Passenger tried to blow up plane, U.S. official says -- latimes.com

Image via Wikipedia

Reporting from New York - In what was described as an act of terrorism, a Nigerian passenger attempted to ignite an incendiary device aboard a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Friday as the plane began its approach for landing, federal officials said. Other passengers overpowered the man and the plane landed safely.

Watch the full Movie at
http://movietrailersedge.info

The suspect, identified as Abdul Mutallab, 23, suffered severe burns as a result of the attempt, authorities said, and two of the other 277 passengers reported minor injuries.

FBI agents were investigating the incident, which a White House official said was an attempted act of terrorism.

"He was trying to ignite some kind of incendiary device," said a federal anti-terrorism official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. "He lit himself on fire and he's suffered some burns."

The device, which mixed powder and liquid, was said to be less powerful than a bomb.

President Obama was briefed on the incident during his Hawaii vacation, the White House said in a statement, and airport security was stiffened worldwide.

The suspect -- an engineering student at University College of London, according to ABC News and NBC News -- began his trip Thursday from Nigeria. It was not clear Friday whether Mutallab underwent security screening in Amsterdam or merely changed planes there.

It also was uncertain Friday night whether the suspect had ties to a terrorist organization or had attempted the attack on his own, authorities said. Despite earlier reports that he had claimed a connection to Al Qaeda, Mutallab denied any such link in later statements to FBI agents interrogating him, the anti-terrorism official said.

"Right now he is saying he was not part of an organization or a coordinated effort. I want to caution people from jumping headlong into the Al Qaeda link because it's a very murky area," the official said.

The suspect smuggled a powder aboard the plane in a container taped to his leg, the official said.

Covering himself with a blanket to hide his actions, he used a syringe to inject a liquid into the powder, and a fire resulted from the combustible mix, according to the official, who did not identify the materials.

The official denied reports that Mutallab had been on the federal "no-fly" list of suspected extremists and other potentially dangerous individuals, which is shared with airlines. But the official did not rule out the possibility that the Nigerian had been on some other U.S. government database.

Various media reports spelled the suspect's name different ways. The Associated Press gave his full name as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab.

The Northwest jet, an Airbus 330 with Delta markings, landed about noon local time. (The two airlines merged in April 2008.) It carried a crew of 11.

Those aboard described some panic after noises like firecrackers, then quick, heroic actions.

Syed Jafri, a U.S. citizen who had flown from the United Arab Emirates, said the incident occurred during the plane's descent, according to the Associated Press. Jafri said he was seated three rows behind the passenger and said he saw a glow and smelled smoke. Then, he said, "a young man behind me jumped on him."

"Next thing you know, there was a lot of panic," Jafri said.

Peter Smith, another passenger, told WJBK Fox 2 in Detroit that one man saw the flames and leaped across the aisle to help extinguish them. "He jumped over all the other people and he took care of it, so the fire went out," Smith said.

The heroic passengers were not publicly identified Friday.

Iliaa Schelke, another passenger, told the station: "We heard a loud pop and a bit of a smoke and then some flames and yelling and screaming. And then somebody said the guy was subdued and they took him out. It was really quick."

Online Download Nintendo Wii Games Available

By John Andrews

Console gaming changed forever with the launch of the Nintendo Wii. Coming up on its second birthday and the Wii is still going strong. The Wii was let down originally by the low quality of the first games released, but as games for Wii have improved, demand has skyrocketed. Even with increased demand, gamers shouldn't face any shortages, and alternative sources are available.

Nintendo never really went all out on how games for Wii looked. Their main concern has always been the way the games play. That's set to change however and a brand new generation of titles like We Ski and Wii Fit are changing the face of the Wii market. Supply problems might rear their ugly head again though.

The launch of the Wii was marred by shortages for console and games and it taught Nintendo an important lesson. Supply matters. Lost sales and revenue for Nintendo, frustration and time wasting for Wii owners. Having to go from store to store to find your favorite game is a waste of time and effort, not to mention money. The Wii is a great console, but without any games to play, there's not much point to it.

Price levels for games for the Wii don't help matters either. The cost of buying new games soon adds up as more and more titles are released, and prices don't look like coming down any time soon. Economies of scale should mean games for Wii prices would drop, but the opposite is actually true with some new games like Wii Fit actually needing additional accessories and expensive add-ons.

Wii owners have been less then thrilled with these price increases and are starting to turn to new ways to get their games. Wii game rental has seen an increase in demand. Game developers and publishers have been quick to spot this, with many making the move to converting games from other platforms to be Wii compatible. The favorite with Wii owners however, remains the Nintendo Wii Games Download services.

Nintendo Wii Games Download services are hugely popular on the internet, with unlimited download options being the most popular. Typically these have a one-time joining fee. Typically this fee is about the same as the cost of single game title. Price wise, there's no comparison as the programs offer unlimited numbers of games of the Wii. Supply problems are also never an issue.

Scammers abound unfortunately, so do your research and join a reputable and professional service provider. If the Wii is the only console you own, go with one of the specialized Wii services. Make sure extras like movies and music are included. The best membership sites will also include all the software and tools needed at no extra cost. Look for full 24x7 customer support and insist on providers with full money back guarantees.

About the Author:

Don't have to re-invent the wheel if you're after How to Download Wii Games For Free, let us help you. We have ready tips and information. Visit our site at Download Wii Games.

Discover The Indispensable Steps For Credit Repair

By Meredith Webb

Having a excellent credit score can be an exceedingly significant component for a strong financial situation. A respectable credit score is necessary if you want to request for any sort of credit as it affects the interest rate you can get and whether you can get the advance at all.

