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Bulgarian Property Market Insight

2007-05-28T15:46:00.000-07:00

GOLF GRABS BULGARIA!

At the present time there are only three golf courses in the whole of Bulgaria: one at Elin Pelin, near the capital, Sofia, and two owned by Air Sofia. These are located at Ihtiman, opened in 2000, 40km from Sofia, and at Sliven, opened in 2004, 90km from the Black Sea.

Because of the increasingly rapid rise in foreign interest in Bulgaria recently, several more golf courses are proposed. One of these will be located at Razgrad, in the north-east, about 90km from the Black Sea. More are scheduled to open in the next few years: two at Kavarna and one at Primorsko, near Sozopol.

Mountain and ski areas will be represented by a golf course in the ski town of Bansko this year, and a very large golf complex between Kostenets and Borovets, the country's foremost ski resort. This is scheduled for 2007, the year of Bulgaria's entry into the European Union, and will be located at Dolna Banya, already near Bulgaria's first golf course at Ihtiman.

Bulgaria Properties Ltd has purchased almost 6 acres of prime development land adjacent to the proposed golf course at Dolna Banya. The plans are to construct about 220 apartments around a comprehensive sports complex, with access to the golf course by a short footpath. The amenities on site are to include tennis, volleyball, squash, badminton, lawn bowls, boules (boccia), shooting, archery, croquet, mountain biking, and fishing nearby. Indoor facilities will include a 140-seat main restaurant and cabaret stage, a huge main bar (perhaps the largest in Bulgaria), a sports bar with projection TV, snooker, pool, table football, table tennis, a Chinese restaurant, Indian restaurant, fast food cafeteria, pizzeria, gymnasium, sauna, massage parlour, clinic, chemist, sports shop and minimarket.

Steve Avery, a Director of Bulgaria Properties Ltd, said, It may sound like a clich, but we really were in the right place at the right time! After two years in this business, I just couldnt believe my luck to find such a gem. Anyone involved in this project should make a serious return on their investment.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE BULGARIAN PROPERTY MARKET

On Borovets and Bansko generally, Steve had this to say: Apart from having ski lifts and ski runs, these two towns are quite different from each other, and appeal to different groups of people. Bansko is an old, traditional residential town with lots of character and no fewer than 180 quaint taverns full of local people singing and dancing to a typical Bulgarian folk band. Borovets, by contrast, is purely a resort, with hotels, modern west European-style bars and night-clubs, cafs and restaurants. Residential property and holiday homes are therefore readily available in Bansko, but not in Borovets, where the closest you can get is usually in one of the surrounding villages.

As for property values, Bansko went mad for a period of three months at the end of 2003, with land prices doubling, and then calmed down. Many poor goatherders suddenly found that they were rich. Nothing wrong with that, I say. Since then values have been pretty steady there until now, when theyre starting to creep up again. The reason for this is that the sudden surge in foreign tourists to Bansko has left the supply of holiday accommodation woefully short of the demand. And this trend shows no sign of abating. To try to cope with it, there have sprung up many hotels and apartment projects, but it seems unlikely that even these will be able to satisfy the demand for accommodation for several years yet. As a result, the prices for such apartments range from 1,000 Euros per sq.m. for a ground-floor unit facing away from the mountains, to 1,350 Euros per sq.m. for a top-floor example with a mountain view. Yet, people buy them. I guess, because a 1 bedroom 60sq.m. apartment for 41,000 is still a far better deal than youd get in Spain. Ive heard developers claim that 90% of their apartments are sold within 3 weeks! I only hope that we have such luck when ours are released in June!

In this respect Borovets, again, is different. Although its Bulgarias first and best-known ski resort, it stagnated for years until now. The Super Borovets project, funded by EU, governmental, foreign and local business sources, is scheduled to run from 2005 to 2009, and will revitalise the whole region around the town to a radius of 10-12km. This has already started to affect property values in the surrounding areas. To give an example, in March 2004 we bought, unseen, a half-acre plot in a village 15km from Borovets. When I visited it, I discovered that it wasnt suitable for building apartments; so, I put it on the market in August. By November it was sold at an 80% profit after all costs were deducted!

I am personally of the opinion that the Bansko effect could strike around Borovets at any moment. Thats the reason why Bulgaria Properties Ltd is developing four projects here, and only two in Bansko. We can sell these apartments about 15% cheaper at the moment, anyway. Borovets must surely offer a better return on investment, regardless of the type of property bought: land, a shack, whatever. You wont find new apartments easily, though. As far as we know, Bulgaria Properties Ltd is the only developer building them. I dont, however, expect this monopoly to last for long.

Bulgarias third ski region is at Pamporovo, which, like Borovets, is purely a resort. Funding is starting to come in, but full development, if it happens at all, is likely to follow several years behind Borovets. Its distance from Sofia (a days drive) makes it less attractive to visitors from north and west Europe. It is, however, popular with Greeks, because of its proximity to the frontier. One of Bulgarias major motorway routes to Greece will pass very close to Pamporovo, and this should boost its popularity, as well as making the Mediterranean Sea more accessible.

Property values are lower here than in Bansko and Borovets, but are creeping up gradually. I reckon that Pamporovo is a good long-term prospect; say five to ten years. The only reason why Bulgaria Properties Ltd has no developments here is because Ill probably have retired before the boom happens.

How does a mountain area investment compare with coastal properties?

Significant differences yet again. Until recently, most of the investment was flooding into the northern Black Sea coast resorts, from Varna down to Sunny Beach. The area became very popular as a result of the Bulgarian governments Bulgaria the Beautiful TV campaign back in the 80s, and the subsequent interest of package tour operators. Now that the north is saturated with developments, the interest has begun to creep down the coast. This is causing a steep rise in property values. They are still lower than those in the north, but the gap is closing. An investment in the south should therefore offer a better ROI.

Dont expect, though, the ambience of the south to become like that of the north. When I discussed the subject with the Chairman of the Bulgarian Foreign Investment Agency last year an extremely intelligent and able young man, I must add he told me in no uncertain terms that he did not want the south to become like the north. His very words were: We dont want another Benidorm. So, prospective property purchasers need to bear this in mind, and balance their desire for more capital growth, or their willingness to accept less, with the different rental market appeal of the two regions, along with their own taste in holidays.

There is one highly significant factor, however, which very often goes unnoticed until it is too late; and it applies to the whole coast. Most people dont know that it freezes on the coast in winter. When they see the coastal resorts basking in the hot summer sunshine, its difficult to imagine snow on the ground. The entire coast simply shuts down in the winter, and nothing happens. Its as dead as a doornail. Therefore, rental income can be fairly assured for 15 weeks, possibly 20, plus some odd bits in the shoulder seasons of April and October. The coast has a five-month season from May to September, compared to nine months in the ski areas. Those people buying only for rental income, therefore, would find the mountains far more lucrative.

The Times recently published an article, saying: Rental yields tend to be better for ski properties than those on the coast because of the longer ski season. You could expect about 12 per cent gross yield for a good ski apartment and about half that on the coast.

Rents vary greatly, and depend on many factors, most of which should be obvious: location, size, view, amenities. The standard of finish and the condition of the property can also determine your market quite radically. To appeal to west Europeans, and to command the highest rents, your property must be well finished and appointed, and be in tip-top condition. If it is not, you still have a market for east Europeans, who tolerate less salubrious surroundings because they pay much less, usually about half of the west European rates.

Generally, summer rental rates on the coast equate to winter rates in the ski resorts, both seasons being about five months. Remember that you also have about four months additional rent, though at lower rates, during the summer in the mountains. These rates should increase gradually, as the Government programmes to make the ski towns more popular for summer holidays make their mark.

There are several Bulgarian agencies willing to manage your rental properties for you. Expect to pay about 20% of the rent as a fee.

What about properties in the countryside?

Not a serious contender in the ROI stakes, I think. Not if you consider the effort involved. You can pick up property very cheaply indeed in the inland areas, away from the resorts. Almost always itll need some kind of work; anything from a face-lift to demolition. Theres often no inner staircase to the bedrooms, no bathroom, and the toilet is in a shed in the garden. This kind of property is great for buyers who want to get away from their homeland, and disappear in the beauty of nature permanently. As a business, it could appeal to self-builders or DIY enthusiasts, prepared to do it for fun, and accept a low return on their financial and physical investment. As for rental income, forget it!

And the cities?

Again, there are differences, even between cities. The prime city is, of course, Sofia, the capital. Buy the right apartment here, in the right area, and you can expect a guaranteed rental return of about 12% per annum. The flavour of the month is gated communities, particularly in the south of the city. The diplomatic residential district of Vitosha is one of the best bets. There is a ready demand for luxury accommodation from diplomatic staff and executives seconded by foreign companies, usually on a long-term basis, and this demand should increase as 2007, the year of Bulgarias accession to the European Union, approaches. Although you should expect to pay high for such properties by Bulgarian standards, its still only the price of a tarted-up Victorian terraced flat in a UK provincial town.

Theres virtually no market for tourist rentals in Sofia, as its probably the least interesting European capital city. Its also very polluted, although they are trying to clean up their act, ready for EU entry in 2007.

Plovdiv, the countrys second city, is much more pleasant. It has a quaint old town, as well as modern business districts. It therefore bridges the gap between business and tourism, as far as rentals are concerned. Plovdiv is connected to Sofia by an excellent motorway, on which you can keep the pedal to the metal, if youre prepared to risk an on-the-spot fine of 50 Leva (about 18).

