Martial Arts Videotrmeplo

The exceptionally talented Pop artist Sade has released her CD entitled Best Of Sade. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Sade fans, and Pop fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of Best Of Sade Sades artistic excellence is on full display as Sade has once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be her best work to date.

Unfortunately, its not everyday that I get a CD from an artist that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just cant force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Best Of Sade. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Sade is one of those musicians that has the ability to just win you over with her talent. The kind of artist its really a treat to be able to listen to.

This is a first rate CD, delivering a little something for everyone. I give it my highest recommendation. Its quite simply great listening. A must buy if you're even mildly into Pop music.

While the entire album is outstanding the truly standout tunes are track 10 - Nothing Can Come Between Us, track 11 - No Ordinary Love, and track 13 - Kiss Of Life.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 7 - Never As Good As The First Time. Its a great track!

Best Of Sade Release Notes:

Sade originally released Best Of Sade on Apr 3, 2001 on the Epic label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Your Love Is King
2. Hang On To Your Love
3. Smooth Operator
4. Jezebel
5. Sweetest Taboo, The
6. Is It A Crime
7. Never As Good As The First Time
8. Love Is Stronger Than Pride
9. Paradise
10. Nothing Can Come Between Us
11. No Ordinary Love
12. Like A Tattoo
13. Kiss Of Life
14. Please Send Me Someone To Love
15. Cherish The Day 16. Pearls

Sade: Sade Adu (vocals); Stuart Matthewman (guitar, saxophone); Andrew Hale (keyboards); Paul S. Denman (bass). Additional personnel includes: Leroy Osbourne, Jake Jacas (vocals); Gordon Hunte (guitar); Tony Pleeth (cello); Terry Bailey, Gordon Matthewman (trumpet); Pete Beachill (trombone); Dave Early, Martin Ditcham (drums, percussion); Paul Cooke, Trevor Murrell (drums); Karl Vanden Bossche (percussion). Producers: Robin Millar, Ben Rogan, Mike Pela, Sade, Hein Hoven. Engineers: Mike Pela, Ben Rogan. Digitally remastered by Tom Coyne (Sterling Sound, New York, New York).

Clyde Lee Dennis a life long music enthusiast, writes CD reviews and is also the Food and Dining Editor at http://Raleigh.eNewsBriefs.com covering topics like Raleigh Restaurants and more. Visit Raleigh eNewsBriefs for the latest Raleigh News

In todays technically advanced world it is vitally important to be able to effectively use electronic resources. This ability is important for everyone from students, to homemakers, to the movers and shakers of the business world. Some are gifted with an almost innate capacity to understand and implement their knowledge. Often these people further their education and become IT or information technology specialists. One of the best ways to join their illustrious ranks is to obtain an online IT degree. After all, if information technology is your field of interest, why not make your abilities official and use the Internet to further your career?

Employers in need of IT professionals range in their fields and interests. The engineering of telecommunications and computer knowledge is a highly marketable skill and having an online IT degree is just the push the successful applicant needs to get in the front door and rise to the top of a prestigious company. Many self employed or people looking to start their own small business find that obtaining an online IT degree saves them valuable time and money. This type of degree eliminates the need to pay someone else for needed services and enhances business practices. An online IT degree is beneficial to the graduate in more ways than just job interviews. This useful set of skills can easily open many doors of opportunity for the IT professional.

A quick Internet search will yield a great many schools and institutions that offer online IT degrees. Levels of associate degrees, all the way through to masters degree programs are offered in the IT field. It is up to the student to determine what type of degree to strive for. Perhaps starting with an associates degree and working from that point would be the way to go. It would certainly make it easier to start working in the industry as fast as possible, and education can always be continued.

When choosing a school or institution from which to study for your online IT degree, there are some key components to keep in mind. This is the perfect time to put the information technology skills you already have to good use. Find every little bit of information on the university in question. You want to know about the success of its IT program, history of credentials, and whether or not the school offers exactly what you are looking for. Online study was designed for busy people; check to see if the IT program fits in with the time line you want. This is also the time to determine if online study is right for you. Do you have the dedication and self-motivation to study effectively and stay on task? Would you stay on track with the time line you have chosen? Answering yes to these questions is a good indication that getting your online IT degree is the right decision. Another important benefit of online study is that tuition is often much lower. Since many online IT degree students are adults with full, active lives that often include families, this advantage shouldnt be overlooked.

