Thursday, December 31, 2009

Order Online For The Best Comcast Cable Deals

By Sam Bousaks

Gone are the days when you have to call the cable company to sign up for the services and channels that you want. This means no more having to follow computer prompts over the phone, no more being put on hold, and no more having to be forwarded to other departments if you reach the wrong one. Instead, you can sit in the comfort of your home at your very own computer and browse the many deals that Comcast has for your particular area.

Once you browse the deals that Comcast has for you, you are able to then sign up for the deals that you want online. But be mindful of what youre looking at. For example, you may decide that you just want digital cable because you have DSL for Internet and you dont have a need for Comcasts high-speed Internet. However, you need to evaluate something outside of Comcast and that is your DSL bill. Look at how much you are paying for your DSL and add that to how much you will pay for your digital cable. You may find that the two together cost less than paying your digital cable and DSL separately. Comcast is also offering $100 back in gas or groceries for each service that you order.

But lets look at this in a different way. Lets say your DSL and your phone bill are bundled together. Now look at how much you will pay for digital cable and your DSL/phone bill. Compare how much it would cost for you to pay your digital cable and your DSL/phone bill. Now look at how much you would pay if you were to combine your digital cable, high-speed Internet, and your voice service onto one bill. There is a very good chance that you would be saving money and getting a lot more in the way of service. If you get all three, you are purchasing the Comcast Triple Play package, which means you get $300 back in groceries or gas.

And you get so much in the way of more channels to choose from, faster Internet, and telephone service with more options for less money. You dont even have to change your phone number. The transition is very smooth so that you dont have to miss a beat when you are transferring your phone service. The same goes for switching Internet services. It is all as seamless as possible.

So go ahead and check out Comcast deals online so that you can see what great bundles you can get for your area. Youll be quite surprised how many options you have with Comcast Cable and how much money that you can save. There is also the fact that you can pay for three services on a single bill. That means there are two fewer bills to keep track of, two fewer payments to worry about, and Comcast is so reliable that you have three reliable services. So go ahead and check out the online deals so that you can sign up for the services that are right for you.

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Seven Enjoyable Recommendations For An Amazing Film To Observe Today

By Dorothea Gordon

You should also look for a website that presents a substantial collection of motion pictures. If the movie is still at the movie theater and it has yet to be released on video it will not be presented yet on a legal website. Just like the video store or subscription service, you can only download motion pictures that have been released on video. One advantage however, is that the variety should be better than your neighboring video store because computer files do not take up tangible space like hard-copy videos do. Most of the sites will offer music and games too.

Select from the opinions below and download a wonderful movie to view this evening.

Fade-In - Bizarre little flick made concurrently with Blue, in reference to love event between film editor Loden and guy she meets when performing on site. Not extremely great, however an absolute curiosity on no account discharged theatrically. Cast includes Burt Reynolds, Barbara Loden, Noam Pitlik, Patricia Casey, James Hampton, and Joseph Perry.

Borderline - Strange thriller comedy in which Los Angeles police officer Trevor tries to accumulate proof contrary to cunning drug smuggler Burr when mixing with hard gentleman MacMurray in Mexico. Starts out promisingly, although eventually slows down in absurdity. Burr makes a articulate scoundrel.The cast includes Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Raymond Burr, Jose Torvay, Morris Ankrum, and Roy Roberts.

Adam's Apples - This movie is a strange mysterious comedy about two very different men who have a battle of wills. It is a recently developed religious zealot versus a hard core neo-Nazi villain. The battle of good versus evil is on. The main stars are Ulrich Thomsen, Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Brom, and Paprika Steen. (German-Danish-comedy directed by Anders Thomas Jensen)

Sugar Town - Entertaining mosaic of LA life characterizing a handful of characters whose lives fit together - a musician hopeful who will do anything to get ahead, an uptight lone lady who allures the unsuitable men like a magnet, and a band made up of cleaned-up '80s rock stars, to name a few. Made on a shoestring, although astute and well recognized; tremendous cast contains a variety of actual musicians. Cast includes Ally Sheedy, Rosanna Arquette, John Taylor, Jade Gordon, Michael Des Barres, Lucinda Jenney, and Martin Kemp.

After Life - This is a brilliantly crafted account of case workers at a train station between the heavens who assist the recently departed to choose a lone moment from their pasts to live within forever. This is a peaceful, graceful assessment of life, death, and memory, filled with soft humor and blessedly free of some feel-good platitudes. Cast includes Aarata, Erika Oda, Susuma Terajirna, Taketoshi Naito, Kyoko Kagawa, Kei Tani, Takashi Naito, and Yusuke lseya.

Rhapsody in Blue - Hollywood biography of George Gershwin is largely fiction, although comes off better than most other composer biographies, seizing Gershwin's exhilaration for his work, and some of his innermost conflicts. Cast includes Robert Aida, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith, Oscar Levant, Charles Coburn, Hazel Scott, and Al Jolson.

Thunderheart - There have been a number of murders on the Sioux Indian Reservation. The FBI goes in to deal with the situation. One agent, Ray Levoi, has Sioux blood. As he examines the case he soon finds out there is much more going on than some accidental murders.

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Latest Developments in iPhone Apps

By Henry Rinkle

Although real software development for the iPhone lag behind, but iPhone apps pick up the slack in technological innovation. Consider that 50,000 new iPhone apps are developed every month, you can't possibly keep up on them all. Some will leave you wondering how you ever survived without them; others just leave you wondering what' s the point. Here are a few iPhone apps that live up to the hype.

Pageonce Personal Assistant - Have difficulty keeping up on all your accounts? Need to check stats and finances far away from your desktop? This iPhone app keeps all your account information on the same page. You get absolute access to all your online accounts, from investments to banking to your frequent flyer miles. Instead of juggling a dozen or so sites, the Pageonce Personal Assistant does it all with one application for easy convenience.

Fring - This is really the only instant messaging tool you need. Enough said. It includes Google Talk, Yahoo, AIM, Twitter,Skype, MSN, ICQ, plus VoIP calls over Wi-Fi if you've got low minutes or your hanging out in a bar or coffee shop. There are many iPhone apps devoted to a particular IM site, but this one lets you use all of them at once. It's universal.

Routesy - Don't roll into the city without this baby in your pocket. A great way to keep up on train and bus schedules, this app tells you what to take to get exactly where you need to be. It's even easier than a computer because it's simple and quick. Get all your bus and train information with this efficiently smart iPhone app.

VNC Lite - Want to turn your cell phone into your computer? VNC Lite allows you to view and fully control your computer from your cell phone, providing you are on the same network. If you thought that laptops as thin as children's storybook was as it could get, this beauty puts your desktop in the palm of your hand to make it even better. Some iPhone apps let you connect to your computer. This app practically is your computer.

Bloom - Brian Eno's generative, ambient music blooms on this iPhone app. You can drop your finger on the liquefied pastel screen and make simple loops. Make music yourself, and then add your own transcendental graphics. Perfect for making your fingers dance. This is one of the few creative iPhone apps that let you get creative too.

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Tips On How To Have A Successful Wedding Photography

By Delila Anderson

Aside from the person who actually conducts your wedding ceremony, the wedding photographer is possibly the most critical element of your wedding. The photographer is the one who will be recording your special day and striving to capture all the memories on film. It is very important that you check first the work of different photographers so you will be able to choose the best one whose style and vision matches what you wish to have on your wedding day.

For a smooth running photo session, here are a few tips:

1. Construct a list of all of the photos you desire. Name exactly what you want! State exactly who you want pictures of, and at what point and in what setting. It is important to determine the amount of coverage you prefer as well. The wedding day can be segmented into four photographic sessions which are: the pre-wedding photos, the ceremony, the organized set shots or location shoot, and the reception.

2. Talk! Let people know where to be for the photo shoot and when to be there. Be certain that they understand when, where and what to wear.

3. Ensure that both you and the wedding photographer clearly understand what you need, and that everything is stated in writing and that you sign it.

4. Respect the procedures. Of course, this day is yours. However if you are having a chaotic experience, just think about what the photographer is going through trying to capture all of the chaos in the midst of him for a photo. Members of the bridal party, family members, friends, relatives -- everyone is standing around, chatting and generally getting in the way.

