John Farr: In Memory of Ray Bradbury, The 10 Best Science Fiction Films

When I heard the news of Ray Bradbury's death, I went online to revisit his life and work, and was struck once again by the enduring imprint he left on popular culture.

Reading up on him, I was surprised to learn that he disliked being labeled a science fiction writer. He made an important distinction in explaining why, stating that "science fiction is a depiction of the real, fantasy a depiction of the unreal."

In other words, with science fiction, anything that occurs could conceivably happen, while in fantasy, you know it never could.

Thus it seems Mr. Bradbury felt he was more a writer of fantasies...Of course, since most writers and artists understandably prefer not to be categorized, likely he would have preferred simply being remembered as a good writer, full-stop.

There's no doubt he achieved that goal.

As to that fundamental difference between science fiction and fantasy, it makes perfect sense. It also makes me realize that in categorizing movies, there are more than a few titles I loosely call "science fiction" that are in fact "fantasy".

Sometimes it's not all that easy to decide just what could happen, and what couldn't.

Though Ray Bradbury's best-known works never translated particularly well to the screen (specifically, 1966's "Fahrenheit 451" and 1969's "The Illustrated Man"), without a doubt his writing helped fuel the renaissance of fantasy/science fiction movies in the fifties.

I felt that now would be a fitting moment to compile my own top-ten list of science fiction movies. Though you'll note my picks include some older films, this should not suggest that sci-fi pictures are somehow in decline. They have never really left us- and never will.

At the very least, as long as the movies remain big business, franchises like "Star Wars", "Planet Of The Apes", "Terminator" and "Jurassic Park"- not to mention box-office bonanzas like this year's "Hunger Games"- ensure a bright future for the genre.

But it goes beyond money. As Ray Bradbury well understood, we humans are innately fascinated by the unknown, and by what may lie in the future, even if it's on the fantastic side.

With contemporary society in the state it's in, the idea of aliens, time warps and alternate realities can seem downright appealing- a welcome escape. These ten features provide all that, and more.

Metropolis (1927)- A visionary depiction of 21st-century society, this film presents a world in which the fabulously wealthy live in opulence above ground while an oppressed underclass toils far below in a heavily routinized, mechanistic dystopia. Appalled by the workers' underground lives, and in love with subterranean beauty Maria (Brigitte Helm), idealistic Freder (Gustav Froehlich) flouts the powers that be-including his industrialist father Fredersen (Alfred Abel)-and begins campaigning for reforms. One of the most influential films ever made, Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" was reportedly inspired by the director's awestruck first glimpse of the 1920s Manhattan skyline. Visually astonishing and darkly surreal, "Metropolis" is a flawless example of German Expressionism on film, with its heavily stylized, futuristic production design, odd camera angles, and bleak, shadowy evocation of the not-so-harmonious techno-industrial future. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is especially captivating playing sadistic capitalist Rotwang, who engineers a slave revolt against the reformers. A hypnotic, enthralling silent masterwork by the legendary director of "M" and "The Big Heat."

The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)- Having somehow managed to survive a deadly windmill fire, the sad, confused Monster (Boris Karloff) bolts off into the European countryside. Meanwhile, his disillusioned creator, Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) reluctantly assists his demanding, demented mentor, the booze-guzzling Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger), in a mad plan to create a female companion for the rampaging creature. But Monster and Bride, they will eventually learn, just weren't meant to be. James Whale's brilliant, wonderfully cheeky sequel to 1931's "Frankenstein" managed to equal its predecessor in terms of tone and originality, while adding sly barbs of humor. Apart from Whale's clever, offbeat direction, the film's success is due to the marvelous cast of eccentrics: Thesiger's weird, malevolent turn as Dr. Pretorius, Dwight Frye's nutty hunchback, and the mesmerizing Elsa Lanchester-playing Mary Shelley in the film's prologue, and then the shrieking Bride in a now-iconic , white-streaked fright wig- couldn't be better. Then, of course, there's Karloff, whose sad, tragic attempts to speak and connect with others simply underscore his tortured pathos. Wed yourself to the morbidly endearing "Bride."