Veliko Tarnovo is probably Bulgarias most touristic city, with its citadel and mediaeval ramparts. Most people who buy property here do so to make it their main home. The city itself is beautiful, and it has everything a townie needs. Drive a short distance, and youre in some wonderful countryside. You couldnt really make a good living from rentals, but its the perfect place to retire to.

Theres one more thing which is important enough to mention: Mineral baths. These exist all over Bulgaria, the most significant being at Narechen, south of Plovdiv, and Momin Prohod, near Kostenets. Scientific studies rank Bulgaria among the foremost in Europe for hydrothermal, bioclimatic and mud treatments, sea cures and other health resources. Bulgaria is a world leader with its exceptional diversity of medicinal herbs and the excellent curative properties of its apian products. Any property near a spa should attract a premium to its sales or rental value.

Full details about the Super Borovets project, price madness in Bansko, golf developments in Bulgaria, and new apartments in Bansko and Borovets can be seen at the Bulgaria Properties Ltd web site www.BulgariaProperties.net. Or you can e-mail advice@BulgariaProperties.net, or call the company at +44 (0)871 226 2296 to order a free 28-page hand-out, or just for a chat, if you prefer. They always have time for you.

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Top 30 Politics Quotations

2007-05-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

"It is the duty of every citizen according to his best capacities to give validity to his convictions in political affairs."
-- Albert Einstein
"Politics, n. Strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles."
-- Ambrose Bierce
"Man is by nature a political animal."
-- Aristotle
"I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians."
-- Charles De Gaulle
"The mistake a lot of politicians make is in forgetting they've been appointed and thinking they've been anointed."
-- Claude D. Pepper
"Politics is made up largely of irrelevancies."
-- Dalton Camp
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it whether it exists or not, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedy."
-- Ernest Benn
"Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important."
-- Eugene McCarthy
"We would all like to vote for the best man but he is never a candidate."
-- Frank McKinney Hubbard
"When the political columnists say 'Every thinking man' they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to 'Every intelligent voter' they mean everybody who is going to vote for them."
-- Franklin P. Adams
"Run for office? No. I've slept with too many women, I've done too many drugs, and I've been to too many parties."
-- George Clooney
"My choice early in life was either to be a piano-player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference."
-- Harry S. Truman
"Nothing is so admirable in politics as a short memory."
-- John Kenneth Galbraith
"The word 'politics' is derived from the word 'poly', meaning 'many', and the word 'ticks', meaning 'blood sucking parasites'."
-- Larry Hardiman
"Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects."
-- Lester B. Pearson
"Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed."
-- Mao Tse-Tung
"Nothing can so alienate a voter from the political system as backing a winning candidate."
-- Mark B. Cohen
"You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think."
-- Milton Berle
"Politics is the art of the possible."
-- Otto Von Bismarck
"In politics, an absurdity is not a handicap."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte
"Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them."
-- Paul Valery
"Politicians are wonderful people as long as they stay away from things they don't understand, such as working for a living."
-- P. J. ORourke
"In politics you must always keep running with the pack. The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured, the rest will turn on you like wolves."
-- R. A. Butler
"Politics is largely a matter of heart."
-- R. A. Butler
"Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary."
-- Robert Louis Stevenson
"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book."
-- Ronald Reagan
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
-- Ronald Reagan
"A politician is a fellow who will lay down your life for his country."
-- Texas Guinan
"The political machine triumphs because it is a united minority acting against a divided majority."
-- Will Durant
"The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best."
-- Will Rogers

Water Beds

Whom Are YOU Trying to Please?

2007-05-26T13:35:00.000-07:00

Are you trying to please Mom? Dad? Spouse? Friend? Grandma?

You may think this is a strange question. It can be a subconscious and hidden revelation that's not even recognized, but for many folks in search of a career it plays a BIG part in the decision making process.

Truth is.... YOU are the only one who needs to be 'pleased' when it comes to deciding on your career choice. No one else matters! If that sounds harsh, reality tells us no one has a right to 'control' another persons future.

Many Dads' get caught up in their own shortcomings. It can be your Mom or Spouse, maybe just a close friend.... even the "grands" want to put in their 2 cents worth. Some parents played sports in school and want to see their children follow the same route. You see it on the ball fields - football - baseball - soccer - basketball - and more.

Don't get persuaded to seek a career path because.... someone you love and respect wants to influence your chosen life's work based on something they missed in their own career choice. YOU are the KEY player in this picture and it's important that you "snap" the right picture.

It's NOT your responsibility or obligation to meet peer pressures, society pressures, or any other pressures from the outside. Let your own personality rise to meet the demands from within yourself.

Never let Dad's or Mom's career choice dictate your own. Too many Preachers, Doctors, Lawyers, Business Executives and others are the result of following in the footsteps of their parents or grandparents. A bad idea UNLESS it is YOUR chosen field of influence and persuasion.

Deep conflicts come from accepting the path of least resistance. Yes, it may be a real challenge to choose your own path, but nothing in your future is more important when it comes to happiness in your work and family life. Lotsof good feelings will arise when it's your choice, not those of anyone else.

One final thought - it may seem selfish to you, ruling out the desires of your family members who want you to follow in their foot-steps. Failure to make your own choice will have you working in a position you do not like or enjoy and in the end it will be a disappointment for those you wanted to please inthe first place.

Self Improvement Blog

Staging Homes for Top-Dollar Sales

2007-05-25T00:29:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice to have Roger Hazards design team from "Sell This House" come visit for a weekend?

Many "redecorators" and designers offer "Staging Homes" services from $250 to $5,000. These services usually give good advice, some help with the actual work involved, and others even move in new furniture for you.

However, using Design Psychology strategies will help you make the right choices on what is necessary to stage your home for a top-dollar sale.

Residential Design Psychology encompasses your entire home setting, from the fist sighting, whether your home is a condominium, single family home, or a manufactured home. Design Psychology, based on years of research on how our environments affect our emotions, helps stage homes with the buyers emotions in mind. Also, this interior decorating system uses the underlying physiological response to design details-- how our senses react to colors, patterns, textures, and furnishings, to entice a buyer to REALLY want your home.

Home buyers make their ultimate home selection based on their emotional reactions to the properties they visit. The way their brains interpret what they see, hear, touch, smell, and even taste causes them to feel connected to the home they choose. Buyers may think they make a choice based on economics, but even this decision is based on the way they feel because they're getting a deal.

You, as a home seller, have two initial choices.

1. Sell your home as a bargain to investors or bargain shoppers with limited income, or

2. Sell your home for top dollar to your target market.

To prepare your home to sell to investors and bargain shoppers, all you need to do is look for a real estate agent who does a lot of advertising. This agent will list your home under market value. Then sit back and allow the agent to sell your home for a rock-bottom price. Don't be surprised when you get many offers for lower than your asking price right away.

If you want to work a little, or perhaps a lot, you can sell your home for top dollar. Explore ways to create a buyers dream home. Because buyers let their emotions rule their decisions, stage your home for your specific buyer profile. Learn how certain colors, textures, and even plants help attract buyers who will spend more money on your home. Get busy removing clutter, packing memorabilia, staging, and sell your home for top dollar. Don't be surprised when you get many offers for more than your asking price right away.

You may be able to assemble your own team of friends to help you clear out your crowded rooms, paint, and spiff up your gardens. Who needs Roger Hazards team when you've got a few good friends and Design Psychology?

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Championship Betting Review - 26 February 2006

2007-05-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

Reading ended Preston North Ends 22-match unbeaten run at the Madjeski Stadium. Steve Sidwell opened the scoring for the 7/10 Royals after six minutes but Calum Davidson equalised almost immediately. Leory Lita netted the winning goal for Stev Coppells side on the stroke of half time.

Sheffield United lost ground on Reading after losing 3-2 at Brammall Lane to Queens Park Rangers. Marc Nygaard gave the Hoops a sixth minute lead but the 1/2 lead 2-1 through Ade Akinbiyi on 21 and a Marc Bircham own goal eight minutes later. But 5/1 outsiders Rangers levelled through a Chris Morgan own goal after 54 minutes and completed an unlikely win when veteran Paul Furlong netted the third with 15 minutes left.

Watford edged closer to the second placed Blades with a late winner against Cardiff City. The 4/5 Hornets broke the deadlock after 69 minutes through Malky Mackay but Jeff Whitley levelled for the Bluebirds on 77. A Riccy Scimeca blunder allowed top goalscorer Marlon King to net the winner with two minutes left.

Gary Kelly became only the tenth player in Leeds history to make 500 appearances for the club as 8/11 United sunk Luton Town at Elland Road. Two goals in four second half minutes from Jonathon Douglas and Eddie Lewis put Leeds in the driving seat before Steve Howard pulled one back with seven minutes remaining.

Crystal Palace hammered Norwich City 4-1 as they maintained their fifth placed position. Andrew Johnson and Ben Watson gave the 5/6 Eagles a half time lead before Clinton Morrison and Fitz Hall piled more misery on Nigel Worthingtons side. A Darren Ward own goal two minutes from time was the only consolation for the Canaries.

In the battle at the bottom, rock-bottom Crewe Alexandra ended a 17-match winless run against second-from-bottom Brighton & Hove Albion. Colin Kazim-Richards gave the visitors the lead after 11 minutes but the Alex came back through Lee Bell and Stephen Foster to win at 13/10 odds.

Stoke City dealt a major blow to Millwalls survival hopes with a 2-1 win at the Britannia Stadium. Ben May gave the 3/1 Lions and unlikely lead after eight minutes but a Carl Hoefkens penalty seven minutes later restored parity. Paul Gallaghers goal after 57 minutes ensured a home win at odds of 9/10.

