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The heir to Stan Musial left St. Louis, the Tigers came out of nowhere to give a Prince a king’s ransom and three of the most intriguing players in baseball today never have played a day in the big leagues. In other words, strange as it is, this is the perfect spring training to follow a 2011 season in which none of the nine biggest payrolls won a postseason series and St. Louis, which lost its ace (Adam Wainwright), scrapped its closer (Ryan Franklin) and languished 10 ½ games out in late August, wound up winning the World Series.

Get used to it. Baseball, with its expanded postseason (which will expand again), surge in local television money and ease of movement in assets (players, executives, information, etc.), has a higher churn rate than ever. Expect the unexpected.

Musial never left St. Louis and Robin Yount never left Milwaukee, but Albert Pujols said goodbye to the Cardinals and Prince Fielder departed the Brewers — and neither of them wound up in the Philadelphia-New York-Boston corridor that has become the financial power base of the sport.

Likewise, the Phillies, Yankees and Red Sox can’t claim one of the three most intriguing newcomers, either, with pitcher Yu Darvish signing with Texas and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes with Oakland and teenaged outfielder Bryce Harper arriving with Washington.

I can’t remember another spring with more change and uncertainty on the table. The upside is greater competition for playoff spots — or at least the appearance of it — and greater star power. A year or two ago I wondered what had happened to the true drawing card ballplayer. The game lacked big personalities. But now the Nationals have two of them — Harper and Stephen Strasburg, who has the kind of stuff, if not the personality, to be a sensation — Pujols is an even bigger star for having changed teams, and Darvish might be an international sensation.

Change even has created stars who don’t actually play, including quotable managers Ozzie Guillen of Miami and Bobby Valentine of Boston, and president Theo Epstein of the Cubs. And who knew when we would see a season in which the Marlins, playing in a new ballpark, and the Nationals are compelling contenders and the Cardinals would not have Tony La Russa in the dugout?

One season used to blend into the next, like episodes of a TV serial. Now the change is head-snapping abrupt. Pitchers need six weeks of training to get their arms in shape; the rest of us need the entire time to get our minds around all the change. To assist you, here is my Ultimate Fan’s Guide to Spring Training, a 12-for-’12 rundown of the major spring storylines about to unfold in Arizona and Florida.

1. The spotlight stays on Pujols and Fielder.

Yes, they have been star players for years, so they have played under scrutiny and expectations before. But this is different. Ask Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Barry Zito, Alfonso Soriano, Mike Hampton, etc. what it’s like when you change teams by going to the highest bidder. You get too much attention and too much analysis. The responsibility grows without any goodwill reserve in the bank; you have to start a new account under your new fans. On top of all that, they are changing leagues (admittedly, not as a big a deal as it used to be). The room suddenly becomes very crowded.

2. Try to identify this year’s turnaround team.

It happened again last year for the sixth straight season and the 16th time in the 17 years since the last postseason expansion: a team made the postseason the year immediately after a losing record. Actually, two teams pulled off the losers-to-playoffs turnaround — the Diamondbacks and Brewers — making it 33 such turnaround stories in 17 years, or about one out of every four playoff teams.

Which 2011 loser will wind up in the 2012 postseason? Rule out the Orioles, Athletics, Mariners, Mets, Pirates, Cubs and Astros for various reasons and you are left with nine possibilities. The most likely? In order: Reds, Nationals, Marlins, Rockies, Indians and Royals. The Royals? Now that is upheaval.

3. Keep an eye (like everyone else) on Harper.

The Nationals outfielder is the most fascinating player in camp yet to make his big league debut. Washington would prefer Harper to start the season in Triple-A in keeping with their original blueprint to have him touch every minor league level. But some players are just too good for those kinds of conservative plans, and Harper may be one of the special ones to accelerate the timetable. Think Dwight Gooden with the 1984 Mets, Ken Griffey Jr. with the 1989 Mariners, Albert Pujols with the 2001 Cardinals and Jason Heyward with the 2010 Braves, all of whom forced their way onto Opening Day rosters with big springs.

