有村智恵、復帰第2戦目は2オーバー27位T発進「やっとスタート」

2012年04月06日18時28分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 吉田　弓美子 -3
アン・ソンジュ -3
3 T・ルー -2
申　ジエ -2
笠　りつ子 -2
山本　薫里 -2
7 大城　さつき -1
木戸　愛 -1
佐伯　三貴 -1
藤本　麻子 -1


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復帰2戦目はガマンして2オーバー発進（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）






＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　初日◇6日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　「スタジオアリス女子オープン」が開幕。この試合が復帰2戦目となる有村智恵は首位と5打差の2オーバーの27位タイとまずまずのスタートを切った。

撮れたてトーナメントLIVE写真館

　復帰初戦では8オーバー87位タイと大きく出遅れてしまったが、この大会では予選通過圏内でのスタート。「やっとスタートして2割ぐらい出来上がった感じです」とホッとした表情をみせた有村だが、「74回打って、いいショットだったのは5回だけ。自分の中では手ごたえがあったわけではない」ともちろん2割の出来に満足はしていない。

　「しっかり足場を固めて、できるだけ早く上に行きたい」、今だアイアンとウェッジの距離感は戻っておらず、試合と練習両方での調整が続く。

　「下(地面)が軟らかいので、恐怖心は和らいでいます」雨の影響でフェアウェイが軟らかくなっているため、ケガの再発を気にしなくていいのは大きな救い。有村の自分のゴルフを取り戻す戦いはまだ始まったばかりだ。

【初日の順位】
1位T：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
1位T：アン・ソンジュ(-3)
3位T：山本薫里(-2)
3位T：テレサ・ルー(-2)
3位T：申ジエ(-2)
3位T：笠りつ子(-2)
7位T：佐伯三貴(-1)他5名

27位T：有村智恵(+2)他11名
39位T：横峯さくら(+3)10名
101位T：斉藤愛璃(+8)他4名

横峯さくらは初日39位タイ「焦らず自分のペースで」

2012年04月06日19時01分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 吉田　弓美子 -3
アン・ソンジュ -3
3 T・ルー -2
申　ジエ -2
笠　りつ子 -2
山本　薫里 -2
7 大城　さつき -1
木戸　愛 -1
佐伯　三貴 -1
藤本　麻子 -1


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思うようにゴルフが噛み合わず苦しいシーズンとなっているさくら（撮影：ＡＬＢＡ）






＜スタジオアリス女子オープン　初日◇6日◇花屋敷ゴルフ倶楽部 よかわコース(6,483ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内女子ツアー「スタジオアリス女子オープン」が開幕。今季、賞金女王奪還を目指す横峯さくらは3オーバー39位タイ発進となった。

【関連リンク】さくら、有村らの写真満載！LIVE写真館で初日をレポート！

　この日はバーディを1つも奪えずホールアウトした横峯。「前半で3つボギーを打って…凡ミスでした」と風の読み間違いや、5番パー5では3パットをしてしまうなど思うようなプレーが出来なかったことを悔やんだ。しかし、懸念事項だった左にいくミスはなく「不安要素がないのでだいぶ先週とは違いますね」と表情は決して暗くはない。

　「結果にはまだ結びついていないけど、焦らず自分のペースでやっていきたい」と最後は前向きに話した横峯。今季初優勝に向け、明日の第2ラウンドで巻き返しを狙う。

【初日の順位】
1位T：比嘉真美子(-3)※アマチュア
1位T：アン・ソンジュ(-3)
3位T：山本薫里(-2)
3位T：テレサ・ルー(-2)
3位T：申ジエ(-2)
3位T：笠りつ子(-2)
7位T：佐伯三貴(-1)他5名

27位T：有村智恵(+2)他11名
39位T：横峯さくら(+3)10名
101位T：斉藤愛璃(+8)他4名

遼、1アンダー57位タイ発進「自分の勢いを自分で止めてしまった」

2012年09月13日18時13分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


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パッティングの取りこぼしが目立った初日、巻き返しはなるか（撮影：米山聡明）








【もっと写真を見る（9）】




＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕した、国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。ホストプロの石川遼は出入りの激しいゴルフで、1アンダー57位タイとやや出遅れた。

【関連リンク】石川遼の1打速報でこの日のプレーを振り返る！

　石川は出だしから連続ボギーと不安な立ち上がり。ギャラリーからため息と失望の声が聞こえてくる中、12番パー5ではバーディを奪取。息を吹き返すと、15番、16番で連続バーディを奪取。スコアをアンダーまで持ってくることに成功する。しかし、17番パー5では1メートル以内の短いパーパットがカップに蹴られボギー。18番でも短いパーパットを決めきれず、1オーバーに後退して折り返す。

　後半に入るとショットもパットも安定し、着実にパーを重ねて行く。5番パー5では2オンに成功、イーグルは逃したが楽々バーディを奪取。7番では約8メートルのパットをねじ込み1アンダーにスコアを戻し、初日の競技を終えた。

　「前半はショットが良くなかった。なんとか調整しようとして、精一杯になってしまって…。後半はショットを修正していいプレーができたと思います」とこの日のラウンドを振り返った石川。「スイングにキレがなく、ボールを打ちぬけずになでてしまっていたスイングでしたね。朝の練習場ではいいスイングだったのに。自分の勢いを自分で止めてしまっていますね」と自らのプレーを反省した。

　明日からは「一打一打しっかりイメージが出来上がってから打つ。当たり前のことをしっかりやっていきたいです」。初日はホスト大会で気合が入りすぎたか若干カラ回りしてしまった感があったが、明日は平常心を取り戻し地に足をしっかりと付け巻き返しを狙う。

アマ伊藤、昨年の経験糧に7位タイ発進！「今年も最終日最終組で」

2012年09月13日18時15分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


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高校生アマが今年も大会を盛り上げてくれそうだ（撮影：米山聡明）








＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。昨年大会で2日目終了時点で首位に立ち、最終日最終組でラウンド。結果は3打差の6位タイに終わったが、大会を大いに盛り上げたアマチュア・伊藤誠道が今年も好スタートを切った。

伊藤誠道「良い経験になりました」　昨年大会

　伊藤はINコースからスタート。前半出入りの激しいゴルフになってしまい、イーブンパーで折り返すと、後半は2番で5メートルを決めたのを皮切りに3連続バーディを奪取。6番でも2メートルを沈め、後半だけで4つスコアを伸ばし、首位と3打差の4アンダー7位タイと上位につけた。

　「ここは大好きです。芝質とか雰囲気とか、食べ物も美味しいし」と相性のいいコースでの好発進に笑顔をみせた伊藤。昨年の「経験が糧になって自信がつきました。去年は刻んだけど、今年はアグレッシブに変わったかな」今年の6月ぐらいから15～20ヤード飛距離も伸びたそうで、昨年よりも攻めるプレーができるようになってきた。

　伊藤は今年「自分の中でやってみたいと思いましたし、モチベーションを上げるためにも受けました」という理由からクオリファイング・トーナメント（QT）を受験。今月7日に栃木県のサンヒルズカントリークラブで行われたセカンドQTを突破した。プロになるかは「まったく考えていません。なりゆきです」とのこと。この秋は「今週と来週(パナソニックオープン)、キャノンオープンとあるので上位に入ることを目標に頑張りたい」とここから3試合に出場。「今はアマチュアが勝てる時代だと思うし、4日間コツコツとスコアを伸ばして、今年も最終日最終組で回れたら嬉しいですね」。昨年の自分を超える為、まずは最終日まで上位にいられるようスコアを伸ばしていく。

昨日が誕生日の丸山茂樹、満身創痍ながら7位タイと好スタート！

2012年09月13日18時19分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


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最終日までマルちゃんスマイルを見ることができるか（撮影：米山聡明）







＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕した、国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」の初日。ケガに悩まされ続けている丸山茂樹が、5バーディ・1ボギーの68をマーク。首位と3打差の7位タイと初日上位につけた。

丸山茂樹の今季成績

　丸山は左手親指付け根のケガに加え、8月には右ヒザを負傷。この日も「親指は腫れちゃってるし、右ヒザも外側の軟骨に水がたまって」いる最悪のコンディション。しかし「ジャンボ(尾崎)さんも中嶋(常幸)さんもそういう怪我を乗りこえて今があるんだと思います」と偉大な先人たちを思い、強い気持ちでプレーした。

　昨日誕生日を迎え「後厄の42歳が終わって、家族もいいことがあるよって言ってくれて4アンダー。自分の中では楽しくもあり良い一日でした」仲間たちからも祝福された43歳は上々のスタート。09年の最終戦「ゴルフ日本シリーズJTカップ」以来勝ち星がない丸山。「あまり上位にこれてないので、何かを残したいね」4日間戦い抜くには厳しい状況だが最後の最後まで最善を尽くしてプレーする。

鉄人・平塚哲二が“65”をマーク、単独首位に

2012年09月13日18時27分




リーダーズボード
順位 選手名 スコア1 平塚　哲二 -7
2 W・ウェンチョン -6
3 キム・ヒョンソン -5
イ・キョンフン -5
上井　邦浩 -5
キム・ヒョンテ -5
7 伊藤　誠道 -4
細川　和彦 -4
池田　勇太 -4
片山　晋呉 -4


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単独首位に立った平塚哲二（撮影：米山聡明）








＜ANAオープン　初日◇13日◇札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コース(7,063ヤード・パー72)＞

　国内男子ツアー「ANAオープン」が北海道にある札幌ゴルフ倶楽部 輪厚コースを舞台に開幕。初日の競技を終え、7アンダーの平塚哲二が首位に、1打差の2位にはリャン・ウェンチョン(中国)。2打差の3位タイには上井邦浩らがつけた。昨年、最終日最終日を回ったアマチュアの伊藤誠道と池田勇太は3打差の7位タイ、ホストプロの石川遼は1アンダー57位タイと出遅れた。

　平塚は7バーディ・ノーボギーの65をマーク。ドライバーは「コース内にあればいい状態(笑)」と荒れたが、好調のショートアイアンとパットでバーディを量産した。7月の「長嶋茂雄 INVITATIONAL セガサミーカップゴルフトーナメント」の月曜日、練習中に頚椎を捻挫。一時は練習がまったく出来ないほどの痛みに襲われ、このところ調子を落としていたが、先週からショット練習を少なめに、ショートゲームの練習量を増やしたのが奏功。今大会での好スタートにつながった。

　現在も「首の筋肉が張っている状態」だというが、このまま残り3日間突っ走ることができるか。ちなみに平塚はツアーでも屈指の酒豪、このケガの後も酒は断っていないそうで「酒やめたら終わってしまう」と豪快に笑っていた。

Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions

Almost everybody, girls and boys are equally fascinated to the activity of paintball, which links them to for entertainment.

