Free From Influence Of Perso-Arabic Influence - The Oriya Language

Not many people know the fact that Oriya language is also spoken in Surat (Gujarat state), situated across Indian heartland thousands of kilometers from Orrisa, where it is the State language (besides being one of the 28 odd national languages). There are a total of 35 million people across the globe, who know and speak this language. It has a great semblance to Assamese, Bengali and Magadhi languages.Though, Oriya is spoken on the lands, where once existed the mighty Kalinga empire, but, unlike many claim, it is not their language. The original people of Kalinga (now Orrisa) spoke a language with many similarities to Dravidian languages - Kalingan (an Austric, Adivasi) that is now long back extinct. Kalinga dwellers were diametrically opposite of Indo-Aryans, who later came there, conquered, ruled and settled to live there around 8th c AD. Kalinga kings resisted the onslaught of Indo-Aryan cultural and language influence for long. Use of Kalingan (a certain form of this language is presently used by people living in Eastern Ghats hills) is stopped and classical Oriya declared the official language. But, the birth and growth of classical Oriya finally begins from thence onwards. Oriya script contains 28 consonants and 6 vowels It contains syllabic alphabets, in other words, all consonants have a vowel inherent in them at their end. These vowels are written as independent characters when they appear at the beginning of a word. Oriya script is developed from Brahmi script as an early form of Bengali script. Key feature of Oriya script is the curved form of characters, which the other two sister languages (Assamese and Bengali) do not have. This curved form is an outcome of a long history (around 1500 AD) of writing on palm leaves. This is evident from the writings found in Puri temple. Oriya is one of the languages in the Eastern Indo-Aryan group, of which Bengali and Assamese languages are main constituents. Like all other Indo-Aryan group of languages, Oriya too has been born out of Sanskrit language. But, unlike most Indo-Aryan languages and despite Mughal rule, it has remained free from the impact of Perso-Arabic (Islamic) languages. Thus, modern Oriya vocabulary is made of 70% Sanskrit, 28% "Adivasi" or Kolarian (Dravidian) and only 2 % Hindustani and Persian/ Arabic loanwords. As stated earlier, Oriya language is an offspring from Sanskrit. Strictly speaking, it is a modified form of Odri (old Oriya) Prakrit (magdhi, Pali), which actually was derived from Sanskrit via a transitional Pricya Bhibasha, or an intermediate Purbi Vangi/ Gaudi (old Bengali) and Odri. This is a language form, from which arose the three sister eastern languages - Assamese, Oriya and Bengali). Even Magadhi resembles the group of these three languages to a great extent. 87% of the people spoke this early form of classical Oriya.The earlier writings (12th c) were palm writings in form of poems and prose in praise of gods and religion. Later developments (15th c) were imitation and adaptation of Sanskrit works and then (17th and 18th c) followed by verse based novels and plays about festivals and rituals. Thus, after a long period of discouragement from Kalinga kings, Oriya now finally developed under the Indo-Aryan rule, evolving into a modern 19th century Oriya language.
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About the Author: Ostom Ray is a linguist. His website provides informationon Indian languages and translation services, Culture, Travel, Outsourcing and more

