1. First, if you are programmer, please know that in SB1 you can only do select statement, but you can not modify or insert data into SAP B1 tables directly, as you probably did with your legacy ERP application, such as Great Plains, for example. SAP Business One installation controls your direct database access in order to prevent possible data integrity problems

2. SAP Business One SDK programming. Your SAP B1 customization partner should give you custom logic estimation. Modification should be programmed in SB1 Software Development Kit. SDK programming should be entrusted into certified SB1 SDK developer hands, and SDK is available for SAP Business One Certified VAR. Programming itself could be done either in VB or C# in Visual Studio .Net. If your SB1 implementation crosses US borders, then you should know that your custom module should be separately compiled for A and B versions (where version B is international). Plus you should be aware about future SAP Business One customization upgrade cost – as custom code will need to be verified and recompiled in the new version. Current SB1 version is 2007A and B. If you are upgrading from 2005, you will need to recompile it

3. SB1 Workbench and Integration methods. If you got it working with Excel templates and this is OK for you, then the following paragraph should be skipped. However if you do not like Excel way, you should consider ODBC queries instead, where you can go and try advanced SQL scripting: select, union, group by, having clauses for example

Author: Andrew Karase

Make sure the surface of your piece is clean and free of dust before you apply any stain. If you choose to finish the gluing after you finish the piece, be sure to use masking tape to cover all glue surfaces. When using any type of stain or finish, always do so in an area that is well ventilated, has plenty of light and space, and is clean.

There are several different techniques you can use to apply stain to your project. You can use a brush or a rag with most stains on the market. Some even are packaged so you can spray them on. Absorbent rags made of natural fibers like cotton work really well to apply stain. Use a cut up old T-shirt or other piece of fabric. Alternatively, you can also use a heavy-duty paper towel. If you prefer to use a brush, it doesn’t matter if you use a synthetic or a natural bristle brush. Foam brushes may not be your best choice… they can sometimes disintegrate from the solvents used in some stains. If you are spraying your stain onto your project, set the paint gun up for a light viscosity. If the stain you have chosen is a thick pigment type, you’ll also need to thin it before putting it in the paint gun so it will spray properly.

If you choose to use a pigment stain, make sure it is mixed thoroughly before you use it by shaking it vigorously or stirring it. Pigments tend to settle at the bottom of the container. If you are using a dye stain, while they don’t need to be stirred, you may want to strain it first to remove any lumps of dye that did not fully dissolve. If you need a lot of stain, and you have several small cans of the same color, you may want to put them into one larger container and mix them up to make sure your color is uniform and not streaked.

You may want to start by taking your project apart, so the stain covers every bit of the wood and doesn’t gather around the hardware. Plan what pieces you’re going to do first… and if you have a large piece, figure out ahead of time how you’re going to approach it. You want to create small workable areas. Once this has been figured out, use your brush, your spray gun or your rag and apply the stain in the direction you want. If you have trouble getting the stain into small crevices, it pays to have a small brush handy to help force the stain in. If you are working on a piece of wood that is already installed in a high place over your head, say, like a piece of crown molding, you may have a more pleasant experience if you use a gel stain that won’t drip on top of you. Apply the stain to small areas, allowing the stain to dry for a few moments before wiping the excess off with a clean rag. Be sure to wipe off the excess in the same direction as the grain of the wood.

The first stage is the initial preparation. This is where you will be removing the majority of the material from your project. A wood plane is a very efficient tool for this stage. Planes will remove any marks left from machining your pieces of wood. Today, with the heavy use of power sanders, many people don’t use wood planes anymore. This is really a sad state of affairs, since nothing evens out a surface like a plane. Power sanders tend to leave hills and valleys depending on the wood. Another old tool, the scraper, is a good tool to use at this stage. Scrapers were used before the invention of sandpaper, and it can actually still be used in place of sandpaper once you learn how to use it properly. Another benefit of using a scraper is it is easy to master, even for a beginner. Cabinet scrapers are adept at removing marks made by your power tools and can also level the surface nicely. A scraper is fairly simple to use. Simply push the scraper away from you while exerting downward pressure at the same time. It goes without saying that the piece you are working on should be held steady when you are using a scraper. The scraper should be kept sharp. You can tell when it needs attention… a sharp scraper will make very fine shavings, while a dull one will produce dust.

Today, sanding is the most popular way to smooth wood before putting on your finish. Sanding can be done manually or with a power sander. Power sanders vary from a simple palm sander to a large disc sander. Many woodworkers don’t like to sand, and they dread having to do it. But sanding does not need to be a step to dread. If you follow easy steps in the proper order, it is very easy and efficient. Before sanding, be sure to remove any dried glue, since the glue will gum up your sandpaper. Sandpaper comes in many grits, from coarse to extremely fine. Start with a coarser paper if you have scratches from your power tools on your project. Then move on to a smaller grit. The smaller the grit, the higher number will be assigned to the sandpaper.

With all the machines available for sanding today, you may be surprised to hear of anyone doing manual sanding anymore. Hand sanding is a wonderful way to get a nice flat surface, however as well as being a great way to learn how to sand. If you start with a lower grit paper and sand in the direction of the wood grain, you can get a better finish than if you use an orbital sander, which sands in all directions. Directional sanding gives you the freedom to only remove what needs to be removed. Once you begin sanding, you’ll move progressively from a coarser grit to a finer grit to the finest grit. This creates a smooth sheen to the surface of the wood. Don’t skip grit sizes… if you do you’ll waste a lot of time sanding out scratches from the coarser grits.

