Are Your Indoor Ficus Trees Happy and Healthy?

Here is some unusual yet very helpful indoor gardening advice:

Are Your Ficus Trees Getting Enough Wind?

Promised Land

---

Michael's Movie Review

My movie recommendation for today is Promised Land, starring Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand, and Hal Holbrook. Directed by Gus Van Sant, it is a very well-made film with excellent writing, beautiful cinematography, and top-notch acting from the entire cast. What I found interesting is that the two lead actors, Damon and Krasinski, also wrote the screenplay. Perhaps for this reason they were more invested in perfecting their roles since they had written those very roles. Whatever the case, their performances were superb.

The plot revolves around the controversial issue of fracking. Matt Damon plays a corporate salesman who goes to the small fictional town of McKinley to convince the townspeople to let the corporation hydrofrack for natural gas that lies under the town and the outlying farms. He and his partner (played by Frances) meet intense resistance from the local high school science teacher (played by Hal Holbrook) and from a very charismatic environmentalist (played by John Krasinski). The ensuing interplay between Damon and Krasinski is what makes the movie so compelling. It takes the movie beyond the fracking controversy into profound insight into human behavior.

It's hard to talk about this movie without being a spoiler so I'll let you find out how the confrontations are resolved. No matter what side of the fence you are on in regard to the fracking controversy, this movie is for you because it clearly delineates the pros and cons of both sides and helps bring our understanding to a deeper level.

For me, one of the main elements of the film was the town and townspeople of McKinley. It was a small mostly farming community and I couldn't help thinking about McCook. Seeing how the people of McKinley reacted to controversy I couldn't help but wonder how the people of McCook would react in a similar situation. There was a strong message about community in this film and that is one reason I think everyone in McCook should see it. The town of McKinley was facing a lot of issues in addition to fracking and a lot of those issues we also face here in McCook.

I think most everyone will enjoy this movie and come away from it feeling good and with an optimism for the future and a deepened sense of community.

This movie is available to rent from Movie House, 220 West 1st in downtown McCook. 345-6000. Visit and like the Movie House Facebook Page

15 Ways to Make Money with Digital Photography

Ideas Presented by Your Guide to Digital Photography

Entertainment

It’s easier than you may think to make money as a digital photographer. There are many different ways to make money doing digital photography and here are 15 to get you started.

Method #1 – Selling Stock Photography
Selling stock photography is easier than you may think. Just take some of your best photos and submit them to stock photography sites. They will be reviewed and if it’s a good photo, it will hopefully be accepted. You’ll get paid about $1-2 every time someone uses your photo.

Method #2 – Screensavers
There’s a lot more money in screensavers than people realize. Take a series of photographs along a theme and make your own screensaver. If the photos are good, they’ll do great on screensaver sites or on eBay.

Method #3 – eBay Sellers
Speaking of eBay, eBay can be a great source of business. eBay sellers often have very poor photos of images they sell over and over. Set up a local service photographing eBay items.

Method #4 – Wedding Photographer
One of the more popular ways to work as a photographer. The key to getting wedding photography business is to have a very credible website and profile.

Method #5 – Restaurant Photographer
Restaurants often need photos of their restaurant or their dishes for their menu’s and websites. You can work directly with restaurants or make yourself available to designers who work with restaurants.

Method #6 – Real Estate Agents
Real estate agents need listing photographs of new homes they’re listing. Get yourself a few real estate agents you work with regularly and you could quickly be booked with work.

Method #7 – Insurance Photographer
People are usually required to photograph belongings they’re insuring. Often times they don’t want to bother learning how themselves. By positioning yourself as an insurance photographer, you can do it for them.

Method #8 – Online Dating Photographer
Both men and women often want to have great photos of them taken for online dating profiles. This is a great way to make some quick cash.

Method #9 – Working with Café’s
Café’s would often love to have your art on their wall for free. In exchange, you can post your photos with a price tag on their walls until you get a buyer for your art.

Method #10 – Sporting Events
Local sporting events such as little league games or high school soccer games would often love to have photographers photograph their games.

Method #11 – Church Directories
Churches often want to have photos of their members along with contact information in a booklet called a church directory. You can position yourself as the go to photographer for that.

