Friday, December 31, 2010

Houston Earns Big Road Win At Cincinnati

By Ross Everett


Behind a career day for quarterback Matt Schaub, the Houston Texans erased a 17-14 halftime deficit to score-- points in the second half and defeat the host Cincinnati Bengals 28-17. Schaub threw for 342 yards and 4 touchdowns against one interception in the solid road victory. Against a team that had won three straight games in the final seconds, Houston never gave Cincinnati the chance to create any late drama. Cincinnati dropped to 4-2 with the loss while Houston evened their record at 3-3.

Houston took the money as +3' road underdogs with the outright win, and both teams are now 3-3 on the season against the NFL pointspread. The 45 points just managed to stay UNDER the posted total of 46. The Texans have gone UNDER in 4 of 6 this season while the Bengals evened their NFL totals record at 3-3.

After the victory, Schaub said that his team knew of Houston's penchant for late game comebacks and that 'putting them away' would be a priority:

"Every game went down to the wire for them. Credit goes to them because they were able to find ways to win those games. So it was a matter of putting the game away."

The Texans' taciturn head coach Gary Kubiak would only offer that:

"Matt continues to put up exceptional numbers on the road."

The defense did a stellar job as well, shutting out the Bengals in the second half. In the third quarter, Houston only allowed six yards on nine plays for a franchise record. Cornerback Dunta Robininson talked about the defensive corps mindset:

"It was swarm tackling. Everybody has a job to do, and today we made this team a one-dimensional team. Overall as a defense, we played well."

In the losing locker room, wide receiver Chad Ochocinco admitted that his team knew that they couldn't rely on last minute heroics to win games:

"That's our fault. We've been saying that we can't keep winning with the way we've been playing. We've got to be consistent for all four quarters."

The Bengals will play their next two games at home, starting with a contest against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. They'll host the Baltimore Ravens the following Sunday before traveling to Pittsburgh for a game against the Steelers on November 15. The Texans host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. They'll take to the road for the next two games, playing Buffalo on November 1 and Indianapolis the following Sunday.




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Thursday, December 30, 2010

Professional Diving Courses

By Owen Jones


Professional deep sea diving or commercial diving is a profession that is not for all people. In this profession, you must be in first-class physical condition and you also need to have a sharp mind. Being a commercial diver is not just about knowing how to weld pipes undersea and being able to handle explosives, there are a lot of specialty studies that you can focus on in commercial diving.

These days, there are specialist schools for professional diving. There, you will get the opportunity to become a qualified commercial diver as well as take specialty courses that appeal to you the most.

Basically, most commercial divers take welding courses. If you follow the specialist underwater welding course, you will be taught the skills necessary to make high quality fillet welds. You will also be introduced to theories regarding the welding process and safe working practice while welding underwater.

In this course, each matter will be covered with lectures and actual test situations where you will be taken undersea for a simulated welding situation.Normally, you will learn nine special subjects on this course.

The first will cover safe undersea welding procedures; the second, welding plant and equipment; the third, techniques; the fourth, the preparation of the weld; the fifth, welding terminology and electrodes; the sixth, basic weldability and common weld defects; the seventh, how to monitor and control welding operations; the eighth, quality assurance and control and the ninth is joining steel plates using the three regular welding techniques.

Taking an underwater welding course can provide you with a great deal of employment opportunities in a commercial diving career. By becoming a certified undersea welder, you will be in demand by the shipping, construction and oil and gas industries.

Air mixed gas commercial diving is also a specialist course in the commercial diving industry. On this one, you will be taught about the different gas mixes that divers breathe. Regular air, nitrox, trimix, whatever, you will be taught how to mix them all.

A pressure tolerance test is also included in this particular course. You will also learn about the effects of certain gases on the body when diving. For example, you will be taught about nitrogen and its hallucinogenic effects on the brain when inhaled under pressure, and you will also be taught about oxygen toxicity and why helium is a preferred gas for breathing when diving in very deep seas.

You will also be taught about decompression and dive medicines as well as hyperbaric medication. Safety planning is another crucial part of the course as well as the commercial uses of scuba.

Underwater construction is also covered under this course as well as inland diving and equipment maintenance, especially that of the gas systems.

The diver medic specialist is another specialized course in commercial diving. After passing it, you will become a dive medical technician who will be responsible for making safer and better prepared dives.

You will be taught about the effects of protracted diving on the body and also about the various ailments that divers can experience, such as decompression sickness and extreme fatigue. You will also be taught how to care for divers who have experienced accidents during dives as well as hyperbaric medicine and treatment.

The above are just some of the specialty courses that you can take in commercial diving.

As you can see, there are a lot of career opportunities in the sphere of deep sea diving. By choosing the specialty course you want to learn about, you can be in no doubt that you will have an enjoyable and much brighter future in the world of professional diving.




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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Children's Toy Telescopes

By Owen Jones


If you want to give a child an educational toy and you want to encourage an interest in science, then a telescope is a decent choice. Obviously, telescopes come in numerous different strengths and sizes and for just as many purposes.

Telescopes can be used for observing relatively short distances or for observing the stars. In fact, the term 'children's toy telescopes' is a misnomer, because each single telescope is an aid to examination, whatever it is used for.

One of the most self-evident applications for children's toy telescopes is the scrutiny of heavenly bodies. Children love to observe the stars, other planets in our solar system and our moon and that interest can either be short-lived or it can lead to a life-long interest or even a career. This is the power of educational toys and this is the power that giving educational toys gives bearers of gifts.

Crowd have the power to empower a child by giving it an educational toy rather than a toy gun. A child's personality will out, but if it has 'blank spots', it cannot invent them. Merely think about how many boys follow in their father's profession or how numerous girls do what their mothers did.

Educational toys like children's toy telescopes can encourage a child on into a realm of interest that even its parents do not know of. Most individuals have never looked at the Moon 'close up', that is through a telescope, leave alone looking at Saturn or Mars through a telescope. Empowering our children to do so is to broaden their horizons.

A telescope is a telescope is a telescope. There is no such item as children's toy telescopes because all there are are powerful and less powerful telescopes and every telescope, no matter what its strength, affords better visual detail than the naked eye.

A telescope can be used for observing the stars, distant shipping or animals. Especially shy animals like deer or birds or dangerous animals like big cats or bears.

There are many places that you can go searching for children's toy telescopes. Most small towns do not have stores specializing in telescopes, but you can often get a bargain telescope from a second-hand shop or a pawn shop, because the fact is that not every child will become fascinated by a telescope. Some, even numerous, perhaps, will be bored by a telescope within a couple months.

This is to become expected. However, at least those kids had the chance and no-one can say that you did not encourage them. The fact that not every child is interested in children's toy telescopes is not a good reason for not giving one.

The fact is that there are many sorts of educational toys ranging from Lego to Meccano to chemistry sets, but a telescope is up there with the best of them. If you give a present of a telescope, you can at least know that you have done your bit to encourage the child to seek more knowledge.




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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Excellent Tips On How To Deliver Your A-Game With Truth About Quickness

By Jeremy Robert Charles


The Truth About Quickness Insider's System is the combined knowledge of two speed training consultants: Alex Maroko and Kelly Baggett.

Alex is a young instructor who is also the creator of the Effective Ball Handling Program. Kelly is somewhat of an idol in the sports activities coaching community, and his most famous work is the Vertical Jump Bible.

Kelly is extraordinarily educated and experienced relating to speed training, but he is not that great at communicating his thoughts. Alex makes up for his deficiency of experience with excellent communication ability. Combined, they deliver an incredible training program.

I'm not saying that Kelly can't communicate or that Alex doesn't understand speed training. In fact, they both do this better than ninety nine percent of the trainers around. What I am saying is that what one lacks, the other one makes up for, and more.

The Truth About Quickness syllabus is really easy to grasp and simple to follow. It additionally helps that the exercises are actually short, and you can literally finish each exercise in roughly ten minutes. You additionally get videos of all the exercises so you know exactly the best way to perform them, and the charts assist you to maintain track of your routines.

The one fault that I could find with the program is that the video quality seemed low. It was shot in a rough gym, which looks like it has been used by a lot of athletes. Nevertheless, simply because the movies were not taken in HQ doesn't do anything to lessen from the truth that the Truth About Quickness is a superb speed training program.

