Akiko Suzuki Olympics Figure Skating

Akiko Suzuki just proved that she is Japan’s pride in the Women’s Figure Skating. She’s back in action now that she entered her first Olympics in Vancouver 2010. At the age of 16, Akiko Suzuki’s promising career ended with the eating disorder anorexia. Suzuki had been one of the rising stars of Japanese women’s figure skating before that. We are glad that Akiko Suzuki is relishing every moment of her Olympic dream after years of struggling with anorexia. Akiko Suzuki made it to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics alongside former world champion teammates Mao Asada, and Miki Ando.

Japan's Miki Ando is set for one final winter Olympics determined to put past disappointments behind her and emulate her idol Shizuka Arakawa.

Ando, the 2007 world champion, failed miserably in Turin four years ago as she struggled to stay on her feet, placing 15th as Arakawa surged to Japan's first Olympic figure-skating gold. The 2004 world junior champion can, however, take heart from the fact that the legendary Arakawa also had an up-and-down career before finally claiming the most coveted crown in figure skating.

It was the performance of Arakawa, six years her senior, at the 1998 Nagano Games that inspired Ando to take up the sport despite the later Olympic champion finishing just 13th. And again it was Arakawa who was instrumental in the young skater's decision not to retire after Turin.

Ando is now a more mature 22 and is coached in New Jersey by Nikolai Morozov, the man who guided Arakawa to the surprise gold. Since Turin, Ando has finished twice on the world podium, winning gold the following year and bronze at last year's world championships. Once known primarily for her jumps, including the first and only quad landed by a woman in competition at the 2002 Junior Grand Prix final, Ando has now become a more complete and fluid skater.

A Woman's Guide to Healthy Fitness Stretching

Fitness For Women Fotos Video - Stretching is one of the easiest exercises a women can do to make her body strong and fit. Stretching benefits the body by making the muscles supple and thus resistant to the wear and tear of strain and tension. It is why many people begin start their exercise routines with simple stretching to warm the muscles in preparation for more strenuous exercises.

Fitness For Women - However, the problem with stretching is that most people commonly take it for granted. Despite it being an easy workout, stretching is not given much importance, especially by women. As a result, instead of benefitting from stretching, the result is more damage to one’s body including possible injuries.

How Can I Make Stretching Beneficial?

Stretching practices the muscle’s ability to expand and retract. When the muscle is stretched too far, injuries are likely to follow. A muscle tear can be very painful.

The following tips should be followed during stretching to make it safest and most beneficial.

1)Wear comfortable and loose clothing. Make sure that the garments worn will not hamper the body’s movement in any way.

2)Do stretching first thing in the morning. It is best to do when the sun is still not up or when the sun is barely on the horizon. A blow of fresh air and the warmth of the sun are beneficial factors during stretching.

3)Do stretching regularly. Routine will allow the body to get used to the exercise, thus enabling it to adjust well to changes exercising may bring.

4)Your muscles are not elastic rubber bands. Make sure to warm up first to avoid causing strain. As such, one should do simpler activities like a few minutes walking to warm up the leg muscles. On the other hand, when one is engaging in a very strenuous exercise routine, stretching is the best preparation. However, make sure to finish off your exercise with stretching to conclude the exercise routine.

5)Do not overdo it. This is most applicable for those who will embark on stretching for the first time or after a long layoff. One should listen to their body. When the body begins to ache or when it shows signs of fatigue, one must learn to stop to avoid further damage.

6)Moreover, a woman should do stretching in slightly increasing levels of intensity and difficulty. This is to give the body time to adjust to stretching patterns as well as to prevent injury by suddenly embarking in a heavy routine.

7)Do not do stretching after meals. This will not give you the most benefit because digestion will prevent you from fully executing your stretching routine. It is best to do it before breakfast. Avoid eating a great deal much after stretching.

Best Action Movie Ever

"The Terminator" is an true blockbuster classic; for me personally, it's the best action movie I've ever seen (to me, of course!). Although its sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, is far superior technologically and visually, this first film in the franchise is by far the best of them all, and in no small part thanks to James Cameron's brilliant script and direction in which he creates a moody, atmospheric landscape within which a battle between man and machine is waged, and yet a love story about star-crossed lovers is the true heart of the movie. Arnold Schwarzenegger found his signature role, and some might say the only role he truly fits like a glove, a killer robot from the future with a deadly mission to kill Sarah Connor, the future mother of the human resistance leader against the machines in the future. Unlike other sci-fi films, which tend to border on the silly or amusing side, this is a film you can take absolutely seriously, even with Arnie in the lead, and is a thrilling ride from start to finish.

