Ramblings and Rhetoric

To Those of Us Born 1930 - 1979

2009-06-08T07:03:00.003-04:00

To Those of Us Born 1930 - 1979

Here is an email I received. It's so true I just had to share this.

No matter what our kids and the new generation think about us, WE ARE AWESOME !!!! OUR LIFE IS LIVING PROOF !!!!

At the end of this email is a quote of the month by Jay Leno. If you don'tread anything else, please read what he said. Very well stated, Mr. Leno.

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can and didn'tget tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-base paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had baseball caps not helmets on our heads.

As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no boosterseats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter and bacon.

We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar.

We weren't overweight. WHY? Because we were always outside playing...that's why! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.. No one was able to reach us all day, and, we were OKAY.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Play stations, Nintendo's and X-boxes. There were no videogames, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internetand no chat rooms.

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We would get spankings with wooden spoons, yard sticks, switches, ping pong paddles, or just a bare hand and no one would call child services to report abuse.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever.

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

If YOU are one of them, CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good.

While you are at it, share it to your kids so they will know how brave and lucky their parents were.

The quote of the month is by Jay Leno:

"With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, andwith the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

Rest in Peace "Grasshopper"

2009-06-05T21:19:00.002-04:00

Rest in Peace "Grasshopper"

One of my all time favorite TV shows was "Kung Fu", I think I probably saw every single episode ever made! I was shocked to learn that David Carradine was found dead on Thursday, June 4th.

The 72-year-old actor was discovered hanging naked in a luxury hotel in Bangkok. There are many stories going around about the cause of his death and an autopsy was performed today. Some say he died from autoerotic asphyxiation, which involves intentionally cutting off oxygen supply for strong sexual arousal, others say suicide or murder. It will take a while before the cause of death is determined.

Carradine was the star of the 70s TV series, "Kung Fu" and also starred in the "Kill Bill" movies. He was in Bangkok filming a new movie, "Stretch".

I prefer to remember David Carradine as the soft-spoken,bare-foot, Shaolin Monk he played in "Kung Fu". You will be missed, may you rest in peace "Grasshopper".

Runaway Teens

2009-06-04T03:52:00.003-04:00

Runaway Teens

Our 16 year old granddaughter ran away from home in Missouri a couple of days ago. She is not alone.

One in seven children between the ages of 10 and 18 will run away.
Some will return within a few days; others remain on the streets never to return.
An estimated 1.3 million youth are on the streets each day.
Assaults, illness or suicide will take the lives of 5,000 runaway youth each year.
The median age for the cycle of running is 14 years old.
Most runaway youths remain away from home between one month and one year.
Females tend to return home sooner than males.

We were very lucky. Some of our granddaughter's friends were willing to help and through text messages were able to keep track of her and let her parents know where she was and where she was headed. This enabled us to contact the authorities and our granddaughter was picked up by the state police in New York two days after running away from home in Missouri.

Now the issue is how do we get her back home to Missouri and how will her parents be able to keep her there?

I found an organization that will help out with a FREE bus ticket. It's called the Home Free Program . 1.800.RUNAWAY. There are many other organizations out there that will help in various ways, I am in the process of getting a list together and putting up a website to help people in similar situations.

If you know of any groups or organizations that help runaways or families of runaways please leave a comment or contact me directly at cmmdtp@gmail.com .

A couple of valuable lessons learned here are:

Know your children's friends and how to contact them.
Have a recent picture of your child handy for authorities.
Know where to go for help if something like this should happen

Much more coming soon on this subject as it is near and dear to my heart. If you have helpful info on runaways and resources please let me know.

Susan Boyle - 2nd Place is Okay - She's a Winner

2009-05-31T08:47:00.004-04:00

Susan Boyle - 2nd Place is Okay - She's a Winner

Congratulations to Diversity, the street dancers who won "Britian's got Talent". They were good, but street dancers and singers are two different things. Diversity had some training and good choreography but Susan did it all on her own!

In a competition like this it's not necessarially the first place winner that gets the best deal. Look at Clay Aiken from American Idol for example. Anyone who gets in the top 10 is going to be recognized for their talent and I'm sure they all get tons of letters and phone calls with amazing offers.

Boyle, 48 years old, was quoted in The London Times April 20th, 2009 saying, "Maybe I'll consider a makeover later on; for now I'm happy the way I am — short and plump. I would not go in for Botox or anything like that. I'm content with the way I look. What's wrong with looking like Susan Boyle? What's the matter with that?"

So big congrats to Susan Boyle, a lady with a great voice and lots of self confidence. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of her! You go Girl!!!

Dulcimer, Harmonica and Guitar on YouTube

2009-05-14T12:14:00.003-04:00

Check out my new YouTube Channel

I am trying to build up a list of subscribers on my new YouTube channel. Please check it out and see me play the 3 string mountain dulcimer, chromatic harmonica and guitar. If you like what you see and hear please subscribe to my channel.

Feel free to comment on my music.

The Swine Flu

2009-05-09T06:26:00.003-04:00

The Swine Flu

The World Health Organization said that there may be as many as two billion cases worldwide by the time the swine flu virus runs its course! That's worse then the 1918 outbreak of the Spanish Flu where an *estimated 50 to 100 million worldwide died from the disease!

So far the most cases of swine flu have been reported in Mexico, with the United States coming in 2nd. Vaccines against the new strain are being developed and could be ready as early as June 2009.

Meanwhile, frequent washing of hands with soap and water or with alcohol-based hand sanitizers, especially after being out in public can help to prevent infection. Social distancing may also be necessary if there is an outbreak of the epidemic in your area. This means staying at home or staying away from other people who might be infected and can include avoiding large gatherings.

(*source Wikipedia.com).

Another Adventure at VA Hospital

2009-04-19T09:51:00.002-04:00

Another Adventure at VA Hospital

For the last month I had a bad cough and now I had been having some bad chest pains for a few days so I went to the VA Hospital, which is always an adventure! After an hour's drive we arrived at 8:30 pm. We had never been there at night before and the parking lot was closed. It took us 5 minutes to find the night time parking garage and entrance. Upon entering the hospital we arrived at a set of elevators and had no idea where to go due to no signs. I picked up emergancy phone and got directions. We had to walk about a quarter of a mile through the hospital corridors to get to the emergancy room; this took another 10 minutes.

Then we checked in and we were seen by a triage nurse who asked me some questions then sent me for xrays. After that we were told to wait in the emergancy room lobby. We waited for 3 hours and were finally seen by the doctor. We were lucky, we were called before some of the other patients because I checked in with chest pains. Some people we talked to had already been waiting 6-7 hours to be seen!!!

I appreciate what the VA does for us but they need to improve their system! There were only 5 other people in the emergancy room when we got there, it should not have taken us 3 hours. Even though I checked in with chest pains I was not given an EKG. The doctor said the xrays were fine and told me that pain was due to blood pressure medicine I have been taken. It can cause a chronic cough and chest pains. She told me to stop taking that medicine and she would talk to my regular doctor on Monday to prescribe a new medicine for BP.

Your comments are welcome.

Great Chicken Recipe

2009-04-01T17:46:00.003-04:00

Great Chicken Recipe

I didn't know what to blog about today so I figured I share a special recipe that I made last night for dinner. Actually, I never measure anything or use an actual recipe; I cook the way my Italian Grandmother taught me. When I would ask her how she made something she would always reply. "I add a pinch of this, a dash of that and a whole lot of love!"

Chicken Marinated in Greek or Italian Vinergerette Dressing

You can use any type of salad dressing you like. Just pour some dressing in a big bowl and soak chicken breasts or thighs in it, place in refrigerator covered for 2-4 hours and let it marinate. Before you put the chicken in poke some holes in each piece using a fork so the marinate will soak in.

After 2-4 hours place chicken in baking dish and pour the marinate over it so the bottom of dish has a little in it and make sure chicken is thouroughly covered with marinate. Sprinkle some spices on chicken, I always use parsely, basil, garlic salt, thyme and dill weed. Bake in oven at 350 degress 45-60 minutes. Make sure you turn chicken over at least once during the baking. It will come out nice and moist and simply delicious.

I usually make baked potatoes and a vegetable to go with this. Instead of butter on potatoes I pour a little of the marinate over the potatoes after they are baked. HHHHMMMM GOOD!

Let me know if you try this and how you liked it. Please leave a comment.

Why do Redheads change their hair color?

2009-03-28T10:20:00.004-04:00

Why Do Redheads Change Their Hair Color?

I do not understand why many redheads change their hair color? I think redheads are so beautiful! I happen to be married to a beautiful redhead and she has never dyed her hair to another color.

Take Nicole Kidman for example. I just saw the movie Australia, which was a great movie; however, she is a blond in the movie which does not do her justice. Nicole is a sexy redhead...why mess with perfection? Look at the photo below and tell me she isn't a beautiful redhead!

I just fail to see why so many redheads insist on changing their hair color. Could somebody please explain this to me?

Leave your comments...especially if you are a redhead girl that has changed her hair color.

Make Money with Link Bee

2009-03-25T17:58:00.002-04:00

Make Money with Link Bee

Here's a new way I discovered to earn a little extra money. It's called Link Bee. Just go to their site and create a link your url will be shortened like this http://linkbee.com/LN7C and you will get paid for clicks. There are different types of links available. The above link will take you to my web design website. This link Linkbee.com will take you to the Link Bee website.

Check out this site, you won't get rich quick but it is a way to add to your income stream. You can put links on your blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Please leave a comment.

The prodigal son returns

2009-03-23T06:06:00.002-04:00

The prodigal son returns

This weekend our 37 year old son moved back in with us. We are happy to help him out as he makes a transition in his life. It will be good to have him around as we didn't get to see him too often the last several years.

Just curious how many other parents have revolving doors on their homes. We have had the following family members living with us from time to time over the years.

My daughter, my wife's daughter and two children, my wife's son, my brother-in-law, my wife's son and his wife and son. We love family and are happy to help out...just wish we had a bigger house.

Please leave a comment.

What's in a Domain Name?

2009-03-20T19:46:00.003-04:00

What's in a Domain Name?

People ask me all the time what's the importance of having your own domain name. The answer is really quite simple. The domain name you select is your identity; it's your brand. For example http://www.coke.com/ or http://www.ibm.com/ , there is no doubt where you will go when you click on these domain names! They are short, easy to remember and identify the product or company.

The shorter the domain name the better. You want something that people can remember easily. There are lots of places you can register a domain name, I always use GoDaddy. Click on the logo above to check out what they have to offer. I have been using them for several years for domain name registration, web site hosting, email accounts and much more.

Some companys will charge you $20-$35 a year to register your domain name, but GoDaddy has great rates, as low as $7.49 a year! Check them out for all your web needs.

Hurry up and wait

2009-03-18T16:30:00.006-04:00

Hurry Up and Wait

Anyone who has been in the military is familiar with the saying, "Hurry up and wait". Well, the Vietnam war has been over for more then 40 years now. I think it's a shame that Vietnam Vets have been forgotten about!

I have Diabetes type II which was proven to be caused by exposure to Agent Orange, a chemical which was sprayed in Vietnam to defoliate the jungles. However, since I was in the "Bluewater Navy" which meant I was on a ship and did not have "boots on soil", my claim for benefits has been held up forever!

I was a signalman on board an aircraft carrie, The Bon Homme Richard, and spent my 3 tours of duty in Vietnam above decks, exposed to the prevailing winds. I'm sure I was exposed to Agent Orange while I was there. In addition to that, we often drank and showered in sea water when we would run out of fresh water. I find it hard to believe that we were not exposed to the chemical just because we were out at sea!

The Hass vs. Nicholson case has been holding up the Agent Orange claims with the VA. I understand that the case has been resolved, but it's not good news for the "Bluewater Navy".

Due to my Diabetes, I am now disabled and legally blind in one eye with no peripheral vision in either eye. I did my duty and served my country and it's not fair that the VA and Congress should ignore my claim. I'm sure I am not alone...if there are other Vets out there reading this write to your Congressman and tell them to wake up and get a clue.

Please leave a comment.

24: The Best Season Ever

2009-03-17T06:48:00.005-04:00

24: The Best Season Ever

WARNING...if you haven't seen the latest episode of 24 then you may not want to read this because it's a spoiler.

I can't believe that 24 just keeps getting better and better! Jack is like the "Energizer Bunny", he keeps going and going and going!!! This is the best season ever so far on 24.

I hate that Jack's buddy Bill Buchanan was killed, I liked his character. I am a rebel myself and I relate well to other rebels like Jack, Bill, Chloe, any Tony.

Please leave a comment and tell me who your favorite character is on 24 (other than Jack Bauer).

What to do when you get laid off

2009-03-15T04:07:00.003-04:00

What to do when you get laid off!

Just ask anybody you see and I'll bet they can name at least 3 people they know who have recently been laid off from work! It's a sign of the times. I was laid off on August 31 2008. To make things worse, I no longer can drive due to health issues! Did I panic when I was laid off? Of course I did...no more pay check, no health insurance or life insurance, no 401-k, etc.

