Great India

page95

2008-09-24T09:18:00.001-07:00

In August 2006 a sixty year old, bald, stocky bachelor with a face at once stern and sensitive died of diabetes. He was living on his own in his home-town: the genteel city of Cambridge, England, world widely known for its university, which, in the UK, is rivalled only by the equally venerable one in Oxford.

His name was Syd Barret. Or was it? No. His name was Roger Keith Barret, known as Rog to the few people he bothered to see, mostly his family. Syd Barrett is the name the world will remember him by.

He was a living legend. Now he is a dead legend.

Let me outline the birth of this legend in a few words.
Do you know the magnolia?
What makes its beauty so special is not only its features, but also that it blooms very early, and very short. In those seminal years of pop/rock music, the mid sixties, Barrett's songs and music shared the same properties. As founding father and undisputed leader of a band called Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett was a pivotal figure in the emerging psychedelic scene in London, and, via his records, the rest of the world.

It was a time when the world, in the words of Keith Richards, suddenly turned from black and white into Technicolor. And Syd Barrett was a most colourful being indeed, to the ear, to the eye and to the mind in equal measures. Brought up quite liberally, with well to do parents, and a particularly doting mother, young Syd was as gifted as he was attractive, and a humorous, impish fellow at that. Experimenting with a few things almost no one had heard of in these days, like LSD -until the sixties mainly used by the CIA as sort of a truth serum drug- and the ancient Chinese Book of Changes, the I Ching, his main occupations were painting and music. Painting came first, the music and songs that would make him famous came second in those early days.

In the music industry many things had changed in the slipstream of the Beatles fame. Musicians were no longer puppets on a string of shady, cynically-minded Tin Pan Alley-types, churning out product for whoever laid the money down. There was a new playfulness and originality in the music of the Beatles and also a completely un-self-conscious integrity, mainly brought about by the fact that the Beatles wrote their own songs, and became a role model for that. It was the Kennedy era. People were in some ways starting to be encouraged by the authorities to think for themselves and not to do simply what the same authorities expected them to do, which, of course, implies a paradox with a vengeance, but, lucky for those times, it took a while for us all to realize.

Back to our story. So the Beatle phenomenon became a trailblazer for a whole gamut of gifted young bands, all into writing their own material: The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and The Who, who does not know their names.

Barrett's Pink Floyd rose to fame a few years after the first batch of post Beatles bands. And in those heady days a few years made an enormous difference. Swinging London was already turning psychedelic and of that era Barrett was, is, and always will be one of the finest relics. It all went by so fast...

Syd Barrett was an almost devout non-believer in discipline, and had a frame of mind and body not heavy duty enough for the rough life of a rock star. Within two blasting years his behaviour had become so erratic that he could not rationally function anymore in the band that was his brainchild. Forgetting guitars everywhere, sometimes refusing to speak to anyone, standing on stage like a statue, playing just one chord. Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason had to incorporate guitarist David Gilmour, a good friend of the whole band, and already a highly rated session player. A short while the band was a five some, David Gilmour delivering the sonic good, and Syd Barrett as a sort of far-out ornament. Then the idea was that he would be the home staying genius, with the other boys on the road a la Brian Wilson, but it al expired, Syd being so deranged that he temporarily became an inmate of the Terrapin Asylum, after which followed a few years in London, living in various trippy bohemian settings. During that time he did manage to create two albums that are still enjoyed by quite a few good ears: "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett's" quirky, very asymmetrical songs with strangely evocative lyrics about almost nothing/everything, after which he stopped making music altogether. He ended up where he started, in Cambridge, living with his mother, and after her death on his own, picking up painting again and writing a history of art for his own enjoyment, without the slightest idea to let others read it, let alone publicize it.

All his life he had the status of a cult hero, also because his old band, Pink Floyd, became hugely successful in the line-up with David Gilmour, and the standard bearers of, let's say, adult rock: always competent, creative, even poetic, skilfully performed on state of the art hardware, but with the elusive x-factor, which makes things creep under your skin, considerably reduced.

A short career and a long retirement.
He regained his inner balance sufficiently to live as a quiet, withdrawn, strange but not crazy citizen, sustained by the royalties of his compositions on Pink Floyd's and his own records. According to his family he could even be said to live with his very own brand of satisfaction. Syd Barrett will always be remembered as one of the most enigmatic characters in the pantheon of modern Western popular music.

page94

2008-09-24T09:17:00.000-07:00

The market for MP3 Players can be a confusing one, just as it is for many home and portable electronics. Some of the most important things to consider when shopping for an MP3 player are how you personally wish to use the player, its weight/size, and storage capacity. In addition, you will need to become somewhat knowledgeable about file formats and compatibility with your PC.

First, think about the type of device you really want.

Hard drive-based MP3 player:

These offer the most storage; from 10 GB and higher (up to 80GB) allowing you to put huge amounts of music on one device. They also have larger display screens and are easy to use. For these reasons, they are an excellent choice for use when commuting in your car. A hard drive-based MP3 player is larger and heavier however. They have movable parts which can be jarred during motion which makes them a poor choice for use during fitness activities. A hard drive-based MP3 player usually has rechargeable batteries which can be a cost saver but many are not removable and must be replaced after 4 or 5 years. There are also some "micro" hard drive-based players with a capacity that tops out around 12GB. Although smaller/lighter than a regular hard drive-based player their moving parts still make them a poor choice for activity.

Flash-based MP3 players:

A flash-based MP3 player is an excellent choice for use during exercise/activity. They have no moving parts, are extremely compact, and have a 32 MB-8GB capacity. Due to the lack of moving parts their batteries tend to last longer. With all of this convenience however they actually have a much higher per megabyte cost than the hard drive devices.

MP3 CD Players:

These devices can play standard CDs and can store up to 650 MB. They are the least expensive MP3 Player but they are large and can skip when moved thus are not a good choice for use during activity.

Once you have determined which type of MP3 player is best suited to you based on how you wish to use it and how much storage is desire, you will want to consider issues related to downloading music.

What format is used?

MP3 is the most common but some of the others include .aac, .wma, .wav, and atrac. These are all formats used to compress music files so that they can be downloaded quickly and take up less memory. WMA formats for instance, allow the user to store nearly twice as much per megabyte but are a less common file type that MP3. This is important to consider since any particular file type can not be used if your MP3 player does not support it.

Connecting to your computer and downloading:

If you want to download music from your PC a USB 2.0 standard interface is much faster than USB 1.0. A FireWire Port or FireWire PCI card is also fast but only supported on some computers.

Finally, be sure to check for other features such as the following:

The display:

Can you read it? This is important as it allows you to use the functions on the device and provides information you want such as the title, artist and other playlist information.

Other functions and features:

FM radio reception, a remote, a clip to attach to your bag or possibly an armband if you're active, the ability to record music live or from stereo components, voice recording, or advanced playback features. Some flash MP3 players offer a stopwatch function or other fitness related features. Newer MP3 players now offer color screens, photo viewing, and video playback for those who want all the bells and whistles.

There are a large number of MP3 player products on the market, finding the right one requires buyers to carefully consider which functions and features are most desirable for them. Using a simple buying guide can get a shopper thinking in the right direction and simplify the selection process.

page93

2008-09-24T09:16:00.002-07:00

It is a curious paradox of the music industry: guitarists, particularly rock guitarists, are often thought of as trendsetters when it comes to fashion and culture; but when it comes to their instruments, they are notoriously conservative. Innovations such as active electronics, guitar synthesizers and Steinberger's intrepid steps into the field of headless instruments in the 80's have failed to make much of a dent in the market. Gibson and Fender continue to dominate the electric guitar market much as they did in the 1950's and 60's. Even with the entry of new competitors into the market over the years such as Ibanez, Paul Reed Smith and Charvel/Jackson, the electric guitar has remained essentially unchanged with one to three magnetic pickups and a mess of wires connecting them to the controls. But things may be about to change!

In the last couple of years a few innovations have come along that have totally turned conventional wisdom - or at least conventional guitar electronics on its head. The first is the nylon string solid body electric guitar. I first saw one of these in the hands of metal ace Yngwie Malmsteen and was blown away by the sound. For any artist who is trying to incorporate elements of classical guitar in his or her repertoire, this instrument provides the mellow classical tone of a nylon stringed guitar with the comfortable feel and action of a traditional solid body axe. This has been made possible through the tremendous advances made in recent years in the field of Piezo pickup technology. Without going into too much technical detail, the Piezo differs from a traditional magnetic pickup in that the Piezo element vibrates with the string, sending an electrical signal of that vibration to a preamp within the guitar for processing, rather than capturing an electromagnetic representation of that vibration which can then be sent directly to an amplifier, or to an onboard preamp if further shaping of the signal is desired. The Piezo eliminates the need for steel strings, which would otherwise interact with the magnetic pickup, and also produces more satisfactory results for players with a lighter fingerstyle technique. Lest you think this is just another passing fancy, Parker has produced a nylon string version of their famous "Fly" model and another up-and-comer, Sadowski Guitars, is producing a Telecaster style model employing the same technology.

Another intriguing development is in the area of computer-guitar interface. This has been long time coming, and if you consider the explosion in the popularity of digital recording with Pro Tools and similar software, it's surprising it took as long as it did. Far and away, the leader in this field is Line 6's Variax model. Now, I will be the first person to admit that I know just enough about computer technology to be dangerous, but I'll try to tell you what I know from what I've read and from friends and acquaintances who have played the Variax. I should also state that I am in no way affiliated with Line 6 or any of their subsidiaries or partners. The Variax is, according to the Line 6 brochure a "digital modeling" guitar that allows the musician to switch between a huge array of potential sounds on one instrument. The sounds of a 12-string acoustic, Fender Stratocaster style single coils, Les Paul humbuckers, banjo, chimes and dozens of others are all available at the flick of a switch. The best part about it is that all of these tonal variations are available completely hum free. For the working musician, this means not having to lug around five to seven separate guitars to provide him with the all of the sounds he requires. The true test, however, is hearing one of these fine instruments in action, so if you'd like to check one out, a list of authorized dealers is available from the Line 6 website. At an MSRP of around $1000 for the mid-line Variax 600 - it's also available in the 300 and 700 - it's not cheap, but for the professional or amateur with money to burn, it may be a worthwhile investment.

There is so much more to be developed in the near future with the improvements in computer technology and miniaturization. Whole racks of effects can now be had in a box the size of a cigarette packet. This is certainly a boon for the musician in terms of both price and the effort necessary to move the equipment. I foresee a day when an entire guitarist rig, with the exception of the instrument itself will be contained within the body of the guitar itself. And while that may not be a comfort to the guitarist who finds himself at home amongst his racks of effects processors, time waits for no man, and he will eventually find himself at a crossroads in musical instrument development, much as those men did back in 1930's and 40's when the acoustic guitar was forced to make way for the first electric guitars.

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2008-09-24T09:16:00.001-07:00

Tribute bands usually play the music of a certain to get people through the door to see the bands OWN songs thrown in between the artist of tribute. Since December 2004, I have been watching one band in particular, a Slayer tribute act. Not once, has this band added their own music to their set list. NOT ONCE. When a fan of a band (particularly Slayer) is out on the town checking out live entertainment, they what to see what they are paying for, a tribute. Not a little of this and a little of that. So, do they have their own songs? According to the drummer of the band, yes. Dead Skin Mask is the most accurate Slayer tribute band I have ever seen. Monster drum kit, stacks of amps, and most important, the ability to convey the music through that equipment. That is what really counts. There is no Slayer act out there better than Dead Skin Mask, well except for the metal masters themselves. To date I have checked out a handful of them, since I have lived all around the USA. I have contacted the drummer of the band, to get the inside info on the Dead Skin Mask project and the progress of their original music as well as the scoop on what he is up to.
Slayer Girl: So Dead Skin Mask isnt dead!
Mykill: (Laugh) Nah! We are around. There are a lot of different things Im doing. Sometimes one is put on hold for a bit. But, with exception of one in particular, I really enjoy my bands.
SG: Which one do you not?
M: Hahaha! I .. uhh.. Yup!
SG: So I take it you dont like love songs?
M: No, not really. There is what I listen to. What I buy and what I compose. All 3 are VERY different. My CD collection would make you think Im schizophrenic.
SG: So you must practice a lot?
M: ahhll, mostly the only time I play is when we practice or play a show. The way my life is situated right now, does not really allow me to. When I need to write something, I pretty much compose it in my head, and am fortunate enough to be able to play my thoughts. Yea, it takes a run through or so, but not much more than that. I recall a time when what I would play in my head was way more difficult than I could actually do. I am glad that I have been able to develop the skills, in actual ability, to be able to do that. Real glad.
SG: What do you do to get ready before a live performance?
M: I try to get my hands on as much coffee as I can! (laugh) Usually that is difficult, though. I think we will have to add fresh coffee to our rider! I stretch a bit, do some little things to get the blood flowin. Usually the pre-show nerves and adrenalin are enough for that.
SG: So no pre-show rituals or superstitious activities?
M: Of course, blood drinking and we all talk in 3 word sentences.
SG: Really?!
M: No. Im kidding. How are you recording this anyway?
SG: I have a receiver-mounted microphone that goes to a micro cassette. A suction cup holds it to the earpiece and it picks up both ends of the conversation.
M: Ahh.
SG: So how many songs are played at sound check?
M:(laugh) None! There are many factors that prevent it. Most of the time, it is because of the lame-assed bands ahead of us. They all have to COMPLETELY disassemble their sh*t on the stage. F*cking losers. There are so many reasons, it is pathetic.
SG: Who is the biggest name you have shared the stage with?
M: Biggest to me, or the biggest name?
SG: Both.
M: Well to the general public, the biggest names would be Judas Priest, Budgie, and George Lynch. There are a few more, but I dont want to be obnoxious. To me, though, it has to be Fear Factory and Exodus. Once again, there are more, but I will stop there.SG: What band(s) did you do that with?
M: (silence)
SG: Damn!
M: Alrighty!
SG: So it will be heavy, musically?
M: You could say that.
SG: I see in all you interviews with other people talk of your drum set. You seem to love talking about your stuff. What are you using?
M: And oh how I do. I am using the best. Just like when I first started back when I was 12 or 13. But today, it is on a lager scale. The drums I use are the strongest I have EVER seen. TAMA, of course. I have somewhat older ones. The toms are a combination of older ROCKSTAR DX, and newer SWINGSTARs. My Kicks are ROCKSTAR PRO. Also a bit older. The pedals I use vary from time to time. Mostly I use my HP-25s. I believe they are called FLEXIFLYER. Other times I use modified IRON COBRA JRs. I have 2 18X22 SWINGSTAR kicks still in the boxes. I just have to replace my older toms with the same sizes of newer ones. I dont need to, but I do want to. My gear is fine as is, but new is good! So I have, right now, 2 26 kicks, 2 MTH 100s, 1 MTH 900, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15 mounted toms and a 16 floor. Maple 3.5 X 14 piccolo snare.
Cymbals are also top notch, especially. PAISTE. I use a combination of almost series line they came out with! RUDE, 2002, 3000, SIGNATURE, 2000, DIMENSIONS, ALPHA, PST 3, PST 5, 802, 502s (new and older), 2000 COLORSOUND. I think that is all. If I keep going, I will rattle off all the sizes of each and every one!
SG: NA, NA, NA.
M: Okay, the Sticks are Pellwood 2B nylon. With VATER stick and finger tape.
SG: You wear gloves, too.
M: Yeah.
SG: I see! Are you serious about your projects?
M: Well, very. I will take what talent, or whatever you want to call it, as far as Im allowed to, whatever that means.
SG: Whom do you admire, or, who influenced you?
M: DAM! No short answers for these 2! Shhhewww, where do I start? Growing up, it was Ron Bushy. My parents had 2 Iron Butterfly records I adored. Ron Tutt from Elvis fame caught my ear as well. I heard a solo he did way back when. WOW!!! During that time The Police were pretty popular. Stewart Copeland was cool. I liked his riffs. Well, I still do. Around then I was finding Alex Van Halen. I focused on him for years. As a younger kid, he was the most sought after in my little world. I really dug his work. You have to remember, ALL these drummers, I really admire. There is no order to which are better or not. All are so different, musically, that this is in no way a comparison.
SG: OKAY, OKAY!
M: I just want to stress that fact, thats all. Later I got into heavier music. Drummers like Dave Lombardo, Louie Clemente, Charlie Benante, Sid Falck, Paul Bostaph, Raymond Herrera, Scott Travis. Wow, I just realized that most if not all use TAMA and or PAISTE! Sh*t, coincidence? Hmm. All of them are great drummers, it only makes sense that they would also use great gear as well.
SG: So sharing the stage with JP must have been an honor and a thrill?
M: Those 2 words dont even express what I feel when I recollect that show! (laughs)
SG: What is this project I saw on the Lost Soul Forum?
M: Oh yeah, Lost Soul was my old band from back in Connecticut. The guitar player (Bryan Reilly) and I are collaborating again. It, as of yet, is just in a real beginning phase. He is putting together some riffs, and I have some drum ideas I need to record and e-mail him. I dont know exactly what to expect with this type of arrangement. Bryan (Reilly) is great, so as for quality of the material, I am not concerned at all. It will be very good, with out a doubt. So Bryan and I are going to send ideas to one and other, and see what pops up.(SLAYER GIRL UPDATE)
** Mike has moved back to Connecticut and is now working with Bryan Reilly ***
SG: Sorry to cut you off, but wont that be expensive and extremely time-consuming?
M: In todays digital age, it is a lot easier and quicker than one would think. The worst part is writing the music. The easy part is recording and transferring files via FTP or e-mail. It is instantaneous. No more waiting for an ADAT tape or cassette through the Postal System. Dont get me wrong. I love ADATS. That is what I record everything on. I will transfer the 8 tracks to the computer then convert them to a WAV or MP3 for FTP.
SG: Hows it going?
M: Software and computer glitches have delayed this way more than necessary. Im very optimistic, though. Bryan is amazing on the geetar. Your phone bill is gonna kill you for this conversation!
SG: Nah, it is a cell and after 7pm.
M: ...alright.
SG: I guess this will be my last one. Im sure you are busy
M: (sarcastically) OH YEAH, SURE AM!!!!
SG: Anyway, what is the largest group you have played for at one time?
M: Something close to 2,500. A bit less or bit more. Around there.
A very entertain interview. Most musicians I interview to are way too serious. Some act as if they are out to cure the world of its ails. RIGHT!
Later,
SLAYER GIRL.

page91

2008-09-24T09:15:00.002-07:00

It's no big secret, the trick of how to start a record label definitely involves some cash and most definitely involves some talent. If you want to know the secret to how to start and run your own label then here it is, talent. You have to have something to sell your business pitch with. It doesn't matter what your particular genre is, you need to get out there and discover your first million. Yep, I am talking about dollars.

If you are just sitting around trying to figure out how to start you own independent record label then you are wasting your time. Get out there and try to find "the" band or "the" person that is worthy of a record deal. Go to clubs, rummage through MySpace, hang out at bars with live music, there is talent all around you so find it.

Do you have friends or a band already in mind? If you do then you are one step ahead of the "how to start a record label" game. Two or three bands would really be optimal when beginning your own record label. For those of you who don't have someone in mind, then you have some work to do.

A good way to search for talent is to have an idea of what you are looking for. If you are going to learn how to start and run your own record label then you must be able to find the gap. There is a gap somewhere and you need to find it. Keep in mind, you are searching for someone who is marketable, a true money maker.

If you can't quite pinpoint a gap, then identify a target market you think you can penetrate and go for it. Who would have thought that the Backstreet Boys or 98 Degrees would have made it big? Well, the guys from their record label were definitely on to something. Teenage girls were where it was at and boy did those guys stumble on to something big and man did they make a profit! Believe me, that is your first step in how to start a record label.

Just like with any other business, you are going to have to sell your product. And you can't sell your product until you have your product. So, this is your first lesson in how to start your own independent record label. In this business, you are going to have to think outside the box and when you do that, you will be ready to start your own record label.

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2008-09-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

If you want to get gigs, then you are going to have to do some schmoozing with club owners, bar owners and people of that nature. This means you are going to have to appear as professional and convincing as possible. You are going to have to come prepared with all the gear you need to successfully market yourself so you can book gigs and get paid.

First impressions are the most important thing in this biz. If you want to book gigs then you need to bring the following things with you to a meeting: a resume, a demo, a business card (with a link to your site), a poster or flyer, price and a confidant attitude. And most importantly, dress for success. You don't have to wear a tux, just look presentable. You might even want to bring your instruments in case they want a short live audition, you never know.

Hopefully you will get the gig and it will end right there but you may not get hired right away. If this is you then you need to have a little persistence. Stop in every week or so and see if they have anything for you. Ask them if anyone has canceled and if there is a spot that needs to be filled. But beware, there is a fine line between persistence and stalking so be careful you are not doing the latter. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

There are other places to play besides bars and clubs. Get creative! What about coffee shops, music stores, high school dances, book stores, restaurants, parks, festivals, fairs, or private parties? The same rules apply when meeting with the people that are related to these events and places. If you can't find gigs at these places, ask them to refer you to someplace you can book gigs. If you present yourself professionally then they will respect you, even if they don't have a spot for you.

One thing you can try to do is convince the owners or whoever you are meeting with that you can draw a crowd. Don't promise this if you can't make it happen. And if you promise this, then you need to make it happen. I am sure you have friends, family, acquaintances and co-workers that you can convince to come see you. It is even better if you have a solid group of fans going that will show up as well.

All of these tips will help you get gigs. Market yourself because no one else is going to do it. Remember, you can be your best asset or your worst enemy. Don't go to a meeting unprepared and don't stalk the people you have meeting with. If you want to get gigs then presenting yourself as a professional, top quality musician the eventually people will be knocking at your door for a change.

page89

2008-09-24T09:14:00.001-07:00

Bill Cosby at this point in his career is not just internationally famous; he has become an icon in the black community as a successful, inspiring individual who did not let his color get in the way making his mark on society. So when this highly recognizable and well-loved entertainer came out two years ago with a tirade against the black community, citing hip hop and the language associated with it as part of the problem with today's black youth, people paid attention. His rant, delivered at a NAACP event honoring the 50th anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education caused quite a stir.

As founder of Def Jam Records Russell Simmons aptly put it, "pointing the finger may not be helpful -- we still have more struggle as a society and more work to do to reform it." (Debate Continues as Cosby Again Criticizes Black Youths, by Hamil L. Harris, Washington Post)

True, there is in fact a negative connotation to some of the language in hip hop, but conversely this same language has been adopted and assimilated into modern culture. How can you have politicians, parents and critics lambasting the same language that is used to market anything from cell phones to Subway sandwiches? As the oft misquoted line from Shakespeare's Hamlet states, "Ah there's the rub."

Many in the hip hop world would tell you that language of hip hop is the language of the street -- the lexicon of the day-to-day struggle in urban life.

Love And Hate
It's hard to imagine a music culture that has evolved economically and culturally and has become so widely accepted to still suffer such censorship and harsh criticisms.

Love: Hip Hop group The Fugees won 5 grammys in 1999 essentially confirming what everybody knew all along -- the music is not only popular but is also highly profitable.

Hate: Negative stereotypes and objectification of women dominate the lyrics of many popular hip hop songs and artists. Adding more ammunition to the hate revolver, The Rand Corporation recently did a study linking promiscuous sexual activity in teens to sex-laden (primarily hip hop songs) lyrics. (Rand Study Finds Adolescents Who Listen To A Great Deal of Music With Degrading Sexual Lyrics Have Sex Sooner, www.rand.org).

Love: As a recent Time.com article mentioned, the love affair between hip hop and advertisers continues to stay strong. In fact hip-hop's power to direct tastes in everything from malt liquor to SUVs is constantly being wooed and courted by the advertising industry. ('Hip-Hop Nation 'Is Exhibit a for America's Latest Cultural Revolution, www.time.com)

Hate: Writer John McWhorter cites that the language of hip hop reinforces the same stereotypes that have hindered blacks in this country for decades by glorifying a "thuggish" adversarial stance that is the "proper" response to an allegedly racist, never changing white society that continues to oppress them. He firmly believes that this in essence, retards black success. (How Hip-Hop Holds Blacks Back, John H. McWhorter, The Manhattan Institute's City Journal). For an example he cites several snippets from recent rap songs including this one from one of hip hop's iconic figures, the late Tupac Shakur

gotta know how to shake the snakes, nigga,
'Cause the police love to break a nigga,
Send him upstate 'cause they straight up hate the nigga.

For every positive someone can make a valid point for a negative aspect to this music. There is no right or wrong here. If you put both sides of this debate in a room you might as well make it a round room because that's how the argument will go.

Breaking the circle
The language of hip hop isn't going to change anytime soon. For every reference to the N word, guns and sex there are just as many references to empowerment, being strong and standing up for what you believe. Not everyone who plays a videogame shoots up a school. Not everyone who listens to hip hop will abuse women and join a gang. Understanding, interaction and communication is the key rather than focusing primarily on the negative aspects of hip hop.

It's like being a part of that brotherly bond. And that's the thing that feels good about it. It's your people, and you hear other people using it, it's kind of flattering, you know what I'm saying? Even if they don't give the recognition like they are supposed to! It feels good to hear people out there 'biting' [using] your slang, basically. It's communication, you know what I mean? It's communication." (Ameen, Oakland California youth talking about the impact of the language of hip hop to an NPR reporter).

