If you thought the property market has little to do with football. Think again! A recent study by a magazine shows that about 20% of prime country homes are bought by footballers.

If you have been under the impression that the only property that football is concerned with is its pitch, think again or question an estate agent in places like Cheshire or Surrey.

Country Life, a rural set magazine, annually analyses prime country homes that are sold for more than 2m. But the point to notice is that 40% of such properties are bought by entrepreneurs, 20% by people employed in the service sector and 20% to professional footballers.

The top end of the Cheshire property market is dominated by players from Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton, Blackburn and Manchester City. A Real Estate Consultancy firm working on a confidential document for FA claims that footballers spend an approximate 85m a year on homes in Britain.

All this results in the growth of small industry of buying agents and support companies. There are also developers, which specialise in building footballers homes. The Allos group, headed by an Iraqi developer Mayod Allos, has constructed houses for Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Le Saux and Ian Walker; plus is currently working on three current Chelsea players.

Even footballers holiday homes generate work within the property industry.

Anytime the Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers there's cause for celebration. Even though the Vikings looked awful for half the game they still looked much better then their arch rival Green Bay Packers.

The Vikings finally scored an offensive touchdown after over 138 minutes of game time.The Monday Night Footbal crew of John Madden and Al Michaels jumped on the Vikings bandwagon and started complimenting the play of Brad Johnson.

No offense to Johnson but his play has only been adequate.I guess you could say that Johnson is not making stupid mistakes like throwing many interceptions but he's not going out and throwing touchdowns either.Throwing two touchdown passes in his three starts is not good at all.

The defense has played much better in the last two games. They're not only making interceptions but they're scoring touchdowns off those interceptions.

While some might say that the Vikings only beat a team coming into the game with a 2-8 record, they beat the Packers at Lambaugh, on the road, on grass and on the road.The Vikings should be happy with the result but needs to correct the mistakes that they're still making.

It was really awesome to see the Lambaugh crowd in such sad spirits. The cocky bunch got what they deserved. I think that they're some of the most obnoxious fans in the NFL.

One Green Bay fan had a sign that showed purple Turkeys in reference to the Vikings and their fans. The problem is that the fan spelled Turkeys as Turkies.This illiterate person should spend more time in the classroom and less time at the bar...just kidding.

Brett Favre looked like melted Wisconsin cheese, once again. He didn't look like the so called future Hall of Famer. He looked like an amateur.Favre has done some great things on the football field in the past but he's also had some awful games as well.Favre currently leads the NFL with 17 interceptions.

The Vikings swept the season series this year, leaving cheeseheads to ponder what went wrong this year. The Vikings have won their last two games at Lambaugh and the stadium is starting to feel like the Vikings home away from home.The way the Vikings won both their games against Green Bay was amazing.They won both games on last minute field goals by Paul "I can't kick a 30 yard filed goal but I sure can kick a 40 yard game winner" Edinger.

I guess the bright spot for the Packers is that they're almost guaranteed a good draft pick.

is that they're almost guaranteed a good draft pick.

Moving from one place to another can be quite a traumatising experience. Moving all the heavy pieces of furniture, keeping an eye on the workers to make sure they dont break anything, packing all your things, then unpacking them, arrange everything these can turn out to be a heavy ordeal. But this whole moving operation could be completed without big headaches if you plan it carefully in advance. Here are a few tips you should apply whenever considering the possibility of a furniture removal operation.

The planning should start a month ahead the moving day. Start gathering all kind of necessary moving supplies like tape, boxes or rope. Get some newspapers for the breakable things if you dont want to spend money on bubble wrap. Always make the necessary travel/transportation arrangements ahead. If you plan to move in another city far away, you should contact airlines to make the necessary arrangements. You should also call more airline companies to get the best price and the best transportation conditions.

After doing this, look for a furniture removal company. Check more furniture removal companies, as they have different price and different facilities for transportation.

But the most important thing you should be doing before moving is to arrange for your mail to be delivered to the new residence. Contact all your friends, relatives, family etc to inform them on your new address. Inform the bank and other financial institutions on your new residence details. Ask the post office to forward your mail to the new address. Look for a new doctor/dentist/vet in the new area that you are about to move into.

Two weeks before starting the furniture removal, inform your utilities companies of your change of address. And contact the utilities companies at your new residence to sign up for their services. Confirm the moving or travel arrangements and start packing all the things that can be packed in advance.

The day before the moving day, make sure you havent packed the moving supplies (meaning the tape or the bubble wrap). Make sure you have put the most important things (documents, checks, money or jewellery) in a bag that you will keep with you at all times.

And, during the furniture removal day, remember that losing your calm will not help. So try to stay calm, breath deep whenever an unfortunate accident (like breaking your favourite china) happens.

Good luck with your furniture removal operation!

Satellite radio is the hottest trend in radio entertainment for your car, home, and office. The freedom from commercials and static is an exhilarating experience. No longer do you have listen to obnoxious jingles and hot air. No longer are you condemned to choose between dead air and Country & Western when traveling in rural areas.

