The Gossip!

Friends Second Season Episodes

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:45:00 +0000

By Hank Evans

The One Where Heckles Dies: Chandler breaks up with a woman because her nostrils are too big--yet another superficial reason to avoid a real relationship. Mr. Heckles complains again about the noise--it's disturbing his birds (he could have birds). Phoebe, Rachel, and Joey impersonate Janice. Mr. Heckles dies, apparently while hitting his ceiling with a broom because of the noise from above. Phoebe doesn't believe in evolution, which bothers Ross enough that he feels he has to convince her of the theory. Rachel and Monica inherit all of Mr. Heckles earthly possesions; while clearing out his apartment, they discover that Heckles was quite a funny guy in his time. Chandler is upset to find how much he has in common with Mr. Heckles, and in his determination not to die alone, he calls Janice... only to find out that she's married and pregnant. While trying to decide which of Heckles' things to keep, Rachel realizes that Monica doesn't consider the apartment to be "their" apartment.

The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant: Chandler gets calls from an intriguing woman (Jade) looking for someone named Bob. On the phone, he pretends to be Bob and arranges to meet her, so he can console her when "Bob" stands her up. Their relationship seems to be going very well, until she calls "Bob" back and complains of Chandler's sexual inadequacies. Chandler plans a big birthday hoopla for Ross, but the expense involved touches a nerve with Phoebe, Joey, and Rachel, who don't make as much money as the others. Monica, Chandler, and Ross celebrate his birthday by attending Hootie and the Blowfish in concert; they end up partying backstage afterwards with the band. Monica gets a new position as Head Lunch Chef, also in charge of purchasing, who has her own little desk (when Roland's not there), and a beeper. However, she is soon fired for accepting a gift from the restaurant's new meat supplier.

The One With The List: Chandler gets a new computer. Ross is depressed about having to chose between Julie and Rachel. Chandler suggests they make a list of pros and cons, which somehow never makes it past the cons. Ross choses Rachel, but then she finds the list and decides she doesn't want to be with Ross anymore. Monica's finds a new job creating Thanksgiving recipes for Mockolate, a synthetic chocolate substitute.

The One With Russ: Joey gets bad reviews for his latest play and decides to quit show business... until his agent gets him an audition for a soap opera. He finds out, however, that he'd have to sleep with the casting director to get the part. Monica starts dating Fun Bobby again; she notices he seems to have a drinking problem. She confronts him and he decides to quit, after which Monica notices he's no longer any fun. Rachel dates Russ, who bears a striking resemblence to Ross.

The One With The Prom Video: Joey, now earning money, gives Chandler an expensive (and gaudy) gold bracelet. Joey is hurt when he finds out Chandler doesn't like it. Monica has a job interview with a restaurant manager who has a salad fetish. Rachel's starting to date again, which prompts Ross to interfere... until she makes it clear that they are never going to get together. Phoebe shares her "lobster" theory. Jack and Judy Geller come by to drop off some of Monica's things; they're turning her room into a gym. Monica tells them about losing her job, but she just can't get the courage to ask them for money. Amongst Monica's items from home is a video of herself and Rachel preparing for their Senior Prom. Rachel's pre-surgery nose, Monica's large stature, and Ross' "Mr. Kotter" look are featured. In the video, Rachel's date doesn't show up and she's distraught about having to miss her own Prom. Ross prepares to take her, but just before this is revealed, Rachel's date shows up. Rachel, watching the video for the first time, is so moved by Ross' compassion for her that she forgives him for "the list" and kisses him passionately. Monica discovers some unexpected footage of her parents at the end of the video tape.

The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies: Chandler's roommate, Eddie, begins to show signs of instability: He's obsessed with his ex-girlfriend; he accuses Chandler of sleeping with her, and of killing his fish. Richard wonders how many men Monica's been with, after Phoebe announces that it's been "a lot." This leads Ross and Rachel to a similar discussion. Monica has Richard sleep over on the same night that Rachel has Ross sleep over. Unfortunately, there's only one condom in the apartment. Joey's claim in Soap Opera Digest that he writes a lot of his own lines angers the show's writer, who decides to have Dr. Ramoray fall down an elevator shaft.

The One Where Eddie Won't Go: Chandler wakes in the night to find Eddie watching him sleep; they argue and Eddie agrees to leave. The next day, Eddie goes on a fruit drying kick and has no recollection of their previous conversation. Variations of this happened day after day. Joey's pride won't let him try out for small roles, but his mounting debts (and Ross) slowly convince him otherwise. Joey makes good use of his "Word of the Day" toilet paper. Monica, Rachel, and Phoebe read a female empowerment book, Be Your Own Windkeeper, which has even more detrimental effects on their relationships with each other than it does on their relationships with men. Joey moves back in with Chandler, which allows Chandler to take advantage of Eddie's faulty memory, and finally be rid of him.

The One With Two Parties: Rachel's surprise birthday party is split in two to keep her divorcing parents from running into each other. Monica makes flan instead of cake. Phoebe smuggles guests out of Monica's boring party and into Chandler and Joey's raging celebration.

About the Author:

Hank Evans thanks you for taking the time to read this article. And, if you found it interesting, you can read more from Hank Evans at Watch NCIS Episodes Online and Watch Royal Pains Free. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

4 Original Ideas for Twilight Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:21:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

This November one of the most anticipated movies of the season will be in theaters. That movie is the sequel the wildly popular Twilight, New Moon. In New Moon a birthday party gone dangerously wrong makes Edward believe that a relationship with Bella is too dangerous and causes Edward to end his relationship with Bella. This sends Bella into a deep depression that makes her seek comfort in her friend Jacob. However, Jacob has an ancient secret of his own that will draw her right back into the supernatural world Edward tried to protect her from. Many fans will be throwing parties for Halloween, Birthdays, and just to celebrate the release of the movie. Of course if you want to make your part an original that tops anything your friends are doing it makes sense to give guests rare and unique Twilight party favors. Here are some suggestions that you can use at your Twilight event.

Movie swag is always a good gift idea. There are plenty of posters and other promotional merchandise from the first Twilight movie that should still be on sale especially with Halloween coming up. There should also be some promotional gear now starting to become available in anticipation of the release of New Moon. These are great especially since it looks like there will be a rivalry between fans that support Edward and fans that support Jacob. So you should be able to find enough items to satisfy both sides that attend your party.

Edible favors are another great option for your Twilight party. There are a lot delicious and tasty treats that you can serve your guests that will perfectly match your theme. A great idea is to give shaped chocolates. These are candies that come in themed shapes like wolves and bats that will match the theme perfectly. You can also give candies in themed tins and apothecary jars. These will be sweet treats and souvenirs for your guests and sure to be a major hit at your party.

Another idea is to draw inspiration from the novels for your favors. For example you can use the settings in the book as inspiration for choosing Twilight themed favors. In the series two important locations are an Indian reservation and a Renaissance era Italian town. Try choosing favors with Native American or Italian influences. This will allow you to give unique and original Twilight favors. Another source of inspiration you can draw upon is the cover art for the novels. Each cover has important motifs that you can use as guides for your favors. For example to represent New Moon you would use favors that use Tulips like on the cover or Twilight you would pick apple themed party favors.

If you can't find favors at your local store that are unique enough a great place to look for them is the internet. There are some sites that sell special limited edition favors that will be sure to be a great hit. These favors will be popular as soon as your guests realize that their favors can become collectibles. The internet also allows you to comparison shop finding great items at affordable prices. In the end you will not only make your party popular, but you will also make it a one of a kind event.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a Twilight party and looking for Twilight Party Supplies, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

The Artwork And Career Of Ralf Kunstmann

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:55:00 +0000

By Kerisha Collins

Ralf is an advanced practitioner of Illustration. He has mastered Photo, Nature and Traditional Illustrations to compile an amazing online portfolio.

Born and raised in Nuremburg, Germany, he broke out into the freelance world in 1991, to pursue the design dream. He is now a member of the Association of Art in Erlangen and a member of the German Designers Alliance.

For most of his years as a freelancer, Ralf has managed to specialise in certain areas with his work. This includes airbrushing mix-techniques, photorealism and painting fine colour shades.

He also understands that these methods and ways of working do not end here. Someone, somewhere will produce a better way of developing these skills and you always have to keep up with them and abreast of industry trends

Ralf decided to get into Abstract and developed his use of a putty knife in 2003. These styles hold much popularity with the public as they have no problems understanding what is being represented with the design features.

