Monday, December 16, 2013

Dish Network Has Entertainment Packages for Everyone

Dish Network has a ton of different features that everyone from the casual television viewer to the full fledged HDTV aficionado will appreciate. Of course Dish Network also has options for everyone in between too.

The full full fledged HDTV aficionado will appreciate Dish Network's selection of High Definition Television entertainment packages. Even the entry level one, the Bronze Package, comes with twenty five High Definition channels, which is more than any of Dish Network's competitors can offer. It also comes with eighty standard definition channels. The Silver level has the same twenty five High Definition channels but adds another one hundred and twenty standard definition ones. The Gold Package adds National Geographic HD and another forty standard definition channels. And the Platinum Package adds Starz HDTV, Showtime HD, and HBO HD for a total of twenty nine High Definition channels and two hundred and forty standard definition ones. With a total of two hundred and sixty nine channels the Platinum Level HDTV entertainment package is Dish Network's largest plan.

The casual television viewer who just wants a few channels in order to stay informed and entertained at a fair price will appreciate Dish Family. Dish Family is Dish Network's economy plan which comes with forty channels including C-SPAN, Angel One, Animal Planet, the Hallmark Movie channels, Discovery Kids, and the Food Network.

Programming options for everyone between these two extremes consists of America's Top Entertainment Packages, which include versions with sixty channels, one hundred and twenty channels, and one hundred and eighty channels. These plans include great channels like TeleFutura, The Movie Channels Extra, seven different Encore movie channel, the Independent Film Channel, the FOX Movie Channel, Turner Classic Movies, CNN, Headline News, CNBC and CNBC World, Comedy Central, a slew of Discovery Channels, The Science Channel, The Learning Channel, National Geographic, Nick at Nite and Nickelodeon, Nick Toons, Toon Disney, The Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, Arts & Entertainment, E! Entertainment, Country Music Television, Great American Country, MTV and MTV2, VH1 and VH1 Classic, all of the shopping channels, TNT, USA Network, TBS, TBN, FX, Fuse, and many more.

If you need more than one hundred and eighty channels, consider America's Everything Pak, which has everything form the America's Top Entertainment Packages listed above plus four movie packages. The movie packages from HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax include channels like Starz Theater, Starz Cinema, Action Max, HBO Signature, Showtime Beyond, and FLIX.

Dish Network also delivers bilingual programing through Dish Latino Packages. Dish Latino Basic has thirty channels of Spanish language programming including TV Chile, HTV, Univision, TV Azteca, mun2, Telehit, TV Espanola Internacional, De Pelicula Clasico, MTV Espanol, Fox Sports Espanol, and more. Dish Latino Dos adds eighty nine channels in English onto the thirty in Spanish. Latino Max has the same thirty Spanish channels plus one hundred thirty English ones. DishNetwork's Latino Everything Pak has the same programming as Dish Latino Max, but with the addition of the same movie packages that top off America's Everything Pak.

Dish Network also has plenty of additional programming to customize any entertainment package. Dish Network's additional programming includes seasonal sports subscriptions like NHL On the Ice, MLB Extra Innings, NBA League Pass, and ESPN Game Day. Regional sports networks are also a great choice for hard core sports fans. DishNetwork also offers more international programming in nineteen languages including Chinese with Great Wall TV, Armenian, Hebrew, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Korean, Japanese, and Urdu. Local channels can be added to help you keep up with what's going on in your community, and SIRIUS satellite radio is a great choice for talk and music when you're doing something that keeps your eyes off the television screen.

Whatever your entertainment needs are, Dish Network will be their to meet them with it's great programming options.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Stress Free in 15 Minutes - The Arts and Sciences of Guided Meditation

If you are like most people, you will understand how stressful modern life can be. Work is stressful, and now we have to deal with a recession. The good news is we can relax with meditation. Not only is it a great form of entertainment and relaxation, most importantly, it is free and you can do it anytime, anywhere.

If you are sad, lonely and depressed, I want you to do yourself a favor and give yourself a special treat today. You can do anything that make you feel good. If your budget allows, go to your favorite restaurant and order your favorite dishes. Go to a luxury spa and totally unwind. Visit your favorite shops. If you prefer free entertainment, consider a long bath at home, have a cup of herbal tea, light some candles, read, or even go to bed early. Love yourself, give yourself the permission to be happy and be in touch with your true feelings.

A fantastic way to relax and give yourself the love and joy you so needed is meditation. The best thing about meditation is that unlike going to restaurants, traveling or shopping, you can choose not to spend any money and still feel totally rejuvenated. The selection of meditation products and programs is vast. You can sign up for a $400 2-day meditation retreat, or if you have money, a $2000 trip to some sacred, faraway places like Thailand or Himalaya. You can even book a special, private spa retreat at top hotels like Four Seasons. While I am sure these journeys are great ways to help you rediscover your inner peace, I don't think it is necessary to spend that much money in order to truly benefit from meditation.

So what if you want to save money and feel relaxed at the same time? I recommend trying meditation at home with books, CDs, or online courses. Of course you can DIY and make your own meditation tapes with a recorder like some people do. While all that is fine, the problem is it is time consuming to set aside time, find a good quality microphone and special scripts, and make the tapes. Unless you already own a home studio, or have lots of experience doing audio editing, you are way better off using some aids such as books, CDs or MP3s, most meditation programs cost less than a few dollars a month anyway and you can pick up heavily discounted meditaiton books from Amazon.

If you are new to meditation I recommend guided imagery meditation. There are literally countless meditation scripts out there, some are purely for relaxation, others are more sophisticated and will guide you to learn something about yourself, your unfulfilled wants and your hidden sources of anger. If you don't have the time or money to travel, guided meditation is actually a great alternative. There are hundreds, if not thousands of meditation tracks available on the internet. There are many amazing places you can go, such as tropical island at dusk, lush rain forests or secret bamboo gardens. Most professionally produced guided meditation tracks have sound effects too, so as you close your eyes and follow the voice through the gardens, temples and rivers, you will hear the sounds of nature change as you travel in your head.

Meditation, if used properly, can help you rewrite any negative self dialogues that may exist. It is scientifically proven that meditation is linked to better concentration and empathy. Like many good things in life, it is free. Try it today and experience the power of this ancient art of relaxation.

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Entertainment Publicity and Integrated Market Jobs On The Rise

Public Relations and Internet Marketing jobs are on the rise. It is a consumer revolution, where people get their news, information on demand, when ever and where ever they want it via social websites such as Facebook, MySpace or elsewhere Online.

The entertainment and advertising agencies are realizing there are billions of dollars to be had on the Internet. Broadcast news has made the switch, but not without challenges, and now the Writers Guild and TV and movie industry, and even high tech customers are switching to PR.

Each year I speak to the fall 2007 UCLA Entertainment Publicity class, Tuesday, October 23 at 8:00, Geology Building, room 3656. The class is endorsed by EPPS, the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 66 and it is taught by one of Hollywood's famed Entertainment Publicists Julian Myers. I highly recommend it for anyone seeking to go into this business.

The course provides a practical approach to the current world of entertainment public relations with the latest guidance and blog-site opportunities from leaders in these areas. I usually present state-of-the-art PR techniques that have earned MAYO Communications "Best Media Placement", Best Education Campaign" and "Best Online Tactics" from Public Relations Society of America, LA Chapter. I will specifically reveal trade secrets, how to prepare for what I describe as a "sometimes cutthroat" business, and "dog-eat-dog" world. I'm amongst a list of Hollywood's 30 top entertainment publicity pros schedule to speak to the UCLA class this year, which makes this class even more valuable. There is nothing like hearing great advice from the president of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences to entertainment publicity pros who have been practicing for four or more decades.

At every university campus the best advice I leave students with: if they major in Information Technology they'll become a millionaire overnight, if they minor in it, they'll become rich in five years. Just about everything from broadcast news to "how to find or do whatever" is discovered Online. The news media has finally caught up with technology, but now consumers are sometimes even more knowledgeable, and expect more from information resources. There are more than 2,000 widgets Online, or what I describe as your life on a desktop, where you can obtain info on just about anything your heart desires thanks to Google.

In addition to the challenges of technology, budding entertainment PR and marketing pros are soon discovering that after they enter college they need a wider skill set. I recommend to anyone majoring public relations or marketing to also take business, photography, computer science and especially creative writing classes. It just makes you that much more valuable, and you can fit into more jobs available. There are lots of new media jobs today. The career opportunities and resources are endless. Only 10 years ago when students applied for jobs they had to request company information ahead of time. Now, students can surf the employer's website and read everything from annual reports to the mission and goals of the corporation. Sometimes they know more about the company than the person interviewing them.

I also recommend networking and finding a mentor before students graduate. When you graduate, you should decide where you want to live, take an entry level job in that city and just move there. Check in with your mentor as you make your moves up the career ladder, and listen to what they say, because your mentor can save you the heartache of making same mistakes we did.

For More about MAYO Communications visit http://www.MayoCommunications.com or http://www.LAentertainmentPublicity.com or contact Aida Mayo, MAYO Communications.

Mc Quade also writes a monthly column as the West Coast Bureau Chief of O'Dwyer PR News, http://www.Odwyerpr.com, NY.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Artists Should Use Google Insights to Fine Tune Their Art Website

If an artist is unhappy with their website's page rank, traffic or the quality of their inquiries, then Google Insights can help an artist to fine tune their art website. Google Insights will provide an art website owner with a better understanding of internet search behavior which can then be used to improve a websites' performance. Finally, Google Insights can help an artist to improve the standing of their search results and overall effectiveness of their art website.

