Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 50th Celebration

Henry Ellis, a direct student of the legendary Budo master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, from 1957 describes the great event at the Crystal Palace Sports Centre, London, to celebrate this great teacher and his arrival to Great Britain in 1955 and the subsequent inception of Aikido. Tribute website to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei at http://www.KenshiroAbbe.com . . .
The Bushido ZaZen International Society Annual Dinner
In February 2004 Derek Eastman and I were invited as guests at the annual dinner of The Bushido Za Zen International Society by its Chairman Mr Arnold Davies Hanshi an old student of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei and a close friend of my own good friend Bill Woods Sensei. These names alone meant that this evening was to be something special with so much history and martial arts background between us.
As we arrived we were met by Mr Clive MacDonald, a member of the Bushido ZaZen. Mr MacDonald and Mr Davies had been instrumental in putting together many of the facts to help with the protection of the true history of British Aikido during the great British Aikido Board Controversy.
Memories of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei
Mr MacDonald immediately brought several pints of beer to our table and from then on the conversation flowed along with the beer. As we spoke of our memories of the legendary master, Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, I said ” Do you realize that it is 50 years next year since Abbe Sensei arrived in Britain ! “. We all discussed the importance of this date, I then suggested that, as we all belonged to the Essex Aikido Forum ( EAF ), which is a group of like minded people interested only in Aikido without its politics, we agreed that we should organise a celebration of such an important date. Mr MacDonald called over Mr Davies who, without a moments hesitation, gave the event his full support and financial backing.
The Organising Committee
Before the evening was over we realised that this event would be bigger than anything ever previously organised by the EAF or any other Aikido organisation for that matter. We decided there and then that we would need a working committee if we were to put this very special event together. Mr MacDonald approached two other senior EAF member, Mr Mike Leavy and Mr Eric Gillett, who agreed to join our organising committee. I then approached Mr David Humm the administrator of the very popular website the ” National Aikido Communication DataBase ” . Mr Humm had also been involved in our efforts to protect the history of British Aikido. He also became a willing committee member. Mr Rob Peck agreed to be the secretary We now had a full committee of seven members who were now totally committed and dedicated to putting together the greatest Aikido seminar ever in the United Kingdom. I don’t believe that any one of us on this night were able to grasp the enormity of the task we had pledged to undertake.
The Venue
As the word spread throughout the Aikido and MartialArts communities and, from the interest that was now being generated, we now knew that we would need a prestigious venue After much deliberation and following a visit to Crystal Palace Sports Centre, we soon realised that this was to be the final venue. This was to be a wise decision as, with its great hall and facilities along with the accommodation blocks and restaurants, It would later prove to be capable of hosting the planned event comfortably. The event attracted 430 students. 60 guests, 370 spectators and visitors totalling almost one thousand people on the day With students from all over the UK - USA - France - Holland - Germany, Czechoslvakia.
The Teachers of the Day
As this day was to celebrate the arrival in the UK of Kenshiro Abbe Sensei in 1955, and the subsequent inception of Aikido. It was decided to invite the five surviving direct students of Abbe Sensei from the 1950’s/60’s mentioned below.
