Mandatory Boating Equipment

by: Kathryn Ali

The summer has finally arrived. This year, you are excited because you are going to buy your first motorized boat. But before you take off across the river or lake, whether it is for joyriding or fishing, there is a mandatory boating equipment list in the United States. If living in a different country, please check online for changes/additions to the following requirements.

The waterways are supervised by police and they will stop you to do a boat check. Best to be prepared!

Required Documents: Have your boat ownership registration papers and photo identification with you at all times, whenever you go out in a boat.

Life Jackets (Personal Floatation Devices): A life jacket is a jacket or belt that helps a person to float in the water and prevents a person from drowning.

Every person on a boat must wear a life jacket. They have to fit right and be the correct size. Children have got to wear a life jacket at all times. Never put an adult life jacket on a child.

If the boat is 16 feet and longer, then it requires having a minimum of one life-ring or floating cushion. If there is an emergency and someone is at risk of drowning, then the life ring is used.

Fire Extinguisher: All boats that have an engine and/or fuel tank in an enclosed compartment must have a fire extinguisher that does not have an expired date on it. If it has an expired date on it then it might not function properly in an emergency.

Emergency Signals and Noise Making Devices: All boats require functioning distress signals whether it is red flares, distress flags, or orange smoke. A good Horn or whistle is also needed. You can use a hand-held whistle for small boats but the larger boats need a horn that can be heard a good distance away.

Boat Lights: It is very important that the lights on your boat be put on properly according to size and class of your boat. These lights are a signal to other boat operators as to whether your boat is anchored, sailing or motorized.

Green Light- shows directly in front to 112.5 degrees down the right side (known as starboard) of the boat.

Red Light- shows directly in front to 112.5 degrees down the left side (known as port side) of the boat.

White Masthead Light- shows in the whole 225 degrees that is covered by the total area of both of the Green and the Red lights together.

White Stern Light- shows at the back of the boat to 67.5 degrees on both sides of the stern. This gives a total area of 135 degrees..

To avoid really nasty fines from the authorities, ensure that you always do a check of all the required equipment. Before taking off in your boat, make sure that everything is doing what it is suppose to do.

By: Kathryn Ali

Cornhole the Game A Midwest Phenomenon

by: Kenneth R. Geers

Cornhole what kind of name is that. The name will definitely get your attention and require some kind of explanation. It is a family game originating in the Midwest, and made popular in the Colleges and Universities. Cornhole is a Midwest Phenomenon that is expanding its borders.

It is a simple game a lot like horseshoes but without the danger of getting smacked with a heavy piece of metal. In Cornhole you throw one pound bags of corn, or beans at a target hole - much safer. Requirements: a 2 ft x 4 ft. raised board with a 6 in. hole cutout. Place the boards 30 ft apart and have at it. Players score 3 points when a bag goes thru the hole and 1 point when the bag lands on the board. The opponent can negate a player's score by doing the same thing or knocking a bag off the board. The game plays to 21. The game is addicting so watch out.

Cornhole Tournaments are popping up in Chicago, Cincinnati, San Diego, Dallas, New York, pretty much all over the Country. Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Carson Palmer has his own Charity Cornhole Tournament. The game has evolved so much that now there are even Professional Cornhole Tournaments where the winner takes home a good chunk of money.

A Corn Hole Set is easy to make and most cornhole sets are homemade. However with the popularity of the game now many cornhole sets are manufactured. American Cornhole, one of those manufacturers, makes a "furniture quality" cornhole set called the American Cornhole Tournament Series Set that is not only fun to play but a great looking hardwood board. These boards are found on all the Carnival Cruise Lines. Nothing like Cornhole on the High Seas.

Several Cornhole Organizations have formed to promote the Sport of Cornhole. These Organizations offer rules, league management, and education to help promote the game. American Cornhole Organization, one of those organizations, is developing Software that will offer a Cornhole Handicap so that any level of player can play another competitively - isn't that interesting.

So if one of your friends wants to play cornhole, don't panic. Join in the fun.

Cornhole is a game everyone can play.

