How Mens Tennis Rankings Work

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Each week tennis stars are ranked according to their position within the world. These rankings are taken as seriously as credit scores as they can affect the earnings potential for players in endorsement deals and even play a part in determining not just who is invited to the top tournaments, but where they fit into the us open, wimbledon or french open schedule .

tennisThe ATP World Tour rankings are used for the grand slam tournaments and the World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. In all, there are 19 tournaments that earn points for players throughout the year. The highest ranked players qualify for the Barclays ATP World Finals .

The actual point system is quite complicated. Playing french open tennis or in another grand slam event earns more points than other tournaments. A win in any of the big four is worth 2000 points, versus 1500 or less for other tournaments. Points are distributed for each round, so that even those who lose in the first round of play accumulate a minimum number of points.

There are specific rules about qualifications, penalties and injuries. For instance, the top players of the previous year are expected to play in the next year’s grand slam events. If they do not, they can have their rank dropped. Points earned are also compared to previous performance, so that someone who does well at the French Open one year and poorly the next can actually lose points and find themselves falling in the rankings.  Its a tough business for these top class athletes.

photo by: jiazi

Financial Sense of Workshop Improvement

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A natural response to difficult economic times is to spend more of our leisure time at home with our families and close friends. This predictable trend has been part of the most recent financial crisis faced by this country as well as numerous other locations throughout the world. Many people are choosing to stay home with a rented movie or watch a favorite cable television program, rather than go to a movie theater or other entertainment venue. In addition, having friends over for a dinner party, game night or other social activity is a great way of spending quality social time with others, while not having it cost you an entire weekend grocery budget. Or the alternative, having to look into some money resources simply to enjoy your weekend.

With all of this renewed focus on home, entertaining and of course your workshop, the other natural consequence to follow is an increased interest in one’s own home design and its furnishings. In fact, many people have turned their houses into indoor and outdoor entertainment centers. One of the popular trends has been to completely overhaul a backyard, including new landscape designs as well as creating great BBQ pits and kitchen areas. Many couples are cleaning out that old Jacuzzi or hot tub and are searching sites like Craigslist for great deals on stepping stones and other back yard accessories. This of course brings up an interesting conundrum related to the topic. If the financial situation of so many people is so distraught that they can’t go out, how on earth can they afford to redecorate or even remodel areas of their home? And this is a great question, and it has a few different answers.

At times like these priorities need to be highly evaluated and then considered with budget needs and then solid decisions are made. There are a lot of good online resources for assisting with questions about where and how to spend your money, though there are also some common sense approaches to these questions that will guide you in the right direction. For instance, many people have wanted to take on that home improvement project , that has since allowed their house to be the entertainment center of their social community, and the recent crunch in finances has kept them out of more expensive weekend activities and focused their attention on their home. In addition, with the housing market remaining so unstable, adding to your home’s value will increase your financial situation in the long run. Much of these home-based activities have the dual purpose of immediate gratification with the long-term financial betterment perspective. And in this case, short term financial resources, such as  money mutual and others might be the perfect solution.

7 Improvements Your Wife Will Want

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Been putting off that honey do list for a while, have you? Well, with spring coming soon your lovely significant other is probably going to want things done around the house to improve the long ignored home. There is a wide variety of home improvement projects that will more than likely take up the majority of your free time, but with football season officially over, you’ve got nothing to do earn some brownie points.

  • Fixing up the Garage- Organizing all your man tools and fixing up the holes in the garage door has probably been on your list of ‘to-dos’ for awhile now. But she might be asking for more than that.  Installing a new, quiet garage door would earn double points. You can start by searching for local Repair, or Sellers in your area. (For example search:  Genie opener Seattle). Installing the garage door can be difficult to do alone, so call a buddy or hire some help!
  • Remodel your bathroom- Your bathroom is one of the most visited rooms in your home, so it should appear warm, clean and inviting. Some of the easiest ways to update your bathroom include new paint or wallpaper, a new floor, new tile on the shower walls. Now is the time to plan your bathroom remodel.
  • New window installation- Did you suffer through a drafty, breezy winter in your home. Although this may be one of the more expensive, as well as involved remodeling jobs, installing new windows in your home will save you money in the long run by reducing your home’s energy bills throughout the years to come by lessening the use of your furnace.
  • Paint your home- A fresh coat of paint will make those dirty, dingy walls look like new. If you paint your home’s rooms with lighter colors it will give the rooms the illusion of being larger than they really are. If you are going from a darker color to a lighter color, you should go over the walls with a coat of primer first.
  • Replace your furnace- This is another one of those costly improvements that will pay off in the long run. A newer, more efficient furnace will use less resources, combined with your new windows will considerably reduce your heating bill.
  • Remodel your kitchen- Like your bathroom, your kitchen is a room often frequented by many people and as such, should be warm and inviting as well. A few inexpensive fixes should do the trick. Consider new cabinets, paint or wallpaper, counters and a new back splash to brighten up your kitchen with a minimal investment.