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2008-09-24T09:13:00.002-07:00

"Hip hop is inherently political, the language is political. It uses language as a weapon -- not a weapon to violate or not a weapon to offend, but a weapon that pushes the envelope that provokes people, makes people think." - Todd Boyd, Professor University of Southern California's School of Cinema-television

It's true what they say about music -- it is a universal language. Regardless of where people are from or what language they speak, music that has universal appeal can do more than entertain. It can bring people together, get people to think and some cases provide a soundtrack for change. Never has his become more present than in the music of hip hop that went from an expressive combination of lyrics and rhythm to a lifestyle and culture that has permeated popular society.

More than just a beat

As stated above the "hip hop" professor, Todd Boyd, hip hop is far more than just clever rhymes and banging beats. It has the potential to educate. Boyd is one of the many educators blazing the trail that of bringing hip hop to education purporting that as a learning tool, it's very powerful. Take for example the organization H2ED (Hip Hop Education). Their formula of T.O.P.S.Y (teachers, organizations, parents, social workers and youth) seeks to involve the adults and leaders in the community to band together focus educating the youth using things that they can relate to.

This Is How They Do It

According to their mission, "H2Ed is to serve as a resource for educators and those committed to helping children succeed in school by using the power of hip-hop culture as a learning tool. This is achieved by compiling and maintaining a comprehensive list of educational resources, products and services available for educators. By providing important networking opportunities and by advocating on both the institutional and grassroots levels for educational reform." (About H2ED, www.h2ed.net)

The common misunderstanding or misconception is that you walk into a classroom and there is a hip hop beat blaring while a teacher attempts to rhyme the key points of American history. While that my seem like a clever and entertaining idea for Hollywood films it's a hackneyed attempt at best to incorporate what hip hop can teach. Consider the basic tenets of recording, producing and distributing an independently produced hip hop CD. Within this one projecct.

* Basic Business Training
* Project Follow Through
* Problem Solving
* Social skills necessary for meeting goals
* Team Building
* Marketing
* Sales
(The DJ Project, By Dave Kim, Bay Guardian, San Francisco)

Involving youth in a project of this nature is exactly the goal of initiatives like San Francisco's DJ Project. Much like H2ED, the DJ project uses hip-hop culture to reach out to urban youths for which this music has become an integral part of their lives. It would seem that the old perception of this music being a bad influence and having no redeeming qualities has actually been changed and is now perceived as music that can actually create a sense of empowerment for many kids.

For the Colorado Hip Hop Coalition (CHHC) founded in 1979 they take this empowerment to another level by:

* Creating a cultural connection between hip hop Culture that and kids
* Giving youth a stronger voice in the creation of programs suited to their needs and interests
* Developing a community network of hip hop artists and entrepreneurs that work collectively to create community economic opportunity

The Future Is Bright

The next time you hear people bemoaning the negative influence of hip hop, think about these pioneers in education and how they have looked beyond the negativity and embraced the potential and common bond between hip hop, kids and education.

page87

2008-09-24T09:13:00.001-07:00

There are two important characteristics that recommend satellite radio as a service most people would like to have in their vehicles or homes: quality and content. When talking about quality we mostly refer to how clear the sound output is from satellite radio when compare to terrestrial radio broadcasts. Content, on the other hand, refers to the quality of the transited material. This is where the two giants in the satellite radio industry - Sirius and XM Radio - battle it out. The quality of the receivers and the technologies they both use are similar, but the difference can be made when it comes to exclusive high quality content. Let's have a look at both the satellite radio quality and content characteristics:

Broadcasting quality

The broadcast quality is, when put in numbers, of 128kb/s 44.1khz for both digital radio service providers. This is the equivalent of CD quality. Although the coverage of satellite radio, which is far superior to what any terrestrial radio station can deliver, is an important factor, the quality of the sound is what brought Sirius and XM Radio more subscribers. There are many similarities to the way digital television worked or how cable TV has over 80% of the US population as subscribers, although they can receive free programming using UHF and VHF antennas. It's the same with satellite radio - although one can get free terrestrial radio, satellite radio comes at an affordable price and offer a broadcasting quality that is superior to analog radio. Also keep in mind that satellite radio is commercial free - and this is huge selling point.

Content

So now that we know how good the technological side of satellite radio really is, let's have a look at how broadcasters are trying to improve the quality of the content they provide. One of the most interesting approaches was to fight for obtaining exclusivity over some transmissions. For example, negotiations have been carried out between XM Radio and MLB in order for the satellite radio provider to obtain exclusivity rights to broadcast all MLB games. In an interview to WSJ, Edison Media Research's President Larry Rosin declared that "it is probably inevitable that baseball radio broadcasts will go to a 100% subscription model...

It will happen because there's too much money in it not to do it." Today, around 23% of XM subscribers are signed up to receive the MLB transmissions, so there is real potential in such a venture. Of course, this would be a terrific blow against terrestrial radio and the two sides are engaged in combat while you are reading this. Of course, content quality can also be increased by having the best people in the industry work with satellite radio. Both Sirius and XM Radio know that someone who pays $300 for a receiver and $10 - $12 each month for a radio service wants to get the best content out there.

Surprisingly, when it comes to music channels, the difference in content quality between satellite radio and terrestrial radio is made in one main topic - commercials (or rather, lack of commercials on satellite radio). Since most of XM Radio and Sirius channels are in-house productions and only a small percentage are retransmits of terrestrial radio, this becomes an interesting aspect to consider.

page86

2008-09-24T09:12:00.002-07:00

Licensing your music into films is a great extra income stream for you as an independent artist. But, as with any other aspect of the music business, you have to go through the learning curve and networking process. My experience with film licensing, just like everything else, revolves around whom you know.

Your first (or tenth) licensing deal probably won't be the next Hollywood blockbuster, but that's ok. There are a zillion independent films that need and want your music. No, you won't be immediately rich and famous from having a song in an indie film, but you will probably get paid, and you'll get some good exposure. Remember, a good ling music career is not built on one big hit. It's built on a series of small projects and successes building to bigger ones, and, of course, multiple streams of income.

With that in mind, independent films are a great place to start. So where do you begin? Well, listing sites like Versus Media, Film Music Network, and Taxi are a good place to start, but it's hard to rely on a steady income from people you've never met. Also, something I've learned recently from a couple of music supervisors, is that follow up on your package is not required, nor particularly appreciated. So you really are relying on your package and your music being picked out of the pile. However, the listing services will give you access to projects you may not have known about otherwise. They are, therefore, a good investment.

An even better way to hook into independent films is to go out and meet film people. As musicians we tend to get stuck in our own little world. Hanging out with musicians, going to music workshops and events, etc. You must take your product to the people who need it instead of waiting for them to come to you.

A great place to start is Indie Club. This is a worldwide organization of independent filmmakers, actors, crew, and everyone else. Find your local chapter through the IndieClub.com website. It's free to join. Where I am, San Francisco, we have the country's largest chapter. Join their discussion list and introduce yourself as a music artist. Go to their meetings and get-togethers. When I went to my first Indie Club meeting, I was one of two music artists in the room. The cries of "We need you!" were not just the voices in my head (this time). That room full of independent filmmakers was looking for good music that they could license and still stay within their budget.

I scored my first licensing deal within an hour. Two songs in the same film, one I'd already written, the other to be written specifically for the movie. My tactic was simple. Ask them about their latest project. They'll be happy to tell you about it, I assure you. They'll ask what you do. Tell them, but don't exaggerate. I explained that I had not yet written for films, but just came to see where I fit in. This particular filmmaker then explained to me that he couldn't find a particular song for this one scene he was working on. I told him I'd be happy to custom write it for him. And there it was. I was being paid up front to write a song. How much? I received $100 for the new song, $50 for the previously written and recorded one. Like I said, you won't get rich off of these. But hey, $50 to let him use a song that I'd paid for long ago is free money to me.

For the new song, the director arranged for recording time at the local recording arts school where his sound editor was studying. This was fortuitous, and not necessarily normal. Most other project I have to record myself. Because I kept the copyright for the song (which you should always try to do), I was able to release the new song on one of my future CDs, which put more money in my pocket. There's that multiple streams of income again. And, as a topper, I was able to perform at the premier and sell more CDs there as well. I got all that just for showing up to a meeting and talking to people. I made a few other deals at that meeting too.

So the moral of the story is to just go where filmmakers are and talk to them. Besides Indie Club, I'm sure there are other film clubs and organizations in your area. Find them and make yourself a part of them. Get to know everyone, and you have your tunes in the movies in no time!

Next time: How to get your music in movies by getting yourself in movies!

page85

2008-09-24T09:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations! Your debut CD is now recorded, replicated, packaged, and ready for market. It’s an amazing feeling to see the fruit of your labor in front of you, nicely packaged as a CD that’s ready to be sold alongside the big wigs in the industry. One small problem: you don't have the backing and capital that the big wigs do to promote your CD... and you just know your CD can be a huge success in the market.

Promoting a CD can seem like a daunting task at first, especially if you haven't done anything like this before. Here are a few tips and ideas on how you can get started promoting, and selling your music CD.

1. First, you should plan a launch party. Tell all your friends and fans when the CD is going to launch, and generate some buzz. Let local papers and shops know as well, and have them help you spread the word.

2. Network - tell everyone you know about your new CD. Ransack that mental rolodex of yours, and hit everyone you know, and tell them to do the same. Believe it or not, this is probably your best resource!

3. Have a website before your CD launches, and use it to promote your CD. Set up a page on myspace and other similar sites that allow navigators to sample your new tracks.

4. Look into setting up an email list for your fans. Before the CD launches, send out an email letting everyone know. It’s cheap, it’s easy and it’s a fast way to get the word out about this and other upcoming events.

5. Write a press release and put it on your website. You can find lots of examples and instructions of how to do this online.

6. Contact the music reporter(s) at your local newspaper(s). Don't leave out the smaller papers - sometimes they are the heart and soul of the local music scene.

6. Offer a free copy of your CD to local radio stations. Remember the school stations - they frequently tend to favor local artists. If they play it, it could pay off quite well for you.

7. Approach internet radio stations, and offer them the rights to play your CD for free. Every time they play a track, you receive free advertising.

8. Call DJ's and DJ companies and offer a free copy. If they play your CD, that's more free advertising.

9. Get a barcode for your CD. This can help encourage retailers to sell your CD.

10. Get your CD sold at online distributers, such as cdbaby.com or amazon.com

11. Sell merchandise with your name or the band's name on it. This is not only a little extra revenue - it's great advertising.

12. Find out if there is a music show on your local TV stations, and see if you can be featured.

13. Cross-promotional deals - Talk to another similar band, and work out a cross-promotional deal. ie. They promote your CD at their shows, and you promote their CD at your show. Or even better...

14. Work out cross-promotional deal with several bands. Each band contributes a track or two to a sampler CD. Then each band gives away the sampler CD as a "bonus" with every CD they sell of their own.

15. Naturally, you should promote your CD at every show you play

There are lots of things you can do to realize your dream faster. These are some simple ideas on how you can begin to promote your CD, and get the word out to your future fans. Good luck!

page84

2008-09-24T09:11:00.001-07:00

MP3 players are in league with the digicams, mobile phones, and palmtops when it comes to the most popular techno gadgets to enter the market. An MP3 player is simply an electronic device that plays not only MP3, but other audio files as well. Hence, the term 'MP3 player' is actually a misnomer as the closest term to accurately define it is 'DAP' or Digital Audio Player.

The first MP3 player on the American market appeared in the summer of 1998. It was a very basic unit, portable and with a memory capacity of 32MB. Since its first release, the MP3 player underwent many innovations until it became what it is now.

Today, MP3 players are highly versatile. They can be hooked into car stereos, CD players, computer hard drives, and simply as a standalone player with its own music collection. Other MP3 players are software-based as well and available for most computer platforms. There are many sites that offer software-based MP3 player downloads. Below are a few examples of these sites.

MP3 Player Download: WinAmp.com

One of the great places to get an MP3 player download is at WinAmp.com. Developed by Nullsoft, the site offers WinAmp player, an audio software application that can play MP3 as well as other audio files. This MP3 player download lets you play music and video files, including MP3, ITZ, CDA, M3U, AVI, OGG, WMA, AU, NST, WAV, AIFF, MP2, MOD, FAR, NSA, MP1, VOC, WMV, and many more. With its full-featured media library, you can organize, search, and browse your entire media collection and create your own playlists from the search results. Several more features are included in the software, such as integrated Internet radio and TV, customizable skins, visualizations, plus the capability to rip and burn CDs.

MP3 Player Download: MusicMatch.com

MusicMatch offers the powerful Musicmatch Jukebox which is one of the most popular MP3 player downloads. There are two versions of this software-based MP3 player available at the site. The free version lets you play and manage your digital audio files, transfer music to portable devices, and burn music to your CDs. The MusicMatch Jukebox Plus on the other hand is a pro, full-featured version. With this MP3 player download, you can not only burn CDs at highspeeds of up to 48x, but also rip tracks from CDs up to 40x. This MP3 player download has the Super Tagging feature which lets you tag tracks fast for automatic file naming, covert vinyl and cassette audio files into MP3s, and many more.

Many more websites offer MP3 player downloads. What we've mentioned above are only a few.

page83

2008-09-24T09:10:00.002-07:00

In this tutorial, We will guide you in the step by step process for making your own MP3 ringtones.

Tools you need:

* Cell phone that support MP3 ringtones.

* Music CD or MP3 Music File

* Any method of transferring the ringtones from computer to phone (USB, Bluetooth, e-mail, instant message, etc.)

* Audacity v1.3 beta

* Lame v3.96.1

* MP3 Converter (to convert audio cd file to mp3 format)

Instructions:

If you plan to create your MP3 ringtones from a CD, rip the song you want as a WAV (Windows) or an AIFF file (Mac). It's a good idea to specify a new ripping location, too, so the ripped song wont be mixed up with the rest of your collection. But if you're creating your ringtones from an MP3 song, you may want to copy that MP3 song into a new folder so that when we edit the MP3 the audio-editing software won't messed up your original MP3 song.

Now, If you don't have any of the above mentioned audio file types you can use your own Audio CD. But, you will need to use a separate software to convert them to MP3, Wave or AIFF. You can also download MP3 songs the Internet.

Once you have chosen the song to edit and converted it to our desired digital music format (whether WAV, AIFF or MP3), run your audio-editing software. In this case we will be using Audacity, it is free, open source and runs on both Mac and PC. If you don't have Audacity you can download a copy of the file here http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.

Also Audacity needs another separate program (actually its called library) for MP3 compression. We will be using Lame, LAME is an MPEG Audio Layer III (MP3) encoder, you can download Lame Library here http://lame.sourceforge.net/index.php . Once your download is complete you need to decompressed the file. Please take note where you decompressed the file.

So once you have all the tools we need, let's start!

Run Audacity, go to Edit/Preferences/File Format menu, and click the "Find Library" button near the bottom of the screen. Navigate to the folder where you decompressed the Lame Library File, and select it. Also set your bit rate to 128 Kbps. You can choose a lower bit rate to save space on your phone, but you'll get lower-quality sound.

Now continue with Audacity, in Audacity's File menu, select Open and find the music you want to create for your MP3 ringtone. It might take some time for Audacity to import your music depending on its size, the location and the speed of your computer. Just be patient!

Once the importing is done, you will see your music laid out from left to right. Click and drag your mouse around until you find the section you want for your MP3 ringtone. You can listen to your selection by pressing the spacebar, just play around until you find the part that you want to make as your MP3 ringtone. You're looking for a phrase of 10 to 15 seconds or so. Once you found what you want for your MP3 ringtone you now go to "File" Menu and click on "Export selection as MP3".

Audacity comes with several effects; to try them out, leave the ringtone selected in the Audacity window, and then select anything in the Effect menu.Adding these effects is a matter of taste, but I figure it adds a bit of spice to the ringtone and makes it more of an individual statement.

So once all is set and you've finalize your mp3 ringtone, it's time to transfer the ringtone onto your phone. The easiest way to do this is with Bluetooth, assuming you have already paired your computer and cell phone. If your phone came with a USB connection, use that; otherwise, try e-mailing or texting it as an attachment. If you need some info about datacables please go here http://real-ringtones.awardspace.com/datacables.html. Put the mp3 ringtone file into the Audio folder if your phone has one, and then select the new ringtone in your Tools or Options menu. Each brand of phones has a separate way of adding or selecting new ringtones, but this tutorial does not cover that.

So that's it! I hope you enjoy your new MP3 Ringtone!

page82

2008-09-24T09:10:00.001-07:00

Music occupies an important place in our life. We can't live without it. Actually people have different musical tastes depending on their age, education and even mood. Some people like classical music, others prefer rock, pop or jazz, but nobody is indifferent to it. Popular Music refers to the kind of music that appeals to the general public, unlike Highbrow or Classical. It places a premium on accessibility, employs various means to boost both instant appeal and memorability - distinctive syncopation, novel instrumental flourishes, danceable rhythms, repeated riffs - but its signal feature is melodic emphasis. It has now since diversified to such an extent that it is now most easily defined in terms of its market.

Popular Music 1950 - 1998 At the end of World War II in the U.S., White middle class fears of communism and a new independent - minded Black society emerged simultaneously. Since they both threatened the status quo, any cross-cultural performance took on the appearance of being subversive.

The songs of the early fifties reflected this and generally had light melodies, sweet lyrics and wholesome singers. Innocent and inoffensive "feel-good" tunes, performed by artists like Pat Boone, Rosemary Clooney and Perry Como dominated the pop charts. Major Record Companies (Capitol, Decca, Columbia, Mercury, and RCA Victor) decided to abandon the majority of black artists' race records and their black audience, creating an opportunity for Independents such as Sam Phillips' Sun Label or Chess Records to sign them up.

Artists like Bill Haley and the Comets adapted the work of the Black artists to come up with their own sound. The music's solid rhythm and heavy back beat inspired new forms of dancing. Soon there were stars - Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Carl Perkins. Due to the prejudices of the times, Disc Jockey Alan Freed coined the name "rock and roll," ironically using a term that was slang for sex in the Black community at that time. Its initial appeal was to middle class white teenagers who soon came to feel it was their own. In this era, so called 'race music' was largely censured by America's white establishment as being too rebellious, sexual and anti-social to be acceptable.

If Rock and Roll was formed from a fusion between Black music and White entrepreneurship, then the foremost of the fair-skinned founding fathers must be Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their writing genius, combined with the kinetic energy of Elvis made Rock and Roll history by recording Hound Dog, and Elvis Presley became a household name. (Leiber & Stoller also penned hits for Ben E King, The Searchers, the Drifters, and The Coasters).

There were also scandals (i.e. The Payola Scandal which would lead to the demise of the career of Alan Freed) in the early days' which did nothing to foster either parental or governmental confidence in the new music. Near the end of the decade, a plane crash killed Buddy Holly and also took the lives of Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. Since all three were so prominent at the time, February 3, 1959, became known as 'The Day The Music Died.'

Female vocal groups began to produce songs that mixed Doo-wop harmonies with Rhythm and Blues music. The groups were usually trios or quartets in which one vocalist sang a lead part while the others contributed a background vocal. Most notable were The Shirelles, The Marvelettes, and The Crystals who flourished during the early 1960's.

By 1962 'The Brill Building' in Broadway, New York had housed over 165 music businesses and more significantly hosted Don Kirshner and his star collection of songwriters, (Carole King / Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka / Howard Greenfield, and Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil) that were responsible for hundreds of charted hits. Record Producer Phil Spector (A prodigy of songwriters Leiber and Stoller) was churning out unique classics by artists like The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers and finally Ike and Tina Turner with his legendary 'Wall of Sound'.

In the 1950's Britain had not recovered from the effects of World War Two; economic hardship and shortages of goods and services were common. In 'provincial' cities (fiercely independent of London) such as Liverpool and Manchester, the latest imports were less scarce, (i.e. American Rhythm & Blues and Rock and Roll records) and as a result, an independent musical culture developed.

Liverpool produced the Merseybeat sound led by The Beatles, taking the British charts by storm in 1963, while in London the Rolling Stones heralded a boom in the British Rhythm and Blues that included the Animals from Newcastle, Spencer Davis from Birmingham and scores more. The conquest of America followed. Between 1964 and 1966, dozens of British groups made fortunes in the States, doing much better there than at home.

Folk inspired artists, like The Byrds, and even America's most influential contemporary performer Bob Dylan also turned to sound of the Beatles for new direction. The quintessential Californian group, The Beach Boys, helped fly the flag for Surf Music, although chief member Brian Wilson was pressured into illness in his efforts to progress, both commercially and artistically.

Black Soul Music (containing the beat of Rhythm and Blues combined with the exuberance of Gospel), may have been overshadowed in the media but it still made as indelible an impression as British Beat via Atlantic and Motown, the best known and most successful soul labels ever.

Between them, they had all the early soul stars of note, including The Drifters, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.

'The Godfather of Soul', James Brown, through the rest of the '60s dispensed with melodies in favour of chunky rhythms, horn interplay and scratching guitar giving a whole new sound which would become essential ingredients of what is known as Funk. With 'The Summer of Love' in 1967, focus shifted to San Francisco Bay. The Flower Power era embraced extravagant clothes, weird lyrics and music that seemed to have few rules and less form: names like The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and the The Doors became synonymous with meditation, levitation and drugs.

By then America began to worship the posturing and volume of what became known as Heavy Metal. Pioneered by Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Jeff Beck and culminated by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple, the term 'Heavy Metal', was coined by critic Lester Bangs from certain passages in author William Burroughs 'Naked Lunch'. The music itself was characterised by heavy guitar riffs/ostinato, a high register male vocal and more punch particularly in the lower frequencies of the bass drum and bass guitar.

Britain started the 1970's pointing towards a hybrid known as 'Glam-rock', which produced Marc Bolan, David Bowie, and groups such as Slade and The Sweet. Their theatrical style of dress (which consisted of heavy make-up and women's clothes) further emphasised the sartorial overkill of Psychedelia.

The advance in technology would give birth to a genre of Progressive rock groups such as Genesis and Yes, followed by E.L.O., Supertramp, Queen, and 10cc - The recording process itself had become much more sophisticated and the expansion of multitracking enabled artists to isolate each instrument and use a myriad of multi-layered harmony vocals creating an orchestral sound which would give these bands their trademark.

Bob Marley and the Wailers introduced Reggae and Ska to the international community after being signed to London's Island Records. (Reggae is a Jamaican form of Rhythm and Blues with accents on the half beats.)

Another popular style of reggae was known as 'Dub'. In Jamaica whenever a song was put out on a 45 single, the'B'side was called the Dub. It was the same song (often times with a different mix) that did not include the lead vocal. Jamaican MC's started talking, chatting and singing over the Dub version of a song for a particular sound. When this music reached their Jamaican counterparts, then residing within New York's inner-city neighbourhoods in the Bronx and Brooklyn, it gave birth to what is now known as Rap, or Hip Hop.

Another scene to emerge from its underground existence in New York was the dance 70's phenomenon known as Disco. Disco began as far back in the sixties with the Motown sound, but it came in a rapid in the early and mid-seventies when extended versions of the popular songs were played in the city's gay clubs. When the 12" single was commercially available in 1976 the public became more aware of Disco. The soundtrack album from the movie 'Saturday Night Fever' featuring The Bee Gees when it came out sold more than 30 million copies worldwide.

During the last three years of the 1970's, British youth, many of whom in the cities had become the unemployed victims, of an economic slump, could find little relevance in the sun kissed utopia in which country-rockers The Eagles seemed to live. They didn't have much time for the biggest stars of the era - Elton John, Fleetwood Mac, Pink Floyd and all the rest-who spent much more time in America, where they were better appreciated and could earn infinitely more than in economically divided Britain. Neither were they greatly moved by the seamless efficiency and catchy songs of Abba, the Swedish quartet who sold more records than anyone internationally during the decade, and topped the UK charts nine times in all.

Rock music has always been the rallying call of rebellious youth, and in 1977 the Anarchic Punk generation produced disenchanted Britons like The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Ironically by the end of the decade, New York had spawned Punk's godparents Lou Reed, The New York Dolls and Patti Smith, as well as producing stars like The Ramones and Blondie.

The Eighties in the UK began where the 70's left off with the Ska hybrid '2 Tone', performed by racially integrated groups like The Specials and Madness. It also witnessed the commercial finale of Punk with the Jam, and polished Post-Punk as purveyed by The Police and XTC.

In 1981 the music scene underwent a significant change. Technological developments in the form of Music Television, and the compact disc, changed the music world in a way that a different approach was necessary. In fact, major record labels would view music videos as essential as TV-commercials.

The Boom of Synth-Pop and New Romanticism spawned Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Culture Club. They all came from Britain, and for several months during the second quarter of the decade, these acts and others like The Human League and Wham! helped Britain rule the waves of the Atlantic, although with less domination than 20 years earlier.

Michael Jackson dominated the music world with his 1982 release 'Thriller'. It became the biggest selling album in history with over 40 million copies sold. During a time when MTV made headway, Jackson adapted to this and accompanied his single-releases with videos of high quality. Another artist to achieve Megastardom in a similar way was Madonna. Her popularity was also achieved by the way she challenged the mainstream on issues as race, gender, sexuality, and power.

