Lateral thinking problems are often just simple puzzles that lead you to make certain assumptions. To solve them, then, you have to look at the assumptions you’re making and try to get beyond them. Let’s look at an example.

A librarian used a book he had never read to destroy thousands of other books. How was this possible? This simple riddle or lateral thinking puzzle relies on the idea of a “librarian” and “never read” to encourage you assume that it is all about the kinds of books you read. Get away from that assumption and you might stumble upon the solution - that he used a book of matches to burn all the others.

Such puzzles are good mental exercise, and fun as well, but not all lateral thinking problems are word play or simple puzzles. Many are designed to require or encourage creative thinking about more realistic scenarios. They often have many possible solutions.

You may not like the inconclusive nature of this kind of puzzle or problem - at least at first. It is common to want one definitive solution, so you know you’re “right” once you have come to a conclusion. But the more open-ended lateral thinking problems are just as good for exercising your creativity, and the thinking skills developed from working on them may be more applicable to real life situations, where there is rarely one definitive solution.

Situational Lateral Thinking Problems

In these problems, there is usually a scenario or situation which is explained, and a goal to accomplish. For example, suppose you need to get a basketball out of a 12-foot deep pit that has smooth cement for the floor and walls. It is square, about four feet per side. You are alone, and have only what you are wearing, plus what is in your pockets. Using nothing else, how can you get the basketball out?

This is a lateral thinking problem because it requires you to think “laterally.” This means coming at problems from other angles, as opposed to the more traditional linear or logical approaches. In this case, it means using what you have in ways that these things are not normally used.

For example, you might make a “basket” of your t-shirt, tying shoelaces to the four corners. Then you could unravel the threads from your socks to make a string that would lower the shirt. The idea would be to move the basketball onto it and then pull it up. Moving the ball might be accomplished with a shoe hung on the end of a string made of strips of clothing, which you use to “kick” the ball into the right place.

Another solution: A piece of paper from your pocket might be chewed and dropped onto the ball using shoe laces and clothing for a string. When it dries it would perhaps “glue” the line to the ball, so it could be pulled up. A tall person might “chimney” his body up and down the pit to get the ball, as climbers do with rock walls that are a few feet apart. There are undoubtedly other possibilities here.

Life itself presents us with many lateral thinking problems, at least if we look at situations the right way. For example, a judge in a Michigan child custody case went beyond the traditional thinking about how much time the children would spend at each parent’s house. Instead, he decided that the children would stay right where they were in the home they knew, and the parents would move in with them on alternating weeks. That’s a good example of applying lateral thinking to real life problems.

Copyright Steve Gillman. For more on Lateral Thinking, and to get the Brain Power Newsletter and other free gifts, visit: http://www.IncreaseBrainPower.com

Across the globe, countless number of people are avid fans of the sport of basketball. Presently, sports betting has been adding to the craze of basketball. Sports betting has allowed bettors who have used basketball odds to their advantage in order to continuously earn additional income. Some bettors are even starting to make a living out of basketball betting.

Knowing the basketball odds is imperative to making successful bets. Finding out the odds traditionally involves several steps. The first would be to look at individual player statistics. Learning about players’ offensive and defensive strengths and weaknesses is a good way to start.

Conducting basketball odds research is relatively simpler when compared to the process of sports handicapping in other sports, such as hockey and football. These sports require a tedious amount of work, as the number of players per team can be very large. In basketball, on the other hand, there are only around 15 players per team.

In addition to individual player statistics, bettors will also look into team statistics to come up with accurate basketball odds. When you view team statistics, you want to be cautious about who you deem to be the powerful teams in the league. A team with a player with the best statistics may seem like the obvious pick, but, in reality, it is the teams with several above-average performers that win the championships.

As a result of the proliferation of sports betting sites on the Internet, finding out the latest basketball odds of your favorite team is a very trivial process. It is important that you check such sites, as basketball odds provide you with an overview of your chances at winning.

