entertainments music,movies,humanities,astrology,philosophy

Gurgaon City And Gurgaon Malls

2007-02-28T01:19:00.001-08:00

With the dawn of mall culture in Gurgaon the whole way of shopping for enthusiast shoppers has undergone a complete makeover. Forging its pre-independence image of sleepy suburb, today Gurgaon is highly upgraded with the upscale shopping malls which are equivalent both in design and services like any other overseas mall. There are nearly two dozen operational shopping malls in Gurgaon and more 140 new shopping malls are in the pipeline to be developed in upcoming days. Gurgaon shopping malls are at par excellence with any mall from any corner for the developed world.

Now Gurgaon malls are acting more as one stop location for most shoppers who prefer to buy products specifically based on a particular theme under one roof to save on time. To grab the attention of such smart shoppers, many intelligent real estate developers of Gurgaon shopping malls now are focusing on specific demands like high-end products related to marriage, jewelry to further boost up their sales. Moreover, it is also estimated that the whole retail bustle will face a complete alteration if shopping malls in Gurgaon continues to mushroom at this steady pace. Beside this, the profile and face-value of real estate in the vicinity of the Gurgaon malls has also lifted because of the mounting fascination of people towards the properties located in the Gurgaon city.

Gurgaon malls are the most auspicious location not only for the purpose of shopping, but are perfect hangout spot for youngsters as well. The long series of mushrooming shopping malls in Gurgaon starts with DLF City Centre, Gurgaon Metropolitan Mall, Sahara Mall, DLF Grand Mall, Gold Souk, Mega Mall, The Plaza, OMAXE Plaza, Vishal Mega Mart, DLF Gurgaon South Point, etc.

As far as foot falls is concerned, Sahara Mall, Mega Mall and Gurgaon Metropolitan Mall surpass other shopping malls in Gurgaon. Sahara Mall is first super brand mall and is established in March 2001. it is spread over the area of 3.89 acres and comprises of company owned product outlets having a wide variety of latest offerings. Sahara Mall is located on the Mehrauli-Gurgoan road and is renowned for its distinctive design and latest facilities. The wide spectrum of merchandises ranges from stunning jewelry, elegant clothings to stores of prominent brands including Pantaloons and Raymonds. On the other side, Gurgaon’s Metropolitan Mall is a fully air-conditioned mall with a seven screen multiplex, departmental stores and food joints. It is extended over the area of 400, 00 sq.ft and has big brand stores like Nike, Shoppers Stop, McDonald’s, PVR, and Benetton. And Mega Mall of Gurgaon City is another interesting location for the enthusiast shoppers to visit. Being a Multi-storied mall, it is affluent with a three screen multiplex, a food court and major brand stores such as Nakshatra, Reebok and Dominos. Offering great ambience and terrific visual splendor to guests, Mega Mall of Gurgaon is spread over the area of 30,000 sq.ft.

Contemporary Card Crafting

2007-02-28T01:18:00.003-08:00

Cards are as individual as the people who send them. Some are humorous, and meant to give us a smile. While others challenge us to stop and ponder this life we all share. Whatever the intent, a card tells you the sender was thinking of you, and wanted you to know that.

In the current marketplace, we can find quite a variety of cards from which to choose. From the hand-made pieces (right down to the paper),… to the totally innocuous e-cards we are seeing more and more of. Each in it’s own way, says something about us when we send it.

I have several friends who have signed up with e-card companies. You fill in certain birthday/anniversary info on their form, and they will remind you of the impending date, or just go ahead and send an e-card in your name. Now, I know their heart is in the right place, and they have very busy schedules, but this type of card is one short step above “I don‘t have time for this”. (It’s cute for the moment, but there’s nothing personal to save.)

It’s completely different when you physically find something (that isn’t a bill or an ad), in your mailbox. A hand-addressed envelope with a real stamp, can quickly get somebody’s attention. It says that someone took the time to pick out something that moved them in some way, … and they wanted to share it with you.

Still, … finding a card that speaks to reality, instead of some dead poet’s frilly account of things, can be a bit challenging. Something that reflects our modern existence, requires a whole new attitude in the card industry.

We need to be able to find a card that says what you might have said in real life (if you were having a very good brain activity day). It’s becoming a viable niche in the industry. Cards for the everyday life situations in which we have all (for good or bad), found ourselves.

They should be thought provoking, and able to adapt to various interpretations, according to the wishes of the sender. For example,… the picture of an old toy truck, would give each of us a different “memory trigger”. This “triggering” can be accomplished just as easily with words.

Words paint a definite picture in our mind’s eye. The same card can say a variety of things, if it’s crafted properly. Remembering a Spring day, might produce a warm smile or a melancholy memory of what might have been. Laughing at someone’s foibles might be a sharp jab, or a jovial nudge not to take life so seriously. It just depends on who sends it, … and who gets it. Their personal intent becomes the trigger.

In this world of Home Depot & Wal-Mart size companies (where everyone and their grandmother can have the same screwdrivers and bath towels, no matter where they live), it becomes a challenge to find something individual and unique. You don’t really want to send the same card, on a friend’s recent promotion, as their Great Aunt Hattie. (You probably have a whole different take on the event.)

The card industry needs to produce more pieces that fill this ever growing “hole” in the market. Honest statements of everyday life, that are meant to be shared/aired. Expanding their offerings to include this segment of the population’s needs, will enable us all to truly say what’s on our minds. (And hopefully, do it with a little class!)

Prison Break March Preview - Spoiler Warning!

2007-02-28T01:18:00.001-08:00

With Prison Break heading into the Spring of its second season, I think it’s a good time to look back and reflect on what has turned out to be one of TV’s most unlikely successes. Prison Break premiered in the summer of 2005 as one of FOX’s optimistic series, something that was high-concept and probably didn’t have a lot of hope for future success.

However, with the success of 24 as a serial TV show, you never know what’s going to happen. And, surprise surprise, Prison Break caught on and for good reason. The first season was elaborately built escape from prison. The mystery and the precise planning of the escape, as long with the conspiratorial intrigue, gave viewers more than enough to keep them guessing throughout the season. The problem I saw was this: what about season 2.

The main characters were no longer in prison. How can a show survive when its second season is nothing like its first. Two extremely different formulas. Now, in the second season, Prison Break has turned into The Fugitive. This isn't to say that this is a bad thing: Prison Break and FOX are pulling it off quite well. I just find it astonishing that they were able to change gears into a totally different show from one season to the next. So, I say to the fans: enjoy what’s left of season two, because season three will be totally different. Or at least that’s the plan. I’m guessing everyone will be back in prison next year, but you never know.

Artistic Pursuit Launches Entertainment Community Portal Artistic-Pursuit.com

2007-02-28T01:13:00.003-08:00

An online community which pays artists for their original work such as unpublished videos, music, images, literature and games, and also allows fans to discover new artistic talents.

Artistic Pursuit accepts all types of original, unpublished work for consideration. Upon receipt, the company will provide each artist with an acknowledgement, work evaluation, and suggestions for improvement, as needed.

Every month, the company will select and distribute, by publication on its Web site, 100 of its top-rated videos, music, literature, images and games, and pay each artist for their work; compensation is based on the work’s “Top 10 List” rating by category.

“Currently, artists have an array of avenues to pursue for recognition and possible distribution, however, inadequate publicity often makes it difficult for consumers and fans to locate new artists and talent. At the same time their are fake social networks misusing the Australian brand "Artistic Pursuit" says ” Paul Alliott, Chief Executive Officer of Artistic Pursuit. “Most unknown artists quickly learn that individual promotional attempts are slow and do not always bring the needed level of recognition and income. But innumerable social networks like the Brunswick Artistic Pursuit's belonging to the Alexander is registering talents in the name of Artistic Pursuit.

Artistic-Pursuit.com will bring together thousands of artists with millions of fans on one single platform; its mission is to fill a void in the current entertainment marketplace without maintaining any subscription models.

By creating a single network of independent artists that include musicians, photographers, writers, videographers, game developers, and other creative types, Artistic-Pursuit.com will provide a venue for artistic collaboration that might not otherwise be possible.

Each artist’s work will be readily available to fans, industry professionals, and other artists. Unlimited opportunities are available for fans to discover new artists within easily navigable genres, categories and subcategories.

“Publishing an artist’s work on the Web site may be just the beginning of what Artistic-Pursuit.com will be able to offer,” Shelton Alexander, Vice President of Dreamstart Media Services, said. “Artists whose work resonates with fans may be further promoted as we envision unlimited opportunities such as connecting aspiring directors with Artistic-Pursuit.com-selected, up-and-coming writers, videographers, composers and other artists. The finished product, or individual components, could then be submitted for possible publication, licensing, and marketing.”

Artistic Pursuit.com seeks the best in undiscovered talent to provide quality content to their subscribers. For a minimal subscription fee of $5.0 per month (less than the cost of downloading a music album on other sites), Artistic Pursuit provides unlimited opportunities for artists to support themselves, while distributing unique entertainment.

Subscribers will also receive unlimited downloads of content, and access to social networking options like personal blogs, community forums, a meeting place, e-mail, private messaging, chats and classifieds. They may send personalized greeting cards, and opinions about love, life and other pursuits.

“Artists are charged a $2.00 processing fee when submitting their work for consideration. In addition to offsetting Artistic Pursuit’s processing expenses, the fee will encourage artists to invest only in their best work,” Paul Alexander, Vice President for Sales, Marketing, said. “By investing in only their best work, each artist will achieve the greatest return on a very minimal investment, and Artistic Pursuit may more efficiently use its resources to select and aggressively pursue only the artists’ best, top-rated material, for licensing and on-line promotion.”

The Best Way To Obtain Premium And Sold Out Sports And Concert Tickets

2007-02-28T01:13:00.001-08:00

When people buy event tickets on sites like they sometimes forget that are buying tickets inexperienced and unreliable ticket sellers. If something should happen that makes it difficult for these "brokers" to fill your order, they do not have the resources or know how that a professional seller does.

They also don't have much on the line as far as reputation and integrity go. With professional this isnt the case, these guys make a living in an industry that was once considered very shady, their reputation means more to them than people in most other professions.

Sites are a great place to find reliable ticket sellers that have built top notch reputations in the ticket secondary market community. This site provides links to the 6 top ticket sellers in the business today. They also have special discounts on all orders from all 6 brokers which are available on their website. These guys have everything from tickets to see the Yankees to tickets to see Arcade Fire at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. All 6 of these sellers also specialize in Broadway show tickets,they have the best available seats to everyshow from the Produsers to Wicked.

Book Your Sports Event Ticket And Enjoy Live Entertainment

2007-02-23T21:17:00.002-08:00

Commercialization is a word which evokes ambivalence not in every sphere of human life. But talk of sporting events and there you are. Debates have shrouded over this topic ever since the business of enchasing entertainment began. Let them do the talking as long as we are able to keep the spirit of fun and entertainment intact and march ahead on the subject of sports event ticket and the ways to grab them.

Sports, since the days of yore has been seen as an underlying source of live entertainment. The air of uncertainty, sense of excitement and spirit of passion make sporting events a true crowd puller and one can not deny the fact that in certain countries some sports and the events hosting them enjoy a much elated status so much so that the level of expectation may cause breakdown or underperformance for a few sport stars. Sporting events are arguably one of the most rewarding and followed event entertainment.

If this is how sports and the events are performing, for sports aficionados, the arrangement of sports event ticket leaves a big question to be answered. Days before the D-day, tickets are completely sold and in case the event is hyped, this figure could go up to weeks. In this scenario Internet comes to the rescue of fans.

There are many websites flooding the web these days who offer sports event tickets without much fretting out and generally prove to be cost effective as these websites offer discounts and cashbacks to boost their sales figure. Easily available tickets have already given these websites a yielding launching pad and they are all set to soar as their business is entwined with entertainment which was, is and shall be quintessential to human life.

Is Music A Religion?

2007-02-23T21:17:00.001-08:00

Lately I am thinking about the power that music has to influence especially the young generation.

I can say that some people are addicted to their ipods and their favorite artists are their new idols. Many of them are thinking that music is just a part of somebody’s entertainment, but to me music looks a lot like a new religion.

Music is getting people together and music is separating people, music is bringing a new culture and music is ending a culture, music is mobilizing people for war and music is making them cry. Yes, music is more than few keys joined together, music is a strong tool that deeply changes the young generation.

Teenagers don't want to be like their dads (like in the past), but they want to be like their favorite artist. They don't faint when they see so much suffering around them, but they faint when they see their idol. It's like their idols are taken by their music into a whole new world - the world of fame and glory.

If you want to be successful, if you want to impress the people around you, you have to look and act like a famous singer. The same tendency comes to the Christian music too, almost everybody is looking and prefers to be like one of the singers they love.

I've been to a Christian concert and I was shocked to hear that some of the well known Christian artists are doing a "special favor" to the present pastors, giving them an autograph... It's such a pitiful idea... Why does a pastor need an autograph ? We are suppose to worship Jesus and not people! The main role for Christian music is to praise God and edify His people.

What An Actor Need To Know Before Pursuing The Career Of Acting

2007-02-23T21:16:00.002-08:00

Almost every actor needs to be literate and able to understand language from a variety of eras. A good actor can become anything he or she wants to be. If you want to really stand out as an actor, you will have to make your resume stand out for you.

When you look at all the famous actors out there they all have one things in common they all were passionate about becoming an actor, you need to be passionate about acting to become and actor. Plan to study your craft and become good at it; create your talent and persevere even if you are not getting parts and then share your knowledge and learn from others who share the same passion.

When working with agents to get work you should conduct yourself professionally in a setting. Actors need to promote themselves anyway they can, they need to hone their craft, try creating your own projects or joining a community theatre, co-op productions or doing anything that will help you get your name out there in the public and will help find an agent or someone who will notice your talents. Include a small thumbnail headshot of yourself on your resume.

What does the term acting mean, the definition is a person who portrays someone else or a character either on screen or on stage. When choosing an acting school you will need to notice that they offer many different programs that allows for flexibility when choosing the time to take the class this allows the student the ability to meet the requirements. The perfect forum is acting school it embraces the actors/actresses with the ability to enhance their talents to become the best they can be. When taking classes in a Universities they teach the finer points of how act and improve students craft of acting, they sharpen your skills but they do not spend the time showing actors how to get work on a consistent basis, or how to make a living as an actor.

The range of skills that an actor must have to be effective is very wide. To prepare for the skills to act you will need the following: you will need to connect to directors, producers and other actors and to listen to all of them.

When people talk about a hidden acting agenda they are referring to a term that describes a phenomenon where actors hide a condition or some trait or a quality of theirs because one of these things was the source they use that occurred earlier in their lives.

When actors perform in theater halls they were designed to have incredible acoustics, the reason for this was to help actors and performers so the audience are able to hear them and to give the performers and actors natural reflections when performing. People watch TV, go to movies or theater to be entertained. You need to start some place when becoming an actor, you should look into short films or independent theater and you should take a few simple classes, this will help you on your way, it is just the beginning.

Although, there are some exceptions, normally agencies will not work with actors that have no experience, it is very rare that they will consult inexperienced actors or take them in as clients.

The Red Carpet

2007-02-23T21:16:00.001-08:00

It's that time of the year for Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, American Music Awards, Grammys, Country Music, Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, MTV, Peabody, Soap Opera, Tonys, Writers Guild, TV Guide, People's Choice -- and those are just show business's annual backslapping events. We even have the Darwin Award for doing the most stupid things. We should give awards that really matter using today's standards: fake ones. Like these --

The Not-a-Chance Award -- to Michael Jackson for being the only male in the world not claiming to be the father of Anna Nichol Smith's baby.

The Hannibal Lecter -- to Congress for dis-membering former representative Mark Foley.

The Joan Rivers -- to Katie Couric whose face is getting so tight, her eyes have begun to slant.

The Rockefeller -- to Tom Cruise for buying his own studio because his old studio wouldn't give him a raise.

The Pipe Cleaner Award -- to Paris Hilton's legs.

The Picasso -- to Hillary Clinton for painting out the parts of her life that don't suit her in today's political climate.

The There's a Ferret on Your Head Award -- to the hair of 60 Minutes' Leslie Stahl.

The Dracula -- to Barack Obama for wearing shirts with loose collars that expose his slender neck so appealingly, you want to suck on it.

The W.C. Fields -- to Lindsay Lohan's special celeb in-house privileges which evacuated Wonderland Rehab of "ordinary" resident drunks.

The Jennifer Wilbanks -- to runaway brides who disengage from their fiances, and then sue them.

The Ashton Kutcher -- to younger men with older women who don't complain when the guy admits he never heard of the Beatles.

The Rodney Dangerfield -- to George W. Bush for getting no respect.

The Titanic Award -- To Mel Gibson's career

The Abu Ghraib -- to Jack Bauer for torturing terrorists so creatively that they formed a 24 Fan Club

The Ouchie -- to Harry Wittington, the guy Dick Cheney mistook for a quail and shot last February, for acting as though it didn't hurt.

The Plausible Deniability Award -- To John Kerry for claiming his vote in favor of the invasion of Iraq was as well directed as Vice President Cheney's bullet.

The Sigmund Freud -- to Kramer, who needs psychiatric help even more than Michael Jackson.

The Courtney Love -- jointly awarded to herself and Paula Abdul for following in each other's footsteps.

The Mike Tyson -- to Ryan O'Neal for the smackdown of his own son.

The Taxpayer Award -- to retired congressional reps who will continue to receive as much as 80 per cent of their salaries plus health and life insurance, also taxpayer subsidized, and that includes members of Congress convicted of a felony.

The Seabiscuit Award -- to Rocky Balboa for finally crossing the finish line.

The Jiffyhab -- to Britney Spears for her drive-thru pass at sobriety. Britney's speed feat beats out Lindsay Lohan's because Britney removed Kevin Federline first and all her hair second.

The Oddest Celeb Award -- to Barbara Walters for actually asking a Hamas suicide bomber in prison, "So you're saying all you want to do is kill Jews? Haven't you wanted to get married?" and topped that with her next question, "If you had succeeded in your suicide mission and been killed, where would you be today?"

Teach Me A Magic Trick - Paper Tricks

2007-02-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

Performing magic tricks has always been one of the most popular past times enjoyed by a lot of people from all walks of life. There are various kinds of magic tricks. One of many kinds of the usual scene-stealing tricks is a paper trick. There could be innumerable ways to deliver a paper trick. Here are a few of those paper tricks that can be easily learned by a new magic aficionado:

1. A paper-tearing trick is a clever method of tearing and bringing back the form of a sheet of paper. You can do this trick mostly on tissue papers. This could be a little different compared to other paper tricks.

You will hand out two kinds of tissue papers; it can be color white or black. You will tear both the papers and fold them into tiny squares. When he opens the paper, the two are still there, but surprisingly it is formed into a large white square and in the center, there is a black square.

You wonder why there are no torn traces on the paper. The have an idea on the trick, the restored paper is already formed by sticking a black square on each side of the large white paper. On a particular side, the black part is paste all three edges and one edge is left open.

The paper formed is then folded into a tiny square, and the outside have an opening. It is then laid on the table for about 5 seconds. You will get the restored form and place it behind his back.

The paper is divided into four pieces of squares, and the whole is bundle is again shown in the front, the tricky part on this is that you will make a little wave in his hands, making the two torn pieces together, and then slowly opening the restored torn paper. This takes a narrow chance to poke the torn pieces into the secret pocket. Ending the trick with showing both hands and they will find nothing.

2. Another trick is called the generous offer. You will need a piece of paper and hand it out to a person. Ask him to tear it into quarters. It must be torn equally, you will then get the papers and give him back a quarter of it. He then thinks that the task is easy enough, and then he may ask for a prize for doing it.

You will then applaud him and give his prize of another quarter of the paper. From there you gave the person one of the four pieces of the paper, which was supposed to be a quarter also of the sheet of paper. You can use a different way to approach this trick in using slang expressions of offering or donate two bits. In this approach two pieces of paper is given to him, as it presents the two bits you said.

3. The next trick you may learn is the look easy trick. Find a sheet of paper and tear it in two thirds. It is required not totally tear the end sections. It should be a little loose, and the outcome will be a slit parallel sheet of paper with three flaps.

Give it to the person and tell him to have a hold on the edge of the flaps and hide one in each hand. From the center of the paper, you will make him tear the end flaps. It seems to be a piece of cake, but it is not. When he tries to work on it, only one edge of the flap is torn. The pull is purposely even distributed.

4. The floating paper ball needs to be performed under proper situations because it requires a little experiment. You need to crumple one piece of paper into a ball and you will have to hold it using your left hand with your right hand on top of it. You will remove your left hand, and have the paper just floated in the air moving upward to your right hand.

The trick is done because of the black silk thread. The thread is placed over your right ear forming a loop in one of the ends. The other end is tied loosely to your black coat button. They do not have the idea that you squeezed it around on the loose end, before the paper ball is formed.

When you move your right hand upward, you will use your right thumb to catch the thread. You will then draw the thread tightly so that when you take off your hand, the ball automatically floats. Move your hand forward, then raise the ball. Bringing it back lowers it. On the last part, you will have to get the ball on your left hand and untying it from the thread. The right hand brushing your hair will lift the loop from your ear, and the thread just falls down on the floor, without one noticing it.

How Can You Tell What Abstract Paintings Are Worth?

2007-02-14T21:33:00.005-08:00

Abstract art can be very exciting. By nature it must be avant-garde and often it comes with an amazing array of colors and textures. Unfortunately, it can also be intimidating. Who is to say what the painting really is worth or if it is just slop that monkeys could have orchestrated? We have all heard someone say of an abstract, "I could do that," or the all to common "My kid paints just like that."

What is it then that sets apart high quality, investment abstract art from low brow random expressions of color's that have no dollar value?

The first distinction between these two groups is your own personal fulfillment that is provided by a painting. You are completely in control of this phenomena. Does it move you? Can you imagine looking at that painting every day?

Second, we have time as the dividing line for these two categories. Only with time will some artists rise or fall in to the priceless and worthless fields. Unfortunately, most abstract art doesn't stand the test of time.

Many artists get caught up in one style or theme that holds them back from finding the center of their artistic soul. One artist, Sudargono or Gono does not struggle with this at all. Gono constantly redefines himself and his art; every few years he has evolved in medium and approach. He ventures often into realism to hone his skills and continues to grow. Already, he could rest in what he has achieved, being that he is one of the fathers of abstract art in Indonesia. Still, he reinvents! Last year he began working on his most original series to date, best described as an oversized pointillism. The textures and colors are magnificently intense!

Another separation in abstract art is education and experience. Is the artist a real painter? Many people try to copy the great abstract painters however, there is a great difference. Often it is simply the way the colors mix together, or the manner of textures in the abstract expression. These are subtleties learned from studying the masters and the time taken to experiment. Gono has quite a background in studying and painting.

Another well learned painter and experimenter is Élan Vital. Élan is based out of Maui and paints some of the most original art I have ever seen. He has an unbelievable resumé that includes engineering, psychedelic lighting design, fashion design, sculpting and painting. All of these things led him to his secret style. Élan paints with pigments and gemstones ground into powders and mixed with aerospace enamel. This is the same enamel that is used to seal the stealth fighter. He paints using all this knowledge to make his own materials and 'engineer' his paintings with absolutely no use of a brush. Each painting has between 30 and 100 layers of his process. It is like a liquid gemstone psychedelic explosion. Utterly brilliant.

I have learned another important thing about abstract art: your opinion is valid. One doesn't need to be a renowned critic to be a good critic. Every thing you see or feel is valid. I try not to ask the artist what he was painting. Instead, I first tell the artist what I see. Every thing you think you see is actually there! This is why I love abstract art. Abstract paintings involve the viewer in the creative process. The imagination of the art lover is just as important as the painter's.

Homosexuality In Williams Play

2007-02-14T21:33:00.003-08:00

Thomas (Tennessee) Williams was brought up in a puritan family, and his first love experiences were very chaste. He loved without understanding what exactly this feeling was, and there was not even a hint to the physical side of these passions. Tennessee was a puritan, and even to kiss a guy would be impossible for him. The undisguised homosexuality of the men he met always stunned him. The same can similarly be attributed to Brick from the play. It is quite possible that in the epoch of Puritanism, this young man, as well as his friend Skipper, could not even find a name for his feelings, and even if he realised to some extent what the nature of their mutual fondness was, could he possibly admit that?

We do not know what Skipper thought about their relations, and if he felt the same as Brick. However, we may presume that Skipper had undergone the same as Brick; their destinies intermingled and reflected one another. And the result of their feelings being broken by the social norms and morals is one and the same: attempts to escape from the reality, seeking the remedy in a bottle of whiskey.

In Williams’s life, the death of his true love, Frank Merlo, was a serious shock that changed his life and work. Just as Brick or late Skipper, Williams began to seek oblivion in drugs and alcohol. These parallels between the life of Tennessee Williams and his character Brick are obvious, and we may rightfully presume that the reasons and motives for their actions are also the same. Moreover, we should keep in mind that Williams was prone to self-analysis, and never wrote about anything that did not reflect the hidden and deeply rooted emotions of a personality.

How To Become A Model

2007-02-14T21:33:00.001-08:00

If you are interested in becoming a model and joining one of the most incredible and interesting types of work available, you will have to meet certain requirements. It’s not enough to have perfect measurements, the right height, a pretty face, being a model is much more.

First you must decide what type of model you want to be, this will depend on your physical appearance, your age and the reason you want to be a model.

The requirements to be a model are not just physical, they are also psychological.

Physical requirements include being tall enough, having the correct weight in proportion to your height (depending on what type of model you are), nice clean skin, nice teeth and healthy hair.

The most important psychological requirements include: Self esteem and belief in yourself, punctuality, and a charismatic personality.

Once you have decided what type of model you want to be, you can begin the fight to become one. Becoming a model is not something you can manage from one day to the next. It requires dedication, persistence and patience. Don’t wait to be ‘discovered’ are for someone to offer you work. That only happens to supermodels.

Depending on what you like in the world of modeling, you can take classes to learn it. If you want to be in runway shows, you should learn how to walk. If you want to be photographed, you need to learn to pose for the camera. If you would like to work in television, you must study acting.

In the world of fashion and modeling the competition is stiff. Don’t expect to succeed unless you are well prepared.

The next step is to make yourself a model portfolio and comp card to take with you to see agencies and look for work.

Don’t get upset if you are rejected by some agencies, it happens all the time. The important thing is to keep trying at every agency you can. Also be sure to attend as many castings as possible that fit your modeling profile.

Nowadays, getting your pictures to agencies is easier than ever with the Internet. If you upload your photos to a Website you can be viewed by any agency in the world. All you need to do is e-mail to let them know your pictures can be viewed online.

The NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular Presents: The Ladies of the Manchu Court

2007-02-14T21:32:00.003-08:00

Against the background of a golden throne hall projected onto a gigantic screen with the melodious music of the Qing Dynasty, a group of beautiful Manchu “geges” emerges elegantly in a line from one side of the stage, wearing deep blue Manchu midi, dalachi-style headgear, and typical Manchurian-style “flowerpot shoes” with three-inch heels. Walking out in small graceful steps, they started dancing delicately.