Timing couldnt be better to obtain an online IT degree. The information technology field is booming and talented, quality minded, and degreed people are in a prime spot for building a career and future in this exciting, always changing work. Studying online will provide the student with the time to make the most of their educational experience. Then, after graduation, the IT world opens up and adds a new, fresh talent to its ranks. The challenging, fulfilling world of information technology is just around the corner.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College Online offers many Online IT Degree programs. Please visit Virginia College Online at http://www.vconline.edu/site/department.cfm?Department_ID=3 to select the online program that is right for you.

If youve been reading my articles, you know I have two loves: Learning Kung Fu styles and seeing them used in movies.

Ive been doing snake style Kung Fu for going on 8 years now. Once I moved into Kung Fu styles, snake was the first one I picked up, because of its similarities to jiu jutsu. Like jiu jutsu, snake style kung fu is all about transmitting core body strength from the abdomen to the arms, and uses a lot of joint locks and grapples. Unlike jiu jutsu, it uses a more open stance, and tries for greater fluidity in motion, with more arm strikes and kicks. In particular, it incorporates several weapon elements, including techniques applicable to using a sword. It contrasts with a lot of contemporary styles from ancient China, in the focus on blocks, throws and hitting from strange angles.

Now, martial arts are needed. Martial arts with applicability to swords are seriously cool. Before we get to the sharp pointy things, lets talk about snakes. The reasoning behind snake style kung fu, as I learned early on, is that from the fluid motions of snakes, you can learn a lot about balance, body motions and striking power. Some practitioners focus on the cobra strikes, trying to emulate the fast bite of a cobra with an open palmed strike. Others focus on the nature of the python, which, as you might suspect, draws into joint locks and throws and immobilizations. All of them focus on feints you learn not just the strikes, but the techniques to mask which strike youre throwing, or which joint lock youre throwing. Snake style is sort of like a cross between chess and poker. Not that youre going slow enough to actually think while youre doing it its all learned at the muscle memory level, but that youve got moves, counter moves and bluffs, all running at several moves per second.

Snake style isnt the greatest on defensive blocks. The blocks, parries and lateral motions are basic at best. Its a more offensive style, in the Northern version, which is what I learned. (Northern snake style is largely what got used for the cinematography for Sir Tes style in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.) Indeed, Wudang Mountain, the great school in that movie, is renowned for producing great Snake Style Kung Fu practitioners.

Southern snake style is a much more recent innovation, and dates back to the late 1800s. Its a blend of classic Shao Lin styles, with harder, direct punches mixed with Wing Chun movements for a bit of fluidity. You can tell the practitioner apart, because the Southern stylists have a more open and upright stance, and focus more on a variety of punches rather than a balanced template of punches and joint locks and holds. Im not gonna get into the argument about which one is better, since Im obviously biased having gone for the more traditional form of the art. Both styles are a lot of fun and can teach you practical martial arts techniques.

Yoshi I Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers the mixed martial arts industry. For a free report on snake kung fu, visit his blog: http://www.martialarts3000.com/shaolinkungfubasics.html

Beautiful and functional candleholders made from flour and salt dough. Cheap and easy to make and look rather effective.

You will need...
4oz (100g) Plain Flour
3oz (75g) Salt
Hot Water
Paints
Spray varnish or clear lacquer

Begin by dissolving the salt in a small amount of hot water. Add the flour and mix to form dough. Add cold water if necessary but don't make the dough too sticky.

Now youre ready to model your candleholders. It's helpful if you have a candle handy to gage the size of the candleholder needed.

You need to start off with a base. Roll out some of the dough with a rolling pin. Use a cutter or a glass to cut out a circle from the dough. This is the base of the candleholder.

Roll two long sausages that are long enough to reach around the edge of the base. Twist the sausages together to create a nice rope effect. Fix the twisted strip around the base with a little cold water for glue.

Add decorations to your candle stick base...

Holly is attractive and gives the candleholder a festive flavour. Roll out an amount of dough with a rolling pin and using a knife cut out a prickly holly leaf. Use the knife to press on some leaf veins. With a dab of water, stick the leaf draping over the twist edging. Roll three small balls of dough for berries and stick them at the base of the leaf.

