Sunday, February 28, 2010

Ballroom Dancing Enjoys Resurgence With Kids

Step one: Put on your dancing shoes. Step two: Grab a partner. Step three: Tango!

Ballroom dancing, from the fox trot to the charleston, has long been a popular part of American culture. Adults love it, but lately, younger generations have been tapping into the music and rhythm of the waltz and the cha-cha - dances that once excited their parents and grandparents.

This is due in part to ballroom dancing's resurgence in television and film.

In the recent documentary "Mad Hot Ballroom," now available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment, pupils from three New York City schools discover the world of ballroom dancing through 10 weeks of required classes taught by the American Ballroom Theater.

The film showcases the children's candid, innocent and hilarious perspectives as they are transformed from typical urban kids to "ladies and gentlemen."

With each scene, the audience watches as they strive to meet their ultimate goal - the final city competition known as the Rainbow Team Matches.

Kids are not the only ones with a renewed interest in the dance form. Parents, too, are recognizing the potential of ballroom dancing in keeping their children occupied, out of trouble and in shape.

Studies on the benefits of ballroom dancing conducted by California State University at Long Beach show that even beginning students can get their heart rates up to near-maximum training rates with a five-minute warm-up and a 20-minute cha-cha, polka or swing. Moderate ballroom dancing burns between 250 and 300 calories per hour. Vigorous dancing can burn as many as 400 calories per hour.

Along with its benefits to the body, ballroom dancing develops coordination and teaches children important lessons in social interaction and good manners.

Balloon Bouquets - For That One Special Occasion

Be it birthday, Christmas, New Year or Valentine's Day - balloons add color and joy to all fun occasions. And there is no better way to send greetings to your friends and family by sending them a bunch of balloons right at their doorstep.

Balloon delivery has gained popularity over the years and, if legend is to be believed, had its humble beginnings not very many years ago. In the year 1976, Joe DelVechhio thought of the idea of delivering balloons in bunches and opened Balloon Bouquets® of Washington, DC. And this is how the delivery of helium-filled balloons started.

Balloon delivery is a great way to surprise your girlfriend on the morning of her birthday or to let your boss know how much you care so that he remembers that your raise is due. Balloons have been a favorite with the kids since the time balloons were invented. Buy ordering a bunch of balloons you can add joy to their lives on birthdays and Christmas. Balloons come in different shapes, sizes and colors. Life size bear balloons are popular amongst the kids. There are also heart-shaped balloons of different sizes to woe your girlfriend.

Balloons with personal messages written on them are also a good idea. Many people send balloons with the same message written on each of them. Be creative with your messages so that the receiver finds extra joy reading all of them. Also include many bright colors in a bunch to add life. You can go that extra mile and order decorative balloons for different occasions. Many balloon delivery services have expertise in making flower bouquets or Christmas trees out of balloons. It is also a good idea to turn your house into a balloon zoo with animals made out of balloons.

You can also make arrangements for balloon magicians along with your bouquet of balloons. They turn balloons into animals and toys right in front of your eyes in no time. Cars, tigers, giraffes or poodles - you name it and you get it.

Often balloon deliveries can be a good alternative for sending flowers. Flowers sent during the morning will wear out by evening. But your balloons will remain as fresh and colorful even the next day. Balloon delivery is also a low-cost option compared to flowers and has a larger than life visual effect. While ordering your bouquet make sure that they reach the right place at the right time.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Bad Credit Card- Offered By Many Companies

Article Body:
Check-books and paying with cash is becoming less frequent as more people are using plastic to pay for purchases. Checkbooks are being replaced by debit cards and the use of credit cards is rising. Online shopping has helped fuel the need for a credit card. Unfortunately people with bad credit are normally not approved for a credit card. It is not hopeless, there are avenues for those with bad credit histories to enter or return to the world of plastic.

Bad credit - credit cards are offered by many companies. This became a necessity since individuals with low incomes or credit problems would be declined for a low interest, no fee credit card. Many of these companies use what is called Risk Based Pricing. What this does is they have several types of offerings with different interest rates. The rate they offer is based on your credit score. So if you apply for one card you may get declined but offered a card with a higher rate. This is an excellent way for someone with a bit of a negative credit history to be approved for a bad credit, credit card.

So what about those individuals with no credit or extremely negative credit? They may need to look at another type of bad credit, credit card. There are several companies that target these types of people. They offer what is called a starter card. This type of card has a very high interest rate and very low credit limit. There are also a substantial amount of fees normally connected with these cards.

These cards pale in comparison to the more normal type of credit card offers but the acceptance rate is high. By using, one of these bad credit, credit cards and keeping with the terms of the agreement, making payments on time in a period of time your credit rating will be more positive. This will allow you the opportunity to apply with a better chance of acceptance for a lower rate and more favorable term credit card.