If you follow these steps, it will help your peace of mind and avoid problems for everyone. You can ensure that the wedding ceremony begins as scheduled and that everyone arrives at the reception on time and gets their share of the wedding meal. The wedding photographer is the person responsible for capturing the memories of this day, so be good to him or her so that you will be satisfied with the result.

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Looking For A Remarkable Movie? Check Out These Wonderful Movie Commentary

By Jesus Espinoza

The bulk of movie download sites have a substantial library of movies that you can download straight away to your PC or sometimes they are streamed straight to the server. Some of them will offer a software program that will permit you to burn the show to a DVD for watching from flat screen.

Big Trouble in Little China - Buddy Blowhard trucker Russell finds himself at large in Chinatown, while a buddy's fiance is abducted right in front of his eyes. High tech Indiana Jones fashion escapade has large tongue-in-cheek conduct, however everything else in reference to it is colossal, too including Russell's John Wayne swagger. Outstanding electric music score. The cast includes Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Hong, Champ Wong, and Kate Burton. (99 minutes, 1986)

The Stepford Wives - A current remake of the 1975 flick of the same name. The town of Stepford, on original look, seems like the perfect place. Everything in Stepford seems perfect. Newcomers to Stepford Joanne and Bobbie are beginning to speculate what is going on. Will they figure it out before it is too late?

Sin City - Sin City is a place not for the faint of heart. The streets are overflowing with vigilantes, crooked cops, and sexy women. Unique and radiant cinematography and special effects fashion a perfect feel for this world. Mickey Roarke and Bruce Willis star in this violent action thriller.

Airheads - 3 metal heads with toy guns grudgingly take a radio station hostage, wanting to get play for their one and only demo tape. Not exactly the most complex subject to satirize, although the script is weak anyway. A somewhat vigorous direction and compact running time help a tad. (91 minutes, 1994)

Delta Force Two - Norris leads his Delta Force brigade into Latin America in an attempt to snuff out an elusive drug lord. Cast includes Chuck Norris, John P. Ryan, Paul Perri, Richard Jaeckel, Begonia Plaza, Mateo Gomez, Hector Mercardo, and Billy Drago. (110 minutes, 1990)

Cop Land - Freddy Hanlin is the Sheriff of Garrison New Jersey, a tiny town not too far from New York City. Freddy always wanted to be a New York City policeman, but he is slightly hard of hearing, so he never could. When internal investigator Mo Tilden shows up in town to look into possible police corruption, Freddie takes up the cause and starts to help out. Freddie is about to learn that the men he has always idolized might be doing some very terrible things.

Frontier Hellcat - Another Karl Winnetou storyline, which grabs the flavor of the Old West in the journey of pioneers passing through Rockies. Cast includes Stewart Granger, Elke Sommer, Pierre Brice, and Gotz George. (98 minutes, 1966)

My Son the Fanatic - Author Hanif Kureishi once more studies a Pakistani coming to terms with his life in England. In this case it's a taxi driver Puri who is disassociated from his spouse, and whose child is dissenting contrary to him for rationales he couldn't comprehend. Cast includes Om Puri, Rachel Griffiths, StelIan Skarsgard, Akbar Kurtha, Gopi Desai, Harish Patel, and Bhasker Patel. (89 minutes, 1997)

The officially permitted sites are in general set up as a membership site. You shell out your membership charge upfront and they offer you the opportunity to download all of the films that you want for free. The first membership bill pays the royalty cost that are outstanding to the copyright owner. These sites most often utilize a special software program that adds up the total due to the copyright holder.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

A Christmas Without Santa - Why is Santa So Fat? Uncovering Santa's Hidden Cookie Addiction

By Veronica Carrillo

All 192 members of the United Nations meet under an emergency meeting to come together so that there would be a Christmas this year. Leaders from around the world showed up in support of Santa Claus, so that the children would have Christmas this year. It was a suspense filled event that brought promise of world peace in the future. Leaders from China, North Korea, South Korea, The Russian Federation, and Britain sat at the same table without throwing food at each other. This emergency meeting took place on Oahu.

It begs the question: Why are jokes about dead babies so funny? Honestly, I don't think I'm going to be able to give you an answer that will satisfy your curiosity, or mine. When it comes down to it, no one is exactly sure why anything is funny. Those who have theories about humor paint an incredibly dark picture about human nature; which isn't surprising at all!

Yes, Santa is addicted to Oreos, Ginger Snaps, vanilla wafers, and any cookie you can think of. He has been trying to wash this problem down by drinking glasses of whole milk. It is reported that on a normal day Santa will go through two dozen boxes of assorted cookies and up to four gallons of milk. This has caused a major weight problem for the jolly old man that is now taking a health toll on him. Santa is reported to have elevated blood sugar levels and his blood pressure is off the wall.

As soon as Santa was released from the rehabilitation clinic he was rushed by reindeer express to Oahu, Hawaii for the United Nations meeting. He received a standing ovation from all those who attended the meeting. When things settled down the President of the United States, Barack Obama, said he had very good news to tell the world. The president wanted the world's children to know "Christmas is on". After looking at the fine print in the federal bailout package it was found that Santa and his elves qualify for a green energy credit. You see, Santa's main form of transportation is reindeer. They emit no green house gases and are considered Eco friendly. All the money Santa owed the US government for his "cookie addiction" has been forgiven.

It is also thought that the president may have been getting ready to send federal agents into the Christmas compound to arrest Santa Claus. The SCEP, also thought to be Santa Claus's Elfin Police, on a tip got Santa out in the nick of time. It is believed that Santa is safe in a rehabilitation clinic in the Cayman Islands. The elfs say the North Pole is it's separate country and if the US government wants to arrest Santa they should go through NATO or UN channels.

It is now known that Santa is getting help for his "cookie Problem" and his health is improving. What is not known is if Santa can come up with the funds to pay back his bailout package or if President Obama will forgive his debt. Something must happen quick in order for Santa to deliver the presents on time.

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What's the Secret? How to Play Guitar Fast

By Veronica Carrillo

The internet has changed the way guitar playing is taught. In the past they were all taught in music schools. However, online guitar lessons are now the popular craze. Why do people choose online lessons over those taught by traditional instructor led courses? There are various reasons to this change. The two popular reasons are the convenience and the cost factor.

Musically inclined students who desire to be professional musicians are more inclined to choose traditional instructor led guitar courses. They need the one to one guidance. They will not be able to get this privilege from online lessons.

Another way to improvise on the piano is to play a game I call "Finish the Melody." To do this, play one note. Then, let go of that note and play it again, followed by another note. Then let go again and play those two notes adding another note. Continue in this fashion until you can not remember all of your melody. Then start a new one. Maybe this melody starts on a new note. If you are a good singer, singing helps develop your melodies. So, sing.

The above factors may be acceptable to students with musical aspirations but not to the recreational guitar player. In fact there are more people who want to play the guitar as a recreation. They need to learn how to play the guitar through a method which is convenient as well as not expensive. The online guitar courses are the best choice for this group of people.

Online guitar lessons are very flexible whereas the instructors are not. It is also very cheap. The complete online lessons normally cost what one hour of instructor led training would. The beauty of it is that you only pay a one time fee unlike those paid monthly to traditional instructor led guitar courses.

Improvising is the easiest way to play the piano and there are a number of ways to approach it. The challenging part is being patient and kind to yourself while you become aware of what works and what does not work; what you like and what you don't like; what you know and still want to learn.

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G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra - The Most Awaited Movie of The Year.

By Saisha Jones

Have you been a G.I JOE fan all along? Were you anticipating yet another G.I JOE movie with all the action & the adventure?

You will be happy to know that the most anticipated film of the year is back with a bang. Directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy, Van Helsing), G.I. JOE: The Rise of Cobra stars a hot young cast including Channing Tatum (Public Enemies), Sienna Miller (Factory Girl), Marlon Wayans (Dance Flick), Rachel Nichols ("Alias") , Joseph Gordon-Levitt ((500) Days of Summer), and Ray Park (X-Men), as well as veteran actors Christopher Eccleston (Gone in Sixty Seconds) and Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point).

The filming of the movie took place in Downey, California and Prague's Barrandov Studios, and six different companies handled the visual effects. G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a 2009 American live-action film adaptation of the G.I. Joe toy franchise, the story follows two American soldiers, Duke and Ripcord, who join the G.I. Joe Team after being attacked by MARS troops.