The easiest way to tell when you’ve removed all the scratches from your project is to wipe a light coating of mineral spirits over the wood. This will allow any imperfections or scratches left on the wood. Once you know where they are, you can easily work on removing them.

Wood putty is available in many colors and forms, and is the easiest method of repairing gouges and other small defects on the wood’s surface. While wood putty of all kinds are basically applied the same, there can be a difference in your application depending on the wood you are using. For example, if your wood has an open grain with bigger knots and large cracks, that will require a different treatment because the space that needs to be filled is larger. Dents can usually be steamed out, while shallow dents and scratches may disappear under the sander. Sometimes a piece will split accidentally while you are routing. If you can find the chip, it may work to glue it in place and hold it securely by wrapping the piece in masking tape. If you can’t find the chip, it may be possible to make a new piece to glue in place. If possible, try to cut the replacement for the chip from the same board so the color and texture will match.

When applying putty, you will need a putty knife or a flathead screwdriver. Using the end of your tool, apply the putty to the hole in the wood. Pack in as much putty as possible, and remember to leave the putty above the surface of the wood… it will shrink as it dries. When it is completely dry, you can do a little light sanding to bring the repair even with the wood surface. Be sure and sand it the same way you did the rest of the piece so the texture matches. If the repair needs to be made in a very obvious place on your project, there are a few guidelines you may want to follow. If the piece will be finished without any stain and you intend to finish it with only a clear coat or an oil finish, it is possible to make your own putty out of glue and sawdust from your project. You may also mix the sawdust with an epoxy. Epoxy dries very quickly and won’t shrink like glue. If you plan to stain your project, you will need to use a water-based putty or wood filler. If you’re lucky, the putty will match or dry slightly lighter than your wood. If this happens you can always touch it up as needed. Or, you can add color to the filler before you put it on your piece. If you choose to do this, check on a piece of scrap wood first to see if it matches.

When you finish a wood, you can use bleach for many things. A bleach can lighten a wood’s natural color or even remove it altogether. A bleach can also remove some stains from the wood, either intentional or accidental. In fact, they can be very useful because they can fix minor problems before they become major ones. There are three basic types of bleach to choose from, and you’ll need to know which one to use for each situation, because each of these is pretty specific and not all will work in every situation.

The first kind, alkali peroxide bleaches, are usually sold in paint stores as a two-part liquid known as A/B bleaches. This type of bleach is usually used to remove wood’s natural color. It will leave the wood with a very natural looking, even, off-white color base. This, in turn, can produce highly desirable results, depending on the finish you use. You can use these bleaches also to narrow the color differences between two very different types of wood so that they appear to match more closely.

The next type of bleach you can use in your woodworking project is chlorine bleach. This is very useful to remove dye stains or other stains that have occurred, such as coffee spills or grape juice spills on bare wood. As you probably know, chlorine bleach is used in laundry detergent applications and for swimming pools. Any laundry bleach will work, because it’s concentration is actually quite weak. You might need to apply it several times to get the desired effect and remove the stain completely. You might also want to use chlorine bleach specifically formulated for pools. This is also known as “pool chlorine.”

A third main type of bleach is oxalic acid. This is great because it’s very selective in the colors it removes. For example, it does an excellent job at cleaning up iron-based stains, such as those that occur around nail holes. It also does a very good job removing dark water stains and other stains, but does not alter the natural color of the wood itself. Oxalic acid is usually found as a dry powder. It can then be mixed with water and applied to wood.

After you have bleached your wood, you need to neutralize the bleach when the cleansing or color removal is complete. There are different neutralizing processes depending on the type of bleach you’ve used. For example, with an alkali peroxide bleach, you’ll want to rinse with water and then white vinegar. You need one part vinegar to two parts water. For chlorine bleach, rinse with two to three applications of distilled water. If you’ve used oxalic acid, use two to three applications of distilled water and then a solution of baking soda and hot water. The baking soda solution should be comprised of two tablespoon baking soda to one half pint of hot water.

Well, here are some things to consider. You’ll need to choose a finishing product such as a varnish, lacquer, shellac, or polyurethane; you might also need putty, wood filler, wax or polish. In addition, you’ll need to choose from water or solvent bases for the finishing products. Which to choose?

It might be confusing, but once you know what you’re doing, you can group these rather simply so that it’s much easier to choose. Once you know what each group’s properties are, you can make a better and more informed choice about what you’ll need for your woodworking project.

Let’s begin with stains. When you apply a stain to wood, you add color to the wood without covering up the grain. This is a basic difference between staining or painting something.

Stains that are pigmented are made when a pigment is combined with a liquid. Usually, the pigment itself is in a dry colored powder before it is mixed with the liquid. The liquid itself includes a binder that helps the pigment stick to the wood surface. There’s also a carrier that works with the binder. The pigment does not dissolve in the binder, but are suspended in the liquid. In earlier times, you could purchase the colored powders to make pigments up; these were usually available in such colors as yellow, red, or burned charcoal, and were made from different types of clay and crushed rock.