There are some individuals with such critical credit problems, a recent bankruptcy for instance, that a starter card would not be an option. If this is the case the only solution that would be left is a prepaid credit card which is sometimes called a secured card. The fact they look like a credit card it the only similarity. They need to have funds deposited to use them. You are virtually guaranteed to be accepted for this type of bad credit, credit card.

They work the same as any Mastercard or Visa but you can only spend the amount of money you have deposited. This leaves very little risk to the card issuer since you can not incur any debt with them. Because the issuer of the card will not be making any money on monthly interest rates for the balance they make their money in other ways. The can charge a fee for applying, a annual fee, an administration fee even a small percentage for every time you purchase something with the card. You will want to research several companies before applying for this type of bad credit, credit card since these fees can vary greatly.

Basically what all this means if even with a bad credit rating, nearly everyone can find a bad credit, credit card. It may take some research but it can be accomplished.

Backgammon Rules: Learn How to Play Backgammon

The board game backgammon is one of the most ancient games known to man. It is believed that early variations of the game were played in Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Ancient Rome. Since then, the game has evolved, changed several names and spread to different parts of the world. It is currently a popular pastime all over the US, East Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

In order to play backgammon all you need is a partner, two dice and a special backgammon board with checkers. The backgammon board is divided into two sides with each one is the mirror reflection of the other. Each side contains 12 triangles called points numbered from 1 to 24.
Points 1 to 6: Home Board or Inner Board
Points 7 to 12: Outer Board
7 point: Bar Point
13 point: Mid Point

At the starting position of the game, each player has 2 checkers on the 24 point, 3 checkers on the 8 point and 5 on the 13 and 6 point. Each player moves from his home board through the outer board towards the opponent home board.

The object of backgammon, then, is to move your checkers towards your opponent home board and remove them off the board before your opponent moves his checkers towards your home board. The speed of the progress of each move is determined by the outcome of the dice roll.

The backgammon play begins with both players tossing one die. The player whose outcome is the highest, makes the first move using both his and his opponents number. If the outcome of the dice toss is even, the players toss the dice again until an uneven outcome appears. From now on, each player tosses both dice on his turn.

After each toss of dice, you should move your checkers forward the number of steps appears on both dice. You can move either one checker the number of steps summed up by both die or move two checkers. To make it clearer: if the outcome of the dice roll is 5 and 4, you can either move one checker 9 steps forward or move one checker 5 steps forward and then move the other piece 4 steps forward

If the dice rolls a double, which means an even number on both dice, you can move double the number appears on the dice. For example, if you roll double 2, you can move 2 points four times. In that case, you can either move one checker 8 steps forward; move two checkers a total of 4 steps; move two checkers a total of 2 steps each plus a total of 4 steps; move one checker a total of 6 steps plus 2 steps; or move four checkers 2 steps.

You can move a checker to a point where there is another one of your checkers or no more than one checker of your opponent, called blot. When you hit a blot, it is moved to the middle of the board to the part divided between the home board and the outer boards, called the bar.

The checkers placed on the bar are kept out of play until the bar can be entered by a dice roll in the opponent’s home boards. For example, if you roll 2, you can enter a checker to the 23 point and enter the opponents home board and re enter the bar checkers into the game. You cannot move the other checkers unless your entire bar checkers are at your opponents home board.

By the time your checkers are in your home board, you must remove the checkers from the board, to bear off, using a roll of dice. For example, if you roll 1, you can bear off one checker from the 1 point; if you roll 2, you can move a checker form the 2 point, and so on.

If your opponent has not borne off any checkers while you have borne off 15 checkers, you win the gammon. If your opponent has not borne off any checkers and still some of his checkers are placed on the bar, while you have borne off 15 checkers, then you win the backgammon.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Backgammon For Beginners

Except in certain circles, the game of backgammon doesn’t get much attention these days unless the version being played is the online version. But that’s not the way it was 5,000 years ago when players in Mesopotamia first created this exciting and strategic board game. Few people realize that backgammon existed even before the game of chess was created, making it one of the oldest games still played in modern times.

Little about backgammon has changed since its earliest days. The game itself has survived countless civilizations including the Persians, Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. This is evidenced from the many games that have been discovered by means of archeological excavations. The layout of the board has changed as previously it consisted of 3 rows of 10 squares. For a time it was called Senat. Since then, however, the only other significant change has been the addition of the doubling cube, thought to have been added in the early 1900’s. The doubling cube made the game more interesting and added an element of intrigue.

