Happy Vampires

KICK THE CAN ©

When I was young,

How I loved to ‘Play the hero′,

To be the one

Who set the others free;

But, now it’s rough, I’m just ‘Another zero’,

It’s hard enough

To just take care of me…

Yet, memory still retains the sight,

Of ‘Standing up’ for what was ‘Right′,

Of ‘Taking turns′ at waiting for the swing;

The ‘Sleeping out’ and ‘Marshmallow roasts’,

The stories we told about ‘Terrible ghosts’,

Deciding which girl ‘I liked the most’,

Then, giving that girl ‘My ring’…

Of having a friend ‘To stay over’,

Of finding a ‘Four leaf clover’,

Folding the paper to make a ‘Hat’ or a ‘Fan’;

“He found a nickel, the lucky bum”,

Sharing the ‘Popsicle’ or ‘Bubble gum′,

“Ready or not, here I come…”

Running to ‘Kick the can′…

Of building a ‘Fort’

Way up in a tree,

Of painting a sign

For ‘Boys only′,

Knowing the ‘Crawdad’

Was going to pinch your hand;

The afternoon swimming

Down at the ‘Creek’,

The ‘All day suckers’,

And ‘Sharing a lick’ ,

Wishing ‘To heck′

To grow up ‘Real quick’…

Lord, I’d love another chance

To ‘Kick the can’…

The above poem was published in 1977 in Beacon©, a “Limited Edition” (1,000 copies) rhyming poetry book with black on white watercolour illustrations. In 1979, I had an “Attack-of-conscience” which caused me to remove the remaining ~ then selling like hotcakes ~ copies from the Portland, OR marketplaces that I had established…LOL…just prior to ordering a 5,000 book, 2nd Edition printing. If you are one of the original Beacon© buyers, your Beacon© book is worth ~ at least ~ three times what you paid for it then. I wish that the author was…LOL… Yes, I am the still the original Russ Miles.

While I was 28-years-old, when I published ‘ KICK THE CAN ‘, I was a kid when I lived it. Today, at 58 years of age, I am once more a kid ~ living in the year 1959 ~ when I read it. I am still transported back to a simple time when Studabaker speedometers went to 160 mph, problems were few, delights were many, and the world was ripe for my taking.

Roy Rogers was my hero, nobody died in a fist-fight, and Dale Evans was what every bride should be. As with Rusty and Rin-Tin-Tin, good always prevailed over evil, George Washington could “Not tell a lie,” and Dwight David Eisenhaur had to be honest, or else he couldn’t have been elected president. “Right?”

Both John F. Kennedy and Vice President Nixon were honest too. But, Kennedy was a Catholic and Nixon was a Quaker. Everything came down to black and white. I didn′t know what Quakers believed but I’d heard that they didn′t go to confession. Most of the mean kids that I knew didn′t go to confession either. My mom said that, “Confession is good for the soul.” I wasn′t even mean, but I went every chance that I got. There were always other “Things” that I needed forgiving for.

I thought that I had better ask my school teacher about what Quakers believed. At recess, when when he was headed to the out-house, I stopped him under the 10 commandments he’d posted above the door.

“Is it true that Quakers don’t go to confession?” I asked.

“Yes, that’s true, Rusty,” he replied. “Like most Protestants, they don’t pray to Mary, either. Here, take this bell and ring it for me in exactly seven minutes. I sure hope that there is some toilet paper out there.”

Wow, I thought. No wonder most of these kids are so mean. They don’t pray to Mary so she’s not praying for them. I decided right then and there that I’d tell people to vote for Kennedy. I wanted our next president to be getting all of the help he could get, with the Russians and all…

For those of you unfortunate grown-ups that have never played Kick the Can, it is a game much like Hide and Seek. The difference is, when you are found, the “It” person must run back to the coffee can and jump over it saying, “Over the can for Allen!” If Allan can get to the can and kick it first, then Billy, Diana, and Judy who were caught, are set free to hide again while the “It” person recovers and returns the coffee can to the same place…LOL… The first person who is caught becomes the “It” person when all of the hiders are captured. You can still teach Kick the Can to your children and grand kids. They will love you even more for their new, non-video game.

As for me, I hope that this Beacon Verse series of ezine articles will afford me another chance to Kick the Can of worms away from some who are wishing to escape the wayward wigglies.

