World's MOST Expensive Houses!

Can u read this?

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid, too.

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe tuo fo 100 anc.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

If you can read this, your brain is 50% faster than those who can't

---

ARUM STAKES CLAIM TO PACQUIAO GOLD

Promoter Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao are now a team.

If you ever wondered why the bidding has been so fierce over the promotional rights to the little Filipino dragon named Manny Pacquiao just have a look at his box-office numbers.

Plain and simple, having the pleasure to promote the "Pac Man" is like having a license to print money. So, as Pacquiao prepares for his latest shootout against unbeaten Mexican Jorge Solis on Saturday night at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, his promoter of the day, Bob Arum, is grinning like a Cheshire cat.

In this age of boxing pacifism, where few punches are thrown and most title fights go the twelve-round distance, Pacquiao is an electric performer that makes boxing fans from around the world spring to their feet in open-mouthed glee. It's Pacquiao that makes boxing fans remember a better era in boxing when fighters really went for it, when they took chances and when they went into a fight like they had something to fight for - not something

Bob Arum remembers those times too, because he lived them. The promoter loves what he sees in Manny Pacquiao and Arum, in his raspy voice, says that if you're a boxing fan the choice should be easy as to who you should spend your money to see.

"If you were paying $50, who would you want to see? Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and his style or Manny Pacquiao and his style which is exciting, which is aggressive, which is entertaining or Floyd who is a tremendous tactician? I don't want to take anything away from Floyd, but I think the public really has spoken on this; that Manny is by far the more exciting and the more entertaining fighter. He has his skills and Floyd has his skills, but I think ninety-five percent of the boxing fans would rather watch Manny than Floyd."

Boxing at the highest levels has become a joust of predictability, like fencing without the swords. World title fights are like debates that play out in antiseptic casinos against the backdrop of stale and controlled television productions.

Corporate suits from the television networks act as manager, matchmaker and promoter all rolled into one. The grime of what used to make boxing such a beautiful and intriguing game has been cleansed away by lawyers in three piece suits and casinos that package "events" rather than fights. You can't even smoke a cigar at ringside anymore.

But for boxing fans and for Bob Arum, now in his 75th year, there is a flicker of light in this black darkness. Manny Pacquiao has stormed across the pacific like a typhoon and he's a throwback to another time and another place. In a time when boxing is lacking a hero, especially among the heavyweights, it has found one hailing from a far corner of the world that only weighs 130-pounds when he's soaking wet.

Pacquiao is the type of fighter that fans pay to see and his fights are exciting punch festivals that overflow with drama. It wouldn't be just any fighter that would cause Bob Arum of Top Rank Promotions and those who run Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions to become sworn enemies forever over.

While the two groups despised each other before the battle of Pacquiao reared its ugly head - the hatred now runs as deep as the Mariana Trench. Arum has been getting guys to take off their shirts and fight each other for money for over 40 years and he knows a shooting star burning across the sky when he sees it.

When Arum had his moment to sink his promotional fangs into Pacquiao he did so with the swiftness and brunt of a King Cobra. Despite the fact that Pacquiao reportedly first signed a deal with De La Hoya and then accepted a suitcase filled with $250,000cash, it has been Arum that has come out on top in garnering Pacquiao's trust and his services.

It took a Christmas trip across the Pacific Ocean as well as untold sums in legal fees, but Bob Arum has got his man. Arum, who promoted both De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. from the ground up will be on the outside looking in when they face each other in one of the biggest money fights in boxing history on May 5th. Both have left Arum's promotional stable in the recent past and have taken with them the millions of dollars that Arum used to be a part of.

Arum claims he's leaving his hometown of Las Vegas on fight night when the two square-off at the MGM Grand and that he won't be among the millions around the world that will purchase the fight on pay per view.

He is still likely the best pure promoter in the sport. While most so-called promoters these days rely on the television networks and the casinos to sell tickets and bankroll promotions, Arum is promoting the fights at the Alamodome on his own dime and is also handling the distribution of the pay per view broadcast.

Arum, in his new role as maverick carnival barker, understands the fight game, the marketing of fighters as well as the fan base of what makes fighters popular perhaps better than anyone. Watching him promote boxing from behind the scenes is an amazing lesson.

During the build-up to the Oscar De La Hoya versus Hector Camacho fight in 1997 the master was at work. It was at The Marriott Hotel in Denver, Colorado which was one of the stops on the national press tour to hype the fight.

Thousands of screaming teen aged girls has worked themselves into a frenzied lather and were causing a mob scene and near riot in their efforts to get Oscar's attention. This was causing the safety of the fighters and the assembled reporters pinned at the front of the room to be in jeopardy so we were all corralled into the back kitchen of the hotel.