I, Henry Ellis and Derek Eastman had already agreed, now I had to approach my old friends, Sensei Ralph Reynolds and Sensei Hayden Foster, who willingly offered their support.
Sensei Ken Williams, first student of Abbe Sensei, was also approached. He had to decline due to prior commitments. He did however provided a letter of dedication to be read out at the event. I then approached Sensei Bill Smith Shihan MBE, who sadly had to decline due to health issues. His son Phillip attended to represent his father and the AikiKai. Now we had a full Aikido teaching team. The event was officially under-way. We also received a letter of tribute to the memory of Abbe Sensei from the Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba ..
The Guests
The guest list was a who’s who of the Martial-Arts world in the UK. There were 60 guests and, with respect, I am unable to mention them all but, the following will give some insight.
Mr F Motai of the Japanese Embassy - Sensei Bill Woods Aide / Secretary to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 1955 - Sensei Bill Stopps, Personal Aide to Matsutaro Otani Sensei from 1947. - Sensei Robin Otani, Pesident of the British Judo Council. - Mr P, Don of Sport England. - Sensei N Jones, my personal guest. - Ms Jenny Earle, World Judo champion.
Mr Ken Cottier Shihan, a member of the Aiki-Kai World Council. Mr Gigs Shouten, a special guest from Holland. Joe Curran Sensei who read a letter of tribute to Abbe Sensei from Kazuo Chiba Shihan.
The Budo Demonstrations
During the mid day part of the event there was a break for the students while the Budo demonstrations were carried out by some of the very best exponents of the various arts on display. This was a unique event where students were now able to witness many of the Budo arts that they had never seen before.
Aikido -Judo - Karate - Iaido - Kyudo - Kendo - JuJutsu - Ju Kendo
The Event and The Day
This was a very wonderful and special day for me after almost 50 years of practicing Aikido. On the morning of the event as I entered the great hall at Crystal Palace Sports Centre to the electrifying sound of the Taiko Drummers and masses of students around the mat area plus many more queuing at the door to register. I walked onto the concourse floor to see all the various stalls set out. Mr Don Baney a specialist in Japanese works of art had a fine display of Samurai armour and swords, for more information visit: http://www.geocities.com/britishaikido/japanese_swords.htm The atmosphere was fantastic, an indication of the great day ahead. I met so many people that I had not seen for so many years.
There was a raffle at the end of the day with a prized valuable ShinKen sword, presented by Nine Circles Budo Equipment Supplies. A hand made Tanto presented by Sensei Dave Rogers of New Mexic,o USA. Other prizes included the book ” Positive Aikido”, Gi’s, bokkens, shinai’s and many commemorative T-Shirts.
This was indeed a very special day.
I was privileged to be at the great event in 1963 held by Abbe Sensei at the Royal Albert Hall in London where I was assistant to Mikoto Nakazono Sensei. I never thought that I would ever see another event to equal that one. On this day of celebration and commemoration of the life of Abbe Sensei, I believe I saw the event to eclipse all others.
Henry Ellis Event Liasion Officer
Co-Author of Positive Aikido
Principal Coach Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido
http://www.EllisAikido.org
http://www.geocities.com/britishAikido
Henry Ellis born 1936. Co-author of Positive Aikido. A direct student of the legendary Budo master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei from 1957. Ellis has had articles published in several International Martial Arts magazines, he has written several articles on the proud history and lineage of British Aikido. Protecting the legacy left by Abbe Sensei from those that have attempted to alter the facts to advance their insatiable ego’s.

