With some much attention being given to Northern Californian, there are new American Express Travel deals that are now available for travelers interested in seeing the many wonders of Northern California. Northern California is quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations for travelers interested in seeing more of the United States. Northern California is perfect for any type of travel enthusiast and has something to offer travelers of all ages. But Northern California is especially popular with travelers who are interested in the colorful and diverse history of the state.
Hearst’s Castle
According to American Express Travel, the most popular tourist attraction in Northern California is located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Hearst’s Castle is a resplendent estate left to the state of California as a California state park. Publisher William Randolph Hearst's 165-room estate was designed by noted Bay Area architect Julia Morgan. The Castle was built between 1919 and 1947 and was a popular destination for some of the most famous stars of classic Hollywood.
“It was so moving, so breathtaking, so amazing. I almost couldn’t believe that what I was seeing was for real. I was nearly moved to tears by the sheer majesty,” says Georgia Johnson, Director of Sales and Marketing for AMT Wedding Division. The Castle can only be viewed by taking one of four distinct guided tours offered daily. Evening tours are offered during the spring, fall and select holidays. The Castle is created out of ancient art and architecture that was imported from all over the world. Hearst’s Castle is one mansion of history you don’t want to miss.
San Francisco
Just north of Los Angles and Hollywood is San Francisco. The Bay area has a colorful past, and offers its tourist a wide variety of sights and entertainment. The most famous sight is the Golden Gate Bridge. Drive on it to read Golden Gate Park, where the best photographers go to find the best shots of the Gate.
In San Francisco itself, explore Fisherman’s Warf. Pier 39 offers breathtaking views of San Francisco, the Bay, and Golden Gate Bridges, along with more than 110 unique shops and 13 restaurants. Pier 39 is home to the Riptide Arcade, the Aquarium of the Bay, and the famous sea lions that populate the beaches. Take a cruise to the infamous Alcatraz Prison, where Al Capon himself once stayed. Take tours of China Town, Nob Hill and Haight-Ashbury. And don’t miss the high-class cuisine, the moving nightclubs and city ghost tours for evening entertainment. With so much to see and do, you’ll never be bored.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capitol of California, and offers a number of entertaining attractions. A Sacramento trip is not complete without taking a tour of the capital building. This 19th-century granite building is modeled after the U.S. Capitol. The capital is also home to the California Legislature and houses a public museum.
Make a stop to nearby old town Sacramento. This historic area consists of restored buildings, museums about the gold rush of 1849 and novelty shops, including hand made candy, brings life to the Sacramento waterfront. There are even play actors who will engross you in the rich history of the state. This is a must see for all history enthusiasts. Just thirty minutes away is a recreation of Sutter’s mill, the first place gold was discovered in California. You too can mine for gold, and there are several serious gold prospectors who populate this area still.
With so much to see and experience, the history of Northern California is rich and unique. American Express Travel tells us it’s worth your time to get away and experience this part of California.
CLASS A
Races on the flat are classified in terms of prize money from the Class A down to Class G. This classification is often used in framing conditions races
CLASSICS
Classic, when applied to a horse race is that term consecrated by long usage.
Classic races are races of longstanding, which habitually attract the best horses and are regarded as the criteria of excellence. More specifically the classics are open only to three year olds and are five in number in England.
The classics are:
New market, spring, 2000 guineas colts and fillies, first run in 1809
New market, spring, 1000 guineas, fillies only, first run 1814
Epsom 1.5 miles, summer, derby colts and fillies, 1780
Epsom 1.5 miles, summer, oaks, Fillies only, first run 1779
Doncaster 1 ¾ miles, autumn, st ledger, Colts and Fillies, first run 1776
As far as Fillies are concerned it is rare these days for them to contest either the 2000 guineas or the oaks with trainers preferring to run them in the equivalent classics open to Fillies only: the 1000 guineas and oaks.
It is important to realize that, originally there was no set intent to establish a pattern of classic races. It simply evolved, and had become recognized as a pattern probably by about the middle of the nineteenth century.
