The fun and creative rewards gained from helping children stage their own puppet
shows are immeasurable. Too often, however, even after you’ve assembled your
puppets, a puppet stage and a troupe of little actors, the missing ingredient is the
script. While there are a few sources of scripts written specifically for the puppet
theater, there’s a wealth of other resource materials to create your own puppet
show scripts - some ready to perform, some easy to adapt.

Since comedy is a great form of entertainment for children, one place to find source
material for puppet shows is in existing comedy routines. Classic comedy routine
scripts and pre-recorded comedy soundtracks are available in libraries, bookstores
and throughout the Internet. The Web is full of comedy routines already in script
form. The Creativity Institute website offers links to several of these classic
collections, as part of our mission to help bring out the creative potential in
children. Plus, we are constantly researching and updating these resources. Simply
find something that suits your puppet theater cast in level of sophistication and in
the number of parts, and you’re ready to go.

Puppets are as versatile as your imagination. It doesn’t really matter what puppets
you have, even when the puppets don’t match the parts in a script. This is especially
true of animal puppets. Because they’re such a departure from human roles, they
can easily be substituted for almost any role and even add an extra dimension to
the show. Just tell the rabbit puppet that he’s Abbott or Costello and the duck
puppet he’s one of the Marx Brothers, and watch the hilarity start to happen. You
can even do simple wardrobe modifications on the puppets to both enhance the
production and help the puppeteers get into character. (Example: Use double-stick
tape to attach a piece of black yarn above a puppet mouth for a “Groucho”
mustache.)

The quickest way to start performing your puppet show is to use a pre-recorded
script, such as an old radio show, comedy routine from TV or a movie. Saturday
Night Live and Monty Python are full of great ones. Some classic old comedy
routines, including The Three Stooges, The Marx Brothers and Abbot and Costello,
can be a lot of fun for children to perform and delightful for “audience members.”
The children don’t even have to read lines, but just pantomime along with the
dialog.

Additional sources of puppet script and performance materials include recorded
songs, including children’s songs, novelty songs, musical duets and multiple-part
numbers. Think of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The 12 days of Christmas” and
other holiday songs. The Muppet Show used to do wonderful things with these
recordings. If the song is simple enough, such as “Old Mac Donald” with its
multiple characters, you can let the children sing it themselves as they act out the
different animal puppet parts.

Of course, you can always write your own puppet theater scripts. Maybe there’s a
real experience you or the children enjoyed that you want to relive. Or there could
be a lesson you want to impart - about sharing, or getting along, or shaking the
boredom of a rainy day. These themes can be turned into puppet show scripts that
are as simple or as complex as you want, with as many characters as you feel like
casting. If you don’t have enough puppets, get creative. Introduce a doll or two
into the cast. You can even create an impromptu puppet out of a rubber glove and
a marker or just a simple sock.

The world of literature is another resource of dramatic material that can easily be
adapted to simple puppet stage shows. Depending on the ages of the children, you
can do the conversion for them or coach them in how to simplify and convert their
favorite fable, fairy tale, nursery rhyme, children’s book, and even scenes from
movies or TV shows. Simply write out the dialogue, and indicate which child does
which puppet part, or let them read right from the books, using Post-Its to show
who speaks where. Often printing out the text or copying the page with marking or
color-coding where the parts change is all you need to do.

As a sample of a non-script format story adapted for the puppet stage, we have a
ready-to-perform script version of the Aesop’s Fable “The Lion and the Mouse” as a
free download on our website, CreativityInstitute.com. It includes stage directions
and requires only two puppets and an off-stage narrator.

As we said earlier, puppets are as versatile as your imagination. They can sing,
dance, fly through space and make an audience laugh or cry. Children often have
their first experiences with role-play on the puppet stage. The puppet theater
allows children to be in a valuable position to receive positive reinforcement from
entertaining others and seeing their audiences react as they explore their character
voices, antics, interpretations and ad-libs. Get your child in the act, and you’ll be amazed at the possibilities.

