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In the 60's and 70's it was The Beatles vs Rolling Stones. In the 80's it was Lakers vs Celtics. In the 90's the topic that saw so many schoolyard arguments was indeed Mario vs Sonic. Who would win in a fight? Who would win in a race? Who cooks a better omelet? You name it, it was argued. There were no characters as recognised to children of the 90's as Sonic and Mario, with Sonic's "Q Score" (a rating that rates something based on it's popularity) even surpassing that of Mickey Mouse. With such results, it seemed obvious this rivalry wouldn't die out quickly.

Contrary to popular belief, Mario made his debut in the 1981 Donkey Kong game for the arcade. Although he was called "Jumpman" he looked exactly the same as the Mario that appeared in the first game with his name in the title "Mario Bros." This was a basic game that didn't scroll, and it required killing all the enemies in a "Phase" and then progressing to the next phase. In this age, it is hard to see the appeal of this game, but in it's time it was rather entertaining.

Mario's game that propelled him to the status of a household name was the first "Super Mario Bros" for the NES which is now the best selling video game of all time. This was the first side scrolling Mario game and it set a standard for all the 16 bit Mario games to come. While it was not the first side scrolling platformer, it was the first done well, and allowed other developers to copy the formula. For this reason, this game is hailed by many as the saviour of the video game industry as the industry was in a great deal of trouble before it's release.

Possibly more noteworthy, was Mario's transition into the 3d world. Super Mario 64 for the Nintendo 64 received perfect scores from countless professional review companies. It is still seen today as the best ever 3d platformer, and many have tried but failed to replicate the success of Super Mario 64.

Sonic's creators knew from the beginning that Sega needed a mascot for it's Genesis/Mega Drive system that could help market it's console to compete with Mario and the Super Nintendo. They looked at Mario and perceived him as stuffy and uninteresting and decided to tap into the younger generation who was after something "cooler" with more attitude. After many considerations including "Mighty the Armadillo" Sonic the Hedgehog was decided on and a team of 15 began work on what would be the first Sonic game, "Sonic the Hedgehog" for the Genesis/Mega Drive.

Popular opinion said Sonic didn't really hit his straps until the second game for the 16 bit console. In this his little sidekick Tails was introduced and collecting all the chaos emeralds saw Sonic transform into "Super Sonic" which was a yellow, super fast super strong version of the character.

Sonic's 3d games however have not seen the success of it's rival Mario. Sonic 3d Blast for the Genesis/Mega Drive was an average attempt, and it wasn't until the Dreamcast where we saw a 3d Sonic game that was really worth playing called "Sonic Adventure." However, since creating that formula that worked perfectly, Sega have made odd choices with games forcing you to play as Sonic's less entertaining sidekicks to access the fun Sonic levels. Sonic the Hedgehog on the 360/PS3 received awful reviews. Sonic and the Secret Rings for the Wii seems to be the only game since Sonic Adventure that has really got it right with Sega finally realising that what made the originals so fun, was Sonic's blistering speed.

Sega's decision to no longer create consoles has no seen the creation of the first game where Mario and Sonic can go head to head called "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games." After selling about 1 million copies of this game, it is clear this rivalry is still alive and kicking. Many have no doubt thought back to those schoolyard arguments and thought "Finally! I can prove x is better than y!"

Whatever your opinion is, it's no doubt you haven't seen your last debate on the topic. Just remember when you're ready to rip someone's throat out, it's only a game.

Mario and Sonic's battles will never end, and as long as they continue my blog will continue writing opinion pieces on the topic. Check out Wii want to Blog for all my adventures in Wii (and general gaming) including reviews, opinion pieces and news!

They say that there are over 10 million people playing World of Warcraft world wide, and that number just keeps on growing. If you are one of those millions you know how addictive that game can be. You find yourself wanting to log in just so you can check your mailbox, check up on your auctions, or check out the current prices at the AH (Auction House.)

The ability to buy and sell at the AH adds a realistic and enjoyable dimension to the game and allows players to make money and buy some great arms, armor, etc. In order to buy this cool stuff you need to have some money: silver and gold.

One of the best ways for the beginner to make gold in WoW is to take up a profession such as Skinning, Mining, or Herbalism. You can train for these professions at one of the main cities, then skin, mine, or collect herbs constantly while you complete the quests you need for leveling up your character.

