Do you love spending time with your family? Do you enjoy having fun and entertaining activities with them? With the countless things to do nowadays, there are so many fun and family friendly entertainment activities to choose from now. Anything from spending the whole day at a theme park, a carnival, a circus, a fair, the actual park, to going on vacation anywhere in the world, to going to the mall to watch a movie, to eating out at children’s playground restaurants, to even just staying at home and making popcorn to eat while watching a movie by the couch. So many things can be done now, as long as you are with your family and as long as you are having fun. There is however, one activity which is not only family friendly, but also fun, entertaining, and challenging at the same time. Not to mention, it tops a lot of family’s charts when it comes to family fun. That is none other than laser tag.

The Glorious Game That Is Laser Tag

Laser tag has definitely got to be one of the greatest games ever invented. If you have not played laser tag yet, now would be the perfect time to. Drag your family members along, even your friends, for with laser tag, the more, the absolute merrier.

Laser tag is quite a simple concept to wrap your head around on. The objective is for you to tag either enemy players or enemy teams with your laser gun, and score the most points possible in order to win the game. You are given a gun, which may vary from pistols to rifles to shotguns and more, depending on which laser tag place you play at; and you are also equipped with body armor, which has little tiny sensors attached to it. These tiny sensors are what other players or other teams try to shoot at for them to be able to score points. Once you get hit on one of these sensors, your gun shorts out for a few seconds, making you unable to shoot. When your gun shorts out for those couple of seconds, it is then that you know you have gotten hit by an opposing player or an opposing team. Laser tag operates on those mechanics, and there is only one rule: to have as much fun as you possibly can!

Laser tag, by nature, is a non-contact game, which means there should be no physical contact between opposing players and opposing teams. However, it is not completely prohibited by game rules to have physical contact; it is only highly discouraged and highly unnecessary.

Laser Tag as a Family Event

Now that you know what laser tag essentially is, there is no way that you should not make this into a family event. Not only is it family friendly, with its great mechanics, but it is also child friendly, and child safe, meaning that even your little ones can play this amazing game. Laser tag is truly a game which can not only bring entertainment to the family, but can, and will definitely bring out friendly competition among family members and all around fun.

What are you waiting for? Head to the nearest laser tag place near you now and start shooting! Pew Pew!

Laser tag is one of Julian Hartley’s favorite games.  He’s a writer and contributor for indoorwar.com.

These 5 movie posters not only became famous in their day, but they each changed the course of film advertising and remain some of cinema’s most iconic images.

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Italian illustrator Armando Seguso created the famous image of Rhett Butler holding onto Scarlett O’Hara as Atlanta burns beneath them. The smoldering scene not only conveyed the intense on-screen passion of what has perhaps become film’s greatest pair of lovers, but it also helped to capture the vibrant colour of the newly-emerging world of Technicolor cinema.

The Man with the Golden Arm (1955)

Saul Bass’ graphic design not only shaped cinema but the business world, with many of the famous logos of the 2nd half of the 20th century being attributable to him. However, it was Bass’ breakthrough poster for The Man with the Golden Arm that transformed film advertisements from realistic illustrations of movie scenes to a more abstract, symbol-based interpretation of a film’s themes.

Jaws (1976)

Artist Roger Kastel’s original illustration for the paperback edition of Peter Benchley’s novel Jaws so impressed the heads at Universal that they were quick to buy up the rights for the film’s poster. Kastel’s work here was important, because while the infamous shark remained mostly invisible for the first hour, it was the music of John Williams and that lingering image from the lobby of a massive beast rising up under an unsuspecting swimmer from the darkness beneath that helped to put the audience in a state of unrelenting suspense.

Star Wars (1977)

When Dr. Zhivago poster artist Tom Jung was hired to create an image for Star Wars, he was given the order to work with with the theme of “good over evil”. What resulted was the iconic image of a young Luke Skywalker holding up a brilliant white lightsaber as a slinky Princess Leia leans against his legs with blaster in hand, all while Darth Vader looms behind them. It’s interesting to note that the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 were not part of Jung’s original design, but added later at the insistence of director George Lucas.