The Creativity Institute is an online educational toy store and information resource
dedicated to helping parents enhance creative development in children, from infant
through school age. The store handpicks each educational toy based on its potential
for bringing out creativity in children and includes such items as puppets and
puppet theaters, toy musical instruments, art supplies and building blocks.

Gwynn Torres and Sid Berger founded The Creativity Institute to help parents boost
creativity in children. They are both former advertising creative directors who’ve raised
five creative children between them. Visit their site at: http://www.creativityinstitute.com.

When your building project requires effective, robust and attractive plastic guttering and downpipes, look no further than the complete range of PVCu rainwater systems and accessories manufactured by Marshall Tufflex. Eurocell supply systems suitable for all types of domestic and commercial property, with styles ranging from the classic half-round and square-line to decorative ogee guttering.

At your nearest Eurocell Building Plastics (EBP) branch you will be able to find everything you need to construct your complete guttering system, including fascia brackets, outlets, bends, clips and drain adaptors, not to mention all the tools and silicone sealants required to complete the job.

Why Choose UPVC Guttering From Eurocell?

When you choose guttering systems from Eurocell, you’re sure to find a style and colour to suit your property. Eurocell supply half-round guttering ideal for most replacement projects, as well as square-line guttering for something a little different - complete with adaptors for compatibility with any existing PVC system. Ogee guttering provides a highly decorative, sculpted alternative and we also supply commercial plus and universal plus guttering for large roofs on bigger homes or commercial properties.

All styles come complete with a full range of matching accessories and fitting systems. Eurocell uPVC guttering is manufactured from high-impact, high-gloss uPVC for a long-lasting, weather-proof finish. The easy-click fitting system makes it fast and simple to install and all guttering comes with a 10-year guarantee.

Tehcnical Spefications

• High-capacity systems requiring fewer downpipes
• Round and square downpipes available
• Sustainable, long-life guttering, which is 100 per cent recyclable
• All systems comply with BSEN607:1996, BSEN1462:1967, BS4576-1:1989 and EN12200-1:2000
• Easy-click system is fast and easy to install
• Universal system features vortex outlet design, which encourages swirling effect for greater water flow
• Supplied with 10-year guarantee

The PSP Gigapack is the most powerful handheld gaming package ever created. But not only is it powerful it is also a great value if you are looking to get the most out of your handheld gaming.

The heart of the Gigapack is the Play Station Personal handheld gaming system. The PSP is the most powerful handheld gaming device ever created. The PSP runs on a 333Mhz processor that is almost equal to that of the Play Station 2. It incorporates 32MB of main memory and 4MB of DRAM.

The screen measures at 4.3 inches. This is the largest screen size for any handheld with the Nintendo DS measuring in at 3 inches. The PSP also has a screen resolution of 480 x 272 pixels. This is almost double the Nintendo DS’s screen. This makes for a really high resolution image.

The PSP has built in stereo speakers as well as a slew of different ways to communicate with it. Among the communication methods are 802.11b wireless networking, USB 2.0, Pro Duo memory stick, IrDA, and an infra red remote.

The PSP takes UMD cartridges which is made for the PSP exclusivly. The recognized file formats are the PSP game format, UMD Audio, and UMD Video. All of these can easily be created on a computer and loaded to your PSP’s memory stick via the USB cable. This allows you to download a very large variety of files for use on your PSP.

The PSP also features a headphone and microphone jack. This allows you to talk to others while playing online. The PSP is basically a computer you can fit in your pocket. It also has a power connector to recharge the PSP’s built in battery.

The buttons consist of the standard PlayStation controller buttons with a few extras. The additional buttons are home, power, brightness control, sound mode, volume, wireless networking on/off switch, and a disk eject button.

The PSP also features parental controls. This will allow concerned parents to lock their children out of games and movies they shouldn’t he seeing. This is a great feature and the PSP is the only handheld gaming device to offer it.

Sony also plans on delivering a slew of accessories to even further your handheld experience. You can also pick up the USB Camera for PSP, USB GPS for PSP, and USB Keyboard for PSP.

