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Simple Savings
Saving Time and Money This Holiday Season
Saving Time and Money This Holiday Season By Ginita Wall, CPA, CFP www.wife.org The holiday season is fast upon us. With so many demands on our time (there are just so many cookies to eat, it's hard to know where to start!), and demands for our money, it's no wonder that we're all looking for a few extra ideas to make the holiday season run more smoothly. Give these a try: Go generic Keep a stock of generic gifts on hand. Picture frames, nonperishable gift baskets, or ornaments can help you provide for unexpected guests or holiday party invitations, so you won't have to rush out and buy presents at top dollar. Keep it in the family Join with other friends or family members to purchase big gifts, or give a family gift rather than individual gifts. A special meal for the whole family or a toy that both adults and children can enjoy may be just what Santa ordered. Draw names If you belong to a big family or have lots of friends, suggest drawing names so that each person only has to buy one gift. Or, only give gifts to the children in the family. Consider the trade-offs As you shop, remember that your money is limited. If you've been saving for a vacation, consider whether you'd like to dip into those funds for a more extravagant holiday season, or whether you'd rather cut back a little during the holidays so you can have fun the rest of the year as well. Bunch your lunch To make your holiday shopping more efficient, ask your boss if you can take a longer lunch one day each week during the holiday season, and cut your lunch short the other days to make up for it. That will let you go shopping during the day, so you can spend important time with your family at night. Let your fingers do the shopping Look for shopping bargains at your favorite Internet sites or at an auction site. There are some sites that do the price comparison for you, so you'll know you are getting the best deal possible. Shop early to allow extra time for shipping. Prepare for next year right after the holiday Buy all of your decorations, gift wrap, and cards for next year at this year's post-holiday sales. Shorten your gift list Is it really necessary to buy everyone on your list a present? Consider sending a thoughtful holiday card or e-mail, or even writing a family newsletter to update everyone about the past year. Next year, pay Santa first Set up a holiday savings plan. After paying off this year's bills, put aside $50 to $100 a month for next year's holiday presents. You'll emerge from next year's holiday rush debt-free. Decorate on the cheap Instead of splurging on holiday knickknacks, use your ingenuity to decorate inexpensively. You might buy wide colored velvet ribbon at a craft store and tie bows on everything from doorknobs and banisters to candlesticks. WORTH Magazine picked Ginita Wall as one of the top financial planners in the country several years in a row. The Women's Institute for Financial Education welcomes your comments, visit our website at www.wife.org . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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The Last-Minute Cook
The Last-Minute Cook By Elizabeth Yarnell www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com Ask almost anyone who is in charge of putting the daily dinner on the table what the most dreaded chore is and you'll likely hear a complaint about meal planning. Figuring out what to make for dinner day in and day out is something many of us loathe. We'd like something easy to make, a recipe that won't require hours in the kitchen and it would be great if the meal was good for our family as well. And, of course, if it doesn't taste great we might as well give up before we even start. Of course, typically preparing exciting weeknight meals takes forethought, special trips to the grocery for specific ingredients and a couple hours set aside for preparation and then the clean-up of multiple pots and pans after dinner. We all want to serve our families dinners that are as good for them as they are good tasting, but, let's face it, only a few fortunate ones have the time to find interesting and achievable recipes, shop for fresh ingredients and spend hours in the kitchen every day of the week. More likely, we find ourselves racing from the morning send-off through two careers, soccer practices, piano lessons, the dry cleaners and the other tasks that make up our busy days. And that's just before dinner. Afterward there's homework, household chores, and everything else that didn't get done during the daylight hours. Really, who can blame us for choosing to eat out, bringing food home or reaching for highly-processed and expensive frozen meals? Here's a solution for our time-crunched lives: quick, healthy and easy infused one-pot meals. With a few strategic purchases stocked in your freezer and pantry, you can bring out your inner intuitive chef and eliminate the drudgery of meal-planning. Almost the opposite of crock-pot cooking, which requires that you think about dinner in the morning or it won't be ready, infused one-pot meals can cater to your last-minute mentality, allowing you to get a nutritious dinner on the table in about an hour with only a few minutes of actual hands-on preparation and less than 50 minutes of unattended baking. Infused one-pot meals offer a healthy, balanced meal of protein, energy-providing carbohydrates, and a variety of vegetables to offer the range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that we all need. Here's an easy, last-minute recipe to throw together out of your freezer and pantry for a nutritious and delicious meal that doesn't require any forethought. So, even if you're a last-minute mom or dad, you can still serve up a meal to be proud of at a moment's notice. Santa Fe Chicken Servings: 4 Ingredients 2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained rinsed 2 green onions 4 pieces frozen boneless chicken 2 8 oz. cans green chiles or 8-12 Tbsp. prepared salsa 1 bell pepper, cut into 1" triangles 2 15 oz. cans corn kernels, drained 2 14 oz. cans tomatoes, diced, drained 2 6 oz. cans black California olives, drained and sliced Instructions Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 3 1/2 or 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with canola oil. Open cans of beans, drain and rinse well. Pour in a layer across bottom of pot. Slice green onion into rings and arrange on bean layer. Rinse chicken and arrange on top of onions. If using chiles, blanket the chicken with them. If using salsa, spoon over the chicken, using as much or as little according to taste. Add bell peppers, corn, tomatoes and olives in layers. Cover and bake for 48 minutes or until the aroma wafts from the oven. Notes This is a great meal to make when you don't have any fresh vegetables in the house. Stock up on the canned or frozen ingredients and you'll be able to whip up this southwestern staple in a jiffy. Be sure to drain all cans well, refill with fresh water and drain again to remove extra preservatives and sodium. About the author: Elizabeth Yarnell is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and the author of Glorious One-Pot Meals: A new quick healthy approach to Dutch oven cooking , a guide to a guide to preparing quick, healthy and balanced one-pot meals. She is also a mother of two preschoolers. Visit Elizabeth online at www.GloriousOnePotMeals.com to subscribe to her free newsletter. The Glorious One-Pot Meal cooking method is unique and holds US patent 6,846,504. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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Spendaholic The Dollar Stretcher by Gary Foreman I am 22 years old and I live in NYC. I am in some serious debt, which I have turned over to a debt consolidation company. I make a decent amount of money, however, I can't seem to keep it for more than a few hours. I end up spending my entire paycheck within the first day I have it....seriously. I am trying to find a support group in NYC, but am having no luck. I know I have a problem and I can't continue to live like this. Donna My Dad used to call it 'letting money burn a hole in your pocket'. Call it what you will, but it's a serious problem for some people. If you regularly spend all the money you have, you'll always be broke. There are two main strategies that Donna can use. First, she can severely limit the amount of cash and credit that she has available for spending. Second, she can change the way that she relates to money. Let's begin with the tools that will limit how much money Donna has at any time. If her employer offers it, she should use direct deposit. If that's not available, she'll need to deposit her entire check as soon as she receives it. Donna should use payroll deductions to force savings. Otherwise, she's probably going to have trouble accumulating any. Deductions are also a good way to save for retirement. She might want to consider making regular monthly contributions to an IRA or mutual fund account. It's foolish for Donna to carry much cash. She'll just be tempted to spend it. Before she leaves the house in the morning Donna should list the items that she expects to buy that day. Include everything. Even snacks and the daily paper. The idea is to only carry the cash she'll need and get in the habit of only making purchases that are on the list. Donna has already seen what credit cards can do. They're meant to be convenient to use. And, that's the problem. It's easy to keep charging until she reaches her credit limit. Leave them at home unless they're needed for a planned purchase. Once Donna limits the amount of cash and credit that's available, it's time to change the way that she relates to money. She already recognizes that it's easier to reach your goal if other people are involved. Contacting a local social services agency could turn up a support group for spendaholics. Another source of support is an 'accountability partner'. It could be a friend, relative or mentor. Someone who can be trusted. Donna would regularly report to the partner on how well she was doing. Sometimes just knowing that we'll have to confess our failures is enough to keep us from stumbling. That partner can also be helpful when Donna does suffer a setback. And they will come. A compassionate partner can help dust us off and get us back on track. If you can't find someone to hold you accountable, create a system to hold yourself accountable. It could be as simple as keeping track of the days that you stuck with the morning spending list. Donna should also consider using a budget. It would put her on notice when she had already spent the money that she had allocated for entertainment, clothing or any other category. Avoid the places that are most likely to trigger spending. Just as the alcoholic can't hang around bars, the spendaholic shouldn't go window shopping. It's like dancing with the devil. You're bound to get singed. Use rewards and punishments to encourage good spending behavior. We all respond to appropriate rewards. Donna might find that she's never had the money for good seats at a Broadway show because the money is always gone. The idea is to pick something that had not been attainable under the old system and then reward yourself after an important goal has been met. It will get easier the longer you persist. It's hard to break old habits. Especially if they contain some behavior that could be addictive. Remember that tomorrow will be easier than today. But you have to get through today first. Donna has already taken the first two steps. She's recognized the problem and started to look for help in solving it. Hopefully she'll be successful in using some of the tools to take control of the situation and begin to build a new pattern of relating to money. Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website TheDollarStretcher.com and newsletters. You'll find hundreds of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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To Boycott or Not to Boycott, that is the question
