Use Your Art Materials Skills To Enter Competitions

Experts at using art materials may like to test their talents by entering local and national competitions.

Entering any kind of competition for the first time can be like navigating a minefield as you will not be sure what to expect which can be off-putting to some but exciting to others.

The main thing to consider when selecting a piece of art to be judged is to always choose a work that truly reflects your abilities and demonstrates how far your artistic talents have developed.

Try not to predict what you think the competition judges would prefer to see and just enter what you believe is your best artwork because second guessing someone's opinions is often a dangerous game to play.

Some competitions request more than one example of work so in this instance it is wise to choose a diverse selection of pieces which show a history of your versatile use of art materials.

If you cannot enter your art in person, then you will have to learn how to photograph your entry in a way that fully displays the time and effort that went into creating it in the first place.

Any photograph of your art will have to be high quality as this is what the image a judge will base his decisions on when they come to judge your art so it needs to be an accurate representation.

Ensure that the conditions are right for an excellent photograph by choosing the correct light as digital cameras can give pictures an orange tint, while fluorescent light can give a green glow and outside shots can turn pictures a shade of blue.

Always read the competition requirements to make certain that your entry fits the required format and is not discarded for being inapplicable as soon as the judges receive it.

As soon as you know which one of your pieces to submit, then you must consider how you will frame it because it is the whole presentation of your art that will ultimately affects the judge's final decision.

Even the best example of art can be devalued by being surrounded by a cheap-looking, scruffy frame, which demonstrates a lack of care and overall awareness of the artist in question.

Using non-reflective glass in your frame is also likely to give you an edge over fellow competitors because it will give your art a professional feel that can only usually be found in exhibitions and galleries.

Buy the best art materials and art supplies from Turnham Arts & Craft. Click on the links to discover what products are on offer!

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Who's Your Favourite Captain America: Steve Rogers or Bucky?

(Warning: this will be quite long)

It's Captain America month, and in case you haven't heard, the latest Marvel superhero flick Captain America: The First Avenger has managed to knock Harry Potter off the number 1 box office slot in America. Not only has the film managed to overtake Potter's final outing, it has also raked in some favourable reviews from critics worldwide. Cap fever isn't just hitting Hollywood though. Right now Captain America is headlining the summer's mega comic cross event 'Fear Itself', where former sidekick of Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes met his unfortunate demise last month. With the reception to Bucky's death being extremely poor, I'm beginning to question if perhaps Barnes was the more popular Captain America after all.

Steve Rogers:

Steve is the original and most well known Captain America. Steve's story began as a skinny art student from Brooklyn who was rejected by the U.S Military for his poor shape. Desperate to aid the war effort, Rogers agreed to take part in a top-secret operation known as Operation Rebirth, which transforms Steve into the peak of human perfection. In the closing days of World War 2, Rogers is hurled into the freezing Atlantic after trying to stop a bomb launched by villain Baron Zemo, where Rogers remained frozen in suspended animation for years, only to one day be awoken by The Avengers.

Steve gains appeal from being a man out of time. Although that has worn off drastically in recent years, Steve's morals and vales constantly reflect his time in the past. His never say die attitude, is something all the heroes look up too, and his authoritive presence makes him one of the only few worthy of leading the Avengers. Steve's morals have often led him to question the actions of some of his teammates. In the 2006-2007 mega crossover 'Civil War', Steve opposes a government superhero registration act, led by former team mate Tony Stark as he sees it as a removal of civil rights. Steve's efforts to oppose the registration act led him to surrender to authorities where he was shot down upon his trial on the steps of the federal courthouse.

It was later revealed that Steve was trapped in time, as a result of the Red Skulls evil plan. After reliving his past, Steve was eventually rescued by the new Captain America and the New Avengers. Apart from a brief stint as Captain America during the 2010 comic event 'Siege', Rogers gave up the mantle of Captain America to focus on running the superhero community as Commander Steve Rogers. This is again what makes Steve such a pure character. His sacrifice of giving up the mantle of Captain America really emphasizes what a good heart the character has.

James 'Bucky' Barnes

Bucky was one of the three characters alongside Uncle Ben and Jason Todd that were thought would always stay dead in comics. Yet in 2005, Bucky was famously revealed to be a Soviet Assassin known as the Winter Soldier in Ed Brubaker's brilliant Captain America series. Having spent his time as the Winter Soldier aiding the Cold War effort, Bucky was kept in suspended animation between missions so his masters could keep him under control.

It wasn't until he was discovered by Steve Rogers did Bucky regain control after Rogers used the mystical device known as the Cosmic Cube to restore all of Barnes's memories. After spending time working for S.H.I.E.L.D Bucky stepped up to the mantle of Captain America when Steve was gunned down in the aftermath of the superhero Civil War.

What made Bucky such a great Captain America, was that he was flawed. Unlike Steve, Bucky's only superhuman asset was his bionic arm meaning he wasn't as advantaged in combat as his predecessor. This often led to Barnes being captured, which actually became a cliche associated with the character. Barnes was not an idol to his fellow superheroes, as he had to earn their acceptance. Bucky was trying to redeem himself for his past actions as the Winter Soldier, he never wanted to be Captain America, he just didn't want anyone other than Steve wielding the shield.

Brubaker created an epic narrative with the past eventually catching up with James. After his past life as the Winter Soldier was leaked to the press by Baron Zemo, Bucky was forced to go on trial where he was found guilty of crimes against Russia. It wasn't long after escaping the Russian prison did Barnes meet his poor demise in Matt Fractions crossover Event 'Fear Itself'.

Result: My favourite Captain America has to be Bucky. He's drastically flawed, but he's still a good guy. Barnes was a Captain America more reflective of the 21st Century. His story arcs were more compelling, and his character was richer. Steve will always be the classic Captain America, but as we enter the later half of 2011, Roger's Captain America begins to feel slightly outdated.

Let me know what you think, do you prefer Steve or are you like me and think Bucky is a more compelling Captain America? Leave your comments below.

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Durable 3D Glasses for Imaging

Watching movies in 3D glasses is surely fun and exciting. You get to see the reality and crystal clear images when it comes to movies. Having your own pair will give you that excitement which cannot be gain by any other glasses. There are various brands available in the market that you might choose when it comes to such glasses. All you need is clarity and high end glasses which will last long. Before buying you need to check out the quality, it can be measured or checked as per the brand. Frames used for such creation of such glasses should last long and deliver top notch performance. The material used should be strong and designed to cater to any type of requirements. The lenses used should also cater to different films and videos which are in 3D format.

Comfort is something that should be present when you are wearing these glasses. Without comfort these glasses are of no use and will always create problems. Light weighted is the key to high end comfort. Before selecting these glasses always ensure they are light weighted, the reason for this is because of comfort. If they are heavy they might create problems and ensure you are distracted. Maintenance of 3D glasses is not much since they are manufactured from top quality material. However you need to keep them clean and wipe them with soft cloth before using them. Smudges and finger prints can cause vision obstruction and create headache too. There are no hard maintenance tips or products available as these minor steps will give you crystal clarity. You might want to consider size of the glasses to be perfect and according to your needs. Size plays an important role when it comes to such glasses. Always buy glasses which fit comfortable and are easy to use. A size big will cause vision problems, too small size will be very uncomfortable.

3D glasses are designed for specific films or videos only. Using them for regular movies is not intended neither prescribed. Specific 3D movies are created which make use of these glasses, using them for right films or movies will give you higher clarity. Price is something which needs to be checked as they need to fit in your budget. Select different types of 3D glasses available in the market that will suit you and your pocket. Pocket glasses are also available that can be carried everywhere you go. Special type of casing is given which ensures the glasses to be kept in safe manner. Always check for UV protection for lenses. These glasses might be costly but worth the value as they will provide high end clarity and protection. If you have number for your eyes then yes you can get specific glasses which have custom design.

3D glasses from world's largest online 3D glasses seller 3DMarket.

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Medical Transcription Salary

A medical transcription salary can vary widely depending on your skills, experience, education, and work environment. There are some basic rules of thumb, but no set pay scales in the industry.

For medical transcription jobs from home, you have the potential to earn more than those who work for a company in an office or hospital environmental. You can pick and choose the highest paying jobs/contracts you are able to find.

Notice I said "potential!" There is absolutely no job security for the independent transcriptionist so you have to be out there promoting yourself and trying to win contracts to keep yourself working. Earning in this field depend on what you "bring to the table" in terms of skills, knowledge and experience.

A highly skilled medical transcriptionist can earn as much as $50,000 per year working full time as an independent contractor. Part timers can expect to make about half that on the average, depending on how many hours they work.

Some get paid by the hour, or even on a volume basis, such as by how many lines they transcribe. There is more flexibility in payment options for the independent transcriptionist, but again the downside is lack of job security.

For a medical transcription salary, hourly rates of pay vary again with education and experience. You should expect to have at least a certificate in the field if not a degree, and some practical experience. Hourly wages of between $18-$20 on the lower end and $30-$35 on the high end for a skilled transcriptionist is the approximate range.

Medical transcription is a valuable skill that can simply be a part time supplement to your main employment OR a full time job. Even though there is no job security in medical transcription jobs from home, you DO have more control over your work assignments and if you are experienced and skilled you will always be in demand.

Continuing education is a must, as well as acquiring new skills related to the field as medical information technology changes with the times. You MUST remain relevant in your field. This is the only form of "job security" that really matters!

