Sumo Nova

Is there a better way to spend New Years Day than to enjoy a quality picture at the local cinema? I would like to think not. I frequently make an effort to support the art of cinema by attending any or all movies that are of particular interest to me. Today was no different, the…

Since the advent of the Digital Video Disc format in the late 1990s, there were two long-awaited movie trilogies: the Classic Star Wars films and the Adventures of Indiana Jones. The former was finally released on DVD on Sept. 21, 2004, and in November 2003 Lucasfilm Ltd. and Paramount Pictures issued the four-DVD Indiana Jones…

Today’s world demands that we wear about five hats all at once. Multi-tasking is an essential skill. So here is a guide for parents who need to be in several places and do several things all at the same time. A note of caution, it is not healthy emotionally or physically to be multitask all…

Vicente Fox expressed the sentiment that Hispanics have an even greater resolve to succeed, by any means necessary, as they are willing to work in the same gutters African-Americans fought so hard to get out of. Well yes, but African-Americans do not work low paying jobs, not because they feel that they are too good…

Mother’s Day should be a very special day. While most mothers will ooh and ahh over any gift they receive, a gift with love and thought gains the most attention. Small children can easily create homemade, adorable Mother’s Day gifts. In this article, I have listed two Mother’s Day crafts that are sure to win…

As a work at home mom, I’m on a tight budget. One of the reasons I decided to try freelance writing was the minimal overhead costs. However, I still try to watch what I spend. Here are some of the tricks I’ve learned to help make the most of my money. 1. Purchase equipment used…

For many sports fans, ticket scalpers are some of the most disliked people in the sports world. Of course for others, they view them as an opportunity to go view their favorite teams when they might not have that opportunity otherwise. Due to the fact that they are viewed both ways, the idea of “scalping…

When I was born, the world was still black and white. The White Mountain stood stark and crisp against the gray sky. I used to like to look at boulders huge and delicately mottled and speckled and sometimes very hot. You could curl your toes over the big rock and dive and gasp into the…

It’s almost too much. Award season, that is. I think that most award shows are superfluous and overrated. I can live without watching a bunch of celebrities congratulate each other over and over, heaping praise on one another like they cured the common cold. I mean, in what other profession is there such “basking’ in…

What is it that drives us to amass what we perceive to be objects of beauty? Is it the primitive instinct to skillfully stalk our prey? Is it the desire for the new, the extraordinary, the extravagant, and the scandalous? Perhaps it’s our growing nostalgia that makes us collect those things which can only improve…

The candidate we’ll look at today is Juan Gonzalez. Gonzalez began his career in 1989 with the Texas Rangers, for whom he played for the majority of his career. He also was a member of the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, and Kansas City Royals. He appeared in only one game in 2005, striking out in…

After years of undergraduate and post graduate study you are now ready to begin your career as a Virginia Certified Public Accountant. However, before you can practice as a CPA you will need to qualify for, sit for, and pass the Virginia CPA Exam. To do this you will need to arm yourself with some…

One medium many “non-artsy” people feel comfortable using is photography. For this tutorial you do NOT have to go out and buy a fancy digital camera. You can use whatever camera you have; whether it be digital or 35mm. If you don’t have a camera, you can easily go purchase a disposable 35mm camera. Step…

What is the purpose of a cover letter? It’s to capture the human resources guy’s attention so that he/she will call you and schedule an interview or appointment. That means you really have to make a compelling sales letter instead of a boring cover letter. A sales letter to sell yourself effectively. Here are some…

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, and Presidential candidate, has started impeachment proceedings against Vice President Dick Cheney. He has introduced three articles of impeachment against the Vice President in which he alleges that Vice President Cheney lied to the American People regarding the presence of weapons of destruction in Iraq. He further alleges that Mr. Cheney…

Peripheral Artery Disease is a disease of the legs that happens when the arteries in your legs become blocked causing serious pain and discomfort. One of the main symptoms is intermittent claudication, which is when blood and oxygen to the leg muscles slow down. Some people end up having surgery to thin or strip the…

As the spring television season comes to an end, several questions enter the minds of viewers. Will Jack Bauer survive his 27th capture to once again save the world? Will Dr. House begin therapy and realize his inner pain? Will Americans learn their state capitals so they can compete with 5th graders on nationally televised…

If you compete in many pageants, you may want to consider building a pageant wardrobe. A businesswoman has a business wardrobe. An athlete has a sports clothes wardrobe. You should have a pageant wardrobe as well. Considering the prices of pageant gowns and outfits that can go well into the thousands for one item, you…

Fort DeSoto’s North Beach in Fort DeSoto Park, Florida was named Dr. Beach’s top American beach. Not only is Fort DeSoto famous for it’s incredible beach, it is also widely known for its historic value and wonderful campground. Located in the county of Pinellas, Florida, Fort DeSoto also leads the way as Pinellas’ largest park….

