A Brief History Of The Fairground Industry

Fairs in this country have a long and ancient history, deeply rooted in tradition. 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. It is now generally accepted that their origins are from pagan customs of the people who first settled this land; their seasonal gatherings held for the purposes of both trade and festivity, contained within them the essential elements of the fair. The Romans did much to promote fairs by improving trade and communications throughout the country. During the centuries following the departure of the Romans, many fairs and other festivals were incorporated into the calendar of the growing Christian Church. Charters granted by the sovereign gave the fair legal status and an increasing importance in the economic life of the nation. Merchants and traders from Europe, the Middle East and beyond were drawn to the great chartered fairs of the Middle Ages bringing with them a wealth of goods. The sheer number of these fairs, no fewer than 4860 were chartered between the years 1200 and 1400, drew not only merchant but entertainers as well: jugglers, musicians and tumblers – the ancestors of today’s showmen. The Black Death of 1348-49 brought about a new kind of fair. In order to stem the rise in wages caused by the shortage of workers, Edward III introduced the Statute of Labourers. This compelled all able bodied men to present themselves annually for hire at a stated wage. These gathering or hiring fairs were held mainly around Michealmas, the end of the agricultural year. By the early eighteenth century the trading aspects of the charter fairs had waned and most fairs consisted almost entirely of amusements, acrobats, illusionists and theatrical companies all plied their trade on fairgrounds. Around this time the first fairground rides began to appear, small crudely constructed out of wood and propelled by gangs of boys. In 1868, Frederick Savage, a successful agricultural engineer from Kings Lynn, devised a method of driving rides by steam. His invention, a steam engine mounted in the centre of the ride was to transform the fairground industry. Freed from the limitations of muscle power, rides could be made larger, more capacious and more heavily ornamented. The showman’s demand for novelty was matched by the ingenuity of Savage and other engineers. In the wake of the steam revolution an amazing variety of new designs and rides appeared. These rides were the forerunners of today’s amazing thrill rides, over time innovations such as electric lighting, electric motors, hydraulics etc. allowed rides to evolve into the amazing devices that are seen today at any local fairground.

Importance Of Mobile Phones

With the advent of new technology the way of communication is also changed. In very early days of history, pigeons were used as means of communication. Later, written messages are sent through letters by post. As the time passed, telephone came into existence and today is the era of wireless communication which gives rise to mobile phones. Mobiles are the latest invention and common way to communicate now-a-days. Mobile phones are long range, portable and wireless electronic device of communication. A few years back, when mobile phones were not so common, the device was expensive and communication costs pretty good to the user. But in last a few years as the use of mobiles increased, their cost is decreased considerably and this factor helped a lot to make them available for common men. Mobile phones are now inexpensive, easy to use, and comfortable and equipped with almost every latest feature we desire. Mobiles are now every one’s first choice gadget, either an elderly person or a younger one. It is like a status symbol now. Every persons hand is equipped with latest mobile models and everyone has its own reason to have this magic gadget in his hands. Every day new models of mobiles come replacing the older ones to lure the users. The interested users especially the young generation is very fond of the latest features provided in new handsets. People like the new ring tones, hello tunes and wallpapers. With this, mp3 and video recording facilities, MMS and Internet facilities are attracting the users to mobile world. Mobile users can’t even imagine their world without their handset. The importance of mobiles can be imagined by the reaction of people if they are asked to leave their handset separate from them for a day. Their life got a comma if they are keeping apart of their mobiles. In Japan, mobile phone companies provide immediate notification of earthquakes and other natural disasters to their customers free of charge. In the event of an emergency, disaster response crews can locate trapped or injured people using the signals from their mobile phones or the small detonator of flare in the battery of every cell phone; an interactive menu accessible through the phone’s Internet browser notifies the company if the user is safe or in distress. There is no doubt that the mobile phones have made the life more easy and comfortable. Everyone is in touch with their family members, friends and other known. If we want to talk with anyone, there is no need to write a letter and have to wait for days to send the message to receiver, just we have to pick the phone and press a number and start talking. Mobile phones are comfortable way of communication over a long distance. Life becomes so easy and fast by holding the mobile phones. Mobile phones proved to be a big help in emergencies. Mobile phones are also known as lifesavers as helping people in emergencies. If you get stuck in the middle of the road and find no one for help, you can just use a mobile phone and call for help. Along with the obvious convenience and quick access to help in emergencies big and small, mobile phones can be both economical and essential for travelers trying to stay connected. Like every coin have two sides, mobiles phones providing a lot of advantages also shows off few disadvantages. Mobile-phone use while driving is common. It is generally agreed that using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is a distraction that brings risk of road traffic accidents. So we need to use hands free sets to avoid such hazards. A little attention is received recently towards the potential impact of the kind of electromagnetic fields generated by cellular phones on the human brain. Accumulating evidence indicate that microwave radiation from mobile phones may cause serious diseases and disturbances in the physiology. This includes an increased cancer risk and genetic damage, disturbed brain function and other effects. Mobile phone radiation and health concerns have been raised, especially following the enormous increase in the use of wireless mobile telephony throughout the world. Hence, the head set should be kept at reasonable distance from our head and prolonged use of mobile phone should be avoided. REPRINT RIGHTS statement: This article is free for republishing by visitors provided the Author Bio box is retained as usual so that all links are Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Music Piracy And The New Musician

Today click-and-download technology presents a greater threat to the music recording industry than all other past music-delivery technologies combined. Music piracy exists in 3 different planes: Illegally mass-manufactured pirate music CDs Illegal copies of legitimately purchased music CDs Illegally downloaded digital copies of recorded music A recent research study on the economic impact of music piracy (Institute for Policy Innovation, August 2007) paints a grim picture. The impact of music piracy to the U.S. economy is estimated at U.S. $12.5 billion annually. It is estimated that 71,060 jobs are lost or at risk due to the economic impact of piracy and the lost growth opportunities account for 26,860 jobs that would have otherwise been created in the recording industry. Even the U.S. government is affected by piracy with an estimated loss of $422 million in tax revenues from lost personal and corporate income due to piracy. Of course, these figures are based upon the assumption that sales of recorded music on CD would have held constant, or increased, from year to year. The truth is, however, that CD sales are on the decline as MP3 players and other digital technology make the need for music on physical media obsolete. In addition to falling CD sales, half of America’s independent record stores closed between 2003 and 2005. (NY Post). One of the largest international chains of recorded music sellers, Tower Records, closed its doors forever on December 22, 2006. Want to see how prevalent music piracy really is? Here’s a real-time counter that shows the number of illegal music files downloaded around the world every second. When the average person thinks of music piracy, he or she usually thinks of unauthorized sharing of downloaded or recorded music between small groups of friends. And while those numbers do contribute to the music industry’s losses, the biggest losses occur from the sale of pirated music that is burned onto CD-R disks by the thousands in small commercial laboratories by professional music pirates. The costs of music piracy are staggering not only for the high profile superstars but for the new musicians as well. It is important for every musician and band member to understand the nature of music piracy and learn how to combat this problem. Know your rights, and learn about the technology that exists that can protect you and your intellectual property (music) from piracy.

The Basics Of Bookbinding

Bookbinding can be traced back to ancient times when stone tablets were used to record important events. Information was transcribed onto these tablets and then placed between other tablets to protect the vital information from being lost due to damage from particles in the air, or dust. These tablets were then bound together using various materials that also made it possible to transport these tablets from one area to another much easier. These same principles are behind today’s bookbinding, whether they are employed for publishing paperback and hardcover books for sale to consumers, to protect important legal and personal documents, or used to preserve special photographs and papers in a scrapbook keepsake memory book. Bookbinding is a term used to describe the various methods of securing or ‘binding’ together of loose pages into a book. The binding can be accomplished by using stitching, staples, wire, plastic, tape, or glue. Bookbinding can be a labor-intensive project for the do-it-yourselfer, depending upon the methods chosen and the number of loose pages to be bound. However, there are many options available to the ‘crafty’ and the not-so-crafty person, that can make bookbinding a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. If you are good at working with your hands, you might enjoy punching holes in your pages and then stitching them together into a book by using materials such as, leather, rope, and colored yarns. If you’re less handy when it comes to craft -making but still want to turn your loose pages into a book yourself: consider purchasing 3-ring binders and protective sleeves that are pre-punched to hold the pages you want to preserve. You can then decorate these binders using stickers, cut-outs, pictures, buttons, labels, etc. to make it truly your own creation. If you would like to use different materials for your bookbinding without all of the hard work, you can opt to purchase a binding machine that will do most of the work for you. A binding machine is a good investment, especially if you plan to create several books at home. You can always choose to have your pages bound into a book by professionals too. Inquire at your local print shop as to their pricing for binding services. Professional bookbinding services can also be found online. The internet contains a wealth of information in the form of tips and ideas for bookbinding, discount suppliers of binding machines, and binding materials for the do-it-yourselfer and referrals to professional binding services. Keep in mind that the costs of bookbinding whether you do-it-yourself, or hire it out, will be determined not only by the methods you choose for your bookbinding, but also by the types of materials you choose in binding your book. You might be asking yourself why anyone would go to the trouble of binding loose pages into a book themselves or by paying someone else to do it for them. The answer is quite simple; bookbinding is an excellent way to protect legal and personal documents, as well as preserve special photographs and papers in a format that is functional, attractive, portable, and personalized. Bookbinding can be an enjoyable activity for the crafter. And even those who don’t necessarily enjoy crafts will delight in having a personalized book that holds the documents and memories that are important to them. Binding your pages into a book not only protects and preserves those special documents, pictures, papers, and memories, it creates a keepsake to be shared with family and friends, and even be passed from one generation to another, full of history and memories to be preserved forever.