Such websites will usually have the odds for both the professional (NBA) and collegiate (NCAA) leagues. Be aware that in basketball betting, the odds for teams hardly ever stay the same throughout the season. Accordingly, you need to know what the team odds are at all times.

Making yourself aware of the basketball odds will certainly increase your chances of mastering basketball betting. The key to earning a lot of cash through sports betting is consistently checking the odds.

If you want to learn more about basketball betting or more specifically basketball odds then check out http://www.basketballbettingsecrets.com

This topic is nothing new, the conversation around why it is that whenever a city or town perceives there is a major problem with the youths in their locations (code words for too many black youths are hanging out), the most often mentioned and accomplished solution is to build a basketball court? In fact the town that I reside in has just built a number of outdoor basketball courts, albeit with no programming, it’s a simple case of “If you build it they will come” The intentions are noble, but the risk of failure is also high. Because all it will take is for one terrible incident to happen and the courts will be closed down. Yet with no programming in place we leave it up to the young people to police themselves and keep everything in check (risky) The proponents of this strategy for building basketball courts to address youth problems will argue that its a healthy way for these young people to channel their excessive energy in a positive manner, and law enforcement officials although many won’t say publicly like the idea , because they can keep an eye on a large number of potential suspects especially if they are at one central location. On the flip side the opponents of such strategy will argue that not everyone wants to play basketball as a way to keep busy, and in some cases these courts can become trouble spots for all type of illegal transactions, and violence. Whose right whose wrong? As a basketball coach I know all of the benefits that are associated with playing the game, however as I wrote in a previous story (Sports Addiction) I also am very aware of the negative impacts of sports, particularly in the black community. I hear this statement all the time “The kids love basketball” no kidding, if you were bombarded with thousands of images and constantly brow beat with one option for success, would it be any surprise that you would have a passion for that field.

In my honest opinion I never saw building more basketball courts as a long term viable solution to address the issues and challenges our young people face today. In fact I think it furthers perpetuates the carefully crafted myth of blacks getting out of the ghetto by one of 2 means entertainment or sports. Yes I know its a popular game, amongst our youths, because its inexpensive to play, and kids really gravitate to it, but the focus on basketball is just a temporary fix, it does nothing in the long run to help them solve their problems of completing their education, obtaining marketable skills for employment, parenting, or learning to be wiser consumers.

Side Note:(Free of Charge)

I think its no coincidence that the leading recreational activity in the prison system is basketball, a system that’s over populated by young Blacks and Hispanics; why because these individuals come from the same communities where they’ve been inundated with the idea of basketball being their only way to stay busy or handle their business. Its a viscous cycle!

When affluent communities feel the need to address a youth problem, they seek to build community centers, a place that offers a variety of options that will help their kids prepare for the future, there are job training courses, computer workshops, mentoring, college prep, financial education, etc. Yes they too offer sports and recreational activities, but they don’t limit it to basketball, you’ll find swimming, rock climbing, tennis, game rooms (for board games like chess) etc. You see they understand that what they are providing is what Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu calls a “Safety net” I know you’re saying but they have the money to accomplish this task, and you are correct ,but I would argue that often times when a city or town builds a basketball court its usually more than one and they pay contractors from outside of the community a hefty price tag, I think if you must build multiple courts (maybe fear of gangs crossing other territories) why not build a simple enclosed structure or at least a structure with a roof and a few sections that can be drywalled or set up like cubicles. Areas that can be designated for classroom sessions around the basketball courts, it doesn’t have to be elaborate, just something with a roof over top, rest room facilities, and the likes. You could include a clause in the contractors agreement to donate building supplies and or labor to set up the classroom sections. This would attract a larger population that has no interest in sports to the building seeking activities that will benefit them. If money is an issue then have the facility open for limited hours, I find it hard to believe that there is no money (grants, donations) available that won’t support this type of effort. There are enough qualified and committed individuals in the community that truly care about the next generation who would gladly man the facility or volunteer their time, parents, teachers during the summer vacation, the elderly during the afternoons (we need to do a better job of connecting our youth with the wisdom of previous generations), off duty police, and so forth.