A new study shows that patients with Type 1 diabetes don’t have much to worry about with their past bouts with low blood sugar. Severe hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) sometimes does occur in Type 1 diabetes patients, and this report show that those episodes don’t have affects on cognitive function. Published in the May 3rd…

Social networking is all the rage nowadays. Everyone wants to create their own web presence on sites like MySpace, Tagworld or Facebook. Few social networkers realize that whatever information they chose to put on these sites becomes open to public scrutiny. The risk of having your postings viewed by unknown parties is great. A recent…

Garlic is one of the most commonly used herbs available. People use Garlic for their foods.We make Garlic pizza, and Garlic bread. We use Garlic to flavor our meats and vegetables. People all over the globe use Garlic for food alone. The use of Garlic has been recorded through history. Garlic has been used for…

In the mood for a horror movie/comedy? Watch my wedding video from Dec. 4, 1993. Whenever I talk about the events that led up to my special day I always say I felt like God was throwing me zingers telling me not to get married. Back in 1992 when my then-fiancée Michael and I were…

While working on an article for Associated Content, I thought about what I wanted to be doing when I hit the age of forty. I have always been an antreprenural type of person and thought about opening up a franchise owned business. I noticed an advertisement for FranchiseGator on Associated Content and decided to give…

College students can be a tricky demographic to buy for, especially if you have one on your list when they are your child, niece, nephew, grandchild, or otherwise in a different generation from yourself. Consequently, I have put together this quick guide with several ideas for college students, all under $75. Idea one: Textbooks. At…

The title of a scrapbook layout is at least as important as the pictures you scrap with it. A title defines the mood of the scrapbook layout. It explains to the viewers of the scrapbook layout what frame of mind you hope they will view the page. Most important to remember too, is that a…

When it comes to home schooling there are plenty of places to go to get a free home schooling curriculum. What many people don’t realize is that home schooling your children does not have to cost you a fortune. There are plenty of free resources that you can use. By looking at and using some…

Any one of us probably has what seems like hundreds of white elephants laying around our house. Those odds and ends type things that we never seem to be able to get rid of clutter our shelves and our closets while we debate on whether or not to take them to Goodwill or find a…

I am not of the school of thought that says, “If your child cries while falling asleep, you are an insensitive parent.” I also don’t believe that a parent must wield the control by having his child “cry it out”. I would like to believe that I am a balanced person in the area of…

Telluride, nestled in a pristine box canyon in the midst of the San Juan mountain range in Southwestern Colorado, is a small though trendy mountain community that offers some of the best winter activities and skiing in the Western United States. Surrounded by 14,000-foot snow-capped peaks, Telluride, Colorado, offers a wide variety of winter sports…

On March 3, 1963, Patsy Cline gave her last concert in Kansas City. Cline, Cowboy Copas, and Hawkshaw Hawkins boarded a private plane with Randy Hughes, Cline’s manager. On March 5, 1963 the plane met with severe weather and crashed in Camden, Tennessee. There were no survivors. Patsy Cline, the singer with perfect pitch, who…

An electric space heater is a great way to take the chill out of a cool room within the home, and as technology advances, they are becoming safer and more efficient than ever before. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t follow safety guidelines regarding electric heaters, and each year there are numerous injuries and fatalities…

It is common for auto salespeople to up-sale customers by convincing them to purchase vehicles with bonus features that enhance the driving experience. While opting for the sunroof, rims, and wood interior may sound appealing, be prepared to pay more for the vehicle. Aside from interior or exterior features, car salesman will also try and…

“Genji Monogatari” or translated into English, “The Tale of Genji” is the world’s first novel about a handsome prince, born to the Emperor and a low-ranked “woman in waiting”. This princess’ name was Hikaru Genji or otherwise known as the “Shining Prince”. It covers more than just the life history of Genji; rather it depicts…

So, someone’s getting engaged and it’s time to throw an engagement party. But what kind of theme should your engagement party have? Here are five ideas that might fit the bill: A Cocktail Party. If you’re going to have more than about eight people, a cocktail party can be a better choice than a dinner…

A busy child is a happy child. Crafts are fun and therapeutic. Some kids love crafts so much that they take their own initiative to involve themselves in crafts, even when their parents don’t have the time to participate in all their craft projects. Sometimes a kid wants to make a craft in secret, because…