Russ Miles writes romance books, poetry, songs, ezine articles, and mystery thriller novels. In 2006, his remaining copies of Beacon© and Imperfections© are being sold through his personal website MilesBooks.com ##MilesBooks.com## and via mailto:milesBooks@gmail.com milesBooks@gmail.com

Comments: mailto:MilesRuss@gmail.com MilesRuss@gmail.com

Terrell Owens is in your breakfast cereal.

Just look down, and you′ll see little “ESPN” logos floating around in the milk, and then every so often you′ll see T.O.’s mug pop to the surface for air and say, “My contract is slave wages!” and then re-submerge.

Owens is also in your coffee cup. The moment you drain the last drop of Maxwell House, you’ll see T.O.’s simpering face demanding a trade.

He’s in your shower for sure. Be careful when you open the curtain. If you find him in a bad mood, he’ll jump out and start screaming at you for bad play-calling.

He and Jeremy Schaap are dancing a rallentando on your car roof. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is skiing in your hair gel. T.O. is in the crawl space under your house, between your dog’s toenails, and up your wife’s left nostril. ESPN’s John Clayton, Chris Mortensen, Sean Salisbury, Mark Schlereth and Chris Berman are breathlessly running alongside you on the highway, informing you of another impending T.O. armageddon.

Your eyes have turned Eagle-green. Your lips have reformed in the shape of the team’s wing helmet logo. You’ve put on 300 pounds because Andy Reid is your new Siamese twin.

You can’t escape the massive scale of this story. Don’t even try.

Well, that Virginia Tech drama lasted for all of 10 minutes. Do you see any way that the BCS title game doesn′t come down to USC against Texas? Who has an early lead in your mind on the winner of that game?

Bob Aggarwal, Pro Handicappers League: I don’t see anyone beating Texas or USC the rest of the way. Those two teams are head and shoulders above everyone else. The early nod has to go to USC with their experience and team leadership. Not by much, maybe a field goal. I could even see that line possibly opening at 4.

Greg Jorssen, BoDog: Unless UCLA can knock USC from the undefeated rank during the last week of the season, you will be seeing USC play Texas in the Rose Bowl. The Hokies were the only reason all season long that they held off on printing the Trojan vs. Longhorn Rose Bowl tickets. Now that Texas is the clear #2, the two teams just need to concentrate on winning their remaining games to guarantee this epic match-up, as one little slip-up will have the Tide rush in and take their spot in the national spotlight on January 4th. If and when Texas and USC meet in the Rose Bowl, you would have to give the slight edge to USC, due to the game being played on their home turf, somewhat. Updated Power Rankings have USC at 104 and Texasat 103, thus slight edge to the Trojans on a neutral field. With the game being played in their backyard, you would have to open the line in the neighborhood of USC -4 or -5. And besides, can you come up with any reasons at all to doubt Pete Caroll, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart in a pressure game?

The Colts clearly proved New England is too banged-up to be a threat this season. So my question to you now: are the Colts for real? Do they have what it takes (especially on defense) to be a Super Bowl champ?

GJ, BoDog: At the midway point of the season, clear to see that the Colts are the class of the NFL. It was a surprising stat to read today that Monday’s performance by Peyton Manning was his first 300 yard game of the season however that just shows the shift in the team’s focus this year. They possess the league’s #4 defense (compared to last year’s 29th place ranking) to go along with the league’s fourth-best offense. That said, are they for real? I cannot really answer
that until they actually have played someone. Patriots were too beaten up to give the Colts a fair test. The previous seven opponents are a combined 19-38, thus the true test will be November 20th in Cincinnati and then at home to face the Steelers the following week. If the Colts’ defense can remain as dominant against these top caliber teams, then, and only then, can I say that they have what it takes to hoist the Lomabardi Trophy in February.

BA, Pro Handicappers League: The Colts showed Monday night they are certainly legit. We all knew in the past that they had the capability to light up almost anyone offensively. That has not changed. It’s the defense that has made the difference this year. They are currently ranked 4th in the league overall in team defense allowing just 278.8 yards per game. Last year’s weakness, their run-stopping capability, has gone by the wayside as the Colts are allowing less than 100 yards a game. Overall they are allowing just 12.2 points per game as well, good for second-best in the league. Indy has finally put it all together, the stellar offensive capabilities of a Peyton Manning led team and the defense
that Tony Dungy has been working on for the past four years.