With the stunning “gege dress,” the graceful music coupled with the strong color of Manchu and the exquisite choreography, the brilliant young dancers from the Feitian Dance School and Lotus Art Group beautifully display the virtues and elegance of traditional females in the “Flowering Age of Kang Xi and Qian Long.”

The gege dance eloquence and graceful style is actually amazing! It connotes not only the virtues and grace of the noble females, but the entire ‘Flowering Age of Kang Xi and Qian Long’ is able to match the great age in the Tang Dynasty. The audience could get a true feeling for the portrayal of substantial prosperity, confidence, and spiritual tolerance.

Some of the shows, such as the "Ladies of the Manchu Court" performed by the Fei Tian Dance School, were also eye opening for the Chinese members of the audience. Some were commenting about the fact that they had never seen anything like this before. I could hardly believe my eyes, that those dancers could actually dance gracefully and in harmony wearing those horseshoes also called flowerpot shoes. When the huge curtain slowly falls down, the classy “geges” gradually disappear in front of the audience, leaving a magnificent, historic, and permanently lasting picture in their memory.

Besides the traditional Chinese dance and music, this year's show includes depictions of the Chinese heroine Mulan, loyal Song Dynasty general Yue Fei, and many more. It also includes an artistic portrayal of a Falun Gong practitioner being beaten and killed by police in China. The practitioner ascends to the sky after being killed, whereas the policemen who beat her face retribution.

Why not celebrate the Year of the Pig in a Spectacular way and treat yourself to a sumptuous feast of ancient Chinese culture – the NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular.

Chinese New Year Spectacular - Where Art Meets Technology

2007-02-14T21:32:00.001-08:00

Imagine a backdrop of a vast ocean with surging waves for a grand dance called “The Eight Immortals Cross the Sea”. Or picture a fairyland landscape and palace for a dance called “Grinding an Iron Pestle Down to a Needle”. These are but two of the many classic creations used as a backdrop by NTDTV for its Chinese New Year Spectacular show playing at New York City Radio City Music Hall from February 14 – 17.

Tranquil artistic concepts from Chinese paintings and the magnanimous charisma of Western paintings are combined with a hi-tech application of traditional art, photo-electricity and projection used as backdrops. The combination makes for a rare delight of artistic performances. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.

Li Wencheng, head of the New England Monte Jade Science and Technology Association, said, “The backdrop for the NTDTV Chinese New Year Show is indeed rather unique and the skillful application of projection and photo-electricity has to be the creation of an expert.”

“The backdrop makers of the NTDTV show have extended the effect of our backdrops to its extreme,” noted Radio City’s Manager.

The enormous background screen used during NTDTV’s Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall has the effect of bringing the audience into the performance. In a typical stage setting, it is difficult to create a multidimensional effect, even with a large number of performers. The space on stage has limitations, and stage props also often give people a feeling of things being faked.

However, when Soprano-Alto Yang Jiansheng sings a vocal solo, she stands alone on the stage with no accompanying dance or stage props. However, the magnificent backdrop makes the audience feel as though they are right in the midst of the performance.

For example, in the 2006 Chinese New Year Spectacular, throughout the show the backdrop kept changing along with each performance, from misty rain, pavilions and towers, to the water-bound country in south China to shining spears and armored horses and famous mountains and rivers; from green bamboo and red flowers and the change of four seasons to the sun, the moon, the stars and the auspicious clouds in the highest heavens.

Colorful events that took place in the thousands of years of Chinese history were replayed to perfection on stage. The design of the backdrops was definitely the creation of an expert. The backdrops did not use dominant color themes to supersede the performers on the stage. Instead, they provided a very logical and harmonious artistic atmosphere.

Card Counting: Secrets of a Master Blackjack Player

2007-02-08T20:57:00.004-08:00

Being a blackjack pro entails many benefits Cash rewards for a winning blackjack expert range from thousands to million dollars. You'll also gain the respect of your friends and co-players. So how exactly does one win at a blackjack game? Read on and discover how.

It is easy to learn how to play blackjack. Like any other game, discovering the correct techniques and when best to utilize them is a crucial element in succeeding. And in blackjack, card counting is the choicest strategy every card player should discover.

Why is card counting famous among blackjack players? Anyone enthusiastic to win in blackjack can learn how to count cards. Card counting is a uncomplicated system of adding or subtracting 1. Card counting entails that a player assigns a particular value for every card in the deck. Neutral cards are given zero values. Let's use this simple example: if a three-value card is given, you add 1. If it's a ten-value card, you subtract 1.

A blackjack expert using the card counting technique never splits his 10s. No matter what card is shown by the dealer, he splits all values of 8 and aces instead. Mastering card counting doesnt assure anybody of a sure win. He knows that the strategy only provides him a bigger chance of winning, but he needs to do his part of properly applying it on the game.

Different casinos in different places observe varying rules. Other casinos even prohibit the use of the card counting system, while some others change the number of cut cards making card counting inefective.

Present-day technology now provides demonstrations on how to do the strategy right in DVDs. These videos offer interactive games that demonstrate helpful techniques on standing, splitting, double down, and a lot more. Other easy-to-learn tricks are highlighted in the videos.

Blackjack cheat sheets are also utilized by starters to see the development of their games. As with any other game, the method likewise involves constant practice.

Every games output varies with each players strategy. If you know whats best to use for every game, then you have more opportunities of bringing home the bacon. If you dont, then more practice will perhaps do the trick.

Professional Acting and the Reality of Casting

2007-02-08T20:57:00.003-08:00

So, the million dollar question in every actors mind is usually "how do I get a part?" Well, let me tell you all about it...

The basic path goes something like this. Someone needs an actor, so they hire a casting director to find one. The casting director puts out a notice on 'Breakdown Services' (a company that specializes in providing 'legitimate' talent agents listings of what roles are being cast currently) that will list the physical attributes requested, a brief description of the role and whether or not 'sides' (a small portion of a script containing the audition material) are available and where.

Those talent agents then scour through their rosters and try to match suitable talent to the job description and submit that talent to the casting director by sending them a head shot and resume. In days past, the head shot would arrive by messenger service. Today, more often than not, the head shots, resumes and sides are all digitally delivered through services such as showfax.com, gobetween.com (and sister company screenplayonline.com) and actorsaccess.com. Newer services such as LA Casting and Now Casting are also providing those digital delivery systems as well.

It is very important to understand that casting directors receive thousands of submissions per part that they are casting for! Your head shot will literally receive a glance that will last about 1.5 seconds, if that. To give you an idea of the sheer volume and how hard it is to stand out, I recently cast a project where a friend told me in advance that they were submitting and I overlooked them five times before I even saw that they were there! Even if you think you are perfect for a part, don't be discouraged if you don't get picked...your face is literally swimming in a sea of humanity. Anyway, the casting director will strive to narrow those thousands down to a manageable number to audition (usually about a tenth of the submissions) and they will call them in to 'read'.

Now, recognize that the term 'read' is very misleading. If you are given sides in advance, you are expected to memorize the lines and deliver a full, emotionally realized performance. This is called a prepared reading and most actors out there fail to realize the importance of this. The casting director is looking for a few things during the audition, the most important being your PROFESSIONALISM. Their reputation is at stake and they will only choose actors that they can confidently get behind. Showing up to a 'prepared' reading unprepared will put you in the 'no' pile faster than you can say 'doh'. The next most important thing is how well you ACT, followed by how you LOOK. Most actors get that all backwards and wonder why they have trouble booking work.

If you were fortunate enough to have your head shot picked, the audition is the time to demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt your ability to do the job. Knowing your lines is the bare minimum effort you have to take! After you have them down, spend the time to interpret the material and understand what you are acting. When you come in, don't hold back! Bring the material to life and show off your chops. Remember that everyone in the room wants you to be good! A vibrant, professional, expressive performance really stands out, even if you're not right for that particular part. Don't worry about getting the job, focus on showing that you are a competent professional and you will become one of the actors that the casting director will actively think of when a new part comes up. This is affectionately referred to as the 'A' pile and that's where you want to be, because once you land there, the work can't help but follow.

The Divine Beauty of Traditional Chinese Culture Shines at Radio City Music Hall

2007-02-08T20:57:00.001-08:00

As we usher in the Year of the Pig, the divine beauty of the ancient East will come to life in NYC with the now legendary NTDTV Chinese New Year Spectacular! The 30-city world tour Spectacular will play at Radio City from February 14 – 17.

Featuring the best of Chinese culture and world-class performers, this unique show portrays genuine traditional Chinese culture and includes classical Chinese dance as well as various traditional dances. Performers have worked hard to emulate the musical style of the ancients—classical melodies filled with the power of compassion. Showcasing grand stage designs, hand-painted backdrops and authentic costuming from ancient Chinese Dynasties, the theme of Myths and Legends weaves a tale of the proverbial battle between good and evil through theatre, music and dance.

NTDTV’s main goal is to revive lost Chinese culture from the ancient past. As you may be aware, in 1949 when the Chinese Communist Party took power in China, its leaders did everything possible to sever the people from their 5,000-year-old culture. Everything moral and spiritual was suddenly uprooted from people's lives--temples and buddhas were destroyed. The arts became a tool for fulfilling political aims, evoking the dark side of human nature. China's folk music was used to serve the communist revolution.

Unfortunately, those born after 1949 have opened their eyes to a spiritual desert. They are no longer familiar with their own heritage, which has been decimated and replaced with the communist-atheist model.

Judging by the growth and success of the Chinese New Year Spectacular, now in its fourth year, I believe that NTDTV has lived up to its word. The Spectacular really does have the effect of removing the communist "wrapping paper" around the essence of traditional Chinese values and beauty. It is not surprising that the show ranked 7th on Billboard Magazine’s top 10 shows in Feb 2006 based on ticket sales for the 2006 shows at Radio City Music Hall.

The Spectacular is a delight to Chinese and Western audiences alike—a truly heartwarming event not to be missed. “The Chinese New Year Spectacular is the best show ever to appear on stage in North America,” said former member of Parliament Simma Holt. “I saw the show in Canada and I would like to say to the Chinese Consulate officials, who made a statement saying that the show is political, the fact that some of the atrocities committed by the Chinese regime were re-enacted in the show is nothing unusual; interpretative dance is a feature of all great symphonies, operas and ballets.”

Numerology, the 23 Enigma-and Confirmation Bias

2007-02-08T20:56:00.001-08:00

On February 23 a movie by Joel Schumacher, starring Jim Carrey, will be released entitled ‘The Number 23’. The story centers around a book given to the main character ( Carrey ) that seems to echo the events in his life and features prominently the phenomena that has come to be known as “The 23 Enigma”. The 23 enigma is the belief that every event is somehow related to the number 23. This is sometimes misattributed to the science of Numerology although, that is incorrect. Like the ‘9-11’ phenomenon wherein coincidences of the number 911 are charted and listed, the 23 enigma may be nothing more than a particular example of the confirmation bias in cognitive theory know as apophenia – the experience of finding connections or patterns in random, meaningless data. The adherents of the 911 phenomenon find a good portion of these coincidences by manipulating numbers to arrive at a desired outcome ( negating the possibility of true coincidence ) and many of the examples given in the numerous lists regarding the 23 enigma share this trait. Robert Anton Wilson himself, whose work explores some of these interesting coincidences regarding the number 23, comments that the phenomenon merely shows how the mind can find ‘truth’ in anything if it wishes to see it.

However there are some genuine coincidences ( or synchronicities ) that feature the number 23 and these are often interesting to ponder as harmless amusements, a few of which we will list here. Owing to popular culture there are also many instances where the enigma is intentionally evoked in artistic works that feature some reference to 23. If you should decide to provisionally accept the phenomenon as a true example of synchronicity in action do not be surprised if you begin to see the number 23 everywhere as it becomes what is know in psychology as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Whether you see it or not, have fun. 23 times over!

Curiosities of the number 23

The physical biorhythm cycle is said to be 23 days. It takes 23 seconds for blood to circulate through the human body. The male and female each contribute 23 chromosomes during conception. A full turn of the DNA helix occurs every 23 angstroms. The number of joints in the human arm is 23. There are 23 vertebrae in the human body. Tantrists believe the male sex cycle is 23 days.

Shakespeare was born on April 23. Shakespeare died on April 23. Two 23's equals 46 and, that's how old Shakespeare was when the KJV was published. Grab a King James Version of the Bible and turn to Psalm 46. Count 46 words and you arrive at the word 'shake'. Turn to the end of the chapter and count 46 words backwards and the word you end on is 'spear'.

The Ancient Egyptians hailed the New Year on July 23 - the day Sirius rises behind the sun.

The ideal orbit, Clarke's Orbit, for a satellite is 23,000 miles above the earth.

The first prime number wherein both of the digits are prime and add up to another prime number is 23.

The 23rd letter of the alphabet, W, has 3 points up and 2 points down.

Two-thirds or, 2/3, is equal to .666.

The first Morse code transmission is reported to have been “What hath god wrought?”. A Biblical quote from Numbers 23:23.

Alexander the Great was 23 when he cut the Gordian Knot and Caesar is reported to have been stabbed 23 times. The Knights Templar had 23 Grand Masters.

The “Day the Music Died” was February 3 or, 2-3. This was of course the day Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died.

Devin Hester, whose jersey number is 23, becomes the first person to return the opening kickoff for a touchdown in a Super Bowl ( XLI ).

African American Art-The Depiction of a Unique Perspective!

2007-02-08T20:55:00.000-08:00

African American art is a broad term which can be used to describe the visual arts of the African American community. It was influenced by many diverse cultural traditions, including those of Africa, Europe and the Americas. Traditional African American art forms include basket weaving, pottery and quilting to woodcarving and painting. Many slaves arrived from Africa as skilled artisans. The earliest recorded African American artists were actually slaves who worked as potters, blacksmiths, cabinetmakers, quilters, basket makers and silversmiths.

With the passing of the Civil War, it became more acceptable for African American created works to be exhibited in museums, thus artists steadily produced works for this purpose. Such works mostly followed the trend of European romantic and classical traditions of landscapes and portraits. Of this time, the most popular were: Edward Mitchell Bannister, Henry Ossawa Tanner and Edmonia Lewis. However within the states of America, African American art was subject to discriminatory limitations. However, overseas the artworks of African Americans were much better received. In Europe, especially in Paris, these artists could express much more freedom in experimentation and education concerning techniques that stretched beyond traditional western art. Freedom of expression was much more prevalent in Paris as well as Munich and Rome to a lesser extent.

Perhaps The Harlem Renaissance was one of the most notable movements in African American art. Concepts of freedom and liberty ideas that were already widespread in many parts of the world had begun to seep into the artistic communities of the United States during the 1920s. Famous artists at this time period included photographer James Van Der Zee, painter Palmer Hayden, Aaron Douglas, Richmond Barthé, Archibald Motley, William H. Johnson, Sargent Johnson, Malvin Gray Johnson, and Hale Woodruff.

With the advent of African American Art and Postmodernism by the mid to late 1980s earlier definitions of African American art would be replaced with postmodernist concepts of cultural relativity, art-as-performance, critical inquiries of art and society through one’s work, and interrogations of identity, geography, and history.

Broadway Chorus Line Tickets - For The Revival Show

2007-01-30T21:28:00.002-08:00

A Chorus line is a musical that portrays characters based on the lives of Broadway dancers. This is a revival show that first opened at Broadway’s Shubert Theater on July 25, 1975 and closed 6,137 performances later, after nearly 15 years, on April 28, 1990. It was the longest running show of its time until Cats surpassed it in 1997, and The Phantom of the Opera in 2006. Today, that musical is the fourth longest running show in the history of Broadway, after The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and Les Miserable.

The revival show opened at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theater on Oct 4 this year, after it previewed on Sep 18, and is directed by Bob Avian, the choreographer of the original 1975 musical. Broadway Chorus Line tickets can be purchased from the theater’s box office, and from various other sources.

The Original Show

The original show, which opened in 1975, became the longest running show on Broadway on Sep 29, 1983, with its 3,389th performance, and held this record until 1997. In 1976, it was nominated for 12 Tony awards and won 9, including for: Best Musical, Best Actress - Musical, Best Featured Actor – Musical, Best Featured Actress – Musical, Best Director – Musical, among others. A Chorus Line has been performed in 23 other countries, to date.

In 1985, the movie - A Chorus Line - was made, directed by Richard Attenborough.

The Current Production

This is a show by the Broadway performers on Broadway dancers. It is about the casting for a new Broadway musical, where the field has been narrowed down to 17 dancers, from which 8 dancers have to be chosen. For these 17 dancers, this audition is a chance of a lifetime. To act on Broadway – this is an opportunity they have all dreamed of, every day of their lives, and with every drop of their sweat. This is their chance to dance their way into a job on Broadway – the ultimate stage for an actor.

Before a final decision can be made, the director of the play asks them to talk about themselves, about their hometowns, their reasons for being dancers, about their families, friends, lovers, ambitions, and their careers. The show is about these 17 dancers sharing their most inner and intimate moments of their lives. Some are shy and reluctant, whereas others are more outgoing and reveal their innermost thoughts. Some stories are funny and some heartbreaking.

Tickets For A Chorus Line

Broadway Chorus Line tickets are on sale through the box office, and so are the group tickets. For group bookings, you need to purchase a minimum of 12 tickets. Tickets for the popular shows on Broadway are sold out months in advance.

If you are visitor to New York, you may have to explore other avenues to obtain your tickets. Your best option is purchasing tickets through a Broadway Chorus Line tickets ticket broker. Through the services of ticket brokers, you are assured of premium Broadway Chorus Line tickets, and they are delivered through Fed Ex, or a similar agency, to your very door.

Decorative collectibles at art auctions

2007-01-30T21:28:00.001-08:00

I have found many decorative collectibles at art auctions over the years. I have a display cabinet filled with all of my finds. My favorite of all of the decorative collectibles are Pendelfin rabbits.

Pendelfin rabbits captivated my interest when I was a young girl. My dad was stationed in England and my mother bought me my first of many decorative collectibles at an art auction. The bookends that she bought for me are extremely rare and I recently had them appraised at more than fifteen hundred dollars.

I’ve been searching at art auctions in my area every time that decorative collectibles are advertised as being up for sale. My greatest hope is that I can find a Pendelfin item named The Shoe. I’ve been looking for this particular piece for about five years.

The larger pieces of decorative collectibles seem to get really expensive really fast at an art auction. I’ve seen three people at once bidding up the Pendelfin rabbits to a point where the price is just out of my reach. I love these rabbits, but I have to stay on budget when I attend an art auction.

There is one Pendelfin item that I found at an art auction early in my collection that I spend a lot more money than I wanted to. I just had no idea how much a love of decorative collectibles could end up costing. The item I bought was a three inch by four inch little plaque with Robert the rabbit depicted.

I sell decorative collectibles with online art auctions. I find the items at art auctions and sales that I attend in person. I have never resold a piece of Pendelfin. I keep them in my own private collection. My husband bought me a Pendelfin figurine named Auctioneer. I love it.

Almost all of the rabbits produced by Pendelfin are small. These decorative collectibles have retained their value for a long time. Art auctions are a great place to hunt for really cool pieces that are larger and rare. I’ve been looking for one named Aunt Ruby for a couple of years, now.

Aunt Ruby is one of the large size rabbits. I already have Uncle Soames and Mother. These were actually some of the first pieces of decorative collectibles. I found them at an art auction I attended with my husband before we married.

There was an anniversary piece put out by Pendelfin. I don’t think that it is worth what I keep seeing it for new and in stores that sell decorative collectibles. I’ll just keep looking for it at a reasonable price at the art auctions I attend.

I was so excited when I found two big pieces of Pendelfin decorative collectibles at the last art auction I attended. I bought both the one named Toy Shop and the one named The Castle Tavern. They look great with all of the others that I’ve bought and won at auctions over the years.

My sister called me from an art auction last year to tell me that she had found a treasure trove of decorative collectibles. She said that there was one lot that contained nine Pendelfin pieces. I authorized her to pay up to four hundred dollars for the lot because some of the pieces were chipped. I was shocked when the lot went for eighty dollars, the opening bid.

Fine Art Dealers Understand the Need of Perfection in Art Masterpieces

2007-01-25T03:41:00.003-08:00

Art is the expression of beauty and sensitivity. Numerous people have a special taste and interest for pieces of fine art. And for this reason, Mirek Klabal has been catering to the thoughts and likes of people for so many years. Being a master of art and a renowned person, he has understood the importance of art in a person’s life. Fine art dealers are concerned with how people perceive the sense of art. There are various fine art dealers available in the market. But, you should take care that you don’t fall a prey to any fraud art dealers.

Fine art captures moments, pictures or breathtaking scenes in a canvas. Well, it can just be about anything. A painter tries to express a feeling or his desires through the spread of colors. Are you planning to buy art master pieces from fine art dealers? Well, looking for genuine fine art dealers is a tough task. It is like selecting the most precious piece of diamond from a coal mine. Art lovers can check out the Mirek Klabal art gallery for creative masterpieces. An important thing about Mirek Klabal is that its collection of painting has a special quality.

The world of art has a life beyond human imagination. It is the base and platform of creativity that calls for art lover’s attention. Mirek Klabal is one of the best fine art dealers in New York. If you are looking for rare Chagall collection then you can find it at Mirek Klabal’s art gallery. Mirek Klabal has a thorough understanding of art and dealing with him puts you in the safe hands. Moreover, it is all the more important that you buy art masterpiece from an authentic dealer.

Fine art dealers know that art is a perfect blend of creativity, vibrant colors, thoughts and expressions in the painting. There is a sense of life in every painting and this is what an art lover gets to see in the collection of Mirek Klabal. With Mirek Klabal, fine art gets to have a tag of a quality product. It is quite common among the art lovers that pictures express more than simple words. This is what is seen in the painting collection of Mirek Klabal. Moreover, art brings gaiety in ones life because it conveys joy and different aspects of an individual’s life.

Fine art dealers have a special network of quality painters and art masters. In fact, they act as the platform of recognition for art masters. Fine art dealers also have contact with distributors, who have a special interest in the field of art and who have a real understanding of it. Fine art dealers have an understanding that art lovers have a passion for art masterpieces and they have to cater to a large number of masses. It is because of this thing that these fine art dealers carefully with painters. The world of art has its own lifestyle. If you are an art lover, then you can enjoy the complete enthusiasm. Mirek Klabal can be your one stop shop for best art pieces.

Mixing Crafts at a Craft Show

2007-01-25T03:41:00.001-08:00

Here are 4 ways you can mix the crafts in your craft show booth and add a little variety to your business:

1.) Open a seasonal booth – People spend millions every year on seasonal items. If you can provide a stocking cap for the winter, or Halloween or Christmas items, then you are going to find real success. If you enjoy making festive items, the sky is the limit – you can make items for the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Mother's Day – whatever you want!

The beauty of being seasonal is that you aren't bound by the same cookie cutter sort of crafts that some crafters make for their booths. Your creativity and your supplies are the only things holding you back. If you come up with an idea that is craft-related, then you can take it and run with it.

2.) Mix similar items together – You can have a variety of different sized crafts, or they can be different colors, or maybe there are slight design differences in each of the crafts. All in all, you are adding a little variety to your craft show booth, but still sticking with the general idea of your crafts.

3.) Mix items that work together – If you have crocheted a hat, maybe you would also include scarves and mittens in your craft show booth as well. That's the idea of making crafts that will work together. Like hand towels and a wooden towel rack, or reusable grocery bags and then a bag holder – you can come up with so many different ideas of crafts that work together. Put them together in a craft show booth and you might have a recipe for multiple sales!

4.) Open a theme booth – How about "Crafts for Kids," or, "Kitchen Crafts" – this is another way you can add a little bit a variety to your craft show booth. Once you decide to open a theme booth, you can just about create any craft you want that is going to fit into the booth's new theme.

You don't always have to make the same crafts for the craft shows you attend. For many crafters, that might get a little monotonous and take some of the fun out of making and selling your crafts for a profit. Having the opportunity to challenge yourself creatively might just be the spark you need to help boost the sales in your craft show booth.

Avoiding pitfalls when taking high quality digital photos

2007-01-21T21:46:00.001-08:00

With today’s sophisticated digital cameras it is relatively easy to take good digital photos. This is especially true if you are using s point and shoot digital pocket camera. However even with such a camera you can follow some tips that will result in better higher quality digital photos. These tips become much more important when using high end SLR cameras in manual mode.

There are many things that can go wrong when taking digital photos. Many of those things could be easily avoided if only the photographer was aware of them. Here is a list of things that can go wrong and some simple ways to avoid them.

Blurry digital photos: Also known as out of focus digital photos the objects in such digital photos look blurry or smudged. Many people think that by using the automatic focus feature of the camera all digital photos will come out sharp and clear. This is not true. There are some scenes that are harder to focus on. Such scenarios can fail even the most advanced digital camera. Moreover with most digital cameras (excluding SLR) you do not really see how focused the camera is when taking the photo. Looking at the LCD shows you how the photo would be composed but not how focused and sharp it will come out. Even by reviewing the photos on the small LCD it is hard to see on those small screens if the digital photo is focused correctly or not. With digital SLR cameras this becomes easier as looking through the viewfinder provides an accurate focus feedback through the digital camera’s lenses. Digital cameras provide some sort of feedback – either audible or visual – when they are focused. They also display a green rectangle (or another shape or color) around the area of the photo that they focused on. It is important to make sure that this area is where the objects you want to focus on are especially when there are multiple objects in different distances from the camera.

Blurry photos can also result from shakings of the camera. Such shakings are mostly a problem in conditions where a long shutter time is used. When the shutter opens for a very short period small shakings would not be noticeable. If the shutter is opened for longer period usually longer than 1/250 of a second shakings become an issue. To avoid such shakings learn how to hold the camera steady using two hands and leaning on your face. If the shutter speed is very slow try to stabilize the camera preferably using a tripod but if you do not have one you can improvise using any stable surface such as a table or a wall.

Dark digital photos: Digital photos that look dark are usually a result of underexposure. They are dull and lack details. In most cases the camera can automatically set the exposure to produce good quality digital photos. In some scenarios however the camera sets the wrong exposure. Learning to identify these scenarios can help you compensate for such camera errors. If there is a very bright light source in the photo it can confuse the camera to believe that there is enough light in the scene for a low exposure setting. It is a good assumption that scenes that have extreme lighting differences between different areas will confuse the digital camera. In such cases you can manually correct the exposure. If your camera supports bracketing a good option would be to take a few photos of the same scene in different exposure settings and later on to choose the best one.

Art glass paperweights

2007-01-21T21:45:00.000-08:00

I have a shop that sells art glass. My favorite art glass is paperweights. I have a lot of fun attending art auctions and buying art glass. I try to pay attention to what my friends and clients like and dislike.

I usually give people art glass paperweights that I find at art auctions for milestone birthdays and anniversaries. My grandmother turned eighty last October and I found a wonderful art glass paperweight for her.

The art glass paperweight that I found for my grandmother was made by Baccarat. I was extremely lucky that this was one of the last things auctioned. A lot of people had already left the art auction when this item went on the block. My grandmother appreciated the pansy design because the pansy is her favorite flower.

