So where are you going for summer holidays? Is it going to a camping trip, a trip to the lake, maybe some relaxing time at home reading, or something more exotic like travel abroad… or even further? Not everyone has the luxury of a holiday. However for those that do it can be a time to relax and rejuvenate the spirit.

There is no end of suggestions of what to do and where to go for a summer holiday when you Google the term “summer holiday”.  And those suggestions vary depending from which country you are doing your search. Overall the searches seem to relate to price and family. Tour operators, countries, cities, towns and villages are all creating “unique” get always for summer holidays.

But what do you think would be the ultimate summer holiday? Where could you go that very few people have gone before? Well what going on a space travel holiday? The space tourism is industry is officially open for  business.

I read an interesting article about space travel in an article published in www.science.howstuffworks.com/space-tourism. Here is a part of that article that you may find interesting:

“Initially, space tourism will offer meager accommodations at best. For instance, if the International Space Station is used as a tourist attraction, guests won’t find the posh surroundings of a hotel room on Earth. It has been designed for conducting research, not entertainment. However, the first generation of space hotels should offer tourists a much more comfortable experience.

In regard to a concept for a space hotel initially planned by Space Island, such a hotel could offer guests every perk they might find at a hotel on Earth, and some they might not. The small gravitational pull created by the rotating space city would allow space-tourists and residents to walk around and function normally within the structure. Everything from running water to a recycling plant to medical facilities would be possible. Additionally, space tourists would even be able to take space walks.

Many of these companies believe that they have to offer an extremely enjoyable experience in order for passengers to pay thousands, if not millions of dollars to ride into space. So will space create another separation between the haves and have-nots? In the next section, you’ll find out if you’ll be able to go to space even if you don’t have a million dollars to spend on a vacation.

Will space be an exotic retreat reserved for only the wealthy? Or will middle-class folks have a chance to take their families to space? Make no mistake about it, going to space will be the most expensive vacation you ever take. Prices right now are in the tens of millions of dollars. Currently, the only vehicles that can take you into space are the space shuttle and the Russian Soyuz, both of which are terribly inefficient. Each spacecraft requires millions of pounds of propellant to take off into space, which makes them expensive to launch. One pound of payload costs about $10,000 to put into Earth orbit.

Since the beginning of the space race, the general public has said, “Isn’t that great — when do I get to go?” Well, our chance might be closer than ever. Within the next 20 years, space planes could be taking off for the Moon at the same frequency as airplanes flying between New York and Los Angeles.”

We are off on our own holidays for August … but not into space … at least not yet. See you in September.

And remember, if you decided to take a space travel holidays in the future, don’t forget to take your Spacelocker with you.

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We hope you are enjoying your summer. The sun is shining bright all over the world and raising the temperatures ever higher. The lakes, rivers and ocean beaches are full of swimmers and sunbathers trying to keep cool.

But it is important not to overdo it as too much sun and too much heat can be dangerous for a person’s health. At medicinenet.com they have offered 15 tips to help people stay cool in the summer:

“1.    Alter your pattern of outdoor exercise to take advantage of cooler times (early morning or late evening). If you can’t change the time of your workout, scale it down by doing fewer minutes, walking instead or running, or decreasing your level of exertion.

2.    Wear loose-fitting clothing, preferably of a light color.

3.    Cotton clothing will keep you cooler than many synthetics.

4.    Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.

5.    Fans can help circulate air and make you feel cooler even in an air-conditioned house.

6.    Try storing lotions or cosmetic toners in the refrigerator to use on hot, overtired feet.

7.    Keep plastic bottles of water in the freezer; grab one when you’re ready to go outside. As the ice melts, you’ll have a supply of cold water with you.

8.    Take frequent baths or showers with cool or tepid water.

9.    Combat dehydration by drinking plenty of water along with sports drinks or other sources of electrolytes.

10.    Some people swear by small, portable, battery-powered fans. At an outdoor event I even saw a version that attaches to a water bottle that sprays a cooling mist.

