Young and Pregnant

Being Pregnant at Age 18 or Younger Can Pose Many Problems.

NOTE: This blog entry concerns a discomforting topic. Reader discretion is advised and encouraged.

(UPDATED: October 14, 2011)

If you normally watch The Maury Show (as I do), you know full well about the paternity drama that ensues on most of the episodes of Maury for the more than 15 years of Maury's existence. What this blog entry is mostly about is in becoming a mother at a young age. I become disgusted about teen girls wanting to become a mother even before graduating from school. It is a great ambition to become a mother. However, do you REALLY want to go through with this at a young age? You can't just "populate the world" without being completely physically and financially able to support a child. What about cooking and cleaning for a baby? What about taking a baby to the doctor? What about making sure the baby is safe from any danger?

Becoming a mother (even of an adopted child) can be a wonderful. There is NOTHING like becoming a parent. You have a chance to bring a child (or children) into the world to live happy and prosperous lives. However, there are some teenagers who think they are so grown that they can handle adulthood... but most still aren't even high school graduates! There is a lack of responsibility and self-esteem in wanting to bring a child into the world at such a young age. You can't just bring a baby into the world without having some kind of way to take care of the baby. Not even playing with baby dolls will prepare you for being a real mother. And what about those prospective teen moms who just have sex with as many men as possible to try to get pregnant? Having a baby is pretty much assured when having sex with multiple partners. But, who actually FATHERS your baby? Being this sort of wild child can come back to bite you, leaving you to crash and burn.

This blog entry concerns the issue of youth pregnancy, but I'm mostly concerned about pregnant teens. I named it as "youth pregnancy" because I have heard of girls 13 or younger who became pregnant.

INTERESTING FACT: The youngest female human to ever give birth was a five-year old girl in Peru back in 1939. The baby was delivered by Cesarean section. Read more about this five-year old pregnant girl on oddee.com.

--- Teen Pregnancy at a Glance ---

^ from: clevelandleader.com - a pregnant teenage girl.

Teens becoming pregnant is a concern, but nowhere near the level of concern of teen girls who love to have sex just to become pregnant... and doesn't care who the father of the baby is. Before I get to my own commentary, below are some statistics I looked up online.

Here are some statistics on teen pregnancy:

(source: pregnantteenhelp.org)
• The United States has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy of any industrialized nation in the Western Hemisphere
• Teen pregnancy costs the United States $7,000,000,000 USD (about as much as the US' national debt!).
• 1/3 of girls will be pregnant in their teen years.

More statistics...
• Approximately 750K teenagers in the United States annually become pregnant.
• Nevada has the highest rate of teen pregnancy (113 per 1,000 teens); North Dakota with the lowest at (42 per 1,000 teens)
• 24% of all unmarried mothers in the United States are teenage girl mothers.
• 2/3 of all pregnant teen girls in the United States will not graduate from high school.
• Billions of US Dollars are spent trying to take care of teen moms, but millions more spent on prevention programs.


You can read many more statistics on teen pregnancy in the United States by reading the link where I got this information from: Teen Pregnancy Statistics. Teen pregnancy is taxing, both in time and effort, but also financially. No one teen mother can honestly say (and prove) she is financially ready and responsible to take care of a baby. Why do you think parents become upset about something like this? Unless a teen mother can take care of herself (which is very unlikely), the parents have their own financial issues to attend to. A teen mother will only exasperate how much parents are spending anyways in trying to maintain a healthy household and stay financially stable.

Later in this blog post, I have some resources for you all to check out in case you are interested in providing facts and cold hard truths about teen pregnancy.

--- Forever 21's Controversial Love 21 Line ---

Forever 21, a fashion line for teens and young adults, recently launched a maternity lineup of clothes called Love 21. The controversy lies in marketing maternity clothes to a mostly Junior-exclusive fashion line. A report from CNN in July of this year indicated that Love 21 was unveiled in five states. These states with Love 21 include: Texas, Alaska, Arizona, Utah, and California. Texas, Arizona, and California are among 15 states with some of the highest teen pregnancy rates.

The controversy is that some feel Forever 21 is marketing this Love 21 line to teens "on purpose" in the states with high teen pregnancy rates. Love 21's executive vice president, Larry Meyer, says it is not marketed specifically to teen girls or in the aforementioned states.

Links...

• To read the full report from CNN, visit: "Forever 21 asked about maternity line" on CNN Living.
• There is also this Associated Content post: "Forever 21 Maternity Line Controversy," on Associated Content
• If you're interested in the Love 21 lineup, visit: Forever 21's Love 21 line.

--- A Personal Story ---

Here is a personal story. One time back in about 1998, I was a student at Milby High School here in Houston. There was a girl in my Physical Education class who was pregnant. It was the first time I had ever known someone around my age in high school who is pregnant. I wasn't even sure what exercises were right for her. A year later (long story short), I'd basically get kicked out of my former high school to go towards this alternative school. So from my days at H.P. Carter Alternative here in Houston, my eyes were opened to a few more girls my age or younger/older.

Pregnant... and still in high school. It was an eye-opener for me because I never thought you could be young and pregnant.

--- Commentary Piece ---

One of the roughest realities of being young and pregnant is that it can impacts your life in a serious way. You won't be able to live your young life and enjoy life. The thing that disgusts me the most about some teen girls is the desire and ambition to become pregnant. I become disgusted with out-of-control teens who think they are so grown that they want to have children. You know... having unprotected sex with all kinds of men, being a wild party girl who takes drugs and drinks hard liquor at such a young age, and stuff like that. What I become more disgusted in is a young teen who loves having sex with other men, gets pregnant... and doesn't care who the father is. THEN guess what? You'll end up on The Maury Show or The Steve Wilkos Show (I prefer Maury with all due respect) complaining to every guy you remember having sex with that he is the father.

This is somewhat of a critical stand, but part of me blames entertainment media for showcasing and fetishizing pregnancy. A by-product of young girls getting pregnant is mostly when you hear of famous celebrities giving birth. We become so fixated and influenced by celebrities that we try to pattern our lives about almost EVERYTHING we love about famous people. And in the case of female celebrities getting knocked up, having baby bump, or whatever you want to call being pregnant (I HATE the words "preggers" or "preggo" to describe someone pregnant), some teen girls especially get the idea that (tell me if you heard/seen this before) if celebrities are doing it, why not us non-celebrities? So some teen girls want to become pregnant so they can enjoy parenthood at a young age and feel "grown." They are mostly influenced by living wild and out-of-control lifestyles semi-inspired by some celebrities. When you're young, you have to care more about living your life and gaining a quality education. You're not going to have the same level of freedom and fun when you become a young mother. You have to basically commit to and take care of a baby. This also applies to consuming the right foods to help make sure your baby is delivered in a healthy way. You can't be drinking Vodka and overdosing on drugs when you're trying to deliver a healthy baby (or babies). What negative you consume could impair the baby for perhaps the rest of his/her life. You may even suffer miscarriages and stillborn babies.

Pregnancy (at least among American celebrities) is promoted and marketed in a way that pregnancy is about as cool as being rich and famous. Pregnancy, however, is a life-long dedication to nurture, educate, and maintain a healthy baby. Even if you have a baby that has some ailments or whatever, it is still a lifetime of love and care to take care of a baby. Maybe you try to have a baby but fail to deliver or become pregnant. It doesn't mean you try to have sex with guys you don't even know or care about just to become pregnant. Just having sex with tens to hundreds of men mean that you don't even care about means that you will just be on your own taking care of your baby or babies. You basically act as if you just want a baby for yourself without regard for whomever the father is. However, what happens when the baby becomes a child (or even a teenager or young adult) and he/she wants to know who daddy is apart from your wild child ways?

Sometimes watching The Maury Show, I hear these teen girls say that their parents will take care of the children. Two things... (1) what if the parents aren't there? (2) What happens when parents REFUSE to help? You may be fortunate if parents are willing to step up to take care of both you and your baby, but will mostly be disappointed in their young teens trying to get pregnant, thinking they are grown. Giving birth is about raising and maintaining children. It is about mom and dad contributing to be in the child's/childrens' life/lives. If you are young and want a child so bad, go to a Toys 'R US or someplace and get a baby doll. Then when REALLY ready to experience parenthood (in other words, marrying a man and wanting to have a child), THEN worry about pregnancy. Otherwise... you may end up having to drop out of school and try to get your GED rather than trying to get your high school diploma at 18 or younger. You have the rest of your life ahead of you... don't risk it at a young age by trying to become pregnant at such a young age. Worry more about education than trying to get pregnant while still young.

