I'VE MOVED MY URL...

While 33 is the new 23 has been great, I've decided to get my own domain. Please click here on The Lighthouse Society for my new URL, but same blog. Thanks!

Be oyster aware!

"I heard oysters are an aphrodisiac - so I bought two dozen but three of them didn't work!" Okay, so that oyster joke might not appear all that funny to most of you, but neither is getting sick from eating raw oysters.
Personally, I’m a fan of fried oysters. Not being a raw seafood eater, the texture of raw oysters sliding down my throat just isn’t for me, but it sure is for millions of others around the world who find raw oysters to be a delicacy. There are definitely some great health benefits to eating these pearls of the sea, but like most foods, oysters have risks and you should be aware of you are an at-risk consumer. While not widely known, people with diabetes, weak immune systems, or liver disease, should avoid eating raw oysters due to the risk of vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which in some individuals with the aforementioned conditions can cause serious illness or even death. Like anything, be informed about what you are eating and know the facts about Gulf oysters.

Back home at Heavenly Valley!

After a day that involved 19 hours of travel, sun, rain, snow, and not too much sleep, Julie and I arrived in South Lake Tahoe on Friday night for a 9-day stay in the Blue World. Not unlike last year, we brought the snow with us and Heavenly Valley was blanketed with 2 feet of fresh snow through last night. When we woke this morning, the sun was shining and our third day on the slopes was nothing short of epic with bluebird skies and temps around 40 degrees. Of course at 10,000, that sun packs a punch and I kind of wish I'd put some sunscreen on this morning. Oh well. The extent of my posting this week will be from this beautiful wonderland.

Oasis Nasal Spray is the real deal!

I’ve been cursed since childhood with a multitude of symptoms associated with asthma and allergies. I recall having to go into the doctor’s once a week for allergy shots that normally didn’t do anything other than make my arm puff up for a while. While the asthma may have gone into remission for the most part, my allergies seem to be in a year-round love affair with anything and everything in and outdoors. While I don’t have to deal with nasty food allergies, I suffer from many of the common household and pet allergies. This can mean long nights of sniffling and constant blowing my nose to the point of dry skin. You may ask why I don’t take a plethora of allergy medications and to be truthful, I’ve tried them all – over-the-counter and prescription, but not much really works. Don’t get me wrong, there have, for a long time, been over-the-counter nasal sprays that actually do provide some daily relief, but there’s always the addiction catch, and quite frankly I don’t need to take that risk. I did recently hear about a nasal spray that is not only safe for me, but also safe for kids, and non-addictive. Gathering its’ ingredients from the Dead Sea, Oasis Nasal Spray is gaining popularity for the aforementioned reasons.

An Oasis of Relief for Parents

As a parent, deciding on what medicine to give your children is one of the most fearful responsibilities you have. You hear bad reports on how addictive or how harmful some remedies are in newspapers and on the TV almost every week. It can become absolutely stressful when your child is sick and you then must make the hard decision on what to pick up at your local pharmacy.

This grave concern was not helped when the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a recent recall for over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children. They are now contemplating whether nasal sprays and nose drops are safe for children younger than 12. The FDA is worried that these easy to use congestion reducers have dangerous side effects such as addictive tendencies. But there is hope for parents out there. There is now a safe and effective solution you can buy.

Oasis Nasal Spray and Wash is proud to announce that it is not on the recall list and has a strict non addictive standing. Oasis has released Children's Oasis Nasal Spray and Wash. Oasis’ solution is all natural and produced entirely of purified Dead Sea Minerals. Many nasal sprays contain a saltwater base, which helps release congestion in the nose and is easily wiped away. Oasis nasal spray takes it another step by not simply being saltwater from any ocean mixed with other chemicals like the leading nasal spray, but is all natural and made from the most salty sea in the world.

Oasis Nasal Spray provides the healing powers of the Dead Sea in their products for problems faced everyday; nasal allergies, runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, itchy nose, recurrent sinus infections, and chronic sinusitis. Oasis Nasal Spray was created by Scott Cordray; Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist. His company Master Solutions has helped to create Oasis Nasal Wash and Oasis Nasal Spray by utilizing the healing salts of the Dead Sea.

As the field narrows towards the final two...

...You know the rest, don't you? The two candidates start to try and distinguish between each other, fail to do so, and then the pot shots and dirty politics start to fly fast and furiously. Apparently the latter is gong to take precedence in the normal order of presidential politics as today we learned that a female lobbyist is accusing John McCain to "getting too close," so to speak. Really? Wow! Didn't see this coming from a campaign that has included tricky Bill, but the fact of the matter is that the so called allegations are at this time, just that, and quite frankly silly. Even still, the primaries and caucuses aren't even over yet and still the behind the scenes PACs are already digging stories on candidates. I'm sorry, but this one has Moveon.org all over it. And if they don't like it, they can sue me for accusing them. See how it works. Silly stuff.

Do you have effective enterprise resource planning solutions?

One of the most rewarded ways to earn a living is to own and operate a small business. This is especially true in Maine where small business is one of the foundations of our economy. That said, it can also be said that there can sometimes be a fine line between financial viability and operating in the red. A key aspect to operating and maintaining a healthy business in today’s business environment is having good business management software that offers easy to use and complete online accounting. NetBooks offers unique business solutions and small business erp. NetBooks can help you organize your books, grow your business, and plan for the future while taking care of all your small business erp needs.

Hell can wait till I get back from vacation!

As I sat with my boss earlier today, I explained how I worked while I was in Lake Tahoe this time last year. No, I didn’t put in hours, but I was constantly in touch with people at my office getting updates and providing opinions etc. As part of my New Years resolution list, one of the items was to not do this type of thing anymore, even on short vacations or days off. This is a long vacation and one which I truly feel I have earned. While I know that work will be hell when I return – not unlike heaven, hell can wait!

Do you have a good online shopping cart?

So you’ve got a plan for a home-based online business and you want to use a site like eBay. You’ve got your products lined up, your distribution line set, and you even have warehousing solutions. Regardless of whether you use eBay or another online site for selling – even your own website – you will need a fast and effective way for your potential customers to pay for their items and check out. It might seem rather academic, but a quality shopping cart is key to a successful businesses. I can say that I have come across some sites that were just a real pain to deal with and it made me not want to shop with the merchant again. The truth is; these sites weren’t using Ashop Commerce shopping cart software on their site. Ashop has ecommerce solutions for all types on online sellers and you can even demo their products before you purchase.

Do men get a raw deal?

Okay, so I know I'm going to take some heat for this post, but truth be told, most men don't have the spine to say what they've been thinking forever - men get a raw deal when it comes to engagement. Now I should say that I've shared my thoughts with my girlfriend and she hasn't acknowledged my comments as holding any water, but at the same time, hasn't really refuted them. So the deal is this; two folks hang out for a while and then a guy goes and spends a ton of money on a piece of jewelry to give said woman. Man has to make an ass out of himself in the proposal process while the woman gets "a girl's best friend." Understanding that with marriage, the man gets the honor of having the woman and vice versa, I'm confused why the man doesn't get a multi-thousand dollar gift when getting engaged.

Truth be told, I'm really only half-kidding as I am quite the traditionalist, but I told some people I was going to post this several months ago and never did it. I would, however, love to hear some people's thoughts on the subject!

Bronzing is no longer a thing of the past!