The next generation of stars is standing by. In addition to Harper, Angels outfielder Mike Trout, 20, Braves pitcher Julio Teheran, 21, Rays pitcher Matt Moore, 22, Mariners DH Jesus Montero, 22, and Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, 22, are among the most exciting young players in baseball who could quickly catapult to stardom.

4. Don’t buy the Cespedes hype just yet.

The A’s handed $36 million to a guy who hasn’t seen major league pitching, lost his job on the Cuban national team to Leonys Martin and may or may not be a legit centerfielder. (It’s hard to imagine he is a good enough centerfielder to push Coco Crisp to a corner.) Cespedes has received so much hype because he is impressive in workouts and has this element of mystery because he left Cuba. One executive compared him to Marlon Byrd — not exactly your franchise player

Cespedes, 26, is a free swinger with power, so you can expect many strikeouts this spring as well as a couple of jaw-dropping home runs in the light air of Arizona. (But wait until he sees the ballpark in Oakland.) Cespedes is going to need some time, perhaps even a bit in the minors.

5. The quality of the next free agent class will be determined now.

The best players who might be on the market come November are Josh Hamilton of Texas, Cole Hamels of Philadelphia, Matt Cain of San Francisco and Zack Greinke of Milwaukee. The time is now for their clubs to lock them up with extensions. Otherwise, as Pujols reminded us last year, the closer a star gets to the free agent process the closer he is to walking out the door.

6. The balance of power remains shifted toward the AL.

Of the six most expensive signings this winter, five of them were by AL teams: Pujols by the Angels, Fielder by the Tigers, CC Sabathia by the Yankees, C.J. Wilson by the Angels and Darvish by the Rangers. (Jose Reyes by the Marlins is the NL exception.)

The Rangers and Angels are waging a Yankees-Red Sox kind of warfare when it comes to spending money and competing for a division title. The Tigers made the kind of impulsive vanity buy — $214 million for Fielder only after Victor Martinez wrecked his knee — typically associated with New York and Boston.

The AL is more top-heavy; the NL is more unpredictable and has more parity. Let’s hope commissioner Bud Selig, with 14 days before the deadline, can secure the expanded postseason for this year to bring more teams into play. And let’s just say that more quality teams in the AL have been left out of postseason play over the years than have NL teams. Here is a quick rundown of teams that won 90 games over the past 10 years:

7. Get ready for a ton of stories to come out of the manager’s office regarding Red Sox and Marlins coverage.

In Valentine and Guillen, Boston and Miami hired veteran managers with strong personalities who not only can be blunt, but also are skillful at sending messages and defining narratives through the media. Though the Red Sox don’t have an everyday shortstop and have to live down the great chicken-and-beer September fest of 2011, and the Marlins need to convert Hanley Ramirez to third base and keep Josh Johnson healthy, the personality of those teams will be defined by the managers.

8. Pay no attention to spring training results.

The Cardinals and Rangers played losing baseball in spring training last year and wound up in the World Series. Four of the top five teams last year as ranked by spring training winning percentage didn’t sniff the playoffs: the Royals, Giants, Rockies and Twins, the champions of the Grapefruit League who turned out to be awful.

9. The Rockies think age is the new market inefficiency.

Colorado added Michael Cuddyer, 32, Jeremy Guthrie, 32, Mark Ellis, 34, Ramon Hernandez, 35, Marco Scutaro, 35, Casey Blake, 37, and Jamie Moyer, 49, to a roster that includes Todd Helton, 37, and Jason Giambi, 40.

The NL West, with its bigger ballparks and comparable payrolls, for years has been a free-for-all. Three different teams have won the division in the past three years (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Arizona) and a fourth (San Diego) won it six years ago. The Rockies? They never have finished in first place. This is their 20th season. Well, this winter they did win this: they handed out the biggest free agent contract in the division — $31.5 million to Cuddyer.

10. Pray for the good health of your favorite team’s rotation.

We can talk all we want about tweaking a team around the edges, finding the perfect batting order, building a deep bullpen, having "character" guys in the clubhouse, mining advanced metrics or extracting good mojo from a uniform redesign, but nothing is more important to a championship season than having your top five starters take the ball as many times as possible. It really is that simple.

