Sports Saturday on Empty Streets: Gina Carano

I have someone special to feature today - Gina Carano. Gina Carano has been number 2 on my list of most searched athletes for 2008 and from my research I am now seeing why. She is a woman wiht a lot of things going for her, as she carries herself from the fighting ring to the silver screen. But what catches the audiences attention is how could this seemingly beautiful and charming woman be involved in the world's toughest fight matches of which she has excelled in time and time again.



Out of the ring Carano starred in the cult film Ring Girls Based on true events, Ring Girls is a fast-paced story about five American women from Las Vegas who take on the ultimate challenge of fighting the best female Muay Thai fighters in the world.



Along with Lisa King, Carano served as a mentor to aspiring female fighters in the Oxygen reality series Fight Girls. She currently appears as "Crush" on the NBC show American Gladiators. She will also be featured in the new Michael Jai White film Blood and Bone slated to be released sometime in 2008.



She was profiled in a feature story for the ESPN series E:60, and was voted "Hottest Woman In America" by Big Biz Magazine in the Spring 2008 issue. On May 13, 2008, "Gina Carano" was the fastest-rising search on Google and third most searched person on Yahoo! She has also appeared in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 as Natasha. a playable character.



Inside the ring Carano started her career in the sport of Muay Thai. After achieving a Muay Thai record of 12-1-1,Carano received an offer to participate in the first-ever sanctioned female MMA bout in Nevada. She was invited to the World Pro Fighting show in Las Vegas to fight Rosi Sexton from the United Kingdom.



She fought on the February 10, 2007, Showtime EliteXC card, defeating Julie Kedzie via unanimous decision in what was called "the fight of the night".



Her scheduled bout against Jan Finney at the EliteXC/K-1 Dynamite!! USA event on June 2, 2007 was canceled due to illness. The Fight Network and other organizations reported that she was rushed to the hospital via ambulance due to dehydration while attending a World Extreme Cagefighting event as a spectator.



Carano fought on the September 15, 2007, Showtime EliteXC card, where she defeated Tonya Evinger via rear naked choke for her first career win by submission.



Carano defeated former Hook N Shoot champion Kaitlin Young on EliteXC: Primetime on May 31, 2008. A day before the fight, Carano failed to make weight for her fight (140 pounds (63.5 kg)) after weighing in at 144.5 (65.5 kg). Although most MMA organizations set weight classes at 135 (Bantamweight (MMA)) and 145 (Featherweight (MMA)) pounds (61.2 and 65.8 kg, respectively), EliteXC opted to create a women's weight class at 140 pounds. Carano agreed to forfeit 12.5% of her "show" purse to Young, and the fight remained on the card.



Carano's latest fight was against Kelly Kobold on October 4, 2008 at EliteXC: Heat at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida which was broadcast on CBS.



Leading up to her fight against Kobold, there was much controversy over whether or not Gina would make weight for this fight, having fought only once in the past year and not making weight at that time. Gina assured critics that she would be able to make weight since she had hired a nutritionist to help with her dieting. At the weigh-in for the Kobold fight on October 3, 2008, "Gina Carano weighed in at 142.75 pounds on her first attempt. After removing her sports bra, a towel-covered Carano weighed in a second time at 142.5 pounds. On her third attempt without any clothes on, Carano weighed 141 pounds., successfully making weight.



Early on, Kobold was intent on pressing Carano in the clinch, while working for the takedown throughout the fight. Kobold managed a takedown in the second round, but the round ended before she could take meaningful advantage of it. Carano worked her opportunities by hitting Kobold at every turn whenever the fighters separated, while also opening a huge gash on the inside of her opponent’s eyebrow in the first round. At the end of the third round, Carano looked to finish the fight as she unloaded a head kick that landed flush on Kobold’s chin, but Kobold was not knocked out and the bout came to a close.



Carano won by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)[19] and remains undefeated. After she won the fight, she dedicated her fight to her grandfather.



A fight against Cristiane Santos was in the works for February 2009, although after EliteXC folded the fight become null. The possibility of the fight still happening in the future was dependent on which promotion the two women signed with next.



After Strikeforce purchased the assets of ProElite. Carano, along with other fighters within the defunct promotion, became contractually linked with Strikeforce, after many months of a stalemate regarding their free agent status.



Here's a video from showtime featuring Gina Carano:

Food Fridays on Empty Streets: Enchiladas

I just couldn't resist to feature one of my favorite snacks to make - Enchiladas. So without any delay here is my favorite Enchilada Recipe.

A note about the tortillas. The corn tortillas must be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Frying them gently in a little oil greatly enhances the flavor of the tortillas.
Ingredients

* Grapeseed oil (or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola oil)
* 12 corn tortillas
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 clove of garlic, minced
* 1 cup of salsa (Mild prepared salsa or make your own using cooked or canned tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Do not use salsa made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes for this dish.)
* 3 Tbsp of tomato paste
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
* Olive oil
* 1 lb of jack cheese, mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated
* A handful of cilantro
* 1 cup of sour cream
* Half a head of iceberg lettuce

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of grapeseed oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. You do this process to develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.

