Free Pumpkin Stencils

[Halloween]

As advertised last Sunday, the Disney character stencils from the Huggies Happy Baby website. They have Disney pumpkin stencils in two collections – Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. The Cinderella collection includes Cinderella, the castle, cat, and mouse, and the Sleeping Beauty collection includes Aurora, her Prince, Maleficent, the dragon, and the 3 Fairies. Free and available in three sizes for printing – 3"x3", 5"x5", or 7"x7."

Can carve them as-is or add on with glitter, paint or cut out the color printout. Looks like some good stuff, now just have to choose....

Meet the New Millennials

At Amherst college, 1% of first-year students have landlines, 99% have Facebook accounts -

Amherst College once again crunched the numbers on the technological habits of this year’s incoming class of 438 students and discovered some fascinating stuff. Here’s a snapshot of the next generation:

Students in the class of 2012 who registered computers, IPhones, game consoles, etc. on the campus network by the end of the day on August 24th, the day they moved into their dorm rooms: 370 students registered 443 devices.

Number of students in the class of 2012 who brought desktop computers to campus: 14.

Likelihood that a student with an iPhone/iTouch is in the class of 2012: approximately 1 in 2.

[via Collision Detection]

Total number of students on campus this year that have landline phone service: 5.

Mac or PC? Of the four classes currently on campus the classes of 2009 and 2010 are more likely to own Windows, while the classes of 2011 and 2012 are more likely to own Macs.

postcards from the edge

If you move around enough like we have, eventually you will have friends all over the country. Problem is, over time some friendships formed while in school can fade with the distance and the loss of commonality.

I mention all of this as someone I had thought of fallen off the face of the earth suddenly mailed us a postcard from Italy. We had exchanged Christmas cards over the last few years but that was about it and we actually just at the point of culling them from this year's list. Maybe they sensed it?

I know they still existed because as an academic they have a publication record that had recent entries but aren't the blogging type so other than through official channels can be hard to reach. This is where the big search engines can fail you and you need to turn to specialized people search directory. While people search can a great way to find and reconnect with someone whose address and phone number you have lost track of, all you need is their name and home state and Look Up Who will work their magic to provide you more information about that lost someone.

Best of all, Look Up Who's people search service is 100% free unlike many of their competitors, some of who charge (IMO) expensive fees. If you have lost touch with someone in the United States or Canada, give them a try. Who knows, maybe you'll have a couch you can sleep on next time you are traveling, or at least a (new) pen-pal!

Whole Foods Chalk Art Group

[Whole Foods, art, satsuma]

Miniboards_USQ_Satsuma
Originally uploaded by Whole Foods Market

How cool is this - a Flickr group devoted to the chalkboard art found at Whole Foods! It is part of a whole group of images from the official Whole Foods account

This happens to be from their Union Square, New York, NY Set, now to see if I can recognize any of the art from some of the more local Whole Foods shops.

I chose this because I always derive a certain joy out of saying 'Satsuma.' You really should go and check them all out.

Swank Tiki Pumpkin

Tiki Pumpkin
Originally uploaded by just fae

File this in the 'why didn't I ever think of this' department. I read about this over at TikiTalk and before I even could think about doing this at our house I find this this one over on Flickr that IMO is better than I could do.

Well, I guess I go back to the drawing board as it were for carving ideas. Perhaps a cocktail will start the creative juices flowing, as it were.

the host of the town

One of the shows I used to watch every Sunday morning when I was in graduate School was the Frugal Gourmet. I would get up early, make myself a pot of oatmeal (remember, I was in graduate school and for those of you who have not experienced the joy of post secondary education, you can freely substitute the word 'poor' whenever you read 'graduate student'.) One of the lessons I did learn from Mr. Smith was that there is a difference between frugal and cheap.

