I'll pass on a huge commentary, I helped....I hope you can/will also.
Showing newest 37 of 66 posts from 2/1/09 - 3/1/09. Show older posts
Showing newest 37 of 66 posts from 2/1/09 - 3/1/09. Show older posts
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Alleged drug smuggler nabbed with cocaine cast
Okay with all of the negative things this week, I thought we needed some humor on the blog, it is a weekend after all.
Here are the details for today's storyboard.
Police in Madrid, Spain arrested a 66 year old Chilean man who attempted to smuggle drugs. I, personally am against drugs, but give the man kudo's for creativity at least.
He had them hidden in a cast for his leg (which really was broken). The cast was made of cocaine. Classic.
If that wasn't enough he also had cocaine hidden in six beer cans that were emptied, packed and resealed and also inside the tiny legs of two folding stools.
The man has pizazz I'll give him that.
He had about 11 pounds on him. That must be worth a lot on the street.
Oh one last thing, police aren't even sure if he broke it intentionally for the smuggling attempt. Maybe one of his fellow crooks said "Hey man, break a leg" to wish him good luck!!
Don't do drugs kids.
Here are the details for today's storyboard.
Police in Madrid, Spain arrested a 66 year old Chilean man who attempted to smuggle drugs. I, personally am against drugs, but give the man kudo's for creativity at least.
He had them hidden in a cast for his leg (which really was broken). The cast was made of cocaine. Classic.
If that wasn't enough he also had cocaine hidden in six beer cans that were emptied, packed and resealed and also inside the tiny legs of two folding stools.
The man has pizazz I'll give him that.
He had about 11 pounds on him. That must be worth a lot on the street.
Oh one last thing, police aren't even sure if he broke it intentionally for the smuggling attempt. Maybe one of his fellow crooks said "Hey man, break a leg" to wish him good luck!!
Don't do drugs kids.
Friday, March 6, 2009
This just in - Rihanna and CHris Brown Married
Holy Cow!!!!
Folks, I report what I know to be true, in this case......well, reliable sources say it is so.
Read on.....
Rihanna reportedly married Chris Brown during their trip to Miami, Florida.
According to the rumour mill, sources close to Rihanna have revealed that not only is she back with Chris Brown, after all of the assaults and paparazzi craziness but the two secretly married at Puff Diddy's (Sean Combs) Miami home. Star magazine reports that Brown proposed to Rihanna in Florida, while the two made up following their "little" domestic violence incident which occurred February 8.
The wedding ceremony was intimate, attended by only close friends and family.
The source revealed, "All she's ever wanted was to be with him forever. Rihanna is looking for the husband-and-two kids deal before she turns 25. She believes in fairytales, and she wants to live hers with Chris." The newlyweds are now planning on returning to Los Angeles together.
Good luck to you both.
I guess it's true, nothing can stop true love.
I wish them the best .... what else can we say?
Comments welcomed and encouraged.
Folks, I report what I know to be true, in this case......well, reliable sources say it is so.
Read on.....
Rihanna reportedly married Chris Brown during their trip to Miami, Florida.
According to the rumour mill, sources close to Rihanna have revealed that not only is she back with Chris Brown, after all of the assaults and paparazzi craziness but the two secretly married at Puff Diddy's (Sean Combs) Miami home. Star magazine reports that Brown proposed to Rihanna in Florida, while the two made up following their "little" domestic violence incident which occurred February 8.
The wedding ceremony was intimate, attended by only close friends and family.
The source revealed, "All she's ever wanted was to be with him forever. Rihanna is looking for the husband-and-two kids deal before she turns 25. She believes in fairytales, and she wants to live hers with Chris." The newlyweds are now planning on returning to Los Angeles together.
Good luck to you both.
I guess it's true, nothing can stop true love.
I wish them the best .... what else can we say?
Comments welcomed and encouraged.
The Next Airline Fee
What's next?
I just read this article about an airline company, Spirit which is thinking about charging a "passenger usage fee" — perhaps $5 to $10 per ticket — for the privilege of buying a ticket anyplace other than at Spirit's airport ticket counters.
The fee, designed to cover reservation-booking costs, will be part of Spirit's aggressive and edgy strategy, which doesn't always fly well with passengers, no kidding.
For now rival companies aren't looking at charging the same fee.....they will if it becomes profitable.
I mean come on, times are tough and that 10 bucks might be too much for people. I don't know about the rest of North America or the world for that matter but up here in Canada we have our train service plugging everywhere with cheaper rates to get folks to travel the rails and the airlines are lower prices not adding extra fee's.
Hell I'd take the train if I didn't have to travel 45 minutes to get to it.
Gotta love that stupid decision; take a train out of a city with 70,000 people and put it in city with 15,000.
Smart, huh.
Airline companies wake up and be smart. Extra fee's means less business.
I just read this article about an airline company, Spirit which is thinking about charging a "passenger usage fee" — perhaps $5 to $10 per ticket — for the privilege of buying a ticket anyplace other than at Spirit's airport ticket counters.
The fee, designed to cover reservation-booking costs, will be part of Spirit's aggressive and edgy strategy, which doesn't always fly well with passengers, no kidding.
For now rival companies aren't looking at charging the same fee.....they will if it becomes profitable.
I mean come on, times are tough and that 10 bucks might be too much for people. I don't know about the rest of North America or the world for that matter but up here in Canada we have our train service plugging everywhere with cheaper rates to get folks to travel the rails and the airlines are lower prices not adding extra fee's.
Hell I'd take the train if I didn't have to travel 45 minutes to get to it.
Gotta love that stupid decision; take a train out of a city with 70,000 people and put it in city with 15,000.
Smart, huh.
Airline companies wake up and be smart. Extra fee's means less business.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Chris Brown Charged with Two Felonies in Rihanna Beating
Shockingly, at the very least, the charges make sense.
The charges are assault and making criminal threats after the alleged beating of his girlfriend Rihanna last month. Even though the couple seem to have reconciled, the case is proceeding accordingly. As it should be, he need's to be held accountable for his actions.
If convicted he is looking at probation or up to a maximum of 4 years in a state prison. The incident happened about a month ago and after the charges and a leaked photo became public knowledge the pair went their separate ways.
Didn't last long now did it?
He punches her in the face, tells her he's gonna kill her, puts her n a headlock until she almost passes out...no I am not making this up, I saw it on his first appearance in court via the news.....she takes this piece of crap back......wow!
Whatever happens the outcome has had a sobering effect on each of them I imagine.
Brown lost a sponsor, at least for awhile and lost the respect of every "real" man on the planet.
Rihanna shocked everyone and subsequently lost the respect of a lot of people, especially women and victims of partner abuse.
But hey, he's a star.....O.J. got away with murder right.....but he (O.J) eventually went to jail....we'll see how this plays out
Always remember this folks. You cannot, let me repeat that, you CANNOT call yourself a man when you hit a woman....that's called a Chicken Sh!t B!TCH ... Coward.
His parent's must be soooo proud to have raised such a "gentleman".
Like it or not, it's my opinion.
The charges are assault and making criminal threats after the alleged beating of his girlfriend Rihanna last month. Even though the couple seem to have reconciled, the case is proceeding accordingly. As it should be, he need's to be held accountable for his actions.
If convicted he is looking at probation or up to a maximum of 4 years in a state prison. The incident happened about a month ago and after the charges and a leaked photo became public knowledge the pair went their separate ways.
Didn't last long now did it?
He punches her in the face, tells her he's gonna kill her, puts her n a headlock until she almost passes out...no I am not making this up, I saw it on his first appearance in court via the news.....she takes this piece of crap back......wow!
Whatever happens the outcome has had a sobering effect on each of them I imagine.
Brown lost a sponsor, at least for awhile and lost the respect of every "real" man on the planet.
Rihanna shocked everyone and subsequently lost the respect of a lot of people, especially women and victims of partner abuse.
But hey, he's a star.....O.J. got away with murder right.....but he (O.J) eventually went to jail....we'll see how this plays out
Always remember this folks. You cannot, let me repeat that, you CANNOT call yourself a man when you hit a woman....that's called a Chicken Sh!t B!TCH ... Coward.
His parent's must be soooo proud to have raised such a "gentleman".
Like it or not, it's my opinion.
Winning the lottery is one thing but $216 million.....
N.J. insurance workers hit $216M payout<10 co-workers show off winning ticket for Mega Millions lottery
That's hard to believe for anyone. What's more incredible is that after making sure you and your co-worker's won you still haven't collected the cash!
The gas station owner wants them to collect so he get's his $10,000 bonus simply for selling the winning ticket.
Times are tough for some, these folks just got a great gift. A winner's life.
The coolest part of this story is this; a regular buyer, Oscar Oviedo, asked Space to count him in and promised $5 for his share. Space rushed over to him early Wednesday morning and demanded the money.
That's hard to believe for anyone. What's more incredible is that after making sure you and your co-worker's won you still haven't collected the cash!
The gas station owner wants them to collect so he get's his $10,000 bonus simply for selling the winning ticket.
Times are tough for some, these folks just got a great gift. A winner's life.
The coolest part of this story is this; a regular buyer, Oscar Oviedo, asked Space to count him in and promised $5 for his share. Space rushed over to him early Wednesday morning and demanded the money.
"I thought: 'How rude!'" Oviedo said with a laugh, recalling how he handed over $5, unsure why Space was being so insistent. "Then he said, 'OK, thanks — you're a millionaire.'"
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Ripped Abs - How To Get Ripped Abs
If getting ripped abs is on your list of priorities when it comes to your current fitness program, do not overlook the importance of your usual strength training activities. One of the biggest misconceptions about getting ripped abs is that you must spend hours doing ab work alone. Unfortunately this is furthest from the truth.
The real fact of the matter is that when you are lifting heavy during your squats, lunges, deadlifts, and the bench press, you will be using the ab muscles to a great degree. If they were not working, you would find yourself feeling unstable, and chances are, you would wind up injured.
The ab muscles are going to be called into play with every weight lifting exercise you do, so ensure proper form is being utilized during all workout sessions.
Furthermore, one of the major factors in developing ripped abs, is going to be getting your body fat level low enough for them to be seen clearly.
If you're not approaching close to single digits, chances are you may have great ab muscles, but you aren't going to see them when looking in the mirror.
Weight training exercises are one of the best ways to boost your metabolic rate, which will then help you burn off body fat all day long. Do keep in mind though that all weight lifting activities are not created equally. A heavy set of squats is going to ramp up the metabolism a great deal more than a set of bicep curls would for example.
To utilize this principle, try your best to program your weight lifting routine so that only core, compound lifts are included. This would be movements such as squats, lunges, deadlifts, bent over rows, shoulder presses, and the bench press.
Not only will this provide you with a far better whole body workout without wasting too much time on needless exercises, but it will also help you achieve that ripped abs look that you are going for.
Lastly, keep in mind that ripped abs and strong abs can mean different things. If you do a great deal of weighted abdominal work, you may actually cause your ab muscles to grow larger, thus giving you the appearance of a wider waist. Unless the body fat levels are not low again, you'll just end up looking bigger in the middle, rather than more defined.
So, in order to make this goal a reality for you, first focus on getting low enough body fat levels to get those abs showing. This can be accomplished through a solid lifting program and a clean diet. Then, if you are not happy with the shape of the ab muscles or the amount of ab muscle development, start focusing on doing more work focused on just this muscle group itself.
