Record collecting has been around probably nearly as long as recorded sound. In its earliest years, phonographs and the recordings that were played on them (first wax cylinders, and later flat shellac discs) were mostly toys for the rich, out of the reach of the middle or lower classes. By the 1920s, improvements in the manufacturing processes, both in players and recordings, allowed prices for the machines to drop. While entertainment options in a middle to upper class home in the 1890s would likely consist of a piano, smaller instruments, and a library of sheet music, by the 1910s and later these options expanded to include a radio and a library of recorded sound.
After the fall of the phonograph cylinder, the record was the uncontested sound medium for decades. The number of available recordings mushroomed and the number of companies pressing records skyrocketed. These were 78 r.p.m., double-sided, ten-inch shellac discs, with about 4 minutes of recording time on each side.
Growth in the recorded sound industries was stunted by the Great Depression and World War II, when some countries were hamstrung by a dearth of raw materials. By the time World War II ended, the economy of these countries began to grow again. Classical music (which was a large portion of 78 releases) was slowly edgesd into a minority status by the influx of popular and new music.
The introduction of both the 33 1/3 r.p.m. 12-inch LP record and the 7-inch 45 rpm record, coming into the market around 1949/1950 provided advances in both storage and quality. These also featured vinyl replacing the previous shellac materials. Further groups of small labels came into existence with the dawning of the rock and roll era in the early to middle 1950s, and the market among post-war teenagers with disposable income to spend on 45 rpm singles. Some of these labels, such as Atlantic Records, actually turned into mainstream major record labels later on in the 1960s.
The record collecting hobby probably did not take shape as such until the 1960s. With the folk-music boom in the late 1950s to early 1960s, there was suddenly a demand for archival material. Record collectors (mostly men), fanned out in some countries, searching small towns, dusty barns and mountain cabins for older discs. Initially, the most-desired items were pre-World War II shellac discs containing "race records" (that is, blues, country blues and hillbilly music), the precursors to then-current rock-and-roll and country styles. Later generations of record collectors found their passion in digging up obscure 45's in the genre of doo-wop, or LPs in the late 1960s "garage rock" and "psychedelic" genres.
The pop music scene changed forever in January 1964 with the arrival of The Beatles in the United States. In their wake, thousands of musical bands inspired by their fresh, lively take on rock music with a sharp British sensibility, picked up guitars, and many released records. Many of these acolytes released 45 records in small batches to sell at local concerts and to their friends and families. Due to their relatively small pressings, these obscure local records became highly prized and valuable.
The most infamous "collector's item" in record collecting is not a record at all, but merely an album cover. The Beatles themselves accidentally contributed what is probably the most well-known and valuable "collector's piece" of the rock-and-roll era: "The Butcher Cover". This is an informal title for the piece, which was an album cover for the album "Yesterday and Today." Until 1967, the LP releases of the Beatles in their home country of the UK were substantially different from the LP releases in the USA. These American albums were shorter, had different songs, album titles and artwork.
A Holy Grail of some collectors is Bob Dylan's The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963 pressing that has four songs that were deleted from subsequent pressings), known to fetch up to $35,000 in stereo and $16,500 in mono in excellent condition. [1]
One collectible record format is known as a test pressing. Test pressings are exactly what the name implies; 5-10 copies of a record pressed for the purpose of checking the mix or levels on a record, or to ensure that the die is cutting properly. Though usually meant for the band, producer, pressing plant, or record label to keep as reference, they are often placed in special packaging (such as a photocopy of the real record sleeve) and given out to friends or devoted fans.
In the 1970s, the record collecting hobby really took off with the establishment of record collecting publications such as Goldmine, and in the UK, Record Collector. Price Guide books were published, codifying exactly how much certain "rare items" were supposed to be worth. The "grading" of records based upon condition became more standardized across the hobby with the publication of these price guides.
With the introduction of the compact disc in the middle 1980s, there began a stratification in the hobby; commonly found vinyl specimens that had been pressed in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of copies became relatively worthless, while the rarest of specimens became ever more valuable. These rare items included 45 rpm discs in the genres of blues, rhythm and blues, doo wop, garage rock, progressive rock, and psychedelic rock. Other rare and highly valued items include pieces from highly collectible artists such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, The Beatles, Elvis Presley, U2, Madonna, The Cure, The Rolling Stones, or James Brown. Some of these are items that were pressed for promotional purposes only and sent to radio or television stations. Some are pressings from nations other than the USA or UK where they pressed in very small quantities.
