Arts & Crafts

Arts and Crafts together create a potential force that enables artists to give material form to their innate refined qualities. It signifies the aesthetic sense, creative power and artistic quality of an artist is manifested. Arts and Crafts also have a great cultural and historical significance. Under the veneer of colors and craftsmanship can be found the rich history, culture, lifestyle and tradition of the bygone eras.

Both words have great value when they get implemented in practical manner. The young artists and craftsmen of today can learn a lot and innovate new ideas from the arts and crafts of the early days.

The Arts and Crafts Movement that created furor in the later half of the nineteenth century in Europe. It was a kind of social movement that emerged to point out the impact of industrialization on the society. The romanticism and the creative aspects of human beings were in decline and there was a clear shift from handmade crafts to the machine made ones.

It is difficult to classify the various streams and forms of Arts & Crafts . The variations of arts may include Decorative Arts, Drawings, Paintings, Sculpture, Photography and Videography, Dance , Singing etc. Ethnic as well as modern paintings and sculptures of brass, bronze and wood serve as great marvels for interior decorations. Crafts made from several resources like glass, wood, paper, plant products, metal, ceramics, porcelain, leather, fabrics and plastics can be used as indoor and outdoor decors or as gifts to the loved ones.

The practice of Arts and Crafts in India began from the Indus Valley Civilization and continues in the modern times. Fascinating Terracotta Crafts, Potteries, Textile Crafts and Metal Wares were the hallmarks of arts and crafts of the Indus era. The Mauryan era is famous for its Stone Sculptures and Jewelry .The handcrafted cave engravings of the Ajanta and Ellora capture Gupta arts in its finest form. Textile Crafts, Ornate Jewelries, Miniature Paintings and Sculptures characterize the Mughal era.

To get more insight on Indian arts & Crafts visit http://www.india-crafts.com/

Ancient Greek Pottery And Its Evolution

Pottery can be used as a classical support for understanding the antique Greek culture and civilization. The graphic illustrations skillfully fashioned on fancy pottery, reflect the manifold aspects of Greek life. The Greek empire from Stone Age to Hellenistic era has undergone quite a lot of changes. These alterations can be examined in terms of seven different eras through which the Greek society has passed. We will discuss in the following paragraphs how the Greek art of manufacturing pottery also underwent changes with the change in the different historical periods.

1 Greek Pottery In The Stone Age-

In the early Neolithic period Greek pottery was unadorned. In the mid Neolithic period people started decorating pottery with red and white geometric patterns. The newly formed and decorated potteries were known as Sesklo wares. Then the Dimni people of Greece in the late Neolithic period made special kinds of pottery which were black or cream in color.

2. Greek Pottery in the Early Bronze Age-

During this period the Minyan ware was found and it was brought by the indo European Greeks. It is a well made ware in a potter's wheel and is plain gray in color. It also has wide range of interesting shapes and sizes which was not found in the Stone Age.

3. Greek Pottery in the Late Bronze Age-

It was the Mycenean period and the Greeks started making designs on pottery. They made geometric shapes, humans, animals, sea creatures in cream colored background. The Greeks in the late Bronze Age made designs in black or red.

4. Greek Pottery in the Dark Age-

In this age the Mycenean civilization collapsed and so also the Mycenean pottery. People lost interest in the manufacturing of pottery. However this age also came to an end and people began manufacturing pots again. The pottery was made with circular drawings on it.

5. Greek Pottery in the Archaic Period-

In the 900 BC which is the archaic period the potters of Athens and Cornith regained their passion in pottery. In Cornith the artisans festooned miniature pots where the figures of mythical animals had been portrayed. The Athenians started painting mythological tales on their pottery and exclusive tales from Homer's Illiad.

6. Greek Pottery in Black Figure-

Gradually the clay pots of archaic period took a different picture as the focus shifted from shape of the pot to more and more scenes on it. A new style of painting developed and as a substitute of making human structures on the sketch, the potters now started to make natives in silhouette. The paintings were solely in black color.

7. Greek Pottery in Red Figure-

The Athenian potters in 500 BC, instead of painting the people black prepared the background of the pot black and made images on this black surface with red color. Though the painting was quite difficult the figures on the pot looked more realistic than ever. But 40 years hence the red figure Greek pottery also became extinct.

Greek pottery, as can be seen, went through many evolutionary stages giving us a wide variety of pottery ware, each unique in its own way.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend only the best online stores for greek pottery, antiques , and figurines.

Dance: The Beautiful Art

It is natural to want to dance and move whenever we hear music. With the drum beat of a military march, we want to march in time; the smooth circles of a waltz have the power to make us feel like twirling forever; and a lullaby makes us lilt our bodies into sleep. Dance is a natural expression and is a natural response to music that is heard externally or sometimes but rarely, it is in resonance with the sounds of inner joy, to which only the individual is privy.

Most people wish to dance, or enjoy dancing. It is a feature in the life of most people throughout the world who reveal the differences in their culture through the different types of music and the different styles of dance movement they develop in their traditional art. There is a different between the dance of a country barn dance or western line-up with a country band and the rap dancing with its accompanying intonation and sounds; between the tap dancers metallic beat to a popular tune and the ballet dancers soft pointed feet describing the patterns of a classical piece; the passionate guitar and strong heel beats of a Spanish flamenco and the smooth swirls of an Austrian circular waltz to the strains of a violin.

Music provides the powerful influence which we seek to express in movement and dance. In addition, if our own emotions are moved, we can convey how we feel by injecting our emotions into our physical movements. If music uplifts us, we may dance but wish we could fly and the best we can do is to raise our arms and elevate our bodies from the floor as best we can. If the music on the other hand is sombre, we would rather dress in garments of grey and drop our heads to respond in heavy deliberate movements to show what the music intends.

For the professional dancer, it is music which dictates the mood and demands that a dancer surrenders his body to that music, not just for his own pleasure, but for the sake of a wider purpose. Then the dancer surrenders to music as if it were the conductor, as he seeks to make his body its complete or final instrument .The dancer can only surrender to the music if he wishes his body to serve to express its influence. To dance to a rhythm without conscious thought is a pure reaction - it is not an art.

Dancers are agents of the music - there to express something of the spirit of his inspiration of the composer. If we like the music we are asked to dance to, there is an easy relationship and harmony between the music, the source of it and our bodies. It is all in tune and the dancer can add the ingredient of his own intelligence and pour his feeling through his body language. If we are not attracted to the music then the dancer is a mere puppet. In the future, to use a dancer without him having conscious desire to express the music will be seen as dancer abuse! It is not a true and fine example of the art form at all unless music and dancer are as one.

If we hear discordant sound and it is the fashion to move to it, one must be very skilled or insensitive or perhaps both in wishing to express chaos and discord. Life's real discordant notes are only too well known in the reality of living without having to bold type it all. Modern times are difficult with little rhythm, melody or harmony in any popular music.

In discothèques the lighting makes jagged vibrations through the chaos and to a dancer who is sensitive to the loveliness and the harmonies of inspired music, it creates an atmosphere which is unintelligent, purposeless and insane. There can be no reason why such occasions are not banned because of the noise, so as to preserve the health and the hearing of everyone concerned. The brains of all who participate are damaged - to what extent, only the future will reveal. Participants do not deserve the name dancer but often are enslaved by drugs and the hypnotic drum beats.

Modern music is not harmonious. Therefore a dancer's body must become jerky and strained, stretched to an extreme tension, tested beyond its inherent strength, making demands which are acrobatic, exaggerated, unnatural and unattractive in the main. Beauty is the ingredient which is neglected, even forgotten. And in judging the result, anyone witnessing such movement to such music may gasp at techniques which extend the boundaries of body capabilities - but which leave the audience empty.

Music is best understood as food for the soul. This was and remains the classical approach to the art which was dedicated to either the purpose of delighting the listeners, telling a story, honouring a greater person, state, ideal , expressing a nation's spirit, or in spiritual dedication to religious worship and the glories of God. Music was an expression which served to enrich the listeners. At its best and most powerful, music can stir the spirits of thousands, who for a time experience the pleasure of a feeling of unity beyond the diversity in human life.

The dancer depends upon the music. Dance is music made visible!

Dance has always been a part of human culture and will no doubt remain so. In past eras, as in ancient Egypt, dancers were trained in the temples, dedicated to the gods, their art was sanctified and they were used within the powerful ritual which were used in ceremonies and outer rituals to involve the people and to amass group thought in prayer. In the ancient Indian traditions the temple dancers held also a place of respect and their music and dances were dedicated to the gods.

In ancient Greece and in fact, in all ancient civilizations, it was the same - there were the temple dances and there were the folk dances of the general populace.

