Granny Ranny’s Coming Attractions

Read Across America Day on March 1, 2013, is the largest celebration of reading in the country and a reminder that reading never goes out of style. Reading is an adventure that begins early in a child’s life and should extend beyond the classroom.

Hard copy books are now being replaced by reading apps and tablets. The form is changing. E-books and tablets are increasingly popular but the benefit is the same: reading continues to be a source of knowledge, happiness and success in school and life. Reading offers context, exposure to the art of the written word, and increases true learning.
Not sure where to start, or how to get your child involved?

In celebration of the National Education Association’s Read Across America program, Sylvan Learning is offering five simple tips to jump-start reading in your family and inspire children to develop a lifelong friendship with the written word.

Make it A Habit
Depending on your family’s schedule, reading time might be in the morning, afternoon or before bed. Whatever time you choose, stick to it! Consistency is key to building good habits.

Don’t Leave Home Without It
Bring reading tools with you wherever you go. Having a book, e-book or tablet handy at all times will help your child fit in reading at every chance he gets.

Change Screen Time to Reading Time
Prioritize reading as a free-time activity on a tablet instead of playing a video game or watching TV. Download an audio book or a series of e-books for your child’s leisure reading.

Share the Joy of Reading
Reading doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be a fun activity. When children are pressured they may read only to please their parents. It is important to help your child find books at the appropriate reading level on subjects that interest them. Once you find books that can pique your child’s interest, you may find her reading ahead on her own.

Spice It Up
Any subject, no matter how interested your child is in that subject, can begin to feel dry if you focus all of your attention upon it. Offering a variety of texts is especially helpful: read non-fiction, stories, fables, mysteries and also newspapers, e-books and magazines. There are lots of free online reading resources and websites for kids’ book choices.  Book Adventure, for example, has motivated almost two million kids to read for over a decade.

“Encouraging children to read helps transform reading from a chore to a treat. Then, this basic skill becomes a learned behavior and an intellectual habit. Among reading’s benefits, many research studies have found that children who are read to or who read on their own at home do better in school,” says Richard E. Bavaria, Ph.D., senior vice president of education outreach for Sylvan Learning.

To join a Sylvan Learning center for a RAA reading event, please call 1-800-31-SUCCESS, or visit on the web at www.sylvanlearning.com.

Thomas and his engine friends have the inside track on adventure with the all-new Thomas & Friends®: Full Steam Ahead 3-DVD & Bonus Toy Gift Set, available on February 19, 2013 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. It features three action-packed DVDs - Team Up With Thomas, Wobbly Wheels & Whistles and Railway Friends.

Thomas & Friends: Team Up With Thomas Synopsis

Everyone’s favorite true blue engine, Thomas, is back with friends old and new in four fun adventures on the Island of Sodor in Thomas & Friends: Team Up With Thomas.  This DVD is enhanced with CG animation and a live-action host, Mr. Arkwright, who welcomes viewers with a smile and a fun project for Lady Hatt’s grandchildren. Thomas, Edward, Toby, James and the rest of the engines introduce young engineers to Hank, a big, strong, new engine and Flora, a lovely new lady steam engine.  Together, they take us along on their tasks around the island.  Be careful: trouble may lie around the next bend.  But one thing’s for certain – you’ll always come home with a brand new friend!

Thomas & Friends: Wobbly Wheels & Whistles Synopsis

Travel along with Thomas for a wonderfully wobbly and wheel-spinning good time!  The No. 1 blue engine has bridges to cross and tracks to uncover in these exciting adventures. When Victor gets overloaded with too many tasks, can Thomas help him let out steam?  And while trying to get Scruff as clean as a whistle, will Thomas have to get his own wheels dirty?   Just when things seem to be rolling along, will Ol’ Wheezy make a wobbly mess of Thomas’ special delivery?  Hold on for exciting surprises waiting to be delivered just for you!

Thomas & Friends: Railway Friends Synopsis

All aboard for six all new adventures with Thomas and his engine friends in Thomas & Friends:  Railway Friends.  Meet Thomas’ best friend Percy, attend a festive winter party at the wharf, take a wrong turn on a mistaken shortcut and see Thomas worry about his squeaky brakes and strive to become a ‘Really Useful Engine.’  Filled with charming characters and heroic displays of loyalty, responsibility and friendship, this DVD will be a treasured addition to any home entertainment library.

Did you know that Thomas the Tank Engine was created by a father for his son over 65 years ago? Today the stories are enjoyed by families in more than 185 territories and in 30 languages.