If a stain is a “dye stain,” it’s physically and chemically different than a pigment stain is. Dye stains coat just like pigment stains do, but dye stains dissolve in the carrier instead of being suspended in it. Because a dye stain dissolves, it can deeply and easily penetrate the wood surface, unlike a pigment stain. However, the dye stain particles are very small and somewhat translucent. This, in turn, allows the wood grain to show through the dye stain.

One problem with stains of either kind, either pigments or dye, is that oftentimes, their color does not apply evenly, especially on softer woods like cherry, pine or birch. With these softer woods, you’ll want to stain a piece of scrap wood first to see if uneven coloring or blotchiness will be a problem. If the stain appears to blotch or otherwise not appear uniform on your test piece, you have other options you can try. For example, you can switch to a gel stain or a water-based stain instead. Both of these types of stains only penetrate the wood ever so slightly and can give you a much more even stain color.

The Spiritual Science Research Foundation has undertaken extensive research on ghosts in order to demystify this widespread phenomenon and help people in recognising and treating the adverse effects caused by ghosts through proven methodology according to the science of Spirituality.

At the outset, it is important to note that while we use the phrase ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) as a collective noun to cover the entire gamut of negative energies, there is a vast difference between the lower order ghosts and higher order ghosts such as subtle sorcerers (maantriks) from the sixth and seventh region of Hell. They differ according to their spiritual strength. Ghosts primarily use their spiritual strength to harm humanity.

The generic types of ghosts as identified by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation in ascending order of hierarchy as well as power and strength are:

• Common ghost
• Demons
• Black serpent
• Female goblin
• Jaakhin
• Witch
• Spirit
• Subtle sorcerer

The Hierarchy among Ghosts

There is a hierarchy among ghosts which is based on their spiritual power or strength. Ultimately all ghosts are controlled by subtle sorcerers (maantriks).

Basic shape and form of types of ghosts

The spiritual principle that word, touch, form, taste, smell and its associated energy coexist is also true with ghosts. Depending on their type of energy, they take up generic forms. These forms can however change, depending on what the ghost is trying to achieve. For example, if the ghost is trying to intimidate, it will take up an intimidating form, whereas if it is trying to fool a spiritual healer it may take a form of an angel or a positive energy. They can also take the form of our departed ancestors thus misleading psychics and the people who come to psychics to enquire about departed relatives. This is true in almost all cases.

How does one become a Ghost in the first place?

When a person dies only his physical body ceases to exist. His subtle body however continues to exist and moves on to the other regions of the Universe. Some of these subtle bodies become ghosts. Most ghosts have unfulfilled desires such as cravings for sex, alcohol, revenge, etc. or derive pleasure out of exerting control over and tormenting humans and other subtle bodies. The subtle body of a person after physical death is defined as a ghost if their characteristics and intentions match the above. There is no special process as such which they go through to become a ghost.

How does a Ghost become a particular type of Ghost?

The main reason behind a person becoming a certain type of ghost is due to their predominant personality trait and their predominant thought at the time of death. For example people involved in adversely affecting humanity at large are more likely to become subtle sorcerers (maantriks). On the other hand excessive worldly desires and constantly thinking ill about others may culminate in one becoming a Common Ghost (Bhoot) after death.

Summary

The most reliable way of reducing the risk of being affected or possessed by the various types of ghosts, is undertaking spiritual practice as per the 6 basic principles of spirituality. Spiritual practice and spiritual healing remedies, coupled with personality defect removal and eradication of ego are the tools to access supreme protection from God that insulates one from the attack of ghosts as well as helps us proceed to higher regions in the afterlife.

Visit SSRF’s website to explore more on the salient features of the various types of ghosts, view subtle drawings and pictures of various types of ghosts and discover how they can affect our lives:

At first I was instantly gratified, as I’m sure many have been before me. A lot of web sites that I went to all told me the same… my quest was over…it was Anzu of Babylon, a.k.a Zu, c.1st Millennium B.C. From “Ninurta vs. Anzu” or “The Myth of Anzu”. I read the descriptions, and with the exception of a few minor variations, it was this: Body and head of a lion, wings of an eagle (I didn’t realize they had eagles in Babylon), razor sharp talons, the beak of a bird with teeth, and an armor-plated breast. It to me was a bit of a let down. I don’t know about you, but to me Anzu sounds more like a griffin than a dragon. As I’m sure you will agree from the Babylonian depiction to the right. I also noticed a lot of copy and paste activity between a lot of the sites. So I decided to take a closer look, and actually read the original story as translated from the Babylonian clay tablets. At no time is Anzu referred to as a dragon. In other Babylonian text it is actual referred to as the Anzu Bird. In Sumerian text of the 3rd Millennium BC, Anzu was known as, the Zu-bird, a mythological creature which at times wrought mischief. From – Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the nether world – (Sumerian) : “In its branches, the Anzu bird settled its young.” So, as far as the Babylonians and I are concerned, not only is Anzu not the first dragon, but not a dragon at all, and deserves no further mention. I did feel I was on the right trail though,

so I pushed on into deeper study of Babylonian text.