Frugal of course being making the most of the money you do spend while cheap may be low in cost but can also be quite low in quality. Which begs the question, if you are not going to get your money's worth, what is the point in spending it in the first place? Why pay for a handset when there are free Samsung phones available.

Which is why, as the (mostly) proud iPod touch owner, I can now finally see what the big deal is with the iPhone. The only problem, I am a T-mobile customer and that means AT&T wireless phones are nice but so far can't tempt me to break my contract. I like the idea of a free Palm Centro and the wi-fi connection but since I am on my third of three free Motorola phones, I am more than a little inclined to stay loyal.

Then again, with these Sprint cell phones on sale, maybe I could switch networks all together and go to Verizon Wireless, or Sprint? A free Blackberry Curve sounds mighty tempting, but then again it pays to shop around. After all, there are also free Nokia phones, too.

The Eyes, They Do Not Lie

TV Squad confirms why I thought I saw, 'Weevil' is indeed now on Heroes:

If you watch Heroes, you could be in for a real treat this fall, when Francis Capra, of Weevil fame, joins the cast alongside former Veronica Mars star Kristen Bell.

Still not too thrilled with the new season as evidence by the watching more than half of the episode on fast forward, looks like the rating dropped off from the first installment to the second. Perhaps they are running out of ideas and should have stopped with just the one season?

Metal for Monsters (and a good cause)

This is to announce the impending launch of the Metal for Monsters project, a run of limited-edition stainless steel pendants being sold to raise money for UNICEF.

Each pendant features an illustration of a monster or creepy creature by some very talented folks including S.britt, Stefan G. Bucher, Jon Burgerman, Anna Chambers, Justin Hillgrove, Adam Koford, John Martz, Jay Stephens, and Brian Taylor.

$16 from the sale of each pendant goes to UNICEF. Only 100 of each pendant are available.

The official launch date of Metal for Monsters is October 1 but you can pre-order a pendant by clicking on the pendant of your choice. All pre-orders will ship starting October 1st.

Tale of the Tales

Shop local and save 20% when you pre-order your copy from Hicklebee's

Time: Thursday, December 4, 2008 10:00 a.m.
Location: Hicklebee's
Coming this December 4th!

J.K. Rowling says, "The new edition will include the Tales themselves, translated from the original runes by Hermione Granger, and with illustrations by me, but also notes by Professor Albus Dumbledore, which appear by generous permission of the Hogwart's Headmaster's Archive."

Containing clues that were to prove crucial to Harry Potter's final mission to destroy Lord Voldermort's Horcruxes, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the volume of five wizarding fairy tales left to Hermione Granger by Albus Dumbledore in the seventh and final book.

You know I'll buy this, might as well do so where it will do the most good.

An Open Letter to the Hard Rock Cafe

So I just received your latest newsletter highlighting some of your newest merchandise and while I can't comment much on the shirts and shot glasses, I feel like I should speak out on pins you were showing.

I won't speak for others but I always bought your pins when on holiday as a memento of the city I was visiting but this new set really would stop me from buying anything. I mean, koi for Cincinnati? And just what do scantily clad women with power-tools have to do with ANY city or rock and roll in general.
Bring back the Independence Hall for Philadelphia, the "Caw in the Havahd Yawd" for Boston and Robert the Bruce for Edinburgh.

You are seriously encouraging a multiple Spider Man cover like debacle of the late 90's. Ask a comic book seller how that all played out. (Hint: Not well)

[Laugh or Cry] URGENT: Funds Available

From: Minister of the Treasury Paulson

Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of $800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, You may know him as the leader of the American Banking Deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe, I assure you.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully
Minister of Treasury Paulson

[via Edwin Gore]

Our Traveling Cow-orkers Have Returned (with food)

I brought back a kilo of hand-made Turkish Delights from Istanbul. They are the quintessential Turkish sweet, somewhat akin to a gumdrop, but without the excessive sugar and artificial flavoring (sorry Carmel, I don't have exact carbohydrate content ;). Disclaimer: some have nuts in them (pistachio, I believe).

georgia travel

Since Summer officially ended about ten minutes ago (8:44 am) I guess thoughts should turn from beaches and relaxing to more active pursuits and to me that means the great state of Georgia.

