Card manufacturers were producing trading cards long before the Dallas Cowboys joined the NFL in 1960. In the 1950\’s Topps began packaging their signature product, bubblegum, with baseball and football cards. From there, as football grew in popularity, players could find their likeness on items such as milk cartons, soft drink caps, cereal boxes and plastic cups. The emergence of the AFL in 1960 allowed Topps competitors, beginning with Fleer, to make inroads in the business. The 1961 Fleer set featured both leagues, and then they focused on the AFL alone. Philadelphia Gum secured the NFL rights for 1964, forcing Topps to go for the AFL which left Fleer with no product in either baseball or football. Philadelphia Gum produced football card sets featuring Cowboys from 1964 through 1967. In 1982 Topps was licensed by NFL Properties for the first time. Previously, team logos on helmets were removed by airbrush. In the 70\’s Fleer rejoined the ranks by producing sets of cards called Fleer Team Action and FTA Stickers. They focused on NFL teams not individual players and were able to use team logos. The “card explosion” started around 1989 with new companies joining the fold like Pro Set and Score. By 1992 there were more than 30 brands of football cards. It was a new era for the hobby. You could all but forget about collecting all the cards of your favorite team, but now focus on a favorite player or two. Just to put it all in perspective - with all the parallel, inserts, and variations - in 1995 there were over 250 different cards produced of Troy Aikman.

The Cowboys were an expansion team in 1960. Their first roster was created by choosing 36 players from the 12 existing franchises (three per team). In the first set of cards featuring Dallas Cowboys players, 1960 Topps, all the players were pictured in the uniforms of the teams they departed. The next year they took part in the NFL draft and acquired Bob Lilly with their first ever draft pick. There have been many outstanding players through the years that have donned the blue star on their helmet, several of which are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Only one man held the position of head coach for the first 29 years of the organization - Tom Landry. Coach Landry led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles, five NFC Championships, 13 NFC East titles, 18 trips to the playoffs and 20 winning seasons.

There were no plastic holders or sleeves to keep your cards from harms way in the early years. They were rubber banded together and tossed in shoe boxes and the stickers were stuck onto school notebooks or bike fenders. Cards were flipped and traded with your buddies and even thumb tacked or taped on bulletin boards. All these things lend to the value of the cards today. If you were lucky enough to have kept very good care of your cards when you were younger, and your mother didn\’t toss that shoebox in the attic out with the trash, you could already have a good start to your collection. Now with all the top-loaders, sorting boxes, screw downs and nine-slot binder pages available to the collector, it\’s much easier to take care of those gems. That is why I consider 1960 - 1990 the vintage years. Those older cards can sometimes be very difficult to find in great condition. That is not to say that the cards manufactured after 1990 have no value or collectible appeal. They just won\’t be as scarce or hard to find in great condition twenty or even fifty years from now. I encourage you to collect beyond 1990 and on. It\’s a whole new hobby now with more resources to fill your checklists like the internet and card shows.

The Dallas Cowboys Complete Football Card Guide - Vol 3

A beautifully illustrated 226 page, full-color guide, provides the Dallas Cowboy collector with information on over 6000 different sets from 1960 to 2006.

http://www.thecowboysguide.com/

Your a high school athlete and you made the decision that you want to play the sport you love in college. You have big game and big grades and you\’re looking for ways to promote yourself to college coaches, realizing you need to be seen to be offered a scholarship.

Let me first suggest that a video can do more for you than a coach or scout watching you in person in some cases. It\’s all about the content and not so much about an expensive professionally done video.

The opening should be some text giving vital information such as your name, your high school, if the video is a championship game, your GPA, your SAT or ACT and your clearinghouse number. The next thing on the video is a brief intro by you in uniform of no more then 20 seconds. The intro should show you friendly and smiling saying something catchy to set you apart and get the coaches attention. The next thing is a brief recommendation from you coach of no more then 30 seconds. The comments from your coach are HUGH, because a college coach will always want an assessment from you high school coach. The content of what your coach expresses to a college coach could make or break a deal. The next thing you want to include is some game highlights. Several clips of you at your very best. The next thing you want is two full games. This is vital in sports like football, basketball and soccer or any team sport for that matter. The closing is the last chance you have to get pertinent info in front of a college coach. I suggest you include your name again, email address, and your phone number. If you do a good in getting all this info on your promo video a college coach will have all the info he or she needs to offer you a scholarship.

You have a great video and now you are ready for it\’s distribution. WARNING! Do not just choose a bunch of schools to send video to, and here is why. You first must contact a college coach and let them know you are interested in attending that college. There are some things you need to be aware of when considering sending video out. You need to know that coaches team has a need at the position you play and is recruiting to fill that need. If there is no need, you just wasted time and money sending your video to that particular school. After talking with many college coaches over many years I have been told more than once that videos get cataloged on if a coach requested the athletes video or not. In other words they have a list of names with reference numbers attached and if your name is not on the list your video never gets looked at. You have to understand that all college coaches are on information overload. Don\’t forget to put label on outside or video or DVD. The last thing is make sure you are contacting coaches at the level you can play at. Don\’t waste your time sending to D1 if you are not sure you are a D1 prospect. Get an athletic assessment from you high school coach.