As with most things in life the Internet breathed new life into the game of backgammon, with virtual game rooms springing to life almost as fast as virtual poker and other virtual games of chance. Today, finding others who share a passion for the game is easy. All players need to do is log on to any of the established backgammon web sites any time of day and they’ll find players around the world looking for partners. To draw attention to these sites, operators have started offering cash prizes and other alluring bonus offers and their tactics are working.

If you’ve never played a game of backgammon, you really don’t know what you’re missing. It’s not hard to learn and once you do, you’ll find that the game is somewhat addicting. With each new round, you’ll learn something you didn’t know before, and as you do, your ability to effectively strategize will increase. So next time you’re bored, find someone who knows how to play backgammon!

Baccarat History and American Baccarat Rules

If we put aside the black ties, the velvet curtains and the overall exclusive atmosphere, baccarat is one of the simplest casino games around. In addition, baccarat is a beatable game with a low house edge, which makes it one of the best bets you can make! Here you can read about baccarat history and learn how to play the game.

Both the American and European versions of baccarat and the French Chemin de Fer are late developments of the Italian game called baccara, which means zero in Italian. The origins of baccara go back to an old Etruscan myth. According to the myth, a blonde virgin had to toss a nine sided die to decide on her destiny. If the die landed on eight or nine, she would have to fulfill her destiny and become a priest. If the die landed on six or seven, she would be forbidden to participate in any religious activity. If the die landed on any other number, the virgin had to walk into the sea.

The Italian game baccara was popular among French aristocracy during the end of the 15th century. Baccara had evolved to the European version of baccarat, which is still played in European casinos today as well as the French variation of baccarat known as Chemin de Fer, which is mainly played in casinos in France. The American version of the game was introduced to Nevada casinos in the 1950s by Francis Tommy Renzoni, who imported the game from Havana.

Baccarat still carries an aroma of aristocracy and exclusivity. In American casinos, baccarat is played in a separated area of the casino, hidden behind velvet curtains. Baccarat players are usually dressed up and the betting limits are higher comparing to other table games. In order to attract the medium budget players, a lower limit version of baccarat, called mini baccarat, was invented. Mini baccarat is played on a smaller table, inside the casino gambling area with lower betting limits than baccarat.

How to Play Baccarat

Baccarat is played with 3 dealers and up to 12 or 14 players. Baccarat is usually played with 8 standard card decks. Aces valued as one, face cards and ten cards valued as zero, and the rest of the number cards worth their face value. The suit has no meaning. The object of the game is to get as close to 9 as possible.

The play begins by all players, including the dealer, placing their bets either on the player, the banker, or on a tie. Traditionally, the dealer bets on the banker. The dealer can be the house dealer or one of the players. After everyone has placed their bets, the dealer gives two cards to each player and to the banker.

The score of each hand is calculated as the sum of the two cards minus the left digit. For example, if the sum of the two cards is 15, the score would be 5. The decision whether to deal a third card is determined by a set or rules and it is not up to the player or the dealers decision.
If the score of the players hand is 9 or 8, he wins
If the score of the dealers hand is 9 or 8, it is a tie
If a players score is 7 or 6, he can be dealt a third card
If a players score is 5 or less, he has to receive a third card
If a player gets a third card and the score of the dealers hand is 2, 1 or 0, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 3 and the players third card is any value but 8, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 4 and the players third card value is between 2 and 7, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 5 and the players third card value is between 4 and seven, he must draw a third card
If the score of the dealers hand is 6 and the players third card is 6 or 7, he must draw a third card.
If the score of the dealers hand is 7, he cannot draw a third card.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

3 Secrets Of Magicians

Magicians have their secrets but they won’t tell. It’s a sworn oath for magicians not to tell the audience how a trick is done. There are 3 secrets though that they’ve shared all throughout the years. Here are their 3 secrets.

The first secret is that some tricks are done through sleight of hand. These are ways with which they skillfully hide an object and make it reappear on another hand. New magicians hide things up their sleeves. Those are old tricks and very few used them now.

Sleights of hand require a lot of practice to master. Beginners of magic use specially created gimmicks to create the illusion. Professional magicians make use of their impressive sleight of hand. It requires a lot of time, patience and hand coordination to fully understand and do.

Another secret is the art of misdirection. See this blank paper? And as audience looks at the blank paper, he is carefully getting another piece with his other hand. This is misdirection. Another type of misdirection is the kind that doesn’t let the audience see what’s really causing the tricks. You might have seen that a magician has a lot of assistants who also do incredible stuff, but what you didn’t know is that they are helping the magician perform the magic just with their presence.

Another kind of misdirection is the appropriate use of words. For example, a magician will tell you to look at the ‘empty’ box. We tend to look at the box as empty just because he said it. This causes our mind to wonder when the magician gets a rabbit out of it.

