Underdog Jesse Brinkley Gets Thrilling Win Over Curtis Stevens On FNF

Curtis Stevens predicted that he'd dispatch foe Jesse Brinkley 50 seconds into round one of their scrap, the feature bout on ESPN's Friday Night fights at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The seconds ticked by, and then the minutes. Jesse Brinkley was still in the game. His confidence blossomed and the Vegas native showed that the New Yorker came to town too cocky.

I'll show you, Showtime.

He mixed his shots, scored two knockdowns and earned himself an IBF title shot after 12 rounds of mostly intelligent pugilism. Mostly, I say, because he might look back at the tape of this fight and wonder why he was trading with Stevens when all he had to do was coast to the unanimous decision, but you'll not hear any complaints from viewers, who were treated to a fine scrap.


Brinkley (167 1/2; age 32; now 35-5) and Stevens (165; age 24; now 21-3) couldn't even look at each other during the prefight staredown session. They did however hug after the cards (all Brinkley--117-109, 118-108, 119-107) were read. The win earns Brinkley a shot against IBF champ Lucian Bute.


In the first, Stevens scored with his left hook several times, and nicked Brinkley's right eye, and directly underneath the peeper. Brinkley showed a decent jab and mixed in some body work. His trainer, interestingly, was Peter Manfredo Sr., who oversaw Brinkley while his son Peter Junior headlined a show in Connecticut.


In the second, Stevens kept headhunting, and Brinkley loosened up. He moved more and looked like he belonged in there. Stevens regressed, and by the third Brinkley looked confident he could emerge with an upset win. In the fourth, Brinkley's diet of one-twos, and underneath handiwork were impressing judges.

Brinkley kept fighting smart in the fifth. He didn't get too cocky, and forget that Stevens can bang. The two kept trading after the bell. Trainer Manfredo ran into the ring and pulled Stevens away, before the ref yanked him away. Stevens doesn't own a superior jab, or rather, the resolve to use a jab as a weapon and a tablesetter. Brinkley rights hurt Stevens with a minute to go in the sixth, and the New Yorker waved Brinkley towards him, indicating that he wasn't hurt. To the contrary...Brinkley had him on the ropes, and Stevens went to his knee with 15 seconds left. He looked totally gassed and had to be overjoyed when the bell rang to save him. Atlas thought that the dynamic was reminiscent of the Tyson-Holyfield scenario, when the bully bashing lost steam, and the bully's resolve crumbled.

In the seventh, Stevens came out awake. He jabbed more, and was back in the fight. Atlas recommended to Manfredo that Brinkley look to take out Stevens, rather than let the hitter hang around during the eighth. Stevens buzzed the underdog in the eighth. In round nine, we learned Manfredo was removed from the corner, on order of the commission. The distance closed, with Stevens having some luck with long rights. In the 10th, Stevens kept leading with his left hook. Brinkley saw it, and slipped it. His own left hooks told Stevens he didn't have that market cornered. In the 11th, Brinkley stayed busy. He made sure to keep proper distance, got in, got out, and likely got another 10 on the cards. The couple solid shots he took, he shrugged off. In the 12th, Manfredo must've been crazed as he saw Brinkley trading, instead of running out the clock. Atlas lauded Stevens here, admitting that the Tyson-bully hat didn't fit. Brinkley scored a knockdown, his second, with 35 seconds left, as the ropes kept Stevens from hitting the mat. Two right hands and a left hook did the damage. "That is good stuff! Good stuff here in Reno. Jesse Brinkly puts on a show!" screamed Joe Tessitore at ringside. We'd go to the cards, as both men's face told anyone who looked at them their vocation after the 36 minutes of combat.


SPEEDBAG Analyst Teddy Atlas took a slap at Freddie Roach, noting that Roach abandoned Peter Manfredo to go train Oscar De La Hoya, going for the moolah instead of adhering to his word. Did that smackdown come out of nowhere? Nope; Roach busted on Atlas for talking on air three weeks ago about that email that went from a Pacquiao teammember to a Mayweather teammember, wondering what might happen if Pacquiao tested positive for a PED. Atlas brought up Roach again in the eighth as well.

--Atlas guessed that Stevens might take out Brinkley in a round or two. He offered a mea culpa during round six, to his credit.

---No shame for Stevens. He's just 24, and now he knows better. Don't predict a KO within a minute, because your opponent knows what's coming, and will be emboldened if he makes it through the stated time period.


Original Source: By Michael Woods http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/7669/underdog-jesse-brinkley-gets-thrilling-win-over-curtis-stevens-fnf/

Full Moon 2010 - Wolf Moon & Mars Equal Big Night for Skywatchers

The first full moon for 2010 is also known as the wolf moon and will shine brightly on the last weekend in January. Add to the night of sky-watching a mix of Mars and you have quite the spectacle as the moon and Mars increase in brightness.

Full Moon 2010 - Wolf Moon & Mars Equal Big Night for Skywatchers

Fox News notes in a report on the origins of the term 'wolf moon' it (is) "a moniker dating back to Native American culture and the notion that hungry wolves howled at the full moon on cold winter nights..."