He has now formed a new way of designing, a technique which uses painting and photographs in one design. These techniques and skills must be developed side by side so they fit well with each other. It will be easy to identify when something is not right, when it's taking the photorealism out of the design.

Ralf will spend most of his time in front of the screen nowadays. He likes to stick to tight schedules, which he has mastered along with becoming a digital artist since 1998. But he knows that you need to master the art of painting, even though you have all these digital aids.

His clients include well-known companies, such as Marlboro, Boerse Online, Schoeller, Oddset, Connect, Nissan Deutschland, Gerstacker, Bild and many, many more. Do not hesitate to contact Ralf Kunstmann for any information regarding himself or his design work.

About the Author:

Check out Ralf's work along with other professional strong top Illustrators and see our home page for useful information on Illustration. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

Britney Spears Shocking New Music Video

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 00:54:00 +0000

By Robert Kamau

Britney's' MTV music awards preparations

As their lawyers engage in legal feuds in court custodial papers, the former couple Britney spears and Kevin Federline are more focused on business. Brits MTV music awards are approaching and she has been taking time at Alley Kat dance studios in L.A perfecting moves for the event, reported In Touch Weekly. Britney is planning it to be a big comeback performance," a spears source has revealed to the magazine, and claims that Brits intention is to create a "shocking" revelation in the music video.

Word leaked to the In Touch that the famous magician Criss Angel is part of Britney's VMA premier show. The magazine reports that some acts have been canceled out due to their abrasive nature in the early stages of VMA organizing. One of the canceled acts included a dance routine of Britney Spears with ex-fiancs and husbands Justin Timberlake and Kevin Federline flashing on the screen in the back. Incidentally reports of another cancellation of a duet between Justin Timberlake and Britney. "Totally, patently false," an insider reported to In Touch.

K-Fed on the "One Tree Hill" as a Rock Star

Kevin Federline has on his part been reportedly busy and perfecting on his role as a responsible adult. He surely has been lately winning the Mr. Nice guy praises from episodes of "One Tree Hill", reported the US. "People know a more bombastic version of him, but he seemed very humble and sweet to me-hardworking and well intentioned," producer Mark Schwann told the magazine. Schwann reported that if things work out well, K-Fed might just be required back for more episodes in his role as a rock singer.

K-Fed and Brit Court Case

Back to the courts; while Brit and Federline appear pretty busy, the custodial court case looms large. A recent filing by Britney spears sought to defer the hearing from Sept 8 to allow time for her to; I believe get some dirt of Kevin who has recently won a yard or two on the Mr. nice guy front. It is claimed that Britney Spears has hired a private investigator to dig up some dirt to help tear down K-Fed's nice guy image.

It is claimed that Britney herself has dirt on Kevin of the one tree Hill enough to bury him. A source revealed to the magazine." She is not going to jut handover their sons and more money to Kevin. She is going to fight him tooth and nail,"

Britney's new single "Gimme More"

Britney spears' new single "Gimme more" has got its world premiere on New York radio station Z-100's website. The song is characteristic of Britney with breathy and electronic dance rhythm. A chip off the block of Britney's' new album is set to be out by Nov. 13. Post your comments on this issue here. Let's hear your take on this protracted news, guys.

Watch more of Britney Spears Music Videos by download of PC 200 Elite Edition

About the Author:

We offer you to take out a In Touch magazine subscription for the amazing price of $1.49 per issue and save up to 25% from its cover price

4 Fascinating Twilight Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:41:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

This fall season Twilight fans worldwide are anticipating the release of the sequel to the Twilight movie, New Moon in theaters this November. This means that many parties this season, whether they are for Halloween, Birthdays, movie release parties and even weddings, will have a Twilight theme. Every fan wants to include popular elements of this vampire romance into their event and will look for unique and original ways to do so. One way will definitely be by giving rare and one of a kind wedding favors. This will give Twilight fans something to take with them when the party is over that can actually become collectible. If you are planning a Twilight party of your own, you may not know which direction to go in choosing your Twilight party favors. Here are some suggestions that can help you make your own choices.

The most common party favor is edible favors. Think of some snacks and sweets you can use for your event. Since Halloween is almost here, the stores will be the first place to look for Twilight themed sweets that you can give out at your event. However if you want to really impress guests you will have to take it up a notch. Since Twilight is a supernatural series about vampires and werewolves, it makes sense that you give snacks and sweets based on these themes. Some great examples are shaped chocolates and lollipops in the shape of wolves or bats. You can also give customized pouches of edible blood. You can either make them yourself from recipes or see if you can order them online. For candy you will also need containers to hold them. There are some great Twilight candy jars and favor boxes that you can find online.

A common rule of most party favors is to not only give something that looks cool but also can be of some use to your guests whether it is a toy or an item they can use in their home. One way to go is with items such as pens, stationary or even letter openers and key chains. These are all items that your guests can find some use for in their home and will want even more if they have pictures of popular characters such as Edward, Jacob, or Bella. This is a great way to guarantee the success of your favors.

Another way to go is with items that will draw inspiration directly from the original books. The true Twilight fan will be able to come up with unique favors that represent key lines or scenes in the series. A great example is lion and lamb favors. If you remember when Bella and Edward admitted their feelings to each other, Edward said "So the Lion fell in Love with the Lamb" and Bella replied "What a stupid lamb" and Edward says, "What a sick masochistic Lion" This is just one of the many ways that you can incorporate parts of the series into your party favors.

Finally you can make you can make use of images from the covers of each of the books in the series. A great example is using tulips motifs in your party favors. That is because the image for the cover of New Moon, the second book in the series is a tulip. You can also images such as the red and white chess board for the last book Breaking Dawn. These are just some of the ways that you can set your party apart with unique favors. These will not only impress your guests but also become collectibles worthy of even the most devoted Twilight fan.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a New Moon party and looking for New Moon Party Favors, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

6 Fun Twilight Party Games

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:32:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

This fall the sequel to the blockbuster Twilight will be in Theaters. Fans everywhere are counting the days and minutes 'til New Moon comes to theaters. There still over three weeks until its release. So how can fans pass the time? They can do by having a Twilight themed party. One thing that can make your Twilight/New Moon party a success is the entertainment and games. A great game will help to make a party more fun and get everyone into the spirit of the party. It will also be imaginative and incorporate important details from the theme. Here are some great suggestions you can use at your event.

First have New Moon or Twilight Jeopardy. Test guest's fandom with question concerning the Twilight Series, the actors in the movie, and any other related bits of trivia. You can actually play the Jeopardy game as either an individual or in teams. Otherwise the rules remain the same. You create a game board with categories and points and everyone has to phrase answers in the form of a question. The person or team that wins could get collectible Twilight Items.

A fun idea for a Halloween party game is to have Twilight bobbing for apples. Give each guest gets a set of fake fangs and has to "sink their teeth" into the apples to get them. Make it more fun by setting a time limit. The person who has the most apples wins.

Another great idea is to have a game of who said what. Have you or someone else at the party read key lines from either the Twilight or New Moon novels. Then have guests guess which character said the line or phrase. This is a great way for Twilight fans to show off their knowledge and read some of their favorite part in the novels.

Vampires have an extraordinary sense of smell so the next game should be appropriate for your party and quite interesting. Get a collection of items with smells that your guests should be able to recognize. It can be anything from perfume, to food, or everyday household items. Make sure that no one can see the items. Blindfold each participant and have them guess what item they smell. You can make it more interesting by adding some more difficult scents in the mix. You can give bonus points to participant who can identify them.

There are also some great board games you can buy at your local bookstore or Wal-Mart. You can purchase Twilight Themed DVD games, Monopoly, or other games and have a game night. Of course make sure to have everyone play the short time version of these games. You want everyone to have the chance to enjoy the rest of the party.

Another idea is to have costume contest. Have guests and couples dress as key characters from the Twilight series. Then give great door prizes to the people with the best costumes. You can also have look-a-like contests. Give special awards to individuals who look most like the characters from the Twilight movies.