Google Insights provides the user with data that is compiled from all the searches for certain search terms and search phrases, relative to the total number of active domains that exist. Besides providing information about "all searches", this data and information can be broken down further into sub-categories such as web searches, news searches, image searches and product searches. Depending on the product or service that someone wants to promote, the ability to refine the search data is extremely important as I will point out later in the article.

Google Insights can provide information to the art website owner on how many times a search term has been used, in what region of the world and by what language. Why is this important? It is important as it allows an art website owner with the ability to fine tune their website with specific meta tags and meta descriptions which helps the artist to reach their target market more effectively. Online marketing and promotional messages can reach their target audience more efficiently, in greater volume and with better results when an artist uses the search data provided by Google Insights.

As an example, a West Palm Beach, Florida artist who specializes in abstract art and has been using the keyword term "abstract art" for his website title tags and with the tags for his local online advertising. If the artist was to input that term in the Google Insights tool and wanted to know where that search term is the most popular throughout the state, then this information would be provided. It would show that Tampa, Orlando and Miami were the top 3 cities or regions where this term was searched. West Palm Beach comes in a very distant 5th. This would indicate that the artist's advertising and promotional dollars would be better spent if he were to target those 3 regions in the state, rather than in West Palm Beach when using that search term.

The same type of analysis could be done for the entire United States, which would show which states or regions of the country which would have the highest search term popularity for "abstract art". In this instance, it is Arkansas, South Dakota and Idaho. Florida does not even show up in the top 10 of regional interest. Again, the artist could target those regions with this information in online advertising and promotions. Facebook advertising and Google AdWords allows the artist to target those areas precisely by towns, by zip codes and by times of the day. Why waste valuable advertising dollars by promoting their art work in any areas of little interest, when those dollars could be spent elsewhere, be more effective and provide better results?

As part of the Google Insights data it also provides a user with 10 related and alternative search terms that can be used or added to the artist's website, tags and online advertising. In the instance of "abstract art" Google insights also suggests for the first 3 keyword terms; 1. Abstract art paintings. 2. Abstract paintings. 3. Abstract painting. Another feature that Google Insights provides to the user is what they call "Rising Searches". Rising searches will provide the user with data on search words/phrases that have shown a significant increase in use since the preceding period of time. Again, in the case of "abstract art" they are showing; 1. Abstract art ideas. 2. Abstract definition. 3. Abstract art definition. Whether they make any sense to be included and used as keywords and tags is up to the art website owner.

There are a couple of other features of Google Insights that I would like to point out as well. This tool also has the ability to collect and compare data based on specific locations and by exact time periods. This data allows the user to pin point search data by cities/towns, by certain days, months or years. This can be important information which will show the highest use during times of week or days/months of high demand. Finally this data can be filtered by categories. For our example the search term "abstract art" could be filtered by all search categories or specifically by arts and humanities. This means that if abstract art were to be searched just by the art and humanities category, the results for "abstract art" in the arts and humanities search would not be skewed by the additional results of the other categories of entertainment, business and recreation. In other words, the results are just for that term in any of the searches that would be for arts and humanities.

As you can see by the above, this type of information can be very valuable to a website owner if they are unhappy with their present search results and website performance. Google Insights may be the tool that can help an artist to not only get more searches for their art website but also provide the artist with better quality traffic and more art sales.

Artists should try Google Insights to improve their online art business. This information can be reached here at http://www.google.com/insights/search/#.

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Photography and Everything Around It

Photography is the act of being able to capture pictures and permanently putting them on paper. Photography has one main equipment needed, the camera. Photography was invented in the eleventh century and ever since then photographs have been part of the human life. Because of the popularity of the media the camera gained fame as well. The camera and photography is now considered to be the main source of giving and receiving information on the news.

Different people all over the world use different styles and techniques when it comes to photography. They are classified into the following:

Ads and publicities have been a part of our everyday life. The moment we watch television or read the newspaper, advertisements pop out. These ad companies use what is called as commercial photography. Companies use pictures that are taken creatively to promote a certain product to the general population. This is used because marketing-wise, it really is effective. It informs people what the product is and what it does.

Photography is really important in the designing and fashion industry. Fashion companies hire models to wear their clothes and accessories and a pictorial would be done. The photographer has to be very skilled to be able to bring out the life in every picture. He has to take clear and beautiful pictures but at the same time make sure that the item is emphasized and not the model.

Animals and plants also benefit to photography as well. There are a lot of wildlife shows like National Geographic who focus their attention on observing, studying, and protecting wild life. They get their data mostly with the use of photography.    

Humans have a constant desire for art and it is safe to say that photography is a form of art. You can take a lot of photos; it can be an awesome scenery or beautiful landscapes or a hot car or tall buildings. As long as you can keep your imagination running, you can transform everything around you into a nice piece of art.

In conclusion, photography is very useful especially in our era. The modern world would be so boring and flat if not for photography. We are very lucky to have experienced the joys photography can bring.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Louis Wain 1860-1939 - Life Story and His Funny Cats and Dogs Art

With reference to his family he had 5 younger sisters and his father worked as a textile salesman and his mother designed Church fabrics and carpets.

Louis Wain studied and trained at The West London School of Art ( 1877- 1880 ) and remained as an assistant teacher until he left in 1882. The strange thing about Louis Wain was he could draw with his left hand but he signed his pictures with his right hand.

After his Father's death in 1880 he had to support his mother and five younger sisters and soon after, his sick wife Emily Richardson ( His youngest sister's governess ) whom he had married in 1881. Shortly after he married her she contracted Breast cancer. He brought Emily a Kitten which they called Peter and to entertain her he started drawing Peter in humorous situations and poses. To help to support his family he became a freelance artist (initially influenced by Caldecott and May) and in 1882 he joined the staff of The illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News. He began to make his name with Dog drawings at various Dog Shows including the early British National Dog show at Crystal Palace in 1882 ( which later became known as Crufts ). During this time his wife encouraged him to send some of the humorous cat pictures of Peter to various Magazines and Newspapers which started to make his reputation here in Britain and in America and where his humorous cat pictures were seen in Comics, newspapers and magazines.

In 1884 he was commissioned to produce his funny cat pictures in the Christmas edition of the illustrated London news. These pictures were so successful that his life would never be the same again. Alas, this was tinged with sadness as his wife died shortly afterwards, but knowing that Louis Wain had become a great success.

In the period from 1880's up to the start of the first world war he ruled supreme in cat and animal humor especially the 'Louis Wain Cat' which was recognized worldwide. The Louis Wain cats appeared in Art Prints, Comics, Newspapers, Books, Magazines, Post Cards and Annuals. The Wain cats are to be found in every human activity - from playing golf and other sports, digging up roads, Playing music, Ascot fashions, Driving cats plus lots more.

In 1886 he joined the staff of The Illustrated London News. He was the first illustrator to work consistently within the convention of depicting clothed and standing animals. His anthropomorphic vision of the world soon brought him fame and as a result he was elected President of the British National Cat Club in 1891.

In 1904 Louis Wain wrote a book entitled 'In Animal land with Louis Wain' which was a great success. During 1907 he invested all his savings into various Ceramic's with pictures based on his funny cats and sent most of them to America. Alas, while crossing the Atlantic the ship capsized and all Louis Wain ceramics went to the bottom of the sea. Due to this misfortune Louis Wain went bankrupt and decided to a temporary move to the United States. He produced strip cartoons for the New York American ( 1907-1910 ) and many other American comics, newspapers and magazines.

In 1910 he returned to England and over the next few years he continued to produce books and supply pictures to various comics, newspapers and magazines.

He continued drawing fanciful cats for various newspapers and comics near the end of the first world war. During this time in 1917 he was thinking of experimenting in animation and the film was to be called 'Pussyfoot'. Alas, he decided not to pursue this project and so the world lost the chance of a genius of comic cat art moving into animation. This year was a turning point in the history of Louis Wain's cats. His sister Caroline died and he fell off an Omnibus and hit his head.

After he recovered from these set backs his cats became more frenzied, surreal, jagged and pointy. During 1917 he was also diagnosed as a schizophrenic which alas, stayed with him for the rest of his life. During the onset of his disease at 57, Wain continued to Paint, Draw and Sketch cats.

In 1924 due to the economic climate and the slow recovery of GB after WW1 Louis Wain Art became less popular and he fell into poverty when his mental health deteriorated and finally his family had him certified Insane and he was committed to a pauper ward at Springfield Hospital ( Previously Surrey County Asylum ) at Tooting, London. During 1925 he was discovered by a visitor to the hospital painting his funny cat pictures. The visitor exclaimed that the artist pictures reminded him of Louis Wain's famous cats. Imagine his surprise when the Artist turned to the visitor and exclaimed he was indeed Louis Wain. After the visitor told the world of Louis Wain's hospitalization, his admirers started a campaign which included prime minister Ramsey Macdonald, HG Wells and King George who helped set up a foundation which was set up to enable Wain to spend the last few years of his life in comfort in private asylums including Bethlehem Hospital in a private room where his treatment continued. Some time in the late 1920's he was sent to Saint James Fields, Southwark where he continued to paint and draw his cats. In 1930 he was transferred to Napsbury Hospital near Saint Albans where he continued to paint and sketch until the end of his days. Exhibitions of his work were held in London in 1931 and 1937. On 4th. July Louis Wain died at Napsbury hospital. He is buried at Saint Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Harrow Road, London NW10 ( next to Kensal Green Cemetery, London ) in the same burial plot as his 5 sisters and parents.