Today is March 15, 2009. "Beware the Ides of March!" Anyone who has read Shakespeare will remember the soothsayer's warning to Julius Caesar. However, today is not a day of foreboding, and neither was August 31, 2008.

Here are a few things I found out about being laid off.

1. It gives you time for yourself.
2. Once you get over the initial shock and feeling of self-pity and frustration, you will actually enjoy making your own schedule.
3. You will discover your talents and learn how to make money using these talents.

In order to survive after being laid off, the first thing you need to do is take a serious look at your financial situation. Do you have anything to fall back on? A 401-k, annuity, savings, stocks, bonds, Swiss bank account, money stuffed in your mattress? I had very little to fall back on and it was quickly used up because the monthly bills keep on coming!

The next thing you need to do is decide if you are going to look for a new job or if you will work from home or collect unemployment or retire or whatever. If the answer is look for a job, then you had better get your resume in order and start looking! You will not be the only one out there looking for that job; our economy is a mess and the competition will be tough, no matter what field of work you are searching for! Make looking for a job your new full-time job.

Everyone has some talents. Look deep inside yourself and find out what it is you are really good at and enjoy doing, then figure out a way to make money doing it! I like to design web sites, write articles and short stories, and play the guitar. All of these are marketable talents and since August 31st, 2008 they have been my only source of income.

If you are going to work from home you will need some quiet office space and a lot of discipline. It's real easy to get distracted, so get organized and get tough on yourself!

The most important thing to do is talk to everybody you come in contact with and ask them what they do and if their company is hiring or if they know where you can find a job. Networking works and you will be surprised at the results. You will have to swallow your pride and tell people that you lost your job, but if you don't you just may miss out on a great opportunity. I ended up with a telemarketing job I can do from home by talking to people about my layoff.

Don't loose touch with your former co-workers. Get their phone numbers and email addresses so you can keep up with them. They know you and they may be able to help you out in your job search.

That's it in a nutshell...no need to stress out and worry. All you have to do is keep the faith and do whatever it is you do best. Remember, God never closes a door on you without opening another!

Please leave your comments about this post.

Today's Economy DEMANDS A Critical Skill: Optimism

2009-03-12T08:15:00.001-04:00

Today's Economy DEMANDS A Critical Skill: Optimism
by: Eileen McDargh

Today's Economy DEMANDS A Critical Skill: Optimism
Global warming. Water shortages. Terrorism. Failing health care system. Wars around the globe. Gas prices. Severe economic downturn. Look at the headlines and it's enough to make you stay in bed.

But wait! There is hope. It's not the cock-eyed optimism sung about in South Pacific, the hottest show on Broadway. Rather it's what psychologists in France are calling "intelligent optimism." Such optimism does not deny the reality of today's world, but rather seeks to LEARN how to fashion a life amid such difficulties. Martin Seligman, the psychologist who had made optimism and happiness his life's work, would agree with the French: optimism can be taught.

Consider these basic steps:

(1) Focus on what you can control. Don't get carried away by circumstances you cannot change. You might not change global warming, but you can control your energy consumption. You can't stop the downsizing in your company, but you can arm yourself with marketable skills. You cannot halt the bleeding on Wall Street but you can rebalance your portfolio. You can take a hard look at expenses and determine what are necessities and what are nice-to-have items that can be dropped. At the same time, do resolve to spend some money or time on something that truly gives you pleasure and lightens your spirit. Two-for-one hamburgers at the local joint with my best friend make my heart glad and brings a smile to TWO faces.

(2) Reframe the event so that you are not a victim. There is always another way to view a situation. The flight cancellation that caused me to miss (and forfeit) a major engagement was not "planned" to "get" me. It just was. My choice is to figure out what I can do to help the current client and what I will put in place of the cancelled work. When Hurricane Katrina wiped out the home of a nurse, she told me that she focused every day on what she still had and she had her children do the same thing. Every day started with gratitude. She refused to see herself as a victim.

(3) Think "enough". When we concentrate on what we don't have, we miss all the many things we do have. The truth of the matter is that if you are reading this article, you do have enough computer power. You do have enough intelligence. You do have enough. It might not be as much as you would like but, for today, it is enough.

(4) Cultivate optimistic responses. Like a farmer tending a field, optimism will never grow unless it is watered, fed, weeded, and nourished. We all have days in which negativity can take over. And, sometimes, that is a WISE response because it keeps us grounded in reality. Just make sure it is reality and not the imagination making extraordinary leaps into conjecture. Weed out that conjecture. Ask what you can DO to see a result that gives you a sense of power. As Alexander Graham Bells stated, "Sometimes we stare so long at the closed door we fail to see the one that is opening." The 3M engineer who thought he had failed to make a glue compound that would stick discovered what we all now call Post-In Notes(tm).

(5) Remember the power of generations. Children of depressed parents are more prone to depression. Children of optimists are more prone to be optimists. What do you choose to pass along? Even if your parents were negative, you can break the cycle by stopping, freeze-framing a situation, listening to the negative self-talk, and then literally giving yourself a different message. Yes, this is a practice. A hard practice. But you can make it a habit if you work it over time.

(6) Sing. When all else fails-start singing. It is impossible to feel negative when you lift your voice in song. Music allows you to formulate words, to add nuance, and to even get your toe tapping.

(7) Refuse to watch or read anything that puts a dark pall over your day. Instead of tuning into gloom, read a book that transports you to another time and a better mood. Go play with the baby next door. And if you are one of those folks who just can't stand children, take a walk with your dog, dig in the yard, or get a bucket of balls and practice your golf swing. Better that than walking around with heart and mind weighted down.

(8) Refuse to participate in a chorus of negative conversations if the only thing you will hear is whining, complaining and moaning. Tell your group that they have three minutes to throw a hissy fit but then it must stop and the next six minutes must be devoted to either finding something positive about the situation or something that they can do.

Lastly, practice saying this mantra, "This too shall pass." It always has and it always will.

(c) 2009, McDargh Communications. Publication rights granted to all venues so long as article and by-line are reprinted intact and all links are made live.

Known as a powerful presenter and facilitator, Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE has been creating conversations that matter and connections that count since 1980. Executive Excellence ranks her among the top 100 thought-leaders in leadership development. Her newest book, Gifts from the Mountain, received the 2008 Ben Franklin book award. To hire Eileen to heal your company as a speaker, coach or retreat leader visit http://www.eileenmcdargh.com

How to make money blogging - FREE webinar

2009-03-11T09:52:00.005-04:00

How to make money blogging - FREE webinar

Last night I attended a FREE webinar with the master - SHOEMONEY!!! This webinar was hosted by Big Jason from Big Marketing Blog. This FREE webinar was packed full of great information that you can use to make money with your blog.

You can listen to the replay just by clicking this link, don't miss this great opportunity to learn from the best!

Learn the Following from One of The Best and Most Well Known Bloggers In the Entire World, Jeremy Schoemaker a.k.a. ShoeMoney:

Content - What works best.

Traffic - How to get more eyeballs.

Monetization - Make money from your effort.

*Bonus - Ask ShoeMoney as many questions as you want about blogging.

So don't worry if you missed the live webinar, just CLICK HERE to register for the replay!

Make sure you read Shoemoney's Blog...it's one of my favorites and if you are serious about making money with your blog you will subscribe to Jeremy's blog today!

Never Miss Your Favorite TV Show Again

2009-03-03T07:39:00.004-05:00

Never Miss Your Favorite TV Show Again

I found a great web site that you will love! If you can't afford TIVO and you still haven't figured out how to set your VCR to record shows then this is for you.

Hulu is a web site that features many popular TV shows and movies. It's FREE to register and you can sign up to be notified by email when the latest episode of your favorite show is available to watch.

You can select which shows to put in your queue and watch them whenever you want from your computer. There are current shows and movies and even some oldtime classics available.

Check it out...it's an awesome site.

Please leave a comment.

Things to do during Lenten Season

2009-02-18T09:02:00.003-05:00

Things to do during Lenten Season

When I was a kid we were taught that we had to give up something every year for Lent. Of course it had to be something that you really liked; we were not allowed to give up homework or cleaning our room. More often than not I would give up chocolate, which always worked out well because at the end of Lent comes Easter and the Easter Bunny with loads of chocolate!

Lent is the time when Jesus went into the wilderness for 40 days to fast, reflect and meditate. Since I am diabetic, I can not fast; however, I am certainly able to reflect and meditate. Over the years I have discovered that giving up something for Lent wasn’t really satisfying to me so I decided to take on something new instead. Here are some examples of how you can take on something new during this Lenten season. It’s a good way to renew your soul, your body and your life; give it a try!

The theme here is quiet, peaceful time for meditating and renewing yourself.

* Try turning off your television, radio, cell phone, computer, etc. Spend some quiet time with yourself and just relax a little bit each day.

* Go for a walk or a bike ride.

* Take a nice long, hot bubble bath.

* Let go of old grudges and resentment. Forgive and forget.

* Be nice to people, smile more and be kind to everyone you meet.

* Take time to read the Bible every day and spend time praying.

* If you really want to give something up, give up fast food; your body will love you for it.

Do these things for 40 days and when Easter rolls around you will feel refreshed and better about yourself.

Your comments are welcome.

Looking for friends and students of Joan Marinaro

2009-02-16T08:29:00.002-05:00

Looking for friends and students of Joan Marinaro

My sister Joan Ellen Marinaro passed away in 2003. I am working on writing a book about her which will include her poetry and some stories from friends, fellow teachers and students.

When you think of Joan, you should remember bright colors, especially purple; jewelry everywhere, fun outfits, her laughter, her love for the children she taught, gardening, her unconditional love for animals and especially her beautiful smile. If my sister touched your life, please email me at mmarinaro@nc.rr.com and share your memories.

Joan was a teacher in Connecticut, Texas, Oregon, and Arizona. She also spent several years on a Navajo Reservation in Arizona teaching. If you remember Joan, please contact me.

You can read a little more about Joan Ellen Marinaro by clicking here.

How to Make Money in 2009?

2009-02-12T13:55:00.003-05:00

How to Make Money in 2009?

Times are really tough. The economy is a big mess; people are losing their jobs and their homes! I have been laid off since Aug. 31, 2008 and I never know where my next dollar is going to come from...it's a real challange keeping up with the mortgage and all the other bills.

Somehow, I have managed to keep my head above water in these tough times but there has got to be a better way. Right now I am making telemarketing phone calls from home and designing websites. I can no longer drive, so whatever I do it has to be done from my home. If anyone has any brilliant ideas, please let me know.

I do manage to get a check from Google now and then, not every month but every couple of months. I would like to figure out how to increase that stream of income. I also get a little from Commission Junction but that too needs a lot of improvement.

The website clients are few and far between but I am grateful for every little bit of work I can get. I am open to any suggestions for working from home. Please let me know if you have found a way to survive from home in these tough times.

Face Book and other Social Networking sites has a huge following...there must be a way to make some money with those type of sights. How about sharing the secrets?

Your comments are welcome.

A New You in the New Year in 5 Easy Steps

2008-12-26T05:16:00.003-05:00

A New You in the New Year in 5 Easy Steps
By Mike Marinaro

Every year about this time people make ridiculous New Year's resolutions that they never end up sticking to. Don't be one of those people. Here are some resolutions that are easy to obtain and will make you feel good about yourself!

The most important thing is that you do not worry so much about the resolutions; there is no sense in getting yourself all stressed out about trying to stick to them. Just do what you can to make little improvements in your lifestyle and enjoy yourself.

Matthew 6: 25-27 (New International Version)

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

1. Every day do something just for you

We all get busy doing whatever it is that we do on a dailybasis and more often than not we have very little time forourselves. So this year make sure that you set aside a littlebit of time each and every day, just for you! It can besomething as simple as taking a walk, working in your garden, reading a book, writing in your journal, or drinking a cup of your favorite tea. Just make sure it is something out of your ordinary routine…something that you do just for you to make yourself feel good!

2. Learn something new each month

Change is a good thing! It is too easy to fall into the sameold boring routine and before you know it you find yourself in a big rut! Set a goal to learn something new each month this year. It could be a foreign language, or maybe taking a class in pottery or a dance lesson, maybe learning to play the guitar. By doing new things you will feel much better about yourself.

3. Pat yourself on the back

You deserve it…if no else tells you what a great job you have done; then give yourself a big pat on the back! Youraccomplishments are important so make sure you recognize them and treat yourself to something nice when you reach a goal or achieve something you have been trying to do for a long time.