Rose Candleholder...

Cut two leaves, press in some leaf veins and stick the leaves on the twisted edge so that they over hang. Roll six small balls of dough and squash them to make circles. Pinch the bottom of one of the petals so that it almost folds in half. Wrap another petal around the first pinching the bottom and gently moulding the petal so that it curves out. Add the other petals in this way, pinching the bottom. Allow each petal to slightly overlap the previous one. With a dab of water stick the rose between the leaves on the candleholder.

Mousie Brown wasn't keen on tall candlesticks but he loved our cute little candleholders. To make a mouse roll out a long, thin sausage of dough, make it taper at one end. Stick this to the edging of the candleholder so that it curls like a mouse's tail. Roll a small mouse sized ball of dough, pinch out a pointed nose. Stick the mouse body to the candleholder on top of the wide part of the mouse's tail. Roll two small balls and squash them flat. Pinch the bottom of each ear slightly to give the ear some shape, and stick them to the mouse's head. Roll two tiny balls for his eyes.

Feeling confident? Try making a fancy, more traditional looking candleholder. Roll out some dough and cut out a larger base than before. Create a wavy edge tot he base - Put two fingers on the far edge of the base a fingers width apart. With the other hand, drag your index finger towards you between the two fingers of the other hand, making the dough ruckel up. Do this around the edge of the base but leaving a space with no shaping.

Roll out a chunky sausage and make a dough nut shape to hold the candle. Stick the doughnut on to the middle of the shaped base. Roll out another chunky sausage to make a handle. Stick one end to the doughnut shape (at the point where there is no shaping in the base) and curl it round so that it almost forms an 'S' shape, stick the other end on the base.

Once you have moulded your candleholders put them in the oven on a low heat for two hours. The are in the oven to dry out, not to bake so keep the heat low.

When they come out of the oven, leave them for a couple of days to dry out completely. Then paint, spray varnish, and insert a candle.

S. Roberts is one of Santas Helpers and writes for www.santaspostbag.co.uk a Christmas educational & activity website. View candleholders at http://www.santaspostbag.co.uk/homemade-christmas-gift-ideas.html SantasPostbag is in association with http://www.bigboytoyz.com.

Ahhh, it's Wednesday night, time to tune in the Travel Channel. Why? Poker tournaments, my friends and the game they play is called Texas Hold Em. But can anyone learn how to play like the pro's on T.V.? Is it so effortless and easy as it appears? Let's take a look at some of the little things that can make or break you at the poker table.

Does poker require luck or skill? Some play the game and seem to hit every card needed for the winning hand. Others, with a hand that could not beat any hand on the table, slyly walk away with the pot and a wink and a smile.

So the answer to the question it would seem would be that it is a little bit of both; luck and skill are needed to be a successful poker player. After all, gambling is a game of chance.

But consider this: some mathematicians contend that the odds of getting a royal flush are 1 in 649,739. So, given those odds, chances are if you rely on the luck of the draw you will definitely lose more than you will win.

So how do you become an experienced poker player and win all the time? Well you can become an experienced poker player but, alas; you won't win all the time. Poker does require skill and the old adage, know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em certainly has a ring of truth to it. Furthermore, you must factor in the skill level of the players at the table, your bluffing and betting skills, the stakes involved and of course, luck.

Here are some important tips for the successful poker player:

Do not gamble if you cannot afford to lose. People lose a lot of money due to lack of planning and some gamble way over their heads because they don't know when to stop. Pick an amount to play with and stick to it. Additionally, do not borrow money to gamble, you just add more pressure upon yourself having to bet with borrowed funds. Allocate a budget and stick to it!

If you are serious about winning, avoid alcohol. You may make bets that you would not normally make. Play with a clear head.

Don't play if you are stressed out or emotional because not being in the right frame of mind can cost you big at the poker table. Play with focus. If your mind is preoccupied with other problems, your judgment will suffer and you open yourself up for critical mistakes.

Study your opponents and define who they are and how they play the game. You may have to adjust to their style of play. Do not be intimidated by the aggressive nature of a particular player or the passiveness of another.

Don't wait on cards, they usually don't come. Don't be afraid to fold the poor hand. Poker is a time consuming game and you aren't dealt a winner every time.

