Painter Print

Now, there I was, glued to my computer counting down the minutes in which I was to inherit one of the greatest masterpieces ever created. One which rivals the great paintings and sculptures from the likes of Michelangelo, Rembrandt and even Picasso - dare I say! In my sniper-like fashion, I waited and waited just in case someone dared to outbid me. Ten minutes…..five minutes…..now 1 minute and 10seconds remaining. It was down to crunch time now and I opened up my second browser window. The first was placed in bid mode just incase I needed to increase my bid, while the other was refreshed every 10 seconds so that I can track it all down in real time. Finally, 1 minute and 11 seconds later, I breathe a sigh of relief and began doing my “happy” dance.

Why was I so happy, you ask? Did I win the National Lottery? Did I become Donald Trump’s new apprentice? No, but it ranks a very close second to all of the above…I won my first pair of Retro Jordan XI (That’s eleven to the uninitiated). These are perhaps the most popular Jordan’s, and even shoes for that matter, that have ever been produced. My time finally came as it had been 9 years since I first saw them in my local Footlocker and missed out on my chance to get them. Now I had to wait 2 weeks more. Oh, the Suspense!

Two week later.

Tuesday 10:00 am, just like clockwork the postman (Mail Carrier to be PC) arrives. A few seconds later I hear the door slam which can only mean on thing - They’re here! So I rush to the door, pick up the package and proceed to my room. Closing the door behind me, just like a child on Christmas Day, I frantically proceed to rip open the package. In the midst of all of this a thought enters my head - Where were they shipped from? I take a moment to look at the shipping label and notice that it came from California and not form Shanghai or Hong Kong. So far so good. I continue to open the package and there it was (cue the angels singing)….The grey and black Jordan silhouette. I finally get the box unwrapped and glance at the product label. It reads “Retro Jordan 11″. Now I notice something here which I’ll get to later on (Point #1). I opened the lid and the retro card was sitting right on top of the tissue wrapped shoes. I take it out so I can look at the other Retro Jordan’s and reminisce. It’s at this point that I notice something else that threw me off once more which I’ll also get to later on (Points 4&5).

Now before I removed the tissue I lit up a cigar, as any man would when introducing a new arrival to the family. And there they were, brand spanking new, my new Retro XI’s in the Black/Varsity Red-White colorway. I removed one of the shoes and examined it up and down and I must say, these were the real deal! I then pulled the other shoe out and notice that something is wrong….the “23″ on the rear of the left shoe is crooked. I also noticed that the material on which the “23″ is printed is sticking out (Point 6). I shrugged it off and decided to try them on as the final test. Guess what?! They were too small. I immediately took them off and looked at the product tag inside. It read “Made in China, 020608 LNR3. That was the final straw that made me go from total elation to utter disappointment.

All the signs were there and I had come to the realization that I was duped. I was bamboozled. I was taken in. Either way you put it, I was now in possession of brand new Retro Jordan XI FAKES!! So, what do I do? Do I place them back up on auction and get my money back? NO WAY, that would make me just as dishonest as the guy who sold them to me. My next step was to contact the buyer, but before I was to do that, I needed to examine the shoes in detail and make a list. Here they are:

1. The label on the box had overlapping lines and the font was not correct. 2. The bottom of the box said “Made in China” and “Fabrique aux Etats Unis”. Which is it, made in China or made in the USA? 3. The Jordan Silhouette was much darker than usual. 4. The Retro Card had Jordan’s shirt in Teal color and not Navy. 5. The shoe images on the Retro Card were blurry and faint 6. The “23″ on the rear of one of the shoes was crooked and the foam material that it is on sticks out as opposed to being flush with the leather. 7. The carbon plate on the bottom of the shoe was in fact real but the pattern and color was off. 8. The production date was listed as 020608 as opposed to 010911. Nike never made this shoe in 2002.

The points listed above apply to the Retro Jordan XI’s. However, you should use these points as guidelines when purchasing other Retro Jordan’s from the net or a local flea market vendor. Other points to be considered include:

1. All shoes are made in limited supply. There is absolutely no way that you can get 1000 pairs of authentic Retro Jordan 1’s in all sizes. 2. When purchasing online, look at the pictures that the seller is using and compare them with the pictures of the other shoes that they sell. Is the background the same? Are there weird numbers on a few of the pictures? Do they have the Neon Green XI’s in stock? If so, don’t even think about buying. If you want more proof never be afraid to ask the seller to provide you with more pictures. 3. If the website also sells custom Air Force 1’s, Louis Vuitton Handbags and Timberland Boots always make it a point to read their “Policy” which will clearly state that the shoes are fakes/variants. Better yet don’t even read the policy, just move on.