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Getting The Most From Ballroom Dancing Lessons

Like so many things in life, you get out of ballroom dancing lessons what you put into them. Simply showing up at your lessons is not enough. The time and energy you spend between lessons as well as during the actual lesson will can make a great difference in the results you achieve. Following are some tips on how to maximize your dance lesson experience. By approaching your lessons in a consistent, well thought-out manner, you will progress quickly towards your ballroom dancing goals. If you have invested your time, energy and money in ballroom dance lessons, it is worthwhile to take steps to maximize your outcome.
Before you even begin your dance lessons, you should spend some quality time considering what it is you want to get out of them. By having clear goals, you can then work towards achieving them. Too many people come into dance lessons without having given much thought towards what it is they really want to get out of them. Your dance goals should be formed with your instructor. Letting him or her know what you are trying to accomplish will enable them to provide you with the instruction you need.
When your lessons begin, it is important that you have the right mindset for each and every lesson. You should be well rested and focused for your lessons. Coming in tired and distracted will not make for a positive learning experience. You need to take good care of your body if you want to dance, because it is a physical activity. You also need to be able to put aside any problems of the day and focus on the task at hand. Maintaining that focus and concentrating throughout the lesson can be a large determining factor in your achieving your goals.
It is a good idea to come to your dance lessons at least fifteen minutes early. This will allow you to get yourself focused, warm up and practice some of last week’s steps before the lesson starts. By the time the lesson begins, you will be fully prepared and ready to make the most of it.
As you progress in your dance lessons, it is important not to get ahead of yourself too quickly. The best dancers keep their minds open to new information and know that there are always things they can learn to do better. Remember that your instructor is an expert and let them teach you. When the instructor demonstrates a new pattern or concept, let them finish it before you attempt it. If you do not understand something, speak up. Chances are, others in the class did not understand it either. When the instructor asks questions, answer. This allows you to be more actively engaged in the learning process.
After each class, it is a good idea to take down notes of what was covered in that class.
Doing this immediately after you finish, when everything is still fresh in your mind, can be a valuable tool to progressing towards your goals.
The time you spend between classes can be as valuable as the time during class. In addition to going over your notes, you can use time between classes to practice on your own. It does not require very much space. Simply practice a sequence using smaller steps. Even visualizing the steps will be helpful later. You could use the time while you are standing in line at the grocery store to run through a sequence of steps. Much of the time that is lost in each dance lesson is spent re-learning what was taught the week before and forgotten. It is up to the students to minimize this.
Another way to take advantage of the time between classes is to listen to your dance music. By listening to the music you dance to regularly, you will develop a better sense of its rhythm. In turn, you will be able to dance better. When you listen to it, pay attention to the beats. Count them out and visualize yourself moving to beats.
As your dancing improves you may want to expand on your dance program. Taking different classes with different instructors can help you grow and expand. Additionally, private lessons give a level of personalized attention that cannot be achieved in group lessons. Apart from other kinds of lessons, most dance schools offer a weekly dance session for all their students. This is a great way to practice and is also a good opportunity to dance with other partners.
It is up to you to make the most of your ballroom dance lessons with clear goals, the right mindset and practice.

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Want A Home Gym Good Idea

Looking to get into shape or live a healthier lifestyle? Home gyms can accomplish these tasks while being very convenient and practical. Many people want to work out, but don’t like to work out in public, or don’t have the time to drive back and forth to the gym. For these people home gyms are the perfect solution.
With today’s exercise equipment you can get a great workout in the privacy of your own home with no long lines, no matter what time it is day or night. No matter what you want to accomplish, whether muscle building or to slim down, home gyms can’t be beat.
Many people love treadmills, stair masters and ab exercises to lose weight and increase muscle tone. For men and women that want to bulk up, there are plenty of weight benches and universal systems that can have you bulked up in just a few months.
Home gyms are reasonably priced. You can find a great treadmill or stair master with great features and accessories for less than $300. If you want to work out with dumbbells or weights, then finding a set is extremely easy and the price tag is usually less than $100. So if you are sick of working out in public, waiting on long lines or commuting to the gym, work out at home.
More informations are available at http://www.health-00.info and http://www.aerobics-00.com.