The suggestion I offered won’t solve all of the issues, but it would be far reaching and have a longer lasting effect as we attempt to influence the whole person not just enhance their physical skills through sports this way our youths can keep pace with other young people from well off communities as we create our own safety nets to keep them out of the wrong GAME!

Tony Price
A Boston Based Collegaite Athletics Administrator and Head Basketball Coach. A Hall of Fame Inductee(Worcester State College) with 20 plus years experience as an athlete, coach, and administrator

Many athletes are always looking for exercises to jump higher. They want to add valuable inches to their vertical jump in order to increase their athletic performance. There are several great exercises to help you jump higher and I will detail them in this article.

If you want to jump higher you need exercises that target the proper muscles that are involved in jumping. Not all exercises are conducive to increasing your vertical jump height. Some exercises will build muscle strength but you need to focus on building fast twitch muscle in order to jump higher.

Box jumps are a great vertical jump building exercise. To perform box jumps you simply need a box that is around 1 -2 feet high. Start by standing on one side of the box and proceed to jump over the box and land on the opposite side. Then repeat and jump back to the side you started on.

Another exercise to help you jump higher is rim jumps. All you need to perform this exercise is a basketball hoop. Stand in front of the basketball hoop and jump up as high as you can and try to touch the rim. Then as soon as your feet land back on the ground, jump up again trying to touch the rim. Continue these repeated jumps for about 10 reps.

The last exercise I will go over is the speed rope. Many people discount the benefits of the speed rope but they should not because it is the perfect exercise to help increase your vertical jump. It forces you to make quick and explosive jumps which are great for training to jump higher. All it requires is a jump rope and can be done almost anywhere.

These 3 exercises to jump higher are a great starting point for anyone looking to increase their vertical leap. Remember that you always want to be training your fast twitch muscles because they are the ones that will lead to increased jump height.

If you would like to learn how to jump higher then I suggest you get a copy of the “Vertical Explosion Training Guide” as it is by far the best vertical jump program available. It will show you exercises to jump higher that will add 10 inches to your vertical in 10 weeks…Guaranteed! Go check it out now: http://www.verticaljumpguide.com

The Big Ten Conference announced recently that it will create its own cable tv channel to broadcast even more games and sports nationally.

The conference just signed a new 10-year TV deal with ESPN and ABC that will carry Big Ten football, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball games starting in 2007.

The Big Ten Channel will be available to satellite and cable distributors nationwide and also will be available through the Internet, I-Pods, cell phones and other technologies, the league said.

DirecTV will offer the channel on its Total Choice package, which currently reaches about 15.4 million households, according to the news release.

“The Big Ten Channel will provide our conference the ability to strengthen both its brand and its long-term destiny as one of the leading academic and athletic conferences in the nation,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany.

The new cable channel will carry not only football and basketball, but also such sports as soccer, tennis, swimming and diving and wrestling — the so-called Olympic sports, the conference said.

This could lead to others conferences - most notably the Pac-10, Big 12, ACC and SEC following suit and offering up their own channels. It makes perfect sense. We have a insatiable hunger for sports in this country and with some of those on the fringe, like wrestling and volleyball, that have diehard fans it’s only natural that these channels pop up.

The Big Ten Channel and the others who follow suit will be a win-win for the fans as well as the conferences and schools. It will bring huge amounts of money to the schools and allow the viewers to watch events they might miss otherwise.

For the football fan, the amount of games that may be available to watch is like manna from heaven, especially when the other conferences get on board and copy the Big Ten. It has already multiplied with the emergence of satellite and will grow even more with these individual outlets.

Rest assured the Big Ten is the first to jump on the cable TV bandwagon, but they definitely won’t be the last.

