Upload it, Store it, and Share it with Driveway!

Having returned from a week in Lake Tahoe last spring, I couldn’t wait to share my multitude of pictures with everyone. I had never really used a digital camera before that week and most certainly had never tried to share pictures through email.

Although it took me what seemed like forever to download the photos my girlfriend sent via email, I count myself lucky. Because I have fee-based email, I have a lot of storage available to me, but for many Internet users, this isn’t the case. If I had been using Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail without one of the optional upgrades, I wouldn’t have been able to download the large file of photos.

Have you run into this problem before? Does the thought of paying to have a website host your photos annoy you? Then you need to check out Driveway file sharing. Driveway is a free online service where you can store your large files and then share with whomever you choose.

Perhaps you want you online writers’ group to critique your latest novel, but it’s far too large to upload to your Yahoo Group page or send to others via email. Simply Parkit and let Driveway be you file sharing solution.

Driveway also offers faster uploads via desktop plugin, widgets for file/folder sharing, and free storage up to 2GB.

But don’t just take my word on how great Driveway is for all your large file need; check out what these folks have to say about Driveway and log on now!

Now how do you hold the tennis racket?

The rain held off just long enough for Jules and me to hit the tennis courts at Deering Oaks for the third time in the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this doesn’t seem significant to anyone reading this, but tennis is a game of pride. It’s also a game that can really only be played well with lots of practice. I know some may disagree, but tennis is not like riding a bike. You can’t just get back on the court and start hitting inside-out forehands and the like. Hell, if it there that east, we’d have played everyday.
As I sit here in front of the computer screen, I have to chuckle a little as I picture one of my forehands sailing into the fence about 10 feet behind the baseline on the other side of the court. Meanwhile, Jules takes winds up for a forehand, steps into the ball, swings, and then looks around everywhere… moments later she notices that the ball is stuck in the V of her racket. Why, because that’s what happens when you haven’t play in years. Quite frankly, it’s ugly, especially when we each talk about how we were successful (minimally in my case) tennis players at earlier ages.
And yet the lack of consistency or grace on the court has been enough to detract either of us. Now and again Jules would crush a cross-court forehand winner that caught me in stride. Likewise, I too, had a few well-placed backhands, which eluded her reach. I think that now we’ve gotten over the fact we aren’t going to win anymore tournaments (at least not for a while…) or get lots of free gear and the like, we can play for the enjoyment and have found a common exercise that for so long was so much a part of our lives.
Of course there is that competitive spirit that burns inside each of us. And although we’ve yet to record a point, I find it hard to believe that will last too long.

Great deals from HotelReservations.com

To begin with, the HotelReservations.com site is very easy to use. The layout is rather simplistic, but they aren’t offering an art show, they want to provide the best prices out there. Upon logging on to the site I found that there is surely more than the name alludes to. One aspect that caught my attention right off the bat was how I could choose to have all my information in a selection of different currencies and languages. Now it’s been a while since I took French and Spanish didn’t exactly click with me, but this is a great feature. It tells me that this site thinks globally and wants to attract customers from everywhere the Internet reaches. In line with this, the web site offers toll-free phone numbers and customer service assistance right at the top of their screen for viewers anywhere in the world.
Making Hotel Reservations isn’t only easy, but financially advantageous to those seeking a good deal and perhaps some cash back. Click on the $100 rebate link and you will find that HotelReservations.com offers a variety of rebate options. Book 3 nights get a $20 rebate. Book 12 nights and get a $100 rebate. Couple that with the below price guarantee and you’re on your way to saving a ton of cash on your next trip.
HotelReservations.com guarantees the lowest internet rates on hotel bookings. If you find a lower rate, HotelReservations.com will offer to either match the rate for you, or cancel your reservation through them, free of charge to you. The one catch is that the lower rate must be found within 24-hours from the time you booked your hotel rate through HotelReservations.com. This writer finds that due to ever changing prices based on demand and even slight economic shifts, the 24-hour clause in their guarantee is not only fair, but quite frankly, smart.
HotelReservations.com also offers some great deals on condos, complete vacation packages you build on your own, cruises tours, and group rates. Having searched the site; it’s not the prices that I found to be the best feature. I found a link which says that you can cancel or change your bookings through them without penalty. Having been hit in the wallet far too many times due to any number of reasons beyond my control, I think this is a great feature and recommend that when you book that next trip, give HotelReservations.com a shot.