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)- One eventful day, an alien spaceship lands in Washington, and from it emerges an emissary from another world (Michael Rennie) who has assumed human form. He has a message for the inhabitants of Earth, but won't reveal it unless all nations of the world are present to hear it. The being chooses a mother and son (Patricia Neal and Billy Gray) to convey this directive; unfortunately, it's not one a divided world can readily accept. Will humanity's inability to unite spell its destruction? Admittedly short on action and effects, Robert Wise's groundbreaking classic may seem quaint on the surface, but this subtly paranoiac tale of a world in crisis is still unnerving. "Day" in fact transcends its genre, taking aim at the pervasive distrust and intolerance of the time, as characterized by the Communist witch hunt and the Cold War. Director Wise, who had previously edited "Citizen Kane" (1941) and would go on to direct both "The Haunting" (1963) and "The Sound Of Music" (1965), coaxes solid performances from his cast, with a measured Rennie and a fetching Neal carrying the picture. A must for fans of '50s cinema, and all sc-fi junkies.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)- In Everytown, USA, your neighbors are acting strangely. They may look the same, but something has gone dead inside them. Soon, strange pods are discovered, and it appears they serve to replicate aliens as these same neighbors, thus beginning an insidious takeover of the earth itself. Dr. Milles Binnell (Kevin McCarthy) and Becky Driscoll (Dana Wynter) are the first to stumble upon this horrible and incredible phenomenon, and it falls to them to warn everyone else. But just whom can they trust? My personal sci-fi favorite from the fifties, this enduring cult favorite is an ingenious nightmare vision that reflects the paranoia of the time created by McCarthyism. Absent of the effects that characterize more recent entries in this genre, the film remains genuinely creepy strictly on the basis of story, direction and performances. Stars McCarthy and Wynter carry the film beautifully, and director Don Siegel brings the same flair to this that he would to movies like "Dirty Harry" a full decade later. One of those rare "B" movies that earns a solid "A".

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)- Drs. Dave Brown and Frank Poole (Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood) are traveling towards Jupiter on-board space vessel "Discovery", equipped with the new HAL 9000 computer. Though it's presumed that whatever man creates he can control, HAL will put that theory to the test, bringing significant danger to the astronauts from a most unexpected source. This synopsis only begins to describe this most cosmic, dense and challenging of science fiction films, which director Stanley Kubrick co-wrote with sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke. Notably, "2001" relies on images more than words to convey its multi-layered tale, which starts with the dawn of man. Profound and cerebral, the film may feel slow and ponderous to those accustomed to "Star Wars", and its vision of the near future at times betrays its 1968 origins. That said, it's still an impressive and absorbing mind-blower, a work of genius from Kubrick, working at the top of his game.

Solaris (1972)- Sent to evaluate the mental state of three cosmonauts at a Russian space station orbiting the mysterious ocean-planet Solaris, psychologist Kris Kelvin (Donata Banionis) learns upon arriving that lead scientist Dr. Gibrarius (Sos Sarkisyan) is dead, apparently a suicide. As he puzzles over the psychic torments afflicting the remaining two men, who are behaving oddly, Kelvin is visited by the flesh-and-blood apparition of his dead wife, Hari (Natalya Bondarchuk). A cerebral, eerily gorgeous elaboration of Stanislaw Lem's ruminative sci-fi novel, Andrei Tarkovsky's atmospheric "Solaris" is the furthest thing from outer-space action flicks like "Aliens," much closer in spirit to Kubrick's "2001". As always, Tarkovsky carefully modulates the action to a hypnotic crawl, creating an effect that is both sublime and chilling, especially once the "Guests"-the materialization of repressed memories-begin to arrive. Exploring the nature of love and memory, past trauma and the enigma of consciousness, "Solaris" is a breathtaking film with a powerful undercurrent of spiritual longing. (Not to be confused with George Clooney re-make.)

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)- Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) appears like your average husband and father, until a "close encounter" with an alien force begins to induce ongoing erratic behavior. Roy feels compelled to mold clay into the same weird shape, and soon is moved to travel cross-country in search of a structure that resembles that shape. Once he reaches his destination, he learns he's not alone - that a whole cross-section of humanity has been touched similarly and now find themselves all in one place, awaiting an alien visitor who's summoned them there. This top science fiction entry, nominated for nine Oscars, benefits from Steven Spielberg's trademark epic sweep and sense of wonder. It also boasts one of Dreyfuss's finest performances as the afflicted Neary, yet the supporting cast is equally strong: Director Francois Truffaut appears in a rare acting turn as French scientist Claude Lacombe, Teri Garr shines as Roy's long-suffering spouse, and Melinda Dillon is affecting as bewildered Mom Jillian, whose young son Barry (in a petrifying scene) has already gone up in the aliens' space ship. Don't miss this classic Spielberg spellbinder, truly one for the ages.