One of the things I admire most about Mainers and indeed living in Maine, is the strong sense of tradition that enriches our lives. I feel blessed to come from a family that takes pride its’ history and passes down special keepsakes from generation to generation. For some reason, I feel that such a practice has become lost in our society with the advent of everything electronic. Old photo albums with baby pictures have been replaced with online viewing sites while other traditions are simply just lost. I suppose I thought that was what had happened with the practice of bronzing baby items. That isn’t to say I had put all that much thought into it, but recently, while viewing some of my mothers’ antiques, we came across a pair of my baby shoes that had been bronzed. As if it were yesterday, I suddenly recalled seeing these laying on the floor in my old room, and I smiled; perhaps partially because I never thought of myself as being so small, but more so because my mother had kept the bronze keepsakes for all these years. The even better news is that at least in the circles I travel in, people are becoming increasingly more aware of their heritage and embracing traditional practices, hence things such as bronzing are once again relevant. Luckily, American Bronzing Company never stopped bronzing family heirlooms and other items and they been doing it since 1934. American Bronzing is so intent on making you happy with your bronzing experience, they offer a 100% guarantee, leaving you with nothing to lose. Visit them at abcbronze.com.

To Bush or not to Bush - that title makes no sense! :)

So in a move to give myself a little bit of a break from the throws of insurance today, I decided to click over toe MSNBC.com to see what else was going on outside my little world. Apparently not much given that the title page had a story about whether or not John McCain should allow or seek George Bust to campaign with him and whether hard line conservatives would back off him a little if he did. Well, from my perspective, it can only hurt. Sure, there is the whole damned if you do-damned if you don’t aspects, but in a general election when most of your registered voters aren’t registered to a party, my opinion is that you steer clear of the W Factor as much as possible, something which may not be possible was the GOP stamp will continue to serve as a reminder. It’s almost likable to Hillary with Bill. Having him campaign for her is good and it’s bad. He’s obvious a lot more popular than W, but he’s extremely polarizing if your not a member of his party. And while I think that the endorsement of the elder Bush is fine for McCain, I’d leave it at that. The only chance this man will have is to distance himself from the younger.

Let Trusted Tours & Attractions Guide You Through Boston

With Valentine’s Day having just passed, there are many folks out there with love on their mind. Okay, I’m a guy, I don’t say stuff like that, but I think that from time to time I’ve crossed over into the realm of romance. Recently I’ve been thinking of some of what I consider to be the most romantic places I could be with my girlfriend and it just so happens that we are making our return to one of these places in a couple weeks. While many people can’t get enough of the big city feel of New York City, I find myself more swayed by all the things to do in Boston. If watching the Red Sox isn’t your thing – and it is considered romantic by many – you may find that strolling along the shores of the Charles River, while the autumn leaves fall all around you, more your pace. Regardless of what you want to do or where it is in the United States you want to go, Trusted Tours & Attractions has some really great romantic getaways as well as family vacation ideas to suit everyone’s budget. And if you sign-up for their newsletter now, you’ll be entered to win a free digital camera!

Gone Baby Gone

It's rare that I walk away from a movie as taken aback as I was after watching Gone Baby Gone last night. Some of you may recall that I spoke of this acclaimed movie shortly before it came out to theaters. If you recall, I spoke of how powerful the novel by Dennis Lehane is, and don't get me wrong, it is, but rarely there are times when the movie strikes as much of a cord with its' viewers as the book does. While I think that the two works are very much different and even have differences in the plotline, the main points of the novel are carried through in the book and Casey Affleck absolutely nailed what my perception of Patrick Kenzie would be if put to screen. This movie is nearly as thought provoking as the novel it is based on. I'm haunted, and that is the point.

California Car Insurance

Whether you live in Los Angeles, Anaheim, Long Beach, or need san bernardino car insurance, Cost U Less has been providing great rates on car insurance since 1980. Having started small, in northern California, they are a growing company that now has stores all over the state and offer great rates for your insurance needs. Check them out online today or stop into one of their locations!

Other options for Valentine's Day

I've increasingly heard from couples that they don't want to do the flowers and candy thing anymore. Granted, my significant other is not in that camp, but unfortunately for her, I am, at least financially. I just can't stomach paying $80 to have flowers sent on this one day when you are supposed to love someone everyday. Regardless, I'm not going to continue on that path right now as it is a losing battle; however, for those of you that don't want to wade through the long lines and crowded restaurants, there are other options for Valentine's Day. For example, my girlfriend and I love to ski, so instead of doing the traditional dinner thing, we are going to go night skiing. We'll save some money, have fun, and most importantly, spend the evening together. What are your plans?

Start getting your finances in order today!

Especially in this day and age, managing your money and budget is paramount for a strong fiscal future. While it is easy to accept every credit offer that comes along, the difficult thing is learning how to deal with the associated financial pressures that can go along with this. I learned at an early age that poor financial and budget management can put a real dent in ones’ credit score and affect your future when it comes to securing financing to live a fruitful life, but luckily, I am enabled with the tools to fight my way back and take control. If you currently find yourself in debt, you owe it to yourself and your family to consider all the options available to you and not make uneducated decisions regarding your financial future or debt management. Care One Credit Counseling offers a wide range of services that can be tailored to you specific financial needs and help you get on track to financial freedom. Whether you want to consolidate debt or learn to better manage your finances for the future, knowledge is the biggest asset you can gain.

The Leftovers - kicking pop music in the a@@!

It's rare that we get such a unique and raw punk sound out of Portland, Maine. Sure, Portland's had its' fair share of "the next big thing," but aside from a bit of a solo sensation out of Brewer - about 150 miles to the northeast - Maine hasn't had much to spout about on the musical scene.
...And then there are The Leftovers. In between semesters of college, these guys are rockin' out everywhere from Genos to the clubs of Europe. With their hometown roots meshed with the influences of everything from The Beach Boys to the Ramones, The Leftovers sort of remind me of a cross between Rancid and The Dropkick Murphys. In other words, they are kicking some butt and know that getting an education is really smart, especially in their line of work.
Check you their myspace page and click on "Dance With Me," their current single.
The Leftovers
You'll be glad you did. ~J. Graffam

Get the Lifelock guarentee!

Has someone attempted to steal your identity or are you afraid that this is something that could happen to you? You’re not alone. Identity theft is rampant in our country and especially here on the Internet. We all have virus protections and multiple passwords and yet hackers constantly come up with new ways to try and steal from you and me. lifelock is a system that helps protect all of us from the downfalls of identity theft, especially those who think they aren’t at risk. While you may not consider yourself a target for identity theft, you may not realize that some of the most vulnerable people are students, young adults, and families. Why? Because of the simple fact they think they are at low risk. The bad guys know this and therefore target all these unsuspecting people. Everyday there are people having their credit ruined, being turned down for loans or insurance, being denied employment, getting passed over for promotion, or even getting arrested – all because someone got a hold of their identity. The aforementioned issues could take many years to be cleared up and are better to be avoided all together. Lifelock guarantees your protection; isn’t that worth a second look?

Broken ski is worse than a broken heart!

Regardless of how many skis one has in their quiver, so to speak, everyone has a favorite ski that they love to ski on in almost any condition. Of course, this is also the ski that gets the most abuse and sees the largest variation in terrain and condition changes. I bought my Rossignol B2s two years ago and have been in love with them. In all but five of the 53 days I’ve skied this year, they’ve been at least used part of the day. The moment I dreaded, but knew could happen did, I snapped a ski Saturday. Sure, I’ve been thinking about jumping to a longer and wider Rossi, but not right now. So I suppose it’s a good thing the economic stimulus package passed as I went down and bought a brand new pair of B3s. Thanks to Sunday River Sports for giving me 30% off! It still stings, though!

Have you ordered your Valentine's Day flowers?

I’ve said it before and I’ll do so again, I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day, but I understand that millions of people around the world love this holiday and celebrate it every year. Shops and restaurants love that they get a mid-February economic boost from the holiday and some women are lucky to get flowers or chocolates. After discussing the date with my significant other, we decided that instead of attempting to fight for reservations and crowds at any of the local eateries, we’d do something else we love. So on Thursday, we will go night-skiing together instead. We know, however, that we will be in the minority and therefore my advice to all you men that are looking to buy valentines day flowers should get on the phone now and make sure you order early!

