Golf 'n Pix

I am a cigar smoker and I really enjoy the look of all the different bands that adorn the cigars. I have kept a large number of them and I would like to use them in a piece of art/ product for sale by collaging them all over it. Since I bought the Cigars, is it OK that I do that? I would not be selling them under any one brand or as any one brand by name, just Cigar Band Table.

Lawnboy LT12 riding mower is having a rough time idling and running. It will start and stay running for a while, but it doesn't seem like it's getting enough gas to stay running and "POP"s or backfires a lot when running. Could this be a clogged Carburetor or at least dirty? I've drained the gas, oil, and refilled. New battery. Changed the fuel filter as well. I've not done the air cleaner for a while because it's hard to find but it seems OK for the time being. I think it's a fuel issue. Thoughts? Anything i can tweak to do a tune-up? idle screw placement etc? It's hard finding manuals and explanations on the internet and it's not worth taking it to a service person, i'd just junk it before that. Before i tear apart the carb, i want to make sure it's not some other easier issue.

Every time i import a DWG or DXF file into 3ds Max, it looks all black and i can't add texture or anything. What am i doing wrong? what settings do i need to use to be able to work with it?

I currently have healthcare for myself and my wife is on my medical benefits. She does not take benefits through her job. Will she be subject to a tax since she didn't purchase medical coverage or is it enough that she's on mine?

I'm generally a fit character. I workout and try to keep fit for Golf. Normally i'll bring some granola, nuts, a few sweets or just a trailmix bar or something to keep up my energy on the golf course. Same when working out. Recently i discovered "muscle MilK". It's supposedly a high protein foodsource that has no lactose or gluten in it (which is awesome because i'm lactose intolerant). My problem is finding out when it's best to use it. Is MM an after workout builder or is it something that i can take beforehand or during to keep energy and build lean muscle? Does it depend on what supplement you get, Liquid or bar? Please advise. There's really nothing on their website.

Two part question. I'm looking for metabolism boosters and fat burners that actually work and are relatively safe. I've been working out and eating a proper diet for a long time now and i just cannot cut the last bit of fat from my "problem area" gut. The fat belt is just not letting me get to that low percentage. I have nice definition in my face, arms and legs, but i just can't get that "V" shape because of what's left around my gut. I workout heavily, i do almost 1000 ab reps per day for the entire belt. It's good and tight - again it's just the fat. This is purely a "looks" thing. 30 yrs old, 34 waist.

Anyway, i look around places like GNC and see all the crap that they have on their shelves. Ranging in price from 10 bucks to like 70, or sometimes upwards of $100!!. Most if not all say the same thing "these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA". That's a big red flag for me because in my mind it's bad enough that i'm putting something extra into my body, but at least i want to know that it's not going to harm me and it's going to WORK.

So hence the question. Is there anything out there NOT for super obese people that can help me burn that last bit of goop off my midsection?

Don't get me wrong, i'm all for asserting rights and not getting trampled on by government. Thing is, i was surfing the web today and came across some articles about the Occupy movement as well as some videos regarding our rights as citizens. These guys were hassling police officers for doing their job at a sobriety checkpoint. Like hardcore hazing them. Asking them why they're doing it. Saying they're being trained by the feds to more easily invade people's privacy.

The question stems from that. Why do people feel the need to buck the system and create dissent and problems? There are liberties and rights in place that we all have and can use to our advantage but people want to skew them out of proportion and direction to prove a point that doesn't need to be proven. Nobody likes being subjugated and truth be told, nobody will be if they're not doing anything wrong. So what's the thinking?

I've seen vests and shorts, as well as gloves and shin weights. I'd like to start using a light weighted vest for Taekwondo workouts and class. Nothing major, just 10 lbs or so. Is there anything i should be careful of? I plan to get one of the hypervests that are 10 lbs and form fitting to wear under my do bok. I understand the risks of joint issues when using gloves or ankle weights and kicking, but i thought adding 10 lbs to my overall weight wouldn't be such an awful thing.

Thanks.

