December 31st, 2009 | 
Author: 
Jason Osborn asked:
Are you familiar with the song that says, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”?
It is definitely one of the classic oldies. However, I think this line in the song shines light on why some people never live to their full potential.
Have you ever thrown yourself a pity party? I’m not proud to say it, but I have.
Even worse, do you know anyone (maybe even you) who doesn’t just throw a pity party but lives in one every day?
Self-pity is one of the worst ways to totally destroy your potential in life.
The other day I was watching a program about a group of guys who were left paralyzed following an accident. Before the accident, they were normal, everyday people like you and me.
A few of them talked about how difficult it was following the accident. They said that at the beginning they didn’t think they would ever be able to live again. At some point, each of them had to make a decision whether or not to live life in despair and self pity or to rise above it and live life to its fullest.
They had all made the choice to rise above it. All of these guys were on a wheelchair rugby team from the UK. Not only that, they were the UK champions. Several of these guys have also competed in the Olympics.
One of the interviewers made a comment about how none of them had any self pity at all.
This made me begin to think about how damaging self pity is. These boys could still be sitting in the same place today. But instead, they decided to rise above it and create a new life. And they didn’t want to create just any old life, but a great life!
We all go through things that paralyze us in one way or another. You may even feel that you have the right to feel sorry for yourself. But just because you may have the right, doesn’t mean that it’s the right choice.
You have the choice to become either a success story or a forgotten story.
I realize that the pain or hurt of tragedy may not disappear overnight. Some things do take time to heal. BUT, your choice to be a victim or a success can change today.
Here are 3 ways to overcome self-pity.
1. Get around people who will show you some tough love.
This doesn’t mean that you get around people who don’t care about how you feel. But the last thing you need (even though you think you might) is to be around people who will sob away with you about how hard life is and how it couldn’t get any worse. Instead, get around people who will show you compassion but who will, when you start to cross that line into feeling sorry for yourself, make it very clear that it is unacceptable behaviour if you want to achieve greatness.
2. Force yourself to look to tomorrow.
Depending on what you have gone through, I know tomorrow may seem VERY far away. But you have to remember, there IS a tomorrow. You have purpose and greatness inside of you. But again, you choose whether you are going to live life to its fullest.
3. Look for inspiration.
Whatever you are going through, someone else has gone through it and they actually came out successfully on the other side. Find out who these people are. Find their books, interviews, articles, or audio series and learn from them. If they were able to succeed through it all, so can you!
Practice all three of these steps if you need to. But don’t let self-pity stop you from becoming someone great.
The next time you invite yourself to a pity party – just decline.
Ournetbuds.info
Are you familiar with the song that says, “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”?
It is definitely one of the classic oldies. However, I think this line in the song shines light on why some people never live to their full potential.
Have you ever thrown yourself a pity party? I’m not proud to say it, but I have.
Even worse, do you know anyone (maybe even you) who doesn’t just throw a pity party but lives in one every day?
Self-pity is one of the worst ways to totally destroy your potential in life.
The other day I was watching a program about a group of guys who were left paralyzed following an accident. Before the accident, they were normal, everyday people like you and me.
A few of them talked about how difficult it was following the accident. They said that at the beginning they didn’t think they would ever be able to live again. At some point, each of them had to make a decision whether or not to live life in despair and self pity or to rise above it and live life to its fullest.
They had all made the choice to rise above it. All of these guys were on a wheelchair rugby team from the UK. Not only that, they were the UK champions. Several of these guys have also competed in the Olympics.
One of the interviewers made a comment about how none of them had any self pity at all.
This made me begin to think about how damaging self pity is. These boys could still be sitting in the same place today. But instead, they decided to rise above it and create a new life. And they didn’t want to create just any old life, but a great life!
We all go through things that paralyze us in one way or another. You may even feel that you have the right to feel sorry for yourself. But just because you may have the right, doesn’t mean that it’s the right choice.
You have the choice to become either a success story or a forgotten story.
I realize that the pain or hurt of tragedy may not disappear overnight. Some things do take time to heal. BUT, your choice to be a victim or a success can change today.
Here are 3 ways to overcome self-pity.
1. Get around people who will show you some tough love.
This doesn’t mean that you get around people who don’t care about how you feel. But the last thing you need (even though you think you might) is to be around people who will sob away with you about how hard life is and how it couldn’t get any worse. Instead, get around people who will show you compassion but who will, when you start to cross that line into feeling sorry for yourself, make it very clear that it is unacceptable behaviour if you want to achieve greatness.
2. Force yourself to look to tomorrow.
Depending on what you have gone through, I know tomorrow may seem VERY far away. But you have to remember, there IS a tomorrow. You have purpose and greatness inside of you. But again, you choose whether you are going to live life to its fullest.
3. Look for inspiration.
Whatever you are going through, someone else has gone through it and they actually came out successfully on the other side. Find out who these people are. Find their books, interviews, articles, or audio series and learn from them. If they were able to succeed through it all, so can you!
Practice all three of these steps if you need to. But don’t let self-pity stop you from becoming someone great.
The next time you invite yourself to a pity party – just decline.
Ournetbuds.info
Graham Baylis asked:
know, any vehicle registered for road use needs to have number plates. And we’ve all seen them on cars; those private plates using an ingenious mixture of numbers and letters that can deliver a message ranging from the bland, the mildly amusing, through to the almost obscene! However, whatever your requirement for number plates, conventional or quirky, it’s possible to order them online using the expertise of advanced designers supplying custom vehicle number plates and standard number plates and providing a first class, highly efficient service in double quick time. Plates can be manufactured in a range of unusual shapes and sizes, or specially designed in pressed metal for vintage and classic vehicles. Perhaps you’d like a badge on your plates. A British Bulldog or a Union Jack, maybe? The choice of your design is entirely up to you and all materials used are compliant with the relevant quality standards; although it is highly recommended that you check out your number design with the DVLA standards if you’re planning to use your plates on the road, as you wouldn’t want to fall foul of the law!