One last thing to remember is the universal rule that applies to any and everything that you purchase - Buyer Beware! Do yourself a favor and do your research first before you end up like I did. Oh, and if you’re wondering about my Fakes, I have since contacted the buyer and the auction site. He is “no longer a registered user”

Every day when I read the hockey section in the newspaper I am looking for funny ice hockey quotes that are worth remembering. There actually are not anything funnier for a NHL fan than to tell his friends the latest hockey quotes.

One day the sayings you told your friends might become one of the most famous hockey quotes in history of the game.

I know that people sometimes consider me to be quite odd in some areas of life (maybe because I love hockey so much), but when it comes to me liking famous ice hockey quotes I know that I am not odd.

Thousand of other hockey fans are enjoying sayings as well. My buddies love them and many newspaper actually list the most weird and famous quotes on the pages.

The fact that others are enjoying quotes too is proof enough for me that this is not a weird habit of mine. I am just a simple and ordinary ice hockey fan.

So, what is it that makes hockey quotes so great and why do we love them so much?

I think that the reason ice hockey fans love famous quotes is because all sayings somehow have a lot of truth in them. They also help us understand the game and often include some small kind of wisdom as well.

Many hockey quotes are quite stupid as well, I know, but they also tell us a lot of things about the spirit of hockey. They tell us what hockey is all about.

One of my favourite famous ice hockey quotes has to be Gretzky saying:

“I skate to where the puck is going to be, not to where it has been.”

This one tells so much about Gretzky. Everyone else whish they could play and think like The Great One, but nobody ever could. He made the game simply because he was the best.

Scotland has taken its place as the new Mecca for white water rafting and extreme sports enthusiasts. With over 120 activity centres around the country you can do it all here - from jumping off cliffs, sliding through canyons and rolling down hills in plastic balls, to more traditional activities such as white water rafting, quad biking and clay pigeon shooting.

The rugged landscape is perfect for hair-raising outdoor pursuits. As Mark Turner of specialist outdoor sports website adrenalinePASS.com says, “We are especially looking forward to the rafting season on the River Tummel. This is undoubtedly the best white water rafting available in the country over the summer.”

The Tummel is dam-release, guaranteeing water levels every weekend from June to September. It is a narrow, technical and exciting river, offering almost continuous rapids to Grade IV, culminating in the descent of a double-drop waterfall!

“An alternative waterfall descent”, Mark continues, “is on one of our canyoning trips. This time there’s no boat involved, instead participants are lowered down on a rope in a controlled abseil.” Canyoning descents also involve scrambling, jumps into plunge pools, natural water flumes and slides.

A wide range of clients enjoy adventures with adrenalinePASS.com. Individuals and families on day visits or holidays, through to a range of groups, from stag and hen parties to corporate outings. Their philosophy of professional delivery, from experienced but also highly enthusiastic instructors, has produced a winning formula.

So, if you’re looking to do something a little bit different this summer and fancy some excitement in your life, go to www.adrenalinepass.com and choose your ideal adventure.

Being without a partner in the city where you see relationships in any pub and disco can be a horrible feeling. I personally know of two without a girl friends who go on dates each month and each week they are upset because they are still without a partner. In the capital city of the UK there are a large collection of brilliant working girls, these fantastic escorts are the perfect offering to give to yourself if you are not with someone. For those who want fantastic pleasure try out Female Escorts from Lucy Bond.

Call girls in London are eye-opening and lovely and have a high education making them lovely companions as well as beautiful lovers. The escorts in London are usually more costly than anyplace else like Manchester, the reason for this is the call girls tend to be of an improved class.

Working girls have been made likeable with the television show Secret Diary with the beautiful Billie Piper. In the television show the escort call girl is made out to be glamorous and rich and always looking pretty. The show is a top rated series in the United Kingdom and many boys have seen it and have now booked a call girl. This has helped to fuel the increase in single males feeling much happier and better about the choice of women a single male has in London.

Golf s sometimes a frustrating game. Many have been known to lose their cool after hitting a ball into the rough, a sand trap or the water. Sometimes, the ball just seems to disappear. Tired of wasting all that money on golf balls that don’t seem to ever come back? Try investing in some of the used golf balls available online.

If you golf, chances are you’ve gone through your share of balls. They seem to get lost all the time, and the costs mount quickly. Even the best golfers routinely lose balls, and for the average duffer, these “misplaced” golf balls can quickly become an expensive addition to the golf outing.

