Fishing For Good Articles

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had someone tell me how boring baseball is to watch. People tell me all the time that they fall asleep during games and can’t stand it. I’m thinking to myself, how can anyone hate baseball? But then it hit me. I hate to watch soccer and car racing because I think those sports are boring, but most of my boredom results from my lack of understanding of the rules, strategies, etc. So, to help you develop a further love of baseball I’ve decided to cover some of the common strategies of the game. My hope is that by understanding these strategies you will begin to enjoy watching the game as much as I do.

Hitting Count

I get really annoyed when I’m watching a game in a public venue and a fan yells out “Why did he swing at that pitch with a count of two balls and zero strikes (2-0)?” It kills me. I force myself to take a deep breath and remember that I to have made similar comments. It is lack of understanding. Pitchers don’t want to walk batters. It’s that simple. If they don’t reach the base, they can’t score. So, when you see a batter swing and the count is 2-0 or 3-1 you have to realize that the batter is expecting a good pitch. The batter knows the pitcher doesn’t want the walk so he assumes the pitch will be where it can be hit. This is called a hitter’s count. Watch how many home runs are hit when the count is 2-0, 3-1, or 2-1 and you will start to recognize the pattern.

Most Important Pitch of an At Bat

Clearly the most important pitch of any at bat is the first pitch. If the first pitch is a strike, the hitter is in a hole. Hitters don’t want to strike out or “fall behind” in the count, so if the count is 0-1, you’ll see a lot of batters swing at the second pitch. When facing an 0-1 count, most batters will hit .100 points below their typical average unless they are an amazing hitter. For example, if Alex Rodriguez gets behind in the count he usually ends up being a .200 hitter for the game instead of .300 which is his normal season average. When you are a player, that makes a big difference. Being behind in the count also forces the hitter into a more defensive at bat. In an attempt to not strike out, many hitters will simply try to make contact with the ball rather than trying to drive the ball. Again, that is typical of most hitters.

Advanced Scouting

Advanced scouting can be an amazing tool for baseball teams because it helps identify a player’s strengths and weaknesses so they can be exploited in a game. Recently, Rick Ankiel of the St Louis Cardinals has burst onto the scene hitting home run after home run. As a result, other teams have issued scouting reports aimed directly at stopping the home run spurt. Teams have discovered how to pitch to Ankiel and it is working. They’ve learned to throw him hard fastballs inside so he can’t extend his arms for home runs. Knowing a player’s weakness isn’t rocket science, but exploiting the weakness can prove quite tricky. I might know Barry Bonds’ weakness, but just one slight mistake on my part and the ball is on its way out of the park. That’s what I love about baseball! It’s a dual out there and the best players are “the best” because they take advantage of mistakes when they happen.

Which famous British authors made it to The Big Read; a survey conducted in 2003 by the BBC to reveal the UK’s best-loved book? What novels are they famous for? and which of their books were in the Top 100 list?

Although the winner was indubitably Lord of the Rings by South African born, fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien, Britain’s comic fantasy author Terry Pratchett had five of his titles in that list: Good Omens, Guards! Guards!, Mort, Night Watch and The Colour Of Magic.

Joanne K. Rowling, a fantasy writer of Harry Potter fame was another novelist with four titles making the grade: The Goblet of Fire, The Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber Of Secrets and The Prisoner Of Azkaban. Besides these books an additional three are in the series: Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. There are a few things to consider, though, if you want to enjoy reading the novels written by the best-loved, famous British authors.

First, determine where your interests lie. You may be interested in contemporary novelists, or perhaps you are more intrigued by classic writers? Works of English literature originating prior to World War II is considered by most to be classical in nature, whereas novels written during or after that war could be called contemporary fiction. An example of a classic writer would be Chaucer and Ernest Hemingway is a contemporary.

Another consideration might be which genres interest you most. Loosely defined these fall into ten categories: action-adventure, crime, detective, fantasy, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction, thriller or western. Depending on what you find entertaining and that which grabs your attention, this can be an important factor when contemplating reading novels by a an author you are as yet unfamiliar with.