Paintball is always an exciting activity for recreation, particularly when there are many participants active in the games. However due to paintball guns firing at around 300ftp, which is a very high speed, this exciting activity can turn dangerous for you and the other participants. That is why these top 9 paintball tips for safety Precautions should be exercised at all times. When these safety precautions are applied paintball is a very safe activity.

Here are the Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions that you and everyone in your group should take care of:
Your number one protection from injury from paintballs is your goggles/masks so prior to the game a check should be done every time. Little cracks on the lens should not be overlooked and should be examined by a professional. A small crack might seem harmless; however, it may not be able to bear paintballs traveling at 300fps. Chances are that these lenses would not be capable of protecting your eyes.
If your paintball gun/marker is not in use (excluding when it is dismantled), a barrel bag should be covering the tip of the barrel at all times so if the gun/marker accidentally misfires it will be caught in the bag and won't strike anyone. Also never and I mean never look down your barrel when it's on and connected to an air source.
If the air tank/propellant is being extremely difficult to remove, don't force it off. It might need to be decompressed. Ask someone with more experience if needed.
Specific paintball goggles/masks should only be uses in games. Never use just any mask found around home.
If any required repair for your gear (paintball gun) even if it's a minor one, seek a profession and ask them if you're capable at your knowledge level to repair the problem.
Never leave your air tank/ propellant in direct sunlight when not in use. it may increase to a quite dangerous increasing level.
When playing paintball games, select a referee who is responsible for stopping and starting the game. Players shouldn't begin firing paintball gun until the referee signals the start and end of the game.
Make sure of one thing that you don't ever overfill your air tank/propellants.
Never shoot paintball guns at any animal. It may appear like harmless pleasure, but paintballs go out the gun at soaring velocity that could cause damage to pets as well as other animals.You should not shoot paintballs in social places. Ideally, these paintball games (woodsball, speedball, and scenario) must be played in private areas like designation paintball grassland or open fields. This way, one can stay away from splattering paintballs over cars, homes as well as people passing. With these easy and modest safety precautions for paintball players, you can for sure have fun in playing paintball every minute. After following these Top 9 Paintball Tips For Safety Precautions you can avoid any kind of injury and save yourself from the emergency room. Always play this game with full precautions and do not let the fun game turn into an emergency ward for you!

Paintball is an exciting and entertaining pastime to play with friends, co-workers and family when the proper precautions are fallowed.

The Features I Like About Minn Kota Trolling Motors

I’ve been around the fishing world for a while… over 20 years, to be more specific.

I've learned a lot of things about fishing and boating equipment during that time. I have also developed some opinions about that equipment. Some of them are good and well worth the money spent, and some is just plain crap and not worth the money spent to package it.

This holds true when it comes to electric trolling motors. There are good models and there are bad models. There are also big differences between the famous brands of trolling motors. Let me explain.

There are only a small number of trolling motor manufacturers in the entire industry. Regardless of what brand you see on a trolling motor, it’s made by one of those few manufacturers.

If you look around, you’ll see that Minn Kota Trolling Motors and Motorguide Trolling Motors are the top in the industry when it comes too brand recognition and popularity.

Base on my own experience for many years, I prefer Minn Kota Trolling Motors and, in my opinion, they’re a lot better. Here’s why.

Functionality – The newest Minn Kota models are extremely functional. The features built in to the newest motors are purely functional. There is no fluff.

Durability – This is one of my favorite parts of the new Minn Kota motors. These motors last, and for a very long time. Under normal conditions, these motors will last far longer than you would ever expect. Even under extreme conditions and use they outlast the motors of years past by 100% or more!

Reliability – I never worry about my trolling motor not working. When I need it, it works. Plain and simple. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Design – Minn Kota has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars (possibly even millions of $) over the past decade, perfecting their design, making it more useful and easier to use. The foot pedal is not anymore clunky and uncomfortable to use. Everything about the design of these motors is user-friendly.

Let me talk a little more about the durability factor, because this is what makes these motors better than the others. Have you ever hit a stump or rock with your trolling motor? If so, you know that this can absolutely ruin a fishing trip… unless you’re running a Minn Kota.

Over a decade ago Minn Kota stopped making their trolling motor shafts from steel and started making them from a composite material that gives them a new element of "unbreakableness", if you will.

You no longer need to worry about hitting an underwater obstruction making the shaft bent in a weird angle, rendering it useless.

With the composite shaft, hitting a stump or rock simply causes the shaft to flex under pressure and then go right back to its original condition, plain and simple.

This is a no-nonsense engineering feat on the part of the Minn Kota R&D team. Not having to worry about bending the motor’s shaft means being able to concentrate on fishing, not on where the stumps are.

Best Ways Of Golf Chipping

A short golf game is more favorable. The following should be attached in your mind to defeat them in a short game.

Before we start, please bear in mind that there are chips that are available to make you closer to the green. To reiterate, you should consider adopting different methods to be victorious. Your talent in chipping must be accompanied by the cooperation of the grass, distance from the hole, as well as the green itself.

First, the standard chip chipping. It is employed when you are near the green. To be more effective, you should use a nine-iron club. Greater chance of getting the victory if you were able to fly the ball 1/3 above the cup then fall on its way around the green. It is properly performed in the middle of your stance with hands beyond the ball facing the square.

Another must-know is the soft shot. This shot makes the ball fall softly then roll near or into the hole after a proper stroke. The proper club for this shot is the lob wedge.

To be able to make this shot, you should loosen your hand a bit while holding the club. Swing towards the ball while holding the club. You must appreciate the importance of speeding the swing accurately before making the strike. You should approximate the arc where you decide the ball to fall then roll.

If the ball falls far away from the hole, try the low spinning chip shot. Have your mid-iron club in perfecting this type of shot. You don't have to put it too far back in your stance.. A quick reminder, your arm should be ahead of the club and it should be the square that should hit the ball.

The said shot is distinct from others because it can roll significantly near the goal. This usually happens when the ball is near the trap.

The thing that should be a part of your system is the usage of all the tools in playing the said sport. Every club has its own shaft with a lance (grip) and a clubhead, you need to hold them differently.

The game always require the mastery of soft and standard shots. They are followed by low shot, please include it in your habit. It is more difficult than the first two but it would make you more confident.

Learning these tips can make you famous in the game of golf. Practice is the bridge to perfection.

A Quick Lesson about Proper Horse Riding Skills

Are there any real doubts that horse riding is an art? It takes skill, passion and the proper mindset. You need to not only love animals but also dedicate your daily life their care. Your horses become just as important to their owner’s lives as if they were their own family members. If you believe that you possess these qualities, then you most certainly have what it takes to become an expert horse rider.

Before you even think about climbing onto the back of a horse for an afternoon ride, you better be properly dressed for both safety and comfort. The most important item you’ll need is a helmet. In accidents involving falls, horse riding helmets protect your skull from an otherwise avoidable injury. Another piece of horse riding attire is riding boots. Find a pair which is comfortable and not too wide. You don’t want them getting stuck in the horse’s stirrups so that’s why you want a thinner boot.

Knee or ankle height boots with a low heel are adequate for simple, low-impact riding for example. I also personally like to ride while wearing gloves with a no-slip grip on the palm. Gloves allow you to comfortably hold on to the reins as you guide the horse. Now that you are all properly dressed, you can begin gearing up your horse.

You’ll need a bridle, a saddle pad, and a saddle. Move slowly and carefully when placing these on the horse. The last thing you want to do is startle or hurt the horse. When bridling, hold its head to steady it. Make sure it is on comfortably, not too loose or tight. When saddling, get a clean saddle pad, and place the saddle in its proper position before fastening it on the horses back.

Now both you and the horse are dressed. You can now properly mount. Take hold of the reins and stirrups before you begin. As you are doing so calmly and soothingly pet and talk to the horse. Do not try to mount the horse by sneaking up on it. It can be dangerous to scare the animal like that. Now, grab a hold of the front of the saddle and swing your right leg around the back of the horse’s body. Set both feet into the stirrups and adjust the track. This prevents the saddle from sliding.

How to Choose Appropriate Horse Riding Boots for a Specific Rider

Everyone knows choosing the proper footwear is important nearly any physical activity. This is especially true for horse riding. The correct type of horse riding boots will often keep you safe from a dangerous fall while still being comfortable for the rider. The main point you need to really know when choosing the right boots is to know the kind of riding activity you will be doing. For example, casual horse riders normally wear low-cut riding boots. They are easier to wear, and they provide a looser fit, meaning they are also more comfortable.