To Boycott or Not to Boycott, that is the question The Dollar Stretcher by Gary Foreman firstname.lastname@example.com In light of the recent arrests of illegal workers hired with the full knowledge of Wal-Mart, some have called for us to boycott their stores. Will you share your thoughts on this? I understand that small time boycotts (a handful of people in each community) will never register with the powers of the world's largest retailer. I would like to do my part but where do I draw the line? I'm cost-conscious and my best grocery value is with consistent Wal-Mart shopping. However, if it's at the expense of someone's job am I being fair to pinch a few pennies? Additionally, Wal-Mart is the only store in my area that sells general merchandise. If I want a spool of thread or a pair of pajamas, I have to drive 15 miles one-way if I don't shop at Wal-Mart. There's a huge trickle-down effect. If our local Wal-Mart has declining sales, our county loses revenue and people lose jobs because our shopping will have to be done in the nearby city. Ellie in Virginia Ellie sure asks a big question. Let's begin by finding out a little about boycotts. According to BoycottCity.org the practice began in Ireland and targeted a ruthless landlord named Boycott. All of his tenants were so upset that they refused to have anything to do with Boycott and his family. The practice came to the U.S. in support of labor movements. And in the 1960's it gained popularity as a political tool. Over recent years you've seen more boycotts. That's because they appear to be working. However, you won't find many statistics because companies are reluctant to comment on boycotts and certainly don't want to admit that they work. The purpose of a boycott is to get an organization to change because of an organized refusal to continue to do business with the company. For example, Ellie feels that Wal-Mart shouldn't hire illegal aliens. Boycotters argue that an organized refusal to shop at Wal-Mart will cause them to stop the practice. Please note that I haven't studied what Wal-Mart's hiring policies are so I don't have a position on this particular boycott. But I do believe that in a free market system it's fair to vote with your money by financially supporting businesses that you admire. Or to withhold your business from companies you disapprove of. Now on to the question of whether Ellie should join this particular boycott. To decide, Ellie needs to consider how important the goal is to her, whether the boycott could help achieve that goal, whether her personal sacrifice is worthwhile compared to the goal and would an alternative strategy be better. Ellie's goal appears to be to protect the jobs of American workers, primarily in her hometown. Can a boycott help achieve that goal? Even though Wal-Mart may be the largest company in the world, yes, a boycott could be successful. But, as she points out, it would take a large number of boycotters to affect Wal-Mart's bottom line. So good leadership of the boycott is required. One position for Ellie to consider is only shopping at her local Wal-Mart if that store meets her standards. Each store's sales and profit figures are measured separately. So it might be easier to affect a change in her local store. And, if her real concern is local jobs, then a national boycott might not be necessary. Plus, it is possible that boycotting the local Wal-Mart could cause them to lay-off her neighbors. For every job saved, the boycotters could cost two or three. Now for the toughest question. Is the goal worthy of the sacrifice? If she abandons Wal-Mart that means driving further to buy household items. No big deal if she visits the city regularly. But it's a different situation if her car is troublesome and she rarely leaves home. Or the difference in costs. For Ellie paying a little extra may be no big deal. But for a family just barely to pay the rent, those pennies might mean missing a meal. Plus the poorer family probably spends less in Wal-Mart when they do shop. So the wealthier family will have a greater impact on Wal-Mart even if their sacrifice is less. Finally, Ellie should consider the alternatives. A visit to the local store manager could reveal that the store isn't hiring illegal aliens. Or she might want to ask if the local paper would do an investigative piece on Wal-Mart's hiring practices. Another option would be to continue to shop at Wal-Mart, but to set aside the money saved for a contribution to the local food bank. In most cases it's wise to exhaust other options before resorting to a boycott. Boycott issues aren't often easy. You can't mathematically calculate the 'right' answer. So the bottom line is usually a decision about what is important to you. And that's a question that only Ellie can answer. Gary Foreman is a former financial planner and purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website thedollarstretcher.com and newsletters. You'll find thousands of time and money saving articles. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
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A Painful Grocery Bill
A Painful Grocery Bill The Dollar Stretcher by Gary Foreman firstname.lastname@example.com My husband and I live alone. My mom comes over for dinner andbreakfast three days per week, and I send her lunches for worktwo nights a week. We are spending over $400 a week forgroceries. I am not buying extravagant things, and I reallydon't buy a lot of "junk" food. Where on earth are we goingwrong? Couldsomeone explain this to me? I feel like we are beyond help.What are we doing wrong? Diane O. Diane asks a great question. Groceries are the largestcategory of spending that we can affect without making majorlifestyle changes. According to the U.S. Statistical Abstract for 2002, thetypical family of three spends $6,093 on food each year. Andthat includes $2,407 for food eaten away from home. So Diane'stotal is significantly above the norm. But, as Diane points out, everyone doesn't include the samethings in their grocery bill. The Abstract shows typicalspending of $553 for "housekeeping supplies," $693 for"personal care products and services" and $399 for "tobaccoproducts." Those are not included in the $6,093. In fact, nine items (laundry detergent, peanut butter, fabricsoftener, toilet tissue, diapers, coffee, toothpaste, papertowels, shampoo) will account for $17 billion in annual sales.With the exception of peanut butter and coffee, none of theseitems are "food" items. Other bill boosters are pet food andliquor products. And don't forget greeting cards and videorentals! Many people buy non-food items at the grocery store. And eventhink of them as part of their grocery budget. With the riseof "supercenters," more people are combining their groceryshopping with their "other" shopping. Often it is moreconvenient to buy everything in one stop. But it's often notthe cheapest solution. If Diane wants to control her grocery spending, it's probablynot going to be helpful to compare her bill to her neighbor's.Every family situation is different. And some families areeven able to grow or raise their own food. A better way to reduce her bill is to study her own habits andsee where changes could save money. Start by analyzing your receipt. What items are the mostexpensive? Work on them first. Can they be eliminatedentirely? If not, are there lower cost alternatives? Buying junk food is not the only thing that can drive up yourgrocery bill. Your diet also makes a big difference.Vegetables and starches cost less than meat. A diet heavy inmeat will be more expensive. Likewise low calorie, low sugar,low salt foods will add heft to your bill. For instance, according to the Organic Trade Association,consumers are willing to pay up to 25% more for organics thanthey would for non-organic equivalents. Some consumers willpay up to 100% more. The grocery store is often not the best place to buy thosespecialty items. If you buy them often, look for more direct,lower cost alternative sources. Another grocery bill booster is our desire for convenience.Most of us are short on time. Grocers see this as anopportunity to increase their profits. Most are offering "everything-in-one-box" type of meals.Others are experimenting with a menu plan. A portion of thestore is stocked to allow the shopper to buy everything theyneed for a specific meal on one shelf. In either case, theconsumer pays for the convenience of not planning their ownmeals and buying pre-measured ingredients. While you're waiting in line, take a look at your grocerycart. How much prepared food is in the cart? You may not havetime to clean carrots. But you will pay extra for the littleprepared ones. If you know the difference in price, you canmake an intelligent decision whether to save your time or yourmoney. Finally, Diane needs to be able to compare prices so that shecan identify and stock-up when she finds a true bargain. Thebest tool for this is a price book. It's simply a listing ofitems that she commonly buys and the lowest price(s) for eachitem. That will help her identify the true sales. Shoppers whouse a price book regularly claim to save up to 20%. Diane will probably never get her bill down to $130 per month.But if she works at it, a lower bill is possible without asignificant impact on her lifestyle. Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who currentlypublishes The Dollar Stretcher website: www.stretcher.com andnewsletters: www.stretcher.com/menu/subscrib.cfm copyright2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com
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Moving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity
Moving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity by Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam www.notjustbeans.com Have you ever been so stressed out moving that you wondered if the easiest way to pack was to get a gallon of gasoline and a box of matches? Moving can be a stressful time for everyone involved, but don#146;t make it more stressful than it needs to be. Just getting started is the hardest part. Here are few tips to point you in the right direction. ORDER IN WHICH TO START PACKING Start with things you don#146;t use every day. Memories - Grandma#146;s dishes, quilts, old books, Bibles, childhood toys and photos Garage items - Christmas and Holiday decorations, camping equipment and things in storage Things stored in closets that aren#146;t used often and out of season clothes Knick-knacks, pictures, mirrors and wall hangings Seasonal dishes, canning equipment, roasting pans, good china, good silverware, large serving platters Unnecessary CD#146;s, DVD#146;s and video tapes. Sewing room and craft items. Home office - Pack as much as possible except bills that need to be paid. Leave office boxes open and tape them closed at the last minute before moving just in case you need something out of them. Children#146;s toys and games - Pack most of the toys they don#146;t play with regularly. One week before moving - Pack all unnecessary kitchen items, clothes and linens (except what you need for one week). Tips to pain free packing: Don't leave empty spaces. Here are some examples of how you might use all available space: I fill my china cabinet with light weight soft things like stuffed animals, balls of yarn, quilts, artificial flowers and greenery. If you will be moving your refrigerator or washer or dryer, fill it with pillows, wicker baskets or plastic items from the kitchen. Fill clothes hampers with bathroom items. If you have a lamp that needs special protection, wrap it carefully in towels and place it in a clothes hamper. Fill up even small items like plastic pitchers with kitchen utensils or kitchen knick-knacks. I clean out a large outside trash can and use it to pack my hoses, small pots and gardening tools. If I#146;m not sure if I should keep something, I allow myself to take it if I can fit it in that one trash can. My son-in-law says it is one step closer to the curb that way. Don't pack glass, porcelain or ceramic containers with loose items in them that could break them. Canning jars filled with marbles or baby food jars filled with nuts and bolts are recipes for disaster. Pack heavy things such as books in small boxes. Don't pack things like photos, videotapes, cd's, candles, plants or pets (especially pets!!!) where heat or cold can get to them. Don't think any of those things will be safe and protected in a car or truck overnight. If it gets cold, they will freeze. Also plants left in a hot car will not be safe because the heat will kill them. When transporting plants in a car, protect them from direct sunlight with a covering of newspaper because the sun will fry houseplants. Pack kids#146; rooms last. They need the security of having their room the same for as long as possible. Be sure to put their favorite items in the car such a blanket, stuffed animal or books. Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are the authors of Moving on a Dime: Save Money, Save Time, Save Your Sanity. To order Moving on a Dime and for more free money saving tips visit our web site at www.notjustbeans.com . Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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Smallest Bill? Or Highest Rate?