Classic winners have a profoundly influenced the development of the thoroughbred as well as achieving great prestige because in general they have proved themselves the best of the age and breed.
As a medium for betting, the classics generally provide excellent opportunities.
Well advertised form mostly works out, except in a poor overall year; well backed horses tend to win, and, in strong ante-post markets there are opportunities for long prices.
CLEVERLY
A horse which wins more easily than the winning distance suggests is said to have won cleverly. He or she may equally be said to have won with something in hand.
It happens often on the flat where a jockey has let the horse do only enough in order to win.
The full amount of the distance by which he or she might have won is therefore unknown to the public and more importantly to the handicapper who can only guess at the horse’s true capability.
Such horses are worth noting for the future on this sort of evidence, which will be given in the form book and amplified in the comments of raceform and chaseform, in the analysis following results in the racing post, and in superform and timeform, other phrases in the same connection are when a winner is noted as not extended and won with his head in his chest.
COLT
Male thoroughbred from the age of two, up to and including the age of four
CONDITIONS RACES
All races other than handicaps.
The conditions of a race to determine the weight each runner will be set to carry: they may be based on age, sex, value and status of previous races won, and other factors, with weight allowance being made, for example, for not having won a race at all.
The most important category consists of weight for age races. The weights an older horse has to concede to a younger one varies throughout the flat season and national hunt season, becoming less and less as the season progresses.
The precise weights are determined by application of the weight for age scale. But there are many other kinds of conditions race.
CONDITIONAL JOCKEY
A conditional jockey is an inexperienced national hunt rider who must be under the age of 26 and may claim allowances as follows: 7lbs. until he or she has won fifteen races; then 5lbs. up to a total of 30 races; thereafter 3lbs. up to 65 races won.
COURSES
One of the outstanding features of racing in Great Britain is the huge variety of the 59 racecourses, providing differing tests of ability for horses both on the flat and over jumps, as well as pleasure in this very variety for racing enthusiasts.
On the turf, fifteen courses stage both flat racing and jumping; seventeen are devoted to the flat only, while no fewer than 24 cater for jumping only.
In addition Lingfield and Southwell stage racing on turf and artificial surfaces and Wolverhampton on artificial only. The racing post gives a description of relevant courses with plans and statistics.
Most of the jumps only courses are anything but principle race courses, but that does not make them any the less important in the broader pattern of variety. Many of them are small, friendly country courses, as different in atmosphere from the national hunt Mecca at Cheltenham as Royal Ascot is from, say, the little course staging flat racing only on the downs above bath.
They range from Perth and Kelso in Scotland to Bangor on Dee in Wales, from Sedgfield in county Durham to Plumpton in Sussex, from Market Rasen in Lincolnshire to Newton Abbott, Devon and Exeter and others in the West Country.
Some courses are right handed, some left handed and although many are approximately oval, there is a huge variety of differing shapes: Ascot triangular; Windsor and Fontwell, figures of eight, Chester, circular; Brighton is it like a big U with a kink in the lower part; Epsom fittingly is like a great horseshoe with one straight side; Goodwood is like a bent hairpin and Salisbury is like a straightened one; Carlisle is pear shaped and Hereford is almost square.
The majority of meetings in the UK last for only 1, 2 or three days. The longest continuous racing in Britain, in fact, takes place at Ascot in June and Goodwood at the main July / August meeting, both meetings last for five days.
Bookmakers have been laying bets on horses to lose ever since horse racing began. As punters having a bet on a horse, we are actually involved with laying horses every time we have a bet. We are simply on the other end of the transaction. To back a horse, there will always be somebody who must to lay the bet. Yet so many people think they are unfamiliar with laying horses, so they shy away from it entirely.
This article will not show you how to make a profit by laying horses. It will not even explain exactly how you lay a bet on a horse to lose. My intention when writing this article is merely to demonstrate that laying bets on a betting exchange is not some kind of ‘black art’ and there is nothing ‘smoke and mirrors’ about it.