My cousin loves frogs. She has managed to decorate her home tastefully with her favorite item. I have been on the lookout for an art glass paperweight for her for years. I finally found one at an art auction I was at last year. The art glass paperweight featured a frog sitting on a lily pad and the frog was surrounded by blue water. It was really pretty and my cousin started using it on her desk immediately.

My aunt collects art glass paperweights. I have been asked by her on numerous occasions to find pretty art glass paperweights for her while I’m attending art auctions. Of all of the pieces I’ve won for her over the years, one memory sticks out in my memory more than any other.

By far the prettiest art glass paperweight I’ve ever won at an art auction has to be one that features a blue and gold Macaw. Rick Ayotte was the artist that created it and it was even featured in a book of his work. He has created many lovely art glass paperweights.

I have an art glass paperweight in my shop that just won’t sell. It has been in the store the longest and I think I may have it priced too high. I won the paperweight at an art auction several years ago for one thousand dollars. The paperweight was created by Paul Stankard and it should have easily sold for twice what I paid for it.

I have no trouble at all selling art glass paperweights that were made by Rick Ayotte. His work seems to draw the most interest. I try to win any auction I find for art glass paperweights he made. I won one not long ago that was pink roses. They looked so delicate and sweet. I know that this art glass paperweight will sell quickly.

There have been some inquiries at my shop for art glass paperweights by Richard Marquis. I haven’t found any in any of the art auctions I’ve attended recently. I looked at some of the pieces he’s made and I’m not especially impressed.

I will keep looking for the art glass paperweights at the art auctions I attend, but I will not be going way out of my way to track them down. I will just remember that Marquis is an artist that some of my clients are really interested in. I’m sure that I will find an art auction with one of his pieces in it at some point.

There were some inquiries about nautical themed art glass paperweights a couple of years ago and I found a fantastic artist that made them. I buy every art glass paperweight I can find that was made by Rick Satava. My favorite has to be the coral orange jellyfish that I found at an art auction an hour from my home. It was really pretty.

The coral orange jellyfish art glass paperweight was just the first Rick Satava piece that I’ve found at various art auctions. I’ve also found jellyfish in ruby and blue. They are beautiful by themselves or when they are put onto a black light stand that has been built especially for them.

How Will You Learn to Play the Piano?

2007-01-13T21:11:00.001-08:00

Is your passion listening to piano music? Would you like to be able to play just like your idols? Are you thinking of taking lessons but you are not sure where to start? It could even be that you have had some lessons but you have given up as it has taken longer than you thought to learn. Lots of other people may well be in your shoes at this moment and only need a push in the right direction.

The Various Ways to Learn the Piano

Before you do anything else, it is essential to know that there are two ways of playing a piano. These are:

1. Chords
2. Note reading

It is a good idea to know what you want to do when playing the piano. If you are happy enough playing music other people have written, all you have to do is learn how to read the notes. However, on the other hand, if you are more creative and you would like to write your own inspiring music, an understanding of chords is a must.

If you want to learn to play the piano fairly fast, it may be a wise choice to take a chord based approach. If you learn the chords on the piano, you can learn the sounds they make and, therefore, make your own music. You can always learn note reading afterwards if you choose.

The Pros and Cons of Learning from a Teacher

Finding a qualified and reliable instructor is the key to having successful lessons while learning to play the piano. You could learn at home or at the instructor’s studio. There are advantages to both, so it all depends on where you would feel most comfortable. A lot of people try to find an instructor that is local to where they live.

When you are looking for an instructor, you will need to have a goal in mind. It could be that you want to play for fun and want to learn how to play from music sheets. However, if you want to be more creative, it may be a good idea to look for instructors that will give you chord based lessons.

If you hire a piano instructor expecting to make your own music and they teach you nothing but reading notes, you will obviously not be able to reach your goal. Make sure that you know exactly what you will be achieving. Otherwise, you could be wasting a lot of money on something that you, basically, do not want. Also, it can be a huge waste of money to learn something that you could learn online for a cheaper price, and it is just as effective.

Learning online

As mentioned earlier, learning online is a lot cheaper than piano lessons and it is just as good. It can be a great benefit to learn online as you can do it in your own time and at your own pace without someone breathing down your neck. It can also help to save time, too, so the benefits are quite good when learning online.

The only real disadvantage with learning online is that a person may not have enough motivation to learn properly. Also, with an instructor, if there is something that doesn’t make sense, they can get help. When you are learning online, it may not make much sense and there is no instructor there to ask for help.

You can also learn how to play the piano with piano learning DVDs and computer software designed to help.

General Guidelines to Learning the Piano

Overall playing the piano should be something that is fun and it should certainly not reduce you to tears all of the time. If you take your time learning and have regular practice you will eventually achieve what you want. You should not give up if it is something that you have wanted to do for a long time. There may be times that you get frustrated, but just keep going and you will be able to play the piano just as good as anyone else can, and even write your own music in time.

Finding Discounted Broadway Play Tickets

2007-01-13T21:11:00.000-08:00

New York Theaters, especially Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway theaters, have been gaining increasing popularity over the years. So much so that people who visit New York City for a short time on business, or on a vacation, want to squeeze in at least one Broadway play into their itinerary. With the Box Office on Broadway grossing huge amounts with each show, the prices of Broadway play tickets are heading northwards. What has added to the cost of tickets is the increasing production costs of mainstream plays on Broadway. The presence of many top Hollywood stars in Broadway productions, too, have added to their production costs.

With 39 theaters on the Broadway beat, and many others commonly called the Off-Broadway and Off-Off-Broadway theaters, totaling more than 100, a little research can help you get discounted Broadway play tickets for plays of your choice.

Looking For Discounted Tickets

The easiest way to purchase Broadway play tickets is through the Box Office, but they are normally sold at face value, and are quite expensive. You can, though, get your hands on discounted play tickets through the Box Office if the play is not so popular. Such discounts could be as much as 50 percent. Normally, discount tickets for a new play, and the ones that are popular, are never available, unless you get lucky and may get some extra tickets available at the last moment.

Tickets that have been reserved on behalf of actors or other patrons, for their guests who do not turn up or cancel, may be available at the Box Office. Such Broadway play tickets can be available at very reasonable prices, and these could be for great seats. Another way is to get your hands on discount codes that are released by theaters in New York for marketing purposes. You can save around 50 percent of the ticket price with such codes, which can be found on the Internet.

Theaters have certain seats that obstruct a clear view of the stage because of the scenery or props, or a support column. Such seats are available at huge discounts, if you are ready to forgo a piece of the action, at some particular spot on the stage. Students are offered discounts on presentation of their IDs, and are normally allowed two tickets on one ID. The discounts may vary from theater to theater and the play, but they are substantial. It involves going to the theater and standing in line to see if student discount tickets are on offer or not.

One other way of securing discount tickets is to opt for Standing Room Only (SRO) tickets. Of course, you will have no seat and will have to watch the complete show standing up. One thing is clear, though. There will be no obstruction, and the view to the stage will be clear. You may get lucky and find yourself a seat if any is available after the play starts.

These are some of the ways by which you can find yourself discounted Broadway play tickets, and save yourself a lot of cash.

Start Playing Instruments

2007-01-12T21:10:00.003-08:00

Playing instruments is really like riding a bike. Playing an instrument is a physical, highly demanding, and coordinated activity. Nothing in playing instruments is neater than being able to get a hold of an older instrument and trying to make music out of it. One of the most important things when playing instruments is when you have just enough skill to be able to produce the music that you want. People who play instruments don’t understand why people who don’t play think its difficult, because it really isn’t.

Your child explores the world of music through singing, playing instruments, moving, and listening. Students in the early stages of music education learn by doing. Persons with almost any disability have ability when it comes to music. Experiencing music involves the creation of the following: playing instruments, dancing and singing. Creating, responding to and performing music are the fundamental music processes. Student’s experiences music through playing instruments, song and listening which makes playing music enjoyable and spontaneous. People have learned in many different ways about music and playing instruments, it definitely changed over the past 100 years. The making of music, musical intelligence, arises within the process of listening and playing.

All children derive a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction from playing instruments. In the history of human race we have been writing playing instruments, songs and singing for thousands of years it is a way we express ourselves.. Playing instruments is a physical, highly demanding, and coordinated activity. Studying music is accomplished through many different methods, some of them are playing instruments, singing, and listening to music are just a few of the methods we use in our everyday lives. Since the beginning when musical instruments were invented, for some reason people have strived to convert them into automated self-playing instruments. Young people who continue playing instruments following the transition to secondary school have greater confidence in their own. Singing, listening, playing instruments, moving, performing, and creating enable them to develop artistic skills and knowledge.

For many people the experience of purchasing instruments and playing instruments has been signified by financial constraints. It is always important to consider value when buying an instrument. There are many choices when faced with buying a professional quality instruments.

Singing and playing instruments is actually a sign of being highly intelligent. Nobody know why people think playing instruments is difficult, it's not. The more you practice and the more time you put into it the easier it gets.

History Of Rock Music

2007-01-12T21:10:00.001-08:00

Rock music, where did it all begin? Believe it or not a black man who played black music, originally founded rock music in the mid 50s, this man was Chuck Berry. Rock music became popular almost over night, and was accepted with open arms by the younger generations. This was largely due to younger generations who were excited by the thought of having music that expressed their rebellious streak and their desires to promote anti-conformism.

This style of music is a far cry from the modern rock music of today that has evolved over the decades and branched out into a multitude of different genres and sub-genres to create music that is more a way of life than entertainment. However, the still prominent fact that rock music is a form of self- expression and non-conformist desire still remains strong even after all this time.

Rock music grew stronger and stronger with idols such as Elvis Presley, around this time many of the black rock and roll artists left the rock music scene and in their place were a host of other white rockers with a style and look all of their own.

After Elvis Presley's famous entrance, other well known rock idols and bands started popping up from everywhere, but something was lost along the way, rockers started losing sight the whole reason that rock and roll had become popular in the first place, which was non conformist and rebellious attitudes.

During this time rock music, took a huge nosedive with the younger generations, who were uninterested in a mixture of country music, folk songs, and rock music. This was in the late fifties and musicians such as Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers were foremost rockers in the rock music scene.

Just as things were looking bleak, Bob Dylan entered the scene during the Vietnam War and held the heart and attention of many youth of the era with his songs of the Vietnam War and civil rights. Around this time, the Beach Boys changed the rock music scene with their new style of rock music.

California had its own unique spin on rock and roll, which contained very sophisticated and vocal harmonies; this style of rock music was a change from the empathetic shouting that had first been introduced by the black musicians in the mid 50s.

In the early sixties, Britain took on a whole new aspect of rock music and created a rage with bands such as the Rolling Stones and the Animals. During this era, the Yard birds also debuted and although they were in the shadows of the Rolling Stones, they were in fact the beginnings of something great, the musicians from this band were later on to revolutionize rock music all over again.

Nevertheless, it was the birth of the Beatles that created a worldwide mania and the beginning of rock music as a business was really born. Following the Beatles, the second generation of rockers were the Kinks and the Who, the Who had changed rock music forever with their mechanically amplified guitars and songs dedicated to the angry frustrated youth of the 60s

Free Movie Clips

2007-01-11T21:09:00.000-08:00

Movie clips are vignettes that clue viewers in to the story, artistry, and action of a movie. They are enticements to attract the viewer to watch the entire feature film. Clips may show background scenes, set design, action cuts, director’s introductions, technicians and actors discussing the movie, or they may be used to create hype about a new movie.

Movie clips are mostly free, financed by the studios that produce the movie. They appear at a carefully planned time in selected media building up hype reaching a peak around the movie’s premier date. Advertising agencies or movie companies themselves design the movie clips, sorting out the best moments of a movie to woo the filmgoer to come to the theatre and spend his precious dollars to watch the film.

Movie clips centered on a particular theme are also common. This includes short movie clips, children’s movie clips, Disney movie clips, and funny movie clips. Fans of certain actors also organize movie clips like James Bond movie clips and Mae West movie clips. Film based movie clips are free unlike some other clips.

Who can forget the clips from Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho when he takes us on a trip around Norman Bates mansion and zeroes into the bathing scene of a screaming Janet Leigh? This clip sets the tone for the movie and made it the classic that it eventually became. Sometimes editors of movies may show scenes in clips that they may not show in the movie but include merely for curiosity value.

Free movie clips are available on television, theatres, and on the Internet. Very often, studios like to showcase their upcoming features by showing clips before or after a full-length movie playing in a theatre. Movie clips are also repeatedly shown on television with interviews of cast and directors. Fans can also download favorite clips free from the Internet.

Hip Hop and Education Educating Through Music

2007-01-11T21:08:00.000-08:00

"Hip hop is inherently political, the language is political. It uses language as a weapon -- not a weapon to violate or not a weapon to offend, but a weapon that pushes the envelope that provokes people, makes people think." - Todd Boyd,
Professor University of Southern California's School of Cinema-television.

It's true what they say about music -- it is a universal language. Regardless of where people are from or what language they speak, music that has universal appeal can do more than entertain. It can bring people together, get people to think and some cases provide a soundtrack for change. Never has his become more present than in the music
of hip hop that went from an expressive combination of lyrics and rhythm to a lifestyle and culture that has permeated popular society.

More than just a beat

As stated above the "hip hop" professor, Todd Boyd, hip hop is far more than just clever rhymes and banging beats. It has the potential to educate. Boyd is one of the many educators
blazing the trail that of bringing hip hop to education purporting that as a learning tool, it's very powerful. Take for example the organization H2ED (Hip Hop Education). Their formula of T.O.P.S.Y (teachers, organizations, parents,
social workers and youth) seeks to involve the adults and leaders in the community to band together focus educating the youth using things that they can relate to.

This Is How They Do It

According to their mission, "H2Ed is to serve as a resource for educators and those committed to helping children succeed in school by using the power of hip-hop culture as a learning tool. This is achieved by compiling and maintaining a
comprehensive list of educational resources, products and services available for educators. By providing important networking opportunities and by advocating on both the institutional and grassroots levels for educational reform.
" (About H2ED, www.h2ed.net)

The common misunderstanding or misconception is that you walk into a classroom and there is a hip hop beat blaring while a teacher attempts to rhyme the key points of American history.While that my seem like a clever and entertaining idea for
Hollywood films it's a hackneyed attempt at best to incorporate what hip hop can teach. Consider the basic tenets of recording, producing and distributing an independently produced hip hop CD.
Within this one projecct.

* Basic Business Training * Project Follow Through * Problem Solving * Social skills necessary for meeting goals * Team Building * Marketing * Sales (The DJ Project, By Dave Kim, Bay Guardian, San Francisco)

Involving youth in a project of this nature is exactly the goal of initiatives like San Francisco's DJ Project. Much like H2ED,the DJ project uses hip-hop culture to reach out to urban youths for which this music has become an integral part of their lives. It would seem that the old perception of this music being a bad influence and having no redeeming qualities has actually been changed and is now perceived as music that can actually create a sense of empowerment for many kids.

For the Colorado Hip Hop Coalition (CHHC) founded in 1979 they take this empowerment to another level by:

* Creating a cultural connection between hip hop Culture that and kids * Giving youth a stronger voice in the creation of programs suited to their needs and interests * Developing a community network of hip hop artists and entrepreneurs that
work collectively to create community economic opportunity

Mini CD Replication

2007-01-10T21:08:00.000-08:00

A mini CD forms the middle ground between a normal-sized CD and a business-card CD. The 185 MB of a mini CD is enough for the usual data storage. It can also be easily distributed. A business card-sized CD can hold up to 50 MB of data. A mini CD is probably a better option if your data exceeds this marginally.

The mini CD has an edge over regular CDs, as it is only 3” in diameter. Also, it delivers like a full CD-ROM and is more cost-effective than printed material. A mini CD also fits into all computer drives and regular stereo CD players. It has almost universal compatibility. A mini CD can provide up to 24 minutes or 210 MB of data, and can be used with standard audio or CD-ROM data file formats. A mini CD holds 5,400 PDF pages, 1,800-7,200 HTML pages, 15 minutes of MPEG Video, 15 minutes of CD-Audio or 170 minutes of MP3 as well as 900 Power Point slides- more than enough for a full multimedia presentation.

Mold changes to the stamper machine are used to make or replicate 3” mini CDs. These add a few pennies to each run. The mini CD-ROM is generally used for direct mailing as well as trade show giveaways. It is utilized also for the distribution of sales catalogs, product brochures or short videos. Therefore, cost-effective CD replication is a must for mini CDs.

For mini CD replication, PMS color-screen-printing can be used. This CD replication also utilizes color process offset printing and pit-art capabilities. CD replication companies also offer attractive mini CD replication services. Apart from standard replication copper or gold targets, real 24K gold targets, white or other color flood coats are also offered. The mini CDs are generally packaged using PVC sleeves or printed-paper sleeves with or without a window.

How To Obtain Affordable New York Broadway Tickets

2007-01-10T21:07:00.000-08:00

Buying New York Broadway tickets is expensive business, especially when you are looking for premium seats for popular shows. You can buy your Broadway tickets through ticket agencies, such as Telecharge and Ticket Master, which sell around 98 percent of all Broadway tickets. These agencies, however, sell tickets at face value, and you have to pay an additional booking charge, which at present comes to $8 for every ticket purchased. You can, of course, avoid paying this booking fee by buying your tickets directly from the Box Office, but you still buy at the face value.

When a particular show becomes popular, certain private ticketing agencies buy up all the extra tickets available, and you land up paying more for the tickets you need. This happens when you approach agencies, such as eBay, and Craig list, among others.

Does this mean that you cannot obtain New York Broadway tickets at affordable prices?

Knowing How To Do It

Of course, you can buy New York Broadway tickets at prices lower than the face value of the ticket – if you know how. Let us look at the alternatives available for obtaining affordable tickets for top shows on Broadway.

Starving Artist Tickets – These New York Broadway tickets are designed for purchase by struggling artists who cannot afford to buy tickets on full price. To obtain these you must remain on line for a few hours. These can be obtained even for the top shows, and the best seats in the house can be bought for as little as $20.

Anyone Rush Tickets – These are same day tickets given out in a lottery, and are available when the Box Office opens a few hours before the production starts. If you are lucky to win the lottery, these tickets cost around $25 to $45, and are to be paid in cash only.

Discount Ticket Codes – These secret codes are given out for marketing purposes. If you are able to obtain the code, you could avail of between 25 percent to 60 percent discount on the face value of the ticket. These discount codes can be used at the Box Office or with Telecharge or Ticket Master . Partial View Tickets – Certain seats have obstructed view due to the scenery, or due to the support columns that come in the way. New York Broadway tickets for such seats, which may be at the very front or the sides of the orchestra, are available at significant discounts.

Student Rush Tickets – These are ideal for students, and are available when the Box Office opens, or a few hours before the production starts. These cost between $20 to $25 per ticket, and each student ID can purchase two tickets. Standing Room Only – These tickets are very inexpensive and may cost around $20 for even the top Broadway show. These do not guarantee any seats, but you may possibly get a seat if any remain unoccupied after the show has started.

Get Acquainted with the Versatile Art Dealer, Mirek Klabal

2007-01-09T21:07:00.003-08:00

The tale of Mirek Klabal is an amazing story that can only happen in America. Mirek Klabal started out as a boy in Prague, dreaming about the world of art. Even at a young age Mirek Klabal had a passion for art. As a kid Mirek Klabal was always reading art books and going to art museums. Mirek Klabal studied art in college and told his parents that he would find a way to make art pay off for him. Boy did Mirek Klabal make good on that promise. Mirek Klabal is one of the world’s most prominent art dealers. Mirek Klabal’s expertise is routinely sought out all over the world. That sometimes makes Mirek Klabal’s travel schedule hectic. Mirek Klabal has clients on every continent which is an amazing feat, and it speaks volumes about the level of service Mirek Klabal provides for his clients.

Mirek Klabal is living the American dream. Mirek Klabal is a living a lifestyle that people see in movies. Mirek Klabal has obtained all the finer things in life. Every day Mirek Klabal drives to office in a fancy sports car. Mirek Klabal’s office is the most stunning gallery in the land. Mirek Klabal has elegantly combined two apartments to form an amazing gallery. Mirek Klabal has custom made floor and lighting. The gallery called MK Fine Arts is a thing of beauty. Mirek Klabal says his gallery makes him feel happy and productive. Mirek loves the hustle and bustle of making deals and acquiring “one of a kind” paintings. Mirek wouldn’t trade his job for any other in the world. Mirek Klabal’s company is called MK Fine Arts. The gallery is so modern looking and minimalist it is a true delight to set foot in there. There is nothing else like it. When you walk into the gallery you are engulfed by the soft music that is playing and all the fine paintings that you see. Mirek Klabal has a huge inventory of paintings. The artists that Mirek Klabal collects for his own personal collection are: Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dali, Edgar Degas, Wassily Kandinsky, Gustav, Klimt, Joan Miro, Henri Matise, and Jackson Pollack.

Mirek Klabal is so happy that he made his dreams come true in America. Mirek spends the weekends at his compound in leafy Greenwich, Connecticut, where Mirek Klabal mingles with the upper crest of society. Now days Connecticut is surrounded by the hedge fund billionaires. Mirek Klabal lives next to all these new potential customers. Mirek Klabal hopes the hedge fund boom continues as Mirek Klabal says “Hey they pay lots of commission, they want the art they want and I facilitate their art transactions.” Mirek Klabal loves living in Greenwich; he says it is so close to the city but so far away. Mirek lives to play tennis and golf. Unfortunately he has been so busy his tennis and golf game are not where he wants them to be. That is the story with most successful businessmen like Mirek Klabal. They are driven by their passion and in Mirek’s case that passion is art. Art is the essence of Mirek Klabal.

The Benefits of Disposable Cameras

2007-01-09T21:07:00.001-08:00

Disposable cameras are cheap and easy to use. If you just want to take some snapshots and have fun then this is the camera for you. You can buy them in bulk for weddings and other special occasions. You can even take some of them underwater. Whether you take them snorkeling or to a messy kid’s birthday party, you won’t have to worry about ruining your expensive equipment.

Disposable cameras are also called "single-use" or "one-time" cameras. You can get both digital and film disposable cameras. They’re available almost everywhere, from your local camera store to the grocery store. These cameras take all the work, worry and fuss out of picture taking and leave pure enjoyment. The photo quality is often quite good, and the point-and-shoot nature of almost all disposable cameras mean that you can capture those moments that are missed as you fiddle with all the buttons and wires and the 100+ pages of detailed instructions in your expensive camera's owner's manual. Additionally, when you point a little plastic camera at someone, the reaction you get will likely be very different; people are disarmed, more casual and open.

There are a wide variety of Disposable Cameras on the market -- and many uses for them, too. Most models come with a rear monitor to view images. They are fully automatic, including the flash (if they have one), usually have a self-timer, and occasionally have an image-delete function. Prices for a camera with the capability for 25 or 27 pictures range from $9 to $19. These prices may or may not include processing, which adds around $10. You can get cheaper prices if you buy in wholesale in quantity or buy without a flash. They can be as inexpensive as $2.00 each!

Most models will yield an image of sufficient quality that it can be blown up to an 8 X 10 inch print, but not all. Some models that are under $10 create overexposed flash images when used with the camera's short flash range (only 4 feet to 8 feet). Another drawback with some of the cheaper models especially is that the viewfinder can be difficult to see through. Typically, even the more expensive versions make you wait between flashes, limiting how many pictures you can take in a given period of time.

Many disposable cameras have a rear monitor that lets you delete the image you just took. However, on most of these, you cannot scroll through the photos you have taken, or use the screen to frame a photo. On some of the less expensive models, the delete function is useless because there is no rear monitor to see what you are deleting.

Both the film disposable camera and the digital disposable camera are convenient and fun, but if you are looking for professional results or a variety of options, stick with the higher end film or digital cameras. And if you shoot photos on a regular basis, it's cheaper in the long run to purchase a regular, non-disposable camera even if you pay to process the prints.

However, having the option to take a disposable camera with you on a family vacation, work party or wedding can be great. Sometimes you don’t want to take an expensive camera on a trip for fear it will be stolen, you’ll leave it behind, or it might get broken --- an alternative solution comes in the form of the less expensive but perfectly serviceable disposable camera. You get the photos you want without the worry you don’t need.

Times in need of heroes

2007-01-08T21:06:00.001-08:00

NBC’s Heroes was dubbed a “surprise” success, but should it have been? In times like this, when we are assaulted with fears of sudden danger everywhere, aren’t Heroes exactly what we need? Many folks point to the cinematic qualities of the show, the urban-pasteurization of the super-hero motif, or the hyper-realism of Heroes as its reason for the success.

Heroes is a parable, above all. It’s a story that tells us that the ability to avert horrible disaster is sleeping within us; not in our genetics, but in our dormant sense of morality. The characters of heroes must break free of their lives of addiction, low self esteem, and indifference to beat the clock and save the world.

Peter Petrelli is, perhaps, the most metaphorical of the characters. His job on Heroes is as a monitor in a hospice center. He watches people die while his dreams to fly fall flat. It is not until he walks away from his indifference that he becomes one of the shows Heroes.

While the press fumbles to make sense of Heroes success, another thing becomes apparent about this tale. We watch these Heroes come together over a great expanse with a single important cause, to save the world. It is as if Heroes is making a hypnotic, subliminal call for globalization. A cry to the Heroes within us all.

Then again, maybe the media has it right; maybe it’s just the evolution of the superhero culture, a paradigm shift in a story-telling venue that is long overdue for a little re-energizing. But when I look at what the media has to say, I still can’t help but think that they might be missing the point. Heroes is, like any other superhero story, about our struggle to fly; our dream to find the hero within ourselves.

Grey's Anatomy and Music Everybody Wins

2007-01-08T21:06:00.000-08:00

Grey's Anatomy is a great show for a number of reasons. One of my favorite, however, that few people talk about, is the music. Grey's Anatomy features some of the best up and coming talent that the music industry has to offer. After every episode, I go on line and check out what those awesome songs were on Grey's Anatomy that night and then I go to iTunes and I download them. Lot's of my favorite CD's have come from me first hearing about them on Grey's Anatomy.

Rilo Kiley, Corinne Bailey Rae, Snow Patrol, James Blunt, Iron & Wine, The Fray, Tegan and Sarah, and much more have all been featured on Grey's Anatomy. It's incredible, really. Creator Shonda Rhimes is a ridiculously huge music buff (every episode is title after a famous pop song) and it shows on Grey's Anatomy.

It is also beneficial to artists looking for publicity. In today's world it's harder for great bands to shine through, with the plethora of available bands out there who are saturating the market. Weeding out the bad from the good is a difficult task. When something like Grey's Anatomy can do the heavy lifting for you, its a huge weight off the shoulders of any music fan.

Grey's Anatomy is a great show and would be regardless of the music being used. However, there is no other show out there that uses music as well or with as much intelligence as Grey's Anatomy does. If you haven;t already you should buy the soundtracks or at least check out the great new bands that have their music showcased on Grey's Anatomy every week.