I practice taekwondo and i'm looking for a little more to my training, just to help with speed and cardio. I'm in search of a thinner weighted vest to wear under my do bok during class. The ones i've seen are all super heavy and bulky. I'm looking for maybe 20 lbs and thin. Any ideas or anybody know of any? I'm not interested in ankle or wrist weights as i don't want to ruin my joints kicking.

Question. I've always been a neatly groomed guy. I've also always been a "hairy" guy. I mean, i'm Italian, 'nough said. I keep my eyebrows, neck & shoulders, and back at bay, but lately i've been noticing that the hair on my chest, arms, and legs is pretty crazy long. The dilemma lies in shaving. As I said i've been a trimmer before. Problem is that my hair is very course and when it's cut or trimmed it becomes like a freakin' dagger. It pokes through clothing (chest) and just plain doesn't look right so its better if its long in that respect. I've heard from women over the years that when you wax or use a product like Nair, the hair grows back finer when it gets longer because it's not cut off, it's actually regrowing from the follicle out. Is that true? Never done it. would it be worth it to just set the palette back to zero, as it were, and do a complete leg, arm and chest wax and let it grow back in and start from there? It's kind of embarrassing to ask being 30, but it seems to be the way to go these days. Its not an effort to get the girl, I'm engaged to a beautiful girl, but i don't want to head to the beach this summer and embarrass her being the wolfman and all - even though she says she doesn't mind at all and "who cares what other people think" (which is why i'm asking here - its impossible to get an objective answer from her on this). I've been around long enough that it matters. hahaha. Thanks in advance.

I'm just trying to understand a little more why people hate me because i'm white. I understand the unfortunate history throughout the ages that all peoples have had all over the world, and am not making light of it by any means. I also realize there are some really ignorant people of all races and creeds that make it difficult for the others so maybe i'm already closer to understanding this thank i think:

I was in the store the other day and there was a younger man (maybe 20?) on the outside near the doors. I had 4 bags in each hand and had dropped one of them and just said "hey man, can i get a hand quick?" just in a friendly way, as i'm sure everyone has used it. I didn't think i was interrupting anything as he was just holding up the wall, and he went on an incredible tyrade saying things like "oh because i'm black i'm here to help you? Do i work here? You want me to take it to your car too? F*** you!" and rambling on about how my people think they own the world and all that. It took me a good minute or two but i managed to set the bags down and balance everything back out and be on my way, but his words really made me feel awful. I didn't see the need for any of it, and i don't see how i offended him at all. if it were me, i'd say "yea no problem" and hook the bag on his fingers. I'm 30 and have gone through the angst of younger years but was never like that.

I just don't understand the clinging that some people do to the past, especially in this area. It's a very diverse area as far as nationalities go. To my knowledge there are no KKK or confederate or any other hate groups in the area either. Scars run deep, but shouldn't there be a time when we start living in the now for the future and making life better for ourselves and everyone at the same time?

Stuff like this doesn't happen that often to me, but when it does, i kind of die a little. It really makes my heart break because of the hatred that is held onto by so many people. It tends to have happened more from African American males (sorry for the term, but is there really a good blanket term these days? nobody's "Black". Printing on the paper is black) than anyone else, but it's happened with multiple cultures. Do i just have a knack of catching people on their bad days? I'm just a normal caucasian guy, brown hair, brown eyes - kinda even an olive complexion because i'm 3/4 italian heritage. I've never been hated on by so many different nationalities in the space of 4 years. I don't even know these people and have never met them.

Am i too idealistic? Hoping for too much out of the world.

I've been learning Tae Kwon Do for a little over a year now. I started with Chinese Kenpo Karate before high school. I stopped and just recently picked up TKD (now 30 years old). One thing i've noticed is that some of the transfers we get are from WTF (world Tae kwon do federation) schools and seem totally lost when they come to ours (ITF). I understand the forms are different, but i'm talking about basic moves. Kicking sharpness, terms, respect, and mental game are not the same by any stretch. I would say it's the Dojang but there have been many transfers from many different gyms, and also i came from a different area of Karate and still have the basics with a little tweaking. They always seem to have much less control, precision, and respect for the form and tradition. Is this normal? Do WTF Dojangs tend to be the "McDojang" type that everyone talks about?