Display a "poker face". Your expressions and mannerisms can tell a lot about your hand, even to the most inexperienced players. Whether you have good cards or a terrible hand, it is best to display the same emotion and not convey any clues to the other players. Conversely, if you are a seasoned player, you can use this "poker face" style to your advantage to project false "tells" to other players and force false reads on their part. You could pretend to have a powerful hand by aggressive betting, table antics or talk and pull off a successful bluff.

Patience is the key and you have to know when to bet. Be knowledgeable as to when to bet and get a feel for the game. Bet wisely and in control. Bear in mind that bluffing will not work if you are a poor player and expert players will eventually sense this and pick you apart, making your night a short one.

Practice! Practice with low stakes games, hand held games or play for fun as you refine your game and skills. Read articles, books and ask other players about the game and different situations that might occur.

There are thousands of poker books written with tips, guidelines, rules and regulations but the important aspect to remember is your poker strategy and your game. Practice, refine and define who you are as a poker player. Know your limits, play the odds and odds are you will come up a winner!

Copyright (c) 2006 Robert Benson

Robert Benson has written articles on many subjects and operates two web sites. Learn about the hobby of vinyl record collecting and shop for your poker supplies at one of the shopping malls at these sites:

Recently, in the early morning dawn, I dreamed I was a child again, helping my parents to pack up our white Rambler for our annual summer vacation. When I awoke, I had a yen to pack up my car and take off. This feeling is not unfamiliar to me. It reoccurs every summer and seems to be imbedded in my subconscious by wonderful, childhood vacation memories.

I encourage you to take a sentimental journey by reminiscing on your own childhood family vacations, and then on trips taken later on in your life. Although you might not remember what you did last week, vacation memories are often surprisingly vivid even those from long ago. Road trips reflect how we viewed life at various ages and stages of our life. Take time out to remember the excitement you felt as a child, a young adult and perhaps as a parent-as you left your every day routine behind to explore and share exciting new places with your family.

Childhood Vacations: The most wonderful thing about our childhood vacations is spending time together with our parents, brothers, and sisters. At no other time is a family more of a cohesive unit than when traveling together-especially on a road trip.

When I was a child, our family vacations were spent in the beautiful outdoors. I loved being near the water and fondly recall lakeside vacations that were spent water skiing, swimming, and boating. Reminisce on the places and activities that kept you happily occupied on your childhood vacations. These memories hold the key to places and interests that are just waiting to be rediscovered.

Teen and Young Adult Years: Life is exhilarating and we're likely to impetuously seize opportunities to independently travel with our friends, rather than our parents. Problematic scenarios such as running out of money or having car trouble are the furthest things from our mind. Looking back at my own naivety and lack of sensibility reminds me why I question the judgment of my teenage daughter. Mark Twain's quote could certainly have been written by me, "Providence protects fools and idiots. I know because I have tested it."

The Parenting Years: Anticipating problems becomes very important to us when we're parents and the well-being of our precious cargo is foremost on our minds. Parents have the responsibility of planning, packing, and paying for their family's trip as well as making sure that it's fun and safe. Vacations can be quite arduous, especially when our kids are young. And yet-the memories of those family vacations will warm your heart and make you smile for years and years to come. And one day your kids will remember their wonderful family vacations and pass the legacy on to their own children.

The Kids are Grown: My most recent road trips demarcate a new phase in my life. With all three of my children over the age of 18, I've returned to the days when I can take spur of the moment road trips. They are as exhilarating today as they were when I was young, but now I have the common sense that I lacked as a teenager. For the first time in decades, I've taken childfree trips with my husband and several of my friends. I've also taken several long distance road trips by myself. If you need to clear your mind or get your creative juices flowing, I highly recommend that you take a road trip on your own. The task of driving occupies enough of the left-brain to free your right-brained creativity. Solo road trips can be a spiritual journey, helping us to learn to listen to ourselves. We can stop whenever we like, wherever we like, for as long as we like. And it gives us the opportunity to reminisce on the road trips of our lives.

Patti Teel is a former teacher and the creator of an award winning audio series for children. Her book, The Floppy Sleep Game gives parents techniques to help their children relax, deal with stress and fall asleep. Get R&R tips and sign up for her newsletter at http://www.pattiteel.com You can listen to her online radio show at http://www.timeoutwithpattiteel.com