101 Year Old Man Runs 13 Mile Marathon & Stops for a Beer.

Martin says that in the last weekend, he's completed a 13-mile half marathon that took him a little more than five hours. It would have been faster, he says, but he says he stopped for a beer and a cigarette.

"He smokes, drinks, stays out late, which is probably why he is still alive," said Charlie Mullins, the managing director of the plumbing company where Martin cleans vans.
When not working three days a week for Mullins, Martin can be found in a nearby boxing gym working with a pair of trainers in preparation for April's run. He refuses to be impressed by the fact that he is still running.

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Save Money on Transportation

The average cost of owning and driving a car 15,000 miles a year is $7,830 according to AAA. SUVs are even more costly, at $9,990 per year. That includes all costs of ownership, such as gas, insurance, maintenance, registration, taxes depreciation, financing and more. Yikes.
No doubt getting around can be a huge budget buster. Here are ten tips to help cut your costs:

Buy a Used Car
Because cars lose most of their value in the first few years, buying used allows you to drive a vehicle you probably couldn't afford brand new.
More from Kiplinger's Personal Finance • The Best Cars for 2008 • 10 Best Used Car Deals Under $20,000 • Five Myths on Leasing a Car
Recent used models -- those that are less than five years old -- can be a real value because you get a nearly new car still in fine working order for a fraction of the new-car price. And you'll pay less for collision insurance and taxes, too.

Buy a Sipper, Not a Guzzler
You don't need a hybrid vehicle to save money on gas -- higher purchase prices can cancel out any savings. But a regular car with good gas mileage could save you hundreds of dollars a year on fuel.
Drive 1,200 miles per month in a car that averages 18 miles per gallon, and you'll spend $187 per month (at $2.80 per gallon).
Drive a car that averages 25 miles per gallon, and you'll spend $134 per month -- a savings of $53 per month, or $636 per year.

Re-Shop Your Car Insurance
Using a comparison site like InsWeb.com can help you determine if you've got the best deal. Rates vary widely from insurer to insurer. Your savings could equal hundreds of dollars.
Shopping around is especially important for young adults because their rates could drop as they approach age 25 or older, build a credit rating, start a career and get married. Insurers reward customers who are responsible.

Drop Collision & Comprehensive Coverage
If you drive a beater -- say, one worth less than $2,000 -- you'll probably pay more to insure it than you would ever collect on a claim. Dropping that part of your coverage can reduce your premium by one-third.

Raise Your Deductible
Upping your out-of-pocket outlay from $250 to $1,000 on any car can save you 15% or more on your car insurance.
But make sure you have enough cash in an emergency savings account to cover your deductible so you won't have to rely on costly credit cards to bail you out.

Join Policies
When shopping around for auto insurance, check first with the company that provides your renters or homeowners insurance. You could snag up to 15% off for a multiple-line policy.

Shop Around for Gas
Gas prices can vary as much as 20% within only a few blocks, according to GasBuddy.com, a price-monitoring site. So hop online to find the best deal in your neighborhood or along your commute route.
A 20-cent difference on 60 gallons of gas per month adds up to $12 per month or $144 per year.

Use a Gas Rebate Credit Card
If you frequent the pump, soften the financial sting with a credit card that'll give you cash back for filling up.
For example, the Discover Open Road card gives you 5% cash back on gas and auto maintenance charges. So if you spend $200 a month on gas and maintenance, you get $10 back -- or $120 each year.

Hop on the Bus, Gus
Public transportation can save you a bundle on commuting costs because you won't have to spend money on a parking space, gas and auto maintenance. Plus, you can probably get a lower insurance rate for driving less.
Ask if your employer will pick up part of the tab for your public transportation costs. If not, suggest the company look into the matter -- it could qualify for a tax break.

Car Pool
Two heads are better than one when it comes to commuting. Sharing the ride -- and expense -- with another person heading your way can cut your gas costs in half.
Check out carpooling opportunities at www.erideshare.com and carpoolconnect.com.

source: Yahoo

Pacman's worst nightmare not Marquez but Dick Flaherty

This cold very well be the nightmarish declaration Buffer reads to the thousands at Mandalay Bay and to the millions of Pinoys watching around the world along about 9 pm March 15.