Mitch Springer is an home improvement expert whose work appears all over the web.  He has written about Virginia Beach AC, DIY kitchen installation, and other home maintenance topics.

12 Hours at Sebring

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The race that will start off this year’s American Le Mans series is, of course, the 61st Mobil 1 Twelve Hours at Sebring.  Aside from taking place on an extremely beautiful track with exceptionally beautiful cars, Sebring has a special place in American motorsport history.

Located in Sebring, Florida, the raceway saw it’s first race in 1950, and remains the oldest continuously operating racetrack in the country.  From the beginning, it was designed for endurance races—so much so that the first event there was a 6 hour endurance run; it was only two years later that the first 12 Hours of Sebring was held.  The 12 hour event has been held continuously since 1952, with the exception of 1974, on account of the energy crisis.  Since it’s conception, it has held a keynote position in many series, including American Le Mans currently, but also past races like the World Sportscar Championship, the IMSA GT Champions, and it was even the opening event for the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012.  Suffice to say that this track has seen some big races.

12 hours of sebringSome of the biggest names have left their mark on the event—Mario Andretti, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Oliver, Andy Evans, the list goes on.  And what’s better, there is a line around the block of new competitors every year, waiting to carve their name into the event’s history.  The Scott Tucker race team, Level 5 Motorsports, promises to make for some interesting driving, and the Greg Pickett’s team, Muscle Milk Picket Racing, brings years of experience and some impressive technology to the track.

But the weekend, March 13th to March 16th, holds more than just racing.  Spectators can show up early and camp on the green in the middle of the track, even early enough to watch Scott Tucker, Greg Pickett and others run their practices and qualifying laps.  Plus, there are tons of special events to attend to get a better understanding of the technology at work and to meet the drivers one-on-one for autographs and short questions.  Test sessions last until the 14th, so after that the teams won’t have any time to make major modifications to their equipment.  The night of the 14th has a tech talk, which should be enlightening for anyone that has even the remotest interest in the cutting edge technology that drives these cars.  From there, practice wraps up on the 15th, followed by driver autographs, a live auction, a fan forum, and finally, qualifying.  Saturday the 16th sees warm up at 8:00am, followed by pre-race prep, and, at last, the green flag drops and the racers begin their twelve hours of endurance.

If anything is an American Tradition, the 12 Hours of Sebring is definitely one of them, and is a must-see if you are a motorsport enthusiast.  Tickets are tough to come by now, but rest-assured, they’ll be back next year, and with plenty of engine roars and thrills.

Breathalyzer Locks and Drunk Driving

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At least 17 million people copped to the fact that they drove drunk in 2010, according to MADD. An innovative device called a breathalyzer lock is available to prevent drunk driving. It works by preventing the car from starting if the driver is impaired by alcohol. It is a simple solution to a big problem.

By preventing an impaired person from ever starting a car, the chances of he or she causing damage or killing people is virtually eliminated.

crashed carHow do Breathalyzer Locks Work?

Breathalyzer locks are connected directly to the starter system of the car. The user breathes into the breathalyzer which analyzes the breath for alcohol. If it detects alcohol above a certain level, the car will not start. Typically the acceptable level is below.04%, though some circumstances may only permit 0% blood alcohol level.

Beyond preventing the car from starting, most breathalyzer locks while record the data. In certain circumstances, data will be sent to a reporting center and made available to authorities. In other circumstances the data will be stored locally on the car and be accessible to whoever has set up the system.

