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After making his last hurrah twice in 1980 and in 1981, it seems that the world isn’t ready for Ali to quit. Not even Larry Holmes, who was his opponent during his first last bow. Though of course Larry won the fight, it was clear Larry Holmes was as much holding back out of sheer respect. Ali was, after all, everyone’s favorite including Holmes himself. And showing the greatest respect, he allowed Ali to back out. It was seen by many as the passing of the torch; an aging veteran passing the reigns of rule to a younger and equally stronger successor in a symbolic match.

Throughout his career, Muhammad Ali was truly the greatest as he self proclaimed. He was a rare breed of showmanship, sportsman, and a dirty tactician. His tricks include lashing out with insults and pranks on the opposition before the match, making them very furious and angry to mount an exact offensive on his defense. And Ali’s record speaks all too clearly.

Ali retired permanently in 1981, and Ali’s record was 56 wins on 37 knockouts, and 5 losses. He was a three time World Heavyweight Champion.

Ali was considered an unorthodox boxer, especially during his time. Especially on the level he is playing, boxers on this level rarely used agility and rarer still would they put down their guard while relying only on agility to evade by bobbing and weaving. Many boxing pundits disapprove of this tactic, even though Ali’s record provided substance to his approach. He became the unlikely hero who won, much to fans approval and he began to rack up successes on the lower circuit, building up Ali’s boxing record.

His first slice of fame was against the heavily favored champ Sonny Liston. His tactics of agile and quick shots quickly disabled the veteran slugger and by the seventh round, Liston had contributed to Ali’s boxing record by backing out due to injuries.

One of the major upsets in Ali’s boxing record was during the highly anticipated .The Fight of the Century. He was fighting against Joe Frazier, a powerful boxer known for his explosive punches and incredibly strong chin. In short, it was a battle against two undefeated champions where Frazier won by landing a hard left hook. It was Ali’s first professional loss, and maybe Ali’s fairest fight since there was no taunting pre-fight that Ali would so often use to off balance opponents.

Ali’s boxing record is marred with 5 losses, first from Frazier, the next to a newcomer Leon Spinks. His second defeat made history, because by then, Ali became the first heavyweight champion in history to lose to a novice who had seen only 7 professional fights.

Even with today’s standards, Ali’s record was already a considerable measure. As opposed to Larry Holmes perfect boxing career run, Ali rose on a time when considerable foes had also surfaced. Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Ken Norton, are among the boxing greats that had surfaced during his era, and once or twice had Ali defending his title in earnest.

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The hospitality industry - and any other industry which counts tips as part of their income - might be interested to know the origins and customs of tipping. Always good to know should anybody ask.

The deepest roots of the custom of tipping are elusive. The evidence points to tipping going back to the age of the Romans, or at least the invention of money.

There’s a broad range of etymologies for the term “tipping”. The most basic point of origin is the Latin word ’stips’, which simply means a gift. The Middle English scholars lay claim to Geoffrey Chaucer, who used the term “to tip” to mean simply “to give”, as in “tip us a kiss!” or “tip me five pounds until pay day.” The actual phrase also appears as “tip me that cheate” (give me that thing), in the “Beadle of Bridewell” by Samuel Rowlands in 1610.

The charming story we all have probably heard is that “TIP” was an acronym for “To Insure Promptness”. Back to the 18th century, the story goes that patrons would drop a few (audible) pence into a box bearing the label “to ensure promptness” as a measure to encourage a greater display of vigor on the part of the generally listless attendants. But it is more likely that this story is another urban legend, or what we call a “backronym”, an amusing acronym story made up to explain a word which wasn’t originally an acronym at all.

Tipping spread from England to colonial America, but after the American revolution it was temporarily frowned upon as a left-over custom from the British class system. After all, if one only tips one’s inferiors, well, - ahem! - there are no ‘inferiors’ in the Brave New World we created, right? The culture shrugged this off after a few years and the custom of tipping resumed to what it is today. When it comes to mixing politics with day-to-day commerce, even the Communist countries have not entirely succeeded in eliminating the practice of tipping.

Another apocryphal story has it that a California restaurant had a sign on the door “Please do not insult our staff by tipping!” but inside, there on the counter was a jar by the cash register clearly labeled “Insults”.

