Caitlin's Blog

Boxing

December 29th, 2009 by

Such a match-up like this seems pretty cliche, unable to deviate from the normal rivalries and feuds that boxing Advertisements try to hone in on before a match. But any fan of boxing knows that in this match, there is no need for fancy marketing or any other corporate schemes here. Oscar De La Hoya, a legend in his own right, coming out to do battle with the next up-and-coming champion of the present generation, Floyd Mayweather, is a match-up made in heaven for the diehard boxing fans. But the match really was as thrilling as far as the hype went for it? You could argue either ways. One on side, you saw two great fighters battling it out to see who the dominant boxer was. On the other side, you saw a relatively slow and uneventful fight that does not seem to differ much from the recent stretch of boxing boredom. Some feel that the boxing genre is slowly dying, and that's true in a multitude of ways. There's just none of the fervent restlessness that used to plague the nation when two great fighters would deliver "them fighting words" to one another on live national television. Or the buzz of excitement that used to follow the days before a match, or the days when everyone had at least one favorite boxer they used to keep updated on. Perhaps boxing was just a fad, or maybe it was the characters involved in the boxing industry that brought with them an amicable desire to turn this sport into something that everyone could love and relate to, all the while nurturing their own desire to become what they must've considered "the strongest in the world". Whatever it was, it's proportionally gone now. You could say that boxing is not what it used to be, and that could be true. But can you entertain the thought that perhaps it became a little something more deep and technical? It hit me when I was watching the Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather fight, that a lot of the boxing fights nowadays are that of fighting science. Occasionally, a mad flurry of punches will come along in an attempt to land a few punches as well as score a point from both the judges and the audience, but a good length of the fight will be that of two fighters using their inherent talent and developed skills in ways that many of us can never fully grasp. We only see what we see, but we can not understand what we do experience. We see two men fighting with their fists, yet can you understand that in that ring are two members of the same order, two men striving with their Utmost Efforts to understand how they can rise to the world with nothing more than their fighting instincts and accumulated knowledge in order to truly become legends. So, the next time you watch boxing, do not tear your away from the screen because you do not think it's that entertaining. Watch a little longer and you might just see a glimpse of two men, gods of their own fate, living life to the fullest, a little fuller than all of us who watch them ever will.

Boxing, Sports Photography UK by i47photo

Felix Trinidad Boxing

Tags: boxing
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December 24th, 2009 by

The September issue of Jane magazine suggested twenty-somethings were up to their eyeballs in debt that averaged more than $ 5,000. Go to any shopping mall and it is no surprise why so many Americans are in debt: every store offers its own credit card to customers.From department stores such as Macys, to specialty stores such as Express, consumers are bombarded with offers to save 15 or 20 percent just to open a line of credit. While shoppers have every right to say "no" to these sales pitches, the ever-increasing presence of this store advertising has become nothing short of pure annoyance. A recent purchase at The Gap proves this point well: the sales person went on for a full minute detailing how much could be saved and the "wealth" of coupons and knowledge of in-store sales if one could Obtain a Gap credit card was opened. Never mind the fact, that consumers are plopping down around $ 60 for the average transaction pant, these stores are becoming so greedy and needy for consumer dependence, they step over the line to try and sell shoppers money they do not have. Credit card debt is a major problem in the United States and in countries such as China where an emerging middle class is becoming a middle class through credit. The need to purchase "stuff" as a sign of social status seems to get worse the more affluent a community or group becomes. Suffice to say, department and specialty stores reflect small microcosms of this large-scale problem of wanting more than what is really needed. Stores are groveling for more sales by trying to offer the consumer a whole shopping experience. If a store has a better appearance, better customer service and a credit card that makes the shopper feel as though he or she is part of an exclusive group, marketers think they have the shoppers pegged. People must be buying into it: credit card debt is up and the number of twenty-somethings investing in retirement plans or simple savings accounts, are down. So, what is a twenty-something in the 21st century to do when the choice of product and gadgets to purchase and the amount of disposable incomes have never been greater? Spend wisely! Sure, it is nice to purchase clothes or music, but pocketing some of that hard earned cash is a smart investment. Opening a simple savings account is a good start. Online banking institutions such as ING often offer much higher savings rates Because of lower overhead costs. For those savvy at saving, employer 401K plans are great. The point is, that it is never too early to begin saving for later on. It is also never too early to figure out that those store credit cards are just another way for stores to make more money than what they are already making with ridiculously inflated prices.

Revoking a credit card? by Ecyrd