Traditionally it has always been the bookmaker who has taken on the role of laying bets. This allocation of responsibilities is something we are all used to, and comfortable with. But let’s examine the mechanics of placing a bet:
In this example, let’s assume we are going to back a horse called General Account at a price of 3/1 and for a stake of £10
We approach a bookmaker and this is what we are offering: we are prepared to risk our stake of £10 on the chance of this horse General Account winning the race. The price we are happy to accept is 3/1 If the horse loses, we will give the bookmaker our stake money. However, if the horse wins we shall take our stake back, and furthermore, we demand that the bookmaker gives us three times our stake money as profit.
In placing this bet, we are of the opinion that this horse will win – it stands to reason, if we didn’t think it would win, we would not risk our stake money.
I make no apologies if this explanation of placing a bet is perfectly obvious to everybody. Like I said earlier, we are all totally familiar with this typical transaction.
Now remember, in order for a bet to be struck, the bookmaker must also agree to the terms on the table. To lay the bet at the price of 3/1, the bookmaker is happy to risk three times our stake. To take our bet, the bookmaker is of the opinion that General Account will NOT win the race. If he thought the horse was going to win, he would not accept our bet, or at least he certainly would not wish to risk so much money, and would not agree to a bet at 3/1
Hopefully you can see that the only difference between a punter and a bookmaker is their opinion of who will win the race – we think General Account will win, and the bookmaker disagrees, and we are BOTH prepared to put our money where our mouth is.
In effect, where a punter is betting that a horse will win, a bookmaker is simply betting that the horse will NOT win. It is no more complicated than that. Nothing devious, and nothing untoward.
Since 1999 and the introduction of Betfair as the first mainstream betting exchange, we all have the opportunity to play the role of bookmaker. Betting exchanges are simply a forum where you can find another punter who has the opposite opinion to you, and match his/her bet.
If you turn out to have the better judgement, then you will win. If your ‘opposite number’ on the betting exchange turns out to be right, then you will lose, and you will have to pay the man/woman their dues. It is no more complex than that.
At the end of the day, laying horses to lose may still not suit your betting temperament. But hopefully this article will have given you the confidence to find out more. Despite what you may read, making money by laying horses is no easier than trying to profit by backing horses. In fact there is absolutely no difference in terms of risk.
As a punter, if you are happy to put some money behind your opinion that a horse will win, there is absolutely no reason you shouldn’t also give yourself the opportunity to profit, if you feel a certain horse will not win a given race.
To learn more about the mechanics and ‘how to’ of placing bets on the exchanges, Betfair has a very good Help section and if you are new to betting exchanges I recommend you pay a visit at www.reddracing.co.uk/betfair
A popular trend in model railroading is using equipment and accessories that are rugged enough to stand up to the weather to build outdoor railroad layouts. The term "garden railroads" stems from the fact that these outdoor layouts are often integrated into a garden, with the garden providing part or all of the scenery and landscaping.
The basic structure and design of the railroad is very similar to what you would use indoors, but there are some differences worth noting.
First, garden railroads must be rugged enough to stand up to the weather and stay in use over the long term. Depending on the climate, these trains may be run for much of the year and they need to be able to withstand that kind of use.
Along those lines, you also need to be sure that the equipment and railroad is built in a way that is easy to maintain. Integrating it into your garden can be a lot of work, but having to take it back out to repair it can be even more.
Garden railroads originate from Europe where they started with G-scale models but they are popular all over the world. Because of this, G-scale trains and accessories are much easier to find than they were in the past.
There are events and conventions dedicated to Garden Railways, such as the Garden Railway Convention held each year in Denver. A calendar of these events can be found on http://www.gardentrains.org or in the events section of http://www.trains.com.
Garden railroads can make a great addition to your backyard, strictly for your own enjoyment, or they can be added to more public places where everyone can enjoy them. Just be prepared for the crowds of onlookers if you set it up somewhere that anyone can see!
Even if there are no mountains where you live, it can make sense to buy a mountain bike, just because of the security they provide, even in urban areas. And there's always the chance of a weekend ride in the country.
If you're a bicycle enthusiast, but have only tried cycling on the road, it's time you gave mountain biking a try. By mountain biking, I mean more than heading down an actual mountain - although that what most people think about when they hear the phrase "Mountain biking."