My Reading and the views in other web sites brought me to an older “Dragon” in Babylonian and Assyrian text, Tiamat, creator of the gods and earth. c.2nd Millennium B.C. From the “Enuma Elish” or “The Seven Tablets of Creation”. The fact that Tiamat was a dragon is not clear. In fact she has about as many detractors as she does supporters. She is often described as a Serpent type Water Dragon. Except for that fact that she was said to have given birth to dragons, along with a host of other creatures;

“She set up vipers and dragons, and the monster Lahamu,
And hurricanes, and raging hounds, and scorpion-men,
And mighty tempests, and fish-men, and rams;
They bore cruel weapons, without fear of the fight.
Her commands were mighty, none could resist them;
After this fashion, huge of stature, she made eleven [kinds of] monsters.”

the descriptive evidence in the tale leaves one wondering to the fact of her being a dragon. She is in fact called a woman in the text, and mention is made of her lips. The following are all the pieces of description contained in the text of the Enuma Elish for Tiamat:

First: (Tablet 1)

unto Tiamut, the glistening one

Next: (Tablet 2)

Tiamat, who is a woman, is armed and attacketh thee.
.. rejoice and be glad;
The neck of Tiamat shalt thou swiftly trample under foot.
.. rejoice and be glad;

Next: (Tablet 4)

But Tiamat… , she turned not her neck,
With lips that failed not she uttered rebellious words:

Next: (Tablet 4)

Tiamat opened her mouth to its full extent,

Next: (Tablet 4)

He seized the spear and burst her belly,

Next: (Tablet 4)

And the lord stood upon Tiamat’s hinder parts

Tiamat a dragon? I leave that to you. I myself do not find enough evidence in the old text to support the fact, but likewise I do not find enough to dismiss her. But, as for being the first dragon, that I can dismiss. (For those of you who enjoy Creation Myths though, her story is the first Creation Myth in recorded history!)

I was scratching my head. Here I was deep in the world that the Greeks called Mesopotamia, home of the Babylonians and Assyrian, the birth place of civilization, and writing, but where was my dragon! That’s when I smacked myself in the head. The region may have been the birth place of writing, but it wasn’t the Babylonians or the Assyrian that were the parents, they were but meir students…of the Sumerians! Mesopotamia, was originally Sumeria for over two thousand years! So I head for Sumeria!

And that’s where I found it! The First Dragon written of, and the first dragon slayer story, and in the first written language Cuneiform!

KUR

Sumeria 3rd Millennium B.C.

“Since the dragon-slaying theme was an important motif in the Sumerian mythology of the third millennium B. C., it is not unreasonable to assume that many a thread in the texture of the Greek and early Christian dragon tales winds back to Sumerian sources.”

Samuel Noah Kramer, Sumerian Mythology, 1944

“Samuel Noah Kramer spent most of his life studying this literature, by piecing together clay tablets in far-flung museums.”

Sumerian Mythology, 1944, revised 1961

We find mention of Kur in three myths from the 4th – 3rd Millennium B.C., (more than a millennium before Tiamat!), In the introductory prologue to the epic tale “Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Nether World,”( written on eight tablets – seven excavated in Nippur and one in Ur), Where Enki, the water-god, fights Kur after he learns that The goddess Ereshkigal was carried off violently into the nether world, by Kur. Enki fought Kur from a boat, and Kur fought back savagely with stones of all sizes, and attacked Enki’s boat with the primeval waters which it controlled. Unfortunately for us, the author of this tale is so anxious to proceed with the Gilgamesh tale that he doesn’t finish the dragon part, and leaves us hanging. It is certain that Enki wins though because he is in the rest of the poem, Kur is not.

See anything familiar; Damsel in distress, knight comes to the rescue and slays the dragon.

The second version of the slaying-of-the-dragon myth can be found in “The Feats and Exploits of Ninurta.” (49 tablets) A significant version, due to the fact that it is evident that it was utilized by the Semitic redactors in the creation of the Babylonian Creation Myth featuring Tiamat.

In this version, Ninurta, the warrior-god, is the hero of the story. His personified weapon, Sharur, kisses up to him in a drawn out speech extolling the heroic qualities and deeds of Ninurta to convince him to go after Kur, and attach and destroy him. What Sharur has against Kur is not written in the text that is available. Ninurta leaves to do as asked, but finds himself lacking and “flees like a bird”. Sharur though, won’t let it go and speaks, reassuring and encouraging Ninurta with his words. “Ninurta now attacks Kur fiercely with all the weapons at his command, and Kur is completely destroyed.”

Things fall apart after that. The primeval waters of the nether world which Kur had been in control of rise to the surface so violently that no fresh water can reach the fields and gardens. The gods of the land in charge of irrigation and cultivation, are desperate. The Tigris does not flood as usual, and the river water is unfit for use.

“Famine was severe, nothing was produced,
The small rivers were not cleaned, the dirt was not carried off,
On the steadfast fields no water was sprinkled, there was no digging of ditches,
In all the lands there were no crops, only weeds grew.
Thereupon the lord sets his lofty mind,
Ninurta, the son of Enlil, brings great things into being.”

Ninurta then piled up stones over the dead body of Kur, and kept piling them until he had a great wall in front of the land. The wall blocked and held back the raging primeval waters (mighty waters) stopping the waters of the lower regions (nether world) from rising to the surface of the earth. Ninurta gathered up the waters that had already flooded the land and lead them into the Tigris. Which can now over flow and water the fields.

“What had been scattered, he gathered,
What by Kur had been dissipated,He guided and hurled into the Tigris,
The high waters it pours over the farmland.”