There are many other great ideas that you can use for party games. Just use your knowledge of the movie and the books combined with your imagination to come up with fun and original games that will help to add excitement to your party.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a New Moon party and looking for Twilight Party Favors, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

4 Original Ideas for Twilight Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:54:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

About the Author:

If you are hosting a New Moon party and looking for New Moon Party, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

Cowboys, Romo Make Short Work Of Seahawks

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:31:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Quarterback Tony Romo had another solid game, and the Dallas Cowboys made short work of the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in a 38-17 victory. Romo threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, and receiver Miles Austin caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game.

The Cowboys also got on the winning side of the NFL pointspread ledger with the win and cover as -10 home favorites. Dallas is now 4-3 against the spread for the season, while Seattle fell to 2-5 versus the number. The 55 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 46'. Dallas has gone OVER in 5 of 7 games this season and four in a row. Seattle eclipsed the total for only the third time this season.

Romo has made greater patience in the pocket a priority this season, and it's paying dividends. Sunday's game was his third straight without an interception and he's stayed interception free in five games this season-more than he did all of last year. Romo couldn't resist a joke at his own expense:

"Shock! I'm seeing things. It's as simple as that. I'm not throwing and hoping."

Head coach Wade Phillips expressed his pleasure, but didn't want his team to start believing their own press clippings:

"I feel good about the progress we've made, but we've still got a ways to go."

Team owner Jerry Jones was happy with the performance and already looking ahead to next Sunday's game at Philadelphia:

"I'm just glad to see as many people really do as well and play as well as they did today. Philadelphia is the kind of game that I think we're ready for. ... Plus, I think we all remember so much -- I know I do and so many players on this team remember -- how we left Philadelphia last year."

Seattle quarterback Todd Hasselbeck played well, amassing 249 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions but didn't get much help from a defense that couldn't put the necessary pressure on Romo. He sounded frustrated in his postgame comments:

"We put two weeks into this game plan. I felt like we were ready. We just didn't get it done. .... I feel physically drained, emotionally drained. I'm frustrated. We're all searching for answers."

The big game for the Cowboys that Jerry Jones alluded to is next Sunday night as they travel to Philadelphia to face the Eagles. The Cowboys have been installed as +3 underdogs with the total set at 47'. They'll head to Green Bay to take on the Packers the following Sunday before returning home to play the hated Washington Redskins. Seattle will host the lowly Detroit Lions next Sunday, with the Seahawks a -10 home favorite and the total set at 43. They'll hit the road for their next two games, facing the Arizona Cardinals and Minnesota Vikings.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Best Friends Episodes From Season 1

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:25:00 +0000

By Hank Evans

The Pilot: Rachel leaves Barry at the alter and moves in with Monica. Monica goes on a date with Paul the wine guy, who turns out to be less than sincere. Ross is depressed about his failed marriage. Joey compares women to ice cream. Everyone watches Spanish soaps. Ross reveals his high school crush on Rachel.

The One With The East German Laundry Detergent: Chandler and Phoebe decide to break up with Janice and Tony on the same night; Phoebe's goes really well but Chandler has a harder time. Ross arranges to do laundry with Rachel and Monica; Monica cancels, leaving just the two of them; Rachel reveals she's never done laundry before... and accidentally dyes all her white clothes pink. Joey wants his ex-girlfriend (Angela) to break up with her boyfriend (Bob), so he arranges for Monica and him to double date with them... but he tells Monica that Angela and Bob are siblings. Ugly Naked Guy lays kitchen tile. Janice buys Chandler Bullwinkle socks. Rachel is so happy about her laundry experience that she kisses Ross.

The One With The Blackout: New York City is blacked out (due to a mishap on Mad About You). Chandler is trapped in an ATM vestibule with Jill Goodacre. The rest of the gang hangs out at Monica and Rachel's apartment. Ugly Naked Guy lights a bunch of candles and has a slight accident. While trying to share his feelings with Rachel, Ross is attacked by a cat. While searching for the cat's owner, Rachel and Phoebe meet "the Weird Man", known in later episodes as Mr. Heckles. He tries to claim the cat, but it obviously isn't his. The cat turns out to belong to Paolo, an Italian hunk who lives in the building and doesn't speak much English.

The One With The Dozen Lasagnas: Everyone hums the theme from The Odd Couple. Monica is stuck with a dozen lasagnas because she didn't know they were supposed to be vegetarian. Paolo and Rachel prepare for their first weekend away together; Paolo makes a pass at Phoebe, which ends his relationship with Rachel. Phoebe makes the best oatmeal-raisin cookies in the world. Joey and Chandler have to get a new table, but can't agree on which one; they end up with a foosball table; Monica rules the foosball field. Carol finds out the gender of the baby, but Ross doesn't want to know... even though everyone else knows.

The One With The Candy Hearts: Ross goes on a date with a Kristen, a woman from his apartment building; Carol and Susan show up at the same restaurant; Susan gets paged and leaves; Ross pays so much attention to Carol that he doesn't even notice his date has gone. Joey can't go out with his date, Lorraine, unless he brings a friend for her friend; Chandler agrees to go, but the date turns out to be Janice; Somehow they end up together again; Janice buys Chandler candy hearts for Valentines Day; Chandler breaks up with her--again. Phoebe, Monica, and Rachel have a cleansing ritual to rid themselves of bad luck with men, which turns into a small fire; Fireman guys come to the rescue.

The One With Two Parts, part 2: Monica takes Rachel to the hospital; Rachel has no insurance, so she and Monica switch identities--a tricky situation that is made worse when two cute doctors (guest stars George Clooney and Noah Wyle) ask them on dates; Monica and Rachel start arguing and end up listing all their worst qualities in front of their dates. Ross worries about whether he can be a good father; he seeks comfort from his friends and advice from his father. Joey continues to date Ursula, which interferes with his friendship with Phoebe--he misses her birthday; however, when Ursula stands Joey up and won't return his calls, Phoebe talks to her and finds out she isn't even planning to tell Joey it's over; Phoebe pretends to be Ursula so she can let him down nicely--a ruse which doesn't last. Marcel chokes on scrabble tiles and has to be rushed to the hospital; Ross realizes he can cope with the responsibilities of parenthood. Ugly Naked Guy has a hula-hoop.

The One Where The Monkey Gets Away: Rachel finds out Barry is engaged to Mindy, her former bridesmaid; she begins to show interest in dating again, so Ross decides to ask her out. However, before he gets the chance, she loses Marcel while monkey-sitting, which temporarily drives a wedge between them. Mr. Heckles is missing a waffle and saw Regis Philbin once. Rachel, not knowing Marcel is a illegal exotic animal, calls Animal Control; the animal-catcher turns out to be Luisa, who went to high-school with Monica and Rachel. Luisa's memories of high school aren't favorable toward Rachel, so she decides not to cut them any breaks. While looking for Marcel, Joey and Chandler meet some hot girls (Samantha and Tia) with a broken radiator. Luisa tries to shoot Marcel with a tranquilizer but hits Phoebe instead. A delivery of bananas leads everyone to Mr. Heckles apartment; he claims the monkey as his own until Luisa shows up. Rachel pleads with Luisa to let Ross keep Marcel, but it's only the threat of reporting her for shooting Phoebe that convinces her. Ross and Rachel finally sit down for some wine, but before Ross can ask Rachel out, Barry barges in, saying he's still in love with her.

The One With The Ick Factor: Rachel has sex dreams--first about Chandler, then Chandler and Joey, and finally about Ross. Phoebe looks for supplemental income, and works part time as Chandler's secretary. This leads to Chandler's discover that the people at the office don't like him anymore... and they even mimic his unique way of talking. Monica dates Ethan, a younger man who turns out to be even younger than she thought; she breaks up with him because it's just too icky. Ross gets a beeper so Carol can page him when she goes into labor; after several false alarms, he gets beeped for the real thing, and everyone heads to the hospital.

About the Author:

Hank Evans appreciates you taking the time to read this article. If you enjoyed it, you are invited to visit Hank Evans at Watch NCIS Free and Watch Royal Pains Free. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

A List of Some Great Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:20:00 +0000

By Mike Turner

The Godfather: The story begins as "Don" Vito Corleone, the head of a New York Mafia "family", oversees his daughter's wedding. His beloved son Michael has just come home from the war, but does not intend to become part of his father's business. Through Michael's life the nature of the family business becomes clear. The business of the family is just like the head of the family, kind and benevolent to those who give respect, but given to ruthless violence whenever anything stands against the good of the family. Don Vito lives his life in the way of the old country, but times are changing and some don't want to follow the old ways and look out for community and "family". An up and coming rival of the Corleone family wants to start selling drugs in New York, and needs the Don's influence to further his plan. The clash of the Don's fading old world values and the new ways will demand a terrible price, especially from Michael, all for the sake of the family.

