Sunday, November 17, 2013

Photo Gift Ideas To Brighten Up The Celebration

Gifts are given on many occasions, including birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and holidays. The best and most memorable photo gift ideas should mean something to both the giver and the recipient. It is difficult to get more personal than by incorporating a photo into a gift.

Easy Skirt Tutorial

Are you in the mood to make a skirt, but don't have a skirt pattern handy? Do you have some extra fabric lying around, and can't think of anything to do with it? Or are you just looking for a simple sewing project to keep you occupied for a few hours? If your answer to any of these questions is "yes," try this easy skirt tutorial on for size.


Thursday, November 14, 2013

To Make Something Weak You Must First Make It Strong As the Chinese Proverb Goes

We've all seen how people have won the lottery, come into huge amounts of money, and looked as if their financial freedom had finally been assured, and that nothing could ever knock them off their pedestal again. And yet, within a few years they are either dead or broke. Do you ever wonder why that is? Well, I'd like to refer to an old Chinese proverb which goes something like this; "to make something weak you must first make it strong." Okay so let's talk a little bit about this concept.

The Internet and Network Marketing

There is nothing like being able to run a business with just a laptop and a cell phone. To me This is what being an entrepreneur is all about. The freedom of being able to travel while running a business is priceless to me.

Get a Close Look at Animals on Your Next Family Vacation

A great family vacation can involve a trip to see a variety of animals and even insects. No matter the ages of your kids, they will likely be able to find some creature that captures their attention. The best part is this kind of attraction is educational, and it often does not even feel that way to children. For this reason, instead of requiring your kids to read books to learn about animals of any kind, you should consider a trip that will give them a memorable experience.

Why You Need a Default Grocery Store List On Your Smart Phone

The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance of mine about the mind and how the memory works. You see, it seems that there are certain things that we do by rote memorization, things that we have committed to our memory due to high repetition. This can be both good and bad, and I'd like to give you an example of one which is both good and bad. It has to do with your grocery store shopping list. Okay so let's talk.

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Find Out What Children's Activities Your Local Zoo Offers During Summer

It can be hard to come up with children's activities when you live in a hot climate and it's summer. But in many cases, a trip to your local zoo can solve this issue because the employees there tend to be prepared to entertain kids of all ages. Get an idea of some of the things your youngsters might enjoy at zoos near you, even when it is hot outside.

Richard Halliburton

Richard Halliburton, born in January 1900 with a disdain for the status-quo and an ingrained refusal to travel the well-worn path of conventional life. One of Halliburton's more shameless achievements took place in 1928 in Panama. He registered himself as a ship and swam the length of the Panama Canal; taking 10 days to pass through all three sets of locks and setting the record for paying the lowest canal toll of 36 cents in the process, a record which still stands today.

I Appreciate Art Just Fine - Why Must I Take This Class to Graduate?

Not so long ago an acquaintance lamented that my nonprofit endeavors were nice, but I lacked interest in the arts. Well, I was certainly taken aback, mostly because it isn't so, however I can see where someone might get that opinion from my public profile. Maybe this is a wake-up call to me and to others to allow some of those interests a space of their own so folks do not misinterpret a personal character void if you well.

Belly Dancing - The Ultimate in Entertainment!

Belly dancing traces its roots back through the centuries in the Middle East, North Africa and Southern Europe. It was introduced to Western Europe, Australia and North America over 100 years ago through world fairs, music halls and films. Ever since then, it has been developing as both a performance style and a physical practice in the western world, as well as in its countries of origin.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Locations Hosting Weddings Need to Accommodate Various Events

If you are looking for a location that allows weddings, you should make sure it is set up to truly meet your needs. Some appealing destinations begin hosting weddings only because a few people suggest the idea, but they may not be as accommodating as you would expect. The location needs to be able to welcome you and your guests to a number of events that involve your wedding.

Top Love Stories From The Movies

While there are many from which to choose, nothing has created interest in love stories better than Hollywood. The movies may use original scripts, those from history or a classic tale to draw attention to stories of romance. While others may disagree, here are a few that make the top list.

Friday, November 8, 2013

The 5 Essentials of Making a Wikipedia Page

You can trace back the history of online encyclopedia to Rick Gates in 1993. Later on Richard Stallman in 1991 proposed an open source concept. Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger formally launched Wikipedia in January 2001 based on the Ward Cunningham 2013 pioneering work on concept and technology. Today, Wikipedia can boast of more than 26 million free articles in 285 languages, generated by over 39 million official members, not to speak of the horde of articles from anonymous contributors.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

The Wounded Mind

With all the films and graphic gaming visuals available today, people have become so desensitized to violence that they consider it normal, expected and entertaining. When did we reach the point in which the degradation of our own humanity was entertaining? When did we lose touch with shows like the Brady Bunch, the Love Boat and other shows that focused on human relationships. Certainly detective shows have been around a long time, their mystery being the intrigue, the violence in detective/police shows today seems to me, over the top and completely unnecessary. Video games are fostering a real hunger for violence and a disassociation from our human capacity to feel and care for one another.

Voice Artist - 3 Tips To Help You Select One

Are you looking for a voice artist who can give life to your audio or video recordings meant to be broadcast? It is very important that you find the best possible voice talent or else all the effort put into your work will go to waste. If the people watching or listening to your advertisement, documentary or any other program are not convinced that the speaker is from the particular region, then it is very unlikely that they will buy the message.

The Run for Happiness

If there was any one goal that anybody and everybody who has ever walked this earth had, it was to achieve happiness. It is amazing how an indefinable concept which exists purely in the realm of our imagination has so captivated all humankind. The only other parallel perhaps, is religion. Like the Holy Grail, people from time immemorial have been in its pursuit, and barring a very select few, all have failed to realize it on a permanent basis; for those that have, have made it to the pages of Scriptures. True that all of us have experienced happiness as punctuations in our lives, but it was only for a short while at best. This incomplete and temporary realization of the dream has whetted our appetite for more and thus was born the quest for eternal happiness in all of us.

The Importance Of The Tea Caddy - The Original Safe For The Most Valuable Of Commodities

In the late 18th Century the Tea Caddy was an essential accessory for the upper class family. It embodied the allure of quality with the contents of tea that epitomised what was important for social status in British Society: and it literally held it under lock and key. This valuable box was a thing of both beauty and functionality, crafted to reflect ones social status and designed to provide the tools for that all necessary social activity of drinking tea. Tea's origins in Britain and links to the aristocracy can be traced back to when princess Catherine of Braganza (Portugal), when she came to England to marry Charles 11. She brought tea with her and introduced the drink to the London court and it became the drink of the gentry and wealthy. It was initially drunk in coffee houses by businessmen, intellectuals and men of the world. With its growth in popularity it gained a key role within the home with women, sociality and tea parties!

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is becoming a wide-spread epidemic. The percentage of children aged 6-11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2010. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12-19 years who were obese increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.1, 2 In the December 2008 issue of Time Magazine, they stated the life expectancy of children will be shorter than that of their parents. More and more children are acquiring diseases that have only previously been diagnosed in overweight adults.

Encouraging Kids To Read Classical Literature

In these days of video games and smartphones, today's youths often have no interest in reading classical literature. They believe that if they need to know it for school or for a project, the literary piece will be available on their tablet computer or made into a movie. However, children may not realize the experience that can be had when they read a piece by Shakespeare. They need to be convinced that the effort and time put into reading one of his plays is worthwhile.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Suzani Fabrics Revitalizing Traditions

Suzani is a time-honored embroidered fabric produced in certain central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. The origin of this name is Persian and it carries a significant cultural importance in Central Asian countries.
The base of suzani fabric is usually cotton although silk base is used too sometimes. The embroidery is done with silk or cotton thread and diverse forms of stitches are used to carve patterns. The patterns include traditional sun, moon disks, flowers, leaves, fruits and birds. These patterns are hand stitched on different panels and in the end these panels are stitched together to form a single piece.

De-Stress With Deep Relaxation

One of the ways to heal the body is to give it complete and total rest. Not for days but for about an hour. Deep relaxation allows your parasympathetic nervous system to balance out, which in turn keeps your body in homeostasis.

Methods To Make Your Own Stickers At Home

Stickers are a fun and inexpensive way to display artwork or to make a statement. They are also a good tool for you to embellish an item or to use for promotion. You can easily make your own stickers by using one of two methods.

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Bachelor - A Psychological Study

True Confessions: The Bachelor is one of my all time favorite shows. You can unfriend, delete me, or act like I am dead now, it would be justified. Even Truer Confession: I have been watching The Bachelor since the beginning of the series when I was in high school. Granted, I skipped a few seasons, the first Bachelorette, the old dude, and part of Ben and Jake's seasons, but I have seen a lot of the show. I used to watch the show and think, "Wow! They are so in love. I want that one day." Now I am less naive or more cynical and just think they are in love with fame and Dancing With the Stars contracts.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

The Daily Pageant - 2nd Edition

Our lead story in this edition is placed in the "human interest" category. So, if you're a mineral or a vegetable you might as well skip this one.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

The Daily Pageant

One morning several days, weeks, or months ago, as I was lying in bed recovering from the strain of having to brush my teeth and fetch a mug of coffee from the nearby bungalow restaurant, an idea occurred to me. Funny how ideas seem to occur at odd moments, though I'm not complaining, because usually they don't occur at all. If you find yourself waking up on a beautiful tropical beach along the Gulf of Siam, what's there to think about? The brain is an organ of convoluted nerve tissue that is generally better off for being undisturbed by the irritating bramble of ideas. Nevertheless, occasionally, one may crop up that's worth tending.