Top 3 Movies Of All Time

2007-01-07T21:05:00.000-08:00

There are some movies that each and every one of us has seen at least once. They have made a very strong impression on us and, no matter how long it has been since they were released, we would still want to watch them when we have the time. These movies are great achievements of the film industry that will never be old and boring to any of us.

The Godfather seems to be the movie leading the list of all time favorite films. It is based on the novel by Mario Puzo, called Mafia. The first part of the The Godfather trilogy pictures Don Vito Corleone, head of the Corleone crime family, struggle with the realities of an ever changing world. He falls foul of Sollozzo’s backers the Tattaglia family, because he refuses to work with drug dealer Virgil Sollozzo in an attempt to push heroin in New York.

Michael, as the son of Vito, was not involved in the family business, but still, he was close to being killed. His father Vito was wounded in this attempted assassination. Michael is sent to Sicily and returns after his brother Sonny is executed by the rival Barzini family. Michael finally gets to be the head of the family. Vito Corleone dies of a heart attack. Michael plans for the murder of the heads of the other families to take place during the baptism ceremony of his nephew. And all this in revenge for the attacks on his family. The film also presents the execution of Michael’s brother-in-law, Carlo Rizzi, whom he suspected of being involved in Sonny’s death.

The second part of The Godfather trilogy pictures the adolescent life of Don Vito Corleone in Sicily and New York during the early 20th century, explaining the way he has managed to become the Mafia Don.

Another very important movie of all times is The Shawshank Redemption, which is based on a novella written by the famous author called Steven King. The story speaks about a successful banker wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife and her lover. His name is Andy Dufresne. He is sent to the maximum security Shawshank Prison to serve two life sentences. There he meets Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding, a prisoner who helps him get used to prison life.

So, these are the top 3 movies of all times. I haven’t told their whole story, because there might be a slight chance that you have not yet seen these movies. I will leave you to discovering the magic of these great films!

Practicing And Performing Music

2007-01-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

There is a perception that performing and practicing music are two very different activities. I think that the relationship between performing and practicing is deeply intertwined and at a certain level the distinction between the two virtually disappears.

At some point in a musical career, performing itself becomes the greater learning experience. Greatly significant aspect of performing is the tremendous energy that is experienced during a live performance in front of a receptive audience.

The true purpose of developing mechanical and musical ability becomes evident and the focus of practice sessions is changed. At that point, ironically enough, performing itself becomes the true learning experience because a tremendous energy is experienced during a live performance in front of a receptive audience. The energy of the audience, as perceived or felt by the performer, pushes him to new heights of artistic achievement and practicing becomes preparation to concentrate and enhance that experience; this marks the beginning of the transition from musician to artist.

The artist will find new ways of practicing to bring live performances closer to the pure ecstasy of musical expression in all ways. Bringing diverse disciplines such as psychology and other artistic disciplines such as theater and dance will enable the artist-musician to achieve greater control of the instrument and maximize the overall performance itself.

This is the true transformation from musician to artist, by developing personal, unique and creative ways of expression. As these progresses, the artist will realize great improvement in concentration, ease of performance and greater synchronicity of body, mind and what professional musicians like to call "soul".

As practice is transformed into a more fulfilling and rewarding experience is reached an important step towards scaling the heights of artistic achievement. As music is something that the artist enjoys, practice is, in effect, playing music and should always be enjoyed for its own sake.

When Are Lyrics Not Important?

2007-01-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

As many fans of music know, the lyrical parts of a song are usually the most important and integral pieces to a particular song or piece’s success. Many times these words are the only part of a song that fans will remember or be able to recognize in an instant. In addition, it is common for artists to make the leap into becoming a superstar when they come out with great lyrics for their new hits. But the truth is that not every artist in the world who is selling CDs and concert tickets has great lyrics to their work, or any at all for that matter. You might be wondering, how can music be good without meaningful words, much less having no words at all? This article should help to answer that question and change the common notion that all great music must have unbelievable lyrics as well.

To start out with, it is important to realize that music is not just the songs a person can hear on a radio. In fact, the first pieces of music were almost exclusively played in a concert hall. In this setting, a group of different instruments play in unison to a conductor’s movements. There are no words because quite simply there doesn’t need to be any. Some of the most famous musical work in the world, and oldest at that, is often played in this style. While not popular with the youth today, classical music, as it is often termed, often goes hand in hand with being upper-class. Whether this is a fair pairing or not, that is debatable. But this much is true, many people find deeper meaning and enjoy this style of music without looking for words to accompany they harmony of the instruments!

On the other hand, a popular selection at almost any night or dance club is techno music. Techno music is often generated on a computer, and combines wacky sounding drum beats and other instrumental sounds to make a song that sounds like it was electronically produced. This music has many different beats and often is extremely easy to dance to. While it can have words, it is more common for techno songs to be without any human voices, or to use them sparingly. Even with the absence of almost any words at all, however, techno music remains a popular choice on any dance floor and it would be hard to find a club that doesn’t play at least one song. Indeed there are even some popular techno artists, whose main musical talents lie in creating new beats and remixing past billboard toppers!

All in all, it should be fairly obvious by now that a song doesn’t have to have lyrics to be considered worth listening to. Many different types and genres of music embedded in our society today are, in fact, found without any words at all. Whether it be rich classical music that your grandparents listen to, or fast-moving techno music that you dance to, words are not as important as they may seem initially.

Heroes and the Comic Book Revolution

2007-01-06T20:54:00.000-08:00

The comic book revolution in today's modern pop culture has been more or less unheralded. Although a major coup in the world of geekdom, the mainstream press has regarded the increase in mass-market comic book entertainment as nothing more than a passing trend.

The popularity of comic book entertainment is no trend, nor will it pass any time soon. For no other reason than stubbornness, the bigwigs in charge of the entertainment industry had, in the past, not given comic books and their fans the proper due. There has always been an audience for big-budget super hero films, but those films were never treated with respect until the year 2000. As this insightful BuddyTV article shows, the release of the Bryan Singer directed "X-Men" in 2000 set the wheels in motion for the evolution of comic book entertainment. Since "X-Men's" massive success, the studio heads have changed their tune and are now fully committed to satiating the rabid super hero fan base.

Now that comic books have conquered the big screen, it was time for them to turn their attention to television. "Heroes" on NBC is a shining example of what the comic book culture can bring to a wide, national television audience. Comic books have provided serial drama long before the likes of "Lost" and "24" did. Frankly, there is no better medium for comic books than television; the stories can take their time to build and evolve. Heroes has done its very best to please comic die-hards while also creating an engrossing drama appropriate for mass consumption.

For a wonderful and succinct recap of the evolution of comic book entertainment that eventually led to the creation of NBC's "Heroes", check out BuddyTV's smart and insightful article.

Interview with the Creators of The Class

2007-01-05T20:54:00.003-08:00

David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik are two of the great sitcom minds of our generation. David Crane was the mastermind behind sitcom giant "Friends" and now has birthed a new sitcom with long-time partner Jeffrey Klarik (of "Mad About You" fame) called The Class. The Class has started out a tad bumpy, creatively, but, given the premise, this is to be expected. When Crane started "Friends" it was hailed as revolutionary in that their were six main characters. None was more important than the other, and they all shared equal screen time. The ensemble comedy has never been the same.

With The Class, Klarik and Crane have become ridiculously ambitious. Eight main characters are supplemented by four secondary characters, leading to a whopping total of twelve regular characters. Try finding a realistic way of introducing all of them in a twenty two minute pilot. But, alas, Crane and Klarik have accomplished this and, although this may be arguable, they've done it with flying colors. Just excuse them if the laughs aren't all there yet. Exposition is a writer's worst enemy and The Class is saddled with the requirement of setting up all twelve of their characters in a short time. Adding to this predicament is the fact that almost every main character leads a separate and unique life. Before the pilot, few of the characters have interacted in years. Most sitcoms begin their pilot already well into the plot. By this, I mean there is no inciting incident that allows the premise of the show to occur. The set-up has happened in the past, off-screen.

The Class is different. The characters will evolve, they're relationships will grow as they interact more and more. The sheer amount of possible combinations of on screen characters on The Class is staggering.

The BuddyTV interview with Crane and Klarik belies a deep-seeded knowledge in what it takes to make TV comedy work and gives the reader a clear example of exactly why these two have become as successful as they have. They are workaholics and, if you had any doubts about The Class before, you'll soon realize that you're in good hands.

How To Reduce Craft Show Costs

2007-01-05T20:54:00.001-08:00

It's not always easy. You have to be creative with how you pare your craft show costs down. That's what I'm going to help you with. I think there are 4 main ways you can do this, without sacrificing the quality of your craft, nor affecting the overall sales.

1.) Buy in bulk – You do it for your groceries in order to save a few pennies, so why not on your craft supplies? If you are buying pipe cleaners (for example) and you only need 10, it might cost you $2 – because you are paying for nice packaging and the convenience of only purchasing 10. But, if you bought 100, in a dull cardboard box – you might pay $4. The individual cost for the first 10 is $.20 each; the individual cost for the 100 is a measly $.04. All of a sudden you have dropped your cost by $.16 cents on each craft. That's smart business.

2.) Less frequent trips – We live in an instant gratification world. If we need something right now, we go and get it. It's no different when you need a couple of things for a few crafts that are unfinished. We often take for granted that there is fuel in the vehicle and that we can travel across the city to the specialty craft store that carries our supplies. What we don't realize is that each time we pull the vehicle out of the garage, it costs us money. If you are going to go out for just a couple of supplies, why not take stock of all of your craft supplies and see if you are near empty on a few other ones? By doing it all at once, you are going to save a great deal of time and money – reflected in your craft show business bottom line.

3.) Reduce and reuse – Reduce the amount of waste you create with your craft show items and you are most certainly going to cut down on the costs of producing them. Similarly, try to reuse some of the tools or supplies that have previously gone unused. Be creative – find ways to make a little go a lot further – without sacrificing quality for your crafts.

4.) Plan – If you take the first three steps and put them together, what do you have? That's right – it is a craft show plan! By planning how, when and how much, you are going to give yourself a chance to make good decisions and reduce the cost of producing your crafts. Those without a plan are going buy less, spend more, travel more, and likely in the end waste more. That is not a way to run a successful business.

Each penny you can save when you are making your crafts is a penny that is back in your pocket. If you can reduce your costs by $1 for each craft, and you sell 100 crafts, that is $100 extra dollars in your jeans. All of a sudden, reducing costs seems well worth the work.

Hints And Tips For Those Learning To Sing

2007-01-04T20:53:00.001-08:00

Whether you are training your voice to join the ranks of professional singers or wish to cultivate your amateur talent, there are numerous aspects of singing to take into consideration. No matter how famous a singer is or how beautiful a voice, there will always be critical influences lurking in the shadows. They whisper about flat notes, put down song choices and even grimace at what a singer is wearing. All of these criticisms are fleeting.

It is up to the singer to learn from and embrace the good and the bad that comes with sharing his or her voice with the world. As long as you are confident and satisfied with your voice, the sky is the limit. Even the most popular vocalists of today have room for improvement.

When you’ve decided to embark on the path to develop your voice for singing, there is a certain level of respect regarding your craft to adhere to. As you enter the wonderful world of learning how to sing, there are many different concepts to embrace and aspects to consider when you are ready to take your potential to the next phase.

Choosing the Song That is Right For You

Although you may croon Frank Sinatra in the shower or hum Cher in the car, this doesn’t mean their songs are the right ones for you to take on while developing your voice. When singing, your vocal capabilities will fall into a specific vocal range, which are based upon the sex of the singer and the tonal quality they have in their voice.

Females are deemed a soprano (highest vocal range), contralto (lowest singing voice) or mezzo-soprano, which sits between soprano and contralto. The highest vocal ranges for a man include soprano and alto, which is also a term used to express the lowest singing voice of a female. Males have a wider assortment of tones associated with the range of their voice.

A tenor has a high vocal range that enables the singer to reach dramatic high notes. In opera, this is one of the more popular ranges of voice. The lowest vocal range for a man is referred to as bass. Typically, men with deep-speaking voices accomplish this vocal range. In the middle, there is the baritone (a cross between bass and tenor) and bass-baritone (a cross between bass and baritone).

Knowing your vocal strengths and capabilities, as well as limitations, will help you choose the kind of songs that will bring out your natural talent. Surely, if you have a deep voice, you will not benefit from tackling high-pitched songs that torture and strain your vocal cords.

Caring For Your Voice

When you make it a habit to practice healthy voice techniques and care, you will experience an improvement in the quality of your voice. These habits also ensure that your voice will continue to function in top working condition for many years to come. Singers should drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day. This will keep the throat well hydrated. Proper breathing techniques will aid an individual in learning how to sing. Singers-in-training should avoid shouting, yelling and talking loud. All of these actions can lead to a hoarse voice, which affects your ability to sing.

How to Find a Free Phone Psychic

2007-01-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

Although the opportunity to receive free psychic advice via the internet is much greater than obtaining a free phone psychic reading, it is possible to make a free phone connection with a highly qualified psychic available for guidance through a variety of readings including the use of astrology and numerology or even contacting deceased family members to resolve emotional issues.

Referrals are the key to acquiring free phone psychic time to further explore the unanswered questions in life and receive guidance from a psychic. One program gives the participating customer 30 minutes of pre-paid time for psychic phone readings with the referral of every three friends or colleagues. Each referral must actually get psychic phone readings and have those verified before the free minutes are rewarded.

Introductory offers are always available at a reduced rate and a free phone psychic reading is occasionally available during a specified call-in date and time as a promotional offer. This information is usually available at the websites for various psychic providers and often included with email updates when callers register.

The reward of free phone psychic advice is an incentive for first time members who sign on and commit to a pre-paid plan with the provider. Introductory offers of one free question for a phone psychic is also a way to sample the advice from different psychics.

Television and radio appearances by professional psychics with an established following and audience will provide advice seekers the opportunity to ask a brief question and receive guidance along with a free phone psychic connection. In order to participate, the caller must be willing to have their question and voice aired on the television or radio program. It is not always necessary to reveal your name to the psychic or the audience. Check the website for your favorite psychic for schedule/event information.

Aliens: Where SETI Astronomers Can Find Them

2007-01-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, has been an ongoing endeavor for many decades. In the early days, it was expected to be quick success, so much so that national governments even helped fund these projects. Like the Moon race, there was something of a "find E.T." race. All that is gone now. Government funding has virtually evaporated around the globe. The explanation is simple: no one likes a perpetual failure. The few remaining SETI efforts have to count on private funding to scrape along. Well, the objective of this article is to come to the rescue of the last of the SETI astronomers, to tell them where they can find E.T. so that they can regain the world's respect.

That last sentence was not meant to be cynical. As noted in my article "Decoding Book Resurrects the Ancient Astronaut Theme," author Morten St. George claims that some of the prophecies of Nostradamus are of alien origin, and that those prophecies tell us how to calculate the galactic coordinates of where E.T. came from. In a follow-up interview, I posed the following question to St. George: Do you agree that contact with intelligent aliens could be of immense importance to humankind? He agreed. Then I asked: Do you agree that this is more important than your selling a few copies of your cryptic thinking book? He agreed. This article will be a little longer and a little more technical than the others.

According to St. George, three prophetic stanzas combine to provide information about E.T.'s location. The first of these is stanza number I-81. Here, the first four words of the fourth verse are the most relevant: "Kappa, Thita, Lambda, mors." St. George says he has an etymological dictionary that defines "mors" as the "bite of a scorpion." Consequently, Kappa, Theta, and Lambda are the names of three stars in the tail section of the constellation Scorpius. (Note that the use of Greek letters for star names postdates Nostradamus). It's a star arrow, and Lambda is the arrow head. Elsewhere, the prophecies name three cities to form an arrow circling around the globe; thus, St. George believes the three stars should be viewed as points on a sphere.

Where does the star arrow point? St. George says he followed the star arrow upwards on a star map and it hit or passed close to a dark cloud called Barnard 72, for which he already had other indications. So that's the answer. E.T. came from or near Barnard 72. But we're not done yet. We're looking for precise coordinates.

The second stanza is numbered IV-32. According to St. George's decoding, this stanza tells a story: Once upon a time, Triton, Pluto, and Charon formed a triple planet system with a distinct orbit around the Sun. Then one day, the aliens came along, grabbed hold of Triton, and pushed it into a retrograde orbit around the planet Neptune. In route to Neptune, Pluto and Charon hung on for a while, then broke loose and drifted off into a new orbit. When did this happen? St. George says the aliens were here in 580 A.D., so that would be his guess for the date of these planet manipulations.

Art Courses To Sharpen Up Your Craft

2007-01-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

If you love to draw, and have an interest in sharpening your skills for either professional or personal reasons, you are probably thinking of taking a few art courses to help you along in your endeavor. Art courses are everywhere. The trick is to find the right courses for your budget and your time schedule. Luckily, today there are more and more options than there used to be, and many different directions you can go when you attend classes. You may not even know what you want to do or what direction to take until you get started.

Schools like the Art Institute offer many different types of art courses. You can learn more about drawing, painting, graphic design, computer illustration, and special effects. You can also take photography or cooking classes, which many consider to be forms of art as well. While their art courses seem to be pretty well laid out for the average student, last I knew there were some elective courses you could add to your itinerary while in school. These schools offer not only art courses, but they will help you with housing, financial aid, and job placement once you have completed your degree.

If you don’t have an Art Institute nearby, and have no intention on moving away from where you are to take art courses, you can probably find some near where you live. Most community colleges have at least some art classes, but they may not offer a degree. It will depend on what you want to take art courses for, and how many different classes you want to take. Community college art courses are great for those who need a brush up on their skills, or for those who are taking classes for personal reasons.

You may also find individual artists in your area offering art courses from their home or a studio. These will not earn you a degree, but you can learn how to draw or paint this way. Usually these art courses are one on one, or if there is a class, the class is usually very small, and you get a lot of attention from your instructor. If you are already an artist and looking for a way to make more money, you might consider offering art courses to those in your community. Make sure you charge enough to make it worth your while, but don’t undermine yourself by charging a tiny fee.

Giclee Prints - Affordable Fine Art

2007-01-02T01:05:00.001-08:00

“Giclee” is a style of fine art, which incorporates the use of modern day printers, predominately 7-color to 12-color format ink jet printers and digital art work. The process is becoming more popular amongst modern day artists who regularly paint in digital format; hence there is no “original” artwork as such. It can also prove very beneficial to artists working on a tight budget, as they are able to reprint copies of the digital original on demand hence less wastage. The Giclee style is also being used to produce enhanced prints of older original artwork, which is digitally scanned as a starting point of the process.

The beauty of Giclee art is the fact that any digital artwork can be reproduced on a number of different media, including canvas and specialist papers giving a very professional look. The quality of today’s printers is such that rather than the old dot patterns the flow of coloring and texture is very smooth, offering an excellent finish.

While the Giclee procedure can be transferred to any style and format of fine art, it has become particularly prevalent in the tropical regions, with Hawaiian Giclee prints becoming much sort after in the art world. While initially the Giclee format had received a luke warm welcome from the more traditional of the art world, it has now taken a firm place as a modern day art form. Galleries are now accepting Giclee artwork into their shows, and the collectors are showing a real interest, resulting in the emergence of a Giclee market place.

In an art world often set against any new styles or procedures, which go against the traditional methods, Giclee is starting to make a big name for itself and is becoming more and more popular. This really is a case of traditional art embracing modern technology.

Fotomoto And A Dimly-Lit Bedroom In The North Of England

2007-01-02T01:03:00.000-08:00

Fotomoto, John Peel, and a dimly-lit bedroom in Stoke-on-Trent…

I first heard of Fotomoto through one of those random chances which seem to so influence our lives, kicking us off down an unexpected path.

My younger brother Richard had been living in North Wales for quite a few years, and I knew he had taught himself guitar in solitary flats and hotel rooms whilst earning a living as a chef in a string of establishments.

I even had some demo tapes he had made with a band appealingly called “The Scabbs”.

Through the North Wales musical set Richard hooked up with a band called Melys, and he played bass guitar with them. Melys had already enjoyed quite a bit of success with radio play and appearances on S4C. Their big triumph came at Christmas 2000 when they beat little know bands such as the White Stripes and Strokes to win John Peel’s legendary Festive Fifty with their single “Chinese Whispers”.

I was very impressed with this, having been a life-long fan and admirer of Peel since seeing him at the Hollywood (Staffordshire!) Festival, in summer 1970. I started listening again to J.P.’s late night midweek shows as a result, in the hope of catching some reference to Melys.

One evening John played a track by Fotomoto and commented that the band were looking for feedback and gave their email address. I emailed them and that started an email/internet dialogue which turned into much more! My dabbling with the internet and web sites had extended to setting up a family name history research site, mostly for the benefit of American relatives, but also to keep abreast of the technology for my rent-paying job.

I offered Fotomoto some space on my isp and they leapt at the chance, as they were keen to be better known in the West and free webspace was hard for them to come by. They designed the site and I set it up, along with an email group for interested fans.

The first two albums, the eponymous Fotomoto and Fotomoto2 were manufactured by me burning individual copies in my bedroom late at night, usually after a hard day’s work. They were mailed all over the world – UK, Ireland, , Mexico, Germany…such is the power of the Internet, Mr. Peel’s reputation and recommendation, and word of mouth.

Moscow record label Snegin produced their third album, “suranov, a?” but only made a limited run. It sold well, it sold out, and after that it was back to making copies one by one for the fans who knew where to look.

In June 2004 a long-cherished ambition was fulfilled. Fotomoto had been invited to do one of the most prestigious things in the musical world – a John Peel session at Maida Vale in London.

They endured bureaucracy, lack of ready cash, and a forty-hour coach trip from Kiev to London to make that dream come true.

The session was a triumph, with John Peel raving over their sound. I even got a mention!

I had the privilege of meeting Fotomoto in London, albeit briefly, as I happened to be there on business the day before they left.

We met at the ‘Head of Steam’ at Euston for about an hour while I waited for my train back to Stoke. Their spoken English was somehow worse than the pidgin emails they sent, but we got along and parted with many hugs and good wishes.

Rock journalist Matthew Collin took up the story. He had been fascinated by Eastern European rock for years and was intrigued by the tale of Fotomoto’s determination to play in the West. Matthew went to Ukraine to interview the band and it coincided with the Orange revolution in that country.

Music was mixing with politics and it was heady!

The resulting article in the Observer created a huge surge of renewed public interest in the band. John Peel’s untimely death added a frisson of tragedy to the whole issue.

Email and hits to the website went wild. Everybody wanted a copy of “suranov, a?”, the album Snegin had dropped. Following the Observer article I was interviewed by local fanzine editors and radio.

“How does a guy in Stoke get involved with a band in the Ukraine, and more column inches of interview in the Observer than John Peel..?”

I had the great honour of meeting John Peel a couple of times. The first was the awesome live session played by Melys in 2001 on the night Liverpool won the UEFA cup. Richard blagged me an invite and John spoke to me because I was the only other guy in Maida Vale approaching his age…”

Naturally he was euphoric about the win, and threw his record list to the floor, commanding Melys to ‘just keep playing’. I was introduced as ‘the man who looks after Fotomoto’ and I felt proud of that. I have a much cherished photo of John, Rich and me – John is clutching a glass of celebratory red!

By now I had a standing invitation to visit live sessions at Maida Vale if I happened to be in London on business. I tried very hard to ensure my meetings were on a Tuesday. Bosses, if you’re reading, please forgive!

Fotomoto also had a standing invitation to do another session, but this was not realized till December 2005.

The world had not forgotten John Peel, but it had moved on. Radio Ones’s OneMusic now occupied Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from 2300-0100 GMT.

Huw Stephens took up the cudgels for Fotomoto. I was invited to an early live session with Gryff Rhys of Super Furry Animals and went armed with the back catalogue of cd’s as J.P.’s originals were probably languishing with thousands of others at Peel Acres.

A date was agreed to record the session and this was December 7th 2005. Fotomoto also played the Progress Festival in Ghent, Belgium on the way to London. They also performed a live set at the Spitz club in the East End.

Once again I was fortunate enough to be in London the day after, though nursing a hangover from the company’s bash the previous night!

We met in Oxford Street, bustling with Christmas shoppers and sightseers watching the last red London Routemaster buses on route 159.

Try explaining to Ukrainians whose English is rudimentary, the intricacies of the extremely British eccentrics who are bus spotters. It certainly made my headache worse!

Folding Poker Table - A Complete Guide

2007-01-01T01:09:00.000-08:00

The game of poker is simply fun and popular to all. For those who love to play it a lot at home, then perhaps you may want to consider buying a folding poker table. If you do decided to get a table for your house, you will find that the extra expense is worth the cost. A folding poker table has many benefits that you may not even know of, so look into getting one; it surely has benefits for your home too.

Nothing is more exciting than getting together with family and friends for a night of entertainment is good for the soul, but it may not be so good for your house and furniture. If you choose to buy a folding poker table, it gives you a lot of protection for a little money. You can find for about $150.00 a nice table that will leave your dining room table free of nasty scratches and spills. Granted, you won’t be able to organize professional tournaments on a regular basis because it won’t hold up, but this type of folding poker table allows family and friends to enjoy the game.

Generally the standard size of one of these tables varies. There are some that are 38-58 inches on the top; some are larger, if you’re looking for a tournament style folding poker table. For sure, you will not need to worry too much especially about spills on your carpet, or water ring stains on good furniture either. In addition there are cup holders that have liners, and will hold up average size beverages. Besides, you don’t need to dodge stepping on poker chips on the floor, and bruising your feet. Animals and babies won’t be enticed either to chew, or become strangled on them because chip holders are formed into the folding poker table.

Also included are other options for gaming. The table will swing reverse, and lock into place revealing a game of Blackjack. As with the front, cup holders and chip cups leave you at ease if you’re worried about messes and clean up. Another great advantage is that a folding poker table can be a great accessory for your house; it can be either transported for easy storage or if you want to shift it to another location to play. For times when it is not in use simply slide it under a bed, or pack in a light weight carrying case for travel.

If you prefer there are more expensive versions available as well. If you’re worried about it interfering with your décor, you can order a lot of different colored felt to match your color scheme. Table top play can be enhanced with more of a quality table. On the other hand casino cloth will make the chips fall perfectly, and real leather can be special ordered if you want a folding poker table that will last for years and years to come.

No matter what type you want, the internet is your best bet to find it, or you can try in specialty stores that sell things like pool tables and other accessories. Selecting the size, quality or style of folding poker table just depends on your needs or desires. While you’re shopping remember the hassles that you’ll get rid of when buying one.

Staying Power - The Bars And Restaurants That Stand The Test Of Time

2007-01-01T01:08:00.000-08:00

Here today, gone tomorrow, bars have a reputation for short-term success. But a few have the ability to ride the times and keep on top of the game.