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five brought a new lyrical intensity to Rap with the song 'The Message'. Def Jam label artists Run DMC and the Beastie Boys mixed heavy metal guitars rather than the usual funk and disco samples for an aggressive impact that helped the first Rap album to reach a number one chart position.

Bob Geldof will forever be admired for his charitable work in organising Band Aid, which consisted of dozens of British stars who recorded a charity single in an attempt to save lives in drought-stricken Africa. Later he organised Live Aid - a concert on both sides of the Atlantic, which also involved numerous stars such as Phil Collins, Bruce Springsteen, U2, and Queen.

In the UK Producers Stock, Aitken, & Waterman clocked up 31 number one hits and 35 million records sold around the world. (And that was just 1987.) For theirs was the sound that dominated the charts, dance floors and airwaves of Britain with its instantly recognisable bouncy, chattering dance rhythms and chirpy, catchy pop tunes, no matter who the chosen vocalist - Mel & Kim, Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Bananarama, etc...

Another dance phenomenon was to emerge, this time from the holiday resort of Ibiza. It would enter the UK as Acid House (The Culture associated with the drug Ecstasy.) and transmogrify into the 90's genres, Trance and Rave. (Music that was dominated by what machines were good at - repeating monotonous rhythmic patterns that could go on and on.)

The 90's followed the avaricious 80's with a softer sound - Country Music. Garth Brooks and Shania Twain carried the sound of Nashville into the mainstream, effectively making it the music capital of the world. At the other end of the musical spectrum, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden took the raw sound of American Grunge music and slapped it screaming onto radios everywhere. By the mid 90s, a new crop of young British bands influenced by the Manchester Indie scene (The Stone Roses, and the Happy Mondays) rediscovered the Beatles, giving birth to Britpop. Blur and Oasis fought, fell out and made up. Take that paved the way for legions of Boy Bands such as Boyzone and Westlife. However the biggest-selling British export of the 90's was the Spice Girls, who kick-started a resurgence in Teen Pop music.

page81

2008-09-24T09:09:00.002-07:00

Ask anybody who the greatest guitar players in the history of rock music are, and you'll likely get the standard answers. The big three, Clapton, Beck and Page; certainly Eddie Van Halen; maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn. The metal-heads will cite Randy Rhodes and George Lynch. These are all valid answers, but if you would put forth names like Elliot Easton and Andy Summers, you might be likely to get a blank stare in return. Too often great guitarists are overlooked simply because they lack the flash of a star like Eddie Van Halen or because they are part of a group that simply has an overabundance of talent and they tend to be moved to the background.

Take Andy Summers, guitarist for the Police. Everybody knows who Sting is, and there is no doubt that he is tremendously talented, as is drummer Stewart Copeland. As part of that unit, however, Summers was often overlooked. What is so amazing about Andy Summers is not only his command of the instrument, but his overwhelming versatility. From ska to punk to reggae to straight ahead rock and roll, nothing is outside of his ability. His style has been described as minimalist, but that minimalism is a plus, and he is to be credited for not falling prey to his critics and trying to overplay to compensate for a lack of complex layers of sound. Below, in no particular order, I've listed some of my favorite underappreciated players, and the reasons why I consider them to be great.

Elliot Easton (The Cars): Elliot Easton is probably the greatest reason for the success of The Cars. Without Easton's accessible rock guitar cutting through the synth driven Cars sound, they never would have found the mainstream acceptance that they did. Imagine the spacey pair of Ric Ocasik and Greg Hawkes playing over an equally new-wave influenced guitarist and you have a style of music that would not appeal to people on a large scale. Easton's Buddy Hollyesque sound, however, served to make The Cars commercially viable. "My Best Friend's Girl" from their debut album is an excellent example of how Easton's contribution was essential in creating hit records for The Cars.

Warren DiMartini (Ratt): What impresses me most about DiMartini is that fact that despite being known as a speed demon who is content to throw a startling flurry of notes at the listener, is that he knows the value of a rest. Too many metal artists try to play as fast as possible, and DiMartini can keep up with the best of them, but I'm more taken with the fact that on songs like "Lay it Down", "Wanted Man" and "Round and Round", it's DiMartini's artful use of pauses and mutings to lend depth and character to what would otherwise be just another ripping metal tune.

Kathy Valentine (The Go-Go's/solo): The Go-Go's will never be known for stunning musicianship, but Kathy Valentine's reputation suffered from being thrown together with a group of girls who were far less proficient in their playing. Not to say that the Go-Go's were not any good. Their style of music was based on catchy beats and fun lyrics, so being technically perfect was not a requirement. Unfortunately, the fact that this was an easily exploitable fault that the critics could grab a hold of, the band was unfairly criticized for being "a bunch of girls who could barely play their instruments." If they had bothered to check, they would have found the Valentine was actually an experienced and talented guitarist, making the switch to bass to fill the spot with the Go-Go's. Actually, a casual listen will show that Valentine's bass playing stands out more that Charlotte Caffey's or Jane Wiedlin's guitar work. At times it's almost melodic. Since the Go-Go's Valentine has gone solo, along with a side project called the Delpines. I would strongly urge you to check out Valentine's appealing mix of rock and punk on her "Light Years" album.

Slash (Guns 'N' Roses/Velvet Revolver): Guns 'N' Roses now Velvet Revolver bassist Duff McKagan once claimed that Slash had "the fastest right hand I've ever seen." While it may be argued that the left (fretting) hand is more important for a guitarist, after hearing Slash play, there can be no discounting the value of a fast right hand. "Sweet Child of Mine", "Paradise City" and "Welcome to the Jungle" received more radio play, but to hear one of the best examples of Slash's work, check out "Mr. Brownstone" on "Appetite for Destruction".

Steve "Steamin" Clark (Def Leppard): It seems that all great artists have their demons and Steve Clark was no exception. Before alcohol claimed his life at too young an age, Steve Clark had built up a legacy of fine work that will live on. Steve's gift was an ability to build spatial separation into his phrasing. It was almost as if he was playing in a huge empty amphitheater in which each note rang out perfectly and separately and yet, along with the complimentary work of bandmate Phil Colin, fit tightly together like pieces in a puzzle. The song "Love Bites" from the "Hysteria" album perfectly illustrates this point. Unlike previous member Pete Willis, Colin provided a perfect foil for Clark to play off of. Unfortunately, Def Leppard seemed to be associated more with the fact that drummer Rick Allen played with one arm, the result of a 1984 auto accident, taking some of the attention away from the fact that Clark's playing made Def Leppard one of the finest pop metal bands of the 80's.

Howard Leese (Heart): Fated to share the stage with two of the most beautiful and talented women of the rock era, Howard Leese continued to lend his creative talents to Heart long after its other founding members had departed. It was Nancy with her beautiful blond tresses that stole the spotlight, but it was Howard's guitar that powered the group. Secure in the knowledge that he was a key component in Heart's driving guitar based sound, he was never bitter about the fact that his name was only recognizable amongst true fans of the group. Listen to "Barracuda" or "Magic Man" or "Even it Up" and you are instantly struck by the inherent "coolness" of the opening riffs, and his mastery of harmonic overtones is second to none.

Mick Mars (Motley Crüe): Mostly thought of as a fair to middling heavy metal guitarist, Mick Mars phrasing is perfect for the Crüe's sound. Chunky, dirty and staccato at times, it still manages to be melodic. Upstaged by Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee and their bad-boy images, Mick stays cool and aloof behind his powerful music. Despite the darkness inherent in some of their tunes, you cannot fail to be uplifted by Mick Mars' musical skills.

Really there are so many worthy players that I could go on and on, but this is just a listing of those few that have bugging me for years. It's true that people have their own tastes, and for some, these guys wouldn't even make the top 10, but it makes me feel better to have my sentiments known. If I'm lucky there may be a few of you out there - just a few - who will say, "Man, I've been saying for years that he (or she) has never got enough credit."

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2008-09-24T09:09:00.001-07:00

Sadly, most of us here in the U.S. are blissfully unaware of performers that don't hail from one of the 50 states. Ask the average Joe on the street if they know of any Canadian musicians, and if you get any response, you'll hear Celine Dion or Shania Twain, maybe even Bryan Adams or Neil Young. While these are certainly talented musicians in their own right, they certainly do not represent the breadth and depth of the Canadian music scene. Some of the ignorance is due to the cultural similarities between ourselves and our neighbors to the North.

Pop/punk sensation Avril Lavigne is so popular with the tweener set here in the U.S. precisely because she looks and sounds like she could have stepped off of any high school campus in middle America. But aside from such superstars as Alanis Morrisette and Rush who have transcended any national boundaries and become truly international, Canadian musicians have plenty to offer the world in terms of exciting and fresh music. I would like to offer a few suggestions in various categories, and perhaps with a casual listen, you'll discover like I did that the Great White North has more to offer than a few tasty brews.

Rock/Pop/Hip-Hop

Where would any serious discussion of contemporary Canadian rock be without including Nickelback, originally out of Hanna, Alberta, but now based in Vancouver. With smash hits like "Photograph" and "How You Remind Me", it's hard to come up with a more successful Canadian group over the last few years. Ontario based Shaker is an up-and-coming act that is beginning to show great promise. Their first full-length release, "Throw Your Good Side On", is scheduled to be released this year (2006).

Shaker reminds me of a less-bluesy version of "The Black Crows", however, the inflection of vocalist Daniel Brooks is like nothing so much as a latter day version of fellow Canadian vocalist Tom Cochrane. Nelly Furtado continues to impress with her latest effort, "Loose". As usual for Furtado, she continues to explore new ground with her songwriting and looks to continue doing so well into the future. Vancouver based Jakalope is an interesting act that fails to be categorized, alternately sounding like anything from The Smashing Pumpkins to Evanesence to a meth'ed up Madonna, they never fail to be interesting.

In the world of hip-hop, no Canadian group seems as poised for superstardom as Dead Celebrity Status. Their first album, "Blood Music" hit the streets to great reviews. Originally formed as a duo, Project Wyze, in 1988, they have since added mix-master DJ Dopey and have shared a stage with Ozzy Osbourne and Public Enemy. Their impressive performances have given them the juice to add appearances by Dave Navarro, Joss Stone and Bif Naked to their recordings.

I failed to mention Crash Test Dummies, one of the more promising bands from Winnipeg, due to the uncertainty about their future status. They were enormously influential from about the mid-1990's to their last release in 2004. It is unfortunate that apparently artistic differences have taken their toll on the Dummies.

Country/Folk

Canadian singers have made tremendous strides in country music over the last several years and dusky voiced Kathleen Edwards is no exception. Her 2005 release "Back to Me" won her critical acclaim in the U.S., appearing on the David Letterman and Jay Leno shows and opening for Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones. No less interesting, though decidedly more alternative, the Cowboy Junkies have made a career of turning country music on its head. From sultry renditions of Patsy Cline's "Walking After Midnight" on their 1998 disc "The Trinity Session" to the folkie "Two Soldiers" from 2005's "Early 21st Century Blues", which is eerily reminiscent of the 1970's protest anthems of Dylan and Lennon.

Ontario bred Grievous Angels is certainly one of the most interesting country acts to come along in recent years. Blending new beats, along the lines of the country-pop sounds of Keith Urban and the Dixie Chicks, with the twangy sounds of early 1970's country music. Unfortunately, their once promising career appears to have stalled with the entry of singer Charlie Angus into the political arena – having been elected to Parliament in 2004. It is hoped that once Mr. Angus has served his term that he will return to making music once again, however, at this time that prospect remains uncertain. One also cannot forget the irrepressible k.d. lang, though to refer to her as a purely country act would be selling her short. Lang's amazing vocal talents have been employed on everything from contemporary country to torch songs to pop standards and back again. Her versatility and vocal range are legendary and not listing of Canadian musicians would be complete without her.

Other

Alas, this article is too short to be truly inclusive, but I could not get by without listing two of my all-time favorites. Sue Foley and Diana Krall are two of the most impressive musical talents Canada has to offer, and as a citizen of the U.S., I must thank Canada for these two wonderful chanteuses. Foley, a blues guitarist/singer/songwriter from Ottawa, honed her chops primarily in Austin, Texas, but oddly enough, is rarely recognized in the U.S. except amongst blues enthusiasts. A true virtuoso on guitar with an unusual but delightfully reedy quality to her voice, she has managed to impress some of the biggest names in the business including, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Koko Taylor.

Sue's latest CD, "New Used Car" (2006) was recently released to excellent reviews. Diana Krall, who hails from Vancouver, is as lovely to look at as she is to listen to. Enchanting is the best way to describe her hypnotizing smooth Jazz sound. She really broke through in the U.S. in 2000 when she toured with Tony Bennett. Her work with Elvis Costello (who she married in 2003) served to further increase her popularity. Though she currently resides in New York, she has maintained her Canadian citizenship and was made and officer of the Order of Canada in 2005.

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2008-09-24T09:08:00.002-07:00

For many years, professional/top writers (writers in general...and not just songwriters) have been using a powerful and proven technique that separates them from beginners.

And now, I'd like to share this secret technique with you.

If you consistently apply the following 3 steps, you'll notice a big improvement in your songwriting:

1. Gather as much information about your song idea as possible.

Once you've come up with an idea for your song, write down (or type) all related information.

For example:

Song Type (ex. love song, inspirational song, up-tempo, etc.)
Song's Title
Your objective (what you wish to accomplish with the song)
The message you are trying to bring across to your listeners
Emotion you are trying to evoke in your listeners
...and so on

2. Command your "subconscious mind" to help you with your objective.

With the information you have in front of you, give your subconscious mind a direct command.

For example:
If you're a lyricist, just before you start reading what's in front of you, say something like:

"Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics
with the information I'm about to read.
Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."

(If you're given a melody to write lyrics to, say the following just before listening to the melody: "Subconscious mind, create powerful lyrics for the melody I'm about to listen to. Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep.")

If you're a lyricist/composer, just before you start reading what's before you, say something like:

"Subconscious mind, create a powerful song
with the information I'm about to read.
Work on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."

(With that last command, you're basically instructing your subconscious mind to come up with both the lyrics and melody...the "perfect marriage" of both.)

Now, if you happen to be a composer, you could also benefit from this technique.

Just place the finished lyrics in front of you and say something like:

"Subconscious mind, create a powerful melody
for the lyrics I'm about to read. Work
on it 24 hours a day...even as I sleep."

(If you simply want to create a beautiful melody from scratch, just apply Steps 1 to 3. Of course, in Step 1, some of the information mentioned...ex. song's title or message you are trying to bring across...are not completely necessary. However, as a rule, the more information you have, the better. What's important is that your subconscious mind has enough information to work with...and it knows exactly what you are trying to accomplish.)

(Note: You're free to create your own version of the above commands. Also, you can give the commands either aloud or silently in your head.)

It's even a good idea to apply this step before going to sleep, whenever possible.

3. Let it go. Think or do something else...anything else.
In other words, "trust" your subconscious mind to deliver...by getting out of its way.

This is a crucial step. In fact, this is the key to this technique's effectiveness. Without honestly applying this step, you will not get the positive results you're after.

What you do is you simply "allow" your subconscious mind to carry out your instructions... without questioning it... without interfering in any way.

In other words, you take your mind off the song by taking a short break...or even a nap. Or you sleep on it...and work on it the next day (the truth is, some writers take days or weeks off before actually writing). Basically, you want to give your subconscious mind enough time to work on what you've instructed it to do. (Many creative people call this the "incubation" phase of the creative process.)

When you do this, you'll notice that when you sit down to actually start writing, thoughts or ideas come to you more naturally...and in a more organized way. You'll notice a better flow to your writing overall. (This is because your subconscious mind has done a lot of the work for you...in the background...while you were busy doing other things...or while you were sleeping.)

(If you're a composer, melodic or musical ideas will naturally come to you...and sometimes it will happen when you least expect it. That's why it's a good idea to always have a tape recorder or digital voice recorder handy...so you can sing the melody and record it.)

And what's the end result of applying the above 3 steps (after all the editing)?

A powerfully moving song.

page78

2008-09-24T09:08:00.001-07:00

This is a style that stays aside all the other music trends. Not aside, but somewhat deeper. The reason is it is a reflection of the race, the plurality of people united by roots and origin. Rap is the culture of Afro-Americans, the continuation of their language and traditions. Rap is a mixture of speech and music, actually it is speech laid on music or beat it's better to say. And when we claim that people are united through music, meaning every single human being on this planet, rap unites the ones close to blood by music and then everybody else, either welcoming or being hostile to a newcomer. What attracts people in rap? Is it catchy? Maybe. Those non-natives to rap often state the flow of speech is too quick and it is difficult to differentiate the words. Sometimes it seems rap music is only for those from the cradle. Foreigners are not invited.

Rap is classified as urban poetry of lyrical resistance. Thus it is not the music for village like country music. It is the gathering power of those united by music in big cities. The aim is to resist the grieves because misfortunes are more dramatic and numerous in urban areas.

Rap does not only speak to the mind and emotions, but speaks to the society all around people, for people. If the words or courage to say those words are not there, the subconscious takes over and the Rap lyrics kick in.

But once captured by the beat, most people - mainly younger ones - begin to hear the words, and the words may describe just how they are feeling that day. If the boss came to work with an agenda to screw everyone, some people will "feel" the words and the beat, especially when enclosed in a car doing 70 on the freeway. It's something about riding with the music turned full-blast that has a way of absorbing the mind and supplying a means of temporal escape.

Some songs have innocent words that impress upon the mind to be released later at the water cooler. Some choruses are catchy and when sung by certain artist will stay within the subconscious long after. Various rappers have unique voices that some people find attractive or along the same vocal tone as their own voice, which it makes it easier to sing along.

First goes the beat, and then goes the lyrics! It is not as smooth and tender as classical music, not as glossy as pop, but it has the scream of pain of real emotion of the world's harshness. One may even state that rap is the most pain expressing music style. Those who sing it or it is better to say read it revive their feelings not only concerning love, as most of the other styles do. Their message is about life and the problems, especially the ones of the Afro-American people. The music of pain and oppression, rap is a remedy to the latter. Let all the pills be like that!

page77

2008-09-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

Everyone of us has music inside. And it is not an abstract statement, but scientifically proven fact. Molecules of DNA "sound" inside us and it is very important if music from outside is in keeping with music inside us.

Scientists pay great attention to researches concerning music's influence on human beings. Attention to such researches has increased recently and their results are interesting and convincing. For example, after listening classical music cows have increased their yield of milk and mimosa and petunias have grown faster and burst into bloom 2 weeks earlier. 120 breast-feed mothers took part in an experiment in Japan. Some women listened to classical music, other women listened pop and rock music. In first group the amount of milk increased in 20 per cent, and in second group - reduced twice.

Such researches are the attempt to synthesise science and art (music). But in ancient India science and art were considered to be the parts of single creative power. All knowledge of ancient India one can find in the Vedas (Holy Indian Scripture) and one of four main Vedas Sama-Veda is entirely dedicated to music. According to the Vedas the creating of the world started from the primordial sound "OM", which appeared while division of the Almighty (Sadashiva) and his creative energy (Adi Shakti). "OM" was the foundation of the universe and the first musical sound.

The human subtle system consists of 7 main chakras (energetic centres) and 3 channels, which rule mental, emotional and physical life activity of person. 7 chakras of our subtle body revolve with certain frequency and form an octave, which consists of 7 tones of proper altitude. Intervals between them should reflect intervals between chakras. These tones were called musical sounds - notes ('svars' in Indian music). They sound - sa, re, ga, ma, pa, da, ni and they are in keeping with chakras - from first till seventh. 5 notes can change (fall and rise), creating 5 additional sounds (left and right aspects of chakras). Thus, these notes are built-in subtle body and represent the ideal "repository" of information, the repository of those feelings, emotions, wishes and thoughts, which composer or performer has.

While listening to music a person receives some influence on a subtle level, which later appears on physical body. Same notes can bring destruction or good, it depends on the inner condition of person. For example, anger, aggression, drug intoxication and so on, which have power over the mind of composer or musician, will find the reflection in his music. There are some styles and forms in music which reflect only such bad qualities. Such music may do harm not only to the musician, but also the person who listens to it. Clear, inspired people, who have a lucid mind will never create such music. They created only folk music with great variety and classical music which has its roots in folk music.

Let's listen to music, which is in keeping with the music inside us.

page76

2008-09-24T09:00:00.001-07:00

Urban movies continue to grow in popularity. This can be seen in the exploding direct to video market where urban movies reign supreme. The rising quality of independent urban movies has made them much more attractive to DVD consumers.

Some talented film directors behind this urban movement are Charles Dutton, Damon Dash, Sid Kali, Hype Williams, John Singleton, Dale Stelly, Mike O'Dea and Quentin Tarantino.

The diversity of the urban genre continues to grow because the storylines are connecting with a larger audience by going beyond what you would expect to see in an urban movie. Filmmakers are pushing the complexity and overall look of the urban genre to new levels.

Exploring the urban landscape and culture makes for entertaining films that offer viewers a look into a slice of americana they might not otherwise experience. Collaborating with dedicated individuals that work in front of the camera and behind the scenes to create quality urban movies has always been a life goal of Director Sid Kali.

Sid Kali made his directorial debut with the urban feature "Consignment". The spirit of independent filmmaking came together. We felt "Consignment" was best served highlighting a Latino and Black perspective of the events that were going to unfold in the film.

The plot centers around a Virginia Beach drug dealer that runs into trouble and has to lay low in Southern California. This being the movies all the problems that come with power, drug money, fast women, and jealous rivals has to come out. It was nice to be able to mix in the subtle cultural differences between the two places.

This West Coast and East Coast mix worked out because Co-Producer and Editor Tim Beachum had lived in Ohio, Detroit , and Virginia Beach during his years. While Sid Kali has only lived in Southern California his entire life. By working together they were able to blend these influences together. "Consignment" is being released on DVD November 2007 by Maverick Entertainment Group, Inc. Support independent film and add this feature to your DVD collection.

An important aspect of making an urban movie is keeping it authentic. At the independent level budgets are tighter, so it helps if you write a script that has elements you can realistically translate from the page to the screen. The basic idea is to write a script that you can shoot using your resources. The cool thing with urban movies are they lend themselves to many more backdrops than before.

It used to be when you attached the word urban to a film the story had to take place in the inner city. That's changing as urban culture and style is moving beyond those pervious boundaries. This makes for an exciting time to shoot urban movies.

The word "crime drama" is used to describe films like "Training Day", "The Departed", "Heat" and 'Scarface'. To some movie buffs these are urban masterpieces done by highly talented and respected filmmakers at the top of their creative game. This shows the diversity of the urban genre.

After the experience of shooting "Consignment". Slice Of Americana Films wanted to expand their take on the urban genre with "In With Thieves". This urban movie brings together a unique blend of creative elements.

"In With Thieves" features a Cuban cartel that practices their own version of Santeria, an African based crime group that deals in blood diamonds, ruthless Albanian gangsters, and an American burglary crew that is Latino, Black, and Irish.

This unique blend of creative and visual elements we felt would make for a provocative urban film. The inspiration was to show that urban stories can have global influences.

Career criminal Jack McGee (Tony Napoli) is out of prison facing hard times. His trophy wife Karen (Jennifer Day) spent all the money they had stashed away and found time to fall in love with another man. Max (Edward Gusts) his junkie brother-in-law, made enemies with the Albanian Mafia leaving Jack to hold the bag on a large debt. The release date for Jack insn't a surprise to anyone who runs in criminal circles. Former gang member turned burglar Hector Garcia (Walter Pagan) and street huslter Frank Washington (Jerome A. Hawkins) are his partners in crime. When Jack was running the robbery crew they were flush with cash. After he went inside the scores dried up. Now it's time for them to reconnect and go back to work.

Anton (Jayson Matthews) a savvy and vicious Albanian boss, has his trusted solider Vicktor (Marek Matousek) carry out a brutal act of violence to send a message to Jack. The message is clear to Jack. Pay the debt or everyone close to him will be murdered. Over friendly welcome home drinks Jack asks Hector and Frank to come through on the money he needs to pay off Anton. They both refuse his request turning the reunion bitter and bringing some old wounds to the surface.

Karen halfway walks back into Jack's life pushing him into a frantic mix of anger, confusion, and dark alcohol fueled thoughts. She's still involved with the other man. Adding to his problems is a gunpoint reminder that he has a short time to pay his debt or Karen will be killed. Pressed he hooks back up with Hector and Frank to steal the money he needs to pay Anton. They come up short.

He falls into a heated sexual affair with contract killer Rita Desouza (Arnita Champion) to numb his pain. Sex turns to conspiracy when she lays out a plan to have her husband ripped-off during a 5 million dollar diamond deal. Her husband is ruthless Cuban kingpin David Desouza (Art Parga). He's heavily into his own version of Santeria and the blood diamond market. He depends on Rita and his most bloodthirsty enforcer Voodoo (Jesse James Youngblood) took keep people in line.

Jack brings in Hector and Frank to help him pull off the robbery. Out of time on his debt he's forced to let Anton in on the job for a large cut of the take. They crash in on illegal blood diamond deal between a Cuban cartel and an African based crime syndicate headed by an ambitious upstart known as Omar (Keion Adams).