11.    I learned this trick from a tennis pro: if you’re wearing a cap or hat, remove it and pour a bit of ice cold water into the hat, then quickly invert it and place on your head.

12.    Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these will promote dehydration.

13.    Instead of hot foods, try lighter summer fare including frequent small meals or snacks containing cold fruit or low fat dairy products. As an added benefit, you won’t have to cook next to a hot stove.

14.    If you don’t have air-conditioning, arrange to spend at least parts of the day in a shopping mall, public library, movie theater, or other public space that is cool. Many cities have cooling centers that are open to the public on sweltering days.

15.    Finally, use common sense. If the heat is intolerable, stay indoors when you can and avoid activities in direct sunlight or on hot asphalt surfaces. Pay special attention to the elderly, infants, and anyone with a chronic illness, as they may dehydrate easily and be more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Don’t forget that pets also need protection from dehydration and heat-related illnesses too.”

So if you are out with your friends enjoying the warm summer days, be sure to think about the above 15 ways to keep cool.

And if you really want to be cool during the summer, login to Spacelocker.com and join all the “cool” Spacemates for some summer fun.

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I am sure you are now aware that Spain has won the 2010 World cup in a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands. All of us at Spacelocker send out our sincerest congratulations to the Spanish footballers. Even though it was a low score, it was an exciting game. Some said the Dutch played “dirty football”. I say that with that much at stake, both sides played with extreme enthusiasm and a desire to win — after all this was the World Cup not a tea party!

And our friend Paul the octopus maintained its perfect record. Not only did it correctly predict the outcome of Germany’s 3-2 victory over Uruguay in the consolation round; it correctly predicted Spain would triumph over the Dutch in the World Cup final.

Paul the octopus is so loved by the Spanish that the Madrid zoo has made an offer to Sea Life Aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany to transfer Paul to the Spanish zoo. However the German aquarium has rejected the transfer bid and said that Paul will stay where it is.

After the overtime Spanish victory, the celebrations started all over Spain. It was a perfect time for this as well. It is normal for the Spanish to go out and only begin to party after 11 p.m. From Madrid to Barcelona to the little villages scattered all over the country, the Spanish partied like never before. Their football team was now a world power in the sport. In 2008 they had won the European Cup. Now the World Cup. It is heady times for all Spanish football fans.

And now almost a week after the drama of World Cup tournament, South Africa is assessing the tournaments impact on the country. And that impact is mostly positive. Yes it was a huge cost, and yes not everyone in South Africa benefited directly from FIFA agreeing to hold the World Cup in South Africa; but the country has undergone a transformation. It is proud of what it accomplished and what it showed to the world. As many ordinary South Africans said when interviewed, they now feel they are part of the world community. That kind of feeling cannot be measured in money … but it will definitely change South Africa for the better.

If you want to feel a sense of belonging, join the many Spacemates at Spacelocker.com.

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Such has been the popularity of its selections that many world news organizations are covering the results. TV channels have even done live broadcast of Paul’s predictions.

But can an octopus really predict such things as the outcome of a football game? Well the results speak for themselves. People at the aquarium certainly think Paul is psychic. They said he has 9 brains and 3 hearts and therefore can “compute” all the energy of the moment surrounding the teams. Although the octopus has no spine, it seems it is ready to “put its neck on the line” and predict the winner.

So what does Paul say for the final? Will it be Netherlands or Spain? Many, many punters are eagerly awaiting its prediction. And I am sure will place their bets accordingly.

And they got their answer yesterday in a live broadcast from the aquarium. Paul is predicting that Spain will win the 2010 World Cup. It seems the Netherlands are not worried however. In fact many of the Dutch fans have already been circulating calamari recipes to all their friends.

So on Sunday we will see whether the Dutch can prove that Paul the Octopus’s physic expertise is confined to his German roots or whether his prophetic tentacles can spread to outside the octopus’s country origins. It is going to be an exciting match … no matter what the outcome.