Do the Eagles have a chance in the world without Terrell Owens?

BA, Pro Handicappers League: Everyone forgets this club went to three straight NFC title games without TO. This franchise was great before him and they will be great after him. As long as Andy Reid is head coach, the Eagles will always be contenders.

GJ, BoDog: The Eagles would have struggled making the playoffs with or without Terrell Owens due to the division they are in and the injuries they have incurred; however they did what they had to do for the future success of this team. I have managed many an employee that had incredible talent, but had poisonous and destructive attitudes on the work floor. The decision to let that person go, thus hurting my company in the process in the short term, was very difficult yet necessary in ensuring a workforce that was working together as a team. The Eagles were a circus show with Owens on the sidelines. Now, hopefully, Coach Reid can get this issue behind him and focus his team out of the spotlight and onto the task at hand, which is back into the spotlight for a Monday Night game against the Cowboys. Reid has his work cut out for him.

The first NCAA Hoops poll is out. How much stake do you put in it? Is Duke really going to be that much better than everyone else?

GJ, BoDog: I don’t put too much weight into pre-season polls; however when a team receives 61 out of a possible 72 first-place votes, you tend to give the pre-season poll a little more notice. Duke is definitely the team to beat this year, with J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, both AP All-Americans, returning for their senior year. Last time Duke had two All-Americans in their lineup was back in 1992 when Bobby Hurley (remember him?) and Grant Hill were teammates. Redick’s stats are quite impressive: he averaged just under 22 points in his junior year, and shot over 40% from the three-point line. Williams is an offensive and defensive force, averaging 15.5 points per game and averaging over 11 rebounds per game. Throw in the fact that the Blue Devils have the best freshman class in the nation, and it’s clear to see that they will be the team that cuts down the nets in early April and that we could quite possibly be seeing the start of what could be a Duke dynasty for the next few years. Texas, on the other hand, hopes to rebound from a disappointing first-round defeat by returning four double-digit scorers. The Longhorns possess possibly the most talented point guard in the nation in Daniel Gibson, who is one year older and smarter thus will be dominant all season if he stays healthy and if Texas can develop a back-up point guard to give Gibson some rest. Mark December 10th on your calendar, as Texas and Duke battle for what could be the #1 ranking in the nation.

BA, Pro Handicappers League: I put almost no stake at all in preseason polls. Remember two years ago when Alabama was ranked number #3 preseason and didn’t even make the NCAA tournament? The polls are there for exposure and for people to chat about by the water cooler. After that, they mean absolutely nothing. The Blue Devils will certainly be solid, especially in a year when the ACC is a bit down. With that said, they still have just two experienced seniors and several questions at the point. Duke won’t runaway with anything, neither will any college club this year for that matter. Its wide open this season with six or seven teams capable of winning it all.

Christopher Harris is a featured writer for the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at procappers.com/ procappers.com

Is it me or are we seeing more and more former celebrities and celebrities on the C or D list on television nowadays? Practically anywhere you look on television you can find former stars trying to make a comeback.

Do you like heavy metal musicians from the 70’s and 80’s? Check out Gene Simmons from KISS on VH1, Tommy Lee (the drummer from Motley Crue) going to college on NBC, or the lead singer from Warrant on Celebrity Fit Club. Like hip-hop? Bobby Brown has his own show on Bravo. Boy bands more your thing? online-psychic.biz/celebrities/recording-artists/joey-mcintyre.php Joey McIntyre danced up a storm on Dancing with the Stars.

How about aging sports stars? Jose Canseco is one of the housemates on The Surreal Life 5, and we all got to see Evander Holyfield strut his stuff on ABC this summer. Hulk Hogan has his own show on VH1.

We also have the opportunity to see television stars from previous decades – remember Balki on Perfect Strangers? He’s also one of the roommates on The Surreal Life 5. Willie Aames from Charles in Charge and Eight is Enough is on Celebrity Fit Club. Who didn’t love John O’Hurley (of Seinfeld fame) on Dancing with the Stars?

Comediennes also have a place on reality television. Victoria Jackson was great on Saturday Night Live – now she’s trying to lose weight on Celebrity Fit Club. Kathy Griffin has her own show on Bravo titled, interestingly enough, My Life on the D List.

