Investing in Penny Stocks – How to Invest in Penny Stocks Profitably

August 9th, 2010
Mike Singh asked:




Investing in penny stocks has its share of ups and downs, tips to be adopted for greater success and pitfalls to avoid. This isn’t gambling if you know what you’re doing. You need to think of it as increasing the value of your investment portfolio with smaller seed capital but with larger returns to compensate for the higher risks involved.?

The Upside

With these stocks, you can start investing and earning with as little as $100 to open your online account.? Indeed, you are well advised to start with a minimal capital investment while you are learning the ropes of the business.? It does not help your stock investment portfolio to put in more than you can afford to lose!

Another benefit of investing in penny stocks is that you can have huge profits out of small investments. Well, of course, you have to know the basics of the business before this happens but the potential is exciting. Also, you can avail of the services of online discount brokers for these investments. Unlike traditional stockbrokers, you can save on the high costs of sundry service fees and commissions with these discount brokers.? In effect, your bottom line will benefit.?

How To Invest Profitably

In order secure the most benefits out of investing in penny stocks, you can apply the following tips:?

Look for the stocks with the highest price-earnings ration but the lowest price-earnings-growth ratio.?
Stick to your entry and exit plans.? You must control your monetary greed even when it seems that the penny stock in consideration will rise in value after you have reached your profit limit – it often will not move in the way you predict or desire.?
Go with the market flow.? You cannot control the market and as such, it is futile to want to change it to suit your profit objectives.?
Make decisions based on reliable information coming from the thorough analysis of charts and other tools necessary for successful investing. Inside information and hot tips can be manipulative practices meant to deceive investors and, hence, rob them of their money.?

The bottom line is that these stocks operate in similar ways as their Big Board-listed stock counterparts.? Hence, you can apply your knowledge in mainstream stock trading to penny stock trading with a few revisions to account for the higher risks involved.?

The Risks

Speaking of risks, you must avoid the pitfalls that come with these investments. Keep in mind that these stocks can be very speculative and can be easily manipulated, which means that investors must maintain vigilance over their investments decisions. ?One of the most notable pitfalls in trading these stocks is the provision of misleading financial statements to investors.? You have to double check with independent bodies like the Securities and Exchange Commission, when applicable.?

Investing in penny stocks is a good decision where your investment portfolio is concerned. ?You can enjoy the benefits just as long as you adopt smart investment management and avoid the pitfalls.

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Potty Preperation

August 6th, 2010
Raymond Willis asked:




 

 

  Owning a puppy is a major responsibility, and you’ve willingly signed on for it.  There are a number of things you must have in order first to ensure that your puppy’s transition to your home will go smoothly—from the necessary objects you will need to keep your puppy safe, healthy, and as little of an irritation as possible—to some tips on how to best potty train and acclimate your littlest household addition.

 

The first things your new puppy will need are pretty obvious: a pre-determined location for its food and water and a place to sleep.  Choosing to place the new puppy in a nice, adequately sized crate when they sleep or when they must be left alone is far from being cruel; instead, it ensures not only puppy’s safety but also the cleanliness and order of the rest of your home.  Also remember that puppies are accustomed to small, confined spaces, so a crate filled with soft blankets and toys will feel safe and comforting rather than confining and limiting.  Also make sure that you have plenty of toys on hand for the puppy—chew toys in particular, as they are still in the teething and biting stage, much like a human baby.

 

Once you have the puppy’s living space and entertainment needs addressed, the training should begin, and begin immediately.  The puppy needs to know that you are the leader of the pack, and should respond to and obey you as it would that pack leader.  The first and most important training the new puppy needs to undergo is potty training; obviously other training will come into play later, but in the beginning teaching the puppy when and where to go to the bathroom will ensure that your new family member is adored and not a source of unclean annoyance.

 

One of the traditional potty-training methods has involved rewarding appropriate potty performance with treats—food in particular.  This is never a good idea.  The puppy must learn to potty appropriately because it is a fundamental expectation of a young animal, and doing the basics such as going when and where it should is the very definition of fundamental.  Rewarding with treats simply teaches a puppy and later an adult dog to only respond if there is something in it for them and not because it is simply what is expected from them. 