But the skill of these designers doesn’t begin and end with vehicle registration plates. My friend Jack’s wife managed to persuade him to convert their smallest bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe to accommodate her countless outfits and a collection of shoes that would turn Imelda Marcos green with envy. Job done, he couldn’t resist having a plate made entitled ‘Amy’s ME-ME room’, finished off with a cartoon of Betty Boop. It’s guaranteed to cause a chuckle whenever visitors call round.
A novelty, fun plate makes a wonderfully individual gift for anyone special; it’s just the thing for a bedroom or den. You can personalise the plate, adding photographs, borders, slogans and backgrounds. You enter your own choice of text, font and colour to create your own distinctive design, whilst letting your imagination run riot! With their amazing online design builder facility, the experts ensure that you have all the options you need for the design you want and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. Plates can be made for any purpose you require and in the very unlikely event that you can’t see quite what you’re looking for online, you only have to get in touch with them using the contact form on the site.
There’s no doubt that children can be fiercely protective over their own space and a personalised plate on their bedroom door can really help to engender a feeling of pride and ownership. What little girl could fail to be thrilled with a sign bearing her own name, showing clearly that it’s her room, maybe with a picture of her favourite animal or pop band? Older girls would probably prefer an image of Brad Pitt or other movie star. Teenage boys would possibly go for an emblem of their favourite football club or rugby team, or a photo of a fast car or motor bike. Tastes vary enormously, and that’s why a customised, fun plate is such a great idea.
Rumour has it that Amy’s already eyeing up another bedroom for her wardrobe ‘overspill’. I wonder what title Jack will choose for the plate for this one… if I were to hazard a guess, it’s probably something along the lines of ‘OH NO, not another one’!
Create a video blog…instantly.
know, any vehicle registered for road use needs to have number plates. And we’ve all seen them on cars; those private plates using an ingenious mixture of numbers and letters that can deliver a message ranging from the bland, the mildly amusing, through to the almost obscene! However, whatever your requirement for number plates, conventional or quirky, it’s possible to order them online using the expertise of advanced designers supplying custom vehicle number plates and standard number plates and providing a first class, highly efficient service in double quick time. Plates can be manufactured in a range of unusual shapes and sizes, or specially designed in pressed metal for vintage and classic vehicles. Perhaps you’d like a badge on your plates. A British Bulldog or a Union Jack, maybe? The choice of your design is entirely up to you and all materials used are compliant with the relevant quality standards; although it is highly recommended that you check out your number design with the DVLA standards if you’re planning to use your plates on the road, as you wouldn’t want to fall foul of the law!
But the skill of these designers doesn’t begin and end with vehicle registration plates. My friend Jack’s wife managed to persuade him to convert their smallest bedroom into a walk-in wardrobe to accommodate her countless outfits and a collection of shoes that would turn Imelda Marcos green with envy. Job done, he couldn’t resist having a plate made entitled ‘Amy’s ME-ME room’, finished off with a cartoon of Betty Boop. It’s guaranteed to cause a chuckle whenever visitors call round.
A novelty, fun plate makes a wonderfully individual gift for anyone special; it’s just the thing for a bedroom or den. You can personalise the plate, adding photographs, borders, slogans and backgrounds. You enter your own choice of text, font and colour to create your own distinctive design, whilst letting your imagination run riot! With their amazing online design builder facility, the experts ensure that you have all the options you need for the design you want and the instructions are clear and easy to follow. Plates can be made for any purpose you require and in the very unlikely event that you can’t see quite what you’re looking for online, you only have to get in touch with them using the contact form on the site.
There’s no doubt that children can be fiercely protective over their own space and a personalised plate on their bedroom door can really help to engender a feeling of pride and ownership. What little girl could fail to be thrilled with a sign bearing her own name, showing clearly that it’s her room, maybe with a picture of her favourite animal or pop band? Older girls would probably prefer an image of Brad Pitt or other movie star. Teenage boys would possibly go for an emblem of their favourite football club or rugby team, or a photo of a fast car or motor bike. Tastes vary enormously, and that’s why a customised, fun plate is such a great idea.
Rumour has it that Amy’s already eyeing up another bedroom for her wardrobe ‘overspill’. I wonder what title Jack will choose for the plate for this one… if I were to hazard a guess, it’s probably something along the lines of ‘OH NO, not another one’!
Create a video blog…instantly.
Philip Spires asked:
Saville won the Booker Prize in 1976. In such a vast novel it is inevitable that the pace will occasionally quicken and slacken, but a book like this can be read over weeks, almost dipped into as the passing phases of Colin’s life unfold. David Story was born in Wakefield, and so was I. It could be argued that his most famous and perhaps still most successful work is “This Sporting Life”, a portrait of a Rugby League player who achieves local fame and then notoriety as his life and career blossom and then fall apart. It was filmed in the early 1960s, with Richard Harris playing the starring role. Along with about 28000 others, I was in Wakefield Trinity’s Belle Vue ground soon after midday to make sure that I got a standing place by the railings next to the pitch to see Trinity play Wigan in a cup-tie. I was only ten and needed to be early because, had I been further back amongst the crowd, I would have seen nothing. Wakefield beat Wigan 5-4, with Fred Smith scoring the only try of the game at my end. They went on to win at Wembley that year, beating Huddersfield in the game where Neil Fox used a drop goal strategy not seen before or since.
