| It's a Celebration: Best NFL Touchdown Rituals
But fans that fill stadiums on game day enjoy so much more than the dog-and-pony shows that take place in the end zone during those special moments when things are going right for their team. Indeed, they share in the tribal exuberance of celebrating en masse with their fellow fans. And over the years nearly every fan base has developed its own unique celebratory tradition to suit the personality of its team and the eccentricities of its stadium. Some fans have a special song they sing, chant they recite or rabble rouser they raise upon their shoulders. Others have their moments of exquisite joy punctuated by routines involving interaction with the players, house sound system or stadium special effects. While they're all special, here are ten of the more unique touchdown celebrations and rally cries (ranked in no particular order):
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Our experts look at the crystal ball for 2008
For smaller loans, it is often more cost-effective to have a slightly higher rate but lower costs and fees.My hot tip for borrowers next year is to opt above all for flexibility, as we could be facing uncertain times. Consider a tracker with no early redemption charges if you are taking out a new loan or remortgaging. The Bank of England dropped interest rates by 0.25% in December, but most indicators point to further cuts to come. The housing market is slowing in Scotland. Across the UK, the Nationwide Building Society and Halifax indicate that house prices in the UK dropped by between 0.8% and 1.1% in November. Most experts expect UK interest rates to slide a further 0.25% in the first quarter of 2008.This would mirror what has happened in the US, where interest rates have been reduced to combat the effects of their credit crunch.But this doesn't mean we will be out of the woods.
Telecoms M&A in emerging markets expected to remain hot
In 2007, 47% of telecom M&A deals took place in emerging markets, according to Thomson Financial. Deal activity unlikely to slowBut will tighter credit conditions, slower economic growth in many developed markets and a generally gloomier business climate put a curb on the appetite of telecom players for new assets?That is very unlikely, according to several industry observers in London to talk about the outlook for telecom deals in 2008 as well as their financing.Regional players, in particular, are in a stronger position than they were even a year ago, so that from prey, they could easily become predator.'The financial flexibility of regional operators, in fixed-line as well as in mobile, has not been impacted as much as that of Western operators by the credit market crisis,' said Erik Arveschoug, who heads the TMT corporate finance team of Citigroup for emerging markets.'There's still a lot of liquidity in Russia and the Middle East for mid-sized transactions,' he added.ABN Amro's Owston also believes that consolidation will continue, even though he predicts the dynamics will shift a bit.'It will be more difficult for Western players to buy emerging-market operators than for emerging market operators to buy each other,' he said.Yet Owston doesn't expect Western carriers to just stand by and watch.
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