Are predictions of a landslide in November a bit pre-mature?

The title is in regard to the upcoming presidential general election, which many believe is already over... Wait a minute! How can an election be over when one of the parties doesn't have a candidate? Curious. The court of public opinion is voicing strong opposition to any Republican taking office, or are they. Yes, we've heard about the liberal media for years, but perhaps this time around it is more than just a biased opinion or favoritism in capturing sound bytes. In Maine's caucuses yesterday, the Democrats had their largest turn out ever. In 2004 they also had their largest turnout for caucuses, but there's a huge difference. In 2004, 14,000 party-goes attended the caucuses. This year the number was over 45,000 and it was snowing. Granted, Kerry vs. Edwards didn't quite have the luster that Obama Clinton has, but this is interesting. As for counting out McCain and friends for November; I'm not so sure I'd take that course it I were a dem, but the numbers aren't looking good for the GOP in general.

The Bank of England turns to interest rates cuts as well!

Interestingly, many people think that it is just the United States that is in financial dire straits right now and quite frankly, that’s just not the case. Whereas I’m not cheering for anyone to have financial difficulty, especially when it comes to obtaining a Commercial Mortgage - the backbone to small business growth, I do think it is worth discussing. I recently read an article that had an all too familiar title regarding interest rates being cut by .25 percent. Granted, this was done by the Bank of England as opposed to the Federal Reserve, but the comparisons are noteworthy. Everyone is looking for a way to jump start the economy in this time of slowed economic growth. The good news is that there are some really good deals out there from a lending perspective.

TGIF!

I’ve increasingly found that when it comes to working for “the man,” it truly is impossible to please others. Granted, I know you can’t please everyone all the time, but for Christs’ sake, I truly feel that I can never get ahead and it pisses me off because there are so many others who I work with who work half as hard, half as many hours, and their results suck, but they get pats on the back. To be frank, I don’t want a pat on the back, but a little positive feedback would really be nice every now and again mixed in with the favors and constructive feedback… Rant over!

Get the car prices you deserve!

As I think back to 2005 when I bought my last new car, I cringe when I think of the process I went through unnecessarily. Being a first time new car buys, I thought I had to go to all the dealers and be hounded by the sales people. This wasn’t the case then and isn’t the case now. Don’t let people pressure you over Car Prices and features. Find out what you want and what you wan to pay, on your own.

Super Tuesday... Part 2

Nope, this is not going to be about the Super Bowl. Let's get that straight right now. Yikes, I was listening to some local sports radio on the slow and snowy ride to work this morning and it was fairly sad listening to grown men practically cry over this game. YES, I was upset, but life goes on... Sorry - I digress, sort of...

As for the topic, it looks as though the political landscape is not going to change as much as many had thought with today's Super Tuesday primaries. As of about 9:30 EST, Clinton and Obama had about split the primaries and caucuses already called and with the others, they are so close that they may end up splitting delegates. Most had thought that one or the other could really gain some ground today, apparently not.
On the Republican side, things were far different as McCain put a lot of distance between he and Romney and Mike Huckabee won no fewer than 3 primaries. I would assume that Huckabee - although not a serious contender - will stay in the race while I would expect Romney to make an announcement sometime tomorrow about the future of his candidacy.

It's time to save some dough on shipping!

As much as many of us like to shop on sites like eBay or Amazon, we also know that the shipping can sometimes be outrageous, especially if it’s a biding situation and the seller sets the cost. Whether you’re just across the border in Ottawa or across the pond in the United Kingdom, you will pay far more for shipping that you should. It comes down to basic supply and demand. You may be able to have the item shipped to you for much less than the seller, but the seller is the one doing the shipping, so they have you in a tight spot. Okay, but what if you are someone who shops fairly frequently in the United States? If you are someone who does buy and import from U.S.A., you can actually get a mailing address here and have any items you purchase sent to you stateside address and then forwarded on to you wherever you are in the world, on your shipping terms. Shipito.com is also a great service if you are starting a small business, need to warehouse products prior to shipping, and need a central location. People with eBay businesses have been doing this for years and it can be extremely cost effective, much more so that shipping on an item by item basis. A good distribution solution can be a huge factor is improving your bottom line.

Super Tuesday...

Is a hell of a lot better than Super Sunday in my book these days, but it's not like I'm a boitter Pats fan or anything. Actually, I'm noit. They got outplayed, period,a nd I can appreciate that. Sure I wanted to see them have the perfect season, but there is a specific reason they actually play the game. The Giants showed up determined and their defense stole the show. I have to apologize to Manning fans, but Eli is just not the MVP of that game. The whole defensive line gets that nod, another period. Congrats to the 2008 Super Bowl Champion New York Football Giants!

Is Tenerife on your list of vacation spots?

Located of the northwestern coast of Africa, Tenerife – largest populace in the Canary Islands – is a much heralded vacation location from people from all over the world. During my few years of living in the UK, I often heard from families who were headed to this tropical Spanish colony. The great folks from dialaflight.com have been booking flights to Tenerife for years and would love to hook you up with anything from a simple flight to a weekend spa getaway, to the ultimate vacation in the Canary Islands. Of course not everyone is in the mood for an equatorial locale this time of year to spend their time sp Dialaflight.com has the rest of the globe covered as well.

It never gets old...

As I sit here, somewhat deflated from the Patriots' loss in the Super Bowl, I take solace in knowing that I had yet another memorable couple of days on snow. I've gotten an increased amount of questions as to the amount of days I've skied this season already and to be honest, it makes me feel uncomfortable. No, I don't mind that people think I never work. I get a certain amount of days off a year and I choose to take them in the winter for the most part. I just feel awkward as I don't want to come across as bragging or as though I'm competing with anyone. I do compete with myself and the mountain and yet the latter is an opponent I never truly test for she wields a power far greater than me. And while I skied day number 49 today, it was one specific day last week where I was just blown away at how blessed people like myself are. With the mercury well-below zero and a gusty northeasterly wind making things a bit interesting at Sugarloaf, I braved the elements and enjoyed some of the best conditions of the year. And then on the last run, I took time to pause, catch my breath, and have a moment of reflection. When I turned to look up to the summit from my vantage point at mid-mountain, this was the site... and if for a moment I forgot why I love places like these, that moment was surely short!

Diet Pepsi and some stars line up for Superbowl viewers!

It’s that special time of the year when we all look forward to the big game also known as the Superbowl. While millions will tune in to watch Tom Brady and The Patriots shoot for the perfect season and the New York Giants attempt to be the spoiler, advertisers will spend multi-millions of dollars to get your attention. I recently caught a glimpse of one of this years’ featured ads for Diet Pepsi Max set to the song What is Love. While I’m not one of those who tune into the game just for the commercials, I had to laugh as watching stars like Busta Rymes, Missy Elliot, and LL Cool J nodding off during various seasonal award shows, which also happen to frequent the calendar this time of year. The bobbing head was great because the first set of shots were totally candid and the camera was catching all these stars falling asleep. And whether you like Enigma Haddaway or Seether, What is Love or Remedy, Playphone.com has a great selection of ring tones, wallpaper, and videos for your phone. You can even download the Diet Pepsi Max video to you phone if you want. As for the soft drink itself, the stars seem to agree that it packs enough of a punch to keep them awake when the award shows carry on late into the night. While I haven’t tried had much of it myself, I like the short interviews with each star.

Back up your software, folks!

Seriously, this is not a gimmick, an ad, or a sales pitch. I could care less where what you use to do it or where you get it, but if you have things on your PC that you don't want to lose forever, back them up.
Yes, I backed up a lot of my novel drafts and other writing, but not everything and after a Trojan crashed my computer, the Geek Squad has said that they can't recover any of it. I was actually in the middle of a draft that wasn't backed up and I know it's going to take a lot of guys for me to look back at those pages I've already written and re-written so many times, but I suppose I don't have a choice. At this point, I don't know if the computer itself is totally shot as well, but I can only imagine it is. So please friends, anything you don't want to lose, back up, for your sake! Best, Jerry

Pay-Per-Play can help your site earn what it's worth!

