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Monday, March 4, 2013

Amazon.com enlists big-name stars for TV-style online shows

Alistair Barr , Reuters ? ? ? 11 hrs.

A new show called "Alpha House," whose pilot filmed in New York late last month, has many of the ingredients necessary for television success.

John Goodman, coming off notable roles in Oscar-winning movies "Argo" and "The Artist," is the star. Bill Murray did a cameo. Stephen Colbert shot a teaser for the next episode of the series, which is written by "Doonesbury" cartoonist Garry Trudeau.

This is not the project of a big movie studio or a television network, but rather of Amazon.com, the world's largest Internet retailer.

Amazon, along with Netflix, Google, Apple, Intel, Microsoft and others, aims to play a major role in the Internet-driven transformation of Hollywood. Like Netflix, it has decided that it must move beyond being a distributor of others' shows to producing top-drawer programming of its own.

"I'm always worried I'm going to be in a YouTube video," Goodman told Reuters during a break in filming at the cavernous Cine Magic Riverfront Studios in Brooklyn, New York. "But this is just the same as a TV set ? full production value, great director, good technical people."

"I'm very interested to see where this is going to go ? TV distribution over your computer," he added.

Hybrid approach
Amazon's approach mixes the tactics of traditional network TV with innovations from the online world. It does not sell a stand-alone video subscription service like Netflix ? instead, it bundles streaming video with its Amazon Prime membership program, in which shoppers pay an annual fee of $79 for two-day shipping on most of their purchases from Amazon.com.

Amazon hopes original shows will encourage more people to sign up for Amazon Prime. The online retailer says Prime members tend to buy more goods, but it does not give specifics.

Unlike Netflix, which turned a lot of heads when it plunked down an estimated $100 million to produce two seasons of the drama "House of Cards," Amazon is creating pilots for about a dozen shows.

Amazon has not disclosed how much money it is investing in original video production, but some media experts estimate it likely will cost more than $10 million to produce the pilots. It will pick the shows to develop into full seasons based on the feedback it receives about the pilots, which will be posted online.

"If Amazon has a breakout hit, Hollywood will take them very seriously quickly," said Dave Davis, founder of Arpeggio Partners, a boutique investment bank focused on entertainment. "With a hit, they will be able to attract subscribers to the only place they can get that show."

'Moving fast and big'
The "Alpha House" set at Riverfront Studios was bustling last week with more than 100 makeup artists, set builders, camera operators and other crew members. A mock-up of the Senate floor dominated the scene, along with a large green screen used to superimpose actors alongside footage of real politicians.

Trudeau said Amazon provided everything needed to get "Alpha House," about four senators living together in a rented house in Washington, done right.

"They're moving fast and big," he said. "They want to go out and make a lot of noise all at once."

Trudeau had been trying to make "Alpha House" into a TV show for several years.

"In the last year, all at once there were new, serious players in this business, like Amazon, Netflix and Hulu," he said. "The project would not have been possible a year ago."

Chasing Netflix
The streaming video business has moved remarkably quickly from reliance on licensing of old movies and TV shows to head-on competition with long-dominant broadcast networks, cable companies and movie studios.

Netflix broke new ground this year, making all episodes of the first season of "House of Cards" available only through its subscription video-streaming service. The political drama boasted A-list movie talent, including two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey. Netflix executives say it has been the most-watched show on the service in every country that it operates, and critics gave it solid reviews.

Only-on-Netflix series coming later this year include the revival of onetime Fox comedy "Arrested Development" and murder mystery "Hemlock Grove," directed by horror movie producer Eli Roth.

"Everybody wants to have originals so they can stand apart from their peers, as non-exclusive content becomes a commodity," said Tony Wible, media and entertainment analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott.

"Originals have been very successful for traditional TV networks, and I don't see why it won't be successful for these emerging networks, too," Wible said, citing AMC's success with shows such as "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad" and "The Walking Dead."

Comedies and kid shows
Roughly half the pilots Amazon is shooting are comedies and half are kids shows. They include "Browsers," a musical comedy starring Emmy and Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth, and "The Onion Presents: The News," based on the satirical news service.

Established TV and movie players seem unperturbed by Amazon's efforts, considering the company just another entrant, among many, in the quest for original content.