Here are 3 of my favorite basketball training workouts for blazing on-court speed:

1. Low, On-Off Box Jumps

To do this exercise, get a low stair or box about 2-6 inches in height. Then, stand in front of the box, and jump on and then off the box as easily and rapidly as you can. Do that for 2-4 sets of 10 repetitions (jumping onto the box after which off of it is counted as one rep).

2. Lateral Line Hops

To perform this training, draw a straight line on the ground or apply a piece of adhesive tape. Then, stand at one side of the line and jump horizontally forwards and backwards over the line. Do the hops as quickly as you can. If you would like extra bounce in your step, hop slightly elevated over the line and concentrate extra on rhythm and smoothness than simply speed. Do this for 2-3 sets of 20 reps (1 jump over the line is counted as 1 repetition).

3. Pogo Jumps

To do this exercise, you need to leap as high as you can, however concentrate on getting all of your hops out of your plantar flexors (ankles). To do this, keep your knees and hips nearly locked, and simply use your ankles to push yourself into the air. Really concentrate on bouncing off the floor, and decrease your ground contact time. Do this for 2-3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.




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Monday, December 27, 2010

Some Great Artists That Stayed Below The Radar Screen

By Lou Camassa


A snare drum beat, a pounding bass, a graceful melody that's cuts through your ear and touches your soul. We've all said the next three words before. "Who is that?" These are a handful of artist that fly a little bit below the radar. You may be familiar with some of these, other, you may have not heard of. But you would be well served to better acquaint yourself with these bands. By the way, the music of all of these artists can be found on internet radio.

Nico: Best known for being a drug addled chanteuse, that should not repel anybody from the fact that she sang (a term I use loosely) some really beautiful songs. Listen to "These Days" off of the late 60's album "Chelsea Girls." With song contributions from a teenage Jackson Browne and a love smitten Bob Dylan, the album evokes a warmth and elegance unmatched by many that followed.

Syd Barrett: Almost every music fan in general knows Pink Floyd. And some of you may be familiar with the group's leader in its first few years. But Syd Barrett is most remarkable to me as a damaged but brilliant (and brief) solo artist. He created two albums in 1970, "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett." They were not very robust in content, some say far from complete, but listen to "Terrapin" (off of the more superior "Madcap" album) and no musical creation has a more psychedelic tone. Every one from Bowie to Ray Davies cites Syd as essential, and for good reason.

The Velvet Underground: Words cannot adequately describe the first time I listened to this artist, they are truly a classic. From they're artsy, pop minimalist of 1967's "Velvet Underground and Nico," (with the famed 'Banana" album cover from Andy Warhol) to the FM friendly country rock of 1970's "Loaded," they really do not disappoint. Although it is best to avoid any material created during their reunion in the 1990's. The Velvet Underground is a fantastic rock and roll band that Americans never fully understood or appreciated.

The Meters: An extremely funky band under the leadership of Art Nellville of The Nellville Brothers. Since their beginnings in the 1960's, 'The Meters' have created more funky music than any other. Listen to "Cissy Strut" and you'll know. Although largely instrumental, that should not stop anybody from checking them out.

The Dictators: Having released arguably the First "New York Punk Album" (1974's Go Girl Crazy) The Dictators exude a more lucid Twisted Sister and Quite Riot than an artsy Television. They were considered quite abnormal in their era, now we can glance back and appreciate how talented they were. They sometimes came off childish ("I Live for Cars and Girls") or invasive ("Two Tub Man") but it was all in good fun. And you can't deny their biting songs! You can find 'The Dictators" on free online music.

The Cramps: Formed by Lux Interior in the late 70's, "The Cramps" recorded some of the most vibrant rock music of the twentieth century. Think boogie, punk, and swamp. If it wasn't for front man Lux's tragic death in February of 2009, they would still be playing somewhere in the country pleasing all fans, from punk to rockabilly.




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Sunday, December 26, 2010

For Sale 3 Tips On Finding Good Horseboxes

By Sherilyn Abild


With reliable horseboxes if you own a horse, you need horse transport.For sale when you go online there are many ways that you can find horseboxes.To not only find what you are looking for, but a vast selection so that you can get the best deals here are 3 tips on how:

1. As well as equipment for horses use an online site that specializes in selling horses. The site should be all about horses and also give you information that you need in order to choose the best horsebox for you.By using internet sites that allow for free classified ads, you can get the best variety of these items as well as the best price. In this world you can find horseboxes for sale in the UK as well as all over.

What is more, you can also have these items shipped to anywhere you want. You are better off to go to an online site that allows free classified ads for horse equipment such as equine transport than by any other method as you have more to choose from and can save money.

2. Within your budget and are of good quality take a look around the site and find those horseboxes for sale that are priced. You can get a better bargain if you shop online and peruse the different advertisements for these items Instead of just buying the first horsebox you see, or choosing from a limited and high priced selection from a store.

The equipment and you can also ask any questions about the product before you buy many of the classified ads have photos.3. Consider buying used horseboxes. You may want to deal with someone who has used horseboxes to sell if you are looking to save more money. You can often get better quality at a lower price if you buy something second hand rather than brand new.

For sale for horses and also ask questions about how long they have had the item and why they are getting rid of it you should look for photos of the products.The time to look at classified ads online chances are that you can find something well within your budget that meets your expectations if you just take.

You are much better off going online to get these items when you go to a site that only sells Horseboxes and exchanges them for newer and different models. You have a much better selection of getting quality equine products than you would anywhere else. A real deal in this manner and saving money you have the option of picking up.




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Saturday, December 25, 2010

A Well Written Synopsis Of The War Movie Paths Of Glory

By Andre Moore


Paths of Glory was originally written as a novel by Humphrey Cobb, a story which would turn into one of the greatest war movie classics made in the 50's. Considered to be one among the most potent movies directed by Stanley Kubrick, this black and white close up at the politics of war has had audiences cringing for nearly half a century. Based on the French army's efforts against the Germans during World War I, the movie takes a different turn then most war stories, examining the enemy from within, rather than those outside.

The plot begins with a proposed addition of another star to a general's rank, and a suicidal plan for attack against the Germans to attempt to please the public. Without regard to practicality, the French General Staff orders an attack on a highly fortified area to boost public morale after a long stalemate with the enemy. Their brash decision puts a weakened and worn-torn regiment at risk with no back up, and no time to prepare. And so begins a recipe for disaster.

Set in the vicious trench warfare of the First World War, the story takes its cues from the pure humanity of its characters, all of them showing weakness, strength, and the undeniable desire to survive. This leads numerous film critics to credit the movie with encouraging a more realistic approach to telling the story of battle. They also applaud the artistic and technical merits the story delivers through the precise delivery of its actors, and the complex emotional quality each character portrays, even without lengthy back-stories.

The plight of Colonel Dax to defend the lives, honor, and rights of his troops is among the most heroic ventures a character can take. When the attack fails, as the Colonel and every soldier involved predicts, the General points to the troops themselves as the cause for their acts of cowardice. With the random assignment of three soldiers to take the fall for the entire regiment, the main hook of the story begins, and a court hearing begins to decide their fate.

As with all black and white films from the time, use of lighting and color gradient (how dark an object appears when turned into gray instead of color) are the most important aspects to creating the visual experience. Even without the modern use of CGI effects, let alone color, good directing and cinematography can depict a range of emotion just as deep in black and white film as any other medium. Kubrick uses the dense blackness of the trench scene at night to instill fear, and the spotty lighting of Colonel Dax's bunker to present doubt when the General delivers the order.

One technical issue that many in today's audience may notice is the tendency of the characters to pace around the room during thoughts and speech, sometimes to an unrealistic extreme. The reason for this is to keep the feeling of motion alive while characters are set in lengthy conversations. With the limited ability to move the camera itself due to the touchy nature of lighting at the time, shot diversity depended on the actors' theatrical movements and gestures to stay interesting.

Because the movie's sentiments leaned toward the pointlessness and politics of war, it was considered controversial and even taboo in some European countries. It was the first of its kind to depict the antagonist of a war story as those in higher power from one's own side, rather than the advancing enemy forces. Though anti-war movies and cultural viewpoints did not become popular until after the war with Vietnam, the actors and crew involved with the film took an artistic risk and moral standpoint that will be remembered for all cinematic history.

