When most of us think about pumpkin carvings, we generally think about the traditional carvings where you cutout the triangle eyes with the jagged smile. Although there is nothing wrong with these types of carvings, most people are unaware of the different ways to carve amazing looking pumpkins.

One method that can be used to create mind-blowing pumpkins is to carve a design into them using a template. If you are not familiar with using a template to carve a pumpkin, then you will be happy to know that it is a fairly easy skill to learn.

In a nut shell, a template is the negative image of a design. For example, let’s say you have a drawing of a black cat. On the template, the drawing of the cat would represent the area of the pumpkin that we would cutout. The image on the template is transferred to the pumpkin usually by first taping the template to the pumpkin. A punch or needle is then used to outline the design onto the pumpkin by punching a hole through the template and outer skin of the pumpkin. Finally, a carving saw is used to cutout the image into the pumpkin. Once you light up the pumpkin, the image of the cat will simply jump out at you.

Now, creating an image of a cat into a pumpkin is impressive but nothing is more impressive then carving a portrait of a person. The principles for carving basic images from templates still apply to portrait carving. Although the degree of difficulty increases, with a little practice just about anyone can carve and amazing portrait into a pumpkin.

Pumpkin Portraits

Pumpkin Portraits are just as they sound, a portrait of a person carved into a pumpkin. The key to creating amazing portraits in a pumpkin is using a technique called shading. If you already have some experience using templates for pumpkin carvings then you know there are basically two colors that a template creates, black and yellow (part of the pumpkin where the light shines through). Advanced templates, or portraits on the other hand use three colors; black, yellow, orange. The orange color is created by an effect called shading. Instead of cutting an image all the way through the pumpkin, you will use tools to shave the skin down. The thinner skin restrictively shines the light through creating a darker version of the yellow (orange in this case).

Although the process may appear difficult at first, carving a three layer pumpkin using the shading technique mentioned above really is not that difficult at all. The key is to start with a simple design and develop your skills from there.

The real beauty of pumpkin portraits is that you can use a permanent pumpkin, like a Fun-Kins pumpkin, to create the image one time and have a wonderful decoration to use for years to come. Portrait carving is fun, simple and a great way to add an amazing decoration for Halloween.

Children and adults, both, enjoy collecting stamps from different countries on their passports. One can look throughout the passport to recall the places one has traveled but there are many children who might not have traveled abroad and have no idea about a passport. The use of pretend passports for children serves as a leaning tool for such children. Underlying are some tips which would help in making these passports for your children.
Computers have entered into the field of creative designing, so it is advisable to use computer design software for designing your pretend passports for children. You will need a paper of size 5-by-7-inch paper folded in half for creating a 5-by-3.5-inch passport book. The next step would be the creation of three 5-by-7-inch page for designing the cover of the passport as well as the passport pages. The pages should be adjusted so as they are of 5 inches in height and 7 inches in width.

After adjusting the pages as required for the pretend passports for children, you will be required to draw a line down the center of the page, thereby creating two 5 by 3.5-inch partitions on the page. Get it printed on standard size paper and cut it down to the required size. Treat the first page as the cover of the passport and work on it. Once folded, the right half of the page will be and serves as the cover of the passport. On the right half of the passport, across the top, you can write the word PASSPORT and at the bottom you can write the name of the country to which the passport belongs to, by using text.

Keep space in the mid portion of the page for drawing a country seal after getting the passport printed. An actual passport may be referred to. Get the cover of the passport printed for as many copies as you need. On cardstock, print the cover of the passport. Print the required number of copies as needed. The remaining pages should be designed as the middle pages for the pretend Passports for Children. You can also place a digital picture of the child at the bottom left corner.

The last page should be created as usually with the computer as the Visas should be printed on the top of the page. Six copies of the page should be extracted for each child. The printed pages should be cut down to 5-by-7 inches. Arrange all the pages on top of one another keeping the cover at the bottom. The page bearing the picture should be on top of the cover. After folding the pages, staple twice along the line which has been created to pages into two equal haves.