Destiny To Despair The Fall Of Superboy Prime

In the comic book industry, it is difficult to find a single character that is as iconic, as well-known, and as popular as Superman. His status has come to the point that DC Comics, the company that publishes his monthly titles, has developed several versions and revisions of his character and his powers over the years. Most of them have followed the same general archetype established by the original Superman, which is that of a lawful and good superhero. However, every so often, there have been darker character versions that, unlike the good version, posed a threat to mankind. Arguably, the most dangerous of these “evil” versions is the one known as Superboy-Prime. To understand Superboy-Prime’s rise as a hero and his subsequent fall to become “the most dangerous individual the universe has ever known,” it is necessary to first explore how he came into the DC Comics universe. Originally, Superboy-Prime was the only superhero on Earth-Prime, one of many alternate versions of Earth that existed in the world of DC Comics. According to the storyline, all the alternate Earths had to be destroyed to preserve one. At the end of that cataclysmic series of events, Superboy-Prime, along with Earth-Prime’s Lex Luthor and Kal-El, yet another alternate version of Superman, willingly confined themselves to a paradise-like dimension to save the universe. However, trapped in an isolated realm with nothing but memories of his old world to keep him company, his mind became warped. With prompting from the Lex Luthor trapped with him, Superboy-Prime eventually broke free and resolved to correct the mistake he made. In other words, he was intent on returning the existence of Earth-Prime, a goal he could achieve only by destroying the current Earth. In his mind, the Earth was deeply flawed and had to be destroyed by all means. He saw villains and heroes but somehow he could not distinguish between the two, and, as a result, he treated both sides as enemies. In his skewed black-and-white view of morality, Superboy-Prime considered himself as the only true hero in the current universe. However, as the “Superboy,” he felt an intense degree of status anxiety over not having earned the name “Superman.” His goal of restoring Earth-Prime ties into this feeling, since by erasing the current universe, he also erases the various other versions of Superman in it. Such an event would eventually leave him as the only Superman in the universe. He hoped to alleviate his status anxiety by eliminating any version of himself that he subconsciously sees as being better than he is. Superboy-Prime also exhibited some signs of performance anxiety. For all of his great power, he seems psychologically incapable of achieving the same things that the current universe’s Superman has done. In his mind, he believed that he cannot hope to attain the level achieved by the heroic versions of Superman that he has encountered. He also doubted his ability to match up to the level of the current universe’s Superboy. This performance anxiety, however, had worsened into rage and disdain for all of the alternate versions of Superboy. His raw, god-like power also contributed to the development of status anxiety since he believed that he deserved the title of “Superman” by virtue of his superhuman abilities alone. He soundly defeated the current universe’s Superboy in single combat, breaking his arm in one encounter and killing him in their second battle. He easily defeated Powergirl in battle, despite her being twice as powerful as normal during the battle. Supergirl, the only hero shown to be consistently physically stronger than the current Superman, was also defeated easily by Superboy-Prime. In the end, it took the combined efforts of two versions of Superman, the current one and the Kal-El version, to defeat him in battle. This feat would not have been possible without the sacrifice of Kal-El and the radiation of a red sun, which drained Prime of his powers. Also, he was able to defeat several Green Lanters simultaneously, a feat that the current Superman believes is impossible for him to do. Unlike his contemporaries, no known form of Kryptonite has an effect on him, and magic has no effect on him. While his mind is vulnerable to telepathic assault, he has proven impossible to control in such a manner, adding yet another advantage over his fellow Kryptonians. These events have solidified his status anxiety, as he believes his power alone should be enough to grant him the place of being a true “Superman.” Superboy-Prime is an interesting combination of an increasingly complex situation as seen through an overly simplistic lens. This, combined with his lack of maturity or guidance due to having grown up in an isolated “paradise,” have left him with little ability to see the more complex moral framework his contemporaries have come to understand and work with. Like the modern Supergirl, he also does not have any psychological impediments to his power, which means he does not hold back and has no regard for whatever damage he might cause. His inability to accept the loss of his home is vaguely reminiscent of separation anxiety, evolving into an obsession. Also, as some heroes have described him, he has become increasingly cold and has apparently lost the ability to care about the innocent lives in the current universe. However, whether or not he is fully to blame for what he has become is questionable. It was a version of Lex Luthor that prompted him to break out of his isolation and instilled in him the idea that the current universe is inferior to Earth-Prime. The people of his home hailed him as a savior, placing upon him a “destiny” to become the greatest hero of all time. In the end, Superboy-Prime’s state of mind and his mentality are best summed up in his own words: “Cold? Cold is being the lone survivor of a dead universe! Cold is being imprisoned when you tried to make things better! Cold is what this universe has made me!”

Destiny To Despair The Fall Of Superboy Prime

In the comic book industry, it is difficult to find a single character that is as iconic, as well-known, and as popular as Superman. His status has come to the point that DC Comics, the company that publishes his monthly titles, has developed several versions and revisions of his character and his powers over the years. Most of them have followed the same general archetype established by the original Superman, which is that of a lawful and good superhero. However, every so often, there have been darker character versions that, unlike the good version, posed a threat to mankind. Arguably, the most dangerous of these “evil” versions is the one known as Superboy-Prime. To understand Superboy-Prime’s rise as a hero and his subsequent fall to become “the most dangerous individual the universe has ever known,” it is necessary to first explore how he came into the DC Comics universe. Originally, Superboy-Prime was the only superhero on Earth-Prime, one of many alternate versions of Earth that existed in the world of DC Comics. According to the storyline, all the alternate Earths had to be destroyed to preserve one. At the end of that cataclysmic series of events, Superboy-Prime, along with Earth-Prime’s Lex Luthor and Kal-El, yet another alternate version of Superman, willingly confined themselves to a paradise-like dimension to save the universe. However, trapped in an isolated realm with nothing but memories of his old world to keep him company, his mind became warped. With prompting from the Lex Luthor trapped with him, Superboy-Prime eventually broke free and resolved to correct the mistake he made. In other words, he was intent on returning the existence of Earth-Prime, a goal he could achieve only by destroying the current Earth. In his mind, the Earth was deeply flawed and had to be destroyed by all means. He saw villains and heroes but somehow he could not distinguish between the two, and, as a result, he treated both sides as enemies. In his skewed black-and-white view of morality, Superboy-Prime considered himself as the only true hero in the current universe. However, as the “Superboy,” he felt an intense degree of status anxiety over not having earned the name “Superman.” His goal of restoring Earth-Prime ties into this feeling, since by erasing the current universe, he also erases the various other versions of Superman in it. Such an event would eventually leave him as the only Superman in the universe. He hoped to alleviate his status anxiety by eliminating any version of himself that he subconsciously sees as being better than he is. Superboy-Prime also exhibited some signs of performance anxiety. For all of his great power, he seems psychologically incapable of achieving the same things that the current universe’s Superman has done. In his mind, he believed that he cannot hope to attain the level achieved by the heroic versions of Superman that he has encountered. He also doubted his ability to match up to the level of the current universe’s Superboy. This performance anxiety, however, had worsened into rage and disdain for all of the alternate versions of Superboy. His raw, god-like power also contributed to the development of status anxiety since he believed that he deserved the title of “Superman” by virtue of his superhuman abilities alone. He soundly defeated the current universe’s Superboy in single combat, breaking his arm in one encounter and killing him in their second battle. He easily defeated Powergirl in battle, despite her being twice as powerful as normal during the battle. Supergirl, the only hero shown to be consistently physically stronger than the current Superman, was also defeated easily by Superboy-Prime. In the end, it took the combined efforts of two versions of Superman, the current one and the Kal-El version, to defeat him in battle. This feat would not have been possible without the sacrifice of Kal-El and the radiation of a red sun, which drained Prime of his powers. Also, he was able to defeat several Green Lanters simultaneously, a feat that the current Superman believes is impossible for him to do. Unlike his contemporaries, no known form of Kryptonite has an effect on him, and magic has no effect on him. While his mind is vulnerable to telepathic assault, he has proven impossible to control in such a manner, adding yet another advantage over his fellow Kryptonians. These events have solidified his status anxiety, as he believes his power alone should be enough to grant him the place of being a true “Superman.” Superboy-Prime is an interesting combination of an increasingly complex situation as seen through an overly simplistic lens. This, combined with his lack of maturity or guidance due to having grown up in an isolated “paradise,” have left him with little ability to see the more complex moral framework his contemporaries have come to understand and work with. Like the modern Supergirl, he also does not have any psychological impediments to his power, which means he does not hold back and has no regard for whatever damage he might cause. His inability to accept the loss of his home is vaguely reminiscent of separation anxiety, evolving into an obsession. Also, as some heroes have described him, he has become increasingly cold and has apparently lost the ability to care about the innocent lives in the current universe. However, whether or not he is fully to blame for what he has become is questionable. It was a version of Lex Luthor that prompted him to break out of his isolation and instilled in him the idea that the current universe is inferior to Earth-Prime. The people of his home hailed him as a savior, placing upon him a “destiny” to become the greatest hero of all time. In the end, Superboy-Prime’s state of mind and his mentality are best summed up in his own words: “Cold? Cold is being the lone survivor of a dead universe! Cold is being imprisoned when you tried to make things better! Cold is what this universe has made me!”

