Finding Great Scrapbooking Ideas

Are you an avid scrapper always looking for new scrapbooking ideas? Are you bored with your current layout ideas and you need some serious inspiration to make the next book and the next page look better than the rest? This is something that a lot of individuals who are into scrapbooking struggle with from time to time. It's easy when scrapping to fall into a rut and continue to use the same layouts and decorative touches over and over again. If you need a bit of inspiration you can find it in a variety of places including the library, the bookstore, scrapping classes, and even on the Internet.

There are a lot of scrapbooking ideas out there that can help you change things up a bit. Perhaps you just need some new layout ideas, or you need to start using stamps, stickers, colored pens, templates, colored paper, or fun scissors. A lot of the time you can just visit your local scrapbooking store and you'll come up with some new methods that will change your approach to scrapping altogether. Just one little change in method can make scrapping fun for you again or at least make your books more interesting to look at!

The Internet is a great place to look for new methods to employ when you are scrapping, but you have to keep skill level in mind. If you are just starting out, you need to be careful that you build your skills slowly and that you do not try to jump ahead or you may get frustrated. A lot of the direction you will find on the Internet is geared toward those with more experience, so it can be difficult to discover good tips online if you are a beginner. Scrapbooking ideas are a dime a dozen, you just have to be sure that you keep in line with your skill level and simply try new things when you have mastered other methods. Remember to have fun with it, and not to be too rigid or hard on yourself, as you may find that you are naturally good at some designs while not so great at others in the beginning.

Finding Great Deals On Dollhouse Miniatures

Finding a bargain on a great piece is part of the joy of collecting miniatures for many enthusiasts. It's not everyday that you stumble across a dollhouse furniture sale in your own neighborhood, so you have to know where to look. It may not seem like it when you first get started and are only looking at the catalogues of major suppliers since everything that you find there will be full price, but with a little practice and a few inside leads, you can find ways to make dollhouses affordable.

Surfing the web is the perfect place to find deals or discounted dollhouse furniture. While many manufacturers have a print catalogue you can browse and order from, they often also have a website where they may put items on sale. Older models of furniture, overstocks, and clearance items can go for far less than the original asking price. Some miniature collectible sellers offer a price-match guarantee for mass-produced items. You may be able to accumulate a nice discount by visiting several sites and using the price-match guarantee to your advantage.

Auction sites such as Ebay are perfect for finding dollhouse furniture pieces. Finding rarer pieces might be easier on these sites, or you can take advantage of someone selling off their own collection to jump-start your own. Ebay and other similar sites also often have brand new kits at lower prices than manufacturers. If bidding gets too expensive for your tastes, you always have control over what you spend and can stop bidding at any time.

If you're lucky enough to find a garage sale that offers dollhouse furniture or a collection of miniatures, you could find some real rock bottom prices. If there is one or two items you want out of the whole batch, you may find that you'll get a better price for taking the lot of furniture off the seller's hands. They may be anxious to clear off their table and get rid of what they consider junk, which leaves you fortunate and getting a real bargain.

Estate sales are another place where you can find discount dollhouse furniture. Generally, these collections are auctioned off in lots, and occasionally as entire collections. Regardless, most estate sales open their doors to the public for a period before the actually auction begins. This will give you the opportunity to peruse the collection and to get a good idea of what it is worth, and in turn, determine what you are willing to spend. Estate sales can be a great way to increase the size of your collection in one day's worth of shopping.

Finding Good Gold Jewelry

There is one item that women and the rest of the public find fashionable regardless of what the recent craze or fad is. Women across history have worn it to enhance their natural beauty, or as a vital complement to what they are wearing. Through the centuries, women have appreciated the capabilities of gold jewelry in turning heads, or in expressing a certain status.

A person's love for jewelry is apparent now as it was a thousand years ago. Jewelry has been traded for and bought countless times in the past, and as mentioned, it has never gone out of style. The actual process of purchasing jewelry is a little bit more confusing that buying regular items. People have the tendency of purchasing jewelry without going beyond knowing the fact that it would look good on them when they buy it. It does pay off to know a little bit more about jewelry.

