personal preference art : The Book Faerie

I got an order for a book about a dog sled trip to the North Pole that followed Perry’s route. No biggie, except the buyer was one of the authors and is now running his own dog sledding tours out of his lodge located in Ely, Minnesota…

Then I got an order for a Sherlock Holmes anthology - and the return email was an investigator’s. Does he admire Holmes, or is he looking for hints??? (That’s a joke…)

I had two requests today for a particular cover on the book before they would make the purchase. I did have the edition they were looking for, and I sent them the scans so they could see that for themselves. Why buy a book by the cover? Neither of these books was a collectible. Who knows…

I listed a Fortune Telling book today “By a Gypsy Queen”. I like finding usual books!

I’m still whittling away at the monster book room. Lots more left…

You ever buy a book because you liked the cover? I buy them because I like the author or the story line intrigues me. What makes YOU want to read a book???

I’m not sure that I’ve ever bought a book solely for its cover, but if I’m on the fence it could be a deciding factor. I know it’s not right but what can I say, I like nice art!

Sometimes it’s nostalgia (if it’s something I’ve already read) or just personal preference. While Rowena Morrill’s cover art for Anne McCaffrey’s novels is fine, I much prefer the old ones by Elizabeth Malczynski. And Michael Whelan’s are classic; I was actually shocked when they reprinted the books with new covers a few years back.

I guess I am a bit of a cover art nerd…

http://weblogs.bibliobox.com/BookFaerie/?p=49

personal preference art : Automated electronic personal preference

An automated electronic personal preference & proxy network, that captures and exchanges personal profile information via an electronic means using network infrastructure is provided. Users may update preferences electronically. Permissions are generated in accordance with users permissions. Providers may enter an omnibus contract with an electronic agent, allowing various features such as cross-provider data transfer. An automated regulatory compliance engine is disclosed. An automated activity and offer engine is disclosed, to facilitate relevant offerings to users, and to automatically deepen user profiles. A violation engine for enforcing the contracts and regulations in an automated fashion is disclosed. Various other aspects are also disclosed.

Marketing messages are delivered from providers to users using a variety of channels. Examples include, telephone, web, e-mail, SMS, direct mail, instant message, cellular telephone, fax, and various others. Currently, users are inundated with solicitations from providers. Various regulatory structures have been or are being implemented to provide users with some control over the solicitations they receive. Various example regulations, such as the "do not call lists", and others, are detailed further below. Given the immense quantity of marketing messages directed to users, users are becoming more and more likely to reject most or all solicitations, rather than wade through the morass of offers received. Many users would be happy to receive marketing messages from reputable companies for goods or services in which they are interested. Reputable providers would generally be pleased to avoid sending unwanted marketing messages to users who are not interested, thus targeting their marketing budget to those who may be genuinely interested. Once users gain control over the solicitations they receive, they may be more likely to be receptive to those offers. Thus, resolving the problem of unwanted solicitation is likely to benefit both providers and users.

It is currently possible, with substantial effort, for a user to contact a provider to indicate the user's preference about solicitations via one or more channels. Reputable companies generally provide opt-in and/or opt-out procedures for receiving marketing messages of any kind. However, disreputable providers may be apt to send additional unwanted messages once they receive a "live" response from a user, indicating the e-mail address, telephone number, fax number etc, as being received by a real person.

The regulatory environment continues to change, offering users protection from various types of communication (as well as potential confusion as to how to affect such protection), as detailed further below. However, given the vast number of providers, multiplied by the differing regulatory regimes for each channel type, a user attempting to tailor their marketing receptiveness faces a daunting task. There is therefore a need in the art for an automated electronic personal preference and proxy network.

© 2004-2005 Freshpatents.com.

personal preference art : Importance of Art in People's Daily Lives:

Art plays a very important role in the lives of the Chinese people. Six in ten respondents say that they are frequently willing to spend a little more money for an item of their preferred designs than an equally functional counterpart. An overwhelming majority of the Chinese people give serious thought to color and style when purchasing a commodity. Most of those interviewed think that the way they dress and decorate their homes are important to them. And nearly seven in ten Chinese households (67%) have works of art displayed.

From further interviewing the 67% of the respondents, two important characteristics of the public's general art preferences surfaced: 1. Chinese people give much more weights to the harmony of artworks displayed in their homes than their personal preferences when selecting artworks, and 2. Most Chinese prefer newer objects as collectibles, and like arts of modern styles better than those of traditional styles.

