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One of the most recognizable faces in the Indy racing circuit in the past years is none other than Danica Patrick.  The 29-year old American race car driver is the  first woman to win an Indy car race after winning the Indy Japan 300 in 2008.  In the 2009 Indianapolis 500, Danica Patrick achieved a personal best and placed 3rd — the highest finish by a female in the event’s history.  She finally began racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series  in 2010 driving the #7 GoDaddy.com, Chevrolet/Impala for JR Motorsports.  She currently drives the #7 GoDaddy.com, Honda/Dallara for Andretti Autosport.  In March 2011, she achieved a best career finish of 4th in series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, earning another milestone as the best ever by a woman in a NASCAR top circuit.

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For those who have been going on a diet, you all know that the most difficult part to trim down is the belly. We all dream of having a flat belly. But it seems to be the most stubborn part of our body and is usually the last part to lose fat. Aside from avoiding food with high carbs and sugar, exercise is a necessary part of the regimen. However, I find doing numerous crunches and other exercises a big strain.

Yoga and Pilates, on the other hand, has been known to have exercises or poses that help a lot in trimming the abs. Here are some yoga poses that concentrates on strengthening the abs and trimming down excess fat. I will add more in futures posts, including pilates workouts that will give you a flat belly.

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As thousands of boxing fans awaited the battle between Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton tonight, many were looking forward to an exciting fight — hopefully better than the last Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya fight. Apparently, the hype and anxious waiting was for naught.

Pacquiao knocks down Hatton twice in the first round alone. What a disappointment for so many fans. In the second round, Hatton drops again a few seconds before it ended. Hatton was clearly dazed and incapable, leaving the referee no choice but to declare a TKO.

This season’s American Idol just went weird tonight. Ryan Seacrest first placed Matt Giraud and Kris Allen on one side and Danny Gokey with Allison Iraheta on another. Then he asked Adam Lambert where he felt he belonged based on last night’s performance. Adam chose to be with Danny and Allison, but he made the wrong choice. Apparently, he belonged to Kris and Matt’s side which is the bottom 3. What?!!

Kris and Adam at the bottom 3 was way off. Of the 5 remaining contenders, it was Allison and Matt who were frequently at the bottom. Now, for the first time, Kris and Adam are down there. Simon did say Danny is a strong contender because of the sympathy factor. It would be a big disappointment if he wins over Adam who is the most original and consistent of all contenders — that is an objective opinion considering I really don’t enjoy rock music. Danny, on the other hand, remained stagnant all throughout. I have heard nothing amazing from him for weeks. As a matter of fact, I don’t even remember the songs that he sang. The most memorable for me were Adam’s Tracks of My Tears and Mad World. Kris was unforgettable in Ain’t No Sunshine.

Anyway, next week, it’s going to be rock and roll. If Simon is right, it could be Allison who will be packing next. But Kris will have to raise his performance a notch higher, else, the red-head teen can bump him off in this genre.

One of the problems that women are always trying to resolve in terms of beauty and hygiene is getting rid of unwanted hair. Before science or research finally discovered good options for hair removal, the only option is shaving. Then using hot wax became the new method. This gets rid of unwanted hair but the risk of burning your skin and making it hyperpigmented was high. Thus, I kept to the shaving part. The problem with this is, the hair that would grow back stiff and thick. If you miss out on shaving, it was very uncomfortable, not to mention unattractive. I even consider myself luckier than other girls because I only had my underarm to shave. Other women have to do their legs or their upper lips or arms.

Well, finally the angels gave women the answer to their hair problems. Aside from treating the hair follicles with laser to remove unwanted hair, cold sugar waxing was discovered. With laser treatment, some dermatologist claim that several sessions can make that part of the skin permanently hair-free. However, you have to pay a hefty price for this. Being a bit thrifty, I went for the more reasonable option. I tried cold sugar wax in a waxing salon. It did better than I anticipated. After the waxing, the skin on my underarm was smooth and hairless. No razor ever did this for me. The wax is made of sugar, lemon, and honey. The good thing about this method is that the lemon can make the discoloration on your underarm go away. And like the laser treatment, when the hair grew back, it was fine and soft. Some even claim that after several cold wax treatments, chicken skin on the underarm disappears. I don’t have much chicken skin since I never plucked, but there are minimal bumps on some areas due to shaving.

Whenever I gain weight, it’s my tummy and my waist that usually gains first. It’s frustrating because it is also the most difficult to trim whenever I try to lose weight. For those who have the same problem, here are some tips from health experts on how to trim off those belly fat. Here is a list of nutritious food your diet shouldn’t be without. Complement these with moderate exercise, and those stubborn fat on your middle plus all other excess flabs will melt away.

1. Spinach

2. Yogurt

3. Tomatoes

4. Carrots

5. Blueberries

6. Black Beans

7. Walnuts

8. Oats

These will not only help you lose weight, but will also keep your muscles strong, your heart healthy, and give you protection from the dreaded C.

Tigers Woods, though still not competing as he recuperates from his injuries, has every reason to smile. The family just welcomed Charlie Axel Woods, born on February 8. Now, the golf champion has a son he can pass on his golf clubs to, and hopefully his prowess. While he was still unable to compete, he did get the chance to exercise those arms holding baby Charlie.

Woods has been out since the US Open in June 2008 to repair a knee injury. Following the operation and rehab, fans will be glad to hear that the new daddy is expected to compete in the next few weeks. His beautiful wife, Elin Nordegren, may not be too happy about it as the champ’s return seems to coincide with possible diaper-changing and early morning baby-watching duties.