 

First of all, remember that the average puppy needs to go to the bathroom six or more times a day; left to their own devices, that’s a significant amount of cleaning up on a daily basis!  The puppy crate is your best friend when it comes to housebreaking a puppy; since dogs will rarely if ever void where they sleep and rest, you can remain confident that the puppy will be highly reluctant to soil its sleeping area.  Take your puppy out to go to the bathroom at regular intervals—every couple of hours or so—and return the puppy to the crate immediately if they refuse to go to the bathroom.  Very quickly the puppy will learn to use the outside-the-crate time to do their potty business, and will begin responding to the cue that coming out of the crate means going to the bathroom first.  The key to making this work is absolute consistency; puppies and dogs learn by rote and repetition and if you don’t provide that expected repetition you will be creating a mess—literally and figuratively—for yourself.  Also reward appropriate potty behavior immediately and punish inappropriate behavior with equal swiftness.  The puppy will pick up on the signal that leaving the crate means pottying first and freedom to play second.  It will also learn where to go at the same time and will be hesitant to break that imposed rule, and/or risk your dissatisfaction.  Housebreaking a puppy will take only a matter of days—as long as that crucial consistency is present.  However, every puppy will still have accidents, just like any human baby.  Simply punish that behavior and move on with the consistency and reward system in the future; soon you will have this first training step down and can move on to more advanced training and expectations of your puppy. 



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Debt To Income Ratio – A Critical Factor In Your Credit Score

August 3rd, 2010
Roger Passman asked:




Debt to income is a ratio of your total monthly debt payments to your total monthly income expressed as a ratio or percentage. It is a rather simple calculation but it can be deceiving unless you include all debt and all income in the calculation.

The calculation of your debt to income ratio is a straightforward one. You simply divide your total monthly debt payments by your total net income (that is your income after taxes). While some debt is unavoidable and may even be desirable for achieving your financial goals the real question is how much debt is too much; just where do you draw the line. Obtaining credit is often a function of a loan officer calculating the debt to income ration as a way of determining your ability to meet new obligations. Too high a debt to income ration will also have a negative impact on your FICO score, often making credit obtained more expensive than it needs to be. Below I suggest categories for inclusion in calculating your debt to income ratio to see where you stand.

Monthly Debt Payments to Consider:

Mortgage or rent payments Payments on a home equity loan Car payments Student loan payments Minimum credit card payments times 2 Other outstanding loan amount payments Child support payments

Monthly Income to Consider:

Total net or take-home pay Child support or alimony payments received 1099 Income after taxes divided by 12 Other monthly income

Now add up debt and income and divide.

The above list is only a guideline for gathering personal information. It may include every possible aspect of your debt/income but you may need to add categories or not use some of the categories in your calculation. If you add lines to your debt calculation do not include bills for services or products unless you have placed such bills under a payment plan such as establishing a fixed payment plan with your dentist. Under income do not include windfalls such as one time gifts, an insurance settlement, an inheritance or lottery winnings.

So now you have made the calculation. How can we answer the question how much is too much? When applying for credit, the loan officer will look at your debt to income ratio as one factor in making a decision but it will not be the only factor considered. The same debt to income ratio may be great for one family but may have a negative impact on another. Debt to interest ratios in the end are a subjective tool for loan officers to make decisions about your ability to meet a new obligation. There are some general guidelines, however, that will give you a reasonably solid picture of where you stand in the eyes of a loan officer.

30% or less is generally considered as an excellent ratio by the vast majority of loan officers 20% – 36% is a good ratio and will most likely not cause any problems with loan officers or have a negative impact on your FICO score 36% – 40% puts you on the edge of the limits of acceptability. Most lenders will ask for an explanation for why your debt to income ratio is so high. In addition, a debt to income ratio in this range begins to have a negative impact on your FICO score so lenders look to other strong numbers before making a decision to loan more money to you 40% or higher sends up red flags with lenders and your FICO score. Often, this high a ratio will be a deal killer with most lenders

By calculating your own debt to income ratio you begin to get a handle on your own financial situation. If the ratio is too high it tells you you are too deep in debt and you must do something to reduce debt. Of course, if it is very low then you need do nothing. For most lenders and the impact of debt to income on your FICO score a positive reduction in the ratio is presumed to be a sign of a healthy financial condition and goes a long way in enhancing your credit history.