--- There is Still Hope... ---

Not every teen mother has severe difficulties. Some are actually able to properly take care of their babies. This is where parents and loved ones usually step up to try to raise and maintain a healthy and happy baby. Most of my venting has been about teen girls who think they are so grown that they want to have children and live fabulously. Parents may be able to help you, but some will not be as reluctant. If there is a child, mom and dad (even future mom and dad) need to step up in a big way. I've once known a girl who was 14 (at the time), and her mother was 29. The parents and teen parents will need to step up to take care of a child.

It's not the end of the world if you're a teen and pregnant. It just means that people have to step up in taking care of a baby from a teen mother. It has to be all hands on deck and a total team effort. Not every family is so advantageous, but a big salute to families who step up to take care of a baby from a young mother. That includes being able to financially take care of the baby or babies.

--- A Disgusting Experience: Negligent Teen Moms ---

(ADDED: October 14, 2011)
Watching Maury yesterday, there was an episode that showcased teenage moms who'd rather have sex and party than properly take care of their children. As if being a teen mom is stressing enough, imagine being a teen mom and not even care about raising your children. For one thing, being pregnant at such a young age should never happen. There is a lot in your young life to experience before even thinking about becoming a mother. Some teen girls, though, just feel they are too grown and look at having children as having an extra pair of clothing or shoes.

I hated to see how teenage girls could be so abusive and disrespect their own children. It was just terrible watching these teen moms just... basically give up on being responsible and respectful parents. You wanted a baby so bad, and now that you have these babies, you don't want to take the responsibility and the burden of taking care of them yourself. Your parents may or may not have helped you. Still- this is YOUR child, YOU wanted this baby so bad, and YOU are failing miserably both as a mother and as a human being. You are giving parenting a bad name with your negligence. Who wants to be proud of treating a baby so poorly, let alone a mother at a young age? Get with the program, or your child/children may not grow up to be as well and as educated as he/she/they could be.

Just my opinion. That episode was just so poor to watch.

--- Teen Pregnancy Resources ---

Here are some resources online to help you in getting through teen pregnancy. I suggest any of you teen mothers to visit at least one of these resources I've found:

Resources For Teens...

• Pregnant Teen Help
• Teen Pregnancy on TeenHelp.com
• Adolescent Reproductive Health, from the CDC
• Teen Pregnancy on LIVESTRONG.COM
• stayteen.org
• Overview, Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy
• Raising Awareness About Teen Pregnancy | the Candies Foundation

For Parents...

If you are the mother or a parent of a pregnant teen, here are some resources for you:
• Parenting a Pregnant Teen, from parentingmyteen.com
• When Your Teen Is Having a Baby
• March of Dimes - Teenage Pregnancy


The entire month of May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. One day out of the entire month of May is devoted to as being the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy was founded in 1996. Learn more about this occasion by visiting The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy's website.


(UPDATE: Dec. 7, 2010) - I have set up a blog post called "Hot Mama!" which involves maternity fashion. If you want to read my blog post regarding maternity and nursing fashion, you may visit either of the following blog posts:

• Hot Mama! (JBS) - my blog on maternity fashion
• Hot Mama! (JSS) - my blog on maternity fashion with items from Amazon






I've looked at this issue from a number of perspectives. Let me know how you think I did by posting comments. Share ANY of my blog entries with others if you love my content. Thank you for your reading!

Thank you for reading!

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Car Style - The Porsche Cayman and Cayman S

(UPDATED: February 25, 2012)

Did you know this is my FIRST-EVER Porsche Car Style blog entry? Porsche released the Cayman back in 2005. This car is not really one of the more powerful Porsches. However, the Cayman (regardless of Cayman or Cayman S) is no slouch. This car has some gracious style and flowing lines. She is a beautiful lady who delivers a combination of performance and beauty. This blog entry is my thoughts on this car's style. Most of what I will pertain to relates to the Porsche Cayman S. I will reference the regular Cayman as well, though.

--- Car Style: The Porsche Cayman ---

^ from: partstrain.com - the Porsche Cayman S.

Perhaps the sweetheart of Stuttgart, the Cayman is a beautiful young lady with diamond-like eyes and angelic charm. The Cayman delivers in performance and in prowess. I even used a Cayman in "Need for Speed: Pro Street" and maybe even "Need for Speed: Carbon." The car is a beautiful one. Remember- most of this blog entry pertains to the Cayman S, but I will reference the base-model Cayman. That's why I named this the "Porsche Cayman Series."

Exterior.

The Cayman's beauty begins with its lovely eyes (its headlights). The headlights are beautiful diamond-like headlights. The front bumper's openings compliment the front beautifully. The smooth front bonnet proudly bears the Porsche shield. Its frontal character is more like an angel with wings spread outward, soaring like an eagle.

The Porsche Cayman series doesn't intimidate on the sides, but the gracefulness extends to the sides. Its most aggressive elements are the side ducts that feeds air to the mid-mounted engine in the Porsche Cayman. There just isn't much meanness or aggression on the sides. It isn't flat, however. It looks very lovely from the top-side view as well. There is no hood scoop or anything to feed air into the engine. A modest overfender adds some style and hardness, but not enough to scream "fast while standing still." Then again, if you want a purely aggressive Porsche, get yourself a 911 GT3 or (especially) a 911 GT2.

The rear of the car boasts some lovely tail lights and a single dual-exhaust muffler. Or on the base Cayman, a single rectangular muffler. The classic sloped back design delivers classic Porsche design beautifully. I see the Cayman more as elegant than packing any serious character. Its rear only completes the elegance of this gorgeous German sports car. The rear wing deploys at 75 mph.

Interior.

The Cayman's interior seems quite boring with not a lot in the way of any inviting details. On the other hand, this is a sports car. It has a pretty nice steering wheel with the Porsche badge on it. There are a nice set of gauges on the Cayman. While most cars have digital clocks, the Cayman (or at least the Cayman S) has an analog clock atop the center console with a digital reading. The big clock features the time in minutes, and a smaller clock features the hour. I'd say this is a very sporty clock. The rest of the center console features your stereo system with CD input. You may also have the navigation system as part of the center console, which also looks lovely. Its whole dashboard is more sport-oriented than any elegant luxury car. The shifter looks nice and sporty. This car only seats two people. So if you're going to put two people into a sports coupe, better make sure the seats are sporty. Both of the race-inspired seats look great.





The Porsche Cayman is a beautiful car. I think what some people don't really realize is that while Porsche is a legendary marque, enjoying their cars doesn't really cost you an arm and a leg. The base Cayman has 265 hp and costs about $51,400 USD. The Cayman S packs 320 horsepower and costs just under $61,500 USD. Considering sports cars from most other exotic marques, Porsche has always been a "for the people" sports car company. Their cars could be enjoyed all year 'round. The most inexpensive current-range car (believe it or not) is the base model Cayenne, which costs only $46,700 USD. Compare that to the lowest-priced current-range Ferrari and Lamborghini models.

Anyhow, both the Cayman and Cayman S are beautiful cars. They exude elegant and sporty character. The Cayman models let their performance do the talking rather than boast any kind of brash character in their respective designs. Most people, mostly Americans, would probably tell you that you're better off getting a Corvette than plunking down the same cash for a less-powerful Cayman S. But as the slogan goes... there is no substitute for a Porsche.

Thanks for reading my first-ever "Car Style" blog entry about ANY Porsche! Learn more about all Porsche models by visiting their official home page at www.porsche.com.

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Arctic Circle Raceway

(UPDATED: January 23, 2012)

Many Gran Turismo 4 racers were saddened of 24 hours of daylight for Le Mans and the Nürburgring Nordschleife. What if I told you that there is a race track that can host a 24-hour race in full daylight (during the middle of the Summer)? Welcome to Arctic Circle Raceway 19 miles (23 km) north of Mo i Rana, Norway; and 19 miles (30 km) south of the Arctic Circle. It opened in 1995 and is 2.33 miles (3.753 kilometers) in length. It is a counterclockwise/anti-clockwise course with 11 turns. This course mostly suits motorcycle road racing, but also hosts a round of the Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) as well as some car club races.

