If appearance has anything to do with it, rare gold coins would always outperform stocks. They’re charming, beautiful, have a nice weight to them, and because they’ve been around for a while, they represent an intriguing part of the story.

But there are other reasons, timely reasons, to add more gold coins than stocks to your portfolio today… although making a claim like that can be dangerously close to blasphemy for traditional stock investors. However, ignore the available clues at your own risk. For example…

Hint #1: Call options point to higher gold. This analysis is by Prieur du Plessis and Adrian Douglas. In summary, these two men noted that the December 2007 gold call option contracts were indeed sizeable, currently numbering about 122,000. What’s more, they outnumbered the puts 2 to 1.

Based on this “positive rise in gold,” both du Plessis and Douglas believe that gold is on the threshold of a big price jump. It is not the first time that Douglas believes this way. In November 2005, he predicted a rise in the price of gold from its $460 level, based on a similar buildup of gold call options. Two months later, gold was $100 higher. Next…

Hint #2: Demand for gold continues to rise; The supply of gold continues to decline. The situation here has only gotten worse. According to a recent report from the World Gold Council, global demand for gold is 30% up from a year ago, while supply continues to head south. The world’s largest gold producer, South Africa, hit an 84-year low despite high gold prices. And the world’s top gold producers have seen a nearly 20% drop in production since 2001.

It goes without saying that higher demand and lower supply lead to higher prices.

Clue #3: “Triple Threats” from the Housing Dilemma. Harvard economist Martin Feldstein has warned that we face a triple threat from the housing recession. According to Bloomberg’s Sept. 2 report on his Jackson Hole speech, “Feldstein described a housing “triple threat”: a “deep drop” in home and construction prices; higher borrowing costs and a “freeze” in credit markets stemming from prime sub-losses, and fewer home equity loans and refinanced mortgages, leading to lower consumer spending.

The overall effect, needless to say, will have terrifying consequences. “The economy could suffer a very serious recession,” he added. All the more reasons to branch out into the shiny stuff.

Clue #4: The United States is going the way of the Roman Empire – Comptroller General, David Walker. Oh! You know you’re in trouble when the guy in charge of government accountability finds “striking similarities” between the US and the Roman Empire. The end of the Roman Empire. Among his comments, the US suffers from “declining moral values ​​and political civility at home, an overconfident and overextended military in foreign lands, and fiscal irresponsibility on the part of central government.” He is so serious that he even refused to approve the “books” of the government. Ugh again.

How does this relate to gold and stocks? When high-profile members of our own government come out and warn us of the coming “economic tsunami,” it’s time to find refuge in gold.

Clue #5: Inflation, Inflation and More Inflation. Despite all the government statistics in the world, we all know that inflation is working. We know that every time we fill up our tanks. And somewhere in the back of our minds, we know that rising energy prices have to be bad for the economy, that it affects everyone and anyone who sells anything. That intuition is, unsurprisingly, rooted in the facts. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, “nine of the ten post-World War II recessions were preceded by a sharp rise in oil prices.”

With the Fed rushing to defer a recession by cutting rates, we also know, somewhere in our psyche, that the dollar will only weaken further, perhaps dangerously so, due to its current historical weakness with each of these rate cuts. And the end result of all this change is inflation. We are going to need more dollars to buy what yesterday’s dollars used to buy.

You’ve no doubt heard the adage: “In 1911, an ounce of gold could buy a very nice suit. Today, it still can.” That is to say that gold is keeping up with inflation. She did it in 1911. She’s still doing it now, almost a hundred years later. Which is what makes gold the weapon of choice for fighting inflation.

But why stay on the defensive with gold?

In 1995, a Penn State economist, Dr. Raymond Lombra, did a study that he presented to Congress. This 40 page report “proved” that rare coins, including rare gold coins, were among the highest performing assets over the last 25 years (and that included stocks). He also reported that “rare coins dominate gold bullion as a diversifying asset.” These “numismatic coins” do this by reducing volatility while providing better returns.

Lombra’s most recent study from 2003 found the same situation. From 1979 to 2003, rare coins, such as rare gold, earned the highest average annual rate of return and outperformed gold bullion as an investment and inflation hedge.

But whether you prefer to take a more aggressive position with rare gold coins rather than stocks or just want a proven financial safe haven, the time may be right for gold. And that may be an understatement.

You can make money online if you can learn a few things about it first. This may be someone who needs a job, or you could just be looking to supplement your income. Whatever the case, you need to take your time going through all of this.

Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways you can make money online in your free time. This type of marketing means that you will sell other people’s things and get paid a commission when you do so. There are all kinds of items you can sell depending on your style.

Get paid for checking out some of the new products on the market today. This is a great way for companies to determine if their new products are a hit or flop, as they will pay good money to get an opinion on them. Spread the word about these products and get paid.

Do you love to write? Do you find it difficult to find an outlet for your creativity? Try writing a blog. It can help you express your thoughts and ideas, while also earning you a bit of money. However, to get it right, make sure you blog about something that interests you and that you know a little about. That will attract others to your work. Once you have a following, you can attract advertisers or start writing paid reviews.