2 Sauté up the chopped onion and garlic, then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan. Add 1 cup of crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes. Taste. If the sauce tastes too vinegary, add a teaspoon of sugar.

3 Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

4 Garnish with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with sliced iceberg lettuce that has been dressed only with vinegar and salt. See Perfect Guacamole for a great guacamole avocado side dish.

Serves 4.

Here is my Favorite recipe in video for you to follow ;)

Travel Thursday on Empty Streets: Makati City - My hometown

I have decided to finally feature the city that I love and live in - Makati City. This is a rather busy place to live in but one with so much to see and so many things to experience. There are a lot of people running around trying to get around from one building to another just to get to work and the diversity of the races is just as overwhelming. Eventually, one get lured into the city and it sticks to you and grows on you that you find yourself continuously drawn back to it for more. That is how I ended up here and am still happy for it. :)

The City of Makati, or simply Makati, is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the greater metropolitan area of the national capital of the Philippines. It is the major financial, commercial and economic hub in the Philippines, often referred to as the financial capital of the Philippines since many global companies have their offices and headquarters in the city. Makati is also home to the influential Makati Business Club and the Philippine Stock Exchange. Ayala Avenue, running through the heart of downtown Makati Central Business District is often called the Wall Street of the Philippines

Makati is noted for its highly cosmopolitan culture, also being a major cultural and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. Many expatriates live and work in the city. Makati is also home to many first-class shopping malls, which are located at Ayala Center and Rockwell Center. Makati also has the tallest buildings in the Philippines like PBCOM Tower, G.T. International Tower.

The city also has many of the country's five-star hotels like The Peninsula Manila, the Shangri-La Hotel Makati and the Intercontinental Hotel Manila. Independent business travelers also benefit from budget hotels like the Saint Illian's Inn, El Cielito Inn, The Copa Businessman's Hotel, and The City Garden Suites, while serviced apartments like The Salcedo Suites, Fraser Place Manila, The Sunette Tower, and The Oxford Suites are gaining in popularity among business-minded travelers as well.

Makati came from the Tagalog word kati, which means tide. This primarily refers to the rise and ebb of the tide of the Pasig River on the city's northern border. The city was also known as San Pedro de Macati during the Spanish era.

Today the city is one of the most modern cities in the country and the Philippines' major global economic competitor in Asia. However, it faces challenges due to the disparate gap between the new city in the west, which contains the Central Business District, and the old city in the east, which is largely poor and where most of the city's slums are located.

That is just a taste of what is to be expected in this beautifully addicting Philippine city of Makati. Stay tuned for more as I will be featuring a lot of my favorite hang outs here in the of Makati.

Wellness Wednesday on Empty Streets: 10 Benefits of Sleep

I have been blessed with good health for the past couple of years and fortunate enough for me if ever I do feel sick or a little under the weather I simply find time to sleep a little longer. By the time I wake up from my slumber, what seemingly ails me has somewhat disappeared. That in a way got me a bit curious to check out and see what other things does sleeping bring to those that practice it often.

Here is what I found:
1. Sleep for a "Healthy Heart" . Heart attacks and strokes are more common during the early morning hours.
2. Sleep may prevent cancer
3. Reduce your stress with sleep.
4. Be more alert
5. Reduces Inflammation
6. Help lose weight. Studies show people who sleep less than 6-7 hours per night are more likely to be overweight.
7. Reduce the risk of depression
8. Repair your body
9. Naps make you "smarter" Naps improve memory, cognitive funtion and mood
10. Bolsters your memory

Amazing isn't it? I never thought that sleep could be such a powerful healing tool for us. I guess that is why the babies sleep so much during their development stage. Anyways here is a video to further demonstrate the topic of sleep and it's health benefits.

Right Ratio of Rest (Pt 2): Benefits of Sleep - The most amazing home videos are here

Technology Tuesdays on Empty Streets: Samsung Omnia

I am hooked on Samsung models this time around - more so with the touch screen versions. I have featured the Samsung Behold last time and now I am featuring the Samsung Omnia.



Here are the reasons why I love the Samsung Omnia a lot:

Key Features:

• Quad-band GSM support: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900

• 3G Network: HSDPA 2100 for Europe / Asia

• 3.2" 65K-color touchscreen with resolution of 240 x 400 pixels

• Thumbable virtual QWERTY keyboard with optional landscape mode

• Built-in accelerometer for auto screen rotation and call muting

• Optical joystick with virtual mouse functionality

• Handwriting recognition

• Available built-in Memory: 8GB / 16GB

• 128MB RAM, 256MB ROM

• Data Type: HSDPA, EDGE, GPRS

• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g

• Bluetooth capable

• USB 2.0

• 5 megapixel autofocus camera with wide dynamic range mode, face tracking, smile detection, geotagging

• Built-in GPS receiver with A-GPS support

• Java MIDP 2.0

• FM Radio with RDS

• Pocket Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, PDF viewer)

• MP3/AAC/AAC+/WMA/OGG/AMR player

• DivX/XviD/WMV/MP4 player (watch any movie files without conversion of format on i900)

• TV Out

• Voice memo

• Built-in handsfree

• OS: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional

• Card Slot: microSD (TransFlash), up to 8gb

• Colors: Modern Black

• Dimensions: 112 x 56.9 x 12.5 mm

• Weight: 127g



So many features to play with along with the ability to be an eye candy for those that lay their eyes on them makes the Omnia a truly strong iPhone contender to date.



