Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

The Biography of Sensei Derek Eastman - Part 1 of 2

I have known Sensei Eastman for some 12 years and during those years I have heard so many stories about both Sensei Eastman and Sensei Ellis and their dedication to the early promotion of UK Aikido, some of the history highlights their hard training and appreciation of a true martial art, yet there are many amusing anecdotes. Sensei Eastman is the only Aikido student from 1950's "Hut " dojo who. . .

People Love Games

People love games. Whether it's a board or card game or a game for computer play, they are fun and popular. People have played games since the beginning of time. Games were first played with everyday items such as rocks and now we have games of every kind and about every subject for almost every age. Think of the card games that have been around for years: Solitaire, Pitch, Old Maid, Bridge, . . .

The Biography of Sensei Derek Eastman - Part 2 of 2

Q-DW: With all the years of hard training and instruction going up through the kyu grades what was the final path to your first dan ? A-SE: I was always fortunate that not only did I receive personal instruction and guidance directly from Sensei Williams and my own Sensei, and all the dan grades previously mentioned.I also think that being assistant instructor to the beginners class from 7th to. . .

Is Aikido a Martial Art? Part 3

PART 3 The Converted In articles parts one and two I have covered the introduction of Aikido to the West, and the impact on other Martial Artists, Aikido progressed and developed in the UK by visiting existing dojos of all the various Martial Arts and offering to demonstrate and teach for free in the hope of starting a small class in the more receptive dojos, as one can imagine this was no easy. . .

Elliptical Exerciser

Several years ago elliptical exercisers were introduced to the fitness world and have since become very popular and very sophisticated. Over 6 million people now use elliptical exercisers as part of their regular routine.Elliptical exerciser technology is relatively new. The word elliptical means oval shaped. The basic design of the elliptical exerciser uses oval pedaling motion for a smooth,. . .

Kitesurfing Water Dangers

Kitesurfing is extremely dangerous spot and a lot of attention and training should be directed towards avoiding various dangers of the sport, including kitesurfing water dangers. There are a number of kitesurfing water dangers, several of which will be discussed here. The first thing that needs to be mentioned is the fact that in many cases kitesurfing water dangers are directly related to bad . . .

Diving in the Exotic Environment of Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha is a Brazilian island located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean which divers from all points of the world wish to meet. It offers not only great diving opportunities but also a very impressing and exotic natural environment. If you wish to visit this area when its natural aspect is the brightest, you should do so between March and July, during the time of the heaviest rain. . .

Diving in Cozumel Island

Cozumel Island is known by divers as one of the most interesting places to go and practice their sport. This Mexican island does not only offer a wide variety of diving activities but also extremely clear waters which allow divers to have a visibility of about 150 foot.Divers who visit Cozumel Island have the opportunity of diving in many different reefs. Some of the main reefs and most visited. . .

Big Air Equals Big Thrills With This New Extreme Water Sport

Kiteboarding or kitesurfing, if you don't already know, is like snowboarding on water. This, behind a boat, is called wakeboarding. OK, now forget the boat and add a giant kite for the power source. The kite is controlled or steered using a control bar in the hands of the rider. The kite can be flown is specific patterns to generate greater power, or can be used to jump or fly through the air. . . .

Angelina Jolie on your Cellphone Anyone?

The titanic developments in new technology have radically changed the way we watch TV and movies at home. Gone are the days when the TV set was a box in the corner with a 20in screen and a tinny speaker. Now most of us prefer to watch movies and sports casts on a widescreen that’s at least 28in from corner to corner. If you are a fan of home theater then that screen will almost certainly be big. . .

Kitesurfing Equipment Dangers

As you probably already know, kitesurfing is a very dangerous sport. A lot of dangers belong to the category of kitesurfing equipment dangers. Kitesurfing equipment dangers may result from selecting wrong equipment for some specific weather conditions or malfunction of equipment. For example, the loss of control of the kite lines posses many kitesurfing equipment dangers. The lines are very sha. . .

Online Poker

Online poker is a very popular virtual casinos game where real players play against each other not the virtual casino.The virtual casino does usually take a small percentage of the online poker ‘pot' before paying it over the winner. Online poker has evolved into many variants, from online Omaha Poker to online Five Card Stud. These online poker games offer different challenges but they have ve. . .

Nine Hints For Taking Great Digital Photos

IntroductionModern cameras are highly automatic in operation. They have auto focus and auto exposure. The camera will focus on the subject - often identified by a small circle or square at the centre of the viewfinder - and calculate an appropriate exposure by detecting the level of reflected light - usually from the same spot. A slight pressure on the shutter release will activate those two fu. . .

