American and International Info Resources

Sailing as a sport, pursuit or used as an organisational device is really rewarding. There are also extraordinary powerboat events that make it equally thrilling and can be something that the whole family are capable to go and gain from at the same time. One of the major weeks of the yachting year is the Skandia Cowes Regatta Week; this takes place once a year and has been established since eighteen twenty-six that makes it the longest running sailing event throughout the world. With more than six-hundred ocean racing boats and 6,000 opponents playing a part, being studied by sixty thousand spectators each day Cowes week has received the title as one of the principal sailing business hospitality and public event of the total year.

The eight thousand five-hundred participants include Commonwealth and European class practised sailors to new sailors. Still if you are not onboard yourself, watching the sailing, having fun at the parties & live activities, and to be involved in the unique feeling, makes it a one of a sort yachting event.

With Ondeck Sailing & Powerboat School, two thousands & eight starts the introduction of their most modern Regatta Division. Developing on their outstanding position within the yachting and sailing charter market, this has seen Ondeck Sailing School, run various well-liked regattas for companies, they have now teamed-up with Britannia Events, the principal organisers of industry sailing events in the UK.

The track of the race itself will differ each day as things like that of the weather conditions, tidal torrents and pace of each model of powerboat is taken into mind. A typical Cowes Event has over thirty-five start offs a day for participates of cruiser racers, one designs & keelboats; adding up to over a thousand yachts. For the period of this moment in time the Solent which is a very busy commercial waterway, is bursting with boats of all makes and is especially vivid in colour as a result of the spinnakers. As high lighted prior in addition to the sailing races the week incorporates a great number of onshore events such as live music and cocktail parties. From private or commercial residential parties and nominally private sailing groups & boats, there are gigantic marquees put-up in the harbours serving food and wine. Find the best Cowes Week corporate event packages online at http://www.ondeck.co.uk

The Truth

Lets be honest you decided to click on this link for one of the following reasons:

You want to improve your golf game (score).
You were intrigued by the prices we offer compared to Name Brand equipment.
You want to finally have a set of irons or a driver that is custom fit to your swing.
With that being said, I want to tell you that you have come to the right place, and our Buyer’s Guide will help you in ALL of those areas. And lucky for you it will not be in the typical complicated jargon that most Fitting guides are arranged in. This will be in a straight forward step by step process, that will have you on your way to a better, more enjoyable game in no time.

The Problem(s)
Golf is actually a simple game our brains and golf magazines just make it more complicated then it needs to be. The majority of golfers have the same problems that need to be fixed. But most of us come to the solution in the wrong manner. We tend to think that if something new comes out it must be better and that the higher the price on the equipment you buy means the better the equipment must be. Then we tend to blame ourselves when that $1200 set we purchased does not lower our score.

We want you to remember that the Pro shop salesmen that sold you your set has most likely never built a set of clubs and most likely does not know what the specifications of the Pro-line shafts are. The shaft is the motor, and who wants to buy a Lexus with a Yugo motor under the hood?

The Solution
Whether the problem you are having with your game seems to be simple or complicated. It most likely can be fixed by looking at your present game and equipment from only a few different angles.

You could feel like you have the best swing in the world and the following variables could be killing your game. Club Head Style, Shaft Choice, Shaft Length, Grip Size and Flex are the major components to properly fitting a golfer and if ONLY ONE of these variables is not matched up to your swing you could be in for a nightmare of bad habits to come.

Take only a few minutes out of your day to look over the following Self-Help Guides and we promise that you will not only improve your game but you will be become the most informed golfer on your block.

Club Head Style

Did you ever say to yourself, “I don’t feel like my swing is that bad, why can’t I still break (80,90,100).” Well if you do then CLUB HEAD STYLE might be one of your problems.

Technology has come a long way, so if you are still playing irons that are 5 years old or more you most likely could benefit from the advances in new iron head construction. Here are some of the variables of a head that have an impact on making the game a little easier for the average golfer. Click on each title for how each one can help your game. Yes, we know this is a lot of information for just the first section but take it step by step and let it sink in a little.