The plot of the movie begins with the Scotsman Klan McCullen being accused of selling weaponry to both the Scots and French. The jury brands his face with a white-hot mask in order to humiliate him, rather than executing for treason. In the near future, weapons expert James McCullen (Christopher Eccleston) creates a
nanotechnology-based weapon capable of destroying an entire city. His company MARS sells four warheads to NATO, and the U.S. Army is tasked with delivering the warheads. Duke and Ripcord are rescued by Scarlett (Rachel Nichols), Snake Eyes (Ray Park) and Heavy Duty (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje). Duke (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) are delivering the warheads when they are ambushed by the Baroness (Sienna Miller), who Duke recognized to be his ex-fiance Ana Lewis. The warheads are taken to The Pit, G.I. Joe's command center in North Africa, and upon arriving rendezvous with General Hawk (Dennis Quaid), the head of the G.I. Joe Team. Hawk takes command of the war-heads and excuses Duke and Ripcord, only to be convinced to have them join his group after Duke reveals that he knows the Baroness.

In a high stakes pursuit of COBRA, an evil international organization threatening to use a technology that could bring the world to its knees, the G.I. Joe team travels the world from the Egyptian desert to the polar ice caps and the streets of Paris armed with the coolest hi-tech gadgets and weapons, including camouflage suits and jaw-dropping accelerator, G.I. JOE is the last line of defense against those intent on world domination.

The filming of this movie began on February 11, 2008, in Los Angeles, California. The Downey sound-stage was chosen as Paramount needed a large stage to get production underway as soon as possible. The first two levels of the Pit were built there, to complement the rest of the building which would be done with special effects. Downey also housed Destro's MARS base in the Arctic, his legitimate weapons factory in an ex-Soviet state, as well as various submarines interiors, including a SHARC (Submersible High-speed Attack and Reconnaissance Craft) manned by two G.I. Joes.

Digital Domain which handled the Paris action, sequences and the opening convoy sequence was the most prominent of the six different visual effects companies who worked in The Rise of Cobra. For the Eiffel Tower destruction, a special code for depicting how the crumbling metal works was written. The technicians had access to the original building plans, and built a digital model so complex that could not fit in a single file to create the digital Eiffel Tower. The nanomites used two different proprietary software for their depiction, one by Digital Domain, and another by, which also created tools to generate 3D cloud and sky environments for the aerial scenes. The landing platform of the Pit, the Cobra ice caverns, and the final underwater battle were the scenarios which were almost fully developed by computer-generated imagery.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a thrilling movie with all the latest effects & adventures. G.I JOE was a mass enthralling movie which ruled the box office for years & its sequel is creating a widespread craze all over.

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Ways To Get More Customers For Your Photo Studio

By Andy Acmond

If you have a photography business or any kind of business you would always want to get more customers.It would be ideal if all your customers are from other customers' referrals.But that is impossible if you are just starting your photography business.That is why in this article we are going to talk about the ways you can get customers to go to your photography business especially if you are just starting your business.

First thing you must do is promote your business and spread the word out.All the network of your immediate circle of people know someone who will get married in the near future.The more people you tell it to then the larger your chance landing a photography gig.This technique is mainly used to get wedding jobs but it can also be used to land other photography jobs. In my San Diego wedding photographer business that is how I was able to generate my first clients.

One more way you can bring in customers is by establishing yourself in the internet.Your commercial type of work will be the one that will have the most benefit from establishing your presence in the internet.Businesses will trust you more if you are established already in the internet. That is how I am able to land good commercial jobs for my San Diego commercial photographer service.

The final way that will help is to learn about all the big events that are coming up in your city.These events would need photographers to document the happenings.The earlier you will know of the schedule of the event the better your chances of landing the photography gig.

This has helped me do a lot of different events for my San Diego event photography service.If you can let people know that you are available on the said date then the better your chances of landing the job.

There goes some of the ways in bringing in more customers to your photography business. Any photography business like most businesses need to get the word out. By doing these things you will do exactly that.

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How to Use Airsoft Guns

By Charles Bernardi

There is more than what you can expect in the spectrum of competed airsoft guns. To introduce you to airsoft weapons, it can be said that these are ideal products to help you get the real life feel of any armed combat but in a safe way. These guns are designed with minuscule details of real life along with efficient features that provide the realistic sense. Such airsoft guns are widely used in activities airsoft tournaments, shooting practice etc. To whet your interest, these guns are avail be in a wide array of attractive designs are interesting features. However, there are three basic types of airsoft guns explained in this article.

Spring powered airsoft gun:

Spring powered metal airsoft guns are one of the traditional types of airsoft weapons used on the field. In these types of arms there is a spring installed internally. While you use these types of arms you may have to cock the gun every time before you fire a shot. This means that you need to reload your gun every time you take a shot. Spring powered gun are generally reloaded by pulling backward its bolt or slide in airsoft rifle or gun respectively. When you do this the internal spring becomes compressed enough to exert elastic potential energy when you trigger the gun. When you take shot after this the projectile is thrown in tremendous force towards the target.

Electric airsoft gun:

Electric airsoft gun is the traditional name for AEG or Automated Electric Guns. These replicas are built with advanced technology to offer convenience to the player while they enjoy the recreational activity on the field. These guns eliminate the need of manually reloading the gun every time, before you take a shot. These guns are installed with electric batteries and electric motor which automatically cocks the projectiles allowing you to shoot the target at considerable rate of shots per minute. These guns are preferred over spring powered guns as they make it easy and fast to fire the target and also increase the odds of winning. It should be understood that as these machines are more convenient and enjoys advanced features compared to traditional spring powered guns, they are evidently costlier than the latter.

Gas powered airsoft guns:

Gas powered airsoft guns are designed with techniques based on gas. These gun use gas such as propane, co2 gas etc. Unlike spring powered gun you don't have to cock the projectile every time you fire. These guns are installed with chambers consisting of pressurized gas in the form of liquid. These gas is passed into a firing chamber where it extensively expands resulting in propulsion of projectiles. It should be known that a blowback gun is usually costlier than any conventional gas based airsoft gun. In this type of guns the pressure of the gas makes the slide of the gun depict a backward jerk. The blowback gun is highly preferred as the backward jerk of the gun at every shot makes it look more realistic. While using these guns you do not have to really reload the gun every time, as the mechanism automatically prepares the gun for the next shot.

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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The True Story Of The Ali/Inoki Fight

By Ross Everett

The UFC has only recently brought mixed martial arts to the mainstream in the US, but in Japan there's a long tradition of fights pitting contestants from different disciplines against each other. While they've only been called MMA or 'mixed martial arts' in recent years, the sport clearly has its roots in these early contests between wrestlers, judo fighters and boxers. In Japan, Antonio Inoki's fights against world famous martial artists brought great notoriety to the still evolving sport.

Before and after his matchup against Muhammad Ali, Inoki would frequently compete against other martial artists in what are widely accepted to be "worked" (ie: having a predetermined outcome) matches. Inoki fought boxer Chuck Wepner, judo Gold Medalist Wilhelm Ruska and world karate champion Willie Williams among others. His most famous match internationally, however, was against Ali.

There are differing accounts of how the best heavyweight boxer in history found himself in a ring in Tokyo's Budokan Arena against a pro wrestler. One thing is certain--it was viewed as an easy payday for Ali, who'd lost a good chunk of his prime earning years to his controversial stance over the Vietnam war. That's what got him there in the first place, and that's what kept him there after the two sides began squabbling over the rules and the outcome of the fight. Some suggest that it was supposed to be a "fair fight" going in and once Ali saw Inoki spar he insisted on rules changes to tilt the fight in his favor. Another more likely version of the story suggests that Ali's handlers knew that the fight was supposed to be a "work" all along. They made the deal with Inoki's people based on this fact, and were all on board as to the outcome of the match and how it would "finish". The "original" plan was to have Inoki win in a controversial manner that would keep his undefeated streak in "MMA" matches intact while allowing Ali to "save face. The only person who wasn't aware of the game plan, however, was Ali himself. When informed that he was supposed to "take a dive", even in a convoluted fashion, Ali refused. No agreement was reached between the two camps and at the last minute a legit fight transpired. The promoters were left with a sold out Budokan, a worldwide PPV audience and two fighters who despite every effort to the contrary would actually have to fight each other.