Over the past four seasons, 11 teams have had four starters make at least 30 starts. Ten of those teams made the playoffs, including six that wound up in the World Series — that’s 75 percent of pennant winners from 2008-11. Here are the teams with four pitchers to make 30 starts since 2008:

11. Try to find the next Lance Berkman.

Everybody loves comebacks, and this spring is full of possibilities. Wainwright, Josh Johnson of the Marlins, Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox, Tommy Hanson of the Braves and Johan Santana of the Mets all are important pitchers looking for a healthy spring.

Catcher Buster Posey of the Giants (broken leg) and outfielder Jason Heyward of the Braves (.227 average) are battling for the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award just two years after they finished 1-2 in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Neftali Feliz (as a starter) will try to bounce back from blowing World Series Game 6, in which he needed only one strike to bring Texas its first championship. Manny Ramirez (currently unemployed) is trying to come back from a second drug penalty. Ichiro Suzuki, at age 38, is trying to come back from hitting .272. Crawford, recovering from wrist surgery and an awful debut season in Boston, still is mending. The comebacks of pitchers we used to know as Leo Nuñez and Fausto Carmona will occur, if at all, under their actual names.

Then there is poor Adam Dunn of the White Sox, trying to come back from one of the worst years in history (.159).

12. Always remember this: it’s a very, very long season.

The 2010 Giants were six games out of the playoffs as late as Aug. 28. The 2011 Cardinals were 10 ½ games out of the playoffs as late as Aug. 24. Both teams became World Series champions.

Don’t like the way your team looks this spring? Think your club needs another starter, a better closer or another bat? No problem. World championship teams can be made on the fly, not in the winter. Five of the 24 players St. Louis used in the World Series were in other organizations at the All-Star break. The Cardinals took an eraser to their spring plans to use Ryan Theriot at shortstop, Colby Rasmus in centerfield and Franklin as the closer. The changes, they proved, just keep on coming.

Story By: All Things Considered

In a victory for the White House, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed an extension of the payroll tax cut on Friday after weeks of refusal. Host Mary Louise Kelly speaks with James Fallows of The Atlantic about the political reasoning behind the vote ref.

Dubai: Victoria Azarenka admits that her bid to win two Middle East tournaments in as many weeks is an emotional one as the young Belarusian returns to Dubai where she nearly quit the game a year ago.

This time last year, the 22-year-old from Minsk thought she would quit the women’s tour after early defeats in Doha and Dubai.

But after achieving one of the most astonishing turn-arounds in the modern game, she returns to the region as a stunning new world number one.

Azarenka is top seed both at this week’s Qatar Classic, where last year she lost in the first round to Daniel Hantuchova, and at next week’s Dubai Open, where she lost second round to Flavia Pennetta, and which starts tomorrow.

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Story By: Fresh Air from WHYY

Actress Michelle Williams was recently nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in Blue Valentine. In Meek’s Cutoff, she plays a bold settler named Emily Tetherow.

This interview was originally broadcast on April 14, 2011. Michelle Williams just received a Best Actress nomination for her performance in My Week With Marilyn.

Kelly Reichardt’s frontier drama Meek’s Cutoff opens in the year 1845, on the wide-open plains of Oregon, where a wagon team of three families has set out on a journey along the Oregon Trail. After their guide, a suspicious man named Stephen Meek, tells them about a shortcut across the Oregon desert, the settlers, led by Michelle Williams and Paul Dano, become lost.

Williams joins Fresh Air‘s Terry Gross for a discussion about the film, a dusty Western with long, sweeping shots of the landscape and virtually no dialogue.

‘Meek,’ ‘Creek,’ And Michelle Williams, Buster Of Cultural Myths

Ryan Gosling: Fully Immersed In ‘Blue Valentine’

On her improvisational acting opposite Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine

“I think with that kind of improvisation, the camera’s there to catch it, which is why when we were working the way we were working, we never worked on the script. We never explored the scenes or the beats or talked about what it was about or what it meant. All of our world circled around it, like a line around its prey, waiting to pounce. Because you only have to get that right once — and when the camera is on, ideally.”