Ten years ago, I was sitting in The Groucho Club one late summer’s evening discussing with a now well known haute couture designer, the new wave of drinking culture that was enveloping the capital, arguing that London really had never been so exciting. Up until that point, drinks were very much a secondary element of the overall experience – wine was simply white or red, beer came only in a pint glass and vodka was whatever paint-stripper the barman chose to pour. But in the nineties, we were on the cusp of a cocktail movement. New-world wines were making the Chardonnay and Shiraz as commonplace as the Bordeaux, while new conceptual drinks like Red Bull were seriously shaking up the market, broadening people’s drinking landscape and challenging us to think about drinking as more of a lifestyle. Slowly, what was behind the bar appeared to be taking over the focus of the night. People were whispering rumours of late night bars that were open into the wee hours, where glamourous glitterati rubbed hips with the international jet-set over Manhattans and Martinis. They, along with The Groucho, were the places everyone wanted to be seen and their popularity seemed untouchable to all but the most cynical.

Of course, everything has a lifespan, we cynically agreed: fashion is dead in a season, and a fashionable bar – well you wouldn’t want to bet the house on it would you? We both concluded that fashions simply can’t last and those bars, which today were the subject of snaking queues, would quickly turn to yesterday’s news as would the drinks that were being quaffed within. Of course, in most cases we weren’t far wrong. Mondo, Saint, Titanic, Riki Tik... all have fallen by the wayside having once been celebrity favourites of their day. Many others have turned from exclusive A-list excellence to godawful tourist tat. The Gin Sling became the Sea Breeze became the Bramble became the Vanilla Mojito…

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Today, another ten years hence, I am back in the same leather couch of the same Groucho, and ordering from the menu a Red Bull, a drink whose ability to transcend fads and trends seems to symbolise the aspirations of nightlife culture. It has history and heritage and has attained almost timeless appeal. Fashionable works for a while, but every owner, manager and promoter hopes and strives for one thing ultimately – and that is to be the next classic. Because the classics, while small in number, exist on a plain far superior to fashion. Dotted amongst the sprawling community of one-off wonders that populate the bar world, a few classics really have stood the test of time, riding the cyclical waves to achieve immortal credibility. The Groucho is one of those timeless classics. Through the years it has always been at the top of its game, its members’ list comprising the same names that populate the pages of the celebrity press together with the successful and powerful in the world of media.

Nowadays, octogenarian founder members sit comfortably alongside young achievers and its long-term future would appear to be set in stone. Embassy is another long-time winner – or more to the point, its ever-present Rock ‘n’ Roll proprietor, Mark Fuller, who ran the original Embassy twenty years ago with equal success. This most recent incarnation of one of London’s most famous clubs, now with a fine dining restaurant that counts among the capital’s very best, and glitzy nightclub in the basement, is a rare constant in the oscillating world of the fashionable. Another face that has always been associated with bar and club supremacy is Jake Panayiotou who ran original celebrity hot-spot, Browns for a decade before moving on in its hay-day. His last few years at the helm of the Wellington Club in Knightsbridge have seen the age-old members’ club climb to yet new heights. But it’s not only members’ clubs that can battle through the ages unscathed. Music-led venues such as Medicine Bar in Islington, Bar Rumba, The Cross, Bar Vinyl and The End have all proved their mettle, while the likes of Hanover Grand, The Gardening Club and Iceni have collapsed into the annuls of ‘hip’ history.

So, what is it that sets the one-hit-wonders apart from the immortals? What makes a classic? Three characteristics seem to pump through the veins of all the long-term winners.

“Quality, choice and adaptability,” says Cas, The Groucho’s pre-eminent bar manager, as he deftly shakes up cocktails from behind the bar. “You have to offer a quality experience in the drinks, the music, the food and the people. You must give customers what they want and you have to adapt to the times.” Subtly underlining the point, my Red Bull silently arrives at the table on its own tray, dressed with a single, perfectly folded napkin.

Can staying power really be so simple to achieve? With twenty years of success behind The Groucho, the club is quite an authority on the subject, but it was Darwin who concluded that “the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting to their environment.” Sounds pretty familiar to me and, let’s face it, you can’t argue with Darwin.

Lip Synchronization: The Art Of Bringing Your Puppets To Life

2006-12-31T01:07:00.000-08:00

True puppetry as an art form requires the almost magical ability to make your puppets come to life. The biggest responsibility of a puppeteer is to develop the skills to create the illusion that the puppet is a living, breathing, thinking character. The puppet cannot simply stand there and recite lines, he must also react to what is going on around him. When he speaks, his mouth and body movements must be in unison with his dialog. This ability is known throughout the puppet world as lip sync (lip synchronization).

Since puppet characters are usually over-exaggerated, sometimes their movements are too. Lip sync should always be carefully calculated and practiced to perfection so that the hand moving the puppet's mouth always appears to have a natural flow. Proper lip sync should eventually become automatic for any experienced puppeteer. This is very important to your success as a puppet master!

In spite of the fact that the audience knows that puppets are not real, if you can perfect the art of lip sync, the crowd will literally be eating out of your hands! Like music, conversation and dialog has rhythm. The secret of lip sync is actually quite simple once you get used to it.

Here is a creative way to instruct someone on the art of lip sync. Let's take the word "syllable". There are actually three syllables in the word. In most cases your puppet's mouth should open and close once for each syllable. For example, if your puppet says "Hi! How are you?" the mouth should open and close four times, once for each syllable! This movement should coincide with the actual words spoken by the puppeteer. There are just a few exceptions to this rule. Once you develop an understanding and application of lip synchronization, you should be able to operate the puppet's mouth automatically, so you will be able to concentrate on other important movements.

Take the time to carefully watch how other puppeteers manipulate their puppets. You will see the syllable rule applied. Watch very carefully and you will see the exception to this rule. Let's use the word "syllable" again. When you make your puppet say the word, you will only need to move his mouth twice! Even though the word "syllable" contains three syllables, your puppet's mouth only needs to open and close twice! Why is this? Be observant while watching people when they speak. Some syllables are articulated from within the human mouth. The tongue presses against the back of your upper teeth for the "TH", "L" sounds. For the "Z" sound your mouth usually closes the teeth and the tongue presses against the roof of your mouth. Sounds for some vowels may also originate from inside of your mouth and don't require you to close your lips. When you translate these sounds into lip sync the puppet's mouth may actually skip an occasional syllable movement!

There is no better way to develop professional puppetry skills than practice! The mirror is the most common and least expensive method but using a video camera can be a lot of fun! If you can watch a monitor while rolling a cam corder not only can you perfect your lip sync skills you will also learn how to make your puppets play into a camera. When your puppet directs his dialog directly into a camera, he is looking directly into the eyes of the viewers! Even the most famous puppeteers desire and strive to be skillful in this area. Practice, rehearse and watch your audience respond!

If Art Could Talk: What Would It Say

2006-12-31T01:06:00.000-08:00

Art provides us with a recorded history in many different ways. Not only does a scene capture a historical moment, but certain artworks also capture the minds of people in different eras. What were they thinking? How did they feel about themselves? What was most important to a certain people during a certain time period? The artist has always been able to tap into that.

Art exploration is a rather personal journey. But, never is art expression a personal communication. The thoughts that run through an artist’s mind, the reflections bringing thought to imagery, the interpretation to put it on the canvas, these are the things that happen personally within the artist. But once on a canvas, it becomes a matter of public domain. And on the canvas, it is a matter of all the many factors surrounding the artist.

The atmosphere where the artist dwells gives great insight into the kind of world that explodes on the canvas. An artist who lives in a light and lovely world will paint light and lovely things. An artist in a depressing state will paint dark pictures of the world. But, the artist doesn’t necessarily have to be depressed. A world bent on destroying itself and creating more chaos will inspire an artist to paint a picture of reflection for the world to see.

Art takes on that duel purpose. An artist loves expressing what is going on in the mind. Let it out. The outlet is the canvas. But, the other purpose is also to communicate to the world what the artist sees. Take a look at yourselves! Is it a pretty sight?

That’s one of the greatest benefits we have found in art. It is our soul on a canvas. Very few writers can write and evoke that much emotion. Very few dancers can bring it to the stage like that. The art on the canvas speaks volumes.

Art is great for tapping into recesses of the brain where we are even unaware that there is thought. It comes to the surface, boils over and overflows. That’s art. That’s art at its best. Get your brush! You have something to tell us.

Why Do Artists Create? Part 1

2006-12-30T01:08:00.000-08:00

It is an important question and one that has been asked many times. Each artist has many reasons for creating art. There are no wrong reasons, but some are more important than others. The sometimes complex reasons anyone has for creating art may be completely different from another persons reasons.

You can hear some artists say that they create art because that is just what they do. Some say it is almost a ritual or a religious experience or a sexual experience. Other artists just say it’s fun. Some artists want to feel the admiration of viewers, or buyers, or experts.

If an artist describes the process of creation as painful or exhilarating or challenging or joyful then we can assume they have some emotional involvements as a part of the reasons for creating. Some artists have a more intellectual approach to creating and doing art. Some artists seem to have little thought about art or creating at all, as if it is just a natural everyday event that happens automatically.

You have reasons for creating as well, and some of those are reasons that you haven’t become aware of as yet. The more understanding you have about yourself or any creator - their reasons, emotions, drives, fears, anxieties, and ego – the more you will understand their work, or your own.

This process of examination is really never complete, because no artist ever stops changing as a person. A creative person may mature, change attitudes, learn, add many experiences and context to their thinking and feeling. This is natural and necessary. As you change you must try to revise your attitudes about creating art as a positive process.

This process of revision with maturation will make any artist stronger, more sure of their skills and goals, more centered. This in turn prevents wasting of time with low level creative activities. In fact, as any artist involves him/her self with the highest levels of creativity, that artist will be able to see the next mountain peak of creativity sooner.

For an artist time is very important, you shouldn’t waste your time. It will always be the artist that will regret the waste, maybe the artist's collectors as well. But there is a real possibility that the rest of the world will never know an artist wasted time.

Every artist has their down periods, requestioning that is evident in their work. And an artist may even need a vacation from their work periodically. These periods of relative nonproductivity are a chance to adjust, relax, reformulate, gain new inspiration or direction. Do not believe these periods are necessarily stagnation or recapitulation. Even these times can be used productively, as a foundation for progress.

It is up to the artist to determine the "what" and the "why" and the "how" of these things. Ultimately, an artist wants to get back on track at the highest level possible when your powers return.

The Erhu - China's Haunting Two String Fiddle Comes to Broadway

2006-12-30T01:05:00.000-08:00

I felt touched but unable to express myself in words. It seemed like listening to a story that moved every parts of my heart. I even wanted to ask, what happened after that? when the music finished.

That's how I felt when Ms. Qi Xiaochun played her instrument, the erhu, at a Chinese New Year Show sponsored by New Tang Dynasty Televison (NTDTV) last January.

The erhu, sometimes known in the West as the Chinese violin or Chinese two string fiddle, is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument. The instrument looks so simple that I even tried to build an Erhu when I was about 12 years old. Of course, the sound quality was not good at all, but I really loved it for a while.

The erhu can be traced back to instruments introduced into China more than a thousand years ago. It started to be popular in Southern China during the Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it was called "Nan-hu", Nan meaning south in Chinese.

Nowadays the erhu often plays an important role in national orchestras. In smaller orchestras, there are usually two to six erhu players, in larger ones, 10 to 12. In fact, in Chinese orchestras the erhu plays the part the violin does in Western orchestras. Like the Western violin, the erhu is renowned for its expressiveness and is often said to echo the human voice.

Growing up in Shanghai, Ms. Qi began learning to play this difficult instrument at the age of six, taught by a friend of her father's. She was later accepted to the Shanghai Music Conservatory and won an award at the Chinese National Erhu Competition. She has also played at the Hollywood Bowl, but her most memorable performances have been at the New Tang Dynasty television network's (NTDTV) Chinese New Year spectaculars.

In addition to performing, Ms. Qi also teaches the erhu. "When learning to play the erhu," she says, "people must develop basic skills first. The music, however, comes from the person's character. People carry their own things into the music. What they want to express, and also the person as a whole, is expressed through the music. As an artist, your moral character will also determine your skill."

This idea is reflected throughout ancient Chinese culture, whether in painting, martial arts, or poetry—in order to cultivate talent, one must cultivate the whole person. Ms. Qi finds this philosophy is also also present in NTDTV's performances. She hopes that when people see the show, they will not only be entertained, but will also experience something about the deeper qualities these ancient Chinese arts can bring to people. In Ms. Qi's opinion, it is simple: "pure compassion, pure beauty."

Ten Reasons to Watch Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

2006-12-29T03:40:00.001-08:00

1.The Premise Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is about the behind-the-scenes machinations of a long-running sketch comedy show in the vein of “Saturday Night Live”. As we know from the second episode, Studio 60 also exists in the same universe as Saturday Night Live; they mention it by name a number of times. The difference between the two shows are important. Studio 60 takes place in Los Angeles and is aired on Friday nights. The premise is perfect for an hour-long drama because there is the built-in tension and suspense of putting together a live show with a deadline. And, who isn't interested about what goes on behind-the-curtain of a show with lots of talent and big egos?

2.The Creator Aaron Sorkin created Studio 60 and it's largely biographical. His cypher is Matt Albie (played by Matthew Perry), the new Head Writer for Studio 60. Sorkin created NBC's monster hit “The West Wing” and ABC's short-lived, yet brilliant “Sports Night”. Widely considered to be one of the best writers in Hollywood, Sorkin is known for his extremely clever dialogue and dynamic characters. Also, as a writer, he is prolific in a way that only him and David E. Kelley know. Sorkin will write almost every single episode of the show he is running. Even if he doesn't write a story for a particular episode, he will always at least write all the dialogue. This will give Studio 60 a consistency and focus most shows can only dream of.

3.Matthew Perry & Bradley Whitford Matthew Perry has been largely anonymous since “Friends” ended, and that is a shame. Perry is, and always has been, an underrated and talented comedian who has deserved far better material than he has received outside of “Friends”. With the character of Matt Albie, he has been given a once-in-a-lifetime character that Perry is perfect for. It will be a huge upset if he isn't nominated for a Best Actor Emmy, and it wouldn't be surprising if he wins it. Bradley Whitford plays Danny Tripp, Matt Albie's partner and co-show runner on Studio 60. Whitford is well-acquainted with Sorkin, having played Josh Lyman (a great character in itself) on “The West Wing” for it's entire run. The Danny character is a meaty one for Whitford; Danny is a recovering cocaine addict who is only working on Studio 60 because he tested positive for cocaine weeks before he was supposed to direct a movie (scripted by Matt Albie). Whitford is an excellent actor, and the chemistry between him and Perry is already superb.

4.Amanda Peet & Stephen Weber Amanda Peet has been under-utilized for most of her career, which is a damn shame. The talented and beautiful actress got her start in “The Whole Nine Yards” (with Matthew Perry) and has since languished on the fringes of Hollywood's A-List. Again, Sorkin has created an incredible character for Peet to portray as the newly appointed NBS (Studio 60's fictional network) President Jordan McDeere. She is brash and ballsy, unafraid to take on the higher-ups for something she believes in. She has made it her goal to bring Studio 60 back to it's previous heights, and will stop at nothing to do so. Facing off with Peet is Jack Rudolph, the NBS Chairman played by “Wings” Stephen Weber. Weber has been around for awhile, and is also a victim of receiving material not up to the level of his talent. His character is a worthy antagonist to Peet's idealistic network President, ruling with an iron fist and breaking down the realities of a company whose only goal is to make a profit.

Digital cameras responsiveness and photo shooting delays

2006-12-29T03:39:00.001-08:00

Digital cameras have many advantages but they also have some disadvantages and response time is one of them. There are three response times that you should care about: the delay between pressing down the shutter button and shooting a photo, the delay between turning on the camera and shooting a photo and the delay between shooting a photo and shooting a subsequent one. This article explains the causes for these delays and suggests ways to overcome them.

There are three response times or delays that are important to understand and to be aware of when shooting photos. Here is the list with the causes and ideas for how to effectively handle them:

Shutter delay: There is a noticeable delay between pressing the shutter button and capturing a photo. When you press the shutter button the camera goes through a series of setup processes in order to get all its electronics ready. Only when this processing is done can the camera capture a photo. Some cameras will also initiate a focus process when the shutter button is held down and will only take the photo when this focusing process is completed. The delay time varies from camera to camera but is usually less than one second. If you used film cameras before you are probably not used to that delay which did not exist with most film cameras.

Although less than a one second delay sounds very short it can be significant when shooting photos of moving objects such as in sports events. There are a few photo shooting practices that can help in avoiding the delays’ results. One way to handle shutter delay is to hold down the shutter half way when taking photos of moving objects. This method can work if the object is in more or less a fixed distance from the camera or is in infinite focus. Holding down the shutter half way locks the focus and forces the camera to do some setup processing work. When you are ready to take your photo press the shutter button all the way down - the result will be a significantly shorter delay as most of the processing work and focus were already done. Another way to minimize the shutter delay is to avoid the automatic focus process which usually starts when the shutter button is held down. One way to do that is to hold the shutter button half way down. In most cameras the result will be a one time focus process and then a f ocus lock. The camera will stay in focus and when the shutter is fully pressed down it will take a photo without re-focusing. Another option is to put the camera in manual focus.

Subsequent photo delay: This is the delay between taking one photo and when the camera is ready to take a subsequent one. With film cameras this delay was very short as it only involved the camera rolling the film to the next fresh negative. With digital cameras there is processing and housekeeping that needs to be done after each photo is taken. For example the camera has to execute a computational process that compresses the photo (turns the raw pixels into a compressed JPG file) and then it has to store the photo on its memory card (storing files on flash based memory cards is a slow process due to memory technologies used). Another way is using the camera’s burst mode (if the camera supports one). In burst mode the camera shoots a fast series of photos for as long as the shutter button is held down or until the camera’s memory is full. In this mode the camera writes the photos to a temporary volatile memory which is very fast but small. When the shutter button is released or the memory is full the camera starts the slow process of writing the photos to the memory card. Using burst mode you can shoot fast photos of an action event and then choose the one that best captured the event. The speed and the amount of photos that the burst mode supports vary between cameras. For example some high end cameras can take as much as ten photos over the course of one second.

CD Replication Companies

2006-12-28T03:39:00.000-08:00

Conducting a search online is an easy and effective way to come across CD replication companies to fit your personal or business needs. There are a plethora of websites offering all kinds of CD replication services with free trial periods and money-back guarantees. The products and services on offer are reasonably priced. You can also use the option of free downloads. Most of them save both time and money.

Most CD replication company websites have tutorials to help beginners get started with the product. In addition, the companies provide technical resources for glass mastering. These websites also have price quotes on CD duplication and replication. They take care of your needs whether they have to do with manufacturing or packaging. Websites are also informative and contain many suggestions to help you get the best deal.

CD replication companies offer a wide variety CDs: 1-color, 2-color or true 16.7 million color CDs are available for you, apart from customized full-color jewel case inserts and tray cards. Through CD replication, you can burn music as well as data files onto one CD. Companies may email you an Adobe Acrobat pdf file to get your approval before they start printing CDs.

Almost anything can be replicated onto a CD- tape or any other analog media; data files; MP3; or even WAV formats. If there are any graphics you give, they can be used by the company on the CD insert or as the CD cover.

The whole procedure is hassle-free, especially with quoting systems, job tracking, and order coordination all in place. With a strong business backbone, good CD replication companies guarantee customer satisfaction.

Some companies also offer digital rendering technology to restore old media such as LP records, 8-tracks, cassette tapes and reel-to-reel tapes to enable you to listen to them on long-lasting CDs.

How to Write Music and Where to Begin

2006-12-28T03:38:00.000-08:00

Despite my somewhat underwhelming reputation in the music business, I have been asked on occasion – usually by woefully uninformed novices – how to write music. Wow, this is kind of a heavy topic, I mean so many ways to address it. In order to save you from the unintelligible ramblings of someone who is not the most brilliant music theoreticians, I will skillfully side-step the technical aspects and move into the more esoteric aspects of writing good music.

Why are guys like Lennon and McCartney, Page and Plant and Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin so successful? I find that it’s because you have in these relationships the consummate lyricist and the consummate musician existing side-by-side. If Morrison was the poet, then Manzarek, Krieger and Densmore were the guys who set that poetry to music and they would not have been The Doors without that combination. It helps to know what you’re stronger in. I, for example have worked with pretty fair lyricists and some good musicians, and I find that I definitely fit in the lyricist category. I once heard The Edge of U2 comment that most of their songs were written on one string. That’s my philosophy, and I’m not being entirely facetious in that. I can see the logic that a “music” writer goes through in developing a song, but for the life of me, I have not been able to replicate that in my own dabblings. Realizing your own limitations is half the battle. There are some extraordinary people who are capable of writing both music and lyrics, but these are few and far between (and what is “… the pompitous of love” anyway). Find what you are good at and make that, either writing music or lyrics, your primary mission. That’s not to say that you should not do both, at least as an exercise in perspective. I think it’s extremely valuable to stretch yourself on a personal and professional basis, but it’s my opinion that you stand a better chance of scoring success long term by finding a philosophical Yin to your Yang. And it need not be only one person either. Many successful songs have been written as part of a group effort.

Once you’ve found your niche, it’s important to have a process in place for you to be productive. When I first realized that I would have to get a real job to put food on the table after college, I went into the information technology field. Now anyone who has worked in this area knows that they are really big on developing repeatable processes so that once they’ve successfully done something, they can keep going back to do it the same way. As an artist at heart, I rebelled against this notion. “It thwarts the creativity process,” I railed. Well, turns out that they may have been on to something. While having things too tightly structured may be a hindrance to creativity, having a set way of going about songwriting in general may be a great help. For example, let’s say you are a California band and you really want to emulate the Eagles, so you go into the studio with the mindset that you’re going to write a Southern rock song in 4/4 time only using this standard set of chords. Chances are, you’re going to be a pretty boring band. But, if you go into it saying, this is the style of music I feel comfortable with, we’re going to come in every day at 8:00 a.m., whether we feel like it or not, write until lunchtime, whether what we write is any good or not, and then after lunch write for a couple of more hours. By building that habit of writing at a certain time, for a certain amount of time, you’re creating a process that will produce consistently good songs with some flashes of brilliance. The reason is not because the process itself makes you any better, but it does produce a considerable amount of work that lets you get your ideas down on paper. Later you can separate the wheat from the chaff, and you won’t feel rushed to turn out a masterpiece in a day to fill in that last spot on the CD.

Holiday Wonders Show—What Makes It Unique?

2006-12-27T01:49:00.001-08:00

Is it possible that Asian and Western cultures could find a common language and thus share with one another the finest examples of their cultural heritage?

In the past, this was just a dream, but not anymore.

Holiday Wonders, a show to be staged on Broadway in Manhattan before Christmas, promises an unprecedented experience. Through music and dance, the essence of traditional Chinese culture will harmonize with Western classics of the season in this celebration of holiday spirit.

Holiday Wonders is hosted by NTDTV, which introduced the highly- acclaimed Chinese New Year Gala in 2004. In fact, the 2006 Gala production was ranked among Billboard Magazine's Top 10 Shows. This year, NTDTV is also launching the Holiday Wonders show which will play exclusively at the Beacon Theatre from December 19th through December 24th.

What makes the Holiday Wonders show so unique?

First of all, the essence of Chinese culture. As in the previous Chinese New Year Gala productions, Holiday Wonders brings genuine Chinese culture to the audience. With an all-new line-up, the superb performances of dance and music will explore ancient myths and legends that express the soul of the 5,000-year-old Chinese culture.

Seondly, pure heart. Giora Feidman, renowned for his clarinet solos in the film Schindler's List, will join the Holiday Wonders performers. Touched by the selflessness and harmony of the team of performers, Feidman noted this as "clean mind." As a matter of fact, from the costume preparation to the stunning projection screens, such pure heart is evidenced everywhere in this effort to bring the very best of culture and performance to the audience.

Thirdly, a Fusion of East and West. Humanity and genuine art transcend language and demographic barriers. The Holiday Wonders show is a celebration of this divine transcendence. Through the essence of Chinese traditional culture and the classics of the Western holiday traditions, the show will bring a glow of happiness and tranquility to all, touching hearts and creating moments to be cherished.

Backgammon Rules Learn How to Play Backgammon

2006-12-27T01:48:00.000-08:00

The board game backgammon is one of the most ancient games known to man. It is believed that early variations of the game were played in Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Ancient Rome. Since then, the game has evolved, changed several names and spread to different parts of the world. It is currently a popular pastime all over the US, East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

In order to play backgammon all you need is a partner, two dice and a special backgammon board with checkers. The backgammon board is divided into two sides with each one is the mirror reflection of the other. Each side contains 12 triangles called points numbered from 1 to 24. Points 1 to 6: Home Board or Inner Board Points 7 to 12: Outer Board 7 point: Bar Point 13 point: Mid Point

At the starting position of the game, each player has 2 checkers on the 24 point, 3 checkers on the 8 point and 5 on the 13 and 6 point. Each player moves from his home board through the outer board towards the opponent home board.

The object of backgammon, then, is to move your checkers towards your opponent home board and remove them off the board before your opponent moves his checkers towards your home board. The speed of the progress of each move is determined by the outcome of the dice roll.

The backgammon play begins with both players tossing one die. The player whose outcome is the highest, makes the first move using both his and his opponents number. If the outcome of the dice toss is even, the players toss the dice again until an uneven outcome appears. From now on, each player tosses both dice on his turn.

After each toss of dice, you should move your checkers forward the number of steps appears on both dice. You can move either one checker the number of steps summed up by both die or move two checkers. To make it clearer: if the outcome of the dice roll is 5 and 4, you can either move one checker 9 steps forward or move one checker 5 steps forward and then move the other piece 4 steps forward

If the dice rolls a double, which means an even number on both dice, you can move double the number appears on the dice. For example, if you roll double 2, you can move 2 points four times. In that case, you can either move one checker 8 steps forward; move two checkers a total of 4 steps; move two checkers a total of 2 steps each plus a total of 4 steps; move one checker a total of 6 steps plus 2 steps; or move four checkers 2 steps.

You can move a checker to a point where there is another one of your checkers or no more than one checker of your opponent, called blot. When you hit a blot, it is moved to the middle of the board to the part divided between the home board and the outer boards, called the bar.

The checkers placed on the bar are kept out of play until the bar can be entered by a dice roll in the opponent’s home boards. For example, if you roll 2, you can enter a checker to the 23 point and enter the opponents home board and re enter the bar checkers into the game. You cannot move the other checkers unless your entire bar checkers are at your opponents home board.

By the time your checkers are in your home board, you must remove the checkers from the board, to bear off, using a roll of dice. For example, if you roll 1, you can bear off one checker from the 1 point; if you roll 2, you can move a checker form the 2 point, and so on.

If your opponent has not borne off any checkers while you have borne off 15 checkers, you win the gammon. If your opponent has not borne off any checkers and still some of his checkers are placed on the bar, while you have borne off 15 checkers, then you win the backgammon.

Bears on Strings... Another Reminiscence

2006-12-26T22:01:00.000-08:00

Here’s a confession, I actually am not all THAT fond of puppets. I prefer cartoons. But my obsession with bears stretched all the way to the puppet world too. So here are just a few puppet bears that played a part in my childhood and continue to do so up ‘til today. For those of you out there who grew up with Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, may this be a trip down memory lane for you too.