Alien (1979)- First (and in our view, best) of a long series, Ridley Scott's film succeeds admirably at mixing genuine chills with solid ensemble playing and more than a semblance of character development. We first get acquainted with the diverse team manning spaceship "Nostromo", before all hell breaks loose. It seems a nasty alien creature has been ingested inside one of the crew, and when it gets out, the group is trapped in their vessel like those proverbial sardines in a can. This trim little classic has a skin-crawling immediacy, as director Scott builds a sense of impending danger, followed by moments of heightened suspense and terror once this nightmarish genie escapes from its bottle. In a star-making turn, the young Weaver makes a tough, independent feminist hero, ably supported by pros Tom Skerritt, Yaphet Kotto, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and Ian Holm. If you love sci-fi that favors mood and substance over dazzle, here's your movie.

28 Days Later (2002)- Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from an accident in a London hospital and confronts a living nightmare: it seems a monkey-borne virus has spread that turns human beings into flesh-eating zombies. With the city virtually deserted, Jim meets up with a handful of people who have escaped infection thus far, including Selena (Naomie Harris), Mark (Noah Huntley), and Frank (Brendan Gleeson). This small group's only chance for survival lies in eluding these rampaging beasts, finding other survivors and somehow getting to safety. But is there anywhere that's truly safe anymore? Though the premise sounds frighteningly close to George Romero's zombie movies, this entry comes off fresh and fierce, thanks to Danny Boyle's tight, gritty direction, an English setting and solid British actors, notably the boyish Murphy and the always appealing and reliable Gleeson. Recommended only for hard-core horror fans, this graphic, nerve-jangling film will keep softies up at night.

District 9 (2009)- Extra-terrestrials come to earth and land in Johannesburg. The city's human residents swiftly marginalize these creatures, relegating them to slums. Wikus Van De Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a state security agent, is tasked with moving the aliens from their current dwellings in District 9 to an even less hospitable location. Wikus eventually gets exposed to a rare alien substance which begins transforming him into one of them. As a result, his bosses want to make a guinea pig out of him, and hunter becomes hunted. Will Wikus become fully human again, and will the aliens finally escape this planet? Even with state-of-the-art effects creating a most convincing race of aliens, Neil Blomkamp's disarming feature succeeds mostly on the basis of story and script. (Incredibly, the film, which netted four Oscar nods, including Best Picture for producer Peter Jackson, cost only $30 million). The film's brisk pacing and rousing action scenes are complemented by a tongue-in-cheek tone, and a fun performance from Copley, who's far from the usual action hero type. All these ingredients give "District 9" a quirky, original quality sorely missing in most Hollywood fare of this type.

Looking for good movies to watch? Top movie recommendations? For over 2,400 of the best movies on DVD, visit Best Movies by Farr

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Iowa farmer makes mammoth discovery ... of a mammoth!

A nearly complete skeleton of a 12,000-year-old mammoth has been found buried on a farm in Oskaloosa, Iowa,?

By David Pitt,?Associated Press / June 7, 2012

In this frame grab provided by the television station WOI-DT, a man carries a mammoth bone on Saturday that was found on his rural farm near Oskaloosa, Iowa. The find is rare because it appears that much of the animal's skeleton is undisturbed.

WOI-DT/AP

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Scientists are excited about the discovery of a nearly complete?mammoth?skeleton that was found buried on an Oskaloosa farm, saying such finds are rare and can yield clues about life in the area thousands of years ago.

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The bones found about 60 miles southwest of Des Moines were largely undisturbed, which has allowed scientists to gather evidence that could help show what the area was like more than 12,000 years ago when the animal died. Those excavating the site have already collected pollen grains, seeds, a spruce pine needle and other plant material from the site.

"A find of this size is quite rare because it looks like we have a lot of the animal rather than just a single bone here and there," said Sarah Horgen, education coordinator for the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History, which is overseeing the excavation.

"What's important to the university is looking at the environmental context that we can recover as part of this excavation, looking at what Iowa was like at the end of the last ice age," she said.