The bottom line is for a medical transcription salary is this:

Self employed persons working medical transcription jobs from home will make more, as do those with advanced education and training. Experience and excellence will mark you as a person who will be in demand as the health care industry grows and evolves.

George Parigian Jr. is age 56 and has lived and worked in the Boston area all of his life. He is a 1978 graduate of Northeastern University, and a personal trainer. He writes and consults on the topics of antiaging, health, and exercise.

Visit his new Wellness and Antiaging Website at: http://www.age-better.com/

You can contact him at:

George Parigian Jr.
362a Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02144
617-666-0623
george362@comcast.com

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Art Fair Selling

Last Saturday I attended a wonderful art fair in Petoskey, Michigan. While there I decided to do a little research on how artists presented and sold their work. As I walked the show, I only went into tents that had artwork that appealed to me. So out of the show, I entered 30 booths.

Overall the display of artwork was very professional. There were lots of different price points to appeal to just about anyone who entered the booth. Items were presented in an attractive manner and there was a good deal of variety in most of the booths. So overall, I think the artists did very well presenting their work.

But this is where the wheels came off the wagon.

I entered each booth and reviewed the artwork. Since I only went into booths that had artwork that attracted me, it was not hard to spend several minutes looking over the art. When I found a piece that really was attractive to me, I spent even more time. I looked at the artwork with genuine interest. I think there were several pieces I would have purchased as I was doing my research.

Do you know why I did not purchase any art? Lack of money? No. Lack of interest? No. Lack of someone asking me if I wanted to purchase the piece of art I had spent more than 2 minutes looking at? Yes!!!!

Out of the 30 booths only 2 artists greeted me. Out of the 2 artists who greeted me one said "hi" and the other said "welcome to my booth". That was the end of the conversation.

The artists had taken care to make their display very attractive. They spent the money to participate in the art fair. Why would they not approach me and try to sell me their art?

Maybe artists really do not understand "Sales". Maybe they associate the thought of selling with the shiny toothed Used Car Sales stereotype.

Selling is the art of providing a prospect with the information they need to make an informed purchase decision.

Had one of the 30 artists approached me and told me about their artwork they would have been one step closer to the sale. Had they told me about the process they use to create the artwork, they would have been another step closer to making the sale. Had they told me about the inspiration behind the artwork, they would have been on the very edge of making the sale. Had they asked me where in my home I thought the artwork would be best displayed, they would have made the sale.

Selling artwork is not a "hard" sale, like selling truckloads of a commodity or the like. But it still needs to be sold. If you look at the description of things I listed in the paragraph above, you can see this is pretty simple stuff. It is simply describing what you do, what you love. How much more could you sell at a fair if you talked to prospects about the artwork that is your passion? How much more could you sell if you simply asked the prospect where they could see your artwork in their home?

Life is full of missed opportunities. In my book, 30 artists had a real opportunity to sell me their artwork. I honestly was ready to buy something. All they needed to do was to tell me about their artwork and ask me to purchase.

With more than 25 years of experience in Sales, Product Marketing, Product Management and Development, and Vertical Market Management Thomas Dean is now focused on helping Small Businesses meet their Sales, Marketing and Product goals. Thomas reaches out to artists with his Art Marketing blog http://www.thomasdeanimages.com/Marketing

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How To Find Open Auditions On Disney

Year in year out, countless children aspire to land themselves on Disney. This is not surprising considering the big names in the entertainment scene who have tread this path a few. Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and Fergie are just some of the names that have evolved from there. With almost everything becoming a gamble these days, you can never regret if you let your child be the best in entertainment. The rewards are more than you can reap, and the fame can't be compared to anything else. However, like many good things, getting there is not an easy task.

Finding Auditions For Disney

The mystery begins early for many prospective actors. Many do not know how they can find open auditions for Disney channel and showcase their talent. They are ignorant of the fact that unlike many pearls, these are actually not so hard to come by, provided you follow the below simple steps:

1. Find a good agent who can help you locate where the next trial performances would be conducted. Most of these agents will require that you undertake preliminary test with them so that they can appreciate the talent they will be representing. Their work will be to help you climb the showbiz ladder in exchange for a percentage of your proceeds. Well established agents such as Creative Artists Agency and United Talent Agency are always the better option.

2. Create an account with any one of the many talent resource websites in the internet. These websites usually display long lists of upcoming auditions such as these ones. However, ensure you inform your agent before believing anything you see so that you aren't duped by con websites.

3. Make regular visits to websites that promote open casting for extra and many other roles in Disney productions. Through this websites, you can mail you resume and photos and perhaps land trials for movies or shows. In using this method, always ensure your photos really stand out. This is a small way to start but with the auditions to be on Disney channels, you just might land a bigger role in future.

With one or two of the above methods, your chance to tread in stardom might not be so far away. However, the most important thing is that you do your part. With a channel as big as this, good might just not be good enough. Make the most of the slightest opportunity you get with nothing but a memorable performance.

open auditions for Disney channel aren't so hard to find. However, with the auditions to be on Disney channel, you have to be at your very best.

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Tips for Finding Movie Auditions for Disneyland

When it comes to entertainment, Disney is the largest company in this sector globally. In addition, it has Disney channel as its TV outlet. Breaking into the process of performing acts with this medium can be quite challenging. However, finding yourself auditions on Disney channel is a perfect way of landing a performing job. Aspiring actors have the chance for auditioning for various roles at the media's theme parks which will help them to commence their careers. Prior to attempt trial for the productions linked with this medium, it is highly advisable to be well prepared vocally as well as in performing skills. Read on and learn the steps you ought to follow to find movie auditions for Disney channel in the best way possible.

• Agent: Make sure you find yourself an agent who will help you in locating trials. However, it is important for you to be a prospective client in order to pass through the agency's trials. Remember, an agent will help in your promotion and expect a certain percentage from your earnings in case you sail through. The agent should also be alert in knowing when the tests are available for you. Oddly enough, seek the profession of a lawyer before hiring and signing a contract with an agent.

• Creating an Account: You will be prompted to have an account created with talent resource websites. This will in turn help you in maintaining a list of coming trials that you can easily sort them out. Before you make any attendance to movie trials, it is imperative to consult an agent whom you can trust. This is because; the agent will simply protect you from any frauds or scams.

• Research: Make sure during your free time, you take a certain period of time to visit websites that are aimed at promoting open casting for any extras as well as movie productions. There are sites that will give you an opportunity to mail in your photos as well as resumes directly in your effort to land a test for new shows and movies as well. While this is the case, make sure that all your photos stand out to increase the chances of you being selected.

• Resume Submission: Remember, when you send your resume directly to the open casting websites, you can end up working as an extra in a movie. To you, it will be a good way of earning additional money, building up your work history as well as potentially getting bigger roles later on.

If you are a minor seeking for movie auditions for Disney channel, it is imperative to bring an adult or an agent with you to any auditions on Disney channel.

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5 Easy Steps to Make Your Own Candles

If you are looking for a way to make fun, usable gifts for a holiday or other occasion, you may want to consider candle making. Making your own candles is a simple process, will save you money, and most importantly candles make a thoughtful gift.

Step 1: Gather your Materials

The obvious first step is to gather your materials. Most can be found, made or purchased at your local arts and crafts store. To make your own candle you will need the following materials:

• Soy wax

• Cotton wicks or wick tabs

• Natural fragrance oils

• Candle dye or food safe colouring

• Reusable containers

• A stove or hot plate

• A pot

• A thermometer

• A ruler

• A pencil

• Masking tape

Step 2: Material Preparation

• Firstly, you must center the wick. To do this, prepare the containers by measuring the bottom of each with a ruler, and place a dot precisely in the middle of the bottom of the container. This will be your measurement for centering the wick.

• Next, take a piece of masking tape and make a small slit in it, then place the wick through the slit. Use the tape to stick the wick to the center bottom of the candle.

• Pull the wick up, wrap it around a pencil and lay the pencil across the top of the container. This will hold the wick in the center of the candle without compromising the evenness of it, similar to other methods.

• Measure out the wax, scent and colourant

Step 3: Melt the Soy Wax

• Place the wax in the pot and allow it to heat up to 160 degrees (F). Watch it carefully as wax has a low flash point and may catch fire if you are not careful.

Step 4: Add Decorations

• Once the wax has reached exactly 160 degrees, you may then add your fragrance oils and/or

colourant. In general, one ounce of fragrance oil per pound of wax is sufficient, however the strength

varies a lot. For colouring, add the dye until you are satisfied with the colour, however, make sure you

stir the melted wax well.

• Once you are satisfied with the look, allow your candles to cool to 140 degrees F.

Step 5: Pour and Let it Cool

• Pour your melted soy wax into the container. Make sure you pour slowly to avoid bubbles, and do not

splash. Also, keep the wick centered in order to obtain a perfect candle.

• Let the wax sit for approximately 24 hours until it has cooled and set.

• If you are unable to pull the wax away from the wick, or see holes forming around it, simply place the

candle on a candle warmer and let it re-melt. High quality soy wax is recommended, as it will reduce

the likelihood of this problem occurring.

By following these five easy steps, you will have the perfect candle made out of all natural material. You can offer it as a gift, keep it for yourself, or make loads of them to share with friends. Remember to be safe and have fun!

Melissa Jones, among other things is an avid candle maker and has created a website dedicated to helping people create their own exquisite, hand-crafted candles.