Most people picture riding boots as those tall black boots fitted up the leg. The truth is these are just one type of boot. Leg fitted boots are made this way to better communicate your riding instructions to the horse. Boots with a loose top can send the wrong signals to the horse, possibly leading disaster if you are in the middle of some type of rigorous activity. Avoid these kinds of problems by choosing the proper boot for your specific build.

One fact you need to remember is that basically there are two styles of horse riding boots. The first is the one most people know. It is a traditional plain front pull on boot. They have no laces or zippers and worn for dressage and shows. They other style of boots are the lace front or zippered back field style boots, which are commonly worn for hunter jumper class events. You’ll find that many experienced riders prefer these boots because of how rugged they are. Many riders wear them everyday of a three day show and come away with no issues whatsoever. If you decide on wearing pull on boots, make sure you have a boot jack and boot pulls handy. These help in eliminating any possible creasing or damage to the boots as you are putting them on or taking them off

Men’s riding boots can be found in a variety of different styles, many of which are made for a specific type of riding. You can choose from tall riding boots to paddock boots. Men’s horse riding boots usually cut a little wider in the foot area than women’s riding boots. This wide cut creates a more comfortable fit without giving up any of the style. Women’s riding boots tend to be more colorful and stylish than men’s boots.

First Time Playing Paintball

People often anticipate and fear the first time they play paintball. Questions that typically come to mind are, "Does it hurt?" and "Is it dangerous?" The truth is, paintball is a fun game for most people who don't mind a little minor pain here and there.

To begin, players are going to need paintball markers to shoot paintballs, goggles, a face mask, knee pads, elbow pads, and a cricket box if the player is a male. Goggles should not be removed. This is to prevent damage to the eye while players are firing in the person’s direction.

Since there is some pain associated with being hit on bare skin, it's best to cover up as much exposed skin with clothing as possible to lessen the pain. The heavier the clothes, the less soreness. This game is very safe, as long as players provide proper protection to their eyes, mouth and ears. Teeth can be chipped and eardrums can be ruptured without taking necessary precautions. Markers should be kept around 280 feet per second (FPS), plus or minus 15 FPS.

As for the stings, most of the time they last for only a minute, and sometimes the pain isn't there at all. Paint that hits exposed skin hurts much more than contact with layers of clothing. If a close range shot hits a player, it will likely sting as well as bruise. The closer the shot, the more pain. The paint will wash out of clothes, but it may cause some tearing and ripping. It's best for the player to wear clothes he or she can easily do without for everyday school or work activities.

The breakage of skin and some bleeding may be caused by paintballs shot at close range, but typically, these minor injuries are nothing to fuss over. Bruises or welts caused by shots typically go away in less than a week.

Other players will often target others known to be new to the game. Often, people that are new can be easily identified by them standing around and just shooting. When a player is known to be new, many may swarm to his or her spot and begin to shoot. One hit may only sting, but many shots at once hurts, especially if those shots are at close range.

It's best for people to approach the game of paintball with strategy. Playing with a teammate and staying concealed is the best way to be victorious. New participants may not understand the game at first, but as they get better, they usually come to love this excellent sport.

Paintball Is More Popular Than Ever

Paintball has been one of the most exciting and adrenaline pumping sports of modern day. Invented 30 years ago for use in military exercises and training, the game would slowly move to the private sector where it was then played residentially by a number of weekend warriors.

By the early 1990s, the game had become a national sensation where leagues, tournaments, and eventually champions were born. There are a few different types of play that people enjoy. There is the traditional open-air environment where Capture the Flag is the most enjoyed game, and there are warehouse games, or speedball play, where players use barriers and rapid-fire techniques. Equipment has also came a long way from simple pistol grip single-shot guns to automatic rifles and even special paintball pants instead of sweats.

Open Air Play For many, open air play is the only way to play the game. Open air play consists of a large field where there have been artificial barriers erected as well as many natural barriers and hiding places. Open air play is usually a flagged, wooded area where anything within that field is fair game. The game most often played on these fields is some version of Capture the Flag. Capture the flag is where players are divided into two teams. Each team has a flag placed within their side of the field, usually somewhere in the rear. Once game play begins, the two teams attempt to capture each others' flag without being shot.

Warehouse Play Warehouse play is slightly different than open air play. Warehouse play usually involves a warehouse converted into a paintball field, simulating close combat. Players do not hunt one another as in open air play but mainly stay in a strategic position in an attempt to hit other players. This type of game play incorporates rapid fire techniques, which is when a player uses both the middle-finger and index finger to pull the tripper in rapid succession. Players may use over 100 paintballs in one game.

Tools of the Trade Equipment has undergone many transformations over the last few years. There are guns that are fully automatic. There are even paintball grenades, which are paint filled plastics that explode in a large radius. For those that don't like getting their clothes covered in paint, there are paintball pants, paintball jerseys, and even paintball helmets that can be purchased. There are even different types of paintballs such as high velocity and increased accuracy paintballs. One can find used equipment on many classified internet trading websites as well as their local paintball field.

After 37 games Novak Djokovic is still undefeated

In his road towards No. 1 the Serb has trailed Rafael Nadal by 6240 points and now only 405 points keep him from accomplishing his goal.

In 2010 Spaniard Rafael Nadal crowned himself as the new No. 1 tennis player in the world by usurping the throne that had been in possession of Swiss Roger Federer during the last four years. Having won three of the four Grand Slams disputed that year, and being the top ranked player of the year in the 2010 ATP World Tour invited fans to think that 2011 was going to be his year of consolidation. With 3305 points of advantage over his closest contender Federer, and 6000+ among the rest, the outlook for Nadal was pretty favorable.

But something else happen in 2010, there was another sign that many ignored because it was seen as a group accomplishment, and not individual: Serbia winning the Davies Cup for the first time ever and emerging as a new power in the game after overcoming a 2-1 deficit against France. It was at this point that the figure of Novak Djokovic rose in two key games against Gael Monfils and Gilles Simon to lead his compatriots to victory. Those two victories also gave the world a glance of what Djokovic’s best tennis was like, a glance of what he had prepared for 2011.

With a strong mind and revitalized confidence in his game, product of the Davies Cup championship, he stepped into the 2011 season focused in snatching No. 1 from Nadal. Confident and aware that he could trail those 6645 points that were in between them, he began to convert that boost into victories.

Those victories keep on coming one after the other, and so far in the year add up to 37 in the same number of games. This undefeated steak bought important titles along: the Australian Open and the Master 1000 disputed in Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Rome.

Suddenly Nadal’s throne was exposed, as the Serb had reduced the deficit to just 405 points and had become the sensation of the year. The Spaniard’s efforts to stop him had been useless as the Serb dispatched him in the four confrontations that they held, including two in clay surface, where Nadal is considered to be the king.

Up next is the Roland Garros, Grand Slam that Djokovic has never won before, and which could give him that so awaited No. 1 that he has been trying to pursuit for years. If Nadal losses in the same stage as Djokovic, the Serb will take over his place. If both of them make it to the final and the Spaniards wins, Djokovic would still make it to the highest position in the rank.

Wining at Paris would not only represent for the Serb clinching No. 1, but also tying Guillermo Vilas’ record in the Open Era of 46 games undefeated.

On May 22 it will be the French Open kick off, and in the mean time Djokovic plans to rest and recover from all the effort that he has gone through to have this chance of becoming the No. 1 in the world in France.

How Paintball Tubes Improve Game Strategies

When it comes to paintball, nothing strikes fear into the heart of a player more than running out of ammo. Both serious players who regularly visit the local field and amateurs who like to run around in the woods with their friends stand to benefit from preventing this problem through proper use of paintball tubes.

A paintball tube is a cylindrical container used to hold extra paintballs for when the hopper runs dry. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. However, the most common is likely the 140 tube in good-old simple clear. Some tubes have a simple latch and hinge to hold on the lid at the top, while the fancier ones have a spring loaded cap for maximum refilling speed. Expect to pay about $5 to 15 for a tube, with the more expensive ones being the aforementioned spring loaded model.

As far as actually using the tubes, one more piece of paintball equipment is necessary before rushing into battle: a harness. A good harness will last forever and faithfully hold tubes for the duration of its use. A harness holds anywhere from two to eight paintball tubes. Pick one that meets the needs of the position: front men typically need speed and agility, so they should consider the two-tube harness. Back men need all the ammo they can get, so they typically have the eight-tube harness.

To use a tube, simply open the lid on the marker hopper and the lid on the tube and transfer the paintballs from the tube to the hopper. If in a crouching position, rest the marker on the knees, and the non-shooting hand can be used in a cupping motion to assist the pour and minimize spillage. In a standing position, one hand must hold the marker while the other fills the hopper alone. It will take some practice before the refilling motion becomes second nature and can be performed accurately and rapidly, even under heavy fire. Some players consider the skill so important as to spend some time practicing the movement in isolation; however, many learn it on the fly in real game situations.

Unless the paintball matches one is involved in are of surprisingly short duration, the procurement and proper use of paintball tubes is a valuable skill in any good player’s arsenal of both equipment and techniques. Spend a little time and effort looking around for some good tubes and a good harness, and a player will be well on the way to taking their game to the next level.

Perisher Ski Resort - the Gem of the Australian Alps

Perisher Ski Resort - the Gem of the Australian Alps

Tucked among the mountains and valleys of Australia’s Snowy Mountains, Perisher Ski Resort is an amalgamation of the Blue Cow, Smiggins Holes, Guthega and Perisher Valley ski areas. In addition to being the largest ski resort in Australia and New Zealand, Perisher Ski Resort is also known for its world class facilities and for being home to the Australian National Freestyle Ski Team and the Australian National Snowboard Team. Located 30 minutes from Jindabyne in the heart of Kosciuszko National Park, the resort is 8 km from Charlottes Pass and 15 km from Thredbo.