Brian Carson is a writer and sports fanatic who, along with a select group of coaches has created the ultimate multimedia guide to coaching youth football at http://www.pigskinplaybooks.com To read more football articles go to http://carcorner.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately for the purple and gold of the Lakers Jerseys, they fell short to the Boston Celtics of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

The playoffs started with the #1 seed in the Western Conference as the Lakers finished with a 57-25 record. Their first match in the playoffs was in the form of Allen Iverson, Carmello Anthony and the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers had their way with the Nuggets, winning four straight games- the first two in Los Angeles, the next two in Denver. Game one went 128-114 to the Lakers, as Pau Gasol scored 36 points for the Lakers, and Kobe Bryant added 32. Games two and three were even more of a blowout as the Lakers won game two in Los Angeles- 122-107 and game three in Denver 102-84. The Nuggets game four a good run, but fell short 107-101 in a game in which Kobe poured in 31 more, and Gasol 21. The Lakers were ready to move on to round two.

Round two started well as the Lakers took on the Utah Jazz. In the first two games in Los Angeles the Lakers were easy winners 109-98 and 120-110. Kobe poured in 38 and 34, helped by Gasol’s 18 and 20. The Jazz were led in scoring by up and coming star DeRon Williams, who did all he could scoring 25 and 14, but also added 10 and 9 assists in the first two games. The series would shift to Utah. In Utah, the series quickly became very competitive. In game three, the Lakers lost their first playoff game of the year, ending a 6 game playoff-winning streak. Game 3 went to Utah 104-99, as Carlos Boozer scored 27 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. Boozer, Okur and Williams were not to be denied on this night. Game four ended in another Jazz win, this time in overtime, coming away with a 123-115 win. Bryant scored 33 points on 33 shots. Lamar Odom helped the Lakers out with 26 points and 13 rebounds, but those were not enough, as the Jazz had six players in double figures, to lead them to a win, and a 2-2 series tie. The series then went back to the Staples Center, where the Lakers held on, courtesy of a 30-24 fourth quarter to take the game 111-104 and take a 3-2 series lead. This time it was the Lakers with five guys in double figures, led by Kobe’s 26, and Odom’s 22, the Lakers were now one win from moving on. In game six, the Lakers would have to head back to Salt Lake City where the Jazz were 4-1 in the postseason coming in. This night belonged to the Lakers. After a 33-20 first quarter, and a 62-43 halftime lead, the Lakers held on, despite a 35-22 fourth quarter run from the Jazz to win 108-105 and move on to the Western Conference Finals.

In the Conference Finals, the Lakers once again had the home court advantage, this time to the defending NBA champion- San Antonio Spurs. This series was not really all that close as the Lakers made short work of the Spurs winning in five games. Game one started well for the Spurs, as at halftime they held an 8 point lead, but were not able to hold on, as the Lakers outscored them 24-13 in the fourth quarter to come away with a 89-85 win. Kobe Bryant matched the Spurs Tim Duncan point for point and the Lakers defense did a great job of limited sharp shooter Mano Ginobli to only ten points. Game two, the Spurs had no chance. Winning all four quarters, the Lakers blew out the Spurs 101-71. With five guys in double figures the Lakers once again used their depth to take a 2-0 lead in the series and remain unbeaten at home throughout the postseason. In a must win game three in San Antonio, the Spurs were able to knock off the Lakers, this time winning 103-84. Kobe’s 30 was not enough as Ginobli scored 30 as well, and Tim Duncan added 22 and Tony Parker poured in 20. The Spurs looked to still be in the series. In game four the Lakers were a two-point winner, and game five the Lakers used a 36-29 fourth quarter edge to win the game and the series. Kobe Bryant was once again the star in game five as he scored 39 points, while Pau Gasol added 19 rebounds. The Lakers were once again back in the NBA Finals!

Jonathan Tucker, a fan of the Lakers basketball team, started Lakers Jerseys to enable fans of the Los Angeles Lakers to get the jerseys of their favorite player to show their support for the team.

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, both to play and watch. For players, though it can be more of an art form than an athletic endeavor. Playing the game of basketball requires a high level of physical fitness, intricate moves and mental skills that all combine to create points on the court. Far from its humble beginnings, basketball has reached super star status.