"We are not nervous. We are aware of the competition and we have reacted accordingly," Eric Kessler, president of HBO, said during a technology industry conference in February.

HBO, a unit of Time Warner, has thrived by producing high-quality TV shows of its own. It created HBO Go in February 2010, giving HBO subscribers access to its content from the Internet and mobile devices. This service has 6.5 million registered users now.

No guarantees
Producing original entertainment carries risks for Amazon; it's expensive, and there's no guarantee that hits will come. The company has spent millions of dollars developing feature-film scripts in recent years and has yet to green-light a movie.

"They want to walk before they run, and TV is a less-expensive way to begin," said Marty Weiss of Martini Shot Films. Weiss has a movie script, "The Alchemist Agenda," on Amazon's development slate. He rewrote the script about five months ago and has not heard back from Amazon Studios since handing the revised version in.

A network TV show costs $2 million to $4 million per hour to produce, depending on whether it is a cheap reality TV show or a more expensive scripted series like a drama, according to Janney's Wible. The first season of a new TV series can range from seven to 13 shows, so it would typically cost $7 million at the low end to $26 million at the high end, he said, stressing that these were very rough estimates.

The price tag varies depending on whether it is a reality show or scripted, the time it takes to film and whether the project is co-produced or not.

No cutting corners
Roy Price, director of Amazon Studios, would not say how much Amazon is spending on its pilots, which take about a week to film and run the standard 22 minutes. Price, who developed TV series at Walt Disney from 1995 to 2000, said the company is not cutting corners.

Amazon has a market value of $120 billion and generated more than $4 billion in cash from operations last year. It spent $4.6 billion on technology and content, including video content, in 2012. That is almost half the market value of Netflix.

"Our process is different from what various other parties are doing," said Price, when asked about Netflix's big bet on "House of Cards." "The pilot process works well for us. We would like some evidence that customers are eager to see a show before committing to a TV series."

Amazon has delved deeply into its gigantic customer database to find the common characteristics of popular TV shows: original, scripted series with strong characters and actors did better than reality TV or special-effects-heavy sci-fi series.

The main requirement was great scripts, so the small Amazon Studios team read more than 3,000 scripts from May 2012 to early 2013. The team included Price; Joe Lewis, a former 20th Century Fox production director who heads original programming at Amazon Studios; Sarah Babineau, a development executive, and about three dozen freelance story analysts.

How the pilots will be picked
This spring, when the pilots are scheduled to be completed, Amazon will post the shows online for free for anyone to watch. It will then collect data on which shows are viewed and shared online the most, and monitor reviews and other customer feedback to decide which projects to pursue further.

Amazon has the option of syndicating a series later if it is popular. There are no plans to create a stand-alone video streaming service or to run ads with the shows, Price said. "The goal is to create great content that will enhance the value and attractiveness of Prime."

Great content, in the end, will depend on simple, non-digital ingredients: quality scripts, high production values and talented stars.

Goodman was planning to jet off to Berlin to shoot another big-budget movie after the "Alpha House" filming ended. But he suggested that he would show up for more Amazon-backed shows if invited.

"They keep me stored in a warehouse and ship me out when they need me," Goodman jokes. "The shipping charges are substantial."

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/whats-amazon-e-tailer-enlists-seasoned-stars-tv-style-online-1C8659107

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Sunday, March 3, 2013

From wooden skis to Olympic hopefuls: Why Pakistan's Air Force is training skiiers

In Pakistan's isolated Naltar Valley the Pakistani Air Force is training children who learned to ski on wooden planks tied to boots with wire for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

By Annabel Symington,?Contributor / March 3, 2013

Members of the Pakistani Air Force march past the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah during Defense Day ceremonies, or Pakistan's memorial day, in Karachi, Pakistan, September 2011. In the isolated Naltar Valley, home to one of two ski slopes in the country, the Pakistani Air Force is training children who learned to ski on wooden planks tied to boots with wire for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Akhtar Soomro/Reuters/File

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In the isolated Naltar Valley, home to one of two ski slopes in Pakistan, children who learned to ski on wooden planks tied to boots with wire are being trained for the Winter Olympics by the Pakistani Air Force.

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The Pakistani military, which is funding the program and which flew this reporter to the region, is eager to present a different side of Pakistan at a time when?growing sectarian divisions are threatening an already fractured country.