This blog entry concerns Arctic Circle Raceway. I don't have factual proof, but this may be the world's northernmost motor racing track.

--- Arctic Circle Raceway ---

Here is how this track is laid out:


^ from: racefoto.se - This is an aerial view Norway's largest race track.

In an attempt to blog more often about specific race tracks, I'll try just to expose race tracks without needing to come up with a one-lap description for each. They help, but I do these one-lap descriptions to make each track believable. I may come up with a one-lap description in the future.

This track has some very scenic views of mountains and mountain faces. The scenery is quite beautiful around here.

One Lap Description.

Turn 1 is a sharp left-handed corner. Turn 2 is a very long right-hand corner that dips downward a bit. A progressive dip down follows heading into Turn 3. The left-handed Turn 3 is fairly sharp, and overshooting this corner introduces your machine to the gravel trap and its "BFF," the tire wall. The next section is a moderate-speed hairpin going left. Up next is a slight progression downhill heading into the right-handed Turn 5. Turn 5 is smooth and blends into a long left at Turn 6. Then after a blast exiting Turn 6, you meet a right-left chicane at Turn 7 that has a sharp entry and a smooth exit. After that, it's full throttle heading into the sharp, left-handed, 180° Turn 8. It's sharp, but not slow. Turn 9 is a sharp right-hand kink. Turn 10 is a long and sharp right. As you exit Turn 10, the road progresses downhill until you meet the track's slowest corner, which is also the final corner of this course. Turn 11 is a very slow and sharp left-hander that leads onto the front stretch. Once you cross the line, prepare to do another 2.33 miles of racing on what may be the world's northernmost motor racing facility. Beautiful track with some smooth corners.


Now, here's a video lap. The lap starts at the 0:36 mark:

^ One lap of Arctic Circle Raceway in a 1969 Ford Mustang

Lap Records.

Its motorcycle lap record is 1:30.993 in 2002 by Oddgeir Havnen in 2002. Reportedly, an unofficial lap record of 1:28.928 by another rider (named Kai Børre Andersen) in 2007. The 1969 Ford Mustang in the above video completed this lap in approximately 2:08.





You can learn more about this track by visiting Arctic Circle Raceway's website (Norwegian only). Most of the information I've used was thanks in due part to Wikipedia. Thank you for reading!

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Love at First Sight?

Is there a such concept as love at first sight? For some people, there is. This concept primarily says that there is instant loving connection between two people. It means you connect with someone right away with no regrets or second thoughts. It means you see someone and can instantly think about a lifetime of love and prosperity and happiness. I think there are a lot of us who would love to experience this connection with anyone we deem attractive and appealing and want to be with.



^ from: islandcrisis.net, by way of photobucket.com - Do you believe in love at first sight?


Love at first sight doesn't happen all the time, though. For some people, it takes a good amount of prospective lovers to finally "get it right." Not everyone in love is going to find someone as a school or college sweetheart and still be together to this day. Some probably just have terrible luck meeting others and trying to stay in a loving relationship. In these cases, love at first sight is there... at least, in theory.

There was a saying I've once read or heard- it takes seconds to say "I love you, and a lifetime to prove it." I personally believe in trying to get to know as much as you can about someone before considering wanting to be with that person or not. Love is a process where it begins with a connection and is maintained with fidelity and support on both ends. I have NEVER been on any date with anyone, so it's not like I'm speaking from experience. What I'm doing here is speaking in an opinionated stance. I don't believe in love at first sight because I think it takes seconds or minutes to connect with someone, then a long time to show your love and stay committed to the one you love. Not everyone connects on the first try. It takes time to develop love and also to maintain it. You can quickly love someone in mere moments, but what about the long term? Do you really know who the other person is inside and out? Can you get together and stay together in perhaps a lifetime of love? Love, like parenting, is a lifelong process. You can quickly fall in love with someone, but I am talking about long-term love. Real love is not about right now... it's about right now and into the future. You are free to quote me on the previous sentence if you liked it! ;-)



I used "between two people" primarily to discuss romance between two people. Love at first sight relates both to heterosexual and homosexual or bisexual partners. You can't love someone for a lifetime if you just meet someone for a few seconds to a few minutes. Love, like a championship-winning sports team, takes time to develop to become a winning team. No one instantly connects and stays connected for a lifetime of love.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Comment away if you found this blog post interesting!

Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is a track that features lots of racing action. Situated over 19 miles (or 31.06 kilometers) southeast of London, this track has been hosting racing since the mid-1960s. Its beginnings was as a motorcycle dirt track. Over the past few decades, this course has seen racing on both two wheels and four wheels. Even some rallycross racing takes place here. It had played host to Formula One Grand Prix racing long ago. You want some racing action on a classic British facility? You'll get it in bunches here.

This blog entry concerns both the Indy course and the Grand Prix course. I will attempt TWO lap descriptions of this course. Brands Hatch is one of four circuits owned by MotorSport Vision. The other three include Oulton Park, Snetterton, and the beautiful park-like circuit called Caldwell Park.

--- Brands Hatch ---

Here is a map of this course, featuring both layouts:


^ from: ngroadracing.org -

Brands Hatch offers up so much challenge for such a short course. Even the Grand Prix course feels like the lap times pass by so fast. Action is guaranteed no matter which course is raced. The Indy course offers up a technical course for such a quaint 1.198-mile (1.929 km) layout. The Grand Prix course is 2.613 miles (4.206 km) in length. I'm so used to the Indy layout that I'm not as adept with the Grand Prix course. Both courses offer a fair degree of elevation changes.

One Lap Description.

This is one of a few rare Race Track blog entries where I cover multiple configurations. So enjoy both of these!

--- Brands Hatch: Indy ---
You begin going downhill on Brabham Straight, but then progressively go uphill into the right-handed Turn 1 (Paddock Hill Bend). The last thing you want to do here is overshoot the corner (which can be very easy). You have to really go to the far outside and then attack the apex. Paddock Hill Bend dips downhill as you exit this long corner. Hailwood Hill follows with a slight kink to the right. The very slow, yet very decisive, Druids Bend (Turn 2) follows. It is a right-hand hairpin that goes a bit uphill. The road ahead progresses downhill and through a left-hand kink followed by the left-handed Graham Hill Bend (Turn 3). Halfway home! Cooper Straight sets you up for that blast back down to Brabham Straight. Turn 4 is a sharp left-hander called Surtees. Surtees sets you up for the Grand Prix course. But if doing the Indy course, the long right known as McLaren (Turn 5) is next. Get McLaren right as it goes uphill. Otherwise, you won't be able to take the downhill Clark Curve (Turn 6; left-handed) at full speed. The road goes uphill a bit before dipping back down to the Start/Finish line. Another 1.198 miles of racing await you after crossing the line!

--- Brands Hatch: Grand Prix ---
The same notes from the Start/Finish line to Surtees applies. So most of what you will see will be a copy-and-paste of all of the past data leading up to Surtees. So let's do a GP lap of Brands Hatch! You begin going downhill on Brabham Straight, but then progressively go uphill into the right-handed Turn 1 (Paddock Hill Bend). The last thing you want to do here is overshoot the corner (which can be very easy). You have to really go to the far outside and then attack the apex. Paddock Hill Bend dips downhill as you exit this long corner. Hailwood Hill follows with a slight kink to the right. The very slow, yet very decisive, Druids Bend (Turn 2) follows. It is a right-hand hairpin that goes a bit uphill. The road ahead progresses downhill and through a left-hand kink followed by the left-handed Graham Hill Bend (Turn 3). Cooper Straight sets you up for Surtees. Turn 4 is a sharp left-hander called Surtees. Surtees sets you up for the Grand Prix course. Surtees on the Grand Prix course, unlike the Indy course, doesn't require you to make that switchback into McLaren. Instead, Surtees is a long left-hand corner that leads into Pilgrim's Drop. The road progresses downhill upon exiting Surtees. Pilgrim's Drop features a brief right-hand kink leading all the way down to Hawthorn Hill and eventually Turn 5 (Hawthorn Bend). After the kink, the road goes from slightly downhill to dipping downhill. The road is level again as you approach Hawthorn Bend. There's a slight uphill progression going through this section. A very long, double-apex, right-handed corner awaits you at Westfield Bend (Turn 6). The road dips down after exiting Westfield Bend. Another slight climb uphill through Dingle Dell leads to two right-handed kinks. At the end of this blast through Dingle Dell is Dingle Dell Corner (Turn 7), a right-handed corner. A brief straight follows and leads up to the very sharp left-hander at Stirling's Bend. Up next is a straight that ultimately leads back onto the Indy course. The road ahead has a brief progression downhill followed by a dip downwards. The road levels off as you approach the the final corner, a right-hander called Clark Curve. The road afterwards goes uphill a bit before dipping back down to the Start/Finish line. Another 2.613 miles of racing the Grand Prix course await you after crossing the line!

