Raiders Upset Visiting Eagles

By Ross Everett

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

NFL betting enthusiasts who backed the Raiders as a whopping +14 home underdog were never in any trouble as Oakland took the lead late in the first quarter and never relinquished it. Oakland evened their mark against the NFL pointspread at 3-3, while the Eagles dropped to 3-2 against the number. The 22 points scored went well UNDER the posted total of 40'.

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

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

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

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

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

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

After the game, McNabb had little to say:

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

The Raiders will try to put together an actual winning streak as they host the New York Jets next Sunday. They'll play their hated rivals the San Diego Chargers on the road the following Sunday before a bye week. Philadelphia will play the Redskins at Washington next Monday night. They'll return home for games the following two Sundays against the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and highly respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Embattled Zorn Given Reprieve Until End Of NFL Season

By Ross Everett

Washington Redskins head coach Jim Zorn is off of the hot seat-at least temporarily. After a recent swoon that saw him stripped of play calling duties for the NFL team, Zorn got a vote of confidence from upper management on Friday. His head isn't entirely out of the noose, however, as the reprieve will last only to the end of the season unless some marked improvement is seen in the second half.

Executive Vice President of Football Operations Vinny Cerrato had the following statement:

"Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins and will be for the rest of this season, and hopefully into the future."

"The frustration is very high, everywhere around here. But the relationships internally within this organization, quite frankly, remain the same."

For his part, Zorn was unimpressed by the vote of 'semi-confidence':

"I don't necessarily have a reaction to that because I am the head coach. I want to be here for the next 10 years. That's my story."

While he didn't express much personal relief from the management statement, he said he hoped it would benefit his players:

"If it comforts the players - awesome! But I think our players are focused regardless of what the situation is. Whatever has to be said, I guess it has to be said, but we go on."

Quarterback Jason Campbell sounded relieved that the drama was over for the time being:

"That should relieve a lot of tension and a lot of stress. Guys don't have to worry about thinking about it or talking about it. We were the soap opera for the NFL the last two weeks so hopefully it'll calm down a little bit."

Ceratto also had a different take on the removal of Zorn's play calling duties:

"Look at all the things that we've done to try to help. You could have done other things drastically. No, you have confidence in him, because you want him to do well. Hopefully we can just concentrate and focus on winning football games.

He also expressed confidence in offensive consultant-and new offensive playcaller-Sherm Lewis' ability to do the job:

"You don't forget how to ride a bike if you hadn't rode your bike in four years."

The Redskins have slumped to a 2-4 record in the early part of the NFL season despite being the first team in league history to play six straight games against winless teams. Washington will host the Philadelphia Eagles this Monday night before a bye week. After the bye, they'll return to action on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on November 8.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

OTC Bulletin Board - International Management Consultancy

By James Scott

Are you trying to raise capital for your start-up or corporation in expansion? Have you exhausted your traditional institutional sources and hedge fund contacts? Don't lose hope just yet! First of all, take all those pamphlets and brochures from banks and other traditional lenders that are lying all over your desk and toss them in the trash...they are absolutely useless.

Banks don't have your company's best interest in mind as they are hardly even staying afloat in this economy. Today's institutional financier isn't qualified to run a bath let alone a bank. Don't put your future in the untested hands of a 20 something knucklehead. After you've tossed all that useless info in the trash, clear your head and then look at your company and ask yourself a few tough questions: Is your company invest-able? Do you and your executive staff have a pedigree that investors deem as seasoned enough to take their money and make affective use of it and not lose it? What proprietary concepts/technology/patents do you have that give you a larger market share with the proper cash infusion? What is your current capital/debt situation?

If, after pondering these questions you've come to the conclusion you honestly, truly have something worth pursuing then the next step is to look at the reality that your company is worthy of a public offering. Stay away from Pink Sheets and be weary of reverse mergers and in reality your company won't qualify for the NASDAQ so the quickest way to raise public capital is the OTCBB (over the counter bulletin boards).

OTCBB is an SEC regulated platform that has a solid investor following and market makers that can effectively promote your stock to rapidly raise capital. Don't let these difficult economic times steal your dreams of corporate prosperity and personal growth.

If you have a solid business concept, there is a way to fund it. Look into the OTCBB, it's your best bet for an inexpensive public offering with a direct path to long term funding.

About the Author:

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Free Designing Software,Some Insights

By Kriss Web

Actually is there such a thing termed as 'totally free' currently? Life is essentially getting harder and harder every moment. A great number of people are normally hungry in different areas of the world. It's pretty unbelievable that you can actually still come across 'free' things today but if you try to surf the internet, you will actually notice a lot of ads that say 'free' this and 'free' that.

Internet is generally an essential part of the lives of people as well as Website Design Amsterdam organizations. Through internet, an individual or business can electronically manage all their financial transactions. If you're, professional businessmen, it normally means that use online at some or the other point. Your website will usually be used to market all your products like food, water, lifestyle goods, and many others. If you keep track of these things, it can obviously be a marketing strategy.

In establishments, financial transactions can as desired get complicated and it generally will be impractical for one individual to carry out the task. This is basically where the designing software comes in. Do you know that there are usually free designing software online?

That's true and if you only take time in surfing the internet, you can obviously stumble on this kind of free software.

Don't expect too much from free designing software. Since it is by general means without charge, it can't offer the same features and functions as that of high-end designing software. This free software is naturally plain not to mention easy. It can generally handle the designing needs of homeowners and additionally small corporations.

The Website Design Amsterdam software focuses chiefly on simple designing software. By taking advantage of the free software, you can perform the basic designing tasks that paid software's do.

The question now is usually whether you should get free designing software or not. It's only a download away but before anything else, there are some things that you need to look for in designing software; consider before you take any further steps

Website Design Amsterdam organizations who really desire to promote products and marketing campaigns are as such now providing the public with free designing software. You logically have to surf the internet diligently so that you can usually at once take gain of it.

About the Author:

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A Easy Approach For Making Cash From Your Camera

By Alan V. Kemp

You might want to consider using digital photography to make some extra money. Digital photography is a hobby that is becoming more and more popular, as most people today have a digital camera in their home. If you just have a little bit of creativity digital photography can turn into a money making business. There are a great many ways you can put that camera to work to generate an income. All you really need to be successful is drive and dedication to get work done, as well as a little bit of salesmanship.

Odds are that you already own the equipment needed to begin, if you already enjoy digital photography as a hobby. You will need a digital camera, ideally with features equivalent to an SLR film camera, a tripod or two for certain picture-taking occasions and a printer capable of printing excellent quality photographs, or a printing service.

Digital photo editing software is also a must have. The best known applications include Adobe Photoshop CS3, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Corel Paint Shop Pro X

Investing a few hundred dollars in marketing materials will get you off to a good start.

Before we move on, this is a good time to clear up one misconception. It is not impossible to make a good income from your photography, as many people think. Naysayers refer to the fact that pretty much everybody has a digital camera at their disposal, or at least one on their phone. People often wonder why anyone would purchase photos when they could simply take their own photographs.

You can do it this way. Sure, almost everybody has a digital camera or film camera of one kind or another. However, how many people can really use them?

You might want to take a look at how many pictures individuals take. Be honest with yourself. There is more to photography that point and shoot. There are usually motion blur pictures from holding the camera the wrong way. Bad color too. Awkwardly positioned objects. No or poor composition skills. Dark shadows obscuring a subject's face. Even if these people understood how to use digital photo editing software properly, many of their pictures are beyond help. After all, there is only so much any software can do when working with a bad photo.