Fozzie Bear
Ah, Fozzie! Who can watch the pale orange bear trot about on screen and not think he’s adorable? Everything about him, from his brown hat to his polka-dotted necktie and his open-mouthed grin, is just so cheerful! It doesn’t matter that his jokes are lame, I thought and, still think, that he’s great. One of my fondest memories of Fozzie was this episode where Harry Belafonte (I think) was a guest star on Muppet Show. He sang The Banana Boat Song with the Muppets helping him with the chorus. The first part everyone had to sing the signature ‘Day-O’ beginning together in unison. Everyone was able to sing the ‘Day’ at the same time, on cue, except Fozzie. First time he was slower than everyone else – his ‘day’ came after everyone else had ‘day-ed’. And to the exasperation of everyone, he continued to miss the cue many times after that (he was either too slow or too fast). I thought that was simply hilarious! Now, I can’t remember if they ever completed the song or even got beyond that very first ‘day’(I suppose they did), but I’ll remember that scene with Fozzie missing the cue forever! Another fond memory of Fozzie happened while I was pursuing my degree. I had a good friend, C, in the same course of study, who is as fond of bears as I am. One day, we were in Macdonald’s for lunch. Mac’s was selling Muppet character stuff toys with each meal purchased. We were really poor then, and happened to be broke just at the time Fozzie came on sale. So we stared at the stuffed Fozzies on display longingly. We actually hatched a semi-serious plot to distract the staff and steal a Fozzie each. Ah, tertiary education certainly does have its merits. It really was a great plot. Well, C, you know who you are. And if you happen to read this, call me!

Bobo Bear
Bobo was only added as a Muppet way after Fozzie. Although he’s a boring brown colour, I thought his hang-dog face and his heavy brows were very charming. I think he’s a watch man or security guard on Muppets Tonight. He’s also really delightfully slow-witted at times. The episode I remember him most vividly was the time Cindy Crawford guest starred in Muppets Tonight. My brother and I were wathing the show together. Bobo was so taken with Cindy he could barely speak when she was around! He just made his funny ‘Ahhhh…’ sound. M brother and I guffawed so loudly my dad thought we had gone crazy! It made me wonder how Cindy could NOT like this bear!

Ojo Bear
Ojo is the little cub from Bear in the Big Blue House. My first encounter with this little bear happened only a few years back when I was already (supposedly) a matured adult in a respsibl profession. I was on board a plane and flipping through the channels and programmes offered. I remembered watching a movie or two. Then, I got so bored with the other programmes I channel surfed to the children’s channel. There, I saw Ojo (didn’t know his name then) talking to Bear. And he was the cutest thing I’ve seen in a really long time! The cutest part about Ojo is the way his nose and snout moves whenever he speaks. How did the animators do it? Kudos to whoever came up with the idea of moving Ojo’s nose in such a manner! I literally couldn’t bear to change channels until the programme ended. From that day on, whenever I happen to see a trailer for Bear in the Big Blue House, I think of plane travel. And when I travel in a plane, I think of Ojo.

The Imaginary Friend -A Real Ghost Story

2006-12-26T22:00:00.000-08:00

I’ve looked for and found tons of articles debating the existence of ghosts. Some say they are real, others call it a psychological phenomenon. I would argue that they are real in one form or another. When an otherwise sane person has a terrifying mystical experience, they tend to become believers.

This is why I am a believer.

It was twenty years ago now at the time I’m writing this. My family had just moved into a new apartment in Saco Maine. The place was pretty nice actually, spacious, a large back yard that was fenced in, behind which was a huge and well kept cemetery. It was a wonderful place for an afternoon stroll with the kids. They would run around hiding behind the bushes and gravestones, jumping out yelling “Boo!” when the adults finally caught up.

However, it didn’t take long for us to realize that there was something very strange going on in there. It all started when my four year old son Michael, started playing with an imaginary friend who he called Emma. At first it was cute and we didn’t think much of it, figuring that it was just a vivid imagination brought on by the change in living space.

At night, every now and then we would be sitting there, reading a book or watching television when we would hear something fall off the counter in the kitchen. At first you didn’t think much of it.

Over time, however these occurrences increased. After a few months, there was absolutely no shortage of strange happenings. There were cupboard doors opening and closing, items falling off counters or shelves in other rooms, etc. There was a thing for spoons. We couldn’t leave a spoon on the counter or a table ever. It would end up on the floor with a clank. We would come home and things would be moved. One time we even called the police because we thought that someone had broken into the place. The police found no evidence of a break in though.

Michael would often be there to say “Emma did it. Emma did it.”

At several points my wife would say, “Ok Michael, enough about Emma. She is not real.”

But she was real alright, either that or we were both crazy, because after a year of living there, we were convinced. The creepiest thing that would happen, you see, was every now and then, late at night, there would suddenly be the pitter patter of little feet running down the hallway. Both of us would hear it at the same time.

My wife and I would get up, in a sort of tired frustration from a long day, asking which kid is up now? Only to find out that both were sound asleep in their beds. This began happening more and more often.

It was enough to drive you nuts.

Michael was just about to turn 6 when we moved. We told him that we were going to live in the new house. He said “Bye Emma,” as we left.

And then all of this stopped.

Annie Lennox - Blind Among The Flowers

2006-12-25T22:00:00.001-08:00

Now, I have to say, that I would be revealing my age if I told you that I bought (and still have) one of the first copies of a 45rpm released by an obscure band called "The Tourists". However, this "single" has formed part of my life and for one particular reason - on it is a song called "Blind Among The Flowers" by an A. Lennox. A very powerful song. Now, being Scottish myself, perhaps I would like to boast of the strength I noted in the singing of this, then unknown, young "lass" from Aberdeen, but no. She was even then, in the 1980´s in a class of her own. Since then Annie Lennox has developed beyond the borders of the small Scotland that cradled her and became a fully fledged international artist who now peruses the boulevards of cosmopolitan Paris.

Annie Lennox was born a star. But it was her relationship with Dave Stewart that cemented her persona, that gave her the gall to stand alone - not because of the love they had as a married couple (and functioning band as the Eurythmics) but as a foil against which she developed her real self as opposed to her stage persona.

Annie Lennox is the real thing! A world-renowned singer, a pop star, and a real woman. To understand her and the life she has lead is to see where we can also go. She recognizes no limits, neither musically nor physically, she is woman and she is strong. Annie Lennox will continue to be a reference point for many young female singers to follow and guide them in their careers for even in the nineteen eighties, she defined what female independence WOULD be. . . . and then sang about it!

Understanding Audiobook Formats

2006-12-25T21:59:00.000-08:00

Audiobooks generally come in two formats: MP3 and WMA. Both of these formats will play on PCs and Macs and most

portable players, like the iPod.

The book publisher chooses which format they want the title to be distributed in. When you purchase a downloadable title

from an online store, you are usually taken to a special area of the site where you can choose from a variety of file

format based on the quality of the recording.

Naturally, the higher the quality, the bigger the file and thus the longer it will take to download. If you have a high speed broadband Internet connection you will probably prefer to download the highest quality file available. If you have a slow Internet connection you can choose to download a file that is smaller in size, but will not be of quite the same quality, but it will still be very listenable.

With 70% of the digital player market dominated by Apple and the iPod, a natural question is whether the audiobooks can be transferred to the iPod. The answer is a resounding "yes."

All you have to do is burn the files to CD first (this is a step we'd always recommend as it is wise to make a physical backup copy of anything you buy just in case your computer ever fails or is stolen) and then rip that CD straight into iTunes, when it's transferred to your iPod on synchronization.

And don't worry, Copying the files to an audio CD on your computer is quick and easy, particularly if you are using Windows.

It is very easy to download an audiobook. Once you have made your purchase from a reputable online store, you will be taken through to a special part of the site where you can download the files you have purchased. Easy to follow instructions are always provided on the download page.

Audiobooks will work on a standard PC and Mac and there is no risk of breaking the law as with many music sites and piracy.

ALL of the content of audiobooks has been approved by the publishers and copyright holders. As a paying customer you are entitled to download and listen to these files as often as you wish and on whatever equipment you wish. However, like any other media, it is illegal to make copies of the files and give them to other people.

The length of time it will take for an audiobook download will vary greatly depending on what kind of Internet connection you have. If you have a broadband connection it will take just a few minutes per part. If you have a 56k dial-up connection it will be considerably slower.

If a recording is several hours long we will have split it into several parts to make it easier to download so even if you are on a slow connection you can start listening to the first part whilst the others are downloading.

Balcony in Winter (Huancayo, Peru (Puno and Real))

2006-12-24T21:59:00.000-08:00

Along the rim of the roof—

over looking the Balcony—
(on Puno and Real streets)

above the windows—
The overlap, quivers with age.
The city—, now winter’s here again.—
becomes a festive place. Rains
dribble down the outlines of the roof (s)
—the street light (poles), the lights

across the street, in the

park (Plaza de Arms)—
seen in a morning sunset, share in a
deep soothing heat.
--People gaze and lean out
from the wooden windows—near
the balcony, a step out—is like

a captain’s bridge?

with a depleting roof

overhead!
Shortly cut off
At the balcony’s edge.

How endless, are the varieties
offered again and again—
to the human eyes (balcony’s in this

old city), each street, a new
Pasture: here the city is
vibrating (cars—parks, mountains,
thousands of people).

Still the overlap, quivers with age
as people open wide their windows
with great exuberance: ah!
What a variety—everyday, on Puno and Real.

#1584 12-23-2006 Inspired by Juan Ramon Jimenez

Note: in the Mantaro Valley, beyond the Andes of Peru, it is one continues fest you might say, but close to Christmas, it is more so, as I suppose is every place in the world. Here you have many children graduating from school, and many chocolates parties going on (of which I was invited to one a few days ago in the little city called Cajas, at the Independence School there), to celebrate Christ’s Birthday. It is an endless celebration. The Cathedral is lit up like a Christmas Tree, and the city is buzzing.

A Demand For More Art Studies

2006-12-24T21:58:00.000-08:00

“When the creative spirit stirs, it animates a style of being: a lifetime filled with the desire to innovate, to explore new ways of doing things, to bring dreams of reality.” ~ Daniel Goleman

It is discouraging that there aren’t much up-to-date studies of the benefits of art. The creative process in the avenues of our imagination is where we find solutions to the world’s problems. Awakening those recesses of the brain brings about new ideas, new places to explore for information. Learning how to learn is what we should be teaching ourselves and yet we get stuck on memorizing facts, repetitive processes and stale concepts that offer no value for the future. The study of art informs our meta cognition, the ability to think about what we are thinking, and it awakens our spirit, that which is in us struggling to stay alive.

Semir Zeki was a professor of neurobiology at the University College London and co-head of the Wellcome Department of Cognitive Neurology when he published the article “Artistic Creativity and the Brain” in Science Magazine July 2001. No, “Wellcome” is not misspelled. In his article, Zeki outlined how cognitive abilities are developed through the creative process and that artistic expression is the key to understanding ourselves. “A major function of art can thus be regarded as an extension of the function of the brain, namely, to seek knowledge about the world.”

Zeki’s findings should have sparked a revolution among scientists and psychologists as well as therapists and even teachers. If it was more widely believed that cognitive abilities are strengthened through the use of creative expression, scientists could discover ways in which to solve such problems as cures for diseases and resource conservation. Psychologists would better be able to understand how the mind works in relation to certain behaviors. Therapists would be more capable of talking their patients through critical issues and to a greater understanding of the world around them. And teachers would be able to tap into greater resources in the classroom.

But, the need for art is often overlooked because other things seem so much more important. As individuals, we reduce our lives to the pursuit of sufficient employment, secure shelter and edible provisions. As a nation, we struggle with competitive industry, land preservation and national defense. Our problem solving techniques are reduced to simple math and logical reasoning. But, our creative abilities could offer us greater solutions and make our lives so much more valuable to us. That’s what we’re missing.

If more time and energy were placed into the studies of art and its affect on the human condition, we would be a far more advanced society. “Going outside the box” would be the common practice for solution finding. But just to exercise ourselves in art, set up an easel and explore a canvas, is clearly enough to find personal exploration and avenues of your own imagination. Art is therapeutic as well as developmental. So, even though studies aren’t swarming to uphold the benefits of art, you don’t have to wait for your confirmation. Explore the benefits yourself and enjoy more out of life while you’re at it!

Tom Sizemore Attempts To Fix His Damaged Reputation Through New Reality TV Series

2006-12-23T02:51:00.001-08:00

Being a celebrity and getting your very own personal reality TV show is an idea that many stars have contemplated within recent years. Both VH1 and MTV have brought the concept of celebrities in their own reality shows down almost to an art form and they are attaching yet another name to their own: Tom Sizemore.

Tom Sizemore has an extensive wrap sheet. He is notorious for his problems with drugs and alcohol, and the inherent temperamental issues that go along with them. After fading into obscurity, Tom will now make his reemergence in his own reality program, entitled ‘Shooting Sizemore’, to be aired by VH1. ’Shooting Sizemore’, a Breaking Bonaduce style reality show about Tom Sizemore’s drug meltdown is going to focus on the Sizemore’s renewed life, as he is trying to get back to where he was before his problems began and to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the public. 'You literally watch a man come unglued and unraveled from his own point of view. He lays it all out there', a spokesperson for VH1 said about the new reality TV series.

The show will also include Tom's professional career and his search for finding new roles. But the only original element in the series is the fact that it will also include flashbacks and older footage, shot by the actor himself, with comments voiced by Sizemore. Some of the footage is explicit. He is shown repeatedly smoking his drug of choice: Meth.

In 2003 Sizemore spent seventeen months in jail for assault and battery of a former girlfriend. He was also sentenced to four months in a drug treatment clinic, after he was caught using a prosthetic penis, filled with clear urine, to pass the drug test. In 2005, some video tapes containing over eight hours of Sizemore having sex were leaked on to the internet.

Speaking of Tom’s history, here is a time line of his many past moments in the spotlight:

* February 10, 2006 - An LA judge sentenced Tom Sizemore to three years probation after the actor tearfully admitted he used methamphetamine the previous month.
* December 6, 2005 - Dodged a jail sentence after his lawyers argued that his prescription medication made him fail a drugs test.
* October 24, 2005 - Has appealed his conviction for assaulting his former girlfriend Heidi Fleiss, arguing that the main evidence, a photograph of Fleiss with facial bruises, was fabricated.
* September 30, 2005 - Contemplated suicide one night when he could not remember where he lived.
* September 16, 2005 - Was ordered to spend another thirty days in a drug treatment center, where he was sent by a judge after violating his probation for possessing meth.
* August 13, 2005 - Is battling a rare medical condition that leaves him sexually insatiable.
* July 23, 2005 - Was ordered to remain in a live-in drug rehabilitation program until he is sentenced in September for violating his probation on drug charges.
* July 13, 2005 - Failed to appear at his LA probation violation hearing because he purportedly had checked into drug rehab.
* July 1, 2005 - Was ordered to undertake a drug test every three days while authorities consider evidence he violated his parole arrangements.
* June 24, 2005 - Denies claims that he falsified a urine test for drugs.
* June 3, 2005 - Said he turned down an acting job in Thailand to concentrate on overcoming his substance abuse problems.
* May 26, 2005 - Has been told to appear in court to explain possible probation violations.
* April 4, 2005 - Plans to return to acting as he is determined to stay clean after jail.
* March 26, 2005 - Jailed for seventeen months and given four months in a drug treatment facility for repeatedly failing drug tests while on probation.
* March 18, 2005 - Has supposedly filed for bankruptcy, after spending more than $11 million on legal fees to battle drug and domestic violence charges.
* February 12, 2005 - Was jailed for violating his probation by failing a drug test after he was caught trying to use a prosthetic penis to fake the results.
* May 5, 2004 - Has been charged with probation violation in Los Angeles for allegedly testing positive for methamphetamine.
* April 3, 2004 - A judge in Los Angeles has decided to let Sizemore take a job out of state in spite of his pending prison sentence for ‘roughing up’ former Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss.
* October 28, 2003 - Was sentenced to six months in jail for beating up his former girlfriend, the one time Hollywood Madam, Heidi Fleiss.
* October 1, 2003 - Sizemore has been forced into rehab, postponing the date his sentence for attacking and harassing former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss was due to be announced. It's not known what the actor is being treated for.
* January 14, 2003 - Arrested after being accused of beating up a woman at a party. Police raced to his Beverly Hills, California, home after Brooke Ford, 20, was punched in the face following a row and the actor has been charged with assault and threats to kill.

Will this new reality show reignite a fading career or will it turn out to be a complete disaster? Either way, I feel like it won’t hurt his image, but to find out we will just have to wait and see. Either way, I am sure it will be like other similar shows such as Breaking Bonaduce, like a car accident. You do not want to look at, but you just cannot help yourself.

Psychic Spiritual Readings

2006-12-23T02:51:00.000-08:00

Those who are uncertain about how to tap their "inner selves" may glean insight at a session with a good psychic spiritual reader. Amidst the frenetic pace that characterizes today's fast paced world, where values and principles seem subject to the demands of the rat race, a large number of people are speaking out against a clock-dominated, work-oriented lifestyle. Struggling for power, wealth and material happiness doesn't seem to satisfy them anymore, and deep inside these people are beginning to deduce that lasting peace and happiness is an ‘internal’ thing.

Many people are looking into the spiritual realm for a greater sense of purpose, direction and meaning. In the process, these seekers find themselves asking psychic spiritual readers: ‘Who am I? What am I doing? What is my real purpose in life?’ This invaluable insight can be the richest experience of one's lifetime.

A psychic spiritual reading attempts to show us the directions to a rich, gratifying life. The seeker will still need to make the journey by himself, and will meet all the difficulties that life has in store for him, but he will be armed with the knowledge that his chosen direction is correct.

Based on the seeker’s ‘aura’ and background details, the psychic spiritual reader aids him with messages referring to subconsciously buried issues, which are central to the seeker’s life; they simply need ‘awakening’. If the reading is successful, the old ways of life may not interest the seeker anymore as he gradually becomes aware of how a particular rule can offer stability in his hectic, fast paced lifestyle.

However, it is important to take note that there are many ways to get from one place to another in life. There is no particular decree; it is a strictly individual thing. A spiritual psychic reader simply outlines one path, among many, for the seeker to consider. For example, the discussion between the psychic spiritual reader and seeker may encourage the seeker to spend less time commuting to distant jobs or cut down on a hectic social life, leaving him with time better spent with family members.

Free Magazines: Who pays for them and how do they survive?

2006-12-22T02:50:00.001-08:00

Lots of the magazines we find on racks or receive in the mail are free of charge, but someone has to pay for those glossy issues, and without a subscription or sales price, these magazines are underwritten by sponsors. Sometimes the sponsor is simply a publisher who uses the magazines as a way to sell advertisements to retail companies or others. In other words, a magazine might be published at a cost to the magazine’s owner, but recoup those expenses by selling paid space in the magazine. In fact, most magazines operate on this kind of ad revenue basis, although many also depend upon consumer purchase of the magazines to offset costs or provide a profit margin.

Some magazines exist thanks to being underwritten or sponsored by a club or organization, in which case the members themselves – who are the primary readers of the publication – foot the bill by paying their annual dues and membership fees. The magazines that they get in the mail to keep them informed of the organization’s goings on arrive free of charge, but only to those members who dues and club fees are up to date. So, in essence, the readers themselves are paying for the cost of their “free” magazines, without really knowing it or making a direct financial contribution or payment for the magazines themselves. There are also rather significant magazines that are given away for free. For instance, the airline magazines – those that are stuffed into the seat pockets of airplanes and given away free to all passengers – are paid for by the airlines, who will contract with a magazine publishing company to produce the magazines and supply them for giveaways. Of course these magazines also thrive on ads and that promote the airlines, travel agencies, hotels, car rentals, and other businesses that are frequently used by the traveling public.

And because the magazines reach so many rather affluent readers, advertisers are willing to pay a hefty premium to have their products and services featured on the pages of these magazines. And because readers of airline magazines often have nothing else to read or to do except thumb through the issue they find in their seat, they represent a captive audience, unlike the readers of most magazines. Because they are left with few options, passengers are more likely to read the magazines and the ads, which makes them a better target for marketing and advertising.

Art auctions for sculptures

2006-12-22T02:50:00.000-08:00

Art auctions for sculptures are a great way to find new art for your home or office. I like to peruse the online auction sites for nice sculptures. I have found some very interesting items when I’ve looked.

There was a sculpture sold on eBay recently that was entitled Love. The art auction for this sculpture went above the estimated value. The piece was red and blue and made of polychrome aluminum. The French artist’s name was Robert Indiana. The art auction listed the item as six feet tall, six feet wide and three feet deep.

I liked a hall stand that was carved from wood that I found in an online art auction. The carving depicted a playful bear climbing a fir tree. There was a young bear cub carved into one of the branches. The branches were there to serve as garment hooks and there was even a mirror on the piece in a carved oak leaf designed frame.

There was an exquisite sculpture by a Russian artist that was sold recently in an art auction. The subject of the sculpture was a Bar Mitzvah boy and the medium was marble. I think that marble statues seem so timeless and elegant. It is an excellent medium for a sculpture.

The wife of artist Yitzhak Danziger signed a certificate for the brass sculpture her husband completed in 1969. Danziger is an Israeli artist. The piece looked very abstract to me. It did not do very well in the art auction and sold for less than it’s estimated worth.

I found a lot of bronze sculptures in the online art auctions. Most of them were of people, but the ones I liked best were abstract. My absolute favorite was a Harry Bertoia bronze sculpture called Bush. This piece is also known as a Brain or Coral. The bidding for this piece of art in the art auction was started at thirty nine thousand dollars. It didn’t get a bidder.

I saw little interest in the bronze sculpture art auctions for animal figures. I’m not sure if the reasons they didn’t get bidders were because of subject matter or because of price. Bronze is an expensive medium for an artist to work in and it takes a lot of training to be proficient.

I have a favorite glass sculptor. His work goes for so much in online art auctions that I will probably never own a piece of his work. Dale Chihuly is magnificent. There are permanent installations of his tremendous work all over the world.

Crystal sculptures look more like paperweights to me. Online art auctions for glass representations of animals and sea life are really neat. My favorite art auction recently was for a hand blown glass jellyfish. It was magical.

I liked another online art auction for optical crystal that had been turned into a work of art by artist Christopher Ries. The piece was small and called Lotus. It would look so pretty in a well lit display case.

I’m jealous of the buyer that gets to call this sculpture their own. They won the piece in the art auction for just under a thousand dollars. This artist uses blocks of pure, clear lead crystal cast from Schott Glass Technologies of Duryea, Pennsylvania. It is truly amazing art. His work is prominently displayed in numerous galleries and even in the Columbus airport in Columbus, Ohio.

Notable Rock And Pop Guitarists Of Past 50 Years

2006-12-21T02:50:00.001-08:00

Over the years, there have been many guitarists that stood out from the crowd - their skill, speed, ad showmanship distinguished them as experts. Here are just a few of them.

Jim Adkins, lead singer and lead guitarist for Jimmy Eat World, has been playing guitar since he was a youngster. Jim uses a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, but recently has been reported to use a Fender Telecaster.

George Harrison, born in England, was the lead guitarist for the famous, or perhaps infamous, band The Beatles! George also did some songwriting, and proved himself a quite capable songwriter. George also went on to become a film produce and even acted a few roles. But he is best known as the lead guitarist for the beloved Beatles!

Keith Richards, is best known as a founding member of The Rolling Stones,. (Though a small but fanatical group sees him primarily as the inspiration for Johnny Depp's brilliant character, Captain Jack Sparrow.) That aside, Mr. Richards is one of the best guitarists to ever live. His nicknames include "The Human Riff" and "Keef RiffHard".

Elvis Presley, though he isn't one of the most skilled guitarists that ever lived, certainly deserves the title of "The guitarist that brought the most change". With his guitar and his unique voice, Elvis started a rebellion - one that dwarfed all of the revolutions the world had seen up to that time, for this one covered the entire world, and is still going strong. While it directly killed no one, it was very powerful - it was that evil beat they called Rock Music!

Steven Curtis Chapman, while not exactly as influential as Elvis, certainly deserves the title of guitar virtuoso. Anyone who has seen Steven give a concert will know what I say when I say that his guitar is just an extension of his body. It seems that he can make that guitar "talk" just how he wants - with no effort!

Ten vital bodies in Astrology

2006-12-21T02:49:00.001-08:00

From the first time that humans looked toward the sky and began to chart the movement of the sun, moon and the planets, men have been assigning meaning to what they saw. It wasn’t enough to simply record where the sun moved, when an eclipse happened or when a planet was brightest, complex and varying stories and myths were given to each celestial event to help explain things that were happening in the observer’s own life.

If crops failed, it was blamed on the stars. If war broke out, it was blamed on the stars. Let’s take a look at ten of the heavenly bodies that astrologers assigned meaning to and what each body meant.

· The Sun – Not only was the sun the easiest body to see in the sky, it provided light, warmth and life. Most cultures saw the sun as a life giver, not vengeful or angry, but almost judgementless. A benign and powerful giver of life and wellness.

· The Moon – The moon, to many early astrologists, represented the unconscious mind and stood for emotion and desire. It often had a negative connotation, simply because it was thought the moon help power over the weak to indulge in their inner most desires. The old superstition of a full moon altering people’s behavior or even turning some into werewolves stems from the idea of the moon holding a mysterious power over one’s emotional side. The Moon is also associated with Monday, short for MoonDay.

· Mercury – This planet is named after the Roman messenger god of the same name and thus the planet Mercury is thought to be the body that rules things like communication, rationality and logic, as well as transport. It is thought to bring out people’s curious nature, as well as being vivacious and inconsistent. Mercury is thought to rule over Wednesday. In astrology practiced in China, Mercury is ruled over by the element of water. In India, Mercury stands for intelligence.

· Venus – Venus is one of the brightest objects in the sky after the sun and the moon. It is named after the Roman god of love and the planet is thought to control love in astrology. The planet is also thought to affect things like beauty, harmony and it plays an important role in people wanting or not wanting to get along. Throughout time and culture, Venus has represented peace, love and human potential. Venus is the planet for Friday and in Chinese astrology it is associated with metal.

· Mars – Maybe no other planet is better known than Mars. The planet’s place as bringer or war, aggression and terror is well known in most every culture. It is also associated with confidence and impulsiveness. Mars is usually associated with Tuesday and it is a fire element in Chinese astrology. Mars role as a bringer of war is apparent throughout human literature highlighted by H.G. Wells The War of the Worlds where invaders from Mars come to Earth to wipe out human civilization.

· Jupiter – The biggest planet in the solar system is associated with happiness and joy. Jupiter rules over Thursday and is also associated with higher education, religion and growth. Many also believe Jupiter plays a role in protection, since it does protect the Earth from many wayward comets and asteroids by using it’s gravitational pull to absorb many hits that would otherwise strike the Earth.