Reality television is even going so far to have the children of rich and famous people star in their shows. E! has a show called Filthy Rich Cattle Drive, where the children of the rich and famous have to rough it on a ranch.

I don’t know about you, but my favorite reality shows are ones where the stars are real people. I think it’s great to see someone considered a regular person (or average) succeed with a record contract or with a large cash prize. It’s sometimes hard to route for the rich and famous – I’d rather see the poor and unknown person succeed on reality tv.

Sally Baker - reality-tv-online.com Reality TV Online

If you’ve ever been tempted to download a movie illegally, there are some issues you should understand. First, you would be breaking the law, and your ISP can (and in most cases, will) give your personal information to the authorities. You can also be sued by the companies who own the movie. While you might not think it likely, there are several news stories available on Google of “casual” peer-to-peer downloaders being sued by huge corporations. You’re also taking a big risk when you download movies from people you don’t know. The files are very large, and you wouldn’t notice a small virus file that your virus software doesn’t catch. It’s just not smart.

There are now places where you can legally download movies. You can rent or buy movies that you download directly to your computer. There are even places where you can watch free movies online. Right now, there are only a handful of sites available, but as more movie companies and distributors move toward making their movies available as a means to prevent piracy losses, there will be more sites that allow you to rent or purchase downloadable movies.

Amazon.com has a program called “Amazon Unbox Video Downloads,” that allows you to rent or purchase movies online and download them to your computer. You then play the movie on a special program that you download for free from Amazon. You can also download movies from Amazon directly to your compatible TiVo DVR unit or portable video player. You don’t even have to wait as long as you would to illegally download a movie - you can start watching the movie while it’s still downloading. Purchased videos can be downloaded to more than one computer. You can only burn the movie on a CD or DVD for backup purposes. You won’t be able to play it in a DVD player, and you’ll only be able to watch it on one of your registered computers. Rentals start at $2 and purchases start at about $10. There are specials, coupons, and deals offered on a regular basis from Amazon for getting discounts on downloaded movies.

Movielink.com has a very similar program to Amazon. You download a program called Movielink Manager where you can organize and watch your rentals and purchases. Like Amazon, you can only burn CDs and DVDs to back up your movie. The DVDs will not play in DVD players. Movielink has ongoing specials including “surprise rentals” for $1 and frequent purchase discounts. Movielink will not work on Firefox, Opera, or Netscape browsers. You must use Internet Explorer.

CinemaNow.com also offers rentals and purchases. In addition, CinemaNow offers about 1200 streamed free movies that you can watch online. CinemaNow also offers several movies that, when purchased, CAN be burned to DVD to be played in DVD players.

There are advantages to downloading movies instead of renting or buying DVDs. You don’t have to worry about losing or scratching a rental, late fees, driving to a store, waiting for a DVD to be mailed to you, or getting the wrong movie. You also don’t have to worry about scratching the DVDs you own or trying to get scratched DVDs to play with various sprays and machines. You can backup the movies to be stored elsewhere so they don’t take up space on your computer and they won’t be lost in case of hard drive failure.

If you take advantage of S-Video connectors, you can directly link a lot of PCs or laptops to your television and watch the movies from Amazon, Movielink, and CinemaNow on your TV. There are also products from companies like ≪ that let you broadcast from your PC or TV to other televisions in your home complete with remote control capabilities.

When you want to download a movie, it’s worth a few dollars to rent it from one of these sites and legally download the movie. You won’t risk lawsuits, viruses, or the horrible guilt you’ll feel for breaking the law!

John Schwartz is a member of the team of reviewers at movie-reviews-1.com movie-reviews-1.com - offering unbiased movie-reviews-1.com movie reviews and tips on renting, buying, and watching movies.

Spring practices are in the books and fall camps will be here before you know it so that means getting an early jump on the 2006 NCAA football season. Knowing the teams now will save you time in August and Matt Fargo is here to help you get a grasp of what to expect this upcoming year. We go from worst to first in this 2006 College Football Preview.