I’m willing to bet that if you’re reading this post, you are a member of a social networking site or at the very least, you have a blog. Either way, you have a grasp on the huge amount of programming and design that goes into these sites and how everyday they become more advanced and flashy. Not surprisingly, you can click on a myspace page or a personal blog and listen to a song, see some animation, or even watch a video. What is surprising is that these possibilities are still largely untouched by major marketing and advertising firms. The technology I’m referring to is called Pay-Per-Play and is the simple method of advertisers placing 5-second video ads on web pages. Perhaps you think 5 seconds isn’t much for an ad, but the truth of it is that all it takes is for someone’s attention to be grabbed and the advertiser has them – 5-second videos do this and Pay-Per-Play advertising is growing immensely popular by the day. Net Audio Ads is firm that wants to get you involved by offering interested site owners the chance to place 5-second videos on their sites. So what’s in it for you? Well, if you sign up before February 1, 2008, you will not only earn money each time the video plays on your site, but your will also earn money each time a video is played on the site of someone you have referred and indeed sites they have referred. And while it’s free to sign up and have the chance to earn a ton of money, the three tier affiliate program will be gone after February 1st. Yes, you’ll still be able to get paid for videos played on your site, but only those who act now, as in today, will have the triple earning power long after February 1st has come and gone.

Game over after Florida, but for how many?

While John McCain picked up a much needed and closely fought victory in the FLoriday primary, reports are in that former GOP frontrunner Rudy Giuliani has opted out of the race and will back McCain. While Mitt Romney came a close 2nd, the Florida primary showed that McCain could get out the voters on a much smaller budget. Now that he has another candidates endorsement and potentially his voters in such states as New York, the race for a GOP candidate could be all but over, even before Super Tuesday.

No need for a train to press your coins!

We’ve all walked by pennies on the street and even picked them up from time to time, but have you ever come across a penny that looked as though it had been squashed? Sure, we’ve all heard the urban legend about putting pennies on train tracks and for all I know, doing so may squash a penny. Regardless, elongated coins are actually very cool collectors’ items and can even be decorated. Back in 1990 I was in the Austrian village of Zell Am Zee and actually went to a shop where they had a crank operated coin press, which sat next to a counter and look a lot like a miniature and narrow grandfather clock. This was similar to a penny press I’d seen in Florida once, but the difference was that they were elongating Groschen instead of pennies. Global Impressions is a distributor that makes these hand operated machines here in the US. They have a variety of styles from clocks to space themed presses – definitely a cool place to check out if you’re interested in a penny machine.

While GOP plays nice, the DNC primary heats up even more!

So here we are at the end of January and two things are clear with the presidential primaries, the republicans by-in-large like each other and the democrats are out for blood. Oh, and we have a Senator from MA who apparently feels he can be influential in the choice of the democratic candidate. I didn't know Ted Kennedy was still relevant, but his state keeps electing him and he has been a long-time friend of the Clintons, thus his support Barrack Obama is interesting. At first glance, it appears like Hillary is right; she is up against the established good old boy network, but before we conclude this, we need to look at her only real challenger because the aforementioned "network" has never elected or thought about electing a black president. So maybe there is a lot more to this. I think there is and I think it revolves around a third part, if you will. Nope, I'm not referring to Ralph Nader and his pesky Greens (When they want him on their ticket), but rather, I'm referring to a notion that many voters are fearful that a vote for Hillary will be a vote for Bill and Hillary. We know Bill has an agenda and his wife would be all too happy to accommodate an agenda if he can help get her into the White House. Bill's an influential guy and I think that voters are a little weary of having an husband and wife essentially run the country together. Just my opinion on that, but I would be glad to hear others. I'll certainly share more later.

Does this mean I am counting out the eventual GOP candidate? Nope. Not at all, but it's a much less interesting primary with a lot less to talk about. It should be easier for the GOP to form a combined ticket when all is said and done due to the lack on in-party fighting. I have lots of opinions on the GOP side and whether they can overcome the affects of G.W., but I am going to touch more on that at a later date.

When you want your wedding invitations to be first class!

Whether you’re planning on inviting twenty-five or two hundred and fifty guests to your wedding, a nice invitation is an important part of the wedding process. And while the groom normally isn’t running around worrying about wedding planning, the selection - or at least providing some healthy input - of wedding invitations can be a way to be involved without stepping on the toes of bride and her mother. And though it should be noted that I am not married, I do like to look at the various wedding invitations I receive and have some ideas of what I may want on mine when the day comes. In the age of the Internet, perhaps the best option for getting high quality invitations of any sort is purchasing online and though some people worry about not being able to see the product, this is not the case. Sellers will mail proofs of your selection(s) so you can see exactly what you want to buy. One of the best companies to order from online is 1st Class Wedding Invitations. While browsing through twenty-six pages of invitations, I had a hard time choosing what my favorite invitation is, but with such a great selection, you’re sure to find one that suits you and your bride or groom-to-be. By nature, I’m a traditionalist, perhaps even a bit conservative when it comes to things like this so to those that know me, it won’t be a surprise that my choice of invitation would be the Pearl Band Panel or Classic Pearl Square. Both of these invitations a have classic clean lines with no images or ribbons. To me, they are both tasteful and classy.

The perfect time of day!

While I may have slept through my alarm for about 20 minutes this morning... check that - both alarms, it certainly wasn't for a lack of want to get up. Having gotten my gear together last night, my dad and I set off to Sunday River. Dad hadn't skied in well over a year and I was pleased to be able to spend some quality time with him in the mountains. Although a little apprehensive at first, he took to the snow like he had just skied yesterday and his smile was priceless. Of course, being the un-retired, retired man that he is, he had to leave after lunch, which we had we Julie's folks. It was a successful first day out for him and I really hope he gets back soon. My dad was the first one to bring me on the snow and there is no better way to spend a day.
Having skied a few more runs with Julie's parents and then several others on my own, I had to pack up the car before the day had ended at Sunday River. With a darkening sky and dropping temps, I had about a 30 mile trek west to Shawnee Peak, the site of my weekly corporate racing league. I normally leave from work, but given that I didn't work today, I actually skied, took off all my gear, drove 45 minutes cross-country, put another set of gear on at a different mountain, and then raced. Yes, it was exhausting, but fabulous. While parking, I saw Tanya and Walter and had a good chuckle as they, too, had come from Sunday River and happen to be on my team.
And then it happened. That moment that words just can't describe - one of those that you really sort of have to be there to understand or even appreciate. About two-thirds of the way up the summit triple, I look north towards the White Mountain and Mahoussac Mountains. Being around 4:00pm, the sun was beginning to duck down behind the mountains, but wasn't quite finished with the day. Having come from that very direction, I could see the massive banks of cumulus clouds that created the snow squalls earlier in the day and behind them, the sun was trying to fight its' way through - turning the tops of the clouds a burnt orange color and illuminating the sky. I was breathless and awestruck at the same time. My cold toes and face were no longer a matter. Work wasn't a concern. Everything was peaceful and okay. It was indeed, the perfect time of day.

And why wouldn't you want to be happy?

I’ve never been a morning person. My sister and father have always been the types to be up bright and early with smiles on their face just because it’s a new day. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a grumpy old man, but I think it times I could be and act a lot happier, especially as I am a person that is particularly blessed. Before reading the information on its’ website, I really had newer thought about happiness habits, but The Sedona Method seems to me like it’s more than just a fad. Over three decades ago, Lester Levenson created The Sedona Method and ever since, hundreds of thousands have learned how to be happier with their lives. And while this valuable course can help you learn how to be happy for no reason, there are so many more reasons to order the course. First, you get all 4 course seminar books with CDs for the price of one and second; you’ll get a free CD and DVD with your order. If you’ve heard of Marci Shimoff, you’ve heard of the bestselling book, The Secret. Shimoff, a former Sedona student was so overwhelmed with the success of the program that she writes – in her soon to be published book, Happy for No Reason – about how The Sedona Method helped actress Muriel Hemingway overcome emotional pain and fear.