A clicker press is a machine that cuts shapes out of rolls of soft material, such as rubber, cardboard, or leather, using a sharp metal piece called a die. A metal tool and die shop will take a pattern, and bend, weld and form pre-sharpened steel into a die. A cutting die is usually a steel cutting tool to be used with a clicker press.

Cutting Dies are appropriate for cutting paper, leather, rubber, plastic and numerous others including envelope cutting dies, label cutting dies, clicker dies, window dies, punch dies, gasket cutting dies, washer dies, trimming dies, high dies, threaded punch dies, rotary panel cutters, corner blades, strap dies and more.

Beverly Clicker Dies, Single Edge Dies, Double Edge Dies, Gang Dies, Precision Milled Dies, and Serrated Edge Dies are the six basic types of cutting dies. These dies are crafted from steel and will usually last for tens of thousands of cuts.

The Beverly Clicker Die is used primarily in the Shoe and Leather Garment Industries. It is simply a clicker die constructed around a center plate, which acts as a brace like reinforcement, creating a very strong and durable die.

Double edge dies are used in applications with an identical right and left piece. To greatly reduce die cost the double edge die may be used . Such applications would be the shoe and glove trades. A good example would be a moccasin die with a distinct left and right size. By constructing a two sided die the price is less than making two distinct dies for right and left size.

Gang dies are standard clicker dies in multiple configurations for high volume or multiple part situations. A good example of a gang die would be a key fob in which you have orders for 10,000 pieces. Rather than just die cut one at a time it would be productive to cut a 2 up or 3 up gang die to do the cutting job efficiently

Precision Milled Dies are an highly accurate die milled from high grade tool steel. The solid steel milled die is better used in very close tolerance high production situations. Precision dies are often used where super tight corners and fine tolerances are required. This type of die may be unaffordable as it requires a fair amount of time and skilled labor and expensive machinery.

New technology in cutting dies features a serrated edge that allows for the die to permeate multiple layers of materials much easier than conventional edge cutting dies. These particular edge dies also help eliminate fusing with many materials. A fine use of this type of dye would be cutting of multiple layers of vinyl.

If you are cutting leather, and have a product that has a run of at least 500 pieces, then a cutting press (clicker) and steel cutting dies are a strong consideration. You might look at buying a cutting press for your manufacturing, or there are companies that will subcontract cutting for your business.

With the rapid development of electronics industry, on the printed circuit board (PCB) of the welding process and welding quality requirements higher and higher. Previous thermal curing and UV curing resists are using screen printing of graphics. Complete coverage from the line, size precision, consider using silk screen graphic methods have been incompatible, so the researchers developed a dry film resist. But the dry film resist because of its inherent limitations, can not fully meet the performance requirements of PCB, although technically its resolving power can reach nearly 25 m, but the scale is the actual production can be 75 ~ 100 m. The development of electronic technology, has asked the resolving power of high-density PCB on the forefront of the 75 m, and will be developed to 50 m, or even fine lines. Therefore, the urgent need for new photoresist, the resolving power to a higher level, especially at the board's inner board manufacturing. In addition, PCB price competition, are becoming increasingly fierce, forcing manufacturers to ensure that the PCB PCB quality and performance of the premise, do everything possible to reduce the PCB manufacturing costs. Dry film resist according to their structure characteristics, its cost is difficult to reduce. In addition, the high-density PCB pad area required to minimize, or even a "no" pads, dry film resist is difficult to adapt to such a request. Therefore, many PCB manufacturers to shift attention to the liquid photoresist [1 ~ 5].

Present a new generation of liquid photoresist is an outstanding representative of the liquid photosensitive imaging inks (also known as wet-film resist) and the electrodeposition liquid photoresist (ED resist). Resist using these new, easy to get high resolution. For example, the usual source of non-alignment and standard imaging devices, imaging obtained after the resolution of 50 m. The use of a collimated light source, as long as the clean environment and ensure the appropriate base map conditions, the resolving power of up to 25 m. Outer or inner layer in the subsequent etching process, as compared with the dry film, liquid photoresist etching can give excellent results. This high resolution allows fine line PCB manufacturers can produce very low defect density of the product, and higher yield.