It may have been completely unintentional but the WBC and the Nevada commision have allowed Flaherty, a former Boston cop, into the deciding what may be the most important boxing watch of 2008. They've thrown a wild card into the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez deck and they may regret it for a long time.

Flarherty, who is in his 70s, is one of the most inconsistent and irratic judges in the world. He is almost as bad as a referee but, in this particular case, he can affect only the fortunes no the health of these two great fighters.

I'm not saying this experienced official is the worst judge in his home state of Massachussettes but he is probably in a tie with four others for that unwated crown. I guess political hacks appoints other hacks to the Commonwealth's commission and then those hacks hire other hacks as judges and referees. Whenever the cause, the officiating in a Bay State is woeful.

Let me add that Flaherty is a nice guy, honest as can be and that my best friend from childhood days is close to him. So there is nothing personal in my diatribe here. In fact, this is a story I would prefer not write but too much is at stake here for Messers. Marquez and Pacquiao.

Want some examples of how Flaherty could easily miscall Pacman-Juan Ma? There is plenty of prior evidence.

Let's start with the controversial boutj between Sam Peter and James Toney. The only person in the free world who tabbed it 9-3 for the Nigerian was, you guessed it, Flaherty. This was a bout which produced a media postfight poll in which 28 of the 29 journalist said Toney won.

For more recent ineptitude, look to the stirring Jaidon Codrington-Sakio Bike "Contender" finale on ESPN. Codrington, who was stopped in the bout, was on the floor when Bika threw a punch at him. No warning, no penalty, no nothing by Flaherty.

Flaherty has been officiating poorly for a long while. Journalist Michael Woods wrote once about seeing a 1996 bout in Massaschusettes in which a local yokel was aggressive but not effectively againts an outsider. Flaherty, of course, had local yokel way in front at the finish.

This is the same Flaherty who, in speaking to fight writer and fellow ex-cop Bob Maldinich, answered critics of his ridiculous Peter-Toney ballot this way: " My record speaks for itself. Fact is I always give 110 percent. My eyes and my mind are totally focused on what is going on in the ring. I have treamendous ability to afficiate fairly and objectively."

Now, if Tom Kaczmareck says that, it's one thing but Dick Flaherty gasses himself?

I save what I think is the worst for last. On August 5, 2006, Kassim Ouma posted a 10-round decision over Sechew Powell in New York. I was at the fight Reliable judge Syteven Weisfeld saw 97-93 and Tony Paolillo called it 96-94. So you had two judge just four points apart in a
10-round bout.

Then came Flaherty's stunner.

In his wisdom, Flaherty called it a 100-90 shutout or 10-0 in round for Ouma. What means is that he and Weisfeld were an astonishing eight points apart after 10 rounds. In other words, Weisfeld tabbed it 6-4 for Ouma while incredibly Flaherty called a shutout.

Oh, I've got another eye opener on Flaherty. This once came during 2000 in New Orleans when Roy Jones turned back Eric Harding by decision. Judge Kenny Saintes favored RJJ by seven points while Barry Oregon had him in front by four points.

Sticking out like a sore thumb-again-weas Flaherty who barely gave it to Jones with a 96-94 tally. How could he and Saintes be five points apart in a 12-rounder? I don't recall any special controversy or disputes on that one which makes it all the more remarkable.

Flaherty seems to be out of sync with his peers quite often.

Manny Pacquiao, accept Dick Flaherty at your peril. If Team Pacquiao accepts this judge, then a robbery by pencil is likely to happen.

Beware the Ides of March, especially when Flaherty is giving official pen and paper.

I'd rather be judged by Pontius Pilate than by Flaherty.

He may be Pacman's worst professional nightmare.

On the other hand, he is capable of screwing it up for Marquez also.

An honest judge, yes. But erratic is as erractic does.

By Macheal Marley
http://www.boxingconfidential.com/articles.php?id=3996

Consumer Reports Releases Top American Auto Picks for 2008

It’s time again for the annual American Top Picks list. While we don’t consider country of origin as a factor in our Ratings for our primary Top Picks list, the piles of mail (snail and e-mail) we get leave us no doubt that many people factor “buying American” into their decision. So, for those folks, this list looks at what domestic-branded cars are the best choices out there. It would be a relatively simple matter to compile this list if Top Picks were merely the highest-scoring car in each group. But to be a Top Pick, a car has to have performed well in our testing, be relatively trouble-free to own, and safe, too. Here are the other criteria to determining a Top Pick: *We need to have reliability data for the car, and that data must show at least average or better reliability. *Stability control must be readily available. *If crash tested, the results have to be decent.