The Gigapack takes this outstanding gaming system and teams it up with a bunch of the added extras. Some Gigapack vary in what they give but most are the same. Included in the Gigapack is a 1GB memory stick (to hold your favorite games, movies, music, and more), PSP headphones with remote control, soft carrying case, PSP AC adaptor, PSP battery pack, travel plug (so you can charge your PSP anywhere in the world), PSP stand, USB cable, cleaning cloth, and usually two games.

You can obviously see why the PSP Gigapack is the most powerful handheld gaming package in the world. Teamed up with a great PSP download service you will have all you will ever need for handheld entertainment. Even if you already have a PSP you should at least invest about $55 on a 1GB memory stick.

There are a few PSP download services on the market and I have tried most all of them. The one I am most satisfied with and use on a daily basis is PSP Download Services. They offer a ton of benefits to get the most out of your PSP.

Although you can find PSP files for download on the Internet for free they are usually fairly speratic. It may take a few hours just to locate what you are looking for and a lot of the time the file may be taken down. This happens a lot if the game has not just recently been released. The same is true for PSP movies that can be found for free.

I strongly suggest you use a PSP download service. This way you will not waste away hours just to find out that the file you are looking for has been taken down. With a download service you simply search for what you are looking for and it will come back with a list of results. You are usually guaranteed to find what you are looking for. For instance PSP Download Services offers an amazing 20+ million files. You will always find exactly what you are looking for.

Depending on who you choose you may have a monthly download limit or even a monthly bandwidth limit. Others may give you a content limit so you can only get a certain amount of say games or movies in any given month. You will never experience any of these problems with PSP Download Services. You will always get UNLIMITED PSP game, movie, music, mp3, software, screen savers, background image, themes, e-books, and more.

PSP Download Services also runs on the world fastest network and uses a download excelerator. That means that you can use this great service even if you only have dial up. What this mean for you is that your downloads that usually take a matter of hours will only take you a matter of minutes with PSP Download Services.

You will also get step-by-step instructions on how to use this great technology. Even a complete computer novice can use this service with no problems. Even if you do get caught up on something you can always call technical support. They will also give you the file transfer software needed to load your PSP full of your favorite titles.

Now that I have packed you full of wonderful information on how to get the best out of your PSP the choice is yours. Quite simply it is a no brainer. How could anybody ever go wrong with a PSP Gigapack and PSP Download Services. There is no way for you to loose. Even if you end up wanting to try another download service they offer an unconditional 60 day money back guarantee.

Don’t hesitate though act now and get your own piece of handheld gaming heaven. This is only high tech device you will ever need. You can surf the Internet, chat, play games, watch movies, talk with friends, listen to music and mp3’s, read e-books and much more with this astonishing piece of hardware and PSP Download Services is its perfect match.

Below are a list of where to find the best deals to start your PSP gaming experience.

entertainment.guruofinfo.com/ultimatepsp.htm - PSP Download Services
entertainment.guruofinfo.com/bestpspdeals.html - Best Deals On PSP Gigapack And Memory Cards

Terry Brazil
entertainment. http://entertainment.guruofinfo.com

Have you ever considered what alien species might look like? Some of us have and many of our thoughts perhaps are based on those things we see on the silver screen in Hollywood. Indeed the Sci Fi authors, screen writers, graphic artists and illustrators of the present and recent past periods have gripped movie goes and captured our imaginations. But how accurate are these depictions; I mean are they viable considering some of the tight parameters necessary for life on other planets. Living on the surface of the planet or in an ocean of H20 leaves a species with lots of options indeed.

For instance let us consider here on Earth the incredible diversity of living organisms both on land and in our water oceans. Some of the creatures we have on Earth could certainly pass for our ideas of alien creatures. However on a Planet with seas of Methane life would be much different and on a planet with an atmosphere of CO2, the species would not be soft shell like skin and bones, but perhaps hard shell like lobsters, beetles and such?

Recently in an online think tank this subject was brought up and a fellow think tanker Marv, had considered what he believed could be universal rules which would apply to species living in the realm throughout out Universe. His ideas were predicated on “survivability and adaptability” and he came up with a few thoughts of what species would be the most successful and their basic make up specifically; “Bi-lateral symmetry,
Carbon based, Endo-skeletal, at least bi-sexual and ability to exploit the environment to some degree.”