Though Paths of Glory did not become a wild success in the box office, film critics claim its inclusion with the great classics of storytelling history. The message behind the film remains potent, even today, as the conflict with death and the value of a life still burden us today. Though the director himself believed it was impossible to create an anti-war movie directly, he did manage to create a fantastically deep gaze into the judgment of how wars are run, and what sacrifices should be justly made.




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Friday, December 24, 2010

Things handgun Owners Should Know

By Stepanie Partington


Nowadays, common folks know more about firearms than in the past. The rampant robbery in metropolitan areas and even rural areas are keeping home owners awake at night. It may be because the financial crisis has led more individuals into committing petty crimes in their desperation to stay alive. The truth is, people can't afford to be defenseless in this era of theft and terrorism. It's better to have something to protect your family with than pray that these criminals don't target your home.

Safety at Home

When picking up a gun, you must always take into account your own safety and the safety of people around you. This principle is applicable no matter what the number of weapons you own. Wear goggles to protect your eyes when tinkering with weapons. You do not want to lose your vision over maintaining a gun.

You can invest on a handgun safe. A pistol safe cannot be opened easily without your authorization. Guns safes are available in a wide variety of sizes and shapes and with different kinds of locking mechanisms. There are some with concealed pockets for your shells and your firearm blueprints.

There are basically two types of firearm safes - pistol safes and safes for rifles and shotguns. Pistol safes are tiny enough for anyone to grab and run with, which could make them a target for robbery if there is a break in. But pistol safes are good enough for protecting your children. They are primarily designed to keep others from accessing your pistols. Rifle cases have aspects that can accommodate one or two handguns. To keep your handgun safes out of sight, you can dig out a hole behind the book cabinet. You can easily remind yourself of this location by keeping your firearm books or other associated reading materials near the spot.

Strategic Placement of Your Weapons at Home

Most of your guns must be kept locked in a cabinet. But, there should be a place at home that only you know about where you keep a pistol for self-defense purposes. If you live in a shady neighborhood, you must have one gun that you can grab any time. Keep a small case in a location where you also have access to a homemade pepper spray.

Armed home owners are less likely to be under attack by intruders. Having a gun where you could get your hands on it when you need to defend your family is good enough if there is a threat like this.




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Thursday, December 23, 2010

The MMA Legacy Of Helio Gracie

By Ross Everett


The founding father of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and patriarch of the Gracie family, Helio Gracie, died in early 2009 at the age of 95. His influence in martial arts as well as the sport of mixed martial arts is mind boggling. The Gracie family name will forever be synonymous with Brazilian sports, jiu-jitsu, MMA and the UFC--not only due to Helios own accomplishments but the legacy he created both by training others and through his family.

Helio Gracie began his training in mixed martial arts early, and by his teenage years was already teaching judo. While he had no problem mastering the theoretical aspects of judo, he found that many of its techniques were less effective for a practitioner with a smaller build. Along with his brother Carlos, Gracie began to work out his own fighting system by adapting many of judo's techniques and making them more a product of leverage rather than brute strength. This led to the creation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), frequently called Gracie Jiu Jitsu in his honor.

Gracie also had a professional fighting career, taking on champions from other disciplines in a forerunner to modern mixed martial arts. These bouts were grueling, unregulated affairs with rules that were often made up as they went along and time limits that seem barbaric by todays standards. By his own recollection, he had 15 fights against the top fighters of his day. He began his career in'32 by submitting professional boxer Antonio Portugal (whod likely never even heard of a submission at that point, let alone experienced one) in just 32 seconds. Later that year, he fought American catch wrestler Frank Ebert to a draw after the ringside doctor ordered the bout stopped after an ungodly fourteen ten minute rounds.

Gracie's most famous opponent was against legendary Japanese judoka Masahiko Kimura. Gracie fought bravely in a losing cause, and ironically may have enhanced his reputation in defeat. He refused to submit to a reverse arm bar (the move that is now known as a 'kimura' in honor of its inventor), and the fight ended after his brother Carlos threw in the towel after Helio's arm had been broken.

Gracie's greatest impact, however, may have been through his progeny which is an important part of Brazilian sports and mixed martial arts even today. Royce Gracie is well known as the first UFC superstar, while sons Rickson Royler, Renzo have also achieved considerable fame in professional MMA. At the time of his death, Helio Gracie was a 6th Dan Judo black belt and the only living 10th degree master of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The cause of Gracies death was officially given as natural causes. He had been having stomach problems for several days prior to his passing, and was admitted to a Rio hospital for this reason. His seriously epic last words will go down as a fitting envoi to a man who gave so much of himself to fighting:

"I created a flag from the sports dignity. I oversee the name of my family with affection and nerves of blood.




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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Cardiovascular Physical exercise

By Jim Johnson


Every person has wondered at some point in time which cardiovascular exercise is much better. To place it in easy terms, each low and high intensity exercises will help you to burn off body fat. The question here is which is the most helpful to burn off much more body fat.

When scientists initial discovered that throughout intensive workouts, your body burns glycogen, which is a form of stored carbohydrates which might be stored within your liver and muscles for power. In the course of low intensity exercises, your physique will burn lots of fat.

If your questioning no matter whether or not it functions, the answer is no due to the fact you will find numerous obese men and women still about. Despite the fact that they're working out with low intensity routines, it nonetheless makes you wonder how it could be.

The scientists had been correct when they stated the human physique burns much more physique fat during low intensity exercises like walking or swimming. During a high intensity workout such as running, the physique will burn a lot more calories. Even if a number of the calories burnt are from glycogen, you will find nonetheless many fat calories burned at the same time.

To place the icing on the cake, when your store of glycogen gets low, the carbohydrates from your food you eat will later get converted into glycogen to fill up the store and won't be converted to body fat once they are left unused for energy.

High intensity cardio workout will juice up your metabolism even after you have completed your workout. What this signifies, is that your body will continue to burn body fat hours right after you've got left the health club. This effect is almost non existent in low intensity cardio or aerobic workout.

Accumulatively, your physique will burn up a lot more and far more calories in the course of and after you've finished a high intensity cardio workout that it'll with low intensity.

You'll be able to inject high intensity workouts into your cardio workout by introducing some interval training. You are able to walk for five minutes or so, then break into some jogging for one more five minutes or so. Then, walk briskly once again until you might have caught your breath and then sprint for a minute just before you walk again. From this point, simply alternate your running and walking for the next 15 minutes until that you are finished.

Certainly one of the perfect things about cardio is the a lot more you do it, the far more energy you'll have. Cardio will assist you to to burn calories, although its much more useful for keeping your power ranges high.

If you've by no means attempted cardio before, you need to give it a shot. In the event you like to workout, you will come across cardio the most effective way to increase your energy and keep in top form. If you're just starting out, you'll desire to go slow and maintain your cardio workout in track - as it is really straightforward to over exert your self.




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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Datamining Online Poker Tables

By Thomas Kearns


Try to imagine you sitting down in a poker game with 9 different and complete strangers and instantly knowing what their game plan is. Imagine that you have knowledge of them equal to really sitting with them for hundreds of hours while carefully studying their moves. This is what the dataminers will let you do. If this program is going to be used alongside with the heads up display and other tracking programs like poker tracker, you can have scores of data from every online poker player flashed right at your computer screen. How does it work then?

The dataminers will operate tables for you whenever you are away from your computer and will take note of every single action that the players at the specific tables make. Your dataminer would be watching at least 20 tables even if you are sleeping. The data recorded is then imported into a special database and other information such as heads up display that are directly displayed on your online poker table. The question now is why is it so important to have data on every online player?

You could play 30 hands or so against and opponent an think you know everything about them.. You know that they haven't played a hand yet so it means that they are a tight player right? The answer is perhaps. Having 30 hands are better than having 0 but what do you think it tells you? Perhaps the player doesn't have any good cards worth playing just yet. You can easily say that the sample is very small.

If you have been datamining all week long, you will probably have a few thousand hands worth of data. The data that you have may be able to tell you that the player that you have your eyes on may not be as tight as you first thought and not a good candidate to steal from. If you have a larger amount of data, it will be more accurate. With the use of datamining you will have good information on every online poker player that you come across.