What's up with all the work?

Seriously, I know I addressed this last week, but it just seems weird that I have the next three days off and all of a sudden, my desk is swamped in work. And so I'm sitting here typing this during my lunch... or while I eat my lunch that is. I'm not sure what a lunch hour is, but it sounds fun. Anyway, I'm feeling pressure to not take these next few days off and I can also feel myself caving to that pressure, but here's the funny thing... The pressure is coming from absolutely no one other than me. Go figure.

Let Trusted Tours & Attractions be your guide to San Francisco!

There’s a certain allure to San Francisco, which is hard to put to words, but has been drawing artists and writers to this famous city for decades. From the cable cars descending the super-steep streets towards Union Square to the massive and historic Golden Gate Bridge, to the chilly and whitecap-covered San Francisco bay, the attractions and wonders – both natural and manmade – are almost countless. If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco, you should check out Trusted Tours & Attractions and check out one of their San Francisco Tours.
My first visit to the “city by the bay” was when I was 10-years old. I recall my parents bringing my brother, sister, and I out to Alcatraz Island to tour the famous prison. The crumbling brick and concrete walls reminded me of an abandoned war fort after a battle had long since been fought. While I was a little too young to truly understand the intricacies of all the famous prisoner names and the history behind the walls, I remember begin eerily spooked as we were guided through various cellblocks by the park ranger. And than when we got to one of the solitary confinement blocks, the ranger asked for volunteers to be locked in on of the solitary cells so we could experience the darkness the prisoners had, decades before. How I ended up with the rest of the volunteers in that cell, I don’t know. I suspect my brother had something to do with it, but the one thing that I will recall forever was that after about twenty seconds inside; the ranger shouted that he’d lost the key. Apparently he’s gotten the rest of the tour to go along with him and it was quite convincing to a ten-year-old. Where I really had only been crying for a couple minutes by the time he’d gotten the heavy steel door open, I was embarrassed as I had no idea that such a prank was standard fare on the tour.
If you’d like to bring your kids to Alcatraz or any number of great American cities, Trusted Tours & Attractions has a variety of sightseeing tours in countries from coast to coast. And while you might not know what tour or city you’d like to visit, they have a great newsletter to subscribe to. All people that sign-up for their newsletter will be entered into a contest to win a handheld GPS.

Patriots vs Giants... again

Hmmm. As I walked in the door to my house after a nice weekend of of skiing, I walked towards the family room to turn the Patriots game on. While I enjoyed listening to the first half on the radio in the car on the way home from the mountain, I looked forward to seeing it on the tube as well, and then a text message came through: "Do you think Tom Brady's drunk?"
After today's game, it was a fairly viable question and quite frankly, I wonder. The Patriots were lucky to get past a very dangerous Chargers team. Granted, Tomlinson may have been on the bench, but with the way the Pats offense was playing, I wouldn't have been all that surprised. Suffice to say, they will have to step it up a notch in a could weeks in Glendale if there are to beat the upstart New York Giants. Of course there is incentive for both teams; the Giants want to be the Cinderella story and prove their week 16 game against the Pats was no fluke while the Patriots are shooting for the perfect season, don't want to get paddles by their coach, and are trying to save the nation from seeing the second Manning in two years win a Superbowl - a thought that makes me sick.
It truly would have been nice to see Brett Favre back in the big game. While I wouldn't want to see my team lose to them again, it would be far better than losing to another Manning, and Favre is a class act. I hope he comes back next year!

Have you tried SweetIM?

Thinking back to my last year in college, AIM was one of the biggest things going. Everyone I knew used AIM for instant messaging and had various color schemes, backgrounds, graphics, and even links to things like quizzes. Now I admit that while I may not be the most knowledgeable person when it comes to computers, AIM really worked for people because it was free and user friendly. Aside from unique away messages, I think the most common thing I remember about why I started using instant messaging of any sort was the evolution of emoticons. I suspect that if you’re reading this, you know full well what an emoticon is, and if not, just look in the mirror and smile, frown, or cry. Then picture that on your computer screen. But like all things, instant messaging sort of became boring to me until SweetIM came along . Sweet IM is a free add-on that service that can be used with AIM, Yahoo IM, MSN IM, or even used with you email. Instead of just plugging in a smiley face - which you most certainly still can do - you can now add in pictures, neat animated graphics, nudges, sound effects, and more. Two of the best parts about SweetIM, aside from the name, are the fact that it’s totally free and is free of adware, spy ware, and pop-ups!

What the heck is a "flipper?"

Okay, I do know what a "flipper" is per se, but only because the folks at AOL told me when I complained about an automatic message being put on the end of all my emails. If I want to send a message about a great deal on getting in shape and include a link, I'll do it on my own or I'll write something here about it, but no, AOL has decided that these "flippers" are to be on every single email and can't be taken off. I would really like a way around this and don't want these stupid messages at the end of my emails, but when I suggested I may close my account, they said fine because there was nothing they could do about it. I really hope that isn't the case 'cause it really would be a pain to have to switch everything over. I suppose we'll see! If anyone has any insight or ways around this, please let me know. Cheers! ~Jerry

What are you getting your significant other for Valentine's Day?

Are you a guy that is dreading that certainly date that comes around once a year and falls right in the middle of February? Some guys are all for Valentine’s Day with flowers, chocolate, and the whole nine yards. Me? Not so much in regard to the flowers and chocolates. I guess I don’t see why picking that one day out of the year and telling someone you love them with flowers makes sense, but that doesn’t mean I’m right either. To be frank, I would much rather give my girlfriend a practical gift on Valentine’s Day. Of course when I say practical, I am strictly speaking for myself, but I know I’m not alone. I know that there are men out there that would much rather give a sweater or pants jacket from Old Navy and women who know how much their spouse or significant other loves Home Depot. For any of your that thought Coupon Chief was only around to give you the best deals on online promotions and online coupons, well you’ll be glad to know that they’ve got you covered all-year round. So while you may be the type that really love to give flowers, don’t think that anyone is trying to get in your way, but if you want to maybe add a little something extra as a gift this year, head over to Coupon Chief today.

What are your best adventures of the year?

Seriously, I would really like to hear from some people - any people - about some adventures they have had over the past year. I then want to write about your adventure so we can get off the topic of my skiing adventures for a little while. Granted, I've still write plenty about skiing, but I know that there are readers from all over the world and you must have done some pretty cool things in the past year. So what did you do? It can be anything from an outdoor adventure to anything you consider to be adventurous. Who knows? Perhaps I'll cover a bunch. When you email me (through the site) I'll get back to you with what info to send including pictures and all. Maybe that great adventure is coming up this weekend? I hope so. Cheers!

Refinancing in Florida

Right now might be the perfect time for you to start thinking about refinancing as the Federal Reserve cuts national interest rates on the consumer price index, there is a direct effect on mortgage rates – they go down as well. For a easy to use site with lots of information, options and a quick calculator, check out dollarblvd.com for the best Florida Mortgage rates.

Paid time off and stress don't mix

Given that it’s the end of the week and I don’t ever take time off for lunch, I thought that instead, I would take a few minutes from work and write some thoughts down, specifically, I’ve been thinking about stress lately. I guess one could say that I have a particularly stressful job, but frankly, who am I to say that mine is any more stressful than others? I suppose that most of it is subjective. There are many of us that actually feed on stress, but I think there is a point to which that actually becomes a mute point. For instance, most employees get paid time off so they can get away, relax, and not have to deal with the stress of work. This is surely the case in my job, but yet I often feel a ton more stress before and after going on vacation. Consequently, I sometimes worry about work while on vacation. Now I’ve been working on ending this and it’s been getting better, but it’s just a thought I have had and discussed with co-workers recently.

