From the monthly archives:

July 2009

Why One Should Apply Online Free For A Credit Card

July 23, 2009

Different technological advances have allowed individuals to lead more effective, efficient and convenient lives. This is also true when it comes to the simple act of applying for a credit card. While an individual used to have to either receive a letter direct from the credit card company, complete with a form which they could mail back to the company in order to learn whether or not they would be approved for the card, or go to a store in order to fill out the paper work there and have it processed at that store location, individuals are not able to apply online free for a credit card. There are a number of different reasons as to how this is much more beneficial than the processes that were previously available to people when it came to the credit card application process.

First of all, one is allowed a number of options as to companies they can consider when an individual opts to apply online for a credit card. No longer is a person limited to the credit cards that they are able to receive forms from. They are not limited to companies that specifically target them; instead the individual can easily research different companies and decide which credit card would be best for them and that which would be able to meet their own personalized needs and demands when it comes to having a credit card. It is even possible to do a side by side comparison of different credit cards and the companies that are associated with them. Some websites will also categories cards based on different characteristics, such as those for individuals with bad credit, people that need a travel rewards program or those that are looking to apply online free for a credit card that has a cash back program. When one opts to apply online free for a credit card that do not have anything to risk.

Another benefit of opting to apply online free for a credit card is that the individual is able to save a great deal of time when it comes to the application process and the response to their application. They can spend a few minutes on the application, and then instead of waiting days or weeks for a response, as was the case with mail in forms, the individual can often learn the results of their application within a number of minutes or seconds. Even if the company needs more time to process the individual, they are still able to save time in that they do not need to mail in their response, which can tack on several days to the process when it comes to time elapsed.

This makes the online application process much better of an option for people that are looking for an immediate response to their inquiries. This type of application process allows an individual to not only apply online free for a credit card, but it also allows the individual to immediately be aware of what their status is when it comes to a credit card. If they are declined, the individual is immediately made aware of this, and if they need to they can find a credit card that is more accommodating to their particular needs and qualifications. As a result, more people are able to enjoy having and utilizing a credit card in order to help with the purchase of goods and services that they may otherwise not be able to afford having to pay the entirety of the cost up front.

Mario Churchill
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/why-one-should-apply-online-free-for-a-credit-card-119449.html

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Sheffield Botanical Gardens Restored

July 23, 2009

The Gardens have recently been fully restored at a cost of approximately £6.69 million and they are the only Botanical Gardens in the country to have undertaken such a complete restoration. In order to access the generous Heritage Lottery Fund Award of £5.06 million, an additional 25% in matched funding was raised. The Gardens are the only public open space in the country where the voluntary sector has raised more than £1 million in matched funding. The Gardens’ staff and FOBS volunteers continue to develop the plantings throughout the Gardens. In the future, additional projects will be undertaken to further enhance the Gardens as a centre of horticultural excellence.

Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England. It is so named because of its origins in a field on the River Sheaf that runs through the city.

In 1801, at the time of the first census Sheffield had a population of over 31,000. By the standards of the time it was a large town. By 1851 it had grown to over 135,000. Like all Victorian towns Sheffield was dirty and unsanitary. However even for the time Sheffield had a reputation as a grimy and dirty town (not surprising considering its heavy industries). In 1832 there was an outbreak of cholera which killed 402 people.

However not all the houses were slums. In the early 19th century a middle class suburb was built west of the town around Glossop Road.

In the working class areas the worst houses were back-to-backs. These houses were literally joined back to back without even an alley between them. In 1864 the authorities forbade the building of many more such houses. However those that had already been built remained.

There were, nevertheless some improvements during the 19th century. In 1818 an Act of Parliament formed a body of men called the Improvement Commissioners with powers to pave and clean the streets. They also formed a police force. From 1818 the street of Sheffield were lit by gas.

The Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1833. The first cemetery opened in 1836. In 1830 a corn exchange where grain could be bought and sold was opened (it was later rebuilt).

In 1832 a dispensary opened where the poor could obtain free medicines. The present Cutlers Hall was built in 1832. In 1836 the botanical gardens opened. At first they were privately owned but the council purchased them in 1898.

In 1843 Sheffield was given a charter (a document giving the townspeople certain rights). From then on Sheffield had an elected town council, which gradually took over the powers of the old Improvement Commissioners. Sheffield was made a city in 1893. The Town Hall was built in 1897.