On working on Blue Valentine

“It felt like such a rare opportunity and one that … I know I’ll probably never have again. … I have dreamed [of] working [that way] since I was a kid because it was such a throwback. When I read all of those biographies of Marlon Brando and James Dean and this idea of the method, it was so alluring to me and it really got a hold of the 13-year-old me. So I’d had a longtime desire to experiment with that way of working, and this fulfilled it.”

On rejection

“I think that’s the most dangerous part [of the business] and why it’s something I wouldn’t want for my own daughter, family or friends, because that rejection really leaves its mark on you.”

On getting a GED when she was 15

“I feel like I missed out on a good education, but it’s a trade-off. The plus is that then afforded me 6.5 years of practice, of work and acting class, being on Dawson’s Creek and being able to experiment and say, ‘Am I better when I know all of my lines, and I’ve really known them?’ or ‘Am I better when I’m kind of off-balance a little bit because I’m tired?’ It’s that Malcolm Gladwell thing of 10,000 hours [to achieve proficiency in a subject]. I definitely have 10,000 hours in front of a camera, thanks to that show. So I got a different kind of education, but I do find myself — now I’m 30 — feeling frustrated with the limitations of my own mind.”

On legally emancipating herself from her parents at age 15

“It was done for work. There was a notion that it makes you more appealing because you don’t have to pay for a teacher or guardian on set, and you can work the same number of hours as an adult. … It got me Dawson’s Creek. All the other kids were 18, and I was 16 when I got the show. And I don’t think I would have been hired had I been a minor. But there’s obviously a lot of danger in that — a kid on their own on a film set [which are] very adult places.”

February 16
Michael Roach
7pm-8pm

Michael Roach sings and plays guitar in an East Coast style of blues that dates back to the 1920s. After spending several years learning directly from such well-known figures as John Jackson, John Cephas and Jerry Ricks, Roach has developed his own style and is now an exceptional performer. He interacts with his audience and entertains as he plays.

Acoustic Alchemy
8.30pm-10pm

Formed in England in the early 1980s, Acoustic Alchemy have pushed the limits of the acoustic guitar’s potential by embracing a spectrum of musical styles ranging from straight jazz to folk to rock to world music and beyond. In the two and a half decades since their earliest recordings, the group has assembled and sustained a vast and loyal following that stretches well beyond their UK origins.

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Story By: by Ann Powers

The improbable pair of country star Taylor Swift and rapper Nicki Minaj sitting together at the Staples Center Sunday night.

Everyone hated it, but everyone watched it. That seems to be the takeaway from this year’s Grammy Awards telecast. Top critics called the program discordant, bloated and full of fumbles. The Internet belched in frustration as the Foo Fighters (nice guys, but overplayed) and Chris Brown (problematic, to say the least) made multiple appearances. Yet people tuned in — boy, did they tune in — and kept watching all the way through the Paul McCartney-led five-man effort to resuscitate rock that was the finale.

So what gives? Are we who tune in to these entertainment industry beauty pageants simply connoisseurs of television-induced torture? Or was there a way in which the 2012 Grammys show worked, despite (or even because of) the weird combo numbers, the stretches of incoherent spectacle and the dearth of awards presented?

Here’s what I think: the difference lay in the devices viewers cradled in hand or lap.

I’m talking about mobile phones and laptops — the instruments that allow entry to the magically reactive realm of social media. It’s been a while since media trend followers first identified Twitter (and, for some, Facebook) as a source of renewed interest in awards shows. This year’s Grammys struck me as the first major event designed, at least in part, to cash in on that trend.

17 performances crammed into four broadcast hours touched upon nearly every potential viewer/Tweeter’s favorite style of pop, though Bon Iver‘s reticence created a gap where indie was concerned, and it would have been nice if Latin music, suffering from the recent cutbacks in awards categories, had received some airtime. Many were the wacky, genre-hopping collaborations that producer Ken Ehrlich has long preferred. (Think that’s new? Behold this one from 2006.)

The show was also jam-packed with controversial bookings, notably Brown’s and the odd, rockist tribute to electronic dance music; “historic moments” including the Beach Boys reunion and Glen Campbell appearance and real news, topped by Adele’s comeback after throat surgery.