You may instantly relate gold to jewelry. Although it is used for many other purposes, it is almost always associated to jewelry. In this industry, gold is actually defined as pure, 24 karat gold. In this pure form, gold is soft and delicate. Usually, jewelers would integrate other precious metals into 24 karat gold to make the final product a more durable piece of jewelry.

The integration of other metals into 24 karat gold has some visually appealing effects as well. Jewelers add nickel into pure gold to make white gold. They add a small amount of copper into pure gold too, and this results in a more feminine, pink tint. Adding predetermined amounts of silver can also give gold a greenish tint.

The rule there is, if a piece of jewelry has a lower karat quality, it has higher durability since it is harder. Check the color to have an idea of what was mixed into the gold. You can ask a vendor regarding the karat quality of his or her wares, but if you have a chance, try looking for any markings regarding this property. Many prominent jewelry companies would place a products karat quality on it. You should see a trademark accompanying the karat quality; if you don't, you might want to consider looking for another piece of jewelry.

Do not confuse gold jewelry with gold-plated jewelry. As the name implies, this usually composes of a metal of lesser value plated or covered with gold through mechanical bonding or through electroplating. Genuine gold jewelry should include an indication or an accompanying marking of its karat quality.

It is normal for people to wear gold-plated jewelry occasionally, leaving the higher-priced pieces for special events. This is because gold plated jewelry is lighter than their purer counterparts. However, if you plan on buying a piece of gold-plated jewelry, remember that the layer of gold will eventually wear off sooner or later, depending on the quality and thickness of the gold plate. Since gold is held with such high regard, one should know these things before making a gold jewelry purchase.

Finding Antique Clocks And Watches

Germany Staiger Alarm Clock... Elgin National Pocket Watch... Seth Thomas Mantle Clock... 

What do the above have in common? Well, besides being timekeepers, all of them are examples of old, vintage, and antique clocks and watches. 

Antique clocks and watches were made using different materials, designs, styles, and sizes long, long ago. The ability to accurately identify and research on this antique clocks and watches are important then because of the diversity, as well as the number, of clock and watchmakers and manufacturers around the world. 

If we are going to trace the history of clocks and watches, we would be back to the late 14th century when the first clock was made. In the early years, as well as many centuries over, mechanical clocks and watches were so uncommon and made by few that only rulers and noblemen had such. The common people, especially those in Europe, have to rely on the few public clocks that are existent. 

The majority of clocks and watches made from the 15th to the middle of the 17th century are now mostly in museums and a small percentage in different individuals' private collection. Most people will never set eyes on these timekeepers nor will be able to recognize them. 

Many antique clock and watch collectors would agree that periods in history greatly influenced the materials and styles of clocks and watches, such that these timekeepers were not only used for time measurement, but as decoration as well. Also, they were made with such high quality that with proper care and maintenance, they are apt to last several centuries. 


There are several things that you may take into consideration if you are a collector or just a one time buyer of an antique clock or watch - besides the fact that it should be interesting, beautiful, befitting your needs or you want it to be a part of your life and home for many years. 

Any changes made on them will diminish the value of the antique clock or watch. 

•    Rarity. Common sense dictates that the rarity of anything brings value. To determine rarity, research is required, which may be costly and time consuming. When done, however, it may result into identification of clocks and watches that have excellent value. 

•    Provenance. Determining the origin of the timepiece, like rarity, can affect the value of the clock or watch greatly. This also is done through research and documentation. 

The values of clocks and watches range from a few to several thousand dollars, though there are those that amount to a million or so. Determining a timepiece's value, however, can only be done if the four areas mentioned above are well looked into or researched. You must search, therefore, for an authority that is honest and with integrity to help you before making a purchase.

Finding Antique Chairs To Cherish

Antique chairs often are some of the most difficult types of antiques to find. Although there are many different styles and characters that come out in them, there are also many reasons why these chairs should be found and kept. No matter from what age they came from, they have a rich history to tell. Just imagine who sat in them, what they talked about and what their lives were like. Just imagine the history that they've seen pass by them. Most importantly, look at the materials, the details and the small bits of information about life in their time.

