Vme Launches New 24/7 Channel, Vme Kids (for Latino Preschoolers)

(Via press release).

Today Vme strengthens its commitment to Latino families with the launch of a new channel for preschoolers – Vme Kids, America’s first and only 24/7 channel to focus specifically on preschoolers for whom Spanish is the home language.

From the magical gifts of Dibo (the Dragon), to the vivid imagination of Los Disfraces de Dougie (Dougie in Disguise) and the creative introductions of colors, numbers and reading from shows like Los Supernúmeros (Numberjacks), Bruno y los amigos Banana (Bruno & the Banana Bunch) and Cinco Minutos Más (Five Minutes More), Vme Kids offers a vibrant and diverse lineup to capture the attention of our young audience. The Vme Kids schedule will also feature hits including LazyTown, Jim de la Luna, Musti, 7 Pets, Pororo and Connie la Vaquita (Connie the Cow), among others.

Vme Kids launches on AT&T U-verse channel 3058 on September 1, 2010 with additional distributors to be announced. Vme will support each of its distribution partners with significant on-the-ground marketing events such as book tours with Vme’s sister company, Santillana USA and a LazyTown Live! school-based tour. (More news on Vme Kids and events can be found on Vme Ninos page on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/vmeninos)

Since the successful launch of its broadcast network in 2007, Vme has built the largest library of educational Spanish kids programming in the US, making Vme the recognized network for quality programming for kids. In addition to the launch of Vme Kids, Vme continues to offer the only daily broadcast block of kids programming on its main network.

President and CEO Carmen M. DiRienzo said, “Building on the success of our kids block, Vme is uniquely positioned to offer this new channel for our littlest viewers and their caregivers. In addition to entertainment, the channel is designed to support the clear guidance of educators who emphasize how important it is for kids to learn in their first language…in order to be able to excel in learning other languages.”

In the development of Vme and Vme Kids programming, the network has consulted with leading policy makers, researchers and educators who share a unified concern about helping Hispanic preschool children overcome a widening language and literacy gap. Several research studies show that a strong early grounding in the language of the home – in this case, Spanish – builds fundamental language skills that facilitate and accelerate learning English.

Knowing that Latinos have a high level of co-viewing with their kids, Vme’s content goes beyond kids to offer information that helps parents reinforce the lessons from the screen into hands-on activities that can serve as the foundation for school readiness and success. Plus Vme Kids will offer programs and interstitials that help kids transfer Spanish language skills and vocabulary to English – strengthening their understanding, and even their parents understanding, of both languages.

Going Back to School in Fashionable Geek-style

If you hadn’t already guessed it the folks here at QuadrupleZ are kind of.. well, geeky. We love TV, movies, comics and everything in between. So it was kind of refreshing to see more and more of our favorite things being accepted by the mainstream of culture. Geek is, in fact, the new chic.

So it was no small surprise when Warner Brothers asked us to talk about the new Supergirl by Nastia clothing collection. The only disappointing fact is this clothing wasn’t around when I was a kid going back to school.

One of the fun parts (at least for me) of heading back to school was getting some new supplies and, of course, some new clothes. So what self-respecting Geek parent isn’t going to check out Supergirl by Nastia at JCPenney for their 4 to 12-year-old girls?

I especially loved these pants! Fashionable super hero wear… where were you when I was starting third grade?

There was also this adorable shirt with a knit shrug:

And, we can’t leave out this awesome hoodie:

Check it out for yourself at your local JCPenney or online at http://bit.ly/b9kJy3.

I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to raise awareness for the Supergirl by Nastia clothing collection. For information on Supergirl by Nastia – in time for back-to-school season, please visit: http://bit.ly/b9kJy3

Review Snippet: Season 1 of the Vampire Diaries on DVD

I’ll be the first to admit it, I was skeptical when I first watching Vampire Diaries. It seemed a little too much teen angst and not enough compelling characters for me to stick with it. Apparently the series developer, Kevin Williamson, thought so too. He had little interest at first because he thought it sounded too similar to other vampire stories, but after reading the books he said: “I began to realize that it was a story about a small town, about that town’s underbelly and about what lurks under the surface.” I have to agree. I too was surprised at how much it brought the plot twists and surprises. Though you may be tempted to call it a Twilight spin off — don’t. The books started back in 1991 (even before Buffy). That said, romance abounds, but the show still manages to bring the scary.

One of the scenes that had me me sppoked was early on when Damon (played by the ever adorable Ian Somerhalder who you may know as Boone on Lost) snaps the neck of a victim after nursing her back to health. It’s done so casually it made my eyes pop. [To save the spoilers I won’t say who dies].

The killer scene happens in the sixth episode Lost Girls (only well-establishing in my mind the idea that you should give a TV series at least 6 episodes before you stop watching). Other great scenes include several great death scenes, some fantastic chase/hunt scenes and more that I don’t want to spoil.