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Six Effective Alternative Methods

July 26th, 2010
Ronald Eapen asked:




Sleep disorders can disrupt your day-to-day activities. People who are deprived of their sleep feel very sleepy and tired at all times. They get irritated easily and are known to be very emotional. Sleep disorders are dangerous not only to the person who is affected by it, but also to the people who have to live with such a person.

Alternative methods, in addition to traditional medication, can be used to successfully control and manage this problem. People who adopt an alternative method pay special attention to their dietary habits and include supplements and herbs in their diet. Others try exercise regimes, relaxation techniques, meditation or cognitive behavioral therapy. Many time, people suffering from sleep disorders have found that a combination of some of these techniques and methods can work wonders.

1. Diet

If you eat healthy, you will enjoy a high level of energy and a good night’s sleep. To maintain good health and a high energy level, you must eat a variety of healthy foods and drink lots of water. Sleep disorders can be cured by eating certain types of foods that promote sleep.

Serotonin is a natural sedative, which the body creates with the help of tryptophan, an amino acid. Eat food that is rich is tryptophan; for example, turkey, cheese, chicken, fish, milk, avocados, bananas, and cottage cheese. If you eat tryptophan-rich food just before going to bed, you will be able to raise the level of serotonin in your body.

At the same time, you should also avoid certain types of food that might not agree with you. Avoid processed foods and limit your intake of caffeine and sugar.

2. Herbs and Supplements

Several people use natural supplements and herbs in a bid to get rid of sleep disorders. The market offers a number of herbs and nutritional supplements. Before you purchase and use one, however, you should make a study of its effects on your body and whether it is capable of curing a specific sleep disorders.

For instance, restless leg syndrome, a sleep disorder, is caused by deficiency of folic acid or iron. If the patient takes an iron supplement, he or she can get rid of some or all the symptoms of restless leg syndrome and enjoy a good nights sleep.

Similarly, several herbs are known for their property of inducing natural sleep. Tea brewed out of a herb called chamomile or a lemon balm can relax a person suffering from sleep disorders and enable him or her to enjoy a deep and relaxing sleep.

3. Exercise and Relaxation

A good exercise regime along with a few relaxation techniques can ease the tension in your muscles and relieve stress. A number of people have used these techniques to get rid of sleep disorders. Trying out a relaxation technique just before you go to sleep can not only relax your body, but also calm your mind and, thereby, enable you to sleep peacefully. Some popular relaxation techniques are progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, and mindful exercises.

4. Meditation

Many patients have also tried visualization and meditation with success. There are two types of meditation: mantra meditation and breath meditation. Both types of meditation go a long way in calming your mind and relaxing your body. Some people also use visualization techniques that have a healing effect on their mind and body.

5. Sensory Techniques

If you are suffering from a sleep disorder, you can also use a sensory technique such as aromatherapy and hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy offers the following effective techniques to help you banish a sleeping disorder: a footbath that stimulates lymph and an epsom salt bath. Those who have taken refuge in aromatherapy can relax their body and mind by using essential oils in their bath water, massage oils, inhalants, and room sprays.

6. Therapy

Behavioral and cognitive therapy can also be used to manage and control a sleep disorder. Therapy helps improve sleep patterns. Alternatively, you can also try stimulus control therapy and keeping a diary.

Several people have claimed to have benefited from the use of alternative therapies, techniques, methods, and practises to get rid of a troublesome sleep disorder. Many times, alternative methods are used with traditional medication.