However, mountain bikes - light bikes with fat tires and front suspension - make it easy to go cross country riding as well.
So even if you live in an area that has no mountains - get yourself a mountain bike anyway! Those fat tires make for a nice ride - and as long as they're properly inflated they can go almost as fast as the thinner tires of road bikes, but you don't need to worry about going up curbs or down curbs.
There are three styles of mountain biking - the one everyone thinks of which is downhill riding, free riding, and cross country. If you're a professional cyclist or a dedicated amateur you'll want to buy a bike specifically designed for each style, but if you're a casual cyclist who'll want to try one style one weekend and a different style the next, any good mountain bike will do.
Most people will buy a brand new tool whenever they take up a brand new hobby. This is a mistake. Examine yourself. Have you done this in the past - decided on a hobby, bought all the equipment, used it once - then stored it in your garage and never used it again?
So, if possible, rent a bike first - indeed, in so doing you'll be able to try out quite a few bikes and decide on which one you'd like to buy. Make sure that the people renting you the bikes have taken proper care of them, of course, and that they're not just "beaters."
Are you a beginner?
If there's any mountain biking in your area, chances are there'll be a club or two, which will cater to beginners. The best thing to do is seek out your local bike shop. Anyone there can tell you what goes on in your area. In addition, most bike shops will have racks featuring the brochures of local clubs, and bike maps of the local trails, for free.
Practice makes perfect
If you're not in shape - you can get in shape with mountain biking... if you make a concentrated effort to do so. Set yourself goals of miles to ride each day. If you don't have the time to ride an hour or so everyday, but if you have a steep hill near your home, you can always spend ten minutes or so doing wind sprints up and down that hill. This will increase your stamina and strengthen your leg muscles no end. (Make sure you check with your doctor to make sure you have no health problems that would limit vigorous exercise.)
Don't get on a bike and then find the toughest trail and through yourself down it. Start with beginning trails and work on your skills for a while.
Staying safe
Riders fall. Face it - it's going to happen. So the most important piece of equipment you have, after a good bike - is a good helmet. Never buy a used helmet - you don't know what's happened to it. Also of use to the mountain biker are goggles or other eye protection, elbow and knee pads, and good shoes. Always carry a few dollars and some change in a pocket so you can call for help if need be, and make sure you have identification on you at all times. (That last bit of advice is good for any type of biking, or jogging, come to that!) Always be prepared for the worst to happen, and then it [probably] never will.
An avid fisherman is typically able to tell you the contents of his tackle box: fishing hooks, line in various weights, shiny and dull fishing lures, colorful bobbers, an extra reel, needle nose pliers, a flashlight, maybe some fishing scissors and a fishing knife. Each of these tackle box items is an important element in both successful and not so successful fishing trips to the river. Having the right kind of gear, the kind that will withstand a variety of elements, is key.
The following are some tips on what to look for when purchasing a durable fishing or fillet knife to all those would-be and experienced anglers out there.
When choosing a fishing knife, the size of the fish being lured needs to be considered. A ten inch blade would be excessive if you typically fish stocked rainbow trout or crappie in your local river. The larger blade could damage the meat of smaller fish during cleaning if you are not careful. On the other hand, a small fillet knife on a medium-to-large catfish or grouper would be time consuming and potentially impossible. If you fish a variety of species, consider owning multiple knives in various lengths and widths. There are a number of fishing knife sets with multiple blade styles available on the market. If you have one knife that you really like, maybe it has a handle style that suits you, see if the manufacturer makes other size knives in the same style.
The next item to consider when choosing a fillet or fishing knife, is the quality of the blade. You want to look for stainless steel blades that can maintain their sharpness. You also want to try to buy one that can be sharpened easily throughout a fishing season. Stainless steel is recommended because of its stronger resistance to rust; fishing knives encounter a lot of water. You will want the same durability and strength in your fishing knife as you would a hunting knife. However, with a fillet knife, a tempered blade that can cut smoothly and thinly is ideal. When purchasing a fillet knife, look for one that is serrated in a portion of the knife, toward the handle is best. Having the serration in addition to the smooth sharp blade will be helpful to cut through tougher sections and bones and will keep you from needing a second serrated knife.