The rules that were in place on fight night were so ridiculously one sided in favor of Ali that it almost defies belief. Inoki wasn't allowed to hit Ali with a closed fist, nor strike him in the head at all. He was also prohibited from using any sort of choke or submission maneuver. Most problematically, he was prohibited from trying to take Ali to the ground. In other words, Inoki was basically not permitted to do anything that would threaten Ali with any sort of physical harm.

The result was an absolutely horrible fight. Neither man showed much interest in engaging the other, with Inoki spending most of the time on the ground doing what he could under the one sided rules. Inoki threw kicks at Ali's legs, Ali threw an occasional jab and tried to protect himself from his opponent's leg strikes. The fight ended a 74-74 draw, with the real losers being the fans.

An interesting postscript to the fight is that the referee was former pro wrestler "Judo" Gene Labell, a legit tough guy whom some have suggested could have beaten up both Ali and Inoki at the same time despite his advanced age. Had he chosen to do so, it would certainly have been welcomed by those watching the fight live and on closed circuit.

The fiasco didn't hurt Inoki's popularity in Japan whatsoever. Oddly, he became something of a hero for trying to take the fight to Ali despite the one sided rules. He would remain one of Japan's most popular pro wrestlers and later serve in the country's parliament. Inoki's fights against other martial artists remained wildly popular, and are often credited as being the forerunner of PRIDE, RINGS and the major MMA organizations in Japan today.

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Redskins Offense A Mess Under New Play Caller Lewis

By Ross Everett

The Washington Redskins are a mess right now. Head coach Jim Zorn has a tenuous hold on his job at best and has recently been stripped of his offensive play calling duties. Management installed newly hired 'offensive consultant' Sherman Lewis as the new offensive play caller and the team has set up an awkward arrangement for him to get the plays to the quarterbacks. For that reason, starting QB Jason Campbell has some serious misgivings about the efficacy of the setup.

Lewis has only been out of retirement and with the team for two weeks, and has spent this week trying to ingest a crash course on the Redskins' offensive schemes. While he was learning on the job, head coach Zorn was trying to put the best spin possible on what can only be seen as a de facto demotion:

"I need to have composure. I need to understand what the reality of the situation is, and I think our players expect me to rise up. We expect them to play under adverse conditions. We expect them to risk it all. ... I'm conscious of what's going on. I'm not naive about what's going on, and yet I have to just hold back on any feelings and make the decisions."

Quarterback Campbell is more concerned about the convoluted system of getting plays from Lewis to him:

"There'll probably be a couple of plays I have in my head just in case if some reason it doesn't get in on time."

Here's how things are supposed to work-Lewis will sit in the coaches' box above the field and read the plays off a sheet. While Lewis has years of experience working in the so called 'West Coast Offense', Zorn left doubt that he really knows what he's doing at this point stressing that Lewis "doesn't know the protections" and "doesn't know the blitz schemes." Nevertheless, he'll be running the offense when the Redskins take on Philadelphia this Monday night.

Once Lewis figures out what to call, that's when it really gets tricky. He'll relay the plays via headset not to Zorn but to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith. Smith will then inform the quarterback what to run. Zorn is left in the role of a passive bystander on offense, though he will listen in to the playcalling on his headset.

Backup quarterback Todd Collins also shared his concern with the new arrangement:

"It is unsettling. I've never gone through this before. I've never had a play caller get changed in the middle of the season."

Lewis didn't exactly evoke a lot of confidence upon his hiring, where he revealed that he'd been calling bingo games at a seniors' center to kill time since his retirement in 2004. Still, Collins gave him a guarded vote of confidence;

"I know he's been studying last year's game against the Eagles and seems to have a pretty good idea how he wants to call the game this week. It's the same plays. He might coach them a little differently or highlight some different areas, but the offense hasn't gone under an overhaul or anything like that."

The Redskins haven't scored more than 17 points in a game this season, so maybe the thinking is that things can't get any worse. The NFL odds for Monday Night's game show the Eagles a -7 road favorite with the total set at 37'.

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Oakland Shocks Visiting Philadelphia For Second Win Of NFL Season

By Ross Everett

The Oakland Raiders scored the only touchdown of the game in the first quarter and then prevailed in the kicking duel that followed en route to a--9 upset of the visiting Philadelphia Eagles. Much maligned quarterback Jamarcus Russell played his best game of the season despite two interceptions, throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown. Oakland now stands at 2-4 while Philadelphia slid to 3-2.

NFL betting enthusiasts who backed the Raiders as a whopping +14 home underdog were never in any trouble as Oakland took the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Oakland evened their mark against the NFL pointspread at 3-3, while the Eagles dropped to 3-2 against the number.

After the contest, Raiders' coach Tom Cable said for the first time all season his team focused their intensity in the right direction:

"We went out and threw a fight on somebody and said, 'Enough. Let's play. That's all you can say. There's no magic words or anything like that."

Last week's 44-7 loss to the New York Giants may have served a wakeup call to the Raiders. In particular, they were offended by comments made by Giants' linebacker Antonio Pierce that the game 'felt like playing a scrimmage'. Raiders' wide receiver Louis Murphy didn't dispute the comments but instead took them to heart:

"That gave me extra fuel. You have to look yourself in the mirror and man up. His comments were true. We played flat. We didn't play with any emotion. This game was totally different. We took those comments to heart."

The Raiders' defense received the bulk of the credit for the victory as they pressured Donovan McNabb all day, sacking him six times. The Eagles became the first team in three years to not score an offensive touchdown against the Raiders. Richard Seymour and Trevor Scott each had a pair of sacks, and Scott had the following observation:

"I'm sure they watched the Giants game and thought we were sorry. But all week coach Cable talked about persevering and forget the past and move forward so we can get to where we want to go."

After the game, McNabb had little to say:

"I'm embarrassed by the way we came out here and played. We're a much better football team."

The Raiders will try to put together an actual winning streak as they host the New York Jets next Sunday. Oakland is a +7 home underdog with the total set at 35. They'll play their hated rivals the San Diego Chargers on the road the following Sunday before a bye week. Philadelphia will play the Redskins at Washington next Monday night. The Eagles are a -6' road favorite with the total set at 38'. They'll return home for games the following two Sundays against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

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Phil Esposito's Rampage On The NHL Record Book

By Ross Everett

Although many of his offensive records have now been left in the dust by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux, former Boston Bruins/New York Rangers center Phil Esposito is still regarded by hockey experts as one of the greatest players in NHL history.

Esposito was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and his prodigious hockey talent quickly became apparent. He was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as a teenager, and made his NHL debut in'64. In'67, Esposito was traded to the Boston Bruins along with Ken Hodge and Fred Stanfield. Within a few years Hodge and Stanfield blossomed into All Stars, while Esposito quickly took his place alongside his former teammate Hull as the best scorer in the league.

Esposito began to shred the NHL record book in Boston, prompting Bruins fans to display car bumper stickers that read Jesus Saves; Esposito scores on the rebound. In'69, he became the first NHL player to top the 100 point mark (combined goals and assists) for the season"he obliterated the record with 126 points, which would be the first of six times that hed top the century mark. He topped 100 points in five straight seasons between'71 and'75, missing a sixth straight season by a single point with 99 in'70.

In the'70-71 season, Esposito smashed the NHL record for most goals in a season with 76. That record stood for over a decade until Wayne Gretzky scored 79 for the Edmonton Oilers in'81-82. Gretzky also broke Espositos single season points record of 154. Even now, only four other players including Gretzky have scored more than 150 points in a season and only five others have scored more than 76 goals in a season. Perhaps the most amazing element of Espositos game was the frequency with which he put the puck on net"Espo had 550 shots on goal in'70-71. No one has since come close"in fact, just last Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals became the first player to come within 100 shots of Espositos mark.

In'75, Esposito was traded to the New York Rangers where his experience, intelligence for the game and nose for the puck made him a valuable component of the Broadway Blueshirts offense and he was named team captain. Until the very end of his career, he remained a dangerous scoring threat that all opposing teams were forced to reckon with.

After his retirement in'75, moved into the executive suite. He served as the GM of the Rangers before helping secure an expansion team for Tampa, Florida in'92. Esposito served as the President and GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning until'98.