Sixty-five percent of organizations pile social media on top of other duties, while only 27 percent employ someone who focuses exclusively on social media, a new Ragan/NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions survey reveals.

The survey, which aims to uncover the factors impacting how social media teams are structured, found that organizations are cautious about dedicating resources to social media, and add social media to the list of tasks traditionally assigned to communicators.

“They’re doing events, they’re putting out newsletters, they’re writing press releases, and now they’re handed this task of overseeing Twitter accounts, Facebook and Pinterest pages,” says Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications, of communicators today.

The results of the survey, a joint effort by Ragan Communications and NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions, are summarized in a whitepaper that allows organizations to benchmark their social media efforts against organizations of similar size and industry.

This 18-page white paper reveals findings from a survey of more than 2,700 social media professionals. Major Findings in Key Areas include:

65% of respondents do social media on top of their other duties. For those who do social media exclusively, nearly 83% work on teams of three or fewer
69% are dissatisfied or only “somewhat satisfied” with how they measure social media. Only 31% are satisfied or very satisfied. And many say they lack the time to track data or aren’t even sure what to measure
Only 28% saw their budget increase this year, while 69% stayed the same. Prospects were only slightly better for 2013, with 62% of budgets remaining static
Salaries for social media manager or director also showed wide variation, with 21% earning in the $25,000- $35,000 range, and 22% earning from $65,000-$90,000. Five% earn top salaries, which hover above $125,000.
A lot of people are still figuring out social media. Only 13% describe their efforts as advanced. Slightly more than half agreed with the statement, “We keep our heads above water, but not by much.” Another 23% describe themselves as “newbies.”
Facebook is by far the most popular platform, with 91% of respondents maintaining a page there. Twitter follows closely, with 88%, while 69% use LinkedIn
“Ownership” of social media is murky, and the question may even become passé as numerous departments within organizations jump in. 70% of respondents say marketing is involved, with 69% reporting that public relations played a role. Corporate communications trailed, with 49%.

Respondents from for-profit corporations made up 58% of the total. Nonprofits amounted to 24%, while 7% came from government. (About 11% answered “other.”) Organizations of more than 1,000 employees constituted 28% of the total; the vast majority were under 1,000, and 23% worked for organizations employing fewer than 25. Social Media is revolutionizing communications, but an organization not committing additional resources is not alone.

In the era of social media, an education in communications (77%) or public relations (76%) is most highly valued for employment. (Respondents were allowed to click multiple answers). Marketing trailed with 65%. Only 20% felt an English major made a better candidate, compared with 42% for journalism.

The survey revealed that 69% are dissatisfied or only “somewhat satisfied” with how the company measures social media.
Many respondents felt there is no industry-accepted tool to determine the value of social media efforts. They say that they rely on impressions and general feedback. Asked about their social media goals, 87% said to increase brand awareness.

For more about this study and report from Ragan Communications, and access to the Whitepaper, please visit here.

Disney Publishing Worldwide is offering its Princesses apps today through Friday, 2/15, at a reduced price of $1.99. Included are the following:

Princess Dress-Up: My Sticker Book
Readers help their favorite Disney Princesses prepare for magical moments in this dress-up sticker book. Updated version includes interactive camera feature, plus new outfits, shoes, stories, and Princess Tiana.

Cinderella: Storybook Deluxe
Disney’s Cinderella has enchanted generations with its spellbinding story, charming music, and endearing characters that live in your heart forever. This app includes a full retelling of the film with fresh illustrations, engaging narration, music and sound effects, as well as whimsical interactivity on every page.

Beauty and the Beast: Storybook Deluxe
In this unforgettable story of love and adventure in a magical new format, Belle finds herself in a castle with talking furniture, an enchanted rose and a grumpy beast. Despite an awkward beginning, Belle and the Beast gradually become friends, and Belle learns not to judge a book by its cover.

The Princess and the Frog Read-Along
This fully interactive app includes games, movie clips, coloring pages, and music to sing along! You can even record your own voice reading the story. Tiana, a beautiful Louisiana girl who dreams of owning her own restaurant and Naveen, a spoiled, jazz-loving prince who doesn’t know the meaning of hard work, have nothing in common – until they are magically transformed into frogs.

Princess Royal Party
Welcome to the Magical and Enchanting world of Disney’s Royal Party, just in time for Rapunzel’s own celebration! Disney’s Royal Party includes many fun activities and crafts for hours of fun with your favorite Disney Princesses.