Smallest Bill? Or Highest Rate? The Dollar Stretcher by Gary Foreman email@example.com My husband and I have accumulated some credit card debt, a personal loan from my mom, and a home equity line of credit. Recently getting married, purchasing our first home, and some medical bills have really put a hurting on our budget. Some advice that I have read says that one should pay off the debt with the highest interest rate first. Other advice says to pay off the smallest debt first and work my way up the debt ladder. Which one is the most effective in our situation? Amy According to the Federal Reserve currently there is over $1.7 trillion in consumer debt. So an awful lot of people are facing the very same choice. So let's see if we can figure out what would work best for Amy. Paying the debt with the highest interest rate will reduce the total debt quicker. The reason is clear. The higher the interest rate, the more interest is added to the balance you owe each month. Suppose you owed money on two different accounts. The first account charges 5% interest. Paying off $1,000 would save Amy $4.17 per month in interest expense ($1,000 times 0.05 divided by 12 months). Now suppose the second account charges 10% interest. Paying off $1,000 would save $8.33 per month. Clearly, she'll save more, and reduce her balance quicker, if she pays off the account the highest interest rate. But, there is a risk to this strategy. It might take Amy quite awhile to pay the entire balance of the account with the highest interest. And, after 6 or 8 months of trying she might get discouraged and be tempted to give up if she's still writing a check to them each month. Let's face it. Some people are more determined than others. And some of us need immediate feedback or gratification. One way to get that positive feedback is to have an account disappear because it's be entirely paid off. The fact that it's the account with the smallest balance doesn't matter. What's best for Amy? Paying off the highest rate of interest first is the most efficient answer. But depending on Amy's personality, paying off the one with the smallest balance might be the best answer. Before she decides, there are other ways to get positive feedback as you pay down debts. One simple way is to watch your total indebtedness drop each month. Just list the balance on all your accounts and add them up. Then compare the totals after a few months. Notice how the mountain of debt is getting a little smaller. If Amy is into visuals, she could keep a running graph of the total. Another way to encourage yourself is to watch the amount of interest owed drop each month. Remember that the interest you owe each month doesn't buy you anything. It's the price you pay for borrowing the money some time in the past. Just list the interest charged by all of your accounts and total it. Again, compare it to the total from a few months ago. If the total amount owed is going down, so should the amount of interest that you pay each month. Watching her balances drop might not be enough for Amy. She might be one of those people who won't feel successful until she's writing fewer checks each month. If that's the case she should pay off the smallest account first so she feels like she's making progress. Amy will probably find that her most expensive debt is on credit cards. The least expensive will be her mortgage. If she's sure that they don't have a problem with uncontrolled spending, they might even want to use a home equity loan to pay off some higher interest debt. But only if they're not "spendaholics". One other strategy would be to pay off one or two of the small accounts to get started. Once Amy is past the point of needing encouragement she can shift to paying more on the accounts with the highest interest. Finally, it's more important that Amy starts now than which account she pays first. Each month she delays all of the accounts add to the interest owed. The hole gets a little deeper. It's better to pay off low interest debt, than no debt at all. Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website: www.stretcher.com You'll find thousands of articles to help you stretch your day and your dollar. Visit Today! Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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Tackling Back-To-School Expenses
Tackling Back-To-School Expenses Homebodies www.homebodies.org By Cheryl Gochnauer Copyright 2003 Just when I#146;d settled into my summertime routine, the ads started blaring: #147;The first day of school is right around the corner!#148; According to local retailers, it#146;s time to hit the stores in search of the perfect everything. In the face of this media blitz, my one-income budget demands a clear head and a bit of creativity as I begin gathering true essentials for the coming school year. SCHOOL SUPPLIES. Thanks to discount stores like Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target, school supplies aren#146;t too scary. Since everybody needs them, competition is fierce. They#146;re practically giving away glue, markers and folders, hoping that you#146;ll pick up a backpack or two while you#146;re there. Resist the impulse and recycle last year#146;s more expensive items whenever possible. Use coupons and bring competitor#146;s fliers for price matching. Keep your eyes open for rebates, which are very common this time of year. CLOTHES, COATS AND SHOES. Hopefully you remembered to purchase the kids#146; fall and winter coats last spring at the 70 percent-off sales. If not, it#146;s not too late to scour neighborhood garage sales in search of a gently-used jacket. Since jeans are the uniform of choice for most students, watch sales. Recently I spotted flares at Wal-Mart for my 5th grader - $15 jeans marked down to $10, then $7, then $3 each. I grabbed five pair and headed to the registers, where they rang up at ONE DOLLAR EACH. (God bless Sam Walton!) EXTRACURRICULARS. There#146;s not much lee-way in dodging sports and band fees, but you may be able to save on the uniforms and instruments. Check the classifieds for second-hand items. Email friends and classmates to see if anyone has something you need for sale. Ask coaches and tutors for leads on used equipment. If there#146;s a good chance your child will be on the same team next year, allow some growing room. Buy a little big; there#146;s a good chance that soccer or cheerleading outfit will work for two seasons instead of one. FUNDRAISERS. Most schools kick off with some type of fundraiser. Parents, I hear those groans! But don#146;t turn away every kid who knocks on your door, because they might be peddling something that benefits YOU as much as their sports or drama team. I#146;m talking about those Entertainment and Gold Coupon books (and their many clones). I love these buy-one, get-one-free deals. They allow me to splurge on a night out or fun fest #150; at half-price. The books usually pay for themselves the first time I use them. Hint: Think through fundraisers before pitching products to your neighbors. To offset cheerleading costs, I bought 20 fundraising coupon books at $1 each #150; which my daughter was then supposed to sell for $5 apiece. (She would pocket the extra $4 per book, clearing a total of $80.) But each book #150; which offered discounts at my favorite grocery store #150; included a #147;$5 off the total purchase#148; coupon, along with another $50 or so in additional savings. Since I shop at that store every week, I gave my daughter $80 toward her uniform, kept the books and used the coupons myself. The $5-off coupons alone saved me $100, plus I saved hundreds more with the remaining coupons in the 20 books. Next year, I#146;ll buy FORTY books and double this year#146;s savings! MORE QUICK TIPS: If your kids don#146;t take the bus to school, carpool with other families. (That goes for before and after school practices, too.) Most days, have children take lunches instead of buying at the cafeteria. Get required vaccinations through your local county health department, where shots are often offered at a discount or free. If you#146;re paying tuition, work part-time or substitute at the school to offset expenses. (It#146;ll make it easy to pop in on their class parties or keep an eye on your teen, too!) Comments? Email firstname.lastname@example.com or visit www.homebodies.org to read more articles relating to at-home parenting. Copyright 2003 Cheryl Gochnauer. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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How 'Charge Offs' Effect You
How 'Charge Offs' Effect You The Dollar Stretcher by Gary Foreman email@example.com Can you describe or define what the term "charge off" means concerning credit cards and credit reports? I am seeing it quite often and do not quite understand what it signifies. Thanks for your help. Patty Louisiana Patty's right. You are seeing the term "charge off" more frequently. That's because about 1% of all credit card debt is ultimately charged off. And, whether you struggle to make credit card payments or you have a perfect credit history, charge offs will effect your finances. Let's begin by finding out what a charge off really is. Wachovia Bank offered a good definition on their website: wachovia.com : "The removal of an account from a credit card issuer's books as an asset after it has been delinquent for a period of time, usually 180 days. When an account is charged off, the credit card issuer absorbs the outstanding balance as a loss." For those of you who don't speak 'financialese' that means that a 'charge off' or 'write off' is really just an accounting entry. The lender is saying that they don't expect to collect the debt and are not willing to claim it as an asset of the company any longer. But it will not affect whether the borrower still owes the money. A charge off does not free you from the debt. Think of it this way. Suppose you borrowed $100 from Joe. After a year passes he doesn't really expect to get his money back. Mentally he's 'written off' the loan. He doesn't believe that your IOU has value any more. But, that doesn't mean that you don't still owe Joe $100. You do. In fact, in the world of credit card debt it's possible that it will be harder to avoid paying the debt after it has been written off. That's because the original lender often sells those debts to a third party when they write them off. And the third party, often a collection agency, gets to keep any money that they collect. So they will work very hard to collect as much as they can. Even if that means using questionable pressure tactics. Note that it's the lender who gets to decide whether to write-off a debt as being uncorrectable. You may have lost your job six months ago and not made a payment since. But you really plan on making one next month. That doesn't prevent the lender from writing off the debt. On the other hand, in approximately 50% of the cases charge offs occur when a borrower declares bankruptcy. Between one and 1.5 million people declare bankruptcy each year. Their bankruptcy triggers the charge off. So what happens to your credit rating when your card balance is written off? Thirty-five percent of your credit score is based on past payment history. A 'charge off' is about the worst mark that you can get on your credit report. It says you are someone with a history of not paying their debts. And you don't need a charge off to be penalized. If you struggle to make your minimum payment, the fear of a write off will cause the credit card company to raise your interest rate. Based on a borrower's payment history they can predict when someone is becoming a high risk. When that happens they'll increase the interest rates on the account very quickly. That costs you more money every month. OK, what happens if you always pay your bills on time? Unfortunately, you're still effected by charge offs. The credit card companies expect that some loans will not be repaid. So in an effort to stay profitable, they have to charge everyone a little higher interest rate to make up for the losses. So everyone who uses a charge card makes some small contribution. One final issue. If you do have a charge off on your record you might want to consider repaying the debt if you have the money. Negative remarks will be stay on your report for 7 years. You may be able to negotiate a deal where you pay the debt and the lender changes the status of the account to "Paid as Agreed". If you attempt to do this, make sure that you get the agreement in writing. Thanks to Patty for a good question! Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website: www.stretcher.com and ezines. You'll find thousands of articles to help you save time and money. copyright 2003 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All rights reserved. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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Healthier First Birthday Cake Ideas