Want to learn more about how to make your own candles?

Visit my Website to get helpful tips and information on making your own hand-crafted candles.

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How to Prepare For Acting Auditions For Disney Channel?

Disney channel holds quite a number of auditions for people of all ages, and you can attend some of them so that you start on your acting career. For starters, you need to find as much information about these acting auditions for Disney channel as possible so that you start preparations well advance. The information will be provided in a number of websites including the Disney Channel official website.

Send headshot and Resume

Most of these auditions will require that you include the headshot and resume. The headshot should be professional and must be in color. Avoid using glamour shots or school photos or the photos taken by non-professional photographers because they will jeopardize your chances of landing the part you are auditioning for. You must also make sure that the photo represents the real you, updating it as you change your style and look. When it comes to the resume, provide the essential details, including your personal details such as name, birth date and your physical attributes. Besides that, include your objectives, experience, training and special talents.

Create the best First Impression

During the auditions, you need to create the best first impression. For starters, arrive at the venue in time and have your resume and headshot in hand to avoid wasting time. Try creating your own space so that you can focus on the auditions. Carry out relaxation exercises so that you relieve the tension and anxiety around you.

The next important thing about the free auditions for Disney channel is confidence. It is important to be confident because the casting directors will have an opinion of you the moment you step into the room and introduce yourself. Smiling is a great way of relaxing not only yourself but also the audience. Do not look away: eye contact is an indication of your confidence. Try to find a comfortable position to stand, and avoid crossing your hands or fidgeting as this shows you are uncomfortable.

Don'ts when auditioning

There are some don'ts that you must remember when auditioning. Do not rush, as this will seem like you are talking at the casting directors. Do not take too much of the judges time- no one wants to be behind schedule because of one person. Avoid making excuses before you start your monologue and do not make up questions just because the judges asked if you have any. The most important of all, do not call or personally visit the casting directors at Disney because this shows a high level of unprofessionalism and you will be totally inconsiderate of their time.

There are a number of acting auditions for Disney channel, and you can check them out and send your headshot and resume. Keep in mind that they are free auditions for Disney channel; therefore avoid the people who ask for any form of payment.

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Ways of Getting Auditions for Kids on Disney Channel

Disney is renowned for its numerous films and television shows of production at any given time duration. This has in turn offered many opportunities for kids to get tested to have a production in the medium. Auditions for kids on Disney channel which involve theatrical productions as well as TV shows are very competitive. It needs for an individual together with the kid to be prepared, be patient and up for hard work which will make it possible to get a trial in this medium. Having said this, here are the ways you can use in getting your kids auditions for Disney channel.

• Things Needed: First and foremost, there are things that are required in order to facilitate the process of getting these trials easier. These include; a talent agent, acting & voice lessons and lastly headshot & resume.

• Casting Calls: Secondly, check out if there are open casting calls. There are several websites that have dedicated themselves to open casting calls. This is simply a schedule of trails open to the general public. You can get a trial for your kid by checking the up coming casting calls where a name and address of the casting director is provided for easy reach.

• Headshots: Get the required headshots. Most casting directors will require you to produce a photo that has specified measurements backed with a resume at the back. On the resume, you can simply include the general performance of your kid in terms of skills especially if he or she has had no past acting experience.

• Submissions: Once you have all the above on hand, simply make the submissions to the casting director that is listed on the open casting call. Make sure the documents are not submitted to any other person other than the casting director on the listing. This will ensure that the resume and headshots of your kids reach their respectful place and not in the trash.

• Getting a Talent Agent: A talent agent is very important as he or she can simply get your kid a trail even though it is closed. This simply means that he is supposed to take the initiative of finding your kids another acting work which will in turn help your kid gain experience. With this, your kid will have better chances of landing a good role with Disney channel.

• Helping your Kid to Practice: Take time to help your kid in her performing skills. Professional voice as well as acting instructions you give your kid will help her to be full prepared for trials.

Most auditions for kids on Disney channel can result in rejection which can be quite emotional and difficult experience which makes it important for a child to fully understand kids auditions for Disney channel has more talented children than them.

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Italian Pottery Dinnerware - How to Find, Mix, Match, Buy and Care for Authentic Italian Pottery

I am second generation Italian. My maternal grandparents, my Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop, immigrated to the east coast of United States from Popoli, Abruzzo, in 1910. Pop-Pop's homemade wine and Mom-Mom's pasta sauce cooked with home grown garlic, basil and tomatoes still fuel my DNA. Maybe that explains my ongoing obsession with Italian pottery.

Or perhaps, as I love to speculate, somewhere back along that Italian blood line, I have an uncle, a potter, who masterfully pulled up clay on his wheel, or a cousin who meticulously painted variations of ancient patterns on unfinished clay pieces (bisque) en process of becoming pasta bowls or biscotti jars.

Having made this happy disclosure and shared my speculations, I continue, knowing that you need not be Italian to share my passion.

Whether you're in Italy in person (lucky you!), or visiting your USA hometown specialty shop that sells imported Italian pottery, or shopping on the web, the number of patterns, and the forms, shapes or functionality offered in each pattern is, for all practical purposes, endless. And, no matter whether you're new to Italian pottery or a long-time collector, there's always more to learn and consider.

Let's just discuss Italian dinnerware and related accessories, because if they are you're focus, they offer an embarrassment of riches and present you with a delightful dilemma. Where to start if you want to bring a touch of Italy to your home or buy a gift? How do you transform meals and entertainment into celebrations just by using hand made, hand painted Italian ceramics? How do you convert your kitchen counter into a conversation piece with an authentic Italian canister set? And, once acquired, how do you care for these Italian works of "arte"?

First, you need a reputable source to get a glimpse of what's available in Italian pottery. Then you'll want to explore patterns (also known as Collections) and perhaps play with mixing and matching their pieces. If you haven't already, this would be a good time to learn about the centuries-old process of creating Italian pottery so you can fully appreciate the value of your investment. And, finally, once you have them in your home, you'll want to know how to care for your pieces to protect their beauty for generations.

Reputable Source. First, find a reputable Italian pottery source that offers a large cross-section of collections and a variety of products within those collections. They should happily answer your questions and delight in providing additional information so you can feel confident in the authenticity and quality of what you purchase. Why? Because like many popular, high quality items, knock-offs of Italian pottery do appear. Additionally, understand that descriptions like Italian design or Italian inspired do not necessarily mean Made in Italy. There are reputable non-Italian dinnerware manufacturers who openly market designs bearing an Italian reference.

Until you've touched the authentic work, seen the brush strokes, and come to understand some of the production intricacies, you'll appreciate having a trusted source, one interested in helping if you request it. Especially if you are new to this adventure, you will also feel better about working with sources who guarantee their products and your satisfaction.

Mixing and Matching Collections. Italian pottery comes simple and elegant. It also comes bold, dramatic, colorful, cheerful, and full of astounding detail. Depending on your preferences, you may love the impact of full drama, prefer quiet simplicity, or decide just one piece added to your existing dinner set or kitchenware is absolutely perfect. You may also start with classic forms and later find bolder, bigger pieces more appealing as you get more addicted (sorry, I meant adventurous!) with your acquisitions. (Rumor has it that I once generously purchased a large piece to give as a wedding present. Somehow it ended up in my collection. Hmmm! I plead plausible deniability! )

Your one and only guide? Respond to what "speaks" to you even if it "matches" nothing. Keep in mind that eclectic epitomizes the magic of Italian pottery. So have fun; mix or match with abandon. Let that be your guide.

Process and "Investment". These two topics are related in one important respect. At first, Italian pottery may seem expensive to you. However, if it is authentic, made in Italy, and imported into the United States, the pricing becomes more understandable. This is, after all, functional arte -- hand made, hand painted in a lengthy, centuries-old process. Whether you use it, display it or both, your Italian pottery is an investment. The pieces (plates, platters, biscotti jars, butter dishes, wine coasters, footed bowls and much, much more) are canvasses for masterful painting of intricate, centuries-honored designs as well as contemporized forms and design.

Even if you are not ordinarily interested in process (the details of how things come into being), if collecting Italian pottery intrigues you, then you are sure to enrich your appreciation of the arte of this pottery by learning something about the process.

A final recommendation about the investment aspect -- if your budget is limited, and even if it is not, buy the highest quality you can afford and make sure it's authentic. Both elements are comfortably accomplished if you are working with a reputable source.

Use and Care. Understanding the pottery production process and acknowledging the value of Italian pottery as arte will help you protect it during your daily use and care. If you love it like I do, the joyful output of this ancient craft into modern-day masterpieces will easily offset the little extra loving care it requires.

Before you buy, there are certain assurances you want, which reliable Italian pottery sources will always openly provide:

The pieces are guaranteed to be 100% food safe in compliance with FDA standards and U.S.A. import regulations for lead and cadmium. Large decorative pieces that are not meant to have contact with food will be clearly specified as such.

Over the years, your pottery can form tiny lines in the glaze (crazing). Durability of the pottery is not affected, only cosmetics, but proper care helps keep the work as beautiful as the day you unwrap it. So, here's a primer on care after purchase. Again, any reliable source will provide much greater detail:

Hand washing is best. If you use a dishwasher, a fine china cycle, low heat setting and high quality detergent is recommended. Provide ample space between pieces to prevent water pressure from rattling them against each other. Microwave use? Strongly discouraged! And keep pieces off of and out of the direct heat of a stove top burner or an oven. The pieces are not designed for cooking or re-heating. To avoid possible thermal shock and cracking, run hot tap water over dishes and serving pieces immediately before filling them with very hot foods or liquids. This is called tempering. To deflect high heat in cups, mugs or teapots, insert a metal spoon while pouring a hot liquid. To remove tea stains, soak with solution of chlorine bleach and rinse promptly. (2 tablespoons bleach per quart of water) To prevent glaze damage, avoid scouring powders or harsh scrubbers.