The final items to consider are all about your personal style. There are a number of knives available depending on the type of fisherman you or the recipient of the knife is. Consider how frequently you use a fishing knife during your fishing trips. If you tend to constantly be reaching for yours, purchase a folded knife that can be put in your pocket or hang from a fishing vest so it will be easy to get to. If you have a messier tackle box with little organization, consider purchasing a fishing knife that comes with a sturdy knife sleeve or one that folds to avoid accidentally cutting yourself or damaging the blade while it is moving around in the box. If you have arthritis or carpel tunnel syndrome, try out various knife handle shapes to find one that is comfortable for you. There are a number of knife options available; don’t settle for anything other than what will best help you as you fish this summer.
Consider these tips as you put together your tackle box and gear this summer. Whether you are heading to the river, lake or ocean, a quality fishing or fillet knife is an important addition and just may help bring in the record breaking fish.
Ben Anton, 2007
Sports are very fun and very healthy to be practiced. But besides sports for human, animal sports are very fun too!
Animals participate in many sports, some being legal and some being not so legal. Some of the sports that animals participate in include horse racing, bullfighting, dog sledding, cock fighting, pigeon racing, and greyhound racing just to name a few. There are also the famous dog shows where dogs compete in classes by breed; some believe this to be a sport while others feel it is more of a competition.
Bullfighting has been around since the prehistoric days, and is a very popular animal sport in Spain, where it is viewed as a dramatic ritual between the bull and the matador. Besides Spain, bullfighting is also popular in Portugal, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, France, and is also quite popular in the state of California. Out of all of the bullrings in the world, Mexico City is home to the largest one of them all, which seats 55,000 spectators.
Dogsledding became an organized animal sport in Alaska in 1908, and has been increasing in popularity ever since. In dog sledding, a team of dogs pulls a sled that carries the driver, who is sometimes referred to as the “musher.” There are different types of dog sled races, but the teams of dogs are made up of three, six or twelve dogs. Some races are short and are considered to be sprint races, while others are considered long-range races and can cover a course consisting of 200 to 1000 miles.
As with many animal sports, there are those who believe that cock fighting should be banned due to animal cruelty. However, in some cultures cock fighting is legal and draws huge crowds, such as in Guam, Peru, Belgium, Italy, Haiti, Spain, France, Mexico, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, and the Phillipines, which have arenas built especially for cock fighting. The game birds that are used in cock fighting are not ordinary farm chickens, they are a special breed of aggressive chicken that is raised and trained to be fighters. While cock fighting may be an accepted animal sport in some countries, there are numerous places where cock fighting, and even just attending a cockfight as a spectator, is considered a felony. Many of these laws have been enacted due not only to animal cruelty issues, but also because of the gambling that is associated with cock fighting.
Pigeon racing is another animal sport that has quite a fan base. Across the United States there are over 700 different clubs catering to those who enjoy the sport of pigeon racing. Essentially, during a race, the birds are released from a location that is far from there home, and the first pigeon to make it back is the winner. The races cover much territory, and races can have the pigeons flying 100 to 600 miles as they make their way home.
There are also animal sports that are less known about like those that occur at county fairs; frog jumping contests, pig races, turtle races and the like can all be considered animal sports as they have a number of animal participants competing against one another.
Antique Golf Clubs come from an area that has many golfers who take their game very seriously. Antique Golf Clubs is located in Scotland where there are some of the oldest and greatest golf courses in the world. Antique Golf Clubs collects and sells golf equipment and sentimental items from the beginnings of the game, the glorious days of golf and mementoes of the golfing greats. Antique Golf Clubs has some great gifts that any serious golfer will treasure. Golfers are usually devoted to their game, and a great gift that will mean something to a serious golfer is often hard to find. Antique Golf Clubs will have the perfect gift for any devoted golfer.