Offset

Offest is the amount the face of the club sits back from the hosel, this aids in helping reduce a slice with your clubs. Generally the better golfer you are the less offset you want. However this is not always true. For some reason the better your score gets the less you start liking the look of the iron head sitting that far back from the hosel. It is a hand control issue more then anything else. When you feel like you are the one actually in control of the club you want there to be less and less offset on your new sticks. But for a Mid to High handicap player offset can be a MAJOR factor in making solid contact more often. And the best analogy I can give you is if you were a baseball player would you rather have the feeling of hitting a home run or a broken bat single. Solid contact plays a major role in ditance and accuracy control. So if you are constantly having that broken bat single feeling with your irons you might want to consider going to a head with more offset.

Perimeter Weighting

You might have noticed the trend in the cavity design of new irons lately. Irons in past years had more of the weight behind the impact area of the cavity. Today’s irons have more of the weight towards the perimeter of the cavity. This is what is called PERIMETER WEIGHTING . If you always hit the ball dead center perfect, you would want a small sweet spot and no perimeter weighting so you could put as much physical mass directly behind the impact point of the ball. This would make a very long shot. However, if you are off even just a millimeter your shot will go astray. By having an iron that is perimeter weighting you are maximizing the forgiveness of your irons. So unless you play 4 to 5 times a week you most likely do not hit the center of the sweet spot 100% of the time. Therefore you might want to consider the amount of perimeter weighting you need on your irons.

Sole Width

Sole width is another factor when considering your next iron set purchase. Put simply the larger the mass on your irons the easier it is to be grabbed in a tighter lie out of the rough. A narrower sole is easier out of tight lies and wider soles are easier from plush lies. That is why we tend to recommend a mid to wide soled iron and more blade style wedges. The majority of your wedge shots are going to be from tighter lies or you might have to carry a bunker and still be able to stop it quickly on the green. So for your SW and LW you might want to consider looking in our wedge section and choose from a more traditional shaped wedge.

Heel to Toe Length

This iron attribute is more cosmetic then anything else. But it does affect forgiveness. Some players like the look of a more compact iron, although a longer heel to toe design has a larger effective hitting area. So if you are the kind of golfer that is looking for the maximum amount of forgiveness you might also want to consider a longer heel to toe design.

Face Height

Face Height is similar to Heel to Toe length. If you are looking for the most forgiving iron you should take face height in consideration.

SHAFT CHOICE
Shaft Choice is the most important dynamic to improving your present game and equipment. We know that you are hearing this a lot lately, but this is one statement your buddy is right about.

Most recreational golfers think that flex is the ONLY thing they need to worry about in regards to being fit properly. You don’t know how many times we get the guy saying, “Give me x-stiff in my driver, and he hits the ball 175 yds off the tee. Or the guy that says, “Well my buddy saw me swing and he said I need stiff.” First things first, don’t listen to the buddy who just read a “Golf Digest” and thinks he’s the golf guru, but still shoots 20 strokes worse then you do. I personally think that custom club builders are the most knowledgable in the business in regards to being able to properly fit a golfer. That is our job, to properly fit and build irons and woods to a golfers swing. Pro Line shops are there to sell equipment and have most likely never built a club . So we would hope you would call someone in our field before having “Harry the Hacker” giving you a backyard fitting.

Ok, enough of the rambling by us lets get down to how we are going to help you become not only a more knowledgable golfer but a better golfer as well.

Kick Points

Ball flight is a problem for many golfers that are not even aware of it. Many golfers are losing 3-5 strokes a round just because they have too low of a ball flight pattern. No, we do not want you to have a high BALLONING ball flight. But, yes you do want a more penetrating higher ball flight that lands softly. Think about the shots that you have to play over a bunker with the pin tucked closely behind . With too low of a ball flight you might land on the green but not be able to stop the ball before you have run it 30 ft past the pin. You happily walk up to the green, pray for a two putt and go to the next tee box. But what if you could have played that same shot and been able to stop the ball 10-15 ft past the cup. You might have been able to sink a one putt and saved one to two strokes on that hole alone. The tables below show which shafts give you the ball flight you are looking for.

Shaft Torque

Just because a shaft says stiff flex does not mean that it is the right shaft for you, even if you fit that criteria. Torque comes into play as well when properly fitting a shaft to a golfers swing speed.

Think about a $4 graphite shaft that is a stiff flex and a $40 graphite shaft that is also a stiff flex. There has to be a reason why that shaft is more expensive . Generally it is for a couple reasons : Better materials, better tolerances, and more precise kick points and torque tolerances for the flex it should correspond with.