The rip-off erupts into deadly violence. This sets off a frenzy of double-crosses and brazen executions that entwine everyone in a bloody conflict that plays out to an explosive ending. Friendship, loyalty, and love run short in a world of greed.

The trailer can be viewed on YouTube.Com, Yahoo Videos, Google Videos, AtomFilms.Com, and iFilm.Com

"In With Thieves" is in the final stages of post-production and is being represented to interested distributors by Mark Steven Bosko the author of "The Complete Independent Movie Marketing Handbook". A must read for independent filmmakers that want practical advice on the business. While filmmaking is an art you should be prepared for the harsh realities of the business side. All filmmakers take lumps coming up through the game.

Urban movies will continue to rise as talented filmmakers show their passion for making movies with an independent heart. Slice Of Americana Films has started pre-production for their third urban movie titled "Stash Spot". Rival criminals fight to find a fortune in cash ripped-off during a drug deal gone bad. When the stick-up artists responsible turn up dead, a bloodbath erupts as each vicious criminal makes their ruthless play to locate the money.

You always learn things with each film you produce. Hopefully filmmakers will continue to push the urban genre beyond what it is now.

* Quick and dirty tips if you're going to produce your own urban movie:
(* does not apply to filmmakers that have Hollywood connections or access to big money)

Avoid writing an amazing scene like the shoot-out in 'Heat' if you can't pull it off.

Write realistic locations into your script that you have shooting access to.

Action scenes are always going to take longer to light and shoot than talking head scenes.

Make sure your dialogue is authentic to the culture of the street. If you're writing your own script the right words will cost you nothing.

Wardrobe can't make Corey Feldman (nothing against The Corey) a Latino gangster by having him wear a bandanna and a flannel shirt buttoned only at the top. You see that type of phony wardrobe in some really bad urban movies.

Nothing will go as planned.

Leave your ego behind.

Whatever happens keep the show rolling.

page75

2008-09-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

There is a belief that when you attach the word urban to a indie movie that the story will be based on life in the ghetto or barrio. Plus the production quality will be less than an art house film made for the same budget.

Many talented filmmakers are changing that thought by putting out high quality urban movies made on indie budgets. The diversity of the urban genre continues to grow because the storylines are connecting with a larger audience by going beyond what you would expect to see in a urban movie.

The word 'crime drama' is used to describe films like 'The Departed', 'Scarface' and 'American Gangster', but you could easily label them as great urban movies.

After I watched 'Menace II Society' by the Hughes Brothers I knew I wanted to make urban movies. Making independent urban movies has been a learning experience for me.

I completed my first film titled 'Consignment'. The script centered around an East Coast drug dealer that runs into trouble and has to lay low on the West Coast. This being the movies all the problems that come with drug money, women, and jealous rivals plays out.

When I sat down to write the script I knew I was going for a story that was authentic and showed a Black and Latino perspective. When it was done I was able to mix in some outlaw bikers and corrupt police. The bonus was being able to add people I grew up with to the cast to give it a real edge.

Working within a budget that was raised through the kindness of family and friends was challenging, but rewarding. Not having money to throw at problems forces you to come up with creative solutions.

The cool thing about indie filmmaking is you're more open to collaboration. I reached out to Tim Beachum founder of Jackin4Beats.Com, one of the original Hip Hop music news sites, to connect with artists for the soundtrack. We were both hungry to see a hot urban movie that had a Black and Latino perspective. I flew out from So Cal to Virginia Beach to see if we could pull together on 'Consignment'. He joined the team and I ended up editing the movie on the East Coast with him.

Through collaboration I was able to add a quality soundtrack featuring East Coast & West Coast artists including Custom Made Recordings, Ayreon The Don™, and Malice & Da Commission. Also I was able to work with an editor that understood the pacing of the movie. When you're sitting in an editing suite with someone for long hours it helps a lot of if you're in the same page. The CGI effects Tim Beachum was able to deliver looked great, especially the work he did on a scene that caused for an acid trip.

I completed my 2nd film titled 'In With Thieves'. I new the cast was solid on this shoot because Casting Director/Production Coordinator Stream Gardner (always a slash in indie) was able to bring actors back from 'Consignment'.

Plus deliver some actors that brought their best with no ego. What I liked on this movies was we mixed it up big time in this urban movie. We folded in the Albanian Mob, American crooks from the streets, and a Cuban cartel that practiced a wild version of Santeria. I asked a family friend that ran a botanica to show me items that would fit the movies. She set me up down to Jesus Malverde giving us realism at the voodoo altar. Despite all the unique creative elements this movie is still urban to the core.

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2008-09-24T08:58:00.002-07:00

Please put away any initial thoughts of the way you think a real movie director should sound and act doing their job. It's tough not to want to emulate directors you respect both in style and attitude.

I learned that during my first two independent feature films Consignment www.consignment-movie.com and In With Thieves www.inwithtthieves.com that were produced under the flag of Slice Of Americana Films with the soundtracks being put together with the help of Jackin4beats.Com.

Consignment is the explosive and violent story of Tommy Jones, a Virginia Beach drug dealer who is fed up with the dangerous world in which he has been living. Frequent panic attacks and the desire to go legitimate with his new wife begin to dull the street instincts that have allowed him to prosper working for sadistic drug kingpin, Detroit Mike. When Tommy shows weakness, Detroit Mike makes plans to have him killed. In need of fast cash to go straight Tommy hooks up with his cousin Carmelo, a reckless drug dealer in California. The pair quickly get in over their heads, taking a large shipment of crystal meth on consignment from a ruthless Latino gangster. Double-crosses, a series of brutal murders, and an old secret from his wife's past force Tommy into a lethal showdown with Detroit Mike.

The soundtrack highlights tracks from up and coming East Coast & West Coast artists that include Custom Made Recordings, Ayreon The Don™, Malice & Da Commission and others.

IN WITH THIEVES is a crime saga that blends together a Cuban cartel deep into voodoo, blood diamonds being pushed by an African based crime group, ruthless Albanian gangsters, and an American burglary crew. This makes for a provocative film that expands the urban genre to a broader group of viewers.

Who can forget how hardcore of a director Robert Rodriguez looked on the cover of 'Rebel without A Crew'. Rodriguez's story inspired guerrilla filmmakers everywhere that they could shoot an ultra-low budget action movie like 'El Mariachi' that was entertaining, while giving the finger to the traditional way of getting a movie done.

Quentin Tarantino is a cool as they come. His style is often 'borrowed' from because he knows how to tell a good story using pictures. Tarantino has creative influences like all directors who grew up watching movies. The difference is Tarantino turned those influences into his own unique style.

There are many more directors who make great movies and look cool doing it I didn't mention for the sake of brevity. There's even more directors who's personalities and colorful nature keep them in the publics even if they haven't had a hit movie in years. The cult of personality is a real factor in the world of movies. It can keep some directors working or at least in the media eye until they can turn out a good movie. In Hollywood that may work, but on the true independent side of filmmaking your image won't get you anywhere unless you can make entertaining movies.

Instead of wasting your energy to create a colorful image and developing your own cult following like a rock star. Focus on learning what a director does and has to deal with during a movie shoot. You don't want to be all style and no substance. Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, The Coen Brothers, and Kevin Smith all had to prove themselves by making good movies before anyone knew who they were or cared.

It takes more than deciding where the camera goes to be a movie director, especially when you're directing an indie movie where you won't have the luxury of sitting in video village cut off from all the other production gyrations going on. I've wrangled cable, broke down equipment, dressed sets, and a dozen other jobs as 'director' on indie movie shoots. It's not glamorus, but it gets the job done.

General rules of thumb that will help you become a stronger director.

A strong grasp of the entire process it takes to make a movie is important. There's different departments that work together to bring a film together. The camera department, sound department, make-up/wardrobe department etc. You need to know what they do and how to maximize their efforts to help achieve your creative goal as a movie director. On big budget movie shoots the departments are very distinct and well supported. They remind me on a smaller scale of Roman Legions who together comprised the Roman Army. As a director you are the Ceaser of your filmmaking army small or large. Knowing how to best utilize your team comes from understanding how these departments work. On indie shoots more often than not the departments blur together out of necessity. During the shooting of the urban movie Consignment we had one person with an assistant doing key hair and make-up while also heading the wardrobe department. These two departments were put together because I knew how they worked and how to bring them together to keep the production moving.

You should learn basic camera shots, angles, and moves. Know what a medium shot is. Know what a reverse-angle shot is. Know what a dolly shot is. Know what a two and three shot are. I suggest you pick up 'Film directing Shot By Shot' by Steven D. Katz'. It can provide the technical foundation you will need as a director to help your creative vision come to life. Keep in mind their is only so much you can learn from books. When you get on set you'll hear terms for shots, like 'cowboy guns' and 'cowboy no guns' not covered in a book. It's a medium shot from the waist up no guns to thigh up guns. People will yell 'Wolf!' which means stop. "Flying in (insert film gear here) means bringing in. No shame in asking what a term means when you do not know. Ignorance is not bliss on a movie set.

I was a grunt production assistant (PA) acting as a human stop signing controlling traffic with another PA. I got called on the walkie we were rolling and to not let any cars through. I gave the hand signal to the other PA, production had limited walkies, that we were rolling. He nodded knowingly for two takes. During the middle of the third take he let a motorcycle roar through killing the take and getting us both chewed out. I later asked if he missed the signal, he told me he had no idea that signal meant rolling. He never worked on a movie before. Asking what i meant would have saved us being chewed out.

That story ties into how crucial communication is when your making a movie. You have to be clear to with everyone involved in your movie about what you're going to do, what you need, and what you're looking for them to do. People look for this, they expect this from a director. Don't leave cast and crew guessing about what you want. There's never enough time or money to play that game during production. Communication runs two ways. Make sure people can ask you questions if they're not clear on something you said. What might make total sense to you can be lost in the translation as it goes out to the troops.

Accept you're not always going to make the right call on every shot. You're never going to be totally happy with the way some scenes turned out. You'll always want to go back and re-shoot certain scenes again. Fight through it. It might not seem like it during crazy times of filming, but if you have paid attention to the details you will have shot yourself a movie at the end of production. Trust your instincts. I was a nervous wreck after CONSIGNMENT was in the can. I could barely sit down with the editor Tim Beachum to watch the raw footage because my neck and back were seized up with stress.

Sure enough a couple of the camera moves I chose for a few scenes did not turn out like I had envisioned. A few of the calls I made as a director just didn't work. i was a mess, editor Tim Beachum was surprisingly relaxed about it all and talked me down from the proverbal ledge. I was positive my movie was doomed. What saved the day?

A tip I got from an old school Director of Photography (DP) I listened to before shooting. No matter what kind of amazing camera move you want to experiment with to shoot a scene grab at least one take of a master or a standard three shot for coverage in case your wonder shot goes to hell. Turns out the coverage I thought was never going to use because surely my awesome camera moves would work. Some didn't. The extra coverage I grabbed did end up covering my ass in post.

The editor had enough coverage from those few takes to cut the movie together without losing continuity. I had spent three or four takes on what I thought were the coolest shots only to end up using the basic takes that worked. The other side of the coin of that is some of the shots I had taken chances on worked beautifully. Nothing like hearing an editor say, 'that was a real pretty shot' or 'loved the way you shot that scene'. So if it all goes to hell with your experimental shots have at least a little standard coverage to get you through. If it comes down to time. Plan ahead to give yourself a take or two with the shot you really want and a take going by the book for coverage

Having a solid sense of how to tell stories using moving pictures and thinking about how a scene will cut together before you yell 'Action!' is a smart. It gives you much more flexibility as a director to be creative, take chances, and experiment with a scene. Knowing the basics how to cover a scene allows you to bend the rules.

Stay away from being a paranoid and insecure director. Yes, you have to keep firm control of your movie because a movie directed by committee doesn't work, but there is a fine line between control and paranoia fueled by insecurity.

I was working on a shoot film in Los Angeles with a director that was wired pretty tight. He asked me once if any of the cast or crew said things about him behind his back. Of course they did. That's what people do. Of course I lied like people do in that situation and said no. He was completely convinced that one of the actors were forgetting their lines on purpose to undermind him and the DP was just waiting to hijack his movie all together. He was wrong. They were talking about what an absolutely paranoid hard on he was.

It all came to ahead when a camera shot wasn't working after numerous takes and the director went off into one of the most colorful profanity laced fits I had ever seen. I mean for a tiraid it was a beauty to watch. Arms flailing, a prop glass being thrown against the wall like a child, and everything else you expect from a person who lost control. "Why isn't this working?" was the last thing he yelled. The 1st A.D. smartly told everyone to take five while things cooled on set.

The director got himself back together and we took another take that didn't work. We were losing daylight and had a lot of other scenes to shoot to make the day, so the DP suggested a way the shot could work, by using a different camera position and move to get the action the director wanted. Right on cue, the paranoid director completely over reacted. He told the DP to piss off he. He was the director and wasn't going to let him hijack his movie. The DP cooly said, "stop being so insecure. I'm here to make your movie, not mine." The director blew off the suggestion without a second thought. He never got the shot he wanted to work and scraped the scene from the final cut. Who knows if the DP's suggestion would have worked? It would have made sense to try it considering the other shot wasn't working.

It was a different story on another shoot all together. A friend of mine was directing his first feature. He didn't have a lot of money, but he brought on a DP with a resume an arm long and for the lead this hot B list actress that had some slasher movie credits. He invited me out to visit the set. My friend was a director with energy and enthusiasim to spare. He knew exactly what he wanted from everybody on the set. He gave the DP detailed notes, his shot sheet, and they had already gone over in detail the storyboards my friend drew up himself before shooting began. My friend was in total control.

I was looking over his shoulder into the monitor during the crucial shooting of the final scene of the movie. He had the actress in this amazing bikini being chased by a knife wielding killer. After the first take there was a problem. The actress ran slower than the actor playing the killer. On the next take he told the actress to speed it up and the actor to slow it down. Still didn't work. My friend watched the playback with the DP. Then asked the DP what he thought would work to get the shot. The DP got the shot to work by changing the blocking and moving the camera. My friend got the shot and the ending he wanted because he was secure enough as a director to utilize his DP, not nutralize him.

Those two experiences really gave me some perspective on getting through directing a movie. During CONSIGNMENT I ran into a major problem that threatened to cost us shooting a crucial murder scene. We had been working all night and instead of chasing daylight we were trying to beat it. We had a shooting scene that had to be shot before the sun came up, we had about an hour of night left, and there was no option to push the scene. We were losing that location for good after we wrapped. After a couple less than stellar takes I turned to my DP Royce Dudley. We have to make this work, we can't lose this scene I said. I took the actors through a last minute rehearsal without rolling on the camera to see if I could cover the scene a different way. Royce stood back like he did sometimes watching. After the walk through rehearsal he said, "I can get your scene" and he did. Thanks Royce!

On the IN WITH THIEVES shoot I brought back an actor from CONSIGNMENT I really enjoyed working with named Jerome Hawkins.
I write and direct my own movies, so I get really involved in not only the action, but that the lines are delivered the way I want them. So here we are shooting a scene, when Jerome tells me he's really feeling adding something to a line, keep in mind this movie is my baby, but I felt his vibe. I gave him one take to run with it his way. The line he added to close the dialogue was great. We added it to the script and kept it in the movie. Did I feel he was underminding me? No. I was secure enough as a director to let an actor I respected contribute creatively to the movie.

These last couple of stories might seem to go against what I said about not directing by committee, taking chances that don't always work, and keeping control of your movie. I still feel that a movie can't get done right when you have a weak director who listens to everyone on what their movie should end up looking like. I still feel you can't be afraid to take chances on shots that don't end up working. I still feel you have to keep control of your movie. It's one thing to be overly paranoid about someone hijacking your movie, but it's equally destructive to you as a director to cave in when someone is trying to tell you how to do your job as a director.

You also don't want to become so completely narrow minded that you can't brainstorm with your key production personal to problem solve, work creatively with your DP to see your vision materialize, allow your talent to spread their wings from time to time in a scene, or see when you need to be open minded enough to change the way you're shooting a scene so that it can work. You surronded yourself with a good team let them help you make your movie. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Well it takes a production team to make a movie.

it will always be your overall vision behind the way a movie will turn out, but being open to collaboration with your cast and crew creates a more positive set. You don't want mindless robots going through the motions. You want fired up people eager to lend you all their talents to make your movie rock. Don't let your ego get in the way of you seeing the big picture.

Some myths I do not buy into about being a director.

You're not a real director if you don't shoot on film. Nonsense. Once you've completed a movie on any format you're a real director.

A director needs to know how to light scenes. The more you know about any aspect of film production the better, but if you don't know about lighting a scene you can still direct. What I do is make notes on the look, feel, and mood I see in my head for each scene. I pass that along to the DP so we can discuss how to make it happen. I also like to suggest to the DP movies to rent with scenes I feel lighting wise are close to what I'm going after. Your DP is the master of light. He'll deliver the lighting set ups you need.

The director needs to know how to run the camera. Not true. It's very possible you will never touch the camera once during a shoot. I myself for the most part watch through a monitor. I do look through the camera after the DP has set the frame for the shot, but I rarely run it.

It's easier to direct a low budget indie movie than a mainstream Hollywood movie. Wrong. Directing a low budget indie or a Hollywood blockbuster both have their own challenges for a director to numerous to list. In the end you still have to be able to tell a good story using pictures. It's never easy.

A director sits in video village all day while everyone else works. I wish that was true. A director has to be on top of everything going on during shooting. They deal with the actors, check with camera and sound to make sure there were no problems with the take, and put out a dozen other fires that pop up.

Some ideas I do buy into as a director.

Never let anyone give your actors direction or notes, unless they are coming directly from you. You're the director It's your role and your role alone to work with actors to get the performances you want. No one else should ever be allowed to work with the actors. One time I was on a roof looking at a scene. I didn't like the way the blocking was playing out, so I walkied the 1st A.D. some directions to pass along to the actors. That's as far as I felt comfortable having people work with talent.

It's your set and you should be the only one to yell CUT! I had an actor once in the middle of the take turn to the camera and say cut because they flubbed a line. It wasn't their call, it's not anyones call but the director. They were warned and when it happened again they were released from the movie.

The director is the driving force behind a movie. Nobody is going to care as much about your movie as you do. You have to keep everyone pumped up and on track to finish a movie. You want your passion for what you're shooting as a director to be contagious on the set.

A director needs to be able to be secure enough to listen and collaborate with cast and crew. This is not directing by committee but having the leadership ability to fully maximize everyone's talents. Your movie can only turn out better because of it.

You have to be a cheerleader and a salesmen. When things are not going well on set you need to be able to keep morale up. After a particulary rough day of shooting I let everyone know what a great job they were doing and how excited I was by the dailies I looked at each night. I had to keep them excited about the movie now, not when they would get paid a week later. The next toughest thing is keeping people going after you've hit 12 hours. You have to sell them on your ability as a director to not only finish the movie, but turn out a good one that people will want their names attached to in the credits. You would be surprised how many people worked on a movie for credit only and the movie never got done or turned out terrible. Let them know you're not that director. If they stick with you and dig a little deeper you will put out a good movie.

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2008-09-24T08:58:00.001-07:00

Online movie rental is popular. Like any service or product that sells a one billionth unit one must assume that it is valued, that the quality is high, and that customers are satisfied or it would not have reached such a mark. Indeed, the exclusive one billion club includes some pretty impressive members and in many cases members have had to endure for many years to attain membership.

In February 2007, Netflix, the founding online movie rental service, delivered its one billionth DVD. This was just beyond seven and half years after their initial offering in September 1999. Certainly, this was a milestone to celebrate for Netflix and one that reflects well upon the popularity of the service but how does it stack up to the achievements of other products and services which have attained this status?

One company that also recently hit the billion mark is Casio. In January of 2007, Casio sold its one billionth calculator. Impressive, however it took Casio approximately fifty years to reach this milestone. In 2049, when the online movie rental pioneer recognizes its fiftieth year, the 7 billion mark could be realized even if growth does not escalate. Will Netflix still be around? If it is, it will probably be a bit different, but it's flexibility in adapting its service in response to changing technologies is a positive sign. The first step in moving toward electronic versus mail delivery was initiated earlier this year.

Computers are probably considered one of the biggest product introductions into the market during the past century. The growth of the internet was explosive in the 1990's. However, it wasn't until approximately 25 years after the introduction of personal computers that the one billionth unit was shipped back in 2002; and this was a worldwide market. Likewise, despite humble beginnings way back in 1969 the internet experienced its billionth user, worldwide, in December 2005; nearly 36 years later. The Netflix online movie rental service is a more local service; providing classic, indie, and new release films for an audience based in the US. Of course, all of this could change as electronic delivery takes hold in coming years; could Netflix become an international player?

Certainly, when one imagines "billions" being sold, the name McDonald's is bound to crop up. We all know that many billions have been served but how long did it take them to reach their first billion? It appears that it took approximately 15 years after their introduction to achieve this status. At the time of course, McDonald's was not the mega international corporation that it is now. In addition, families ate most of their meals at home in the early years of the fast food icon. Perhaps McDonalds and similar services played a role in changing how Americans dine; taking them out of the home for nearly half of their meals. This change certainly played a role in hitting the billion mark. Likewise, it would seem that online movie rental services are also changing how we obtain and view movies; first from the comfort of our homes and now on demand through electronic delivery.

Global markets certainly increase the likelihood of attaining the one billion mark and getting there fast. Mobile phones, probably more than any other product, have taken the world by storm in the past fifteen years or so. Clearly mobile phones are used globally. In addition, these devices perform a wide range of tasks that make them nearly indispensable in the modern world. From communication and entertainment to connectivity and personal assistant types of functions, mobile phones are multi-tasking wonders. It is estimated that at least one billion mobile phones were shipped in 2006 alone.

Apple's iTunes has experienced similar success. After only three years in operation the service served up its one billionth download in Feburary 2006.

Online movie rental is not currently a global service like iTunes or mobile phones. Could this change? Perhaps. Certainly, iTunes has altered the way many people enjoy their music and mobile phones have changed the way we do business and stay in touch with others. Likewise, online movie rental appears to be gradually changing the way we enjoy movies. Perhaps recent changes to implement improved delivery will be the key to matching the success of mobile phones and the music downloads of iTunes.

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2008-09-24T08:57:00.002-07:00

We live in a chaotic world where the power of smiling has been forgotten amidst the cities' traffic, job's pressures, conflictive relationships, and many other issues stressing people at the point that it has become a major health problem in modern society.

Funny cartoons are perhaps the easiest way to cope with stress and there is nothing easier to obtain, whether browsing a newspaper or magazine, or surfing the net visiting web sites providing graphic entertainment.

Stress is the source of numerous diseases, including chronic fatigue, headache, anxiety attacks, mood swings, peptic ulcers, and in more severe cases, migraines, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

However, medical research has found that humor is helpful therapy that not only reduces our chances to be at risk for these problems, but also can eradicate them. Funny cartoons promote relaxing smiles that enhance anyone's mood with ease.

Scientific evidence found that an estimated 40% to 80% of visits to the doctor's office occur due to illness directly linked to stress. When there is no humor to cope with stressful situations, people tend to abuse alcohol and drugs, to escape from stress.

Other people may suffer from eating disorders and smoking problems, but as soon as they find a good source of laughter, such as funny cartons, the situation changes, finding prompt recovery and over time suppressing all the stress in no time.

Cartoons are graphical depictions that provoke a smile after people look at them, so there is no need to undergo complicated and costly therapies to recover your good spirit by laughing aloud.

When you see the funny side of the miracles in life that can happen and you soon will be recovering from stress. Seriously, it is not a joke that you can find emotional support and alleviate most diseases with just a smile.

"Spend 1 minute - get 1 smile", why not make this simple phrase your motto for a healthy life?

Funny cartoons provide you with humor and a positive attitude in your life. Web sites such as GeneralComics.com is one of the greatest places online where people can find the most funny cartoons on the net, categorized by subject.

Starting a day with a smile is the best way to rejuvenate the energy of your body. Even though taking a break to smile again is a refreshing opportunity for the spirit to keep your mood high.

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2008-09-24T08:57:00.001-07:00

If you browse the web, you'll come across many websites that has one or more video clips embedded in it. News websites such as BBC and CNN fall in this category. But, what about a website that has only video clips and nothing else? This is exactly what the Youtube Phenomenon is all about. To those who have not heard about Youtube, it is a video sharing website where one could upload, share, and watch video clips - Youtube videos - for free. It is owned by Google.

Here is a bit history of what all went behind in the making of Youtube.com. Little had the three former PayPal employees - Chad Hurley, Jawed Karim, and Steve Chen - anticipated about the growth and fame Youtube would achieve in less than one year since its inception, when they first planned such a video sharing website. An out-of-the box idea, Youtube.com was launched as an unknown new website on February 15, 2005 with virtually no promotion. The website with its full features become operational few month later; the first preview of the website was offered in May 2005 and its official debut in November the same year. As it had been with many great path breaking projects in the past, the incubation days of Youtube took place in a modest garage in California, much like its present owner's - Google - beginnings, who started their journey from a leased space in a Menlo Park garage in 1998.

The beginnings of Youtube was pretty modest and its creators more than once at least went through a cash crunch as the visitors to the website grew and the need for better infrastructure and technology became inevitable. Irony it may be that the first helping hand they got which had pulled them out of the financial crisis was that of the venture capital firm Sequoia, the very same firm that had funded Google in its early years. Sequoia invested $3.5 million initially in Youtube, the stake which they upped to $8 million few months later, realizing the vast potential Youtube.com has in the fast growing world of infotainment in the near future.