In amongst the pots and pans and reporters were Arum, De La Hoya, Camacho, a Mariachi band and Miss Colorado. Arum took the interruption in the schedule in stride and amongst the chaos he continued to conduct business. He first made a cell phone call to fellow promoter Cedric Kushner and engaged in a heated discussion about tickets for the then upcoming Johnny Tapia versus Danny Romero fight.

After that he told the people organizing the press conference to, "Get a move on, because we have a plane to catch." He then commented on the people pushing on the other side of the door.

"Those people are buyers. This thing is going to make some real money. They have money and they are buyers!"

And then Arum was out another door with the local Budweiser representatives to shoot a commercial for the Colorado cable systems promoting the De La Hoya versus Camacho fight.

Leading up to this weekend's fight there have been harsh words and accusations exchanged between Arum and Golden Boy Promotions as to who really has the right to promote Pacquiao. Both sides have filed legal arguments and just last week Arum won a round in court when De La Hoya's company attempted to block the Pacquiao versus Solis fight from taking place. Arum is hopeful about the entire Pacquiao legal situation and is forging ahead with the promotion even if it means he may be liable for damages at some point in the future.

When asked if people should spend their money to see Pacquiao fight this weekend or save it to purchase the Mayweather versus De La Hoya fight in May, Arum pulled his promoter's hat on even tighter.

"I mean let's be frank about it. I mean you've seen (Mayweather in) the Baldomir fight, the Bruseles fight, the Sharmba Mitchell fight. Would you want to pay money to see any of those kinds of fights again? I think the answer is no. If you saw Manny's fights with Barrera, with Morales, with Marquez I'd pay to see Manny fight similar fights because they're just so exciting and so gripping and he shows such great skills."

Arum conveniently left out mentioning the bouts in which Mayweather looked good and the fights against Arturo Gatti and Zab Judah that did have some drama.

Whatever the case, it's fitting that the Pacquiao fight is taking place at the Alamodome in San Antonio. After 40 years in the game, Arum is a modern-day Sam Houston staging his own Battle at the Alamo and hoping to mount a revolution that will make Manny Pacquiao a household name. Like an old west prospector, Arum continues to dig and sift through the dirt that is professional boxing searching for the elusive golden nuggets.

This time he's found a shiny new rock named Manny Pacquiao - and it shows no sign of losing its luster.


April 2007

The Story of the Carpenter

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his
employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building
business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his
extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to
retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked
if he could build just one more house as a personal favor.
The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his
heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and
used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his
career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to
inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to
the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "[M]y gift to you."

What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building
his own house, he would have done it all so differently.
Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way,
reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best.
At important points we do not give the job our best effort.

Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created[,]
and find that we are now living in the house we have built.

If we had realized, we would have done it differently.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house.
Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall.
Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you
live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived
graciously and with dignity.

The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of
your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be
the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today..

A DOSE OF REALITY

From left: Peter Manfredo, Jr. and Joe Calzaghe announcing their fight


In boxing as we know it today, all it takes to become a title challenger is to make an appearance on a reality television show, have a touching story and a photogenic family behind you, as well as the ability to garner a few Nielsen ratings points in the 18 to 35 year-old demographic.

And presto, the flesh peddlers will reward a young man with a title fight.

So as “The Contender”reality show television personality and relative novice Peter Manfredo, Jr. prepares to face WBO Super Middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in Cardiff, Wales on Saturday night at Millenium Stadium he does so without ever having defeated a top-ranked fighter and with only two fights in the 168-pound division.

HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant, in talking about fighters that are perceived to be unbeatable, once said so eloquently, “Their ain’t a horse than can’t be rode or a rider that can’t be throwed.” However, Peter Manfredo, Jr. and his braintrust deciding to challenge Joe Calzaghe is like the winner of the local chess club tournament deciding to take on Grandmaster Gary Kasparov in a winner take all match.

You must know there’s a reason why Manfredo is a 6-1 underdog at the betting parlors in the United Kingdom and around the world. Calzaghe is undefeated in 42 professional fights dating back to 1993 and has made 19 successful title defenses. Along the way, Calzaghe has defeated most of the major names in his division and has held his WBO title for nearly 10 years. He recently humiliated Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy in a unification fight that many experts figured he would lose. He is also the longest reigning champion the sport of boxing has and at age 35 he shows no signs of slowing down.

After all of these years at the top, it’s another day at the factory as “The Pride of Wales” goes about his work in blue-collar fashion. Calzaghe relishes the opportunity to prove the naysayers wrong again. Last week during a media conference call, he was matter of fact about his latest challenger from across the pond. “We chose Peter because he’s an exciting fighter, an improving fighter”, said Calzaghe. “He’s a big name, so regardless of how he performs in the fight, he’s got a big career ahead of him. But, like I said, this is my 20th defense. I’ve trained tremendously hard, and I’m looking forward to it.”