I have always loved bright colors and movement

I have always loved bright colors and movement, like dancing its healing, relaxing fulfilling and challenging as well. The bottom line is the feeling and message that I want to convey through the medium. When I paint, every attempt is to capture the feel of warmth, passion, joy and bliss in none objective or figurative composition. I enjoy experimentation of different media and subjects. My subject varies based on my emotion and statement but my love for colors is constant. In spite of this, viewers see different forms or figures in my abstract expressions. The good thing about these expressions is the freedom of the viewers to see and appreciate the forms in their mind’s eyes, like face painting in the eye of the viewer. Its also important to mention that “Uli” which is my traditional art style has played a major role in my age long career. The symbols and forms of this art style are reflected in my cubism, abstract images, abstract relief sculpture, seascape, drawing, pastels and watercolor painting. People see different forms or images in abstract art, the depth of what you actually see when you look at the paintings is partly based on individual exposure and understanding of art forms, color, shapes, line and texture; which are the physical elements that combine to make up the artworks. A selection of different dark hues, shapes and forms may give various impressions to different minds; light, airy images as mystical; balanced, temperate forms as peaceful. Uli organic forms and shape are symbolical such as colors and forms have meaning in and of themselves. It is a simple truth that you can’t give what you don’t have. I am a believer and my work time is also a meditation time, which can go either way depending on the spiritual consciousness of the creative mind. To me, my work section is an intimate moment between I, canvas and colors. At this creative moment there is a spiritual impartation from the artist to the Art. Hence the emotional reaction to these elements even if they create no recognizable object for us to hang onto. I enjoy the inclusion and deletion of space. The handling of space or the illusion of space is another powerful element in the artist’s mind. If you are drawn into a yard of three-dimensional space stretching beyond the framework of the painting to sculpture, you are not alone. The impression of depth, perspective, airiness, solidity, textures and other spatial relations are created and controlled to achieve a desired goal. The overall composition or design of my painting or sculpture is created to guide the viewer’s eyes to understanding and appreciation of the images. I must admit, most of my figurative compositions is a celebration of womanhood, which I am very proud to be part of for they are the seats of wisdom and knowledge. I pride in the feeling and reactions of my clients and viewers to my creations. I feel blessed in many ways than words can express. The challenge sometimes is getting the composition right, or balancing the elements of color, lines and shapes while maintaining a dynamic tension and massage beneath. Energy is the life force that is present in all good art. This is not something that is easily defined. The life force of every work I do is the same, but different energy and different statements. It is this peculiar energy that makes my works speak to you, and makes them unique, original and identifiable to me. This energy is created out of experience and self-awareness, materials and tools, but the end is more than the means in the same sense that a musical composition is so much more than a collection of notes. You are welcome into my world of abstract wall art or modern art, relax and let your eye leisurely wander over the collection of verities of art forms and styles. Let your heart and mind react to my colors, shapes, figures and textures. Come and spoil yourself a little in the illusion of vibrant spaces, the movement of lines and the mood of blissful atmosphere. Come, come up close and explore the intricacies of brushstrokes, spatula- strokes, paint thickness, textures and compositional details. Enjoy how the parts are woven together to form the whole. Take your time. My artwork cannot be understood and appreciated in a ten second glance. Allow my art to grow on you, becoming more interesting and more enjoyable to look at as you live with it.

Cassie Creepy Candy Store Review

Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store by Sheila Sauvageau-Smestad is a 40-page storybook for children that will be a favorite for the Halloween season – when candy is not only unavoidable, but is abundant. Halloween is also an appropriate time to purposefully gross out the kids, with humor and light-hearted fun. The author employs a simplistic rhyming scheme and a good text flow for its readers, which will get the children uttering “EW!” and have a giggle or two. This is a very unique story line with strange and unusual goodies like Chocolate Spiders and Bloody Eyeballs that enrapture and delight children. Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store will work well for school or library reading kids groups as well. I definitely enjoyed the talent of illustrator Kelly Berg, who captured expressions, moods and emotions so gracefully and yet used a simplistic style. As an additional bonus, two fun games and an interesting treasure hunt adventure await children at the end of the book. If you are looking for a book that will teach a useful moral life lesson – this isn’t for you – but what you will find is a light-hearted entertaining story. Cassie’s Creepy Candy Store is a book to be read just for the fun of it.

Live Poker How To Win Tournament Games

Now, if you are interested in being the best player, getting really good money and knowing some tricks and advices of what to do in a live tournament games, here is the best place to learn them. 1) Try not to get drunk Some of the people that are playing, and that have few rounds to play in the tournament don’t count the drinks they have during their games and at the very end of the day they don’t have power to continue till the last game, which is a pity to loose such a big opportunity, so, don’t drink a lot and be prepare for the last round, also come up with all your senses in order. If you drink, do it measurable and just to loose the nerves before the games but also have some other drinks like soda, water, coffee and others to hydrate your self. 2) Is it important where I sit? Yes it is, in a tournament try not to sit next to the dealer, take a place in where you will feel that you are in front of the dealer to have the feeling that he is giving you a game. Also in a place where you will feel comfortable with your self and you will have a perspective of the other players. 3) Make your self comfortable while playing Don’t show the other players with your position what you cards are telling you. Make sure to seat back and relax, don’t adopt positions that will make you move too much or feel uncomfortable during the time of the game. Some players in the tournaments show their game with the position they adopt while playing either putting the elbows on the table or resting in the bumper. 4) Do the most important thing in the brake. Don’t get distracted from what you really need to do in the brake. Take your time to go to the bathroom and rest, sometimes the discussions about the previous game or lines for getting drinks will waste your time for what is really important. 5) Also your words and mimic are important during the game. When ever you are playing don’t show your cards to the other player in the way you talk or look, is important that they will have other impression, for example in your hand Is good you can try on making faces or saying words that show that your hand is not good, then people will think you have a bad game and you will surprise them at the end. This doesn’t work all the time so try to find different ways to hide your game.Also you can read the other player’s movements and words to see either they are lying or telling the truth in the hand.

Sports Autographs A Sound Investment

You don’t have to be a sports fanatic to have an interest in collecting authentic sports autographs. Famous athlete autographs can help boost the value of your portfolio as well as help you turn a quick profit. The key to having a valuable sports autograph collection is being able to recognize the fraudulent autographs on the market. One way to become an expert at spotting fake autographs is by immersing yourself in the industry. There are specialty magazines which will keep you up to date about trade shows, reliable dealers, as well as online shops that are legitimate to purchase from. These types of magazines will give you tips on how to spot fake sports autographs right away. This will save you time and money in the long run, as well as build your expertise in finding authentic signatures. A couple of simple, sure proof ways to detect fraudulent autographs include price and misspellings. Often, if a sports autograph sells for a really cheap price, then it is probably a fake. Many scammers on the internet will go as far as providing fake certificates of authenticity to sell an autograph. Don’t fall for these scams. Stick to purchasing sports autographs from legitimate suppliers and you will more secure in your investment. Misspellings of popular athlete autographs can be easy to spot. If you notice that the spelling is wrong for any autograph, then you need to move on and continue your search for authenticity. As you continue to immerse yourself in autograph collecting, you will become much better at recognizing the authentic autographs from the forged ones.

Will The Democrats Be Able To Reverse The Online Gambling Ban

Many people were hoping that if the Democrats won control of Congress they would reverse the online gambling ban, but experts doubt they will even try or that if they do that the will be successful. Once the bill was passed and signed into law by the president, it became much harder to reverse the law. The democrats would need to bring up the law and get it to a vote, then after the vote passed it needs to go to the president for his signature. The problem with this is that the current president is the one who signed the bill into law in the first place. Another problem is because the gambling ban was attached to another bill, it means that to reverse the law the entire bill needs to be reversed, but the other part of the bill is for an increase in port security, so any congressmen who recommends reversing this law, will be going on record as trying to reverse the increase in port security. Because of this trying to get the law reversed could ruin a congressman’s chances of ever getting elected to public office again for the rest of their lives. It is more likely that it will have to wait till the end of George Bushes term in office and then get an amendment to the law that reverses only gambling ban part of the law. So if you are on Online Gambling enthusiast and you were hoping that after the election the online gambling ban would just disappear I am sorry to say you were mistaken and that you are going to have to wait a little longer, but that does not mean you need to sit quietly by. The key is to make sure that you are heard, write letters to congressmen, and attend protest rallies anything that will keep this issue in the front of the minds of the politicians so they know that just as the Republicans lost the house so can they. The republicans used the online gambling ban to try to gain votes for them in the last weeks before the election, but it backfired on them and lost them more votes then it brought in. Hopefully the Democrats will learn from the mistakes of the Republicans and will understand that banning something never works, and that it is only thru regulating the online gambling industry that will ensure that it is safe and honest to play and that no underage children manage to play. Other wise I am sure that the Democrats will also see the wrath of the American voters when it comes time for the next elections. The American people are tired of having the government controlling every aspect of their lives and I think this election may have made their point for them. So if the question is will they try to reverse the law I am sure they will try, but how successful they will be is still up in the air, and no one can really know what the outcome will be.