To get the maximum distance and control out of your shaft you need to have the right torque rating . If you hit the ball 275 on average without roll and are playing a 2.5 torque stiff shaft you are most likely not getting everything out of that shaft as you should be. Remember torque is the amount the head turns on the shaft from right to left. If you do not put enough load on the shaft to maximize the 2.5 torque rating you are not allowing the shaft to load and unload to its maximum capacity. Therefore you are not getting the maximum distance out of your new stick.

Most hitters need “a little pop” to help the clubhead release properly through impact. Players should not get carried away in thinking that lower torque means better control. The following chart will assist you in getting the right torque rating for your next driver shaft. Remember that this rating is more precise for higher quality shafts, due to the fact that they rate there shafts more accurately.

Shaft Weight

DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO SWINGWEIGHTING SO MUCH. To many golfers get caught up in trying to get that D2 weighting they hear about . But remember every golfer likes a different feel . Some like more feel in the head some like their weight more evenly distributed throughout the entire club. And remember also that irons and woods are different . I prefer a lighter feeling head on my driver, so by the 14 th hole I don’t feel like I am lugging around a 2 X 4 . This way I feel like I am in more control of my game throughout my entire round. This is just one opinion, but the point is to have you start actually thinking about the clubs in your bag in a different light . Think about it, if you could afford a $5000 suit that was totally custom fit to your body and money was no issue then you would do that for yourself. Well why wouldn’t you completely customize your driver or new irons if you could afford it. Oh yeah you can!! With the prices we sell our equipment for, you can customize your clubs in every aspect possible.

SHAFT LENGTH

Shaft length is very important but typically shaft length in drivers is where most golfers are making their mistakes . However for your irons we do not want you tailoring your swing to your clubs . There are enough variables to be worried about in golf, the last thing you want is to have a perfect swing and equipment that does not match up.

Do you find yourself choking up more often then not? Or do you wake up the morning after your round with a sore back? That is your body telling you that you need to get your clubs custom fit. In addition, that is also your body telling you it is having to change its motion to match up to your equipment. NOT GOOD. If you take your body out of its natural rhythm, BELIEVE me your game will never be allowed to flourish.

Below is a list of problems that could be occurring due to the wrong length shaft:

Clubs Too Long

Low Hook - Tends to make the toe of the club stick up. This causes the heel of your club to grab first which turns your toe in causing the right to left spin on the ball and the lower ball flight.
Higher Ball Flight Then Normal - Many times golfers with too long of a club will tend to try to over compensate, which causes them to stand too tall and lean back on their downswing. The leaning back can cause extra loft to be added to the head which can cause a high shot with a loss of distance.
Super Fat Shots - Your body has to compensate for the extra length if your clubs are too long. But since this is not your bodies natural motion it will tend to forget about 40% of the time. So when your body forgets that extra length makes contact with the ground a hair to soon. This is what will cause those Super-Fat shots.
Worm Burner - This is the opposite of the Super-Fat shot . In this instance your body actually over compensates for the length and stands too tall. You then make your contact in the center of the ball. This will cause that screaming worm burner or the shot that flies 60 yds. over the green.
Clubs Too Short

Push Or Slice - Too short of an iron will have to toe pointing down into the ground. This causes the toe to grab to early and pushes your heel forward. This causes the left to right spin or the open face which causes the push or slice.
Catching It Thin - If you are catching it a little thin more often then not. You might have a set of irons that are a little too short for you.

SHAFT FLEX

Imagine taking your 9 yr old sons clubs out to play in your next tournament. Or imagine playing with the long drive Champions driver. You think you would be able to perform as well with their equipment? Most likely not. And one of the reasons is because the flex of those clubs most likely does not fit your swing speed . Flex is the amount the club flexes from front to back. Torque is the amount the head twists from right to left (FOR RIGHTIES). So both components are important when it comes to picking the right shaft for your game.

Too flexible of a shaft and your going to have less control, and you will produce a draw or a hook.

Too stiff of a shaft and you are going to lose some distance, and you will produce a fade or a slice.

We would love to give you a table that shows exactly what swing speed corresponds with what shaft flex. But unfortunately every shaft company goes by different standards . So a UST Gold 75 stiff might play a whole flex stiffer then a Penley Graphite Light Stiff. The following tables are a good rule of thumb for the majority of shafts on the market.