Rewatching the series on DVD has only made me enjoy the show more. The DVDs, set to be released on the 31st, have over 8 hours of special features including a free download of the audio book of The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening. Another thing I LOVED about the DVDs is that the package listing of each episode contained warnings not to listen to the commentary because of season spoilers! Finally, someone is thinking.

Make sure you pre-order your copy and enjoy the vampy goodness this series has before Season 2 starts this fall!

I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for The Vampire Diaries: The Complete First Season – which arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on August 31. Pre-order your copy, and receive free digital extras at http://bit.ly/9LSaVp

Nastia Liukin is a Supergirl bringing Super-Fashions to JCPenney

I love strong female characters. It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me. Strong female super heroes? The best.

Girls need great role models. Women who are celebrate for their brains, not just their body. So many women struggle with self-respect and self-image. Finding modern day heroes can be hard. One of those heroes is Nastia Liukin, gold medal winning gymnast. Nastia Liukin is currently unveiling her new clothing line at JCPenny. Partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), on behalf of DC Comics, and JCPenney, Supergirl by Nastia offers fashionable clothes for 4 to 12-year-old girls (just in time for back-to-school). The line is available online at jcpenny.com or at your local store.

For those in California, you can meet Nastia at the JCPenney at the Glendale Galleria. Nastia will make a special appearance at this year’s Supergirl Jam set to take place on August 22 in Venice Beach, CA. Or on August 28th in Orlando, Florida at the Florida Mall.

The line will retail from $20 – $38, making it affordable and exciting for girls to style themselves like a Supergirl.The collection will include active fleece, dresses and tunics, knit pants, signature Supergirl tees, dancewear, fashion leggings, shrug tops and more.

Follow Nastia on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NLiukin

I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to raise awareness for the Supergirl by Nastia clothing collection. For information on Supergirl by Nastia – in time for back-to-school season, please visit: http://bit.ly/b9kJy3

More Sheep Antics for Playhouse Disney as Timmy Time Lands in September

Editor’s Note: The following is a press release, but being such a huge fan of Shaun the Sheep, I thought other folks might enjoy the news.

Aardman Animations’ Timmy Time is scheduled to air in North America from September 13, 2010 on Disney Channel’s Playhouse Disney, following a special sneak preview on the evening of September 7th. Timmy Time is Aardman’s first animated television project for the preschool audience, and the stop-motion series has already enjoyed great success in its first season of broadcast overseas.

Timmy Time follows the adventures of Timmy, a little lamb with a lot to learn as he enters preschool. Fans of Aardman’s hit children’s series Shaun the Sheep will recognize Timmy as the baby lamb on the farm who is frequently drawn into all kinds of chaotic adventures by the mischievous older sheep. Used to having his way by being “the only lamb in the flock,” Timmy is now heading to preschool to graze on some important life lessons about playing nicely with others, namely his fellow classmates of the furry, feathered and spiky types.

Episodes portray all the aspects of a preschooler’s day that are familiar to parents—painting, puzzling, making music, building with blocks, napping, snacking and more—through strong but simple storylines that are told without human dialogue, instead using a unique combination of expressive character animation, gesture and reactions, comedy and slapstick, bleats, quacks, oinks and the like.
While being entertained by Timmy’s fun and fleecy antics, the young audience members will benefit by seeing important social skills in action, such as how to help someone in need, how to be good sports, and how to respect others. Creator/Producer/Supervising Director Jackie Cockle (BAFTA winner, producer on Bob the Builder, director on The Wind in The Willows, among other television credits) believes that “preschoolers can easily identify with Timmy as he learns universal lessons about himself, his friends and the world around him.“

Check local television listings for exact airtimes, and to find out more about Timmy, his classmates, and the show, visit www.timmytime.tv.

Timmy fans can look forward to his first DVD release in early 2011 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, who also distribute the DVD releases of Shaun the Sheep, the second fastest-growing children’s brand on DVD in 2009. Timmy toys will also be available in Spring 2011 from JAKKS Pacific.

I’m too Cool for School: Review of the DJ Bag from Yak Pak

Everyone who knows me or has seen me around a convention knows that I am tied to my messenger bag. It’s like my right arm. That’s why I was so happy to find Yak Pak. They make extremely trendy totes, messanger bags and hand bags. They sent me the uber awesome DJ Bag to review.

I’ve been using it for months now and absolutely adore it. It’s the perfect size for DJs who often get overloaded with carrying a ton of bags. It can easily fit a stack of LPs or records and there’s a great front pocket for headphones. There’s also two cellphone sized side pockets that can be used for smaller equipment (or a camera like I use it for) or cords that seem to get lost at the bottom of any bag!