#60 – South Florida Bulls 6-6 SU; 6-5 ATS

Fargo’s Take Defense wins championships and that will have to be the adage for South Florida this season. The Bulls were 79th in the country in both scoring and total offense a season ago and must replace more essential players than they have coming back. The leader in that departed class is running back Andre Hall, who rushed for 1,374 yards on 5.1 ypc while scoring 13 touchdowns. He was also the leading receiver in both receptions and yardage so replacing him will be next to impossible. The offense scored 13 or fewer points in five of their 12 games including getting shutout in their bowl game against NC State. The defense made up for things, ranking 17th in total defense and 14th in scoring defense and those rankings might have to be repeated to make it to the postseason once again. There are some excellent prospects on this team so depth could be a huge asset late in the season.

Returning Starters on Offense – 7 Usually, the return of a senior quarterback can make up for the loss of an all-conference running back but that is not the case for South Florida. Hall was just that good and quarterback Pat Julmiste is just that bad. He completed only 49.2 percent of his passes last season while throwing for only 1,489 yards and six touchdowns while tossing 11 interceptions. He came into spring as the number two quarterback but Carlton Hill, who was supposed to take over, did not perform well at all and Julmiste regained the top spot. Along with a new running back, three offensive linemen need to be replaced as well so the running game, the strength last season, could struggle early on. The receivers are the most experienced and deepest unit but getting them the ball will be problematic similar to last season. The offense could actually digress in 2006.

Returning Starters on Defense – 7 The reason the Bulls are ranked as high as they are is due to the defense that should be the top unit in the Big East this season. Seven players are back including six from the back seven but that actually increases to eight with the return of safety Danny Verpaele who was a freshman All-American but missed all of last season with a foot injury. The passing defense was 6th in the entire country and 16th in the more important passing efficiency defense category. ¾ of the defensive line needs to be replaced but there is some excellent experience coming in and the best linebacking corps in the conference makes the rushing defense very strong once again. The Bulls allowed 16 points or fewer in seven games last year including four of its last five which should provide great momentum heading into the new season.

Schedule Whatever lack of offense the Bulls have is made up for with a schedule that can get the Bulls back into the postseason. They start the season with two non-conference home games against McNeese St. and Florida International before traveling to revenge minded Central Florida and then to Kansas. South Florida then starts the Big East slate with back-to-back home games against Rutgers and Connecticut before traveling to North Carolina for its final non-conference game. After a trip to Cincinnati, the Bulls host their final two home conference games against Pittsburgh and Syracuse. The final two games are the main reason South Florida won’t win the Big East as they have to travel to Louisville and West Virginia to close the year. An upset in one of those could change that but isn’t likely.

You can bet on… The talent rich state of Florida has been very good to the Bulls as they have gone 34-21 since becoming a 1-A program in 2001 and have had just one losing season in that span. The defense is good enough to carry this team to yet another winning record and a second straight bowl appearance but the offense does need to do its part along the way. South Florida is 12-5 ATS in its short history against non-conference teams including a perfect 3-0 mark last season. Three of the four lined non-conference games are on the road this season where the Bulls are just 13-21 ATS. The defenses they will be facing in those games will be very good so the offense definitely needs to put something together in order to keep the non-conference run against the number going.

Matt Fargo is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at procappers.com/Matt_Fargo.htm procappers.com/Matt_Fargo.htm.

Whether building a new home or remodeling, you’ll find there are many plumbing fixtures and accessories available. The choices can seem overwhelming, and you’ll want to make sure the items you choose are both durable and decorative. Using the guide below, choose bathroom plumbing fixtures that will fit well with your decor plans while providing adequate use for the long term.

Fixtures for the bathroom should be practical and durable. They should be tough enough to withstand years of usage without wearing easily, rusting, or molding. Consider your entire décor including the colors of your floors and walls and the style used on other items in the room.

Choosing a Bathtub

When choosing a bathtub, there are four basic bathtub styles. The old-type enamel cast-iron bathtub with the China-glazing finish is popular with new constructions. It is extremely heavy and offers quietness while being filled with water. This tub usually comes as a basic five-foot tub with few styles to choose from. The average price is about $250.

Next, there’s the molded plastic bathtub, which resembles the cast-iron tubs but is usually thicker. This tub is more lightweight and great for remodeling - especially when tile is already on the floor. This type of bathtub can come in several styles and colors, including a full shower/tub combination with built-in walls. It ranges in price from $250 upward.