If you are more concerned with earning money than leveling rapidly take a day or two and just work on your gathering professions. The secondary professions of fishing, cooking, and first aid don't really do much for income, especially at the lower levels. (Though there are some secrets at higher levels that will make you a lot of money, but I can't give those away in this article.)

Now, all of this collecting won't do you any good unless you can sell what you have collected at the AH. That means a long and time-consuming run or flight back to one of the cities just so you can sell your goods...or does it?

Yes, there is a better way: you need a mule. Make another character (the mule) that you don't bother to level up, and park that character at the mailbox closest to the AH. Select a name that is easy to remember and type, because you will be sending mail (items and money) to this character from all of your other characters on the same server and you don't want to make an error with that!

If you are Alliance you can make a Dwarf or Gnome that you run immediately to Ironforge, a Human you send to Stormwind, a Nightelf that you send to Darnassus, or a Draenei for The Exodar.If you are Horde you can make a Bloodelf that you send to Silvermoon, an Orc or Troll you send to Orgrimmar, a Tauren for Thunder Bluff, or an Undead for Undercity.

Your mule only needs to be capable enough to stay alive on the run to the closest city, which in most cases means that a level 1 character is adequate for the task. When your mule arrives in the city you should station it by a mailbox right next to the AH.

Now, whenever your gathering character's inventory is full of good loot to sell at the AH you only need to travel as far as the closest mailbox. Send your items and enough money to place the auctions to your waiting mule. Logout as the gathering character, login as the mule, and place your auctions, collect on sold items, purchase equipment, etc. Then return items, money, or whatever to your gathering character(s) in the field.

In addition to all the great free wow guides to skinning, mining, and herbalism, and all other aspects of WoW gaming, at http://www.gotwarcraft.com the author suggests you check out the MMO Cookbook for delicious real-world WoW cooking.

Having a reliable health insurance coverage contributes a great deal towards a person's sense of security.

As an individual, you are aware that you should take care of your health so you employ ways and make an effort to lead a healthy lifestyle.

In spite if this, there are unexpected circumstances regarding your health that no matter how hard you try to prevent, are rather unavoidable.

Thus, you need to make sure that you have a reliable insurance plan and ample coverage should you need to use them in the future, or should an emergency ensue.

Basically, health insurance coverage is divided into two categories: private and government-sponsored.

This is further broken down into several types:

- Private health insurance

This is a non-government health insurance coverage that is paid for by an individual.

- Employment-based plans

This health insurance plan is offered by the company that you work for. You may also take advantage of being a dependent for a relative's health insurance coverage that includes one's immediate family.

- Directly-purchased insurance plans

If you think that the coverage offered by the government or your employer is not enough, you may buy a separate plan that you can purchase privately.

- Government-sponsored health insurance packages

These are plans funded by the federal government. There are several levels, ranging from local, state to federal coverage.

This health insurance plan is required by law and has several types:

1. Medicare

This is a health insurance program which is offered on a national level. The people who can get Medicare benefits are those who are above 65. They may also be given to people with certain disabilities.

2. State Children's Health Insurance Program

This is a program administered by the state. It may have a different name for each state, but the main goal of this program is to offer health care to children whose parents cannot provide for them.

3. Medicaid

This is a health insurance package which is also offered by the state. This medical aid, as the name implies, may be known differently in other states. The basic principle, however, is to offer health insurance benefits for the needy.

4. Military and veteran health care

There are several health care benefits and insurance plans which are provided for retired or active members of the military. These plans extend to their immediate families and their survivors.

Also, the Department of Veteran Affairs offer health insurance coverage to veterans and their dependents.

5. Indian Health Service

Health insurance plans are also offered to eligible American Indians.

Here are some tips on how you can get the best deal out of the very expensive health insurance packages that are available nowadays:

- If you are self-employed, look for a company that offers an extensive health insurance coverage, and at the same time would not make a big dent in your pocket. Remember that spending a day or two in the hospital can be very costly, so make sure that you have ample coverage.

- Learn everything about the health insurance plan that you have. If you bought it privately, if it is part of your employee benefits or it is a coverage sponsored by the federal or state government, it is better to be aware of your rights to a suitable health insurance coverage.