About the Author:
Vince DelMonte is the author of Your Six Pack Quest found at http://www.YourSixPackQuest.com
He specializes in helping chubby guys and gals get six pack abs without gimmicks, supplements or dieting.
© 2006-2008, Your Six Pack Quest All rights in all media reserved. You may reprint this article so long as the article and author bio are reprinted intake and all links are made live. This article may never be sold individually or as part of a packageNatural Food Craving Moderation With a Skinny Diet
Tis the time of year to get in shape, so check the ste and get in shape lol.
It's quite possible to have a body like those of lean fashion models by doing what trendy dieters call a skinny diet. It's a tough regimen, though.
It is recommended to go into the skinny dieting discipline gradually. A skinny diet is purely fresh vegetables and fruits. Absolutely no animal meat or fat or products derived from them. Even fresh cow's milk. Actually, the skinny diet was originally intended as a protest against cruelty to animals but later on turned into a crusade for genuine good health and lean body.
There's no limit to the amount we may eat with the skinny diet. Go ahead feast on succulent melons, kiwi fruit, pineapple, strawberries, grapes, grapefruit and oranges, or crunchy veggies like celeries, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, and the like. With the skinny diet we cook foods with boiling water or canola, olive, or other vegetable oil, with vegetable spices.
This dieting discipline doesn't buy any of the stuff which junk food dieters try to promote nowadays. They endorse and promote diet colas, sugar-free gums (sweetened chemically), packed chips, and tolerate a small measure of junk foods. Skinny diet enthusiasts only go for fresh, all-natural, and chemical free vegetables and fruits.
Skinny diet reduces our weights and sizes tremendously due to the presence of high-fibers and fat burners like citrus fruits in our meals. For first-timers hunger attacks can be quickly pacified with a dose of heavy-calorie foods like cereals, oatmeal, bananas and other fruits.
Skinny diet is best coupled with mild exercises like slow stretching, aerobics like brisk walking and dancing, and others like those found in yoga sessions. Tai Chi can also be included. Basically, deep-breathing exercises go so well with a skinny diet. Heavy stuffs like weight training are, however, incompatible with it.
For meat replacement, skinny diet relies on soya products like tofu, soya curds, and vege-meat, though made with a certain amount of food processing. Hence, buy those with lesser exposure to food processing. There are tasty recipes for a skinny diet. Asian veggie dishes cooked in coconut milk are worth trying, like squash sautéed in coco milk.
A skinny diet is also rich in freshly squeezed fruit juices, as well as pure water. Aside from the action of fibers and citrus in fruit to clean up stomach walls and burn fats, fresh fruit juices (without white sugar) also regulates our appetites, unlike what cola and soda drinks do.
Without a doubt, a skinny diet keeps our food craving moderate.
John Grant is a the author for a diet fads site where he is writing articles about the Skinny Diet
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Grant
Bad Debt Personal Loans: to Escape the Financial Whirlpool Called Bad Credit
So, you were caught in unaware with bad debt. It happens. No, no, you haven’t caught the bad debt disorder yet. There are bright chances that you won’t need any ‘specific’ action to deal with bad debt. Bad debt personal loans will take care of that.
The phrase ‘bad debt personal loans’ is self explanatory. It means that you are looking for personal loans for a particular situation that is bad debt. Bad debt is a credit rating term which means that your credit is damaged. Late payments, skipping payments, exceeding credit card limit, county court judgments, declaring bankruptcy – all can result in bad debt. Bad debt can indicate difficulty in getting personal loans. However, under no circumstances it can prevent you from getting a personal loan. When you make a mistake on your credit card or monthly loan payment, the loan agency or the financial company labels you as bad debt. This goes along with you and you are perceived as a credit risk when borrowing personal loans.
First of all get a copy of your credit report from any of the three credit reporting agencies – Experian, Trans Union, Equifax. Study the credit report before you apply for Bad debt personal loans and try finding out the snags in the credit report. Any inaccurate information should be corrected by contacting the credit reporting agency. Try to repair as many of them before applying for bad debt personal loans. Bad debt problems can only be amended over a period of time.
Some simple credit repair steps can be followed before applying for bad debt personal loans. Pay all your pending bills and start making payments on time. Close any unused accounts. Even small steps can considerably improve credit. Be ready to prove that you can repay your bad debt personal loan. If your half of the monthly payment is already spent in paying for previous debts, the lender might be wondering how you will be paying your bad debt personal loan.
Bad debt due to late payments can be considerably improved over time. If your bill or loan payment has been 30 days late, it will be reported as 30 day late in your credit report. Same is true for 60, 90,120 day late payments. The later the payments are the more unfavorable will be your bad debt situation.
Credit score from 500-550 would mean you have bad debt and therefore are eligible for bad debt personal loans. Bad debt personal loans can answer for money requirements ranging from £5,000 to £75,000. You might be required to make a down payment which can be anywhere between 10-20%.
Every bad debt situation is unique and no single plan can work for all the circumstances. If you know your credit score, you will be better informed about the interest rates, you are getting for credit score. This will prevent you from getting duped by loan lenders. Different loan lenders offer different terms for bad debt personal loans. Researching will lead you to better interest rates.
Bad debt in accounting means expense. So it does in loan borrowing and implies higher interest. It is useless saying that you can get low interest rates for bad debt personal loans. However, it will help you a lot, if you understand that ‘comparative’ low interest rates are possible for bad debt personal loans. A lender is eager to offer personal loan to someone with bad debt for he has a reason to put his money at risk. The reason is high interest rates. The loan lender might draw a line with how much risk he is ready to take while providing bad debt personal loan. This means that a history of multiple defaults and severely injured debt condition might be refused bad debt personal loans.
Bad debt personal loans can be used for any purpose. However, if you have few unpaid debts, you can use them for debt consolidation. Bad debt personal loans for debt consolidation, significantly reduces interest rates and monthly payments. You can reduce your debt at lesser cost. Bad debt personal loans can be used for the purpose of education, holiday, home improvement, automobile etc. Bad debt personal loans, you can’t afford is like being sucked down a financial whirlpool. Be honest while reporting bad debt. This will favour your bad debt personal loan application.
You think there are not many buyers for bad debt when applying for personal loans. Try selling bad debt and you will find that you are not only getting desirable rates but bad debt personal loans you were specifically looking for. Bad debt personal loans are great surviving pill until, you can apply for good credit.
Amanda Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her master’s in Business Administration from IGNOU.She is as cautious about her finances as any person reading this is.She is working as financial consultant for chanceforloans .To find a Personal loans,bad credit loans,Debt consolidation,home equity loans at cheap rates that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Thompson
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Bad Credit Home Improvement Loan - Improve and Live in New Home
If you are trying to improve your home credit, personal credit or home lifestyle then this article is for you.
Do not you feel like improving your home after many years of its constructions? This is a natural instinct that is found to be present in almost all and you will once feel bored of living in the same old pattern home. That is why; the home improvement loans are being put into action. These will help you in changing the home parts as these too need proper treatment to be strong for some more years. However, sometimes the new fashions and trends too let people change the look of their home. But for being a poor credit holder you may not be able to get assistance in certain cases and then nothing can be as good as going for the bad credit home improvement loan.
These loans are available in two forms, one is secured and the other is unsecured loans. If you want to get bigger financial assistance then the secured loans will help you with an amount ranging from £5,000 to £75,000 with 5 to 25 years of repayment term. The benefit of getting it is that the rate of interest in it is very low.
For smaller improvements or changes of your home the unsecured loans will be the best that offers an amount up to £25,000 for duration of 1 to 10 years. The rates of interest in it use to be higher and can be avoided by adopting other suitable loans.
The loan amount will help you in making changes of the entire home or its parts. Your patio, swimming pool, deck can be repaired along with enlarging the rooms, painting your house, updating plumbing or developing your garden.
As the bad credit home improvement loan is for the poor credit holders, they will no more have to stay in the same pattern home for much time now. It is assured that they will be able to give a completely new and improved look to their houses. So, all those eligible bad records are arrears, late payment, defaults, bankruptcy, CCJs or bankruptcy.
Dina Wilson has done MSc in Management and Finance and she is an expert loan advisor associated with online home improvement loan. To find bad credit home improvement loan, home loans, home equity loans, online home loans visit http://www.online-home-improvement-loan.co.uk
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dina_Wilson
My business is in town. I don't need a website.
Every time I hear that I cringe!
The economy being what it is has everyone pretty much world wide in a panic, for various reason's.
Now, more than ever if you own a traditional brick and mortar business you need a website. You truly do need an internet presence.
Why?
Having a business is no small task, the more successful the business becomes the more tasks involved.
Let's take a look at some items.
You obviously employees, you can't run the place all alone.
* The internet is a 24 hour employee.
You need accountants and business advice, team's to make sure that you are all proper and legal.
* Once a website is up you can place all of the appropriate links in place to ensure your site is CanSpam compliant.
* There are payment processor's online, such as PayPal to handle all of you transactions, yes, even while you sleep.
These are a few examples. With a traditional business you need customer's and you need to out do your competition or at least keep up. So now you need a fairly large budget for marketing. Online however, you can get traffic to your site within minutes using traffic techniques like google adwords.
Side note: With google adwords I personally would recommend you keep your budget to a minimum of 3 or 4 dollars per day until you get the hang of it thus you don't "break the bank" so to speak.
Once you have mastered some traffic techniques stick with them and don't look for the BBD or Bigger Better Deal.
There are so many programs out there and unscrupulous marketers hoping to take your money to teach you the latest greatest thing, chances are it doesn't work nearly as well as it did a few months back....why else are there a gazillion sales letter web sites about it?
Bottom line is this:
An online presence will do any brick and mortar business a world of good and quite possibly a world of extra cash in your pocket.
If you don't have a lot of start up capital then at the very least get yourself a twitter account and get your name out there.
Twitter is free and incredibly powerful.
Follow me if you'd like.
My twitter id is garret35.
Final point, remember to be successful at anything you must first get educated. Learn from your mistakes and if you get to a point that you want to quit ... DON'T.
You're almost there.
Good luck
The economy being what it is has everyone pretty much world wide in a panic, for various reason's.
Now, more than ever if you own a traditional brick and mortar business you need a website. You truly do need an internet presence.
Why?
Having a business is no small task, the more successful the business becomes the more tasks involved.
Let's take a look at some items.
You obviously employees, you can't run the place all alone.
* The internet is a 24 hour employee.
You need accountants and business advice, team's to make sure that you are all proper and legal.
* Once a website is up you can place all of the appropriate links in place to ensure your site is CanSpam compliant.
* There are payment processor's online, such as PayPal to handle all of you transactions, yes, even while you sleep.
These are a few examples. With a traditional business you need customer's and you need to out do your competition or at least keep up. So now you need a fairly large budget for marketing. Online however, you can get traffic to your site within minutes using traffic techniques like google adwords.
Side note: With google adwords I personally would recommend you keep your budget to a minimum of 3 or 4 dollars per day until you get the hang of it thus you don't "break the bank" so to speak.
Once you have mastered some traffic techniques stick with them and don't look for the BBD or Bigger Better Deal.
There are so many programs out there and unscrupulous marketers hoping to take your money to teach you the latest greatest thing, chances are it doesn't work nearly as well as it did a few months back....why else are there a gazillion sales letter web sites about it?
Bottom line is this:
An online presence will do any brick and mortar business a world of good and quite possibly a world of extra cash in your pocket.
If you don't have a lot of start up capital then at the very least get yourself a twitter account and get your name out there.
Twitter is free and incredibly powerful.
Follow me if you'd like.