Advice On Finding Hunting Binoculars

by: Peter Curtis

If you are a hunter, you have to have binoculars. Though your eyes may be good and your aim may be wonderful, there are still times when these come in very handy. You may be able to see what is nearby, but wouldn’t it be great to see what might be coming your way long before it comes into the range of normal eye site? My father is a hunter, and he won’t go out into the woods without his hunting binoculars. Last year I bought him a new pair for Christmas because he had had the same pair forever, and he said he really appreciated the new and improved brand that we bought for him.

You can buy hunting binoculars in all types of strength. Some magnify only 20 times, and some go much higher. It depends on where you hunt and what type of game you usually are looking for while out. If you hunt in an area that has a lot of hills and deep forest, you might not need something that is very strong, however, that is up to you. If you hunt in wide open spaces, you definitely want something that is super strong so you can see as far as you need to see.

They also make hunting binoculars that have a feature to keep them steady. If you have ever tried to look at something that is a long ways away by looking through hunting binoculars, you know that things can be quite shaky no matter how steady you try to hold them. There are some that come with protection from this type of shaking. They aren’t perfect, but they can help you stay steady when you are searching far off into the distance.

You can find hunting binoculars in outdoor and sports stores, and you can also find them online. Though you can’t try them out online, you may find better prices that way. You could even go to a store and see what you like, and then see if you can find a better price online. A good set of hunting binoculars is going to be expensive, so taking some time to find the best brand for the best price is always a great idea. Just be sure to find a company that has a return policy if you order online just incase they arrive broken or you don’t get the model you ordered.

NASCAR Collectibles for All the Racing Aficionados

by: Julia Crandall

No NASCAR aficionado worth his or her salt would be a certified fan without a few items of NASCAR collectibles. Just like with any other sports, it has been the tradition of true blue fans to purchase souvenir items and collectibles for them to take home as a reminder of their love for the game. For racing fans, there is a wide array of NASCAR collectibles to choose from. If you are a die hard fan of a particular driver, you may want to have die-cast cars which are mini-replicas of the actual car that they drive. Aside from die-cast cars, you can also purchase NASCAR t-shirts, caps, race tickets, travel mugs, key chains, watches, magnets – the list goes on and on!

For example, if you are a Jimmie Johnson fan, you can get a die-cast car as a NASCAR collectible. This die-cast car could be a miniature model of the Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS car that Jimmie Johnson is driving, with the signature blue color and the number 48 printed on both sides. Die-cast cars are the top items among the list of NASCAR collectibles that fans like to buy. Even if they do not get the chance to actually buy, ride or drive the ultra-expensive racing cars, at least they can take home a part of it through the NASCAR collectible items in the form of the die-cast cars modeled after the race cars driven by their NASCAR idols.

Depending on the brand, make and rarity of the NASCAR die-cast cars that you will buy, there will be a variation of the price. There are hard-to-find cars which may be costly for others, but for the serious collectors, the investment and satisfaction that they get in owning such NASCAR collectible items could be invaluable. However, there is something for everybody. Aside from die-cast cars, you can also buy apparel that you can wear the next time that you go to a NASCAR event. For the budget conscious, there are other NASCAR collectible items that you can choose from whose price will range from about a couple of dollars onwards. If you want to have a wide array of choices, you can visit Ebay.com, Amazon.com or go to the official site of NASCAR (www.nascar.com) to get a glimpse of the NASCAR collectibles that you can add to your collection. You can also go to the official web site of your favorite race drivers. Following tradition and getting souvenir items for one of the most popular sports events in the world has never been more fun than by purchasing all of the NASCAR collectible items that you can buy to your heart’s content.

Unleashing the Power in Your Hands

by: Jack Moorehouse

Many swing errors are traceable to your setup. The setup places the component parts of your body in a balanced state with the club before setting it in motion. That's why adopting the correct setup is vital. It's one of the keys to playing good golf. That's why I devote a couple of golf lessons to the setup whenever I work with new students.