If you own an antique chair, you should have the piece insured as well as protected. With the right type of protection, it can last for many years to come giving the same information and details it gives you now.

But, what if you don't own an antique chair but would like to? There are a number of ways that you can go about finding on. Simply, use your creative ideas to find new ways to find the information you need. For one, never forget about online auction sites. Yes, there is that big one but there are also plenty of smaller ones and even those that specialize in antiques. Just search for them.

Don't forget the garage sales either. Talk to older relatives and neighbors. They may know of others that are having estate sales or they may even be willing to part with something they own for a price.

Antique chairs do more than just add a bit of value to your pocketbook. They provide stories and entertainment. They also provide a lot of character to your home. With a bit of care for the details, you can true cherish all that they can offer to you today and well into the future.

Finding A Tattoo Artist - Important Questions To Ask

If you want to get the perfect tattoo, choosing the right artist is just as important as finding the right design. After all, a poor quality artist will take your perfect design and ruin it...permanently.

So here's a list of the most important questions to ask your tattoo artist. Don't feel bad or awkward about asking any of these questions. Tattoo artists will have heard them all before and true professionals will be only too happy to give you honest, open answers.

1) How long have you been a tattoo artist?

This is an important part of working out the strength of a tattoo artist's reputation. In general, the longer they've been in the business, the more experience they'll have and the better their reputation. Artists with a bad reputation don't tend to last that long.

2) What are your qualifications?

As with all professional trades it's important that tattoo artists are properly qualified. Tattooing is a precision job that involves the use of needles, so it's vital that a tattoo artist has been professionally trained and has a thorough knowledge of hygiene procedures.

3) How many tattoos have you done?

This is a good indication of an artist's level of skill and experience. Tattooing is an art, and the more designs a person has created, the better they're likely to be. The answer to this question also allows you to work out roughly how busy the artist has been, which is again closely linked to their popularity and reputation.

4) Can I see some of your previous work? Can you provide references?

Top quality artists will be able to provide you with pictures of their work and references from previous clients that they have worked on. But make sure that you see their work once it has healed properly to give you an accurate idea of what it looks like.

An artist who doesn't have a portfolio of their work or appears evasive when you ask these questions should be avoided at all costs.

5) How much will the work cost?

Large tattoos that are full of intricate detail can be extremely expensive, often running into thousands of dollars. Even smaller designs can cost over a hundred dollars. So if you're on a tight budget, make sure that you agree on the full cost of your chosen tattoo before work begins. This will avoid any nasty surprises or misunderstandings.

6) Do you guarantee your work?

What happens if you're not happy with the completed design? Will they drop the charge, or just reduce it? Do they have a refund policy? Make sure you find out your artist's guarantee policy before work begins as it will have a bearing on the quality of after sale service that you receive.

7) How long will the tattoo take?

This depends upon the size of your chosen design and the level of intricacy. Ultra small tattoos may take a matter of minutes to complete, while a full sleeve design may take several hours spread over a number of sessions. But if it's your first tattoo, it's important to know as much about the procedure as possible so that you feel more relaxed about it.

8) How should I care for my tattoo during the healing process?

Aftercare is an important part of the overall tattoo process. Poor aftercare can damage your tattoo design, lead to scarring of your skin and increase the chance of an infection developing. So all competent artists should be able to give you detailed instructions on how to care for your tattoo during the healing process. If they seem more interested in getting the tattoo started, go find another more responsible tattoo artist.

9) How can I reduce the chances of an infection occurring?

All tattoo artists should be able to give you advice that will help you to keep your tattoo clean and reduce the risk of infection. They'll also be able to advise you what to do if you think that an infection is developing.

10) Are there any medical conditions that can prevent a person from getting a tattoo?

Certain medical conditions mean that individuals should either avoid tattoos completely or take certain precautions prior to being tattooed. Your tattoo artist should be able to give you general advice on this matter. However, if you have any doubts about the effects of a tattoo upon your health, please consult a suitably qualified medical practitioner.

Finding A Movie Collectible Item

If you are a movie collectible buff, you can feel assured in knowing that there are many locations available which offer a multitude of movie collectible items. The most important thing to remember is to make sure that the company you are interested in buying from has a respected reputation, so that you will not be getting ripped off.