While this Use and Care section may seem long, it is not intended to scare you. In fact, if you reread it, you'll see that your pottery merely requires good old common sense. When in doubt, just answer the following question: How would I proceed if this were a Rafael fresco or a Michelangelo sculpture? Failing that, you should contact the online web store, your local shop or the person from whom you purchased your Italian pottery for guidance.

Most important of all, enjoy the adventure and pride of owning and using this Italian arte in your every day life.

Here's to the Italian in all of us!

Because Life is too short to dine on dull dinnerware, we invite you to visit http://www.myitalianpottery.com/ and browse through more than 18 product groups to get an in-depth look at the forms, shapes and functionality of our imported Italian pottery. We specialize in Collections created specifically for dinnerware, serveware, tabletop and kitchenware. If particular patterns catch your eye, you'll be able to explore other pieces with similar designs in our Collections sections. And if you are shopping for Dinnerware, we offer you a section devoted to place-settings and accompanying tabletop and kitchenware pieces you can mix or match.

An embarrassment of Italian riches awaits you at http://www.myitalianpottery.com/ where we bring you authentic, hand made Italian Pottery, offer you a top-notch online shopping experience, and delight in sharing our knowledge and answering your questions.

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8 Fun Things to Do This Weekend

Have a Harry Potter Marathon and then go watch the last one in the theater. What's more fun than a movie marathon and then a night out on the town? A movie marathon and night out on the town AND Harry Potter. Get caught up on all of the HP movies and then brave the crazy fans with lightning bolts drawn and their foreheads to see the final movie in the theater.
Plan a barbeque in the park. Enjoy the summer weather with your friends and plan a get together in the park. Bring your bocce ball set, hot dogs and hamburgers, a juicy watermelon and chocolate chip cookies and you'll have the perfect afternoon!
Go garage sale hopping. With nice weather in full swing, people are holding garage sales left and right. Get up early (early bird gets the worm!) and find some treasures! Check your local newspaper for garage sale listings, although keep your eye out for others as not everyone posts their garage sale in the paper.
Speaking of garage sales, have one! It's the perfect excuse to go through your closets, attic, garage and cupboards to clean out and get rid of things you don't use anymore. If you don't have enough for a full-blown sale, have your neighbors join in on the fun and hold a joint garage sale! You'll clean out your house and maybe make a little money too!
Buy a new outfit. Nothing says a great weekend like a new outfit. If you're in need of something new and don't want to bust your budget hit up your local Goodwill, thrift shops and consignment stores for some great finds for cheap!
Go antique shopping. Whether or not you are looking for something in particular, browsing your local antique shops is a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. Who knows, you may find something you just can't live without!
Buy a lotto ticket. The quickest way to make a buck is to spend one on a lottery ticket and cross your fingers for a win! Play lottery this weekend and, if you win, it will definitely be one you will never forget!
Explore a new town near where you live. You know that tiny town you always pass through, but have no idea what might be there? Go there! Explore. Shopping, eating and walking around the streets of a new place can be fun!

Looking for a trusted source to try your hand at chance and play the lottery online? Check out http://www.lotteryticket.net/ for the latest mega lottos, odds of winning, and other lottery resources.

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Confused Quotes

Confusion has been described as "turmoil," "jumble," "mess" and many other states of such frustration. In a constantly transforming and changing world, many times we feel as if we are living in a confused world. Confusion has many times led to people getting depressed, losing sleep, and hurting their relationships. However, many of human's greatest advancements in science, technology, and the arts, have been results of a state of confusion that had arisen because of a lack of tools of many kinds. In order to resolve such confusion, some people turn to music, some people turn to education and trial and error, and some are sadly drawn to drugs and other ways of harming themselves and others.

Confused quotes are one way we can resolves our pains from confusion by relating to others before us that have shared similar situations. We are constantly confused by what life throws at us for example, we are confused by our grades in school, relationships, social norms, and more. If we look at the negativity of the confusing situation, we will easily let the confusion take over our emotions and we will go from simply feeling confused to feeling bad about ourselves and even sometimes those that we love most around us. So confused quotes that help us accept the fact that we are confused and help us actually enjoy that we have stumbled upon an idea or an obstacle in our lives that has put us in a state of confusion because being confused is actually an opportunity to discover where we lack knowledge and can lead to great progress in our own lives, in the lives of others, through simple ideas or through complex new technologies.

Confused quotes can include famous confused quotes by the celebs or smartest and brightest people of our time or they can be as simple as things regular ordinary people say or even sometimes what a young boy or girl might say when confused about the magnificent world around them.

Here are some famous quotes.....

Once the realization is accepted that even between
the closest human beings infinite distances continue
to exist, a wonderful living side by side can grow up, if
they succeed in loving the distance between them which
makes it possible to see the other whole against the sky.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

Never pretend a love which you do not actually feel,
for love is not ours to command.

~ Alan Watts

Here are some ordinary quotes....

When I look in your eyes I get confused why we are not together as lovers because the connection is there.

I am confused why people talk about gays and the fact that they are not straight when the entire world has not got their stuff straight.

So the next time that you are feeling confused, do not resort to putting yourself down or blaming others. Instead, notice that the world is confusing and that being confused is only normal. Some of the most influential and famous people of our time have had their greatest discoveries and advancements in times of confusion. When you are confused, sometimes it is only an indication that you are walking a path that others have not walked before. This is almost always true because no one has ever walked in your exact shoes with your exact environment and upbringing ever before.

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Top Ten Famous People Who Were Homeless Once

According to William James, "Need and struggle are what excite and inspire us". One of the worst combinations of struggle and need is homelessness. Few, have nerves to go through such crisis, and yet come out as successful individuals. Here is a list of ten famous people who successfully faced homelessness at some point during their lives.

1) Halle Berry

Halle Berry might be one of the most highly paid actresses in Hollywood, but she wasn't always like this. At the age of 21, her mom refused to support her, forcing her to take refuge in a homeless shelter. In an interview she said, "When I moved to Chicago, she (mom) drove me there, but I don't think she ever thought it would pan out. After a month or two, I ran out of money and called her. I said, "Mom, I hate to ask you this, but could you send me some money? I just have rent money; I can't eat this week." And she said, "No, I'm not going to start this calling home, asking mom for money thing. No, figure it out or come home." I was so mad; I didn't speak to her for a year and a half."

Halle did not remain homeless for long. Soon, she started getting roles in movies and rented an apartment. Halle has now made peace with her mom, she thinks that her mom's refusal to support her made her tough and gave her the ability to deal with harsh circumstances.

2) Chris Gardener

Chris Gardener, a millionaire entrepreneur, became famous when his book of memoirs was made into a super-hit movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness". Although, Gardener currently owns a successful stock brokerage firm, but in early 1980's, he had to face homelessness with his son. He came to this stage of poverty, because he invested all his life savings to buy portable X-ray machines which he thought he would be able to sell on high profits but he failed, even to reach breakeven. Consequently, he was unable to pay his rent and was kicked out by the owner. Before they could move into a homeless shelter Chris and his son had to sleep in a public toilet for few days. Chris, later on found a Job in a stock brokerage firm, and moved to an apartment with his son.

3) Hilary Swank

There are only 38 people, in the history of Hollywood, who have won Academy award for Best Acting, more than once. One of them is Hilary Swank. With her sizzling performances in "Boys Don't Cry" and "Million Dollar Baby", she proved her mettle. And yes, she was homeless once. Reader's digest quoted her story saying, "In 1989, when she was 15, Swank and her mom packed up their Oldsmobile Delta 88 and, with just $75, headed to Los Angeles. They lived in the car, until a friend gave them a place to stay". In an interview with CBS news she said, "We had a friend, who was selling their house. And so they said, "You know, there's no furniture, but you can stay there at night. And then, during the day, you have to leave so we can try and sell it out. So we got air mattresses, blew them up, slept at night and left in the morning." Hilary and her mother remained homeless for couple of months, after that she started landing roles. However, her hard time was not over until she got the leading role in "Boys don't cry".

4) Shania Twain

Five times Grammy awards winner, Shania twain was also homeless at one point in time. She spent her childhood in extremely miserable conditions and often starved for days. At the age of thirteen she convinced her mother to move to Toronto where there were many homeless shelters. In an interview with Reader's digest she said, "My mother was very depressed at the time -- she wasn't getting out of bed. I decided that I had to convince her to take us to Toronto, where they have a lot of good programs for desperate families. We were living in this small town which didn't have anything. I was 13 then and told my mother to get in the car, the next day, when my dad was gone. I said, "All you've got to do is, drive." I don't know why she listened to me. I think she was numb. We drove to Toronto and went to a shelter. We finally got fed every day."

She started her professional singing career in Toronto and later on she became one of the most popular female singers of her time. Her album Come On Over sold 39 million copies worldwide.

