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.