In our western culture we have no such equivalent system which allows each to have its place. In fact in our Christian religion and worship there is no place and never one has been considered, for dancing.

So in our way of life, we are the poorer. We only have resort to the dancing of the masses - that which only expresses the spirit of the people - and this is always uninspired. But we have our classical music which has served to inspire many millions of people throughout the world. So in this, we have a 'conductor' but where are the dancers who can make their bodies instruments capable of expressing the exquisite sounds and spirit of such glorious arrangements of notes? There are thousands of dancers with skill but have they attunement to the spirit to fulfil the needs of the art?

There are many musicians trained in classical music and many dancers trained in classical dance. Surely they can support one another to act as twin arts in creating something really beautiful?

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dance

Introduction To Dance

Dance Dancing is generally considered an art because there are specific steps or foot movements that need to be observed and followed when one is dancing to a certain type of music. Grace as well as skill is essential for a professional dancer in their performances. Though not everyone is gifted with the elegance required in being a talented dancer, learning the basics in dancing is important since you never know when your terpsichorean competence is required. A number of people enjoy dancing as an outlet of releasing one's tensions after a hard day's work. There are individuals who go an extra mile in trying to learn a new dance step in order to be up-to-date with the latest dance crazes. Fortunately for those who want to learn, there are dance schools that offer formal as well as short courses in dancing. Everyday, new dance steps and choreography are being invented hence, the evolution of dancing continues.

Dancing can also be a form of exercise to burn unwanted fat away. Many exercise regimens today have incorporated dancing as part of their physical activities. The rationale behind such incorporation is that dancing utilizes almost all parts of the body leading to a healthy blood circulation within your body. By combining dancing with your daily exercise, you can enjoy yourself while keeping your body fit and trim.

Dance music refers to the musical compositions that accompany the performance of a dance. Music is an essential part of a dance as a dancer's movement and steps are executed to suit the rhythm or tempo of the musical arrangement. Perfect harmony in dancing is achieved when the dancer flawlessly moves in synchronism to the music that is being played.

The dance music is normally monikered the dance for which it was named after. At present, you have the following dances - the bolero, the cancan, the cha-cha, the fox-trot, the jitterbug, the mambo, the meringue, the minuets, the polka, the tango, the salsa, the swing, the twist, the waltz, folk dances, rock and roll, modern dance, among others. Aside from the music that accompanies the dancer, each dance boasts of having their respective trademark steps and movements that symbolizes the particular dance. Thus, just by looking at the foot works and the hand movements, you can easily identify what type of dance is being performed.

Costumes are likewise essential parts of a dance especially if one is dancing as a profession or when one is engaged in a competition. One should comply in wearing the proper costumes since you would want to avoid an accident while dancing. For example, if you were the female dancer, you would not want to slip on your flowing dress when dancing the tango or the swing. Keep in mind that although your dress or costume accentuates your dancing, it is best to put on something that is comfortable and suitable. Shoes are another consideration when dancing. You must use appropriate shoes that ideally fits your feet and will not hamper your movements.

To dance is an expression of one's individuality. There are many dance forms that you can try to your heart's content.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Dance

Tattoos - A History

There was always an important role in ritual and tradition for tattoos. Women in Borneo used to tattoo symbols on their forearm indicating their particular skill. If a woman was to wear a symbol showing she was a skilled weaver, her status was then considered as prime marriageable material. To ward away illness tattoos were place around the wrist and fingers. All throughout the history of tattoos, they have signified membership in a clan or society. Even groups today, like the Hells Angels, tattoo their group symbol. It has sometimes been believed that the wearer of an image that was tattooed calls the spirit of that particular image. If that belief holds true, the ferocity of a tiger would belong to a person with a tiger tattoo. That tradition seems holds true even today shown by the images of tigers, snakes and bird of prey tattoo on a person's body.

The word tattoo is said to come from the Tahitian word "tatu" which means "to mark something". Tattooing has arguably been claimed to have existed since 12,000 years BC.

Tattooing's purpose has varied from culture to culture and its place on the time line. The earliest tattoos can be found in Egypt during the time of the construction of the great pyramids (It probably started much earlier) but this is the earliest recorded history. After the Egyptians expanded their empire, the art of tattooing began to spread as well. The ancient civilizations of Crete, Greece, Persia and Arabia picked up tattooing and expanded the art form. Around 2000 BC tattooing was then spread to China. For communications among spies, the Greeks used tattooing. Certain marking identified the spies and showed their rank. The Romans used tattoos to mark their criminals and slaves. This tradition continues even today. In western Asia girls coming of age were tattooed to show social standing, as were the married women.

The Ainu people of western Asia were known to show the Japanese the art of tattooing. It Japan tattooing was developed to be used in a religious and ceremonial rites. The women of Borneo were the tattooists. They were the one to produce designs that showed indications of the owner's station in life and what tribe he belonged to. New Zealand developed a facial style of tattooing that is still used today. It is called Moko. There are even tribes found in Alaska that practiced tattooing. Their style indicated that it was learned from the Ainu. There is even evidence that the Incas, Mayans and Aztecs used tattooing on rituals.

William Dampher is the one who is responsible for re-introducing tattoos to the west. He was once a sailor and an explorer who traveled the South Seas. In 1691 he brought a heavily tattooed Polynesian named Prince Giolo to London. He was known as the Painted Prince. He would later put on exhibition, a money making attraction showing off his tattoos and became the rage of London. Before that it had been 600 years since tattoos had been seen in Europe. It would be another 100 years before tattoos would make it's mark in the West.

Chatham Square in New York City was the birthplace of the American style tattoo. At the turn of the century, Chatham Square was a seaport and an entertainment center that attracted working-class people with money. Samuel O'Reily came from Boston and set up shop there. Samuel O'Reily was the first one to patent the first electric tattooing machine. The machine was based on Edison's electric pen which punctured paper with a needle point. The basic design of this machine was with moving coils, a tube and a needle bar, are the components of today's tattoo gun. The electric tattoo machine allowed anyone to get a reasonably priced and readily available tattoo. As the average person could easily get a tattoo but it was the upper classes that turned away from it. He took on an apprentice named Charlie Wagner and when O'Reily died in 1908, Wagner opened a supply business with Lew Alberts. Lew Alberts had trained as a wallpaper designer. He then transferred those skills to the design of tattoos. He was noted for redesigning a portion of early tattoo flash art.

It wasn't until the late 1960s that the attitude towards tattooing changed. A lot of the credit should go to Lyle Tuttle. He then tattooed celebrities, particularly women. Television and magazines went to him to get information about tattooing. Tattooing has made a strong comeback. It is more popular than ever.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Tattoos

Writing Hit Songs

There are a lot of factors to writing a hit song. First, you should focus on writing a good song. Once you've done that, you are not far away from writing a hit.

Like most other things in life, it takes persistence, patience, drive, knowledge, belief and maybe some luck.

Stop and think about your favorite songs. Really analyze them and figure out what it is that you like about those songs.

Different factors may come to play here. Maybe it is the good beat, lyrics that hit home, a beautiful melody, something spiritual or patriotic, or maybe even that it is humorous.

If you include one of these elements in your songwriting you are well on your way. If you combine two or more of these elements, you may have yourself a hit.

A Good Beat

Rhythm is important in music. I have to laugh and think of Jerry Van Dyke on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" years ago trying to play the banjo and sing, "I've got rhy-rhy-thm, I've got mah-mah-music..."

But, unless you are very funny like Jerry Van Dyke, your audience is not very likely to stay with you.

Your music not only needs to have a good beat, but must fit the genre of music you are trying to write. A Metallica beat in a George Strait type song may not get you very far. A song with a good enough beat might be a hit even with no melody and no lyrics. Remember "Green Onions?"

Along with the beat is the tempo. Country music is easy to write (I did not say it is easy to write well) because it is about people's lives and everyday experiences. However, too often people write slow songs for country music, when in fact the industry is starving for upbeat country material like "Country Roads" and "Rocky Top." It is much harder to write a good up-tempo country song than it is a tear jerker.

Lyrics in popular music can range from broken relationships to political issues, and just about any point in between. Those that tend to be the most popular are about situations you and I may encounter in our everyday lives; "Workin' 9 To 5," "I Just Called To Say I Love You," "Your Cheatin' Heart," "God Bless The USA" (which ingeniously incorporates spiritual, political and patriotic views).

A beautiful or interesting melody can get you into the ranks of hit songwriter with no lyrics required. Going back in time to prove a point about beautiful melodies, you might consider songs like "Last Date" and "Sleepwalk."