But before that cup-tie against Wigan, the packed Trinity ground became a film set. We were all unpaid extras as Richard Harris and members of the Trinity second team filmed some actions Sequences for “This Sporting Life”. I show no disrespect for Richard Harris by recalling that the sequence required a whole string of takes, necessitated by the fact that the star kept dropping the ball! I have seen the film several times, but I have not yet managed to spot my short-trousered legs behind the sticks at the Belle Vue end. They are there, somewhere.
I digress at length from my intended review because Colin, the central character of Saville, could easily have been me, or perhaps my older brother. Like Colin we were brought up in a small Yorkshire mining village. Also like Colin we went to a grammar school and experienced similar tensions and contradictions as a result of social class differences. And again like Colin we both became, as a result of that education, something previous generations of our permanent-feeling community had never aspired to, perhaps never knew existed. Unlike Colin, we did not aspire to become writers, except of course for me, who eventually tried to become one! It was the education that changed everything and this aspect of Saville is beautifully portrayed, right down to the visit to the old Kingswell’s shop in Wakefield to buy the ludicrously expensive school uniform, a source of pride for the miner’s family, but also a pointer indicating how lives will inevitably diverge.
Saville also deals with how social mores were changing in the new second half of the twentieth century. Colin’s parents simply could not relate to how his life was developing, perhaps finding hardest to stomach the individuality that he developed and was determined to express. It was a quality you could not pursue when, as poor people, your lives were always inter-dependent. The communal nature of their poverty made this a desire they could not comprehend and occasionally his pursuit of his own ends was seen by them – perhaps quite rightly – as errant selfishness. Of course, we now live in an age where the individual is the norm, the indivisible unit of society and, perhaps, where an idea of community is mere nostalgia.
Above all else David Storey’s Saville evokes a time and a place. It also evokes a language, a dialect that preserves the use of thee, thy, thou and thine and, although occasionally laboured, the book’s specialised vocabulary and syntax create the sound of a Yorkshire twang.
Saville has no vast themes, no overtly historical settings against which the characters enact their lives. Rather it concentrates on a social and economic setting which was quite peculiar to these mining communities in Yorkshire. But this is the book’s real strength. What we have is a social document, as powerful and yet as specific as some of its nineteenth century equivalents. Now, after the closure of the pits, though the villages remain, these communities have disappeared to be replaced by settings that perhaps offer less chance of social mobility or self-respect than in Saville’s time. This provides and irony that my own novel set in these same places might bring into focus. But in Saville’s time, the idea that the pits would close never entered anyone’s head, a fact which makes Colin’s transformation through the book remarkable, credible and yet ultimately sad, since we now see it as effectively driven by necessity, not choice.
Image Host
Saville won the Booker Prize in 1976. In such a vast novel it is inevitable that the pace will occasionally quicken and slacken, but a book like this can be read over weeks, almost dipped into as the passing phases of Colin’s life unfold. David Story was born in Wakefield, and so was I. It could be argued that his most famous and perhaps still most successful work is “This Sporting Life”, a portrait of a Rugby League player who achieves local fame and then notoriety as his life and career blossom and then fall apart. It was filmed in the early 1960s, with Richard Harris playing the starring role. Along with about 28000 others, I was in Wakefield Trinity’s Belle Vue ground soon after midday to make sure that I got a standing place by the railings next to the pitch to see Trinity play Wigan in a cup-tie. I was only ten and needed to be early because, had I been further back amongst the crowd, I would have seen nothing. Wakefield beat Wigan 5-4, with Fred Smith scoring the only try of the game at my end. They went on to win at Wembley that year, beating Huddersfield in the game where Neil Fox used a drop goal strategy not seen before or since.
But before that cup-tie against Wigan, the packed Trinity ground became a film set. We were all unpaid extras as Richard Harris and members of the Trinity second team filmed some actions Sequences for “This Sporting Life”. I show no disrespect for Richard Harris by recalling that the sequence required a whole string of takes, necessitated by the fact that the star kept dropping the ball! I have seen the film several times, but I have not yet managed to spot my short-trousered legs behind the sticks at the Belle Vue end. They are there, somewhere.
I digress at length from my intended review because Colin, the central character of Saville, could easily have been me, or perhaps my older brother. Like Colin we were brought up in a small Yorkshire mining village. Also like Colin we went to a grammar school and experienced similar tensions and contradictions as a result of social class differences. And again like Colin we both became, as a result of that education, something previous generations of our permanent-feeling community had never aspired to, perhaps never knew existed. Unlike Colin, we did not aspire to become writers, except of course for me, who eventually tried to become one! It was the education that changed everything and this aspect of Saville is beautifully portrayed, right down to the visit to the old Kingswell’s shop in Wakefield to buy the ludicrously expensive school uniform, a source of pride for the miner’s family, but also a pointer indicating how lives will inevitably diverge.
Saville also deals with how social mores were changing in the new second half of the twentieth century. Colin’s parents simply could not relate to how his life was developing, perhaps finding hardest to stomach the individuality that he developed and was determined to express. It was a quality you could not pursue when, as poor people, your lives were always inter-dependent. The communal nature of their poverty made this a desire they could not comprehend and occasionally his pursuit of his own ends was seen by them – perhaps quite rightly – as errant selfishness. Of course, we now live in an age where the individual is the norm, the indivisible unit of society and, perhaps, where an idea of community is mere nostalgia.
Above all else David Storey’s Saville evokes a time and a place. It also evokes a language, a dialect that preserves the use of thee, thy, thou and thine and, although occasionally laboured, the book’s specialised vocabulary and syntax create the sound of a Yorkshire twang.