Credit repair may be taxing but it can be completed. Many individuals have overcome difficulties in the past and it is needed for many to repair their credit. If you have mistaken or wrong credit on your report you can issue disputes to get it removed. You can do this yourself or you can get a specialist to assist you.

There are a few things that are crucial to repairing your credit score that you can do on your own. These are things that you should do before you attempt any other form of credit repair.

All of your payments must be up to date and paid on time. A sizeable part of a credit score is based upon the stability of prompt payments. Try to pay on time, every time.

Another thing that you can do is to pay down your balances. Your credit score is partially based upon how much credit is on hand to you compared to how much credit you use. In order to have the utmost credit scores, you need to have a lot of credit available but employ very little of it. Try to keep all of your balances below 20% of the total amount accessible.

If you had difficulties in the past just do what you can to improve your situation as you go. Keep up with the older accounts if possible because the account age makes a big difference. If you are no longer using a credit card, just put it away but do not cancel it. Canceling it will count against you on your credit score because it reduces the total of on hand credit.

Evade department and furniture store credit. This type of credit is looked upon as harmful so it is better to wait until you can pay cash or just use a normal credit card so long as the balance does not exceed the 20% mark. Also any inquiry will count against you so don't submit an application for credit.

To repair your credit more you may want to consider the services of a professional credit repair service. Though, you can only decrease your credit balances and pay you bills on time on your own and these things are essential to enhance your credit score.

About the Author:

Whether you like it or not repairing your credit may perhaps become needed at some point. If you need further information about credit repair help visit http://724Credit.com and don't forget to sign up for a free credit repair course.

Learning To Play Piano Is Difficult

By Carla Jones

If you've ever thought about learning how to play the piano, I would suggest that you give it more time and more thought. My experience learning how to play the piano was that it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. There are many more things to consider, in order to play the piano, than most novices can understand or comprehend. It's not a matter of just learning the right keys is to play but you also have to learn to read music.

So if you're thinking about learning how to play the piano, I have some helpful tips that I think will make a difference. First go online and see what resources you have available on the Internet. Recently piano playing has become more convenient with the Roll Up Electric Piano keyboards. There is a lot of free information available that will help you both to read sheet music, and also help you learn what keys to be used when playing the piano. There is no end to the amount of information online that will help you to get started learning how to play.

If you are still interested in learning how to play piano, I recommend that you either buy a piano or rent one. I would recommend the latter choice. When you're just beginning to learn to play the piano, I think it's best to rent your equipment because you never know how long you will stick with it. If the piano rental becomes more costly than purchasing it, then go ahead and buy the piano that you want. It would also be a good idea to look into getting the more convenient version like buying or renting a electronic piano keyboards. They are simple to setup, move around and don't take up too much room.

Today, as I've said before, there is a ton of information available to you for no cost that will help you learn to play the piano. If you don't find good information online, then you can also go down to the library and find lots of information that will help you learn to play. Finding a good instructor is also very critical to your enjoyment of playing and to the speed at which you will learn. A good teacher would be someone who enjoys playing the piano themselves and has a long history of teaching other people to play. You can usually get recommendations from other people on who is the best teacher or teachers available in your area.

As you can understand now, there are a lot of items to consider before you start your new adventure on learning how to play the piano. The good news is there is a lot of material online that can help you and there are some great teachers out there that love to play the piano and will show you how. Really consider getting a roll up piano first for the lower cost and convenience. I really didn't find it so simple and I'm still trying to learn to play to this day. So go find some good resources on learning to play the piano, rent an inexpensive piano, and find a good instructor. You will be well on your way to mastering this beautiful art.

About the Author:

For more information on a Roll Up Piano go to our blog where we have lots of roll up electric piano stuff.

Become A Mage In World Of Warcraft: Benefits And Tips For Survival

By Mike Miller

Whether you are just getting started with World of Warcraft or you are looking for an interesting alt to play, you may wish to take a look at the Mage class. Mages are one of WoW's caster classes and you'll find that there are lots of great advantages when you are looking at playing them. Take a look and see if this class appeals to you!

Initially, it should be noted that Mages are a vulnerable class. Unlike Priests, they do not have to ability to heal themselves, nor do they have tanking companions like Warlocks. Therefore, they are considered to be some of the most fragile of the classes in cloth attire.

Mages make up for their shortcomings in healing powers and tanks with the ability to inflict serious damage from a distance. For this reason, they are often referred to as "the glass cannons". When fighting, you will be able to defeat your adversaries from a nearly unreachable distance, but you must take care to ensure that your enemy does not advance close enough to hurt you! If this does happen, you can use Blink to get yourself out of your adversary's range instantly.

If you are a Mage that's part of a group, you'll be able to advance a lot more quickly, which is essential in World of Warcraft. When just starting out, your DPS skills will be very useful, and your Polymorph spell can do a lot of damage to large groups, keeping the way clear for you. Your levels will go up to a point where utility will be a big factor, as your party will need you to fix ailments and make food for them.

Mages can only get cloth armor to protect themselves with, so get ones that have plenty of bonuses which can provide alternate protection from certain kinds of damage; that's the best thing to do in these cases. If you're trying to pick what items to get, you might want to look at things that will boost your stamina, intellect or spell powers, as those will be the most useful. You'll be able to live a lot longer if you consider this. There are certain professions that you can specialize in that will keep you alive in the game much longer. You'll be able to make cloth armer with Tailoring, or increase the effectiveness of your items with your Enchanting profession. With Herbalism, you'll be able to make healing potions, as well as take advantage of the Lifeblood healing powers.