Superstar or not, however, the basics are still the most important aspects in the game of basketball. If you want to be good at the game, you have to know the rules and have the skills. It also helps to develop a bag of tricks, and being a top-notch shooter is one of the best ways to see great results on the scoreboard. Here are the seven most common shots in basketball. Try them, practice them, bring them to your game. You will love the results.

1. The Lay-Up The lay-up is one of the simplest shots in basketball and is used in one of two different situations during a game: - When you are under the ring and you get the ball while shooting through the basket. - When you dribble the ball through a crowd and wind up under the net.

2. The One-Handed Underhand This shot must be practiced - a lot - before being put to the test in a game, because it is a tough one. Additionally, you can’t use the one-handed underhand when you are in a set position.

3. The Two-Handed Set The two-handed set is usually saved for long-range opportunities. This shot is not as common today as it used to be. The most well-known player to make this shot popular was Bob McDermott, who became famous for his ability to shoot from any place in the inside court.

4. The One-Handed Set The one-handed set is another one of the basics. It has the same good points as the two-handed set but it gives you improved speed.

5. The Jump Shot The jump shot almost always turns into points on the scoreboard. This shot is often paired with a fake, and it is popular with current basketball players of all levels.

6. The Hook Shot The hook shot can be paired with a number of different moves on the court, so it is a highly versatile basketball shot that can be put into play in distances from mid-range to short-range.

7. The Free Throw Everyone knows the free throw; it’s the one where the rest of the players stand around and watch. A player gets a free throw when they have been fouled by a player on the opposing team, and they make this shot from the free throw line. To be considered good at the free throw, you have to make at least 8 out of 10 of these shots.

These are the seven most common shots in basketball, and although there are more, some others require detailed combinations and variations in skill levels. These can be learned by the beginner and practiced to perfection. For all of these shots, and every other move in the game of basketball, the best thing to do is practice and constantly update your skills.

For tips on basketball plays and the history of basketball, visit The Basketball Coach website.

When basketball was discovered, the hoop was actually a basket, hence the name basketball. As time went on, the basic backboard became bigger, and as rules changed, the net was added. Different styles of basketball hoops are available, for residential, institutional, and gymnasium uses.

There are both indoor and outdoor types of basketball hoops. The introduction of low-priced basketball hoops on the market made basketball more popular. Most hoops have height-adjusting capabilities, from 7′ to 11′. Most have steel backboard frames. These types of steel hoops are called lifetime basketball hoops. The hoops can be anchored on the wall (wall-anchor frames) or in the ground (ground-anchor frames) or portable. Some portable basketball hoops have bases that have to be filled with water or by sand. Portable basketball hoops allow you to play basketball anywhere. New portable basketball hoops are less expensive and easier to maintain.

The diameter of the hoop is usually same, except in certain local fairs. There are

specially designed basketball hoops with second rims for players who want to develop some special abilities. Some basketball hoops are provided with an auto rebounder that returns the ball to the shooter after every shot. There are mini-basketball hoops for fun and for relieving stress, especially when you are in the office.

If you buy basketball hoops for children, it is recommended that you buy an adjustable hoop so you can start them with low height and you won’t have to buy a new one every year. Before buying a basketball hoop, compare different offers and features. The price of basketball hoops vary according to use, design, and materials used. The price of an outdoor hoop starts at $450, an institutional hoop starts at $5,000, portable indoor hoop starts at $550, and portable outdoor starts at $350. Many basketball hoop manufacturers offer a five-year warranty. Both new and used basketball hoops are available on the market. If you are buying an old one, make sure that the rims are not bent or dirty.

Basketballs provides detailed information on Basketball Sizes, Basketballs, Imprinted Basketballs, Nike Basketballs and more. Basketballs is affiliated with Volleyball Clipart.

With his players and bosses at his side in support, Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman gave his public apologizes at Arco Arena on Sunday after being arrested on a drunken driving charge. The tear-eyed coach addressed the media about his arrest before the team leave for an exhibition game against the New Orleans Hornets in Reno.