Saville has no vast themes, no overtly historical settings against which the characters enact their lives. Rather it concentrates on a social and economic setting which was quite peculiar to these mining communities in Yorkshire. But this is the book’s real strength. What we have is a social document, as powerful and yet as specific as some of its nineteenth century equivalents. Now, after the closure of the pits, though the villages remain, these communities have disappeared to be replaced by settings that perhaps offer less chance of social mobility or self-respect than in Saville’s time. This provides and irony that my own novel set in these same places might bring into focus. But in Saville’s time, the idea that the pits would close never entered anyone’s head, a fact which makes Colin’s transformation through the book remarkable, credible and yet ultimately sad, since we now see it as effectively driven by necessity, not choice.
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Weightlifting for Rugby Fitness – The Powerclean
rugbyworld08 asked:
Powerclean tutorial as part of the Fitness Factory series designed to build fitness for rugby. The Powerclean is an explosive exercise that converts the strength gained from the previous exercises into power. It also develops balance, co-ordination and flexibility. Your tackling, rucking, sprinting, lineout jumping and lifting will all benefit from explosive power. See it go live here on 25 August, at noon.
Seo BlackHat
Naveen Marasinghe asked:
Waikato Stadium is located in Hamilton, New Zealand. The stadium is used primarily for soccer and rugby football sporting events. The stadium can hold altogether about 25, 800 people, this takes into account both standing and seated spectators. The Waikato Stadium is the home venue for the Waikato team during the Air New Zealand Cup. In addition the stadium is also the home venue for the Chiefs during the Southern Hemisphere Super 14 competition. At certain times the Waikato Stadium is used as the home venue for the Parramatta Eels rugby team. The stadium has also hosted the All Blacks and two quarter final matches at the 2008 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup. At certain periods in the past the Waikato Stadium has been the home venue for the Waikato Football Club, especially during the New Zealand Football Championship.
The construction work on building the stadium began in the year 2000 and was completed somewhere in the latter part of 2001. The ground was opened on the 1st of March 2002, when the inaugural match was played at the ground during the Super 12 tournament, the match was played off between the Crusaders and the Chiefs. The stadium is owned by the Hamilton City Council, while the tenants of the ground are the Chiefs and the Waikato Rugby Union.
While moving to catch a glimpse of action at the Waikato Stadium, is would be a good idea to find some Hamilton accommodation. A Hamilton hotel will be the safest choice, apart from providing accommodation the hotel would also provide various benefits to the customer.
Website Chat
Waikato Stadium is located in Hamilton, New Zealand. The stadium is used primarily for soccer and rugby football sporting events. The stadium can hold altogether about 25, 800 people, this takes into account both standing and seated spectators. The Waikato Stadium is the home venue for the Waikato team during the Air New Zealand Cup. In addition the stadium is also the home venue for the Chiefs during the Southern Hemisphere Super 14 competition. At certain times the Waikato Stadium is used as the home venue for the Parramatta Eels rugby team. The stadium has also hosted the All Blacks and two quarter final matches at the 2008 FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup. At certain periods in the past the Waikato Stadium has been the home venue for the Waikato Football Club, especially during the New Zealand Football Championship.
The construction work on building the stadium began in the year 2000 and was completed somewhere in the latter part of 2001. The ground was opened on the 1st of March 2002, when the inaugural match was played at the ground during the Super 12 tournament, the match was played off between the Crusaders and the Chiefs. The stadium is owned by the Hamilton City Council, while the tenants of the ground are the Chiefs and the Waikato Rugby Union.
While moving to catch a glimpse of action at the Waikato Stadium, is would be a good idea to find some Hamilton accommodation. A Hamilton hotel will be the safest choice, apart from providing accommodation the hotel would also provide various benefits to the customer.
Website Chat
The Kit Team asked:
The PUMA® England Rugby League Kit has today been released for pre-order at www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk for delivery on launch day 23rd April, St. George’s Day.
Will the 09/10 PUMA England Kit, be the one to see England claim their victory status back on home soil?
Roger Harrison, Marketing Director, PUMA UK said: “This is our fifth season in partnership with the RFL and believe that this innovative kit will give the team an added confidence on the field. We look forward to watching some great Rugby League in the Autumn domestic Internationals. Off the pitch the Shirt will look great on Supporters too.”
The first 50 Shirt orders will receive a signed autograph of Sam Burgess following the star’s photoshoot for the launch at Genesis in Manchester at the end of March.
Genesis Group International Ltd, the Exclusive Licensee for PRO Teamsports for PUMA (UK and Ireland) make the Technical Kit the England Team wear on field and are also the Official Merchandise Partner to the Rugby Football League.
Julie Orange, Marketing Manager, Genesis, states: “To celebrate the 09/10 England Kit launch, we are delighted to unveil the all new, easy to use website www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk. In addition to the Replica Kit, supporters who play Rugby themselves can now buy their own PUMA Rugby Footwear and Equipment from the site.
“Due to demand, we’ve introduced the all new exclusive Leisurewear range too, that combines supporter merchandise with everyday wear, this alongside the PUMA England Trainingwear will be available to buy from the website over the coming weeks.”
The Kit is available to pre-order 3rd April. Get your order in by 20th April to receive your delivery on launch day 23rd April, St. George’s Day.
Visit www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk or call 0870 241 6821 now for more details.
Seo BlackHat
The PUMA® England Rugby League Kit has today been released for pre-order at www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk for delivery on launch day 23rd April, St. George’s Day.
Will the 09/10 PUMA England Kit, be the one to see England claim their victory status back on home soil?
Roger Harrison, Marketing Director, PUMA UK said: “This is our fifth season in partnership with the RFL and believe that this innovative kit will give the team an added confidence on the field. We look forward to watching some great Rugby League in the Autumn domestic Internationals. Off the pitch the Shirt will look great on Supporters too.”
The first 50 Shirt orders will receive a signed autograph of Sam Burgess following the star’s photoshoot for the launch at Genesis in Manchester at the end of March.