My twitter id is garret35.
Final point, remember to be successful at anything you must first get educated. Learn from your mistakes and if you get to a point that you want to quit ... DON'T.
You're almost there.
Good luck
Fake money used to buy Girl Scout cookies
What the HELL is the world coming to?
What kind of scum bag cheats girl guides out of cookies with fake money? Straight to execution for this jerk, no trial.....even the cookie-monster wouldn't do that.
A troop leader went to the bank to get change from their cash and was told, much to her disbelief not one but two of the twenty dollar bills were fake.
These kids use this money for trips to the zoo, swimming etc. They use it to build character and become good kids and ultimately good people for the rest of their lives.
Great lesson for them to learn isn't it?
So now what? Should girl guides or scouts or any other organization bring bill detectors with them?
The girls earn a "fraud badge" and a sad truth.
When this piece of crap is caught I hope and I say this quite seriously I hope they pass jail and go straight to the chair.
Times are tough, but don't steal from a child.
Don't steal period. Change the laws, off with their hands at the very least.
What kind of scum bag cheats girl guides out of cookies with fake money? Straight to execution for this jerk, no trial.....even the cookie-monster wouldn't do that.
A troop leader went to the bank to get change from their cash and was told, much to her disbelief not one but two of the twenty dollar bills were fake.
These kids use this money for trips to the zoo, swimming etc. They use it to build character and become good kids and ultimately good people for the rest of their lives.
Great lesson for them to learn isn't it?
So now what? Should girl guides or scouts or any other organization bring bill detectors with them?
The girls earn a "fraud badge" and a sad truth.
When this piece of crap is caught I hope and I say this quite seriously I hope they pass jail and go straight to the chair.
Times are tough, but don't steal from a child.
Don't steal period. Change the laws, off with their hands at the very least.
Monday, March 2, 2009
How to Meet People For Dating Online - Learn the Truth About Meeting People Online For Dating
These days, online dating is one of the most fast, simple and incredibly effective way(s) to meet someone. There are obviously pro's and con's to it, but it does have a certain flair....and addiction for some.
There are numerous websites online today that offer you the chance to meet people and maybe meet to get together and see if your respective online profiles were honest enough that you click, so to speak. It has it's usefulness in the fact that before you meet each other you can get to know one another from the get-go with a profile and picture, if that is to your liking you can move on to chatting on msn or something like that and eventually meeting. The downside is that you can run into the possibility that the person's profile was less than honest or they simply don't show up and you never hear from them again, but that is a very, very rare case.
Despite what people say, online dating websites are very safe and completely acceptable in today's society. If you are not interested in them anymore then you can simply stop talking to them.
Once upon a time, people only could meet each other at parties, bar's etc. This still exists still obviously, but since almost everyone uses the internet today, the possibilities are much larger and easier for all, especially the shy folks.
One site that I recommend is here
I must warn you however, it is an adult dating site, so if you are under 18 DO NOT VISIT
There are numerous websites online today that offer you the chance to meet people and maybe meet to get together and see if your respective online profiles were honest enough that you click, so to speak. It has it's usefulness in the fact that before you meet each other you can get to know one another from the get-go with a profile and picture, if that is to your liking you can move on to chatting on msn or something like that and eventually meeting. The downside is that you can run into the possibility that the person's profile was less than honest or they simply don't show up and you never hear from them again, but that is a very, very rare case.
Despite what people say, online dating websites are very safe and completely acceptable in today's society. If you are not interested in them anymore then you can simply stop talking to them.
Once upon a time, people only could meet each other at parties, bar's etc. This still exists still obviously, but since almost everyone uses the internet today, the possibilities are much larger and easier for all, especially the shy folks.
One site that I recommend is here
I must warn you however, it is an adult dating site, so if you are under 18 DO NOT VISIT
Taking charge of your credit, especially new homeowners
Contrary to popular belief now is a great time to buy a home in North America. Interest rates are still low and prices are falling fast. The only thing holding many people back is tighter mortgage lending guidelines.
In my small neighbourhood in Timmins, houses going up for sale are sold within 10 days. Why? Well it could be the location, prices are around the $180,000 mark...or it could be because of panic, people don't think they can afford it and other mart folks pick up a bargain.
So if you have been denied a mortgage and said to yourself I need to fix my credit to buy a home keep reading because there are some useful tips below that can help you fix your credit and buy the home you want.
Why Were You Declined?
First you have to establish why you were turned down. Was it lack of credit or just bad or low credit scores? Your mortgage broker should be able to tell you why the lender declined you.
Denied For Bad Credit
If you were denied your loan do to bad credit and negatives on your credit report you are going to have to perform some credit repair.This is a straight forward process and involves going to the credit bureaus websites and disputing the negative information that on your credit report, remember those negative items may have been cleared up but no one told the credit bureau.
Your mortgage broker should be able to provide you with a copy of your credit report that you can use for this process. He or she should should also be able to help you with credit repair if you are having trouble with it. Any good mortgage broker should be more then happy to help you with this as long as you stay with them for financing, they will bend over backwards for the commission.
Denied For No Credit
If you were denied for having no credit there are a few things you can do quickly to get some accounts reporting on your credit report.
The first is to apply for a secured credit card. With these types of cards you give the credit card company cash to cover the account in the even you default. Generally this amount is between $250 and $500. because it is secured by money approval is almost guaranteed as long as you are employed. Just use it wisely and do not max it out or be late with any payments.
You can also try and open a small account at a rent to own center. These types of business's will basically let you buy a product on credit and it is a great way to add a trade line to your credit report. Just do not borrow so much that it increase your debt to income ratio to much. If in doubt double check with your mortgage broker about how much you can safely pay every month. I keep my bills on a chalkboard n my kitchen, it works.
The only drawback being denied a loan because of credit is it may take a few months to see the effects of adding trade lines or cleaning up your credit report and the house you want to buy may not be for sale at that time, but it does set you up for a better future and will make buying a home easier in the long run.
If it takes awhile longer, save your money.
Compound interest is a beautiful thing.
In my small neighbourhood in Timmins, houses going up for sale are sold within 10 days. Why? Well it could be the location, prices are around the $180,000 mark...or it could be because of panic, people don't think they can afford it and other mart folks pick up a bargain.
So if you have been denied a mortgage and said to yourself I need to fix my credit to buy a home keep reading because there are some useful tips below that can help you fix your credit and buy the home you want.
Why Were You Declined?
First you have to establish why you were turned down. Was it lack of credit or just bad or low credit scores? Your mortgage broker should be able to tell you why the lender declined you.
Denied For Bad Credit
If you were denied your loan do to bad credit and negatives on your credit report you are going to have to perform some credit repair.This is a straight forward process and involves going to the credit bureaus websites and disputing the negative information that on your credit report, remember those negative items may have been cleared up but no one told the credit bureau.
Your mortgage broker should be able to provide you with a copy of your credit report that you can use for this process. He or she should should also be able to help you with credit repair if you are having trouble with it. Any good mortgage broker should be more then happy to help you with this as long as you stay with them for financing, they will bend over backwards for the commission.
Denied For No Credit
If you were denied for having no credit there are a few things you can do quickly to get some accounts reporting on your credit report.
The first is to apply for a secured credit card. With these types of cards you give the credit card company cash to cover the account in the even you default. Generally this amount is between $250 and $500. because it is secured by money approval is almost guaranteed as long as you are employed. Just use it wisely and do not max it out or be late with any payments.
You can also try and open a small account at a rent to own center. These types of business's will basically let you buy a product on credit and it is a great way to add a trade line to your credit report. Just do not borrow so much that it increase your debt to income ratio to much. If in doubt double check with your mortgage broker about how much you can safely pay every month. I keep my bills on a chalkboard n my kitchen, it works.
The only drawback being denied a loan because of credit is it may take a few months to see the effects of adding trade lines or cleaning up your credit report and the house you want to buy may not be for sale at that time, but it does set you up for a better future and will make buying a home easier in the long run.
If it takes awhile longer, save your money.
Compound interest is a beautiful thing.
Can you Guess who this is?? You might be surprised
Okay.....I am a little upset right now after a talk with a friend of mine via facebook tonight. So if I seem a bit off...I apologize. The topic of conversation was life and money problems.
My viewpoint is this "If you're alive you have money problems (somewhere) regardless of who you are, where you live and how much you make.
Broke!! Who hasn't been? Feeling like there is no silver lining at the end of that dark cloud?
Been there, done that and read the book....several times. It's one of my fav's lol ;), I am pretty sure I have it printed on a tie dye shirt hehe. Just kidding.
Anyway. There is an old saying that goes something like this " If you think you can or can't you are right". What's my point your probably thinking, my point is if you don't like your life then change it. The world doesn't owe you a thing. The universe is unfolding as it should, you wanna better life than get off your poor, poor pitiful me kick and do something about it.
It's too hard, my friend said. I wanted to literally smack him but I couldn't. The joy of facebook...lol...I did it cyber style. So here is ultimately a tale I told him and am now sharing with you.
Can you guess who this is? No cheating read it before scrolling down ;)
1. A few years ago, maybe 6 or 7 (I won't make this easy) this person was on welfare and raising a child alone.
2. Was financially broke beyond what most people hit.
3. Had a vision and turned it into a tidy sum of 1 Billion Dollars, you read that right.
4. Is now 41 and living the good life.
The answer is:
Before I reveal that I want to go back to number 3. Re-read that if you please.
3. Had a vision and turned it into a tidy sum of 1 Billion Dollars, you read that right.
This person had a vision, a thought, an idea that was most certainly scoffed at by some people. But this person chose to go their way and didn't listen to the nasty nay-sayers.
Thank God. Because if she had we wouldn't be enjoying her wonderful works of fantasy and fiction. You "may" have heard of Harry Potter.
J.K. Rowling.
Yes J.K. Rowling was on welfare a single mother and raising her child when she got a call that changed her life and ours forever. Her books were going to be published.
Imagine for a moment how empty her life would have continued to be had she not chosen to believe in herself. Now imagine how many times you had a great idea and didn't follow through because of nay-sayers!
If you believe it, you can achieve it.
Get out there and change your fortune. It may not be easy, but nothing worth having ever is.
Why are you still reading? Get out there :)
Garret
Garret W Belisle is a blogger offering a family friendly website which updates at least once daily. Be sure to sign up for the daily motivational tips. It's fresh and crisp..Please feel free to visit http://www.need-to-get-some.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Garret_Belisle
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Need extra cash!
You missed google, you missed yahoo......will you miss this http://tinyurl.com/c7rfcj
Some of my reader's defend THIS
Having written a post about the Rihanna situation I was expecting response's and emails and comments.
And man did they fly in, from everywhere. Too many to list here, which is why I moderate comments to the blog, also to avoid spam links.....but anyway.
I was not surprised by 98 percent of the responses, however I was blown away by three of them.
Here is pretty much what they all said, you tell me.
"Maybe people are disappointed with Rhianna. But hey you weren't there, you didn't see it. You don't know what happened. Things like this are sometimes blown right out of proportion."
WOW!!!
My response is this.
You're right, I wasn't there, I didn't witness it. I did however (as did most of the planet) see the leaked and verified photo of Rihanna after it took place.
I don't care who you are people, no REAL man hits a woman, for that matter no REAL woman hits a man.
The people who say; "it got blown out of proportion, you weren't there"...yada, yada, yada have been proven time and time again to be abuser's. So for those who actually believe that it was blown out of proportion, you ignorant people have obviously beaten a partner, be it past or present and I'd rather you didn't read my blog, I don't want to be associated with people like you, ever.