And what do you suppose happens when these people try to print their photos? Undoubtedly, you have seen some of these images. The prints are horrendous when it comes to resolution. This happens when the photographer had no idea how to adjust the camera settings to produce printable photos.

This is excellent news for you. If you excellent digital photography skills then you will be easily able to show new customers a few samples that you have taken.

Are you still apprehensive? Let me tell you about a birthday party I attended recently. The host paid an amateur photograph who wanted to start their own business just like you.

Just about all of the party guests had their own cameras, but most of them were enjoying the party too much to snap many shots. Those of us who did take snapshots were poorly positioned and usually couldn't get a good view of the scene.

The photographer received payment for her services. She then uploaded the pictures to her own website. Party-goers received the link by email. Guests could then download, print, or save to disk any photos they wanted.

The photograph did not even have to print or develop the photos and they were paid for their services as well.

Pretty awesome, huh?

You can do this too. All you need to do is make a marketing plan and develop your picture taking skills and say cheese!

About the Author:

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A Review Of The Hit Film For A Few Dollars More Starring Clint Eastwood

By Lori Harmon

Leone's Dollars Trilogy is without a doubt one of the all time classic series when it comes to all out action, suspense and, well, coolness. The film in the series that is considered a "Great Film" would have to be The Good the Bad and the Ugly, but the absolute coolest of the series is, without a doubt, For a Few Dollars More. Maybe not the best, but certainly the most fun of the entire trilogy, and definitely one to put on your queue the next time you sign into your movie download service.

The movie is really all about the cool little details Leone packed into the film. It starts with a great sequence of Eastwood beating a bounty up with a single hand, and then goes on to Lee Van Cleef selecting one of his dozens of long barrel guns to take out a bad guy, and eventually we get to see one of the coolest western villains of all time.

He uses a musical pocket watch every time he kills one of his victims. When the music stops, he draws and fires. The story surrounding this watch is interesting, too, forming the heart of the subplot involving Lee Van Cleef.

Cleef and Eastwood make a great team as the heroes. Cleef plays Colonel Mortimer, a former Civil War hero turned bounty hunter, while Eastwood plays, again, the Man With No Name. This film is, chronologically within the world of the film, the final act, even though it was released second (The Good the Bad and the Ugly serves as a prequel to Fistful of Dollars), and Eastwood has had enough violence and wants to retire, but still plays the Kid role to Cleef's older, wiser bounty hunter.

One great scene has the two shooting each other's hats off, and then shooting said hats down the street, as, essentially, a way of chest pounding, showboating, to impress the other. It begins with the two wanting the other to back off their bounty, and ends with the two building a strong partnership that's a lot of fun to watch develop.

There really isn't another film in almost any genre outside of the musical that uses music quite as effectively as this film. The pocket watch plays a little melody written by Ennio Morricone, and in the finale, the melody is layered into an epic orchestrated piece that really builds an incredible amount of tension before anyone draws a pistol and finally fires.

Leone is without a doubt one of the all time greats, and this is one of his funnest films. It's only too bad that his career was cut short before he could finish Stalingrad, his epic WWII film he had plans to create.

If there's only one thing missing from the film, it's Eli Wallach, who's turn as Tuco may have been one of the all time great western performances, but regardless, the film is a whole heck of a lot of fun.

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The Key To Promoting Content On The Net So It Won't Flounder

By Jeremy Craft

Even those who master most from the best internet marketing strategies can nevertheless fail utterly if they forget one central facet of marketing and advertising. This secret is particularly applicable for the internet medium mainly because in the sheer volume of marketing bombarding audiences all of the time. You've to do one simple little thing to stand out, and you will not truly find out it except by making an attempt and gaining encounter. Nevertheless, we're willing to provide a signpost to point you inside the appropriate direction, so that you'll be able to get all that knowledge the simple way rather than the challenging way.

Ultimately, it all comes down to marketing and advertising what the customer Already wants, not what you want him to want. Your brand, your content, your item... it all has to tune in to what individuals already, subconsciously or consciously, want in their lives. The benefits are obvious - it means less effort for you, and more customers. But the disadvantages of going the other way are not fairly so apparent, so we'll point them out for you.

Countless companies have been lost hopelessly inside depths in the internet simply due to making an attempt to make folks want a product or service that they don't want innately. Think about the plight in the RIAA, still making an attempt to force CDs on a public that prefers downloadable music. Contemplate the scenario of environmentally friendly products that are more costly than their non-green equivalents - not doing so hot, are they? Look at all the excellent successes in internet marketing as mentioned in a Kieran Gill evaluation.!!!. you may see that they got their profit, not from making people today come to them, but by offering a thing others didn't. Then the audiences came to them willingly.

Merely by keeping this lesson in mind, you will be able to streamline your promotional efforts to maximize the investment to profit ratio. As you are able to learn from a George Brown review, getting a conversion is actually very effortless.!. in case you never forget what it feels like to be in the customer's shoes. Learn to spot the trends when they're still emerging and jump on when there's low competition.

That's the only true risk-free method to web success there's. In the event you try, like many would-be visionaries, to invent one thing brand new with out an observable demand in place, you're simply flipping a coin for profit. And when you attempt to cram some thing down the collective consumer throat, you may usually locate it regurgitated at fantastic loss to your bottom line.

About the Author:

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Find Affordable Web Hosting Within Your Grasp Right Now

By Jesus Thompson

Reseller website hosting will provide you with the most services from all the various providers. Reseller website hosting is extremely advantageous and convenient for both the seller and the buyer. The person who is selling gives all the facilities at the convenient rates and package prices and the buyer receives all the facilities included in the hosting plan.

There are a lot of benefits to working with a reseller hosting solution, the most obvious of them all being the fact that it helps you to do more while paying less. But in addition you can also do business in it by selling the remaining diskspace to the clients. Reseller website hosting services are the most popular services available on the Internet. The only difference between reseller plans and other marketing products is you are selling your own product.

You should go for basic reseller plans, you can host your own sites on it and then sell the remainder of the space to other people while charging enough to cover the amount you pay for the hosting anyway, so you in practice get your own site hosted for free. If you feel that now is the time you know much about hosting then you can upgrade and start selling it more. As such, you will be earning money from another source, but one that is dependable. Your very own website can be up and running for no cost to you at all.

It is a very easy business to get into and you don't need any prior knowledge or experience to pull it off. Should you feel like it is too difficult and you are not well qualified, you can always shut it down. However, I would suggest you do not consider calling it quits. Getting into the reseller hosting business is an easy way to make a quick profit through providing affordable services to other clients.

Because of this, becoming a reseller is an excellent choice to make. Many high quality companies offer reseller hosting. So pick out the most appropriate package for yourself, after searching the market place.

About the Author:

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Poker Supplies For A Game At Home

By Adriana Noton

Poker will test players ability to reason and focus as hand after hand strains social and brainpower skills. Of course having a lucky charm is a nice backup plan. It is for these reasons, and the excitement it gives that takes poker out of the casinos and into average homes. All they need is some good poker supplies.

Something that always gets people in the mood to play is some special poker chips. It gives players a real casino feel which can also get the gambling juices flowing. Because you are playing with chips and not actual cash, it keeps the games more organized and gives players the ability to choose to play without using real money. Most sporting good stores as well as retail stores carry a variety of poker chip selections. They can all vary in quality and price, and it just matters how much you feel like spending.

It's tough to get into the spirit of the game without a proper playing surface. In casinos, they play on a felt surface with rules and sectioned off areas painted on. Most stores that sell the chips will also have this as an option. These can also vary in quality and price, but the more you pay the more little perks there will be included. Some include cup holders and the ability to fold up for easy storage or transportation.

