How To Throw a Boomerang
If you’re looking for something a little bit different the next time you head to the park, give the boomerang a try! They are surprisingly easy to throw but catching one is a little more tricky. Regardless you’ll have a great time learning to whirl a piece of wood through the air and making it return from whence it came.
The history of the boomerang is quite interesting. I won’t bore you with the majority of it, but enough to help you become familiar with the high points. First and foremost, the boomerang did not originate in Australia. It turns out its much much older than that. It dates back thousands of years to the time of King Tut - maybe even before. Anyways, King Tut actually had quite a collection of boomerangs. What the Australian’s, actually the Aborigines in Australia, are known for is hunting with boomerangs.
There are 2 types of boomerangs: returning and hunting. Hunting boomerangs are straighter and very well balanced. Imagine these Aborigines sneaking around the outback, looking for a kangaroo. Once they find one the trick is to throw the boomerang and catch them on the back of the neck, stunning or incapacitating them so they could have dinner. With the returning type of boomerangs you’ll be learning to throw, just make sure you don’t take one to the back of the head 
It tends to hurt!
Enough history…lets take a minute to learn about the different types of sizes of boomerangs.
There are literally an infinite number of shapes and sizes of boomerangs. It turns out you can make a boomerang in any shape and one of the manufactures has a boomerang for every letter of the alphabet. Others have boomerangs that look like people or animals. Whats most important is that you find a boomerang that fits your skill level.
Beginner Boomerangs
These boomerangs are the traditional V shaped or 3-bladed boomerangs. These boomerangs are light weight and don’t require a strong throw. This also means that the boomerang is not going to travel very far. The range is likely to be 10-20 meters. Also these boomerangs will be heavily affected by the wind.
These boomerangs are great for learning to throw and practicing your form. The one advantage to these is they won’t hurt nearly as bad if you don’t see it coming back around or you mis-catch one.
Intermediate Boomerangs
These intermediate boomerangs come in every shape and are generally heavier than the beginner boomerangs. Accordingly they will work much better on a slightly windy day and have an effective range of 30-50 meters. Since these are intermediate throwing techniques will need to be tweaked depending on the model, flight path, and distance thrown.
Advanced Boomerangs
Since you’re probably just getting into this hobby an advanced boomerang probably isn’t right for you. These boomerangs can literally do or go anywhere you want them to. They are capable of going 100s of meters, flying for minutes at a time, or doing tricks. When you’ve mastered the boomerang hobby this is the style of boomerang for you.
Coming Soon…
Here’s the meat of the NotSoBoringLife.com How to Throw a Boomerange article. Basically if you can throw a ball - you can throw a boomerang. Like anything you’ll need a little practice, but before long you’ll be throwing and catching your boomerang with the best of them.
When to Throw
Ideally a warm sunny day is the optimal time to throw your boomerang. Little to no wind is a necessity for a beginner however it should be mentioned that some boomerangs need wind in order to make it back. Generally these are the heavier more advanced boomerangs.
Throwing in the rain, wind, or even snow is not unheard of, but I’d hold off until your comfortable throwing and catching before moving to less than ideal weather conditions. Its just not worth losing a boomerang.
Where to Throw
A wide open space with no trees, power lines, shrubs, mailboxes, lamp posts, or houses. You need about 60 yards in every direction. That means finding an open soccer field or baseball field. You should avoid fields where the grass is long or that border bodies of water as your boomerang will mysteriously disappear.
Where ever you choose to throw you need to make absolutely certain its clear of people and pets. Once the boomerang leaves your hand you have zero control. The boomerang, moving at 30-40mph, effectively becomes a flying blade. If it hits anything its going to hurt, so pay attention before and after you throw. Yelling “FORE” isn’t an acceptable warning to spectators who think you know what you’re doing.
Gripping Your Boomerang
You’ve got two choices when gripping your boomerang. The pinch grip and the cradle grip.
The pinch grip is the most popular and consists of pinching the end of the boomerang between your thumb and forefinger. The boomerang is held by friction between your fingers during the throw. At the end of the throw you’ll snap your wrist to create the spin necessary for the boomerang to return.
The cradle grip is similar to the pinch grip, but the difference is that you wrap your forefinger around the end of the boomerang. At the end of the throw you’ll “pull the trigger” which creates the spin.