Silence of the Lambs (1991)

An almost unrecognizable, pale-as-death Jodie Foster stares with soulful brown eyes as a deaths-head hawkmoth covers her mouth. An even closer examination will reveal that the skull pattern on the back of the moth is actually seven naked intertwined women. The poster was created by the ad agency Dazu and the naked-women skull pattern is actually a careful replication of the famous Salvador Dali photo titled In Voluptas Mors, which shows Dali beside seven naked women forming the shape of a skull. In 2006, the original poster for Silence of the Lambs was named “best film poster of the last 35 years” at the Key Art Awards.

Martin is a poster designer from Sydney, Australia. He has designed many well known Australian movie posters and uses the highest quality large format printing services that Sydney has to offer. Martin has recently married and he is currently trying to get into poster design for major Hollywood movies.

Happy Independence Day! I thought this guest blog would be perfect since I know we’re all going to BBQ’s today, plus I’m trying to stay healthy so I can lose twenty pounds in three months… I know, right? Wish me luck.

It’s summertime, and that means that you will be frequenting a few family or friend barbecues over the next few months. If you’re on a diet, attending these festivities on a regular basis can hinder your results by tempting you from every angle.

If you want to stay on your diet while you’re at a barbecue, use the following tips to help keep you on the right path.

1. Bring something healthy.

As a guest at a barbecue, you are usually asked to bring an appetizer, dessert or a side dish. Since you’re in charge of what you bring, make sure that it’s healthy. This way, you know there will be at least one thing that you can eat at the party that fits in with the requirements of your diet.

Good choices are anything that involves fruit or vegetables and a healthy dip, such as hummus or yogurt. Or you can even opt for a low calorie dessert to indulge in after the tasty food.

2. Choose the healthy foods first.

When it comes time to eating, whether appetizers or during dinner, always choose the healthy items first, such as fruits, vegetables and salads. Once you’re done eating these items, you can move on to meats and other food options. The nice thing about eating the healthy food first is that you will fill up on these items, which will make you indulge less on the items that aren’t as great for you.

3. Eat slowly.

It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you’re full, so try and make sure that you eat slowly. This way, you’ll have time to digest your food properly, and when you’re about to get up for seconds, you may realize that you’re no longer hungry.

4. Watch your portions.

Just because you’re at a barbecue, do not forget about your portion sizes. Always limit your servings to the appropriate amount. Remember that the size of your fist is about the size of 1 serving, so be sure that you keep your portions under control when scooping them onto the plate.

5. Don’t forget about the calories in liquor.

Even if you stick to eating healthy food and limit your portion sizes, you could still overindulge on calories if you continue to drink cocktails that are high in calories. Frozen drinks such as daiquiris and margaritas can contain a few hundred calories per cocktail, and if you’re sipping on these all night, you could easily exceed your calorie intake for the day. Make sure that after each drink you have a glass of water. Not only will the water fill you up, but it will keep you hydrated to eliminate any hangover the next day.

6. You don’t always have to say no.

If you really want to eat that brownie, eat the brownie. Allowing yourself to cheat in a small way is not going to throw off your entire diet. If you devour the whole plate of brownies, well, that’s a whole different story.

Susanna Watters is a writer and cook.  She enjoys writing about recipes, cooking tips, dieting and kitchen safety.  Susanna recently wrote about her favorite recipes using sunflower kernels.

Photo credit: Bongani

The kitchen is known for its standard appliances and gadgets, such as the toaster oven, spatula, can opener and corn holders. These are all great items to have on hand, but they’re pretty standard and not very exciting.

But innovation has stepped into the kitchen on more than one occasion, and people have created some bizarre creations that you cannot fathom anyone using. But along with those too-strange-to-use items comes those innovative gadgets that are actually useful. The following are five of the most interesting kitchen gadgets that you would actually use.

1. The TACA Cookie Mug

Cookies taste better when dipped in milk or even tea or coffee. But most cups are too small to fit any cookie larger than an Oreo. While you could always break the cookie in half, wouldn’t it be nice if large cookies could just simply fit? Now they can, with the TACACookieMug.

Rather than the original half circle handle found on most mugs, the handle of the TACA Mug is actually an extension of the cup itself, hollowed out so that liquids fill it up, but providing a handle-shape so that you can still pick it up.