Photosensitive resist ink is a liquid solution developed for fine wire drawing production of a printing ink, commonly known as the wet film. It overcomes the thermosetting resist ink and dry production process in a number of challenges for fine wire and fine wire production. The most thin wide reach in 2. 54mm centered between the two pads three wires (0. 125mm) or four wires (0. 075mm), can also be used for high-precision craft, stencil mask, gravure printing production purposes, can be used to produce multilayer inner layer of fine wire. It consists of photosensitive resin, photosensitive agents, fillers, additives, pigments and solvents. Ink resolution up to 50 ~ 100 m, and good adhesion of copper clad board, there does not exist in the dry film production arising from the edge of the interface of bubble diffusion coating thereby causing the wire spikes, gaps, short circuit and other Defects. Ink is usually yellow light area in the security context of the handling, storage of about one year. Liquid photo plating resist ink of a brief technical operation procedures are as follows:

Pre-drying coating cooling exposure Imaging removal of ink curing plating post-processing etching

Liquid photosensitive resist leakage can use screen printing, spraying or curtain coating, etc. as a full page on the PCB coating without orientation, by pre-heating, the surface is dry, the application of ultraviolet camera bottom plate positioning exposure, development and access to accurate corrosion graphics. With the traditional hot solid, light solid and corrosion resistance compared to dry, first of all graphics and high precision can be easily obtained by 40 ~ 50 m in the solder joints graphics; other and the substrate and the copper wire with good heat resistance, high gap in the wire is filled with good, defective rate; Also, because of its use as thermosetting epoxy resin composition, it is chemical resistance, plating resistance, humidity, heat and electrical insulation are very good. In view of these advantages, foreign production of high precision multi-layer circuit boards and circuit boards have been using the liquid photosensitive resist.