Soy candles... Who knew?

I don’t know what it is about this time of year – aside from the holidays, but I’ve been hearing a lot about candles. People I know talk about their favorite brands, brands or manufacturers they got as gifts, and even different types of candles. That last one sort of caught me off guard as I pretty much thought a candle was a candle, but apparently I am way off base with that assumption. I recently came across a website for a company that sells soy candles. They’re completely biodegradable, come in all the same scents as paraffin candles, and are even reusable. Caterpillar Creations is a great place to not only check out a huge selection of wholesale soy candles, but they have a lot of cool stuff like information on how the candles are made, facts, and other fun stuff you might not expect.

Don't let pay-per-play pass you by!

I might not be in the business of selling things, nor does my blog offer any services for hire, but I can tell you that in the eight or so months that I’ve had this site, I’ve learned a thing or two about how folks like to advertise on the Internet. Blogs like this one offer unique opportunities for advertisers to create buzz on products without having to spend a lot of money. If obviously works both ways as bloggers get a couple buck s here and there as well. One of the really big up and coming forms on online advertising is pay-per-play advertising. If you’ve ever clicked on to someone’s webpage and had the opportunity to click on a short video advertisement, you’ve experienced pay-per-play and if you ever wondered how this form of advertising could benefit you, you need to check out Net Audio Ads. For over two and a half years NetAudioAds has been serving over 66,000 advertisers and has ads running on no lass than a half a million websites worldwide. NetAudioAds also has an exclusive affiliate program for site owners looking to earn more money from the advertisements placed on their pages. If you interesting in sharing the revenue in this hugely under-realized advertisement community, you owe it to yourself and your readers to check out NetAudioAds.

Not the stategy I would have picked for an election...

Hmm... So before I make my newest point on Election 2008, please let me again state that I am not currently endorsing a candidate from any political party for President. I have someone I am and have been leaning towards, but this is not a place for me to share who that is or why I think they would be a good candidate and President. During the general election, if that person is still a candidate, I may disclose who I am supporting, but until that time, it doesn't matter. I will, however, make fun of candidates if situations warrant. ('cause why not?)
I truly think that anyone reading this should put more into learning about each candidate and focus less on what the media portrays. You owe it to yourself to do so as images and perceptions are scewed and there is a lot of information out there if you choose to find it.
Now, my thought about the Michigan primaries. I was half right about the New Hampshire primaries, but Michigan has me a little baffled. On the Republican side, there surely is a battle and with the results just hours away, it still appears to be Mitt Romney and John McCain fighting it out to the end. Romney, with strong ties to the state, says he doesn't "need" Michigan to continue, but I think that a lose here may set spell the beginning of the end. McCain, who pulled out the upset in New Hampshire, has said he's in it for the long haul and whereas he was all but done a few months back, he is now perceived as the possible front-runner, especially with the financial issues within the Giuliani camp. My prediction is that Romney pulls out a win in Michigan and gains a much needed 30 delegates.
It's a little stranger for the Democrats and two of them aren't even on the ballot. With all the back and forth between Clinton and Obama, you'd think there was a hotly contested vote in Michigan, but the reality is that in some sort twisting logic, the DNC decided that a good punishment for Michigan moving their primary would be to strip the state of its' delegates. From a democratic standpoint, that is just absurd, but in my opinion, not as absurd as taking your name off the ballot because there are no delegates available. We know clinton left her name on and will win, pretty much by default, but I think she sends a much better message than a couple of the other candidates. My question to Obama and Edwards would be why residents of Michigan should think about voting for you in the fall if you didn't care enough about their state in the primary? Yes, it's more complex than that, but it just seems a little strange.

Have you uploaded your 15 minutes of fame?

Sadly, I can’t recall if I’ve already had my “fifteen minutes of fame” as of yet. I mean what is fame really; certainly not the reference to which Andy Warhol made famous in the previous sentence. These days I could have my name in the paper and folks up here in Maine would name a street after me, but then again, the aforementioned happened quite a bit and I’m pretty sure there are no thoroughfares with my name attached. Regardless, it seems that the increasingly popular way for people to try and make a name for themselves – if only for a split second – is through the Internet and media outlets therein. And while there are some large websites that generate tons of traffic and uploaded videos from those people trying to have a little fun and maybe catch a break, I have to admit that I don’t have time to sift through all of it. That is until I found YawpBox. The great thing about Yawpbox is that it’s really east for me to navigate and the videos are longer and in my opinion, better because they are made for a particular topic like the Lex & Terry Challenge. If you’ve ever had a mullet, Lex & Terry not only want to know about it, they want to see it. Quite frankly, we all do. So if you want to reach a large audience without have to worry about getting lost in the shuffle, check out Yawpbox today!

You know you're jealous!

Yep, it's almost 10:00 on Sunday night and I'm here at my office. Why, you ask? Perhaps it's because I'm a glutton for punishment and thus I take on extra things at work, such as training seminars that have pre-work. Yes, I could have started this pre-work last week and have not had to come in tonight, but it seems that one aspect of college is still ingrained in my psyche. The good news is that my seminar doesn't start till Tuesday. The bad news is that I'm only about a third of the way through the material. Yikes...

Spray Powder Shampoo when your hair needs a pick-me-up

If you’re like me, you may take two or more showers a day, but at the same time, your active lifestyle may have you running around from meeting to meeting and trying to fit a social life in there with those precious extra moments. After a long day at the office my hair can feel dry and in need of a pick-me-up, but quite frankly a shower is not always in the card, thus my hair needs to wait to get the shampoo treatment, or does it? With Salon Grafix you have another option.
Salon Grafix Spray Powder Shampoo is perfect for cleansing and refreshing your hair between normal shampoos or when you are on the go. If you haven’t heard of Salon Grafix, this is a brand of hair care products you absolutely need to check out. The shampoo has a special color matching formula for your hair, goes right on to dry hair, easily bushes off, leaves no white or oily residue, but does leave your hair looking refreshed so you can tackle whatever might be up next on the docket. I also like the multiple hairspray products as I often find the need to re-style my hair before heading out on the town. After a little Salon Grafix Spray Powder Shampoo, their shaping hair spray really does the trick. It to, goes on dry hair, but allows you to shape and sculpt your hair as if you were standing in front of the mirror after a shower.

Not my typical Sunday morning...

There are lessons to be learned everyday. It seems, though, that this week I've had more than my fair share of lessons I need to apply to my life. After a night of inclement weather for ski racing on Wednesday evening, it seems that in my rush to get back to Portland to pick up my folks at the airport, I left my helmet and new goggles at the mountain. A random mistake? Well, it would be if I didn't do the same exact thing at the same mountain after a race last March... Thankfully, some folks were honest and I got an email today indicating that the mountain is holding them for me.
Here at Sunday River I enjoyed the skiing so much yesterday that I left my cell phone in the owners locker room in the condo building. Again thankfully, a friend found it and brought it upstairs.
This morning I woke to a pounding migraine around 6:00 am. At around 7:00, my alarm clock went off and the throbbing was so back I couldn't move. BY the time I actually was able to get out of bed, everyone had hit the slopes and I as feeling ill. Taking inventory of the yesterday, I realized that whereas I may have had coffee and soda I had pretty much no water - big mistake. I know about hydration and normally do a good job with it, but I have a hard time thinking that my migraine was at least partly caused by this. Regardless, after some Advil and a healthy helping of water, I made it out and onto the mountain and while the conditions were a little slippery, the weather was unbeatable.
The latter (the skiing) is where I choose to start my new week and on my way home I may pick up a pack of labels so I stop loosing my belongings...