Experiment with both until you find the most comfortable grip that creates the most spin.
Adjusting for the Wind
If there is any wind you’ll probably need to adjust your throw accordingly. Start facing with the wind directly in your face. Now turn about 60° to your right. The wind should be blowing from left to right across your body. Throw!
Throwing a Boomerang
Examine your boomerang and notice the shapes and curves. In general you’ll want to throw with the most curved side facing towards your face. That’s easy to remember, right?
Now grip the boomerang and throw the boomerang like a baseball directly over you head. No crazy sidearm throws unless you want to accelerate the boomerang into the back of your head. Make a conscious effort to create as much spin as possible. How’d you do?
More Wind Adjustments
If the boomerang landed short, you need to adjust your throwing angle a bit to the left or more into the wind.
If it landed behind you, adjust to the right a few degrees.
Other Problems
If the boomerang is coming right at you but over your head, don’t throw it so hard!
If it’s coming at you but hits the ground, throw it harder!
If it flies straight and hits the ground you need more spin or you’ve throw it upside down.
The perfect throw will go straight out do a perfect circle and return to you for the amazing and daring catch!
Catching a Boomerang
Yup, you’ve got to catch that crazy flying object. The best way to catch a boomerang is to sandwhich it between the palms of your hands. Basically you’ll clap your hands and hopefully the boomerang will stop between them and not smack you in the shin or forehead for that matter.
Doing a one handed catch is not adviced for a beginner but if you must try just stick your hand into the hold produced by the spinning boomerang and grab. Be advised the boomerang could take of in any direction.
Cigar Smoking
Introduction to Cigar Smoking
Cigar smoking is one of those hobbies you can commit to on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. I actually prefer to only smoke a cigar on the rare occasion due to health risks, but I smoke them none the less. I believe in the “everything in moderation” philosophy.
It’s also a hobby that you can spend $5 or you can shell out $500. In either case, there’s nothing better than having a couple of buddies over and sitting on the back porch and smoking cigar reminiscing about old times. Many times people smoke cigars in celebration of a new baby or because you landed a big account. Whatever the reason cigar smoking has peaked your interest - Welcome!
As with all the hobbies here at NotSoBoringLife we provide you with enough information to get started in a new hobby. Cigar smoking is no different. In this series you’ll learn how to cut, light, and smoke a cigar. We’re also providing you with several places to purchase cigars online to save a ton of cash. Lastly we’ve provided you with some other resources should you choose to take your hobby to the next level. Lets get started.
What is a cigar?
Unlike cigarettes, cigars are made completely from pure tobacco. They are made of 3 parts the filler, binder, and wrapper. The filler is what will define the strength of the cigar. High quality cigars have a long filler which are long strips of tobacco which tend to smoke more evenly which results in a smoother, thicker smoke. The binder is what holds the filler tightly together. Lastly the wrapper is the tobacco you actually touch while holding a cigar. These outermost leaves affect the cigars flavor.
Some terms you may hear during your encounters at the local tobacconist shop are Double Claro, Claro, Natural, Maduro, Oscuro. All these terms refer to the wrapper and vary from lightest to darkest. Lighter colored cigars, like the Double Claro and Claro, are made by picking the tobacco before it reaches maturity. This makes the cigar quite mild and a great choice for beginners. The maduros and oscuros are extremely dark and have a very strong taste and unique aroma. These full bodied cigars will knock a cigar newbie flat on their ass.
Choosing Your First Cigar
Here are a few things to consider when choosing your first cigar.
The Size: The length and diameter of the cigar is directly related to the intensity of the cigar. When you’re first starting out you’ll want to smoke a skinner and longer cigar. These will provide a cool smoke that is truly enjoyable. If you go for something that fatter then you’ll likely be in for a full bodied cigar that will smoke for over an hour. Starting out you need to develop your pallet for tobacco smoke. Take on cigars that are a bit smaller in diameter and longer in length to fully enjoy the stogie.
The Quality: Since you’re on here looking for a new hobby I’m guessing you’re not planning to stop by your local drug store to pick a 99 cent special. You’re probably ready to enjoy the finer things in life like a premium quality cigar. Cigars over $10 in price are likely 100% tobacco. That’s exactly what you want. No fillers and no impurities. Squeeze the body of the cigar to ensure there are no lumps and inspect the wrapper for discoloration. These are 2 red flags when looking for a quality cigar.