And if you want to find out what others think about Paul the octopus, sign up to Spacelocker and start some  Spacelocker friendships.

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We searched the internet and found that the worldcupblog.org has tried to identify each of the 32 team’s nicknames. Here is the list:

Algeria – Les Fennecs (The Desert Foxes)
Argentina – Albicelestes (White and Sky blue)
Australia – Socceroos
Brazil – Seleção (The Selection). Also Canarinhos (Little Canary) and Verde e Amarelo (Green and Yellow).
Cameroon – Lions Indomptables (Indomitable Lions)
Chile – La Roja (The Red)
Cote d’Ivoire – Les Éléphants (The Elephants)
Denmark – Olsens Elleve (Olsen’s Eleven) – In honour of popular head coach Morten Olsen.
England – The Three Lions – From the FA crest.
France – Les Bleus (The Blues)
Germany – National Mannschaft (National Team) or DFB Elf (DFB Eleven) or National Elf (National Eleven). The nickname Die Mannschaft (the team) is only used by non-German media.
Ghana – The Black Stars
Greece – To Piratiko (The Pirate Ship) – Since Euro 2004. But another common nickname is apparently Galanoleyki, though I have no idea what that means.
Honduras – Los Catrachos which is apparently how other Central Americans refer to Hondurans. Also La H (The H) – The crest is a large H, which looks extremely cool on the shirt..
Italy – Azzurri (Sky Blues)
Japan – Blue Samurai
Mexico – El Tri (after the three colours or “tricolor” on the Mexican flag).
Netherlands – Oranje
North Korea – Chollima (some sort of mythical horse)
New Zealand – All Whites (rugby union team are the All Blacks)
Nigeria – Super Eagles
Paraguay – La Albirroja (The White-Red) or Guaraní (an indigenous people)
Portugal – Selecção das Quinas (Team of the Five Shields) – Referring to the five shields on the FA crest. I think.
Serbia – Beli Orlovi (White Eagles) – Referring to the white double headed eagle on the Serbia coat of arms.
Slovakia – Repre (at least according to Wikipedia, but there’s no explanation as to what this means).
Slovenia – Zmajceki (Dragons) – Because there’s a dragon on the crest of capital city Ljubljana.
South Africa – Bafana Bafana (The Boys)
South Korea – Taeguk Warriors. Fans are often called The Red Devils.
Spain – La Furia Roja (Red Fury)
Switzerland – Schweizer Nati
United States – Often referred to as the MNT (Men’s National Team) or The Yanks.
Uruguay – La Celeste (The Sky Blue)

Although the World Cup is winding down and it is now in the knock out rounds, all the teams will be talked about for years. And in many cases these teams will be referred to by their nicknasmes. Now you will know who they are talking about.

Why not sign up on Spacelocker with your own personal nickname. Have fun meeting new friends from around the world.

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It was a first-round encounter between John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France, with Chair Umpire Mohamed Lahyani. After 11 hours, five minutes and 183 games – spread across three days – the longest tennis match in history finally ended at 4.48pm on June 24, 2010 with Isner beating the Mahut 70 to 68 in the final set.

Although tennis appears to many to be a “gentle” game, this match in fact showed just how “tough” the players in the sport have to be. Andy Murray, the British Number 1 tweeted “This is why tennis is one of the toughest sports in the world, this will never ever be matched again”. His comments were endorsed by tennis champions and fans from all over the globe.

The statistics for the 11 hours and five minutes match are incredible. The final score was 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68. The fifth set alone ran 8 hours, 11 minutes — 98 minutes more than the longest match on record.  There were 183 games, 980 points, 215 aces (Isner 112 and Mahut 103), 490 winners (Isner 246 Mahut 244)  and only three breaks of serve. Nicolas Mahut successfully served to stay in this gargantuan match 64 consecutive times.

When the match was over, although devastated by the loss, Nicolas Mahut said “We played the greatest match ever, in the greatest place to play tennis.” That is an understatement! John Isner was a true sportsman in victory. H e told the crowd “You know,” moments after the end of the match, “it stinks someone had to lose.”

