Sponsored Post

My darling wife and I may be making a trip back east to see her mother this summer. I found some good deals at Travelocity.com, but wondered if I could do better. I hit CouponChief.com and found a number of Travelocity coupon codes -- one of which will slash my total cost by over 10%. You see, it always pays to look for ionline shopping coupons before you buy -- it will usually save you cash.

Posted by: Greg at 06:02 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 80 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

As I've mentioned, I live just a few blocks from Galveston Bay. Now there is not a lot of beach in this area, but as I travel just a few miles south, especially to Galveston Island proper, that situation remedies itself quite nicely. Indeed, I like to go down there every now and again and wiggle my toes in the sand.

Now when I was young, I lived in San Diego. We used to go to the beach quite regularly, and take our bicycles with us. It was great fun riding them along the sand, especially where it was packed firm enough to get really good traction, right down near the waterline. Years later, when we lived near the shore of Lake Michigan, I tried to do the same on my trusty 10-speed and discovered it didn't work as well. Why not? Thinner tires and issues in shifting gears as I rode. It was times like that I wished for a simple one-speed bike -- a beach bike.

Guess what? Those bikes are back. There is an internet start-up company that you can find at XYZbikes.com that sells cruiser bicycles that are designed for the beach! No more need to buy a racing bike that has more gears than you will ever use -- just a simple bike with one gear and coaster brakes (Lord! Doesn't that take you back?). You can ride it anywhere that your average person would want to go, including on the beach! And they look good -- so good that my favorite bike, the men's black, is on back order. But they do look good, seem to ride good, and the price is right. What more can you ask for?

Posted by: Greg at 07:00 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 289 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

PAYjr is a new system that lets parents put their teen's allowance on a Teen Visa debit card. In effect, it allows for keeping a spreadsheet/checklist of chores for each child. As the chores get done, the money gets transferred to the child's debit card. No chores, no cash -- pretty simple. This way a parent can also monitor where and how the money is being spent -- and restrict certain transactions and locations to places and purposes they consider appropriate for their teen.

Not only that, but it is a great way of getting money to teens when they need it. All it takes is a quick transaction on the company's website and the money is there. What's more, there is never the possibility of paying a NSF fee like with teen checking accounts -- if the cash is not available on the debit card, a transaction cannot be made.

If this sounds familiar to you, it may be because you heard about it on the CBS Evening News a couple of weeks ago. The service launches in July, but you can check out the demo now at the PAYjr Teen Visa website.

Posted by: Greg at 06:37 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 198 words, total size 1 kb.

Well, with the Police now reunited and on their world tour, there is a lot of excitement among the group's fans. This is especially true with the release of the new Police cd containing so many of their greatest hits. Personally, I will always remain a fan of Roxanne, the song that introduced almost all of us to the group.

I was fortunate enough to get to see the group on their final tour before the big break-up back during my college years. A group of us made the drive from our college up to Chicago to see them. It was, as I recall, a wild night for the bunch of us. All in our early 20s, we were old enough to drink and so indulged a bit during the concert. However, one thing stood out from the other concerts for other bands that I had been to before -- this one was much more about the music than it was about the lights, video, and special effects emphasized by so many other bands. That made this concert very special -- the emphasis was not on showmanship as much as it was on artistry.

I'm looking forward to getting the new Police cd soon, and hope to be able to score some tickets for the concert here in Houston at the last minute (my wife was in the hospital when they went on sale -- and I do have my priorities straight). But even if I don't, the CD alone will feed my love of the band, Roxanne, and the rest of their wonderful music.

Posted by: Greg at 06:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 268 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

I've mentioned that I spent several years in the seminary, studying to be a priest. That nearly didn't happen because of a problem I had not long before I was set to enter the seminary. No, not the sort of problem you read about in the papers -- rather it was a credit card debt problem.