How bright will it be? Thanks to Mars, expect some serious light.

According to a report from National Geographic, "The 2010 wolf moon will appear 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than any other full moon this year, because our cosmic neighbor will actually be closer to Earth than usual."

***

Robin Scagell, from the Society for Popular Astronomy is cited by the UK Guardian and said: "Mars is looking really quite red and impressive at the moment, and the moon will be full. It's going to be a great sight and rather fun to look for."

The report notes that it is best to get away from light pollution and pack it to the country and for optimal viewing, "A pair of binoculars and a clear out-of-town sky will reveal an added bonus - the "beehive" star cluster - between the two objects, said Scagell.

Source: By Gene Byrd
Jan 29, 2010

Goodbye Holden -- and Franny and Zooey

Even though I rarely think of J.D. Salinger, just the other day I mentioned him -- and his most famous character, Holden Caufield -- in a paper I wrote for a class I'm taking on adolescent development. As an alienated teenager, myself, I took a literature class where we read Salinger's Nine Stories. I had a passionate teacher who helped Salinger's work come alive for me. I wasn't really sure what these stories were about exactly, but, whatever it was, struck me as something very important, something very genuine -- and something worth striving to understand.



Now -- at the ripe old age of 91, many years from the teenager's world of Holden where everything adults did or cared about seemed "phony" -- Salinger is dead.



I am grateful to have had his work as part of my life. It made me feel less alone, especially as a teen, to know others were feeling alienated -- and were searching for something "more.


Original Post : http://abayye.blogspot.com/2010/01/goodbye-holden-and-franny-and-zooey.html

Toyota Recall List: Sales of Eight Models Suspended

Toyota’s difficulties related to the unintended acceleration issue appear to be worsening, as the automaker has announced suspended sales of eight models in the U.S. market. As of January 27, the Toyota recall list has been updated to include suspended sales of Camry (excluding hybrid versions), Avalon, Tundra, Sequoia, RAV4, Corolla, Highlander (excluding hybrid versions) and Matrix models. The move has also forced a temporary production halt at plants in Indiana, Texas, Kentucky and Canada.

As the Toyota Camry remains the best selling car in America, the sales suspension is expected to have a noticeable impact on Toyota’s dealer network, already reeling from a sluggish economy and tightening credit requirements. Prior to this latest setback, Toyota had announced aggressive leasing options and cash back programs in an effort to get customers into showrooms.

Original Source :Posted in Newsworthy, Popular Cars, Recalls, Toyota by Kurt
http://www.ridelust.com/toyota-recall-update-sales-of-eight-models-suspended/

Don't Judge Period 2.

When it comes to judging people, there’s a fine line between character and visual impression.

Keep in mind when your parents used to tell you not to judge people based on how they appear? Well, even if we may have been tell not to do that a hundred times, sad to say, we still do.

I’m not one of the prettiest girls around. People don’t usually notice me on the street. I may have walked past you, but surely you wouldn’t have noticed me if not for my bright clothes. I’m plainly average; I’m not thin, I’m not tall, not even close to what girls call the ‘it’ girls. I wear glasses and I don’t have the best fashion sense in the world. My every day clothes consists of jeans, t-shirt, rubber shoes, and an dull coat to keep me warm on cold days. I don’t wear makeup; just a few dab of a face powder in the morning and I’m good to go.

Three months ago, I decided to have a makeover. I changed my hair. I taught myself how to apply makeup; I even asked the help of my fashion designer friend to revamp my whole wardrobe. I wear high-heels now; I have skirts and dresses in my closet, and have practically thrown away all my sneakers and rubber shoes. The change was remarkable. People noticed me on the street, they even open doors open for me (treatment I didn’t get when I was still a plain-looking gal). Overall, my makeover gave me the confidence I want and the respect I deserve.

So, what does this say about our society? Well, the sad truth is, we are shallow, materialistic people. We get easily impressed by materials things, and although we try to follow what our parents told us, we always adjudicator citizen by physical impression. It’s often what we look from the outside that dictates how people treat us.

And so, what our parents warn us not to do have sadly become the today. If you want people to respect you, you have to look the part.

Remembering my buddies

I was looking at the torn pictures of my high school classmates when I realized I haven’t heard from them in a long time. After graduation, we all drew apart and walked our own paths. I don’t really have close friends back in high school. I envy those people who have a circle of friends who they can call in the middle of the night just for a quick stroll in the graveyard, or friends who goes to their house on unholy hours and dig up all the food in the fridge, which, by the way, their mom was saving up for the weekend party.

I wish to have a clique just like that. But, don’t get me wrong. I’m not unfriendly or have a communicable disease. I easily get along with people and I can crack a joke in perfect timing. I just don’t know why I can’t keep friends forever.