Renowned Russian Artist Releases 40 Beloved Paintings

For the past two decades, Victor Lysakov's modern expressionistic art could only be found at international exhibitions, in private collections or inside his own painting studio in Moscow, Russia. The renowned artist holds a vault containing hundreds of masterpieces. For the first time ever, 40 of these prolific pieces have been released to the American public.For art enthusiasts living in or traveling to California, a side trip to the first exclusive Lysakov gallery in Pacific Grove is a worthwhile detour. For those outside California, never fear - your local fine art gallery may soon display Lysakov's art on their walls. A distinct group of hand-selected galleries nationwide have been offered the Lysakov Distributor opportunity; your neighborhood gallery might be one of them. Named one of "The Best European Artists," Lysakov has participated in several prestigious exhibitions and auctions in Russia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Austria, France and Italy. Using oil or acrylic on canvas, Lysakov prefers brilliant, unmistakable hues - his color palette is very distinct. Each painting is its own unique creation and exudes a certain depth. New or seasoned, trusting or suspicious, frightened or fearless, the artist challenges you to grow bored with his paintings. The local mayor, savvy art collectors and local design firms have unanimously agreed that Lysakov's art rivals paintings found in upscale metropolitan art galleries in San Francisco and New York. In what the company considers a groundbreaking revolution in modern art, Lysakov's work is not entirely subjective. A captivating story accompanies each image, giving the viewer riveting insight on the artist's muse. At first glance, the modern expressionistic work of Victor Lysakov might invoke an unexpected reaction - curiosity, mystery and even fear. But after closer inspection, the eccentric becomes extraordinary and the weird, wonderful. Lysakov challenges the viewer to conquer their fear - paintings should not be scary. "They merely depict life," he says. "Sometimes the scariest things in life are the most trivial ones."He began experimenting first with watercolor, but now paints almost exclusively with oil or acrylic on canvas. Though never classically trained, Lysakov studied Rembrandt's and Bryullov's techniques. A self-taught artist, he read books incessantly, and spent hours upon hours in museums.Born in Siberia in 1952, Lysakov discovered his artistic talent at a young age. "It was when I was six years old that I realized, for the first time, that the most natural and the most fitting way for me to carry on a conversation with the world was through the visual language."In early adulthood, Lysakov veered off the creative path and focused on a more traditional education - engineering. In 1975, he earned his MS in Physical Chemistry from Moscow State Institute of Steel and Alloys. In the decade following, he established a successful career in various military machine building plants. At one time, he was even accountable for over 700 employees under his command. In 1984, he attained his Ph. D. in Technical Sciences from Lomonosov State Institute of Fine Chemical Technology in Moscow. Lysakov's paintings range in image size from a humble 14x14 to a majestic 58x50. All are offered at an extremely low edition size of 395 Signed and Numbered (S/N) and 30 Artist Proofs (A/P) giclee canvas prints. Giclee (pronounced zhee-clay) is a French term roughly meaning "spray or squirt" which refers to the digital printing process. During printing, millions of microscopic droplets of ink per second are applied to the print media. A giclee is a high-end fine art print often recognized as the next best thing to owning the original.Artists at all levels and in a wide variety of media are creating prints using giclee technology. Buyers, attracted by the high quality and dynamic reproduction of giclees, have triggered a giclee explosion; while the fine art print market increases by about three percent annually, the giclee market is growing at more than 60 percent annually. In a $2.8 billion print market dominated by lithographs and serigraphs, giclees now total $160 million annually - and growing. According to CAP Ventures, digital fine art is expected to reach a retail value of $600 million by 2007.Lysakov Art Company, Inc. is located at 305 Forest Avenue in charming Pacific Grove, California, in the heart of one of the nation's art capitals: the Monterey Peninsula. On-site, the 4000 square foot facility houses the corporate offices, publishing headquarters and the first-ever exclusive Victor Lysakov Gallery.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: Heather Neal is the VP of Sales and Marketing for Lysakov Art Company, Inc., the exclusive publisher for renowned Russian artist Victor Lysakov. For more information please visit: http://www.lysakovartcompany.com.

Guitar Chords: Open Chord Progressions In The Key Of E

E-major is a very common key for guitar oriented songs. Many blues songs are written in this key and a lot of riffs can also be found. We will now explore some of the exciting open chords you will find in this key!We will start this guitar lesson by playing the most common E-major chord:E: 0/6 2/5 2/4 1/3 0/2 0/1What type of tab notation is this?I use this type of guitar tablature notation because the more common tablature staffs are sometimes displayed incorrectly on article sites.The first number indicates the fret to press down. The number after the slash shows which string to play. For example, 2/5 means: Press down the second fret on string five.This E-major chord can be slided to various frets on the guitar creating a lot of nice sounding chords.In order not to complicate this guitar lesson too much I will use a very easy notation only showing which fret to put your left index finger on with the assumption that you use the most common left hand fingering for this chord.Here you have the fingering I am referring to:Index finger on 1/3Ring finger on 2/4Middle finger on 2/5The other notes in the chord are on open strings so by sliding the chord we will now create a lot of different guitar chord progressions that can be used as intros to songs or in other ways.We will call the E-major chord previously explained for I because I is the roman numeral for one and the index finger is on fret one in this normal E-major position.If we slide the chord up so that we preserve the chord shape and place the index finger on fret 4 we will call the chord IV because this is the roman numeral 4 and roman numerals are often used to indicate positions on the guitar.This sliding will result in a chord sounding like a mix between G-major and E-minor actually Em7.We will now slide the chord up to position VI and we will get a new nice chord sounding like A-major.Time for our first chord progression:I / / / IV / / / VI / / / I / / /We will now add just one more chord by sliding the E-major chord up to the eigth position notated VIII. It is a B-major chord with some spices added.Time for a new guitar chord progression:I / / / IV / / / VI / / / VIII / / /Of course there are many other possibilities. You might have come up with other ones already. We will now try a flamenco flavoured chord progression. We will use the F-major chord with some added notes.We will find this special F-major chord by sliding up the E-major chord just one fret. We will notate this chord position as II.Time to listen to the flamenco progression:I / / / II / / / IV / / / II / / / ITry a rassgueadoRasgueado is a strumming technique that can be used in conjunction with the previous chords.Rasgueado generally uses only one digit (finger, thumb, etc) for each strum; this means that multiple strums can be done more quickly than usual by using multiple digits in quick succession.Let us make a fist with the right hand fingers. Try to make one finger at a time explode on the strings. For example in the order pinky, ring finger, middle finger and index.There are two remaining progressions for you to explore. The first one with the E-major shape moved to the eleventh position meaning as you already know that the left hand index finger presses down fret eleven. This will result in a D-major chord with some flavours.Here is the guitar progression:I / / / XI / / / VI / / / VIII / / /In the next progression we will use a version of the F#7 chord by sliding the E-major up to the third position:I / / / III / / / VI / / / VIII / / /These are some of the exciting guitar chords you will find in the key of E. This key really gives many opportunities for the inventive guitarist to find interesting chord changes!
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: Peter Edvinsson is a musician, composer and music teacher. Visit his site Capotasto Music and download your free sheet music and read his music blog at http://www.capotastomusic.com

