Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Experience New Realities

The Internet and Tom Robbins are both windows into new realities, realities that are prone to incite laughter and ludicrous behaviorisms.These days I go on to the Internet not having any clue as to what is going to grab my interest on that particular day. What is slowly seeping into my subconscious like sludge into the sewer is the idea that I’m probably going to learn something new of interest. . .

Make Your Sports Viewing More Fun and Interesting!

Many years ago when I started betting on sports, I never imagined that ten years on I would be betting and trading for a living. So how did it all start? Well, 'for fun' I would think is the most accurate answer! I placed bets for fun on sporting events that I intended watching on TV or attending in person. These bets, along with the small amount of betting research that I did back then, tended. . .

How To Choose the Right Fly Line Weight

Written on the rod blank or handle is a code number which indicates the line that the rod manufacturer suggests is best for most customers; i.e., 6 line. To most fly anglers, this means that they should use nothing but a 6 weight line with this rod. But to get the full potential from different fishing situations, you may want to consider using several line sizes on your rod — perhaps varying as. . .

Techniques of Wet Fly Fishing

Many anglers who are new to fly fishing consider dry fly fishing the “traditional” way of catching trout. Well, that’s not entirely true. Wet fly fishing dates back hundreds of years, well before dry fly fishing came around.Wet fly fishing is one of the best ways for anglers to get introduced to sub-surface fishing. Unlike nymph and dry fly fishing, where skill, practice and precise imitations . . .

Nymph Fishing Techniques

Small stream nymphing is a very productive form of fly fishing. At times, you will not rise a fish to a dry fly. Yet there are fish feeding actively below the surface. So, you put the fly (nymph) to the fish.Nymph fishing is probably the most challenging of all fly fishing techniques. Since the fly is underwater and is often extremely small, nymph fishing can test the abilities of any angler, a. . .

The Concept of Value in Sports Betting!

In sports betting you need to make sure that your bets (and trades) are good value in order to make a profit. If you do not do this you will still win bets but profits may be harder to achieve.Let me explain this last statement. I actually lose more bets than I win - but the prices or odds at which I bet compensate for the losing plays.If you bet all season long on the NY Yankees (US Baseball) . . .

Three Secrets of a Consistent Golf Stroke

"At Last! The "3 Secrets" Of A Consistent Golf Stroke -- Revealed! How You Can "INSTANTLY" Drop Strokes Off YOUR GAME!" What you are about to read... will change your golfing life forever! What are these three "secrets"? If you knew how would they effect your game?. These three "secrets" are what the worlds best players do. Every player MUST know these "secrets" if they are to have a powerful, . . .

You Don't Have to Hurt Yourself to Snowboard

Snowboarding Gear to Keep you Safe and Comfortable as you Learn and Ride Are you thinking of trying snowboarding, but reluctant because you've heard that you'll be bruised after the painful edge-catching falls of the first three days? Or have you tried snowboarding but thrown in the towel because it hurts too much when you fall? Snowboarding without Injuries-- Snowboarding without injuries is . . .

Five Life Skills for BackCountry Enjoyment

As outdoor enthusiasts spend more and more time in our backcountry, a handful of skills become more and more essential. All of these skills are easy to learn and add considerably to the overall enjoyment of spending time out-of-doors. The key word here is enjoyment. In order to enjoy ourselves, we must be comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings. This is especially true in the backco. . .

Confusion Feeds the Golf Industry

The policeman drops his paycheck on the kitchen table so his wife can go shopping and pay their bills. They are able to do this because somewhere down the line someone killed, raped, or robbed someone. An unnamed X (rated) President of the United States can have pizza and frollick with a starry eyed intern in the White House because you are paying the rent. Here's a news flash for you! If you h. . .

Avoiding eBay Scams

Read through this checklist and save yourself time and aggravation. A bit of due diligence will help you avoid eBay scams. Only buy items with photos. The photograph is a good way to insure the seller actually has the item. No photo is a good indicator of a scam.Check the photo against catalog photos. Many scammers use photos taken from other auctions or from online catalogs. Look for the backg. . .

Quarterback Contraversy in DC?

It is obvious who ought to take the first snap for the Washington Redskins next fall. The answer is so clear, anybody that thinks otherwise needs to have their brain examined. Maybe new head coach Joe Gibbs should order Patrick Ramsey get a CAT scan before mini-camp takes place. Mark Brunell should not only be anointed starting quarterback right now, he should not have to compete for the job. . .

Hockey Rules in Real Life

"I went to the fights the other night...and a hockey game broke out." align=right--Rodney Dangerfield.Every hockey fan has heard of Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi plays for the Vancouver Canucks. Make that "fights" for the Vancouver Canucks. Make that "fought" for the Vancouver Canucks -- he "might" not play again, after breaking fellow player Steve Moore's neck in a brutal attack from behind. Ima. . .

