I wrote this after hearing about the casting of Brandon Routh in the new Superman movie. Interesting how things have changed since then and having seen the actual film.
We have a new Superman!
Warner Brothers has announced its choice to play Superman in its reboot of the Superman movie franchise. “Superman Returns” is slated to begin production in 2005, with Brandon Routh as the Supes-du-jour.
So who is Brandon Routh?
The 25-year old actor is best known for his work on the soap opera “One Life to Live”. He also did a one-year stint on the MTV short-soap “Undressed”. Other than that, Brandon Routh has a few television appearances on series like “Will and Grace”, “Cold Case” and “Gilmore Girls”. Other than that, there is not much there.
I like that the studio got a no-name for the part. You can get big name actors to play Luthor and Lois, if you need star power. Get Brando to redo Jor-El, if you like. But I don’t want to see Nicholas Cage or Tom Cruise in the red cape. That would have killed the movie’s whole ambience. “Superman Returns” would have been another vehicle for Nicholas Cage…like the world needs another one of those. So I’m giving Warner Brothers points for courage.
Beyond that, I will wait to see the finished product. Since I have never seen Mr. Routh act, I can’t comment on whether he has the chops. His resume shows us a soap opera actor, which usually means someone who looks good delivering bad lines in a bad fashion. From the few photos I’ve seen, Brandon Routh looks like a young Tom Cruise. While it’s hard to tell from a headshot, he hardly looks like an imposing figure. Hopefully, Routh will fill out the costume of Superman. Perhaps it’s time to hit the gym.
As for his acting ability, how bad can it be? God love him, but Christopher Reeve was about as wooden as the Floronic Man. So it’s not as if Brandon Routh needs to be the next Olivier. Mostly, he needs to be believable and likable. Routh can stand aside for the villain to chew up scenery and deliver most of the good lines. If these prerequisites are met, I can live with the new choice. And the studio can take comfort that, if the moviemakers do their job, when it comes time for “Superman Returns 2″ (or is that Superman 6?), Brandon Routh will be a household name.
The popularity of Chinese lanterns has been on the up this summer and the squad at Chinese Lanterns have had some great fun attempting to capture high quality pic’s on film of these beautiful lanterns heading skyward in the evenings.Well in all honestness we have been utilizing digital cam’s as opposed to film because of the ease of operation and manipulation of the photo’s;Quick edit and instant playback of shots as well as the power to take snaps in the 1000’s in a single expedition! The capacity cap of my old polaroid 24 snaps camera seems antiquated by comparison. Video recording is now a handy included extra for some impromptu Spielberg seconds and is littering the webspace known as YouTube as you read this.I bought a camera last week and can assure you it was an involved and lengthy process. With so many brands models and technical features to get your head around not to mention the reviews that tend to contradict each other to some extent. It can be a bit difficult at the best of times. From my experience it pays to have a good resource site such as dPreview on speed dial this site classes the camera by features, price, and popularity It also features user established content and some well written articles on the different models. At the end of the day no amount of reviews or spec’s can make the conclusion for you. You really need to get one in your grip to know what feels right for your style of photography
The origins of the Tarot have been attributed a wide range of wacky sources paleolithic cave paintings, gypsy folk lore, Moroccan mystics and even gifts from space aliens to Egyptian priests!. Most of these stories are, of course, speculation of the wildest, most ridiculous kind, and only serve to muddy the waters when it comes to understanding the Tarot. If you’re going to use the cards, it’s important to understand where they come from so that you know their rich history, their potential and their value and not put faith in silly urban legends.
Tarot on parade
The first mention of the cards was in Italy in the 14th century, called “Tarocco” and used for games and already, authorities were lecturing against its use. The first known deck was made for the Vicsconzi-Sforza family of Milan, designed by the artist Bembo. According to Tarot expert Gertrude Moakley, the various characters illustrated in the major arcana represented the triomfi, or parade, that accompanied Italian celebrations.
Historians believe that there may have been other cards that existed to represent other characters but have disappeared over time. Few decks of Tarot cards exist for those early days, but there’s enough similarity in artwork to make it clear that the deck was in common use in that time. Some historians believe that the Tarot was originally only used as a gaming deck to play a game called tarocchi until occultists began using them for divination.