Even in the 21st century certain modern bands have a following of record collectors. This is most prominent in the punk and alternative genres. For example, the special edition of NOFX's 1999 release, The Decline on transparent vinyl has already reached prices of $350. Due to the DIY ethic and constrained budget of many punk bands and labels, releases by lesser-known bands tend to be in limited edition. Specific pressing runs of records are sometimes printed on different colored vinyl, have new or different songs, contain spelling or mixing errors, or may be in lower quantity than other pressings. All of such factors increase a specific record's collectibility. For instance, in 1988, New York hardcore band Judge attempted to record their debut Bringin' It Down at Chung King Studios. The bad experience and low quality result left the band so disappointed that they scrapped the session and re-recorded the LP elsewhere. The older sessions, however, were pressed onto 110 copies of white vinyl entitled Chung King Can Suck It! and sent to fans who had pre-ordered Bringin It Down for their patience as rerecording caused a major delay in the release. Copies of the record have been sold for amounts up to $1,700 on sites like E-Bay.
Other music genres also have their fervent adherents. Classical music, for example, has its own dedicated following, and early stereo recordings on such labels as British Decca, Mercury Living Presence, RCA ("shaded dogs") and London ("blue backs") regularly sell at auction for hundreds of dollars.
Many individuals collect not only records, but phonographs in general. One famous record player collector, Christopher Giannotta, trades and pays money for antique phonographs from the 20th century. Christopher's collection, can be viewed in Staten Island Conservatory of music in Staten Island, New York at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
Infoqouted from wikipedia.org
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2007年3月29日星期四
Facts about Record Collecting
2007年3月27日星期二
Shut Up and Sell!
Shut Up and Sell!
by: Erin Banister
Predatory salespeople are everywhere –from the department stores to car sales. Time and time again we’ve seen these salespeople hunt like hounds trying to get their next sale, the next big commission. “Sell at all costs!” “Don’t let them say no!”
No wonder we’re afraid of selling. We don’t want to hunt people down, we don’t want to take their money without consent, and we don’t want to sell them something they don’t need.
You Don’t Have to Do That!
Those salespeople have it all wrong. You don’t have to pressure anyone to get a sale. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that you don’t even want those people who succumb easily to sales pressure. You want these people to know what they’re getting, up front, and have no remorse over the buying process.
The informed consumer is the repeat consumer.
I’ll give you an example: Several years ago, I was in communications with a business person who had some very specific needs. (And very specific questions.) Over the course of several months we communicated via email and telephone several times a week. We weren’t even talking about costs – we were talking about the schematics of working with a virtual business. “How would we do x virtually?” “Can Y be virtual, or would there have to be some physical correspondence involved?” “Is Z possible in a virtual situation, and if so, how does it work?”
This gentleman was really doing his homework. And I really didn’t mind. We were building a great rapport, he was generating referrals for my business, and he was learning a great deal about the virtual assistance industry. All his questions were valid – I had no problem answering a question that would have taken him too much time to find the answer on his own.
After about six months of correspondence, he finally signed a contract with me. We agreed upon a five-year term (almost unheard of within the VA industry), during which time he would continue to generate referrals for my business. He’s still working with me to this day, seven years later.
He was informed and comfortable in his decision – and this made all the difference.
So the moral of the story is this – shut up, listen, and answer your consumers’ questions.
There are only three steps to selling – none of which have anything to do with a pushing anyone into buying.
In order to sell, you have to connect!
Primarily, you have to connect with a person - you want to be talking with someone not at them. Build rapport. Ask them about their business, their situation, and listen whole-heartedly. You need to figure out where they are in their situation, and use this Q&A time to help you formulate responses to cater to their needs. Don’t forget to take notes!
Now talk a little about their expectations of the relationship. If you’re a coach, for example, ask them how they expect coaching to help them within the next three months. Ask them how they expect the coaching relationship to work. Ask lots of ‘why’ questions – they’ll help you more later. (“Why do you feel you need a coach?” “Why do you want to achieve x?”)
After you’ve talked about their expectations, tell them the reality of your business. Tell them specific outcomes you can help them achieve, and present case studies if possible. In all matters, be honest. Don’t over-hype anything… be straight and they’ll appreciate you for it.
Now you can persuade
Now is your turn to talk. Talk about their problems. Take their expectations and their situation and tell them their problems in your own words. If you understand their situation, they will be able to tell. Don’t fake concern or empathy – but do be understanding of their needs. Speak of their problems as if they asked you a ‘why’ question – “You need x, y, & z because you need a & b to function appropriately for outcome N”.
Also talk about their outcomes in your own words “If I understand, you need x, y, & z; and you want ABC to happen because of it, correct?” The more your relay your competence of their situation, the more comfortable they’ll be with you. Approach this as you would approach an elementary school student with a difficult math question – rephrase so you both understand, and make sure you have ALL the elements. Without all the elements, you can’t fully understand their needs.