A great way to make money online is to write. If you have the talent and ability to write well with few or no grammar and spelling errors, many people will want your services. Writing jobs can be anything from rewriting poorly written information to writing completely new and original information and more. You can also earn money by writing your own content for a blog or article directory by making good use of keywords and opening an account with Google AdSense.

Remember to create a budget before you start working online. You need to know what your overhead will be, whether it’s the cost of your computer and internet connection if your work will be fully virtual, or any supplies you need if your plan is to sell items online.

Try changing domain names. Many people generate income through the use of domain names. It’s the same concept as buying real estate, but what you’re buying is a web address with a great name. Look for trending keywords in Google AdSense. Buy some domains based on acronyms. Predicting the popular domain names of the future can be very profitable. Give it a try!

Don’t use your own money to deal with your online businesses. There are many dishonest companies online that will ask you to pay a certain fee to work for them. Such firms will probably only scam you. Stay away from such companies.

Check out online forums dedicated to helping you find legitimate online job opportunities. There are many niche-oriented ones where you can find people just like you, like the work-at-home mom forums. Once you join the community, you’ll be set to make a lot of money online!

Don’t be afraid to get in touch with real people, just because you are looking for opportunities to make money online. While most sites are self-explanatory and can be operated with little or no help, you can learn more about legitimacy by having conversations with site owners or other employees. If you don’t get a response, it could be a red flag!

Working online probably won’t make you a millionaire overnight. Even Perez Hilton or Ariana Huffington had to work hard to make their sites popular. The same goes for you, whether you’re writing SEO articles or designing websites. Don’t let frustration make you quit if you don’t get rich quick.

Don’t buy anything that tells you you can make a lot of money if you pay into a system. Many of these things that promised you a fortune were done by someone to get your money and not help you at all. Use common sense and you should be fine if this comes up.

If you have the ability to write, there are several Internet portals that offer work for writers of all levels. Sites like iWriter and Write.com allow you to write for various sources that need well-written content. Put your writing skills to work for you and you can generate some much-needed income.

Start earning money online by answering surveys. Several websites allow you to take surveys for small amounts of payment. It’s virtually impossible to make a living doing this, but you can make enough money to reinvest in more profitable money-making activities online. This means that you can start making money online with just an investment of your time and without any financial capital.

Earn extra money with email marketing. This is a great way to promote a business and use the subscribers you have to your advantage. You will simply send a message or advertise a product to your large group of subscribers and get paid to do it.

Joining survey sites is a great way to make your opinion heard and earn extra income. In the meantime, you probably won’t be able to pay all your bills or buy a new car, you can certainly use the extra money. Many reputable sites will often pre-screen you for surveys and email you new surveys when appropriate.

Do you have experience in a certain field? You could start a blog and share your knowledge in posts, earning money from affiliate links or ads. You can create how-to videos and earn money from ads on YouTube. You could also sell your skills online as a consultant!

Now it’s probably clear to you that you can work online and make money if you can follow the guidelines you just read. It’s something you’ll have to take your time with, but in the end, things should work out for you. Hopefully you can earn some money now!

OVERVIEW: NFC North

Look for a Changing of the Guard In the NFC North in 2005, as I hope to see the Green Bay Packers pass the torch to the Vikings and finish below the .500 mark, Pack QB Brett Favre has spent 14 of his 15 seasons in the NFL in Green Bay and has had a Hall of Fame career that includes the honor of being the NFL MVP three times, Favre also has the distinction of being the “Iron Man” of the NFL with respect to his 225 consecutive games as a starter.

However, Favre will turn 36 on Oct. 10 and his offensive line is significantly weaker with the key losses of starting offensive guards Marco Rivera and Mike Wahle, and those losses on top of the loss of starter S Darren Sharper and players intermediates S Michael Hawthorne. and S Bhawoh Jue, who provided depth in an already weak defensive secondary.

Aside from snagging Favre’s replacement at QB Aaron Rogers with their best draft pick, the Packers had a very average draft, which isn’t good when you consider they didn’t really take anyone of note in free agency, Green Bay opened their 2004 campaign with a 1-4 straight record and ATS that includes losing their first three home games to the likes of the Bears, Giants and Titans, not a good sign considering these three teams finished 2004 with a combined record of 16-32 up.

The Vikings appear to be the heir apparent to the NFC North throne, as the ouster of WR Randy Moss, who was nothing more than a distraction along with the best draft of any team in the division and a good crop of free agents, could make these Vikings a serious contender for the overall NFC crown when the smoke clears.

With that being said, though, the real question is whether the Vikings can get past the distraction of the sold-out team, as well as the foolish playing time decisions and poor clock management of HC Mike Tice, who, if you recall, was arrested for busting. Super Bowl tickets.