Is the Limited Edition Print Dead

2006-12-20T21:56:00.000-08:00

Limited edition prints are primarily the result of a degradation of the print source, be it a silk screen, a lithograph stone or a wood cut to such an extent that a decent print can no longer be produced. After a certain number of prints the artist would decide that the representation of their ideas was not being met.
The artist would sign off on those prints that met their criteria, date them for the year of production and number them in the order they were printed. Each print was a little different from all the others with the greatest difference being between the first and last print of the series.
To a certain extent this was also true of printing from film negatives and although the number of prints being able to be pulled was greater it wasn’t infinite. And if produced by hand in the photographers darkroom there would also be slight differences between prints.
With advent of digital storage and computer printing the original artwork never comes in direct contact with the printing process. Consequently, aside from stuff ups by the printer, the same image can be reproduced a countless number of times with fidelity to the creator’s expression.
As more and more artists, working across all mediums, embrace digital storage of their creations and use those copies of their work to produce prints only prints produced by hand utilizing the old methods will need to be of a limited number. Any artist using digital technology who places a limit on the number of prints they can produce is just trying to manipulate the market with this artificially imposed barrier. When one considers the difficulty of making a living as an artist, to expect an artist who produces a popular work that can exceed a run of to 300 to 500 prints to stop that income flow is a big ask.
That the quality and the longevity of top end digital prints exceed their hand produced counterparts is a given. The latest development in printing technology with pigment inks produce vivid colours and subtly of tones that are a match for what has gone before and if the claims of the major printer manufactures are to be believed their longevity exceeds that of their predecessors.
Where does this leave the serious collector who wants more than a mass produced artifact? Like the pre-digital artists the digital artist can check that the actual print does meet their expectations, digital printing isn’t perfect, a mismatch between the digital file and the printer interface can cause colour shifts and other strange things to happen. When the artist is satisfied they can sign off on the print by hand and date its year of production.
As with the limited edition print the collector will have a print they know has been approved by its creator and isn’t that what it is all about? That the artist may improve their income and be able to continue making their art is a win, win situation for all concerned.

The Development Of Islamic Art

2006-12-20T21:55:00.000-08:00

Islam is the second large religion after Christianity. It is spreading faster in number than any other religion. This increase is attributed to a higher birth level, and, perhaps, higher level of conversion than other religions.
Much can be found out of the traditions of Islam by studying some of its great artistic heritage. Islamic art grew from a mixture of ideas, which came from many cultures, which were imbibed during centuries of conquest.
The Arab armies required to enact authority over their more exquisite subjects, but took several dynamic traditions of their own. After the first several years of power, they perceived the need to create a monumental artistic style that could enlarge their faith and contend with other great religions and cultures. Two factors contributed to their success in this affair: art and architect (Richard Ettinghausen and Oleg Grabar, 1987).
Islamic art was "born almost during a night, about a century after the Prophet's death, [and] ...displayed a completely convincing unity of form that would keep itself over the centuries Islamic Art." (Titus Burckhardt (1992), p.150). Islamic art tend toward geometric model and delicate tracery as shown on the decorations of Koran (Blair and Bloom (1994), p. 233).
However, the impact of the religion, which is the most significant of all the elements in Islamic art, almost always predominates above all else. One of the expressions of Islamic art is a mosque.
The word “mosque” denotes “place of prostration”, a site to humble oneself before God. A mosque has no religious significance other than a niche, which shows the direction of Mecca and thus the direction the faithful should face during the prayer. It has no other furnishings than prayer rugs.

Cast Bronze Sculpture and Aluminum Sculptures

2006-12-19T21:55:00.000-08:00

Created with all the charm of antique toys, bronze sculpture experts are able to produce whimsical yet durable objects of art. From reproductions of animals, to wall art, to wine stopper, cast bronze decorative items remain popular through time.
Bronze was first used approximately 5000 years ago in China to create items for ancestral worship. The Greeks made life sized figures, weapons, and art. The Egyptians used cast bronze to create thousands of small figurines. Now artists use it to make cast bronze metal toys, banks, wine stoppers, candlesticks, and figures.
An alloy of tin and copper, bronze was found easier to melt, it hardened stronger than copper and was more resistant to corrosion than iron. Cast bronze and aluminum decorative sculpture items are more common now, as modern day artist all other metals for decorative interest, yet retain the positive qualities of the bronze.
Bronze is the most popular metal used to make sculptures. It was used in the art foundries in Thailand, where it was valued for its color. Cast bronze has a natural patina, the green and blue coming from the copper compounds. Today cast bronze metal horses, turtles, frogs, bears and other animals wear the soft colors of these copper compounds.
Because of its durability, bronze has been valued throughout the ages. Bronze cannons were some of the first things looted from shipwrecks because of their value. Cast bronze sculptured decorative items were often taken by warring countries to be melted into weapons or life size statues of the new leaders of government.
Fortunately today bronze figures, toys, candlesticks and other artwork are available to those seeking valuable, durable, and attractive metal objects. Bronze sculpture artists and experts produce quality work that is available from the art foundry itself or in art galleries.

Flower Centerpieces Can Make Great Party Gifts

2006-12-19T21:54:00.000-08:00

A great decoration for your party table is the flower centerpiece. Centerpieces are beautiful, refreshing and often can be purchased at an inexpensive price. They also make good housewarming gifts to bring over to the friends and family if you will be attending a party soon. Flower centerpieces are also more unique gifts, so you won’t be bringing over wine like everyone else.
Flower centerpieces are available from florists too, if you feel like sending a gift to someone in another city or just at home. There is nothing like the surprise of receiving a special delivery from a loved one. Friends and family will adore this beautiful gift and it makes a great gift to give during the cold months as a way to remind everyone of the warmer months when flowers and plants are thriving.
You can also put together a homemade flower centerpiece to give as a special gift. The materials needed are very simple; a heavy basket or vase, plastic or real flowers, and a styroform disk or ball. All of these materials can be found at the local arts and crafts store. The Styrofoam base will serve to hold the flowers together and the basket makes for a nice holding vessel. Centerpieces can be decorated with more than just flowers too.
Such items as beads, glitter, plastic droplets, ribbon and paper can be used to accent purchased flower centerpieces. There isn’t a need to create traditional flower bouquets for centerpieces. Some exotic and unusual centerpieces are the best. For example tablepieces have been made that feature only the heads of flowers in a clear glass vase. Its colorful, abundant and very simple. Such a centerpiece with a decorative candle in the center of the glass vase makes for another unique accent. You can add to or take from purchased flower centerpieces as you choose in order to create some holiday cheer.

Watch Shows On Broadway

2006-12-18T21:54:00.001-08:00

There are a number of Broadway plays and shows that people love to watch over and over again. But not all shows last forever on Broadway because the theaters need to make way for new shows and give others the opportunity to show their plays on Broadway. At the moment, there are a number of shows on Broadway that are very popular, and if you are going to New York anytime soon, it would be a good idea to place some of these shows on your itinerary. Websites are a great resource to find locations of theatres, show listings and much more before choosing a show. When staying in hotels in New York City there are people who can help you get the most popular show tickets. Part of the registration process is selecting the shows that you want to see on Broadway. The whole point here is to catch any of the current Broadway shows any which way you can. You can enjoy Broadway shows which have great singing, dancing and acting in one of the most incredible cities in the world.
A great gift would be tickets to a Broadway show of his or her choice. Discount ticket codes can help you lower the cost of the Broadway tickets that you want to buy. Broadway performances have an enormous popularity and hence its tickets are always in high demand. The reason why discount tickets exist is so those people who are on a tight budget have the ability to see great performances like everyone else. Basically you can get Broadway tickets at a discount through many channels: standing room only, lottery, discount codes on tickets, student and senior discounts are just some of the discount that are available for all different types of shows on Broadway. Broadway tickets can be obtained at ticket counters, ticket agencies, organizations, and brokers.
It is on Broadway where you can watch the best musicals, plays and theater acts that appeal to every audience. In New York the street “Broadway” is the street that symbolizes the theater where live shows are performed. Today the area, known as Broadway to tourists and theatergoers, stretches from West 41st Street, and all the way up to West 53rd Street's Broadway Theater.
In the meantime, Broadway has certainly given us our share of popular stars. When visiting New York it would be a shame and your trip would be incomplete without attending a Broadway show, your best bet is to choose the most popular ones so you are not disappointed. Getting a Broadway ticket for a popular show or play can be both challenging and expensive.

Mickey Mouse Party Ideas for Fun

2006-12-18T21:53:00.001-08:00

Everybody gets Mickey Mouse! Nobody from any age or cultural background looks at the iconoclastic rodent and says, "I don't get it." The micro hero is the most universally recognized cartoon character of all time and the perfect party goods theme. His appeal is cross generational to the point that nearly anyone will feel at home with his image.
He's so well known that the silhouette alone is recognizable. That makes these themed party goods easy to match with existing cake pans, fabrics, toys, t-shirts or balloons. It's easy to coordinate existing items with purchased paper party goods and to entertainment. Any budget can afford Mickey Mouse cartoons from a local library's collection.
For teen parties the documentary films or DVD's with added features can delve more into the process and history of animation. Adult guests will enjoy the nostalgic experience of viewing vintage Mickey Mouse as well. There are so many to choose from that any group can enjoy some segment of the Mickey Mouse animation subgenre.
Holiday Mickey Mouse movies can be shown for the guest of honor who celebrates a birthday during the winter holiday season. But there are also seasonal favorites for any time of year. In the nearly 80 years since the image first filled American imagination almost no season or scenario has not been re-enacted by Mickey Mouse.
A Mickey Mouse table cloth will make the buffet table festive while the food makes it a party. Foods can be tailored to the guest list without loosing attention to the Mickey Mouse theme. Mature guests appreciate a cheese platter that would entice any mouse or cookie cutters can provide famous confectionary profiles that will be welcome at children's parties. Each Mickey Mouse paper plate should hold lots of ample supplies of snack foods or sandwiches.

An American Idol Party Ideas and Secrets to Make Your Event a Hit!

2006-12-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

Few television programs have captured attention of the media in a way that American Idol has. What a great party theme! American Idol party goods can set the stage and perhaps karaoke could provide the best entertainment for a pre-teen, teen birthday or other get together.
If your guest list or guest of honor dabbles in the performing arts there is sure to be interest in an American Idol theme. In addition to the invitations and party goods there is plenty of room for glamorous but simple decorations. Any fabric store can provide fabulous sparkle and dazzle yard goods. These can simply be spread on the buffet table or greater effort can be given.
For instance, if you want to hold a pseudo American Idol contest to be the entertainment, simple costumes can be made for contestants. A tie on wrap dress can be made up to be passed from one contestant to the next. A glittery sheer is affordable and instantly turns jeans and t-shirt clad participants into the up and coming diva. Fabric or craft stores can also provide sequin type or glitter decorations to sprinkle liberally around the stage or dining tables.
In direct contrast to popular myths about malnourished performers, yours will be well-fed. Prepare popular foods that allow lots of energy for the guests' performances and their over sized imaginations. Fill bowls with potato or tortilla chips and provide lots of chip dips or salsa. Snack trays of raw veggies send the right nutritional message and are particularly appreciated by figure conscious teens.
Since the winning contestant can't come to next week's contest, make sure that an appropriate prize package awaits. Let the guests vote for their favorite contestant in sealed ballots. Ask for an encore performance from the new neighborhood American idol if time allows.

How To Turn Bad Bookselling News Into Good News

2006-12-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

In light of your communication with me to the effect:
“Dear Russ, Thank you for contacting iUniverse. Jeff Cook forwarded your e-mail to us regarding your question about your royalties. I checked on your account and I show at the end of 3rd Quarter for 2006 you have a total of $18.10. We do not issue out a check unless the amount is over $25.00. I checked on your previous statements and I do not show that a check has been issued for royalties in this year. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with. Regards, Blair Wyant Post Publishing Team Lead”
Thank you for the follow up :) LOL
I quit putting my energy into promotion of my mediocre "FSBO" novel ~ which newspaper's will not publicize or post book reviews about because I depict newspapers as villain's, blame newspapers for being responsible for aiding rapists, robbers, and murderers in the interest of selling "Classified Advertising" to naive, "Uninformed", "I can do it myself and save money", FOR SALE BY OWNERS).
Newspapers do not want it known that -- IN THE INTEREST OF "PROFITS" -- RATHER THAN PUBLISHING THE "REAL FACTS" IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THEIR READERS -- HOME SELLERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BUY MORE AND BIGGER FOR SALE BY OWNERS ADS.
I didn't think that I could sell any less FOR SALE BY OWNERS:FSBO novels than I did in the previous two years. OK, I was wrong. "Shucks!"
The good news is I HAVE HAD OVER 33,000 READERS OF MY EZINE ARTICLES!
I Am writing this reply to you in a form that I can submit for publication as an ezine article. By so doing, I suspect that I will rapidly sell some more of my novels yet this year. You are able to process and ship orders via your toll free order number and Amazon and Barnes and Noble can still get them out to buyers before Christmas. So also can most other booksellers.
Ezine publishers may download this article and God Only knows who all will order FORSALE BY OWNERS:FSBO written and published by iUniverse under my former name Russ Miles.
God revealed my real name to be “Rascal” the same month that He “Cured” me of “Incurable” MS (Multiple Sclerosis). That was in May of 2006. Articles about these miraculous events and others can be assessed via my websites including Http://MilesBooks.com and http://Jesus4You.ws. The Lord Also The Lord “Chose” me, “Rascal” , to be His “Playfully Mischievous Apostle”.
Readers may place orders by calling my honest publisher direct. 1-800-AUTHORS or contacting your favorite bookseller now. Please do! I would like to finish out this year by earning a little something.

Caring for Your Belly Dancing Costumes

2006-12-16T03:24:00.000-08:00

Belly dancing costumes are often made of delicate fabrics that cannot be washed, so how do you care for them properly and make sure you give them the longest life possible?

1. Before wearing your costume, make sure you take a shower and wash off any oils or chemicals that could stain or damage the costume. Natural body oils and perspiration can result in a stale smell and washing first will help preserve the costume for longer.

2. Naturally, you cannot prevent yourself from perspiring during a performance, so straight after a performance make sure you change out of your costume and allow it to dry and air out for a few days before storing. There are several good odor neutralizing sprays on the market that you can use to prevent stale smells lingering on your costume, but spot-test a small area first to ensure it will not damage the material.

3. Avoid wearing your costume around smokers or in smoky environments as this will cause your costume to absorb the odor. If you cannot avoid the smoke (for example, if you are dancing in a restaurant that allows smoking) then follow step two to try and eliminate odors before storing your costume.

4. Belly dancing costumes often include delicate bead and metal decorations. To protect these from damage you should avoid sitting in your costume for any length of time and only wear your costume for the duration of the performance.

5. Do not eat or drink in your costume and avoid people who are eating and drinking, to minimize the risk of spillages on your outfit.

6. Store your costume in a place where it can breathe properly (not a plastic bag) and do not hang a heavy costume from a clothes hanger by the arm holes as this will cause it to stretch out of shape. A good tip for keeping your costume fresh in storage is to put a fabric pouch filled with baking soda in the storage space with it, which will help absorb any odors.

7. Check the seams for tears and look for any loose or broken beading and sequins before storing your costume after a performance. This will prevent any last-minute panics when you retrieve it for your next performance.

Your belly dance costume is fragile and will have cost you much more than the other outfits in your closet. To ensure it looks as good next year as it does this year, give a little consideration to its storage and upkeep, and it will continue to do justice to your performance every time you dance.

The History of the Tea Ceremony

2006-12-16T03:23:00.000-08:00

Did you ever watch a tea ceremony in person or on television and wonder just how it came about? Or perhaps you wish to know about the ceremony to better explain tea to your customers. After all, it is very important to understand the past in order to fully grasp the present and the future.

The traditional tea ceremony actually came from China, not Japan as many people mistakenly believe. The tea ceremony was a practice in China for thousands of years before a Chinese Buddhist monk introduced it to Japan in the ninth century. After its initial introduction, the tea ceremony became hugely popular in Japan.

The traditional tea ceremony first started in China for medicinal purposes. It later was used for recreational reasons. In the early ninth century, a Chinese author by the name of Lu Yu wrote about the tea ceremony and the cultivation and preparation of tea. This book was known as “Ch'a Ching”. Because Yu was very influenced by Zen Buddhism, Buddhist ideas had a great influence upon his outlook on the tea ceremony. Many people who partook of the ceremony later adapted these same ideas.

In the twelfth century, a new type of tea came about. This tea was called matcha, and was a powdered green tea. In the thirteenth century, samurai warriors came up with a way to prepare and drink matcha. These ways were incorporated into the tea ceremony as well. The traditional tea ceremony thus transformed into its own artistic and visual ritual.

By the time the sixteenth century came around, all of Japan was practicing tea ceremonies – across all social classes. A man known as Sen no Rikyu came about during this time. Today, he is one of the most historical figures in the tea ceremony. He introduced the concept of “ichi-go ichi-e” to the ceremony. This means “one time, one meeting”. He believed that every meeting between people should be something that is sacred because it can never happen again. His teachings of harmony, purity, respect and tranquility are the foundations of the modern tea ceremony today.

Today, the Japanese tea ceremony (known in Japan as Cha-no-yu or sado) is a ritual that is influenced by Zen Buddhism and includes the drinking of matcha. Cha-no-yu is a single tea ceremony, while sado is the study of the ceremony itself. During the ceremony, the tea is prepared by a skilled practitioner and then served to people as they sit in a tranquil setting.

The tea practitioner must know all about the types of teas, as well as kimonos, calligraphy, flower arrangements, incense, ceramics, and other arts. He or she must study this at a school, and it often takes years to do so. Even guests of tea ceremonies must know about sado and the gestures and phrases that are part of the ceremony. They must also know how to drink the tea and eat the accompanying foods.

The Majestic Horse

2006-12-15T03:23:00.003-08:00

The variety of types, sizes, temperaments and colors make the horse an animal that would appeal to almost anyone looking for this type of pet. It is important to find the right horse, one that suits your taste and preferences if you should be looking to purchase one.

From the Welsh shetland pony to the giant draught horse we are blessed with this animal species in all its' magnificence. We have enjoyed the horses' company for a very, very long time and together we have been involved in many adventures together. Removing coal from coal mines, pulling farming equipment and as well the horse has been used to carry passengers in carriages but my favorite use of all, the cowboy's horse. My love of the wild west is only intensified due to the abundant use of the horse in those times.

Because of mans' love of the horse movies were created purely with the horse as the main character along with humans as supporting actors. From Mr Ed to Black Beauty, then Trigger and not to forget The Lone Rangers' horse, Silver. We have been captivated by this fine animal, well I have, for all of my life.

When I heard of the Mustang shootings in America I felt sick to the stomach just like I did when I very young and found out they shoot horses for as simple a thing as a broken leg. These days I am sure it is still done in a few severe injuries but I like to think, as in Seabiscuit, the famous racehorse who was also a TV star, that they all could be repaired so they might live a life like they were born to do.

The majestic horse in all its splendor and variations will surely be with man a long, long time. What will this mean in the future? If nothing else our children and grandchildren etc might be allowed to experience the same love, respect and enjoyment from them that we all horse lovers share.

What to Include in Your Band's Press Kit

2006-12-15T03:23:00.001-08:00

You should be ready at all times to promote your band and a press kit is one of the best ways to do so. Generally, a press kit consists of:

A Cover or Briefcase: Some people just use a folder and others use a briefcase or something large enough to hold CDs or DVDs. If you use a folder, include a cover with your band logo or some other eye-catching device.

Contact Information: Keep a contact page available that gives your contact information, along with a little information about the band, such as the style of music.

Booking Information: Similar to the contact information but small enough to include with CDs, a sticker or perhaps a business card.

Artist Bio Page or Intro Page: A basic introduction of the band, including the style of music, information about the members and location of past performances. In addition to band member bios, relate if you have your own sound or light crew.

Promotional Material: The way to secure future work is simply to make the venue money. Let the venue know how you plan to promote an event. You can do so by building up your fan base, putting up flyers, handing out demos, or whatever you have to do to get people to a show. Keeping sample flyers and such with your kit is a great way of showing the venue how you plan to advertise.

Band Pictures: Keep quality prints and electronic images on hand for promotional purposes.

Equipment List: Put together a list of the equipment you have available for gigs, including information on whether you have your own sound people. Include detailed information like the wattage of your amps, light equipment and so on.

Demo CD or DVD: Make you demos look and sound as professional as possible. Make sure you use your best material and don't forget to include your contact information with the CD.

Song List: Include a list of all of your original work as well as cover songs you play.

Newspaper Clippings / Reviews/ Articles: Keep a collection of media copy that relates to your band.

Business Cards: Include your contact information and logo. Keep them on you at all times; you never know when you might meet someone that can get you work.

Envelope/Folder: A small press package to hand out, include contact information, band bio, images, equipment and song lists, a demo CD and business cards.

Beyond a press kit, it's also a good idea to keep an updated webpage with music samples, contact information and a calendar of upcoming shows. Many bands also send out newsletters to their fan's email address to let them know about their upcoming concerts and events.

The 1939 New York World's Fair 7 Zones of Excitement

2006-12-14T03:22:00.000-08:00

The 1939 New York World's Fair was conceived during the depression with the idea of building something so fantastic that its very presence would lift the United States out of the doldrums of the depression. To accomplish this, the founders decided to make the 1939 worlds fair a truly international event by creating seven zones, each covering a different subject area.

The seven zones were: the Government Zone, the Community Interests Zone, the Food Zone, the Communications and Business Zone, the Production and Distribution Zone, the Transportation Zone and the Amusement Zone. The Government Zone was further broken up into three areas, the Country Zone, the Hall of Nations and the Court of States.

Each zone focused on a particular type of activity. Let's take a look at what each zone offered to people who attended the 1939 worlds fair.

The government zone was all about the various countries around the world and the states of the United States. The exhibit allowed people to explore the various cultural varieties that exist around the world in the various country exhibits and specialties of each state that was exhibiting at the fair. Additionally, there was a central Court of Peace which held a variety of events and was best known for its equestrian performances.

The Community Interest Zone of the 1939 New York World's Fair featured a variety of industries and trades that were of mass appeal - including art, gardens, the gas industries, textiles, home building materials and furniture, jewelry, cosmeticsm religion and many others. Its most striking feature was the Spiral Fountain which was located in the courtyard of Medicine & Public Health and the Science & Education building. It also featured the Town of Tomorrow, a collection of 15 state of the art homes. Each home was designed around a specific theme and each devoted a room that explained the materials that went into building that particular house.

The Food Zone was a showcase of industries and companies that helped prepare and make food available to the consumer. Companies that were featured included Borden, General Cigar, Heinz, Swift, Beech Nut and many others. And as its namesake suggested, you could purchase all sorts of food and drink here for consumption.

The Communications and Business Zone showcased a variety of companies and state of the art products - including AT&T, RCA, the U.S. Post Office, Crosley and many others. It also featured a communications building highlighting all the companies and products that were bringing us into the modern age of communications.

The Production and Distribution Zone of the 1939 Worlds Fair featured a large number of manufacturing companies and demonstrated how raw materials were used to produce finished products. Some of the companies represented include Con Edison, Dupont, Eastman Kodak, Elgin Watches, General Electric, US Steel and Westinghouse.

The Transportation Zone was all about transportation - including exhibits from Chrysler, Firestone, Ford, General Motors and many others. It also had exhibits about state of the art aviation, railroad and marine transportation. And it featured Futurama - a view of the United States in the 1960's.

And last but certainly not least was the Amusement Zone. The Amusement Zone was the most popular Zone in the park and it featured a variety of amusements, shows, rides and firework displays.

William Hogarth

2006-12-14T03:21:00.000-08:00

William Hogarth painters alike succeeded a lot in making their society more perfect. One of such successful perfect society creators was William Hogarth.

A satirist at heart William Hogarth is the first authentic English artist. His painting and engravings of the English society of his time had no precedent in England. His work is deeply theatrical and he referred to himself as a dramatist in paint: ‘My picture is my stage, and men and women my players.’

As a painter Hogarth became famous for his ‘conversation pieces’. These are paintings in several acts of informal groups of people, relatives or friends in their daily surroundings. Such series include ‘The Harlot’s Progress’ (1731) and ‘The Rake’s progress’ (1733-1734) which respectively tell about the rise and fall of a prostitute and of a dissipated man of fashion. ‘Mariage a la mode (1743) is the story in six paintings telling about an arranged marriage which ends in murder and suicide.

Hogarth who as a boy was apprenticed to a plate engraver also produced very popular engravings. The cheap prints of the engravings became the part of the furniture in many English homes.

He believed these prints could teach people moral lessons. He thought, for instance, that the prints of “Beer Street’ and ‘Gin Lane, two 1751 engravings could dissuade people from drinking gin. Indeed, by the middle of the 18th century this habit had reached alarming proportions among the poorer classes. It became a serious social threat.

A Night in Huancayo A Short Story

2006-12-13T03:21:00.000-08:00

Chapter One

He stared at the red capped cathedral. Sparklingly lighted, it laid enveloped in the Mantaro Valley, in the city of Huancayo, surrounded by what he called Mountains, and the inhabitants called hill.

He had been in Huancayo for two weeks, hand not really got used to it; the Plaza de Arms carefree composure he liked.

In the countries he had visited—which were many—few were lit up like this church. Yet he been told, and was aware the side streets were to be feared at night (ah, yes in deed, there was a difference between day and night in this Andean city); likened to the haunting-ness of the Dark Ages, with its cobblestone streets, and its Spanish balconies. He had come form the 20th century, United States.

The bus was a passenger vehicle; it was being loaded, he knew it was going to leave by one O’clock this very day, leave to go to Lima, Peru, through the Mantaro Valley, and then the Andes, and onto the Imperial city of Kings. They put boxes upon boxes in the side hold of the bus, along with the baggage left on the outside of the bus, two men lifting up the heavy loads, baggage and boxes, silently, as if they were on a mission, throwing them into the hold like sacks of potatoes, tossing them into the deepest part of the hold.

The bus was being made ready for its trip to Lima, and the Huancayo rains had stared (December rains); the rains rose and descended from city to city, town-let to town-let, village to village, black clouds shifting all day long, drifting throughout the valley.

The rains engulfed the whole region (within a short period of time), from, and to include Concection, to San Jeranimo, Cajas, and Sapallanga, was flooded, and the heavy downpour in Huancayo, flooded the street likewise.

The rains were heavy, and the cities first stank, and then got swollen with the seepage of waist, especially in Huancayo. He felt he was not all that safe in the rains, and wanted to get onto the bus.

Beyond the Andes had become the last hope for an American fugitive, as he called himself, a veteran of the Vietnam War (know in Huancayo as the Americano). Here he thought he felt safe, avoiding justice to keep his freedom, which could be purchased in Peru. This was the gate to tolerance, so he called it, if it was not to be had here, than where (?) He was lost for a plan ‘B’ perhaps condemned to be imprisoned in a concrete jungle in the United States where his visa was a one way ticket to Hell and freedom unobtainable. Only one thing mattered, a new identity, and here he found it.

He had blackmailed fate, married a Peruvian, found his way to Lima, changed his name, got a residency card, and paid a few people off.

The Bus tickets were sold out, and he could not pay even double the amount to get another ticket (even too late to bribe other passengers).

He had made his plans to move on, not sure where, but Lima would be a centralized point to start, and then elsewhere, he was familiar with the city slightly. This bus was the last way out of the Andean city, on this holiday weekend. He was the only gringo, in Huancayo, and felt he was the only unescorted foreigner.

