Yorkshire cricketer Ryan Sidebottom has blamed his recent back pain on hotel beds and although cricket bowlers place a lot of pressure on their back whilst playing, Sidebottom is adamant that dodgy mattresses are his downfall. Ottis Gibson, the England bowling coach, explains “The problem arose because we travel around the country every week and we're sleeping in a different bed. Unfortunately, Sidebottom suffers more than anyone else at the moment from sleeping in different beds. He often wakes up and he's got a stiff back."
Personally, I’ve never had any problems with hotel beds and even though none of them live up to the quality of my memory foam mattress, I wake up without any back problems (unlike when I sleep on some mattresses!) I think that people definitely become accustomed to the feel of their bed at home, so when staying in a hotel, the change in texture and springiness can certainly have an effect on people’s sleeping patterns and comfort.
What do people think to this news? I think that the combination of an active day training and playing cricket combined with the different mattress will cause Sidebottom to have back problems and it might not be something that he notices when sleeping in his own bed.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Friday, 1 August 2008
New to bingo?
I've been playing online bingo for a few months now and have a few helpful hints for people who are wanting to get into the game. It took me a bit of time to get into the flow of things and really understand how the system works, so hopefully these tips will help budding players like I was a while back...
Firstly, just remember how simple the game is. Numbers are called out in a random order and the aim of the game is to complete the game "pattern" - the pattern of numbers that you have to eliminate on your card - before any others. If you do, you have bingo and win a prize! Don't try to "beat the system" or try little tricks to improve your chances of winning, because it is ultimately a game of chance and you just have to rely on good luck!
Pay attention to the pattern! Different games have different patterns and you need to keep and eye on what you're trying to acheive or else you might miss your chance to win the game! Some games have simple patterns such as a straight line in horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions, yet some may have a blackout/coverall pattern whereby you have to cover the whole card.
Don't lose concentration. The numbers are called out quite quickly, usually no more than 10 seconds apart so you need to pay close attention to what is being called out and to mark them off your card quickly and accurately. Some online games actually mark off the numbers for you, in the case that you lose concentration, yet this takes some of the fun out of the process.
Finally, try to find a site that offers the chance to play free bingo games, so you can practice and hone your understanding of the game before you risk your money in some of the more competitive games. I started off using practice rooms and did so for a couple of weeks to make sure I knew how the game was played and what the process involved, so these can be the most important couple of weeks in your bingo career!
Firstly, just remember how simple the game is. Numbers are called out in a random order and the aim of the game is to complete the game "pattern" - the pattern of numbers that you have to eliminate on your card - before any others. If you do, you have bingo and win a prize! Don't try to "beat the system" or try little tricks to improve your chances of winning, because it is ultimately a game of chance and you just have to rely on good luck!
Pay attention to the pattern! Different games have different patterns and you need to keep and eye on what you're trying to acheive or else you might miss your chance to win the game! Some games have simple patterns such as a straight line in horizontal, vertical or diagonal directions, yet some may have a blackout/coverall pattern whereby you have to cover the whole card.
Don't lose concentration. The numbers are called out quite quickly, usually no more than 10 seconds apart so you need to pay close attention to what is being called out and to mark them off your card quickly and accurately. Some online games actually mark off the numbers for you, in the case that you lose concentration, yet this takes some of the fun out of the process.
Finally, try to find a site that offers the chance to play free bingo games, so you can practice and hone your understanding of the game before you risk your money in some of the more competitive games. I started off using practice rooms and did so for a couple of weeks to make sure I knew how the game was played and what the process involved, so these can be the most important couple of weeks in your bingo career!
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Mortgage approvals at a new low
The number of mortgage approvals fell by 23% to reach a new low in June, and compared to the same time last year, are a massive 67% lower. The credit crunch in the banking system (mainly triggered by the mortgage crisis in the USA) has led to a rapid decrease in property sales and average house prices.
Although the Bank Of England has cut interest rates since the credit crunch last year, mortgage lenders have been moving their mortgage rates in the opposite direction, with the average two-year fixed rate deal for new borrowers being around 7%.
There are some companies on the market that will offer you the chance tosell and rent back your home, whereby you receive a high percentage of the market value (roughly 70%) and then remain in your home as tenants. This saves you the hassle of selling your home through an estate agent and sorting out a deal for a new house.
Landlords can also do this, however selling with a sitting tenant does have some complications attached to it and legal issues that you will need to examine.
Although the Bank Of England has cut interest rates since the credit crunch last year, mortgage lenders have been moving their mortgage rates in the opposite direction, with the average two-year fixed rate deal for new borrowers being around 7%.
There are some companies on the market that will offer you the chance tosell and rent back your home, whereby you receive a high percentage of the market value (roughly 70%) and then remain in your home as tenants. This saves you the hassle of selling your home through an estate agent and sorting out a deal for a new house.
Landlords can also do this, however selling with a sitting tenant does have some complications attached to it and legal issues that you will need to examine.
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