Detroit believes it will give the Vikings a battle for the crown as long as they can stay healthy, Lion HC Steve Mariucci is in his third year with the organization and needs to move up this year if he wants GM Matt Millen to stick around after 2005, Steve Mariucci was hired after the Lions finished 2001 and 2002 with a combined record of 5-27 in a row and 15-16-1 ATS.

In Mariucci’s two seasons with the Lions, they’ve gone 11-21 and 17-15 ATS, which means that while there has slowly been improvement, the Lions selected three Pac-10 players with their top three picks at select WR Mike Williams from USC. with their best pick, making this the third consecutive draft that a WR was taken with the Lions’ first overall pick, with the Lions’ second pick they went with DT Shaun Cody from USC and with their third selection chose CB Stanley Wilson from Stanford.

The Lions got a potential fifth-round steal with Connecticut quarterback Dan Orlovsky, Detroit was also very active in the free agent wars by taking quarterback Jeff Garcia, who used to play for Mariucci in San Francisco and, therefore, he knows this offense very well. If quarterback Joey Harrington continues to underperform, expect to see a trade to Garcia. The additions of trouble kid WR Kevin Johnson and TE Marcus Pollard will bring veteran leadership to the offense.

HC Lovie Smith and his Bears continue to be a work in progress as they will once again bring up the rear in 2005, the Windy City faithful had high hopes for this team following a 13-4 straight 11- 5-1 ATS in 2001 However, in the three seasons since that breakout year of 2001, these Bears have posted a dismal record of 16-32 in a row and 20-28 ATS and the song will still be the same in 2005, as the Bears used their first draft pick on RB Cedric Benson.

Benson will probably be a great running back, the problem lies in the fact that the Bears don’t have an offensive line to block the poor guy, Chicago’s terrible offensive line play in 2004 was the root cause of the Bears seeing three quarterbacks Outfielders including Rex Grossman were sidelined with injuries, his head shaking as he considered that this offensive line allowed a staggering 66 sacks that ultimately had the Bears finish with an overall offensive ranking of 32nd in the league.

In closing, I view the NFC North as a race between the Vikings and Lions for the top spot, with the Packers in third and Chicago bringing up the rear. If it weren’t for the Vikings’ bad playing time, I would expect to see them win this division. Conveniently, though, Viking HC Mike Tice will probably cost his team two close losses on poor decisions when it’s said and done.

The Vikings will likely be the crowd favorite for most of the season so you won’t find much “Value” backing them, instead look to play the Vikes when they are installed as road favorites this season as they have 4 -10 ATS in this role over the past four years, the Vikings also tend to be overrated by the public when playing at home, as evidenced by the Vikes’ 1-10 ATS record as a six-plus point home favorite.

Look to jump on the Lion bandwagon this season when they’re installed as road dogs, Detroit went 3-5 straight on the road and 5-3 ATS in 2004, which is telling when you consider they’d lost 24 straight road games . Before 2004, if these Lions can stay healthy and QB Joey Harrington or Jeff Garcia have a decent season, these Lions will have an offense that will keep them going in any game they play.

There are several different manufacturers of baseball and softball bats in the United States. Some, obviously, are more frequent than others. What I will try to do in the article is to give a rundown of the most notable baseball bat manufacturers and also bring to light some of the lesser known companies. Note that most of these manufacturers also make softball bats.

Based in Louisville, KY, Hillerich & Bradsby has been around since 1884. It is probably the most popular and well-known manufacturer of baseball bats in the world. You’ll see countless professionals using the famous trademark wooden bats every day and night during MLB games. Louisville Slugger’s TPX and TPS brands are incredibly popular with amateur baseball and softball players, respectively.

Nike is fairly new to the baseball bat game. But, due to their popular trademark swoosh, they have become a definite force in the product space. Nike has recently released two new models of wood bats to accompany its already impressive line of composite/metal bats.

Easton has been in business for more than 80 years and its baseball brand has been one of the industry leaders for more than 30 years. Easton is credited with making the first aluminum bat in 1969 and they continue to bring innovative technology into the bat they make today.

Softball giant Ray DeMarini founded this company in 1989 and is credited with manufacturing the first double-walled bat in 1993. Today, they are considered a major force in the game. Watch any NCAA baseball or softball game and you’ll be sure to see their trademark Voodoo or CF bats being used.

The Combat Sport Group is active in baseball, softball, lacrosse, and hockey. Since 2004, Combat has been the fastest growing company in this space. At one point, the company made beats for the likes of Rawlings and Worth before splitting off and creating their own identity.

Sports Illustrated states that Marucci is the fastest growing bat manufacturer in the United States today. Marucci claims that 70% of the top prospects in the country are using his bats. One of the reasons for the popularity of his bats is the fact that St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols uses and endorses his bat. Phenom Bryce Harper is also hitting a Marucci bat in his first season of professional baseball. Marucci’s new squared Cat 5 is becoming popular with hobbyists.