Don't tell me it was blown out of proportion. Did you not see her face!!
WOW!!!
Ignorance is bliss.
Whatever happens, this is my last post about it.
I wish both stars well.
It's my opinion and I stand by it.
And man did they fly in, from everywhere. Too many to list here, which is why I moderate comments to the blog, also to avoid spam links.....but anyway.
I was not surprised by 98 percent of the responses, however I was blown away by three of them.
Here is pretty much what they all said, you tell me.
"Maybe people are disappointed with Rhianna. But hey you weren't there, you didn't see it. You don't know what happened. Things like this are sometimes blown right out of proportion."
WOW!!!
My response is this.
You're right, I wasn't there, I didn't witness it. I did however (as did most of the planet) see the leaked and verified photo of Rihanna after it took place.
I don't care who you are people, no REAL man hits a woman, for that matter no REAL woman hits a man.
The people who say; "it got blown out of proportion, you weren't there"...yada, yada, yada have been proven time and time again to be abuser's. So for those who actually believe that it was blown out of proportion, you ignorant people have obviously beaten a partner, be it past or present and I'd rather you didn't read my blog, I don't want to be associated with people like you, ever.
Don't tell me it was blown out of proportion. Did you not see her face!!
WOW!!!
Ignorance is bliss.
Whatever happens, this is my last post about it.
I wish both stars well.
It's my opinion and I stand by it.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Ever wonder how many followers don't tweet?
Like most folks I use twitter for business.
I do not use it just to say I have a twitter account.
Now let me clarify, when I say business I don't simply mean peddling my website's and/or products..... I do use it for that but I also use it to network, get the latest buzz, pick up on the newest marketing strategies, etc.
Serious twitter's agree that this wonderful tool can be a massive boost to your website traffic and your bottom line.
If used properly.
So what is my point, my point is that although I was following a lot of people I really didn't take the time to look at the individual. My mistake and I freely admit it. We all learn in the beginning.
I wager I am not the first nor the last to do this.
I want to build relationship's. I love sending tweets and I love reading other folks tweets when I have the time.
To get rid of any non-twitting followers I have I simply went to Twitora to filter them out.
A slow process that will take a few days but when all is said and done I will follow like minded people and not ghosts.
So, if you ever want to know how many of your follower's are active or you simply need to clean out your follower list I highly recommend this service.
It's free and I love it.
You just might also.
Happy tweeting. Follow me if you'd like I am active daily, click here.
Garret
I do not use it just to say I have a twitter account.
Now let me clarify, when I say business I don't simply mean peddling my website's and/or products..... I do use it for that but I also use it to network, get the latest buzz, pick up on the newest marketing strategies, etc.
Serious twitter's agree that this wonderful tool can be a massive boost to your website traffic and your bottom line.
If used properly.
So what is my point, my point is that although I was following a lot of people I really didn't take the time to look at the individual. My mistake and I freely admit it. We all learn in the beginning.
I wager I am not the first nor the last to do this.
I want to build relationship's. I love sending tweets and I love reading other folks tweets when I have the time.
To get rid of any non-twitting followers I have I simply went to Twitora to filter them out.
A slow process that will take a few days but when all is said and done I will follow like minded people and not ghosts.
So, if you ever want to know how many of your follower's are active or you simply need to clean out your follower list I highly recommend this service.
It's free and I love it.
You just might also.
Happy tweeting. Follow me if you'd like I am active daily, click here.
Garret
Not surprisingly fans of Rihanna are stunned
I am one of those people who are stunned.
No offense to Rihanna but .. ARE YOU NUTS??
What I am about to say is not only my opinion but the opinion of 95 percent of all adults, especially men. Once a woman beater, always a woman beater.
This Rihanna, whether you believe it or not, is only round 1. It can happen again, it most likely will.
I certainly hope it doesn't.......sadly statistics do not lie.
To quote a few other opinions;
"All the abusive men are celebrating," Highroller33138 wrote in a posting on the MTV.comwebsite.
"It sets a terrible example for women everywhere. Rihanna really disappointed me."
The world stood by and felt your pain, we were all on your side, we all stood up for you, should this happen to you again.....most people will say "I told you so."
The rest of us won't want to hear about it.
You made your bed as the old saying goes......
No offense to Rihanna but .. ARE YOU NUTS??
What I am about to say is not only my opinion but the opinion of 95 percent of all adults, especially men. Once a woman beater, always a woman beater.
This Rihanna, whether you believe it or not, is only round 1. It can happen again, it most likely will.
I certainly hope it doesn't.......sadly statistics do not lie.
To quote a few other opinions;
"All the abusive men are celebrating," Highroller33138 wrote in a posting on the MTV.comwebsite.
"It sets a terrible example for women everywhere. Rihanna really disappointed me."
"Stupid, really stupid. … I hate women like this," wrote ladyofthelake in a posting on TVGuide.com.
Well, however it plays out and I sincerely hope it doesn't play out the way most people imagine I have a simple message for Rihanna ... not that she'll ever read it.
The world stood by and felt your pain, we were all on your side, we all stood up for you, should this happen to you again.....most people will say "I told you so."
The rest of us won't want to hear about it.
You made your bed as the old saying goes......
Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together.
Word is, Rihanna and Chris Brown are back together.
People reports that the R&B-star duo are spending one-on-one time at a residence belonging to Sean "Diddy" Combs.
E! News learned earlier this week that the pair had been in touch, with Brown contacting Rihanna on her 21st birthday on Feb. 20.
A rep for the "Disturbia" singer denied that she had talked to him on the phone but… They apparently reconnected somehow.
"While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves," a source told People.
This looks to be the pair's first in-person reunion since Brown was arrested Feb. 8 for allegedly assaulting Rihanna and leaving her with visible injuries. Except for flashes of them in transit (separately) from here to there, and some pics of Rihanna that just surfaced from her sojourn to Mexico last weekend, both have lain incredibly low since.
Brown, who was booked on Grammy night on suspicion of making criminal threats, is due to be arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 5 but, according to the L.A. District Attorney's Office, that might not happen.
"We don't have the evidence yet. [LAPD detectives] are still investigating," D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robison told E! News Wednesday.
"The D.A. is being even more thorough than usual with this case. They don't want to mess it up," said a source close to the investigation.
At this point, it's unclear what Rihanna and Brown's reported reunion could mean for the D.A.'s case.
"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," Brown said in a statement released Feb. 15. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."
Sourc - Los Angeles (News Bulletin Board) –
Leave a comment below
People reports that the R&B-star duo are spending one-on-one time at a residence belonging to Sean "Diddy" Combs.
E! News learned earlier this week that the pair had been in touch, with Brown contacting Rihanna on her 21st birthday on Feb. 20.
A rep for the "Disturbia" singer denied that she had talked to him on the phone but… They apparently reconnected somehow.
"While Chris is reflective and saddened about what happened, he is really happy to be with the woman he loves," a source told People.
This looks to be the pair's first in-person reunion since Brown was arrested Feb. 8 for allegedly assaulting Rihanna and leaving her with visible injuries. Except for flashes of them in transit (separately) from here to there, and some pics of Rihanna that just surfaced from her sojourn to Mexico last weekend, both have lain incredibly low since.
Brown, who was booked on Grammy night on suspicion of making criminal threats, is due to be arraigned in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 5 but, according to the L.A. District Attorney's Office, that might not happen.
"We don't have the evidence yet. [LAPD detectives] are still investigating," D.A. spokeswoman Jane Robison told E! News Wednesday.
"The D.A. is being even more thorough than usual with this case. They don't want to mess it up," said a source close to the investigation.
At this point, it's unclear what Rihanna and Brown's reported reunion could mean for the D.A.'s case.
"Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," Brown said in a statement released Feb. 15. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person."
Sourc - Los Angeles (News Bulletin Board) –
Leave a comment below
Friday, February 27, 2009
We are LIVE!!
Okay everyone.
Today we are LIVE!!!
Sit back and think about this, seriously....if
you could go back in time and get shares in
Microsoft or Google for literally pennies on
the dollar....would you?
If you said "No" you're either nuts or lying ;)
This is no different, it' in it's infancy.
An scary fact, nationally 75 million, yup
million text's re sent. This is huge business,
even info-commercials are getting people to
text there answers.
American Idol has people text.
Can I make a more valid point.
Even if you live outside of he USA or Canada
you can still sign up and MAKE money.
If you don't have Telus who cares, you still
sin up and make money.
I hope you guys don't miss out on this.
HOT NEWS: FaceBook, MySpace & Bebo
Are Going MLM ... Show Me The Money!!
Check this out
http://tinyurl.com/c7rfcj
Sign up under me and let me know I have a huge
gift for you once I verify your subscription.
Cheers
Let's make some money!
Garret
Today we are LIVE!!!
Sit back and think about this, seriously....if
you could go back in time and get shares in
Microsoft or Google for literally pennies on
the dollar....would you?
If you said "No" you're either nuts or lying ;)
This is no different, it' in it's infancy.
An scary fact, nationally 75 million, yup
million text's re sent. This is huge business,
even info-commercials are getting people to
text there answers.
American Idol has people text.
Can I make a more valid point.
Even if you live outside of he USA or Canada
you can still sign up and MAKE money.
If you don't have Telus who cares, you still
sin up and make money.
I hope you guys don't miss out on this.
HOT NEWS: FaceBook, MySpace & Bebo
Are Going MLM ... Show Me The Money!!
Check this out
http://tinyurl.com/c7rfcj
Sign up under me and let me know I have a huge
gift for you once I verify your subscription.
Cheers
Let's make some money!
Garret
And you thought filling you gas tank was expensive
When you pull into a gas station in Richland, Wash., pay cash. One unfortunate customer thought the $90 he had on his PayPal debit card would easily cover the $26 bill.
But the tab for fuel at the By-Pass Deli and Conoco station off state Route 240 maxed out his card, to put it lightly, the Tri-City Herald reported Thursday on its online site.
The transaction, ready for this, Juan Zamora told the newspaper, was recorded as $81,400,836,908.
"That's a B, as in billions!" Zamora wrote in an e-mail to the Herald on Wednesday.
Zamora was concerned that his bank account might be in jeopardy. So he called customer service for PayPal, only to have to argue with the agent over the bill. "Like I had to prove that I didn't pump $81,400,836,908 in gas," he told the Herald.
Though the customer service person finally realized the error, the newspaper reported, how the "over-sight" happened remains a mystery.
I won't complain the next time gas goes over $0.91 cents
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Octo-Mom Nadya Suleman offered WHAT
Okay, the reports are flying in...I honestly try not to judge people . I really do, but (in my opinion) this woman is Satan. Or the wife of...take your pick.
First she has 6 kids.
She can't afford her home, which incidentally her mother is paying for and is now in jeopardy of losing.
She got over $160,00, more actually I just don't remember the amount, for a car accident and never told her mom about the money. Pathetic since her mom was helping her raise the kids and pay for her life.
She gets pregnant again through intro and has the doctor give her 2 eggies. Which split.
She gives birth to eight more children with no money, no job, no husband....now some other guy is claiming to be the sperm-donor.
She has the audacity to cry boo-hoo poor me.
Hey Nadya, the world doesn't owe you a damn thing and more importantly neither do hard working tax payers.
She claimed to have been from a dysfunctional family, her mother, rightly so put an end to that.
Then she has Dr. Phil around, I am not going there because I won't stop...my opinion of Phil is less than polite.