Pulp Fiction: Pumpkin and Honey Bunny are two thieves who, while dining at a coffee shop, decide that the best thing to do is to rob it. Vincent and Jules, two hit men working for mob kingpin Marcellus Wallace, are sent to retrieve a very special and very mysterious briefcase for their boss. Vincent later must also show Mrs. Wallace a good time while her husband is out. Butch Coolidge is an aging prizefighter who is being paid to "take a dive", but instead, accidentally kills him opponent, and tries to flee town, but not before getting his dead father's lucky golden watch. These four seemingly unrelated stories are interwoven together in a non-linear fashion.

Casablanca: In World War II Casablanca, Rick Blaine, exiled American and former freedom fighter, runs the most popular nightspot in town. The cynical lone wolf Blaine comes into the possession of two valuable letters of transit. When Nazi Major Strasser arrives in Casablanca, the sycophantic police Captain Renault does what he can to please him, including detaining Czech underground leader Victor Laszlo. Much to Rick's surprise, Lazslo arrives with Ilsa, Rick's one time love. Rick is very bitter towards Ilsa, who ran out on him in Paris, but when he learns she had good reason to, they plan to run off together again using the letters of transit. Well, that was their original plan

Star Wars: Part IV in a George Lucas epic, Star Wars: A New Hope opens with a rebel ship being boarded by the tyrannical Darth Vader. The plot then follows the life of a simple farmboy, Luke Skywalker, as he and his newly met allies (Han Solo, Chewbacca, Ben Kenobi, C-3PO, R2-D2) attempt to rescue a rebel leader, Princess Leia, from the clutches of the Empire. The conclusion is culminated as the Rebels, including Skywalker and flying ace Wedge Antilles make an attack on the Empires most powerful and ominous weapon, the Death Star.

Cidade de Deus: City of God is based on a true story that takes place in the 60's where in the slums of Rio De Janeiro two boys growing up in the neighborhood take on different paths in life. The story is told through eyes of Buscape, a poor young fisherman's son who dreams of becoming a photographer one day. His story narrates the violence and corruption surrounding the city and the rise and fall of one of the city's most notorious boss'. Li'l Ze. As war wages on the streets Buscape's only way out of this violent life is to expose its brutality the world through his pictures. Along the way the lives of other are put into perspective as their stories intersect with the events that take place.

Rear Window: Photagrapher L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries is confined to his small apartment with a broken leg.To pass the time,he watches the goings-on of his motley assortment of neighbors--a frustrated yet fun-loving composer,a middle-aged couple with a small dog,a dancer who seems to enjoy practicing her routines while scantily clad,a pair of reclusive newlyweds,a lonely woman who seems to live in a fantasy world,and a salesman and his invalid wife.One day the wife inexplicably disappears,and the salesman starts doing things that lead Jeff to suspect that he may have murdered her.Unfortunately,he has no proof and no one seems to believe him.Eventually,however,things start falling together in a way that make it look like Jeff might just be right after all.Finally he,his girlfriend Lisa and his nurse Stella come up with a plan to catch the killer red-handed. But doing so could put all of their lives in danger.

The Usual Suspects: Following a truck hijack in New York, five conmen are arrested and brought together for questioning. As none of them is guilty, they plan a revenge operation against the police. The operation goes well, but then the influence of a legendary mastermind criminal called Keyser Sze is felt. It becomes clear that each one of them has wronged Sze at some point and must pay back now. The payback job leaves 27 men dead in a boat explosion, but the real question arises now: Who actually is Keyser Sze?

Memento: Leonard is an insurance investigator whose memory has been damaged following a head injury he sustained after intervening on his wife's murder. His quality of life has been severely hampered after this event, and he can now only live a comprehendable life by tattooing notes on himself and taking pictures of things with a Polaroid camera. The movie is told in forward flashes of events that are to come that compensate for his unreliable memory, during which he has liaisons with various complex characters. Leonard badly wants revenge for his wife's murder, but, as numerous characters explain, there may be little point if he won't remember it in order to provide closure for him. The movie veers between these future occurrences and a telephone conversation Leonard is having in his motel room in which he compares his current state to that of a client whose claim he once dealt with.

About the Author:

Mike Turner is an avid fan of films and television in general. Mike often surfs the net to watch HD Movie Trailers as well as to Watch Heroes Online. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory

4 Original Twilight Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:12:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

This fall Twilight themed parties will be all the rage. There will be several people who will look forward to having birthday parties, costume parties, and other events based on the popular book series. The idea is not new. As a matter of fact when the series first came out, Stephenie Meyer, the author of Twilight, sponsored a series of Twilight proms. So it isn't a huge leap to have a party based on the same theme. Since the idea is looking to be so popular it seems that one of the few ways to make your own even stand out is with unique favors. This is a great opportunity to make a lasting on guests who are fellow fans. The key to find great Twilight themed party favor is to know what you are looking for and to pay attention to detail. If you do this you will be able to give your guest extraordinary items to take home with them. Here are some suggestions to help you get started.

Look to movie merchandise for inspiration. There are plenty of posters and other items that are being sold by the movie franchise to pad sales from movie tickets. For you as a party planner this is a great opportunity to score some Twilight swag for your event. There are limited edition posters, candy, and even stickers that you can purchase to spruce up your party favors. A great example is keys chains. There are some now online that are decorated with special stickers with scenes from the first Twilight movie and even more images from the upcoming sequel, New Moon. Take advantage of these to get great items to give to your guest.

Draw inspiration from the books. The thing that makes Twilight special is that it is a franchise whose loyal fan base was already built in when the series was just books. So you can take advantage of the extra details provided in the book to prove how much of a fan you are and create a lot of unique gifts. A great idea is to use Native American themed items as gifts since Jacob the new leading man for New Moon is from a Reservation and his tribes special powers are explained in legends. This is one way to take advantage of knowledge from the book.

Look to the images on the covers of the Twilight books for favor ideas. Each book in the Twilight series has a unique cover centered on a certain item or theme. The first book, Twilight has a cover with an apple in a woman's hands. You can choose favors that have pictures of the cover or favors with apple themes such as an apple shaped candle. The detail will be a great way to show off your Twilight knowledge to fans.

Try to pick out favors that are at least somewhat useful so that they are not just pieces of junk that your guests throw away. A great idea is Twilight themed lip balm or a useful and stylish favor purse to hold the other gifts you might give your guests. This will make them more effective mementos of your party and make sure all your hard work and money doesn't go to waste. So keep a look out for interesting items that fit this description.

About the Author:

The Ascendency of Shades

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:17:00 +0000

By James Pynn

I started wearing sunglasses at a very young age. I was fifteen when I bought my first pair at the local 7-11. Now, millions of Americans wear these tinted lenses and look good doing it. I'm not saying I started the trend, mind you. The key, I found, is finding a pair that fits your face. Me, I have a roundish face. This means aviator shades are out and boring square frames are in.

The only reason I can wear sunglasses is the fact I wear disposable contact lenses. I tried prescription sunglasses, but after losing a pair of $300 frames, I decided against opting for a second one. Hello contact lenses -- and hello any $5 pair of shades on the Boardwalk.

Now, I dig Cory Hart and I dig trying to wear "Sunglasses at Night." Of course, I think his paean to shades was a reaction to the fad that started in the 1980's. Who can forget Tom Cruise -- in any movies in the 1980's -- and Huey Lewis and the News? A decade of Ray Bans (does anyone remember Spuds McKenzie?) has left its mark. Now, you can find a stylish pair at any local corner store.

I've always fancied a pair of shades like ones James Dean made famous. These were not Ray Bans or even Persols. They were dime-store clip-on shades. He'd just slip them over his prescription glasses and be done with it. Of course, Dean was beautiful no matter what he wore. What is hard to stomach is how ridiculous aging boomers look wearing sunglasses. Case in point: Jack Nicholson.

Beatty, like all high-profile celebrities, loves to hide behind a pair of $2000 shades. A pair of shades, a funny hat, and turned up collar is all most of them need to attract the paparazzi. Nothing sets off the paparazzi alarms like a pair of shades on the Sunset Strip. Me, I'll stick to the dime-store shades and wait for the cameras to start clicking.