Used golf balls that are in great condition and ready to play can be purchased in bulk over the internet. There are many companies that sell used balls, usually in dozens. Different companies have different grading systems but they are all relatively similar.

Most sites describe some sort of quality assurance sorting, so that the balls are graded. Balls are sorted into various categories and sold by the dozen.

Top grade used golf balls are often called Grade A or Grade 1, one or two sites listed them as Grade AAA. They are usually described as like new. Many customers have commented that these balls are often indistinguishable from the new ones, and can be subsequently lost just as quickly as those right out of the sleeve. These are usually described as near perfect with a slight blemish or mark.

Slightly less perfect balls are Grade B or Grade 2. These have more than one mark, but play like new. Accordingly, the price is a bit less than the near perfect ones.

Finally, there is a third grade called Grade C or 3. Occasionally the site will go ahead and call them range balls. These balls are more used, with several marks and blemishes, but would be suitable for range play or practice rounds. These are even less expensive than the others.

Make sure that your site specifies that there are no “X out” or manufacturer rejects. You should be receiving slightly used, but good balls. Also, you may want to inquire if the site you have chosen allows water balls. I’d avoid these if possible.

Check with your local golf club as well. Sometimes local clubs hold sales of used balls to clear their inventories as well. You may be able to buy back some of the balls you lost last season!

Finally, compare price and shipping costs on your used golf balls. Most shipping charges seem to run between $5.95 per dozen and $7.95 per dozen, but verify in advance. You should also be able to get a significant shipping discount for orders of more than one dozen.

Shopping for used golf balls can be a great way to cut the expenses of your golfing habit. Before you hit the links, try purchasing some practice balls you won’t mind losing!

Do you think that your choice in tips is the right choice or simply politically correct? What I mean by politically correct is, is your choice in tips controlled by the opinion of your peers or some professional player that you know, or is it based on fact? By the end of this article you should be able to answer this question for youself.

What are the differences in pool cue tips?

As you probably already know, you have everything from very soft singlepiece animal skin tips from various types of animals (elk, cow, water buffalo and cape buffalo) to very hard single piece animal skins. There is also the laminated tips ranging anywhere from three to fifteen layers. The laminated tips also range from soft to extremely hard using various animal skins and tannages. The end result is a myriad of confusing choices. I would like to unmuddy the water for you somewhat. All of these variables can impact power, accuracy, and your sight picture.

First let’s assume that you already know that the shape or radius of the tip is of utmost importance and must be maintained at all times during gameplay. That very important shape that I just mentioned is the radius of a dime (roughly) or a “0.375″ radius. In other words, hold a dime edgewise up to your tip and look over the top… If it does not match the shape or radius of a dime on the top of your tip, you’ve already got a problem.

When the ball is struck by the tip, the portion of the tip that takes the force is no more than an eighth of an inch offcenter in all directions. This is true regardless of whether you’ve struck the cue ball a sixteenth off center, or a full tip off center. What this radius does is generate the force, regardless of where it is struck, to the center of the tip and down through the center of your cue. Soft tips create more distortion than harder tips. In otherwords, a larger area of the tip makes contact and wraps around the cue ball in the case of a soft tip. This may give you more tip confidence, particularily if you’re a beginner, because you will miscue less, despite having a sloppy stroke; but, the price you will pay is less power and a whole lot more deflection of the cue ball, because you have moved all of the tip to one side of the cue ball with virtually no penetration. On the other hand, a hard tip will focus the energy in a much smaller area at impact and will give you a higher degree of penetration. When I speak of penetration, I mean the force being directed to the cue ball by virtue of the direction the cue is being swung or pointed and that force penetrates the cue ball in the direction that the shaft or cue is being driven. As an added bonus, a harder tip lasts longer.

What about miscueing with hard cue tips?

The simple fact of the matter is, that the small, glasslike particles of chalk, which cause the friction, are held higher up on the surface on a hard tip so that they will penetrate deeper into the surface of the cueball at impact. A soft tip allows more particles to come into contact because of it’s increased tip surface at impact; however, though there be more particles in contact with the cue ball, it does not penetrate the cue ball as deeply and therefore creates less friction per particle. Bottomline: You have the choice of either more particles penetrating less or fewer particles penetrating more… The net total friction is about a trade-off. Whether the tip you choose is one single piece of hide or laminated multipe pieces of hide, the key issue is the more penetration means more accuracy, more power, and tremendously less cue ball deflection and negative effects on your sight picture. As a side note: You’ve probably noticed, if you’ve played much, that a tip plays its best just before it has to be changed. This is because it has been pounded enough through constant play to make the tip more dense (harder in all areas).

What does Meucci Originals do with this information?