A number of tests for carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopes can reveal such details as when the animal died, its diet, and even the temperature of the water it was drinking, said Holmes Semken, a retired paleontologist and professor emeritus at the University of Iowa's Department of Geoscience.

He said the site includes an abundance of material valuable to scientific study.

It appears the?mammoth?died and decayed on the surface because some of the bones have rodent gnaw marks and a rib shows gnawing by a fairly large carnivore.

Excavating such a site is a slow process. The discoveries so far have been located after about six feet of digging. The site goes as deep as 30 to 40 feet, Semken said.

Excavation will continue throughout the summer. The next dig is scheduled for June 16.

A group of scientists plans to scan the area with ground penetrating radar on Friday to see if they can determine how much of the?mammoth?remains underground. It's an experiment by the geology department to see if the radar can detect bone underground, Semken said.

Semken said the landowner and his sons discovered the bones two years ago. They saw what turned out to be a 4-foot-long leg bone protruding from a creek bed. The bone at the knee joint was about the size of a soccer ball, and further digging revealed bones from the animal's foot and neck.

He said the landowner asked not to be identified in order to keep the site's location confidential.

"The geological location for this thing is just ideal," Semken said. "He's very excited about the kind of science we'll get out of it and he fully realizes the value of what we have."

The site also has become an invaluable teaching tool, said Mahaska County Conservation Board Naturalist Laura DeCook.

She teaches about nature and the outdoors in schools throughout the county and has assisted at the dig site.

"Information I learn from the people coordinating the dig can be used in the classroom and in providing classroom materials for us eventually," DeCook said.

She said the local teachers and students also have been invited to help dig at the site.

DeCook said digging is like putting together pieces of a puzzle.

"Piece by piece we can put together the whole picture of what life was like thousands of years ago," she said. "To find something that has existed this long is fascinating. It gives us clues to what the ecosystem was like at the time our own state. It's a neat history that doesn't come from a book, it's hands on."

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CompTIA Network Tech Support Career Computer Self-Study Online ...

In the modern world, support workers who are qualified to solve problems with PC?s and networks, plus give constant advice to users, are essential in every part of the economy. The need for the above mentioned individuals is constantly growing, as everywhere we work becomes significantly more technologically advanced.

The old fashioned style of teaching, utilising reference manuals and books, is often a huge slog for most of us. If this sounds like you, find training programs which have a majority of interactive, multimedia parts. If we?re able to study while utilising as many senses as possible, then we normally see dramatically better results.

Courses are now available in disc format, where everything is taught on your PC. Video streaming means you are able to see your instructors showing you how to do something, followed by your chance to practice ? in a virtual lab environment. It makes sense to see some of the typical study materials provided before you hand over your cheque. The minimum you should expect would be videoed instructor demonstrations and interactive modules with audio-visual elements.

Choose disc based courseware (On CD or DVD) wherever available. You can then avoid all the difficulties of broadband outages, failure and signal quality issues etc.

When did you last consider your job security? For most of us, we only think of this after something dramatic happens to shake us. But really, the reality is that true job security simply doesn?t exist anymore, for the vast majority of people. Of course, a quickly growing market-place, where staff are in constant demand (through a big shortfall of trained people), creates the conditions for proper job security.

With the computer market as an example, the most recent e-Skills study highlighted major skills shortages across the United Kingdom of around 26 percent. Quite simply, we can?t properly place more than just three out of every 4 jobs in the computing industry. Achieving in-depth commercial Information Technology certification is thus a ?Fast Track? to succeed in a long-term and rewarding profession. No better time or market settings will exist for getting certified in this swiftly expanding and evolving industry. Consider Pop Over To THIS Web-Site for superb specifics.

A useful feature that several companies offer is a Job Placement Assistance program. It?s intention is to steer you into your first IT role. It can happen though that people are too impressed with this facility, because it?s really not that difficult for any motivated and trained individual to get work in the IT industry ? because companies everywhere are seeking trained staff.

Help with your CV and interview techniques is sometimes offered (if not, see one of our sites for help). Make sure you update that dusty old CV immediately ? not after you?ve qualified! Quite often, you?ll land your first job while you?re still a student (sometimes when you?ve only just got going). If you haven?t updated your CV to say what you?re studying ? or it?s not getting in front of interviewers, then you don?t stand a chance! You can usually expect quicker service from a specialist locally based employment agency than you?ll get from a training company?s centralised service, because they?ll know the area better.