One of the key topics in these golf lessons is the correct placement of your hands. Placing your hands correctly on the club is essential to generating power and achieving accuracy. If your hands are incorrectly placed, you'll not only produce a slice or a hook, you'll also short-circuit power and inhibit accuracy. Check your grip periodically to make sure your hands are placed correctly on the club.

Learn To Free Up the Hinge

Placing the left hand (right for right-handers) on the club is critical to a good set-up, as I've mentioned in my golf tips. As the first point of contact between the player and the club, the left hand represents the essential coupling required to hinge the wrists and swing the club freely. However, it's not always easy to tell if you're gripping the cub with your left hand properly. What you think might be the correct left-hand grip may actual conceal several flaws upon closer examination.

Here's how you can tell if you're holding the club correctly in your left hand. If the shaft runs across the palm of your left hand, your ability to hinge your wrists properly will be inhibited-a fault that can cost you distance and accuracy. An easy way to tell if your left hand is incorrectly placed is to examine your golf glove. If you wear a hole quickly through the fleshy pad at the heel of your hand, chances are you're holding the club with the palm of your hand.

Instead of the shaft being in the palm of your hand, it should run diagonally from the base of your little finger through the middle of your index finger. Although primarily a palm grip, you should sense that the club is more in the fingers than the palm. This grip improves the flexibility of your left wrist and encourages the free-hinging motion necessary to create the maximum clubhead speed through impact. Clubhead speed is the key to more distance.

When examining your grip, make sure that the clubface's leading edge and the back of your left forearm are parallel. Also, try to position your thumb so that it points straight down the shaft, slightly right of centre. And keep it "short" on the shaft. A shorter thumb is much more effective than a fully extended thumb, as I've explained sometime ago in my golf tips.

Adding the Right Hand

Having taken the left hand grip, hold the club out in front of you and look down the shaft. You should be able to see two or three knuckles on the back of your left hand. If you can't see them, there's a problem. You should also be aware of an increased sense of feel for the clubhead.

The right and left hands should play equal parts in a good swing. They should work in unison when hitting the ball. The problem is that people who are naturally right handed (or left handed) tend to grip the club too much in the palm of their right hand (left hand) as if the were holding a hammer. In other words, the right hand dominates the left hand. This grip creates a series of problems, which collectively help render the swing powerless.

Maintaining a Neutral Position

To create an effective working union with the left hand, your right hand must be applied to the club in what some people describe as the neutral position. For improved feel, the club should be held primarily in the ringers of the right hand. The shaft should run diagonally from the base of your little finger through the joints of the second and third fingers and on the middle of your index finger. When you close your right hand the left thumb should be totally covered, fitting snugly beneath the fleshy part of the base of your thumb.

When you have a completed grip, check to see that your hands are parallel on the club. Also, there should be a slight gap between the index finger and second finger on your right hand. The index finger should be hooked around the grip in what's known as the "trigger" position, its tip lightly touching the end of your right thumb. The index finger and the thumb are responsible for much of the "feel" in your right hand, which you can appreciate by waggling the club head.

The hands play a critical part in unleashing the power of your swing, regardless of the type of grip you use. Placing them correctly on the club generates distance and increases accuracy. Proper placement of your hand is also one of the keys to a correct setup. And a correct setup will help eliminate many of the swing flaws weekend golfers exhibit. If you're really serious about lowering your golf handicap, make sure your holding the club properly.

The Inventors of Modern Soccer - English Soccer History

by: Niv Orlian

English Soccer History – Early Days

It's hard to determine exactly how soccer became so popular in England in the 19th century, but the truth is that in the mid 19th century, almost every major town had a semi-professional soccer team. These teams were usually associations of workers from the same factory or institution or simply students at a local University.

Matches between those teams were played occasionally, with little to no prize, but only for competition's sake. However, these matches were played without any rules or a referee and as soccer isn't necessarily a sport that's completely clean of violence, all it took was a harsh tackle or an argument about a particular rule to start a bloody fight between the two teams and their supporters.

But the year 1863 marked an extremely important chapter in English soccer history, as several soccer clubs from all over the country (prominently from London) met up in the English capital and set up a sort of "soccer constitution" called the Laws of the Game (a modified version of the original rules are still in effect today and are still called as such).