About the Author:

If you want to wear the best shades, I'd recommend you invest in a pair of disposable contact lenses. With these disposables, the world of shades is at your feet. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

4 Original New Moon Twilight Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:43:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

The big theme for parties this fall will definitely be based on the Twilight movies, especially New Moon which will be coming out in theaters this November. If you are a parent who has a child that is a fan and is urging you to throw the party you may or may not be aware of the plot. In the sequel to Twilight the vampire, Edward Cullen ends his relationship with ordinary Teenager Bella Swan fearing that their relationship is exposing her to danger. Bella is left devastated and turns to her friend Jacob Black for comfort. However, Jacob who is the grandson of his tribes' last Chief has a supernatural secret just as powerful as Edward's. As you try to plan a New Moon Twilight party, your child is likely going to want to make their party extraordinary. One way to do so is with original and rare wedding favors. The best part is that you won't have to spend as much as you think. You just have to know where to look. Here are some great examples of the items you can find.

A great idea is to have something small but big enough to hold all the party favors you are giving your guests. One item that fits the bill is a Twilight themed favor purse. These are sturdy items that can hold a decent number of small guests' gifts. The best part is that they are decorated with limited edition Twilight and New Moon stickers with pictures of the movie characters on them. This is a great choice because it is inexpensive and classy at the same time.

Since this is fall and the beginning of the fall season edible favors are going to be a must for your New Moon Twilight party. Food is good because if you look around you can find items that are not only delicious but also match your party theme. A great example is shaped Chocolates and Lollipops. You can get them in the shape of werewolves and bats. You can also customize them with stickers or wrappers with promotional pictures from the Twilight and New Moon movies. Look at your local party supply store and online to find some at good prices.

A favor that is sure to be popular is themed lip balms. For girl fans of the Twilight movies this makes sense as everyone wants to avoid chapped lips during the cooler months of the year. You can get lip balm in collectible Twilight themed tins or be even more original by offering Twilight themed lip balm key chains. These are lip balm containers that have key chains attached. These will be definitely must haves for your child's party guests.

You don't have to just rely on movie related gear. You can also draw inspiration from the novel series as well. A good idea is to use the motifs from New Moon as an inspiration for your party favors. One idea is to use favors based on Native American themes. Jacob is from a tribe that has the special ability to shape shift into powerful wolves and the legend of how it happened plays a big role in the novel. You can also give Renaissance themed items. This is perfect since Bella goes to Italy to save Edward from having himself killed by the Volturi, a powerful coven of vampires who rule the vampire world.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a Twilight party and looking for New Moon Party Supplies, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

The Japanese Martial Art of Aikido

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:44:00 +0000

By Rhys Jones

The realm of Martial Arts is one of the foremost gifts of Asia to the world. Who will not remember Bruce Lee and the reality that he was first and foremost a martial arts competitor before being a film star? Martial arts pictures are a huge hit with the increasing popularity of Asian cinema like 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and more recently 'The House of the Flying Daggers'.

The Chinese are the first people that come to mind when it you think of such things, but the Japanese are equally as sporty with a rich tradition of body contact sports in their history. Modern Japan still honours the martial arts by holding tournaments and promoting their sports around the world,

One of these is Aikido. It is important to realize that the word comes from three Japanese characters from which one derives the meaning of the one word. Ai signifies 'joining', Ki signifies 'spirit' and Do means 'way'. From this we can understand why Aikido lies beyond only the physical skills of it students, especially since its first proponent, Ueshiba, focused on the spiritual and philosophical improvement of his students.

In Aikido, one is not taught violence instead, one is trained to be in harmony with the adversary so that you are able to defeat him more easily. This might seem strange but it really works. In approaching an opponent, the aim of the Aikido practitioner is to be one with the opponent so as to be able to attack him where he is weakest and in so doing, divert or put him out of action, but never to kill him.

This is where Aikido becomes an art form. Art is something delightful to look at and something constructive and Aikido is all that. At least one of the contestants involved in the combat is searching for concord and concord can only be achieved if there is grace in the actions. The moves may be premeditated, but there is an air of finesse in carrying out these movements. Not a feminine grace, but a grace that emanates peace. The 'art of peace' is what they call it in Aikido and it is one of the most affirmative influences of Aikido on its students and to everyone else who decides to find out about this Japanese martial art.

Some of the techniques in Aikido embrace the following.

Ikkyo is the first technique. Using this technique, you manipulate an adversary by using one hand to hold his elbow and one to hold near the wrist. This action is supposed to allow you to pin your opponent down to the ground.

Nikyo, the second technique, is when you perform a wrist lock which enables you to twist the arm of your opponent which will in turn cause nerve pressure.

Sankyo, the third technique, is a technique that creates upward-spiraling tension throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder. There are many other techniques but the first three are enough to give you a basic insight.

When learning Aikido, it is vital to remember that, together with building physical strength, you will need to develop your mind to be able to overpower your opponent. Just like in any art form, it takes a great deal of practice and self-control to perfect the art of Aikido. The key thing to remember is, that anyone who wants to get into the art, should have the strength of mind to give honor to the art by performing it in the best way possible.

About the Author:

If you are interested in the fairly modern Japanese Martial Art of Aikido, please click a link to visit our website at http://aikido.the-real-way.com

Bobby Hull: The Golden Jet

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:40:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

'The Golden Jet' Bobby Hull was the most feared goal scorer of the 1960's and 1970's and arguably the greatest left wing to ever play professional hockey. Along with teammate Stan Mikita, Hull made the Chicago Blackhawks one of the NHLs true offensive powerhouses. He and Mikita were the first NHL players to use curved stick blades, which made his already wicked slapshot even more difficult to stop. This was a very significant development in pro hockey, and now its rare to find a player that plays with the flat stick blade that was once commonplace before Hull and Mikita's revolutionary modification.

Hull was born and raised on a dairy farm near Belleville, Ontario. By his teenage years it was apparent that he was on a fast track to NHL stardom, and he joined the Chicago Blackhawks not long after his 18th birthday. He would finish second in the leagues rookie of the year balloting in his first season and within a couple of years would become one of the NHLs marquee superstars. By the third year in the league, he was already a fixture at the top of the goal and point scoring charts and would lead the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship in 1961.

Hull made history in 1966 by becoming the first player to score more than 50 goals in a season. His 51st goal surpassed Montreal Canadiens' legends Bernie Boom Boom Geoffrion and Maurice Rocket Richard and earned him a 7 minute standing ovation from the home crowd at Chicago Stadium.

Hulls tenure with the Chicago Blackhawks ended in 1972, when he jumped to the upstart World Hockey Association (WHA). Hull signed for an at the time unprecedented $1,000,000 signing bonus. Initially, Hulls response that he would jump ship for a million bucks was an offhanded joke but when the WHA ownership agreed to contribute to that sum thinking that it would provide instant credibility for the league it became a reality.

Hull would quickly resume his offensive onslaught in the upstart league for his new team, the Winnipeg Jets. He would lead the Jets to two league championship AVCO Cup victories and in 1977 set a new professional hockey record with 77 goals in a season.

Hull suffered from knee trouble throughout his career, and it eventually forced his retirement from hockey in 1979. He would play in a few games for the Whalers before calling it a career. With the exception of an abortive comeback attempt with the New York Rangers in 1981 that was the end of his professional hockey career.

Modern fans may be more familiar with Hulls third son, Brett Hull, who earned NHL superstar status in his own right. The Hulls are the only father/son combination to ever score 50 goals in an NHL season. Brett Hull wore his dads retired #9 in the final games, and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year.

Now 70 years old, Hull is still in good health and splits his time between Ontario and Chicago. He currently serves as a PR ambassador for the Blackhawks organization. He is expected to formally induct his son into the Hall of Fame at the ceremonies later this summer.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Funny Sitcoms For All Ages

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:22:00 +0000

By Hank Evans

Murphy Brown (1988-1998): A modern-day Mary Richards (if Mary had done a stint at the Betty Ford clinic and been an unmarried mom), Murphy (Candice Bergen) was a tough TV reporter who loved, but was annoyed by, her colleagues ... not to mention Dan Quayle, who infamously railed against Murphy's single-mom status.