Songs with great melody lines are very easy to be found in many hit TV show themes like "Peter Gunn," "Hawaii 5-0," along with many of the 60's surfer songs like "Wipe Out."

Well done humorous songs usually find an audience, such as Ray Stevens "The Streak," and Jerry Reeds "She Got The Goldmine, I Got The Shaft." If you have a knack for both humor and music, you might make a fortune.

Spiritual and patriotic songs, if they are well done and come out at the right time, are easy hits. Every time the U.S. gets involved in any type of world conflict, the songwriters get their pens out.

Keep your ears and eyes open, and keep a shoe box to put your ideas for songs in. Every time you think of an idea for a song or a song title, write it down and drop it in the box. It could be your first, or your next, big hit.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Entertainment

How To Write A Song

Did you ever wish that it was your song playing on the radio? It could be. It is not that hard once you know the formula. With a little creativity, a little knowledge, a little luck and a good formula to follow, your song could be one of the next biggest hits.

Songwriting comes easy for some, and is very difficult for others. I have actually written songs in my sleep, and immediately upon awaking, written it as quickly as I could get the words on down on paper.

What I want to discuss here is popular songwriting, like the songs you hear on the radio. A good pop song, whether rock, country, middle of the road, is composed of two things: a catchy tune and some good lyrics.

There is a formula that most great songwriters use to write great songs. It regards the structure used to write a song. Granted, it is music and it is art, so the rules are not hard and fast. But if you want to increase your chances of getting your song on the radio, it is a good starting point.

Here is the formula. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus.

Write that down on paper leaving plenty of space between each word and this will be your script.

Verse

The verse is the part of the song that tells the story, the part that leads to the chorus. Each verse is usually different, telling a different part of, or adding to, the story. It usually explains how you got to the things you are singing about in the chorus.

Chorus.

The chorus is the part of the song that is repeated after each verse. The lyrics are usually the same each time the chorus comes around. The verse usually leads to the chorus, and the chorus is usually the pay off for listening to the verse. Does that make sense?

Here is a lame example (you did not think I would give you my best work, did you?):

(verse)
My dog is sick, he's got a tick
He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

Now, if you would kindly stop laughing at my lame song for a minute, I want you to think about whether or not you understand my point. Songwriting is story telling. The verse tells the problems, the chorus expresses the results or the emotions.

All right, now that you have that mastered, let's tackle the bridge. Ah, yeah, there is more to the song than the pain and the release. We need the diversion. That is what the bridge is; it is the diversion from the verse and the chorus.

The bridge may have a slightly different melody to it, or it could even have a different rhythm or a different tempo (Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" did a great job on this technique).

Let's go back to the lame song and add a bridge:

(verse)
My dog is sick, he's got a tick
He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(bridge)
Tomorrow is a better day, I've got a new truck on the way
My dog just had a flea it seems, so once again I'll live my dreams

(chorus)
Oh, woe was me, can't you see
Woe was me, but now I'm free

The bridge offers a solution to the problems I was having. You don't want to leave your listener on the edge of suicide, you want to give them hope.

Notice, I also changed up the wording of the chorus. This was done to reflect my new found joy.

One more thing on formula. It can be anyway you want, but most verses and chorus come in lines of 4. So, instead of this:

(verse)
Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

it would be:

Oh, woe is me, can't you see
Woe is me, will I ever be free
My car broke down, just out of town
It got towed in, but it's broke again

The same goes for the chorus. Again, if you are creative, do it however you want. But for a new songwriter, this gives you some guidelines to scratch out and start carving out your new creation.

One more thing, do not make the notes to the melody so high that your fans cannot sing along. We are certainly all not Stevie Wonder.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Karaoke: Fun or Foolish?

Aaah, karaoke! It brings to mind people singing in bars who really should not be singing, usually encouraged along to the stage with the help of alcohol. The music can vary, but usually, the song is well-known and either the original singer has been removed from the music or their singing has been reduced to a much lower volume so the new singer can sing along with the music. The music starts, the lyrics come up on the TV screen and the singing begins for better or for worse!

The word karaoke comes from two Japanese words meaning empty and orchestra. Karaoke started in Japan and then spread to the rest of eastern Asia in the 1980s and from there has spread worldwide. It is enjoyed in many countries worldwide and has many fans. One common myth is that karaoke means "tone-deaf" in Japanese, but that is not true, even though in many cases, it often can be applied to those trying to sing along with the lyrics on the screen.

The way people karaoke is different in Asia and the United States. In Asia, a karaoke box is the most common way of being involved in karaoke. A karaoke box is a medium or small-sized room that contains karaoke equipment and is a place where groups can rent the space for a specific amount of time. In this regard, those who decide to partake in karaoke are only making a fool of themselves in front of a group of friends instead of a bar full of complete strangers. In China, the generations mingle in traditional Chinese restaurants. At these restaurants they have mahjong-karaoke rooms where the older folks can play mahjong and the younger crowd can have fun with the karaoke, although it probably ends up being a lot louder than your typical mahjong game. At least the younger folks will not complain about being bored as often!

In North America and Europe, usually you go to a bar or restaurant and they happen to have karaoke equipment that you can use. Some places offer it every night while others specify certain nights during the week as open mike night for karaoke. Usually it is free to karaoke, since the bar or restaurant expects that they will make more on food and drinks with the increased patronage. One other interesting point is that the popular show American Idol is basically a glorified national karaoke contest.

If you're looking for your own karaoke equipment, you can find equipment and special music all over the internet. You can even download karaoke music for use at home. These days you don't even need extra special equipment to make your own karaoke CDs and have your own karaoke party at home!

Karaoke is fun for many people. For others, they may feel like fools, but hopefully they're having fun. Karaoke may not be for everyone, but it can at least be fun to watch, as other people sing well, horribly or are just plain funny and bad at it.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Guitars

Entertainment - Opera

Trying to get your 16 year old acid rocker son to go to an Opera is like trying to get President Bill Clinton to admit that he had sex with that Lewinsky gal. You've got one big fight ahead of you. The truth is, if we didn't have the opera, we wouldn't have some of the other great music of our time as ultimately every form of music, especially Broadway musicals, comes from the classics. And there is no more classic than grand opera.

There's a reason that most operas are sung in Italian. Most of the great writers of opera were Italian. The few English language operas we have, like "The Barber Of Seville" don't compare to the old grand Italian operas. And it is those operas that have given us some of the greatest singers in the history of music.

Great singers go back many years. Keeping this discussion to the 20th century, one needs to go no farther than the incomparable Jussi Bjoerling, as he was called. Bjoerling lived from 1911 to 1960. He actually wasn't even Italian but Swedish born. But he was one of the greatest of our time. He was the leading tenor at the New York Metropolitan Opera for more than 20 years. Some of this most memorable performances however were not done at the Met but at the Rome Opera House under the direction of Jonel Perlea where he appeared in some of the greatest operas ever written, including "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Tosca" and "Carmen", just to name a few.

In the opera world, many people were constantly comparing Bjoerling to another great tenor by the name of Enrico Caruso. Caruso actually came long before Bjoerling, having been born in 1873. At the time he was considered the greatest tenor of all time. After the arrival of Bjoerling, the debate began. Most opera lovers are torn between the two as to who is the greatest. Caruso actually had technical problems early in his career that he did not overcome until the turn of the century when he was finally able to move away from resorting to falsetto or transposition. Caruso gave many memorable performances during his all too brief career which included probably his most popular role in "I Pagliacci" where he sings what has become his most famous aria, "Vesti La Giubba".

The opera world did not just belong to the men. There have been many great women who have come to the opera stage over the years. One of the most famous of these is Leontyne Price who was born in 1927 and still lives today, though she has long stopped her operatic career. Price had many victories in her career. Her biggest was probably on January 27, 1961, when she made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House while playing Leonora in the Verdi classic "Il Trovatore". Her performance was so incredible that it resulted in her getting a 42 minute standing ovation. This was one of the longest in the history of the Met. The critics reviews of her performance labeled it as "flawless".

These few greats only scratch the surface of what opera has given us. If you've never been to the grand opera, by all means go. Even if you have to leave your 16 year old acid rocker home.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Humor - See You In The Funny Papers

You wake up and the first thing you do is head for the front door to take in the morning paper that you pay good money to have delivered. The mornings that it doesn't come are enough to make you head to the phone, call up the delivery service and read them the riot act. Not that you're so upset that you're not going to find out what our illustrious President did today. You're waiting to see if Lisa's cancer has really come back and wondering how Funky is going to take the news.

Welcome to the world of the funnies.

Let's face it, the first section we pull out of the paper in the morning is the funnies. We started reading them when we were kids and continue to read them even as adults. Titles come and titles go, including some of our favorites, but there is always something to take their place and put a smile on our face in order to get us through the day.