As you start to play as a Mage in World of Warcraft, figure out what options will suit your playing style the best. If you want additional help finding ways to maximize your gameplay and survival times, check out an alliance leveling guide to get the help you need!

About the Author:

For additional leveling help and tips, check Nubun's alliance leveling guide tips page. Nubun WOW leveling guide is a fast and a professioanl WOW guide helping many players level their characters to 80 in no time. Visit today and start enjoying end of game content.

Music Production Software - Finding the ideal Fit

By Mickey Roukeayeal

manufacturing beats for music is something many people enjoy doing. Not only is it fun, but it is a awfully fulfilling experience when you know you've made something that people enjoy and like to listen to. Unfortunately there are so many different types of music production software out there, it is simple to get confused as to what exactly you have to be successful.

First and most important, you've got to find a software that's compatible with the kind of beats you would like to produce. Rap and hip-hop are preferred decisions because of the upbeat tempo and the addictive beats.

Don't fret about that though, there are places that deliver software to make any sort of beat you'd like. The tools to make simple listening, jazz and other types of beats are also available on good quality products.

maybe you wish to create something that's hard to specify because of how unique it is... That is possible too! It just takes some research to decide what product is correct for you. A lot of different music producing software is extraordinarily difficult to use, thus you may want to look up some tutorials before you start. But fear not, it's not difficult to get the hang of.

If you're just getting started with music production and you find that you're becoming more happy with making quality beats, don't be afraid to get them out there! Many artists are just crawling the Net hunting for perfect beats for a new song. If your beat happens to appeal to them, some people will pay great money for authorization to use your beat.

This is also a good method to get discovered . The possibilities are limitless when it comes to making music, but step 1 is finding the ideal software to get started.

How to Produce Rap and Hip Hop Beats

About the Author:

Find out the best music production software for creating music and find out the best ways to produce music in easy manner.

Computer Training At Home Uncovered

By Jason Kendall

Well done! Hitting upon this feature suggests you're thinking about your future, and if it's re-training you're considering you've already done more than almost everybody else. Did you know that hardly any of us describe ourselves as contented at work - but most will just put up with it. We encourage you to be different and move forward - you have the rest of your life to enjoy it.

When considering retraining, it's vital to first define your requirements from the position you'd like to train for. You need to know that things would be a lot better before much time and effort is spent re-directing your life. It's good sense to regard the big picture first, to make an informed decision:

* Do you like to work collaborating with people? Is that as part of a team or with a lot of new people? Possibly operating on your own on specific tasks would be more your thing?

* What do you require from the market sector you work in? (Things do change - look at the building trade, or banks for example.)

* Once you've trained, how many years work do anticipate working, and will the market sector offer you that opportunity?

* Are you concerned with regard to the chance of getting new work, and keeping a job until you plan to retire?

We would advise that you consider Information Technology - it's well known that it is one of the few growth sectors. It's not all nerdy people looking at computer screens constantly - naturally some IT jobs demand that, but the majority of roles are carried out by people like you and me who get on very well.

A useful feature provided by many trainers is job placement assistance. This is to assist your search for your first position. With the growing demand for appropriately skilled people in this country right now, there's no need to become overly impressed with this service however. It's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to get a job as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications.

However, avoid waiting until you have completed your exams before bringing your CV up to date. As soon as you start a course, enter details of your study programme and place it on jobsites!

Getting your CV considered is more than not being known. A surprising amount of junior positions are bagged by trainees (sometimes when they've only just got going.)

Most often, a specialist locally based recruitment consultancy (who will, of course, be keen to place you to receive their commission) is going to give you a better service than a centralised training company's service. They should, of course, also be familiar with the local area and commercial needs.

A big frustration for a number of training providers is how much people are focused on studying to get top marks in their exams, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the role they've acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it's fun.

Don't get hung-up, as many people do, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.

It's common, in some situations, to thoroughly enjoy one year of training and then spend 20 miserable years in a job you hate, as a consequence of not performing the correct research when you should've - at the outset.

Spend some time thinking about earning potential and what level of ambition fits you. This will influence what precise certifications will be expected and how much effort you'll have to give in return.

Talk to an experienced industry advisor who understands the work you're contemplating, and who can give you a detailed run-down of what you actually do in that role. Getting all these things right well before beginning a training course makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?

Looking at the myriad of choice out there, does it really shock us that the majority of trainees get stuck choosing the job they could be successful with.

As having no previous experience in the IT industry, in what way could we understand what someone in a particular job does?

Generally, the way to deal with this question appropriately flows from a deep discussion of a number of areas:

* What hobbies you have and enjoy - these can point towards what areas will give you the most reward.

* Are you driven to re-train for a specific motive - i.e. do you aim to work from home (maybe self-employment?)?

* What salary and timescale requirements you may have?

* Learning what the main work types and markets are - plus how they're different to each other.

* It's wise to spend some time thinking about the level of commitment you'll put into your training.

The bottom line is, your only chance of investigating all this is from an in-depth discussion with an advisor or professional that has enough background to lead you to the correct decision.

Watch out that all accreditations you're considering doing will be commercially viable and are up-to-date. The 'in-house' certifications provided by many companies are not normally useful in gaining employment.

From a commercial standpoint, only top businesses such as Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA (as an example) really carry any commercial clout. Nothing else makes the grade.

About the Author:

(C) 2009. Navigate to LearningLolly.com for intelligent ideas on Network Security Training and Happy 40th Birthday Internet.

Tar Heels Upset Hokies In College Football

By Ross Everett

The University of North Carolina used a 21 yard field goal on the final play of the game to pull a big college football upset over #13 Virginia Tech on Thursday night, winning by a final score of 20-17. The Tar Heels' #8 ranked defense proved as tenacious as their high national status would suggest, and gave the Hokies fits throughout. North Carolina led for most of the game, but withstood a late game Virginia Tech comeback bid to take the win. It was North Carolina's first ACC Conference win of the season.