Fun Email Quiz

Are you creating a positive, professional impression when you email your co-workers and customers? Or, is Miss Manners shrieking in horror every time you hit the send button? Are you being efficient and effective when you send messages, or are you wasting time? To find out, take this fun quiz. 1. The tone of a professional email message should be: a. Conversational. b. Formal. c. Casual – like the tone you use with friends. d. “Yo, dude! Whassup?” Answer: A. You may be as casual as you like with friends, breaking all the grammar and punctuation rules you want. But, that isn’t true for communicating with clients and colleagues. Business correspondence should be professional. In email, professional translates into conversational – not too casual and not too formal. 2. One method to achieve a conversational tone is to: a. Use slang terms and jargon. b. Use contractions. c. Use acronyms. d. Stand up and yell across the office. See if you can start “the wave.” Answer: B. When you speak in a conversation, you use contractions. So, it’s acceptable to use them in email to create a conversational tone. 3. When beginning to type an email, start with: a. The addressee’s email address. b. The message. c. The addressee’s name. d. “Yo, dude or dudette!” Answer: C. Starting a message with the addressee’s name is not only more personal, it will help avoid miscommunication and confusion. If you begin a message without the addressee’s name, the person won’t know if the message is intended for him/her. 4. When writing an email message, paragraphs should: a. Be long. b. Be short. c. Be indented. d. Be invisible – no one can mess it up that way. Answer: B. People aren’t willing to invest time reading messages that appear too long or tedious. Short paragraphs appear easier to read because there is more white space. There is also less chance that the reader will miss a point. 5. The best way to make several points in an email is: a. Include all the points in the first paragraph. b. Include all the points in the last paragraph. c. Use lists with bullets or numbers. d. Put it on a banner and rent an airplane to fly over the office pulling the banner. Answer: C. If you put more than one point in a paragraph, it may be overlooked. Lists and bullets make your points stand out. They are also easier for the person to see. 6. At the end of an email message, you should include: a. Only your name. b. Only your name and company. c. All your relevant contact information. d. A picture of your pet python and twin tarantulas. Answer: C. Provide people with all the information they need to contact you – in whatever way is most convenient for them. They may prefer the telephone or regular mail over email. 7. If you know the recipient reads emails quickly and is often in a hurry, the best way to send a supporting document is: a. Paste it into the body of the message. b. Attach it as a separate document. c. Type slowly. d. Have it delivered by carrier pigeon. Answer: A. When the recipient is in a hurry, he/she will be less likely to open an attachment because it takes extra time. The person is more likely to read something that’s pasted right in front of him/her. 8. When sending a message, you should copy (“cc”): a. Everyone in the department – just in case. b. Your boss and your boss’ boss – so they know that you’re working hard. c. Only those people who absolutely need to know. d. The whole world. Why not? Everyone else does. Answer: C. The “cc” function is the most abused function in email. Don’t be a pain! 9. When writing a Subject Line: a. Use something general, such as “Greetings” or “Hello.” b. Be specific, but brief. c. Use several sentences. d. “If you don’t respond, I’ll send Uncle Guido to break your knee caps.” Answer: B. A generic Subject Line doesn’t tell the recipient anything. The more specific you are, the better chance you have of getting the recipient to open the message. 10. To write a concise email message: a. Omit wordy phrases. b. Use very small font (8 point). c. Type fast. d. Omit every other letter. “Oi eey ohr lte.” Answer: A. An effective method for concise writing is to omit unnecessary words. For example, use, “now” instead of “in the immediate future” and “twice” instead of “on two different occasions.” 11. When possible, email messages should be: a. Extremely detailed, even if the message is quite lengthy. b. Kept to one screen. c. Forwarded to the author of a cartoon for future material. Answer: B. Most readers won’t take time to read more than one screen. The shorter the message is, the better chance you’ll have of getting it read. 12. How much space can typically be viewed in the Subject Line? a. 25 – 35 characters. b. 25 – 35 words. c. 50 – 75 characters. d. 50 – 75 words. Answer: A. Characters are defined as every letter or space. In other words, every time you move the space bar, it counts as one character. The subject line that appears in most people’s email will display approximately 25 – 35 character. 13. When responding to a message regarding the best time for a meeting, you should select: a. Reply All. b. Reply. Answer: B. The “Reply All” button will send a response to everyone who was sent the original message. They don’t need to know your schedule. You should “Reply” only to the meeting coordinator. Then, he/she can select the best time and notify everyone. Score: 13 = You’re perfect. (But, you knew that already.) Keep emailing! 10 -12 = You’re okay. Be a little more cautious, though. You could learn a few tips from my book, Email Etiquette Made Easy (see link in resource box). 7 – 9 = You could use some help. Try my book, Email Etiquette Made Easy (see link in resource box). Less than 7 = Ugh! Call me now! We’ll schedule your intense therapy immediately.

Same Day Cash Loans No Need To Wait For Next Day

Introduction: What is the necessary of getting loans if you are not able to meet your expenses in time with the help of loan amount? Normal loans take lots of time for access and getting you the money you required. In same day cash loans you can get money in the maximum time of 24 hours and you will be able to meet your urgent expenses like payment of children school fee, car repair, paying an urgent medical bill and going for an exotic tour. These loans are implemented into market to help people meeting their expenses in time. Features: Cash loans are the most common loans, which the person avails for satisfying his personal day to day needs. Cash loan are the short terms loans. And the amount which the person can borrow in the cash loans is generally smaller. The best feature of these loans is that these loans are available in online market. Waste a little time searching the Internet and you will find a lot of same day cash loans schemes that come in handy. The online same day cash loan can be much faster because you apply for it from your desktop rather than go to a lender’s office. Here you can conveniently search for the best loan available, and obtain it by just completing the formalities. Repaying these online loans is also very easy because most of these online lenders will take the money through your bank account.

Types Of Painting Books

We all like being creative. Our busy schedule hardly gives us any time to spent time with our self’s. Constant focus on work makes our life dull. One of the best ways to make your life colorful is by doing some painting in your spare time. A Painting Book consists of some beautiful and decorative paintings. If you are an artist it will definitely help your cause. Face Painting Book Face Painting Book will provide you all the tips and techniques that professional face painter artist use. The painting book provides you with all the fabulous face painting designs, simple and easy techniques and useful stepwise guidelines. The painting books consists books like creative painting books, facial art books, wild animal face books, scary face books, FX face books, etc. These books contain different tutorials on painting animal’s faces, scary faces, etc. Tole Painting Book Tole painting is an art of decorative painting of metallic objects like tins, coffeepots, and other similar household items. This folk art began in the 18th century in New England. The paintings are a wonderful artwork done on the surfaces of many metal objects. Today one can find number of online stores that provide such painting books. These painting books consist of many decorative and elegant paintings. The painting book also contains many beautiful displays of art for art lovers. Oil painting books can serve as a complete guide that will help you understand the whole process involved in oil painting. The book will make you learn most of the dark secrets of oil painting. You will learn how to start your painting, proper preparation, proper timings of pauses and breaks, when to let dry, why so much time is taken, and many such important things. Additionally, oil painting book also provides knowledge about money wasters, what brush should be used, etc. It also provides useful tips on your palettes, tube oil paints, medium effects, panels, canvas, etc.

Introduction To Northwest Coast Native American Art

I had lived in Vancouver very briefly as a child and it was during that time when I was first exposed to the art of the Northwest Coast Native American Indians. It was the towering colorful totem poles out in Stanley Park that everyone gazed at with wonder and appreciation. It took about 30 years later during a return trip to Vancouver when Northwest Coast Native American art caught my eyes again. I was in Vancouver for business and landed at the city’s new airport terminal. One could not help but notice the huge native carvings near the arrivals area. Later on during my stay, I decided to wander around in the Gastown district. It was in these shops and galleries in Gastown where I fell in love with Northwest Coast Native American art. I saw many wonderful wooden plaques representing different animals. There were also art prints, paintings, masks, wooden bowls and even furnature with these animals either painted or carved right into the pieces. The colors and designs, which might be considered a bit exaggerated to non-native eyes, were striking as well as bold. I knew at that time that I wanted to include some of this magnificent artwork on my walls back at home. So I bought two plaque carvings and carried them home like newly found treasure. Historically, the native Indians who lived along the river valleys and coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest were all hunters and gatherers. The region was blessed with abundant resources from both the seas and forests. These people captured in their artwork the animals they hunted and observed. These included bears, killer whales, eagles, ravens, salmons, wolves, hummingbirds and even frogs. Chiefs and mythical characters important in their legends such as thunderbirds were also included as art subjects. Northwest Coast Native American art is just only recently gaining some major attention in some galleries and museums around the world. Compared to other native arts such as Inuit (Eskimo), exposure of Northwest Coast Native American art is still rather limited to the northwest coast of Canada and the United States. This form of artwork is virtually unknown to most parts of the world including many regions of North America. This will hopefully change as more people from around the world travel to Vancouver. The future winter Olympics in 2010 up in Whistler, BC will also have a positive impact on the region’s Native Indian art. I personally believe that Northwest Coast Native American art has a lot of potential to be internationally recognized and accepted.