Video Laps.

Here are video laps of the two courses:


^ Brands Hatch - Indy Lap


^ Brands Hatch - two Grand Prix laps (WARNING: a little loud)

Lap Times.

Here is a look now at lap times around Brands Hatch. I will only feature lap records (source: Wikipedia)

Brands Hatch Lap Times (Indy Course)
Mansell Motorsport EuroBOSS (2004)	0:38.302!

Brands Hatch Lap Times (Grand Prix Course)
Williams-Honda FW11 (1986)	1:09.593!

! = record

Funny enough, both drivers with the current lap records are both Mansells. Scott Mansell scored the Indy lap record, and Nigel Mansell scored the Grand Prix lap record. I will add more lap times in future edits.





You can learn more about Brands Hatch by visiting Brands Hatch's official website. Thank you for reading!

DISQUS

Let me take this time to chat about DISQUS. In case you haven't noticed, I joined DISQUS and installed DISQUS. The impact of installing DISQUS on my blog is that I've gotten more comments than I ever had. I've had to change up how blog comments are posted after having to deal with some jackasses online. What is best about DISQUS is that you can post comments as long as you have any such service (like Facebook or Twitter) to post comments. And considering how much traffic I get worldwide to John's Blog Space, I want to give readers a better chance to comment with my material. Blogger/Blogspot doesn't have much control over anonymous comments and making sure to block out jackass commenters. That's why I considered DISQUS after posting on Google's Help Forum for Blogger/Blogspot.

Should you install DISQUS to your blog? Consider DISQUS if you want to have more comments and more ways to get people to comment on your material. You can whitelist some of your best commenters while blacklisting your worst commenters and spammers. DISQUS offers control over your comments much like a good message board. If you want more commenters and better control over comments, DISQUS is worth looking into.

A Word of Warning...

(Section added: May 11, 2011) There is something I must warn you about when using DISQUS. You may want to tighten up on allowing comments to your blog or website if using DISQUS. I often check on my traffic using FEEDJIT. Sometimes, I find that people only find some of my blog posts because they search using "(search term) comments 'powered by DISQUS'." Many of these posts are non-genuine posts that read like these:

"Nice post. Thanks for sharing."

Either that, or they provide genuine comments while also offering a suspicious link. From the DISQUS dashboard, either set your comments to "Registered" or "Registered with Verified Email." Then, allow for many services to post comments. You can let users comment using DISQUS, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, and any other services you have enabled for commenting.

Setting your comments to allow anyone to comment will allow for more comments. However, that also includes possible spammers. So it is best to set your comments to "Registered" for more control. If you REALLY want to be tight on control, set your comments to "Registered with verified Email."



Thank you for reading this blog post! For more information on DISQUS and to install it in your blog, visit disqus.com. Just set up an account with DISQUS and then install DISQUS to your blog. You can find out more things I recommend to you if you visit my blog entry entitled So You Want to Blog?.

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Short Hair

(UPDATED: April 5, 2012)

While I think long hair is beautiful, short hair can be just as lovely. Semi-inspired by my Blogspot friend Glamour Blog (formerly Glamour Bbey). (who has lovely short hair herself), I'm providing this blog entry to discuss short hairstyles. Short hair is a bit more versatile (many others would say more manageable) since you can go for a chic style or go for a boyish cute hairstyle. Even if you already have long hair, you can still wrap your hair up without losing your long locks of hair.

This blog entry is a look at short hairstyles for females.

PERSONAL NOTE: Thanks to all of you for making this one of my most popular blog posts! I never thought that doing a post on short hair would get so many views and get so much support. Please be sure to share your ideas on what you think about this topic by posting comments. Do remember- any suspicious or spammy comments WILL be disallowed. Enjoy this post!

--- Short Hair at a Glance ---

Short hair can be either chic or boyish, allowing for a variety of possibilities and ways to dress it up or down. A bob is the most basic of short hairstyles. Short hair allows for sophisticated style (especially from the more chic) styles. Short hair can range from sophisticated to edgy, from cute to tough, from ladylike to rock star, and from feminine to boyish.

Even if you have long hair, you can still wrap up your long hair to go with a lovely short hairstyle. A simple updo is great if you don't want to trim or cut your long tresses. I will surely count updos as short hairstyles since this is all about short hairstyles. I will even count short ponytails and pigtails as short hair.

You won't find hair advice in this blog entry, but I may provide short hair resources online later in this blog entry or in future blog edits. I will define "short hair" as hair that extends no further than than either the shoulders or below the upper back

--- Short Hair in Pictures ---

Here are some pictures including some text. Let me begin with one of my favorites:

The Posh Bob (or "Pob") and Other Boyish Hairstyles.

^ from: smh.com.au - the Posh bob combines boyishness with feminine cute.


^ from: beautyschoolsdirectory.com - the Posh bob- boy tough, girl cute!

What I love about the Posh bob is its combination of chic and edgy. Its biggest draw is just how one layer of hair dramatically shapes one side of a lady's face. It's a boyish hairstyle that's uniquely feminine. Here is another variation of this lovely hairstyle:


^ from: huffingtonpost.com - a more feminine version of the Posh bob.

Unlike the previous picture, this one still provides great feminine appeal while providing some edge. The Posh bob has been highly regarded among most ladies for its edginess and cuteness.


^ from: hairstyleslibrary.com - an ultra-feminine bob, but with a boyish touch.

I finally end this area by showcasing this bob I found in a Google Images search (that's how I do most of my image searching). This is smooth and sophisticated with a little bit of boyish charm. The end result is a feminine hairstyle with a little bit of boyish charm. I'd see it as a cute way to have a boy's hairstyle while not being overly boyish. Hairstyles such as the Posh bob or the one I just glanced on is a good way to enjoy boyish cute style.

Asian (Oriental) Bobs.

(NOTE: I may consider a future blog entry exclusively about Asian hairstyles. If I do make it, consider this section as a preview of that blog entry.)

I included Oriental to note this is mostly about hairstyles for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim. Also, I couldn't find any good Indian (as in the country of India) bobs. I think Asian girls are beautiful. Even more so when you have lovely hairstyles such as Asian bobs. Here is a look at some cute bobs for Asian ladies...


^ from: hairstylesbob.com - a kawaii Japanese bob from model/actress Kato Natsuki.


^ from: asianhairandbeauty.com - a Korean lady with a bob hairstyle.

When it comes to Asian bobs, their simplicity makes them fun. I usually see bouncy bob hair in regards to Asian bobs. The face is shaped beautifully with these Asian bobs. I think their cute faces to go along with these cute short hairstyles make this look stand out most for Asian ladies.

Curly Bobs (and Curly Updos).

^ from: becomegorgeous.com - Rihanna's short curly bob.


^ from: prommafia.com - sweet as sugar Selena Gomez with her equally sweet curly bob.

I always say that curly is cute. That's true for curly short hair as it is for curly long hair. Shaping your face with curly locks of hair provides a catching and beautiful touch. Personally, I think curly short hair can be fantastic for formal and semi-formal occasions. You need a hairstyle that is beautiful and sophisticated. Short curls of hair can be just as lovely as having long curly hair.

What if you have long curly hair, though? No problem. Just take inspiration from this young lady:


^ from: aaa-fashion.com - Taylor Swift's usually long hair done up for a short hairstyle. This was from the Grammy awards last year or so.