Better eyeglasses for less

While we all know that the power of advertising is strong, we also know that with come high costs to retail items. This is certainly the case when it comes to prescription items such as medications and eyeglass prescriptions. Unfortunately this often translates to individuals not being able to afford such items that many of us take for granted. Zenni Optical has found away around this problem by cutting out the middleman and expensive advertising while offering the best prescription eyeglasses at unbeatable costs. For this Great Discovery: www.ZenniOptical.com.

The legendary "Sir Ed" passes on

Perhaps New Zealand is more famous for its’ national rugby team, the All-Blacks, their sailors, and sheep than they are for famous explorers, but perhaps their most famous citizen ever was just that – an explorer and an adventurer. Edmund Hillary, who was later knighted, became the first man to reach the summit of the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, in 1953. Known as “Sir Ed,” Edmond passed away Friday at age 88. And while the news has this pretty well covered given his legendary status, I thought that a note from here would be appropriate as many of us continue to explore the mountains with a similar passion and will remember him with respect.

Keep informed with PharmaWatchDog.com

PharmaWatchDog.com is a very well-written and well-researched industry blog authored by Attorney Mark Sadaka. Sadaka tackles issues ranging from tort reform to unsuspected contaminants in everyday products to pending legal cases involving the pharmaceutical industry. The blog is more than just a “watch dog,” per se, but it envelops risks and warnings about products, drugs, and chemicals that sometimes get buried in the daily newspaper. PharmaWatchDog is definitely the type of blog that you want to bookmark and check regularly as the most are frequent and topical. I was also please to find the additional pages Attorney Sadaka has link on the top as he offers the chance to discuss the issues, gives a bio of him, and also allows readers the chance to become an advocate along with him!

It's a good thing we got all that snow and cold weather earlier in the season!

While the Sierra Mountains in Northern California and Nevada continue to get pounded with snowstorm after snowstorm, we here in the northeast have taken a step back. After nearly a record-breaking December for most of the region, 2008 has started out warm and wet, forcing many ski resorts to go from 100% open to half that or less. While resorts with a lot of snowmaking can handle the warm weather and recover in a matter of days, some of the smaller areas have a much more difficult time.
This leads me to bring up something I overheard the other evening while racing in the 40 degree weather at Shawnee Peak near the border of Maine and New Hampshire. An individual look at some of the bare patches on the mountain brought about by the accumulation of that ugly "R" word and went on to talk about how it was going to be just like last winter. Really? a week of warm weather that happens every year and the end is near? Come on! I guess I just don't get how people can always be so negative. The fact of the matter is that it's going to get cold, more snow will fall, and the season will continue to be great because people who ski and snowboard share a passion that allows us the freedom to be outside and to slide on snow. How much can be a factor, but as long as there is some, I'll remain happy and upbeat!

A way to change your life with LapBand

Taking the first step towards weight loss is never easy. And then after you’ve taken those first steps, it doesn’t get any easier. That said, a healthy weight is paramount to a long life and a lower risk of serious illness, but many people today can’t just go on a diet and at the same time, gastric bypass is not only a risking and invasive surgery, but also quite costly. If you’re serious about a change in lifestyle, check out lapband Los Angeles.

A negative endorsement for Obama?

Former Presidential candidate and current junior US Senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, threw his two cents into these early primary elections. Nope, he didn't opine as to weather he was pulling for Romney, but instead made a surprise endorsement of Barrack Obama. While many may have expected Kerry to come out and support John Edwards, I think we all know that Kerry may have already flip-flopped and changed his mind about the endorsement, but I would hedge a bet that his second choice would be Billary. Why? This is a two person race, regardless of how long the other democratic candidates stay in it and Kerry would love an appointment of some sort. That's not gonna come from Edwards. As for Obama, this may have been more negative than positive, but realistically it was most likely neither unless he were to campaign with Mr. Botox himself.

Have you tried an online casino?

Whether you live in Maine or Alaska, you are always just one click away from a variety of online casino sites. While games of chance are not everyone’s cup of tea, a lot of people really enjoy playing casino games and 32.vegas.com is a really cool online casino. The website alone is not only very attractive, but easy to use and completely interactive. You can choose from games like craps, blackjack, roulette, video poker, or slots that are just like a vegas casino. While the sign-up bonus is great, I think the best feature is that there is 24-hour customer support. And of course aside from having fun, you could come a way with a few buck, of course the opposite could be true as well!

Was Jim Rice robbed?

I think so. In his 14th year of eligibility for the Baseball Hall of Fame, Rice, who played his whole career for the Boston Red Sox, lost out on a spot in the hall by a mere 16 votes, a very slim margin and no doubt a bunch of writers whop are still a little upset he wasn't more talkative back in the 70's. Regardless, this is not me being some die-hard Red Sox fan saying he should get in, but instead, I've listened to other, mainly Yankees fans and players who say he should be there. Why? Because whenever he got up to the plate, they feared what he would do. His stats are borderline and he never won a ring, but there are a few other players who are in with the same or lessor stats. Next year will be his final year to appear on the ballot. I hope some people can get out of the past and send this man to Cooperstown.

Warm weather go away! Don't you know I have to ski?

I am undoubtedly am one of the only people who would make such a request of Mother Nature, but come on. This is Maine and it was in the 60's on the coast yesterday. Mrs. Nature has been very cooperative with us skiers this year and we are grateful, but please don't melt away all the lovely snow you have provided to the mountains by letting it rain on us.
My local ski hill, Sunday River, has received 100 inches of snow this season to date. Not bad for an area that averages 140 inches per season and has a fairly low elevation. Out west things are pretty good these days, too. At my favorite place to play in No. Cali/Nevada, Heavenly Valley has received 15 feet of snow to date for the season with more on the way. This time last year, Jules and I were wondering if the skiing would be better here than there, but then a massive storm dropped 8 feet of snow on the resort just prior to our arrival. While I still hope they get a ton of snow right before we get there or while we're there at the end of February, the 9 feet of snow they received last week is a pretty good start. So now all I really ask is for Mrs. Nature to play nice and let the temps being seasonal.
This won't be the case for my ski race tonight and honestly, I'm a little concerned about racing my new skis in the soft snow. I may be better off with some fat freeride skis, but I think it will be a game time decision as Shawnee Peak may have colder temps by race time. Regardless, it will be day 36 for me, skiing this season. That means that since the first resort opened in New England for the season, I have skied more days than I have not and I love it. What's your passion?

Grab your next used car at BuyYourCar!

Unless you live on the moon, only ride a bike, or just so happen to walk everywhere, you’ve noticed that gas process have not only gone through the roof, but there is seemingly no end in sight. And while living on the moon may in fact preclude you from watching television, anyone on earth would be hard-pressed to not see commercial after commercial with advertising trying to sell you cars. What I’ve really noticed as of late is that the prices of cars are dropping nearly as fast as real estate. Why? Less people are wanted to get into a new car and incur more cost while the cost to actually run the cars is on the rise. And quite frankly, I think that this will translate into two things. First, less new cars will be bought and sold in the US and UK over the next year. Second, there will be a demand for quality pre-owned and Used Cars. More and more people are shopping for those used cars online and one great place to check out the deals is Buyyourcar.co.uk. BuyYouCar has a fabulous selection, but offer some intangibles that normal automated sites leave out. My favorite is that you can get a car history report from them for the car you’re looking at because they are just as aware and concerned about scammers as they rest of us.