The Brady Bunch (1969-1974): Are the Bradys the dorkiest or the grooviest family to reside in primetime? We'll go with the latter, as there's no denying the endearing cheesiness and pop culture impact of the blended brood, who rocked the largest wardrobe of bell bottoms ever amassed.

Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-present): Only Larry David could turn a happily married, wildly successful TV writer into a hapless loser. The 'Seinfeld' co-creator (who inspired neurotic George Costanza) spins awkward social situations into sometimes painful-to-watch comedy gold.

Frasier (1993-2004): Cliff and Norm seemed more obvious choices for 'Cheers' spin-offs, but it was Kelsey Grammer's uptight shrink who got his own sharply written sitcom. The Crane fellas made for one competitive yet loving family, which helped the show become the most Emmy-winning series (with 37) in history.

The Larry Sanders Show (1992-1998): No flipping! But who'd want to turn from this gem, which ripped the curtain off a talk show? If smarmy Larry (Garry Shandling) wasn't dissing his sidekick, he was kissing up to guests or pondering David Duchovny's man-crush on him.

The Honeymooners (1955-1956): Before there was a 'King of Queens,' Jackie Gleason ruled Brooklyn as bus driver Ralph, whose feisty, hotter-than-him wife Alice kept the loud mouth in line. Despite his scheming, Ralph was a softie, and became one of TV's first working class heroes.

Roseanne (1988-1997): This picture of a working-class family was loving but not mushy, and didn't gloss over mundane worries like paying the mortgage, working a dead-end job and dealing with sassy kids. In fact, Roseanne mined them for comedy gold, and did so without looking or sounding like the typical sitcom mom.

Cheers (1982-1993): The Boston gang gave us not only a seminal workplace sitcom, but also one of the best TV romances ever with baseball pro-turned-bar owner Sam and snooty "student of life" Diane, and one of the all-time greatest ensemble casts in know-it-all Cliff, beer-lovin' Norm, gold-digging Rebecca and naive Woody.

About the Author:

Hank Evans appreciates you taking the time to read this article. If you enjoyed it, you are invited to visit Hank Evans at Watch NCIS Online and Watch Royal Pains Episodes Online. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

Sweden's Heavyweight Boxing Champ Ingemar Johansson

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:29:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Former heavyweight champ Ingemar Johannson died in a Swedish nursing home in January 2009 at the age of 76. He'd lived in the nursing home in his hometown of Kungsbacka since the mid 1990's when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia. No official cause of death was given, but Johannson had suffered a serious bout with pneumonia just prior to his death.

Johannson became a worldwide fistic superstar when he knocked out Floyd Patterson in the third round of their June 1959 fight to become heavyweight champion of the world. At the time, he was only the 5th champ to be born outside of the United States. He wasn't given much of a chance going into the fight due to his lax training and frequent partying during the weeks before the bout.

While his training methods may not have been particularly disciplined, his performance in the Yankee Stadium fight made up for it. After a tentative first two rounds, Johannson floored Patterson with a quick right hand early in the third. As there was no 'three knockdown' rule in effect, Johannson would eventually knock Patterson down a total of seven times before referee Ruby Goldstein stopped the fight and awarded him the victory.

Patterson would regain the title just under a year later, becoming the first man to ever regain the heavyweight championship. Patterson was on top of Johannson from the opening bell, and eventually knocked his opponent out cold in the fifth round with a devastating left hook. After the fight was stopped Patterson was more concerned with Johannson's well being and cradled his vanquished foe's head while medical staff attended to him.

Johannson would again face Patterson less than a year later, with the champ retaining his title via 6th round knockout after an exciting slugfest that saw both competitors taste the canvas. Eventually, however, Patterson's superior conditioning prevailed and he earned the victory. Johannson would fight only four more times after that, all in his home country of Sweden, before retiring for good in 1963.

Not surprising given the mutual respect shown during their heavyweight championship trilogy, Patterson and Johannson remained close lifelong friends and would travel to visit each other every year until the American champion died in 2006. While it is commonplace today for former in-ring adversaries to become close personal friends, it was something of an anomaly in the 1960s. Johannson made a number of film appearances in Sweden, and spent time in South Florida every year. He remained in good health well into his sixties, running in marathons yearly until his physical ailments took their toll.

Johannson was married and divorced twice, and is survived by five children. Ingemar Johannson enjoyed rock star like status in Sweden during his title reign and remained a widely respected and admired sportsman throughout his life. He'll be remembered by the international boxing community for the vital role he played in popularizing the sport in Europe and Scandinavia.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and highly respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

4 Great New Moon Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:53:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

New Moon is the sequel for book and Movie Twilight and fans worldwide are looking forward to its release in November. For fans one way to celebrate is to have a release party. This can be a great opportunity to connect with fellow fans and just have a good time. Twilight parties are mostly based off the popular Twilight proms sponsored by the author of the Twilight series Stephanie Meyer. These parties included themes from the book. However, even as a fan you don't want your party to be the same as the others that will be held this fall. One way to set your event from all the rest is with New Moon Party favors. So how do you go about integrating these favors into your party planning? Here are some great suggestions to help you out.

Think about the New Moon theme you want to use. There are two major plots for New Moon. The first is the tension between vampires and the werewolf shapes shifters of the La Push reservation near Forks. It turns out that they are actually ancient enemies and this add even more tension to the love triangle that develops between Bella, Jacob, and Edward. The other plot is the race to stop Edward from having himself killed by the Volturi, a powerful coven of vampires who are considered the ruling body of the vampire world. You can choose favors that reflect the vampire versus werewolf theme and choose items that reflect the Renaissance and an ancient Italian city. This will be sure to make your favors unique and original.

Another source of inspiration is the legend that tells the origin of the La Push reservation werewolves. You can give favors that have Native American themes. Try to find some that have images of shape shifters and wolves. A major part of giving original and unique Twilight favors is staying faithful to the Twilight storyline and paying attention to detail. Hardcore fans will instantly know the meaning behind the gifts and value them even more.

Candy is another great idea for New Moon party favors. Try to get candy in the shape of wolves and bats and other motifs that are similar to those found in New Moon. A great item to get is limited edition Twilight candy jars. These will not only be great containers for your candy but also a delicious option for your guests. Some of them will have limited edition sticker with pictures of the characters from the movie. One that is sure to be popular is Jacob in his new look for New Moon.

A great option for New Moon favors are items that are of use to guests in everyday life. This is a great idea because these gifts will not only be something that matches the theme but something your guest will find use for and not just casually toss away. A great example is Twilight themed Key Chains. These are items that anyone who uses keys for one purpose or another will appreciate. Another great item is lip balm. As the winter season approaches this is something everyone will want to use in order to avoid chapped lips. These are just some of the items that you can give to your guests. They will be sure to be quite popular.

About the Author:

Funniest Sitcoms Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:36:00 +0000

By Hank Evans

Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005): Everybody loves put-upon Ray, who tries to please wife Debra, nosy 'rents Marie and Frank and jealous bro Robert. The Barones didn't always have happy days, but their dysfunctional family was one of the most realistic.

The Jeffersons (1975-1985): Though Archie Bunker never moved on up to a dee-luxe apartment in the sky, George Jefferson was, in every other way, the black Bunker -- from his bigoted philosophies and sweet, sympathetic wife Weezie to his rebellious child and his ownership of the liquor-laden hangout Charlie's Bar, with his frienemy Willis.

The Golden Girls (1985-1992): Sex and the city? Before Carrie and pals were heating up NYC, Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia were painting the town red in Miami. Sure, viewers normally don't want to think about their grannies getting their freak on, but the charm of these golden gals was that they didn't act their ages.

Green Acres (1965-1971): CBS had its own genre of rural sitcoms with 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' 'Petticoat Junction' and 'Acres,' a standout for surreal antics involving TV-watching pig Arnold, the Monroe brothers (one of whom was female) and leads Oliver and Lisa, who still wore their fancy city duds after moving to their Hooterville farm.

Arrested Development (2003-2006): Bluths, we hardly knew ye. Three seasons of dysfunctional family hilarity and banana-stand shenanigans weren't nearly enough. The show gave us GOB, Buster and Michael Cera -- and, at last, a forum for Jason Bateman to showcase his comedy chops.

Family Ties (1982-1989): Ronald Reagan and economist Milton Freeman, sitcom fodder? They were when it came to rabid right-winger Alex P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox, in a star-making role). Uptight Alex was the polar opposite of his hippie 'rents, but the Keatons were a tight-knit clan despite, and because of, their differences.