After being treated to a post-apocalyptic nightmare of the future in the film's opening prologue, the film begins with Arnie's arrival as the Terminator in LA. He arrives completely naked, a fact that some street punks find amusing until the Terminator kills them in order to take their clothes. From there, we're introduced to Sarah and her normal life, and then to Kyle Reese, a human sent back in time to help protect Sarah from the Terminator. All three eventually come together in one particularly tense sequence in a night club where the Terminator reveals himself to everyone, pulls out his gun and is just about to shoot Sarah when Reese intervenes and saves her.

By today's standards the visualisation of the Terminator on screen (at least in the end) looks a little old-fashioned and clunky but it's no less thrilling. We are treated to a number of full body shots at the end which are stop motion and stilted, but this doesn't detract from the thrills, especially when in one sequence where we think the Terminator has been destroyed, twice, and he still gets up again. There's a great scene in the documentary on the bonus disc where the composer, upon first seeing this scene, says, "if that things gets up one more time I swear I'll... &%$#!". It's very suspenseful and entertaining.

Linda Hamilton does an amicable job as the vulnerable Sarah Connor; she's the girl next door who finds herself in an extraordinary situation and has to learn to adapt to an entirely new life once the Terminator enters the picture. Michael Biehn plays Kyle Reese with an almost manic intensity, driven to protect Sarah Connor at all costs. Throughout the film we are slowly treated to a more human side to the character who comes to fall in love with Sarah and thus conceive the leader of the human resistance, John Connor. Biehn does an excellent job, more so because it falls on his shoulders to explain everything that's happening, something I'm sure he wouldn't have relished. But at the same time, it's to Cameron's credit that this exposition which would have been boring otherwise is always told in the middle of a tense action sequence, so it's never boring.

Perhaps what sets this film apart from most action films is that everything is driven by the drama of the story, something you don't often find. So when the Terminator is chasing our heroes in a spectacular car chase with gun going off and parts of the city getting destroyed, we can still feel the tension and the drama in the scene for the characters rather than being a spectacular technical feat which so often happens in so many action films. As a result, you're constantly wondering if they are going to be able to stay one step ahead of the unstoppable cyborg.

"The Terminator" is a truly awesome film; it might be a little dated now, but it's no less great than when it was first released.

Andi Soraya VS Bela Saphira Arisan Brondong

Film Arisan Brondong milik Bela Saphira, telah membuat nama bela Saphira kembali naik daun dalam blantika film kita ini. memang dunia perfilman kita telah menjadi salah satu film yang cukup menarik untuk kita lihat serta kita tonton. Bella Saphira dikabarkan bermusuhan dengan Andi Soraya setelah selesai syuting film Arisan Brondong. Memang diakui, dalam film tersebut ada adegan Bella dan Aya berkelahi. Benarkah adegan itu berlanjut jadi kenyataan?

Sinopsis Arisan Brondong - Bukan sekali ini saja Andi Soraya terlibat perseteruan dengan lawan main di film yang sama. Sebelumnya, wanita yang akrab disapa Aya ini juga berseteru dengan Dewi Persik dalam film Kutunggu Jandamu.

“Aku dengarnya malah dari kru kalau ada masalah. Di film ini aku sama Andi itu ceritanya musuh dari SMA sampai sudah punya anak. Sebenarnya enggak ada keributan dan enggak ada apa-apa,” papar Bella Saphira ditemui usai rilis Arisan Brondong, di FX Senayan, Jakarta Selatan, Senin (15/2/2010).

Pemilik nama lengkap Bella Saphira Veronica Simanjuntak ini menceritakan, waktu itu sudah take selama tiga hari. Sementara dirinya dalam kondisi lelah.

“Terus aku minta kamar sendiri. Karena dari dulu aku memang enggak mau satu kamar sama orang yang merokok,” ujarnya.

Bella menambahkan, ada adegan saat dia memuntahkan permen karet ke Andi Soraya. Adegan dilanjutkan dengan perang mulut yang sebenarnya hanya sebatas adegan saja.

“Adegan film ini 70 persen memang hasil improv aku,” tegasnya.

Menurut cewek kelahiran 36 tahun lalu ini, adegan itu tidak boleh terbawa sampai keluar lokasi syuting. Setelah selesai syuting, Bella memang tidak terpikir akan berlanjut.

“Aku enggan sempat tanya dan enggak kepikiran tanya sama Aya, ada masalah apa,” tandasnya.

Namun saat disinggung kalau keributan mereka karena berebut peran utama, Bella terlihat jadi bingung. “Masak sih?” ungkapnya.