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Theres no room for mistakes in todays economyand that includes building or re-engineering distribution centers.
Because these facilities are critical components of the supply chain, they require a detailed planning process to ensure they meet return on investment expectations.
More than ever, the measure twice, cut once rule applies, since having to tack on additional capital outlays five, six, seven years down the road is costly. The projection of inventory and how it is to be stored and moved are the driving factors, as a 20% deviation on a 200,000 square foot storage area can result in a 40,000 square foot shortfall or surplus.
In the final design phase, picking and storage will rule the day; yet they have opposing agendas. Large storage areas increase travel distances and reduce the picking efficiency. On the other hand, the ideal picking operation requires relatively small amounts of product stored in dedicated locations, relatively close to one another, which works counter to a facilitys storage efficiency.
When considering the design and layout of a new distribution center, its important to first consider which of the four scenarios most closely resembles your operation:
Low Activity / Low Storage Requirements. This combination represents the simple, smaller warehouse operation. Rarely are automation or sophisticated storage and picking mediums or devices required or justified. In most instances, floor storage, stacked pallets, simple pallet racks and/or conventional shelving are utilized within the facility, along with manual handling.
Low Activity / High Storage Requirements. This combination typically calls for high bay, multi-level, high-density storage, and a random location strategy. Picking can be manual or semi-manual.
High Activity / Low Storage Requirements. This combination generally suggests a very condensed forward picking area supported by simple overstock storage. The high pick activity level often justifies automating the picking system and the use of automated handling.
High Activity / High Storage Requirements. This combination is characteristic of a typical distribution center. The high pick activity and high storage requirements often justify the use of exceedingly automated picking systems, heavily automated handling and sortation systems and high-density storage.
Once the storage and picking scenario is clear, taking into account economic forecasts (consumer spending habits down in todays stagnant economy could change over the next few years, and inventory requirements with it), the planning process is now off and running.
Keeping in mind that a distribution center may be a companys largest capital investment, as well as the final stop before the product reaches the customer or doesnt, its imperative the planning is done perfectly the first time. To accomplish this objective, here are seven critical steps to follow when planning a warehouse or distribution center.
1. Define goals and objectives. These should be closely aligned with the overall strategy for the new facility. They can be defined as minimizing warehousing costs, maximizing picking productivity, or simply providing the best customer service. They can also be defined more specifically, such as maximizing cube utilization, providing maximum flexibility in the final layout to accommodate future expansion or changes in business, or maximizing efficiency and productivity with a minimal amount of resources.
2. Document the process. Review the existing or proposed methodology and process, and conduct personal interviews with the staff dedicated to all major functional areas within the process. Recent changes in the economy may have caused some downsizing and movement of personnel to work areas they may not be totally familiar with, so be sure to interview enough people familiar with each functional area. As a rule, if those interviewed cant identify areas of opportunity for improvement in their department or area, you should look to interview more from that department or functional area.
3. Collect information and data. Collect any and all information specific to the new facility. Since it is best to work from inside the facility out when considering new construction, dont let any building constraints restrict design. When considering existing space for the new facility, make sure the information includes accurate drawings showing column sizes and locations, dock and personnel doors and locations, ceiling height restrictions, and ceiling girder/joist construction. It is also important to collect all relevant product information pertaining to the number of stock keeping units (SKUs) to be stored and picked within the facility, along with their dimensional measurements, order history, and velocity data.
4. Analysis. Once information about the building and the inventory has been collected, a thorough analysis should be performed with respect to the goals and objectives defined for the project. The analysis should determine if these goals and objectives can be attained. If they cannot be met, then management should determine an alternate plan of action. Should the goals and objectives be modified? Should substantial changes be made to the building design? The analysis should answer the following questions:
How well does the product flow into, within, and out of the facility?
Do the pick modules hold sufficient inventory to avoid excessive replenishment requirements?
Is the storage system and area large enough to accommodate the inventory?
What type of conveying and sortation equipment will be used?
What are the staffing requirements?
Does the operating budget include staffing, maintenance, utilities and the cost of the information system?
How well will the facility adapt to a change in operating requirements?
How effectively will the warehouse management system work with the automated material handling system?
If the analysis determines the goals and objectives can be met, the detailed solution and project plan can then be developed.
5. Create a detailed project plan. This plan should identify all the steps required to create the warehouse or distribution center layout, including the overall goals and objectives, and the results of the information and data analysis used in developing the plan. The project plan should contain the major tasks to be undertaken, the resources needed to achieve each task, and how much time should be allotted to accomplish the tasks successfully. In addition to these responsibilities when creating the project plan, there are a multitude of design concepts to consider in order to best meet your companys needs. Some of the most effective and widely used include: cross-docking, forward pick areas, slotting, task interleaving, and creative use of your cube.