Will & Grace (1998-2006): Sure, gay lawyer Will and his best friend/ex-girlfriend Grace were likable enough. But it was Will's self-obsessed, Cher-lovin' pal Jack and Grace's boozy, equally self-obsessed receptionist Karen who provided the laugh-out-loud scenes; fans even suggested renaming the series 'Jack & Karen.'

Mork & Mindy (1978-1982): 'Mork' was the perfect series to launch Robin Williams into superstardom, as his manic monologues and physical humor befitted an alien who was charged with studying Earthlings. Mork wasn't supposed to fall in love with roomie Mindy, but he did, then hatched (literally) giant baby Mearth.

About the Author:

Hank Evans appreciates you taking the time to read this article. And, if you found it interesting, you can read more from Hank Evans at Watch NCIS Online and Watch Royal Pains Free. Click here to get your own unique version of this article with free reprint rights.

3 Spooky and Fun Options for New Moon Party Favors

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:15:00 +0000

By Aaron Hu

This fall one of the hottest party themes will be based of New Moon. New Moon is the second installation in the Twilight book and movie series. The series ells the story of a girl named Bella and a guy named Edward. However, their relationship has one complication. Edward is a vampire and Bella is his favorite lavor.

In New Moon the couple faces new challenges such as the unwanted attention of the Volturi, the rulers of the vampires' hidden world, and the beginning of trained love triangle involving Bella's childhood friend Jacob who just happens to be a werewolf and a mortal enemy of vampires. The movie is one the most anticipated films this autumn and so you will be sure to see a lot of people having themed parties to celebrate. Regardless of whether it is a birthday party, release party, or Halloween bash one thing you will need are great New Moon and Twilight party favors. Here are some great suggestions for your New Moon event.

A good place to start looking is at your local party supply store or Wal-Mart this fall there will already be a lot of interesting items and merchandise from the previous movie and in anticipation of New Moon. Take advantage of these sources for run of the mill items that are cheap and popular. This includes posters, notebooks, pens, and special guides on the making of the movies. Of course you can always give out copies of New Moon. These are items that some of your guests may have wanted to get but never had the option to purchase or were aware of. This means that will definitely go over well with guests.

Another great idea is various candies. There are many vendors online and in your neighborhood that will be selling themed Twilight and New Moon candies. These will most likely be popular candies that you know and love with special packaging. There are also some online vendors that will be selling limited edition candy tins with images of Characters from either the Twilight or New Moon movies. Both of these will definitely become great collector's items for diehard fans of the books and movies. You can also order other types of edible favors. A good example is dark chocolate candied apples. Some online vendors are even selling them with the option of having them monogrammed. Another great option are shaped chocolates or lollipops you can give out candies such as these in the shape of Moon, Vampires, or Wolves to keep in line with the themes of New Moon.

Another great idea is to look for favors that correspond with New Moon. For example the book cover image is a tulip. So you can try to look for novel guest gifts with tulip designs or shapes. Definitely keep your eye out candle holders or picture frames. If you go this route make sure that the favors are interesting enough for your guests. For a more exciting source of inspiration you can use the themes of New Moon which werewolves and vampires. Try to give items that have a werewolf theme such as dog tags or other fun items that make use of the werewolf theme to the hilt. In the end make sure to take advantage of special and rare items that can only be found online.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a Twilight party and looking for Twilight Party Favors, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices under dollar or two.

The MMA Legacy Of Helio Gracie

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:57:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Gracie family patriarch and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu pioneer Helio Gracie died in early 2009 in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 95. Its impossible to overestimate his influence on martial arts, and particularly his pathbreaking role in what is now the sport of mixed martial arts. The Gracie family name will forever be synonymous with Brazilian sports, jiu-jitsu, MMA and the UFC"not only due to Helios own accomplishments but the legacy he created both by training others and through his family.

Helio Gracie began training in judo early in life, and by the age of 16 had already begun to teach others in his native Brazil. He was bothered by judo's reliance on 'brute strength', however, and along with his brother Carlos began to adapt many of its forms to a new fighting system more reliant on leverage than strength. This prompted the creation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ), frequently called Gracie Jiu Jitsu in his honor.

Gracie also had a professional fighting career, taking on champions from other disciplines in a forerunner to modern mixed martial arts. These bouts were grueling, unregulated affairs with rules that were often made up as they went along and time limits that seem barbaric by todays standards. By his own recollection, he had 15 fights against the top fighters of his day. He began his career in 1932 by submitting professional boxer Antonio Portugal (whod likely never even heard of a submission at that point, let alone experienced one) in just 32 seconds. Later that year, he fought American catch wrestler Frank Ebert to a draw after the ringside doctor ordered the bout stopped after an ungodly fourteen ten minute rounds.

His most famous battle was against Japanese judo legend Masahiko Kimura, resulting in a rare loss for Gracie. Despite the setback, he fought bravely and may have actually enhanced his legend after refusing to submit to a reverse arm bar (the same modern MMA submission that now bears Kimuras name). Only after his arm was broken did his brother Carlos throw in the towel.

Gracie's greatest impact, however, may have been through his progeny which is an important part of Brazilian sports and mixed martial arts even today. Royce Gracie is well known as the first UFC superstar, while sons Rickson Royler, Renzo have also achieved considerable fame in professional MMA. At the time of his death, Helio Gracie was a 6th Dan Judo black belt and the only living 10th degree master of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

The cause of Gracies death was officially given as natural causes. His last words will go down as a fitting envoi to a man who gave so much of himself to fighting:

Gracie's last words are as follows:"I created a flag from the sports dignity. I oversee the name of my family with affection and nerves of blood.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected sports betting expert. He is also a consulting handicapper for Sports-1 Sportsbook and is in charge of setting NFL lines. He has written extensively on sports handicapping theory along with a wide range of other topics including fencing, boxing and dog training.

UFC 85 Flashback: Alves Defeats Hughes In Lopsided Main Event

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:03:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Thiago Alves dominated the former UFC welterweight champion en route to a 2nd round TKO victory at UFC 83. The main event at UFC 85 in London was somewhat anticlimactic to the fans at the O2 Arena who considered the semifinal matchup between Manchesters Michael Bisping and Jason Day the biggest fight on the card. Bisping actually improved upon his excellent showing against Charles McCarthy at UFC 83 and pummeled Day mercilessly from the top mount position until the fight was stopped.

Hughes didnt make any excuses following his one sided loss, saying simply that hes a good fighter and he got me. The longtime king of the UFCs welterweight division also gave notice that his career as an active fighter was drawing to a close, suggesting that he had one fight left and challenging Matt Serra in what presumably would be his retirement match. Hughes had no answer for Alves from the opening horn, as he was stuffed on several takedown attempts early on. When he did finally get his opponent to the ground he was unable to do much damage. Alves, conversely, scored effectively with his striking including several damaging knee strikes. He also did considerable work on the ground, with an elbow strike opening up a large cut on Hughes forehead.

The end came early in the 2nd round as Hughes was caught coming in by a devastating knee strike. He fell to the canvas in a heap and referee Herb Dean was jumping in to stop the contest before Alves could follow up with any punches.

Michael Bisping simply overwhelmed Jason Day en route to a lopsided TKO victory. Bisping built upon the improved boxing skills he demonstrated at UFC 83 by unveiling an impressive ground and pound attack. Day never really got anything going and by the last minute of the fight was simply trying to cover up to prevent damage from Bispings elbows and hammer fists.

In other action, Mike Swick used an array of high kicks and a 7 reach advantage to coast to a unanimous decision over Marcus Davis. Davis, a former professional boxer, was unable to get inside against his lanky opponent and was never really in the fight.

A controversial point deduction for a strike to the back of the head cost Nate Marquardt his match against Thales Leites. Marquardt was solidly in charge for the entire fight, but suffered a point deduction for an illegal knee strike in round one. While that infraction was valid, replays of the 2nd round deduction for the strike to the back of the head gave the impression that he was penalized for a legal strike to the side of the head.

