Developer: Adobe Systems Inc.
Release Date: October 27, 2008
Retail Price: Adobe Flash CS4 Upgrade – $199, Adobe Flash CS4 - $699, Adobe Master Collection Upgrade – $899 Adobe Master Collection – $2499
Available for Purchase on: Amazon for $693.99 – The Adobe Website for $699

In the past few years I’ve become a competent designer. Well…at least in my own mind. I’m a self-taught web designer. I started out in PSP (of all programs) though I hate to admit I ever used such a substandard program. It wasn’t long before I started using Photoshop. This was way back in 2002. I was new to Photoshop and while I was told that all of the “pros” were using the program, I found it to be much harder to learn than the previous programs I’d used.

Still, I was persistent. I wanted to use what the pros were using. In time and with a lot of help from tutorials (as well as other designers) I became quite proficient in Photoshop. From there, the next logical step was to learn Flash. I was absolutely fascinated with Flash. I started trying to learn Flash back in late 2002. I was obviously quite dependent on tutorials and assistance from other designers in these early days. Flash was in one of its earliest editions, but it was offering a revolutionary new approach to design and illustration. I definitely wanted in on the Flash bandwagon.

Sometime in 2003, I found an excellent Flash tutorial website, Cartoon Smart. The site was (and still is) run by a man named Justin Dike. For a fair price, I was able to receive easy to follow and in depth lessons in how to do many of the things I wanted to learn to do in Flash. Since 2003, I’ve been a loyal fan and customer of Justin’s. I highly recommend all of his tutorials, no matter your level of proficiency in Flash. While I know quite a bit more, and have become quite competent with Flash on my own, I still find Justin’s lessons invaluable. I often buy new lessons and modify what he teaches to suit my own designs and illustrations. Without him, I don’t feel I’d know Flash nearly as well as I do today.

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I’ve been using Flash for years. In fact, it’s one of my favorite programs to use for anything from web design to playing with graphics. I have no formal training when it comes to design. I just try to use my creativity and intuitive nature to figure out what I’m doing. Back in the day, you had to know a little bit about how Flash worked in order to use it. I struggled for some time, trying to figure out simple design concepts.

Like many other, struggling, self-taught designers, I scoured the web for tutorials, affordable courses, and anything else I could find. This brought me to the Cartoon Smart website. I’ve had a personal work relationship with Justin, the founder of Cartoon Smart for years, only he didn’t know about it until recently. You see, it’s Justin who has taught me everything I’ve needed to know about using Flash. Justin has taught me everything from animation techniques to Actionscript. Every step of the way, as I’ve learned Flash, Justin has been there.

Justin has been creating Flash Tutorial/Training lessons since before 2003. I know this because I have payments for lessons dating as far back as that year. I took some of his earliest courses and feel I’m all the better for it. Justin’s courses are unique because they make it easy for people of nearly any learning style to learn how to use Flash.

Those who are visual learners can watch the video and then copy what Justin does in their own projects. Auditory learners can listen to the instructions Justin gives on his videos. They are casual, informal and downright entertaining. Hands on learners have the opportunity to jump right in and get to using Flash as Justin is explaining how to do it. These tutorials are just so comprehensive, nearly anyone can and will be able to learn how to use Flash, thanks to Justin.

On the Left: Dominick - mid-tutorial on Part One On the Right: Justin's Completed Part One Tutorial Images

*Click on the Image above to see it in a bigger, easy to view form.

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LI Reviews is proud to be giving away five copies of Seventh Heaven: The Seventh Season on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

To enter you need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be sent an email shortly after the end of the contest. To claim your prize all you will need to do is send us your address in a reply to the congratulation email that you will receive. If we do not receive a reply from you within three weeks, your winnings will be forfeited and your prize will be offered to another contestant.

We will begin emailing winners for this the week of November 21, 2008, which means you have until November 20, 2008 at 11:59 to enter.

From the Product Description:
7th HEAVEN has captured the essence of family and the hearts of television audiences with its witty, charming and heartwarming look at the Camdens - a minister, his wife and their seven children as they live, love and laugh together.

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On November 18th, Paramount Home Entertainment will release the hilarious and outrageous comedy TROPIC THUNDER on DVD and Blu-ray! One of the year’s funniest films, TROPIC THUNDER includes a star-studded cast and this Director’s Cut DVD has enough bonus material to keep you “in the s&*t” for days! GET SOME as TROPIC THUNDER rocks onto DVD and Blu-ray November 18th!!

**Best Buy - Booty Sweat T-Shirt! (ONLY Available on Blu-ray)

**Walmart - Exclusive two-pack: Tropic Thunder Single-disc DVD and “Get Some” music sampler CD - perfect for anytime you’re lost in the jungle!