?It is good PR,? says Ayesha Siddiqa, an Islamabad-based defense analyst and author of two books about the business interests of the Pakistani military.

There are a slew of other reasons the Air Force is backing Pakistan's Olympic push. Maintaining a tight grip of the development of the Naltar Valley ensures that the region stays firmly under the military?s oversight. The military is also involved in many profit-making ventures, and the decision to turn Naltar into a commercial ski resort is part of that tradition, she says.

Whatever the reason, it's brought opportunity and Olympic dreams to a small remote community in Pakistan that wouldn't otherwise see it. Skiing has become increasingly popular in the valley since a local boy returned from the Vancouver Winter Olympics, and the Olympic ambitions of the community have swelled with it.

In 2010, Naltar-born, Muhammad Abbas, now 27, became the first Pakistani to qualify for the Winter Olympic Games. He took part in the giant slalom event at the Games in Vancouver, Canada, placing 79th out of 81 participants, and returned home a hero.
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Like most children in the Naltar Valley, Mr. Abbas learned to ski on homemade wooden skis. Abbas was part of the Naltar Ski School, a program run by the Air Force that offers a full scholarship and coaching to 25 young skiers from the valley each year.

A team of three boys from Naltar is currently in Italy to compete in a qualifier for the 2014 Winter Olympics. They will then fly onto Austria, Turkey, and Lebanon for other competitions, hoping to amass the 140 points needed to qualify for the upcoming Games in Sochi, Russia.

Late last year it looked like budget constraints of the military-funded Ski Federation of Pakistan would keep Pakistan out of the 2014 Winter Olympics. But at a meeting?in December 2012?of the Federation's executive committee and general council, which is made up of the Air Force's top dogs, participation in the next Winter Olympics was approved and additional budget was allocated by the Air Force.

Abbas is part of the team, along with Mir Nawaz, 19, and Mohammad Karim, 17.
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Another four boys from Naltar are also preparing to fly to Tajikistan for the Asian Children Skiing Championship this month. The team includes Noor Muhammad, 14, who has been tipped for Pakistan?s 2018 Winter Olympics team.
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Noor dreams of being a professional skier and is determined to get to the Olympics in 2018. When asked what is takes to make a top skier he says simply, ?hard work.?

Reachable by jeep or by helicopter

The Naltar Valley lies 25 miles north of the provincial capital Gilgit in northern Pakistan, where the western edge of the Himalayas meet the Karakoram mountain range. The picturesque valley lies deep in snow for much of the year, and is only reachable by jeep along a narrow mountain road ? or helicopter.

The valley's steep sides and powder snow offer perfect skiing conditions. The only other ski destination in Pakistan is in Malam Jabba, Swat, where a ski resort stood until militants destroyed it in 2008.
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The Pakistan Air Force introduced skiing to the Naltar Valley ? and Pakistan ? in the 1960s as part of snow survival training for pilots stationed in the mountainous northern areas of Pakistan and the hostile terrain of the disputed boarder between Indian and Pakistani Kashmir.
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The Air Force remains the sport?s chief patron and in 1990, they formed the Ski Federation of Pakistan to extend the reach of skiing beyond military personnel. The ski program has become a way for the Air Force to promote a different Pakistan story.

?We need to focus on reaching international standards and taking part in international competitions,? said Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt in a speech at the awards ceremony for the National Ski Championships held in Naltar in mid February. ?All that they [the skiers of Naltar Valley] need is the opportunity.?
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In addition to the scholarship program, the Air Force bankrolls ski lessons to around 120 children each year. ?We take children from the age of 5, but they only play,? says Zahid Farooq, a retired Air Force officer who heads up the ski training program at Naltar, ?They start proper lessons at 10 [years old].?
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Equipment is limited, and while none of the children in the Air Force?s ski program use wooden skis anymore, the children train in two-hour rotations, swapping skis and boots with the incoming group.

The Air Force declined to comment on how much they expect to spend on sending athletes to the Winter Olympic, or how much they spend on the Naltar Ski program as a whole, but they do foot the bill for the entire venture.

Hurdles for girls?