One of the famous quotes during his lifetime was by HG Wells who said 'He invented a cat style, a cat society and a whole cat world'.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

News Writing - What Reporters Need to Know

News writing is the process of harnessing the materials that have been gathered in a logical, accurate, concise, coherent and readable manner.

Before a reporter writes news, it is expected that he or she go through a process known as news gathering. This will enable him or her gather the raw materials that make up the news. The reporter will however be familiar with the various beats that may be assigned to him or her such as the Judiciary, the State or National Assembly, the State House, Police Station, and so on.

News materials are gathered from government activities, economic matters, social and political policies which are straightforward in nature and are classified as hard news, since the reporter is obligated to report the event exactly as they happened. Also in the straightforward news stories, there are the soft news and the human interest news stories.

These include the news stories that give room for leisure and entertainment. They are concerned with stories on the lighter side of life such as social functions which include celebrations, commissioning of projects, marriages, funerals, and other forms of ceremonies.

The human interest stories deal with stories that either entertain or bring about sadness or happiness. These are stories that are meant to arouse the feelings of the viewer. These stories are normally accounts of people or organization's achievements, air crashes or hijacks, adventures, disasters, marriages, intriguing reports, and so on.

Since news stories are stories which are either expected or unexpected, the reporter is expected to equally make news from investigative stories, interpretative stories, in-depth stories and interviews. It is incumbent on every reporter to help the general public understand the storyline of a report especially in the case of budget speech which carries a lot of figures and statistics. It is the work of a reporter to breakdown the figures for easy understanding and digestion of the general public.

In interviews, it should be noted that getting information from people concerning specific events or issues is very hard. In that case, the reporter or interviewer should be able to employ techniques that would enable him or her to succeed in this area. It is very important that you know your interviewee before hand; find out certain facts about him that would help set you on a good footing. It would be necessary if you could go through some literature about him, and carry with you not just a mental but listed number of questions to be asked.

The points a reporter jots down in the cause of doing his or her job are the materials that make up his or her news stories. The exercise is what is known as news gathering. It precedes news writing. A reporter who wants to succeed in the art of news writing must be hardworking, intelligent enough to put to good use available materials and write them while the news is still fresh in the mind.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Great Places for Kids to Experience Art

In recent years society has placed a great deal of focus on the value of art and art education. Parents who want to expose their children to art related activities can use this trend to their advantage. The number of places that offer artistic performances and exhibits are growing each year. Community events that focus on the arts are also often geared toward family fun and enjoyment. Many places that were previously considered more adult oriented like museums are beginning to plan events with children in mind. There are also many ways to experience art at little or no cost for those on a budget.

Finding free local concerts that are kid oriented can be as easy as picking up a local news publication. Most newspapers have an entertainment section with listings of all the local concerts and festivals. Some communities even offer free outdoor concerts during the warmer months. Music is a great way to expose children to art and other cultures and festivals can be fun for the whole family. These events sometimes offer more than just music and will feature things like face painting and craft booths. Checking out the local theatre is another option for parents looking for art related activities. There are many plays that are enjoyable for children. Going to the theatre is a good way for kids to learn about different aspects of art that are outside of the realm of visual arts. A good rule of thumb when planning trips to the theater is to take the age of the child into consideration. The theatre may not be the best place for a child who has a hard time sitting still or is still too young to understand the theme of a play.

Another great place to go is the local museum. Many museums offer exhibits that are child friendly and some have classes and workshops created especially for children. The museum is also a great place for older children to develop art appreciation and learn about the different types of visual art. Many museums also offer discounted entry fees for children and students. Some museums even offer days that have free entry for promotional purposes. Checking the entertainment section of the local newspaper or looking online is great way to find out about promotional events.

School is another place where children can learn about the arts. Many schools offer extra curricular art programs for students. More progressive schools may have art classes integrated into the general curriculum. Schools that do not offer art programs will at least have access to information about different youth groups in the area. Check into organizations that promote art related activities for children. There are a great deal of youth groups that have very low membership costs.

Bringing art into the home can be simple and low cost as well. Setting aside a couple of hours each week for art related projects is a good start. Making collages, playing with sidewalk chalk and coloring are all low cost ways to bring art into the home. Parents with more resources can arrange private art or music lessons for their kids. There are many places a parent can go to bring art into the life of their child. Using the resources available such as the Internet, schools and information in local publications is the first step in this direction.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Can You Design Kids Art Crafts Patterns For Money

If you sell your arts and crafts patterns successfully you can take a pride in the millions of copies that have been made up around the world.

And the money isn't bad either.

How much could you earn if you made up one of your designs and sold it? Enough to pay for the materials?

Now for the bad news

* You have to learn all the basics and work advanced patterns too before you can start.

* Designing is an art. Does every artist make money? No.

* Copyright problems can bankrupt you.

What does the public want? That's the big important question. If you are in an arts and crafts club you might be able to find out from other members what patterns they would like.

But club members can only see the demand for one craft at a time. What if they are all into china decorating, and there is a sudden world-wide demand for Mexican spray paint art? You can teach yourself the new art, then start creating patterns and books for it.

Join arts and crafts forums on the Internet and write down all the questions that people ask. That way you can soon decide what patterns would be popular. Where there is a big demand and people are queueing for your patterns you don't need salesmanship.

If you find something that is in enormous demand, does this demand mean that you can sell your designs? Unfortunately no. Artistic things either click with the public or they don't . Most of the time there is no logical explanation. You either like something or you don't.

Copyright Problems With Popular Items

If you design a jumper with a photograph of Harry Potter knitted into it, you are likely to have legal charges of breach of copyright before you can draw your breath. If you photograph the actors (not dressed as the characters) you can use them in the designs - but they will no longer be popular.

There are things you can do to take advantage of recent news. Some of them are decidedly inartistic, but could make some money for you. For instance - I visited a bomb-site in Iraq and all I got was this lousy T-shirt. It's a revolting idea but it might sell.

If you are really expert you might be able to make designs suitable for kids arts crafts. These have to be the simplest designs of them all, and they also have to convince the parents that they are simple enough and pleasing enough to entertain their children. Knitting, quilting, and jewelry are very popular crafts for children.

You can even prepare designs for recycling. For instance if you have a long-haired wooly dog, you can collect the hair for several years, then wash it and tease out the tangles. Then you can make up a garment without spinning the hair first. It won't work with a long-haired hairy dog, because the hairs don't bind together into thread, but wool is great.

You can come up with recycling designs for the garden, using old margarine containers or soft-drink bottles etc.

You don't have to give your work away. Look on eBay to find out what people are buying.

You'll probably decide that most craftwork sells for less than it costs to produce, but it doesn't have to be that way. What you want to do is discover what is in big demand, and then learn how to direct that demand towards your patterns for hobbies crafts.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Entertainment in the 19th Century UK

In the aftermath of the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Roman, Chinese and Mughal empires, the 19th Century was typified by the growth in the influence of Britain and the United States on the world stage. Not least of all was their influence on entertainment.

Perhaps the biggest, and longest lasting influence is the massive impact of British writers on the literature world. The 19th Century was a hot bed for classics. Charles Dickens lived and worked throughout the middle period of the 19th Century on classic fiction like Oliver Twist (1937-1939), A Tale of Two Cities (1851) and Great Expectations (1861).

It wasn't just Dickens that was active during the century; Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about Sherlock Holmes for the first time, the Bronte's brought us Jayne Eyre, Agnes Grey and Wuthering Heights and Rudyard Kipling gave us Young Mowgli. There were also sinister twists in Mary Shelly's Frankenstein (1818), Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey (1891) and Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

In music, it was the European composers that let the way in the wake of the might of Beethoven and Back from the previous century. Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) and Claude Debussy (1862-1918) were prolific composers throughout the latter half of the century. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky produced Swan Lake (1876), The Nutcracker (1892) and the 1812 Overture (1880). Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) developed his operatic masterpieces La Traviata (1853) and Rigoletto (1851). Frediric Francois Chopin (1810-1849) and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) were also big proponents in establishing the credentials of classical music in the 19th Century.

Famous plays that hit the entertainment news of the time include Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest (1895) and George Bernard Shaw's Candita (1894). Anton Checkov's The Seagull was also written in the 19th Century. It originally led to him renouncing theatre due to the bad reception it provoked in 1896, however, it's revival in 1898 was met with critical acclaim. It's no great surprise that a lot of the great works of theatre originated in the latter years of the 19th Century, as this was the formative years of the Belle poque.

The era also saw the initial development of moving pictures as a form of entertainment. Although, they did not gain real prominence until the early 20th Century, so it's fair to say that the 19th Century was largely untouched by film as a medium for entertainment.

However, what was big throughout the 19th Century was the show. Figures like Buffalo Bill established successful shows that travelled throughout the United States and Europe.

The 19th Century also gave the world an abundance of artists, although, some of them were not recognised until the 20th Century. Vincent Van Gogh, for example, died in relative obscurity, only to be considered one of history's greatest painters posthumously. A similar story can be seen in the works of William Blake. However, there were a great many artists that rose to prominence in the 19th Century, including Paul Czanne, John Constable, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Auguste Rodin, Joseph Turner and Whistler.

The 19th Century was forged under the might of the British Empire and the industrial revolution, giving rise to a wealth of artistic creativity in the arts and entertainment world. With the abolition of slavery and the rise in socialism as an intellectual paradigm, the masses were starting to be considered more highly, however, the reality is that entertainment in terms of popular music, theatre, art and literature were predominantly the domains of the rich during the 19th Century. Although, the technological and economical advances that began in the late 19th Century, retrospectively called the Belle Epoch, paved the way for the arts and entertainment to have more of a mass audience in the 20th Century.