Once you’re comfortable with their needs and desired outcomes, present your solution. DO NOT use a canned ‘solution statement’, you truly need to cater all your responses to their specific needs. Speak of their future, your future, and how they intertwine. You want this to be seen as a group effort – not just a one-sided deal. You can’t possibly solve all their problems, but you are always on their side. Let them know your vested interest, and they’ll appreciate it.
Let’s not close – let’s agree
Now that you’ve talked with them about their needs, how you can help, and any other items that need discussion, you should be ready to come to an agreement. You should both agree by now that their needs and your solution are a good fit. If you don’t feel you’re a good fit, move on.
Make them an offer. Tell them how you intend on helping them, how you plan to work together, and how long you plan to work together. DO NOT discuss money until this point. (If the question arises beforehand, don’t evade the question, but don’t give them a precise estimate. I’ve always used the phrase “We need to cover some more information before I can give you a solid quote because pricing is based on individual needs”. Give a ballpark estimate if necessary.) Go over your pricing & procedures, and offer to send them a formal proposal & contract. You’re done!
As you can see, selling isn’t what you think it is. No one wants to talk to a pushy salesperson, and now you have the tools to be an effective salesperson. Just remember to prepare, relax, shut up and sell!
About the AuthorErin Banister, president of TrinityJacobs, helps entrepreneurs lessen their administrative & marketing burden. For more information, visit http://www.TrinityJacobs.com(Sign up for The Next Level and get our FR*EE Special report "10 Ways To Make Your Work Day Easier, Faster, & More Efficient" here http://www.trinityjacobs.com/the-next-level.html)
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20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking
20 Quick Tips to Help You Quit Smoking
1. Believe in yourself. Believe that you can quit. Think about some of the most difficult things you have done in your life and realize that you have the guts and determination to quit smoking. It's up to you.
2. After reading this list, sit down and write your own list, customized to your personality and way of doing things. Create you own plan for quitting.
3. Write down why you want to quit (the benefits of quitting): live longer, feel better, for your family, save money, smell better, find a mate more easily, etc. You know what's bad about smoking and you know what you'll get by quitting. Put it on paper and read it daily.
4. Ask your family and friends to support your decision to quit. Ask them to be completely supportive and non-judgmental. Let them know ahead of time that you will probably be irritable and even irrational while you withdraw from your smoking habit.
5. Set a quit date. Decide what day you will extinguish your cigarettes forever. Write it down. Plan for it. Prepare your mind for the "first day of the rest of your life". You might even hold a small ceremony when you smoke you last cigarette, or on the morning of the quit date.
6. Talk with your doctor about quitting. Support and guidance from a physician is a proven way to better your chances to quit.
7. Begin an exercise program. Exercise is simply incompatible with smoking. Exercise relieves stress and helps your body recover from years of damage from cigarettes. If necessary, start slow, with a short walk once or twice per day. Build up to 30 to 40 minutes of rigorous activity, 3 or 4 times per week. Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.
8. Do some deep breathing each day for 3 to 5 minutes. Breathe in through your nose very slowly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and exhale very slowly through your mouth. Try doing your breathing with your eyes closed and go to step 9.
9. Visualize your way to becoming a non-smoker. While doing your deep breathing in step 8, you can close your eyes and begin to imagine yourself as a non-smoker. See yourself enjoying your exercise in step 7. See yourself turning down a cigarette that someone offers you. See yourself throwing all your cigarettes away, and winning a gold medal for doing so. Develop your own creative visualizations. Visualization works.
10. Cut back on cigarettes gradually (if you cut back gradually, be sure to set a quit date on which you WILL quit). Ways to cut back gradually include: plan how many cigarettes you will smoke each day until your quit date, making the number you smoke smaller each day; buy only one pack at a time; change brands so you don't enjoy smoking as much; give your cigarettes to someone else, so that you have to ask for them each time you want to smoke.
11. Quit smoking "cold turkey". Many smokers find that the only way they can truly quit once and for all is to just quit abruptly without trying to slowly taper off. Find the method that works best for you: gradually quitting or cold turkey. If one way doesn't work do the other.
12. Find another smoker who is trying to quit, and help each other with positive words and by lending an ear when quitting becomes difficult. Visit this Bulletin Board and this Chat Room to find a "quit buddy."
13. Have your teeth cleaned. Enjoy the way your teeth look and feel and plan to keep them that way.
14. After you quit, plan to celebrate the milestones in your journey to becoming a non-smoker. After two weeks of being smoke-free, see a movie. After a month, go to a fancy restaurant (be sure to sit in the non-smoking section). After three months, go for a long weekend to a favorite get-away. After six months, buy yourself something frivolous. After a year, have a party for yourself. Invite your family and friends to your "birthday" party and celebrate your new chance at a long, healthy life.