Authored by: Tony Passarella Regional Scouting Director for Collegiate Sports of America.
http://www.csaprepstar.com
http://www.yourrecruitingcoach.com
tjpassarella@yahoo.com
818-517-8822

There are so many weight loss programs to choose from nowadays that it has become a “mine field” when trying to find the right one for You.

Do you choose an online weight loss program, an organized group weight loss program, a DIY “on your own” weight loss program, a magazine based weight loss program, - the list is endless.

At the end of the day only you can decide which weight loss program is the right one for you.

You could start by talking to friends and relatives to find out about any weight loss programs they have used and what the results were like; did they find it easy, did they have support, DID IT WORK? etc.

When choosing the best weight loss program for you, you must consider whether it is one that you are going to be able to stick with. ie will it help keep you motivated and goal orientated, after all if you lose interest after a few days or weeks then you will not be achieving what you set out to do, and will be demoralized for the future.

Also you must consider how safe is the weight loss program in the long run. Does it have a well balanced diet plan that includes a variety of foods from each food group. You should be looking at a minimum calorie count of 1200 for women and 1600 for men. Do not think that a starvation weight loss plan is going to work. Yes it might help you loss a few pounds for the beach, but they will return twice as quickly!

Also you must include exercise in your weight loss program. This is vital. You might lose weight without exercise but you will lose more and lose it quicker with some form of exercise. Idealy it will be a daily exercise program that you can fit in without it becoming a chore. Walk the dog, walk to work, walk the kids to school, join a gym, swim - you decide, but find something you enjoy and it will help almost as much as calorie counting, and you will feel better and have more energy as well.

Before you start any weight loss program and exercise program you must consider your health! If you are in any way unsure then you MUST consult your doctor for advise and guidance.

To find out more about weight loss programs and related issues you can visit my
blog at http://helen-weightlosssecrets.blogspot.com

Providing good education is a dream that every parent likes to cherish for his child. However, in this era, a good education comes at a fairly high price that an average parent finds it difficult to bear.

At this juncture, US citizens have the opportunity to knock at the doors of the federal government for help. With the objective of providing right education to children and making it affordable, the US federal government has introduced a variety of financial aid programs that can be availed both by students and parents.

There are different ways of raising money for the purpose of education. Some of these include scholarships, work-study programs, family contributions and educational loans. Among these student loans are the most preferred ones. The advantage of a student loan is that the repayment period starts after the student completes his graduation. Apart from that, these loans are provided at lower interest rates and have convenient repayment terms. The interest rate on student loans is not charged till the repayment starts. There are two important types of student loans provided by the US federal government. These include the Perkins Loans and Stafford Loans. In case of a Perkins Loan, the school itself acts as a lender. In case of a Stafford Loan, funds are provided by the banks and other lending agencies that have been approved by the federal government.

The foremost requirement for a federal student loan is to qualify through the FAFSA. Apart from this, there are also federal loans available for parents. One example is the Parent Loan to Undergraduate Students or the PLUS.

One can consult a financial aid officer inside the school campus to have a better understanding about different types of student loans available.

About Author: Pauline Go is an online leading expert in finance industry. She also offers top quality financial tips to investor like:

Refinance Car Loan People with Bad Credit,
How To Calculate Credit Score and How To Get Out Of Debt

By learning how to use eyeliner properly, you could enhance smaller eyes, decrease larger eyes and create endless amounts of different looks for every occasion you have coming up in your future. It can be hard to imagine for many women that there is actually a technique to using eyeliner but when used correctly you can be sure to create the look of celebrities.

You want to find a happy medium between a casual eyeliner addition to your face and looking like a very high maintenance woman who cannot leave the house without a face full of makeup. Eyeliner is meant to enhance your eyes in a subtle way, when overused you are creating a look that may be more severe than you intend. To achieve the everyday look that women want for going to work or running errands, it is important to not only apply the eyeliner with a light hand but to choose a lighter shade of eyeliner rather than black or kohl. For many people these shades are far too dark and no matter how light you try to apply them, they always look too severe on many complexions.

The smoky eye is a very popular this year and although it does portray a darker image, it can still be accomplished even if you have a lighter complexion. First the key is to buy the eyeliner that offers the blending brush on the opposite end. This is the key component to achieving this look with very little effort. First you need to start from the inside corner of your eye and work your way outward, trying to make the center of the eyelid the thickest. Then take the other end of your eyeliner (the blender) or use a cotton swab to smudge the eyeliner you just created. Layering the liner with a light layer of eye shadow is the key to the smoky eye.