An increasing number of girls are taking part in the ski program. Two sisters from Naltar Valley, Ifrah and Aminah Wali, took part in the first-ever South Asian Winter Games, held in India in 2011. The Games were hyped as the South Asian version of the Winter Olympics. Ifrah won gold for in the giant slalom, and Aminah took silver in both the giant slalom and slalom events.
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But the girls haven?t been sent to any qualifying competitions for the Olympics. ?We are still waiting and hoping that the federation will send us to the qualifiers too,? says Aminah, ?I am happy the men?s team is participating in Europe, it?s very inspiring. But women skiers in Pakistan also have the talent to qualify for the Olympics. It is my lifelong dream too.?

There has been hostility in Naltar toward letting girls ski. Locals say that only ?educated parents? are allowing their daughters to join the Naltar ski program ? which is dominated by boys ? suggesting that barriers for girls remain more firmly in place than most would like to admit.
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A third of the children in the program this year are girls ? a?big increase from last year,?according to the Air Force?s media director, Group Captain Tariq.
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Mr. Farooq says that attitudes have started to relax since Muhammad Abbas returned from the 2010 Winter Olympics, but he admits that more needs to be done to get girls competing internationally, as well as to encourage girls to take up skiing in the first place ? and their parents to let them.
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Khuheen Sahab, 10, and Rukhsana Shaheen were allowed by their parents to join the ski school this year. Both wear the traditional shalwar top, a long shirt over their ski pants. Rusksana wears a headscarf, while Khuheen covers her head with a wooly hat. Rukhsana says that she would like to be able to ski all the time. ?It makes me feel free,? she says.
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Another challenge to Pakistan taking part in international events is that many of the children lack the necessary documentation that proves their exact ages, a requirement of international competitions. Children such as Rukhsana are put in classes based on their ability and an estimate of their age, but often don?t know their own ages.
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?We are trying to train the children in the appropriate age categories,? says Farooq, ?But many don?t have any documents.? According to him, 32 of the 117 children who trained this year could not prove their age.

Boon to tourism?

The valley was once a popular tourist destination with both Pakistani and foreign tourists. But tourism has all but dried up in the past decade as Pakistan?s international reputation has become increasing tied up with terrorism. As tourism declined, so did the main source of income for many of the villagers.
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The expanding ski school has helped counter that. The ski facilities now provide employment to around 30 men who groom and maintain the slope for the ski school. The work is seasonal, but there are plans to improve the facilities at Naltar, add a chairlift, and open the resort to tourists, further boosting employment opportunities. Locals (and the Air Force) hope the tourists will come to ski in the winter and hike in the summer, and rekindle the tourist industry in the valley.
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Farooq dreams that Naltar will become a ski hub, and that they will eventually be able to host international competitions, further raising Pakistan?s profile on the ski scene.
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But, for now he's focused on opening Naltar to tourists next season, which starts in December.
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?The Air Force has sponsored skiing for many years, and now I want to open it up to the general public,? says the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt.
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The TV close by plays images of the latest deadly attack on Hazara Shias in Quetta by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group. The air staff official looks at the screen and pauses.

?We can avoid militancy by exposing youth to positive activities, like skiing,? he says, ?We need a positive international reputation.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/AVJ9op1jCks/From-wooden-skis-to-Olympic-hopefuls-Why-Pakistan-s-Air-Force-is-training-skiiers

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96% Monsters, Inc. 3D

All Critics (190) | Top Critics (40) | Fresh (195) | Rotten (8) | DVD (46)

It may be harder nowadays to dazzle audiences with fancy visual effects, but Monsters, Inc. 3D proves that smart, imaginative storytelling still does the trick every time.

Most of the charm of "Monsters Inc." comes from its vocal cast.

If history is any guide, you and your family - whether young or old - will probably want to see "Monsters University" over and over.

The movie itself stands up well, even from an adult, two-dimensional perspective.

Its reassuring message is more relevant than ever.

The good guys are those who realize that laughter is stronger than fear. That's a message worth taking to heart these jittery days.

Pixar's overlooked gem arrives in a worthwhile collector's edition bursting with features and exceptional A/V presentation.

While nippers will love the colourful creatures and their slapstick antics, grown-ups will find less humour and layers than in the likes of Toy Story, meaning less overall appeal as a result.

[I] really don't see the point of paying extra for children under eight. Their eyes are still developing, their noses are still small for slippery glasses, and... isn't a trip to the pictures enough for them in any case?

If anything, it improves with age.