Taylor Swift sometimes goes from her long hairstyle to a sophisticated short hairstyle. Taylor is usually looks like a goddess anyways. This updo of her hair adds a sophisticated touch apart from her goddess-like long curly hair. A lovely pair of earrings (or maybe some hair accessories) can help make your beauty stand out even more.

Spiky Short Hair.

^ from: buddytv.com - spiky hair from actress Kim Rhodes.

Kim Rhodes of Disney's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" is someone who comes to mind when I think of spiky hair. The native of Portland, Oregon has a whole host of lovely short hairstyles, mostly boyish hairstyles. Really on the show, she has a unique combination of boyish cute with girly charm. Another lady comes to mind for spiky-type hair...


^ from: americansfortruth.com - This lady from Metarie, Louisiana has a famous daytime TV talk show. Can you guess who she is?

...and that would be Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen DeGeneres is surely one of the funniest women on television. She also has very nice short hair.

When it comes to spiky hair, the challenge (at least, to me) is to have boyish hair while still remaining uniquely feminine. You can either be boy-meets-girl or punk/rock with spiky hair. Here is another example of boy-meets-girl spiky hair:


^ from: shorthaircutstrends.com - boy-meets-girl! But what do you think- does she look more boyish or more feminine?


^ from: greatestlook.com - this is much more boyish spiky hair than the previous picture.


Now let's change attention over to the rock crowd. We set the tone with spiky rock hair:


^ from: photobucket.com - spiky hair is popular among rock and emo folk (males and females).

I'm not much of a rock person or emo person, but you probably are or know someone who is. Rock and emo basically exaggerate toughness and edginess, even glam rock. Either hair spray or hair gel will help maintain spiky hair.

Ponytails (Only Short Ponytails).

Wrapping up your hair in a ponytail is a very simple short hair look. If you're a fan of my "Sporty Cute!" blog entry, then ponytails are definitely sporty cute.


^ from: blackhairplanet.com - a beautiful short ponytail worn by an ebony female.

I actually wanted to find more short ponytails, but couldn't find anything really better than this one. But always remember- blog entries of mine just don't go to die. I may update this blog with more content in the future.

Other Short Hairstyles (and Random Shout-Outs!).

Here are various other short hairstyles I've found online and haven't categorized. It's also a chance to send a special shout-out through this blog post. These are only pictures of short hairstyles from these ladies mentioned. They range from cut hair to wrapped-up hair:

Paula Deen.

^ from: b105.com - Paula Deen and her beautiful silvery short hair.

Paula Deen (whom I've blogged about previously), to me, is a beautiful queen. The Georgia girl certainly the queen of Southern cooking. Her short hair looks wonderful.

Paris Hilton.

^ bobhairstyles.co.uk - Paris Hilton's Bob is hot! :)

Sophisticated and elegant are two words that come to mind as Paris Hilton rocked this bob at the Teen Choice Awards once. Whether you like Paris Hilton or not, she does know how to look sophisticated and chic.

Hello Lucie!. (click hyperlink to visit blog)
This young short-haired lady is very beautiful with her outfits and her fashions. Her hair and face are about as lovely as the various fashion items she wears and features in her pictures.


And finally...

Glamour Blog (formerly Glamour Bbey).. (click hyperlink to visit blog)
My Blogspot friend, Cindy, from Belgium is the inspiration for this blog entry about short hair. This teenager's style is exceptional with her many outfits. Her short hair is more along the lines of boyish cute. Her short hair is very sophisticated and charming. And again, it is her lovely short hair that has become the emphasis for this blog entry on short hair.


Are you short-haired and want me to shout out to you too in this blog entry? Comment this blog entry or even Contact Me via E-Mail. I may just give you some John's Blog Space love too! :-)

--- Cut Long Hair or Not? ---

If you are a long-haired person tempting the idea of cutting your hair, this can be a tough decision. You have one of three options:

• Cut your hair.
If this is what you want to do, then go ahead and do so. Just be sure to stylize your new shorter hairstyle any way you please.

• Make an updo of your already long hair.
You can just updo your hair to a lovely style. This will open the opportunity to have your own unique short hairstyles without getting rid of your long tresses of hair.

• Just enjoy your long hair.
...or just hang on to your long hair. If you love your long hair and wouldn't consider cutting it or doing an updo, that's your call.


Some ladies' hair grow quickly, so unless you want to really have short hair, it's all up to you.

--- Short Hair Resources Online ---

Time to give back to my readers and subscribers. Here are some short-hair blogs and resources you can use for more detailed info on short hair. More may be added in future edits:

• Short Hair Galleries by Hair Resources | Short Hairstyles and More
• Short Hair & Short Hairstyle Articles


I'll work to find MANY more resources in the future. Thanks to all of you for reading this blog entry! You'll need to take care of your hair, regardless of whatever style hair you have. So find yourself some hair care products on Amazon as my way of saying thanks to you for reading:







I honestly never thought most of my blog entries on hair would be so successful and well-viewed. I do nothing to discuss actual hair advice or anything. I do thank my loyal fans for reading my material and supporting my material. I hope this blog entry, and my others, are of your enjoyment. Make sure to subscribe to my blog and comment on my work if you enjoy it. Don't just read and leave- let me know if I did a good or bad job. The best way to keep up with my blogging material is to subscribe through whatever blog service you love using. So be sure to subscribe to my blog to stay up-to-date with all of my material.

Having said all of this, thank you for reading!

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Aerobiz Supersonic

Aerobiz Supersonic challenges you to build a successful airline company within four different time periods and against three rival airlines. It is the hit sequel to the very first Aerobiz released in 1992. There are four scenarios each spanning a 20-year cycle. Your goal, then, is to build the best airline in the world while trying to outlast various global issues and three other airlines wanting the same piece of the airline pie. Do you have what it takes to build the world's top airline?


^ (from my Picasa album) - Aerobiz Supersonic (SNES version).

FUN FACT: In Japan, it is known as "Air Management II: Koku O wo Mezase (or ?????????II ???????)"

--- Aerobiz Supersonic at a Glance ---

Your job in Aerobiz Supersonic is to take your airline from a basic airline to a world-class airline service. You are the CEO of your own airline going up against three other airline companies. You set up flights to go across international regions as well as into other international markets. Along the way, you will face various obstacles that dare threaten or impact your airline's success. Some of them include the following: war, natural disasters, tourism booms, and more. Certain cities may also try to cut deals with you to help enhance your relations with another city. You also need to purchase planes to handle many more flights around the world and within your home international region. You have to have meetings to discuss how the company is doing and what changes you will need to do to enhance your company.

The game is turn-based as there is a three-month cycle allowing you to make changes for up to one quarter of the year. When you're done in each cycle, go ahead into the next quarter. Certain other factors play a role in the ultimate fate of your company within each quarter.

--- Elements of Aerobiz Supersonic ---

Elements of Aerobiz Supersonic will be discussed here. Please use this section to learn more about the intricate aspects of this game.

Slots.

Slots are the life blood of your ability to do anything with any city. These are essentially credits you can use to do almost anything to enhance your airline as well as what you can do with an airline. You will need to negotiate for slots with certain cities that don't have any slots available. Without slots, you will be unable to really generate any business with any city. The process for slot negotiations can last anywhere from six months to a full year. You will also need slots to purchase businesses, open routes to cities, build regional hubs, and more.

Airplanes.

Actually-licensed airline companies are represented in this game across multiple companies. Some of these companies include Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Airbus, Tupolev, and many more. It even includes older companies like Vickers. You even take note of some past designs in aircraft.

Scenarios.

You face four scenarios spanning four different eras of flight. Please note that this game was made in 1994, so these events are as recent as the date this game was published. You have twenty years to go from humble beginnings to a world-class airline while also battling various other factors. Here is a look at the scenarios you face:

* The Dawn of the Jet Age (1955 - 1975)
Prop-engine planes are replaced with jet planes for better air travel.

* Air Travel Takes Off (1970 - 1990)
Planes become faster and larger. More and more people are starting to fly planes to many places around the world.

* Airlines Cover the Globe (1985 - 2005)
There are more and more planes being used around the world as the flight range of planes is enhanced. Two serious components play a huge role in this scenario- the Persian Gulf War and oil prices.