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Camping In Lead King Basin

The first Summer that I lived in Colorado provided me with an opportunity to spend six weeks camping in the western Rocky Mountains, during June and July. In preparation for a summer in the outdoors, I acquired an eleven-year-old1985 Dodge Ramcharger, a model famous for its 4×4 capability and ruggedness. Just the thing for negotiating the wilds of the West Elk Mountains. I cruised south from Glenwood Springs, turned short of the road to Aspen, and passed the beehive coke ovens of Redstone to the town of Marble. In some ways, Marble is a modern ghost town, with dirt roads and weather-beaten cabins, but as it hosts a Post Office and fire department, it retains its “living” status. True to its name, the local quarries provided some of the highest quality stone for monuments in Washington.
Pavement rapidly disappeared as I headed up the steep, one-lane road from Marble. I passed the U.S. Forest Service road sign that advised “4WD Only Beyond This Point” and my pulse quickened. I took the right fork and jounced slowly over twin ruts, the former road to an actual ghost town located some miles from Marble. As I rounded a bend blasted through granite, just wide enough to accommodate a horse-drawn wagon, I braked suddenly and gasped. The road in front dropped off into a steep pile of rubble that clung to the side of a mountain, high above the roaring Crystal River. Even the twin ruts degenerated into a jagged surface of jumbled boulders and cobbles. At the base of the steep bank of talus, off the road, a dented, burned-out Chevy pickup rested in the weeds, a derelict from a previous adventure in decades gone by. I shifted into 4-Low and dropped the automatic transmission into “1″, such a low gear that even at engine idle the Ramcharger jerked forward and crawled to the tune of rhythmically whining gears. Two feet from the edge of the road’s drop-off, and mindful of the Chevy’s fate, I began the bouncing, swaying descent. Momentarily, the speedometer needle rose slightly from where it bottomed out at 5 mph, and it gently tapped the brakes. Too fast, perhaps 3 mph was more suitable. I crept down the ancient road, imagining how teamsters had once negotiated wagons over this treacherous track.
At last I reached the bottom, where the road was pot-holed and covered with dirt, presumably settled-out flood sediment from the roaring Crystal River, whose whitecaps danced at a level only slightly lower than the road. After some time, I ascended a rise and came opposite a weather-beaten, yet picturesque mill perched high upon a jutting promontory of granite above the river. Giant wooden beams, shed from the structure after a punishing winter, whirled in the vortex at the base of the millrace, smashed to splinters as the thundering current relentlessly pounded them into the unyielding granite. Beyond, the town of Crystal crouched alongside the road. Through town, the road had completely degenerated into a rutted, rocky, jouncing misery even at 5 mph. Rugged log cabin-type structures lined the street, constructed of rough-hewn square timbers notched together, boarded up and nailed shut. Aha, but I saw that this wasn’t strictly a ghost town! The last house on the edge of town had a somewhat cared-for appearance, with a circa 1974 Ford pickup parked in front that prominently displayed a bumper sticker that advised “51% Nice Guy, 49% SOB. Don’t Push It.” No problem there, I’m just passing through.