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Multilingual Publishing Vs Promoting Intergration

June 23rd, 2010
Shohreh Fleming asked:




Publication

The world of publishing is shaped by the needs of its readers. The publications industry grows year after year as it recognises the necessity to represent the needs of new communities as they appear. It is essential that people have, at the very least, a basic point of reference to obtain relevant information that is of key importance to them. The chief aim of a publication is to render details of significance to their target audience in a manner that satisfies the demand.

The Wide Range Of Publishing Available

The variety of services the publications industry provides is highly varied. Anything produced for the information of people would denote a published item. From signage to pamphlets, digital information to hard copy material such as books and magazines; the broad scope of publishing is an extremely wide-ranging arena.

As varied as the services offered by the publications industry are, so too are the groups that require that information. In the UK, there are many individuals who have travelled to the country to live and work. In certain parts of the UK there are communities with high populations of individuals of different nationalities. In these areas, it is important that the needs of all individuals comprising these communities are catered for.

Therefore it is vital that, in terms of information, no section of society is at a disadvantage when it comes to having access to information that is of importance to themselves as well as the rest of the community.

Multilingual Publishing

Multilingual publishing is a service that provides information outlets with the facility to translate their material, regardless of format, into a language that meets the demands of a particular community or target audience.

For example, if a local council had a requirement to translate their online content to help individuals of a particular language group, they would be able to engage the assistance of a translation services provider. Many such providers have access to an enormous number of qualified linguists who, in turn, specialise in hundreds of languages spoken all over the world.

Living and Working in Britain Booklet

Ideally, information would be available to communities with different language needs at the outset. With this in mind, the Home Office went ahead with production of a document entitled, Living and Working in Britain. The booklets main objective was to provide individuals with access to basic information relating to their new lives in the UK. It offered assistance, and provided semi-formal advice on issues ranging from buying a home to driving in the UK.

Tone Of Translation

Living and Working in Britain needed to be translated into 17 languages from Arabic to Urdu. Companies that specialise in translation not only able to translate the document, but can also to make sure that the tone of the original message is maintained. By producing this document and subsequently engaging a translation service provider, The Home Office was able to communicate to its audience effectively. By ensuring that the tone of its original message was upheld, they could be confident that the information in the pamphlet was conveyed in exactly the right way.

For the recipients of this literature, the fact that they were able to receive pointed information in their own language was of massive benefit. Individuals seeking to live and work in another country face numerous obstacles when settling down. By providing information designed to make that transition as smooth as possible, a positive step towards effective integration is taken.

Beyond specific sectors empowering individuals with the knowledge to begin a process of inclusion, other sectors of society need their information to be made accessible too. If knowledge can be shared with people in a language they understand, the journey towards integration can be made without any uncertainties or ambiguities.

How Language Services Make sure Information is Accessible To All.

Language service providers play a pivotal role in making sure that information is accessible to all. By enabling government sectors to speak to foreign nationals, we move closer towards an effectively integrated future.

Shohreh Fleming is the CEO of Prestige Network Ltd. – a specialist UK based language translation company. She offers an instant quote service on her website for document translations. Visit her website at http://www.translationservices-uk.com



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Winners and Losers – What Separates a Good Proposal From a Bad Proposal?

June 21st, 2010
Dan Light asked:




In the proposal world it’s a well known fact that very often you can do all the right things and get all of the wrong results.? Likewise, you can very often do all the wrong things and get all the right results.? In other words, good proposals don’t always win and bad proposals don’t always lose.? Thus begins the argument about what constitutes a good proposal and what makes a bad proposal and how you can control the situation,

Both good and bad proposals exhibit identifiable traits at their base.? Incorporating the good and eliminating the bad will go a long way to ensuring all of you best efforts produce the results you want.

