Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Boating Myths - Part I

(NC)-Everyone knows boating is fun, but some people who are interested in taking it up hold back because of myths they've heard about boating. In fact, boating is easy, flexible and affordable, so I'm going to discuss a few of those myths and separate fact from fiction.MYTH: Boating is expensive. It's not. In fact, it probably costs less to buy and operate a boat than you think. Following are a. . .

Making Music As A Lefty

Author Interview with Ryan Thomson, seacoast New Hampshire resident, and author of a new book advocating left handed violin playing by lefties. - Playing Violin and Fiddle Left Handed.This piece started out as an actual interview for an internet website article, but the author has expanded it into its present form, while maintaining the “interview” format.What an interesting book! What prompte. . .

The Equine Cushings Cure

Equine Cushings disease is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the production and regulation of hormones. Symptoms include a long, shaggy coat that does not shed, excessive drinking and urination, laminitis, a tendency for recurring infections in the hoof (foot abscesses), and a loss of muscle mass, especially along the topline and rump.At Eye of the Storm Equine . . .

2004 Olympics and Yachting in Greece

Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the accepted consequences, positive and negative, for the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting fraternity from mid-July to mid-September.Two major crises will afflict the greater Athens area i.e. transportation and accommodation. I will refer to . . .

Caron Butler; Fighting Through Adversity

A friend just recently asked me why no one on the site staff has done an article about the Keyshawn Johnson issue. For those of you who don't know, Keyshawn made remarks saying he didn't like how much he was getting the ball and wanted to leave after this season was over. The Bucs responded by deactivating him for the rest of the season. Anyway, I thought about what he said and I had a great id. . .

Fly Ball Fan Runs Afoul of Cubs' Alou In Left Field

How can a fan go from ecstasy to sheer agony in a split second? It's not just when your Cubs give up 8 runs in the eighth inning to give the Florida Marlins an 8-3 lead - it's when you're the one that silences a roaring crowd and opens the door for a Marlins comeback. Can you imagine how The Fan felt as the ball was coming his way? Here were his historic Cubbies, knocking on the door of their f. . .

Passionate About Organizing – How To Create A Single Syst...

Digital photography promises much. Store your photographs on your computer, print them when you want, email them to friends and family – share them to your heart’s content. Couldn’t be easier, could it? So how come that for most of us storing and sharing our photographs is a bit of a nightmare?The ease of using a digital camera is its very undoing. It’s easy to take some shots and then ‘work on. . .

Media Musings

I was watching television the other night and was jolted from the commentary, which incidentally was on the World Athletics Championships in Paris, by a series of rather ill-timed commercial interruptions. It was really amazing how one minute I'd be totally engrossed by the one hundred metres and all the nonsense of the false start rulings and such and then, just as I was getting quite into the. . .

Considering Buying A Boat? Check Out These Guidelines

(NC)—Boating tends to be a family activity, so members of the family should be involved in the process of choosing the boat. Will it be a fishing boat most of the time? A water-ski tow machine? The basic picnic cruise boat? Determine what it is the family wants the boat to do, then go find the model to fit those needs. Most boats are multifaceted – they can be fishing boats in the morning and s. . .

Explore A Whole New World On The Water!

(NC)—How will you spend your precious spare time this summer? For many Canadians, making the most of it means escaping by boat to explore a whole new world on the water. You can leave all your cares and worries behind by simply pointing your bow away from land. Your whole perspective changes as you view the great outdoors from this new vantage point. You can explore enchanted shorelines, feel t. . .

Common Boating Questions – Part 1

Which type of boat is right for me?For most buyers, general purpose craft which serve as fish, ski and picnic boats are ideal; for others needing something specialized, a wide selection is offered in most markets.How big a boat will I need?Size is a function of who will be on board and where it will be used. Options range from 12-ft. dinghies to power and sail yachts. If it is a question of two. . .

50 Things To Do To Your Boss That Are Fun For You, But No...

1. You’re eavesdropping and you hear your boss has reservations at his favorite restaurant. You know, the one you can’t afford. Call them back and cancel his reservations – say you’re his wife.2. Have a friend of yours make an anonymous call to your boss saying that they know what he has been up to, possess incriminating pictures, and hang up. It will scare the bejesus out of him. 3. Put ch. . .

A Healthy Body Is A Hydrated Body: Tips To Keep You Hydra...

(NC)—With today's "on-the-go" lifestyle, people have redefined what "active" means. The distinction between your workout routine and your everyday life activities may have blurred. Many people take care of their body when they exercise but forget to take care of their body during a hectic workday. An example of this is keeping hydrated. You probably know that you should drink plenty of fluids d. . .