One of the most important poker supplies has to be the refreshments you offer throughout the night. The game can last a very long time, and not everyone can do well. You have to give them some incentive to stick it out and keep them happy. Treat the poker night like a party. Chips, dip, nuts and an array of beverages, alcoholic or not. Besides, you need to stay alert and focused, and party mixes are just the trick to do that.

The most important thing to have in a game of poker is a legal and full deck of cards. They are cheap and completely necessary to have a fun and fair game. If the cards you have are marked or bent or missing in any way, it is imperative to go to any store and pick up a brand new deck for no more than a couple of bucks.

Along with cards, it would be nice to have an automatic card shuffler. Some people are shuffling impaired and may become embarrassed to be the dealer. After every hand the deck needs to be reshuffled and needs to be done correctly. This is one poker supply that is not necessary but would save countless amounts of time and save the embarrassment.

Poker is not an easy game to learn. There are a lot of terms and rules to learn as well as etiquette and memorizing the rank of cards. In order to be able to get a jump start into the game, it would be beneficial to pick up a guide book to learn the basics. Many will even teach you more advanced tactics and bluffing tips so that you are always taking the pots instead of giving them up.

Poker is amazing to get into, and very rewarding when you finally learn to master it. Whether your going to be playing at the big tables in Las Vegas or simply hosting an intimate game at home, it is important to have some good playing cards with you.

About the Author:

Straight Poker Supplies is the #1 resource online for poker top lists, featuring the top playing cards online. Find your poker chips and poker table at discount prices here.

Want A Tattoo?

By Rian Haswanda

Before you take the step to possess a permanent tattoo affixed on your body, you must first do some thorough thinking. Consider that any tattoo is going to be with you throughout your life and it is VERY expensive and painful to get rid of. Choose the location of the tattoo on your own body meticulously. It might be best if you wear a non-permanent tattoo for a time to make certain that the tattoo you're getting is perhaps right size and design you want.

Tattoos are reasonably painful to obtain, nevertheless, you may stop the tattooist at any time in the procedure, before you feel well to go on again. Many people feel pain more acutely than others. Many people feel inclined to have another tattoo soon - that is a sign of the bare ability with the pain. Large tattoos are done over a period of time, to give the wearer time for you to rest after each session. And yes, if the tattooist perforates skin, you will see moderate bleeding. It a very good idea for being well rested before your first tattoo!

Expensive or Cheap? Good tattoos can very expensive BUT nothing looks worse in which a botched up tattoo. My advice is to decide on a specialist artist at a tattoo parlor, pay the additional amount and make sure that you get quality that may work for a lifetime. Your tattoo artist should utilize a transfer sheet to transfer the image onto your body before commencing to add about the colors...

Hygiene? Going together with choosing a professional tattooist, is so that your tattoo is done with all the hygienic safety precautions in place. A professional tattooist will show and present to you all of the safety precautions that are taken. It a very good idea to shop around beforehand to be able to eliminate dodgy tattooists. See our article about safety precautions.

Aftercare Aftercare needs to be prescribed to eliminate infection of the wounds and invite proper healing. In a few countries underage tattooing isn't allowed and special permission must be inclined to tattoo mentally incapable people. Its advised to make use of well trained and professional tattoo artists and precaution must be taken by the client to make sure that tattooing is done only under the most hygienic circumstances. The responsibility ultimately lies with the client to make sure that all the safety precautions are adhered to. Click here for link to tattooing equipment for sale there are no hard and fast rules concerning immediate aftercare of a tattoo. It is advised though, to keep it as sterile as possible while it heals. Specially developed tattoo ointments are recommended, but there is consensus that gentle cleaning with soap and water is recommended. Gentle anti bacterial ointment can be applied if the special tattoo ointments are not available.

Care must be taken not to use too much water for rinsing, though as this could also wash out tattoo inks or soften scabs before they naturally fall off. If a tattoo gets infected, the chances of distortion of the image are very good due to the formation of scar tissue and the loss of pigments. Two of the tattoo taboos are to remove scabs before the skin sheds them naturally and exposure to the sun is not advised. Tattoos frequently exposed to the sun will also have to be redone or touched up sooner than those not exposed - so stay out the sun - even after your tattoo has healed! Picking off scabs will remove the ink as well before it has set in and the sun tends to bleach tattoo inks. A tattoo looks at its best when the maximum ink remains embedded in the skin.

Keeping a tattoo moisturized for the first two months after the first week of initial healing will keep your tattoo looking better for longer as the tattooed area tends to become very dry during this stage. Keeping it moisturized will also prevent scabbing and scarring. Allergic reactions to tattoo inks have been reported, but are very rare. It is recommended that a small patch of skin is subjected to the ink, before attempting a tattoo, especially facial tattoos, such as make-up tattoos. A program was introduced in Canada to legalize Prison tattooing. Inmates are trained and equipped with the right instruments to do tattooing properly - eliminating the chances of infection and disease spreading.

About the Author:

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A Brief Overview Of Godspeed You! Black Emperor

By Mark Floyd

Godspeed You! Black Emperor is a post-rock group from Montreal, Canada. They are most widely known for their lengthy songs and extensive and visual live shows. Their recordings and performances generally consist of electric guitars and percussion instruments, however more obscure instruments such as French horns and glockenspiels have been known to make appearances.

The band got their name from an ambiguous Japanese film about a motorcycle gang, the "Black Emperors". The number of people in the group is never given, ranging anywhere from 9 to 20 at any given moment. The group was on a lengthy break for a few years so that its various members could focus on other endeavors, though they are scheduled to perform together at an upcoming English festival.

All members of Godspeed consider the music to be greater than the group, which helps explain the band's ever changing line-up and lack of a front man. There's also a strict moratorium on group photos and personal interviews. This seemingly strange philosophy is a way for listeners to get closer to the music, rather than focus on trivial details.

The more outspoken members of the group state in their few interviews that large corporations are what is at fault in the media industries and the whole economy in general. In fact, most of their CD and song notes refer to the criminal behaviors of corporate media. On the group's newest album, a picture was included in the notes that hinted at a link between several major record companies to the United State's military-industrial complex.

Fans of GYBE cite their live performances as random and exciting occurrences. Because the band employs no singers they utilize scores of visual imageries in all of their shows. The films are meant to tie the message and the music together for the watching audience and are most often produced and recorded by a group member.

In the early 2000s, GYBE's band mates were mistaken for a band of criminals in a rural Oklahoma town. The group and their crew was caravaning through the mid-west on tour when, at a small gas station, an employee became convinced that they were terrorists. The authorities were called after the station attendant got another customer to call them.

The small town cops arrived and a full search and seizure ensued on the groups two van's. The groups Canadian scruffiness coupled with the plethora of anti-government documents found in their possession led the officers to call the FBI. The band was immediately questioned and detained before authorities finally decided to release them. Although they made it in time for their next show, the occurrence no doubt fueled GYBE's anarchist outlook.

They have officially released three albums since their debut in the 1990s. Since then, Godspeed You! Black Emperor has also put out several releases and EPs. Several of their songs have even come out without being on an album since GYBE encourages their fans to record their concerts. The band has even lent songs to a handful of television and movie soundtracks as well, although it happens very rarely.

About the Author:

It uses a vocal sample from Dido's song "Thank-you" Recent Movie Rental Perhaps it's his violent bouts of paranoia and jealousy. Yet its imprint is more than evident in Lucas' life's work and creative brainchild, the Star Wars Saga.