2. Quintuple Bladed Herb Scissors

Most people have a pair of kitchen shears to snip herbs or cut other foods. While these shears have their benefits, it can be tedious to use them (or even a knife) to cut up small herbs. Enter the QuintupleBladedHerbScissors.

The design of these scissors is basically five scissors in one, allowing you to finely chop and dice herbs. And the best part is that they only cost $10.

3. Pizza Scissors

Chances are you have a pizza cutter at home. Though they’re a great tool to have on hand, they pose some problems. First, you have to let the pizza cool significantly, otherwise the cutter will pull off your cheese. Second, the blades are usually not that sharp, and you may have to travel over the pizza multiple times in order to cut through the crust. Third, if you don’t have a large enough pair, you may find it difficult to cut through pizza that has a large amount of toppings.

Pizzascissors are long bladed scissors that can easily cut through pizza. The handles are used just like regular scissors, so there is no need for additional force. Best of all, the blades separate from the device so that you can wash them. Some pizza scissors also come with an attached wedge to easily serve the slices when cut.

4. Sharky Tea Infuser

If you drink tea, you will love the SharkyTeaInfuser. Simply fill the basket with your favorite tea bag or fresh tea leaves and pop it directly into your tea cup (or bowl or pot to flavor a larger amount). The strainer like bottom allows the flavor of the tea to immerse your water, and the floating fin allows you to easily remove the infuser without putting your fingers in your cup or fussing with a spoon.

5. Twister Fork

Ah spaghetti, the most challenging food to ever eat. Both children and adults struggle with the concept of wrapping the noodles around the fork. That was until the invention of the TwisterFork.

This little invested has beveled edges that keep spaghetti noodles in place and makes twisting them easier to accomplish. This utensil is a necessity for any child or adult who eats spaghetti.

Bailey Powers is a writer and home designer.  She enjoys giving tips on remodeling, design, and home improvement.  Bailey recently got her cabinets replaced by the Drury cabinet company.

Enjoy this guest post about living your life to the fullest! It’s where we authors get ideas for books. 🙂

Many people dream of being rich and famous and living the high life of glitz and glamour. While for many of us it will remain a mere dream, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a taste of the high life without the millionaire’s salary. If you want to get away from the daily grind, here are five experiences to make you feel like a VIP:

Champagne tasting

Champagne is the drink of choice for many a celebration and is quaffed in huge quantities by the rich and famous. If you want to find out more about the famous drink and impress your friends with your knowledge of the finer points of this fine tipple, then Champagne Tasting sessions will arm you with plenty of knowledge to impart on others next time you’re at a swanky party. Plus, you’ll get to spend an afternoon sipping the good stuff and trying different varieties, which certainly beats the bargain bottle of bubbly from your local supermarket.

Spa days

Guilt-free indulgence, a day or weekend trip to a luxurious spa will leave you feeling healthy and refreshed even if you’ve been quaffing champagne and dining out on fine foods as well. Being pampered by a professional is the perfect way to make you feel special and spending the day enjoying massages and facials before relaxing in a hot tub is a surefire way to make you feel like a very important person indeed.

Helicopter ride

From horse racing tracks to music festivals, the helicopter seems to be the transport of choice for celebrities looking to beat the traffic and make an entrance in style. You can see what all the fuss is about and simply enjoy the thrill of the ride with a helicopter tour, taking in some incredible sights along the way, whether you want to enjoy a serene swoop across the countryside or a sightseeing tour over London’s famous skyline.

Supercar driving experience

Nothing says ‘money and power’ like a fast car. Playthings and status symbols for the wealthy, supercars are a luxurious way to travel. But the finest automobiles on the planet were built for more than just posing and you can really put their power to the test at a range of driving experience days which give you the chance to put your pedal to the metal in a high range Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini or classic car of your choice.

Enjoy a glamourous photoshoot

Getting snapped by the paparazzi may seem like a grind for the modern day celebrity, but there are plenty of them who love to lay on the style in front of the camera. Cover star photoshoots may be reserved for the beautiful people but you can still get a taste of the glamour of being photographed by professionals with a deluxe makeover and shoot at a pro studio, for star treatment and pictures you can treasure.

These experiences can also be found as great Gift Ideas at Activity Superstore , the leaders in gift Experience Days in the UK. With a massive range of gift experiences from supercar experiences to pamper days, your sure to find the perfect gift.