College football betting enthusiasts who took North Carolina as +16' road underdogs were never in serious doubt about the eventual payday they'd receive as the Tar Heels never trailed by more than three points. The Tar Heels improved to 3-4 against the college football pointspread, while the Hokies dropped to 3-5 versus the money. The 37 combined points scored went UNDER the posted total of 43'. North Carolina has gone UNDER in four of six games this season, while Virginia Tech evened their college football totals record at 4-4.

Tar Heels' QB T.J. Yates was in a state of disbelief after the narrow road victory:

"I've never really had this feeling before. Kicking it at the last second? It just sends chills down your spine."

Running back Shaun Draughn spoke of the team's priority to bounce back quickly after they blew a big lead in a loss to Florida State last week:

"We knew we had to get back to the drawing board. To come back and play the way we did definitely speaks volumes about our team."

In the Hokies' locker room, linebacker Cody Grimm spoke of his team's need to regain their focus:

"I think the motivation is to come out here so you don't feel like this again. Ten wins is one thing, but I don't want to feel like this any more and the only way to do that is to win."

Running back Ryan Williams felt doubly bad about the loss, as his late game fumble cemented the victory for North Carolina:

"As of right now, there probably isn't really anything they can say to lift me up because regardless of what anybody says, personally I feel like I kind of took the game away from us today. It was on the line, it was in my hands and I fumbled."

The Hokies will play against next Thursday night, heading to Greenville, NC to face the Skip Holtz coached East Carolina Pirates. They'll play at Maryland on Saturday, November 15 before returning home a week later to host North Carolina State. North Carolina plays their next two at home, starting a week from Saturday against Duke.

About the Author:

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

High-definition Audio Post Production

Image via Wikipedia

By Mickey Roukeayeal

While you will already be familiar with Hi-D audio from experiencing surround sound in flick theatres and in your home entertainment center, an advanced leading edge technology is bringing the same experience to your headphones. Dolby's new surround sound system lets you experience the feeling of surround sound right in your headphones.

Podcast listeners don't always have to possess special new headsets to appreciate the standard of high definition audio. For the past few years, live music lovers have traded high definition music files on the internet. Usually, these files are top quality field recordings made at live concerts, often authorised by musicians.

In uncompressed, lossless formats, these files can take up great amounts of space. So, hi-def audio post production systems must be supplied with large hard drives and maxed-out memory chips to process these files.

How to Produce Music

As a consequence, many podcast producers are introducing themselves to the sector of high definition audio post production. While many of the free audio modifying applications on the market handle post production quite well, none of them adequately process the Hi-D elements required for true surround sound. To achieve true high-definition audio post production on a desktop computer, many sound editors may end up purchasing full media production suites.

Windows users accustomed to post production software like insolence can expect to spend a touch more money to achieve hi-def podcasts and audio recordings. The Vegas media production suite, while designed essentially for video and film production, contains a sophisticated high definition audio post production module. Using Vegas with the video elements turned off, editors can compose and edit audio in full 5.1 surround sound formats.

Apple users used to using the popular GarageBand tool for podcasting must also invest in some new software for hi-def audio post production. The favored Logic Pro software package offers podcasters and other audio producers a potent set of tools for music creation in full surround sound. While this high-definition audio post production tool is one of the costliest packages on the market, editors using Logic frequently save major amounts of cash compared to hiring sophisticated gear at professional recording flats.

About the Author:

Get known how to produce music and beats with the top beat maker and learn how to make music effectively in top quality.

UFC 85 Flashback: Alves Defeats Hughes In Lopsided Main Event

Image via Wikipedia

By Ross Everett

A day after failing to make weight for his fight against Matt Hughes, Thiago Alves dominated the former UFC welterweight champion en route to a 2nd round TKO victory. The main event at UFC 85 in London was somewhat anticlimactic to the fans at the O2 Arena who considered the semifinal matchup between Manchesters Michael Bisping and Jason Day the biggest fight on the card. Bisping actually improved upon his excellent showing against Charles McCarthy at UFC 83 and pummeled Day mercilessly from the top mount position until the fight was stopped just past the 3 minute mark of the first round.

Hughes didnt make any excuses following his one sided loss, saying simply that hes a good fighter and he got me. The longtime king of the UFCs welterweight division also gave notice that his career as an active fighter was drawing to a close, suggesting that he had one fight left and challenging Matt Serra in what presumably would be his retirement match.

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

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

In other action, Mike Swick used an array of high kicks and a 7 reach advantage to coast to a unanimous decision over Marcus Davis. Davis, a former professional boxer, was unable to get inside against his lanky opponent and was never really in the fight. Like Bisping, Swick may have made an excellent career choice by moving down in weight.

A controversial point deduction for a strike to the back of the head cost Nate Marquardt his match against Thales Leites. Marquardt was solidly in charge for the entire fight, but suffered a point deduction for an illegal knee strike in round one. While that infraction was valid, replays of the 2nd round deduction for the strike to the back of the head gave the impression that he was penalized for a legal strike to the side of the head. The 2 point deduction changed the outcome of the fight, with Leites winning a split decision by the scores of 28-27, 28-27, 27-28.