15. Drink lots of water. Water is good for you anyway, and most people don't get enough. It will help flush the nicotine and other chemicals out of your body, plus it can help reduce cravings by fulfilling the "oral desires" that you may have.
16. Learn what triggers your desire for a cigarette, such as stress, the end of a meal, arrival at work, entering a bar, etc. Avoid these triggers or if that's impossible, plan alternative ways to deal with the triggers.
17. Find something to hold in your hand and mouth, to replace cigarettes. Consider drinking straws or you might try an artificial cigarette called E-Z Quit found here:http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit.htm...
18. Write yourself an inspirational song or poem about quitting, cigarettes, and what it means to you to quit. Read it daily.
19. Keep a picture of your family or someone very important to you with you at all times. On a piece of paper, write the words"I'm quitting for myself and for you (or "them")". Tape your written message to the picture. Whenever you have the urge to smoke, look at the picture and read the message.
20. Whenever you have a craving for a cigarette, instead of lighting up, write down your feelings or whatever is on your mind. Keep this "journal" with you at all times.
Good luck in your efforts to quit smoking. It's worth it!
** Article © Copyright Fred Kelley of QuitSmoking.com. Visit the web site at http://www.quitsmoking.comfor great information and products designed to help you quit smoking.
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What Should Your Business Card Say?
by: Charles Kassotis
Are you planning to start your own business? Do you work from your home? Are you employed at a company where you have a specific job title and function? If any of these are true or if you want to offer freelance services to the community, a business card may be one of your first steps in making others aware of your goods and services.
A business card is your calling card, post card, appointment reminder, and contact piece all printed on one small card. That is what makes this multi-purpose item so useful. A resourceful businessperson will want to make the most of this unique advertising strategy, since business cards can sit on someone’s desk, find a place in a Rolodex, join others of its kind in a wallet, and be posted on a bulletin board. Dozens or even hundreds of passersby may view your card, depending on where it is placed.
With all of the speedy online printing services available, or using popular software applications, you can have a stack of business cards in your palm within a day or two, or no longer than a week in most cases. Yet this is a promotional tool that should not be rushed. Take your time to map out this marketing strategy to maximize its benefits for your business.
1. Consider the color. You can choose from a fiery neon shade, a soft pastel, a neutral tone, or even a design with a decorative border. Keep in mind the type of readers who will receive the card. Conservative staffers in large corporations may prefer a subtle card with a low-key, professional image. But a creative advertising display could grab the attention of marketers and sales managers. Attractive, color-sensitive images may draw the attention of everyday customers or those who shop from home and enjoy the attractive appearance of your thoughtfully designed piece. You can use color on one side or two.
2. Lay out the print. Practice with a sheet of paper or on your computer screen to get the look and feel you want in a card. Experiment with different fonts and type sizes for proportionate spacing and headings as well as neatly designed spaces. If you don’t have one already, create a logo for your company that will serve as an instant identification item when people come across advertisements for your business.
3. Arrange the information. You may want your name and title to be the biggest parts of the card, with contact information and other service options printed in smaller type. On the back of the card, you might decide to place additional details about your product or services, although you won’t want to overwhelm the reader with too much information. Keep the overall effect simple and readable.
Your business card announces your presence in the world of commerce, so make it a welcome piece that will incite readers’ interest and enthusiasm in what you have to offer.
About the AuthorLook for more business card help at the Business Card Directory: http://www.businesscarddir.com
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2007年3月26日星期一
Art's Fiercest Spark Burns in Alan Moore's Promethea
Promethea, born a mortal, grew to womanhood in the realm of the imagination. Thanks to the loving efforts of poets, artists, and writers, she has walked the material world as a dream lover, a fairy princess, a merciful angel, a warrior queen, and a comic-book superheroine. In some form or another, she must return. Denizens of both our world and the sparkling alternate Earth of Alan Moore's graphic novel Promethea may deny her existence -- but real or not, Promethea, demigoddess of myth and fiction, is necessary. A new Promethea rises in the not-quite-here-and-now, where she struggles against both ancient foes and the stimulus-hungry amorality of her jaded times.
Award-winning graphic story writer Alan Moore (Watchmen, Top 10, From Hell) has expressed a desire to break away from the superhero genre that dominates the graphic-novel marketplace. With penciller and co-creator J.H. Williams III, Moore evokes the present-day Promethea as a "science heroine" of a glittering alternate New York, but there's no way to confuse her with either real-life figures or Spider-Man. Clad in golden armor, tattooed with symbols from Egyptian mythology, wielding a caduceus that glows with blue energy and writhes with snakes, Promethea is best described as a powerful living myth. These are the first three books of an ongoing monthly graphic novel, which has contributed to two Best Writer Eisner Awards (for Moore, 2000 and 2001) and three Best Letterer Eisners (for Todd Klein, 2000, 2001, and 2002) as well as winning its own Eisner for Best Single Issue (Issue #10, "Sex, Stars, and Serpents, 2001).