These days, of course, everybody from taxi drivers to somaliers depends on tips for a substantial part of their income. If customers didn’t tip, presumably the staff would expect to be paid more, and restaurant bills and taxi fares would consequently be higher. The fifteen percent standard is mostly a question of what the market will bear. In New York, the figure these days is twenty percent, and if you have lived in New York, you know why. And European restaurants generally add a ten percent gratuity to the bill.

If your restaurant has a policy of adding a percentage to the bill as a gratuity, it is expected that you have a sign somewhere in the general vicinity of the cash box stating this fact. Also, many restaurants have a policy of the waitstaff pooling their tips on a pot, which gets divided evenly amongst them at the end of each shift. Still other restaurants ask that non-tipped employees such as cooks and janitors receive a percentage of tips as well. In Brazil, a simple service charge is added to the bill and split among the staff, and that’s that. Whatever your custom, try to feel out the staff to see what they prefer, and then get the policy in writing and include it with new employee orientation.

Positions outside the restaurant trade have more recently picked up the tipping custom. Bellhops, taxi drivers, and even barbers variously accept tips. But in some countries, the police expect a small gratuity! This is not the same thing as corruption - well, not quite. Police officers and other civil servants in third-world economies openly solicit tips, gifts and dubious fees using any of a set of local euphemisms. For example, a traffic policeman in Mexico might ask a commuter to buy him a “refresco”, which is a soft drink, while a Nigerian officer might expect “a little something for the weekend.”. This is less about graft and corruption and more about the shockingly low wages these professions receive in these countries. A visitor from elsewhere will usually not be “hit up” for a gratuity, but you never know.

Tipping is more widely supported amongst the civil servants in third world countries. For instance, a dog license application might be accompanied by a minor tip “for their trouble”.

Back in the US, the state regulations on declaring taxes on tips varies by the state. But an interesting fact worth noting is that most state jurisdictions make a distinction between “voluntary tipping” and “expected tipping”. For example, a tip at a restaurant, while not required, is for the most part expected. Giving a dollar to a barista for making a latte is not expected, and is therefore a “voluntary tip” that in most jurisdictions does not need to be claimed to the IRS.

Freelance writer for over eleven years.

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The use of language is pure magic! As far as humans go, it’s one of our species’ most amazing evolutionary developments. No matter what country we live in or continent we call home, the use of language is one of the few things all of us share.

Around the world mankind uses literally thousands of languages and dialects. All of them express our deepest thoughts and most private feelings.

Language also records our histories and tells our stories. It doesn’t matter whether we are using the written or spoken forms of our languages, we cherish them.

Language is powerful. It expresses our opinions, and some of us will argue to the bitter end just to have the last word of it. Everyone knows the last word is always the most important one.

Nothing like a word can cut us to the quick or impassion us with emotions we didn’t know we could feel.

Language is personal, intimate, and much more. It defines us individually. Our use of spoken words is a huge part of our personal, national and cultural identity.

Language is our soul, the very essence of our being. Our accent and use of words identifies us with certain geographic areas. It makes us part of a group.

Just as we have different fingerprints, our voice prints are different too. When one becomes accustomed to hearing the beautiful lilt of a sweet, southern drawl, there’s nothing else like it in the linguistic world. Itss simply the type of language and sound that makes us feel comfortable and “at home”.

The sounds of our own voices are ingrained in every fiber of our beings. One of my adult students once said that when he began to speak Spanish it not only felt funny but it sounded funny too. He said it was like hearing a cartoon duck’s voice coming out of his mouth instead of his own!

From the moment we wake up each morning until we fall asleep, most of us are talking. We simply don’t think about the amazing neurological process that is involved in making every sound we utter. We simply open our mouths, and words pour out.

For most of us, the ability to use the English language is one that we take for granted. But, have you ever thought about just how important language is to you?

What would you do if you woke up tomorrow in another country where your native language wasn’t the one you heard, understood or needed to speak? Could you develop a communications strategy that would allow you to not only survive– but to thrive?

Today this complicated issue faces many of our citizens. Thousands are learning Spanish, while thousands more are struggling to learn English. Somewhere we will meet in the linguistic middle.