Misdirection takes a lot of practice and lots of time in planning. It requires body coordination (one body doing something while the other is doing another thing) and quick thinking. Misdirection is an art and magicians are proud of it.

Another secret is their patter or a magician’s constant talk. Misdirection is achieved mostly because of patter. The magician will ask you to look at his right hand and as you are looking, you won’t notice what his left hand is doing. This is a really clever way to achieve the illusion that what happens next becomes so magical with the wink of an eye.

Patter usually takes the form of a story, where a magician will tell you of something that happened to him someday. Sometimes it’s so funny that we actually forget to look at what their hands are doing or what their assistants are giving them.

2 Secrets To A Better Future

Stop for just a second, take a look around you and ask yourself if this is the quality of life you were hoping for. If you answered “No”, then my question to you is “why not?” “What are you doing to change your life?” Most people who have been asked what they’ve done to change their lives say “it’s no use because…..” and so it goes…. excuses.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The first step in getting out of the rut is to stop making excuses and assume responsibility for the quality of your life. You can change your life situation today. How do I know? I know because others have done it. There will always be obstacles, but none that can’t be overcome. The only requirement is the desire to change. Mark Twain once said “It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog.” If your “want to” is strong enough, you can achieve almost anything you set your mind to.

The second step to getting out of the rut is step out in faith and, as the Nike commercial says, “Just do it”. There is no time like the present to change course. You might not succeed the first time, but you must keep trying. Success will come with persistence. Remember the old saying “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Don’t worry about making a mistake. Albert Einstein once said “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.”

So step out. Take a chance, and as William Durant, the founder of General Motors said “Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it.”

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Custom Made Bridal Gowns

Formal Kids and Bridal can make you dream Bridal Gown. All our gowns are of the highest quality and take only 8 weeks to make. You just send us a picture of your dress via email or bring it into one of our stores and talk to our design team and we will make your dream gown. At Formal kids and Bridal our ,aBridal Gowns are sort after and we use the famous Wendy-Ann design, and use her talented skill to design new gowns and also gowns that you would like to create.

Shopping for Bridesmaids Dresses

This is probably one of the most stressful times in a brides orgaonisation. the more bridesmaids the more opions. I have seen wedding cancelled because of bridesmaids not wanting to where what the bride would like her to where. This is not that common, normally the bride will just dump that bridesmaid and generally replace her, but finding a bridesmaid at sometimes short notice can be difficult, because thay may just asked, why was I not asked in the first place.

At Formal Kids and Bridal, with our Bridesmaids Dresses we try and make it as easy as possible for a bride and her maids to be fitted ease. Formal Kids and Bridal offer over 120 colours in Bridesmaids dresses and can custom make any design that the bride wishes.

Affordable Paintings: Art Prints Buying Guide

The fastest way to bring beauty and style to a room is to put up prints of beautiful paintings. Here's what you should consider:

Painting Prints Price Range:

Expect to pay somewhere in the neighborhood of $50-$500 for an unframed print--anything less than $50 is likely a poster. You should expect to pay a similar amount to have the print framed--note that many prints are designed to be exhibited without frames.

Before art prints were sold online, the only way to get them was through galleries or museum shops, which had to charge a large markup. Nowadays, art prints rarely cost more than a few hundred dollars, and it is possible to find good-quality prints for under $100. Still, those lower prices generally come on prints that have been put on sale. Expect to pay more for perennial favorites like Van Gogh's “Starry Night”.

Selection

There is at least one print of every painting or photograph on display in a museum anywhere. Thanks to the internet, you can find the right art print among the tens of thousands in existence and have it sent to you, regardless of where the original is located. Since websites will let you browse thumbnail images of the artwork, it's easy to find a particular piece even if all you know about it is the name of the artist or even just the time period in which it was created.

Painting Print Media

Prints are available in a variety of print stocks.

Prints vs. Original Paintings

If all you're interested in is a picture to decorate your wall, rather than in collecting, prints are a better value than original paintings. Here's why:

* Expense. Creating an original work of art generally takes weeks. If you had to employ someone for several weeks or several months, how much do you think it would cost at even a modest salary? That's why original artwork generally costs at least thousands of dollars. In order to have a real chance of your work of art having investment value, you need to buy the work of an artist who is moving up in the art market.

* Questionable investment value. Original artwork only has investment value if the price goes up eventually. Very often, the price does not. In short, if you're interested in investing, buy stocks--it's a safer bet. Only buy art because *you* value it.

* Knowledge. You need to be very knowledgeable about what you are doing. Make no mistake: there's plenty of fraud in this business. There is also plenty of wishful thinking on the part of art dealers when it comes to a work's long-term market prospects.

Ready to make your home more beautiful with prints of great paintings? You're already in the right place: the internet has numerous websites offering an unbelievable array of art prints. Start looking now.