About the Author

When you visit www.golfideas.com you quickly get the feeling that these guys have the right stuff. But it is not until you call them until you get the full effect of why they are still around after 6 years online.

About 8 years ago, I got a call from the daughter an old
friend. “It’s Dad’s 60th birthday soon and the family wants to
send him on a ski trip. We are hoping that you and Bill and Owen
will keep him company”. “Sure”, I said, expecting a destination
like Sun Peaks or Rossland. “Where are we going?” “Cat Skiing
near Fernie.” “What skiing?” “Cat skiing!” “What’s Cat Skiing?”
“Its backcountry skiing from snowcats, sort of a poor man’s
heli-skiing.” “Can I afford it?” “You can’t afford to miss this!”

That four-day trip was the start of seven years of superb
skiing. On that first trip, we had a marvelous time and powder
skiing, the likes of which none of us could remember. Run after
run in fresh, untracked snow. There were steep rollovers that
put my heart in my throat, where the deep snow seemed to support
us like an invisible hand, letting us down the fall line slowly
and gently. Wow! Face shots galore! I thought, “Life is too
short not to be doing this every year!”

On the second day of that tour, I presented myself at the lodge
office and requested a booking for the following year. “Sorry,
full up”. “No!” “Yes!” “However, the year after has an opening,
and you could have a whole cat.” “Done”, I said, and thought,
“You fool, what are you doing?”

After much effort, evening after evening of phone calls,
hounding old friends and a very long wait, we were back two
years later with twelve good men and women. Some were old ski
friends of almost 50 years. We had another wonderful trip with
great skiing, great snow and great company.

Now, years later, we are still at it. We’ve changed venue from
near Fernie to a spot near Golden, B.C., where the skiing is a
little higher and the snow seems to be a little more reliable.
Our host is Chatter Creek Snowcat Skiing
(www.chattercreekcatskiing.com), a partnership of four
personable young men who run an excellent operation, about 20
minutes by helicopter north of Golden, on the western flank of
the Rocky Mountains.

The 130 sq. km. tenure includes a large glacier at just under
10,000ft. elevation, huge open alpine slopes and bowls and a
number of enormous ridges that offer superb tree skiing. After
many trips to Chatter Creek, we have yet to ski the entire area.
Each summer, snowcat roads are extended to open up ever more
terrain. An application has been made to increase the terrain
size by about 85%. See Cat Skiing Terrain
(http://www.cat-skiing-terrain.blogspot.com) for a photographic
tour of the Chatter Creek tenure.

Skiing on the Vertebrae glacier is “mellow” and the views are
spectacular. From the highest point, the view spreads to the
west, over nearby peaks and ridges to the distant Adamant Range
and Selkirk Mountains. To the east, much nearer and in clear
view, are countless peaks and snowfields of the Continental
Divide, including the Clemenceau Icefield, Mt Columbia and the
Snow Dome. The latter is the source of the famous Columbia
Icefield and contains the hydrographic apex of North America. As
skiers ski on the glacier, the unusual “squiggles” of the
Sullivan Fault fill the view and forms the backdrop of many a
guest photograph. See Glacier Skiing at Chatter Creek
(http://glacier-skiing.blogspot.com) for many photos from the
Vertebrae glacier.

On bluebird days, the guides usually head to the high alpine for
a few runs on the Vertebrae glacier, or in one of the many large
bowls or slopes such as the Clamshell, upper Lodge Ridge, Super
Spruce, South Park, Lakeview , and Oyster Bowl. After a few of
runs, the group will move on to nearby areas, skiing here and
there on the way, never staying long in any one spot. Every run
in untracked snow!

Snowcat rides are rarely more than 15 to 20 minutes long,
usually just long enough to enjoy half a sandwich and a drink,
to rest the legs and to share a couple of bad jokes with our
companions. The Bombardier snowcats
(http://www.bombardier-snowcats-at-chatter-creek.blogspot.com)
are warm and comfortable. They accommodate 12 guests, two guides
and a driver. The three cats move independently and are usually
out of sight of one another all day.

When skiing, the guide keeps the group together, while allowing
everyone their own line in unbroken snow. There’s no pressure to
“farm” snow.