A Bet You ALWAYS Win - How Sports Betting Arbitrage Works

Betting arbitrage is a method of creating a bet that has a zero risk - in other words, you always win! The concept of 'arbitrage' comes from the financial world, and describes the activities of traders who find two different places offering the same trade, but at different prices. They then exploit this difference by selling in one location and buying in the other. Whatever happens to price, th. . .

Snowboarding Boots

The key to comfort on the hill.The boots that you wear when snowboarding will make a huge difference with your ability to control your snowboard and your comfort on the hill. You will quickly find that cold, sore or wet feet will destroy a day of snowboarding faster than anything else will.When it comes time for shopping for your snowboarding boots it is important to get the correct style of bo. . .

FootPower for Golf

Although the ankle is the most injured body part of an athlete, very little is ever done to strengthen the stabilizing muscles that prevent rolling in and out. Golfers are no exception in neglecting ankle strengthening. They seldom sprain their ankle swinging the golf club, but strength of ankle muscles is very significant to maintaining positions that establish balance, and create a powerful. . .

Poker Odds - Pot Odds And Hand Odds Explained

To be successful at poker you should, at any time during the play of a hand, be able to calculate the odds of catching your hand to the odds the pot is giving you.Knowing the probability of making a specific hand in poker can be done by calculating hand odds. Figuring out how many outs you have will give you the possibility of calculating the number of times you will hit your hand by the rive. . .

Golf Course History - You Can Play The Oldest Golf Course...

The oldest golf course in the worldIf I asked you where the oldest golf course in the world was what would you say? Scotland – yes, good guess so far. But where in Scotland? When pressed most golfers eventually say St Andrews, but they’re wrong. Golf was played at Musselburgh near Edinburgh at least ten years before any recorded games at St Andrews. Local records suggest that golf was played on. . .

The Sexy Shape of a Snowboard

Everyone knows that an hourglass figure turns heads. Not as many people know that the same figure is also behind the design of modern snowboards. While the hourglass figure on a snowboard doesn't turn heads as fast as a women's figure does it does help you to turn faster than any head can.The degree of side cut on a snowboard does effect its performance on the hill. The side cut radius is the s. . .

Kayaking Footwear

Kayaking footwear comes in several different designs, to keep your feet safe and, in some cases, warm.Kayaking will obviously not require the same type of footwear that you would wear to the store or on the street. However, since you will not always be in the kayak (eventually you're going to have to come back to land and get out of it), you'll probably want to have some sort of shoes just in c. . .

Never Go Diving Without a Magnetic Compass

A magnetic compass is an indispensable device which divers should always carry and be able to consult while they dive. The compass might make the difference for a lost diver allowing him to find the shore, which he couldn't do without it. Having a magnetic compass is crucial at the moment of wishing to know where we are while being at the water.Whenever a diver is checking on his equipment and . . .

The Protection of a Diving Wetsuit

Wetsuits are meant to keep divers warm by giving them thermal protection. There are some important guidelines which a diver should learn regarding the wetsuit he might acquire and use. First of all, it is important to know that they are usually made from neoprene; most of the times open cell neoprene. Besides, when wetsuits have a coating added to the neoprene they are easier to be worn and tak. . .

American and Canadian Baseball Fans to Attend Cuban Playoffs

Eighteen intrepid baseball fans are about to score a home run by flying to Havana for the last three games of the Cuban National Series.The trip is being organized by Vancouver-based CubaBall Tours with an Air Canada departure from Toronto scheduled for March 24, 2005. The group will be escorted by Canadian baseball historian Ernest "Kit" Krieger, who has booked front row seats for the final ma. . .

10 Benefits You Get from Using Trekking Poles For Hiking

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act but a habit.-Aristotle-I remember watching my boys growing up. They would go to their Scout meetings and bring home a pole that they had cut from a sapling. They made it into a pole by stripping the bark and carving different designs into it. They would talk about how they used it for hiking and on campouts. Today things have changed . . .

Never Paddle Alone!

An important thing to remember about kayaking is that you should never paddle alone.One of the biggest rules of thumb when it comes to kayaking is that you should never paddle alone. The reasons for this are many, but most of all, if you make sure that you have somebody with you, then you'll be able to stay safe in almost any situation. Having an extra person with you means that if something ha. . .