The Basics Of Learning Beginning Guitar

Music in its many forms provides enjoyment for people and learning to play guitar is just one way that you can have this pleasure for yourself and others. Before you can truly play the guitar decently though, you will need to have beginning guitar lessons as well as a guitar! On the face of it, as an instrument the guitar doesn't seem to have much to advocate it to someone who's looking to buy this instrument. However, all this can change from the very first minute you begin your first guitar lessons. Beginning guitar players should not become disheartened even before they take their first lessons. Guitar is an intricate process of learning. It takes patiences, articulation and a strong desire to learn. There are many faucets to understand when learning this new instrument. So, stay the course and be open to the learning process, you will be glad you did.Beginning guitar lessons gives you an opportunity to build a foundation. Some of the things you will learn are:* Parts of the guitar* Names of the open strings* The process of tuning the guitar* How to hold and use a pick* How to play a chromatic scale* How to play simple songs using Gmajor, Cmajor and Dmajor chordsNow this is no means the standard and even what you will learn. Every instruction and institution teaches different elements of beginner guitar. This however, gives you an idea as to the things and level at which you will learn.You will be able to find instructors who can give you beginning guitar lessons from your local community and also from your local newspapers and even online. Although, these are not the only ways that you can learn about beginning guitar lessons. There are numerous books and audio tapes and CDs which will also provide will the ability to learn.However, learning from these sources has it's disadvantages, such as:* No personal instructor to critique your learning and no one to asks questions* Learning bad habits that are often hard to break* No sound feedbackThis is just to name a few, of course there are many more. When looking for an instructor choose someone who you feel comfortable with and who you respect or look up to. This person should be experience and play the genre of music you are wanting to learn. Ask for references, bio and any other information that will provide you with the information needed to make a decision.One major aspect of learning guitar is that of confidence. Without this confidence you will not be able to understand the diverse operating instructions that you are given in your guitar lesson. For this reason if you are learning to play the guitar from an instructor you should be able to ask the teacher for advice and help if you feel that you are missing out on some point of the lesson. Also once you are well-situated holding the guitar and you have learned to identify the assorted chords in your beginning guitar lessons, you can then continue to learn how to mix these basic chords together to produce a little song or a tune. Remember, learning guitar takes patiences, confidence and the desire to learn the instrument. Like anything else in life, without these fundamental elements your guitar experience may be short lived. Having beginning guitar lessons is one of the best ways you can learn to play guitar and transform your little tunes into beautiful songs. It gives you an avenue to express yourself and give the world a little piece of yourself. Good luck in your endeavors and have fun...
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About the Author: Free Guitar information by clicking here. Bowe Packer is an accomplished online information provider. He provides informative articles to over 50 websites. Visit his Guitar site and gather an abundance of guitar info for free.

It Might As Well Be Spring - Shouldn't It?

Has spring sprung? According to my calendar, it began at 12:07am GMT - otherwise known as Greenwich Mean Time. I googled GMT and discovered it's seven hours ahead of PDT. Last year this wasn't a problem. We were in Palm Springs, which at its coldest is spring-like. It's a two to two and a half hour drive - depending on who's driving. In spite of being considerably lighter than my husband, I seem to have a heavier foot. Nevertheless, we know we're almost at our hotel when front yards are stones and cacti instead of grass and shrubs.Our hotel doesn't allow children under age of sixteen. Oh, darn. My husband and I have to talk without being interrupted, never have an opportunity to yell and realize we have things in common besides our sons. Some guests golf. Others play tennis. We used to run, but now we leave that to road runners of the feathered variety. Instead, we relax by the pool.By midday, when other guests gather around the pool, there's a screen test - a sunscreen test of tanning lotions and potions - everything from a white plastering of sunblock to bikinis that barely - in the true sense of the word - block anything. When it comes to tanning, my husband is a 15. I don't mean to brag, but Bo Derek and I are both 10's. When it comes to swimming, you soon realize pools are as necessary in Palm Springs as fireplaces are in New England. One provides warmth. The other provides inspiration to send warm wishes via postcards to family back east, who undoubtedly shiver with gratitude when they receive them. When I'm not in the water, I'm drinking it - flushing my system, so to speak - not surprising for a plumber's daughter. My husband's a fireman's son, but he doesn't like fighting heat. When he wants to take a walk, we leave our air-conditioned room, get in our air-conditioned car and drive to the air-conditioned mall. While he exercises his cardiovascular system, I exercise my IV amendment right of search - for bargains. Breakfast and lunch are bargains - we make them in our kitchenette. We make reservations for dinner. Because I'm part Indian my husband thinks handling reservations is in my blood. Without air conditioning, Palm Sprigs would still be Indian land. According to my grandmother, women don't perspire, they glow. Without air conditioning I'd be a Knight light.
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About the Author: KNIGHT PIERCE HIRST takes humorous looks at life. Take a minute to make yourself smile at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Bob Dylan Concert Ticket - How to Get In For Free