This tennis match was not just a game to watch. It had some life lessons as well. It was about going the distance. Never giving up. Staying focused. Effectively using your talents. Calling on all your physical strength in pursuit of a goal. Being positive. Showing respect to others. These two competitors have a lot to be proud of for what they did on the tennis court. But I think what the match showed to others about how to live one’s life is an even greater legacy. As Winston Churchill said “never, never, never, give up” These words must have rang clear for Isner and Mahut for an incredible 11 hours and 5 minutes!

We can’t promise you will have such a long game with a Spacelocker friend, but you still may experience the same fun by connecting to one of the social games inside your locker at Spacelocker.com.

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So what is the vuvuzela? The definition for the vuvuzela (voo-voo-zeh-lah), sometimes called a “lepatata” (its Setswana name) or a stadium horn, provided in Wikipedia is a large, colourful plastic trumpet with the sound of a foghorn, approximately one metre in length, commonly blown by fans at football matches in South Africa. It is also used in other countries such as Mexico, Brazil, or Israel.

What is its history? The website vuvuzela.com says the vuvuzela is “rooted in African history as people would blow on a kudu horn to call villagers to a meeting. Adding to the appeal is the African folklore that “a baboon is killed by a lot of noise”, so the last quarter of a game sees even more frantic blowing of vuvuzelas as supporters try to “kill off” their opponents”.

The British press have been particularly critical of the vuvuzela… with headlines and stories like the following that appeared in the Guardian newspaper:
“Is the vuvuzela going to ruin your World Cup?
They may be big in South Africa, but one country’s plastic horn is another’s potentially tournament-ruining annoyance. The vuvuzela was irritating enough in a half-full stadium for England’s warm-up. It can only get worse. Is it too much for you to stand?”

On the other hand many non-English speaking countries heartily endorse the vuvuzela as an instrument to show fan support. I think its acceptance is cultural. Many fans from Latin America are blowing the vuvuzela until they are tototally exhausted. Why does the English press think it can tell another country how to watch a football match? Or for that matter other cultures. That kind of attitude is arrogant. Viva la vuvuzela.

Whatever football fans feelings are about the vuvuzela, there is no doubt it will forever make its mark in the history of the World Cup.

So come make some noise on Spacelocker and give your Spacelocker friend a vuvuzela gift.

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Arguably the biggest sporting event in the world…it is simply known as the “World Cup”. It is held every 4 years. This year it will include 32 nations from around the globe.  It will be played in 10 stadiums in 9 different cities  in the host nation of South Africa. The competition will last for 1 month, from June 11 to July 11, and will involved 64 matches.

The opening ceremonies will take place on June 11; after a showcase concert the night before. The former President of South Africa and one of the most respected people in the world, Nelson Mandela, even though he is now frail from age, is expected to attend. The hour-long opening ceremony will be broadcast live in more than 215 countries worldwide, with an expected global audience of 500 million. Some 85,000 of those will be at Soccer City to watch the event live.

Ten other interesting facts about the World Cup are:
•    Most appearances: Brazil – all 18
•    Most wins: Brazil – 5
•    Most winners-up: Germany – 4
•    Most final appearances: Brazil and Germany - 7 each
•    Most winners’ medals: Pelé Brazil – 3
•    Most goals scored: Ronaldo (Brazil 1998 – 2006) 15
•    Most goals in a tournament: Just Fontaine 13 (France, 1958)
•    Most goals in a match: Oleg Slanko (Russia vs Cameroon, 1994) - 5
•    Most wins as a coach: Vittorio Pozzo (Italy 1934 and 1938) – 2
•    Highest attended match 199 854 Uruguay vs Brazil, 16 July 1950 Maracana Stadium.

There are many world championships in sports; in basketball, baseball, ice hockey, etc. Most are held annually. Even football (or soccer as it is known in North America) has annual championships. But there is just one “World Cup”… it is the ultimate world title!