Just a few moments to think can make all the difference!

Sometimes I just want to complain. I know what some of you are saying: Sometimes? Well truth be told, I was in a position earlier this evening and I was absolutely fuming. It would have been so easy to be stay angry and then come on here and write some negative post about it, but realistically, I had to put some things in perspective.

It was only two hours after the Lady from the car dealership explained that my 30,000 miles service on my car was going to cost me $420. As ironic as some may find that number, I promise I didn't even crack a smile when I wrote down the quote, but it is what it is and my car has treated me well the first two years I've owned it, so I smiled, nodded, and moved on...

And yet then I arrived at the Portland Yacht Club to take a boat out of the water for the season. When I got down to the dock, it was about 6:10 and I learned that launch service ended at 6:00. Given that my brother was due to meet me in less than a half hour, my options were limited. The club happens to have a couple of spare row boats... So there I found myself about halfway between the shore and my boat. Sweat was dripping down my forehead as I made my way out the thoroughfare to the the boat. A little ticked off, a cool breeze grazed over my head and the humidity lessened for a moment. Just then, I looked west and glanced at the fiery orange sky; not unlike the picture in the upper right hand corner. And I thought how fortunate I am. Fortunate to be on that water. Fortunate to have a boat. Fortunate to have a loving family. Don't get me wrong, I was pissed, but the humility kept me calm.

sometimes I find that I have to stop and think for a minute. I know that life isn't always fair. I know people get screwed over. I know that sometimes I'm one of them, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm blessed. So while I was really unenthusiastic about having to bail out 2 weeks of rain from the dingy, I paused, smiled, and looked towards the western sky.

A wealth of information at Contemporary's web site

When looking at a web site, there are several factors, which I think make it affective. Of course the first is making sure that the web site is directed to its’ target market. I have had the chance to review the web site for a UK-based Business technology company called Contemporary Business Intelligence Consultancy Services. Contemporary is keyed into their niche market by offering a web site that is all about the one thing its’ customers want – information. No glitz, no glamour, just a well-laid out site that’s easy to navigate and full of more information than perhaps the programs they consult on; however, there isn’t too much information thrown right at the site visitor and that is important.

Contemporary’s home page has some very good key points going for it. First, they start right off with their motto and then they go into a brief, but inviting synopsis of the services they offer. Right on the first page they tell you what they can do, how they can do it, and that they will save you money. What more can you ask for? Another aspect of the homepage that I didn’t really like at first, but now find quite affective, is their placement of the products they consult on. The reason I was skeptical at first is that when I opened the page I wondered what I would think it I went to it under different pretenses. Would I think it was merely an advertisement for these prominent Microsoft & Business Objects products? And then after pondering, I decide that anyone going to this website knows why they are going there and seeing those powerful tags above the motto and intro lends credibility. And speaking of credibility, Contemporary doesn’t forget another effective marker of a good page; they list important certifications.

Other pages on the site may not be considered as important to some because they are not the ones that draw you into the site, but they still need to be informative and powerful enough to keep you there. Contemporary effectively uses link to other pages, which host everything from their extended products, to company news, and “about” page, and even a page of short biographies of senior management. The videos are certainly a nice touch as well.

Sugarloaf's got fans, literally

Not to be outdone by virtually anyone in the east this year, newcomers Boyne USA made one of their biggest announcements to date when they held a press release stating that Sugarloaf/USA will get more than $4 million in capital investments for the upcoming season.

While Boyne work with strategic developers to determine the future of Sunday River, also in Maine, they knew that before such action could happen with Sugarloaf, there was work to be done to the crumbling infrastructure, which hadn't seen so much money infused into it since the Wiffletree SuperQuad was installed and the fixed-grip quad it replaced was moved to it's current location as the Timberline Quad.

Aside from some much needed brick and mortar upgrades around the base area and in the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel turned Grand Summit Hotel turned back to Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel, Sugarloaf is slated to increase it's snow making output by 20% this year alone. Boyne will add no less than 70 traditional snow guns to the arsenal, but the real fire power will come from the installation of mounted low-energy, high output fan guns.

To show the east they mean business at Sugarloaf and at all their resorts, Boyne has announced that if weather cooperates, they will shoot for an October 26th opening.