The first ski lodge in the area was opened in 1951 and by 1958 the first rope tow and T bar were built on the mountain, easing the over snow transportation for visitors. Since the resort’s founding there has been steady development, including the installation of world class facilities, accommodation, hi tech snow making operations and national and international training facilities.

In 1995 Perisher Blue was formed, merging Blue Cow, Smiggin Holes, Guthega and Perisher Valley. In 2009 the resort amalgamation changed its name to simply Perisher Ski Resort.

Due to its climate and the location, no Australian resort is 100% natural snow and Perisher is no exception. With 271 snowguns in their snowmaking inventory, the mountain operations crew at Perisher covers 53.4 hectares across the resort including at Smiggins Holes, Blue Cow and Perisher Valley. They recently upgraded their equipment in 2008, spending $9.75 million on new equipment including 68 automated snowguns.
Perisher Ski Resort covers 1245 hectares and includes 126 runs with the run difficulties graded 22% beginner, 60% intermediate and 18% advanced. Although the resort does seem more suited for beginner to intermediate skiers/boarders, the advanced runs do offer their own challenges for the advanced athlete.

One of the attractions of the resort is the sheer size of it. It’s so large in fact; you can ski/board all day and not ride the same lift twice! With the snow covered interconnections, you can switch ski areas and not have to leave the hill, although it does require some map familiarization to ensure you don’t get too lost up there.

Due to the vast size of the resort, Perisher offers downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, ice skating, snow shoeing and snow tubing. There is definitely something for everyone’s tastes.
There are plenty of ways to get to Perisher. If driving, it’s an easy 6 hour drive from Sydney or a 7 hour drive from Melbourne. There are numerous couch tours and routes that include Jindabyne on their schedule. If the idea of sitting in a vehicle for that long makes you edgy, Aeropelican offers regular direct flights from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains Airport. Either way, check with your travel agent for all options available to you from your current location.

The ski resorts of the Snowy Mountains have the best skiing and snowboarding in Australia, and offer locals and international visitors alike the opportunity to ski among the snow gums and eucalyptus. The season is short and intense, lasting only 4 months from June until October. With opposite seasons, the Australian ski resorts offer northerners the chance to ski through their summer and practice for the upcoming northern winter.

Course Conditions Won Riverside Golf Course NGCOA Award, Says Course Owner

When it comes to accepting credit for his award winning Riverside golf course, owner Jay Miller prefers to broaden the limelight. When asked how he transformed his Hidden Valley Golf Club from a blot on the Riverside golf landscape into a course meriting this past year’s National Golf Course of the Year distinction, Miller downplayed his personal contribution and instead pointed to the efforts of his team, in particular 32-year old Ian Sturge, course superintendent.

Miller’s Riverside golf club certainly has gone through an incredible metamorphosis since Sturge came onto the scene. With seven years experience as assistant superintendent, Ian joined the Hidden Valley team as superintendent in 2007. At that time, the course conditions were sub-par at best, having been neglected for years.

Miller is quick to praise Sturge’s commitment to restoring the course and couldn’t be more pleased with the final results of his tremendous efforts. "The course is so consistent and the greens are awesome," Miller says about the current condition of his Riverside golf club. "I trust him [Sturge] with every blade of grass".

The grueling process of reconditioning the Riverside golf course was not an easy one, according to Sturge, and seemed an impossibility when the original $1.2 million allocated for the project had to be tapped before budget plans were set for repairing equipment and getting the pumping station and irrigation system working properly. It was then that Sturge’s talent and expertise came into play and may have made all of the difference in turning the community "patch" into the award-winning course Riverside golf club clearly is today.

"When I arrived, the fairways ranged from 75 percent to 100 percent Poa Annua," Sturge says. In order to change that, Sturge began to let the Poa Annua on the Riverside golf course die off, opting instead for a Bermuda mix. He then topdressed some of the bare areas, hand-raking in a special mixture of half composted cow manure and half plaster sand, being careful not to overseed with ryegrass so as not to stress the Bermuda.

Sturge used his very limited chemicals budget to purchase urea for the Riverside golf club’s greens. He also applied 1/3 a pound of nitrogen about once a week. He was able to create what he calls "lean greens" with a small amount of nitrogen and a greater portion of calcium.

Whether Ian Sturge’s course-scaping expertise outweighs Miller’s unmatched golf course management strategies that earned his Riverside golf club the National Golf Course of the Year award win is still up for debate. The association did take other factors into consideration. The other criteria included quality of the ownership and management, contribution to the community, and contribution to the game of golf, but if you ask Jay Miller why his Riverside golf course is doing so well, he’ll tell you that his young superintendent’s blood, sweat, and ingenuity are the keys to Hidden Valley’s leap onto the national stage.

Organizing Youth Baseball Practice

Organizing youth baseball practice can be tedious. It takes preparation and planning. In this article you will be given some helpful ideas which to use that will help you become more organized and creative with your practices.

For the coach youth baseball practice actually begins before you get to the field. You need to plan out what you want to work on and what drills you will use to accomplish your objective. It is advisable to utilize parents and volunteers to help you.

If possible you want to be the facilitator who walks around insuring everyone is doing what they need to do.

Youth baseball teams typically are assigned a practice field on certain days for a given time period, so depending on your teams needs and areas they need to work on will determine what your practice plan will consist of. Make sure to write it down and stick to the time allotted.

It is advisable to have the players warm up as a group. I ask two players to volunteer to be the captains for the day. They will lead the stretching and warm up.

Once that is done we will move into our throwing routine. The warm up, stretching and throwing routine is consistent before every practice and game. The player’s become familiar with it and develops a routine they are comfortable with.

After warming up the following would an example of a normal practice.
• Rundown - Half the players will be on 1st base the other half on 2nd, and a runner in the middle, the runners run with their gloves so as to keep the drill moving. The goal is to keep the drill moving and teach one throw and get the runner out.

• Cutoff & Relay - Break your team into groups, if you have 12 players use three groups of four players. Make sure the players are moving their feet to the ball with their glove side to the target.
I use the phrase, step-catch-throw to emphasize quick release of the ball. This is a good opportunity to make a competition between the teams and adds fun to practice as well.

• Individual skills – keeping the same groups as cutoff & relay one group will go to shortstop, another group to second base and a final group to center field. The infield works on ground balls, the outfield works on fly balls. You could have one of the infield groups working on charging slower grounders while the other group fields and makes a strong throw to 1st.

• Group skills – This is where you may work on 1st & 3rd defense, bunt defense, turning double plays, pop fly’s, pitchers fielding practice.

• Hitting – Like the above we will utilize groups. Most youth baseball fields don’t have a cage so to perform live hitting a coach(s) will need to throw on the field.
I have found that putting a screen on home plate and the hitters close to the back stop not only prevents lots of foul balls from leaving the field, but I can have two coaches throwing to two hitters simultaneously. This allows the other two players in the group to be working on the side with soft toss and/or tee drills.
I have one group shagging in the outfield, and one group fielding ground balls hit by helpers in the infield.
Another option you could do is have one group throwing a bullpen during this time.
This method of taking BP makes hitting practice efficient and productive, and the kids aren’t bored.

I finish practice with a base running drill. It may be step-by-step instruction or it may be a drill they like and have done before.

This type practice will typically last two hours. It encompasses a lot of instruction and repetitions. I look at practice as my time and games as the players time to show the world what they have learned.
The biggest thing for the coach is too organized. Save your practice plan as you may want to use it or a similar version later in the season.

Injury Risks at the Tour of Britain

As the Tour of Britain enters stage 4 today in Stoke on Trent we have already seen the dangers faced by riders and the injuries that can be sustained by professional cyclists. Stage 4 takes the riders from Stoke on Trent to Llanberis, taking in the scenery of North Wales and a few hills on the way throughout their 116 mile journey.

These athletes are pushing their bodies in their bids for glory with little protection should they fall, other than a crash helmet. We witnessed throughout the Tour De France the various injuries which could be sustained as a result of crashing alone, with this fear something riders have to contend with.

In stage 2 Sir Bradley Wiggins escaped serious injury in a crash as a result of the persistent rain. He was fortunate not to sustain injury considering he was travelling at around 30mph downhill until the Italian Giovanni Visconti in front took a tumble which led to Wiggins landing on top of him. The rainy conditions are yet another thing for riders to contend with through the Tour of Britain.

Knee Injuries

Falling off your bike can be very painful and cause a lot of damage to both soft tissue and your joints, depending on how and where you land. You would typically expect either the knee, wrists or elbows to take the full force of impact following a fall.

Knee injuries can be extremely painful and effectively end cyclist's hopes of continuing in a race. Whilst knee injuries themselves can be less common than high impact sports such as tennis and football it is falling from a bike which can cause impact damage. A crash can cause inflammation to the joint limiting movement as well as being very painful.

There are various methods of rehabilitation following a knee injury as a result of impact. Such an injury can normally be self-limiting and will get better over time with rest and stretching with ice being used to help manage the inflammation and pain. A knee support can be used to help manage inflammation and pain as well as offering additional support during movement.

There are a number of knee support options available on the market, each designed to manage specific conditions or injuries from sprains and patella tendonitis to knee ligament damage and osteoarthritis of the knee. Following an impact injury you need a knee support which can offer compression and stabilisation of the joint, allowing you to remain active for longer.