What Are Movie Collectibles?

Movie collectibles can consist of many different things. There is no exact rule and documentation which states exactly what is a collectible and what is not, although typically the older the item the more of a collectible it will be. Basically, if it is a popular movie, it will also be considered as a collectible.

Of course, the actors and actresses who starred in the movies are a big part of what makes them a collectible item. For instance, certain pop culture icons such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean are sure to make any item considered as a collectible.

When looking for movie memorabilia to add to your collection, one of the most important factors is to try and focus on what you really like, as no one can truly accurately predict what will become valuable in the future. Although popularity is a prime issue in collectibles, you should buy things that you will enjoy storing and displaying in your home, and the cardinal rule of collecting movie memorabilia is that you should always go for quality rather than quantity when buying.

Where to Buy Movie Collectible Items

Otherland Toys is an incredibly popular company which offers a vast array of movie collectible items, as is Books and Collectibles which is a company that offers rare antique vintage movie collectible items. MCW Online is a store which offers numerous movie collectibles, and they are considered as being the world's leading publication for collectors of movie memorabilia.

They have currently published over 697 consecutive issues, and they are published every month, 12 times yearly, with each tabloid issue featuring page after page of advertising from reputable and dependable dealers and collectors.

Regardless of where you actually end up deciding to purchase from, the most important thing to remember is to take some time and careful consideration before making any final decisions on a company or personal seller, so that you can be sure the company or seller is reputable, and that you will not be getting scammed or ripped off.

Finding A Good Knife Sharpener

Knife sharpening has always been one of the most important parts of tool maintenance, even dating back to the when the first primitive tool was made. In Colonial times, a grist mill was many times the first building to be set up when a new settlement was formed. This is because pioneers knew that without sharp tools, the building processed would be a very slow process.

Sharpening tools today are based on the same physics as the old grist mills and whet stones but a little more advanced and with a lot power. For instance, grinding wheels once powered by water wheels are now zapped with electricity to speed up the sharpening process dramatically. It now takes only a fraction of the time to properly sharpen its tools. A knife sharpener can come in several forms. The bench top grinder, for example, is good for sharpening axe blades and gardening tools.
 
It is important to keep your tools sharp for purposes of quality and safety. Chain saws need to be sharpened often to ensure a quality cut and, consequently, greater safety when cutting. An abrasive end to a long drill-bit attachment is inserted into the drill and tightened, and the drill quickly rotates the end as the saw blade is held against it. When choosing the best sharpener for your chain saw, look for a sharpener that comes with multiple tips since the tips will wear out quickly.

Tormek manufacturers a knife and scissor sharpener that is a bench top grinder with water which helps to reduce friction. The grinder comes with a complete package including a leather strop, though some users recommend a paper wheel to hone and stop the edges of the knife.

Versatility is the most important item to look for in a knife sharpener. It should be able to sharpen longer knife blades and strop the edges adequately. You should also consider whether or not the replacement parts are easy to obtain. These are all things that should be considered to ensure that you are getting everything you need, especially considering knife sharpeners appropriate for heavy duty maintenance can cost up to thousands of dollars.

Heavy duty grinding wheels and chains saw sharpeners are, of course, for the serious woodworkers and landscapers. For all others, there is a wide variety of less expensive and more portable sharpening tools available. The handheld sharpener you would find in a butcher shop is a basic tool requiring no electricity. Other variations include the wheeled knife sharpeners in which the blade is drawn between two hard wheels. Abrasive materials are drawn against a knife at about a thirty degree angle, and this is done whether it is electric and manual. Regardless of manual or electric, you can still get a quality sharpening. At the heart of how sharp a tool can become is the skill of the knife owner at angling and stopping the blade. Knife sharpening classes and educational courses are offered, which may be a good idea if having the sharpest tool in the shed is important to you.

Finding A Ghost Rider Movie Poster

If you collect movie posters, you know that some of them are harder to find than others, and you also know that there are many ways to find the things that you are looking for, both online and offline. If you are looking for a Ghost Rider movie poster, chances are good that you have probably explored your options as far as how to find them. However, there are some things that you might not have thought of.