Digital cameras are the way to go

Do you remember the days of bringing you camera film in a place like CVS to have double copies of your 27 pictures made? It seems like so long ago that this was the normal practice, which is probably why I still have rolls of film and disposable cameras collecting dust.

The advent of digital camera changed everything, even for people like me, who are hesitant to change. The ability to snap hundreds of pictures and actually be able to see them right after the shot is one of my favorite aspects of digital photography.

I’m currently the owner of a Canon PowerShot SD620 and I couldn't be more pleased. Last winter on a trip to Lake Tahoe, my girlfriend and I were able to catalog all our adventures on film and easily download the pictures to her computer to share. The sheer beauty of the pristine landscape and massive amounts of snowfall made it almost impossible to put into words, but going through the photos on the computer told a story all its’ own. As a matter a fact, the picture to the right, titled, “the blue world” was taken on that trip with that very camera!

In the future I hope to be able to download my pictures to digital picture frames. Who knows? Christmas isn’t too far away.

The picture and clarity of digital cameras is absolutely amazing and getting better all the time. I used to think of taking pictures as more of a hassle than anything else, but now I enjoy taking shots of scenery, friends, and family.

Schilling solid after 9 days rest

After 9 days of rest, Curt Schilling again came to the mound to square off against the ailing Oakland Athletics in a crucial game for the Sox. As a longtime fan and someone who hasn’t been all that impressed with some of the off-field banter from the former staff ace, I admit that I was skeptical, but then I realized something I had forgotten. For Schilling, this isn’t merely the end of the regular season – no, there was actual pressure for him to get a win with the division so close and few games remaining.

Visions of 2004 popped into my head and I knew that regardless of age and regardless of the regular season as a whole, this start would be different for Schilling. After 6 fairly strong innings, Schilling left with a 3-run lead, having only given up only 1 earned run.

Say what you will about Curt Schilling, but last night he proved that even while he might not being blowing batters away with his fastball anymore, he knows how to get guys out. More importantly, he knows how to get them out when it counts and should be ready for the #2 spot in the postseason rotation.

…and the Evil Empire lost on a walk-off home run to Tampa Bay in the bottom of the 10th. Magic number for the Sox is 3.

See the world with Dialaflight

As one of the UK's leading travel companies, Dialaflight is your one-stop web site for all your travel needs. Whether traveling from the UK or the US

Perhaps you desire to see the Terracotta warriors in Shanghai or travel past Beijing to the outer reaches of the Great Wall; there's no better place to book your flights, hotel, car hire, or city breaks then with Dialaflight.

With one phone call you can book your transfer to Verbier, cheap business class seats to Heathrow, and even reserve a sleigh ride with Santa Clause in Lapland.

Want to do more than just book a flight, hotel, or car? How about booking spa holidays, beach holidays, or a holiday in the tropics? Dialaflight offers the best deals to the hottest spots in the world, including complete ski vacations, golf trips, and sizzling nights on the whitest beaches.

At Dialaflight you fast answers from people who've been there!

Six days, six games, one division title

In Boston and New York, the media is in a frenzy, which is to say that things are pretty much normal in these two baseball-crazed municipalities, but with 6 days to go in the regular season and only two games separating the two at the top of the AL East, it's a little more crazy.

Boston, hampered by injuries and perhaps a little concerned about the effectiveness of the bullpen, opens a 2-game set tonight versus the A's, while New York is in "The Pit" to face the last place, but always tough-against-the-top-teams Devil Rays.

With Schilling hurling for Boston tonight and Clemens throwing for the Yanks, both teams hope to get a leg up on each other as we enter into the final stretch. I think you know by now, where my allegiances lie!.

GO SOX!

Don't miss out on the best deals with CouponChief.com

Once you've finished off all the left over Halloween candy and the winter chill autumn chill is in the air, you'll be thinking about one thing; what to get for presents for all your friends and loved ones for the holiday season. So why wait? With Coupon Chief online coupons and coupon codes you can find just what your looking for from the very best brands and the very best online merchants.

Thinking about diamonds for that special someone? Why go to over-priced mall stores that sell mass-produced jewelery when you can shop on line at Coupon Chief where you'll find great deals from Blue Nile coupons and not only save a ton of money, but get some of the absolute best jewelery for up to 20% off what you'd pay elsewhere.

Need a new computer, movies, music, or home appliances? Shop at Coupon Chief and get great coupons and coupon codes for some of your favorite stores like, Overstock.com and Best Buy coupon codes. The best part about Coupon Chief, is it's free!