Not inconsiderable numbers of trainees, it would appear, spend evenings and weekends on their training and studies (for years sometimes), and then just stop instead of looking for a job. Market yourself? Do everything you can to get yourself known. Don?t expect a job to just fall into your lap.

Pop over to my site for well-rounded information now: updates on Microsoft MCSE Training Courses and www.microsoft?online-training.co.uk.

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Wish for Large numbers Residing with the The signs of Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition impacting many individuals worldwide often in methods that cause irritation, discomfort. It can also cause individuals to become bed ridden or enclosed to wheel chairs in extraordinary instances. It can impact any combined in the system and is commonly found in the knees legs and waist as well as the fingers and toes.

There are 3 main kinds of arthritis; osteo arthritis, osteo arthritis and gouty arthritis. All three impact the system in very similar methods but are caused by different causes. Arthritis in its simplest definition is the inflammation of joint parts and fibrous in any part of the system. Another popular aspect of osteo arthritis is that it can impact everyone from the most athletic most, active of us right down to the least dynamic and the unhealthiest. While the cause of the inflammation of joint parts or the form of osteo arthritis can vary, the signs of it are much the same.

Joints contain fibrous that support and secure each component of the combined from damage and impact. Arthritis causes this fibrous to break down and consequently the joint parts (bones) rub together causing discomfort, inflammation and inflammation.

As we know osteo arthritis can impact anyone. However there are methods in which we can secure ourselves from this condition as well as therapies and solutions to ease struggling and even in some situations opposite the consequences of osteo arthritis. One of these methods is by maintaining our systems healthier. While this is not a sure way of preventing the condition, it has definitely been shown to decrease the likelihood of certain kinds of osteo arthritis especially gouty arthritis, impacting our systems. Restricting your alcohol intake, maintaining your bmi in its focus on zone, as well as drinking plenty of water are all methods that help to ward off osteo arthritis and also contribute to cook.

Rheumatoid osteo arthritis (RA) has been known to respond well to medications and certain medication have caused huge improvements in individuals struggling with this form of osteo arthritis. There are many different medication which have been designed and, as technology and the knowledge of RA advances, more are sure to come.

Another more organic approach to treating the consequences of osteo arthritis is through herbal rub. Massage can be used to directly focus on trouble spots and allows the stimulation of blood circulation to the location and in doing so can help to decrease inflammation as well as increasing flexibility and flexibility of the combined. Pain and discomfort are reduced while the muscle tissue that control the combined are relaxed and side effects are reduced. While rub cannot cure or opposite osteo arthritis it can be very beneficial to one who has been faced with the difficulty of experiencing the condition.

Physicians and experts have also designed exercise and stretching workouts which aim to relax anxious muscle tissue and ligaments which surround joint parts that have been impacted by the consequences of osteo arthritis. Similarly and often used in conjunction with these exercises or extends are fabric products such as compression combined supports which help to take some of the strain off of the combined as well as reducing inflammation and inflammation while they are worn.

Many individuals live every day with the disadvantages and discomfort brought by osteo arthritis but through healthcare enhancements, herbs and research and development many of these individuals can have their discomfort reduced and anticipation is that this growth will continue in the months and years to come.

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Elephants in the Blue Grass: Dems War on Small Business Hurts ...

Democratic strategists are panicking that they are losing woman. As a result, Dems have renewed their push for "pay equality."??Republicans who oppose the deceptively-titled "Paycheck Fairness Act" will be described as waging a "war on women."? This is part of a theme of the Obama campaign that we saw a few months ago.