Mortgage Refinancing

Exercise Bikes - Why Should You Get One?

2007-05-23T22:18:00.000-07:00

Fitness is the key to optimal health and an exercise bike can help you to achieve just that. But, why an exercise bike? Why not go for something else? There are many reasons why you should purchase a bike and use it. If you plan to use it for a clothing hanger, dont bother. But, if you are ready to improve your overall health, then you should consider the purchase of an exercise bike.

Here are some reasons why you need a bike:

Are you seriously overweight? Those that are more than 25 pounds overweight often have trouble losing that weight no matter what they try. The catch 22 is that you need exercise to lose the weight but you barely can make it from the bedroom to the living room without becoming tired. How can you possibly do a routine that will allow you to lose weight? An exercise bike is the perfect solution because it allows you to work at your own pace. It allows you to start off slowly and build up in speed gradually without overexerting yourself.

Heart problems? Many doctors that have patients with cardiac conditions will tell them they need to lose weight. But, stressing out the heart is a huge problem for them. The benefit here is that the body gets a workout and the cardio workout obtained is significant but light enough for many heart patients. Simple. Its the right combination for those with a heart condition. Of course, as with all other fitness equipment, you should consider talking to your doctor before starting any exercise program.

You wont go broke- Most people can afford a decent bike. Thats because you dont have to purchase the most expensive to get the benefits of exercise. A simple stationary bike can be a great way to start off.

Do you get bored? Okay, the problem with many exercise routines is that they are boring or too hard. But, with an exercise bike this is anything but true. If you find yourself becoming bored, move the bike in front of the TV. Turn on your favorite football game and youll never realize you did three miles while the team has the ball. You get your mind working and your body too.

Easy to do- Many people find that things that are too hard are things they just find excuses not to do. With an exercise bike, you have less of a chance of this because you can do it. Results happen each time you get on and youll see yourself building muscles that burn fat and youll see the inches coming off. Its that easy.

Better Marketing Tricks

Championship Betting Review - 5 February 2006

2007-05-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

Reading saw off rock-bottom Crewe to set a 31-match unbeaten record for the second tier of English football. Reading have not lost a league match since their opening day defeat against Plymouth and even at 2/5 will have had plenty of support from punters. Crewe managed to take the lead after 14 minutes but found themselves 3-1 behind at the break, with Reading edging the match 4-3 at full time.

Leeds United maintained their position in third place with a 2-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers. Leeds, who had won their last three fixtures at Elland Road, could be backed at 4/6 and goals from Richard Cresswell and Paul Butler sealed all three points.

Aki Riihilahti marked his first start for Crystal Palace since September with the winning goal against Cardiff City. Palace, at 4/5 took the lead after 70 minutes and an equaliser for Cameron Jerome was disallowed for an earlier foul.

Preston were the only play-off team to slip up, being held to a goalless draw at Stoke. North End, now unbeaten in 22 matches, will have disappointed backers at 7/5 after Paul McKenna missed a penalty with three minutes remaining.

Luton let an early lead against visitors Hull slip, with the Tigers winning at large 10/3 odds. Keith Keane gave Mike Newells side the lead after eight minutes but Hull fought back with goals from Stuart Elliott, Daryl Duffy and Jon Parkin to lead 3-1 at half time. Chris Coyne headed in a second for Luton with four minutes left to set up a tense finale.

Managerless Leicester edged out of the bottom three with an unlikely 9/5 win over play-off chasers Wolves. Matty Fryatts goal in the 70 minute earned the Foxes their first back-to-back victory of the season and their first home win in six attempts.

Sheffield Wednesday boosted their battle against the drop with a win at Millwall. Frank Simeks goal secured a win for the Owls at 2/1 and sees them four points clear of relegation.

On Sunday, the Old Farm derby between Norwich and Ipswich produced an away win at tasty 11/4 odds. On loan Jonatan Johansson opened the scoring on his Canaries debut after 33 minutes but Jimmy Juan equalised five minutes later. The match ended in controversy as Danny Haynes appeared to use his hand to bundle in the ball although the goal was officially given as a Gary Doherty own goal.

Better Marketing Tricks

Success Lessons From Falling Down

2007-05-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

The first lesson beginners in Judo learn is how to fall over without hurting themselves too much. They also learn how to fall in a way which allows them to get up again very quickly and continue fighting or 'playing' Judo. Only later in their training do they learn how to throw other people to the ground and choke them to submission.

It is assumed from the start that Judo players will inevitably experience some failure or falling over. Their opponent, like life in general, will throw them down heavily from time to time. They need to land with as little damage as possible and get going again at once.

They will never attain success in Judo or anything else until they learn to fall down and then get up without giving up. Judo players are not resigning themselves to defeat; they are preparing themselves for all out battle in which they know they will fail many times on the way to eventual victory.

I am no judo expert but I have had the good fortune to teach my own martial arts lessons close to the training halls of Brian Jacks, the legendary British Judo champion, and have learned much from watching and listening to him and his dad.

When he trained in Japan, before a lesson even started, he had to do fifteen hundred somersaults in the air before landing on his back so that he became an expert at breaking his fall after a heavy throw. Learning how to fall or 'fail' taught Brian Jacks how to win. He became and still is a legend in Judo.

A key lesson, then, from Judo is to accept the fact that life will regularly knock us down and we will make mistakes frequently. We have to break the fall as much as possible and then resume life as normal. If we wait until we are so perfect that we will never fall over or be thrown down, we will never ever make a start at anything.

Recently, I have become an expert at falling and the other lessons it can teach. In the last year or so, I have put my foot through the attic roof, slipped off the attic ladder, fallen onto some paving blocks, fallen backwards into a thorn bush, crashed head first into a pile of chairs and fallen out of bed in my sleep!

I won't bore you with all the details but will mention some of the useful life lessons I learned from this extensive and varied experience!

Tread carefully when you are not sure of your ground. Most attics and attic ladders have dodgy areas where your foot can easily go straight through as did mine last year. Fortunately, I was treading gingerly so I was able to recover easily.

My neighbour was not so fortunate when he put his foot in a local pothole. He tried to bear the weight on his single standing leg but the strain ripped the quadriceps of his standing leg away from his knee cap area. He has had to have holes inserted into his knee caps, so that tendons can pull his muscles back to their proper place. He has born all this with amazing courage and cheerfulness and is even talking about getting back to his favourite sport - bowling - within a few short months.

Falls or failures can have horrendous consequences like the above. If you are investing in a new company which you are not sure about, invest small. I lost 27,000 investing in a foreign company that turned out to be fraudulent. If I had trodden more carefully, the loss would have been limited to about 5,000 pounds.

A few weeks ago, I tried to evade the minor discomfort of walking through a puddle and getting my feet wet. I slipped as I tip toed round the puddle and fell backwards into a thorn bush. I ended up with punctured skin and wet and muddy clothes.

In life, in general, accepting minor discomforts, is one way to avoid major ones. Doing daily situps may mean some discomfort but it will help you or me avoid the major discomfort of having a balloon belly. Walk straight through that puddle and get your feet wet. You could end up avoiding the indignity of the thorn bush!

A couple of weeks ago I was doing a knife drill with one of my students. I launched myself towards him with a fake knife. He skipped out of the way at speed. I missed him and fell forwards. I landed heavily on my knee caps and stopped my progress forward by head butting a large pile of chairs. Blood flowed!

I had been over enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is normally a great quality but it can lead to disaster if it is not controlled. Don't get carried away by your first love; you could end up married to the wrong person!

The religious enthusiast can quite easily find himself in with the wrong crowd. So can the extreme atheist. An over enthusiastic football player can get the red card and be expelled from the playing field. He lets himself and his team down.

Yesterday, I woke up on the floor at 8.30 a.m. I had been dreaming about being part of a large martial arts class of black belts. Everyone was doing the right moves except me!

In my dream, I felt badly humiliated as my rank was higher than most of the others. I remember leaning forward and sideways in my sleep to see what the others were doing. I must have moved physically as I dreamed and rolled out of bed on to the floor.

The 'dream' humiliation of making mistakes in front of a large audience when I should have known better had made me try too hard and lose balance. Even if the situation had been a real one, it would have been no big deal.

Some other members of the class might have had a laugh at my ignorance. In fact, if I had just done my own thing I might have convinced other members of the class that I was right and they were wrong!

I have seen martial artists and even singers get away with glaring mistakes by appearing totally confident that they were doing the right moves or singing the right notes. Confidence can cover up a multitude of errors. I, on the other hand, never established a folk singing career because I was too afraid of hitting the wrong notes.

To sum up: accept the fact that you will fall down and make serious mistakes. Get going even if you risk failure. You can always get up and start again. Learn how to take the "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and keep on fighting rather than retiring into your shell and giving up.

Tread with care when learning new things. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. A keen chef can kill off his customers if he does not know for sure which mushrooms to use!

Put up with minor discomforts and you may well avoid major ones. Be careful that your enthusiasms don't blind you to the realities of life and don't worry if you feel you are in a humiliating situation. Confidence or bare faced cheek will often carry you through. Even experts make mistakes. I have seen a squirrel fall out of a tree locally. It just bounced up and carried on with its normal routine.

Start doing whatever you are putting off because you think you might make some mistakes. Who cares? Life is too short. Just get going. Try to avoid or minimize major failures but, if they come, bounce back with resilience and carry on. You will do better next time and, even if you don't, you will be alive instead of hiding in a false fortress of 'perfection'.

