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Taking the time to travel in the Upper Peninsula during the fall will be a sight you will want to repeat many times. With nine different suggested tours you will see an array of beauty you won’t soon forget. The first trip has you leaving Hancock and going to Lake Linden, then on to Lac La Velle, Bete Grise and Copper Harbor. From Copper Harbor to to Eagle River and then Calument and Laurium and back to the beginning at Hancock. This trip is 105 miles. The peak season for the tour runs from first week in October through the second week. This is referred to as the Eastern Upper Peninsula tour.

The Central Upper Peninsula tour goes from highway 107 to 64 at Silver City, on to Ontonagon, then hwy 45 to Rockland and Victoria where you backtrack to highway 26 and go to Greenland. You split at Greenland and take highway 38 to Baraga then hwy 41 to Chassel and Houghton where you take highway 26 to Twin Lakes and back to Greenland. This tour is 200 miles and covers Delta County where the peak will be around the second week in October, Monominee County where the peak will be the first or second week in October, Dickinson County with peak being the first week in October, Marquette County with the first week in October being peak and Alger County where peak will be the last week in September to the first week in October.

Now you can take the third tour which takes you on hwy 2 from Ironwood and Wakefield to Watersmeet, Iron River and Crystal Calls on the Western Upper Peninsula. Then take hwy 141 to Covington and then to highway 28 to Bruce Crossing and back to the beginning at Wakefield. Peak season for seeing this colorful route is the last week in September and the first week in October.

Suggested tour 4 begins in Ishpeming on highway 29. Then take highway 510 to Nagaunee and Big Bay. Change to highway 550 to Marquette and then take 29 to Munising. Here you will go to H58 and then H15 for a trip to Singleton and changing to hwy 28 to highway 94 to Chatham, Gwinn and then you will reach hwy 35 to Palmer and back to the beginning at Ishpeming. This trip is 165 miles long.

Tour 5 is a little shorter beginning at Iron Mountain and Norway on Hwy 2 to Spalding, hwy 41 to Menominee and Hwy 35 to Cedar River and Escanaba. This is 125 miles long.

Now on to tour 6 which is from Esdanaba on highways 2 and 41 to Rapid River. Turn onto highway 2 and go to Manstique and Saint Ignace. Although this tour is 183 miles it runs quite straight along the bottom area of the peninsula.

Tour 7 is form Whitefish Point to Paradise on hwy 123 then to Newberry and hwy 28 to Seney where you take 77 to Grand Marais and H58 to Deer Park and back to hwy 123 and Paradise. This is 150 miles long.

The 8th tour begins at Saint Ingace which is on hwy 75 and goes on to Kincheloe and Sault St. Marie. Then drop down to highway 129 and Pickford where you will take hwy 48 to Goetzville and De Tour Village getting on 134 to Cedarville and then back to Saint Ignace. 150 miles of foliage to enjoy.

The last suggested tour is number 9 where you start off highway 28 and join highway 123 and begin at Eckerman. Take 123 north to Paradise and then go back to the intersection to turn toward Curley Lewis Scenic Highway. Stay on Curley Lewis Scenic Highway to Bay Mills and Brimley. This is the shortest of the tours at just 90 miles.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Greg Everett
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There are many people who dream of having a successful acting career. It’s rewarding work, but it’s also one of the most difficult parts of the film industry to get into.

If you’re hoping to work in film or television, there are plenty of other areas to consider. For example, you might think about producing, directing or script writing. Choosing the right film school is one of the key decisions you’ll make.

The first step in getting into the film industry is determining what type of career you’re interested in. Just about any job in the film industry pays very well, so you should be ready for plenty of competition. You should also be aware that you’ll need to start at the bottom, often as a production assistant (answering phones, getting coffee, etc) before any hopes of working in the field you were trained in.

You’ll also have to think about relocating, since you’ll need to move to where the work is. In the film business that may mean you’ll be working on location for weeks or even months at a time.

How to Find The Film School That Meets Your Criteria

If your passion is acting, don’t choose a film school whose strength is directing. You’ll need to get a feel for all areas of film production, but you need to choose a school that is strong in the particular area you’re pursuing.

Find a school that will let you choose courses that best suit your goals rather than handing you a set class list that you must follow.