Cross-docking is the practice of unloading product from an inbound trailer or rail car and then loading this product directly into outbound trailers or rail cars, with little to no storage or warehousing in between. This methodology is typically employed to minimize or decrease inventory storage requirements, reduce transportation costs and increase customer service through speed to market. This type of operation often requires large inbound staging areas where inbound product is sorted, consolidated and stored until the outbound shipment is complete and ready for shipping. Oftentimes automated handling and sortation equipment is used to move, sort and consolidate the product through the facility.
The forward pick or fast-pick area of a warehouse or distribution center is the most important piece of real estate as it is the most convenient and efficient area to pick from. It is an area created to support the picking of the fasting moving products within the facility, with replenishment coming from bulk, overflow or reserve storage elsewhere in the facility. This concept is typically employed to increase picking efficiency and productivity, by minimizing travel time and maximizing picking time. Oftentimes considerable capital is invested in the area on specialized equipment. Some examples would include pallet flow, carton flow rack, pick to light (PTL), pick to voice (PTV), carousels and A-frames. To gain maximum benefit and returns from a forward pick area, it is critical that the area be stocked with the right SKUs and slotted properly. Most warehouses or distribution centers store product in the forward pick or fast-pick areas according to one of two philosophies: 1) provide each SKU with the same amount of space, or 2) provide each SKU with enough space for the same time supply of storage (2 days supply, 1 week supply, etc.).
Slotting, as relates to the logistics industry, is defined as the intelligent placement of product in a warehouse or distribution center for the purpose of optimizing material handling efficiency. Some of the high level benefits associated with properly slotting a warehouse are time savings (optimal storage media selection, optimal pick/replenishment locations and sequences result in reduction in picking time), value added to the process (better safety and ergonomics, increase picking rates and accuracy) and return on investment (reduction in labor costs as travel distances reduced during picking, possibly defer capital expansion by getting more out of what you have). Too often, warehouses do not recognize the value of a properly slotted warehouse or what the direct impact of such can be on the facilitys bottom line. Paying pickers/operators to travel about the warehouse is a fact of life. When considering, though, in a typical warehouse, travel about the warehouse can be 50-60% of an operators total working time and functionality. Slotting the warehouse based on velocity and travel distance alone can reduce your labor costs by 5-10%. If you further consider access and handling issues like pallet stability, grouping of product families and associated products, you can achieve another 3-5% savings. Finally, if you consider increased storage density, which corresponds to a decrease in space requirement, or opportunity to do something else with the free space created, you can gain as much as 5-10% of your overall floor space back for new opportunities.
Task interleaving is the term used to refer to a warehouse management system mixing tasks to reduce travel time. An example of this would be sending a lift truck operator to put a pallet away from the dock area into a storage position on his way to the next picking location. In most warehouses or distribution centers, up to 60% of workers time is spent traveling while performing no true value add or bottom line function. The concept of task interleaving can reduce this non-productive time by 10-20%. This can result in reduced labor costs as fewer people will be required to perform the work in the warehouse since the waste involving the needless, non-productive travel was eliminated.
Often times, companies consider searching for new space or an expansion of their existing space when it really isnt necessary. A lot of times the space they need is right above their eyes. Utilization of the cubic space located above the operation often is overlooked when a company is looking at growth plans. Simple installation of a free-standing mezzanine or conversion of a floor level picking operation to a multi-level pick module often offers the opportunity for a company to increase the size of their operation under the same roof and significantly increase their picking capacity. It also offers the opportunity for considerable cost savings versus brick and mortar construction expansion can be anywhere in the range of 70-85% less than conventional construction depending on the cost of new construction.
In order to maximize your investment in a warehouse or distribution center, all possible avenues should be explored. In composing the project plan, a detailed timeline must be constructed. The project plan should include start and end dates for all tasks, as well as availability of resources. Once the plan has been developed, it should be reviewed and checked to be sure the timeline is realistic and attainable, as the available occupancy date of a new facility will dictate equipment delivery and installation.
6. Implementation. The implementation phase of the project is when the rubber meets the road. This is when most companies find out whether their project plan is on the money or not. Its with the implementation phase that the layout is transformed from concept to reality.
All resources within the new facility need to work together to ensure the project plans goals are met. But few plans are perfect, and oftentimes during implementation, obstacles are encountered and the plan needs to be adjusted or changed. This can be due to any number of reasons, such as an oversight during the drawing approval review process, or changes in the building construction from what was originally planned. Most obstacles can be overcome. Its important to remember that all changes or deviations from the original plan must be well documented.
7. Post project review. Once the project has been completed and inventory is moving smoothly in and out of the facility, a closeout meeting should be scheduled. This session will include a discussion with the implementation team as to whether the final layout was implemented as originally designed and approved, and to confirm that any changes were appropriately documented. This step is critical for future project planning.
A well-designed and well-planned warehouse or distribution center offers multiple advantages in the fight to remain competitive and successful. By taking the necessary steps to see the project through from start to finish, the result will be a facility that operates efficiently, uses space effectively, maintains cost control, and in the end achieves its ultimate goal of meeting expectations.