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Entertainment News and the Critic

Entertainment news publications and online editions have sections written by critics. These could be movie reviews for a film that has released at a theater near you. It could also be the music reviews for an album that is slowly climbing up the charts. Critics have been panned by artists for centuries. Many artists relegate critics to the sidelines with the strong belief that they have taken up criticism only because they have not been able to create art themselves. But that opinion is not free from fallacy. Critics do their job and that job has a purpose.

The primary job of the critic is to inculcate good taste among audiences and viewers. Entertainment news portals are their media. Because a large chunk of the people read these entertainment news sites, the critics can reach out to more people with their views and opinion about things. The movie reviews that they write tell the audience what they can expect from the movie. They tell you if the movie ticket is worth your money or not. I'm not saying that you accept their opinion as gospel truth, but when learned critics say something, they must have some reason for doing so.

In the field of music, critics have a special to play as well. Music reviews inform and educate listeners about the trends of modern music. Being a connoisseur in music and performing arts, the critic manages to pack in his knowledge about music when he writes music reviews. The opinion of the critic is important for music reviews because the critic is well-aware of the different genres of music, be it Eastern, Western, jazz, blues or reggae. The critic pours out his knowledge on the entertainment news pages. Readers of these columns can only benefit from the learned wisdom of the critic.

Critics hold a lot of sway over the business aspect of the entertainment industry. Viewers go to the theaters mainly on what the opinion of the movie reviews is. They generally tend to head to the theaters with a pre-conceived idea formed by the reading of the critic's opinion. The same happens in case of music reviews. Sales of albums feel the effect of a critic's analysis, and if the critic happens to be someone of repute or from a respected publication, the impact is deeper. Music reviews are also important links in understanding the flow and direction modern music is taking.

Having said all these, I'm not saying that the critic is always right in his assessment. There are numerous examples of movies trashed by critics in the movie reviews but they have gone on to become blockbusters. Some, which the critics hailed as cinematic masterpieces, didn't find an audience. The viewer or the listener, in case of music reviews, is the ultimate judge. Critics writing for entertainment news publications can only claim to be guides. They point out certain aspects and the viewer has to decide if he agrees with the sensibilities of the critic in those aspects.

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Mixed Martial Arts - What Is It?

For many centuries, men and some women, from around the world, have learned time honored martial arts, such a tae kwon do and jiu jitsu. These sporting and fighting disciplines teach young athletes about training, concentration, force, mental power, speed, agility, balance, and many other important lessons in life! The blockbuster movie of the 1980's The Karate Kid, was of course, just Hollywood, but it did show some truth, in that; young Daniel was mentored by a Karate expert who had learned what was passed down for generations by his family!

When you combine some mixed martial arts, and throw in some wrestling and boxing... NOW you are talking exciting, keeps-you-on-the-edge-of-your seat competition! Located in the beautiful state of Hawaii, is a fabulous school that teaches boys and men of all ages, about this exciting fighting technique, which is truly a sport that continues to grow in popularity and always has exciting new developments. Since the inception in 1993 of the UFC, Mixed Martial Arts have made their mark and have continued to gain more fans and more participants!

The sport has grown to gigantic proportions, and for good reason; it attracts some of the biggest, toughest fighters from around the world, and creates an incredibly exciting and entertaining sport to watch. In fact, the current exciting news is that B.J. Penn is headed to Philadelphia for the upcoming UFC 101 which will be an amazing event.

All of the latest MMA and UFC news ticket to the exciting sport is out there everywhere! You see it on TV and news everyweek more and more. For those who live in Hawaii, you can now get way more information about this cutting edge school that teaches the exciting and physically demanding sport of MMA, and it will transform you or your youngster into a lean, mean, fighting machine!

There are many schools around nation wide. You can just about find a school practically anywhere you live. Not just MMA fighting but you can find karate, tae kwon do, judo, MMA, muay thai, escrima, kendo, even sumo depending on where you live. you can pretty much just lok in the phone book and find a place to train.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Zagreb's Cinemas and Art Museums

What I love most about Zagreb is its contribution to the arts with its numerous cinemas and museums. Are you a movie buff? If you want to catch a movie in Zagreb the biggest chain of movie theatres is called Cinestar. It features the latest Hollywood movies and is designed to entertain people. It is important to note that all Hollywood movies have Croatian subtitles and only animation movies for kids have voiceovers in Croatian. There are two Cinestars located on Branimirova Street and Avenue Mall.

For those who like to watch artsy fartsy films, there are several smaller cinemas that showcase independent films in Zagreb such as Kinoteka, Kic, and Dokukino Croatia.

If you plan to come visit Zagreb in the autumn, in October, the city hosts the annual Zagreb Film Festival, which features a variety of commercial and independent films from Croatia and abroad. Last year in 2009, they showed some of my favourite films: New York, I Love you; 500 Days of summer; and I Killed My Mother.

Are you an art lover? The good news is that there are several art museums in Zagreb that are located within walking distance in the centre, which makes it convenient to go museum hopping in a few days. If you are interested in Croatian art, you should go visit the Modern Gallery. Situated in the heart of the city on A. Hebranga street, the Modern Gallery is one of my favourite museums because it has the most important collection of the top 650 paintings and sculptures from Croatian artists dating back from the 19th and 20th century.

The second museum that I visited was the Museum of Arts and Crafts located on Marsala Tita square showcasing Croatian artists and their paintings along with intricate crafts and sculptures that are all interesting to look at. Lastly, you should visit the Art Pavilion in Zagreb. It has been open since 1898 and if you love art, this museum exhibits Croatian and international artists of modern art.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

A Case Study on Social Networking Website Development for Music, Arts, Dance and Entertainment

A public relations company in multiple sectors like entertainment, social activities and it enabled services wanted to develop a social media networking website. The company offered services to individuals as well as corporates. They have offices in major cities of Africa. The company was started by a group of four enterprising visionaries. They had a vision to build a platform for common folks and artists in Africa to come together and collaborate on music, art, dance, and entertainment.

Business Case for the website
Every African in some ways is connected to music, dance or art in his/her own way. They have a natural desire to showcase the artistic talent and stories to community members and the world at large. With easy access to Internet, they have found a new medium to share their entertainment content with the community. While there are several communication channels developed in other parts of the world, the African community needed a platform to showcase their talents in performing arts music, dance, painting etc. The PR company recognized this opportunity to develop a niche social networking website that leveraged the power of user generated media.

This website was distinctive over other Social networking websites due to its focus on media driven collaboration by users via music, videos, pictures and articles. The website also proposed to bring together celebrities like actors, singers, musicians, choreographers, entertainment writers, bloggers and journalists to shape the future of entertainment in Africa. This ambitious project also received encouragement from government levels.

Features in Social Networking Website
This social media networking website helped the African community express and connect with friends, relatives and colleagues through blogs, forums, chat, internal messaging and other communication tools.

The website has dedicated sections that offered quality information and entertaining news, reviews, interviews about the entertainment industry in Africa updated by the seasoned professionals.

Important features of the website are:

  • Streaming Media
  • Blog
  • Internal Messaging
  • Forums
  • Friends - invite, groups
  • Polls
  • Events
  • User feedback - reviews, voting, like, bookmarking, favorites
  • User Categories - The site administrator can monitor the user activity and based on member performance & categorize the member as regular user, writer or an artist.
  • Artist Showcase - This section features artists from various walks of entertainment.
  • The website is unique in a way that it offers a rich and intuitive interface to upload, share and review entertainment media - music, videos, articles, news and blogs.

Technology

This social networking website has been developed in open source platform - LAMP.

The social networking website development company also used Ajax both in the front end and back end sections which significantly improved the user experience and improved user interface. The website also offered API (Application programming Interface) to software developers to create widgets and applications. These widgets and applications can seamlessly use the activities and information from our website with other platforms.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Find Local Information Quickly Using Community News Websites

Community news is the wave of the future, and readers are surfing that wave online. When it comes to getting their news, more people would rather read it online than in a newspaper. One look at the formatting of both mediums and it's easy to see why.

In a newspaper, articles are written in long chunks of grey text. This means readers often have to wade through a lot of material that you don't even care about to get to the information you need.

Compare that to the way things are organized online. Shorter articles with colorful pictures make it easy for online readers to scan for the information they need. Users don't have to spend a lot of time flipping through pages of a newspaper. News stories often include summaries and are sorted by category. To see more of a story, just click a button.

Easy navigation is another main feature of online newspapers. Websites include a menu at the top that allows readers to quickly search for stories that interest you.

Online readers don't have to worry about missing a news item that's important as they can often subscribe to have articles on any given topic delivered daily by email. With online news, resident can easily be more involved in events that are happening in their community.

People like finding out about local news and events. By reading community news websites, such as Long Beach news sites in California, users can easily see things that are happening in their neck of the woods. Local news sites offer accessible calendar listings with free events, family festivals, music happenings and art openings.

Another reason to take advantage of community websites is that, without limits imposed by page restrictions, websites can contain a lot more information than you can find in a newspaper. No story is too small or too long to be included. And, it's all archived online for easy access later too. Online newspapers can often include months or years of informative articles. This is a great historical reference for any local historian.