I highly recommend you find a cigar you feel is the right size for you. You don’t want a monster stogy hanging out of your mouth that is just uncomfortable. You also don’t want the darkest cigar you can find. Hold off on those full bodied cigars until you’ve developed your pallet a bit. Find a nice mild or medium bodied cigar (lighter in color).
Here are a couple great choices when considering purchasing a cigar.
Cohiba: These are about $10 a stick but are a high end cigar that is sure to please. Be sure to pick up an extra for a friend.
Romeo y Julieta: These are also a great choice for a beginner however most beginners are scared off by the price tag. They are also priced similar to the Cohibas.
Cutting Your Cigar
Now that you have you cigar picked out you need to cut it, light it, and sit back and relax. Let’s discuss the cutting of your cigar. This is vitally important as an improper cut can will absolutely ruin your cigar. A bad cut will normally cause the end of the cigar to split or allow the wrapper to unravel leaving you just a pile of tobacco leaves to look at.
The idea to cutting a cigar is to let the smoke freely flow through the end of the cigar. Cut it to much and it cigar unravels. Cut it to little and the smoke is hard to pull into your mouth. To properly cut a cigar you’ll probably only need to cut 1/16th of an inch off the head. To give you some perspective that’s about the thickness of a quarter. With lots of different shapes of cigars it can be tough to cut
If you plan to smoke any number of cigars you’ll want to pick up a good quality cutter. They only cost a few bucks but it will making cutting your cigar a breeze. You want to find your mark and make the cut quickly so the cigar isn’t disfigured once you’re done cutting. If your cigar tears or gets smooshed its time for a new cutter. On the next page we have several different types of cutters you can choose from, however the most popular is the guillotine cigar cutter.
Lighting Your Cigar
There are several choices of flames to light your cigar. A butane torch is probably the best choice but a match or standard lighter are also completely acceptable. Make sure if you’re using the latter two that you allow the chemicals to burn off before bringing your flame to the cigar.
When lighting your cigar try not to puff on the cigar. This could ruin the taste of the cigar. Instead hold the cigar to the flame until it starts to smoke. Then puff on the cigar to determine if its adequately lit, if not simply repeat the process until you’ve got a good light.
Smoking Your Cigar
With your cigar cut and lit it’s time to sit back and relax. Savor each puff as if its your last and revel in your accomplishment or celebration. If you take a puff once a minute or so you’re right on track to enjoying your cigar to its fullest extent.
Do not inhale your cigar. Cigar smoke is only meant for your mouth, not your lungs. Once you’ve got a few cigars under your belt you can experiment with retrohaling (smoke in the mouth and out your nose).
Lets take a look at some proper cigar smoking equipment like humidors and cutters.
Where to Buy Your Cigars
In the 1990’s, before cigar smoking saw a major increase in popularity, there were only a few major brands to chose from. Since then cigar smoking has seen some major growth and now boasts over 1000 different cigar brands to chose from. If you’re brand new to cigars the best place for you to visit is your local tobacconist. These guys are catering to you the cigar smoker, and are more than happy to spend time with you explaining and recommending different cigars they have stocked in their humidors. It can be intimidating walking into a humidor to see and endless supply of cigars. Generally you’ll be asked what the occasion is and if you’re familiar with cigars. From their you’ll be recommended a dozen different options from which you can chose.
Once you’re familiar with you options you begin to develop a taste for what you like. From there you can continue to support your local tobacconist, or you can go online to save yourself some cash. There are a few major players in the online cigar market and we highly recommend any of them if you know exactly what you’re looking for.
- Cigars International - A Pennsylvania retailer offering plenty of variety, sampler packs, and weekly specials.
- Thompson Cigars - Thompson promotes their own line of cigars which are great quality cigars. They also offer a wide range of cigar accessories.
- JR Cigars - JR Cigars is a North Carolina based retailer and specializes in machine rolled cigars. However they have exceptional prices on hand mand imported cigars and are often as cheap as their machine rolled competition.
Remember when buying your next cigar to pick one up for a friend. No one wants to smoke alone.
If you plan to smoke more than a handful of cigars you’ll probably want to pick up a few essential cigar accessories to ensure every smoke is a pleasurable one.
