The Good Always Go Too Soon

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First it was 'Calvin and Hobbes' and now 'Foxtrot' is going away. I have 'Foxtrot' on my Yahoo startup page so that I can start my day with a good laugh. For the past few days though, it has been stuck on Sunday's comic. And now I know why. According this press release, the creator Bill Amend is cutting back to a Sunday only edition to pursue other interests. Not that I blame him for wanting a change of pace after 10+ years of working on Foxtrot. Still, I'll miss my daily fix of wit and sarcasm that Mr. Amend provided.

Blogging Can Be Profitable

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Why do you blog? Do you feel a driving need to express yourself, to share thoughts and ideas with your fellow members of the Internet? Isn't great when you can do something that you enjoy AND earn a little money for that enjoyment? If you would like to take your blogging up a notch, you may find yourself wanting to check out PayPerPost.com. I have told a few friends about this. Now they are helping themselves and their families financially. In one case, someone I love dearly is divorced from a spouse who isn't make the child support payments. She tells me that this form of blogging has helped put food on the table for her and her children. Whatever your reason, why not visit PayPerPost.com and learn more. You can use my address as a referral if you like: sprezzatura.rrd2 at yahoo.com ( you know at = @ and no spaces inbetween.)

This post is sponsored by PayPerPost.

What's Funny About Saddam?

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I've read that comedy is truth plus pain. Listening to the news reports on Saddam Hussein's execution, I'm having a hard time coming up with anything funny. Anyone can do a 'Sodom Insane' name change. So I asked myself, "Why did Saddam cross the road?" Given his history, I could only think "To kill more Iraqis on the other side." My thought of "How many Iraqis does it take to change a Saddam?" led to "No one knows. Over ten thousand tried and ended up dying." Hardly side splitting ... unless you're being tortured. And maybe that's why there aren't any Iraqi comedians --- they keep bombing.

History has lots of genuine monsters masquerading as human beings. Of course there are going to be the few that defend these monsters. And then there are the rest of us who hope that justice will be served. The more evidence of this --- by word, by picture, by any means --- the better.

PPP HP Puzzle Game

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PayPerPost has launched another exciting scavenger puzzle game. This one has the added frustration of having over ten thousand posties available to grab up opportunities as soon as PayPerPost releases a puzzle piece on their site. The theme of this new game is Digital Photo Printing and thirty pieces are to be assembled for the prize of one thousand dollars. The picture itself was taken by staff member Veronique with her hp camera as she traveled through Europe. $1000 would certainly make my day but I'm not holding my breathe on this one. I'm lucky that I happened to get this piece:

This post is sponsored by HP.

Using LoudLaunch for Your Internet Business

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Advertising a business can be extremely expensive especially using the traditional methods of television, radio and newspaper. On the other hand, using the Internet allows you to reach a much wide audience. Not only that but you can get a better targeted audience of those looking specifically for you. One way to get your press releases and news out there is to have people write about you. Loudlaunch.com is doing just that by connecting bloggers with advertisers. For fifty dollars, you can begin your advertising campaign as bloggers review your site, your product, your business. Since bloggers are required to give their honest opinions along with a disclosure, readers are treated to better postings about businesses. So whether you want to advertise to increase your internet presence or you want to earn money while blogging about your interests, visit LoudLaunch.com for more info. You can use my address as a referral if you like: mysticfree at aol dot com.

LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.

Holidays Are Over

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I am back, tired but back to the daily grind. Back from spending sixteen hours cramped up from flying with crying babies and those sharing the wealth of their flu germs. I can't complain too much. The flight was free, compliments of my sister. And, when I consider that entire holiday experience, the inconvenience was more than outweighed by the joy and good times.

Wireless at RDU

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The difference between a good airport and a great airport is how comfortable and convenient they make your travel. Last year when I flew out of Charlotte and Nashville, I was able to use the FREE wireless Internet service at these busy airports. I updated my sisters and my children with a few emails. I made myself a valuable employee by doing a little work. Before I knew it, my flights were ready to wing me across the country.