Genesis Group International Ltd, the Exclusive Licensee for PRO Teamsports for PUMA (UK and Ireland) make the Technical Kit the England Team wear on field and are also the Official Merchandise Partner to the Rugby Football League.
Julie Orange, Marketing Manager, Genesis, states: “To celebrate the 09/10 England Kit launch, we are delighted to unveil the all new, easy to use website www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk. In addition to the Replica Kit, supporters who play Rugby themselves can now buy their own PUMA Rugby Footwear and Equipment from the site.
“Due to demand, we’ve introduced the all new exclusive Leisurewear range too, that combines supporter merchandise with everyday wear, this alongside the PUMA England Trainingwear will be available to buy from the website over the coming weeks.”
The Kit is available to pre-order 3rd April. Get your order in by 20th April to receive your delivery on launch day 23rd April, St. George’s Day.
Visit www.RugbyLeagueOnline.co.uk or call 0870 241 6821 now for more details.
Seo BlackHat
Posted in Sports And Fitness | 
Tags: Added Confidence, Group International, Home Soil | 
No Comments »
Sharon Bell asked:
Here he comes, driving down the street, in his new Corvette! Wow! You can hear the whispers in the neighborhood now. It seems like ever since he turned 50 he hasn’t been the same.
Do you recognize this scenario? This is what happens when your relatively normal, moderately attractive, slowly balding next door neighbor gets a new shiny toy. It’s a mid-life crisis and danger is sure to follow.
There are countless examples of men bruising their minds, bodies and egos after turning 50 years old. My very own father, a sedentary computer programmer, decided he was James Dean at this age. He went out and bought a Harley Davidson motorcycle that was bigger than him.
There’s a saying that goes like this: “Most accidents happen close to home, so if you want to avoid an accident, the best thing to do is move!” I think this was the story of my father’s life. He crashed and burned on two separate occasions -once by hitting a deer and another by nearly being hit by a car and spilling over on loose gravel in the road during the avoidance maneuver. Total damages included two broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a bruised ego, and two piles of scrap metal.
A little lower to the ground, and a little younger, my brother at the age of 40, decided he was going to get his old skateboard from 1980 back by having a bidding war on eBay. He bought his 25-year-old G&S Fiber Flex skateboard (which costs $100 in 1980) for $300 in 2005.
He had a method to his madness. Newly married, and a proud owner of two active dogs, my brother thought that he could better walk them if he was on wheels! He would speed down the driveway with the two dogs towing him on his new/old skateboard. All “dogs” participating were having a blast.
Similar to driving, when walking a dog, you always need to watch out for the other guy. One day, I heard my brother dislocated a shoulder and broke his wrist when the cutest little terrier crossed his line to greet his two Labs and crashed him to the ground.
If you are a wife or a mother, prepare yourself for the aching bones of your brand new 50-year-old. When you hear him say, “Hey honey, I think I am going to run the New York Marathon next year” or “Babe, guess what? I just joined the AARP Rugby Team.” Or “Sweetie, I think I’m going to WWE Fantasy Camp. I know I can learn the Rock’s moves” then it’s time to prepare for the worst. Whether he’s suffering from Evel Knievel-itis or mid-life crisis, your husband is a bonehead and he’s going to hurt his bones, joints, ligaments, and back. But hopefully, he won’t break his neck!
Your husband and his aching body will need your support. So bring out your heating pads, Ace bandages, gauze and TLC. Don’t forget to have some Phosoplex. This will help keep his joints lubricated, reduce stiffness, and reduce pain caused by the stress of his new “athletic” activities.
Don’t worry, he’ll be back. Just pray he won’t be damaged for life, frozen near the top of Mt. Everest or wedged in a rocket at the bottom of the Snake River Canyon. For more information on Phosoplex, visit http://www.phosoplex.com
Email Services For Seo
Here he comes, driving down the street, in his new Corvette! Wow! You can hear the whispers in the neighborhood now. It seems like ever since he turned 50 he hasn’t been the same.
Do you recognize this scenario? This is what happens when your relatively normal, moderately attractive, slowly balding next door neighbor gets a new shiny toy. It’s a mid-life crisis and danger is sure to follow.
There are countless examples of men bruising their minds, bodies and egos after turning 50 years old. My very own father, a sedentary computer programmer, decided he was James Dean at this age. He went out and bought a Harley Davidson motorcycle that was bigger than him.
There’s a saying that goes like this: “Most accidents happen close to home, so if you want to avoid an accident, the best thing to do is move!” I think this was the story of my father’s life. He crashed and burned on two separate occasions -once by hitting a deer and another by nearly being hit by a car and spilling over on loose gravel in the road during the avoidance maneuver. Total damages included two broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a bruised ego, and two piles of scrap metal.
A little lower to the ground, and a little younger, my brother at the age of 40, decided he was going to get his old skateboard from 1980 back by having a bidding war on eBay. He bought his 25-year-old G&S Fiber Flex skateboard (which costs $100 in 1980) for $300 in 2005.
He had a method to his madness. Newly married, and a proud owner of two active dogs, my brother thought that he could better walk them if he was on wheels! He would speed down the driveway with the two dogs towing him on his new/old skateboard. All “dogs” participating were having a blast.
Similar to driving, when walking a dog, you always need to watch out for the other guy. One day, I heard my brother dislocated a shoulder and broke his wrist when the cutest little terrier crossed his line to greet his two Labs and crashed him to the ground.
If you are a wife or a mother, prepare yourself for the aching bones of your brand new 50-year-old. When you hear him say, “Hey honey, I think I am going to run the New York Marathon next year” or “Babe, guess what? I just joined the AARP Rugby Team.” Or “Sweetie, I think I’m going to WWE Fantasy Camp. I know I can learn the Rock’s moves” then it’s time to prepare for the worst. Whether he’s suffering from Evel Knievel-itis or mid-life crisis, your husband is a bonehead and he’s going to hurt his bones, joints, ligaments, and back. But hopefully, he won’t break his neck!