It's the same slur that Dems used against Republicans who believe in the free exercise clause of the first amendment. Obama administration has?assault?that right by mandating that employers pay for?insurance of abortion-inducing drugs, even where that violates the employer's conscience. Anyone who supports free exercise of religion, so the script goes, is waging a "war on women."
?
The?so-called Paycheck Fairness Act will hurt small businesses, including those owned by women. It will chill job creation, including jobs that women might want to apply for.? That's the implicit sexism in the Democrats' attempt to energize the feminists:? the Paycheck Fairness Act assumes that women are victims.? Its logic also assumes that all employers are male.
?
The legislation is?a boon to trial lawyers, however -- the sort of law that will make John Edwards weep with joy over not losing his law license.? The law seeks to?follow up on the Lilly Ledbetter "Fair Pay Act," which gave women extra time to sue for discrimination.? That is, it gave the trial lawyers a longer statute of limitations to troll for clients.
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This most recent legislation would increase the incentive for trial lawyers to sue by allowing women to sue for punitive damages.?That's where trial lawyers make their money.
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And the suits would be easier to win, because the law would shift the burden of persuasion from the plaintiff-woman to the defendant-employers. Thus, employers would literally be presumed guilty of pay discrimination unless proven innocent.? If, for example, an employer paid a man extra money because the nature of his duty was hazardous, for example, the onus will now be on the employer to prove that this was not discriminatory against women.? Same for pay differentials based on level of education, time of the shift, local market differentials or profitability.
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Make no mistake:? this is the Obama administration telling businesses how to do business.
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No wonder the legislation has been opposed by so many organization that promote private enterprise:

U.S. Chamber of Commerce; American Bakers Association; American Bankers Association; American Hotel & Lodging Association; Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.; College and University Professional Association for Human Resources; Food Marketing Institute; HR Policy Association; International Public Management Association for Human Resources; National Association of Manufacturers; National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors; National Council of Chain Restaurants; National Council of Textile Organizations; National Federation of Independent Business; National Public Employer Labor Relations Association; National Restaurant Association; National Retail Federation; National Roofing Contractors Association; Printing Industries of America; Retail Industry Leaders Association; Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council; Society for Human Resource Management.
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Nor is this legislation just a problem just for large employers:? even businesses with as few as two employees would be subject to this law.
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It is wrong to discriminate against an employee based on gender.? It is also illegal -- has been for years. Employers who discriminate can be held accountable without the federal government micromanaging small businesses and without throwing an election year treat to the trail lawyers.
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A weak economy hurts everyone, women included.? Given the lousy job numbers report that came out a few days ago, the last thing this economy needs is more red-tape to discourage small businesses from hiring.

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Paycento Gambles on Microtransactions - KnowHowTips.com

Would you be willing to pay a full-year subscription just to read an interesting article about Mustang parts, politics or entertainment online? If you?re like most people, you?d probably say no, and that?s a problem for online newspapers. With print sales declining rapidly, newspapers increasingly look to the Internet not just for profits, but basic survival. A full-year subscription may appeal to those who like to read the Sunday paper from cover to cover, but occasional article readers far outnumber a newspaper?s regular readers.

A Belgium company called Paycento hopes to provide newspapers with a simply solution: a one-click payment system for small transactions. The company believes that users will be more likely to pay small microtransactions if they don?t need to fill out forms or provide credit card information. The reader who won?t pay for a full newspaper subscription might be quite willing to part with a nickel to read an intriguing article. Paycento?s business model could also include payments for music downloads or any small service transaction.

How Paycento Works

Paycento works ? or plans to work ? by tapping into the vast world of social media. Many people log into Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn pretty much permanently. Paycento hopes to take advantage of this by tying users? Paycento accounts to their social media accounts. Users can then make micro-purchases using single-click buttons similar to ?like? and ?share? buttons.

A single-click, no hassle sales button would make it financially viable for businesses and publishers to offer services at very low rates. Suddenly a newspaper could charge a few cents for access to a Ford Mustang parts article, their lifestyle section or even the daily crossword.

Will it Work?

As of 2012, Paycento was running private beta tests in Europe and raising capital for a full-fledged product launch. A one-click microtransaction process certainly has the potential to revolutionize online business models, but will Paycento?s ambitious plan work?

Commentators such as Media Bistro?s Shea Bennett have some doubts. Bennett points out that Social Media identities are easy to fake, so Paycento would need some way of verifying users? true identities. If Paycento needs to take this precaution, Bennett wonders why the company would even bother going through the social media sites at all.

Perhaps more importantly, Bennett speculates that social media sites could cut Paycento right out of the picture and offer microtransactions themselves. If this scenario plays out, Paycento will be shouldered out of business pretty quickly. Then again, that would require users to provide financial details directly to social media sites. Given the shaky history social media has with privacy and security, using a third-party source such as Paycento might prove more attractive to users. After all, would you trust Facebook with your Visa account?