There is something uniquely special about the football World Cup. I think it is something more than just a series football games culminating in one winner. Football, in many cases it is about life. There are so many people around the world who benefit from these World Cups. And it is not just financially. Young people learn lessons from it, new friends are made, hearts are broken, tears are shed, and life literally stops when your favourite team is playing.

This year’s World Cup promises to be something special. It is the first time it has been held in the African Continent. Defending champion Italy has its work cut out for them. Three quarters of the world’s population is expected to watch at least part of it. And the challenges will begin today with first game between South Africa and Mexico. It should be exciting.

Meet your friends from around the world on Spacelocker and message each other throughout the tournament as to what you think about the games.

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However in the United States online betting is illegal.  So American citizens living in the U.S. are left to play their government run lotteries, or a few bets between friends.

An article in the drum.co.uk/news says that Latitude, U.K. based online gambling experts, predict that £500 million will be wagered online this year on the World Cup. That is a whapping 700% increase over the betting in the previous World Cup held in 2006 in Germany.

The article says the reason for this 700% rise in online gambling compared to the amount gambled during the previous tournament is because of the emergence of ‘laptop loungers’ who spend time consuming the internet on a laptop while watching TV.

Latitude is also predicting that England, Spain, Brazil and Argentine will be the most popular teams among English fans to be backed to win the tournament.

The article quotes Alex Hoye, chief executive officer of Latitude, as saying : “The media landscape has changed beyond all recognition since the last tournament four years ago. Football fans will even be able to watch the tournament while they are on the move with the streaming of games online which is set to encourage in-game betting to come to the fore.

Betting firms will be competing hard for deposits from regular and first time punters during the World Cup. It will be interesting to see which free bet creative’s and novelty bets tempt gamblers as gaming firms battle it out for a share of the market.”

So if you are not prohibited from betting online go to some of Spacelocker’s sponsors and get in on the fun of wagering on the world cup.

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And it is interesting to know who is playing social games. A recent survey found that 55% of social gamers are female and 45% are male. Females are more avid gamers, too; 38% of females said they play multiple times a day, but just 29% males said the same. Women are more likely to play with people they know (68% vs. 56% for males), and men are more likely to play with strangers (41% vs. 33%) than women are.

But what are social games? Why are they growing so rapidly? Nick O’Neill, in an article in socialtimes.com, looks at social games in general. He thinks that social games may be the next big thing on social networks. And his reasoning for this is that social games different from other games. He identifies what factors he believes differentiate social games from the others:
•    “Turn-based – A social game is not social unless you are playing with another person. As such, social games enable users to take turns. Turn-based games are nothing new but in the current environment, turn-based takes on a new meaning. Keep in mind that turn-based is not a requirement, just a frequent feature found in “social games”.
•    Awareness of others’ actions in games – I honestly believe this was the catalyst for “social gaming.” When you could see in your news feed that your friend just bit another one of your friends to turn them into a vampire, suddenly there was social context, making you more likely to interact with the game.
•    Casual gaming – “Social gaming” is not really for so called “hardcore gamers”. As it is currently referred to, social gaming is for the average user and not for someone who plans on playing 24 hours a day. Then again, that may be an unexpected side effect.
•    Multiplayer – This is a no brainer. You can’t be social without there being other people so whether it’s two or two hundred users, the game has to be multiplayer for it to be social.
•    Based on Social Platforms – The final component that I believe typifies “social games” is that they are based around social platforms. In the context of social gaming, social platforms provide users with an identity and also can provide the backbone for simple forms of communication (such as notifications, etc).”

Based on this the above factors O’Neill then proposes to define what social games are.  He says: “ Social games are a structured activity which has contextual rules through which users can engage with one another. Social games must be multiplayer and have one or more of the following features: turn-based, are based on social platforms for providing users with an identity and are casual.”

Whatever you think social games are, they are definitely here to stay and will grow at an explosive pace. Check out Spacelocker, we have a link to some of the most popular social games on the internet.

The Spacelocker Fleet.