Though art plays an important part in the lives of the Chinese people, their actual participation in making art in its conventional sense remains very low. Only 2% of the total respondents say that they frequently spend their leisure time in painting, drawing, or doing graphic arts.

Specific Art Preferences of the Public:

Moving to the specific art preferences of the public, the general agreement that has characterized the previous summary disappeared partially. The public agrees on many matters of artistic taste, and rightfully disagrees on others.

In general, a large majority of respondents like Chinese paintings better than Western paintings. They prefer paintings in which colors are blended rather than separated. They name blue, green, and white as the most popular colors of the Chinese people. They favor paintings that have festive mood instead of serious mood. They believe that paintings should serve some higher goals. And overwhelmingly, they share the agreement that they like paintings that depict outdoor scenes and natural settings.

To a lesser degree, paintings of domestic animals are favored over wild animals. Spring is selected as the most favorite season of the public. Paintings of famous figures received moderate preference over those of ordinary people. Posed portraits, rather than other paintings of people, are better viewed by most respondents. Simplicity in art is passably preferred. And nudity in paintings is disfavored but not rejected.

Respondents are evenly divided on matters of shades of colors, paintings of exaggerate or imaginary objects, specific outdoor scenes, textured surfaces vs. smooth surfaces, and seeing or not seeing brushstrokes on canvas. In addition, most Chinese will not take a stand on their preferred size of a painting on the basis of the question per se. And a majority of respondents have no decided opinions on paintings of religious themes.

by Komar and Melamid Studio

personal preference art : Hosting an Art Show

We are Personal Preference Inc., a premiere art company with over 25 years experience bringing gallery quality art into peoples homes at affordable prices. Most of our artwork is on canvas and we have a wide array of styles and subject matter. We provide art from many popular categories including contemporary, traditional and abstract. We also provide an unique selection of ethnic and ethnic figurative, much of which is sold exclusively by Personal Preference. The price quoted under the artwork always includes the frame.

Our art is sold primarily at Private Art Shows hosted in your home. Art shows are ideal for large or small gatherings, our presentations are informative and educational and allow you and others to shop for art in a relaxing atmosphere in your home or office. Group presentations offer a number of unique benefits:

A fun way to shop with family, friends and coworkers
Learn new decorating tips and framing techniques
An excellent way to involve employees in selecting art for their work environment
Receive a discount for sponsoring or hosting an event

http://www.getfreeart.com/

personal preference art : The Best and the Worst Language Dictionaries

A native Turkish-language site visitor, studying English as a foreign language in the UK, wrote us a while back asking advice about which dictionary he should use while studying for his English-language proficiency exam. He indicated his personal preference for the Redhouse Dictionaries -- the Büyük El Sözlüğü in particular. But then, to our surprise, he told us that his foreign-language examiner thought the Redhouse Dictionaries too Americanized.

That rang my bell, and I replied...


I'm sorry, but your foreign-language examiner is mistaken. The Redhouse Dictionaries go out of there way to include current British language usage. I quote, "The dictionary reflects the American point of view of its editors; however British usages in vocabulary, meanings, spelling and pronunciation have usually been noted."

And anyway, the Redhouse Dictionaries are by far the best of all the available ones on the market. I especially recommend the large 2-volume set, simply titled Redhouse Sözlüğü. It's the next step up from the Büyük El Sözlüğü. Find more detail about the 2-volume set on our 'Best Books for Turkish' page.

Nothing else even comes close to the Redhouse Dictionaries. My Redhouse Dictionary CD Edition is so useful that I leave it in one of my computer's CD-bays all the time.

Our friend John Ma, who got his Ancient Civilizations Doctorate from Oxford University, explained it quite well when he said, "I wish the world-famous Oxford University Library had more copies of the Redhouse Dictionaries. The students are always using them. And the Oxford Turkish-English-Turkish Dictionary just gathers dust."

But I'll go a bit further than John...

The first Turkish-English-Turkish dictionary I ever owned was the "Concise Oxford Turkish-English Dictionary" by A.D. Alderson and Fahir Iz, published 1959 and reprinted several times up through 1985. And, I can't think of a worse foreign language dictionary.

I tried using it for years as I struggled unsuccessfully to get a handle on the Turkish-language. (I bought my first copy of the Oxford Dictionary for my work-area in Ankara in 1976 and my second copy for my bedside in 1987 -- also in Ankara.) And, except for my being able to express and understand the standard 'amenities', I was absolutely befuddled by Turkish-language during the entire time.