In the opening PPV match, another controversial ending saw Fabrico Werdum defeat Brandon Vera by 1st round KO. The fight had been evenly contested up until the stoppage, with Werdum scoring a couple of takedown and Vera countering with some effective punching. Late in the first round, Werdum got a full mount and began to fire a series of punches. Vera was clearly defending himself and didnt appear to be hurt at all when the referee jumped in to stop the fight. Vera said that hed answered that he was OK when asked by ref Dan Miragliotta and that he was just trying to ride out the round from that position. Mirgliotta was also the referee in the Kimbo Slice/James Thompson fight, and some have suggested that matchup was also stopped prematurely.

About the Author:

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

UFC 99: Franklin Beats Wandy In UFC German Debut

Image by deskounlmtd.net via Flickr

By Ross Everett

From a business standpoint, the UFCs first trip to Germany will clearly fall short of their success in the UK. From poor ticket sales to a downright hostile German media, its been one headache after another for Dana White and company. That was all forgotten thanks to an entertaining if somewhat uneven fight card highlighted by a spectacular main event between Rich Franklin and Wanderlei Silva. Franklin would ultimately win the unanimous decision victory, but the fight itself far exceeded the expectations of most fans.

For the most part, Franklin picked Silva apart throughout the course of the fight (to quote UFC color commentator Joe Rogan) and deserved the unanimous decision verdict. What made the fight exceptional were the occasional glimpses of the old Axe Murderer. Late in the second and third rounds, Silva tagged Franklin with hard punches that left him clearly stunned. He did well to weather the storm and maintain control of the fight, but the uncertainty was enough to make the main event a very entertaining and exciting fight. Silva demurred on talk of retirement afterwards, though his tone gave some indication that hes leaning in that direction.

In the co-main event, heavyweight phenom Cain Velasquez survived a few nervous moments to put in a wall to wall domination of Cheick Kongo. Velasquez was rocked by Kongos punches early in rounds one and two, but quickly recovered to take the fight to the ground where he mauled the Frenchman. The result was an impressive victory for Velasquez over a top level opponent, but his struggles against Kongos standup game left several unanswered questions. The most compelling concern, of course, is that Velesquez might have a weak chin and simply not be able to take a punch particularly well. His problems could also be tactical or simply a case of not having enough patience"rushing his takedown attempts and eating punches rather than work for a less risky opportunity.

The event also featured the UFC return of former PRIDE open weight GP champion Mirko Cro Cop. Cro Cop was making his return to action from knee surgery, and the Croatian striking machine got off to a slow start against overmatched Mostapha Al-Turk as he clearly sought to protect his rebuilt wheels. Of particular note was the fact that Cro Cop didnt throw a kick the entire fight"his bread and butter during his PRIDE dominance, which evoked the mantra right leg hospital, left leg cemetery. Once he let his hands go, however, he demonstrated emphatically that hes still got serious power. He ended the fight late in the first round by flooring Al-Turk with an overhand left followed up with some hammer fists on the ground. Al-Turk survived this onslaught, but when the referee returned the fight to standup he caught a poke in the eye (similar to the one suffered by Josh Barnett in his PRIDE OWGP Final matchup against Cro Cop).

Perennial contender Mike Swick looked impressive as he defeated Ben Saunders via 2nd round TKO. After an uneventful first five minutes, Swick let his hands go and his impressive handspeed proved no match for his adversary. Veteran lightweight Caol Uno returned to the UFC after a five year absence, losing a decision to Spencer Fisher in a somewhat tedious tactical affair. In the opening match of the live PPV, Dan Hardy won a hard fought split decision over Marcus Davis. The two men had feuded back and forth in the UK media, and while the fight may not have settled their differences in a decisive manner it did provide a solid opener to the evenings fight card.

About the Author:

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

Free Agent Lamar Odom Returns To The Lakers

Image via Wikipedia

By Ross Everett

After a month long free agency soap opera, both Lamar Odom and the Los Angeles Lakers got what they really wanted all along. The Lakers retained the services of their valuable sixth man, and Odom will return to the team after an intense recruiting pitch from the Miami Heat. On Friday, Odom officially signed his new contract with the NBA Champions thus insuring that the nucleus of the roster will remain intact.

Terms of the deal were similar to the contract offer that was pulled in early July, starting the entire drama. After negotiations broke down due to some miscommunication between Odoms agent and Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss it looked for awhile like Odom was headed elsewhere. While Odom worked to mend fences"including several personal phone calls to Dr. Buss"his agent was receiving interest from Miami, Portland and Dallas.

When it was all said and done, Odom didn't want to leave Los Angeles At the official signing ceremony, he hinted that a dynasty could be in the making:

"I guess basketball-wise, I feel complete. I want to feel it again. It's kind of an overwhelming feeling. I get goose bumps when I think about it, and as long as I continue to play professional basketball, I want to always feel that. The way I feel during the summer, I always want to feel that. If we can win six, seven, eight, nine, 10 championships in a row, I want to experience that."

While talk of 10 straight championships may be mere hyperbole, theres no reason the Lakers cant run off a repeat or better with their current lineup. The only significant loss to last years NBA title winning team was Trevor Ariza, but the teams signing of Ron Artest is likely an upgrade. Artest brings not only his infamous swagger and intensity, but an element of toughness and versatility that Ariza lacked. Such was Odoms commitment to the Lakers is that even during his free agency, he helped recruit Artest to sign with the team:

"I spoke to Ron two days before he signed, and I told him how important I think it is for him to come here. Because I know how hard he works, he needs to experience basketball at its best, at the highest level, and he needs to become a Laker. Two days after that, he signed."

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak sounded relieved that everything worked out in the end:

"Three or four months ago, I didn't think it could be possible that we could basically bring this team back in whole. Lamar had a wonderful season that ended on the best possible note you could have, and Lamar had a lot of options. ... Here it is, July 31, and we have brought back everybody that we wanted to bring back."