Another development that had immensely helped catapulting Youtube into the forefront of online entertainment industry came from rather unexpected quarters, in the form of new software tool - the Flash Player 8 by Macromedia - that enabled people to view Youtube videos directly from their web browsers without having to download it into their PCs and view it with the help of third party software programs such as Windows Media Player or RealOne Player. In fact, it not only eliminated the need to view downloaded files in third party tools, but also provided a far improved video quality than its predecessor, Flash Player 7. Had it not been for the new Flash Player, the Flash Player 8, it is unlikely that Youtube.com would have taken off this fast, in such a short span of time.

As of today, Youtube.com, under the umbrella of Google, is the fastest growing video website in the globe and the 10th most popular amongst all websites in the cyberspace, according to the latest Alexa ratings. Nearly 100 million video clips from Youtube are seen by netizens daily and around 65,000 new Youtube videos are added every day into the database. The number of netizens visiting Youtube every month is thought to be anywhere near 20 million. No wonder, Youtube.com is described not as a website, but as a phenomenon by market experts.

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2008-09-24T08:56:00.002-07:00

The Bollywood craze has swept around the world, as fans of "Hindi Cinema" have fallen in love with the kietschy (and yet unusually addictive) high-pitched songs, exaggerated hand and eye movements, and tendency of characters to break into large-scale musical numbers at the oddest moments, and often against anachronistic settings like the Swiss Alps.

But music is an integral part of Bollywood films, so that even a dark and edgy drama has to have at least one catchy song and corresponding dance number woven into the script. In fact, in India, the sound track is released before the movie, so that everyone is humming the song as they enter the theatres.

Most Bollywood songs are actually lip-synched by the actors, the voices "borrowed" from professional playback singers. (The exceptions are Kishore Kumar K. L. Saigal, Suraiyya and Noor Jehan, who are known for both their acting and their singing). were also known as both singers and actors. Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan also sang in their movies. However, playback singers have their own following-like Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi and Yesudas.

Today's Bollywood songs are known for how they remix filmi songs with modern beats and rhythms, adding an interesting edge to the ancient folk dances and steps that make up a typical Bollywood number (although it is not uncommon to see current hits incorporating MTV or Broadway twists).

While some Bollywood songs are directly related to the plot, there are also item numbers where someone performs a catchy number-like a courtesan dancing for a rich client in a cabaret scene, or disco scenes, or dancing at celebrations.

Bollywood soundtracks usually become big hits, and there are cases when the music outsells the movie. Due to their incredible popularity, it is not surprising that many of the songs are now available as ringtones. Now you can listen to "Kabhi kushi kabhi ghum" or " Bolein chooriyaan" on your phone. Some come in polyphonic form, but many are already available as true tones.

With such a rich music tradition, the amount of Bollywood ringtones available are staggering-we're talking thousands, ranging from the sweet love song with choral "dialogues" between two star-crossed lovers, or funky dance remixes that combine techno with traditional Indian folk music.

Bollywood's appeal has spread across the world, and now across mediums. From Bombay to Brisbane, the movie screen to the mobile phone. Get it now.

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2008-09-24T08:56:00.001-07:00

Why most Americans rent movies today - how you can save money on movie rentals online. Rent movies online and save yourself time and money if renting on a monthly basis.

So how do you think most Americans entertain themselves these days? Some of the most celebrated weekend activities include shopping, going to the movies renting movies or having dinner with friends. When it comes to daily entertainment, many people enjoy their spare time and low cost of recreational choices like viewing television, playing video games, and renting movies online.

Why Rent Movies?
People rent movies for many incomparable reasons. One of the most popular departments at your local video store is the new movie releases section. This is where people go to find the most recent films available. It"s a good way to catch up on all the the flicks you missed in the theater. It"s also a magnificent way to save money. Before watching a movie at the theaters, many people decide to wait for it to come out on DVD. Several films are ready for rent within months of their theatrical debut.

Some people rent titles to preview them for their DVD collections. While the cost of DVDs has declined in recent years, most people still don't want to add a movie to their compilation until they know that they enjoy the movie and will watch it again. A DVD rental club is often the best choice for movie buffs. Normally these clubs offer incentives for people who rent DVDs several times a month.

Whether you're a cinema buff, or just rent movies on occasions, there are many excellent video stores and websites devoted to serving you. The local store is an excellent choice for last minute rentals. The online services are also a great way of renting without the hassles of traveling. They also offer very competitive prices if you rent more than a few times a month. With a little bit of planning you'll always have a reserve of quality DVDs. There are no late fees, no shipping fees, and at just $20 a month, these sites pay for themselves after just three or four rentals. Netflix, Blockbuster Online, and Intelliflix are just a few in the business that can be worth their weight in gold in the long run.

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2008-09-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

Many people all over the world prefer to view movies at home than in the cinemas. This leads to a increase in sales for movie rentals and DVD sales alike. Movie downloads are also becoming popular due to a demand in watching any flick you might want to view at any time that is convenient for you. DVD movies are still king though, with all the craze these days, they will continue to be one of the leading entertainment media markets in the world for years to come.

Movie rentals are a very convenient variant for home movie watching. The trend these days for movie buffs seems to be online movie rentals. Of course there are still lots of offline rental stores out there but their amount is decreasing year by year which only proves the growing popularity of their online competitors. Companies like Netflix, Blockbuster, or Intelliflix are gaining steam each an every year due to this widespread popularity.

So why do more people give preference to ordering movies online? Well, it's all very simple in theory. You choose which titles you want to rent within the selection present, and within a few days, they are sent out to your doorstep. It's a very easy and painless process. The problem is that you have to wait a few days and don't have the choice to watch a movie instantly. This seems to be the true value of common movie rentals. Now there even seems to be a resolution to this problem as well with movie downloads. You can easily download a movie to your local computer and view it on your monitor, but if your like me, I prefer a wide screen TV and surround sound stereo to a small computer screen anyday.

One great advantage to online movie rentals, is the diversity and the number of titles (thousands). Have you ever seen such a movie store? I didn't think so, and even if we let you pretend in theory that this exists, imagine how long the search would be. The online computerized system located online makes this process easy and affordable. Of course, small movie rental stores, where you can drop in on your way home, still hasn't lost all their charm.

Online rentals offer various payment plans. You can pay for a single movie but more often you pay a fixed sum per month and can watch as many movies as you want. Some payment plans give you an opportunity to rent movies only pertaining to certain categories or genres. The amount of movies you can order at once is either limited usually by three or four. All online rental venues offer a "keep the movie as long as you want" period, with no late fees or due dates.

Very convenient and simple, isn't it? That is why people choose it. There are tons of online movie rental clubs out there and sometimes the choices can be a bit overwhelming. There are quite a few rental club review websites out there that will really help out with your choices. MovieRentalClubGuide seems to be the most complex out of them all and offer extensive cash back offers on all movie club signups. Join the movie rental revolution and you'll never turn back.

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2008-09-24T08:54:00.000-07:00

Few movies have captured the attention of an audience and left as many lasting memories as The Godfather. Little needs to be said of the movie, its prestige and renown precede it. It is simply a classic, a masterpiece of American filmmaking. It's raw, it's brutal, it's deadly, and it's still oh so much fun to watch.

Paramount Pictures has released a pricey but well worth it DVD collection of the Godfather movies appropriately titled, "The Godfather DVD Collection." It's can't get much more straightforward than that, and if you want to live, you had better be straightforward with the Corleone family at all times. The movies all together on the DVD weigh in at a hefty time of 700 minutes, that's over eleven and a half hours for the mathematically challenged, meaning that you might want to put aside a weekend if you plan on watching all the movies at once.

The DVD captures all of the excellence and gritty drama of the crime family epic in great fashion. Most of the movie has been digitally restored and the quality is quite good, however certain parts of the movie still reveal the age of the movie. There are a few specks and particulate here and there throughout the movie, and a couple scenes look like they might be able to use a little more work and were a little behind in terms of quality, but overall the movie translated to DVD form extremely well.

The extras are what really ices the cake for this DVD collection of The Godfather. The Francis Ford Coppola commentaries alone that are included with the DVD weigh in at over 9 hours. That is absolutely unheard of, but the DVD still offers much more material than that. A family tree, galleries, behind the scenes, and more are all included as bonus features. There are also quite a few deleted scenes that were included for the viewer's pleasure. Needless to say, all of this bonus material only enhances the experience known as The Godfather.

The Godfather DVD Collection is definitely a bit pricey, coming in at just over $100 in most cases, but considering that includes over eleven and a half hours of film and even more bonus footage and materials, the DVD is well worth it for The Godfather fans. For anyone looking to revisit The Godfather and enjoy all that the classic has to offer or even for those who never had the joy of watching all of The Godfather movies, this DVD is a great choice and is highly recommended.

page66

2008-09-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

The controversial film from director Ang Lee has reached store shelves in DVD form. Little needs to be explained of the discussion surrounding the movie and just about everyone has heard of or participated in these discussions already. That being said, the movie has earned its fair share of attention both in terms of recognition and ticket sales at the theaters, however the DVD version of the movie doesn't really contain anything outstanding in terms of bonus features or materials.

Brokeback Mountain stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger and takes viewers through an engaging tale of two cowboys who fall in love and the obstacles they must overcome as they try to hide that love and later deal with the fallout of their love for one another. The movie is a journey through the human heart that has left movie-goers with a variety of different opinions and feelings as they watched. Needless to say, there are countless numbers of different meanings that the movie has to different people.

The groundbreaking theme and the excellent acting on the part of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal combined to earn the movie three Academy Awards including Best Director for Ang Lee. Brokeback Mountain's themes can be criticized and debated over, but the quality of the film as a whole has been largely recognized and rewarded by film institutions worldwide.

The DVD version of the movie, however, doesn't offer the same quality as the movie itself. Four short and uninspired featurettes accompany the DVD and most viewers probably won't take the time to view them. By themselves, the bonus material does not warrant a purchase for those who have already seen the movie.

Despite the lackluster DVD release, Brokeback Mountain is still a DVD that is recommended to those who are interested in seeing the movie for the first time or even for repeat viewers. The extras offered by the DVD aren't enticing by themselves but the DVD still does offer the same meaning and message behind the movie itself that the big screen version contained.

page65

2008-09-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis' imaginative and compelling story of four siblings who take a journey to a magical world by venturing through a wardrobe has finally arrived on DVD. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe had a very successful tenure while in theatres and the DVD has been packed with some pretty nice features and extras to make the purchase worth it whether or not the viewer has seen the movie in the theatres.

The movie lacks a little in terms of acting and doesn't contain the big name stars of most big Hollywood movies, but the package comes together extremely well through the work of excellent scriptwriters and set designers. The story stayed right on track with the novel and contained most of the underlying Christian themes that were portrayed in C.S. Lewis' classic book series. The dialogue was superbly done and the interaction of characters and plot development moved extremely smoothly.

But the real star of the show was the environments in which the scenes were placed. Great set designers, green screens, and on-sight filming combined to grasp all of the majesty of the vast fantasy world of Narnia. C.S. Lewis' vision of the magical world was brought to life in amazing fashion and kudos goes out to those who put in all the hard work to make everything happen.

The movie carries a PG rating and, although it contains a few action scenes and one big climactic battle at the end, the violence was held to a minimal and blood was withheld for the most part in order to hold that PG rating. The younger crowds will be enticed by the fantasy setting and relatable characters and the older crowds who have read the Narnia novels will want to see the world and story portrayed accurately and done proper justice.

The bonus features included in the DVD include two commentaries, three featurettes, deleted scenes, and dozens of other features. These extras and bonus features are truly outstanding and make the purchase of the DVD well worth it even for those who took the trip to see the movie while it was in theatres.

The DVD version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is simply an excellent release that all fans of the movie and the book will want to be able to own and enjoy. The bonus materials are well worth it and the quality of the movie itself make revisiting it and watching it again well worth it.

page64

2008-09-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Clive Owen reportedly fell about laughing when Angelina Jolie told him that he looked sexy in "Beyond Borders". This may have been news to the actor who used to be a big fan of David Bowie and changed his hair color every time the singer did. But the green-eyed, darkly handsome, very British actor attracts women audiences to every film, including the very scary "Derailed", his latest movie.

"Derailed", about a happily married man who begins an affair with a beautiful, young woman he meets on a train only to find out all may not be as it appears, is Owen 's latest movie. The complicated character he plays in this film is the kind of part that he prefers because he 'has never been interested in playing good guys. I'm always attracted to dangerous characters. Those roles are usually far more interesting and I hold no fears about doing them...' (Clive Owen quoted at AllMoviePortal.com)

This film caused controversy when Anniston claimed that she was covered in bruises after her steamy, sex scenes with Owen, but Owen denies this. In an article by Jack Ryan at The Post Chronicle website (November2, 2005) Anniston reportedly said that she didn't mind, describing Owen as 'dreamy' to work with. He had nothing but praise for her, admiring her courage in handling her divorce from Brad Pitt.

Owen who comes from Coventry, England aimed to be an actor ever since playing the Artful Dodger in a school play but. according to his biography on the IMDB database, a teacher told him that: "You're a working-class boy from Coventry. What do you know?"

His rise to fame after attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art began with classical parts on the stage and he joined the Young Vic Theatre Company where he met his wife, Sarah Jane Fenton, who played Juliet to his Romeo. They now have two daughters: Hannah and Eve. Although he'd had an extensive stage and film career in England by his late 30's he was still little-known in America. His big chance came in "Croupier", in which he played a struggling writer working as a casino employee who is taken in by a female scam artist. Robert Altman, impressed by the actor's performance, asked him to join his all-star movie, "Gosford Park" and Owen's career has shot ahead ever since with starring roles in "King Arthur" and "Closer".

Owen's latest role is in the brilliant director Spike Lee's "Inside Man" in which he plays a bank robber and hostage taker. His co-star is Jodie Foster. Owen loved spending time in New York while the movie was filmed, which he said in an article on the Star Pulse website (Starpulse News Blog: 03/13/06) is "the best city in the world and the capitol of the world...There's so much to do and never enough time to do it." If it weren't for his daughters, Owen would like to move to New York.

The gorgeous actor's career appears to be going from success to success. His next role is likely to be Essex alongside Cate Blanchett in a new movie about Queen Elizabeth 11 . This swashbuckling character who won the heart of the flame-haired, young queen is likely to suit the actor who likes to play 'dangerous roles'.

page63

2008-08-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter's success worldwide is simply undeniable. The books have all been best-sellers, the movies top the charts, and Harry Potter merchandise is always in hot demand. With such high popularity and such a devout following of Harry Potter fanatics, high expectations result. Thus far, the movies have, for the most part, delivered in their task of bringing the books to life through glamorous special effects, excellent sets and environments, and solid acting.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was, in the eyes of most critics, the most successful movie thus far in the Harry Potter series and the DVD follows through with only some minor problems. Although some of the performances in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire movie were a bit lackluster, to say the least, the movie held true to the novel and delivered exactly what fans wanted to see. It took the series on a darker path, similar to its paperbound counterpart, and movie-goers enjoyed the experience. Although the high budget of the films can probably be accredited for the fact that some of the acting is overlooked, the quality of the movie was still spot-on in most regards.

The DVD also delivers in most respects. The audio is delivered beautifully in high quality with plenty of options. The movie transferred well to the small screen in all but one area. The main problem with the DVD lies simply with the night scenes. The scenes are much too dark and the problem should have been noticed and resolved prior to the release of the DVD. This problem isn't major and won't even be noticed by many, but it still does exist and that knocks the DVD down a couple points. The extras offered on the DVD are simply spectacular.

There are quite a few lengthy, interesting features and many intriguing additional scenes that didn't make the final cut for the theatrical release. However, even more fun and engaging are the demos and interactive games that can be played through this DVD. These games are surprisingly fun and fans of the movie who purchase the DVD will definitely want to try them out. The Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire DVD turns out to be a solid offering.

Fans of the series and of the movie will undoubtedly want to pick this one up to add it to their collection and so they can view the movie on demand. The extras are well worth it and aside from the slight problem with the presentation, the movie make a successful transition to DVD form.

page62

2008-08-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Mallika Sherawat is considered to be a youth icon in the Indian film industry. She has tremendous popularity as far as her looks are concerned. But acting is something which is not the first criterion to be a good female actor in India. They are mainly in the movies for ornamental purposes- to attract young people who form the major chunk of cinema-goers.

Mallika Sherawat hails from Rohtak, India. She was an air-hostess initially. Many people do not know that she was married to a pilot but the marriage did not work out and they separated. Mallika Sherawat then tried her hand in show business and she achieved overnight success with her film Murder. Her success is mainly attributed to her bold scenes which are not usually seen in Indian movies. After some of her initial movies most of the films have proven to be below average. Even her much talked about film 'Myth' with Jacky Chan has fallen flat. If Mallika has to stay in the film industry she will have to give quality to cinema.

For Mallika Sherawat success and money comes easy which will be a dream for many people. This is probably the reason why her parents who were against her defiant attitude regarding her show of skin, later reconciled with her and are reportedly living with her.

Mallika Sherawat's success has initiated a new era in Indian film industry. Actors who used to shy from showing their skin have now shed their hesitation and now competing with Mallika Sherawat. Celina Jaitly, Neha Dhupia, Esha Deol and many more like them are examples of such actors who have adopted the formula of Mallika Sherawat to make it to the top in Bollywood.

Many people feel that Mallika Sherawat is arrogant and egotist. She loves to talk about herself and her success. According to her, half the Indian population is mad about her. During an interview, she even challenged a senior news anchor of a reputed news channel that he likes her. Mallika probably has a very physical perspective of the people in general and that is how she has learned to exploit the desires of sexually deprived Indian men.

Mallika Sherawat has made name and money very easily... (relatively) just with her hot looks. Not everybody is gifted with such an attractive body. Quick success is something which is difficult to achieve and even more difficult to maintain. Let's see in future how she manages to continue to be a successful star of Bollywood.

page61

2008-08-17T06:43:00.000-07:00

page60

2008-08-17T06:42:00.001-07:00

he next biggest boxing film, a new Rocky sequel, is set to be released in December 2006 or early 2007. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky VI, also called Rocky Balboa, has primarily been filmed throughout Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, in December 2005, the production team for the new boxing movie set out to Las Vegas for a series of fight scenes, which were filmed over a four day period. A call for extras was placed on sylvesterstallone.com, as well as at beinamovie.com. Fans traveled far and near for their opportunity to spend several days with the cast and crew, obtain autographs and to have the chance to say "I was there." The film has been closely followed by local news stations based in Philadelphia, which is noted on Stallone's official website.

The latest boxing saga for the one-time prize fighter, Rocky Balboa, played by Stallone, is said to parallel the comeback story of boxing legend, George Foreman. According to a statement printed on BeInAMovie.com, Stallone said that he wanted to tell Foreman's comeback story.

In the newest boxing release from the Rocky series, Balboa is now a restaurant owner grieving over the loss of his wife, Adrian. After deciding to return to the ring for local fights, Balboa is confronted with the opportunity to fight the reigning heavyweight champion. This act garners major boxing media attention, as does any major bout that Balboa has faced, and so is the story of Rocky VI.

While focusing on the story of boxing, the films from the Rocky series are geared more toward not giving up and staying in the fight, whether you win or lose. Fans who have followed the films since their inception will recall Balboa, a struggling boxer, never turned away from a challenge. It is the story of preserverance that has not only kept the boxing career of Balboa going, but also the desire to do what he loves.

Rocky VI, also called Rocky Balboa, is currently defined as being in post-production. While it's exact release date is not yet confirmed, industry experts believe it to be in late 2006 or early 2007 as previously noted. Some believe the film is slated for a Christmas Day 2006 release, but only time will tell. After a long hiatus from filming the world of boxing, Rocky makes yet another visit to the big screen with a crowd of eager fans anxiously awaiting the next storyline in one of the most anticipated boxing sequels ever made.

page59

2008-08-17T06:40:00.000-07:00

The Shawshank Redemption is consistently voted as one of the best movies of all time. Originally a story in a Stephen King book, the Different Seasons, known as Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, the story was adapted and the movie created. The movie was directed and the screenplay written by Frank Darabont. The movie was his first major production.Â Interestingly Stephen King has written two stories about prisons, The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, which happen to be the first two movies that Frank Darabont directed.

The story is a cruel one, in which Andy Dufresne, an educated and kind man is wrongly convicted of his wife's murder.Â During his time in prison he befriends several people, who are criminals, whereas Andy is not.Â His life is changed forever, as he deals with the troubles of incarceration.

Stephen King's excellent character portrayal is not limited to his horror stories, and the characters in this story are some of his best. One could even believe this was based on a true story, but it is not, King has confirmed.Â The story is upsetting, puzzling and warming, and the movies popularity confirms people association with the story.Â I think it will always be a classic.

When released at the theatre The Shawshank Redemption did not achieve great success, despite the great buzz already generated by the Hollywood industry due to the great story. This was in part due to great competition at the time, and also the fact that the story is about a prison, which put many movie goers off. However, after the release to DVD the Shawshank Redemption sold in huge quantities making it a firm favorite.

The other stories from the Different Seasons book are:

The Body - which became the movie, Stand by me
The Apt Pupil - which also became a movie called The Apt Pupil
The Club - which has yet to make it to the big screen

I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan, as it is a great collection of stories. The Shawshank Redemption is a very popular story, whether read in a book or watched as a film.

page58

2008-08-17T06:39:00.000-07:00

Koyaanisqatsi is a nonverbal film, directed by Godfrey Reggio, and completed in 1982. Koyaanisqatsi contains no actors, no dialogue and has no script. Images from around the world are set to a moving score from composer Philip Glass.

In the movie Koyaanisqatsi director Godfrey Reggio tries to show the imbalance between man and nature. Shots showing the destruction of mankind are coupled and set against images of nature's beauty and force. The images are very moving and provoke many thoughts in viewers. The musical score of Philip Glass is unconventional, as his scores often are, and yet it is a good balance to the images.

The images are shot by Ron Fricke who later went on to make the movie Baraka. Baraka has a similar theme to Koyaanisqatsi, but a slightly more spiritual theme. It was shot using 70mm, which gives a warmer and cleaner feel than Koyaanisqatsi. Koyaanisqatsi was shot between 1975 and 1982. Some of its scenes are stock footage, such as explosions and space rocket launches.
Koyaanisqatsi has its own page at www.spiritofbaraka.com/koyaanis.aspx with all of the details of the film and images of most of the scenes.

In 2003 Koyaanisqatsi was re-released after ownership disputes were settled. The re-mastered DVD image greatly improved the quality but bizarrely lost its original aspect ratio.

Koyaanisqatsi has gone on to be an underground cult movie, and often studied by film students looking to explore a deeper side of the film world.

A small genre of films has been spawned by Koyaanisqatsi. Baraka, as mentioned above has become the most popular. Other movies in the genre include Chronos: also by Ron Fricke, Powaqqatsi: the sequel to Koyaanisqatsi, Microcosmos: about insects, Naqoyqatsi: the less popular final part of the Qatsi trilogy: Winged Migration: about birds, Samsara: the Sequel to Baraka, Dogora: about the young people of Cambodia.

All of these movies where originally created to by viewed in theatres, where one gets the maximum effect. Larger and clearer televisions, as well as home cinema systems have allowed all of these movies to be enjoyed at home.

page57

2008-08-17T06:38:00.000-07:00

Imagine an expedition to the Antarctic in 1914. There is no GPS, no world-reaching radio, and no satellite phone. Brutal conditions, rationed food, tight living quarters. Sounds pretty bleak. Now imagine that something goes horribly wrong. As days turn into weeks the rationed food is exhausted. As weeks turn into months hope is all that is left. When hope diminishes, all that is left is the will to live.

Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 voyage turned into a disaster just before he and his crew of twenty-eight could reach Antarctica. Their ship The Endurance was held up by ice for ten months and then crushed by it's frozen, unforgiving force, and that is just the beginning of this two-years long journey. It is amazing what he and his crew endure over this time period just to survive.

This is an excerpt from a diary kept by crewman Thomas Orde-Lees that recounts a very cold and desperate time some six months after the men abandoned the crumpled, mangled wreckage of their ship on three lifeboats.

"As the water splashed into the boats it froze instantly forming thick incrustations of ice on the inside of the boat and over all the gear freezing up the sail as stiff as a piece of corrugated iron. Fortunately the water which ran into the bottom of the boat did not freeze at once so that by frequent bailing we were able to keep pace with it and prevent the accumulation of ice along the keels, where, had it once formed, it would have been next to impossible to eradicate it on account of the cargo.

Much sleet covered us, and what with this and the sea spray we were all more or less wet through and our outer clothing was frozen stiff. Our time was largely occupied in picking the ice off each other's backs. It would be a lie to say that we were at all happy under these circumstances but now and again we made a feeble effort to assume a cheerful, hopeful air in spite of ourselves. We were being sorely tried, indeed, though."