Safe Boating... All Summer Long

(NC)—In Canada, studies show boating is a safe family activity. Almost every problem we hear about is the result of a stupid decision – mixing alcohol with boating and/or ignoring safety regulations. There are some very simple ways to keep you and your family safe while boating.The most common accident to passengers and crew is falling overboard. In fact, 40% of all fatal boating accidents aris. . .

Camping in Lead King Basin

The first Summer that I lived in Colorado provided me with an opportunity to spend six weeks camping in the western Rocky Mountains, during June and July. In preparation for a summer in the outdoors, I acquired an eleven-year-old1985 Dodge Ramcharger, a model famous for its 4x4 capability and ruggedness. Just the thing for negotiating the wilds of the West Elk Mountains. I cruised south from. . .

Year of the Saints

Well Saints fans the beginning of football season is almost upon us. With the start of training camp, it's time to take a look at the upcoming season. Saints fans have become familiar with the high expectations early and the depressing let downs late into the season. There have been too many seasons, for the comfort of Saints fans, that have ended with the Saints looking from the outside in on. . .

History of the Adirondack Chair

Thomas Lee designed the first Adirondack Chair in 1903. He was on vacation in Westport, NY and he needed outdoor chairs for his summer home. He tested the first designs on his family.The original Adirondack Chair was made with eleven pieces of wood, cut from a single board. It had a straight back and seat, which were set at a slant to sit better on the steep mountain inclines of the area. It al. . .

A Profile of the Online Gambler

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) March 19, 2004 -– A PROFILE OF THE ONLINE GAMBLER By Robert Jay - Online gambling on sports in America has surpassed the total handle of Las Vegas casino-based sports books.A December, 2002 Congressional Report by the US General Accounting Office stated that online gaming reached new heights in 2002 as worldwide revenues topped $4 billion. Of that amount, over $2 billion w. . .

Internet Astronomy

For many generations various human cultures have had great knowledge about the star constellations. However, these days most of the so-called modernized breed of human can’t tell you much about what’s around us in the infinite Universe. The funny thing is, technically we now know more about what’s there than ever before, we’ve even got photos. With the Hubble Telescope we now have access to the. . .

Is the Chipko Movement Towards Forest Appraisal

“Let us protect and plant the treesGo awaken the villagesAnd drive away the axemen.”- Ghanshyam SailaniThe forests of India are the unique resources for the survival of the rural people of India which were exploited greatly for commerce and industry. The Chipko Movement of India taken birth in Himalayan foothills gained great significance throughout the world’s environmentalist circles for its . . .

A Profile of the Online Bingo Player

"There was a farmer had a dog…" You know the rest. For most of us, our first encounter with Bingo is as a farmer's dog. Bingo's legacy as a children's campfire song is undeniable. As we grew up, so did that dog. Bingo mutated from a song to a game. Five column cards filled with random numbers became the essential game of chance. That dog's name became a shout of victory, filled with the joy and. . .

The Power Of Scrapbook Journaling

By journaling your pages you will transform an ordinary collection of photographs into a vibrant and visual storyboard - telling the stories behind the pictures, revealing hidden memories and emotions.It will give your scrapbooks a unique and intimate feel, it is this personal touch that turns your albums into something very special.That is the power of scrapbooking journaling and why it is one. . .

Gardening--Fun and Frugal!

Whether you are an avid vegetable gardener, a beginning herb gardener or just like to have a pretty yard, these frugal tips may help you save a little money! 1. Stale coffee and coffee grounds make great organic fertilizer. They provide many trace minerals and low, gentle levels of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. 2. Remember that a good soaking of water less often is better than a light. . .

American Rookie Todd Hamilton Is 133rd Open Champion

(GoodNewsAmerica.us) Atlanta July 14, 2004 - Playing with a putter from a used club bin Rookie American Todd Hamilton realized a dream win at the Open Championship. He started out playing with coffee cans his parents set up in his back yard as a child in the small Illinois town of Galesburg. He's been a journeyman player on the Japanese Tour with 11 wins. This year he finally got his tour card . . .

Which Ring Tones Can I Get For My Phone?

Ring tones are simply a computer program stored in your cell phone's memory and with most phones, you can change it. You can have a unique sound that only you want. Here’s the deal on ring tones - you get the cooler sounding rings on the newer, more expensive phones. For example, if you have an old Nokia phone, it can play a monophonic ring tone, which means simple tunes with one sound. But the. . .