Not that Georgia doesn't have her fair share of shore but there is so much more, just like there is so much more to the state than just the city of Atlanta. For the real insider's look into the best way to go about about planning head over to Gecko's Georgia / Georgia on my Mind where you can learn the whole gamut of activities waiting for you to visit. From the active (fancy a canoe trip down the Okefenokee Swamp?) to the intellectual (Fernbank Museum of Natural History or SciTrek) to the beauty of nature - a visit to Stone Mountain Park.

Take a look, you'll like what you see; in Georgia and at Gecko's Georgia.

Fixing Caltrain

As I sit and wait for my train, it dawned on me that one way to make
it easier on the riders would be to have the train number in more
locations than just on the first car or engine nose. If you not
looking up just as the train approaches then you really have to hope
they are close to the posted timetable.

Doesn't have to be anything hi-tech, a simple chalkboard would do.
Some more useful signs at the station would be a help, too. BART seems
to know where their rolling stock is, why not Caltrain?

---
Sent via Newton 2.0

speaking of travel

I was thinking how excitingit would be to go back to Disneyland next summer, especially if the day was going to be free until I looked at a calendar and noticed that of course, this year my 'special day,' would fall on a Wednesday. A mid-summer, mid-week day, that while free, would entail taking more than one day off of work, getting a room for the days we were there and still paying for all of the days we were at the park minus the one.

Then I heard about the MAGICAL MONDAYS at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey. Every Monday as part of their ongoing celebration of their 40th summer they will be giving some lucky guests with randomly awarded fun prizes - things like wristband upgrades, free food and games plus even special amenities and party packages.

When you think of where to have a memorable family beach vacation, follow your heart, put down the ears and click to see the deals that can be had outside California or Florida at these wildwood hotels motels. Money saved on enterance and accomidation means more money to have fun with and with these deals you can buy yourself tons of fun. My New Jersey friends always had great things to say about their summer vacations on the Jersey shore and who can blame them!

Lazy Sunday

Not sure how long of post thus is going to be since I am trying to type all of this on the 'pod , but here goes. RTE had a show about people with 2000 euro phone bills with their iPhones, which only reiterates my happiness with the wifi only touch.

After some coffee and some veggie shopping should go back and finish VHF floor and start on one of the shed walls. If the cats are done with the yard that is.

Free Disneyland Ticket

Good news from an eMail I receive today:

"Since birthdays are the one celebration we all share, let's start with the most magical present of all: free admission on your birthday during 2009 to one of the Theme Parks of Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® Resorts*!

Bring your valid ID including proof of birth date, guests who already hold a valid multi-day ticket on their birthday may choose from other birthday treats instead but no cash refunds or credits will be given. To register your birthday and find out more details, visit www.disneyparks.com.

site watch: Movado collection

I never knew that Movado means "always in motion," or "movement" in Esperanto and I certainly didn't know that they had so many different styles of watches on offer.

Like many of you I am sure you recognize the classic Museum Watch, after all it was the first wrist watch to be displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art and why not with it's simple modernist take on a sun and sundial. Like many of you I also thought these watches were out of the price range of people like me who while they value quality and style have less money than they would like to spend on things that just tell the time,particularly now when your phone, your PDA and your computer are all perfectly happy to tell you the time.

So I was happy to see the whole Movado collection that is available over at The Watchery where they have some thirty different Movado watches at a variety of very attractive prices. I would not go so far to call them cheap but rather 'inexpensive,' since you are buying more than just a way to tell time but a sense of style and a part of history. What else did you bring with you to work today that has more than a hundred years of engineering and design to back it up?