For more on this event and to learn about a documentary film based on this event visit:
film-documentary.com/the-endurance.html

page56

2008-08-16T06:16:00.000-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), you are symbolically identified as a "Rabbit" :

From 29 Jan 1903 to 15 Feb 1904
From 14 Feb 1915 to 2 Feb 1916
From 02 Feb 1927 to 22 Jan 1928
From 19 Feb 1939 to 07 Feb 1940
From 06 Feb 1951 to 26 Jan 1952
From 25 Jan 1963 to 12 Feb 1964
From 11 Feb 1975 to 30 Jan 1976
From 29 Jan 1987 to 16 Feb 1988
From 16 Feb 1999 to 04 Feb 2000

Many of you will receive timely help from influential people and make fast and powerful break-throughs. Your existing clients will make kindly referrals to you and your friendship network will expand. Your social status will increase, but be careful on spending too much energy and money on it. Enjoy your populartiy but let it not come in the way of your efficiency. Don't let your success carry you away; learn to be humble and polite. Maintain self-control. If you gloat or allow jealousy to breed around you, back-stabbing could become a real possibility. Carry a set of 3 Qui Yong Coins, just in case your ego acts up.

MONEY :
Good wealth luck. Money flow will be pretty even. Some will get money from totally unexpected sources. Excellent lottery luck. Some of you will make fortunes in stock markets, with exclusive and timely tips from influential people. Good returns from your previous investments. If you are looking for big business loans, you will get them with ease. On the other hand, those of you having loans will repay with comfort. Unexpected money losses through friends, unethical socialising and large medical bills (due to poor health of family elders) are indicated. Large sums of money will also be spent on adding furniture or household comforts. Don't risk money on any short term schemes. Invest only for substantial long term benefits.

HEALTH :
Do not allow your work pressure to dominate you. Relax, meditate and rest more. Stay away from alchohols and unhealthy sex. Some of you face the threat of sexually transmitted diseases. There could be some problems related to abdomen, limbs, blood pressure and viral infections. Bleeding from small accidents is indicated - donate blood. If you are already suffering from chronic diseases like high cholesterol level and hypertension, take good care of yourself. Elderly rabbits should have periodic health check-ups. Wearing a Malachite Crystal Pendant around your neck will be helpful.

LOVE :
Disharmony in the home front because of quarrels and fights. Spend more quality time with the family and pay more attention to your spouse. Expansions in your social circle and some of your new found friends will bring gossips into your household. Stop being too friendly with friends of opposite sex. Resist temptations with all your strength, at stake is not only your reputation, but also your family's. Keep a Rose Quartz Crystal Ball or Egg at home to spread harmony energy. If you are a single, good chances of settling down.

Beneficial Crystal : Rose Quartz, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Goat, Dog, Dragon & Pig, for 2006

Conflict with : Rooster, Rat & Tiger, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yin

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specificpurpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page55

2008-08-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Tiger, you are symbolically identified as a "Tiger" :

From 08 Feb 1902 to 28 Jan 1903
From 26 Jan 1914 to 13 Feb 1915
From 13 Feb 1926 to 01 Feb 1927
From 31 Jan 1938 to 18 Feb 1939
From 17 Feb 1950 to 05 Feb 1951
From 05 Feb 1962 to 24 Jan 1963
From 23 Jan 1974 to 10 Feb 1975
From 09 Feb 1986 to 28 Jan 1987
From 28 Jan 1998 to 15 Feb 1999

But wherever you go, rumours will haunt you throughout the year. If you are onto stock markets, real estate agency and MLM, you may not do good. But you have anything to do with civil service, administration and publications, you will do well. If you are in Governmental service, resist illegal activites, or else you may end up with litigation or may even be imprisoned. Be extra careful when you sign in documents of any type. If you are employed, install a Golden Carp in the North and if you are doing business, keep a Dragon & Phoenix statue in the North. Hold your tongue back and ignore insults. Do not take shortcuts, but follow the rules and regulations strictly, to avoid being picked on. Otherwise you may find yourself getting out of control and some of you may end up on the wrong side of the law. Beware of back-stabbers, especially those who are near you. It would be a bright idea for you to wear a Black Tourmalene Crystal Pendant to keep off all these negative energies.

MONEY :
Except for those of you in commission based profession, wealth luck is minimal. In fact, you may have to fight hard even for what is rightfully yours. So better avoid impulsive purchases and be prudent when you spend. Do not invest big in stocks. Do not lend to friends. You may have to foot a lot of legal bills this year. To improve cash flow, keep a set of Dragon & Phoenix Coins at home and carry a smaller set in your pocket or purse.

HEALTH :
Take care of your mental health. Do not allow the work pressure to translate into depression and hallucinations. Meditate whenever possible. Avoid visiting hospitals and funerals. If you can eat, sleep and rest well and in time, all is okay. Otherwise you may end up with a lot of digestion problems. Some of you may experience tooth and kidney problems.

LOVE :
Not an ideal year for good marriages to happen. If you are single, enjoy companionship but refrain from crossing the limits. If you are married, resist seductions or you will regret later. Ignore gossips. Trust and faith will be tested. Love triangles will eat into good and time-tested relationships. Many families will see separations. Married couple should keep the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix or a pair of pink Mandarin Ducks in the South West of their bedroom.

Beneficial Crystal : Green Aventurine, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Horse, Dog & Dragon, for 2006

Conflict with : Snake, Ox, Monkey & Rabbit, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yang

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page54

2008-08-16T06:14:00.002-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), you are symbolically identified as a "Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow)":

From 19 Feb 1901 to 07 Feb 1902
From 06 Feb 1913 to 25 Jan 1914
From 25 Jan 1925 to 12 Feb 1926
From 11 Feb 1937 to 30 Jan 1938
From 29 Jan 1949 to 16 Feb 1950
From 15 Feb 1961 to 04 Feb 1962
From 03 Feb 1973 to 22 Jan 1974
From 20 Feb 1985 to 08 Feb 1986
From 07 Feb 1997 to 27 Jan 1998

Opportunities and fortune will decline in the second half but you will get unexpected help from the opposite sex, to get through. All the same, this is a fit case for displaying an image or icon of Green Tara, to tide over the obstacles. Be careful when you delegate work to your subordinates. Chances of wrong decisions there could undermine your efforts and earn you a bad reputation. Handling issues and people will take up a lot of your time and you will be judged by others instantly. Be wary of so called friends, who will be out to malign you. There could be a lot of unresolved issues continuously pouncing on you. Possibilities of back-stabbing exist. Some of you might face situational blackmailing because of unresolved financial disputes. Females will have a better year than males. Wearing a single or double termianted Amethyst Pendant will ease you out of many problems. Light up a red bulb in the center of your home. You can also install the icon of Kuan Kung to get guided and protected. If you are a clerk or government official or in creative field, you will do much better than others.

You are in punishment formation with the Tai Sui this year, so display the statue of a Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle alongwith a photograph of the presiding Year Authority of 2006 in the North West, to minimise the negativities of gossips and scandals. You should also personally wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or place the statue of a Rabbit in the East. (The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed.)

MONEY :
Cash flow would be reasonably good, though not consistent. The year is full of unexpected expenses and it would be difficult to retain the incoming money. Not a good year for making large or long term investments. Do not gamble or indulge yourself in financial speculation, though some of you do have good lottery luck this year. Vigilance is needed as the chances of money loss through theft or an affair is a reality too. Keep a set of PaKua Horoscope Coins in your pocket and a set of Dragon & Phoenix Coins at your home.

HEALTH :
The urge to eat more food and good food will be on the increase. Be careful with what you eat. You are forewarned of problems linked to digestion, diarrhea, abdomenal and gastrointestinal infections. Common headaches, sneezing, cold, flu, viral infections and some allergies also are indicated. Drink and smoke less. Some of you might get problems related to throat and trachea. Exercise and meditate. If any of your old illness resurfaces, go in for medical treatment immediately. Hang a large sized original Chinese Sacred Fruit called the Wou-Lou or Hoo-Loo in your dining room, from the ceiling.

LOVE :
Normal love luck, if you keep it that way. To keep it that way, you have to resist temptations to be irresponsible. Active social life may bring in gossips that can hurt you rather badly. It would be a good idea to keep a Rooster figure in the South West of your bedroom. Singles need to take a lot of initiatives to get their life partners.

Beneficial Crystal : Turquoise, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Rat, Rabbit & Monkey, for 2006

Conflict with : Horse, Dragon & Goat, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yin

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page53

2008-08-16T06:14:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), you are symbolically identified as a "Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow)":

From 19 Feb 1901 to 07 Feb 1902
From 06 Feb 1913 to 25 Jan 1914
From 25 Jan 1925 to 12 Feb 1926
From 11 Feb 1937 to 30 Jan 1938
From 29 Jan 1949 to 16 Feb 1950
From 15 Feb 1961 to 04 Feb 1962
From 03 Feb 1973 to 22 Jan 1974
From 20 Feb 1985 to 08 Feb 1986
From 07 Feb 1997 to 27 Jan 1998

page52

2008-08-16T06:12:00.002-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Rat (or Mouse), you are symbolically identified as a "Rat":

From 31 Jan 1900 to 18 Feb 1901
From 18 Feb 1912 to 05 Feb 1913
From 05 Feb 1924 to 24 Jan 1925
From 24 Jan 1936 to 10 Feb 1937
From 10 Feb 1948 to 28 Jan 1949
From 28 Jan 1960 to 14 Feb 1961
From 15 Feb 1972 to 02 Feb 1973
From 02 Feb 1984 to 19 Feb 1985
From 19 Feb 1996 to 06 Feb 1997

Avoid confrontations. Arguments at office will invariably lead to career damage. Arguments with friends and relatives could lead to depression and loss of mental peace. A pencil shaped Lapis Lazouli Crystal Pendant will help you out in this. Those of you who are related to police, law, judiciary, key decision making, administration, fire service, correctional institutions, medicine, food and beverages will do much better than others. For those of you in business, it is not that bright : the year will be busy, tough and demanding. There will be quite a few ups and downs. Be organised and enforce discipline. Think out thrice before embarking on new/big projects. Avoid taking major and crucial decisions this year. Hurdles will crop up at unexpected places and times.

On no account take shortcuts. Display the image of Green Tara and the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix, for overcoming obstacles. Back-stabbing could occur from all levels. Place the image or icon of Kuan Kung in the North West for protection and timely guidance.There could be theft problems for some. Place an Eagle statue or a pair of Kirins facing the entrance.

MONEY :
Money flow will be quite good, but may not be consistent, so plan your budget. Your earlier investments will payoff now. Many of your friends will return the favour you did to them earlier. Savings will help you build an account that will be needed later. Some of you will payoff the overdue loans comfortably. There could be some unexpected expenses too, but you can get through without much of a problem. Nobody can spoil your finances this year - except you! Avoid over-indulgence and over-generosity. Keep off risky investments. Do not invest in unethical projects. To help you save money, you can carry a set of PaKua Horoscope coins or keep a set of Dragon & Phoenix Coins at home.

HEALTH :
Pay attention to your personal hygiene. Bleeding due to cuts could occur - donate blood. Take extreme care when you handle sharp objects like knife. Some of you may have to undergo surgery. Get your teeth cleaned up. Avoid adventurous and risky sports like mountain climbing, scuba diving, parachuting, etc. Stay away from water bodies. Take cautions when you travel and drive. Enjoy your food but make sure of it's quantum and quality - otherwise you could end up with a lot of stomach problems. If you already have problems related to heart, head or limbs, it could worsen. Hard work and stress from family members could be a matter of concern. Take rest whenever you can. Check your ceilings for defects : water seeps or stains, cracks or peels. If you find any, fix them immediately. Hang a original, real Chinese Wou-Lou in the bedroom (on the headboard side) to drain away the sick energy. To avoid accidents, you may either hang a golden metal Wou-Lou near your main entrance or inside your car. If you are a pregnant rat, take the utmost care.

LOVE :
Good love luck. A nice year to marry and settle down. Marital bliss prevails. Just don't let your possessiveness get too far, as that could cripple the present equation. Keep in touch with your partner and attend to his/her needs without fail. Pay personal attention to other members of your family too (especially to your elderly parents/grand parents) to avoid domestic troubles. In case of any conflict, stop arguing and resolve the issue immediately. Place an icon of Three Generations Turtles or Three Generations Dragon Head Turtles in the East.

Beneficial Crystal : Chalcedony, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Rat, Dragon & Monkey, for 2006

Conflict with : Horse, Rabbit & Goat, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yang

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page51

2008-08-16T06:12:00.001-07:00

ANNUAL FORECAST FOR 2006 : YEAR OF YANG RED FIRE DOG BASED ON CHINESE ASTROLOGY
(Year of Yang Red Fire Dog : 29.01.2006 to 17.02.2007)

General Analysis

In Chinese Hsia Calender, 2006 is the 4703rd year and is called the Bing-Xu : the Year of the Dog. It is also the third year of the new Fengshui Land Luck Period 8. The Calendar is based on the Five Elements of Nature. They are also known as the Pancha Pranas or the Pancha Bhoodhas : Earth (Bhoomi), Water (Jala), Fire (Agni), Metal (Air, Vaayu), and Wood (Ether, Sky, Spirit, Space, Aakash). The Year of the Dog symbolises the Fire and Earth. That is Yang Red Fire riding over the Earth. Hence the name Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog. In the Productive Cycle of Fengshui, Fire gives birth to Earth. So the basic elemental relationship is positive and quite strong.

2006 is, in general, a supportive year with a sensible climate of justice, relief, harmony and peace prevailing over the globe, compared to the last few years. Even though global turmoil and instability will continue, the scale of civil wars and international conflicts will come down. Initiatives of the prevoius years will lead to peace talks which in turn could result in amicable settlements. Even the visciousness in the political atmosphere will mellow down and become more polite and optimistic. On the other hand, many countries will see new claims for seperate provinces or states based on certain cultural or ethnic origins. The primary issues for most of the countries will continue to revolve around maintenance of law and order, internal security, defence, border security and control of terrorists. International disputes of land and properties will also continue to thrive.

There will be a huge positive surge in solving issues relating to global interests : global warming problem, environmental pollution, earth conservation, saving extinct species, tackling epidemics, resource sharing, etc. National & international co-operation will become the trend of the year. 2006 would probably concieve the notion of collective mankind marching towards an inspiring New World Order.

Spiritual and religious following will gather much greater momentum and an yearning to find metaphysical answers will increase. More and more NewAge Ways will be revealed and will gain popularity. Discussions and forums on esoteric subjects will open up. Paranormal happenings will increase drastically. Hidden dangers and unexplainable events will initiate genuine interests in several mystic subjects. Many new Cults will surface.

There will be quite a few windfalls and prosperity not seen for quite some time now. Bitter experience will give way to optimism and self-confidence and when supported by planned and sustained efforts, will yield excellent success. Moderate to fast economic recovery will be seen and a general improvement in living conditions may be witnessed. A sincere attempt for urban renewal will be started. The underprivileged will get to have a lot of attention. 2006 will see a lot more marriages happen than the previous year - it will also see a lot less break-offs and divorces. Faith and commitments will be rewarded whereas deviousness and treachery will be punished. Marital bliss will in general, be quietly satisfying. Handsome cashflows will also bring in avoidable expenses. To save, accumulate and invest in assets will become more difficult.

For a change, as a general rule, career will flourish, commerce will expand and pay rise will be satisfactory. There could be a fall in unemployment figures, in many countries. Stock and financial markets will skyrocket (and invariably slump) and many will make their lifetime fortunes. However, the second half of the year could prove to be the undoing for too many. Industries identified with fire element : airlines, entertainment, electricity, energy, stock market and financial markets will see a lot of investments and massive expansions. All industries related to the wood element, like paper, magazines, books, fashion, textiles and fancy furniture will thrive. Construction industry, real estates and interior designing will flourish. On the other hand in areas like insurance, hotels, mining, chemicals, heavy metal industries, etc. there could actually be decline in business itself, with cut throat competition ruining everything. Industries linked to the water element like shipping, drinks and communications will manage to maintain the last year's tempo. The electronic and petroleum industries will expand greatly. The TV and movie industries will see quite a lot of troubles by way of legal disputes, lawsuits, high interest loans, untimely deaths of personalities and violent clashes. Educational and constitutional reforms will be started in many countries. Fields catering to the special needs of women, new-born babies, education, religions and esoterism will do very good business. But whatever maybe the industry, the year will be filled with gossips, arguments, disputes and struggles. There will be many cases where frustrations will end up in lawsuits and imprisonments.

Earthquakes of awesome proportions will occur. Fire based disasters like volcanic eruptions, nuclear disasters and big fire explosions will take place. Typhoons, very heavy rains, floods, building collapses, bridge cracks, landslides, mining accidents, plagues, etc. will happen in frightening frequency. Accidents in mass transport systems will drastically increase. Tourist disasters and refugee crisis will continue to increase. There will be many more cases of children getting hurt in mass, maybe in places like water theme parks, kindergarden schools, etc.

Drug and herbal abuse will lead to serious health problems. Food poisoning due to residual pesticides in fruits, vegetables and flowers will increase to a worrying level. Serious health problems related to blood, heart and kidneys are indicated. Stomach pain, shoulder pain and problems pertaining to digestion, abdomen and intestines will be very common. 2006 could see a lot more cases of severe cancer, eye and respiratory infections. Chances of Bird flu breaking out once again is quite high.

page50

2008-08-16T06:11:00.001-07:00

page49

2008-08-16T06:10:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Horse, you are symbolically identified as a "Horse" :

From 25 Jan 1906 to 12 Feb 1907
From 11 Feb 1918 to 31 Jan 1919
From 30 Jan 1930 to 16 Feb 1931
From 15 Feb 1942 to 04 Feb 1943
From 03 Feb 1954 to 23 Jan 1955
From 21 Jan 1966 to 08 Feb 1967
From 07 Feb 1978 to 27 Jan 1979
From 27 Jan 1990 to 14 Feb 1991
From 12 Feb 2002 to 31 Jan 2003

Avoid taking rash decisions. You will face many emergency situations where you have to be calm and smile away grave insults. Respect and follow the ground rules without failure or you will end up in a legal mess. If you maintain clarity in your thoughts, take right decisions at the right time, work really hard and make strategic partnerships, then you will perform reasonably well. Traders and those in administrative capacities will do better. Enlist the guidance of Kuan Kung by keeping his statue in the North West. Wear a Lapis Lazouli Crystal Pendant around your neck. Wait patiently for your time and do not expect any miracles.

MONEY :
On your own, there is not much money luck. But there could be a regular cashflow of income through others, if you keep smiling and shrink your ego enough. Spend more on health insurance. Some of you will spend money in shifting or buying real estate. Having a set of PaKua Horoscope Coins with you and a set of Dragon & Phoenix Coins at home will help you.

HEALTH :
No serious health problems. Look out for infections. Take care when you climb. Some may get injuries and bruises because of a fall. There is a possibility of getting animal bites, so be careful with pets like cats and dogs ! Elders should be extra careful, in general.

LOVE :
Not a stable year for relationships. There will be quite a few ups and downs. Decisions for marriage should be weighed carefully. Married couple should be extra careful of their energies. A single wrong move could do some long term damage. Spend more time with your family and nurture your relationships personally and carefully. Consult and involve your family in all major decisions. Invest on a Stilbite Crystal Cluster and keep it in the South West of your bedroom.

Beneficial Crystal : Bloodstone, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Goat, Tiger & Dog, for 2006

Conflict with : Rat, Monkey, Ox & Horse, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yang

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page48

2008-08-16T06:09:00.001-07:00

(Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING SOUTH :
A bad year that could see many fire based disasters including fire burns to family members. Especially in the months of February, May and November. Have your electrical wiring fully checked. Turn off all electrical and electronic gadgets when not in use. Be extra careful in kitchen, especially if you use a gas cylinder.

Heart related health problems will surface. Bloodloss and surgery in the family are indicated. Women folk would be the most affected. Try and avoid getting into arguments. Communication gaps will happen frequently.

If you are in corporate administration or in politics, you will be back-stabbed more than once. You will be haunted by gossips throughout the year. You will make new enemies with ease. Business people will face tough competition and lose a lot of customers. Theft is a reality. Invest in insurance for household articles and install good security systems. Keep a brownish Stilbite Crystal Cluster near your main entrance to minimise the power of negative energy. If you have a car, hang a golden, metal Wou-Lou near the dash board to try and avoid accidents. Be careful when handling sharp metal objects. If you are in fields related to entertainment, books, CDs, fitness centers, etc., you may do better business but due to negative publicity. If you are in teaching or in law practice or running an advertising agency, you will fare better.

Relationship problems and love triangles can happen. Display the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix or a pair of pink Mandarin Ducks in the south of your bedroom.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Blue (on the inside) and Grey (on the outside).

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page47

2008-08-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

page46

2008-08-16T06:06:00.002-07:00

(Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING SOUTH EAST :
The Black Star # 2 brings you arguments, misunderstandings, disputes, gossips, stress, food poisoning and gastrointestinal problems, respiratory problems, gynaecological problems and sickness to many in the family. The womenfolk will suffer the most. Even your best neighbours will turn hostile. Hang a large sized natural, original Chinese Wou-Lou near the maindoor and in the bedroom.

Married couple will tend to have more disagreements and disharmony will prevail. Install the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix or a pair of pink Mandarin Ducks in the bedroom. Minimise red and yellow coloured clothing, lighting, etc. inside the home. Alternatively place a Rooster figurine near the main door.

If you have a Rabbit or Dragon (according to the Chinese Astrology Zodiac Animal Signs) in your family, you may have to take special remedial measure to avoid seperation.

The Year Breaker Tsui Po which moves directly opposite to that of Tai Sui, corresponds to South East this year. This energy body too, should not be violated. Do not install any moving objects like Fish Aquariums or Water Fountains here, this year. Do not dig, construct, renovate, redecorate or repair this year near your main door. It is also not advisable to sit or sleep for extended periods, near your main door. If you do any of these to violate the Year Breaker, you will be inviting more accidents and health mishaps for your family members. If you had already started any of these work last year and would definitely have to continue to complete in this year, then hang a golden, metal Wou-Lou and a Wind Chyme near the main door.

If you have a secondary door that is not facing SE, then use it for this year. Otherwise, It is recommended to place an icon of Kuan Kung or Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle or a pair of Pi-Yau near your main door, facing SE, as even opening and closing the door is considered as "violating" the Tsui Po.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Grey or Blue (on the outside), with 6 I-Ching coins taped under it.

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page45

2008-08-16T06:06:00.001-07:00

(Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING NORTH WEST :
An year that can enhance knowledge, performance, joy and elevate your social status. But the presence of unlucky stars indicates many hidden dangers. Display a Dragon Head Turtle here to minimise the negative effects. If you are a journalist, scholar, teacher, researcher, creative designer or an actor, you are in for a good time. Wearing an Amethyst Crystal Pendant will ward-off some of the negativity. You can also grow 4 Water Bamboo Plants in the center of your home. If you are a student, keep a green Pagoda Tower.

If any of your family member is, according to the Chinese Zodiac, a Dragon or Dog or Ox or Goat or Rooster, you should hang a natural Chinese Wou-Lou on their headboard side, in their bedroom. Additionally they should all wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or display the Rabbit statue in the East. When any of these people have to sign any documents, make 100% sure you have read and approved all the fine print.

If your bedroom falls in this sector, romantic luck will be very poor. Place a bowl of water with a Rose Quartz Egg or Ball, near the maindoor. To avoid third party involvement, place a Rooster figurine near the main entrance. Use curtains or blinds of green colour.

A good year for singles to marry.

The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed. Do not install any moving objects like Fish Aquariums or Water Fountains here, this year. Do not dig, construct, renovate, redecorate or repair this year near your main door. Do not drill or even drive a nail in this wall. If you do any of these, you will be inviting accidents, injuries, financial loss and even bankruptcy. If you had already started any of these work last year and would definitely have to continue to complete in this year, then hang a golden, metal Wou-Lou and a Wind Chyme near the main door. If you have a secondary door that is not facing NW, then use it for this year. Otherwise, It is recommended to place an icon of Kuan Kung or Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle or a pair of Pi-Yau near your main door, facing NW, as even opening and closing the door is considered as "violating" Tai Sui. Also remember to sit with your back facing NW (don't confront the Tai Sui by facing it) when you read, eat, watch TV, operate computer, etc.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Grey or Blue (on the outside or inside), with a piece of green cloth under it.

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page44

2008-08-16T06:05:00.001-07:00

(Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING NORTH WEST :
An year that can enhance knowledge, performance, joy and elevate your social status. But the presence of unlucky stars indicates many hidden dangers. Display a Dragon Head Turtle here to minimise the negative effects. If you are a journalist, scholar, teacher, researcher, creative designer or an actor, you are in for a good time. Wearing an Amethyst Crystal Pendant will ward-off some of the negativity. You can also grow 4 Water Bamboo Plants in the center of your home. If you are a student, keep a green Pagoda Tower.

If any of your family member is, according to the Chinese Zodiac, a Dragon or Dog or Ox or Goat or Rooster, you should hang a natural Chinese Wou-Lou on their headboard side, in their bedroom. Additionally they should all wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or display the Rabbit statue in the East. When any of these people have to sign any documents, make 100% sure you have read and approved all the fine print.

If your bedroom falls in this sector, romantic luck will be very poor. Place a bowl of water with a Rose Quartz Egg or Ball, near the maindoor. To avoid third party involvement, place a Rooster figurine near the main entrance. Use curtains or blinds of green colour.