If you are looking for a bolder look, no matter what your complexion you buy a darker eyeliner color and instead of stopping the line ¾ of the way across the lid, going all the way across from the inside corner to the outside corner can create the dramatic look you are looking for that special night on the town. By combining this dramatic eyeliner technique with the smoky grey or black eye shadow across the liner you added as the crease of your eye lid you have created a simple and dramatic look for any event.

One of the most important factors of using your eyeliner correctly is to make sure that you are using a high quality product. You will not achieve any of these eyeliner techniques by using cheap eyeliner. By choosing brands like Maybelline, CoverGirl, Loreal Paris and Lancome, you can count on the high quality you need to make your new eye look last all day and all night. Although you will find that these products cost a bit more than others, it is more than worth it in the long run.

Take note of these great eyeliner techniques as you can create the look of celebrities in just a few short minutes right from your home. You will be amazed just how much better your makeup will look when you apply these simple techniques. Right now you may think there is nothing wrong with your eye makeup but by taking the chance on these new techniques you may be surprised just how much better you look. Invest in some great eye shadow and brushes to make sure you have the tools to create the looks listed above and the many popular trends of 2008.

About The Author
Paul Jones researches and provides article content for womens\’ health, beauty and fashion.
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Open and Distance Learning is a way of learning that focus on releasing learners from constraints of time and place whilst offering flexible learning opportunities. For a lot of married and working adults, Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is a way of combining work and family responsibilities with educational opportunities.

The first challenge faced by online distance learners is in balancing the combination of work and education. Most of the Open and Distance education students are older, have jobs and families. Job responsibility is already intimidating, let alone the family and the learning. The task of balancing all of the above responsibility is truly challenging for most of them.

The second issue is in acquiring go online distance study habits. The students\’ everyday environment is very distracting for most of the students. Unlike traditional university students who are always in their learning community which supports them most of the time, online distance students are not. Distractions such as friends asking for night supper and wife demanding to go shopping at the mall every weekend are among other distractions faced by students. Acquiring some time in a day to study is quite a hard task to complete.

Online distance learners also have a hard time in being independent and responsible to their own self. Most of the time, there is no one around to monitor the students learning process. The openness of the online distance program gives students the freedom to do their learning process whenever they like but most of the time, procrastination is the culprit. Unfocused view of their learning goals also will make the students act irresponsibly towards their learning.

Online distance learners also face problems in recognizing and mastering strengths and skills. In online distance learning, technology is the main conduit which information and communication flow. A computer with internet access is usually needed for this process and its application will need the user to master certain level of acquirement. The students will also need to have some basic writing skills and a go online distance command of English language. Unfortunately, not all of the students possess the above-said skills.

The fifth challenge is in motivating themselves as well as maintaining and increasing self-esteem. In online distance education, learners are usually isolated from peers and tutors. The motivational factors are absent due to lack of contact and competition with other students. The lacks of immediate support of a teacher who is able to motivate will also affects the learners. In the long run, students might feel uneasy with their teacher and uncomfortable with their learning situation and environment.

Online distance learners also face some problems in relating and interacting with peers. Most of the time, learners will learn most effectively when they have the opportunity to interact with other students. Sadly, forming of the study group is not easy. This is caused by the difference in the usage of time between students. One particular student may have some free time for meeting with peers at 10am every Saturday, but another student who works in the government sector may still be at work at the exact time.

The next one is in coping with distance learning strategies apart from printed material package the students are familiar with. There might be audio/video tape material, television-aided learning, overhead projectors, computer referencing and computer-assisted instruction using the internet. Some students might feel uncomfortable with these learning strategies due to lack of skills and knowledge in using those strategies.

The second last challenge is in preparing for and taking examinations. In order to excel in examination, learners have to start early in understanding the course content and preparing and revising the content. However, not all students do start early in their learning process. Do not have enough time, lazy, too many works to be done are among other reasons given by this type of students in order to avoid studying for exams.

The final challenge faced by online distance learners is in using library facilities to access information and references. Most of the library only opens during office hour and the learners would not be able to go to the library during office hour due to demanding works at the office. This will definitely cause problems to students who want to gain access to the reference material. Library database program such as the OPAC will also require the students to have proper training and skills in order to maximize the usage.

The Open and Distance Learning courses are very different from a traditional classroom setting. Due to a number of challenges and obstacles, it often requires a high degree of commitment on the part of the learner.

In order to overcome these online distance challenges, learners must first plan and manage themselves effectively in order to balancing work, family and study. They have to apply smart time management. Avoiding procrastinating is a must. They must be more responsible and have a focused view towards learning. They must also learn to improve themselves in areas they are lacking (such as writing skills, note taking skills, computer skills and English language skills) because not all skills will be taught by the tutor. They need to motivate their own self by setting achievable goals and have a positive attitude. Due to lack of meeting time with peers, they have to make an effort to interact with peers and tutors frequently.

Mathew Simond is a journalist and copywriter. He is also a webmaster of many websites including http://www.psychologycolleges.net and http://www.religiousstudiesonline.org He aims to provide healthy information and advice on academic degrees.