Become an expert faller or 'failer' and you may soon be on the fast track to success! Let's experience the shock of failure and of making mistakes and we may soon be on the way to experiencing the relaxing joy of success.

My granddad used to say: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing well!" Yes, there is much truth in what he says. Doing something well is fun and satisfying.

But if you wait till you can do it well, you may never do it. I prefer the saying that: "If a thing's worth doing, it's worth doing badly, first!"

Better Marketing Tricks

Selling Houses with Curb Appeal and Design Psychology

2007-05-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

Curb appeal is the most important challenge you'll face when selling your home. You must make home shoppers feel like getting out of their car to see what's behind the front door. Imagine prospective buyers driving up and examining your property for the first time. Your goal is to have them exclaim, "What a darling home!" Or, "What a splendid house."

Curb appeal has grown up, and using innovative Design Psychology techniques for marketing homes puts curb allure to work, enticing buyers to come inside your home. One way to make your home outshine the others on the market, upgrading your exterior, doesn't have to cost you a lot of money.

Restore, the outlet store for Habitat for Humanity, resells donated home building materials. They sell light fixtures, window hardware, paint, house numbers, and even white picket fencing. Restore also lets you bargain on merchandise, which means that the tagged price isn't always the final price. You can even sign up for Restore's mailing list and receive notices of half-price sales. We found a great exterior light fixture at Restore for one of our fixers for only $25. The same fixture, available at our local home building supply outlet, sells for $99.

Suppliers and Exquisite Details

To sell your home for the highest profit, you need to spend less for improvements to make more; yet spending a little extra can yield significantly more return on your money. Adding exquisite details can add dollars to your bank account. For instance, if you don't find what you're looking for at a bargain price, visit an upscale retailer and look for similar items on sale.

If you use ugly, cheap, or tacky fixtures, you'll actually make it harder to sell your home by lowering your home's curb appeal. Think of it this way: spending $100 more for a quality light fixture will save you at least one, and possibly more, mortgage payment. That means that your $100 fixture was really an investment, rather than an expense.

Curb Appeal: Create Inviting Access to Your Home

An alluring home setting begins with the access to your home. A problem with many newer homes is that developers don't provide a separate walkway to the front door. You don't want to make buyers walk around cars and trip over driveway edges to navigate to your front door. If you have no dedicated walkway to the front door, add a simple pathway. A wandering pathway to the front door psychologically feels more inviting than a straight-shot walkway.

If you have a plain, straight concrete walkway, create undulating flower beds on either side to encourage a relaxed, friendly feeling. Adding a water feature near your entry walk also enhances the ambiance because moving water relaxes the body and mind and refreshes the spirit. You want to create a feeling of balance and harmony, like that found in nature.

Welcome Buyers with Friendly Accessories:

Wind chimes add pleasure to your buyers' sense of hearing.
Potted plants, such as flowers or soft ferns, are friendly, but avoid spiked plants with thorns near the doorway.
Floral baskets with bright yellow and white flowers show up best day and night.
A pair of rocking chairs, a double glider, or a porch swing will convey a friendly neighborhood and invite potential buyers to sit and chat.
A welcome mat also adds a homey touch.

Avoid Unwelcoming Attributes

Repair cracks in the driveway with cement epoxy.
Clean spider webs off eaves, windows and porch.
Repair or replace broken doorbells.
Clean or replace dirty or burnt out exterior lights.

Buyers forgive little inadequacies in your home if they love it from the first time they see it. So go a few extra steps beyond curb appeal and lure your prospective buyers inside with Design Psychology methods. Take a little extra time and spend just a bit more money, to sell your home fast, and for more money.

Online Dating

Imprinted Basketballs

2007-05-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

Imprinted basketballs are a great idea for promos, fund raising, and corporate events. They are popular as souvenirs and mementos, and even customized gifts.

Imprinted basketballs are retailed by many websites. Imprinted basketballs are almost always available in bulk, since corporate and promotional companies order them for distribution at various events. Extra-Mile.com, for example, retails imprinted synthetic leather and rubber basketballs, which can be purchased wholesale. In fact, purchasing wholesale custom imprinted basketballs is very cost effective. For example, at ArmuProducts.com, you can purchase a single ball for $9, but on purchasing minimum 50 mini basketballs, the price for each ball comes down to $2 each. The imprinting charges are extra, and vary depending on the logo or design imprinted, and the number of colors used in imprinting. At ArmuProducts, imprinting costs $40 per color (for a set of balls). The colors are orange, red, blue, white, green and yellow. Of these, only two colors may be selected. Ink color matching costs more. Also, back and white, or color artwork imprinting service is available, and charges vary depending on the complexity of the design.

ArmuProducts.com is one of the best firms retailing imprinted basketballs, since it deals almost exclusively in imprinting and customizing sports goods. You can choose from materials like rubber and foam, which are inexpensive at $5 each for 100 balls, or leather basketballs at $15 each for 50 balls. Mini basketballs which glow in the dark are available for $8.50 each.

Another website retailing unconventional basketball souvenirs is AceNovelty.com. At AceNovelty.com, a 14 inch inflatable basketball is imprinted at a cost of $3 each for 50 basketballs.

Imprinting basketballs adds a special touch to the ball, and they make great gifts for basketball fans. They are distributed to participants at events and gatherings as mementos, and they boost the sales of a product when handed out at promotional events. And the cost effectiveness of imprinting makes customized basketballs a very viable option for these purposes.

Dating Help

Championship Betting Review

2007-05-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

Runaway leaders Reading suffered their first League defeat in 33 games at the hands of Luton on Friday night. The in-form Kevin Doyle put the 9/10 Royals ahead but were stunned with two goals from Rowan Vine and one from Dean Morgan. Doyle pulled one back for Reading in stoppage time but Luton had done enough to earn an unlikely win at odds of 14/5.

Sheffield United took advantage and cut Readings lead to nine points with a derby victory away at city rivals Wednesday. Michael Tonge and Ade Akinbiyi netted for the Blades before half-time before the Owls hit back 10 minutes from time with a Steve MacLean penalty. The 5/4 win for Neil Warnocks side was Uniteds first double over Wednesday for 14 years.

Watford climbed above Leeds to claim third place in the table after beating second-from-bottom Brighton at the Withdean Stadium. The Hornets withstood early pressure from the home side but secured a narrow 1-0 victory at 11/10 thanks to a Chris Eagles goal on the stroke of half-time.

Leeds were held to a draw at Leicester, despite the home side playing 79 minutes with just 10 men. Iain Hume put the Foxes in front after five minutes before Patrick McCarthy was sent off for a foul on Rob Hulse, which led to Robbie Blake equalising from the resulting penalty.

With Preston North End not playing, Cardiff made up ground and are now just three points away from a play-off place. The 4/5 Bluebirds beat Hull 1-0 thanks to Cameron Jeromes goal after 22 minutes.

Wolves also remain in the play-off hunt after a narrow 1-0 win against Ipswich. Castro Sito felled Jeremie Aliadiere in the box 16 minutes from time and Kenny Miller dispatched the penalty for 11/10 Wolves.

Millwall striker Ben May struck an 89th minute equaliser to earn his side a crucial point against Crystal Palace. Ben Watson looked set to give the Eagles a routine win at 11/10 with his goal after 67 minutes only for May to snatch the relegation strugglers a point at the death.

Mortgage Refinancing

Self Awareness and Confidence: The Bricks and Mortar of Success

2007-05-17T15:46:00.000-07:00

The first and best victory is for a man to conquer himself. -Plato

The relationships we have with the world emanates from the relationship we have with ourselves. The doubts, fears and distrusts we have of ourselves project upon the world and become our reality. By conquering the self, overcoming the paradigm of limitation, one will be able to embrace the world for what it is, rather than imposing our characterizations on it. The attributes we wish to see in others we should first see in ourselves. The overused clich be the change you wish to see in the world, is a profound truth that is often heard, but not truly comprehended. Success, is a twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week affair. Whether in the light of day or the darkness of night one should wage a struggle to conquer them.

Without confidence and without heart you have nothing.

-Allen Iverson

If one does not have the courage to believe and fight for ones lifes calling, what does one have? The answer is nothing. There is nothing left, if the battle to achieve mastery over oneself is not waged. Subjected to the tides of popular opinion and the whims of fashion one will be, without the foundation of personal courage. Confidence and heart are the tools in which one utilizes in the manifestation of ones dreams. All a person really has is the legacy in which he/she leaves behind. It is imperative to find the courage to leave your unique impression upon the world.

Adult Diapers

How to Cure Asthma

2007-05-16T14:41:00.000-07:00

What is the difference between God and a Doctor? God doesnt think that he is a doctor. How do you tell the difference between a Doctor and a banana? If the banana doesnt go rotten in 14 days then it isnt a doctor. According to your doctor asthma is incurable, or as your Doctor learned after 8 years in University envying the number of women chasing the quarterback, who your Doctor in a jealous and drunken rage referred to in his secret diary as a hairy Neanderthal, asthma is a chronic (permanent) inflammatory condition of the lungs. The medical schools and the big drug companies and the big corporate executives have pawned off this deadly myth for so long that now even they believe it.

20 million Americans suffer from asthma. Does this mean that we should lay the blame for asthma on our creator? Did God not know how to create a functioning lung? Are we just prototypes in Gods vast laboratory? Perhaps without inhalers all of the asthmatics would die off and then the human gene pool would be freed from this genetic defect and then future generations would evolve into a species with perfectly functioning bronchial tubes. In the interest of future generations perhaps you should throw out your puffer and just choke to death sacrificing your life for the common good. This may get you into heaven in case you forgot to put your $5 into the collection plate last Sunday. Did Jesus have asthma? Did Jesus ever cure an asthmatic? Did Jesus know that asthma was incurable? Did Jesus go to medical school? Did Jesus play football? Was Mary Magdalene a cheerleader for the Jerusalem University Keepahs?