Monday, October 21, 2013

Art News From Hollywood North

Only an artist could put these two together and make them sing. I lay witness to this upon espying the great Vancouver artist, Attila Richard Lukacs, perched atop a barstool at the Fourth Avenue bistro, Pastis.

I was there at the invite of artist Shannon Belkin, who had arranged a pre-Christmas get-together with Attila for dinner and a little conversation on the art scene mixed with some spicy talk of those at the helm of Vancouver's galleries.

African Art mask

African art masks are handmade by the best artisan in the locality. It is an important accessory as most people wear masks during the year as they take part in the local festivities. Each African art mask is unique and original. African art masks are made up of many kinds of material like gold, stone, bark, copper, bronze, tin clay and feathers. They may have a recent or stylish outlook or may be of an ancient style.

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Alternative Entertainment Careers

If you want to work in entertainment, but you are not so interested in ending up as the star, there are various other paths you can take. You could make music by enrolling in an audio engineering college or a film school, or alternatively you could become an event planner. And of course you could go into marketing and promotions. All these paths are viable alternatives to being a performer.

Friday, October 18, 2013

10 Ways to Make Money With Body Painting

Are you considering making a living (or at least a little money on the side) doing body painting? Is it even possible to make a living doing body painting? Yes, you can make good money as a 'pro' body painter, and even kids as young as twelve have made good money (like $500-$400 in an afternoon) doing simple painting techniques like airbrushed temporary tattoos at fairs and festivals.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

An Evening With a Goddess

'Goddess Ying', that's what she calls herself. Ying is her name and Huang, her family name. I saw her, met her, held her one Spring Festival night at a swanky night club.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Ah!! Monsoon Season...

"As dark gray clouds gather in the sky, it reminds me of eternal gifts that our Mother Nature has presented to us."

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

A Brief History Of The Travelling Funfair

The word fair is derived from the Latin 'feria', meaning a holiday and at one time the Romans were credited with the introduction of fairs.

Monday, October 14, 2013

3 Types of Party Accessories

There are three types of party accessories. You've got the stuff people wear, the decorations at the party and the take-home gifts. Each one is a valuable part of the party, without the décor its just like you've invited friends over for dinner, which is nice but often not what you'd intended. Similarly without the accessories for guests to wear they may not feel part of the atmosphere, just feel like observers in a festive environment. Lastly, the take home gifts give the party goers something to remember the event by, be it a trinket or some candies.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

3 Unique Christmas Decorating Ideas

When putting together the perfect holiday décor for your home, it might seem tempting to just continue on with the same Christmas decorating ideas from previous years. However, you should consider some new twists on the Christmas classics that will give your house a festive feel that is updated and personalized. Whether you've just moved into a new place and you're looking for decorating ideas from scratch, or you're hoping to update your theme from the previous year, there are many ways you can commission elegant ornaments or create DIY features that will give your family festivities the flavour you're looking for.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

With Or Without Make-Up, What's In A Face?

Too much make-up, too much FaceBook, too many posers, too many schmoozers, too many teleprompting politicians - has the whole human world become some sick joke? I mean is this all the better anyone can do? Shouldn't someone invent a new start-up and call it "fake book" just to make everyone look? Look at what you ask?

Monday, October 7, 2013

Video Games Going Indie

The video game market is clearly in a time of transition. While the industry has traditionally relied on the development of major blockbuster titles for the big selling consoles (Nintendo, Xbox, PlayStation, etc.), declining hardware sales and the rise of free-to-play software is opening up the market to a new generation of small, independent mobile-game developers. As internet connectivity has become ubiquitous, the former barriers to industry entry are falling and there are more opportunities available to developers than ever before. At this year's international Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco, more than half of attendees identified themselves as indie developers and their next creations will be for smartphones and tablets.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Tips For Improving Figure Drawing

As a figure drawing instructor I've heard things like, "I just can't get proportions right and the legs look stubby, drawing faces and hands are hard, she was twisted in a funny angle hard to draw I couldn't get the perspective right", or I'll see choppy repetitive lines containing a distorted form confirming a unfocused approach to drawing. All is not lost. Practicing a generalized approach will enhance confidence and creative license making you a better painter, sculptor, and yes even better at abstraction, after all drawing the figure is a developed approach and even abstraction is a type of approach. The key to figure drawing is breaking down what you see into a simple methodology and into a continual measuring process that builds on previous established measurements. Although there are many ways to simplify I will discuss three that should be good enough to get you going. I recommend first creating points on your paper to fully contain the whole figure, secondly choosing your first reference line to build on, and thirdly using shadow to build volume and character.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Various Types of Asian Art

Asian art is the product of influences from various civilizations and religions. The colorful patterns, delicate designs and extraordinary textures create a blend of unique and conventional styles that can hardly be found anywhere else. The reason behind its unparallel individuality lies in its attention to detail, which can only be achieved when art is handcrafted.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

What Are the Signs, Symptoms and Causes of Runners Knee?

Runner's knee is a common injury among runners and other athletes alike. Runner's knee is a general term that refers to the pain around the knee that runners feel during activity, but the medical term is patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). PFPS is the most prevalent knee ailment among athletes and active adults. Signs and symptoms include a dull ache around or under the patella (kneecap) while running, walking, or kneeling for extended periods of time, or pain that worsens when going up or down stairs. Swelling, popping, or a grinding sensation are also common characteristics of Runner's Knee.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Balinese Mask - Spiritual Force Behind

Bali is an island, which throughout the ages has been influenced by many other cultures. While Bali's religious root stems from animism and ancestral worship, Hindu mythology and Buddhism have been major influences. However, regardless of what they were practicing, one factor has always remained constant: "Life in Bali is governed by religion" . Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the art of mask making derived as a religious act, rather than a quest to create aesthetic beauty. Masks thus give form to godly and chthonic forces and are used in theatrical performances to teach adaptations of Indian Sanskrit Texts . In addition, theatrical mask dances are used for, "planting and harvest celebrations and at times of transition in the lives of individuals and communities". Mask dances, such as Topeng, also discuss politics of the past and present, and morals. I will further discuss the masked dances in another section of this article.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Baseball, Apple Pie and Polka - The Mass Appeal of Polka in the United States

America, home of the Polka! In this land of the melting pot, where all cultures and crazes are welcomed Polka is an unequivocal hit! Google the term “Polka” and your search will yield a bevy of fan sites dedicated to this centuries old dance. Polka is so widespread that it has its own Grammy category. Shania Twain, U2, Kanye West and Jimmy Sturr? Yep! Jimmy took home the 2005 statue for his album “Shake, Rattle and Polka”. Only in America could a folksy hop-step-close-step dance share a platform with a hip hop group who penned the ditty, “Its Hard Out Here for a Pimp!”

Monday, September 9, 2013

Birthday Banners Convey Heartfelt Wishes

Birthday banners are an important part of any birthday celebration. Not only do they add a lot of festivity and solidarity among the guests, they make you look good. Such banners show that you're thought of everything, in covering all your bases to make the birthday boy or girl a day they won't soon forget. Also, they inevitably become a sentimental party favor for the main guest - a take home prize to treasured, to remember the special event forever.

Birthday banners can be used for Job or Wedding Anniversaries, Retirees, Baby Showers, Congratulations Graduate, Happy Mother's Day or Happy Father's Day greetings, and so much more. No one can deny that a celebration is so much better when birthday banners are part of the balloons and decor.

These kinds of banners may be printed in long-lasting vinyl, fabric, or any other flexible material. The main thing is that the name of the person is listed plainly and clearly and that the colors are bright and festive. You can add pictures and designs, like balloons, flowers, suns and moons or whatever strikes your fancy. They should be long enough to provide space for lots of well wishers to sign their names and express their devoted birthday greetings if they so wish. It should not be too huge, but not too small either. Ideally, birthday banners can be hung from the back of a bar area, somewhere long and deep that will be a good backdrop for the appropriate banner dimensions.

A birthday banner doesn't have to cost a lot. Having one at your next party for a friend, family member or loved one shows you put some forethought into the planning of their successful birthday celebration. More and more corporate party planners wouldn't dream of celebrating a birthday without using these type of banners. It has become something of a standard for those who like do it up right.

So what makes a birthday banner attractive and festive? Well, color and durability. In the early days of computer programs, novelty birthday banners were printed on computer paper with a dot matrix printer. At that time computer X's would punch out a neat design, like a Teddy Bear or Happy Face images. How far technology has come in only a few years' time! Nowadays, most birthday printers use digital printing and can provide a quality banner that was only a figment of someone's imagination a decade or two ago.

Using dye sublimation or digital printing, the colors are printed with the latest print technology, with colors which are both strong and deep. They are considered the best available on the market today, though a 100% guarantee for exact color matching can't be made.

Like other banners, birthday banners can have pole pockets. They can be printed up to be single or double-sided, hung from a high place or stretched out on the horizontal. They can be as complex or as simple as you prefer. The main thing is that the name of the person and the Happy Birthday greeting is included in the message. No one wants to be forgotten on their birthday!

If you are expecting to celebrate a birthday in the very near future, don't wait till the last-minute to order your birthday banners. Like other products, time is of the essence. Birthday banners in particular have an even more sensitive deadline, so allow the time necessary to place an order and get the design approved so that both you and your birthday baby will be pleasantly surprised and pleased at how well birthday banners convey heartfelt wishes!