As I continued out of town, the lush, green valley of Lead King Basin was sprawled out before me. I had broken out of the woods along the river bottom, and thick green grass sprinkled with yellow, blue, and white flowers swayed in the mountain breezes. All around, majestic, snow-capped granite peaks rose toward the sky, and the steep, jagged cliffs of the distinctively colored Maroon Sandstone jutted into the air. This is the same rock formation made famous in Colorado postcards of the Maroon Bells. I climbed the narrow jeep trail, carefully driving over a series of berms that, from the look of the surrounding prospect pits, had been piled up by a bulldozer to keep out the casual gawkers when prospecting had been more lucrative. I took a sharp left, and had to gun the engine to climb the steep, one-lane trail that ended at the boundary of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness. What a gorgeous sight, as the classic U-shaped glacial valley spread out before me. The daily afternoon rainshower had begun, and so I elected to remain in the shelter of the Ramcharger’s backseat for the night. The giant windows afforded a spectacular view of the surroundings, and I gasped in awe as lightning bolts crackled from the snow-capped, granite peaks across the valley at my very eye level.
The rain gradually diminished and ceased by mid-morning, and it was time to continue on my way. I rolled out of my parking spot, back onto the shallow, twin ruts that would lead me the short way back to the main jeep road. Suddenly, apprehension gripped me as I noted that the ruts, so easily climbed the night before, had a pronounced tilt from my present approach. I had been proceeding at a relatively sedate 15 mph, but apprehension turned to panic as I felt the Ramcharger begin to slide sideways as gravity tied to pull it down the deceptively shallow, but increasingly steep slope into a shallow gully. For a split second I considered making a controlled, soft landing, but quickly realized that by the time I slid to the bottom of the shallow gully, the truck would be on its side with no hope of recovery. As an automatic reaction to avoid danger, I stepped on the brake and was horrified to feel the truck speed up as the tires broke loose on the wet grass and greasy mud. I could hear the slithering slap of wet, leafy fronds on the tires and felt my momentum increase, bearing me toward the declivity, as I screamed Oh, Dammit NO! Counter to panicked intuition, I clutched the ball of the transfer case lever and pulled it back sharply from 2-High into 4-High as I goosed the accelerator. Trying to slow down had nearly been disastrous, and my heart was pounding as I desperately hoped that the engaged front wheels would pull me back up onto the treacherous, deceitful twin-rutted path. By now leaning crazily, the spinning front tires found purchase and arrested my lateral slide into the gully, as the Ramcharger regained the shallow, muddy ruts with a final fishtail. As I began to relax, I realized that within five seconds I would have a more serious problem. I had regained enough momentum to climb back onto the gently tilted trail, but as I crested a slight rise, I stared straight down, past the adjoining main jeep trail and out into space past the edge of the cliff. While congratulating myself on avoiding one disaster, I was now rapidly speeding toward another, since I now had enough momentum to careen down the hill, shoot across the jeep trail, and fly off the cliff. Recalling my Wisconsin winter-driving experience, I shifted the automatic transmission into neutral to disengage drive to the wheels and began gently tapping the brake pedal at a furious rate. As the cliff edge loomed, I felt the truck slow and knew I had regained control. I crept down the steepest part of the rutted trail onto the main jeep road at the dizzying speed of about six inches per second. My heart was pounding, and my entire body was so tensed that I could barely command my leg to press the brake pedal, or my arm to shift into Park. I idled on the jeep road, as the adrenaline spasms rippled through my body and I tried to catch my breath. When I finally regained control of myself, I crawled along the greasy, shale-slicked road in 4-Low, and considered myself lucky to be leaving Lead King Basin.