That was also the birth certificate of the Football Association, or simply FA that is still ruling over English soccer nowadays and had a tremendous importance throughout the history of soccer in England and the way it evolved.

English Soccer History – Important Milestones

With England being rightfully considered the inventors of modern soccer, one would expect them to be amongst the most successful national squads in the World. However, despite having some world class soccer players throughout time and despite always being favorites for the competitions they start in, the English national squad only achieved few important milestones throughout the entire soccer history in England.

The apogee of English soccer and the most important chapter ever to be written in the entire history of soccer in England was definitely the successful World Cup run in 1966, a competition that was held on English ground, giving them the advantage to grasp their long-awaited trophy.

The 1966 team, captained by legendary Bobby Moore and with other key components such as Jackie Charlton or Geoff Hurst playing regularly, remains the best national squad in the entire English soccer history, especially since their success has not been equaled ever since.

English Soccer History – Modern Era

England is still a top team in Europe and throughout the World and has some players that are considered having world class quality, but the national team still has moderate success, despite being star-studded.

Recently, the form of English clubs overshadowed the poor performance of the national team, as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool or Arsenal continue to be heavy contenders for each year's European Champion's League, the most prestigious club competition in the World.

Despite being happy with the respect English clubs impose in Europe, fans are still yearning for that long awaited European or World Cup which could mark a new important chapter in the English soccer history.

Five Most Common Putting Mistakes

by: Jack Moorehouse

No one's shocked anymore when Tiger Woods drills a 20-foot putt to win a championship. He's one of the best clutch putters in the game. But did you know that when he practices putting Tiger spends more time working on short putts than long putts. That's right. One media sources estimates he spends about 65 percent of the time he spends practicing putting working on short putts.

Most putts are from 5 to 15 feet. These short putts probably make up about 25-30 percent of your total score. You don't need a golf lesson to figure out that if you sink more of these short putts, you'd lower your golf handicap by at least a couple of strokes. Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to commit too many mistakes when facing short putts. Here are some common mistakes golfers make when putting and some drills on how to eliminate them.

Confidence is the Key

Many golfers flinch when they putt. Or, they rush the putt so much their stroke becomes choppy and uneven. You can become a great putter if your putting stroke is smooth and free flowing. Creating good rhythm in your putting stroke is the best way of eliminating flinching and rushing. No matter what style of putting you use, if you flinch or rush you'll probably miss lot of putts. Unfortunately, most golfers concentrate more on sinking putts than working on developing a smooth stroke.

Next time you're on the practice green, make some smooth pendulum strokes with your eyes closed. As you make your stroke, count out a simple cadence "one-two." "one-two." Once you feel a good flow, have a friend place a ball at his discretion in the path of your putter head. No knowing when the ball is coming helps eliminate the flinching or rushing that can cause you to miss those short putts.

No Putting Ritual

Another common mistake in putting is a lack of putting ritual. If watch Tiger Woods, Fred Funk, or Sergio Garcia putt, you'll notice that they all have a putting ritual. Their rituals are all different. One player walks all around the putt before stepping up to hit it. Another takes his practice strokes behind the ball. But the one thing that's not different is that they use the same ritual every time they make a putt, regardless of the length or difficulty. Develop your own putting ritual. Base it on sound putting techniques and what makes you feel comfortable. And use it every time you have a putt. You'll find that a ritual not only relaxes you and helps build confidence in your putting.

Worry about Outcomes

Weekend players worry too much about the outcome of a short putt. What if I miss the putt? This places a lot of pressure on the golfer. Since the pressure of outcomes is tied directly to the hole, try eliminating it when you practice to relieve the pressure. Next time you're on the practice green, work on drills that improve your putting accuracy without using the hole. For example, place a scorecard over the hole and try to roll the ball over the card, so that the ball ends about two feet past the hole. These drills will improve your accuracy without the added pressure of sinking the putt.