All of the paparazzi outside her home and she can't handle those 6 how is she gonna handle her 14.
So, she wants freebies, she expects the world to pay for her.
She wants a book deal me thinks.
So now Vivid entertainment the biggest Adult Movie Industry in the universe offered her a staggering $1 million for her to become a contract girl. They know she'll make money for them simply because of who she is ... definitely not because of what she looks like.
So, it would get her out of her financial worries and John Q public and Mary J Public would no longer have to spread the wealth.
Heck, she is already pretty much despised by the planet so this would be a step up, wouldn't it?
Either way it's the kids who suffer because of this woman and her own stupidity.
She's 33 for God's sake.
The world should just stop talking about her and leave her alone to fend for herself.
I have said it before and will say it again.
I hope the state takes the kids away and finds a real set of parents for them.
This is simply my opinion and regardless of f you like it or not, it's mine.
Gamer's Unite ... err from the early 80's. Tron is back
So being mid thirties ....God I hate saying that, I am not that much of a gamer. Now I am not judging anyone my brother (42) loves video games, as for me I remember when myself and friends would go to the arcade a the Scarborough Town Center and play all day on a couple of bucks (pop and chip included).
Inflation sucks doesn't it.
But I digress.
Memories.....back to my point, back in the day there was a great video game that became a very cool movie for it's time. As I watch it now it is cheesier then Hell but hey for early 80's graphic's it was very, very impressive.
That game/movie was called Tron.
The film and game are expected to come out in 2011. But if you can't wait (me either) to dive into the Tron world, don't. There are plenty of copycats based on the Tron light cycles game.
If you weren't a geek in the '80s, those are the fictional motorcycles the film's characters rode in the virtual arena. Remember the Snake game on the old Nokia cellphones? It's a lot like that, but with many snakes zipping around.
This free online game, called FL Tron 2.0, will give you a better idea. Underground developers have slapped together a home-brewed version of the game, called DS LightBikes, for hacked Nintendo DS systems.
The similarly titled LightBike, this one for the iPhone, is an addictive 3-D version of the classic concept. Developer Pankaku offers a stripped-down free version or a paid download with two-player split-screen. Both are available on the App Store. Wireless multi-player gaming is coming to the full version, according to the game's listing.
With Tron getting ready to again hit the mainstream in the next couple years, will the Tron Guy make a long-overdue return? Get your Frisbees and spandex ready.
Film at 20011.
Inflation sucks doesn't it.
But I digress.
Memories.....back to my point, back in the day there was a great video game that became a very cool movie for it's time. As I watch it now it is cheesier then Hell but hey for early 80's graphic's it was very, very impressive.
That game/movie was called Tron.
The film and game are expected to come out in 2011. But if you can't wait (me either) to dive into the Tron world, don't. There are plenty of copycats based on the Tron light cycles game.
If you weren't a geek in the '80s, those are the fictional motorcycles the film's characters rode in the virtual arena. Remember the Snake game on the old Nokia cellphones? It's a lot like that, but with many snakes zipping around.
This free online game, called FL Tron 2.0, will give you a better idea. Underground developers have slapped together a home-brewed version of the game, called DS LightBikes, for hacked Nintendo DS systems.
The similarly titled LightBike, this one for the iPhone, is an addictive 3-D version of the classic concept. Developer Pankaku offers a stripped-down free version or a paid download with two-player split-screen. Both are available on the App Store. Wireless multi-player gaming is coming to the full version, according to the game's listing.
With Tron getting ready to again hit the mainstream in the next couple years, will the Tron Guy make a long-overdue return? Get your Frisbees and spandex ready.
Film at 20011.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Dog's are Heroes too
Being human we have a built in response to help our fellow man/woman. People will willingly put themselves in harm's way to save another.
These acts of heroism are reported daily.
Today, I was sent an email about a hero dog. A dog who risked his life to save a mortally wounded dog hit by a car. Does the dog live?
These acts of heroism are reported daily.
Today, I was sent an email about a hero dog. A dog who risked his life to save a mortally wounded dog hit by a car. Does the dog live?
Criss Angel and Holl Madison are no more
Criss Angel (Mindfreak) and Holly Madison, the original girl next door (ex-girlfriend of Hugh Hefner have broken up.
The two had been together roughly 4 whole months of dating. No offense to either but in Hollywood that's a long term commitment.
Sources claimm that she (Madison) was very much in love with him (Angel). The nice thing and very unusual for ex's in Hollywood is that they remain friends. It was a mutual split.
It speaks to the character of both that they are not engaging in stupidity and "he said, she said" childishness.
Angel is 41 and Madison is 29 years of age so they should be doing exactly what they are doing. Conducting themselves in a respectful and adult manner after the break-up.
It was sadly a conflict of schedules. She felt she couldn't devote 100 percent of her time in Vegas and his career at the expense of her career and her goals.
Madison made the decision to move back in with her family and pursue her career whilst Angel performs 5 nights a week in Las Vegas at the Luxor.
Apparently the couple were so happy that they had even met each others parent's and that is almost always a sign that a relationship will last.
Whatever the case I am sure the Tabloids will report stupid crap and false facts, as per normal.
The two had been together roughly 4 whole months of dating. No offense to either but in Hollywood that's a long term commitment.
Sources claimm that she (Madison) was very much in love with him (Angel). The nice thing and very unusual for ex's in Hollywood is that they remain friends. It was a mutual split.
It speaks to the character of both that they are not engaging in stupidity and "he said, she said" childishness.
Angel is 41 and Madison is 29 years of age so they should be doing exactly what they are doing. Conducting themselves in a respectful and adult manner after the break-up.
It was sadly a conflict of schedules. She felt she couldn't devote 100 percent of her time in Vegas and his career at the expense of her career and her goals.
Madison made the decision to move back in with her family and pursue her career whilst Angel performs 5 nights a week in Las Vegas at the Luxor.
Apparently the couple were so happy that they had even met each others parent's and that is almost always a sign that a relationship will last.
Whatever the case I am sure the Tabloids will report stupid crap and false facts, as per normal.
Barenaked Ladies short a lady
I spent most of my youth and early tens in Scarborough and I remember when the Bare-naked Ladies were banned from playing City Hall, thanks to the Mayor Barbara Hall at the time. Her dis-allowment had a huge impact on the career of the BNL methinks ... free publicity is hard to get anywhere, especially in Toronto. Front page news is beautiful.
Sadly, I must report that Steven Page has quit the band following his drug bust last year.
He will be ursuing a solo career.
He was quoted as saying: "These guys are my brothers. We've grown up together over the past twenty years. I love them and wish them all the best in the future,"
Having the fame they have and being world-renowned for their fun antics almost always fmily friendly it seems appropriate .... hurtful at the same time.
I hope, truly, that Steven gets past this and learns from it as he is an exceptionally talented person.
The band simply won't be the same.
Good luck guys.
Sadly, I must report that Steven Page has quit the band following his drug bust last year.
He will be ursuing a solo career.
He was quoted as saying: "These guys are my brothers. We've grown up together over the past twenty years. I love them and wish them all the best in the future,"
Having the fame they have and being world-renowned for their fun antics almost always fmily friendly it seems appropriate .... hurtful at the same time.
I hope, truly, that Steven gets past this and learns from it as he is an exceptionally talented person.
The band simply won't be the same.
Good luck guys.
A couple of twitter tricks
Here is some useful information for those of use still uncomfortable with twitter.
I recently was asked to share some tips on how to get around in Twitter. So here are a few of them, baby steps folks ... baby steps
Cool Trick Number 1: Tweader
The more followers you get and the more conversations you have, it can almost become impossible to keep up with all of it. That is the beauty of Tweader, simply type in the url number of your tweet and it shows you the whole thread of conversation connected to that Tweet.
Side note: It took a few minutes to figure out how to get the url number, so here are the steps. Click on the time stamp of the tweet, ex. "Less than 5 seconds ago." When you do, it will open up a cool picture of a Tweet. Then look at the web address line and you'll see the url number at the end.
Cool Trick Number 2: Tweetdeck
I have alot of people I follow, I have seen people with ALOT more. However I am interested in the communities I do follow and what they are saying. I actually have a back up n my pc of all of my follower's and who I am following in specific groups so I don't lose anyone accidentally. Tweetdeck is my way to catch up what my Tweeps are saying. I set up several groups based on communities and watch for my replies there too. It really is useful.
Side note: It even catches some of the @replies that Twitter doesn't see. Especially when your name is mentioned in a list of several @'s.
Cool Trick Number 3: Budurl and Tweetburner
Ever wonder if anyone is really listening to you? Shorten your links with either of these tools and you can track how many people opened them. Cool, isn't it! Budurl is great because it will show you how many people are opening them in real time (10 second delay). Tweetburner is cool because you can see what the hottest links of the moment are on it as well. This is especially handy for business folk trying to track customer interest. It can be used as testing.
Side note: Using these tools, you'll get better at writing headlines that will pull traffic to your links because you can see how well you're doing.
Cool Trick Number 3: TweetGrid and Search.Twitter
Ever wonder what everyone is saying about certain topic(s) at the moment? These cool search sites will do the trick. Search.Twitter is the Twitter engine behind Election2008. TweetGrid allows you to track multiple topics in one window. Very helpful indeed.
Side note: Incredibly handy tools to find people when Twitter's people search is down or see who is responding to a particular topic or question posed by a rockstar Tweeter.
Cool Trick Number 4: TweetBeep
This is awesome, pure and simple. This wonderful add-on I call it will take the information you can find in TweetGrid and Search.Twitter and wrap it all up in a nice little email delivered to you hourly or daily. Very handy for keeping up with topics, products and companies you are following.
Side note: No more daily searches. These programs do the thinking for you!
Cool Trick Number 5: TweatLater
I find this one of my favorite and most useful tools for the twitter atmosphere. It tweet's messages I schedule in advance. It's great because sometimes I will send out a series or follow-ups, pardon the twit-pun.
A couple of other twitter tricks;
SnagIt: Be sure to make your own profile on your twitter home page. If you don't have a fancy dancy graphics program, not a problem? use SnagIt to make any jpg. SnagIt is an amazingly inexpensive tool, considering how powerful it is. You won't know how you lived without it.
Qwitter: Want to find out when people stop following you? Qwitter emails you when people drop you. Not for the person with easily hurt feelings, however!
Pingfm : Use it to broadcast your Tweets across all your social media with one click.
And finally another new discovery could end up in my top 5 list: FriendorFollow. Type in your name and find out who is not following you back.
11/16/08: Yet another new discovery: http://spy.appspot.com/ -- real time tracking of conversations on Twitter and beyond.
Follow me here
Octuplets' Mom and Grandma Face Off
The mother and grandmother of the California octuplets, who have been at odds over the mother's choice to have so many children, argue in a video released by RadarOnline.com Monday.
In the discussion taped last week, grandmother Angela Suleman said she "will never understand" why her daughter, Nadya, chose to pursue in vitro fertilization that resulted in the birth of octuplets when she already had six other children. She said she felt sorry for the newborns, which led to a heated exchange:
In the discussion taped last week, grandmother Angela Suleman said she "will never understand" why her daughter, Nadya, chose to pursue in vitro fertilization that resulted in the birth of octuplets when she already had six other children. She said she felt sorry for the newborns, which led to a heated exchange:
Nadya Suleman: Because they are healthy and thriving and crying?
Angela Suleman: No, because there's so many, and how are you going to be able to provide for them?