4. Stay healthy in the New Year

Fitness is important, and it will make you feel better if youare healthy. Make a little time each week to exercise and try to eat healthier in the New Year. There are thousands of different diets out there and they all stink! If you are anything like me it's very difficult to stick to a regimented diet and exercise program; however, I have found that just by recognizing that I need to eat healthier and exercise regularly, it helps. Here are a few tips: •Be aware of what you eat and how much you eat•Avoid the fast food joints•Cut out the late night snacks •Park far away from the store not real close; the walk will do you good•If you are watching TV, do a few sit-ups or crunches instead ofjust sitting there eating popcorn

5. Set goals that are obtainable

Goal setting is important, but make sure you set goals that are obtainable. Instead of saying that you are going to lose twenty pounds this year; how about just saying that you will work on eating healthier and exercising more so you can lose some weight. Keep track of your progress and reward yourself for sticking to your exercise schedule and eating plan. Before you know you will have lost a few pounds! It's much easier and a whole lot less frustrating to set goals that you can actually reach! Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!

About the Author: Mike Marinaro is a web master and published author.
Visit http://www.webdesign4him.com/ or http://www.womensempowerment.info/ for more articles.

Source: http://www.isnare.com/

Please leave your comments.

Finally...24 is Coming Back

2008-12-24T11:19:00.004-05:00

Finally...24 is Coming Back

I can't wait to see Jack back in action again for season 7 of 24, the best show on TV! Here's a trailer...enjoy. 24 was originally supposed to start season 7 a whole year ago but was delayed due to Writer's Guild of America strike! I am so looking forward to January 11th, 2009!!!

The first two hours will air on Jan. 11th and the second two hours on Jan. 12th. JACK IS BACK!!!

Please leave your comments.

When One Door is Closed...Another is Opened

2008-12-22T09:01:00.002-05:00

When One Door is Closed...Another is Opened

1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version)"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

Sometimes what appears to be a disaster can actually be a blessing in disguise! I am a firm believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason and when one door is closed, another will be opened.

August 31st, 2008 was not a very good day for me. I was laid off from my job of eight years and then when I got home there was a letter in my mailbox from the Dept. of Motor Vehicles telling me I had to surrender my driver's license due to my vision problems!

Now I had no job, no way to go on interviews for a new job and no more health insurance coverage!

Two weeks later my wife was also laid off from her job; now we were really in serious trouble!

Luckily a neighbor knew of a job opening where she works and my wife was able to get a job within a couple of weeks. I decided that since I had no way to get to a job I would find a way to make money from home. I have been designing websites for about ten years and had a handful of clients so I contacted them for referrals. That got me a few new clients and now that I had the time to devote to my web design I started to pick up more clients.

One of the guys in our church heard I was out of work and offered me a telemarketing job with his company which I could do from my home. So now I at least have a little bit of income between the web design and telemarketing.

Of course, neither one of these is a full time job with benefits so I am still struggling to make ends meet.I was in the Navy so I am using the Veterans Administration for my health insurance and that is a blessing.

Since I have not been working 40 hours per week and commuting 10 hours per week I seem to be a lot less stressed. My diabetes is under better control and my blood pressure has improved. I now have time to walk every day and exercise more. If I hadn't been laid off I would not have had the time to expand my web design business, so actually a new door has been opened for me!

The bottom line here is don't despair when things get tough. These are hard times and the economy is in pretty bad shape. Many people have been laid off from work or are in danger of losing their jobs and their homes. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going! Look deep inside yourself and you will find that you have some special talents. All you have to do is figure out what it is you like to do and then find a way to make some money doing it!

Here is an example: I have enjoyed playing the guitar for 46 years, so I am going to offer beginner guitar lessons from my home starting in January. This is a way to share my talents with others, while at the same time earn a little money doing something that I love to do!

Visit www.webdesign4him.com or www.womensempowerment.info for more articles. Mike Marinaro is a web site designer and published author.

Your comments are welcome.

Facebook or Myspace?

2008-12-19T07:11:00.002-05:00

Facebook or Myspace?

I switched from Myspace to Facebook and I am curious to know what your feelings are about these two social networking sites. Which do you prefer, Myspace or Facebook?

I have tried advertising on Facebook recently and was very pleased with the results. Although I did not make any sales from the ad I placed, there were 116,232 impressions which drove lots of traffic to my website. The best part was the ad was FREE because I had a coupon from one of my favorite blogs, Shoemoney.

The only complaint I have about Facebook is the generic look. If there is a way to change the theme of your page I am not aware of it. If someone knows how to change the look, please let me know.

Your comments are welcome.

OH NO...There goes my harddrive!!!

2008-12-18T17:25:00.003-05:00

OH NO...There goes my harddrive!!!

I hate it when that happens! The last month or so my harddrive has been making a grinding noise; I got that sinking feeling in my stomach because I knew the harddrive was about to fail!

I have a second harddrive in my computer so I backed up most of my files but did not manage to get them all done before it crashed. This is very upsetting to me because I make a living from my computer and without it, I am out of work! So you think I would have a better system for automatically backing up my files...duh! Don't let this happen to you, make sure you back up your files frequently!

This has happened to me before, I believe this is the 3rd harddrive in the last five years. Does anyone have suggestions as to why I keep losing my harddrive? Please leave a comment and let me know. This is very frustrating, not to mention expensive.

The Lost Phone

2008-12-12T21:09:00.002-05:00

The Lost Phone

My wife and I have a tendency to misplace our cordless phone and seem to spend quite a bit of time in search it. The good news is there is a little pager button on the base section of the phone that we can push and it will send a signal that causes the handset to beep enabling us to locate our lost phone!

Wouldn’t it be great if we could have such a device for people? We try to be good Christians, but day to day life tends to get in the way. Often, we get lost just like the cordless phone. If only someone could just push a button and send a signal so we could be found again when we get lost.
In “The Parable of the Lost Sheep” we see that God is like a shepherd and will look for us when we stray and He rejoices when we return!

Luke 15: 4-6“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.”

We can take comfort in knowing that there is a way to be found when we get lost. It is much better than a paging device on a cordless phone. Like the sheep we have a Good Shepherd watching over us.

Lost Season 5 - Coming in January 2009

2008-12-09T18:09:00.002-05:00

Lost Season 5 - Coming in January 2009.

Finally...Lost is back. Coming Wednesday, January, 21, 2009 to ABC. I can't wait, it's been such a long time coming! This is just one of those addicting shows that you can't miss. One of the best mysteries I have ever seen. Please leave your comments and tell me who your favorite lost character is. I'm gonna have to go with Kate...she is just HOT!!!!

A New Meaning for Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T07:55:00.002-05:00

A New Meaning for Thanksgiving

In these times of economic crisis, we should consider the meaning of Thanksgiving. Most of us will be spending the upcoming holidays with family and friends as we relax and take time off from work. However, this is not the case for everyone.

There are many people who have lost their jobs and do not have the means to celebrate the holidays by buying gifts or perhaps they are not even able to provide food and shelter for their loved ones!

As we give thanks for the things that we have let us also take a moment to remember those less fortunate and maybe find a way to spread some happiness to them and give them something to be thankful for this holiday season.

It may be something as simple as a smile or a handshake that will put a smile on their face. Perhaps you can bring a meal to someone in need or invite a family into your home for Thanksgiving dinner. An act of kindness goes a long way.

I experienced just such an act of kindness yesterday as I looked out the window and saw my neighbor mowing my lawn. I hadn't asked for any help, but out of the goodness of his heart he took the time to do this. I am very thankful to have such good neighbors!

So as we are thankful this holiday, lets remember to go that extra step and show some kindness to someone else who could use something to be thankful for.

Have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving Holiday.

Please leave your comments.

Holiday Traditions

2008-11-20T19:48:00.003-05:00

Holiday Traditions

Every family has their own holiday traditions. Here are a couple of ours, please leave a comment and share your own.

Thanksgiving

As we sit around the dinner table we take turns sharing what it is we are most thankful for this year. Even when it has been a tough year like we have had here since both my wife and I were laid off and I lost my driver's license due to vision problems. I am thankful for the one half-way decent eye that I do have and the Internet which allows me to earn money by working from home!

Day After Thanksgiving

Count me out of this one...it's a girls only tradition! All the women have a sleepover and get up before the crack of dawn to hit the malls for a full day of shopping.

Christmas Eve

Family and friends gather at our house for dinner. After dinner we go to church then we come back home and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and celebrate with a birthday cake. Then it's time to open the presents! This is great for the kids because they get to open presents twice...once on Christmas Eve at our house, then again on Christmas morning in their own home!

Please share some of your traditions by leaving a comment.

Happy Holidays

Veterans Day

2008-11-11T14:58:00.005-05:00

Veterans Day

Happy Veterans Day to all my fellow Vets out there! I hope everyone remembers to hug a veteran today! Today is a day to remember all who have served or are now serving in our military.

November 11th is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I. The treaty was signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. The original name for his holiday was Armistice Day but in 1954 it was changed to Veterans Day to include all Veterans, not just the World War I Vets.

So please...take the time today to say thank you to a Veteran.

Update on Working from Home

2008-11-07T20:15:00.004-05:00

Working from Home Update

Here is an update on what's been happening since my layoff on Aug. 31st. I really would like to hear from others who have been laid off and how they are coping with it. I am also open for any great work-from-home ideas.

I really don't know how I had time to do anything for myself while I was working full time. It's simply amazing how much I can accomplish now that I don't have a job to go to every day! Granted, there is quite a bit of worry over how I am going to pay the mortgage and other bills, but we seem to be surviving okay for now.

I recently went to the doctor for a check up and my blood pressure and diabetes is under much better control now. I think the stress from working and commuting 10 hours a week,just to get back and forth to work, was not good for my health! Plus now I time to exercise and walk (actually I am forced to walk since I can't drive anymore).

As far as working from home...I now have much more time to concentrate on my web design business http://www.webdesign4him.com/ and have picked up several new clients. I am also doing telemarketing from my home for a local company. The deal I had with another local guy where I was handling all his EBay auctions worked well for about a month, but we both decided that a long term relationship just wasn't beneficial for either one of us, so we parted company this week but left the door open for future projects.

I am experimenting right now with placing ads on Facebook and I have been seeing an incredible amount of impressions. Not a whole lot of click throughs yet but there were a few. I will keep you posted and let you know if any business comes out of Facebook ads.

Of course I use Google Adsense on most of my websites and I have been consistantly getting checks from Google. Nothing like Shoemoney but every little bit helps. (By the way if you haven't been to Shoemoney's site you are missing out.) I also have several affiliate programs going on with places like Commision Junction, Linkshare, and Amazon. These also bring me small checks every now and then. I need to work on fine tuning these. Commission Junction has been the best source so far for affiliates.

The bottom line is I am struggling to make ends meet but I do realize that it is possible to make a living working from home. I can see that it will take a real concentrated effort on my part to drum up new business and stay motivated. Since I have no other options available I am sure that this will all work out!

Please leave your comments and suggestions for work-from-home ideas.

The Beatles

2008-11-05T07:55:00.005-05:00

Last night my wife and I went to the see a Beatles Concert...what an awesome show!

You probably are asking yourself, "How can you see a Beatles Concert when John and George are dead and there is no more Beatles?"

My answer is The Beatles are the greatest band there ever was and they will live on forever! Actually it was a concert by "Rain", but you would think you were watching the real Beatles. They looked like The Beatles and all of the music was live and sounded exactly like the real deal! A great show, I highly recommend seeing this when it comes to your area.

Here is the official Rain website. Check it out.

Imagine video:

Blackbird video:

Please leave your comments.

Working from Home

2008-10-13T16:21:00.004-04:00

Working From Home

Here's an update on a previous post. I was laid off from work on August 31st and also had my driver's license taken away due to vision problems. I had to get creative and find a way to make money without having to leave the house!

Since then I have been trying to earn a living by working from home. I already had a couple of dozen clients that I had designed websites for so I started there by asking for referrals. I got a few new clients from that process which helps a little.

I also answered an ad on Craig's List from a guy who sells a high volume of merchandise on EBay. I worked out a deal with him where I get paid for doing the listings for him so he can devote his time to other aspects of his business. I get so much per listing and a commission when the item sells.

I am also trying to negotiate a telemarketing deal with a local company. That hasn't come to fruition yet, but it looks promising. There are tons of ads out there for work from home opportunities but to weed through them all and find the legitimate ones is a cumbersome job.

I also am using Google Adsense which I have been using for a few years now and get regular checks from that (not enough to pay the mortgage, but every little bit helps). In addition to that I use Commission Junction as an affiliate program and just started using the Amazon affiliate program.

All of these things by themselves are not enough income to live on; however, when they are combined together it starts to add up. The moral of this story is: if you want to make money working from home you can do it! It's not a get rich quick scheme, but it can be done. Just take one baby step at a time.

The most important thing to remember when you are just starting is that you need to be disciplined. It is just like a job. I get up early every day and jump right into it. Hopefully, as things start to pick up, I will spend less time working and make more money.

I am open to suggestions...please leave your comments.

Business Cards - Your Best Friend

2008-10-05T08:20:00.005-04:00

Business Cards - Your Best Friend

In this day of modern technology and online advertising there is still one advertising tool that is often overlooked. It may seem like something out of the stone ages; however, your business card can still be your number one marketing tool.