5) Colonel Sanders

Seeing, Colonel Sander's pictures and statues on every KFC outlet, one assumes that he must've had invested millions of dollars to make such a large network of fast food restaurants. However, it's not true. Colonel Sanders, who started Kentucky fried chicken (KFC) in 1952, had to experience homelessness for a long period during his childhood. His father died, when he was five and his mother quickly remarried. At the age of ten, he decided to leave his home because his step-father used to beat him. After that, he remained homeless for a long period of time and did many jobs, during that time. It was not until the age of forty, that Colonel found a proper home and a Job as a cook in a restaurant and started working on his own Secret recipe, which would later on become the main item on KFC menu.

6) Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was not just an Oscar-winning actor, director and author. He was also one of those famous people who faced homelessness. According to his autobiography Charlie's parents separated before he was three. Throughout his childhood he lived with his mother, except for a small period of time when he and his brother moved with their father and his mistress. At the age of 12, Charlie's father died of Cirrhosis and soon after that his mother became mentally ill and had to be admitted to a hospital. This left Charlie homeless and he had to go to a workhouse in London. He spent the rest of his childhood moving from one charity home to another. Charlie continued his struggle until he reached United States in 1912, where he started getting roles and acted in major silent films.

7) Adolf Hitler

In his book Mien Kampf Hitler said, "I owe it to that period, that I grew hard and am still capable of being hard." Here Hitler is referring to his period in Vienna where he had to face four years of homelessness from 1909 to 1914. After the death of his parents, he came to Vienna to pursue his dream of becoming an artist. However, he failed in the entrance exam of Vienna school of Fine arts. Eventually, he ran out of money and was forced to live on streets. Afterwards, he found a homeless shelter and spent his nights there until the beginning of World War 1 in 1914.

During his homelessness period Hitler used to sell his own paintings to get enough money to eat. It was during this time that he developed anti-semantic sentiments, which would later on become the fundamental principles of Nationalist socialist movement.

8) Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the most powerful nation in the world (USA) and one of author of American declaration of Independence, also went through a rough patch when he had no home to live in. In his birthplace Boston, Benjamin worked as an apprentice to his brother who published a Newspaper named "New England Courant". Benjamin wrote certain materials in that paper which were not liked by the authorities of his time so they banned the "New England Courant". However, Benjamin continued to publish against the government without the consent of his brother. This raised a quarrel between the brothers and Benjamin ran away to New York. It was in New York that he had to face homelessness because he had very little money and he knew nobody in the city. However, Benjamin remained homeless for a short period of time and found a Job after moving to Philadelphia.

9) Buddha

Buddha was among those who voluntarily adopted homelessness for a purpose. He was the heir to the throne of his father. After seeing the suffering of ordinary people he decided to give away the luxurious life and adopted ascetic way of living. During his ascetic time he lived in streets and begged for food. His purpose was to achieve enlightenment, and he achieved it in form of the 'four truths'. During his struggle for enlightenment and even after that, Buddha never had a shelter to live under.

10) Jesus Christ

Although Jesus spent most of his childhood in Nazareth and he had a home there, but after being baptized at the age of 30, Jesus started a campaign to spread his teachings. For that purpose he had to move from one place to another and during that period he did not have any proper home. In New Testament, Matthew and Luke narrated incidences which prove Jesus' homelessness. Following, is one such incidence;
"Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:19-20)

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Building of a Statue

((Second Largest in South America) (Concepcion, Peru))

Things kept on the swirl in the City of Concepcion (2003), and the new mayor, Jesus Chipana Hurtado, and the gods of chance played into his hands. Mayor Chipana's wife standing with him on the road to Piedra Parada ((otherwise known as Standing Stone Hill) (a road that winds up to Marron Hill, to where below, one can see the whole city of Concepcion, high up in the Andes of Peru)) his wife invented an idea-right then and there-for building a statue of the Virgin Mary. The new Mayor thought for a moment: 'How's one to lift and load, carry all the material into the air and dump its contents on top of this hill- top?' There shortly after, with a roaring small vehicle, they reached to the top. Thus, '...it could be done!' thought the Mayor, and a model of the new invented thought of a statue of the Virgin Mary was secured.

The Mayor carried it off to the other Mayors of the vicinity, the different provinces thereabouts, even to the Church head in Huancayo, the Archbishop, and all the way to Lima, the Capital of Peru, and its higher echelon. Received thousands of dollars, for this inventive genius' idea, a statue that started out at eighteen feet, now was seventy-five feet tall. The City of Conception was a renewed and strengthened city-to say the least.

As the plans of the statue were being drawn out-and the whole Mantaro Valley Region of the Andes, awaited with anticipation, the Mayor looked forward with a feeling of almost approaching pleasure to the time when the city would be forced to face the fact, they were more remarkable than what they thought possible, possible for a smaller city to be, to build something beyond its means.

But there developed a snag.

One morning on top of the hill, stood a tall man, puffed at his cigar. He looked like a soldier weighting the chances of battle, vaguely, the Mayor thought this man thought of himself as a general, "Well," said the Mayor, "what can I do for you?"

The Mayor looked upon the city, probing as it seemed to be, he felt inside his head no man, and no individual can stop it, can stop this project. There was not going to be a failure that was for weaklings and he wasn't one of those. He was one of the few men that saw things clearly.

"The top of this hill is my property?" the stranger confessed strongly, "and you are about to start building on it, why?"

'Woops...!' thought the Mayor, eyebrow near touching the top of his forehead.

"Well?" said the owner.

If there was an empty backroom to a mind, that is where the Mayor's mind was for a second, as he looked about-near dumbfounded, standing now looking down upon the city, over at another hilltop. His mind now ran in the same channels his father's did, and his father's father- '...they were not pessimists,' he told himself. His thoughts only differed, because it was a different time, "I'll build it on another hill," he told the owner, as he muttered aloud.

That night, the owner's mind began to secrete, ooze out the poison of his greed, '...after all it's for the city, for the Virgin Mary,' he told himself, '...plus, I want to have a good sleep, and if I agree to let them have the land, that will take care of things, and to be honest, I'll be in better shape for the Lord when my day is due to meet him.' (Perhaps, just perhaps, he was thinking Mary might put in a good word for him? Who's to say?)

The next day, the owner of the hilltop, explained his new frame of mind, and the Mayor explained his plan. There was now occasion for all to get excited again. In a way, the owner declared, he was glad things had turned out as they had. He was angry at first, and at the same time forlorn. In the end, they had all tried honestly to do something for the city, and the once owner of the hilltop knew the Mayor would see to it that everything came out all right, and now pert near, eight years later, the Statue stands proud and tall, looking down upon Concepcion, from that very hilltop.

In conclusion to this story, let me simply say: it is worthwhile to keep still, while someone has an idea, one can never tell-who knows what may come of it.

No 822 (6-20-2011) Dedicated to the Citizens of Concepcion, the Mayor, and the once Owner

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Learn To Appreciate Art Supplies

If you are apprehensive about producing paintings, then you should learn how to love art supplies.

Achieving appreciation of art materials is possible when you take the time to observe art that is already around you because this will help you understand your very own artistic interests and inclinations.

It is easy to overlook art that surrounds us but to truly develop an interest in the subject; you must get into the habit of using your free time to study paintings that you may have hanging up at home or around the work place.

Once you start to observe art, then you get a greater understanding of how materials are manipulated to create the work you see and this will help demystify the whole process of making art.

Now that you have enjoyed the opportunity of examining art, you will know your preferences and this will allow you to visualise how you can use supplies in the future to create your very own personal masterpiece. It is always advisable to research your own favourite art because this is likely to influence the type of materials you will buy as you will either consciously or subconsciously mimic your preferred paintings.

Having explored your desired artworks you will be able to create an artistic personality that will be confident using various types of art materials from paintbrushes to canvases and easels.

Always be open to new experiences and try not to pigeonhole yourself into one medium as this will stop you from branching out and experimenting with new types of art materials and supplies. It is vital to use as many art products as possible as you will never know with which materials you have the most expertise using if you fail to constantly develop your skill set through experimentation.

Once you have settled on the art materials you want to use for a specific project then you must ensure that you get them for the cheapest possible price because the cost of products can prove expensive.

The easiest place to find art products at discount prices is over the internet and it is advisable to shop online because of the convenience of comparing prices between different retailers.

Buying art supplies on the internet also saves you the hassle of going to the busy shops in bad weather only to find that they do not currently stock the products that you need for your painting.

Buy the best art materials and art supplies from Turnham Arts & Craft. Click the links to discover what products we offer!

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Bollywood Dance Incorporates Different Dance Styles

Whether you just want to join for Bollywood dance classes or see this particular style being performed on the stage, it would definitely be a treat for your eyes. You can enjoy an energetic performance that incorporates different dance styles. This conglomeration of different genres is in fact the essence of this performance found abundantly in Indian films. It is easy to understand the significance of the performance. Most Indians would find it difficult to watch an Indian movie that has no song or dance. The Westerners on the other hand have a distinct genre called "musicals" for movies with such performances.

Western and Indian Genres

The various genres that can be found in Bollywood dance include Indian classical, belly dancing, Indian folk, Western pop 'n' jazz, Bhangra, Latin, and Western erotic. These influences from other genres on the art form are recognizable from the way this art form has been progressing over the years. Early Hindu and Urdu films showed a major influence of "mujara" or "kathak" performances that were associated with the courtesans. Early South Indian films on the other hand, showed strong influences of Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam.