Don't get stuck out in the cold this holiday shopping season; get to CouponChief.com and save today!

Renewable energy deserves a chance to go before the voters

Do you ever read a story from a newspaper or see a piece on the evening news about special meetings of town councils, select boards, or governing bodies such, let's sat, the Land Use Regulatory Commission (LURC) and find yourself wondering more people aren't solicited for ideas and suggestions? I'm betting you do and I'm better that some of you have read about the proposed wind farm in the Western Maine mountains.

Less than ten miles from where the wind farm would be built Franklin County near Sugarloaf ski resort, another large scale proposal was at the forefront of the news back in the late 1970's. The project was a proposed development of the Bigelow Mountain Range across Carrabassett Valley from Sugarloaf. developers wanted to create "The Aspen of The East" on the flanks of the towering peaks and came quite close.

As you can imagine, there were lots of people up in arms about this possibility. Why? Because the Appalachian Trail runs right over the summit of those mountains and would be interrupted. This was long before the LURC held meetings in the town, which back then had about 150 residents. (It's up to about 500 year-round now) After a lot of hooting and hollering, the proposed development went to a state-wide vote and failed.

My point is that if such a development was voted on by the whole state back then, why not allow the wind farm proposal to go before the voters of Maine?

Make extra cash advertising XYZ Beach Cuisers!

Did you hear that 10-speeds and mountain bikes are out of style and beach cruisers are back in? If you've been strolling the boardwalk, you've noticed more and more people riding these classically designed bicycles. Even if you already own one, you still want to check out XYZ Bikes for the hottest new styles and trends in beach cruisers.

If you have your own website and want to make some extra cash, why not help out the good folks at XYZ by posting a banner on your web page? As part of XYZ Bikes' affiliate program, every time a unique reader clicks on the banner on your page, you earn cash. For every bicycle purchased on the XYZ website through the banner posted on your page, you receive 5% of the sale. You can even earn 5% when you buy one for yourself. That could come in mighty handy if you're in the market for one of the sweet new Chopper Cruisers!

Sox have me grinding me teeth

Do you ever switch the TV channel when the Red Sox have a couple outs and bases loaded in the hope that perhaps if you don't watch, something good will happen? I do. I've done that since I was a kid watching football, baseball, and even tennis. I figured that Andre Agassi would have a better shot at winning a tiebreak if I wasn't watching. Apparently I didn't get the memo about not being all that important...
...Still haven't gotten the memo 'cause I did it again today in the top of the 6th when J.D. Drew walked to force home a run and bring up Varitek with bases loaded and one out. Noticeing that the Yankees were still tied at 3 with Toronto, I thought it might help, but at the end of the day, the Sox had lost 5-4 and New York pulled out their 90th win.
I'm pretty sure that baseball shouldn't give me panic attacks!

GO SOX!!!

Get in the game with Ultimate Paintball!

Are you a seasoned paintball veteran, regional competitor, or someone new to this fast-growing sport, looking to gain the edge on your friends? There’s no need to bother with high-priced retail department stores when you can find just what you’re looking for with a few clicks of a mouse.

Ultimate Paintball online paintball store has “everything you need to get in the game.”

Ultimate Paintball carries all the best names in guns and gear from Spyder, Tippmann, DYE, Draxxus, Empire, JT USA, Smart Parts, and much more. Whether you’re in need of a new gun, sights, hoppers, protective gear, or need upgrades to your current equipment, Ultimate Paintball has it all.

Worried about pricing? Ultimate Paintball will price match other online paintball stores on in-stock items and even offers free shipping on orders over $200. Customer service representatives are available to assist you with your purchase.

If you’re serious about paintball and want the best equipment, sales, and service, Ultimate Paintball is the site for you!

~Sponsored Post~

Boyne takes over operations of Loon Mountain

Having recently made a splash with the purchases of Sunday River and Sugarloaf resorts in Maine, Boyne USA recently announced that they have entered into a lease agreement with CNL Corp to operate Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. While still under the ownership of CNL, Boyne will take over operating from Booth Creek, who will still run Waterville Valley and Mount Cranmore.

The lease transfer means that pass holders at all three resorts will now have upgrading options to make their seasons passes good at all three resorts. Meanwhile, Boyne has agreed to notonly honor Threedom Passes bought for the 2007-2008 season, but will continue to sell the passes with Loon included.