I had my locker broken into (along with 5 others) during a workout at my gym. There is a sign that says they're "not responsible for stolen items. Please bring a lock with you". My locker was secured, however the exit marked "emergency exit" is, in fact, just a non-alarmed door that leads pretty much directly to an exit. Do i have a case seeing as how they did not provide a properly secure area but led me to believe such? these guys just came and left right through a door that everyone thought was alarmed. I just want my stuff back or money to get it back since their "security cameras" didn't catch anything if they even work at all.

I'll be having LASEK (not LASIK) surgery in about a week. The doctor is giving me drops and medication and the like to promote healing, but i was also curious if there are any natural foods that i can eat before and during the recovery process that will give my body what it needs to repair my eye properly and quickly.

I'm getting married, presumably April/May of next year if my fiancee is able to have the date she wants. Anyway, I've saved some so far, but looking around online, there's a lot of things the groom pays for traditionally that i didn't really count on and have no idea what the average cost is. Corsages, Bouquet, Gifts, Limo, etc etc. I mean, it's $50 here and there, but all adds up in the end. Question is, what is a good round number to shoot for? $1000? $2000?? Obviously i'll be pricing things up and getting the best price i can, but i'm just curious so i could start a GOOD financial plan early (which i should have probably done sooner anyway, but you know how it goes). Having more saved isn't a bad thing because i could put it toward the honeymoon of course :) Anyone have any experience with this and could maybe offer an estimate? The internet sucks and just tells me what i need to buy and doesn't give a clue of average cost.

Thanks!

I've been dieting and exercising since the new year, as i'm sure many people have. I have gotten down to 164 (from 175), but levelled off at 165.4. This past week i wasn't really doing any sort of weight training just watching my diet and taking a tae kwon do class for cardio (2 days a week, 45-60 minutes). This weekend i went for a 3.5 mile run. My legs are sore as all heck and they're physically firmer than before, leading me to believe that i've actually toned or put on some muscle in them. I also did pull ups for the first time in a while. thing is, i stepped on the scale this weekend and i actually gained weight up to 168. Is it possible to gain that much muscle mass again after not weight training in a while?

I've heard that as you lose weight, normally 78 or 80% comes from fat and the rest is water and muscle mass. I could see not doing a harder weight regimen that i would lose some mass, but it's weird putting it back on so fast and i haven't changed my diet. I'm still taking in about 1450 calories a day. 5'7" male. Trying to lose weight and tone muscle.

I"m having a problem with the obliques and "love handle" areas. Particularly over top of my kidney area. Nomatter what i do as far as crunches, side crunches, situps, twists, and weights, i can't seem to firm up that area. There's not a whole lot of fatty tissue or skin over that, but it's not toned and i know i could lose another inch or so just by firming that area. Does anyone know of any good ways to isolate those areas?

Say i want to make a healthier version of a baked good. In this case, cupcakes. I substitute Soy Milk, sugar substitute (splenda,etc), egg beaters, and Smart balance butter substitute. When all the ingredients are combined, can i just add up the calories to get a count, then divide by the number of cupcakes or is there more to it?

My friend told me there was an article on the band Halestorm and i can't seem to find a way to get this issue, even from the Kerrang! website. It doesn't seem like it's there in the archives and there's no purchase button. Can anybody help?

I'm not new to hitting the gym or fitness as a whole. I'm in Better than average shape, but recently i've been hitting the gym to really trim out and become more solid for golf. i've been doing a lot of heavy weight training and i've noticed that i'm a lot more sore than i normally get - as i never really lifted intensely. I also do Tae Kwon Do on my off days.

My muscles ache. Bad. I stretch constantly. I eat lots of protein - fish, chicken, etc, and i drink a LOT of water. At least 64 oz or more each day MINIMUM. I still remain sore for a few days. Is there anything i can do naturally to stop the buildup of lactic acid? Is there something i should be doing BEFORE the workout as opposed to after?