March 2 2011, Los Angeles California With Merchants Against Unfair Interchange, ("MAUI") drawing a line in the sand in the fight against unfair fees and pricing practices the opponents are coming to life. Processors, ISOs and even Agents who benefit the most from the deceptive pricing practices are beginning to voice their concerns as they see their ill gotten gains fade away. Both sides of the discussion are staunch in the support of their perspective views, which is only spurred by the recent discussions taking place within congress.

Polarized is best used to describe the views related to interchange pricing practices. Those ISOs, Processors and Agents who practice fair and reasonable pricing, and those who are more inclined add in additional fees to increase their revenue. With MAUI offering an unbiased review for merchants to confirm whether or not they are being treated fairly and paying reasonable rates there are some organizations who have become concerned, rightfully so it would seem. So much so that a Rip Off Report complaint has been filed against Merchant Against Unfair Interchange and its Founder David Toney. The report claims that MAUI and David are only looking to swindle organizations and merchants alike from their hard earned money.

In speaking about the complaint David Toney says, "Our conversations with ISOs have been quite telling, when we outline the services provided to the merchant and ISO alike those who practice fair pricing are excited and those that dont become afraid". Going on David mentions, "Our goal is not to compress margins for ISOs, quite the contrary were looking to help ISOs, processors and even agents create a more sustainable business by acting as a validation resource for their business, enhancing their ability to support their merchant and providing additional revenue streams that merchants are happy to pay for".

Change is coming, that much is clear. Whether the regulation comes from the government via the Durbin Amendment or the industry takes big steps to help bring about regulation itself, the status quo of the past decades are going away. No longer will merchants be taken advantage of in the manner they have been, so where do you stand on this issue? Many are holding out to see how the congressional discussions unfold, so what side are you on?

Whether youre interested in possibly becoming a stationary phlebotomist who works shifts in hospitals, or you want to explore the option of becoming a mobile phlebotomist, youll want to undergo some kind of phlebotomy training program which are designed to equip students and graduates with the necessary tools to succeed in the health care world.

Regardless of your reasons for wanting to become a phlebotomist, you can sleep easy knowing that the industry of health care and health care assistants is one that is little affected by the conditions of the economy due to its ongoing demand and an increasing elderly population who all need some sort of health care attention at some point.

If you enjoy working with people and having a noticeable impact on the lives of those people, then a career in phlebotomy is one you should certainly consider or at least look into. As a practicing phlebotomist, you would be in charge of drawing blood samples from patients referred to you by a doctor or other medical professional. After collecting the blood sample, a phlebotomist must exercise their training by labeling and storing the sample in a way thats meant to keep the blood from becoming contaminated.

You might think that because phlebotomists are the people drawing blood, labeling the blood, then storing it, that they too, may be the people in charge of analyzing the blood samples, but that is actually not the case. Phlebotomists are trained in very specific areas of blood collection when they attend a phlebotomy training program but that is it; they are not trained in any way to actually examine the blood samples for disease or blood cell count.

One of the many great things about becoming a phlebotomist, is it allows you to travel throughout the country if you choose to do so. Because phlebotomy certification is nationally recognized, phlebotomists can work in New York one year, then move to California the next, and not have any trouble finding work or transferring jobs. Being able to work nationally also allows phlebotomists to work on the road with traveling blood banks and health clinics. This is a very popular alternative to phlebotomists who do not wish to work in the same hospital settings day after day.

The training process for becoming a traveling phlebotomist is no different than that of a stationary one, and although phlebotomy certification is not technically required by practicing phlebotomists, it is nearly impossible to get hired without this basic qualification.

Advertising is the most important tool of marketing. The main function of advertising is to instruct, inform, educate a particular target group about a product, idea or service and call for action. Action in advertising means sales. The objective of a particular ad campaign is successful when its results to sales. There are various forms of advertising and advertisers use different modes and tools of advertising to promote their brands or services.

Various forms of Advertising

Take a sneak preview about the various forms of advertising along with their nature and advantages.

Television Advertising

Nature of Television Advertising: Television Advertising is entertaining in nature as it provides both audio-visual facilities. Television Advertising provides effective reach to the target audience along with good coverage. A television ad generally lasts between 40 and 60 seconds.

Advantages of Television Advertising

Mass coverage
Effective reach and coverage
Preferred channel by the mass

Radio Advertising

Nature of Radio Advertising: Radio Ads usually last between 30 and 60 seconds. Radio Advertising has widespread reach because of its portable nature. Audiences love listening to radio ads along with their musical jingles.