Healthier First Birthday Cake Ideas By Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers www.FreshBaby.com Parents are often looking for a healthy alternative to the standard, sugary, preservative-filled birthday cake for their baby's introduction to the wonderful traditions of birthdays. We've heard from parents looking for ways to buy an egg-free cake, to those seeking recipes for "healthy" cakes, or even whether to make/buy two cakes (one for Baby, one for adults). To answer the last question first - there is no reason to create extra work for yourself, make or buy one cake, relax and congratulate yourself for making it through the first year! Most people will be gracious guests and enjoy whatever is served. And let's not lose sight of the real reason for the birthday cake - THE PHOTO. We do it all for the precious scrapbook shot of your cake-faced little one delighting in being the life of the party! Here are some ideas that keep the tradition of the birthday cake treat, but add some healthy twists (you can use these ideas for any age!): Egg-free: If your baby has not been introduced to whole eggs by their first birthday, this is probably not the occasion to give them a try. Many egg substitutes contain eggs, so to be safe, look for cake and frosting mixes labeled "vegan" which are free of all animal products. You'll need to go to a health food store to find these products. Or jump on the Internet, Vegan Baker is one company that offers cake and frosting mixes. If baking is not for you, many urban cities also have vegan bakeries too - check the Yellow Pages or ask someone at a vegetarian restaurant. Healthier cake flavors: If you decided on a traditional layer cake or cupcakes, there are healthier cakes choices over the standard white or chocolate layer cake varieties. Some cake flavors to consider include banana cake, applesauce cake or carrot cake. Cakes than contain fruit usually have less sugar. Made from scratch, a mix or from a bakery, they are a step up on the healthy scale. Frosting: You must have frosting for the photo! Healthier frosting choices can include organic yogurt thickened with cream cheese or a traditional cream cheese frosting. The ultimate substitute for sugar-laden buttercream is whipped cream. Homemade whipped cream is pretty simple to make and just a couple tablespoons of sugar will sweeten it. Homemade Whipped Cream 1 cup of heavy cream 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp vanilla Directions: Chill the heavy cream for 24 hours in your refrigerator. Pour heavy cream in a chilled, large, deep bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream on high until it thickens. Add the vanilla and sugar, and continue beating until soft peaks form. To test the whipped cream, stop the mixer and pull up the beaters, if the cream forms little mountains that stand up, then the whipped cream is done. Makes 2 cups and must be refrigerated. Forego the frosting: You don't really need frosting to have a good time. Make an applesauce cake and dust it with powdered sugar. To jazz up the look, make or buy a stencil and lay it on the top of the cake. Using powdered sugar and a sifter, dust the top of the cake. Carefully remove the stencil - Viola! An impressive presentation and low in sugar too! Go for cool: While a Mississippi Mud Pie is not a healthy ice cream choice, you can make or buy a frozen yogurt cake. Many ice cream shops also have wonderful choices in fruit sorbets too. A cake made with frozen vanilla yogurt and mango sorbet is a great treat for all ages. About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
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Tag Archives: MLB betting
Baseball Pick: Boston Red Sox vs. Texas Rangers Preview 8/24/11
Potential AL postseason combatants collide at the Ballpark in Arlington on Wednesday night in a nationally televised clash on ESPN, as the Texas Rangers play host to the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have once again caught the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East, though they are sitting percentage points behind and are one game back in the loss co.....
Baseball Pick: St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs Preview 8/21/11
ESPN Sunday Night Baseball is back this week with a tremendous clash of arch rivals in the NL Central. The Chicago Cubs will take on the St. Louis Cardinals in a rare night game at Wrigley Field. The Cards have already lost the first two games in this series, and the truth of the matter is that a loss on Sunday night might signal the end of the season. St. .....
MLB Futures Betting Update – Aug 18
The 2011 Major League regular season enters the home stretch with about 40 games to go in the 162-game schedule. We already have a pretty good idea of most of the teams that will make it into the postseason, but there are a few division races that could still come down to the wire. The following is a look at Bodog.Eu's updated odds for the World Series .....
Baseball Pick: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies Preview 8/17/11
Last night, the Arizona Diamondbacks made a huge statement by beating the MLB betting lines against the Philadelphia Phillies as huge underdogs against Roy Halladay. Can they do it again with another of the Philly aces on the mound? Check out our free baseball pick for the game! Arizona just keeps doing what it's doing, and last night was a perfect represen.....
Free MLB Picks: San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves Picks 8/16/11
Both the Atlanta Braves and the San Francisco Giants are trying their best to hang on to spots in the postseason, but in all likelihood, only one will be able to do just that. These two will meet up at Turner Field in MLB betting action on Tuesday night. San Francisco picked a bad time to lose six out of 10. Unfortunately, in this stretch, the Arizona Diamo.....
MLB Betting Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Philadelphia Phillies Picks 8/16/11
Potential NL postseason playmates duke it out in the City of Brotherly Love in MLB betting action on Tuesday night, when the Arizona Diamondbacks face off with the Philadelphia Phillies. We haven't done a whole heck of a lot of talking about the D'Backs this year, but perhaps we should take notice. They've won six in a row and are 2.5 games up in the NL Wes.....
Sunday Night Baseball Picks: Colorado Rockies vs. St. Louis Cardinals Preview 8/14/11
This week on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, MLB betting fans will get a chance to take in a duel from Busch Stadium, as the St. Louis Cardinals play host to the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies really should have had a better season than they are, but they definitely are working towards future seasons now that they have dealt Ubaldo Jimenez. Things aren't all.....
Baseball Free Picks: Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees Preview 8/13/11
Fox Saturday Baseball betting action heads to the Bronx this weekend, as the Tampa Bay Rays meet up with the New York Yankees in an AL East showdown. The Rays have suddenly caught some fire, having won five straight games, and they are starting to creep back to within striking distance of the Bronx Bombers for Wild Card contention in the American League. Su.....
ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Picks: New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox Preview 8/7/11
First place in the AL East will be on the line in MLB betting action on Sunday Night Baseball when the New York Yankees face off with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Yanks probably felt like they broke the hex of the Red Sox on Friday night when they snapped a skid of eight out of nine defeats to the boys from Beantown, but on Saturday, they were blo.....
TBS Sunday Baseball Betting: Atlanta Braves vs. New York Mets Preview 8/7/11
NL East rivals duke it out in MLB betting action on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field in Flushing when the New York Mets take on the Atlanta Braves. The Braves are still hanging in there in the NL Wild Card race, but recent lapses and mediocre play have brought teams like the San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks runner up, along with the St. Louis Car.....


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Clayton Kershaw, Corey Kluber win Cy Young Awards
November 13, 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — Everyone expected Clayton Kershaw to pitch a shutout, and he did — a unanimous choice for the NL Cy Young Award. more »»
Fisher switches QBs; Hill to start against Broncos
November 13, 2014
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jeff Fisher broke the news in person to Austin Davis, alone and immersed in study at Rams Park preparing for this week's game against the Denver Broncos.
Then the St. more »»
Year of the team in college hoops
November 12, 2014
The 2013-14 college basketball season was known as the year of the freshman. With the likes of one-and-doners like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon, it lived up to the billing, too. more »»
Redskins' RG3 speaks again on unity, leadership
November 12, 2014
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Asked if it really matters whether he's liked by his teammates, Robert Griffin III had the classic turn-the-tables response. more »»
In college, field goals aren't a sure thing
November 12, 2014
Whenever an NFL kicker attempts a field goal from inside 50 yards these days, success seems inevitable.
That isn't the case in college.
Just two weeks ago. more »»
World Series of Poker matched wits, spreadsheets
November 12, 2014
LAS VEGAS (AP) — It wasn't the year for the everyman poker hobbyist at the World Series of Poker's final main event table, but rather it was a matchup of skilled professionals with online poker... more »»
Gypsy soccer team wins _ as opponents don't show
November 12, 2014
DECIN, Czech Republic (AP) — The Roma Decin football club is having its best season ever, winning six of 10 matches and climbing to fourth in the standings. more »»
Gibraltar's amateurs will try to stop world champs
November 12, 2014
GIBRALTAR (AP) — With a firefighter in goal, a customs agent anchoring the defense, a police officer and store worker roaming the midfield and a gym teacher on the attack, the best players from... more »»
SEC teams salvaging seasons thanks to backups
November 12, 2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Southeastern Conference teams are getting plenty of help from the "next man up" because of injuries and suspensions as the regular season winds down. more »»
How SEC could get complicated come playoff time
November 12, 2014
Mississippi State beats Alabama on Saturday, wins the Southeastern Conference championship game and goes merrily along into the College Football Playof. more »»
Fisher switches QBs, Hill to start against Broncos
November 12, 2014
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher has benched struggling quarterback Austin Davis and will go back to veteran Shaun Hill for Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. more »»
Bills get into predicting game before facing Miami
November 12, 2014
Hey, Leodis McKelvin, want to try your hand at Pro Picks?