Learning another language in adulthood is outrageously difficult. All the linguistic cards are stacked against us.

Acquiring a new language takes dedication, desire, and practice; however, we are impatient and we want to acquire fluency with ease. We want to learn to speak another language at the speed of a Porsche cruising down a superhighway.

In actuality, the process of learning another language in adulthood is more like riding in a Model T bouncing down an unpaved road. Your journey probably won’t be smooth, and you can expect some starting and stopping along the way to achieving proficiency.

Many professionals I work with experience these painful bumps in the linguistic road. One of my great joys is hearing their success stories, and one of my greatest challenges is motivating them to continue their journey when they have a Spanish language fender-bender. So, I was surprised a few days ago when a doctor who had participated in one of my seminars called to invite me to lunch with his family.

“There’s something I want to share with you,” Dr. Taylor said.

Over lunch he explained his personal goals for learning Spanish to me. “Reaching out to my Spanish-speaking patients so they understand their illnesses and their treatments is constantly on my mind,” he said. Then he continued, “I want to find out as much as I can about their lives and their families. This helps me treat the whole person and not just the parts.”

At the end of our lunch together Dr. Taylor told me that he had come to realize something about the art of practicing medicine and the art of communication.

“No matter how hard we try,” he said, “both are imperfect sciences. You told us it was more important to communicate and not to worry about our grammar mistakes. So, I don’t worry about it now. I just get out there and do my best. My patients seem to appreciate that.”

“Well, doc,” I said, “I couldn’t be happier to hear of your progress. It looks like you are going to make a full linguistic recovery.

“Take two verbs and call me in the morning!”

Myelita Melton is the author of the SpeakEasy Spanish TM series. She is a nationally recognized speaker and expert in language and cultural diversity. http://www.speakeasyspanish.com.

For quite a long time Ukraine was under the government of the ex-Soviet Union. After the changes of the beginning of the 90’s the country is speeding up in all areas of the economy and fashion is no exception.

Ukraine woman are stylish and impressive ladies. They have an eye to detail and always pay attention to the latest fashion trends. What makes them so chic?

Buying clothes from local designers is becoming more and more popular among the Ukrainian celebrities. There are campaigns such as “Buy Ukrainian” which were created to support the fashion industry. The women often prefer the local brands because the fabrics used are the same as the ones used by the big world-known brands, but the prices are not that high.

People are very sensitive towards prices and local companies know this. They are well aware that they can not create special fabrics for their fashion lines but no matter of this the quality of their production is very high. Ukraine woman know this, they are smart customers and always compare not only the price but also consider the quality of the products they select. Being beautiful sometimes is a state of mind and self-esteem and that explains why these ladies prefer to spend money for local brand with unique appearance than store clothes from last year’s collections.

They are very creative combining various styles, expensive shoes and skirts are often topped with relatively old second hand shirts and blouses. Accessories play big role in the decoration of the clothes. Often family jewelries are given from mother to daughter or grandmother to grand-daughter. These traditions are transferred to clothes too. With a little work Ukraine women manage to change the old dress into fantastic modern apparels.

Hand made sweaters are very popular and many girls are taught to knit from early age. They enjoy this as it gives them freedom to make their own fashion solutions and these are competitive to many modern factory made pullovers.

It will not be surprising if you meet a woman and for New Year instead of a boring postcard you receive impressive hand made shawl. Be sure that she has enjoyed its making and has knit it with much love and attention to the right colors or stitch. Quite often hand made is not only a cheap solution for a present but it is also a sign that she feels that she wants to give something more special to you and to bear witness to the fact that she is having affection and you are playing major role in her life.

Local brands are becoming popular and as a result they are improving the quality of their production. Do not think that Ukrainian always means cheap or low cost. There are brands that are working hard to promote and position themselves in higher niches. Many of them beat the prices of big brands such as Miss Sixty or Mexx. Their lines are very comfortable because the situation in modern Ukraine requires comfort and functionality rather than haute couteur.

So if your beautiful Ukrainian woman gives you as a present something from a local brand, do not think that it is been cheap solution. Be sure that she has spent hours looking for the right size, color, line and money.