Tampering Prevention

The old saying “if there is a will, there is a way” rings true for people who have had their cars strapped with a breathalyzer lock. Different systems have different ways of preventing tampering.

  • To prevent another person from using the device on behalf of the driver, some systems take a picture or use other recognition protocols.
  • To ensure that the driver is sober at the wheel, other breathalyzer locks require the driver to blow into the device at regular intervals while the car is running.
  • To ensure the human is using the device, some systems require users to hum while blowing.

Who Uses Breathalyzer Locks?

Breathalyzer locks are a popular way of preventing a convicted drunk driver from driving drunk ever again. After conviction, courts sometimes mandate the driver install a breathalyzer lock and pay for the installation, and other associated costs. Failure to use the device or failure to pass the test can result in severe penalties for the driver, including jail time.

In addition, private entities such as companies or organizations occasionally install breathalyzer locks in their fleets just ensure that drivers are being responsible. Breathalyzer locks can even be installed by families who are concerned about a reckless driver that has a habit of drinking and driving.

While it is impractical, for reasons of personal freedom, to put a breathalyzer lock in every car, it is a tempting proposition for interest groups such as MADD. Imagine how powerful it would be if every driver had to pass a breathalyzer test before they could turn on their car. Millions of dollars and countless lives would be saved by preventing drunk drivers from ever starting their cars.

To learn more about alcoholism and drug rehab, check out this rehab directory website.

The American Le Mans Series

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If you’re familiar with auto racing, then you’re probably familiar with the 24 Hours at Le Mans, a 24 hour long endurance race that sees many competitors, cars, and impressive racing.  The prospect of traveling all the way to France isn’t always an attractive one, but luckily, there is something a little closer to home: the American Le Mans series.

Le MansIntroduced in 1998, the series was meant to follow its European counterpart in spirit, with races that last anywhere from 2 to 12 hours, on tracks all throughout the US and Canada.  The series started with 8 races, but soon expanded to 12, including Sebring and Las Vegas, and even Long Beach, CA.  It was created under the title, “Petit Le Mans” by the enterprising Don Panoz, in partnership with Automobile Club de L’Oust (ACO), which organizes the actual 24 hour race at Le Mans.  Initially the race was a 10 hour endurance run part of the Professional SportsCar Racing series, but in 1999 Panoz made a completely separate series.  It even mimics the class structure of its older European cousin, with three classes for prototype cars and two for grand touring cars.

What’s better, the series was recognized by the EPA, Department of Energy, and SAE International as being a “Green Racing Series,” which doesn’t tingle the senses like some other titles, but is important nonetheless.  But being “green” isn’t what draws competitors; rather, the first and second place teams receive invitations to race in the 24 Hours at Le Mans, which is extremely prestigious.  Winners are guaranteed recognition the world-round.

Some of the competitors you may see at any given race include Scott Tucker, Oliver Gavin, and many others, racing for the likes of Audi Sport North America, Penske Motorsport, BMW Team RLL, and Corvette Racing, all of which have won championships in one class or another.

There is some bad news though.  The American Le Mans series won’t last.  In 2014, it is set to merge with the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car series.  But, the 2013 series is still on.  While racing hasn’t started just yet, the competition is looking fierce, with private and manufacturer’s teams competing for glory.

Cars…A Necessary Expense

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Cars. We need them. We love them and we loathe them. For most families, a car is a necessity of life.

America has a long and deep love affair with cars. For over a century, we have been driving across town and the country for work and pleasure. In the last thirty years or so, car ownership is synonymous with success. Over the last decade, car ownership has become an unspoken requirement to getting and keeping employment.

The trouble with cars is that they are expensive. Cars take a chunk out of a family’s budget, sometimes costing almost as much as housing.

Costs of Car Ownership

car for salePurchasing a Car

Buying a car is not like going to the grocery store. It is a harrowing, expensive experience with few guarantees. If purchasing a new car, there is a down payment of 3-10%. The remaining cost of the car is financed. The real clincher with new car purchases is that finance companies require full comprehensive coverage until the loan is paid back. The insurance adds an extra 20-100% to the monthly cost of car ownership. There is little difference for leased vehicles or financed used vehicles. They are all expensive.

Getting To and Fro

Want to drive anywhere in your car?  Better make sure there is gas in the tank. At prices of $3-5 per gallon, filling the tank will cost $50-$100. Keep in mind this is on top of the car payments and insurance.