If you're looking for a Bob Dylan concert ticket, you may be at a loss as to how you are going to afford it. The price of concert tickets seems to have risen substantially in recent years, and you may need to use a little initiative if you want to see Bob Dylan in concert.There are several ways in which the money shortage problem can be attacked. Here are a few ideas for you. Some of these are sensible, some are stupid and some are clever.For example, it makes every sense to simply save up for your Bob Dylan concert ticket. Every sense, but dull! Or, you could try selling some of your material goods on eBay. You'll undoubtedly make money, but what a chore! Or how about going cap in hand to the person most likely to fall for your hard times story, and who would see the opportunity of funding your concert ticket purchase as a mission of mercy? Sucker!If these (relatively) sensible ideas aren't for you, how about some off the wall suggestions towards raising funds to buy that ticket?Hold a garage sale. Why not convert all that junk you've grown out of into cash? Or how about doing a sponsored diet, walk, swim, run, climb, bungee jump, parachute - whatever takes your fancy?Turning away from the ridiculous, let's consider the sublime. What would you say if there was a way in which you could get in to see the Bob Dylan concert for free? It is possible. All you need is a backstage pass."Is that all?", I hear you ask, in an unbelieving sort of way.Yes, that is all.A backstage pass will get you in to your concert. You'll be able to take photographs while the general punters are having their cameras confiscated. You could be on the side of the stage watching, and you might even meet Bob Dylan.Now, there are techniques in applying for a backstage pass to any concert. There are certain people to approach in certain ways. You need to know who these people are, how to contact them and what you need to get over to them in order for them to give you your backstage pass.If you know the right way to go about this, you can have fantastic success. If you go about it the wrong way, however, then you'd better find the money from somewhere because the only way in to the concert for you is to buy a ticket!Fortunately, there are several resources available to help you succeed in getting backstage passes. For example, ConcertGroove offer a free ebook on the topic. It's really an introduction, but it will be useful to you if you're totally new to the concept of backstage passes.If you really want to get your Bob Dylan concert ticket without paying, in other words get a backstage pass, you could try searching on Google and seeing what other resources are there for you.Without doubt, having a backstage pass is a very exciting proposition. Getting close up and personal with your favorite is what it's all about.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: For the inside track on how to get a backstage pass, (in other words a Bob Dylan concert ticket for free) visit http://bob-dylan-concert-ticket.blogspot.com

Portrait Painting

What is portrait painting? This can be explained as follows: This kind of painting typically depicts a person's face, from there, the word "portrait" originates. Furthermore, there are many portraits, old and new ones, on which you can see the portraitee's whole body. A portrait is painted with the intention to show all characteristics and features. The painter tries to emphasize these details in a portrait. Upon the portraitee's request, little blemishes and other visible details can be omitted once in a while. They are simply kept "secret" as painters would call it.Already in ancient times (four thousand years BC) high standing personalities had themselves preserved for posterity. Portrait painting originated in ancient Egypt, as many pictures in the pyramids of deceased show, but only in Greece this genre came to perfection.However, portrait painting was pushed into the background for a long time (until Renaissance) in favor of sculpture. The main period of portrait painting only began with the Italian painting of high Renaissance, e. g. by artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raffael and Tizian.In the following centuries, portrait painting blossomed totally. For example, in the 17th century, Peter Paul Rubens was a contract painter in great demand. The ones who could afford it had themselves preserved for posterity by this painter of Baroque, who was already those days well known.Today, only a few people can afford an original painting made by an artist's hand. And an original Rubens painting is even more utopia. With the introduction of photography in the 19th and 20th centuries and the modern communication methods portrait painting changed fundamentally. Since then, also "normal" people, who are striving for a little bit of preservation, and who want to have themselves or their beloved ones painted on a canvas, can have it done at affordable prices.In today's contract painting, especially portraits of children, grandchildren, parents and grandparents are very popular. In addition to that, depictions of beloved domestic animals, fancy cars or favorite landscapes are widely asked for.Nowadays, the ones who can afford it, order a portrait painting as an individual birthday present. Good painters paint these portraits in such a precise way that their similarity with the originals is astonishing and almost have the effect of photos.Even changes are possible according to individual demands Upon request, small blemishes can be omitted, as we have already mentioned above. What characterizes a good portrait painter? A portrait painter must be able to paint a person with all his important features. He must be able to depict exactly what is really visible. You cannot simply go and change a portraitee's features, because then the result would no longer be a portrait. In the moment of portrayal, the person who has himself portrayed offers the painter a special depiction of himself with his own details and features. Good painters are able to reach exactly this what has been described above. This characterizes them.
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About the Author: The author Stefan Heuer provides useful information about portrait painting and please visit www.oil-painting-portrait.com to know more about it.