Barry Brown has been in the Sign, Banner, Decal and Display Business for over 20 years. It isn't what he thought he'd do with his life, but he says he knows too much now to do anything else!

He has been marketing these products online since 1998, and the company he was general manager of in 1998 was the first sign company to be listed on Yahoo!

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Burning Man - Annual Arts & Expression in the Simmering Sun


Every year in late August, thousands of people gather together to form a community, or rather, a community of sorts. A temporary community is founded in a matter of days, and disappears a week or so later in about the same amount of time. The event is called Burning Man. It's a festival that prides itself on self-reliance, self-expression, art and community. To someone who has never heard of Burning Man, it's hard to explain. However, here are the facts about Burning Man:

What is it?

In 2009, the festival is happening from August 31st to September 7th. There isn't such a city as "Black Rock City", that is, until Burning Man starts. People from all over the country and perhaps even all over the world come to this piece of desert, called a playa. People must bring their own shelter, food, water, comforts, supplies, basically everything they will need to live for a week. People set up art installations and different types of theme camps. Others bring vehicles or costumes that they have made just for the event. On the final night of Burning Man, a giant sculpture of a man is burned during the Nevada night, creating a spectacular display of light and symbolism.

What's the point?

People gather to create a temporary community, but also to make friends, have fun, party, visit art installations, display their own art and participate in events or other activities. Some people may run a radio station, some people ride around on their bike all day, some people create and display their own art, everyone is welcome and can do their own thing. One of the central themes of the event is that it is all inclusive, everyone is welcome, everyone has something to offer and you are welcome to be yourself. If that means getting completely naked and painted from head to toe in body paint, so be it. There are no vending machines or booths with things for sale, commerce is generally not accepted at Burning Man, with the exception of the coffee and ice available at the Center Camp area.

How did it start?

In 1986, two men at Baker Beach in San Francisco built a wooden male figure and burned it in honor of the Summer Solstice. This is generally regarded as the first event. The event grew each year and in 1991 the event in Nevada started taking place. That first festival Man had about 250 participants. This first event was a far cry from the 2008 event which had nearly 50,000 participants. There was over 240 art installations or art projects. Heavy dust storms almost canceled the burning of the Burning Man figure, but they let up with enough time for the figure to be burned and the event to end on a good note.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Books And Why We Read Them



Recently, I was minding my own business eating two books a day. Granted, they weren't large ones and I didn't actually ingest them. Nope, I just read and read and read and read and read. This makes sense to me because I love books but every once in a while I LOVE BOOKS. I think there should be a name like this like Book Binging or Book Vacations or Book Escapism.

But when I was done and the thirty odd books were packed for shipping to a good friend who also eats books, I felt good. A little like Super Woman. It's like I had absorbed something from all that reading. I smiled more. I laughed more. It was truly a great leftover feeling of peace and calm.

Which got me to thinking, what do people get out of reading books? I know this questions sounds very utilitarian but stick with me here. Books have been around since before movable type and the Lithiograph. They were hand-copied by Monks for example centuries ago. They held common knowledge for the future. And while I couldn't say that two hundred years ago, everybody was linked by Satellite or TV or Radio, I could say that most families owned a book.

What is it about us that makes it impossible to leave books behind? And yes, back to the question, what do we get out of it? Armed with my curiosity, I took out my notebook and asked around.

Reason One

Entertainment ranked ahead of videos and TV by most avid readers, a book can go anywhere, anytime. Books are so popular for long journeys they are stocked in airport stores and train stations, not to mention bus stops. Reading in the car isn't advisable for obvious reasons. Books are even sold in camp stores and department stores as well as gas stations and mini marts. I can't say the same thing about videos or games.

Reason Two

Being able to drift away into another time and place is entertainment similar to all other forms.

Reason Three

Personal growth is often an answer. How does the reader grow by reading a book? A good book has character growth so naturally you read about it, watched it and to some degree felt your own personal growth. The dastardly characters may or may not be admired but the protagonist has to be identified with in most stories. Underdog or not, it is the protagonist we watch.

Reason Four

Perspective switching. Readers can walk those proverbial miles in the other person's shoes. It leads to greater understanding of individuals around us.

Reason Five

A Darn Good Yarn. Yes, the desire for hearing stories starts in our childhood and continues. Even in grade four or five, start your lesson with Once Upon A Time and they'll all be quiet. Stories are the ways we connect as cultures. Even in preliterate societies, stories educate, teach, entertain, enthrall and there is no other comparison.

As a child, I used to hang on my dad's every word when he talked about family. It didn't matter if he made half of it up. I still sat there and was enthralled.

Reason Six

Curiosity of how others life. We have an innate curiosity about other people. For all intensive purposes, fiction offers us a glimpse into others' lives.

I'm sure there were more but let's keep it simple. I need to get back to my book!

Best of luck.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Love Letters in Flower

Every couple of weeks I write a letter to my girlfriend, Sabine, in Berlin. Despite thinking of her often and missing her dearly, each succeeding letter has become more of a strain to crank out. Usually, I can't come up with much more to say than, "I think of you often and miss you dearly." Beyond that, I re-read her most recent letter in order to write something to her about what she wrote me.

Colin Firth Biography

Colin Firth will always be remembered as the sexiest Mr Darcy ever after he emerged from the lake in a wet shirt in the 1995 TV adaptation of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice."

But Firth is just as romantic in his private life. In 1995, just after the series was shown on television, he met Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli on a film set, and it was love at first sight.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

I Want To Lose Weight But I Am Just Too Lazy!

Then there is not much I can do for you. Being healthy doesn't have to be hard, but if you aren't willing to take action and put in any effort well then clearly your health is not a priority for you. For me to convince you means I care more about your health than you do.

ICT Modernization Planning

The current technology refresh cycle presents many opportunities, and challenges to both organizations and governments. The potential of service-oriented architectures, interoperability, collaboration, and continuity of operations is an attractive outcome of technologies and business models available today. The challenges are more related to business processes and human factors, both of which require organizational transformations to take best advantage of the collaborative environments enabled through use of cloud computing and access to broadband communications.

Gaining the most benefit from planning an interoperable environment for governments and organizations may be facilitated through use of business tools such as cloud computing. Cloud computing and underlying technologies may create an operational environment supporting many strategic objectives being considered within government and private sector organizations.

Reaching target architectures and capabilities is not a single action, and will require a clear understanding of current "as-is" baseline capabilities, target requirements, the gaps or capabilities need to reach the target, and establishing a clear transitional plan to bring the organization from a starting "as-is" baseline to the target goal.

To most effectively reach that goal requires an understanding of the various contributing components within the transformational ecosystem. In addition, planners must keep in mind the goal is not implementation of technologies, but rather consideration of technologies as needed to facilitate business and operations process visions and goals.

Interoperability and Enterprise Architecture

Information technology, particularly communications-enabled technology has enhanced business process, education, and the quality of life for millions around the world. However, traditionally ICT has created silos of information which is rarely integrated or interoperable with other data systems or sources.

As the science of enterprise architecture development and modeling, service-oriented architectures, and interoperability frameworks continue to force the issue of data integration and reuse, ICT developers are looking to reinforce open standards allowing publication of external interfaces and application programming interfaces.

Cloud computing, a rapidly maturing framework for virtualization, standardized data, application, and interface structure technologies, offers a wealth of tools to support development of both integrated and interoperable ICT resources within organizations, as well as among their trading, shared, or collaborative workflow community.

The Institute for Enterprise Architecture Development defines enterprise architecture (EA) as a "complete expression of the enterprise; a master plan which acts as a collaboration force between aspects of business planning such as goals, visions, strategies and governance principles; aspects of business operations such as business terms, organization structures, processes and data; aspects of automation such as information systems and databases; and the enabling technological infrastructure of the business such as computers, operating systems and networks"

ICT, including utilities such as cloud computing, should focus on supporting the holistic objectives of organizations implementing an EA. Non-interoperable or shared data will generally have less value than reusable data, and will greatly increase systems reliability and data integrity.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR)

Recent surveys of governments around the world indicate in most cases limited or no disaster management or continuity of operations planning. The risk of losing critical national data resources due to natural or man-made disasters is high, and the ability for most governments maintain government and citizen services during a disaster is limited based on the amount of time (recovery time objective/RTO) required to restart government services, as well as the point of data restoral (recovery point objective /RPO).

In existing ICT environments, particularly those with organizational and data resource silos, RTOs and RPOs can be extended to near indefinite if both a data backup plan, as well as systems and service restoral resource capacity is not present. This is particularly acute if the processing environment includes legacy mainframe computer applications which do not have a mirrored recovery capacity available upon failure or loss of service due to disaster.

Cloud computing can provide a standards-based environment that fully supports near zero RTO/RPO requirements. With the current limitation of cloud computing being based on Intel-compatible architectures, nearly any existing application or data source can be migrated into a virtual resource pool. Once within the cloud computing Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) environment, setting up distributed processing or backup capacity is relatively uncomplicated, assuming the environment has adequate broadband access to the end user and between processing facilities.

Cheap and Fun Things to Do

There are always things to do within your own hometown. No matter your age or gender, there are countless ways to have fun, learn, and explore. And you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for true enjoyment either. Just look through the local newspaper for a list of events. Or you can search online. Whether you like to have fun solo or spend time with family, there are tons of exciting ways to keep each individual happy. If you're tired of sitting home every day watching television and reading books, you can change this today.