Datamining is also very helpful for you if you use a poker table scanner for table selection. Having a lot of information on almost everyone on the poker table, you will definitely benefit in any available poker games online.

Even the professionals have turned to datamining and would probably know a lot about you. If that is the case, wouldn't it be nice if you have the same benefit?

Be sure to check with your poker room of choice to see if they allow data mining before engaging in any such practices. Breaking the rules of your poker room may result in closure of your account in some cases.




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Monday, December 20, 2010

Ferrari: The Legendary Vehicle

By Eleanor Richardson


There are a lot of different cars in the market today. Despite that, it's very difficult to not fall in love with a Ferrari. With a rich legacy of producing some of the fastest and most luxurious cars in the world, they continue to wow their supporters with several innovations that can make the most modern cars a run for their money.

For the past several decades, the Ferrari has attempted and succeeded in being one of the fastest cars in the world. Even models that have been launched over fifty years ago are still well received by car enthusiasts because of its modern innovation. The Ferrari California is probably just one of the many Ferrari models that will boast of high quality technology.

Having back seats is probably not common when talking about Ferraris, but this innovative company is determined to break the mold and provide various options to Ferrari lovers and car enthusiasts. The Ferrari California takes pride in housing a V8 front engine and a 7 speed transmission, but there's definitely more to love. This car, also called the Grand Tourer can allow you to bring some of your friends or young children for a ride. Expect them to fall in line!

If you have been used to spacious cars that offer a lot of leg room, you should know that you will not find it in the Ferrari. What you will find, however, is an immense speed that can be considered from one of the fastest cars in the world. Can you think of any other car that can take you from zero to 60 in only four seconds? This impressive feature continues to amaze car enthusiasts, but Ferrari is determined to make more developments to their product line like no other company ever has.

Speed is something that Ferrari has always been known for, and its involvement and support in Formula One races has only encouraged the makers of Ferrari to continue developing their vehicles. Since they started to support these driving races, the Ferrari team has also invested a lot in their parts and accessories to ensure both speed and safety.

Some car lovers still prefer the old models, and if you remember the car used in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, you would recognize that as being a 250 GT. It was sold in an auction for almost 11 million dollars, so it would be quite obvious that the one used in the movie was just a replica.

Enzo Ferrari developed this company less than a century ago, but it does not seem to have lost its glamour. Calling it a nice car would actually even be offensive to die hard Ferrari owners. Modern, luxurious and exotic, the Ferrari's classic color and simple design is enough to make you want one. Driving it may not be enough because you would want to take it home and understand why people all over the world has enjoyed this car so much.

We may see a lot of newer cars in the market. One thing is sure though: legacy of the Ferrari lives on. As they continue to move forward with their desire to make more customers happy, they are sure to remain as one of the global leaders in the automobile industry.




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Sunday, December 19, 2010

Bluffing In Online Casino Poker Games

By Angelo Bucco


The fame of online casino poker is spreading like wildfire in all parts of the planet. Poker is currently the leading casino game worldwide. Its popularity is unquestionable. Poker was once thought to be a game for the rich and well-known people. But times have changed and the gamers of poker have evolved too. The love for poker has extend beyond class, political and racial boundaries. Studies show that one in every five US citizens want to play poker over other casino games. And this statistical data is noticeable all around the globe such as in the United Kingdom where poker is done in many parties.

The internet has generated a lot of interest with its introduction. It is a natural consequence therefore that casinos are transferring online. Online casinos offer poker games in their websites because of its large fan base. Online poker to a significant level is similar to real live casino poker nevertheless they do have few contrasting features.

Online poker, first of all, is played on the internet while land-based poker is played in a casino edifice. The method of payment likewise differ. If a player goes to a land-based casino, he must travel in order to play. This is not an issue in online casinos since all you need is a computer with internet connection. You are able to play at any place with online casino.

Additionally, if you go to land-based casinos, new gamers could get fearful of the atmosphere in the rooms. Several online casinos provide poker games free of charge or with reduced stakes. This way neophyte players will have a way to practice on the game and be familiar with the rules. Online casino sites assist new players who are not so good with the game. This is something that real casino lacks. Online participants could also take part in chat rooms, discussion boards and article posts. These features will help online poker competitors to improve their skills.

Playing online poker might demand more resourcefulness from the gamer. This happens because in online poker you cannot even see your competition. Due to this, it is much harder to spot the tells or the signs. In order to spot tells on-line you should these two points in mind:

1.Time patterns and tells. This may not be accurate at all times. But if you want time pattern to work for you, the sign to look for is if it takes the player longer than usual to make a bet then he could possibly have a genuine hand. If he does it swiftly, then most probably, he could be bluffing. This rule is not applicable of course if the person is engaged in other things like having a drink or if he is playing numerous tables at the same time. Time pattern may not work in these instances.

2.Betting patterns and tells. This can be a lot more reliable sign than time patterns because they provide real information. You need to first examine the player betting patterns. How much does he wager on different hands? What tactics would he probably carry out until showdown?

These tells may not work for each and every competitor since the strategies may differ from person to person. But these spots could offer a good start on how to determine others hand and make an informed decision based on what you detected.




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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Training With a Garmin Running Watch - Garmin GPS Makes You Better

By James S. Rolph


When you think that the Forerunner 201 was great, and then you could wish to check the Garmin Forerunner 301 out. The Forerunner 301 is an improved version of the 201 that consists of a heart rate monitor, which was absent within the 201 model, plus a fabulous few other advanced features. This kind of device is really a general purpose GPS receiver which is suited for a variety of tracking and positioning tasks. It is a personal training device finest for athletes, recreational runner, bikers and hikers alike.

The unit is consisted of two pieces: the wrist unit and the digital heart rate transmitter strap. The heart rate strap is to be worn on the chest. The front portion of the wrist unit is mainly consisted of a huge screen. The screen will show an individual the stopwatch, speed and distance. These 3 is pretty significantly every thing you have to know in a training session. The advantage of having a large screen inside the wrist unit is that it is much easier to read at a glance, even if you are running or cycling. You'll be able to see your present heart rate at the topmost of your display screen. That will is , of course, if you are wearing the heart rate band.

This GPS equipped device accepts radio signals which help improve the accuracy of positioning information to within a 3-meter area. With this, it is possible to even share data and update database maps. Should you need to add specific programs, it is possible to do so by using the receiver's USB computer connection. It's also safe to use in all weather as it is waterproof.

For summary , the Garmin Forerunner 301 is quite in line with is price, thinking about all of the GPS receiver features that it comes with. At prices around $160 it is still considered inexpensive compared to other general purpose GPS receivers this are generally offered on the market.

Given all of the obtainable product information, generally there have been no complaints about this device so far.




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Friday, December 17, 2010

Garmin, Anyone?

By James S. Rolph


Garminwatches.co is the provider that can be dedicated into providing superb and top high quality sports watches and services that comes with it. This organization has been developed along with place up along with the guidance of and strict accordance to the values of honest and also good top quality of service. We do virtually everything that we can into maintaining our well established reputation and we always aim in having no disappointed customer from our services.

We take delight in our way of treating persons who come to our internet sites as pals and also not necessarily just another way to get cash on our pockets. We believe that every individual who visits our web site and avails any of our services need to not be capable of leave with out a smile of satisfaction on their faces. All our services are imbedded with honesty and trust, what you see is what you get would be the proper words for it. We never hide anything and that consists of hidden charges or other deeds that make our clients lose their trust with us.

Our goods are of top top top quality and nothing less, we never place a product on our web site that we ourselves would never buy. In brief, we require to give you the value that you just are trying to locate every and every single time you'd need to buy a product. We do not actually focus on the features of the product but on how it may be of assist to you and why would it be beneficial for you whenever you accomplish choose to purchase it.

At lengthy last we want you to uncover what you may be in search of and get it with fewer amounts of hassles and also the least amount of expenses. We supply you with strategies in which you'd have the ability to get the product that you want inside the sweetest deal that you'll be able to get your hands on.

We really take value inside the truth that shopping online need to be convenient also that's some thing that we have strongly incorporated with our services.