I only began to successfully understand and use Turkish-language after I dropped the Oxford Dictionary and began using the various editions of the Redhouse, the Langenscheidt, and selected local-specialty dictionaries -- like the Commercial and Technical Dictionaries published by FONO. So I'm afraid I disagree with your foreign-language examiner. Deeply.

But, the largest Langenscheidt Dictionary is a passable second choice if your foreign-language examiner won't let you use the Redhouse Dictionaries. Still, the Langenscheidt Dictionary is curiously weak in places. And in comparison with the large 2-volume Redhouse Dictionary Set (which has 160,000 entries in each book), the Langenscheidt Dictionary is small (with only 80,000 entries total).

Nontheless... whatever you do, avoid the above-mentioned "Concise Oxford Turkish Language Dictionary". It's terrible.

By Jim Masters and Perihan Masters

personal preference art : Images Are Getting Real, Again

In 1987, I can remember talking with a California stock photo agency director who waved his hand toward his office files with the exclamation, “Editorial photos? We have plenty of those!” The pictures he referred to, of course, were clean-cut models in a work situation, smiling at a computer screen, or a housewife pleasantly choring away with her modern vacuum cleaner. The viewing public in those days, it was assumed, preferred fairytale “editorial” pictures.


Catalogs of historical B&W photos from the post war era also reflect the aspirations of the public (or at least that’s what the art directors figured) to depict a wonderland society, peaches and cream, that, however, few people would ever experience.


Times have changed. Maybe it was the shock of 9/11 or the turmoil in the Middle East; or it may be the influence of TV that can portray reality as it really is. The public is growing up and getting real. Publishers are wakening up also. We are seeing a growing willingness of publishers to tackle controversial subjects with natural lighting and hand-held camerawork. Even major Hollywood films today reflect a cultural acceptance of the “real.”


Yes, the squeaky-clean advertising pictures we continue to see today have their place – in advertising. Magazine and book publishers have shifted to a sense of realism in the images they choose for production. They perceive that their readership wants the “straight story.”



THE OSCARS

The nominations for “The Oscars” in 2006 also reflect this willingness to tackle gritty, topical issues head on. The top nominations ranged from race relations (“Crash”) to the death penalty (“Capote”). In fact all four major nominees dealt with realism and the personal cost of making life decisions based on whether to conform to social norms or not.
If you are an editorial stock photographer, you can translate this present trend towards “realness” –as a marketing challenge. It means less or more sales (licensing) of your images based on your personal preferences.
Will the pendulum eventually swing back to the fairytale type of photos of the last decade? Probably so. I’ve watched this phenomenon over the last 40 years, and my bet is that it will continue in the pattern of shifting back and forth every ten to fifteen years or so.

by Rohn Engh

personal preference art : Delete Cookies

What are cookies?

The cookies are small pieces of information (text) that are created by Web sites that you are visiting and are send to your browser (Internet Explorer) along with the Web pages that you are viewing. Some of these cookies are saved to your hard disk and when you visit again the Web site that generated them your browser sends these cookies back to this Web site.

The purpose of the cookies is one of the following things:

To notify the Web site that you visited it in the past. This information can be used to block some one-time services (for example Web pools, one-time promotional services, etc.). To remember your user name and password so that you don't need to enter them the next time when you visit this Web site. To remember your personal information that is important to the Web site you are visiting. It can be your name, personal preferences, advertising information, etc. To show you a different ad each time when you visit the site or similar ads to one that you clicked in the past.

As you can see there are plenty of ways for cookies to threaten your privacy. Even if it seems that the purpose of some cookies is innocent they still reveal the fact that you have visited the Web sites from which the cookies came. Also notice that the Web site that generated a cookie can change its content each time when you visit the site. Cookies remain on your computer as long as their creator decides. Some cookies exist only when you are on their web site but other can stay on your PC virtually forever.

mil incorporated

Delete cookies
What are cookies?
How to see my cookies?
How to delete cookies?
Multi-page version of this article
What are cookies?
The cookies are small pieces of information (text) that are created by Web sites that you are visiting and are send to your browser (Internet Explorer) along with the Web pages that you are viewing. Some of these cookies are saved to your hard disk and when you visit again the Web site that generated them your browser sends these cookies back to this Web site.

The purpose of the cookies is one of the following things:

To notify the Web site that you visited it in the past. This information can be used to block some one-time services (for example Web pools, one-time promotional services, etc.). To remember your user name and password so that you don't need to enter them the next time when you visit this Web site. To remember your personal information that is important to the Web site you are visiting. It can be your name, personal preferences, advertising information, etc. To show you a different ad each time when you visit the site or similar ads to one that you clicked in the past.