Documentary about Ants

Documentary about Ants:
Yesterday I was watching Animal planet as usual and threre was a documentary going on about ants.What they were showing was awesome.The film was featured on life of ants near Amazon river.It contained everything from how the day for the Ants start and what do the ants do in there day to day life and how the process changes according to seasons.But what I liked most was te last part of the documentary which contained what do the ants do when their nest is drowned in the Amazon floods. What they do in such case is really amazing.The worker ants make a live raft by holding each others' legs together.It becomes a huge raft really.Then the warrior or guard ants carry their queen on that raft.The queen really needs protection as if there is queen, there can be mre and more ants and the system will continue but without queen the ants will die soon as they won't have further population to run the system.So coming back to the topic, the ants take care of queen and protect her from all sides on the raft and then the raft flows.In this process many of the ant die in the water but they don't care about themselves and perform this act.The raft is driven by river current.One more thing I would like to tell here is this liveraft don't have any tool giving direction so they are really depending on the river current for direction nd flow.Meanwhile the raft faces many dangers from creatures living in the surroundings of the river.Many fishes like eating these ants and they strightway attack this raft of ants as its the most easy pray for them.They virtually bite this live raft and the size of the raft gets reduced with every such bite.But still these ants don't bother and remain connected to eachother clinging their legs firmly.There are few birds who live on the trees besides the river bank who love to eat ants.So these birds also cause reducing the raft size.But still the voyage continues.And if the ants are lucky, they atlst get very close to the river bank .At this point the ants remain calm and patient they do next process step by step.First of all they carry queen ant to the bank in dry area.Then turn by turn the raft gets dismentaled and the ants are ready to build a new coloney.
The sacrifice they do for their coloney is really amazing.I really salute ants for this descipline and dedication
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About the Author: Amit Article Submission

DJ Equipment

Whether we like it or not times are changing whether its technology, life styles, global warming or in this subject even people’s taste in music. For some this can be for the better or the worse but no matter what we do it is changing and when it comes down to music a successful performance by a disk jockey depends on the presence of the right DJ equipment. This, along with along with adequate musical talents plays a very important role in the career of a DJ or any other musician for that matter. Having the right equipment is the best advantage a DJ can have. Any DJ gear other than real pro gear will only throw a person's skills and techniques off. It is always advisable to get the right DJ gear the first time. The Technics-1200 or 1210 turntables are industry standard and are widely recommended by most DJs as the best vinyl decks around or typically the Pioneer CDJ1000 as the best CD deck you can get but now there are more hidden giants coming and already are here like PCDJ, Numark Cue and many more wonderful DJ software. Companies such as ION have released huge selling items like the ION USB turntable that converts Vinyl to MP3 which has been widely recommended as one of the best selling items of 2006 especially for that generation who have the masses of vinyl just sitting there in the loft gathering dust. Other Items that are going to be a huge hit this year will be items like the fully programmable ION Drumkit.However, the most important thing to remember is that it is not the equipment that entertains, but is definitely the DJ himself. Owning the latest equipment won't make a person any better as a DJ. It is possible to start up on a budget of about £1000, which will enable a person to purchase a sound system from manufactures like KAM, Gemini, JBL, Peavey and a few lighting effects like Pro Light Magic Gobo’s. In case the budget won't stretch to this, a person may need to consider buying 2nd hand or leasing the equipment from companies such as www.whybuynew.co.ukPurchasing a wide-ranging music library is far more important than how much lighting a DJ has, and should be the first consideration. A DJ can build up on the lighting, and upgrade the sound system if required once the work starts coming in to substantiate it. The most important equipment required by mobile disc jockeys consists of sound recordings in preferred medium, which is often vinyl records, compact discs and mp3s. Two devices for playback of sound recordings are also required for the purpose of alternating back and forth and creating continuous playback. A sound system meant for magnification of the recordings is required for broadcasting the music. Apart from this, a DJ may also need a mixer and a microphone. Headphones used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without transmitting the sound to the audience is also strongly recommended. Other equipments may also be added. These include drum machines, samplers, effects processors, and computerized performance systems. Opinions of other experienced DJs, magazines and a number of websites prove to be an efficient guide in purchasing the right kind of equipment.DJ Equipment provides detailed information on Buy DJ Equipment, Cheap DJ Equipment, Discount DJ Equipment, DJ Equipment and more. DJ Equipment is affiliated with Virtual DJs.
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About the Author: Virtual DJs

How to Learn Spanish

Let’s take a minute to discuss the basics of learning a foreign language. Unfortunately, there are no magic formulas for learning a foreign language. The way I see it, there are 3 important keys to picking up Spanish effectively and quickly. First, make a commitment to spend a certain amount of time practicing at least a few times a week, even if you feel tired or aren’t really in the mood to repeat words or do any practice. Trust me; it’ll be worth the effort. You’ll be surprised how much you’ll take in if you consistently give it a try. You might want to tell a friend about Discover Spanish and practice your lessons together; or just practice saying your vocabulary whenever you have the opportunity. Set a goal of finishing 2 to 3 lessons per week. Then spend a little time each week reviewing previous lessons you’ve completed. Second, listen to Spanish as much as possible. Once you get accustomed to the sounds and the melody of the language, you’ll be able to understand and use what you learned much faster. In each lesson, take some time to actively listen to the words and phrases. With the Discover Spanish podcasts, you can listen to the words and phrases while you are driving, working out at the gym, or just relaxing. And finally speak. Tell yourself that you can speak Spanish and then believe it. A positive attitude makes a tremendous difference in your ability to learn a new language. The strategy that I found to be the most effective is to just swallow your pride, and be willing to make mistakes. Just play with your new words and phrases. Relax and have fun as you’re learning!
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: www.discoverspanish.com