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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Some of the World's Best Fishes

By Greg Pierce


"The United States is one huge landmass that has almost everything. From the sunny beaches of Florida to the chilly winds of Illinois and the bliss of the Central Park in New York, the United States is truly a paradise for tourists and residents alike. For those who have learned to love the sport of fishing, the country boasts of few of the world's best catches.


Below is a rundown of some of the country's best known catches that are sure to lure you to get out of your comfort zone into the adventure that comes along the baits and the line.


1. White Sturgeon- This is the largest freshwater fish in America. This is definitely a fisherman's trophy. It can reach enormous sizes of as big as 800 kilograms. Enthusiasts out there, if your pursuit is solely the white sturgeon, then get some really strong company; you might just be dragging a ginormous beast-like catch. This fish lurks underneath the lakes and rivers of the North American land mass. A catch of the white sturgeon is surely to upgrade your fishing status to higher levels.


2. Salmon- Salmon is another fish that has been synonymous with the fishing sport, aside from its creamy taste that commands increasing market value and demand. Of those who have tried the sport have had a salmon wriggling to let loose of their hook and line. This fish has been attached to a folklore that they go back to the exact spot where they were born. Salmon are anadromous: they are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean and then return to fresh water to reproduce." They are known to scour the oceans and yet always, with amazing precision and accuracy go back to the same spot to spawn. Radio tracking devices have proven this to be real.


3. Bass - One of the most prized game fish, the bass is one hefty prize that fishermen from all over the world desire to catch. The name bass actually came from the word "bars" which mean perch. The word bass encompasses quite a number of popular game fishes and may be fresh water or seawater fish. One common characteristic is that they are all perch-like, hence, the word bass.


These are some of the most noted fishes that demand attention in the fishing game industry. Finding them on your hook on any vacation or holiday is a treat that raises your endorphins levels to the ceiling."




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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Get Rid Of Stress With Funny Videos

By Adriana Noton


Life these days is quite complicated. People are always complaining of this and that and worrying about a lot of things. Sometimes people get completely lost in their own thoughts because of the problems they are going through. Some of them worry too much that they end up developing serious health problems. The problem is that even with all the treatments out there it is not possible to cure stress completely. Fortunately, watching funny videos can do the trick.

Even with stress, it is almost impossible not to laugh or smile. The clips are enough to make the most distressed person burst out into laughter almost immediately. Some people say that this is one of the best ways to reduce stress. They say that the only way to eliminate stress is if the victim clears it from the mind. To do this, the victim has to let go of their thoughts and emotions and just enjoy watching the clips.

Stress can sometimes reach an intolerable point where it takes over the life of the sufferer completely. It is at this point that the sufferers are forced to indulge themselves in anything that promises to get rid of their worries on the spot. The next thing they know they are completely hooked to drugs to a point where they can cannot think properly. The problem then becomes worse forcing them to seek treatment from other sources something that is quite costly.

When faced with difficulties, it becomes almost impossible to perform other duties as expected. Postponing these activities may not solve the problem immediately, but taking a break and watching a short hilarious film can do the magic. In addition, it is an inexpensive affair and in some instances, may not cost a dime. All that is needed is reliable internet connection and a personal computer.

The reason why people laugh when they watch hilarious videos is that they were not intentionally meant to be funny. In fact, even the people in the films may not even be aware of what is going on. Some of these people find themselves in the films having been caught unawareness. The other great thing is the fact that those watching are also caught unexpected because they cannot predict what will happen next.

Thanks to the internet, there are thousands of websites that allow people to watch download their favorite clips and pictures. Some websites also allow visitors to submit clips on the sites for others to watch. In fact, most of these movies from the visitors themselves and not the website. Their catalogues usually contain films ranging from government, news, street activities, just anything that can entertain them.

Some of the websites allow visitors to watch and download the clips free of charge while others charge a small fee. The fees may also vary depending on the quality of the clip. The great thing is that they ensure that they offer films that cover almost every area.

When faced facing difficult situations, watching funny videos or funny pictures online can definitely help reduce tension and restore the happiness that was there before. Also, it is not too difficult to find them. Anyone is sure to have a laugh while watching them.




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Tuesday, December 14, 2010

An Overview Of Top Quality Cigar Humidors

By Doug Baker


Cigars first came into being some time during the 1400s, and quickly became a favored choice in tobacco enjoyment. It could be said that cigar collecting has evolved into an art form. Because of the nature of tobacco, it was necessary to develop a means of storing them for future pleasure, and that resulted in building the humidor. These units are crucial to the art of cigars and a collector must have a good choice of Top Quality Cigar Humidors.

Because tobacco is cured to be a dried product, it is necessary to provide a specified amount of moisture to prevent it from falling apart, and it can even become bitter and lose its taste. A humidor offsets this problem by maintaining the desired humidity with the assistance of a hygrometer. This device is built into the box and allows a visual inspection of the inside conditions of the humidor for quality results.

Depending on the preferences of the cigar enthusiast, humidors are available from desktop size for a few cigars, to full sized cabinets for hundreds of cigars. You can even get a smaller one that fits in the shirt pocket, as well as have them custom made for any unique interests. However, the type of wood used is the most important issue for providing flavor and consistent moisture.

Spanish Cedar is thought to be superior to other types of cedar because it absorbs more humidity, and gives off a stronger aroma. However, don't assume that it is a tree that grows in Spain, when it is actually imported from Brazil. If the wood is carefully dried before being used in manufacturing, there will not be any resin formation to contend with.

Another wood that is often used as a replacement for Spanish Cedar is the more common American Cedar. This wood is much cheaper and more easily obtained, but is not quite as good at absorbing moisture as its counterpart. However, cedar is a wood that is easily worked, and can result in some very beautiful carvings for decorating the outside of the humidor.

Honduran mahogany is sometimes used in place of Spanish Cedar, because it has a good absorption rate, too. But, there are issues as to where and how it is grown that involve worm infestations which make most of the wood useless for making a controlled environment for moisture. It does not deliver as much quality of flavor as the Spanish Cedar, but if this mahogany is used for a lining it should not be treated with any chemicals.

Attempting to make a choice between a solid wooden cabinet and one that is lined with a veneer is not as important in humidors as one might think. Actually, due to how much solid wood tends to swell with moisture, it can cause problems of creating leaks at the seams of box construction. Therefore, a nice veneer can be a better choice while still delivering the desired taste and aroma.

Proper care and storage of cigars depends a lot on where the tobacco was grown and the environment in which it was first harvested and cured. Knowing those details allow the user to manage the humidity content of the humidor to match the best possible settings. When buying a Top Quality Cigar Humidor you should only purchase a unit that is equipped with a good hygrometer built in so that the humidity can be properly monitored.




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Monday, December 13, 2010

Some Pointers On How To Tell If Uggs Are Fake Or Real

By James Dean


Uggs are a pair of boots that are in style with most women and teenagers. If you are looking for a good pair of uggs for that special woman in your life then you will need to be careful where you buy the boots. A lot of places sale knock offs that are not the real deal.

When looking for the real boots and not a knock off brand then you should avoid shopping on auction sites. A lot of the people who sale on these auction sites will try to sell you fake boots as the real thing.

These stylish boots are not cheap so if you find a pair that is very cheap then you are probably looking at a fake pair of uggs. If you want to be sure that the boots you buy are real then you should shop for them at a shoe store that is known for selling great value shoes.

The fake boots look a lot like the real thing so you have to be careful. If you buy the boots at a shoe store the salesperson can tell you if the boots are in fact real or fake.

Another way to tell if they are fakes is by looking on the bottom of the boot. If the boot does not have an R circle beside the ugg logo on boots sole then the boot is a fake. The sole of a real pair of ugg boots are flexible. Fake uggs have stiff soles.

You can also tell if the ugg boots are real by where they are made. Real ugg boots are made in China. If the boots are made any where else then the boots are fakes. If you want to make your girls happy this holiday season then make sure that you look for all of these tell tell signs so that you do not mess up and buy a fake pair.




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Sunday, December 12, 2010

Roller Girls Revive A Moribund Sport

By Ross Everett


Roller Derby was never really a big deal in the US, but has been around forever and was a staple of the early days of television. It was similar in its promotional format to its better known "sports entertainment" cousin, professional wrestling. It was frequently seen in the same bad timeslots on the same low powered UHF TV stations, and it was run by the same loose confederation of promoters and businessmen that characterized the regional territory era of pro wrestling. That's where the similarity to wrestling ends--it's storylines made pro wrestling angles look like high drama. While there is a definite history to the sport--great teams like the LA T-Birds and Bay Bombers, and legendary skaters like Ann Calvello it never really stuck in the public consciousness like the pre-Hulk Hogan era of pro wrestling.