Commercial-Free, Digital-Quality Sound

All of these problems are solved with satellite radio. And there is nothing else in the radio world that can compete with its digital quality sound. Satellite can provide uninterrupted listening pleasure anywhere in the world.

The only problem is deciding upon which satellite radio provider to choose. The top 2 contenders are Sirius and XM Radio. If you want satellite radio, you are immediately faced with the issue of how to choose between them.

XM Radio, First In The Sky

XM Radio established its presence first, and has a market share of 2 million listeners. XM has had the time to establish an excellent system of 68 commercial-free music channels with an incredible array of music. It also adds 33 channels of news, sports, talk shows, and entertainment to its programming mix. To top it off, XM has revolutionized the satellite radio world by providing 21 channels of up-to-date weather and traffic for most of the major metropolitan areas in the United States.

Sirius, Radio Innovator On Satellite TV

Sirius may be the comparative upstart, but it offers some advantages of its own. New contacts with DISH Network satellite television have given Sirius access to more than 10 million subscribers. It provides more than 120 channels if you add up all of the music, sports, information and entertainment.

For sports, Sirius is hard to beat. It broadcasts live games for professional football and hockey leagues, as well as many other sporting events. Sirius will also be the home of Howard Stern in 2006.

New Technology, New Listening Experience

So, whether you choose XM Radio for experience and staying power, or cast your vote for the innovations of Sirius, there's no reason to wait. Satellite radio is to broadcast radio as the VCR was to television. You can have it all -- without commercials! So what are you waiting for -- pick one.

If you are looking to buy your mother a Christian gift for Mothers Day, you have more choices than you think. Besides picking up a nice, new copy of the Bible, you will find that there are many other options available today that will make perfect presents for your mom. Your choice can vary from personalized Christian cards to special Christmas tree decorations.

Biblical Coins are especially popular. You can buy your mother original and authentic coins of the Bible. You can enhance her coin collection with a famous and rare ancient currency. The Silver Sigoli is the first coin mentioned in the Bible; you will find references to the Roman Penna in the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the Windows Mite is a bronze coin made during the time of Jesus Christ. These original coins are the rarest and the ones that are most sought after.

If your mother collects figurines, you can buy her a religious porcelain figurine to decorate her table or mantle. These inspirational Christian figurines are crafted and hand-painted by skilled artists and craftsmen. You could even buy her a full nativity scene that can be the pride of her Christmas decorations.

You can also buy your mother Christian artwork. You can get your mother a painting of a scene from the Bible or a knitted verse from the Psalms. You can even get verses and scenes embroidered, cousin covers, and throws.

Quickly rising in popularity are the Bible Verse Babies. These Bible Beanie Babies come with a Bible tag and make perfect gifts if your mother is a beanie baby collector.

Millions of Americans suffer from allergies and asthma. If symptoms persist or increase indoors the odds are dust mites are causing or enhancing the problem.

Dust mites are tiny members of the arachnid family that live in homes all over the world feeding on dead sloughed off skin, which comprises up to 80 percent of household dust. Up to ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be due to dust mites, their feces and their dead skin.

For most people these little critters are benign freeloaders, but for people with asthma or allergies their waste can cause intense irritation and discomfort ranging from runny noses to severe asthma attacks. With the pervasive nature of dust mites making them the second most common cause of allergic reactions (after pollen) it would be nearly impossible to rid your home of them entirely.

However, with a little understanding of their preferred environment, it is easy to limit the effect dust mites can have on your health and comfort. Dust mites thrive in warm humid environments, as well as anywhere they are offered protection and food.

Furniture cushions, pillows, carpeting, upholstery, and particularly mattresses offer superb living quarters for dust mites. Remedying the issue may take a bit of effort, but will ultimately save unnecessary stress and discomfort. Be sure that all sheets, pillowcases, blankets, and mattress pads are changed and washed regularly in hot water to kill dust mites and remove their waste. Avoid clothe window covers, opting for plastic shades instead.

Vacuum frequently using a vacuum equipped with a high efficiency purifying air (HEPA) filtration system. Replacing carpet with hardwood or tiles may be necessary in certain cases.

The polyurethane foam used in most mattresses and cushions are for the tiny pests. This means that when allergy and asthma sufferers got to bed, where health experts say everyone should spend eight hours of every day, they are immersing themselves in a sea of allergens leading to a frustrating, unfulfilling night of sleep Recent years have seen the development of new technologies aimed at keeping mattresses microbe and dust mite free without sacrificing comfort.

The latex in latex mattresses and pillows creates an environment naturally unsuitable for dust mites, molds, bacteria, and other microbes. Amicor, a fiber in which active microbe eliminating ingredients are imbedded allowing it to maintain its antimicrobial properties through 200 or more wash cycles, can be used in fabrics for mattress and pillow covers.

When combined with wool, which is also naturally microbe resistant, a bed is created that provides an escape from allergens rather than a place where they wait to keep you itching.