As you can see there are plenty of ways for cookies to threaten your privacy. Even if it seems that the purpose of some cookies is innocent they still reveal the fact that you have visited the Web sites from which the cookies came. Also notice that the Web site that generated a cookie can change its content each time when you visit the site. Cookies remain on your computer as long as their creator decides. Some cookies exist only when you are on their web site but other can stay on your PC virtually forever.

You can use Mil Shield to delete the cookies while keeping some of them (some decent and useful Web sites doesn't work without cookies). Mil Shield cleans also the content of index.dat files, history, temporary Internet files and many other tracks.

How to see my cookies?

Cookies are kept in special folder on your hard disk. Location of this folder depends on the version of Windows and whether or not you are using user profiles (accounts). If you have Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows NT or Windows 95 then cookie folder is in one of these locations:

C:WindowsCookies
C:WindowsProfilesCookies

Note that on your computer the Windows directory may not be C:Windows but some other directory. If you don't have Profiles directory in you Windows directory don't worry - this just means that you are not using user profiles.

If you have Windows XP or Windows 2000 then cookie folder is in this location (note that on your PC it can be on other drive instead of drive C):

C:Documents and SettingsCookies

If you have only one user account on Windows XP or Windows 2000 then replace with Administrator to get the paths.

Mil Incorporated was founded with an ambitious objective to be a trusted software partner for individuals and enterprises around the world. Mil Incorporated provides software security and privacy solutions that incorporate state of the art technology, security expertise, and substantial resources.

With threats to computer systems coming from all directions and growing in number and sophistication, our customers know that ordinary security measures are not enough. Mil Incorporated supplies privacy and security solutions that are solid, affordable, easy to use and provide outstanding level of protection.

By Mariyana Vasileva

personal preference art : Light and Depth of Field

With such a fantastic device as the digital camera for the recreation of magic in arts, a lot of care needs to be taken so as to maintain the perfection of the end product. This perfection is not only obtained by the artistic feeling of the photographer but also with the intricate knowledge of every minute aspect of the medium of creation of art (in this case the digital camera). And these minute aspects play a vast role in defining the ultimate perfection. The digital camera, light and depth of field are one such factor that would come into light in this subsequent discussion. Basically, the depth of field is a measurement of the acceptable sharpness. Yet this is very strictly a personal preference, and varies from person to person.

Thus to be more formal, the depth of field can be defined as the area inside an image that demonstrates an ample sharpness that can be considered more or less in focus. So the depth of field is the range of distance, measured along the lens axis, as per which the image is caused to be sufficiently well and sharp in the photograph. The rest is as follows!

The depth of field defines the zone where all elements show clearly from foreground to background. Three factors control the depth of field in an image, they are the distance of the subject, the focal length, and the aperture used to capture the photograph. For people using compact digital cameras, one of the subjects of out of the ordinary interest is the depth of field because depth of field is more easily said than done to control with a compact digital camera than with earlier conventional analog film cameras. The minute imaging sensors of compact cameras need the use of short focal lengths, and this in sequence gives these compact digital cameras an extraordinarily long depth of field when compared to other cameras. Thereby, with intent obtaining a shallow depth of field is more complicated.

Considering a general acceptable fact, the depth of field decreases, as the image gets nearer to the camera. This means that as the focal point reaches closer to the lens, the achievable scope of the depth of field ebbs. On the other side, if the image is far enough distant from the camera, and for digital cameras, this must not be very far, the depth of field approaches out to infinity. Another important point to be noted is that the depth of field is proportional to the lens opening.

Having discussed the above important aspects of the light and depth of field of a digital camera, it is clear that the minute details make such great subjects whose knowledge becomes equally important for making appropriate use of the fantastic device, the digital camera! And the digital camera, light and depth of field comes out to be such important factors that can make all the difference if a photographer remains oblivious about this knowledge. A small factor thus can meal a big divergence!

By Jakob Jelling

personal preference art : Essential Supplies for your New Baby

As every parent has surely discovered, you are never quite prepared for the arrival of your new baby. No matter how much time and effort you might put into preparing yourselves and your home for your new arrival, there are always a few things that tend to get overlooked. This is not without good reason, mind you. It is such a wonderfully exciting time for expectant parents, so naturally you are going to be less focused on trivial day-to-day matters. For all of the expectant parents our there, this article is for you!