Advantages of Radio Advertising

Entertaining in nature
Mass coverage
Efficiently delivers the message to the right target group
Portable and can fit anywhere
Cheap and affordable
Provides call for action facilities for advertisers

Print Advertising

Nature of Print Advertising: Any type of publicity which is carried on through print medium comes under Print Advertising. Examples of Print Advertising include magazines, newspapers, journals, flyers etc.

Advantages of Print Advertising

Focussed target
Repetition (one can go through a particular print ad again and again)
Good for future reference
Message can be effectively transmitted

Airport Advertising

Nature of Airport Advertising: Airport Advertising is one of the forms of outdoor advertising or OOH Advertising. Airport Advertising is carried through various advertising tools such as kiosks, digital signage, billboards, hoardings etc

Advantages of Airport Advertising

Effective reach
Attention grabbing
High-glamour look

Outdoor Advertising/ OOH Advertising

Nature of Outdoor Advertising/ OOH Advertising: Outdoor Advertising or OOH Advertising involves any kind of promotion carried out of home. Examples of Outdoor Advertising or OOH Advertising include billboards, hoardings, kiosks, digital signage, lampposts etc.

Advantages of Outdoor Advertising

Wide reach and exposure
Attractive and eye-catchy
Effectively reaches the target audience
Not limited to a particular region

Mobile and Internet Advertising

Nature of Mobile and Internet Advertising: Mobile and Internet Advertising has become one of the latest trends of promotion Mobile and Internet Advertising both are customer centric. Forms of Mobile Advertising include SMS- Push, Pull, Shortcut, Keywords, WAP/Voice Portal/ Bluetooth/ Gaming, Contest Hosting; Subscription based alerts, Download-Ringtones, Wallpapers, Sponsorship of zones, Brand Zone/ Customer Care Zone etc. Some forms of Internet Advertising include banner/ text advertising (CPM, PPC, CPL), E-mail marketing, Viral marketing etc

Advantages of Mobile and Internet Advertising

Renders effective reach and immediacy
Interactive in nature
Not time consuming and delivers the message within a short period of time
A personalized mode of promotion

Reference Website: - www.worldwideadvertisingnetwork.com

Beginner artists must learn how to prime a new canvas before even a drop of paint is applied. This process neutralizes the materials natural tan hue so that it does not undesirably alter the overall coloring of the final painting. Priming also serves to create an even look to the final painting by making the surface smooth and non-porous. Here are simple instructions and tips for learning how to prime a canvas.

The Materials and Tools Needed For Priming a Canvas

1. Gesso - is a thick white liquid canvas primer that can be found at art supply stores. While there are other primers that are clear or color tinted, the white variety of Gesso, as described in this article, is the most common.

2. Paint Stirrer - used to thoroughly mix water or some other thinning agent with Gesso.

3. Plastic Container - this needs to be large enough to allow room to add a thinning agent if desired.

4. Gesso Application Brush - this brush has nylon bristles that can be easily washed with soap and water when finished.

5. Thinning agent and water are used to make the Gesso spread more easily and produce a smoother surface than would be possible using it straight out of the bottle.

6. Fine Sandpaper and a soft cloth - this is to be used to sand a dry, hardened layer of primer on the canvas before applying the next layer. The dampened soft cloth is used to remove the sanding dust before applying another layer of primer.

Instructions For Priming a Canvas

Tip: It is important to note that the Gesso formula commonly used today behaves in a similar way to fast drying water soluble acrylic paint. When Gesso dries it is no longer water soluble. This means that you need to keep your brush damp with water to prevent the primer from sticking to the brush as it dries. Also do not dump excess primer down the sinks drain because when it dries in the trap it can produce a serious clog. Paint fast and clean your brush immediately after and you should not have much trouble.

Dilute the Gesso - For a relatively rough texture apply only one coat of undiluted Gesso right out of the bottle. For a smoother finish apply two thin coats of slightly diluted primer to the canvas.

Water is usually used to thin the primer. The ideal ratio of Gesso to water mix should be indicated on the bottle label. Too much water can cause the primer to crack on the canvas when dry. It is possible to use a 3-way mixture of water, Gesso and a special medium that prevents cracking. Ask at a local art store for recommendations.