When the original purveyors of the sport quit promoting in the early'80s most thought it was dead and gone until a 'new school' of roller derby surfaced on cable TV via the A&E reality series Roller Girls. It featured a local, all-girl roller derby league in Austin, Texas and followed the lives of the players on and off the track. A sport that had faded into the lowest level of obscurity had been rediscovered and embraced by an eclectic group of young women. They had kept the same essential format, thrown in a healthy dose of burlesque camp and Varga pin-up inspired glamour and changed the competitive format and renamed the competitions "bouts" a la MMA or boxing. The result was a compelling mixture of glamour, toughness and athleticism driven by a healthy dose of punk rock "do it yourself" mentality.

Today, the same sort of league featured on "Rollergirls" had become a full blown cultural phenomenon. There are now literally hundreds of local "roller girl" leagues in the US, many under the auspices of a national organization called the Womens Flat Track Derby Association. Las Vegas has the 'Sin City Roller Girls', Portland, Oregon the 'Rose City Rollers" and Seattle the 'Rat City Rollers'. There are now groups in not only the larger and traditionally "hipper" cities but also smaller flyover country environs such as Birmingham, Alabama and Omaha, Nebraska and all over Canada, Europe and Australia. Most of the local groups similarly play up the campy retro pin-up/hot rod iconography and everyone involved sure looks like they're having a good time. Between teams there's a vibe of good natured competitiveness and camaraderie.

The young women in roller derby have taken what was cast off TV time filler and revived it into their own distaff 'action sport'. The community that has sprung up around it bears a striking resemblance to the skateboarding or snowboarding subculture. There's one big difference--in contrast to more male dominated action sports the roller derby circa 2009 is just the opposite--a living, breathing matriarchal success story.

The new generation rollergirls also pay homage to their sports' pioneers much in the same way that skateboarders give props to Duane Peters and Tony Alva and surfers evoke the names of Duke Kahanamoku and Greg Noll. Many of the individual group websites have sections devoted to the history of roller derby, and the late Ann Calvello--regarded as the Queen of the original Roller Derby--is revered as something of a patron saint.




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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Shoot to Paint: How Paintball Shotguns can Change the Game

By Tanner Hedlan


When it comes to paintball games, I always seem to find joy in playing it. And what reason would make you think otherwise? The excitement of going after the opposition and vice versa is way too mouth-watering to not go for. No doubt, for anyone who regularly engages in sports, this game has to be at par with the likes of white water rafting and spelunking. But through the years and for some reason, the game has begun to lack the luster that it once had.

So when it comes to sprucing up paintball games, the first thing that anyone has to be thinking is to provide that essential variety in terms of the weapons that can be used. That's why I was so ecstatic when I found out that a paintball shotgun was made to address the needs of paintball enthusiasts to add more color to the game.

The paintball shotgun is probably the best that the market has ever provided for those who love to engage paintball right in the face. From what I can tell you, I guarantee that this gun can give you all the power that you need in terms of the shots that you take.

Just like its original counterpart, the paintball shotgun was made to have the same kind of feel without the same amount of power. When you encounter your opponents, its the best tool for making pin-point shots. But like other paintball guns, there will be some drawbacks when you use it, especially if you cant shoot at a quicker pace. Plus, with this gun, you have to be quick enough in terms of reloading it in order to avoid any shots from opponents.

Not including any other possible problems, paintball enthusiasts such as myself will find this gun as an efficient tool in the field. It's a whole new game with paintball shotguns, and that is enough of a reason to feel giddy with anticipation.




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Friday, December 10, 2010

Importance of the Right Martial Arts Gear in Facing Your Battles

By Greg Pierce


"Going back to the roots where martial arts started is quite difficult to organize. Since it is universal, there is a major possibility that it does not cling or link to a certain era, culture, or tradition. Researchers claimed that martial art is somehow patterned on human wrestling. This one-on-one combat was developed into an art that was influential to some countries.


Having equipment may be a necessity in becoming a well-versed fighter in planning to train martial arts. But it actually depends on the style so it might need more or less equipment. Martial art has a good variety of choices on its gear.


The punching bag is the first of the list of the widely used equipment. This piece of martial arts is an important tool for hand to hand combat. This shapens your potential to develop aggressive technique and skills in street fighting. These are made of leather or heavy canvas filled with cotton fiber. These weigh about two hundred pounds. Beginners are advised to use punching bags that weigh not over eighty-five pounds.


The punching mitts are another equipment that aids in progressing one's speed and impact. It can sharpen your defense abilities and executions at different angles or strikes if it is appropriately used. These are made of quality leather and it does not cost much. A good pair of this equipment is a striking shield. This promotes strength and good kicks that can last on long hours of training. You will need a partner that will hold this and handle it with the right ability in balancing from the strong strikes that he will be receiving when using the striking shield.


In training martial arts, head gears are of great significance. This safeguards the fighter's head against serious injuries from strong punches, kicks, and hard core sparring sessions. These are designed to have absorbing foam with durable leather on the outside. Make sure that it fits well since it has different sizes when buying a head gear. If it is too tight or loose, you will not be able to perform well. You will get distracted.


Do not forget to wear boxing gloves to keep yourself up on sparring sessions. It is also a good factor for full-contact practices.


The double end bag completes the list. This gives you the endurance to have proper timing and coordination. Martial artists, when using this equipment, will have a hard time since it requires more patience in controlling the movement of the bag. Try hitting it in the center so it won't be heading to other directions. Keep the energy at its peak by digging a fighting music on the side. This can give rhythm to your movements and it cools down your senses as well.


If used correctly, these will make every aspiring individual to become a top martial artist. But following proper safety precautions is the first defense. It is also important to know your body's limitations if you want to be on top of the game. "




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Thursday, December 9, 2010

Meindl Boots and nice dry feet

By Richard Longjohn


You usually see on television interviews and assessments 'what item of outdoor gear you'd probably advocate to your new recruit to the outdoors'. You usually get the comedy answers, such as toilet paper or a flask of Rum, which I don't specifically argue but it is likely never to assist everyone who are actually interested in a legitimate solution.

Whenever I've been asked this question I've always given the same answer, walking boots. Any outdoor kit list will always state the importance of good walking boots or trekking boots, whether it's for Duke of Edinburgh training, A walking company on holiday or Full on Himalayan expedition. You'll here hundreds of horror stories of people ruining their feet with poor quality and poorly fitting walking boots.

I've met people who have gone through dozens of manufactures in order to find a good fitting walking & hiking boot. I often count myself lucky that the first brand of walking boots I purchased were perfect for my feet and I've never had to search around for alternatives. Meindl was the first brand I was recommended and luckily had a stockist nearby. Meindl walking boots and trekking boots have been hand made in Germany for over 300 years. All their boots are built on a similar last (shape of foot that the boots are built around). This last is fairly generous in its width and the company has become known to have wider fitting boots, than the average. This attribute for the style of boot generally makes them popular with middle aged and upwards age demographic as feet tend to get wider with age. Meindl like to give lots of choices in their range making sizes from sizes down to 3.5 up to size 18 and also making an extra wide range called ' The comfort range''.

The boots I first ordered were called a Meindl Burma pro. I needed them to carry me up Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. The boots needed to be able to deal with warm and cold situations. The reality that the Burma's were a leather and Gore-Tex mix walking boot would guarantee that they would be allowing air through yet solid to damage on the journey. The height of the boots made sure that I had sufficient ankle joint aid yet comfort from day one. The quality was clear from day one and the components used were first-rate as I still have the boots now, more than 10 years on. The Meindl Burma Pro are the most popular walking boot and still get excellent reviews from periodicals such as Trail and The Sunday Times.

My Meindl's were measured appropriately for my own feet and worn with a wonderful sock system that worked well with my boots to keep my feet dried out. This has guaranteed that all the other boots I've obtained since have worked just as well for every diverse natural environment I've needed them for from deserts to High elevation summits. Once you've got the right footwear you can wander anyplace.