The third version of the slaying-of-the-dragon myth can be found in “Inanna and Ebih.” A one hundred and ninety line poem. (12 tablets)

The dragon-slayer in this version of the story is a goddess, Inanna, curiously known as both the goddess of love and also as the goddess of battle and strife, (She must have been married), and is also referred to in many Sumerian hymns as “The Destroyer of Kur.” Kur, is also referred to as The ‘mountain,’ in the Poem. Did I mention that Kur was also the first fire breathing dragon?

It, the poem, begins with a long passage that extolls the virtues of Inanna. It is followed by a long speech by Inanna to An (the leading deity of the Sumerian pantheon.) (by the third millennium. B. C. though, Enlil, the air-god, had already taken Ans place. Placing this in the forth millennium B.C.) The meaning of her speech is sometimes hard to understand, her attitude is clear though; Either Kur, who appears unaware of, or perhaps is oblivious to, her power, glorifies her virtues, and becomes submissive, she will do violence to the monster. This is part of her threat:

“The long spear I shall hurl upon it,
The throw-stick, the weapon, I shall direct against it,
At its neighboring forests I shall strike up fire,
At its . . . I shall set up the bronze ax,
All its waters like Gibil (the fire-god) the purifier I shall dry up,
Like the mountain Aratta, I shall remove its dread,
Like a city cursed by An, it will not be restored,
Like (a city) on which Enlil frowns, it shall not rise up.”

An responds by giving her a detailed account of all of Kurs mischief that he has wrought against the gods:

“Against the standing place of the gods it has directed its terror,
In the sitting place of the Anunnaki it has led forth fearfulness,
Its dreadful fear it has hurled upon the land,
The ‘mountain,’ its dreadful rays of fire it has directed against all the lands.”

An continues with a description of Kurs power and wealth, and warns Inanna against attacking it. But Inanna doesn’t listen to Ans discouraging speech. Filled with anger and wrath she opens the “house of battle” she leads her weapons and aids and attacks and destroys Kur. She then stations herself upon Kur, and utters a paean of self-glorification.

So there you have it, the first dragon in recorded history, given to us by the sumerians.

From the book Sumerian Mythology:

“The Sumerians were a non-Semitic, non-Indo-European people who lived in southern Babylonia from 4000-3000 B.C.E. They invented cuneiform writing, and their spiritual beliefs influenced all successive Near Eastern religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam.”

In closing let me say that the Sumerians gave us writing, they gave us culture, but most of all they gave us dragons. We should give them a moment of silence.

Reference Material:

Ninurta vs. Anzu, c.1st Millennium B.C., author; unknown

Gilgamesh, Enkidu and the nether world, c.3rd Millennium B.C., author; unknown

“Enuma Elish” or “The Seven Tablets of Creation, c.2nd Millennium B.C., author; unkown

Sumerian Mythology, 1944, 1961, by; Samuel Noah Kramer

Conventions come in two primary flavors. Professional and fan run. Professional conventions should have actors who have appeared in genre television and films ready to sign autographs and have their photos taken with fans. Some of these conventions include the costs of autographs and photo sessions in the cost of admission others operate in more of an a la carte fashion.

Often genre conventions have previews of new shows and films, and usually an extensive dealer’s room where you can buy anything from jewelry, ornaments, t-shirts and action figures to full scale replicas and costumes…and more. While there are a number of professional promoters the best known and run are Chiller Theatre Expo, Creation Entertainment, Fed Con ( Germany ), Starland and Vulcon. Do expect things to be as advertised and run on time. Do not expect warm and fuzzy.

Warm and fuzzy is more the field of fan run conventions. Fans who get together to run conventions have a great deal of enthusiasm, but usually are run with a volunteer staff and can be a bit “bumpy” with organization of the activities. What you can expect? A movie room, anime room, gaming room, art show, dealer’s room, and various special interest group rooms and tables. It is a rare con that doesn’t have a dance and a masquerade. Many fan run conventions also have guests ranging from actors, authors, cartoonists, illustrators, scientists etc. You may also find workshops for writing, acting, art, costuming, make-up and special effects. It all varies from convention to convention and year to year. Older fan run conventions such as Aggie Con, Balticon, Bay Con, CONvergence, Dragon Con, ICON, Shore Leave, United Fan Con, Toronto Trek to name a few.

The following sections may help you in selecting the kind of convention you would enjoy the most. Don’t be afraid to try other sorts once you’ve sampled those that are in your comfort zone. Exploration can be fun:

• LITERARY CONVENTIONS

Love to read speculative fiction? Do you have an interest in attending workshops on writing and publishing? Would you like to mingle with like-minded fans and meet professionals in the field such as authors, editors, illustrators and publishers? Then a literary convention would be the place you might enjoy most. Conventions such as World Science Fiction Convention (which is where the Hugo awards are announced), the World Fantasy Convention, World Horror Convention, Balticon, Philcon, Lunacon, Boskone, Readercon, Wiscon and Capclave are all reader friendly and while you may find the occasional filking group, men in kilts, swords and women in medieval garb I doubt that you’ll see many people dressed like the attendees of the convention seen in the movie Galaxy Quest. OK maybe one or two but they are a tiny minority.