When you are looking for something like a Ghost Rider movie poster there are two main places that you can go. First of all, you can try to find one at the movie stores and the other places that sell collectible items in your home town or places near you. This is going to be the first thing you should try. Next, you should look online, where you can find just about anything, including a Ghost Rider movie poster.

Check Out Stores

The reason that you should look for a Ghost Rider movie poster at stores first is that you might be able to find one close to you and so you'll be able to take it right home without having to get it shipped to you. If you can find one at a place that is close to you, where you won't need to get it shipped and where you can bring it home, this is going to be your best bet because if you buy a Ghost Rider movie poster in this way you don't have to worry about it being damaged as you bring it home. This happens often with shipping, so look offline at places near you for your Ghost Rider movie poster first. Then, if you can't find one, move to the online sources.

Online Is Next

When you are ready to start searching online, remember that you should look for a Ghost Rider movie poster in all of the different sites that you can find. You never know which sites are going to have the best Ghost Rider movie poster for your needs, so be sure that you are checking them all out. You are going to want to look at several of them online, and you are going to want to pick the one for the best price that appears to be the least amount damaged. Then, you want to make sure that you get a good deal on shipping so that you aren't going to end up with something that is damaged in the mail.

Find The Perfect Picture Frame

Picture Frames

If you have a picture that you love, then it's amazing how much better it can look given the right frame. Pictures can say so much more than words, given the right presentation. A photo or picture frame, as well as being decorative, is meant to protect and highlight its contents. It's possible to take a magnificent work of art and reduce it to nothing by giving it a frame in the wrong materials, but it's also possible to turn the tables and turn an average picture into a masterpiece.

Finding the right frame can be difficult, so it's important that you allow plenty of time to the search. Most standard size photo frames are relatively inexpensive, and they're stocked by a large range of shops. This means it's easy to look at a whole range of possible frames in a fairly short amount of time. As you look around, you'll find there are frames that instantly appeal to you, and that's a good sign. That particular frame probably connects with your personality in some way, and so will give your framed photo an extremely personal feel.

You can buy photo frames made in a whole range of materials, with some of the most popular frames being made from pewter, stainless steel, ceramics, composites and crystal. Look for the best design and material that fits your budget. Examine the decor of your home, and choose a frame that matches. Contemporary homes blend best with dark frames, using strong materials like silver, copper or gold, or plain dark colors like black. If your home has more of a Mediterranean feel, then pale blue or white will go best. Ornate gilded frames match beautifully with antiques, and for a child's room look for plastic frames made with bright colors and fun shapes.

Pictures aren't always made to a standard size, which can make them difficult to frame. It's possible that a professional framer might be necessary to get something custom made. If you've never been to a framer's before, you may find the huge variety of shapes, colors and materials a little daunting. So it's a good idea to have a clear picture of what you want to achieve. What's the style of the room where the picture will be located? Do you want the frame to stand out or the picture? Take care not to overwhelm a special picture with a bright, wide frame.

If you've spent some time thinking about what sort of effect you want to achieve for your picture, then choosing the right frame shouldn't be too difficult. Take a look at all the options, and choose something that appeals to you. After all, you'll undoubtedly be looking at the picture and its frame for many years to come.

Find Color Inspiration For Your Scrapbooking Page Layouts

Do you think you need to know color theory to make a beautiful scrapbooking page?  You don't even need to know the difference between primary and secondary colors to create a page that complements your photographs.  All you need to find color inspiration for your layouts is a watchful eye during your everyday life. Color palettes are all around us.  Consider these easy-to-find resources for color choices on your next scrapbooking pages.

Your Favorite Clothing Store
Clothing manufacturers design their seasonal lines according to a predetermined color scheme.  Ever wonder why all the stores seem to carry similar colors each season?  Many designers use the color direction provided by the Color Marketing Group.  The Color Marketing Group forecasts color trends for manufactured products.  Walking around your favorite clothing boutique quickly shows you the color trends for the current season.  Are pastels in this season?  Try a page with pastels even if it's not spring. 