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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The Hard Style Aikido

By Galilee Barbarossa


Within the world of Aikido a variety of styles exists. The major ones include Aikikai, Yoshinkan

Yoseikan, Shodokan Aikido, Ki Society and Iwama. Aikikai is a style led by O-sensei's decendants and remains to be the largest Aikido organization.

Meanwhile, Yoshinkan was founded by Gozo Shioda and is known for its rigid practice of being precise or accurate. The Shodokan Aikido use to train with sparring and rule based competitions. The Ki Society in the meantime focuses on special training or programs for developing the ki. The Iwama style gives more attention to integration of weapon and barehand techniques. These are just a few of the major schools of Aikido. Let us focus on one: the Yoshinkan style.

Gozo Shioda, like most of the founders of the major Aikido schools, was a student of O-sensei or Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. Most of the students of O-sensei built their own schools of Aikido based on their understandings on the teachings and basic principles of Aikido that O-sensei taught them.

Shioda's Aikido Yoshinkan focuses on the basics of Aikido. The six basic movements or the kihon dosa are taught repeatedly to Yoshinkan students. Students of this style spend a considerable time of their training regimen repeating basic movements in Aikido techniques.

However, outside observers sometimes view Yoshinkan Aikidokas or those that practices Aikido as having too automatic or too rigid movements because of their strict adherence to the techniques and in the correct execution of each movement.

This is why Yoshinkan is sometimes referred to as the "hard-style". Yoshinkan Aikidokas will practice the basics in the form of solo movements called kata. Nevertheless, as Yoshinkan Aikidokas gain more experience, their movements become more fluid and will eventually develop spontaneity of techniques.

Another distinguishing factor in Yoshinkan is the positioning of the Aikidoka's feet and hips. In other Aikido styles, the Aikidoka would position their body in such a way that the front foot is pointing straight forward while the back foot is at 90 degree angle to the front.

The hips meanwhile are a bit to the side. This position is called kamae. For Yoshinkan Aikidokas on the other hand, the basic or normal stance involves square hips with the front foot angled slightly out.

Training under the Yoshinkan Aikido means repeatedly practicing some 150 basic techniques until you get exactly the correct execution of each movement or technique. Mastering each and every technique will lead Aikidokas to master the remaining 3,000. Unlike other styles, Yoshinkan does not study any weapon forms and only practices with weapons as part of the Aikido's open hand techniques particularly in the areas of defense movements against weapon bearing opponents. Also, Yoshinkan Aikido does not participate in competitions. The focus of Shioda's Aikido is self defense.

It was Robert Twigger who made Yoshinkan Aikido popularized through his book Angry White Pyjamas. Twigger, a British travel writer and adventurer, detailed in his book the strict and more often gruesome training course that he had to endure when he signed up to an 11-month program intended to train Yoshinkan instructors.

Twigger's description of rigorous and agonizing training routines earned him a whole bunch of criticisms from the martial arts community. Nevertheless, he did receive some praise for relaying the realistic view of his experience with Yoshinkan Aikido.




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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Looking for Kung Fu Panda 2 The Kaboom of Doom Movie Reviews?

By Jeremy Walters


Kung Fu Panda - The Kaboom of Doom may be the second a part of Kung Fu Panda. It will be release on May 27, 2011 so be ready during that time to watch the following episode of Kung Fu Panda.

Plot Synopsis: Since Po is living since the Dragon Warrior. His duty would be to protect the Valley of Peace together with his friends and masters. For those who have watched the movie you need to know that there are The Furious Five, Po's friend. However with a brand new life comes new dangers.

There is a new villain in town that plans to make use of a powerful weapon to take over China and destroy Kung Fu.

Once again it is as much as Po and The Furious Five to visit travel across China to manage the villain and rid the evil away. It is going to a hard journey but does Po have what it takes to stop the weapon. He is going to need to look into his past and uncover newly found secrets of his origins; then he will discover strength to succeed.

This movie already has trailers out there so be sure you watch them. You will find all different types of trailers that may show you areas of the movie. The review won't be out until some time because it hasn't been proven yet. But I'm sure they are going to possess some great rating. It showed in the first movie, Kung Fu Panda.

If you wish to know a fascinating fact about Kung Fu Panda, it is that Jack Black may be the voice for Po. Yes, in the movie, he plays the voice of Po. There's a whole series of great stars that plays the voice of the characters. After Jack Black there is Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogan, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane and Dustin Hoffman. Talk about star fall into line!




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Monday, December 6, 2010

Affordable Basic Fitness Machine With The Essentials: The Sole Treadmill S73

By Christian Uselton


A treadmill needs to be stable and solid to provide you with an intense and effective workout. And such is what the Sole Treadmill S73 is capable of giving you. There are parts that don't fold up, which may rattle or wobble during an powerful run, Plus, it also weighs 250 lbs to provide even more stability.

There are 6 preset programs to help provide variety to your regular fitness routine. Two of these are for heart-rate workouts, to help you get to a targeted fat-burning zone efficiently. The S73 uses a couple of methods to monitor the user's heart rate. There's the wireless chest strap, as well as the customary handgrips with pulse sensors.

Go ahead and run reaching 12-mph speeds. This is not a problem since the treadmill has a powerful 3 HP motor. Complementing it are large rollers, each measuring 2.75 inches. Such rollers are usually used by larger and more expensive models to control noise and minimize wearing. Likewise, there's a 60-inch x 20-inch two-ply double woven belt.

The treadmill boasts of the innovative Cushion Flex Decks exclusive to Sole products. This system makes it possible to achieve comfort and safety during workout times. A research concluded that such system cuts back impact by as much as 365 percent, compared to doing it on asphalt. Now you can achieve the shape you want without putting too much stress on your back, hips, knees and ankles.

On the console, a display that's tri-colored and easy to read can be found. This has a Message Board feature that shows you how to use the machine's functions, as well as workout programs. Other than that, some pertinent data to your fitness routine are displayed. They are: speed, distance, heart rate, calories used, program, etc.

A built in sound system lets you plug in your portable MP3 player gadget and listen to your favorite songs, to keep you entertained. Two fans are also incorporated into the machine to help keep you cool while getting in shape. The Sole Treadmill S73 packs in the basics in a solid fitness machine, all within an affordable price tag.




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Sunday, December 5, 2010

How To Shoot A Handgun Accurately

By Bryce Jackson


Owning a gun won't help you when you get into trouble if you don't know how to use it. With little or no practice, you can easily shoot yourself instead of your opponent. To eliminate this possibility, here are easy tips on how to use a handgun:

Select a weapon that you can easily handle so you won't have a hard time practicing. Before purchasing something, try various handguns at gun ranges in your area that rent out firearms. You can purchase ammunition there too. Use a small caliber weapon at the beginning. Never assume that you're ready for a bigger weapon. Large calibers like the .45 and .357 Magnum can be heavy and more difficult to handle. Safety should be your priority, especially when you have a gun. Know the basic gun safety rules to prevent accidents. Keep in mind that the moment a bullet leaves the gun, it can go anywhere. Don't be a danger to the people around you. Know your weapon and how it works. If you understand what your gun is capable of doing, you'll respect it and handle it carefully.

When shooting, hold the gun firmly. Be sure to keep your fingers and hand out of the path of the slide or you could hurt yourself when you fire and the slide pinches your skin. Keep your feet about shoulder width apart. Try leading off with your trigger finger hand in a sort of baseball stance with your arms extended. As you become familiar with your weapon, you can choose the firing position that is best for you.

Pay attention to sight picture. Place the sights on a part of the target you're aiming at. Focus on center mass by aiming at the largest section of your target and the center of it. Don't imitate what you see in the movies where the good guy shoots through the villain's hand. If you do that, you can kill a bystander. When aiming the weapon, check that the front end sight post is aligned to the rear post. If not, you'll shoot high if the front post protrudes over the rear sight or shoot low if the front post is lower than the rear aperture. Either way, you won't hit your target.

To fire, squeeze - not jerk or pull - the trigger. Gradually increase direct pressure using your finger to reach the breaking point that releases the hammer and hits the firing pin. Following these simple tips will help you shoot better.

The information found within this article are recommended uses and tips for firearms. If you have any questions about gun safety or for complete, accurate information regarding weapon safety, please visit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at http://www.atf.gov.