Blades of Glory - Review

Set for release on March 30, 2007, Blades of Glory from Dreamworks is a sports comedy directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck and Produced by Ben Stiller.Will Ferrell and Jon Heder are the lead "pair", who exploit a loophole to do their act in this movie - which is to "Kick some Ice".So, welcome to the world of competitive figure skating - and all its passion and power generated by an unlikely pair who aim to steal the trophy, beating the odds. Two men skating together -- Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) - become the first male pair in the history of figure skating! As aintitcool.com states, 'figure skating for the first time ever is finally watchable. Also, hilarious.Blades of Glory is about two rival figure skaters (Ferrell and Heder) who after a fight with each other in front of 30,000 fans, have their gold medals stripped from them and are banned from competitive skating for a lifetime.'Three years down the line, one is many pounds heavier while the other is still girlish, but still not "hot". Both agree to put aside their differences as well as their similarities - they're both men! --and exploit a loophole (created exclusively for the movie) that would allow them to compete in the pairs figure skating category.This category is, of course, usually reserved for opposite-sex couples and this duo must go face-to-face with fierce competition from rivals far more experienced at the art, such as Stranz (Will Arnett) and Fairchild (Amy Poehler), the unrelentingly competitive reigning champion pair.'Amy Poehler and Will Arnett (as evil brother and sister figure skaters) manage to steal almost every scene they're in. There are some really great moments including a hilarious ice skate chase and some very funny ice routines (that i won't spoil). The ice skating was never boring. And the costumes are as funny as the people wearing them, especially the outfits given to Poehler and Arnett. Also, Jenna Fischer has never ever looked as hot as this. Purr-Rawrr.'This very funny movie was shot in both Los Angeles, California and Montreal, Quebec (Canada).
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About the Author: For More Details: Blades of Glory - Official Movie Site from DreamWorks Pictures About Author: Ben Padnos is an Internet Enterpreneur based in Manhattan Beach, California and enjoys writing on various subjects. You can reach him at DONE! SEO Services.

Are you talking yourself out of success?

Are you talking yourself out of success?I'm going to talk about something which is so important that I'd say it is the foundation on which your success will be built on. If you want to achieve success as an independent musician you are going to have to know, learn and more importantly, put into practice, this vital key. You simply can't and won't experience true and lasting success without it. Not taking the time to learn this would be like building a house without taking the time to put in a solid foundation for the house to stand on.That key is belief. It's the foundation of success and whether you like it or not you will become who you believe you will become. It's a universal law, i.e. like gravity. And also like gravity, It applies to all people, all the time, everywhere, so that means you. To put it simply and in a practical sense, your thoughts (which come from your beliefs) will dictate your physical actions and they of course will ultimately dictate your success.Have you ever felt angry, depressed or even really happy? Of course you have and you also know from your own experience that it affects what physical actions you do or don't take. For example, when you're happy you do and say things that you wouldn't do or say if you were angry or depressed.These feelings come from your beliefs. You feel angry because you believe you have been wronged or you feel happy because you believe something makes you happy.So, given that beliefs are so important to attaining success, it would be helpful if we had a way to prove and measure them to ensure that they are helping us get the success we're after, right?Well guess what? You can test whether your beliefs are helping you to achieve success because your results are the proof and they are also measurable.If you want to get good at something, you have to study it, right? So it makes sense that if you want success you need to study it. There are people everywhere (in all kinds of businesses or pursuits) who are achieving it and you need to study these successful people and learn what they know and what they are doing.I guarantee you that if you are not yet successful you will find that all the people who are successful will have different beliefs about success than you. You absolutely need to have the belief part in place to succeed because even your circumstances are not going to prevent you from achieving success. You must know of people who have had unfortunate circumstances or hardships before they achieved their success. Ever heard of Oprah Winfrey, Colonel Sanders (founder of KFC), Honda and Helen Keller. There are many, many people who have achieved success regardless of their circumstances. The point here is that it doesn't matter if you like any or all of these people but it proves that circumstance is not a barrier to success unless we believe it to be and I'll guarantee that not one of these people believed that their circumstances prevented them from achieving success.
What successful people believe is the rocket fuel that along with taking action, got them their success.I might warn you though that confronting your own beliefs is not an easy thing to do, in fact I'd say it's the hardest part of attaining success. They are your beliefs for a reason and it takes a lot of courage to admit that your success (or lack of it) is because your beleifs are preventing you from doing what it takes to succeed. But it's not about self blame, it's about being empowered, because if your lack of success so far is down to you, it must also mean that so too is your ability to create success?We have all got an inner voice telling us our beliefs, you know the one that says things like you can't do that, you'll never make, successful people are not like me etc. You get the idea. They're your beliefs and that's what you need to work on if you want to be successful.Go to work on your beliefs and I guarantee you, your life will turn around. It will probably be an ongoing work in progress though, as old beliefs like to sneak up on you when you're not paying attention and they'll throw you right back.Believe it and you'll see it.This article and other and tools for achieving success as an independent musician are part of the free "Tools For Success" e-zine available by subscribing to TheIndieMusician.com
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: About the author: Jo Brew publishes a blog called The Indie Musician and has written articles for Australian music publications. Jo also runs a website The Indie Musician which offers a range of music development resources especially for the independent musician. This article is part of "Tools For Success" which is available for free at The Indie Musician

Do You Need An Agent For Your Book Project?