Funnies come in all shapes, sizes and themes. The number of ways they entertain us and make us laugh, or even cry, are limitless. Some of them have been around for so long that they feel like a member of the family. There are the funnies that come in single boxes like "The Family Circus" where a cartoon is worth a thousand words. The most poignant Circus funnies are the ones where one of the small children ask one of the parents a question that usually involves trying to explain the illogic of adult actions. They're funny and thoughtful all at the same time.

Then of course there are the fu nnies like "Dilbert", which has been one of the most popular comics over the past couple of decades. Dilbert combines technical and office humor in a way that is both weird and yet so true. We can certainly identify with many of the stupid things that the pointy haired boss does. While not as popular as in its early days, this comic still hits very true to home in its own bizarre way.

Looking for humor in uniform? There is always "Beetle Bailey", which is one of the longest running comics today, having begun on September 4, 1950. We've been laughing at this look at the army and a few of its inept participants for over 50 years now. Reading this comic and looking at the world today makes you wonder if our own military is really run any better.

Maybe you want a humorous look at married life. Look no farther than "The Lockhorns". This is a comic that turns marriage into a battle of the sexes that neither can seem to win. The wife in the comic can't cook and the husband is as lazy as they come and can't keep his eyes off of other women. It is every stereotype of modern day marriage that you can think of and it never stops making us laugh.

These few funnies only scratch the surface of the number of comics we get to enjoy every morning when we open up the daily paper. That's of course when the paper boy remembers to deliver it.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor - An Introduction

Humor. What is it? Humor is different things to different people. One person may find it awfully funny to see somebody trip over a couch and do a pratfall onto the floor. Another person may find it awful or just not funny. One joke may have a crowd of people laughing like crazy in Portland, Oregon, while in Paris, France, the same joke will have no effect at all.

A lot of what we find humorous has to do with where we live, the time we live in and how we were brought up. Even the language we speak has a lot to do with what we find funny. That's why, as a comic, you have to know your audience. You have to take a look at the city you're performing in. If you're doing a stand up routine in a city like New York, you're probably going to want to do a lot of jokes about how violent and crazy the city is. New York is full of things to make fun of. However, if you're in a city like Howell, NJ, you'll probably want to stay away from a routine that pokes fun at the city.

There are many different kinds of humor. There is of course your stand up comedy. This is where a comic gets up on stage and tells a number of stories and jokes to entertain a crowd. This is probably one of the most demanding forms of humor that there is. There is no chance for a retake or re-shoot. You're live, on stage and all alone. This has to be the scariest type of performing there is.

Then there is what they call slapstick humor. This is where a comic or more commonly a group of comics will engage in a routine that involves physical activity that results in a funny conclusion, such as a pie in the face or hitting somebody over the head with a two by four. Slapstick humor is usually pretty good for getting a laugh out of someone. As a race, we just love to see people get hit. The reasons why are probably best left to psychiatrists to figure out.

Another type of humor, which isn't as common today as it was years ago, is pantomime humor. This is where an actor or group of actors will perform some kind of skit that involved absolutely no speaking whatsoever. Their actions would tell the story and in turn would make people laugh. This is not easy to pull off. Facial expressions are very important when performing pantomime humor.

More recently, we have the situation comedy. This has been around pretty much since the dawn of the television era. A situation comedy is just that. It's a show that presents some kind of situation within the time frame of a half hour that will ultimately resolve itself within that half hour. During this time, the dialogue will be presented in such a way as to make jokes out of many of the responses and comments. This is a very difficult form of humor to pull off as it requires both the telling of a story and being funny at the same time.

Of course, there is always humor that takes the printed form as well, such as jokes, comics and humorous stories. The amount of humor that has gone to print is beyond measure. Just take a look at your daily newspaper's comics section.

In the following articles in this series, we will take a more in depth look at some of the forms of humor and examine them. Hopefully, you may even get a chuckle out of it.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Toys

Humor - Unintentional Humor

It's one thing to laugh at something that's meant to be funny. After all, that's what joke writers, cartoonists, sitcom writers and the like want us to do. If we don't laugh at their material then they haven't done their job and most likely won't keep it for very long. The list of sitcoms that have lasted just a few episodes is a mile long. The number of comic strips that have seen one printing can be measured in light years. And the number of joke writers who never got out of playing the local dives...Well, you get the picture.

But what about laughing at things that aren't supposed to be funny? Let's face it. Everyday in our own lives we run into a situation that is funnier than anything you've ever seen prewritten. Where do you think joke writers and cartoonists get their material from? As hard, sad and tragic as life can too often be, it is also many times just rip roaring hysterical.

Need some real life examples that you can probably relate to?

What about when you go to the supermarket, give the checkout girl your courtesy card (that thing that lets you get stuff at discount prices) and suddenly the scanner starts going crazy? It beeps and it beeps and it beeps. It doesn't stop beeping and she can't figure out how to make it stop. So she goes running around the store to look for a manager to help her figure it out. Finally he arrives and starts working on the scanner. But he can't get it to stop either. Suddenly you start to notice that every employee within hearing distance of this non stop beeping is standing around waiting to see if the scanner can get fixed. That's when the girl and the manager realize that all that was needed was to press the reset button on the register itself. It's done, they stand, stare and laugh. And you can't help but laughing with them. If this has never happened to you, just take a trip to one of those no frills supermarket chains.

What about when you're at an auto dealer looking for a new car? You've found one that you like and the manager tells one of the prep boys to bring it around back. Just at that same moment, another prep boy is pulling a car around back for another customer. Each car is being backed up into the lot. And sure enough, you see it coming, the two cars are heading right for each other in reverse with neither prep boy aware of the other one in his rear view mirror. Wham! The manager and the owner may not be laughing but it's all you can do not to bust out in hysterics.

Unfortunately, sometimes humorous things happen at the worst times. Like an outdoor funeral where mourners are following along with the service holding the handouts that were given to them at the church. Suddenly there is a strong wind and you're stuck deciding between hanging onto your hat or trying to hang onto the little booklet when suddenly you start seeing pages of liturgy blowing into the wind. It's not funny, but it's funny.

The truth is, life can be very funny. This is not necessarily a bad thing. Not with all the pain and sadness that goes along with it.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor - Stupid Questions

One of the most common forms of humor is in asking questions, that when you think about them, make no sense. Oh, the questions themselves make sense all right. It's the things that they are questioning that make no sense when you really sit down and ponder the situation. We're going to ponder some of the more common ones that philosophers have been wrestling with for years and still haven't found an answer to. It is doubtful any answers will be found here as well.

For example, why do people go to a McDonald's, order a Big Mac, large fries, apple pie and then insist on getting a diet soft drink? When you think about it, what sense does this really make? The Big Mac alone has close to 1000 calories. The fries are a good 450 and heaven knows what the apple pie has in it. A person ordering this meal has already consumed almost all the calories they need for the day, so the diet soda isn't going to help ease the situation that's certainly leading this person to an early cardiac episode.

Here's one that should keep quite a few of you up at night. Scientists say that the Universe is everything. The concept of everything should be clear to everyone. However, scientists also say that the Universe is expanding. If the Universe is everything to begin with, then what is it expanding into? This is kind of like saying you have all the money in the world but want more. There IS no more. Weird.

Okay, this one is sure to have you scratching your head. Doctors practice medicine and lawyers practice law. These are people whom we entrust our health and legal problems to. These are people who have the most influence over whether we live or die. Shouldn't they be good enough at what they do that they don't have to practice it anymore? Do you really want your doctor practicing on you while he's doing open heart surgery?

And if you really want something that makes no sense at all, picture this situation. The city of New York has just had a major power outage. Everyone in the city is without light. They can't do anything that requires electricity. So somebody please explain why they report power outages on TV? The people who can see it aren't affected and the people who are affected can't see the report and already know there's an outage anyway since they have no lights. The illogic of man is just mind numbing.

This should raise at least a few eyebrows. The price of something, how much it costs, and the worth of something, are basically the same thing. So then how come priceless and worthless are total opposites?

How about this? Somebody puts a bumper sticker on their car that says, "If you can read this, you're TOO close." If they don't want people to tailgate them then why put bumper stickers on their car in the first place? Who's going to see it BUT the tailgaters?

We could go on and on but you get the point. Lots of stupid questions in our world. Now if only somebody could come up with some smart answers.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor - No Sense Of

You've heard the old phrase, "No sense of humor". We use it every time we tell somebody a joke and they don't laugh. Maybe you've just witnessed something funny, like a person tripping over a step stool and tumbling to the ground. You bust out in laughter but you friend, standing right next to you and seeing the same thing that you just saw, has absolutely no reaction whatsoever. You stare at your friend in disbelief. How could he not laugh at something like that?