NFL Flashback: Vikings Rout Cowboys In Playoffs

By Ross Everett

When legendary quarterback Brett Favre announced his return to the NFL from what has become a seemingly annual flirtation with retirement, many second guessed the Minnesota Vikings' decision to sign "The Gunslinger". On Sunday, Favre and the Vikings answered those critics in the best way possible-with a lopsided 34-3 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys. Favre threw 4 touchdown passes in the victory and the Vikings' defense sacked Dallas QB Tony Romo six times in the blowout.

NFL football betting fans also cashed tickets on the Vikings as -3 point home favorites. This was the shortest pointspread of the divisional playoff weekend and many thought that Dallas' momentum would carry them to victory. The 37 combined points went UNDER the posted total of 45. Minnesota had gone UNDER in four of six games to conclude the regular season.

After the contest, Favre boasted that a playoff run was a large part of his motivation to return to NFL action:

""This is what I came back for. Probably the most fatigued I got today was celebrating. I feel like I'm playing the same way. I have the same enthusiasm. As long as I'm out there, the enthusiasm and the passion that you see is real. And I know the guys feed off of that. Fans enjoy that, because it is real and genuine. Today was like this season: It's been wonderful."

Sidney Rice caught three of Favre's touchdown passes:

"Same ol' Brett. He's doing thing he's done since he first came in the league: moving around, getting the ball out, breaking tackles and even running down the field and throwing blocks. That just shows you how big of a heart he has."

Head coach Brad Childress mixed up a bunch of metaphors as he took a swipe at the prognosticators who picked Dallas to win:

"The Tasmanian devils were coming from Dallas that were about to bombard the state of Minnesota and run through us like Sherman through the South. All of us felt it quite palpably."

Cowboys' QB didn't have much to say in defeat:

"Any time you come in with the expectations and goals we set and don't accomplish them, No. 1, it's frustrating. Right now, it's just hard to think the season is over."

Cowboys' head coach Wade Phillips had a similar take:

"It's like the elevator falling from the top. It's tough when it's over. If you don't win it all, you have not reached your goal."

The Vikings will now head to New Orleans for Sunday's NFC Championship game against the Saints. Minnesota is a +3' point road underdog with the total set at 52'. The winner will advance to the Superbowl to take on the winner of the New York Jets/Indianapolis Colts contest.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

The Practice Of Fuse Safety With Pyrotechnics

By James Chen

In the preparations for a fireworks spectacle, you need to spend some time to carefully make plans for the fuse. Even if the lowly fuse will hardly be noticed at the height of the display, it nevertheless plays a pivotal role in the success of the presentation. A haphazardly selected and laid out fuse line can spell disaster for your show.

Some safety fuse thoughts

Whether you are using commercial or home-made fuses you have to stop to think about some vital considerations. Primarily, the fuse wires should be sturdy enough to be capable of twisting, bending and folding without giving out.

Firmly sealed and water-proofed

In fuse safety, the components that burn are wrapped in two sheaths of cloth. Each sheath is water-proofed. A final tube of plastic may serve to hold everything in place. Make sure the tubes of the fuse are pliable enough not to tear when they are manipulated. The black powder may pour out of the tube through the tear. If the fuse is lighted, it may stop at that point. Additionally, the spilt black powder can cause mishaps.

Before selecting a specific fuse from the store, ask for a small sample. Seal off any open ends with water proof adhesive and dunk the fuse in a bottle of water. If, after removing it from water it turns out that the fuse sample is soaked, don't buy it.

Fuse lines are usually doubly provided with water-proofing. This may be a coat of asphaltum or an additional layer of plastic tubing. For a successful pyrotechnics show, the fuses should be totally impregnable to water. A fuse is only as strong as its weakest part. If any one portion of the fuse lets in water, your show is over.

Easily manipulated

A good safety fuse can be bent and twisted in many contortions without losing its functionality. The more exuberant fireworks shows will require complicated networks of fuse lines.

Fuse safety means slow enough

The person initiating the display should be given time to provide a safe distance between him and the pyrotechnics from the moment he sets off the show until the moment the first fireworks blast off. This is one of the reasons why safety fuses were made. In this regard, make sure you are not buying quick matches (very fast fuses) instead of safety ones. Quick matches will have the explosions up in the air even before you have turned your back to take cover. One second is all they need to cover 100 feet.

The risks involved in fuse safety

Ironic as it seems, certain dangers are present with the use of fuse safety devices. The fact that good safety fuses are well sealed and strong makes them that much more difficult to put out once set off. They will even continue burning under the ocean. In fact they are used widely for underwater explosions.

That underscores the importance of drawing out your pyrotechnics display on paper. You shall at least be able to check each item out for readiness before initiating anything. A checklist of the things you need to do and check becomes very important if you are organizing a fireworks spectacular.

Keep a very sharp pair of gardening scissors handy in case you need to cut the fuse to prevent it from proceeding.

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About the Author:

James Chen is a writer for Skylighter.com and invites you to check out their great selection of fuse safety and discount wedding sparklers.

Facts About Smoke Fireworks And How To Make Them

By James Chen

These are fireworks that don't have much fire and are therefore safer to use than regular fireworks. The chemicals used for them are mildly explosive because they do not burn as fast as the chemicals used for firecrackers and propellants.

The chemicals used in these devices are normally the least explosive ones on account of the fact that the devices are meant to diffuse smoke. Specifically, the oxidant regularly used is potassium nitrate (KNO3). This substance is normally present in our food in very small quantities. If ingested in appreciable amounts, it can cause skin inflammation and itching. Otherwise, the chemical is not harmful.

The fuel used for smoke bombs is plain table sugar. Additionally, some sodium bicarbonate is included in the mixture to stabilize and moderate the combustion process so that there is enough time to produce smoke.

Smoke bombs made from KNO3 and sugar give off white smoke. Colored smoke is possible with powdered mixes which are safer and more convenient to buy off the store shelf than to prepare at home. You can have smoke bombs emitting hues of blues, purples, reds, greens or multi-color combinations

You should take extra steps to make sure that the ingredients you are going to use for your home-made bomb are the right ones... ...verify that the powder you are using is really KNO3!

There are other chemical explosives that are utilized in the making of commercial smoke bombs. Many of them should not be handled by amateurs. Specifically, potassium chlorate (KClO3) should be used with extreme care. As a matter of fact, many experts do not recommend using this chemical by yourself at home. The chlorate compounds are easily ignitable. They will burn in the presence of sulfuric acid, under sudden pressure or by friction. They can burn so fast that they explode .

You can create a nitrate-sugar smoke bomb in two ways. You can either heat the mixture on a frying pan until it liquefies or stir-mix both ingredients with some water until they are dissolved and dry the paste. In this article the first method is discussed.

A good ratio between the ingredients of the bomb mix is 58:37:5. That is 58 % of nitrate, 37 % of sugar and 5 % of sodium bicarbonate. For a faster burning bomb remove the 5 % for the bicarbonate and just use 60:40 for the nitrate and the sugar.

Turn on the flame of your stove to LOW. Use a skillet to heat the ingredients over the flame while constantly stirring with long strokes. You should use a spoon for this purpose. Turn the heat down some more when the sugar starts to liquefy and continue until everything is liquid.

Remove the pan from the heat and pout the mixture out into a piece of aluminum foil. Wrap the clay-like substance in the foil and let it cool down.

When the bomb mixture has cooled, peel away the wrapping. Look for someplace that is in the open air. Place the bomb on a fire-proofed surface. Don't put it on dry leaves or things that burn easily. The safest way to ignite the bomb is to use a long-arm lighter.

Naturally, you shouldn't prepare your bomb long before you intend to use it. Storing these things is not safe.

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About the Author:

James Chen is a writer for Skylighter.com and invites you to check out their great selection of smoke bomb and sky lanterns.