You see, when I graduated from graduate school I ran into a big problem. In a glutted teaching market, I had priced myself out of many jobs by getting that masters degree. I spent the next two years as a staffer at a homeless shelter, where I made very little money. Without realizing it, I slowly ran up a mountain of debt and was in need of debt helpBeing in bankruptcy court is not looked upon as a plus for a prospective priest, and filing for bankruptcy in the seminary would have been even worse.

What to do? Well, I was fortunate to be able to find debt help in the form of a credit card debt consolidation loan. Having set up a debt management plan, I found a second job and payed off that bill consolidation in just a few months by applying every penny I could towards it. I was, fortunately, in a position to take my bank balances down to a minimum to repay every penny I owed and received a totally unexpected gift from someone close to me who had no knowledge of my situation, so I went into the seminary debt-free a year earlier than I expected to. I call it one of the greatest blessings of my life.

Now not everyone is in a position to do what I did. But through the use of a home equity loan or it is possible for many people to do a credit card debt consolidation. And there are other options that can work for you, if you really interested and try.

Posted by: Greg at 06:49 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 328 words, total size 2 kb.

I lost everything last year when my hard drive crashed -- including a couple of years' worth of email for both my wife and I. Everything was unrecoverable. How I wish I had been in a position to get it all back -- or that I had been able to backup e-mail before I had this catastrophic failure and data loss hit.

Guess what -- there is a product out there that would let me backup my email and other key files easily. I found it at Backup-Email.com. It is relatively inexpensive, easy to install, and easy to use. Frankly, I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t want this software, especially business people whose data is their business lifeline.

Posted by: Greg at 12:39 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 120 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

Let's look at the financial realities that are presenting themselves to borrowers today. There are clear signs that interest rates are rising and will rise higher still -- so what is a person to do about that, especially if they are currently holding some sort of secured loans that have an adjustable rate, like many mortgages. Frankly, such borrowers need to refinance to lock in a lower fixed-rate now -- or even one that is slightly higher than their current rate, so as to avoid seeing interest rates and payments balloon.

We are seeing more and more debt conscious homeowners facing bankruptcy because of such issues. It is therefore important that people don't delay in tackling debt issues while they can. You will also find some interesting articles here.

Posted by: Greg at 06:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 134 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

Roxanne
You don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don't have to sell your body to the night

Roxanne
You don't have to wear that dress tonight
Walk the streets of money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

From the moment I first heard the initial gut-wrenching moaning of the word "Roxanne", I was hooked on The Police. I just loved the song -- and not just because of some adolescent rebellion against the school authorities at my Catholic high school, who felt that there was something unseemly about a love song to a prostitute. No, there was something about the song that got into me at the cellular level. I didn't know what the beat was, but I later (much later) learned that the song is done to the rhythm of a tango. I'm so glad it is on the new Police cd.

And that is one of the great things about The Police -- they've never been afraid to experiment with different musical forms in their music, introducing entire new generations and audiences to something a little different. Reggae rhythms turn up all over their music, as do ska and other musical forms that are now seen as mainstream in pop and rock. They were not before The Police. Don't believe me? Just check out the new Police cd and see some of the many examples.

Win a New York fly-away to see The Police live.

Posted by: Greg at 02:45 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 252 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

I'll be honest here -- I am not a poker player. I've just never been able to master the skills needed to play the game well But I am pleased to see that one of my backgammonfavorite sites, BackgammonMasters.com, is now offering no-rake poker games to interested players.

Now some of you may ask -- what is no-rake poker. Simply put, the house does not take a cut of the pots during the game. That's right -- real poker with real money and no commission for the house is now available in their real money All-in-One Lobby. Now this is a special situation, available only for a limited time, while they are celebrating their new poker offering.

Now you have seen my previous posts about this backgammon site in the past, BackgammonMasters.com, and their fantastic, high-quality site. With this expanded offering, there is even more of a reason for you to visit as they seek to dominate the world of online games of skill.