Founded by former New York Yankees great and current Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, Mattingly Sports is a fairly new entry in the bat-making space. They’re best known for their V-Grip technology, which takes the normal rounded handle and turns it into a V-shape, correcting what Mattingly found to be the most common problem hitters face…the position of the hands around the handle. . The V-Grip aligns the knocker knuckles, positioning the bat away from the palm and toward the fingertips.

Known more for its baseball gloves and cleats, Mizuno remains an active manufacturer of baseball bats. They have put most of their stock into the growing popularity of maple bats. Lighter than traditional ash-born bats, the maple bat has really gained a following among the major leagues. Mizuno has also recently introduced a line of bamboo bats.

While Rawlings is best known for their fantastic line of baseball gloves and the Rawlings Gold Glove Award, they have quietly been churning out one of the most popular bats in the game, the Rawlings Big Stick. In the amateur space, their 5150 line of bats has been a very popular bat for the Rawlings company.

Worth is a powerhouse in the softball arena. Watch any NCAA women’s softball game and you’re sure to see Worth products being used. Also popular in the game of baseball, the Worth Copperhead has been an incredibly popular bat since the 1990s.

others

Other manufacturers include Warstic, Baden, Miken, Rip-It, Brett Brothers, Glomar, Insignia, and M Powered.

When one thinks of nightlife before World War II, one conjures up images of late-night hangouts serving food until the wee hours of the morning and music playing until dawn. Nowhere epitomizes being away from home like New York City in the 1930s and 1940s. It was a legendary moment in time.

After a four-year trial period was revoked, King Kong brought Faye Ray to the side of the Empire State Building, Duke Ellington performed every night at the Cotton Club on 125th Street in Harlem, and two witty cousins ​​named Jack Kriendler and Charlie Berns legitimized a speakeasy at 21 West 52nd Street and dubbed it The “21” Club.

Although “21” had been raided more than once during prohibition, the federal agents could never pin the blame on Jack and Charlie. At the first sign of a raid, they activated an ingenious system of pulleys and levers, sweeping the bottles from the bar’s shelves and dumping the crushed remains down a chute into the New York sewer system.

Throughout the 1930s, “21” was frequented by many literary figures of the day, including: John Steinbeck, John O’Hara, Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis, HG Wells, and Robert Sherwood. In fact, every mid-20th century notable made it to “21” at one point or another. It competed with sponsorship from other legendary New York City venues, such as the Stork Club and El Morocco, as one of Café Society’s most prominent gathering places.

In the 1940s, Spellbound hit theaters starring Gregory Peck and is one of the first movies to feature/mention the “21” Club. According to Jeff Kraft and Aaron Leventhal, co-authors of Footsteps in the Fog: Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco, Hitchcock had a long-standing connection to the “21” Club. Beginning with his first trip to the United States from England in the late 1930’s, he was a regular customer of the restaurant throughout his life. Humphrey Bogart frequented “21” as a struggling actor in his pre-Hollywood days. When he wasn’t out clubbing with friends, he was content to sit alone at ’21’, hunched over a notebook, smoking a pipe and drinking Scotch, imagining himself a budding playwright. His liquor tastes ranged from Scotch, Black Velvet (equal parts Guinness and champagne), gin martinis in the tub, beer, and Jack Rose cocktails.

Bogart would return to his old haunt in 1944 and propose to a young Lauren Bacall at Table 30. They first worked together on To Have and Have Not, based on the novel by “21” regular Ernest Hemingway ( who was caught making love to mobster Legacy Diamond’s girlfriend in kitchen “21” in 1931). Hollywood came to “21” years later, in the 1950s, to film scenes for the classic films “All About Eve” starring Bette Davis and Anne Baxter and “The Sweet Smell of Success” with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. .

The first of 33 replica jockeys that stood guard outside the front doors of “21” was donated by sponsor Jay Van Urk in the early 1930s. In 1992, a jockey was robbed from the restaurant and that story ran on page 2 of the New York Post. The next day, a “21” regular was looking out his office window overlooking Washington Square Park and saw the jockey in a shopping cart and called the police. In 2004, there was a collection of 33 jockeys, most recently from Saratoga Stables representing the great New York horse Sunny Cide, winner of the 2003 Kentucky Derby and Preakness races.

In recent years, “21” has seen its share of renovations and remains one of the few remaining classic restaurants from the golden days of New York City nightlife. It’s still a refreshing throwback to the grand diner of a bygone era. Classic American food is still skillfully executed and the menu, with or without a great bottle of wine, remains a pleasurable experience for New Yorkers and visitors alike. It will certainly provide memories for generations to come.

My husband, Barry, has been a Chicago Cubs fan since he heard his first baseball game on the car radio during a car trip with his parents in 1945. The Cubs were playing and he decided to become a Cubs fan because the cubs were so adorable. . He was ten years old and this was the beginning of a lifelong love of baseball.

He grew up in Danville, Illinois, 120 miles south of Chicago and slightly out of range of the radio station that broadcasts Cubs games. He discovered that he could solve this problem by holding his finger on the antenna button on the back of the radio. However, he is always thankful that there have been no local thunderstorms during the games since he did.self has lightning rod.

