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Lindsey Jacobellis flew into the frigid Italian atmosphere as a celebrated and admired snowboarding superstar but, after an adrenalin-fueled grab at her board in mid-flight, she returned to earth in a meteoric flameout destined to make her a lock for membership in the Bonehead Hall of Shame. But her gaffe also represents a watershed moment for a sport once typified by such actions.

Snowboarding is a serious sport populated by serious athletes. Participants in competitions throughout the world work and train and sacrifice to race and win and be recognized as the best in their sport. But the ascension of snowboarding from a wild, rebellious and carefree winter activity to a corporately-sponsored, mainstream, Olympic-level competition has resulted in attitudes and expectations that are radically divergent from the once-radical personality that dominated the sport.

Lindsey Jacobellis began snowboarding in rural Roxbury, CT when she was 10-years old. Coached by her older brother, Ben, Lindsey was forced to compete against boys since there was no girls division for the sport. This co-ed racing helped her develop a highly competitive spirit. Leading up to the Olympics she trained with the American men since she is the only U.S. woman competing in snowboard cross. She is, quite simply, the best womens snowboard cross racer in the world. But, as a result of her fall in the Italian Alps, she will not be an Olympic champion in 2006.

What Lindsey Jacobellis will be, to many, is a showboating hot dog. She will be derided for being cocky, over-confidant and foolish. One television reporter stated that Lindsey had left a blemish on the sport of snowboarding. Another said that the nations hope for a gold medal in this event rested solely on her shoulders. Her agent is probably on suicide watch after seeing his dreams of gold medal endorsement deals get swept away in an avalanche of shattered dreams.

And how does Lindsey feel about all of this? "I went for the jump because I was having fun," she said. "Snowboarding is fun, and I wanted to share that with the crowd. ... I was caught up in the moment and forgot that I had to race.

Poor Lindsey. Doesnt she realize that competing at this level is not supposed to be fun? That getting caught up in the moment was a reckless, selfish and careless demonstration of nave exuberance? How could Lindsey have been so irresponsible that she would have allowed the thrill of flying down a frosty hill, free, fast and in first-place by a snowboarding mile, to be manifested in a flamboyant maneuver for which snowboarders used to be hailed?

Used to be That is the operative phrase at the moment. Snowboarding has come of age. Millions are watching world-class athletes compete for gold, silver and bronze. Fame and fortune await the winners. Only memories of a temporary place on the world stage await the rest. But Lindsey Jacobellis will forever straddle the chasm between Olympic winners and Olympic losers. She now carries the weight of Olympic silver around her neck and the stigma of Olympic failure on her competitive resume.

By her self-inflicted disaster, Lindsey Jacobellis has elevated snowboarding to a premier winter sport. No longer will the freewheeling, high-flying, hey dude, watch this, X Game-style mentality apply to competitive snowboarding. Its about winning and money and national honor and endorsements. Getting ramped up and having fun are no longer permissible attitudes for the sport.

Dude, this is serious!

Coming into the matchup between the Panthers and Bears, everybody spoke of the mighty Bears defense. They had an amazing run this season by allowing fewer than double digit points per game at home this season. With a week off and the media attention hyping them up, they lost their defensive edge.

The Bears were definitely rusty and unprepared in this game. They had a week off to heal their wounds and to review video tape but the week off also took away their sharpness on the field. They were so successful defensively because they would be able to swarm to the ball in record time. Yesterday as Smith was running all over them, their ability to swarm to the ball was questionable.

The Panthers also did a great job at picking apart the Bears defense early. The Steelers did much of the same against the Colts by getting to them early. The rustiness of the team off of a bye will not last forever so the Panthers knew to pass the ball early hitting big plays and getting the early touchdown.

The Bears offense looked great this game and for people to question their offense would be a mistake. It is also a mistake for people to blame their defense for this loss because without them, they would not have been in the playoffs.

If anything, blame should be placed on Lovie Smith for not preparing his team for the speed and intensity of a real game. He also made very little defensive adjustments at half time to give his team a chance to win. There was also a very poor game plan heading into the game to defend Steve Smith.

If you are looking to buy your mother a Christian gift for Mothers Day, you have more choices than you think. Besides picking up a nice, new copy of the Bible, you will find that there are many other options available today that will make perfect presents for your mom. Your choice can vary from personalized Christian cards to special Christmas tree decorations.

Biblical Coins are especially popular. You can buy your mother original and authentic coins of the Bible. You can enhance her coin collection with a famous and rare ancient currency. The Silver Sigoli is the first coin mentioned in the Bible; you will find references to the Roman Penna in the parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the Windows Mite is a bronze coin made during the time of Jesus Christ. These original coins are the rarest and the ones that are most sought after.

If your mother collects figurines, you can buy her a religious porcelain figurine to decorate her table or mantle. These inspirational Christian figurines are crafted and hand-painted by skilled artists and craftsmen. You could even buy her a full nativity scene that can be the pride of her Christmas decorations.

You can also buy your mother Christian artwork. You can get your mother a painting of a scene from the Bible or a knitted verse from the Psalms. You can even get verses and scenes embroidered, cousin covers, and throws.

Quickly rising in popularity are the Bible Verse Babies. These Bible Beanie Babies come with a Bible tag and make perfect gifts if your mother is a beanie baby collector.

Nothing prepares you for meeting your father for the first time when youre an adult. Because meeting this way is not normal. Your father is supposed to be there at your birth and be somebody you have always known. So what can you expect when your search has finally resulted in receiving your fathers contact information either directly or through another person?