One neat think about the new poker offering is that you can now log on and play up to three difrerent games at once in their rich. three-dimensional gaming environment. You certainly can't do that in Vegas or Atlantic City, can you? Of course not -- you can only play one game at a time. And of course, you can also play either Backgammon and Perudo at the site as well, so you really do have some incredible gaming opportunities available to you.

Posted by: Greg at 02:30 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 251 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

I hope you never need a lawyer for any sort of criminal case. That simply means trouble, even if you are completely innocent of the. The US Constitution guarantees you the right to an attorney in such a situation, and you want to get the best one available when you exercise that right.

If you are in Southern California, one of the best firms available is the firm of Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, which has been in business for over half a century. Recognized as among the preeminent lawyers in their field, they are available to you 24/7 if you find yourself in need of counsel.

Southern California Criminal Lawyers.
Top 5% U.S. Law Firm.
Former L.A. Prosecutors, Certified Defense Specialists provide aggresssive defense to all crimes.
Aggressive Attorneys dedicated to their clients' liberty.

Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin -- when you need legal representation in Southern California.

Posted by: Greg at 06:53 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 153 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

You are in a city far from your home base -- say someplace exotic like Kansas City. You need a projector to do that presentation in order to win the contract. Well, where do you turn for a Kansas City projector rental so that you can clinch the deal? Projector123.com -- that's where. They ship projectors around the country for business meetings, graduations, and other special events, so you don't have to lug one with you or try to make a connection in each city. FedEx delivers and takes care of the return. What a deal!

Posted by: Greg at 03:06 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 100 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

I'm not a big fan of horror type movies, but I have always had a soft spot for Stephen King movies. In particular, I loved The Dead Zone, which was one of the most chilling movies I had seen when it came out during my college years. the idea that one can not only have precognition but also be able to change the events one has seen is a particularly intense one for me -- after all, who is to say that the change you make doesn't create the future you see rather than heal the unpleasant future?

Well, another movie based upon one of Stephen King's works is coming very soon -- 1408 - The Movie. I suppose you want to know what the 1408 Movie is about. Well, the movie's official website describes it as follows.

Renowned horror novelist Mike Enslin only believes what he can see with his own two eyes. After a string of bestsellers discrediting paranormal events in the most infamous haunted houses and graveyards around the world, he scoffs at the concept of an afterlife. Enslin's phantom-free run of long and lonely nights is about to end when he checks into Suite 1408 of the notorious Dolphin Hotel for his latest project "Ten Nights in Haunted Hotel Rooms."

I'll stop there, so that you visit the website for the 1408 Movie. I don't know about you, but that certainly sounds rather enticing to me. I’ll be looking forward to seeing the commercials when they come out – I hope they appear as enticing as the website does. I’m feeling pretty excited right now.

Oh, and here is this little tidbit for you as well. Enjoy!

Posted by: Greg at 01:35 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 287 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

I'll admit it -- I'm a space geek. I have ever since i was a kid watching the Apollo flights, especially the moon landing. Even now, I still get tingles every time I drive past Johnson Space Center, or when I remember that friends from church are honest-to-God rocket scientists.

And I love staring up at the stars. I just wish i knew more about which ones were which, and about identifying constellations. Well, the Meade MySky is the latest gadget out there to help the untrained stargazer access the knowledge base of an astronomer. It is a point-and-shoot star identifier with an LCD screen to help you identify what you are seeing in the heavens above. Not only is there that device, but also the Skyscout from Celestron, which is another personal planetarium for star lovers. The difference, however, is that the MySky is under $30 -- so you can actually put it int he hands of youngsters and other amateurs, rather than risking a device that is over $200.

Posted by: Greg at 06:06 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 176 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

I've got one of my colleagues at school who absolutely babies his car -- a silver sports car that flies down the road on his daily commute. I'll have to point him this direction to find him a brand new automotive toy with which to pamper that vehicle.

Yeah, that's right -- we're talking car covers here, to protect that paint job and the metal beneath it from the ravages of sun, rain, and other weather-related concerns -- not to mention the little issues of tree sap and bird droppings.

