Oh, Maria

Oh Maria!!! Maria Sharapova lost to Serena Williams 6-1 and 6-1 in Florida at the 2007 Sony Erickson Tennis Open yesterday.

Maria has just not looked good so far this year. Well she "looks" good, but she has just not played very good tennis.

32 Things To Do With Beer

Beer is so good that you should be able to do more with it than just drink it then flush it away. I'm bathing in it now, submerged in the sweet smell of Original Badebier Neuzeller Kloster-Brau, a German brew of 16th-century origin that costs $77 per 3-liter bottle. It's blacker than motor oil (and only slightly less viscous), but it's uncommonly delicious. In fact, after I had uncorked the bottle and sampled it, it seemed criminal to pour it into a tub of hot bathwater. This stuff is for my insides, not my outsides.

But when I punch on the Jacuzzi jets, my beer bath foams into an impressive head. Had I known about this possibility before, I would be the cleanest man in North America. After 20 minutes of soaking, I step out, heeding the brewer's advice to towel off without rinsing. I expect my skin to be tacky and tart-smelling, like a fraternity floor the morning after homecoming. But my wife buries her face in my chest and says I smell like fresh bread. The yeast — left in to soothe the skin — had made mine smooth and luxurious.

If Badebier weren't so expensive and difficult to obtain (international money orders or cash only to Neuzelle, Germany), I could become a bubble-bath addict.

The experience started me thinking about other possible uses for my favorite beverage. What if beer were like WD-40 — an indispensable product with hundreds of household uses? The next time your bride complains about all the room it's taking up in the fridge, you could argue that it's not just beer, it's lawn fertilizer, a necessary kitchen-safety tool, and an integral part of a chess set.

And, of course, research shows that, in moderation, drinking beer has significant health benefits. It's time, gentlemen, to make beer an even bigger part of our world. Here are 32 new reasons to love it.

1. BATHE IN IT Instead of sipping a beer, try soaking in it. Pour a bottle of German Badebier in the tub and lie back for a real bubble bath.

2. PUT OUT A FIRE Although certainly not as effective as a real fire extinguisher, a can or bottle of beer can mimic one if none is available. Simply shake and spritz. After all, beer is mostly water. This works on small grill flare-ups, and some people have been known to carry an emergency can in their car in case of engine fire. Or at least that's what they tell the state troopers.

3. MARINATE MEAT Beer is slightly acidic — and that makes it an excellent meat tenderizer, says Linda Omichinski, R.D., a nutritionist. This allows you to enjoy leaner cuts that otherwise might be too tough. Beer also won't alter the meat's flavor as much as wine- and vinegar-based marinades do. Poke a few holes in the meat, put it in a Tupperware container (we know you have them) or a large resealable bag, and add beer. (English ale is great for beef.) Marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or, better yet, overnight. Do not drink the marinade. ...Read more here...

Changing Malls

Across the country, many regional malls are languishing as shoppers are drawn by the gravitational force of super-regional mega-malls outfitted with restaurants, spas, movie theaters, gyms, supermarkets and, oh yes, stores. Or else they're ambling down the brick-lined streets of an outdoor "lifestyle center" that mimics the feel of a town square, with condominiums and office buildings nearby. The regional mall -- enclosed shopping centers between 400,000 to 800,000 square feet that proliferated through the 1970s and 1980s -- is becoming a relic of the past. Malls, which emerged in the 1950s with two stories of shopping anchored by department stores..

Most of the 20 shopping centers in the Washington D.C. area built in the 1970s and '80s with more than 400,000 square feet of leasable space were enclosed malls, including White Flint and Springfield Mall. Mazza Gallerie in the District was built in 1975 but is just under 300,000 square feet. Tysons Corner Center is the region's largest mall, with more than 2 million square feet, and was built in 1968.

But tastes changed. Enclosed malls gave way to open-air shopping centers that mix retailers, restaurants, residences and offices in one place. Only three shopping centers built in the Washington region since 1990 are enclosed.

Particularly vulnerable are regional malls, which generally have two or more anchors and draw shoppers from a radius of five to 15 miles. They have struggled with the popularity of new formats such as super-regional centers, with more than 800,000 square feet and at least three anchors; smaller, outdoor centers that include upscale national chains and restaurants; and power centers lined with big-box category killers such as Home Depot.. The problem of the regional mall has become so pervasive that it spawned a new buzzword, "de-malling."

The newest concept in "malls" is "mixed use", where the area is made-up of shopping, restaurants, parks and housing, ususally condos or town -houses. With walk-ways and open spaces the concept is to have "everything" the consumer needs or wants in one area.

Skywalk, No Thanks!!!

Grand Canyon West, a destination owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe at the Grand Canyon’s western rim, announces March 28, 2007 as the official public opening date of The Skywalk.

The Skywalk will be the first-ever cantilever shaped glass walkway to suspend more than 4,000 feet above the canyon’s floor and extend 70 feet from the canyon’s rim.

Maryland Terps Beat Duke and Heels

Maryland is suddenly looking like a team that nobody wants to play in March.

Mike Jones scored 25 points and D.J. Strawberry had a pair of baskets during a decisive second-half spurt Wednesday night to lead the 24th-ranked Terrapins past No. 14 Duke 85-77, giving the Terrapins their sixth straight victory.

Strawberry finished with 17 points for the Terps (23-7, 9-6 Atlantic Coast Conference), whose win streak (all in conference games) has firmed up what looked to be a shaky NCAA tournament resume only a few weeks ago. And the two most recent wins - including an 89-87 weekend victory against North Carolina - have the Terrapins dreaming big.

Three weeks ago, it was uncertain whether No. 24 Maryland would be in contention for the NCAA tournament this late in the season. But after collecting its sixth straight victory, Maryland (23-7, 9-6 ACC) enters the sport's defining month as one of the nation's hottest teams.

Over a 17-day span, the Terrapins have beaten Duke twice and North Carolina once. They have gone from a team with no margin for error to a program eyeing a strong seed in the NCAA tournament. And they will become the first team in ACC history to start 2-5 in conference play and finish with a winning record.