The Cubs made it to the 1945 World Series because their players were older and the best players from other teams had been drafted during World War II. Despite this lead, the Cubs lost the series four games to three to the Detroit Tigers and Barry was devastated. The only saving grace was that baseball great Hank Greenberg played third base for Detroit. Although he was too old to be recruited, he was still a superhero, especially to Jewish children because Greenberg was also Jewish. This was a rarity in Major League Baseball, as athletic abilities were not associated with Jewish culture. However, he recalls that Greenberg was subjected to the same kind of abuse that Jackie Robinson, the first African-American player, experienced.

Barry was in high school before seeing his first baseball game at Wrigley Field and still remembers the excitement of being there. “Before the game, I had thought that the whistle I heard on the radio after a foul ball landed behind home plate was from the ball hitting the net. I even discussed this point with a classmate,” he said. “In the game, I learned that the hissing sound was made by the fans and it was a tradition.”

He went to college in Chicago and could easily get to Wrigley Field on the El, Chicago’s partially elevated and partially underground subway system. At the time, Wrigley Field had no lights, so all games were in the afternoon. During a spring term, he enrolled in a political science course that was well known for having irrelevant lectures and quizzes based solely on the book. He spent those afternoons in the left field bleachers. “The Cubs were especially bad that year, but it didn’t matter,” he said. “Cub fans were used to bad teams. I only attended one lecture, and for the first time, the political science final was entirely lecture-based. Wow!”

Wherever we lived, Barry remained a Cubs fan, which is true of most fans who continue to root for the Cubs at every other team’s ballpark. What’s unusual is why so many men remain loyal to a team that hasn’t made it to the World Series in 71 years and has broken their hearts so many times. In 1984, they led the San Diego Padres two games to none in a five-game National League Championship Series, but lost three in a row. In 2003, they again came within a win of advancing to the World Series. As they were leading in the eighth inning of game three, a fan interfered with a catchable foul ball. The Miami Marlins bounced back, winning that game and the next two to eliminate the Cubs. The unlucky fan became the human incarnation of “The Curse”. He had to leave Chicago and has remained in hiding.

Barry is convinced that there is a curse. In the 1945 World Series, Billy Goat Tavern owner Billy Sianis was asked to leave Game 4 of the World Series at the Cubs’ home ballpark, Wrigley Field. He had bought two tickets as he had many times before, one for himself and one for his pet goat, Murphy. This time he was asked to leave because fans were complaining about the strong smell emanating from his pet goat. He was outraged and declared, “Those Cubs, they’re not going to win anymore.” This curse meant the Cubs would never be in another World Series game at Wrigley Field and the Cubs, who haven’t won a World Series since 1908, haven’t been there since.

There have been many strange attempts to remove the “Curse of the Billy Goat”. For example, a Greek Orthodox priest tried to end the curse during the 2008 playoffs by sprinkling holy water in and around the Cubs’ dugout. In 2013, a severed goat’s head was given to the Cubs’ owner in a possible effort to lift the curse. In 2014, four men consumed a 40-pound goat in thirteen minutes and twenty-two seconds at a Taco in a Bag restaurant in Chicago. None of the attempts have worked. At away games, supporters of the opposing home team often wear a goat mask.

It’s not just the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” Barry explained. In 1969, the Cubs were leading their division as the end of the season approached. A black cat visited the dugout and the Cubs lost that game, followed by a long losing streak.

Puppy fans even have their own folk tale. Barry recounted the following story: “Two puppy fans were so frustrated after watching the final game of another losing season that they drank too much, crashed into a tree and ended up in hell. The devil came to see them and found them roasting puppy dogs. horny and cracking jokes, the devil asked “how can you be happy in this miserable place? We’re Cubs fans.” The Devil turned off the heating to make them suffer more. He came to see them and found them surrounded by ice and high fives, laughing and dancing. He said, “How can you be even happier in this freezing cold?” They said, “We’ve never been happier. We’re going to the World Series! Hell has frozen over.”

This year, the Cubs have the best record in the Major Leagues and were the first team to qualify for the playoffs that would take them to the World Series. They won the first two games of five playoff games with San Francisco and lost the third game. Several nights ago they played their fourth game and were losing 5-2 at the bottom of the eighth inning of game four. Barry turned off the television and went to bed, certain that it was happening again. He said that he dreamed of Billy Goats.

In the morning, he learned that the Cubs had scored four runs in the ninth inning and won the series. They still have to win the divisional playoffs to play in the World Series. But he is convinced that, once again, the curse is going to end him.

“Just as Moses led the Jews through the desert to the edge of the Promised Land but died before entering it, we will be led to the brink of baseball glory only to say ‘wait until next year,'” he told me. . “But that’s okay. I’m sure a lot of us Cubs fans couldn’t handle the shock of getting to the World Series, let alone winning it. We thrive on rooting for perennial losers. We get satisfaction from loving losers.” . We are baseball masochists. I’m going to see a psychiatrist and try to understand what’s going on with Cubs fans.”