Nadya Suleman: I have to let go of my need to control everything and I need to accept the help that has been offered.
Angela Suleman: I hope you get help, I really hope so.
The two have granted separate interviews since the birth of the babies Jan. 26. Early last week, Angela Suleman said she made peace with her daughter's decision to have the children after meeting her new grandchildren. But the RadarOnline.com discussion indicated she still has some trouble with the situation.
Nadya Suleman's father, Ed Doud, told Oprah Winfrey his daughter is "absolutely irresponsible" in an interview taped Thursday and set to air Feb. 24 on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' Doud said he questions the "mental situation" of his daughter.
Suleman, 33, has said Dr. Michael Kamrava implanted her with six embryos for each of her six pregnancies -- an apparent violation of national guidelines that specify no more than two embryos for a healthy woman under 35. In her last pregnancy, two of the six embryos split to create eight babiesThe decision of the single mother to have the octuplets has sparked public furor over the potential cost to taxpayers and the welfare of the children. Meanwhile, a man came forward to say he may be the biological father of all 14 of Suleman's children, ABC News reported Monday.
Suleman had babies every year but one between 2001 and 2006. That track record — together with the birth of the octuplets on Jan. 26 — has raised eyebrows among doctors and ethicists who wonder whether Kamrava disregarded professional standards and used Suleman to boost his stats and improve his standing in the highly competitive and lucrative field.
In the RadarOnline.com video, Angela Suleman questioned her daughter over choosing to implant six embryos at once. The mother of 14 passionately defended her choice, repeating "You either use them or destroy them. You either use them or destroy them. You either use them or destroy them."
When Angela Suleman suggested she could have donated the embryos or given the children up for adoption, Nadya Suleman said this would not be acceptable.
"I couldn't even fathom the idea of my own children out in the world" and not know them, she said.
Source:
Source: AOL.com
Posted: 02/24/09 8:19AM
Filed Under: World
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss
It seems these days everyone is concerned just as much about the economy as they are about their health. Luckily there are people out there ualified to help you get in shape safely, quickly and effectively.
Craig Ballantyne has a great program for anyone looking to get in better shape regardless of your age, weight or financial situation.
Take a look.
Craig Ballantyne has a great program for anyone looking to get in better shape regardless of your age, weight or financial situation.
Take a look.
Why Cardio Doesn't Work for Fat Loss
By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTraining.com
Cardio exercise is such a strange thing. In theory, it should work
so perfectly well for all men and women, but as anyone who has
tried it knows, the practicality of it just doesn't add up.
After all, some men and women do cardio 6 hours, 9 hours, or more per week, and still have belly fat to burn. On the other hand, it works just fine for others.
British researchers wanted to get more insight into this paradox, and studied 35 overweight men and women, who weren't previously exercising.
(Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008).
Subjects exercised 5 times per week for 12 weeks. That's a lot of
exercise, but it helped the subjects lose an average of 8.2 pounds, which is great - I was positively surprised by the results.
So cardio will work for some people, however, in my experience, it works best in young men, who need the help the least!
Back to the study, the variance in fat loss between individuals was huge. Check this out...
The best subject lost a staggering 32.3 pounds in 12 weeks, while the worst subject actually GAINED 3.74 pounds.
The scientists think they know where things went sour. They
classified the subjects into 2 groups, called the "Compensators"
and the "Non-compensators".
The Compensators were hungrier, and as a result consumed an extra 268 calories per day, all but wiping out their cardio efforts.
Therefore, the Compensators lost the least amount of weight, and scientists believe that was due to the huge "compensatory" increase in appetite experienced by this group.
Does your appetite increase when you do slow cardio? If it does,
research shows it will ruin your cardio efforts.
So if your cardio program is not working for you, check your
appetite and calorie intake to see if you are "compensating" for
your efforts. If you are, you might be better off using a program
of high-intensity resistance and interval training (i.e. Turbulence Training) for your weight loss efforts.
As Australian Professor Steve Boucher has shown in research,
interval training increases hormones called catecholamines. And
increased catecholamines can reduce appetite, among other fat-
burning benefits.
In the real world, few people lose 33 pounds after 12 weeks of
cardio. Heck, few even achieve an average weight loss of 8 pounds with aerobic exercise.
So again, check your appetite, and consider giving high-intensity
exercise a go for your next workout program.
Beat the curse of cardio with high-intensity Turbulence Training.
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training
About the Author
Learn about the "Dark Side of Cardio" in the free report from Craig Ballantyne at www.TurbulenceTraining.com. Craig is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit www.TurbulenceTraining.com
THE FUNNIEST COMPLAINT LETTER EVER (By Mr Ashley Jenkins)
Okay, this is a little long I admit but well worth the read.
If you've ever had a cell phone you will most definitely love this letter.
I wonder how long before someone notifies Vodafone Brand Development...?
This Truly is the rant to end all rants.
Mr Nick Read
Vodafone CEO
Vodafone House
The Connection
Newbury
Berkshire
RG14 2FN
21st February 2008
Account/Mobile Number
07********2
Dear Nick
I am writing to you today as I am a Vodafone customer who is completely at the end of his tether.
I need your help Nick.
I’ve started dreaming about you. I wonder what you look like; I wonder if you really are the savior of Vodafone. I want you to be Nick, but then I check my inclusive minutes and I realize you are not. I check my voicemail to see if Vodafone Business Relations have called me back but they haven’t Nick. They haven’t called me. It’s all been a dream and I want to die.
I loath writing Nick, it real gets to me, but on this occasion I have to. I have to write to you because the alternative is committing suicide, a suicide which you would be reading about in next months Mobile News magazine.
My suicide note would burn onto your minds retina like a overheated Nokia 6120, the words would jump from the page and into your soul, all constructed via T9 predictive text, and you wouldn’t be able to erase me Nick, the message would be there for good, in your cerebellums inbox.
You see, for 5 months now Nick, I have been in a communicational conundrum, a sort of Newbury Hell.
5 months ago I ordered 15 phone lines for my business. I already had 5 lines with you as I had been with Vodafone for as long as I can remember. I was a customer with you when Chris Gent walked through those pearly Banbury doors, all smartly dressed with nothing but hope in his heart and an Ericsson T29 in his pocket. Times were great then Nick, you even managed to send my bill on time. I loved those days.
Anyway, I digress.
I wanted a Sharer Plan; I needed on average 3000 minutes per user, so for 15 users I needed 45,000 minutes. I also needed them on 12 month commitments and free calls to 0870 numbers.
I was promised all this Nick, the world was my oyster. Vodafone was my Morrissey and I was a young Russell Brand, all gushing with enthusiasm and gusto, but with sexual tension replaced with 500 texts free every month.
We were flirting Nick, Vodafone and I were courting and there was nothing the world could do about it. You wanted longer commitment, but I couldn’t give it, you said 24 months, I said no, give me time, lets take it slow, lets not rush into this, I want to give you my heart but I’m unsure how Google Maps works on the Nokia N95.
We agreed on 12 months contracts.
Next up was the plan, now I’m no Shakespeare Nick, but I would proclaim to have a certain grasp on the English language, so when I uttered the words
‘I do not want 3000 minutes fixed per phone; I want the whole 45,000 minutes to be shared between the 15 users’
I stupidly assumed that Vodafone would understand this, but in hindsight, I now see that this was all too much for Hayleigh Hegar and Jenna Bird to comprehend.
I mean, they barely could grasp the concept of phoning people back, and as for e mail, well; this alien concept was lost on these two. I often sat back in my genuine simulated leather office chair and wonder if I was actually calling Vodafone, or was I being rerouted by some fickle finger of destiny through to a parallel universe, where anything you ask or request engenders the respondent to lie and say the complete opposite of what is actually going to happen, a sort of Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole, without the tea pots.
You see Nick, after the first months bill arrived, I couldn’t wait to open it. The morning it turned up I was like a little boy at Christmas, all exited and red faced. My wife even commented that my cheeks looked like the little Vodafone logo, you know, the one which look like a speech bubble. The irony only added to the moment Nick, it was heaven.
There it was, in a white cardboard box. It looked like a well organized letter bomb. I couldn’t hold it any longer. I wanted to see my savings, I wanted to open that letter bomb Nick and I wanted the savings to jump out of the page and blow up in my face like corporate Anthrax. I ripped the highly emissive carbon paper and there it was Nick, there it was…
I was overcharged £500 because I wasn’t on a sharer plan.
My heart sunk. I retreated to my simulated leather chair Nick and I began panicking. I began panicking Nick because I though, god, if Hayleigh Hegar and Jenna Bird have got this wrong, then there’s no hope. We are all doomed. Vodafone is going to become a massive corporate tennis ball, bouncing around the globalised courts of all 5 continents, stealing money from the pockets of honest paying punters while returning that money to the greedy shareholding ball boys and girls. I was livid Nick, and I don’t even like Tennis.
I immediately contacted my Vodafone team. Team 26, such a bold sounding group, it conjured up images of robotic men in black suits huddled around a control station, manfully directing proceedings like a mini FBI, but this wasn’t the FBI Nick, this was Vodafone’s Customer Service; a group of young bucks floating through life, unable to decide if they should find a real job, synchronize their Blackberry, or face the relentless realization that they have become a number within a number.
That number was 26.
Imagine growing up, and all the fervor and energy of a young child, all enthusiast and eager to learn. Think back Nick, think back to when you were a small child and your ambition was bursting out of you. Then fast forward 15 years. Imagine being part of a team called Team 26.
It would make you want to stick pineapples in your eyes.
I spoke with Hayley Hegar to raise my concerns, after some verbal altercations, I was escalated to a woman called Jenna Bird. I love the word ‘escalated’. You organization uses it so sporadically you feel you are being lifted from you feet and elevated to a different stratosphere.
In the space of 4 months, I have been escalated to no more that 7 people. I don’t think it gets much higher than this Nick, I’m walking on the moon, I’m walking on sunshine, I’m free as a bird Nick, I’m singing in the rain.
No, wait a minute, I’m not, and I’m actually walking on broken glass. I’m walking on broken glass Nick and there are shards of glass covering my bloody feet. I’m walking in sheer pain and I’m heading your way Nick. I’m heading your way and I have shards of glass and in my soles and they feel like 1,000,000 prepay simcards with no talk time.
Jenna Bird took 2 months to tell me everything I knew already. 2 months had gone on, and more money had been extracted manfully from my bank account.
Then, like the parting of the red sea, a miracle arrived in January, like a time delayed Christmas present from Jesus Chris. The marvelous, reclusive, evasive and sprightly Jenna Bird arranged a £2000 credit on my account. I nearly shit myself with surprise.
A breakthrough I thought. A breakthrough of such magnificent proportions it felt like I had won the lottery. Or had I?
I checked my ticket, yes, I had the first 5 numbers Nick, and it was looking good. Lancelot spun round like a spin dryer in a hedge fund, I waited Nick, I waited for the confirmation, all I needed was the number 1 Nick, here it comes Nick, here it comes.
Number 26.
I couldn’t believe it. Jenna Bird had escalated me to a man called Paul Bolton, and this is where it gets interesting Nick. My lottery win had all been a mirage. Smoke and mirrors awaited.
This is the exact timeline of events. Bearing in mind I had at this point been waiting 16 weeks for this to be resolved.
Jenna Bird escalated this on the 5th January to Paul Bolton. She arranged for a £2000 credit on my account to cover the January bill.
Paul Bolton was meant to call me by the 9th January. He didn’t.