Taking Europe by storm
The next big milestone in Tarot’s history came in the late 1700’s when Court de Gebelen, a member of a secret society of occultists, came across the a game of tarocchi and became obsessed with the cards. He believed them to be imbued with important symbolism which he attributed to ancient Egyptian lore. De Geblen wrote a nine-volume treatise titled “Le Monde Primitif” in which he discussed the meanings of the Tarot. That he attributed the Tarot’s symbolism to the Egyptian’s was based less on any real fact than on the fascination that Europeans had with Egypt at that time, believing it to be the center of all of man’s early wisdom. Use of the cards for divination spread during that time, with a book by a man named Etteilla in 1783, in which he offered his interpretations of the cards. In fact, professional mystics began using the Tarot throughout Europe, although there was no consensus of what the cards actually meant.
Euromillions elottery syndicate! Have you ever daydreamed of picking them? Lingering in the midst of your mind that some day you will gain full financial control or do you ever reckon that you need never have to go to the office again. Nonetheless, there are times when you discover about folks winning the Euro lottery and walking off with a ridiculous amount of money.
Fortunate for them, for us though, it appears euro millions e-lottery syndicates are in all likelihood the most efficient manner to collectively pluck those precious euro millions lottery numbers. The concept exploits one simplified pattern and that is the more lottery tickets your particular consortium buys the better your probability of scooping the jackpot. There are nonetheless those folks that gain with simply 1 lottery ticket whilst they are unusual though a couple of people are capable of winning the lotto by buying 1 or 2 tickets on their way home from the office. All The Same more and more people are joining lottery syndicates. This tried and tested method gives you a great deal more chances to profit by buying lots of euro millions tickets as possible. So then, why not become a lottery syndicate leader
To be able to become the syndicate leader and buy the tickets you must live in the United Kingdom. This does not imply that it is required for you to reside in the UK to take part in the UK National lottery though. All you have to do is to set up or sign-up to a lotto syndicate and then have the lotto tickets bought in the United Kingdom. As soon as the lottery draw has been made then all you have to do is scratch-off your individual lottery numbers. Colleagues, fellow workers and friends investing their money in the pot to purchase lots of lottery tickets - is not a new conception! In That Respect
umpteen stories of factory workers and fellow workers that have hit the jackpot. Amazingly though, still when they realise they have won a large sum of money with their winning numbers, they still go back to employment as normal.
The Euro lottery was in the first place launched by the national lotteries of the UK, Spain and France and was disclosed in Feb 04. The initial lottery draw was on Feb 13th-04 in Paris. The United Kingdom, France and Spain were the only nations partaking in the beginning but lotteries from Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland and Austria also became active in October 2004.
The Euromillions lotto or the Euro lotto, as it’s normally known, gathers the lottery ticket revenues of the 9 partaking Euro countries presenting a gigantic Euro Lotto jackpot. With the sum of countries joining the EU on the increase, this will without question will lead to new states participating in the Euro lotto. An increase in the amount of people partaking in the Euromillions Lottery will lead to a continuing growth of the already immense Euro Lottery “jackpots”.
Q. How Would You Play The euromillions Lottery?
Each and every player must select five primary numbers from 1 to 50 and 2 Lucky Star numbers from one to nine. During the lotto draw, five primary plus 2 lucky-star numbers are then selected at random from 2 draw machines containing numbered balls.
Euromillions Awards
The probability of scooping up the Euromillions “jackpot” is a far-off 1 : seventy six million but the likelihood of winning a cash prize is a fairly decent 1 : twenty four. If the “jackpot” is not won in a given lottery draw, it is carried over to the following lottery draw that will result in an ever increasing “jackpot” prize. New rules brought in on the 9th of February 2007 specify the number of consecutive roll overs to eleven, with the jackpot rolling down to lower prize levels in the 11th draw if the prize is not won.
The recent regulations likewise initiated Euro Lottery “Super Draw” which come about twice each year plus they offer “jackpots” in the region of £100 million. The difference with Super Draws is that the jack-pot has to be collected during the week of the lotto draw; this means, if there is no lotto ticket corresponding, all the numbers drawn and top prize will be distributed to the ticket holder(s) in the succeeding winning prize tier.
LCD, which as a rule stands for Liquid Crystal Displays, is a specific brand of telly display which has lately developed into being extremely popular. Liquid Crystal screens in recent times are normally used as personal computer screens. Similar categories of in-style tellies would take account of plasma. Discover amazing prices on cheap digital flat screen TV’s currently at Digital Direct!