Music makes the world go round. Whether it's on the radio, a CD player, or an MP3 player, everyone listens to music. But there is a better way to enjoy the flavorful sounds of the city. That's by attending festivals and live performances. There are always concerts and fests taking place right around the corner. Take the Jazz Fest for instance. Not only can you listen to the best bands in town, you can also enjoy the best food you will ever taste. Rich with culture and spices, you will surely get the full experience of what the city has to offer. The Jazz Fest highlights the best local bands but also widely popular mainstream artists. So there is something for everyone. The Jazz Fest is just one of many festivals that take place each year. There is the French Quarter Festival, The Po-Boy Festival, and the Seafood Festival too. Those are just a few.

Interesting things to do can include simple activities. Sightseeing is a good way to learn about the environment and different communities. A streetcar ride will offer all the best sights and sounds of the town and will also take you to the heart of the city. Shopping on Magazine Street is fun. There are so many boutiques, shops, and cafes, that everyone will be happy. You're bound to run into the Audubon Zoo and even City Park. You can take a nice walk or have a yummy picnic. Family friendly activities thrive all around the town. Bright and sunny weather is all you really need to make the experience perfect. You can also ride a ferry along the Mississippi River to gain the ultimate experience.

No matter what the time of day or night, there are always things to do. Many families enjoy going to the aquarium as well. Imagine seeing the wildest sea creatures up close and personal. There are even animals to pet. For great dining there is a food court nearby. And the IMAX Theater is always open for those who want to sit back and enjoy a good show. You can purchase tickets at prices that can't be beat.

Of course the night scene is always active in the city. There are clubs and bars galore. But for those who want to enjoy fun, informative, adventures in broad daylight, the options are endless. You can have a great time even when you're on a budget.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Shouldn't We Reinvent the Pizza Cutter?

Not long ago, I was trying to use one of those cheapo one-dollar type store pizza cutters, you know the ones; stamped "made in China" on them, with a corrugated pizza blade cutting wheel. Well, to make a long frustrating story short, it didn't cut well on my thick crust pizzas. This was upsetting because I really don't each much pizza these days, but my favorite two teams were playing during the NCAA March Madness championship games. So, I invited my local friends over and of course, you know, you have to order several pizzas, because that is the traditional thing to do.

Okay so, the pizza cutter failed the taste test, miserably or distastefully I might add. Then one of my friends said; "You are always trying to build a better mouse trap at your think tank, why don't you once and for all design a decent pizza cutter?" Ah, nothing like a real live prototype challenge right? Sure, and he was right. During the half-time break we got into a small brainstorming like session, completely ad hoc, and everyone was throwing ideas around about how to make a better pizza cutter. Most of the ideas had to do with the handle and a way to put more leverage on it without breaking or bending the rotating blade.

Other ideas had to do with a better chopping system, or a secondary blade, or a tandem axle pizza cutter, if you can imagine that in your mind. Then, one of my friends started sketching out a different concept. We then went on to Google to look up "new pizza cutter designs" and there were a ton of interesting patents which had been filed, most of which were the very ideas we had come up with in our brainstorming session. Obviously it doesn't make sense to file any patents on any ideas which have already previously been thought of.

We wondered if we might get a hold of some of those pizza cutters, try each one of them out, and put all those prototypes through the test. Some we've seen in the stores, others we haven't, and still others we don't even know if they ever got made, in other words they may not even be available in the real world. This is a job for 3-D printing, and lots of pizzas and inviting a ton of friends over to test various new pizza cutter prototypes on different size crusts (eating the slices as we go), and indeed, we'd have to order different pizzas from different companies.

Trust me when I tell you building the best mousetrap, or even a better one, or anything else will always be a challenge.

Of course, that's why innovators, entrepreneurs, and inventors press on. I suggest they never give up, that they strive for perfection, and one day, sometime in the future, someone will have invented a pizza cutter which actually works and is affordable, and mass-produced and readily available to the current pizza consuming public. Please consider all this and think on it.

Moving With the Times, Moving With the 21st Century

I remember getting a quote in 1993 from the printer who I entrusted my first book to, the least amount that could be printed was a 1,000 copies, I had no choice but to accept the terrible offer.

When the books were printed I had to find a distributor, offer consignments to book stores and had no hope of reaching an international market. I also had to organize collections, ET AL.

Back then I thought that "Literary Agents" were Gods. How things have changed, now an online retailer publishes all my books that exists as paperbacks and eBooks, all available to the whole world due to the internet and its distribution platform. Yes, everything is "Print on Demand" for my paperback publications. And, with my customers shopping in the e-book store they can download the books in a minute from nearly anywhere in the world. My royalty cheque goes straight to the bank. Yep, we are in the 21st century.

On my last trip to Toronto I was surprised that so few bookstores were there. At one point I tried to get a business book but it was not in stock, it had to be ordered and I had to wait for a week for pick-up, which I did. But I could have done that myself, I did not bother too though, I was on holidays, and I did not think of it. But, the 21st century has put the spot light on the power shifts taking place in the online shopping paradigm.

Since I have started publishing and marketing my books online I basically run my own publishing company, I set my own prices, I am the designer, writer, proof reader, sales force, everything and I could do a better job than the finest book publisher out there and I have checked. I took a directory and visited over 10 publishers in North America and I was not impressed. Seriously, I would not trust them with my books, especially when I am doing it my self already.

Yep, I am online.

If someone's book is not good it will never get traction. Those type of books call for massive marketing and in most cases they don't succeed, because they are lacking something.

Like everything else you need to put out quality work, and spend some time in distributing your work for circulation. Once you get traction you can be your own boss, your own publishing company.

Ori Gersht - The Fine Art of Photography Comes to Life

The Fine arts photographer, Ori Gersht, works out of the United Kingdom, producing multilayered photographic and film works that strongly resonate the destructive, violent and disturbing nature of historical events such as the Spanish Civil War, The French Revolution, Hiroshima and even the suicide bombs which the artist experienced directly during his childhood in Israel.

Contemplating life, destiny, chance and loss, the artist often conjures up images of sites with historical significance to explore the grand and unrestrained themes of life, beauty, violence and death. All through his work, The Landscape is used as a motif and symbol hinting to the catastrophic and violent events that had once taken place within the landscape being shown. Gersht's work carries a strong suggestion of the emotional and psychological disturbance caused by the events of the past, arousing a feeling of violence and haunted by the ghosts of war, The Refugees.

In his still life series, Ori Gersht, explores the relationship between photography, technology and perception at a critical and important point in time when technological advancements have influenced photography, changing the medium forever. In this series, the artist touches on early photography history while introducing a theoretical discourse around his subjects. The images literally and figuratively explode the genre of still life as the artist captures the beautiful but destructive images with advanced cutting edge technology.

Constantly working within the challenging space of pushing photography to its limits, while at the same time employing such innovative techniques with film and video, truly differentiates the artist from his peers. Moreover, his researched aesthetic takes an innate and imaginative approach to the medium of photography, as a result, contributing to the impact that his work has on its viewers.

The artist's photographic work and films can often be compared to paintings in their display with the use of frames around monitors showing films as well as photographs that are unobstructed by materials that often separate the viewer from the works that are being viewed. Many times Gersht's work refers to romantic notions of the sublime influenced by the works of photographers such as Andreas Gursky and Sally Mann and painters such as Mark Rothko and J.M.W Turner.

Ori Gersht's works have been displayed and exhibited in galleries and museums around the world including the famous Tate Modern and Victoria & Albert museums in London and the Guggenheim museum in New York. The artist is currently represented by Angles Gallery in Los Angeles, CRG Gallery in New York, Mummery and Schnelle Gallery in London and Noga Gallery in Tel Aviv. Recently, in 2012 Gersht's exhibit "History Repeating" was displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and another work of his, "The Storm is What We Call Progress" was mounted at the Imperial War Museum in London.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Chinese New Year - Get Chinese New Year Eve Celebration Around the World

The Chinese New Year is a fifteen day celebration that falls on a different date each year as it is a combination of lunar and solar movements. It usually falls in the month of January or February. This year marks the 'Year of the Horse'.

The Chinese New Year's date varies every year and falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The date for the occasion is decided according to the calendar which is a combination of the solar and the lunar calendar. Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, cat, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, dog and boar are the animals that are considered to be auspicious. Each person is believed in the Chinese calendar to resemble an animal and this reflects their traits.

The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival as it is also known is the most revered holiday of the year. This is the time when family and friends gather and offer prayers to their ancestors and deities followed by a lavish dinner to usher in the New Year. During this time, families clean their homes while feng shui believers decorate their homes accordingly. On Chinese New Year Eve, members of a family stay up late as legend goes that long ago; the gods in heaven would give gold to each family so they would keep awake, active and ready to accept the gold gift.

Families decorate their homes with pretty vases and colorful flowers symbolizing that nature has reawakened. Oranges and tangerines are placed in the house as a sign of happiness and prosperity. A tray of candies made of eight different types of candies are placed along with these. The candies are made of lotus seeds, longan, peanuts, coconut, cumquat, red melon seeds, candied melon, etc.

The traditional food that is a significant part of the Chinese New Year party includes Jai, Fish and chicken, noodles and desserts. The dinner has a symbolic meaning in which the Chinese dumplings imply wealth as they are in the shape of ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. Jiu is the traditional hard liquor in China symbolizes longevity as also Daikon, a white radish. Red chilies symbolize good luck while rice ensures harmony.