* Supersonic Travel (2000 - 2020)
A conceptual scenario in which the ONLY way to fly is with supersonic planes!


After selecting a scenario, you then go ahead and select the difficulty level. Levels range from Glider (Level 1) to Supersonic (Level 5). Up to four players can play, or you can set up a demo. The next step is to choose the region for your home base. After selecting a region, you must find a major city (marked by the green dots) to base your operations in. Certain cities and environments will yield certain problems and certain budgets. Once you set up your operations in a city, three other airline companies will randomly be generated to challenge your company. You can then customize the colors for each airline and the names for each of them. Once everything is all set, you're ready to build and manage that top-tier airline!

Another interesting note about each scenario is that everything is really historically correct. For example, you have the two Germanys (East Germany and West Germany) and various other countries under rule from other nations. Like when you visit Kingston, Jamaica or Hong Kong; you will see British flags. Even the airplanes are unique to each time period. You begin to see the real evolution of air travel through each scenario, and the planes show it.

Tips and Advice.

Having played Aerobiz Supersonic before, I can share with you a few tips. So here are a few suggestions from me:

* Have meetings EVERY quarter. These meetings are important to help steer your airline in the right direction. I recommend you host the meeting rather than have the meeting done automatically. This is especially if you need just simple advice on how everything is performing.

* You have four agents whom you can use to carry out negotiations. You need to use these agents to assist in just about every conceivable aspect- slot negotiations (most important), acquiring businesses, building regional hubs, taking part in advertising campaigns, and more. Consider for how long each negotiation session last so you can properly plan ahead. You can call back one of your agents if you really need to open more opportunities. For example, if you don't have any remaining agents and want to build a regional hub in Tokyo or Singapore, you can cancel one of your agents' negotiations to work to build a regional hub (which takes one quarter to complete). Certain negotiable actions, such as negotiations that take up to a full year or advertising campaigns, will basically leave you with three agents until next year. Use your agents wisely and make sound negotiations.

* If a city is strapped for slots, one measure to help ease up the number of slots is to allow less flights to each city.

* You will have to consider purchasing businesses to improve the quality of flights while also providing some extra profit. You will know when you will need to purchase a business. There are a total of 15 different businesses- three cultural facilities, three different hotels, four amusement businesses, four Service Businesses, and a Travel Agency. Do not negotiate for these ventures unless your company recommends you look into these business offers. Run an Ad Campaign to enhance the appeal of these businesses and attract more commuters. Sometimes, these business ventures will be non-profitable. So really, purchase businesses wisely.

* When you set up international routes, be sure to establish regional hubs. A regional hub will allow you to set up more flights in a given region. Flights can originate from these regional hubs to allow you to access more cities in the given region. Or, you may use these regional hubs to link to other regional hubs to enhance your number of flights worldwide. To set up a Regional Hub, you must first have a flight linked to a major city (noted by a green dot on the map). You must then negotiate with the city to build a Regional Hub by hiring one of your agents. Once you pay the startup costs for the Regional Hub, it will take three months for construction of the regional hub to be complete. It may be wise to negotiate for slots in cities within that region to help expand your regional flights in other international regions. That is especially if you are trying to expand your service across the given region.

* If one route just isn't working at all, just close it. Why waste extra money trying everything in the book to make it work?

* When choosing to fly flights into certain cities, pay attention to the Relationship (viewed as "Rtlns") icon. If the icon is red, that means you have trouble trying to become better acquainted with that city's airport. If the icon is orange or red, it will be tougher to negotiate for offers or anything. One way to improve relations is to approve of certain offers made by certain people. For example, if the airport in Singapore recently expanded for more slots or if they are trying to enhance service at the airport, a representative for that airport will request money to help finance a project. If you approve of it, you will improve your relations with that city. You don't have to accept these [usually expensive] offers, but it can help you to build better bonds with cities worldwide in Aerobiz Supersonic.

* Okay, read this one closely as I'll try to explain as best as I can. Here's a nifty tip to keep in mind- you don't need to have your international flights originate from your home base! Sometimes in meetings, some people may suggest you set up flights from other cities in other regions... to other cities in other regions. If my home operation (for example) is based in New York City, and if I have regional hubs set up in London and Tokyo, and if I have flights going from NYC to London and NYC to Tokyo... I could set up an international flight to go from London to Tokyo. As long as you have at least two regional hubs in at least two different regions, you can link to other cities' regional hubs and set up flights. However, you can ONLY do this between other major cities and only between other regional hubs. In other words... you cannot set up such a route to go from a major city (like Paris) to any minor city in the game (like Shanghai).

* (mostly pertains to the SNES version) Press the "X" button to learn more about each available city in the game. This can be important to see what businesses are available. You can also query how much it would cost to set up a route between two places. For example, if you wanted to find out what a flight between Cairo and Lagos would cost and how far away two cities are, you simply press "A" on Cairo in the query, then go to Lagos to see how much a flight would cost between the two cities. This is very helpful in helping you plan ahead in setting up a future route while also seeing if you have a plane available to make the flight happen.

* When shopping for planes, keep in mind finding planes to suit your needs. Do not go for a long-haul major plane unless you really need one. For example, do not consider getting the Boeing B747-400 if you haven't set up a flight between Los Angeles and Sydney. Each plane you look at will feature a nice description about the features of each plane. Ordering anywhere between one to three (and maybe four) planes is always safe to not spend more than you have to. When you choose a plane, the representative will let you know up to how many (a limit of ten) you can buy. Planes will be delivered to your airline in the following quarter.

* Some airplane makers sometimes offer planes for sale during a certain quarter. DO NOT make a mistake that I made- buying in bulk (so to speak). You can still order anywhere from one to three planes, just that they'll cost less for that given quarter from that company.

* Sometimes, a representative from a certain city wants to speak with you in helping them manage their airport or their area. They will request money to help fund certain operations and projects. You don't have to accept their offers, but they will help in getting you establish a better relation with that city. It can help you to do better in acquiring slots or anything like that.

* You will know what places to concentrate on when tourism is booming in a certain location. If you haven't negotiated for slots in that city, do so to give your airline a boost.

Major Cities.

ADDED: April 6, 2011
I am offering this section as an added resource in thank to all of my readers of this post.
To start an airline, you must start in a major city. If you see a location with an exclamation point (!), it is a city featured in the original Aerobiz game. These are also cities you can start Regional Hubs in to extend your airline into certain regions. Remember- you can NOT a regional hub or have your international flights be held in minor cities. Here are all the major cities in Aerobiz Supersonic for which you can open an airline in:

--- North America ---
* New York City, New York, USA!
* Washington, District of Columbia, USA
* Atlanta, Georgia, USA
* Chicago, Illinois, USA
* Dallas, Texas, USA
* Los Angeles, California, USA!
* Vancouver, British Columbia, USA!

--- South America ---
* Mexico City, Mexico!
* Havana, Cuba
* Sao Paulo, Brazil

--- Europe ---
* London, England, United Kingdom!
* Paris, France!
* Amsterdam, Denmark
* Frankfurt, Germany
* Berlin, Germany
* Rome, Italy!
* Moscow, Russia!

--- Africa ---
* Cairo, Egypt!
* Tunis, Tunisia

--- Middle East ---
* Baghdad, Iraq
* Tehran, Iran!
* New Delhi, India

--- Southeast Asia ---
* Bangkok, Thailand
* Singapore, Singapore!
* Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region, China
* Manila, Philippines
* Beijing, China!
* Seoul, South Korea
* Tokyo, Japan!

--- Oceania ---
* Sydney, New South Wales, Australia!
* Perth, Western Australia, Australia
* Auckland, New Zealand


Plan your airline accordingly by picking any of these cities to open up in. As a recommendation, it's probably best not to start an airline in this game in the Middle East in any city except in New Delhi.

Business Offers and Ad Campaigns.

Purchase businesses to help improve your flights as well as provide better overall service to your commuters. Each city can have a maximum of six businesses you can purchase. There are a total of 15 different businesses- three cultural facilities, three different hotels, four amusement businesses, four Service Businesses, and a Travel Agency. You can use these businesses to help attract more passengers or provide better service towards your airport.