Why people laugh at certain things and not at others is as mystery to everyone. If it weren't, sitcoms would never fail. Every show that ever hit the tube with the intention of making us laugh would be an instant hit. But they're not. Why? What goes wrong with the process? Why is someone getting hit in the face with a pie funny to one person and not another? Why is the same joke funny to one person and yet the same joke when told by another person gets no reaction?

There are theories as to why people don't find things funny, but that's all they are, is theories. Nobody has the answer to perfecting humor. Note all the failed sitcoms. One theory is that it's all in the delivery. In other words, how a joke is told. This might explain how the same joke, when told by two different people, generates two different responses. Or in layman's terms, some people just don't know how to tell a joke, no matter how funny the joke itself is. As funny as Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First" routine is, imagine it being done by two people who just don't have the talent for performing. Your favorite routine can quickly turn into a bland performance.

Another theory is that whether or not something is funny to a person has a lot to do with what they have or have not been through in life. This can actually work in both ways. If a person has been the victim of a crime, they may not find humor involving cops and robbers as being very funny. However, somebody who has been on an air flight that was delayed for several hours can relate to humor based on airline delays and may actually find such a routine funny. Or they may think back to the hell that it was and not find anything funny about it at all.

And still another theory is that some people just don't find anything funny. Humor itself is not something they respond to. Think about why you laugh at something. In many cases it's because of what you've learned about a subject and the joke is poking holes at it. A person who simply finds nothing as being funny may just look at the hole poking as another part of the subject itself. In other words, they don't get the joke. An example would be a joke that goes like "Trying to get the post office to deliver the mail on time is like trying to get President Bush to tell the truth". The person may simply not see the connection or humor in that statement and all the explaining in the world isn't going to make him see it.

Until we figure out for certain what makes something funny, sitcoms are still going to fail miserably and nobody is going to understand why.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor - The Funniest People Of All Time

As a race, we've been laughing at one thing or another for a very long time. The number of comic acts that have come and gone over the ages is staggering. Some were good, some were not so, but some were beyond description. These were the best of the best. These were the ones who made us laugh harder than anyone else. In honor of these great funnymen, we take a look at just a few of them here.

There was probably no greater comic duo than Abbott & Costello. At the height of their popularity, they made several movies in one year, something you don't see happening today. Their most classic routine was "Who's On First". But they were so much more than that, entertaining us on radio, in movies and on television with their own TV show.

Another great duo was Laurel & Hardy. They were many years before A & C but no less funny. Their classic movie "March Of The Wooden Soldiers" is shown every year around Thanksgiving. It has become a tradition. While they didn't make as many movies as A & C, they did do a number of short subject films, such as the classic "The Piano" that will have fans laughing for years to come.

If you're looking for single performers, look no farther than Charlie Chaplin. Without ever saying a word, he made us laugh harder than just about any single person in history. He was the king of the silent film era. His numerous short subject films were some of the funniest ever made, including "The Rink", "The Cure", "One A.M"., "The Immigrant" and so many more. The Charlie Chaplin film festival can still be seen in various parts of the world.

From duos, to single performers to trios. No greater trio existed than The 3 Stooges. Moe, Larry and Curly took the art of slapstick to new levels. This in spite of the tragic lives that they suffered through. Even after Curly died at such a young age, Shemp Howard, the third of the brothers, reluctantly took over in spite of his fears of performing. Nobody ever had a clue.

Then there was the Marx Brothers. Groucho, Chico and Harpo, Each one had their own personality and shtick. Groucho was the funny man with a million one liners. Chico played piano with a flair that was unequaled. And then there was Harpo, who never said a word and yet was probably the funniest and most beloved of all. His harp playing was simply gorgeous. Their movies like "A Night At The Opera" and "Duck Soup" are pure classics.

And who could forget the great duo of Martin and Lewis? That would be Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis was probably one of the craziest funnymen ever. He played off the straightman Martin's cool crooner looks like a pro. Even though their partnership ended badly, they will always be remembered for the laughter that they gave us.

This list not only barely scratches the surface but hardly does justice to these great performers. If you've never seen their work, do yourself a favor and rent some of their videos. You won't be sorry.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor and Your Relationship

What is it about Humor that can really get things going? Have you ever been in a workplace meeting where everyone is "brainstorming" some new idea? Everything is going stagnant and nothing is getting done. Everyone is inputting his or her ideas but nothing seems to gel. All of a sudden, someone cracks a joke, the tension is gone and the meeting rolls along.

While attending a meeting in a computer manufacturing business, one of the participants looked over at the table and saw these beautiful cookies laid out for everyone. She commented, "Since I'm new, I have to ask, do we have these cookies at every meeting? I'm concerned I'm going to gain weight while working here". Another participant stated, "Of course and it is a problem because when B started here, he was only 120 pounds". At this, everyone just roared since B was about 220 pounds.

Humor helps people to relate to each other. As kids, we are always cutting each other down in jest. We can't be serious all the time because our relationship won't grow. At a party, who is the star? Isn't the one that shines the one that is telling stories that are comical or telling jokes? Have you said, "He's so funny, I love to be around him". Do you remember a joke that someone said? In a conversation, your memory may all of a sudden stumble across a joke that someone said even years ago. We may be in the middle of a serious conversation and all of a sudden, we remember something funny that someone said. We have to contain ourselves because of the seriousness of the conversation but we just want to bust out laughing. If we do lose control, the other participant of the conversation is having a hard time seeing what you are laughing about due to the seriousness of the conversation. Do you let them in on the joke?

People that are serious all the time can become lethargic and depressed. Have you ever been around someone that just broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend? They're down and all you want to do is get them back up. So, you start telling them jokes. You cut them down and tell them here's my opportunity to kick you while you're down. You ask them since Susan dumped you can I date her now? You’re willing to say anything to get them back up. (Besides, he knows you didn't even like Susan!)

Being constantly depressed can change your body's biochemistry. Often, people that are chronically depressed are treated with pharmaceutical drugs. Many of these individuals may have a family history of depression. Humor can change the person's biochemistry and if significant enough, could it possibly alter the level of need to be dependent upon pharmaceutical drug?

Although it is not the subject matter of this article, there is a lot of scientific study in this area. People that are suffering from depression do well when their counselors utilize humor as a medium in their relationship. There is a lot of opportunity to benefit from various therapies such as music therapy and art therapy.

People that are humorous are fun to be around. They tend to be very energetic and have a lot of friends. Friendship makes the world go round.

Have you read your joke of the day?

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Humor - The Benefits

Did you know that the sound of someone laughing is more contagious than a cough? Research has shown us that there are many benefits of laughing. Laughing triggers the chemistry of the will to live and it will increase your capacity to fight disease. Having a good laugh will relax your body and reduce issues associated with high blood pressure. It will also help with problems associated with arthritis, ulcers and strokes. There even has been research showing that it may also reduce the risk of heart disease.

It makes sense because emotions that are distressful, such as anger, depression, stress and anxiety, are related to heart disease. You can't be angry or anxious if you are having a really good laugh. The University Of Maryland Medical Center did a study that showed that having a good sense of humor during a stressful situation could help the damaging physical effects of distressing emotions. Here are a few things that having a good mirthful laugh will do for you: it will reduce your stress; boost your mood and your immune system. It will lower your blood pressure, improve your brain function, help you become relaxed and make you feel good and protect your heart.

People who laugh on a regular basis have lower blood pressure than the average person. When you laugh your blood pressure will initially go up then become lower than the normal level, your breathing will then be deeper and that sends oxygenated blood throughout our body. Laughing will decrease your stress hormone and will increase antibodies to fight infections.

Having a sense of humor may help protect you against a heart attack. Research shows that laughing may help prevent heart disease and also found that people that already had heart disease were about 40% less likely to laugh compared to other people about the same age that did not have heart disease.

Ever laugh so hard your stomach hurt? That's because we get a really good workout when we laugh. It will workout your diaphragm, abdominal muscles, respiratory, leg and back muscles. Laughing hard will tone your intestinal functioning and will make the muscles that hold the abdominal organs in place stronger. You can burn about the same amount of calories laughing than on an exercise bike.

Doctors have pointed out that having a sense of humor can teach perspective by helping people see the reality of the situations rather than distort it to support their distress. Humor can shift the way we think and distress can alter the way we think. It really isn't the situation that causes stress; it is the meaning we put behind the situation. Humor can adjust the meaning of the situation so that it is not so overwhelming.