Arguably the first game on the 2010 Virginia Tech football schedule is the first. The Hokies will play Boise State at what is supposed to be a neutral field in Landover, MD, outside of Washington DC. However, considering FedEx’s proximity to Virginia Tech and a large VT alumni base, and distance from Boise, it’s closer to a home game for the Hokies (those Boise State’s fan base Bronco tends to travel well). Virginia Tech Boise State tickets will be in high demand and will be one of the hardest Virginia Tech tickets to come by in 2010.

This game will feature 2 college football teams ranked likely in the top 5 in 2010 and will appeal not only to their fan bases, but to college football fans in general. By putting the game in prime time on September 6 (Labor Day), ESPN has made it a made-for-television event. It’s also given both programs a lot of anticipation in the offseason, and Frank Beamer, the head coach at Virginia Tech, has often said that this type of game adds a lot of focus to offseason preparation.

This game has broader implications for college football, beyond the fate of Virginia Tech and Boise State football. Boise State is a loaded team and despite being in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and heading to the Mountain West Conference next year, they are highly ranked and considered national championship contenders. This is due to the fact that the team was undefeated in 2009, including wins over Oregon from the PAC10 and a previously undefeated TCU team.

Boise State also returns with 21 of 22 starters from last year, an almost impossible thing to do, and thus many hope they have a good chance to top the table again in 2010. If they beat Virginia Tech in September and remain undefeated, there is a great possibility that they could be playing for the BCS National Championship.

BCS scenarios are impossible to predict, and an undefeated mid-major team has been left out plenty of times, but Boise has a real edge in 2010. That would be their initial ranking in the top 5 in the polls earlier in the year, plus the credibility that it gained in 2009. Again, it’s impossible to predict all scenarios, and certainly some undefeated teams in the major conferences would lock Boise out of the BCS title game. But an undefeated Bronco team is luckier than ever to play for the title in 2010.

For VT football, this game is also a subplot in their season. The Hokies generally have a yearly goal of winning the ACC, and this game has nothing to do with that. However, this is believed to be a very promising year for the Hokies, who played but never won a college football championship. This is one of those swing years in which Virginia Tech could make a run at a BCS championship, and it won’t happen unless they beat Boise State in the opener.

This is going to be a great matchup and will have the full attention of the college football world. Much will be determined about both teams after the VT vs Boise game ends on September 6!

7UP isn’t just a soda, it’s where the Michigan State Spartans meet for the first time since 1966.

Count them. There’s western Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Notre Dame, northern Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan and, with its win over Illinois, Michigan State is undefeated 7-0 and now ranks eighth nationally in AP polls and Coaches Top 25.

This is heady territory for the state of Michigan. In 1966, Michigan State was 9-0 and ranked second when the Spartans hosted No. 1 Notre Dame. The game, dubbed the Game of the Century by the media, ended in a 10–10 draw when Irish manager Ara Parseghian decided to play for a draw rather than risk winning or losing. In the end, both teams earned national championships due to the tie, leaving both teams with 9-0-1 records.

Time has changed the current landscape, as there are no ties in football: both college and professional teams now play periods of overtime to determine a winner.

Against Illinois, the Illini went into halftime with a 6-3 lead as the Spartans played a really flat first half.

That all changed when the Spartans won the second half 23-zip, scoring a 3rd-quarter field goal followed by Kirk Cousins’ 48-yard field goal to BJ Cunningham and another field goal.

Another field goal was added in the fourth quarter and the game was stopped when running back Larry Caper rushed 15 yards for the final touchdown and the 26-6 win.

Spartan QB Kirk Cousins ​​went 13-for-24 (54%) for 201 yards and 1 TD pass. Perhaps even more important was the foot of Dan Conroy, who had shots from the field of 37, 34, 32 and 18 yards.

Unlike many games this season, Michigan State didn’t produce impressive stats. This was probably due to the fact that Illinois has a very good team. Illinois trampled Penn State 33-13 in a road game and played hard against Ohio State in a 24-13 loss.

Illinois also entered the game with a schedule strength rating (SOS) of 22 nationally and a rating of 31 by Sagarin. Michigan State’s SOS was ranked 95th and the Spartans were ranked 13th in the AP Top 25 poll.

With 7 wins in their pocket, the question begs: Can the Spartans, now ranked 8th, who will then travel to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats, pull off an 8th-place finish in a row?

Northwest is 5-1. Michigan State averages 34 points per game, Northwestern 27. Both teams accumulate yards on offense, the Spartans averaging 447 and the Wildcats 425, only 22 yards apart.

Both teams are stingy on scoring defense. Michigan State gives up 16 points per game, Northwestern only 18. And the total defense? The Spartans give up 325 yards per game, and the Wildcats 356, just 31 more yards.

Bottom line: Northwestern will get a few points, but Michigan State should score a few more.