The reasons that the environmental organizations are going nowhere are myriad. One of them is that the word environmental is a combination of the words enviro and mental. No one knows what the word enviro means which leaves us with the word mental. People just think that these people are mental. George Bushs father referred to them as the spotted owl crowd. His son George proclaimed that there is no evidence that global warming exists. Jesus referred to the leaders of his day as snakes, blind guides, leading us all into the fire. The United States which likes to think of itself as the role model for a world which thinks of the U.S. as the black sheep of the family is the highest per capita polluter in the world. The reason that pollution groups are going nowhere is because people dont understand the meaning of the word pollution. The world is like a giant Jonestown filled with people believing that poison cannot kill them because some Bible writers, scribes, and who Jesus referred to as snakes spewing their deadly poisonous lies into your Bibles (Matthew 23) wrote this baloney in your Bible 2,000 years ago beside The Earth does not move and it never will three times. If God wrote your Bible then not only can he not create a functioning lung but he is also very poor at astronomy. Your Bible has 2,000 pages of Gods Word and no cure for asthma? Perhaps if the George Bushes had paid a little less attention to their Holy Bibles and checked out the Greenpeace website a couple of times, Greenland, Antarctica and the Arctic would not now be melting into the worlds 1 ocean which will shortly cause the sea level to rise 50 feet leaving nothing left of the United States except the peaks of Vail, which will be prime beachfront property.

In the Holy Bible God commands the cutting away of the foreskin, not the foresight. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure especially when there is no cure for asthma. The pollution, the particles of poison in the air which we breathe into our lungs, like deadly airborne cyanide, hemlock and snake venom gets into your lungs when you breathe the air, it inflames your lungs and you have asthma. If you want to get away with poisoning childrens lungs with deadly poison chemicals so that they cannot breathe then give your poison a name that no one understands, like a carcinogen, a cancer causing chemical coming out of the exhaust pipe of your car like a bullet which hits its target and then explodes 10 years later in your own lungs and then slowly eats you alive in an excruciating prolonged death. It was announced yesterday that in Beijing, the site of the next Olympics, where the smog is so bad that more car accidents are caused by low visibility than msg, over 100,000 Chinese people died last year from the indoor air pollution in their skyscrapers from the chemicals gassing off from their carpets, furniture, and poor ventilation. Who would want to open a window in Beijing even if the office buildings did have windows? The air in Beijing is so filled with poison gas that the 100 yard dash at the 2008 Olympics has been shortened to 10 yards. What is the big deal searching for a cure for Aids in Africa? If everyone remained a virgin and then only had sex with their spouse there would be no sexually transmitted diseases. Is this a secret being deliberately held from the African people? You cannot break the laws of nature but if you do it will break your back.

Mold is a fungus, a tiny airborne animal that can only be seen when magnified through the lens of a microscope. Some molds exist in nature and we breathe it in all the time in small amounts and our bodies can handle it. However in larger amounts, or in people with immune systems weakened by all of the poison we breathe in every day, these molds which we breathe in, that multiply in our lungs and digestive tracts, these molds cause allergic reactions, aka tightening of the airways, aka chronic asthma, chronic bronchitis and chronic emphysema leading to death. The end of chapter 14 of the Book of Leviticus recommends that in some cases when these molds get into the wooden walls and stones of your house, you must tear down your house and rebuild it.

Doctors, i.e. allopathic doctors will treat the symptoms of your asthma and not the causes. Allergists will diagnose you with mold allergies and inject you with mold for 5 years of useless and painful treatment. Respiratory specialists will give you cortisone inhalers which cause thrush, candida, yeast, mold, fungus in your throat which your bloodstream then carries to every organ in your body including your lungs thereby aggravating the problem and making the doctors and the drug companies rich. Jesus commanded that everyone sell all of their possessions and then give all of their money to the poor. Are there any Christian doctors? Are there any Christians?

Here is the good news. Go to your naturopathic doctor, your doctor of naturopathy. Take the best from what both traditional and naturopathic doctors have to offer. Actually naturopathic doctors should be called traditional doctors since they are the doctors who are using herbal remedies which have been used and are tried and true since before biblical times, which are recommended in the Bible. In the numerous cases of asthma which are caused by breathing in airborne mold, there is a herbal remedy which can cure it. Oil of oregano has been clinically proven to kill bacterial infections which penicillin cannot kill, viruses which nothing can kill, molds, yeast and fungus. Many drugs are synthetic preparations of herbal remedies, plant medicine put on earth by God to save your life. Oil of oregano with sage and cumin taken in capsules will kill off the mold, and remove the root cause of the asthma, tiny animals eating their way through your lungs like they eat through wood and stone no matter how much you clean the surface. Your bloodstream will take the Oregacyn capsules (oil of oregano, sage and cumin search oregacyn) which you can buy over the internet or in your health food store to every part of your body including your lungs and kill the mold and cure the asthma. It is also good to take non dairy acidophilus, the healthy bacteria in our bodies which beats back the mold, and NutriBiotic grapefruit seed extract tablets which also kill the fungus. Years ago Doctors accused the naturopaths of practicing voodoo medicine and the Government threatened to ban herbal remedies as being unsafe. (Some are unsafe. Check with your naturopath and your doctor and your health food stores to see which ones.) Today many drug stores look more like health food stores than drugstores. In the fight for power, control and money in medicine and in religion, it is always the patient who ends up the big loser. If the 200 countries on Earth decided to make World Peace they could do it overnight at the United Nations. Unfortunately your Holy Bibles and your religious leaders forbid it. Also, the weapons manufacturers own and are pulling the strings of the politicians, and they will never allow World Peace, until nuclear world war III causes the extinction of all life on earth forever in the near future, which will also put an end to asthma once and for all. Think of it as radiology theology coming to your rescue.

Travel Guides

Violence

2007-05-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

Flashes of memory stream into my consciousness. They take me back thirty years plus. I was a boy then, a newcomer to a poor and tough neighborhood. My parents, of moderate means and daring to a fault, had decided to move there after my father had accepted an editing job in the federal government. They had taken a lease on a low-rent brick house, which was also run-down, covered in filth, and littered with trash. I do not mince my words: Previous tenants had been pigs that got along with bugs and rats.

The house has potential, my mother had said to reassure me, seeing that I was aghast at its sordid aspects. Its one redeeming feature, besides its solid construction, was a large woody front yard, neglected, allowed to become a large dumping ground, as weedy as it was woody, but potentially attractive and pleasant, to be sure.

My mother was a hard worker with a great deal of stamina, creativity, and tastefulness. She mastered the art of doing wonders with little money. After three months of intense labor which for the first week involved a carpenter and two garbage collectors plus two dump trucks the house was transfigured, quite presentable, even nice, much to my amazement. It now contrasted sharply, cuttingly, with the slums at the rear of the house and on the left of it. On the right was a school and at the front, across the street, was a nunnery on a large piece of land. My parents had conveniently focused their attention on these establishments, as if the good education and good disposition of their teachers and sisters could shield us from the evils of the slums.

Needless to say, they did not. Violence was rampant in this neck of the woods and I was elected punchbag with only one dissenting vote: mine! At the root of this violence was malevolence, which grows from resentment, after one has been subjected to mistreatment. As much as my family projected an image of distinction, the neighborhood boys were malevolent and violent toward me. To them this image of distinction was an act of humiliation; their feelings were hurt and it was natural for them to hurt me. Of course it is a lot worthier to elevate oneself than to abase someone else. It is also a lot harder, and nature spontaneously levels everything the easy way. Moral excellence relates to culture, is an acquired trait, by virtue of which a human is courageous and just, worthy of praise.

One winter evening, I was crossing the field next to the rink where I had played hockey, when a gang of hoodlums encircled me like a pack of wolves. There were six of them, one of whom a weakling who always relied on others to feel powerful lived three doors down, east of my house, across the back street. The leader stepped forward and turned around with a snicker. Hey shithead, come and kiss my ass. I was tempted to kick it, not kiss it. No thanks. Please let me go; I dont care for trouble. As I was finishing my sentence, one of the boys lunged toward me from behind and shoved me forward. I dropped my hockey equipment and braced myself to fight and suffer. I was big for my age, but big is small when outnumbered by six to one.

Again the leader took the initiative; the fight was on. With several thrusts, punches, and kicks, I repelled my assailants momentarily, until I was knocked and wrestled to the ground. Fists and feet hit me everywhere, nonstop, from all directions. Suddenly I heard a menacing shout and everyone slipped in a last blow before fleeing. A brave and kind man had caught sight of their misdeed and chosen to intervene, armed with a hockey stick. I was hurt but saved.

A few days later, still aching all over, I saw the weakling, alone by his house his hovel to be exact, which was covered with old imitation brick, torn in places, and infested with cockroaches, rats, and woodworms. His face was bruised and wet from weeping, as he screamed with rage, Fucking bastard, fucking bitch, fucking life, fuck, fuck, fuck! My anger was now tempered with compassion. I unclenched my fists, prompted by a desire to spare him. I could not demean myself to add pain to his pain, already so excessive that it overflowed in streams of tears and curses.