Ruskin Gallery was founded in 1875. Mappin Art Gallery opened in 1887.

In the early 19th century a private company provided piped water. In 1859 they built a dam across Dale Dike. On March 11 1864 this dam burst. As a result 240 people drowned. The council took over the water supply in 1887. In the 1870s the council built sewers and drains. At first raw sewage was pumped into rivers but in 1886 a sewage treatment plant was built.

The first public library was built in 1856. From 1873 horse drawn trams ran in the streets. In 1899 the first electric trams ran in the streets of Sheffield. Mappin Art Gallery was built in 1887.

During the 19th century the old industries like iron continued to boom. In 1856 Thomas Bessemer invented a way of producing better quality steel. In 1858 he began producing steel in Sheffield. Button making flourished. However in 1840 a way was found to make silver plate by electroplating replacing the old Sheffield plate. Cutlery continued to be the dominant industry in Sheffield.

By 1900 the population of Sheffield was over 400,000. This was partly due to boundary changes. In 1921 the boundaries were extended to include Handsworth and Wadsley. In 1935 they were altered to include Totley, Dore, Beauchief and Greenhill.

The city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wide economic base. Sheffield obtained world-wide recognition during the 19th century for its production of steel. Many innovations in the industry were developed locally, including crucible and stainless steel. This fuelled an almost tenfold increase in the population during the Industrial Revolution. It gained its city charter in 1893 and became officially titled the City of Sheffield. International competition caused a decline in local industry during the 1970s and 1980s, and at the same time the nearby national coal industry collapsed, affecting Sheffield's population.

As one of the UK's top leisure destinations, attracting millions of visitors every year, Meadowhall offers a truly unique opportunity to be involved with one of the most exciting retail spaces in the country. The Centre provides an excellent platform for all marketing campaigns, with multi media opportunities in place to promote to a captive audience of over 400,000 visitors per week.

As one of the UK's top leisure destinations, attracting millions of visitors every year, Meadowhall offers a truly unique opportunity to be involved with one of the most exciting retail spaces in the country. Kitchen Appliances to Designer clothes, everything you could need is on offer. The Centre provides an excellent platform for all marketing campaigns, with multi media opportunities in place to promote to a captive audience of over 400,000 visitors per week.

This news came as a great surprise for local residents. See information on Sheffield Kitchens

Braeg Heneffe
http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/sheffield-botanical-gardens-restored-376228.html

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When is it Time to Replace Your Old Desktop Pc?

July 23, 2009

When I am out on service calls I am often asked by my customers if they should purchase a new PC and get rid of their existing one? There is no simple answer to this question but there are several factors that one should take into consideration before deciding to throw out the old PC and purchase a  new one. This article address desktop PC's only. Laptops are a whole different matter and needs to be discussed in a seperate article.

1.) Does age really matter? (Summary: For a lot of people, no.)

Microsoft suggest that you trade in your PC every 4 years to stay current on technology. I personally believe that this is bad advice for the vast majority of my home users that I service. (For businesses, there is a valid argument for doing this but for this article I am sticking with homeowners.) Most of them use their PC for three primary reasons. One is to surf the web and the others are to send and recieve emails and write simple word documents. If your PC is 4, 5 or even 6 years old and you don't find yourself complaining about speed or other issues, why replace it? Today's PC's pack so much power and very few of us will actually come close to utilizing the potential speed and memory utilization that is possible. There are obvious exceptions to this such as people who use their PC to play 3d animated games or for those who use some type of CAD program that requires as much horse power as possible. However if you are happy with what you have, then why buy a new one? One reminder that I would like to point out is that if your PC contains important data you should be backing it up regularly regardless of how old your PC is. Hard drives are one of the most common components to die in a PC. Protect your data!