Your Closets
Along the same lines as using a clothing store for inspiration, your own closets hold the color palettes for past seasons.  Don't limit yourself to just your clothes closet.  Your linen closet will also have coordinated color palettes to inspire you.  Love that quilt that you have tucked away for the guest room?  Look carefully at the colors and see if you can create a scrapbooking page with the same color qualities.

Paint Chips
Would you believe that you can find professional color schemes at your local home improvement store?  Paint manufacturers coordinate colors in sample decorating palettes.  These chips are often designed by professionals like Martha Stewart and Ralph Lauren.  Browse through the paint chip display and use one of the palettes for a scrapbooking page or even an entire album.

Museums
Take an afternoon to walk through an art museum, and you will see how the Masters use color.  Make some notes on what paintings inspire you the most and what colors are used to set the mood of the painting.  Artists know color theory, and reflecting on their masterpieces is an education in color theory without the textbooks.

Mother Nature
The earth provides its own color palette.  Not only can you gain inspiration from the colors of winter, summer, spring and fall, you can study landscapes.  These are earth's paintings.  Look at the colors of the desert and mountains, as well as, the sunsets and sunrises.  Peek out your window at your flower garden for even more of nature's inspiration.

Your Makeup Drawer
Makeup manufacturers also use color theory to develop their seasonal palettes.  Take a look at your eye shadows and blushes for ready-made color selections for your scrapbooking pages.

Home Decorating Magazines
Color inspiration doesn't just come from scrapbooking magazines.  Interior designers use coordinating colors to make it easier for customers to create a perfect decor for their homes.  The photographs in home decorating magazines are sure to inspire a creative scrapbooking page.

Advertisements
Before you put those magazines away, take a closer look at the advertisements.  Companies pay millions of dollars to ad agencies to design advertisements that will capture the eye of its customers before they flip the page.  Ads can provide no-fail color schemes for your scrapbooking.  An added bonus of advertisements is that they not only provide great inspiration for colors, but their layouts are an education in design theory, as well.

Color palettes are everywhere.  Next time you need some color inspiration, take a creative look around you.  Keep an idea journal with notes, clips from magazines and paint chips.  Tired of the same old red and green on your Christmas pictures?  Use your holiday sweaters to inspire you.  There is no end to the number of color palettes you can find for your scrapbooking pages.

Find Animal Dolls For Your Child

Doll is seen as the most favourite toys for children. Both classic and electronic dolls have their own pro and cons. Particularly for animal dolls that has variety of all kind of animal. We have to admit that animal is the first thing that children will knoe for the first stage of learning. A lot of practice and lesson, start from using animal as a symbol like A B C, which always represent in the type of animal. Therefore, children will have first impression and appreciation of animal at the first stage of learning. According to this reason, it is will be very common that they will looking for animal toys and animal dolls have become to their favorite type. However, some children has very much appreciation of animal dolls and they start to collect them as a hobby so we can imagine that they will enjoy of having al kind of them in the collection.

Collecting Animal Dolls Is A Great Hobby

The animal dolls are the dolls, which resembles the structure of the animals. The animals with the specific breeds are inherited in the dolls and it provides an attractive look to the animal dolls. The materials like artificial fur and other synthetic materials make the doll to be realistic. The passion of collecting the dolls will make the children to collect their favorite dolls in the market. The collection of the dolls makes the child to have the pleasure and improves the habit of collecting new things everyday in life.

Types Of Dolls

The dolls that are given to a child at the early stage makes the child to be happy and it takes care of the doll with great efforts. It treats the doll as the pet and provides fun in playing with the doll. The animal dolls make the child to look it as a virtual animal where the child cannot fear about the animals. They can care the animal doll and can start collecting their favorite animal dolls in the market. The other dolls are decorative dolls, baby dolls, and fashion dolls. The collection of dolls differs from each individual and they even learn the method of creating new dolls. However, we may not have no idea that what kind of dolls that will be created and developed in the future, so just to make sure that they will get the most of their favorite.

