A Sure Thing
April 30th, 2008A Sure Thing
Don’t Count On It
The Boston Celtics beating the Atlanta Hawks is a sure thing?
Yeah, kinda like how the Patriots winning the Super Bowl was a sure thing. How’d that one work out for ya Boston?
Game 5 tonight!
See The World
April 30th, 2008See The World
Explore!
Rumor has it that a lot of those “economic stimulus” tax rebate checks are going to be used for travel this summer. That’s actually pretty good news, since travel affects so many segments of the economy.
I’ll actually be travelling more this summer than I have in the past three years combined. Between two planned family vacations and several business trips, I’ll be gone more than I’ll be home.
All of my travel with be via air (who can afford to drive anywhere?), and I’ll rent a car at each of my destinations so I can do as much exploring as possible. Usually the only time I don’t use a car rental is when I’m traveling to some of the largest and most congested cities – in which case cabs are easier. Travel this summer will be to smaller cities, with Las Vegas being the largest.
Speaking of car rentals, I always check to see if Advantage Rent A Car has an office in the city I’m travelling to before I go. Previous rentals with them have gone very smoothly and have been very affordable.
The Gas Chamber
April 29th, 2008The Gas Chamber
Are you a voter?
Next time you’re bending over at the gas pump, keep thank you Democrat-controlled congress for:
- Opposing opening Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Reserve to oil and natural gas drilling.
- Opposing the expansion of the nation’s oil-refining capacity.
- Opposing the development of nuclear power plants.
- Opposing the investment in clean energy technologies.
- Opposing the elimination, temporary or otherwise, of the federal gas tax.
Be sure to thank them in November!
Reverse Phone Lookup
April 29th, 2008Reverse Phone Lookup
Can You Hear Me Now?
I’m probably not alone in my hatred of telephones. I’m on the phone for the better part of my day at work. When I get home, the last thing I need is to be bothered with unsolicited calls, especially from telemarketers.
That’s exactly the reason why my phone number has been added to the National No Call Registry. And for those few callers who ignore that request, or call from cell phones, Reverse Cell Phone Lookup comes to the rescue.
Sleeping Beauty
April 29th, 2008Sleeping Beauty
More Sleep, More Beauty
I’m convinced that the snooze alarm is the greatest invention of all time. My entire daily schedule is designed around the innovation of the snooze alarm.
On rare occasions I have to wake up and get out of bed without the luxury of the snooze alarm. More often than not, the entire day will suck when it starts in that manner. I have absolutely no idea why those extra 9 minutes of rest are so much more valuable than the previous 7 hours or so, but they are.
It would be interesting to hear the story of the snooze alarm form the guy (come on, you know it was a guy) who invented it.
I’m very disciplined with my snooze alarm usage. One alarm, followed by one snooze alarm, then out of bed. But, my kids - eh, not so disciplined. For them, the snooze alarm is like a video game - just keep hitting the button.
Last year I saw a cool solution to this, but I couldn’t bring myself to inflict such cruelty on my children. I could be wrong, but I think it was in the Sharper Image catalog… An alarm clock with two big wheels on it. Just before the alarm kicks off, the clock rolls on to the floor and drives to some remote location in the room - then it sounds the alarm. You have to physically get out of bed, find it, and turn it off.
I guess it would be pretty funny, as long as it’s in someone else’s bedroom.
A Better Spark
April 28th, 2008A Better Spark
SocialSpark
Wait… You mean you’re still writing a blog, but you’re not making money?
I don’t get it.
For those of us who enjoy writing, blogging can actually be quite fun. In fact, I find writing to be very therapeutic. I don’t write for the sake of making money. At least not yet – that’s what my novel will be for. I write blogs (several of them in fact) for my own enjoyment, as well as to keep my writing skills sharp for more demanding projects.
So, to have the opportunity to earn money, while doing something I enjoy, is the best of both worlds.
There are many companies that will pay bloggers money for “sponsored” posts, but there are none like SocialSpark.