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Picking Up A Horse S Hoof

The idea of picking up a horse’s hooves can intimidate some owners since a well-placed horse kick would really hurt! Such caution is good, but in reality if you pick up a horse’s hoof properly you provide him with no leverage or ability to kick you. This is a situation where a person’s worst fears can cause him to imagine an incident that is highly unlikely to occur with careful handling.
Here’s how to safely pick up a horse’s hoof:
Starting with the front hoof, approach your horse diagonally from his front so that he clearly knows you are there - you don’t want to surprise him. Place yourself even with his shoulder and make sure to face his rear; you will both be facing opposite directions during the hoof picking process.
Making sure that your feet aren’t too close to the horse’s hoof, start running the hand parallel to him down his shoulder and along the length of his leg, finally stopping just above his ankle. Gently grasp the ankle portion and click (or otherwise verbally cue him) to ask him to raise his leg. If he’s well trained, that small cue will be more than enough and he’ll do just what you requested. You’re now free to begin picking his hoof.
If your horse is being a bit stubborn or hasn’t learned how to pick up his legs yet try leaning into his shoulder as you run your hand down the back of his cannon bone. You can also gently squeeze/pinch the tendons to further cue him to what you would like. As you perform these physical cues make sure you provide a verbal one also (I make a clicking sound) so the horse later associates your sound with the requested response. Increase the weight you push against his shoulder until he finally lifts his leg as requested.
When picking a horse’s hoof you want to remove all debris from the hoof clefts as well as the rim and frog. Be careful around the frog because it can sometimes be a bit sensitive, particularly if the horse has thrush.
Once you have finished cleaning the front hoof carefully guide it back to the floor; you don’t want to allow the horse to slam it, potentially hitting your foot in the process. Praise your horse and pat him on the front shoulder a bit so he understands that you are pleased with his cooperation, then run your hand along his back to his rear leg. Place yourself in the same position as you did with his front leg and do the process over again.
There is a slight difference between lifting a rear foot and front foot, even though your basic positioning and actions are nearly identical. When you lift your horse’s rear foot he will probably give a little jerk that you might misinterpret as a kick. This is a common reflex reaction among horses and nothing for you to worry about.
Secondly, when you raise your horse’s rear leg you’ll want to step into him a bit so that your hip is underneath his leg. Rest his leg on your thigh, grab his hoof and gently flex it upwards. By doing this you lend him some support and more importantly the position of his leg and his flexed hoof will prevent him from being able to kick you.
Clean the hoof, lower it cautiously as you did the first and praise him. Congratulations - you’re halfway done! The opposite side will be done exactly the same way, but try to return to his front and start the opposite side rather than move around his rear. It’s bad practice to approach or circle all but the most trusted horses via the rear in such close quarters since a horse would be within range to strike.
When lifting any hoof try to make sure your horse is properly squared (balanced evenly on all four legs) so that when you lift one hoof he can easily balance on his remaining three. At no time should the horse actually lean his weight on you! Even when you rest his rear leg on your thigh you’re not allowing him to use you as a crutch.
Once you have picked your horse’s hooves a few times it will probably become very simple and take less than 5 minutes to clear all hooves. Most trained horses will raise their hoof for you the moment they feel your leg run down their leg.
It is a very good idea to control your horse’s head while you are picking his hooves. This can be done by attaching his halter to crossties or asking a partner hold your horse’s head. By controlling his head you ensure your horse can’t move away from you while you’re trying to pick his hooves, or worse… turn around and take a bite at your rear!
Visit http://www.alphahorse.com/horse-care.html to view other articles pertaining to horse care.