The speed of the group and number of stops depends on the group.
Faster groups of expert skiers may ski non-stop to the bottom.
Groups of intermediate skiers may stop along the way, to
regroup, rest, share experiences and take pictures. Cat skiing
is laid back and relaxed. The guests “call the shots” and
determine the pace. The guides concentrate on the preferences
and needs of the group and provide a “tailor made” skiing
experience.

A favorite with many skiers is the tree skiing on the great
ridges. A group can ski for many days on any one ridge and not
run out of fresh snow. Runs pass through old burns with widely
spaced snags, living forest with open glades and cut blocks with
deeply buried stumps that form “pillows” and undulations of
endless variety.

Intermediate skiers who rarely ski “the trees” not only find
they can do it, but that it’s fun. The snow in the trees tends
to be deeper and unaffected by sun and wind. Snow is soft and
consistent and there are no moguls and lumps. The short, fat
powder skis that can be rented from Chatter Creek make it all
pretty easy. Novices learn very quickly. Cat skiing does not
require prior experience or special equipment, just boots and
clothing and enthusiasm.

Cat skiing at Chatter Creek is well suited for skiers and
snowboarders having a wide range of ability. My group of expert
skiers has enjoyed every trip and is always challenged and
experiencing new terrain. Chatter Creek recommends that guests
be at least strong intermediate skiers. However, I have
organized “friends and family” groups that have included skiers
of lesser ability and everyone got on fine. Good physical
condition makes up for a lack of experience. Ages have ranged
from the 20’s to 70, with most group members in the 50 to 65
year range.

As the ski-day wears on and people may begin to tire, guests are
welcome to sit-out a run and ride back down the hill with the
snowcat driver. If someone wants to “call it a day”, a staff
member will drive the guest back to the lodge on a snowmobile.

Runs can vary from about 800 vertical feet to over 2000 ft.
Typical runs drop 1200 to 1500 ft. The amount of skiing done in
a day depends entirely on the strength of the group. Daily
“vertical” usually varies from 9,000 to 14,000 feet. Very fast
groups may do 16,000 ft, or even more. Our group has always worn
itself out, day after day.

A nice feature at Chatter Creek is that almost always, the cat
picks up the group where they finish their run. Unlike some
operations, there is very little skiing on hard-packed roads to
get to the cat.

The perfect end to a day at Chatter Creek is a run on Lodge
Ridge, ending at the door of Vertebrae Lodge
(http://www.lodge-life-at-chatter-creek.blogspot.com). We step
out of our skis and boards and into the bar, dropping into soft
couches, with cold beers in hand. After some laughs with our
mates and browsing on the afternoon snacks, we stumble off to
the outdoor hot tub to enjoy another beer or a Caesar and to
watch the sunlight disappear from the peaks.

In 2004, Chatter Creek built a second
9000 sq. ft lodge and expanded to 36 clients. All guests
enjoy double occupancy bedrooms, each with a private bathroom.
Our group has expanded to fill the lodge and we have 36
enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders all signed up and waiting
patiently for next year. Some of the old-boys are now taking
along their grown offspring, and one cat is set aside for two
entire families. It’s going to be a great party, with great
skiing!

2005 Overview:

For the second straight year in a row, the Houston Astros
overcame a horrible start and spotty offense to capture the
National League wildcard. Houston rolled past the Cardinals en
route to becoming National League Champions only to lose in a 4
game sweep to the World Champion Chicago White Sox.

Despite missing the first month of the season, slugger Lance
Berkman (.293 24 82 RBI) was able to establish himself as one of
the best power hitters in the game while 3rd baseman Morgan
Ensberg (.283 36 101) also emerged as a prime time offensive
force leading the team in HR (36), RBI (101), and slugging
percentage (.557). The ageless wonder Craig Biggio (.264 26 69)
joined Jason Lane (.267 26 78) and Mike Lamb (.236 12 53) to
help complete the rest of the starting lineup.

On the pitching side, starter Roy Oswalt (20-12, 2.94 ERA) was
able to combine strong power numbers with excellent control in
2005 while Andy Pettitte (17-9, 2.39 ERA) bounced back from an
injury-ridden 2004 season to pitch over 220 innings. Roger
Clemens (13-8 1.87) at the age of 44 still was able to post
respectable numbers joining superstar reliever Brad Lidge (4-4
2.29 42 saves) to provide the Astros with a season ending 89-73
record.