Marketing study after marketing study has proven that Personal Referrals / Word-Of-Mouth advertising is THE...UNDISPUTED, HANDS DOWN best way to attract new business! The tool that goes hand-in-hand with this method of advertising is your business card.

Let me give you an example of how my business card recently landed me a new client. Just last week I was talking to a lady in my church and I mentioned that since I was laid off from work I was focusing my full attention on designing web sites. I handed her my business card and asked her to keep me in mind if she ran into anyone who had a need for an affordable web site.

The very next morning I received a phone call from someone who was looking for a web site and was referred to me by the lady in my church. This person needed a web site right away for a time sensative campaign and I was able to get the job done and her web site launched within 48-hours.

A couple of days later I was at a wedding shower and much to my surprise this new client just happened to be the MC at the shower and I was able to meet her face to face for the first time. She was excited about the great service I had done for her by getting her web site online so quickly and was spreading the word about me to all of her friends.

Do business cards still work? You bet they do! I never go anywhere without a stack of business cards in my pocket. If you need a business card made I would suggest using Vista Print, you can do it all online and they have a FREE BUSINESS CARD OFFER you can take advantage of. They have many pre-designed card styles or you can design your own.

McCain Pulls a Rabbit Out of the Hat - Her Name is Sarah Palin

2008-09-09T18:35:00.007-04:00

McCain Pulls a Rabbit Out of the Hat - Her Name is Sarah Palin

Sometimes when things are looking down, you just need to reach into your bag of magic tricks and pull a rabbit out of the hat. That's exactly what John McCain did when he selected Sarah as his running mate!

Now I'm not usually one to talk about politics, in fact I would go as far as to say that I hate politics! However, I must put in my two-cents worth about this year's Presidential race.

Things were looking pretty good for Obama and he had quite a lead in all the polls over McCain until The Repulican Convention when Sarah Palin was announced! What a great move that was by the Republicans. It seemed like McCain had been keeping under the radar while Obama did all the talking and then BAM! Now Palin has helped to push McCain up in the polls and has won over the hearts of the American women voters! Things are starting to get interesting now.

I have always liked McCain, since I am a Vietnam Veteran, and I'm sure you are familiar with McCain's POW story. Now since his latest move I like him even more. I watched Sarah Palin on TV the night she gave her acceptance speech and I was really impressed with her.

She has been active in Alaska, first as a City Council member from 1992-1996 and then as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska from 1996-2002. She went on to be the Chairperson of The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commision from 2003-2004 and then the Governor of Alaska in 2006!

Palin was the first female to hold the Governor's office in Alaska and she is the first woman to run on the Repuplican Party presidential ticket. If she is elected, she will be the first female Vice President of the United States.

Please leave your comments, I would love to hear what everyone thinks about the McCain/Palin team.

Kick me when I'm down!

2008-08-31T10:12:00.003-04:00

Okay...so you think you had a really bad day? How about this?

The company I have worked at for the past eight years had a nationwide cutback last week and I was one of the people who got layed off! So now I have no job, no paycheck, no medical insurance, no life insurance, etc. etc. etc.

I took the news pretty calmly as I was escorted out of the building with my little box of personal belongings in my hand. As I made the 45 minute drive home, I thought about what I was going to do now that I was unemployed. It's not very easy finding a job these days, especially if you are 58 years old!

When I got home I checked the mailbox and found a letter there from the NC Department of Motor Vehicles. Thinking this cannot be good news I sat down to read the letter. Because I am diabetic and have had several eye surgeries my vision is really poor. In fact, I can really only see out of one eye as the other is nothing but a big blur. I also have no peripheral vision at all in either eye, so I can't see up or down or sideways, just straight ahead.

Now in addition to having no job I no longer have a driver's license! That ought to make it really hard to find a new job now since I can't drive anymore. I live in a small town where there is no public transportation and not very many places to work within walking distance, so I am really in a mess now!

I am trying to look on the bright side of all of this and find the silver lining...but it's extremely difficult. I always wanted to work from home anyway, so maybe this is my big chance!

I am open to any suggestions. If you know of a legitimate work from home opportunity please let me know. I have excellent computer skills. I already have a small web design business with a couple of dozen clients, but that doesn't make enough money to pay the mortgage. I will try to expand upon that business but meanwhile I need a regular income. So I am all ears...please leave a comment with your suggestions or email me at cmmdtp@gmail.com.

Praise Band Questions

2008-08-20T12:16:00.003-04:00

I play in our Praise Band at church and have a few questions which I hope I can get some answers to here.

We play your standard hymns and a little contemporary Christian music as well as some original songs. I play the guitar, mountain dulcimer and harmonica. We have two other guitar players and a few vocalists. Our problem is coming up with new songs to do each week.

Where do we find Praise Band music? We are not really crazy about the contemporary Christian music that is out there and we can only play so many old standard hymns over and over again!

We have taken some old rock and roll songs and changed the lyrics around to fit the church crowd and that seems to have worked well. Everyone likes the songs we do with the dulcimer, but it's hard to find mountain dulcimer music.

We play every week and we keep recycling the same songs over and over. Where can we find good praise songs?

Anyone out there with suggestions? Please leave your comments here.

Where's Jack? I got the 24 blues!

2008-01-05T12:42:00.000-05:00

Where's Jack? I got the 24 blues!

Here it is January and I should be watching the new season of 24; however, due to the writers strike there is no new season! Bummer!
It's ironic that all the terrorists and bad guys couldn't stop Jack Bauer but a writer's strike stopped him cold!

I heard they could have ran some of the new episodes but decided to wait until they had the whole season, I guess that's a good decision. I'm just really bummed out because I have been a 24 addict ever since season one!
Here it is January

Anyone else feeling blue and having Jack withdrawals?

Please leave a comment!

A New You in the New Year in 5 Easy Steps

2007-12-14T08:25:00.000-05:00

A New You in the New Year in 5 Easy Steps
By: Mike Marinaro

Every year about this time people make ridiculous New Year's resolutions that they never end up sticking to. Don't be one of those people. Here are some resolutions that are easy to obtain and will make you feel good about yourself!

1. Every day do something just for you
We all get busy doing whatever it is that we do on a daily basis and more often than not we have very little time for ourselves. So this year make sure that you set aside a little bit of time each and every day, just for you! It can be something as simple as taking a walk, working in your garden, reading a book, writing in your journal, or drinking a cup of your favorite tea. Just make sure it is something out of your ordinary routine…something that you do just for you to make yourself feel good!

2. Learn something new each month
Change is a good thing! It is too easy to fall into the same old boring routine and before you know it you find yourself in a big rut! Set a goal to learn something new each month this year. It could be a foreign language, or maybe taking a class in pottery or a dance lesson, maybe learning to play the guitar. By doing new things you will feel much better about yourself.

3. Pat yourself on the back
You deserve it…if no else tells you what a great job you have done; then give yourself a big pat on the back! Your accomplishments are important so make sure you recognize them and treat yourself to something nice when you reach a goal or achieve something you have been trying to do for a long time.

4. Stay healthy in the New Year
Fitness is important, and it will make you feel better if you are healthy. Make a little time each week to exercise and try to eat healthier in the New Year. There are thousands of different diets out there and they all suck! If you are anything like me it's very difficult to stick to a regimented diet and exercise program; however, I have found that just by recognizing that I need to eat healthier and exercise regularly, it helps. Here are a few tips: •Be aware of what you eat and how much you eat •Avoid the fast food joints •Cut out the late night snacks •Park far away from the store not real close…the walk will do you good •If you are watching TV, do a few sit-ups or crunches instead of just sitting there eating popcorn

5. Set goals that are obtainable
Goal setting is important, but make sure you set goals that are obtainable. Instead of saying that you are going to lose twenty pounds this year; how about just saying that you will work on eating healthier and exercising more so you can lose some weight. Keep track of your progress and reward yourself for sticking to your exercise schedule and eating plan. Before you know you will have lost a few pounds! It's much easier and a whole lot less frustrating to set goals that you can actually reach! Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!

Please leave your comments about New Year's Resolutions and tell us what you plan to do.

Marion Jones Stripped of Her Gold!

2007-12-12T15:09:00.000-05:00

The International Olympic Committee officially stripped Marion Jones of her five Olympic medals and wiped her name from the record books. She was the first female track and field athlete to win five medals at a single Olympics. Now that accomplishment has been erased!

Jones had previously denied using performance-enhancing drugs; however, in October she admitted to using steroids before the Sydney Olympics. The IOC also banned Jones from the Beijing Olympics next year. They don't want her to attend in any capacity...not as an athelete or a coach. The IOC may also ban her from future
games as well.

Jones' problems aren't over with yet. The United States Olympic Committee has asked her to repay more than 100,000 dollars in prize and bonus money she had received. All of this bad news for Marion Jones, but good news for the war against doping. It shows that the rules will be strickly enforced and the cheats will be exposed.

Please leave your comments.

Dancing with the Stars

2007-11-29T11:04:00.001-05:00

Dancing With The Stars

Photo credit: www.abc.com

Another season of Dancing with the Stars has ended. I must admit that I have become addicted to this show. I love to dance and always have liked to watch ballroom dancing by professionals.

My favorites this season were Marie Osmond and Jane Seymor...let's hear it for the older women! They both did an amazing job. I think Jane is so elegant when she dances, I was sad when she left the show. And Marie is very entertaining.

In my opinion HELIO CASTRONEVES and his partner JULIANNE HOUGH deserved the win. Helio just has so much personality, you've just got to love him; and for someone that never danced before he sure picked it up quickly!

Please leave your comments and let us know if you agree with the choice for winner or if you wanted some else to take home the trophy.

Oprah On YouTube

2007-11-05T15:21:00.000-05:00

Oprah On YouTube

Now you can check out Oprah on YouTube. The 53-year-old Winfrey has been hosting her own show for 22 years and says she is excited about this new venture. There will be behind-the-scenes video footage from her T.V. show and interviews with people who have become famous through YouTube. She said there will also be videos sent in by her viewers posted to her new channel on YouTube.

Winfrey's television show is alreaded watched by 30 million viewers each week in the United States alone, imagine how many people will be checking out the YouTube channel!

Oprah is already the highest-paid celebrity on T.V., I'm sure her new YouTube channel will add to her fame and fortune. I looked at her welcome video on you tube and it has had 224,925 hits so far!

Here's the link to her YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/OPRAH

Way to go Oprah!

Please leave a comment.

Dr. Watson Opens Mouth and Inserts Foot!

2007-10-19T15:29:00.001-04:00

Dr. Watson Opens Mouth and Inserts Foot!

James Watson may be one of the world's top scientists but he is losing friends fast after making comments about black people being less intelligent than whites!

Dr. Watson is best known for his pioneering work with DNA and he won the Nobel Prize in 1962. While in Britain he made the comment heard around the world which caused this storm of controversy. Watson made an apology for his comments, but it's too little too late! The damage has already been done. He was suspended from his job at The Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory in New York and has canceled his book tour in the UK.

The 79 year old scientist says that his words were twisted to mislead readers about his position. He told a British weekly newspaper he was "inherently gloomy about the prospect of Africa" because "all our social policies are based on the fact that their intelligence is the same as ours -- whereas all the testing says not really."

The rest of the scientific community was quick to state that there is no scientific proof to back up what Dr. Watson said. His peers are saying that he has done significant damage to the reputation of the entire scientific community!

What do you think about Dr. Watson's remarks? Please leave a comment.

Take the Nerd Test

2007-09-30T16:19:00.000-04:00

Take the Nerd Test

I found this Nerd Test on my friend Peter Porcupine's blog. Check it out when you get a few minutes and take the Nerd Test. See where you rank -- it's pretty cool! I took the test and ended up with a Nerd Score of 96. You know you want to find out what your Nerd Score is...so go ahead and take the test.

Please leave a comment.

Is Next Season's 24 in Jeopardy?

2007-09-26T14:25:00.000-04:00

Is Next Season's 24 in Jeopardy?

Kiefer Sutherland might end up in jail for a year because this was not his first
DUI arrest! It seems that he has also violated his probation from the last
offense; therefore, Kiefer could find himself with a mandatory jail sentence of
anywhere from 5-days up to a year!

I'm sure the writers of 24 are hard at work trying to come up with a 24 season
without Jack Bauer.

Will the producers kill Jack off? Then what would happen
to the series?

Is it possible to have a whole season of 24 with no Jack Bauer?

I have been addicted to 24 ever since season one and I can't wait to see how the next season will play out. Since there is already a very long list of celebrities who have gotten away with DUI and much worse, with just a slap on the wrist and little or no jail time, this may all be a moot point! I guess we will find out in January 2008.

Please leave your comments.

OJ - In the News Again, What do you think?

2007-09-19T16:46:00.001-04:00

OJ - In the News Again, What do you think?

The infamous OJ Simpson is once again all over the news.

In my humble opinion they should lock him up and throw away the key...

What do you think?

Is he just looking for another 15 minutes of fame?
Did he take too many hits when he was playing football?
Was he set up?
Did he do it?
Will he get off again because he is a celebrity?