Tip: To prevent contamination, never dilute the Gesso in its original bottle or pour unused primer back in the bottle. For the same reason do not dip the paint brush directly into the Gesso factory container. Instead pour only what you will need for one canvas into a separate plastic mixing container. Throw away what you do not use instead of returning it to the bottle.

Brush Pattern: The first coat should be painted with left to right parallel brush strokes. The second coat should be brushed from top to bottom.

Sand after the first coat: sand the canvas with very fine sandpaper after the first coat of Gesso has dried for an hour or so. This is then followed by wiping off the fine sanding dust with a slightly damp soft cloth before applying the next coat.

Drying Time: Depending on the humidity levels in the studio, let the first coat dry at least an hour or two. The second or final coat should be allowed to dry for 24 hours before beginning the painting. Always let the canvas dry while laying flat to prevent the wet Gesso from running.

Preparing a canvas to last for many years requires special priming techniques like adding a dilute formaldehyde solution to the back of the canvas to prevent bacterial decay. It is interesting to note that some of the old Masters would actually let a primed canvas stabilize for 6 months to a year before adding paint. However, these advanced techniques for learning to prime a new canvas are beyond the scope of this article.

The primary creators of the Country Shuffle were Ray Price and his drummer, Buddy Harman. Since its development in the 1950s, the Country Shuffle has come to be used in a lot of Musical styles like Honky Tonk, The Nashville Sound, the Bakersfield Sound, and Modern Day Country. Its main characteristic is the swung eighth note feel borrowed from jazz and Blues. Early examples of the Country Shuffle are "Crazy Arms", "City Lights", and "I've Got a New Heartache." Tempos range from quarter note = 80-126 bpm.

Western Music's initial identification with Country music stemmed from its sounding somewhat similar to traditional Country and the use of the guitar as the primary instrument. Although it is no longer coupled with Country, a musician may need to play Western songs in a non traditional Country setting. The Country, Shuffle is the primary groove in virtually all Western songs, with the distinguishing feature being the slow tempo of virtually all Western tunes. So, a "Slow Shuffle" feel results. The tempo range is quite narrow, at quarter note = 80-92 bpm.

The Train Beat is an indispensable groove in most Country gigs. Though its roots stem from the Bluegrass genre, it is now used throughout Country music. Just as in Bluegrass, its main characteristic is the consistent snare pattern accenting the upbeats. But unlike Bluegrass, in the genres of Country Rock or Modern Day Country, it may sometimes be played with sticks, the snare drum remaining the exclusive surface. Also, the groove tends to have a slower tempo range than that of Bluegrass, which contributes to its being felt in 4/4 rather than cut time or "two feel." The tempo range is quarter note = 100-132 bpm. However, the abundance of snare drum notes simulates a fast, double time feel.

Beginning in the 1970s, Country music began incorporating the sounds and influence of mainstream Rock n' Roll. Artists such as Charlie Daniels, Linda Ronstadt, Alabama, Willie Nelson, and Waylon Jennings stand as pioneers of this marriage of styles. Current artists such as Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Clint Black have attained worldwide popularity outside of normal Country music circles. Traditional Country music continues to thrive through Modern Day Country artists such as Travis Tritt, Hank Williams Jr., and Winona Judd, with the late drummer Larrie Londin standing as one of the most notable session musicians of the genre. As it is heavily influenced by contemporary Rock n' Roll, most Country Rock grooves may be played straight or shuffled.

The main difference between Country Rock grooves and Modern Day Country grooves is that Country Rock grooves tend to be more active. Country Rock and Modern Day Country are often included in the same category due to their similar musical characteristics. However, Country Rock tends to incorporate a dynamic rhythm section with loud guitars and bigger drum sounds, similar to those in a Rock n' Roll band. Modern Day Country relies heavily on pop type grooves and modern production. Additionally, there are "crossover artists" that explore characteristics of both styles such as Tim McGraw and Americana. Similar drum grooves appear in both styles, and both may draw from the more traditional Country drumming styles. Tempos of both Country Rock and Modem Day Country range from slower ballads at quarter note = 58 bpm to brisk tempos of quarter note = 184 bpm or faster.