Yogalates for Golf

To swing a golf club simply rotate back then rotate forward while shifting your weight accordingly around the axis of motion of each hip. To this simple version of the swing, add a few things such as a good grip, proper weight transfer, maintain spine angles, stay balanced, correct tempo, proper alignment, etc…, and you’ve got every reason to expect a single digit handicap. Golfers for the ag. . .

Callaway ERC Fusion Driver - Long and Straight

The ERC Fusion Driver is an ultra forgiving and accurate driver. This golf club is available through the "Callaway Golf Pre-Owned" website (www.callawaygolfpreowned.com).The ERC Fusion Driver is available in lofts from 7.5 to 12.0, and is great if you are looking to drive the ball "Long and Straight". The 360CC carbon composite head, with a forged titanium face, is actually 75% lighter. The ERC. . .

Myrtle Beach Golf - Quality & Quantity

Myrtle Beach is the best of both worlds for every golfer, QUALITY and QUANTITY. The Grand Strand has over 120 courses designed by the best in the game: Dye, Jones, Nicklaus, Palmer, and Fazio to name a few. Over 1 Million golfers played there in 2004. You will find the largest assortment of quality courses to test your game, both mentally and physically.Ten years ago, our group of relatives, fr. . .

What Is Decompression All About?

Decompression is necessary whenever a diver wishes to dive in depths which go under the 130 feet. If a diver tries to go deeper than 130 feet into the water without following decompression procedures he would instantly notice that his air starts running low and would feel the effects of pressure in his body. Therefore, if you wish to practice deep diving you must learn how decompression works a. . .

Sports View for February

As the NBA reaches the midseason point most of the talk is of the MVP race, with many tabbing Steve Nash as the early favorite. My question is can a guy who is not even the best player on his team win the MVP? (Shawn Marion is the best player on the Suns.) Yes I will concede Nash deserves some credit for making the players around him even better, and lifting the team to another level. But wh. . .

3-Pointer by Gary Whittaker (Feb 15)

Point 1: Basketball's Mr. 3000Lakers celebrate Bryant's return with a loss against the next great one. Hopefully Kobe, who was watching King James on the court for 41 minutes, was able to take enough notes to see that you don't need to be a veteran to be leader. Hopefully Kobe watched enough of King James to realize that you don't have to be surrounded by superstars to have your teammates play . . .

Football, Flyin', and (Almost) Cryin'

A month or so ago I got a call from a couple of friends who happen to own their own private jet. Friends who also happen to be Georgia Tech fans. They called to ask if I wanted to fly down with them and some friends to Tallahassee to see the Georgia Tech - Florida State game. They said that the flight would take maybe an hour, we’d all see the game, and then be back in Georgia a little after mi. . .

Dalton's Law and Diving

Dalton's law refers to the effects which partial pressure might have on divers. This law says that the pressure of mixed gases is equal to the pressure produced by the individual gas. It can also be explained by saying that the total pressure of a mixture of gases equals the sum of the partial pressures of gases which are part of it.This means that the number of molecules present in the total v. . .

Three Key Skills of Playing Poker by Black Jack

Why play poker? It seems like a simple question, but the answer is both complex and personal. There are many different reasons to play or not play poker, and often these reasons will dictate what type of player a person is and what limits he or she should play. Poker pros are commonly described as tight and aggressive. A good player is nothing like that; in general he masters at least three cri. . .

The NEW King Elvis Preston King

No Elvis is not a new rock and roll king. Elvis Aaron Presley still holds that crown.In ancient societies, kings had harems of beautiful young girls. In modern time in the year 2005 there is a New King. Elvis Preston King who has over 1000 beautiful young girlfriends. Elvis has done google searches that Sergy Brin and Larry Page wouldn’t know how to do to see if there is any one else on the pla. . .

How To Sight In A Riflescope

A few months back I had to complete the task of sighing in my scope. I went to the sporting goods store bought a few boxes of shells, some paper targets, and earplugs. I headed to the local rifle range for a task that I thought would take a few minutes to complete. Well, after a box of shells and no holes in the target I found out I was wrong. I left the range in disgust and was ready to just p. . .

Buying a New Kayak

Comfort is the most important thing you should consider if you are buying a new kayak.If you’re thinking about buying a new kayak, there are a few things that you should definitely consider before you go out and actually spend the money. The first thing you should figure out is whether or not you know what you’re getting into. If you’ve only ever used rental kayaks, then you might want to buy a. . .

Kayak Paddle Blades

Different kayak paddle blades will have different effects on the control you have over your kayak.The blades of your kayak paddles are the most important part when it comes to worry about whether or not you'll be able to control the kayak. This part of the paddle effects how much water you can push with each stroke as well as how the paddle will be able to move through the water. You generally . . .