Instead of even trying to structure this wild array into a coherent narrative, the show’s creators opted for an utterly non-linear, rapid-fire approach that juxtaposed acts from opposite ends of the pop music spectrum. Bruce Springsteen and Bruno Mars are both ebullient performers, but the Boss’s gritty, political anthem rock and the Smeezingtons’ shiny Broadway-flavored soul are hair oil and water, affect-wise. Taylor Swift‘s gingham tribute to O Brother, Where Art Thou was bookended by Brown’s videogame-inspired dance routine and Katy Perry’s sci-fi erotica.

Adele Sweeps The Grammy Awards

We all well know that this is how mainstream pop music survives in the single-download age. No one style dominates, and as artists compete for attention, they’re turning ever more hyperbolic. At the Grammys, this was best illustrated by Nicki Minaj’s wild debut of the title track from her upcoming second album, Roman Holiday. A tribute to The Exorcist that more closely recalled a florid Dario Argento horror opera, the number included mock clergy, levitation and Minaj singing “I Feel Pretty” in an accent that would horrify Downton Abbey admirers. “Roman Holiday” sent the Twitterverse into hysterics. And it’s impossible to think that wasn’t part of the reason it was approved.

Neck-breaking variety kept those of us sharing the night on social media engaged, excited and frequently enraged. Never did the show lag into a predictable rhythm, despite the fact that the unscripted part of the show — the contest for Grammy statues — were a foregone conclusion. The major wins by Adele, the industry-beloved Foo Fighters and even dance music leprechaun Skrillex, well-augured by the media, came to pass. Bon Iver accepted the prize for Best New Artist, and was uncomfortable doing so. I could have written those last two sentences a week ago; I knew what was coming.

Instead of tapping into the anticipatory mood that greets most public contests, the Grammy telecast encouraged Tweeters to participate in a parallel awarding process based on snap judgments of the performances and grounded in personal taste. Twitter, after all, is like a T-shirt whose slogan you can keep changing: every new tap of the keyboard trumpets your tastes.

Love classic pop? The Grammys gave you a chance to gush about Joe Walsh and Brian Wilson. Don’t get Deadmau5? Hey, there he is! Slap out an incredulous 140 characters. Tweeters live to spout, and spout they did, as proven by the night’s most popular roundups from the platform — some of which were hilarious (“who is Bonnie Bear?”), others, disturbing. Never did my feed read, “This is boring,” because the Grammys left no space for ennui.

The placement of controversial elements similarly kept stimulation levels high. Brown’s heavy presence was foremost among them: since his assault on ex-girlfriend Rihanna after a pre-Grammy party three years ago, the R&B star has become one of pop’s most contentious characters. The show’s producer, Ehrlich, has expressed the view that enough time had passed, and Brown deserved a “second chance.” Yet to play that return so strongly, with two featured numbers augmenting an award win, is to craft a mini-narrative that guarantees intense reaction.

The folks I follow on Twitter hurled their disgust at every glimpse of Brown. Elsewhere, his fans shouted support — most upsetting were the women who made light of his history of abuse by declaring their willingness to have him beat them. Were these responses serious? I pray not. Their rawness and insensitivity seemed more like a drunken football chant than a well-considered apology for Team Breezy.

Maybe I’m being cynical, but the Grammy double-shot of Brown struck me as a ploy to keep both fans and haters on boil. The Foo Fighters’ ubiquity was more benign, yet also pointedly attention-getting. Dave Grohl has been mouthing off in favor of “real rock” over electronic pop enhancements for months, if not years. To put a guy guaranteed to make a speech dripping in disdain for synthesizers in a segment dedicated to celebrating them was maniacally brilliant. Twitter went … oh, you know.

Some might criticize the disjointed, all-peaks mood of the Grammys as a matter of poor design, just as others have protested the elimination of many categories as yet another step away from meaningful influence. I think it’s more deliberate.