Today I called RDU to see how far into the 21st century they have progressed. Yes, they have wireless Internet connections. Great! ...for a fee of $10. What! Why? With wireless so prevalent and inexpensive, even the McDonald's in my area have free wireless access.

Maybe if I arrive several hours ahead of my flight, I could justify this ridiculous charge. Yet, why does RDU charge? Mainly, because they can get away with it. They have so many business travelers passing through who need the service. It's like having your own unlimited supply of water and then charging people for drink during a drought.

Oh well. My flight will take almost 8 hours. I know my laptop battery won't last the trip. I'll just bring several books and my sketch pad.

Getting online isn't going to make me a million. But then getting online shouldn't cost me a million either.

Wireless .... Rabbit?

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Now I have seen everything ... a rabbit that connects to the Internet to read your e-mails out loud to you, let you know if your stocks are rising or falling, tell you the latest headlines, announce the time, give you a weather forecast, etc. All this while twirling its ears and flashing lights on its body. The Nabaztag (Armenian for rabbit) is a 9-inch tall white plastic rabbit from a French company called Violet. Once you have your own Nabaztag, you sign up online and customize what you want your rabbit to do once it connects to the Internet. I don't know if it uses rabbit ears for antennas but I do know that it is wireless. This will probably be next year's got-to have gadget.

Nadolig LLawen

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I don't know if you noticed how much you miss someone until they are gone forever. No way to share things that you used to share with each other. No way to have your questions answered. This has been my regrets since my parents have died. Sometimes I wonder which could be worse, being orphaned before you had a chance to build memories with your parents or being orphaned after you have built a wealth of memories?

Anyway, I was doing good until I received a card from my aunt in England. Much of my mother's family is related to Wales in some fashion --- through marriage, by ancestry. I never took the time to explore those links as I wish that I could now. There were stories that Mom would tell me from time to time.

And now I have a card that says "Nadolig LLawen", literally "Christmas Merry". How do I say this? I have lost a part of my roots. Fortunate for me, there is the Internet.

At urbandictionary.com, I found "The 'LL' in Llawen is intranscribable in English, but is produced by pressing the front and sides of the tongue to the top of the mouth and simply exhaling, so a sound similar to the 'ttl' in settle, but without the harsh 'T' sound, is produced."

I hope that you have a very merry "Nadolig LLawen" and "A Blwyddyn Newydd Dda" May you build some good long lasting memories with your family.

Leaner, Meaner Blog

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I have begun reviewing all 350+ entries of this blog. Time to purge the crap posts as well as added better tags. The goal? Increase readership, increase page ranking, have more fun and become more creative with this blogging process. I will begin similar work on my other blog as well. All part of my New Year's resolution....

My New Disclosure

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TO MY READER:

1) This blog covers a variety of topics: technology, business, entertainment, politics, personal thoughts, etc. The posts that you read here, including sites that I provide links to, exists because I find them of interest or I think that they might be of interest and of benefit to others.

2) Sometimes my posts are rewarded by comments, sometimes by cash, but mostly by silence.

[update May 2012: I will try to mark my unpaid posts with a period at the end of the title. "Try" being the operative word.

update Dec 2012: Since I've been receiving very few assignments, I have discontinued working with content mills. My posts no longer earn money.]

3) My disclosure does not absolve you of your responsibility as a reader. You can not accept what I write as absolute and perfect. If you have only one duty while you are alive, that duty is in protecting yourself by investigating all claims further before acting on them.

4) While I work to check the validity of everything I write about, I am not omnipotent and may not have all the facts. That is where you, the reader, comes in. Please leave comments when you find errors, even grammatical ones. This will help me create a better blog for both of us.

Add Air Into Your Shower?

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While an aerated shower head is nothing new, Australian researchers have come up with a way to put a wet shell around a bubble of air. They are claiming that their new device allows you to shower using about thirty percent less water. By installing a small Venturi tube into a standard showerhead, they are able to create a partial vacuum that sucks air into the water stream thus forming tiny bubbles in the stream. All these researchers need now is business partners to take their invention to the market.

New Trend: Self Serve Fast Food?