Birds are very interesting creatures. They are vertebrates, because like fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, they have a spinal cord. They are also tetra pods because of their four limbs, two of which became wings, that are, in general, for flying. The other pair is for walking, running, and swimming. All birds, and only birds, have beaks and feathers and all species lay eggs. They have no mammary glands and neither do they have teeth. They are endothermic, that is why they are considered warm-blooded animals. Most of them fly except for some emus, ostriches, and penguins along with a few other species.

They have been around for millions of years and have been helping the environment. They are known to be very intelligent even without having been thoroughly studied. Scientists believe that birds, as a class, have a higher level of intelligence than most reptiles, and can be just as intelligent as many mammals regardless of size. Mammal intelligence testing is based on how they modify their surroundings using their forelimbs, and since birds lack forelimbs it is difficult to test their intelligence as it is tested on mammals.

It is widely believed in the scientific world, that birds actually lack real intelligence; they act upon their instincts and are unable to learn. Scientists who believe this rely on the fact that birds have a relatively small cerebral cortex, which is the area of the brain where most animals use their intelligence. Yet, it has been proven that the bird uses a different part of its brain for intelligence, the hipertriatum.

Birds have excellent vision. They rely on it for flying and navigating. They need their sharp vision for processing large amounts of visual information for locating rodents and other prey on the earth while flying. They usually have monocular vision; their eyes are each on the opposite side of the head. They need great brainpower to process and combine the different information they get from each eye.

Many scientists say that the more social animals are, the more intelligent they are. The greatest argument in favor of this is that humans are the most social and the most intelligent animals. Parrots and corvids both tend towards organized social behavior. Many corvid species separate into clans for nesting or defending territory. Then they usually flock together with different species in order to migrate. When migration is through they go back to their original clans. Scientists say that this behavior indicates real intelligence because of the way the bird can identify each clan member and the changes in temperature and climate while migrating.

While hunting, some birds make use of teamwork. Predatory birds work in pairs, while one bird distracts the prey, the other swoops down for the kill. This is called the "bait and switch" technique.

Similar to primates, many bird species use tools. Some species of crows grip sticks with their beaks to pick out insects from logs. This has been observed as something the young birds learn from their elders, but it has also been observed in captivity. A laboratory crow made a hook tool with wire without having learned this from any other bird.

Birds have no form of spoken language as we humans do, but they do communicate through singing, calling and using body language. Studies show that birds learn their territorial songs at a young age and use them for the rest of their lives. Some species even learn different song dialects.

A bird can instinctively migrate alone for the first time, and as it gets older and more experienced it has a smaller probability of getting lost. This shows that they can memorize places, landmarks, and have a sense of direction.

Many people like to compare stupid people with birds, but actually birds are one of the most intelligent creatures on Earth. They are highly evolved and have developed extremely sharp skills and senses. So, next time you make fun of someone less experienced than you and you say they're "as dumb as a duck", remember this article.

For the first time since 2001, a full compliment of six players was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm 45 and was able to see and remember each during his career. In my opinion, four selections are solid (Reggie White, Warren Moon, John Madden, Rayfield Wright), one leaves me ambivalent (Harry Carson), and then there's Troy Aikman.

Reggie White was the most dominant defensive lineman of his era and retired with most sacks (198) in NFL history at the time. The "Minister of Defense" started in the USFL but in his 15 year NFL career went to 13 Pro Bowls. No Brainer.

Madden and Wright were senior-committee selections and both have merit. Madden has the highest winning percentage (.759) of ANY coach with 100 wins and won a Super Bowl, probably long overdue. Rayfield Wright was considered the "linchpin" of the offensive line for the great Cowboy teams of the 70's - no problem there.

Warren Moon's NFL numbers are staggering. His CFL/NFL numbers are mindboggling! In 23 years of organized football, Warren Moon threw for 72,184 yards and 457 touchdowns, 51.061 and 313 in the NFL. By comparison, Dan Marino finished with 61,361 and 420. The hall didn't hold Moon's vagabond final years and lack of Super Bowl ring against him.

Harry Carson in my eyes was one of the parts of the sum in that great "Wrecking Crew" defense of the Giants Parcell's Giant era. Lawrence Taylor deservedly got all the pub but lets not forget that Brian Kelly and Brad van Pelt were both excellent linebackers and Jim Burt and Leonard Marshall vastly underrated defensive linemen. Nitschke, Butkus, Lambert, Carson ???

Troy Aikman's career stats: 61.5%, 32,942 yards, 165 TDs, 145 Ints, QB rating of 81.6

There have been six other quarterbacks inducted into the Hall of Fame since 2000 (Montana, Kelly, Elway. Marino, Young, and Moon), and everyone's number other than Steve Young's dwarf Troy Aikman's. So lets start with Steve Young.

Steve Young is another I would consider good but not great yet compared to Aikman, Young is first ballot. Despite spending half his career in the USFL, Tampa bay, hurt, or sitting behind Montana, Young still threw for slight more yardage and 67 more touchdowns than Aikman. Young could also hurt you with his legs rushing for 4238 yards at 5.9 yards per carry with an additional 33 touchdowns.