Whether you're looking to be more informed about the community or for fun things to do over the weekend, take advantage of community news websites. There are many informational and entertaining articles you can read at your convenience.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

How Copyright Protection Works in the IPR and Entertainment Industry

Copyright is a term describing laws to reserve the rights of creative works to their original creators, or subsequent legal owners, for a specific period of time. A copyright is not the same thing as an industrial patent, which protects inventions and designs of tangible physical objects. Copyrights are instead related to intellectual property-music, books, art works, movies and films, and technology like computer software and databases. IPR insurance provides the copyright owner with the resources needed to take action against unauthorized use of intellectual property and receive compensation.

What's Covered
Copyright laws typically grant the author or creator-or another party who legally holds the rights to the creation-the legal right to either permit or prohibit particular acts involving his or her unique work. These include: Reproduction in any media that might be applicable such as print or sound recordings, distribution of copies for sale or free, and performance, broadcasting or any other dissemination in a public media. Translation into additional languages and conversion or adaptation into some other genre -adapting a book into a Broadway play, for instance-is also limited by the copyright holder.

Limitations
Copyright laws in the entertainment industry incorporate limitations that allow for use of creative expression without fulfilling the usual procedures to gain rights or compensate the creator. Often, if a creative work is not written down or formally recorded in some manner-certain dance choreography, for example-its use may not be restricted by copyright. Another example of copyright limitation would be governmental decisions, transcripts of legal texts and other official documents. These are generally open to free use by anyone.

Free and Not-So-Free Use
Free use is another copyright limitation, which allows use of creative work in the entertainment industry without authorization by the copyright owner or compensation to the copyright owner. Free use typically applies to scenarios where reasonably small portions of a larger work are excerpted or quoted and the name of the original creator of the work is properly included in mention. Free use also extends to using portions of a creative work for the purpose of education or for use in news reporting. If a copyrighted work falls under the category of a non-voluntary license, the portion of work may still be used without specific authorization; however, the holder of the copyright must be compensated. This is another scenario in which the resources of IPR insurance could be critical to receiving payment for copyright violation-particularly for the smaller, individual player in the entertainment industry who may not possess the assets or clout to pursue violations without insurance backing.

Copyright Duration
No copyright lasts forever. A copyright is valid for a specific span of time during which the rights of the copyright owner are fully enforceable under the law. Generally, the beginning of the copyright is considered to be the moment the work has been created or placed in some permanent form such as written down, recorded or photographed or filmed. Copyright laws are designed so the copyright will outlive its original owner by some period of time so that his or her heirs may benefit from the original creator's work. In the United States and the European Union, for example, the laws state that the copyright of works of creative and entertainment arts remain viable for 70 years following the death of the original creator.

IPR insurance is a valuable complement to the array of copyright laws that protect creators in the entertainment industry. It provides the assets and security to allow parties of all sizes to compete on a level playing field in the enforcement of copyright laws and obtain just, proper compensation when they are violated.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Manchester Pubs and Bars - It's Blindingly Bright Up North!

Apparently Tory think tanks believe that many northern towns are beyond saving and that the best thing to do would be to move northern residents out of their 'predicaments' and settle them down south.

This may be surprising and outrageous news to many Northerners who were not yet aware of their 'deprived' existence in areas that have been criticised as being beyond the point of rescue or regeneration.

Of course the idea has received a barrage of criticism from the general public and MPs. I for one would be particularly unhappy if I were made to move from the spacious villages and beloved homely cities of the north to relocate south. It is doubtful that hardy Northerners would believe any think tank nonsense or take it to heart, after all those softy southerners can think about the north all they like. No one up here wastes time thinking about such tank nonsense, the pubs here are far too good for that sort of chit chat.

My recommendations of good pubs and bars in Manchester to distract you from boring chit-chat include:

Cinnabar

One of the coolest and most impressive bars in Manchester, this baby is a great place to take visiting friends as it is guaranteed to make their jaw hit the floor. The interior is designed like a private members' bar with an arty eastern twist. Six gigantic private pod sofas adorn the floor around the spacious bar and mood lighting sets the atmosphere for those sat out in the open. Luminous orbs hang from the ceiling and DJs from all over the world play funky beats to the city's wealthy fashionable crowd. The Cinnabar has a large car park out back to cater for its customers Ferraris and Aston Martins so if you do drive don't drink too many tasty cocktails from the extensive cocktail list.

Bacchanalia

Much more soberly decorated that Cinnabar, Bacchanalia (although a mouthful of a name) will not give you an eyeful when you walk in. Solid stained oak and brown leather sofas give this bar a nice clean modern feel, perfect to enjoy a cold pint before a trip to the cinema or after a day at work. Simplicity in style is not an indication of the cocktail menu, with over 150 cocktails to choose from and an extensive wine list; don't come here if you're indecisive.

Walrus

'Crazy' would be the best way to describe the interior of this pioneering Manchester bar. Serving excellent Asian cuisine dreamed up by the likes of ex-Nobu chef Paul Day and mouth-watering deserts Walrus certainly succeeds in capturing many an imagination. The brightly coloured hotchpotch interior is not dissimilar to an interactive art gallery and gives Walrus a unique and cheery atmosphere.

Odd Bar

I was tempted to review Lammars because it looks so gorgeous, but instead I decided it had to be Odd Bar because of the huge Sunday roasts and the fact that it always has customers. An easy place to hang out with your mates for hours with no need to dress up for the occasion, this pub/bar oozes chilled vibes. Entertainment at the weekend includes some great live bands and DJ's is all free and of great quality, with Piccadilly Records using their shop to supply the most coveted tunes in town.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Recession Marketing For Small Businesses and Independent Professionals

Over the last few months the financial news has been grim. In late 2008, while the federal government had not yet officially acknowledged that the U.S. economy is in "recession," financial markets were screaming headlines of "panic," "crisis," and even "Armageddon." When even savvy investors like Warren Buffett and T. Boone Pickens are losing billions in the stock market you know that things are getting crazy.

We don't want to minimize the pain and suffering faced by many due to circumstances beyond their control, but we don't want to give in to fear and panic, either. Hopefully the new administration in Washington will focus on helping the folks on Main Street rather than bailing out the super-rich on Wall Street. Meanwhile, here are some practical self-help strategies for navigating through tough economic times, maybe even getting ahead:

Are You Prepared?
Chances are you'll experience several periods of economic contraction during your lifetime. Financial planners recommend having enough cash-on-hand to cover at least a couple months' living expenses in case of emergency. Beyond that, they recommend paying off credit cards, having insured savings, a retirement plan, healthcare coverage, lots of equity in your home, and maybe a stash of silver or gold coins. If you've got all that, congratulations! You're probably as well prepared as anybody can be, and maybe you should be advising Wall Street or running for Congress!

It helps to take a long view. Transcendental meditators tell us that if we meditate panic will subside and the stock market will recover. Warren Buffett is buying stocks now because he thinks they're cheap. He's betting on the future, and he's 78 years old!

Recessions & Depressions
The federal government defines "recession" narrowly as a period of two consecutive quarters of declining gross national product, or GNP. "Depression" is a 10% decline. However, by the time the government gets around to crunching the numbers, most of us have already felt the pain for many months. Although the Bush administration hadn't uttered the "R" word until December 2008, everyone knew that unemployment was up, home foreclosures were skyrocketing, credit was tight, and paychecks were being stretched past their limits. Undeniably, the middle and lower classes were already scared and struggling.

Recessions typically last 18 to 24 months, although they can extend much longer. The worst economic contraction in U.S. history, the Great Depression of 1929, lasted over 10 years. One in four workers was unemployed, public sector jobs were almost nonexistent, there was no Social Security safety net, and bread lines stretched for blocks. The economy never fully recovered until the early 1940's, when the country mobilized for entry into World War II. Of course, war is one hell of a way to achieve full employment. Consider all the positive alternatives: housing, education, healthcare, green technologies, the arts and sciences, space exploration...!

Will we have another Great Depression? While nobody can accurately predict the length or severity of an economic contraction, several mitigating factors are at play. Public sector jobs now account for up to a third of all employment, and Social Security provides at least a minimum safety net for the retired and disabled. Unemployment is projected to rise perhaps as high as 9%, but far less than during the Depression. Finally, the federal government is pumping vast amounts of money into the economy to mitigate the effects of the downturn. While this recession could be worse than most, it won't be the end of the world.

Pockets Of Stability
During tough economic times look for pockets of stability and counter-cyclical trends. Some industries are continuing to expand, in spite of-or even because of-the current business cycle. People may put off major purchases such as appliances and automobiles, so they spend more on repairs. Auto repair businesses often grow during tough times. Enviros are cheering because bicycle sales are booming! Tax lawyers may handle fewer mergers but more bankruptcy cases. And plumbers always seem to have enough work. Heck, Joe the Plumber is working on a book deal!

University enrollments often grow during recessions. Students who can't find work stay in school, and displaced workers go back to school to retrain for new jobs. As reported in Morningstar online (10/15/08), "In bad times, when individuals are losing their jobs, many people will look to education as a means to open up new opportunities. If there are fewer jobs to go around, potential students are more likely to return to school and learn a skill that provides increased, more lucrative opportunities." If you are an education provider, this may be the perfect opportunity to grow your business!

The entertainment and travel industries often benefit because people are looking for escape and rejuvenation. Expensive restaurants may lose patrons, but fast food places and grocery stores are much less affected. People still have to eat. Similarly, people may scale down vacation travel plans. That European vacation may become a family outing closer to home, a "staycation," actually keeping more money circulating in the local economy. Local spas may enjoy increased traffic even as the cost of travel climbs and the U.S. dollar weakens.