Chinese people are usually out on the roads, especially kids who wear Chinese dragon masks and go for the Chinese New Year Dragon parade. Dragon dances are a vital part of the Chinese New Year. One man who has a 'Pearl Of Wisdom' on a pole entices the dragon to follow him to the drum beats as though searching for wisdom and knowledge. The lion dance is an equally important ritual in the consecration of any auspicious time in China. The Lantern Festival is an amazing visual display of multicolored paper lanterns created by craftsmen in designs of butterflies, dragons, birds, dragonflies and other insects or animals. The Dragon Boat Festival marks the day of a certain Chinese scholar who threw himself into the river over a political protest.

Chinese New Year is not just a festival of fun and part, but also a time to welcome the new season, pray for prosperity and well being and cleanse away the any thing evil.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Choosing Among Potential Wedding Venues

You have a wide range of options when it comes to choosing where you and your fiance will become a married couple. In fact, you basically have an endless choice of wedding venues. When you think about it, you could be married just about anywhere. Whether you decide on a church, your home or a friend or family member's home, a place specifically designed for ceremonies, or even your favorite bar or restaurant, you'll be able to enjoy the festivities and relish the moment for years to come.

There are still other unique choices as well. Some people choose venues such as a cruise ship or a yacht, a beachfront hotel or a resort, or even a lawn next to a swimming pool. In some locations such as a beach or a park, a special permit is needed. Whatever you choose, you want to make sure that you carefully pick the right location for you and your soon-to-be spouse.

Typically, people choose places such as a home or church for the marriage ceremony and then hold the reception some place else. In many instances, that means hiring a caterer, a photographer, a band or a DJ, a florist, and so on. However, there are many places that provide all the amenities and facilities needed for both the wedding and the reception. Most of these facilities are located in scenic, beautiful locations, such as near a lake or other body of water. The ceremony is held outside while the reception is held in a nearby building.

If you choose one of these wedding venues you'll need to ask a few questions to make sure that you are making the right decision. Find out how long it has been in business, how often they handle marriage ceremonies and receptions, and how much space is available for your guests. Also, make sure that the heating and air conditioning systems are working properly so that all of your guests will be comfortable.

When couples get engaged, they are usually married between six and 12 months later. While that seems like it would be ample time to choose among different wedding venues that are available, you'll be surprised at how much life can actually get in the way. Make sure you carve out the time to visit each location you're considering with your fiance to make sure both of you will be happy.

Closely look over any sort of contract that you receive to ensure all of the services you want will be included. If any family members are helping to pay for the ceremony and reception, make sure they are involved in your decision-making process. Take some relatively simple steps and you'll be on your way to a truly memorable occasion that you'll cherish for years.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Planning a One-Day Art Gallery Event

Most artists hang their art in galleries for a period of time. However, there may be a time that you need to plan a gallery for one day only. You may compare this type of exhibition to setting up and tearing down for an arts & craft show, but you may want it to be in high-end, professional venue, such as an arts council or organization. Because a one-day gallery is unusual, it's important to plan extensively for effective execution of your event.

1. Think about the theme of your collection- Why do you want to have a gallery? What is your motivation or inspiration behind it? What will the theme of your gallery be? And why have it for one day? Examples of one-day galleries could be to raise money for charity, take part in an organizations art event, or simply to gain some experience.

2. Contact a venue- decide where you want to hold your gallery and what kind of venue you're seeking. Think about your market, or demographic, when choosing a venue. If your art is very modern and abstract, a college campus may be an option. If your art is more realistic- landscapes, portraits, still life- a traditional art gallery may be an option. Think about the type of people who typically go to the venue, then think about what type of people your art attracts.

3. Book the venue- Often times, venues fill up months in advance. Think about what date you would like to hold your gallery. Visit the space you're looking at displaying your work, take measurements, look at what type of hanging devices the venue utilizes, draw a diagram and ask questions.

4. Develop a timeline and stick to it- Take a look at your calendar and develop deadlines. Space out your deadlines so you're not completely overwhelmed. Have a visual schedule will help you manage your time while in the planning process.

5. Market- Depending on when your one-day gallery will be, you can market right away, or closer to the event. You want to market far enough in advance that it gives people time to schedule around your event, but not so far from the event that people forget.

6. Plan- Numbers 4 and 5 can go hand-in-hand. It's important to plan preliminary details of the event so that you can effectively market it, but there is much more to planning a one-day gallery than just that. Remember those diagrams in number 3? Take a look at them. Figure out how many pieces you will need to have in order to fill the space you booked. Are you going to have a reception table with a guest book, coffee/wine, handouts, etc? Other items to think about are:

• Hardware on the back of your frames
• Labels for your pieces and pricing information
• Invitation list
• "About the Artist" write-up
• Having a guestbook

7. Work on your Collection- While there are tons of nuts and bolts to plan related to finances, business and marketing, don't forget to work on your collection, because this is the most important part of the event.

8. Contact PR Avenues- Since it's a one-day event, you probably want a decent turnout. It's up to you to make that happen. Send out a press release to local newspapers, radio stations and magazines. Writing a press release can be daunting, so do some research and look for templates to help you along if you're not used to writing.

9. Create a Checklist- Write down everything you need to take with you the day of the event, down to the smallest detail like pens, notepads and glue dots. Don't leave anything out. Use the checklist when you pack the night before the event.

10. Dress the Part- Plan to look like you've got your act together, even if you don't. Having a one-day gallery event can be stressful and frustrating, but rewarding. It's like being in a wedding- many things can go wrong, but as long as the bride, groom and officiant are there, everything else can go by the wayside. While you want everything to go off without a hitch, as long as you and your art are there and look presentable, that is what is important.

11. Reap the Benefits- After all your hard work, it's time to stand back, socialize and look at your awesomely professional one-day gallery. People will be amazed that you pulled it all together in one day when it looks as though it should be hanging for weeks.

Don't forget to take pictures of your gallery for your Facebook page and website. It's important to document your events.

Choosing Art To Decorate Your Home With

When you go about decorating your house, you'll have many different things to consider. It can be hard to add enough accessories to fill up your walls and surfaces to make them seem less desolate. Once option is to buy art to hang on your walls. The right painting would be a tasteful addition to your wall, giving you artistic value as well as decorative value. Most people don't know the first thing about buying art. If that is true of you as well, then read on as I go over some basics of purchasing art.

Some people have certain "favorite" artistic works that they have always admired or enjoyed. In this situation, it would be a good idea to look for a replica. You can get an exact photocopy of the original, or you can even find a hand-painted copy with the personal touch of another artist. As long as you know the title of the painting, you can search online at auction sites, or for art dealers who have copies that you can buy. Buying art on the internet is relatively cheap, as long as you don't have them ship a frame. A frame increases postage greatly.

If you buy copies of famous art, you are supporting businesses that do nothing but copy art. For many people, this is unacceptable. If you'd like to support some real artists, you should purchase original paintings. You can go to art shows, galleries, festivals, or many other places to find paintings. There are many festivals that invite hundreds of amateur artists who show off their paintings that are for sale. You shouldn't attend with your mind set on getting a painting. Instead, you should walk around at your own leisure and enjoy all of the art. If you see something that really strikes you and is within your price range, then buy it. But don't be afraid to go home empty-handed.

Buying art is fairly easy to do, and once you get started you may find that it is hard to quit. When you hang a beautiful painting on your wall, it adds so much to the room. It gives your house a whole new level of aesthetic value. So even if you've never been interested in art before, you should start to look at some of the options that are available to you. Attend art festivals, talk to painters, and visit galleries. You'll find that along with the items you purchase, you're also getting involved in a vibrant and interesting lifestyle with lots of cool people!

Friday, August 9, 2013

Event Management Concerns for Putting on a Production

Let us say you want to put on a production. It could be a performance of a Greek tragedy in the park, with hobby actors on a shoestring culture grant or a multi-act extravaganza in the biggest venue in town. Regardless there are some factors to take into account. It may be so complicated you'll even consider going to event management school.

First of all, to plan your events you need a realistic look at your budget. The funds you can raise are the ultimate cap on how far your spectacle can go. For a concert with a commercial intent, you can acquire a bank loan. Festivals typically have sponsors that make heavy use of add space, as do culture based endeavours like community theatre, though the latter usually are content with black and white ads in the show's program, while the former may trade on things like the exclusive right to sell beverages. Certain very prestigious events get heavy competition from sponsorship, while things like tobacco companies that can't advertise otherwise will often use sponsorship to get noticed.

More amateur efforts may mean passing around the hat, bake sales or haggling for discounts and milking connections. For example students at a sound engineer school putting on a concert might convince their educational institution that for the merit of training they should be allowed to borrow audio equipment like microphones.

You can also stock your event with students, for example getting the DJ or audio person from the aforementioned local sound engineering school. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for and DJ training and experience is part of what makes someone good.

After securing your budget, plan down to the tiniest details. You will need fire code related permits, commercial licencing and maybe vendor and alcohol licencing. You will also need to make sure your event doesn't cause a public disturbance. Nobody wants to be shut down after they sold a lot of tickets!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Comedy and Charity

They often seem really cruel, even heartless. They make jokes about disasters and disability. Remember the Hurricane Katrina jokes? The comedians were telling them even as the poor victims were stranded in flood waters with their homes destroyed.

I’m just about old enough to remember jokes about Aberfan. Aberfan is a village in South Wales that lost about half of the children at the local junior school when it was hit by a collapsing coal waste heap. The very next day I was asked how "they" deliver coal in Aberfan and told that "they" deliver it through the wall. So, no sign of a kind heart there.

But, sometimes, these tough, cynical comedians can be amazingly kind hearted.