Of the seven, Aikman's completion percentage is lower than all but Kelly (60.1%) and Moon (NFL number 58.4%). Aikman's 165 touchdowns pales in comparison to everyone else's 237+. The others all threw for 40,000 plus yards and only Moon (80.1) and Elway (79.9) had lower quarterback ratings.

Call me old school but I think the Hall of Fame should be reserved for the truly greats of the game. I realize that HOF criteria is not strictly numbers based and involves many intangibles including leadership and winning but Troy Aikman was clearly not great. This is an argument generally reserved for baseball but applicable here.

Let's look at some players that are coming up soon, just retired or will retire soon. Most I consider good but not great. Perhaps the closest analogy to Aikman is Scotty Pippin, decent numbers, 6 championships, Does he deserve to get in ??? In my eyes - No/Maybe. Regardless of situation, ANWHERE, Scotty Pippin was good 17/9 player that played excellent defense. He's a slam dunk to go but if on fringe, the defense would send him through.

Jerome Bettis. The Bus. He's top 10 rushing all-time but if Steeler's hadn't won, where's Jerome. Does he deserve to go? A marginal yes, Will he get in? Maybe down the line during a thin year. Could anybody in good conscience mention his name in the same breath as Earl Campbell. I don't think so.

Baseball is the most fun. In an age of Roids and Juiced balls, how about these guys, Juan Gonzalez (420+ HR's), Jeff Bagwell (430+ HR's), Tom Glavine (260 wins), Frank Thomas (420+ HR's). Cobb, Ruth, DiMaggio, Aaron, Bagwell. Rolls right off your tongue doesn't it

A lot of great players get dogged about their careers for not winning a championship, Ted Williams, Dan Marino, Maravich, Barkley, and Karl Malone. Some get dogged for not winning enough, Wilt Chamberlain. There are lots of good players considered great because they won and in this instance, Troy Aikman can step to the head of the class.

Are you trying to please Mom? Dad? Spouse? Friend? Grandma?

You may think this is a strange question. It can be a subconscious and hidden revelation that's not even recognized, but for many folks in search of a career it plays a BIG part in the decision making process.

Truth is.... YOU are the only one who needs to be 'pleased' when it comes to deciding on your career choice. No one else matters! If that sounds harsh, reality tells us no one has a right to 'control' another persons future.

Many Dads' get caught up in their own shortcomings. It can be your Mom or Spouse, maybe just a close friend.... even the "grands" want to put in their 2 cents worth. Some parents played sports in school and want to see their children follow the same route. You see it on the ball fields - football - baseball - soccer - basketball - and more.

Don't get persuaded to seek a career path because.... someone you love and respect wants to influence your chosen life's work based on something they missed in their own career choice. YOU are the KEY player in this picture and it's important that you "snap" the right picture.

It's NOT your responsibility or obligation to meet peer pressures, society pressures, or any other pressures from the outside. Let your own personality rise to meet the demands from within yourself.

Never let Dad's or Mom's career choice dictate your own. Too many Preachers, Doctors, Lawyers, Business Executives and others are the result of following in the footsteps of their parents or grandparents. A bad idea UNLESS it is YOUR chosen field of influence and persuasion.

Deep conflicts come from accepting the path of least resistance. Yes, it may be a real challenge to choose your own path, but nothing in your future is more important when it comes to happiness in your work and family life. Lotsof good feelings will arise when it's your choice, not those of anyone else.

One final thought - it may seem selfish to you, ruling out the desires of your family members who want you to follow in their foot-steps. Failure to make your own choice will have you working in a position you do not like or enjoy and in the end it will be a disappointment for those you wanted to please inthe first place.

3-4-3,
Defense;
3, defenders,

These three are very confident that they can handle a lone striker or two forwards. They are also reliant on a good defensive midfield.

On the attack these players will play wide positions. On the defense these players will be more compact and allow the outside midfields to aid in the wider positions.

At times the inside mid-fielders will "show" for the ball. This creates an additional attack from the centre of the pitch as the mid-fielders become out-let players.

They are trying to convert the play by maintaining possession.

When there are only 4 midfielders the attitude is to feed the 3 strikers with the long ball from the back.

Midfield

4, mid-fielders are usually arranged as outside left, inside left, inside right and outside right.

The outside players are called, wingers or flank players and are also involved in striking the goal.

This would make this line up have a possibility of 4 strikers at any given time.

These wingers usually have the bulk of the running to do as they could carry the ball from the defending third and into the attacking third.

This also depends on the team strategy as outlined by the coaching staff.

The two inside mid-fielders are supposed to be the "play makers".

These are the individuals who are responsible for carrying out the plans the coach and players have designed and used as the methods of attack and goal scoring.

These positions have traditionally played these roles. However nowadays the play making comes from anyone and sometimes all the players at any given time.