Romantic numbers might have earlier been influenced by Indian folk or classical. Later they had vigorous movements and spastic jerks. However, these numbers now have more recognizable moves.

Erotic elements could be seen in Indian films from the year 1932. Earlier, an actress playing the vamp used to handle such performances, now major heroines perform these numbers. The main influence for the modern versions of these performances is the Western erotic dancer.

We also find Bhangra being used time and again in Indian films for particular song sequences. Yet another style seen in Indian films is the "Busby Berkeley" style named after the very talented and powerful Hollywood musical choreographer and movie director. Playful Bollywood numbers incorporating this style would involve a number of female dancers performing with an accuracy comparable to military standards.

Learn Bollywood Dance to Enjoy its Variety and Versatility

If reading about the exciting variety and versatility of the lively Indian dance style in your favorite films has inspired you to learn it yourself, why not? You can search online for dance teachers, institutes or academies that provide classes for children and adults. Some of the things that you can hope to learn at these sessions are:

• Stretching and warm-ups
• Skills to perform alone or in a group
• Facial expressions and hand movements
• How to get your shoulders and hips shaking
• Simple and complicated routines

In addition to the above, you'll improve in communication skills, self-esteem, confidence, energy, and health.

Bollywood dance incorporates different dance styles. This must be one of the reasons for its great popularity not only in Indian circles, but also at the international level. Let's hope that this art form would only progress to even greater heights in the years to come.

Bollywood Dance - YICG provides bollywood dance classes for children and adults in Long Island and Queens, New York City (NYC).

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Replacing Your Guitar Pickups? Here's What To Look Out For

Let's start out by saying that what is thought to be a good guitar pickup by one guitarist might not be considered great by another. This is all about the search for the best tone and everyone has a completely different opinion of what great tone is.

A well made pickup is just like a fine meal. It's the mixture of several different ingredients merged together to complete the magic recipe. A little too much garlic or not enough heat and your meal can be poor, sloppy coil windings or the wrong magnets (to name just two ingredients) and bang goes your pickup's tone. There are many aspects that need to come together and the various guitar pickup suppliers seem to have their unique take on it.

It's not easy to get that incredibly elusive 'special' tone. Even the much sort after Gibson PAF (Patent Applied For) humbucker pickups of the late 1950's were not all great sounding. The good examples from that era are probably the best sounding pickups you'll ever hear, but there were definitely some duds from the same period. This contrast was mostly due to the hand built nature of these products, with stories of some workers in the Gibson factory going off for a coffee and leaving the winder on for just a bit too long.

Listed below are some of the elements that will play an important part in the overall result of a guitar pickup build:

1. The build quality in general. The taping, soldering and general putting together of all the components.

2. The coil windings. The pattern, tension, number of turns, whether it is scatter wound (some prefer this to the more even machine winding) and the type of wire.

3. The general quality of the materials used including the screws, magnets, bobbins etc.

4. Whether or not the pickups are wax potted. This is the process of sealing a pickup in a wax and paraffin mix to stop any microphonic feedback through the amp. Some say that a really great pickup doesn't need wax potting, in fact the old 1950's humbuckers weren't potted, but in reality most need it.

5. The balancing act between all the different components. For example the varying alnico and ceramic magnets balanced with the total number of coil winds is a major juggling act.

The other aspect to consider is of course your style of playing. For example a jazz guitarist might prefer a more rounded mellow sound with less output and maybe an Alnico 4 magnet. On the other hand a rocker could well be looking for much higher output based around a ceramic magnet.

There are some wonderful established pickup makers out there such as Di Marzio and Seymour Duncan and also some great new boutique pickup builders like Tub Guitar Pickups. If you want to give your axe a shot in the arm you might like to check them out.

The author has performed with various bands over the years and owns a variety of guitars. He loves to upgrade and customise his instruments and strongly recommends the excellent replacement humbucker pickups and Telecaster pickups from TubGuitarPickups.co.uk.

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The Beauty Of Art In The Contemporary World

When you speak of art, people will automatically envision their favorite form. Some people like paintings of wildlife, while other people like to see landscapes that have been drawn with a charcoal pencil. There are still others that will see the investment opportunities in collecting the works of a particular artist. It does not matter if you think of paintings, sculptures, drawings, or photographic works, the bottom line is that art makes the world a prettier place to live.

Many people refer to paintings as being works of contemporary art. The true definition of this word would make this form of artistic work something that was done in the present point in time however; if you speak to many museums about their collections of contemporary works, they will inform you that any artistic production after World War II is considered to be contemporary.

You can find exhibits to view the many different forms of work that fall into this category. Exhibits are when private collectors, publicly funded organizations, galleries, and commercial collectors, put the works on display for you to view.

Some exhibits have works for sale by the artist they are showcasing, while others merely have their collections displayed for the viewing enjoyment of the public. For an artist to support themselves, they must be able to sell some of their work, and they apply for grants, and they enter to win awards, and prizes in different contests.

Artists are usually referred to as starving artists because of this, and because they generally give less concern to their appearance, and to what other people think, and more thought goes into their work.

A person that has the gift to take what they see, and to commit their vision to canvas, paper, or any other form, is truly a special soul. These people are often quite misunderstood, and under-appreciated by others. People see them as being lazy, irresponsible, and just plain odd, but the minute one of them makes a success by gaining the attention of a collector, people start to talk about how talented, gifted, and special the artist is. If we could just learn to let the budding artist have time to develop without judging them, we would be doing the artistic community a favor.

It is always fun to walk down the sidewalk and stop to see the street artist doing their business. Some people stop and sit for portraits, while others just enjoy seeing the artist create their magic before their eyes. It is magic the way these individuals can look at someone, and use a pencil, a paintbrush, or chalk, and they can scratch lines onto paper that accurately reflect the persons image.

Watching this process is a fascinating way to pass the time, and most of the people who do this are very quick. You will have to pay close attention, or you will miss part of the process. If you have ever looked at an old barn, a sunset, or a living animal, and wished that you had the ability to draw what you can see, then you have the ability to admire a work of art.

David Tatham has been working in the world of fine arts for over many years and. His website contains a wealth of information, also hundreds signed, limited edition prints and original works of art by world renowned artists,eg. The conservationist and wildlife artist, David Shepherd
http://www.davidshepherd.com/.

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Are Vampires Real? Scientific Discipline and the Fantasy

Modern society has been captivated with Vampires for years and years. Reports and legends of blood thirsty beings of the night called vampires happen to be terrifying and passed on for a long time.

Essentially the most renowned vampire in recent history is, not surprisingly, Count Dracula. The creation of Bram Stoker that founded his immortal beast on a Romanian ruler named Vlad Tepes, additionally generally known as Vlad Dracula, which usually when translated it means "son of the dragon", a nickname which was well earned, for that count was a blood thirsty and also questionable ruler.

He was also called Vlad the Impaler on account of his habit regarding impaling hostages with very razor-sharp stakes and permitting them to suffer till they passed away from a horrible and really agonizing death. The stories associated with vampires have been all-around before Stoker published his novel.

But, how about the vampires associated with the tale? Do they exist? There are several well reported accounts that suggest they do exist.

Just like the majority of things faith based, you could promptly ignore every little thing you have noticed from Hollywood. Vampires are certainly not immortal individuals who transform into air or turn out to be bats. If there are this sort of creatures, we've never seen them. That is never to disregard their chance, but exclusively say that they're above our expertise. No, vampires are those people who are normally drastically interrupted (Biblical interpretation: demonized). These folks get comfort from pressure by way of either ingesting their very own blood or the blood of animals or other peoples. It is more prevalent for women therefore afflicted to drink their unique blood and for men for taking blood from others. Many survivors involving misuse document incredible pressure to cut themselves and then drink their body. As soon as they make this happen, they truly feel great release of anxiety. This can be a demonic compulsion.

The legend of the vampire has recently been romanticized through both film and textbooks. The forces that are considered owned by vampires are generally alluring and exciting to a lot of. The capacity to live eternally, control the reverse sex and superior energy and speed are elements that the majority of us would want to have. The disadvantages regarding supposed vampires are just as exciting. The timber stake from the heart may be traced to the cruel along with sadistic Vlad Tepes as well as "Vlad The Impaler", who had been thought to impale his or her enemies on significant wooden stakes. He'd have many victims inside a grisly garden or sorts that he would sit amongst and eat his dinner. He is said to have drank the warm blood of his victims and luxuriate in the serenade of their screams and moans along with his lunch. One hypothesis of a vampire's disliking associated with silver is told originate with the actual betrayal of Christ for 30 waste silver. Judas Iscariot who had previously been the betrayer regarding Jesus, is said (according to some theories and also tales of vampire origins) to own been transformed to the first and authentic vampire as punishment just for this ultimate and planet shattering crime. The Holy Holy bible simply ends the story of Judas with his immense depression along with suicide. Some vampire mythology even so, continues the tale.

So are vampires real? It depends about what your definition of "Vampire" turns out to be. Are modern evening vampires sleeping in coffins and turning out to be bats? Not normally. Do they possess unusual strengths or capabilities? Many within the actual vampire culture point out yes. But mostly they may be just people that you and I who may have chosen to abide by what their paper hearts and minds include told them. You can learn more about the culture of contemporary vampires at these links, although you will discover countless websites committed to vampires and the vampire subculture.