Two strong conventional narrative arcs could have dominated the telecast: Adele’s return and expected sweep, and the mourning of Whitney Houston. One was available from the start; the other arose suddenly. Decisions were obviously made, however, to prevent either from dominating the evening. Host LL Cool J‘s opening prayer for Houston established a calm mood that extended to Jennifer Hudson’s performance of the late star’s signature song. Adele’s fine turn on “Rolling In the Deep” was almost upstaged by the bigger number that followed it — the lively and sweet country tribute to the ailing Glen Campbell, who also appeared.

This is what Twitter does to us; it makes us crave the next amazing thing just after we’ve consumed the last one. Any pause to absorb unfolding events offers a chance for observers to turn away. This year’s Grammys made sure that didn’t happen. Should we be dismissive of this? Only if we’re willing to put down our smart phones.

Red fish, also known as red drum, red bass or channel bass are a well known fish for Key West fishing charters that fish the backcountry plus the flats of Key West. Red fish is usually discovered in the estuaries and brackish rivers all along the Eastern coast with the United States from Maine down Key West. They’re discovered all about Key West, up through the Gulf of Mexico and as far because the Northern parts of Mexico. The larger fish will stay much more out in the deeper channels and may even be discovered on the reefs.

Red fish are frequently pretty modest, weighing 8 to ten lbs. but catching a 40 lb. red fish is not uncommon. The biggest red fish on record weighed in at 94 lbs. So as you’re able to see, even though they are generall pretty modest, red fish, specifically about Key West can get pretty huge.

Your optimum bet for catching red fish could be the by taking advantage with the backcountry Key West fishing charters. As you may anticipate, you frequently catch red fish in shallow water. You are frequently going to look in the modest channels among the mangrove trees. You will prefer to make an effort to fish in an outgoing tide when the fish are moving out into the channels and bays toward the ocean. To catch the bigger fish, stay out in the deeper channels. Appear for locations that show signs of bait. You are searching for minnows, fish jumping and for birds that happen to be hunting for modest fish and crustacians. Make an effort to find oyster bars and estuaries that flow out of marshes. These are outstanding locations to locate red fish. When you fish for 15 or 20 minutes in a spot and don’t get a bite, move on and try somewhere else.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Fat Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras. No matter what you call it, the last day before Lent’s 40 days of repentance (between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday) brings out a wild side in populations around the world.

As the party season of carnival nears its end, events heat up and online travel adviser Cheapflights offers its top 10 list of places to enjoy a last fling with hedonism before it’s over for 2012. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

1. Mardi Gras – New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Thousands of tourists flood The Big Easy annually for Mardi Gras in New Orleans, deemed “the biggest free party on earth.” The entire city loosens its (already loose) reins, and douses itself with endless strings of beads, colorful floats and costumes to celebrate the naughtiest time of year. Floats of all sizes roll through the streets in spectacular parades for two weeks prior to Mardi Gras. Endymion (Saturday), Bacchus (Sunday), Orpheus (Monday), Zulu (Tuesday morning) and Rex (Tuesday night) are the most famous of the parades, drawing rowdy attendees to partake in song and dance free of inhibition.

2. Carnival of Binche – Binche, Belgium

It’s an honor for a man from Binche to be picked to join the Gilles on Shrove Tuesday. Gilles are clown-like performers – dressed in fanciful costumes, wax masks and plumed hats – who dance throughout the city starting in the wee hours and lasting through the night. The 1,000-plus men are the centerpiece of Binche’s carnival, named a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

3. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival – Trinidad and Tobago

Its vibrant history and French roots set the tone for Trinidad and Tobago’s most significant celebration each year: Carnival. The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday draw the Caribbean destination’s population to the streets to show off elaborate costumes that groups take months to create. Bands compete against one another for the title of Band of the Year as individuals vie to become Calypso Monarch, one of the greatest honors in the country.

4. Carnival of Brazil – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

There’s really no comparison when it comes to Carnival celebrations when Rio is thrown in the mix. Brazilians take their weeks before Lent very seriously, putting on large-scale parades and festivities that in 2011 drew nearly 5 million people. The most famous holiday in Brazil features samba schools, or large groups of dancers and performers, who build spectacular floats and compete in one of seven divisions based on music, costumes and theme. Individual neighborhoods more and more are seeing smaller-scale parades, blocos, which feature drum parades, samba and other high-octane sights and sounds.