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Future Book Betting Traps And How To Avoid Them

By Ross Everett

Sports betting futures wagers can be an entertaining and profitable investment, but there are a number of pitfalls. These are some things to avoid:

Search for the best price: A common mistake is to assume that the price on a specific futures wager position will be the same at every sportsbook. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, you'll often see a greater degree of difference between futures prices from book to book than any other form of bet. This is because that books aren't as worried about what price other outfits are offering as they are about keeping their own financial position balanced.

Don't try to pick the winner in a competitive marketplace: This may sound sort of counter intuitive since the general idea of betting on futures is to determine the actual winner but it's really not. Like everything else, its essential to always be mindful of the value you're getting. In a futures market with several legitimate contenders at the top the price offered is seldom high enough to properly compensate for the risk you're assuming. Here's an example: in a hypothetical NCAA hoops tournament Duke is +200 to win the national championship. They've certainly got a shot, but at a payback of only 2/1 its hard to justify a wager at this point with the potential for so many interceding events that can make a championship more problematic. Such events as injuries, a tough tournament draw or even just going into a slump at the wrong time can happen to any team but when you bet a higher priced team--a 'dark horse mid major at 15/1 for example--you're getting "compensation" for assuming the "risks" of betting on a proposition with so many unknown variables.

In more theoretical terms, the 'true odds' of a Duke or similar top team winning the tournament are almost always higher than the price offered. Think of it this way--say we're betting Duke to win the national title at 2/1. This means that the Blue Devils would have to win more than 33% of the time to break even. So lets say, for the sake of argument, that we could play the tournament over 100 times. Would Duke come out on top more than 33 of these times? If not, they represent a poor value. Let's say that they win 30 of 100 times. This means that any price under +333 or thereabouts is a poor wagering value.

Note that the more competitive the market, the more difficult it is to find good value on the favorites. Since you can make a case for quite a few teams to win the NCAA tournament at this point this particular futures market is clearly a very competitive one. In a less competitive marketplace it might be possible to "pick the winner" and have it be a good value though you will pay a price for this. Here's a (thankfully) hypothetical example: let's say the UFC decided to hold a one night round robin tournament with 5 competitors. Competitor #1 would be heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The other four competitors would be professional figure skaters Elvis Stojko, Rudy Gallindo, Brian Boitano and Evgeni Plushinko. Even if he didn't bring his "A game", Lesnar would be essentially have a 100% certainty of beating the four untrained fighters, who also happen to be rather effeminate. If a sportsbook installed Lesnar as a -1000 favorite a bet on the 63 265 pound takedown would still be theoretically a good value. It's always difficult to risk so much to win a little, but from a strictly theoretical standpoint its a good play.

Don't get seduced by big underdogs: Sports betting is not a place to make the "big killing". It may happen occasionally, but more often it doesn't. While a sports book might offer a huge price on a cellar dwelling team to win the World Series, the big payback does not mean its a good value. On a practical level, there's probably nothing wrong with throwing a few bucks on a wager like this with a huge payback if the impossible occurs. My only problem with this is that making too many bets like this just perpetuates bad sports betting habits. If you're strictly a recreational player, no big deal. If you aspire to bet professionally, or at least want to pursue it with some degree of seriousness I've always maintained that you need to develop discipline that's not situational. In other words, if you want to be a serious sports bettor you need to approach it with a consistent level of seriousness at all times. If you want to chase a huge, life altering jackpot go to Las Vegas and play the Megabucks slots or buy a Powerball ticket.

Simply stated, the concept of value works the same at the bottom of the wagering ladder as it does at the top. Even if you're betting a big underdog at a huge price make sure that it accurately reflects the 'true odds' of the event occurring.

Don't waste your money on ridiculous prop bets: Occasionally sports books offer ridiculous bets to get press or to be funny. For example, a book once offered odds on Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher and Bruce Willis all hopping into bed together and releasing a video tape of the proceedings. You'd no doubt get a huge payback were this to happen, but the 'true odds' of such an event transpiring far exceeded even a big potential payback.

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Monday, December 28, 2009

Bring Your Wedding Memories to Life

By Micheal Anderson

Getting married is probably one of the special celebrations for a person. To make it even more grand, moments should be captured in photos. Photos can capture the place, the people who were there, and even the food served. Wedding photography and food photography usually go together, so choosing a person or company to ensure all of these memories are captured can get quite challenging.

Getting a really good wedding and/or food photographer is actually quite easy. There are many things to consider, but the fundamentals would be to check the person or company's style, experience, price range and personality.

It's really easy to know how great your pictures will turn out by checking the photographer's portfolio. Their studios usually showcase a wide range of samples, depending on their specialty. A wedding photographer or company will of course show a lot of pictures from various weddings, a food photography specialist will showcase a lot of different artistic food photos, and so on.

Experience counts as much as talent does, so check the portfolio. Aside from the displays on office walls, photographers usually have "online folios," an online portfolio. They are just websites that show some of their best work on whatever field an artist is best at. For instance, a wedding photographer's website will show his or her best photos captured from different weddings: the bride and groom, wedding ceremonies, receptions, churches and even the food.

Another thing to consider is how much you will need to spend. Saving your memories in photographs is very much worth it, but you should know how much is too much. Doing some price comparison research online will give you an idea of the right amount you should be spending on a photographer for your wedding or any other occasion. But of course, quality should not be sacrificed. A cheap package does not necessarily mean cheap-looking photos, the same way expensive packages don't guarantee priceless pictures.

Finally, make sure the photographer is someone trustworthy. His or her attitude should be great. If you are not able to work with him/her because of bad personality, by all means find another.

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How To Get Ahead In The Field Of Wedding Photography

By Elizabeth Clark

You will find that there is much competition in the wedding photography industry. It is the intention of this article to provide relative novices to the photography business with advice on how to succeed.

(1) Get in place an effective, efficient ordering system online, if your plan is to do destination weddings. It is obvious that your studio will not receive visits from people that are from out of town. Consider doing orders over the Internet. Think about using an additional vendor to handle the sales and orders.

(2) To get referrals for your studio, do some relationship building with other vendors. Remember to include hotels, resorts, and catering and bridal services. Offer portrait sittings, prints and consultations to these vendors at no cost. For instance, be content to shoot (without charge) a suite or portrait shot for a resort. Be certain that you are on the top of the list of vendor referrals. Be on the lookout for new businesses in your area and ask to be included on their preferred vendors list.

(3) Offer top quality - this should be a basic. This signifies that you should create pictures that are correct in terms of exposure, color level, and editing. Take time to make really outstanding books.

4) Above all, have the attitude that you will do whatever has to be done, to make the wedding go smoothly. Do not hesitate about going to the store, prior to the wedding, to get something for the bride, even though you are just there to photograph the wedding. Do not stick to just doing your job of photography. If you assume added responsibilities, this will improve your good name in the business and increase your referrals as a result.

5) Make the effort to form connections with clientele. There are a huge number of good photographers out there. If you make real and personal connections, you provide an added element of service and sense of ease.

If you adhere to the preceding advice, you can boost your success as a photographer in the competitive field of wedding photography.

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Hints For Saving Money On Wedding Photography

By Sammy Shaw

Wedding photos are the symbol of a once in a lifetime event, and most brides are reluctant to cut costs in this area. While we feel reluctant to offer cost-saving tips on your wedding photos, the cost of professional wedding photography means that today not everyone can afford these services.

These are a few suggestions for budget-minded brides who want to save on wedding photo expenses:

1.) Search Among Your Family or Friends for a Photographer. There is certain to be somebody who is into photography and owns better equipment than ordinary folks normally have. Try to find a relation who takes good photos and you can ask him to help out. You should employ the services of the persons who are willing to assist to trim your wedding expenses. If you do find somebody, be sure to speak with them in advance and make him/her aware of any particular poses you desire.

2.) Contact the Local University to Hire a Photography Student. The chance to add some photos to their portfolio by photographing an event will delight them. They are not professionals, but you can count on them to have fresh and creative ideas which can translate to memorable photographs.

(3) Many people give guests disposable cameras as an option to getting photos of their event. Give each table a themed disposable camera and let your guests take the photographs. You will get a variety of shots, all from different angles; this way you can pick which ones you like best. Put one person in charge of collecting the cameras and taking them to be developed.

4.) If having a professional photographer is important to you, take a look around and get in touch with a lot of photographers. See what they have to offer after letting them know about your budget. You could be amazed with their reply. Limiting the amount of photos will also assist with your photography budget.