I’ve taken this bag everywhere and I’m pretty hard on my bags, but even after a couple of months the bag looks fantastic. It’s easy to clean and durable (most of my messanger bags need to be replaced after a couple of months). I get tons of compliments on it (especially from fashion-conscious teenagers).

It’s also the perfect size for my iPad, which often gets lost in my larger messanger bags. But it can still fit my laptop nicely too.

With school just around the corner for most people you’re going to want to check out http://yakpak.com/ and pick yourself up a bag or two.

(Photo from YakPak.com)

The Social Aspects of the iPad

Much ado has been made over the isolationism of technology. I’ve read probably four articles in the last month about how technology destroys social interaction and small talk. The number one piece of tech getting the abuse is Apple’s iPad.

I’ve had my own 3G iPad for a little over two months now and I get why it gets the bad rep it gets. If you’re bored or tired of talking you can simply slip out your iPad and play a game or check email. Our great-grandfather and mothers would probably take it as the height of rudeness (after they got over how shiny it was).

And yet, you don’t hear a lot of folks talking about the ways it brings people together. My iPad travels with me everywhere, I take it out everywhere and I use it a lot. There’s three or four pages of apps that you have to flip through (in landscape mode). So I have quite a bit to show off. Inevitably, when I’m out, a total stranger will stop, take a sharp intake of breath and go, “is that an iPad?”

This simple question has been the basis for many a small talk conversation with a waitress, coffee shop customer, or small child. Once I even had a woman nearly run up to the table I was sitting at in Starbucks and bounce with glee, “isn’t this thing wonderful? My husband and I love ours!” Another time, it was a waitress at a restaurant who sat down at my table to talk about how she could use the iPad for a small home business she wanted to start. This past fourth of July my parents and I were playing Scrabble on the iPad (pass and play) while we were waiting for the fireworks to go off. That’s when I noticed that the nearby group of kids had gathered around us.

“Whose winning?” One kid asked.

“My mom is.” I replied.

“Can you read books on that?” Another kid asked (see, kids still like books folks).

“Yep. I have six books on it right now.”

“Ohhhhhh.” The kids said collectively.

“Look, she has an iPad.” One of the boys told another boy who just wandered up to us.

“An iPod?” The boy asked, confused.

“No, an iPad.” The first boy responded. “It’s so cool.”

Later, as the evening went on, the kids would come up to me and ask who was winning the Scrabble game and peek over at the shining screen. We had several small chit-chatty conversations after that.

Social interactions? I’ve got them.

Or, consider my recent flight where I was playing Boggle. The stewardess (who seemed tired and cranky most of the flight) leaned over and said, “did you get stairs?” When I replied I hadn’t yet, she smiled and was so pleasant the rest of the time.

My favorite story about how social an iPad is comes from friends of our who have 5 kids, all under the age of 14. The four boys gathered around my iPad on their coffeetable and played Plants vs. Zombies for about four hours. Now, if you have’t played Plants vs. Zombies you may miss the beauty of this. Technically it’s a one player game. But the four boys worked together to collect the needed sun, plant the correct plants and watch for invading zombies. There were no squabbles or shoving or pushing (my iPad never was in danger) and it was so much fun to watch them having such a great time.

So yes, I could be a hermit with my technology. I see why folks worry about us isolating ourselves and burying ourselves into our Blackberry (I’ve seen that one way too many times), but I submit it’s not the tech — it’s the people using them.

Indaba Music Invites Musicians to Remix Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Song and Win!

Indaba Music, the top online destination for music creation, ABKCO Records and Universal Pictures today announced that fans of super producers Nigel Godrich (Radiohead, Beck, Paul McCartney, Travis), Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Cullum, Kasabian, Handsome Boy Modeling School) and fellow Indaba and non-Indaba musicians can now visit their site to remix the song “Fight” from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Original Score Composed by Nigel Godrich).

ABKCO Records will release both the soundtrack (for which Godrich served as executive producer) and score albums on August 10th in advance of the Edgar Wright- (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz) directed film’s national theatrical debut on August 13th.  Michael Cera (Juno) plays the title character in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, a bass guitarist for totally average garage band Sex Bob-Omb, the 22-year-old has just met the girl of his dreams…literally. The only catch to winning Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) is battling her seven evil exes that are coming to kill him.

The Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Score Remix Contest, launched last week, has already received tremendous response from mixologists around the globe, with more than 1,500 musicians entering in the first seven days of the competition. Entrants are in competition to win a full band’s set of Fender equipment (see below), with the runners-up winning additional Fender gear.  Submissions will be accepted through August 16th, to be followed by a two-week open vote. After the vote, Edgar Wright and Dan the Automator will handpick the Grand Prize Winner, who will also be given the opportunity to participate in a one-on-one Indaba Music collaboration with Dan the Automator.