2.) How much money should I spend repairing an old PC? (Summary: No more than 50% of the price of a new PC)

If your desktop PC is 3 years or older and it breaks, how much money should you be willing to spend in order to get it fixed? I personally tell my customers that they need to think twice about paying a repair bill that is equal to 50% or more a new PC. Notice I didn't say 50% or more of the current value of their PC. For desktops that are 3 years old, there is rarely any resale value left. I'll use a common situation that I come across with my customers. They call me complaing that their PC is giving them strange errors, random lockups and issues with saving files. Once I'm on site I discover that their hard drive is recording errors indicating that it is on it's last leg. In addition, I can also hear the power supply fan clicking loudly which is not a good thing! I tell the customer that the parts needed to fix these issues will run between $90-$120 and that my fee will be $210 (3 hours of labor) to replace the parts and install Windows on the new harddrive and restore their data files from the old one. Using these figures the customer is faced with a potential bill of $330. What is important to note here is that the old PC is still an OLD PC even though it has two new parts. This leads to the question of do I want to sink this kind of money into a 3 year old PC and take my chances that nothing else will break? That's an individual choice that each of us has to make, but, provided you can afford it, my best advice would be to purchase a new PC. The customer in this scenario wouldn't have to pay much more to get a brand new desktop that would run circles around their old one. Most importantly, they now have a PC with a new life span.

3.) How much money should I spend upgrading a new PC? (Summary: Invest in memory and larger harddrives when needed.)

This is one area where in some cases it pays to invest a little money in your PC. By far and away the two most common upgrades that my customers need are memory for performance issues and larger harddrives because their running out of space. Memory and hard drives have become so cheap that you can easily upgrade both for a price in the $100 range. If your PC has never given you any problems and it is at least has a processor of 2ghz then it's worth the investment to upgrade these two items. Rarely do I find that my customers need a stronger processor for what they are doing.

There will be times when you should not spend money on an upgrade. Suppose your old PC doesn't have a DVD/RW drive and you now need one. You also need additional memory, a large harddrive and network card to bring the PC up to your needs. When multiple upgrades are needed it normally is a good indication that it's time to buy new and retire your old PC.

4.) Planning ahead for future software such as Vista (Summary: Plan on a new PC)

If you know you are going to want to upgrade to Vista at some point in the future be prepared to buy a new PC. While it is possible to upgrade your 3 years old PC to meet the specs that Vista requires, it just isn't cost effective. Vista is known to be a resource hog and you need to start of with a modern processor that can handle the load.

The bottom line is that there are times when spending money on repairing or upgrading your old PC makes sense. Just make sure that you think it through and do your research first. Ultimately, there is no wrong answer if you make a decision that feels right for you.

John S. Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/information-technology-articles/when-is-it-time-to-replace-your-old-desktop-pc-728033.html

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How to Choose the Best Prepaid Calling Card

July 23, 2009

Phone cards have been around since 1975. A vending machine manufacturing company named SIDA was the first company to produce a phone card. In 1976, an Italian company put the first prepaid calling cards on the market. This calling card used a magnetic strip that could only be read by special payphones. It wasn't until 1987 that calling cards were widely available in the United States. These calling cards were distributed by World Telecom Group using their own magnetic strip technology, which is still the most commonly used magstripe today.

Calling cards are similar in appearance to credit cards and are used to pay for domestic, long distance or International telephone service.

Approximately 500 million calling cards have been sold annually over the past decade. Calling cards may be purchased anywhere from convenience stores to gas stations. Calling cards may also be purchased online. With the Internet you have a much easier way to shop around and compare so you'll be able to get the best deals.

Prepaid phone cards came as a great advancement for communications, particularly for long distance calling. Calling cards give you an affordable way to keep in touch with your loved one's and friends or business associates. The prepaid International long distance card has brought people in different parts of the world closer together. Low priced calling cards have made it affordable to stay in touch. Prepaid phone cards can also be very handy during emergencies.

When you are considering which calling card to buy, you need to be aware that they are not all the same. The rates and fees charged to the card can vary widely. You will want to read the terms and compare the services for any phone card before deciding to make a purchase. Than may sound easier than it is to be done.

Calling card marketers tend to stress the cost per minute rate on the packaging, advertising copy, and on the card itself. Unfortunately, the cost per minute doesn't give you an accurate picture of what you will actually pay. Several surcharge fees, such as for pay phone usage, can be added to the price of using a phone card. As a general rule the lower the cost per minute rate is, the higher other surcharges may be.

Many calling cards will have a per call charge, or connection fee. Often this charge can be high enough to significantly increase your actual per minute cost. A lot of cards will also have a higher surcharge for International long distance calls. This fee can tack on several dollars to a single phone call. Other surcharges can include tax and account maintenance fees.

Before you make that final decision on which prepaid calling card to get you will want to think about your calling habits. If you make frequent, short calls the best card for you would be one that has the lowest per-connection and "minimum rounding" fees.