Indeed many of these thoughts do make sense and on the subject of an “Intelligent Alien Species” he had this to say on the matter and stated;

“The ability to deliberately manufacture and manipulate fine things like tools to manufacture other tools is necessary to achieve a culture worthy of the label “intelligent.”

Of course all this would be predicated on the type of environment available on the planet although these are interesting ideas and concepts of what alien life may look like on other planets. Perhaps you have such thought on these things and if not, perhaps you might consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

A barrister bookcase is a traditionalistic book shelve that comes from n Great England. Its telling feature is a flawless field glass face. This glass front is hinged at the side allowing a person casual admittance to books and other legal papers simply by opening the glass door. The barrister bookcase is ideal for just about anything. A Barrister’s bookcase was frequently used by a lawyers since it was often necessary for them to move. Now, they are really favorable, especially if one is invariably moving. This is because the bookcase is closed by use of doors.. This enables books and collectibles to be moved while still inside the bookcase while still continuing them.

These fine shelves

Solid Barrister’s Oak Book cases avoid the use of the normal sidelong opening doors and use doors that have the up and over opening mechanism. A scissor device used inside the barrister shelves ensure the moving doors do it in a parallel fashion without getting the doors jam or tipped in the process. One benefit of utilizing the barrister bookcase is the ability to have several of these units piled together. When done well, these bookcases give the impression of an appealing cabinet. Depending on the preference of the owner, barrister bookcases can have a assortment of material choices. Whether madeutilizing wood or glass, barristers give an elgance to a room.

Barrister bookcases however, despite many benifits,often are quite costly. Fortunately, there unqiueness has caused some makers to start producing replica editions. Some contemporary versions are also available at very reasonable prices. Some variations have simple looks. These can fit any theme.They can also be trimmed easily.They can be stacked allowing them to be easily used to create very interesting unit arrangements. Some can be used to create sofa tables, kitchen tables or even dining areas.

The Euro lotto was in the first place launched by the national lotteries of the United Kingdom, France and Spain and was unveiled on February 2004. The opening lottery draw was on Feb 13th-04 in Paris. The UK, France and Spain were the only nations partaking in the beginning but lotteries from the Republic of Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Switzerland, Austria and Belgium likewise became involved in October 04.

The euromillions lotto or the Euro lotto, as it is ordinarily acknowledged, pools the lottery ticket revenues of the nine partaking European countries delivering a mammoth Euro Lotto “jackpot”. With the amount of nations joining the Euro on the increase, this will without question will lead to more countries participating in the Euro Millions lottery. A growth in the amount of individuals partaking in the Euro Lotto will result in a continued growth of the already gigantic Euro Lotto “jackpots”.

Q. How To Play The European Lotto

Each participant has to choose 5 main numbers from 1 to 50 plus 2 Lucky Star numbers from one to nine. During the draw, five main and two “lucky star” numbers are then picked out at random from 2 lottery draw machines containing numbered balls.

Euromillions Awards

The prospects of scooping the Euro Lottery jack-pot is a remote 1 : 76 million but the likelihood of winning a money prize is a fairly decent one in 24. When the jack-pot is not won on a given week, it is carried over to the next lotto draw that will result in an ever increasing jackpot value. Recent rules added on the 9/02/2007 set the amount of successive roll overs to eleven, with the jackpot rolling out to smaller value levels on the eleventh lotto draw when the prize is not collected.

The recent regulations likewise initiated European “Super Draw” which go on twice yearly and offer jackpots in the region of 100 million pounds. The difference with Super-Draws is that the jack-pot must be won during the week of the lotto draw; as a result, when there is no ticket corresponding, all the drawn numbers then the top prize will be distributed to the lottery ticket holder(s) in the next winning prize level.

A manual log splitter is an essential piece of equipment both for the professional involved in commercial wood and the at home woodworker. Several varieties of electric wood splitters exist. Do a bit of research to determine the one that will best suit your needs.