Cigar Humidor
Cigars will absorb moisture or dry out based on the environment they are kept in. Store your cigars in a humidor and you’re guaranteed an enviroment specifically design for a cigar. A humidor’s whole point in life is to keep a steady humidity in the box so you’re cigars are fresh. They can vary greatly in price based on size and quality.
Cigar Lighters
Being able to light your cigar is essential. You have several different choices here. None really being better than another. Most importantly let the flame burn for a few seconds to eliminate any chemicals being used to reach the flash point of the material being burned.
Matches - Matches are a great choice, but not very wind resistant.
Torch Lighters - Torch lighters are the cat’s meow, but the most expensive flame.
Zippo Lighters - If you’re looking for a flame with a bit of character the zippo lighters are a popular choice.
Cigar Cutters
Straight Cigar Cutters - A single blade guillotine is the most basic type of cutter. A double blade guillotine is also an options for a cleaner cut.
Wedge Cutters - Very similar to the guillotine cutter, this cutter removes a wedge from the cap of the cigar.
Hole Punch - These type of cutters will put a hole in the cap of the cigar, instead of completely cutting it off.
Cigar Smoking Resources
We’ve already given you a couple of great resources for buying cigars. If you’re looking for more information, reviews, or discussion here are some other great resources to check out.
Cigar Jack
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Buying Basketball Equipment
Basketball is one of the most popular North American hobbies. Almost everywhere you look you can pick up a game whether its at the local park or the gym. Now with portable goals you can wheel your goal to the court for a quick game. Its great fun and great exercise all in the same hobby. As with most any hobby the equipment can make or break your experience. It’s not different with basketball. The guys over at Basketball Products International wanted me to take a look at the equipment and tell you what I thought.
Equipment Selection
Whether you’re a hobbyist or run a junior varsity basketball team you can find quality basketball products at BPI. Their products range from NBA style glass backboards, to portable goals, basketballs, nets, scoreboards, and storage equipment. Literally anything you will need to play basketball, BPI sells it. I took a look at several of their products lines and found their selection to be quite varied. They offer basketball nets for instance for professionals and also offer a net for playing basketball in your community pool. The backboards range from full glass models used by the NBA and most high schools and colleges, they also have several portable models, and outdoor setups that can be permanently installed. Sure they have variety, but how is their price?
Pricing
I checked out several different product lines and found all the prices to be very competitive. For instance the nets varied in price from about $7.50 to $45. A $7.50 nets you a standard baseline net. If you jump to $45 you’ll get a zinc plated chain net that will literally last forever. A quick comparison of prices on froogle showed that BPI are very competitively priced. After a spin around their website I found that they state they have negotiated preferred pricing which is generally 10% below MSRP. Can’t ask for more than that!
The website is organized really well and is very user friendly. Its simple to add and remove items for your cart and checkout. There is no doubt in my mind I’d order my basketball supplies from BPI.
A License to Thrill - Collecting James Bond Toys
For the true collector, the thrill is more than just acquisition; it’s also in the chase. Collectors are rarely in it for the money; it’s the excitement of finding the rarest, most obscure things that makes being part of the collecting hobby so much fun. Exchanging notes and showing off your collection to other fans is another big part of the fun; collecting can be like joining a secret club with members all over the world, exchanging tips on finding, restoring and displaying their collections. But of the many kinds of collectors in the world today (and there are collectors of everything from beer cans to rare stamps), probably the most determined treasure seekers of all are toy collectors.
And nobody, but NOBODY, has cooler toys than James Bond.
Since he exploded onto the movie screen in 1965, the suave super spy has been a front-runner in the toy world. And it makes sense; what other character in film and fiction has an entire secret division of the British Government busy making him ever more amazing gadgets? In his every incarnation, James Bond has
had the coolest gadgets, the sleekest vehicles and the most deadly foes-all perfect to be translated into toys for the want to be spy-and the determined collector. James Bond toys cover a span of nearly fifty years, with each new movie generating its own variations for the determined Bonda-holic to collect.
Hobbyists collect James Bond toys for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to recover a lost favourite-the Bond toys were among the most popular boy’s action lines of the early 1960s. Many are fascinated by the clever vehicles the spy has employed over the years, and collect die cast cars exclusively. Others fix their sights on a particular area-Bond weapons and secret gadgets for example, or Bond games. Still others collect Bond toys as part of a larger Bond collection; there are even a few Bond toys in “spy” museums in
both the United States and the United Kingdom. No matter what part of the James Bond legend excites your collecting interest; there are plenty of great items to go around.