Gill Smith and I are organising a charity night for The Mary Hare School For The Deaf as part of The Newbury Comedy Festival (Newbury on July 10th at 8:00 p.m.). We were short of a couple of acts. So, Gill put a post on Chortle an internet site for comedians (http://www.chortle.co.uk) and loads of comics have responded offering to come and perform. Some of these acts live hundreds of miles away and they are coming to perform for free as we can’t even offer expenses.

So, just a thought - a comic may tell nasty jokes without being a nasty person.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Everything You Need to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

There's no question that zombies are all the rage these days. Zombies have been a part of entertainment for many years and there are few things within pop culture that are more intriguing and popular as zombies.

While their popularity has seemingly reached a fevered pitch, there have been some suggestions that zombies are actually more than interesting and entertaining tales of science fiction and horror. It seems that more people are taking zombies seriously and with zombie news reports being more in the spotlight, the question many people ask is whether there is credibility to the existence or the danger of zombies.

Perhaps part of the questioning over the scientific possibility of zombies is due in large part to its popularity in today's culture. From video games such as call of duty to popular television shows and recent movies that have zombie themes, zombies are the hot ticket right now. However, regardless of how popular zombies have become, does that somehow correlate into the plausibility of some sort of zombie apocalypse or a virus that would cause people to become soulless drones roaming the streets of the world craving human flesh?

People who are serious about the potential for zombie outbreak have been fueled even more by recent news events. Take for example the Miami zombie incident involving Rudy Eugene literally eating the face off of a homeless man before having to be shot four times by local police in order to get him to stop. Then of course, there was the story of a Baltimore college student who used a knife to slice a man into pieces and proceeded to eat portions of his brain and heart.

These events as well as others reported by online news agencies have caused zombie survival aficionados to begin storing provisions as well as guns in order to hold out during a possible zombie apocalypse.

If all this wasn't enough, the CDCs zombie apocalypse survival guide adds more fuel to the fire. To many, this lends credence to the plausibility of some sort of zombie infection. However, it's necessary to understand that the CDC has made these tongue-in-cheek approaches to a zombie apocalypse before.

At the heart of their zombie apocalypse plan in an initiative to help people to be more prepared in the event of some sort of emergency. These emergencies include natural disasters or pathogens that would negatively affect a large part of the Earth's population.

If the CDCs involvement was taken as a validation of the fact that some sort of bacteria or virus existed that could cause such a calamity, then it was done so by people more interested in science fiction and less interested in fact. The CDC has recently disavowed any position that they feel they a zombie apocalypse could potentially occur.

Whether you're a fan of a zombie survival guide or you take zombies for what they're worth, science fiction and horror entertainment, it's never a bad idea to be prepared. Even though a zombie apocalypse may not be around the corner, preparing emergency food and water as well as vital provisions is a good idea because even though zombies may not be knocking at your door, emergencies can arise that you need to be prepared for. Surprisingly enough, preparing for the zombie apocalypse is good way to be prepared for any emergency that might arise.

Dolls - Harmless Toys or Channels of Terror?

I've never been a doll person. When I was a child my dolls were discarded in favour of our pet dogs, and my siblings and I carted them around in various toy trolleys and prams. Fortunately my parents were partial to a small breed of dog called a Welsh Corgi - imagine trying to fit a fully grown Rottweiler into a dolls' pram! My attitude towards dolls changed as I grew older, but instead of growing to appreciate them I became apprehensive. I blame this on my increasing awareness of the horror genre, and television shows like "Tales From The Darkside" that often featured malevolent dolls. I had a friend who had one of those dolls that blinked, and it absolutely terrified me. It always seemed to be watching us through pale, lifeless blue orbs in its head. Watching... and waiting. Blinking yet sightless. Or was it?

In Helen Morgan's "The Witch Doll" the title character's hair grows when brushed. Her name is Tilda, and she's a doll who trades souls with humans.

Dolls have been an integral part of the horror genre for many years, and Hollywood has been a major exploiter of this phenomenon. There have been countless films about the voodoo religion, particularly voodoo dolls. Although their origin can be traced to identifying pressure points for use in healing it is thought that slaves exploited the myth as a form of self defence against ruthless slave owners. Thus the belief that a specific individual can be cursed through a voodoo doll was born, and exploited. Such is the popularity of the voodoo doll myth today that tourists can buy voodoo dolls in Port au Prince, Haiti - the centre of the voodoo religion!

A more authentic use for dolls in voodoo is the practice of nailing the doll - together with a shoe - to a tree near a cemetery. They are supposed to act as messengers between the lands of the living and that of the dead. However the myth of the voodoo doll appears to owe its origins to ancient Europe...

The pagan cults used a poppet to symbolise the fertility of Nature during festivals and harvests. The person who produced the poppet was said to infuse the doll with life, and it was considered to be a little person. Poppets were also associated with witchcraft, and were often produced to cast a fertility, healing or binding spell upon an individual. These dolls were usually produced from natural products such as clay, a potato, a root or a tree branch, a corn shaft, an apple or a lemon. Paper and wax were also used, together with cloth that was usually filled with herbs. The poppet was then used for image magic, and whatever actions were performed upon the effigy would be effective to the human subject. Does this sound familiar? To counter the usually dreadful effects of the poppet a wax figure could turn the spell against the one who cast it, and counter the witchcraft... if the evil was discovered in time!

A family boating on a lake find a large doll floating in the water. They rescue it, and soon wish they'd never laid eyes on it. Donna Lee Wallock's "Troll Doll" is possessed by evil spirits, and it's not long before strange accidents and unexplained deaths surround the doll.

It seems that dolls are usually produced in the female form, but they have also replicated the male gender. Scarecrows, corn dollies and the druids' wicker man are all male! Scarecrows evolved because of the need for farmers to discourage birds from disturbing their crops. In 1592 they were described as: That which frightens or is intended to frighten without doing physical harm. Literally that which scares away crows, hence the name - scarecrow. Originally fashioned in human form from straw, scarecrows were dressed in clothes with hats, with faces made of fabric with stitches providing the facial features. Today scarecrows are still widely used by farmers all over the world. Corn dollies were hollow shapes manufactured from the last sheaf of the crop at the end of a harvest. Ancient cultures believed that once a crop had been harvested the corn spirit would be homeless, and would leave the field to search for a new home. The corn dolly would remain in the fields during winter, providing refuge for the corn spirit until the new harvest was planted in spring.

The Wicker Man is an icon that has featured in modern culture. A tall humanoid shape, a Wicker Man was traditionally woven from flexible branches - much like wicker furniture - and usually burned at neo-pagan festivals to mark spring. It sounds horrific, but fire was originally considered a form or purification, and the act of burning a human effigy was to create a messenger to liaise between the community and its deity.

Popular culture has made the Wicker Man a symbol of horror. There's a famous British horror film called The Wicker Man, which places live sacrifices to burn inside the Wicker Man during a pagan ritual. A remake of this film, starring Nicholas Cage, is being released at time of writing this article. In the book "The Vampire Lestat" one of Anne Rice's characters describes witnessing the burning of a Wicker Man containing human beings during Roman times. Heavy metal band Iron Maiden recorded a song title "The Wicker Man".

The title character of Jane Toombs' "Hugger Doll" is a killer, something the hero's grandmother warned him about year earlier. Once he laughed at her superstitions; now he wishes he'd paid more attention!

The most famous doll in the horror genre today must be Chucky, aka Charles Lee Ray. Chucky's creator derived his name using three notorious killers: Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswold and James Earl Ray. Created for the "Child's Play" series of horror films, Chucky is a doll that is possessed by the soul of a killer. The doll begins killing people, and all sorts of storylines have evolved around him/it. Eventually the doll's face and body is maimed, his human girlfriend becomes a killer doll called Tiffany and the dolls manage to produce a gender-confused doll child called Glen/Glenda... it's an extremely successful franchise, and to date there have been five Chucky films.

Dolls may look human, but their characteristics and emotions are a blank sheet, waiting for our imagination to bring them to life. Be they in films, books or music dolls are an intrinsic part of our culture. And from where I'm sitting their future looks bright.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

I Dislike Domainers and the Domaining Industry

I think the statement above is very clear but before I explain my thoughts I should clarify that I am using this in a 'general' sense as like everything in life there are good and bad domainers. However I think the domaining industry as a whole is mostly smoke and mirrors with very little substance. So my theme is that whilst there may be a few good domainer's the domaining industry is not on my list of favourite business sectors.

Firstly I am sure some of you reading this post will not be amused by the comments above and others will quite rightly point out that I have domain names for sale and therefore I am a domainer! Firstly I DO sell domain names and yes I was a domainer. I have domain names to sell that I purchased when I was a domainer and now selling them is just part of my business and I will also be building a network of blog's on any domains I do not sell.

The primary reason I do not consider myself a domainer any longer is that firstly I do not buy domain names to sell anymore and I have seen that domaining is simply a goldfish bowl of domainers selling to domainers. Let's look at that statement and the total lack of common sense or sustainability in that business model. As an example would a wholesaler of childrens shoes sell to another childrens shoes wholesaler then buy back from a third wholesaler to replenish the stock that had just been sold? NO! They have a chain of manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer and then to the customer (end user). Therefore the domain name industry should be Registrar (Manufacturer) to wholesaler (Domainer) to end user but only a select few seem to have worked that out or are able to sell to the end users on a regular basis. I also think that with all the Google updates that the domain itself is not that important and as long as the content is good the business can go with a more brandable name.