Health care is a very important aspect in every person's life and you should see to it that you are secure and never lacking in this department.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides health insurance resources on http://www.health-insurance-roundup.info

For the single man and woman, you will still need to take good care of yourselves and probably your parents. Hence, it is essential that you still cover yourselves totally on hospitalization by purchasing the integrated shield plan offered by the insurance companies.

Since you are independent, you may also want to purchase the Disability Income Insurance so that you still have continuous stream of income even if you cannot work to support yourselves. This income is useful for you to engage some help on nursing care and to pay off daily expenses. The Long Term Care Insurance, e.g. ElderShield offered by government, will also take care of you financially in case you cannot perform some of the activities of daily living such as washing/bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting, mobility and transferring in your old age.

And dont think that you do not need a life insurance policy just because you are single. You should at least get one life policy that cover Critical Illness so that you are able to use the payout for some treatment and medicine that you need to buy while recuperating at home.

Lastly, when you reach 55, you must buy the Annuity Insurance policy so that you have a permanent stream of income given to you as long as you live.

So with sufficient insurance coverage, you will still lead a happy single enjoying life after retirement. So start planning and take action now!!!

Ginny Lim Email: ginnylim@income.com.sg Web: http://www.aboutfinancialplanning.net

Your hosting company's backbone is critical to today's Internet Marketers need for speed. No, this doesn't mean that your hosting company has to stand up straight and throw its shoulders back and zoom off someplace or exhibit some adolescent bravado with a hot car!

Your hosting company's backbone is a high-speed series of connections that become a major pathway within a network. The better this backbone network functions determines how fast the web sites that run on their servers load when your customers click on your link.

A network backbone can take several forms, the simplest being devices attached to a long cable, like in a small library or office. A simple network can be created with several computers, all connected by cable connections to the same server or database.

A more complicated form of a network backbone involves Hubs or Switches. A Hub is a computer connecting several other computers together. Network switches are capable of inspecting data packets as they are received, determining the source and destination device of that packet, and forwarding it appropriately.

When the devices are routers to Local Area Networks (LAN) or Wide Area Networks (WAN), you have a backbone of considerable size. A router is a device that extracts the destination of a packet it receives, selects the best path to that destination, and forwards data packets to the next device along this path. They connect networks together; a LAN to a WAN for example, to access the Internet.

The Local Area Network covers a small area like a building or group of buildings, an office or a single home. Their notable characteristic is much higher speed for data transfer than a WAN.

Some examples of a Wide Area Network could be a university backbone, connecting several campuses for student, faculty and alumni access or a major corporation's backbone serving offices all over the country, or in other countries. The most famous WAN is the Internet, connecting the entire world through routers and networks.

Other networks riding on backbones of various sizes are PANS (personal area networks), CANS (campus area networks), MANS (metropolitan area networks).

All of these different networks serve a specific area, large or small, through a series of hubs, switches or routers that that make up the network's backbone, controlling data transfer speed, direction and delivery. Some deliver the data packet to a specific computer, others to a specific network initially, with the router on that end sending it on to the next stop on the way to its final destination.

The success of Internet Marketing projects depends on the reliability of hosting providers and the satisfaction level customers have with page loading, information processing and product delivery on your site. And all of this process depends on the strength, reliability and speed of your hosting provider's backbone.

Dan Thompson is a veteran website designer and has used numerous web hosts in his time. Dan specializes in writing web host reviews, his latest article is a Hostmonster Review You can view Dan's latest web hosting review at http://www.hostmonster-the-review.com

In the past few years, businesses have moved more and more of their resources online and joined the ecommerce revolution that is making drastic changes to old traditions. Those businesses who want to either retain and, more likely, grow their market share have been forced to embrace new concepts, odd vocabulary and strange processes.

Even selecting a hosting service, so simple for normal website developers, can be a confusing process to newcomers in the ecommerce arena.

By operating both online and in their normal "on the street storefront" method, they have been able to increase productivity and streamline customer transactions. But unexpected stumbling blocks await them, and you, as you wade through the flood of new concepts and processes.

Your most critical concern has to be customer security.

Most businesses that move to the Internet are still operating at a basic level of commerce and, initially, are unfamiliar with online customer security requirements.