He explained that this event was an isolated incident for which he was taking full responsibility.

Kings owners Gavin and Joe Maloof, announced that they will not take any disciplinary actions against Musselman. It means that Musselman will not face a fine or suspension from his bosses. However, if convicted of DWI charge, the coach could face a league suspension. Geoff Petrie, the Kings’ president of basketball operations, explained that he left a message on Saturday for an attorney with the NBA right after Musselman called him about the arrest.

The 41-year-old coach was stopped by Police at 2:15 A.M on Saturday about 1.5 miles from the State Capitol after his car was seen making a right-hand turn from the left-hand lane and cutting off another vehicle. Darrin May, the team’s executive director of media relations, and two women were also passengers in Musselman’s Mercedes. All of them were shortly released. Musselman failed three sobriety tests and had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11. The legal limit is 0.08.

Musselman’s arrest took place at a particularly bad time for the Kings. Indeed on Nov. 7th, voters will be asked to approve two ballot measures increasing local sales tax as part of the club’s quest to build a new arena in downtown Sacramento. Both measures are considered difficult to pass and this event will not make it easier.

Petrie and the Maloofs, also owners of the Las Vegas hotel and casino “Palms”, signed Musselman on June 3rd in order to replace fired coach Rick Adelman giving him his second head coaching. Musselman was fired by the Golden State Warriors after the 2003-04 season despite leading the team to its most successful two-year stretch during a stretch of 12 straight losing seasons. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Memphis under Mike Fratello before signing with the Kings.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes among others for Sportus.com - Sportsbook reviews, UsBookies.com - Sports Betting Online and Get-best-mortgage-loan.com - Mortgage lenders, get the best mortgage loan

Being recruited to play college basketball is exciting yet serious. A lot of time, effort and money are on the line. Use these tips to make the process as smooth as possible.

Don’t wait on your high school coach -understand the process yourself!

This is your future. Do not rely on your coach to do everything for you. You and your parents need to be involved in the entire process. Do not put your future in someone else’s hands. Know what is going on.

Start Early!

Do not wait until your junior or senior year to learn about obtaining a college basketball scholarship. If you know you have potential to play college basketball and you have an interest in playing college basketball, start as early as your freshman year or sooner investigating the recruiting process.

Study College Basketball Programs!

Understand that college coaches will eventually be trying to get your attention just as much as you’re trying to get theirs. Study how college teams play. Study the coaching styles. Study how many guards and post are juniors and seniors.

Attend NCAA Certified Events!

The more you play in front of coaches the more they get to see how talented you are. Just playing your regular school schedule is not enough to be seen by coaches. There are certain events that hundreds of coaches attend to see talent.

Have an idea of what you want from a college academic and athletic program!

Where would you like to play college basketball? Close to home or away from home. Does the school have the academic program that you desire to get a degree in?

Does the school provide academic support or tutoring if you need it?

These are some questions you should have in mind while going through the recruiting process.

Understand the recruiting calendar!

There are specific times that college coaches can contact you. Be aware of when this is.

Visit http://www.patoshajeffery.com/basketballrecruiting.htm for the Top 12 Women’s College Basketball Recruiting Web Sites for college team web sites, NCAA Certified Events web site and recruiting calendar web site.

My name is Patosha Jeffery. I’ve been involved in basketball as a player, coach and trainer since 1987. My skills were good enough to get me a full basketball scholarship to the University of Memphis. I’ve coached several young ladies that’s earned basketball scholarships themselves to schools like the University of Colorado, University of Florida, Southern Mississippi, Ole Miss, Arkansas State and Florida A&M to name a few. I am a Certified Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Sports Conditioning.

My philosophies are” To Add Value to Others through Inspiration and Participation” and “To Mentor Young Ladies through the Process of Excelling in Basketball”.

Visit http://www.girlsbasketballtrainer.com for articles, videos, motivational tips and training methods that deliver dangerous results, Guaranteed!!!