First of all, please realize that you will need patience, understanding, and an open mind that there may be circumstances you know nothing about. You will need to put your own emotions aside and put yourself in his shoes. Because the first thing that usually happens is silence. Thats when your emotions go on a roller coaster ride: from ecstasy over finding him to complete rejection when he doesnt immediately pick up the phone and declare his undying love for you. And then all of those emotions in-between: impatience, anger, loss, sadness, regret, and fear.

Step One: Be Patient

It took my father 2 months to contact me after my uncle gave him my contact information. I cried and prayed on the couch every day. Then we went away for a 1-week cruise to Alaska and when we returned home, I turned on the computer, checked my email and there it was: his email titled, Knowledge.

Why knowledge? Well, to him, contacting me was all about responding to my request for information about him. After mulling it over for 2 months, he was still reluctant to take it further, to talk, to connect, to meet, let me into his heart, all the time wondering what the gain was. After all, he had put me behind him years ago. He had moved on, remarried and had another family. And his other children knew nothing of me.

Step Two: Understanding Your Fathers Reluctance

Want to know the biggest reason that fathers arent more open to contacting their adult children first? F-e-a-r. Fathers are afraid that they will be blamed for not being there, they will be accused of abandoning the child and they are afraid of being attacked. Sometimes rightly so. Most often than not, its complicated. Its not clear-cut whos to blame. In many cases, theres something thats being covered up. Quite often the mother blames the father, convincing the child to be on her side. And the child does become angry at the father or certainly convinced their mother was right and their father was wrong.

Fathers also worry about the people in their present life: their wife, their kids, their grandkids, their neighbors, the people at church. What are they all going to think about him having this child who suddenly appears on the scene?

Knowing all of this and accepting your father for who he is, then youll be more open to understanding he has his own point of view and reasons for his behavior. And that, under the circumstances, he is doing the best he can.

Step Three: Be Prepared for his Side of the Story

Knowing what I know now, I realized I should have expected that there would be another side to the story. But because I was so sure my mother was right, I went into complete shock and anger and experienced deep feelings of betrayal when I discovered the truth. This alienated me from my family. If I had gone in there expecting that she had told me her side and my father had another side, maybe I would have reacted more calmly and understood better what was going on.

But like any new relationship, with love, understanding, and patience, this relationship can grow into something more. It takes time, the right circumstances and the willingness on everyones part. It doesnt always turn into the father/daughter relationship weve always hoped for but sometimes it helps to be grateful for what you do get.

With the advent of the global economy, there has been a massive growth in the business of antique furniture and handicrafts in the export and domestic market. Thousands of antique collectible item providers worldwide claim to weave the architectural wonders of the classic ages with their extensive collection of classic furniture, classic antique lamps and antique chandeliers, antique accessories and other collectible items. While the serious antique collectors and museums have always been passionate about restoring heritage pieces and traditional architectural items encompassing history and classicism, the modern man has also been gradually conscious of the heritage of classic design furniture adapted to the needs of today. Therefore, the antique items today form part of his living room or dining hall, apart from being valued heritage items at museums worldwide.

The antique furniture items, including the classic English furniture, antique Continental furniture, antique Oriental furniture items (including the antique Chinese furniture, antique Japanese and antique Tibetan furniture), function as wonderful utility items as well as distinctive decorative pieces reflecting the art, culture and aesthetic flavor of the Medieval, Gothic and the Renaissance period. Antique furniture of the Gothic, Georgian, Medieval and Renaissance period generally comprises of a vast selection of cupboards, cabinets, tables, chairs, armoires, dressers, coffers and chests, benches, bookcases and mirrors. While the European, American and Continental antique furniture and collectibles characterize the western classic architectural essence, the antique Chinese furniture and antique Japanese furniture unfold the magic and charm of the mystic Oriental culture that is reflected in their intricate artistic carving and inlaid decoration.

While the antique lamps and chandeliers, with the vintage or figural hand-carved varieties used to be great sources of attraction and beauty in the mid eighteenth and nineteenth centuries all over Europe, the advent of electric lamps globally had ousted those and turned them to be mere museum pieces. Truly authentic antique electric lamps and chandeliers have very limited supply. Hundreds of antique providers today claim to supply beautiful hand cut European crystal lamps and chandeliers, which can complement any antique dcor. You, however, have to be extremely prudent of your purchase of the authentic antique chandeliers and lamps from extremely reliable dealers and traders of antique lamp and chandeliers.

Today, the web world has come up with unique, innovative online storehouses, offering exclusive and exquisite inventory of antique furniture items, along with antique lamps and antique chandeliers. Many of these online antique furniture providers and dealers stock an inexhaustible selection of 18th and 19th century Country Furniture comprising of farmhouse tables in Oak and Fruitwoods and sets of Country Chairs such as Windsors, Ladders, Spindlebacks and so on. They claim to be online superstores of vast and diverse online antiques and collectibles encompassing a huge gamut of architecture, antique decorative items, antique paintings or fine arts collections, antique clocks, crockery, figurines, furniture, glassware and so on. No longer will you have to search frantically for reliable antique dealers, wholesalers and retailers for your purchase of rare antique English, antique French or antique Chinese furniture. With the click of the mouse, today you have a plethora of sites dealing with the online purchase of your favorite antique items through a vast and organized global network of antique dealers and suppliers that cater to the aesthetic tastes of diverse sections of the community.

Choose the most authentic antique site for the purchase of your favorite antique items. All of these sites will claim to provide you with the best deals. You, however, have to get armed with proper knowledge of the antiques before rushing for your purchase, as it is no trifle investment! Therefore, get your deals from only those antique dealers/providers on the net with adequate knowledge, expertize and experience in the arena of antique furniture and collectibles.