Okay - so you may have been lured here under false pretexts - but we love clouds (obviously!), and i just found this great site on Flickr (the photo sharing site) that is dedicated to photos of clouds - check it out…

Flickr: Cloudporn

Jen Stark - Burst

I have just come across some great works of art, these are great and must have taken Jen Stark ages to produce, as they are all done by hand!

These are some really good examples of aerial photography I came across.

Aerial photography offers a drastically different perspective than the one you get from shooting on the ground. It includes photographs taken from aircraft, helicopters, balloons, rockets, kites, skydives, etc. It can be a rewarding, challenging and enriching experience. It can produce unique shots that look different than any other ground shot you have ever taken. Scenic flights can give you some great, memorable photos.

Below, we present over 50 amazing aerial photographs — photos shot “from above”, in the air.

Without any doubt, aerial photography is a challenging art. Aerial photographers have to tackle many problems while shooting in the air. Photographers must deal with the effects produced by motion — not only the motion of an airplane or helicopter, but motion of the camera as well. Photographers should be equipped with cameras that have very fast shutter speeds to avoid hand shakes (motion blur) caused by airplane and helicopter vibration. Because airplane windows are made of Plexiglass, which doesn’t have the same optical qualities as normal glass, images taken through them are of inferior quality.

Also, shooting through aircraft windows presents other obstacles, such as having to shoot around your neighbor’s arm. But it can also result in some interesting images. Aerial photography totally depends on a photographer’s judgment and experience to predict and capture the proper moment. Also, being a form of outdoor photography, aerial photography depends for its success largely on the environment. Therefore, a basic understanding of the atmosphere and its effects on photography is necessary for successful aerial images. As with all outdoor photography, the aerial photographer depends on the sun to illuminate the subject. And haze further reduces contrast levels in high-altitude shots.

In many ways, aerial photography is both more and less complex than other kinds of photography. However, the skill and techniques needed to obtain good results are easily learned through careful observation and good judgment.

These came from Vailancio Rodrigues and the Smashing Magazine editorial team

Merry Christmas everyone.

Cloud 9 Christmas Wallpaper

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Internet Explorer security alert

"Always use protection Kids"

I have been saying this for, well ever. Now Microsoft has said it.

Users of the world’s most common web browser have been advised to switch to a rival until a serious security flaw has been fixed.

The flaw in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer could allow criminals to take control of people’s computers and steal their passwords, internet experts say.

Microsoft is investigating the problem and preparing an emergency software patch to resolve it, it says.

Internet Explorer is used by the vast majority of the world’s computer users.

“Microsoft is continuing its investigation of public reports of attacks against a new vulnerability in Internet Explorer,” said the firm in a security advisory alert about the flaw.

Microsoft says it has detected attacks against version seven of the browser - its most widely used edition.

But the company warned that other versions were also potentially vulnerable.

As many as 10,000 websites have been compromised since last week to take advantage of the security flow, said antivirus software maker Trend Micro.

The websites have been mostly serving up programs that steal computer game passwords, but the flaw could be “adopted by more financially motivated criminals”, a Trend Micro security researcher said on Monday. 

Source - The BBC

Download Firefox (PC & Mac) or Google Chrome (PC only) All of these will import your favorites / bookmarks you have from Internet Explorer automatically when you install them, so you wont loose anything!

We love Crazy YouTube videos - and this one definately hits the spot. - Daito Manabe, a Japanese artist and programmer suffers for his art in his latest project: the catchily named “electric stimulus to face - test 3″. Via a range of strategically placed electrodes, Manabe’s face is made to twitch in time with one of his own digital compositions. While admiring the captivating effects this produces, it does you a slightly itchy nose and we in no way recommend trying to have a go yourself.

Save costs and trees this year by sending personalised corporate email greetings to your customers.
By sending email greetings to your customers you not only save on the cost of printing and postage, but you also raise brand awareness and help drive traffic to your website.
Cloud 9 offer 2 options:

Option 1

Choose from one of six of our specially designed greetings headers:

Header 1

Header 2

Header 3

Header 4

Header 5

Header 6

Blank email example, ready for your choice of header image from above

Prices from just £95 setup and 1p per email!*

Option 2

Why not ask us about a bespoke design?

Example of a bespoke design

We can create a festive or New Year email that totally fits your corporate Identity and personality – call us for prices!

*Price shown here are only avalible until 23rd December 2008.

Gerry Convy has today launched his new website www.gerryconvy.com, which we have designed and built for him. A website that tells you all about Gerry and the work he does with some of the most famous people in Formula One, including Lewis Hamilton!

Gerry is a professional fitness trainer that specialises in the world of Formula One, but still offers his training services to others.

Gerry is also a instructor of KFM (Keysi Fighting Method). This style of martial arts has been used on films such as the new Batman series.

So why not take alook around Gerrys new site and learn a bit about what he does.

Gerry Convys new website

www.gerryconvy.com

The past couple of months has seen cloud 9 turn into a mini bakery club and I finally gave into peer pressure and decided the join the wannabe bakers amongst us.

I decided to opt for a desert favourite of mine which is Chocolate Brownies and they went down a storm with everyone at Cloud 9.

Quotes from the team included ‘10/10′, ‘Gastro Pub Quality’ ‘Delicious’ and so on, not bad for a first attempt!

Since the Cloud 9 ‘bakery club’ was created by ‘head baker’ Mike Sperrey we have seen and sampled various tasty delights such as Scones, Victoria Sponge, Chocolate Vanilla & Hazelnut Muffins, Lemon Drizzle Cake and various Pumpkin derivatives such as Pumpkin & Raisin Muffins and Pumpkin Pie.

We also had some gingerbread men but sadly they didn’t make it to us this was due to treacle and slight timing issues.

We are also awaiting participation from Clare, I’m sure she is just weighing the competition up before she strikes but we haven’t seen anything as of yet!

I’ve attached some pictures below to show the progress of the Brownies from start to eat!

The recipe I used one of Jamie Olivers as attached link below

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/dessert-recipes/bloomin-brilliant-brownies

Hamilton swaps wheels for waves.

Okay - so the sailing I was doing 2 weeks ago in Greece isn’t quite on the same scale as this - but it IS difficult to sail quite that fast whilst drinking gin! (that’s our excuse)