So, as I was looking at our old photos, a thought came to me. Why don’t I dig up my old friends and know what they are up to these days. And so, I plunge in a thorough research and here’s what I found out:

Vince: He lived across our house. We used to carpool back then and share our things; we even shared a girlfriend once. We last saw each other in 1995. From what I heard, he’s a print and ad model today and have came out in some TV commercials. He still got a lot of girls and can’t manage to pick one to be his wife. That lucky bastard!

James: The sporty guy. The only thing I can remember about him is basketball. He’s one of the varsity players in school, and the only guy I always have a brawl with. The last thing I heard, he’s a pastor at some Christian church now.

Robin: The guitar guy. You can never see this guy in campus without his guitar in hand. He’s the best guitarist I have met in my entire life. From what they say, he plays at a cruise ship today. I think he’s already married.

Francis and John: My best mates in high school, who change girlfriends same way they change their shirts. They never seem to lose girls in their palms. I see Francis every now and then; he’s currently having his residency in one of the hospitals in town. As for John, I got no news of him.

I just realized that my friends are just my fleeting companions in my daily existence. They shape my potentials; they love me; they hurt me; they influence me; they keep me on the ground; they just come and go.

Holiday Cram

I am so busted. A few days before the holidays, and I still haven’t got my presents ready. Work has been tight, with the year-end reports to finish and holiday parties to attend. I still got a few things to wrap up before I head-off to my trip. But time is short. I have deadlines coming up. I’m actually cramming right this very moment to get everything finished. I hate my laziness; I blame it on my non-existent social life.

But you know what?

I just realized that all these trials, deadlines, and pressure are here to make me commit to my responsibility better, even if it’s freaking hard.

There are times when the anxiety makes me suicidal, but that’s not the attitude.

The feeling of finally getting the fruits of something I worked hard for is incomparable.

And in a few years, I’ll look back to everything that has happened, and just grin. Then, I’ll tell myself it was all a good memory and a worthwhile experience.

So, whatever problems come my way, I’ll just enjoy it. Feel the trial. Fall. Cry.

Perhaps I need to start on those presents now. I’m feeling a bit ecstatic and in a shopping mood after writing this post. Happy holidays everyone!

She’s such a flirt!

Okay, so my friends and I went clubbing the other night. It was our first night out together after months of staying sober and nightclub-free. We were only a few minutes inside the club when this girl came over Jim and started flashing her fake lashes and throwing evocative gestures at him. Five minutes of groping and they were out of our sight.

I don’t have anything against flirting, but when it comes to female throwing goo-goo eyes and showing sexual intent to guys they just pick out from the crowd, that’s a totally different story. I mean, can’t the girl see that she’s just getting mixed signals from the guy? I can put the blame on the lethal cocktails in her hands, but that’s not enough reason for her to hit on Jim head on. I mean come on, doesn’t the ring on his finger clearly says he’s off the market?

Let’s be clear though. Flirting doesn’t have to be ghastly all the time; that is if it’s done with innocence. Innocent flirting is just like appreciating someone; nothing more, nothing less. There are no age limits, gender boundaries, and sexual connotations. It simply is being charming. But throw in battling lashes, fake laughs, and too much physical contact, there’s totally nothing innocent with that.

I can tell when a girl is flirting innocently or introducing sexual element to someone; trust me I know. I won’t be surprised when I get a frantic call one of these days from Jim’s wife. So, girls take it from me; if you want to flirt make sure to do it to someone uncommitted. Don’t jump into the situation easily. Flirting can be fun, if you do it with a light hand.

Don’t judge, period.

When it comes to judging people, there’s a fine line between character and visual impression.

Remember when your parents used to tell you not to judge people based on how they look? Well, though we may have been told not to do that a hundred times, sad to say, we still do.

I’m not one of the prettiest girls around. People don’t usually notice me on the street. I may have walked past you, but surely you wouldn’t have noticed me if not for my bright clothes. I’m plainly average; I’m not thin, I’m not tall, not even close to what girls call the ‘it’ girls. I wear glasses and I don’t have the best fashion sense in the world. My every day clothes consists of jeans, t-shirt, rubber shoes, and an occasional dull coat to keep me warm on cold days. I don’t wear makeup; just a few dab of a face powder in the morning and I’m good to go.

Three months ago, I decided to have a makeover. I changed my hair. I taught myself how to apply makeup; I even asked the help of my fashion designer friend to revamp my whole wardrobe. I wear high-heels now; I have skirts and dresses in my closet, and have practically thrown away all my sneakers and rubber shoes. The change was remarkable. People noticed me on the street, they even open doors open for me (treatment I didn’t get when I was still a plain-looking gal). Overall, my makeover gave me the confidence I want and the respect I deserve.

So, what does this say about our society? Well, the sad truth is, we are shallow, materialistic people. We get easily impressed by materials things, and although we try to follow what our parents told us, we always judge people by physical impression. It’s often what we look from the outside that dictates how people treat us.

And so, what our parents warn us not to do have sadly become the norm today. If you want people to respect you, you have to look the part. Change your physical impression, and it’ll take you a long way. I learned that the hard way.