Thigh Injuries

Muscle injuries are typically as a result of overuse or overstretching, something which can be quite common among athletes who are continually pushing themselves to go harder and faster. Riding a bike puts an immense amount of strain on the lower limbs and the muscles including the calf and thigh, with riders exceeding speeds of 30mph even up hill.

Thigh injuries can be common place following a taxing stage, whether from overuse or a failure to warm up or cool down. Whilst rest and ice will typically manage such a condition the use of a thigh support can also help to offer compression and manage inflammation. The use of a thigh support can also help to reduce pain and with it, allow the patient to remain active for longer than they would have done otherwise.

A thigh support can be available in either a thigh wrap or in the form of compression shorts, the latter also offering compression to the hamstring and groin area. The main purpose of a thigh support is to protect the muscle from further injury by stabilising the muscle and alignment. The compression offered by the thigh support can also help to reduce pain and enhance performance by allowing the patient to stay active for longer.

Sports Braces and Supports

It is essential in the modern world of sport for stars to remain active and keep playing for as long as possible and avoiding injury at all costs. Whilst injuries are sometimes unavoidable the use of sports braces following an injury has become more prominent in recent years. There are sports braces for every type of injury, whether as a preventative measure, to be used post injury and even those to be used following an operation.

Knee support is designed to help manage conditions and injuries pertaining to the knee. There are different types of material used for each knee support, but typically neoprene of BioSkin are used for those wishing to wear the brace during active play. These types of material allow the knee support to breathe and are flexible to conform to the patient's skin so that they can be worn under clothing and are comfortable.

There are exceptions however with the likes of knee ligament braces such as the CTi which have a rigid carbon fibre exoskeleton to protect against impact damage. A knee support such as the CTi simply offers protection against impact damage and would not normally be seen on a tennis court, but more on a BMX rider or skier.

The thigh support or compression shorts both offer the same levels of compression, with some coming complete with a cinch strap to offer an even greater level of compression. As with a knee support, a thigh support is designed to be breathable and be discreet, so that it can be worn under clothing and work with the patient rather than against them.

Final Thoughts

Recovering fully from an injury is the most important thing before training once again, as failure to do this can cause further problems in the future and subsequent injuries. We have to remember that those competing in the Tour of Britain are professional athletes who have trained for such distances but like the amateur rider are susceptible to the same risks in terms of falling off their bike and picking up joint and muscle injuries.

If you pick up an injury you should stop and rest and if it fails to remedy itself within a couple of days then seek professional guidance. Typical rehabilitation routes can include rest, light exercise, surgery, physiotherapy and even the use of a brace such as a thigh support or knee support as discussed above.

Juventus 4-3-3 Formation 1996

Italian giants Juventus played with a 4-3-3 formation when they won the Champions League by beating Ajax in the 1996 final. The 4-3-3 formation consists of four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers. This system of play is a development of the 4-2-4 the Brazilian national team played with when they won the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

One of the first teams in the history of football to use the 4-3-3 formation was the Brazilian national team coached by Moreira in the 1962 FIFA World Cup. The Brazilians were using a 4-2-4 formation but Zagallo dropped to the midfield to create a new system of play. The 4-3-3 formation was also used by successful Dutch teams in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Teams that use the 4-3-3 formation normally have a flat back four (the sweeper system was used by many teams from the 1960s to the 1980s). The midfield can be arranged in a linear or triangular organization. The triangular organization can be defensive or offensive in character. The defensive form of the triangular organization has two players in the bottom of the triangle, while the offensive form has one player in the bottom and two on the top.

Marcello Lippi's Juventus organized their midfield in a line when they defeated Ajax (1-1 aet, 4-2 on penalties) in the 1996 Champions League Final. The trio Deschamps, Sousa and Conte formed a dynamic midfield that was well supported by the other lines. Del Piero, Vialli and Ravanelli possessed offensive qualities that made it easy for defenders and midfielders to set them up. Vierchowod and Ferrara were central defenders and Pessotto and Torricelli were wing-backs. Juventus played with long balls either behind Ajax's defensive line or towards Ravanelli's head or chest. This meant that the midfield had time to push forward and help the offensive trio. Apart from the long ball, the wing-backs were used to create width, which is a must when a team plays 4-3-3. Juventus had a physically strong team that managed to create coherence between the lines.

Juventus starting eleven in the 1996 Champions League Final

Goalkeeper: Angelo Peruzzi Peruzzi played more than 200 matches for Juventus and he was capped 31 times with Italy. Peruzzi was a hero when he saved the penalties from Davids and Silooy in the penalty shoot-out against Ajax.

Central-defenders: Pietro Vierchowod and Ciro Ferrara Vierchowod was an experienced man to man marker. The 37-year old created a strong defensive duo with Ciro Ferrara. Ferrara was capped 49 times and played over 250 matches with Juventus. He was one of the best defenders of his generation.

Wing-backs: Gianluca Pessotto and Moreno Torricelli Although right-footed, Pessotto played on the left side of the pitch. He scored on his penalty in the penalty shoot-out. Right-back Torricelli played football on a part-time basis when Juventus played a friendly against his amateur club Caratese. They liked him and the 22-year old amateur was purchased by the Italian giants. Torricelli played with a lot of heart and was liked by the fans.

Midfielders: Paolo Sousa, Antonio Conte and Didier Deschamps The fact that all three in this Juventus midfield today are coaches explains the intelligence this trio had. Paulo Sousa was the director of the midfield. He had great vision and was an excellent passer. Conte played over 400 matches for Juve and he is a real legend for their fans. He was a fantastic midfielder who combined both quality in attack and strong defensive work. Deschamps had a winning spirit and was one of the best defensive midfielders in the 1990s. He was an ideal partner for Paulo Sousa and Conte. They created one of the best midfields in the history of Champions League Football.

Attackers: Fabrizio Ravanelli, Gianluca Vialli and Alessandro Del Piero Ravanelli was the striker who was famous for his white hair. He was one of Europe's best goalscorers in the 1990s. Vialli was the captain of Juventus in the Final against Ajax. He was very strong and a very good finisher inside the box. Del Piero is a Juventus legend and one of the greatest superstars of his generation. He played 19 seasons for Juventus until he was released in the summer of 2012. Del Piero holds the club records both for goals (290) and appearances (705).

Law of Attraction and Dreams, Premonitions or Predictions

Recently, I received an interesting email in which a woman told me that when she was 10 years old, she was shown in a dream how one day she would have a son and he would die at a certain age in a specific fashion. She also reported that this did, in fact, occur. Her question to me was, "How can I believe the Law of Attraction is working when some things seem beyond our control?"

What's happening when we have dreams, premonitions or receive a prediction that something (usually unwanted) is going to take place in the future? Or when it does happen we remember having received foreknowledge?

Here are three things you might consider:

1. Time only exists here on earth for us humans. Quantum physics teaches that although everything; every event, every experience, every possibility exists at the same time--in the NOW--man has invented time: the past, the present and the future, to bring some sort of order into these experiences. Religions call this Eternity--the place where time has no beginning and no end.

2. The Law of Attraction teaches us that everything vibrates and every vibration affects all other vibrations. I like the way Abraham-Hicks put it: "Everything vibrates and is communicating, reacting, responding and integrating with other vibrating things." ~Well Being Cards

3. Our subconscious mind is directly connected to the Super Conscious Mind (Source, Higher Power, Inner Being and Holy Spirit) and we are all learning how to translate this information for "human consumption." Remember, the translator is a person with their own agenda, fears and ideas about the meaning of this information.

I have been experiencing dreams, visions and prophetic words since 1987--actually, I had many experience of this nature as a young child, followed by years of rare occurrences. What I've found is that ANY piece of information can be interpreted through a filter of fear or love. When it is filtered through fear, it usually brings an ominous feeling to the prediction. When it is filtered through love, the message uplifts, encourages and strengthens people. And the choice is in the hands of the interpreter. I have decided to interpret dreams, visions and prophecies in the most positive life-giving way! Any thing less does not feel good to me.

So, my answer to the question: "How can I believe the Law of Attraction is working when some things seem beyond our control?" is this--

All things are connected at Source. Believe the best interpretation you can give to your dreams, premonitions, and all such occurrences. And if the prediction should come true--or you receive an outcome which is different or less than you would have chosen--KNOW THIS: you are indeed blessed to have been PREPARED for this event.

When I was pregnant with my fourth child, Sarah, I had a premonition that something was not right with the child I was carrying. I even told one of my girlfriends, "You know how people say, 'I don't care if it's a boy or girl, as long as it's ok?' Well, I can't say that about this baby. I CAN say, 'I don't care if it's a boy or girl and it's ok if it is not ok.' All will be well." And of course, when Sarah was born it was still surprising that she was born with Down's Syndrome. And yet, I felt so SPECIAL, because I HAD been prepared.

I truly believe in the prevalence of Goodness. I believe the knowledge of an event before it occurs is a gift. Something in us attracted this knowledge so that we could consciously prepare for it. Does that mean we have no choice or say in such matters? Sometimes the vibration of another person becomes a part of our life and deep down inside of us, we DO have a corresponding harmonious vibration. Sarah chose to be born different genetically. Her true self wants to experience life here on earth different from most people. I have a vibration in me that loves her and wants to encourage and support her along her journey.

Jake Shannon – Quitting Smoking by Committing Suicide?