If you make less calls and talk longer you need a card with the lowest per minute rates, but with some surcharges, which will give you a bargain for your money. The average person makes different types of calls and may want to carry a calling card of each situation.

A prepaid calling card can give you many advantages. Just be certain to compare services before choosing which card to use so you will get the maximum benefit from your calling card.

David Slone
http://www.articlesbase.com/communication-articles/how-to-choose-the-best-prepaid-calling-card-114621.html

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So You Think You Want To Be A Real Estate Investor

July 23, 2009

Every day more and more people are deciding to become weekend real estate investors. Armed with the proper information and right training this can be a lucrative business. Jumping in and playing blind archery can be a very costly mistake.

All of the stories you hear about being able to buy real estate with no money and no credit are true, but doing it without the proper documentation and training can literally wipe you out overnight.

I don't say this to scare anyone away from the business quite the contrary, just due your homework before you start making offers on property. Concentrate on a small area and learn it well find out what homes in that particular area are selling for now and what they have been selling for the past six month to a year.

The best way for a new investor to start is by wholesaling properties to other investors. This is done by finding a property below market value and selling to another investor. If you add a few thousand dollars to the price and leave enough for the other investor to make money you will have more buyers than you could ever supply.

Most investors would give their right arm to have someone finding properties for them to fix up and resell for a tidy profit. You see, investors are basically a lazy group and don't mind paying you for doing their legwork for them.

Another profitable way is lease option or get the deed as I call it. Your key here as with any other niche of real estate investing is to be working with people who need to sell not people who just want to sell. You can find hundreds of sellers that want to sell just by picking up the classifieds.

This may come as a shock to some of you but you really aren't looking for houses you're looking for problems. Homeowners who are getting a divorce, a job transfer, military transfer, burnt out landlords that just want to get out of the business simply because they don't know how to manage the property or the tenants. Get the idea?

Preforeclosures are another great way to make money as a real estate investor. In fact your highest paydays and most motivated sellers will be those who are in the preforeclosure state. Sellers in preforeclosure are behind on their payments, but the bank has not yet taken back the property. Come on now, can you think of anyone more motivated to sell.

Remember that you are doing a great service to these seller by somewhat saving their credit by not having a foreclosure on their credit report. Most people don't realize the severity of a foreclosure or how long it stays on your credit report.

Their problems are just beginning at this point. Picture yourself as a landlord and an individual that has just been foreclosed come to rent or lease option a home. The foreclosure shows up and the first thing that pops into the landlords head is, if they won't pay for their own home the sure as heck aren't going to pay me.

Unfair, possibly but put yourself in the landlords shoes and then lets see how unfair it really is. So yes you really are helping the seller solve some of their problems and making a profit by doing so. After all most of us don't start a business and intentionally not make money.

Heck even non profit organizations make money and a ton of it; if they didn't how in the world would they possibly stay in business for very long.
So get off your high horse and wake up and smell the coffee, this is the real world we are talking about here.

Buying Junkers and fixing them up and then retailing them is great also if you are experienced at estimating cost or can do most of the work yourself so you don't get raked over the coals by some contractor that wants to make a killing on your first rehab.

Just slow down and look before you leap by doing some wholesale deals and lease options before you decide you want to play with the big dogs in the tall grass.

Make certain to get you team in place such as your title company, attorney, plumbers, painters electricians. In other words all your tradesmen before you take the plunge and start doing property rehabs.

Take it one step at a time and you'll be a professional real estate investor before you know it, without getting kicked in the teeth a half dozen times while you are learning.

Richard Reichmann
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/so-you-think-you-want-to-be-a-real-estate-investor-144511.html

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Phone Cards: Reading the Fine Print

July 23, 2009

Although traditional cell phone plans offer the most economical calling for most cell phone users based on their lower per minute cost, there are certainly other options. Prepaid phone cards are one of the alternatives. By eliminating any deposits, credit checks, commitments, and monthly fees, prepaid cards can be a good choice for international travelers, infrequent users, and those with poor or no credit history.

Anyone purchasing a phone card might also want to be aware of some of their quirkier characteristics as well. To understand charges and how things will be billed, buyers need to be sure to read the fine print on the card and its packaging. Within this text should be an explanation of a few of the little extras and surprises that can crop up unexpectedly if buyers don't study these details regarding a prospective prepaid phone card.