Choosing A Guitar Teacher

The electric guitar has advanced far beyond the time when someone could teach himself (or herself) to become a world class player. If your ambition is to become a competent player and a competent musician, you need a competent teacher. Even if your goals are more modest, you can reach those goals far more quickly, easily and efficiently with the guidance of the right teacher. Much of the information needed to learn about guitar playing (and music in general) is available from many different sources. There are hundreds of books, instructional videos, CD-ROMs and, of course, the Internet. Even though a lot of information is readily available, there exists a lot of incorrect, incomplete and otherwise bad information (this is especially true for a lot of information found on the Internet!). You will need the aid of an excellent teacher to teach you how to fully understand and apply the correct information. You can save yourself a lot of unnecessary frustration and disappointment by studying with a good teacher. Remember that textbooks, CD-ROMs, instructional videos and the Internet cannot answer your specific questions. They cannot offer you advice on your playing, song writing, ear training, etc. They cannot listen to your playing and point out any mistakes or flaws that may be present. Some textbooks are great and I have seen some pretty good CD-ROMs out there too, but you still need the aid of an excellent teacher to guide you through everything and to help you develop your abilities and musicianship correctly and efficiently. Great teachers manage and schedule new materials and effectively explain their importance and meaning. A teacher should encourage you when you are doing well and correct you when you make mistakes. Good teachers will show you how to better organize your practice materials and show you how to effectively manage your practice time (this is crucial to your progress!). They help you build up your confidence level (even if you are not consciously aware that this is happening). A great teacher will help you become secure with your technical skills so that you can execute difficult techniques on your guitar comfortably. These teachers emphasize creativity (songwriting and improvising) and performing. Great teachers want to make sure that you fully understand what you are learning and, most importantly, teach you how to apply it by giving you detailed explanations and encouraging you to ask questions when something is unclear. A good teacher sincerely cares about your musical growth and development. An experienced and competent teacher will take you far beyond what you could learn on your own. Unfortunately, guitar teachers are not licensed and there is no organization that oversees or regulates them. Anyone can claim to be a good teacher and there are lots of people who make this claim. The number of competent teachers, however, is limited. This brings us to this crucial question: how can a student find, choose, and then accurately evaluate a guitar teacher? Here are some questions that you should ask any teachers you are considering studying with. I have also included my own comments for each question: 1) Can you please tell me about your teaching experience? May I see your resume or credentials? How long have you been teaching and approximately how many students have you taught during that time? At least three to five years of teaching experience is preferred – certainly no less than one year of experience. Prefer a teacher who has taught a moderate to large number of students. It takes time for a teacher to truly learn how to teach well, and the main way that someone learns to teach is by teaching for a while. The students of a new teacher are like experiments. These teachers are learning how to teach on the job by trial and error. They need time to learn how to teach, and will make some mistakes in the beginning of their careers. You don’t want to be one of those first thirty to fifty students. Let a new teacher gain his or her experience by making mistakes with someone else. 2) Do you teach private lessons or group lessons? You definitely want private lessons, unless you are a total beginner or are enrolled in a college music course. You will learn a lot more about playing guitar in a one-on-one private lesson or in a correspondence lesson program. 3) What styles of music do you teach best? Make sure you ask this question before telling the prospective teacher what style of music you want to learn. A lot of teachers claim to teach all styles well. Beware of this. Do not be impressed by someone who tells you that he or she can teach every style of music well. If you really want to be a great rock guitarist, take lessons from a rock teacher, not a blues or country player who claims to teach all styles well. Find yourself a good rock teacher. If you want to learn multiple styles of music that are not similar (like country, classical and heavy metal) take lessons from more than one teacher for each of those styles. Unless you are a total beginner, you are better off with an expert teacher in your style of music, not a jack-of-all-trades teacher. 4) What is the cost of lessons? Excellent teachers are in demand and usually already have a lot of students. These teachers often are not cheap. I can tell you that the going rates for good teachers in the Midwestern United States (where I live) is between $16-$24 per 1/2 hour private lesson (rates may be different in your state or country). There are a handful of teachers offering correspondence lessons for students who do not live in the same state or country as the teacher. Usually these lessons are less expensive in the long run (read more about correspondence lessons later). In general, don’t look for the teacher with the lowest rates; you usually get what you pay for. If you can’t afford to pay the higher rates for a really good teacher, ask the teacher if you can take lessons on a bi-monthly basis instead of taking weekly lessons. 5) Can you tell me how you teach the lessons? This is probably the most important question you can ask a teacher. The answer to this question can help you determine if a teacher is competent, because this is actually a trick question. Anyone can tell you they have been teaching for 100 years, they have had 10,000 students and the cost is $1,000 per lesson because they are the greatest teacher of all time. But an inexperienced teacher cannot trick you with his or her answer to this question (unless he or she is reading this article.) If a prospective teacher who does not know you, your musical knowledge, your guitar technique, your musical tastes, and your musical goals tries to explain how he or she will teach you, this is not a competent teacher. Not even the best teacher on Earth could answer this question if that teacher knows nothing about you, your goals, your playing level, your knowledge of music theory, etc. So what would an experienced and competent teacher say to you when you ask the question? Well, I can tell you what I do when a new prospective student asks me this. I explain to him or her that I can’t formulate a lesson plan for anyone until I learn a lot more about that student’s playing, goals, musical tastes, knowledge of theory, etc. To my correspondence students (whom I don’t see face to face), I send a long list of questions about everything I need to know about their music background. This helps me determine the best way for us to begin. I also encourage the student to send me a tape or CD of his or her playing with a variety of his or her playing on it so I have a clearer picture of what areas need improvement. Obviously, for my private students (whom I do see face to face), I can simply ask the questions that I need answers to. And I can hear the student play in front of me. Only after all of this can I (or any other teacher) truly know how to teach that individual student. It seems obvious that you shouldn’t teach a 13-year-old-boy who has never played guitar before and wants to learn to play alternative rock the same way that you would teach a 27-year-old-man who has been playing for 16 years and wants to become a virtuoso in the style of Steve Vai or Yngwie Malmsteen. In addition to asking the questions above, here are some other things to watch out for: When students ask how to approach a certain technique or how to hold the pick correctly or how to most effectively mute strings that are not supposed to be sounding, the advice of some teachers is to do whatever feels natural to you. Sometimes what you may think is the natural way to hold your left hand may not be the correct way at all. It is the teacher’s job to know those types of things. The teacher should be teaching, not letting you do whatever you feel like doing. For most things, there is a right and wrong way and you will be better off learning it the right way from the beginning. A teacher may have some talented students, but this does not mean the teacher is good. This might seem like good criteria for evaluating a teacher, but the fact is that sometimes advanced students were already good players before taking lessons from the new teacher. The only time you can judge a teacher’s teaching skills, based on his or her students’ playing skills, is when those advanced students have been taking lessons from the same teacher since they were beginners. Some teachers tell their students to learn from as many sources as possible and then leave it up to you to sort through it all and decide what works best for you. How are you supposed to decide that? How is a student to know what the best fingering is for a particular scale? Students typically won’t know how to determine what the right way is. This is one of the reasons you have a teacher. It is his or her job to teach you these things. This is why you are giving the teacher your money! Do not assume that someone is a good teacher just because he or she may be an excellent player or has good credentials. I know plenty of competent players with advanced music degrees whom I don’t believe are good teachers. I was fortunate to have some truly great teachers, but I had some incompetent ones too, along the way. Whenever I realized that a teacher wasn’t good, I looked for a new teacher. The following things are not required for someone to be a good teacher, but it certainly is to your advantage to have a teacher who, in addition to teaching you about guitar and music, can help you in some of these other ways: 1) Guitar Pedagogy – This is learning how to teach guitar. If one of your goals is to be a guitar or music teacher, then you would benefit greatly from a teacher who can show you how to teach a variety of techniques, music theory, ear training, songwriting, improvisation, etc. You will also need to learn about how to deal with a wide variety of personality types. Every student is different. Each student learns and comprehends information in different ways. It is important for any teacher to understand this. You need to know how to explain the same information in several different ways so you can teach all of your students well. 2) Recording advice – The better you become as a musician, the more likely it will be that you will want to record your guitar playing. If you have little or no experience in this area, then having someone who can help you is especially helpful. 3) Music business – If you plan to record, release and sell your own CD, now or in the future, there is a huge amount of music business information that you will need to learn if you want to make any money. Some teachers who have released their own CDs, and are promoting it themselves, can be the best source of help for selling your CD. You can also learn other things like how to set up gigs for your band and how to get the press to write about you. Now that you have a better idea about what to look for in a teacher, the next question is, where do you look for a good teacher? This depends on if you are looking for a teacher to teach you privately (face to face) or if you are looking for a teacher to teach you through correspondence. Both are good and there are advantages to both ways. If you are looking for a private teacher to teach you face to face, check out these places first: Contact the music department at universities and colleges near you. Even if they can’t help you directly, they can usually refer you to someone who can help. Next, you can try your local music shops (where guitars are sold). Most music shops offer lessons. And most of the teachers found here are not of the highest quality, but sometimes there are great teachers you can find at these shops. When you call one of these shops, ask to speak to the manager or owner. Find out from him or her exactly who are the most qualified teachers for you (your style of music and skill level). After you get the teachers’ names, make arrangements to speak to each of the teachers privately. Ask those teachers all of the questions we’ve gone over above. If you are not satisfied with any of those teachers, keep looking. If you are looking for correspondence lessons, your search will be a little different (and these lessons are usually a little cheaper in the long run). You can look on the Internet for these types of teachers and you can also contact universities (in any part of the world). The best thing about correspondence lessons is that you can take lessons from any teacher in the world (that teaches via correspondence)! What I would look for in a correspondence teacher is someone who has been doing this type of teaching for a while, someone who always allows you to ask questions about your lesson via e-mail or telephone (for no additional charge!). I personally don’t think that courses (like CD-ROM courses) are a good idea because they don’t provide the private and individual instruction needed to learn in the most efficient way. Even though correspondence lessons are not face to face, the lessons should be personalized for you, your skill level, your musical knowledge, your style of music and your musical goals. Stay away from a one-size-fits-all method or the cookie-cutter style courses. Everyone is different and is at a different level, has different musical goals, and likes different music. So the lessons (whether face to face or correspondence) should be tailored specifically to your needs. After teaching guitar and music for over 11 years now, I can tell you that using the information above can make a huge difference in finding an experienced high quality teacher. An incompetent teacher can severely hinder your ability to fully develop your guitar and music skills. If you are not progressing well, but you are spending a lot of time practicing, find another teacher. I invite you to sign up for my free newsletter which is filled with valuable guitar instructional resources!