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I sure that you have been to a McDonald's or Burger King or any one of the fast food restaurants and dealt with the counter person who has an attitude about their job. Have you just wanted to reach out, grab them by them Mc-collar and explain a few facts to them? Well, you might not be able to do that any longer. Jack-In-The-Box is trying out a self-serve kiosk where you place your order by pressing a few buttons. That's going to take the fun out of things, isn't it?

Home Brewing

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Way back when I had a life and time to enjoy it, one of my most enjoyable hobbies was that of home brewing. Like baking a tasty cake, there is an art form in brewing your own beer. Do all the steps right and you have something better than you can get at the stores. Mess up just one small step in the process and you'll know it. I had forgotten those wonderful adventures (like when I had a vat of fermenting cherry beer exploded in the storage room) until I happened across BrewingKB.com. And now I'll be exploring their site to see what it will take to make a pint or two of my special brew.

things could be worse...

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From the "things could be worse" department, a computer glitch causes Viagra to be prescribed instead of Zyban to patients who are trying to quit smoking.

"The "glitch" caused the system to select sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, when GPs tried to select Zyban, a drug that suppresses the part of the brain that experiences nicotine cravings, reports The Times."

Many patients complained that they couldn't get either drug to stay lit. Those smart enough to swallow the Viagra pill reported that they could never "get to the part where they could light up a cigarette anyway."

Discouraging Day

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In March of this past year, I overpaid the irs $18,000 to end a ten year battle with them. I had to get liens removed so I could conclude the divorce proceedings. My CPA assured me that I would get it back less the amount for my 2005 tax bill. No problem. But it has been a battle ever since. The irs has been claiming that they didn't owe me anything. Today I received a letter threatening levy and property seizure for the 2005 tax bill which they have now inflated to $5000. My CPA wasn't in today but his assistant simply said to pay and then they could try to get my money back. Like I have $5000 sitting around. I am so discouraged about this and everything right now. Sometimes I wonder why I even make the effort to get out of bed. Oh well. just a slight case of the holiday #$%$^@#@#$ blues.

77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better

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Here is a great site if you are thirsting for more knowledge, if you are working on improving yourself and your life. This great article, called "Hacking Knowledge: 77 Ways to Learn Faster, Deeper, and Better" covers Health, Balance, Perspective and Focus, Recall Techniques, Visual Aids, Verbal and Auditory Techniques, Kinesthetic Techniques, Self-Motivation Techniques, Supplemental Techniques, as well as sections on "For Teachers, Tutors, and Parents" and "For Students and Self-Studiers". Learn it, love it, live it....

A Ring For My Girlfriend

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My girlfriend has been hinting around for a ring this Christmas. And I have looked at several beauties --- rings that is, not my girlfriend. Wait, I mean my girlfriend is a beauty too, but I was looking for rings, not girlfriends. I already have one and one is enough. Girlfriend that is, not rings. ANYWAY, I think that I have found the perfect ring for her and it comes out of a pink chocolate case that also has a built in camera and MP3 player and ... Of course, I'm talking about phones for girls. Were you thinking about something for her finger? What?! Do you know how hard it is to make a phone call on a diamond? I don't care how clear the gem is, it can't be done! No, I think one of those sleek phone with customizable ring ... tones from Mad4MobilePhones is what she wants. A ring for each of her sexy fingers. And if I'm wrong, I get my own ring tone ... in my ears when she boxes them.

Free At Last ... almost

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I have not worked at my pizza delivery job in almost 30 days now. You don't know how good it has felt to not have to throw on my monkey suit as soon as I got home from my main job. While I have been busy with other important activities these past couple of weekends, I haven't missed spending all day Saturday and Sunday running myself and my car to death for minimum wage. It is possible that I may have to return back to the pizza place next month. For now, I am going to enjoy this break in a three year 24x7 nose-to-the-grindstone nightmare. Do you blame me?

Controlling confusion?

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Researchers have been investigating what it is that causes us to forget things. You might think that memories fade over time, some more quickly than others. Yet, what brain researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found is that it is more from other thoughts and memories that actively interfere with parts or even an entire memory. Like when you remember a movie but can't quite remember the name of the lead actor. If this is the case, how then to we control this self induced confusion? I'll search and see what I can find...