Antique Golf Clubs has some wonderful books in their gift store, and all of the items are available online. Antique Golf Clubs will mail these gifts in time for any special occasion. The books include information about some of the greatest golfers, the most memorable feats and fantastic golfing spots. The gift store also includes some great golfing equipment from years ago. There are very special clubs from many years ago that any golfer would be pleased to have under the tree at Christmas or in front of their birthday cake.
Antique Golf Clubs Has Full Sets Of Marvelous Clubs
Antique Golf Clubs has some fantastic individual items, but they also have some great sets. Some of these sets are over one hundred years old, and they are preserved in excellent condition. All of the items from this unique company are full of memories of glorious years gone by, but the items are all in superb condition. Many pieces of merchandise from Antique Golf Clubs come with information on the history of the items, and the company also provides certificates of authenticity.
Antique Golf Clubs also has a unique collection of golf balls from many years ago. These golf balls are a wonderful glimpse of the game in the past. The website has a clear description of the merchandise and a description of the condition of the item. There are excellent pictures of all of the available items so a shopper will not be surprised when the merchandise arrives in the mail. This fantastic company has some very unusual items from many years ago including a box that held golf balls long ago. The website also has a wealth of information about the history of the game of golf. It also has information on clubs, courses and great golfers.
Massage, while luxurious and pampering for its receivers, is a serious profession for its deliverers requiring enormous knowledge, an advanced skill set, and unmatched professionalism. And along with this – in order to make a massage profession a successful profession – is the need for safe and effective massage equipment.
As a massage therapist, your equipment needs depend largely on your method of seeing clients. If you work within an existing full-service spa then your massage equipment needs will be significantly less than if you have clients coming to your home or vice versa.
If you do not see your clients in an existing spa, then you will have to provide a massage table and massage chair as part of your massage equipment. A massage table can be a permanent piece of furniture or foldout table that you bring along with you to appointments. It is generally a long table with a cushion for the client to rest their face when they are on their stomach. When purchasing this piece of massage equipment be sure that the table is of adequate length and sturdy enough to hold a variety of weights.
A massage chair allows you to do back and neck massages while the client sits up with their face in a cushioned holder. This piece of massage equipment is typically for shorter massages and don’t require the client to remove any clothing.
Many massage therapists – regardless of whether they work in a spa or at home – consider their own massage oils and lotions to be a part of their personal massage equipment. The smell and texture of certain products appeal to some massage therapists more than others and they will often bring their products along with them. In addition, for those massage therapists trained in hot stone massage, they will often bring their own hot stones – as these are expensive and personal pieces of massage equipment.
However, more important than the massage equipment – or possibly considered the most important piece of massage equipment of all - is the massage therapist’s ability to connect with their client and deliver a relaxing, therapeutic massage.
Archaeological findings show that the bow and arrow has been around for at least 20,000 years. Findings of stone arrow heads in Africa indicate that the bow was invented there possibly as early as 50,000 BC. The bow is considered to be the first machine constructed by humans that could store energy. The principle has always been the same, the archer transfers his muscle energy into the bow with help of the string and then the bowstring passes on the power to the arrow and gives it a tremendous speed. The impact of an arrow is lethal to any pray or enemy.
The bow has been a popular weapon in warfare for thousands of years. The Egyptians used the bow against the Persians 5,000 BC.
Skilled archers has been a valuable asset for many Kings through history, and as a hilarious example of that is James II, King of England who in 1457 AD stated that football and golf took to much time from archery practice and therefore should be banned!
Archery has a long history as a sport, and the Scottish club Kilwinning Archers was formed in 1483 and thus one of the oldest sports clubs in the world. Archery was an event at the Olympic Games in 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1920. The International Archery Federation – FITA was founded in 1931 and the first World Championships took place the same year. During the 1940s international archery began to grow. Target Archery is since 1972 again a game in the Olympics. Archery can be practiced in many forms, but the most common styles beside Target Archery is Field Archery and 3-D Archery. Flight shooting is another branch of the sport and it exits on shooting an arrow as long as possible. A more rare style of the sport is Clout Archery. The target is on the ground and the distance is 165 meters for men and 125 meters for women.
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