• MEDIA CONVENTIONS

Media conventions are very much about television and film. Science Fiction & Fantasy or Horror & Paranormal guests abound. You may meet and hear behind the scenes stories of actors and illustrators, SFX experts and make-up artists and a host of media professionals. Many of the attendees may be wearing costumes. Depending on whether you are going to a “pro” con or a fan run con the rest will vary greatly. Parties are expected and encouraged. At a pro convention this will take the form of a banquet with the guests at a fee and/or a dance or cocktail party all for various prices. Fan run convention also may have a price attached to a banquet or “private” gathering with a particular celebrity or celebrities but they will also have fee free dances, masquerades, art shows, filking, sword demonstrations etc. Toronto Trek, Celebration, BotCon, Dragon Con , Comic-Con ( both Dragon Con and Comicon will appear under many categories)

• GAMING CONVENTIONS

Gamers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, colors and ethnic backgrounds but they all have something in common. A love of games. Role playing, live, pen and paper, MMOG as well as video gamers and board gamers all have a lot of interactive fun at gaming conventions. You can meet game designers, try out new games that have yet to hit the general market, and play in tournaments for glory and prizes. Once an almost male-only pursuit, gaming now has a growing number of female enthusiasts Gaming has become so pervasive that it is now nearly socially acceptable to the mainstream public. Nearly.

There are giant conventions like GENCON and ORIGINS, where it is so crowded you may have trouble negotiating the exhibition halls due to the crowds. The upside is the great diversity and FREEBIES as there are so many gaming companies competing for your attention. Then there are the more intimate play intensive ones like Archon, CastleCon, Dragonflight Dreikonigsnacht (Twelfth Night), Festival of Dreams, HexaCon, KublaCon, MACE, MarsCon, Marmalade Dog, ShaunCon, Strategicon, The Once and Future Con, and many many more.

Keep in mind that many conventions other than pure gaming conventions have gaming tracks. If you like to game but want to do more than only game during the weekend you might look into some of the other cons with a strong gaming element.

• ANIME CONVENTIONS

For the older generation anime seems so foreign, even unreachable. It shouldn’t be. Yes, anime and its siblings manga and ahem *cough* hentai are of Japanese origin but the striking visual styles and beauty, the characters and stories connect with westerners as well as audiences in the east. Because they are animations they can either be sub-titled or dubbed in the language of the country where it is being broadcast. In anime the stars are the illustrators, authors, and voice actors. At conventions you will find many of these sorts of guests as well as companies promoting their projects. You will also find some of the most imaginative of costumes created and worn by fans. At larger conventions you may find multiple rooms running films day and night. At smaller ones perhaps just one room will be devoted to showing their favorites. There are often panels discussing aspects of cosplay, fan fiction, video games, favorite voice actors, anime series or movies. As in literary conventions there are often workshops. These workshops are mostly how to draw manga, make computer animation, or how to become a voice actor. The dealers room will be filled with DVDs , software, graphic novel manga, art books, apparel, toys and exotic ( for us ) foods.

While the U.S. and Canada have the largest SF conventions in the world the largest Anime conventions are Lucca Comics & Games in Lucca Italy ( 85,000 ) , Japan Expo in Paris France ( 83,000 ) Salon del Manga in Barcelona Spain ( 63,000 ) and Romics in Rome Italy ( 50,000 ). The big guys in North America are Anime Expo Los Angeles California (41,000), Otakon Baltimore Maryland (23,000) and A-Kon Dallas Texas (14,500). Hey, size isn’t everything and some of the smallest might be the way to start if you have never been to a con before!!

• HORROR CONVENTIONS

What a perfect place to let it all hang out (dating myself but who cares). Horror conventions revel in going over the top. Long live Elvira, Freddy Krueger, Jason, Dracula, Zacherley, Even the names of these conventions and expos are meant to be graphic illustrations of what you will find there. Chiller Theatre, Fangoria, Fright Night Film and Fantasy Fest, HorrorFind, HorrorHound Weekend, Spooky Empire. Nothing to subtle here. No sparing of the gore. It’s like the rollercoaster of genre conventions. If you have a strong stomach and a dark sense of humor you will have tons of fun. The dealer’s room, art show, video rooms all are in sync with the horror theme. Guests that reach back decades up to the present. Once again there is a chance to meet actors, artists and authors for autographs, photo shoots, and anecdotes. Attendees go wild with costumes and you can do so too even without a ton of money or a pile of cash. Try out your best monsterish clothes and make-up or come asa victim…or not. Costumes aren’t required, they are just fun. There is usually a monster mash even if that isn’t the name given. Some horror conventions invite guests that more about nostalgia than horror. Chiller Con is a good example of this. Some of their guests are Micky Dolenz from the Monkees, Ernest Borgnine , Lindsay Wagner, Brigitte Nielson, Katey Sagal (Married with Children), Stephen Baldwin, Daniel Baldwin, Barry Bostwick, Erin Murphy (Tabitha of Bewitched), Avery Brooks, Armin Shimmerman, Robert Picardo, Geri Reischel (Jan from The Brady Bunch), Susan Olsen (Cindy from The Brady Bunch),Joe Pantoliano,Richard Kiel (”Jaws” Moonraker), Lou Ferrigno, William B Davies (X-Files-Cancer Man), Stella Stevens, Frank Stallone, Ron Bumblefoot ( Guns N Roses ) and a host of others.