How To Launch Your Kayak

Launching your kayak does not have to be difficult as long as you know what you’re doing.When it comes to launching your kayak, there are a few important decisions that you must make. The first thing you should decide is whether or not you want to launch your kayak from the land, or on the water. You can even launch your kayak from a dock, though that is usually a bit harder to do than launchin. . .

Have Fun With a Sea Scooter

A sea scooter is a water propeller which facilitates the practices of divers as well as it ads fun to their activities. It makes the practice of this sport easier and allows divers to spend their energies in a better way. These devices usually are small and light, providing comfort not only in their use but also in their transportation.Sea scooters are used for many different sea related sport. . .

Sex Toys - History and Benefits

HISTORY OF SEX TOYSSex toys have been used for thousands of years and many believe they had first originated from Asia. However, it was not until the ancient Greece time that sex toys such as dildos and other phallic objects were first made popular. Evidence also suggests that the Romans were the first to mass produce sex toys for a commercial purpose. The sex toys produced during these ancient. . .

Greatness Falls at the Hands of a True Legend

It’s implausible to imagine the player who broke the most coveted record in football being remembered as the guy that couldn’t win the big game. Peyton Manning bears that ugly scar. After shattering Dan Marino’s single season touchdown passing record, throwing for 49 TD passes, Manning’s legacy was almost guaranteed to be that of one of the greatest signal callers ever. That is, until last Sund. . .

How To Check If Cut Flowers Are Fresh

Fresh flowers should feel crisp or firm. Before you buy, run your hand under the flower heads from stem to petal tip. Proceed gently under the petals so as not to bruise them.If the flower vendor objects, give them a withering look and enquire in a loud voice, "Are these flowers fresh?" If the flowers feel soft, cool or damp, don't buy them. Keep testing the other bunches until you find a good . . .

Why I Would Rather Be A Slugger Than A Pitcher

During the last NLCS, I asked Brandon Backe of the Astros what the hardest thing was for him in making the conversion from outfielder to pitcher in the minors. He said it was "not playing every day." That is why I would rather be a slugger, to answer your question. I'd want my mind and body to be in every inning of every game. I wouldn't want to be one elbow injury away from a possible end of m. . .

Dan - A Great Coach

My wife, my daughter and I had been eagerly anticipating my daughter’s first lesson with Dan, her new batting coach. Of course, we heard how good he was. Our next door neighbor glowingly spoke of Dan’s expertise as a batting coach for girls. For the first lesson the three of us (my daughter, wife and I) were nervous about how this arrangement would work out. Would she respond to him, and could. . .

The NFL Needs a New Tiebreaker

After enduring that disgusting final weekend of the NFL regular season, I have come to the conclusion that a new tiebreaker is needed. How a team performs during the final weekend should be the first tiebreaker, with all the current tiebreakers falling in line after that. A team that won its final game would hold the first tiebreaker advantage against a team they're tied with that lost its fina. . .

Extend the Life Of Your Flowers By Steaming Them

This method of extending cut flower life may sound a bit drastic but it is quite effective. Have two clean buckets ready. Rinse them out with some bleach solution first. Boil some water in a kettle and fill bucket No.1 with 2 inches of the boiled water. Fill bucket No. 2 with 4 inches of cool water. Cut a half inch or so from the stems of your flowers or foliage and put them in the hot wate. . .

Do Superstitions In Sports Actually Work?

What does it take to be successful in sports? I have talked a lot about motivation, confidence, and focus and desire. All of these are important, but what about luck? Do you ever wonder why athletes wear the same “lucky shirt” in competition such as Tiger Woods wearing his traditional red shirt on Sunday or athletes who eat the exact same meal for good luck prior to competition? Some teams even. . .

Mental Tools To Help Racers Enter the Zone

On the start line, you were so confident that day, you believed no one could race with you. On the track, racing felt effortless and smooth. You were in the flow on every jump, bump, and turn. Your rhythm was perfect in the whoops. Every section of the track was executed just as you saw in your mind. Your mind was so immersed into racing each section--one at a time--that you were oblivious to o. . .

Casino Craps - Easy to Play and Easy to Win

Craps is the fastest - and certainly the loudest - game in the casino. With the big, colorful table, chips flying everywhere and players yelling, it's exiting to watch and exciting to play. Craps also has the one of the lowest house edges against you of any casino game, but only if you make the right bets. In fact, with one type of bet (which you will soon learn) you play even with the house, m. . .