The enameled steel tub comes in white or a variety of colors and is finished with a ceramic-glazed material. This tub is priced at around $250. Next is the fiberglass tub, which can be installed on a platform or in the floor. It comes in different shapes and sizes. Some have spa features as well. This type of tub is high-priced, some even costing in the thousands of dollars.

Shower stalls come in several styles such as a pre-built shower base, fabricated shower stall, and the fiberglass enclosed shower stall. Pricing varies according to size, style, and brand name.

Choosing a Toilet

The toilet should be comfortable and practical. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but sometimes paying more means getting better quality. There are now toilets with higher gallons/flush capabilities - up to the government’s standard of 1.6 gallons per flush. If you want to save on your water bill, opt for an efficiency toilet that flushes 1.3 gallons per flush. There are also dual-flush toilets that offer two flush buttons - one for liquid waste removal and one for solid waste removal. The liquid waste button, of course, uses less water per flush.

Bathroom Sink Options

The bathroom sink is important and has many uses - from brushing your teeth to shaving to facial cleansings each night! A popular bathroom sink is the V-shaped vessel sink bowl, which is made of glass, copper or stainless steel. There are also bathroom vanities with the sink already built-in for easy installation. Types of sinks include pedestal sinks, which provide no storage underneath, under-counter sinks, and above-counter sinks.

Faucets and Other Bathroom Items

Choose durable faucets made of materials that are rust-free and provide an even flow of water. With small children, you’ll want to be sure the faucets have temperature settings built in to prevent scalding. For decor purposes, choose matching faucets for the bathtub and sink. Also, be sure the faucet will last for many years without dripping. Faucets come in many shapes and styles - some are plain and some are fancy. They are priced from $40. Some popular finishes for faucets include brass, brushed nickel, oiled bronze, and the popular chrome plate.

Accessorize your bathroom with other fixtures and accessories to complete your decor. You can go online to find great products in almost any style you need. Also, you can find other home accessories online such as ironing centers, door hardware, cabinet hardware, towel warmers, and more.

Choose your bathroom plumbing fixtures wisely for a pleasant and long-lasting bathroom.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular majon.com internet marketing companies on the web.
Learn more about YorStor.com Tips to Choose Plumbing Fixtures or Majon’s majon.com/directory/Home_and_Garden Home and Garden directory.

Photography’s root comes from the Greek roots “photo” which means light, and “graph″ which means to write or scribe. Photography is all about light and how to interact with it. Two basic functions of an SLR camera accomplish this through the aperture and shutter speed.

Shutter speed refers to the amount of time that the film, or in the case of a digital SLR, how long the image sensor is exposed to light. Depending on the camera, shutter speeds can vary from 30 seconds to 1/8000 of a second. Some cameras have a ‘bulb’ mode that allows the user to open and close the shutter manually using a switch.

The aperture setting of a camera refers to the amount of light that is let into the camera body by the lens. An iris contracts or expands depending on this setting on the camera, thus controlling the light that hits the film. Aperture terminology may be confusing as the “higher” the aperture, the lower its number. Lenses are rated by their aperture and focal length. For instance, Canon might have an F/2.8 28-75mm lens. The F/ prefix is the highest aperture that the lens can produce. In this case, an aperture of 2.8 is the maximum amount of light that the lens can let in. A lens that has a high aperture is considered a “fast” lens.

Shutter speed and aperture values are at a constant tug-of-war concerning light. Suppose someone was a handed a camera and was told that its aperture and shutter settings were set to ensure proper exposure using a shutter speed of 1/60th and an aperture of F/8. However, suppose that they wanted a faster shutter speed to capture a moving object, so they set the shutter speed to 1/250 and took a picture, they would get an underexposed photo because they didn’t allow the film to be exposed for the 1/60th of a second it needed. Therefore, they would need to change the aperture to allow more light in, perhaps by changing it to F/1.8, or whatever the maximum aperture of the lens is. It is always good once you have changed your settings to check them with a light meter and see if you are giving enough light for proper exposures.

More on Shutters

Cameras traditionally have two shutters, or curtains, that cover the film ready to be exposed — one shutter sits over the film and one rests off to the side. Once the shutter button has been pressed, the first curtain is moved away so that the film is exposed to the light coming through the lens. Once the film has been exposed for the length of the set shutter speed, the second curtain moves into the position that the first curtain initially sat. Why can’t there be just one shutter? For two reasons.