How To Win At The Funfair

Winning At Fairground Games I’m going to pen a few articles concerning how to go about increasing your chances of winning on the popular funfair games, I also hope to dispel some of the myths surrounding the way games are operated. First off lets deal with the situation you commonly see on many games. This is the one with a giant prize, around its neck hangs the label “Me free if you lose”. Prizes of this size wholesale at around

Falling In And Out Of Other People Shoes

It’s always hard to fit in other people’s shoes. First and foremost, one must understand that you might tackle the issues or uncover the same secret but the truth of the matter is – no one can repeat the same feat others have achieved. Second, everybody is created uniquely from one another. However, not everybody can understand this natural way of dealing with each person’s individuality especially with people who have to fill a place. In the season ender of of Charmed’s third TV installment, Prue and Piper faced the Source’s deadly assassin Shax. It was because of this that Prue, the eldest and the most powerful witch died. With this, the power of three was enfeebled. Aside from the the terrible fear and anxiety the remaining two, Piper and Phoebe have upon losing a sister, they also became very anxious with the destiny of the Charmed Ones. Without Prue, they couldn’t use their power to its maximum potential. However, Phoebe, which was known for being headstrong and very hopeful, still believed in their destined greatness. In the opening of the fourth season, a funeral service was given to Prue in homage to her. In this grievous moment, a unfamiliar office girl paid went to Phoebe she received a premonition concerning the fair complexioned lady. This female happened to be Paige Mathews, their half-sister who would help them reconstitute the power of three. Penelope, their motherhad a child with her whitelighter, Sam. With fear and anxiety, they were forced to give up Paige because witches are not allowed to have a relationship with their whitelighters. Eventually, after a series of convincing Paige to join their Wiccan cause, they managed to reconstitute the power of three. As prophesied, Paige will have the power of telekinesis, however, because because she’s part whitelighter, her magic became telekinetic orbing. A ability to move things however, they would first take the form of orbs or little lights. Everything, however, didn’t go easy with Paige’s inclusion as one of the Charmed Ones. Firstly, she had a very traumatic past, her parents’ grueling car accident, which hindered her in fulfill her duties as a good witch. But in the end, she managed to get over all the fear and anxiety she felt. Also, as Prue’s replacement, she knew that she has to fill in a great responsibility. Adding to that, Piper, which was Prue’s closest sister despised her at first because she believed that no one will ever replace Prue. This condition, as according to medical studies is called performance anxiety – the overwhelming apprehension to perform. With these, her first attempts in fulfilling her Wiccan duties was disastrous. No matter how intensely she dish it out, everybody would just regard her as “second great” or a “struggling copycat.” Instead of being an asset to the group, she occasionally blow things up, thus, these frustrating scenarios further fuel her cynicism brought about her performance anxiety. At this juncture, she almost gave up on being a witch. Despite of her blunders, Phoebe, who was once the youngest supported her and encourage her to push through. This act of encouragement gave her enough spunk to get over her performance anxiety and eventually became a “part” of the Charmed Ones. She learned that she is never meant to double or relive Prue’s part in the Charmed greatness destiny, she just need to play her part – which is a crucial parcel of the Charmed package.

Making Your Myspace Profile Stand Out From The Crowd

There is little doubt that MySpace has taken the internet world by storm. The ability for members to make friends and displays their interest, hobbies and statistics (age, location etc.) has seen the site soar to one of the most popular websites on the internet. It is suggested that the total number of MySpace members will soon be approaching 100 million; which is why it can be great fun to customize your own profile page to stand out from the crowd. You may have noticed from browsing friends profiles that many opt to display large images or videos on the page that take an age to load, so this may not be the best route to take to make an attractive looking profile. I prefer to choose a nice light background with traditional black text, possibly adding a single video to the page. There are certainly some points to remember if you want to make your profile appealing to everyone. Consider that many members may still be using a dial-up internet connection, meaning that any large images or videos may take a long time to load. Also ask the opinion of your friends to gather feedback over what looks good on your profile page and what does not. The color of the background and the color of the text are often badly chosen. Some people find it hard to read white or red text on a black background, whereas some it difficult to read yellow writing on a white background. Choose carefully, as many MySpace users may be put off reading your profile if the page does not display well. There are some great features that you can add to your page, including cursors, layouts, surveys, games and much more. You can even add music to your page, so that when someone visits your profile the music will play. You can literally spend hour after hour customizing your page! MySpace is a great place to find friends with the same interests as yours, and you might choose to reflect this in your profile with pictures of your horse for example if you like horse riding or you with your basketball team if that’s what you like to do. The site has also provided great promotion for many users, and has led to relative success for a number of musical artists. This is of course down to the large number of users that can be contacted. One very important note to make is for young users to use caution when posting personal information and for parents to realize this. It’s an unfortunate reality that some people use such sites to stalk young users, so caution must be made to stop this immediately if it appears. This is not meant to be scaremongering, but instead to highlight the fact that it can be great to talk to friends and share your interests, but be cautious when sharing personal information with members you do not know. Nevertheless, as highlighted earlier, your MySpace profile can be fun to customize and there are many ways that this can be done.

Life Advice Looking Through A Window

Living in today’s metropolitan world of cellular phones, mobile computers and other high-tech gadgets is not just hectic but very impersonal. We make money and then invest our time and effort in making more money. Does it end? Not usually because we are never satisfied. How many times have we convinced ourselves that if only we had some more money, life would be so sweet? But then, after receiving a substantial raise, we realize that it wasn’t enough and that we need more? What Should You Do? I have read many books on life such as Robin Sharma’s Monk says this and the monk says that, and they all seem to say that money is not necessary. But it is. Can you do without cash and a lot of it? I know I can’t. So, I went to the neighbourhood Rabbi and asked for advice that will help me find my true way in life. The rabbi nodded and took me to the window. “What do you see?” he asked me. Promptly, I answered, “I can see people walking to and fro and a blind man is begging for alms at the left corner.” The Rabbi nodded and guided me to a big mirror. “Now look and tell me what you see?” “I can see myself,” I man answered. The Rabbi smiled. “Now you can’t see anyone else. The mirror and the window are both created from the same raw material: glass, but because on one of them they have applied a thin layer of silver, when you look at it all you can see is your own reflection.” The Rabbi placed his arm on my shoulders. “Compare yourself to those two pieces of glass. Without the silver layer, you saw the other people and felt compassion for them. When you are covered with silver, you see only yourself.” I looked at the Rabbi and stared. “I don’t understand.” The Rabbi continued. “You will become someone only if have the courage to remove the silver covering over your eyes in order to again see and love others.” He patted me on my back and sent me on my way. I have thought of what he said and come to the conclusion that he had a point. Yes. We need money and we should not aim to lead a moneyless existence; its pointless and will only cause us and our families many heartbreaks in the future. Instead, I suggest that we should follow the advice the Rabbi gave me. When we approach life through a silver covering, all we are able to see is ourselves. But discard that covering, and you will be able to see and feel everyone else. In life, we are allowed to and should be able to look at both kinds of mirrors, but we should remember that a mirror reflects only us; a window is the door to compassion, health and true wealth. In other words, seek wealth by all means, but don’t let it dissuade you from life, people, children and the poor and needy.