What does a minute cost?

Certainly the first question is the per minute cost of calling. Rates tend to be higher outside of traditional cell phone plans. This is the cost of avoiding commitments, deposits, monthly fees, and credit checks.

Is a minute really a minute?

Obviously, the per minute rate is a primary consideration just as with any cell phone plan. But knowing how a minute is billed is important also. Some cards will round billing out in 2 or 3 minute increments; thus, although a given call might only last 1 minute, that very call may consume 3 minutes of calling time. Without being aware of the strange math behind the billing of a particular phone card, a user would be unable to solve the mystery of evaporating talk time.

Connection fees, maintenance fees, and taxes oh my!

Reading further, users may discover that not only is there the per minute rate to consider but also a handy connection fee which is charged every time they hook up with someone. The amount varies from card to card, but can be significant. Other cards tack on a maintenance fee; these are often added on monthly throughout the active life of the card.

The description on the card may also explain any applicable tax or additional fees that may come up.

Your time is up!

One final thing to be aware of is the time limit on using the minutes on a card. Many cards have a set period of time in which minutes are to be used; after this point in time the minutes are forfeited. Being aware of these time limits can assure users don't find themselves without calling time when they least expect it.

Prepaid phone cards are certainly a convenience and an appropriate choice in a number of situations. However, cell phone users need to become acquainted with the details outlined on the card and packaging to assure they understand the true cost of using them.

Christine Peppler
http://www.articlesbase.com/cell-phones-articles/phone-cards-reading-the-fine-print-124481.html

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The 20 Vacation Worlds of Las Vegas

July 23, 2009

My wife enjoys the great outdoors, but she can only put up with the sand and dirt for a few days. After roughing it (in the RV:), she needs a nice hotel and a little luxury. So when she's had enough and, after many great desert adventures, we have used Las Vegas as a resting and cleanup spot. Within an hours travel from Las Vegas there are many places to go fishing, boating, camping, flying, and western horseback riding. The desert is also a photographer's dream that changes shapes and colors with each area and the time of day. Sometimes after a little rest, we return to the desert for another adventure.

If you are from back east or another country, you should know that even though the desert is beautiful it is still a desert and you need to know where you are going by using a good map and have plenty of water and make sure your rental car has a spare and is full of gas. Get a good GPS device and practice with it. We have used ours to find things we saw on a map.

My wife always arranged for discount flights and hotel reservations ahead of time. One time we arrived from the river all dirty and starving so, we headed straight for the buffet line. They were nice to us and did not seem to notice how messy we were.

Only an hour or so away is the Valley of Fire State Park. It is fifty miles to the north and has been described as breathtaking. The best seasons for camping or hiking the sandy trails are spring and fall. They also have shaded picnic tables.

If your interested in off road adventures (if not do it anyway) get in touch with a company called off road adventure guide in Logandale Nevada. They have a website that provides an Off Road Adventure Guide and information on ATV rentals and tours on the Logandale Trail System near the Valley Of Fire. Also, there is the Vegas Dunes Recreation Area for a slightly different sort of ATV Riding in soft sand dunes. It takes special tires on the ATV and you will find this area is a lot of fun.

Red Rock Canyon is a beautiful Desert state park that is not to be missed. It is located only about half an hour away and is gorgeous with many kinds of hiking and walking trails. It has a nice visitor center surrounded with desert hills and beautiful canyons to hike and explore.

Most people know about Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, but are not aware of the many campgrounds and marinas in the area. It is called the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and the huge lake offers a wealth of things to do, and places to go. The Mojave, the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts come together in this area and this coming together is like where the day meets night or the desert meets the forest. This edge of things is what makes for great beauty and great photography.

There are all kinds of great tours for everyone. They have a variety of Helicopter, Plane and Bus tours to the Grand Canyon and to rafting adventures on the Colorado River. There is a tour by luxury van and even a tour of the Grand Canyon in a Hummer. There is the Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour and the Ranch adventure Helicopter Tour that lands at a working ranch in the canyon and they serve you a great lunch there.

Horseback riding in cowboy country can include lunch on the trail or a BBQ at the end. The tour people will even drive you there and pick the perfect horse for you, no experience necessary. There is nothing like a dinner over an open campfire. After writing this, I must go back because it is just too much fun. Be sure to look at the gift packs in your hotel room for discounts and travel guides.