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Casino Slots

Modern casino slots are controlled by computer chips and software, and the win percentages are preprogrammed into the software.
Casino slots have Random Number Generators (RNG) which are continually generating combinations, even when the machine is not being played.
Running concurrently with the RNG of the casino slot machine is the payout percentage.
The payout percentage controls how much the slot machine will payout, for example the payout percentage might be 90%, meaning the slot game will payout 90% of all the bets played and the casino only gets to keep 10%.
This is not to say that every time you bet 10 credits you will receive 9 in return - where is the fun and excitement in that? Instead the casino slot machine game will not pay out for a while, and then suddenly go on a hot streak and you might hit a big jackpot.
The payoff percentages will vary between the different games and some of the most popular casinos, like King Neptunes Casino, offer a payout of upto 95%!
So in essence the slot machine takes all the money played into it and pays it out to few lucky winners. The casino only gets to keep a relatively small percentage of all the bets placed.
The casino slot software controls every part of the machine, from the flashing lights to the spinning of the reels…

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Mozart Year 2006

On January 27, 2006, it is the 250th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, born in Salzburg, Austria. Mozart is widely regarded as one of history’s greatest classical composers.
Mozart was born on January 27, 2006. His parents, Leopold and Anna Maria Pertl Mozartis, gave him the name Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Theophilus. The first two were saint’s names and not commonly used at the time in daily life. Theophilus translates as Amadeus (Latin) and Gottlieb (German). Mozart preferred to use both Wolfgang and Amadeus and is generally known by these two names.
Mozart is probably the most significant and enduring of classical composers. His remarkable musical gift became apparent when he was about three years old. At the age of four he could play the keyboard with total confidence and composed his first pieces at five.
His father, Leopold, a composer and violinist, was one of Europe’s leading musical pedagogues. In those formative years, Mozart received intense musical training from him, including instruction in both the clavier and violin.
Leopold soon realised that he could earn a substantial income by showcasing his son and the young Mozart soon gained a reputation as a musical prodigy. During these formative years, he made several journeys around Europe, including the Imperial Court in Vienna.
It was at this time that Mozart met a great number of influential musicians and acquainted himself with the works of the great composers of the time. Of particularly importance was Johann Christian Bach. They became friends in London, where Bach’s influence on the young Mozart became a significant and constant inspiration.
In 1767, the family returned to Vienna for five months where he wrote a comical play for the Emperor and a spoken-dialogue opera in German. But Mozart had problems with the other musicians, particularly the composer Antonio Salieri, who made it very difficult for him to produce his operas.
Mozart then left Vienna and returned to Salzburg where he was appointed honorary Konzertmeister to Archbishop Sigismund von Schrattenbach.
Mozart’s tremendous creative output includes works that are pinnacles of symphonic, chamber, piano, operatic and choral music. Many of these are now part of the standard concert repertory and widely recognised as masterpieces of the classical style.
On August 4, 1782, Mozart married Constanze Weber against his father’s wishes. Although they had six children, only two survived. But this was to be an auspicious year for Mozart’s career: his opera, “The Abduction from the Seraglio”, was a great success and he began a series of concerts where he premiered his own piano concertos as conductor and soloist.
Having become closely acquainted with the works of Bach and Handel led to a number of works imitating their Baroque style, which later had a powerful influence on the fugal passages in “The Magic Flute” and the “41st Symphony”.
In 1783, Wolfgang and Constanze visited Leopold in Salzburg, which saw the composition of one of Mozart’s great liturgical pieces: “Mass in C Minor”. It was premiered in Salzburg in the same year and is one of his best known pieces.
Mozart spent 1786 in an apartment in Vienna which may be visited today at Domgasse 5, behind St Stephen’s Cathedral. It was here that Mozart composed “The Marriage of Figaro”, followed in 1787 by one of his greatest works, “Don Giovanni”.
Mozart’s life was fraught with financial difficulty and illness. Often, he received no payment for his work, and the small amounts he did receive were quickly consumed by an extravagant lifestyle.
The actual cause of Mozart’s death is a matter of conjecture. Dozens of theories have been proposed, including trichinosis, mercury poisoning and rheumatic fever.
Mozart died on December 5, 1791 while he was working on his final composition, the “Requiem”. Franz Xaver Sanduuml;ssmayr was engaged by Constanze to complete it. He was not the only composer involved but he is associated with it over others due to his significant contribution.
The major productions for “Mozart Year 2006″ are being held at the Theatre of Vienna - which is now, after extensive renovation, considered the “new opera house” in Vienna - together with various other concert halls and St. Stephan’s Cathedral.
Tickets for Mozart Year 2006 concerts may be viewed at the Vienna Ticket website.

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Fish Recipes

These recipes are wonderful and they are old family recpies. Most of the fish were caught using the special Evening Secret (http://www.eveningsecretfishing.com/specialsecret/Fish_Recipes.php) for swarming fish, and catching them.
Armenian Baked Fish

3 lbs. whitefish-in the white fleshed bland fish may be substituted
3 fresh tomatoes or one small canned tomatoes
1 cloves garlic mashed
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. water
4 tbsp. minced parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

fillet and rinse fish. Spread the fillets skin side down in a buttered baking pan. Cover fish with tomatoes garlic and the flour mixed with water. Spread with parsley. Seasoned with salt and pepper. Pour oil and lemon juice all around fish. Bake at 325 after 420 to 40 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Spoon pan juices over the fish several times while baking. May be served hot or cold. Garnish with sliced lemon. Serves six.
Pine smoked trout
Use a wire holder to get a smoky flavor when cooking trout. The idea is to be able to turn the meat over like the type made to hold hot dogs or hamburgers.
Cut server pine boughs and place them on your campfire. Lay the holder with your trout directly on top. Light the pine boughs, then the fire will sear, cook, and smoke your trout in about a minute before burning out. Just turn the holder over to sear the other side - repeat the process. A couple of boughs and less than a minute for each side is perfect for a half-pound trout.
Pickled Bluegills
Use only a stainless steel pan for good taste.
Cut fish into small pieces - you will need about 5 cups of fish. Soak in a quart of water and one cup of salt for 2 days. Rinse fish in cold water and drain. Then pour two cups of white vinegar over the fish and put it in the fridge for another 2 days. Pour it off.
Next, cook the following mix for five minutes and let cool

2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. mustard seed
1 tsp. whole black pepper
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cloves
4 bay leaves