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Italian Pottery Today - The Intricacies and Arte of a Centuries-Old Ceramics Process

Throughout Italy, there are at least 30 towns recognized by The Associazione Italiana Citta della Ceramica (A.I.C.C. - The Italian Association of Cities of Ceramics), where significant ceramic activity historically developed. Beyond that, practically every region has its own signature pattern or patterns. So you can include a visit to a small pottery workshop, a family run studio or small "factory" on almost any trip to Italy. You may take a side trip not far off your intended itinerary or your destination may be the sole (and soul) purpose of your adventure, but to see the production process first hand will undoubtedly deepen your appreciation for the arte that is Italian pottery.

Watching any portion of production, even if you've read about it extensively or seen it before, is always a head-shaking experience. The craftsmanship, the techniques, and emotional intensity invested in this ancient multi-stage production process thrills and boggles the mind.

During the 13th century, the Italians conducted their own process exploration. At that time, Spanish tin glazeware made its way to Italian shores via Italy's trade with the Spanish on the Isle of Majorca. When the Italians adopted, refined, and made the technique their own, they named it majolica, mistakenly assuming this unfamiliar process had originated on the Isle of Majorca, when actually it was already three millennia old, developed by the Assyrians, and further adapted by the Persians and Egyptians.

The town of Deruta (province of Perugia, region of Umbria) made ceramic production central to its economy - to the extent that by the end of the 13th century, Deruta's production allowed it to pay its taxes to Perugia in vases instead of cash. Today, Deruta is likely the most famous of AICC cities with some 250 active ceramic production firms or shops. So, while production of pottery can and does vary from region to region and even among producers in the same town, as we discuss stages of the process, let's imagine ourselves in Deruta.

Your knowledge of specialized clay working techniques will deepen watching IL TORNIANTE (The Potter) up to his elbows in clay at a wheel pulling up pitchers, bowls, vases and other articles in rounded or cylindrical shape. Other craftsmen create flat forms like plates and platters using molds or casts into which they press the clay by hand. That's done for uniformity so plates can be "stacked" without wobbling when finished. Once shaped into their final forms, all pieces are left in open air to dry naturally anywhere from one week to 20 days in preparation for LA PRIMA COTTURA (The First Firing). Depending on the company producing the pottery (and their willingness to divulge the information!), approximate firing temperatures range between 1400 to 1850 degrees Fahrenheit. After two days of firing and cooling, the unfinished clay pieces are referred to as bisque or biscotto.
If you get to see the bisque dipping stage, LA SMALTATURA (The Glazing), you'll witness the pieces grasped with tongs and dunked into a fast-drying white glaze that will serve as backdrop for the design. (Called a bath or vat, the white glaze stirring process makes me think more of a cauldron's brew.) Each Italian producer of majolica pottery guards the chemical formulation of this bath like treasure because it is the quality catalyst for color tones, glazing texture and uniformity during the next firing.
After the white underglaze dries for about 24 hours, we come to LA PITTURA (The Painting), the exacting, meticulous decoration of the piece. Here you may see totally freehand painting or learn about a stencil method called pouncing or spolvero. (Michelangelo employed this same process for the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. His full-scale line drawing on paper was punched with holes, held against the ceiling and padded with a powder-filled sack, leaving faint design lines for the painting of his masterpiece.) The pouncing sack used on the pottery underglaze is filled with a fine carbon powder that disappears during firing. The lines have a two-fold purpose. They prevent the colors from bumping and blurring into each other, and they give an outline to the artist of the basic design, assuring continuity to patterns and simultaneously laying the foundation for the artist's hand painting. Do not be alarmed or disappointed at the thought of a "pattern." This is no paint-by-numbers process. The painters must command a huge understanding of the complexities of the coloration because the "colors" they apply at this stage are all gray-to-black tones, dull and pasty against the white underglaze. The artist's work springs to life only during the second firing (discussed below) as the catalyzing heat transforms these grays and blacks into brilliant colors.
In order for those gem-like colors to emerge, two things must happen once the pieces are entirely decorated. First they are prepared for firing with an application of a Crystalline coating which will add brilliance to the glaze and give the color staying power for daily use. Then LA SECONDA COTTURA (The Second Firing) occurs. As with the first firing, temperatures vary depending on the producer and range somewhere between 1400 to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a precarious stage. The pieces cannot be touched in any way before firing, lest a brush stroke be obliterated and a piece ruined. Kiln temperature control is an art in itself. Ramping up the heat, holding it at a constant high temperature, and bringing it down slowly enough can take up to 24 hours. Temperature control alone is literally responsible for the survival of an entire kiln load of 100+ pieces.

Takes your breath away, doesn't it? It does mine, because the outcome of all these integrated, integral steps is lustrous, vibrant pieces of authentic Italian pottery - canvasses of arte that you also now know as majolica.

Not journeying to Italy anytime soon? Then please come visit us at http://www.myitalianpottery.com/ to enjoy some of the enchanting Italian pottery born of the production process you've just learned about. See for yourself the product groups created by Italian craftsmen, the potters and decorators -- biscotti jars, butter dishes, canisters, garlic keepers, oil and vinegar sets, ceramic trays and many more. Marvel at the variety of intricate designs and brilliant colors of hand painted Italian pottery collections. Browse through dinnerware place settings and the serveware, tabletop and kitchenware pieces you can mix or match with the dinnerware. Enjoy the journey through our site. And if you find these Italian pottery "works of arte" irresistible, feel confident about the authenticity and quality of your purchases from http://www.myitalianpottery.com/ where awesome customer care is our most important product.

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Is Modeling Fair To Your Child?

It is likely that at some point, you will consider whether or not modeling is fair on your child. This might be when you are just starting out, or it could be after some time, perhaps when your child is not enjoying modeling like they used to.

Child modeling is a very adult environment, with the pressure of timescales, and with money at stake. At any given shoot, there are a group of people for which this is their livelihood, and the success on the day depends in part on your kid.

You can't force a child to model - that is never right. That is a line that one must never cross. But there are grey areas that make the decision to model or not less clear cut.

First and foremost, a child should be modeling because they enjoy it. That may sound like an obvious point, but there are many pushy parents out there who apparently do not agree.

Modeling should never be a job or a hardship to your child - it should be fun most of the time. If your kid likes getting his or her photo taken then you are clearly at a great advantage, because quite frankly, that is all they should be thinking about. You should be handling all of the logistical complications and stresses.

But does your kid have what it takes? If nothing else, a child who is forced to model simply will not make a good model. Every photographer or casting director is looking for a happy, confident and cooperative child. A kid that can get the job done in a straightforward and professional fashion is coveted in the industry.

There is a key consideration when it comes to considering modeling for your child - if he or she does not enjoy it, then they will probably not be a good model. This goes beyond considering the moral arguments for or against modeling when your child is not enthusiastic.

An important question to consider is how you should reward your child. You should strike a balance, because your child should never be working so that they are rewarded. That should not be the aim of child modeling.

Rewards can take many forms. For instance, photo shoots may well take you out of town, in which case you can make a day of it and perhaps see some local sights. The shoot itself can be an enjoyable experience, depending on what it is for and who you are working with. The point is that the modeling itself can be the reward.

Praise is free, and is something that you should use often. If your kid has done a good job, then of course you should tell them.

One thing is for certain - you should never bribe your child. There is nothing good that can come of bribing your kid, and as a parent or guardian, I am sure you know that already. If you bribe a child, they will keep pushing the boundaries, and you will have to give more and more. This struggle for power will ultimately end in tears.

Your child should never be enticed into modeling because of the promise of a reward at the end - they should truly want to do it. Of course, some days they will not, but that is completely different to an intrinsic dislike of modeling generally.

It is also important to consider how you handle the concept of money with your child. Many parents do not even tell their kids that they are earning money. This may seem unfair at first, but then I don't believe it is right for a child to consider their modeling career a job, and that would inevitably be the case if they realised that they were earning a wage. And besides, some children are simply too young to understand the concept of money!

Many parents put the earnings towards a college fund or something similar, which can be an excellent way of introducing your child to the concept of money itself and how it is needed in order to provide an education and good quality of life.

Whether or not modeling is fair on your child depends entirely upon the circumstances. Only you can really answer that, by chatting to your child, considering their thoughts, and considering whether it is something they really want to do.

If your child is dead against the idea of modeling then you shouldn't try to encourage them too much. It may just be a case of waiting a few months, or a couple of years, until their attitude has changed.

However, if your child has been modeling for some time but seems to have lost enthusiasm, you shouldn't necessarily give up. It could just be a phase, or they could be unhappy because of rejection. Having said that, you should be attentive to their emotional state, and if it does seem that modeling is no longer fun for them on an intrinsic level, then you should strongly consider at least taking a break.

Tom Ewer is the editor of Modeling For Kids, the web's most exhaustive resource for guidance and advice on child modeling.

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American Novelist Willa Cather

All human history is a record of an emigration, an exodus from barbarism to civilization; from the very outset of this pilgrimage of humanity, superstition and investigation have been contending for mastery. Since investigation first led man forth on that great search for truth which has prompted all his progress, superstition, the stern Pharoah of his former bondage, has followed him, retarding every step of advancement.

That is the opening paragraph of a speech Cather made at her high school graduation in June of 1890. The sixteen-year-old wrote it in response to those who criticized her interest in biology and science.