Now it is fair to say you also have the 'elite' domainers who continually throw the herd tips on how to buy domains and sell them on again but they never reveal the domains they have sold personally. I understand that this is because they need to protect their business and although I do understand that helping another will only ever go so far it also makes you question if they really are selling domains at all? I mean how often have you been in a forum and the guy slating your domain name has 'just sold a domain name for $x,xxx' yet your domains continue to be worth $0? It is simply a very small group at the top making money and ensuring the tips they provide keep the herd chasing their tails continuously and getting absolutely nowhere fast! I also appreciate having seen some of the domain names for sale that some really are awful and I doubt will ever be sold. I am sure many people will find fault with mine but I like to think they at least make sense!

So what is the point of this post and rant about domaining? Well it is simply to let out some frustration and to encourage anyone else who is thinking that domaining is a full time business to stop now and either develop the domains you have or just find something else to do. Please stop listening to the experts and take a step back at how the domaining industry works...

How Online Photo Printing Services Work

Online photo printing service is a feasible option for people, who are intending to generate high-quality prints of their images without the expense of buying their own equipment for printing. Also, the hassle associated with bricks-and-mortar stores for printing can be kept away. Furthermore, the online option costs less as compared to getting the job done from a local store since operating costs involved in running a brick store is greatly minimized. Now, let us get into how these service providers work:

Uploading: The first step to be taken by the individual to acquire the service of such a firm is to register with the website of such a company. Once registration is made, he can get their service without any hassle. Even though some of these service providers just offer photo prints, some of them are offering the service of creating customized gifts by replicating the images on magnets, mugs, clothes, posters, canvas and calendar as well. Once the product on which the image should be replicated is selected by the individual, he will be taken to a page, where he can upload the image. The photos will start their journey by traveling to the online server of the company offering this service. Most of these companies delete the images after completion of the work; however, it would be safe to inquire about the same from the service provider.

Printing: Next comes the actual printing work. The image loaded by the individual will be sent to the print shop or printer of the company.

Shipping: Once the work is done, the company will be directly shipping the material to the address of the individual. Most of them clearly specify their turn around time and the carrier through which they will be sending the consignment at the time of placing order. Even though, some companies do not provide these details, they will be sending the details regarding the shipment along with the name of the carrier and tracking number to the email address or mobile phone number of their customers. This will enable their customers to visit the portal of the carrier and they can get details regarding the expected time and date of delivery by entering the tracking number of the consignment provided by the online photo printing company.

Even some of these companies offer free shipment service so that their customers can get the consignment delivered to their doorstep without paying any consignment cost, which will be borne by the service provider.

Family Things to Do While on Vacation

There are so many family things to do while on vacation that can guarantee that the members of the group would enjoy themselves. The key is to know what each member of the family likes or prefers and to check out if there are places or sites that apply to these likes and preferences. There are certain things to remember when seeking these, though. One important factor to remember is the safety of the person who might spend time in this area. Some places may be tourist attractions but there are times when not only tourists are attracted to them. Unscrupulous people who prey on tourists may also frequent these places in hopes of thievery or swindling someone. Another factor to consider is the time that might be spent in the place. If the place can be toured in under an hour, the other members of the group may like to kill the time doing the same thing. On the other hand, those who do not wish to see it may skip places that require longer times. When these things happen, it is best to coordinate with each other or to make a compromise.

Activities

Some family things to do when on vacation are to visit and learn about historical places from which children and other members of the group can learn something. Visiting specific places, which are steeped in history and culture, are great in enriching the minds and hearts of both adults and children. Examples of these places are museums, forts, lighthouses and many more. Other places are where specific historical things have happened such as where articles of historical value were drafted or signed as well as where battles occurred. Another thing that can be done when on a trip is to go for popular activities that are specific in that region or area. Some of the family things to do may be centered on what the area has to offer. In the first place, some vacations are spent in specific areas because they offer very specific activities. These may be white water rafting, ocean water sports, spelunking, mounting biking and trekking. A group consisting of adults and children can do these activities. Of course, some courses may be too difficult for younger children and older adults so they might want to choose a course that is convenient for everybody. Most cities or states that offer adventurous activities have gear and equipment for rent that are centered on the type of sports or adventure that the visitors like. Some cities have bikes for rent while others offer kayaks. Other family things to do may be centered on food and drinks. Visits to areas that abound with vineyards may have winetasting events that cater to adults while at the same time may offer cheese tasting to children with some juice.

It is a good idea to consult a travel agency or to research the area before committing to go there. Research can lead one to learn more about the place and the different activities there.

Dylan McDermott - A Hollywood Icon

Born in 1962 in Connecticut, Dylan McDermott is a very well-known actor. He portrays the exact image of the tall, dark, handsome Hollywood star and is best known for his role in the hit TV drama 'The Practice'. He has been in many other shows and movies, however, and is one of the many classically-trained professionals working in the entertainment industry today. Unlike many of the more recent Hollywood celebrities, McDermott attended film and acting school programs to get his training before making his film debut in 1987's 'Hamburger Hill', which gave him an advantage over those who were simply trying to 'make it' at the time.

Dylan McDermott also played husband to Julia Roberts' character in 'Steel Magnolias', and found his success in the late 1990s as a full-time star of the show that he is now famous for. Since the show ended, however, Dylan has taken on many different roles in movies and television series throughout his career and still proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with. He might not be producing tons of movies every year like some celebrities, but he still offers his talents to the world on a regular basis.

Dylan McDermott was encouraged towards his dreams of acting by his stepmother, the known playwright Eve Ensler. She helped him get started in his late teens and encouraged him to pursue his dreams, despite what others said about the risks of the entertainment industry. Dylan has won Emmy nominations and Golden Globes for his career performances, and has also recently picked up a starring role in the newest FX drama 'American Horror Story'. He did fare quite well on 'Dark Blue', a police drama on TNT, but it was cancelled after two seasons due to low ratings and viewership.

Dylan McDermott might not be a household name like some celebrities, but he is certainly well known for his rugged good looks, acting talent, and his role on the show that originally made him famous. He's a popular member of the law and culture society because of his unique roles in law shows throughout his career, and someone worth getting to know a little better for anyone who likes the types of shows that McDermott is known for. His personal life is hardly worth mentioning, because he's not one of the many celebrities that is stalked regularly and spied on by the media, but his acting career is definitely noteworthy.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Easy Art Promotion Tips for Anyone!

Once you've created a beautiful piece of artwork, you want to get it noticed and possibly make a profit from selling your creation. However, it's difficult to stand out amongst the huge volume of art pieces created every day. Luckily, art promotion opportunities are available in most large cities around the globe to help you become a household name.

Art festivals are the easiest place to get your work known. They're so appealing because the artist usually just has to pay a small investment fee to set up a table within the grounds of the festival, and then will retain 100% of the profits made. For instance, take Arizona's Scottsdale Arts Festival. Any artist can apply to exhibit and sell their crafts in the festival. If selected, the artist is required to pay a fee of $450 before being able to showcase their work in front of thousands of people. Another way to promote your art is simply to visit the art galleries in a city near you. Lots of galleries post a "Call for Artists" advertisement in the local newspaper or even just in their shop windows. If you have what a gallery is looking for, it's more than likely that you could be featured in their establishment, without having to make a serious time commitment.

While there are many traditional art promotion methods to choose from, the internet is increasing in popularity with artists everywhere. We live in the "Digital Age," where, for example, an artist living in Seattle could easily get in touch with a potential buyer in Beijing. There is an endless possibility of social media sites that an artist could use to publicize their work. Creating a Facebook fan page for an artist is common, as is keeping fans posted through a blog on the a artist's progress or upcoming events (such as festivals or online articles). However, these websites only generate interest about an artist's work. If you're looking to make a profit by selling your work, there are a vast range of websites that are easy to utilize. Etsy, for instance, is an online marketplace where artists can sell handcrafted items. Products for purchase on Etsy include hundreds of decorative and functional art pieces. Getting featured on an online shop like Etsy can be a big break for a previously unknown artist.

Overall, there is a wide variety of things that an artist or craftsperson can do to get their work recognized. Get started today with some of the art promotion tips above!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Enjoyable Things to Do In the Most Unique City In the South

No matter what time of the year you vacation, there's always some fun and educational things to do during your trip. You'll probably be able to catch one of the many festivals held throughout the year:

Mardi Gras - Colorful floats with masked participants line the streets of the city forming as many as 70 parades throughout the 12-day period which leads up to the holiday. Each parade features a unique theme designed and presented by as many as 3,000 participants tossing baubles to the crowds.

St. Patrick's Day - From Irish dancers to green beer, St. Patrick's Day is taken very seriously by participants of the St. Patrick's Day festivities. So seriously, in fact, that you may just get pinched if you don't incorporate green into some part of your attire! While you're enjoying the delicious food and fun booths, be sure to catch the St. Patrick's Day parade.

Greek Fest - If your vacation falls over Memorial Day weekend, be sure to stop by the Greek Fest for all things Greek. You'll enjoy Greek fare along with lively music displaying the distinctive sounds of Greek instruments. Dancers in colorful costume perform the dances known to their native land.

The Running of the Bulls - If you like to run, make like a bull and run through the French Quarter with the other participants as you celebrate a tame version of this historic Spanish tradition. As one of the many things to do in the area, the race begins at 7am and participants are required to wear a white shirt or pants along with a red scarf on their neck or waist. "Matadors" urge the slower "bulls" on with playful swats and pokes from foam whiffle bats!