Comparing Bad Credit Credit Cards

When your past credit history has been less than perfect and you are ready to begin rebuilding a new credit rating, it is always a good idea to get a revolving line of credit on a charge card and begin to show good responsible payment behavior with the new account. The companies that offer bad credit credit cards will vary in what they will include so it is always important to read all of the fine print that the card has to see their terms and conditions. There could be several things you uncover buried in the contract terms that were not immediately obvious at first.

Look carefully to see if there are extra fees or hidden charges that were not in the bold print such as annual fee or late charges. Also check to be certain that this new account you are opening will be reporting regularly to the three major credit bureaus since you want your new payment history to be of help to you in rebuilding your good credit score. Some of the bad credit credit cards do not report and if that is the case your responsible payments will not contribute to raising your credit rating in the future.

The new bad credit credit cards are easy to qualify for, that is part of the reason they exist so it is worth it for you to shop the various choices you have so that you are not paying out too much in fees or other miscellaneous charges.

One more thing to find out before you choose your provider is whether this card can be changed to a non secured credit card after your rating has improved. Some companies may not offer non secured cards or the option to upgrade when the time is right for you. This would mean you would have to open a different account and not keep the good history you have built with this initial card.

It is a very helpful thing to have the bad credit credit cards available to give those of us with a bad credit history the chance to begin anew and show we can handle the responsibility of the new credit account.

Modern Designer Cool Unique Contemporary Floor Lamps

Select from the cool designer and unique collection of contemporary floor lamps at Spacify to impart a unique style to your home décor. You can put these floor lights in your living room or bedroom to add an artistic modern touch to the area. You will find our collection of modern floor lamps simple yet exhibiting an unmatched beauty that will make even a neglected corner in your home sparkle with true class and sophistication. From black modern to unique wood, Spacify offers cool modern and best floor lamps and lighting.

If you are thinking about updating the look of a room in your home consider the addition of a contemporary floor lamp. There are several types of floor lamps designed to provide decorative and task lighting to your home and any room is fair game for adding a lamp. Matching contemporary floor lamps to modern Home decor gives way to many light choices. From torchieres that provide wonderful uplighting to lampshades that cast useful light downward, the choices are endless.

In addition to a regular bulb these lamps come with soft halogen lighting which illuminates the bubbling water within the base. There are colored gel filters available that can be placed within the base that change the color of the bubbling water to suit your mood and to match your interior decor and furniture. These items are very nice to stare at and after awhile the flow of bubbles is mesmerizing and can facilitate daydreaming, contemplation and relaxation.

Lamps are often an overlooked element of the overall design of the room. A traditionally shaded floor lamp provides a subtle touch of beauty and is a wonderful accent to the upholstery of bedroom and living room furniture. Tall floor lamps are a great addition behind a couch or chair as they help extend the room up and visually connect lower furniture to higher decor features such as ceiling moldings, trimmings and wall art. Fine Art Lamps offers a wide selection of world renowned floor lamp designs.

This floor lamps features a fully-adjustable, articulated arm body structure in extruded, brilliant, natural anodized aluminum. Joints, tension control knobs and mountings are polished die-cast aluminum, and cables are stainless steel. The diffuser is available in a choice of sizes in parchment paper or in a palge grey stain and polycarbonate fiber blend.

Bring home lighting that not only fits in with but enhances your home decor. The Scala Arc Lamp will add a modern touch to any space with its slender curves, smooth finish and interesting shade.

Sportsbooks Add Elections

It was just hours after George W. Bush had been re-elected President of the United States in 2004 that sportsbooks began posting betting lines on who would win a four-year lease on the Oval Office in 2008.

John McCain, the Arizona Senator, and Hilary Clinton, the Senator from New York, remain the frontrunners for the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively. McCain, because of his maverick nature, has appeal with moderates, swing voters and conservative Democrats. That would be a formidable foe in the general election but, ironically, that same independent streak—-he strayed from conservative orthodoxy on judges, taxes and gay rights--could hurt him in the GOP nomination process where Evangelical Christians and conservative activists, groups less than enamored with his stance on those issues, are a formidable voting block, particularly in the primaries.

Clinton has the opposite problem. While the former First Lady is wildly popular in Democratic circles and, should she decide to run, would be difficult to beat for the party’s nomination, remains a polarizing figure and could have difficulty winning a general election where many already have a fixed, negative opinion of her.

That said, most betting lines still favor a McCain-Clinton showdown in 2008, although juicy, double-digit prices abound for other hopefuls such as former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani (R), Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney (R), former Vice President Al Gore (D), Indiana Senator Evan Bayh (D), Massachusetts Senator John Kerry (D), former North Carolina Senator John Edwards (D), Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee (R), retired General Wesley Clark (D) and Illinois Senator Barack Obama (D).