It's an Alien World in Every River

When you look at a river, what do you see? A few flies on top? A fish or two? Look closer.Lay down on your chest at the side of the river and stare down into it. Look at a rock or a stick. Not very interesting? Keep looking.Soon, you begin to notice things that don't seem to belong. Sticks don't come with little tubes of sand attached. What's that black bump? Oh, it's moving. It's... . . .

Are You A Side-Line Coach

With spring in the air, flower’s and baseball are in full bloom. As the father of a nine-year old son, each day is spent perfecting the art of baseball. This includes making that perfect pitch to first base, snagging those ground balls and driving those hits when we’re in the batters box. Oh, did I say we, sorry, I meant, when my son is in the batters box. My son and I haven’t quit practicing b. . .

Monsters and Demons: A Short History of the Horror Film

Going to the movies may not seem like a novel way for little kids to spend an afternoon. But have you ever brought your child to see a Disney flick and ended up viewing trailers for Jeepers Creepers 2 or Freddie vs. Jason? When this happened in a Birmingham, Alabama cinema last year, parents became concerned about what the main attraction would be. But before the managers at the cinema could tu. . .

Improvement of Cricket

(A) Popularise cricket!1. Restructure Current test teams.For Cricket to improve first the quality of the current test teams should be improved. Teams like England and West Indies need to be more competitive. Here are some suggestions: Introduce cricket in schools and colleges. More cricket competitions should be held. Cricket telecasts should be shown on free to air channels. Short forms of the. . .

Stocking up your Boat

There, you have just got a boat. A nice new hobby for the weekend and it is time to stock it out. It is time to get all that equipment and gear that you have read about in all the magazines and that you have dreamt about for so long. Time to fill that boat up with all the latest goodies and set sail into the unknown. Sail out and over the horizon, ready for all that may be placed in your way!Th. . .

The Didjeridu

In Northern Australia the Didjeridu is seen as a phallic symbol and therefore a male instrument. Women are prohibited from playing.Stories of the Didjeridu vary from place to place among the different language-speaking groups in this large continent. In the beginning, in the North of Australia, a giant captured two young girls to be his wives. One day they escaped and made their way back to the. . .

Chocolate Splendor, Food For The Gods. Bodybuilding Nutri...

A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma’s Fine Dining.Hi, I’m your waitress, Flo. How are you two doing tonight? Just come from the gym? Whew, one of you needs a shower. Here’s our menu. Our specials include a 3lb cheeseburger with mega fries, a foot long chili dog that is deep-fried and covered with cheese. Or we have a this new health drink called Chocolate Splendor. What? How in the h. . .

Super Bowl 2004: Silly or Boring?

If you watched the Super Bowl, you know that Janet Jackson revealed one of two things. She revealed how silly and paranoid otherwise normal human beings can get. Unfortunately, she did not reveal how bored we have become with run-of-the-mill celebrity nudity. Had she revealed both things, like most celebrities, we probably would still be yawning. Let's do the math. There are 6,517 celeb. . .

Has Sporting Celebrations Gone Too Far?

It's the middle of the second quarter, inside the opposing teams 20 yard line. Aaron Brooks throws a strike to Joe Horn for his second touchdown of the game. But instead of giving the ball to the ref and running back to the sideline, Joe runs over to the goal post, lifts up the pad and pulls out a cell phone! Horn dials his home phone number and calls his son. That call may have been the most e. . .

Cincinnati catfishing Bait

Some of the baits I have used for used for CATFISHing here on the Ohio River are, chicken liver, minnows, shrimp, Spam, French Fries and more. Fresh chicken liver works better than frozen liver that has thawed out. It does get bites however, cats peck at it so by the time you pick up the rod they have cleaned the bait off the hook. My experience is the fish swallows the bait more often th. . .

Top 5 Baseball Speedsters

5. Joey Gathright- Tampa Bay Devil Ray(OF, Minors) Joey Gathright has been called the fastest player in the league, he's even been called the fastest man in the world, but he hasn't yet received big-league playing time. Gathright could be that guy, who gets to the 100 SB mark. He'll have to wait however with a crowded list of OF's on Tampa Bay. Joey Gathright is so fast, so athletic that he can. . .

Houston Astros: Next Year is Here

Every year the Astros say next year, will its next year, and the Astros and the fans are ready. This year the Astros look ready to fight for it all. What will really happen this year? Injuries can be a key factor for them this year. Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio will have to step up to the challenge and have great year's. Bagwell is still putting up the power numbers as he hit 39 homers and bat. . .

The Ultimate Skiing Experience.