The Good Proposal:

Is well written and easy to understand – You were taught good grammar in grade school.? Just because this is a proposal and not a term paper there is no reason to abandon its use.? Also, there is an order to everything, skip around and it becomes hard to follow and understand. Is written for the reviewer - Everyone that reviews your proposal will have your level of technical expertise and understanding.? Strike the balance, put lengthy, comply material in an appendix. Shows competence and validates all claims – There is only one way to legitimate way to use “uniquely qualified” and that is after you have proved beyond a doubt that you are unique. Demonstrates the benefit of the solution and differentiates it from the competition – Clear benefits and differentiation help the reviewer justify making an award to you.
The Bad Proposal:

Makes claims it doesn’t support - Hollow claims are just that, hollow.? Without the substantiation they become invisible to the reviewer. Provides nothing to distinguish it from all the other proposals – When all the proposals fall into the “me too” category price becomes the differentiator. Uses poor grammar and excessive jargon – All the parenthetical expressions explaining acronyms can make you best arguments difficult to follow, poor grammar causes mental hiccups for the reviewer, and, remember, not everyone reviewing the proposal will have your technical expertise.? Think about the use of ATM as an example. Is overly anxious – An overly anxious proposal is just like the answer the uninformed would give to a test question. You don’t know the answer and in hopes of stumbling upon it you just write all you think you know on the subject thinking that, eventually, the right words will somehow make their way to the paper.? You know when you’re doing it and so does the reviewer.
Proposals Are Bad Because

They are produced under pressure – I once had thirteen days to prepare a proposal that no one thought there was enough time to prepare when they had ninety days.? If there are people in your office consistently working late nights and weekends, your proposals are being produced under pressure. Little or late involvement by senior management – We’ve all worked with them, they’re the managers that don’t have the time to be involved in the proposal process until the final review at which time they find you’ve done everything wrong and put you back to square one. The team is improperly staffed – Your team is staffed with those having the greatest amount of time on their hands rather than those with The greatest amount of knowledge in their heads. There is insufficient marketing intelligence - You don’t know the customer or the problem you just know that it sounds like something you do and you just might win. They take the customer for granted – This is a major flaw of some incumbents.? They think the customer can’t live without they. Money and time don’t come cheap in any organization, don’t waste them bidding blindly or falling prey to bad habits that are easily corrected.

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Dietetic Vitamins And Vitamin Diets

May 21st, 2010
Carole Parker asked:




As a rule, we take on several extra kilos during winter and we hasten to stick to a diet. Unfortunately, when we exclude harmful (from our point of view) food, we deprive ourselves of vitamins necessary for our health. Here are several helpful tips on how to choose a better diet and not to damage our bodily health.

No to mono-diets!

Those who are fond of the so called mono-diets (it is when the ration is reduced to one or two kinds of food, for example, buckwheat porridge and yoghurt), we warn: you may encounter some very unpleasant consequences. May be, you will manage to part with some extra kilos but your skin may turn dry, flabby so as your nails and your hair. Food is the source of vitamins and microelements for your body. Thus, starting a mono-diet, you deprive yourself of this source. Limitations can be made in consumption of fats, carbohydrates, calories and even in the quantity of food. But despite all this, your nourishment, though, should not be monotonous.

Choose pickled cabbage (without vinegar), citruses, green vegetables and fruits. Ferro is longer preserved in apples. The source of vitamin C is not only citruses but also potatoes – both boiled and baked. Don’t forget about the principle of well-balanced nourishment: retain the sense of proportion.

What to remember:

To meat-eaters and vegetarians: If your food is deficient in proteins then vitamins are not digested properly. If your food is, on the contrary, overloaded with proteins, then splitting and utilization of proteins will require more of vitamin B6, which is also very bad, because vitamin B6 regulates the amino acids exchange.

To those who love fatty food: Much fat in your food lowers synthesis of vitamin B2 in the small bowel.

To those who has sweet tooth: Large amount of carbohydrates requires more vitamin B1.

To those who doesn’t like beef, pork, cod-fish liver or butter: If your ration has vitamin A deficiency, then automatically you will have deficiency in vitamins E, C, B12 and folic acid.

Yes to mono-vitamins!

Poly-vitamins offer us to renew the storage of the necessary ingredients in bulk. But, unfortunately, only 3-4 vitamins at a time can be digested. Moreover, unlimited consumption of poly-vitamins can lead to immune instability. So don’t be surprised to have allergic reactions. Try to take vitamins apart from each other. Take vitamin A for a week, and then have an interval. Then take vitamin from group B. In ten days change the vitamins again – take vitamin C. Of course, you will need more concentration for this and although following this scheme is much more laborious, at the same time it is better for your health. Find more great tips about weight loss at Weight Loss.