After testing every tip on the market, and measuring it’s resultant power and deflection variation, we have found that a hard tip with even harder outside edges around the circumference will perform the best. Harder outside edges so that the energy is directed into the cue will be focused more towards the center of the shaft, while at the same time keeping the outside walls of the tip from breaking down. There is only two ways to get this result: 1. A hard water buffalo tip. or 2. To compress the tip of your choice as hard as you can, then shape to a dime radius and then pound the outside edges to further harden the circumference and reshape that area to be once again a dime radius.

We take both the latter and former choice at Meucci Originals with the well-known Le Professional tips or hard water buffalo tips. I hope I haven’t caused you even more confusion. I think the choice should now be simple: your choice should be made according to knowledge and experience instead of the fashion of the day.

In home golf fitness can be more effective than belonging to a gym, paying monthly dues, and dealing with all the “muscle-heads”. Many golfers think they need fancy golf fitness equipment or a gym membership to be successful with their golf improvement program.

Not so!

I have designed all the programs in my membership sites, dvds, manual and ebook to utilize minimal equipment in the convenience of your home. Many of my customers and members have been shocked at their results with in home golf fitness equipment as simple as exercise tubing, a stability ball and hand weights.

That’s it!

For all of a “one-time” cost of under $60 you can have your total “in home” golf fitness gym. I’ve now eliminated the reason (excuse) that you need to belong to a gym or spend hundreds of dollars in equipment.

I’ve also eliminated the reason (excuse) that you have no time. All the programs I’m referring to are to be done in the convenience of your home saving you hours per week. This includes the time it takes to commute the gym; getting showered; and the time it takes to get back to where you need to be.

Coming up with golf fitness programs using just the above equipment can be fun, challenging and reduce boredom. The programs I design incorporate both strength and stretching within the same program, saving you even more time and killing two birds with one stone.

More and more golfers are realizing they can do almost as much with in home golf fitness programs as they can in a crowded gym…with all the privacy they want.

I have always said that exercises done on a machine in a gym that isolate one muscle group while sitting is the farthest thing from a golf-specific exercise. Golf utilizes every major muscle group in the body, and in a sequential movement pattern. Sitting in a machine will not improve your body for golf.

The beauty of hand weights, tubing and balls is the ability to put your body in the exact same positions you’re in for your golf swing. The more exercises you can do that simulate your golf swing, the bigger the benefit will be.

You will also be more apt to stick with it when you realize it will definitely improve your golf swing power and distance. Linking golf and fitness creates a commitment level that’s not there with general (gym) fitness programs. Knowing your in home golf fitness program will help you play better and also feel better is a motivating factor.

When you get that itch to improve your game through fitness, don’t think you need to join a gym. All you need is a little bit of space in your living room to start your in home golf fitness program.

While I would highly urge anyone to take up sailing, it’s a personal decision that only you can make. In order to help you think things through, here are some things to consider:

Do you enjoy being outside?

This is pretty obvious, but you do need to honestly assess how much you enjoy being out in the elements. Weather conditions can change from great to awful in an instant, and you might be quite a few minutes from shore when they do. Also, if you hate water or being wet, you should seriously consider not sailing.

Are you up for a challenge? - http://www.voyageseaschool.com

You can learn the fundamentals of sailing in one long day or a weekend. After that, you can spend the rest of your life learning to sail well. As a pastime, sailing will consistently challenge you like no other.

Where do you rate, in terms of being humble?

As previously mentioned, sailing is a personal challenge and you’ll have a lot to learn. If you are the impatient type, this is one pursuit that can turn into an unpleasant chore. If you are patient and open to learning, it will be a joy. Usually.

Is taking orders something you can do?

Chances are excellent that you will take lessons, or less formal instruction, from another person. That person may be an instructor, a friend or (worst-case scenario) your Significant Other. It is crucial that you listen and obey! Many people have a hard time with one or the other, let alone both. Are you one of those people?

How realistic are your goals?

Are you dreaming of circumnavigating the globe next month, crewing in America’s Cup in two years, or sailing for Olympic Gold in four? Perhaps a more modest goal, such as overnight cruising or crewing at a local regatta, would save you from undue unhappiness and frustration.

Have you got the time?

Unless you live right on the water (lucky you, if this applies), you will be spending time getting to a boat, boating and getting back home. Travel times will vary, but you get the idea. If you fall in love with sailing, it can seriously eat into any free time you may currently have.

What about money?