The Buffalo cornerback got into the predicting business this week in preparation for the Bills' visit to Miami on Thursday night. more »»
AFC North is league's best overall since 1935
November 12, 2014
CINCINNATI (AP) — With a 6-4 record, the Baltimore Ravens would be at or near the top of every division except one: their own. In the AFC North, it translates into last place. more »»
Hall of Fame digitizes film of 1934 Japan tour
November 12, 2014
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Home movie footage shot during a tour of Japan by American baseball stars 80 years ago has been digitized by the Hall of Fame. more »»
Swede wins World Series of Poker, $10M top prize
November 12, 2014
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Swedish man who got his start playing online poker after late restaurant nights while he trained to be a chef is $10 million richer after winning the top World Series of Poke... more »»
Your Top Plays for Today
November 12, 2014
Your Top Plays for Today: AP's Sports Guide
Swedish poker pro Martin Jacobson wins $10 million World Series of Poker... more »»
Spurs play regulars, beat Warriors 113-100
November 12, 2014
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Steve Kerr approached Gregg Popovich on the court, smiled and shared a laugh with one of his mentors following his first home loss as coach of the Golden State Warriors. more »»
Swede wins World Series of Poker, $10 million
November 12, 2014
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Swedish man who got his start playing online poker after late restaurant nights while he trained to be a chef is $10 million richer after winning the top World Series of Poke... more »»
TCU stays ahead of Baylor in playoff rankings
November 12, 2014
TCU still has Baylor beat in the College Football Playoff rankings — even though the Bears got the better of the Horned Frogs on the field. more »»
Showalter, Williams voted MLB Managers of the Year
November 12, 2014
NEW YORK (AP) — Buck Showalter and Matt Williams won the Manager of the Year awards Tuesday, turning a Beltway double play. more »»
News, Blogs & Events Web


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St. Joseph Teachers Win Our At-Work Selfie Contest
We have another winner in our Cat Country At-Work Selfie Contest!
We have another winner in our Cat Country At-Work Selfie Contest!
All the firetrucks and emergency personnel in the Somers Point area early this morning were on their way to a fire in a local apartment complex.
I was walking over the Route 52 Causeway - the bridge between Somers Point and Ocean City - last night and saw this man in the water. What was he doing?
A male body was recovered from the water near the Ocean City-Longport Bridge Thursday afternoon.
If you're a fan of Google Maps - and who isn't - you probably wonder how they get the "street views" which are featured on the map site.
Sheldon the Pig has been evicted from his home.
The owners of Manco & Manco's Pizzeria (formerly Mack & Manco's) have been arrested on federal tax evasion charges.
Egg Harbor Township Police are investigating a two-car accident Monday afternoon that sent eight juveniles to area hospitals.
As mysterious as it sat for weeks on end, the bicycle chained to a guardrail on the Ocean City - Somers Point Bridge has disappeared.
Who does this bike belong to and why is it parked where it is?
Sheldon the Pig can stay in Somers Point, and won't be headed out to pasture anytime soon.
I don't stay up and watch the late news very often, but when I do, I watch NBC 40 in Atlantic City.
Saturday night, as I'm watching the 11pm news, hosted by the partially-unshaven Jeff Whitaker (Hey Jeff, No Shave November hasn't start


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Added Oct 17, 2013
Warwickshire, Un...
I bought this gorgeous vintage blouse pattern on Etsy & was dying to make it up. It is Butterick 8097 from 1953 & it's fab! I made the 3/4 sleeve version in a Liberty Tana Lawn with a pretty little pint rose print. I wanted a contrast collar & cuffs, so used a plain white lawn.
This is one of my favourite blouses so far, the turn-back cuffs are so cute! The seams are all French, I cut an inner yoke in the white lawn to hide all the seams & it gives stability to the shoulder area. I like that this has side shaping & darts in the front, while the back has gathers over the shoulderblades. It means you can move! A definite favourite with both myself & daughter no2!
You can read more on the blog
Liberty Tana Lawn
Oct 18, 2013, 11.44 AMby fashionfreek
Oct 18, 2013, 11.06 AMby SassyT
I really like this. So pretty. https://www.facebook.com/SassySewingBees
Oct 18, 2013, 03.12 AMby runningwithscissors1
It turned out beautifully! Lovely shirt.
Oct 17, 2013, 06.18 PMby Ellen Hatteland
Lovely blouse! I also like the white collar inside and the darts in front – your daughter looks gorgeous in this blouse ;-)
Oct 17, 2013, 05.18 PMby lascuatreras
The white cuffs and the print are a great combination!
Oct 17, 2013, 03.47 PMby Deanna31
Very elegant.
Add to Favorites 1 person added it
Sewing & Techniques
See how Meg made this edgy dress using the Janome Artistic Edge Digital Cutter!
Editors' Pick
No need to go outside… spend the morning in dolled up in this collection of vintage style pajamas.
BurdaStyle Magazine US
Get an inside look at the patterns from the first 4 issues of BurdaStyle US
As an early special Black Friday promotion you can now enroll in the course ($80 value) for $49.99!
Register for Meg's new course, space is limited!
Sewing & Techniques
Learn how to use your bodice sloper to draft this popular collar style
Get the Piped Trench Coat pattern
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1948 Cadillac 61 Fastback coupe, Very complete car, very solid body shell. It sat in a field in Oregon and sank on the driver... More
1958 Cadillac DeVille 4-Door. It needs a full restoration. It came with factory A/C but is missing the compressor the passengers front window is... More
1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible. Red with white interior. Runs and drives but the engine has a knock. The starter motor and brakes are new.... More


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Michael Brown's tragic death is a salient reminder that the United States is still far from being a racially just and equitable society.
New energy is transforming our cities into hotbeds of democracy and progressive innovation.
SpeakOut is Truthout's treasure chest for bloggy, quirky, personally reflective, or especially activism-focused pieces. SpeakOut articles represent the perspectives of their authors, and not those of Truthout.
Momentum to free elections from corporate influence is growing. This afternoon, Maine became the 13th state to call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission. The resolution passed overwhelmingly with a 25-9 vote in the Senate and a 111-33 vote in the House, which included five Republican supporters in the Senate and 25 in the House.
The State Legislature's resolution reads in part, "United States Supreme Court rulings, beginning with Buckley v. Valeoand continuing through Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and others, disproportionately elevate the role of wealthy special interests in elections and diminish the voices and influence of ordinary Americans."
After six weeks of testimony — sometimes dramatic, sometimes data-driven, but consistently disturbing in its findings — the plaintiffs in the historic Floyd v. City of New York trial finished presenting the liability portion of their case. CCR and its co-counsel (from Covington & Burling LLP and Beldock, Levine & Hoffman LLP) will present additional witnesses during the remedies phase, but for now, it is the city's turn to try and counter the massive evidence presented of the NYPD's unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policy.
Testimony last week was mostly from NYPD officials in positions responsible for oversight of officer conduct. The theme that emerged over and over was one of a department apparently unwilling or uninterested in ascertaining whether stops are lawfully conducted. On Wednesday, Lou Reiter, our police practices expert, commented on the lack of supervision of stops throughout the NYPD, saying "it's like everybody sticks their head in the sand."
This video is an excerpt from the documentary, American Autumn: an Occudoc -- rent it or own it today. Go here.
The question of whether persons convicted of a crime should be imprisoned or not is now increasingly influenced by economic interests. While prisons have long tended to be located in rural communities because of the availability of cheap land, this trend has accelerated in recent decades as a result of lobbying by rural officials. With declining economic prospects in many of these communities, many local leaders have come to view prisons as their best hope of economic opportunity through the jobs that are generated. In practice, this has not proven to be beneficial to these areas, but nonetheless rural legislators continue to seek such opportunities. Perhaps not coincidentally, many of these officials are also strong supporters of harsh sentencing policies. -- Marc Mauer
Most weeks there's more Internet-related news than people can handle.
Given the constant flux, we at Free Press are taking a stab at listing, every week, the top five things you need to know about developments impacting Internet freedom.
Here's our first shot. Be nice....
Life, as lived, moment to moment, in the corporate/consumer state, involves moving between states of tedium, stress, and swoons of mass media and consumer distraction. Therein, one spends a large portion of one's economically beleaguered life attempting to make ends meet and not go mad from the pressure and the boredom. Where does a nebulous concept such as freedom even enter the picture, except to be a harbinger of an unfocused sense of unease...that all too many look to authority to banish?
Finding a balance between anxiety and freedom is not something that comes easy to us.
Ordinary taxpayers are subsidizing exorbitant executive pay at the corporations leading the push for austerity in the budget debate, according to a new report by the Institute for Policy Studies and Campaign for America's Future.
The report is the first to put a price tag on the tax breaks specific corporations have enjoyed from a loophole that allows unlimited deductions for executive stock options and other "performance-based" pay. It focuses on corporate members of Fix the Debt, a lobby group that is calling for "shared sacrifice" while quietly advocating for cuts to Social Security and more corporate tax breaks.
The Whistleblower Defense League is a nationwide group of experienced trial attorneys who have assembled to defend the principles of our democracy. The American people have an absolute right to know the truth about their government and the damaging influence of corporate wealth. Our forefathers did not fight for us to live in the fearful shadows of a darkened constitution, but in the brave light of freedom.
Criticism without action is the country of the weak. If the issue is not one of vision, but of limited resources, then the WBDL is available...
In the aftermath of the Boston marathon bombings, we have a lot of questions that need answering. But are we asking the right ones?
Code Pink, Backbone Campaign, and dozens of supporters escorted protestors costumed as George W. Bush & Dick Cheney into the hands of the Dallas police who gladly arrested the duo. The arrests took place during a ceremony just a few hundred yards away where five living U.S. presidents and thousands of others participated in the dedication of the younger Bush's presidential library.
The protestors serving as stand-ins for Bush and Cheney were identified as Gary Egelston, a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War (Bush) and Dennis Trainor, Jr, documentary director of American Autumn: an occduc and creator of Acronym TV. Photojournalist Bill Perry was also arrested. All three were charged with Misdemeanors and released after 13 hours in custody.
Some of the media scribes who attended the dedication ceremony on April 26 for the George W. Bush $250 million Library and Museum on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, TX commented that there was not one word mentioned about Iraq.
Most of us know why, including the 2008 and 2012 Republican conventions in which there was no mention by the party's leadership of George W. Bush's Iraq legacy. Or much, if anything, of number 43.
There are, of course, exceptions. Most notably Karl Rove whose George W. Bush adulation included his recent proposal to chisel his former boss's image on Mount Rushmore. Rove no doubt was yearning for those halcyon days when photo ops maintained the facade of a commander-in-chief in thoughtful poses such as the one that lined up the profile of George W. Bush with the four presidents' likenesses that are etched into South Dakota's Mount Rushmore.