Clean, Colorful Mist To Provide The Atmosphere For A Celebration.

By James Chen

Simply stated, smoke bombs are fireworks that produce a minimum of sparkle and a whole lot of smoke. The smoke can be sky blue, dark blue, yellow, green, purple, red orange or any combination of those colors.

You can find them sold in stores as smoke balls. These are spherical clay or cardboard gadgets that are sold at pyrotechnics stores. Additionally you will find models that are shaped like candles. The material that ignites is within the bomb itself and there may be holes in the device to allow the smoke to pass through. Shorter versions of the candle-type bomb are the tin-can models more frequently produced for the military.

Similar to the more dangerous versions of the bomb, smoke fireworks contain an oxidant and the fuel for maintaining the flame. The usual oxidant for smoke bombs is potassium nitrate (KNO3). This is a good oxidizing agent because it contains three atoms of oxygen. Sugar is used to fuel the combustion and produce the smoke. Sodium bicarbonate is also a required additive and serves to stabilize the reaction.

The chemical process that takes place involves the transfer of three oxygen atoms from the nitrate to the carbon atoms in the sugar. Heat initializes this reaction. The byproducts of the reaction are potassium carbonate and water, both of which emit white vapors. Additionally, chlorine and CO2 are also produced. Because the reaction itself is kept under control with the presence of sodium bicarbonate, no considerable amount of flame is produced. The smoke itself may be impregnated with multiple colors by the use of dyes which are usually organic in nature.

The chemical used for making gunpowder is not potassium nitrate. The chlorate of potassium is used for that. Minute quantities of potassium nitrate occur in our food. That is not to say that the substance is edible in considerable quantities. It can cause a burning itch if ingested. It is not poisonous or toxic in the sense that we understand those words.

Although potassium nitrate can easily oxidize materials which come in contact with it, it does not catch or burst into flame. It can, however rust metals and rot fruits. People who are in constant contact with it will have dry and itchy skin. However, no acute danger is associated with it.

The byproducts of the reaction are also quite harmless. Potassium carbonate is used for glazing porcelain and softening water among other things. Naturally, because of the carbon dioxide, these pyrotechnics, like all other forms of smoke can be unhealthy when used without discretion. But since the smoke from these bombs is not really that thick and does not float in concentrated quantities, they present little danger for contributing to global heating.

People find many uses for smoke fireworks. The most prevalent use of these gadgets is for enhancing the mood of celebrations with colored mists. The military uses them as camouflage screens. For this purpose the smoke needs to be really thick. Some games with a military theme, like airsoft and paintball make extensive use of these gadgets too. Likewise, they are employed in theatrical performances to provide the proper mood for certain scenes.

The powder for these bombs may be easily made at home if one has the right ingredients on hand. However, since there are certain risks involved, albeit minimal, it might be a better idea to purchase the ready-made powder off store counters. Just make sure that the store you are getting it from has earned a good reputation from people.

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About the Author:

James Chen is a writer for Skylighter.com and invites you to check out their great selection of smoke bomb and sky lanterns.

How Friend Adding Software Helps Your Social-Networking Site Build Larger List Of Friends

By Meagan Gray

The TubeAdder YouTube software program acts as a YouTube bot that crawls through the pages of the YouTube website to be able to extract the information you need. Using the YouTube friend adder and comment generator included in this simple yet powerful program, you can: 1) Build a long list of friends to add to your YouTube friends list. 2) Encourage countless people to add you to their friends list. 3) Leave remarks on hundreds of videos. 4) Draw a greater quantity of targeted traffic aimed at your website.

The advantages of the TubeAdder YouTube software program: The TubeAdder makes your YouTube advertising campaign simple by helping you to visit any page on YouTube that you want and extracting all of the Profile IDs located on those pages. After these are extracted, the YouTube software program posts requests to every one of those IDs and asks them to join your friends list. The comment generating component of this YouTube bot also enables you to leave remarks on hundreds of videos. Not only will this help you get the attention of the person that created the video, everyone else that watch the video will see your review as well. That may quickly translate to an increase in traffic to your website.

YouTube friend adder and comment generator will help you boost the visitor to your site. First, send out invitations to YouTube affiliates to be on your friends list can help you for many reasons: 1) once you send an invitation to someone, that person will check out your profile. If that person likes your user profile, he/she may watch your videos and that can lead them to your site. 2) If the person you invited likes your videos well enough, he/she might add your services to his/her friends list and could even add your video to his/her favourites list. 3) If the other people on that person's friend's list see your name, they may check out your profile as well. 4) When other people view your video on that person's website, they might check it out as well. 5) A viral video marketing campaign can take place as more people add your information to their sites.

Since you may send out friends invites to literally hundreds of people per day with TubeAdder, it won't be long before you will have reached thousands of people and obtained the exposure you have to make your website grow. Using the comment generating feature of the TubeAdder YouTube software program can be beneficial for a number of reasons: 1) The person whose video you commented on will likely see your website to be able to understand more about you and will watch your video or add your services to his/her friends list. 2) Everyone that watches the video will also see your comment and might wish to look at your user profile if they like what you had to say. 3) You can begin to establish yourself being an authority within the YouTube community and create solid reputation that will get others to trust you.

By adding some savvy marketing techniques to work, you can quickly achieve your target group using the TubeAdder YouTube bot. TubeAdder allows you to choose particular pages form YouTube that you want to utilize for extracting Profile IDs. This way, you may choose the pages that have something to do with the website you are trying to advertise. You get to write exactly what you want to say; thus you can produce new and various comments each time.

About the Author:

There are various SEO strategies online however the most excellent one so far is the friend adding software. Small businesses require SEO and virtual assistant assistance is the way to go.

Helix And Helix Orbital Piercings

By Rian Haswanda

Many people have helix piercings, although they may not realize it. Many people refer to their helix piercing as "my cartilage piercing" and the area in question is the upper portion of the ear. It's very common to see someone with their earlobes pierced, and a couple of other piercings located good for ear. It's not a "cartilage piercing" as many people proudly proclaim. It's a Helix Piercing.

Calling a Helix Piercing a cartilage piercing is a misnomer, because your entire ear (sans earlobes) uses cartilage. Any piercing not on your earlobe (which is most people's first ear piercing) is a cartilage piercing. The stereotypical second and third holes ascending from the earlobe are cartilage piercings; in the following paragraphs, we shall call this particular high in ear piercing by its proper name - the Helix.

After the earlobes, the Helix is one of popular piercing in America. For many individuals, the Helix is their first venture into the wonderful world of body piercing. Unfortunately for many individuals, it was probably pierced in a mall via a piercing gun. Should you be considering getting your Helix pierced, don't get it pierced in a mall - visit a professional piercing parlor and get pierced with a sterile, safe, piercing needle instead of an unhygienic and damaging piercing gun. With that in mind, when you have committed to a Helix piercing, your piercer will have no trouble piercing it for you - the Helix is incredibly easy to pierce.

Your piercer will probably recommend getting pierced with a hoop or captive bead ring, on this particular piercing, and I highly suggest complying with this recommendation. Of course, you may really want a barbell, and your piercer may think that's a possible option for you, so do what you feel like you grasp. A common advantage a hoop or ring has is that it accommodates swelling better and holes pierced with rings and hoops tend to heal faster, but to each their own!

You will sit in the piercing chair, which almost always looks like a dentist chair, and your piercer will make mark when you wear it. You're able to think about the mark and approve or disapprove of the location, once the location has been agreed upon; your piercer will push the needle through your ear on your exhale. The jewelry is practically instantly inserted, and once the ball has been secured, your fabulous new piercing is done! The Helix piercings will not affect your hearing, speech, nervous system, balance, etc. These are all rumors - ignore them. It's a very safe piercing, and the pain should only last for a split second.