With his dark features and quick tongue, Calzaghe is overflowing with confidence and he claims his brittle hands haven’t been a problem during the training camp leading up to this fight. He just doesn’t seem worried about what might happen on Saturday. He’s philosophic about fighting and about his opponent and he has an attitude grounded in knowledge about the game and about himself. The stadium where the fight will be held is less than a five minute drive from his home and as of this week at least 35,000 tickets had been sold. It will be one of the largest indoor crowds ever assembled in Great Britain.

When asked if he feels any pressure about fighting in his hometown and putting his championship on the line for the 20th time he answers honestly. “Yes, obviously there’s pressure in every single title defense. But, I think pressure is a good thing. You know, one of my strengths is that I don’t take any fighter lightly. I take all of them very seriously indeed. But, Peter’s got a massive step-up and he’s a big underdog. He’s got a massive opportunity, an opportunity of a lifetime. I know what it’s like to be a challenger and to want to win. So we have to match that with the same intent and the same desire as if I were the challenger. And for this fight, I’m paid tremendously well. I trained very hard to go 12 hard rounds, if need be.”

Calzaghe gave an honest assessment of Manfredo, and also of himself, when asked for his opinion. “I think he’s a good fighter. He’s a solid fighter. I mean, he’s got a big heart. He’s a fighter and that makes him good. Obviously, fighting me is a big step up from the likes of Sergio Mora and Joey Spina. He’s definitely improving, but it’s the next step up for him. I’ve prepared for a tough fight and I’m ready for anything. I can’t afford to have an ‘I been there, done that’ attitude when I train for a title defense. A lot of people may think I’m getting a bit long in the tooth but I’m still leaving the bodies in the gym and fighters who are ten years younger than me behind in running. My hand speed is just as fast. It doesn’t get much bigger than this.”

Manfredo, of course, is best known for being the runner-up on “The Contender” reality show and for losing two close fights to the eventual show winner, Sergio “The Latin Snake” Mora. Manfredo was somewhat gnarly and ill-tempered during last week’s chat with reporters. But, arduous training camps, time spent away from home and mundane questioning have a tendency to bring that out in fighters. “The Pride of Providence” Rhode Island has a stunning facial resemblance to the great Rocky Marciano and was sporting the remnants of a black eye - evidence that he took his training for this fight very serious.

Manfredo has Sugar Ray Leonard in his corner as a special advisor as his regular trainer, Freddie Roach, is locked away in Puerto Rico preparing Oscar De La Hoya to fight Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Manfredo is a likable enough young man, but over the course of the past three years his opposition has been mainly comprised of other reality show participants who were all less than world beaters. He brings a record of 26-3 (12)KO and it’s tough to say just who the best fighter Manfredo ever defeated was. However, to his credit he looked sparkling in knocking out regional rivals Scott Pemberton and Joey Spina in his last two fights.

Clearly, this is the biggest fight Manfredo has even been involved with, but he shrugged off reporters’ suggestions that he may freeze up on Saturday night. He tried to come off as self-assured when asked how he feels about fighting outside the United States for the first time. A trace of uncertainty and trepidation could be heard in his voice when he claimed, “I’m very confident going into this fight. The pressure is definitely on him. I have no pressure. I mean, I’m going into his backyard in front of 35,000 people screaming his name. He’s been the longest reigning champion for almost ten years. He’s undefeated and hopefully all the pressure will be on him.”

Even Manfredo didn’t seem to believe that answer by the time he finished stumbling over the words.

Whatever the case, Peter Manfredo’s unlikely path to Saturday night in this era of boxing is certainly an interesting one. It makes for an entertaining television story, but Saturday night Peter Manfredo is in for an episode of reality television - the likes of which he’s never seen before.

April 2007

World`s smallest harddrive

(Click for larger image)

World's smallest hard drive (and it's 8GB). Yes, it's even smaller than the microdrive.

World`s tallest motorcycle

No, this isn’t a Photoshopped image… it’s a real motorcycle. “The Monster” (aka “Dream Big”) is the brainchild of Stockton, California’s Greg Dunham, and it’s in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s tallest working motorcycle.

At 11’, 3” tall, and 20’ 4” long, this 6500 pound monster needs a 502 cubic-inch engine (giving 500 horsepower) yoked to 2-speed transmission to make it move. And move it does—Dunham claims the big boy will rumble to a terminal velocity of 65 miles-per-hour, which must be make for one hell of an interesting sensation.

By the builder’s reckoning, Dream Big cost big—around $300,000. The unique project took three years to conceive (it was completed in 2005), and can occasionally be seen at various car and bike events.