You also need to understand the universal themes associated with the writing of fictional work; they include Imagination, Identity, Conflict, Love, Humour, Belonging, Time, Faith and Place. Be aware that many novels revolve around one or more of these themes and that several themes can be the focus of just one book. One author should not be thought of as the quintessential romanticist, humourist, or even imaginative writer as each author often considers a combination of themes and complex ideas when creating a novel so consider exploring these concepts before deciding to ‘pigeon-hole’ specific writers with a particular theme or genre.

Another novelist not to be ignored is Jacqueline Wilson, a writer of children’s books; also with four titles of distinction: The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Double Act, Vicky Angel and Girls In Love. Wilson’s novels are typically realistic stories about modern British children facing problems in their daily lives. In 2005 this writer was announced as the Children’s Laureate.

Classic Famous British Authors

Three of the five Bront� sisters became romance writers. Charlotte’s Jane Eyre and Emily’s Wuthering Heights made the Top 100 but alas Anne’s Agnes Grey missed the boat!. For a family plagued with illness these sisters were remarkably successful.

Five of Charles Dickens’ masterpieces were given a thumbs up! Great Expectations, David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol, A Tale Of Two Cities and Bleak House. Amongst other works he is remembered also for four of his other major contributions to literature: The Pickwick Papers, The Life and Adventures of Nicolas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop and Oliver Twist. Besides Master Twist the likes of such characters as Ebenezer Scrooge, Fagin, Mrs. Gamp, Charles Darnay, Micawber, Abel Magwitch, Pecksniff, Miss Havisham and Wackford Squeers will doubtless live on forever through his books.

Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, inspired by a young girl named Alice Liddell, is among the books recommended. Other works from Carroll include Through The Looking-Glass and Jabberwocky. With the exception of Scotsman Robert Louis Stevenson, all other novelists mentioned here were English. Stevenson’s Treasure Island was naturally considered one the best-loved books written by a British author. His other famous books include: Kidnapped, The Body Snatcher and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The writers spoken of here are only a few of the best-loved famous British authors but there are many more besides these.

Kelly and I have a great relationship, I’m grateful to say, but I’m still the mother-in-law. If you are one, or have one, you’ll probably agree it’s a relationship that requires finesse.
“Finesse” is another word for “emotional intelligence.”

All those mother-in-law jokes are out there for a reason. I’d say it’s hardest to be the mother of the son, but you might disagree! Anyway, Kelly is married to my only son, and the mother of my only grandchildren. There are times when I feel very vulnerable in that situation, having to ask permission and all.

My granddaughter’s now old enough to come for visits. When I call to invite her, it’s been hard to come up with just the right way to do it. After all, Meg is “hers” and not “mine.”

Recently I read an article about something called “anodyne therapy.” You know how when they’re getting ready to stick a needle in your thumb they say, “This is going to sting a little
bit”? Well, in anodyne therapy, they say, “Notice how quickly your thumb becomes numb.”

“Anodyne” means “serving to assuage pain, or not likely to offend or arouse tensions.”

When I received an email from my daughter-in-law talking about all the “projects” she had going on, I figured out a better way to ask her. Kelly’s always got something going on – painting, wallpapering, gardening – and of course they’re harder to do with
the little ones underfoot. Lately I call and say, “Want to have some time to do that wallpapering? How about if I take Meg for a couple of days?”

This takes the focus off what’s being given up, and places it on something Kelly really wants – more time to do her projects. Anodyne – not likely to offend or arouse tensions. That’s EQ!

Please consider this article for your website or ezine.
Permission to reproduce and change title, if you like, as long
as byline stays intact.

TITLE: Use Your EQ When You’re the Mother-in-Law”
AUTHOR: Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach
WORD COUNT: 300
WORD WRAP: 65
URL: http://www.susandunn.cc
Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc

“Use Your EQ When You’re the Mother-in-Law,”
by Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach

Kelly and I have a great relationship, I’m grateful to say, but
I’m still the mother-in-law. If you are one, or have one,
you’ll probably agree it’s a relationship that requires finesse.
“Finesse” is another word for “emotional intelligence.”

All those mother-in-law jokes are out there for a reason. I’d
say it’s hardest to be the mother of the son, but you might
disagree! Anyway, Kelly is married to my only son, and the mother
of my only grandchildren. There are times when I feel very
vulnerable in that situation, having to ask permission and all.