Leave a comment and tell me what you think about the latest OJ situtation.

Blogrush-Great New Tool

2007-09-16T08:47:00.000-04:00

I just found a GREAT NEW TOOL to drive more traffic to your blog, it's called BlogRush...check it out!

This is a great blog syndication network, make sure you sign up today!

Does Barry Bonds Deserve the Home Run King Title?

2007-08-09T16:48:00.000-04:00

Does Barry Bonds Deserve the Home Run King Title?

Ya'll have seen the news...Barry Bonds hit homerun #756 which makes him the HOME RUN KING! He has broken Hank Aaron's record -- WAY TO GO BARRY!

You can see video here: Home Run #756

But wait just a minute now...

I want to know if you think Barry should be the homerun king. What about all the controversy and allegations about steroid usage? Have we forgotten about that? If he was using steroids then does he still deserve to hold the title or should he be disqualified?

Is America just going to look the other way and ignore the fact that rules were broken here if Barry was using the drugs? Are we saying it's okay to cheat and use steroids to build your body up in sports?

I give Barry his "props", he is a great ball player, but I can't just sit back and watch without saying something about the drug issue!

What do you think? Please leave your comments.

Making Money on the Internet

2007-07-16T20:55:00.000-04:00

OKAY...I have been blogging for a couple of years and have had websites on the Internet even longer, I am making a little money from both. I am curious to know who is making a living on the Internet and how?

Here are some of the ways I am earning money:

Google Adsense

Affiliate Programs

E-Mail Newsletters

Website Design

Selling adspace on my websites and in my newsletters

Now mind you, none of the above methods have made me enough money where I can quit my day job; however, I do get checks just about every month from these sources, and every little bit helps!

I will go into more details about each of these methods of Internet income in future posts.

Please leave a comment and share your ideas.

Blown Away by BB King!

2007-06-27T11:34:00.000-04:00

Blown Away by BB King

Last night I had the opportunity to see the one and only BB King perform...what an awesome show! I was blown away by the King of the Blues!
The man is 81 years old, and a diabetic but he played his heart out for a packed house for two hours non-stop! He had to sit in a chair to play but that didn't slow him down...he rocked the house!

Ever since I first picked up a guitar 45 years ago it has been my dream to see BB King play. I am so grateful to my wonderful wife Christine, who made all of this possible by getting me the tickets for father's day.

What an inspiration BB King is. Not only because he is a great guitar player, but also because he is 81 and a diabetic. I too am a diabetic and sometimes it really slows me down. However, after seeing what BB could do last night I will think twice about complaining that I don't feel up to doing something because of my diabetes!

The show started out with his band playing a couple of numbers with a horn section a bass guitar, drummer and keyboard. Then they brought out the man himself. BB brought the crowd to its feet as he took the stage and strapped on "Lucille"!

He then proceeded to sing and play like only BB King can do and kept us entertained for two hours. Every now and then he would tell a story between songs, some people didn't like all the talking, but I could listen to him ramble on all night long as long as he played a few licks in between stories!

If you haven't seen BB King perform yet...make sure you catch his show next time he's in town!

Did you miss me?

2007-05-21T18:21:00.000-04:00

Did You Miss Me?

It's been quite some time since I posted on this blog...sorry, I've been very busy with website design and have not had time for blogging. I will try to get back into this blog soon. I miss all my friends at Blog Explosion.

Tonight is the 2-hour season finale of my favorite TV show, 24! Can't wait to see the last show of the season, but I don't know what I will do since my 2nd favorite show, Lost, is also ending this week! Those are the only two shows I really care about watching.

If you are a 24 or a Lost fan, please leave your comments here.

Wild Hogs - A Must See Movie

2007-03-11T18:17:00.000-04:00

Wild Hogs is the funniest movie I have seen in a long time! This is a great slapstick comedy starring John Travolta, William H Macy, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, Ray Liotta, and Marisa Tomei.

The story is about four middle-aged friends who decide to take a break from their boring lives in suburbia and get away from their stressful jobs and family responsibilities for a little while. They get out their motorcycles and head cross country for an adventure on the open road!

The movie gets off to a slow start trying to introduce the families of the main characters. Once you get past that and the road trip begins you just won't stop laughing!

Travolta, Macy, Allen and Lawrence may seem like an odd foursome; however, they do a great job together and are totally believable as best buddies!

This movie is rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content and some violence.

For all you "Easy Rider" fans out there, Peter Fonda makes a cameo appearance towards the end of the movie.

# 13 for Bill Gates

2007-03-08T22:23:00.000-05:00

WOW...The richest man in the world again...13 years in a row for Bill Gates! According to Forbes' list of billionaires! Gates' net worth is estimated at $56 billion! Here's Bill at Microsoft in 1978 - who knew this kid would grow up to be the #1 billionaire in the world? Way to go Bill, not too bad for a college drop out!

Jack's Back!!!

2007-01-09T12:55:00.000-05:00

The best show on TV will be back this Sunday. 24 The new season premieres on Sunday and Monday January 14-15! I can't wait for the show to start again.

Have you seen the trailer yet? Click Here to see preview.

I started watching 24 a couple of years ago and have been hooked ever since. I started in season 4 so I missed a few seasons. However, I received the DVDs for season 1 as a Christmas present. While I was watching season 1 my wife saw the show for the first time and now she is also hooked!

A friend of mine has season 2 and 3 on DVD, so I will be able to catch up on everything I missed.

If you are a 24 addict, please leave a comment.

I'm Back

2006-12-19T21:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry...I have been away from my blog for quite a while! Just too much going on in my life right now. I will try to start posting regularly again. I hope everyone is ready for Christmas, it's right around the corner. Merry Christmas to you and your families.

I just have to mention really quick a great tool I found called GoodSearch. What if every time you searched the Internet your favorite charity made money? Wouldn't that be awesome?

Now it is possible with GoodSearch. It doesn't cost you a dime and your favorite charity makes about a penny per search! Check it out.

How does it work?

On the GoodSearch homepage, choose from thousands of organizations or add your favorite cause to our list.
Search the Internet just like you normally would — the site is powered by Yahoo!, so you'll get the same high-quality search results you're accustomed to.
Fifty percent of the revenue generated from advertisers is shared with the charity, school or nonprofit organization of your choosing.

Are the search results going to be as good as the search engine I am using now?

Absolutely. GoodSearch is powered by Yahoo! So you'll get the same high-quality search results that you're currently used to — or better!

So what are you waiting for? Visit www.goodsearch.com and if your favorite charity isn't there, go ahead and sign it up. It's FREE and it will generate money for your favorite charity!

Develop Irresistible Attraction In Five Easy Steps

2006-11-16T20:14:00.000-05:00

Develop Irresistible Attraction In Five Easy Steps
by: Connie Domino, MPH, RN

Stop struggling to achieve success & happiness ... learn how to ATTRACT people, things & opportunities you want in your life! In this book, learn the secrets to becoming Irresistibly Attractive. We're always attracting "stuff" into our lives, so why not use the Law of Attraction to attract the "stuff" we really want in all areas of our life?LEARN how in five simple steps to achieve in as little as two weeks such dreams as ...

* More Money
* New Romantic Relationships
* Improved Family Relationships
* New Jobs
* Job Promotions
* Increased Sales
* More Customers
* Make the Life you Dream about a Reality!

Sometimes our thinking, feelings and strategies only need fine tuning a fraction of an inch for our grandest goals and dreams to come true. Through the familiar structure of goal setting, Connie Domino teaches you the all important "How" to word your goals. She'll show you how to fine tune your thinking, feelings and self-talk for very quick results.

cdomino22@aol.com

Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

2006-10-07T22:35:00.000-04:00

Unique Christmas Gift Ideas

I know...it's only October, but before you know it Christmas will be here! Here are a couple of unique gift ideas if you want to get the jump on Christmas shopping. These make great gifts for the children on your list. Who wouldn't like a letter from Santa himself?

Here is something the kids are sure to like. Personalized children's books that celebrate the uniqueness of each child, make them a character in the book.

Get your Christmas shopping done early and avoid the last minute rush. More great gift ideas coming soon.

Too Busy to Blog

2006-10-04T19:26:00.000-04:00

Sorry...I have been so busy lately, I haven't had any time for blogging! I will try to get back into my blogging mode again soon. Meanwhile here is a quick post.

Speaking about busy...I was so upset because the season premier of "Lost" is on tonight, and I won't be home to see it! To make matters worse, my VCR is broken and I can't record it! However, today as I was surfing the net, I discovered that I can watch the entire show for FREE on www.abc.com tomorrow! Thank you ABC, what a wonderful feature! So tomorrow at work I will be watching "Lost"!

On Oct. 18th I am going up to Connecticut for a wedding. This will be the first time I went back home for a joyous reason...the last couple of times were for funerals! Hopefully, the leaves will be peaking about that time and I will get to see fall the way it should be. I really do miss the changing of the leaves. Here in North Carolina they change, but it is no way even close to the bright orange and reds and yellows in Connecticut.

Well...that's all the time I have for now...got to tune my guitar and run up to church to practice. I am playing in our "Praise Band" at church. It's great to be playing the guitar again, I hadn't played in a long time. Will post more on this subject at a later date.

Grandma's 100th Birthday

2006-09-17T10:50:00.000-04:00

Grandma's 100th Birthday

Have you ever regretted doing something, or better yet...not doing something? The one thing that I will admit to screwing up in my life is missing my Grandma's 100th birthday party.

Don't get me wrong now, that is definitely not the only thing I have done wrong in my 57 years here on earth. I have made plenty of mistakes, but in retrospect the only thing that really bothers me is that one party that I missed!

I can come up with several good excuses for not going to the party. You see...the party was in Connecticut, and I live in North Carolina. It's not that I didn't want to make a twelve hour drive up there, stay for one day, turn around and drive another twelve hours back again. That wasn't the issue at all. It wasn't the fact that if I was to make this drive, I would have to put new tires on the car and get a tune-up, that was no big deal. It didn't matter that I had just started a new job and did not have any vacation time available yet. I could just call in sick, no problem there.I thought about flying up to Connecticut, but that idea was quickly ruled out. Way too expensive. That would never fit into our budget. Even if I went by myself and left my wife at home it still was too much money. Talking about money, what about a birthday present? What in the world do you buy for someone who has been around for 100 years? There just couldn't possibly be anything that she needed.

The more I think about it the more I realize that I cheated Grandma out of the one thing that she needed most...LOVE. That's all that she really wanted, to be loved by her family. She had outlived her husband, all of her brothers and sisters and most of her children. Grandma came from the 'old country', born and raised in Calabria, Italy. Family was very important to her. I remember growing up and going to Grandma's house every weekend. There would be dozens of children there, all of them cousins. We would have a great time playing and there was always plenty of good food to eat.

Today, I couldn't even tell you how many cousins I have. Everyone has moved somewhere else and lost track of each other. We all become so involved with our own little worlds and hustle and bustle of everyday life that we forget about our not so immediate family. I don't have any other grandparents that are living, so I don't have to worry about screwing up like that again. I have learned a very valuable lesson from this.

Every day we are here on this earth is a very special day. We only get to go around once, if we pass up the chance to say I love you, or thanks so much...that chance is gone forever. Don't blow it like I did with Grandma. I never really did get to know her as a person. I remember her from my childhood, but there are decades missing, where I had no contact at all with her. I'm sure there were many wonderful stories that Grandma would have shared with me, if only I had taken the time to listen.The opportunity has come and gone...I will never have another chance to sing happy birthday to my Grandma on her very special 100th birthday celebration. I missed the chance to tell her that I loved her and really enjoyed all those good times we had at her house growing up.

I take comfort in knowing that she is once again with her family in Heaven, and one day I too will be there with her. When that day arrives, I will be so happy to see her again that I will run up to her and give her a big hug and a kiss. The first thing I will say is "Grandma, I love you...I am so sorry for missing your special birthday party that day... please forgive me."This has been bothering me for several years now, and I'm glad that I am finally able to share this with others.

It is with a heavy heart and teary eyes that I am writing these words, and I hope and pray that you don't ever have to make an apology like that to anyone.

FREE E-Book, "The AdSense Mint"

2006-09-05T22:57:00.000-04:00

FREE E-Book, "The AdSense Mint"

If you are serious about making money with your blog or your website, you need to download this FREE E-Book. "The AdSense Mint" will show you how to monitize your site and start to earn some money from your blog or website.

Just take a moment and register for one of my several newsletters and the e-book is yours absolutely FREE, no strings attached. To register, simply click on the link in the upper left corner of this blog, "Join Our Mailing List". Here are the newsletters I have to select from.

Women's Empowerment
Web Design
Computer Repair & Maintenance
Church Websites
Blogging News
Bed & Breakfast News

Each newsletter is full of informative articles, resources and special offers from Marinaro Enterprises. You can unsubscribe at anytime. We have over 2,300 subscribers and the list is growing weekly. Check us out...there are also affordable advertising opportunities in our newsletters.