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How To Pick A Corporate Photographer

By Albert Frank

There are many business events, such as the visit of an important client, or a high profile conference, for which you need to capture the happenings in form of pictures. To get these pictures, you need event photographers.

Photography for an event is an entirely different skill, as compared to other forms of this art like nature photography or fashion photography. This is basically because events take place quickly and the photographer has hardly any control over the happenings. The task involved in shooting an event requires familiarity and a professional attitude on part of the photographer and not everyone can do a good job at it. However, the greatest problem is that a corporate photographer does not get a second chance.

Quite obviously, you have to be aware of several aspects while picking a corporate photographer to cover a corporate event. Ability to manipulate the camera so that it works well indoors is a must, because most corporate venues do not have any natural light. Even a very good photographer would be of little use if the camera and lenses are not of good quality, so you must insist on top-end equipment.

You will avoid a lot of trouble if you go to an established firm, which will provide you the services of an experienced photographer. You must check the previous work of the photographer and his familiarity with covering similar events in the past. Getting quality related information from the photographer's previous clients can also be of help.

Of course, you have to inform the corporate photographer, who you intend to hire, about all the expectations that you want him to fulfil. This will ensure that there is no confusion and will also give you assurance in the photographer's competence of managing tricky situations during the event. There is no replacement for a good discussion to put people at ease, and this way you would also be able to build a healthy working rapport with your event photographer.

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Singapore Actual Day Photography

By Robert Wong

The two most important people on a wedding day are, certainly the wedding couple. An excellent idea would be to isolate the couple from the ongoing celebrations so that the photographer can capture the beautiful intimate moments between them and create some everlasting portraits This will give the wedding couple some time away from the wedding as well.

The portrait session will give the photographer enough time to spend with the wedding couple to capture the pictures. On the wedding day it doesn't always happen because it is rare to have time on the actual day of the wedding. The time taken for pictures can well vary from an hour to no time at all. It can take up to an hour for the photographer to take the pictures.

When is the best time to take aside the bride and groom for some quality time with the photographer?

Most photographers tend to believe that the window before the reception is very suitable for portrait photography, since the couple would still look fresh at that time.

Sometimes the bride and groom would want to start the portrait shoot even before the ceremony says Bradley Hanson, award winning photographer. He generally starts by photographing the bride getting ready in such events.

Right after the newly-weds have exchanged vows is a great time for some photographers to have their portraits done, since they are still fill with all of the emotions.

The couple should set aside some time with the photographer so the perfect actual day photo shoot will be flawless. Finding a polite way to lose the relatives and guests is sometimes hard but is worth the beautiful moments they will cherish for a lifetime.

A good portrait session on the actual day can be ruined by too many people trying to photograph the newly-weds. As a result of this, most photographers choose to have the couple alone for the shoot so that it is not disturbed by anyone.

According to award winning photographer Shawna Herring, most newly-weds start feeling uncomfortable before the camera when the portrait session is about to start. To help the couple forget the camera is there, the experienced photographer will try talking to the couple about things other then the portrait shoot.

It is also recommended to choose a day before or after the wedding for the photo shoot and go with the photographer to a different location. This really helps loosen up the bride and groom since it helps build a comfortable relationship with the photographer. In a short time, the couple may even forget the existence of the camera.

There are thousands of reasons why the photographer might not achieve time alone with the wedding couple. The bride and the groom should work together with the photographer to find some alone time so that a really creative portrait session is achieved.

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

NFL Preseason Handicapping Basics

By Ross Everett

There's not much 'middle ground' when it comes to the desirability of betting NFL preseason games. The overly conservative handicappers suggest that its a poor wagering opportunity, while the 'boiler room' sports touts try to suggest that short of a fixed game there's no more sure thing than preseason football. There's a degree of truth in both views. Handicapping preseason NFL football is a unique discipline unto itself, but with knowledge and caution it can be a profitable endeavor.

The opponent of preseason wagering would suggest that its a bad wagering opportunity by its very nature alone--simply stated, the games don't count meaning that the motivation and focus of individual teams is always in question. It's hard enough to identify teams that are in a desirable 'spot' during the regular season, the often conflicting agendas of personnel evaluation, playbook testing, and injury prevention found in the preseason makes it impossible. All told, this uncertainty makes it very undesirable to get financially involved with preseason NFL games.

The preseason NFL betting enthusiast would suggest, however, that it is the uncertainty that characterizes these games that makes for such a strong wagering opportunity. For example, in a matchup between a championship level team and a losing team you often see strongly divergent approaches to the game. Successful teams have more to worry about in terms of player injuries, fewer areas in which they need to evaluate talent, and more continuity in the areas of coaching and team chemistry. They often view preseason games as a chore, and have little interest in their outcome as long as they keep their superstars healthy.

On the other hand, consider the 'lesser' team in a preseason matchup. They often have a number of key starting positions they need to fill, along with backup positions up for grabs. They may have new coaching staffs that players want to impress, new offensive or defensive schemes to implement. Most significantly, 'lesser' teams often view the preseason as an opportunity to build team chemistry or create a winning attitude. A team trying to rebuild can benefit from winning *any* games, regardless of whether or not they count in the standings. For a league doormat, a win over an elite level opponent can serve as a rare highlight of a losing season.

Even teams that put a low priority on preseason games don't want to lose them all. For this reason, a longterm winning situation has been to bet on teams that lose their first two preseason games outright. Over the past twenty years, 0-2 teams in this spot have produced a winning percentage right around 60%.

The philosophy of a NFL head coach is arguably the single most important factor contributing to preseason success. Some coaches always want to win, even if the games don't count in the standings. Other coaches place a much greater importance on evaluating personnel and giving backups playing time they won't have the opportunity to get during the regular season. The coaches that have a strong desire to win in the preseason often result in their team's pointspreads being inflated somewhat, but a motivated team is always worth consideration for a wager.

The Internet has become a very valuable weapon in the NFL preseason handicapper's arsenal. Simply following the local media reports of NFL teams can often produce a wealth of 'mission critical' betting information. The combination of anxious beat writers, little in the way of 'real' news, and a less guarded approach by coaches to games that 'don't count' can often reveal game strategies, playing time for key personnel, or even a team's specific agenda for a particular game. Sometime coaches will come right out and say that evaluating a certain position, or working on a specific offensive scheme is their top priority for a game. It's a great way to find not only good teams to bet on, but strong situations to go against teams that are focused on something other than outscoring their opponent.

The bottom line is that while the NFL preseason does offer some solid moneymaking opportunities, its not a 'free cash grab'. It's best viewed as an opportunity to grind out a small profit, but as always its essential to maintain the same degree of discipline in handicapping and money management as at any other time during the pro football season.

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MMA Flashback: Shinya Aoki Tops JZ Calvan

By Ross Everett

After a controversial no contest in their first matchup, there was no doubt as to the winner of the DREAM 2 rematch between Shina Aoki and JZ Calvan. Aoki controlled the fight from the opening bell and used a wide repertoire of submission attempts to keep his opponent off balance and on the defensive.

Aoki scored early with a takedown and controlled Calvan on the ground, working a heel lock attempt before taking his opponents back and attempting a rear naked choke. In the second, Aoki put on a submission clinic and demonstrated his ungodly flexibility as he spun from an armbar to a triangle choke and back again. Calvan was able to counter or escape, but looked completely out of sync as he generated almost no offense whatsoever over the 15 minutes.

Aoki was very emotional in his postfight speech to the crowd, while JZC just looked disgusted with himself for losing such a one sided contest. JZC had grumbled about the no-contest in their DREAM 1 matchup, and the one sided decision made this an even more bitter pill to swallow.

With the victory Aoki advances to the semifinals of the lightweight GP tournament. Thats the plan at least, as Aoki made some statements in the Japanese press leading up to the fight that win or lose there would be no way hed be ready for the next round with only half the preparation time as the rest of the field. Hopefully the impressive victory and the enthusiastic response from the holiday week Tokyo crowd will change his mind as hes now the man to beat even with the short prep time.

The rest of the card was devoted to the opening round of the middleweight GP tournament. Taiei Kin defeated Minowa-man Ikuhisa Minowa in a very closely contested and entertaining fight. Minowa was clearly tired in the 2nd, and that likely sealed the deal for Kin.