Jake Shannon – Everyone knows that cigarette smoking is bad for those around you and even worse for your own health. That’s one of the reasons why smoking is banned in Utah bars and restaurants, besides it’s costly and disgusting, and can kill you and those you care the most about.
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke were 25% more likely to have heart disease. The good news is, after just 5 years of non-smoking, the odds of dying from lung cancer drops by almost half! And after 15 years, the risk of heart disease is equal to that of a nonsmoker, and the risk of dying from lung cancer is only slightly higher than that of a non-smoker. How
Recently, doctors have been prescribing a new drug from Pfizer named Chantix to help smokers quit. The Chantix website boasts, “CHANTIX has been proven to help people quit.” It boasts a 44% cure rate verses 18% for a placebo (which is a pretty good rate for a sugar pill really!).
What the advertising likes to marginalize are the behavioral effects. The fine print of the Chantix advertisement reads,
“Some patients have reported changes in behavior, agitation, depressed mood, suicidal thoughts or actions”.
These side-effects have recently manifested themselves in some truly tragic ways (as these articles can attest):
* FDA Issues Public Health Advisory on Chantix
* This is My Brain on Chantix article from New York Magazine.
* Can Chantix Cause Depression?
* As Bad News Mounts, Chantix Prescriptions Crumble article from the Wall Street Journal.
So while you can potentially quit smoking with prescription Chantix, you may also quit living too.

Jake Shannon – Solving the Immigration Problem

Jake Shannon – For some reason, the mainstream media has been pushing “immigration” as a problem in search of a solution. Why this “smoke and mirrors” issue is being pushed so hard, in light of MORE sweeping legislation being passed by the 111th Congress like the Dodd-Frank Bill, is a bit disconcerting to me.
For some reason, the mainstream media has been pushing “immigration” as a problem in search of a solution. Why this “smoke and mirrors” issue is being pushed so hard, in light of MORE sweeping legislation being passed by the 111th Congress like the Dodd-Frank Bill, is a bit disconcerting to me. The solution to immigration seems to be a self-evident one; simply allow any foreigner, without a criminal background, that is actively seeking work to stay here.
Now please note, I am advocating freedom of entry and residency, and not “amnesty” or the granting of U.S. citizenship. Anyone working here, that is producing or otherwise contributing to the overall economy should be able to freely.
If we had no welfare state, there would be few valid arguments against opening our borders, assuming the foreign citizens weren’t allowed to vote and they didn’t have a violent or fraudulent criminal history. However, if foreign citizens are allowed to vote, take food stamps, Social Security, “free” medical care, and “free” education, then there are some very serious conflicts of interest.
Immigration is really a secondary issue. End welfare, Social Security, Medicare, the progressive income tax, the minimum wage, public education and the War on Drugs and you will end the enmity towards immigrants (assuming they aren’t violent criminals). Keep those institutions and you create bad incentives.

Jake Shannon – A Tea-O-Con Case Study

Jake Shannon – With the recent ouster of Bob Bennett, it seems many incumbent Republicans are scrambling and cranking up the spin-machine in an attempt to jump aboard the recent “Liberty/Tea Party” freight-train. I like to call these folks Tea-o-Cons; Neo-Conservatives who leverage true-blue American libertarian rhetoric to get elected, then once they are in power they actually legislate against liberty and libertarian values.
With the recent ouster of Bob Bennett, it seems many incumbent Republicans are scrambling and cranking up the spin-machine in an attempt to jump aboard the recent “Liberty/Tea Party” freight-train. I like to call these folks Tea-o-Cons; Neo-Conservatives who leverage true-blue American libertarian rhetoric to get elected, then once they are in power they actually legislate against liberty and libertarian values. It’s the old “bait & switch” scam and they are essentially Neo-Conservative wolves in Sheep’s clothing.
On July 12th, 2003, Rep. Ron Paul gave a speech to Congress where he described the Neo-Conservatives (“neo-cons” for short) as former leftists (he calls them former-Trotsky-ites) and their beliefs:
1) Permanent revolution; violent as well as intellectual
2) Re-drawing the middle east through force
3) Pre-emptive war to achieve desired ends
4) The ends justify the means
5) No opposition to the Welfare state
6) Strongly endorse American empire
7) Lying is necessary for the state to survive
8) Believe a power Federal government is a benefit
9) Pertinent acts about how a society should be run should be decided by the elite and withheld from those who don’t have the “courage” to deal with it
10) Neutrality in foreign affairs is ill-advised. Force should not be limited to the defense of our country
11) They dislike and despise libertarians
12) Attacks on civil liberties are necessary
13) Unconditionally support Israel
In essence, Neo-Cons are pro-war, anti-liberty, anti-accountability, deceptive, and pro-Zionist. Tea-O-Cons are simply Neo-Conservative wolves in Tea Party sheep’s clothing. Since I am running for the same office currently held by former Democrat, now Republican Jason Chaffetz, I thought I’d apply a Tea-O-Con analysis toward his legislative legacy. Now, those who’ve seen incumbent Rep. Jason Chaffetz (UT-3) on The Colbert Nation being soundly defeated in leg wrestling (which is even funnier given he was a kicker for BYU) or doing photo-ops with a goat know that Mr. Chaffetz is very likable. I am in no way whatsoever contesting Mr. Chaffetz’s affability. And to be totally fair, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, has never claimed to be libertarian or to be a staunch defender of the Constitution or Bill of Rights, as far as I know.

Montana - The Last Hurrah And The Breathtaking View Atop

My heart pounded. The sweat soaked my shirt. The sun was merciless beating down on my back and shiny forehead. I could see the summit just up ahead, so I pushed a little harder. And when I got there - I could see the top ANOTHER quarter mile or so up ahead! Those false summits will kill me yet!


This was the summer that I was going to do it! The Dieties and I had studied and approached Little St. Joe Peak in Montana’s Bitterroot Range a half dozen times over the past 3 or 4 years, and each time vowed that the next time we came up we were “going to do that peak - no doubt about it!” Friends and I had camped at the overlook below the peak at the end of the road a couple of times, started up the peak in slushy snow, or too late in the day. I had made it up to the last hurrah of rock hopping to the top realizing my time for the day was past, and I turned back.

Little St. Joe is not one of the most outstanding peaks of the Bitterroot Range but certainly very approachable, following the windy dirt road past the Charles Waters Recreation Area and Bass Creek Campground, between Florence and Stevensville, Montana. The road up onto the bench below the peak, hits a fairly well marked trail from the parking towards the peak. Truly a favorite, at the end of road 1136, the trailhead begins at a perfect parklike picnic spot with a cliff drop off right next to it. A wonderful lookout viewing point from those cliffs affords a view of the cliffs across Bass Creek canyon and a sweeping panoramic view out across the entire Bitterroot Valley. When my kids were little we picnicked and camped there often, with treasured times settled in camp chairs perched out on the cliff overlook. With the expansive view we watched the mountain mists playing across the Bitterroot Range peaks.

Then again there was that pesky trail... . Finally, all the conditions were perfect. I had an early start on that day in July, the snows had receded on the higher slopes - and I had the whole day to myself and my Cosmic Companions to work this climb without rushing.

The trail departs the parking spot, taking a steep decline off down into the next draw. Passing through a wonderful patch of salmon berries, they delay further movement up the trail, sidetracked into working the berry patch. Taking a sharp incline, the trail almost crawls up the next ridge. Hitting the top of that ridge I am again captivated by the awesome view from yet another outcropping cliff, looking out across Bass Creek canyon far below.

Past the outcrop the trail departs the cliffs, into heavier timber for the next mile or so. Working over logs, and zigzagging through the trees it leads ever higher up the mountain’s flank. I find again that living, working, and training for such adventures down there along the Missoula valley hills leaves something to be desired. I marvel as I hike short distances up to the next turn, then stand there - breathing hard, waiting for the pounding heart to calm. I wonder then that I had suddenly gotten so fifty something old and out of shape. After all, I routinely do 4 to 6 miles training treks up and down my local hills and hardly break a sweat! Of course, the elevation difference of around 3/4ths of a mile from the valley floor serves a rarefied air, forcing me to work to take in enough oxygen to maintain a pace up here. A factor to keep in mind - unless you’re younger than dirt anyway.


From the trailhead to the last hurrah at the base of the peak the trail climbs through the timber from around 6,200 feet to around 6,800 feet. Breaking out of the timber again, spectacular views abound from cliff outcroppings down into Bass Creek and of the ranges to the south. For the lunch stop, I sat above the high mountain basin to the north of the trail. This wonderful basin opening out to the north side features a stream, waterfalls, and high mountain ponds. The Dieties have made sure that it is nearly impossible to get enough of this high country splendor.

The hard part: the last hurrah. The trail nearly disappears as I work up, around and through a series of boulder fields. Where dirt - probably younger dirt than myself - does appear between the rocks you know that you are following some version of high mountain trail. The scramble over the rocks tediously continues for the next hour or so, through boulder fields toward that summit right up there!

The false summit hits me as the true summit finally comes into view - another quarter mile on up the boulder fields! An incredible area though, as I pause in my stumbling up the ridge, turning to catch my breath on the exposed face. I absolutely revel in the views up and down the Bitterroot Valley and over across the Sapphire Range to the east.

That last hurrah: a push from 7,200 feet to 9,033 feet, a good 1,800 foot elevation climb, nearly the undoing of this tired old body. But the absolute thrill! Little St. Joe’s summit was achieved at last..., the little pile of rocks..., the jar with signatures..., and the view - the splendid view in all directions! Absolutely worth every aching muscle, every drop of sweat, a perfect place to settle in for a while with the Cosmic Companions, drinking in the surrounding mountainous wonder.

And of course, perched there, reveling in the surroundings, the pathway leading across the connecting ridge and on up to the summit of St. Joseph Peak standing even taller behind Little St. Joe looks so available. Oh my, another day perhaps, another lifetime maybe.