For a substantial amount of period of time tubed tellies were drastically less costly than any specific type of LCD or Plasma. Shoppers trusted and felt at ease with them & they knew right where they stood with them & of course the most important reason was because they were at a bargain. At the present it’s a different story as tubed tellies have been withdrawn and in its place been replaced by bargain TVs in the model of Plasma & Liquid Crystal Displays, what had some time ago been exceptionally dear are nowadays extraordinarily cheap and of outstanding value for the price paid.
Its nowadays possible to get high-definition televisions at an extremely cheap price. This is the most up to date brand of equipment with regards to tellies. Hi-definition products have permitted an innumerable number of adults to get pleasure from its crystal clear picture & sound. Hi-Definition has taken over analogue broadcasting and changed it with an all digital system. To view full High Definition you require a source of Hi-definition TV signals, a tuner to receive and decipher those signals & a high performance image screen that can reproduce the wonderful detail & vivid colours of Hi-def TV pictures. You may also need to obtain a telly that is HD ready, it is possible at this time to obtain an inexpensive digital flat screen either LCD or Plasma that will be able to assist you to achieve this.
With a digital TV you are likely to receive a far better image and mechanical class. As a result you can now view anything within the comfort of your own home.
Casinos have recently been popular as locations for movies like “Oceans 11″, however slot machines and roulette tables have been identified with them since long. Besides all other things casinos are excellent one-stop locations for a variety of entertainment options. People believe casinos attract famous name entertainment found only in large cities or exclusive shows nowhere else found.
Short-term performances hosted by casinos; include pop groups in between their tours or permanent or extended run shows. Latest trend being, to build larger million dollar theaters, designed specifically for a single show.
Some acts are associated pretty closely with casinos. Penn & Teller, Cirque du Soleil, and David Copperfield though also known for TV shows and live performances, are yet still known for their casinos only. To get a newer audience base casinos are looking for more entertainment options. Cabarets though shall remain as a prominent option Broadway shows are troop setting up at casinos.
Family oriented options are also being tried as an option and are becoming popular, as some casinos are eager to be known as destinations for family vacation. A lot of shows with high adult content have been modified to make them acceptable for a younger audience also.
However casinos shall always keep there original moneymaking shows intact, despite all the changes creeping in. Big name singers like Celine Dion and Elton John are joining the band of performers, signing long-term contracts with casinos. Sports fans gathering for boxing shows remain a constant Friday night fixture. Showgirls and casinos shall always be one steady relationship.
It is seen as an extension to the existing work they are doing. This can be technically termed as value addition or sales promotion. Whatever one may call it but the fact remains that the sole purpose of this exercise is to get the masses to the casinos. Many of the casinos are trying to create the scenes of the past in front of the customers giving them a nostalgic sense. So you might end up sitting with the pharos at the dinner table or might be found playing with the dukes and the duchess’.
The major shows in the world are coming to the casinos. This is not only popularizing the casino culture but also vitalizing the experience of the customers who come to seek entertainment with betting. The pricing of these has been made affordable to attract more and more people from the various strata of the society. Incentives to the children are acting as promotional methods and are very successful. Adding to all these are the glamorous events like boxing fixtures etc. that take place at the gambling hubs.
All one can imagine is that the gambling related travel becoming the mainstay of tourism. If so happens the whole world will have to change their brochures and include entertainment providing casinos as their Unique Selling Proposition. Gambling is here to stay and the more glamorous it is made the more following it will have. if you can bring them to the casino you can make them throw some money on the table.
About the Author
Mansi gupta writes about casino entertainment topics. Learn more at http://www.casinoentertainers.com .
I continue my articles about learning to master online poker at
low limit stakes. In the last article I wrote about the chance
of winning in a casino. So you can ask why poker is different.
In online poker you don’t play against the casino, you play
against other players!
That’s why your chance of winning (not losing) is so different
than in the case of casino games.
Some additional thoughts: Of course the casino has its
revenue on this game too, but this is not a prize rather a fix
or percentage fee. You can imagine this fee like a hosting fee
for the game. Live casinos used to collect hourly fees but on
the internet there is the so-called “rake”. It means that
at the end of every hand the casino gets some percentage of the
prize (the pot).
