the effectiveness in both their esthetic appeal and durability, they are not free.  For this reason, there are times that patients will consider having dental implants placed in foreign countries in order to save money on the costs.  Although this may initially sound like a legitimate solution, there are many things that a patient must heed if he or she intends to go down this road.</p>
<p><strong>Cost of Travel</strong></p>
<p>The first item to consider is the expense of traveling abroad for dental care. Some specific items to consider include:</p>
<p>   1. Cost of the plane ticket<br />
   2. Cost of travel and lodging while in country<br />
   3. Frequency of trips that will be required for consultation, creating molds, surgery and follow-up care</p>
<p><strong>Risk Factors</strong></p>
<p>The United States is known for having high quality healthcare.  For this reason, the quality of treatment at a U.S. dental implant office is more reliable.  There are laws that must be abided by and healthcare best practices that are commonplace and enforced.  Risking surgery in a country without the same standards of healthcare could be dangerous.</p>
<p><strong>Brands are Crucial to Healthy Implants in the Future</strong></p>
<p>If you are buying a pair of jeans, the reality is that the brand is a perk, not always a necessity. However, when shopping for dental implants, the brand is absolutely crucial. Not all implants are the same and tools may not be available to lesser, inexpensive, off-brand implant parts once returning to the United States.  Dental implants require specific tools for placement and for any adjustments that need to be made. If a brand is not common or if it goes out of business, than the tools are difficult, if not impossible to come by. Implants placed from foreign doctors are often not name brands and if something goes wrong, it can become impossible for a doctor to fix whatever has gone wrong for lack of the tools being in existence.  This is a primary concern for choosing to use a foreign dentist to perform dental implant surgery, as it could lead to serious problems.</p>
<p><strong>Extensive Care</strong></p>
<p>Most people who travel abroad for treatment are going for extensive care. With more extensive care, no matter where it is done, come more risks.  After dental implants are placed problems can and do happen; however, if a patient has already returned to the US, complications can arise. The cost of returning to a foreign country immediately to correct a problem can be expensive and if infection exists, it can be life threatening, making travel impossible.</p>
<p>The risks versus the benefits must be weighed. Not all things should be solely about finances. Make sure your foreign dentist is well trained and that you stay long enough to avoid post-operative complications. If the dentist makes a mistake be aware that you may not have rights as a medical or dental tourist, nor protection under the laws that may exist. Know your options and weigh what is important to you before deciding. </p>
<p>****<br />
Dr. Lee Fitzgerald practices <a href="http://www.implantdentistryofdallas.com">dental implants</a> and cosmetic dentistry in Plano, TX.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/risks-dental-implants-international-soil/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Top Five Pictures That Wouldn&#8217;t Be The Same Without The Green Screen Hollywood</title>
		<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/top-pictures-green-screen-hollywood/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/top-pictures-green-screen-hollywood/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:23:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Phillip Guye</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communication]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to's]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[multimedia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[television]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/?p=2548</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Fortunately, there have been a lot of technological progress that altered the cinema industry. Often there is a brand new and thrilling picture that sweeps audiences off of their feet. The eyes of today's generation are privileged enough to have viewed such incredible spectacles. This can be achievable by aid from the green screen Hollywood process. Therefore this approach involves blending a couple of photos so they seem to be in one frame. Without it, movies nowadays would continue to contain unrealistic puppets and poorly drawn backdrops. Below are a few movies which were made possible through the green screen or "chroma key" procedure.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Fortunately, there have been a lot of technological progress that altered the cinema industry. Often there is a brand new and thrilling picture that sweeps audiences off of their feet. The eyes of today&#8217;s generation are privileged enough to have viewed such incredible spectacles. This can be achievable by aid from the green screen Hollywood process. Therefore this approach involves blending a couple of photos so they seem to be in one frame. Without it, movies nowadays would continue to contain unrealistic puppets and poorly drawn backdrops. Below are a few movies which were made possible through the green screen or &#8220;chroma key&#8221; procedure.</p>
<p>Star Wars. One of the first contemporary motion pictures which utilized chroma key technology was George Lucas&#8217; &#8220;The Empire Strikes Back.&#8221; Astounding spaceship chases, interplanetary backgrounds, and interesting settings wouldn&#8217;t be achievable with out Chroma Key Technology. Imagine the Millennium Falcon focusing on a fake-looking backdrop. Visualize painted backgrounds instead of the splendid places the film depicted all over a galaxy far, far away. It absolutely doesn&#8217;t seem very appealing, does it? Fortunately, Chroma key technology ended up saving the day by generating the creation of Lucas&#8217; imaginary universe feasible.</p>
<p>Titanic. Titanic is a colossal tear-jerker of a movie. Who wouldn&#8217;t weep for poor Jack and Rose? Who is able to forget the iconic &#8220;I&#8217;m the king of the world&#8221; scene? Who did not hold their breath when the condemned vessel snapped in 1 / 2 right after hitting the iceberg? This piece of motion picture magic wouldn&#8217;t be achievable without the green screen Hollywood technique. Without it, the love story may not be realistic. Very poor quality pictures and backgrounds will surely cause the Titanic to sink at the box office.</p>