No matter what you get or what you decide to give, the secret of any beautiful Ukrainian woman is in the style itself rather than the brand.

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Women all over the world enjoy getting a gift, but especially Ukraine ladies. If you are going to Ukraine, you should never forget to bring presents to show your loving and caring attitude towards a Ukraine lady. The way she accepts it indicates her feelings towards you.

It doesn’t have to be anything very expensive, but your present shouldn’t look cheap either. No matter what you give her, you shouldn’t forget about the flowers that should accompany the present. A Ukraine lady is a romantic and they expect romance from any foreigner they meet.

Ukrainian men tend to consider flowers unnecessary in the dating process. They feel that if they love and understand each other then romantic gestures are pointless. Flowers in particular are considered by the Ukrainian men to be a complete waste of money. That is why giving flowers to a Ukraine lady is held in deep regard by the woman and considered to be an absolute delight. It makes them feel like a real Ukraine lady. It isn’t even that important what type of flowers you give her, it is just important that you make the gesture.

If you feel that giving flowers is just not enough, then you could consider giving her a souvenir from your country. It is always a conversation starter, and exciting for a Ukraine lady to have something from another country. Many of the Ukraine ladies have never been abroad and find that having a little piece of your country means that you care for them deeply.

Be careful never to ask her what she wants as a present beforehand because most likely she will tell you that she doesn’t know. Either that or she will tell you that she wants nothing, and then is disappointed when you show up holding nothing. Be wise, and plan on giving her something small that she can cherish.

Use the hints that a Ukraine lady gives you in her letters to you. For example, if she says that she is studying English then perhaps you can give her a great American English classic. For a Ukrainian lady that may be interested in art you can give her a beautifully framed picture of your country or a popular art piece. For a stylish Ukraine lady you may consider giving her a fashionable handkerchief or scarf.

If you are absolutely sure of her tastes then you can present your Ukraine lady with a perfume that she loves. It is a very personal gift and although it may be hard to choose her particular scent, it is a great gift to show her what she means to you. Good perfumes are very expensive in Ukraine, even more so then in the United States, so Ukraine ladies find it almost impossible to buy a high quality perfume.

Thus, they have to use fakes, so when you give her the real thing, she will be thrilled and honored. Some of the popular choices are Nina Ricci, Kenzo, or D&G. A good perfume is also an ideal present for the mother of a Ukraine lady. Don’t forget that bringing something for her parents will also help to make a good first impression.

Most Ukraine ladies agree that the best present of all is your love and sincerity, but a little something that you and your Ukraine lady can share can only enhance her love for you. A memorable and important present that you can give her on the second date could be a photo album with only pictures of the two of you in them. If you take the pictures on the first date and then put together the album, it will show that you care deeply for her, and that she matters in your life. It is often the little romantic gestures that you make that wins over her heart.

Whatever gift you decide to give, it will be appreciated no matter what it is. After all, it is the thought that counts.

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Penny Woodens, as they are sometimes called, are among the most fascinating dolls ever made. Their legs and arms could be moved into very lifelike positions. Their heads and bodies, carved in one piece, could survive the roughest treatment. Their painted faces suffered, it is true, from too many washings or from being left out in the rain, but that was not too serious an injury. Someone in the family could always repaint the face when needed. Best of all, they cost so little that almost any child could afford to have a family of them.

An uncle or a brother who was clever at whittling could make a Penny Wooden in a very short time. In New England, if the men of the family were not so talented, the poppets could be bought for a penny in any Cent Shop. It was an adventure to be allowed to go to the Cent Shop all by oneself. There in a little glass case all by themselves were the penny dolls. On the shelves behind were ranged the more expensive dolls that cost five, ten, fifteen, or twenty-five cents each.

The wax babies were small and pretty. So were the china ones. But they were made all in one piece so that their arms and legs could not be moved. That made them hard to dress. The more expensive wax and china babies had movable arms, but even the tiniest wooden one had both legs and arms that moved.

On a special shelf were the doll heads of various sizes. They were made of glossy white china and had shiny black painted hair, blue eyes, pink cheeks, and tiny rosebud mouths. Sometimes, but not often, you could find a china head with brown eyes, and once in a very great while, you might even get a gray-eyed doll head.