You can even get a Helix Orbital, which is two piercings on the Helix conjoined by one piece of jewelry. This piercing is slightly more complicated because the piercer has to measure the space between the piercings correctly, but it shouldn't be a problem for a professional.

Cartilage does take longer to heal than the earlobe - and this piercing will be the equivalent of a year to completely heal. It may look fine and feel fine after six months, but I am not saying it's fully healed; twelve months is apparently the magic number for Helix Piercings. Cell phone use, sleeping on it, gel from your hair, dirty fingers touching the piercing, and ignoring proper aftercare procedures will probably result in an infection. This is avoided by not touching the piercing, soaking it in warm saline solution, not banging objects against it (cell phones really are the biggest offenders), and having a gentle touch will significantly help in preventing infection. Even with constant care, swelling, redness, and bleeding are still common occurrences for the first couple weeks, but these should all subside by two months or so.

As many people do, you may get multiple piercings in your Helix. This can be a wonderful way to express your individuality and creativity, but just allow time for you're to heal before changing the jewelry. Have fun with your Helix piercing, and remember with Helix piercings, your imagination is the only limit!

About the Author:

Find more about belly button rings you'll love. Includes sites related to piercing body you can access from here!

Tattoo Machines Are A Safe Way To Apply Tattoos

By Rian Haswanda

Tattoo guns are the machines that are employed to create and apply tattoos. These guns can also be known as tattoo machines. They are used for years to create stylish and beautiful pieces of body art. Today, tattoo machines are used in shops and parlors worldwide.

The tattoo gun was invented in the 1870s. It was invented by the famous inventor Thomas Edison. But it was not can be used as a tattoo machine. Edison intended the machine for use as an engraving machine. However, in the 1890s another inventor found that Edison's gun could be harnessed for a machine to introduce ink into a person's skin for tattooing. Thus, the first tattoo gun was created.

Since its creation in the late 1800s, tattoo guns already went through a process of modernization. Guns today now use electromagnets. Electromagnets allow the tattoo artist to control the tattoo process. The artist can control the depth of the tattoo needle, the speed of the needle and the force of the tattooing process. They are an effective and precise way to create and apply a tattoo of any size.

Tattoo machines or guns are made in various sizes. Some machines were made to apply one color and other machines enable you to apply multiple colors. Regardless of size and use of a tattoo gun the right care and maintenance is important. Guns that are maintained and cared for properly will produce high quality and beautiful tattoos.

Some people choose to create a tattoo gun at home. A homemade gun can actually be made rather easily. However, unless a tattoo machine is made properly it could be very dangerous. Both tattoo and medical professionals do not recommend the application of a homemade tattoo gun.

Tattoo machines are the modern way to apply tattoos. Before the invention of tattoo machines tattoos were applied by hand. Hand applied tattoos often looked sloppy. The designs were not as accurate as they might have been. Plus, the tattooing process was usually not very safe. Some people who received a tattoo wound up with skin problems or other infections.

Once the tattoo machine was invented incidents of problems related to tattoos decreased tremendously. Tattoo guns created a sterile application process for tattoos, at least when they were used properly. Even today tattooing is not totally safe. Artists should be trained in appropriate sterilization and use of tattoo supplies. Appropriate training will always ensure a safe and healthy tattoo application process.

Tattoo machines can be sold separately and maybe they are often sold in tattoo kits. Guns that are sold in tattoo kits are a good choice for small tattoo shops or beginning artists that are learning the trade and art of tattooing. Tattoo kits often include other items besides guns. These items include inks and other items that an artist needs to successfully operate a tattoo gun and complete the tattooing process.

About the Author:

tattoo supply tips and hints. How it works, for those that want to know. Our site provides essential information on tattoo tiger.

Keyword Choice For Search Engine Campaigns

By Fred Black

One of the many ingredients that helps determine the success, or maybe failure, of your search engine optimization (SEO) marketing campaign is the keyword choice. Even though this might not exactly appear like much, selecting the best keyword to use for ones website is probably the more grueling aspects of your entire SEO procedure, especially if you aim to locate one that will be most beneficial for your site's search engine optimization.

When using keywords for Search engine optimization, you just need to follow a few straightforward steps so as to appropriately find the suitable keyword that will perform the job. There's also a couple of things you need to be aware of to prevent any issues any time seeking to improve your web page.

Take an inventory

The first thing that you need to perform if you wish to manage to use keywords properly will be to start out by designing a list of "key" keywords or key phrases which might be strongly related the content of ones internet site, and by doing this, it may actually make you create or discover more keywords or phrases that may blossom from the original one that you have decided on.

Select key phrases or words

As soon as you've made a checklist, seek to decide on ones that includes a "key" keyword or even phrase that can help you identify your site's articles. Let's say your site's content material is about cars and trucks, utilizing cars as a keyword probably won't place you high up in the web page ranking of search engines, especially since a great deal of sites or pages have that as a keyword. Stay away from making use of words or phrases that are way too standard, because this won't help improve your page ranking. By adding other key words to your chosen keyword, like "second-hand cars", or perhaps "second-hand sports cars" would really assist in improving your odds of rising higher in the page rankings. Make absolutely certain that these are tightly related to your site's content.

Check your levels of competition

It may also help when you took the time to look for keywords or phrases that your competition are using to help you define which ones to use, and those to avoid. There isn't any sense in making use of a type of keyword or phrase, such as "cars", which a great deal or almost all of your competitors are utilizing at the same time, of course, if their site's are generally ranked high up in the search engine's index, then you could have a hard time going up against that.

Utilize your location

You may also enhance your chances of getting a lot better page ranking result when you incorporate your location to the keyword or phrase that you will be attempting to use. Why don't we say your business is found somewhere in Minnesota, simply by introducing the word "Minnesota" to your keyword selection ("Minnesota second-hand sports cars"), you are able to fair far better in the page ranking. Nevertheless, this type of technique usually entails that individuals are intending to finding you in person whenever they perform searches this way, consequently just be sure you only employ this approach if you are ready to accept the thought of them visiting you in person.

Use your market

Constantly make an effort to opt for the keyword that you are experts in, or at best the one that offers you with the most profit. Remember you want to provide the keyword that best explains your organization, but if the search volume of customers can be angling towards one that is not your main product, you'll be able to actually decide to employ that keyword instead, provided that keyword is still related or relevant to your site's content material.

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on a great marketing book, then visit www.emarketingbook.org right away.

Bucs Top Jags In NFL Preseason Nailbiter

By Ross Everett

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers managed to escape with a win at Jacksonville on Saturday night, but by the narrowest of margins. The Jags decided to go for a 2 point conversion and the win instead of the tie after a last minute touchdown. The attempt failed, and the Bucs survived to win by a 24-23 final score.

A quarterback battle may be brewing in Tampa, as starter Byron Leftwich was outplayed by backup Luke McCown. Leftwich moved the team into Jacksonville territory on three occasions, but came away with only a field goal. He was upbeat as he evaluated his play after the game:

"We did some good things. I didn't play great, but I played OK. We wanted to look better. We wanted to understand situations better."

Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris had little comment on his QBs play, but indicated that he'd look to name a starter later this week:

"Everything plays a big part of this decision -- OTAs, mini-camp, the games. These games count for a little bit more. We'll evaluate the leadership and everything about the QB play. I can't ask for a better competition and can't ask for a better group and can't ask for better results. Got to make the decision now."