If you don’t cut wood that often and just need to get some lumber for the fireplace, a single blade hand held log splitting axe will do the trick. The log splitting ax, used by lumberjacks for centuries, is the simplest and most basic tool for log carving up. One or two splitting axe blows will often split a 15-25 inch long piece of firewood. For those who don’t mind manual labor, a basic wood splitting axe should be all that is needed.

Those who use a manual wood splitter on the jobsite or at home on a regular basis generally invest in a hydraulic wood splitter. As will most machinery, different options are available. One of the decisions you will need to make is between a vertical or horizontal loading hydraulic wood splitter. If you use a manual wood splitter on site more than indoors, either a diesel or gas powered model would be the correct choice for you. For individuals who basically work indoors or at a workshop, an electric electric wood splitter works well.

Despite the power source involved, a manual wood splitter works through a simple process of the log being driven though the blade by using a piston.

In order to decide which wood splitter is the best, ask others in the industry which they feel complete the job quickly and effectively. A electric log splitter is a useful and powerful piece of equipment that saves time and money in the industry. Preventative measures to safeguard against injury should always be closely adhered to when using a log splitter.

Those near the manual log splitter should maintain a safe enough distance to avoid injury. Injury can be avoided by avoiding loosely fitted clothing and jewelry, and wearing protective safety goggles.

Independent contractors who work on homes or for those who remodel and use wood regularly, a manual log splitter is a smart investment decision. A hydraulic wood splitter can be an asset in working with wood by the commercial professional or the weekend home project individual. Need to purchase a manual log splitter? You can find one wherever logging machinery can be purchased.

It is far from easy to get a grant at the moment. These scholarships are not the same as a student loan because the cash is a grant, so it does not have to be repaid. While researching methods to fund a college degree, check into the unusual alternatives, for instance lefty grants. Scholarships for Southpaws: — A southpaw scholarship may at first seem a little bit different, however consider this: Julius Caesar was a lefty, as is Barack Obama. Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, Ringo Starr not to mention were left-handed as well. Current figures suggest up to eleven percent of people are left-handed. Often considered much more artistic and more intelligent, left handers have often experienced discrimination. Stigmatisation is now a thing of the past, lefthanders are no longer considered to be odd, in fact they are frequently linked with the famous individuals mentioned above.

There are many scholarships accessible specifically for left-handed people when you know where to look. The Beckley Scholarship for up to $1000$1k is presently available at Juniata College in Huntington, PA. For scholars of Juniata College and established in the late 1970’s, this unique fund has aided forty plus left handed students get their college degree. Numerous grants may have prerequisites and restrictions. Sometimes particular grades may be asked for or particular monetary prerequisites must be met. Do apply for the maximum amount of scholarships achievable to step-up your chances of graduating with a negligible level of debt. Societies, hobby related groups and also local organisations may be a source of college scholarships. Lefty grants aren’t the only case; money is accessible in numerous different cases for example to the children of veterans or if you are disabled.

Rooting out college grants can be time-consuming, but the reward will be worthwhile. Any debt generated by a college education may be cut back by these scholarships used alongside normal lending. Be really thorough and explore every last opportunity. Remember there are different choices in addition to left handed scholarships - write a list of all the options you can imagine and utilize your imagination. Apply for each program you imagine you are suitable for, you will keep any debt minimal, and you will most probably look forward to improved prospects on leaving school.

Chamonix French Alps Haute Savoie is located at the base of the wonderful Monte Bianco in France and is often recognized as the mixed climbing and skiing centre of the Alps. Chamonix is known as a real resort for extreme activities during both winter and summer. It was home to the 1st Olympics back in the early 1920s - but it is also a domain of brilliant views providing a lot to the adventurous mountaineer and sightseer.

However unlike most new snowboarding towns the town of Chamonix isn’t a souless skiing resort and has largely been saved from the modern monstrosities that scars a lot of the French Alps. Chamonix is fortunate to have not only an internationally renowned skiing area moreover a cosmopolitan and thriving centre.