Your husband and his aching body will need your support. So bring out your heating pads, Ace bandages, gauze and TLC. Don’t forget to have some Phosoplex. This will help keep his joints lubricated, reduce stiffness, and reduce pain caused by the stress of his new “athletic” activities.
Don’t worry, he’ll be back. Just pray he won’t be damaged for life, frozen near the top of Mt. Everest or wedged in a rocket at the bottom of the Snake River Canyon. For more information on Phosoplex, visit http://www.phosoplex.com
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Steven Coleman asked:
At the beginning of 2008, almost as soon as most South Africans returned to their everyday lives, having enjoyed a relaxing summer holiday, the perfect storm erupted. In quick succession there has been the unanimous unseating of the country’s President as leader of the ANC in December 2007, followed by a nationwide power crisis with regular “load shedding” which started in January 2008 and which we are told this will continue until after 2010. In addition South Africans are dealing with the perceived high level of crime (perception is reality), increasingly high levels of inflation (9.4% in February 2008), petrol at the highest levels ever and according to the popular media and dinner talk, more people than ever are considering immigrating to greener pastures.
I believe that part of the reason South Africa is going through such a great deal of mass negativity at present is because South Africans are constantly bombarded with bad news. I believe that if everyone in South Africa keeps reading, talking, thinking, and worrying about the bad stuff all the time, it will end up happening because everyone is attracting it.
After the last few months one may ask “Is there any good news about South Africa?” Yes!! After digging around on the internet, I have found plenty of good news about South Africa, which I would like to share with you to help put the constant bad news in perspective:
Cheap Petrol
Although the price of petrol in South Africa has increased dramatically it is still amongst the cheapest in the world. The highest price in South Africa is the Gauteng (inland) price for 95 octane unleaded petrol which as at 2 April 2008 is R8.91 per litre. In contrast according to a survey of 9 700 petrol stations in the UK, for unleaded petrol, the minimum price in the UK is £1.03, the average price is £1.07 and the highest price £1.19 per litre. Using an exchange rate of £1=R15, this means that the average price per litre in the UK is over R16 per litre, nearly double South Africa’s price.
Cheap Housing
Housing in South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world. According to the April ABSA housing index the average price for middle segment housing (Residential houses nationwide between 80m2 and 400m2 ) is just R929 000. In contrast according to the BBC News Survey of UK house prices (which fell 3.6% in the last year) as at February 2008 the nationwide average is currently (Rand figures are conservatively calculated at £1=R15):
*Detached (A house not joined to any other) £342 800 (R5 142 000)
*Semi-Detached (A house which is joined to another house on one side) £200 037 (R3 000 555)
*Terraced (Streets of houses joined together in long rows) £176 732 (R2 650 980)
*Flat (A flat is part of a bigger building where all the flats share a front door) £200 967 (R3 014 505)
Lower Unemployment
According to Statistics South Africa the unemployment rate fell fractionally to 23% in September 2007—the lowest since records began in 2001. The government’s target is to cut the rate to 14% by 2014
Winning the War on Crime
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have conducted research on the victims of crime which shows the picture of South African crime as more typical of a developing country. These statistics show that South Africa has lower rates of violent crime than many African and South American countries.
According to the South African Police Service Statistics, the incidence of most types of crime has reduced since 2001. Their latest report for the 6 month period April to September each year since 2001 reveals the following rates of incidence per 100 000 of the population:
*The incidence of murder, although still unacceptably high is clearly decreasing 2001=22.7, 2002=22.9, 2003=21.0, 2004=19.7, 2005=19.6, 2006=20.0, 2007=18.7
*The incidence of rape, is also still unacceptably high but has clearly decreased in the past 2 years 2001=55.1, 2002=52.3, 2003=51.1, 2004=53.7, 2005=55.6, 2006=49.6, 2007=47.8
*The incidence of common assault has decreased dramatically in the past few years 2001=260.1, 2002=275.2, 2003=279.1, 2004=269.4, 2005=229.5, 2006=201.6, 2007=191.4
Stock Exchange Growth
*South Africa’s stock exchange (the JSE Limited), ranks 18th in the world in terms of total market capitalisation
*South Africa’s stock exchange ALSI (All Share Index) has risen from 7510.4 on 30 April 2003 to over 30 000 in April 2008, an increase of nearly 400% in 5 years
Sporting Successes
*South Africa are the Rugby World Cup champions
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked rugby team according to the IRB as at 31 March 2008
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked cricket team according to the ICC for One Day Internationals as at 22 March 2008
*South Africa are hosts of 2010 world cup
*South Africa has 2 golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 13 – March 30th – 2008
Competitive Nation
*South Africa ranked 44th out of 131 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2007/8
*South Africa has been ranked 28th among 108 countries measured for responsible competitiveness, according to the global think tank AccountAbility.
*South Africa ranks 52nd out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom, ahead of Italy (60th), Brazil (70th), the United Arab Emirates (74th), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China (119th), according to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007 (The 2008 Index of Economic Freedom covers 162 countries across 10 specific freedoms such as trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights)
Rich in Resources
*South Africa is one of the world leaders in mining and minerals, with a significant share of the world’s reserves and production.
*South Africa has, according to the SA Department of Minerals and Energy, nearly 90% of the world’s platinum, 80% of the world’s manganese, 73% of the world’s chrome, 45% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of the world’s gold.
*South Africa still has huge potential for the discovery of other world-class deposits in areas yet to be exhaustively explored.