These inside players have also been more defensive in their general on field play.

This defensive idea is to stop the opposition from creating attacking options.

They will then gain possession of the ball and and mount an immediate attack through their play making abilities.

Forwards

3, forwards,This is the first time in any formations that we discuss the possibility of three strikers.

This is a team who definitely has goal scoring in mind first.

They want to put pressure on their opponents by having a greater numerical advantage while attacking.

This team also forces the opposition to become more defensive. This is a tactical of aggression from this team.

Coming into the matchup between the Panthers and Bears, everybody spoke of the mighty Bears defense. They had an amazing run this season by allowing fewer than double digit points per game at home this season. With a week off and the media attention hyping them up, they lost their defensive edge.

The Bears were definitely rusty and unprepared in this game. They had a week off to heal their wounds and to review video tape but the week off also took away their sharpness on the field. They were so successful defensively because they would be able to swarm to the ball in record time. Yesterday as Smith was running all over them, their ability to swarm to the ball was questionable.

The Panthers also did a great job at picking apart the Bears defense early. The Steelers did much of the same against the Colts by getting to them early. The rustiness of the team off of a bye will not last forever so the Panthers knew to pass the ball early hitting big plays and getting the early touchdown.

The Bears offense looked great this game and for people to question their offense would be a mistake. It is also a mistake for people to blame their defense for this loss because without them, they would not have been in the playoffs.

If anything, blame should be placed on Lovie Smith for not preparing his team for the speed and intensity of a real game. He also made very little defensive adjustments at half time to give his team a chance to win. There was also a very poor game plan heading into the game to defend Steve Smith.

So my brother is in town, together with his wife and 2 friends from my little home town in Austria. It is everybody's first time in North America and their initiation to Toronto. Just to give you ideas of dimensions: Austria has a population of about 9 million and the country extends about 900 km from east to west while the Greater Toronto area nowadays probably has about 4 to 5 million people and Lake Ontario alone is over 300 km long. The first thing my visitors noticed was the difference in size: the size of the city, the size of the lake, the size of cars, the size of supermarkets, and even of refrigerators.

On Sunday we started off with a little driving tour of Toronto where I first took my visitors down to the lakefront by the historic Art Deco style R.C. Filtration Plant. All of them love water and to have a lake as big as an ocean so close by fascinated them. After a leisurely drive on Queen Street through the quaint Beaches neighbourhood we parked the car close to the St. Lawrence Market and started our walk around.

Since my brother is a chef and always loves to purchase market-fresh food, I initially took him to the St. Lawrence Market which always has an antique sale on Sunday. The food market is actually closed on Sunday. We checked out the wares from old furniture to cameras to various knick-knacks.

Our exploration continued westwards along Front Street past historic 19th century houses and of course past the famous triangular-shaped Flatiron Building which has a mural on its west side. Approaching Yonge Street we walked past the Hockey Hall of Fame, a historic Beaux-Arts former bank building, the magnificent Royal York Hotel, built in 1929, once the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth.

One of the things that fascinated my visitors most was how old and new can coexist right next to each other: shiny skyscrapers are located right beside historic sandstone churches. Our walking tour continued past Union Station, Toronto's impressive central railway station, built between 1914 and 1927 as a joint construction project by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Grand Trunk Railway (now the Canadian National Railway). Its monumental scale, classical detail and rational, ordered planning were hallmarks of the style. The station is massive and takes up an entire block on Front Street between York Street and Bay Street. The Great Hall of the Station is 250 ft. long and 84 ft. wide.

Our walk continued further west on Front Street past the Convention Centre to the base of the CN Tower and the entrance to the Skydome, Toronto's multi-purpose stadium with a retractable roof, now called the Rogers Centre. We then snaked our way up through the Entertainment District to Queen Street where we admired Osgoode Hall, built in the 1830s, and now an oasis of green in the city. An ornate iron fence, built in 1867, renowned for its peculiar "cow gates," surrounds the property and its beautiful gardens. The cow gates in particular fascinated my visitors.

Our next stop was at New City Hall and Old City Hall, opened in 1899, which racked up construction costs of more than $2.5 million at the time which caused great controversy in those days. Continuing past the Bay Department Store on Queen we passed the Metropolitan United Church, an English style cathedral dating from 1872, whose churchyard was filled with people enjoying the warm day.

Once back in the car we drove through the U of T campus, my Alma Mater and we stopped briefly to check out Hart House and Kings College. Then we headed down to Chinatown at Spadina and Dundas and my visitors marvelled at this exotic, busy market area. Our last stop on the tour was Kensington Market, a lively little neighbourhood full of food and clothing stories and restaurants where we ended up picking up fresh vegetables, dry beans, and a variety of cheeses for some of the scrumptious meals to come. My brother, the chef, marvelled at the variety of food avialable here, combined with the inexpensive prices a food lover's dream.