His father was an illiterate and idle drunkard who collected welfare and spent considerable time and money at the tavern. At home, slouching in an armchair, he forever watched TV and drank beer or liquor. When grossly intoxicated, he sometimes vomited before reaching the bathroom and, without cleaning up his mess, fell unconscious on his bed, the armchair, the floor, or wherever. He was also vulgar and brutal. He often battered his son and his wife, and heaped insults on them.

His wife was an abusive and sluggish woman who had grown obese from attempting to fill her inner void with chips, cookies, and pop. Day after day she wore the same tattered nightgown and constantly found reasons for bawling out her son and swiping him. She drove him insane, then used this insanity as another reason for persecuting him.

These two loathsome and pitiful parents rendered his life at home unbearable. He usually roamed the streets with fellow-sufferers from similar miserable and violent backgrounds. Together they ganged up and took their resentment out on other kids such as me. My aggressors, first, were victims.

My insight into the origin of violence came to me at that time and has never left me. I saw then and still see a victim in every aggressor. Some say there is such a thing as gratuitous violence, committed by individuals whose youth was favorable to all appearances. Violence for the sake of violence, an exercise in brutality at the expense of others, without provocation, past or present? I beg to differ.

Appearances are not a valid means of assessing someones youth, whose favorableness or unfavorableness is a subjective, not objective, matter. Circumstances have no value in themselves, but in relation to people who consider them favorably or not. Attitude is here the only relevant concept. Also, brutality cannot be exercised at the expense of others unless these others are viewed heartlessly as expendable. This heartlessness is greatly suspicious, unlikely to belong to someone who regards humans with favor, thanks to a feeling of solidarity, of mutual benefit.

In my opinion, aggressiveness is triggered by hostility, without which it is dormant: a mere potentiality incapable of harm. It may include an abnormal sensitivity or intellect that intensifies or alters someones perception of the environment. The fact remains hostility, as perceived by someone who feels painfully antagonized and proportionally victimized, is always a factor. Therefore, aggression cannot be dissociated from victimization, not only that of the victims but also that of the aggressors. These aggressors are victims of their sick minds or of the ill treatment they have endured. They deserve compassion, besides indignation.

They are liable to a punishment that ought to be effective and exemplary, not vengeful. Vengeance and violence are one and the same thing. Both are resentful and harmful. Both are reprehensible. The harm inflicted does not remedy the harm suffered; it simply compounds one harm with another, and invites yet another harm. It lengthens the chain of savagery from x (a frightening number of savage links) to x+1, potentially +2, +3, +4, etc., instead of breaking it and helping to free humanity from it. There is no worse slavery than savagery. The best course is to make every effort to get over a wrong and forgive it, while bringing the wrongdoer to justice.

In sum, justice should not serve to avenge people. It should serve to prevent crime and protect the public, by intimidating or incarcerating those who are a menace to others except under threat or behind bars. It should never push the severity of this mandate to the point of cruelty, in which case it would be a perversion of justice, an ominous sign of barbarity. On the contrary, it should be a jewel in the crown of civilization and foreshadow the coming of a better humanity, more consistent with its true nature and purpose in a word, more humane.

The difference between severity and cruelty is radical yet subtle; it must be emphasized. Cruel law enforcers delight in the punishments they inflict and readily overstep the mark. They are vicious and blameworthy, like the criminals they punish. Law enforcers who are severe, but not cruel, administer punishments reluctantly or regard them as a necessary evil they would gladly forgo if they could. They deplore the criminal element in society and strive to neutralize it through intimidation, or incarceration as a last resort, and preferably through reformation, a fundamental change of the criminal mind for the better. Their ideal, as unattainable as it is elevated, is the supremacy of justice without the institution of justice: no threats, no prisons, only people who deeply understand and freely exercise the principle of justice.

Impossible as this supremacy is, it is usefully pursued. The institution of justice can become less and less necessary for the manifestation of justice, which can become more and more customary. This progress depends on the wisdom and willpower of its proponents who make it their duty to educate, assist, and encourage potential followers. It also presupposes that these potential followers take an active part in this endeavor. They cannot be actual followers unless they welcome this education, assistance, and encouragement, and display intelligence and determination of their own.

How much can we collectively be civilized that is, mutually respectful and helpful, in the knowledge that this high goal can unite our wills toward a common good of colossal proportions? In other words, what is the ceiling of our possible civilization, which implies responsibility and solidarity, an elevation of life to love? Nobody knows the limit, so none should be set but the sky!

Generally, in a loving environment, human beings show humanity as naturally as fruit trees give fruit in the summer. Love is to these beings as sunshine is to these trees. It helps them grow into what they are meant to grow into (unless their nature is flawed from the start, which is an exception to the rule): beautiful and bountiful creations, as opposed to ugly and puny aberrations. Yet, beware of love; it can be possessive and manipulative, selfish and devilish! Yes, some angels have horns, unnoticeable at first sight under their pretty hair; their paradise is hell.

True love is in the image of God* (by God I simply mean the fundamental cause of everything. It brings us into existence and, within the limits of its might, supports us in our quest for fulfillment). It is a desire to nurture, not to capture. Under its divine rule, one always has the others best interests at heart. No one, however, should be supportive to the point of being an accomplice in someones oppressive or destructive acts of egocentricity, folly, or injustice. These evils should not be loved and served; they should be hated and combated.

Hate is legitimate toward them, whereas the people who embody them are worthy of love because they exceed them by their ability to do good. They are indeed greater than the sum of their evil ways; they include the power to improve them. Therefore hate is directed at these ways, and love at this power: It promotes the peoples ability to do good. What if a person who is oppressively or destructively egocentric, foolish, or unjust never responds to this love? In that case it is lost and the life of this person shamefully amounts to a waste of soul.

By a stroke of luck, my parents were bright and warm people who helped me blossom into a joyful and respectful individual. Their love was true and so was the love of many others who took part in my life. I was also lucky enough to be a good seed. I was a strong and healthy boy, extremely lively and moderately clever, cheery and gentle-natured, though impatient and self-assertive. In my eyes, until my family moved to the poor and tough neighborhood, civility was the norm among the members of society; it made sense. Barbarity, on the other hand, was a stupefying rarity. The abused weakling gave me an understanding of barbarity which was common in this neighborhood and replaced my stupefaction with commiseration.

* God, in the Genesis, is first and foremost the creative and ruling force of the universe. As such, it is unspecific and uncontroversial. People of different philosophical or religious persuasions recognize with one accord that the universe is as it is because it has the power to be so. This power can be called God, in the unspecific sense of the word. It provides a legitimate answer to the ultimate question, which is twofold: Why is there a universe instead of nothing, on the one hand, and why is there order in it instead of chaos, on the other hand? Essentially, it is a cause that accounts for the existence and the nature of everything, while its presence remains totally unaccountable. There is no point in trying to elucidate this mystery since, to this end, one would need to postulate another cause that would itself be unaccountable, and so on ad infinitum. Consequently, the cause that gives the universe the power to exist and evolve, according to laws, is best described as a prime and timeless cause that can be ascertained through its manifestation in the form of changing things and beings, but never explained.

Online Dating

Sports Betting 101

2007-05-13T23:30:00.001-07:00

Betting on sports is perhaps as old as the various games themselves. Millions of people have made huge money out of betting on sports. Possibly no game is left virgin of betting. All games have bookies and wages attached to them. Alike is the case with the countries across the globe. Betting is becoming a universal phenomenon nowadays. The difference however lies in the fact that some countries have accepted betting and so have legalized it while others still consider it illicit. For instance betting is taken to be legal nearly in entire Europe whereas Nevada is the only place in United States of America where wagering is deemed to be lawful. But the geographical scenario does not bring much variation in the terms and conditions or the rules and style of betting. The betting policies for a particular game for example cricket remain approximately the same around the world.

But what differs with the place or country is the sport and the amount of bets placed on it. Like people in Asian countries are leaders in betting on cricket. Cricket is the favorite sport in the Asian subcontinent. But in Europe and America games like horse racing, basketball, hockey, soccer and football etc. receive topmost priority. Thus that sport is wagered the most, which is relished, by maximum number of people.

Australia is one of the best places in the world to enjoy betting. This is because betting is legal in Australia and there are ample of sports that are cherished by the Aussies. Australian Football and Rugby are the two eminent names in this category. Lots of good information and even betting guidelines or tips about these games and many others like tennis are available on the Internet due to the legality of sports betting in Australia.

Ireland is the land that gives birth to the most of the English sports action. Irish football and Hurling are unique English sports. Rugby, cricket, golf and tennis are other English sports that invite lot many bookmakers and so bets. The English Premier League or one can say the English Soccer involves tremendous wagering in Europe. Darts are also famous among the English. Many people love betting on the not so common game of Darts. But this isnt all. Punters never leave The National Leagues, the National and International Cups, the Motor Sports like Formula F1 Racing, the IRL or the Indy Racing League and the NASCAR i.e. the National Association of Speedy Cars and Rednecks, involves million dollar wages or even more every year.

Human beings have always made good business through animals. Along with the horse racing the racing of animals like camels, pigs, ponies and dogs invite great amount of betting in Europe as well as on the land of America.

While betting on any game what should be followed is your knowledge of the game and what your intuition or common sense says. A bettor should be pretty clear and confident over the option of his bet. If an individual is making a bet for the first time, dont bet big. It can lead to unexpected snags. Remember, it takes time to learn and develop betting skills.