If you have the time and do not mind the drive then all kinds of adventures open up to you. Within a three hour, drive is Zion National Park and they have everything there including hotels. If you are an artist or photographer then you must go.

If Zion is a little too far for now then try what southern Californians call "the river". What they mean is the Colorado River at Lake Mohave. Lake Mohave Resort at Katherine Landing Lake Mohave is located within the boundaries of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and offers year round recreation for Nevada, Arizona and southern California.

Boats and waverunners can be rented at Katherine's Landing. Public campgrounds are available at both locations providing tent and trailer camping, R.V.s with hookups and restaurants, lodging, docking facilities, boat and fishing tackle equipment, and fishing licenses.

So did I miss anything? You bet, I missed a lot, like the secret spot that only my wife know about where we buried the gold, but you get the idea. Oh, and some interesting places where they filmed some famous movies. There are many adventures for you and your family waiting near the Lights of Las Vegas.

P.S. Did you know the Indians are building a glass bridge over the Grand Canyon?

Walter Minton
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-20-vacation-worlds-of-las-vegas-50602.html

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My Son And His “race Car”

July 23, 2009

He was only 14 years old when he spotted a wrecked 94 Honda civic hatchback while he was out cutting yards. I don't think he liked the car so much as he did the idea that he could afford it. After days of pestering me I gave in and let him buy the car. As it turns out his "race car" has turned into one great father son project.

He cut many yards for many months before he saved enough to buy a new front clip. He called all of his buddies and they worked on the car for a few days. They got to a point where they needed help. That is when I took charge of the project. My son and I didn't surface out of the garage for about three days. Just him and I bending,pounding,cutting,drilling,welding and mostly getting everything straight to where we could mount the new body parts. The car looked good as new minus a paint job.

Just before his 16th birthday we were planning to paint the "race car". About 2 days before we were going to start with this project the engine went out. Instead of painting the car and since it was his birthday, I bought him a used vtec engine. This engine has about 35 more horse power than the original engine. The engine swap took us about 3 days to complete.To do this engine swap we also had to swap out the computer to a vtec p28 computer and run two extra wires through the wiring harness. We were able to find a used computer on Ebay and learn how to wire up the computer conversion at www.hondaswap.com.

The next project for my son's race car (I have to laugh) He wants to turbo charge it. I can't say that I am crazy about him going any faster. The truth is the "race car" has turned out to be one great Father son project. We spend good quality time together at the track,working on the car,surfing the net for parts and talking cars.

Jeff Moore
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/my-son-and-his-race-car-97627.html

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Totescoop6 ~ the Horse Racing National Lottery

July 23, 2009

Author: Max Redd: www.ReddRacing.co.uk

Perhaps like me you shared in the jubilation of Agnes Haddock as Taranis came to win the totescoop6 handicap hurdle at Sandown last Saturday. By selecting the winner, Agnes secured herself a £248,288 bonus to add to the £410,332 she won by completing the totescoop6 the previous week. This king’s ransom came out of a workmanlike £2 bet.

To win the totescoop6 prize fund a punter must pick the winners of six selected races on a Saturday.

Channel 4 had a camera fixed on Agnes as the race unfolded, and as Taranis jumped to the front at the last hurdle, viewers witnessed as her expression turned from one of hope and yearning to sheer exaltation at the line. Fantastic television!

My wife and I hugged each other and we were genuinely thrilled for the laundry woman from Cheshire. “It’s like she’s won the Lottery” said my wife. “No it’s not!” I contested, “It takes skill and judgment to pick the right horses – the Lottery only needs you to pick 6 numbers at random.”

The irony of Agnes’ win was not lost on me: this luckiest of lucky ladies had picked her horses purely on folly, or because the names appealed to her!

Her first selection Simon won at 7-1 in the 2.25 at Southwell. Agnes said: "I picked it because I used to work with a really nice lad called Simon."

Her second choice was Exotic Dancer which Agnes chose because she had backed it previously, and it trotted up at 6-1 in the 2.45 at Cheltenham.

She got inspiration for the third winner -- 6-1 Clouding Over in the 3.05 at Southwell -- because it started to rain when she went into a BetFred bookies to place her bet!

Her fourth choice, Mountain, was a non-runner so her money automatically went on the favourite, Katchit - which won in the 3.30 at Cheltenham at 2-1.