Jazz Goa

Jazz Goa is formed by a group of musicians and music lovers to promote jazz in and out of Goa. The club's principal aim is to improve the lot and provide an organised platform for local as well as visiting international jazz musicians. Goa has always been a favoured chillout destination for some of the world's greatest jazz musicians. Beautiful surroundings, peaceful laidback lifestyle and the . . .

Craft Crocheting From Your Home

Crocheting is not only a craft but an art. Once you master the basic stitches you will be well on your way to creating masterpieces you will be pride to share with your family and friends. Anyone can learn to crochet as long as they put their mind to it. Before you run out and buy your crocheting supplies decide what you want to crochet first. According to the item you choose, you will need dif. . .

Three Ways to Destroy Your Ability To Compete-Quickly!

If you want to become the kind of athlete that people always talk about in terms of “potential” rather than results, following the following formula:1. Focus on that which you are scared of In the world outside of sports, a common principle is that we get results according to that which we decide to focus on. The same is true in the sports world. In any given moment, your emotions are directly . . .

Test Flying For Fun - RC Aircraft and Helicopters

Contrary to popular belief, people who work in model shops don’t spend all day every day playing with their own models!!!However, on Friday afternoon Dale and myself decided we were going flying. We closed the shop dead on 6 o'clock (usually we don’t leave till gone 7). We were cashed up, loaded up and off to our own secret flying site in Kent by 6.30. We arrived at the flying field around 6.45. . .

Picking Up A Horse's Hoof

The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate some owners since a well-placed horse kick would really hurt! Such caution is good, but in reality if you pick up a horse's hoof properly you provide him with no leverage or ability to kick you. This is a situation where a person's worst fears can cause him to imagine an incident that is highly unlikely to occur with careful handling. Here'. . .

Costs Associated With Kitesurfing

Getting involved in the extreme sport of KiteSurfing might be more costly than you think, when in all actuality it’s relatively inexpensive to get started. Depending on what type of Kite, board and lines you purchase the bottom line will always be to buy the safest products possible at the lowest price.Two popular manufacturers are Wipika and Kiteski. The Kiteski system uses a rigid framed-ki. . .

History of kitesurfing

KiteSurfing is by far the latest craze in extreme sports. The idea of using a kite to enhance speed and gravity for the surfer seems like a new and exhilarating challenge, yet the art of KiteSurfing dates back to the 13th Century Chinese when it was used as a simple mode of transportation. KiteSailing, as it was known, was a medium that used the wind as an aid to harness its momentum and ener. . .

Top Tips for Successful BackCountry Navigation

As an outdoor enthusiast you will at some point make a decision to learn how to navigate in the backcountry. Whether you use a map, compass, GPS receiver or all three, there are several things you should know about successful navigation. Your safety and the safety of your companions depend upon it. Backcountry activities such as hiking, orienteering, hunting, climbing, geocaching, fishing, f. . .

Geocaching: A Great Way To Get Outdoors

If you’re tired of hiking the same trail or picnicking at the same park, then Geocaching may be exactly what you’re looking for. Geocaching, pronounced gee-o-cashing, is the high tech version of a treasure hunt. Armed with nothing but a handheld GPS unit and a thirst for excitement, you’re off for new adventures and the likelihood of finding a hidden cache.Here’s how it works. Geocachers seek o. . .

What To Know When Buying Binoculars

We are asked nearly every day: "What are your best binoculars?" And every day we answer: "How do you plan on using them?" We are not trying to be evasive with our answer, but the truth of the matter is – the best binoculars for one purpose may be the worse binoculars for another. We want you to Get It Right The First Time.Understanding your application is paramount in determining the best . . .

Kitesurfing Equipment

You are ready to take on the extreme sport of KiteSurfing, you are ready to pound the surf and soar across the water and above the waves. In order to start you will need to purchase KiteSurfing equipment that will provide both safety and quality. The last thing you need happening is equipment failure as you jet across the ocean at a high rate of speed. Many accidents can occur, but with the . . .

Fishing Through the Cracks

Take Time to Fish Between the CracksThe summer of 1972, my brother and I were filling cricket and bait buckets for Mr. K.C. Bray at the Sunset Marina on the Toledo Bend Reservoir just south of Many, Louisiana.It was just another hot, humid, July in the southwest Louisiana. Each day the same as yesterday and with almost certainty the same as it would be tomorrow. The wind was so still that the. . .

5 Top Tips To Win More With Any Lottery

Here's 5 top tips to bear in mind next time you complete your lottery playslip. They won't increase your CHANCES of winning - because ONLY more entries can do that.BUT they can significantly increase the AMOUNT you win when your numbers do come up.How?Because all 5 lottery tips are based on avoiding the way a lot of other people pick their numbers. If you pick lottery numbers the same way as m. . .