Magic Spells Paranormal Cures Or Mind Over Matter

For thousands of years, civilizations all over the world have relied on their faith in spiritual or mystical powers to accomplish truly amazing feats. Long before modern medicine came on the scene, most health concerns were traditionally handled by applying a dose of spirituality, voodoo, witchcraft, astrology, or psychic power from any number of paranormal sources. One simply couldn’t get through the day without help from the “unseen” world. Of course, that was in the “dark ages” before we were enlightened by the miracles of modern science. But is it wise for people today to scoff at all that seemed to work for so many people, for so long? In a world where mainstream religion is often mocked, it’s easy to laugh at those believe in the powers of the paranormal, occult, magic, psychic or new age remedies. We often label them as misguided kooks or blind followers of today’s trendy Hollywood scene and counter-culture. But as humans, it is built into our composition to search for truth, and solutions to the many problems we face. And let’s face it, today’s world is filled with day-to-day problems that we strive to overcome… issues dealing with love, money, health, just to name a few. Life is a difficult struggle for millions of people worldwide who seek relief, and solutions to their problems by turning to magic spells. Just go to Ebay and do search on love spells or magic spells. You’ll find an endless potpourri of psychics and spell casters who can make your problems disappear, or bring you amazing results for just a few dollars. Think that’s funny? It gets better. When asked, most people who buy these spells will tell you that they really work… and they do. So how can a love spell performed by a psychic actually attract a soulmate to a lonely person seeking a love partner? Did that money spell really make that struggling secretary get a job promotion and a salary raise? And what about that healing spell that cured my neighbor’s back pain? The unbelievers will likely point to coincidence, some sort of logical explanation, or attribute the results to simply “mind over matter.” But those who believe in psychic powers and the paranormal world think otherwise – there must be a spiritual or metaphysical helping hand involved. As a self-professed psychic and paranormal expert, who has studied spirituality, psychic phenomena and the art of spell casting, I personally believe that there is much more to this than meets the eye. Most mainstream religions accept the power of prayer as a way to receive blessings, protection and goodness from spiritual sources. Even medical professionals are now recognizing that an individual’s faith and beliefs can play a major role in improving quality of life and health. However, while many doctors will admit that there is some benefit to holistic and alternative medicines, you’ll be pressed to find any who will publicly encourage seeking answers from a psychic or magic spell. There has always been, and will always be something about the stigma of going to a fortune teller, psychic or spell caster that keeps people from easily accepting their virtues. As an industry, the psychic business has brought on much of this skepticism itself. Shoddy late night television infomercials for psychic readings, con artists or carnival fortune tellers are the images that come to mind for many, when they think of psychics. Just look at how astrology and other psychic-related ads have that tiny disclaimer at the bottom that says “for entertainment purposes only.” It’s about as phony as pro wrestling, right? Well, don’t be too quick to agree. There are more people than you think who use money or love spells on a regular basis, in an attempt to restore a bad relationship, or gain financial freedom. And these are folks from all walks or life, professions, income levels, religious affiliations and nationalities. Sure, some may rely too much on seeking guidance and help from the psychic world, but most of them are die-hard believers of the occult and would not have it any other way. They will tell you that these spells work for them, their lives have been enriched, and you are the foolish one who doesn’t know what you’re missing. People always ask me, “Are these spells real? I mean, can they actually make things happen that I can’t do on my own?” If spells can do what they claim they can do (improve love life, attract more money, better luck at gambling) then the answer has to be “Yes.” A spell that does what it is supposed to do has got to be real. Of course, it helps if you have a positive outlook, and believe that the spell can truly help you. But if the spell delivers results, then it has to be real. Believers will tell you that those who refuse to open their minds to the possibilities of magic spells and spiritual solutions will never know what they are missing. Perhaps it is the unbelievers who are experiencing “mind over matter,” only their mindset is narrowly fixed on the opposite end of the belief scale. Why limit your world to just the few things you can see and touch? After all, what you see isn’t always what you get.

Different Types Of Psychic Abilities

In the swirl of misconceptions, misunderstandings, and general confusion surrounding the fields of parapsychology and psychic activity, most people have no idea how to make distinctions between different types of psychic abilities. Wait a minute, you say, I didn’t even know there were different types! You’re in the same boat as most everyone else who has a basic understanding of psychic reading and activity. Little does the general public know, it’s not all tarot cards and psychic phone reading — There are sharply defined distinctions between everything from the obvious (tarot reading and telepathy) to the surprising (clairaudience, clairsentience, and clairvoyance). First, let’s discuss what defines psychic ability in the first place! Extra-sensory perception (ESP), prophesies of the future, and a “sixth sense” could all be defined under the blanket term “psychic ability”. But where does psychic ability come from? Actually, no one really knows – not even psychic readers. People who claim to have psychic abilities describe a sense of just “having it” without having any conception of how it got there. Most say that it is part of their regular consciousness, and that they simply “know” or “feel” things before, during, or after they happen – despite being unable to explain how. Though parapsychology has been heavily criticized, scrutinized, and stigmatized, the truth is that as much evidence points towards its veracity as against it. So what are some of the different types of psychic abilities? To begin with, there is the art of “channeling,” which is defined as the ability to receive and transmit information from another external consciousness while in a decidedly altered state of mind. Though each incident varies in intensity and resulting activity, many share the same basic traits: a semi-trance like state and the appearance of an outer entity expressing itself through the channeler. Many people have been able to obtain a psychic reading of another entity and consciously channel that entity – but professional parapsychologists don’t recommend trying it until you’ve been well-trained and prepared. Three more (related) types of psychic ability are clairaudience, clairsentience, and clairvoyance. Clairaudience is generally defined as the ability to hear or sense sounds that cannot be perceived by a non-psychic person. Clairsentience is another type of extrasensory perception in that clairsentient people can sense past, present, or future events through “sensing” them, though non-clairsentient people cannot perceive them. Clairvoyance is a synonym for extrasensory perception – any knowledge or consciousness of an event outside of seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, or smelling it. Divination is another often-misunderstood type of psychic ability. Divination is the act of making prophesies or predictions through the practice of occult arts. Contrary to popular belief, this is different from intuition – which is defined as the ability to perceive or act based on “just knowing” that it’s the right thing to do. Tarot Cards and tarot reading is a form of divination. Although the mainstream ideas of divination and intuition have been tweaked to seem like anyone can tap into this psychic energy field, the truth is that only a few people take the time to hone and develop their extrasensory perception skills. What’s the difference between psychometry and psychokinesis? Well, psychometry is defined as the ability to glean information about an object by obtaining physical contact with the object. Good examples of this are seen in countless movies. Envision it: The hero touches a book and, upon contact, is filled with images of its previous user and the fate that befell him or her. Psychokinesis is the ability to move objects through willing it or thinking it.

The Black Death And How It Changed Europe

During the Dark Ages, religious dogma was law, science was heresy punishable by death, and technology was seen as the handiwork of the devil. History and the public consciousness remembers the Dark Ages for the above traits, as well as the Crusades, which were little more than thinly-veiled examples of European imperialist goals. However, there is one other major event from the Dark Ages that, in its own way, had a major impact on modern culture. In fact, one widespread bacterial infection has, arguably, had an even greater effect than most other events of the time. One little bacterial infection wiped out nearly half of Europe, leaving it wide open for the subsequent invasion of the Genghis Khan’s Mongol hordes. That same pandemic infection also left Europe in such a weakened state that it took most of the larger powers almost a century to recover, with some historians believing that the continent never fully rebuilt itself. One little bacterial infection turned into a massive pandemic, spawned a number of heretical Christian groups, indirectly caused the formation of the Inquisition, left the Old World crippled for decades afterwards, and may have caused a wholesale slaughter of cats. Amazing that one little infection could be so easily remembered in history as the Black Death. The Black Death was perhaps the greatest disaster to have befallen Europe since Rome was sacked by the Huns, who were followed shortly by the Visigoths. The most persistent impact clearly was the decimation of Europe, with estimated death tolls ranging from a third of the population to more than half the continent. The horrors were recounted by numerous sources from the period, which paint an unpleasant picture of a once-powerful continent brought low by “an act of God.” However, more than the death toll and the strategic impact, one might contend that the Plague left Europe with a climate of fear and anxiety that haunted Europeans for years, especially since lesser outbreaks occurred for centuries afterwards. Art and literature are permeated with references to the “sweeping death” by the generation that survived it, leading some early Renaissance works to be dominated by “Le Danse Macabre,” the dance of death. The clergy of the time, seen by the people as unable to fulfill their promises of banishing the plague by the power of God, lost much of their hold on the European people. In addition, the ranks of the clergymen were easily ravaged by the Black Death, forcing the Vatican to install ill-mannered and poorly-trained replacements. This action caused the people to lose even more faith in the church, with power moving into the hands of heretical groups. As the plague rescinded and the heresies’ rise to power slowed, Christian authorities established the full wrath of the Inquisition. In what some might see as a fine example of dark humor, the Black Death also showed just how quickly the mob can resort to ridiculous measures when gripped with fear and anxiety. At a time when faith in God was still strong, despite wavering faith in His clergymen, cats were seen as the agents of the devil. There are hundreds of reports of healthy citizens attacking and slaughtering cats, their fear and anxiety having made them susceptible to the suggestion that cats carried the “miasma,” the poisonous air that carried the plague. Naturally, with a stark drop in the cat population, the rat population increased, and with those rats, so came the bacteria that caused the plague. Perhaps the greatest effect of the plague was that it was critical in the social reforms that would come in the years to follow. The Catholic Church, having lost much power because of it, had fractured enough to allow for groups to challenge its power. The people became less willing to follow the edicts of clergymen, as well as political figures who had close ties with the Church. In fact, one might argue that there is a mild correlation between the rise of more secular authority figures and the Black Death’s onset. Many historians have even gone so far as to argue that the basic principles of capitalism were formed when the various aristocrats of Europe were forced to compete with one another for the services of surviving peasants and serfs. In the end, countless changes can be attributed to the Black Death. Some, like Europe’s overall military frailty at the charge of the Mongol Hordes, are direct, while others, such as the Reformation and the Renaissance, are more indirect. However, one effect cannot be disputed. The fear and anxiety caused by the Black Death had permanently changed the economic, social, and political landscape of Europe, such that Europe might have evolved differently had it not been for a simple bacterial infection.