The Watchery has Movado watches and other makers to suit your sense of style and your budget, so strike a blow for analog, impress your co-workers and pay about half of retail. Some of their watches even have a buy one, get another watch free special if you act quickly, so shop for yourself or shop for gift, either way you'll save money and have a great looking wrist inthe bargain.

Early Thoughts on the iPod Touch (first generation)

Still running the version 1.x software on my Generation One iPod Touch so perhaps the upgrade to 2.x (and the App Store) would make a difference but here are my two biggest nagging questions.

My Apple Newton had the ability to copy and paste text and do it in quite a stylish way - you highlighted the text you wanted (tap, hold, drag if memory serves), then you dragged it to the margin (it would turn into a little clipping). You went to the page or field you wanted to paste and dragged it off the margin whereby it would expand (See:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhivPLXrLjk). Apparently I am not the only one old enough to remember how Apple used to handle this.

Two: The App store. I hate to drag the Newton back into the argument but Apple's first hand-held could run (or not) anything you wanted to throw on it. I understand this is as much a business decision (someone has to pay for R&D) but it still feels small.

But what do I know, I still remember free food on coach class airline flights in the US.

This Trilogy Goes to Six

Irish children's author Eoin Colfer ("Artemis Fowl") is to write the sixth novel in the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series, some seven years after the death of its creator Douglas Adams, publishers Penguin said on Wednesday.

Apparently he has the blessing of Adams' widow, Jane Belson, to continue the bestselling science fiction saga, tentatively to be titled"And Another Thing...". The new novel will be published in October 2009 and Colfer showing that he just may be up to the challenge, said, "for years I have been finishing this incredible story in my head and now I have the opportunity to do it in the real world [...] It is a gift from the gods. So, thank you Thor and Odin."

back to cool

The weather today took a definite turn to the cold (Well, cold is a relative term. I am sure there are those in New England or Chicago who would call morning temperatures in the mid-fifties as 'balmy'). I was thinking my long sleeved rugby shirt and cargo pants would be overkill but not today!

I seem to wear the same two pair of pants most days, if it isn't GAP cargo pants it's Levis and not that anyone really notices or would say anything it can get a tad boring. Which is why when I read about the tactical pants on offer at LA Police gear I was quite intrigued. They even have a Flannel Lined version that will be available in mid October that comes with a free pair of 5.11 flannel boxers.

Looks like you'll get your money's worth - they have '30-year history of delivering quality, functionality, comfort and value & have consistently stood the test of time worldwide.' If these are good enough for the rigors of PD work they should more than suffice for my mere mortal tasks! And saving money and shopping less is hard to beat!

Bad Bad Leroy Brown v Jealous Man

Read this today and now I too question the logic of the narrative. Read it yourself and decide.

We're told again and again that Leroy Brown is "the baddest man in the whole damn town." Then how was it that he was defeated by some nondescript "jealous man" in a random bar altercation?

Okay, forget for a second that Leroy was called "sir" by all the men and liked to wear his diamond rings on "everybody's" nose. Why aren't we hearing a song the guy that beat him to hell? Wouldn't the title of Baddest Man in Chicago go to that dude?

The only solution seems to be that the Jealous Man was passing through Chicago with his wife, perhaps on the way to a martial arts tournament held in a small Southeasten Asian country. That way, he wouldn't have heard about Leroy Brown, *and* Leroy would still be "Baddest Man" in Chicago, as the singer suggests. Just not the Baddest Man in the world, obviously.

This doesn't settle the issue of why Leroy didn't use the gun in his pocket or the razor in his shoe when he came to fisticuffs with the Jealous Man.

Given that Jealous Man brought overwhelming force to the exchange, you think that Leroy, who had much to the lose in the way of status by being defeated on his own turf by Jealous Man, would've resorted to almost any means available to save face.