A bright spot for the Jaguars was the play of wide receiver Troy Williamson. Williamson was a disappointment after he was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings out of the University of South Carolina, but has given the Jags a much needed deep threat. Williamson caught two deep passes from QB David Gararrd and finished with 147 yards. He caught four passes for 74 yards in Jacksonvilles opening game of the preseason. After the game, he said that hes just trying to work hard:

"I am just out there working I'm doing more and more stuff to get my confidence back up. I feel good and comfortable with the offense."

Tampa Bay will host Miami next Thursday night, while Jacksonville will look to get their first win of the NFL preseason as they travel to Philadelphia.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

MMA Flashback: Bobby Lashley Destroys Mike Cook At MFC 21

By Ross Everett

Here's a word of advice to future opponents of Bobby Lashley--don't make fun of his background in professional wrestling. Mike Cook found that out the hard way in the co-main event of the Maximum Fighting Championships MFC 21: Hard Knocks event. After spending the run up to fight week making fun of Lashley's tenure in the WWE, Cook lasted a mere :24 seconds before being choked unconscious via a guillotine choke.

Perhaps Cook felt he was creating some sort of self doubt in the former WWE superstar by suggesting that he was out of his element in a real fight, but he turned it up a notch at the weigh in and in his ring entrance by donning a Mexican Lucha Libre mask. That clearly incensed the massive 64 250 pound Lashley, who despite his inexperience in MMA is hardly the sort of individual prone to losing bowel control at the prospect of a fight.

Even after the opening bell rang, Cooks arrogant approach to the fight continued as he immediately clinched with his opponent as if he had no regard whatsoever for Lashley's strength. Lashley immediately locked in a guillotine choke and basically yanked Cook down to the mat by his head. Once on the canvas, Lashley cinched it in deeper as Cook flopped around"partially in an effort to escape, partially in an involuntary muscle reaction as he sunk into unconsciousness.

After the fight Lashley gave his opponent a hug and flashed his trademark megawatt smile as if to say I told you so. In his postfight interview, however, he did slip in a final verbal jab toward his vanquished opponent saying that he didn't come to play and that he is all business before quipping that now Cook can go put the mask back on and have fun with himself'.

Despite the fact that mixed martial arts and professional wrestling have been interwoven from the beginning, the American Top Team trained Lashley has been singled out by less knowledgeable fans for his tenure in the WWE. Against his next opponent, Bob Sapp, hell be facing a foe that has also spent some time in the worked environment of professional wrestling. In addition to his legit fighting experience in K-1 and PRIDE, Sapp has worked for several Japanese pro wrestling organizations and briefly held the prestigious IWGP Championship.

Even though Sapp's days as a serious fighter are long past and he likely spends less time in the gym during a given year than Lashley does in a month, he does present an element of danger. Hes still got decent punching power, and his sheer bulk will be a challenge for Lashley who could give up as much as 100 pounds come fight night. Still, Sapp's only victories in several years have been against overmatched and/or outsized opponents.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Roller Girls Revive A Moribund Sport

By Ross Everett

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

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

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

This organic rebirth and growth of roller derby is a result of young women taking what essentially was TV time filler and made it into their own distaff 'action sport'. The roller derby circa 2009 is a matriarchal success story. No one is in it for the money, as these local groups are typically run as non-profit organization. The women involved have recreated this sport, and run it, promote it and compete in it on their own terms.

The new generation rollergirls also pay homage to their sports' pioneers much in the same way that skateboarders give props to Duane Peters and Tony Alva. Many of the individual group websites have sections devoted to the history of roller derby, and the late Ann Calvello--regarded as the Queen of the original Roller Derby--is revered as something of a patron saint. The Texas Rollergirl group featured in the A&E series has renamed their championship the Calvello Cup.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

UFC 94 Flashback: GSP Destroys BJ Penn

By Ross Everett

BJ Penn entered his main event battle against welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre looking to become the first man in UFC history to simultaneously hold titles in two weight classes. GSP never gave him the chance to make history, as he stopped Penn after four increasingly dominant rounds to retain his belt with a TKO victory and make a compelling case for being the pound for pound best fighter in mixed martial arts.

During ring introductions, both men received enthusiastic cheers tempered with a few boos. After the opening horn sounded, however, the Penn backers had little to cheer about . The first round was fairly evenly contested, with St. Pierre trying to get a first hand feel for Penn's often unorthodox takedown defense. GSP made several takedown attempts, but had them repeatedly stuffed.

Boxing guru Freddy Roach recently praised Penn as the best technical puncher in MMA, but he had no opportunity to bring this weapon to bear as he had trouble finding the range from the outset. GSP mixed up his look perfectly, either staying just outside Penns range using his 6 reach advantage effectively or more often smothering his opponent on takedown attempts.

GSP began to assert his dominance in round two"with Penn starting to fatigue he was no longer able to fend off St. Pierres single leg takedown attempts by balancing on one leg. GSP got a takedown early in the frame and began to mount a ground and pound assault while moving around in Penns legendary guard almost at will moving from half guard to side control with frightening ease.

The eventual outcome was foretold between rounds two and three, as the obviously exhausted Penn required a pep talk from his entourage that his fatigue was all in his head. Across the cage, GSP calmly sipped water and listened intently to trainer Greg Jacksons instructions looking for all the world that he could go 12 rounds if necessary.

Round three was similar to the previous one, with GSP taking his opponent to the mat with a decreasing level of resistance and mauling him with punches and elbows once he got there. His complete control over the BJJ black belt Penn was incredible, but hardly surprising given the way that GSP dominated four time NCAA All American wrestler Josh Koscheck on the ground during their matchup.

The fourth round was a wall to wall rout for the welterweight champion, who started by effectively trading strikes with Penn before taking him down once again and resuming his highly successful ground based attack. At this point with GSP moving around at ease and Penn mounting little resistance it was apparent that the challenger was physically spent. St. Pierre almost ended the fight on the ground, as referee Herb Dean repeatedly reminding Penn that he needs to fight back. Penn survived the round on instinct alone, moving around just enough to keep the referee from stopping the proceedings. After the horn sounded to end the fourth round, however, it was evident that Penn had nothing physically or emotionally left and the fight was stopped by Dean on advice from the ringside physician.

Displaying his characteristic class, GSP delayed his celebration until he had crossed the cage and kneeled by his vanquished foe to honor his competitive spirit. After a quick celebration among GSP and his team, he faced his next challenger in the person of Thiago Alves. While clearly brought into the cage to start the fight promotion early, Alves appeared somewhat in awe as he congratulated the welterweight champion on his victory.

In the co-feature attraction, Lyoto Machida kept his undefeated professional MMA record intact with a first round TKO victory over Thiago Silva. Silva had no answer for Machidas well rounded skills and unorthodox Shotokan karate based style. Machida may be the best in the world at fighting while backing up, and Silva found his aggressive style working against him. Machida took his opponent down and knocked his opponent down twice"all counters as Silva was coming forward and Machida backing away. As the first round entered its final seconds, it appeared that Silva started to ease up in anticipation of the horn. Machida used this opportunity for another takedown, and then nailed his surprised opponent with a powerful punch that ended the fight.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Edmonton Gains Sole Possession Of First Place In CFL West With Win Over Stamps

By Ross Everett

The Edmonton Eskimos survived a wild back and forth CFL shootout against the Calgary Stampeders before prevailing 38-35 to take over sole possession of first place in the CFL West. Ricky Ray hit Fred Stamps with a 23 yard touchdown pass with just nine seconds to play to earn the victory, erasing the lead that Calgary had earned with their own TD pass less than a half minute earlier.