And these are not merely off the rack car covers -- each one is custom made to fit your car, to the specifications you set forth, if you so desire.

And there are not just car covers, but seat covers as well. I'm really rather impressed with the range of products and the reasonableness of the prices that they offer to the buying public.

Posted by: Greg at 05:53 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 158 words, total size 1 kb.

Sponsored Post

Oh my!

That was my reaction when I got pointed to this site that bills itself as an online single dating site for nerds.

And when I actually dropped in to see what such a site would be like? I had a similar reaction.

Oh dear!

I guess the best comparison I can come up with is that box we used to have in the laundry room in my college dorm. You now, the one where folks tossed all those mis-matched and odd socks that came out of the dryer, in the hopes that someone would be able to make a match with a mate.

And I can only hope that the box serves such a purpose. There are some really ... unusual folks hanging out there. Some seem sort of interesting, a few seem amusingly different, others just look weird. But the nice thing about it is that it is a site that doesn't take itself too seriously, and doesn't play the meat market or soulmate game. Rather, it seems to be just a chance for folks to get together and meet -- and if something comes of it, so much the better. And as a free site, the pressure to find "the one" before the next billing cycle is not there.

So if you are that sock with a missing mate, into the box with you. After all, Its Just Coffee!

Posted by: Greg at 07:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 238 words, total size 2 kb.

Sponsored Post

Now here is a service I can really go for -- one that offers free use of video news stories AND pays you for it! That is the premise behind The News Room, which has a rather comprehensive set of video news reports available for you to mash into your website. All of them are licensed, and you make money when they are viewed -- and make more when someone else picks them up from your site and inserts it into their own. Really, think of this as a viral payment scheme.

What can you get? Well, I noticed stories on last night's Democratic debate, the latest terrorist atrocities in Iraq, Paris Hilton, and dozens of other stories that you would encounter online, on television or radio, or in your local paper. They end up looking something like this on your site.

Sort of neat -- a news brief from AP, embedded in my site with no difficulty at all! And much of the other content comes from major content providers such as Associated Press (AP), Reuters, and Agence France-Press (AFP). Think about it. You get reports from some of the best sources around, and you get paid when your readers take a look at it -- and we are talking dollars, not pennies. Cool!

Now other than money, there are some other advantages to The News Room. There are regular opportunities to receive rewards and prizes for hosting this content. You know, little things like electronics, vacations, and cars that you can earn by placing such material on your site. Imagine that -- improving the content on your website, get paid for it, and possibly get some of these little bonuses. Again, very cool!

Posted by: Greg at 06:52 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 290 words, total size 3 kb.

Sponsored Post

My wife and I have had the same furniture since around the time we got married. I mean just about all of it -- dining room, living room, bedroom. It is getting a little worse for wear in some cases, though we have done our best to keep up with it. Still, we talk sometimes about what we would like our next house full of furniture to look like.

I mean, let's talk about the living room furniture for a moment. We definitely need a new sofa -- and my wife has her heart set on a sectional sofa this time around, preferably one with a chaise. We are unlikely to go for leather furniture, though, both due to aesthetics and the fact that we have an indoor dog who could damage the leather with her claws.

The bedroom furniture? Well, she really would like a sleigh bed, though perhaps that isn't as practical as it was when she was more mobile. Me? I'd like to get us a couple of twin or full beds so that my tossing and turning does not disrupt her sleep by setting off her ache and pains but still allows us to share the same bedroom.

And, of course, there is the home office furniture. One piece has to stay -- Dad's old marble roll-top desk that he and mom bought in Asia 20 years ago. However, a new computer desk that harmonizes with it, and some comfortable desk chairs would certainly be appreciated by both my darling wife and I.

Of course, I am talking about a pipe dream right now -- but someday, maybe sooner than I expect, we will make the change.

Posted by: Greg at 12:00 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 287 words, total size 2 kb.