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July 4th Means – More Than A Double Ration Of Rum

May 18th, 2010
Donna Hager asked:




I was fascinated to learn that George Washington ordered a double ration of rum for soldiers in celebration of July 4th in 1778, along with an artillery salute. I was equally interested to learn that
John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France. Those efforts evolved today into using fireworks, food, and beverages plus family and friends to celebrate the most important event in American history.

Today, American families mark Independence Day with fireworks, parades, barbecues, beer, baseball games, and various other activities to celebrate our history, government, and traditions.
The Fourth of July holiday often means taking advantage of a long weekend or day off of work to gather with friends and relatives to share a meal.

Outdoor barbecues seem to be the order of the day for people gathering on the Fourth of July. And barbecues most frequently involve hamburgers and hot dogs. But these food traditions really do not need to be common place. How about putting some “zip”
and a little creativity into these traditional meals? Here are a couple of ways to spice up those hotdogs and burgers.

The ” Hot Belly Buster Burger ” – so called because the ingredients include jalapeno peppers and Tabasco sauce and its size – 1/2 pound of beef!
They really are entire meals.

The Hot Belly Buster Burger

Preparation time: 10 minutes. Makes 8 burgers, 1/2 pound each (or, as I do, 1/3 pound)

Ingredients:
4 pounds ground chuck

5 fresh jalapeno peppers

1 egg

1/4 cup Heinz 57 steak sauce

1/4 cup minced white onion

1 teaspoon Tabasco(TM) or your favorite hot pepper sauce

1 pinch dried oregano

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup Fritos? corn chips, crushed

8 large hamburger buns

8 slices pepperjack cheese

Lettuce

Sliced tomato

Sliced onion

Salt and pepper to tasteInstructions:

Preheat a grill to high heat

When the grill is ready, roast the jalapeno peppers until blackened on all sides

Place the peppers in a plastic bag to sweat and loosen the blackened skin

Rub the skin off the peppers (use disposable latex gloves), then seed and dice (leaving seeds will increase the “heat” alot)

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, salt, pepper, egg, steak sauce, onion, hot pepper sauce, oregano, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and Fritos?

Divide meat mixture into 8 balls and flatten into patties

Grill patties for 10 to 15 minutes, turning once (burgers are done at 160 degrees F)

Butter the hamburger buns and either place on grill or warm in oven

Remove hamburger buns and dress with lettuce, sliced tomato and sliced onion

Top each burger just before removing from grill with a slice of pepperjack cheese allowing the cheese to melt slightly

Remove each of the burgers from the grill and place on buns

Instead of a plain hot dog with mustard and/or ketchup, try a Chili Dog.

Easy Chili Dogs for July 4th
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Makes 4 single chili dogs.

Ingredients:

4 all-beef or Kosher hot dogs

1 pound canned chili without beans (I use Nalley’s)

4 hot dog buns split in half lengthwise

1/4 cup onions, choppedInstructions:

Fry hot dogs in a skillet (I prefer to fry or grill hot dogs but you can boil them if you want)

As the hot dogs are cooking, heat the chili in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat stirring frequently until piping hot

Reduce heat to low and hold hot until ready to serve stirring occasionally

Place hot dogs in buns and then cover with the chili

Top with chopped onion and serve with desired condiments

I sometimes like to add shredded cheddar cheese on the top. I also like to toast the buns on a grill or in the oven.

These are only two easy ways to add some great taste and fun to your 4th of July party. For many more you can click on the link below.

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Sony DVP-FX930 9" Portable DVD Player

April 26th, 2010
Troy Richards asked:




Specifications: The Sony DVP-FX930 is a portable DVD player. It comes with a 9-inch LCD screen that runs on TFT active matrix technology. The screen has an image aspect ration of 16:9. This model is capable of playing a variety of CD and DVD formats. There are also 2 built-in stereo speakers. For connectivity, this unit has 2 headphone jacks, an audio output/input and a composite video output/input. It ships with a rechargeable battery pack, remote control, power AC adapter, manual and a car battery charger.