Odom has spent most of his career in L.A., either with the Lakers or the Clippers, and he noted that the city is home to him and his family:

"I didn't want my kids to have to change schools -- just the little things. I'm comfortable here. I've been here since I was' years old. I'm proud to be playing for what I think is the most popular brand in sports.

About the Author:

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

Live Music Or Hire A Function Band?

Image by adria.richards via Flickr

By Elizabeth Pratt

Whether you have a major event coming up, or maybe a debut party, wedding party, business anniversary or whatever planned event it may be, take into consideration that inviting a function band may be a good idea for your upcoming party. It can even make what may be a dull party into something more extravagant without ruining the theme of the event itself.

Live music can take a party from good to great and top flight entertainment will have people talking for years to come. However this will only happen if you hire the right people and follow a few simple rules.

Getting a recommendation by word of mouth is the cheapest and most effective way in finding the right function band for you. In fact, you do not have to spend a single dime at all. Maybe your neighbors can recommend someone that can play good music, or your friend may have his or her own function band.

Maybe you can set up a schedule with them whenever they can present you with something that they perform, but if there is really no chance of performing live, asking for their demo video would be the next best thing to do. It is necessary that you know how this particular band performs. You of course, want this band to sound amazingly awesome, but look excellent as well.

Ask the function band leader for a song and price list. They should have their prices in writing and if they have no definite price structure then perhaps you should not bother with them. Professional function bands should handle themselves in a business like manner, not attempt to wing the negotiations. It is normal to put a ten to twenty percent, non-refundable deposit down to secure your date.

Questions that you may want to ask: Do they take requests? Most bands will if thery are given enough notice so be sure to ask them when making your initial booking.

You may want to see their equipment as well. Check that their equipment is adequate and of course safe. It is very important that they are aware and practice safety precautions and make sure that they will follow them carefully, for instance; no loose wiring should be exposed.

Knowing the choice of their wardrobe would be essential in choosing a function band as well. Ask them, what are their preferred choices of clothes when they perform? If they have mentioned something that is not suited for the theme, you can give them ideas on what they should and should not wear. If the costume or attire that the function band would be wearing can be a little out of place, you can politely suggest something that they can wear that will compliment the theme of the event.

The function band should arrive one hour before the party starts. It is important that they set up all the equipment before the audience arrives. In addition, you can give the manager or their leader an overview of the party's flow.

Everyone would be staring at your function band once they take center stage. You can take some of your time to take a quick look at how they look. Are they presentable? Doing so, this hosted party will result in making headlines all over town; you will have the neighbors talking about it for ages!

About the Author:

Expert Elizabeth Pratt is one of the members of Soul Desire who writes for the http://www.souldesire.co.uk website. Hiring a specialist Function Band will make all the difference to the success of your event. Find out more about hiring a professional Function Band when you visit this website.

Working with 3D Puzzles Online

View Larger Map

By Barry Chapman

3d puzzles have grown in popularity over the years and have become a beloved and creative toy known all over the world for children of many ages. Puzzles used to be produced to be 2d, or two-dimensional. This means that this type of jigsaw puzzle, while fun to put together and assemble, resulted in a flat image. All the pieces of the puzzle fit together and could be held in place with varnish or puzzle glue. To be able to display a two dimensional puzzle, it would most likely have to be framed. 3d puzzles are works of art, easy to display as soon as assemblage is complete.

While it is hard to determine when the first 3d puzzle was created, there is an online game called ZooCube, which apparently is the first 3d puzzle. The images of the game are supposed to pop out at you, much like 3d movies. 3d puzzles that came out for manually assemblage were often educational and featured historical and/or international themes. The idea was that when somebody, a child or an adult, was finished putting together the puzzle, it could be placed on display.

Some examples of these models include: The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, U.S. Capitol Building, Sears Tower, Neushwanstein Castle, Camelot Castle, World Trade Center, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Empire State Building, Temple of Heaven, Bavarian Clock, White House, Brooklyn Bridge, Taj Mahal, Rockefeller Center, Yankee Stadium, Burj Al Arab Hotel, CitiGroup Center, Sistine Chapel, John Hancock Center, The Solar System and many more. The interesting part is being able to see details of these famous structures while building a miniature version of them.

3d puzzles also come in the form of fun games such as Jenga, a Rubik's Cube, and Blokus. There are also globes of the earth 3d puzzles. Some popular children and young adult books, movies and TV shows have also come out with 3d puzzles such as: Pirates of the Caribbean, Cinderella's Castle, Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and many more. 3d puzzles come to life and work the creative and mechanical areas of the brain.

Children have fun because they are putting together a puzzle, but they are also creating art. 3d puzzles can be purchased in a variety of stores. Big box stores carry them, along with drug stores, grocery stores and toy stores. 3d puzzles are also available to purchase online on educational, auction and marketplace websites.

About the Author:

Barry Chapman loves to speak to psychics on his free psychic website daily.

Wii Homebrew Makes Gaming Fun And Exciting

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

By Justine Leggs

You are definitely wrong if you think that your Wii turns out to be worthless already after using it for many years. It absolutely fires up again these days with the help of Wii Homebrew. It is technically a software which allows you to explore more entertainment options you have on your system. This is the best choice that you will ever have in order to enjoy your gaming console to the fullest. It is something that catches the interest of anybody around the world.

Users are fortunate to have this installer because it allows you to improve the games, programs and applications of your Wii. Your console now comes with excellent new features that will truly amuse thousands of Wii owners around the world. It's really great because such functionalities are obtainable within just a few minutes. Wii Homebrew is not licensed to Wii or Nintendo, thus, you get the chance to download as many games as you can.