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The Ultimate Ride
Posted October 24, 2006
If you want to learn cycling, come here
Chris covers the entire gamut of cycling from a road cycling point of view. I've been riding for many years and have had things work and not work. The way the workouts and their sequencing is presented takes care of any doubt the rider may have on doing the right thing. I'm not saying that they are rigid but if the self-coached athlete has any doubt of his ability to interpret what is given, being rigid with the concepts works very well. I have to tell you that some of those workouts will require you to tilt your bike a lot in order to dismount. I have been really toasted on numerous occassions. Great work Chris, thanks.Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Posted November 25, 2003
In Plane English
I've trained with CTS for two years. During that time one of my biggest frustrations was the ability to grasp an understanding of some of the technical aspects of the program. This book is an excellent supplement to the training manual of the CTS system. It puts the program into perspective and guides you through each phase of training in understandable terms. I would highly recommend this book to anybody. I have also been able to apply some of the principles to my everyday life with a little bit of initiative.Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.


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With Selenium 1 there was the possibility to enter a URL to stop the server:
Is there a similar way in Selenium 2?
I tried the following URL to check whether the server is running:
but that only returns an HTTP ERROR 503 (service unavailable). Is there any other URL I can access to verify that the server is running?


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DVD Extra
Is that DVD you've got your eye on really worth the investment? Should you wait a few months until the "Special Edition" hits shelves? DVD Extra lights the way.
Posts filtered on Category
'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea': Despite holes in the plot, it's an unsinkable epic
If you were a kid in the 1960s (like I was) or if you're a devotee of MeTV (like I am), you've undoubtedly seen the "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" television series. The program — which ran from 1964 to '68 — was produced by the Master of Disaster himself, Irwin Allen, and starred […] [Read More]
'World War Z' is the most ambitious zombie film to date
Looking over the past few years, it would appear that the most popular subgenre for horror films has become zombies. Ever since George A. Romero popularized the idea of the zombie apocalypse in his "Living Dead" films, it appears to have grown exponentially. We have serious zombie films, like Romero's. We have comedies, like "Shaun […] [Read More]
'Cloud Atlas' is six films woven into one framework
There's a lot going on in "Cloud Atlas." Six different stories all tell variations on the same theme. There's a Pacific Ocean historical drama set in 1849; a musical coming-of-age drama set in 1936 England; a 1970s San Francisco Big Establishment vs. plucky journalist mystery; a 2012 British situation comedy featuring old folks; an anime-inspired […] [Read More]
'James A. Michener's Texas': More than a lone-star rating
If you watch a DVD copy of "James A. Michener's Texas," you'll see a bit of history — and not just that of the Lone Star State. According to some online sources, the 1994 epic, with a $12 million budget, was at the time it was made the most expensive direct-to-video production ever. Although destined […] [Read More]
I don't remember 'The Hobbit' being this long-winded
Like most of the nerds that I associated with, I read J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" several times in my youth. We even had a term for things we found distasteful: "orkish;" meaning to be like an Orc. Until director Peter Jackson came along with the brilliant adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) trilogy, […] [Read More]
Final 'Batman' chapter a worthy send-off
After the debacle that was the Joel Schumacher-directed "Batman and Robin," most of us had given up on the film franchise. When director Christopher Nolan rebooted it with "Batman Begins" and followed up with "The Dark Knight," we rejoiced. Now he has finished his trilogy with "The Dark Knight Rises" and we are satisfied. This […] [Read More]
'Legendary Amazons': It's epic
If, as some people claim, the American Century indeed is over and we're heading into the 100-year reign of China, at least we'll be living under the influence of people who understand the concept of "epic." When movies from Hong Kong filmmakers first began making their way to America in the 1970s – led, of […] [Read More]
Long-awaited "Indiana Jones" BD set doesn't disappoint
In 2008, I wrote a column for this blog that lambasted the decision to release "Indiana Jones: The Adventure Collection" on standard DVD, after the 2003 box set that was easily its equal. I knew why they were doing it; the impending release of "Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull" a week later was part […] [Read More]
Extras on final "Harry Potter" BD are as good as the film
Since I received the advance copy last week, I've watched "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" three times. First time was the night I received it; second was with the "Maximum Movie Mode" turned on, and third was back-to-back with "Part 1." Can you tell I'm a fan? Regular readers of this column […] [Read More]
Division of final "Harry Potter" film a necessary evil
Updated April 18, 2011 As one of the resident "Potterphiles" here at the Express-News, I understood more than most that the decision to split the final novel into two films made sense. Warner Bros. is notorious for double-dipping, but in this case the reasoning was justified. Author J. K. Rowling's sprawling series about the boy […] [Read More]
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What monkeys and the Queen taught me about inequality – second extract from 'Revolution'
When travelling in impoverished regions in galling luxury, as I have done, you have to undergo some high-wire ethical arithmetic to legitimise your position. If you can't geographically separate yourself from poverty, then you have to do it ideologically. You have to believe inequality is OK. You have to accept the ideas that segregate us from one another and nullify your human instinct for fairness.
Edward Slingerland, a professor of ancient Chinese philosophy at Stanford University, demonstrated this instinct to me with the use of hazelnuts. As we spoke, there was a bowl of them on the table. "Russell," he said, scooping up a handful, "we humans have an inbuilt tendency towards fairness. If offered an unfair deal, we will want to reject it. If I have a huge bowl of nuts and offer you just one or two, how do you feel?"
The answer was actually quite complex. Firstly, I dislike hazelnuts, considering them to be the verminous titbits of squirrels. Secondly, they were my hazelnuts anyway; we were in my house. Most pertinently though, I felt that it was an unfair offering when he had so many nuts. He explained that human beings and even primates have an instinct for fairness even in situations where this instinct could be seen as detrimental. "You still have more nuts now than before," he chirped, failing to acknowledge that all the nuts and indeed everything in the entire house belonged to me.
'Revolution' NYC Book Reading/Signing Announcement
Come to two 'Revolution' events in NYC tomorrow Tuesday 14th Oct:
3pm Zuccotti Park – See me reading excerpts from my new book. I'll also be joined by some Occupy movement specialists and then marching to Wall Street with them.
Then 7.30pm @ The Strand Union Sq.
Join us.
Extract from Russell's new book 'Revolution'
I suppose we must each ask of ourselves – or each other, have fun with it, it could be a quiz – two fundamental questions: 1) Are you happy with things the way they are? And 2) Do you believe that things could be better?
I know most people want change. I know most people can't be happy with the current regime. In any electoral process worth having, we might assume that the 3.5 billion people who have as much wealth collectively as the 85 richest people in the world are up for some amendments an' all. I just used the calculator on my phone to subtract 85 from 3.5 billion and the answer had a letter in it. Even the calculator has gone berserk at this injustice.
That aside, a significant number of people are not happy with the way things are. I'm not, and I've done all right out of this system: I've a big house, a nice cat, and when I write books, they're immediately put on the school curriculum. So this system has not been bad to me. I've been given everything I wanted. The problem is, I didn't really want it. That desire was put there. Who put it there? And why?
Continue reading on The Guardian
'I want to address the alienation and despair'
Interview in The Guardian, Simon Hattenstone, Saturday 11 October 2014
Last year, Russell Brand caused another to-do. This time he wasn't playing nasty jokes on Andrew Sachs, or boasting about the millions of people he'd slept with; he wasn't calling George Bush a "retard", or giving a Nazi salute at the GQ awards, or turning up to work dressed as Osama bin Laden (as he did the day after 9/11), or stripping naked to cover the May Day protest for MTV. No, this time he simply made a political statement.
Brand was asked to guest-edit the New Statesman, and chose revolution as his theme. He agreed "because it was a beautiful woman asking me", associate editor Jemima Khan – not the most revolutionary reasoning. He then admitted he had never voted and encouraged others not to, in order to nobble the establishment. A few weeks later, he was grilled on Newsnight by Jeremy Paxman: who was he to advocate revolution, a here-today, gone-tomorrow comedian, an apathetic whinger who couldn't even be arsed to exercise his democratic right, a "very trivial man" who believed in nothing?
One year on, Brand has got his answer. Now, his revolution isn't just a throwaway comment. It's a new book, a slogan on his necklace and, he believes, a real possibility. The book is a classic Brand potpourri: brilliant and infuriating, part travelogue, memoir, rant, riff, a call to arms and, ultimately, to love. It is not as readable or funny as his two Booky Wooks; more stream-of-consciousness tract. In short, he argues that the planet is being destroyed, the poor are being shafted, the rich are getting richer and he has had enough.
Continue reading on The Guardian website


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-Avatar-Fans & Clans group with 66 members, open to all members
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.
I am an human, do not confuse me with a droid. I play too many video games. I LOVE GOD, and I am a Christian. Feel free to try and argue with me about God. I wasn't a big Skyrim fan until recently, I was mostly a Star Wars and Lord of the Rings fan. I am tech competent as most gamers should:D
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.
This group is for fans of Clone Wars Media that was Established before the 2008 Clone Wars series and now faces the threat of being forgotten & overwritten...
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. Banner made by my soul-mate...
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.
An adventure is an exciting or unusual experience. It may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome. Banner made by my soul-mate...
The Alliance to Restore the Republic was a loose alliance of planetary, system, and sector-level insurrectionist factions.
The 501st Legion, also known as the 501st Battalion during the Clone Wars and later known as "Vader's Fist" and the Five Hundred and First, was an elite...
Welcome to my friend list, ElfFriend :)
You can't have any friends!!
Your a Solitary man after all!
The moment I realize other people check my profile more often then me...
Hi ElfFriend!
Thank you so much for following us. We're glad you like the game soundtrack.