With the growth of the film industry, you’ll find film schools popping up all over the country (and the world). So you’ll need to do your due diligence to make sure you’re not paying a lot of money for a degree that isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Check to see how long the school has existed and make sure you check their credentials. Some large universities are even starting to offer film degrees, and they are often highly regarded in the film industry so that is another possibility.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Robert Billings
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1. Join photography forums. The internet is a great resource for linking people together. Join a photo forum and share pics, tricks and meet some fantastic photo-crazy people like yourself.

2. Learn the ‘visual language’. Visit Art Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions that have photography shows. Learn art history from Antiquity to the Present and discover how highly creative people developed methods for expressing light and color.

3. Plan a trip to your local botanical garden. Plants are great for experimenting with light and tone. If you can’t find a botanical garden, go to a garden shop and snap away. There are some really beautiful flowers to take photos of.

4. Look at things through the eyes of creativity. Pick anything and shoot it just to see what it looks like: things around your house, in the refrigerator, etc. The subject doesn’t really matter all that much, what matters is how you shoot it. Shoot, shoot and still shoot even more. Digital is cheap.

5. Composition is the key. Think about what you are doing. Frame your photo in your mind. Look for interesting angles and light, go high, go low. The key is to shoot the subject in as many different ways, under different lighting, and try to make those images interesting. So, don’t just point and shoot, but consider composition.

6. Learn about visual arts. Visit art galleries that have photography shows. Read about art history and learn how artists have developed different and exciting ways of depicting the world around us.

7. Shoot boring things. Take a look around you in a whole new way. Make an effort to shoot things that you would never consider shooting. A bottle. A phone. A lamp. Anything, just shoot it in lots of different ways and see what comes out.

8. Explore the web. The internet is an amazing resource for visual inspiration. Type anything you can think of into the search engine and see what comes up. The internet gives you access to lots of amateur photographer’s work, among them some hidden gems, which will surprise you.

9. Shoot in different conditions. Shoot at different times of day for different lighting effects and atmosphere. Shoot in different weather for subtle changes of tone.

10. Join photography forums. It’s free and fun. You can discuss photography, post up photos and meet some cool people who love photography as much as you.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by David Peters
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How should I store my summer hats?
Summer hats, can last for a number of summers if they are properly cared for. Casual raffias, coarsely woven panamas, braided, stitched, and sewn straws are made to be hardy and easy to live with. They can be brushed off, stuffed with tissue paper and stacked on top of each other (be careful not to squish upturned brims) in a closet or in a box. Most casual fabric hats can be given the same treatment. Formal dress hats need more attention.Answer: All of our hats are one size fits most. Most of our hats are made of fabric that stretches, or they have hidden elastic built into the back, to accommodate a variety of head sizes. If you have any concerns regarding the fit of a particular hat, feel free to e-mail us with your questions.

What are straw hats made of?
Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the straw hats we manufacture are actually hand-woven using a man made fiber. The fiber is a twisted paper product that is coated with a plastic resin. The completed fiber is called “yarn.” If the yarn is made in Japan, it is called Shantung. If it is made in China, it is generally referred to as “Toyo.

Do head lice spread in clothes, hats etc?
A head louse could be transferred by a hat or scarf but this is a very minor transmission risk. They have to be on humans to survive so they are highly unlikely to make the mistake of climbing onto anything other than another head in the first place! Anything other than a head generally means death to a head louse. Obviously you can avoid this risk by not sharing hats and brushes tc but it is not a huge risk in the first place.Some racetracks carry our hats seasonally. We hope to have them available at more racetracks in the future.No, we do not buy or sell hats. However many of the companies listed on our site do. Please visit the companies listed under the various sub-headings e.

Do you make matching hats?
Yes we can make matching hats out of all fabric apart from the ‘sheep’ fleece as these are not suitable for hats.Yes, we sell hats, bonnets, and scarves for protecting all types of hair styles in the rain. Please visit Andr Hair Apparel.Our Inspired By You Collection and Signature Collection are adult sized caps, one size fits all.

What are straw hats made of?
Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the straw hats we manufacture are actually hand-woven using a man made fiber. The fiber is a twisted paper product that is coated with a plastic resin. The completed fiber is called “yarn.” If the yarn is made in Japan, it is called Shantung. If it is made in China, it is generally referred to as “Toyo.All Mikahats are made of soft, cuddly, stretchy, anti-pill fleece. Faces are made of fleece and fabric paint. Some hats include fake fur, patterned cotton, and flannel.No, we do not buy or sell hats. However many of the companies listed on our site do.