I called Vodafone on Monday 12th and was told he would call me that week. He didn’t.
I eventually got hold of him on the 21st January. He apologized and said he would resolve my queries this week. He said he would phone me everyday to give me an update. He didn’t.
I phoned Monday 26th January, and was told that he had been in an accident, and wouldn’t be in work that week.
I was then escalated to a woman called Kim. She apologized and said that she would be dealing with this, but would need some time as she did not know anything about the case. I spent an hour on the phone to her explaining everything again. She told me she would resolve this and come back to me by the end of the week.
Guess what Nick, she didn’t.
I called again on February 2nd. She apologized again and told me that they didn’t do a sharer plan anywhere near what had been offered, but she might be able to pull off something special. She told me someone would be calling me later that day.
Nobody did.
I phoned her again on the 3rd February and again she apologized. Later that day a young lady from Vodafone sales called me, and wait for this Nick, she called me to offer me a standard sharer tariff of 48,000 minutes for £2300 a month.
After speaking to Hayleigh Hegar, Jenna Bird, Paul Bolton and Kim, and when they all knew my problem was the fact that I was promised 45,000 minutes for £990 per month, I then have to suffer the indignation of somebody calling me back and offering me the standard sharer plan which is on your website and has been there since I began this whole affair.
What a joke.
I immediately called Kim back, who immediately appeared on the defensive. She said she would look into this and come back to me.
She didn’t come back to me Nick.
I then phoned her on the 13th February. She said she would escalate the call to her manager, Yvonne Dunbar. Kim said the turnaround to be called back by a manager was 48 hours.
Yvonne didn’t call me. When I did ring and get to speak to her 1 week later, she told me that she had been, and I quote
‘In meetings and whatever’
I explained to her the whole situation. She said she would escalate the call to her manager, Shelaigh Coogan who would phone me back that day.
Shelaigh didn’t phone back. At this point I gave up.
So far, over 5 the months, you have overcharged me approximately £3500, my contracts are still 24 months and not 12 months, I’m still getting charged for 0870 numbers, and I am still nowhere near being on the sharer plan I was told I would be on. As I write this letter, my staff are making calls on the phones and are incurring charges we should not be.
I have written this letter out of sheer frustration Nick, and I have prepared a county court summons for the remaining line rental commitment, which total £18,674.
I will also be circulating this letter around the popular press, including all major UK television channels.
Nick, I remember you once saying that ‘to win in the marketplace you needed to create a brand that customers feel an emotional connection with; that employees want to do their best work for; and that is widely recognised as a leader for the quality of its products and services and the contribution it makes to society’.
You went on to say that you look at everything that passes your desk through several lenses: how it affects our customers and our employees, what the financial implications are. And importantly, you say that you use a corporate responsibility lens to decide if this would protect and build Vodafones reputation.
May I suggest you change your lenses Nick, I think the ones you have on are fucked.
Mr Jenkins
Proud to be a "boring" Canadian!
NEWSWEEK
From the magazine issue dated Feb 16, 2009
The legendary editor of The New Republic, Michael Kinsley, once held a "Boring Headline Contest" and decided that the winner was "Worthwhile Canadian Initiative." Twenty-two years later, the magazine was rescued from its economic troubles by a Canadian media company, which should have taught us Americans to be a bit more humble. Now there is even more striking evidence of Canada's virtues. Guess which country, alone in the industrialized world, has not faced a single bank failure, calls for bailouts or government intervention in the financial or mortgage sectors. Yup, it's Canada. In 2008, the World Economic Forum ranked Canada's banking system the healthiest in the world. America's ranked 40th, Britain's 44th.
Canada has done more than survive this financial crisis. The country is positively thriving in it. Canadian banks are well capitalized and poised to take advantage of opportunities that American and European banks cannot seize. The Toronto Dominion Bank, for example, was the 15th-largest bank in North America one year ago. Now it is the fifth-largest. It hasn't grown in size; the others have all shrunk.
So what accounts for the genius of the Canadians? Common sense. Over the past 15 years, as the United States and Europe loosened regulations on their financial industries, the Canadians refused to follow suit, seeing the old rules as useful shock absorbers. Canadian banks are typically leveraged at 18 to 1-compared with U.S. banks at 26 to 1 and European banks at a frightening 61 to 1. Partly this reflects Canada's more risk-averse business culture, but it is also a product of old-fashioned rules on banking.
Canada has also been shielded from the worst aspects of this crisis because its housing prices have not fluctuated as wildly as those in the United States. Home prices are down 25 percent in the United States, but only half as much in Canada. Why? Well, the Canadian tax code does not provide the massive incentive for overconsumption that the U.S. code does: interest on your mortgage isn't deductible up north. In addition, home loans in the United States are "non-recourse," which basically means that if you go belly up on a bad mortgage, it's mostly the bank's problem. In Canada, it's yours.
Ah, but you've heard American politicians wax eloquent on the need for these expensive programs-interest deductibility alone costs the federal government $100 billion a year-because they allow the average Joe to fulfill the American Dream of owning a home. Sixty-eight percent of Americans own their own homes. And the rate of Canadian homeownership? It's 68.4 percent.
Canada has been remarkably responsible over the past decade or so. It has had 12 years of budget surpluses, and can now spend money to fuel a recovery from a strong position. The government has restructured the national pension system, placing it on a firm fiscal footing, unlike our own insolvent Social Security. Its health-care system is cheaper than America's by far (accounting for 9.7 percent of GDP, versus 15.2 percent here), and yet does better on all major indexes. Life expectancy in Canada is 81 years, versus 78 in the United States; "healthy life expectancy" is 72 years, versus 69.
American car companies have moved so many jobs to Canada to take advantage of lower health-care costs that since 2004, Ontario and not Michigan has been North America's largest car-producing region.
I could go on. The U.S. currently has a brain-dead immigration system. We issue a small number of work visas and green cards, turning away from our shores thousands of talented students who want to stay and work here. Canada, by contrast, has no limit on the number of skilled migrants who can move to the country. They can apply on their own for a Canadian Skilled Worker Visa, which allows them to become perfectly legal "permanent residents" in Canada-no need for a sponsoring employer, or even a job. Visas are awarded based on education level, work experience, age and language abilities. If a prospective immigrant earns 67 points out of 100 total (holding a Ph.D. is worth 25 points, for instance), he or she can become a full-time, legal resident of Canada.
Companies are noticing. In 2007 Microsoft, frustrated by its inability to hire foreign graduate students in the United States, decided to open a research center in Vancouver. The company's announcement noted that it would staff the center with "highly skilled people affected by immigration issues in the U.S." So the brightest Chinese and Indian software engineers are attracted to the United States, trained by American universities, then thrown out of the country and picked up by Canada-where most of them will work, innovate and pay taxes for the rest of their lives.
If President Obama is looking for smart government, there is much he, and all of us, could learn from our quiet-OK, sometimes boring-neighbor to the north. Meanwhile, in the councils of the financial world, Canada is pushing for new rules for financial institutions that would reflect its approach.
This strikes me as, well, a worthwhile Canadian initiative.
URL:
Citizen's arrest at an IHOP !
Somedays I dread what the morning news is going to bring and somedays I love it.
Today for the most part is no different than any other day, except for the report about Nicky Hilton performing a "Citizen's Arrest" outside of an IHOP. (International House of Pancakes). She was leaving around 5.am, the Santa Monica Cali location when Michael Broadhurst, 50, pushed her from behind.
She wasn't robbed or hurt, just pissed off. The cops got there and she had it all under control. The old guy goes to court April 21.
This is just a really stupid story, but hey in my opinion most things to do with the Hilton kids almost always is.
I wonder if little Nicky will tell her friends "That's Hot"
Happy Pancake day
Today for the most part is no different than any other day, except for the report about Nicky Hilton performing a "Citizen's Arrest" outside of an IHOP. (International House of Pancakes). She was leaving around 5.am, the Santa Monica Cali location when Michael Broadhurst, 50, pushed her from behind.
She wasn't robbed or hurt, just pissed off. The cops got there and she had it all under control. The old guy goes to court April 21.
This is just a really stupid story, but hey in my opinion most things to do with the Hilton kids almost always is.
I wonder if little Nicky will tell her friends "That's Hot"
Happy Pancake day
Monday, February 23, 2009
The No-Gym, No Excuses Workout
Incinerate fat and pack on muscle — anywhere! — without lifting a weight
Thanks to Jeff Csatari, Men's Health for this great report.
Let's start with a few assumptions. You don't have the luxury of spending hours in a gym. You don't have much workout equipment at home. You've found it hard to stick with an exercise plan over the long term.
Welcome to the club. But we've found the solution: It's called the Bodyweight 200, and it addresses all those obstacles. In fact, you need only two items — a Swiss ball and a chin up bar — to perform this 20-minute, total-body routine designed by Belly Off! Club advisor Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., owner of TurbulenceTraining.com. So you can do it in your basement, your garage, or even your bedroom. And while a weight-free workout may sound easy, the Bodyweight 200 will challenge every muscle in your body. (The 200 stands for the number of repetitions you do.)
Best of all, you can start today. And why wouldn't you? Now that you have this workout, you're all out of excuses.
The Body-Weight 200
This 12-station, 200-rep program burns fat and builds muscle — in about 60 minutes a week
Directions: Do this workout 3 times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example. Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement for the prescribed number of repetitions. Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit.
The Workout
1. Prisoner squats (30 reps)
2. Pushups (30 reps)
3. Jumps (10 reps)
4. Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)
5. Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)
6. Stepups (20 reps)
7. Pullups or chinups (5 reps)
8. Forward lunges (30 reps)
9. Tucked-elbow pushups (20 reps)
10. Inverted rows (15 reps)
11. Prisoner squats (15 reps)
12. Chinups (5 reps)
Prisoner Squat
Stand with your hands behind your head, chest out, and elbows back [A]. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine [B]. Squeeze your glutes and push yourself back to the starting position.
Your toes should be angled slightly outward. Don't raise your heels as you drop into a squat.
Pushup
Assume a classic pushup position, with your back and legs straight and your hands beneath your shoulders [A]. Brace your abs and keep your body rigid. Now lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor [B]. Then push yourself up until your arms are extended.
Keep your back flat and lower your body until you're about an inch off the floor.
Jump
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now dip down at your hips and knees [A] and explode up [B], jumping as high as you can. Land as softly as you can, and then lower yourself and repeat.
Drop your hips back to generate power, and land on your toes before sinking into your heels.
Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
Lie on the floor with your calves resting on a Swiss ball and your arms outstretched. Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles [A]. Pause for a second, and then bend your legs to roll the ball toward your butt [B]. Straighten your legs to roll the ball away from you, and then lower your body to the floor.
Drive your heels into the ball to lift your body and activate your hamstrings.
Swiss-Ball Pike
Assume a pushup position with your feet resting on a Swiss ball, your body in a straight line from toes to shoulders [A]. Keep your back straight as you contract your abs, raise your hips as high as you can, and roll the ball toward you [B]. For an easier version, pull your knees up to your chest without raising your hips.
Your toes should be on the top-center of the ball to help maintain your balance.
Stepup
Holding your arms straight out in front of you, place one foot on a step or bench that's about 2 feet off the floor [A]. Push down through your heel to lift your other leg [B], and then return to the starting position. Complete all your reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the movement.
Your entire foot should be on the bench, with your toes pointed forward.