• COMIC CONVENTION

When you think of a comic book convention you will probably think of a sea of old comic books, toys, Star Wars stuff, Star Trek stuff, action figures, collectible card games and magazines for sale and you would be right but that is only a part and an increasingly small part of the experience. You will find illustrators, authors, publishers and very often interesting workshops and panels that deal with every aspect of the industry past, present and future. There are the costume contingents that always show up at the larger conventions and some are so good that you could almost believe you were seeing superheroes and villains walk out of the pages and off the screen to meet you and be photographed. Some cons such as Dragon Con and Comic-Con began solely as comic conventions but grew to tremendous size, scope and diversity that they have transcended the genre that gave rise to them. Even those such as HEROES which remains focused on comics manages to have a number of other aspects and should be able to keep the whole family amused for the weekend. Comic conventions often have a lot of pop culture and nostalgia guests. So if you would like to see people like Creature, Parthenon and Fat Mama from Who wants to be a Superhero or maybe even Stan Lee himself, you might get your chance. How about James & Oliver Phelps who played the Weasley Twins in the Harry Potter movies ? Or perhaps Sean Astin or Billy Boyd and even Elijah Wood . From Heroes Hayden Paniterre and Masi Oka, or Ice-T…yes I said Ice-T AND his swimsuit-model wife Coco.

For a walk down memory lane there is Erik Estrada, Betsy Palmer, Soupy Sales, Richard Hatch, John Saxon, Adam West and Burt Ward ( Batman and Robin) , Julie Newmar, Peter Mayhew, Eddie Byrnes (77 Sunset Strip), Erin Gray (Buck Rodgers), Gary Coleman, Lou Ferrigno and on and on. Some are from your childhood others are from your parents childhoods. I can tell you that when I unexpectedly got to meet the very ladylike and gracious Betsy Palmer it was a thrill.

The bottom line is conventions are places where adults can go and play and slough off the average workday week . Have fun !!

What a Reed is All About

If you don’t play a reed instrument you may well be wondering what I’m talking about, so I’ll explain a little bit here. (For the already initiated, feel free to skip this bit!)

A clarinet is fundamentally a tube which is approximately 2 feet long; in fact it’s the same length as a flute or an oboe. The flute has a small hole which you blow across. This makes the air inside the tube start vibrating, (like if you blow across the top of a bottle and hear a note). The oboe and the clarinet, however, use reeds. These are small bits of cane, (or sometimes plastic), which are attached to the top of the instrument. The cane goes in your mouth and you make it vibrate with your lips and jaw; this sets the column of air vibrating, and hey presto a note sounds. (It’s very hard to describe how you actually do this because it all happens inside your closed mouth!) You can’t play the clarinet (or the oboe or bassoon) unless you have a reed attached to the top, and these essential bits of kit have, unfortunately, quite a short life span. How long a reed lasts depends on lots of things, like how often you play, what brand you’re using, and even what the weather’s like. (It’s a natural material so it’s affected by the humidity of the atmosphere).

The Reed you really Need

So now you know you need a reed, off you pop down to your local music shop, or find one online. The first question they’ll ask you is what kind of reed do you need? Narrowing it down to just “a clarinet reed” won’t get you very far. You have to specify the strength of your reed. And choose a brand. And choose one of a range of reeds within that brand. And how many do you need to buy?

So how can a little bit of cane be so diverse and complicated? How can you possibly choose?! Let’s take a look at the first dilemma: Strength.

Reeds are categorised by their thickness, and given a grading from 1 to 5, including half grades. Basically speaking, the thicker the reed, the more difficult it is to produce a note, but the nicer the note will sound. So, if you are a beginner, (and therefore in possession of relatively weak jaw muscles compared to a veteran), you should choose a low number, known as a “soft” reed. Around 1.5 would be good, but go for a 1 if the 1.5 is too difficult to blow on. As you get better, you’ll gradually be able to progress to thicker reeds (known as “hard”). To get a decent sound, you need to be playing on a minimum 3.5, and most professionals will be playing on 4.5 to 5s. Personally, I play on a 3.5. OK, let’s move on to brand and product:

In the UK there are mainly 2 companies battling it out in the clarinet reed field, and they are Vandoren and Rico. I’ll try to make a comparison between them, since your basic purchasing decision will be between these two brands. Here’s what Vandoren say about their standard B flat clarinet reeds:

“The most widely played reeds in the professional world.”

And here’s what Rico claim about their most similar product:

“The world’s most popular reed.” One thing you may be able to deduce from this is that Vandoren reeds are better and also more expensive. They produce a better tone for professionals, who are more picky about these things than amateurs. However, there are many more amateurs piping away in their bedrooms on a Sunday afternoon than there are professionals, and they tend to choose Rico, so they can’t be all bad.

Here’s how the prices compare from 2 reputable online firms, for a box of 10, (the normal number you get in a box).

>From www.myatt.co.uk Rico Reeds cost £8.50 and Vandoren cost £11.00

>From www.dawkes.co.uk Rico cost £6.25 and Vandoren cost £10.25

Rico are well ahead in the tasty price league, so why is it that all these professionals are choosing Vandoren? It really boils down to the sound that comes out when you blow, which to the professional is the only major issue. For us mere mortals though, there are another couple of points to consider- how many of these 10 newly purchased reeds actually work properly, and how long will one last before I have to change it? I’ve played on both these brands of reeds over the 20 and a bit years I’ve been playing this instrument, and I believe that Rico are more consistent in the strength grades they put in the box, and they last for the same length of time as Vandoren’s, but whereas a box of Vandoren sometimes produces a really stunning beautiful reed, a box of Rico never does.