A good year for singles to marry.

The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed. Do not install any moving objects like Fish Aquariums or Water Fountains here, this year. Do not dig, construct, renovate, redecorate or repair this year near your main door. Do not drill or even drive a nail in this wall. If you do any of these, you will be inviting accidents, injuries, financial loss and even bankruptcy. If you had already started any of these work last year and would definitely have to continue to complete in this year, then hang a golden, metal Wou-Lou and a Wind Chyme near the main door. If you have a secondary door that is not facing NW, then use it for this year. Otherwise, It is recommended to place an icon of Kuan Kung or Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle or a pair of Pi-Yau near your main door, facing NW, as even opening and closing the door is considered as "violating" Tai Sui. Also remember to sit with your back facing NW (don't confront the Tai Sui by facing it) when you read, eat, watch TV, operate computer, etc.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Grey or Blue (on the outside or inside), with a piece of green cloth under it.

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page43

2008-08-16T06:04:00.001-07:00

Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING NORTH EAST :
A great 2006 for you. The Fortune Star # 6 visits and in combination with other lucky stars, blesses you with fame, power and wealth. The members of this household, whether employed or in business, will prosper. Some of you may don new roles or occupy new positions, with more responsibilities. Money will flow in. Cashflow can be consolidated. More assets will be bought. Investments will increase. Expansions will automatically happen. You will gain more authority. Your circle of friends and well-wishers will expand and your social recognition and status will enhance. You might also have to travel a lot.

If you are in politics, marketing, computer hardware, interior decoration, construction or in real estate business, you will have an extra great time. If any of you are in sports, security, police or armed forces, you may wish to boost your career luck by stringing up 8 golden colured I-Ching Coins near the door.

Do not lend money even to your closest friend or relative. Do not sign as guarantor for anybody.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Golden Yellow or Brown (on the outside).

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page42

2008-08-16T06:01:00.000-07:00

(Chinese Solar Year : 04.02.2006 to 03.02.2007)

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING WEST :
A disastrous year with the Sickness Star 5 Yellows becoming the resident evil here, sowing seeds of obstacles, delays, disputes, accidents, thefts, injuries, law and health related problems. Arguments and interpersonal disputes at office will affect career prospects. Even to achieve normal results, you may have to work doubly hard. Some of you may even face demotions and retrenchment. Businessmen will face adverse conditions and low profits. Quotes will be rejected and approved orders canceled. Frauds and pilferage could happen. Concentrate on consolidating the existing setup and do not attempt expansion or diversification.

Hang a large sized natural, original Chinese Sacred Kalabash or Hoo-Loo on the innerside of your main door alongwith a golden, metal Wou-Lou, a string of 6 I-Ching Coins and a Wind Chyme. Keep the statue of Kuan Kung alongwith a pair of Chi-Lins straight opposite your main door, facing it. Do not display any moving water features (like Fish Aquariums, Water Fountains, etc.) here, in this year. Avoid redecorating or renovating this part of the house this year. Do not even drive nails or drill in the West walls. It is also not advisable to sit or sleep for extended periods, near your main door. Minimise the colours of red and yellow.

If your bedroom falls in this sector, misunderstandings could even lead to seperation. Display the combined statue of Dragon & Phoenix in the bedroom to minimise the problem.

If your kitchen is located in this sector, food poisoning, digestion, abdomenal problems and grave fire accidents could happen. Tape a set of 3 large sized Trigram Coins onto the bottom of the slab or cupboard seating the stoves. Hang a Wind Chyme just outside your kitchen door.

This is not a good year for getting married or to concieve. If pregnant, be prepared to face complications during the delivery. There could be some threats to children's safety. Poor academic luck this year. Money and property loss through theft can happen. Install a good security system and invest on insurance for your household articles. Health problems could get serious for some family members. Do not self-diagonise and self-prescribe medications, but seek professional medical help.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Grey (on the outside), with 6 nos. of I-Ching coins taped under it.

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page41

2008-08-16T06:00:00.002-07:00

Flying Stars or Fei Xing is a powerful form of Feng Shui derived from the famous Xuan Kong Fengshui. It is an Analysis of the Five Elements and Star Combinations (representing certain energy patterns) that occupy every building. Each new year these annual stars change, Qi (energy) shifts happen, bringing good and bad energy with them - thereby producing different effects.

In February 2004 all the Feng Shui Energy Patterns underwent huge transformations to the NewAge of Land Luck called Period 8 Energy Cycles. It means that a large scale evolution of the human race with completely new energy dynamics has started. The significance is that the new, vibrant energies of Period 8 impacts on the buildings differently than before and energies that were previously activated now need to be remedied, in order to reduce any bad effects from the past influences.

The Flying Stars Chart or the 9-Grid Meteor Plan for the Bing-Xu, Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog has been plotted and the effects of their energy patterns are analyzed. The analysis also contains suggested remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and recommended enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy.

For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location.

The direction in which your main door lies is very important to any form of Geomancy, including Fengshui & Vaastu. The primary reason for this is that the air currents and energy flow in and flow out through the mouth of the main door. Thus you receive positive energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of auspicious stars or meteors (powerful energy bodies) and receive negative energy for the year, if the main door faces a direction of evil stars or meteors. In case negative impacts are forecast, you can simply offset the negative energy by installing the recommended remedies there. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming years, the only thing is that they should be repositioned according to the new year.

Please note that the effects may be felt in varying degrees depending upon the exact compass degree of the main door.

ANNUAL FORECAST & REMEDIES FOR FLATS/HOMES/OFFICES/FACTORIES WITH MAIN DOOR FACING NORTH :
A good year for you to enjoy. People of the household, whether in employment or in practice or in business, will flourish. The Wealth Star of Period 8 will bring you good reputation and excellent cashflow. Businessmen can plan properly to convert the incoming cash into assets. Your sphere of influence will expand and consolidate into good name and fame. If you have a budding business person in your home, placing a white ceramic Dog statue will help.

The children of the household could suffer from stomach pains and digestive problems. Do not over strain yourself in work. Try and cut down smoking, liquor, etc. Be forewarned of problems related to blood and kidneys. Be careful to read "between the lines" any document you wish to sign. Avoid taking impulsive decisions. Do not use this area for storage purpose otherwise you may lose some of your wealth luck. Hang a large sized natural, original Chinese Wou-Lou on the inside of the main door, to minimise health related problems. To avoid theft and money loss, install a pair of Chi-Lins or Kuan Kung straight opposite your main door, overlooking it.

This year the Three San Sha Afflictions (also called as the Three Demons or the Three Killings) is residing here. So the potential of making good money will not be realised fully and consistently. Do not install any moving objects like Fish Aquariums or Water Fountains here, this year. But you can place a potted water plant. Do not dig, construct, renovate, redecorate or repair this year near your main door. Do not drill or even drive a nail in this wall. It is also not advisable to sit or sleep for extended periods, near your main door. If you do any of these, you will be inviting betrayals, thefts, accidents, injuries, money loss and other fatal disasters for your family members. If you had already started any of these work last year and would definitely have to continue and complete it in this year, then hang a golden, metal Wou-Lou and a Wind Chyme near the main door.

It is also recommended to place an icon of Kuan Kung or Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle or a pair of Pi-Yau near your main door, facing North, as even opening and closing the door is considered as "violating" the Three Demons. Also remember not to sit with your back facing North when you read, eat, watch TV, operate computer, etc.

Display the "Safety Talisman for 2006" in the North West sector and carry a miniature version of it always.

Door Mat Colour for the Main Door : Red or Yellow (on the outside).

COMMON MINIMUM REMEDY FOR ALL BUILDINGS FOR 2006 :
To minimise damage due to gossiping and rumours, arguments and disputes, avoid the colours green and blue in the center of your home. Do not place any moving water features like fish aquarium or water fountains here. Display 8 red roses without thorns and leaves in the center of your home/office/building and light up a small red coloured bulb which will burn continuously, 24/7. This is applicable for all buildings, irrespective of the direction of the main doors.

page40

2008-08-16T06:00:00.001-07:00

page39

2008-08-16T05:59:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Pig (or Boar or Hog), you are symbolically identified as a "Pig" :

From 30 Jan 1911 to 17 Feb 1912
From 16 Feb 1923 to 04 Feb 1924
From 04 Feb 1935 to 23 Jan 1936
From 22 Jan 1947 to 09 Feb 1948
From 08 Feb 1959 to 27 Jan 1960
From 27 Jan 1971 to 14 Feb 1972
From 13 Feb 1983 to 01 Feb 1984
From 31 Jan 1995 to 18 Feb 1996

Your focus should be on your immediate tasks only. Do not go for any long term investments. Avoid communication gaps at any cost. You will get good help from your network of friends or from powerful people if you look for it. Obstacles will be there, but you can get through them. Grab any overseas posting or foreign opportunity that comes your way. Be extra careful when you travel, as there is a chance of losing official luggage with files and documents. If you are in export or artistic business or strategic planning or event management or catering to the special needs of males, like men's fashion, clothing, etc., you will do well. Keep the combined statue of Dragon and Phoenix alongwith Kuan Kung in the North, to manage smoothly.

MONEY :
Average money luck. Do not sign as guarantor for anybody. Do not lend to friends. Heavy money loss due to friends is indicated. Save, save and save. Invest on more insurance. Keep a set of Dragon & Phoenix Coins at home and carry a set of PaKua Horoscope Coins always.

HEALTH :
Be careful when you dive, swim or travel. Accidents could happen. The females should check out their blood and urinary tracts. Wear a Malachite Crystal Pendant.

LOVE :
Stable love luck. Enjoy yourself fully. Good time to bear children. Resist wrong seductions. Repel intruders, if you are married. If you are not married, you could get good proposals from abroad. An excellent time to marry.

Beneficial Crystal : Aquamarine, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Rabbit & Goat, for 2006

Conflict with : Snake & Monkey, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yin

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page38

2008-08-16T05:58:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Pig (or Boar or Hog), you are symbolically identified as a "Pig" :

From 30 Jan 1911 to 17 Feb 1912
From 16 Feb 1923 to 04 Feb 1924
From 04 Feb 1935 to 23 Jan 1936
From 22 Jan 1947 to 09 Feb 1948
From 08 Feb 1959 to 27 Jan 1960
From 27 Jan 1971 to 14 Feb 1972
From 13 Feb 1983 to 01 Feb 1984
From 31 Jan 1995 to 18 Feb 1996

page37

2008-08-16T05:57:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), you are symbolically identified as a "Rooster" :

From 22 Jan 1909 to 09 Feb 1910
From 08 Feb 1921 to 27 Jan 1922
From 26 Jan 1933 to 13 Feb 1934
From 13 Feb 1945 to 01 Feb 1946
From 31 Jan 1957 to 17 Feb 1958
From 17 Feb 1969 to 05 Feb 1970
From 05 Feb 1981 to 24 Jan 1982
From 23 Jan 1993 to 09 Feb 1994
From 09 Feb 2005 to 28 Jan 2006

In Chinese Hsia Calender, 2006 is the 4703rd year and is also the third year of the New Fengshui Land Luck Period 8. The new Chinese Lunar Year is from 29.01.2006 to 17.02.2007. Here are the Annual Forecasts and suggested Fengshui & Crystal Remedies that you may need for the coming "New Year 2006 : Bing Xu, the Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog" :

CAREER :
A better year than 2005, but you are still not out of the woods. You can now come out of your isolation, move out of your territory, explore new avenues and regain your self-confidance, but there are still obstacles to be crossed and inconsistent luck to be faced. Those of you in the employment will encounter more difficulties and non co-operation. Frequent setbacks will lead to frustrations. Flexibility and adaptablility should be your seed mantra. But many of you will get timely help and guidance, if you look out properly. Some will migrate to distant lands, personally and professionally. But think hard and take professional advice, before switching jobs. You will be facing adverse conditions wherever you go. Be extremely careful when you sign any agreements. If you are in a job or practice that involves your speech skills, like a lawyer, PRO, salesman, insurance agent, etc., you will do much better. Display a Dragon & Phoenix statue for a general improvement and continue to wait for better times. Remember that the experience that you gather this year will be significant in future.

You are in punishment formation with the Tai Sui this year, so display the statue of a Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle alongwith a photograph of the presiding Year Authority of 2006 in the North West, to minimise the negativities of gossips and scandals. You should also wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or place the statue of a Rabbit in the East. (The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed.)

MONEY :
Average wealth luck. Some of you could get help and support from friends and superiors. Stars also indicate financial loss through wrong guidance and because of mistakes of others. Do not enter speculative markets. Stimulate money flow by using a set of large sized wealth coins. You can also place a 3-legged Money Frog over your counter, looking towards you.

HEALTH :
Normal health. Look out when you take the steps and avoid climbing very high. There could be some bruising and blood injuries. You might also suffer from viral infections and common cold throughout the year. You can try to pre-empt the destined by donating blood and getting your teeth cleaned by a dentist. Exercise, sleep and rest well. Meditate frequently to safeguard your mental health.

LOVE :
Much better luck in the household. If you try and avoid bringing your career karma into your home, you will settle down to normalcy as far as your home is concerned. If you are a single, be careful of your romantic relationships. Good luck for those who wish to expand their friendship circle.

Beneficial Crystal : White Quartz, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Ox, Snake & Dragon, for 2006

Conflict with : Rabbit, Dog & Rooster, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yin

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

page36

2008-08-16T05:56:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), you are symbolically identified as a "Rooster" :

From 22 Jan 1909 to 09 Feb 1910
From 08 Feb 1921 to 27 Jan 1922
From 26 Jan 1933 to 13 Feb 1934
From 13 Feb 1945 to 01 Feb 1946
From 31 Jan 1957 to 17 Feb 1958
From 17 Feb 1969 to 05 Feb 1970
From 05 Feb 1981 to 24 Jan 1982
From 23 Jan 1993 to 09 Feb 1994
From 09 Feb 2005 to 28 Jan 2006

page35

2008-08-16T05:55:00.001-07:00

The ancient Chinese Astrology is not only fascinating but also quite accurate. It's Zodiac is based on 12 signs, a cycle of 12 years and are named after 12 symbolic animals : Rat (or Mouse), Ox (or Buffalo or Bull or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare or Cat), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep or Ram), Monkey, Rooster (or Hen or Cock or Chicken or Phoenix), Dog and Pig (or Boar or Hog).

Your Chinese Astrological Zodiac Animal Sign is based on your Chinese Lunar Year of Birth. The Chinese New Year is movable and could start anywhere between 21st January and 20th February, depending upon the year.

If your Date of Birth falls into any of these below listed Chinese Lunar Years, then, because you are born in the Year of the Goat (or Sheep or Ram), you are symbolically identified as a "Goat or Sheep or Ram" :

From 13 Feb 1907 to 01 Feb 1908
From 01 Feb 1919 to 19 Feb 1920
From 17 Feb 1931 to 05 Feb 1932
From 05 Feb 1943 to 24 Jan 1944
From 24 Jan 1955 to 11 Feb 1956
From 09 Feb 1967 to 29 Jan 1968
From 28 Jan 1979 to 15 Feb 1980
From 15 Feb 1991 to 03 Feb 1992
From 01 Feb 2003 to 21 Jan 2004

In Chinese Hsia Calender, 2006 is the 4703rd year and is also the third year of the New Fengshui Land Luck Period 8. The new Chinese Lunar Year is from 29.01.2006 to 17.02.2007. Here are the Annual Forecasts and suggested Fengshui & Crystal Remedies that you may need for the coming "New Year 2006 : Bing Xu, the Year of the Yang Red Fire Dog" :

CAREER :
Not a stable year for career. Some of you will gain substantially while many others may fall from grace. If you can be patient, co-operative and flexible, you can get through and even grow in power. If you are bold, brave and unyielding, you will face hidden dangers and concealed cheats that could land you in situations leading to brawls, back-biting, scandals and lawsuits. Poor judgements in professional life and internal politics in office would end up in serious domestic crisis. Do not switch jobs and do not plan any expansions. But accept more responsibilities when they come and execute them to the best of your abilities, without worrying about the credits due to you. You would be better off acting conservatively rather than aggressively, right now. You will get your recognition and rewards, in time. Females will fare much better than the males. Wear an Amethyst Pendant and display the combined icon of Dragon & Phoenix alongwith the Rooster icon in the North.

You are in punishment formation with the Tai Sui this year, so display the statue of a Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle alongwith a photograph of the presiding Year Authority of 2006 in the North West, to minimise the negativities of gossips and scandals. You should also wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or place the statue of a Rabbit in the East. (The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed.)

MONEY :
Cashflow will just trickle in. Some of you could make irregular but spectacular monetary gains through timely and exclusive tips from influential people. Big expenses and high money loss are in store. You may have to spend a lot of money on health bills. Finding more financial resources will be the top job. Plant a Citrine or Red Cornelian Crystal Tree in the North. Plan your budget stringently and save anything that you can.

HEALTH :
Average health. Don't let your worries dominate your health. Sleep and rest well. Relax and meditate when you can. Some of you may get foot and throat problems.

LOVE :
Mixed luck here too. Be careful when you deal with your spouse. No arguments please. Spend quality time with your dear ones. Good mutual communication is a must, even if you are travelling. If you wish, install a pair of pink Mandarin Ducks in the South West of your bedroom.

Beneficial Crystal : Lapis Lazouli, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Rabbit, Horse & Pig, for 2006

Conflict with : Rat, Ox & Dog, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yin

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

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From 10 Feb 1910 to 29 Jan 1911
From 28 Jan 1922 to 15 Feb 1923
From 14 Feb 1934 to 03 Feb 1935
From 02 Feb 1946 to 21 Jan 1947
From 18 Feb 1958 to 07 Feb 1959
From 06 Feb 1970 to 26 Jan 1971
From 25 Jan 1982 to 12 Feb 1983
From 10 Feb 1994 to 30 Jan 1995

If you are in creative, advertising, writing or entertainment industry, you would progress greatly. Even otherwise, your path will be much smoother and results much faster. If you are posted abroad or simply travel overseas, look out for new money-making opportunities. You have to watch out for back-stabbing from people close to you. Be clear in your communications and clear any misunderstandings immediately. Focus on your long term goals, work hard, implement your good ideas, ignore provocations and preserve your patience. You are now better equipped to face challenges - face them bravely. You will finally get your recognition and reward. After getting them, be humble. Wear a Lapis Lazouli Crystal Pendant to take right decisions at the right time. If you are interested in part-time studies, go ahead, it will bring you sure success in the coming years.

You are offending the Tai Sui this year, so display the statue of a Three Generations Dragon Head Turtle alongwith a photograph of the presiding Year Authority of 2006 in the North West, to minimise the negativities of gossips and scandals. You should also wear a Fengshui Rabbit Pendant or place the statue of a Rabbit in the East. (The position of Tai Sui corresponds to North West this year. Tai Sui is also popularly called as Grand Duke of Jupiter and is an intangible energy body of war-like nature that should not be disturbed.)

MONEY :
Reasonably good money luck. But you will have a tough time in guarding it though. Beware of large expenses, especially of health, shifting and vehicle maintenance. Spend conservatively and avoid risky high-interest deposits. Invest in health insurance. Keep off gambling and money markets.

HEALTH :
A lot of minor health problems related to abdomen, digestion, endocrine and respiratory systems. Some of you may end up with minor cuts and burns. Accidents could happen while travelling, resulting in minor injuries. Mental and physical stress could lead to sleeplessness. Meditate and excercise. You can also try and pre-empt the above by donating blood and having your teeth cleaned by a dentist. Minimise the health issues by hanging a large sized original, natural Chinese Kalabash, in your bedroom, over your head.

LOVE :
Reasonble romantic luck this year. But be wary of fresh decisions though. Many of you will marry and settle down. But the romeos should be careful of over-spending their energies : they may live to regret later. Enjoy yourself, but don't cross the limits. If you are married, spend a lot of quality time with your spouse and family. Communicate freely and wisely. Do not allow misunderstandings to expand, but clear the conflicts immediately, then and there.

Beneficial Crystal : Red Jasper, for 2006

Good Relationship with : Tiger, Rabbit & Horse, for 2006

Conflict with : Dragon, Goat & Rooster, for 2006

Yin/Yang : Yang

A NOTE ABOUT REMEDIES :
The above analysis has suggested some remedies/cures for reducing the impact of negative energy and has recommended certain enhancers for increasing and improving upon the beneficial energy. For the remedies/enhancers to be effective, they should be cleansed, energised, blessed and programmed not only for the particular individual/family but also for the specific purpose/problem. They should also be placed in the indicated location. Any or all of these remedies can be reused for the coming new years, the only thing is that some of them may have to be repositioned according to the specific new year.

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Introduction
This article covers the basics of Astrology and how they are inter-related. Astrology is defined as 'the art or practice of determining the supposed influences of the planets and their motions on human affairs and human disposition'. From this practice a horoscope can be produced - a diagram (or chart) of the relative positions of planets and signs of the Zodiac at a specific time, usually the time of birth. A forecast can then be produced.

The Zodiac
Western Astrology originated way back, around 500 BC, with a concept called the Zodiac being developed. This comprised of an imaginary sphere surrounding the earth, which followed the path of the Sun through the constellations during the year. The Zodiac was split into twelve sections, each named after the specific constellation noted in that area.

Elements
Many ancient philosophies used a set of classical elements to explain the way nature behaved. Each sign was connected to one of the classical elements (fire, earth, air, or water) and was also related to a region of focus; social, personal or universal.

* Water signs are related to growth processes, identification and emotion. In tandem with the other elements, water feels that fire will make it boil, air will evaporate it, but earth will shape and channel it.

* Fire signs are related to action, passion, and energy. In tandem with the other elements, fire feels that earth will smother it, water will drown it, but air will fan and enliven it.

* Air signs are related to thought, perspective and communication. In tandem with the other elements, air feels that water will obscure it, earth will suffocate it, but fire will inspire and uplift it.

* Earth signs are related to sensation, stability, and practicality. In tandem with the other elements, earth feels that air will dry it, fire will dry it, but water will refresh and nourish it.

Modalities
Each sign is connected to one of three modalities; cardinal (sometimes referred to as movable), fixed, and mutable.

There are four quadrants following the order of the zodiacal signs, with three signs in each. Each quadrant describes a season, beginning with a cardinal sign, continuing to a fixed sign, and ending with a mutable sign.

Modalities and Related Zodiac Signs

Mutable signs are related to adaptability, resourcefulness and holism. They are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Fixed signs are related to determination, focus and individuality. They are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius.
Cardinal signs are related to creativity and initiation. They are Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

Summary of Zodiac Sign Characteristics

Aries (cardinal, fire, personal): defensive, energetic, head down, assertive, impulsive.
Taurus (fixed, earth, personal): patient, indulgent, resourceful, thorough, devoted.
Gemini (mutable, air, personal): quick, logical, inquisitive.
Cancer (cardinal, water, personal): clinging, protective, sensitive.
Leo (fixed, fire, social): theatrical, generous, proud.
Virgo (mutable, earth, social): critically, practical, efficient.
Libra (cardinal, air, social): lazy, co-operative, fair.
Scorpio (fixed, water, social): anxious, passionate, sensitive.
Sagittarius (mutable, fire, universal): careless, free, straightforward.
Capricorn (cardinal, earth, universal): suspicious, prudent, cautious.
Aquarius (fixed, air, universal): detached, democratic, unconventional.
Pisces (mutable, water, universal): distracted, imaginative, sensitive.

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What Are Tarot Cards?
Made up of no less than seventy-eight cards, each deck of Tarot cards are all the same. Tarot cards come in all sizes with all types of artwork on both the front and back - some even make their own Tarot cards. The meaning and the message of each one of those seventy-eight cards, however, always remains the same.

Tarot cards were first used by the Celtic people more than two thousand years ago. Many believe that Tarot cards serve only to tell the future, but this is not true. When used traditionally, Tarot cards speak of the past and present, and are supposed to give clues and ideas about the future that you are potentially heading into.

What's In the Cards?
Tarot cards are made up of four suits - much like any regular deck of cards. In fact, Tarot cards have all the same values as traditional playing cards: ace through king for each suit. Only one extra card is added to the royal family in Tarot cards - the squire, his position is just under that of the knave (also known as the jack).

The suits are as follows: wands, which in general speak of esoteric issues such as spirituality or creativity; swords, which speak of conflicts and tensions; cups (or pentacles), which are always about money; and cups, which deal in relationship matters and love. The other twenty-two cards of the standard Tarot deck are called the Major Arcana cards, and are all very specific. Cards such as the Devil, the Tower, and Death are in the Major Arcana.

How Could a Tarot Card Reading Actually Help Me?
When done traditionally, a Tarot card reading can put everything into perspective in a clear and understandable way. Every Tarot card reading is prefaced by a question, one that you do not have to reveal to your Tarot card reader but that you keep to yourself. Each card will come up in the past, present, or future position and will shed some light on the topic of your question.

Whether or not you believe in spiritual or esoteric things, or even in the art of telling the future, a Tarot card reading can help you better understand your own thoughts. You'll realize potentially dangerous patterns in your life, and get a better understanding of self. Even the question that you ask in your mind can help you understand something about yourself, and in this way a Tarot card reading can truly help you.