Korean judoka Yoon Dong-Sik also advanced with a unanimous decision victory over Shungo Oyama. Most of the damage in this fight came from Yoons ground and pound from full mount, and he controlled the tempo from the outset. Two one sided contests followed, with Zeleg Galesic submitting Magomed Sultanakhmadov via arm bar in a minute and a half of the first round. That was followed by the MMA debut of former Pac 10 wrestling standout Ian Murphy, who had a worst case scenario draw against BJJ specialist Ronaldo Jacare.

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UFC 87 Flashback: GSP, Lesnar Dominate

By Ross Everett

The last time that Georges St. Pierre defended his UFC welterweight title, it quickly turned into the low point of his career. Already facing a number of personal issues away from the cage, he looked sloppy and distracted as Matt Serra defeated him by brutal TKO. This time, things were different"before an enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowd at Minneapolis Target Center arena GSP brutalized Jon Fitch over five rounds to win an easy unanimous decision. The judges scores of 50-43, 50-44, 50-44 underscored the one sided victory, though Jon Fitch showed a lot of heart and toughness to go the distance.

After a dominant takedown to open the fight, followed by a barrage of GSP punches it looked as if Fitch wouldnt make it out of the first round. He managed to survive, though generated little offense the rest of the way as the champion had his way with him both on the ground and in standup striking exchanges. Fitch landed enough counterpunches to open a cut near the champions eye, but never even came close to winning a round. Fitch had to gut his way through another tough moment in the 4th, where a big knee followed by a flurry of kicks and punches had him on the verge of a TKO loss yet again. It may have been the champions strategy that saved him, as GSP decided to take Fitch down again rather than continue the striking onslaught as the round closed.

As the final horn sounded, GSP bowed down in front of Fitch in a nice, Muay Thai inspired show of respect. In yet another moment that is thankfully commonplace in fighting and all too rare in other sports, Fitch and GSP sat knee to knee in the center of the cage congratulating each other for over a minute as their respective cutmen worked on their wounds.

And theres very likely not another athlete like Brock Lesnar even within the ranks of fightsport competitors. In his 3rd professional MMA bout the amateur wrestling legend turned WWE champion displayed a brutally effective new fighting style along with stellar patience and cage control as he obliterated tough and highly experienced Heath Herring. Lesnar received a thunderous ovation from his adopted home state as he entered the cage to the sounds of Motley Crues Shout at the Devil.

From that point forward, Herring was completely out of the fight though he repeatedly demonstrated his toughness by staying in the fight and not tapping out to strikes as had Min Soo Kim in Lesnars MMA debut. Unlike Lesnars gameplan against Frank Mir in his UFC debut"when he clearly wanted to overwhelm his opponent for a quick win"perhaps the most impressive element of his improvement as a fighter was his patience. There were a number of occasions where Lesnar could have tried and finished the fight by placing himself at greater risk, but took the conservative approach. The result is a fight style that is almost frightening, with Lesnar able to leverage his world class ground control skills"along with his downright indefensible takedowns"to keep his opponent under control while he imposes his will using his size and strength and does damage with his massive hands and knees.

Overall, Lesnars performance bordered on amazing"a serious case could be made that he won all three rounds by 10-8 margins, though all three judges scored the fight 30-26. He repeatedly took down and threw around the 64 250 Herring like he was a welterweight, and controlled the fight to such a degree that his opponent didnt land more than a half dozen strikes during the entire fight"and none which were particularly effective.

Lesnars win gives a much needed boost to the UFCs barren heavyweight division. While it may be premature to consider him a top 10 heavyweight, should Lesnar continue to develop his potential in the sport is limitless.

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Delhomme Continues To Struggle In Panthers' Loss To Bills

By Ross Everett

Carolina Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme is having a season he'd like to forget, and things got even worse on Sunday at home against the Buffalo Bills. Despite dominating the Bills on the stat sheet, Delhomme threw three interceptions that allowed Buffalo to take a 20-9 victory over the struggling Panthers. Delhomme threw for 325 yards, though without any touchdowns. The Panthers dropped to 2-4 while the Bills improved to 3-4.

Buffalo rewarded NFL pointspread players with the outright victory as +7 road underdogs. The Bills have covered four of their seven games this season, while the Panthers have an awful record against the spread-they've only covered once this season for a 1-5 ATS mark. The 29 combined points went UNDER the posted total of 37.

The Bills' Terrell Owens was again a non-factor, but gave credit to the defense for earning the victory:

"You can't really complain about a win. Defensively, those guys are keeping us in ballgames."

Buffalo defensive end Chris Kelsay commended his team's victory on the road:

"Never once on the sidelines was there any doubt that we were going to win the game. Regardless if it's an ugly win over not, it's hard to win in this league."

Ryan Fitzpatrick started at QB for Buffalo in place of the injured Trent Edwards and was solid, if not spectacular. Coach Dick Jauron observed:

"He made the plays when we had to make them."

Panthers' coach John Fox has said he's going to're-evaluate' whether the struggling Delhomme should continue to start, and even the quarterback himself couldn't make an emphatic case that he should keep his job:

"In my heart, yeah, but I mean let's be honest, I don't think I'm a dummy. When you're not playing well offensively, you always have to look at the quarterback."

The Panthers' schedule doesn't get easier this week as they head west for a game against the improving Arizona Cardinals. Carolina is a +9 road underdog with the total set at 43'. They'll head south the following week to face the red hot New Orleans Saints before returning home on November 15 to take on the Atlanta Falcons. Buffalo will host the Houston Texans this weekend, with the game currently off the board due to injuries on both teams. They'll have their bye week after that and will return to action on November 15 against the Tennessee Titans.

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Panthers Derail Struggling Buccaneers

By Ross Everett

Carolina Panthers' quarterback Jake Delhomme struggled on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and was fortunate that his running backs bailed him out. Delhomme threw for only 65 yards with two interceptions, but D'Angelo Williams (152 yards) and Jonathan Stewart (110 yards) kept the chains moving as the Panthers won their second straight game defeating the Bucs 28-21. Tampa Bay has now lost ten straight dating back to last season and are 0-6 for the first time since'85. The fact that they ended up starting that year 0-9 on their way to a 1-15 record doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.

NFL sports bettors were faced with a choice between two teams with dismal ATS records in this game, and those who had the guts to take a 1-3 team as a -3 road favorite were rewarded with the cover. It was Carolina's first NFL pointspread cover of the season and left them with a 1-4 record against the number. Tampa Bay has covered one of their six games this year.

Delhomme attempted only seven passes in the second half, but the way Williams and Stewart were running there was no reason to put the ball in the air. Williams said that even though Tampa Bay knew what was coming they couldn't stop the Panthers' running game:

"I'm sure everybody in the stadium knew what we were going to do. There were times they had nine in the box and we were still getting 7 or 8 yards."

There's been little impatience locally with Bucs' rookie head coach Raheem Morris, but his weekly habit of explaining the obvious to rationalize yet another loss is starting to wear thin:

"We got overpowered at the end, and really throughout the game."

Carolina safety Dante Wesley was ejected after clobbering Bucs' return man Clifton Smith after a fair catch call. After the game, Wesley gave this defense for his actions:

"I was just trying to make a play. You can check my record. I've never really tried to hurt anybody. I've never tried to take a cheap shot on anybody."

Wesley could face a possible fine or suspension from the NFL but, in all fairness, it did appear to be a momentary mental lapse as he was trying to make a big play and not a deliberate attempt to injure Smith.

Tampa's schedule has the look of them going from 'the frying pan into the fire' as they host the New England Patriots next Sunday-fresh off of their 57 point drubbing of Tennessee. The Bucs are +14 home underdogs to the Patriots with the total set at 45. They'll get a week off after that contest and return to action on November 8 as they host the Green Bay Packers. Carolina has an easier draw, hosting the Buffalo Bills next Sunday. The game is currently off the board pending the status of Bills' QB Trent Edwards who suffered a concussion in Sunday's win over the New York Jets. The Panthers will then play on the road the following two Sundays, traveling to Arizona and New Orleans.

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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Find Ways To Spice Up Your Love Life With Sexy Lingerie

By Rosa Lopez

Women feel more beautiful and confident when they wear anything sexy. Women can make themselves feel more beautiful by wearing sexy lingerie. There are many different types of sexy lingerie available so any woman can find her idea of sexy in the many different styles. There are many types of materials and colors to pick from too.