Buying for loved ones this holiday season doesn’t have to be a hassle or cost a fortune. The Lakeside Collection has a plethora of gifts that will accommodate everyone on your Christmas list for a reasonable low price that can be delivered right to you or a loved one’s doorstep. The Lakeside Collection has been…

It’s noon on the first Friday in April and I’m just back from an early morning trip downtown in Guanajuato, Mexico. I was glad to be out in the cool of the morning from 8 to 10am before the temperature began climbing. The occasion? El Viernes de Dolores, the morning celebrating the Virgin’s Tears, a…

If you have dreams of escaping America and becoming an expat in Belgium, then there are some things to take into consideration before you make the move across the Atlantic. Moving to Belgium to live and work is not as simple as it might seem at first. Unlike here in the United States, you simply…

When my son was a toddler, I was so grateful that he did not go through the “terrible two’s” at all. He was a normal active child, but he did not really give me a lot of problems. He spared me of the embarrassment due to tantrums and all the many concerns of little tots,…

What many people do not know is that there is a huge difference when it comes to retouching black and whites photos and colored photos. In this tutorial, you will learn how to retouch black and white photos like professionals do. The tools we will be focusing on in the Photoshop tutorial are the Dodge…

I did the book signing thing (for my book, Chat Rooms in Wonderland) last Saturday afternoon at one of the local Barnes and Noble stores. While the store manager was setting up my table and other such trappings, I noticed a much larger display table that was stacked high with copies of The Da Vinci…

Foil embellishments give an elegance to scrapbook pages like no other embellishment, but putting foil on your pages comes with its own set of problems. Firstly, foil embellishments aren’t cheap. A small pack of foil tags, for example, can cost over five bucks. Then, you use a couple of the pieces and end up with…

Have you hit a plateau in losing weight? Hitting a plateau is common and this just means that are ready for new challenges physically to start losing weight again. Cardio exercise is great for many things, but the number one benefit of cardio is burning fat. This is the easiest and fastest way to drop…

Whether you are planning to breastfeed with occasional pumping, or formula feed, you will be faced with choosing which bottles to use to feed your baby. There are so many choices out there: bottles that reduce colic, bottles that reduce gas, bottles that most closely mimic the breast, etc, etc, etc. The Playtex Drop-Ins System…

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening disorder that causes severe lung damage and nutritional deficiencies. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease, which essentially means that it is passed from parents to offspring. It is unique, in the fact that it affects the biological cells that produce mucus, sweat, saliva, and digestive fluids. Cystic Fibrosis is potentially…

Icebreakers Criminal 1. Design a system for secretly identifying the “criminal” and the “cop.” We used a deck of cards. You only need enough cards so each player may have one card. 2. One card needs to be a jack–the criminal, and one needs to be an ace–the cop. 3. All of the other cards…

Nursing a Newborn While pregnant with my first child I knew that I would breastfeed once he was born. My mistake was assuming that because breastfeeding is the natural way to feed a baby it automatically comes naturally to both mother and baby. In my daydreams about nursing my precious bundle, he would be born,…

I’ve spent several years out in the retail industry. Going into the densely populated environment of big retail business leaves one surrounded by workers and customers. Doing this daily can be like walking into a buzzing bee hive or a busy ant hill. The radio sings overhead, things are being moved around, and people are…

In yet another effort to placate the Muslim world, Pope Benedict once again apologized for quoting a 14th-century Byzantine emperor’s anti-Muslim remarks. He then presented the religion with a lovely portrait of Muhammad on velvet. “It’s a wonderful likeness,” a Vatican spokes-priest said, “Look at the way his eyes follow you.” Riots ensued. From his…

I always knew You were thereEven from the very start;I always felt Your presenceDeep inside my foolish heart. I did not always listen To all that You had to say And then I dared to wonder What was standing in my way. I thought that I could just wait And choose You in my own…

There’s nothing more appealing than the gardens of yesteryear, especially when it applies to an old-fashioned cottage garden. Once implemented solely for its usefulness, with edible plants highlighted, today’s cottage garden has remained much the same with exception to the fact that most cottage gardeners nowadays seem to use the garden more its cheerful, relaxing…

Any Dallas gal worth her salt knows that hose are a definite no-no. What’s a girl to do when warm weather makes her trade Chaiken pants for Tuleh dresses? Ensure that those gams are stubble free. There are oodles of options for hair removal, so consider price, pain, and permanence when choosing a service. By…

A Painful Start to Her Life There are few parenting methods available to a family who wants to help an adoptive child or foster child who has problems with attachment and close relationships. Our oldest daughter, Shawna (her name has been changed), has made us think up creative ways to break down her hardened shell…