Steve Irwin Killed by Stingray

2006-09-04T08:17:00.000-04:00

Steve Irwin Killed by Stingray

One of my favorite TV personalities died today. Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter", died doing what he loved most! He was filming a documentary and swimming with stingrays when one of them lashed out and struck Steve.

It was a freak accident, and not the venom that killed Irwin, but rather the sting itself. It was liked being stabbed with a knife, as the stingray's sharp barb struck Steve and penetrated his chest and pierced his heart! It is likely that he died instantly.

Steve's wife Terri was told of her husband's death while on a walking tour in Tasmania. Irwin also leaves behind two children, Bindi and Bob and a world full of fans. Steve Irwin was only 44!

I always loved watching his crazy antics as he risked his life to teach the world about animals. I'm sure Irwin would not want to have people blaming the stingray for his death. He would probably say, that it was frightened and lashed out in self-defense! Stingrays do not normally attack.

Irwin's catch phrase was "Crikey!" He was an enthusiastic daredevil who loved being around all types of animals. In 2004 Steve made headlines when he held his newborn son Bob in one hand as he fed a chicken to a crocodile at the Australian Zoo.

He put his money where his mouth was. Irwin bought up huge tracks of land and helped with the survival of many animals. He also starred in movies and helped develop the Australia Zoo wildlife park, north of Brisbane, which was started by his parents Bob and Lyn Irwin. Steve, you will be missed.

Something for Nothing

2006-09-02T20:00:00.000-04:00

Something for Nothing

You've probably heard the expression, "There is no such thing as a FREE LUNCH". Well, I can't buy you lunch; however, I can offer you some FREE E-Books.

Just Click Here and go to my website. You will see some e-books for sale but there are also two FREE E-Books on the page, no strings attached.

One FREE E-Book is full of great tips on how you can make the most out of AdSense and profit every time somebody clicks on one of your ads. Another is about how to get rid of stress in your life.

Check it out; who said you can't get something for nothing?

WIN 50 Blog Explosion Credits

2006-08-28T23:35:00.000-04:00

WIN 50 Blog Explosion Credits just for checking out my new website for Empowered Women

Please visit my new website when you get a moment.
www.womensempowerment.info . Here you will find valuable information about women's health issues, career choices, financial information, ideas for single moms, what to do if you are in an abusive situation and many resources to help you become an empowered woman!

There are many interesting articles and also a feature book section. This month's featured book is: "Develop Irresistible Attraction", written by Connie Domino, MPH, RN.

Stop by and browse the website, then come back and leave a comment here about what you thought of the site. If you look hard enough you will find a FREE ebook offer on the site, "How to Reduce the Stress in Your Life!" No strings attached, it's my FREE GIFT to you.

Find the FREE ebook, download it and read it. I hope you enjoy it and benefit from it.

I am looking for feedback on this new site. So here's the deal. If you are a Blog Explosion member, I will pick a random person from all the comments left here about my new website and award 50 Blog Explosion Credits to one lucky winner. So check it out...then leave a comment. If you are not a member of Blog Explosion, simply click on the logo and join...it's FREE to join!

24 Finally Gets Emmy!

2006-08-28T09:28:00.000-04:00

24 Finally Gets Emmy!

I have to say the Emmy show really sucked last night! Boring is the word that comes to mind. In the first place, I cannot stand Conan O'Brien; I wish they had someone else as a host. Most of the speeches made by the winners were terrible, and some of the Emmy winners were sorry choices. (AP Photo/ Chris Carlson)

The highlight of the show for me was 24 winning three Emmys. After being snubbed for several years, it's about time that 24 was recognized. I think it's the best show on TV! You go Kiefer! The action drama won for best drama series and Keifer Sutherland picked up an Emmy for best actor. 24 also received an award for direction.

Looking for Pussy Cat Dolls

2006-08-27T18:24:00.000-04:00

Looking for Pussy Cat Dolls

The search is on! If you are 18 years of age or older and think you have what it takes to be the next Pussy Cat Doll, then go to http://www.cwtv.com/pcd.html to apply and for more information.

Here is a list of places for upcoming open auditions.

LOS ANGELES OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

Friday, September 8TH, 12 pm – 6 pm
LOCATION TBD

HOUSTON OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

Friday, September 15th, 12 pm – 6 pm
LOCATION TBD

ATLANTA OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

Wednesday, September 20th, 4 pm – 8 pm
LOCATION TBD

CHICAGO OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

Saturday, September 23rd, 4 pm – 8 pm
LOCATION TBD

MIAMI OPEN CALL AUDITIONS

Saturday, September 30th, 12 pm – 6 pm
LOCATION TBD

Visit The Pussy Cat Doll website.

How to Reduce the Stress in Your Life!

2006-08-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

How to Reduce the Stress in Your Life!

I couldn't think of anything to write about today...so I thought I would just give you a FREE GIFT instead. Here is a great e-book for you. No strings attached, just a FREE book for you.

This book will detail what stress is, how to determine where the stress is in your life and how to alleviate it. It's chock full of ideas and tips to help you reduce and eliminate the amount of stress you have. It will also show you techniques and exercises to reduce stress in your life on an everyday basis - for the rest of your life.

This E-Book is my FREE GIFT to you. Download Here enjoy it.

.Crazy North Carolina Drivers

2006-08-26T08:36:00.000-04:00

Crazy North Carolina Drivers

OK...here's something that drives me crazy about North Carolina drivers! They do not seem to know what an on-ramp is for on the highway!

The object of the on-ramp is to allow you to merge into the traffic flow on the highway. This means that you should look over your shoulder and adjust your speed accordingly as you merge onto the highway.

It DOES NOT mean that you should stop at the end of the on-ramp and wait for an opening! What part of merge do we not understand? If you stop at the end of the ramp and the person behind you is looking over their shoulder and speeding up there is going to be a big problem!

This is only one of the many things that bug me about North Carolina drivers...more to follow in upcoming posts. Please leave a comment about the crazy drivers in your area.

The Little Guy Lost

2006-08-25T19:08:00.000-04:00

The Little Guy Lost

It seems like we are always picking on the little guy. Here's an update on a previous post. Poor Pluto lost its fight to retain its status as a planet. Ever since 1930, Pluto has been the ninth planet. It had a weird orbit unlike any of the other planets and Pluto was the little guy on the block!

Now the vote is in, and Pluto is no longer a planet after seventy six years, it has been demoted to a drawf planet...poor Pluto. To show your support for the little, guy go here and get a bumper sticker. Show that you care.

http://www.cafepress.com/bringplutoback

Would You Let Your Daughter Dress Like This?

2006-08-22T19:11:00.000-04:00

Would You Let Your Daughter Dress Like This?

I guess we live in a world of double standards? Take this picture of Christina Aguilera for example. As a man, I love it -- very hot and sexy! However, if my daughter tried to leave the house dressed like that, she would never make it out the door! Totally unacceptable attire!

I would like to hear comments from both men and women on this subject.

Women: why do you dress like that? Just to drive us men crazy?

Men: you know you love it -- so I guess I already know what you think!

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website

2006-08-20T20:53:00.000-04:00

Here is an article from my latest website design newsletter. You can view the entire newsletter here.

How to Drive Traffic to Your Website
By: Mike Marinaro

Everyone wants more people to visit their website. My clients are always asking me how to accomplish this. Well, I can answer that question in just one word -- ARTICLES!

More and more people are using articles to generate traffic directly to their website and it works great! The secret is to provide something interesting and closely related to your website. For example, if you are selling insurance, you could write an article explaining the difference between term life and whole life insurance and the benefits of each.

Make sure your article is well-written, grammatically correct and free of spelling errors before you submit it. You should provide links in your article pointing to your website, and most importantly, there should be a resource box at the end of the article. A resource box tells people a little bit about you; directs them to your website; and gives others permission to reprint your article as long they include the resource box.

Okay, now you have a well written article; what's next, where do you submit the article? There are many places to submit articles, just google "free articles" and you will get millions of links.

Here are just a few of the ones that I use:

http://www.isnare.com
http://www.goarticles.com
http://www.ezinearticles.com

Another great place to submit articles is in your own newsletter. If you have a newsletter that is mailed or e-mailed you should also be writing articles there that link to your website. It’s a good idea to also archive your articles on your website so they can be read over and over again. This also increases the chance of another publisher picking up your article for use on their own site.

Your own articles also make great fillers for your newsletters when you need to fill that white space. The best way to use articles in an e-newsletter is to just have the first paragraph or two as a teaser then include a link to your website where readers can get the full content of the article. What are you waiting for, start writing your articles and watch your website traffic begin to increase!

You are free to republish this article as long as this resource box is used and the entire article is published unchanged.

About the Author

Mike Marinaro designs websites and e-zines, he specializes in affordable Christian website design. You can visit his site at http://www.webdesign4him.com/.
To contact Mike e-mail cmmdtp@gmail.com.

In Memory of My Sister

2006-08-18T22:59:00.000-04:00

In Memory of My Sister

Yesterday makes three-years since my sister died. Joan Ellen Marinaro was a Special Education Teacher and all of her students loved her dearly. I never realized how much Joan enjoyed teaching until after she was gone and I heard her fellow teachers and students say so many wonderful things about her.

Joan passed away suddenly at the young age of 50. Only a few months earlier we had held a surprise 50th birthday party for her and she seemed to be just fine. Life is short, and we never know when it will be our time to go. We should cherish every moment we have here on earth and take the time to enjoy our friends and family. Don't let silly things get the best of you and put you in a bad mood or distance you from your loved ones.

You can read more about Joan on my family website. Joan loved the ocean and she asked to have her ashes scattered there. Here is a poem she wrote 26-years ago.

I Love The Ocean

I love the ocean
Because of her soothing calm,
Mindless rages,
Dogged persistence,
Endless patience,
And everlasting mystery.

She lets you know who is master:
Not a petty supervisor,
Scolding parents,
Impatient mate,
Or ignorant stranger -
But the knowledge, total honesty,
And eternity of nature at its best.

Joan Ellen Marinaro
10/20/1980

This poem is part of a book of poetry by Joan Marinaro, "The Teacher Wore Purple", and may not be reproduced.

Copyright 2006 Marinaro Enterprises

Please leave a comment

John Mark Karr - Murderer or Liar?

2006-08-18T08:58:00.000-04:00

John Mark Karr - Murderer or Liar?

What do you think? Is this guy really the killer of JonBenet Ramsey or just some nut case looking for his 15-minutes of fame? Now I hear that he also confessed to Natalie Holloway's murder!

Karr is also wanted as a fugitive on child pornography charges, so he does have a checkered past. According to reports, some details of his confession seem out of line with circumstances of the case.

Let me know what you think about this. Murderer or Liar? Please leave a comment.

Bed & Breakfast Experiences

2006-08-16T17:01:00.000-04:00

Bed & Breakfast Experiences

Since this is prime vacation time, I have to put in a plug here for my other blog, Bed & Breakfast Experiences. If you have never visited this blog, please take a few minutes to check it out. If you have never stayed at a Bed & Breakfast, you owe it to yourself to try the experience...you will never go back to a hotel/motel again!
You may also want to check out the Bed & Breakfast Tours page at BnBFinder.com, what a wonderful idea for a vacation. Here are the tours they have listed right now on their website.

Wind Down the Pacific Coast Highway Bed & Breakfast Tour( California )

Escape to New England - A Bed & Breakfast Tour( Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont )

Tour Canada: The Rideau Canal Waterway B&B Getaway( Ontario )

200 Years of History Along the Historic National Road:Wake Up Someplace Special B&B Tour( Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia )

Please visit my Bed & Breakfast Experiences blog and leave a comment.

Isn't there anything better to report about?

2006-08-15T15:59:00.000-04:00

Isn't There Anything Better to Report About?

Give me a break...I turned on the news this morning and the big story was all about Boy George sweeping up the streets of New York. Who really cares! The picture here is of Boy George in his hay-day when he was with "The Culture Club". His big hit was "Karma Chameleon".

It seems that the singer got into a bit of trouble a while back and was sentenced to community service. Back in March Boy George falsely reported a burglary at his apartment in Manhatten and when the police came to check it out they found cocaine there. (You think that if you were going to report a fake robbery, you would at least have enough sense to stash your dope out of sight!)

When he tried to go to work and sweep up this morning, he was swarmed by the media. Then he swept dirt and leaves into the cameras and ended up being re-assigned to a gated area where the media was kept at bay!

With all that is going on in the world today, you think there would be more important issues to report about. It's a shame to waste valuable air time on something like this.

When Is A Planet Not A Planet?

2006-08-14T15:08:00.000-04:00

When Is A Planet Not A Planet?

That is the question that is being asked as by "The International Astronomical Union", which meets in Prague this week. They will decide the fate of Pluto, the smallest of our nine planets.

You can see by the picture above that Pluto is the smallest kid on the block as far as the planets go. Discovered in 1930 by Cylde Tombaugh, in Flagstaff, Arizona; Pluto is the only planet to be discovered by the United States.