The Vision of the Future

From a SIRIUS Press release:

Dave Kendall, the creator and former host of MTV's "120 minutes," will host "Party 360 with Dave Kendall" on SIRIUS' First Wave channel. SIRIUS listeners will hear Dave play 360 minutes of alternative party songs every Friday night.

"Party 360 with Dave Kendall" will be broadcast on First Wave SIRIUS channel 22 each week on Friday nights at 6 pm ET.

Does this mean I have to start paying for Satellite Radio now, too?

What He Was Doing in my Pyjamas, I'll Never Know

"The hunter has killed Babar's mother. The monkey hides, the birds fly away, Babar cries. The hunter runs up to catch poor Babar."

In the latest issue of the New Yorker, Adam Gopnik writes about the Babar series of children's books, drawn by Jean de Brunhoff (and later, his son, Laurent.) He calls them, "part of the common language of childhood" but I am not sure if I was ever shown the first book.

be sure to also check out the online extra, the portfolio of artwork. Some are finished works, others only studies. Very cool & now I want to try my hand at watercoloring.

Homeless Polar Bear in DC

Bear and Bomb Squad
Originally uploaded by Polar Pic Pool

ROMNEY: And I have one more recommendation for energy conservation: let's keep Al Gore's private jet on the ground.

GIULIANI: Drill, baby, drill? (laughs) Drill, baby, drill!

Mid-June McCain changed his position on drilling, and that change has paid off for him politically. He seems to be in sync with a shift in public opinion. It also coincides with a pretty significant up-tick in his fundraising. McCain is now by far the largest recipient of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry -- more than $1.5 million so far, and that's more than three times what Obama has taken from the industry.

http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=08-P13-00036&segmentID=1

A Gay Whirl at Disneyland, 1950s

A Gay Whirl at Disneyland, 1950s
Originally uploaded by Miehana

George Takei (TV's Star Trek's Mr. Sulu) at age 71 married his long time partner in Los Angeles yesterday. At the end of the ceremony he said "may equality live long and prosper".

I only wish my gay couple friends in St Paul and another set in Las Vegas could have the same opportunity.

What a nice way to start a Monday, with some happy news.

the bottom line

For the longest time my plan to stay ahead of the dreaded credit card debt scenario could be summed up in just three simple words, "do not spend." And when I say do not spend, I didn't just mean don't use a credit card, I meant don't spend a dime. This was my mantra for so long, sometimes I am amazed I had as many dates as I did.

Of course this is an easy rule to follow when you are a poor student and an even poorer graduate student - but what happens when you enter the real world and want to buy things, nay need to buy things. Well, for a lot of people, the first credit card is a valuable tool - you can build a credit history which will help with loans for small things like computers and later bigger things like cars and houses. For some however, a little credit can quickly become a dangerous weapon. Not only in sheer dollars owed but in real, long term damage to one's credit history.

This is where Bills.com and their credit counseling help can be a real asset. Not only can they help you weigh your options when you find yourself over your head, but they have pages of information for mortgage rates, insurance and loans.

Lehman Brothers got into a huge pile of debt because they failed to follow some basic rules when it comes to finance, are you so sure you are smarter than a hundred year old world-wide financial institution? I know I am not and I know if I run short of money it will be a great deal more painful than it will be for their employees.

Remember, credit counseling you do yourself may be free, but why not avail yourself of help from professionals. Bills.com can help you find free or low-cost counseling from a number of agencies and public entities.

Check them out if you are in trouble or just want to avoid trouble in the future. the future you save may be your own.

Domo Halloween Bash Brochure

Domo Halloween Party Brochure #1
Originally uploaded by Nuts&Gum

Look who has made it to Target this year to serve as the spokes-creature for Halloween!m Personally, I think it is a tad to early to be selling candy and the like but who am I to say how to run a majour retailer.

I have to see if I can find me one of these brochures! This looks sooooo 'kwaii.'

Any bets on 'All Your Candy Are Belong to Us' for 2009?