Design: The Sony DVP-FX930 portable DVD player measures at 8.9 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches and weights at 2 pounds. It comes in black, blue and red. To withstand the rigors of travel, this device is designed to be sturdy and durable. It feels solid and generally has a matte surface. The screen can be rotated to face outwards, just like a tablet notebook. Overall, this model sports a rather conservative and practical design.

Features & Performance: The Sony DVP-FX930 portable DVD player has many minor features that makes all the difference for me. For starters, the screen is big enough for 2 persons to watch without the need to huddle together cheek-to-cheek. The double headphone jacks also eliminate the need to share a single set of headphones. Although Sony has advertised that the batteries can last up to 6 hours, so far, I have got a maximum of 3 hours out of it that is really not too bad for a small unit. The video playback was good and the glare under bright lights wasn’t too bad either, thanks to the screen’s matte surface. The Sony DVP-FX930 is all in all a pretty good portable DVD player. It will make a great travel companion during long trips and vacations.

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Nothing New Under the Sun: Mixed Martial Arts Bears Striking Resemblance to Ancient Greek Pankration

April 17th, 2010
Rita M. Reali asked:




A lot can change in 2,650 years. Apparently, though, when it comes to sports, everything old is new again. At least when it comes to the sport that boasts the fastest-growing popularity in the U.S. today: Mixed Martial Arts.

But whether you call it Mixed Martial Arts or Ultimate Fighting, this sport is far from modern. Combining Greco-Roman wrestling with a variety of martial arts techniques, the sport closely resembles the free-form ancient Greek competitive sport of pankration.

Dating back to 648 B.C., when it was introduced into the Olympics, the sport of pankration was bound by two rules: no eye gouging and no biting. Sounds like the rules my Kindergarten teacher established. Beyond that, though, anything was fair game in this competition, whose name comes from two Greek words: pan, meaning “all”; and kratos, meaning “powers.”

With individual matches often lasting hours (and sometimes resulting in the death of one or both combatants), the game quickly became the most popular Olympic sport.

Its popularity declined at the time of the rise of the Roman Empire, when other combat sports began taking precedence. In the modern Western World, boxing and wrestling grew in popularity while in the East, traditional martial arts flourished.

Flash forward to the 1900s. Twenty-one-year-old Brazilian Carlos Gracie, who was trained in judo by renowned Japanese champion Mitsuyo Maeda, began teaching his four brothers the art as it was taught to him. In 1925, Carlos and younger brother Helio moved to Rio de Janeiro, where they opened a jiu-jitsu studio and instituted the “Gracie Challenge,” taking on all who wished to compete against them. Begun as a means of drawing attention to their newly opened academy, the Gracie Challenge drew fighters in disciplines ranging from karate and other martial arts to boxing, capoeira (an Afro-Brazilian fighting form) and even wrestling.

Prospective fighters – and hordes of spectators – began to flock to these matches; before long, they were drawing such enormous crowds, the matches had to be held in the largest Brazilian soccer arenas. Eventually, the sport (known as vale-tudo, the Portuguese term for “anything goes”) had grown to become the second most popular sport in Brazil, right behind soccer (a status that is still maintained today).

From 1935 to 1951, 135-pound Helio Gracie fought and defeated in excess of 1,000 competitors in this unarmed combat form; many of his opponents outweighed him by more than 100 pounds.

In 1993, MMA took on a new dimension with the institution of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, based on Brazilian vale-tudo (which California salesman Art Davie learned from Helio’s son Rorito in the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu school two years earlier).

Derided as “human cockfighting,” the no-holds-barred fighting style was often said to be more brutality than sporting competition. Today, MMA and UFC are growing in popularity, with UFC expanding beyond its early pay-per-view audiences and gaining greater exposure on regular U.S. and Canadian cable television.

For additional information about MMA, visit www.MMASportsNutrition.com , your online source for superior nutritional supplements for MMA athletes.



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