In the opening PPV match, another controversial ending saw Fabrico Werdum defeat Brandon Vera by 1st round KO. The fight had been evenly contested up until the stoppage, with Werdum scoring a couple of takedown and Vera countering with some effective punching. Late in the first round, Werdum got a full mount and began to fire a series of punches. Vera was clearly defending himself and didnt appear to be hurt at all when the referee jumped in to stop the fight.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and respected authority onsports betting. He is also a consulting handicapper for Sports-1 Sportsbook and is in charge of setting NFL lines. He has written extensively on sports betting theory along with a wide range of other topics including fencing, self defense and falconry.

Colts Hammer Woeful Rams

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:50:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Peyton Manning was unable to tie a NFL record with his sixth straight 300 yard game , but the Indianapolis Colts remained undefeated by ripping the lowly St. Louis Rams 42-6 at the Edward Jones Dome on Sunday. Manning amassed 235 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions as the Colts made short work of the winless Rams. The Colts are now 6-0 on the NFL season, while the Rams are 0-7.

NFL betting devotees who backed Indy as -14 road favorites easily won their bets as the Colts improved to 5-1 against the spread. After dropping their first game of the year to the number, Indy has run off five straight pointspread covers. The Chiefs dropped to 2-5 against the spread with the setback. The 48 points scored went OVER the posted total of 45.

After the game, Colts' coach Jim Caldwell praised his quarterback:

"He functions pretty well within the system. He does a great job leading our team and being a field general. I don't think he reached 300 yards, but nevertheless he was very effective."

As has become his form, Manning deflected the praise onto his offensive line:

"I really appreciate the protection I've been getting. It's something I don't take for granted."

Indianapolis tight end Dallas Clark gave kudos to the Indy fans that made the trip to St. Louis to support the team:

"We had a great following today. It was outstanding. When we were introduced it felt like a home game."

Rams' running back Steven Jackson sounded like a man out of answers:

"We have to learn to put four good quarters together. We don't know how to win a game right now."

The Colts will return home next Sunday to face a potentially tricky game against the San Francisco 49ers. Indianapolis has been installed as -11 point home favorites and the total set at 45. They'll remain at home for the following two games, hosting the Houston Texans the following week and the New England Patriots on November 15th. St. Louis will take on another one of the NFL's bottom feeders next Sunday, playing on the road against the Detroit Lions. The Rams will have a much needed bye week after that before returning to action on November 15th as they host the New Orleans Saints.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer specializing in sports betting and gambling related topics. He contributes to several broadcast media outlets providing advice on how to successfully bet on NFL football. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a pet billy goat.

Is Pinball Down For The Count?

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:27:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

Having survived a couple of World Wars, countless recessions, the indignation of lifestyle police, and most recently the video game phenomenon it appeared that pinball was just too tough to kill. Thats why it was a surprise when WMS Industries, the dominant player in the industry for the past decade and the maker of Williams and Bally machines, announced that it was getting out of the business several years ago. Shed no tears for WMS, who is making money hand over fist with their video poker and slot machine division. In fact, following the announcement that they were getting out of the pinball business the companys stock experienced a small but substantial gain.

Until the 1980's, pinball dominated the arcade. In the late 1970's and on the heels of the film adaptation of The Who's pinball themed rock opera 'Tommy' arcades featured row after row of new machines from over a half dozen US based manufacturers. Countless other machines were made worldwide. The first shot of the video game industry didn't make much of a dent--'Pong' was revolutionary, but its gameplay was downright dull compared to pinball. It also required two players, another downside in the often solitary isolation of the arcade. The first real challenge to pinball was the second generation of video games, including 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'.

Pinball put up a good fight, and popular games continued to appear through the mid 1980's. Several pinball games were actually spinoffs of popular video games--"Spy Hunter and Space Invaders and a number of not so good ones based on the Pac Man video games. For awhile, pinball and video games enjoyed an uneasy co-existence, much like Mac and Windows in the computer world.

In the late 1980's, however, pinball began to lose its way. Gottlieb and others made simple, traditional games that just couldnt compete with their video counterparts. Bally and other manufacturers went the opposite route"by cramming so much onto a playfield that the game hardly resembled traditional pinball. Some of Ballys late 1980s games"with so much playfield gimmickry going on"were nearly unplayable. By this point video games had taken over the arcade. Some larger arcades continued to offer a few pinball machines to placate hardcores, while some eliminated pinball altogether.

Pinball began to experience a bit of a comeback in the 1990's driven by well designed, enjoyable games that finally got the balance between traditional gameplay and modern technology right. Williams and Bally (whom WMS later acquired), along with Data East, were making the majority of new games and some would become classics. Pin-Bot, Earthshaker The Adams Family and Diner are among my favorites of this era. Articles started to appear in the traditional media about the durability and timelessness of pinball, about how the average pinball machine received much more repeat business than the average video game and about the devotion of the pinball player.

The final nail in the coffin, however, were a number of societal changes beyond the pinball manufacturers' control. For one, video games and video arcades became less profitable as companies like Sony and Nintendo were able to transform a lot of the high end gameplay to the home platform. Fewer people were going to malls, and they werent staying as long when they did. Mega-malls like the Mall of America and the Forum Shops at Caesar's were the exception to this, but there just werent enough to these to sustain demand.

Pinball still soldiers on, with something of a hipster revival of the games in cities like Seattle and Portland where lovingly restored machines sit alongside new offerings by Stern Pinball, the only remaining manufacturer in the world. At this point, it appears that the only hope for pinball players is that some effort will be made to preserve the machines that already exist.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is entertainment editor for The Savage Science, a website covering both MMA news and popular entertainment culture. He's an avid MMA and boxing enthusiast as well, and reportsUFC news for several mainstream sports broadcasts and websites. He's practiced several martial arts forms since childhood and holds a black belt in judo.

NASCAR Legend David Pearson: The Silver Fox

noreply@blogger.com (Ellaine) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:13:00 +0000

By Ross Everett

South Carolinas Darlington Raceway is an egg shaped terror that has become known as the track too tough to tame. If thats true, David Pearson came pretty close"during his illustrious career, he posted 10 victories and 12 poles at Darlington. These are both records for one of NASCARs most unforgiving tracks. Pearsons ability at Darlington bordered on the unreal, and he was able to follow the conventional wisdom about performing well there better than anyone. The old saying is that you need to race the track, not the other drivers, but thats a lot easier said than done. Pearson, however, made it look easy.

David Pearson was born three days before Christmas 1934 in a tough textile town near the North Carolina/South Carolina border called Whitney. His parents both worked in the local mill and did their best to provide. David quit school after the 10th grade and also worked in the mill. He was soon drawn away by his love of fast cars. He bought his own car and began racing at short tracks in the area. He ran his first race in 1952 in Woodruff, South Carolina and won his first championship at the old Greenville-Pickens Speedway in 1959.

Pearson never sought out stock car racing immortality, but some of his friends had other ideas. They began raising money to buy a car to race in the NASCAR Grand National series (the forerunner to today's Sprint Cup). With a patchwork of financial backing, David began racing a limited schedule on the Grand National circuit and was named the 1960 rookie of the year. In 1961, he became the first driver in history to win on 3 of the 4 superspeedways in the same season (Charlotte, Atlanta, Daytona). This attracted sponsors, and before he knew it he was a top NASCAR driver winning Grand National titles in 1966, 1968 and 1969.

During the 70's, Pearson specialized in superspeedway racing. Through the end of the 1970s, Pearson won 43 races. In addition to his mastery of Darlington, he posted remarkable numbers all over the circuit. He is one of two men to have won more than 100 races, and his 105 is second only to The King Richard Pettys 200 wins. Hes also second on career poles (113) to Petty. Head to head, however, he has a slight edge over NASCARs legendary King: in races where he and Petty finished 1-2, Pearson won 33 to Pettys 30. His 11 consecutive poles at Charlotte is a feat that will likely never be matched. Another record that may never be broken is his 18.29% winning percentage, as well as his record of starting from the pole in 20% of the races he ran.

In March, 2000, SC Highway 221 through Spartanburg County was renamed David Pearson Boulevard in his honor. He lives in Spartanburg to this day. Pearson still takes to the track occasionally--he and current NASCAR driver Carl Edwards were the first to race on the newly repaved Darlington Raceway last Spring. And he's still known as 'The Silver Fox', a nickname given to him for his prematurely gray hair.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance writer who has written on sports gambling and how to successfully bet on NFL football. He has appeared on TV and radio talking about boxing, cricket and NFL pointspreads. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a ferret.