One of the great masters of horror, Clive Barker, shall once again have his intense creativity exhibited upon the movie screen. Just announced are the intentions of releasing several movies in a series based off of Barker’s “Books of Blood” story collections. These future films along with four other projects he is already associated with…

Many musicians are under the impression that you have to be signed by a major label and have videos on MTV to make a living as musician. While this might be the ideal situation, many people make a comfortable living playing music without ever inking a contract with a record label. Some bands have such…

The bad news is, Winter heating costs can take a large bite out of your budget. The good news is, you can actually lower your heating bills and keep your family warmer at the same time just by following a few simple steps. The first step is to perform a thorough evaluation of your home….

Former Democratic Presidential hopeful John Kerry of Massachusetts recently re-released his plan for health care coverage for all Americans. I say re-released because the plan is virtually the same as the one he campaigned on during his 2004 bid for the White House. And, just as in 2004, the plan is a very bad idea….

I love making jewelry. This simple Valentine’s Day clay necklace is perfect for a group of girls to make at a school class party or even a birthday party. The heart beads can be left in their natural clay color or even painted to suit your fancy. This simple clay craft is great for a…

It’s funny how life works sometimes. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be writing this from my new mountain home in Colorado, I don’t think I would have believed them. Nope, moving to Colorado had never crossed my mind. Or had it? It all began in March 2003, while I…

Ratings: Ease of Use, Performance: 23/25, Look & Feel: 25/25, Features & Software 23/25, How much I enjoy 24/25Total: 95/100 If anyone had told me that a gamepad controller with a fan in it to keep my palms from getting sweaty was something I would enjoy using or made sense I would have laughed. Now…

Everyone has had faced the problem of forgetting a name or misplacing something. While this is normal as a person ages they might become more prone to memory loss and worrying about it will only make the problem worse. Fortunately memory does not start to noticeably decline until a person is in their fifties. However…

At a time when the Prince of Persia franchise, the Devil May Cry franchise and the Metal Gear Solid franchise, amongst others, ruled the action/adventure genre, God of War appeared to come streaking out of left field to firmly establish itself within the top spot. With some of the best graphics seen on the PlayStation…

I became interested in living a healthier lifestyle since the beginning of the year. This was not a New Year’s Resolution, but something I have wanted to improve about myself for a while. So I began using my old elliptical. Sadly, it was not fit for the level of use I wanted to achieve, and…

Opening on May 15th, Wild Things Lingerie II is the latest establishment to grace the beautiful Southern Illinois Landscape. Location just a mile east on Rt. 13, It’s the first store of it’s kind for this town. The building, a former church, now plays host to a wide variety of items from vibrators to body…

Shed the furs and Burberrys of fall. It’s time to clean both the closet and the cosmetics bag. While the super-natural styles of seasons past played homage either the hippie-gypsy or the woodland sprite, a refreshing womanly ease is the key this spring. No gimmicks, no gloss, and no fairyland glitter. Take your cues from…

If you’re reading this, you are likely at least mildly interested in the place we live in: space. Besides what’s at the very bottom of Earth’s oceans, space is the only place us humans haven’t been able to really figure out. It’s a huge, mysterious place that only makes us ask questions and never provides…

The holiday season is not just a time when consumers go out to shop for gifts. It’s also a time for people to commit crimes against innocent people, particular those who appear to be most vulnerable. Make certain that you take the proper precautions to ensure that you holiday shopping excursions be secure and safe,…

With new computers rolling off the assembly line with 6 or 8 USB ports standard these days, (and some with as many as a dozen!), you must be wondering what to fill up all those ports with, right? Wonder no longer. Now you can offset the high energy cost associated with heating and cooling your…

You cannot go anywhere these days without hearing about the effects on global warming. In fact, in the past month, things have seemed to look pretty gloomy on the topic of global warming. So here are a few things we all can do to help prevent any further damage to our atmosphere and planet. There…

“Isn’t everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?”-Celine, Before Sunrise This is one of those small, artsy films that never made it to most theatres and what a shame because it so much fun to watch. Two strangers meet on a train; one French, a student heading back to…

The NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament West Regional Final game will be held tonight, March 26, 2007 as Louisiana State University, (#3 Seed) will face the University of Connecticut, (#1 Seed) for their fourth consecutive trip to the Final Four. The game will be held at the SaveMart Center at Fresno State University at 8 pm…