This year, Disney’s Peter Pan turns 60 years old. To celebrate, today Disney released an all-new “Diamond Edition” DVD/Blu-ray; however, fans can also experience the classic tale on mobile devices with the Peter Pan: Disney Classics book app. The iOS story takes readers to Neverland like never before. With read along activities, games and more, readers will join Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the whole gang on a magical adventure whenever, wherever, and however they choose.

The swashbuckling interactive story features:·
Reading modes for all ages·
Coloring pages, interactive puzzles and memory matching games
Activities including a musical instrument activity similar to Peter’s

The Peter Pan: Disney Classics book app is available now for the iPhone and iPad on the App Store : http://bit.ly/USOCEm

Apple® today announced a 128GB* version of the fourth generation iPad® with Retina® display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.

“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and every day they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”

“Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime,” said Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk. “These files are often large and highly detailed so having the thin and light iPad with its Multitouch display, integrated camera and all-day battery life, is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data.”

“The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device,” said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs’ CEO. “Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionized recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere.”

“The bottom line for our customers is winning football games, and iPad running our GamePlan solution unquestionably helps players be as prepared as possible,” said Randall Fusee, Global Apptitude Co-Founder. “The iPad’s unbeatable combination of security, being thin and light, having an incredible Retina display and also being powerful enough to handle large amounts of data enables us to deliver a product that takes film study to a new level and ultimately gives our users the best opportunity to prepare, execute and win.”

The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime® HD camera, iOS 6.1 and ultrafast wireless performance**. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world***, and iTunes Match? subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud®.

iPad runs over 800,000 apps available on the App Store?, including more than 300,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore?.

Pricing & Availability
The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

*1GB = 1 billion bytes; actual formatted capacity less.
**Network speeds are dependent on carrier networks. Check with your carrier for details.
*** Information about LTE carriers can be found at www.apple.com/ipad/LTE.

More women are working in independent film than in Hollywood, according to results of a new study shared today at a gathering of film and industry leaders at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. The study marks the first collaboration between Sundance Institute and Women in Film Los Angeles to support independent female filmmakers. Conducted by communication professor Stacy Smith, along with researchers Katherine Pieper and Marc Choueiti, it is one of the first to examine gender disparity in American independent film.

“If you look at the data, they reveal an environment in which women are creating and exhibiting films in strong numbers, especially in documentaries. Why is this? First, Sundance Institute positions women to succeed. Second, female filmmakers support each other,” Smith said. “Sundance Institute believes that stories and characters told through film play an enormously influential role in determining audiences’ perceptions of themselves, one another and the world around us,” said Keri Putnam, executive director of the Sundance Institute.

Findings include:

• Of U.S. films selected for the Sundance Film Festival from 2002 to 2012, 29.8 percent of filmmakers (directors, writers, producers, cinematographers and editors) were women.
• Women were half as likely to be directors of narrative films than documentaries (16.9 percent vs. 34.5 percent).
• Female directors of Sundance Film Festival movies exceeded those of the top 100 box office films: 23.9 percent of directors at the Sundance Film Festival from 2002 to 2012 were women, compared to 4.4 percent of directors across the top 100 box office films each year from 2002 to 2012 who were women.
• Across 1,100 top-grossing movies of the past 10 years, 41.5 percent of female directors had been supported by the Sundance Institute.
• When compared to films directed by men, those directed by women feature more female filmmakers behind the camera (writers, producers, cinematographers and editors). This is true in both narratives (21-percent increase) and documentaries (24-percent increase).
• Across all behind-the-camera positions, women were most likely to be producers. As the prestige of the producing post increased, the percentage of female participation decreased. This trend was observed in both narrative and documentary filmmaking. Fewer than one third of all narrative producers but just over 40 percent of associate producers were women. In documentaries, 42.5 percent of producers and 59.5 percent of associate producers were women.
• Five major areas were identified as hampering women’s career development in film: gendered financial barriers (43.1 percent); male-dominated industry networking (39.2 percent); stereotyping on set (15.7 percent); work and family balance (19.6 percent); and exclusionary hiring decisions (13.7 percent).
• Opportunities exist to improve the situation for women in independent film. Individuals mentioned three key ways to change the status quo: mentoring and encouragement for early career women (36.7 percent); improving access to finance (26.5 percent); and raising awareness of the problem (20.4 percent).

The first initiative of the Sundance Institute and Women In Film Los Angeles collaboration, which began last January, was to create a mentorship program, matching 17 Sundance Institute-supported female directors and producers with leaders in the field. They also convened meetings in New York and Los Angeles last fall with leading organizations working on gender in media.