Method #12 – Make T Shirts
A great way to make money doing photography is to take great photos and put them on T shirts. You can sell these shirts on eBay, on your own website or sell the designs to other T shirt websites.

Method #13 – Craigslist
You can advertise yourself on Craigslist, a free and very popular online classifieds website. Position yourself as a photographer and you’ll be exposing yourself to thousands of people who’re looking for your services.

Method #14 – Portrait Photographer
The portrait business is a big business. You can work with a studio or set up your own practice for doing portraits.

Method #15 – Photo Blogging
People love looking at images. If you continue to take images people like to look at and publish them, you can quickly build up a following.

Now you have plenty of profitable ideas you can use to start making money as a photographer. Whether you want to do it part-time for extra cash or make it your full-time work, there’s plenty to choose from.

Need to improve your digital photography techniques? Pick up your free digital photography guide for better photos…instantly.

“Mickey Mouse of Japan” Goes Stateside

Entertainment

(NewsUSA) – Japanese imports like Pokémon and DragonballZ have been entertaining American children for over a decade, but Japan’s most iconic manga character — a child robot known as Astro Boy — has only recently been rediscovered by American audiences.

Often called “The Mickey Mouse of Japan,” Astro Boy was created in 1952 by Tezuka Osamu, Japan’s most influential cartoonist. Tezuka’s characters, with their large eyes and expressive faces, established the drawing style used in all anime today.

But it was Tezuka’s storytelling that made Astro Boy resonate with audiences around the world. Astro Boy reimagines the story of Pinocchio in a futuristic setting. Although Astro Boy is a powerful robot with components that help him protect the Earth — including twin machine guns in his butt -; he is, at heart, a little boy with an innocent worldview. Running themes include respect for life and a clear anti-bigotry message. But the morals go down with a spoonful of sugar, or, in this case, whimsy and some seriously fun butt-kicking.

Children today can experience Astro Boy outside of manga and anime. For example, D3Publisher of America, Inc. has created a video game that allows children to become Astro Boy. Available on Wii, DS, PS2 and PSP, Astro Boy: The Video Game combines entertaining gameplay with immersive storytelling. Players of all ages can use Astro Boy’s iconic weapons to battle enemies and unlock different versions of the eponymous character. Based on the 2009 full-length CG film, the video game features the voices of Freddie Highmore and Kristen Bell and allows players to explore environments from the movie.

Astro Boy emerged from post-war Japan, when instability and the fear of technology played a major role in popular culture. But while other contemporary Japanese movies involved giant monsters decimating Toyko, Tezuka created a more reassuring vision. As Tezuka once said, “‘Love all the creatures! Love everything that has life!’ I have been trying to express this message in every one of my works.”

As America finds itself fighting overseas and experiencing an economic downturn, Astro Boy’s inspiring story of redemption and triumph will certainly resonate with new generations.

For more information, visit www.d3publisher.us.

Elton John Interview on Gnomeo and Juliet

Entertainment

The animated feature Gnomeo and Juliet features classic songs by music legend Elton John, along with new songs written with his longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin and featuring special guest performances. His first project as executive producer, the film tells the familiar story of two teenagers in love, only this time they are ceramic gnomes (voiced by James McAvoy and Emily Blunt) who have many obstacles to overcome, as a result of being caught up in a feud between their rival families, each in charge of their own garden.

At the press day for the film, the singer/songwriter/musician/humanitarian talked about the 11-year process of making Gnomeo and Juliet, revisiting his old music, his process for writing the new songs, why he loves listening to music from new artists, and how he’d love to do a feature film of his life story. He also talked about his collaboration with Lady Gaga...... Click here to read the interview.

North Platte Native Sets Sights on Hollywood

Local News

The North Platte Telegraph - A new movie may be the break a North Platte native needs to make it to the big screen. Thirty-six-year-old Bo Nesslein has always dreamed of becoming a director. This year his dream moved a step closer to reality when he was given the opportunity not only to act in a movie, but also to shoot behind the scenes footage. Saturday's edition of The North Platte Telegraph featured a story about "The Boarders," a movie illustrating the effects of Reactive Attachment Disorder. Nesslein's participation in the project served as a learning experience that he hopes will eventually take him to Hollywood......Continue reading