Pull-up/Chin-up
Hang from the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart [A]. (Use an overhand grip for the pullup and an underhand grip for the chinup.) Pull your chin up past the bar [B], and then lower your body back down. If that's too hard, do negative chinups: Use a sturdy box or bench to boost your chin over the bar. Then lower your body as slowly as you can.
Focus on pulling your body up by squeezing your shoulders to use the muscles in your back.
Forward Lunge
From a standing position [A], take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor [B], hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Tucked-Elbow Pushup
Assume a standard pushup position [A], but keep your elbows tucked in against your sides as you lower yourself until your chest is about an inch off the floor [B] and then push yourself up. To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
Inverted Row
Set a chinup bar at hip height inside a door frame. Lie underneath the bar with your heels on the floor and grab the bar, your hands 1 or 2 inches beyond shoulder-width apart [A]. Keeping your body in a straight line, pull your chest up to the bar using your back muscles [B]. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are straight.
Keep your upper arms close to your body and don't let your hips sag.
HEALTH NEWS
Thanks to Jeff Csatari, Men's Health for this great report.
Let's start with a few assumptions. You don't have the luxury of spending hours in a gym. You don't have much workout equipment at home. You've found it hard to stick with an exercise plan over the long term.
Welcome to the club. But we've found the solution: It's called the Bodyweight 200, and it addresses all those obstacles. In fact, you need only two items — a Swiss ball and a chin up bar — to perform this 20-minute, total-body routine designed by Belly Off! Club advisor Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S., owner of TurbulenceTraining.com. So you can do it in your basement, your garage, or even your bedroom. And while a weight-free workout may sound easy, the Bodyweight 200 will challenge every muscle in your body. (The 200 stands for the number of repetitions you do.)
Best of all, you can start today. And why wouldn't you? Now that you have this workout, you're all out of excuses.
The Body-Weight 200
This 12-station, 200-rep program burns fat and builds muscle — in about 60 minutes a week
Directions: Do this workout 3 times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for example. Perform the exercises as a circuit, doing 1 set of each movement for the prescribed number of repetitions. Complete them in the order shown, without resting between exercises. Too easy? Rest 1 minute and repeat the circuit.
The Workout
1. Prisoner squats (30 reps)
2. Pushups (30 reps)
3. Jumps (10 reps)
4. Swiss-ball leg curls (10 reps)
5. Swiss-ball pikes (10 reps)
6. Stepups (20 reps)
7. Pullups or chinups (5 reps)
8. Forward lunges (30 reps)
9. Tucked-elbow pushups (20 reps)
10. Inverted rows (15 reps)
11. Prisoner squats (15 reps)
12. Chinups (5 reps)
Prisoner Squat
Stand with your hands behind your head, chest out, and elbows back [A]. Sit back at your hips and bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can without losing the natural arch of your spine [B]. Squeeze your glutes and push yourself back to the starting position.
Your toes should be angled slightly outward. Don't raise your heels as you drop into a squat.
Pushup
Assume a classic pushup position, with your back and legs straight and your hands beneath your shoulders [A]. Brace your abs and keep your body rigid. Now lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor [B]. Then push yourself up until your arms are extended.
Keep your back flat and lower your body until you're about an inch off the floor.
Jump
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Now dip down at your hips and knees [A] and explode up [B], jumping as high as you can. Land as softly as you can, and then lower yourself and repeat.
Drop your hips back to generate power, and land on your toes before sinking into your heels.
Swiss-Ball Leg Curl
Lie on the floor with your calves resting on a Swiss ball and your arms outstretched. Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles [A]. Pause for a second, and then bend your legs to roll the ball toward your butt [B]. Straighten your legs to roll the ball away from you, and then lower your body to the floor.
Drive your heels into the ball to lift your body and activate your hamstrings.
Swiss-Ball Pike
Assume a pushup position with your feet resting on a Swiss ball, your body in a straight line from toes to shoulders [A]. Keep your back straight as you contract your abs, raise your hips as high as you can, and roll the ball toward you [B]. For an easier version, pull your knees up to your chest without raising your hips.
Your toes should be on the top-center of the ball to help maintain your balance.
Stepup
Holding your arms straight out in front of you, place one foot on a step or bench that's about 2 feet off the floor [A]. Push down through your heel to lift your other leg [B], and then return to the starting position. Complete all your reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the movement.
Your entire foot should be on the bench, with your toes pointed forward.
Pull-up/Chin-up
Hang from the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart [A]. (Use an overhand grip for the pullup and an underhand grip for the chinup.) Pull your chin up past the bar [B], and then lower your body back down. If that's too hard, do negative chinups: Use a sturdy box or bench to boost your chin over the bar. Then lower your body as slowly as you can.
Focus on pulling your body up by squeezing your shoulders to use the muscles in your back.
Forward Lunge
From a standing position [A], take a large step forward with one leg. When your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your back knee is off the floor [B], hold for 1 second. Then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Make it harder by holding the lowered position for 5 seconds.
Tucked-Elbow Pushup
Assume a standard pushup position [A], but keep your elbows tucked in against your sides as you lower yourself until your chest is about an inch off the floor [B] and then push yourself up. To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
To aid your form, place your hands closer than shoulder width, about 6 inches apart.
Inverted Row
Set a chinup bar at hip height inside a door frame. Lie underneath the bar with your heels on the floor and grab the bar, your hands 1 or 2 inches beyond shoulder-width apart [A]. Keeping your body in a straight line, pull your chest up to the bar using your back muscles [B]. Slowly lower yourself until your arms are straight.
Keep your upper arms close to your body and don't let your hips sag.
HEALTH NEWS
Chat to Text Launches Feb 27 - You can get in Today!
Alright, imagine, seriously...someone walked up to you a few years back and said
"Hey for a few bucks you can get in on this little search engine called Google"
Can you believe there were people who laughed at the idea.....fast forward....they ain't laughing now.
So, the question is: Do you want to miss out on the hottest, let me re-phrase that "THE HOTTEST" newest trend????? or do you wanna walk away thinking it's nuts?
Remember the lives of those who didn't say no to Google or Yahoo or ....
Get my point!?
Good, read on ... you WILL be happy you did.
You have to check this out!
Ok, you have to check this out:
CLick here, watch the video!
It's a 5-minute video about a brand new tool you can add to your social network page (works now with Facebook and Bebo, and soon MySpace). You just add it to your profile page and your friends can send you a private text message to your cell phone, and you can reply with your cell phone and they'll get it while they're still on your profile page!
It's called Chat To Text.
It's all explained in the video:
Chat to Text
I've installed it on my profile page - look for the 'Text Me' box on my page and send me a text message to my cell phone...too cool!
Let me know what you think!
Garret
P.S. Don't be fooled by the example I am giving folks.
Many people had the opportunity to own a piece of the MONSTER known as GOOGLE.
For $6.00 Bucks, don't miss out.
See you in success.
Did I mention this is by invite only?
Chat to Text doesn't officially launch until Feb 27 ...
Get Ahead of the crowd.
Click here and become a part of what is sure to be the hottest money maker of the year. Don't regret it later.
"Hey for a few bucks you can get in on this little search engine called Google"
Can you believe there were people who laughed at the idea.....fast forward....they ain't laughing now.
So, the question is: Do you want to miss out on the hottest, let me re-phrase that "THE HOTTEST" newest trend????? or do you wanna walk away thinking it's nuts?
Remember the lives of those who didn't say no to Google or Yahoo or ....
Get my point!?
Good, read on ... you WILL be happy you did.
You have to check this out!
Ok, you have to check this out:
CLick here, watch the video!
It's a 5-minute video about a brand new tool you can add to your social network page (works now with Facebook and Bebo, and soon MySpace). You just add it to your profile page and your friends can send you a private text message to your cell phone, and you can reply with your cell phone and they'll get it while they're still on your profile page!
It's called Chat To Text.
It's all explained in the video:
Chat to Text
I've installed it on my profile page - look for the 'Text Me' box on my page and send me a text message to my cell phone...too cool!
Let me know what you think!
Garret
P.S. Don't be fooled by the example I am giving folks.
Many people had the opportunity to own a piece of the MONSTER known as GOOGLE.
For $6.00 Bucks, don't miss out.
See you in success.
Did I mention this is by invite only?
Chat to Text doesn't officially launch until Feb 27 ...
Get Ahead of the crowd.
Click here and become a part of what is sure to be the hottest money maker of the year. Don't regret it later.
6,100 texts a month, but at what cost?
It's a new era. Kids keep connected with constant cell phones through-out the planet and yet I know a few 20 somethings that don't even know how to find it on their cell phones.
Most kids live by it, and a few, a very small few could care less.
But at what cost is a great question and concern.
With all of the cell phone plans out there the bill isn't really a concern since you can get unlimited plans for text usually around the $30.00 mark....not too long ago that was not the case.
I remember when I did customer service for Nextel phones and Sprint phones after the merger, this was between 2002 and 2006 and folks, the stories I could tell you about parent's calling in for bills in the hundreds and yes 3 times that I can remember in the thousands. What always amazed me was how parents were mad at the company. Hey, don't shoot the provider.
Check the plan options!
More importantly have a sit down with your child or children whatever the case may be and talk about the usage. We have to ask ourselves:
What will this generation learn and what will they lose in the relentless stream of sentence fragments, abbreviations and emoticons?
Explain that life's issues are not always settled in sound bites.
Consider this; nationally, more than 75 billion text messages are sent a month, and the most avid texters are 13 to 17, say researchers.
Teens with cellphones average 2,272 text messages a month, compared with 203 calls, according to the Nielsen Co.
It is no longer a fad but a way of life, everyday existence and it does have it's good points.
For example: For families, the text world can bring convenience as never before in arranging rides, doing errands, letting parents know of changing plans.
There are however as with everything in life .. downsides.
For example: Texting whilst driving, sending inappropriate messages that somehow manage to spread like wildfire everywhere they were never intended to go and be seen.
The fact remains regardless that texting is here hard core and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
It's instant information when you need to get some email or news, etc.
Now if you'll excuse me I just got a text ...err...
Until next time :)
Image via Wikipedia
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Most kids live by it, and a few, a very small few could care less.
But at what cost is a great question and concern.
With all of the cell phone plans out there the bill isn't really a concern since you can get unlimited plans for text usually around the $30.00 mark....not too long ago that was not the case.
I remember when I did customer service for Nextel phones and Sprint phones after the merger, this was between 2002 and 2006 and folks, the stories I could tell you about parent's calling in for bills in the hundreds and yes 3 times that I can remember in the thousands. What always amazed me was how parents were mad at the company. Hey, don't shoot the provider.
Check the plan options!
More importantly have a sit down with your child or children whatever the case may be and talk about the usage. We have to ask ourselves:
What will this generation learn and what will they lose in the relentless stream of sentence fragments, abbreviations and emoticons?
Explain that life's issues are not always settled in sound bites.
Consider this; nationally, more than 75 billion text messages are sent a month, and the most avid texters are 13 to 17, say researchers.
Teens with cellphones average 2,272 text messages a month, compared with 203 calls, according to the Nielsen Co.
It is no longer a fad but a way of life, everyday existence and it does have it's good points.
For example: For families, the text world can bring convenience as never before in arranging rides, doing errands, letting parents know of changing plans.
There are however as with everything in life .. downsides.
For example: Texting whilst driving, sending inappropriate messages that somehow manage to spread like wildfire everywhere they were never intended to go and be seen.
The fact remains regardless that texting is here hard core and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
It's instant information when you need to get some email or news, etc.
Now if you'll excuse me I just got a text ...err...
Until next time :)
Image via Wikipedia
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