Why not just send your manuscript directly to publishers? Writers ask companies to help them find publishers for their book projects all the time. The business of finding a publisher for your work is a multi-step process. After your manuscript has been completed, edited, and formatted according to industry standards, the next step is to launch it properly into the world. Our advice--find a reputable agent first. Agents are the interim contact you need to connect your work to a publisher. Keep in mind that agents do not want to deal with short works such as poetry and short stories. Agents work on commission, and there is no way to support themselves from sales of poetry and short fiction.The majority of larger publishing houses no longer accept unagented submissions. It may seem a waste of time to query a large number of agents before querying publishers. However, this is a time-consuming, but very necessary, part of the submission process for book manuscripts. If you want to get a good read, you'll need an agent. Agents know what editors want. They spend much of their time cultivating relationships with acquisition editors. These are the folks who present books to their publishers for consideration. Networking with editors is an important part of an agent's job. Editors are happy to receive good manuscripts from agents. It saves them time.Good agents will help negotiate a decent contract for you. This is their area of expertise. Publishers are interested in making money and taking care of their needs. Your agent will function as your advocate and make certain you receive a fair deal. If you don't know about subsidiary rights and escalators, make sure an agent is on your side. Your agent will know which clauses are boilerplate and which may hurt your career. (Some people believe an attorney can replace an agent. Unless your attorney specializes in book contracts, find a good agent.) Because agents work on commission, they are interested in getting you the best deal. Agents will monitor your royalty statements and help ensure that you receive prompt and proper payment. Most agents are paid 15% commission. A reputable agent should also provide you with copies of all rejection letters.Do not begin querying agents until your book is complete. Unless you're famous, agents won't even read your query unless the book is ready to go. Nonfiction proposals are sometimes the exception to this rule. However, you'll need to prove you can write the book, not just pitch it.There are many people who advertise themselves as agents. Generally, they are NOT. Legitimate agents do not drum up business. There are literally tens of thousands of writers approaching a limited number of agents. They've got more work than they can handle. Your query packet must be perfect and represent you as a professional. It's a difficult and time-consuming process, but there is no way around it. Get some professional help. Finding an agent need not be a daunting task.If an agent requests money from you, run for the hills. Some expenses such as postage and copying costs are to be expected. However, over the years, unscrupulous people posing as literary agents have scammed would-be authors out of lots of money. Sometimes these scams are disguised as "editorial help." Stay away. An agent should not insist that you have your manuscript doctored before agreeing to represent you.Your agent should act in partnership with you throughout the publishing process. A good agent offering good advice is a wonderful asset. There is no better way to build your writing career.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: Author is a writer for Writer's Relief, a company that helps creative writers find the best markets for their work. Writer's Relief also offers a FREE E-mail Newsflash for Writers. For more information visit http://www.WritersRelief.com.

Old Fashioned High Resolution Photo Camera

Tired of trying to keep updated with the highest mega pixel resolution digital camera? Well even if one has tried to do that, most certainly he will soon find out that his few months old digital camera is outdated in terms of mega pixel resolution. It’s an ever changing kind of product that has become very hard to keep updated, unless one is willing to spend more money by making purchases every six to twelve months.If the main intention of purchasing a photo camera is enlarging the image, then mega pixel resolution indeed will become the main factor. In this case one might consider a different option, which will keep his product updated for years to come. I’m talking about a used 4x5" film photo camera, together with a high resolution flat bed film scanner. All of this for less than one thousand US dollars. With all of this, one will get over 100 mega pixels in fine detailed film resolution and fine scanned digital images that can be enlarged up to 30x40" in size with professional quality. These 4x5" film cameras have done a remarkable job in general personal and commercial photography such as wedding, portraiture, product, documentary, advertising and landscape for nearly a hundred years.Where to find 4x5" used film cameras? Since some of these cameras were mostly used in the past, until the 1960’s, it should be no problem in finding them in American auction web sites. Anyway, a good used 4x5" camera with lens can be found for less than four hundred US dollars.As for the flat bed film scanner, one can find brand new ones for less than five hundred US dollars. Just make sure the scanner is able to scan films.Whenever purchasing a 4x5" film camera, one should look for the following features: folds into a compact box, flexible bellows, lenses that can be easily interchanged, accepts sheet film, ground glass focusing screen, easily handheld and optical viewfinder accessory.As for the lenses, there are four main categories: 1 - general purposes; 2 - wide field (mostly used for close up work and landscape); 3 – extreme wide angles lenses; 4 – special effects lenses (telephoto). However, one might use a general purpose 127 or 152mm lens for most of his photograph sessions. In cases where it requires special lenses, such as architecture or macro photography, one will still find lots of them available in auction sites. Used lenses for 4x5” cameras made after world word II have excellent performances comparable to today’s modern lenses.Whenever making a purchase of a 4x5" camera make sure that: 1 - the bellows have no light leaks, 2 – the lens shutter works accurate at all speeds; 4 – the lens elements have no fungus and scratches of any kind; 4 – the focus is working properly between the ground glass and the film.The option of using a 4x5" film camera, together with a flat bed film scanner, for enlarging images with professional quality is viable and accessible. Cheaper than top digital cameras, the 4x5" film camera offers better image quality and will always be updated in the future, maintaining its original value.For those who wishes the very most detailed image enlargement, one can always use the 8x10" film camera. Four times the physical film size of the 4x5", this option offers so much film resolution that it is considered by many as the ultimate step for photo image enlargement.Sometimes analog products deliver better results that its digital counterparts. If you are doing the job of enlarging photo images, you should give it a try with a 4x5" camera. You might just surprise yourself.Roberto SedyciasIT Consultant This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author´s name and all the URL´s (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: This article can also be accessed in portuguese language from the News Article section of page PoloMercantil Roberto Sedycias has a bachelor degree in Business Administration and over 20 years experience in systems analysis and computer programming. Currently working as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