The interesting functionalities you benefit out of the software include the ability to make backup copies of your games, capable of converting it to Wii DVD in order to watch your favourite movies, play all kinds of downloadable great games without any monetary obligation and be able to install new applications to make your wii even more spectacular to the users. It's completely a dream-come-true installer for everyone who wants more excitement out of Wii console.

Back in the old days, gamers had to buy for modification chips or hardware in order to put some more features on your console. However, as time progresses, they are no longer needed at all. Wii Homebrew has it all without voiding the warranty of your game console. This is the safest way of unlocking your console nowadays without causing any damages on it. The software is simply what it takes to have a really different entertainment experience.

It's not difficult to obtain such software, and more importantly, the cost of it is very economical as compared to buying the expensive game discs at the store. The choice to have one is definitely the correct thing to do to save a lot of your money. With homebrew Wii, you will also be able to play the classic games like the N64, Sega Genesis, SNES and the other old games.

This is the best option you will ever have to make your Wii more interesting and a lot of fun. It comes along with very comprehensive video instructions to guide you all the way through. As soon as your Wii is unlocked, you will absolutely get to enjoy the full benefit of your gaming console. There is nothing more entertaining than having the Wii Homebrew installer. This is the perfect way to maximize the use of your console.

About the Author:

Learn How To Unlock Wii with Homebrew application. We also show why DVD On Wii Software is better than the Mod Chip.

4 Scary Twilight Party Games

Cover of Twilight (Twilight, Book 1)

By Andrea McClure

This fall many fans are looking forward to the sequel of the Twilight Movie, New Moon. The movie is the film adaptation of the second book in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer's series. The stories picks up at Bella Swan's'th birthday. A party is held by Edward's family in her honor but it is soon cut short by a dangerous incident. This convinces Edward that it is too dangerous for Bella to remain involved with vampires. This leads him to abruptly break up with Bella and leave forks without a trace. Bella is left with a broken heart and tries to move on with the help of her friend Jacob. However, Jacob has a supernatural secret that will put right back in the center of the secret world Edward tried to protect her from. Many fans will be celebrating with the usual tradition of having a Twilight party. If you are one of these fans one way to make your party more interesting is great Twilight party games.

As you think of interesting party games think of various things defining characteristics such as the abilities of the vampires and werewolves. A great game idea is to have a game that mimic the speed of a vampire. If you are wondering how you can possibly do that all you need is a dark night and flashlights. Play a game of flashlight tag with you and your guests. As you run around in the dark the blur of the lights in motion will make everyone look like they are moving much faster than they really are.

A great game to play is who said what. Read lines from New Moon the novel and have guests guess which character said the line. This is a great way for fans to show off their knowledge of the series. You can make it more interesting by offering special prizes such as New Moon merchandise. Also include bonus rounds with really challenging questions that will be a true test of fandom for your friends.

Vampires may only consume blood, but they also have a heightened sense of taste. This will make a great game idea. Choose different red foods and serve them on platters or bowls then have your friends try to guess each food by tastes. It may be a bit challenging to find red foods that can't be guessed by site, but there are things that you can do that might help. First is to look online for Twilight recipes. There are some great recipes for fake blood and red treats that you can use for the game that will make it that much more interesting.

Have a game of Red Light Green Light. Vampires are super aware of their surroundings using every one of their superhuman senses. In Red Light Green Light a person is chosen as the caller. If the callers says green light, then other players can move towards the caller. If the caller says red light everyone has to freeze in the position they were in when it was said. This mean if you were running and you were on one foot, you have to stay on that foot in running position. Of course if you move, you are out of the game. To make the game more interesting for the caller have him or her blindfolded so they can't rely on their sight. They will need to look to their other sense to know when other players are close.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a Twilight party and looking for Twilight party favors and Twilight party supplies, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices at or around $1 or $2.

4 Reliable Tips for Handling Twilight Party Disasters

Cover of Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)

By Andrea McClure

This month many Twilight fans will be looking forward to the sequel of the popular Twilight movie. It is called New Moon and is the second film adaptation of the popular vampire novel series by Stephenie Meyers. One way that fans will show their excitement is by planning original and unique Twilight parties. This is something that was inspired by the Twilight Proms sponsored by Stephenie Meyers. However even a Twilight party is vulnerable to disasters. It can be anything from not getting the right venue to not having the DJ you hired come on time. Here are some tips to help you in case the unexpected happens at your event.

Be prepared for anything. This is the cardinal rule for whenever you plan an event. You can't count on everything going perfectly so have a couple of back up plans just in case. For example you should know that food and drinks are something that you should have in abundance. So look at your list of guests and make sure to by above what you need. This will help you prepare for extra hungry guests or uninvited party crashers. Also talk to neighbors so they know about your party and can help out if needed.

So you are at your party and the DJ doesn't show up. This can be a major crisis as it is likely to be one of the main sources of entertainment and help set the mood for the party. The simple solution is to use your IPod or Computer as your own digital DJ. If you have a MP3 dock or audio connections on your player you can connect your player to the home sounds system and have instant music. If you don't have speakers you can always by an affordable pair at Wal-Mart for about $40. So this should take care of your music problem. Also be sure to include tunes from the Twilight soundtrack.

What happens when you have more guests than you anticipated? If you are having the party at your home you know that the likelihood that the police will stop by has sharply increased. In this case a good idea is to go to your neighbors and ask for help. If you were prepared you already talked to them and let them know that you were having a party and you might need some help with controlling it. Either way some outside help can be useful in maintaining order. Also look to some reliable friends. Invite them to help out or call them if you are really in a pinch.