Infrastructure Development
Since 1994, the South African government has channelled substantial resources into social programs and services, with varying degrees of success.
*Households with access to clean water: 85% in 2001, 80% in 1996
*Households using electricity for lighting: 69.7% in 2001, 57.6% in 1996
*Households in formal housing: 63.8% in 2001, 57.5% in 1996
*Households with chemical or flush toilets: 51.9% in 2001, 50.5% in 1996
*Pupil-teacher ratio: 38:1 in 2003, 43:1 in 1994
*People who have completed grade 12 schooling: 20.4% in 2001, 16.3% in 1996
*People with access to electricity: 70% in 2003, 32% in 1994
Lower Cost of Living
Despite recent inflation and price increases, South Africa still has one of the lowest cost of living levels in the world. According to the latest Xpatulator (website address below) cost of living survey of 228 global locations covering every country in the world, Johannesburg is the 71st, Pretoria is 58th, Cape Town is 51st, and Durban is the 36th cheapest place in the world to live. This means that 192 of the 228 global locations are more expensive places to live compared to Durban, while 157 locations are more expensive than Johannesburg. A detailed cost of living comparison of Johannesburg and London reveals that overall London is 74.5% more expensive than Johannesburg:
*Alcohol & Tobacco (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) is 56.7% more expensive in London
*Clothing (clothing and footwear products) is 85.3% more expensive in London
*Communication (fixed line, internet, and mobile) is 16.18% less expensive in London
*Education (school & tertiary) is 55.6% more expensive in London
*Furniture (furniture, household equipment and household appliances ) is 51.8% more expensive in London
*Groceries (food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material) is 46.7% more expensive in London
*Healthcare (general healthcare, medical and medical insurance) is 92.9% more expensive in London
*Household (housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes) is 104.3% more expensive in London
*Miscellaneous (stationary, linen and general goods and services) is 180.7% more expensive in London
*Personal (personal care products and services) is 145.2% more expensive in London
*Recreation & Culture is 4.8% more expensive in London
*Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels is 219.26% more expensive in London
*Transport (public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance) is 89.80% more expensive in London
Higher Purchasing Power
The lower cost of living in South African means that your salary goes much further in Johannesburg compared to London and most other places. Using the cost of living difference, hardship difference, and exchange rate, Xpatulator calculates that if you earn R500 000 Rand in South Africa, you would need to earn £54 182 in London in order to have a similar standard of living, much more than the £33 333 the (£1=R15) exchange rate indicates. The good news is that if you move the other way (i.e. from London to Johannesburg) and you earn £60 000 currently, you would not have to find a job paying R900 000 the (£1=R15) that exchange rate indicates. Taking into account the vastly lower cost of living in Johannesburg, you would in fact only require a salary of R552 302 to have the same buying power as £60 000 in London.
In conclusion, yes 2008 will mostly be a tough year, given the short term difficulties, but the power problems and current high inflation are short term issues which will eventually be in the past.
The main reason so many people are negative is because bad news sells newspapers and attracts more listeners and viewers. Good news does not often make the front page!!
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At the beginning of 2008, almost as soon as most South Africans returned to their everyday lives, having enjoyed a relaxing summer holiday, the perfect storm erupted. In quick succession there has been the unanimous unseating of the country’s President as leader of the ANC in December 2007, followed by a nationwide power crisis with regular “load shedding” which started in January 2008 and which we are told this will continue until after 2010. In addition South Africans are dealing with the perceived high level of crime (perception is reality), increasingly high levels of inflation (9.4% in February 2008), petrol at the highest levels ever and according to the popular media and dinner talk, more people than ever are considering immigrating to greener pastures.
I believe that part of the reason South Africa is going through such a great deal of mass negativity at present is because South Africans are constantly bombarded with bad news. I believe that if everyone in South Africa keeps reading, talking, thinking, and worrying about the bad stuff all the time, it will end up happening because everyone is attracting it.
After the last few months one may ask “Is there any good news about South Africa?” Yes!! After digging around on the internet, I have found plenty of good news about South Africa, which I would like to share with you to help put the constant bad news in perspective:
Cheap Petrol
Although the price of petrol in South Africa has increased dramatically it is still amongst the cheapest in the world. The highest price in South Africa is the Gauteng (inland) price for 95 octane unleaded petrol which as at 2 April 2008 is R8.91 per litre. In contrast according to a survey of 9 700 petrol stations in the UK, for unleaded petrol, the minimum price in the UK is £1.03, the average price is £1.07 and the highest price £1.19 per litre. Using an exchange rate of £1=R15, this means that the average price per litre in the UK is over R16 per litre, nearly double South Africa’s price.
Cheap Housing
Housing in South Africa is still amongst the cheapest in the world. According to the April ABSA housing index the average price for middle segment housing (Residential houses nationwide between 80m2 and 400m2 ) is just R929 000. In contrast according to the BBC News Survey of UK house prices (which fell 3.6% in the last year) as at February 2008 the nationwide average is currently (Rand figures are conservatively calculated at £1=R15):
*Detached (A house not joined to any other) £342 800 (R5 142 000)
*Semi-Detached (A house which is joined to another house on one side) £200 037 (R3 000 555)
*Terraced (Streets of houses joined together in long rows) £176 732 (R2 650 980)
*Flat (A flat is part of a bigger building where all the flats share a front door) £200 967 (R3 014 505)
Lower Unemployment
According to Statistics South Africa the unemployment rate fell fractionally to 23% in September 2007—the lowest since records began in 2001. The government’s target is to cut the rate to 14% by 2014
Winning the War on Crime
The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute have conducted research on the victims of crime which shows the picture of South African crime as more typical of a developing country. These statistics show that South Africa has lower rates of violent crime than many African and South American countries.