Monsters displays wonderful imagination which makes it worth reliving in an extra dimension - particularly the energetic chase scene along a conveyor belt of doors.

Pixar's soaringly lovely fourth feature ...

[An] exciting, imaginative and very likable adventure.

Despite its eternal message about physical differences and the importance of love over fear of the unknown, Monsters, Inc primarily remains an ambitious concept film.

It's in the visuals that 'Monsters Inc' comes to life, from the jazzy, Norman McLaren influenced opening to the hilarious, shakycam amateur-dramatic recap over the closing credits.

Another chance to see Pixar's most dazzling premise, now spruced up with a third dimension.

Now in 3D, the filmmakers have created a wonderful reality - the reality of Monstropolis, which like the worlds of Oz and Pleasantville, whisk us far, far away on a magic carpet of fantasy

A shrewdly timed reminder of Pixar's early, heady days, when the animation powerhouse could do no wrong.

This didn't need 3D to work. It long ago passed the kids-wear-out-the-DVD-rewatching-it test.

There's really little reason to check out Monsters, Inc. 3D in... well, 3D, rather than going for a good old-fashioned 2D screening instead.

It does well, but not brilliantly: an amusing trifle from a studio whose best work still lay ahead of it.

Not quite a Pixar classic, but funny, witty and visually spectacular enough to be enjoyed again on the big screen.

Monsters, Inc. continues a positive 3D trend for the company, who appear to be selecting their upgraded titles wisely, choosing features that benefit from the additional depth.

Not even the opportunistic 3D-ification can squander the pure delight of the film's meticulously detailed world of ragtag creatures.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monsters_inc_3d/

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Why not make your own energy drink? | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Health concerns about the typical energy drink?are everywhere, so?you may not want to depend on them for energy. After all, not only can they be extremely high in caffeine, but they also tend to be full of sugar, artificial colorings and other unnatural ingredients. They don?t exactly fit my whole food, traditional diet criteria. The question is, how do you replace them?

But having an afternoon pick-me-up can be helpful, which is why I wanted to share a few recipes for simple homemade, energy drinks.

Chia Pomegranate Green Tea Cooler

Why it works: Tea is a natural source of caffeine, however it also contains an amino acid called ?theanine? which is a natural relaxer with anti-anxiety properties. It helps energize you without making you jittery. When you are stressed, both the energy boost from the caffeine and the relaxing effect of the theanine can be helpful. Pomegranate juice is full of nutrients, flavonoids, and antioxidants and is low in sugar. This healthy juice can help give you a boost from nutrition alone. (It?s also worth noting that according to Bowden, it is called the ?natural Viagra? and has been traditionally associated with love and sexual vitality.) The chia seeds were traditionally used as a support for long journeys. The gel-like substance they form when put in liquid absorbs slowly into the body, for a slow release of nutrients and energy. Chia seeds are high in vitamins and minerals, making them a favorite with many nutritionists.

Homemade Chocolate Milk

Directions: In a blender, mix 1 cup of whole milk with 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of fair trade cocoa powder, a dash of vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. Blend until combined.

Why it works: Milk gives you good source of both protein and fat for sustained energy. Milk also contains some natural sugar that gives a boost of energy. Use grade B maple syrup for a higher nutrient content, and you will add both more natural sugars for a more instant energy boost. The cocoa powder gives some caffeine, as well as more antioxidants and nutrients (such as magnesium). I prefer raw, pastured milk.

Green Drink

Directions: The darling of the raw foodie and many health conscience people, the green drink trend shows no sign of slowing down and there are many green drink mixtures available online. Make according to the package directions, or add a scoop to a smoothie.

Why it works: Green drinks work because they are high in nutrients, very alkalizing (which makes you feel refreshed and energized). Plus, some mixes contain herbs known for their energizing attributes. Mix them with a pomegranate, noni, or other antioxidant-rich juice, or combine with a high protein snack like nuts or canned fish for sustained energy.

The above recipes are gentle, natural options for an energy boost and are perfect for a mid-day drink. Being more natural, and not as high in caffeine, they may not keep you in a working frenzy all night long when you need it, but on the plus side, they offer many health benefits.?