College student Sophie Bangs is researching a character called Promethea for her folklore class. The unusual name recurs in seemingly unrelated stories from a 1780 poem to pulp fiction to a long run in comic books. Although the works bear little resemblance to one another -- indeed, many of them are so dissimilar that each suggests near-total ignorance of the others -- Promethea retains certain characteristics. Almost all the Prometheas have dark skin, and many of them wear clothes with Egyptian and/or Greek motifs. Whether from Fairyland or Hy-Brasil, Promethea always hails from a mystical elsewhere. Piecing together the puzzle, Sophie arranges to interview Barbara Shelley, widow of comic-book writer Steve Shelley, who was the last to write a Promethea. Sophie arrives at Barbara's New York apartment full of stories and enthusiasm, only to be turned away with the caution, "You don't wanna go looking for folklore. And you especially don't want folklore to come looking for you."
At first, it seems the worst thing about this encounter is its impact on Sophie's term paper. When the city's resident science heroes, Five Swell Guys, hover their flying platform above Sophie to deliver a warning from their psychic team member, Kenneth, Sophie sees the encounter as nothing more than a random brush with celebrity. It is only when a living shadow pitches her from an elevated walkway that Sophie realizes that Promethea is more than a term paper -- and that there are humans, and other creatures, who would sooner kill than see her on Earth again.
The first, unheralded Promethea was a small child, daughter of a hermetic scholar in ancient Alexandria. When a murderous Christian mob attacked him -- much like the fate that befell real-life mathematician Hypatia -- Promethea's father placed her in the care of Thoth and Hermes, the scribe-gods of Egypt and Greece, respectively. They took her to the Immateria, the realm of myth and imagination, where she attained immortality as a story. At times, when the material world has felt the need of her, and when the seed of the Promethea myth has taken root in a fertile mind, Promethea has taken form to protect and mend the physical world with the tools of the Immateria.
It has never been easy. One Promethea saved wounded soldiers one by one in World War I, encouraging them and guiding them to safety. Another fought unseen battles in the legendary land of Hy-Brasil -- witnessed by many, but believed to be fiction. Yet another died at the hands of a loved one when her identity was made known. Each of them brought something new to Promethea, and each of them reveled in the more-than-life of a demigoddess, but each of them keenly felt the dangers of being Promethea.
Sophie's interest in the Promethea myth has given imagination's enemies a new target. Sophie must use her pen to stretch herself to mythic stature, to become the Promethea her age needs.
This shiny, ironic, retro-futuristic present, with its flying cars and "computerized smart-slime," is a smug era with a lamentably short attention span. It teems with ads for the one-note Weeping Gorilla comic, with billboards for Holo-Ho and similar establishments, and with news service TEXTure showing footage of everything from the New York mayor's forty-two personalities to the murderous antics of celebrity omnipath The Painted Doll. Disinterested in mythic resonance, listening only for the next sound bite, the people of the material world need something deeper than real. They need the spiritual substance that only a creature of myth can bring.
Thrust into the role of Promethea with little more than a handwritten poem full of cross-outs, Sophie must learn the rules of magic in order to protect herself and her two worlds. Magic does not answer to wishes, but to reason and ingenuity. The former Prometheas guide Sophie through the Immateria, teaching her to use the holy weapons: the cup of compassion, the sword of reason, the pentacle of worldly knowledge, and the wand of will. Moore and Williams weave the story around the suits and major arcana of the Tarot, Tantric lore, the Sephiroth of the Kabbalah, astrology, and probably other schools of magic as well.
In the hands of a lesser creative team, the plot would collapse under the weight of symbolism and literary allusion. Some writers would bury their story under piles of quotations or turn their characters into talking bibliographies. Even in Moore's excellent pseudo-Victorian The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen adventures, it's easy to get sidetracked by the literary allusions and forget about the actual events. Moore and Williams work together to keep the concrete references as part of the story and the setting. Symbolic references sometimes enter in the background or as a decorative border, but they never impinge on Sophie's transformation in Book One, her lessons in magic in Book Two, or her journey accompanying a friend through death in Book Three.
Promethea's tone changes from solemn to arch to sprightly, sometimes in the course of a few panels. Williams's attractive, expressive art makes the shifting landscape of the Immateria as real as Sophie's poster-plastered room and the sulfur-belching demons as solid as Sophie and her worn-out mother. The layout adjusts to the demands of the story, using bubbles and even frameless construction as well as traditional boxy panels. Some stories, like Book Two's Eisner-winning, tasteful Tantric tutorial, "Sex, Stars, and Serpents," combine several of these elements to striking effect. In the same volume, "Pseunami" uses a "wide-screen" format, requiring the reader to turn the book on its side to read the long, seamless panels.