Healthcare spending is likely to remain constant or continue to rise owing to the aging of the Baby Boomer population. Seniors with discretionary income and good medical insurance are unlikely to postpone necessary procedures. Cosmetic and elective surgery will probably continue to grow, albeit more slowly. Fitness and prevention are growing trends that actually lower overall healthcare costs and should continue right through any economic downturn.

Where you ride out an economic storm is important, too. Northern California, with diverse economic strengths, great weather, and continuing draw as tourist destination, should experience a milder downturn than most other regions in the world. In the San Francisco Bay Area, singles and other lifestyle events and services, upscale retreats, and the youth markets should continue to show strength, even as other discretionary purchases such as new cars and home sales decline.

Negotiate With Cash
Commodity prices often drop during recessions, although this is not always the case. The term "stagflation," first coined during the Carter presidency, refers to stagnant growth accompanied by high inflation. With prices for groceries, gasoline, and many staples at or near all-time highs, stagflation is here again. Still, "cash is king," especially in tight credit markets, and with it you can often negotiate deep discounts, especially for major purchases such as autos, houses, and business supplies and services.

Recession Psychology
An important key to surviving a downturn is not to succumb to recession psychology. Recessions are scary and people feel uncertain about the future. Some people become literally depressed. They postpone spending, which further slows the economy. Entrepreneurs facing tough times may question their own self-worth. Try not to make important business decisions based on rumor or panic. Make measured responses instead.

Be consistent. Keep your clients happy and give them reasons to return, even at the expense of your profit margin. Avoid raising prices during a recession, even if your own costs are rising. Offer price breaks and concessions where you can-customers are looking for bargains. This creates goodwill and protects your client base. Offer clients alternative payment options. Extend credit terms. Accept smaller monthly payments, but insist on a regular payment schedule. If you are having trouble paying your own bills, re-negotiate with creditors. Make regular payments, even if you have to reduce the amount.

And be cheery! A kind word, a smile, and a good joke work wonders with friends and clients alike!

Contingency Plans
Could you stay in business if your income went down 10%? 25%? 35%? What is your "Plan B"? Most entrepreneurs find it natural to grow but difficult to deal with downsizing. Small businesses and independent professionals, especially those whose homes and savings are personally on the line, should avoid excessive borrowing, especially in times of tight credit and variable interest rates. Borrow as a last resort. Look first for ways to trim expenses:

Eliminate expense accounts
Cut salaries and wages
Postpone employee training
Defer equipment maintenance
Reduce staff
Replace salaried staff with contractors
Delay the introduction of new product lines
Extend credit from suppliers
Moving to less expensive offices
Postpone equipment upgrades
Renegotiate loans
Work harder or longer hours

Marketing In Tough Times
If you market consistently, you're likely to survive a recession stronger than you went into it. When your competitors are slashing advertising budgets keep yours constant. At least don't cut yours as much. You may even want to increase your outreach! Don't abandon your market simply to save a few dollars in the short run. Instead, position your business for future growth! Businesses that continue to promote through a recession often come out with a larger market share than they started with. We've seen this work time and again through several boom and bust cycles!

A Test Of Character
Tough times can be a test of resourcefulness and character, separating those who really love their work and care about their community from those who are only in it for the money. In the end, those who stay committed to their mission often pick up market share from competitors who quit and emerge from recession stronger than ever.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Abstract Arts & Abstract Paintings - A Panoramic Vista Cultivated With Mystery, Thrived on Veracity

FOREWORD

I remember a while back, when I was faced with a very pressing situation requiring my instant attention. I was being interviewed live, on a major television station at prime time, along with showing a series of my slides in connection to the opening of an art exhibit. As soon as they wired me up, and situated me on stage, and only a couple minutes before going live, the very charming gentleman, who was to interview me, whispered to me the following: "I have no idea what to ask you, what do you suggest?" I said, no problem, if you ask me only 3 simple questions, I will handle the rest. He was relieved, and quickly jotted down the questions. The green light came on, we went on live, and wrapped up a flawlessly smooth and successful interview. Off camera, the crew came on the stage with big smiles, and acknowledged both of us; but they praised the interviewer, for surprising them as an art connoisseur!

DEFINING AESTHETICS

Aesthetics as a set of principles and branch of philosophy deals with questions concerning beauty and artistic experiences. As far as our general understanding of it is concerned it is a highly nebulous field, subjected to tremendous degree of misinterpretation, particularly in the field of abstract art. In any field of humanities where less accurately is known about that field and its principles have not been precisely formulated, the more authoritarian the field becomes. In the field of arts, with no exact fundamentals accurately developed, the techniques and approaches are wide open for the artists to imagine, explore and create their art.

The artist is also subjected to the "laws" of commerce, where various schools of divergent opinions begin to "teach" the artist "how" to be an artist and paint a certain way, citing the field's critics galore as she listens with an open jaw in lieu of reason. The "authorities," in the field of visual arts, most of whom have never painted any paintings themselves but are very "fluid" and "cultured" by having memorized a few standard opinions and artistic works and projects of humanitarian nature, analyze the paintings for the artist every step of the way, each time the artist presents a piece of her art for a critique, mainly to discover what's wrong with her art and how she should fix it according to these "professors's" brand of "expertise."

I admit to a tad of generalization here for making a point; but does any of this ring a true bell for you? Can you think of an artist you know who is or has been on this ship? I lived and survived through it all, trusting and believing that there had to be a logical and more nurturing way to free imaginative impulses so that the artist could paint as freely as he wanted. Something within me, was telling me, that something was inherently not quite right with the constructive criticisms that were to "teach" us how to view our own world of art, through the eyes of the "critics," excuse me, the professors. I had viewed this "school of thought" as an authoritarian method of teaching that smothered the thoughts, emotions, or efforts of the artist, but could not quite articulate the problem I was sensing at the time. I discovered later, that this mechanism of controlling thought through teaching, was only one of the elements in our society, which inherently brings about the suppression of the arts that stifles the creative impulses of the artists at the expense of the whole culture.

Artists are often "accused" of having their heads up in the clouds, and living within an unreal world of imagination. This brings about the necessity of taking a good and thorough look at just how reality bites. Plowing through several fields of study in search of a tool to measure the aesthetics and the creation processes can leave us empty handed, until we splurge into the field of philosophy to examine our thoughts and reasoning.

THE ART OF THINKING AND REASONING

Thinking and reasoning is a social activity for most people. They require the engagement of external forces as the individual is as much a part of society as the society is a part of the individual. From the moment of birth, the social labyrinth of customs, beliefs, languages, values, religions, politics, and other traditional ideas are all well positioned to mold the child into the image of those who the child is surrounded with, and it is thoroughly based upon faith and belief. So masterfully the operation is instilled into the society as social heredity that even science has often mistaken it as being genetic.

English philosopher and author Francis Bacon (1561-1626), and another English philosopher and mathematician Issac Newton (1642-1727), and others have developed ways of thinking and reasoning that requires a fact in order to be proven must be measured, sensed or experienced. And when we thrust this into the realm of mind and spirit we find our willingness reduced in accepting facts based upon faith or belief.

For this reason, in appreciating life, and creating anything within it such as art, looking for answers and solutions exterior to our own sentient qualities, intellects or experiences is to lose concept of our own truth, values and individuality. And the artist, very often, bears the brunt of this philosophy of "independent thinking" and frequently subjected to criticism by those who have a firm grip on the traditions of status quo.

But the artist moves on, knowing where the roots of criticism lie, and reasons that people who resort to "criticism" operate in the absence of true understanding, and since no knowledge can exist in the absence of understanding, there we arrive at the presence of "ignorance." Thus, knowing the basis and the mechanism behind criticism, often serves as a tremendous source of empowerment and consolation for the artist to continue with his art on the grounds of certainty and knowledge of her art and transcend through the highest echelons of culture called: aesthetics!

Bacon had come to the conclusion that no field of study by itself is sufficient in the absence of another form of discipline exterior to it to align and coordinate it in the direction of its goal. We can elaborate further that it is not possible to walk a path aright in the absence of defining its destination. Therefore, to stay clear off the grounds of myths, mysticism and superficial approaches, we can take a look and see how the arts can be best served by defining its goal under the broad umbrella of philosophy that embraces all the arts, sciences and humanities.

Just as it is impossible to have a full view of a countryside by sitting on one of its boulders under a tree, every field of endeavor, to be fully understood, must be viewed and analyzed from a ground much higher than where it germinates. Thus, in the field of visual art's, we cannot look at an abstract painting's isolated data out of context without a consideration of its existence within the scope of a life that contains the art. Bacon say, that would be to use a candle to light a room that is illuminated with daylight.

ART IS COMMUNICATION

We all enjoy and desire a pleasant conversation with our associates, friends and family. But when we look, and inspect our environment, we notice that the great majority of our population, have difficulty with communication. A two way communication takes place, when we can freely initiate our thoughts or ideas to one another, acknowledge each other and continue this interaction, back and forth, by continuing with the sharing of our thoughts and ideas, very much similar to a friendly game of tennis; where the return of the ball, is dependent upon the quality of the serve.

There are times when we notice a break in communication, when either one of the parties, in its turn, fails to acknowledge and originate a thought or an impulse back, to continue with the conversation, or to bring about an optimum conclusion.

The people having these difficulties with origination, are generally accustomed to prepackaged amusements, such as a weather disaster, or an incident or story relayed by a coworker. They get very low on originating communication on their own, inspired by their own imagination; and they become somewhat vexed, when faced with an "imaginative conversationalist." This is either through their upbringing and cultural environment, or their education.