It is of ample size to guarantee that there’s a lot of activities for the vacationer to do. However you choose to enjoy your vacation there is something to enrapture anyone. There’s a big sports and swimming area, spas, guided snowshoeing and weekly market with fresh local produce; and a plethora of boutiques, restaurants and night clubs, Chamonix Mount Blanc offers a mix of snowboarding, atmosphere and going out, that few mountain resorts can come close to. So book that snowboarding holiday at once.

With all that’s written about selecting a domain name, I thought I would address the ART of selecting a name for your business. It’s by no means an easy task or one that should be taken lightly. So here we go.

Ask 500 people, already in business, how they decided upon their business name and you will get 500 different answers. Everyone has a story behind how they chose their business name. Even if the business is named after their own birth name, there’s probably a reason why this was done.

When you open a business, in a sense, you are giving birth. This new birth was created from an idea by you or your associates. It will have its own bank account, it’s own federal identification number, it’s own credit accounts, it’s own income and it’s own bills. On paper, it is another individual! Just as if you were choosing a name for an unborn child, you need to spend considerable time in deciding upon your business name.

There are several reasons why a good business name is vitally important to your business. The first obvious reason is because it is the initial identification to your customers. No one would want to do business with someone if they didn’t have a company name yet. This makes you look like an amateur who is very unreliable. Even if you call your company “Bill’s Lawn Service”, a company name has been established and you are indeed a company. People will therefore feel more comfortable dealing with you.

Secondly, a business name normally is an indication as to the product or service you offer. “Joan’s Typing Service”, “Karate Club for Men”, “Jim-Dandy Jack-of-all-Trades”, “Main Street Laundry”, “Missy’s Gift Boutique” and “Star Publishers” are all examples of simple business names that immediately tell the customer what product you offer.

However, most people will choose the simple approach when naming their business. They use their name, their spouse’s name, their children’s names or a combination of these names when naming a business. The national hamburger-restaurant chain “Wendy’s” was named after, owner, Dave’s daughter. Actually, research has proven that these “cutesy” names are not the best names to use for a business. Many experts claim that it makes the business look too “mom-and-pop-sie.” But this depends on the business. If you are selling something that demands this mood or theme to appeal to your market, it’s okay to use this approach.

Names like, “Sensible Solutions”, “Direct Defenders”, “Moonlighters Ink”, “Printer’s Friend”, “Strictly Class”, “Collections and Treasures”, and “Starlight on Twilight” are all good examples of catchy names. These types of names relate to your product or service but serve as a type of slogan for your business. This is a big help when marketing.

When you name a child, you may not decide upon a definite name until after they are born. Hospital nurseries are loaded with “Boy” Smith and “Girl” Jones name tags. You do this because a name is sometimes associated with a type of personality. Somehow, I don’t think Tarzan and Jane got the message, “Boy”? (dah!). When you name a business you may need to wait until you have a product or service to sell and then decide upon a business name before going into the business itself because your business name should give some clue as to what product or service you are selling. A business named “Joe’s Collections” normally wouldn’t sell car parts and a business named “Charlie Horse” would not sell knitting supplies.

To generate ideas - begin looking at business signs everywhere you go. Notice which ones catch your eye and stick in your mind. Try and figure out “why” they stuck in your mind. Naturally, the business “Dominos Pizza” sticks in your mind because it is nationally known. These don’t count! Look around and notice the smaller businesses. Take your time. Within a few days you should be able to come up with a few potential business names.

Then, when you finally find a few names you really like - try reciting them to other people and get their opinion. It won’t be long until your business will have the proper name that will carry it through it’s life!

A final thought. Are they kidding? What your company does or long product description, domain names?

Try VeryLongBusinessNamesThatAreHardToRemember.com (and enter it without a typo)?

Well maybe it’s just me; but what happened to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)?

About the Author —- Jim Capobianco, the author of “10 Steps to Your Own Home-Based Business”, has been self-employed for over 25 years, both on and off line. At his web site, Cap-Tech.com and in his newsletter, The Cap-Tech Times, he shares his experience and expertise when it comes to owning your own business. Come pay a visit at: http://www.cap-tech.com