Can Anyone Read Tarot Cards, Or Do I Have To Call Someone or Go Online?
Anyone can learn how to read Tarot cards. There are many books available, both in online and physical bookstores that will tell you the meaning and message of each and every card. Every card in Tarot has a card-specific meaning, and a message or warning. The good news is, there's no secret about what these cards mean to convey - so you, too, can learn how to read the Tarot.

Once you know the meaning of the cards (and it's not something you have to memorize; it's perfectly okay to keep notes by you when you try to give yourself a Tarot card reading), you can read the Tarot for yourself or for others. Any book you read about the Tarot will explain the spreads to use - the way to lay the cards out to understand their meaning and placement in the scheme of your question.

An Ancient Mystery
Tarot cards are more ancient than religion. Tarot cards are older than most languages and most writing, and yet they are still around and are still being used today the exact same way they were used thousands of years ago. If Tarot cards didn't help people, why would they still be used and still be so popular?

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American Heritage Dictionary defines Astrology as the study of the positions and aspects of celestial bodies in the belief that they have an influence on the course of natural earthly occurrences and human affairs. Planetary observation is the basis of Astrology. The practice of astrology was prevalent in the ancient times as well. History of Astrology is an important part of civilization and goes back to the early days of the human race. Some of the well-known civilizations of the world used this field extensively. For example, the ancient Chinese civilization, the Egyptian civilization, the ancient Indian civilization, etc all practiced astrology at some point or the other. Arabs too practiced Astrology before the advent of Islam. Arabs were quite advanced in the field of Astronomy.

The ancient Babylonians were probably the first to use Astrology. The Babylonians were the first to name the days of the week after the Sun, Moon, and planets. They were also the first to set out the twelve houses of the horoscope. Baghdad and Damascus were known as centers of Astrology and Astronomy in olden times. Egypt contributed a lot towards the development of Astrology. It is thought that some of the astrological signs of the zodiac originated in Egypt.

Greek astronomer Ptolemy was the first ever person to write a book on Astrology. He codified the sun sign astrology that we know today. Ptolemy tried to predict the positions of celestial bodies relative to each other and the earth through knowledge of their orbital motions. During his time, astrology was a part of astronomy. Later, astronomy became an exact science and Astrology remained a part of Theology.

Chinese astrology stresses on the five elements, metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Even the zodiac signs used by them are also different from other forms of astrology.

India has a rich history of Astrology. Astrology was practiced even in the Vedic times in India. Astrology is one of the six disciplines of Vedanga. Ancient Hindu Scriptures too give a lot of importance to the various aspects of planetary motions and its effects on humans. Astrology is still studied and practiced by many in India. It is regarded as vital in Indian culture. It is used to make decisions about marriage, starting of new businesses, and moving into a new house etc. The Hindus believe that human fortune or misfortune in life is due to karma, and karma is believed to be influenced by the movements of the planets. Among the Hindus, Brahmins are considered to be the best authorities on astrology. The astrologers in India claim that it is a scientific method to predict the future. They still club this field of study within the parameters of Hinduism. Hindus almost unanimously believe in astrological predictions. In fact, religious Hindus cannot imagine life without Astrology. More and more Indians have started to build their houses according to the principles of Vastu Shashtra. This ancient Indian tradition is also governed by astrological implications. Hindus believe that the overall prosperity and benefits of the occupants is dependant on the Vastu principles while building the house. Indian Astrologers claim that they can prove that astrological predictions are indeed scientific.

Horoscope is a part of Astrology. Reading the horoscope daily has become a trend even in the developed countries of the West. The Western mind has always put everything subject to scrutiny and they tend to rely solely on scientific facts. But that is not preventing the western people from being obsessed with their horoscopes. Suddenly, the western world has woken up to the possibility of knowing and improving their future with the use of astrology. More and more westerners have started to believe in the possibility of getting affected by the powerful planets and stars. Western scholars have included the subject of astrology in their research. Astrology was never scrutinized and researched ever before the way it has been done over the last few years. In this regard, the Indian astrologers should come forward and show the world the power that astrology holds.

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History of India

¤ Introduction To Indian History

Anyone who has read romantic books written by British authors about India will be aware of the awe that they held India in. It was almost as if they were scared to step on the very road lest the stones turn out to be something Buddha sat on in the year dot.
Well, there's no anti-climax here – India is indeed very old. What is also remarkable is how well aware the common man on the street is about the history of India. The autowallah, of the rickety autorickshaw you take from Connaught Place to Vasant Vihar in Delhi, might turn out to be a surprising mine of information on the story of his country. He might have his dynasties a little haphazard and his dates slightly askew, because for majority of Indians history started with the Ramayana (see Ancient Scriptures and Folklore), but he will have his facts.
The reason behind this is perhaps as old as the country itself. The country has a tradition of verbal history; our ancients never did bother about putting things down on paper, having never had the privilege to be initiated to that fine old American business tradition. What's more, there's a logic for that too. Back then people believed in the power of the spoken word. They thought that words or syllables when pronounced just-so created magic. Remember that say-'be'-and-it-will-be thing? Well, that pretty much explains the awe that ancient Indians held the Word in.

¤ Indian History As A Romantic School of Thaught

The West discovered India through two distinct schools of thought. One was the romantic school which held everything Indian as mystical, wise, and very much a product of this land; F. Max Muller the German scholar was prominent among these. He conducted remarkably ingenious research into India, its antiquity, literature and languages. Through his work he made Indology almost as fashionable in the Western world as Egyptology had been.

¤ Indian History As A School of Classical Education

The other school of thought was of a more cautious, scholarly and literal bend of mind. These were European historians who had been brought up on classical education and had this unshakable belief in the civilization of the ancient Greeks. The idea that anything could possibly surpass or be anywhere near to that greatest of human achievements that was le miracle Grec was sacrilege to them.

So every newly discovered civilization, including Indian and Egyptian, was measured by the Greek yardstick and of course failed to come anywhere near. and everything remarkable or unique about the civilization was obviously inspired from the Greek example, as far as they were concerned.

Somewhere between these two was that body of diligent hardworking men comprising of British administrators in India who took up the task of discovering more about the country they spent most of their lives in. To these administrator-historians, including such men as J. Princep and Sir John Marshall (see Ancient Indian History), do we owe the actual finds that proved beyond a doubt India's claim to be up there with Egypt, Sumer, China and Mesopotamia as one of the most ancient civilizations that the world has produced.

¤ Today Indian History

Today Indian History, like the history of every ancient culture in the world, is broadly divided into four periods:

Pre-history
From the big bang, the primeval swamp to the Indus Valley Civilization (see Ancient Indian History). There is a tendency to sometimes include the Indus Valley Civilization in prehistory, since technically prehistory includes everything that happened before the Word happened. However, technically again the Indus Valley Civilization did have a script, although it has not been decoded yet. So, it's generally included in Ancient History nowadays.

Ancient History
For India, it begins from the Indus Valley Civilization (for which the date is a matter of hot debate, but historians have agreed to disagree on 3000BC) to just after the king Harsha Vardhana (see Ancient Indian History), which is around 700-800BC.

Medieval History
Starting from 800BC to mid-18^th century AD, that is, till the coming of the British. There is a slight hitch in this as the British were pretty much already there by this time, but again this is the accepted time when they suddenly woke up and said, "Hey we've got a kingdom going."

Modern History
From mid-18^th century to the independence of India, which is on August 15, 1947. Then the deluge. It is fashionable among historians to deplore the lack of historical sense among historical Indians, which has made their work very difficult.

What is heartening is that Indians still lack a sense of history and not much is being done to record contemporary history of India. So much so that a series on the Indian Independence movement was commissioned by the Indian government years ago to counter a British series on the subject. The series is still to come out, and don't hold your breath for it either.

Indian History might seem like a labyrinth, or one of those confusing Tower of Babel paintings. This is primarily because each region in India was pretty much doing its own thing and creating a history of its own. For the sake of everyone's sanity, we have tried in our sections of history of India to give you a brief background of what was happening in that period with special reference to the major dynasties of the era. of course, having known that much you’ll be hungry for more, for which keep watching this space as the saga unfolds!

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The Indian Independence movement

Main article: Indian independence movement

Gandhi and Nehru in 1937

The first step toward Indian independence and western-style democracy was taken with the appointment of Indian councillors to advise the British viceroy,^[48] and with the establishment of provincial Councils with Indian members the councillors' participation was subsequently widened in legislative councils.^[49] From 1920 leaders such as Mohandas Gandhi began mass movements to campaign against the British Raj. Revolutionary activities against the British rule also took place throughout the Indian sub-continent, these movements succeeded in bringing Independence to the Indian sub-continent in 1947.

Independence and Partition

Main article: Partition of India

Main article: History of the Republic of India

Part of a series on the History of the Republic of India
Pre-Independence
British Raj (1858–1947)
Indian independence movement (1857 - 1947)
Partition of India (1947)
Post-Independence
Political integration of India (1947-49)
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947
States Reorganisation Act (1956)
Non-Aligned Movement (1956- )
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Green Revolution (1970s)
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Emergency (1975-77)
Siachen conflict (1984)
1987 Sino-Indian skirmish
1990s in India
Kargil War (1999)
See also
History of India
History of South Asia
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Along with the desire for independence, tensions between Hindus and Muslims had also been developing over the years. The Muslims had always been a minority, and the prospect of an exclusively Hindu government made them wary of independence; they were as inclined to mistrust Hindu rule as they were to resist the Raj. In 1915, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi came onto the scene, calling for unity between the two groups in an astonishing display of leadership that would eventually lead the country to independence. The profound impact Gandhi had on India and his ability to gain independence through a totally non-violent mass movement made him one of the most remarkable leaders the world has ever known. He led by example, wearing homespun clothes to weaken the British textile industry and orchestrating a march to the sea, where demonstrators proceeded to make their own salt in protest against the British monopoly. Indians gave him the name Mahatma, or Great Soul, first suggested by the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. The British promised that they would leave India by 1947.

British Indian territories gained independence in 1947, after being partitioned into the Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. Following the division of pre-partition Punjab and Bengal provinces, rioting broke out between Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims in several parts of India, including Punjab, Bengal and Delhi, leaving some 500,000 dead.^[50] Also, this period saw one of the largest mass migrations ever recorded in modern history, with a total of 12 million Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims moving between the newly created nations of India and Pakistan.^[50]

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The Islamic sultanates

Qutub Minar in Delhi, commenced by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of Slave dynasty.

Main article: Islamic empires in India

See also: Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent, Bahmani Sultanate, and Deccan sultanates

After the Arab invasion of India's ancient western neighbour Persia, expanding forces in that area were keen to invade India, which was the richest classical civilization, with a flourishing international trade and the only known diamond mines in the world. After resistance for a few centuries by various north Indian kingdoms, short lived Islamic empires (Sultanates) got established and spread across the northern subcontinent over a period of a few centuries. But, prior to Turkic invasions, Muslim trading communities had flourished throughout coastal South India, particularly in Kerala, where they arrived in small numbers, mainly from the Arabian peninsula, through trade links via the Indian Ocean. However, this had marked the introduction of an Abrahamic Middle Eastern religion in Southern India's pre-existing dharmic Hindu culture, often in puritanical form. Later, the Bahmani Sultanate and Deccan sultanates flourished in the south.

Delhi sultanate

Main article: Delhi Sultanate

In the 12th and 13th centuries, Arabs,^[36] Turks and Afghans invaded parts of northern India and established the Delhi Sultanate at the beginning of the 13th century, in the former Rajput holdings.^[37] The subsequent Slave dynasty of Delhi managed to conquer large areas of northern India, approximate to the ancient extent of the Guptas, while the Khilji Empire was also able to conquer most of central India, but were ultimately unsuccessful in conquering and uniting most of the subcontinent. The Sultanate ushered in a period of Indian cultural renaissance. The resulting "Indo-Muslim" fusion of cultures left lasting syncretic monuments in architecture, music, literature, religion, and clothing. It is surmised that the language of Urdu (literally meaning "horde" or "camp" in various Turkic dialects) was born during the Delhi Sultanate period as a result of the inter-mingling of the local speakers of Sanskritic prakrits with the Persian, Turkish and Arabic speaking immigrants under the Muslim rulers. The Delhi Sultanate is the only Indo-Islamic empire to stake a claim to enthroning one of the few female rulers in India, Razia Sultan (1236-1240).

A Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur began a trek starting in 1398 to invade the reigning Sultan Nasir-u Din Mehmud of the Tughlaq Dynasty in the north Indian city of Delhi.^[38] The Sultan's army was defeated on December 17, 1398. Timur entered Delhi and the city was sacked, destroyed, and left in ruins.^[39]

The Mughal era

Approximate extent of the Mughal dynasty in the 17th century

Taj Mahal, built by the Mughals

Main articles: Mughal era and Mughal Empire

See also: Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Aurangzeb

In 1526, Babur, a Timurid (Turco-Persian) descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan, swept across the Khyber Pass and established the Mughal Empire, which lasted for over 200 years.^[40] The Mughal Dynasty ruled most of the Indian subcontinent by 1600; it went into a slow decline after 1707 and was finally defeated during the 1857 war of independence also called the Indian rebellion of 1857. This period marked vast social change in the subcontinent as the Hindu majority were ruled over by the Mughal emperors, some of whom showed religious tolerance, liberally patronising Hindu culture, and some of whom destroyed historical temples and imposed taxes on non-Muslims. During the decline of the Mughal Empire, which at its peak occupied an area slightly larger than the ancient Maurya Empire, several smaller empires rose to fill the power vacuum or themselves were contributing factors to the decline. The Mughals were perhaps the richest single dynasty to have ever existed. In 1739, Nader Shah defeated the Mughal army at the huge Battle of Karnal. After this victory, Nader captured and sacked Delhi, carrying away many treasures, including the Peacock Throne.^[41]

During the Mughal era, the dominant political forces consisted of the Mughal Empire and its tributaries and, later on, the rising successor states - including the Maratha confederacy - who fought an increasingly weak and disfavoured Mughal dynasty. The Mughals, while often employing brutal tactics to subjugate their empire, had a policy of integration with Indian culture, which is what made them successful where the short-lived Sultanates of Delhi had failed. Akbar the Great was particularly famed for this. Akbar declared "Amari" or non-killing of animals in the holy days of Jainism. He rolled back the Jazia Tax for non-Muslims. The Mughal Emperors married local royalty, allied themselves with local Maharajas, and attempted to fuse their Turko-Persian culture with ancient Indian styles, creating unique Indo-Saracenic architecture. It was the erosion of this tradition coupled with increased brutality and centralisation that played a large part in their downfall after Aurangzeb, who unlike previous emperors, imposed relatively non-pluralistic policies on the general population, that often inflamed the majority Hindu population.

Post-Mughal regional kingdoms

See also: Maratha Empire, Kingdom of Mysore, Hyderabad State, Sikh Empire, and Durrani Empire

India in 1760 A.D.

The post-Mughal era was dominated by the rise of the Maratha suzerianity as other small regional states (mostly post-Mughal tributary states) emerged, and also by the increasing activities of European powers (see colonial era below). The Maratha Kingdom was founded and consolidated by Shivaji. By the 18th century, it had transformed itself into the Maratha Empire under the rule of the Peshwas. By 1760, the Empire had stretched across practically the entire subcontinent. This expansion was brought to an end by the defeat of the Marathas by an Afghan army led by Ahmad Shah Abdali at the Third Battle of Panipat (1761). The last Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was defeated by the British in the Third Anglo-Maratha War.

Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, which was founded around 1400 CE by the Wodeyar dynasty. The rule of the Wodeyars was interrupted by Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan. Under their rule Mysore fought a series of wars sometimes against the combined forces of the British and Marathas, but mostly against the British with some aid or promise of aid from the French. Hyderabad was founded by the Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda in 1591. Following a brief Mughal rule, Asif Jah, a Mughal official, seized control of Hyderabad declaring himself Nizam-al-Mulk of Hyderabad in 1724. It was ruled by a hereditary Nizam from 1724 until 1948. Both Mysore and Hyderabad became princely states in British India.

The Punjabi kingdom, ruled by members of the Sikh religion, was a political entity that governed the region of modern day Punjab. This was among the last areas of the subcontinent to be conquered by the British. The Anglo-Sikh wars marked the downfall of the Sikh Empire. Around the 18th century modern Nepal was formed by Gorkha rulers, and the Shahs and the Ranas very strictly maintained their national identity and integrity.

Colonial era

Main article: Colonial India

Vasco da Gama's maritime success to discover for Europeans a new sea route to India in 1498 paved the way for direct Indo-European commerce.^[42] The Portuguese soon set up trading-posts in Goa, Daman, Diu and Bombay. The next to arrive were the Dutch, the British—who set up a trading-post in the west-coast port of Surat^[43] in 1619—and the French. The internal conflicts among Indian Kingdoms gave opportunities to the European traders to gradually establish political influence and appropriate lands. Although these continental European powers were to control various regions of southern and eastern India during the ensuing century, they would eventually lose all their territories in India to the British islanders, with the exception of the French outposts of Pondicherry and Chandernagore, the Dutch port of Travancore, and the Portuguese colonies of Goa, Daman, and Diu.

The British Raj

Main article: British Raj

The extent of the British Empire, with India and Burma shown in violet

The British East India Company had been given permission by the Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1617 to trade in India.^[44] Gradually their increasing influence led the de-jure Mughal emperor Farrukh Siyar to grant them dastaks or permits for duty free trade in Bengal in 1717.^[45] The Nawab of Bengal Siraj Ud Daulah, the de facto ruler of the Bengal province, opposed British attempts to use these permits. This led to the Battle of Plassey in 1757, in which the 'army' of East India Company, led by Robert Clive, defeated the Nawab's forces. This was the first political foothold with territorial implications that the British acquired in India. Clive was appointed by the Company as its first 'Governor of Bengal' in 1757.^[46] After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the Company acquired the civil rights of administration in Bengal from the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II; it marked the beginning of its formal rule, which was to engulf eventually most of India and extinguish the Moghul rule and dynasty itself in a century.^[47] The East India Company monopolized the trade of Bengal. They introduced a land taxation system called the Permanent Settlement which introduced a feudal like structure (See Zamindar) in Bengal. By the 1850s, the East India Company controlled most of the Indian sub-continent, which included present-day Pakistan and Bangladesh. Their policy was sometimes summed up as Divide and Rule, taking advantage of the enmity festering between various princely states and social and religious groups.

The first major movement against the British Company's high handed rule resulted in the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the "Indian Mutiny" or "Sepoy Mutiny" or the "First War of Independence". After a year of turmoil, and reinforcement of the East India Company's troops with British soldiers, the British overcame the rebellion. The nominal leader of the uprising, the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, was exiled to Burma, his children were beheaded and the Moghul line abolished. In the aftermath all power was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown, which began to administer most of India as a colony; the Company's lands were controlled directly and the rest through the rulers of what it called the Princely states.

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Northwestern hybrid cultures

See also: Indo-Greek kingdom, Indo-Scythians, Indo-Parthian Kingdom, and Indo-Sassanids

The founder of the Indo-Greek Kingdom, Demetrius I "the Invincible" (205–171 BCE), wearing the scalp of an elephant, symbol of his conquests in India.

The north-western hybrid cultures of the subcontinent included the Indo-Greeks, the Indo-Scythians, the Indo-Parthians, and the Indo-Sassinids. The first of these, the Indo-Greek Kingdom, founded when the Greco-Bactrian king Demetrius invaded the region in 180 BCE, extended over various parts of present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Lasting for almost two centuries, it was ruled by a succession of more than 30 Greek kings, who were often in conflict with each other. The Indo-Scythians were a branch of the Indo-European Sakas (Scythians), who migrated from southern Siberia first into Bactria, subsequently into Sogdiana, Kashmir, Arachosia, Gandhara and finally into India; their kingdom lasted from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 1st century BCE. Yet another kingdom, the Indo-Parthians (also known as Pahlavas) came to control most of present-day Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, after fighting many local rulers such as the Kushan ruler Kujula Kadphises, in the Gandhara region. The Sassanid empire of Persia, who were contemporaries of the Guptas, expanded into the region of present-day Pakistan, where the mingling of Indian and Persian cultures gave birth to the Indo-Sassanid culture.

Roman trade with India

Main article: Roman trade with India

Coin of the Roman emperor Augustus found at the Pudukottai hoard. British Museum.

Roman trade with India started around 1 CE following the reign of Augustus and his conquest of Egypt, theretofore India's biggest trade partner in the West.

The trade started by Eudoxus of Cyzicus in 130 BCE kept increasing, and according to Strabo (II.5.12.^[32]), by the time of Augustus up to 120 ships were setting sail every year from Myos Hormos to India. So much gold was used for this trade, and apparently recycled by the Kushans for their own coinage, that Pliny (NH VI.101) complained about the drain of specie to India:

"India, China and the Arabian peninsula take one hundred million sesterces from our empire per annum at a conservative estimate: that is what our luxuries and women cost us. For what percentage of these imports is intended for sacrifices to the gods or the spirits of the dead?"

—Pliny, Historia Naturae 12.41.84.^[33]

These trade routes and harbour are described in detail in the 1st century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

Gupta dynasty

Main article: Gupta Empire

Famous ancient fresco from the Ajanta Caves, made during the Gupta period

In the 4th and 5th centuries, the Gupta Dynasty unified northern India. During this period, known as India's Golden Age of Hindu renaissance, Hindu culture, science and political administration reached new heights. Chandragupta I, Samudragupta, and Chandragupta II were the most notable rulers of the Gupta dynasty. The Vedic Puranas are also thought to have been written around this period. The empire came to an end with the attack of the Huns from central Asia. After the collapse of the Gupta Empire in the 6th century, India was again ruled by numerous regional kingdoms. A minor line of the Gupta clan continued to rule Magadha after the disintegration of the empire. These Guptas were ultimately ousted by the Vardhana king Harsha, who established an empire in the first half of the seventh century.

The White Huns, who seem to have been part of the Hephthalite group, established themselves in Afghanistan by the first half of the fifth century, with their capital at Bamiyan. They were responsible for the downfall of the Gupta dynasty, and thus brought an end to what historians consider a golden age in northern India. Nevertheless, much of the Deccan and southern India were largely unaffected by this state of flux in the north.

Late middle kingdoms — the classical age

Main article: Middle kingdoms of India

See also: Harsha, Western Chalukya Empire, Pallavas, Pratihara, Pala Empire, Rashtrakuta, Rajputs, Hoysala Empire, Kalachuri, Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri, Kakatiya dynasty, Shahi, and Vijayanagara Empire

Chola architecture, Thanjavur temple

Hoysala Empire architecture in Belur

The classical age in India began with the resurgence of the north during Harsha's conquests around the 7th century, and ended with the fall of the Vijayanagar Empire in the South, due to pressure from the invaders to the north in the 13th century. This period produced some of India's finest art, considered the epitome of classical development, and the development of the main spiritual and philosophical systems which continued to be in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

King Harsha of Kannauj succeeded in reuniting northern India during his reign in the 7th century, after the collapse of the Gupta dynasty. His kingdom collapsed after his death. From the 7th to the 9th century, three dynasties contested for control of northern India: the Pratiharas of Malwa and later Kannauj; the Palas of Bengal, and the Rashtrakutas of the Deccan. The Sena dynasty would later assume control of the Pala kingdom, and the Pratiharas fragmented into various states. These were the first of the Rajputs, a series of kingdoms which managed to survive in some form for almost a millennium until Indian independence from the British. The first recorded Rajput kingdoms emerged in Rajasthan in the 6th century, and small Rajput dynasties later ruled much of northern India. One Rajput of the Chauhan dynasty, Prithviraj Chauhan, was known for bloody conflicts against the encroaching Islamic Sultanates. The Shahi dynasty ruled portions of eastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and Kashmir from the mid-seventh century to the early eleventh century. Whilst the northern concept of a pan-Indian empire had collapsed at the end of Harsha's empire, the ideal instead shifted to the south.

The Chalukya Empire ruled parts of southern and central India from 550 to 750 from Badami, Karnataka and again from 970 to 1190 from Kalyani, Karnataka. The Pallavas of Kanchi were their contemporaries further to the south. With the decline of the Chalukya empire, their feudatories, Hoysalas of Halebidu, Kakatiya of Warangal, Seuna Yadavas of Devagiri and a southern branch of the Kalachuri divided the vast Chalukya empire amongst themselves around the middle of 12th century. Later during the middle period, the Chola kingdom emerged in northern Tamil Nadu, and the Chera kingdom in Kerala. By 1343 A.D., all these kingdoms had ceased to exist giving rise to the Vijayanagar empire. Southern Indian kingdoms of the time expanded their influence as far as Indonesia, controlling vast overseas empires in Southeast Asia. The ports of southern India were involved in the Indian Ocean trade, chiefly involving spices, with the Roman Empire to the west and Southeast Asia to the east.^[34]^[35] Literature in local vernaculars and spectacular architecture flourished till about the beginning of the 14th century when southern expeditions of the sultan of Delhi took their toll on these kingdoms. The Hindu Vijayanagar dynasty[Karnata Rajya] came into conflict with Islamic rule (the Bahmani Kingdom) and the clashing of the two systems, caused a mingling of the indigenous and foreign culture that left lasting cultural influences on each other. The Vijaynagar Empire eventually declined due to pressure from the first Delhi Sultanates who had managed to establish themselves in the north, centered around the city of Delhi by that time.