Bingo - Become A Bingo Millionaire With These Great Tips

Have you ever want to become rich just by playing your favourite online bingo game? I’m giving you the chance to become instantly richer just by playing the game of bingo. All you need are some basic tips on how to make the game of bingo work for you. Thankfully the Internet has provided people with the chance to upload their best tips and strategies. Once you have covered the best ways to play bingo, the money will start piling in. Let’s begin!!


First off, play at a well-known bingo site where you’re certain your money will be kept safe. This will also ensure that your winnings are paid out. If you’re already playing at a reliable bingo site, then this tip won’t apply to you. Wherever possible, try to register with bingo sites that offer an instant 100% or 300% match bonus on your deposit. Many bingo sites offer a 50% match bonus on all future deposits. Play at as many bingo sites as offer this bonus. This will increase the starting amount of your cash!! Play 25c bingo games as they offer the biggest cash jackpots.

It’s very important to note the time that you play online bingo. It makes all the difference. Remember that fewer people equal more winnings!! It’s a fact that at any one time, a player has to claim a bingo, so the fewer the players the less the competition - and the bigger your chance of gaining some bucks!! Try not to play between 6-9 am or 6-11pm as most of the bingo halls are packed during these bingo peak hours. Try playing on a Monday or Tuesday, there are guaranteed to be fewer players in the bingo hall. Stay away from the bingo halls on a Friday or Saturday when bingo players tend to log on only to socialise with their buddies.

Join a chatroom immediately once you register. Besides the fact that you’ll have the opportunity to meet people from all around the world, you’ll have the chance to qualify for the chatroom bonuses on offer. Try to make as many friends as possible; relationships are always important when it comes to online bingo.

Register for the bingo site’s newsletter. It’ll keep you up to date with all the latest promotions so you’ll be the first to know about new promotions. Try out instant games. You’ll be able to play for free or for real. Playing for real will instantly increase your winnings. There is such a large variety of ways to play that you’ll find many ways to increase your cash.

If a bingo site offers you the choice to change your cards, go for it!! There are zillions of bingo sites that offer this function and it can only benefit you. Refer your favourite bingo sites to friends. You’ll receive a certain amount of money just for spreading the word of a cool bingo site. Be generous with your winnings. If you give out a dollar to your opponents, the favour could easily be returned if your neighbour wins with your dollar.


There are so many ways to become a bingo millionaire. The opportunities to win have been greatly increased thanks to the Internet. Always be persistent when playing bingo games; eventually, once you get the hang of things, you’ll create your own luck. And the greatest thing of all is that you can enjoy all this while sitting in front of your computer in the comfort of your own home.

Poker Tools - Online Poker Tools

Poker tools can be a valuable addition to any poker player’s arsenal. There are a variety of tools available and this article will examine the different types available to assist players. The most commonly used poker tools are hand history databases, computer playing programs, online poker assistants and online poker tools.


Hand History Databases

Most online poker rooms offer players the ability to download the histories of the hands that they have participated in. These hand histories are in a text format and while it is possible for a player to scan and analyse a single hand, it quickly becomes difficult and tiresome for multiple hands. Hand history databases offer the features like win rate calculations, opponent analysis, hand replay, analysis by position and much more. The most popular poker tools of this type include "Poker Tracker" and "Poker Office".

Computer Playing Programs

Programming computers to play a strong game of poker is extremely difficult and it is only recently that they have become about the same strength as an above average player. Compare this to games such as chess and backgammon, where computers have now surpassed all but the strongest humans. These programs allow players to practice and improve their play without having any money at risk. Most also offer advice and the ability to setup and analyse certain situations. The strongest playing poker programs available to purchase are "Poker Academy" and Turbo series of programs produced by Wilson Software.

Online Poker Assistants


With the explosion in popularity of online poker, much software has been developed to assist players while they are playing. There are a couple of what are termed "bots" that make all of the decisions for a player but these are not very strong and if discovered using one of these programs a player can be banned and lose the money in their online poker room account. Other types of software that are also available are programs that overlay tables with statistics summarising hand odds as well as the playing style of other players (for example listing how often a certain player raises, calls or folds) in real time. Examples of these online poker assistants are "Pokerbility" and "PokerAce HUD".

Online Poker Tools

There are a number of web sites that provide free online poker tools to their visitors. Some of the tools available are odds calculators which analyse the probabilities for games such as Texas Hold'em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud poker, and tournament equity calculators. Whilst they may not directly assist a player while they are playing they are great at improving a player's knowledge which then can later be applied at the table.

Free Family Card Games - Easy Card Games To Entertain

My own experience makes me feel that every child will benefit from playing card games.


It is a healthy experience for a child to play with grownups as an equal; and to play with other children without noticing difference in age.

It is good for the child's character to get practice in losing without squawking and in winning without crowing. (Many adults could use some of this practice too!)

A young child can learn about numbers and easy arithmetic from a simple card game. A child of any age can exercise his brain by the logical thinking that is needed in the more advanced games.

Moreover, card games are fun. And this is the best of all reasons for teaching them to children.

These games are for children who are too young to think... and for grownups who would rather not think! Sometimes it's hard to tell whether the children or the grownups laugh harder!


PIG

This is a very hilarious game for children or for adults to play with children. Anybody can learn the game in two or three minutes, and one extra minute makes you an expert!

Number of Players: 3 to 13. Five or 6 make the best game.

Cards: Four of a kind for each player in the game. For example, 5 players would use 20 cards: 4 Aces, 4 Kings, 4 Queens, 4 Jacks, and 4 10's. For 6 players you would add the four 9's.

The Deal: Any player shuffles and deals 4 cards to each player.

Object: To get 4 of a kind in your own hand, or to be quick to notice it when somebody else gets 4 of a kind.

The Play: Each player looks at his hand to see if he was dealt 4 of a kind. If nobody has 4 of a kind, each player puts some unwanted card face down on the table and passes it to the player at his left, receiving a card at the same time from the player at his right.

Each player looks at his hand as it appears with the newly-received card. If, still, nobody has 4 of a kind, each player once again passes a card to the left and gets a new card from the right.

The play is continued in this way until some player has 4 of a kind in his hand. That player stops passing or receiving cards since he is satisfied with his hand as it is. Instead of playing on, he puts his finger to his nose.

The other players must be quick to notice this, and each of them must stop passing in order to put a finger to his nose. The last player to put a finger to his nose is the Pig.

DONKEY

This is the same game as Pig, except that when a player gets 4 of a kind he puts his hand face down on the table quietly instead of putting his finger to his nose. He still gets a card from his right and just passes that along to the left, leaving his 4 of a kind untouched on the table.

As each player sees what has happened, he likewise puts his hand down quietly. The idea is to keep up the passing and the conversation while some player plays on without realizing that the hand has really ended.

The last player to put his cards down loses the hand. This makes him a D. The next time he loses, he becomes a D-O. The third time, he becomes a D-O-N. This keeps on, until finally some player becomes a D-O-N-K-E-Y.

The D-O-N-K-E-Y loses the game, and the winner is the player who has the smallest number of letters.

These two card games will be a hit with even the youngest player!

Roller Skating Tips - The First Roller Skating Boom

Roller skating, one of America's primary mass participant sports, has traveled a long and sometimes hard road since the day two centuries ago when an anonymous Dutchman first attempted to transfer skating from ice to ground. The Netherlands ice-skating enthusiast, who could scarcely wait for the canals to freeze over each winter, nailed some large wooden spools to wood strips which he attached to his shoes, and went bumping along his merry way. Apparently his crude attempts at "ground skating" were not too successful, for nothing more was heard of a substitute for ice skating until mid-eighteenth century.


Then an ingenious Belgian mechanic and musical instrument maker, named Joseph Merlin, devised a pair of skates, which ran on small metallic wheels. In London, where he had moved to become director of several museums, he fascinated the local gentry at a Soho Square party with his skates. However, he could neither turn nor stop his forward progress on skates and dashed himself against a huge mirror at a fashionable masquerade party while skating and playing the violin. According to a contemporary account, "He impelled himself against a mirror of more than 500 pounds value (approximately $1,300 at today's exchange rate), dashed it to atoms, broke his instrument to pieces, and wounded himself most severely.

After this disastrous occurrence in 1760, roller skating disappeared from public notice until after the French Revolution. Then, as France was gripped by the reign of terror following the overthrow of the monarchy, a Parisian die maker named Vanlede invented a wheeled skate in 1790. His device, called the "patin-a-terre," or ground skate, became known in Germany, but roller skating again disappeared from public attention until its reappearance on a Berlin ballet stage in 1818. The following year, roller skates were used on the streets of Paris, and several varieties of wheels attached to boots and shoes were invented and used in various entertainments and exhibitions. None of these, however, caught the public fancy. The two to four rollers on these devices did not permit the user to travel in anything but a straight line.

Strangely enough, roller skating enjoyed the greatest public acclaim since its inception nearly a century before, in 1849, at the Paris Opera House. Almost overnight, roller skating slid into a starring role in a famous opera and a ballet, both of which were sensational successes - artistically and financially. The opera, which gave roller skating its greatest dignity and catapulted it into international fancy as a pastime, was Meyerbeer's "Le Prophete" (The Prophet), with its third-act ice-skating scene.

In those days, synthetic ice was unknown and real ice could not be successfully transferred indoors and kept fit for skating. A Paris machinist solved the problem of simulating ice skating on a wooden stage floor by developing a fairly practical skate running on iron wheels. For male members of the cast, he made a skate with two wheels in a straight line. Female members wore skates with four wheels each, not in a straight line but coupled front and rear for a broad-bearing surface. Shortly after the opera's successful premiere, "prophete skates" became the rage of Paris and were widely used on the asphalt streets and marble or parquet floors.