Comedians can now access new online website which helps showcase comic talents

Toronto, ON February 4, 2007 – Canada is a land of funny people. Whether it is the experience of bitter cold winters and short summers or living above the most powerful nation in the world and feeling like the younger sibling seeking attention, we have cultivated an amazing community of incredible comedy talent.From Wayne and Shuster to Jim Carey and beyond, Canadians have made and continue to make their comedy mark around the world. Most of the sitcoms produced in the U.S. in the past few years have at least one Canadian cast member including – Eric McCormack from Will & Grace, from Dave Foley News Radio and Matthew Perry from Friends. And that doesn’t include the impact Mike Myers, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Jim Carey, John Candy, Academy Award nominee Dan Aykroyd and others have made in the world of cinema. New to the scene is an online website which gives comedians a forum to connect with decision-makers and others in the comedy industry. At Top Comedian.com located on the web at http://www.topcomedian.com, new comic talents can showcase their skills to prospective employers for special events, comedy clubs and more.As Canadians we soak up comedy like a sponge. Canadian productions including Rick Mercer’s Monday Report, Ken Finkelman’s The Newsroom, the long-standing and ever-evolving Royal Canadian Air Farce and Corner Gas starring Brent Butt leave us laughing at ourselves. For aspiring comedians, a visit to http://www.topcomedian.com could help launch them into the international comedy scene and join the talented Canadian comedians who have blazed the trail.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: Top Comedian is more than a static directory of Comedy Professionals. Members enjoy the ability to foster a sense of community and to communicate with others who share their aspirations, interests and goals. Top Comedian enables its comedians to showcase their skill set and unique abilities to the world in an effort to raise their profile within the comedy industry. We are on the web at http://www.topcomedian.com

15 Ways To Get Real Frustrated With Your PC

15 Ways to Get Real Frustrated With Your PCI finally figured out this one client. Since I teach all my clients how to fix and protect their PCs, I couldn’t understand why this one client frequently arrived at my office, broken computer in hand, paying me to fix it. Every problem he presented was one I taught him how to prevent or fix himself, but it didn’t seem to matter. He was a really nice guy so I would explain the whole procedure again, show him how to do it, make sure he could do before he left my office … but he’d return again – with the same problem or one close to it. He even presented me some real whoppers from time to time. Teaching him was kind of like nailing Jell-O to a tree.One day it dawned on me: in his mind a PC is supposed to have problems – something is supposed to go wrong or … it’s not right. I know there must be some old proverb written about that kind of mentality but I can’t think of it. If you do, let me know.So, for those of you who enjoy PC frustration (or want a good laugh) here’s what you can do:1. Instead of shutting down your PC, just flick the power switch on the back of the tower.2. When you’re on the Internet, click “yes” or “ok” to everything that pops onto your screen, regardless of what you’re agreeing to.3. Visit as many sex, gambling, and related sites as you can.4. Download everything you can find on the Internet as long as it’s free.5. Open every email and email attachment, no matter who it’s from.6. DO NOT have your firewall turned on in your Windows XP and, certainly, do not install a firewall program for other versions of Windows.7. NEVER update Windows with the latest patches and fixes.8. DO NOT install an anti-virus program, and – if you have one – don’t update it or use it to scan your computer for viruses. Ever.9. DO NOT install an anti-Spyware program on your computer.10. NEVER clean your mouse or keyboard.11. DO NOT have a good surge protector to plug in your computer, monitor, and other peripherals. Instead, use a six-outlet extension lead so that power surges, brownouts, and blackouts really do some damage.12. Smoke, eat, and drink at your computer and make sure you dribble your drink, and drop your food, and flick your ashes on the keyboard. A lot. 13. Keep your tower out in the main area of the house -- where the pets shake themselves a lot -- so the hair clogs up your fan and other fragile parts of your computer. 14. Bang on your tower and monitor – A LOT -- to get them to go faster.15. Call the help desk from work with a home computer problem. Make sure you’re on a 5-minute break.
Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com
About the Author: Patty, the Computer Lady, teaches her clients the do-it-yourself way to fix, protect and make thier computers last. Her site is filled with useful info. Visit her at: www.fix-and-protect-your-pc.com or fix-and-protect-your-pc.com/fix-your-pc.html