The New Hotness

Hello true believers!

Kids, ask your parents to explain the signature of this post. The rest
of should be able to puzzle it out.

Whither WiFi, go I.

~Sent from Newton 2.0

tru love

If you liked American Beauty and miss Six Feet Under then you might be interested to know that HBO is airing Alan Ball's latest TV show, "True Blood.' And when you have watched the first two episodes, why not slide over to Vampire Chat City for some Free Vampire Chat.

Do you think vampires are real? Will someone really invent synthetic blood? Is the show an accurate description of the vampire subculuture? Is novelist Charlaine Harris the new Anne Rice? Talk aboput all this on more on the perfect forum for the Vampire Culture to meet and chat - Vampire Chat City. Best of all, it is 100% FREE, with unlimited use Forever and it is so fast and simple to register. Get that screen name before the good ones are gone!

McCain vs McCain

"I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism. I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."

Too bad all we can talk about is Palin instead of the issues.

Animation Friday

[animation]

45 seconds of what I hope will be a much longer film from the fine (yet twisted) folks at The Fire Brigade.

Parents may want to stop the 'tape' at about the 40 second mark but if you grew up on Tom and Jerry or Itchy and Scratchy this may be just right for you.

Palin: Thanks But No Thanks

[Palin]



Looks like the speech she gave at the convention but then again she really only has the one. If I hear the 'Thanks but No Thanks' lie again, I may have to break something.

1980s Banana Republic Ad

Banana Republic Ad
Originally uploaded by Little Harp Seal

This was the image of Banana Republic in the early 80s and yet this was the press release comment in reference to their 30th anniversary:

“For over 30 years, Banana Republic has delivered affordable luxury to shoppers, giving each person a chance to discover and create her own city style,” said Peter DeLuca, Chief Marketing Officer for Banana Republic. “This campaign pays homage to the classic, yet fashionable pieces that are part of the brand’s heritage as well as customer favorites.”

Crosses Fingers That Wonderbug is Next

[Kroft]

From Major Spoilers comes word:

“Universal Pictures just cut a deal to bring that most awesome of ’70’s shows Sigmund and the Sea Monsters to the big screen. Dana Gould of The Simpsons fame will be writing and producing.”

Variety reports this is the second film from the Kroft stable (the $100 million Will Ferrell vehicle "Land of the Lost," is set for release in June 2009.)

Originally running on NBC from 1973-75, the show told the tale of a sea monster booted from his home by his nasty brothers for being too nice who is then befriended by two friends who stash him in their clubhouse.

Sigmund is also the nickname for our front lawn evergreen.

Hooray For Books

[Halloween]

Still too distracted to work much today so I will take some time to blog. :)

My friend Britta has published her own book: Eerie Elegance wherein she describes in detail how to be the host the most Halloween-a-riffic party ever.

Check out her blog and then go buy her book!

Zune Software to Get 'Jerry Reccomends'

[itunes]

Microsoft today announced that the next version of the Zune software will have a Jerry Seinfeld Recommends button.

"It's like the Apple Genius system, only with a zany comedian instead of an algorithm."

You know. For kids.

Half Full of Half Done

Half Moon
Originally uploaded by M@mad

As many of you know, my father passed away this past week end at the age of 82. Apparently he died quietly while watching the 49ers play on TV, something I know he enjoyed, my mother knew something was wrong when she didn't hear him complaining about the commercials.

I looked up at the moon last night and thought maybe this was a sign - I am no longer a boy and that half of my life was done.

I take comfort in the fact that there was no pain or suffering, the sadness only for those left behind. Sadness based on our selfishness?

God Speed, sir.

DNC is a Funny Bunch

I was browsing the iTunes Store for speeches I missed of the Democratic National Convention and while I could not get the Al Gore (audio) to work, I was able to grab the video version. Had to laugh at the musical introduction as the Nobel Prize winner took the stage: The 5th Dimension's "Let the Sun Shine In"

Cute guys, very cute.