And the X-factor? Ask Florida, Alabama, Ohio State and Texas: They know all about the X factor. Anything can happen in college football on any Saturday at any stadium, including Ryan Field in Evanston.

Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley

Youth is the beautiful spring of life, full of energy and enthusiasm. Age in America today is seen as a handicap, full of pain and in need of help. The image of George H. Bush parachuting for his 90th birthday is drowned out by ads about elderly people in need of home care. In that arena, Joe Biden is scrutinized for flaws. Those pale in comparison to his value right now as a man with experience in the United States government.

Trump’s Democratic presidential hopefuls have a treasure trove of great ideas on how to fix the damage Trump is inflicting on the country. These range from constitutional infractions to human rights abuses and the position of the US in the world community. Add to that list his abuse of his presidential powers, his assault on the environment, and the erosion of public trust due to lies emanating from the American White House. indeed, Democrats have a wide menu of pressing issues to address, but none stand a chance if Trump can’t be undone.

The current president of the United States, Donald Trump, openly lies and claims that deception is a negotiating tactic. A third of the country buys the Trump side of the doublespeak. The other two-thirds fume about how so many can be so gullible. It takes a person who has been burned several times to spot the trick and know how to use it.

Circus expert PT Barnum is reported to have said in the mid-19th century that a fool is born every minute. He made his mark by exhibiting fake monsters and making the curious pay to see them. The current president of the United States performs similar oddities in the form of circumventing laws and regulations. The American public pays a lot for a third of its people to admire legal gymnastics.

The melting pot of the world and the land of opportunity makes room for the vulnerable one-third of its population who buy Trump’s spin on American values. The price, however, is high for the two-thirds who care about the American foundation of democracy. All they need is a leader who can show the way based on instinct informed through experience.

Joe Biden has been attacked for positions taken 10, 20, 30 years ago. He is being held accountable for comments that set off alarm bells and for being deaf, out of step with current affairs. Actually, it is perception that is out of touch with reality.

Today’s media world is fast-paced. That’s the condition that put reality TV star con artist Donald Trump in the Oval Office. His experience told her that he could bluff in any situation he wanted. He did exactly that, even if he had to work his way up to that position and use outside sources to get the job done.

Joe Biden, on the other hand, is an experienced person with higher aspirations than getting rich. He went through the excruciating period in America’s past when desegregation was an uncertain ideal. He fought for social gains within the constraints of the times, while Donald Trump planned to get the best of his next brand.

Donald Trump has not changed and neither has Joe Biden. Trump is still ripping off as many Americans as possible. Joe Biden wants to stop it and get Americans moving again like he did during the progressive era of Barack Obama.

In his lofty position, Trump has no problem spouting incendiary lies to stir up his audience. He has a lot of schills to help sell the story. Joe Biden has a lifetime of experience promoting the public good in opposition to the likes of Trump. He deserves a break from the microscope of today’s media.

Experience establishes a vast information infrastructure in the brain. Those lay the groundwork for spoken expressions in the present tense. The answer to a question may take a moment to process. That is far less than the week of media coverage given to the monstrous Hurricane Damian.

That disaster impacts thousands of lives and communities. US President Donald Trump’s response was to play a “short round of golf”. Considering that Damien’s disaster was his excuse to skip an international responsibility, it is not necessary to process more words of thoughts.

Biden doesn’t need a week to process thoughts and produce powerful words. However, he deserves a few seconds for the process. After all, whether it’s Joe Biden or some other experienced Democratic candidate, the goal is to defeat a man in the Oval Office who doesn’t take a second to process a thought into words that can sink the entire world. .

The influence of the pineapple fruit is evident in the delightful variety of decorations available that use the shape of the pineapple as part of their creation. We hear of architectural elements such as pineapple pedestals, pineapple corbels and corbels, as well as pineapple wall sculptures, and of their use in the kitchen in the form of pineapple napkin rings and trivets, as well as bookends to adorn your desk and library with hospitality. and an air of friendliness and warmth. In fact, the pineapple has a colorful history stretching back to colonial times and today it is heralded as the princess of fruits and credited as the symbol of hospitality and welcome. Giving the pineapple as a gift conveys your intention to promote kindness and friendliness in the recipient. The pineapple initially began as the fruit of the rich and the guests were revered and delighted when a pineapple was placed in the middle of their presence in the dining room because it indicated the amount of respect and consideration the hostess had for them. Colonial America drew a refreshing and inspiring medium by using the pineapple motif to please your guests at the table and spend a night at home. Fresh pineapples were welcomed and appreciated as an expensive dessert for guests, while the idea of ​​spending time in a room heavily decorated with pineapple designs on the bedposts or headboards was seen as luxurious and rewarding.