Origination is very important to bring about a communication. To this degree, these people communicate mainly regarding subjects that are handed to them by external sources. They see a news story, they talk about it; they get a call about a family affair, they talk about it. They wait for an exterior circumstance to bring about an interaction, otherwise they do not engage by "creating" a communication. They either have a compulsively irresistible urge toward doing something, or inhibited and behave awkward and unnatural in communicating. If they manage to engage, they often turn sharply, towards derailment of the dialogue, and bring about a good degree of resentment, ill will and unwanted conclusions.

The people who do not originate, or do not engage imaginatively, are inherently dependent upon others to give them primal reasons to engage in a conversation; this is due to being endowed with very little imagination. As a result, we can conclude, that a pleasant and engaging conversation, requires the participation of two imaginative minds, with similar endowment of creative impulses, to mutually create the art of communication.

The field of visual arts, follows the same principles, as art is a form of visual communication. The artist originates his communication as s visual message, through the presentation of his art, to his audience. The quality, and the presence of this initiative that he forwards in his art, forms the visual message, that he delivers to his audience; the quality of which, determine the response of his audience, to whether engage or not. Hence, arts much similar to personal dialogues and conversations, follow the same basic principles of communication, in its success or failure

An artist with low imagination, who does not originate verbally, does not communicate visually either. He originates no visual messages in his art, or when he does, it is so scarcely done, that it stirs up no interaction with his audience. This absence of expression, is mainly due to the artist heavy reliance upon the origination of the audience - as an external force - to brings about a communication, in the direction of his art, which is "silent." Thus, no emotional interaction takes place between the audience and the painting.

An artist, high on imagination, is more likely to enjoy the virtuosity necessary in the technical execution of his art. Thus, he is competent, to effortlessly and vigorously, create his visual messages on his canvas; bringing about an interaction between the audience and his painting.

The visual message does not have to be the same for every viewer. The message, serves only as a visual or artistic "code," to be subjectively decoded, by each viewer; much similar to a popular piece of music, that echoes widely by communicating to the listeners - same melodic tone creating a different mood in different listeners.

Thus, the communication quality of an artistic expression, is the artist's intention as a carrier wave, by which her message is delivered to his audience. The technical expertise, by which the art is executed, is also very important, and at times, successful all by itself; although, the quality of the visual communication, always remains senior to the technical execution of the art. The carrier wave, which communicates the artist's intention, to his viewers, is a phenomenon occurring between the artist and the viewer and resides within the realms of spirit.

IMAGINATION VS. COMMUNICATION

Imagination is the faculty or action of forming ideas in the mind and the ability to be creative and resourceful. The ability to originate communication, is in direct proportion with good imagination. The reverse is never true that imagination has to be imperiled first to result in failure of imagination to express thoughts and ideas. Imagination becomes thwarted and dulled in artists who become dependent upon others to reach out to them, to the point that they do not reach at all. These artists can then, greatly benefit, by rehabilitating the ability to originate, and initiate expressions of thoughts and emotions, and thus restoring their imaginative impulses in favor of creating communicative art.

Imagination is the driving force behind the artist's dexterity by which he executes his art and the deftness by which he communicates his impulses as visual messages. The more refined the artist's creative impulses, the clearer are his visual messages in sharing his thoughts, feelings, perceptions and other creative faculties with his audience. Imagination is the prior cause, which precedes the expression of art as its effect; a cause that unarguably and intrinsically, initiate itself in the future, as a postulate first, followed by an effect, which becomes expressed as a painting. Its conception is superior to its execution. Thus, the artist, through his imagination, continue to live in the future.

In the case of abstract expressionism, the art is the conduit for the dialogue, between the imagination and the audience, via the expression as a painting. The more the artist becomes intimately acquainted with the inherent truth, and virtues by which he was created himself, the more freer become his imaginative impulses, and the more spirited he can express his art.

Abstract expressionism, is a genuine fruit of the imagination. Imagination is the only form of wealth, that gives us art as its dividend. Imagination is where the art is conceived and germinated. Imagination does not work with reason, it does not attempt to classify the physical universe as real or imaginary, it does not assess or evaluate things into categories; it only conceives ideas and expresses them - nothing more.

The magic of art, does not exist in its execution, or presentation of feelings and mental imagery independently exterior to the mind. Execution, or presentation of the art, is the technical expertise; the externalization by which the art is expressed. The magic of art, particularly modern art, resides within the intellectual awareness of the mind, in conceiving and forming of ideas. The essence of creation, resides in its conception. When the artist, completes the formation of a conceptual idea, and it then arrives in the external world in the form of an abstract or modern painting, the artist has given birth to expression, and the creation process is complete.

Similarly, when we originate a verbal communication, the words we utter, are expressions of ideas we have already conceived and formed in our mind, what is being expressed in our speech. It is external to the boundaries of our imaginative and intellectual calculations, and subjected to the limitations of the physical or material means, by which they can be expressed; as it is not difficult to recall the times, when our thoughts or feelings, were far more beautiful, than what we have been able to express in our speech. The action of painting, the writing of words, the striking of the piano keyboard, are only the interpretations of the imagination in the field of thought and spirit. They do not exist in the realm of aesthetic creation, which is a spiritual pursuit.

An imaginative idea, is far greater in scope, than what the artist portrays on canvas. The expression, whether in the form of abstract painting, singing a song, writing a poem, or composing a piece of music, it is always limited to the boundaries and limitations by which they can be executed within the material world. Thereby, it is an alteration of truth conceived in the imagination. The extend of this alteration, as to how much the expression realizes, and fulfills the conception of the original idea released from the imagination, is not measurable, or fully known at this time.

A work of art is understood and appreciated by direct observation. Between the artist who creates the art, and the viewer who contemplates it, lies the magic: Expressive imagination. It is our own creative impulses, perceptions and recognition of the aesthetic expressions within the art, that allows us to experience what is being resonating to us from the artist; and thus, becoming engaged in a two way communication with the artist through his art; the art is an spiritual connection to the artist. Aesthetics, when fully perceived, elevates us into the serene realm of timelessness.

KNOWING IS SENIOR TO UNDERSTANDING

Knowing and understanding are two of the basic fundamentals in creating art. Knowing is a part of imagination within the mind, in which aesthetic impulses are conceived and transformed into artistic expressions; a process which is best understood by defining both: knowing and understanding; and why knowing is above understanding.

Knowing is an intrinsic quality of the mind, in variable measures. Knowing is a state of awareness and a perception in pursuit of a goal. It requires no reliance on exterior forces. Knowing is always accompanied with certainty, ability, and confidence. Knowing is a state of awareness; it is a given state of knowledge. Those with great abilities in a given field, have confidence and are fully aware of knowing that they know, independent of any external factors.

Knowing is different than understanding, which comes about with learning. Knowing is the enlightenment felt in perceiving truth. Knowing is self-contained. It is a singular activity which exists by itself and within itself. Knowing is knowing that one knows. Knowing is the faculty to perceive and the capacity for truth - it is a self-determined knowledge.

Knowing is self-assurance, it is self-belief. Something that is known without effort. The mastery in a given skill is knowing. The imaginative impulses of an artist that spontaneously conceives an abstract art is knowing. Knowing is the self-confidence by which a task is pursued. It is a certainty in thought, and knowingly perceiving that certain conclusions can be drawn. Knowing is the work of the imagination in conceiving an abstract painting, or making instantaneous conclusions, as to the completion of an art composition. Knowing is awareness of the truth within, and the certainty that it can permeate through any, real or imagined barrier.

Understanding on the other hand, is below knowing, because it is dependent upon the engagement of external elements, in the material universe, to fulfill its aim. It is the result of education, as a group activity involving the external world. Studying about prehistoric art, or modern art for instance, creates an understanding about these two styles of art. It does not rely upon our perceptions, or awareness of what is innately ours.

An activity in pursuit of understanding is a potential knowledge, as it is acquired, such as the study of a modern painting. It does not fulfill its aim by itself. Understanding is to come to know something in a certain direction; such as learning to play the piano, or a foreign language. It becomes skills in doing things aptly, which leads to knowing.

An ability to cook and enjoy good food with ones friends is understanding of how o cook and entertain. The ability to paint a piece of modern art is an understanding of the art itself. The ability to raise beautiful flowers and share them with our neighbor is understanding of gardening and creating goodwill. The ability and competence in having a successful conversation with someone is understanding of good communication skills. Understanding is the universal solvent. Understanding brings about peace and harmony. It can wash things away.

In the field of arts, exterior sources of reference, used as mimicry or imitation, compromises the integrity of imagination, ideas, thoughts and concepts; and so becomes impure the art, when it is created through understanding, and reliance upon external forces. Knowledge, purely expressed from within, through the mind and the spirit, is how the artist gives birth to new abstract forms. Abstract art is an example of origination of communication to the viewers as a pure presentation of self-expression.

VIRTUOSITY IN MODERN ART

Pure creation of fine art, such as abstract paintings, is an emotional activity that surmounts any rational thoughts or reasons, as it fulfills itself through an spiritual journey into time, motion and space, with light, color and form. It is an state of awareness, that summons the most innate essence of the artist's imaginative and analytical forces. The higher the awareness and the clarity by which he perceives, the higher will be the versatility, and willingness by which he performs along the various facets of life.