Williams lays a strong foundation, and the rest of the artistic team builds Promethea to great heights. Inker Mick Gray sets definite, but delicate, lines not unlike Jae Lee's work on the Inhumans limited series. Colorist Jeromy Cox handles flesh tones and candy-bright clothing under every light from near-darkness to retina-scorching brilliance, and makes them all look equally alive. Legendary letterer Todd Klein (The Sandman) employs a number of different fonts and word balloons to illustrate the characters and their predicaments. Williams occasionally steps aside for notable guest artists. Charles Vess, who illustrated "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (The Sandman #19), the only series-based graphic story ever to win the World Fantasy Award, sets his pen to the earliest Promethea story in Book One's "A Faerie Romance." Digital artist Jose Villarubia fleshes out the images to hyper-realism when Sophie follows the path of pentacles in Book Three's "Rocks and Hard Places."
All three hardcover volumes contain original cover art, but Book One also includes Alex Ross's alternate cover for "The Radiant, Heavenly City" (Issue #1) and Williams's concept sketches. The dust jackets bear exceptional art as well; the way the back covers track Sophie's progress without spoiling the story is particularly pleasing. I have been unable to verify the contents of the paperback edition of Book One, but can confirm that it matches the hardcover's page count. The paperback cover also features original art, but is different from the hardback.
Book One begins with a bonus essay on the fictitious Prometheas. The only extras from the single issues not found here are the "Little Margie in Misty Magic Land" short, found in the 64-page America's Best Comics special issue, and the impressively literate letter columns, which serve as a makeshift bibliography of influences. All hardcover editions come with sewn-in ribbon markers, an elegant touch accentuating the fact that these books are not to be skimmed, but read.
Such trimmings make the books sound indulgent, and such professed depth makes them sound dull. The true genius of Promethea, however, lies not in its immense beauty or its effortless erudition, but the way these things are blended with humor and with daily human life, fusing them into one shimmering, vital, yet accessible, work. It doesn't seem a bit odd that ordinary Sophie, who sleeps in a t-shirt and underwear and chows down on Achocolypse Pops every morning, is also Promethea, a magnificent demigoddess and self-described "holy splendor of the imagination." Promethea embodies everything that is human -- more than that, everything that a human can dream. Ever shifting, ever radiant, Promethea is the flame of imagination that casts the light of meaning on our lives.
2007年3月24日星期六
Comic Book Collecting
Comic book collecting is a hobby that treats comic books and related items as collectibles or artwork to be sought after and preserved. Though considerably more recent than the collecting of postage stamps (philately) or books (bibliophilia), it has a major following around the world today and is partially responsible for the increased interest in comics after the temporary slump experienced during the 1980s. Among comics fandom, the collecting of comics and the study of comics as a medium and an artform are sometimes referred to (individually or collectively) as panelology.
Overview
Comics are collected for several possible reasons, including appreciation, nostalgia, financial profit, and completion of the collection. The comic book came to light the pop culture arena in the 1940s due to the popularity of superhero characters Superman, Batman, and Captain Marvel. Since the 1960s, two publishers have dominated the comic book industry: Marvel Comics, publisher of such comics as Spider-Man, X-Men, and Fantastic Four, and DC Comics, which publishes titles such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Other large non-manga publishers include Image Comics and Dark Horse Comics.As comic books regained their popularity in the 1960s during the boom of the Silver Age of Comic Books, fans organized comic book conventions, where fans could meet to discuss their favorite comics with each other and eventually with the comics' creators themselves. As of 2006, numerous conventions and festivals are held around the world, with San Diego Comic Con being the largest and best-known convention in the United States.
While some people collect comic books for personal interest in the medium or characters, others collect prefer to collect for profit. To assist both types of comic book collector, comic book price guides are available and provide estimates of comic book values as well as information on comic book creators and characters. The price guides assign values for comic books based on demand, availability, and the copy's condition. The longest running price guide is the annual Overstreet Price Guide, first published in 1970. Current monthly price guides include Comics Buyer's Guide and Wizard Magazine. The growth of the Internet in the late 1990s saw development of online databases that tracked comic book creators and character appearances and storylines, as well as websites that combine comic book price guides with personalized collection tracking to provide collection values in real-time. The Grand Comic-Book Database is a popular online resource for comic book creator and character information. Popular online price guide and collection tracking services include comicspriceguide.com, mycomicpile.com, and nostomania.com.