Try these few ideas to help improve your mood and have a sense of humor on life. Try to laugh at events rather than be distressed by them. It will improve your disposition. Try laughing to help release any pent up anger or frustration by visualizing a humorous event to replace the anxiety-producing situation.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Humor

Mosaics: An Ancient Art Form

Mosaics are an art form that has been around for thousands of years. What we recognize as a mosaic today, pieces of glass or ceramics set into patterns in concrete or grout, had its beginnings in ancient Greece. Before that, people made things that were similar to modern mosaics, but were different in a couple of vital ways.

Most experts agree that the origins of mosaics started in the Orient. One example of this is in Chaldean society around 2000 BC. Instead of glass, the Chaldeans used small cones of painted clay that were set into surface of columns for decorations. Fused glass was first discovered by the Egyptians and they began decorating everything with it, including their ships. From Egypt, the use of fused glass spread slowly across the world. Early on, in Greece, mosaics were crafted out of pebbles that had been worn down in water. The pebbles (or ciottoli) were set in the pictures carefully so that shading and designs were created to make the pictures more realistic. They also used thin strips of lead to highlight and define lines in the pictures. Often these mosaics were used for floor decorations, so your entire floor could be one huge mosaic. Not only was your home more beautiful and interesting, it was functional as well.

By the 4th century BC, the art of mosaics changed greatly. The Romans expanded on and made changes to the art that had been passed on to them by the Greeks. The Romans began to use smaller pieces of both stone and glass. Because they were using smaller pieces, the pictures could be more detailed and complex. Mosaics could be found everywhere from floors to ceilings to even walkways where mosaics were made from stones and pieces of marble.

In due time, the Romans passed their mosaic making skills onto the Byzantines who took it to even greater heights. The number of mosaics and the skill and intricacy involved in them are phenomenal during this period in Byzantium. With the fall of Byzantium in the 15th century, however, mosaic making fell out of favor and was not practiced much if at all until the 19th century. Since then mosaics have persisted in one form or another.

Today, mosaics are alive and well. It is an easy art to learn, but it can take a lifetime of infinite possibilities to master. The variations and potential for so many different pieces is infinite. You can buy items for your mosaics, including pre-cut tiles or glass. You can use broken dishes from around your house, or even random items you find such as shells or rocks. Inspiration is all around you, from historical examples to more modern mosaic art. Many examples of ancient mosaics still exist, some of them remarkably intact and well kept. You could attempt to recreate a drawing or painting that you like into a mosaic, or you could take a historical example and try to recreate it. The possibilities are endless and the scope of your project could be huge or small, depending on what you plan on using it for.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Mosaic

Games - Dungeons and Dragons

In the world of cult games, probably none captured the imaginations of kids more than Dungeons & Dragons. This was a game that was so unique that the rules of the game were that there were really no rules. How you played was limited only by your imagination.

The game was actually influence by the great book "Lord Of The Rings". The gentlemen who created Dungeons & Dragons, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, were such Rings freaks that they turned their love of the book into what became one of the most popular role playing games of all time. This vision first took form in 1973.

This game was not like your traditional board game. The fact is, it didn't have a board at all. The original Dungeons & Dragons game came with a map. The players would follow the map to see where it would take them and ultimately uncover the rewards and dangers that lay in store for them.

There were no real rules to the game. Each game that was played could have as many players as you wanted. Each player would take on the role of a different character, which was also made up based on various races. The common races were humans, elves, dwarfs, orcs and a number of others. Each race then had various professions or specialties. For example. You may decide to play a human character who was a fighter. Maybe you preferred to play an elf who was a cleric, someone who healed other characters. The common professions aside from fighters and clerics were wizards, mages, paladins and thieves. Each profession had a different skill. Mages and wizards were very adept in casting magic spells that could be quite powerful in a battle against the enemy. Clerics had great healing powers. Thieves had the ability to pick locks and disarm traps.

In putting together a party to go out adventuring, it was a good idea to put together one that had a number of different skills. A common 6 member party consisted of 2 fighters, 1 cleric, 1 wizard, 1 thief and 1 paladin. This party was diverse enough to handle anything that it happened to run into.

And what exactly did these parties run into? Anything and everything. There were monsters of all kinds in the game of Dungeons & Dragons, from goblins to skeletons to the all dreaded dragon itself. Each monster had its own powers and abilities. Some monsters were easy to defeat and others were quite hard.

The excitement of the game was in creating a character and watching your character gain skill levels. Characters start at the lowest levels and work their way up to the highest levels possible. This could literally take months or even years of play.

Each character itself is made up of various abilities such as dexterity, strength, intelligence and a number of others. The scores for these abilities are randomly generated by dice, which are the whole engine of a Dungeons & Dragons game. The common dice used are 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 100 sided. These dice are also used to determine the outcome of battles and the ability to disarm traps. They even determine what treasures may or may not be found. And the amazing thing about all this is that there is no board, no pieces, nothing but paper and pencil and the dice. It is just about the cheapest game to play while being the most fascinating.

If you have never experienced the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons, you owe it to yourself to get yourself a party and go exploring.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Toys

Games - American Heritage Games

In the early to mid 1960s, Milton Bradley came out with some interesting games all marketed under the label of American Heritage games. These were all war based games and at the time were very popular. Unfortunately, they drifted off into obscurity and are now some of the rarest games around if you can even find one. Collectors are getting a mint for some of these.

The series started in 1961 with the Civil War Edition. This game was a very scaled down Civil War battle game. Each side had only 22 pieces consisting of 10 Infantry, 10 Calvary and 2 Artillery pieces. In order to do combat with an enemy piece you had to line up your piece adjoining it in some way, either side to side or facing the piece. Also, in order to defeat the piece you had to have superior battle strength. Infantry and Artillery had the greatest strength of 2 and Calvary had a strength of only 1. You could combine your pieces in any way but in order to attack with Artillery you had to have a Calvary piece with it. To remove a piece you jumped over it, except Artillery pieces did not jump. The game was won by removing all the pieces of the other side. However, your opponent could surrender if he felt there was no way for him to win.

The next game in the series was the 1962 edition of Broadside. This was a game that was probably based off the old wars between Britain and Spain during the pirate days, though no actual description of a timeline is given. The object of the game is to position your frigates in such a way as to take shots at your opponents ships and knocking out one of its masts. There are also land based cannons that can attack enemy ships so getting too close to land can be very dangerous. The game itself isn't very complicated and honestly not all that interesting either, but it does contain some really cool miniatures that you can play with and the board is very colorful. Not one of Milton Bradley's better efforts.

In the year 1963 the American Heritage series continued with Dogfight. This was a World War I air battle game between the American and German air forces. The game is a very light version of WW I air combat and not for really serious gamers. Each side gets 6 planes divided into 2 squadrons of 3 planes each. You have to try to maneuver your planes around so that you can get a clear shot at an enemy plane without getting shot yourself. For each plane you shoot down you get a token. These tokens are used to get cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.

The final game in the series was Hit The Beach. This game came out in 1965 and was a WW II edition of the marines landing at the Japanese beach. In this game both players are the Americans and the object is to be the first side to reach the Japanese HQ. The Japanese defense forces are obstacles to both players in this game. In this game each player has 6 pieces composed of 2 Marines, 2 Infantry, 1 naval landing support ship and 1 strategic air support aircraft. If when moving your pieces you land directly on an opponents piece, you send that piece back to the start. This is ultimately how you become the first one to reach the Japanese HQ. This was probably the most interesting and exciting of all the American Heritage games.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Arts

Games - Monopoly

Monopoly is arguably the most popular game of all time. It actually goes back to the 1930s during the height of the great depression. The game was presented to executives at Parker Brothers in 1934 by a Charles Darrow. Believe it or not, the game was rejected by Parker Brothers for what they called 52 design flaws. Darrow could have given up, but he didn't, which is a good thing. One year later, in 1935, Monopoly finally saw the light of day. It immediately became the best selling game in America. In the 70 plus years since it is estimated that the game has been played by over 500 million people.

The Monopoly board is actually designed after the city of Atlantic City in New Jersey. That design hasn't changed in all the years since the game has come out. Yes, there have been collectible variations of the game replacing the street names with characters and places from a variety of TV shows and movies, but the original Monopoly game itself has stayed the same all these years.

The object of the game is actually very simple. As you go around the board by rolling the dice, you buy property in an attempt to charge people rent every time they land on your property. The game is over when everyone has run out of money and can no longer pay the owner of the various properties.

Because of the slow build up of the game, Monopoly games can last for hours or even days. The longest Monopoly game on record lasted 70 days. The average game usually lasts about 3 or 4 hours. The reason the game is so slow to build is because of the slow rate at which property values increase.