Related stories & drink recipes on MNN:

Source: http://www.mnn.com/food/recipes/blogs/why-not-make-your-own-energy-drink

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Saturday, March 2, 2013

Watch SpaceX's Dragon capsule liftoff at 10:10AM ET today

You've no doubt seen plenty of video of SpaceX rocket launches on this very site, but let's face it, nothing compares to seeing a live launch. Great news for fans of watching things slip the surly bonds of Earth: the commercial space company's Dragon capsule is set to do precisely that atop a Falcon 9 carrier rocket at 10:10AM ET this very morning -- you know, roughly half an hour from now. The unmanned rocket will deliver supplies to astronauts aboard the International Space Station. And if you're not currently within driving distance of Cape Canaveral and in possession of the the proper clearances, you're still in luck. You can watch a livestream of the event unfold in the source link below. And for more space action, make sure to check out the latest episode of the Engadget Show.

Update: We have liftoff!

Update 2: While the rocket liftoff seems to have gone according to plan, the company is reported a problem with the capsule. According to a tweet from Elon Musk, there's an "issue with Dragon thruster pods. System inhibiting three of four from initializing. About to command inhibit override."

Filed under: Science

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Via: The Next Web, Space

Source: Livestream.com

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/01/spacex-dragon/

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Mushers, dogs line up for Alaska's Iditarod race

The world's most famous sled dog race kicks off Saturday with an 11-mile trot through Alaska's largest city. The real competition begins Sunday 50 miles to the north, finishing in Nome.

By Rachel D?Oro,?Associated Press / March 2, 2013

Dallas Seavey embraces his leaders, Diesel and Guiness, after he arrived at the finish line to claim victory in the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska. The 2013 Iditarod begins Sunday.

Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News/AP

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The world's most famous sled dog race kicks off Saturday with an 11-mile-long trot through Alaska's largest city.

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Think of the short jaunt in Anchorage as the festival part of the?Iditarod?Trail Sled Dog Race. This is the time relaxed mushers will smile and pose for photos, waving at crowds as they leisurely sail along streets covered with trucked-in snow.

But watch out for Sunday, when the real competition begins in Willow, 50 miles to the north.

Gone will be the big easy grins as tense mushers and their leaping dogs begin the 1,000-mile trek through unpredictable wilderness to the old gold rush town of Nome on Alaska's western coast. Along the way, the teams will climb mountains, cross forests and gorges and frozen rivers. They'll sign in at village checkpoints. They'll face blizzards and brutal winds and temperatures that can plummet to 50 below. Some of the 66 teams starting the race will scratch from the running far from the finish line.

Contenders can't wait to get to the trail.

"As far as I'm concerned, the weather is one of the easiest things because it's the one thing I have no control over whatsoever," said defending champion Dallas Seavey, 25, the youngest?Iditarod?winner ever. "My job as a musher is to train a team and train myself to work with whatever conditions Mother Nature throws at us, and the worse it is, the better we do."

The Willow musher is among six past?Iditarod?winners, including his father, Mitch Seavey, in the 41st running of the race. Dallas Seavey also is among six past winners of the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, held just weeks before the?Iditarod.

Lance Mackey of Fairbanks is the only musher to win both races the same year ?accomplishing dual championships not once, but two years in a row. Mackey has won both races four times and was hoping for a comeback to his last?Iditarod?championship in 2010.

But the 42-year-old musher said he doesn't expect a good run after having just scratched in the Quest in February because of a team of ailing veteran dogs. His?Iditarod?team consists mostly of a bunch of puppies ? his words.

The only reason he's going through with the race is because he has a film crew following him for a documentary, he said.

"I fully expected this year to be the year to fully redeem myself, with the best team I ever had," he said. "And they got sick on me."

Mackey, however, has been known to talk like that even during his championship races, so longtime fans know not to count him out of the running.

Whoever reaches Nome first wins a new truck and a cash prize of $50,400. The rest of the $600,000 purse will be split between the next 29 mushers to cross the finish line.

Unseasonably warm weather earlier this year complicated training for mushers in some areas, but?Iditarod officials never worried it would affect the race.

Now, there is plenty of snow along the trail, even too much during one stretch, race marshal Mark Nordman said this week. High winds knocked trees over in another section, but trail breakers have been building bridges there.

"So far, we're set to go," Nordman said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/ZQ7YXQIr_Q8/Mushers-dogs-line-up-for-Alaska-s-Iditarod-race

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