The Original Action (Figure) Hero
A.C. Gilberts James Bond Action Figure with spring-activated gun-firing action and their matching Oddjob figure with spring-activated throwing action started this category off with a bang (literally). Later incarnations in the action figure department included Action Man (GI Joe’s British cousin) starring as 007 in several incarnations, as well as 8″ versions by Mego and Exclusive Premiere’s later six and a half inch versions. Collecting them all can be quite a challenge-the AC Gilbert toys are over 40 years old and many have simply fallen apart with age-finding one with its “shooting action” mechanism and firing cap gun is nearly impossible. And while Exclusive’s line is still readily available, locating all of the “Bond Girl” figures to complete a full run can keep a collector busy for quite a while.
No Ordinary Car
Of course, the most prized bit of Bond-ailia had to be the super spy’s trademark Aston Martin. The Aston has appeared as a battery operated car with bump-n-go action, two model kits, and even as an HO scale racer. But most collectors remember the original diecast cars from Matchbox and Corgi; detailed gems with real working ejector seats, pop out guns and rubber tires. Over the years, dozens of manufacturers have made entries into the Bond motor pool, not only reproducing old favorites like the Aston, but also all the many other cars, planes, boats, submarines, mini-jets, rocket packs, helicopters, motorcycles and even spaceships that have appeared in Bond’s film adventures.
Weapons, Mister Bond, Weapons
In 1965, it was the toy every red blooded boy wanted. A realistic black briefcase packing a sleek shell firing Beretta handgun, silencer, stock and scope-plus secret hidden daggers, 007 passport and code-o-matic decryptor, this is the ultimate prize for a Bond toy collector, and can set you back anywhere from
$6-800.00 But what if the briefcase too big for your mission? For the subtle spy, American Character brought us the James Bond Vapor Paper & Action pen. With vanishing paper, projectile firing pen, a secret whistle and a built in booby trap to boot. While spy gadgets are no longer as big a part of modern day Bond offerings, you can’t really consider yourself a true Bond collector if you don’t have at least one of these.
Your Mission, Agent Double-Oh-Collector
If you’re thinking of starting a collection with wide opportunities for expansion, James Bond may be the secret agent you’re looking for. Starting with readily available die cast cars (like Johnny Lightning’s recent version of the Aston) is an inexpensive way to begin. But be warned, just like every Bond mission, the stakes may mount up, as you discover the many games, action figures, secret gadgets and incredibly cool vehicles that you can add to your collection. Because collecting James Bond is a guaranteed license-to thrill.
About the author
David Leigh is a lifelong fan of 007 since discovering his dad’s old James Bond books at the age of 8, and remains particularly interested in the literary character. As well as contributing to various Bond related websites and forums, he also owns the popular website The James Bond Dossier.
Where to Find a Great Online Casino
If you’re cruising the information super highway looking for a place to show off your blackjack or roulette skills you need to check out the Top Casino Directory. This online casino directory clearly lists the top ten online casinos offering excellent kickbacks to players across the world. Not only do they list the bonuses offered by these casinos they also offer up their review of these casinos which can be very useful for those just venturing into the online gambling community.
Online casinos offer player generous bonus offers in order to entice players to their casinos. These offers generally release as you play games, but is a great way to increase your backroll and basically double or triple your money. Some of the bonus offers on the Top Casino Directory reach $5000 in some cases but in general you can get several hundred dollars in bonus money.
The Top Casino Directory also offers casino reviews for each of the offers they promote. These reviews are very helpful in determining what types of games are offered and what you can expect from the software and customer service. Its worth perusing these reviews before deciding where to play. It’s likely though you decide where to play based on the bonus money they’ll throw at you on the way in the door.
To get yourself in the mood to play watch a great movie like Casino or Rounders then checkout the Casino Rules and Strategy section of the website to make sure you understand how each game is played and how to win. In this section you’ll learn the rules and strategy for games like video poker, slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and keno.
There are several other sections of this website that will be valuable to you as an online casino patron. The first section I checked out was the free casino games section where you can play many of the games for absolutely free.
Lastly, remember to always gamble responsibly!