When buying a property, which is always part of a 2 or 3 property lot, you can't build value to the property until the entire lot is purchased. Then, once the entire lot is purchased you may only build one house on each lot at a time. In order to build hotels on each lot you need to have four houses accumulated first. Because of this, it takes a very long time to reach the point where you are receiving a substantial rent for your property when somebody lands on it.

Aside from the board layout itself, Monopoly has many other trademarks which have become classic to the game, starting with the original pieces which were made out of die cast metal. The famous, hat, dog, car and other pieces of the game have become as identifiable as the game itself. Aside from the tokens, there are the famous properties such as the railroads and utilities. There's the cards of chance broken down into Chance and Community Chest cards, each with its various rewards and penalties which have also become a staple of the game itself.

In the history of games itself, there will probably never be another game that has so captured the imagination of a country. And we owe that to a man by the name of Charles Darrow, who refused to accept the word no.

We all owe him a debt that can never be repaid.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Toys

Games - Stratego

If you were around in the early 1960s, one of the biggest crazes to hit the era was the game Stratego. The game is difficult to compare to any other game, except maybe for chess because it is played with pieces that are ranked, just like in chess, but aside from that very loose similarity, the games are nothing alike. The truth is, there has never really been a game like Stratego since.

Milton Bradley was one of the greatest makers of games during the time and Stratego was no exception. The basic premise of the game was two armies battling against each other, one red and one blue. The piece values were military in rank, but not the kind of military ranks that we are used to in modern times. The lowest ranking piece is the spy. After that they are ranked as follows; scout, miner, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major, colonel, general and marshall. The higher piece always captures the lower piece with one exception. The spy, if it attacks the marshall first, removes the marshall from the board, but only if he attacks first.

The players take turns moving one piece at a time over the board, which is a battle field. The object of the game is to capture the enemies flag. The flag can be placed anywhere on the board and so since the pieces' ranks are hidden from the opponent, including the flags, you have to try to guess where on the board the flag is. To help protect the flag, each player is also given 6 bombs. If any piece hits a bomb it is blown up, with one exception, the miner. The bombs and the flags cannot be moved. All other pieces can be moved one square at a time, either forward, backward, left or right, except for the scout, which can move any number of open spaces, but cannot jump over a piece.

In the course of attacking the attacking player picks up his piece and hits the piece he is attacking with it. At this time both players reveal the ranks of their respective pieces. The higher rank wins. If both pieces are the same rank then they are both removed from the game. Again, if the spy hits the marshall, the marshall is removed, but it the marshall strikes first the spy is removed.

Some strategy, since the players are looking for the bombs in order to find out where the flag is, is to place some bombs at locations not near the flag so as to throw the other opponent off. Also, it is a good idea to place some high ranking officers around the flag as well.

Because the pieces can be set up any way the player likes, the number of setups are virtually unlimited. As a matter of fact, there are Stratego sites online where they give tips on various setups that have proven to be very effective.

Stratego was one of the most enjoyable and exciting games back in the 1960s and still is even today.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Toys

Games - Might & Magic

Video games have come a long way in the 30 plus years that they have been in existence. Many have come and gone. Some were good, some not so good. But very few had the impact of the Might & Magic series, loosely based off the Dungeons & Dragons role playing and video games.

Might & Magic itself had a very long series with one loosely tying into the next. The original Might & Magic games were crude in comparison to the later versions. But one of the major differences was that the early Might & Magic games were turn based as opposed to the later games which were real time.

The turn based Might & Magic games were just that. You would make your way through the towns and mazes of the lands and when an encounter came against an evil creature or group of creatures, the action would turn from real time to turn based. During this phase the player would plan out his strategy of how he would attack the big bads. After programming in his attacks he would hit the attack button and the computer would compute the results. This continued until the battle resolved one way or another with the player either defeating the creatures or losing in the process, thus ending the game.

Real time based games were real time throughout. If during the course of making your way through the towns and mazes you ran into a creature or group of creatures, the action would continue. The attacks would come at you as you were walking, running or even flying. In return, you would attack the enemy while either advancing on them or retreating. This type of battle took more skill than brains. There are those who preferred the turn based games and those who preferred the real time games throughout.

The Might & Magic series lasted for quite a number of editions. Probably the greatest of these was Might & Magic VI, which at the time was the largest mapped video game ever. The adventure covered no less than 10 different cities and areas. A game could last from 6 months to a year or longer. The levels that your adventurers could reach were beyond counting. Eventually, if you lived long enough and gained enough power, which included finding some really powerful lasers, you could wipe out an island of red, blue and gold dragons in a matter of minutes.

To win the game, you had to defeat the evil queen who was surrounded by her minions from hell. The Hive, the last battle of the game, was guarded by just about every demon of the underworld. Not only did you have to defeat the queen but also had to make your way out of the hive with certain items or the world as you knew it would be destroyed.

If you are new to video games and want to play one of the most incredible games ever made, get a hold of a Windows 95 operating system and pick up an old copy of Might & Magic VI. You won't be sorry.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to GAMES

Games - Adult Party Games

As social morality began to loosen (what many call a decline) the big rage among adults was the adult party games. One of the first ones was "Bottoms Up" but it didn't end there. Today, there are more adult party games than you can shake a stick at. But what exactly IS an adult party game? Well, for those of you who have been living in a cave for the past 30 years, we're going to give a brief overview of the various types of adult party games that you're likely to find.

The first adult party games were probably the most dangerous because they involved drinking. Lots of it. One of the early adult drinking games was "Bottoms Up". The premise of the game was basically pretty simple. You went around the board by roll of the dice and did whatever each square told you to do. If you landed on a Bottoms Up square then you took the shot glass off the square and drank whatever was in it. The variety of drinks people used for the game were numerous. Those who were not so daring would use wine or even soft drinks. But there were some pretty hard core drinkers in these games and it was very easy to get very drunk, very fast. The knock offs of Bottoms Up came fast and furious, all focusing on the theme of drinking.

But drinking games were not the only adult party games. From drinking we moved on to sex. There were about as many titles of adult sex games as their were drinking games by the time the adult party game craze got into full swing. One of the most popular adult sex games today is "Monogamy". It was actually voted adult game of the year once. The game itself is a board game where the couple moves around the board and follows the instructions on the cards that are turned over whenever a square is landed on that indicates to pick a card. There are cards for him and her. There are also fantasy cards.

The game is a mixture of conversation and activities. Some of the activities are relatively tame while others can be quite steamy, depending on what level you play. Since the game is only for 2 people, it is usually played between husbands and wives or at least a couple who are together. The board itself is very colorful and the "track" on the board is shaped in the form of a circle or wheel. There really is no winner or loser in this game, as with most adult party games. It's simply getting down to the object, whatever that may be for each person.

While "Monogamy" is for 2 people, there are many adult party games involving sexual activity that are for groups of people where you could end up with just about anyone in the game, even if they are the same gender. Some adult party games get pretty wild.

If you are new to this sort of thing, you may want to start slow by getting Monogamy and playing at the lowest level, then working your way up. It's a great way to get your feet wet, among other things, in the world of adult party games.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to GAMES

Barnum And Bailey

There is actually no physical proof or evidence that shows P.T. Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute". What we do know for sure is that Barnum and Bailey's "Greatest Show On Earth" has been entertaining us for generations and has given us some of the greatest and sadly, most tragic moments in circus history.

Barnum and Bailey's circus goes back to the 19th century. P.T. Barnum was born in 1810 in Connecticut. He actually met Bailey while an owner of a retail fruit store in Bethel. Right from their first encounter, Barnum knew that this was a man he wanted to do business with. It turned out to be one of the greatest partnerships of all time.

The first Barnum and Bailey circus was actually not called a circus at all but a museum, a traveling one. The first one was opened in 1841 in New York. People would be ushered through the museum in an orderly fashion and if they wanted to go back in they would have to pay another quarter to do so. It was during this time that Barnum introduced the Freak Show to the circus. He didn't do this because they were deformed, but because they were truly different from regular people and he believed that regular people would pay to see them. He was more right than even he could have imagined.

The actual golden age of the circus didn't hit until the 1850s. By this time, about 30 circuses were touring the United States. During this period the circus was the most popular form of entertainment in the United States. In many places, this was the only form of entertainment they had all year and waiting for the circus to come to town was an event in itself.

In 1869, the Ringling Brothers, who eventually bought out Barnum and Bailey, began touring the country with their circus trains. Barnum took credit for this but the idea was actually not his but the Ringling Brothers'. Because of the animals that had to be transported, special cars needed to be constructed in order to do this. This led to the eventual development of the "piggyback" system of rail freight handling.