This really isn’t an issue, at least not yet. Sailing lessons can be had relatively inexpensively, or even for free if you have friends who sail. You don’t need to run out and join a yacht club right away, either. Just bear in mind that, at some point, you will probably want to buy your own boat. Dependent on boat, and accommodations for said boat, you may want to give a thought to budgetary concerns sooner rather than later.

Who else is in your life?

This is a big consideration, if you are married or with a partner. The best thing that can happen is that he or she shares your enthusiasm for sailing. The worst thing is that he or she loathes the thought of boats, water or (and don’t discount this) not having your undivided attention. You’re on your own here, but you’d better give this at least a passing thought.

If you had positive answers for even a few of these questions, get out there and give sailing a try! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

4INFO Launches Event-triggered Text Alerts Mobile users can set up access to news as it happens - for sports scores and financial markets

PALO ALTO, Calif. - December 15, 2005 - 4INFO, Inc., the leading mobile search service, announced today the launch of event-triggered text alerts, designed to deliver free information updates via SMS (Short Message Service) to mobile phones. Beginning today, users can visit www.4INFO.net to set alerts for sports and financial events, such as score and stock price changes, respectively.

Event-triggered alerts keep users informed about real-time changes to things that they care about. The following list highlights the first suite of 4INFO event-triggered alerts, with more to be added in the near future.

Sports Alerts * Instant updates at the end of a period, inning, quarter, half, game or golf round for MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, PGA and all major college sports * Instant updates when the score changes (excluding NBA)

Stock Alerts * Instant updates for user-specified stocks or funds at market open and/or close * Instant updates for designated percentage change in price or specified price targets

“By giving users the choice to receive event-triggered alerts, 4INFO strips away another layer that stands between the user and their digital world,” says Zaw Thet, vice president of marketing and product strategy. “Not only can people stay current on the latest changes in their portfolio or with their favorite teams, they can make more informed decisions, save time, and stay in the know continuously about subjects and events that are important to them.”

Event-triggered alerts are an addition to 4INFO’s existing periodic alerts that can be scheduled for delivery at the time and preference of the user. Periodic alerts include 5-day weather forecasts, daily horoscopes, plus sports and stock alerts that can be set to a time of day instead of an event. In order to use 4INFO Alerts, users must register their phones with 4INFO. Registration consists of a brief confirmation process to verify the identity of the phone owner, and thereby prevent spam. Users with service on all major U.S. cell phone carriers can use these services for free, although normal carrier charges may apply.

About 4INFO 4INFO, Inc. (www.4INFO.net), the leading Mobile Search service, enables the search and delivery of real-time information to a mobile device. 4INFO’s comprehensive suite of Mobile Search services (Text Message Search to 44636, Mobile Web at http://wap.4INFO.net, and the web site http://www.4INFO.net) provides access to business listings, sports scores, fantasy sports stats, weather, flight information, movie times, horoscopes, hotspot locations, news, stock quotes, and mobile downloads. The services are available free of charge to users on all major U.S. carriers. 4INFO’s investment partners include U.S. Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson. 4INFO is headquartered in Palo Alto, Calif.

“Engineer-to-Order Manufacturers Find Little Global Competition” is an important feature in World Trade Magazine. The 70,000 plus senior executives and managers reading the publication have purchasing influence over their supply chain. Global competitiveness is central to the publication’s message. According to Chuck Stewart, Executive Vice-President with Cincinnati-based ETO ERP leader, Encompix, in World Trade magazine, “There is a perception that lean is only applicable for repetitive manufacturers and not engineer-to-order [ETO] manufacturers that make unique, complex products. Part of the problem is that many lean success stories focus on inventory reduction. This is of no interest to an ETO company that makes many “one-off” purchases and does not hold finished goods inventory.”

Some of the best opportunities for improvement in the ETO environment are in business processes and office systems, not merely the plant floor. Eliminating non-value-added activities in engineering, estimating, customer quotations, purchasing, shop floor reporting, and accounting functionality offers opportunities for dramatic improvement.

The term engineer-to-order (ETO) denotes a style of manufacturing rather than a specific industry segment. Other synonymous terms are “project-based” or “custom” manufacturers. ETO companies typically have distinct characteristics about the way they conduct business that differentiate them from discrete or repetitive manufacturers.”

Encompix (www.encompix.com) has filled the manufacturing software requirements of Engineer-to-Order companies since 1992. Today, Stewart holds the position of Executive Vice President, responsible for sales and marketing. The company name, Encompix, reflects the commitment to developing business application solutions that encompass the complex areas of project-based and job-based manufacturing. Encompix provides ETO manufacturers with a competitive advantage by improving bottom line results.

Encompix www.encompix.com Roger Meloy rmeloy@encompix.com 513-733-0066