Orange Ribbon Cable Solution?

letsrock
Originally uploaded by BeCkS 07

My last Apple purchase was a fire sale of the iMac rev.b - $999 at CompUSA.

Take advantage of the Back to School promo (Macbook + iPod Touch @$1149) or see what the new hotness will be on the 9th?

you're one in a million

After all the dust up over the number of Olympic medals China had won (in short: which is the greater accomplishment: the total number of medals or the number of Gold medals?), I got to thinking - just how many people are there in the nation of China?

Well the CIA World Factbook puts their total at almost one and half billion souls (1,330,044,605 if you want their exact number). Which just goes to show you the phrase 'one in a million' only works in certain situations. I think at this point there are at least that many blogs and facebook accounts on the web which is great that everyone is talking but how do you find someone to listen or someone worth listening to? I guess if you are a teenager blogging from your bedroom after a tough day at school almost any attention is welcome and exciting but how do people that need to have people find them and buy from them (so they can stay on the internet) stand out from the crowd?

To be noticed you need a gimmick, loads of cash, or the help of the professionals - like the ones at Network Solutions. They have loads of suggestions and options that can help the world see the star that you are, because let's be honest if Google® and Yahoo!® can't find you how is anyone else. From Search Engine Optimization to Search Engine Marketing, Network Solutions has the skills you need. Check out their PDFs on SEOs and getting found online then work with them to pick the plan that suits your needs and budget -they even offer a free domain with their hosting plans.

When it comes to internet marketing services, let Network Solutions be the first and last word in helping your business stand out from the masses.

Ow My Head

From just about out of nowhere (it was a discussion about the new Google Chrome browser) came the (modified) lyrics:

So hold me, chrome, in your long arms.
Your silicone arms, your all-knowing arms, in your arms.

And now I can't get the Laurie Anderson song out of my head.

Here come the planes.
They're American planes. Made in America.
Smoking or non-smoking?

Laugh, Cry and Think

sports night
Originally uploaded by ivanovash

After a recent post regarding Psych on USA at Dragon Blogger I started to think about my all-time favourite TV show.

I recorded Sports Night back when I actually watched anything on ABC and was thinking about pulling out the actual VHS tapes and burning them on DVD when I figured I would just save myself the trouble and borrow them from Netflix (a word of warning - early episodes still come with the laugh track in place.)

Three shows in and so far I have been almost moved to tears (Jeremy and the deer), I have laughed out loud and I have marveled at the witty banter.

I read recently that Aaron Sorkin is working on a movie about the early days of Facebook. If it were any other writer I would laugh and move on but now I am eagerly awaiting the release.

McCain. Sound Judgment.

McCain. Sound Judgment.
Originally uploaded by The Searcher

You'll have to read the whole thing over at Flickr but this part really caught my eye:

"Under God" isn't just something our founding fathers wrote into our pledge; it's real.

Mood of the Country

U*'s mom [FP] on Palin, "I don't know. I just look at her and think
'Gidget Goes to Washington' and I don't know if that's what America
really needs as a Vice President."

I don't know if I would dare ask (since I am worried about the answer
I would get) my Mom's opinion.

Fun Clone Wars Trivia

When Ahsoka is addressing the clones in the hanger bay a pink droid is
standing next to R2-D2 named R2-KT. It was included as a way to honor
the work of the 501st Legion (an international group of Star Wars
costumers who perform countless hours of volunteer work for many
charities). The droid was created in the memory of Katie Johnson
(daughter of the 501st Legion's founder Albin Johnson) who died of
cancer at the young age of 7. Some of the costumer's built a pink R2
(dubbed R2-KT) for Katie to provide her comfort in the last days of
her life. This was to reflect the scene in Star Wars: Episode II -
Attack of the Clones (2002) when R2-D2 watches over Padme while she
slept at night.