First, if the shutter speed is set to 1/1000 of a second, the shutter would have to move away from the film over a short period of time. Once the shutter has completely moved away from the film, the edge of the film that was last uncovered by the shutter has been exposed less than the edge of film that was first uncovered. This means that if a single shutter were to come back the way it left across the piece of film, it would again underexpose the already underexposed edge of the film, leaving the more exposed edge exposed longer still. Secondly, 1/1000 of a second is not even enough time for the first shutter to completely uncover the film hence, a second shutter comes behind the first shutter and begins covering the film the first shutter has started to reveal. This has the effect of computer scanner moving across a piece of paper. This is why you cannot flash-fire a single burst of light for a photo with a shutter speed greater than 1/250th, you’ll have one part of the photo more exposed than the other.

Larry Huckabee has been a photography enthusiast for over 25 years. He has worked professionally with two large clothing retailers for modeling catalogs and takes his passion for photography all over the world for his beautiful calendars. Check out more articles by Larry at autoabout.com autoabout.com.

Generally speaking there are two types of guitar strings that are made.

Steel &ampndash used on electric and acoustic guitars

Nylon – primarily used on classical and flamenco guitars

Guitar strings are normally wound with either type of nickel, brass, or copper alloy. On most standard set of strings for an electric guitar, the 1st - 3rd string is usually unwound, but the 4th - 6th string is wound. Each individual string is of a different thickness, and they each have a specific note to be tuned to. The 12 string guitar is the alternative to this, because they have 12 strings to tune instead of six.

Electric guitar strings that are wound are created by rolling a string made of white metal around a centrally located string. The different types of material used for wrapping around the central string depend on the durability and tone wanted by the musician. Typically you will find that an electric guitar uses a nickel or nickel alloy material.

The thickness of the string is referred to as the gauge of the string. The guitar string is measured by fractions of an inch.

Light Gauge String

(.008 - .038) (.009 - .042) (.009 - .046) (.010 - .046)

Easier to push down, and you will be able to bend them without any problem.

Allow you to be able to play much faster

Do not hold their tune very wellHave very little sustain

Produce very little volume

Not good for lower tunings

Heavy Gauge Strings

(.011 - .050) (.010 - .052) (.012 - .052) (.013 - .056)

Heavier gauged strings are preferred by many of todays guitarists because of the tone and the feel of them.Good for guitar players that prefer to have their guitars tuned down lower than standard (drop D, drop C, drop B etc.).Will hold their sustain much longer in the drop tuningsWhy Your Strings Break

As annoying as it is, you will have guitar strings break on you, and there are many reasons for this to happen. Here are the four main reasons that you may experience this problem:

Aggressive Playing

- This happens to be the most common reason for breaking strings

- No doubt, you will get so deep into your jam session, that you will tend to strum a little to hard with your pick and snap a string. Unfortunately there is no way to fix this problem other than change your playing style, but I don’t recommend that at all.

Old Strings

- Over time your guitar strings will loose their elasticity simply from the constant stress that is put on your strings.

- If you have not played or changed your strings in a long time, they will rust over, and become very susceptible to breaking.

Over tuning

- This simply means that when you are tuning your guitar, you may wind the tuning pegs to high, resulting in a broken string.

- Because this could very easily happen, it is wise to tune your guitar with the strings facing away from you.

Sharp Objects

- You may find sharp areas on the guitar that are capable of breaking a guitar string. These areas include but are not limited to: The bridge, the nut, tuning peg.

Guitar strings are the heart and soul of any guitar. Without them, there would be no possible way to create sound. To get the best sound out of your guitar, you should change your strings on a regular basis. This is an easy way to experiment and try out different gauges to see what tone fits your style.

Josh Scalf is an experienced guitarist that offers information and resources for aspiring musicians. Check out more quality articles and resources for awesome gear at guitaradvice4u.com guitaradvice4u.com

You must have been living in a cave if you have not heard of and probably seen The Sound of Music. Many people will have seen this film many times over such is its timeless quality. The enduring quality of this film is encapsulated in its innocence and charm. Not to fast, not too slow - the film is well balanced and captivating.