My granddaughter’s now old enough to come for visits. When I call
to invite her, it’s been hard to come up with just the right way
to do it. After all, Meg is “hers” and not “mine.”

Recently I read an article about something called “anodyne
therapy.” You know how when they’re getting ready to stick a
needle in your thumb they say, “This is going to sting a little
bit”? Well, in anodyne therapy, they say, “Notice how quickly
your thumb becomes numb.”

“Anodyne” means “serving to assuage pain, or not likely to
offend or arouse tensions.”

When I received an email from my daughter-in-law talking about
all the “projects” she had going on, I figured out a better way
to ask her. Kelly’s always got something going on – painting,
wallpapering, gardening – and of course they’re harder to do with
the little ones underfoot. Lately I call and say, “Want to have
some time to do that wallpapering? How about if I take Meg for
a couple of days?”

This takes the focus off what’s being given up, and places it on
something Kelly really wants – more time to do her projects.
Anodyne – not likely to offend or arouse tensions. That’s EQ!

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In the gluten-filled world where we have spent most of our lives until now, we learned as children which products we liked to eat and which we didn’t. Now, as sufferers of celiac disease or as a gluten intolerant, we find ourselves thrown into the task of finding gluten-free products to replace all those foods containing wheat, rye, barley and oats that we loved to eat–like bread, cookies, cakes and pastas. Our lives have suddenly become much more complicated.

A totally gluten-free diet means learning to cope with the creation of menus for three meals a day every day of the week with gluten free products most of which we’ve never heard of or even tasted. While some products on the market are good, some are only okay and many are so bad that you may as well eat the carton on the box it came in. At the start of your gluten-free diet, many of the foods you have purchased will end up in your garbage pail and leave you frustrated and on the verge of deciding to give up on gluten-free food after only trying a few things. How can you ease your suffering and find what products are the most tasty in the easiest way possible, avoiding the costly and time-consuming trial and error system? One of the best ways is to follow the crowd. Log onto the on-line celiac message boards and local support groups. Here the members will tell you in no uncertain terms what gluten-free products are worth eating and which should be avoided at all costs.

Since most people with celiac disease were diagnosed with the disease well into adulthood, they, like you, remember exactly what their favorite products tasted like. The modern gluten-free food manufacturer has a lot of work to do in the taste-pleasing department if he wants to keep his customers. Word of mouth spreads quickly in the celiac community. If a product meets or exceeds expectations, it quickly gains a following. If the product is tasteless, the word spreads just as quickly. There’s nothing that a person with celiac disease hates more than spending good money on bad food. What follows below are some foods to get you started on your way. We have carried out a survey of some of the best-loved gluten-free food along with the names of their manufacturers. K-Toos (cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies similar to Oreos); KinniKritters (animal crackers) and Tapioca Rice Cinnamon Buns (cinnamon rolls) are some of the favorite products coming from Kinnikinnick manufactures. All Kinnikinnick products are manufactured in a gluten-free facility so there is no need to worry about cross-contamination. As they have over 100 products there are plenty of products to choose from.

If you are looking to go the mix route try looking in the health food sections for such popular mixes as Perfect Pie Crust, Chocolate Truffle Brownie Mix, Favorite Sandwich Bread and Angel Food Cake, all from the Glutino Food Group. Pamela’s Products is another well-recognized brand that deserves its place high on the list of favorite gluten-free brands. Their Amazing Wheat-Free Bread Mix is among the most popular due to its soft, bendable texture. Their Ultimate Baking and Pancake Mix comes in a large, 4-pound recloseable zipper bag! If you are looking for pasta, no list of the best gluten-free brands would be complete without mentioning Tinkyada Pasta which can be used instead of regular pasta to cook all your pre-gluten-free pasta-based family recipes like spaghetti, casseroles and lasagna. And the best part about their products, which come in all the traditional shapes such as spaghetti, fettuccine penne, spirals, lasagna, shells and elbow macaroni, is their taste and high quality which enables celiacs and non-celiacs to enjoy the same great meal.

You might be surprised at how easy it can be to live well on a gluten-free diet with some of these delicious, quality products in your kitchen.

So here’s to happy and tasty gluten-free eating!