<p>300. This film is really a genuine visual spectacle. 300 was shot completely on green screen! Leonidas and the Spartans would not end up inside a aesthetically magnificent ambiance if it weren&#8217;t for the magic of the Chroma Key Technique. The appearance and feel of the film wouldn&#8217;t be the same without the chroma key technique. Without it, the idea of 300 soldiers beating an army of ghoulish men would appear to be obvious stupidity instead of beauty.</p>
<p>Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Gollum is by far among the list of eeriest CGI creations, and his overall look in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy had been permitted with the Chroma Key. The creature&#8217;s realistic routines were shot through chroma key technology. Additionally, the splendor of the Shire along with other parts of the Lord of the Rings world will not developed by simply creating life sized models. That is where the green screen comes into play. It digitally created backdrops that had been put into the film for just a more realistic experience. This made the motion picture all the more precious.</p>
<p>There are so many other websites offering various forms of advice on how to use green screen but most of them are not very specific or precise. Be sure to check my own articles and reviews on <a href='http://www.greenscreenla.org/green-screen-hollywood'>Green Screen Hollywood</a> and <a href='http://www.atomicstudios.com/green-screen-rentals.html'>Green Screen Rentals</a>, You can also reach me at 1-323-851-3825 or <a href="mailto:phillipguye@hotmail.com" title="mailto:phillipguye@hotmail.com">phillipguye@hotmail.com</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/top-pictures-green-screen-hollywood/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cris Cyborg Mauls Gina Carano In Strikeforce Women&#8217;s Championship Match</title>
		<link>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/cris-cyborg-mauls-gina-carano-strikeforce-womens-championship-match/</link>
		<comments>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/cris-cyborg-mauls-gina-carano-strikeforce-womens-championship-match/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:51:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ross Everett</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Thinking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hobbies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mixed martial arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MMA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recreation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/?p=2555</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Gina Carano put women's MMA on the map, but Cris Cyborg Santos may have become the sports first dominant female champion by virtue of her overwhelming TKO victory in the main event of Saturdays STRIKEFORCE event. Cyborg simply was too physically strong and her punches too powerful for Carano, who fought valiantly before succumbing to a barrage of ground and pound punches at the end of the first round.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Gina Carano put women&#8217;s MMA on the map, but Cris Cyborg Santos may have become the sports first dominant female champion by virtue of her overwhelming TKO victory in the main event of Saturdays STRIKEFORCE event. Cyborg simply was too physically strong and her punches too powerful for Carano, who fought valiantly before succumbing to a barrage of ground and pound punches at the end of the first round.</p>
<p>Before a near capacity crowd at San Jose&#8217;s HP Pavilion, Carano and Cyborg made history as the first women to headline a major US mixed martial arts event. Cyborg entered the cage first to a mostly negative reaction, stopping along the way to shadow box and throw kicks on the entrance ramp.</p>
<p>Despite the fight being scheduled for five rounds of five minutes each, the women set a frantic pace from the opening horn. Cyborgs size and strength advantage was apparent from the outset, as she landed an immediate flurry of punches before taking Carano to the canvas. Carano landed in top position, but quickly found herself in trouble as Cyborg worked for a kneebar and then a heel hook. Carano was able to extricate herself, and get to her feet but Cyborg took her back and immediately took her down again. Carano landed in top mount, however, and was able to score with some big punches from the top. Inexplicably, she backed off and let Cyborg get to her feet instead of pressing what may have been her best opportunity to win the fight.</p>
<p>Carano was able to land a couple of effective jabs on the ensuing standup exchange, but Cyborg caught a body kick attempt and quickly closed the distance again. Cyborg once again took her opponent to the mat and after an unsuccessful armbar attempt mounted Carano and began a brutal punching assault that eventually forced the stoppage.</p>
<p>Despite Cyborgs triumph the most dominating performance of the evening belonged to former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi. In his first fight at 205, Mousasi destroyed STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight champion Renato Babalu Sobral via TKO at the 1:00 mark of the first round. Mousasis victory wasnt a shocking outcome, but the utter ease with which he handled a tough, experienced and well rounded opponent in Sobral was stunning and evoked comparisons to recently signed heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko. Making Mousasis triumph all the more incredible is that at 24 years of age hes only going to get better.</p>
<p>Earlier in a card full of decisive finishes, Gilbert Melendez became STRIKEFORCE interim lightweight champion with a third round TKO victory over the double tough Mitsuhiro Ishida. Though Melendez dominated the fight, Ishida gained the respect of fans with his toughness and heart. Melendez will now face Josh Thompson to unify the belts once Thompson is medically cleared to resume fighting.</p>
<p>Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting <a href="http://www.oddsbay.com/">odds comparison</a>. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and <a href="http://www.oddsbay.com/">sportsbook directory</a> sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.thinkwriteconnect.com/cris-cyborg-mauls-gina-carano-strikeforce-womens-championship-match/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