Internet Marketing

Podcast Secrets Revealed

2007-05-12T23:25:00.000-07:00

There you are, flipping through the radio stations yet again, looking for SOMETHING, ANYTHING, worth listening to. Maybe youll find a song here or there that you like, or a talk show on a subject you are interested in. Then its time to flip the stations again. What I need, you think to yourself, is my own personal radio station.

Enter the world of podcasting! Podcasting is just like having your own radio station, programmed with your favorite items and ready for you to listen anywhere, anytime. With podcasting, you can listen to:

[o] WHAT you want

[o] WHEN you want

[o] WHERE you want

No more searching and hoping to find a radio station that plays your favorite music. No more missing a talk show broadcast because you are sitting in class or in a meeting at the wrong time. With podcasting, you get just the content you want, from the sources you want, when you want. And there are no ads or commercials! What Tivo has done for your TV viewing, podcasting can do for your radio listening, and there is no FCC regulations either!

So what exactly is podcasting? A podcast is an audio file stored on the Internet that you can download to your computer or MP3 player and listen to whenever you want. It might be music, or it could be a talk show, a lecture, a recorded tele-seminar, a sermon, a football game, etc. Podcasting gives you the ultimate in choice and convenience.

o Podcasting is all about CHOICE

Podcasting offers you unlimited choices in listening. Even though podcasting is a relatively new technology, there are already thousands of podcasts to which you can subscribe. No radio station in your city that plays the indy music you love? Check out East Detroit Radio.

Want to improve the koi pond in your backyard? Subscribe to Koi Club of the Air.

Parenting questions? Try the Front Porch Parenting podcast.

You can find a podcast on literally any subject you are interested in! In fact, www.podcastalley.com currently lists 2,380 podcasts in 15 different categories, while www.ipodder.org lists 4,493.

Another advantage of podcasting is that, because podcasts can appeal to niche audiences, they can cover their topics in much greater depth and be far more informative than regular radio broadcasts, which must appeal to a wide audience. Also, with a podcast, you can back up and listen to a segment again if you missed something the first time. If you come to a segment that is boring, you can fast-forward. You can listen as many times as you want to all or part of the podcast. And you can stop listening all together for a few minutes, hours, or even days if something else comes up.

o Podcasting is all about CONVENIENCE

MP3 files have been available for download from the internet for years. But what makes podcasting different and truly useful is that you can subscribe to programs you are interested in. This means you dont have to check your favorite podcast web sites every day for new episodes and manually download them.

Instead, free podcasting software automatically downloads new episodes to your computer as soon as they are available. This makes it easy and convenient for you to stay up-to-date with your favorite podcasts.

Once your podcasts are downloaded to your computer, you can synch them to your MP3 player, burn them to a CD for playback on your CD player, or simply listen to them through your computers speakers. This gives you the ultimate convenience of listening to your programs at your leisure. You can listen to the podcasts whenever you want as you are driving, walking, exercising, knitting, etc. With a podcast, you can be mobile, live your life, and listen to your content ANYWHERE.

o Podcasting is FREE & EASY

Not only are podcasts themselves generally free, but so is the podcasting software you need! Both podcasts and podcasting software are easy to find on the internet and are easy to use.

Podcasting is waiting for you!

If you havent been exposed to podcasts yet, you soon will be! Podcasts are literally everywhere now, and more podcasts are being created every day.

Water Bed

How NHL and NHLPA Raise Money For Cancer Reserach

2007-05-11T22:19:00.000-07:00

There's a difference between a fight and a fight, both in hockey and in real life.

The NHL and the NHLPA have joined forces and founded the Hockey Fights Cancer organization and they have been able to raise more than $6.5 millions to cancer research organizations.

Cancer develops when cells begin to grow out of control and although there are many kinds of cancer, they all have in common that they start because of the growth of abnormal cells.

Even though the numbers of cancer cases expect to double in next 50 years, the cancer death rates are declining thanks to fundraising and research.

Hopefully the Hockey Fights Cancer organization can contribute to the even more to the declining.

In the National Hockey League all team captains join the fight against cancer during games played between January 9-11 2004.

Every captain wear a special team jersey featuring a Hockey Fights Cancer patch to underscore their pledge to fight cancer.

After the games, each captain signs his autograph on the game-worn jersey and it is donated to the Hockey Fights Cancer On-Line Charity Auction, as a force for good.

The auction have many different items you can bid on and at the same time you support the cancer research.

Without research even more people would have lost their life to this common disease.

Hockey Fights Cancer is a force for good.

Chocolate Recipes

Getting the Best Performance From Your Artist

2007-05-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

So now you've decided to record your songs. Good for you, except that you will need people to play the instruments for which your music calls for. If you can play all the instruments on your own, then all the better. You will have less people to argue with! Other wise, you will have to hire (read: bribe with beer/food/hockey tickets) session musicians and vocalists to play and sing for you, putting you in the producer's chair.

Your songs are only as emotional as the performers who play them. It goes without saying that you should hire the best performers your budget will allow. But if $100/hour for a professional vocalist is a little steep, here are a few ways to help encourage the best from your session players.

1.) Always praise, never criticize.

The is THE most important rule in my book. The only way any session musician could ever get comfortable at your studio is if YOU put them at ease. That's one of your jobs as a producer.

When trying different versions of a take, tell them how you would like it to sound, instead of what they did wrong ie: "That was great, but let's try to hit the high note a little stronger" instead of "you know, you were a little off on the high note, it didn't sound that good".

Always start with praise, then with a correction. Keep your vocabulary positive. The best producers make the artist feel as if they can do nothing wrong.

2) They Can Do Nothing Wrong

Remember this rule while you are writing or recording. There is no "wrong way", there is only "a different way". Don't tell people that their way is wrong. Remember that music is an art, and there are no rules in art. When a performer is playing something you don't like, correct them by saying "let's try it this way too". Don't start off my saying "nope, you were wrong, do it the right way".

3) Let Them See The Light

Ambiance, atmosphere, vibe: whatever you call it, they need it. I guarantee that you will get a much better performance if you have water on the table, comfortable chairs, maybe a few candles, a towel, mints, and candy. Have you ever tried recording in an office with harsh florescent lights and hard wood chairs?

4) Take Your Time

If you're recording at your own studio, you have all the time in the world (which is an evil thing in my opinion). Let the artist relax, "get into the groove", talk a little and get comfortable with the other people in the control room. A tense artist's performance will always sound 'artificial' in the final song.

Don't be worried if it takes another 10 minutes to finish the take. Each performer works at their own pace, and the best thing you can do as the producer is to respect that and adjust your pace to theirs. Unless you have a record company breathing down your neck. Then everyone has to work at THEIR pace!

5) Ask For Help

Artists love to be listened to. It's always good to ask them for their opinion. Whether you actually listen is up to you. But once in a while, a simple question like "What do you think? Do you want to keep that take?" can do wonders for their performance. It helps keep them involved in the project and make them feel less like a "hired hand".

Obviously, if it was the worse singing you've ever heard and they want to keep it, just mention that you will do "one more take as a safety". And then, when they're not looking, use the better take instead and auto-tune it to no end. This is a little producer's secret, but don't let the artists know!

6) Know The Words

Make sure that you, the engineer, the assistant engineer and everyone else in the control room has lyrics to all the songs. The best way for your studio team to find their way around the songs is with the lyric sheets. Another good idea is to USE THE WHITEBOARD! That's why it's there. If you don't have one, get one. Write down the chord progressions, lyric ideas, timing marks, track listings, McDonald's lunch orders, everything.

7) It's MOSTLY About The Music

I've heard people say "it's ALL about the music". Well, in my books, that's not the truth. I'd rather say "it's mostly about the music". Because you have to remember, it's also about having fun, having a good time, writing and performing the best you can and above all, sharing your talent and gift with others. Try to make it less of a job, and more of a passion and you'll find yourself doing it for the rest of your life!

2005 Richard Dolmat (Digital Sound Magic)

Theresa's Mom Club

Soccer Jerseys - A Fad among Soccer Lovers

2007-05-06T22:31:00.000-07:00

Soccer players are not the only persons who wear soccer jerseys. These days more and more people are wearing jerseys of their favorite soccer team. Wearing authentic jerseys to promote their favorite teams and display their affiliations is not a new concept among sports lovers. However, off late wearing authentic jerseys of popular teams has acquired the status of passion. Even though you will find people of all ages wearing replica jerseys, young and college going crowd displays and added inclination towards soccer jersey.

Soccer Jersey- Reasons for Increasing Popularity

Soccer has always lagged behind as sports apparel-merchandising opportunity in America. Traditionally soccer uniforms were not as popular as football, basketball, hockey and baseball sports gear. However, the World Cup Soccer in 1994 has added a new dimension to the popularity of this sport. Thereafter sports apparel of soccer has gained extreme popularity and sports equipment manufacturers are overwhelmed by the continuous expansion in demand for authentic jerseys and replica jerseys.

Authentic jerseys of soccer are not only popular during the soccer season but people prefer to wear them even otherwise. This jersey is a short sleeve T-shirt type jersey and is very comfortable. Since the official gear of soccer teams has bright and vibrant colors, it is more of a fashion statement and display of style for the younger generation.

You can shop for a jersey of your favorite soccer team or player at the nearby sports apparel store, departmental store or online sports apparel stores. If you are on a lookout for authentic jerseys, you should contact the sports store or the team's store selling the official gear. It is better to buy sports apparel at least two months before the start of the soccer season. That time the stores have fresh stock of sports merchandise and you can pick a good jersey of your favorite soccer team.

Self Improvement Blog

Learning from Sport - By George!

2007-05-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

George was a runner. A quarter-miler. One of the best.