Off Season Moves:

The Astros didn’t make too many moves in the off season only
because they really didn’t need to. Their biggest acquisition
was signing free agent Preston Wilson (.260, 25 90) who was
picked up to help provide more offensive stability and
potentially replace Bagwell (who may or may not return in 2006).
Reliever Trever Miller (2-2 4.06) was also added to help an
already strong bullpen.

2006 Analysis:

Much of the same faces will return in 2006 with Craig Biggio
(94 Runs) and Willy Taveras, who led the team in stolen bases
with 34 setting the table for the rest of the lineup. The Astros
are hoping Tavares will learn to become more patient in his
sophomore year and produce more walks. If Bagwell doesn’t come
back full-time, Berkman will likely move over to 1B with the
newly acquired Preston Wilson expected to play leftfield.

Roy Oswalt is expected to once again return as the ace of the
staff after putting together back-to back 20 win seasons.
33-year-old Andy Pettitte has lost significant time to injuries
in 2 of the last 4 seasons so the Astros are hoping he can be
healthy for an entire 2006 campaign. Clemens is not expected to
return and his regular season performance will be missed. He was
not offered arbitration in the off season.

Houston is looking to their number 3 starter Brandon Backe
(10-8, 4.76 ERA) to find more consistency in 2005. While Wandy
Rodriguez (10-10, 5.53 ERA) and Ezequiel Astacio (3-6, 5.67 ERA)
will remain the likely candidates as the fourth and fifth
starters. With Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls, former Met Dan Wheeler,
lefty Mike Gallo and newly signed Trever Miller, the Houston
bullpen is deep and perhaps one of the best in all of baseball.
Expect the Astros to receive some competition from the Cubs and
St. Louis in 2006. If the pitching can hold itself together and
the offense at least match the same numbers as last year they
should find themselves in the thick of things within the NL
Central.

Long drive golf exercises can add up to 30 yards to your drives in a very short amount of time. It’s quite obvious to hit long golf drives you need to have power. Power is the equivalent of both strength and flexibility specific to your golf swing.

The key to implementing long drive golf exercises is to look at the main movement in your golf swing.

What is it?

Is it a lateral movement (side-to-side)? Is it a vertical movement (up and down)? I’ll stop the “twenty questions” and cut to the chase.

It’s a ROTATIONAL movement!

Golf is rotational! You make a backswing (rotate). And you make a downswing (rotate).

If this is the case…what strength and flexibility exercises should be done to maximize your long drives?

You guessed it - ROTATIONAL exercises!

You don’t need to go to a gym and sweat for 2 hours a day. You don’t even need to spend much on equipment. All you need is you, a couple of pieces of affordable golf exercise equipment and a little creativity.

There are dozens and dozens of rotational strength and flexibility exercises you can do right in your home or office that will reap HUGE dividends on the course. In my 350 page Ultimate Golf Fitness Manual, I have pages and pages of these strength and stretching exercises for long drives.

I’m a firm believer in working the “total package” in regards to exercising all the major golf muscles in your body. Every golfer is different, and has unique needs (limitations) that should be addressed.

The major muscles involved with long drive golf exercises are the core muscles (first-and-foremost), the hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles.

The secondary (support) muscles for incorporating long drive golf exercises are the shoulder rotators, forearms (wrists), upper back (lats), and the hip girdle. These muscles are “icing-on-the-cake” muscles in regards to hitting power golf drives every time you step on the tee box.

This is not rocket-science, but you do need to make sure you are doing the correct exercises that will give you the biggest return on your investment.

I hope you have a better, initial understanding of long drive golf exercises.

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is the featured expert for Golf Magazine’s GolfOnline.com site, one of the top golf performance experts in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf performance sites. Take a look at his just released golf performance dvds and manual at his golf swing tips site - Perform Better Golf.

The society in Spain is not only divided by autonomous communities; the country is also split into private and public areas.
The most commonly known area where this private and public issue pops up is in the educational area; private and public schools. Other areas are: transport (toll ways) and television.

Sogecable is a company that is listed on the Ibex35, the Madrid stock exchange. And this company is the owner of Digital +, the private television channel. “Cuatro” is a additional channel that they also own and this channel recently got introduced as a private channel. Before that time it was one of the channel in the private Digital+ package.