Cypress Inheritance: The Beginning is available on our online store. If you refer your friends to our online store you can earn points towards a free copy of the game.
Learn more here: Cypressinheritance.com
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Magic Stone
I have a fix for the nudity. Have a setting in the options that allows the player to turn it off. Sure it wouldn't be realistic but it would fix that issue. The alternative model could be something like this, Witcher2.nexusmods.com just plain underwear, or some kind of clothing. The only thing would be its extreme unhistorical nature which would likely mean that it would cause some problems later when they actually cloth themselves.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!! I didn't warn about spoilers to The Witcher 2 before since that scene that the mod modifies is very early in the game.
Also have you seen The Truth video from Assassin's Creed 2? The character models could looks something like that! I literally just though of this. Here's a screen shot: Images2.wikia.nocookie.net and here's the full video: Assassinscreed.wikia.com's_Creed_II_-_The_Truth_Video_(HD)
BTW I ran of of space so continued bellow.
I disagree with the cutscene idea. I am quite against cutscenes due to them being quite boring usually:( I would rather a system similar to that when you're leaving Abstergo in AC2 for a beginning portion of the game. Meaning that the player learns the basic controls and such. Also the world was filled with evil before the flood right? (otherwise God wouldn't have destroyed it) And there is barely any surviving documents of how it was back then... So, that leaves anyone that wants to make such a project a TON of freedom for making it VERY interesting. I mean the reason why AC is really popular is because they mix fiction with history. Now I don't want to mix too much fiction but some will be needed to keep the player interested, although I would rather have as many incredible real events as possible, (the events of Judges will be good:D) Anyways after the fall I would expect the next playable character to be either Cain AFTER he kills his brother and goes to build a city, or your own character that would be customizable. I mean the preacher could stop at the fall and later that day when the main character goes to sleep they have a dream of living in that time.
Again run out of space:(
I wasn't too crazy about the cutscene idea either, if we could find a way to get past the nudity problem, we could do away with the cutscenes all together.
As much as I would want to make such a project it just isn't possible with just 2 people and I plan on working on a skyrim mod in the near future so I won't have time for this:(
What I would want is for the player to understand WHY God chose to destroy mankind, since a lot of people just think God was a douche, which he wasn't, and that's only when they assume that he existed... Anyways during that week the player would be able to explore ancient earth, and when the next (technically it should be Saturday, since neither Jesus or the early Christians could have changed it because they would have been labeled heretics) But since most of the world accepts going to church to be Sunday I think it might be better if church was indeed on Sunday in such a game, but I don't know... Anyways next time the main character goes to church the preacher will be talking about the flood so the player will follow Noah for a bit since he/she would have already learned about Noah thanks to the week of dreaming. Also the character that the player would play before the flood would get killed the night before church, I would want that part to be as open world as possible but some sacrifices would have to be made for development time:( Anyways during the second 2 sermon of the entire game the flood, the main events of babel, as well as the main events leading to the formation of Israel could be covered. (or would that be too much. I mean it could feel crammed:( so maybe a similar story as that of the first week?) Essentially, I think the best way of dealing with such a huge project would be to do what Assassin's Creed has done. Split the story into separate games. Each 1-3 weeks could be a full game and if done correctly it would be more than enough content to please the player. I like the decedent idea but I also think it would be neat to at least play some of the Judges or at least aid the Judges. Also I would want to make this as open world as possible giving the player at least some choices. (The Witcher has a very good amount of choices in my opinion and they actually feel like they matter, so something like that)


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Today's Featured Corvettes for Sale takes us to the land down under to bring you a very special Corvette and then we delve into eBay where a couple more unique cars are available.
1991 Twin Turbo Callaway Corvette
The question begs to be asked. How does a 1991 Twin Turbo Callaway Corvette end up to be for sale in Australia? Perhaps we'll never know, but the current owner liked the car so much that he built a house around it. 1991 was the last year the Callaway B2K option was offered, and only 62 Corvettes were retrofitted with upgrade, which by the way, added $33,000 to the purchase price. The Twin Turbo B2K Corvette is being offered by Shannon's of Melbourne, Australia and is priced around $180,000 AD which converts to nearly $160,000 USD. 2000 Callaway C12
And speaking of Callaway, how about the Callaway C12 that is currently available in eBay. The Corvette-based Callaway C12 is Number 17 of 19 produced in 2000. Featuring a 6.2 liter 480 hp Supernatural engine, and unique styling both inside and out, the Callaway C12′s original MSRP was $222,170, but this preowned model with just 1,849 miles is available for $149,000. Oh, and for that price, the matching Schedoni fitted luggage is included. Offered by RUF Auto Centre in Dallas, Texas. 1969 L89 Corvette Project Car
While it seems that we've focused on the 1969 Corvette this week, we came across this project Corvette quite by accident. Also being offered on eBay, but only until the auction ends later tonight, is this big block billed as a real deal 1969 L89 Corvette. Only 390 Corvettes were offered with this option back in '69, which is essentially an L71 427 ci 435 hp engine with aluminum cylinder heads. Pictures of the casting numbers on the engines appear to be correct but an on-premises inspection should be conducted on any Corvette before taking possession. The engine is out of the car and has been rebuilt, but the body still needs attention. Current bid is $17,101 and has yet to break the reserve. 2000 Corvette Coupe – SEMA Show Car
This 2000 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe is a two-time SEMA Car, having appeared at the Sin City show in both 2005 and 2006, which more than explains the bling. The coupe features a Wide Body kit, vented hood, C6 headlights, racing spoiler, custom paint and more. The Corvette has served as a company show car for ARK Exhaust and so it also features an ARK stainless exhaust system with an X flow pipe. As an added benefit the vinyl graphics on the car can be removed. The Corvette has 61K miles and has a current bid of $25,000 with no reserve. And lest there be any doubters of this Corvettes SEMA pedigree, click the photo for a close-up of the hood ornaments. Do you have a Corvette for sale that you think would be worthy of being featured? Drop me an email and let me know where we can find out more about it. And stay tuned for next week's Friday's Featured Corvettes.
Friday's Featured Corvettes for Sale (07/13/07) Technorati Tags:
Corvette | eBay | Callaway | SEMA
Today's Featured Corvettes for Sale takes us to the land down under to bring you a very special Corvette and then we delve into eBay where a couple more unique cars are available.
1991 Twin Turbo Callaway Corvette
Troy Roberts has announced the sale of CorvetteForum.com to Internet Brands. The notice showed up today on the front page of the forum and links to an official announcement created this afternoon. Internet Brands runs several car related websites including CarsDirect.com and Autos.com as well as develops the vBulletin forum software that powers the forum. Other forums announced in the acquisistion include LS1Tech, AudiWorld.com and MustangForum.com. According to the post by Roberts, the plan will be for the Corvette Forum to remain as a stand alone site, and additions in content and features will be coming soon.
The Forum was founded in early 1999 and is widely regarded as the largest in our niche with over 110,000 members. Our classified ads website VetteFinders.com has been a sponsor of the site since 2001.
CorvetteForum.com recently made the leap to new, faster servers provided by Internet Brands. According to the FAQ of the sale, Internet Brands will be providing infrastructure and technology resources for the site.
CorvetteForum.com via Alarm:Clock Related:
Source Interlink Buys Publisher of Corvette Fever for $1.2 Billion Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Forum | vBulletin
You know it, we know it and now the readers of AskMen.com know it. When putting together their list of the Top 10 American Inventions, the first uniquely American Sports Car made the cut. The Top 10 list is made up of what the editors call American inventions that impacted the culture so much so that they've become synonymous with the character of the nation. I'll buy into that premise. Besides, where else could I combine three of my favorite all-American inventions: The Corvette (#10), Bourbon Whiskey (#9) and the Colt .45 (#8). Whoo Hoo!!! About the inclusion of the Corvette at number 10, AskMen.com says:
The sports car brings to mind many things, such as speed, freedom, sex, and the open road. And since the first Corvette rolled out of the Chevrolet factory in 1953, it has been all of those things and more to generations of Americans. It's the great American sports car for everyone, from teenage boys dreaming about one day owning one to middle-aged men who make their teenage dreams come true and finally have the privilege of storing one in their garage. The Corvette is the first sports car built by an American car manufacturer. After six generations, it's been made into coupes, hatchbacks, and convertibles, and branded as roadsters, Grand Sports, Sting Rays, Z06s, and more. The Corvette found a place in pop music when Prince released "Little Red Corvette" in 1983, and in 2001 Chevrolet responded, sort of. Specifically, they featured a red 1963 Corvette Sting Ray on a number of billboards with the caption, They don't write songs about Volvos.Visit AskMen.com to see the entire Top 10 List of All-American Inventions
Three Corvettes Make Top Gear's 100 Sexiest Cars List Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Invention
Since it is 1969 Corvette week at CorvetteBlogger.com, what a better way to display your models and other Corvette paraphernalia than on a replica three dimensional shelf. The shelf measures 20″W x 8″H and 6½"D and features an authentic reproduction of a '69 Vette grille, headlights and finish. Click here for details: WhatOnEarth.com
Last week we brought you the Chevy V8 Bar-B-Que Grill, the ultimate mod for the outdoor gearhead chef. Well today, we bring out your inner geek with the V8 computer case mod. Take a couple of computer cases and strap them together in a V configuration, add some valve covers, an 8-pack and a Corvette emblem (another 1969 Corvette reference, btw) and presto, you got the fastest looking computer on the block. Love the ignition key!
From our friends at Gizmodo.com
Flickr Photo of the Day: Corvettes 'N Clouds
Corvette Values: 1969 Corvette Convertible Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Computer | 1969 |
Last week we shared the dyno numbers from an LG Motorsports test of an automatic 2008 Corvette. This week, Corvette tuner MTI puts another LS3 2008 Corvette to the test and the numbers we see are even higher. MTI's test vehicle is a bone stock 6-speed manual 2008 Corvette with the Z51 package and new NPP Dual Mode Exhaust. Only 6 miles were on the odometer at the time of the test.