Posting betting lines and/or betting on the outcome of presidential elections are not new. The practices gained attention in 1948 when legendary oddsmaker and gambler Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder predicted that heavy underdog Harry S. Truman, who had been elevated to the presidency when Franklin Delano Roosevelt died in 1945, would beat GOP standard-bearer and heavy favorite James Dewey, the Governor of New York.

Snyder based his prediction on the fact that Dewey wore a mustache and his belief that women would find that the facial hair made Dewey look “sneaky.”

At least that’s the way the story goes.

Truman did prevail at the ballot box, famously holding up a newspaper whose headline erroneously proclaimed Dewey the winner.

Recognizing that the 2008 election may be a bit too distant for most bettors, many sportsbooks have posted betting lines in this year’s midterm election, Nov. 7.

The most prominent betting line asks bettors to wager whether the Democrats will regain control of the House of Representatives. Democrats need to pick up 15 seats to wrest control of the 435-seat body from Republicans for the first time since 1994. With an unpopular war in Iraq, low approval numbers for President Bush, and a series of scandals plaguing the Republican Party, most books have the Democrats favored to take over the House.

The Senate, where Democrats need six seats to regain a majority, is another matter. While it’s looking increasingly likely that Democrats will hold all their seats (New Jersey is a problem), as well as pick up seats in Montana, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Rhode Island, getting to six will be difficult. There are three (possibly four) more opportunities.

Claire McCaskill (D) is running neck-and-neck with Senator Jim Talent (R) in Missouri, where stem cell research (she supports it, he doesn’t) is a big issue while Harold Ford (D) is trying to prove that an African American can win in Tennessee, where Bob Corker is trying to hold the seat for Republicans.

A series of gaffes have made Senator George Allen (R) vulnerable to the challenge of former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb (D) in Virginia while in Arizona, Jim Pederson (D) is attempting to come from behind to beat Senator John Kyl (R), the author of the recently passed ban on Internet wagering.

Many sportsbooks have a betting line on whether the Democrats will gain control of the Senate (“No” still is favored over “Yes”) while some enterprising wagering outlets have betting lines on many of the individual races. Others still offer index wagering on how many Senate seats the Democrats will gain.

An index wager might look like this:

How many Senate seats will the Democrats gain in the 2006 election?

0-220/1
3-4 2/1
exactly 5 8/5
6 or more 7/5

In addition to races for the Presidency, the Senate and the House, some sportsbooks also have betting lines on several Governor contests. What it all means is while some citizens will cast their votes at the ballot box, others will express their opinions with cold hard cash.

Mobile Phones

Apk Download - Jane is a value conscious shopper. She is always looking to compare prices before buying any product. One day, she walks into a local retailer pricing out digital cameras. She writes down several camera model numbers so she can go online later that evening to see if she can find it cheaper elsewhere. Later that evening, Jane spends two or three hours surfing the Internet before she finds the camera she likes at the price she is willing to pay.

Sound familiar?
Imagine if Jane could just call a phone number, punch in the UPC code of the camera, and wait a few seconds while a database searches the Internet to compare prices for her. Imagine if she could then buy the camera right there on the spot. Sounds like a future technological advancement, doesn’t it? Not quite the future; it’s already here.

Online shopping has made it easier for consumers to get what they want, whenever they want it at the prices they want. Every major brick and mortar retailer now has a presence online not including the smaller, more specialized retailers located around the world. However, the vast array of online retailers can make it difficult for consumers to find the products they are looking for at the most affordable price. In addition, consumers do not have time to spend hours in front of their computers scouring across Internet looking for products. Consumers are demanding a better, more efficient and less cumbersome way to compare and buy products online. Frucall has stepped up to the challenge and has introduced a new way to compare prices online.

Frucall is a new, innovative service that enables consumers to compare products online using their mobile phones. This alleviates the valuable time spent trying to accomplish the same thing in front of a computer. In today’s increasingly connected world, everyone has a mobile phone with them at all times which makes the Frucall service so attractive.

Here is how Frucall works. Customers first sign up online for their free account. In their profile, they store their mobile phone number and optional credit card information. Then, when they are shopping at the mall, they simply call the toll free phone number and type in the UPC code of the product of interest. In seconds, the Frucall service will return the results and customers can choose to buy the product right there on the spot, or add it to their shopping cart, or bookmark it for later review. It’s that easy.

At the present time Frucall’s service only queries Amazon.com because that’s currently the only service that allows Web Services queries. However, that will change as additional online retailers allow Web Services queries.

The ability to do online comparison shopping through a mobile phone is a captivating concept whose time has definitely come. In a world where so many of our daily activities are performed with a mobile phone, the Frucall service takes its capabilities one step further. If you are a busy consumer that values convenience and services that are helpful in saving you time, then Frucall is exactly what you need. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain from using the Frucall service.