Johannes Itten (1888-1967), was one of the principal teachers of modern art at The Bauhaus School in Germany, whose teaching philosophy, has produced several great artists of the 20th century. Itten's principles bring to light, a greater and more in-depth understanding and appreciation of the values in acquiring additional skills in the field, outside of the arts. He believed, studies and mastery in areas such as philosophy, gardening, landscaping, sewing, woodworking, etc., were necessary in developing personal interaction and direct experiences with nature. In Itten's view, understanding life, it's structure, forms and textures, plays a significant hand in developing one's creative impulses. He believed, broadly acquired dexterity, was essential in the competent execution of art through memory and inspiration. Itten's concise and illuminating words on the subject are expressed more eloquently in the following quote.

"If new ideas are to assume artistic form, physical, sensual, spiritual, and intellectual forces and abilities must all be equally available and act in concert." - Johannes Itten

Hans Hofmann (1880-1966), a German artist, who lived in Paris in his youth, and was a patron of the French avant-garde movement. His friends, impressively included Matisse, Miro, Picasso and Bracques. He evolved through the revolutionary period of the Western art in early 1900, and later, when he immigrated to America, he became well regarded as the father of abstract expressionism. Hofmann taught the very effective approach of encouraging his students to explore within their own experiences, to develop artistic signatures unique to themselves; and consulting nature only as a reference. He articulates this concept partly as follow:


"Nature is permeated by rhythm whose variety cannot be restricted.
Art imitates it in this respect, in order to clarify itself and thereby
attain the same degree of sublimity, raising itself to a state of multiple
harmony, a harmony of colors that are divided at one moment and
restored to wholeness by the next. This synchronic action is to be
regarded as the real and only subject of painting." - Hans Hofmann

Through his technique of push and pull, Hofmann proved that the illusion of depth, space and motion, can be created abstractly, through the use of color and form, in the absence of representational imagery. His teaching was very influential in the progress and the development of abstract expressionism, specially in terms of his philosophical wisdom, that nature is the greatest art and artist and it is there not to be imitated but to inspire.

THE MOMENT OF JUDGMENT

The artist conceives his aesthetic ideas in his imagination, and transforms them into paintings. His paintings carry a visual message, and communicate it to his audience. These paintings are his artistic performance by which he tells about himself. His art, ought to be created purely for his audience, in the absence of any considerations given to any possible critiques given by the critics. People's emotional responses are the sole decision makers, as to whether the art is successful or not, based on the quality by which a the art communicates to them.

To disabuse you totally of any mysteries, involving the recognition of a successful work of art, here lies a simple acid test by way of an Asian tale: an ancient Chinese poet whose poems were laudably read throughout the land, had a simple test to insure the acceptance of his audience. Each time he wrote a poem, he surveyed its popularity in his town. He took it to an old flower lady he knew in the town's square and read it to her. If she liked it, he published it; and if she did not, he discarded it and wrote a new one. His very thoughtful and wise conclusion in doing this survey, was the following: that if his poems were understood and appreciated by a peasant lady in the town square, they will also be popular with his readers. So, here lies the simplicity by which a widely successful and pure work of art should communicate its essence.

The point here in terms of visual arts, is that a successful work of art, whether representational art or abstract art, has to impinge emotionally, upon people who view it, and bring about a sentient response that causes them to engage and understand the painting. When they understand it, they talk about it, participate in it, and put a part of themselves in it, to complete it for themselves as their own work of art.

The Chinese "flower lady" is the acid test for every good piece of art, which nullifies all the esoteric classified fallacies, put together by the "experts" who pontificate that a certain type of convoluted "knowledge" or "expertise" is a prerequisite for the public to understand and appreciate art, specially abstract art. Nothing is further from the truth. The simple truth is this: every individual viewer's instinctive, and instantaneous pulse of joy that he feels and senses strolling through his heart, as a reaction to the pleasure, brought about by viewing the art, is the ultimate judge; alerting the viewer, that he is in the presence of a successful work of art - and no more.

ARTS: A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

"Art is greater than science because the latter proceeds by laborious accumulation and cautious reasoning, while the former reaches its goal at once by intuition and presentation; science can get along with talent, but art requires genius." - German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

Purity of life force, or spirit does not belong to any part of the physical or material universe. It has no mass, no form, no location in space, no energy, and no motion. It resides in the realm of spirit; and that is not religiously, but spiritually speaking.

The more intellectually, and spiritually endowed is the artist, the more powerful will be his demonstration and expression of his ideas. Clarity of his concepts are directly related to the level of his awareness and his willingness to face life. The more purity, vitality and awareness the aesthetic mind of the artist attains, the more intelligently forceful and sentient will be his artistic expressions. Abstract art, in its purest form is expressed through the soul.

The interaction of the artist with his canvas, when he paints, is an awe-inspiring time of feeling totally free, from the concerns of the material universe; as he enters the sublime world of spiritual awareness. A state where, according to Schopenhauer, the sun can be viewed the same, either from a prison or a palace. It is this level of sublimity that saturates life with an enchanting beaut; assigning aesthetic quality to our sufferings, enabling us to view our pains from a much higher elevation.

Art inject serenity and calm into our space. It humanizes our relationships. It soothes our mind and soul. Art transcends us from the agonies of the transitory, and the material world, by placing infinity into our view. The best arts appeal both, to our intellects and our emotions. The magnificent field of art elevates the culture, and gives Man a splendor of peace and joy to rise to.

As the aesthetic mind, become purged and purified of its impurities and misconceptions, it begins to approach more towards the infinite level of awareness and knowledge in its purest form; an ascend, which leads the aesthetic mind closer to eternity; an awareness level instinctively knowable by those who have achieved a higher level of awareness; a level, where the aesthetic mind can effortlessly journey through distant times and places, to bring back imaginatively divine souvenirs in the form of art.

Saturday, August 3, 2013

My Kids Really Enjoy the Free Movies Online

I keep my kids busy when I need a break by choosing from a huge list of letmewatchthis for them to watch. They like their cartoons, and I will use the service when I need time to do a chore such as write checks to pay bills, do the dishes or other things. The twins are still very young, and I usually try to work on things while they are asleep. Most every waking hour of theirs is spent with us playing and learning together. We have a great time. However, the best way to keep them occupied right now is by watching one of their favorite animated movies. The free ones I found online are perfect for this.

Most of the time I find our daughter watching the movie while her twin brother is fast asleep. She is more like me. She is a light sleeper while our son sleeps like his dad. Just like most kids their age, I think they have seen their favorite animated movies about a dozen times each. The free movies online make it easy and very budget conscious for them to be entertained while I get some work down outside of nap time.

Dad does the same thing on his days off when nap time is too short to get a chore done. It works, and we get to be choosy about the movies they watch. I like that a lot. Plus, all it takes is a laptop or tablet put anywhere they plop themselves down. I wasn't going to tell you this, but me and dad end up watching some of the animated movies with them. We like seeing the ones we grew up with again even though we saw them dozens of times when we were kids. It's a fun thing we do together, and it works great when you have some household chores to get done without kids underfoot.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

5 Crazy Entertainment Applications for Your iPhone

Apple's iPhone can always keep you entertained. There are plenty of applications in AppStore's entertainment category that can get you out of absolute boredom and can keep your mood up and running. Further, after Apple has finally raised the curtains from iPhone 5, this category is going to get heaped up with apps as people would be inclined to get more and more of them. In the meanwhile, if you're looking for some quirky apps that will keep the fun and amusement on for you, then here are five of them.

FaceGoo Lite
If you love to make faces, then FaceGoo Lite is just your kind of application. In this app, you can pinch, stretch and twist your photos and make it as crazy and funny as possible. You can make your friends look silly, or you can contort the faces of your foes to make them look fat and idiotic. Upgrade to the full version of the app to save screenshots and upload those crazy funny faces on Facebook. You just need to choose picture from the Photo Library, and use your fingers to twist, punch and push the face.

StumbleUpon!
This app is meant for those people who never get tired of exploring and discovering new things, and when it comes to exploring and discovering, then nothing can provide them more fun than this one. With just a tap on the "Stumble!" button, StumbleUpon! Presents you with heaps of photos, videos and interesting web pages on iPhone's touch screen. You can pick from 500 different interests, and it instantly recommends you with pages that have amazing stuffs. Also, your mobile account gets automatically synced with your web account; so now, you can start exploring anytime you want.

Spray Can
Spray Can is bliss to all those people who love to show their artistic side in extraordinary ways. Download this app in your iPhone, and join the biggest art community on iOS that has approximately 5 million users. It has an extremely creative and easy-to-use paint mode and an online gallery where users can publish their arts and rate and comment on other users' tags. If your art is good enough, then you can build your own fan base and can become famous.

SimSimi
This one came as good news to all those chatter boxes who love to keep themselves entertained with non-stop chatting and gossips. SimSimi is a cute, advanced chatting robot that can make amusing conversation to keep you away from boredom. To initiate the conversation, just start a talk session at the touch screen, and SimSimi instantly greets you. You can even teach new words to SimSimi and grow her vocabulary with your input. At first go, this may seem to be a kid's game, but as you get used to talking to the cute chatting robot, you'll find that it can amuse any person regardless of age.

Ghost Radar®: CLASSIC
So, if you love to get entertained with spooky experiences, then Ghost Radar® can help you. This app has been designed to detect paranormal activity, and for this task, it has been equipped with various sensors. However, Ghost Radar® is different from other traditional paranormal equipment because it analyzes the sensors' readings only when it gets interesting patterns. It also has a voice to let you know when it detects interesting words.

All the five applications mentioned above are peculiar, but entertaining. The surprising thing is though AppStore provides users with lots of peculiar apps for fun and enjoyment, the fever of entertainment apps development for iPhone never seems to go. Well, one big reason for this might be that there are lots of people who have got crazier ideas for entertainment apps.