The success of the opera and of skating spread quickly to London. Similar success followed the Paris premiere of an entire ballet devoted to skating. After spreading through Europe, roller skating made its debut in the United States where it continues to be an enjoyable pastime.

Speed Reading Program - Using Phrase-Reading To Improve Your Reading Speed

The basic skill of rapid reading is learning to read in phrases. This simply means taking wider "visual bites" as your eyes move across a line of type. As I explained in the introduction, your eyes read words in a series of stops, or "fixations", jerking to the right after each stop to take in the next portion of the line. You read only when your eyes are stopped. The more words you can take in at each bite, the fewer stops will be necessary on each line and the faster you will read. By widening what is called your "span of recognition" you automatically increase your reading speed.


To test your present span of recognition, try focusing your eyes on the sixth word in the next line. Although you will be consciously fixed on a single word, your span of recognition should let you read the word to the left and the word to the right - perhaps a bit more. As you practice stretching your side-vision the span of recognition will widen, and you will absorb more words with each fixation.

If you were reading a list of unrelated words you would have to read word by word. But in normal reading the words are held together by the broader meaning of phrases and sentences. Sentences are made up of units of meaning. The eyes and mind can be trained to absorb these units of meaning far more readily if you read in phrases rather than at the plodding rate of one word at a time.

The Three Kinds of Readers

To understand more clearly how phrase reading improves skill, let's find out what kind of reader you are now. There are three types, and it is a simple matter to test yourself.

First, the motor reader. He forms words with his lips, just as though he were reading aloud, and so he can grasp only one word at a time. You could still be a motor reader, even though your lips do not move. Give yourself this test: Put your fingers on your throat. Now go on reading. If you feel any movement in your larynx now (except from the pulse there), you are still a motor reader, grasping only one word at a time. This means that you can read silently only as fast as you can read aloud.


Second, the auditory reader: Though his lips and larynx do not move, he hears every word in his "mind's ear." You can test yourself on this, too. Open a novel, if you have one handy, though any book will do. Fix your eyes on a page but before you start reading say aloud some such nonsense phrase as "Mary had a little lamb." Repeat it several times and then start reading, still saying aloud "Mary had a little lamb" as you try to read. If you are unable to comprehend what you are reading - if the words are just a meaningless jumble - then you are definitely an auditory reader.

Even though you understood fully what you were reading in spite of the nonsense you were repeating, you could still be an auditory reader. Read the next few paragraphs in the book on which you have just tested yourself. Now stop and think back. Were you conscious that you were reading words? Did you hear them in your head? Then I am afraid you are still an auditory reader.

The auditory reader can read much faster than the motor reader, but he is still handicapped in reaching high speed, because he is held back by the necessity of "hearing" words in his head.

Third, the sight reader: With him, the eye-mind relationship I described in the introduction is fully adjusted. His eyes photograph words which are translated by the mind instantly into ideas without the aid of either the vocal or auditory senses. Obviously he has a head start toward becoming a rapid reader as quickly as he is trained in the techniques which will make him aware of how to use his talent.

Pipe Smoking - A Brief Look At The History Of Pipe Smoking

Smoking may have been practiced more than 2,000 years ago, according to the ancient Greek historian, Herodotus. He describes Scythian tribesmen in Asia Minor, who "have a tree which bears the strangest produce. When they are met together in companies, they throw some of it upon the fire 'round which they are sitting, and presently, by the mere smell of the fumes which it gives out in burning, they grow drunk, as the Greeks do with wine. More of the fruit is then thrown on the fire, and their drunkenness increasing, they often jump up and begin to dance and sing. Such is the account which I have heard of these people." The fruit referred to by Herodotus is supposed to have been hemp.


One of the first descriptions of tobacco smoking in the New World reached France through a report of Jacques Cartier, who explored the St. Lawrence River as far as where Montreal, Canada, now stands. In giving his account of the voyage, Cartier describes the Indians' use of tobacco:

"There groweth also a certain kind of herb, whereof in summer they make great provision for all the year, making a great account of it, and only men use it, and first they cause it to be dried in the sun, then wear it about their necks wrapped in a little beast skin, with a hollow piece of stone or wood like a pipe.

"Then when they please they make a powder of it, and then put it in one of the ends of the said pipe, and laying a coal of fire upon it, at the other end suck so long that they fill their bodies full of smoke, till it cometh out of their mouths and nostrils, even as out of a chimney. They say that this doth keep them warm and in health; they never go without some of it about them."

The sixteenth-century French explorer and his fellow countrymen had little liking for the peppery fumes, and tobacco was not mentioned again in France for another twenty years.

When the conquering Spaniards first witnessed the American Indians puffing violently at smoldering tobacco leaves, they tried it out themselves, and soon fell into the habit of pipe smoking. The sailors then proceeded to carry the practice of pipe smoking back to Europe, where it grew and spread.


The settlers in the new world were quick to exploit the increasing demand for tobacco in Europe, and many British colonists in Virginia made small fortunes in tobacco cultivation. At first, they grew the native North American variety, Nicotiana rustica, which they had seen raised by the Indians. But the fortunes of the tobacco growers greatly increased after 1612, when John Rolfe, the husband of the Indian princess, Pocahontas, imported seeds of West Indian tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, to Jamestown. This more desirable variety was an instant success and from then on every British-bound ship leaving the colony carried many bales of tobacco in its hold.

By this time, the value of tobacco had become so universal and so well established that the settlers used it as currency. Some of the colonists, starved for female company in the predominantly male settlements, advertised in England for wives, offering tobacco in payment for their passage. They were willing to deliver one hundred and fifty pounds of tobacco for the passage of each of "a hundred young women of agreeable person and respectable character," making each prospective bride literally worth her weight in tobacco.

In awe of the Williams sisters

Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
This story appears in the Sept. 7 issue of ESPN The Magazine.

What if I told you about two white brothers from a trailer park on the tattooed side of the tracks? Their father decides -- against all logic -- to teach them a rich man's sport, golf, even though he's a complete chop himself. They become great on the weedy public courses, turn pro and dominate the sport. Just wipe the Tour up. Golf harrumphs in disbelief.

Then the two brothers grow disinterested with golf and get into motorcycle building. They nearly stop playing altogether.Then they grow disinterested with being disinterested and decide, What the hell, let's go thump again. So they crush all new saps, until it's obvious nearly every major is going to be won by one or the other.

Preposterous?

Well, change their color to black, their sex to female and their sport to tennis, and you have the Williams sisters, who now have 18 majors between them -- 11 for Serena and seven for Venus. Eighteen! If this were golf, Serena would be tied with Walter Hagen for third, and Venus would be tied with Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and others for seventh. From one family, one coach, one house in Compton. It's the single most underplayed story in American sports in the past 25 years. Where's their postage stamp?

Do you realize a Williams has six of the past 11 women's majors? That they've outlasted not one generation of rivals but two? Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati. All gone.

There has never been a sibling combo like this in American sports history. Baseball's DiMaggios, Waners, Alous? Not even close. Skiing's Mahres? No way. Football's Mannings? Please. One championship each?

It's the most underplayed story in sports.
The Williams sisters are bigger than sports. Their achievements rank with any set of sisters in American history, along with the Stillwells -- Revolutionary War heroines -- and the Andrews Sisters, the biggest American singing act in the 1940s. The only difference is the Williamses are in their second decade of greatness, going on a third.

The problem is deciding which one you want to have win the next major. It's no good just throwing your hands up and saying, "It's going to be a Williams." You have to pick one. You can't root for both the Yankees and the Red Sox, the Clintons and the Bushes, Coke and Pepsi. You have to choose: Venus or Serena. They're two entirely different people with entirely different personalities.

Venus is like grass courts, steady and calm. Serena is like hardcourts, slick and fast. Venus kills you with her forehand. Serena kills you with her backhand. Venus takes too few chances. Serena takes too many. When they screw up, Venus glares, Serena smiles.

Venus talks about nothing but tennis. Serena talks about anything but tennis. Serena will do 45 minutes on the TV show she's writing or her book that's coming out (On the Line, in September) or her last Twitter tweet. To wind Venus up, ask her about equal prize money.

As kids, Venus was the one you let babysit. Serena was the one you got babysat. They're still like that. Venus is 29 going on 40. Serena is 27 going on 18. Once, at Wimbledon, when Serena was confused about what to do in front of royalty, Venus whispered into her ear, "Curtsy."

Venus keeps most of it in, and Serena lets most of it out. Or don't you remember those swimsuit pictures? Venus is a reader. Serena is a reality-TV freak. Venus dates a golfer, Hank Kuehne. Serena dates a rapper, Common. Are there two more opposite dates?

They're both fashionistas, but Serena likes to push it: the Lycra catsuit, the denim skirts with boots, the white trench coat. And that's just stuff she's worn on the court.

Serena's the better player, but that's like saying Paris is the richer Hilton. They're both a NASA space launch past everybody else right now. Their only legit competition is the Russians, and lately the sisters have made them look like weekend coaches at the Moscow Country Club.

Go ahead. Take your time picking your Williams. Thanks to their dad's brilliant long-term coaching strategy -- and their desire to step back from tennis to study fashion and acting -- their minds and legs are fresh. They're not burned-out (Capriati, Hingis, Henin), and they're not worn-out (Rafael Nadal). They plan on kicking booty through the 2012 Olympics and maybe, they say, clear through the 2016 Games.

But if somebody doesn't throw them a ticker-tape parade pretty soon, I'm running for Congress.