This guest post contributed by CJ a tech enthusiast, with special interest in online business transactions, whether they involve high end furnishings or CJ Pony Ford Mustang parts.?

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Wis. governor works to meet voters before recall

EVANSVILLE, Wis. (AP) ? Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Tom Barrett began a final push Saturday to connect with voters in person before next week's historic recall election, appearing at farm breakfasts and restaurants and rallying campaign workers.

Walker is only the third U.S. governor to face a recall. The drive to oust him was spurred by anger over his plan to effectively end most public workers' collective bargaining rights. Walker insisted he had to make the move to balance the state budget, but Democrats portrayed the measure as an attack on organized labor.

Polls show a tight race with only a handful of voters still undecided before Tuesday's election, and Walker and Barrett have been struggling to win them over for the past month. Barrett released a new television ad Saturday, again calling on the governor to explain his role in an ongoing investigation of associates during Walker's tenure as Milwaukee County executive, but the candidates mostly used the day to meet voters.

Barrett, who serves as Milwaukee's mayor, spent the day on the other side of the state, starting with the Barron County Dairy Breakfast in Hillsdale, a burg of 1,250 people about 90 miles west of Minneapolis. The rest of his schedule included stops at a cafe in St. Croix Falls, a pizza joint in Superior and the state Democratic Party's office in Chippewa Falls.

"We're going to cover the whole state here in the next four days," Barrett said in a telephone interview. "I love it. This is the part that really gets your juices flowing. This is where I'm most confident, doing this."

Walker began his day before 7 a.m., serving food at a dairy breakfast on a massive farm just outside Evansville, a city of 5,000 people about 25 miles south of Madison, the state capital. His agenda called for a stop at another dairy breakfast in Monroe County before visiting campaign field offices in Hudson, Wausau, Green Bay and Wauwatosa.

"I feel good," Walker said. "We're not taking anything for granted. We're working all the way up to 8 p.m. on Tuesday."

Dressed in blue jeans, hiking boots and a button-down shirt and flanked by 18-year-old Evansville Future Farmers of America Queen Emily Templeton and 18-year-old La Prairie 4-H Club Queen Erica Ballmer, the governor handed out yogurt and applesauce to scores of people at the annual Rock County Dairy Breakfast.

A smiling Walker tried to engage people in short, friendly conversations, commenting, for example, on the beautiful morning. Most didn't seem to recognize him. They simply said "thank you" as he placed yogurt cups on their plates and moved on. A handful of people shook his hand, though, and congratulated him on his accomplishments.

One of them was Ken Pierson, 44, who runs a tool-and-die shop in Janesville with his father. He made a point of introducing his two sons to the governor. Later, he said he thinks Walker's changes will help the state in the long run and the recall isn't justified.

"There's better things to do, better reasons to go after people. It's just too obnoxious for me," Pierson said. "I see (Walker's fiscal conservatism) working in the future. It has more to do with what's going to happen tomorrow, instead of 'gimme, gimme, gimme.'"

The recall represents the latest chapter in a knockdown, no-holds barred political battle that has consumed the state.

The fight began in February 2011 when Walker introduced the collective bargaining measure. Tens of thousands of people descended on the state Capitol to demonstrate against the plan and minority Democrats in the state Senate fled to Illinois in a futile attempt to block a vote.

Republicans who controlled the Legislature pushed the plan through anyway. Democrats have been looking for payback ever since.

They ousted two GOP state senators in recalls last August and gathered enough signatures on recall petitions this winter to force Walker, the lieutenant governor and three GOP state senators into Tuesday's elections. A fourth Republican state senator resigned rather than defend her seat, which also will be filled in Tuesday's election.

Walker defeated Barrett to win his first term as governor in 2010. Their rematch has evolved into a national referendum on union power. Republicans across the country have rallied around the governor, helping him raise a jaw-dropping $31 million in campaign cash.

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, a Janesville Republican, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus appeared a tea party rally in Caledonia, just outside Racine, Saturday morning and implored hundreds in the crowd to get as many people to the polls as they can on Tuesday. They said a Walker win would segue into defeat for President Barack Obama in Wisconsin in November.

"This is an election that will send shockwaves throughout America," Ryan told the crowd. "It is a momentum maker or a momentum breaker."

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Associated Press writer Brian Bakst in Caledonia, Wis., contributed to this report.

Associated Press

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