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Saturday, December 4, 2010

Male Celebrities and Leather Jackets

By Shannon Holland


The leather jacket is one timeless piece of men's fashion which has never really left the fashion scene at all. Over the years its form has changed a lot whilst its popularity remains the same; it is worn by celebrities and the public alike. It has become a fan with people from all backgrounds due to its vast number of styles available combined with its hard wearing qualities.

For a number of years David Beckham has been a fan of leather jackets. He would wear slightly controversial high neck leather jackets in his early days as a fashion icon which only he could really manage to pull off and maintain his dignity. Though he now sports a more relaxed black or brown jacket and t-shirt combination as his love affair with the leather jacket has continued.

Another who has a love for the jacket is Jay-z the rap star. With only a slight variation of a sleeveless body warmer version which has performed in before, the type of leather jacket he wears has remained somewhat consistent. The leather jacket and white t-shirt combination finished with a nice pair of jeans is a combination Jay is a big fan of too.

Colin Farrell and his rugged look are perfectly complimented by a leather jacket and he's no stranger to this fact. Colin loves the t-shirt, leather jacket and jeans combination like both Jay-z and David Beckham do as it provides the classy look he is well known for and is somewhat his trademark whilst being effortless and simple for him to put together.

Finally Cristiano Ronaldo, well known for his extravagant dress sense, a plain black or brown leather jacket just won't do. Ronaldo has previously opted for a somewhat garish mustard coloured number and even a red one. One thing Cristiano is happy with is coupling his brave jackets with the ever popular jeans and t-shirt combination.




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Friday, December 3, 2010

Aikido: Harmonious Fusion Of Mind And Body

By Galilee Barbarossa


Aikido is a unique form of martial art. Its emphasis lies on the harmonious fusion of mind and body with the natural laws of Nature. Aikido focuses on accepting and respecting the energy of life and nature and channeling this harmony onto techniques that expresses this energy in physical forms.

Aikido is often viewed as more of a defensive martial art since its techniques and teachings are designed for you to avoid or get out of trouble. On the contrary, Aikido's techniques are very powerful and effective.

Basically, there are four levels of technique in Aikido training. These are the katai which refers to the basic training and is intended to build the foundation of body movements and breathing; the yawarakai trains the defendant to deflect attacks and fuse movements to take control of the attacker or situation; the ki-no-nagare which involves training the defendant to defend or counter attack by merging his movement with the attacker even before the latter makes contact; and the ki which is the absolute Aikido technique and involves establishing a link of ki or spirit from the defender to the attacker.

When training for Aikido, you need a sparring partner. The uke and the nage. The Uke is the initiator of the attack and receives the Aikido techniques, while the Nage is the defender and the one that neutralizes the attack.

Aikido basic techniques include ikky which involves control an attacker by placing one hand on the elbow and one on near the wrist giving an opportunity to throw the attacker to the ground; the niky which draws in the uke using a wristlock and twists the arm while applying painful nerve pressure; sanky which is a rotating technique aimed at applying a spiraling tension on the whole arm including the elbow and shoulder; yonky a shoulder control technique with both hands gripping the forearm; goky is another variant of ikky

wherein the hand gripping the wrist is inverted and is quite useful in weapon take-aways; shihnage or the four-direction throw; kotegaeshi or wrist return which involves a wristlock-throw that stretches the extensor digitorum; kokynage also known as breath throws or timing throws; iriminage or entering-body throws which resembles a "clothesline" technique; tenchinage or heaven-and-earth throw; koshinage or the Aikido's version of the hip throw; jinage or the shaped-like-'ten'-throw; and kaitennage or rotation throw wherein the nage sweeps the arm of the uke back until it locks the shoulder joint after which the nage applies forward pressure to throw the attacker.

These are just basic techniques and from the list thousands of possible implementations or combinations can be drawn by the aikidokas. In Aikido, the strikes employed during the implementation of the Aikido technique are called atemi. For beginners, grabs are the first ones to be taught. It is safer and the aikidoka can easily feel the energy flowing from the uke to the nage.

Among the basic grab techniques are the katate-dori or single-hand-grab which involves using one hand to grab one wrist; morote-dori or both-hands-grab which uses both hands to grab one wrist; ryte-dori another both-hands-grab technique wherein both hands are used to grab both wrists; kata-dori or the shoulder-grab technique; and the mune-dori or chest-grab which involves grabbing the clothing of the chest of the attacker.

Mastering each technique involves discipline and dedication. To be a good aikodoka, one must master both the techniques and principle of the marital art.




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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Using Every Available Source When Autograph Collecting

By P.R. Effinger


Collecting autographs of artists, particularly singers, is one pastime that interests many. Actually it more than interests a few people. There are those who are absolutely fanatical about this. They will drop everything at a moment's notice if their favorite artist is about to arrive at any city or town near them.

Musicians

Every type of music imaginable has its fans, be it rock, hip hop, disco or heavy metal. The music industry has always relied heavily on its followers to make it what it is, so it's no surprise so many people look up to artists. Lots of bands have people pursue them just to get an autograph.

Usually, people want an autographed picture. Having an artist sign a picture you have taken with them is even greater. Others may want a CD signed to add to their collection. Still, a signed album or t-shirt promoting their favorite artist or band is also hugely collectible. Even rarer, a guitar, drum cymbal, or even tambourine that's been autographed. Posters have also been a long time collectable item.

Television Stars and other Famous Actors

The acting industry has just as many followers as the music realm, sports world, or another industry. Fans get whatever they can signed, be it photographs, movie posters, or something else. Courtney Cox, Anne Jeffries, and other actresses have also autographed baseballs for fans on occasion.

For many people who collect autographs from the stars of movies and television, it is almost like living their dream. They may have wanted to be a movie star themselves. They give up on the dream of ever being a star but they can live the dream through these bits of paper with signatures of their favorite actors and actresses. Having the autograph is like having a bit of the person. This is something they actually touched. So, for some the chance to have a tangible part of the actors and actresses they admire are one way they can realize a small part of their dream.

Sporting Industry

For sport autograph collectors, their dream might have been to be a famous athlete. Maybe they wanted to be professional NBA player or footballer. Like those who wished of being a famous acting star or performer, this is also a way for them to live out their dream. This is typical more for collectors who actually collect because they wish to keep them than for any real profit.

Regardless of what sports they are interested in, sport fans normally like to follow the sporting careers of great athletes from a young age. Some people prefer to collect from as many athletes as they can, regardless of what sport they play. They collect from lots of players, in lots of fields, even if some sports might appeal more than others.

Writers

Autographs from writers are also highly sought after. Reading is a favorite hobby and important part of many peoples' lives. For others, they like to collect just for the sake of having it. Having an autograph by Stephen King or John Grisham, for example, is very valuable. Because they are so well known many people would jump at the chance to have their autograph. A book, especially, that has been autographed makes a nice collector's item.

For writers who are known for continuously writing popular book series, such as V.C Andrews who has since passed away, their autographs are especially valuable to collectors. Unfortunately, they are worth more after their death since it becomes increasingly rarer.

Models

The models add yet another venue to the wide assortment of autographs being sought by collectors. Young girls tend to want to collect these autographs probably due to the fact that they want to be a model. They associate everything beautiful and glamorous with modeling. And this is the type of life they want, so they begin collecting the ones they think are the best.

Usually models are asked to sign photographs of themselves. It looks very appealing when they are photographed with Spain or Aruba or another exotic place in the background, so it is no wonder this type is so popular.

It all adds up to the same thing, regardless of the type of autograph. Autographs are sought after from people they admire, who are widely known, and who are always famous. Though, on several occasions admirers have been known to be a tad too admiring.

Given today's world, it's not surprising celebrities are somewhat suspicious of fans. Celebrity stalkers are not unheard of, and have even gone so far as to break into their homes on occasion. That's one of the reasons stars are not as excited to give out autographs anymore.

Regardless of whom you collect autographs from, be it movie or television stars, musician, performer, or another artist, or even a famous athlete, writer or model, don't get discouraged if it takes awhile to get them. Sometimes it does require patience, and in some cases they might even refuse you. Though, for everyone who turns you down, someone else will always agree, so don't let that take away from your enjoyment.




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