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Manmade flood roars through Grand Canyon

Federal officials have started a flood in the Grand Canyon in hopes of restoring its ecosystem.The torrent will flow for three days from the Glen Canyon Dam on the Arizona-Utah state line. It began Wednesday morning.

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TELEMARKETER SNOB

Have you been receiving unwanted calls lately? Prank calls. Calls like you really not expecting to rang on your phone every day. Calls that repeatedly keep coming even though you already say "we're not interested" but hey were you able to interrupt the conversation just before it's over? have you got the time to say it?

This so called "Telemarketer" that pops up like a spam on your email every day could sometime break your temper. Why? huh guess what. They really just can't stop bugging you evertime they have a new offer in the market. As if you are the immediate consumer on their list. This story might not be as significant to others but for me it does.

Some time last month; I happened to received another annoiying call but this time it was different. It's from a calling company to the Philippines ( i'll just disclosed the company's name, see how good i am? not to tell everyone who read this. If every someone might find this). I really thought it was a call from my wife who happened to be on call on in the hospital that day. I thought my wife would advice me that she could not come home early for some reason.

So i did answer the phone not knowing it was just another "telemarketer". It was almost midnight central time whe i got this call. Looking for me. The agent (could not even pronounce my name right) asked if i already tried their system to call Philippines. He continued that "he just badly needs to know if i use it or not so he could assist me if i don't". But what the heck, i've been telling this company not to bother me again, If i ever i will use it they will definitely know. Their system would register my call if their is.

They just could not get rid of me in their list. He further continue by asking me to please try calling someone even a fraction of a minute. I also explain to him that "I don't have someone to call at the time" he just could not understand. Perphaps he did but too subborn, he is.

I hang up the phone to end that nowhere to go conversation. The next 30 minutes past, I was half asleep, baby sitting your own child is not a big joke; then i received another call again it was midnight already. I thought it was from my wife. But it ain't, it was again from that calling company. Man can't they just call it a day! They not only interupted my precious sleep but also bothered me in the middle of the night. So they could have a comission if i will make that first call he badly want.

The same old stories asking me to make a fraction of minute call, I explained to him again that "i don't have someone to call with in the Philippine that time".

Ok he bought that story but instead asked me to call someone here at home because he says that I could still use it here. Hmm...he definitely have some persuation skills ehy! He must be crazy at past midnight he want me to call "anybody" i know just to facilitate his querries. He even suggested to call my wife and leave a message or something.

Would you be happy if somebody called you in the middle of the night just to say to them that "hey just wanna bother you because i'm trying this new cheap calls that i recently got" i bet your ears will hear a big slam. I didn't do that to the Agent. it ain't just me.

So to cut the conversation short i pretend to ask their 1-800 number so i can call. He gladly provided me the steps and guide me through it, little did he know that after he will hang up he won't here anything from me. He insisted to follow up the call after 10 minutes which he did but i never answered any fone calls again i just let the voice mail do that for me.

Philippines has a growing number of call centers probably next to India. I have even friends and relatives employed in a call center. They say it pays good income. But i can't help but wonder, Do they have a courtesy guide book on "when they have to call people?" or was this story an isolated incident.

My wife and l are so irritated receiving this unwanted call everyday. Occationally we answered our phone but most of the time we just let people to leave a message before we answer it. That's the best thing to do. Telemarketer usually don't leave message on voice mail right? They know they won't have a call back.

Have you experience any similar incident to my story? If you do well, i guess i'm not alone...
Thank you for having the interest to finish my story.

Wooing women gamers -- and game creators

More and more, husbands and boyfriends are playing second fiddle to computers and consoles as 38 percent of gamers are female, spending an average of 7.4 hours a week playing, according to the Entertainment Software Association."Women are out there in significant numbers playing MMOs, action games, first-person shooters," Dorrell explains. "What is lacking in the equation are women behind these games."

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