For downhill skiers, “powder snow” provides the ultimate skiing experience. For most skiers however, good powder skiing is a short-lived and infrequent event. Ski areas in some geographic areas enjoy fairly frequent “powder days” but in most areas, powder days are rare and the dryness and depth of snow is often marginal.In most ski areas too, when powder snow does occur, it is only a matter o. . .

Hell-Roaring Creek

The first Summer that I lived in Colorado provided me with an opportunity to do some field work in the western Rocky Mountains. To reach my first campsite, I followed a rutted dirt road along the bank of Hell Roaring Creek, and found a rocky path that led to an abandoned mine. A cold, mountain stream gurgled and murmured within its narrow banks, at the bottom of a narrow defile carved by furi. . .

Carlos Zambrano: Over-Shadowed by Greatness

With Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Greg Maddux and Matt Clement on his staff, Carlos Zambrano has been over-shadowed by other household name pitchers. After todays (May 13th) start, in which Zambrano pitched 8 innings giving up 0 ER and striking out 11 hitters, Carlos Zambrano is now 4-1. On May 7th, Zambrano pitched a 2-hitter against the Colorado Rockies and threw just 97 pitches in the shutout. In. . .

Lyle Overbay: Milwaukee Brewers First Baseman

Not too many people would know who I'm talking about if I mentioned Lyle Overbay before the season started. Now that he's batting .347 with 5 homers and 31 RBI's(2nd in NL), many fans and fantasy owners are taking notice. Overbay has helped the Brewers maintain a .500 record (through May 13th) and has helped himself get some recognition with a current 13-game hit streak. The fantasy owners are . . .

Whitetail Deer Management

The deer management techniques that we use on our property have changed a lot over the past thirty years in relation with the changing deer herd. Whitetail deer numbers in the entire state of West Virginia have grown considerably and our land has been no exception.We started shooting does in 1997 after the pictures from our scouting camera revealed that we were overloaded with does. Since the. . .

Influences On Whitetail Deer Activity

Much has been written about deer movement in hunting magazines and I have been intrigued by differences in deer activity over the years myself. We have all been in the woods or maybe just while driving to or from work and noticed large differences in deer activity. You will have some days when you see many deer from your tree stand and other days when, from that same stand at the same time of. . .

Online Poker Room Raises Stakes By Launching Europe's Mos...

All eyes will be on London this July as Europe’s newest and most exclusive poker tournament hits town. A collaboration between Britain’s largest independent bookmaker Victor Chandler, and leading casino operator London Clubs International, The Victor Poker Cup will offer a half million prize pool and a first prize of £250,000.Taking place between 21-23 July in the historic elegance and luxury o. . .

Guide to Gambling Online

http://www.top-ten-internet-gambling-online-casino-sites.com is one of the most comprehensive guides to casinos online. Gambling online is set to become the rage of the future. With more and more people having less time there is a need for an alternative choice. Like all choices the Internet takes precedence. Consider that there are more than a thousand sites online that feature gambling and ca. . .

All About Jazz!

Q. What is the difference between a pizza and a jazz musician?A. A pizza can feed a family of four!What is it about jazz that makes a jazz musician stick to a form of music that A&R managers have scientifically and suspiciously proven to be a musician's surest route to death by starvation?One good reason would be the fact that jazz allows me to be myself as opposed to pop that wants me to be Ma. . .

Stay Out of That Old Mine!

It seems like the most adventurous thing in the world. That dark opening in the hillside beckons, tantalizes, excites. What wondrous treasures await discovery inside? What artifacts might remain in this time capsule, mute testimony to an era when grizzled men moved tons of rock in pursuit of their dreams? Such is the poetic, romance-novel appeal that might induce you to take leave of your s. . .

Montreal Misery

We've all done it before. Sportscenter is on showing the highlights off the latest Expos game and they show a snap shot off the bare bleachers. Of course the jokes follow like "It's easier to grab a foul ball at an Expos game than at a Little League game." But hey, who are we to talk?To underline this point I ask you another question: When was the last time you saw somebody with a "You Gotta Be. . .

Over-Training

HIT Progress ReportsHello HIT'ers,This week I'd like to discuss the topic of over-training. One of my new clients had the pleasure of increasing his strength some 40% - since his last Chest (upper-body) workout. Note, his last chest workout was about 10 days ago!! My client is new to Heavy Duty/High Intensity Training; however, he IS a good student and has taken the time to listen and grasp the. . .

Proprioceptive Training: A key to sports success

Let’s talk a little bit about proprioception for a minute. That’s a $3 SAT word that means your body’s ability to react properly to external forces. For example: if you ride bulls for fun, you must have the ability to react to gravity and the changing forces of the bull to keep from being thrown off. That’s proprioception. But proprioception is also your ability to walk across a room without fa. . .