All About Love

How do you know if you’ve ever been in love? Most people would argue that although being in love with someone is non-tangible, there is absolutely no doubt in their mind of it existing. In fact, if you are questioning whether or not you are in love, then you are most certainly not. While I do not doubt for a second the existence of being in love (albeit being one of those sad individuals yet to experience it), I am somewhat perplexed over our perception of what constitutes humanities most sought after experience. For me, falling in love with someone is a decision made based on the successful matching of ones own predetermined criteria or preferences. I fondly refer to the preliminary stage of partner selection as the ‘terminator glasses’ phase, since it filters through a potential mate’s attributes and matches them off against our own unique preferences. On the New Years Eve just passed I went to meet friends at a bar where we would be celebrating the evening. There, waiting at the door with my friend, I saw HIM for the first time. I did a quick terminator scan: Height: Around 6 foot. MATCH. Build: Not too skinny, not too fat, not too buff. MATCH. Hair: Short dark brown. Not over the top alla David Beckham. MATCH. Complexion: Dark olive. MATCH. Lips: Plump. MATCH. Smile: Oh my God. MATCH. Eyes: Big, brown, expressive, with long thick lashes. MATCH! Stance: Gentle, not cocky. MATCH. Nationality: Clearly foreign, probably Brazilian. MATCH. With the terminator glasses still firmly planted on my face, the confirmed Brazilian was permitted to move onto the second part of phase one: interaction. This is often the most fatal part of any potential relationship, since every sentence uttered, every look given, and every movement is put through the filter of the terminator glasses. Any miss-match could lead to premature relationship death. Very little is forgiven during this part, especially if one’s program is set at ‘long term mate’. In saying this, it is also my favorite part of the process as it is the most fun. I see it as a game we both know we’re playing, but refuse to acknowledge as existing. One can withdraw from the game at anytime without repercussion (that is, of course, when both parties are working under the same set of rules. If this is not the case a few unwanted phone numbers are collected, followed by a few awkward conversations. And depending on how weak one is – unwanted dates followed by unwanted kisses, possibly ending in unwanted sex!). Stage two, ‘the rose coloured glasses’ phase, is extremely dangerous and not usually approached with caution by either candidate. Depending on the impact of stage one, bombs warning ‘relationship doom’ could be dropped right in front of ones eyes, yet getting let go un-noticed. Everything appears and is, invariably, utterly workable. Despite my cynicism, this stage is defiantly more exciting than the terminator phase, albeit being laced with the fear of it all ending. The premature ‘I love you’ could escape ones mouth, falling like a ball onto a roulette table. The stakes are high, but it could also very well pay off and pass you onto stage three. Or not… Declaring the title of stage three is difficult. And the truth is, I don’t know what to call it because I’m usually making my way to the green exit sign above the fire escape before you can say ‘marry me’. My experience with stage three is that I usually realize Mr Perfect is human. I resist accepting him just the way he is, and try to point out where he is lacking (he is usually not so open to my constructive criticism. I wonder why?). This of course does not lead him to change his ways, but firmly ground himself in them (and resent me in the process). Love and commitment gets swapped with fear and dependence. Some stay to battle it out to the very end, most head straight for the green exit light. People claim at this point that they have ‘fallen out of love’. My argument is that they were never in love in the first place. One of my favourite movies, ‘Moulin Rouge’, melodically states, “The greatest thing you will ever learn, is just to love, and be loved in return”. I believe this is what we think being in love is all about. Yet being loved in return implies that there is a condition to your giving love. So romantic love is conditional love. If romantic love only goes one-way, it is termed unrequited love or even ‘desperate’. What if I said that true love can only be unconditional? And inside of that, true love can only mean 100% acceptance of the subject, just the way they are and just the way they’re not. What if love, real love, is just loving?

Can I File For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

Many people struggle with the decision to file bankruptcy. Usually this is because they have misconceptions about bankruptcy in general. Basically, bankruptcy is a legal way to level the playing field between an individual debtor and creditors. It is a legal proceeding that provides the debtor with a fresh start. The two types of bankruptcy that are most commonly available for an individual are: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7, or straight bankruptcy, is what most people typically think of as bankruptcy. In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, a debtor’s non-exempt assets are liquidated or sold and the proceeds are used to pay toward unsecured debts (credit cards, loans, medical bills, etc.). In the overwhelming majority of cases, however, people do not lose any property which means unsecured creditors get nothing. At the end of the bankruptcy, roughly 3-4 months after filing, the debts are discharged and the creditor can never collect on the debt. Chapter 13 is a debt reorganization or consolidation bankruptcy. If a person has a regular monthly income, their debts (mortgage arrears, car payments, credit cards, medical bills, loans, student loans, etc.) are rolled into one low monthly payment. Because the debtor is paying back his creditors through this repayment plan, the debtor does not risk losing any assets as he might under Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Furthermore, while in the repayment plan, typically 3-5 years, creditors are stopped from contacting the debtor without first going through the debtor’s attorney and the court. Millions of people declared bankruptcy last year alone to get the fresh start they needed. Contrary to what many believe, bankruptcy does not permanently damage your credit, and you will still be able to have credit. The new bankruptcy laws that went into effect in 2005 changed bankruptcy very little.

What Should I Do If I Become A Victim Of Identity Theft

Identity thieves take advantage of everyday opportunities to discover your personal information and use it to commit fraud or other crimes. The good news is a victim of identity theft has more options today than ever before. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), there are four important actions you can take to minimize the credit damage caused by circumstances beyond your control. 1. Contact any of the three major credit bureaus. Speak to someone in the fraud department and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two will automatically place one on your report as well. With a fraud alert in place, creditors must contact you before opening any new accounts in your name or changing any details of your existing accounts. Then request a free copy of your credit report from each one. Review all of your credit information looking for unauthorized accounts, charges, or changes. Check the accuracy of your name, address, phone number, Social Security number (SSN), past employers, and any other personal information. Request any inaccuracies be corrected by notifying the bureaus by phone and follow up in writing by using certified mail, return receipt requested, so you will have documentation of all requests and responses by the bureaus. The addresses for each bureau are listed at the end of this article. Continue to check your reports every few months, especially in the first year after you have lost your personal information. 2. Contact the creditors for the accounts that have been altered or opened without your permission. This includes bank accounts, credit card companies, lenders, utilities, phone companies, Internet service providers, and any other services that may be opened fraudulently. Contact the company’s fraud department b phone and follow up with a letter. The FTC offers the “ID Theft Affidavit” to dispute new accounts, available at www.ftc.gov . To dispute charges on existing accounts, request the company’s fraud dispute forms.

Will The Democrats Be Able To Reverse The Online Gambling Ban

Many people were hoping that if the Democrats won control of Congress they would reverse the online gambling ban, but experts doubt they will even try or that if they do that the will be successful. Once the bill was passed and signed into law by the president, it became much harder to reverse the law. The democrats would need to bring up the law and get it to a vote, then after the vote passed it needs to go to the president for his signature. The problem with this is that the current president is the one who signed the bill into law in the first place. Another problem is because the gambling ban was attached to another bill, it means that to reverse the law the entire bill needs to be reversed, but the other part of the bill is for an increase in port security, so any congressmen who recommends reversing this law, will be going on record as trying to reverse the increase in port security. Because of this trying to get the law reversed could ruin a congressman’s chances of ever getting elected to public office again for the rest of their lives. It is more likely that it will have to wait till the end of George Bushes term in office and then get an amendment to the law that reverses only gambling ban part of the law. So if you are on Online Gambling enthusiast and you were hoping that after the election the online gambling ban would just disappear I am sorry to say you were mistaken and that you are going to have to wait a little longer, but that does not mean you need to sit quietly by. The key is to make sure that you are heard, write letters to congressmen, and attend protest rallies anything that will keep this issue in the front of the minds of the politicians so they know that just as the Republicans lost the house so can they. The republicans used the online gambling ban to try to gain votes for them in the last weeks before the election, but it backfired on them and lost them more votes then it brought in. Hopefully the Democrats will learn from the mistakes of the Republicans and will understand that banning something never works, and that it is only thru regulating the online gambling industry that will ensure that it is safe and honest to play and that no underage children manage to play. Other wise I am sure that the Democrats will also see the wrath of the American voters when it comes time for the next elections. The American people are tired of having the government controlling every aspect of their lives and I think this election may have made their point for them. So if the question is will they try to reverse the law I am sure they will try, but how successful they will be is still up in the air, and no one can really know what the outcome will be.

Expressing Love Should Be Natural

I looked in her eyes and I knew that she was in love with me. Her eyes told me that. I had asked him to meet me at five pm, and he was there at three thirty. I knew what was happening. His movements and his heartbeat told me all. I could see the fast steps that became faster when she reached me. I knew then. I was talking to him and he recited some old love poems he had written. He never made it appear as if the poems were written for somebody else. I knew that he was now reading them for me. Love, how to express love? Does it need any training? Or any books to read? Do love expressions need any guidance about what to do and what to avoid? It is natural. Love is a divine feeling. Love is not for ordinary people who suspect a motive everywhere. Love is not for moneymakers who want to look for an opportunity everywhere. Love is not for those who are looking for a body. Love is for those who are searching for a soul that will give them heavenly joy. Love is for those who want to talk in silence. Love is for dreamers. Love is for losers, because they lose themselves in love. Love is for one who forgets the world in love. Love is a supreme feeling. Despite all I read about relationships, break-ups, marriages and divorces, when I look at a couple in honest love I see a divine sight. I forget all my worries for the moment. for I am watching what God created, but we polluted. I watch love, a very innocent love and I love that. Please fall in love and express it with your body and soul. Naturally. No books, no articles and no guides. Let your love flow, and your sweetheart will understand. That is love. Enjoy the bliss of love.