We took our loot home where my husband was waiting for us with a big brunch to strengthen ourselves for attending a birthday party of one of my friends that had the motto of "let out your inner child". The party was unique in that it involved such time-honoured Toronto traditions as hitting a piada while a bunch of adults were playing with water guns, chasing one another around the house with buckets of water dropping on the combatants from the second floor.

I think our visitors had a full day, from getting a first taste of Toronto, to participating in a rather eventful birthday party, their first impressions were very positive and they were looking forward to exploring more of this exciting city.

We all want to become more confident and feel good about ourselves so we can live our very best life. Here are some ways to gain confidence and raise self-esteem:

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend youve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. Youll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of flow. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, youll feel competent and capable. Its a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you dont have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something youve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesnt have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

Youll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

Its been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

Youll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, youve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If youve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything youve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my drivers test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

Why becomes a soccer bettor one may ask? Where it is considered a negative occupation where it is often regarded as non productive, immoral behaviour. well as for every other thing everything there is the pros n cons.if you able to use it to your advantage it could be becomes your full-time occupation or a second income. morever, soccer betting is a big thriving business where it is prevalent throughout the worldBy the use of statistics, experience and practice, an astute gambler can consistently beat the posted odds .however to do so one must behave in a manner consistent with success. one thing a successful bettor must do is to continually learn.

Handicapping

There is no single method that is considers the best method, everyones tackles the soccer problem differently,one thing for sure is the harder one works intelligently and practically and the more experience he has the more positive results he will realised.

Objective approach

The use of statistic to help the bettor to determine his picks. It should be noted that statistic are fundemental but its how they are used that makes the difference between winning and losing. however if everyone comes to the same conclusions the oddsmaker could still eliminate any advantages by adjusting the line to keep everyone guessing. either way it is to the bookies advantage.

Subjective approach

After yrs of handicapping the sub-conscious mind help the bettor to finalise his picks. when he starts to win the bettor will get carried away however if his results turns negative his emotions and his mind will short virtually making the bettor ineffective. it is extremely important the bettor at this time knows to hold back and observe for his form to pick up before betting again.

Trends

It should be noted that the best trends are those that are unique, valid and relatively unknown. any seasoned soccer bettor knows that once the trend becomes too popular the linesmen will adjust the line to leave people lost. when using trends you should notice whether it is getting stronger and weaker?

Bankroll mangement

Definition-the amount of money you set aside for betting and not hose for paying bills, groceries or money even when lost would not cause much unbalance in the bettors life.

How much to bet per game?

I would suggest 5% of your bankroll to be used for betting and not to bet more than 3 matches per day, reason because its very difficult to pick winners for every match and the most likely results are you will have a few winners and a few losers resulting in minimal bankroll growth which is the most likely results or worse lose all the bets which is highly possible. Another very important reason for this is you are able to gauage more accurately how much you will lose should you indeed lose.

Summary

To begin with, one must understands what he is up against, there is no method or systems that could contiunues to win every game , everyday, every week , month or year. good consistent handicapping means selecting more winners than losers. in order to be a successful bettor one must give lots of thoughts to why is the results this way ?and is there any reason behind it. when you manage to reveal the meaning behind it it is the time you feed back on the fat cow(bookmaker).

Soccer forum

I have seen a great prevalence use of soccer forums where soccer bettors post their picks. it is often noted that a lot of beginners try to note down those tipsters who is in hot form meaning those posting the corrects picks and then bet big following them .i strongly discourage people from doing so cause they were betting their hard earn money on people whom they never even meet or know and blindly follows theirs picks .this is very unhealthy why? cause the bettors himself have failed to come out with his own picks ,where he could be learning from his own mistakes and who knows those that are in the forum might be bookies themselves posting picks to lure the ignorant ones to be hooked.

Getting prepared mentally

One should be prepared mentally for losing and winnings cause either way it would lead to what I call a gambling syndrome. when the bettors keeps winnings he will be feeling over the moon during his hot streats and starts spending money like he is a king overnite however once he starts hitting the rough patch he will be losing sleeps if he bet a very substantial amount or can't concentrate in his work. this is very unhealthy and how to curb this problem?By following a systematic money-management programs.

Is it possible to strike rich in a very short period say 1 month?It is possible for a soccer bettor to strike rich but that is provided he is extremely lucky during that month and makes more than 60% corrects picks and of those correct picks are those he bets bigs and the remainder 40% lossess are those he bets small. however one knows that what goes up must come down and the winners are those who are able to tide over the rough patch and then starts winning back when his form is back

Is it important to know all about the soccer team , soccer players statistic n does that makes me a better soccer better?

The answer is no cause soccer betting arena is a place where the booksmakers earns their money if by knowing every details could make you rich then all the soccer writers, soccer magazines editors are the ones who are driving big cars and living in big houses.

What makes a true soccer bettor an expert?

The ability to convert a given bankroll into profits based on practical bankroll management program and against some standard of odds and over a large number of games and over a period of time.

How to become a true soccer expert?