Agnes's fifth and sixth horses Haggle Twins and Whispered Secret both romped home at 8-1. And finally… she arrived upon Taranis to carry her hopes for the Bonus because it was the number thirteen horse, and her birthday is the thirteenth.

Despite this fairytale win, I maintain that although the Scoop6 is the horse racing equivalent to the National Lottery, there are several distinct differences. The totescoop6 offers far better value than the Lottery. Serious punters can win a huge return on a tiny stake.

Although there is the argument that all sorts of charities benefit from the Lottery, it is strictly for mug punters. Unfortunately for the charities and Camelot, these punters are in short supply nowadays as more and more people are not in it to win it any longer. By contrast, 100,000 players every week are investing in the Tote Scoop6, in the belief that they are in control of their destiny regarding the wager. To an extent, they are correct, and they certainly have far more control than is the case in the National Lottery.

Odds of more than 14 million to one govern the Lotto, whereas Tote Scoop6 punters can reduce their odds dramatically, by making their own decisions regarding the horses that they nominate to carry their cash.

Returning to the basics of probability, the realistic price of selecting the first ball that drops out of the Lotto machine is of course 48/1 whilst (taking form analysis out of the equation) the price of any horse to win a ten-runner event (as an example) is 9/1.

To summarize, and this is only my tongue-in-cheek opinion, the Lotto balls are for losers, and fair-play to Agnes Haddock for winning the totscoop6!

About the author: Max Redd has been making a living betting on horse racing for over 10 years. He runs the Redd Racing betting advisory service which offers members a FREE trial and a 60-day money-back profit guarantee. Find out more at http://www.reddracing.co.uk

Max Redd
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-gambling-articles/totescoop6-the-horse-racing-national-lottery-103641.html

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See America First Series: #5 – Nazareth and Newcastle

July 23, 2009

Always wanted to see the place where Jesus grew up - Nazareth, Israel? It has been called the most beautiful destination in the world. Getting there is a problem? ...a cash flow problem? Why not visit Nazareth, Pennsylvania, while you await the day that you can travel to the "Old City". The warmth and friendliness of its Pennsylvania counterpart will please you.

Nazareth - situated at the foot of the Blue Mountain in the Lehigh Valley - is included in the "National Register of Historic Places" and is a unique historical district. Visitors can enjoy its community parks and the nearby State park, as well as regional hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, and international auto races at the Nazareth Speedway. The area contains some of the most picturesque countryside in Pennsylvania.

Volunteers play major roles in keeping Nazareth a most attractive and interesting place in which to live, work, visit or shop. Civic, service and business organizations join them in providing their time and resources to make visitors as well as residents feel "at home". Social, recreational and cultural events are held throughout the year, such as Nazareth Day, craft fairs, parades and block parties. With its "open arms" to visitors, Nazareth is known for its "colonial hospitality".

Perhaps you have been dreaming of seeing the Newcastle, England (officially Newcastle on Tyne) Gateshead Millenium Bridge for pedestrians and cycles... a bridge with seven majestic arches... that crosses the Tyne River between the two parts of the city. Or the fortified castle built by a son of William the Conqueror, parts of which are still standing. Your ledger says the trip will have to wait? Why not visit Newcastle, Washington in the meantime. You'll be glad you did.

Family-oriented people who want to escape from urban sprawl find comfort and "community" in this small town.

Newcastle was most likely named for "Newcastle on Tyne" since both have a heritage of rail, coal, and timber. The Washington counterpart has been dubbed "the poster child for development in the Pacific Northwest", and there is much on display to recreate this fascinating bit of history that was important to the entire country.

Visitors need not look for "stunning views" in Newcastle. The entire area is picturesque. The city celebrates "Newcastle Days" at a community festival each September.

Newcastle has 45 acres of parks and trails, including Lake Boren Park which includes tennis courts, playgrounds, picnic shelters, etc. It is a favorite of visitors and hosts various community events. Other trails include Cougar Mountain Regional Wasteland Park in the county, which boasts 3,100 acres of trails, a 4.3 mile hike, and a habitat for Northwest wildlife such as deer, porcupines, bobcats and cougars. A park for horse lovers is Bridle Trails State Park with a 4.8 mile trail.

An active, passionate, well-informed group of citizens is committed to making your Newcastle experience a pleasant one.

Glenn Kipps
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/see-america-first-series-5-nazareth-and-newcastle-106436.html

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