Regarding IMAGES and Alerts

Pls help me,
1. how to sotre images in the database
2. How to build alerts. (Ex. If Purchase order is pending with a manager for more than one day, system should able to send some alerts....)

Bye
Krishna

1. http://download-west.oracle.com/docs...lob.htm#998100

2. http://download-west.oracle.com/docs...tp.htm#1000695