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A group of four multi-talented musicians based in New York City, The Bad Eliots include: singer and multi-instrumentalist Roto (a.k.a. James Rotondi), a New York-based artist whose resumé includes stints with the French band Air, Mike Patton’s Mr. Bungle and jazz-hop legends The Grassy Knoll;

Drummer Ant Cee (a.k.a. Anthony Citrinite) was a founding member of The Smash-Up, who ignited crowds from 2004 to 2007 on major bills like Megadeth’s Gigantour, the Deftones’ Taste of Chaos tour, and the Warped Tour, from which Ant’s drum sticks were plucked and are currently on display in Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;

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The Kelly-centric episodes never let the guys down. Here’s a perfect example: Kelly tries out for a modeling gig and invents a new move called the Bundy Bounce. Obviously, the move involves Kelly and bouncing, so it’ll probably work.

Married…With Children “Kelly Bounces Back”:

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The Bunnies prefer their carrot juice shaken, not stirred. Who’s your favorite 007? Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, or Daniel Craig? The 30 Second bunnies do all the James Bonds in under 30 seconds.

30 Second Bunnies “Bunnies: Bond Medley”:

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LI Reviews is proud to be giving away five copies of JAG: The Seventh Season on DVD. To enter all you need to do is leave us a comment. Please be sure to only leave one. Comments are moderated to avoid spam, so it will not show up right away. People who leave multiple comments will be deleted from the contest altogether. If you do not see your comment within a day then by all means leave another one. Otherwise, do not worry as we accept comments several times a day.

To enter you need to be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the US. If you have won a contest within the last 30 days you are not eligible. Winners will be sent an email shortly after the end of the contest. To claim your prize all you will need to do is send us your address in a reply to the congratulation email that you will receive. If we do not receive a reply from you within three weeks, your winnings will be forfeited and your prize will be offered to another contestant.

We will begin emailing winners for this the week of November 27, 2008, which means you have until November 26, 2008 at 11:59 to enter.

From the Product Description:
JAG (Judge Advocate General) is an elite legal branch of military officers trained as lawyers who investigate, prosecute and defend those accused of crimes in the military, including murder, treason and terrorism. Navy Cmdr. Harmon “Harm” Rabb, an ace pilot turned lawyer, and Marine Lt. Col. Sarah “Mac” MacKenzie, a beautiful and strictly by-the-book officer, are colleagues, both with similar high standards, that often find themselves clashing with one another as they take different routes to solve cases.

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Rather than a full episode recap, Reality Bites offers you all you need to know in quick and easy to digest chunks. Enjoy!

“Bonfire of the Vanity” was a decent episode. Lots going on tonight, so rather than babble, let’s get right to it.

-Jenny moved in with Agnus. Rufus was fine with it because Agnes’ mom promised to keep an eye on her.

-Shipiro loved Dan’s “Chuck” story and agreed to write a recommendation so he could get into Yale.

-Jenny and Agnes get in a fight in front of their hopeful fashion manager. The fight lost them the last business manager that would talk to them.

-Blair cannot wait to meet her mom’s new boyfriend, Cyrus. - Needless to say, Blair feels its “inconceivable” that her mom is dating this guy.

-Chuck gets his dad a present for the Bass Industries anniversary. He buys his dad hockey game box seats, but dad shoots him down saying he has no time for hockey.

-Shipiro hooks Dan up with the editor of NY Magazine. They want Dan to do an expose on Bart Bass. If he does the story they will give him more work at NY Magazine. He hestiates to take it, but decides to do it in the end.

-Serena agrees to pose for Aaron after he leads her to Times Square and puts her on camera for everyone to see, but soon finds out that she is not the only muse that Aaron has.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Brad Anderson
Director: Brad Anderson
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer, Kate Mara, Ben Kingsley, Thomas Kretschmann, Eduardo Noriega
Rating: R
Studio: First Look Studios

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: January 18, 2008
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon

I am going to make a prediction and it makes me kind of sad to do it. Transsiberian will be one of the most overlooked movies of the year. It makes me sad to say it because it’s an amazing movie. It’s very Hitchcock in its presentation and intelligence factor. It’s one of those movies that you should watch, but probably won’t right away, and once you do you will kick yourself for waiting so long. The thriller title doesn’t really do it justice. It’s true, Transsiberian is a thriller and it’s truly enjoyable to watch. However, it’s much smarter and more entertaining than your average run of the mill movie in that genre.

The stakes are high for the thrillers I end up watching. I prefer something that is relatively new to me (heavily recycled ideas don’t shake it) with good acting. If I don’t want to see it again or it has no effect on me, then it’s useless and gets rated as such. I wasn’t sure what would come of my feelings for Transsiberian because I had not heard too much about it prior to it falling on my doorstep. I did, however, know Woody Harrelson was in it, which was good enough for me to want to watch it.

The storyline was easy enough to comprehend though there were many complexities to it. As you will see in Emily Mortimer’s character, Jessie, there is obviously much under the surface that isn’t always said in words. Jessie is just one example of this. Many of her emotions are worn on her sleeve, so to speak. Even when she isn’t saying much, you get a sense of how she is feeling and the troubles that plague her, at least in the beginning. Towards the end, there are many questions that remain about Jessie and why she behaves in the manner she does.

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