Back to the point, the poker is not played against the casino it
is played against other players. That’s why there is no system
determined in advance against which you cannot win, the chance
of winning only depends on your game play and the playing style
of your opponents.
So if you want to win you have to pay attention to 2 things:
- You have to play better and better.
- You have
to play with weaker opponents.
The first point goes without saying but let’s talk about the
second. What if everybody at the table plays with the same
skills? Depending on the hand one will win a bit then other will
win but in the long run nobody will win. The casino will collect
the rake so all of them will lose. It means that you can win if
the difference of the average skills of the other players and
your skills is bigger than the rake. ( Because you have to pay
for the rake).
How can you win then? The two extreme cases are:
- You are the best poker player on the world.
- You play only with someone who doesn’t even know the
rules.
Unfortunately none of the cases seem to achieve easy, but there
is no need to. It is enough if you take into consideration them
at the same time. When you are a new player try to find
opponents weaker than you, and if you gets a lot of experience
you can try with stronger opponents.
You can say here that it is ethical to get the money of a weaker
player? Well, let’s see this question from another point of
view. Those who read this article want to win money in the
poker. So we can see this like a business. And in the business
world there are competitors. And in the business world the weak
will become bankrupt. A little bit cynical? Yes. But that is
what the poker about.
You can find the previous article with the following name:
How to master low limit Texas Holdem part 1 -
Introduction
Framing is an essential part of the art purchase. For works on
paper be they photographic prints, water colours, digital
prints, etchings et al framing under glass protects your
investment and increases its life.
It can also be a very expensive pastime. For my 2002 exhibition,
framing ate up half the total costs for the exhibition which
meant that the first third of my sales were for the framer and
that was after getting a volume discount from the framer. My DIY
skills weren’t up to the job of professional, customized
framing.
Framing is a craft requiring accurate measuring and cutting
skills of a variety of materials and specialized equipment and
tools to do the job. I am an average DIYer with enough knowledge
to know my limitations. I figured the wastage from mistakes and
the purchase of the essential tools and materials would at least
equal what the framer charged.
I have now become a little older and wiser and quite a bit
cleverer. Instead of making frames to fit the art work I now
make my art work to fit the frame. Producing my work on the
computer this is a very easy process, a couple of mouse clicks
and voila the print equals the available frame. Even for a more
traditional artist it isn’t that much of a change of mind set to
work at a size that will fit an available frame.
The good news is there is as many frame sizes out there as there
works of art to go in them. Check out your local second hand or
even better junk shop and there you will find a wide selection
of pre-loved frames in all shapes and sizes. Yes, you most
likely will have to remove the current resident, but that is not
a big job. A craft cutter and a pair of pliers and your on your
way. Obviously you will need to clean it up, but once done you
will have a very acceptable home for your work for just a few
bucks.
A friend of mine went this way for her last exhibition. Over the
6 months prior to her exhibition she haunted second hand stores
collecting frames that appealed to her and suited her works.
Some of which gave a new lease of life to with a coat of paint.
Her exhibition was not only an artistic success but also a
financial success with her framing costs coming in at just a
couple of hundred dollars.
An alternative to the second hand shops is department stores and
their stock of mass produced framed pictures or the DIY shops
with their frame kits. These are available in a variety of
finishes almost as wide as that available at your local framer.
They are available in plastic, wood and metal and the majority
of them include a mat and even a double mat. Obviously the mat
opening size needs to be just little bit smaller than your art
work.
These are not as cost effective as the second hand shops but
require less work to be made ready for your art work and are
still considerably a lot less than a custom made frame. The
quality of the materials is on a par with that used in custom
framing and as long as you use acid free tape to secure you work
to the mat longevity shouldn’t be a problem.
If you are purchasing art via the net buying unframed works is
the usual, mainly due to prohibitive shipping costs for framed
works. The cost of shipping a work framed under glass will cost
more than a custom frame job and depending upon your purchase it
may be more than total cost of art work and framing.
I am yet to find a web site that doesn’t offer a range of print
sizes many of which are very close to the available commercial
frame sizes and some sites like http://www.pissedpoet.com offer
a custom print size service.
For the artist contemplating an exhibition, the savings of using
recycled or kit frames can mean getting the work on the walls
for the public to see without maxing out the credit card. For
the casual purchase via the net, it can mean the difference
between an open or a limited edition.