After the game, winning QB Ricky Ray said that he enjoyed the wild contest:

"That was a ton of fun. In the CFL you get to play in a lot of games like this, especially against a guy like (Calgary quarterback Henry) Burris, who has done this to us. It's great to come out on the winning end of a shoot-out like that. It's a great uplift for the team. It's a huge win for us."

With a bye week on deck, Eskimos head coach Richie Hall said that the outcome couldnt have been timed any better:

"Regardless of what happens, we are coming back in first place. Now we have one up on Calgary. It's going to be a dogfight for all the teams in the West and any chance you get to win, especially a win like this, it's a real bonus. It's great for our confidence."

Calgarys Burris remembered a very similar game last year:

"They got us last year in this situation and of course you didn't think it was going to happen again or even could happen again. It felt so great to get that late touchdown and with 38 seconds on the clock nobody was even thinking about last year. We had to stop Jackson and we didn't. And we had to stop Ray and we didn't. Kudos to Edmonton."

Calgary returns to action on Aug. 28 in Toronto while the Eskimos will next play on Aug. 29 when they host Hamilton. The two CFL provincial rivals from Alberta will face each other twice more this season.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on baseball betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Lamar Odom Signs Contract To Return To NBA Champs

By Ross Everett

After some tense moments during a 'communication breakdown', both Lamar Odom and the Los Angeles Lakers got what they really wanted all along. The Lakers retained the services of their valuable sixth man, and Odom will return to the team after an intense recruiting pitch from the Miami Heat.

Terms of the deal weren't immediately released, but both player and team appeared relieved that things had worked out. In early July, negotiations broke down after some miscommunication between Odom's agent and Lakers' owner Dr. Jerry Buss. While Odom worked to mend fences--including several personal phone calls to Dr. Buss--his agent was receiving interest from a number of teams. Miami, in particular, was extremely interest bringing out some heavy hitters including Dwayne Wade and Pat Riley to make a recruiting pitch.

None of the competing offers were as compelling as returning to the NBA champion Lakers. At the official signing ceremony, he hinted that a dynasty could be in the making:

"I guess basketball-wise, I feel complete. I want to feel it again. It's kind of an overwhelming feeling. I get goose bumps when I think about it, and as long as I continue to play professional basketball, I want to always feel that. The way I feel during the summer, I always want to feel that. If we can win six, seven, eight, nine, 10 championships in a row, I want to experience that."

The only significant loss to last years NBA title winning team was Trevor Ariza, but the teams signing of Ron Artest is likely an upgrade. Artest brings not only his infamous swagger and intensity, but an element of toughness and versatility that Ariza lacked. Such was Odoms commitment to the Lakers is that even during his free agency, he helped recruit Artest to sign with the team:

"I spoke to Ron two days before he signed, and I told him how important I think it is for him to come here. Because I know how hard he works, he needs to experience basketball at its best, at the highest level, and he needs to become a Laker. Two days after that, he signed."

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak sounded relieved that everything worked out in the end:

"Three or four months ago, I didn't think it could be possible that we could basically bring this team back in whole. Lamar had a wonderful season that ended on the best possible note you could have, and Lamar had a lot of options. ... Here it is, July 31, and we have brought back everybody that we wanted to bring back."

Odom noted that his perception of L.A. as his home made a big difference in his decision:

"I didn't want my kids to have to change schools -- just the little things. I'm comfortable here. I've been here since I was' years old. I'm proud to be playing for what I think is the most popular brand in sports.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Blazers Sign All Star Guard Roy To 5 Year Contract Extension

By Ross Everett

After a summer of negotiational back and forth during which both sides indicated at various points that they were far apart and then making progress, the Portland Trailblazers have inked All Star shooting guard Brandon Roy to a five year contract extension. Roy will be in the final year of his rookie contract in the forthcoming NBA season, and securing the services of a player that did no less than turn around the franchise was the teams top summer priority.

The on court success and off court class of Brandon Roy may have saved the Portland NBA franchise. The Blazers slumped from their glory years of the 1970's and 1980's as the 1990's progressed, eventually pulling together a roster consisting of character challenged reprobates that earned the moniker JailBlazers for their frequent legal transgressions.

In the late 1990's, Portland owner Paul Allen finally had enough and cleaned house. The new management was given the charge to put together a roster that would not only win games, but win back the Rose City fans. The acquisition of Roy will likely be looked at as the turning point for this effort. The Blazers acquired Roy on draft day 2006 for Randy Foye, and would go on to win the NBAs rookie of the year award.

Since that point, Roy has become the face of the franchise. Roy has become the centerpiece of a talented young team had has not only become a force in the NBAs Western Conference but has gone a long way to winning back the Portland fan base. The current crop of Blazers is more likely to be found in the aisles at Home Depot or at Starbucks than in the police blotter, and the team seldom puts forth a substandard effort on the court.

The first four years of Roy's 5 year $84 million deal are guaranteed, while the fifth is at the players option. Roys agent Bob Myers strongly suggested that Roy wanted to remain with the Blazers for his entire career, noting that he "is one of the unique players to have a chance to have that sort of relationship with one team."

The team will now turn its attention to signing a long term deal with forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is also in the final year of his rookie contract and a key component to the teams recent success. At last report, talks between the two sides are progressing.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer and highly respected authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Japanese Pro Wrestling Legend Mitsuharu Misawa Remembered

By Ross Everett

Mitsuharu Misawa died in Hiroshima, Japan earlier this year less than a week before his 47th birthday. Akitoshi Saito hit a back suplex on Misawa, which appeared to knock him unconscious. Medical staff attempted to revive him in the ring, but when CPR failed he was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Initial reports in the Japanese media suggest that he was pronounced dead at the hospital, but a number of eyewitness accounts have speculated that he may have died in the ring.

That's at least a small bit of solace amid the tragedy of Misawa's death--he died in the ring doing what he loved, and what he did better than just about anyone on the planet. Misawa's last moments were spent working the kind of brutally stiff, athletically realistic match that got a generation hooked on Japanese wrestling.

Misawa was a top level high school wrestler, and that got him noticed by All Japan Pro Wrestling majordomo Shohei Giant Baba. He made his professional debut in'81, and got his first big break in'84 when he was chosen as the second Tiger Mask replacing Satoru Sayama. In'90, he had his longtime tag team partner (and occasional rival) Toshiaki Kawada unmask him.

Misawa would wrestle as himself from then on, and become an even bigger star in the process. In June,'90 he became one of the top stars in All Japan Pro Wrestling when he defeated Jumbo Tsuruta. That match was his first main event appearance at the famous Nippon Budokan. He soon faced Triple Crown Champion Stan Hansen in an unsuccessful challenge for the title, and would become the biggest star in Japanese pro wrestling for the next decade.

He had legendary battles against Kawada, Hansen, Kenta Kobashi, and Steve Dr. Death Williams in singles competition. Misawa would continue as a mainstay in AJPW until the early part of this decade. After the death of Giant Baba, he left to establish Pro Wrestling NOAH. He would serve as the companys president while wrestling a full time schedule until his untimely death.

Japanese pro wrestling served as a gateway drug for many into shoot fight sports and MMA. Before the Internet, fans would trade videotapes to stay up on the latest matches from Japan and along with Jushin Thunder Liger and The Great Muta Keiji Mutoh it safe to say that Misawa is one of the wrestlers most responsible for getting a generation of American fans hooked on the product. For American fans at the time"and with the WWE at its creative low point"the All Japan and New Japan Pro Wrestling product was nothing short of a revelation.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on NFL football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Delhomme Continues To Struggle In Panthers' Loss To Bills

By Ross Everett

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.