While California Adventures in the Disneyland Resort has a higher concentration of thrill rides than its sister park Disneyland, it still has plenty of attractions to keep its littlest visitors entertained. We just recently visited California Adventures in the Disneyland Resort with our 18 month old toddler. Here’s some of the attractions that we especially…

Perhaps you are one who drinks a night cap before bed or have a drink or two to ‘take the edge off.’ But there are others, who may have begun with this, but whose drinking has taken control of their lives and affected their family and friends. These people may become part of an intervention…

Stainless Steel Kitchen Cabinet Hardware is the latest and greatest in kitchen home décor. Those outdated shiny Kitchen Cabinet Hardware pieces are a quick way to date a space and devalue your property. Think of your kitchen cabinet hardware as the earring of your kitchen. You can really give new life and a little sparkle…

David Crosby, Stephen Stills & Graham Nash are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Crosby and Stills being double inductees for their previous work in The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, respectively. Their paths had crossed a few times before they finally joined together as a trio in 1968 with some assistance…

Australia’s #1 Selling hair removal product is also a popular American hair removal system. Although it has been given mixed reviews along the way, here is a guide to knowing whether Nad’s Hair Removal Gel will work for you. All Natural For those with normal allergies to depilatories or bleaches, Nad’s offers a 100 %…

In the publishing world and in Hollywood, if you want to sell a book or a movie, create a controversy. Conspiracy theories generate a wonderful market. Just load your conspiracy with religion, politics, or sex. (Preferably all three.) Then stand back and watch the money roll in. The formula has worked for decades, starting, in…

Starting a collection can be a fun and exhilarating experience. Finding the perfect piece or rare item to add may become something that takes up a lot of your free time. Probably the most important thing to consider when adding to your collection is “Am I being ripped off?” The stuff I collect isn’t extremely…

The subject of Mormons came up the other day and it got me to thinking, “What if women had multiple husbands?” How many would you want and what kind of husbands would you look for? If men had multiple wives why couldn’t women have multiple husbands? This is what I would look for! Assuming of…

Because you never know when you will be faced with a disaster, it is important to be organized and adequately prepared to survive all emergency situations. Every disaster is different and during a major event, you may have to evacuate or shelter in place, depending on where you live. If there is a code red…

About a year ago we went to investigate the Showboat Saloon. The Showboat Saloon is a bar and entertainment venue located in the Wisconsin Dells. We went during the afternoon hoping to go when it was quiet and not rowdy, since we did have our toddler with us. We were just looking to look around,…

Everyday online stores post great sales, but how do you find out where the deals are. Online websites don’t have a weekly ad that comes in your mailbox like brick and mortar stores do, so where are you to go? How about the great sites that list the best daily deals at all the major…

In 1890 the Ohio State Buckeyes, named after the Ohio state tree, played their first football game and what began was one of the best football programs in NCAA history. At the end of the 2005 season the Ohio State Buckeyes all time record was 774 – 301 – 52. Their 774 wins ranked them…

A garden walkway is an ideal place to highlight your creativity. Constructed of natural or manufactured materials, a walkway can blend in; becoming a complement to the garden, or created in a manner that it in turn becomes the focal point of the whole setting. The Path Itself Before choosing a base material, consider the…

The younger members of the family like to be involved in the holiday preparations, but having them help in the kitchen is not a good idea. So, in order to make them feel like they are a part of the celebrations, let time make the decorations. Make sure they start early enough to have the…

Amber Alert now reaches 108 million more people. Today, MySpace announced installing an Amber Alert system to its popular internet social network. The Amber Alert System, which went nationwide in 2002, is an alert system designed to inform the public of recently abducted children and individuals with the possibility of recovering them quicker by widely…

Address: 1108 W. Randolph StreetChicago, IL 60607 Phone: 312.492.6100 Hours: 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday-Friday, 8 p.m.-3 a.m. Saturday (phone first) Age: 21+ Cover: Wednesday $5, Thursday $7-8, Friday-Saturday $8, Sunday $8-12 (check the schedule for changes) Dress: Don’t worry about it. Whether you’re dressed in jeans and a t-shirt or a Chinese dress, you’ll be…

What is a yahoo? You may be asking as you scratch your head. It is a term coined by non-yahoos to use when referring to the C average, 9-5 working, oblivious about matters not concerning their immediate, nuclear lives citizens of our country. They interbreed, raise children as mediocre as them, and mechanically fulfill the…

One of the most well known and best loved literary fantasies of this century, J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan romanticizes the world of childhood. While pirates, mermaids, and fairies give the story intrigue and adventure, Barrie’s underlying themes are seen most clearly in the play’s subtleties. In John Caird and Trevor Nunn’s enhanced version of the…