1. He should keep a record of all that days opening odds and closing odds.
2. print out the each respective wide table.
3. Write down the score
4. reason why the results to be this way and is there any trends. of course in order to look for particular trends you need soccer records.
5. keep meticulous and honest records of his play decisions and their results. this will teach him his strength and weakness.
6. learn how to bet on his own handicapping in order to realize the greatest profit. he then must discipline his action and play in respect of this plan in order to get the best results.
7. learn how to tackle his emotions as well as personal problems out of his decisions. if this becomes too difficult he should stop playing.
8. be constantly on the alert to make changes to his handicapping methods and techniques.
9. set up a plan of action for bankroll management and stick diligently to it.

Does soccer betting involves luck?

Answer: no, cause soccer results is preplanned meaning before the matches starts the results is already out. If you have been betting soccer for a period of time and keeping soccer records deligiently you would have discovered a trend and realized that its a cycle.

So which leagues are you gd in?

for each people they they dwell in different leagues for me I specialize in only 4 leagues namely EPL, Italy serieA , Spanish primera and german bundesliga.

How to tackle soccer cups and normal weekend domestic league?

There are lots of soccer matches throughout the soccer season and the techniques involves in dealing with different matches differs differently and at different timing of the season.

Does the bookmaker lose money?

ANS : yes there are times but seldom. bookmakers lose money then the strong team win throughout the tournamnet eg euro2000 but that is short-term loss.They will continues to win the soccer punters money as long as there are soccer matches. Why? Cause there will be different opionions from different soccer punters just the vigourish/water money alone is able to cover their losses and that is excluding fixed match where they win even more. Another useful tool they are armed with is they understands that all gamblers have a common weakness. They bet bigger and bigger when winning and bets even bigger to chase their loss when losing.in either case it is to the bookmakers edge.

Contary to the belief of many where they think they are winning the bookmakers money , it is the other soccer punters ie, their friend's money whom they are winning.the only way to bust the bookmaker/bookies is not to bet or share part of the pie the bookmaker is having.

Soccer cups

There are namely a few more popular ones are uefa cup, uefa champions league, league cup, fa cup, worthington cup, international friendlies, Italian cup, Spanish cup.

Why is it important to do a form analysis on oneself?

It is because people when they are in a winning streats they tend to win more frequent cause I find that it got to do with ones confidence level. they becomes not afraid to lose and I believes that if one believe in himself strongly he will perform much better than one who is afraid of losing.

Betting strategy

Overview- When you do keep records you could trace your own form and make adjustment from there.

Flat betting strategy

This is the strategy I use when I am determining which way my form is going. up or down. Another reason to test out new leagues where I'm unfamiliar.

PROS - this strategy would produce a even amt of risk for money wagered but however if you are able to pick on the right team you could earn a average profit, CONS -but due to the water money and the increase in the no.of bets before you could see a tidy handsome profit this will constitue to be the downside.

Progressive betting strategy

I adopt the progressive betting strategy method which is to multiply my previous winnings by 0.5 and use it for the next bet which is the strategy I adopt when my form are good.ie when 3 or more wins consecutively.Reason why? There is a Chinese saying "hit the iron while its hot" which I find it to be very true cause there are many opportunities in soccerbetting where if you are able to recognize it and bet bigger than usual, PROS- there is a potential higher return rate then if you flat bet.CONS-when you do adjust your bet amt you are relatively exposing yourself to more risk this is the tradeoff where you could lose potentially more.

Reduced betting strategy

When do you adopt this is when you have been picking the wrong team all the time example say 3 straight lose which is very common caused I realized that this is the time where people starts to bet big to chase their loss. this is very wrong caused when one is down on luck or the bookmaker has adjusted the line to confuse the bettor they should stay calm n reduced their bets or not bet at all.PROS- reduced money lost and try to minimize serious damage to original bankroll.CONS-if the picks do win you could not cover back your previous loss due to reduction in wager.this is the trade-off.

Why is it important to find the right time frame before u bet and does it make a difference?

It is important because if now you are in a losing streats it is best to control oneself before you jump into it and wack hard to chase back your lossess most likely you will lose .it is best to make own prediction first and see if your form is back if it is slowly getting back now is time to jump in cause once you run out of bullets during your losing streats it is very difficult to fight back.

Party favors are the nicest way of thanking your guests for attending your party. Since many people who attend your party do get gifts, it is a nice gesture to offer something in return.

Plan your party favors. You might buy simple and inexpensive favors or you might invest in favors which cost more. But the essential thing is that the party favor should be liked and cherished by the guest. But that does not mean that if you spend more, the favor becomes more memorable.

The best way to choose a party favor would be to pick a party favor that is specific to the theme of the baby shower.

A photo frame, a photo album, a printed matchbook, little champagne bottles, cosmetics and accessories, photo images printed on the thank-you cards you give the guests are just some examples of party favors.

One of the nicest things you could do is invest in blank cds, and then burn or write the best love songs from your friends MP3 or CD collection (if you dont have that is). You could choose from the best party numbers or soulful romantic melodies. Then gift these CDs to your guests. For a relatively small cost, you would be giving your guests an invaluable party favor; which they could listen to over and over for many years to come.