Over the years, the Ringling Brothers circus, still using the Barnum and Bailey name as a selling point, grew to massive proportions. But this growth wasn't without its problems. The worst accident in circus history occurred on July 6, 1944. The regular flame retardant top of the circus tent was leaking from the rain, so they replaced it with a top that was far from fire proof. That day, with over 7000 people in attendance, the tent went up in flames. Eventually, the tent poles collapsed and the roof caved in. In the aftermath, 168 people were either burned or trampled to death. About 80 of them were kids. Almost 500 people in total were injured and the claims by insurance companies came to almost $4 million.

But the circus survived and was reborn, giving us such great performers as the immortal Gunther Gabel-Williams, who is said to be the greatest lion tamer of all time.

Yes, the circus is alive and well and coming to YOUR town.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Night Clubs

Night clubs were really big during the 1920s and 1930s. Plenty of movies have been made depicting the night club scene. Some have, no doubt, be glamorous portrayals and some not so. The roaring 20s certainly had its share of excitement at the local night club with its torch singers and comics. This tradition lasted for many years, all the way to the era of night club performers like Dean Martin and Buddy Hacket. But over the years the nightclub scene has changed a lot, mostly because people have changed. The world will live in is a lot different from the world of the 20s and 30s. There's more to do and more to see. Suddenly, sitting in a club and listening to somebody belt out a few songs isn't the thrill it used to be. Hearing a 3rd rate comic tell a few bad jokes doesn't do it for people as much as it used to. So what exactly has happened to the night club?

Well, the night club is still around. It's just changed a lot since the early days. Today, the night club scene is more about getting the audience involved than ever before. In addition to the entertainers, who still make the scene, there are other forms of entertainment that take place at various night clubs, depending on where you go.

For example. Some night clubs have amateur night, which is really a scream. This is where people in the audience get up on stage and perform. They might sing, or tell jokes, or even do magic tricks. You have to look hard to find night clubs that offer this activity, but they exist. And for those who are daring, it is an awful lot of fun and a great way to get over your stage fright.

And of course there are your night clubs located in the gambling districts of certain cities that offer their patrons the chance to maybe win a little money on the side. Oh sure, this went on in the 20s and 30s too, but in back rooms with a guy by the name of Vito rolling the dice. Today, this is done out in the open in specially designated rooms for these activities.

Then there are some night clubs today that have nights that don't feature any live entertainment at all. On these nights you will usually have a DJ spinning the latest hit records of yesterday and today to dance to. They may even run a dance contest that evening and award a prize to the best couple, as voted by a select panel.

Obviously, the night club wouldn't be complete with the drinks. Most night clubs have just about every kind of alcoholic beverage that you can think of. The bartenders who work at your finer night clubs are highly skilled. These aren't the kind of guys you're going to find at the corner bar. These are the cream of the crop.

A night club can still be and is a very enjoyable experience. If you've never been to one, grab a hold of your best girl and take her Club 7 in Las Vegas. You won't be sorry.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Entertainment

Ballet: a Beautiful, Graceful History

Ballet is a demanding art. Ballet dancers are trained to move their bodies in unnatural ways and if they are good, they make it look natural. Sometimes it seems as if they are defying gravity with their leaps and they manage to keep a perfect balance as they spin around and around without becoming horribly dizzy and falling down.

The history of ballet goes back about 600 years to the Renaissance in Europe. Originally dancers would entertain audiences in the pauses between opera scenes. In 1581, the Ballet Comique de la Reine was performed in France and is usually considered to be the first ballet. With this beginning of ballet, France became the capital and center of the ballet world. In 1661, King Louis XIV of France founded the Royal Academy of Dancing to train dancers to perform for his court. Soon other companies were founded in other countries; the Russian Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg was founded in 1738. The Italians also became well known for their style of ballet. In the early 1800s, more women began performing in ballets. Dancing en pointe, or on their toes, also began around this time. France was still the capital of the ballet world, but soon dancers graduating from ballet school spread out to other countries, most notably Russia, which soon became large player on the world stage of ballet.

In the beginning, most ballets revolved around classic mythology, usually Greek mythology. Through the years, ballet has evolved and some told stories of their own, some interpreted stories from writers such as Shakespeare and others were just about the beauty of the music and the dancing itself. Early dancers in the 18th century were burdened by corsets, masks, wigs, heeled shoes and hoopskirts. Soon however, dancers began changing their style of dress to something more recognizable as a style worn today. They discarded their heeled shoes, hoopskirts and corsets to allow their bodies to move more freely and to also allow the audience to see the expressive movements as they told the story. Masks and wigs were eventually dropped as well as the dancers became more expressive in their movements.

There have been many dancers and choreographers over the years that have left their indelible mark on the dancing world. Ballet is a demanding profession and many times, when the dancers become older or their bodies begin to rebel on them, they become choreographers who understand intimately the needs of their dancers. Some of the world's most famous choreographers began as dancers.

Ballet has evolved through the years and has changed as the needs and wants of the choreographers and audience have changed. You can still see the roots of the dancing itself when watching a ballet, but those who watched what was considered the first ballet in 1581 probably would not recognize what it has evolved into today. Some of the moves practiced today would be recognizable to those audiences and the spirit and love of ballet still exists much as it did then.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Ballet

Caravaggio's Life

Caravaggio is an extremely well known Italian painter who painted in the Realistic Baroque style of art. His dramatic use of light and dark is revolutionary. Many other painters have tried to paint like him and failed.

Caravaggio's real name is Michelangelo Merisi. He was born in 1571 in the town of Caravaggio; this is where he got his professional name. His father was Fermo Merisi, a steward and architect. At the age of eleven, Caravaggio was orphaned and apprenticed to the painter Simone Peterzano for four years.

Some time between 1588 and 1592 Caravaggio moved to Rome and became an assistant to Giuseppe Cesari, a pupil of Titian. He painted flower and fruit pieces for him which are now lost. After that, he moved from job to job working for other painters. This was a very unstable period in his life. After a while, Caravaggio decided to set out on his own and sell his paintings.

Caravaggio found a dealer that began to sell his paintings, Maestro Valentino. Valentino eventually showed Caravaggio's paintings to Cardinal Francesco Del Monte, who had great influence in the court. Del Monte invited Caravaggio to come and live at the house of the cardinal and receive a pension. He painted about 40 paintings for Del Monte, which mostly included paintings about adolescent boys.

In 1597, Caravaggio was commissioned to paint the decoration of the Contarelli Chapel in the San Luigi dei Francesi church in Rome. This caused him to become very well known. For the church, he painted three very large paintings, St. Matthew and the Angel, The Calling of St. Matthew and The Martyrdom of St. Matthew. In these paintings, he painted them in a very contemporary, realistic way. This was not how saints were usually painted and this caused shock among the public. They even made Caravaggio redo one of the paintings!

After he finished the church, Caravaggio had a swarm of people that wanted his paintings. Some of the paintings he did during this time are The Conversion of St. Paul, The Crucifixion of St. Peter, The Deposition of Christ and the Death of the Virgin. Many of the paintings he did during this time caused violent outrages. He painted the Madonna with Pilgrims for the San Agostino Church which ended up being a scandal because the old people kneeling down had dirty feet and a filthy, torn cap. Other paintings were rejected entirely.

Even though Caravaggio was constantly criticized, he was still very successful. He became more and more popular as a painter. During this time, however, he had many run-ins with the law. He was arrested many times for various reasons. Other painters accused him of several things; he wounded a soldier, threw stones at a Roman guard and wounded another man defending his mistress. Then he had a serious brawl over the score of a tennis game and killed Ranuccio Tomassoni.

Because of what he did, Caravaggio fled Rome and hid with a relative of the Marquis of Caravaggio. He then hid in several other places and eventually ended up in Naples. In Naples, he painted Madonna of the Rosary and The Seven Works of Mercy. During this time his painting style shifted, probably because of his desperate state of mind.

After this, Caravaggio moved from place to place a lot. He went to Malta, where he painted The Beheading of St. John the Baptist for a cathedral. Word of his crime reached Malta and Caravaggio was imprisoned, but soon escaped. He then went to Sicily and painted The Resurrection of Lazarus and The Adoration of the Shepherds. Then he moved to Palermo and painted the Adoration with St. Francis and St. Lawrence.

Caravaggio was eventually arrested when he went by boat from Naples to Rome. His boat stopped in Palo where he was arrested. However, he was released. When he was released, he found that the boat had already left along with everything he owned. He set out to overtake the vessel and arrived at Port Ercole where he died a few days later. He probably died of either pneumonia or a fever.

Even though Caravaggio spent much of his life running from the law, he is still considered to be one of the best painters of all time. His style is unmatched and is still admired today.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Arts