In addition, Ad Campaigns help improve the chances of better promoting businesses you bought. However much money you spend in each campaign determines its success. You cannot run Ad Campaigns for Hotels and Travel Agencies. Here is a look at what each business provides:


--- Cultural Facilities ---
Cultural Facilities allow your airline to attract new passengers. You can start sponsoring cultural events to attract more passengers to your airline upon purchasing any Cultural Facility. When you purchase a Cultural Facility, it's best to think about starting a Culture and Arts campaign to better promote them and your airline.

* Arts Pavilion
* Museum
* Concert Hall


--- Hotels ---
Give your commuters better service going to and from the airport by purchasing hotels.

* City Hotel
* Resort Hotel
* Grand Hotel


--- Amusement ---
Amusement facilities allow your passengers a chance to relax and have fun. To make them more efficient, run an Ad Campaign highlighting on sports and leisure activities.

* Pleasure Boat
* Amusement Park
* Golf Course
* Ski Resort


--- Service Businesses ---
These facilities provide better access to the airport and to your commuters. Run a Travel Ad Campaign to help promote your services to others.

* Shuttle Service
* Ferry
* Commuter Airline
* Catering Service


--- Travel Business ---
Without a Travel Agency, it can be tough trying to get more commuters to board your flights. This is an all-around improvement for cities that have travel agencies.

* Travel Agency

Overall Review...

Aerobiz Supersonic is one of few games that really makes you think. It is great fun to set up an airline while also managing it. It is a game where you actually use your head and think about every decision you make. My ONLY problems with this game- things can be very slow-paced and sometimes too strict and boring. Otherwise, there is no reason why you shouldn't give this game a chance.

If you want to purchase this game through Amazon, check these out (please read "An Important Amazon Note" for notes on all Amazon items):



1.) Aerobiz Supersonic for the Super Nintendo.

2.) Aerobiz Supersonic for the Sega Genesis.


If you don't have either console, then you can visit Old School Gaming Consoles on John's Shop Space to shop for the aforementioned consoles and more.



Thank you for reading!

Become a Fan (or Like) my Facebook Fan Page and subscribe this blog (and my others) via FeedBurner (or any other aggregator in the sidebar)! Visit (or subscribe):
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Rays of Sunshine

Peoples' problems and issues sometimes make me want to help any way I can. I am devoting this blog entry to people who help to make others' lives better. People may have perfectly fine lives... except for one day. Even if people hate me, I still want the best for other people. I am fixated on the fact that people often times have to attend to problems that they tend to have no positive progress in living better and happier. So I believe in helping provide happiness to people who either need support or want to be pleasantly surprised with support. Here is just another thoughtful, perspective-filled blog post of mine. The sunshine I am referring to pertains to enlightening and happy moments.

My Own Personal Insight.

Being on the Internet almost every day, the most I can do is to offer a generous voice to people, even if all is already well. The generosity of other people is what helps to make others feel better. I do my best to deliver happiness to others. Doing simple things like saying hello to someone or opening a door for someone generates some kind of happiness to others.

Inspiration to Help Deliver Happiness.

My inspiration to make others feel happy (even if temporarily) is because the world has a lot of negative to it. We are often always reminded of what kind of rough world we live in. You know- war, children being beaten and/or killed, once happy marriages falling apart in a moment's notice, how each day seems to feel like the world and humanity will come to an end, and that sort of thing. It is the kind of attitude that makes us believe that our presence in this world doesn't mean anything to anyone.

I chose to offer my kindness and support because I am even inspired by my own adventures. There were times when I felt like nobody cared about me, almost as if I am in a war, and I am a one-man army. I've seen my grades slip, friends leave me, prospects of hope go to shambles... and I just feel old and worthless. My life has gotten better since progressing through college, but I feel for all the rough moments I have endured, I sometimes feel like I should release my own pain to others in the form of positivity. There is also another reason- to show people that I am not a bad person. You sometimes have to keep reassuring people of your kindness and good character every day. Even if people around you love you, continue to prove your love and loyalty to others.

I am sometimes talked about like I always be kind to others while not being real. Make no mistake- I have an anger problem. Anger has a serious effect on us. It makes us realize just how far we can be pushed and makes us explore the limits of our rage. Sometimes, I scare myself realizing just how upset I can be. That's why I try to think positively and be kind to others because I don't hate anyone. It isn't as if I am at church every Sunday morning confessing my sins and begging for forgiveness- I am just an average person who tries to think positively and hopefully.

Reaching Out and Helping Someone.

There are people I wish I could work with to help them to feel better about themselves and about life. Some people I come across in real life and online really help me want to offer help (as long as I am capable of performing a given task). I don't ever want a friend or a respected one to suffer and struggle in life. So in essence, I deeply think of those whom I feel are most hurt or not having the happiest of times. I am often sad that I am not there to offer my support and calming words in person to others, because while the Internet is good, there's more power in offering kind words and performing acts of benevolence to others in person.

A Final Salute...

To those of you who know anyone who has helped to become a positive influence and a positive inspiration to others, I salute you. You all represent sunshine in a cloudy world. You represent eye-opening hope for those who always feel down and defeated. You give people a chance to feel happy about themselves and for them to prosper. You represent encouragement and promise.

Look at it this way... people could just profess their problems, and you chose to offer kind words to life the spirits of a depressed person or someone who isn't having a good day. You, then, are a ray of sunshine helping drive away storm clouds in peoples' lives. Life has sunny and stormy days. However, we don't have to live in rough times all the time. We need people who help make a difference and offer encouragement in a negative world. I sometimes even try to get myself to realize that there are positive things in this world amid all the negativity we face.

So I salute everyone who are rays of sunshine in the lives of others. I also salute all of you who took the time to read this blog post. Thank you for reading. Make yourself a better person- try to offer happiness and encouragement to others rather than reinforce the negativity our world and life imposes on others.

Shinkansen

(UPDATED: February 22, 2012)

Don't blink... because the Shinkansen may pass you by in a heartbeat! Not even half a second passes until you first see the bullet train pass you by with its heart-stopping speed. This blog entry concerns Japan's bullet trains. They may not be the only bullet trains in the world (the TGV in France comes to mind), but they are certainly some of the coolest land-based machines anywhere in the world.

NOTE: Most facts and figures based on Wikipedia and YouTube.

Pictures...

^ from: japaneselifestyle.com.au - Shinkansen. When you're standing still, it passes you by in less than half a second at full speed.


^ from: pirun.ku.ac.th - "Shinkansen," the Sanrio character. As fast as the real Shinkansen, only cuter.

I have never ridden a train in my life. The one thing I'd feel like if I was on Japan's Shinkansen (or "bullet train") is like being in a fighter jet that seats hundreds of people. A plane is probably more appropriate in describing the Shinkansen (which I've also never been on) since the interior is like being on a plane. In addition (and according to Wikipedia), there are about 16 cars to the train while also having a maximum capacity of about 1,300 people. For comparison, the Shinkansen seats almost 2.5 times as many people as the Airbus A380's 525 seating capacity (three-class configuration) and about 1.25 times as many people as an all-economy class Airbus A380 (853 seating capacity). It's basically a land-based airplane minus the huge wings.

The Shinkansen in Perspective.

Let me put this train's speed into perspective. In a test run in 2003, a Japanese maglev train reached a record-breaking 581 kph (or 361.03 mph). The fastest a top fuel dragster has ever gone was 336.15 mph (or 540.97 kph) So the Shinkansen goes at least 30 mph faster than a top fuel dragster. BIGGEST difference between the two? The top fueler only needs to go down the track for five-second passes while the Shinkansen goes for so long while also making stops to pick up other passengers. Usually, the Shinkansen can go at about 186 mph (or 299.33 kph). That speed is about as much as a NASCAR stock car does racing around on any of the high-speed ovals NASCAR races. As for how long it takes to go from one place to another, I learned in a YouTube video that it takes four hours (including stops) to go from Tokyo to Hiroshima. Hiroshima is about 894 kilometers (or 555 miles) from Tokyo. So in other words- the Shinkansen is bloody fast!