It seems that there is this thing called the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune, where there are many small icy bodies that orbit the sun. Professor Mike Brown and colleaques at Caltech discovered 2003 UB313 (nicknamed Xena after the warrior princess). They feel that Xena should be promoted to the status of a planet since it is larger than Pluto.

If Pluto is out and Xena is in, then that would open the door for a whole bunch of new planets to make the list. I'm not sure how this will change my life, but I thought it was pretty interesting. Let me know what you think about the dilemma of Pluto. Please leave a comment.

Mindlessly Surfing the Internet

2006-08-12T02:05:00.000-04:00

Mindlessly Surfing the Internet

Here I sit at 2:00 am, mindlessly surfing the web! I really have a lot of work to do, but I get so easily distracted. Hang on a minute...a little icon just popped up in the bottom corner of my screen, I'll be back in a minute, just have to check my e-mail!

I don't know what I did before Google. Anytime I have a question all I have to do is Google it and there's my answer...it's amazing! Come on now admit it people -- how many of you have Googled yourself? Just type your own name in the search box and you will be amazed how many results pop up.

I have several websites that I have to update for clients, blog entries to write, a novel to finish, and countless other projects to attend to; yet I just can't stop myself from participating in the Battle of the Blogs. I'm in the lifetime top 50...gotta keep battling!

Maybe I should think about getting some sleep, but I'm afraid I might miss something important. Oh, what the heck...I guess the Internet will still be here tomorrow when I wake up. See you later.

Please leave a comment.

Robin Williams Seeks Treatment for Alcoholism

2006-08-10T11:01:00.000-04:00

Robin Williams Seeks Treatment
for Alcoholism
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

According to his publicist, Mara Buxbaum, the 55-year-old Oscar winner has been sober for 20 years but is now is seeking treatment for alcoholism. Williams, "found himself drinking again and has decided to take proactive measures to deal with this for his own well-being and the well-being of his family," she said in a statement. "He looks forward to returning to work this fall to support his upcoming film releases."

Robin Williams is one of my favorite actors and I think he is the best comedian ever! I used to watch him years ago on "Mork and Mindy" and have seen just about every film he has ever made. In fact he was here in the Raleigh area not too long ago to make the movie "Patch Adams" and my wife landed a part as an extra in that movie and even managed to get a kiss from Robin during a break in the filming!

I'm glad he is seeking help and wish Robin and his family all the best.

Please leave your comments.

World Trade Center

2006-08-09T10:19:00.000-04:00

World Trade Center

Who can forget that horrific day, five-years ago when the World Trade Center was destroyed! It is one of those events that will forever be etched in our memories and years from now you will recall exactly where you were and what you were doing when you heard the news.

It was only a matter of time before Hollywood released a movie about it. What do you think, is it too soon for the movie; should there even be a movie made about this subject; are you going to go see the movie? Please leave a comment on how you feel about this.

I probably will see the movie eventually, maybe when it comes out on DVD. It is not on my must see list. I beleive that it's okay to make the movie as long as the facts are correct. Oliver Stone is a brilliant film maker and I'm sure he will do a great job.

The film is being released today, August 9, 2006. You can see a trailer at
www.wtcmovie.com

The movie, directed by Oliver Stone; featuring Nicolas Cage, Michael Pena, Maggie Gyllenhaaland Maria Bello looks like it will be a great movie. From what I have read about it, this is not a movie about conspiracy theories or political finger pointing. Instead, it is the story about two New York City Transit Authority Policemen, John McLoughlin (Nicholas Cage) and Will Jimeno (Michael Pena), who are entombed in the rubble and eventually rescued.

Please leave your comments.

Develop Irresistible Attraction

2006-08-07T20:22:00.000-04:00

Develop Irresistible Attraction
In Five Easy Steps!

by: Connie Domino, MPH, RN

Stop struggling to achieve success & happiness ... learn how to ATTRACT people, things & opportunities you want in your life! In this book, learn the secrets to becoming Irresistibly Attractive. We're always attracting "stuff" into our lives, so why not use the Law of Attraction to attract the "stuff" we really want in all areas of our life?

LEARN how in five simple steps to achieve in as little as two weeks such dreams as ...

* More Money
* New Romantic Relationships
* Improved Family Relationships
* New Jobs
* Job Promotions
* Increased Sales
* More Customers
* Make the Life you Dream about a Reality!

Sometimes our thinking, feelings and strategies only need fine tuning a fraction of an inch for our grandest goals and dreams to come true. Through the familiar structure of goal setting, Connie Domino teaches you the all important "How" to word your goals. She'll show you how to fine tune your thinking, feelings and self-talk for very quick results.

cdomino22@aol.com

www.conniedomino.com

How to tell if you are driving too fast

2006-08-05T16:49:00.000-04:00

How to tell if you are driving too fast

This picture says it all -- no need for me to write anything in this post. I received this in an e-mail today, I don't know where the photo originated from so I can't give the proper credits. It's a great picture -- if your dog looks like this, you need to SLOW DOWN!

Drive-In Theater - a thing of the past

2006-08-05T08:27:00.000-04:00

Drive-In Theater - a thing of the past

My daughter has never seen a drive-in theater; what a shame. There are probably many of you younger folks reading this blog that also have never had the pleasure of going to a drive-in movie!

In their hey-day, there were over 3,000 drive-in theaters in the United States. Now, according to www.driveintheater.com, there are slightly over 500. It's too bad that the drive-in has vanished. I have many wonderful memories of sitting under the stars and watching great movies.

For those of you youngsters who don't have any idea what I am talking about, let me explain. The drive-in theater was a weekly adventure for us when we were kids. Mom & Dad would lay out blankets and pillows in the back of the family station wagon and my two sisters and I would be in our pajamas as we piled in the car.

The thing about drive-ins was that the movie couldn't start until it was dark so we usually ended up falling asleep in the back of the car. Before the movie we would play on the playground in front of the big screen and get some snacks from the concession stand.

Usually there were a couple of cartoons that came on before the feature movie and sometimes there were even two movies! You parked your car next to a pole with a speaker that you would attach to your window, and enjoy the movie from the comfort of your car. Some folks layed blankets out on the hood of their cars and watched the movie like that.

As we got older and started driving ourselves, the drive-in was a great date place. (Making out place, is more like it!) The car windows would be all steamed up and I don't think we even knew what movie we went to.

They charged by the carload, so we would pile as many people into a car as we could and sometimes even stashed a few friends in the trunk! AHHH, those were the good-ole-days!

If you have memories of a drive-in theater, or if you just want to say, "I never heard of drive-in," please leave a comment.

Cindy Sheehan Back in the News

2006-08-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

Cindy Sheehan Back in the News

I don't think this welcome sign applies to the newest land owner in Crawford. Apparently, Cindy Sheehan is attempting to get back into the spotlight once again! Now she has purchased a piece of property just a few miles away from President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas.

The media-darling Sheehan, used a supporter, Gerry Fonseca, to buy the 5-acre parcel for a little more than $52,000. Fonseca admitted he lied and did not tell the property owner who the land was for; however, he did mention that he had lost his home in Hurricane Katrina.

Sheehan said she used part of her son's life insurance money to pay for the land and she intends to use the property until Bush either resigns or is impeached!

Crawford, Texas is a small town with a population of 700. Most of the townfolk are upset over the protesters. According to the AP one resident said, "I wish she'd stay away. Crawford's a Republican town, and she's a dumb Democrat."

I am sorry that Cindy Sheenan's son was killed in the service, but she really needs to give it a rest! Her son was there because it was his choice and he gave his live serving our country. She should be proud of him instead of waisting her time protesting against President Bush!

Your comments are welcome.

Caption Contest

2006-07-30T07:46:00.000-04:00

Caption Contest

Here is a picture of my nephew, RJ. This picture really needs a caption. Please leave a comment with your idea for a caption, and I will select a winner from the comments.

Prize is 25 Blog Explosion Credits. Anyone may leave a comment; however, you must be a member of Blog Explosion to participate in contest. I will select a winner from all the comments next Sunday.

Click on banner below to join Blog Explosion, it's FREE to join.

Another Hollywood Superstar - DUI

2006-07-29T20:32:00.000-04:00

Another Hollywood Superstar - DUI

Here we go again...another big name in Hollywood was arrested for Driving Under the Influence! This time it was none other than Oscar-Winner, Mel Gibson!

Shame on you Mel -- what were you thinking?

The 50-year-old actor/director was arrested in Malibu for allegedly going 80-mph in a 45-mph zone. Mr. Gibson blew a .12 on his sobriety test which was way over the California legal limit of .08.

Gibson was taken to jail and released on $5,000 bond. If you read some accounts of this story you will see Mel acted out of control and cursed at the sherrif's deputy who arrested him. Check out www.tmz.com for all the dirt! The actor reportedly also ranted about the Jews and made sexual remarks to a female police officer. He is even said to have smashed a telephone against the wall in the jail when he could not get a dial tone!

Mel Gibson has issued a statement and apologized for his belligerent behavior. He said that he has been battling alcoholism all of his adult life and he is sorry that he acted out of control when he was arrested.

Man Bitten by Snake in Wal-Mart

2006-07-25T19:40:00.000-04:00

Man Bitten by Snake in Wal-Mart

Here's an interesting story from Florida.

A 51 year-old, wheelchair-bound man, was shopping at a Florida Wal-Mart, when he was attacked by a Pygmy Rattlesnake! As the man reached into a plant in the garden center the snake bit him on the hand and latched on! He managed to shake the snake off and beat him with his cane.

The man has not been identified publicly but he was given antivenin and taken to the hospital where he is recovering. The Wal-Mart is in Sanford, Florida, which is about 25-miles outside of Orlando. Part of the store was closed and the snake was captured and killed.

Wal-Mart says the snake bite is "an isolated incident," and they say their stores are taking precautions to make sure it doesn't happen again.

I've seen some pretty strange things in Wal-Mart before...but never a Rattlesnake!

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

2006-07-25T13:21:00.000-04:00

Are You Addicted to the Internet?

If you are not quite sure if you are an "Internet Addict", check the list below and see how many of these things apply to you.

You wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and stop to check your e-mail before going back to bed
You spouse makes a new rule: The laptop can not come to bed with us
It takes you 15 minutes to scroll to the bottom of your bookmarks in your browser
All of your friends have @ in their names
You suddenly realize the house is very quiet, and you have no idea where your children are
You check your e-mail and it says "no messages", so you check it again just to make sure
You find yourself surfing the net when you are supposed to be working
You go to bed later and later because you are busy online
The first thing you do when you come home is turn on your computer and log on
The last thing you do at night before bed is log off and turn your computer off
You say good night to your computer
Have you named your computer
Have you ever fallen asleep at your computer
You have more than one e-mail address
You have more than one chat room name
You find yourself turning your head sideways to smile :)
You are reading this aren't you -- don't you have anything better to do?

Please leave a comment and add to this list -- don't be afraid to admit you are addicted --

My name is Mike and I am an Internet Addict!!!!

E-Newsletters = $$$

2006-07-24T21:41:00.000-04:00

E-Newsletters = $$$

I have a website design business, several blogs and I publish many different newsletters each month. The newsletters have been getting a whole lot of response, so I thought I would share a little information with my fellow bloggers.
My newsletter reader list has grown to over 1,000 subscribers and is growing by leaps and bounds each month. I started out with just a few website clients and I sent an e-newsletter to my client list each month with articles about website design. Eventually, my client list grew and so did my subscription list to my e-newsletters. Does your buiseness need a newsletter? You bet it does!

Click Here to read an article about why your business needs a newsletter.

I have a link on all of my blogs and my websites where visitors can subscribe to my newsletters. I also have a link in all my newsletters where readers can forward the newsletter to a friend.

My newsletters mention my blogs which mention my websites which mention my newsletters, etc. etc. etc. My blogs and websites have google ads and affiliate links which also generate income. Everything has started coming together since I have been publishing newsletters.

I sell ads in my newsletters, and I have clients who have paid me to create newsletters for their business. So if you don't have a newsletter...I would suggest you seriously consider starting one soon!

Here is link to premiere issue of my Blogging News 4 U newsletter.

Please leave a comment.

Secret Page Spy

2006-07-23T20:28:00.000-04:00

Secret Page Spy

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Sleeping With a Partner Makes You Stupid!

2006-07-23T08:27:00.000-04:00

WOW -- can you believe this? Research reveals that sleeping with a partner makes you stupid!

This has got to be one of the dumbest studies I have ever seen. A University of Vienna study, published today in New Scientist, showed that men suffer temporary mental setbacks if they share their bed because their sleep is always disturbed whether they make love to their partners or not.The researchers interviewed eight unmarried couples in their 20s who were asked to spend 10 nights with their partners, and 10 nights alone. Read the full article here.

I don't know about you, but personally, I prefer to sleep with my wife. If for some reason I sleep alone, I have a hard time falling asleep and toss and turn much more than when we are sleeping together!

I'd love to hear from others on this subject. Please leave a comment.

Why Do You Blog?