According to the South African Police Service Statistics, the incidence of most types of crime has reduced since 2001. Their latest report for the 6 month period April to September each year since 2001 reveals the following rates of incidence per 100 000 of the population:
*The incidence of murder, although still unacceptably high is clearly decreasing 2001=22.7, 2002=22.9, 2003=21.0, 2004=19.7, 2005=19.6, 2006=20.0, 2007=18.7
*The incidence of rape, is also still unacceptably high but has clearly decreased in the past 2 years 2001=55.1, 2002=52.3, 2003=51.1, 2004=53.7, 2005=55.6, 2006=49.6, 2007=47.8
*The incidence of common assault has decreased dramatically in the past few years 2001=260.1, 2002=275.2, 2003=279.1, 2004=269.4, 2005=229.5, 2006=201.6, 2007=191.4
Stock Exchange Growth
*South Africa’s stock exchange (the JSE Limited), ranks 18th in the world in terms of total market capitalisation
*South Africa’s stock exchange ALSI (All Share Index) has risen from 7510.4 on 30 April 2003 to over 30 000 in April 2008, an increase of nearly 400% in 5 years
Sporting Successes
*South Africa are the Rugby World Cup champions
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked rugby team according to the IRB as at 31 March 2008
*South Africa is the number 1 ranked cricket team according to the ICC for One Day Internationals as at 22 March 2008
*South Africa are hosts of 2010 world cup
*South Africa has 2 golfers ranked in the top 10 in the world according to the Official World Golf Ranking for Week 13 – March 30th – 2008
Competitive Nation
*South Africa ranked 44th out of 131 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2007/8
*South Africa has been ranked 28th among 108 countries measured for responsible competitiveness, according to the global think tank AccountAbility.
*South Africa ranks 52nd out of 157 countries in the world in terms of economic freedom, ahead of Italy (60th), Brazil (70th), the United Arab Emirates (74th), Greece (94th), India (104th) and China (119th), according to the Index of Economic Freedom 2007 (The 2008 Index of Economic Freedom covers 162 countries across 10 specific freedoms such as trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights)
Rich in Resources
*South Africa is one of the world leaders in mining and minerals, with a significant share of the world’s reserves and production.
*South Africa has, according to the SA Department of Minerals and Energy, nearly 90% of the world’s platinum, 80% of the world’s manganese, 73% of the world’s chrome, 45% of the world’s vanadium and 41% of the world’s gold.
*South Africa still has huge potential for the discovery of other world-class deposits in areas yet to be exhaustively explored.
Infrastructure Development
Since 1994, the South African government has channelled substantial resources into social programs and services, with varying degrees of success.
*Households with access to clean water: 85% in 2001, 80% in 1996
*Households using electricity for lighting: 69.7% in 2001, 57.6% in 1996
*Households in formal housing: 63.8% in 2001, 57.5% in 1996
*Households with chemical or flush toilets: 51.9% in 2001, 50.5% in 1996
*Pupil-teacher ratio: 38:1 in 2003, 43:1 in 1994
*People who have completed grade 12 schooling: 20.4% in 2001, 16.3% in 1996
*People with access to electricity: 70% in 2003, 32% in 1994
Lower Cost of Living
Despite recent inflation and price increases, South Africa still has one of the lowest cost of living levels in the world. According to the latest Xpatulator (website address below) cost of living survey of 228 global locations covering every country in the world, Johannesburg is the 71st, Pretoria is 58th, Cape Town is 51st, and Durban is the 36th cheapest place in the world to live. This means that 192 of the 228 global locations are more expensive places to live compared to Durban, while 157 locations are more expensive than Johannesburg. A detailed cost of living comparison of Johannesburg and London reveals that overall London is 74.5% more expensive than Johannesburg:
*Alcohol & Tobacco (alcoholic beverages and tobacco products) is 56.7% more expensive in London
*Clothing (clothing and footwear products) is 85.3% more expensive in London
*Communication (fixed line, internet, and mobile) is 16.18% less expensive in London
*Education (school & tertiary) is 55.6% more expensive in London
*Furniture (furniture, household equipment and household appliances ) is 51.8% more expensive in London
*Groceries (food, non-alcoholic beverages and cleaning material) is 46.7% more expensive in London
*Healthcare (general healthcare, medical and medical insurance) is 92.9% more expensive in London
*Household (housing, water, electricity, household gas, household fuels, local rates and residential taxes) is 104.3% more expensive in London
*Miscellaneous (stationary, linen and general goods and services) is 180.7% more expensive in London
*Personal (personal care products and services) is 145.2% more expensive in London
*Recreation & Culture is 4.8% more expensive in London
*Restaurants Meals Out and Hotels is 219.26% more expensive in London
*Transport (public transport, vehicle costs, vehicle fuel, vehicle insurance and vehicle maintenance) is 89.80% more expensive in London
Higher Purchasing Power
The lower cost of living in South African means that your salary goes much further in Johannesburg compared to London and most other places. Using the cost of living difference, hardship difference, and exchange rate, Xpatulator calculates that if you earn R500 000 Rand in South Africa, you would need to earn £54 182 in London in order to have a similar standard of living, much more than the £33 333 the (£1=R15) exchange rate indicates. The good news is that if you move the other way (i.e. from London to Johannesburg) and you earn £60 000 currently, you would not have to find a job paying R900 000 the (£1=R15) that exchange rate indicates. Taking into account the vastly lower cost of living in Johannesburg, you would in fact only require a salary of R552 302 to have the same buying power as £60 000 in London.
In conclusion, yes 2008 will mostly be a tough year, given the short term difficulties, but the power problems and current high inflation are short term issues which will eventually be in the past.
The main reason so many people are negative is because bad news sells newspapers and attracts more listeners and viewers. Good news does not often make the front page!!
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