A place for designers to exchange ideas and promote products

One of the most common questions homeowners hear after remodeling or redecorating is usually “who did the work for you?” I find myself asking this to friends and family as I travel to visit for cocktails or a party. I’ve always been amazed at all the different designer tastes and influences I come across, even here in Maine, but it wasn’t till I caught a glimpse of my girlfriend’s next door neighbor’s newly refinished condo at Sunday River Ski Resort that I put a lot of thought into who did the work and what designer products were used. I mean how many interior designers can there really be in that part of the state? Given the influx of out-of-state money on the mountain, probably quite a few, but realistically, any designer needs influence, products, and a place to bounce ideas of others who share their professional and passion. And thus I recently came across a web site – while sitting in a ski condo on a mountain in Maine – that made me feel like I was in the middle of Manhattan. Why? It reminded me a lot of some of the writers’ sites I frequent where there is not only a strong sense of community, but also news, extensive products lines and listing, best of all – networking and professional discussion. From blogs to news, readers will come across the latest fashions is drapery to the most relevant discussions on project management for architects.

American Gladiators fails to deliver... again!

I mentioned in another post a little while back that I thought it was sad that NBC was resorting to reviving American Gladiators now that we are still in the midst of the WGA writers' strike. In the weeks since, I was starting to warm up a little to the idea when it was announced that Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali would be hosts. I thought that perhaps this would being viewers in and maybe even make it more interesting. Well, now that I've actually sat through the season premiere, I am requesting those two hours of my life back. It was the same tired idea that failed to deliver a couple decades ago. It was a novelty back then, but even the star host couldn't make this any better than it what it is, a replacement show. And while many of the competitors talked about coming back "next season," I've got some news... unless that's next week, I really doubt this show will see a run of over a couple months and that's being generous. Sorry Hulkster!

Who will rise to the top in New Hampshire?

With the Iowa caucuses in the past and the supposed "surprise winners" trying to hold onto the limelight, the nation's first primary looms just two days away. And like I wrote after that outcome, I don't think those two victories carry over to New Hampshire. Converesly, I expect that neither Barrack Obama nor Mike Huckabee win top the polls when the results are in. While I expect Billary Clinton's lead in the polls will translate to a New Hampshire victory, I think the republican side will offer a closer race. Rudy Giuliani, who for all intents in purposes, sat out the Iowa caucuses, will prove to be a a strong opponent to the state's straw polls leader Mitt Romney. And so if I'm right, what does it really mean? It means that aside from some public limelight, neither Iowa or New Hampshire hold much water and certainly not many convention delegates, but you'll be hard pressed to find a political pundit who wouldn't admit that as these races get closer, the personal attack ads will become more frequent, which makes me wonder how many people will actually show up to vote instead of saying, none of the above. It should be an intersting day.

Need the advice of an SEO expert?

I’ve increasingly found people writing blogs and articles about the best ways to generate traffic to their site. Of course at the same time there are more people posting questions on forums and message boards asking how to garner search engine optimization or SEO. The initial problem is that people aren’t doing their homework and expecting results while they may just really need the advice of an SEO expert. My suggestion for these people would be to look into utilizing an SEO company that specializes in helping website owners get the most out on their online experience. TrafiCare specializes in Internet Marketing Services and provides a wide selection of Internet solutions. Whether you’re looking for traffic, reach, more exposure on the web, or promotion of existing products, TrafiCare has an seo specialist right for your online needs.

Huckabee and Obama winners, but will Iowa be the answer?

Hmmm. Sorry if I again sound a little cynical, but quite frankly, I've already heard too much about the primaries/caucuses and the first one just happened. The mere fact that New Hampshire had to move up their primary to remain first in the nation is just proof that politics is still far-more about perception that actuality.
For example, let's look at tonight's winner in the Iowa caucuses. I've heard some reporters saying that Barrack Obama's and Mike Huckabee's wins were upsets... Really? Perhaps these journalists haven't spent much time out in Iowa, I know I haven't, but I'm well aware of the political landscape there and I know how important religion is to the voters there. So sure, there was going to be a huge advantage for Mike Huckabee. Yes, Romney was an early leader, but he swayed lately, to take jabs at John McCain, which may have made sense starting tomorrow, but I think it cost him some votes in Iowa. More importantly, his attacks on Huckabee cost him all of Iowa. On the democratic side, the winner is no surprise. Obama speaks to the Midwestern voters more than Hillary Clinton could ever, but the true surprise is that as of this hour, Clinton is actually in third behind the ever-charismatic, but rarely substantive John Edwards.
Regardless of any the results from tonight, I don't think that Iowa will do much of anything to shape voters minds prior to other caucuses and primaries. The leader on the GOP side, Rudy Giuliani, didn't even campaign in Iowa and on the democratic side, are there people who really don't have a Clinton/Obama preference? Perhaps, but I doubt it. What this could do is really fire up the Clinton political engine. A third place finish would not sit well with the former first family and you can bet that the attack ads would start flying.
I'll continue to watch, read, and follow the election season because I find it interesting, but let's not get too carried away with tonight's results to think that anything very definitive, aside from Chris Dodd (D-CT) dropping out this evening, will happen before Super Tuesday when many of the delegates for the respective conventions will be decided.

Is Time Square really that great?

I'm really not as cynical as I am going to come across and I really don't have anything at all against a good party of anyone who wants to have a good party, but I know I'm not the only one who is sick of New Years Eve celebrations. I mean come on, do we really need three networks, plus cable, carrying different broadcasts of one million people crammed into Times Square with no bathrooms, just to see the ball drop? I just don't get it. Perhaps you'll ask if I've been to Times Square for this event and the answer is no, but I was living in London for one New Years and that was crazy enough... or so I'm told. Conversely, I was in Zurich for New Years one year and I don't think anyone even knew or if they did, they sure as hell weren't playing concerts on every street corner because they needed a new calendar.
My point is only that people make way too much out of a holiday that really has not substance. While almost all Americans have New Years' Day off, nearly half have to work on Martin Luther King Jr's birthday, which is also a federal holiday. What is wrong with this picture? Just my random thoughts for the evening. Feel free to disagree!

When server security is paramount

Technology continues to define business around the world. The days of having memo’s typed or transcribed are long gone and meetings are more often virtual than they are in a stuffy board room. If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time learning about these innovations and how they change the face of your work environment. Whether you work in the office or at home, you are likely online all day long. And as such, you need to be connected with your company in a way that allows you to access any needed information and communicate with others in a manner that is safe and secure. Logging into a Secure Shell is extremely important and as a businessman or woman, you need to make sure you are securing your company with the best security which includes a SFTP Server to meet your business solution needs.

Jim Rice deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame!

With ballots already due for this year’s Hall of Fame voting and subsequent inductions, I’m curious how The Mitchell Report will affect voters’ minds and if some players who have been on the fence for years, will finally get their due. Having read a pretty good article by a very biased Tom Caron yesterday, I am all too hopeful for #14, Jim Rice, to get the nod in his 14th year of eligibility, but despite an argument that is almost too good to refute, from T.C., I think the hall voters – most of them aged and angry writers – will again make a poor choice with Rice Let’s hope they finally change their minds about his standoffish nature towards the media in the 70’s and give this guy his due!

Protect your iPod investment!

I sometimes think that our country has gone iPod crazy. If you’ve ever seen those news reports about stores opening at midnight to sell the newest gaming console, you know that the crowds are mad, but did you know that this same thing happens for iPods, and not just the iPhone. I don’t have one of the fancy iPods with a huge screen with a house full of memory or a video player, but I would be lying if I were to say that I didn’t get a little bitten by the iPod bug a few years back. As a fan of Steve Jobs and Apple my whole life, I have come to enjoy the innovations that come out of this company and the iPod is as great as any computer advance in recent years.
Quite frankly it doesn’t matter what type of iPod or MP3 player you have, you should value it enough to keep it protected. Shieldzone.com is the perfect stop whether you need an ipod case protective shielding for your digital, or even your laptop. They carry a wide selection of InvisibleSHIELD electrontic protection products and you’re sure to find exactly what you are looking for. The iPod is that it’s durable and ever-evolving, but if you aren’t the type that updates their player every year, make sure your iPod is protected.