2006-07-21T23:09:00.000-04:00

Why Do You Blog?

There are blogs about sex, drugs and rock & roll. You can find mommy blogs, daddy blogs, gay blogs, Christian blogs, and blogs about blogging!

I've seen blogs about dogs, cats, and even turtle blogs. You name it, and I'm sure you can find a blog about it somewhere. My question to you is, "Why do you blog?"

Please leave a comment and tell me why you blog. Here are a few reasons people blog, what's your reason?

I blog because I am bored
I blog because it gives me a chance to express myself
I blog because I like to talk about me
I blog to meet other bloggers
I blog to make money
I blog because I like to write

For me...I blog because I like to write, also I have discovered that it is possible to earn a little money from my blogs. Oh, that reminds me, if you like the image on this post visit my online shop for blog addicts, you can get unique t-shirts, coffee mugs, mouse pads and much more!

Please leave a comment and tell me why you blog.

Is This Thing On?

2006-07-18T13:53:00.000-04:00

Is This Thing On?

You would think that after being in the public eye for several years one would get used to checking to see if anyone was watching. Well, Mr. Bush the microphone was turned on while you were chatting with Mr. Blair and the whole world heard your comments!

" See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this s--- and it's over," Bush told Blair as he chewed on a buttered roll.

I'm actually a big fan of President Bush, so I am not knocking him here. I think it's rather funny, and Mr. Bush just rolled his eyes when he was told about the blooper.

The unscripted comments came during a lunch at the Group of Eight summit.The world leaders clearly did not realize that a live microphone was picking up their uncensored comments.

Another Idol Gets Record Contract

2006-07-18T07:43:00.000-04:00

Another Idol Gets Record Contract

There are no losers on "American Idol". Kellie Pickler may have got the boot from the show, but she just landed a record contract with 19 Recordings/BNA Records, a label under the SONY BMG Music Entertainment umbrella in Nashville. The Southern sweetheart from last season's "American Idol" is remembered for not only her singing talent, but also her bubbly personality and heavy Southern accent!

Pickler is due to have a country song ready for the radio by September and an album to be released in November this year. The 20-year-old North Carolinian is the latest "also ran" from the 5th season show to sign a record deal. Earlier this year, Katharine McPhee and Chris Daughtry also inked recording contracts.

I love country music, and of course being from North Carolina myself, I voted for Kellie on "American Idol". I can't wait to hear her debut album.

Need to Rekindle Your Romance?

2006-07-17T13:07:00.000-04:00

Need to Rekindle Your Romance?

Here's a great idea to light a spark in your romance! Try a weekend getaway at an area Bed & Breakfast. It doesn't matter where you live, there is sure to be a romantic Bed & Breakfast not too far away. Click Here for a list of Bed & Breakfasts in your area.

Make it a surprise -- just tell your significant other that you are taking them someplace special for the weekend. Visit my other blog, "Bed & Breakfast Experiences" for more information on Bed & Breakfasts in your area. There is a list of the top 10 most Romantic Bed & Breakfasts there also. You can even pick up a gift certificate at the top of my Bed & Breakfast Blog.

Most of the folks who manage the Bed & Breakfasts are very friendly and helpful. If you call ahead they will be happy to tell you about romantic things to do in the area or hook you up with flowers and candy on the bed, etc. Many also have special romantic packages available.

If you know about a GREAT Bed and Breakfast that you have visited leave a comment on my Bed & Breakfast Experiences blog or send me an e-mail, if use your story on my blog I will send you 25 BE Credits. (This offer only good if you are a Blog Explosion member.) If you are not a member -- join up for FREE! Just click on the Blog Explosion logo below and register.

Article Writing Secrets

2006-07-16T19:58:00.000-04:00

Article Writing Secrets

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Do You Believe in Angels?

2006-07-14T12:50:00.000-04:00

Do You Believe in Angels? I certainly do. Following is a true story, this happened to me many years ago when I was around 8-years old. An edited version of this story was published in the Jan./Feb 2004 issue of "Angels on Earth Magazine".

Please respond to this post.

Skating on Thin Ice By: Mike Marinaro

The Oil Mill Pond was a large pond not far from our house. On one end was a dam, which was a truly beautiful site in the winter as the waterfall glistened in the sunlight and the rocks far below were covered in a sheet of ice. It wasn’t safe to skate too close to the dam because the water was constantly running there and the ice was very thin. I was about to discover just how thin the ice was and how very deep and cold the water was at this end of the pond!

I loved to look down at the ice as I glided across the smooth and glassy surface. In some spots I could see how thick the ice actually was. There were cracks and bubbles that formed interesting patterns underneath. It seemed as if everyone was crowded in the center of the pond where a hockey game was being played so I headed off towards the dam. I enjoyed the feeling of the wind blowing in my face as I picked up speed and raced across the ice.

Before too long it started to snow, just light flurries, but enough to lay a beautiful coat of white over the ice. I could skate around in circles and see the tracks in the snow from my skates. It was fun to make figure eights and other intricate patterns. The sounds of the crowd soon faded away, and the only thing I could hear was the scraping noise my skates made cutting into the ice.

Suddenly, there was another noise that sent shivers down my spine, a loud cracking sound! I looked up and realized that I had not been paying attention and had ventured too close to the dam. The ice was cracking beneath me; I could feel it giving way right under my feet!

I turned and tried to skate towards shore but it was too late! My world exploded violently as the ice opened and swallowed me! It was a real shock as my body hit the freezing cold water and I sank like a rock to the bottom of the pond!

That was over forty-five years ago but I can still remember it vividly like it was only yesterday! I will never forget that feeling of helplessness as I looked up towards the surface and could not see the hole I had fallen through! Time seemed to slow down and run in slow motion as I sank to the bottom of the pond.

I looked up and at first I could see the circle of broken ice with the sun shining through. But as I went down deeper the circle became smaller and smaller and the sunlight faded into a tiny beam of light. Then there was only darkness! Everything was pitch-black!

I felt my feet hit the muddy bottom and I prayed for help. My instinct was to start swimming and hope that I could find the opening again. I could feel my body getting numb from the cold, my ears felt like they were made of ice and would shatter if I touched them! I was wearing a pair of gloves but they were soaked through and I could hardly move my fingers at all! I held my breath as long as I could but my lungs felt like they were about to burst!

Just then when I thought I wouldn’t last another second, I felt someone tapping me on the shoulder and heard a soft voice saying, “Don’t panic Mike, everything is going to be alright.” I spun around to see who was there but could see nobody at all. “Don’t try to swim, or you will lose your way. Just push your feet into the bottom and you will shoot straight up to the surface”, said the mysterious voice.

I pushed myself upward with all of my might and hoped that I would indeed find the hole, which seemed miles above me. “Trust me, I am here to help you”, I heard as I shot up from the bottom. Then a flash of bright light blinded me and I broke through to the surface gasping for air!

I splashed around and tried to yell out for help but nothing would come out. I couldn’t believe that no one had seen me fall through the ice. What was I going to do now; every time I tried to pull myself up onto the ice another piece would break away. I thrashed around in the bone-chilling water for what seemed like an eternity. My situation was getting worse as I neared exhaustion. Then for the second time that day a miracle happened.

I was being lifted out of the icy cold water and helped onto the ice by someone I could not see! I can only assume that this was an angel sent to watch over me in my time of need. I tried to talk but still could not get any words to come out. I crawled to the shore and just laid there for awhile shivering and trying to recuperate. Again I heard a voice softly whispering in my ear, “I will go and find someone to help you”. The next thing I know, there was a crowd of people standing around me covering me with coats and asking me what had happened. Everything started to spin around and get blurry, and then I must have passed out.

I am absolutely positively sure about what happened that day and I believe without a doubt that it was an angel who pulled me from the icy water and saved my life! Looking back on that near-death experience I noticed that I became more self-confident and less shy after that day. Up until then I had always been an introvert and did not make friends very easily. However, I now had a new found sense of well being and felt like I could handle any situation! After all, I had my very own angel to watch over me!

I was only eight years old when this happened but it is still fresh in my mind. Many times since then I have thought about that day and wondered if it was only another person who pulled me out of the water, or if it was really an angel. After decades of pondering this question I am convinced that it was indeed an angel who rescued me. There is no way that someone could have crawled out on that thin ice without also falling through!

The amazing thing about that fateful day that still sends shivers up and down my spine every time I recall it is that there were no other footprints in the freshly fallen snow. Just one set of skate tracks leading to the hole in the ice! Do I believe in angels – you bet I do!

Your comments are always welcome.

Do You Have What it Takes?

2006-07-13T11:49:00.000-04:00

Do You Have What it Takes?

Could you be the next "AMERICAN IDOL"? Auditions begin for the next singing superstar in 7 cities across the United States starting this August!

You must be 16-28 years old and elegible to work in the United States to audition. For a complete list of rules Click Here.

Here is the schedule for audition locations.

Los Angeles, CA - Aug 8
San Antonio, TX - Aug 11
New York, NY - Aug 14
Birmingham, AL - Aug 21
Memphis, TN - Sep 3
Minneapolis, MN - Sep 8
Seattle, WA - Sep 19

So warm up those vocal chords and head on out to one of the above locations if you think you have what it takes!

Chris Daughtry Signs Record Deal

2006-07-11T15:08:00.000-04:00

Chris Daughtry Signs Record Deal

America voted and Chris Daughtry was sent home from American Idol! However, he did not fade away...last month Chris turned down a deal to join the rock band Fuel. Now he has just signed a record deal with 19 Recordings/RCA Records. According to RCA Daughtry will form a band and work with high-profile collaborators to record self and co-written songs. Look for his first album to be relased later this year.

Many people were shocked when the bald-headed, North Carolina native was eliminated from the fifth season show. But as history has already proven, just because you get booted doesn't mean you can't be a star! Just look at Clay Aiken, you hear more about him than the winner Ruben Studdard.

Daughtry is busy right now performing on the sold out American Idol Live Tour, and work has already begun on his first album. Watch out Taylor Hicks, the battle isn't over yet!

I voted for Taylor, and I think if he can monopolize on his unique talent and style he will do great.

Please leave your comments.

Pirates of the Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest

2006-07-10T09:43:00.000-04:00

Pirates of the Caribbean
Dead Man's Chest

We went to see the 2nd installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" this weekend (so did everybody else in town) many of the showtimes were sold out; the theater was really packed!

Actually, I liked the first one better but this one was also very good. Although I would think twice about bringing young kids to the movie, the bad guys are really gross looking and pretty scary! The make-up artists did an awesome job.

Make sure you stay and read the credits after the movie because there is a secret scene at the end of the credits.

China has banned "Dead Man's Chest" due to its violent and supernatural content. There is no rating system for movies in China, but they will usually reject sex and violence.

Elsewhere,the film broke box office records. Opening day on Friday, the film set the record for the single-day box office gross by collecting $55.5 million then added an estimated $44.7 million on Saturday to become the first film in history to break the $100 million mark in two days!

In this follow-up to the original block-buster, Captian Jack Sparrow is trying to save himself from eternal damnation due to a blood debt he owes to Davy Jones. Depp is reunited with Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley as they team up once again.

The movie has plenty of action and comedy and ends in true cliff-hanger fashion paving the way for a third installment. I enjoyed it, but still liked the first one better. Of course, I will end up buying the DVD when it comes out to add to my collection.

Please leave your comments.

Superman Returns

2006-07-05T16:06:00.000-04:00

Superman Returns

We went to see "Superman Returns" over the holiday weekend. I'm glad we went to the discounted matinee and didn't pay full price for the tickets! The movie was long and drawn out, two hours and thirty four minutes. There were a couple of good action scenes with great special effects, but they were few and far between!

Brandon Routh just did not do it for me as Superman; however, he did bear some resemblance to Christopher Reeves, especially his voice. I was not impressed with Lois Lane either, played by Kate Bosworth, her character was boring. There was no chemistry between her and superman. The best actor in the movie was Kevin Spacey who did a great job as Lex Luthor. He potrayed a very devious bad-guy!

Overall, the movie was boring and bland. What I did find interesting though was the way that I noticed there were many similarities between Superman and Christ.

Here are the metaphors I found. Clark Kent is sent to earth by his Father. Clark's name is Ka-El his father's name is Jor-El. The El part of the name in Hebrew means God the Father. Superman is beaten and suffers a stab wound very similar to the wound inflicted on Christ by the spear of a Roman soldier. We then see Superman posing with his arms outstretched as though he had been crucified.

Lois Lane has a line that goes like this, "The world doesn't need a saviour...and neither do I."

Also the ghost of Jor-El says,"For this reason, I have sent them you, my only son."

Superman says to Lois, " I'm always around."

I don't think you have to be a Bible scholar to notice the way Superman is potrayed as Christ-like in this movie. It is not forced on you, but it's there just the same. Perhaps the one saving grace for this movie?

When all is said and done, the movie is making money. Superman pulled in $74 million over the long fourth of July weekend and more than $106 million its first seven days!

Your comments are welcome.