When you buy a box of reeds, it is quite normal to find that some of them just won’t work. This is rather annoying, (especially if you’re paying more than a pound a piece), but it’s a fact of life. The cane is rigorously tested by both companies, and left to mature for a considerable time, but nothing can stop the cane from becoming slightly modified once it’s been packaged up in its box. My personal average from Vandoren is 50% usable reeds per box, while Rico usually gives me 7 or 8 that are playable. So, in effect, they work out even cheaper than you’d bargained for. I think that Rico’s testing technology is perhaps superior to Vandoren’s, to produce these results. They are more effective at eliminating inferior cane earlier in the process, before it actually gets in the box. In my mind there is no doubt that Vandoren Reeds sound better, but the large difference in price is not justified by the small difference in sound. Going back to my earlier point about the quality of!

my early attempts at the clarinet, I should point out that playing on the correct strength of reed, (and one that isn’t too old), will ensure an acceptable sound from anyone. So how to find the correct strength? Read on!

How Strong is your Jaw?

Rico Reeds come in strengths 1-5 (not all brands do). If you’re a complete beginner, buy a 1, a 1.5 and a 2. (You can buy reeds singly, both online and in shops. Some shops let you try the reed out before you buy it just in case it’s a duffer (see above), but not all of them.) Try the 2 first. If you produce a sound quite easily and without pain, congratulations! You’ve found the right strength. If you find it takes lots of breath to get a note and you can hear air escaping from the side of your mouth as you blow, the reed is too hard. Try the 1.5, and repeat the process. Remember that with clarinet reeds, the only way is up! When you have been playing on your 1.5 for some time, try the 2 from time to time. Don’t play for too long, as your jaw will tire easily and you may bite into your bottom lip. If this happens, your mouth will be too sore to play until it’s healed, and you’ll have to start with a softer reed again. Gradually increase your playing time, until you can play on the 2 with no problems. Then move on to the 2.5, and repeat the process.

If you stick with a softer reed once your jaw muscles have become stronger, your sound will deteriorate. Playing on a soft reed produces a buzzy kind of tone and can sound flat. Higher notes on the instrument are more difficult to reach with a softer reed, which is another reason why you need to climb that reed ladder! Sometimes reeds are a little bit too hard or a little bit too soft, without being impossible to play on. You don’t have to chuck them away in cases like this, you can “doctor” them slightly to make them more playable: if the reed is too soft, trim a VERY narrow (hair’s breadth) strip from the tip of the reed with a sharp knife. Or push another reed between it and the mouthpiece of the instrument, pushing it away from the rectangular hole in the mouthpiece slightly. If the reed is too hard, you can sand it a little. Use a piece of 220-grain sandpaper. Rub just a little, then test the reed- a tiny rub can produce a large difference (which is why they don’t always get it right in the factory- it’s a precision art!)

Breaking in Reeds

All new reeds need to be “broken in”. They won’t produce a consistent sound until they’ve been used a few times. Rico reeds are faster to break in than Vandoren. You need to wet the reed (in your mouth or with water- I prefer my mouth, but Rico advise water, as some people have very acidic saliva apparently, eeww), then play on it for just a few minutes each day, until the sound becomes consistent. It’s good to have a few reeds “breaking” as you never know when you’ll need a new one.

Replacing Reeds

It’s easy to tell when your reed needs replacing- after serving you well for a week or 3 (depends how much you play), one day it’ll just sound rubbish, completely different to the last time you used it. Every time it goes in your mouth the reed is getting attacked by various germs and other organisms, and your saliva begins the process of breaking down organic matter ready for your tummy, so it’s no wonder that they don’t last forever! Another obvious sign that you need a new reed is when you accidentally slice it in half while attaching it to the instrument, a tragically common event. (It’s held onto your plastic mouthpiece by metal band called a ligature. This has quite sharp sides and if you’re not careful it’ll cut right through in one go. Don’t worry though, I’ve never heard of anyone cutting their finger on one!)

Arundo Donax

This is the technical name for the reed plant which Rico and Vandoren use to make their reeds. It grows in India and the Mediterranean, and can get as high as 6 metres tall. If you live in the right climate you can grow it in your garden, but I wouldn’t suggest trying to grow and make reeds yourself from scratch, although some fanatics do…..

Other Types of Reed

For the standard clarinet, you will be buying B? clarinet reeds. It’s unlikely that you would buy the wrong reed size, as this is what 99% of people play on, but just for the record, there are also E? and bass clarinet reeds. E? reeds are for a smaller instrument, and bass clarinet reeds for a beast of an instrument, so neither will fit. The A clarinet takes the B? reed, as it is only very fractionally bigger than the B? instrument. (Orchestral players need two instruments, an “A” and a “B?”; see http://www.mymusictheory.com/lessons-html/8-transposinginstruments/8-transpint.html for more on transposing instruments).

Final Verdict

The Rico clarinet reed is a great choice for the amateur player. They are reasonably priced, reasonably consistent within the box, and produce a nice sound. They are easy to get hold of and excellent value for money, especially if you frequently slice them in half! If you want to get serious on the instrument, you should probably move on to more expensive reeds from Vandoren.