Now we have got football, the world cup. And,

… Furthermore, on March 28th 2006, Sogecable reached an agreement for the exclusive distribution in DIGITAL+ of half of the matches of the forthcoming Football World Cup to be held in Germany since June 9th 2006. Source: (http://www.sogecable.com/Media/pdfs/2006/results_1quarter2006.pdf)

The other channel that was able to pay this licence was “LaSexta,” but this company obviously received only a part of the deal; the are able to broadcast all games, but many of them in a deferred way. Cuatro (recently mentioned as part of Digital+) is able to broadcast the games of “general interest;” this is when Spain is on.

Argentina, for example, as many of you know a country with a more than reasonable football league, is placed on the deferred space … The question is who will watch — this is the twenty-first century — a game of which the outcome is already known?

Thus: … As a result of this agreement and the inclusion in the DIGITAL+ proposal of “laSexta”, holder of the remaining World Cup rights including those classified as being of general interest in accordance with Spanish legislation, DIGITAL+ subscribers will be the only viewers in Spain able to enjoy the whole of the Football World Cup live.

And competitive as they are, Lasexta tries to take some revenge; observe their advertisements where they hit on Cuatro with - why would you watch only FOUR (Cuatro in Spanish) games is you can watch them all. What they do not tell you is that this all is half truth, namely - all, but not live.

What keeps my puzzled is why Spanish citizens do not seem to care about this.
According to a web survey with a limited depth of only 360 response, less than 10% of the viewers watch the games through Canal+ (Digital+), 42% through Lasexta and 34% through Cuatro. (http://todosobremitele.blogcindario.com).
This probably means that in Spain they are not really bothered with the World Cup unless Spain itself is on stage. General interest is Spain.

© 2006 Hans Bool

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Heavy bags and standing bags

Free standing bags are heavy bags that have large rounded bases and rest on the floor rather than suspended from the ceiling or hung from wall mounts. Free standing bags make a great choice for anyone who will be both punching and kicking the bag, this is because the foam on free standing bags begins close to the base and provides more useable striking surface for kicks. Another good feature of free standing bags is that, even when filled, that can be easily rolled away for storage or just rolled to the corner of the room. Standing bags can be filled with either water or sand. In most cases water is preferred; this is because water provides some energy feedback and adds a more realistic feel when hitting the bag. Sand will make the bag weigh more, but will have generate a thick, unyielding feel. Standing bags are usually designed to weigh between 250 and 300 lbs. when filled. Hanging bags are heavy bags that are suspended from wall mounts or from the ceiling through the use of chains and hooks. Heavy bags are known to be extremely durable and provide you with an intensive, fluid workout that develops stamina, strength and overall cardiovascular fitness. Hanging bags also provide some sway, which is good for developing coordination and improving reaction time.

Choosing the correct weight

The more weight a bag has, the less sway it will produce. Too much will make the bag hard to hit, and too little sway will make the bag feel like a rock, and fail to absorb impacts which will cause damage to bones and tendons over time. A 5′8″ male with a weight of about 170 lbs. should look for a bag weighing between 60 and 70lbs. More skilled or heavier hitters might want to look for something closer to 100lbs while those looking for a bag with more sway might want to consider something near the 40lb. mark.

Choosing the right hanging bag

The market is almost overflowing with heavy bag manufactures; however there are a few who stand out. Heavy bags from TKO are generally considered to be very high quality and are known for there durability. Their bags are sought after by gyms and boxing schools alike. Everlast, while at the high end of the price range, makes very high quality equipment and should be considered when looking for a heavy bag.

Leather bags are extremely long lasting and will have a more comfortable feel when struck. Vinyl bags can mimic the feel and look of leather while remaining more affordable. Water-core hanging bags are adjustable in weight; this adjustability is attained by under-filling the water core.

Hanging a heavy bag

Unlike free-standing bags, hanging bags need additional hardware before they can be used. There are a variety of wall mounts and hooks that you can buy to mount your heavy bag virtually anywhere you need to. Common places to hang the bag are garages, workout rooms and basements. If you are interested in keeping the bag outside, you may want to look into a weatherproof, or indoor/outdoor heavy bag.

Mike writes for BoxingDepot.com. See the complete punching bags
buying guide. If you are in the market for a new punching bag or
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