After it cools pour it over the fish, and place slices of lemon and onions on top. Refrigerate for 5 days, then remove the spices and pack into jars. It makes three pints.
Sunfish
Once you have skinned and filleted the Sunfish, try this recipe.
You’ll need:

1 lb. sunfish fillets
2 scallionis sliced thin
1 green pepper sliced thin
1 small jar of spaghetti sauce
1 chopped tomato
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
Pinch salt

Combine scallions, pepper and sauce. Cover and simmer for r10 minutes. Add fish, salt, tomato nad wine. Simmer, covered, for six minutes. Ladle over rice and rim with parsley.
When you are all done skimming and filleting your sunfish, plant the carcasses deep in your tomato patch or rose bed. They make excellent fertilizer.
Fish Loaf
After you fillet your fish, don’t throw away the bones. There is still meat attached to them, and you can make a tasty dish with the leftovers. Begin by either baking the backbone scrapings in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven or steaming them over boiling water until they are cooked. While the fish is cooking, gather the following ingredients:

1 cup toasted break cubes
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Paprika
1 1/4 cups cooked, flaked fish (from the scrapings)

Mix all ingredients except paprika and one-quarter cup of the grated cheese in a large bowl. Work in the flaked fish until a uniform texture is attained. Spoon the mixture into a 9X5-inch bread pan and shape it into a loaf. Spread the remaining grated cheese over the loaf and sprinkle paprika on top. Bake the loaf at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour. Let it cool five to 10 minutes before cutting.
Add chili peppers or hot pepper sauce as desired.
Baked Ciscoes

10 ciscoes, filleted
1 1/2 tbsps. Lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup light cream
1 1/2 tsps. Flour
1 tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper
Buttered toast

Quarter the fiillets. Place fish pieces in a buttered flat baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Heat butter and flour in saucepan. Add the two cups heavy cream and the cup of light cream slowly. Bring to boiling point, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over fish and sp rinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about one hour. Serve fish and sauce on (or with) buttered toast.

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Swimming The Four Strokes

When it comes to competitive swimming there are various strokes and distances that can be competed in at most competitions. Competitive swimming started to become increasingly popular in the in the 1800’s , and due to its popularity is and has been for a long time one of the most popular events in the summer Olympics.
Competitive swimming has an international governing body that goes by the world recognised name of FINA. The governing body of FINA includes local sub groups such as Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and Swimming Teachers Association (STA) in the United Kingdom ,USA Swimming (USAS) and United States Masters Swimming (USMS) in the United States. FINA regulates the four swimming disciplines, swum over different distances as outlined below.
Freestyle, also known as ‘front crawl’, can be swum using any technique or style the swimmer chooses, although front crawl is swum 99% of the time, and thus in swimming competitions bares no restrictions on what action the swimmers use. The only exception to this is when the swimmer is swimming the freestyle part of an individual medley event. The following events are held for freestyle in distances of 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m. All of these can be swum in regular competitions and major games.
Butterfly events require that the swimmer’s actions are equal at both sides

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The Origins Of Basketball

Do you know the origin of basketball?
The origins of the game of basketball can be traced back to a gentleman by the name of Dr. James Naismith. In 1861, Naismith was born in Almonte, Ontario, Canada. During his early school days, Naismith would play a game called duck on a rock whereby the child would endeavor to knock the duck off the top of the rock with a toss of another rock.
Later on, Naismith would go on to McGill University in Montreal and would later become McGill University’s Athletic Director. He would subsequently move on to YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts and in 1891, the game of basketball began.
Given the cold Massachusetts winters, Naismith needed to find a recreational activity that could be played indoors and he preferred a sport that would develop skill and one that was not exclusively relying on strength. The first game was played with two peach baskets for goals and a soccer ball.
Further to his credit, Naismith became a medical doctor specializing in sports physiology and a Presbyterian minister. Naismith was able to see his beloved sport of basketball, gain acceptance in numerous countries through the YMCA since 1893. As well, the sport of basketball was brought forth at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. As we speak, the game of basketball has become a very popular professional sport.

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