Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Tokyo Webcam Live Feed for the 2011 Tokyo Marathon

The Tokyo Marathon is an annual marathon sporting event in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It is currently sponsored by Tokyo Metro. The first Tokyo Marathon was held on 18th March 2007.

This live feed is in Tokyo for the 2011 marathon:

Tokyo Marathon 2011 Live Webcam

Years prior to 2007, Tokyo Marathon actually consisted of two marathons - the Tokyo International Marathon which took place on even years, and Tokyo - New York Friendship International Marathon which took place on odd years. In the inaugural year, 1981, both marathons took place. However, because it was not possible to support two marathons a month apart in the same city, from 1982, the alternating format went into effect.

The 2007 marathon was also a representative selection race of the 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka. The total number of participants was set at 30,000. Of that, 25,000 people signed up for the marathon, and 5,000 signed up for the 10K run. Masakazu Fujiwara became the race's first Japanese male winner at the fourth edition.

The Tokyo International Marathon was a marathon for male elite runners held in Tokyo, Japan, from 1980 until 2006. It actually consisted of two marathons - the Tokyo International Marathon which took place on even years, and Tokyo-New York Friendship International Marathon which took place on odd years. In the inaugural year, 1981, both marathons took place. However, because it was not possible to support two marathons a month apart in the same city, from 1982, the alternating format went into effect.

Hollywood Webcam, Live on Hollywood Boulevard for the 83rd Academy Awards

The Kodak Theatre is the venue for the 83rd Academy Awards, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will honor the best films of 2010. The ceremony will take place on February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre.

This live feed is in LA for the Oscars:

Hollywood Boulevard Webcam

The ceremony will be televised in the United States on ABC. Actors James Franco and Anne Hathaway will co-host the ceremony, marking the first time for each.

Nominations for the 2010 awards were announced on January 25, 2011. The King's Speech received the most nominations, twelve. True Grit followed with ten and then The Social Network and Inception, with eight each. Toy Story 3, the highest grossing film of 2010, became the third animated film to be nominated for Best Picture; it is also nominated for four other awards.

The Academy Award (informally known as the Oscar) is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is one of the most prominent award ceremonies in the world and is televised live in more than 200 countries annually. It is also the oldest award ceremony in the media; its equivalents, the Grammy Awards (for music), Emmy Awards (for television), and Tony Awards (for theatre) are modeled after the Academy. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself was conceived by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio boss Louis B. Mayer.

Venice Webcam Live Feed at the 2011 Carnevale di Venezia

The Carnival of Venice (Italian: Carnevale di Venezia) is an annual festival, held in Venice, Italy. The Carnival starts around two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday.

This live feed is in Venice for the 2011 carnival:

Venice Carnival 2011 Live Feed

Carnival started as a time for celebration and expression throughout the classes, as wearing masks hid any form of identity between social classes. During the 1970s, the Italian government decided to bring back the history and culture of Venice, and sought to use the traditional Carnival as the centerpiece of their efforts. Today, approximately 30,000 visitors come to Venice each day for Carnivals.

Masks have always been a central feature of the Venetian carnival; traditionally people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day, December 26) and the start of the carnival season and midnight of Shrove Tuesday. They have always been around Venice. As masks were also allowed Ascension and from October 5 to Christmas, people could spend a large proportion of the year in disguise. Maskmakers (mascherari) enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and their own guild.

Venetian masks can be made in leather or with the original glass technique. The original masks were rather simple in design and decoration and often had a symbolic and practical function. Nowadays, most of them are made with the application of gesso and gold leaf and are all hand-painted using natural feathers and gems to decorate.