The origin of the pineapple: The pineapple fruit may have originated in Brazil and Paraguay in South America, where it supposedly received a boost in European markets through Christopher Columbus, who discovered the pineapple fruit in Guadeloupe in 1493. It was nicknamed “pina” because it looked a lot like a pineapple and brought to Spain. Sir Walter Raleigh was also very interested in the pineapple which he affectionately called the princess fruit. So he began the interest in bringing this fruit to Europe. However, Europeans were unsure how to grow the fruit and its arrival in Europe only began in the late 16th century, taking Europeans nearly two long centuries to study and cultivate this much-desired fruit. Once in Europe, this delicious fruit eventually found its way to Holland and England. English society was very impressed with the first pineapple created by the royal gardener, Mr. John Rose for Charles II, which also inspired Hendrick Danckerts to paint the picture of the presentation of the fruit in 1675. The famous pineapple was then cultivated in India. and it spread to China and in 1777, it became available in the Pacific Islands through Captain Cook.

The Pineapple Inspiration: The English who were overwhelmed with the beautiful pineapple fruit were inspired by its unique appearance and shape. As a result, the pineapple fruit inspired the coat of arms and was used as an architectural element in pottery and planters. The artistic appeal and decorative effect generated by the pineapple was significant and the pineapple symbol inspired bedposts, tablecloths, napkins and napkin holders, as well as bookends and candle holders. The symbol of this prized fruit came to be represented in any form of decoration that was visibly displayed for guests to enjoy and feel welcome. Even to this day, the pineapple fruit garners a lot of interest in states like Virginia, Hawaii, and Florida, where pineapple-themed accessories and gifts are key to highlighting hospitable, peace-loving people who reside there.

The medicinal powers of pineapple: Pineapple is also credited with having healing powers and records indicate that its tasty juice was used to cure throat infections, arthritis, bronchitis and indigestion. However, the use of pineapple for the treatment of diseases was limited to the natives who originally grew it. It is not certain if this fruit was used for healing purposes in colonial America. Modern studies also confirm that the fruit contains an enzyme known as “bromelain” which can be used in the treatment of heart disease, fight nasal congestion, and also be used in the treatment of urinary tract infections. Fresh pineapple is loaded with vitamin C and speeds up tissue growth and repair. However, it is worth noting that fresh pineapple contains bromelain and canning appears to destroy this enzyme, but not the vitamin C content.

The Entrance of the Pineapple to the AmericasFruit: Settlers began importing this delicious fruit from the Caribbean in the 17th century and it soon took root as one of the revered and luxurious fruits available to the wealthy. Since it was difficult to bring this fruit to the country due to the trade routes where this fruit was obtained being considered dangerous, it was considered a great achievement to bring such a rare fruit for the guests. That occasion was almost always reserved for the wealthy class to partake and enjoy, but there were also times when the pineapple was rented to raise a person’s rank in society by displaying the ability to bring such an expensive fruit to the table for display it. The pineapple finally began to take on a new meaning as a symbol of warmth and friendship. It was the crowning piece used for the large displays of food that the wealthy brought to the table. The hostess went to a lot of trouble and trouble to raise her family’s social status in colonial American society by presenting pineapple exhibits as she indicated ingenuity by participating in a unique display of food for all to admire and appreciate. shared. History records that New England ship captains would impale a pineapple outside their homes on gateposts or front doors as a symbol of safe return after returning from dangerous trade routes in the Caribbean or Pacific. Today, commercial pineapple production is credited to the state of Hawaii and Florida, where Hawaii is notably one of the world’s largest producers of canned pineapples.

The use of the pineapple theme in the decoration: Even to this day, Americans continue to show an interest in decorating the home with pineapple designs. Pineapple designs are not only prevalent in the home in places like the foyer and living areas, as well as in the kitchen, but are also visibly displayed in the form of pineapple finials on entry posts or as garden fountains. The use of pineapple plates highlighted with the warm and welcoming words “Welcome to our home” has become commonplace. Virginia still remains one of the top states that enthusiastically displays pineapple motifs and designs on many of its home accessories, still highlighting the pineapple symbol as the highest form of hospitality provided. The pineapple symbol is also an accent that is very well received by its hospitality industry, where displays of pineapple-themed accessories and decorations on wallpaper and furniture are legendary. Virginia highlights many tourist destinations that embrace the use of pineapples in their architectural landscape. Shirley Plantation features a 3.5 foot wooden pineapple built in the late 1700’s on top of the roof line as a show of hospitality and as an invitation to river travelers to the plantation. The establishment also highlights the use of beautiful pineapple motifs within its facilities.

Therefore, no one can do without the historical, social and economic impact of the pineapple fruit that was once compared to the pineapple. While pineapple production has fueled the economies of the states of Florida and Hawaii, the symbolic designs and good looks of the pineapple have also generated much inspiration for décor concepts and designs utilizing unique pineapple-themed accessories. for home and garden. The pineapple also continues to inspire the hospitality industry in many of these states that were responsible for providing this fruit to the rest of the Americas, highlighting the deep meaning attached to the pineapple symbol.

Written by Romilla D. for Kaviik’s Accents

© 2008 Kaviik’s Accents Inc. All Rights Reserved