Choking the Putter

A common mistake I see in my golf instruction sessions on putting is players gripping their putters too tightly. Some players grip their putters so tight, their hands almost turn white. A soft and constant grip pressure is vital to maintaining a smooth, free-flowing stroke and creating better "feel" when putting. For players who think they may be choking the putter, try holding an uncooked egg between your right index finger (or left index finger, if your left-handed) and the shaft of your putter. Now drop a few balls and stroke some putts. If your grip is too tight, you'll soon know.

Too Handsy

Another common mistake I see in golf instruction sessions on putting is players using too much of their hands in their putting stroke. Being too handsy eliminates the true feel of a smooth, free-swinging pendulum and cause jerky inconsistent putts. One remedy is to use a belly putter. Simply anchor the putter to a comfortable point on your midsection and swing away. Add a "one-two" count to the stroke to improve rhythm. This approach reduces the amount of movement in the smaller muscles in your hand and keeps the blade on plane.

Eliminating these common mistakes from your putting will not only build rhythm in your putting stroke, they'll also help increase your confidence in your putting. That's big. Ask any professional golfer what the key to great putting is and he or she will probably tell you it's confidence. Great putters are shocked when they miss a short putt. That's how confident they are. To improve your golf handicap, you need to work on things that build confidence and increase accuracy your short putting.

What Are The Most Important Supplies For A Successful Hunt?

by: Graham Taylor

TODAY’S TIP IS:

What are the most important supplies for a successful hunt?

The tactics for every hunt are different, and the preparations required vary wildly from region to region. However, there are a few key supplies that every successful hunter needs. Visit http://www.hunting-pro.com for an excellent guide to all the things you’d need for some of the most popular hunts in the USA, Canada and beyond.

Weapon

Whether you choose to hunt with a bow or a firearm, it’s important to select your weapon carefully. You’ll want to choose the right size of gun or bow for the game you’re seeking. At the same time, it’s imperative that you choose a weapon you are both comfortable and confident using. Without this first key ingredient, you won’t have a chance of succeeding in your hunt.

Optics

There’s little point packing up your favorite rifle for the hunt if you haven’t got a great scope to go with it. People’s preferences vary, and what’s ultimately most important is taking along a scope or binoculars that work well for you, and that you’re used to working with. Be sure to bring along any prescription glasses you typically require, as well as some sunglasses.

Ammo

Like your choice of weapon, deciding which ammunition best suits the job at hand is partially a matter of personal preference and partially common sense. You want to be sure you’re not going after big game with an inadequate load. By the same token, you don’t want to obliterate your target with too much punch.

Camping

Depending on the size of your party, you’ll need to bring along the basic essentials for any camping trip. A tent, sleeping bag, mess kit, cook stove, fuel, matches, food, drink and wash kit are essentials. Also, be sure to bring a smaller survival kit you carry with you at all times in case you’re separated from your party – stock it with a minimal first aid kit, a few rations and a bit of drink.

Hunting

We all hope a good hunt ends with a kill – so you’ll want to be prepared for this. Bring along a couple sharp hatchets, a folding saw, a good hunting knife and a sharpening stone, as well as some lightweight rope and suitable meat bags. For smaller game, you only really need a big hunting knife and the meat bags.

A little advice

At http://www.hunting-pro.com You’ll find the eBook, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Hunting but Never Dared to Ask,” to get a head start on this year’s hunting season with tips and advice from experienced hunters.

Miami Dolphins…The New Bengals? Not Yet

by: Jennifer Jordan

With the arrest of Miami wide receiver Chris Chambers this past weekend, some might start to wonder if the Dolphins have evolved into Bengals over the off season. Chambers, a 2005 pro bowler and star of, ahem, my fantasy team, was picked up in North Carolina for driving while impaired, reckless driving, and speeding on July 14th. With the arrest, Chambers is now the third Dolphin to be taken into custody this year. If eight more Dolphins find themselves behind bars, they will pass the Cincinnati Bengals and lead the league in most (jail) yards gained.