Considering the many elevation changes and undulations of Japan, it's incredible the Shinkansen can go so fast and sustain its speed for so long while also being safe. I remember once watching an episode of Top Gear when the there was a race between the new Nissan GT-R and the Shinkansen in a race across Japan. Let this image be a preview of this heavyweight fight:


^ from: themotorreport.com.au - Nissan GT-R vs. the Shinkansen. Who would win? You would know if you seen the episode of Top Gear featuring this cross-Japan showdown!

Still... you folks in Japan that ride the Shinkansen are riding on something totally awesome. It may not be the world's only bullet train range, but it's certainly one of the coolest (if not THE coolest) in the world!





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Car Style - The 2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse

Supercar-like in appearance, the latest Eclipse is a swoopy front-engine/FWD car. This Eclipse THANKFULLY made us forget (in looks) the 3rd-Gen Eclipse. I still personally think of the 2nd-Gen Eclipse of the mid and late 1990s whenever I think of the Eclipse. Still, for a car that's been around since 1989(?), this latest Eclipse may just be the most beautiful of all Eclipses.

--- Car Style: The 2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse ---

Here is today's Eclipse:

^ from: cars.mitula.us (best I could find) - the 2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse (GT version) and its swoopy looks.

The latest Eclipse has somewhat of a supercar appearance. To me, if the Eclipse was wider and longer (and maybe with a few extra modifications), the Eclipse could easily be a Mitsubishi supercar. Then too, you may have to make it mid-engined and with RWD. Some people say that the Eclipse has a big butt (I fail to see how you associate the rear of a car with a part of the body). The car may be front-engined and front-wheel drive, but it is still quite swoopy for its appearance.

The biggest difference between the one I'm discussing in this blog entry and the very first of the 4th Generation Eclipse is that the triangular piece at the front (like on the Lancer Evolution VIII) is gone. There are three trim levels for the Eclipse- the GS, the GS Sport, and the GT. I personally love the GT the most for its sporty appearance and style.


Exterior.
No matter which model you go with, you will see a blacked-out portion to make the front grill appear larger than it really is. All of the models come with a lovely set of headlights. The grill features the three diamonds of Mitsubishi. Below the grill is an extra bar blacked out to make the front grill appear larger than it really is. The front bumper has a nice set of fog lights and an extra little opening. The car features an aggressive front spoiler, even if fairly modest. Dare I say it... the front of the Eclipse has about the same swoopy appeal as another recent Japanese sports car- the Nissan GT-R.

You can almost imagine this car being mistaken for a supercar when you see it from the sides. Why so? Take a look at its side aerodynamics. The car looks like it was born to cut through the wind while devastating everything in its immediate path. Of course, it's tough to do that when you have a front-drive car with swoopy styling. I love how the fenders have some muscle to it to provide some muscle to its soft curves. I would probably prefer the side view mirrors to be pushed further ahead, but then again, I'm no automotive engineer. The moonroof adds to the supercar-like style of this car nicely. I do think the car could use a much nicer set of wheels than what it comes with. I would have loved a sporty pair of five-spoke or six-spoke wheels rather than these wheels the Eclipse comes with. Only the Eclipse GT comes with the sporty rear spoiler.

Many people say the Eclipse has a big rear. The rear light clusters are all crystalized and lovely. Only the Eclipse GT features the sporty low spoiler. The other trim Eclipses have a simple lip spoiler. The rear bumper protrudes out modestly. The twin pair of single-exhaust mufflers accentuate the bottom of the car from the rear. A beautifully-styled and beautifully-sloping rear windshield lovingly compliments the rear style. The Mitsubishi logo and "Eclipse" words are all metallic and stylish. Its rear view is as impressive as the rest of the car.


Interior.
Its interior offers an extra bit of supercar feel. Maybe not superior supercar persona, but since when was the Eclipse ever any kind of legitimate supercar? The steering wheel is nice, but I would have liked a steering wheel that matches the sporty style and nature better than this steering wheel. The gauges in the instrument panel look sporty and stylish. The center console features some great-looking design. Four circular air conditioning vents add to the overall stylish appeal of the interior. In fact, the whole dashboard is a marriage of sportiness and style. Maybe not style like in any kind of luxurious car, but stylish for its sporty appeal. I couldn't find any decent seat pictures to critique those.





Just to say again... this car has a supercar-like look for the most part. Rather than a mid-engine/RWD car, it's front-engine/FWD. The car certainly looks great (at least to me). Even in Gran Turismo 4, I have one of these as one of my own racing-type cars. I think this car could be better with 4WD. Then too, you'd probably have to change a lot of things to get this car to perform better. I still cannot help but imagine if this was Mitsubishi's own exotic sports car. Just imagine it with a wider body, a longer wheelbase, perhaps more exotic styling touches, and a mid-engine/RWD (or maybe mid/4WD) drivetrain. But.. it's a economy car with supercar-like styling. Only not as beautifully done as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta (Type 940). The 4th-Gen Eclipse was okay with the little piece in the front grill, but I tend to like this newer design better. It may not be as well-liked among automobile magazines in performance figures, but at least I think it looks great.

If you are looking for car parts for your car or the car I mentioned, I invite you to use either the Amazon Auto Part Finder widget on the side. Or click on the link at the end of this sentence, as it links you to Amazon Auto Part Finder. Alternatively, you may use this widget below to find parts for whatever car you have (I think this widget only applies to cars sold in the United States):



Please read "An Important Amazon Note" in the sidebar for more information on Amazon products. Thank you for reading!

Serres Circuit

Greece has only two known race tracks. One of them is the Serres Circuit in northern Greece. It is located in only a few miles away from the southwestern border of Bulgaria. It is located about 50 miles northeast of Thessaloniki, Greece. There are some race series that use this track, such as the Greek Formula 3 championship and certain motorcycle racing series. This track is over 1.980 miles (3.186 km) in length and features 16 corners. Since nobody really knows anything about this course, I'll try to bring this track some exposure in this blog entry.

--- Serres Circuit ---

Here is a look at the track I'll try to discuss in one lap:

^ from: fastestlaps.com - Serres Racing Circuit and its 1.98-mile layout.

Serres Racing Circuit seems quite flat with not much variation in elevation changes. The track itself may not look anything like a state-of-the-art racing facility, but its challenge is definitely there.


One-Lap Description.
(Because no one really knows about this course or has any great details on it, this one is going to be difficult.)

Two rights await you after blasting down the front straight. The first two turns could be treated more like a sweeping right-hander. Both corners come in at moderate speeds, but the first one is sharper than the other. A brief straight follows leading into a somewhat sharp left-hand corner and a smoother left follows after that. The second corner has a little hint of banking. Another brief straight follows and leads into a moderate hairpin. After that, a low-speed left-right chicane follows, and then a sharp left. You're at full throttle for a spell until a left-hand kink followed by a fairly sharp left-hander after that. Gather up speed out of that corner before heading into two sharp rights. The rest of the track sweeps and weaves. After gathering some speed out of the two right-handers, a very long sweeping right is ahead. After this long sweeper is a smooth left-right chicane. The final corner is merely a right-hand kink that takes you onto the front stretch and to the Start/Finish line.

Here is a video lap around Serres. I must warn you that the volume is very low. The lap starts at the 0:12 and ends at the 1:47 lap (total lap time: 1:34.8):



Lap Times Around Serres.
Here is a look at how lap times fare around Serres Racing Circuit. These are all production cars, because I couldn't find any race car laps around this course (or even any motorcycle laps).

(lap times courtesy of fastestlaps.com)

Car (date)	Lap Time
1999 Fiat Punto HGT	1:47.2
2008 Ford Mustang	1:45.2
1997 Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 TS	1:43.3
2003 SEAT Leon Cupra R	1:39.35
2007 Opel GT	1:37.35
2005 Porsche Cayman S	1:35.25
2007 BMW M3 (E92 Model)	1:33.05
2006 Porsche 997 Turbo	1:32.35 (wet)
2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano	1:32.25 (wet)
2006 Audi R8 (road car)	1:30.95 (wet)
2005 Ferrari F430	1:30.80!

! = fastest time posted on fastestlaps.com





I hope this helps to provide a little exposure to this course. For more details on this course, visit the site below in two different languages. Thanks for reading!

* Serres Circuit (English)
* Serres Circuit (Greek)

This track now can be raced in rFactor! To download Serres Circuit for rFactor, visit Serres Racing Circuit on rfactorcentral.com!