The more creative you are with your party favors, the more chances of your party favors standing out as precious mementos to the guests. Those cute souvenirs and trinkets could cost you peanuts, but they should remind the guests of the memorable and joyous time they had at your party.

4-5-1

Defense;

4, defenders are usually arranged as outside left, inside left, inside right and outside right.
The most recent idea is to have them lined up in a banana shape with the middle of the curve closest to the goalkeeper and the outside defenders, the points, slightly ahead but behind the midfielders.

Some considered the flat back option but this means much more communication from the capitain of the defense usually one of the insiders.
The general idea is to have the two defenders attend to the attack coming in from their side.
This format requires a high degree of verbal communication in addition to sight and hand gestures.

With both of these options the opposite outside tucks in a little to mark the center of the field covering the goal and any incoming additional attacking opponents.
When the team has possession the defenders would then play wide to stretch out the other teams attackers.
This is also known as playing it around the back.

Sometimes the defenders can be lined up in a diamond shape. This is to utilize the last player back as a "sweeper" who clears the ball up the field and out to the other defenders and mid fielders.
This player is in constant communication with the goalkeeper and relays the message to the other defenders. This is because the goalkeepers can see the complete field from their vanatge point.

At times and in some cases too often this central defender will by-pass the midfield and play it up to the forwards. I say too often because this usually has the forwards out numbered by the opposing defenders.. However there are a few "power forwards" who could handle this situation, but most are unable too.
It does create a certain amount of excitment with this surprize attacking option.

The defender at the top of the diamond is considered the "stopper" whose duty is to challenge any attack or attacking play. They usually play from side to side rather than up and down the field.
This defender is involved in shutting down any play and play making.
These players really read the game well. They need to, or they would be doing all the running as the ball is in constant motion.

Midfield;

5, midfielders,

Two outside/wing players who dominate the flanks of the field. They also act as attackers creating many scoring opportunities for their teams.
These are hard working players and a usually super-fit. However sometimes after a few runs on the side these can switch with inside players for a rest.
If this is possible, the team can keep their opponents confused and always looking for changing plays and positions.
This type of positonal play can not be defended by a man-on-man team defense. This requires a good zone defense and a constantly communicative team.

The 2 inside players are usually defensive in their roles but will become part of the attack when their team has possession. They will generally use the central midfielder to create plays and control the tempo of the game.

Forward,

This team is usually confident of their lone striker.
The striker in this formation actually acts as a "post-up" player. This means that this striker at times plays with the opposing defense at his/her back.
This player will try and stretch the defense, will receive the ball to lay it back to the oncoming team-mates to close the ground/space that this striker has created.
The cycle continues until a good scoring opportunity has been formulated.

Occationally this striker will turn and attack the goal when the timing is right.
This is usually communicated to the strikers by their team-mates.
However a great striker will sense these situations based on the run of play and the opportunities that this striker has created.

In this article we're going to discuss funerals that have more tradition associated with them than probably any other. Military funerals.

Military funerals are loaded with tradition. A final farewell to a fallen comrade is one of the most glorious events that any person can attend.

The first thing that one notices at a military funeral is the flag draped casket. The blue field of the flag is placed at the head of the casket, just over the left shoulder of the deceased. This custom actually began long ago during the Napoleonic Wars of the 18th century. A flag was used to cover the dead as they were taken off the battle field.

If you take a good look, you will notice that the horses that pull the casket during a military funeral all have saddles on them. However, the horses on the left have riders on them while the horses on the right do not. This is also taken from old times when the primary means of moving ammunition was by horse. The riderless horses carried the provisions.

There is a single riderless horse that follows the procession. This horse is called the caparisoned horse because of its ornamental coverings. By tradition, in a military funeral, this horse follows the casket only of a soldier of rank colonel or above or the casket of the President, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces.

At the graveside itself, military honors consist of the firing of three volleys, each by seven service members. This is very often confused with the 21 gun salute, which is actually for honors not associated with funerals at all. However, the number of guns fired in both are the same.

The three volleys came from an old battlefield custom. The two sides at war with each other would cease fighting in order to clear their dead from the battlefield. The firing of the three volleys meant that the dead soldiers had all been removed from the field and that battle could resume. War was relatively civilized back then.

In the case of the death of a former or current president, there are additional salutes and traditions. On the day following the death of a president unless the day falls on a Sunday or a holiday, the commanders of each army installation order that one gun be fired every half hour beginning at reveille and ending at retreat. In the case of a Sunday or a holiday this is held over until the next day.

On the actual day of the funeral, the 21 minute gun salute is fired starting at noon at all military installations across the country. These guns are fired at one minute intervals. Also, on the day of the funeral there is a 50 gun salute. This is one gun for each state. This is done at five-second intervals upon lowering of the flag for the day. "Hail To The Chief" is then played if the funeral is for a past or present president.