Belly Dancing for the Midlife Soul

I have been a student and performer of the Middle Eastern belly dance for 12 years. I began this dance form at age 52 when a friend of mine told me she was taking an Adult Education class in Middle Eastern belly dancing. Here was an opportunity right in my own community. I was going to live out my adult fantasy - to be a belly dancer! And so I joined the class and have been a student e. . .

Great Places To Kitesurf

As with any sport, sometimes you must travel to different locations to experience a different cultures take on the hottest sport around. Current conditions and water depths as well as different land and water formations make traveling the globe exciting as you venture out abroad. Different continents and countries provide new and exciting opportunities to enhance your KiteSurfing skills. Pro. . .

How To Kitesurf

You have been bitten by the KiteSurfing bug, you can’t wait to hit the first current to propel your body screaming 40-feet into the air and crashing into the water. With each gusts of wind your elevated high off the surface and breaking each wave as you land. The thrill associated with the sport of KiteSurfing has many able-bodied thrill seekers flocking to the beaches across the world to se. . .

First Look: The 2004-05 NBA Schedule

Admit it, the first thing you did when the 2004-05 NBA schedule came out last week was check to see when Shaq and the Miami Heat would visit Kobe Bryant and the Lakers. It probably didn't take long to find that game, though, as we all know the NBA marketing machine would slate it for big time ratings on X-Mas day. Kobe and Shaq won't be the only hyped-up, intriguing match-up of the season, thou. . .

A Great Day of Cat Skiing

Snowcat skiing offers strong-intermediate and expert skiers the ultimate powder snow experience.Operators provide full-service guided tours into remote high-mountain regions. Powder snow and “fresh tracks” are the norm. Uphill transportation is provided by a tracked snowcat having warm, comfortable cabs. They usually accommodate 12 guests, two guides and a driver.Some snowcat operators are base. . .

I Hope it Rains in Heaven

I've been hunting for as long as I can remember. The first hunt I ever went on with my dad, he had to change my diapers. My first real hunting memory is sitting on a tree stand and snuggling under my dad's coat. To this day, I can still smell the musky scent of that old coat. My brother and I were raised on hunting, fishing, and trapping. Our lives were truly like the Hank Jr. song, "A Country . . .

4 Surefire Ways NOT To Lose Weight At Your Health Club

Everyone has their own individual reason for joining a health club, lose a few pounds, tone up, lower your blood pressure, strengthen a bad back or shoulder, perform better in sports, or just keep in shape by playing some basketball or racquetball.By joining the gym you have shown a time, and a financial commitment to achieving your goals, congratulations! However, joining the gym is only the f. . .

Reasons Why Leg Training Should Not Be Ignored

As a modern weight lifter or body builder, I want you to picture something. Picture yourself as an extremely musucular person with very little body fat. Now picture yourself walking down the beach and everyone is staring at you. You think they are staring at your body because it looks like its etched in stone, but the real reason is your extreme lack of leg development, otherwise known as ch. . .

Purpose Driven Golf

I want you to meditate on a couple points for a moment:1. Why an earth are you playing golf?2. What are you getting out of each round?3. What is the point?Have you ever thought about any of these points before??Here is an excerpt from "The Dave Way"... if you already own "The Dave Way" please read this one more time to get a few ideas of why you are on the course every weekend.PrideIt’s almost . . .

Things To Avoid At Your First Date

Finally, after a year of mending a broken heart, you come out of your shell and announce to your friends that you are ready to meet other people. However, after several years of having a steady date, you find yourself feeling eerie going back to dating. It’s like you’re clueless. You can’t recall what your first date like with your ex- partner (or you intend not to recall). An. . .

Defining pop culture is no easy task. Defying it is almos...

Politics, religion and art are an exhaustive mix. And when it comes to Second2Last the three are inextricably conjoined. The four Caribbean émigré's living in Brooklyn boldly and passionately address issues surrounding life, political issues, and urban spitfire through the ancient African art of spoken word.In present day, Second2Last's art of choice would most commonly be called Hip Hop, but t. . .

Backcountry Skiing for Intermediate Skiers

Snowcats have made backcountry skiing accessible to intermediate skiers.Backcountry skiing offers vast expanses of soft, consistent powder snow in remote and spectacular high-mountain settings. Often considered the domain of hardy and self-reliant ski touring enthusiasts, or of proficient and deep-pocketed helicopter skiers, backcountry skiing is now easily accessible to intermediate-level sno. . .