His club, South London Harriers, wrote to his RAF Commanding Officer to explain that George was an athlete. George was put in charge of the squadrons athletic team.

George won the London Championship and his County Championship. But a muscle sprain and an uncomfortable night, trying to sleep on a hard wooden floor, probably cost him the All England Championship at Bath in 1949. George came second.

His hand-crafted running spikes sit beside me in my study.

George was a boxer.

From the time I was a young boy, we used to spar together. Hed be pretty gentle until Id catch him off guard with a punch. Then hed really show me how to do it!

His boxing gloves hang in my study.

George loved tennis.

His old wooden tennis rackets were put to good use when we used them to practice badminton in the back garden. Once Id learnt to control a heavy tennis racket, using a lightweight badminton racket seemed easy.

One of those old rackets stands in the corner.

George taught me to run and to swim. To cycle and to play chess. We joined a badminton club. We played squash and Monopoly. Holidays were spent playing cricket, learning to row and flying kites. We queued up for hours in the cold and the rain to get tickets to see Sutton United play Leeds in the 4th round of the FA Cup. I sat on his knee to watch Henry Cooper knock down Muhammed Ali. We revelled in England winning the World Cup. And my first attempts at golf were with George.

When my children were small it seemed perfectly natural to enjoy sport with them too. Cycling, running, football, netball, badminton, tennis, rugby, swimming; not to mention endless indoor games. Whilst other children were hanging around the streets, mine were too busy training and looking after themselves.

Sport and sportsmanship is ingrained in our lives thanks to George.

Yesterday, I was with George when he was diagnosed as suffering from cerebral atrophy. We didnt understand exactly what the doctor was telling us but a leaflet with the tablets she prescribed said Alzheimers.

George and I are lucky. Were into extra time and were going to play this game the way it should be played. Right up to the final whistle.

I love you Dad.

Water Beds

Gamers in the Game

2007-05-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes at night, while I sleep, I dream that I am the point guard on Michael Jordans Chicago Bulls. Other nights, I bat cleanup for the Chicago White Sox. If that isnt busy enough, I still often find time to quarterback Jimmy Johnsons Dallas Cowboys.

The bad thing about my dreams: they end.

By no means am I a professional athlete. Yet almost every night, I watch myself on TV draining three pointers, hitting towering home runs, and throwing sky scraping touchdown passes with the best in the game.

I realize all my sports dreams are make believe. I live for lifes little pleasures.

The tiny light at the end of my tunnel is thanks to todays digital technology. I can become a professional athlete by creating myself in a video game.

Im not the only person to do it, or to have ever done it.

Joffrey Lupul is a winger for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. In addition, he is also a featured athlete in EA Sports NHL 2004.

I used to create my own player and try to make it look as much like me as possible, said Lupul in an interview with John Gaudiosi of ESPN Gamer. I guess now I wont have to do that.

Sports video games have been evolving since Pong, a tennis-like game where two players use long bars to defend their end of the screen from what vaguely resembles a ball. It debuted on the Atari game system in 1976. In 2003, the top-selling game of the year was EA Sports Madden NFL 2004, which sold over 1.3 million copies in its first week.

Unlike me, many athletes today do not need to create a digital image of themselves to be featured in a game. Todays popular sports video games have the characteristics of all active players. Professionally licensed games even have players accurate height, weight, and hometown. The best games even feature individual trademarks of certain players, like Vince Carters classic double-handed sky point after a furious dunk, or Ichiros bailout first step as he swings at an inside pitch.

When I was a little kid, everybody could do the same dunks and lay-ups, said Jay Williams in an interview with Patrick Hruby of ESPN Gamer. Williams, formerly an NBA point guard, plays video games daily as a diversion from the rigors of rehabilitating his left leg following a 2003 motorcycle accident. I remember last year, the game version of me was doing the same hand gestures I do.

The NCAA prohibits endorsement by its amateur athletes, but that doesnt mean collegiate athletes are less fortunate. All the player attributes are there, only the names are deleted to protect the unpaid.

Jason Colson is a 61, 215 pound, sophomore tailback who proudly wears No. 24 at West Virginia University (WVU). In EA Sports NCAA Football 2005, his name has been changed to HB #24, but the height, weight, and class rank are all the same. When No. 24 steps into the backfield, the game player knows they are about to hand off to Mr. Colson.

As a youngster, I never pictured myself being in a video game, said Colson. Its cool playing as yourself.

Todays younger athletes have grown up in the video game generation. All of them have memories of playing games as kids and teens. Many still play.

One of my favorite game players growing up was Terrell Davis in the Madden games, remembers Kay-Jay Harris, another WVU tailback you can find in NCAA Football 05, starring as HB #1. [Davis] never looked like he was running that fast, yet no one could catch him. Our running styles are similar.

Most athletes play video games the way most gamers play: as entertainment, for fun. In WVUs football player lounge, a PlayStation2 (PS2) is plugged in next to the team TV. Several players take the games they play on the screen as serious as the games they play on the field.

Ray Lewis, whose spastic pre-game dances and primal, near death-causing hits on the field make him one of the most intimidating players in the NFL, is also known to be one of the most competitive video game players in the league. Lewis hates to lose at anything he does. Thanks to his competitiveness on the field and in front of the screen, Lewis became the first defensive player to be chosen as cover man for the 2005 installment of EAs Madden NFL series in August.

Video game popularity with athletes has soared because of the free time they have in the off-season.

[Games are] relaxing. Its pure entertainment. This is the way you kill four, five hours, Lewis said in an interview with Matt Wong of ESPN Gamer. You have your boys over, you have your kids over, and you have a big tournament. We might have three TVs going.

I played [EA Sports] MVP Baseball 2004 all summer long, and Rasheed Marshall and I played MarioKart on [Ninetendo] Gamecube for a week straight, said Harris. I could play games like that all day, 10 straight.

Games are clearly the best cure for the off-season blues, but many athletes see the benefits video games have as recruiting tools.

Video games can be a positive influence for younger kids, who might not have started skating yet, said Minnesota Wild center Pierre-Marc Bouchard, in an interview with Gaudiosi. If you get into the realism of the video games, kids might try street hockey and eventually graduate to the rink.

The National Hockey League has been entrenched in a lockout since Sept. 16. With no end in sight, holding the interest of young fans will be crucial to its future. While it seems possible that the entire 2004-2005 season could be cancelled, fans can still find excitement by turning on their PS2.

Its tough to replicate the battles along the boards in video games, said Eric Staal in an interview with Gaudiosi. Staal plays center for the NHLs Carolina Hurricanes. But if kids dont know anything about hockey, [video games] are fun to play because its up and down action and scoring goals.

Microsofts Xbox, PS2, and GameCube allow sports to be played year round. Fans can get their fix at any time of the year with a simple flip switch. Indeed, they are simulated, but the World Series can go on in the dead of winter, and hockey games can hit the ice in the scorch of summer.

For athletes, video games can help them stay entertained, or distracted, when they arent on the field.

For future athletes, gaming consoles provide the ultimate first step to falling in love with a sport.

Video games allow all who play to live outside themselves. Armchair quarterbacks become heroes. On the field quarterbacks get the opportunity to dominate their most hated rivals. Everyone can live out dreams in cyber world they never could on the field.

Free Online Dating

Ten Tips For Effective Angling

2007-05-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

I also like to call this list ten things my Dad taught me about fishing. Fishing has always been an important part of my life. My Dad used to take me fishing all the time, in fact, take a kid fishing was a rule he lived by. He showed me how to fish, the best bait to use while fishing, and methods to catch more fish. Sure this list isnt everything you need to know about fishing but using these basic techniques will insure you to have a good day fishing.

1. Always set the hook properly. Make sure your fish is hooked before you start reeling.

2. Keep steady pressure on the fish. Dont give the fish a chance to spit out the lure or bait. Keep your line taut with no slack and keep the rod tip out of the water. You need to keep reeling to make sure the pressure is steady and the line is straight out to the fish.

3. Make sure your line is not wrapped around the tip of the rod. If it becomes twisted around the rod you will not be able to control your reeling and it may break the line.

4. The jig is one of most effective fish catching lures to use. Jigs are good for fishing from the shoreline to deep water. They can be used on farm ponds, lakes, and rivers. Jigs will catch everything from bluegills, crappies and perch to walleyes, smallmouth bass and northern pike. My Dads favorite was using a feathered jig tipped with a mealworm. We caught all kind of fish with that in all kinds of water.

5. Make sure to use your drag and that it is working properly. Using the drag will help you maintain control over the fish.

6. Cast your bait near structure whenever you can. If you can, bring along a contour map of the body of water youre fishing. Fish like to hang around logs, rocks and docks whether the structure is under the water or sticking out of the water. Casting next to a weed bed should produce fish also.

7. Try to use live bait that is matched to what the fish usually feed on. If you present the fish with what theyre looking for you are much more likely to catch fish.

8. Take care of your fishing equipment. Keep your hooks sharp and ready to hook the big one. Change your line frequently to prevent breakage. Keep your reel oiled so that it turns easily.

9. Start fishing on the bottom and work your way to the surface. Once you catch a fish, try to keep your bait at that depth and just move around until you find where they are hiding. Keep moving until you start catching fish. Keep repeating the procedure. Bluegill, perch, crappie, white bass and black bass are all schooling fish. This means that there is more than one fish swimming around. Once you find them, you will usually catch a bunch.

10. Always keep your bait moving. Jig it, pop it, reel it. Whatever it takes to make it look alive. Fish love live bait.

Hope these tips offer you as many good fishing days as I have had.

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