Other costs of driving to and fro are registration and license. Depending on municipality, fees can be upwards of $200 and come due every 1-5 years. Without the right stickers on your car, you will be pulled over, cited, and fined. It gets even more expensive if you do not have a current driver’s license. Failure to comply with the law can even land you in jail.

Keeping the Thing Running

The last substantial expense of car ownership is maintenance. There are thousands of parts of a car that break without notice, most of these quite expensive to replace. On top of that are predictable expenses such as oil changes, brakes, tires, and a multitude of other things that must be done to keep the car in working order.

Paying the Bills

Knowing the costs is critical to successful car ownership. Check your budget before you buy to make sure you can afford the costs. It is worth it to have a car because of the freedom it brings, so people will go to extraordinary lengths to make the payments and cover the surprise costs. People will take a second job, sell valuables, borrow money from family, skip a planned vacation, or bypass a business opportunity.

Having access to a working vehicle is the best way to get around, find and keep a job, travel, and get things done. Most owners find that the expense is worth the trouble.

David Jacobs is a blogger with a love of cars and racing.  He has written about automotive topics for everything from entertainment blogs to financial sites like this one to racing magazines and travel blogs.

The Best Auto Racing Video Games and Phone Apps

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As technology develops and video games become more and more realistic, auto racing video games have only become better and more realistic. They’ve gone from a past time enjoyed by a select few, to an enjoyment that millions of people take part in across consoles, styles, titles, and topics.

From there, we can deduce a few of the best and most popular games of all time, and what are out currently, and see just what auto racing games and apps are truly popular and worthwhile for millions of people out there today.

Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo has sold 60 million copies, making it one of the most popular racing games in history, but it’s still going strong today. With a PlayStation console that features customizable cars, interesting and unique tracks, and many demos and mods to choose from, Gran Turismo is very much accessible for people of all ages and background who are looking for gaming’s best racing offering on the market.

Midnight Club

Midnight Club is a game that can cross platforms and be played on multiple different technologies, and it’s got the option to drive both cars and motorcycles. It’s got interesting and visually appealing interfaces, with story lines that create an awesome and unique racing game that has thus far been popular, but surprisingly under-appreciated for what it entails and provides the gamer.

MarioKart

A bit of a non-traditional video game, MarioKart is one of the classics, with a great deal of attention paid to the Mario heroes like Yoshi, Koopa, Bowser, and of course, Mario and Luigi themselves. This classic keeps reinventing itself, and provides for players an amazing bit of nostalgia while still being a genuinely fun racing game to play today on SNES, XBox, or a variety of other platforms and gaming consoles.

Real Racing

Unique to the iPhone and other mobile phones and tablets, Real Racing provides a great customizable racing game that really strives to give a realistic quality to racing, and allows you to choose your own adventures with more than 45 vehicle options and all the capability you have come to expect from the iPhone, iTunes, and the App Store.

Grand Theft Auto

Grand Theft Auto is still a classic, and even though it’s evolved and innovated through the sale of more than 100 million units over time, it’s still as strong as ever. GTA not only broke record sales marks, but it provides a non-traditional look at racing, crime, and even missions that involve sometimes morally questionable deals. For people looking for the best and most unique, GTA is the way to go!

Need For Speed

Like GTA, Need For Speed is one of the most popular racing games on the planet, and has continued to develop a wonderful following online and on various consoles. It provides realistic cars, tracks, and racing seasons with fans and more, and uses intricate graphics to really bring a realistic feel to racing online.

Mitchell Carpenter covers gaming and software for a variety of tech sites and blogs.  He also writes about software for sites like http://www.clickpointsoftware.com as well as news sites.

 

Buying a Motorcycle

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They are two-wheeled, meaning they can get around traffic more easily than motor vehicles. Their engines are of a smaller capacity than those of most cars, but they pack a powerful punch. Meaning you’ll go as far as a car can take you, and as fast, if not faster, for less. There being much less machinery to take care of than in a car, a bike is generally easier and less expensive to maintain. Plus they are much more adrenaline-inducing to drive than other kinds of vehicles. These are just a few of the reasons that make many Americans opt to buy motorcycles rather than a car.