The increased popularity of online auctioning services like eBay or Hertiage Galleries for buying and selling comic books has greatly increased the visibility of actual comic book sale prices, leading to improved price guide accuracy, particularly for online price guides such as nostomania.com that base their values solely on sales data captured from online sources. In response to collectors' interest in preserving their collections, products designed for the protection and storage of comic books became available, including special bags; boxes; and acid-free "backing boards", designed to keep the comic book flat.
Facts quoted from wikipedia.org
Comis Mail Order : Buying Comics Made Easy!
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2007年3月23日星期五
Home Business Opportunities Abound On The Internet
Home Business Opportunities Abound On The Internet
There are so many home business opportunities available that it could be hard to choose one. Depending on how much work you want to get involved with, there are several home business opportunities related to the internet that can help provide income streams while most of the work is performed in the comfort of your own home.
Many seek out home business opportunities, looking for a way to avoid the morning and afternoon transit to a job. Being able to work your own hours and establishing your own dress code are also attractive alternatives to working in someone else’s office.
The problem faced by internet neophytes is their belief in anything that sounds too good to be true. They may believe that everything on the internet is accurate and everyone saying they can make big money quick must be telling the truth. Any home business opportunity may be able to make you money if you follow their program exactly, but most times following the program exactly will cost more money than you may be willing, or capable, of spending.
Advertising and marketing cost money. There is no question that for any business to be successful those are two necessary expenditures that a company must plan for if they hope to grow. Actually, just surviving will require a certain amount of advertising to realize enough business to keep them afloat.
Look carefully at every offer for home business opportunities and, hidden as they may be, there will be clues as to its honesty. When a site claims that you can start making money within an hour of signing up, it is not telling the truth. Is it possible? Only by accident. Is it probable? You may have a better chance winning the lottery with a losing ticket.
There is money to be made on the internet, but many home business opportunities fail to mention that you will need to market your site to gain visitors. You see, visitors are those pesky critters that may attack one site and ignore another. Without visitors, however no web site will last. Visitors determine your sales, which determines your profit, which determines your future.
Home business opportunities involving internet marketing, provided you know how this advertising method works, you could make decent money with this type business. Since websites are hoping to make money from website sales, targeting the web surfers is only logical. Although, attracting potential customers with off line ads can add to the customer base, allowing for a bigger cut of the market share.
When you have decided on a home business opportunity, you should be prepared to spend the time and effort needed to bring your business out of infancy. Make a budget of time and money, promising to spend only to the limit and no more, and give yourself so many months to grow the business to profitability or find another way to make a living.
Noah & Clara Nolt
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No Cold Calling EVER! You do NOT have to make cold calls to succeed in network marketing. Our PROVEN system works with ANY business and WILL work for you! http://Nolt1968.PayItForward4Profits.com http://nolt1968.MasteringYourPrimary.com
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Can You Really Make Money Selling New Release CD's & DVD's On eBay?
Being an active eBayer, I am often being asked about products to sell. A common question is "Where can I purchase products such as new release CD's DVD's and Video Games for Playstation and X box at a 75% to 100% discount. Well folks, this sort of discount on this type of merchandise is not available from Wholesalers or Dropshippers. The reason being, the competitive nature of the electronics industry, and simple supply and demand.
Still with the tremendous popularity of these products and their ease to package and ship, people want to sell them. So where can you find these products at a great price? Liquidators! Yes that's right, Liquidators! What exactly are Liquidators? You Ask. Well, as explained in my book "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak" a Liquidator is a company who buys surplus, over runs, bankruptcies, and going out of business inventory etc. They purchase this merchandise for pennies on the dollar and in turn pass this saving on to you. There are many Liquidators who would have just what you are looking for. There are General Merchandise Liquidators who basically purchase and sell all sorts of general merchandise. And, there are Liquidators who specialize and only purchase and sell merchandise in a specific niche - say electronics.
An Electronics Liquidator would purchase products from music stores or department stores with an electronics dept or movie rental stores or electronic stores that are going out of business, declaring bankruptcy or who have overstock. From that inventory they would have some of the latest CD's, DVD's and Video Games.
Liquidators are similar to Wholesalers and Dropshippers in that you will have to become a member to have access to their inventory. Most require no fee to become a member, while others may charge a nominal fee. However, Liquidators have a set number of units you must buy in order to get a great price. A Liquidator will purchase inventory in bulk and therefore will want to sell the merchandise in cases or lots.
So, Yes You can make Good Money Selling New Release CD's, DVD's and, Video Games and the likes on your eBay auction by choosing the proper supplier. And remember that selling on eBay is all about research. You must research the product you are interested in selling. What is the best price for the item? What is the best selling price you can get for that item? Also, research that item's market to see just how many people are selling this product.