Sponsored posts are really no different than television commercials during your favorite shows. While I won’t disclose any financials here, rest assured I wouldn’t be doing it if it weren’t profitable. Very profitable.
How is SocialSpark different from the other companies? There are many differences…
SocialSpark is not just a marketing company for bloggers, it’s an entire social community. You’ll find everything from sponsored posts to full blog sponsorship, but of even more interest to many is the social aspect of the service… The “spark” of SocialSpark.
SocialSpark is friendly and easy to use. Unlike with the competitors, you don’t even need to worry about the dreaded loss of Google PR.
As part of IZEA, Inc., SocialSpark stands behind their code of ethics:
- 100% Audit-able In-Post Disclosure
- 100% Transparency
- 100% Real Opinions
- 100% Search Engine Friendly
So, tell me, you’re still writing without compensation???
Believe
April 28th, 2008Believe
Hawks Tie It Up
Can’t be done? Don’t tell Atlanta it can’t be done!
The Atlanta Hawks are even with the Celtics 2-2 in the best of 7 NBA Playoff series. Number 8 Atlanta giving it to Number 1 Boston.
Lovin’ every minute of it…
(Oh, and just go ahead and pretend that you don’t have that song stuck in your head right now!)
Diamonds?
April 28th, 2008Diamonds?
They’re Her 2nd Best Friend
With both Mother’s Day and the busiest season for weddings upon us, many people are looking for unique gift ideas. They’re looking for something a bit different and unexpected, but something that will be cherished for many years to come. In my humble opinion, pearl jewelry fills this need better than anything else, including other styles of jewelry.
Pearls have long been a staple in my wife’s cache of jewelry, and despite her ample choices of diamonds, are usually her first choice when accessorizing. I must admit, I couldn’t be happier about this. First, pearls are generally much easier on the budget than diamonds – even her preferred Tahitian Pearls are affordable in comparison. But even more important than cost is the overall aura surrounding the pearl. When dressed for a night out, a strand of pearls around my wife’s neck transform her from her usual stunningly beautiful, to simply irresistible.
The choice of pearls makes an excellent gift for any occasion, and are sure to make any woman smile. Of course, be sure to purchase your pearls from a trusted jeweler. ThePearlOutlet.com is the leader in offering quality pearls, and you won’t find more affordably priced pearls, of the same high quality, anywhere else.
If you want to make her happy, buy her some pearls. And you know that if she’s happy, you’re happy.
Not The News
April 28th, 2008Not The News
In Black And White
There are plenty of things that annoy me with news reports. Actually, there are plenty of things that annoy me in general - but we’ll stick to news reports for this post.
Why do we need to know the color of the vehicles involved in an accident?
For example, these excerpts are from an Atlanta newspaper:
The accident occurred about 8 a.m. when a 17-year-old driving a burgundy Jeep Cherokee was northbound on Old Canton Road, said Officer Cassie Reece, a Cobb police spokeswoman.
A “burgundy” Jeep you say? Hmmm… Is this is subtle hint that alcohol was involved?
The driver of the Jeep did not see a gold Nissan Maxima at Nestle Creek Drive, which was making a left turn onto Old Canton Road, Reece.
A “gold” Nissan Maxima??? I assume this is more valuable than the “silver” Nissan Maxima?
Clearly, the drunk Jeep Cherokee plowed into the valuable Nissan Maxima. Why not just say that to begin with?
I know the real reason behind this type of reporting is that the reporter - and I use that term loosely - gets this information directly from the police reports. Journalism isn’t what it used to be.
Outdoor Life
April 27th, 2008Outdoor Life
Hiking Gear
While shopping for a new holster last week I discovered a pretty cool police gear website that I’d never run across before, LAPoliceGear.com.
Not only is the holster on its way to me, I also couldn’t resist their excellent pricing on BDU Pants. These things are great for hiking – one of my favorite summer activities (along with mountain biking and hammock testing).