The nursery is the first place to start when you are preparing your home for your new baby. The crib is likely the first major piece of furniture you will purchase for your child. Be sure that the crib you purchase meets all of the mandatory and voluntary safety guidelines. You will also want to invest in a quality crib mattress, as your baby will be spending upwards of 70% of his or her first year on it. Bedding is another consideration, and very much a matter of personal preference. Just don't forget to pick up a mattress cover! A changing table is another option, but not entirely necessary. Alternately, a baby monitor is an absolute must-have for your child's nursery.

The next area to focus your attention on is that of baby supplies. While most people have a reasonable idea of what their children's needs are, it is a good idea to pause and reflect every so often. Baby supplies are very popular, and there are so many choices to make. Be sure you purchase mild baby soap and shampoo, as chemicals and fragrances can have a terrible impact on a baby's fresh skin. A high quality, all-natural, moisturizer should also be used. Some parents are keen on using baby powder to help keep their baby's bottom dry. Try to find a baby powder that does not have a talcum powder base. It can be terribly dangerous if inhaled, so be on the lookout for one with a cornstarch base.

After all of the necessary supplies and furniture have been secured, it is time to think about fun and entertainment for your baby. While the world itself will provide hours of fun and discovery for your child, certain toys and playthings can considerably enhance their experiences. A mobile is an excellent toy for new babies, as they spend a lot of time in their crib at that age. Some soft, fluffy toys are also nice, especially if they are designed to provide some sensory stimulation of some sort. Teething toys are an absolute necessity as your child grows older. There are some wonderful toys on the market for young children, just be sure to consult the consumer reports for information about recalls and other possible dangers associated with children's toys.

Rachel Thompson is the proud mother of two young children, and a regular contributing writer for thebabydepartment.com – a wonderfully informative online resource for parents with information about baby products, nursery accessories, breastfeeding and more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Thompson

personal preference art : When to Have a Baby Shower

When to have a baby shower is a personal choice. It can be held anytime 4-6 weeks before or after the birth. Moreover, it can be held any day of the week and at any time of the day that is suitable for the mom-to-be, her family and the invited guests.

Traditionally, having a baby shower before the birth was very common. Today it is a matter of personal choice and convenience.

If the shower is to be held before the birth, then it is preferable that the gifts should be those related to newborn babies and in neutral colors as well as gender neutral.

Today it has become popular to hold the shower a month or two after the birth. It has its own advantages, like mother is somewhat worry free about her pregnancy. She doesn't have that large belly, so can participate in more baby shower games and other activities. She can eat whatever she feels like, unlike when she was pregnant.

Sometimes it can be more appropriate to host a baby shower after the birth if the mother is having a difficult pregnancy or her religion discourages celebrating the baby's birth beforehand.

Having the baby shower after the baby is born has other advantages as well. Now you can be certain that the gifts can relate to the gender of the newborn.

So as to when to have a baby shower, before or after is just fine, but it is a good idea not to hold the shower too near the anticipated birth date. Otherwise the mother's health may not be good enough for her to enjoy or even take part in the games or activities. Also, the baby could of course arrive late or prematurely.

Similarly, the next issue while choosing when to have a baby shower is to know whether she is a first time mother, or if this her second or more birth.

Baby showers before the baby arrives are great fun for first-time mothers to look forward to in the last month of her pregnancy. In this case the expectant couple (she and the daddy) can play and dream with all the gifts while awaiting their dream baby. For the second and subsequent babies, baby showers (also called sprinkles) can be held before or after the baby is born. The upside of holding the baby shower after the baby's birth is that gifts can be chosen by the gender of the baby and mother is more relaxed.

As per the old tradition, a baby shower is only held for the first baby. However, the modern view is that baby showers can be held for successive babies as well. Frankly speaking, it is a matter of personal preference and we have seen baby showers for 4th or 5th babies.

However, it is considered to be a good idea if the hostess can confirm and discuss with the guest of honor and potential guests how they feel about holding a second or third. If a majority of the people agree, you have all the reasons you need to go ahead with the shower.

Generally gifts for the subsequent baby showers are being targeted to more useful everyday items. Those that the baby may need and most of the time they are less expensive than for the first baby. However, nothing can stop you if you wish to give more expensive gifts on any subsequent showers.

My personal viewpoint is that a baby shower should be held for every baby. Moreover, showers are not just gift giving and taking rituals, but something more than that. They are given to bless and congratulate the mom-to-be and her family. But that is just my personal opinion, so go with what you have planned either way.

Baby showers are a time tested noble celebration. A social event and a good excuse for friends and family to get together and to celebrate the birth of a baby.

Moreover, in recent times pregnancies and deliveries have become quite an expensive affair. So this could help the parents financially as well.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.