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Tom Hanks, Justin Timberlake, and Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Steve Young were among the many celebrities participating in the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in early January 2006. The show floor was 28 football fields worth of space with 2,500 trade show exhibitors vying for attention in 1.6 billion square feet of convention exhibits.

More and more trade show exhibitors are finding that a great way to get noticed is to introduce an element of show business into their trade show display appearance. According to technology industry analyst Rob Enderle, Each year theyve (CES) had more of a Hollywood presence and this year is the biggest year. At the CES, Intel hosted a performance by the Black Eyed Peas, Motorola featured the Foo Fighters and Verizon Wireless had hip hopping by Yellowcard and Maroon 5.

Celebrities and celebrity look-a-likes, athletes and former pros, comics, actors, musicians, and scantily clad booth babes all are attention-getters that can draw crowds of business prospects to your trade show booth.

Clients often ask how they can add glitz and pizzazz into their trade show display experience. Here are a few things to consider:

1.The obvious first step is to hire show stoppersthis can run the entire gamut from famous celebrities to clowns on stilts. Even your smiling, energetic and well trained booth staff can do the job of attracting attention.

2.Make your trade show exhibit exciting by incorporating movement, color, lights and action. Practice what motion picture producers do when they yell into their bullhorns, Lights! Action! Gobo lights traveling across a tension fabric can provide changing color and mesmerizing interest. New technologies bring high drama to your trade show booth such as 3D video/laser image displays suspended above.

3.Display a sense of humor. Think Billy Crystal and have your trade show booth staff prepare a few funny things to say when they meet and greet attendees. Remember that humor sells and it also helps to break the ice and get your crew off to a friendly start.

4.Bring Internet access into your booth that showcases your professionally designed company website. Incorporate on a large backdrop screen robotics, holographics and waterscreen projections. Be sure to take into consideration your trade show exhibit suppliers advice and expertise on graphics, portability and trade show cost management.

5.Make your booth exhibit interactive so that you can involve people with a touch, feel, sight and sound experience. Experiential activity is better and longer lasting than passive involvement.

6.Provide exciting, fun giveawayslarge or small, everyone likes to win something. By offering a drawing on a glitzy prize perhaps a two night free stay at the luxury resort would make it fun for your trade show attendees to allow them to have the magic continue.

By thinking creatively you can take your trade show exhibit to another dimension. A show biz element brings the buzz to your trade show exhibit. And, remember, there is no business like show business.

Soccer is growing in popularity around the country. Many kids want a soccer themed party for their birthday. There are lots of fun ways to have everything at your event be soccer related!

Pick a list of kids to attend your party and send out soccer ball invitations. A party supply store will have all the accessories and motifs available for soccer. Have the kids wear their soccer cleats to the party if they have any or their favorite jersey.

The soccer party can be for a birthday, but it can also include a fun scrimmage soccer game. Set up two goals a short distance away and let them run around and score. If there is a parent coach nearby, have them set up cones and let the kids run through some drills. Make up a game for the two teams and have them be the sharks and the guppies and run! The exercise will do them good, not to mention wear them out so they sit better inside the house to eat.

Prizes to give away can be personalized trophies or ribbons. Attach a team picture for a great keepsake for everyone. Other treats can be candy, plastic trinkets or soccer related toys. A soccer ball piata is another great entertainment and prize piece all in one.

Soccer decorations can be found at any party supply store. Soccer balloons, black and white streamers and wall hangings make for a perfect sports party. Special soccer favor bags and treats can also be purchased to give away to each guest.

Party planning stores will also have all of the paper products needed to serve cake and lunch. Plates, napkins and tablecloths to match your soccer motif make clean up easy! Special ball shaped cake pans make round cakes which can be frosted to make soccer cakes!

A national anthem in general, is a patriotic musical composition that is recognized formally by a country's government as their country's official national song.

This idea of identy came about during the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, with the rise of the national states. It was at this time when most countries adopted a national anthem, which often times coexisted with other commonly sung patriotic songs. For example, Although Canada's official national anthem is "Oh Canada", another widely recognized national song is "The Hockey Song", due to Canada's strong history in the sport of hockey.

Typically, anthems will try to acomplish the goal of reflecting the unity of a nation by galvanizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people within the song. In the nineteenth century as anthems first rose to prominence in Europe the style of music common then has continued to be used in almost every national anthem. Even where western orchestral music was a foreign notion, like in nations of Africa and Asia, the national anthem is still usually in European style. Some countries have challenged the dominance of dated orchestral music, like Australia for example. "Advance Australia Fair" has been the national anthem of Australia since 1984, but there is much support for the folk ballad "Waltzing Matilda" as a national song. Some even considerate a candidate for the national anthem. This is much like the example I mentioned above with Canada and "The Hockey Song"

National anthems have in the past and will continue in the future to be an important part of the history of the countries of the world.

Carlisle United overtook Wycombe at the top of League Two with an emphatic 5-0 demolition of Chester City. The Cumbrians were 4/6 before kick-off and Adam Murray set Carlisle on the way with a goal after 14 minutes. Goals from Michael Bridges, Chris Lusmdon, Karl Hawley and Glenn Murray ensured Paul Simpsons side top the division on goal difference.

Wycombe Wanderers slipped up in North Wales, losing 2-0 at Wrexham. Dennis Lawrence and Sam Williams netted the goals in the opening 15 minutes to secure victory at odds of 6/4.

Grimsby kept their place in the automatic promotion spots with a 1-0 win at Notts County. The Mariners were available at 9/5 after a run of four matches without victory but Michael Reddys goal five minutes before half-time was enough.

All three sides are level on 54 points with Wycombe Wanderers favourites to win the division at 11/4, Carlisle United at 11/2 and Grimsby Town at 11/2.

Northampton have been instilled as second favourites to win League Two outright at 3/1 after a 2-0 win over relegation strugglers Rushden took them to within one point of the top three. The Cobbers were 8/15 favourites and goals from David Hunt and Scott McGleish secured the points.

Leyton Orient lost to Torquay and a floodlight failure was not enough to get the match abandoned, with the match delayed for 40 minutes. The Seagulls, 15/8 before kick-off, scored through Martin Phillips and Tony Bedeau and hung on to win as the other bottom three teams in the division all lost.

At the bottom of the table, Stockports five match unbeaten run ended as they were defeated 3-2 at home to Lincoln. The Imps, 17/10 before kick-off, found themselves 3-1 up before Liam Dickinsons goal for Stockport seven minutes from time set up a tense finale.