A party planner's worst nightmare is a party that becomes boring or slow. Try to shake things up with fun activities and music to get everyone up moving and having a good time. Try to give yourself room to be spontaneous and original with your entertainment and games. This will help to liven up the atmosphere.

In the end disasters happen but if you have a game plan in place you can keep problems small and if things get bad, you will have a plan of action to resolve it. This will make it easier for you to handle crises and roll with the punches. That way you can still have a pretty decent party that all your guests will enjoy.

About the Author:

If you are hosting a Twilight party and looking for Twilight party favors and Twilight party supplies, E-WeddingFavors.com has the biggest selection of unique Twilight party favors, supplies and much more. These products are one of a kind and are all at a very affordable prices at or around $1 or $2.

Brief Overviews Of A Few Motion Pictures

Cover via Amazon

By Benjamin Mcleod

The list below has some good movie reviews. You can get to a good film download site through the search engines. You should have good luck with a search like "Download Movies On Line"; if not then try "Downloadable Movie" and "Movies On Line".

Hackers: A group of youthful computer specialists is framed for crimes committed by pc whiz and would-be master felon Stevens, and have to use their own computer abilities to demonstrate their innocence. It is quick paced and the lucid directing makes it fun. Cast includes Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina. Jolie, Fisher Stevens, Matthew Lillard, Laurence Mason, Jesse Bradford, Renoly Santiago, Lorraine Bracco, Wendell Perforate, Penn Jillette, Felicity Huffman, and Marc Anthony. (105 minutes,'95)

Frozen Assets: Low-octane joke trifle, in which Bernsen is moved to a new bank only to find it's a sperm bank (get it?). He meets censored biologist Long and after a lot of wisecracks they find that they are drawn to each other. Cast includes Shelley Long, Corbin Bernsen, Larry Miller, Dody Goodman, Matt Clark, Paul Sand, Teri Copley, Gloria Camden, and Gerrit Graham. (96 minutes,'92)

Irreconcilable Differences: A bittersweet comedy of a young couple that wed and found success till prosperity in Hollywood causes them to lose sense of what's seriously vital in their lives. The outcome is that their 10 year old baby girl sues them for divorce! Cast includes Ryan O'Neal, Shelley Long, Drew Barrymore, Sam Wanamaker, Allen Garfield, Sharon Stone, and David Paymer. (117 minutes,'84)

Delusion: This is a hard, tight thriller in reference to a yuppie computer executive-embezzler and his plight after seeing a Las Vegas show girl and her hit man boyfriend (Secor, in an eye-opening acting job) on a Death Valley freeway committing a murder. Cast includes Jim Metzler, Jennifer Rubin, Kyle Secor, Robert Costanzo, Tracey Walter, and Jerry Orbach. (100 minutes,'90)

Cuban Rebel Girls: This is Flynn's last film, and is an embarrassment. Playing himself, he assists Fidel Castro in his overthrow of Batista. The film is filmed on location throughout the Castro rebellion. Of interest only to see Flynn teamed with his very last lady friend, sixteen-year-old Aadland. Cast includes Errol Flynn, Beverly Aadland, John McKay, and Marie Edmund. (68 minutes,'59)

Alice in the Cities: After drifting haphazardly across America, disassociated reporter Vogler meets a lady and finds himself saddled with her nine year old baby girl while she mysteriously vanishes. The brilliant, often spellbinding film reflects on the consequence of American pop lifestyle on postwar Europeans. Cast includes Rudiger Vogler, Yella Rottlander, Lisa Kreuzer, and Chuck Berry. (110 minutes,'74)

Spice World: A fantasy view of a few nights in the lives of the pop phenomenon The Spice Girls and their presence with road agent Grant. Cameos by Elton John, Bob Hoskins, Bob Geldof, Elvis Costello, The Fantasy Boys, Jonathan Ross, and Jennifer Saunders. Cast includes The Flavor Gals (Mel B, Emma, Mel C, Geri, and Victoria), Richard E. Grant, Roger Moore, George Wendt, Claire Rushbrook, Mark McKinney, Richard O'Brien, Barry Humphries, Jason Flemyng, Naoki Mari, Meat Loaf, Bill Paterson, Jools Holland, Stephen Roast, and Richard Briers. (92 minutes,'97)

Double Wedding: Loy's orchestration of her sis's marriage ceremony is upset by the presence of free spirited bohemian Powell. The megastars are the entire show in this alternatively disheartening adaptation of the play Incredible Love. Cast includes William Powell, Myrna Loy, Florence Rice, John Beal, Jessie Ralph, Edgar Kennedy, Sidney Toler, and Mary Gordon. (87 minutes,'37)

The Last Temptation of Christ: An imaginative and inciting film from Nikos Kazantzakis' novel which presumes in regards to Jesus' self-questions when he realizes that he has been selected by The Lord to tote His message. Moments of incredible beauty are reduced somehow by mundane discussion and dull scenes. Cast includes William Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, David Bowie, Vema Bloom, Andre Gregory, Juliette Caton, Roberts Blossom, Irvin Kershner, Nehemiah Persoff, and Barry Miller. (164 minutes,'88)

This short list is an example of the variety of films you can find online that you can download. With the right search, like "Best Movie Download" or "Top Movie Downloads" you will find out all you need to know on downloading movies from the internet. If you need to do more searches, use "Online DVDs".

About the Author:

Find that site today so your movie watching days can begin! Legal Movie Download Sites These movie download services give you the chance to have legal movie downloads, and with paying very little money. If you have a thus Internet connection, there is absolutely no reason why you can't download movies online.

Terms Of Use

Private Policy

About Us