5. Mardi Gras – Sydney, Australia

Sydney takes the opportunity during pre-Lent celebrations to support its LGBT community through more than 60 must-attend events at Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The most popular spectacle, of course, is the evening parade down Oxford and Flinders streets. Other musts on the lineup include drag races on Bondi Beach, Fair Day at Victoria Park, a sunset cruise, and a harbor-side dance party on Sydney Harbor.

6. Notting Hill Carnival – London, United Kingdom

It’s not until August, but London is the place to be in 2012. Though the Olympics will be most folks’ focus, the Notting Hill Carnival will come a close second for more than a million visitors. Trinidadian and Tobagonian Brits lead the charge, directing musicians and participants clad in colorful costumes through Notting Hill’s narrow streets. Claustrophobic travelers should consider staying home – Caribbean-flavored festival lassos large crowds over the course of two – typically hot – summer days.

7. Quebec Winter Carnival – Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

Quebec City comes to life every February for the Quebec Winter Festival. Outdoor sports like snowboarding and dog sledding, snow sculpture contests and masquerade balls are all on the schedule each year as Canadians celebrate a winterized version of Carnival. Visitors bundle up during the coldest time of year for a reason: zip lines, concerts and ice skating make for tons of fun for kids and adults alike. Like with most pre-Lent celebrations, the parades – both during the day and at night – are the highlight of Quebec’s ode to Carnival.

8. Carnival of Venice – Venice, Italy

Beginning 40 days before Easter, thousands of Venetians and visitors to the City of Water alike disguise themselves in ornamental masks, a site to be seen for anyone planning a trip to Italy. What used to blur the lines among social classes has evolved into a festival that could rival any other Carnival in the world. Fashion designers from around the globe sit on a panel to vote for “la maschera piu bella” or “the best mask” as events like the silent water parade and the Flight of the Angel take place across the city.

9. Mardi Gras – Universal Studios, Orlando, Florida, USA

Though Orlando may not be the first town that comes to mind when you think of Mardi Gras, Universal Studios puts on a celebration of beads and live music that the whole family can enjoy. For nearly two months on Saturdays and certain nights, the park entertains with headliners like Kelly Clarkson, and dishes up Cajun treats like jambalaya and shrimp gumbo – a wonderful homage to New Orleans’ French Quarter.

10. Carnival – Montevideo, Uruguay

Uruguayans have the longest Carnival celebration in the world, letting loose for more than 40 days every year, most vibrantly in the country’s capital, Montevideo. Theaters throughout the city are assembled and locals take to the stage to present the social and political climate of the country through operas known as tablados. Taking the real spotlight, though, are two colorful parades where musicians show their skills – and African roots – through the drum-based rhythm known as candombe.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

Obama Raises $29 Million In January

To catch cobia you will desire a reasonably powerful rod and reel. Cobia put up a quite high quality fight and are known to destroy light, lowcost tackle. You will want 200 yards or more of 20 to 30 lb. test line on your reel having a 3′ to 4′ 40 to 50 lb. shock leader. Use a 4/0 to 7/0 short shank hook. You are able to troll with spinner lures and use smaller tackle. Just understand, the cobia is a powerful fighting fish and he can tear tacke up quite badly.

When a cobia strikes the bait he’ll hit it having a bit of force and when he realizes he’s been hooked he’ll put up a quite high quality fight. There’s no magic trick to hooking them though, just wait a second or so and yank the line.

They’re notorious for spitting the hook when you make an effort to pull them in to the boat. Make sure to use a gaff or possibly a net. Whenever you do get him in to the boat beware from the spikes sticking up out of his back among his head and dorsal fin. He can retract them and then suddenly stab you with them and they hurt

Taking into account the time of year, you’ll be able to book near any from the Key West fishing charters to catch cobia for the reason that they’re able to be located near anywhere. They’re not to difficult to uncover and not too difficult to catch. You’re more most likely to locate them though if Key West fishing you book a fishing charter that goes in to the Gulf of Mexico as opposed to the Atlantic or towards the primary reef South of Key West.