If customers using your site and buying your products become victims of identity theft as a result of those purchases, your online business just tanked. The biggest horror stories on the Internet concern identity theft and credit card fraud.

I bet you even know someone it happened to...maybe you were a victim at one time. Customers to online stores are getting more and more wary about shopping online with their credit cards and with very good reason.

The solution to this problem is to have an SSL certificate protecting your storefront, which gives customers a reason to feel safe when making a purchase. SSL stands for "Secure Sockets Layer" and ensures customer safety by providing encrypted communication between your client's web browser and your hosting server. The encryption key is almost impossible to break, so a good level of protection exists for your customers.

A variety of sites offer SSL certificates (Verisign, GeoTrust, Thawte, etc.) and various levels of protection. Many website hosting services provide an SSL certificate for their customers at discount rates, including the technical help for installation. When you're comparing web hosting services, ask about their customer protection policies.

If your hosting service has a good control panel system, installation of your
SSL certificate should be easily accomplished by following their steps. Once
the certificate is installed, the encryption process is called into service whenever a customer accesses a site using the secure protocol..."HTTPS" rather than "HTTP."

The conclusion you need to keep in mind here, as you journey into online ecommerce and put your business in the hands of a hosting service, is that customer safety is your prime goal. Choose wisely.

Dan Thompson is a veteran website designer and has used numerous web hosts in his time. Dan specializes in writing web host reviews, his latest article is a 1and1 Review. You can view Dan's latest web hosting review at http://www.1and1review.info

It is important to carry adequate homeowners insurance coverage in Wisconsin and even more so to shop around to find the cheapest Wisconsin homeowners insurance rates. Most homeowners are required to carry homeowners insurance as a form of protection on their house. Mortgage companies want homeowners to have insurance so that, in the event of something happening, the investment is protected. Even without a mortgage it is important to carry homeowners insurance since the protection is valuable.

Inexpensive rates are really not too hard to find. You just need to know how to shop wisely. You have to shop around, and you have to be educated when you shop. Simply getting quotes on policies is not enough when you are seeking the best price.

You should start by understanding that you have some control over your homeowners insurance rates in Wisconsin. There are many factors that make up your rate. It is in your best interest to focus on those you can control.

1. Security - An insurance company is going to offer lower rates to a person whose home is well protected and generally considered safe. If your home is not out-fitted with security devices then you need to take the initiative and do it yourself. You should have at minimum:

- outdoor security lights or motion lights

- dead bolt locks

- fire extinguishers

-smoke and fire alarms

2. Safety - In addition, you should make sure that your property is safe. Remove debris and fix or remove anything that could be a hazard to safety.

3. History & Lifestyle - Another factor you can control is how you affect your rates. Your credit and employment history are figured into your rate quote. You should try to fix your credit if possible and avoiding adding any more negative marks to your credit. Risky hobbies like skydiving or high risk jobs like being a police officer will also have an impact. Maybe you can't quit your job, but you may need to reconsider that rock climbing weekend.

4. Compare Quotes - You have to shop around to find affordable WI home insurance The more you explore different companies, the more you will learn about the available rates and your options. Finding the cheapest Wisconsin home insurance quote is just a matter of putting the time in to do your research.

Get started comparing Wisconsin homeowners insurance quotes now!

It's been said that surgeons have a great ego and that they look all arrogant and feel superior.

Well, I think that surgeons do need to have an ego. There is a big responsibility that lies in our hands. When I say ego I don't mean to be rude to anybody, but to be self confident in what we do and perform. The life of our patients depends on what we know, how we feel, etc. Sometimes we are so worry about our patients welfare that we might seem arrogant to others, what they don't understand is that while we are eating or drinking coffee we are thinking about the patient we just did surgery on and hoping that everything went OK, thinking that we have to call the hospital to find out how the patient is doing, if the intake and outtake fluids are OK, vital signs, bleeding, etc..So, it's not only that we have huge egos, it's the huge responsibility we have that makes us appear "very important" to some students or people in general.

I have been a surgeon for over 22 years, and frankly, I have saved many many lives, and I feel proud for what I have accomplished so far. Of course, this could have not been done without the help of hundreds of nurses and other doctors who assisted me and provided care to my patients as well. Maybe, and just maybe, this feeling of pride and self confidence is what makes us look...arrogant.