Oktoberfest - Each year the German cultural center, Deutsches Haus, sponsors Oktoberfest. This festival celebrates German heritage with live traditional music, folk dancing, and plenty of authentic German cuisine. You'll enjoy Sauerbraten, Krautwickel, Sauerdraut, Bratwurst Sausage, and other delicious German fare. After your food has time to settle, work up a sweat performing some native German dances which include knee-slapping and twisting!

Swamp Fest - Celebrate the swamp wild life found in nearby swamps and bayous during this annual event. You'll see lots of swamp life, including alligators which have grown to 10-12 feet in length! You'll also enjoy plenty of music, dancing, and Cajun cuisine. Celebrate the swamp culture with the locals.

Voodoo Music Experience - For some fun over Halloween, visit City Park and participate in the Voodoo Music Experience. With a large state and many mini-stages stationed about the park, you'll be able to enjoy the music while enjoying food, crafts, and other cultural activities. You'll find local vendors selling jewelry, clothing, art, and a wide variety of other cultural items in addition to food and beverages.

Clearly, there are plenty of things to do during your vacation! Be sure to take a bunch of pictures to create an album that you can share with family and friends. Happy Vacationing!

Friday, August 2, 2013

House Music and Its History

Entering into a pub is also entering into a world of music. If you have ever been inside a pub, then you will be greeted by a variety of music. You just have to keep your ears aware of whatever music is playing inside the pub. If you like to listen to music, then you will have definitely understood by now that there are several genres involved in music. House music is one of them. It has become popular by now but had a slow start that makes you want to trace its historical background. Creating an ideal atmosphere for music lovers, this music has a story behind it.

House music trends took over in the 1980s in Chicago because people were growing tired of having to dance to the same old tunes. Even the DJs did not find having to play the same music all the time any fascinating. This is why they decided to personalize some of the songs. They added a touch of their own expertise to the songs that were played in the bars. Within no time, the music became popular. Everyone started enjoying and the DJs even began to release their own albums which incorporated this kind of music with the regular songs of artists.

When house music started playing on every lip, it travelled from Chicago to Detroit. Eventually, this musical trend crossed the oceans and spread itself in the United Kingdom. Different DJs from different cultures accepted the house music trends in their own distinctive way. They added new beat and started mixing different versions of the music. Moreover, they even went as far as introducing different sounds and people become fond of this music, experiencing a huge change from the ordinary hearing. All this happened within the 1980s and house music became a global phenomenon. Singers started releasing albums that favored this kind of music.

It is highly true of house music that it is similar to the current style of music. In the 1990s, rap became a more popular music than the regular house music. DJs then used it as an opportunity to extend the architecture of this music by adding rap and hip-hop beats to it. The interesting part is that it worked out really well for the most part. People actually started paying attention to the musical beats, letting their ears enjoy the different kind of mix.

Eventually, the 21st century turned the DJs into proper musicians who went to several bars and started getting paid quite a bit for their extraordinary skills. This is when house music became liked by everyone and the popularity took its toll. Currently, hip hop has taken its place but this music trends are still present in every nook and corner. The future is hard to predict but there is no doubt in the fact that this kind of music is going to persist for long. Therefore, if you are a music lover, then house music should be one of your preferences among good quality listening at all times.

Entertainment in Detroit

Detroit is famous all over the globe as the city of motor cars. It is widely known as the motor city. The city got that nickname owing to the existence of a large number of car factories in the region. Detroit is a major city in United States and it is the largest city in the State of Michigan. The bustling metropolis teeming with motor vehicles is situated on the banks of Detroit River. It holds eleventh place in population among US cities. But there is more entertainment in Detroit than driving the latest fancy car of any brand. Detroit is where some great music bands and musicians in United States were born.

Celebrity musicians like Eminem, Diana Ross, Kid Rock, Aretha Franklin, and Bob Seger are some of the most famous sons of Detroit and its high-class musical culture. Live music is an indispensable thing in the nightlife of Detroit. In DTE Energy Music Theatre and The Palace of Auburn Hills, the city has two very famous music venues. Detroit hosts world-class musical institutions such as Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Opera House. The major music festivals in Detroit are the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival, the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, the Urban Organic Music Conference, the Motor City Music Conference, the Concert of Colors, and the Hip-Hop Summer Jazz Festival. For popular music, the bars and clubs are famous for providing non-stop music of all varieties during nights. Detroit has hosted and has been hosting some of the very famous music bands in United States such as MC5, The Stooges, Amboy Dukes, The Detroit Wheels, Rare Earth, Alice Cooper, Sponge, and Uncle Kracker. There is famous song known as Detroit Rock City by the band Kiss, which embodies the musical spirit of the city. There are a number of drama troupes and drama theatres in Detroit. Detroit Institute of Arts, Fisher Theatre, and Fox Theatre are highly respected institutions in the world of art and artists. Other famous drama theatres in Detroit are the Gem Theatre, the Palace of Auburn Hills, and the Nederlander Organization.

Some of the important museums in United States are situated Detroit. Detroit Institution of Arts and Detroit Historical Museum are very popular places among the visitors to Detroit. Other tourist and entertainment attractions in Detroit include Motown Historical Museum, Tuskegee Airmen Museum, Dossin Great Lakes Museum, Fort Wayne, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. But the unique show in Detroit, which symbolizes the motor city image of Detroit, is the North American International Auto Show. River Days, a festival held on the riverfront of Detroit River that lasts for five days, is a hugely popular tourist attraction of Detroit.

Event Management Concerns for Putting on a Production

Let us say you want to put on a production. It could be a performance of a Greek tragedy in the park, with hobby actors on a shoestring culture grant or a multi-act extravaganza in the biggest venue in town. Regardless there are some factors to take into account. It may be so complicated you'll even consider going to event management school.

First of all, to plan your events you need a realistic look at your budget. The funds you can raise are the ultimate cap on how far your spectacle can go. For a concert with a commercial intent, you can acquire a bank loan. Festivals typically have sponsors that make heavy use of add space, as do culture based endeavours like community theatre, though the latter usually are content with black and white ads in the show's program, while the former may trade on things like the exclusive right to sell beverages. Certain very prestigious events get heavy competition from sponsorship, while things like tobacco companies that can't advertise otherwise will often use sponsorship to get noticed.

More amateur efforts may mean passing around the hat, bake sales or haggling for discounts and milking connections. For example students at a sound engineer school putting on a concert might convince their educational institution that for the merit of training they should be allowed to borrow audio equipment like microphones.

You can also stock your event with students, for example getting the DJ or audio person from the aforementioned local sound engineering school. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for and DJ training and experience is part of what makes someone good.

After securing your budget, plan down to the tiniest details. You will need fire code related permits, commercial licencing and maybe vendor and alcohol licencing. You will also need to make sure your event doesn't cause a public disturbance. Nobody wants to be shut down after they sold a lot of tickets!

You will be planning the audio, the visuals, the décor, the crowd control and have several disaster plans in place. If you want to do this professionally, you may seriously consider event management school. That is, but the way, on top of having to be an expert people manager, with all the crew and talent you need to co-ordinate. However a fantastic event getting off the ground is one of the best feelings.

Once things are on the go though, expect to be running around for hours. From long before opening to the last moments of the after party (you are having an after party, right?) you will be on the go, trouble shooting and keeping everyone on schedule.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

How Rene Lalique Became Famous

Just like any passionate collector of antique glass you will have surely come across the name Rene Lalique. Antique Lalique glass is a much sought after collectible in today's culture. Rene Lalique initially began as a jeweller, but it was his designs in glass that were to make a lasting impression on the world and his pieces are tremendously valuable throughout the world.

Upon opening his first glassworks in 1902 in Clairfontaine he manufactured designs of decorative panels and glass plaques. Lalique soon applied some of his jewellery making skills to the glass making process and used a technique called "cire purdue" or "lost wax" to create some of his first pieces.

Lalique created perfume bottles for Francois Coty who was one of his first patrons and in total created 16 different perfume bottles in the famous Lalique glass designs. Lalique also created many glass panel windows and other glass objects for Coty in his offices in New York. On the strength of the commissions from Coty, Lalique had to open up a larger glass works in Combs-la-Ville.

After opening the new glassworks in Combs-la-Ville Lalique created perfume bottles for other top perfumers and also started a Lalique line of perfume bottles. Production came to standstill during the First World War, when the war ended Lalique reviewed his glassmaking business and decided to continue with some new and different designs and started to create pairs of love birds and parakeets. This design theme continued throughout the height of his career.

Lalique wanted more, he wanted to be able to create pieces that were affordable for the masses and not just designer pieces, and with this in mind he opened another glassworks with a much bigger production facility in Wingen-sur-Moder. Press moulding techniques were mastered and a line of vases were created including the Naiades, Palestre, Ronces and Archer vases. During the 1920's and 1930's Lalique created some of the most collectible items of today such as car mascots. He created a total of 20 and they were created in the shape of peacocks, horses and roosters.

Also during the 1930's Lalique created tableware, glassware, ashtrays, boxes and clocks. During the great depression of the 1930's the production plant in Combs-la-Ville was forced to close down and with the onset of the Second World War Lalique also had to close another of his production plants. Two days after the end of the Second World War Lalique passed away and production was never continued.

Some of the most expensive and collectible Lalique glass today are the car mascots that are shaped like animals and much of his first creations using the lost wax technique are also highly collectible. Many of the mass produced items that were created during the great depression are not as valuable or collectible as some of the earlier commissioned pieces of glass. Although many of these pieces are less expensive to collect they were all produced to the highest quality and still make a wonderful addition to many Lalique collectors' collection.