Willa Cather, born in Virginia in 1873, was most famous for her stories of immigrants who pioneered the American Midwest. Her family moved to Nebraska in 1882 when Willa was nine. A few years later, she took a job delivering mail on horseback to farms in the community, an experience that allowed her to become personally familiar with the diverse cultures settled there. When the Cather family moved from their unsuccessful farm into the town of Red Cloud, she met neighbors whose influence on her life was more intellectual and artistic, but equally profound. Many of them, along with those to whom she delivered mail, would become models for her future characters. She wrote, I don't gather the material for my stories....All my stories have been written with material that was gathered-no, God save us! Not gathered but absorbed-before I was fifteen years old.

Following high school, Willa enrolled at the University of Nebraska's preparatory school to study science. It was only after one of her professors submitted a paper she wrote for publication that she considered a career in journalism. In 1893 she became managing editor of the Hesperian, the college literary digest and began writing columns for the Nebraska State Journal.

During her years at the university, Cather did what many college students do-searched for her identity. She experimented with her writing and her looks. For the latter, she cut her hair short, wore mens clothing, and signed her name William Cather. These actions, hardly revolutionary today, were outrageous for a woman of the late nineteenth century, but so was a woman wanting to write. Her early writing, along with the literary criticism and essays, included a book of poetry, April Twilights, and a collection of short stories called The Troll Garden published in 1905. In 1906, she moved to New York and joined Edith Lewis, who would be her companion for the rest of her life. She also became an editor at McClure's magazine where she stayed until 1912 when she began writing full time. It was that year that her first novel, Alexander's Bridge, (originally Alexander's Masquerade) appeared in McClure's. During a trip to the southwest, Cather was struck by sudden inspiration and began writing the pioneer novels that would bring her greatest fame, O Pioneers! (1913), The Song of the Lark, (1915), and My Antonia (1918).

Here is the chronology of books that followed.

* Youth and the Bright Medusa a collection of short-stories 1920

* One of Ours published in 1922 won a Pulitzer Prize the following year.

* A Lost Lady 1923

* The Professor's House 1925

* My Mortal Enemy 1926

* Death Comes for the Archbishop 1927

* Shadows on the Rock 1931

* Obscure Destinies, a collection of short stories 1932

* Lucy Gayheart 1935

* Not Under Forty, a book of essays 1936

* Sapphira and the Slave Girl 1940

* The Old Beauty and Others, a collection of short stories 1948 published by Knopf a year after her death.

There is a sparseness to Cather's books. Not something forgotten, but the intentional clearing away of debris to allow the story full reign. In an article written for The New Republic called The Novel Demeuble she wrote: How wonderful it would be if we could throw all the furniture out of the window; and along with it, all the meaningless reiterations concerning physical sensations, all the tiresome old patterns, and leave the room as bare as the stage of a Greek theatre, or as that house into which the glory of Pentecost descended; leave the scene bare for the play of emotions, great and little-for the nursery tale, no less than the tragedy, is killed by tasteless amplitude.

If you have read her stories, you know how effectively 'unfurnished' they are. Cather once said that after seeing a mural by Pierre Puvis de Chavannes she wanted to create the same effect with a story. "...something in the style of legend...with none of the artificial elements of composition...the mood is the thing."

It is 'the mood' I find most attractive in her writing. A line in the epilogue of her first novel, Alexander's Bridge, answered an age old question for me. Are we the person we perceive ourselves to be, or the one that others see? Wilson shook himself and readjusted his glasses. "Oh, fair enough. More than fair. Of course, I always felt that my image of him was just a little different from hers. No relation is so complete that it can hold absolutely all of a person."

In My Antonia, the narrator pens a manuscript called 'Antonia', to which he hastily adds 'My' as he passes it on to a friend. In his text he recounts his childhood journey to Nebraska and parts of his life shared with Antonia. The story, the struggle of immigrant farmers in harsh, unforgiving land and times, is a classic work. H.L. Mencken wrote, No romantic novel ever written in America, by man or woman, is one half so beautiful as My Antonia.

It is difficult to pick a favorite, but if I had too, I might choose The Song of the Lark, which is the story of a young woman's struggle to become an opera singer, and Death Comes to the Archbishop, which I read again after having lived in New Mexico for a few years. She completely captured the 'sense' of the area. For someone new to Willa Cather, I would say My Antonia is a good place to start, but do start.

Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage on April 24, 1947, at their home in New York and was buried in New Hampshire. At the bottom of her large gravestone is a quote from My Antonia: "that is happiness; to be dissolved into something complete and great."

Jean Sheldon is a mystery writer who makes her home in Oregon USA. Learn more at http://www.jeansheldon.com/. Copyright Jean Sheldon

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How On Earth Do You Hypnotize Someone And Can Anyone Do It? You Can Learn More About This Topic Now!

Influencing the subconscious mind is an area that has many aspects. Popular and existing questions that are asked include things like: How do you Hypnotize someone? What are subliminal message examples? Even questions with regards to what is covert Hypnosis or NLP (Neuro Linquistic Programming) and other sometimes esoteric aspects of what is a very beneficial talent.

The answers to these questions will be sometimes easy and other occasions involve a more thorough response covering several of the subjects at the same time. An example would be Covert Hypnosis because when talking over this it can be common to ask yourself if it is science or urban legend. In order to do that one should determine what it is along with how it works. A more common name for this is Conversational Hypnosis which is simply a belief that one can impact people very quickly in real-time interactions and interactions without them knowing about it. The subject is led to react selected ways due to the method the conversation is structured and the speaking selections made and utilized throughout the interaction. Fascinating theme but this is more based on another subject referred to as Neuro Linquistic programing or NLP for short. Recently this area has come back under review even though it has been around for some time. Interestingly, the techniques are response based form of influence caused by particular combinations of images and phrases projected on one's self or others.

Often related close examples can be seen together. This is referring to Subliminal message examples in addition to how to hypnotize someone. The challenge at hand should be to understand self hypnosis first not learning the way to hypnotize another person due to the fact this is worth the time and efforts when learned properly. Projected through one particular medium or another in self hypnosis we discover that the messages involved are strong self affirmations with the unique intent to not be observed or noticed by the conscious mind being picked up by the subconscious instead. Kept simple these affirmations are nearly always stated in a positive tone whilst being kept pointedly simple and strongly avoiding negative statements. For example, one would phrase something like Losing weight as statements that avoid negatives like, "i will not overeat" but rather phrase such ideas in terms like "I eat only what I need for being healthy" or the appropriate words for the desired goal.

There is a wealth of more information conveniently able to be accessed online and through proven sites. Please avail yourself of these.

Come across out more about this effective therapeutic techniques here Hypnotizing Someone?

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The Best Entertainment News and Releases of 2010

2010 marked the end of the first decade of the 21st Century and brought with it some of the great entertainment news and releases.

Amongst the best from the music world was the news early on in the year that Hot Chip were releasing their eagerly awaited 4th album, One Life Stand. With a raft of good album reviews, it cemented their place at the heart of British alternative electro. The year also saw The Libertines reform for a reportedly lucrative performance at the Reading and Leeds festivals alongside Canadian legends Arcade Fire. The Strokes returned to form at The Isle of White festival with Paul McCartney, Indie Tracks grew a little bit bigger and a big push was put together to save the 100 Club.

In terms of album reviews, The Coral's Butterfly House was also a high scorer alongside the likes of Arcade Fire with Suburbs, Vampire Weekend's Contra and Broken Bells. However, it was MGMT's Congratulations that made the year great.

Film news included the planned reboot of the Spider-Man series, bringing a new twist on the storyline and a whole new cast. It was also announced that the long awaited Transformers 3 was going into production and that the title for the film was Dark Side of the Moon. There were also rumours that an Alan Partridge movie was back on the cards, but rumours like this have been circulating for a while.

The big film releases for the year were Kick-Ass, Toy Story 3 and Avatar, which proposed to take movie entertainment to a whole new level by reintroducing 3D popularity to cinema viewing.

Documentary follow up to Wonders of the Solar System, Wonders of the Universe, was the big TV news, as well as the release of the Alan Partidge Fosters Shorts online instead of on the television. 2010 also saw the return of Miranda to the BBC, as well as a short Sherlock series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, and a whole new Dr Who series with Matt Smith taking the lead role of The Doctor.

The big entertainment news in the gaming world in 2010 was the launch of Sony and Microsoft equivalents to the Nintendo Wii controllers. The Xbox Kinect and the PlayStation Move made it possible to play PS3 & Xbox 360 games with motion sensitivity controls. 2010 also saw the release of the groundbreaking Back to the Future computer game, which was released in monthly installments.

At the theatres, there was a raft of great shows that began in 2010, including Frankenstein at the National Theatre, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. Bedlam, by Nell Leyshon, made history by becoming the first play written by a women to be performed at The Globe Theatre.

Finally, the art world provided some great additions to entertainment news, including Gabriel Orozco's exciting exhibition at the Tate Modern, Philippe Parreno's work at the Serpentine Gallery and the introduction of stunningly crafted elephants to the streets of London. If that wasn't enough, there was also controversy as the 2009 Wildlife Photographer of the Year winner was disqualified at the beginning of the year.

About Tuppence Magazine entertainment news and reviews:

Tuppence Magazine ( http://www.tuppencemagazine.co.uk/Entertainment_News_and_Reviews.html ) is an online magazine for entertainment news & reviews, including music news, album reviews ( http://www.tuppencemagazine.co.uk/Music_album_reviews.html ), movies, computer games, books and television.

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