Happy Selling! Joe Clare
About the author: Joe Clare is an active Netpreneur and eBayer! He is the author of numerous articles on how to succeed on eBay! Check out his latest Best Selling eBook "eBay Marketing Wholesale SourcePak" Your Passport to Success! at http://www.ebooksnsoftware.com
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12 Items You CAN'T Sell On eBay
Millions of would-be entrepreneurs want to sell things on ebay. eBay is the #1 home-business opportunity in the world right now, so it's natural that many are eager to find highly profitable items for re-sale on eBay. However, it's important to know that there are certain items that can't be sold. Here are a dozen of them ...
Some items are copyright infringement and can actually land a seller in federal prison:
1. Knock offs of music, TV shows or movies. The "bootleg" movies, for example, are often made by guys who sneak a movie camera into a newly-released movie where presumably, they crouch behind a seat and make a crummy copy. There is a large production of these counterfeit items in Asia where US laws have no power.
2. Software and computer games can likewise be copied and their sale is illegal by all US laws.
Naturally, the items above may be sold if you have a copy that you purchased legitimately and no longer want.
3, The so-called "replica" market for handbags, designer sunglasses and clothing is definitely forbidden although these items are often sold in physical stores around the US. Ironically, when attending eBay Live In New Orleans in 2004, we found a store in one of their famous markets selling replica purses that were not allowed on eBay.
4. Lazy and less-than-honest sellers often steal copyrighted material from other sellers. This has happened to me many times and eBay has a program called VERO (Verified Rights Owner) that will remove offending auctions, although there seems to be no penalty attached to the seller, which is unfortunate.
5. Alcoholic beverage sales are not allowed although a beverage "container', especially those of wine, may be sold for its value.
6. Cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco or coupons for such items are not permitted on eBay.com.
The Ebay rules for collectible tobacco and alcohol containers are the same:
* The value of the item is in the collectible packaging, not in the wine/tobacco itself.
* The listing description should state that the package has not been opened, but that the twine/tobacco within is not for consumption.
* The collectible tobacco packaging must not be available at any retail outlet, and packaging must have a value that substantially exceeds the current retail price of that wine/tobacco product in the package.
* Sellers must take steps to ensure that the buyer of these collectibles is at least 18 years of age
7. Firearms are strictly regulated by US law and may not be sold on eBay.
8. Satellite and cable TV descramblers are forbidden by the Federal Trade Commission.
9. Animals and wildlife products may not be sold, which includes stuffed birds and pelts from endangered species. There are limited sales of ivory, tortoise shell, marine products and other items relating to animals. This area is quite complex and any would-be seller needs to thoroughly understand the various laws before getting involved in these sales.
10. Event tickets have state-by-state laws that make their sale complex. Some states, for instance, forbid anyone to make more than a few dollars in profit (or no profit at all) on the resale of tickets. For instance, Florida law states that tickets can be resold at no more than face value plus $1. In such states, these regulations apply only to buyers and sellers located in the same state as the actual event, meaning if a seller lives in Florida, he can't profit from ticket sales to Florida events. However, if he lives in any of the other 39 states, this restriction doesn't apply.
11. Listing a catalog of items that a seller offers for sale is forbidden. The only catalogs legally sold on eBay are collectible kinds, such as an old Sears Roebuck or Montgomery Wards catalog that is memorabilia and doesn't offer current merchandise for sale.
12. Raffles and prizes are 100% prohibited. According to eBay, such promotions are highly regulated and may be unlawful in many states.
There are other kinds of merchandise that a seller may not sell on eBay, so carefully check eBay rules before listing anything. It's much better to know the rules in advance of spending money that can't be recouped.
About the author:Learn how to sell on eBay with 16 hours of online instruction taught by a 10 year eBay veteran. Own an eBay business instead of an eBay hobby. http://www.auction-genius-course.com
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Is it so easy to make money on the Internet?
Since 1998, I started out looking for opportunity to get rich on the internet. However, after 9 years of searching and digging, I still haven't found the precious gems yet.
Everyday I read more and more sales articles written by so called 'Internet Merketing Gurus' claiming they are making $50,000 or more a month from Adsense. To be honest with you, I sometimes got so jealous and unhappy when I look at my adsense reports. I hardly make $1 in a week. There must be something wrong with my site.
Please have a look at my new Online Articles Directory and give me some comments so I can improve it.
Wonder Office Business Resources
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In the other hand, I find selling on Ebay does provide a very good opportunity for those who want to start his own business with minimal risk and capital.
It doesn't take a genius to make money on eBay, nor does it require you to have any specialized computer knowledge. You don't even need to be a skilled entrepreneur, because eBay does most of the work for you. With over 1.5 billion page views per month and more than 1000 categories, they bring customers TO YOU and save you enormous advertising costs. Your job, therefore, is to make a successful sales pitch to the customers who see your auctions.
Start your own business with low capital today at EBAY!