The star of the show is Julie Andrews whose voice is beyond compare. Everyday songs such as “Do-Re-Mi,” “Maria,” or “My Favorite Thing” will stay in the mind forever. She is old now of course but will always be linked to this work of cinematic history. Even now DVD prices remain at an abover average price.

A superb film with an equally superb soundtrack and a fantastic plot. Set in Austria with a Nazi undercurrent this film is a long one but one which you’ll watch time and time again. You will whistle the tunes and sing the songs long after you have watched the screenplay.

Maria [Julie Andrews] is a singing nun who comes to look after a motherless group of Austrian children. She helps them, prize themselves away from their strained existence, and brings them to life. At the end she helps them escape from Nazi rule which brings a tear to the eye and a skip to the heart.

The acting by all is superb, including the children. Each character is well developed and unique enough for it to matter. You can easily fall in love with them all - and in the end, I think you do! With heart stopping moments and tension built in throughout the film, this is a “must see” or even a “must see again.”

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Why Is Piano So Popular Amongst Teens Again:

When it comes to music in the 21st century, a growing number of teens have elected to take up the piano. Indeed, these young people have decided to take up playing the piano on their own. They are not being forced by their parents to play the piano or to participate in music generally. These teenagers are happy to take up piano of their own volition. There are a number of reasons why teenagers have taken a keen interest in the 21st century in music and the piano.

Through this article, we do touch upon several of the basic reasons why the piano is such a popular choice amongst some teenagers and their parents. Of course, there are many other instruments that can have appeal to young budding artists. However, when all things are considered, the piano is always a wonderful choice for a teenager with some interest in music.

1. Although the piano can be perceived as difficult to learn, one of the reasons that music through the piano has become popular with teens is based on the fact that it is a fairly easy instrument to learn with a good tutor or coach. Indeed, the piano is one instrument that can be mastered with some degree of ease through competent instruction and practice. Through the efforts of a qualified piano teacher a person can quickly learn the basics associated with the instrument — even a teen. Through practice, that same teenager can then really take control of the instrument through regular practice. While it is a cliché that young people complain about piano lessons and piano practice, in reality, many, many young people actually enjoy the process of learning and bettering their skills at the keyboard.

2. Another of the reasons that teenagers interested in music have taken up the piano in greater numbers in this day and age is based on the fact that the piano is a very versatile instrument. With a piano, a person of any age, including a teenager, can play all types of music with ease. A teen can learn rock, jazz or even classical piano. More importantly, if a teenager is so inclined, he or she actually can learn and work towards mastering a variety of types of musical styles. Many of the more notable rock celebrities use the piano behind the scenes to write their lyrics before putting it to the band.

3. Teenagers enjoy the piano because it is the best instrument on which they can compose their own music. Many teenagers are quite creative. They like fashioning their own music. In this regard, the piano is a perfect instrument through which a teenage boy or girl can express his or her creativity. A teen can create his or her own songs through the ready use of a reliable piano. It doesn’t have to be an expensive piano either, just in tune. Many a young person has had tremendous experiences through crafting and creating his or her own music through the use of a piano.

4. Teenagers are attracted to the piano — as are their parents — because when it comes to music, a piano can be purchased for a reasonable price in many instances. In the 21st century, a person seeking a piano can find a product in a wide range of prices. For example, there are some very inexpensive models for those people who are only just beginning the process of learning piano. For those young people that are more experienced in music, there are more expensive, finely crafted products that are perfect choices. In other words, when it comes to music and pianos, there truly are different instruments for every person’s desires and budget.

5. The piano also offers a teenager the chance to excel. There are many opportunities for a teenager to participate in different competitions and events that focus on music. The piano is a perfect choice for a young person who wants to become involved in competitions and performances. There are performance and competitive opportunities offered through schools and community organizations. In other words, a teenager interested in excelling at music and piano can avail his or her self of many opportunities to do so throughout a typical year. These opportunities help in developing a teenager’s sense of responsibility and commitment. In addition, these opportunities can contribute to boosting a young person’s self esteem.

In conclusion, when all is said and done, the piano remains a perfect choice for the teenager who has expressed at least some interest in music. The piano is a beneficial instrument for a young person on many levels.

Publisher & Author Raymond DeChampfleur - You can access detailed articles, news, & more relevant resources along with great information and downloads on the movies and music world at