For more info, go to http://blog.uscannenberg.org/?p=4934

According to a new study released by Weber Shadwick, consumers pay more attention to other consumers’ reviews when making electronics purchases. It’s become more important than traditional editorial types of reviews. Not surprising and my guess is that many of those reviews are coming through social media and bloggers. Here’s more:
According to a just released study from Weber Shandwick with KRC Research, the majority consumer electronics purchasers are inspired by a consumer review when selecting which brand to purchase. The average buyer consults 11 consumer reviews on the path to purchase.

Bradford Williams, president of Weber Shandwick’s North American Technology Practice, commented that “… the study sheds new light on… shoppers use of user reviews… (and) traditional editorial reviews in the purchase process… consumer reviewers are… the most powerful force…  savvy marketers  listen to, manage and… harness their considerable might… “

Williams noted that while consumer electronics buyers pay more attention to other consumers’ reviews than editorial reviews, by a margin of more than three to one, they are concerned about the authenticity of consumer reviews (80%), leading them to conduct considerable analysis before making their decision.

Key findings from the report:

• Buyers invest deliberate effort into making a well-informed decision, conducting multiple activities to gather opinions, reading an average of 11 consumer reviews, evaluating review authenticity and demonstrating tolerance for negative reviews.
• 88% of consumers say they are somewhat or very knowledgeable about consumer electronics, yet still consult reviews, consumer and/or professional, when looking to make a purchase.
• Consumers pay more attention to consumer reviews (77%) than professional critic reviews (23%). The gap between consumer and professional reviews closes noticeably for more advanced technologies like tablets and computers.
• In consumer reviews, the most helpful ones are those that seem fair and reasonable, are well-written, and contain statistics, specifications and technical data. Surprisingly, named (vs. anonymous) reviews are not as important as these other elements in consumers’ minds.
• Shoppers trust consumer reviews on Amazon.com (84%) and BestBuy.com (75%) the most, topping Consumer Reports (72%). Consumers show no apparent discomfort in getting their research from a seller of the products they’re considering.

For more information about the study and to access the executive summary, go here.

Warner Bros. Pictures has formed a feature animation creative consortium, marking a new and innovative approach to the establishment of a diverse and far-reaching animation slate.  The announcement was made today by Jeff Robinov, President, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

The mission of the new think tank is to help develop and produce high-end animated motion pictures, with the goal of releasing one feature per year under the Warner Bros. Pictures banner.  The select team of accomplished filmmakers will collaborate with the Studio to frame and guide a variety of projects from start to finish.

The artists who will be involved in Warner Bros.’ new feature animation venture are: John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, (“Crazy, Stupid, Love.,” “Cats & Dogs”); Nicholas Stoller (“The Muppets”); Phil Lord and Chris Miller (“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”); and Jared Stern (“Mr. Popper’s Penguins”).

The filmmakers will work both individually and collectively, supporting one another artistically in the making of the films.  They will not be exclusive to the Studio’s animated film productions; rather they will also continue to write and direct live-action movies.  This new endeavor reflects Warner Bros.’ ongoing commitment to being a filmmaker friendly studio, which invites and fosters original projects, continually expanding the entertainment scope of its slate.
In making the announcement, Robinov stated, “Warner Bros. has an extraordinary legacy in the world of animation, including some of the most enduring characters in cinema history.  Looking to the future, we have now gathered some of the best and brightest talents in the industry to help us grow and broaden that legacy.  Drawing upon their imaginations and inspiration, the Studio will produce a slate of new and original animated films that are sure to delight audiences of all ages.”

The first feature in the pipeline is the upcoming 3D animated adventure “The LEGO Movie,” being directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller from their own screenplay.  Bringing the globally popular LEGO construction toys to the big screen for the first time, the film is being produced by Dan Lin and Roy Lee and stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, and Morgan Freeman.  The animation is largely being accomplished at Australia’s Animal Logic.  A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, “The LEGO Movie” is slated for release on February 7, 2014.

Among the other projects being developed are: “Storks,” conceived and being written by Nicholas Stoller and to be directed by Oscar® nominee Doug Sweetland (PIXAR short “Presto”); and “Smallfoot,” to be written by John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, from an original idea by Sergio Pablos (“Despicable Me”), who is also set to direct.  The films are being targeted for release in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

The development of animated features will be overseen at Warner Bros. by Courtenay Valenti, Chris deFaria and Greg Silverman.  Overall look, character design and the story reel process will be housed in Burbank; however the Studio will look to partner with established animation studios for production of the films.