These heads were really more than heads, for the neck and shoulders were molded in one piece with the head. Mother or Aunt Mary usually bought them; made the body, arms and legs of cloth; then glued the head onto the body. In larger stores, one could buy bodies already made, as well as china arms and legs to sew on to a homemade body.

The china parts were made in Germany and shipped to this country in great packing cases that held hundreds of each size. They were sold all over this country and were very much cheaper than dolls are today. Most of these china dolls were “lady” dolls to be dressed in grown-up fashions. They were the mamas of the doll family. The doll in the picture above with its homemade body, arms, and legs, is an unusual “little girl doll” of the 1840s.

The children of the doll family usually were homemade of cloth or wood. Dolls were frequently made by grownups for their children. Then, of course, children themselves have always increased their doll families by making some of their own.

Many different kinds of materials and objects were pressed into service. A hank of flax could be braided to look like a doll, or an acorn could be stuck on the end of a twig to serve the purpose for the time being. Skillful fingers could contrive really elaborate dressed dolls, using corn husks and silk for the working materials. A string tied around a rolled up rag or a piece of wool or cotton batting transformed a common material into a very acceptable “doll-baby”.

It is fascinating to make dolls for yourself. There are so many different ways of doing it and so many different kinds of materials to use. Dolls can be made and dressed without a bit of sewing: little ones that can be turned out quickly from odd scraps of materials, and more elaborate ones that are round and soft, and paper dolls whose dressmaker costumes are cut, shirred, and pleated just like real fabric clothes.

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That old favorite, the cents of coupon has made it to Internet marketing and sales. It is estimated that nearly half of all online shoppers in America now look for and use these coupons. They are a real boon to shoppers, who reap considerable savings from using them. They are effective advertising for the retailers and bring new, and hopefully return, customers to their virtual stores.

If you are not finding a daily influx of Internet coupons in you email inbox, there are a number of places to look for them on the Internet. BrandCentralStation offers an overwhelming array of coupon codes, for use on the Internet and printable coupons for everywhere else you shop. They feature Internet coupons for essentials like Ace Hardware, Toys R Us and Adidas. There are also specialty retailers like Musician’s Friend and the Nerds. Nearly one quarter of the coupons offer discounts on travel related websites such as Hotel Club.

The discounts offered by these Internet coupons vary somewhat. The majority of retailers offer coupons for free shipping with purchase, some post a minimum purchase. Some offer 10 to 30 dollars off a minimum priced buy and others offer a percent reduction in purchases that varies from 10 to 30 percent. Theses are real savings.

Other sources for Internet coupons are websites called couponmountain, couponcabin and couponcraze. At any of these sites, the consumer may search through an inventory of thousands of coupons for hundreds of different retailers. They offer the same variety form percent of to a specified dollar amount off and conjunction with coupons for free shipping, all of which lead to substantial savings. A coupon for free shipping is especially valuable for those who are looking to purchase home and garden items online where the weight and size of the purchase can be considerable and paired with a premium priced shipping cost. The coupons at these sites are both printable and coupon codes. The latter are redeemed by entering the code directly onto the online order form.

Coupon codes have long been used by travel purveyors such as car rental companies, hotels, motels and airlines. They may result in a lower price, just like traditional coupons. Other coupon codes will be good for a free upgrade, for example, from a mid sized car to a luxury or SUV type model. With the hotel and motel offers, a coupon or coupon code will entitle the customer to a free room upgrade or, in some cases, an extra night free. You must be certain to enter these codes at the time of booking, as most travel purveyors will not honor them at time of payment. It is generally the policy to hold a certain number of rooms solely for promotional customers and with car rental, fulfilling the coupon offer is always based upon availability, which changes, not only with the date of rental but also with the location of desired car rental.

Airline coupons and coupon codes are usually preferentially given to members of the specific airline’s frequent flyer club. They are a customer loyalty technique that rewards and draws repeat customers. These offers must be redeemed at time of booking and will usually be good for a lowered price. However, many airlines offer specialty coupon offers to business travelers. These are in the form of free upgrades. The airline is hoping that exposure to this more comfortable form of travel will become additive to the businessperson who routinely travels often and makes several business trips monthly.

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