With all that being said it is no wonder they have the right to say that Samsung Omnia is truly more than just a phone:


Samsung Omnia - More Than a Phone - Click here for more amazing videos

Music Monday on Empty Streets: Featuring T.I.

The most requested artist as of last week was T.I. and it is because of this that I got really curious about this guy. It didn't take long before I started flexing my internet search musles and found a lot about this very intriguing artist.



Clifford Joseph Harris Jr., (born September 25, 1980), better known by his stage name T.I., and also by his alter ego T.I.P., is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, actor and co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records. As of January 2009, T.I. has had nine Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with three of them reaching number one ("My Love" with Justin Timberlake, "Whatever You Like", and "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna).



T.I. has been in a relationship with former Xscape member Tameka "Tiny" Cottle since 2001. Together, they have two sons: Clifford 'King' Joseph III and Major Philant. Their daughter, Llayah Amour, was stillborn six months into a complicated pregnancy. He has two sons with ex-girlfriend Lashon Dixon: Domani Uriah and Messiah Ya'Majesty. T.I also has a daughter called Deyjah Imani from another relationship. Overall, T.I. has six children.



TI has also contributed a lot to communities. In addition to helping with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, T.I. worked with troubled youths at Paulding Detention Center in Atlanta, provided scholarships for single parent families at Boys and Girls Clubs, and headlined the Boost Mobile Rockcorps concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, which featured such performers as Fat Joe, Slim Thug, and Kanye West, and was held exclusively for community service volunteers. As part of his community service time, T.I. has come to a number of middle-grade and high schools in Georgia, where he speaks with the students in an assembly holding a positive message, while maintaining a philathropic view about morals and growing up in the same areas as himself. In June 2005, The Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes Foundation, named for the deceased member of multi-platinum female group TLC, and Atlanta's V-103 honored T.I. with the 2005 Lisa Lopes Award for groundbreaking achievements in music and community service which was court ordered. With this steady list of growing accomplishments T.I. is being recognized as the "Jay-Z of the South," according to Pharrell Williams of multi-platinum production team The Neptunes.



T.I.'s night club, Club Crucial, hosted a giveaway of 200 bicycles to neighborhood children in the Boys and Girls Club with V-103 announcer Greg Street.



Here's a video of him singing Dead and Gone Featuring Justin Timberlake for your enjoyment.


Dead And Gone - TI Featuring Justin Timberlake - The most amazing home videos are here

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Sports Saturday on Empty Streets: Most Searched Athletes 2008

I had to do some fishing for today's topic. I was rather curious to figure out who are the year's most searched athletes and amazingly enough after scouring the web for data I have finally completed my list and the research has been based off that of Yahoo.



Here is the top 10 most searched athletes of 2008 according to Yahoo!:



1. Maria Sharapova2. Gina Carano3. Danica Patrick4. Cristiano Ronaldo5. Amanda Beard6. Michael Phelps7. Kimbo Slice8. Leryn Franco9. Natalie Gulbis10. David Beckham



These athletes are amazing on their own and have given the media and the people that adore them a run for their money and attention. I have already featured a couple of these people here on Empty Streets 1027 and will be featuring the rest as we go along for the next couple Saturday specials. So without further delay I would like to get started on the topics with Maria Sharapova.



Maria Yuryevna Sharapova (Mariya Yur’evna Sharapova; born April 19, 1987) is a Russian professional tennis player. A former World No. 1, she was on February 23, 2009, ranked World No. 23 by the Women's Tennis Association. Sharapova has won three Grand Slam singles titles. In 2004, at the age of 17, she won Wimbledon, defeating Serena Williams in the final. She has since won the 2006 US Open, defeating Justine Henin in the final, and the 2008 Australian Open, defeating Ana Ivanović in the final.



Sharapova has represented Russia in Fed Cup, although her appearances have been controversial. She has been featured in a number of modeling assignments, including a feature in Sports Illustrated. Sharapova was the most searched-for athlete on Yahoo! in both 2005 and 2008. In July 2008, as a result of her success both on and off court, she was the world's highest-paid female athlete.



As of October 2008, she is coached by her father, Yuri Sharapov, and former player Michael Joyce.



And here is a cool video of the world's most searched athlete of 2008:


Maria Sharapova - Nike - The most amazing home videos are here