This December, Loon is set to finally open it's South Peak expansion, which has been on the drawing board for more than a decade. The mountain features a new high speed detachable quad and several intermediate and expert runs.

A kind welcoming from the PayPerPost community

It was perhaps four or five months ago and I was watching the Today Show on NBC like I do most mornings. Scoffing down some cereal before heading out for a sail, a particular segment caught my attention. This was the first I had heard of payperpost.com, but the woman who was being interviewed said some things that interested me and even better, she had credibility.

To be frank, I first thought it was a segment on ways to make extra money on the Internet that were by-in-large scams, but to my surprise, this wasn’t the case. The woman was talking about legitimate websites where people could earn make money doing things they do in their everyday lives.

Me, I like to write. Although most of what I produce is fiction, I started blogging about a year and a half ago. So when she said there was a site called payperpost.com where I could actually get paid for writing about my opinions and things that interest me, I was hooked. I wanted in, but that’s when I found out what I truly like best about PayPerPost; people can’t just decide they are going to blog because they see this great opportunity. PayPerPost makes us earn our place here and I love that.

From the time my current blog went live to a few days ago when it was accepted for Marketplace, I’ve met some great folks who share the same passions as I do, but best of all, everyone is extremely helpful. You see, not everyone on here is a genius with computers. Having been an English major in college, I can barely do much more than use spell check, but no worries, there has always been someone to show me the ropes and guide me through each step. Now I even get asked to do blog reviews.

I look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with payperpost.com and can’t wait to meet more and more Posties, new and old!

Red Sox clich playoff berth, seek divisional crown

In the bottom of the seventh inning, it looked like Boston was on it's way to a second straight won over would be spoilers, Tampa Bay when Javier Lopez relieved Dice-K with two outs and two on to finish off one last batter. Six pitches later, the Devil Rays had their first lead of the game after a 3-run homer. Like many Sox fans, my heart was in my throat. I watched this same scenerio play out against the Yankees and Blue Jays in the past week. Fact is; Boston hasn't come back very many times in the late innings to win games. This was a must win with the Yankees winning in walk-off fashion earlier in the day against Toronto in 10 innings.

Then after the scoreboard flashed the score of the Tigers losing, the Boston bats came alive in the 9th with a home run by J.D. Drew to tie the game and then two batters later, Julio Lugo put the exclaimation point on his old team with a two-run shot.

Jonathon Paplebon came in to pitch the bottom of the 9th after Eric Gagne recorded his second 1-2-3 inning in as many nights. With Pap getting the save and Gagne getting the win, Boston clinched at least a wild card spot with seven games left in the regular season. Boston's lead over New York remains at 2.5 games.

Save on calls today with Pingo!

With all the phone companies out there today, it’s hard to tell one from another. Some promise free calls to friends and relatives and other tell you that for one first rate, you can call anywhere in the US and Canada for no extra charge. So what happens when you need to call a friend or loved one overseas or in a foreign country that isn’t Canada? You shouldn't have to jump through hoops to make a long distance call.

Most likely you have to search for a prepaid calling card with affordable rates. Then you have to stick it in your wallet and hope not to forget it wherever you go. Well, there are 1.1 billion calling card minutes a month that are used by Pingo users, who get the best rates possible. Why, because they use Pingo virtual calling cards. For a limited time, you can enjoy the best rates possible on international, business, or family calling plans while getting $5 of free calls just for signing up.

Pingo offers the absolute best International Calling Card rates whether you’re using a landline or mobile phone. Pingo’s rates start as low as 1.8 cents a minute for international call. If that isn’t good enough, Pingo would like to offer you, a dedicated blog reader, an additional $3 of free calls when you signup for the PPP3 deal today!

That’s right; sign up today and get $25.00 worth of calls for only $17.00. And don’t forget that you’ll always get the best rates possible. If you, a friend, or a loved one is abroad or traveling, you need the best global calling card! You need Pingo!

First Snow At Heavenly!

The early morning hours of Thursday brought a much welcomed site to the mid-mountain elevations at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Over two inches of new snow, the first of the year, coated the decks of the mid-mountain lodges and covered the upper-mountain trails.
While a web cam shot from today showed that most of the snow has now melted away, it's only September and that little bit of fluff is an exciting site for every winter enthusiast.