The news on Chris Brown beating an unidentified woman still remains clouded in mystery a few days after Grammy night. Nevertheless, rumors seem to be trickling now and again. By now, the rumor that the woman Chris Brown allegedly mauled was girlfriend Rihanna seems almost 80% certain. Rihanna’s reps and relatives refuse to confirm, merely stating that the pop star is well and that she appreciates all the concern.

Since most of the details have yet been confirmed, these tidbits are still considered rumor and gossip. Sources say that Rihanna’s injuries were grave — forehead contusions, cut lips, and bite marks on the arms and fingers. Though initial reports say that the case against Brown is assault with a deadly weapon, it seems no specific weapon was used other than Brown’s skill in martial arts (though I’ve read jokes pertaining to an “Umbrella” being used).
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Manny Pacquiao proved that youth was better than experience in his fight with Oscar de la Hoya on December 6, 2008. Pacquiao dominated the fight from the start till the 8th round hitting the older fighter continuously while dodging and dancing around avoiding hits.
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The most awaited boxing match this year is the bout between Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 6, 2008. According to the MGM/Mirage Race and Sports Book, De La Hoya is about a 2-1 favorite over Pacquiao. This is can be attributed to De La Hoya’s 4-inch height advantage and the fact that current lightweight champion (135-pound) Pacquiao has never fought at the 147-pound agreed weight level.
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The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series hours ago, beating the Tampa Bay Rays in game 5. Fifty hours after Game 5 started but was halted due to rain, Brad Lidge and the Phillies finally finished off the series winning 4-3.

After craving the title for so long, the Phillies finally won the title in a suspended game. This is their first championship since 1980 and the 2-day storm that suspended the game even added to their long wait. It was among the weirdest world series endings in baseball history — an end to a best-of-seven series which resumed in the bottom of the sixth inning tied 2-2.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter will hold a news conference Thursday at Citizens Bank Park to announce details of a parade to be held Friday which will start at noon at 20th and Market Streets. Phillies fans have been waiting for this day for 28 years. Congratulations Philadelphia!

My favorite yoga asanas are those that strengthen and lengthen the spine. I’ve had scoliosis since I was a kid, and back pains and discomfort have been part of my life. Yoga twisting poses usually does a good job of flexing the spine. One that I do on a daily basis, even when I am at home, is the Belly Twist or the Jathara Parivartanasana. It’s a supine twist that stretches the back muscles, realigns and lengthens the spine, and hydrates the spinal discs.

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Probably the most basic balancing pose in Yoga is the Tree Pose or the Vrikshasana. It is a core yoga position that is practiced even in advanced yoga. It is the perfect pose to develop physical balance and agility. Aside from balance, it also strengthens the legs and improves the flexibility of the hips and shoulders. However, due to the pressure on the knees and the hips, it is not recommended for those who have undergone chronic knee or hip injuries.

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I love sports. The excitement . . . the thrill . . . and the human skill involved amazes me. For that reason, I always look out for the world’s best athletes. Whether it’s in the Olympics, the NBA, Major League Baseball, or NFL, I just enjoy watching them.

Being a frustrated athlete, I do try my hand at any sport available to me. But despite the skills I developed in swimming, volleyball, badminton, and a lot more, nothing beats watching the pros show you how it’s supposed to be done. And if it’s sports video you want, only SportsVids can give them to you in their website. Aren’t you tired of searching for sports videos in a video site where it’s free for all? Now, search, watch, or upload your favorite sports video in a site dedicated to the excellence of the human body and spirit. Watching videos of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Tiger Woods, or Usain Bolt lifts the soul. It tells me there’s so much more we are capable of doing if we put our heart, mind, and soul into it. I believe that sports is the best representation of a human beings ability to persevere against all odds.

If you’re looking for a video clip of Tiger Woods’ amazing shots or older clips from Michael Jordan’s buzzer beaters, SportsVids.com is definitely the website for you. Watch or upload videos in this premier online sports video site. Below is one of the more famous athletes that have graced the headlines in the past months as he attempts the impossible and succeeds even more than expected. Watch Michael Phelps in one of his memorable races in the Beijing Olympics as he breaks the World Record and wins one of the many gold medals in the 400 Individual Medley swimming event.

Michael Phelps 400 Medley Original – Click here for more sports videos

After making history in the Beijing Olympics about a month ago, Michael Phelps steps out of the pool and agrees to host the season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” this weekend. He will be on the same stage his comedy idol Chris Farley once made people laugh. His record-setting eight gold medals in China has earned him the spotlight and the hosting stint. He also continues to make the rounds on TV shows, presenting at the MTV awards, and of course making the headlines on tabloids.

He claims to be more nervous about the show than he was while on the starting block at the Water Cube in Beijing. However, it is a new experience that he looks forward to and one he hopes to enjoy. The spot at SNL has also earned him his teammates envy like Lochte who plans to tease him and make fun of him before the show.

Phelps believes there will be a sketch about him but has no idea who will play his part. Other sketches on the 90-minute show will also involve his mom, his swimsuit, and his gold medals. He knows that they will take advantage of almost every topic possible.

He laughed when it was suggested that he will take off his shirt to to show his rock-hard abs. He says that if it happens, it happens. It’s not bad as long as it’s all done in good fun. Though he is nervous, he only has this to say — “No matter what happens they can’t take those medals away.”