Do you sell hats anywhere else?
Yes. We do the occasional fair and big event. Keep an eye on the website for details of our next outing.Our Inspired By You Collection and Signature Collection are adult sized caps, one size fits all. However, we do have an exclusive childrens line Inspired By You Too that was specifically designed to fit them, in a 1 size fits all childrens style cap. All hats in every style regardless of the collection, has an adjustable fabric strap including a small metal clasp in the back for easy adjustments and perfect sizing every time.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by Vargas Jensen
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If you live in the United States, you probably notice how many Mexican natives are entering the country, whether legally or illegally. Many of them do not speak English so advertising companies and even television companies are gearing their products toward their native language of Spanish.

Have you ever thought of learning a new language but was unsure of which one to tackle. Well, if you live in the United States, you may notice that Spanish is just as prevalent a language as English is. With that being the case, perhaps it would be best to learn to speak Spanish. Many people around the globe speak more than one language too.

Many adults tend to think that learning a new language at their age is difficult. For some, this may be the case but if you are a person determined enough to learn a second language then you’ll overcome this “handicap” and find a way to learn and speak it.

First, you’ll need to determine what language you want to learn and why you want to study it. If you want to learn to speak Spanish for any number of reasons, then locate places and programs that you can turn to that will help you master speaking this language.

If you are learning it just to learn it, look at colleges or universities in your immediate area. Sometimes, a classroom instruction is a better environment than a quick study for some people. However, it does take a little longer to get through the material. You’ll also want to find a class that fits your schedule.

However, if you are the type of person who can learn anywhere, you can use a computer program, whether by PC or Macintosh, that can help you learn the language. One such program that claims to be able to teach people a language in a short time is Rosetta Stone. It’s a program is designed to help anyone who wants to learn a new language like Spanish to do just that.

Rosetta Stone is also good for kids who are being homeschooled. Parents can use the CD to help students learn to speak Spanish even if they, themselves, do not know how to speak it. This program offers many things for parents to use including but not limited to: Real-life Simulated Conversations, Speech Recognition Technology and Parents Administrative Tools.

If you have a child who is still a bit young but you want him or her to learn to speak Spanish, then look to other computer programs that are geared towards their age. Young children are sponges. They soak up knowledge. Thus, for this reason alone, they should be taught a different language to learn. A program that is fun but educational is the Jumpstart Spanish CD. It sells for about $20 and comes on both the PC and Macintosh. Children won’t realize they are actually learning something unless you tell them.

Tags: Writing & Speaking by Denise Richards
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Tattoos as a decorative medium for the skin has become widely accepted. Needles are used to introduce ink into the skin layers that produces a permanent design. One has to bear in mind that results of tattoo designs can no longer be undone so that one has to be certain in choosing the designs that he or she will carry on their skin for the rest of their lives.

Artistic genes run in our family. My sister never runs out of ingenuous and provocative brainchild. Although we are the same in so many aspects, my daring side is completely nil compared to hers. Inconspicuous earrings ensconced in tiny holes in my earlobes works for me any day, but tattoos on my skin, maybe never.

I cannot live with seeing the same design everyday for the rest of my life. Alternating my earrings to suit my various moods or events is more to my taste. Unlike any tattoo markings, regardless if it is big or small, stays very much the same. Diversity is what makes life more exciting. If ever I get a tattoo, what I would probably do is have it altered every now and then to suit my feelings. I do not think it will be suitable for a person like me.

On the other hand, my sister has a few ink drawings on herself that she adores. She created a tattoo design herself that is both magnificent and overwhelming. She got a measurement of the length and width of her back by yours truly. I mapped out the curve of her spine and we transferred a general outline on a large piece of paper.

My sister drew a picture of a cat for her tattoo design. The cat’s back is facing out and its head is turned so it is looking at the onlooker. The cat’s spine follows my sister’s spine nearly to the small of her back. There, the tail curves beautifully around the image. This magnificent tattoo design almost completely fills her entire back area. While it is quite beautiful and cleverly designed, she often laments that it is just too much for her small frame.

If you so wish to experiment with this art form on your body, you have to set certain limitations on how daring you would like to be. An exquisite design such as my sister’s creation may cost much more than you bargained for. Another important factor to consider is its being kind of irreversible, and having it removed afterwards if you do not like the results pr for some other reasons could equally be expensive and troublesome. My sister is keeping her options open, she has her cat tattoo design with her, but she has not yet said yes to the tattoo master.

Tags: Arts & Entertainment by James Cavalier
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