According to Zach@MTI, the Corvette made an additional 50 rear wheel horsepower over the last 2007 stock model tested. Results for the 2008 Corvette finished with a Max Rear Wheel Horsepower of 395.3 and Max Torque was 384.5. LG Motorsports test of their Automatic 2008 was 370.8 Rear Wheel HP and 363.8 Max Torque.
Unfortunately, all these dyno tests on the new LS3 Corvettes are having an unintended consequence for 2007 Corvette owners, many of whom now seem to be experiencing buyer's remorse.
CorvetteForum.com Related:
LG Motorsports Dynos the LS3 2008 Corvette
Technorati Tags:
Corvette | 2008 | Tuners
My name is Keith Cornett and I have a problem. My addiction began long ago but it has now grown to the point that it is all I think about. I've tried getting help but so far nothing has work. I have subscriptions to multiple "self-help" magazines and have joined several online support forums where those with a similar addiction can meet, swap stories and generally not feel out of place in our society.
Symptoms of my addiction include "the fever", a twitch in my right foot and a constant sound in my ears that can only be described as a roar.
Recently a friend told me about Corvettes Anonymous. Another support group I moaned. What can they offer that no else has in the past? Well, there are the informal meetings and get-togethers, and they teach you to embrace your problem, not hide in the shadows.
So I read up about Corvettes Anonymous and I liked what I saw.
Corvettes Anonymous is a group of like minded individuals from varying backgrounds and club affiliations who get together and have fun. What could be better than that. Best of all, several events are planned each year with the goal of raising money for a Florida food bank and an Alzheimer's care-giver support service.
In fact this Wednesday evening is one of their larger events called Steak-Out 3, a Corvette show held from 6-9pm at a Steak-N-Shake restaurant in Clearwater Florida. Steak-Out 3 features a Best of Show award, a 50/50 Raffle, plus Goodie Bags and a Silent Auction. If you are in the area, check it out as all the proceeds go to the RCS Food Bank.
So back to Corvettes Anonymous. The long and short is I joined the group, have admitted that I have a problem, and am now seeking treatment via their online couch. The good news is if you afflicted with the same addiction for Corvettes, you can get help too. Just visit CorvettesAnonymous.com and say "My name is ___________ and I have a problem."
CorvettesAnonymous.com Related:
Corvette Cruise: The 5 Bridges Run Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Club |
From the Flickr Corvette Pool:
Photo Credit: The Photomat
350 ci 300 hp
350 ci 350 hp (L46)
427 ci 390 hp (L36)
427 ci 400 hp (L68)
427 ci 430 hp (L88)
427 ci 435 hp (L71) 10 Exterior Colors Available:
8 Interior colors were offered
No quantitiy records for exterior colors available for 1969 model year How to Spot a 1969 Corvette:
The 1969 Corvette was very similar to the 1968 Corvette, the first of the C3 generation. In 1968 and 1969, there were four vents behind the front wheels. Only in 1969 did a Stingray script appear about those vents. Side mount exhaust and trim inside the four vents also differentiated the 1969 model from the 1968 Corvette. 1969 Corvette Highlights:
The Stingray moniker was reintroduced on the 1969 Corvette, however this time it was spelled as one word instead of two. The 1969 Corvette featured the first base engine with a displacement of 350 cubic inches. The steering wheel was reduced in size from 16 inches to 15 inches. A strike caused production of the 1969 Corvette to run an additional four months, through December 1969, which resulted in the largest single year production of Corvettes at that time. 1969 Corvette Values:
The 1969 Corvette has become one of the most popular Corvettes to own in the last few years, so much so that the five year appreciation rate for the Convertible model is an astounding 51% while the Coupe is 46%. Average prices are in the affordable mid $20,000′s and it is not uncommon to see the Big Block collectibles upwards of $80,000.
Corvette Black Book
Corvette Price Guide Related:
Flickr Photo of the Day: 1965 Corvette Coupe
Flickr Photo of the Day: 1959 Corvette Technorati Tags:
Corvette | 1969 | Flickr
Academy Award winner and salad dressing king Paul Newman shares a passion for speed and despite being 82 years old, is still actively competing in SCCA sanctioned auto racing. After appearing in the film "Winning" back in 1969, Newman developed an interest in amateur racing has been competing since the early seventies. Today he drives in the GT-1 class and his race car of choice is the Chevrolet Corvette.
This weekend Newman will be competing at the 60th Annual Glen Nationals at Watkins Glen International. Test day was Friday and driving the #82 Corvette, a reference to his age, Newman drove a best lap of 1:55.7, which was a half second off the time posted by his 62 year old teammate Mike Brockman, also driving a Corvette.
Paul is no stranger to the winners circle. Just this year he has scored one pole, two SCCA regional-class wins and a second place finish. Newman has won four amateur national championships, the last being in 1986 and in 1995, at 70 years old, became the oldest driver to win at the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Newman's crew chief, Bill Lloyd says "His competitors are amazed at how quick he is at his age. He's an inspiration for a lot of drivers, both young and old."
Newman's #82 Corvette produces 640 horsepower and has a top speed of 185 mph. In addition to car's number referencing his age, his trademark initials "PLN" (Paul Leonard Newman) are scripted above the door.
Update: Paul finished in 4th position at the Glen Nationals. He had his work cut out for him after his cool suit failed. His racing team mate, Mike Brockman finished in second place just 10.410 seconds behind the 1st place finisher Simon Gregg. All three drove Corvettes…
Star-Gazette.com Related:
Indianapolis 500: Corvette Pace Car Photoshoot
Tom Cruise: Corvette Owner Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Paul Newman | SCCA | Watkins Glenn | Racing
Bad Boy Vettes learned a costly lesson at LeMans last month: Until you can find a way to protect a hood mounted camera, mount it on the inside. But that didn't stop the boys from trying something else new. During last week's ALMS race at Lime Rock, BBV took racing videography to a new low…as in FootCam! With Johnny O'Connell taking a few practice laps around the short, bumpy 1.5 mile track that is Lime Rock, we see the in-car camera view and within a picture-in-picture screen is Johnny O's foot going gas, brake, gas, brake.Bad Boy Vettes to view the video. Thanks for the tip, Dan!
BadBoyVettes.com Related:
Best Video Yet: C6.R Corvette Lapping Le Mans Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Racing | Lime Rock | ALMS
We're kicking off a new feature for Friday's here at CorvetteBlogger.com. We spend endless hours each week on the internet and we look at hundreds of different Corvettes for sale, both at VetteFinders.com, our classified ads site as well as Corvette dealers and other car websites. In that search we come up with some really interesting Corvettes that are available for purchase. Our Friday Features will be Corvettes for sale that are both unique, rare and collectible, as well as those that are common, affordable drivers. So buckle up and get your checkbooks ready because these featured Corvettes won't be available for long…
1979 Corvette AKA Project Shark Attack
This 1979 Corvette was built for and featured in 20 issues of Corvette Fever Magazine as their "Project Shark Attack" Corvette. Built by Corvette Fever contributing Technical Editor Chris Petris, the 1979 Corvette was documented from start to finish. The Corvette features a 383 ci engine with just about every dream component from top manufacturers including Crane Cams, Hooker, Holley, Edelbrock and more. The Corvette was appraised at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2006 for $62,000. The seller will consider a best offer over $55,000. Click here for more on the 1979 Corvette Project Shark Attack. 2007 Corvette – Indy 500 Festival Cars
In addition to the 500 Corvette Pace Car Replicas manufactured by GM this summer, which by the way have mostly been snapped up, were the pre-public production of the 2007 Corvette Replicas used at the 2007 Indianapolis 500 for drivers and race officials. Rick Conti at EVS Chevrolet got a shipment this week of six of these barely used Festival Corvettes. Each Corvette features an Indy 500 Festival sticker. The six Corvettes range in pricing from $61,995 to $64,995, well under the MSRP of a new 2007 Indy 500 Replica Corvette. Visit CorvetteConti.com for details. 1965 Corvette – Bloomington Gold Benchmark®
The most elusive of Bloomington's awards is the Benchmark, and this 1965 Corvette Coupe became only 1 of 12 1965 Corvettes to achieve Benchmark® status. To achieve Benchmark status, a Corvette must first earn the Survivor® award and then be Bloomington Gold® certified. This 1965 Coupe features the very first Corvette big block engine, the 396 ci 425 hp L78 and has just 21,000 actual miles. The Coupe has a very desirable color combination of Rally Red with a Black interior. Offers over $200,000 are being accepted by ProTeamCorvette.com 1969 Corvette Coupe – SCCA Tribute Car
This very unique 1969 "SCCA Vintage Racing Tribute" Corvette Coupe has only 19,900 original miles. It is not set up for racing and that is why it's called a "tribute Corvette." It still has its original L46 engine coupled to an M20 four speed and a positraction 3:55.1 rear end. Options include factory air (not installed), PB, PW, T&T, AM/FM, and headrests. Several boxes full of original and NOS parts and manuals are included with the sale. Available for $32,990. Click here for more details and photos at VetteFinders.com Do you have a Corvette for sale that you think would be worthy of being featured? Drop me an email and let me know where we can find out more about it. And stay tuned for next week's Friday's Featured Corvettes.
eBay Find of the Day: Mystery Men 1979 Corvette Limo Technorati Tags:
Corvette | Bloomington | SCCA | Corvette Fever


text: We live Menorca and the Addia area in particular whenever we visit the 1st stop is El Castillo for brunch. The welcome like the food is great and you are always made to feel welcome. The review would have been dated October but unfortunately the restaurant had closed for the season and was much missed! Look forward to seeing you... More