Collecting The Doll As A Hobby

An independent research reveals that the collection of dolls is considered as the second biggest hobby in the United States. The collection of dolls depends upon the individual and should be collected according to the personal taste. With the advent of the Internet, an individual can purchase a variety of dolls in the Internet and can purchase it from the home. The doll collection is a great hobby for the children and it continues till in the adult stage. It makes the individual to leave from the adult stage and provides the chance of enjoying the childhood again.

Fight Night Round 3 For The Xbox 360

    EA Sport's Fight Night Round 3 is hands down the greatest boxing game ever. EA's King of the Ring series that was before Fight Night series tended to be a disappointment every year. Fight Night 3 is the culmination of the corrections made to the earlier Fight Night games. The graphics are amazing up to the point where you can see beads of sweat dripping off the guys foreheads. It also has realistic facial damage that you can see during the corner cut games in between rounds. However, I will say the controls of Fight Night 3 are at best hard to get used to. Since the game heavily discourages button mashing, you will not find much action in the button department. All of the punches are controlled by the right stick. The achievements in Xbox 360 version of this game should be pretty easy for anyone to get all 1000 points. This doesn't mean you won't go back and play the game because you will not have really mastered many of the punches by the time you have gotten all 1000 pts. This will allow you to go back and learn something new every time you play.

One feature I really liked about this game was in fight mini games that can be started by hitting you opponent with one of you haymaker punches. This sends you opponent into an instant daze where he is eligible to be knocked down or it will start a mini game from your opponents point of view at which time you can down you opponent with a well placed haymaker. You probably wont see many of these mini games when you first play the game. The move is difficult to learn and will take you awhile to learn how to pull it off.

Fiction And Folk - Making Filk Music Together

The word "Filk" is a combination of "fiction" and "folk." Filk music originated as songs composed by dedicated film or TV fans, usually relating to science fiction and fantasy programming. The word originated in the '50s in an article about the practice of science fiction fans singing self-created songs while meeting at conventions geared for the sci-fi and fantasy fan.

While the practice goes back to the fifties, it has developed a genre and following that continues to this day on the Internet and at social gatherings attended by "filkers." By the late seventies there were weekend conventions focused solely on filkers and filking. Websites and events have formed around what has become a cultural phenomenon and while there may be no established stars working in the genre, there are award programs for "Excellence in Filking" and a Filk Hall of Fame.

Today the world of filking remains essentially true to its origins: science fiction and fantasy fans singing together at gatherings. They are drawn from the worlds of Star Trek, Battlestar Gallactica, Star Wars and games such as Dungeons and Dragons. Song topics can cover any aspect of the sci-fi world: computers, homesteads on Mars, space battles and time travel. Those gatherings may be completely devoted to filking today and may include an entire range of talent, from highly accomplished musicians to the amateur science fiction fan who only wishes to raise his or her voice.

Through email lists and websites, filkers have opened up lines of communications and organizations that reach into other countries and continents. The concept of the musical product had expanded somewhat, although not without debate. Songs of an anarchic or nonsensical bent dealing with familiar social phenomena have been referred to as filk tunes; there has been an ongoing discussion among purists as to whether or not Weird Al Yankovic qualifies as a filker. A good resource for Filk FAQs and other websites can be found at http://www.electricpenguin.com/filking/columns/filkfaq/.

Filking can also be identified as simply the social network that has evolved around the original practice. The electronic tools at hand for maintaining that network are part of the current definition of the filk community. The websites with songs, lyrics and musical tools posted are an important part of the community's binding. It's also fair to say that openness characterizes the filker movement, or community, or organization. It's not your ability to sing that qualifies you, it's your enthusiasm for the process and perhaps your appreciation of the disassociation with social norms that the songs represent.

Filking remains, for the most part, the folk music of the science fiction and fantasy fan set. Some songs are bawdy, many are parodies of original mainstream works, and nearly all are performed on acoustic instruments to the uniform applause of other gathered filkers. There are CDs out there these days and a plethora of MP3 files to be found on many Internet sites. There are perhaps eight gatherings a year held around the nation that are dedicated exclusively to filking.

There is another form of purity to the art form, other than its unique music. It is far enough off center that no one has found a way to build a business model for it and filking remains the personal creations and sole property of filkers.