Besides Chambers, Fred Evans, a defensive tackle with Miami, was arrested on June 23 for trespassing, resisting arrest with violence, disorderly conduct, and battery on a police officer. Joey Porter, the Steeler turned Dolphin, was arrested for a March conflict where he was accused of punching Levi Jones, an offensive lineman for the - go figure - Cincinnati Bengal. Porter was eventually charged with a misdemeanor.

So, there you have it…are the Dolphins taking a page from the Bengals and - in lieu of evading sacks and tackles - focusing their time on evading the law? Well, not exactly.

To being with, this is a first offense for Chambers: before Saturday, his professional record was completely clean. He also - according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel - passed a breathalyzer test while at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police station. While he certainly shouldn't have been doing any kind of drinking and driving, he can chalk his arrest up to a mistake…and NEVER do it again.

Fred Evans offense, a violent crime, wasn't as benign, and this wasn't overlooked by the Dolphin's coaching staff. In the aftermath of his arrest, Evans found himself unemployed: Miami let him go. Cam Cameron, the head coach, released a statement saying, "We will not condone this type of behavior. I assure everyone it will be dealt with seriously." And seriously dealt with it was. Good for Cam for standing by his word, and his morals.

Joey Porter's arrest for hitting Levi Jones makes me think that neither party was innocent. When you have football players, packed with testosterone, and add the element of alcohol, these things will happen. Still, Porter is a bit of wild card and someone Cameron should keep an eye on. Porter has not only spat out accusations of cheating, (jokingly?) said he was going to give George Bush a piece of his mind, uttered homosexual slurs, and been voted one of the NFL's dirtiest players, but he also owned two dogs who killed his neighbors miniature horse. How, exactly, does that kind of thing happen?

Nonetheless, for now you can chalk Porter up to a talented player with a lot of passion (if not too much) who likes to run his mouth, and sometimes puts his foot in it. He's hardly the first NFL player to get in a fist fight and he won't be the last. Porter and Chamber don't quite deserve to be labeled Bengals just yet. As for Evans, well maybe Cincinnati has an opening.

Six Sub $600 Deer Hunting Rifles

by: Edgar E. Kneel

With deer hunting right around the corner you may be in the market for a rifle. If you are just getting into deer hunting or replacing old faithful, there is no reason you have to spend more than $600 to get a great rifle. The Savage 16FXP3 is a perfect example of a great deer hunting rifle for about $550. It comes with bore-sighted scope, AccuTrigger, and sling. Just add case and ammo. Granted you will probably want to upgrade the scope in the future especially if you have that nice tree stand on the edge of a large corn field.

For many hunters like me price and performance dictates what I purchase. I'm purchasing for function not good looks. I want something that will last, maintain accuracy, and hold up in any weather year after year, not something to hang above the mantle. Bolt action is the choice of many experienced hunters. Many times one shot is all you get, make it count. Semi-Auto rifles can be alluring but seldom practical.

Many people are unaware that you can purchase firearms online. This process is legal and regulated just like purchasing from your local dealer down the road, except it's a lot less expensive. Online dealers can save you hundreds of dollars when purchasing firearms. You still need to use your local firearm dealer to transfer the firearm and fill out the required paperwork. Typically a dealer will charge $25 - $50 to process the transfer.

In addition to the Savage, below is a quick review of five more rifles that can be purchased online for less than $600.

Tikka T3 Lite:

Built by Sako and imported by Beretta. This Finnish rifle is accurate and exceptionally smooth. The Adjustable trigger is one of the best on the market.

Remington 770:

This sub $400 rifle comes mounted with a scope. This is one of the better deals for the budget or beginner hunter.

Howa 1500:

This is very similar to the Weatherby Vanguard. It’s Affordable, accurate and reliable. What more could you ask for?

Marlin 336:

It’s chambered in the old time favorite, the 30-30. The 30-30 has taken more deer then any other hunting caliber, and is still widely used through out the US. The short barrel and quick handling make this an excellent choice in areas where the maximum shot is under 150yds.

New England Firearms Handi Rifle:

This simple and effective single shot is the perfect choice for young hunters. It’s the most affordable on the list coming in around $250.