He asked the bus driver if he could pay double fare, and sit in the isle. An absurd idea for even if he had talked the driver into it, allowing it, where would he sit—everyone had mounds of luggage by their seats in the isles…but I suppose in desperation or despair one tries anything.

(Haunted he was, and paranoid of capture)) who knows what logic was reasonable for his reality)).

Chapter Two

It was early in the morning (3:00 AM), and the Plaza de Arms was almost deserted —but for a vagabond (beggar in the morning, vagrant at night, he had seen him before), sleeping hunched in the doorway of a shop, across the street stood, Lugar Cathedral. The vagrant was sleeping, hunched in tightly. He became aware of a second homeless soul, as he walked indecisively about, paced the plaza platform, and stared at the two street people.

He took no further interest in the two down-and-out, as they wakeup and stared, watching him pace. He kept his watch, still fearful of the police, though he had done no wrong in Peru.

Fearful, he kept in the shadowy areas of the plaza, the cathedral. He walked about slowly, as if he were about to be captured at any moment, while trying to design a new plan.

He stopped for a rest, heard steps behind him, nearer and nearer they came, he then started back up walking. If he got arrested, he would be questioned, and his wife would find out he was missing (leaving), she was sleeping at her sisters in El Tambo (a district of Huancayo), thinking all was well.

He then disappeared down a side street, a very narrow cobblestone street, adjacent to the plaza. Now those footsteps were next to him. The shadow of the man behind him was large, larger than his.

“Are you lost?” said a voice in Spanish.

He shook his head ‘no’ and kept on walking (the street lights allowed the shadow to see).

“Americano?” Indirectly, questioned the voice.

He didn’t answer the voice, but continued walking, looking at the red-shadowy tile roofs on the houses and the moon’s glare. (He knew very few people in the city spoke English, and he spoke very little Spanish.)

“I’m not the police,” said the voice, in smooth English, with no British accent.

He did not believe the voice and continued his pace, although he did take a quick look behind him, noticing the large man was not wearing a police uniform, but rather rough looking civilian cloths, with a motley looking jacket on (gloomy like his facial appearance).

It was a chilly night, wet, light rain intermittently. He had been arrested, he told himself: too many times in America, he wasn’t going to take any unnecessary chances now, not here, not anywhere. He knew he had papers on him, showing he was a resident, but he’d have a hard time explaining himself with the little Spanish he knew to the authorities, and he did not, DID NOT! What them to find out that he really was, not who he was, or what his papers said he was suppose to be.

“I saw you looking at the itinerant men back at the Cathedral,” said the large man (who seem to be educated but down and out himself), “So I got thinking…!”

He showed indifference to his statement he didn’t care what he looked like, he wanted him to vanish. He needed to find a place to stay, figure out his next step, a new plan, he was wet, and getting hungry, and he had missed the bus, he wanted to get out of Huancayo.

“Do you want to get out of the city?” the voice asked.

He did not reply. A few more feet, and he could turn about and knock the guy out with a solid punch to the side of his head.

“Here,” said the voice, holding out a set of car keys, “I can help you, you can help me, even you can go to Bolivia you wan, fro a price of course!”

He swathe keys, they looked like car keys in the feeble light. He felt it was now safe to stop and confront his ghost, his second shadow…

“Porque! (Why!)” He asked in Spanish.

“Do you think I need to get out of dodge?” He had learned a few words in Spanish, but only a few, but the shadow seemed to be quite able to carry on a good conversation in English.

“Come with me, I can assure you a way out of the city, and on your way to wherever, even Bolivia.”

“I’m not in need of a taxi!”

“Ah, yes…!” then he stared at who he figured was the taxi man, who wasn’t really a taxi man, whom didn’t seem to be a policeman neither.

(‘He must have known it was a holiday weekend, and all the buses were full, that is why he is perhaps offering me a ride ’)

Sedona Schnebly's Sculptor: Susan Kliewer

2006-12-13T03:20:00.000-08:00

I have always admired the monument of Sedona Schnebly standing at the entrance of the Sedona Public Library. The statue, a 10-foot-tall bronze, portrays Sedona walking forward with her left arm extended offering an apple from a basket while her face draws a gentle smile, as if welcoming you to her namesake, the City of Sedona. This offering gesture is symbolic of Sedona's reputation as a charming hostess. As a matter of fact, she and her husband grew apples and their home doubled as a bed & breakfast welcoming tired travelers. The statue's fine lines and contours are masterfully combined with a gracious soft motion that brings it to life. When I learned that Susan Kliewer was the artist, I wanted to meet the woman sculptor of the woman pioneer.

Susan Kliewer spends time sculpting at Mountain Trails Galleries in Tlaquepaque (www.mountaintrails.com). She invited me to join her at the art gallery for our interview. Upon my arrival, she was working on a small equestrian statue of the legendary Buffalo Bill.

Her friendly manner and cordial smile made me feel right at home. I also gained an appreciation for her in-depth knowledge and respect for the Navajo as well as the Hopi cultures, and her passion for Southwest American history in general.

Coupled with a life in the country-side and constant contact with Navajo culture, her works involve detailed research, something she has been doing for about 30 years. For this reason, her master pieces accurately reflect a traditional American historical background that she brings to life in her animated bronzes.

In addition to the statue of Sedona Schnebly, Kliewer has sculpted two life-size water fountains: one commemorates the Sinagua People and the other portrays a Hopi Water Maiden. Kliewer enjoys these monumental projects and expects to create more in the near future.

Susan Kliewer was born in Orange County, California. Her grandparents were ranchers there before it became overcrowded. Although Kliewer is a talented sculptor, her first artistic passion was painting. She began painting at the age of 10, and decided she wanted to be an artist. As an interesting note, her father, Elmer Osterman (a fire prevention coordinator for CA) was the creator of today's popular icon "Smokey the Bear" which was based on the true story of a bear stranded in a fire. It comes as no surprise then that her artistic talent runs in the family.

It was in 1968 when she and her former husband read about the town of Sedona in an article published in Arizona Highways and planned a camping trip there with their three children. They came to Sedona for the first time on Memorial Day, and immediately fell in love with the area. Kliewer and her family decided to move from California and bought Oak Creek Mobile Lodge and ran it as a mobile home for about four years.

One day a Californian neighbor proposed that she run another type of business, a trading post at Marble Canyon. It was a remote location near the Arizona-Utah border, and even though she hesitated at first, now Susan realizes it was a very important move in her life: "that was a big thing for me. I didn't want to leave Sedona that much, but I'm really glad we did, because of all the new experiences that otherwise I wouldn't have had."

During the next five years Kliewer learned how to run a restaurant, a motel, a gas station, a post office and, of course, a trading post. "It was like a little tiny kingdom. Neat place! We met all the people who went down the Canyon for white-water rafting… so we had very nice, very interesting guests all summer. There was no television or any electronic things, but lots of music and singing at night"--she remembers smiling.

In her spare time, Susan continued to paint and became quite proficient painting portraits. She was inspired by her love of and interest in Southwest cultures. In fact, her son married a Navajo girl and, ever since, her ties with the Navajos strengthened. Her Navajo friends and grandchildren have been the models for many of her bronze pieces.

After her unforgettable years at the trading post, Kliewer decided to move back to Sedona: "I wanted a more normal life for my kids. They had to go to school 40 miles each way… It was really hard for them, they had to take a one hour bus ride each way every day."

Back in Sedona, Kliewer worked as the manager of "Oaxaca Restaurant" in Uptown Sedona. But when the restaurant was sold out, the new owners managed the restaurant themselves and she worked as a waitress. She remembers it was a very tough time for her since she was going through a divorce and trying to make a living; then Kliewer applied for a job at the local foundry. Even though she was rejected at first because it was "a man's job," she persisted, and became the first woman in town to ever hold such a job: "if I wouldn't have done it, I wouldn't be sculpting today"--she asserted.

The Hookah Experience

2006-12-12T03:19:00.001-08:00

A hookah is basically a water pipe intended for the smoking of tobacco. It is often made of glass with two or more flexible stems drawing the water cooled smoke from the pipe. It originated in India many centuries ago, and moved from there into the Middle East. Although tobacco was the original substance burned in the hookah, others are also used. Some of these others have been illegal substances such as Cannabis or Opium, and this has tended to give hookahs a bad name in Western Culture. In recent years, the hookah has been making some headway in dispelling this bad reputation. One of the attractions of hookah smoking in the East was the manner in which the activity induced relaxation, and stimulated conversation.

The Online market has allowed hookahs to be purchased in larger numbers, and the merchants generally sell a large variety of flavored and low nicotine tobacco. The nicotine level is furthered reduced by the action of the water inside the pipe, and the result is a smoking experience that is ultimately less expensive and a lot less messy than sharing a couple of Marlboros. If a couple were smokers, it is easy to envision the hookah on the coffee table for a private evening of movies or conservation.

This is exactly the thought of some enterprising businessmen who have begun to open Hookah bars around the country. These would be regular bars with the exception of a hookah in the middle of every table. That large selection of fragrant tobacco would be available for purchase along with your drinks. The hookah smoking would supposedly have a calming effect on the patrons, encourage good talk, and enhance the entertainment. A Hookah Café would be similar except that perhaps food and coffee would be served with the tobacco rather than alcohol. Which ever approach suits you better, a trip to a Hookah smoking establishment would make a novel and very interesting group activity.

Party Goods Food That Will Make Your Guests Smile At the Thought

2006-12-12T03:19:00.000-08:00

Have you ever looked over to the party goods table at a gathering and felt as though something were missing. Sometimes a little spice and pizzazz is needed at the food table to keep conversation stirring and the enjoyment of the evening flowing. Taking into account the million and one different kinds of parties people throw, integrating your specific party theme into your eatery will be a thoughtful and joyful conversation piece that will give entertainment through out the evening. Here are some helpful ideas.

Food can be altered in many ways but you must first pin-down in what way you would like it to go. Depending on the party, this should be easy. A four-year-old birthday is going to have less black than a forty-year-olds birthday party. Similarly, a bachelorette party will not entail the same decor that one would enhance within a wedding party.

Once you have a good grasp on what your party is about, it is time to get creative. But where should you start? There are several pieces to a party revolving around the food that are boring hum-drum-everyday things. Here is a simple list that can easily be expanded with a little extra thought:

Party-ware (tablecloths, hats, silverware, plates, cups, and napkins)

Cake

Relish trays

meat and cheese trays

chips and dip

Now, to get your mind moving on the right track, how can you present these things in a different way that would not only feed your guests but entertain them at the same time? An angel food cake at a baby shower that was cut into and frosted as though it were stacked building blocks can be an adorable touch. Relish trays that make a collage relevant to the event are also another great piece of entertainment. Meat and cheese trays that are prepared to create a 3D figure. Chips and dip can be of a different color or individually prepared so one can easily grab a small bowl without trying to fumble with them on their already stacked plate can also be a thoughtful rendition. The key to keeping your guests entertained and fed is only one imagination away.

Bob Seger Tickets IXS

2006-12-11T23:30:00.001-08:00

Bob Seger developed into one of the most popular heartland rockers over the course of the '70s. Originally, he was a hard-driving rocker in the vein of fellow Michigan garage rockers the Rationals and Mitch Ryder. He successfully created a unique American Sound which was actually the combination of the driving charge of Ryder's Detroit Wheels with Stonesy garage rock and devotion to hard-edged soul and R&B(http://events.ixs.net/R-B-Soul.aspx ). Inspite of many lost opportunities of the initial Years of his career, Seger finally achieved a national audience in 1976 with the back-to-back release of his albums Live Bullet and Night Moves. These two Albums were a superb success which helped Seger in retaining his popularity for the coming two decades, releasing seven Top Ten, platinum-selling albums in a row.

Seger shown his interest in music in his early age. He began playing music in 1961 as the leader of the Detroit-based trio the Decibels; his future manager, Eddie "Punch" Andrews was also a member of the band. Moving to Ann Arbor, he played with the Town Criers before he became the keyboardist and vocalist for Doug Brown & the Omens. The band released "The Ballad of the Yellow Beret," that was parody of the Sgt. Barry Sadler song "The Ballad of the Green Beret." However, It proved a set back for them when Sadler threatened a lawsuit against this song.Resultantly, The single was withdrawn shortly after its release.

The First Solo Single of Seger was "East Side Story, which was released in 1966. This song gained huge popularity and soon it became a regional hit. Many other local hit singles followed on Cameo Records, including "Persecution Smith" and "Heavy Music," before his label folded. The Year 1968 was very important in the Career of Bob Seger as in this year, He successfully formed the Bob Seger System and got the golden opportunity of signing with the reknowned Capitol Records. His debut album, Ramblin' Gamblin' Man, was released by Capitol Records in the spring of this eventual year. The title track met a grand success and it became a national hit, climbing to number 17.

Seger achieved a commercial breakthrough with his 1976 album Night Moves which featured several hits including the highly evocative title song. Night Moves became a blockbuster, generating the hit singles "Night Moves," "Mainstreet," and "Rock & Roll Never Forgets." Stranger in Town, released in the summer 1978, was just as successful, featuring the hits "Still the Same," "Hollywood Nights," "We've Got Tonite," and "Old Time Rock & Roll." His most recognizable songs are almost certainly "Old Time Rock & Roll" (featured in the film Risky Business) and "Like a Rock" (most familiar to many younger Americans through its association with a long-running Chevrolet ad campaign). Seger also co-wrote the Eagles #1 hit song "Heartache Tonight" from their 1979 album The Long Run.

Keeping in view of his grand successes, Seger was acknowledged as America's most popular rockers. Seger's next album, 1980's Against the Wind, became his first number one album and all of its big hits -- "Fire Lake," "Against the Wind," "You'll Accomp'ny Me" -- were ballads. The live album Nine Tonight continued his multi-platinum success in 1981, selling three million copies and peaking at number three.

Trying to Find Good Used Books? This Article Can Help!

2006-12-11T23:30:00.000-08:00

New books - especially hardcover editions - are expensive. However, there are ways to locate both paperback and hardcover copies of books at a reasonable price.

Remember the great Pearl S. Buck novel that you read in high school? Now, years later, you want to find a copy so that you can read the story again. But you don't want to pay full price.

What do you do?

You have decided to start collecting out-of-print book editions as a hobby.

Where do you start?

You are a student with a limited budget searching for used textbooks.

Where do you begin?

You are a passionate Anne Rice booklover. Her latest release has been out for a couple of months, and you want to find a used copy.

How?

If your needs are specific, you can start at an online site like AbeBooks.com. This website is terrific because it offers both used and new books from sellers all over the world. Each book's condition is fully described. Shop around, and be sure to check shipping rates before you order. A $1 book may be more expensive through one seller than a $2 book through a competitor because of high handling costs.

A couple of other online stores specializing in rare and out-of-print books are BookFinder.com and Alibris.com. And Used.Addall.com has a service that will hunt through several sites at the same time.

Did you know that Amazon offers used books?

And of course, there is ebay. If you are careful to read descriptions meticulously - and only deal with vendors who have a high positive feedback rating - you can often find exactly what you need.

A would-be collector can visit garage and rummage sales, estate auctions, flea markets, second hand stores, and thrift marts.

Many libraries clear out paperbacks on a regular basis. Your library may also offer a book-exchange program. A quick phone call to the librarian can provide you with more information.

You may also find treasures at used bookstores, plentiful in larger cities. However, a savvy bookstore owner will be on the lookout for valuable editions. Expect to pay collector prices for rare publications.

Local educational institutions may cull old textbooks that are no longer required in the current curriculum. They are usually well worn and marked with underlining and highlights. However, there are good finds to be had.

Your local or online yellow pages can provide information on local resources. If you live in a small community and are planning a trip into a nearby city, find the yellow pages first and make some pre-travel phone calls. Advance preparation can save you a lot of gas, time, and frustration.

Remember - you don't need to be a bookworm to enjoy a good book!

* A home without books is a body without soul. - (Marcus Tullius Cicero)

* Books are not made for furniture, but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house. - (Henry Ward Beecher)

* Books give not wisdom where none was before, but where some is, there reading makes it more. - (Sir John Harington)

Climbing the Ladder, Quick Tips to Move Up in the Video Game Industry

2006-12-10T23:29:00.003-08:00

Getting a job in the video game industry is sometimes the easy part. With today's technological advancements, there are oodles of opportunities to land a job in video games. The fun part is what comes next.

So what do you do once you've landed the job? You work your tail off. It will pay off, trust me. There are very talented people in the game industry and you need to know that you can do it and become a valued member on a team with a developer. But…it takes time.

How much time? Well, that depends on how motivated you are to advance your career. There are several things you can do as an artist or a game designer to help things along. These are simple things that once applied can move you leaps and bounds up the industry ladder.

Learn from others. One of the most important things you can do is to associate with highly talented people in your company. Be willing to learn from them. Watch and observe what they do, and be willing to put your time into this phase. Share ideas with each other and learn. You'll find that this helps more than anything in your growth as a designer and artist. You will be able to see your art develop and your techniques grow faster than if you just tried to do everything yourself. I can't express how important this is. Don't just sit at your desk and try to do things on your own. Meet senior artists and learn from them.

If you are just starting out, there will be times when you are going to be confused with the company's process or ways they go about hitting milestones. You need to ask people when you have a question. Don't just try and figure things out for yourself or you may get burned. Ask, then do.

Lastly, be active in the meetings at work. Don't just sit back and watch. Get involved. Be willing to share your ideas. However, being the noobie, don't think your idea is always right and be pushy with it. This will get you blackwalled quickly and people will shut your career down quickly if you are the new guy who thinks he knows something.

How To Take Perfect Christmas Pictures Like A Pro?

2006-12-10T23:29:00.001-08:00

Looking for the best tips that help you take perfect Christmas pictures and snap the most unforgettable holiday moment?

Christmas is such a great time of the year when families and friends gather together and get into the festive spirit. It truly is a time to cherish when the children open their presents, eat dinner and listening to "Old Uncle Bernie" telling a few jokes.

What makes it even more special, however, is taking that perfect Christmas photo so that, when you look back on that Christmas, can really help you to relive the memories of that truly magical Christmas.

However, the truth is, although many people have expensive cameras, they may not know how to use them correctly.

A lot of people think "how hard could it possibly be?" and they just go ahead and take the photo without even looking at the instructions. What they do not realize is that it can be extremely hard to take decent Christmas pictures when you do not know how to use the camera properly.

Most of people just get the camera out, nap a picture and, when they get it back, the picture is either missing someone's head or it hasn't come out properly at all.

So, as well as knowing how to work the camera, it is a good idea to feel confident in how to take that perfect Christmas photo. There are a few tips that you can use to make things easier.

First, arrange the scenery and the people exactly how you require them to be and make sure that there are not any unwanted objects in the way. It can be extremely annoying when you take a photo and realize that some stranger making faces right in the view of your camera has ruined it.

You can use the red eye feature on some cameras that can help when the Christmas pictures have been developed. If this feature is not on your camera, you can ask the person to turn slightly to the left, which should stop the problem.

A great tip for taking a Christmas photo when there is a group of three or more people is to take more than one picture. The reason behind this is that it is almost guaranteed that one person will have their eyes shut or be looking the wrong way. So take precautions and do not pin all of your hopes on one photo, otherwise, you may be disappointed!

So, make sure you capture that perfect Christmas moment by following some of these basic tips. However, remember that it is all about having fun so be sure to enjoy yourself at the same time!

As well as having that perfect photo for your family album, how about entering your best photos in a contest for a prize? This could be a really big incentive to snap those perfect Christmas pictures, as well as a sense of pride and joy.

America's Next Top Model vs. Project Runway

2006-12-09T23:28:00.001-08:00

America's Next Top Model is a show that does not get the proper respect that it deserves. Tyra Banks hosts a solid and inspiring TV show that really makes you understand exactly what the world of modeling is all about. What I don't like is how people tend to look down on this spectacular show. Why do they dislike it? Why do they write it off before seeing it? The problem is, of course, the way we view models in our society: we think they are dumb. Or course, some are. But, we like to think of models as two dimensional beings, and we don't see the need to watch them do anything but pose. So, by some weird extension we subconsciously believe that America's Next Top Model won't be a good show. But it is.

America's Next Top Model is well-produced and exciting and full of drama. The contestants are diverse and entertaining, which is perfect. if you want to check out a show that you've never ever given a chance, America's Next Top Model might be one to watch. I've certainly loved it every second of it. I cannot explain how good Tyra Banks is at running this show. She is a little crazy, but actually also insightful and fun to watch.

The problem that we encounter with our preconceptions of America's Next Top Model is that it's completely and totally unfair. We assume, just as the BuddyTV article states, that because of the premise and the channel and the host of the show, we know how good or bad it will be. As any rational person can attest, this is quite foolish. More over, the we make this decision subconsciously and therefore, it's hard to find fault in ourselves. America's Next Top Model, while popular in its own right, is losing out on a number of viewers solely because of stereotypes. This isn't fair to the show or to ourselves.

Basic understanding of your digital camera flash

2006-12-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

Many of us do not think twice about the usage of our digital camera’s flash assuming that the camera will use the flash automatically as needed. Flash however can and should be manually set in many scenarios resulting in high quality digital photos.

The most common usage of flash photography is when there is not enough ambient light for example when taking an indoor digital photo in a dark room. There are many other ways in which you can use your digital camera’s flash to get high quality digital photos. One such usage is fill-in flash.

Before setting your flash to manual mode and making more efficient usage of it you should know a bit more of the technology and history behind flash photography. Flash photography has been around for more than a century. During the early days of photography flash was implemented as a powder that was literally lit by either fire or electrical current. At that time flash photography was a risky business. Digital cameras today use a safe implementation by utilizing electronic flash tubes that are automatically synchronized with the camera’s shutter.

You have two options for using flash with your digital camera. The first option is using the digital camera internal flash. Practically all digital cameras have build-in flash units. Most cameras also allow the usage of an external flash unit. Such flash units can be either mechanically attached to the digital camera or they can be connected to the camera via a cable and mechanically positioned on a tripod or any other mechanism. They are synchronized and controlled by the digital camera. External flash units vary in price and features. They can have different maximum light energy that they can emit and different mechanical capabilities (tilting, skewing).

In automatic flash mode the camera sensors evaluate the amount of ambient light in the scene. The digital camera fires the flash if the amount of ambient light is not high enough. There are limitations to the cameras automatic sensors resulting in either firing the flash when it was not needed or vice versa.

In some scenarios the usage of flash can result in poor digital photos. For example when the object is too close to the digital camera the flash light will be too strong and will wash out the object. Another example is in scenarios where the flash creates unwanted shadows in the digital photo. Yet another example is exaggeration of details such as when shooting a digital photo of an older person the skin wrinkles and imperfections details can be overly detailed.

Digital camera’s flash units have a certain effective range. This is a limitation of how much light energy the flash unit can emit. Internal flash units usually have shorter range than external flash units. If the object in the photo is outside of the flash range – the flash will not be effective and the object will be dark. On the other hand if the object is too close to the flash unit or the flash unit emits too much energy the object will be washed out. If your object is outside of your flash unit effective range you should turn off the flash and use slow shutter photography preferably with a tripod or another stabilizing mechanism. If your flash units allows the setting of the light energy that will be fired (usually by setting the distance to the object) – make sure that it is set right to prevent washed out objects.

Making some extra money with your digital photos

2006-12-08T23:27:00.000-08:00

Are you an amateur photographer? Do you enjoy taking digital photos? Do you have good quality digital photos to share with others? You can do that and also make some extra money from it. This article will show you how you can enjoy sharing your photography work and also get some cash at the same time.

This article is not about turning you into a professional photographer or about making your digital photos your main source of income. It will show you how you can share your digital photos with others and also make some extra cash at the same time. This money should be considered as extra income – usually a good source of cash to invest back into your digital photography hobby – maybe to buy a new camera, lenses, batteries or anything else that you need.

Photo stock websites: Photo stock websites are becoming more and more popular. Photo stock sites provide a market place for photographers to show off their work while others can view that work and buy it for a price usually set by the photographers. Some photo stock websites allow you to define the exact rights that you grant to the buyer so you can better protect your work. When users buy your digital photos you get a commission out of that money. There are many flavors of photo stock websites examples of two are: www.photostockplus.com and www.smugmug.com.

Your own photo gallery site: Putting a website together is relatively easy using some free commercial tools. For example you can easily set a photo album web site using tools from Yahoo. On your website you can allow users to browse and download full resolution digital photos for free or you can sell the high resolution versions of the digital photos. Implementing a shopping cart and collecting money is easily done using checkout tools from companies like PayPal, Yahoo and Google. Another option is to make money by placing advertisement on your site for example by using Google Adsense. Advertisement however will only generate noticeable revenues if you can attract a high number of visitors to your site. If your digital photos are unique and interesting you might be able to do just that. Another option is to create a dedicated Blog website – or to add a Blog to your digital photos website. You can easily do that with tools such as Blogger and Typepad. In the Blog you can present your digital photos and also write some interesting descriptions of how you took them, what is unique about them and anything else that might trigger the visitors’ interest. Tell your friends and family about your site and post information about it in forums and chat boards.

Work for hire: This is a more conservative and traditional option. You can offer your photography services by posting ads in local classifieds website or newspaper. If you have your own site you can also offer your services through that site or add a link to the site on your ads to allow potential customers to view your work. Make sure that you are candid and up front with your potential customers about what you do, your work and your experience. They should understand that you are an amateur photographer and view your work to decide if you are a good fit for their needs. To get a sense of how much to charge contact other local photographers and get quotes for their services. If you have never done photography for hire before it is a good advice to start with jobs that are not very important to the clients and that can be done again if the results are not satisfactory. For example shooting digital photos of a wedding is probably not a good idea to start with. Taking digital photos of someone’s car is a better option.

Free Movie Software Downloads

2006-12-08T23:26:00.000-08:00

The traditional method of watching movies involved going to the theater or watching movies at the home theater by renting movie videos. Though visiting theatres or watching movies on the DVDs are still popular options, another method, which is giving them a run for their money, is watching movies online. Another plus point is that in most cases the movies are free of charge.

Watching movies online may result in a compromise as far as quality if you don’t have the right software installed in your computer. Otherwise you will find that the quality of the picture is very low and the picture continues to flicker, thereby spoiling the movie.

First of all, you need to have the right cable connection. This means you must select the right modem speed. For example, if your modem’s speed is 64 kb, the movie will not start playing immediately. This is because movie files are streaming videos involving mpg or mpg4 files. These files need to first build a buffer in the computer and only after that will the movies begin playing seamlessly. On the other hand, if you have a 256 kb connection, your movie will begin to play instantly. This is because the download time with this speed is much faster.

Also, as stated before the movie files are mpg or mpg4 files that need to build up a buffer before actually beginning to play and therefore the amount of space you have in your computer will also make a difference.

The movie should begin to play in five minutes. If it doesn’t start or you see a broken Q image in the middle of the screen, it means that you don’t have the Quicktime movie player installed on your system.

Apart from a stable cable connection, you also need the QuickTime movie player installed in your system. Most computers already have this software installed. Otherwise you can download it from the net itself.