But some add a bike after having initially purchased cars not necessarily for their functionality, rather for fun rides over the weekend. Whipping a fat Harley-Davidson on the open freeways has been an American pastime for decades and for this reason a good number of motocycle clubs exist. The temptation to speed through the open country with nothing more than a four-stroke engine and a half-face helmet between you and the world is one many have found too sweet to resist. On top of the feeling of freedom they offer, bikes have long been a fashion statement. For this reason customizing bikes has become part and parcel of biking culture, not just in the USA, but around the world.

With the rising gas prices and the economic conundrum America is still grappling with, more Americans are using motorbikes to commute to work, not just for weekend escapades. It has been proven statistically that for this reason more Americans now than at any point in history, have bikes and use them regularly. Biking is particularly handy for those working in towns as they also save on parking fees.

Now that the pros of biking are becoming more and more apparent, you may be thinking of saving up for your own pair of wheels. Peachy. But before you eventually head out to a dealership you might want to think about one or two things. First, of course you’ll want to sign yourself up for a couple of lessons from a reputable driving school. Having done that you’ll need to take the riding test and get yourself properly licensed. Now you can go sniffing around for your bike and you will immediately realize that you’re faced with a choice between new and second-hand. Each of these options has its merits and demerits. A used motorcycle will obviously be cheaper, and you will feel less pain (emotionally, not physically) when you crash it into things. However, cheap may end up being expensive in the long run as you grapple with the costs of motorcycle maintenance and repair. But even when it breaks down, that presents an opportunity for you to learn the innards of your bike. This is important as in future you can save yourself heaps of cash by being able to detect and fix minor issues instead of visiting a mechanic.

Motorcycles come in an infinite number of flavors, from racing bikes to street bikes to cruisers to mopeds. Some of these have their appearance and performance tuned for racing while others are mere eye candy. As a beginner you will want to go for a less powerful motorcycle (between 50 and 200cc engine capacity) while you get the hang of riding.

The Best New Car Shows

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Car shows are the chance for manufacturers to show off their best new styles and get their brand new cars in front of the public and the people who matter.  These events are attended by thousands of people each year and can often predict the success for a new model.  Here are some of the best auto shows.

Chicago Auto Show

The first Chicago Auto Show was held in 1901 and 2013 will mark its 105th event.  It is produced by the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, the oldest and largest metro car dealer organization in the country.

The 2013 Chicago Auto Show is set for February 9 through February 18.  One of the most popular events takes place before the opening day with First Look for Charity, a black tie event designed to give people an early look at the new vehicles while raising money for charities.

Over a million people attended the 2012 event and it is a great way for manufacturers to introduce their newest models to car fans and dealers.

North American International Auto Show

This is another well-attended event that brings attention to the best new designs by car manufacturers.  It is popular with journalists who give a preview and opinion of the best new models to the public.  This event is significant because it is held in Detroit, the home of the three largest automakers in the country.

The NAIAS offers several preview events that make it popular with manufacturers and car enthusiasts.  The industry preview is designed to give the developers and creators of the cars a chance to network with others in the industry.  The 2013 event is scheduled to be held on January 19-26.

Los Angeles Auto Show

This event is scheduled to be held November 30 to December 9th, 2012.  It is another popular auto show and features celebrities and special events as well as previews and test drives.  This event also provides fans an opportunity to get to see new technology in action.  The newest models are unveiled here along with futuristic models to give car enthusiasts an idea of what the future holds.

The Design Challenge is one of the most popular events and brings in auto designers from around the world as the design an auto based around a theme.  This year’s theme is geared towards highway patrol vehicles for the year 2025.

Dallas Auto Show

Scheduled for March 13-17, 2013, numerous manufacturers attend this event to unveil their newest models and give car buyers a glimpse at pricing and features.  Attendees will get a chance to compare cars and see the cars of the future.

Car dealers and buyers can find numerous auto shows to suit their schedule and location.  Each one has its own unique agenda but the one thing they all have in common is the manufacturers desire to impress with their latest models.  Auto shows are an opportunity for them to score great press reviews and become the center of attention.

Contributed by Lewis Nelson.  Mr. Nelson is a popular blogger who writes about traveling, cars, and racing on his own blog as well as sites like the Performance Plus Tire blog.