Coin Collecting: What And When To Buy

(NC)-Three basic rules here: buy what you like, buy what you can afford, and buy at a reasonable price. Follow this advice and you'll enjoy your coins more, you won't pay too much for them and you won't go bankrupt. Your collection should be fun to own, not a burden on the family finances. The best way to get good deals, and avoid the bad ones, is to pick up some standard reference catalogues a. . .

Coin Collecting: Tips On Caring For Your Coins

Collector coins Royal Canadian Mint numismatic (collector) coins come encapsulated to protect the coin from damage. It is best not to remove coins from their capsules because outside they are more susceptible to nicks and wear, which reduces grade and value. When handling numismatic coins, do so by their edges and only over a cloth pad so an accidental drop won't mar them. Avoid touching the co. . .

Discover Boating.ca Website Answers Your Boating Questions

(NC)-lt's spring! Every year at this time, a lot of people think boating might be a great family activity for them, but don't know where to start. Now there's a website that answers your questions about boating and might be just your ticket to getting out on the water.The "DiscoverBoating.ca" website helps you through the decision-making process to determine whether you should buy a boat. The q. . .

Great Reasons To Start Boating This Spring!

(NC)-Thinking about pursuing a new, exciting family activity this year? Consider boating - it has so much to offer. Boating, in its various forms, is a recreational activity for the entire family. Recreational boats are used today for a variety of activities, including sailing, fishing and water skiing, in which all members of your family can participate. It's a great way to share experiences . . .

Forget Dreams...Have Visions!

Do you still keep that all important 'Inner Spark Alive'? ...even 15 yrs later from college!To me 4 steps lead to 'true arriving'. Our success domain can be summarized in 4 simple steps.______Step#1 : Dream With Totally Relaxed Freedom!Though I said, forget Dreams what I meant is dream with freedom in detail. Uninterrupted, free flowing and mentally 'living it out'. Learn to dream this way!____. . .

Coin Collecting: How To Grade And Price Coins

(NC)-As with most collectibles, rarity and condition usually determine the price of coins. An acknowledged, standardized system of determining the state of preservation, or grade, of a coin is therefore pretty important. Early on in the game there was a time when coins were described with any old biased adjectives the seller could come up with. Eventually standard definitions and a numbering sy. . .

This Is The Place

This Is The PlaceCarolyn Howard-JohnsonAmerica House Book PublishersISBN: 1-58851-352-1$19.95Reviewed by David Leonhardt, a.k.a. The Happy GuyBelieve it or not, it was the title that drew me to This Is The Place. From a savvy marketer like author Carolyn Howard-Johnson, I would have expected a title with a real splashy hook. From someone as enthusiastic as she, I would have expected a title w. . .

50 Ideas to Get Organized and Enjoy Your Scrapbooking Hobby

Scrapbooking is a wonderful hobby! Besides being relaxing and fun, it also allows you to be creative and to spend quality time with your family and friends. Plus, it results in a storybook of lifelong memories.One very important element of scrapbooking is getting it all organized. This includes, but is not limited to:storing all of your supplies in an organized fashion so they can be found inst. . .

Hams - The Forgotten Heroes

On Good Friday, March 27, l964 approximately 12,000 square miles of the Alaskan seafloor shifted causing one of the worst earthquakes in US history. When the shock waves subsided and the massive tsunami receded, loss of life and injuries were compounded by yet another tragedy -- a total communications blackout.Then at last, a lone Ham Radio Operator managed to send a message -- a cry for help . . .

Coin Collecting: Getting Started

(NC)-Okay. So you've been diagnosed with the collecting bug. Don't panic. Here's what you need to do: first, visit the library. Pick up some standard reference catalogues (for example The Charlton Standard Catalogue of Canadian Coins, or Haxby's Coins of Canada) and read them thoroughly, along with every book you can find on collecting. Contact your local coin dealer or numismatic club, and ask. . .

Coin Collecting: Coin Collecting Q&As

How do I determine if my old coins are worth anything?Although there are exceptions, most old coins are not particularly valuable unless they are very well preserved. The best starting place for an idea of their worth is to visit the reference section of your local library. There are numerous catalogues, some for specific countries. A good general volume is the Standard Catalogue of World Coins. . .

Felco Pruners Reviewed

The following is an article written by Robert B. Martin, Jr. of Pasadena, California. Robert wrote this article for the Rose Parade Newsletter. Robert is also Editor of the American Rose Society Quarterly Rose Exhibitors' Forum. "Of all of the tools of the Rosarian the most important are pruning shears. The purchase of pruning shears is not a place to cut corners or attempt to save money. Good . . .