Sexy lingerie can spice up your love life if you have fallen into a routine in your bedroom. Do you know many men that can turn down a woman in lingerie? I did not think so. When your husband sees you in a hot lingerie outfit your love life will come out of the rut it has been in very quickly. You know what your husband likes so when buying lingerie be sure to buy something he will like too.

Linger even comes in costumes these days. If your spouse has a certain fantasy you can try fulfilling it with costume lingerie. You can also purchase Holiday themed sexy lingerie. For Christmas you can dress as a sexy Mrs. Clause as his special gift. He wont even be thinking about unwrapping gifts from under the tree because he will be too busy unwrapping you.

It can be difficult to keep your sex life interesting and new after several years together. No one wants to think that their sex life has become routine and boring. A sure way to keep this from happening is with sexy lingerie. You can try different ways to spice things up like sending sexy text or emails to your spouse all day while he's at work. When he comes home have candle light or the lights turned low. He will see you in your new lingerie and your sex life will not be boring or routine any longer.

When you and your spouse go out for a special night you can try wearing sexy lingerie beneath your clothes. When the date is over and your back home you can do a seductive strip tease for him to show off the lingerie beneath. This will drive your spouse mad with desire.

Some women may not feel comfortable stripping for their husband but if you have the right lingerie anything is possible. When you put on that sexy lingerie you will feel more confident and more beautiful that ever. A man loves a confident woman and there is not better way to get that confidence than by driving your husband crazy.

Women that do not have much experience with lingerie can find it intimidating to visit a lingerie shop because of all the choices available. It can be hard to know what to choose so ask the sales woman for help finding something to drive your spouse crazy with desire.

Women have different ideas about what makes them feel sexy so the choices in lingerie can be very different. If you don't feel comfortable in the lingerie you choose then you should choose something else. You can't feel sexy in something you don't feel completely comfortable in.

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Glamorize Your Bank Checks with Pin-up Girls

By Alan Plastin

Nothing speaks glamour like the 1940's pin-up girls of Hollywood. If you want to bring a little bit of glamour to your personal bank checks, then you should definitely consider purchasing vintage-inspired pin-up girls on your checks. Not only are they great looking, but everyone will remember the checks that you write to them.

In the 1940's, WWII was raging, but Hollywood was alive and kicking. The pin-up girls of that era graced magazines, calendars, and even playing cards. They were beautiful, glamorous, and sexy. With perfect hair and makeup, gorgeous clothing, and secret smiles, they were more than just sex symbols-they were icons. Men wanted to be with them, and women wanted to be them.

Being a movie star during that time did not always mean that the woman was also going to be a pin-up girl. Actually, although the star might be beautiful, it took a little something extra for a woman to be a pin-up girl and to be desired. She also needed to have a glamorous air about her as well as something that distinguished her from other women. Images of pin-up girls were mass produced and had wide appeal and therefore there also needed to be something accessible about her as well.

Betty Grable was one of the earliest pin-up girls. Her poster was "pinned up" in lockers during the War. The Gibson girl, who was actually an illustration, was another popular pin-up girl. Other popular pin-up girls of the 1940s include Carmen Miranda, Jane Russell, Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, and Ava Gardner. Betty Page, in the 1950s, was one of the most popular pin-up girls of all time. In fact, merchandise containing her image can still be purchased today, despite the fact that many of her present-day fans were not alive during her heyday.

While there are still pin-up girls these days, some fans argue that these modern women lack the glamour and style of the women in the past. Although posters can be purchased with images of the majority of popular female movie and televisions stars and models, the Golden Age of the sexy sirens of the past is over.

If you would like your personal bank checks to have a little something extra then the pin-up girls checks and their vintage ambiance might be the checks for you. They come in 4 rotating images so each beautiful girl will be different from the one before her. Not only are these checks good looking, but they can say loads about your individuality and style.

If you buy your checks online from a site you can save as much as 50% off what your bank might charge you. You will also have a wide range to select from. You can anticipate receiving your checks in about 5 days. Don't forget to have your routing number and checking account number available when you place your order.

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Free Music Downloads - Latest Happenings In The Music World

By Girish Jaju

If you are an ardent lover of music and want to be at pace with the latest trends in the market, you have the opportunity to do so. Get your desired free music downloads through internet. Fulfill your desire of musical numbers. You do not have to make any investment to get the lovely tunes that you have been aspiring since a long time. If you want to collect the music in CDs or cassettes from the store, you have to cough out some cash. Here by the courtesy of internet, it is absolutely free.

There are quite a few websites who offer free downloads of music from their competent database so that visitors find it immensely exciting and get satisfaction from the services of those websites. They are very popular among the young generation particularly, because they are the ones who go madly after a special blockbuster number of band or solo music piece.

When they are contented they speak very highly of the particular website, as a result the website draws many more visitors and enjoys high traffic. It is catching up since last few years and young visitors are crowding the website in thousands of numbers every day. The free aspect of the website is more interesting and it is the main reason of such enormous popularity.

You will find abundance of such websites who are offering free downloads of different kinds of musical pieces. It is absolutely positive that you will find your choice from one of them easily. You must realize that the original copy of the music is available only after a certain period, which the owner confirms under the copyright provision and then he releases them for free sharing in any channel.

Generally latest introductions are scarcely available for free downloads from the original musical score, however, you may be lucky to get one otherwise. With such few exceptions, the websites with free downloads are enjoying havoc popularity and it is growing day after day.

You should choose the superior quality websites for your free downloads. You should shop around for expert sites who offer reliable and authentic recordings of your choicest music. Listen to the music news to remain well-informed about the latest happenings in the world of music.

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Choosing Jurassic Park Toys

By Andy Jenkins

In the nineties, a science fiction book was made into a cinematic piece where the plot focused on the precautionary approach towards dealing with biological entities without proper attention. An esplanade was created to house a series of dinosaurs that were part of a scientific biological breakthrough in cloning; from entertainment purposes, the story shifted into conflict when the amusement park was shut down. A piece of science fiction literature was transformed into a top selling movie franchise making Jurassic park toys available for the consumer market.

Jurassic park toys features the dinosaur characters as well as the human characters that were shown in the movie; the toys also include the particular vehicles and weapons that were used to deal with the escapee dinosaurs. Some of the toy manufacturers who worked with the movie franchise also came up with accessories where you can build your own jungle and laboratory setting at home. The latter are great tools by which you can encourage a child to develop his or her imagination in terms of how the child would be arranging the toys.

You can choose over lots of varying toys and play things but most of these items will not help in any way when it comes to encouraging your child to think; they merely serve as distractions for the child for when you have to attend to something yourself. Jurassic park toys engages a child to think and gives him or her the opportunity to put these thinking skills to the test as the child creates his own version of a Jurassic park scenario. Problem solving skills that a person needs in adulthood can be started in terms of development when he or she is young and these toys can do just that.

The series of Jurassic park toys available commercially are not limited to plain action figures and the like. It is actually possible to find accessories of the movie franchise in the forms of beddings, rugs, curtains, wallpaper borders, lamps, and anything under the sun to make it possible for an enthusiast to create the Jurassic park environment in his own space. Remember though that these products are good if a child can live with them but if he or she gets scared easily, you might want to think twice about purchasing certain items for your child.

Jurassic park toys are meant for the pleasure of children and adults alike may they be male or female even. There are action figures for the boys and there too are plush dolls for the girls but these can be mixed and matched. Before purchasing any toy, you should consider the interest level of the person you plan on giving the gift too; with these however, it would be better to buy them as gifts for more mature children.

Jurassic park toys have arrived with the successful run of the film across nations. With each follow up to the main movie came about a number of new toys and accessories as well. In general, every consumer has a wide variety of these toys to choose from.

Jurassic park toys can be obtained one at a time or if you can, you can go for the complete play sets that are available. Whatever your budget may be, you can acquire these toys; these are also great for your child's development. Much satisfaction can be attained from these toys especially if a person is very interested in dinosaurs and the like.

Each location has a collection of these Jurassic park toys which are offered for sale. A particular toy comes in a wide array of different designs which can satisfy any want or need. Jurassic park toys are great; go get one for yourself and get some for your loved ones as well.

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